Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Vegan Recipes

A vegan diet is a wonderful way to not only eat healthy but also save money.  Even if you're not ready to make the full vegan plunge, incorporating a few vegan recipes into your diet would be a great way to liven up your meals with something different.  I asked the LDW ladies for vegan recipe recommendations, and soon found my stomach growling while reading these (I left out names to protect everyone's privacy, but if you'd like me to add it in next to your recipe, let me know and I can update the post):


Quinoa with Pears & Maple Vinaigrette
-1 cup quinoa
-1 large ripe pear, cleaned & diced small
-2T fresh parsley, chopped
-1/2c raw slivered almonds
-1/4c EVOO
-2T rice or apple cider vinegar
-2T real maple syrup
-1/2t Dijon mustard.
---Cook quinoa according to regular methods. In a large salad bowl, add pear, parsley, and almonds to quinoa and mix to combine. Whisk oil, vinegar, syrup & mustard; pour over salad mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt & pepper.



Curried Quinoa
-1c. quinoa
-1 large carrot, chopped
-1T coconut oil
-1 celery stalk, chopped
-1/3c. raisins
-1/2c. cooked garbanzo beans or canned, drained & rinsed
-1.5-2t curry powder
-.5t sea salt
---Cook quinoa according to regular methods. When quinoa is almost finished cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot and cook, stirring, for 3 min. Add celery, raisins, garbanzos, curry & salt; stir & saute for 5 mins. Add cooked quinoa to skillet and combine.

Black Olive Curried Spaghetti
-3 Tbsp butter or olive oil
-7 ounces dry spaghetti
-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-2 tsp curry powder (Japanese curry is preferred)
-2 ounces diced pimentos (usually by the olives in the grocery store)
-3-1/2 cups chicken broth
-1 can diced black olives
---Saute onion and curry powder in butter/oil in large pan. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds and add to boiling liquid. Cover and cook over medium heat for ~10 min. Stir in pimento and black olives. Cook uncovered for ~10 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and rest for 3-5 minutes. Option: may add 1 diced green bell pepper.

Sri-Lankan Style Chickpea Curry (Kadalai Curry)
-1 potato
-1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup water
1" piece fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 chopped onion
1 sprig curry leaves (if you can get find them - usually at an Indian/Pakistani grocery)
1 tsp. curry powder (Jaffna curry is preferred)
1 blanched & diced tomato; salt to taste
1 tsp. garam masala
1 lemon or lemon juice
--1) Peel potato and dice. Boil in salted water for 5 min. 2) Grind 1/4 cup chickpeas, 1/2 cup water. ginger, garlic and turmeric in food processor or blender. 3) Heat oil in pan. Saute onions and curry leaves until onions are translucent. 4) Add curry powder and stir for a minute before adding chickpeas and all other ingredients (except garam masala). Stir well and simmer until mix is thick & creamy. Sprinkle with garam masala and squeeze with lemon juice before serving.


Pasta and Avocado Sauce
-Pasta like usual (I use a spirooli to make zucchini noodles)
-For sauce:
2 Avacados
1/2 bunch cilantro 
1/2 bunch basil (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of soaked almonds 
1/2 can coconut milk 
Chili powder to taste
3-4 cloves garlic 
1/2 lemon

---Blend all in a blender-- adding the soaked nuts last. Pour over pasta and then enjoy!


Crock Pot Beans
-Pintos, picked through. Dump in crockpot, add water to cover. Add 1-4 TBLSP Chili powder, 1-3 Tsp Onion Powder, salt and pepper to taste (after cooked). Set on high and let 'er cook. Add water if it gets low. After it smells so good you can't stand it, check it out and see if they are done. We eat them soupy with chopped avocado, tomato and onion on top drizzled with olive oil.  Add cheese and sour cream if you aren't too Vegan.  These beans are great for burritos if you use a slotted spoon and can be made into refried beans with a little water and some olive oil and elbow grease.


Choffy peanut butter cups 
-1/2 cup organic coconut oil
-1/2 cup raw honey
-Splash of Vanilla
-1/2 cup organic peanut butter
-1 cup used Choffy grounds
---Heat and blend ingredients together.  Pour into high speed blender with 1/2 cup organic peanut butter and 1 cup used Choffy grounds. Blend well and pour into small baking cups. Place in freezer to cool for 5 minutes. Take out and enjoy!



 P.S.--Just for fun: http://i.imgur.com/3cn0G4N.jpg

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