California Quinoa Salad

 

I had a family dinner this past weekend and wanted to make something that everyone in my family would enjoy...a quinoa salad! It turned out that my Grandpa was thinking the same thing, and he made a quinoa salad too! They luckily were both very different, and everyone had fun comparing the two. I didn't know my salad would be such a topic of conversation at the table!

 

This salad has a mild sweetness to it from the mangos. It's also great to make for spring, because most varieties of mangos that are coming from Mexico are in season in April and May. Mangos are definitely more of a "comfort fruit," because they are higher in sugar. Mangos have three times the sugar content of raspberries. Although, mangos are higher in sugar they are rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid! This quinoa salad was a perfect digestive aid for my carnivorous family who ate this alongside BBQ ribs!

 

California Quinoa Salad

(Adapted from "My Quest to Become Plant Strong")

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of quinoa
• 4 cups water (for cooking quinoa – I cooked mine in my rice cooker)
• 1 can of organic black beans
• 1 package frozen mango, thawed OR 2-3 diced fresh mangos
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 1 medium to large red pepper, diced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped 
• 1-2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut (I opted out on the coconut)
• 3/4 – 1 cup unsalted, dry-toasted slivered almonds
• 1-1 1/2 cups raisins (I used the golden raisins from Trader Joes)
• 2-3 cups frozen edamame, thawed
• Juice of 4-5 limes
• 3 – 4 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar (I used organic white balsamic vinegar from Whole Foods)

Instructions:

1. Rinse quinoa well, cook as directed.
2. Fluff quinoa well when done, spread out and let cool.
3. Add all other ingredients and toss.
4. Enjoy cold!!

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Vegan Donuts!

It was a cloudy overcast day this past Sunday so I thought...hey...I'm going to make DONUTS! I headed over to Michael's craft store (with my 40% off coupon). I purchased a non-stick donut pan and some rainbow sprinkles for just $8! Score!

This recipe is a lot healthier than fried donuts, because you will use a lot less oil. In this recipe you will bake the donuts instead. The consistency is more cake-like, but they are still just as satisfying!

Vegan Donuts

 (Adapted from vegan Chef Chloe. Watch her YouTube video on vegan donuts here)

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping
1/4 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (melt in microwave, stir every 30 seconds, until smooth)

Glaze Topping
1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons soy milk, one drop of food coloring (I used turquoise and a magenta)

Toppings: sprinkles, nuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or anything else you want!

Method

1. Set oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients separately.
3. Mix wet ingredients separately.
4. Then, mix dry and wet ingredients together. Do not over mix it.
5. Take a gallon sized plastic bag, roll bag inside out, choose a corner, and put the dough inside the bag towards the corner. Cut the tip of the bag, and twist the plastic bag at the top just where the dough stops. Cut the tip. (You can also use a pastry bag if you have one)
6. Pipe the dough out into the donut pan per each donut.
7. Put donuts in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch them carefully. You want to cook them just until they are slightly golden.
8. Take out donuts and let them completely cool.
9. Dip the top of the donut into the glaze and turn it around with your hand to wipe of the excess. Immediately top with your favorite toppings!
10. Eat right away or store in a airtight container for later!

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Vegan Super Bowl Snacks

Photo by Getty Images

The best part of Super Bowl Sunday for me is kicking back on the couch with some good food and friends. Oh and the half time show! Didn't Beyonce rock her performance? She was amazing...best performance at the Super Bowl I've seen yet. Any girl would want to be able to move like she does!

I made two dishes that were quick and easy! All of our non-vegan friends seemed to enjoy them too! I found both recipes via Pinterest. You can check out the rest of my favorite Vegan Super Bowl Snacks on my board here.

Warm “Vegveeta” Cheese Sauce

adapted from Plant Powered Kitchen

• 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for at least 1 hour, and then drained)
• 1 tbsp tahini (I used Trader Joe's Tahini Sauce)
• 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (no need for this if you use the Trader Joe's Tahini Sauce, which already has lemon juice in it!)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup + 1-3 tbsp of plain unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (I used cornstarch because I didn't have arrowroot on hand)
• 1/2 tsp (little scant) paprika
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp turmeric (for color)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 ½ -2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until very, very smooth (start with 1 cup + 1 tbsp milk). Transfer mixture to a small/medium saucepan, and heat over low/low-medium heat for 5-8 minutes, until mixture is starting to slowly bubble and thicken (stir frequently through heating). To thin sauce slightly, stir in another 1-2 tbsp of milk. Avoid thickening sauce over high heat (or increasing heat too quickly), since this sauce can scorch easily. Once sauce has thickened, transfer to a serving dish… and get dipping!

For a nacho “Vegveeta”-style dip, try stirring about 1/3 – ½ cup of your fave salsa into the heated sauce. I stirred in my favorite "Trader Joe's Homestyle Salsa Especial" and extra dashes of cayenne pepper to add some heat.

 

 

Chalupa Dip

from Vegan in the Freezer

• 2 tablespoons olive oil for sauteing
• 1 yellow onion finely diced
• 1 'soyrizo' 12 oz. package
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• cayenne pepper to taste to add some heat (optional)

For Dipping:

• Scoops Corn Chips
• Pita Chips
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Jicama

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the onion and saute until translucent.
3. Add the spices and cook for a minute.
4. Remove the wrapping from the soyrizo and add to the onion mixture in the skillet.
5. Cook another 10 minutes.
6. Add the can of beans and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Serve warm with chips and veggies.

All of her recipes on Vegan in the Freezer feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals. So this dip can actually be frozen and reheated for another party!

 

IF FREEZING:

Let cool to room temperature. 

Package in rigid sided containers as defined in my article http://veganinthefreezer.com/preparing-food-for-the-freezer

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:

Remove from the freezer and put in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.

Heat in the microwave and serve with chips and veggies of your choice.





All of the yummy vegan super bowl snacks!!!

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Spicy Low-Carb Noodle Soup

This is a cheap and satisfying soup that you can eat before a meal or make as a meal in itself. I love soups, because you can throw in all the veggies that you have in the house, spice it up, and voila! I found these Tofu Shirataki Noodles while shopping at Whole Foods in the tofu section. These noodles are made out of tofu, and one package has only 40 calories, one gram of fat, four grams of fiber and two grams of protein. It’s also cholesterol-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan and kosher certified. Miracle noodles...what?! The best part of the Shirataki Noodles is that they are less than $2.00 a package!

Spicy Low-Carb Noodle Soup (Vegan...of course!)

• 8 oz Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti (1 package), you can find these at Whole Foods
• 1 box of low-sodium vegetable stock (32 oz.)
• 1 teaspoon of Organic Better Than Bouillon vegetable base (vegan)
• ½ of a yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 bok choy heads, chopped (celery or whatever other veggies you want to throw in)
• garlic salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of caynne pepper (optional)

Bring all ingredients to a boil except for the noodles. Once brought to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are cooked. While the broth is cooking, prepare the noodles. To prepare the noodles, drain and rinse the noodles. Microwave the noodles in a bowl for 1 minute. Dry noodles well. Add the noodles to the broth, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Taste before serving and add in any extra seasonings neccesary.

 

 

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Nacho Cashew Cheese

I had a major craving for some nachos the other day! A woman I work with, Connie, suggested I try nacho cashew cheese and use a red bell pepper. The red bell pepper gives the cashew cheese a nice nacho looking color and adds just the right amount of sweetness.

Nacho Cashew Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup water
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (if you don't have garlic on hand use garlic powder or garlic salt to taste)
• 4 tbs nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp of Mexican chili powder

Soak raw cashews for 1 - 2 hours in a bowl of water (not the 1 cup of water that you will use when blending) and drain.

Then place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix til smooth (several minutes). Taste and add more salt or chilli powder to your liking.

Pour into a bowl and let sit a few minutes to thicken up a bit. Bake onto chips for nachos like I did, dip with veggies, spread onto bread for sandwiches, or whatever you'd like!

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Vegan Quinoa & Kale Patties

Happy New Year!

For my first recipe post of 2013 I am featuring quinoa, because 2013 has been declared, "International Year of Quinoa" by the UN! The purpose of the of the International Year of Quinoa is to "focus the world's attention on the role that quinoa´s biodiversity and nutritional value plays, in providing food security and nutrition, the eradication of poverty in support of the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals." "The International Year of the Quinoa (IYQ) was proposed by the government of Bolivia, with support from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Georgia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, and FAO, and approved by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. The Conference took note of the exceptional nutritional qualities of quinoa, its adaptability to different agro-ecological floors and its potential contribution in the fight against hunger and malnutrition."

Quinoa is a golden grain!

This protein packed, gluten free grain was considered the "golden grain" by the Incas. Quinoa is now considered a superfood!!! Quinoa is a complete protein containing all nine amino acids. It contains 2x as much fiber compared to other grains. Quinoa is rich in nutrients like iron, lysine, magnesium, B2, and manganese.

Vegan Quinoa & Kale Patties

 (Recipe adapted from Yummy Supper)

• 1 cup quinoa (I used Trader Joe's Organice Tricolor Quinoa...6 grams of protein in 1/4 cup!)
• 2 cups water
• 6 teaspoons of Ener-G egg replacer (equivalent to 4 eggs)
• 4-8 tablespoons of water
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup steamed kale, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

I topped mine with fresh squeezed lemon juice and avocados. Yum!

Cook 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water in a rice cooker. If you don't have a rice cooker...go out and buy one! You can find small rice cookers for as cheap as $12. Once you use a rice cooker to cook grains you will never go back to the stove top! When the quinoa is done cooking, remove from rice cooker, place into a bowl, and let it cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl whisk together 6 teaspoons of Ener-G egg replacer and 8 tablespoons of warm water. Then, mix in cooked quinoa, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, steamed kale, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. You want the batter to be moist, but not runny. You may need to mix in more water a little bit at a time to make it a little more moist. Form patties and set aside for cooking.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook up to 4-6 patties on the pan depending on how larger your skillet is. Cover the pan and let the patties cook for 7-10 minutes until the they are golden brown. Flip and cook the other side for another 7-10 minutes until both sides are nice and brown. Let patties rest on a cooling rack or paper towels while you finish the next batch.



***Stay tuned to my next 30-day blog challenge, but until then enjoy my vegan recipes!***

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Recipe 30: Vegan Chex Mix Galore

I'm getting ready for our first Ugly Sweater Christmas party that we will be having at our apartment in 2 weeks. I wanted to start practicing making some inexpensive, yet tasty treats for the party so I thought I'd try out a party favorite Chex Mix! I made a salty and a sweet recipe. They both turned out great, and I'm eating some as I type. It's quite addicting!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chex Mix (Vegan, Gluten & Soy Free)

Takes about 5 minutes to make!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegan/gluten free chocolate chips (Try Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, which are Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free. I picked some up at Vons grocery store).
• 1/2 cup organic creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup Earth Balance
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 7-8 cups of rice Chex
• 2 cups of powdered sugar

Method:

Melt together chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in the microwave. Stir every 30 seconds until melted well, approximately 1 1/2-2 minutes. After melting, add in the vanilla extract and mix. Pour mixture over rice chex and carefully mix together. Transfer to a plastic baggie with powdered sugar. Shake up the bag well and it's ready to eat!

Vegan Original Chex Mix

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1-1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
• 3 cups Corn Chex cereal
• 2 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 1-1/2 cups peanuts
• 1-1/2 cups small pretzels

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Melt butter in a shallow pan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt. Add Corn Chex, Rice Chex, nuts (peanuts, pecans or cashews), and pretzels. Mix until all pieces are coated with the butter mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool...enjoy!

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