Looking for a simple, quick, delicious salad? Then try this. It's a light, healthy side dish.
Easy Schmeezy White Bean Salad
2 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 C red onion, chopped
1/3 C celery, chopped
1/4 C chopped parsley
Dressing
1/8 C + 1 T white wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
1 t. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. sea salt
1/8 t. black pepper
Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a medium to large bowl. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I made this dish for Fathers Day and everyone liked it. I have to say it was very simple.
Easy Vegan Baked Beans
Serves 4 - 6
1 28 oz. can vegetarian baked beans
1/2 C onion
1/2 C celery
1/4 C catsup
2 T brown sugar
1 T canola oil
1 t. molasses
1 t. prepared mustard
1/2 t. apple cider vinegar
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
fried onion rings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl add all of the ingredients. Place the beans in a shallow ovenproof dish. Bake covered about 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle some fried onion rings on top and bake 30 minutes more.
If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that about three years ago I fell in love with the roasted artichokes served at The Cheesecake Factory. Recently I was in Arizona and made sure I got to a Cheesecake Factory just so I could eat them again. Then I came home and made them! Enjoy!
Break off and discard the outer layers of leaves on each artichoke. With a scissors, snip off the thorny tip of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichokes in half. Slice a lemon so you have four slices. In a pan large enough to hold the artichokes tightly, lay the lemon slices down with a garlic clove on top of each. Lay the artichokes on top of the lemon slices and squeeze the juice from one lemon over the top. Drizzle the olive oil over the top as well. Seal the pan well with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
Once roasted, use a spoon to remove the choke and grill the artichokes lightly before serving (this step is optional, but well worth it). Serve with the vegan aioli sauce.... wonderful!
Vegan Aioli
1/2 C Vegeniase
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t juice from capers
Zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This is a dish I made for Christmas dinner. It's easy, beautiful and a wonderful side... plus, it's red! But one of the best features of this recipe is that it can be made in advance and served at room temperature if you don't have enough space in the oven. It's perfect for entertaining. Enjoy!
Tomato Confit
12 - 15 small tomatoes - about 2 inches round
6 basil leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
enough extra virgin olive oil to come about half way up baking dish
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water in a large pot and get an ice water bath ready in a bowl. Prepare the tomatoes by cutting a small X on the bottom of each one. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water and time for about 15 seconds or wait until you see the skin begin to crack. Immediately remove the tomatoes and place them into the ice water bath to cool. Peel and core the tomatoes once cooled. Place the basil, thyme and garlic in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes, core side down, on top of the herbs and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Pour the olive oil into the dish until the oil comes nearly half way up the side of the tomatoes. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool the tomatoes and place them in an airtight container. Remove the garlic and herbs from the olive oil and pour the oil into the container with the tomatoes. Refrigerate. This can be served at room temperature or you can reheat them before serving. They will last for 3 days refrigerated.
This time of year I will often roast acorn squash with a rub of Earth
Balance and brown sugar. My family loves squash prepared this way but
it's very sweet. This is a slightly different take on that recipe. It's
still sweet, but not overwhelming so, and it's so simple it becomes an
easy addition to any meal.
Roasted Acorn Squash Cook Time: 1 hour
2 acorn squash
1/8 C maple syrup
2T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
1/4 t sea salt
freshly grated nutmeg
8 sage leaves
Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half from top to bottom.
Scrape out the
seeds with a spoon and place the squash on a baking sheet with the cut
sides up. In a bowl mix the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, honey and sea
salt. Brush the cut sides of each squash with the mixture and grate
nutmeg over the squash. Lay two sage leaves on top of each squash and
bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pull the squash out and baste.
Put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat the
basting one last time using up the liquid mixture and finish roasting for another 20
minutes or until tender.
I made this gravy to drape over the mashed potato recipe in the previous post. It's very simple to make and a nice compliment to the potatoes.My family liked it so much, I've made over and over again!
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
2 T olive oil
1/4 C onion
8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms
1 C vegetable broth
Sea salt & pepper to taste
In a saute pan heat olive oil and add the onions. As onions saute, slice the mushrooms and add to the saute pan. Saute vegetables browning the mushrooms. Once mushrooms are browned, add the broth mixing well. Remove half of the mushroom mixture putting it into a food processor. Process until smooth. Add back to the saute pan and season to taste.
Note: The pics are not mine... I need a new camera!
Every autumn I look forward to cooking and eating late harvest vegetables. I love all the flavors. I haven't made mashed potatoes in a very long time and with the change in weather I've been anxious to experiment making them. This is my vegan take on mashed russet potatoes... and its a family approved recipe! Mashed Potatoes Parsnips and Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic
1 bulb of garlic
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the bulb. Lay the garlic bulb on top of a piece of parchment paper with a slightly larger piece of aluminum foil underneath. Drizzle the bulb with a couple teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Close the aluminum foil and bake for 55 minutes. The cloves should be soft when pressed. Set aside and let cool as you finish the mashed veggies.
Mashed Potatoes, Parsnips and Cauliflower
2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
2 thin parsnips (or one large) peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 C cauliflower florets (heaping above the measuring cup), cut into 2 inch chunks
1/2 C Vegenaise
1 whole bulb of roasted garlic
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt to taste
Begin by bringing the potatoes and parsnips to a boil in pot of cold salted water. Add the cauliflower florets as the potatoes begin to become tender (after 10 - 15 minutes). Continue to cook until all veggies are tender. Drain and put back into the pot. Add the Vegenaise, roasted garlic and parsley. Mash and season to taste.
I have a daughter that only eats Ranch on her salads. In her world there is only one dressing and she'll go without a salad if Ranch isn't on the menu. So I set out to create something with a similar taste, texture and look, but more flavor and complexity. I don't like using soy products because they can be difficult to digest, so I turned to Vegenaise (the grape seed variety, but any Vegenaise will do) and threw in an avocado. This dressing is wonderfully creamy and perfect for people who aren't fans of vinegar and oil dressings. It can be put together quickly and gives you a nice alternative. Does my daughter like it? Yes!
Vegan Ranch Avocado Dressing Enough dressing for a large salad for four
1 avocado
1/2 C. Veganaise
1 t dried minced onion
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1 t - 1 T drained capers (optional)
pinch of white pepper
sea salt to taste
In a small bowl smash the avocado with the back of a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients combining well. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the dressing so air doesn't get to it, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Pour dressing over salad greens and toss until coated.
Lentils are an excellent source of protein. They have the 3rd highest level of protein by weight of any plant-based food. They are also a great source of fiber as well as being inexpensive and plentiful. I love the look of these black beluga lentils and I find the taste is more desirable than that of green or red lentils. If you add rice as a side dish, you'll end up with a tasty dinner that provides complete protein.
Black Beluga Lentils with Spinach and Mushrooms Serves 2-4
1T olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2T finely minced carrot
2T finely minced red onion
2T finely minced celery
1/2 C. black beluga lentils
1 1/2 C. veggie stock
In a sauce pan saute the garlic, carrot, onion and celery for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the black beluga lentils stirring to coat the lentils with the oil. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are tender. As the lentils are about half way thru cooking, begin sauteing the mushrooms.
2T olive oil
4 oz. of shittake mushrooms or wild mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 lg. packages of spinach
Sea salt to taste
In a saute pan heat 1T olive oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender. Set the mushrooms aside and add 1T olive oil and the sliced garlic. Saute until fragrant then add the spinach handfuls at a time as it cooks down. Season with salt to taste. Plate the dish with spinach and garlic on the bottom, black beluga lentils over the spinach and mushrooms on the top.
There's
little better in this world than fresh sweet corn and tomatoes at the
end of the summer. This is a recipe I posted two years ago. I made it again recently and its wonderful.
Fresh Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad
Serves 4
Dressing
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. olive oil
1 t. balsamic vinegar
¼ t. sea salt
¼ t. black pepper
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
Veggies
½ C. uncooked whole wheat orzo
¼ C. red onion, diced
1 C. tomato, diced
4 ears of fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off
½ C. cucumber, diced
Italian flat-leaf parsley
Cook
the orzo according to directions. While the pasta is cooking make the
dressing by whisking together the ingredients. Drain the pasta and put
it into a bowl. Spoon a little of the dressing over the pasta, stir to
coat and set aside to cool. Prepare the vegetables. When the orzo is
cool, mix the orzo, vegetables and remaining dressing together. Garnish
with parsley and serve.
I know... you've seen this deletable treat on every website and blog for about a year. Well, as usual, it takes me a while to catch on, but I now understand what all the fuss is about! It's no surprise that potato chips are bad for our health because of the fat and sodium. Still, they're a tasty snack that hit the spot from time to time. Kale, however, is a good source of B vitamins and if you bake it properly it will satisfy your desire for the "other" chip and provide a healthy alternative. So, if you haven't tried making kale chips, you really should, and here's how.
Kale Chips
Kale, one bunch
Olive oil, 1 T
Celtic sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Separate the leaves from the stem and cut them into small pieces (similar in size to a potato chip).Wash and thoroughly dry the kale in a salad spinner. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a bowl and rub oil onto each piece of kale, front and back. Lay the kale out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly salt. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes.
Note: The photo isn't mine. I couldn't get a picture of the chips because we ate them so fast!
I found a recipe for braised endive that looked interesting. I played with the ingredients, added a dressing and came up with a warm salad that satisfied my family. This recipe will serve 2 - 3. It's easy and a great start to any dinner.
Braised Endive Salad
1 T olive oil
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 large endive
fresh lemon
sea salt
Slice the endive in half. Add the olive oil to a saute pan and warm on low heat. Place the thyme in the pan and arrange the endive on top. Season with salt and cover to cook over medium low heat. Cook for 20 - 30 minutes, until the endive is tender and slightly browned. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the pan and serve with the sun-dried tomato dressing that follows.
Sun-Dried Tomato Salad Dressing
5 sun-dried tomatoes, rough chop
1 T pine nuts
1/4 C olive oil
1 garlic clove, rough chop
1 sprig of thyme, leaves only
1/8 t sea salt
pepper to taste
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until well blended. Refrigerate.
This has become my favorite salad dressing. It's fast, easy and the ingredients are always on hand. I LOVE my other sun-dried tomato dressing, but this is so simple, you gotta love it too! And as you'll see in an upcoming post, it inspired a new salad.
Sun-Dried Tomato Salad Dressing
5 sun-dried tomatoes, rough chop
1 T pine nuts
1/4 C olive oil
1 garlic clove, rough chop
1 sprig of thyme, leaves only
1/8 t sea salt
pepper to taste
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until well blended. Refrigerate.
I came home from work with little energy or imagination. Add to that a pantry with little in it and that's how this recipe came about. Potatoes and kale go together beautifully. This is an easy recipe with few ingredients, and it feeds a family. Even my meat eating husband liked it!
Serves 4
Potatoes and Kale:
3 T olive oil
2 T Earth Balance
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 small bunch of kale, stems cut out and chopped (3 cups packed)
2 large potatoes, cut in half, boiled and chopped (4 cups)
salt
Fill a large pot with cold water and add the halved potatoes and some salt. Bring them to a boil and cook until soft (approximately 25 minutes). Drain and cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan melt 2 T. olive oil and the Earth Balance. Saute the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the kale, sprinkle with a little salt and cook until the kale is softened and wilted down by half. Remove the onion and kale to a large bowl.
When the potatoes are ready, drain and place on a cutting board. Cut into pieces resembling a large dice. Add the potatoes to the bowl of onion and kale. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and salt to taste (I used 1 teaspoon sea salt). Mix well.
In the saute pan heat enough olive oil to saute the potato and kale cakes. Form the cakes using either a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup. Lay the cakes into the saute pan over medium heat and cook until lightly browned (approximately 3-5 minutes on each side). Serve on a plate with the serving sauce either on the side or drizzled over the top.
Serving sauce:
2 T Vegenaise
1 T stone ground mustard (I used Boetje's, I think it has more vinegar than most)
1 T ketchup
My best wishes to you for a happy and healthy NewYear. Let's make 2011 one of good health. Onward 2011!
The dressing:
1 large garlic clove,chopped
1 T chopped shallot
1 T balsamic, (I used Fustinis's 18 year old Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, WOW!)
1/2 C olive oil
5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
1 t capers, drained
1/4 t fresh thyme leaves
1/8 - 1/4 t salt
pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Process, slowly adding the oil.
The salad:
1 - 2 hearts of Romaine
olive oil
black olives, Kalamata or Gaeta, cut in half (optional)
Cut the Romaine in half. Brush the cut side with olive oil and grill quickly. Top the Romaine with the dressing and a few pitted and sliced black olives. Serve.
We are invited to Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's. She is an amazing cook... really amazing! So, what do I do? For years Thanksgiving dinner was always my favorite! I loved all the flavors, smells and tastes... the butter, the cream, the eggs, the turkey, the gravy... oh my! But now, I really don't eat a lot of what will be served, and I don't expect her to cook any differently because of me. Thanksgiving traditions are very important in this family.
Last year I was at my sister-in-law's for Thanksgiving. I was still new to this diet and I decided to eat as a vegetarian. It was actually quite nice to taste all those flavors (turkey aside) that I had so recently given up. It was really a treat, and I'll probably do the same this year. After all, what's really important here is being with family and sharing in the tradition of sitting down at the table with one another to eat and give thanks for all that we have... our family, our health, the laughter and love.
So now the dilemma is what to take? Bringing a vegan side dish that will please everyone will be my challenge. I decided to look back on some of my recipes from last fall. I found my stuffed acorn squash. I'm not sure I'll make this, but it's in the running. It's really wonderful. It has all the flavors of fall and everyone would like it, so it's under consideration.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serves 4
2 acorn squash – approximately 1.5 lbs each
2 C. rice - I used Lundberg Wild Blend, a blend of whole grain and wild rice
4 C. water for cooking rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. fresh sage, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped (1/2 C.)
1 apple, diced, with the skin on
1/2 C. dried cranberries
2 T. chopped walnuts
1/2 t. sea salt
pepper
Pam – non-stick cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with Pam. Cut the acorn squash in half and seed. Place squash cut side down on the sheet pan and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. When the rice is nearly finished cooking, heat a non-stick saute pan over medium high heat and toast the walnuts stirring for about 3 minutes, remove and set aside. Spray the non-stick saute pan with Pam and heat the celery, garlic and sage together stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the rice, apple, cranberries, walnuts, salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide the mixture between the squash shells and warm in the oven for 10 minutes.
My dear friend Maryann recently made some applesauce and delivered it to me (great friend, right?). Well, it was so yummy, I had to ask for the recipe. Low and behold, I found out she used a crockpot... and I really liked the sound of that! You just put everything into the pot and forget about it. She says her entire house smells amazing when she makes this.
I used it as a side dish and a dessert.... (and as a late night treat... shhhh).
Maryann's Easy Crockpot Applesauce
4 pounds of tart apples (she used Jonagold), pared, cored and thinly sliced (approx. 12 C)
¼ C sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t.allspice (optional)
1 C. water
1 T fresh lemon juice
Put the apples into a crock pot. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and start the cooking process. Set the crockpot at (either) Low for 5 -7 hours, or High for 2 ½ – 3 ½. Once the cooking is done, smash the apples with a potato masher and serve.
Here's another winner from Guy Fieri. I changed the recipe only slightly to make it vegan. If you don't have any broth you can make it without ... just omit the vinegar and add more oil. Thanks Guy! It's delicious!
Serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
Salt
8 medium fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cipollini onions, peeled, sliced in half along equator
1 (15-ounce) jar artichokes, (not marinated), with stems, drained, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs thymes, leaves chopped
1/2 cup no-chicken broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until just tender. Drain and turn out onto a cutting board. Smash the potatoes with the side of a large knife or spatula.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the pan is very hot, but not smoking, add the cipollini onions, and cook until starting to caramelize, about 4 to 5 minutes Add in the drained artichokes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes before turning them so that they will caramelize. Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are starting to brown, then stir in the garlic and the thyme. Slowly pour in the no-chicken broth, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the vinegar and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer to a platter and garnish with chopped parsley.
Do you know what a muffaletta is? Well it's not vegan, that's for sure! It's a submarine-style sandwich made with a kind of bread that originated in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It's usually starts with this bread and is layered with an olive salad (key ingredient), deli meats and cheese.
Long before I began eating as a vegan, I made one of these subs and it was excellent! (if you like smoked meats topped with an olive salad that is...) But it's the olive salad that makes the sandwich. It's very different and really tasty!
So, one day while I was cruising the internet I came across a recipe for a muffaletta salad. Reading the recipe brought back memories and I became intrigued with the idea of using the olive salad minus the meat. The base of this salad is from that recipe. I found it on the Food Network website. It's by Guy Fieri. As usual, I wasn't completely sold on the recipe as is. I thought I could improve on the dish, and I did!
Here are the changes I made...With the dressing, I changed the quantity of a couple of the ingredients and the length of time it is blended.Then, I changed the ingredients of the salad itself so it became more of a meal. The dressing is what really makes this dish. It's wonderful, really wonderful. You have to try it.
BTW, I took the salad to a neighbors house (with kalamata olives, not canned). She loved it, so I decided to post it. Thanks Joan!
Ingredients for the salad dressing
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup olive juice from can
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced black olives (I used kalamata)
1/2 cup diced green olives
1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
Directions
In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, olive juice, lemon juice, red chili flakes, pepper and all vegetables. Pulse until pureed. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator.
Salad ingredients
16oz. of orzo
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 - 1 English seedless cucumber, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
3 green onions, sliced on a diagonal
the remainder of the black olives, sliced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
2-3 jars of marinated artichoke hearts
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Cook the orzo according to directions. Drain and coat with enough dressing to keep the pasta from sticking together and give it flavor. When the orzo is cool, add the vegetables and toss. Finally, add more dressing to taste and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate. You will end up with dressing left over, but it's great on greens and pasta!
This is a no-brainer. We've all done it one way or another... we've just never written it down. Serve this with couscous and you've got an easy, quick and delicious dinner in minutes!
Sauteed Spinach with Toasted Pine Nuts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach with stems removed
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Begin by toasting the pine nuts. Use a small dry non-stick skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the pine nuts and shake every 30 seconds to brown evenly. When they are lightly browned remove them to a plate until the spinach is ready.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant (don't let it get brown). Add the spinach and toss with tongs until wilted. This will only take a couple of minutes. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve.
Note: If you're serving this with couscous, boil the water for the couscous just before you start toasting the pine nuts.
