Vegan recipes, please

[Sara Noel]

Gabe and I are newly vegan. Today is day 8. While I have gathered recipes on my own, I'm looking for fellow veg sisters (or bros) to share their favorite vegan recipes.

Not looking for links. I have a ton bookmarked.

I'm looking for most anything from substitute recipes and soups to casseroles and side dishes. Just no salad recipes, please. Also, nothing with white flour, honey, added table salt, or refined sugar.

I quit coffee, too. LOL I've been going through some mood swings which I fully expected with these changes.

As I feel comfortable, I plan to share our vegan meal plans.

Oh and I should ask...Gabe picked up some Tofu Shirataki Noodles. These were not part of my master plan. LOL I have a plan for some of it, but not all, yet. Let me know if you have any ideas for some.

Thanks.

[Dancing Lotus]

CONGRATS for giving it a go. If I can be of any help let me know. My family and I have only been vegan for a year and it's been very difficult on the children. It would help if I knew what your purpose and goal was. If this is for weight loss the recipes I suggest would be much different. Also will kids also be eating your vegan meals?

A family favorite is Ratatouille in the crock pot but it does call for a tsp of sugar. Mind you this is one tsp in a full crock pot!I leave it out and I don't think it makes a difference.
Also learning substitutions will go a long way to helping you adjust recipes. For example instead of refined sugar you can use agave, stevia, brown rice syrup and a few others but the one you would choose depends on the recipe.

Ratatouille

2 large onions, sliced
1 large eggplant , cut into 2 inch cubes
4 small zucchini, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large green bell peppers, thin sliced
2 large tomato, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1 ( 6 ounce ) can of Tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar ( or alternative )
2 tsp salt
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped ( or 1 tblsp dried )
1/4 cup olive oil
red pepper flakes to taste, to spice it up


Layer half the veggies, tomato paste, and spices.Then layer the other half , drizzle the oil on top and cook on low 7 to 9 hrs.
Serve on pasta or rice.
Brown rice is a healthy choice.

[Sara Noel]

I very much appreciate your recipe. It doesn't fit right now because of the amount of oil, sugar and salt. But I'll definitely keep it handy for the future or use it as a guideline without those ingredients.

We aren't making our kids change to a vegan diet. We always had a large amount of produce available and now they have more opportunities to try new things, but they are basically eating as they always have been, but with a twist. I cook separate meals sometimes.

My purpose is to eat simple, nutrient dense foods. Basically, making healthier choices (by our own compass without judgment...don't want to debate what healthier choices are ie. grains, starches, salt, etc.). LOL

[auntie2many]

Sara, I am so happy for you and Gabe and your quest for healthier eating. My aunt who had breast cancer in her mid 40's went vegan after her treatments and her cancer is still in remission and she is about 75 years old now.

I really enjoyed the you-tube video that you posted on sugar. I am not quite a vegan yet, but my dh and I will be eating exactly the same as you and Gabe except we will have the occasional 4 oz. of chicken or fish.

Wishing you both the best on your way to better health.

A2M

[Sara Noel]

Sara, I am so happy for you and Gabe and your quest for healthier eating. My aunt who had breast cancer in her mid 40's went vegan after her treatments and her cancer is still in remission and she is about 75 years old now.

I really enjoyed the you-tube video that you posted on sugar. I am not quite a vegan yet, but my dh and I will be eating exactly the same as you and Gabe except we will have the occasional 4 oz. of chicken or fish.

Wishing you both the best on your way to better health.

A2M

Thanks A2M. Even Gabe and I aren't eating exactly the same. I'm on a stricter plan. There's a lot of information out there on nutrition. I am just doing what makes the most sense to me. Clearly, it was time for a change because what I was doing sure as heck wasn't working for me.

[shoiji]

Right now I have been chopping up fresh broccoli, carrots, and celery with chopped garlic, lemon juice and pepper. Then I microwave it. It is a really fast, easy, and cheap way to get your veggies. The lemon juice really works well with the carrots and helps you to get all the vitamins from the veggies. It is quite filling. Had it today with some fish. But I could see someone having it with pasta sauce, sauteed mushrooms, or baked tofu.

The most important thing about cooking vegetarian is putting the right foods together to get the proper nutrition. Such as beans and rice or lemon juice and greens.

When I want something vegetarian but with some hardiness I will eat falafels. Always works.

[Dancing Lotus]

I second the felafels!!

Sara, how about orange juice?
my favorite breakfast is only 4 ingredients, all raw and easy.

1/2 cup Bulgar
1 cup orange juice
sprinkle of cinnamon
and grapes or raisins.

Soak the bulgar in the OJ over night in the fridge. In the morning sprinkle with cinnamon and add sliced grapes or raisins. If you add the raisins in the evening they will plump . You can also use apple juice and add a diced apple.

[Sara Noel]

I second the felafels!!

Sara, how about orange juice?
my favorite breakfast is only 4 ingredients, all raw and easy.

1/2 cup Bulgar
1 cup orange juice
sprinkle of cinnamon
and grapes or raisins.

Soak the bulgar in the OJ over night in the fridge. In the morning sprinkle with cinnamon and add sliced grapes or raisins. If you add the raisins in the evening they will plump . You can also use apple juice and add a diced apple.

That sounds very good and not something I would have thought of.
I love citrus with cinnamon, so I think I'd really enjoy it.

[Saule]

Mushroom Sauce for Pasta (Low-Sodium)


Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

1/4 ounce dried oyster mushrooms
1/4 ounce dried portabella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups hot water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onions, chopped
1/4 lb fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped
1/4 lb fresh small portabella mushrooms, chopped
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for at least 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, rinse and chop fine.
Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter and reserve.
Melt 3 tbl butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Add the rehydrated mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid and cook about 5 minutes.
Add the fresh mushrooms, rest of the butter and freshly ground pepper, plus more soaking liquid if it looks dry. Cover and cook about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more soaking liqiuid, if necessary. It should be moist, a little saucy, but not soupy.
Serve with hot pasta and Parmesan cheese.
Note: 1/4 oz of dried mushrooms is about 1/4 cup. The recipe calls for 30 minutes of soaking the dried mushrooms, but I feel you get a better result if you soak overnight.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Stuffed Peppers With Thai Curry Rice and Mushrooms


Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt, to taste
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 large jalapenos, chopped with seeds
3/4 cup oyster mushrooms, cut into 1/2 in pieces
4 cups chopped spinach
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Thai basil ( to garnish)

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Slice the tops off the peppers, and dice into 1/4 in pieces. Seed and core the peppers, and boil them until just tender, about 4 minutes.
Using tongs or a large skimmer, carefully transfer the peppers to paper towels and drain, upside down. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.
In a saucepan, heat 1 tbl grapeseed oil or melt 1 tbl of the butter.
Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt, and cook over medium heat until softened.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, ginger, curry paste and reserved cooking water, bring to a simmer; cover and cook over low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 deg.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil or butter. Add the diced bell pepper tops and jalapeno, and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.

Page 2 of 2Stuffed Peppers With Thai Curry Rice and Mushrooms (cont.)
Directions (cont.)

Add the mushrooms, cover and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are browned, about 4 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
In a large bowl, combine the rice and the vegetables, add the chopped basil and lemon juice, and mix well.
Stuff the peppers and place in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake until the rice is heated through, about 45 minutes.
Garnish with additional whole Thai basil leaves, if desired.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Stuffed Peppers With Thai Curry Rice And Mushrooms Recipe - Food.com - 460456

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I make this for lunch - a friend served this at a wedding shower and it went faster than anything else

Peach-Cucumber-Barley Salad


Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley
1 3/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
water
1 seedless cucumber
2 ripe peaches
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 head boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried

Directions

Place barley in a 4 qt saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until toasted, stirring.
Stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender. Drain if necessary, and set aside to cool slightly.
Meantime, scoop out and discard the seed cavity of the cucumber, then cut it up into 1/4 in pieces.
Pit and chop the peaches.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters (halve if they are very small).
In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and 1/4 tsp salt.
Add barley and toss until well coated. Allow to cool, then add the cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, and chickpeas, tossing until well combined.
Serve over lettuce leaves.
Note: I had no basil leaves when I made this again, so used the vinaigrette from Recipe #460660, some additional fresh thyme and a little pineapple sage, which worked very well.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Peach-Cucumber-Barley Salad Recipe - Food.com - 460267

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Veggie Burgers With Pomegranate Ketchup


Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1/2 lb white mushrooms
1 cup shelled edamame, steamed
2 1/2 cups cooked green lentils or 2 1/2 cups cooked brown lentils
2 cups cooked israeli couscous
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground dried funghi porcini
kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
3 -6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
mesclun, tossed with lemon juice
sauteed mushrooms

Directions

In a food processor, combine the raisins and almonds and process until finel chopped.
Add the mushrooms and process until coarsely chopped.
Add the edamame, lentils and half the couscous and process until coarsely chopped.
In a small bowl, stir the curry powder into the lemon juice and add to the processor along with the porcini and process to a coarse paste.
Remove to a bowl, fold in the remaining couscous and season with salt, to taste.
Form the mixture into 6 patties, about 1 in thick.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the patties and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes.
Combine the ketchup with the pomegranate molasses.
Arrange the bun halves on plates, and spread them with the pomegranate ketchup. Place a patty on each bun, top with mesclun greens and sauteed mushrooms. Top with second half of bun, if using. Serve.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Veggie Burgers With Pomegranate Ketchup Recipe - Food.com - 460358

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Mixed Grain Mushroom Casserole


Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup brown rice
1/4 cup oil ( or less)
1 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 1/2 cups broth
1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine grains in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Pour the oil into a 2 to 3 quart casserole which is safe for both stovetop and oven cooking, and place on medium heat.
When hot, saute onion and garlic until tender and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the mixed grains and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Meanwhile melt butter or margarine (if using) in a separate pan on medium high heat.
When hot, add mushrooms and saute quickly, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are hot and have just absorbed the"butter" (about 1 minute).
Immediately remove from heat.
Add the broth, herbs, and mushrooms to the casserole with the onions and grains, and bring to a boil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover tightly (use aluminum foil between pot and cover if necessary for a good seal), and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Mixed Grain Mushroom Casserole Recipe - Food.com - 79760

[OOwl]

Just a question, but can Vegans have butter? I saw it listed in several vegan recipes and I was curious. . . .

[KeithBC]

Just a question, but can Vegans have butter? I saw it listed in several vegan recipes and I was curious. . . .

No. Butter is a milk product, and vegans don't consume milk products.

However, it is easily substituted with margarine in most recipes. There are a few vegan margarines. Some people use the terms interchangeably.

[Dancing Lotus]

Just a question, but can Vegans have butter? I saw it listed in several vegan recipes and I was curious. . . .

Nope no butter, but we do have some wonder butter substitutes. When I see a recipe that calls for butter I just use Earth Balance. When a regular recipe calls for milk I use soy, flax,coconut, almond, oat, rice , or hemp milk. Once you get accustomed to using these alternatives you learn how and which ones to use .
So I still have all my old traditional cook books and I adapt them

[shoiji]

With fall almost here roasting vegetables will really help to bring out their flavor. Once you have a bunch of vegetables roasted you can use it in salads, sauces, on its own, in a casserole or on a pizza. I like to roast carrots, celery, onions with chick peas, garlic and raisins. I use indian spices and olive oil and roast in the oven. Really comes out tasty and the raisins add a nice sweetness.

[Saule]

I know some of the recipes I posted have dairy, but it's easily substituted, and otherwise the recipes fit in with a vegan diet. They do have slight amounts of fat, but some fat is necessary in a diet. Fats help carry fat-soluble vitamins into your body. Moderation is the key. Veggie broth can be used instead of chicken or other, this is a good very low sodium one

Scott's Vegetable Broth With Very Low Sodium

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 9 hrs 10 mins
Serves: 8, Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

3 medium celery ribs, whole, with leaves, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Spanish onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium green bell peppers, skin on, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaves, shredded
1 teaspoon sweet basil
8 black peppercorns
3 quarts water

Directions

Place all the ingredients into a stockpot and simmer, partially covered, for 8 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally.
Skim off any scum that appears. Cook it this way for 45 minutes. (If using a crockpot, cook on LOW for 8-12 hours and skim scum when done.).
Remove the ingredients from the pot and strain the stock through cheesecloth or a cheesecloth-lined vegetable strainer or sieve. Throw out the solids.
Simmer the strained stock until it reduces to about 8 cups.
If making ahead, let cool and store in 2-cup freezer containers to approximate the volume of one can of soup.

© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Scott's Vegetable Broth With Very Low Sodium Recipe - Food.com - 315922

(I am not vegan, but I do like to have meatless meals a couple of times a week at least, more often for lunch).

[Maine Girl]

Sara,

I know you didn't want links but in your free time look at Rachael Ray's website she has many pasta and vegetarian recipes that can be converted to vegan.

I have made a couple of recipes that were good
veggie florentine pasta
italian vegetable stew
all you would have to do is switch out the chicken broth with vegetable.