![Springtime Salad from [in the oven]](http://theveganproject.ca/wp-content/themes/vegan/images/logo.png){kind=logo}
Appetizers
Springtime Salad from [in the oven]
This recipe is a result of growing up with an abundance of fresh vegetables courtesy of my granddad. Watercress, asparagus and jersey royal new potatoes are all in season right now and I’m missing out. Tempting as it is to take a trip back to the UK to get my hands on some homegrown goodness this delicious salad will have to do for now.
Vega’s Chef takes on Cream of Broccoli & Cauliflower Soup
We had the privilege of trying this decadent Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup at the Vega Headquarters last week courtesy of their in house chef, Morgan Shupe. It was the perfect accompaniment to our big salads from the salad bar: lettuce, spinach, kale, quinoa, sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, chickpeas, and drizzled with Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend - oh my!
Falafel Wrap at home from [in the oven] bakery!
Our favourite dish in the world is a falafel wrap. When they are done right that is, but often, they aren’t! We are obsessed with finding the most delicious falafel and figuring out what makes it the best. While we were living in London we stalked down local falafel joints and tasted, examined and critiqued their falafel wraps. We think we’ve decided what a falafel needs in order to be amazing and we’re willing to share that with you. (You’re welcome!)
Festive Rosemary Olive Pate
This Festive Rosemary Olive Pate is vegan and gluten free, and is made with pecans, which can easily be substituted for almonds, walnuts, or even hazelnuts.
It’s very festive, and was my vegan dish for a potluck I went to last weekend. It was one of those dishes I whipped up without a recipe, with an inkling of inspiration, and was ecstatic when tasting the first bite.
Creamy Potato and Leek Soup
This Creamy Potato and Leek Soup is easy to make, rich and filling, BUT low in fat! Some recipes I found online added a ton of dairy which, of course was of no need in this vegan kitchen.
Rosemary-Garlic-Paprika Vegan Sausages
This vegan sausage recipe is a variation on our holiday themed Cranberry and Fennel Sausage, which originally hails from the Post Punk Kitchen. This version has a very ‘chorizo’ like flavour, with a pop of garlic in every bite! I encourage you to play around with different beans, or lentils and a variety of spices, to keep things interesting.
Massaged Kale Salad – Protein Rich Superfood
Kale is rough, tough and kind of bitter, but it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods available…and if you do it right, it can be downright delicious.
Vegan Jalapeno Poppers (Baked & Gluten Free!)
These are super fun to make, and eat! And as Jen pointed out, kinda looks like deep-fried rats, so would be perfect for nibbling on while handing out goodies to the neighbour kids. A bit labour-intensive, but worth it. And this vegan cheese recipe that I linked to below, is AWESOME!
Roasted Pepper + Coconut Milk Soup
For the Fall/Winter seasons, one food item stands out above the rest for me – soup. I love, love soup. I think I could live on soup alone, if needed, and never grow tired of warm broth flowing down my throat and warming my belly…did that sound weird?
Salsa Sam’s Spicy Bean Salsa
I tasted this salsa at a house party last weekend with tostito scoops and was literally blown away by it. The recipe itself is amazing but what appealed to me the most was that it was SUPER high in protein, low in carbs and easily tweakable as an addition to my pre-fitness competition diet.
Coconut Bacon
Whoever invented these incredible little smokey/savoury pieces of heaven is a genius! It is VERY yummy and easy to make. There are a lot of different versions of Coconut Bacon online, and after sifting through them all, I decided to tackle this one at Vegan Good Things (great site!). I liked the ratio of ingredients, and the advice about baking at a lower temperature, which I thought made a lot of sense. Don’t be fooled by the name – it is not bacon! It just resembles some properties of that breakfast staple, without all the heart clogging properties – yay!
Sprouted Bean Trio from TruRoots + Recipe!
Have you tries this delicious and nutritious Sprouted Bean Trio from TruRoots? It is one of my favourite products to keep in my pantry and is very reasonably priced at Costco. It is a mix of sprouted lentils, mung beans and adzuki beans, that cooks up in only 15 minutes!
Baked Onion Rings (Gluten Free!)
The other night I had a few people over for some legendary Quinoa Burgers (actually just the patties) and Gluten-Free Baked Onion Rings from Healthiersteps.com. The burgers were, as always, an incredible hit, and the onion rings were also a crowd pleaser.
Wild Mushroom Tart with Basil Cashew Cream
I don’t often impress myself with a meal. I ho-hum and receive the praise of others graciously, but more often than not, I think I could have done something better. That is not the case with this recipe! It was an amalgamation of a non-vegan Mushroom Tart recipe on epicurious, and a recipe for Basil Cashew Cream from the Millennium Cookbook, which I altered slightly. The combo was to-die-for! Flakey puff pastry (what an incredible product!) and wild mushrooms from Hui’s Organic Mushrooms in Aldergrove (available at the Vancouver Farmer’s Market) were SO DELICIOUS!
Corn-on-the-cob with Coconut Milk
Nothing says summer like corn-on-the-cob! This Tanzanian recipe is a really unique and delicious version of the classic North American backyard fare, from the One World Vegetarian Cookbook. It’s a definite crowd pleaser and easy to prepare…and we’ve asked this before but…has there ever been something made with coconut that wasn’t delicious?
Kale Hummus
You may or may not have noticed, that here at The Vegan Project we love our greens and are always looking for new ways to incorporate them into our daily lives – yes DAILY! It is important, as vegans, to be healthy vegans, for our own well being of course, but also to be shining examples of plant-based health, to possibly encourage others to follow suit.
Kale Slaw with Barbecue Crumbles
If you don’t already receive the VegNews Magazine emails, I suggest you sign up, because they have source out some of the yummiest recipes around. This Kale Slaw recipe graced my inbox a few days ago, and I just knew it would be perfect for entertaining friends. It was such a crowd pleaser; delicious & flavourful, and gone in mere minutes! I highly recommend this for your next ‘do’, or tonight’s Meatless Monday dinner. A big thanks to VegNews for this one!
Marinated Tofu Kebabs with Coconut Curry Quinoa
This came together really easily and was such a fresh and light summer dinner. We eat A LOT of quinoa in my house, so finding new ways to spice it up is always a good thing. The coconut was so yummy mixed in with the quinoa! A squeeze of fresh lime and lots of cilantro was the cherry on top.
Tropical Quinoa Salad with a Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette
I made this for a super fantastic beach day some friends and I had this past Sunday! It was light, refreshing, and held up in the heat. The sweet, soft mango was by far the most popular ingredient, complimenting the crunchy red pepper and cuke. You can hold back on the red pepper flakes, or amp them up, to your liking.
Post-Fitness Power Salad
This is my go-to salad after the gym or a yoga class. It’s really quick to make, ample portion of protein and greens, and is tossed in a simple and flavourful dressing. It really helps to replenish my body with iron, b-vitamins, and essential fatty acids after a rigorous fitness session, and it tastes GOOD! If you’re not a fan of tofu, replacing it with more hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, or chickpeas would be nice.
Potato Soup with Cashew Cream and Rosemary
I love, love, love, soup! And a rich and decadent cream based soup is high up there on the list. Cashew cream adds such an incredible texture to the broth, adding body without making a roux (keeping this soup gluten free), and the rosemary and thyme are earthy and fragrant.
Smokey Walnut Collard Wraps
Have you ever had a collard wrap? They are the low carb answer to enjoying rolled up food. I love eating yummy ingredients stuffed into a delightfully handheld vessel, usually of the flour tortilla kind, or naan, or any any other starchy goodness. But with the summer season officially here, I am urged towards lighter lunch fare that still has some flavour, and girth. Not just for vanity’s sake, but because eating water dense food in warm weather helps you stay hydrated, and provides energy for those long summer days, and nights.
Spring Radish Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lemon
I once had a friend tell me that ‘nobody really likes radishes, they just don’t taste good’, and to the that friend I say, try this salad. I agree, radishes can pack a bit of a punch, pungent and bitter at times with an unexpected spice that hits you right in the nasal cavity. For some, what I just described sounds like taste bud hell, for others…bliss.
How to Incorporate Beautiful (and Edible!) Flowers into your Meals
Edible flowers have long been used in cooking for decoration and flavoring. They make a beautiful garnish, but they can also be an integral part of any recipe. Different flowers bring unique flavors and colors to a dish. Some flavors are just the thing for sweet dishes, while other flowers are more suitable to savories. While some vegetable flowers and wild plant foods might require a foraging expedition or a visit to the local health food market, many edible flowers are available for convenient home delivery. Clever cooks can get flowers delivered in the evening so that they are fresh and in time for dinner.
Salsa Sam’s Cactus Salsa
One of our favourite culinary findings from our trip to Mexico last February, was the delicious and tender Nopales, or Prickly Pear Cactus. It could be found fresh in the produce section, or pickled. We enjoyed it on Sopes, in salads, and in Salsa Sam’s homemade Cactus Salsa. Upon our return home, we thought we’d be without it until our next trip to Mexico, as we were stumped on where to find here in Vancouver. That is until we found a big jar of it, along with a fine selection of Mexican imports, and of course, the best tortilla chips EVER, at Fresh is Best on West Broadway. So Salsa Sam went to work on making a batch of her legendary salsa, just in time for Cinco de Mayo!
Mad Men Inspired Cocktail Party Menu
Last night was the fifth season premier of one of our favourite shows, Mad Men. We love the cast, clothes, storylines and overall production value, and of course, the smoking and drinking all day long 
Cold Tofu Salad
This is my go-to salad after working out. It packed full of protein, easy to make and super flavourful! The ingredients to this are flexible and you could definitely add more veggies if you like. After the gym, I can’t wait to gobble down some protein and am a bit impatient…and yes, those are my pencil crayon chopsticks
Napa Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing
So, continuing on my quest to try new things in the produce section, I was immediately drawn to a head of napa cabbage on sale at Whole Foods. Took it home, combined it with some light, asian flavours and I had a crunchy and refreshing lunch for me and the beau. I really enjoyed the texture of the napa cabbage in comparison to green or purple, as it is softer to chew while still maintaining a crunch. The dressing was a cinch to make, and was so tasty that I have been making slight variations of it for the last few days now and putting in on everything!
Braised Cabbage with a Dijon Glaze
How often do you eat cabbage? If you’re like me, you know that you’ve enjoyed it in the past, but do not reach for it in the produce section as much as you’d like.
Red Carpet Nachos + 2012 Grammy Awards Wrap Up
Let us just start by saying ‘WTF?!’ What a snorefest! What was Nicki Minaj thinking with that poorly executed Madonna/Lady Gaga rip off? What was up with all the slow, boring songs by old, boring artists? Bruno Mars was probably the highlight of the whole show (aside from Jennifer Hudson and Adele, obv), and that’s depressing, especially with all the big name artists performing (and multiple times each, which was also unnecessary).
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
I am really excited about this recipe! I have fallen in love with Pacific Natural Foods’ Thai Sweet Potato Soup, and wanted to recreated it at home, for you. I gathered a bunch of ingredients listed on the box, and this is what I came up with; a creamy, spicy and oh-so-good Thai Sweet Potato delight that is pretty dang close to the original.
Beetroot Dip
This season’s Taste Magazine, A season for Giving Holiday Gift Guide, is full of great ideas for entertaining over the next couple of weeks. While not many of the recipes are vegan, they can be modified, with this recipe for Beetroot Dip being completely vegan on its own. I made this the other night for a group of friends and they LOVED it! It’s basically a simple hummus recipe, adding steamed beets to get that gorgeous (and festive!) bright fuschia colour.
Pan Fried Oysters with Chili-Lime Pomegranate Molasses
Have you guys heard of Veganseatpencilshavings.com? It is a gourmet vegan recipe site run by our good friend Jenny Duffy, who shared her vegan plight with The Vegan Project as a guest writer. She jumped off the vegan train for a while there, but has since hopped back on and is taking the vegan world by storm!
Rosemary, Walnut and Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade
All I can say about this recipe is…yummers! The combination of flavours is just right, and get even better the longer they sit together.
Pumpkin Soup
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting cold. These next few months have me looking forward to anything and everything that can combat a perpetual chill to the bone. And that means lots of soups, stews, hot beverages and warming spices.
Salsa Sam’s Mango Salsa
Animal rights advocate and long time supporter and friend of The Vegan Project, Sam Shorkey (middle), is famous for her hilarious accents and her delicious salsas. We recently had a chance to sample one of her salsa specialties and managed to nag her into emailing us the recipe. It’s fresh and sweet take on salsa, and it helps us desperately hang onto the remnants of summer while we devour it along with far too many tortilla chips.
Smoked Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
The flavours in this salad are out of this world! Creamy peanut sauce, exotic coconut and crunchy beans, married perfectly. Kind of like an Indonesian Gado Gado salad minus the egg, it has definitely ensured repeat appearances in our home.
Cauliflower Inspired Raw Tabouleh
If you’re looking for yummy low glycemic, low carb options, then you’ll need to consider substituting your grains for more nutrient dense, vitamin rich veggies. Cauliflower is a hearty, enzyme rich sub for quinoa, bulgar or cous-cous in this popular middle eastern salad. The fresh herbs make it so flavourful and vibrant, and it’s super low-cal, just in case you happen to be going to Las Vegas in a couple of weeks.
Jessica’s Potato Salad
Jessica made something…and it was delicious! Creamy and tangy, with crunchy bits interspersed throughout – everything a potato salad should be.
Wild Mushroom Risotto, Grilled Corn on the Cob and Green Beans
This meal was soooo good! The corn turned out better than expected (it was my first time doing corn on the bbq), the beans were light and crunchy, and the risotto, well, it was sublime.
Italian Veggie Pasta Salad
I love pasta salad! This one is full of veggies and definitely a complete meal. It also makes A LOT. I love making lots of food at one time, partly because it’s just easier and I have no problem eating one thing for a few days, and partly because my boyfriend is an eating machine. The recipe can easily be cut in half if you don’t need a bucketful.
Grilled Portobello Salad with Fennel and Green Apple
This salad is so light and refreshing! Soft butter lettuce, crunchy fennel and slightly tart green apple topped with a very ‘meaty’ tasting grilled portobello mushroom. Very simple to assemble, and full of fresh, healthy, whole ingredients – and all organic! Makes enough for two – I also served this salad with some new potatoes done the same way as in the Salade Nicoise.
Vegan Macaroni Salad
Jessica found us this recipe for vegan macaroni salad over the weekend on a website called the autonomie project, inc., a fair trade fashion and footwear company – neat!
Vegan Salade Nicoise
A typical Salade Nicoise is comprised of boiled new potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, steamed green beans, tomato and topped with tuna and anchovies, then drizzled with a vinaigrette. Purists from the Nice region in France state that no cooked vegetables are to be used in a traditional Salade Nicoise. Either way, the vegan-version was bound to have modifications. This is our take on a great, big salad, that is sure to impress. A mixture of grilled veggies, raw veggies, and a topped with a fresh herb dressing, even Elaine Benes would be be proud.
Quinoa Slaw
This slaw is full of so much friggin’ fibre! It’s a bit of a mashup between a quinoa side dish and a classic coleslaw – minus the creamy dressing. And it’s bright colour is not only beautiful but really good for you too! It’s really fresh and light, and keeps really well so I recommend making a ton and snacking on it for a few days. Tip: A small electric chopper is really handy for this dish. I chopped about a thousand vegetables in 10 minutes!
Summer Salads!
Our friend Krystle Charlton is always making the most delicious (and healthy) looking meals for her and her friends. Below are two of her latest summer salad creations. Mango and Quinoa Salad and a fresh asian-inspired salad topped with her Asian Sensation Dressing. Both look fabulous, and really, really good for you. A summer feast on a variety of the season’s finest ingredients sounds great to us – Thanks Krystle!
Vegan BBQ Series | Grilled Marinated Tempeh with Summer Vegetables
I finally got my own barbeque, and I am happier than a pig in sh*t! I purchased the Weber 100 from Home Depot for $149. It was easy to assemble and heats up in mere minutes. Grilling vegetables is such a fabulous way to enjoy the season’s harvests, and I find the simpler, the better when it comes to flavouring or marinades. You don’t want to mask those fresh flavours at their peak.
Julie Beyer’s Versatile White Bean Dip
One of the great things about Julie Beyer’s whole food recipes is their versatility. Many of her recipes can be adapted and combined with other recipes to make delicious and healthy creations. Case in point: her White Bean Dip. Start by making this basic recipe in a big batch, then spice it up with some tasty additions to keep things interesting as you use it in different dishes throughout the week. Yum!
Julie Beyer’s RedLentilDelicious Soup
Not long ago, we had the pleasure of doing Julie Beyer’s Whole Food Challenge, which included devouring some of her amazing (and amazingly good for you) recipes. Her RedLentilDelicious Soup was one of our favourites, and she’s letting us share the recipe with you!
Vegan BBQ Series | Grilled Vegetable Salad, Garden Fresh Herbs and Vegan Beer Sausages
Grilled vegetables are so delicious and easy to prepare. I like them best tossed with kitchen basics such as olive oil, salt and pepper. I don’t actually own a BBQ, but I did find a neat little disposable hibachi at Wonderbucks for $5 (better deal than on the commercial!). I was skeptical, but the saleswoman assured me with her first hand experience of it and gave me some tips for lighting. The ‘Lil “Tail” Gator‘, worked like a charm! No more annoyingly large barbecues at your next tailgate party.
Thai Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
A long-time supporter (and friend) of The Vegan Project, Krystle Charlton, contributed this next recipe after repeated requests from us to share her amazing dishes we are always seeing on her facebook page. She just made this one up the other night to satisfy her craving for portobello mushrooms and coconut milk. All this amidst an exciting hockey game, and she forgot to take a picture. So I made these last night so I could capture its essence on my iphone and, was very impressed!
Roasted Beet and Watercress Salad
I was inspired by Jen’s Salad Tips last week and decided I too wanted to make a rockin’ salad. It’s a pretty simple combination of nutrient-rich veggies, but packs quite a punch in terms of flavour, texture and vitamins. I love combining roasted vegetables with fresh greens – it’s a salad party in your mouth! The watercress brings vitamins A and C to the table, the beets bringing even more A and C, along with iron and calcium. All good for you, all delicious.
Do-It-Yourself Veggie Sushi
Who doesn’t love a good sushi date? Sushi restaurants are cheap, quick, and because of the notoriously forgettable service, you’re guaranteed to have lots of time to talk without interruption.
The downfall with sushi restaurants is that there are lots of sacrifices made for that $4.99 vegetable combo. White rice, for starters, is starchy and high glycemic enough on its own before you add all the vinegar and white sugar that makes sushi rice sticky-yummy goodness. The miso soup is almost guaranteed to have remnants of fish sauce/broth (umm, fish from Japan? yikes), which is perhaps a lesser concern than the more than likely msg content (or alternate additives that are basically msg with a name change because msg is so NOT hot right now).
Lauren Mote’s Best Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Photo courtesy of FoodMedic.com
Although we’ve posted a cauliflower soup recipe in the past, we just couldn’t pass up our good friend Lauren Mote’s version sent to us the other day. Everything she makes is delicious and you can never have too many soup recipes, right?
Chickpea Cakes
The other night I had a hankering for crab cakes, so I embarked on a quest to create crispy, ocean-flavoured cakes using items I already had. It was a success! A combination of chickpeas, ground almonds and a sheet of nori, among a few other ingredients, combined to make delicious, savoury cakes perfect for entertaining.
Totally Radical Pizza with Homemade Sauce
I was watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the other day and realized how long it’s been since I had a good slice of pizza. So I pulled my sprouted grain tortillas out of the freezer, grabbed a couple juicy tomatoes and got to work on a homemade pizza sauce that I found in raw executive chef Ani Phyo’s ‘Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen’. When it was ready, I warmed it quickly in hopes of preserving all the enzymes. This recipe is raw for the most part, sufficiently filling, and totally righteous!
Creamy Vegan Caesar Salad
I’ve tried a few recipes for vegan caesar dressing, but this one was so good I was dipping everything I could in it. I took a recipe that I used to love, modified it with plant based ingredients, and the result is omnivore-approved to taste like ‘real’ caesar dressing. I churched it up a bit with some cauliflower and Mary’s Crackers for some crispy love. The dressing also doubles as a rocking vegetable dip if you’re into salty.
Spanish Tapas at Home
Above: Marinated Artichoke Salad
As you already know we LOVE Spanish tapas, especially from our favourite Vancouver Spanish Restaurant La Bodega, which Jessica G recently reviewed here. Well, as I was perusing through Taste Magazine available at your local BC Liquor Store, I came across recipes for Patatas Bravas and Mushrooms with Parsley Sauce, the very items we love at La Bodega! Added a quick marinated artichoke salad to the menu and a crusty loaf of bread and we brought the delicious tastes of Spain right into our home.
Smoked Tofu and Kale Quesadilla with Daiya Pepperjack Shreds
In case you didn’t already know, Daiya recently released a new flavour of vegan cheese – Pepperjack! We are extremely excited about this! I treaded lightly into my experimentation with this new flavour. I wanted to get a feel for it first and access it’s spiciness factor before going head on into more complicated recipes. The shreds are a bit larger than the cheddar or mozza varieties and i’d rate the spice factor at a 5, maybe 6. Keep in mind though that I like really spicy, burn your tongue kinda spice so…
Chana Masala with Homemade Roti
This Chana Masala recipe was a combination of different versions I found on the internet blended with my desire to have yummy curried chickpeas in a timely fashion. Perhaps not so timely if you soak and cook your own chickpeas, but so much better for you and full of flavour! I like adding green to everything, so I added peas and spinach, but feel free to add any veggies you want. A leafy green is nice because it wilts in nicely and frozen veggies can be so handy sometimes.
Curried Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Greens
I know, I know, another quinoa recipe? We’re going quinoa crazy over here at The Vegan Project! But seriously, it is so friggen cheap, versatile and so easy to make that we just can’t help eating it at least 2-3 times a week. What makes this quinoa salad special is the aromatic coconut oil in the vinaigrette combined with fragrant madras curry powder. The greens are once again tenderized by the massaging technique as well as the warm quinoa poured over top. Fresh lemon flavour and cayenne pepper give it a tangy heat, making this salad very appealing to the senses. Makes about six cups.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large chard leaves (or kale/spinach), torn into bite size pieces and stem removed
1 celery stalk, finely diced
For the dressing:
1 roma tomato, finely diced
2-3 tablespoons sweet onion, finely diced
juice and zest of one lemon
2-3 teaspoons curry madras curry powder
1/4 coconut oil
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional)
1 inch piece of ginger, minced (I didn’t have any, but I think it would be really nice in this dish)
Method:
Place quinoa and two cups of water into a small saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until water has been absorbed. In the meantime, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad. In a large bowl add, diced celery, chard, chickpeas. Add the vinaigrette and mix well. Get right in there with your hands and rub the chard and toss everything together. It can be a very soothing and meditative experience to get more intimate with your food. Add the cooked quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste.
~The Vegan Project
Quick Quinoa Salad
Inspired by an informational afternoon with Adam Hart and his Power of Food workshop this past Sunday, I’ve been eager to jazz my recipes with his top two Superfoods. Hemp hearts and quinoa…boy were we happy to hear that he considers these two staples some of the healthiest foods on the planet!
So after teaching a yoga class, and less than two hours before taking one myself, I wanted a quick, energy packed mini-meal that could digest quickly and power my asanas. With my pre-cooked quinoa on hand and an arsenal of key ingredients, I threw together the following dish in less than 3 minutes. Yes, I timed it. I wanted to make sure the clever alliteration of the title was valid, alright?
Ingredients: (for 1)
3/4 cup of cooked quinoa
1 stalk of chopped celery
1 tbsp of organic hemp oil
2 tbsp of hemp seeds
1/4 chopped avocado
1/4 cup of dulse, ground in coffee grinder
1/2 lemon
cracked salt and pepper
Method:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients, pouring oil and squeezing lemon last. Mix thoroughly and top with s&p. Adjust to taste.
The dulse is rich in nutrients, and adds an earthy, salty flavor. The celery gives it some crunch, and the quinoa and hemp hearts are both COMPLETE PROTEINS…So important for all you vegans out there!
Thanks for a great time Adam Hart!
~The Vegan Project
Creamy Cauliflower and Rosemary Soup
On February 19th, The Vegan Project participated in the first ever all-vegan Social Bites. The event was a huge success with Michael Robertson (ironically the only non-vegan) taking home the gold for his delicious and creative vegan dishes, Vegan Mischief coming in second and Julie Beyer and ourselves tying for third.
Baked Acorn Squash: A Quick and Easy Snack!
These last few weeks of Winter have me longing for warmth and comfort, and I have found a bit of both with my recent near-obsession with winter squashes. The Vegan Project has posted recipes on the Spaghetti Squash, as well as Butternut Squash, and now we’d like to bring attention to their less popular cousin, the Acorn Squash. Abundant in the Winter, this dark green squash is smaller, more dense, and packed with nutrients.
Squash is also one of the simplest snacks to prepare. All you have to do is cut it in half, give it a good rub of olive oil, a sprinkling of sea salt, and whatever else you have kickin’ around. (The little baby you see above also has some dried ground garlic and a sprinkle of cracked pepper.) Then, turn the two halves upside down in a pan and cook 35-45 minutes. I baked mine in my little toaster oven at 425 degrees, and it turned out soft, hearty and simply perfect. You can top it with sauce or seasoning if you like, or simply enjoy on its own.
It takes less than 5 minutes to prep, then you can go about your business for a half hour or so and next thing you know…a warm snack is ready for you! You can also use this, or any squash as a lovely side dish. And feel free to experiment…using coconut oil and maple syrup with a sprinkle of cinnamon is also super yummy and satisfying.
~The Vegan Project
Oscar-Worthy Caramel Popcorn
We hosted a little Oscar party last night and bet on 10 major categories with a $5 buy in. Congratulations to our friend Sam for taking home the $40 pot! The event doubled as a vegan potluck and everyone brought over the most delicious dishes! Our friend Lauren Mote brought a rich and creamy Root Vegetable Gratin, Sam brought fresh, hand-chopped salsa and Jen, sweet and spicy Curry-Chili with homemade Corn Bread. We (Jessica & Bridget) prepared our signature Cashew Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes, Quinoa Collard Wraps, a Savoury Popcorn and a Caramel Popcorn. Needless to say, it was a feast! Everyone was quite pleased with the Caramel Popcorn and even more so after learning that it’s sugar-free. In honour of one of our favourite vegans and her Best Actress Win last night, a picture of Natalie Portman will accompany this recipe. Natalie is definitely better to look at than the sad little photo we took of lasts night’s kernel explosion. But oh man was it tasty!
Oscar-Worthy Caramel Popcorn
We hosted a little Oscar party last night and bet on 10 major categories with a $5 buy in. Congratulations to our friend Sam for taking home the $40 pot! The event doubled as a vegan potluck and everyone brought over the most delicious dishes! Our friend Lauren Mote brought a rich and creamy Root Vegetable Gratin, Sam brought fresh, hand-chopped salsa and Jen, sweet and spicy Curry-Chili with homemade Corn Bread. We (Jessica & Bridget) prepared our signature Cashew Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes, Quinoa Collard Wraps, a Savoury Popcorn and a Caramel Popcorn. Needless to say, it was a feast! Everyone was quite pleased with the Caramel Popcorn and even more so after learning that it’s sugar-free. In honour of one of our favourite vegans and her Best Actress Win last night, a picture of Natalie Portman will accompany this recipe. Natalie is definitely better to look at than the sad little photo we took of lasts night’s kernel explosion. But oh man was it tasty!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil + 1/4 cup
1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Method:
In a large pot with a lid, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat. Line the bottom of the pot with 1/2 cup corn kernels. Cover with a lid and wait until you hear the first few pops. Then start gently rocking the pot back and forth over the element with your hand on the lid. It’s done popping when the smell of fresh popcorn is strong and the pops are few and far between. Remove from heat and toss in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup coconut oil. Whisk in brown rice syrup and vanilla. Bring to a bubble and then remove from heat and pour evenly over the popcorn. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss to coat every kernel. You can eat it warm or for a stickier version, let cool, and then devour. Enjoy!
~The Vegan Project
Israeli Couscous Salad
This salad is light and fresh, and I love the size of israeli couscous, or Ptitim. The toasted almonds give this dish a smokey crunch, while the turkish apricots round out the fresh lemon flavour with their sweetness. Super easy to make and feel free to substitute the parsley with different herbs such as mint, basil or tarragon. If you don’t have green onions, sub 1/4 cup of chopped red onion or shallots. Get creative!
Ingredients:
1 cup israeli couscous
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup parsley, choppped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2-4 dried turkish apricots, chopped for garnish
Method:
Place the israeli couscous in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and cook about 8-10 minutes or until tender (like pasta). Drain and rinse under cool water.
While the couscous is cooking, toast the almond slices in a dry skillet over medium-high heat till golden around the edges-watch carefully! Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl mix together tomato, green onion, lemon juice and zest, salt. pepper, olive oil and cumin. Add drained and rinsed couscous and stir gently. Add chopped parsley and toasted almonds and stir to combine. Distribute into two bowls and top with chopped turkish apricots. YUM!
~The Vegan Project
Creamy Leek + Shiitake Soup
This is a subtle blended soup that serves well as an appy or an accompaniment to a stronger dish. It also makes a hearty lunch with a freshly toasted baguette for dipping. It’s packed with nutrients, and tastes really good with a yummy Gomasio topping.
Vegan Shanghai Dumplings
These vegan Shanghai dumplings feature a tender, hand-made dim sum wrapper cradling a rich and savoury filling. This recipe makes enough for a four-person Chinese New Year celebration. These dumplings require a lot of time and love, so they are the perfect make-ahead dish. Just freeze them and steam them when you are ready to eat!
Soaked Almond Pesto
To help you stay on track and interested with your healthy/yummy veganism, keep lots of tasty options pre-made in your refrigerator. I try to keep cooked quinoa and brown rice on hand, as well as a homemade salad dressing and a couple sauces and dips.
Couscous Confetti Salad from The 21-Day Vegan Kickstart
The Vegan Project has finally surged into the future with all of us getting that magical little hand device, the iphone 4. And with it comes literally thousands of applications, some are time wasters, some are really useful, and some are vegan! One of our favourite finds in the app world has been the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, which is free, and outlines seven days of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks complete with recipes, and even incorporating leftovers. For those without an iphone, you can view the entire meal plan here. Below is a recipe for Couscous Confetti Salad that is super flavourful while being super healthy-bonus!
Caramelized Pear and “Cheese” Crostini with Balsamic Reduction
These Crostinis were such a big hit at our New Year’s Cocktail Party! The carnivores devoured them, moaning through chews at how delicious they were. They are from a favourite new cookbook, the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook, which so far is three for three for recipes to please a crowd. We also tried the Curried Chickpea Cakes (the consistency was questionable, but we did forget one crucial ingredient and are confident that made properly will be outstanding), and the Breakfast Frittata, which made January 1st brunch just that much better.
Vegan New Year’s Cocktail Party
This New Year’s Eve we all decided to travel the high seas over to Salt Spring Island for a couple of nights to ring in 2011 with mimosas, hot tubs, and good friends. The plan this evening is to get all dolled up and indulge on a decadent assortment of appetizers and cocktails, transcending into numerous rounds of shots and panties on our heads. Here’s a sneak preview of this evening’s menu:
Smokey Vegan Basil Pesto
I often find myself with fresh herbs leftover in the fridge that are too limp to cook with, but still too good to throw out. My favourite thing to do with them is throw them into a fresh vegan pesto, which I keep on hand for sandwhiches, paninis, pastas etc. A good vegan pesto is truly a must-have staple in any vegan foodies pantry!
Of course, a pesto can be made with assortment of fresh herbs, nuts and vegan cheeses. Be adventurous and use whatever you have on hand!
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh basil
1 handful fresh parsley
6 cloves peeled fresh garlic
Handful or so of roasted salted cashews
A chunk of Bute Island’s Smoked Cheddar Sheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
Throw all ingredients into food processor. Blend till smooth. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
*Courtesy of Contributor Jenny Duffy
~The Vegan Project
Smokey Vegan Basil Pesto
I often find myself with fresh herbs leftover in the fridge that are too limp to cook with, but still too good to throw out. My favourite thing to do with them is throw them into a fresh vegan pesto, which I keep on hand for sandwhiches, paninis, pastas etc. A good vegan pesto is truly a must-have staple in any vegan foodie’s pantry!
Sizzling Chanukah Veggie Corn Fritters – Veganized!
The Metro Vancouver newspaper’s December 1st issue this week (also the first day of Hanukkah) featured a recipe for Sizzling Hanukkah Veggie Corn Fritters from cookbook author Susie Fishbein. Now while this recipe kept in line with the Hanukkah tradition of cooking with oil for the entire eight days (find out why here ) and was kosher, it was not vegan. But that didn’t stop me! With a few minor adjustments, I veganized these fritters, cut out the microwaving step and made them (almost) gluten-free.
Roasting Veggies: Baby Beets and Brussel Sprouts
I’ve been roasting a lot of veggies lately, mostly just to fill my house with warm, comforting aromas. Here are a few really easy ways to roast two of my favourite vegetables: Brussel sprouts and baby beets. I’ve also been playing around a lot with some artisan salts I recently picked up at Make It! Craft Fair from Sea to Sky Seasonings. If you don’t have any flavoured salts, experiment by mixing course sea salt with fresh lemon zest or orange peel for a quick and easy citrus salt or try mixing your sea salt with dried herbs or powders in the blender. Who knows what you may come up with?!
Warm Lima Bean Salad on a Grilled Portobello
This dish is great as an appetizer or a light supper. The bright citrus dressing, creamy lima beans, and delicate tomatoes perched atop the smokey grilled portabella make this dish as beautiful as it is delicious.
Warm Lima Bean Salad on a Grilled Portobello
This dish is great as an appetizer or a light supper. The bright citrus dressing, creamy lima beans, and delicate tomatoes perched atop the smokey grilled portabella make this dish as beautiful as it is delicious.
Ingredients:
1 ripe firm roma tomato, chopped and seeded
¼ cup canned lima beans
1 chopped green onion
Small handful chopped white onion
1 portabella mushroom cap, trimmed of stem
Juice of half a lemon
Juice of half a lime
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Grill Portobello cap on a grill pan (or a non-stick pan) for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
Warm lima beans in a bowl (30 to 45 seconds in the microwave should be fine.)
Mix tomato, white onion, green onion, and warmed lima beans in a bowl.
Dress lima bean salad with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon and lime juice.
Season with salt and pepper
Place warm salad on top of Portobello cap and serve!
*Courtesy of Jenny Duffy
~The Vegan Project
Cajun Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers are beautifully colourful and have such a great blend of flavours. The sweet corn balances out the hot and smokey cajun spices perfectly. They are pretty filling on their own, but made with smaller peppers or cut in half, could be a lovely first course at a dinner party.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry red quinoa
4 large peppers, similar in stature (cut off the tops and chop up to add to the filling. Scoop out the seeds and white lining to make a little bowl.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 crimini mushrooms, finely diced
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup canned corn
1 cup black beans
2 teaspoons cajun spice mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Method:
Preheat your oven to 350F
In a small pot mix 1/2 cup of dry red quinoa with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, saute the onion and garlic on medium heat with the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, pepper tops and cajun spice mix and let cook for 10 minutes or so. When the quinoa is done, fluff it up a bit and toss it in the pan and mix well. If your pan will fit the black beans and corn, go for it and mix it all up. If not, put everything in a large bowl (including cilantro) and mix well. Place the peppers in a square baking dish (this helps to keep them close together to avoid falling over) and stuff the peppers right up to the top. If there is any mixture left over, eat it! Bake for about 30 minutes, but of course times may vary according to pepper size. Remove from the oven and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top. You might want to let them sit for 5 minutes as they are really hot coming out of the oven.
Enjoy!
~The Vegan Project