Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

I don't use the herb rosemary nearly enough. It's a great flavor, but the fibrous texture can be challenging. However, in a pureed sauce that is not an issue at all. You get all the flavor without any of the woodiness.  This tofu based sauce has a rich, creamy mouth-feel and a dreamy alfredo reminiscent flavor.  It's pretty easy to make. Doesn't take long at all.  Ingredients 1 Cup Soft Tofu, Drained 7 Cloves Garlic, Smashed 1 Jalapeno, Chunked 1 Serrano, Chunked 1 Guajillo  2 Chile de Arbol 1/4 Cup Garbanzo, Drained and Rinsed 1 Cup Water 2 Tbls Olive Oil 2 Tsps Rosemary 2 Bay Leaves 1 1/2 Tbls Salt 1 Tsp Black Pepper Instructions Add all ingredients except the tofu to a small sauce pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the tofu to a blender. Remove the bay leaves, the guajillo and the chile de arbol from the simmered mixture. Add everything else from the pot to the blender.  Puree until smooth. 

This sauce is extra spicy and extra creamy. It's as easy to whip up as it is easy to enjoy.  Ingredients 1 Poblano, chunked 1 Jalapeno, chunked 1 Serrano, chunked 1 Habanero, chunked 6 Cloves Garlic, chunked 1 cup or 1/3 package soft tofu 2/3 Cups Water 1 Tbl Olive Oil 1 Tbl Salt 1 Tsp Black Pepper Instructions Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pot, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Use caution when pureeing hot mixtures in the blender. 

In my quest for new and better sauces I've taken to using garbanzo beans as a thickener. It's easier than a roux or corn starch slurry. It has a smoother result than using bread. In short, it's just a really simple way to thicken a vegan sauce. It also has the added benefit of a little extra nutrition from the beans.  Personally, I'm a big fan of paprika. That sweet, smoky flavor really hits the spot. So why not a sauce that features it. The sauce is also very garlic forward. I'm of the opinion that there is no such thing as too much garlic. As long as you cook it down it's brilliant.  For this sauce we're essentially creating a garlic and paprika broth that is thickened by the chick peas. It's a quick and easy process that yields generous rewards.  Ingredients 7 Cloves of Garlic, chunked 1 Jalapeno, chunked 1 Serrano, chunked 1/2 Cup Garbanzos, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 cups water 2 Tbls Olive Oil 1 Tbl Salt 2 Tsps Paprika 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper Instru

Sauces and purees are something we mostly associate with restaurants and cooking shows. The average person on an average day probably doesn't make a sauce or a puree to go with their meal. They just want to heat and eat. They don't want to fuss with blenders or food processors.  But vegan sauces and purees can be made ahead of time and in amounts enough to last several meals.  Unlike their dairy and animal based counterparts, they don't coagulate in the fridge and they don't sacrifice any flavor or texture over several days.   If you haven't yet tried enhancing your meals in this way, it's easy to get started. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients. It doesn't take much time either. But the results are quite rewarding.  Ingredients 7 Cloves of Garlic 2 Tsps Turmeric 1/2 Cup Garbanzos, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 Cups Water 1 Tbl Olive Oil 1 Tbl Salt 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper Instructions In a medium pot simmer all ingredients uncovered for 10 minutes.  Use a blend

Combing heat and sweet is no longer a novel idea, but it's still a good one.  Ice cream, or rather a vegan analog of ice cream, works well for this. The creamy texture and sweet cold sensation of the final product are surprisingly scrumptious when some chile is added.  Habanero works especially well for this because its intense heat can stand up to freezing and its inherent fruity properties bring a nice depth to what would otherwise be plain vanilla.  Ingredients 1 package soft tofu, drained 1/3 cup almond milk 1/2 cup sugar alt 1 tsp vanilla 1 habanero, deseeded, chunked 2 tbls olive oil 1 1/2 tsps salt Instructions Add to a small microwave safe dish the habanero and oil. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside. Use a blender to puree the remaining ingredients.  Add the chile and oil mixture.  Puree until nicely emulsified and smooth. Churn the mixture in your ice cream maker until set, but not hard.

There are two things there can never be enough of in any vegan sauce. Chiles and garlic. Everything else is just a supporting player.  Layering a variety of chiles in a sauce yields a complex flavor profile  that is more than just the sum of its parts. Chiles are more than just heat. Each has their own unique qualities that it brings to the final product. I've found that mixing and matching a variety of chile peppers creates a depth seldom found in other sauces. I don't find it particularly hot. Your opinion may differ.  Ingredients 1 Green Bell Pepper 1 Jalapeno 1 Serrano 1 Habanero 2 Chiles de Arbol 1 Guajillo 5 Cloves Garlic 1/2 Cup Garbanzos, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 Cups Water 2 Tbls Spicy Mustard 2 Tbls Olive Oil 2 Tsps Oregano 1 Tbl Salt 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper Instructions Start by cutting all the fresh peppers and the garlic into small chunks. De-rib and de-seed the chiles to personal preference. Since there is quite an array of chiles, I didn't leave many with seeds

Mushrooms are a divisive food. Some people love them. Others hate them. I was always one of the haters until I gave up meat. Ever since, I love them. They have such umami, but only if you treat them properly.  It's pretty easy though. A little rinse. A little chop. And let them get dark! So with that in mind, I came up with these mushroom and tofu cakes/dumplings.  I was looking to add some pizzazz to my regular tofu consumption. Spice rubbed crispy tofu is awesome, but sometimes you just want a new spin on it.  This was how I came up with these beautiful little guys.  They're tender, moist and deeply delicious.  Ingredients 1 pint pre-sliced white mushrooms, or two cups total minced 3 cloves garlic, chunked 1 shallot, diced 1/2 block extra firm tofu, broken into small chunks 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed 1 tbl olive oil 1 tsp dry thyme 1 tbl salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Instructions I like to cut my mushrooms very small. They cook faster and brown faster this way. Cook