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Vegan Spaghetti

Posted August 2, 2012 By Sandy

Spaghetti was a comfort food while I was growing up.  Saturday night was always Spaghetti dinner night!!  My dad was a big tomato fan and loved tomato based dishes — and I inherited his love of tomatoes!

When I became a Gluten Free Vegan, I began experimenting with different ways to make one of my favorite dishes.  Much to my surprise, I found all kinds of way to make Vegan Spaghetti — most of my recipes taste better to me than my childhood memories!!

So here is my favorite Vegan Spaghetti Recipe:

Vegan Spaghetti Recipe

1 – 28 to 32 oz. jar of your favorite Marina sauce
1 – 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 to 1 1/2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 to full can of finely chopped black olives
1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped spinach or swiss chard
Onion and/or garlic, chopped finely, to taste
Oregano and/or Italian seasoning

Quinoa or rice spaghetti noodles, cooked

Directions

Add the Marina and tomatoes in large fry pan and cook on medium.  Add mushrooms, olives, zucchini, onions and/or garlic and seasoning.  Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the spinach or swiss chard and cook and additional 10 minutes.  Serve over noodles.

The recipe is not exact.  We often add more mushrooms, depending on how many we have at the time.  Sometimes we leave out the zucchini.  I have occasionally added finely chopped celery.  And I use my food processor to chopped the veggies — just to make it quicker and easier!

If you more adventurous, here is another Vegan Spaghetti recipe using the zucchini as the noodles!!

Vegan Zucchini Spaghetti

Picture donated by Karen Borga

 

Use the same sauce listed above only omit the zucchini and the cooked noodles.

While you sauce is cooking, take one large or two small zucchini and spiralize them for your noddles.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can always shred them using a box grater or a madolin — but it is not as cool as spiralizing them!!

Spoon the sauce over the zucchini noodles and serve.  Or if you want them warm, toss them with the sauce.  No need to cook separately!

If you are interesting is buying a Spiralizer, check out the two recommended ones below.  Personally, we have one of each style and love using them!

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Zucchini and Quinoa Lasagna

Posted July 30, 2012 By Sandy

When I was a kid, lasagna was my favorite dish.  Now that I am Gluten Free and Vegan, I have seen a few different recipes, but none as interesting as this Zucchini and Quinoa Lasagna!

What a great way to use all the large left over zucchini from the garden!  With the added benefits of quinoa, this is quite a nutritious dish.

Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna

  • 2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 12 ¼-inch-thick slices
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 Tbs. nondairy cream cheese, such as Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, optional
  • 1 25-oz. jar marinara sauce
  • ½ cup shredded nondairy cheese, such as Daiya Mozzarella, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place zucchini slices on bed of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, cover with paper towels, and let stand to release moisture while preparing quinoa.

2. Bring broth, quinoa, tomato sauce, onion, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, parsley, and cream cheese, if using.

3. Spoon 1/3 cup marinara sauce over bottom of 8-inch square baking dish. Blot remaining moisture and salt from zucchini slices, and lay 4 zucchini slices over marinara sauce in pan. Spoon half of quinoa over zucchini, and cover with 1/3 cup marinara. Repeat with 4 more zucchini slices, remaining quinoa, and 1/3 cup marinara. Top with remaining 4 zucchini slices, remaining marinara, and shredded cheese, if using. Bake lasagna 30 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and top is bubbly.

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Of course, if you follow my blog, you would probably already guess that I would also add chopped or ground mushrooms to the mix.  I love that extra protein and flavor that mushrooms add to a dish like this.

If you like this recipe, please share it with your friends by clicking on one of the share links below~!

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New! Vegan Cheese

Posted June 5, 2012 By Sandy

If you are anything like me, you miss the taste of cheese.  Not too many of the soy cheese I have eaten taste like anything I would want to eat again!

Recently, Galaxy Foods sent me a sample of their new ‘made to melt’ cheese shreds.  When I received the package, it was tightly wrapped in a Styrofoam box with ice packs — their cheese needs Vegan Mozzarella Style Shredsbe refrigerated!  There were two varieties in the package:  white-looking Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds and orange-like Mexican Style Shreds.

Today I decided to try out the Vegan Mozzarella Shred, so I threw together an Italian style dish and topped it with the shreds:

 

Italian Casserole with Vegan Mozzarella Shreds

I took my largest saute pan and added the following items:

1 – 24 oz. jar of vegan pasta sauce
1 cup dried mushrooms, chopped in the food processor
1 – 16 oz. can black olives, chopped in the food processor
About 6 leaves of swiss chard, chopped
Oregano
Garlic powder

Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for 30 or so minutes.

Cook up some gluten free spaghetti noodles until soft.

Add all the ingredients together and top with Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds and set under the broiler for a few minutes (watching carefully)

I was amazed to see the ‘cheese’ actually MELT!  And the taste was amazing.  The shreds were a bit more like a mozzarella sauce — they did not have the stringy texture of mozzarella cheese — but they did taste like mozzarella!

I was impressed!!

Later, I am going to make some vegan tacos and try out the Mexican Style Shreds.  If it is as good as the first one, I am going to have one happy tummy!!

Check out the Galaxy Foods website for more information on their amazing Vegan Cheeses!!

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Gluten Free Pizza Crust Recipe

Posted May 29, 2012 By Sandy

Jules Gluten Free is one of my favorite blogs.  Not only does she have great products, but she features tasty recipes and helpful tips on her blog!

This recipe can be used for either Gluten Free Pizza Crust or Gluten Free Foccacia Bread.  Either way you try it, I am sure it will turn out wonderfully delicious!

Make sure to access the complete post to see more Gluten Free tips!

Pizza or Foccacia

  • 1 1/2 cups of Jules Gluten Free™ All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • Pinch or two of garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 egg whites or egg substitute, room temperature
  • 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2/3 cup liquid creamer (dairy or non-dairy), warmed, OR ½ cup warm water + 3 Tbs. milk powder (dairy or non-dairy)
  • 2 1/4 tsp. rapid rise yeast, gluten-free (1 packet)
  • additional olive oil to brush onto the crust
  • pizza sauce & toppings of choice

Directions

Whisk together dry ingredients except yeast; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, olive oil, cider vinegar and 1/3 cup creamer (or water + milk powder alternative).

Using a stand mixer (preferably), turn to low setting and slowly add in the dry ingredient mix.  Gradually add in remaining creamer to get a firm but very sticky dough that can still be spread.  Pour in the yeast and beat on high for an additional 3 minutes.  (Note: this recipe may be mixed by hand in a large bowl, using a fork or wooden spoon and very strong muscles – stir as long as you can!).

Spoon the dough into the middle of a prepared pan (like a pizza crisper tray covered with aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick cooking oil) and liberally oil your hands with olive oil to spread the dough gently into a 12-inch circle.  Raise the outer edges so the sauce won’t spill out.

Cover with oiled waxed paper and let the crust rise 10-20 minutes in a warm spot like a warming drawer or oven preheated to 200º F and turned off.

Preheat the oven to 375° F (static). After the crust has risen, poke several holes in it with a fork to prevent large air bubbles forming, then bake for approximately 15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on your pan, but the crust should have risen nicely by this time, and just begun to slightly brown.

Lightly brush olive oil onto the crust edges.  Spread with sauce and toppings (or if making foccacia, sprinkle fresh rosemary, sea salt or other toppings) and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.  If you add vegetable toppings, I find they taste best if you sauté them in olive oil before adding to the crust.

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Try more of Jules recipes by purchasing one of her books in the links below:

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Mac and Cheese — Gluten Free and Vegan

Posted May 25, 2012 By Sandy

Mac and Cheese is comfort food in my ‘book’, but has become a real challenge to find or make since becoming Gluten Free and Vegan!  So, when ever I find a Gluten Free Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe, it gets my attention!

This recipe, posted by The Wannabe Chef (who is more than a Wannabe Chef, in my opinion), looked delicious with good nutritious ingredients.  Might need to make this for dinner this weekend!

Gluten-Free Vegan Mac N’ Cheese

mac-and-cheese

  • 3/4 cup gluten-free macaroni

  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons raw cashews

  • 7 Tablespoons(or a scant 1/2 cup) water

  • 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric(for color only)

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • Pepper and basil for garnish

READ FULL RECIPE

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Vegan Bean Burritos

Posted May 4, 2012 By Sandy

Mexican dishes, especially Vegan Bean Burritos, are fun dishes to experiment with for making different combinatuion.  I love Mexican food — and it tends to be ‘safe’ and easy to make.  And I love all the varied dishes I can make with some simple ingredients that I normally have on hand.

This Vegan Bean Burritos uses pumpkin as the base for the burrito — yes, I got that right:  Pumpkin!!  I never would have thought of pumpkin in a burrito!!  The rice and bean combination makes this a complete protein.  And I live the nutritional yeast on top — giving it a bit of a ‘cheezy’ tastes!

Chipotle and White Bean Burritos

Vegan Bean Burrito

4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup white beans, cooked
1/4 cup fresh curly parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked
1 cup black rice, cooked
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/3 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
READ FULL RECIPE
What is your favorite Mexican/Spanish Gluten Free Vegan dish?  I would love to share your recipe on my blog!
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Lentil Falafel Balls

Posted May 1, 2012 By Sandy

Falafel is a middle eastern dish that is typically made from ground beans and served in pita bread.  If you have never had Falafel, I suggest you try this Lentil Falafel Ball Recipe as it is Gluten Free and Vegan.

This particular version of Falafel balls in not only interesting because it uses lentils rather than chickpeas or fava beans — but because it also includes kolhrabi (although the author says any bland type veggie will work, like zucchini, for example, which tends to be plentiful!).

She also includes a short recipe for Tahini sauce that sounds like a wonderful compliment to the Lentil Falafel Balls!

Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Falafel with Tahini Sauce Recipe

Lentil Falafel BallsIngredients for Falafel Balls:

5 cups cooked green/brown lentils
2 kolhrabi- each approximately 15 oz
1 cup flax seed, ground
1 cup potato, corn, or tapioca starch
1.5-2 tablespoons salt
2-3 tablespoons cumin
1-2 tablespoons turmeric
3 tablespoons coriander
1-2 tablespoons garlic
Oil for deep frying
Ingredients for Tahini Paste:
1/2 cup tahini paste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon and one teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
READ FULL RECIPE
If you are looking for more meat substitute recipes like the Falafel Balls above, check out my Squidoo page:  Meatless Recipes.
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Steps to Making Vegan Pizza

Posted April 28, 2012 By Sandy

Everyone loves Pizza!  But what are the best Steps to Making Vegan Pizza?  Is Vegan Pizza even possible!

The following article gives 5 steps to making a great Vegan Pizza!  I have listed the steps below (along with my notes in brackets) , but access the original article to find out the wonderful suggestions to Making Vegan Pizza

5 Step Guide To Making Great Vegan Pizza

When most people think of pizza, they think of a wheat flour crust topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and various forms of processed meat. Perhaps with the occasional mushroom or pepper thrown in the mix.

So the phrase “vegan pizza” may be met with puzzled looks. Is it just crust with tomato sauce? No way!

The ways to top a vegan pizza are only limited by your imagination. When you start thinking beyond red sauce and mozzarella cheese, you can come up with some pretty amazing combinations!

Step 1: Choose a crustSteps to Making Vegan Pizza [you can use Gluten Free crusts]

Step 2: Add some sauce [more than just tomato sauce]

Step 3: Choose a “cheese” [have you tried vegan cheese?]

Step 4: Pick a protein [beans on pizza?]

Step 5: Load up on veggies! [no limits here]

READ FULL POST

Do you like all the great suggestions?  If so, please share with your friends by clicking one of the buttons below!

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Vegan Tacos with Chickpeas

Posted April 27, 2012 By Sandy

Vegan Tacos are fun to make.  There are so many options and veggies you can use in tacos to make them fun to serve often.

I especially like this recipe because it uses the milder chickpeas (mostly I’ve seen use black beans or TVP – texture vegetable protein) and has lots of avocado salsa with it.  What a wonderful combination for Vegan Tacos!

Tacos with chickpeas and avocado salsa

Vegan Tacos with Chickpeas2 firm, ripe, medium-sized avocados
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons minced mild pepper, such as Anaheim
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
14-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
8 romaine lettuce leaves
8 corn tacos
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, plus more sprigs for garnish
salt and pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

READ FULL RECIPE

We keep a container of dry chickpeas in our pantry all year round.  I often soak and cook up a large batch and  freeze them in smaller containers.  Much cheaper than buying cans of chickpeas … and tastes just as good!

The author suggests topping off the Vegan Tacos with sour cream, but instead, I would use a dollop of Vegenaize!    We also use Daiya Vegan Cheese too when we have it in the refrigerator.  Tastes so good and non-dairy, vegan!  I would also add Cilantro — mix it in with the lettuce or throw on top before the “sour cream”.

How do you fix Vegan Tacos at your house?  Feel free to share your ideas with us!!

 

 

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BeetBalls!

Posted April 24, 2012 By Sandy

I am always on the lookout for meatless dishes.  My husband, Malcolm, does not do well with the vegan diet I eat, so needs something a bit more substantial.  And of course, a change in my typical salad meals is good for me as well.

I ran across a couple of posts that was talking about BeetBalls.  What is heaven’s name is BeetBalls?  Well, I did some more searching and found the following recipe:

Beetballs (Vegan, Gluten-Free Sausage)

Beetballs

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 medium raw beet
1/2 cup raw pecans, almonds, or other nuts (see note for low-fat alternative)
1/2 medium red or yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (mild or spicy)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hickory smoked salt or Liquid Smoke (optional)

READ FULL RECIPE    and    READ REVIEW OF THIS RECIPE

As funny as the name BeetBalls sound …. and as odd as Beets for meatballs seems, this recipe has lots of nutritious ingredients:  mushrooms, nuts, garlic, chickpeas, nutritional yeast …..

If you are interested in similar ‘meatless’ dishes, check out my Squidoo page:  Meatless Recipes.  Several ‘Dell home tested’ recipes that Malcolm loved!

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