Similar recipes for this simple, luscious, and simply outrageous vegan dish are making the rounds online. But I wanted to keep the proportions simple enough that I could remember them.
So my sauce calls for a tablespoon of everything except soy sauce, which I find overpowering, so I just use a teaspoon of it. But if you love it, add a full tablespoon.
Silken Tofu with Chili Crisp Dressing
Yield: 1 to 2 entree servings or 8 to 12 appetizer servings
14-16 ounce block silken tofu, chilled Sauce: 1 tablespoon chili crisp Optional, but recommended: 1 tablespoon vegan fish sauce (often sold as vegetarian) 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon soy sauce Garnishes: 1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, white, black, or “tuxedo”
Place block of tofu on a plate, combine all sauce ingredients, pour over top of tofu, and garnish as desired with green onions and sesame . *Serve immediately with a spoon(s). If serving as an appetizer, serve with sliced cucumbers.
*Note: sauce may be made several hours or days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Warm slightly at room temperature and whisk before using.
I make a heated mixture of cauliflower rice, edamame, and Korean BBQ (though any flavored seitan, tempeh, or tofu would work). Then I stir in plant-based mayo, the world’s best condiment–chili crisp–and rice wine vinegar.
Next, I pile on crisp, colorful, chopped raw vedge, stir it all together, and garnish with a few pickled onions and roasted, lightly salted nuts.
Store the cauliflower mix separately from the vegetables so you can heat and assemble a bowl whenever you like and the vegetables remain raw.
Basic Buddha Bowl / Yield: 4 servings
Base 12 ounces frozen riced cauliflower 12 ounces frozen edamame or mukimame 7 ounces flavored sitan (we like Nasoya Plantspired Korean BBQ) 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons plant-based mayo 1 to 3 teaspoons chili crisp 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or brine from pickled onions Toppings (list follows) Garnishes (list follows)
Heat frozen riced cauliflower and edamame or mukimame 4 minutes on high in microwave safe bowl. Stir in seitan and heat another minute or two. Add mayo, chili crisp, and vinegar or brine, and gently stir all together until well combined. Add a pinch of sea salt if desired. Spoon into bowl(s) and top and garnish as desired.
Toppings 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced or diced 1 cup shredded carrots 1 large cucumber, sliced or diced 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
Garnishes 1/4 cup pickled onions or kimchi 1/4 cup Roasted and lightly salted cashews or peanuts
Spinach, White Bean & Cauliflower Vinaigrette (vegan/plant-based)
Yield: 4-6 servings
I created this emergency dinner when I needed a vegan compliment to the Italian pescetarian dish my husband was preparing for himself and a dinner guest, and wanted to make it from what I had on hand.
I used homemade black olive vinaigrette–I would share the recipe except I don’t remember exactly what I did–but any vinaigrette would likely be lovely.
This beautiful, balanced one-dish meal goes together in a flash and is delicious hot, cold, or room temp.
12 ounces frozen riced cauliflower 2 cups, gently packed baby spinach 1-15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 3 to 4 tablespoons vinaigrette (add sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if dressing is not salty/spicy enough) Optional garnishes: minced fresh basil or parsley, olives, shredded plant-based parm (we like Follow Your Heart), toasted or raw pinenuts
Place cauliflower in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave for about four minutes. Break up gently with a fork. Place spinach on top and microwave for another minute or two until slightly wilted. Fold together with cauliflower. And beans and vinaigrette, and fold again until well combined. Serve garnished as desired.
With roasted veggies at the ready and really hungry after a 90-minute road trip, I wanted to make another savory tart, but was out of tofu or hummus or anything with which to make a filling.
Or so I thought…
Then, I remembered I had riced cauliflower on the freezer, so I microwaved it according to the package directions and stirred in 1/4 cup each vegan sour cream and shredded parm. Wow! It may be my new favorite!
As with the previous version, you can top it with virtually whatever looks beautiful and is in season. I opt for contrasting shapes, sizes, and colors.
Holding it all together is the beautiful, flavoral crust, which presses into your tart pan in a flash. No rolling and maneuvering a temperamental dough. And since I think a crust should taste just as good as the filling, mine is subtly savory. It is also tender but sturdy…the best of all worlds.
Savory Vegetable Tart with Creamy Cauliflower Filling and Press-In Crust (vegan/plant-based/gluten-free)
Yield: 6-8 servings
Press-In Crust (recipe follows) 12 ounces frozen riced cauliflower 1/4 cup vegan sour cream or cream cheese 1/4 cup shredded vegan parmesan (I like Follow Your Heart) Optional: 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Toppings: Lightly roasted vegetable slices [blot with paper towel, brush or spray lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast on a sheet pan at 400-425 degrees for 8-10 minutes (in the photo, I used yellow squash, orange bell pepper, zucchini, sliced about 1/4″ thick)] 1/4-inch thick slices red onion Halved grape tomatoes (I bought tri-color that were locally grown) Olive halves, slices, and/or small dollops olive paste/tapenade (black or green) Walnut halves or pieces (or other nuts/seeds) Approximately 2 teaspoons olive oil Approximately 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or parsley.
Prepare crust according to directions below. Leave oven on. In microwave safe bowl, cook cauliflower according to package directions. Stir in sour cream or cream cheese until melted. Stir in parmesan until evenly distributed. Spread filling evenly in baked crust and gently smooth top. Arrange toppings over filling. I often prefer an organic, irregular design for a more rustic appearance, but symmetrical is pretty, too. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake about 20 minutes or until slightly firm. Sprinkle, if desired, with minced basil or parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Press-In Crust:
2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking mix (if not gf, you can use all-purpose flour) Optional: 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning (or sub 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 8 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together with a fork to create a soft but not sticky dough. Drizzle in additional oil/non-dairy milk if necessary. Crumble over bottom of an 8-inch tart pan and press evenly onto bottom and sides, using the floured bottom of a glass to help press if desired. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven.
I’m not sure why I was craving (plant-based) Buffalo wings for Sunday night’s dinner, but I was. Maybe it was all the buzz about Juneteenth on Friday with picnic fare.
But, we went to an unrelated party Saturday night with a creamy dip I couldn’t eat, and I love dip for dinner. So my craving shifted to the uber popular Buffalo Dip with chickpeas. But, I didn’t want all the cheese, as shredded cheddar is not part of the traditional Buffalo “wing” experience.
Neither are white beans, but I opted for pureed cannolini beans as the base. Then I made a simple vegan Buffalo Sauce and whisked it in.
I could have then stirred in vegan blue cheese dressing, but I opted for a little more restraint: 2 tablespoons each plant-based cream cheese and sour cream plus garlic and onion powders and minced parsley. The blue cheese would come at the end.
For texture contrast and still more protein, I stirred in diced chick-un and chickpeas. But because I am a fried chick-un or cauliflower wing gal, but didn’t want to use a processed fried product, I sprinkled fried onions over the top before baking. The ones of green bean casserole fame are plant-based!
When my dip emerged from the oven, bubbly, tangy, and spicy, I crumbled Follow Your Heart feta over the top. It is a good substitute for their blue cheese, which I didn’t have on hand.
Lastly, I sprinkled on a little more parsley, and I served it with celery sticks, natch. And a nonalcoholic Mich Ultra Zero.
Dip dinner done right!
Healthier Buffalo Chick-un Dip Yield: 4-6 sevings as a meal
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted 3 tablespoons hot sauce like Frank’s (I used Sriracha) 1 tablespoon tomato paste (not sauce) 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1 teaspoon Liquid Aminos 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1-15 ounce can cannolini beans, drained and pureed (use food processor, blender, or smoothie maker like a Magic Bullet) 1-15 ounce can chickpeas; well drained 2 cups chopped faux chick-un (I use Morning Star frozen strips, thawed in microwave) Topping: approximately 1 cup crispy fried onions (most brands in a can or package are vegan, but check ingredients) Garnishes: a couple tablespoons finely chopped parsley and about 1/4 cup crumbled vegan blue cheese or feta Accompaniment #1: celery sticks Optional accompaniment #2: non-alcoholic beer (I enjoy Michelob Ultra with this dish)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking dish. Whisk together first 9 ingredients until completely combined to make Buffalo Sauce. Whisk sauce into pureed beans. Stir in chickpeas and diced chick-un. Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish, and sprinkle top evenly with fried onions. Bake for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Cover with foil if onions start to brown too quickly. Remove from oven, sprinkle with feta/blue cheese and more parsley, and serve with celery sticks and a nonalcoholic beer, if desired.
This super simple vegan quiche is summer personified, but enjoy it all year since spinach is traditionally a winter green.
Never struggle with rolling out a temperamental crust again, as this one simply presses into a pie or tart pan and emerges tender but sturdy. Plus, I think a crust should taste as good as the filling, so mine is subtly savory.
You can use it myriad ways, but this recipe calls for a tofu-based spinach and onion filling that is as light and lovely as can be.
Press-In Crust (recipe follows) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, diced Pinch salt 3 cups tightly packed spinach (basically, 2 big handfuls) 14 ounces extra firm tofu 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon Liquid Aminos 1 teaspoon mustard (any kind, e.g. whole grain, yellow, etc.) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Highly recommended garnish: 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
Prepare crust according to directions below and remove from oven. Leave oven on. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium, add onion and a pinch salt, and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened. Add spinach, and continue sautéeing and stirring occasionally until wilted. Remove from heat. In large bowl of food processor, process tofu and remaining ingredients, except garnish, until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Remove blade, and gently stir in spinach mixture. Spread filling evenly in baked crust and gently smooth top. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. Bake about 20 minutes or until firm.
Press-In Crust:
2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking mix (if not gf, you can use all-purpose flour) 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 8 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together with a fork, adding more milk if necessary to create a soft but not sticky dough. Crumble evenly over an 8-inch tart pan and press evenly onto bottom and sides, using the floured bottom of a glass to help press if desired. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Yield: approximately 24 silver dollar pancakes (or 12 medium-sized pancakes)
Strawberry season, leftover Basil Creme Fraiche, and a gift of a summer bouquet somehow became this easy, elegant brunch dish.
Feta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries and Badil Creme Fraiche
1 cup gf flour (use a 1:1 baking substitute) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I prefer soy) 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup vegan feta (I love Follow Your Heart) 3 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted or not Basil Creme Fraiche (recipe follows) 6 large strawberries halved, if making a dozen medium pancakes, or sliced into 6 slivers each, if making 2 dozen silver dollar size Garnishes: edible greenery like tiny basil or mint leaves and pine nuts, lightly toasted or not
In medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in center, pour in soymilk and balsamic vinegar, and whisk until completely combined. Stir in feta and pine nuts.
Turn oven to warm. Lightly spray a skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium. If making silver dollar-sized pancakes, drop tablespoons of batter into skillet about 2 inches apart, spread gently into a disk with back of tablespoon, and cook a couple minutes or until small bubbles start to appear. Flip and cook for a couple more minutes or until golden brown on underside. Remove to an ovenproof tray or platter and place in warm oven. Repeat with remaining batter. If making medium-sized pancakes, follow the same directions using 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter for each. Spray skillet with non-stick spray, as needed, away from open flame.
Serve pancakes with a dollop Basil Creme Fraiche (1 tablespoon for small or 2 for medium pancakes) and fresh strawberries (a thin slice for small and a half for medium pancakes). Serve immediately garnished as desired with edible green leaves and a sprinkle of pine nuts.
Basil Creme Fraiche Yield: 2 cups
1 cup Silk brand Greek vanilla yogurt 1 cup Cocowhip (or your favorite vegan whipped “cream”) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Fold together all ingredients until well-combined and refrigerate, covered, until serving time.
Turns out cardamom was made for lemon and blueberry…and that creme fraiche, ya’ll!
This is my take on the 3-ingredient so-called “dump cake” made with cake mix, pie filling, and egg replacer.
My version is lemon and blueberry which I nudge in a Middle Eastern direction. I add lemon zest to the batter for a little pop of freshness and cardamom to both the batter and my 3-ingredient lazy gal’s plant-based creme fraiche. A garnish of pine nuts is the chef’s kiss.
Yield: 12 servings (9 x 13″ cake)
3 flax eggs (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ground flax seed meal whisked together with 1 cup + 1 tablespoon water and set aside to gel for a couple minutes) 1 box lemon cake mix (13.25 to 15.25-ounces) 1 21-ounce can blueberry pie filling 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cardamom to taste Zeat of 1 medium lemon Cardamom Creme Fresh (recipe follows) Garnish: Pine nuts, lightly toasted if desired
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch metal pan. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients, except topping and garnish, until completely combined. Transfer to prepared pan and gently smooth top. Bake for 35 minutes or until top is set, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with barely any moist crumbs clinging to it. *Cool, cover, and refrigerate for at least a couple hours before serving. Serve topped with a dollop of Cardamom Creme Fraiche and a sprinkling of pine nuts. Store any leftovers, covered, in refrigerator. *Note: This cake is a bit sticky once cooled, and refrigeration reduces the tacky factor.
Cardamom Creme Fresh
1 cup vanilla Greek style plant-based yogurt (I like Silk brand) 1 cup fairly firm plant-based whipped topping (I like Cocowhip) 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
Gently fold together in a medium bowl until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Very biased POV: A proper carrot cake must have ALL the things: carrots, of course, but also golden raisins–only golden!–pineapple, nuts, coconut, and, for good measure and moisture, applesauce!
And only *cream cheese frosting will do. Plain is pretty darn good, but if you have never added some brown sugar, bourbon, and the zest of an orange, what are you waiting for?!
*Or try my alternative healthier version with all the same balanced flavors but none of the butter or powdered sugar.
Cake:
1/2 cup raisins, golden raisins preferred 1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice + 1/2 cup additional juice 3 cups flour 2 1/4 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 3 1/2 cups grated carrot 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut Orange-Scented Brown Sugar-Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting and Filling (recipe follows) Decorations: finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not; pecan or walnut halves; unsweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans and set aside. In a small bowl, heat raisins with the 1/2 cup pineapple juice for 1 minute in microwave or simmer over medium heat in small saucepan for a minute.
In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt. Make a well in center and add oil, crushed pineapple, and applesauce. Stir to combine completely or use an electric mixer at low to medium speed. Stir in carrot, raisins with juice, nuts, and coconut.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Fill and frost and decorate as desired. I like to press unsweetened coconut into the sides and garnish the top with a circle of finely chopped nuts and a ring of nut halves.
Store in refrigerator but remove a couple hours before serving. This cake is very moist and best cut with a serrated knife.
Frosting and Filling:
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened (I like Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese) 8 ounces vegan butter, softened 1 cup light or dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons bourbon, if using Zest of 1/2 to 1 medium orange, if using Approximately 6 cups confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
In large bowl of electric mixer, cream together at medium speed vegan cream cheese and vegan butter. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, and optional bourbon and orange zest. Beat at medium speed until sugar dissolves and mixture is very creamy. Then, incorporate powdered sugar, beating at medium-high speed, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. (If mixture becomes too stiff, thin with very small amounts of non-dairy milk.)
To make filling, remove 1 cup frosting to medium bowl and fold in nuts and coconut. Spread filling between layers and frosting on top and sides.
Healthier Frosting and Filling:
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened 4-5 ounce cartons Greek vanilla yogurt (I like Silk brand) 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 2 tablespoon bourbon Zest 1 medium orange 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted or not 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
In bowl of electric mixer or food processor, cream together all ingredients except nuts and coconut until smooth and slightly fluffy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. To make filling, remove 1/2 cup frosting to small bowl and fold in nuts and coconut. Spread filling between layers and frosting on top and sides.
