Peppermint Shake

Enjoy this treat next to the fireplace while watching your favorite winter family movie...

1/2 cup Silk Very Vanilla Soy Milk
1 cup Soy Vanilla Ice Cream
1 tsp Peppermint Syrup

1: Blend and serve!  :)

Buttered Pasta

Quick side-dish for those who love parmesan pasta! 

1/2 package pasta
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1/4 package Daiya Havarti wedge
1 tsp dried parsley
salt & cracked pepper

1: Boil pasta according to package instructions, strain and return to pot
2: Add Earth Balance, Daiya Havarti, parsley and cook on low until melted and completely mixed together

Local Yum: Shawn's Mac & Cheese

Bang Bang Cafe

I seriously dream of this vegan mac & cheese!  Love, love, love this tasty dish from Bang Bang Cafe.  And the BLT...smart bacon, lettuce, tomato and Vegenaise on that delicious bread!  I literally go out of my way to stop at this cafe every time I'm in Seattle!  You must try this mac and take an order to go!

Havarti & Cheddar Grilled Cheese

A perfect sandwich for the cold winter nights... enjoy this with a nice warm bowl of soup!

2 slices Country Oven Potato bread

4 slices of Havarti & Cheddar Daiya Wedge
Earth Balance

1: Spread Earth Balance on one side of bread and warm in skillet on low until Daiya is half melted
2: Add second slice of bread with Earth Balance and flip

 

 3: Slice and enjoy!

 

Option: Just cheddar with a bowl of tomato soup:

Local Yum: French Toast Donut!

Mighty-O Donuts

My younger brother, Zachary is eying these treats for good reason... they're vegan!  Mighty-O Donuts makes the best animal-free donuts!  Love all of the delicious flavors, especially the French Toast Donut!  And the apple fritters...so tasty!

Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

1 package Krusteaz pumpkin bake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tbsp ground flaxseed.4 tbsp water (egg replacer)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Pam cooking spray

1: Preheat oven to 400
2: Mix all ingredients together

 2: VERY IMPORTANT: Spray bundt pan with Pam Cooking Spray.  I say this because I've buttered with Earth Balance before, I've used vegetable oil... and my bundts always glued themselves to the pan.  Pam = perfect bundts!
3: Add one heaping spoonful to each bundt and make sure to level out the dough

 4: Bake for 10 minutes and let cool for half hour or more before attempting to remove the bundts!

Quinoa & Black Bean Burger

There was simply no way to make this patty look appetizing...but I promise, it was!  Super delicious and perfect with a bit of gravy or a sauce over the top!

1/2 cup quinoa (1 cup water)
1 can black beans
1 tsp olive oil
salt & cracked pepper

1: Bring 1 cup water and quinoa to a boil, then simmer covered for 10 minutes.

2: Fluff with fork, add olive oil, salt & pepper and can of drained black beans

3: Mash all together.  At this point you could add onions, peppers or anything else you might fancy

4: Fry them on medium in a pan with a bit of olive oil until lightly browned

5: Flip over VERY carefully, as these do not stay together until they have been allowed to cool a bit

6: Serve with gravy with mashed potatoes...or on a bun!

Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes

Oh my goodness!  So creamy and delicious and perfect with a nice herb gravy!

10 red potatoes
1/2 cup Silk Soy Milk (I used Very Vanilla to make them sweet)
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
salt & cracked pepper

1: Clean red potatoes very thoroughly, chop into chunks and boil until soft (maybe 12 minutes).  Strain and return to pot

 2: Add Earth Balance and soy milk and mash ingredients together

 3: Add garlic, dried parsley, lots of salt & cracked pepper and heat on medium, stirring continuously, until garlic has been infused into potatoes (about 5 minutes)
4: Serve warm (with gravy if you'd like!)

Local Yum: PB Joy

Oh my goodness!  I didn't make this, but I wish I did!  It's from the Flying Apron Bakery (Vegan & Gluten-free) here in Seattle.  A peanut butter ball! 

Ingredients: Organic peanut butter, organic maple syrup, organic shredded coconut, organic sunflower seeds, organic gluten-free oats, organic raisins, organic brown rice syrup, organic dark chocolate chips (cacao mass, soy lecithin), organic vanilla, organic palm oil, organic cinnamon, sea salt

Mom's Potato Salad

Updated from a previous recipe, this is a special potato salad that my Mom used to make for family holidays together.  Over the years of helping her make this, I became an expert potato peeler!  It is best to make this the day before it's meant to be served, as the flavors will have time to set in and the salad is best served chilled.  I could eat this morning, noon and night!

10-12 russet or red (or both!) potatoes
2 stalks celery
1/2 red onion
2 large (or 5 small) dill pickles
6 radishes
Vegenaise
mustard
celery seed
salt & cracked pepper

1: Peel potatoes, cut into cubes and boil until medium-soft (very important not to boil too long or your salad will be mash!).  Rinse in cold water and set aside

2: Dice onion, celery stalks, pickles and radishes, then add the mixture to cooled potatoes

3: Generously add the Veganaise, mustard, celery seed, salt/cracked pepper to suit your taste.  I, personally, have a mustard obsession

4: Add sliced radishes for decoration (my Mom's signature!), chill overnight (if possible) and serve cold...delicious!

*Note: My mom's recipe involved Miracle Whip (she does NOT like Mayo!) and hard-boiled eggs.  I added the celery seed.  Also, do not add sliced red peppers...I learned the hard way--it will make it taste like grocery store potato salad!  :-/

Cream Cheese Pasta

Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese melted deliciously!  If you like your pasta a bit more creamy, add another tbsp cream cheese and double the Earth Balance!

1/2 package penne pasta
3 tbsp Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese Herbs & Chives
1 tsp Earth Balance
1 tsp dried parsley
salt & pepper

Makes: 2 servings

1: Prepare pasta as directed on package, drain and add back to pot

 2: Heat on low-medium, adding Tofutti cream cheese and Earth balance and stir until melted

 3: Add parsley, salt and pepper to your taste!  Eat this warm or add a sauce over it if you'd like!

Tortilla Calzones

Prepare this in a snap!  Lots of flavor and easy to make with tortillas... try it with your favorite pizza dough recipe!

3 tortillas

1 Field Roast Italian sausage
pizza sauce
3 tbsp Daiya Mozzarella shreds
1 tsp Earth Balance

Makes 3 calzones

1: Preheat oven to 400
2: Slice up Field Roast Italian sausage

3: Heat on medium until thoroughly cooked (about five minutes)

4: Use Earth Balance to butter bottom of tortilla

5: Add cooked sausage, sauce and 1 tbsp of Daiya to each tortilla

6: Wrap in edges of tortilla and fold over in half

7: Bake for 7 minutes and flip over, baking for 3 minutes on the other side

Alternative: Little Caesars Crazy Bread

A little guilty pleasure of mine... breadsticks from Little Caesars!  These are vegan if you ask for them without butter/parmesan cheese.  The Crazy Sauce is also free of animal-products.  I looooove to pick up an order of these and have them with a bit of veggie soup or pasta at home. :)

And just a side note: their pizza crust and sauce are also vegan, so order a cheese-free pie and add your own veggies and Daiya at home!

Creamy Gravy Burger

There are all kinds of ways I could gourmet this burger up... but let's work with what we have in the kitchen!

2 ciabatta squares
Boca Original Vegan Meatless Burgers
1 package Hain Vegetarian Brown Gravy Mix
sliced onions
1 tbsp Daiya Mozzarella shreds

Makes: 2 sandwiches (with gravy to spare!)

 

1: Heat Boca burgers on medium with olive oil and sliced onions until thoroughly heated

2: Boil 3/4 cup water and add gravy mix and whisk together until completely mixed (directions for gravy call for 1 cup water, but I enjoy a thicker gravy)

3: Stir frequently until gravy thickens, then add Daiya

4: Assemble sandwich with Boca burger and onions and drizzle gravy over the top

 

Alternate Option: If you like open-faced sandwiches, you can toast the bottom part of the bread and leave the top off