VEGAN – Page 5 – The Vegan Love Project

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

This soup was made to feed my soul. Every vegetable in it was locally procured, if not from out of my own garden……food is healing, food is medicine.

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

1 clove garlic, minced

1small bunch kale, de-stemmed, torn into bite size pieces

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½ onion, small dice

1small jalapeno

1 small carrot, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

3T olive oil

1 small potato, small dice

2c broccoli florets

3/4c cooked pinto beans

1/2c cooked quinoa or brown rice or pasta

1t smoked salt

4c water, pre-boiled in a kettle

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot over medium heat, add 1T olive oil and sauté the garlic, and hot pepper until golden and aromatic, then add the kale and sauté until bright green. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same soup pot over medium heat, add 2T olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until golden and aromatic. Add the potatoes and pinto beans, and cover with the hot water. Add the smoked salt, reduce the heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add the cooked quinoa, broccoli and cooked kale and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the broccoli is tender and bright green. Adjust the seasonings, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and top with nutritional yeast and crusty bread.

Changing the world with food…

“”Together we are creating this dance to have a better world. Your passion for this fascination with the burning issues of our day- which is about food, personal growth and development, activism, the environment, children’s rights, women’s rights, animal rights, world health, world peace-the idea that all these could be dramatically improved by what we eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is REVOLUTIONARY. No one would really think you could effect all those things by what’s on your plate. So I say, we should just BRING IT ON!” ~Joshua Rosenthal, Founder and Director Integrative Nutrition”

Heirloom Tomatos, Garlic, Basil, & Olive Oil with Grilled Artisan Bread

I had purchased this beautiful heirloom tomato at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday and it took me until today to actually think of something to make using it- I didn’t want to cook it; although a fresh Tomato Basil Soup or Gazpacho would have been amazing. A fresh pasta sauce crossed my mind but this thing was 5″ across and GORGEOUS. I have been reading Michael Pollan’s latest book “Cooked” and last night was on the chapter about bread and it lit me up about the local artisan loaf I purchased the same day at the market…10% Rye Sourdough with Sesame. I had eaten a lot of it on Saturday so I sliced it and put it in the freezer. So I knew today was the day. Today was the tomato day. Variations on a theme, there is nothing like the basil, garlic, tomato trilogy; everything local and in season. I ate it as a series of open faced sandwiches, I say a series, because I grilled 4 slices and ate all 4 slices…..

For the tomatoes

Local, fresh, summer tomatoes, preferably heirloom, sliced

plenty of fresh basil

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

fresh hot chili pepper

extra virgin olive oil

pink salt

black pepper

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for the bread

artisan loaf of bread

Extra virgin olive oil

garlic, smashed and minced

Heat up the grill or grill pan.

Prepare the bread:

Slice the bread into ¼-1/2” slices, how ever many slices you and friends will eat (2-3 per person or 4 if I am coming over)

In a small plate, add the garlic, olive oil. Lightly brush the bread slices with the oil and set aside.

Over high heat, place the bread on the grill or pan and close the grill or cover the pan. Let grill for about 3-4 minutes. The bread should easily flip and have gorgeous markings. Once flipped, continue to grill for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately with the fresh tomato slices on top drizzled with more garlic olive oil, salt pepper and basil.

Summer Peachy Power Smoothie

Summer Peachy Power Smoothie

1c nut milk, almond or cashew

1T hemp seeds

1t raw agave or raw local honey

2 small peaches or 1 large

1T gold flax seeds

1t vanilla

1scoop protein powder

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1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed.

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Clean Green Mexican Summer Soup

This soup is refreshing served both hot or chilled and also very simple and quick to prepare. Because the greens are added in at the blending process, you are maximizing on their green nutrients in their optimal state, not totally cooked, making this a soup high in anti-oxidants and vitamin C. This soup is literally a powerhouse of green awesomeness. Serve with a wedge of fresh lime, cilantro and accompanied by some fresh summer salsa and a side of organic corn tortilla chips. FRICKEN YUM.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free

Clean Green Mexican Summer Soup

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 zucchini, chopped, about 2c

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 small jalapeno, de-stemmed

1/4t chipotle powder

2T extra virgin olive oil

1T raw agave or maple syrup

Juice from one lime

1/4c fresh cilantro

1c lightly packed fresh greens; kale, or baby spinach

fresh cracked black pepper

4c boiling water

1t salt or to taste

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3T cashew crème/ milk *optional AND/OR 1 whole ripe avocado

Bring 6c of water to a boil, in case you may need more.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots and garlic until golden and soft. Add the zucchini, jalapeno, salt, chipotle, and black pepper. Continue to sauté until the vegetables soften and turn bright. Add the boiling water, bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes.

In a blender or vitamix, puree the soup, adding the fresh kale, lime, cilantro and agave/ maple syrup and *cashew milk AND/OR avocado. Adjust the seasonings again after adding the crème/ avo/both.

**Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Fresh Thai Basil Peanut Rolls with Sweet Hot Chili Lime Dipping Sauce

These really are not difficult to make, they are definitely more time consuming than throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water, but they are so worth it. They are more of an “occasion” meal or made per a craving request. I was definitely craving them, so I made them for myself after yoga this morning. After already having made the Thai Basil Pesto with the Thai basil out of my garden, half the work was already done and in the fridge! I made a Peanut Sauce earlier today, which takes no more than 5 minutes so the rest of the prep is all about getting the components gathered and ready for you to roll (hehehe). What you put inside the rolls is really personal preference; my standard go to’s are:

grilled or smoked tofu, sliced into thin strips
red peppers, sliced into thin strips
rice vermicelli or glass noodles, cooked and drained
hoisin sauce or pesto and or peanut sauce- I use both!
fresh cilantro, fresh basil, fresh mint
fresh lettuce
crushed roasted peanuts

I use the water that I boil the noodles in to soften the rice wrappers. You can purchase the wrappers in almost every main stream market now a days, or in asian specialty stores, they are also easily found online at specialty markets.

On a clean surface or cutting board, lay your dampened rice wrapper, making sure there are no hard edges, if there are, try to moisten them with the heated water. Now you are ready to fill- my rhythm is as such:

lay down about one 2 teaspoons of pesto
then plenty of fresh herbs next to the sauce, above or below (they look pretty showing through the transparent skin when fully rolled)
then lettuce
then tofu stacked on the lettuce
then peppers stacked
then peanut sauce gets spooned over
then crushed peanuts

Roll from the bottom edge up towards the top to encase the tower of yum. Fold in the sides, the rice wrapper will help you by sticking in place. Once both sides are folded in, roll up to the top to close the package. They don’t keep well, the wrapper tends to stiffen overnight, thus lending to their name, fresh rolls. Dip into both the peanut sauce and the sweet chili lime sauce. FRICKEN YUM.

Sweet Chili Lime Dipping Sauce

3T raw agave, or local raw honey

2T apple cider vinegar

1T lime juice

1/2t pink salt

1t red chili flakes

Easy Peanut Butter Sauce

This sauce can literally transform everyday foods into new meals, on veggies, grains, noodles- I created this recipe while living in New York City. I had the tiniest kitchen, I cried my first night, not because of being homesick but because of my new kitchen! I had two jars of peanut butter which were clearly taking up too much real estate so instead of consolidating the jars, I made the sauce with what ingredients I had in the apartment in-the-jar, and then the jar became the storage container for the fridge! Use it over noodles, it pairs amazingly well with Grilled Tofu over a fresh bed of crisp greens and sprouts as a dressing, and inside fresh rolls (which is what I will be making today!) are just some of its uses- it is a fantastic, big flavor sauce. Spice it to your liking, I add a fresh hot pepper into the mix cuz I like it hot! It literally takes 5 minutes to make and is worth keeping in the fridge at all times.

Peanut Butter Sauce

1/3c organic peanut butter, natural style, crunchy or creamy

1T shoyu or tamari

1″ fresh piece of ginger, more if desired

1 small fresh chili or 1/2 fresh jalapeño pepper

1T fresh lime juice *opt -makes it taste more awesome but so not needed

2T cilantro *opt-makes it taste more awesome but so not needed

1T prepared ketchup

1T hot sauce or sriracha sauce

1/3-1/2c water

1T maple syrup or raw agave or raw local honey

2t hot toasted sesame oil

Black pepper to taste

Add all ingredients into a blender, start with a smaller amount of water to get it going, and add more if needed. Blend until completely smooth and to your desired consistency, more liquid for a sauce, less liquid for use as a dipping sauce. It’s your sauce, make it awesome!

Simple Grilled Tofu

This is one my most favorite ways of preparing tofu- it is even more delicious cold. Use it as is, with a side of greens and quinoa or brown rice or how I made it tonight, sliced and served over Thai Basil Pesto Soba with fresh baby Spinach. I would double up on the amount you make if you want to have any left over for the next day! You can season the oil in all kinds of ways imaginable, from curry, to lemon pepper, to super spicy jerk rub.

Simple Grilled Tofu

1 pound extra firm tofu

2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large clove garlic, smashed and minced

1/2t pink salt

black pepper

Heat up the grill or grill pan.

Prepare the tofu:

Remove the tofu from the package and drain the water. Rinse and then place the tofu between to plates. Weight the tofu down in the sink with something over the top plate. Let press for at least 15 minutes to remove excess water. This makes for a “chewier” end result.

Slice the tofu in ¼-1/2” slices, an average block of tofu should yield 7-10 slices.

In a large plate, add the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the tofu slices in the oil – I use a silicone pastry brush to paint the oil on, oil and set aside.

Over high heat, place the slices on the grill or pan and close the grill or cover the pan. Let grill for about 6-8 minutes. The slices should easily flip and have gorgeous markings. Once flipped, continue to grill for another 5-6 minutes.

Salt and pepper the slices again to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

Peanut Butter Maca Chocolate Chip Power Smoothie

Peanut Butter Maca Chocolate Chip Power Smoothie

Fricken CRAZY delicious.

I use Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Vanilla Protein in my shakes.

1c nut milk
2T cacao nibs
1T raw agave or raw local honey
2T peanut butter
1t vanilla
1scoop protein powder
2t Maca powder
1T chia seeds
1T hemp seeds
pinch Himalayan sea salt

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1c ice
blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed
add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Chickpea Loaf is coming…like TODAY…YOU ROCK. DON’T STOP.

“Loving life more thanks to Ellen!” Stephanie

“Yay! So happy you’re doing this!” Amanda

“I love you Ellen!!!!” Nancy

“Best idea EVER!!!!” Missy

“Love you, Ellen! Thank you for doing this.” Mike

“So excited for this!! Many many thanks!!” Jaime

“I love love love your food and you’re a true inspiration… Your actions are contagious and your love radiates through your words, your presence and most definitely through your food. Thank you for your trust. I will be there to catch you; though you’ll most likely grow wings before reaching our finger tips.” Josh

“So inspired. So proud. Keep up the amazing work, love. You are the change. XOXO” Caitlin

“For all the times that you have caught me when I have jumped and may not have even realized it…. Here I am. All of me. Ready to catch you as you JUMP! And, GO!!” Melissa

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