We had went to Carrabbas one night for dinner recently. My husband had ordered the Sausage and Lentil Soup. I looked at it and then tasted it to figure out the flavor profile. I knew right then and there I could make this vegan and make it taste just as good , if not better.
1 pkg of Beyond Sausage
1 lg onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, large, diced
8 c vegetable broth
28 oz can, tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
16 oz. dry lentils
2 bay leaves
basil, to taste
oregano, to taste
parsley, to taste
thyme, to taste
red pepper flakes, taste
1/4 c nutritional yeast
Cut the sausage into coin size pieces. Sauté over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add the onions, celery and carrots. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the remaining ingredients (except the nutritional yeast) and simmer on low until the lentil are tender, about 1 hour.
When the lentils are tender scoop out about 1c to 1 1/2 c of the soup. Blitz soup in a high speed blender. Return blended soup to the pot. Add nutritional yeast. Stir soup well, then serve.
I have been thinking about changing up my Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup. For a change up I decided to make a Southwestern flavor profile adding some black beans I had made earlier the day before. The flavor was delicious. I have to admit I made it a little too spicy. I have adjusted the seasoning level for this recipe to take care of the heat level. This soup is easy to make and perfect for these colder days.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, with the exception of the garnish items (vegan shredded cheese and cashew sour cream). Cook soup on high for 5 hours.
You can cook on low if you are going to be away for more than 5 hours.
This is one of my favorite oat recipes. It is simple yet, so delicious and filling. I like that the bananas are sweet and I do not have to and any sweetener to the oats. The blueberries add a burst of flavor and antioxidants. It takes about 30 minutes to cook the oats. I recommend making a big batch so you have enough for the work week. Then you just have to warm them up.
1/4 c steel cut oats
1 1/2 c water or plant milk if you prefer
1/2 banana
1/2 c blueberries
cinnamon, ground
flax seeds
Make oats according to package directions. Top oats with a couple of dashes of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle some flaxseeds on top of the cinnamon topped oats. Add the bananas and blueberries.
I like to stir in the fruit so I get a little bit of fruit with each bite of oats.
It took me three tries to get this Amish Friendship Bread right. The first try the flavor was good, but the texture was off. Second try was better, but not quite there yet. The third try was perfect with the use of whipped aquafaba. No one can tell that it is gluten-free and vegan. It is perfect.
Here are a couple of notes before you get started.
Do not refrigerate
If air forms in the bag, let it out
It is normal for the batter to bubble and ferment
Do not use metal bowl or spoon for beating or mixing
Amish Friendship Bread Starter
2 1/4 t yeast
1/4 c warm water
1 c 1to1 GF Baking Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
1 c organic sugar
1 c plant milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
Combine all the ingredients into a gallon size ziplock bag. Squeeze bag several time throughout the day to mix together. This will count as day 1.
Days 2-5 all you have to do is squeeze the ziplock bag a couple of times a day.
Day 6 Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup organic sugar and 1 cup plant milk. Squeeze the bag several times a day to mix together.
Day 7-9 Squeeze the bag several times throughout the day.
Day 10 In a large bowl (remember – not metal) combine the batter with 1 cup flour, cup sugar and 1 cup of plant milk. Pour 1 cup of starter in four one-gallon ziplock bags. (1 cup in each bag). give one bag to 4 friends with a copy of the instructions.
Now it’s time to bake some bread.
Line a 4 1/2 x 9 1/2 loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Wet ingredients:
1 c starter
1/2 c applesauce
1/2 c oil
2 t pure vanilla extract
2/3 c plant milk
Combine all of the wet ingredients into a large bowl. Remember – Do not use a metal bowl or spoon. It will ruin the starter. Set aside.
Dry Ingredients:
1 c GF 1to1 Baking Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mill)
2/3 c brown rice flour
2/3 c sorghum flour
1/3 c arrowroot
1/2 c organic sugar
1/2 c organic brown sugar
1 1/4 t xanthan gum
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
Combine all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl (non-metal). Whisk together all the dry ingredients until they are well incorporated. Set aside.
Aquafaba Whip:
3 t Aquafaba
1/2 t Cream of Tartar
Note: Aquafaba is the liquid from canned garbanzo/chickpea beans. Make sure you shake the can before you drain the liquid into a container. Shaking the can makes sure the proteins are evenly distributed in the aquafaba.
Note: I found using a hand held mixer works better than using a stand mixer. You are able to whip all of the liquid this way.
Whip the aquafaba until light, airy and shiny. It is like you were whipping egg whites. Set aside.
Topping:
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T organic sugar
In a small bowl whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir with a silicone or wooden spoon until the dry and wet ingredients are completely combined.
Fold in the Aquafaba whip into the batter by thirds.
Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the topping onto the batter.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in loaf pan for about 30 minutes and then continue to cool on a baking rack. Do not cut until completely cooled.
I have been wanting to make a white chili for some time. Usually a white chili uses chicken, instead of chicken I used roasted jackfruit. It turned out perfect.
5 cups vegetable broth + more for sautéing
10 oz. cauliflower rice, frozen, thawed
1 sweet onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 can (4 oz.) green chilis, drained
1 can jackfruit, brined, drained, rinsed, roasted
1 tsp oregano, dried
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 c cashew sour cream
2 limes – 1 lime zested and juiced, 1 lime for garnish
1 avocado, sliced, garnish
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped, garnish
In a microwave safe bowl, add the cauliflower rice. Microwave for 4 minutes. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven sauté the onion, garlic, green chilis, roasted jackfruit, oregano and the salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Using a high speed blender, blend together the cauliflower rice and the vegetable broth. Blend until smooth. I used the smoothie button on my blender, which only takes 50 seconds.
Pour cauliflower mixture into the Dutch oven. Add the corn and the cannellini beans.
Increase heat to medium-high bringing the chili to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken the chili.
Turn off heat and add the cashew sour cream and the zest and juice of 1 lime.
Ladle into bowl. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and a lime wedge.
Recently I brought you a recipe for Corn Chowder. We enjoyed it so much I decided to make it again, but with a little twist. I added Roasted Jackfruit to the recipe. It had the same great flavors, just a little heartier.
12 oz corn kernels, frozen, divided
12 oz cauliflower rice, frozen
1 1/2 c plant milk (I used refrigerated coconut milk)
Place 1 c of the corn and the cauliflower rice in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 4 minutes. Transfer corn and cauliflower mixture into a high-speed blender. Add the plant milk to the cauliflower-corn mixture and blend until smooth and creamy. (I blended mine on the smoothie button for 50 seconds.) Set aside.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion until it is has softened and is translucent over medium heat. Add the corn-cauliflower mixture, remaining corn, vegetable broth, garlic, onion powder, and Roasted Jackfruit Turn heat up to medium-high and cook until chowder is hot; stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Today is National Homemade Bread Day. Pumpkin Bread is one of my favorite quick breads. I am excited to share this vegan gluten-free pumpkin bread that is one of my favorites.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large bread pan with parchment paper.
Add all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk, until all the ingredients are well combined.
Stir-In:
1/2 c pecan pieces
Add the pecan pieces into the dry ingredients and mix on low, until pecans are completely incorporated.
Wet Ingredients:
16 oz. pumpkin puree
1/2 c sparkling water, plain
1/3 c almond milk yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Topping:
3 pecans, pieces
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until they are well incorporated. Spoon batter into the prepared bread pan. Sprinkle topping ingredients onto the batter.
Bake for 75-80 minutes (turn the loaf halfway through the cooking time), until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool bread in pan for 10 minutes on a wire cooling rack. Turn bread out of pan and let the bread completely cool on a wire rack.
This salad is a mashup of a greens salad and a broccoli salad. I had brought this salad to a gathering at church and came home with an empty bowl. I love to bring things I know I can eat that is delicious, plant based and good for me and the others that will partake. I do not usually advertise that the dish is plant based, but I love seeing their reactions when they taste my food, and then I give them the whammy – It is plant based.
Dressing:
1/2 c almond yogurt
1/2 c vegan mayo
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sweetener (I used coconut sugar)
Combine all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
Note: You could replace the almond yogurt with Cashew Sour Cream. Also, you could leave out the vegan mayo and just go with 1 c of almond yogurt or Cashew Sour Cream.
Salad:
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 carrots, matchsticks
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 scallions, chopped
Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Blanch the broccoli florets in the simmering water. When the broccoli begins to turn a deep green and has softened slightly, remove the broccoli from the simmering water and place it into the ice bath. This will stop the cooking of the broccoli.
Remove the broccoli from the ice bath and let drain on a dry cloth. You do not want the broccoli wet. It will dilute the dressing and make the romaine leaves soggy. No one wants a soggy salad.
Combine all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Stir all the ingredients together so that they are all coated with the dressing.
I like to make up different seasonings to add a new dimension to the flavor of the dish. Each mix I make gives a dish a new flavor profile, making it unique. Today its the quintessential All-purpose mix. It is probably my most used seasoning blend. Enjoy the flavor.
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 tbsp Himalayan Salt (optional)
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp ground pepper
Measure all ingredients into a mason jar. Shake. Sprinkle. That’s it. Try it on any protein or vegetable you like. This seasoning will transform your dish.
The homemade croutons are a must. They take this soup to the next level of comfy, cozy goodness. The creaminess is easily done by pureeing part of the beans with broth. The lemon adds just a hint of zip to keep the soup from being boring. This recipe makes 4-6 servings. Oh, and it only takes 30 minutes to make. Here is another quick and tasty meal in 30 minutes flat to your table.
2 15 oz cans cannnelini white beans, rinsed, drained, divided
