mains – Page 7 – The Vegan Love Project

Penne Spinach “Lasagna” Casserole

The premise of this super tasty dish is that is an easier, quicker, version of my traditional lasagna; it is more accessible as a casserole style baked pasta dish. My friends could not believe it was dairy free. Super cheese like, and could easily be made without the faux cheese if that is not your thing, simply omit it. It has the same basic components of a lasagna but the handling of the pasta goes much faster and delivers fantastic results.

Components:

6 cups spinach- quickly sautéed in garlic and olive, salt and pepper OR blanched and pressed
fresh tomato sauce– recipe below
1 pound of Gluten Free Penne, Rigatoni, or Fusili
Tofu Spinach “ricotta” filling- recipe below
shredded non- dairy cheese of your choosing; Daiya (meltability factor), Follow Your Heart (taste factor), I use a mix of the two.

Putting it together:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
ladle in about 1 cup of fresh sauce in the bottom of the baking dish
place down one layer of pasta
spread in the tofu filling
layer in sprinkle with the shredded vegan cheese
layer in sauce
layer in pasta
spread in the tofu filling
layer in the last of the pasta
layer in last layer sauce
cover the top layer with shredded vegan cheese
Cover with tin foil and bake for 60 minutes.

Fresh Tomato & Basil Sauce

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

4c tomatoes, diced

1/4c fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

1/4t black pepper

1/4c water

1/2-1 fresh cherry bomb, chili or other hot pepper, minced

1/3c extra virgin olive oil

1t salt or to taste

In a skillet, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt, black and red pepper. Allow the tomatoes to break down and to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the fresh basil.

At this point, the sauce is delicious as is or can be pureed to create a smoother sauce.

Tofu “Ricotta” Filling

Tofu Ricotta

1/2 Pound tofu- blanched

1 clove garlic, smashed, minced

3T extra virgin olive oil

1 heaping T mellow white miso

1t brown rice vinegar

1t ume vinegar

1 heaping T sesame tahini

6c fresh spinach or 1 1/2c steamed and pressed (all water out) OR sautéed with garlic and 1t olive oil

1/2c vegan mozzarella or favorite vegan cheese (or a blend)

1/2t black pepper

In a bowl, crumble or smash the tofu with a fork or fingers with all of the other ingredients. Add the vegan cheese and the chopped steamed / pressed spinach. Mix well, taste and adjust seasonings.

Gluten Free Nut Loaf

This was DELICIOUS with the Basic Mushroom Gravy and some Smashed Potatoes. Would be equally delicious as a sandwich filling if there is any left over!

Gluten Free Nut Loaf

1c-cooked lentils or smashed chickpeas

1c pecans- to be ground

1 1/2c cooked brown rice

4-5 slices Gluten Free toast-completely cooled, to be made into breadcrumbs

or 1-1/2c loosely packed GF breadcrumbs

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

1 medium onion, minced

1/4c nutritional yeast

1/4c ketchup

2T extra virgin olive oil

1/2c walnuts, chopped *opt

1/8t-1/4t-cayenne pepper or chipotle powder (I LOVE Chipotle Powder)

1/4t ground black pepper

1/2t salt

Up to 1/4c water

Topping:

3T ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a food processor, process the pecans- set aside.

In the same processor, process the bread into breadcrumbs…do not over process!

In a large bowl, combine the lentils or chickpeas, rice, breadcrumbs, onions, nutritional yeast, ketchup, oil, nuts*, salt, red and black pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon or clean hands until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour out the mixture into a lightly oiled loaf pan. With the back of a wooden spoon, fill out the pan. Top the loaf with the remaining ketchup.

Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve with smashed potatoes and sautéed greens; broccoli or kale.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Almond Crunch Cookies

FRICKEN AWESOME. These cookies aren’t missing a thing. I think my most favorite cookie to date.Whipped them up in less than 25 minutes from start to finish—> #almostinstantgratification

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies
makes 23 cookies

1c Gluten-Free flour
1c rolled oats
1c roasted almonds, to be coarsely ground

1c dark chocolate chips

1t cinnamon

1/4t baking soda
1/4t baking powder
1/2t salt
—
1/2c maple syrup
1/2c coconut oil
1/2t vanilla

preheat oven to 350º

In a food processor, put the oats in and grind them until they become flour-like.

In the same processor, coarsely grind the almonds.
In a bowl, mix all of dry ingredients together, the flour, ground oats, almonds, chocolate chips, cinnamon, salt and baking powder/soda.

Pour the wet ingredients, the coconut oil and maple syrup into the dry and mix with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.

Scoop or spoon out onto baking sheet with space in between.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan (s) and continue to bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack.

Queen Elizabeth

My sweet Queen Elizabeth was my 1/2 wild, 1/2 domestic, crazy, loud mouthed turkey who lived with me for several years. The first time I met her, she walked around me, checking me out, sizing me up- I thought she was going to attack me….. she stopped , looked at me, cooed a little whistle and hooked her long periwinkle blue neck around me, leaned into me, hugging me.. I cried my eyes out….Our relationship went from there.

She would parade her feathers, more like a Tom than like a lady, for anyone who came to say hello to her, whistling and cooing. She would run after my partner and the dogs like she was a part of the pack…”HOW COULD YOU FORGET ME???” …she would run/fly/whistle all the while trying to catch up.
When she died, I was devastated…I watched her vitality slowly fade out of her, her big personality slowly soften. She really, truly, made me so aware, of just how connected we all really are. She took up so much space, it is hard for me to imagine her roasted on a platter as as someone’s dinner. Because she isn’t human, doesn’t make her any less important- her life any less meaningful or deserving of a place. My intention isn’t to slam people who eat animals, I just feel the need to stress she was a LIVING being, with a heart, and will, and a desire to do her own thing, whatever her thing was. She would take glorious dirt baths and sleep in the sun, she was just so fucking awesome….she shared so much with me- she gave me so much and I loved giving back to her. We had an exchange every day, like every other relationship. She was so amazing.
I used to think I was so blessed to have all of these crazy, affectionate, special animals- but the truth is, it isn’t special or even extraordinary, it is WHO THEY ARE, individuals, sentient, personality rich, living creatures, I witnessed them as who they are in the world as creatures, not as food. She was a huge part of my family, I miss her. Sweet Miss Elizabeth, I love you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Roasted Hot and Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Hot & Spicy, Sweet Potatoes

2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced on a diagonal or cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

3T maple syrup

3-4T extra virgin olive oil

1 hot red pepper, sliced

1/2t pink salt

1/4t fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl; making sure everything is well coated. Place in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan and put in the oven for 30 minutes, then toss and baste the vegetables with the roasting juices and continue to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes. Delicious warm or cold.

craigslist Pets and “Puppy Doe”

craigslist Pets and “Puppy Doe”.

via craigslist Pets and “Puppy Doe”.

Hungarian Vegan “Chicken” Paprikash

This is a stove top version of my Grandmother’s traditional Hungarian dish that was one of my most favorites growing up. My grandma would cook whole chicken legs in white rice bathed in oil, with onions and a ton of Hungarian paprika. My mom would kid that in order to make this properly, you need a full gallon of oil. If you are not interested in using a “fake” chicken product, or would like this dish to be gluten free, chickpeas replace the “chicken” in this dish remarkably well; it is equally delicious although not as familiar as what I grew up on. I served this with a huge side of Sautéed Kale.

Vegan Chicken Paprikash

1 pound vegan chicken pieces, drained (I use Westsoy)

1/2t pink Salt

1/2t black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, medium dice

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

4c Water

2T Hungarian paprika

3c sprouted brown rice, pre-cooked OR 1 1/2 basmati or Carolina rice un-cooked

1 bouillon cube or replace the water with veggie broth

In a large heated pot, sauté ¼ of the onion in 1 T of oil until golden and just brown. Add the fake chicken and sauté until and heated through and it has a little bit of color on it- then remove it from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining onions and olive oil and sauté for 6-8 minutes. Add in the paprika, salt, pepper and the bouillon cube and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the cooked rice and add back in the chicken, and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook partially covered for an additional 30-40 minutes stirring minimally. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes undisturbed prior to serving.

Smashed Potato Gnocchi

These are INCREDIBLE. I used the leftovers from the Smashed Potatoes, with just a little bit of flour, these transform into one of my most favorite Italian delicacies. Gnocchi gone bad are just not a good scene, heavy, clumps of dough that stay with you long after you’ve eaten them- THESE WERE NOT THOSE GNOCCHI!. They were light and had the perfect dumpling like texture. I tossed them with a Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce and they only thing that was unfortunate about this meal was that there were ZERO leftovers.

Potato Gnocchi

2c mashed potatoes, or leftover smashed potatoes

3/4c organic unbleached flour + for dusting

1T extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

3T organic cornmeal

In a large bowl, re-smash the potatoes, making sure there are no lumps. Add the flour, olive oil, salt and pepper into the bowl and with clean hands, form everything into a ball of dough.

Turn out the dough onto a clean surface lightly covered in cornmeal. Cut the dough into two.

Work one half at a time by rolling it with both hands into a ½” thick rope. With a pastry cutter, cut ½” pieces on the bias.

Gently roll each piece and pinch the ends towards each other and place on a plate lightly coated in cornmeal. Do this until all of the dough is used.

In batches, drop the gnocchi into heavily salted boiling water and scoop out with a slotted spoon after they rise to the surface.

If not using right away, or if you have more than you can eat or you made extra, place the plate of gnocchi in the freezer. Once partially frozen, transfer them into a storage container like a baggie or glass container to keep for a later day.

Summer Pizza On the Grill

So yesterday was unbearably hot, the day before I had a fire going, so needless to say my food plan got confused. My plan was to whip up some Gnocchi’s with my leftover smashed potatoes but there was no way I was gonna be in the kitchen over boiling anything. I had stopped at Walker Farm earlier in the day and picked up a locally made, organic, par-cooked pizza crust, a gorgeous pint of tomatoes and some fresh arugula. I made a fresh sauce, sliced more fresh tomatoes and put the whole thing on the grill. HOLY CRAP was this pie delicious. I would venture to say one of the best pizza experiences without cheese that I have ever had. It was never even missed there was so much goodness happening with each bite.

What you will need:

1 ready made pizza crust (or make your own!)
Fresh Pizza Sauce – recipe below
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
3c fresh arugula, washed and dried
1 lemon, juiced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat up the grill, keep it on high until cook time.

Place the crust on foil. Ladle the fresh, slightly cooled sauce over the base of the pie. Then layer on the fresh tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lower the heat on the grill to about medium low and place the pie on the grill. Close the cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes, checking in in the first few minutes to gauge the temperature, making sure not to burn the bottom of the crust before the whole pie is cooked.

In a large bowl, add the arugula, use the juice of one whole lemon, drizzle in about 1-2T of olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Set aside.

Remove the pie from the grill when the crust is just golden around the edges. Top it with the fresh Arugula salad. Slice and eat IMMEDIATELY…..

SO FRICKEN DELICIOUS.

Fresh Tomato & Basil Pizza Sauce

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

2c fresh ripe tomatoes, diced

1/4c fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

1/4t black pepper

2T extra virgin olive oil

1t salt or to taste

In a skillet, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, black and red pepper. Allow the tomatoes to break down and to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the fresh basil.

At this point, the sauce is delicious as is or can be pureed to create a smoother sauce.

ChickNuts (Roasted Chickpeas)

Roasted Chickpeas

3c cooked chickpeas, rinsed and well drained

1/4c extra virgin olive oil

1/2t pink salt

1/4t black pepper

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees

In a bowl, toss everything together. In a shallow dish or baking sheet, spread the coated chickpeas out and space evenly. Roast for an hour to insure a proper roasting. Taste one or two, if they are at all soft, they are not done. You can lower the heat if longer roasting is neccesary. When they are done, using a slotted spoon, lay them out on a cooling plate or onto paper towels. While hot and the oil is present on the surface, SPRINKLE MORE SALT, the oil will help it stick. SUPER FRICKEN DELICIOUS. They will get crunchier as they cool so it is just as important to not overcook as it is to not undercook.