World Wide Vegan

Enchiladas and I have enjoyed a lifelong love affair. As a vegan I thought I was relagated to eat only "soy cheese" enchiladas until I found this recipe. Now I get all the flavor without animal fat or guilt. Can't beat that!


1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups water
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
4 tablespoons margarine
10 tortillas
2 12 oz cans red enchilada sauce
3 15 oz cans beans (I like to use 1 can each of kidney, pinto & black), rinsed and drained
2 medium onions, chopped
1 can sliced olives
1/4 cup chopped cilantro,
1/2 cup fresh salsa (optional)

Vegan Cheese Sauce

Stir together flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder in a saucepan. Over medium heat add water and stir to combine. Heat until bubbly and thick. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard and margarine until margarine melts. Pour 1/2 cup of cheezy sauce into a cup and set aside. To the remaining sauce add the onion, beans, olives, cilantro and salsa and stir to blend.

Preparing the Enchiladas

Prepare a 9X13 inch pan with non-stick spray oil. Pour 3/4 cup of red enchilada sauce into prepared pan. Place a tortilla in pan and coat with enchilada sauce. Spoon in cheezy bean filling and roll. Fill remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top of enchiladas. Then drizzle the reserved cheezy sauce on top. Sprinkle on a few sliced olives and onions if desired. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes. Serves Six.

Labels: cheese sauce, diabetic friendly, easy, enchiladas, heart healthy, Mexican, quick, Vegan

Well the other day while shopping I discovered "Tortilla Bread" near the pita bread in my market. It looked intriguing so I bought some. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it and there were no serving suggestions on the package so it sat in my refrigerator for two days before I finally came up with a recipe to try. Indian Tacos - sorta.

Every Spring our little country town has a rock and gem fair called the Pow Wow. There we celebrate and support local Indian tribes. And the most popular food booth is Indian Fry Bread. We love it. I always order 3, one for my husband, one without meat for me and one without veggies for our sweet and spoiled dog.

They fry a batter in grease and top it with plain pinto beans, meat, cheese jalapenos and lettuce. So instead I created a zesty pinto bean recipe with TVP, tomatoes and taco seasoning to top the taco bread - tostada style. It was so delicious that it immediately made it into my man-friendly and guest-friendly menus.

The best thing about it is that it's very low in fat and very high in healthy proteins veggies and fiber. It is both quick and easy to make, as well as satisfying and filling.

1 Tablespoons Canola Oil for sauteing
1 whole onion finely chopped separate half for sauteing and half for topping tacos
3 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 large can (30 oz.) of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green peppers (I use Ro-Tel)
1 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup Plain, Bob's Red Mill, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
1 package tortilla bread.
8 ounces shredded, vegan Cheddar cheese
1 cup of your favorite salsa
homemade or purchased guacamole
Shredded Iceberg lettuce
Chopped tomatoes if desired
Other options may include sliced olives, vegan sour cream or pickled jalapeno peppers slices.

Heat Canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the chopped onion and 3 cloves minced garlic. Saute for about 15 seconds - just enough to release the flavors but not long enough to brown. Quickly add the drained beans, tomatoes with green peppers, water, TVP and taco seasoning. Stir gently to blend. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed by the TVP.

Place the tortilla bread on a plate. Top generously with bean mixture. Top with cheese, lettuce, additional onions, guacamole, salsa, tomatoes and whatever additional items you prefer.

Eat with a fork or fold over to eat with your hands. We pile ours too high to be eaten by hand. I guarantee you and your family will love this meal.

Labels: baked beans, cholesterol free, diabetic healthy, easy, healthy, heart healthy, Indian taco, low fat, quick, tortilla bread, tostada, vegan cheese

I'm experiencing a computer glitch so the photo will appear later on.

I love a good Broccoli soup with or without veggie-cheese. I have been ill with bronchitis for a month-and-a-half now and soup has been the only thing that hits the spot. Since I have limited energy the soups I make have to be fast and easy as well as healthy and filling. This recipe fits the bill. Sometimes I cream the soup with an immersion blender and often I add grated veggie-cheese. Any way it comes it is a pallet pleaser.

This recipe also freezes and reheats well, unlike some fancier cream-style soups. Top with croutons and serve with wilted greens with vinaigrette dressing and you have the perfect winter supper.

2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. Natural Yeast Flakes (or 1 to 2 tsp. instant faux-chicken broth powder)
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
4 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk

Steam broccoli florets in a zip-top steamer bag in microwave for 4 minutes or according to instructions on steamer bag.

In a soup pot, melt the margarine over medium heat being careful not to brown it.
Then add the celery and onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Stirring, sprinkle the flour over the sauce and stir until absorbed into margarine, it will become slightly thick. Stir in the soy milk. Then add the bay leaf, natural yeast flakes, pepper, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until thickened. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to mature.

Remove the bay leaf. Serve

Option #1 - If you want "creamed" soup you can blend the soup with an immersion blender right in the soup pot until vegetables are well blended.

Option #2 - If you would like broccoli cheese soup add 8 ounces grated veggie cheese to sauce after removing bay leaf. Stir to melt cheese.

Option #3This option is popular in the UK. I don't particularly like the taste that adding Worcestershire sauce adds but I know people who just love the spice blend in this soup. Just add 1 Tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (I use Annie's Natural)to the cream sauce after adding broccoli.

Labels: black bean soup, broccoli, creamed, easy, fast, healthy, vegan vegetarian

Oh my goodness! This is one of the easiest and most satisfying stir-fry's I have ever made. The blend of flavors is so delectable that I find myself craving it. One of the things I love about it is that I nearly always have the sauce ingredients on hand so I can throw it together at a moments notice. Of course the veggies that I choose change from time to time but the ones I've listed in this recipe create a beautiful combination of colors which makes the dish wonderfully appealing even to the non-vegan.

My husband loved the flavor but because he is a meat-and-potatoes man with little desire for vegetables he liked the tofu and rice better than the fabulous veggies. He ate a huge plateful though and didn't complain. However I won't be listing it with my man friendly recipes. If your man loves veggies as much as you do this will definitely thrill him - even if he isn't a big tofu fan. The sweet and spicy flavor is so fabulous that even non-tofu eaters can't resist asking for seconds.



1/3 cup tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 teaspoons arrowroot
1 tablespoon yellow miso
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (less for less heat)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
8 ounces broccoli florets
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 yellow squash, julienned
1 cup snow peas, julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1 baby head of bok choy, julienned (or 4 leaves large bok choy)
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
4 green onions (white and green parts), julienned
¼ c. toasted cashews
1 can water chestnuts, julienned
1 box water packed extra firm tofu
4 cups cooked jasmine rice

Whisk together tamari, mirin, maple syrup, arrowroot, yellow miso, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a bowl until smooth. Set sauce aside.

Drain water from tofu. Press water from tofu by placing paper towels below and on top of the brick and place a heavy cutting board or pot on top for about 30 minutes.

Slice tofu brick in half horizontally, and then cut each half into ¾ inch cubes. Place cubes into the soy sauce mixture and marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the canola oil by swirling it onto the inside of the wok allowing it to drizzle to the center, coating the wok. Sauté the ginger and garlic in oil for 10 seconds – do not brown.

Add the broccoli, carrots, squash, snow peas, bok choy, and bell pepper. Remove tofu cubes from sauce and set aside. Then pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and the veggies are crisp-tender.

Add the cabbage, toasted cashews, sliced water chestnuts and green onions and stir to combine.

Stir fry 1 minute or until cabbage is wilted. Turn off heat. Place tofu cubes on top of veggies and cover the wok for 1-2 minutes to let tofu heat through.

Pile a cup of rice on each plate and top with stir fry mixture.

Labels: easy, healthy, soy, stir fry, Thai, tofu, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian

This dish is so easy to make but your guests will think you are a professional chef when they taste the aromatic and delicious blend of flavors. I adapted this recipe from a traditional Chinese, Mongolian Beef, recipe. My husband insists that he is not a tofu eater, but he loves this dish so I would classify it as man friendly.

Tip: It is important to drain and press the tofu first, removing excess water, so that it can then absorb the delectable sauce.

Although I most often use firm tofu, in this recipe I prefer extra firm for a meatier texture.

If you are not a broccoli fan just add another bunch of green onions and omit the broccoli - however the broccoli is so delicious with this sauce on it that I highly recommend using it. You can also substitute white rice for the brown rice if you prefer. I use brown rice for the extra texture and nutrients that it provides.


Ingredients
1 lb. drained, extra-firm, water-packed tofu
1/2 c. Tamari or another high quality soy sauce
2 Tbs. Mirin or dry sherry
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbs. arrowroot or cornstarch
2 Tbs. turbinado sugar
2 cloves crushed fresh garlic
1 Tbs. finely grated ginger root
2 green onions
2 tsp. crushed red pepper (or combination of crushed red pepper and dried pepper flakes for a slightly less spicy outcome)
1/2 cup water (plus 2 Tbs more for sauteing)
2 bunches green onions
1 small head of broccoli
cooked brown rice

Directions

Press water from tofu between paper towels with a weighted dish on top to press out water - for about 30 minutes, replacing paper towels as needed. See instructions here.

While pressing tofu cut broccoli heads into small bite size pieces. Peel broccoli stalks and thinly slice them into toothpick size strips.

Thinly slice green onions horizontally into strips, julienne style. Use both the bulb and the green stalks.

In a bowl, whisk together Tamari, Mirin or dry sherry, sesame oil, arrowroot, turbinado sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger root, 2 sliced green onions and crushed red pepper. Set aside.

Slice tofu block in half horizontally. Then cut each half into 3/4 inch cubes. Add the cubes to the sauce mixture. Pour tofu mixture into a large zip-lock bag. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes turning once to assure all cubes are marinated well.

Pour 2 Tbs. water in wok and heat on medium high heat for 1 minute. Add remaining green onions and broccoli. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 6 minutes. Add additional water if needed to assure vegetables are steamed. Remove vegetables and set aside.

Add remaining 1/2 cup of water to wok. Heat on medium-high for 1 minute. Add tofu mixture and stir-fry 2 minutes, or until mixture thickens.

Return onions and broccoli to tofu mixture. Stir-fry 30 seconds, or until heated through.

Serve over hot brown rice.

Labels: Chineese, easy, mongolian, spicy, tofu, Vegan, Vegetarian

This week I'm in Kauai, Hawaii. We are staying in a condo which not only is more comfortable than a hotel but it allows us to do our own cooking. Of course we eat out part of the time but it is nice to create nutritious meals that meet our dietary requirements as well.

Last night we came back from a very full day of fun in the sun (in November no-less) and I didn't feel like doing anything fancy so I threw together a fabulous taco salad. It is a family favorite while traveling or at home. We were so tired and hungry that I forgot to take a photo before we devoured it. Just imagine a bed of greens with seasoned beans, guacamole and olives on top.

With my family helping we threw this together in about 15 minutes. The men in my family prefer to add chips and cheeze but it is still fabulous and filling without the heavy additions.

Travel Tip - When traveling instead of carting bottles of seasonings along, try purchasing seasonings in bags in the ethnic section if your grocery store. Better yet, pour some of your own spice into 1-2 oz. zip-bags (found in craft stores).

In a pot I combined:
1 can of drained & rinsed black beans
1 can of drained & rinsed pinto beans
3T. tomato paste
1/2 chopped onion*
1 c. water
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
2 t. Mexican oregano
1/2 t. ground cumin
pinch of crushed red chili pepper (to taste)
2 t. chili powder
salt to taste

Simmer while preparing remaining salad ingredients (15-20 minutes)

Place into serving bowls:
1 bag rinsed & drained chopped greens
1 can sliced black olives
Bottled salsa
Shredded soy cheeze if desired - I omitted the cheese to reduce the fat content.
Guacamole (see recipe below or make your own recipe)
Corn chips (optional) I omitted the chips


Guacamole: mash avocado. add remaining ingredients - 1/3 jar medium salsa, salt, 1/2 t. lemon juice.

* if you are feeding people who don't appreciate onions you can keep them out to sprinkle on the salad later.

Start with the lettuce greens and add toppings as desired.

Labels: beans, easy, family favorite, Hawaii, taco salad, Vegan