Black Bean Soup (Great for a Cold Winter Day)

 

Ingredients 

Makes 6 servings 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• PREP
  15 mins
• COOK
  30 mins
• READY IN
  45 mins

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Vegan Pad Thai

 

Ingredients 

Makes 6 servings 

• 1 (12 ounce) package rice noodle 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/8 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

• PREP
  40 mins
• COOK
  20 mins
• READY IN
  1 hr

Directions

1. Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes.

Have Yourself a Vegan Little Christmas

Regardless of what holiday you celebrate, Food.com has some great vegan cookie recipes.  Click the link...they are all good and easy too...and trust me, Santa will never know they're vegan!

To all a good night!

Vegan Brownies

Since its the holiday season and we're always looking for something to bake to have for family, guests and even Santa Claus, here's a great vegan recipe that no one will ever know is vegan...YUM!  (420 optional)

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp real vanilla extract

Here's what to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil and vanilla; mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 mins, until top layer is no longer shiny.

Let cool for 10 minutes

Cut into squares and serve

Top with vegan frosting as an option and add crushed pecans or walnuts to the top for another option.

Here is a great dish that you can serve to even the biggest carnivore as a early course or as a side for a sandwich.  Any way you serve it, it is great (especially on a cold winter day)!  It is also a perfect addition to any holiday meal.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or 1 tsp of minced garlic from a jar
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tsp agave necter
• 3 scallions, finely chopped 

And here's what you do with it:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot and add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots and cook, stirring constantly, until the ingredients are soft, appx. 10 minutes.
2. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic, and ginger and cook for 1 more minute. Mix in the sweet potato, vegetable stock, and tomatoes, then bring to a boil. After it boils, reduce the heat to simmer until the potatoes are tender, appx. 20 minutes.
3. Add the peanut butter and agave necter. Pour the ingredients into a glass blender and puree.  Return the soup to the pot, reheat and serve warm garnished with scallions.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

 

 

I've had this recipe for a while, and it is super easy and super good.  Don't let the seemingly mismatched ingredients fool you...you and you're guests will love it!

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 very ripe (8 ounce) avocados, peeled and pitted (Haas are better than Florida)
1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Fresh raspberries, for garnish (Optional)

Here's what you need to do:

 

Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl by placing the bowl over a small saucepan of lightly simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth and the set the bowl aside to cool slightly.

Add  the avocados, agave, cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla and salt to the melted chocolate and put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon into glass serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (can be prepared one day in advance). Garnish with fresh raspberries and enjoy.

Sorry I've Been Away

Hey...I'm back....and I want to start sharing more and more.

Let's start with a comfort food that should be available at every holiday meal....mashed potatoes.

While this is a rather simple dish, it is also simple to spice it up and leave even the biggest meat eaters of the world wanting more.

Start by pealing and cubing Idaho potatoes (one potato per guest cut into 3/4 inch cubes).  Cook them in boiling water for appx. 10 minutes, or until soft.  Drain the water off the potatoes in a strainer, then put the potatoes in a mixing bowl.

The recipe below is for 6 servings.

Add:

1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 tbsp. Onion Powder
1 tbsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
6 tbsp.Vegan Margerine
1/2 cup Vegan Sour Cream
 1/4 cup unsweetened Almond milk

Mix on medium speed until desired consistency is achieved.  Some people like their mashed potatoes a little more lumpy, and some smoother...

Try adding 1/2 cup of vegan cheddar cheese and 2 tbsp of vegan bacon bits for Loaded Mashed Potatoes.

Once mixed to desired consistency, place in oven safe dish and place in oven on Broil until the top is slightly browned and crisp...and serve.

Easy eh?  

Note:  Vegan sour cream is easy to find in most supermarkets.  Read the ingredients on your margarine to determine whether or not it is vegan.   Most imitation bacon bits are vegan.