Vegan and Vegetarian Cooking and Living

Sauteed Rainbow Chard with Baked Beans on Toast

I made this meal when I didn’t have much time, but wanted a fresh, hearty dinner. I used Trader Joe’s Baked Beans and Sourdough Bread, and organic rainbow chard from the Santa Cruz Farmer’s Market. My British friend, H, taught me just how wonderful baked beans are on toast. Rainbow chard is a great leafy green, packed full of vitamins that us veg’s need. I flavored it lightly to bring out it’s sweet juicy-ness. This takes less then ten minutes to make, and was totally satisfying and delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Can baked beans
• 1 slice sourdough bread
•  4 stalks rainbow chard
• Green garlic (fresh garlic)
• Soy Sauce
• Oil, salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and slice your rainbow chard into bite size pieces, using both the leaf and stem
2. Sautee in pan with a little oil and add soy sauce and spices as desired
3. Don’t add the green garlic until the last 2 minutes or so, as it burns easily
4. Meanwhile, toast your bread and heat up your beans
5. Serve chard and pile your beans on your toast
6. Enjoy :)

“Big Vegan” by Robin Asbell

Back in January I was given an amazing cookbook called “Big Vegan”. It’s huge, and beautiful, and full of delicious recipes that are not only meat and dairy free, but also largely gluten-free and low-fat. When I first got the book I would often peruse it and drool, but I wasn’t cooking from it a whole lot, although I did make this scrumptious Indonesian Noodle Salad. 

Then, a few weeks ago, my doctor nonchalantly informed me that I should probably cut all gluten out of my diet. Like, all gluten. She said it wouldn’t be a big deal, babbling cheerfully about all the gluten-free options in the Bay Area. I stared at her, stunned, as my gluten-y life flash before my eyes: Acme bread, Zachary’s Pizza, cranberry scones, Tofurkey Beer Brats,  Seitan, Veggieburger buns, warm chocolate chip cookies… 

Needless to say, I’m not ready to quit gluten altogether. However, I am trying to cut down on it, and to find other ways to satisfy my perpetually hungry belly. Instead of going at it with an attitude of deprivation (“No gluten for you!”), I’m trying to frame this in a more positive light (“Let’s make a recipe that just happens to not include gluten”). For instance, Hot and Sour Broccoli Salad:

And that’s where Big Vegan comes in. The last few weeks I’ve started to actually cook lots of Asbell’s coincidentally gluten free recipes. Instead of lamenting what I can’t have, I’m focusing on what I can. Like New Potato Rendeng, pictured up at the top of this post. 

Now here comes the meaningful life lesson (uh oh I really have become an obnoxious blogger): I think this is the only way to make a real dietary change. Don’t try to do it all at once. Don’t stress about little slips ups here and there (I’m talking to myself right now; I just ate a cake pop). Don’t torture yourself with weak imitations of whatever food you are no longer eating. DO find a cookbook, or a website, or a person who will give you oodles of recipes featuring your target food groups. And go buy Asbell’s cookbook- you won’t regret it! 

Warm Teriyaki Tofu and Spinach Salad

-E

Crispy Tofu Sandwich

Ingredients:

• Sourdough Bread
• 4 slices tofu, about 1/2 inch thick, 2x1 inches wide
• 1 Romaine leaf
• 1 small grated carrot
• 1/4 avocado
• Mustard, Tahini dressing, or sauces of choice
• Cooking oil
• Soy Sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (similar to soy sauce, but lighter)  

Directions:

1. Put tofu in the pan with a little oil, sprinkle braggs or soy sauce on top
2. Let tofu cook until it’s slightly crispy on both sides
3. Toast the bread and spread on mustard, tahini, and avocado
4. Add other veggies and tofu, slice in half, and enjoy :)
5. If desired, wrap in plastic and take on the go. It saves well. 

-N 

Tangy Udon Noodles with Lemon Honey Brussel Sprouts

For this meal I used the same method for the Brussels as a recipe I posted earlier (Lemon honey sautéed Brussel sprouts, about a month ago) topped on wide udon noodles, which you can find at most natural food, Asian markets or some grocery stores. I flavored the noodles with my favorite combo of soy sauce, rice vinegar and lemon juice. For some extra protein add cubes of tofu or cooked soybeans.

Ingredients:

• Wide udon noodles
• Brussel sprouts
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce 
• Lemon 
• Honey or vegan sweetener 
• Olive oil 
• Salt, pepper and garlic to taste 

Directions:

1. For the Brussels
2. Boil a pot of water (with enough water to cover brussels)
3. Wash brussels well, peeling off outer leaves if they look gross
4. Chop into halves or quarters, depending on their size
5. Put brussels into boiling water and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until they are pretty cooked but still a little hard
6. Strain and put brussels in a large pan with olive oil
7. Add lemon juice, honey and herbs to taste (it tend to take a good amount of lemon and honey to be flavorful enough) 
8. Continue to sautee until they are tender
9. For the noodles: 
10. Follow directions on the package to cook noodles 
11. Drain and mix in a bowl with rice vinegar, soy sauce and lemon to taste. 
12. Add protein source if desired and top with cooked Brussels. Enjoy :)

Crunchy Lentil Tahini Wrap

Ingredients:

• Wrap or Tortilla ( I used Trader Joes Olive Oil Wraps)
• 3/4 cup cooked lentils ( Also used Trader Joes precooked lentils)
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• Diced cucumbers
• 1/4 cup black beans
• A few tablespoons tahini dressing (or dressing of choice)
• A few tablespoons Daiya Pepperjack Shreds
• Optional: fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Put wrap or tortilla in a pan with the Daiya and let it melt slightly, making sure your wrap doesnt harden too much
2. Take wrap off the heat and add lentils, beans, veggies, dressing, and mix up so everything is well-dressed
3. Fold your wrap like a burrito and squeeze on lemon juice if desired
4. Enjoy :)

-N

Open-Faced Vegan Quesadilla

Once I transitioned from vegetarian to vegan, I realized that my burrito obsession revolved mainly around sour cream and cheese. I can make my own vegan Mexican food that’s (almost) as delicious as taqueria-bought. My latest food craze is Daiya mozzarella-style shreds. They really do melt and stretch like it says on the bag! Anyhow I used Trader Joes olive oil wraps (good for mexican food as well as lentil veggie wraps etc), Daiya, organic produce and Trader Joes salsa and black beans. It was SO good and filling and satisfying. I covered it in lemon juice and nutritional yeast for extra zest. I then attempted to fold it in half, somewhat successfully. This is incredibly yummy and incredibly messy. Happy eating. 

Ingredients:

• 1 wrap or tortilla
• A few tablespoons Daiya
• Half a can black beans
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• A few tablespoons salsa
• 1/4 avocado
• Optional: Lemon juice & nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Put your wrap/tortilla in a pan and spread Daiya evenly, turn on medium heat. Watch it carefully because the Daiya takes a little while to melt but make sure you don’t let the tortilla burn
2. Meanwhile, heat up the black beans and chop the lettuce
3. When the Daiya has melted, put your quesadilla on a plate and cover with beans, lettuce, avocado, then salsa and optional toppings
4. Enjoy :)

-N

Colorful Salad with Homemade Herbed Croutons

You know how when you go to buffets or dining halls or salad bars the salads are always SO good? There are so many choices and textures and flavors. There are croutons and veggies and fruits and seeds and peas and dressing and it’s all so crunchy and wonderful. When I moved off my college campus and away from those salad bars, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and create a salad just as exciting and versatile. 

I have figured out that they key components to creating a successful salad are: croutons, good dressing, lots of colors, and small juicy items like peas or corn. I prefer making my own croutons to buying them (cheaper, healthier, more fun). I save the ends of bread (yeah, I don’t eat the ends, so what) and freeze them. When salad time rolls around I pop them in the microwave, chop them up and sautee them til they are crispy and greasy and delicious.

In terms of dressing, I love tahini dressing or sesame-soy-ginger, but an easy and still yummy way to go is olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, salt and pepper, or all of the above. 

I made this salad with my wonderful best friend, A. She is just getting into cooking and it’s so much fun to teach her what I know and watch her get excited as she invents new and delicious meals. 

You can really put in almost any vegetable and your salad will taste great, but here’s what we did:

Ingredients:

• Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• Frozen peas, cooked and let to cool
• Canned corn, drained
• Broccoli (raw, or slightly steamed)
• Bell pepper 
• Carrots
• Celery
• Several pieces bread
• Olive oil
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme
• Dressing

Directions:

1. Defrost bread if necessary, cut into crouton size pieces
2. Heat olive oil in a pan, add bread and mix around so all the pieces get oily
3. Add herbs and oil as needed (it takes a bit of oil to get them crispy)
4. Sautee until croutons are crispy and flavorful (this tends to take at least 10 minutes)
5. Meanwhile, wash and chop veggies into bite size pieces
6. Mix veggies and croutons together in a large bowl, add dressing and toss
7. Serve and enjoy

-N

Vegan Grilled Cheese

I grew up on soy cheese. We had every kind of gushy, soggy, strangely colored ‘cheese’, all with that weirdly bitter aftertaste. This lasted until my sister and I refused to eat one more bite and demanded our cheese come from cows.

This is why, when I went from vegetarian to vegan about half a year ago, I silently swore never to eat fake packaged cheese. I didn’t see the point, it didn’t taste like dairy cheese, it doesn’t have much nutritional value, and I was perfectly happy with my diet.

As time has progressed however, I have become increasingly curious about all the vegan products out there, and my judgements that they won’t taste like the ‘real thing’ have faded. When you go long enough without ‘real’ cheese or ice cream or yogurt, the vegan version tastes just as good, better even because you feel morally sound about what you’re putting in your body. I now go nuts for a bowl of coconut bliss ice cream, or nachos with vegan sour cream, and as of this morning, for Daiya vegan cheese. Let me tell you, vegan cheese has made leaps and bounds since I was 12 years old grimacing at pale orange-almond-soy-mush in my parents fridge. This snack takes about 5 minutes to make, and is absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients:

• Bread (I used whole wheat)
• Daiya (I used mozzarella style. You can find it at natural food stores for $6 a bag)
• Optional: Earth balance or oil

Directions:

1. Put earth balance/oil in a pan or turn on a panini maker
2. Spread Daiya on your bread, place in maker/on pan
3. Cook on both sides until the Daiya has melted and the bread is slightly crispy
4. Serve immediately with some veggies on the side (I had cucumbers) and enjoy thoroughly :)

-N

Fried Tofu with Steamed Lemony Kale

You know how when you go to Thai or Chinese restaurants the tofu is all perfectly cooked so its crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and you think you could never make it as yummy? Well it turns out you can, and it’s easy and cheap. 

I paired this with steamed dino kale, which is so fresh and green it balances the fried tofu nicely. It takes about 10 minutes to make this whole meal, and it saves well so it’s great to take to work or school. 

Ingredients:

• Tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• about 1 TBS Oil (olive, canola, sesame, any will work)
• Dino Kale (dark green and more textured than regular kale)
• Lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste
• Optional: Rice vinegar and soy sauce 

Directions:

1. Put oil in the pan and heat, add the tofu
2. Let tofu cook until brown, rotating so every side gets browned and crispy (be careful, the oil may spit out of the pan)
3. Meanwhile, chop kale and put it in a pan with a little water
4. Cover and let it steam until its almost all the way cooked
5. Remove lid, let any excess water cook out, and add lemon, salt and pepper
6. Optional: Mix 1 TBS rice vinegar and 1 TBS soy sauce in small bowl, use as dipping sauce for tofu
7. Enjoy :)

-N

Simple Veggie Noodle Soup

When you are sick, you need soup. That’s just how it goes. When you are sick, you also don’t have the energy to make a fancy meal. That’s how this soup came about.

Tomato sauce can be a great soup base; it’s mainly tomatoes which are flavorful and add texture, plus its already flavored with garlic, onions and a few other spices. I used Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth for extra flavor, which you can find at natural food stores or whole foods. I put in noodles (comfort food) and just a few veggies to keep it simple. I put in a clove of garlic, and actually ate one clove while I was cooking. Garlic is a natural antiviral, as well as antibacterial and antifungal, so it’s great to eat when you are sick. I also made sure to add lots of hot sauce to clear my sinuses. 

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 TBS Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth
• Tomato Sauce of Choice (I used Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce)
• Half a White Onion
• 1 or 2 Cloves Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Noodles of Choice (I used rotini, or corkscrew noodles)
• Frozen Peas
• Carrots
• Hot Sauce

Directions:

1. Boil a pot of water, add noodles when water is at rolling boil
2. Add Veggie Broth
3. While noodles begin to cook, chop your garlic, onion and carrot into bite size pieces, and add to soup
4. When water returns to boil add frozen peas
5. Mix in several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce, taste and add more as needed
6. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and any other herbs and spices you desire
7. Enjoy, and get plenty of rest :)

-N

Soba Noodles with Tofu

Soba noodles are Japanese noodles, made out of buckwheat. This is a great dish for noodle lovers like myself, if you want to stay away from bleached white pasta,try some asian flavors and eat a yummy and quick new dish. 

Nutrition info here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5776/2

I used Hodosoy (local tofu seller, that E used to work for, their tofu is organic and SO much better than other brands) medium-firm tofu. You can find this at many farmers markets and grocery stores in the extended bay area. 

Ingredients:

• soba noodles, which you can find at any asian market, whole foods or other natural foods store
• tofu
• soy sauce
• rice vinegar (any grocery store should have this)
• lemon juice
• nutritional yeast
• sometimes-sesame oil. it has a strong taste so I only use a teeny bit. 

Directions:

1. boil water, add soba noodles
2. cut up tofu into small pieces
3. when noodles are done, drain water and mix in a bowl with the tofu
4. add all sauces to taste, stir well, enjoy :)

-N

Burdock Carrot Kinpira

This is a macrobiotic (see definition below) dish that is especially yummy and appropriate for this time of year. Autumn time and even into winter, the kidneys are weaker and more susceptible to illness. Both burdock and carrots are tonifying to the kidneys. Burdock root is also used to promote urination and overall physical vitality. Cooked carrots are great for improving anemia. After an excess of sugar, root vegetables, especially burdock and carrots are very helpful in rebalancing the body. 

This recipe is a nice balance between the sweetness of the carrots, the slight bitter of the burdock, the salt of tamari and spicy and warming ginger root. 

Ingredients:
-2 stalks of burdock root
-3 stalks of carrot 
(may do more or less carrot/burdock depending on preference, may want to experiment)
-Dark sesame oil
-Grated ginger 
-Tamari or soy sauce 
-Sesame seeds (optional)

Recipe:
Start by cutting the burdock root into matchsticks (this is done by cutting the root into thin diagonal slices in the round, then by stacking about three and cutting into match size pieces). Add about a tablespoon of sesame oil to a pan, then add the burdock, put a top on and let sit while you cut the carrots into matchsticks as well. Add the carrots after about five minutes. Stir together; add about a tablespoon of tamari and cook on low with a lid for about 20-25 minutes until liquid is evaporated. You may need to add a little bit of water along the way. When the dish is done, grate about a tablespoon of ginger and squeeze in palm of hand over the entire dish. Add dark or light sesame seeds to garnish if you like. 
Enjoy this hearty, tonifying dish as a side dish or a main meal. 

Macrobiotics is a lifestyle centered on the principles of Yin and Yang. Its goal is to bring balance to our lives and our diets. The roots of macrobiotics come from Chinese medicine and the Japanese cuisine. The diet is mostly vegetarian and vegan, although some people do eat fish. The main components to a macrobiotic diet are fresh, local, and in-season vegetables. Grains are also a large part of the Macro diet. 

-L (Friend to Sisters N & E and new contributor to the blog)