French Onion Dip

I grew up in the 70s, and back then french onion dip was a rare treat eaten with potato chips. It wasn't something we had often because my mom was very health conscious, but when we did - the creamy dip was like nothing else.

This vegan version takes some time to prepare, but it so amazing and worth the time spent caramelizing the onions. We had this dip on New Years Eve and are completely in love with it. It is just as rich and creamy as the version I remember from so many years ago.

Vegan French Onion Dip

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegan margarine (Earth Balance works well)
1 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced into even pieces (do the best you can and don't make them too thin - you want them to stand up to the cooking)
rounded 1/4 tsp salt

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (Our favorite is Vegenaise)
1 cup vegan sour cream (Tofutti has a good one)
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Heat the vegan margarine and the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium low heat. Add the diced onion and the salt and stir to combine and spread out through the pan. Then let the onions sit for 10 minutes before you stir them. Then let them sit again for another 10 minutes - repeat this process, stirring and letting them sit, until they are a deep golden brown color. This will take 45 minutes to an hour.

Once the onions are done let them cool a bit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a mixing bowl combine the vegan mayonnaise, vegan sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Fold in the caramelized onions, and refrigerate. It is best after it has rested in the fridge for an hour or two.... this way the flavors can really combine.

Serve with crackers or potato chips.

Mushroom Stroganoff with Boca Crumbles

This recipe is a throw back to my grandmother's ground beef stroganoff. My mother preferred to cook from scratch, while my grandmother embraced recipes made with various cream soups. She (my grandmother) once had me over for dinner and served a beef stroganoff made with cream of mushroom soup over thin ribbon noodles, I remember thinking it was such a delicious combination. The creamy sauce coating the long ribbon noodles was so good and I have loved the combination ever since. I have finally landed on a vegan version that hits all the right notes for me: savory, creamy, and rich.

Mushroom Stroganoff with Boca Crumbles

Ingredients:

8 oz noodles, cooked according to package directions (ribbon noodles are best)

2 tbsp vegan margarine
1/2 yellow onion, diced fine
8 oz mushrooms, chopped (I like to use half baby portobello and half button)

1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
12 oz Boca crumbles (or other TVP product)
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon (or other vegetable bouillon)

12 oz vegan sour cream (Tofutti makes a really good one)

pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
salt to taste (the amount will depend on how salty your vegetable broth is)

Directions:

Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.

Heat the margarine over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan, and add the diced onion and cook until it turns translucent. Next, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and saute until they begin to soften. Once the mushrooms have cooked down a bit, add the Worcestershire sauce, the Boca crumbles, the water and the bouillon. Let that cook until the crumbles are heated through. Lower the heat to warm and stir in the sour cream, nutmeg, black pepper and paprika. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve the sauce warm over the noodles.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 245 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  404 Calories from Fat  145

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  16.1g 25%

Saturated Fat  10.9g 55%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  11mg 4%

Sodium  164mg 7%

Potassium  1148mg 33%

Total Carbohydrates  21.9g 7%

Dietary Fiber  4.3g 17%

Sugars  5.5g

Protein  50.2g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 11% • Iron 55%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Mushroom Gravy

For the past several years, I have made a completely vegan meal for Thanksgiving. For most of those years my family was not vegan but were happy enough to eat my vegan meal with me. Recently, my husband transitioned to a completely vegan diet and has grown to appreciate the resulting improved health and energy levels. He has also grown to prefer stuffed tofu and mushroom gravy over a traditional Thanksgiving menu, and especially loves the mushroom gravy. I love veganizing traditional recipes and childhood favorites to capture the flavors while using kinder ingredients, and am super grateful to be able to share these foods with others.

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp crushed dried thyme leaves (use 1/2 tsp if you have ground or rubbed thyme)
Salt to taste (use scant 1/2 tsp to start and add more at the end depending on the amount in the vegetable broth)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup white cooking wine

3 cups vegetable broth

Optional: add a drizzle of Sriracha for spice, 1 tsp miso paste instead of the soy sauce, or add 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast. You can also use a variety of mushrooms like crimini, baby portobello or a few shiitakes alongside the button mushrooms.

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add the diced onion. Cook, while stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir continuously for about a minute to begin to soften while not letting it burn (burned garlic is bitter and a total bummer). Next, add the sliced mushrooms and turn up the heat to medium-high and cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices and soften up, and then add the cornstarch. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the onions and mushrooms and stir to coat the veggies, then add the thyme, salt (scant 1/2 tsp), black pepper, and soy sauce. Next, add the white wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated almost completely. Finally, lower the heat to medium-low and add the vegetable broth. Let simmer, while whisking occasionally until the gravy thickens. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving warm.

Earl Grey Poached Pear

I have always been a big fruit eater. I love fruit after breakfast, lunch, dinner, and as a snack. Fresh fruit salad, fruit smoothies, frozen fruits, cooked fruit, and fruit in baked goods such as muffins, bars and crisps are all amazing. Fruit makes such a nice end to a meal, and poaching is an easy way to prepare fruit for a simple warm dessert.

A couple of months ago, a co-worker mentioned her love of earl grey tea. It had been such a long time since I had earl grey, but I immediately recalled the floral notes of the bergamot (which is extracted from a sour orange). Not long after that conversation, I picked up some earl grey tea and began enjoying it for breakfast. I decided to add the tea to the poaching liquid for pears. I often poach pears and apples and thought this would make a nice twist.

Earl Grey Poached Pear

Ingredients:

1 pear, cored and sliced in half
3/4 cup of water
pinch each of cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg
1 rounded tsp of coconut sugar, or other sweetener
1 bag of earl grey tea

Directions:

Place the pear halves, cut side down in a saucepan and add all of the remaining ingredients. Let the pears simmer over low heat for about 7 minutes - until they are tender. Remove the pears, drizzle on a little of the cooking liquid, and scoop out the flesh to eat. You can eat the peel, too if you like.

The sauce is fairly strong so I only drizzle a little of it over the pears. You can add a little cornstarch if you would like to thicken up the sauce, but I like to leave it fairly plain and simple and usually skip this step.

Nutritional information for 1 pear from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 322 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  98 Calories from Fat  3

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  0.3g 0%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  7mg 0%

Potassium  168mg 5%

Total Carbohydrates  25.7g 9%

Dietary Fiber  4.6g 18%

Sugars  17.6g

Protein  0.6g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 10% Calcium 2% • Iron 2%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Gingerbread Granola

Gingerbread sounds good this time of year. The flavor is reminiscent of the fall season and holiday gatherings. Instead of making an actual gingerbread or gingerbread cookies, this recipe uses gingerbread spices to coat granola.

Gingerbread Granola

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice

2 tbsp molasses
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and grease a large baking dish (such as a glass rectangle dish).

Combine the oats, buckwheat, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk together the molasses, melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Pour this over the oats and mix well to distribute. Put the oats in the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Stir the granola every 10 minutes or so to prevent burning. Once the granola is toasted, let cool and enjoy as a cereal, over your favorite non-dairy yogurt, or as a snack.

For 9 1/2 cup servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 80 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  317 Calories from Fat  109

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  12.1g 19%

Saturated Fat  6.2g 31%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  136mg 6%

Potassium  341mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates  46.6g 16%

Dietary Fiber  5.6g 22%

Sugars  13.5g

Protein  7.4g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 5% • Iron 21%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Golden Milk Steel Cut Oats

I recently saw a recipe for golden milk somewhere on the internet, and was instantly intrigued. The health benefits from turmeric are well-known and I wanted to give golden milk a try. I don't typically drink milk, so I decided to use the flavor profile with baked steel cut oats. I used this recipe from wellness mama, as the jumping off point for my oats and am super happy with the results. This dish is hearty, lightly sweetened and very good for you.

Golden Milk Steel Cut Oats

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegan margarine
1 1/2 cup steel cut oats

pinch of salt
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
*1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup raisins
Nuts or seeds (optional to sprinkle on top)

*To make a naturally sweetened version replace the maple syrup with 7-10 medjool dates boiled for 7 minutes in 1 cup of water. Blend the dates with the water they were cooked in and use this as the sweetener.

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and stir to toast. Once the oats are starting to smell fragrant, add all the remaining ingredients which are the salt, water, soy milk, maple syrup, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir, and let it come to a slow boil. Continue to stir for 5-7 minutes.

Pour the oats into the prepared casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 233 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222 Calories from Fat 35

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3.9g 6%

Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 93mg 4%

Potassium 334mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 42.0g 14%

Dietary Fiber 3.2g 13%

Sugars 21.9g

Protein 6.5g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 6% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Chia Green Tea

This drink is great for an afternoon pick-me up. The green tea gives you a boost in energy and the chia seeds help ward off hunger until dinner. Both chia and green tea are healthy - making this a treat to feel good about.

Chia Green Tea

Ingredients:

4 cups of water
8 tea bags (your favorite green tea - I like to add some ginger tea, too)
4 - 6 tbsp agave (or 2 tbsp stevia)
1-3 tbsp lemon juice
4-8 tbsp chia seeds, divided

Directions:

Boil the 4 cups of water and pour it over the 8 tea bags in a 2 quart jar for tea. Let the tea steep for 5-7 minutes and then remove the tea bags. Add the sweetener and lemon, and enough water to fill the 2 quart container.

When ready to serve add 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds to a 12 oz serving of tea.  Let the chia seeds soak for 20 minutes and enjoy. I like to bring this tea in a shaker/blender bottle to work and drink it in the afternoon for a sweet treat.

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