Butternut Squash Pasta Casserole with a Stuffing Topping

The leaves have fallen here in Boston and Thanksgiving is seemingly right around the corner. In a month or so we vegans will be all gorging ourselves on root veggies and Tofurky. I love Thanksgiving. It is one of those days that you can remember just by smell. It has its own foods and own seasonings. I relate Sage and Thyme to Thanksgiving. As soon as I smell them I am like “mmmmmm”. It brings my 10-year-old self back to sneaking stuffing and scoops of mashed potatoes before the Turkey cooled. In my family I am in charge of Thanksgiving. Which I love. I love cooking everything (except the Turkey because the husband does that although I do try to help prep it). I make my own stuffing from scratch and then some bagged for extra and to stuff the turkey which I don’t eat obviously. However who doesn’t have leftovers? I only know one family. My aunt and uncle because they have 11 kids over the age of 16 and many have their own kids. So I was informed there are no leftovers and 20lbs of potatoes involved. It gave me flashes of a catering company trying to work out of my own kitchen. Insanity!

So back to leftovers. We usually have stuffing, roasted veggies, and potatoes. Why not make these leftovers into something you can eat later in the week. It doesn’t have to be thanksgiving everyday for the next month. You may (or may not) get sick of it but transforming it is something that will make it that much better. Or heck just make this casserole as a side dish or a meal anytime in teh fall or winter as it is definitely a hearty and yummy one that my husband gladly eats out of a mixing bowl. Here is my adaptation to a Whole Foods Recipe I noted last thanksgiving that I love for a Butternut Squash Macaroni Casserole.

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Butternut Squash Pasta Casserole with a Stuffing Topping

Ingredients:

(1) package of dry bagged herb stuffing
Water or Veggie Broth
Sage
Thyme
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
(1) Can Coconut Milk
2lbs of Butternut Squash Diced into Small Cubes (I buy it already cubed, frozen cubes, or use leftover roasted squash)
2tbsp Olive Oil
(1) White or Yellow Onion Diced
3/4-1lb of Pasta (do not use noodles like spaghetti or angel hair)
1cup toasted Walnuts or Pecans
Pam or Olive Oil Spray

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Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a muffin tin with oil and place nuts in it. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Bake for 10-15minutes to toast them.
Spray a large casserole dish and place to the side for the casserole.
In a mixing bowl add broth or water to the dry stuffing and salt, pepper, thyme, and sage and a little bit of melted butter or olive oil helps. When welll combined and wet place to the side. This will be your topping.
Use a large sauce pan to boil salted water for the pasta. Cover and place on high.
In a smaller sauce pan place 2tbsp olive oil, salt, and peper over medium until warm adding diced onion into it until soft and golden.
Take onions and puree them with a mixer or blender and dump back in sauce pan.

Cooking:

Add coconut milk (I use Goya or 365) and squash to onion pan mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cook down.
When water comes to a boil add pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain pasta. Spray bottom of pasta sauce pan with olive oil so the pasta does not stick.
Return pasta to pot.
When the squash is soft and the mixture has thickened add to the pasta and stir until well combined.
Then add toasted nuts and 1-2 tablespoons of chopped sage.

Baking:

Place mixture in oiled casserole dish and press flat. Sprinkle with salt.
Top with stuffing mixture.
Bake for at least 30 minutes.
Serve immediately. Serves 8.

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Food is Love.

The Hippie Gypsy

Vegan Lasagna

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners, QUICKIES! and tagged with cheese, daiya, Easy, eggplant, garlic, havarti, holiday, lasagna, macaroni, marinara, meatless mondays, mozzarella, noodle, olive oil, onion, potluck, recipe, ricotta, tomato, Vegan, vegan lasagna, vegan pasta, vegan pasta sauce, vegetarian, what to eat, what vegans eat, zucchini October 18, 2013

Let me just start by saying that when I was NOT vegan, I hated lasagna. More specifically I hated Ricotta Cheese. I am not sure if it was the flavor or the weird goopiness of it all (and yes that is now a word because I said so), but it was definitely not my cup of tea. Fast forward to me as a vegan. The first vegan dish I ever made for my stepdaughters was lasagna. They were fresh off the plane visiting my husband who was just my boyfriend at the time in our 3rd floor walk up in East Boston. It was a humble apartment with high ceilings and a city view and mice and fleas and a heart shaped burn on the family room floor that made me find it charming and oh-so-urban. We ate in our small dining room with built in china cabinet just off our oversized kitchen complete with a broken dumb waiter. I loved that place. I loved that meal because the kids gobbled it up. Since then I have made some minor changes depending on what I have in the house so I will explain those modifications as “options” but give you the base recipe. It’s yummy and not runny and delicious and healthy and all kids of good things. Eat up!

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Vegan Lasagna

Vegan Ricotta Ingredients:

1 package of very firm tofu
1/8 cup Garlic Powder
1/8 cup Nutritional Yeast (“Nooch”)
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2tbsp+ of Olive Oil
Basil
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed

Marinara Sauce Ingredients (or just use Rao’s Marinara):

1 small can of tomato paste
1/2cup of olive oil
4 regular sized cans of crushed tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes (get the kind with chiles for a kick!)
!/2 cup of dehydrated onion or 1 onion cooked down and pureed
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Basil
Pasta Sprinkle (I use a shake or two of this from Penzey’s)

Pasta: I use (1) package of Lasagna Noodles that are no precook and egg free which are super easy to find in any grocery market.

Cheese: Use Daiya Mozzarella and Daiya Havarti to layer and top the lasagna

Options: Sometimes instead of my vegan Ricotta I use just veggies and Daiya Havarti for the layers and mozzarella on top. Recently I layered in diced zucchini and eggplant with the havarti and it was a huge hit and lower calorie/fat. I have also just added chopped veggies as a layer on top of the sauce adn that is always a winner to. Again I stick with zucchini and eggplant. But feel free to add peppers or whatever you like!

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Prepare:

Mash all ingredients of the Ricotta in a mixing bowl with a potato masher until the crumbled texture of ricotta. I use at least 2 tablespoon of olive oil and a good amount of garlic powder, salt, “nooch” (nutritional yeast), and pepper. Basil is very important to this mash. Add it last.
Place all marinara ingredients in a large sauce pan and mix until boiling. Simmer and allow to set for at least 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425degrees.

Begin layering:

Spray a large lasagna pan with Olive oil/Canola oil/Pam and start with a layer of sauce then noodles then cheese/vegetables and continue. Top wth mozzarella, sprinkle with salt and garlic powder, and drizzle some olive oil over it before placing in oven. I like to use seasoned olive oil from time to time and that is the same as teh pizza oil I use in my pizza recipe.

Bake:

Bake for at least 30-45 minutes. Or until you can see the cheese melting and browning on top.

Cool:

Allow to cool and set about 5 minutes so that the cheese is not liquid lava on your tongue. Serve hot and Enjoy!

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*Note: I will post more pictures soon. I have to download them!

XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Vegan Boeuf Bourguignon Stew – Just like Julia’s

Posted by LD in Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners and tagged with bay leaves, beef, beof, beuf, bourgignon, bourguignon, butter, cabernet sauvignon, carrots, crisco, earth balance, flour, french vegan cooking, garlic, holiday, Julia child, liquid smoke, meatless mondays, mushroom, olive oil, onion, parsley, Party, Potatoes, potluck, recipe, soy, thyme, tofutti, tomato, Vegan, vegetable bouillion, vegetarian, wine September 24, 2013

One of my favorite cookbooks of all time is Julia Child’s “The Art of French Cooking”. It is sticky and covered in sauces and oil and butter and flour. I used to use that and my favorite mexican cookbook so religiously that they looked like they had been dipped in the foods rather than utilized to make them. There is one recipe I knew by heart and is obviously a huge fan favorite for the carnivore and omnivores out there: Boeuf Bouguignon. It is a Braised beef dish similar to a beef stew in essence. I decided to attack this dish head on because my vegan world isn’t the same without it. I know the flavors and the essence I want to create so making it vegan is actually easier than one may think but remember, if you want it just like Julia’s you do need to put in the time to make it and of course the butter (the earth balance butter that is).

I would like to make note that I initially made this without tasting it. My mother an omnivore had to taste test because I had ruptured my esophagus a few nights before. She loved it and I caught her going back for “extra tastes” later on. I can say that the beef in the oven covered in flour and crisco and pureed onions made my house smell like heaven though. It was hard not to just throw doctors orders out the window and face the throat pain just for a little taste. But I didn’t. I tasted it last night though and it is divine. Please try out the recipe and I promise this will become a warm comforting favorite you can’t believe you lived without.

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Vegan Boeuf Bourguignon

(2) tablespoons Crisco

1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke

(1) Onion

(2) sticks Earth Balance Buttery Sticks

Kosher salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

(2) packages Gardein Beef

1/4 cup Flour

(1) Package Baby Carrots (diced)

(1) package of white button mushrooms

(3) Medium Yukon Potatoes

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon frozen minced garlic

(3) Cups Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine

(3) Cups Water

(2) tablespoons Vegetable Bouillion

(1) Small 6oz can of Tomato Paste

2-3 bay leaves

2-3 tablespoons parsley (fresh preferred)

1/2 cup flour (to make paste)

Preparation:

Rough Chop onions.
Dice Carrots and mushrooms.
Chop Potatoes into cubes.
Place extra large sauce pan or dutch oven on medium low heat with crisco, liquid smoke, and at least 1-2tablespoons salt.
Preheat oven to 350degrees.
Get out a small food processor or immersion blender and several spoons. You will want to check the salt/seasoning level throughout.

Begin Cooking:

Once the crisco melts at onions and stir onion, oil, salt, smoke misture until onions are golden.
Take onions out leaving a small amount of oil in the pan.
Puree onions in the food processor then return mixture into the pan.
Add (2) packages of Gardein Beef Tips. Cook until slightly soft and seared about 3-5 minutes.
Sprinkle on 1/4cup of flour and stir until meat is covered in the onion flour mixture.
Place beef cubes on a cookie sheet and place in warm oven approximately 30 minutes.
Take 1 stick of butter place in pan and scrape the bottom bits up. Add Garlic.
Add carrots and cover in melted butter. Add mushrooms next. Add salt and pepper while tossing.
Add vegetable bouillion, water, thyme. Mix well until everything is combined. Start to simmer.
After the sauce is simmering add tomato paste and wine.
After the sauce has cooked down about 30 minutes and the meat is crusty and firm on the outside, add the potatoes and meat back into the stew.
Stir in 2-3 bay leaves and parsley.

Finishing it Off:

Last, after another 30 minutes. Remove 1-2 cups of the broth, a few carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes and place in a small sauce pan (my immersion blender has a little pot to puree in so I use that). Add 1/2cup of flour and make a paste with an immersion blender.
Add last stick of butter to stew pot and then stir in paste with the immersion blender until creamy and combined.
Cook for at least 30 more minutes. It will be nice and thick and the wine will have cooked down at this point. Your home will also smell like heaven.
Serve hot with some crusty bread on a blustery fall or winter weekend.
It also keeps for about a week in the fridge or for months in the freezer! Enjoy!

Total servings 12. Serving Size is approximately 1 cup.

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XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Posted by LD in Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Appetizers, Meatless Monday Family Dinners and tagged with baby carrots, broccoli, broccoli cheddar, broccoli cheese, broccoli cheese soup, carrots, cheese, cheese soup, chowder, cream, cream cheese, cream of broccoli, creamer, creamy, daiya, flour, garlic, holiday, meatless mondays, mozzarella, olive oil, onion, Party, recipe, salt, silk, soup, sour cream, sour supreme, soy cream, soy milk, stew, tofutti, Vegan, vegan broccoli cheese soup, vegetable bouillion, vegetable broth, vegetarian, water, what to eat, what vegans eat September 17, 2013

When I wasn’t vegan and I was applying to law school I worked at a law firm in Quincy, MA near a Panera Bread. My favorite lunch was always a bowl of their signature Broccoli Cheese Soup and a toasted Asiago bagel and an apple. The soup was so decadent and the sharp Asiago smothering the bagel made me just fall into a million pieces. I would’ve eaten this over a filet mignon or fancy lobster dinner (mostly because I never liked either but also because it was that good in my mind). So when I was beginning my ideas for this next week of blogging on soups, stews, and chowders I thought that I really must start off with Broccoli Cheese Soup. I have eaten the broccoli cheese soup in Chef Chloe’s cookbook and it is very good and very healthy but I wanted to make a truly decadent creamy creation that reminded me of that soup near the law firm. So with that I present my version.

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Creamy Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

6 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste (I use Penzey’s)

1 1/3 cup Daiya Mozzarella Shreds

(1) White Onion

(2) Heads of Broccoli

(6) Small or Baby Carrots

1 qt of Soy Creamer

1/2 cup soy milk

1 cup of water

1/4 cup Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese

1/4 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme Sour Cream

Salt

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Prepare the Base:

Put (2) tablespoons of oil in a pan with salt and (1) onion chopped into rings.
Sweat the onion on medium heat until very soft and light golden brown. They will naturally start to separate as they heat up, so continue stirring.
Take 1/2 of the onions out and place in an extra large sauce pan. Add broccoli and 1 tbsp oil and place on medium heat,
Toss oil, onions, and broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Leave on medium heat.
Take remaining onions in the frying pan and add 3 tablespoons oil and flour. Stir until it forms a paste.

Cooking down the soup:

Pour creamer into large sauce pot with broccoli and onion mixture.
Bring to a simmer.
Add all remaining ingredients and oil/onion paste except for carrots.
Stir until broccoli is soft and well combined. The sauce should be thick now and form a film on top if not constantly stirred.
Take an immersion blender and place in pot allowing the blender to chop and puree the broccoli. You can reserve a few small pieces if you want it a little chunkier.
Then shred the carrots with a peeler or making matchsticks with a sharp knife and add a few minutes before serving. These should be cooked but slightly crisp.
Serve hot and Enjoy!

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Serves (7). 1 cup servings. WW Points 11.

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XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Fillo Primavera: Veggie and Cheese Filled Pastries

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Appetizers, Meatless Monday Desserts, Meatless Monday Family Dinners, QUICKIES! and tagged with Alfredo Sauce, broccoli, cheese, chicken, cinnamon, cream cheese, daiya, dessert, Easy, Fast, Fillo, Fillo Factory, Fillo Primavera, garlic, holiday, Low Ingredient, low sodium, meatless mondays, olive oil, onion, Party, pastry, Pie, potluck, primavera, quick, recipe, tomato, tomatoes, Vegan, vegan pastries, vegetable pastry, vegetarian, veggie and cheese pastries, Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauce, what to eat, what vegans eat August 20, 2013

I love that there are so many types of pastry and dough on the market that are vegan. Mostly because Crisco and Shortening are vegan, not healthy, but vegan none the less. So when I was craving something like a Beef Wellington pastry I thought oooh I bet I could make those with fillo dough, pie dough, Pillsbury Croissant Dough, or even pizza dough! So for my first attempt I didn’t go straight to the Gardein Beef but instead to some veggies and Daiya cheese but please feel free to try these with any type of faux meat, vegetable, cheese, or even fruit! The Farmer’s Markets are brimming with good things lately so I encourage you to experiment with this. Make an eggplant parm fillo or even a butternut squash one with a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar try a dessert fillo with peaches and earth balance , sugar, ginger, and cardamom. Whatever you can imagine will fit perfectly in this dough!

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Fillo Primavera

1 box Organic Fillo Dough
1 head broccoli
2 tomatoes
1 block Daiya Havarti Cheese
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Dehydrated Onions
Olive Oil
Optional: 1 Container of Victoria Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce or Rao’s Marinara Sauce (Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauces are available at www.veganessentials.com and Rao’s Sauces are available in most grocery stores including Whole Foods)

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Prepare!

Chop all veggies into tiny pieces to accommodate the fillo packages that will go in the muffin pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray muffin pans lightly with olive oil.
Cut fillo dough into squares twice as large as the muffin tin holes.
Place at least 3 sheets of the fillo dough square into each muffin tin hole.
Spray dough with olive oil, sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and Spices.
Place chopped veggies and crumbled cheese into each fillo muffin.
Add 1-2 tsp of optional sauces at this time like Victoria Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo or Rao’s Marinara.
Sprinkle tops with more salt, pepper, and spices.
Bring excess dough to a point and twist. Spray with olive oil and a sprinkle of finishing salt.

Cook!

Bake for at least 15minutes or until the dough on top starts to darken and the dough separates from the sides of the muffin tin. It may take longer depending on how dense your cups and what types of ingredients you filled it with.
Note: Use more fill sheets for juicier fruits and veggies and less for more dense foods like chicken and broccoli.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

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XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Grilling for Vegans: What to Eat and How to Make it

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, QUICKIES!, Shopping Vegan, Traveling Vegan and tagged with barbecue, barbeque, BBQ, burger, corn, Easy, Fast, grill, grill corn, grilled portobello, grilling, holiday, how to grill, Low Ingredient, low sodium, mushrooms, olive oil, Party, potluck, quick, recipe, roasted veggies, summer, summer bbq recipes, summer recipes, travel, Vegan, vegan burger, vegan grilling, vegan hamburger, vegan hot dog, vegan sausage, vegetarian, veggie burger, what to eat, what to grill, what vegans eat July 19, 2013

As grilling season approaches I realize that my husband gets so excited his heart may just explode. I say it is from the meat heavy dishes and he says it is from the amazing Weber Grill my father got him as a present. Whatever the case is I make him grill me veggie burgers, corn, whatever. And he has started to become an expert. No grill baskets needed. So here is my veg-lovers guide to eating at a barbecue without all the looks (except of envy) and the extra equipment!

1. Invest in fresh veggies. The frozen kind will not be able to hold up to direct fire. Save those for the wintertime when you are feeling lethargic and uninspired.

2. Buy tinfoil/aluminum foil. This is a cheaper but I admit a less ecofriendly option to grill baskets but it is reasonable especially when you have a bunch of people hitting up your home on a hot day. You can just toss out the oil salty foil after and worry about that sink another day. And no cross contamination!

3. Invest in an olive oil mist sprayer. I have the one from Macy’s that I also know Martha Stewart sells. It works and doesn’t slather on too much oil.

4. The only seasoning you need is salt and pepper. That being said take any veggies you want and spray them season them throw them on tinfoil and grill to your hearts desire. I am a big fan of grilling corn, chopped broccoli florets, Portobello mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. My Aunt came over the other day with pineapple and my husband grilled it right on the grill no foil needed and we topped our burgers with it.

As for a good grillable burger. Which is every vegan’s 10million dollar question… My husband makes my Vegan Boca Burgers on foil on the grill or Dominix Eggplant Burgers. Perfect with a little ketchup and mustard!

A good grillable sausage? I am obsessed with Tofurky’s Beer Brats. I mean obsessed. No foil needed and I will eat them year round. We also do soy hot dogs and all seem to be good so I just get whatever is on sale. The kids don’t notice the difference but on a side note cook them in a hot dog toaster or microwave. The grill sometimes overcooks them fast. You can place on for a second after for the grill markings.

Enjoy!

XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Veganized Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti Dish with an Alfredo Sauce

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners and tagged with alfredo, applebee's, broccoli, cheese, chicken, chicken alfredo, chicken broccoli ziti, cream sauce, daiya, Easy, garlic, holiday, macaroni, meatless mondays, nooch, noodle, nutritional yeast, olive oil, Party, pasta, potluck, recipe, roasted broccoli, roasted veggies, Vegan, veganized, vegetarian, what to eat, what vegans eat, ziti July 19, 2013

When I was a kid my family would go to Applebee’s on a regular basis and then to the movie theatre next door. We loved these trips. My brother would always order the Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti dish with a side of garlic bread. I began to order this dish as well. It was always a hit. It was only my second favorite to the chicken fingers because of their honey mustard sauce which even today I am sure has some sort of addictive drug in it and is made out of magic, but I digress.

*Please note: They have nothing vegan at Applebee’s anymore even their salads and side item veggies have meat or dairy in them 😦

My brother and his wife gave birth to a son this past month. So in honor of his new son (Nolan) and what will surely be his new son’s eating habits, I will post my recipe for a veganized Chicken, Broccoli, and Ziti. I must also make note that my step children and husband beg for this meal and state it is their favorite dinner and they are all omnivores.

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Nolan’s Chicken, Broccoli, and Ziti

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Alfredo Sauce

1/4 block of Daiya Havarti

1-2cups of Silk Soy Creamer

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

1 dash of thyme

1 dash of nutmeg

1 tbsp granulated garlic

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

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“Chicken”

1 boxed container of Beyond Meat (R) Lightly Salted Chicken Strips

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

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Broccoli

2 heads of broccoli

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

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Ziti

2lbs of boxed ziti

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PREPARATION

Boil a large pot of salted water.
Add 2lbs of boxed ziti. Cook until al dente drain.
Wait to place in serving bowl until other items are done.
Dice Chicken Strips into cubes place in frying pan on medium with olive oil salt and pepper and sautee until hot. Place to the side.
Preheat oven to 450degrees.
Take the stems of the broccoli heads. Then cut into small 1-2 inch florets and slice each floret down the center so it has one flat side.
On a cookie sheet toss broccoli with an ample amount of olive oil until well covered and the cookie sheet is as well. Toss with a good amount to salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Place broccoli in oven for 25-28minutes. Or until crispy and roasted with carmelized edges. Small pieces may appear burnt.

In a sauce pan place oil, salt, and pepper until warm then add cream and cheese. If it appears to thin as it cooks down feel free to add a cornstarch/arrowroot slurry or some Galaxy brand parmesan cheese or even nutritional yeast (“nooch”).
When sauce is complete add chicken to it until well combined and then toss with pasta.
Last add roasted broccoli and toss lightly into mixture.
Serve hot. Crusty bread is always a great side choice as well!

Enjoy!

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XOXOX,

The Hippie Gypsy

Easy BBQ Seitan on Pretzel Rolls

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners, QUICKIES!, Traveling Vegan and tagged with agave, barbeque, barbeque sauce, BBQ, bbq chicken sandwich, bbq sauce, bbq seitan, cream cheese, daiya, Easy, Fast, garlic, havarti, holiday, honey, lettuce, liquid smoke, Low Ingredient, meatless mondays, olive oil, Party, potluck, pretzel rolls, quick, recipe, recipes, rolls, smoky sweet seitan, summer bbq recipes, summer recipes, tofurky, tomato, Vegan, vegan barbeque chicken, Vegan BBQ, vegan bbq chicken, vegan bbq chicken sandwich, vegan pretzel rolls, Vegan Pulled Pork, vegetarian, what to eat, what vegans eat April 3, 2013

One of my fave things as a kid was getting to grill with my dad in the summer. I would swim in our pool all day and then stand next to my dad in my bathing suit and side pony tail as he would grill hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, brats, and steak tips. Fast forward 25 years and I am vegan. Last year I discovered the Tofurky Beer Brats which taste on point despite a slightly herb hued green in them and are grillable which is amazing because most things (my husband has learned) fall apart on the grill if they are stamped “vegan”. So what about things like ribs and steak tips and BBQ chicken? I have not figured out any grillable options yet but I have 2 very yummy bbq sauce smoky flavored options still that you can cook indoors. One is Morningstar Farms BBQ Riblets which remind me of those school lunch riblet sandwiches without the yucky fat hard chunks in them. This Seitan recipe below though is my smoky sweet version of a bbq chicken sandwich or even a pulled pork sandwich that you can make at home in your kitchen and dream of the summer heat filling your backyard. And it only takes a few minutes to prepare after the rolls are done!

Spring has sprung so let’s make those dreams a reality folks!

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Smoky, Sweet BBQ Seitan on Pretzel Rolls

Ingredients:

Vegan Pretzel Rolls ( I use this recipe by Guy Fieri: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/pretzel-rolls-recipe/index.html )

Organic Vegan BBQ Sauce

1 tsp Liquid Smoke

1 tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey (if you are a vegan that eats honey like me)

1 package West Soy Seitan Strips or Cubes (Strips work better in a sandwich but you can chop the cubes for a “shredded/pulled pork style”)

Olive Oil

Garlic (I use chopped frozen)

Kosher Salt

Pepper

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Place olive oil and 1 tsp of salt in a frying pan over medium heat. Olive oil should thinly cover the bottom of the pan and you can always add more by the teaspoon if you need it. When it bubbles, add seitan and pepper to taste. Then add garlic to taste. I use at least 1/2tbsp. Heat until there are some brown bits forming on the bottom. Then squeeze in a tbsp of agave and 1 tsp of liquid smoke. Toss until well combined. Add BBQ sauce until well covered. Toss lightly and place on warm rolls. Serve hot. Enjoy!

For a Whole Meal: Add the Farro Salad and finish it off with the Fourth of July Trifle we made last year and it will be perfect for a summer party!

Optional Add Ons: Add sliced tomatoes, lettuce, some pickled jalapeno, and melt on Daiya Havarti cheese.

XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy

My Vegan Easter Dinner Menu

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners, Menus, QUICKIES!, Traveling Vegan and tagged with almond, appetizer, asparagus, Au Gratin, balsamic vinegar, basil, braised, bread, carrots, Cheesy, chopped salad, daiya, dinner, Easter, Easter Dinner, Easter Menu, Easy, Fast, garlic, glazed, Ham, holiday, Low Ingredient, meatless mondays, menu, olive oil, onion, Parker House Rolls, Party, Potatoes, potluck, recipe, rolls, salad, scalloped potatoes, seitan, side dish, smoky, sweet, tofurky, tomato, travel, vanilla, Vegan, vegetarian, what vegans eat March 28, 2013

Being Vegan at Easter is a strange situation. Easter is about honoring a man who died for our sins and the celebrations of compassion, faith, rebirth and yet we kill animals to celebrate. Does that mean the ham is supposed to be Jesus and we are just reenacting this whole mess, like at church how we eat the bread and call it the body of Christ? Kinda odd how us humans do things isn’t it? At least the Eucharist is vegan. I think.

Last year we skipped the normal brunch with my family because of some internal issues with the family and my wedding was about to happen. It was a crazy time. This year we are doing a dinner at the parents house. My husband lives for these events because he can feast on meat and cheese (even though he is lactose intolerant) until he passes out in a food coma. I however know that at these events it is a time to cook the night before or analyze menus of possible “brunch” spots for weeks so that I can call and preorder my veganized entrée. I preorder now in most cases because certain parts of my family get very irritated with my vegan ordering and the fact I always end up explaining “why” I am vegan. I don’t mind telling the story (because it was a health issue and not some factory farm scary story) but I have learned that it makes a very sensitive issue (food) a more sensitive issue to those that may already be hyper aware of poor eating habits and their own choices that they are silently sensitive of.

So this year is good because I am bringing my own food to my parents and that is the easiest way to guarantee I eat well on a holiday. Although I must note my mother has become quite the vegan friendly chef and is constantly finding new vegan foods and recipes for me. Once I got the green light, I then fell into a confused panic. What do I substitute for the traditional Ham dinner? I could’ve made a killer brunch but a ham dinner? That is hard.

So I inventoried several traditional Easter Dinner “Menus” and picked items that were the most common:

Glazed Ham
Parker House Rolls
Scalloped Potatoes
Cooked Asparagus
Cooked Carrots
Salad

When I took a look at this menu I thought this is easy to veganize except for the ham (and I am not much for Asparagus but whatever), and the ham is always a staple. Which was my original debacle. Some serve Lamb instead but I was hard pressed to find a faux lamb roast on a few days notice either. So I decided I will recreate every item on this menu with a vegan option recipe and I will have to figure out something for that rich sweet and salty ham. I could be simple and just throw in a roast of any sort. A field roast from the refrigerated section or a Gardein Holiday Roast but no, no, no… I am going to master this with an option that will be just as filling and tasty and will harmonize with this spring Easter theme without being too Hippie/Crunchy/Healthy since it is an indulgent feast we are having, no?

Let us start with our cooked veggies.

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Maple Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

1 package Peeled Baby Carrots

3 tbsp olive oil or an olive oil sprayer

1/4 cup maple syrup whisked with 2-3tbs of water

Kosher Salt

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Preheat Oven at 425degrees. Spray carrots with olive oil or toss in olive oil and place in a roasting pan or in a cake pan if you don’t have one. Sprinkle with salt and then use a basting blush to baste carrots with syrup/water mixture. Once all are basted drizzle any excess over the whole pan of carrots. Roast until brown and soft.

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Braised Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh asparagus

3 tbsp olive oil or olive oil sprayer

kosher salt

ground black pepper

1/8 cup dehydrated minced onions

1/8 cup water

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Preheat oven to 425degrees.

In a pan bring brown onions by heating water and oil and a pinch of salt together on medium low. Once the onions are lightly browned toss in asparagus salt and some ground pepper to taste. Once the asparagus is lightly seared on one side transfer to the oven in an oven safe dish until tender.

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Chopped Tomato Basil Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 Bunch of Fresh Basil

2 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Onions

4 Tomatoes (freshly diced)

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1tbsp Kosher Salt

1-2 tbsp Granulated Garlic or Minced Frozen Garlic

2 tbsp Agave Nectar

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Toss shredded basil, diced tomatoes, and onions in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk together all other contents until combined. Then drizzle over the tomatoes until covered and toss. I rebalance the vinegar oil combo each time I make this so please feel free to play with it or just by a simple balsamic dressing and add garlic and agave after! After everything is combined place in fridge to marinate for at least 30minutes. Serve cold.

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Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 small bag of white, red, or purple potatoes (about 2 lbs)

1/2 Earth Balance Buttery Stick

1 cup Soy or Almond Milk

1 block Daiya Havarti Cheese

1 bag Daiya Mozzarella Cheese

Kosher Salt

Ground Pepper

Thyme

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Preheat the oven to 350degrees.

Gather a casserole or Pyrex dish that is decorative enough that you would serve this in. I use a circular Pyrex dish that looks similar to a pie plate. So you can see the layers.

Next you need a large mixing bowl, potato peeler, knife, chopping board/mat, and mandoline.

First grease the casserole ban using the earth balance and take the rest and place it in a microwave safe container with the milk. This will be microwaved until the butter is melted and then whisked until combined right before you place the contents in the oven.

I half peel the potatoes so then have some skin. You can fully peel if this is your preference. I then slice them on the mandoline at a varied size between paper-thin and the 2nd thinnest setting. Placing the discs of potato in a mixing bowl and sprinkling them with salt from time to time.

Next, begin layering the potato discs into the casserole. I overlap them on the edges and work around the edge and in a circular motion spiraling to the center. When I get to the center I sprinkle the layer very lightly with salt, pepper, and mozzarella cheese and then do another layer spiraling outward with potatoes again. The next payer I alternate the sprinkling to simple the havarti cheese which I pinch small amounts of and sprinkle on and do a layer of thyme. No salt or pepper this time. Then another layer and we alternate back to the salt, pepper, and mozzarella. This goes on until you reach the top layer which gets a little of each sprinkle topping and then the warm milk mixture is poured on top.

Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Let sit 2minutes. Serve hot.

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Parker House Rolls

So I rarely suggest a recipe I have not tried or invented myself but my mother seems to be able to buy Parker House Rolls in Charlestown so I never make them (oh and Charlestown is a Boston Neighborhood known for bank robbers where my family lives but they don’t rob banks, see the movie “The Town” with Ben Affleck, it is not the same as Charleston in South Carolina; different accent, different tea). So I looked through the web and found one recipe I found trusty and delicious and that looked like what my mother so successfully procures for the holidays.

Here is Veganize Everything’s blog recipe on Parker House Rolls: http://veganizeeverything.blogspot.com/2012/01/vegan-parker-house-rolls.html

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Now for the ham. This has literally taken days for me to figure out. I am not going to lie, I probably should’ve given out some silly note to just go buy a Field Roast. I also found a Vegan Ham Roll along my journeys so those that love ham feel free to find it online or at your local Natural Foods store. I however was continuing my journey until I stumbled upon this site: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/11/definitive-vegan-stuffing-post-recipe.html . It made me realize that I could do a lot with a vegan dish I just learned to make: Seitan! Or as my husband likes to joke “that Satan stuff”.

I buy the West Soy Seitan Cubes to make Seitan Marsala. So why not make a smoky, sweet ham version? I think we will. You will need the Seitan cubes, maple syrup, pineapple, and maybe some liquid smoke I imagine. So I looked through some recipes and this is my version of Easter Dinner’s Main course.

Smoky, Sweet Easter Seitan Dinner

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Ground Black Pepper

1 Package West Soy Seitan Cubes

1 can crushed pineapple (optional)

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1tsp liquid smoke

In a deeper frying pan place olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Toss in Seitan Cubes once the skillet is warm. Next sprinkle the seitan with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the seitan in oil with a spatula until lightly browned avoiding splashing the oil, then add liquid smoke and maple syrup. Allow to reduce slightly and carmelize, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Then toss in crushed pineapple right before serving for a ham and pineapple vibe if you feel so inclined.

Enjoy!

Happy Pi Day! Try a Savory Pizza Pie today.

Posted by LD in Beginner Recipes, Meatless Monday Family Dinners, QUICKIES! and tagged with cheese, cheese pizza, daiya, Easy, Fast, garlic, havarti, jalapeno, Low Ingredient, mozzarella, olive oil, Party, Pie, pizza, pizza pie, quick, recipe, tomato, tomato sauce, Vegan, vegan pizza, vegetarian, what to eat, what vegans eat March 14, 2013

I have lots of pie recipes already on my page but I figured on “Pi” day we should post some more!

My favorite pies are always fruit pies but we cannot forget savory pies! I just tried Amy’s frozen Shepherd’s Pie and love it! The Tamale Pie is good as well, but not my favorite if I had to pick. Today in honor of “Pi” day I brought an Amy’s Vegan Shepherd’s Pie for lunch. I am very excited about it.

So if we think some more there are tons of “pies” in the world to make. Mud pies, cream pies, fruit pies, pot pies, meat pies, Quiche pies, and pizza pies! So in honor of Pi Day, below is my favorite Pizza Pie Recipe!

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Vegan Cheese Pizza Pie

1 refrigerated or home-made pizza dough

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of Rao’s Marinara Sauce or Tomato Basil Sauce

1/4 Cup Shredded Fresh basil (you can use a few tbs of dried if you don’t have fresh)

1/2 to 1 bag of Daiya Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 to 1/2 of a block of Daiya Garlic Jalapeno Havarti

Olive Oil Spray (I have my own sprayer but you can buy it too)

Chili Garlic Infused Olive Oil or “Pizza Oil”

Kosher Salt

Granulated Garlic

I preheat my oven on 450degrees and place my pizza stone in the oven on the center rack. It is pretty important to get the stone as hot as possible. It make the crust crispier. If you use a pizza pan or a cookie sheet it will be softer but still delicious. If you want the exact stone I have, it is at Crate & Barrel. As you can tell I am a fan of them and I registered their for my wedding.

I then place some flour on a baking sheet and put my dough on top. I buy pizza dough from Whole Foods (frozen section) or a local grocery rather than make my own half the time because I am lazy lately. It is just as good since dough is usually just salt, water, flour, yeast.

I get both sides lightly coated with flour and get flour on my hands and start to stretch out the dough by placing my knuckles inside the center and gently rotating in a circle and stretching outward. Do not toss it or create holes by overstretching. You can also just hold the edge of the dough and shimmy around the edge letting the dough naturally stretch by hanging and rotating it .

When it is slightly thin in the center and still a little thick on the edges I sprinkle a small amount of salt on the stone and then place down my dough directly on the hot stone with the oven open. Please be careful while you do this. It will be hot in there. I pull the rack out slightly so that it doesn’t tip and I don’t have to reaching into the hot oven all the way. You can always remove the stone and place it on the stove top but its super hot and heavy.

I then lightly spray the dough with olive oil on top. Then sprinkle the edges with salt and garlic so the crust is seasoned well. If I have dry basil I will sprinkle the whole top with it for extra flavor in the dough.

I then place the tomato sauce in the center and spread it out with a spoon. Do not use too much sauce it will make the cheese to liquidy when it melts. It should appear thin in areas.

Now sprinkle the mozzarella evenly and lightly. I use between 1/2 and 1 whole bag per pizza depending on the size of the pizza. Use your own judgement but cover the pizza so that you can still see sauce. Then add the basil so it is thoroughly integrated across the cheese. I cut my basil up with herb scissors. I am pretty obsessed with them and use them often for a variety of things. The basil really brings out the right flavors in the Daiya so I always say basil is required!

Next pinch out small balls of the Havarti Daiya from the block and drop it on the pizza every inch or two. This really makes the pizza divine! it adds a little spice but makes the pizza appear beautiful like chunks of mozzarella have melted and browned on top.

Last drizzle with the pizza oil. I use one I got at Crate and Barrel but it is no longer for sale here is the review though. Here is a similar kind for sale online in the UK. All it is made up of is olive oil infused with chili pepper or cayenne pepper, garlic, oregano, and rosemary. You can always make your own. I will when mine runs out!

Now you just place it back inside the oven, close the door, and wait for the magic to happen. It takes at least 15minutes if not twenty. I just look for brown crust and bubbling top. It will look a little liquidy on top but when it cools it will be perfect. My test is to have brown spots on top and then the spatula going under the dough feels the dough is hard and crispy.

Take out, let rest 5minutes, serve hot, and enjoy!

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This is by far the best pizza recipe I have come up with in the last two years of trying. I am such a pizza snob now because of it. I cannot express how much my husband and his omni friends love my pizza. Please try it out on everyone and report back. This was my mission to make so I really want to hear your opinions, see pictures, and everything!

Much love, The Hippie Gypsy

The Hippie Gypsy

Food is Love. Will Travel For Veggies. Will Surf for Peace. Be the Change. Practice Compassion.

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Happy Pi Day! Try a Savory Pizza Pie today.