Vegan MoFo: Nacho Salad

All the nacho taste, none of the bad-for-you stuff!

Mmmmm,nachos.

You love 'em, right? Everyone loves nachos. But conventional nachos don't love you back. With all that salt and fat, they're hypertension on a plate. So try this scrumptious salad for a tasty nacho flavor and crunch without the fat.

Nacho Salad

Ingredients
2-3 cups shredded romaine
1 cup shredded kale and/or spinach (I use half each)
1/3 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup Spanish rice (great use for leftovers!)
1/3 cup refried beans
1/4 cup taco sauce
1/4 cup crispy tortilla strips

Directions
Toss in a bowl, mix, and enjoy!

Vegan MoFo: Green Breakfast Smoothie of Champions!

Nutrition in a glass!

Awhile back, I reviewed a book on green smoothies for This Dish is Veg. I didn't realize it at the time, but I learned quite a lot from it. Chief among those things was the simple reason why blended fruit and vegetable drinks are better for you than juicing - you're not losing anything. It's whole nutrition in a cup.

The other thing I learned was the perfect ratio for taste in a green smoothie: 40% vegetables, 60% fruit. But sometimes it's hard to translate that into real terms, since we're comparing leaves to chunks, so to speak. So I find a recipe can be helpful.

This is my recipe for the ideal beginner's green smoothie. I know folks like to get fancy with it, adding everything from dandelion greens to cayenne pepper but that stuff is intimidating if all you want is a green drink that's palatable and maybe your kids would stomach.

So here is my non-vegan-kid (and husband) tested recipe for a delicious smoothie. It tastes of strawberry and banana, and that's pretty much it. It's a great place to start, or a great base to build from if you want to get adventurous.

Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 large kale leaf, stemmed and torn (or two smaller ones - should equal about 2 loose cups in blender)
1/2 cup coconut water, chilled
1 small ripe banana (or half a large one)
4-5 frozen strawberries

Directions:
In a blender, add torn kale leaves and coconut water. Liquefy (about 10 seconds). Add banana and frozen strawberries and blend. Serve!

Notes:
How sweet this is will depend on the ripeness of the fruit. If it's not sweet enough for you, add 1 tsp agave.

Lazy Rotten Cheater's Mustard-Glazed Carrots

This is another one of those "I make it in the microwave at work" kind of dishes, but honestly it could make a really nice side dish too. I thought of it because my mom used to make boiled cabbage, potatoes and carrots and we'd eat them dipped in spicy mustard. I always loved carrots with mustard because of that and decided to see how they'd taste glazed in a little agave mustard dressing I had left over. The result? Yum! 

Just lightly steam some baby carrots (I use a microwave steamer, but you could do this with a regular steamer at home, or just toss a serving in a loosely covered dish with a tsp of water and microwave for 2 - 2.5 minutes). Then toss them with just enough agave mustard vinaigrette to coat. If I were at home and planning to serve them as a side dish, I'd also add a sprinkle of parsley, preferably fresh.

That's it! Easy and delicious.

Vegan Sandwiches!

I had the pleasure of helping to cater lunch for representatives of many animal rescue organizations yesterday, on behalf of Compassion Barn. (Here is the news coverage of the event.) It's always a joy to me to introduce people to the vibrancy and wholesomeness of vegan foods, but especially so when it's for such a dedicated crowd of do-gooders. Then we took the leftovers to our hosts at the Loggerhead MarineLife Center and had the opportunity to explain the benefits of a vegan diet to many of the volunteers there. It was a good day for vegan cooktivism!

Anyway, I was asked about the recipes. Unfortunately, I was too busy to take photos of the food, so you'll have to use your imagination. Also, I may be somewhat imprecise in my measurements as I'm scaling down the recipes from feeding 40 people to a more reasonable amount.

Delicious Vegan Sandwich #1:  Grilled & Chilled Roasted Vegetables on Ciabatta with Basil Mayo

Step 1: Lightly roast the vegetables.

Ingredients:Any amount of zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplantOlive oilSalt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the vegetables evenly, about 1/4 inch thick. (A mandolin slicer works great for this, but if you're like me, watch your thumbs. I am currently sporting a band-aid.) 

Place the veg in a gallon storage bag, and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil (depending on how much veg you cut). Seal the bag and knead it gently with your hands to toss and coat evenly. Add a bit more olive oil if needed to lightly coat.

Spread the slices in a single later on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until just cooked through, but still firm. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a dish and move to the refrigerator to chill. 


Step 2: Make the basil mayo.

Ingredients:
1 jar of vegan mayo (I used grapeseed Veganaise, but your vegan mayo of choice is fine)
1 bunch of finely chopped basil or 2-3 tbsp of basil paste (this is chopped basil in oil that can often be found in the produce department of your local grocery)

Just put the mayo in a bowl and mix in the basil! You can use it right away, or let it sit overnight for full flavor.

Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches.  

Slice the ciabatta roll, slather both sides with basil mayo, and stack the chilled vegetables in layers (a layer of squash, a layer of zucchini, a layer of eggplant). Serve and enjoy!


Delicious Vegan Sandwich #2: Cool Black Bean Wraps with Tomato-Corn Salsa

Step 1: Make the black bean spread

Ingredients:
2 cans (roughly 3.5 cups) cooked black beans, drained
1/2 bottle of taco sauce (roughly 1 cup)

Run it through the food processor until mostly smooth.

Step 2: Make the tomato-corn salsa

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh tomato, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 finely chopped bunch of cilantro
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of corn kernels, drained
Salt and/or lime juice to taste

Mix all ingredients. Season with salt and/or lime juice if you like.

Step 3: Make the wraps

Take the tortilla or wrap and swipe 2-3 tbsp of spread down the center. Top with 2-3 tbsp of salsa. Add some shredded romaine. Fold the top and the bottom of the wrap toward the center. Then roll from one side. Slice in half and serve.


That's it! There were a couple of other things that were served that were fantastic, but weren't made by me. (One of those things was a vegan creamy potato salad - Susan told me to mix the leftover veganaise into some German potato salad, and it was DELICIOUS!) 

Lasagna with Almond Ricotta

Let this be your proof that going vegan does not mean giving up the flavors you love! This hearty, rustic lasagna was a hit with omnivores and vegans alike. The recipe is a breeze. And best of all, it's considerably healthier than conventional lasagna.

To make a delicious vegan lasagna, you simply need to put the almonds for the 'ricotta' in a covered dish of water the night before to soak. Follow the recipe below to make the ricotta, then layer in a 9x13 baking dish in this order: sauce, noodles, ricotta, vegetables. End with a layer of noodles covered in sauce. Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

This particular version was made with a hearty homemade organic tomato and basil marinara (courtesy of my talented husband), but you can use any sauce you prefer. For the vegetables, I used broccoli and portabella mushrooms. I steam the broccoli lightly ahead of time and dice into fine florets, and slice the mushrooms thin.

The ricotta is so delicious on its own that my son and I snacked on a bit of it with crackers while I was cooking. Be careful to leave enough for your layers!

Easy Almond Ricotta

3 cups slivered almonds
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tbs olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic
2 tsp salt
3 tsp dried basil
½ tsp black pepper
About 1 cup water - added in portions as needed.

Soak almonds overnight. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add all ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth, using more or less water for desired consistency. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve/use.

Roast-a-thon: Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Agave Mustard Vinaigrette

This one was an experiment. Having never had a cooked beet in my life, I really wasn't sure what to expect. While I'd read they'd be sweeter, I think roasting them also brings out more of the earthy flavor.


Roasted Golden Beets
1 bunch of small beets
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place whole, unpeeled beets on aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Fold foil into a packet. Bake for 50 - 70 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.


Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Peel the skin off the beets with your hands, or by rubbing skins off with a paper towel.

Slice and serve warm, with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.


The earthy flavor of the beets made me want other earthy flavors (like kale and mustard) combined with something sweet (agave and sweet onions). Or, y'know, whatever was in my fridge. Which happened to be... those things.

Kale and Roasted Beet Salad with Agave Mustard Vinaigrette
Salad:
Kale
Sweet onion
Roasted beet

Dressing:
1 part white balsamic vinegar
2 parts agave syrup
2 parts yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and tear the kale. Top with thin shaved onions and sliced beets. Wisk the dressing ingredients together with a fork and serve.

How gorgeous is that salad? It was SO delicious!

Roast-a-thon: Roasted rainbow carrot and potato hash

This is another edition of the Roast-a-thon I couldn't wait to post. I almost stopped eating to write down the recipe. Almost. It was just too good to set down.

Roasted Rainbow Carrot & Potato Hash

Ingredients:
1 medium white onion
1/2 bag Honey Gold baby potatoes
1 bunch (6-8 medium) rainbow carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
Course ground salt and pepper
Parsley

I used the Honey Gold baby potatoes, but any baby/fingerling potato of your choosing should do. My bunch of carrots had 2 yellow, 2 purple, 1 deep orange, and 2  regular carrots. Of course, you could use regular old carrots, too.


Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice carrots and potatoes in rounds of even thickness. Cut onion into wedges. Toss veggies with olive olive oil. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, turning once until potatoes are crispy and carrots are soft.

My kids ate theirs as a side dish, but tossed on a bed of prepared wild mushroom couscous, this was my meal. And it was so sweet, crispy, and flavorful, it deserves a second photo!

YUM!

Roast-a-thon: Asparagus, Kale

In this installment of the Roast-a-thon, we only have instructions for roasting two different vegetables. I wanted to provide you with a bonus recipe for the asparagus, but there was one problem. It was so good, we couldn't wait to eat it! The hubby and I ate a pound of asparagus in five minutes flat.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:
Asparagus
Olive oil
Coarse-ground salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus. Place stalks in a freezer bag, drizzle with oil and toss to coat. (Add oil 1/2 tbsp at a time and toss, until you have enough to coat the amount of asparagus you're using.) Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I recommend coarse ground, because it's easy to over-season.) Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks. When the stalks begin to shrivel and the tips brown and crisp, it's done.

Let stand five minutes before serving for full flavor.

Roasted Kale (a.k.a. Kale Chips)


Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale (I use the flat-leaf Lacinato variety)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 F. Tear or cut the greens off the spine, and into pieces about 2 inches by 2 inches. In a bowl or freezer bag, toss with oil to coat. With your hands, carefully spread the leaves onto 2 baking sheets in a single layer, with as little overlap as possible. Sprinkle with salt.

Cook for ten minutes, then remove from the oven and turn pieces over. Spread them out again, avoiding overlap. Return to oven and cook until evenly crisp, about another ten minutes. Serve immediately, adding more salt if needed.

Roast-a-thon: Green Beans + Pesto with Roasted Green Beans and Walnuts

In this installment of the Roast-a-thon, we learn to turn the ordinary green bean into a elegant treat worthy of Mudd's Women-style glow-lighting.


I grew up never having tasted a green bean that didn't come from a can. Understandably, I didn't much care for them. Then one day, my mother-in-law served up fresh green beans simmered with onions and garlic. What an eye-opener! Green beans didn't have to be mushy and salty!

But just recently, an even greater revelation in green-beanery occurred. I grabbed a pound or so on sale at the organic farmer's market and roasted them. It was like a beam of light coming down from the heavens onto my plate! Rich taste, a perfect bite... An ideal snack or side, but crying for a delicious recipe too. Tonight, Pesto Pasta with Roasted Green Beans and Toasted Walnuts was born.

Roasted Green Beans


Ingredients:
Any amount of green beans
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Trim the ends of the green beans with kitchen shears. In a bowl or freezer bag, add the oil and toss. (For one pound of green beans, I used 1 tbsp of olive oil. Adjust accordingly.) Spread in a single layer on baking sheet(s), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until browned and crisping on the edges, turning once. (You can't exactly turn them, so I just shake them all loose with a spatula, then spread them out again.)

A bonus recipe for your delicious green beans:

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Green Beans and Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:
1 lb green beans
1/3 cup of walnut pieces
1 8 oz jar of prepared vegan pesto
1 box (12 or 16 oz) of tricolor fettuccine
Olive oil as needed
1 cup of torn kale, wilted (optional)

Roast the green beans as above, adding the walnut pieces for the last five minutes of cooking to toast. Meanwhile, prepare fettuccine al dente according to package directions. Drain, return to the warm pot (off the heat) and add the pesto. Toss until coated, adding a little olive oil if needed thin. Add roasted green beans and toasted walnuts. Garnish with wilted kale, if desired.

Enjoy!

Roast-a-thon: Summer Squashes and Roasted Veggie Pizza

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting a series of recipes for roasted vegetables, because I'm addicted to them. I love the way roasting brings out the natural sweetness of veggies, and I'm crazy in love with the crispy browned edges. Welcome to the Roast-a-thon!

This first Roast-a-thon post is a recipe that comes with a vocabulary lesson!

What is a summer squash? It's any type of squash that is picked while immature, meaning when the rind and seeds are still soft. The name "summer" squash is not actually a reference to the growing period at all. Rather, it was simply to distinguish them from "winter" squashes - so named in a time before modern refrigeration because they could be stored throughout the winter without going bad.

The most common summer squashes are yellow squash (crook-neck or straight-neck) and zuchinni (green or gold). Outside the U.S., zuchinni is often called courgette.

Also included in this recipe is guinea squash, which is not actually a squash at all. It is a member of the nightshade family, related to tomatoes. You may know it as an aubergine, or eggplant. But it cooks like a squash, so I'm counting it.

Mmmmmm!

Roasted Summer Squash

Ingredients:
Any amount of zuchinni, yellow squash, and eggplant
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

For the amount pictured on the right, I used 3 small green zuchinni, one large gold zuchinni, 2 medium yellow crookneck squash, and one small Italian eggplant. That was two baking-sheets worth.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Slice the squash on the bias (diagonally).

For the recipe pictured, I sliced it fairly thin because I was using it on pizza. As a side dish, I'd have made it 1/2 inch slices.

Place the squash in a gallon storage bag, and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil (depending on how much squash you cut). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then seal the bag and knead it gently with your hands to toss and coat all the squash evenly. Add a bit more olive oil if needed to lightly coat.

Spread the squash in a single later on a baking sheet. If you've sliced it thin, bake for 30 minutes or until it begins to brown and crisp on the thinner edges. If you've sliced it thick, bake for 15 minutes, turn over each piece, then bake for another 15 - 25 minutes until the edges begin to brown.


A bonus recipe for your squashes...

Roasted Veggie Pizza

1 prepared pizza crust
1 4-oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup roasted eggplant, zuchinni, and squash
2 baby bella mushroom slices
1/4 cup roasted red pepper
1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
2 tbsp shredded onion
2 tbsp black olive rings
4 spinach or basil leaves, torn.
garlic powder
salt
Italian seasoning
Olive oil cooking spray.

Preheat oven according to crust instructions. Spray the edges of the crust with cooking spray. Cover crust with tomato sauce. Sprinkle sauce with garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning to taste. Top with roasted vegetables, mushtrooms, artichokes, onions, spinach or basil, and black olives. Bake according to crust instructions. Broil for one minute if mushrooms and onions are not cooked through.

Enjoy!