Guilt-Free Vegan Broccoli Salad

I used to love traditional broccoli salad.  After going vegan almost two years ago, I was reluctant to use vegan mayo because of all the oil, so I just didn't make it.

For the last several weeks Troubadour was asking if I could put broccoli salad on our weekly menu.  It was starting to sound really good so I had to get creative and think of a way to make it a little healthier and still be vegan.  What I came up with is also gluten free and completely delicious.  If you are using bacon bits and are on a gluten free diet make sure to check the labels.

My inspiration came in the form of a three pack of Wholly Guacamole I purchased from Costco.  The one from our local Costco is accidentally vegan.  Between the smooth creamy texture of the guacamole and seeing different articles on how good avocados are for you, my mind wandered and I started thinking......what if made a salad loosely based on traditional broccoli salad, but with a twist.

GUILT FREE BROCCOLI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

1 Large ripe Avocado (make sure the avocado is really ripe)

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk

3 large Broccoli crowns, chopped into florettes

1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped fine (or green onion for a milder flavor)

1/2 Cup Carrots, sliced thin or shredded

1/4 to 1/2 Cup raw Sunflower Seeds

1/4 to 1/2 Cup Raisins or dried Cranberries

Vegan Bacon Bits

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  For the dressing - In a food processor or Vitamix blend the avocado, lemon juice, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic and soy milk until smooth.  For an extra creamy texture feel free to add a spoon of vegan sour cream.  This will add fat and calories though.  Set aside dressing.

2.  In large bowl combine the broccoli florets, onion, carrots, sunflower seeds, raisins or cranberries, and carrots and stir.

3.  Add avocado dressing and stir to coat all the veggies.  Sprinkle with bacon bits and fresh ground black pepper and stir again. Sprinkle with salt if desired.

4.  Serve when ready.  If you are storing it please use an air tight container so the dressing does not brown.  This made two large bowls for us for dinner as well as a large lunch serving for the next day.  I put the leftovers in an airtight glass dish with plastic lid and the dressing did not brown overnight.  If it does brown, it will still taste fine.

**  Note the dressing is tangy.  If you are not a big fan of vinegar use one tablespoon and taste the dressing to see if you should add the other.  It does mellow overnight.  You can also use rice wine vinegar which is a little milder.

***  if you want something a little closer to traditional broccoli salad you can also put some vegan cheddar cheese shreds in the salad - Daiya would be good.  I did not because of the fat and calories but it would be nice with maybe a few sprinkled on top as a treat.

- Bon Appetit

" The greatest delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable.  I am not alone and unacknowledged.  They nod to me and I to them." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Double Berry Muffins

I like to make a treat for breakfast on the weekends.  Some weekends it is scones, waffles or even muffins.  This muffin recipe is a simple and favorite one.  I've taken an older plain muffin recipe and just adapted it for vegan and added the berries.  While I used frozen blueberries and raspberries this time it is also good with strawberries and chopped banana.

GLUTEN FREE OPTION:  For gluten free substitute a GF flour mix such as Bob's Red Mill and add 1 tsp of xanthan gum.

DOUBLE BERRY MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar (I use raw sugar)
2 tsp non-aluminium Baking Powder
dash Salt
dash Cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened Soy Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 cup Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 cup Frozen Raspberries
Powdered Sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F (205˚C) and grease a large muffin tin.  I use a six-muffin Texas size muffin tin and this makes five that size.

2.  Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and a dash of cinnamon in large mixing bowl.

3.  In separate small bowl or glass measuring cup combine oil, soy milk, and vanilla.

4.  Add the berries to the dry flour mixture and stir to coat.

5.  Stir the milk mixture into the dry just to combine.

6.  Fill muffin tins and bake in 400˚ oven for 25-30 minutes.

I didn't fill the muffin tins too full, but you can top them up a bit and make 4 taller muffins instead.

7.  Remove from tins and cool on wire rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

- Bon Appetit

"  A book reads the better which is our own, and has been so long known to us, that we know the topography of its blots, and dog's ears, and can trace the dirt in it to having read it at tea with buttered muffins." - Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia
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Peanut Sesame Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for dinner a few weeks ago intending to post it sooner, but life has a habit of getting in the way. I either didn't have time to post, or when I did, I didn't feel like writing one.  

This recipe is a favorite summertime recipe and I have mentioned it on my motorcycle blog before after taking it to a moto-potluck picnic.  I only make it about every 3-4 months since we try to limit our pasta and salt consumption.  

The original recipe was found on meals.com and can be found by clicking this ----> LINK.  As usual, I made it according to the recipe the first time.  While we liked the sauce, I figured it needed a lot more veggies and a little tweaking.  What follows loosely resembles the original inspiration.  

I only use all natural fresh ground unsalted peanut butter.  Most of the stores in town have the machines that have roasted peanuts on top and when you turn it on fresh ground peanut butter is dispensed in your container.  It is the healthiest kind of peanut butter with no additional fats and/or sugars.  1 cup of peanut butter may seem like a lot of fat, but it is a natural fat and there is no additional fat in the salad.

GLUTEN FREE OPTION:  To make this gluten free use a gluten free pasta such as quinoa, corn, or rice pasta and a gluten free tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos in place of the soy sauce.

PEANUT SESAME PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
    For Sauce:
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce (or tamari or Braggs)
1/3 cup Warm Water
2 Tbsp peeled, chopped Ginger (or jarred pureed ginger)
2 Tbsp peeled, minced Garlic
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
3 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
1 Tbsp Honey (optional for vegan)
    For salad:
1 - 16oz pkg of Pasta, farfalle (bowties), mini farfalle or other interesting shapes to hold the sauce
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 cup Snow or Snap Peas, cut in 1" sections
1 medium Carrot, sliced
4 Green Onions, sliced including whites and greens
1- 15.5 oz can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 - 15.5 oz can of Baby Corn, cut into sections
2 sm Broccoli crowns, chopped into small florets
sesame seeds for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a food processor, blender, or with a whisk mix all sauce ingredients together and process until smooth.  I like to add a little hot sauce as well.  Pour into large mixing bowl.  I use the largest stainless steel one I have.  Mixture might look slightly runny but will firm up when chilling.  Put sauce in the refrigerator to chill while cooking pasta and preparing the rest of the ingredients.

2.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  You want al dente, not over done. Rinse with cold water.

3.  Chop all veggies and drain and rinse the chickpeas and baby corn.  I place all of the veggie ingredients in one large bowl as I prepare them.

4.  Remove sauce from the refrigerator.  Add pasta. Toss to coat making sure you bring up all the sauce from the bottom of the bowl.

5.  Add veggies to pasta/sauce mixture and toss again. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss again repeating this a few times to incorporate the sesame seeds and make sure all of the veggies are coated.

6.  This can be served right away or stored in the refrigerator overnight.  It is best the first day.  By the second day the pasta will absorb some sauce and after plating you may want to heat it in the microwave for 20-30 second after plating it.  This will soften the sauce.

This is a very versatile recipe.  I have been known to add other veggies if I have them such as mushrooms or cucumbers.  Whatever veggies you fancy or have on hand, go ahead and add them. Water chestnuts are also a good addition.

- Bon Appetit

"Preserve and treat food as you would your body, remembering that in time food will be your body." - B.W. Richardson

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Fried Tofu Smothered In Onions and Gravy

Every once in a while when it is cold out we just feel the need for comfort food.  This recipe is one of those comfort foods for us.

I like to make homemade no-beef gravy and put it over mashed potatoes and tofu with fried onions. Because there is only 1 tablespoon of margarine in the gravy it isn't even that unhealthy.  

FRIED TOFU SMOTHERED IN ONIONS AND GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb extra firm Tofu
dash of Soy Sauce
Olive Oil for frying
2 Onions, peeled and sliced in strips
Potatoes for boiling and mashing
2 cups warm Water
2 tsp Better than Bouillon's 'No-Beef' Bouillon
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp granulated Garlic (or garlic powder)
2 heaping Tbsp Nutritional Yeast Flakes
1 tsp prepared Mustard ( I used Dijon)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (low sodium)
1/4 heaping cup Flour
1 Tbsp vegan Margarine

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Dice and put potatoes on to boil.

2.  Drain tofu and cut into 8 slices.  Lay on cutting board and coat with a little soy sauce.

3.  Peel and cut onions into strips.  In large frying pan add a few tablespoons of olive oil and fry onions on medium to medium-high until brown.

4.  Remove onions from frying pan and set aside.  Add another tablespoon of olive oil and fry tofu approximately 6 minutes each side turning once.

5.  While tofu is frying start the gravy.  Microwave the water until fairly warm and add the bouillon.  In small saucepan combine the flour, onion powder, granulated garlic, and nutritional yeast.  Whisk in water mixture.  Add soy sauce, mustard and margarine.  Heat on medium to medium-low (depending on burner temperature) until thick and bubbly while lightly whisking/stirring continuously.

6.  Drain and mash potatoes.  I usually enlist hubby to do this so that I can continue to stir the gravy.

7.  Add onions back into the pan with the fried tofu and mix up to heat the onions and combine flavors.

8.  To serve - plate up two tofu steaks with onions and a big dollop of mashed potatoes.

9.  And smother them in gravy.

For just the two of us this recipe will do two meals each.  We usually reheat the leftovers for lunch or for dinner the next day.

This gravy is also good mixed with a veggie sausage over biscuits for breakfast and is also very good over french fries with some cubed Daiya as a vegan poutine.  It is my go-to gravy recipe.

- Au Revoir

" I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage." - Erma Bombeck
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Vegan Pumpkin Scones

A week or so ago I asked Troubadour what treat he'd like for breakfast on the weekend.  He replied "pumpkin scones."  Luckily I had one can of pumpkin puree leftover from the fall.

My most favorite pumpkin scones had always been from Starbucks.  Once going vegan I had to find a recipe to make them at home.  The molasses cookies at Starbucks are vegan, but I don't believe anything else in the treat department is.

I found a copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scone recipe on recipezaar.com and tweaked it to make it vegan. I think it tastes better than Starbucks pumpkins scones.  Not only are they lighter in texture and in flavor, but they are cruelty free too.

BETTER THAN STARBUCKS PUMPKIN SCONES

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups all-purpose Flour
7 Tbsp Raw Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
1/4 tsp ground Ginger
6 Tbsp cold vegan Margarine (I used Earth Balance) or chilled Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup canned Pumpkin puree
4 Tbsp unsweetened non-dairy Milk (I used soy)
1-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 2 Tbsp cold water to mix it with OR 1 *Flax Egg
     *  powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425˚F (218˚C).  Lightly spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

2.  In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  Stir to combine.  I like to use a large whisk to combine them just to fluff up the flour a bit.

3.  Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or two knives until the margarine is small and the mixture is crumbly.  Make a well in the center for the wet ingredients and set aside.

4.  Mix the Ener-G powder with water, whisk together and set aside. *If using Flax Egg mix 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds with 3 Tbsp warm water and set aside.

5.  In small bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk and Ener-G mixture or flax egg.  

6.  Pour pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a fork or spoon until mostly combined.  This may look a little dry but it will work.  If you are worried add another tablespoon of non-dairy milk.  Just dump the mixture out onto the floured counter and knead a few times to combine then shape/pat into a 1" thick round disk.

(It may look dry but turn it onto the counter and knead it)

(Until it combines, then shape it - you can see it will look layered)

(And pat it into a flattened disk 1" thick)

7.  Cut the dough into 6 pie-shaped wedges.  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 425˚ for 14-16 minutes until risen and golden brown.

(Cut into wedges)

(ready for the oven)

8.  Cool on wire rack and dust with powdered sugar while warm.

** You can wait until they cool and drizzle them with glaze, but I think they taste best when warm so I prefer to dust with powdered sugar.

*** These are best eaten the first day but work well the next.  A bit of moisture will come out if covered overnight and the powdered sugar may become sticky as a result.  Best to cover loosely.

- Bon Appetit

"A scone is so easy to take with you.  We can easily put it in a pastry bag and they can eat it on the way to work.  It's not going to crumble all over.  There is no paper wrapping like a muffin, and it's also not as messy as a sticky bun." - Jamie Golladay
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Szechuan Black Eyed Pea Salad

I found the original recipe for this salad several years ago in Vegetarian Times.  You can see the original at this ------> LINK.

As usual, I made it once as suggested then decided it needed some serious tweaking to improve the flavors.  Hubby agreed.  It has evolved over the years and this recipe has become a household favorite. In the warmer weather I sometimes make it once a week.

Some changes from the original recipe are - I deleted the sugar in the sauce, cut the fat by half, and added tomatoes, black olives, artichoke hearts, and cucumber to add more of a 'Greek Salad' like flair.

It is great on its own, scooped with some tortilla chips, or over a bed of mixed greens and kale, but our favorite way to serve it is with hummus stuffed in pita pockets.

SZECHUAN BLACK EYED PEA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

1-16 oz bag of frozen Black Eyed Peas
       (if you can't find frozen then use 2-24 oz cans rinsed and drained)

1 medium Green Pepper, cored and chopped

1/2 cup Red Onion, finely diced

1 Jalapeno, chopped fine

1 Avocado, peeled and chopped

1 regular or 1/2 a Long English Cucumber, chopped (peeled if using regular cucumber)

1 can extra large Black Olives, rinsed and drained and cut in half or thirds

3 medium Tomatoes, diced

1 can of Artichoke Hearts, drained (optional)

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

2 cloves Garlic, crushed or minced (or 1/2 tsp jarred garlic)
1-2 Tbsp vegan San J gluten free Szechuan Sauce
sprinkle of Black Pepper
*  optional - mixed greens and/or whole wheat pita pockets

DIRECTIONS:

1.  If using canned black eyed peas, rinse and drain them and place in a large mixing bowl.  If using frozen, rinse in hot water, place in a large bowl or steamer and microwave for 2-3 minutes.  Then rinse with cold water and place in large mixing bowl.  I used a Pampered Chef microwave steamer for the frozen peas.

2.  Add to the black eyed peas the chopped green pepper, red onion, jalapeno, avocado, cucumber, black olives, tomatoes and artichoke hearts.

3.  In small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and szechuan sauce.

4.  Pour over vegetable mixture and stir to coat the veggies.  Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper.

5.  Serve alone, over a bed of greens or in a pita pocket with hummus.

If you are lacto-vegetarian this is also good topped with feta cheese.  As vegans we've also sprinkled it with almond parmesan too.  I use this basic recipe ----> LINK for the almond parmesan although I reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.

** NOTE - I like to use frozen black eyed peas and artichoke hearts as there is no added sodium and they are firmer.

- Bon Appetit

" You can do a lot for your diet by eliminating foods that have mascots." - Ted Spiker

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