Vegan Valentine’s Day Menu + Video!

Wondering what kind of aphrodisiac-laden, yummy vegan food you and your Valentine can enjoy this coming Valentine’s Day?

With help from our talented director/filmmaker Jenny Duffy, we put together a little video of us cooking a fun vegan Valentine’s Day menu.

Vegan Valentine’s Day Menu (recipes below)

Skinny Bitch Warm Spring Rolls with Spicy Sesame Sauce – These tasty, phallic rolls contain ginger, which is a libido enhancer that inflames passion and desire, and was used by the Romans for its sexual properties.

Cherry Poppin’ Spelt Crust Pizza – Eating hot peppers produces some of the same reactions as a passionate kiss, and basil has been used for centuries to keep lovers loyal.

Fruit with Sexy Coconut Chocolate Sauce – Strawberries are also known as the ‘nipples of nature’, and legend has it that Montezume the Aztec ruler drank 50 cups of chocolate every day to enhance his stamina for his harem of 600 women.

Vegan Valentine’s Day Video

Vegan Valentine’s Day Recipes

Warm Spring Rolls with Spicy Sesame Sauce

(this recipe is from the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook - highly recommended!)

Ingredients:

1 (6-ounce/170g) package cellophane (glass) noodles (we used vermicelli)

1/4 cup sesame oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp minced fresh ginger, divided

1/4 cup soy sauce, divided

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

2/3 cup shiitake mushrooms

1/4 cup thinly sliced  carrot

1/4 cup bean sprouts

2 tbsp potato starch mixed with 3 tbsp water

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

4 rice paper wrappers

Method:

Cook noodles, drain and set aside. In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of sesame oil and then add half the minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms, carrots and bean sprouts and saute 3 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add noodles and toss to combine. Add potato starch mixture and mix well. Turn off heat, let cool, and season to taste.

Whisk together the remaining garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper flakes. Soften the spring roll wrappers with hot water, then put an even row of filling down the middle of each one, fold in the top and bottom, and roll tightly. Serve with fresh sauce.

Cherry Poppin’ Spelt Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup spelt

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 package dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

Toppings:

8 cherry tomatoes, divided

handful of fresh basil

1/2 can artichokes

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 cherry bomb peppers, sliced, seeds removed

Fresh cracked pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 450F.

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Mix together flour, salt and oil in a large bowl.  Add yeast mixture. Mix until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or pizza stone rubbed with olive oil. Drizzle with olive oil and spread with desired toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Sexy Coconut Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup vegan sugar

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 cup water

2 ounces of semisweet vegan chocolate chips, finely chopped

Method:

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil at a medium/low heat until liquid.  Add the cocoa powder, sugar and water and whisk together. Bring to a light boil and remove from heat immediately. Add chocolate chips and agave nectar right away, and stir together. Time permitting, allow the sauce to sit for a few hours, which will allow it to thicken. You can store this sauce covered in the fridge for up to 10 days. Warm on low heat before serving.

Bon apetite!

~The Vegan Project