Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

 I have been re-watching season 18 of Worst Cooks in America. During one episode they made fried rice. This got me craving the same. I was also having a yearning for garlic oil pasta. So I decided to combine the two into a single dish.  When I googled garlic fried rice, I discovered it's a Filipino dish. Didn't know that.  This garlic fried rice is a little different though. It has a bit of an Italian flair.  Ingredients 2 Cups cooked white rice 2 Tbls Olive Oil 7 Cloves Garlic, minced 1 Tbl Salt 1 Tsp Black Pepper 2 Tsps Crushed Pepper Flakes 1 Tsp Dry Basil Instructions In a large skillet, sauté the garlic and spices until fragrant. About 5 minutes.  Add the rice. Spread it evenly in a thin layer across the pan. Press in down firmly.  Allow it to cook undisturbed for 7 minutes.  Stir.  Press it down again in an even layer. Try to get the unbrowned bits on the bottom. Let it cook again, unbothered for another 5 minutes.  Check for browness and crispiness.  Continue this proces

Some leftover ginger root and my deep love of garlic were the inspiration for this sauce.  You probably wouldn't think that you can make a really great sauce using some water and some vegetables, but you can.  Basically it uses the same techniques as would be used to make a broth, but instead of straining out the solids from the liquid, we puree it all up together.  Ingredients 2 inches Ginger, peeled and sliced 1 Head of Garlic, cloves peeled, stems removed, chunked 1 Jalapeno, chunked 1 Serrano, chunked 1 1/2 Cups Water 2 Tbls Olive Oil 1/2 Cup Garbanzo Beans 1 1/2 Tbls salt 2 tsps Thyme Instructions Add everything to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium low, uncovered for 15 minutes.  Puree the mixture in a blender. 

 Occasionally, I enjoy making vegan desserts. I don't consider myself a skilled baker, but a little common sense goes a long way.  When I was a child I would make cookies from scratch with my grandmother. She was not a good cook, but she tried. We followed the recipe on the package of tollhouse morsels. It was fun and successful.  For a while, when I was older, I baked bread from scratch. There is nothing more seductive in my opinion, than fresh baked bread.  The point is, anyone can learn to bake. You don't need a master's degree. It's a lot simpler than you've been led to believe.  Nowadays, I just make up vegan recipes on the fly It's not hard or tricky. I mostly just look to replicate textures. If I get that right, it usually works out well.  These are simple cookies inspired by memories of eating giant almond flavored cookies from the A & P bakery years ago.  Ingredients 1 cup Almonds, ground in a spice grinder 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats, ground in a spi

Looking for a little different way to prepare my tofu, I came up with this version. It mimics how one might cook scallops or fillet. A nice hard sear on the outside and a tasty marinade to impart lots of flavor.  Ingredients 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu, Dried Overnight  2 Tbls Soy Sauce 2 Tbls Hot Sauce 1 Tbl Spicy Mustard 1 Tbl Olive Oil Salt and Pepper Instructions Drain the tofu and wrap in a kitchen towel. Place in the fridge and allow to dry out overnight.  Whisk together the liquids.  Use a small circular cutter to cut cylinders from the block of tofu. Trim the cylinders to approximately 2.5 inches tall.  Coat the cylinders in the soy sauce mixture. Allowing all sides to soak up the mixture. Let the tofu soak for a few minutes.  Top one side with salt and pepper.  Sear in a very hot frying pan on the top, bottom and around the sides.  Of course, cutting the tofu this way leaves a lot of left over pieces. I wouldn't dream of wasting them.  A quick and easy way to use it is to

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.