Rhymes With Vegan

quinoa, artichoke and kalamata salad

after stuffing my face with tons of holiday crud, i wanted something light but fulfilling.  something salty with hint of zest.  

this did just the trick.

quinoa, artichoke and kalamata salad

serves 6

salad

4 cups prepared quinoa

6 oz. fresh spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove – minced

2 cups walnuts – chopped and toasted

½ cup kalamata olives – chopped

1 ½ cups marinated artichoke hearts - chopped

1 scallion - chopped

salt and pepper to taste

dressing

1/2 large lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

in a medium bowl combine your dressing ingredients; whisk together until smooth and slightly creamy.  set aside.

in a large skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil and your minced garlic.  add your spinach, a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until wilted.

remove and put in colander to drain excess water.

on a large mixing bowl combine your quinoa with your artichokes, olives, spinach and walnuts.  add your dressing and mix well.  add salt and pepper to taste.

chill for 1 hour.

garnish with fresh scallions and lemon zest..

serve with pinot grigio.

enjoy!

creamy pear and pine nut cabbage salad

this is one of those salads you discover when you just happen to have ingredients on hand, but are in a major time crunch.  Ok, maybe it's a bit much to assume you would have these items in your pantry, but hey, what can i say?

Hit your farmers market for fresh pears...it makes a world of differenc.

Either way, this salad is colorful, full of flavor and is packed with rich flavor.

You could serve this with just about anything you toss on the grill!

creamy pear and pine nut cabbage salad

salad

1 large pear – sliced

1 small red onion – chopped

¼ cup pine nuts – toasted

½ head red cabbage – shredded

handful of parsley for garnish

dressing

¼ cup vegenaise

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp celery seed

1 tbsp vegan parmesan (save for final garnish)

salt

pepper

in a small mixing bowl combine dressing ingredients (minus the parmesan), whisk together well and put in fridge for 10-20 minutes until well chilled.

in a 350 degree oven, toss pine nuts with a bit of olive oil and toast until light to golden brown. 

remove and let cool.

 

in a large bowl, combine salad ingredients, salad dressing and pine nuts.  toss together. 

 

add salt and pepper and the vegan parmesan to taste and garnish with the fresh parsley.

serve with a crisp white wine and a grilled up tofu steak.

enjoy!

 

vegan caesar salad w/ toasted baguette croutons

if there was a salad dressing out there i didn't think i'd be having again, it was a caesar dressing. 

no offense to the many that exist right now, but i am very, very picky as to what my dressing tastes like. so, much to my surprise, i really think i hit upon something here. 

its peppery, rich, creamy texture with a subtle taste of the sea makes for the perfect vegan caesar dressing.

vegan caesar salad

 

serves 4-6

for dressing

1 avocado

1 cup vegan sour cream

½ cup vegan mayo

2 tsp nori

1 tbsp minced red onion

3 cloves smashed garlic (using a garlic press)

2 tbsp vegan worcestershire

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp onion salt

1 tbsp cracked black pepper

¼ cup vegan cream

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

squeeze of 1 lemon

 for croutons               

1 medium baguette

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic – minced

salt and pepper to taste

 for topping

3 cashews – shaved

heat your oven to 400 degrees.  slice your baguette into small, bite sized croutons.  toss with the olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper.  lay the pieces onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

remove and set aside.

put your nori into a small bowl with 1 tbsp of warm water…let moisten.  remove and chop into fine pieces.

in a medium mixing bowl combine all of your dressing ingredients, including the nori.  whisk together very well and put into fridge to let cool. 

feel free to adjust the taste to your liking.

on a large serving platter, lay your fresh romaine hearts, dress with the caesar and toss with the croutons, cashew shavings. lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

this makes a great starter or side dish to your favorite pasta.

add grilled tofu for a little “chicken” style caesar!

serve with a glass of cabernet.

enjoy!

vegan gyros w/ a creamy tzatziki sauce & cous cous, garbanzo bean and mint salad

ah, the love of greek food.
it's easy.
it's delicious.

this little ditty is really self-explanatory.

vegan gyros w/ a creamy tzatziki sauce & cous cous, garbanzo bean and mint salad

1 15oz. can of roasted mock duck (or seitan)

4 pitas

4 romaine lettuce leafs

1 1/2 red onion – 1 sliced, ½ chopped

1 heirloom tomato – sliced

4 tbsp hummus/tahini

1 package instant cous cous (I prefer the pine nut flavor)

3 tbsp fresh mint – chopped

2 15oz. cans garbanzo beans

2 lemons

3 sprigs of marjoram

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1 cup dairy-free yogurt

1 tbsp dairy-free cream

1 tbsp dill – chopped

1 large cucumber

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

 

 

in a medium sized mixing bowl combine your yogurt, creamer, squeeze of ½ lemon, 1 tbsp mint and dill.  whisk together very well, or use a small blender if you have one.  slice your cucumber in ½ and with a spoon “gut” the insides.  add this to your yogurt mixture and blend for another 15 seconds. 

set in fridge to let cool before serving.

 

in a medium pan, cook your cous cous per the packaging directions.  in a colander, drain and rinse your garbanzo beans.  once the cous cous has cooled to room temp, add your garbanzo beans, 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint, 1/2 chopped red onion. squeeze of ½ lemon and 1 tbsp olive oil. 

fold together very well. 

add salt and pepper per your tasters. 

Put into fridge to cool for ½ hour.             

 

heat your oven to 350 degrees.

in a colander, drain your roasted mock duck and rinse well.  set on a plate and pat dry.  with your knife, slice the mock duck very thing, approximately ¼ in.  lay your slices onto a cookie sheet.  squeeze ½ lemon and add your marjoram sprigs, ½ sliced red onion, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.  coat everything with 1 tbsp olive oil to avoid sticking.  put into over for 15-20 minutes.

 

moisten a large towel and wrap your pitas inside.  heat in oven or microwave until the pitas are warm and soft.

 

build each gyro by spreading a bit of hummus first, then lettuce, tomato, mock duck and red onion.  drizzle your tzatziki sauce on top, wrap in foil to hold. 

 

serve with your cous cous salad and a crisp white wine.

 

enjoy!

blackened "steak" sandwich, lotus root and parsley salad w/ red onions, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

can you tell i couldn't think of a fancy name for this meal?
(phew)

anyways, this was one of those recipes that came about on a whim. a few of us couldn't figure out what we were hungry for, but i was dead set on using some roasted mock duck....so blackened mock duck sandwiches it is, my friends!

oh, and the lotus root? another great find at united noodle (an awesome, asian grocer in minneapolis).

(a good suggestion for this meal was to put this in a wrap instead of using a baguette...feel free to experiment!)

lotus root and parsley salad w/ red onion, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

2 cups lotus root (you can use cucumber if you cannot find this)
1 red onion - sliced thin
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup toasted walnuts - chopped
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp raw sugar
1 tbsp olive oil

soak the lotus root in cold water for 30 minutes; drain.

in a small blender, combine the raspberries, vinegar, white wine, salt and sugar.  blend until smooth.  slowly add the olive oil; blend again.  in a medium bowl combine the lotus root, toasted walnuts, red onions and parsley.  toss together with your vinaigrette just before serving (the lotus root absorbs the dressing pretty quickly, so you might want to have some extra on hand).

 

blackened "steak" sandwich

1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
2 cups roasted mock duck (or 4 fillets)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper - sliced
1 vidalia onion - sliced
4 large romaine lettuce leafs
creamy cashew sauce (see recipe here...minus the basil, of course)

heat a skillet to 350 degrees; add your olive oil

in a small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder and dried parsley.

in your skillet, fry up your peppers and onions until al dente.  remove and set aside.

coat each mock duck fillet with the dried mix and sear in the heated olive oil.  cook until each fillet is blackened and crispy to the touch.

in a heated oven or grill, take a large baguette, slice into 4 large sandwich loaves.  drizzle a bit of olive oil on each.  heat in the oven/grill until slightly toasted.

build your sandwich as follows:
romaine
creamy cashew sauce
blackened mock duck
peppers
onions
more creamy cashew sauce

finish each one off with a slight drizzle of olive oil.

serve with a good pinot noir.
enjoy!

gardeners delight with RWV ranch

so, i'm heading up north again, this time to my family cabin for some more relaxation (i know what you're thinking, "God is she lazy") but before i do so, i wanted to give you a quick idea of something to throw together when those unexpected guests arrive OR when you just don't feel like grabbing some overpriced unhealthy snack from the store. 

it's like a garden on your plate, minus the dirt, of course.

serve this with a sesame mushroom vinaigrette, or with RWV ranch dressing...yummy.

 






gardeners delight

1 package of super firm tofu - grilled with olive oil
1 red onion - sliced
1 package of snow peas
1 package of cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber - sliced
6 radishes – sliced
1/2 bunch of fresh spinach
1 medium baguette - chopped into bite size pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper
sesame vinaigrette (of your choice) OR

                          

      RWV ranch

 1 1/2 cup dairy free mayo
 1 tbsp onion powder
 1 tsp garlic salt
 1 tbsp dill (optional)
 2 tbsp fresh chopped chives
 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (add more if you like a tangy taste)
 1 tsp celery salt
 1 tsp celery seed
  salt and pepper

                               

slice up your veggies and set to the side.  keep your tomatoes whole.  wash your spinach well, and wrap in a towel to remove excess moisture.

slice up your baguette into bite size pieces, toss with a little bit of olive oil, just to coat.  sprinkle with salt and pepper and throw into 375 degree oven until toasted.

slice your tofu into cutlets, coat with oil, a little salt and pepper and throw onto a 450 degree grill until browned on each side.  remove; once cooled slice into long strips (good for dipping).



for the ranch, combine all of your ingredients, in no particular order and mix very well. 
toss into the fridge to cool and thicken.

serve with a glass of pinot grigio.

enjoy!

one helluva pasta salad

and so simple to make.

i made this for my friends cabin week, and it was by far the big hit.  i don't think my friend elissa took her damn fork out of the bowl once!

how best to describe this scrumptious dish?

the creamy dressing on top of the clingy noodles (but clingy in a good way)
the bite of the red onion next to the sweet creaminess of the peas...oh my.
the earthiness of the spinach and walnuts with the tang of vinegar.

your mouth will thank you, trust me.

(oh, and bring this to a family get together....your aunt bert/bezzie/beatrice will never know what hit her).

one helluva pasta salad

1 package rotini noodles
1/2 red onion - chopped
1 package of fresh spinach - chopped
1 bag of frozen peas
1 cup toasted walnuts - chopped
1 1/2 cups dairy-free mayo
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
2 tbsp fresh chopped chives
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

prepare your dressing first, as the longer it marinates, the better it will taste.

in a small bowl combine your non-dairy mayo, vinegar, chives, dill and a little salt and pepper.  whip together and put into the fridge to chill.

prepare your noodles as directed on the packaging.
drain and set aside.

the first thing to add to the noodles is your chopped spinach, the warm noodles will wilt it a bit to a desired bite.

then add your peas and onions.

pour your chilled dressing on top, add the walnuts, a bit more salt and pepper and mix together well.
set in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

serve with a hunk of baguette and a glass of white wine.

enjoy!

out of pocket

i'm heading to a cabin with my good friends for the next 5 days so i'll be unable to do any posts (we will be completely isolated...no cell phones, no nothing).  so, until we meet again (on monday) here's a little peek into what we'll be eating while we're relaxing with a nice cold one.

have a great week!

 

 

spring sumi salad with tofu and almonds

i admit it...i'm obsessed with sumi salad...i had it once and it's been an ongoing love affair since then.

i decided to "spring" my version up a little by adding some red cabbage, tofu and sliced almonds.  this is absolutely one of the easiest and most delicious salads to make.  the flavors of the sesame and maple will satisfy ANY taste.

just toss and go...it IS that easy.

spring sumi salad with tofu and almonds

1/3 cup tamari
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh maple syrup
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 head red cabbage – shredded
1/2 head white cabbage – shredded
4 tofu cutlets – stir fried and cut into bite size pieces
3 scallions - chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup sliced almonds – toasted
2 tbsp sesame seeds – toasted
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste


in a small mixing bowl, combine your tamari, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup and whisk in your sesame oil.  set aside.

in a non-stick skillet, add your canola oil and bring to about 350 degrees.  add your tofu cutlets and the 1 tsp soy sauce.  stir fry until crispy on the outer edges.  set aside to cool and then cut into bite size pieces.

in a large mixing bowl, shred your cabbage into thin bite size strips. 

in a small skillet toast your almonds and then your sesame seeds until they perfume the air.  toss the seeds, almonds and tofu into the bowl with the cabbage.

you can now slowly toss in your dressing of the tamari and maple mix.
be sure to add a little salt and pepper to taste. 

squeeze in 1/2 of the lemon and stir together.

set in the fridge to cool for approximately 1 hour.

serve with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc.

enjoy!