Vegan and Vegetarian Cooking and Living

Vegan Pasta Salad

So we have been failing on the blog front these days. I am about to graduate from college and E is about to start grad school at Stanford (what a badass). In all this craziness I have eaten way more Trader Joe’s Tofu Edemame Nuggets than I am proud of (for strict vegans, these do have egg whites), and haven’t managed to get my meals on here. 

Anyhow, this is a simple pasta salad, best served cold. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag whole wheat rotini or other noodles
• 1 large carrot, cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 zucchini, cut into small chunks
• Several marinated artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces
• 2 stalks heart of palm, cut into small chunks
• 3/4 can chik peas
• Dressing of choice ( I used tahini dressing, as always, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar)

Directions:

1. Boil water and cook noodles. After straining, rinse with cold water until all noodles are fairly cool, and set aside. 
2. Meanwhile, lightly steam the carrots, zucchini and peas until slightly crunchy
3. In a large bowl, mix cool noodles, all cut up and cooked veggies, chik peas, and dressing, and mix well
4. Eat now or later, 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 :)

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

Zesty Lentil-Veggie Salad

This is my new favorite super easy meal. I like to think of it as healthy vegan fast food. It’s fresh, crunchy and packed full of protein. It takes about 3 minutes to prepare and saves well. I used Trader Joes pre-cooked lentils, from the refrigerated vegetable section. I added cubes of tofu, canned chick peas, organic green beans and cucumber, and mixed it up with tangy delicious tahini dressing from New Leaf (small yummy/overpriced chain of natural food stores in the Santa Cruz area). This is a great meal when you don’t have much time but need a nutrient-dense meal. It’s also great for when you want to eat something delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1/4 cup chick peas
• Uncooked tofu cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cucumber
• Handful of green beans cut into bite size pieces 
• Tahini dressing or dressing of choice
• Lemon juice to taste

Directions:

1. Put all the beans, tofu and veggies in a bowl
2. Add dressing and lemon juice, stir well
3. Serve, or put in a container for a meal on-the-go

Enjoy!

-N

Lemon Honey Sautéed Brussel Sprouts

I love brussel sprouts. They have such a terrible reputation, for which we have the 1950’s to thank (I have heard many a tale of cold canned brussel sprouts, which lets be honest, sounds awful). These days, however, we can get our brussels pre-washed and ready to cook, prepicked and spilling out of little green baskets, or even a whole stalk of brussels and pluck them ourselves. With this many options we have no excuse not to take part in their rich flavor and endless cooking possibilities. Just cut open one of these beauties and you will see layer after layer of dark to bright green leaves, ending in a softer, paler middle. Brussels are great as a side dish, served over noodles, baked, added to a stir fry or soup, boiled and put on a salad, you name it.

I decided to sautee these with just a few flavors so I wouldn’t lose that scrumption brussely taste. This gives them a hint of sweet, sour and salty, and they provide that hint of bitter. I used honey as a sweetener (not vegan, I know) but they taste just as delicious with other natural sweeteners such as maple syrup or agave nectar. 

Ingredients:

• Brussel Sprouts
• Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
• Honey or other sweetener
• Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Boil a pot of water (with enough water to cover brussels)
2. Wash brussels well, peeling off outer leaves if they look gross
3. Chop into halves or quarters, depending on their size
4. Put brussels into boiling water and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until they are pretty cooked but still a little hard
5. Strain and put brussels in a large pan with olive oil
6. Add lemon juice, honey and herbs to taste (it tend to take a good amount of lemon and honey to be flavorful enough) 
7. Continue to sautee until they are tender
8. Serve immediately
9. 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

N’s Famous Veggie Soup

This is my best, tastiest, most widely known recipe. My family started making a version of this soup in high school, and since we made it every morning it became known as ‘morning soup’. When I went off to college I began making my own improved versions. It varies every time I make it depending on what I have in the house, but there are a few staple ingredients. It’s pretty light (which means I can eat about 6 bowls in one sitting). I use Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth, which comes in a jar at natural food stores or Whole Foods. It’s a great base for any soup, and I like it better than veggie broth cubes. My veggies really vary, but this version has red onion, frozen peas, kale, carrots, and purple cabbage. I often use frozen edamame (soybeans), broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts. 

I usually add a grain, either cooked brown rice at the end or soba or udon noodles when its close to being done. I also often add Trader Joes Thai Gyoza, which are frozen potstickers that taste like wontons when they are in soup. When you’re making the soup, just keep tasting veggies to see when they seem cooked; since there is a lot of freedom on what you add, it’s hard to give specific cooking times. 

Ingredients:

• 1 or more spoonfuls of Better than Bouillon Veggie Broth 
• Onion of your choice
• Soy Sauce
• Rice Vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Sriracha or other Hot Sauce
• Fresh or Powdered Garlic
• Veggies of your choice, cut into small pieces
• Tofu, cut into small pieces
• Grain of your choice
• Optional Potstickers
• Optional Nutritional Yeast

Directions:

1. Boil water in a medium or large pot
2. While you wait for the water to boil, chop your veggies and tofu into similar sized pieces and mince the garlic
3. Add a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon and mix it into water
4. Add garlic and onions to the pot and let them cook for a few minutes
5. Add veggies depending on their cooking times (so I added carrots, then cabbage, the frozen items, then kale, with a minute or two in between each one)
6. When there is about 6 minutes left, add noodles if desired
7. Add tofu
8. If you’re using cooked rice, put it in when the soup is almost done
9. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste, and more veggie broth if needed
10. Turn off heat and serve, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top

Happy Souping!

-N