Month: November 2018

by betsy

Vegan Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Salad
with Orange-Maple Vinaigrette

Yield: 4-6 servings

Best. Thanksgiving. Salad. Ever. And, you guessed it: it is low fat–with no added oil–and oh-so-low calorie.

12 ounces shaved Brussels sprouts
12 ounces diced butternut squash
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup pecan haves, roasted for 5 minutes at 350 degrees or until lightly toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Spread brussels sprouts and butternut squash on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly caramelized. Place in a large bowl, add dried cherries and pecan halves, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together orange juice, vinegars, and maple syrup, drizzle over salad, and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until serving time if necessary. Best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Charlotte airport!

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Cheesy Vegan Low-Fat/Low Calorie Taco “Meat” Filling
Holy (Non) Cow!

Honestly, this filling is a rave and impossibly healthy.  Not only is it made with no oil, but no calorie-dense ingredients like nuts.  It is made from what virtually everything I make is made from nowadays: riced vegetables, but you would NEVER know it.  Rich, thick, and beautifully spiced, this filling can be used in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and quesadillas or spooned over nachos.

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups riced vegetables (I used a hash made of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot, but any single or combination of these vegetables would work great)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)

1 vegetable bouillon cube (the size to make 8 ounces broth) or 1 teaspoon vegetable broth base

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sauce from a can of Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce (it is very spicy, so you might want to start with the smaller amount)

Sea salt to taste

1/2 cup my Luscious Vegan Low-Fat/Low-Calorie Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

Add water to a large skillet just to cover the bottom.  Heat over medium to medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.  Add riced vegetables and enough water to not quite cover.  Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and moisture is mostly evaporated.  Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro, bouillon cube, Adobo Sauce, and sea salt to taste.  Stir in cauliflower cheese sauce and heat through.  Serve immediately.

Serving note: I love it spooned over a brown rice cake and topped with a dab of vegan sour cream, a spoonful of pico de gallo, and two or three halved cherry tomatoes.  A sprig of cilantro would be just right, but I didn’t have any for the photo shoot.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Luscious Vegan Low-Fat/Low-Calorie
Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

This rich, thick and creamy cheese sauce–which contains no added fat and is ridiculously low in calorie–owes a debt of gratitude to Susan Voisin.  I consulted her recipe, but then tweaked the flavor to suit my taste.  It instantly became a staple in my home.

Angela Phillips, my friend and the owner of the yoga studio where I can be found every Saturday and Sunday morning, came over for happy hour on Wednesday evening, bringing with her some lovely baby Romaine.  So, instead of serving the sauce with a spoon as I’d threatened, I served it with Romaine leaves and waffle-cut carrot slices.  So pretty and delicious.  And Angela, who is not a vegan, loved it, reporting this morning when I saw her at the studio, that the leftovers with which I sent her home were delicious with plain broccoli last night.

Our happy hour would have been practically virtuous except that Bob decided to make some of our famous French fries.  Angela and I allowed ourselves a very few and, boy, were they good dipped in this cheese sauce!  I’m quite sure there is not much that wouldn’t be improved with some of this addicting sauce, perfect in taste and texture.  And so easy to boot.

4 cups cauliflower florets

4 cups lightly salted water

Juice of 1/2 medium-large lemon

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons yellow miso paste

1 teaspoon stone ground mustard

1 teaspoon Liquid Aminos

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower and water.  Microwave for about 10 to 15 minutes or until very tender.  (Alternatively, you may simmer, partially covered, in a large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat.)  Transfer cauliflower and about a half cup of the water into the bowl of food processor.  Save remaining water.  Process until cauliflower forms a thick paste.  Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl of the processor and process until very smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Transfer to a large saucepan and simmer over medium heat until desired consistency is reached, adding remaining water a half cup or so at a time.  Serve immediately as you would any cheese sauce.  It is delicious for dipping, drizzling, or stirring into casseroles and fillings.  Or…eaten with a spoon.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

 

 

by betsy

Vegan Sage and Vegetable Stuffing
with Dates and Toasted Almonds
a low-calorie sensation!

Yield: 8 servings

I will put my new Vegan Sage and Vegetable Stuffing with Dates and Toasted Almonds up against ANY stuffing, vegan or not.  Plus it is low calorie with no added oil.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil an 8 or 9-inch casserole dish. Simmer 1/2 large yellow onion and 16 ounces riced cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot in 2 cups vegetable stock with 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, and 1 teaspoon powdered rosemary until most of moisture is evaporated.  Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and stir to combine.  Turn off heat. Remove bay leaf and stirrin 1/4 cup my Blooming Platter Mayo (think slightly tangy white sauce at only 10 calories per tablespoon), 6 ounces toasted bread cubes, 2 tablespoons chopped dates and 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds.  Spoon into greased casserole dish, and bake 20 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh sage sprigs.

Note: I love a lot of herbs, but you might start with a smaller amount and adjust to suit your taste.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

The Best Vegan Hot Broccoli-Cheese Dip
(or soup)

Yield: 4 cups  (about 60 calories per quarter cup)

Broccoli-Cheese Dip is everyone’s favorite that needs no preamble, except this: my dairy-free version is rich and creamy but the flavor of broccoli and cheese shines through.  Serve it a little thinner, and you have the tastiest soup with no tongue-coating, flavor-masking dairy.  Just the perfect savory balance of aged and smoky cheddars, aromatic onion and garlic, and fresh, herby broccoli.

I medium-large onion, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups vegetable broth or stock
16 ounces riced broccoli, purchased or homemade in food processor (I buy at Whole Foods)
2 cups grated vegan cheddar
4 slices–or 4 ounces–vegan smoked gouda, torn into small pieces
Optional: if you like a bit of tanginess, 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan with other cheeses
2 tablespoons 10-calorie/tablespoon Blooming Platter Mayo (at TheBloomingPlatter.com) or your favorite creamy base, e.g. vegan mayo, vegan cream cheese, cashew cream, etc.
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Accompaniments: raw veg, chips, crackers, or bread

Place onion, garlic, and garlic powder in a large skillet. Add enough broth just to cover bottom of skillet.  Saute over medium heat, stirring, for 3 or so minutes until onion is tender.  Add broccoli and remaining broth, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until very tender.  Reduce heat to low, add cheeses, and stir frequently until melted.  Stir in Blooming Platter Mayo or favorite creamy goodness.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. If serving as a dip, continue cooking until desired consistency is reached. You may also bake at 350 for 20 minutes with or without additional grated cheese on top. Serve with the accompaniments of choice.  If serving as a soup, add additional vegetable broth, if desired, and heat through.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Vegan Stuffed Southwestern Acorn Squash

This was my delicious, lo-cal dinner on a recent autumn evening.

No real recipe, but one big secret: while my acorn squash roasted, I cooked a few french lentils and mixed them with sauteed onions, carrots, and, wait for it… shredded cabbage(!), all seasoned up with cumin, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Yummm!!!!!

Lentils are somewhat high in calories because they are nutrient dense, so I added additional bulk, nutrition, fiber, texture, and flavor with almost no-calorie cabbage.

I topped the beautiful little mound with pico de gallo and a dab of vegan sour cream. What a beautiful meal enjoyed on the deck in this cool weather with a glass of even cooler Prosecco.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Vegan Grilled Cheese
from decadent snack to healthy meal

Bob made me a PERFECT half vegan grilled swiss cheese for dinner last night.

He insisted that I soften the cheese first in the mic before giving it to him saying that “vegan cheese doesn’t melt.” He was right, it was more perfect than usual.

And he said that my vegan butter “smells like fish” and was appalled that I topped the sandwich with cauliflower pearls and pico de gallo for almost no-calorie nutrition bulk, fiber, texture, flavor, and color. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Vegan Fried Pita–Restaurant Quality

Inspired by fried pita we had last night at a local “fun dining” restaurant and bar called Twist with a good friend, Bob thought he knew what would work for a homemade version.

He was exactly right! Yowza.  We cut some pita we had on hand into 6ths, fried it in our cute little Cuisinart deep fryer for 30 seconds–turning after about 20–and drained it on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet.

We both enjoyed ours with hummus.  He likes roasted garlic, and I love a smoky roasted eggplant variety, both from Kroger. Of course, to bulk mine up, I top it with cauliflower pearls and some carrot planks.

The fried bread is addicting and will only be an occasional splurge. We even thought it would be good sprinkled with powdered sugar in place of donuts.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

by betsy

Vegan Butternut Squash Crinkle Fries

Chicken tenders? H*** no! These are my brand new vegan butternut crinkle fries.

I purchased the crinkle vut butternut squash at Whole Foids.  Then I used the old dry, wet, dry method of seasoned flour with just a hint of baking powder, and vegan buttermilk made with soy milk curdled with vinegar. Just a minute and a half in the fryer and they were perfect!

Of course, as you all probably know, I topped them with raw cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot pearls and just a hint of a cilantro mint sauce with a faintly Indian flavor, both very low in calories.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

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