Category: Vegan Main Dishes

by betsy

Vegan Black Bean and Pecan Butter Sauce over Grilled Eggplant and Sauteed Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

How exciting to share this recipe with you via my good pals at One Green Planet!  Just click HERE for this unforgettable recipe!

I thought of this special recipe recently as our 22nd (!) anniversary approached and we were expecting dinner guests.  This sauce was the star component in the first meal on which Joe and I collaborated for dinner guests as a newly married couple.  And I can almost guarantee you have never had anything like it!

The sauce recipe came from a culinary magazine but, sadly, I don’t know which one, as I recopied the recipe and–shame on me–uncharacteristically did not credit the source.  But I did write “Out of this world!” at the top.  And it still is.

The only change I made to the original  recipe was to substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and vegan butter for the dairy variety in addition to using about 30%(!)  less.  We have served it over a variety of things, but this brand new combination was so tasty and so pretty that I wanted to share it with all of you.

So be sure to head over to One Green Planet…you won’t want to miss this one!

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by betsy

Vegan Lentils with Soy Chorizo, Orange Tomato, Caramelized Onion, and Kale

Yield: 4 servings

So simple, so satisfying, so colorful, and so nutritious…this dish is fabulously tasty warm, room temperature or even chilled.

I use Trader Joe’s brand soy chorizo and it is mighty spicy.  I find that the sweetness of the tomato helps temper the heat of the chorizo, as does this particular selection and proportion of additional ingredients.

Though it doesn’t need it for flavor, I top the mixture with a little cashew cream for color contrast and sprinkle with just a few roasted and lightly salted pepitas (also from Trader Joe’s) for texture contrast.

It’s the ultimate one-dish wonder!

 

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, halved and slivered

Pinch sea salt

1-2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon natural sugar

1-12 ounce package Soy Chorizo (I like Trader Joe’s brand)

4 lightly packed cups chopped fresh kale

Approximately 18 ounces steamed lentils (I purchase Trader Joe’s in the produce department)

1 fresh very large orange tomato or 2 medium, cut into 1/4-inch dice (any color will do; I just think orange is especially pretty in this dish)

Juice of one medium  lime

Optional garnish: cashew cream and roasted and lightly salted pepitas

In a large cast iron skillet over medium high, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add onion and caramelize, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.  After about 5 minutes, add water and natural sugar.  Reduce heat if necessary to prevent scorching, but you want the onions to be a deep golden brown.  Transfer onions to a medium bowl.

In the same skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, break up chorizo into the skillet and saute until lightly browned and heated through.  Add kale, and continue sauteing just until kale is almost tender; it should still be bright green.  Add lentils and continue cooking until kale is tender and lentils are heated through.  Transfer to bowl with onions, add tomato, sprinkle with lime juice, and toss all together.

Serve warm, room temperature or chilled with a dollop of cashew cream and a sprinkling of pepitas.

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by betsy

Blooming Platter Kale Salad of Grilled Eggplant, White Beans and Fresh Figs with Herbed Hummus Dressing Published on One Green Planet

Quick!

Before the birds get all the fresh figs…gather up a few and whip up this fresh summer salad.

It will have you “singing” it’s praises!  And you might even want to “Tweet” it. 🙂  Okay, enough with the corny bird references.  But, seriously, you will want to add this one to your summer repertoire.

Just click HERE for the recipe at One Green Planet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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by betsy

Vegan Savory Southern Tarts with Butter Bean Puree, Fresh Figs and Sweet Tea Drizzle Published on One Green Planet

These beautiful tarts are so easy to make from summer’s bounty of butter beans, figs and fresh herbs.

The availability of these ingredients along with my Southern-steeped heritage were the inspiration for this unusual but really mouth-watering combination.

The butter beans cook while you make and bake the crust and then just get processed with the other ingredients.  And the drizzle is short on cooking time.  So, the tart goes together much more quickly than you would think, especially for something so darn pretty.

Find my recipe at One Green Planet.  Thanks OGP!

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by betsy

Oh My “Dog”!: Vegan Thai “Not” Dogs with Asian Kale Slaw, Chili-Lime Mayo, Cilantro and Cashews

Dear “dog”!   This is surely the best “dog” I’ve ever eaten, much less made, and it ranks right up there with some of my favorite meals.

Last night, my dear, dear friend, Sharon Clohessy, aka Ms. C–the art specialist for our district–and I went on a beach picnic for two.  She lives at the oceanfront, so we loaded up, walked across Atlantic Avenue (think Monopoly board) up a little path shaded by a canopy of trees, and we were at the wide sandy beach.  

 We love being able to do such “frivolous” things mid-week when school is not in session.  But we enjoyed ourselves so much that we plan to continue right into the fall.  Time spent with Sharon is always magical, and we happened to be at ocean’s edge during the “magic hour” when everything takes on a silvery, barely pinkish hue.  I haven’t been so relaxed, yet stimulated by our conversation, in a long time. 

For our meal, I was inspired by a food feature in a recent magazine–maybe Southern Living?–about non-traditional hot dogs.  One was Thai and I have been fantasizing about it ever since.  However, I didn’t use their recipe, which wasn’t vegan anyway, preferring instead to create my own.

I decided on a kale and cabbage slaw (even though kale isn’t in season here)–because a day without kale is like a day without sunshine–and a Chili-Lime Mayo, though that name doesn’t do it justice, as I also whisked in creamy natural peanut butter and coconut cream.  OMG!  It is out of this world, good enough to eat unaccompanied, as you can see in the photo below.  We topped our dogs with fresh cilantro leaves and chopped cashews.  Truly, this is a stunning rendition of a lowly “dawg.”  I ate leftovers for lunch AND dinner today!

Sharon contributed marinated cucumbers, a delicious Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc, and, for dessert, simple pitted cherries and sliced white peaches.  So perfectly simple and elegant.

Even if the beach is far away from wherever you call home, I hope you will “relish” this special dog.

Yield: 4 servings

4 whole wheat hot dog buns, split in half lengthwise not quite all the way through, drizzled with olive oil, and toasted 7 to 8 minutes on a baking sheet at 400 degrees (wrap in foil and keep warm, if desired)

4 of your favorite vegan “not” dogs, grilled (2 minutes on each of 4 sides on an oiled indoor grill pan; adjust time if grilling outdoors; wrap in foil and keep warm if desired)

Asian Kale Slaw (recipe follows)

Chili-Lime Mayo (recipe follows; you will have some left over and you’ll be glad!)

4 or more tablespoons cilantro leaves

4 or more tablespoons chopped roasted and lightly salted cashews or peanuts

Place about 1/4 of the slaw on each toasted bun.  Top with a grilled “not” dog.  Add a generous squiggle of the Chili-Lime Mayo, and top with 1/4 each of the cilantro leaves and chopped cashews.  Serve immediately.

 

Asian Kale Slaw

If I’ve learned anything about cooking, it is that people’s palates vary dramatically.  So, while this balance of flavors tasted perfect to me and my friend, you may want to adjust the sweet-tangy balance, and you should feel free to do exactly that!  Fluffying with a fork is a key step.

2 cups coarsely torn and lightly packed fresh kale

6 leaves ocabbage (I used green cabbage, but use red if you prefer)

1/2 cup 1 1/2-inch carrot pieces, peeled

1/2 of a yellow, orange, or red bell pepper, stemmed and cored, all seeds removed

1/4 cup vegan fish sauce (sold as vegetarian fish sauce in Asian markets)

2 tablespoons natural sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 

Pinch sea salt or to taste

You may shred the veggies by hand, but I use the grater attachment of my food processor.  If using a food processor, pack the kale into the tube, turn the machine on, and use the plunger to press the kale firmly and steadly onto the blade.  Repeat with cabbage, tightly rolling two leaves at a time and feeding them into the tube in the same manner.  Repeat with carrots.  Scrape veggies into a medium bowl before repeating with bell pepper, as it may create significant moisture that needs to be drained/blotted.  Add the pepper to the bowl of veggies along with remaining ingredients and toss the mixture with a fork to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

 

Chili-Lime Mayo

As with the slaw, this balance of flavors tasted delicious to me and my dining companion, Sharon–as you can see, she’s “drinking” it out of the bottle!–but feel free to adjust to suit your taste.

1/4 to 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (homemade or prepared; to cut the tang, use half vegan sour cream)

Zest and juice of 1/2 large lime

1 teaspoon Sirachi chili sauce or to taste (feel free to substitute your favorite chili sauce)

1 tablespoon softened creamy natural peanut butter (I heat it for a few seconds in the microwave)

1 tablespoon cocont cream (not coconut milk)

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: 1 clove garlic, minced (I don’t prepare this mayo with garlic, but I think it would be tasty, so if it sounds good to you, add it!)

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth in a small bowl.  Spoon into a “squirt” bottle if desired to allow you to add it to your “dogs” in a pretty squiggle.  Refrigerate until serving time.

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by betsy

Pasta with Vegan “Ricotta,” Toasted Walnuts, Parsley, Lemon, and Garlic Oil

Yield : 4 servings

This new dish was inspired by a delicious-sounding recipe in a recent issue of a culinary magazine.

I don’t create a lot of pasta recipes for the warm months, as it can seem a bit heavy.  But this combination seemed light and springy.  Icould just imagine the warmy toasty flavor of the walnuts playing off the appealing “grassiness” of the parsley, and the bright freshness of the lemon.  And, indeed, it is exactly right for a spring evening or even a weekend brunch, say, for Mother’s Day in just a few days.

The non-vegan inspiration recipe called for ricotta cheese for which I knew I could easily substitute mashed tofu.  The remaining ingredients were all vegan, but the garlic chips sprinkled over the top seemed unnecessary and time-consuming.  So, my version omits them, yet contains plenty of garlic, and it is only cooked enough to add a mellow pungency to the beautifully balanced dish.

I hope you’ll give it a try and let me know what you think!

8 ounces whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces soft regular tofu (not Silken)

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Zest of one large lemon + extra for garnish

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley + extra for garnish

1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces + extra for garnish (I dry toast them in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally)

Red pepper flakes to taste

Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling over medium-high heat  with the lid slightly ajar.  Add the pasta, stir once, and simmer, reducing heat if necessary, for approximately 9 minutes or until al dente.    Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat and very gently simmer for 2 to 3 minuts or until the garlic is softened and just barely begins to turn golden.  Then, in a small bowl gently mash together with your fingers the tofu, nutritional yeast, sea salt and pepper to taste (it’s important to season every layer), adding the lemon zest toward the end.  The tofu should be broken down into fluffy “chunks” about the size of peas.  When the pasta is done, drain it well and return to the pot.  Drizzle the olive oil over, sprinkle with parsely and gently combine.  Add the mashed tofu, walnuts and a few red pepper flakes; gently combine.  Check for seasoning, adjust as necessary, and serve warm garnished as desired.

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by betsy

Vegan White Bean and Kale Pesto Quesadillas with Tomato-Black Olive Salsa

Yield: 4 servings

What’s a gal to do when she needs to use her last little bit of Kale Pesto but is craving Southwestern food?  Make White Bean and Kale Pesto Quesadillas, of course!

With its hazelnuts and orange zest, this one of my kale pestos seems a little Italian.  So, I mixed it with cannellini beans and lightly caramelized onions (I’m usually too impatient to make true caramelized onions), and seasoned the mixture with a hint of dried oregano and smoked paprika.   This creamy and tasty filling is the perfect consistency for a quesadilla filling. 

For the salsa, I combined sliced black olives and vine-ripened tomatoes, a combo that could lean towards either Italy or the Southwest.  So to nudge it toward The Boot, I sprinkled it with just a bit of balsamic vinegar. 

Since kale is more of a cool weather veggie, and tomatoes like it warm, if tomatoes aren’t yet available in your farmers market, I would suggest substituting sundried tomatoes chopped a little more finely than the diced ones called for in the recipe.  And, whatever you do, avoid the temptation to purchase sliced black olives in a can.  They taste like what salt water would taste like if it was chewable.  Instead, purchase olives whole from your grocery deli and slice them yourself. 

Hurry and make this dish before this winter’s kale is all gone!  You’ll have a new favorite in your repertoire.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, halved and then sliced

1  to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1-15.5 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup Vegan Kale, Toasted Hazelnut, and Orange Zest Pesto

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons vegan butter

4- 8 inch whole wheat tortillas (I buy a spelt four variety at Organic Depot that I love)

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

Tomato-Black Olive Salsa (recipe follows)

Approximately 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro leaves

Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown.  Lower heat to prevent burning if necessary.  Add garlic and saute, stirring, for about 30 seconds.  Stir in beans, pesto, oregano, and smoked paprika, and heat through.  Scrape into a bowl and set aside.  Wipe out skillet and heat/melt 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and vegan butter over medim-high.  Meanwhile spread half of each of the 4 tortillas with 1/4 of bean mixture.  Fold remaining half over and press gently to seal.  Cook two at a time for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown and toasty.  Keep warm while your repeat with the remaining quesadilla ingredients.  To serve, cut each one in half, overlap one half on the other, top with 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1/4 cup of the salsa, and 1 tablespoon of the fresh basil or cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Tomato-Black Olive Salsa

1/2 cup diced tomatoes (if tomatoes aren’t in season when kale is in your neck of the woods, substitute sundried ones)

1/2 cup sliced black olives (avoid using canned!)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small non-reactive bowl, and toss gently to combine.  Set aside or refrigerate, covered, until serving time.

For 150+ more seasonal recipes, many with a flare for fusion, dip into The Blooming Platter Cookbook!

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by betsy

White Bean and Pesto Tart from The Blooming Platter Cookbook is Featured on the Happy Cow

On February 20, my White Bean and Pesto Tart from The Blooming Platter Cookbook was a “Meatless Monday” feature on The Happy Cow, but I somehow neglected to share it with you.  My apologies! 

This lovely and healthy tart is super-simple, yet special enough for company.  It’s perfect for a spring brunch or luncheon.  But you won’t want to wait for company to come! 

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