recipe » VeggieGirl

Raw Key Lime Pie

Even though the temperatures are still stuck in the low 40s here in New Jersey, spring as officially started. This raw key lime pie is the perfect spring dessert, because it’s light and fruity and you don’t need to turn the oven on. And as an added bonus, it’s pretty good for you too. I served this pie at my green Saint Patrick’s Day potluck over the weekend and it was huge hit. I don’t think anyone knew that the creamy pie’s “secret” ingredient was avocados!

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/2 cup raw walnuts

1 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded dried coconut

8 medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

Filling

3/4 cup key lime juice

1/2 cup raw agave nectar

3 avocados, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

Preparation:

To make the crust, place the walnuts and dried coconut in a food processor and process until finely ground and resembling crumbs. Add the dates and continue to process until the mixture starts to stick together. Place the mixture into a pie or tart pan and distribute the crumbs evenly along the bottom. Push some of the crumbs up onto the sides of the pan with your hands, and firmly push the crust down, especially if your pan has nooks and crannies.

To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a food process or high speed blender and process until smooth. Add water if necessary. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and spread evenly. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to allow the filling to set before serving.

I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

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Saint Patrick’s Day Stout, Seitan and Cabbage Casserole

Saint Patrick’s day is just a few short days away, I’m already trying to decide which green sweater I should wear. Despite being part Irish, m family never really did anything to celebrate St Patty’s day while groaning up. There was no Irish soda bread, no corned beef and cabbage, no colcannon. Since it’s turned into a bit of a foodie holiday, I wanted to make something to celebrate my Irish heritage this year, but there were no family recipes to veganize. I came across a interesting dish in Better Homes and Gardens and it seemed perfect for converting. It’s not really a casserole in the traditional sense, but I wasn’t sure what to call it, and since it’s a casserole dish, I decided to roll with it.

Ingredients:

12 ounces stout beer
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon mustard
1 small head of cabbage, cut into small wedges
2 carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
16 ounce package seitan, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon flour
flat leaf parsley, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the stout, agave, tomato paste, mustard along, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 pepper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place the cabbage and carrots in a large casserole dish. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and then toss gently. Bake uncovered for 25 – 30 minutes, stirring after about 15 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the seitan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the seitan is slightly brown and a little crispy around the edges. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the onions. Cook until the onions are fragrant and begin to caramelize. Pour the stout mixture over the onions, and sprinkle with the flour. Stir together. Add the seitan back to the pan and cook for about 3 more minutes, until bubbly.
Once the carrots and cabbage mixture is done roasting, remove from oven and spoon the onion and seitan mixture over it. Garnish with parsley.
Serve hot with roasted potatoes. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.

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Celebrate Pi Day with Tamale Pie

Happy Pi Day! Yes, today is Pi Day (3.14) and no, I’m not making it up. In 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution naming March 14th as Pi Day. While I can’t really see people decking their houses in π symbols or gathering around a pi tree to solve math problems, I do think that eating pie is an appropriate way to celebrate this “holiday”.

This Temeph Tamale Pie recipe is a vegan adaptation of a carnivorous dish I saw in the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. It’s quite tasty and I think it’s a dish worthy of this pie-ous day.

Temeph Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 vegetable broth
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
16 ounces temeph, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 14-ounce can creamed corn (yes, creamed corn is vegan)
1 16-ounce jar salas verde
1/3 cup olives, chopped
1 tomato, thinly sliced
sliced scallions and/or chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Place the tempeh strips in a shallow dish. Mix together the broth, vinegar, tamari and thyme, and pour it over the tempeh. Let marinade for an hour or two.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Heat a large pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon or two of the tempeh marinade, and then add the tempeh. Cook for several minutes, flipping the pieces frequently, until the pieces have crisp brown edges.
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat and cook for about three minutes, whisking continually. Add the creamed corn and continue to whisk everything together. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
In a medium baking dish, combine the salsa, olives and tempeh. Spoon the cornmeal over the mixture and top with tomatoes, scallions and parsley, if using.
Bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and hot.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

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Wild Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Shepherd’s Pie

Suddenly I’m super busy and I’ve fallen a little behind in my blogging. I was hoping to have a new recipe for today’s Healthy Vegan Friday, but I haven’t cooked much in the past two weeks. Last week I did a juice cleanse, and honestly, I don’t know where this week has gone!Instead of leaving you recipe-less this week, I’ve dug into my archives to find a dish I posted two years ago this week. This shepherd’s pie is a nice, warming dish for the cold, snowy weather we’ve been having here in New Jersey.

Ingredients:

Topping

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup rice milk
4 tablespoons vegan margarine
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and Pepper

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 medium portobello mushrooms
3 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

Topping

Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water, Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them a little with a potato masher. Stir in the rice milk, Earth Balance, nutritional yeast and chives. Continue mashing until the potatoes reach desired consistency. (I like my potatoes a little on the chunky side.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Filling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Set the portobellos gill side up the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil. Toss the mushroom mixture and garlic with 1 more teaspoon of oil and spread them out on the baking sheet with the portobellos. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Thinly slice the portobellos. Leave the oven on.
While the mushrooms are roasting, sauté the onions in the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and cook for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and caramelized.
In a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, mix together the onions, mushrooms, beans and parsley. Top with the potato mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the potato topping is golden brown.

Makes 6 – 8 servings

I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

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Peanutty Pad Thai

Did you know that today is National Peanut Butter day! I love all nut butters, but I’ll always be hopelessly devoted to my beloved peanut butter, so I’ll all for a day that celebrates my favorite legume. Spicy peanut sauce is my weakness, so I’ll be celebrating today with this scrumptious, spicy, peanutty Pad Thai.

Ingredients:

8 ounce package rice noodles
2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon tamari sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos 
1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
14 ounce package extra firm tofu, drained, blocked and cubed
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed
Several dried Thai chili peppers, optional*
3 – 4 cups baby bok choy, chopped
1 cup mung bean sprouts
3 scallions, sliced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Sauce Ingredients: 

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup natural peanut butter 
2 tablespoons tamari sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos 
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled 
2 garlic cloves 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
4 tablespoons lime juice 
1 tablespoon peanut oil 
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, or to taste

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package. Set aside.
Mix all of the sauce ingredients together in blender or food processor. Set aside.
Add one teaspoon of the oil to large pan along with the tamari and swish it all around. Add the cubed tofu and cook on medium high heat until the tofu is browned on most sides, stirring frequently. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan along with the mushrooms, broccoli, bell pepper, snow peas and Thai peppers, if using. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Add the bok choy and cooked tofu to the pan along with the peanut sauce. Stir together and let cook for 2 or 3 minutes, to let the flavors mix.
Add the mung bean sprouts and give it a quick stir.
Serve the vegetable mix over the rice noodles and garnish with the chopped peanuts and scallions. Enjoy!

Serves 4

*Thai peppers add a nice flavor to the dish, so I add them in when I’m cooking but I remove them from my dish before I eat. I find them far too spicy for my taste, but VeggieGuy loves them.

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I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

Spinach Mushroom Lasagna

I almost named this "The World's Easiest Lasagna" because this dish is super easy to make. Using no-boil noodles and pre-made sauce cuts prep time down so much that you can throw this together pretty quickly and your dinner guests will think you slaved away in the kitchen for hours. I served this at a party once and it was a huge hit, so I can attest to it's omnivore friendliness. It's also cat friendly, as I caught Archie sitting on the counter nibbling on it after I turned my back. I guess that cliché about orange cats and lasagna is true!

Ingredients:

For the Lasagna:

1 package of no-cook lasagna noodles (I used gluten-free brown rice noodles)
28 ounce can of tomato sauce (or you can make your own, of course)
1 pound mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup Daiya cheese (or more, to your liking)

For the Ricotta:

14 ounce package of firm tofu
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces baby spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a food processor, blend together the tofu cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, broth, basil, salt and nutritional yeast. Process until the mixture is thick and looks like ricotta cheese. Add more vegetable broth if the mixture is too thick. Add the spinach and pulse until it’s mixed in.
Sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until they’re soft.
Spoon a quarter of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer a third of the noodles over the sauce. Spoon another quarter of the tomato sauce over the noodles, followed by half the ricotta and half of the mushrooms. Cover with a third of the noodles. Then spread another quarter of the tomato sauce over the noodles, followed by the rest of the ricotta and mushrooms. Cover with the rest of the noodles and spread the rest of the sauce over the top. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the Daiya cheese over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Enjoy! This tastes even better reheated the next day.

I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

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Nut Butter Universe Recipe and Giveaway!

I'm super excited to be hosting Robin Robertson on her Nut Butter Universe blog tour. Not only is Robin here with a recipe for my favorite type of dish – a stir-fry with spicy peanut sauce – but there's also a chance for you to enter to win a copy of Nut Butter Universe for yourself! And here's Robin…

Szechuan Stir-Fry with Fiery Peanut Sauce

A creamy peanut sauce is the star of this versatile stir-fry. You can vary the vegetables according to your personal taste and their availability. In addition, the amount of heat in this dish can be controlled by the amount of red pepper flakes added to the sauce. Strips of extra-firm tofu are a pleasant foil for the spicy sauce. This recipe calls for serving it over rice, but it’s also delicious tossed with cooked rice noodles instead.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water 
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup wheat-free tamari 
2 tablespoons rice vinegar 
2 teaspoons natural sugar 
1 teaspoon ketchup 
1 clove garlic, minced 
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste 
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water 
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
8 to 12 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large yellow onion, halved length-  wise and thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin  strips
2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms 
3 to 4 cups cooked brown rice 
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

In a bowl, a food processor, or a blender, combine the water, peanut butter, tamari, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and blend well.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, broccoli, and bell pepper, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry 3 minutes longer, or until the vegetables soften, adding a little water if the vegetables start to stick.
Return the tofu to the skillet. Add the sauce and stir-fry to coat the vegetables. Serve over the rice and top with the chopped peanuts, if using.

Serves 4 to 6

Now it's your turn to enter to win a copy of Nut Butter Universe! Enter below and increase your chances to win by following me on Facebook and Twitter. US residents only please. Contest ends Friday, February 22nd, 2013 at Midnight EST.

Raw Chocolate Mousse Pie

Happy Valentine's Day! To me, the most important thing about Valentine's Day is the chocolate! (Well, I guess my VeggieGuy Dennis is pretty important too.) This raw cacao pie is easy to make and it's rather healthy, and absolutey no one will know that it's made with avocados. If you don't want to splurge on raw cacao, regular cocoa powder can be used, but cacao has so many health benefits that it's probably worth the extra cost, especially since it's a special occasion. Cacao contains magnesium, Vitamin C, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. It's also chock full of phenethylamine (PEA), serotonin and trypophan, all of which are known to improve mood, and probably lend to cacao's "aphrodisiac-like" quality. (Ahem.)

Crust:

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1 1/2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut
8 medjool dates, pits removed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Filling:

8 medjool dates, pits removed, soaked 30 minutes and drained
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe avocados, mashed
3/4 cup raw, unsweetened cacao powder
1/2 cup water
1 pint raspberries for garnish

Directions:

To make the crust, process the walnuts, coconut and sea salt in a food processor and process until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the dates and process until the mixture sticks together. Press into a 9-inch shallow pie plate or tart pan.
To make the chocolate mousse filling, place the dates, agave nectar, avocados, cacao, water and vanilla in a food processor or high powered blender and processed until smooth and creamy. Add more water if the mixture is too thick. Add more agave if the mixture doesn't seem sweet enough, as raw cacao can be kind of bitter. Pour the mixture into the crust. Top with fresh raspberries.
Chill for at least 2 hours before serving to let the mousse set. The pie will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

I’m submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten-Free Fridays.

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Tempeh Fricassee

Until I discovered a tempeh and wild mushroom fricassee recipe online a few years ago, I had never had a fricassee. I'm not really sure what fricassee is usually made with, but I'm sure the original version is far from vegan. (I just really like saying the word "fricassee". Fricassee. Fricassee. Fricassee. It's fun to say – try it!) I've made this dish many times since it's original discovery, and I've altered the recipe to make it my own. It's a delcious and warming, and meal on it's own, but it does go well with mashed potatoes or brown rice.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 8 ounce packages of tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
4 large leeks, thinly sliced
2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
2 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, optional

Directions:

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven coated medium-high heat. Add olive oil and tempeh; sauté 8 minutes or until golden brown. Add the wine and soy sauce and cook until almost all of the liquid evaporates.
Add leeks and mushrooms to pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 more minute, stirring frequently. Add the celery seed, thyme, dried parsley, garlic and broth to pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until thick. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley, if using.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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Easy-Peasy Five Layer Dip

I'm not into sports at all, but I've been told that there's some sort of big game on this weekend. I've also been told that there will lots of snacking at various veiwing parties across the nation while this game is on. One of my go-to party snacks is this super easy and yet extremely tasty Five Layer Dip. I've even had omnivore friends make this vegan version for their own parties because they know it tasts so good. My guests always expect this dip when I throw a party, and I’m now afraid that if I don’t make it, there will be an uprising!

5 Layer Dip

Ingredients:

15 ounce can of vegetarian refried beans
12 ounce container of vegan sour cream (make sure it’s non-hydrogenated)
12 ounce container of guacamole (or you can make your own)
16 ounce jar of salsa (or you can make your own)
1 cup vegan cheese, cheddar or Monterrey jack, shredded

Directions:

Carefully spread each layer in a large, flat glass bowl or dish. Start with the refried beans at the bottom. The next layer should be the sour cream. The third layer should be guacamole, and the fourth should be salsa. (Layering the guacamole next to the salsa keeps it from oxidizing and turning brown.) Top with a layer of shredded cheese. Serve with organic tortilla chips and watch it disappear!

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