Below are three recipes that I gathered on my one-day Vegan endeavor. It was fun to try some new recipes, but I don't think I can go vegan - like my mom said, "It is sacrilegious to be vegan if you are a Schoonover!"
-Sarah
Gobi Manchurian
From page 64 of the September+October 2011 edition of VegNews
With a one-two punch of cayenne and hot sauce, this is pretty spicy stuff. Make it milder without sacrificing flavor by backing off on the cayenne.
1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground coriander, divided
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1 small bunch scallions, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian hot sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup tomato puree
1/4 up minced fresh cilantro, divided
Cauliflower cuts: The easiest and best way to cut a head of cauliflower for roasting is to slice it like a loaf of bread. To do this, first use a sharp knife to remove the center core and leaves from the bottom of the cauliflower, then set the cauliflower on a work surface, cut side down. Use a large, serrated bread knife to cut the cauliflower into 1/2-inch thick slices.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On an oiled baking sheet, arrange cauliflower, season with salt and pepper to taste, and roast for about 15 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and set aside. reduce temperature to 300 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine chickpea flour, cornstarch, and flour. Add 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and black pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and water and mix well.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat a thin layer of oil. Working in batches, dip cauliflower in batter, then transfer to hot skillet. Fry until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Transfer cooked cauliflower to the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
4. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. Add scallions and cook until softened. Add garlic, ginger, salt, remaining coriander, and remaining cayenne, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and tomato puree. Add 3 tablespoons cilantro and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup of water if the sauce is too thick.
5. Return fried cauliflower to pan and spoon on sauce to coat, turning the cauliflower gently. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining cilantro.
Vegan Tofu and Vegetable Pot PieFrom: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/vegan/recipe-vegan-tofu-and-vegetable-pot-pie-134550
Serves 2
Crust
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick or 1/2 cup frozen Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
Ice water
Filling
8 ounces super or extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Russet potato, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
Special Equipment
2 (12-ounce) ramekins or other oven-safe dishes
For the Crust (Part 1)
The secret to this crust is chilling the ingredients and tools. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and chill in the freezer while you are preparing the filling. Also place a pastry blender or fork in the freezer.
For the Filling
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Cut tofu into 1/3-inch dice and press between clean kitchen towels or paper towels to rid of excess water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook tofu until golden on all, or most, sides. Remove tofu from skillet and set aside.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent.
Add potato to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not mushy.
Add flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to the skillet and stir into the vegetables.
Add vegetable broth and stir until combined, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add tofu, peas, sage, and thyme and stir until combined.
Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Crust (Part 2)
Take the supplies out of the freezer.
Cut the Earth Balance into smaller cubes or slices and add to the flour. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Then, using your hands, quickly rub the mixture together so that the Earth Balance is absorbed into the flour.
Gradually drizzle ice water into the bowl, mixing with the pastry blender or fork until the dough just comes together.
Quickly shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Place on a floured surface a roll out to 1/8 inch thick.
Place the ramekins upside-down over the dough and use a paring knife to cut out circles about 1/2 inch larger on all sides.
Assemble and Bake
Divide the tofu and vegetable mixture between the ramekins.
Place a dough round over each ramekin and tuck the sides under to form a thicker crust around the edge. Press to seal around the edges of the dishes and crimp with a fork. Cut a slit in the middle.
Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Italian Quinoa Delight
Crust
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick or 1/2 cup frozen Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
Ice water
Filling
8 ounces super or extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Russet potato, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
Special Equipment
2 (12-ounce) ramekins or other oven-safe dishes
For the Crust (Part 1)
The secret to this crust is chilling the ingredients and tools. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and chill in the freezer while you are preparing the filling. Also place a pastry blender or fork in the freezer.
For the Filling
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Cut tofu into 1/3-inch dice and press between clean kitchen towels or paper towels to rid of excess water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook tofu until golden on all, or most, sides. Remove tofu from skillet and set aside.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent.
Add potato to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not mushy.
Add flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to the skillet and stir into the vegetables.
Add vegetable broth and stir until combined, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add tofu, peas, sage, and thyme and stir until combined.
Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Crust (Part 2)
Take the supplies out of the freezer.
Cut the Earth Balance into smaller cubes or slices and add to the flour. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Then, using your hands, quickly rub the mixture together so that the Earth Balance is absorbed into the flour.
Gradually drizzle ice water into the bowl, mixing with the pastry blender or fork until the dough just comes together.
Quickly shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Place on a floured surface a roll out to 1/8 inch thick.
Place the ramekins upside-down over the dough and use a paring knife to cut out circles about 1/2 inch larger on all sides.
Assemble and Bake
Divide the tofu and vegetable mixture between the ramekins.
Place a dough round over each ramekin and tuck the sides under to form a thicker crust around the edge. Press to seal around the edges of the dishes and crimp with a fork. Cut a slit in the middle.
Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Italian Quinoa Delight
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 cans diced tomatos with chili peppers
2 peppers chopped(I used Orange
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 zucchini sliced
1/4 cup freshly diced basil
2-3 TB dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
First things first- always rinse quinoa in a sieve prior to cooking
In large pot combine water and quinoa and cook on high until boiling.
Turn down heat, cover and simmer.
Meanwhile, sautee chopped onions, mushrooms and garlic for 2 minutes, then add canned tomatoes, chopped peppers, zucchini, half the basil, and half the oregano. cook on med-high until veggies are tender. Then combine the veggies with the quinoa and cook together until the quinoa is done (it should be light and fluffy- an outer shell will be present. Add the rest of the spices and salt and pepper as you wish.
Quinoa is a wonderful and tasty protein rich grain with a full compliment of amino acids.
