Recipe 25: Cashew Cheese

Cashew Cheese:  

(Adapted from Healthy Happy Life)

• 1 cup cashews, soaked/drained/rinsed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional - for heat)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup water (use only as much as you need to create desired consistency)

Method: 

Soak the cashews for at least 30 minutes in salted water. If you have time or plan ahead, soak the cashews overnight in salted water.

 

Drain your soaked cashews and rinse them in water. Add the drained/rinsed cashews to a food processor. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper (optional chipotle powder), and a splash of water. Start the processor on low. Add in more splashes of water until the mixture is churning well. Allow to mix until smooth. Add in only as much water as you need to achieve a smooth hummus-style consistency. Taste test. Add in a pinch more salt and pepper if desired. Dip with chips, serve on top of nachos, or on enchiladas like I did.

 

Cashew Cheese in the food processor

 Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas with Cashew Cheese

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Recipe 24: Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

We had some friends over for dinner last night for "mussel night." My boyfriend still eats fish products, and this is one of his favorite meals to make for all of our friends. I had to make a dish that I could eat, yet a side dish that everyone else would enjoy. I had a butternut squash that my boyfriend brought from his garden at his work. I've made butternut squash risotto before I was vegan with lots of cheese, and I must say I enjoyed this recipe better! It was lighter, still creamy, and the sage made it so flavorful. Everyone loved it and requested that I make it again for our next party!

Butternut Squash Risotto

(Makes 4 servings)
Adapted from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice (mine yielded 4 cups of diced squash)
• 4-5 cups hot vegetable stock (you could use water, but a stock is far more preferable for better flavor)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cashew "cheese"
(optional) made by blending together:

• 1/4 cup cashews,
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup of water 
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the butternut squash, onion, a pinch of salt, and some ground black pepper.
2. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until the squash starts to soften and caramelize. 
3. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and stir it with the squash until it begins to turn opaque, about 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper.
4. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until the wine's almost evaporated. (Be careful not to burn the rice and make sure your are stirring frequently and watching the rice.) 
5. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock and stir it in. Once the stock has almost evaporated, add another 1/2 cup. Repeat until the rice is cooked. It took me about 35 minutes. Don't forget to season again with salt and pepper at the end. You might need more or less stock, and you basically want the rice to be tender yet slightly toothy, or al dente. In other words, you don't want mushy rice. You also don't want the rice to be dry and lumpy. It should be smooth and creamy.
6. Now add the cashew "cheese", if you're using it, and stir it in. Immediately add the sage and mix. Turn off the heat.
7. Serve Hot.

Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

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Recipe 23: Vegan Lentil and Split Pea Soup in the Slow Cooker

I adapted this recipe from a cookbook I've had for awhile now, The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester. I've had my slow cooker for over a year, and have finally taken the time to pull it down from the cupboard and make something! I love the idea of just flipping a switch in the morning, and coming home to my house smelling delicious! I swapped out the spinach in the original recipe for zucchini. My boyfriend brought home a giant zucchini from the garden at the school he works at. I only used half of the zucchini for this dinner. Some for the soup and some for zucchini cornbread muffins.

The gigantic zucchini!

 

Vegan Split Pea and Lentil Soup

(Soy Free & Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 cup split peas
• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegan chicken-flavored bouillon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoons ground rosemary
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups of zucchini

The night before:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

In the morning:

Combine the sauteed onion, lentils, peas, zucchini, water, bouillon, bay leaves, tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and salt and pepper in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

The finished soup.

Vegan Zucchini Cornbread Muffins

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Recipe 22: Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Mole Tacos

The best thing that Tuesday's have to offer is.... Taco Tuesday's! $1.00 tacos at most Mexican restaurants. One of my favorite places to go for Taco Tuesday is Taco Loco in Laguna Beach. I love their blackened tofu tacos!! At home, we've been cooking up lots of different tacos for our own Taco Tuesday. Enjoy this recipe!

Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Mole Tacos 

(Serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• flour tortillas
• Field Roast Chipotle Sausage or soyrizo
• 8 ounces of crimini mushrooms (diced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• mole sauce
• 1 avocado
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• hot sauce (optional)

Method: 

Sauté onion with salt and pepper in olive oil for 2 minutes. Then, add in mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes. Next, add in the sausage or soyrizo with the mole sauce (I used Frontera Mexico City Peanut Mole Simmer Sauce or make your own) and cook on low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Heat flour tortillas (I used La Brea Bakery's Soft Tortillas) while the taco filling cooks. Fill tacos, top with avocado, and hot sauce. Enjoy!  

 

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Recipe 21: Vegan Banana Cream Pie

I wasn't a huge fan of the Banana Ice Cream Pie I made two posts back, so I thought I'd try another banana pie recipe. This recipe was so flavorful, yet healthy. It was a little bit time consuming to make, but I love spending time in the kitchen! It was so yummy!!! 

Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Pie 

(adapted from Hungry Foodies Pharmacy and Dairy Free Cooking)

• 1 (14 ounce) box of silken tofu, drained
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, finely ground
• Your favorite vegan prepared pie crust or graham cracker crust

Prepare the vegan pie crust of your choice according to the recipe. Fit into a 9″ pie plate and bake according to the recipe’s instructions. Allow crust to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

In a blender or food processor, process the silken tofu until creamy. Add the sugar, salt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut oil and process until well combined and very creamy. Add the mashed bananas and finely ground cashews and process until smooth. Pour into the prepared pie crust and chill for at least 2 hours or until set.

Vegan Chocolate Ganache

• 16 ounces good quality dark dairy-free chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk (not light version)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the coarsely chopped dark chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut milk until bubbles just begin to appear around the edges and steam rises from the surface. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chopped chocolate and let stand without stirring for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the chocolate-coconut milk mixture until glossy and smooth (this will take about 2 minutes of gentle stirring). Add the vanilla extract and stir until incorporated. Use warm or slightly cooled.

To finish the pie:

Prepare the Vegan Dark Chocolate Ganache according to the recipe. Pour immediately onto the set banana filling and allow to cool completely until set. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve cold.

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Recipe 20: Vegan Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"

And I'm back to blogging. I got a little discouraged awhile back, because I thought that...well nobody was reading my pathetic blog. Although I haven't really put any effort into advertising my blog like you should to actually get people to read/comment on your blog. But hey...even if nobody does read my blog at least I will have an online recipe diary for myself!

I have been into making broccoli mash for dinner lately. I thought I'd switch it up to some cauliflower mash when I found this recipe on Pinterest. It turned out great!


Recipe adapted from Happy Healthy Abundant by Jia Ni Teo

Ingredients:

• 1-2 heads of cauliflower
• 3 cloves garlic (I put a TON of garlic because I've been so sick)
• Chives - as much as you'd like! I did a small package.
• Himalayan/Celtic Sea Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Nutritional yeast (optional, to taste)

Directions:

1. Boil water. Once water comes to a boil add in cauliflower. Cook cauliflower till fork pokes through but still slightly hard, about 7-10 minutes. (Avoid overcooking for a cauliflower-y taste)

2. While cauliflower cooks, sauté some garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Blend in a high speed blender or food processor or mash with a hand masher (I did it this way...much faster...easier clean up) with garlic cloves till smooth and fluffy.

3. Add lots of herbs and chives.

4. Sprinkle sea salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast to taste.

I served my cauliflower mashed potatoes with oven roasted vegetables and BOCA chik'n patties topped with vegan gravy. BOMB.com!

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