Rhymes With Vegan

grilled szechuan tofu w/ broccoli slaw and toasted almonds

ugh.

that's how i feel.

too. much. of. a good. thing.

so, let's have something a little lighter...a little less filling.  something that rejects thanksgiving and all of it's wonderful splendors.

szechuan it is then.

spicy, spicy szechuan.

 

grilled szechuan tofu w/ broccoli slaw and toasted almonds

 

serves 4-6

 

½ cup szechuan sauce

1 large package of wildwood tofu (super firm)

3 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 package broccoli slaw

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 clove garlic – chopped

¼ tsp fresh ginger

handful almonds

salt and pepper to taste

 

in a small bowl combine 2 tbsp sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic and ginger.  Whisk together very well.  set in fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

 

slice your tofu into 1 in thick cutlets.

combine the cutlets in a large bag with the szechuan sauce and 1 tbsp sesame oil.  let marinate for 30 minutes tossing the cutlets around every 10 minutes or so.

 

in a large bowl combine your broccoli slaw with the chilled oil/vinegar mixture.  add salt and pepper to taste.  put back into fridge to keep cool.

 

heat your grill (or grill pan) to medium/high.  toss your tofu cutlets on and grill each side for 5-8 minutes or until a mice marking has developed and then flip and continue to grill for another 5-8 minutes.

 

remove from heat and toss back into the marinade bag.  let sit and cool for 15 minutes so that the marinade will cling to the cutlets.

 

chop up your almonds into tiny pieces; in a small skillet heat your chopped almonds on medium until the aroma fills the room.  remove and toss with the tofu cutlets.

 

pile a cutlet or two onto some slaw, drizzle with a little more szechuan sauce and serve with a glass of chilled white wine.

enjoy!

creamy tomato basil soup w/ a grilled rustic bread

it's been rainy here in minneapolis, which i absolutely love.  our garden is booming with fresh heirloom tomatoes and bunches of basil.

seems like the perfect time to kick back with a good book and a warm bowl of creamy tomato basil soup.

wouldn't you agree?

creamy tomato basil soup w/ a grilled rustic bread

2 15oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 15oz. can tomato sauce

2+ cups fresh basil – chopped (save 1 tbsp for garnish)

1 ½ cups cashew cream sauce

3 tbsp olive oil (and a little extra for drizzling)

3 cloves garlic – chopped

1 yellow onion – chopped

2 celery ribs - chopped

3 quarts water

2 tbsp veggie base (better than bouillon)

4 slices of fresh rustic bread

salt and pepper to taste

 

in a large stockpot heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add your garlic and onion.  cook until the onion begins to sweat.  you can now add the celery and 3 quarts of water.  bring to a boil.  add your veggie base and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes.

add your crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and your basil.  simmer for  10-12 minutes.  add a little salt and pepper to taste.

bring the pot to a low heat, and with an immersion blender blend the soup together to a very creamy texture.

you can now add your cashew cream sauce.  let simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

heat your grill to medium heat, brush your bread with olive oil and let brown just a bit on each side. 

garnish soup with fresh basil and a little drizzle of olive oil.

serve with a crisp white wine.

enjoy!

vegan mini burgers w/ curry mayo and caramelized onions

not to mention a side of tempura battered zucchini w/ green tomato chutney ketchup.
mouth watering yet?

this meal seems to be a HUGE hit with my friends...well, mainly the burgers.
they keep asking, what's the recipe??

and i say___________  _____________ ____________ ___________ _________!!

 

serve with an ice cold beer.

enjoy!

p.s.
interested in these recipes?

BITES

what do you think of that name for my vegan delivery service?
(i am planning on opening to the public sometime soon)

it cracks me up!...ahem, anyways...

today's menu was:

• beer battered tofu sliders w/ sun-dried tomato smoked "mozzarella" spread, red onions and garden lettuce.
• grilled corn on the cob with parsley and onion butter
• yellow plum and a green tea bag

 

sun-dried tomato/smoked "mozzarella" spread

1 container of dairy free cream cheese
6 sun-dried tomatoes - soaked
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1 tbsp soy cream
1-2 drops liquid smoke

in a small bowl add hot water to your sun-dried tomatoes to rehydrate them a bit, approximately 20-25 minutes.

in a small mixer put all your ingredients and blend until mostly smooth, leaving a few tomatoes in tact.

refrigerate for 1 hour.

serve on a sandwich or with crackers and a cold beer.

parsley and onion butter

1 handful fresh chopped italian parsley
2 tbsp vidalia onion
1 cup dairy-free butter
pinch of salt and pepper

allow the butter to sit out to soften.  once it has hit room temperature, combine all ingredients in a small mixer.

refrigerate for 1 hour.

serve on rustic bread or your favorite vegetable with a glass of white wine.

tarragon cream mock steak w/ roasted yukon potatoes and zucchini ribbons

after a few weeks of serving up some healthy grub, i was desperate for something decadent...something gooey, creamy, rich and just plain satisfying.

into the kitchen i went, tarragon in one hand, bottle of wine in the other.

it turned out to be the perfect dinner for a cool summer evening surrounded by great friends.

so, here are the goods...and i do mean good.

mushroom/tarragon cream mock steak w/ roasted yukon potatoes and zucchini ribbons

1 large can of roasted mock duck (you can use seitan...or tofu, if you prefer)
3 large yukon gold potatoes
1/2 red onion sized red onion - sliced
3 large shallots - minced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 package cremini mushrooms - chopped
1 1/2 cup creamed cashew sauce (use soy cream instead of water, this time)
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 lemon
2 large zucchini - sliced thin
1 handful fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp earth balance
olive oil
salt and pepper


(you can marinate your mock duck like i did, if you like.  i simply put the slices into a large bag and added 1/4 cup tamari, 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 large red onion.  if you have the time, let it sit overnight, if not, no worries, the tarragon sauce is so delicious, you won't be missing any flavor).



slice your potatoes 1/2 in thick.  put them into a large baking pan.  cover with olive oil and your sliced red onion.  add salt and pepper; cover and put into a 400 degree grill for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.  you will want to check on them now and then and be sure to move the potatoes around so they don't burn.  put them into a warm oven to keep while you prepare the rest.

throw your mock duck onto the grill.  be sure to cover with oil, as it has a tendency to really want to stick. flip every so often until you get a really deep brown color.  remove from grill, but try to keep warm.

you can now cover your zucchini ribbons with olive oil, salt and pepper and throw them onto the grill.  be sure to watch these, as they will cook very fast.

in a medium skillet, add your earth balance and begin to brown it just a bit.  add your shallots and garlic.  cook until the shallots are a bit translucent.  you can now add your white wine.  cook for 1-2 minutes, until reduced.  add your mushrooms and cashew cream sauce. cook for 4-5 minutes.  add your tarragon, salt and pepper and the squeeze of 1/2 lemon.

let cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. the cream sauce should begin to embody the tarragon.  once the flavor has released, remove from the heat and toss with a small handful of parsley.

serve with a glass of merlot.

enjoy!

RWV...delivers vegan grub!

RWV had it's first two days of lunch delivery to a good friend (vegan style, of course), and it has gone amazingly well!

i'm not catering yet...just feeding a friend, but learning a lot along the way.  i will be taking a food cert class next week...then on to locating a commercial kitchen ;-)

so, watch out minneapolis, here we come! 

yesterday's menu was as follows:

grilled tofu and veggie kabobs with spicy chipotle bbq sauce
sour 'cream' and chives smashed potatoes
sesame oil infused edamame on the grill
organic peach
green tea packet
edible flowers from the garden

here's a little visual (the recipe is from "rhymes with vegan" episode 1, or click here for recipe card)

 

blackened "steak" sandwich, lotus root and parsley salad w/ red onions, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

can you tell i couldn't think of a fancy name for this meal?
(phew)

anyways, this was one of those recipes that came about on a whim. a few of us couldn't figure out what we were hungry for, but i was dead set on using some roasted mock duck....so blackened mock duck sandwiches it is, my friends!

oh, and the lotus root? another great find at united noodle (an awesome, asian grocer in minneapolis).

(a good suggestion for this meal was to put this in a wrap instead of using a baguette...feel free to experiment!)

lotus root and parsley salad w/ red onion, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

2 cups lotus root (you can use cucumber if you cannot find this)
1 red onion - sliced thin
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup toasted walnuts - chopped
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp raw sugar
1 tbsp olive oil

soak the lotus root in cold water for 30 minutes; drain.

in a small blender, combine the raspberries, vinegar, white wine, salt and sugar.  blend until smooth.  slowly add the olive oil; blend again.  in a medium bowl combine the lotus root, toasted walnuts, red onions and parsley.  toss together with your vinaigrette just before serving (the lotus root absorbs the dressing pretty quickly, so you might want to have some extra on hand).

 

blackened "steak" sandwich

1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
2 cups roasted mock duck (or 4 fillets)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper - sliced
1 vidalia onion - sliced
4 large romaine lettuce leafs
creamy cashew sauce (see recipe here...minus the basil, of course)

heat a skillet to 350 degrees; add your olive oil

in a small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder and dried parsley.

in your skillet, fry up your peppers and onions until al dente.  remove and set aside.

coat each mock duck fillet with the dried mix and sear in the heated olive oil.  cook until each fillet is blackened and crispy to the touch.

in a heated oven or grill, take a large baguette, slice into 4 large sandwich loaves.  drizzle a bit of olive oil on each.  heat in the oven/grill until slightly toasted.

build your sandwich as follows:
romaine
creamy cashew sauce
blackened mock duck
peppers
onions
more creamy cashew sauce

finish each one off with a slight drizzle of olive oil.

serve with a good pinot noir.
enjoy!

gardeners delight with RWV ranch

so, i'm heading up north again, this time to my family cabin for some more relaxation (i know what you're thinking, "God is she lazy") but before i do so, i wanted to give you a quick idea of something to throw together when those unexpected guests arrive OR when you just don't feel like grabbing some overpriced unhealthy snack from the store. 

it's like a garden on your plate, minus the dirt, of course.

serve this with a sesame mushroom vinaigrette, or with RWV ranch dressing...yummy.

 






gardeners delight

1 package of super firm tofu - grilled with olive oil
1 red onion - sliced
1 package of snow peas
1 package of cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber - sliced
6 radishes – sliced
1/2 bunch of fresh spinach
1 medium baguette - chopped into bite size pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper
sesame vinaigrette (of your choice) OR

                          

      RWV ranch

 1 1/2 cup dairy free mayo
 1 tbsp onion powder
 1 tsp garlic salt
 1 tbsp dill (optional)
 2 tbsp fresh chopped chives
 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (add more if you like a tangy taste)
 1 tsp celery salt
 1 tsp celery seed
  salt and pepper

                               

slice up your veggies and set to the side.  keep your tomatoes whole.  wash your spinach well, and wrap in a towel to remove excess moisture.

slice up your baguette into bite size pieces, toss with a little bit of olive oil, just to coat.  sprinkle with salt and pepper and throw into 375 degree oven until toasted.

slice your tofu into cutlets, coat with oil, a little salt and pepper and throw onto a 450 degree grill until browned on each side.  remove; once cooled slice into long strips (good for dipping).



for the ranch, combine all of your ingredients, in no particular order and mix very well. 
toss into the fridge to cool and thicken.

serve with a glass of pinot grigio.

enjoy!

out of pocket

i'm heading to a cabin with my good friends for the next 5 days so i'll be unable to do any posts (we will be completely isolated...no cell phones, no nothing).  so, until we meet again (on monday) here's a little peek into what we'll be eating while we're relaxing with a nice cold one.

have a great week!

 

 

stuffed peppers, raw sour "cream" and mango/cuc salsa...ole'

this was one of those "bare cupboard" challenges,  but this time i think i knocked it out of the park.  homemade tortilla chips, fresh salsa, raw sour "cream" and steamy stuffed peppers on a warm spring evening.

now this is what i'm talkin' about.

  

homemade chips and mango/cuc salsa

1 package of corn tortilla’s
canola oil
deep fryer
salt

slice your tortilla’s into small triangles, drop into 375 degree oil.  let fry for 2-3 minutes.  Drain and add salt.

mango/cuc salsa

1 large mango, sliced into small cubes
1 large cucumber – chopped
1 large tomato – chopped
½ red onion –chopped
1 large handful of fresh cilantro – chopped
squeeze of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

chop, toss and mix.
the longer it sits, the better it tastes.

stuffed peppers

3-4 bell peppers
3 cups rice (medium grain will work)
2 cups black beans
2 cans green chilies
1 small can fresh tomato salsa
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
½ small red onion – minced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 avocado – sliced
1 package silken tofu
1 lemon
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp white miso
olive oil
salt and pepper



in your food processor, add your silken tofu, squeeze of ½ lemon, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp white miso, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar and blend.  add more lemon if you desire more of a tang in your sour “cream”.  let sit in the fridge until ready to serve.

cook your rice per the instructions found on the packaging.  you can now add your green chilies, tomato salsa, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin and cayenne pepper.  mix together, set aside.

in a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, add your onion, garlic and black beans.  let come to a boil and then simmer for 5-6 minutes on a low heat.

heat your grill to 400 degrees.
slice the tops off of your peppers, discard the seeds and cover each pepper with oil.  add them to the grill and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until slightly tender.

layer the inside of each pepper beginning with the rice mixture, black beans and a small drizzle of sour “cream”.  when you reach the top add your slices of avocado a drizzle of a bit more sour “cream” and a scoop of the salsa.

serve with more of your homemade chips and and an ice cold beer.

enjoy!