Tempeh Curry

I love the nutritional benefits that tempeh brings to the table, but I don't like plain tempeh so much. This recipe brings lots of flavor through the warming spices and a rich creaminess from the vegan sour cream. Served over brown rice it makes a satisfying and filling meal, and makes me happy to eat more tempeh!

Tempeh Curry

Ingredients:

8 oz tempeh, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup vegetable broth

1 tbsp minced cilantro
1/2 cup vegan sour cream or plain yogurt (I like Tofutti brand sour cream)*
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp agave
Salt and pepper to taste

*You can also add a can of coconut milk instead. It changes the flavor a bit, but is really good too.

Directions:

Place the cubed tempeh in a non-stick frying pan with the salt and the water. Let it simmer until the water has absorbed. Set the tempeh aside then rinse and wipe out the pan (this removes the bitterness of the tempeh).

Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tsp olive oil, the diced onion, and the tempeh. Saute until the onion turns translucent and the tempeh begins to brown, then add the garlic and ginger, cook these for a minute until the smell fragrant. Next, add the spices which are: curry, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne. Then add the tomato, peas and carrots, and the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables have heated through. Lower the heat to warm and incorporate the cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, agave and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over brown basmati rice.

For 6 servings (without the rice). Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 158 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 88

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.8g 15%

Saturated Fat 4.6g 23%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 356mg 15%

Potassium 306mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 8.7g 3%

Dietary Fiber 1.0g 4%

Sugars 3.1g

Protein 9.0g

Vitamin A 29% • Vitamin C 7% Calcium 6% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Vegetable Miso Soup

This soup is my take on traditional miso soup. It is a warm and satisfying dish that is good for you. Miso is known to have many health benefits, such as boosting the good bacteria in your gut. It is good as a starter to a meal, for breakfast, or even as a snack. A more traditional version can be made without the vegetables - which is a simple dish of tofu, seaweed, miso and scallions. Either way it is warming and a great dish to incorporate this winter.

Vegetable Miso Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 tbsp dried wakame (seaweed)

1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped

1/4-1/2 block of tofu, diced
2 tsp vegetable bouillon
2 tbsp miso
1 tsp Sriracha (optional)

1-2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

Heat the water to a low boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Add the wakame (this stuff really really expands, so I crumble it before adding it to the water). As the wakame begins to soften, chop your vegetables and add those to the water as well. Let the vegetables simmer for about 10 minutes (depending on how big you diced them and how tender you like them). Check the vegetables and when they are softened up to your liking lower the heat to warm, add the bouillon, tofu, miso, and Sriracha. Let that heat through and then top it with diced scallions.

Serves 4. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 336 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  67 Calories from Fat  24

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  2.6g 4%

Saturated Fat  0.5g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  365mg 15%

Potassium  219mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates  5.9g 2%

Dietary Fiber  2.0g 8%

Sugars  2.1g

Protein  5.7g

Vitamin A 50% • Vitamin C 11% Calcium 13% • Iron 7%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

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