Citrus Salad

Got a case of the Mondays? This vibrant, refreshing salad should snap you out of it! It makes for a great reviving lunch; or, it could even be a breakfast salad. The citrus flavors are great for waking you up!

This was my first time using kumquats, so I was pretty excited to satisfy my veggieosity and test them out in this delicious salad...

Corn Chowder

I used to love clam chowder, though I never did really want the clams in there... I just liked the creamy soup in a bread bowl. After my yummy creamed spinach, I re-purposed some of the leftovers in creamed peas and corn, and then that eventually morphed into this soup after I was inspired by this post for vegan chowder. This recipe takes are a few of my favorite things, veganized!

Vegan Creamed Spinach and Roasted Cauliflower Slices

Creamed spinach is one of those things I loved as a vegetarian, and my sister-in-law always used to get a completely decadent version from a gourmet grocery store every year for Christmas. But, it's the type of dish that makes you feel kind of gross afterwords; it's rich, creamy, and delicious going down, but heavy and thick sitting in your stomach. That's not my favorite kind of food; my favorite food is food that makes me feel GOOD after eating it, but that's still delicious and satisfying. So I decided to take that creamed spinach and make it much healthier and vegan!

This vegan creamed spinach has a tofu base, so you can have it as a side or a meal; but it also uses a somewhat "creamy, cheesey" vegan white sauce, so it still tastes a little decadent. I paired it with a version of these "cauliflower steaks," which made for a delicious, healthy meal!

Lentil LOVE and Easy Cauliflower Purée

I don't want to sound like a total vegan cliché, but I love having a delicious fresh healthy meal after my yoga class. It just feels so good to eat something good for you after doing something good for you. And I have a new-found love of lentils. They are high in fiber, low in calories, totally filling, and I love their flavor. So after this week's class, I was going to just heat up some lentils and spinach, but there was a head of cauliflower in the bottom of my fridge just waiting to be used. I was tempted to simply steam it, but decided to do something a little more inventive, for minimally more effort...

Vegan Spinach Quiches

I loved the look & idea of these mini-quiches I saw on Finding Vegan. These little quiches came out great- a delicious quinoa crust and a hearty filling. Yum all around. They are easy to make, and relatively quick - about 30 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes in the oven. These are also good for lunches or storing in the freezer for an easy meal later in the week.

Adapted from this recipe from the Healthy Hipster.

Ingredients:
Crust:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds (I used whole flax seeds and ground them in a food processor for a few minutes)
• 2 Tbsp ground oats/oat flour, or flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp Spike or other seasoning

Filling:

• 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 package extra firm tofu

Steps:
For the crust:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions (will take about 10-15 minutes). Add the seasoning to the cooked quinoa, along with sea salt to taste.
2. Add about 1/2 cup (enough to cover the flax seeds) of water to a small bowl with the ground flax seeds. Allow the seeds to soak in the water for 5-10 minutes to thicken. 
3. Grind the oats in a food processor, or use whole wheat flour or ground oats instead, and add to the cooked quinoa. (I actually added about a spoonful of extra whole oats as well, just for a little additional texture, which I think came out well). After the flax seeds have soaked, add those as well and mix. 
4. Grease a muffin pan well, and add a large spoonful of the quinoa mix to each of the 12 muffin spots. Press along the outside of the muffin mold to form a crust. (The quinoa mix will be a little sticky, so it's easiest to use a spoon).

For the filling:

1. Drain the tofu well, pressing out any excess water. Slice and put into food processor along with the spices and all other filling ingredients besides the spinach. Mix until smooth.
2. Allow the spinach to thaw (or cook in microwave for a few minutes). Press out as much liquid as you can, making sure the spinach is not watery. Add the spinach to the food processor and briefly blend.
3. Add about 1/4 cup of the filling to each crust.

Cook at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes. Allow the mini-quiches to cool for about 5 minutes prior to removing from the pan. Serve warm & enjoy!

Notes: Based on this recipe, I just might start adding flax seeds to my quinoa dishes now. Is it weird that I like the smell of flax seeds??! In any case, I really liked the resulting flavor of the crust. Speaking of flavor, as with most recipes calling for it, I cut down the nutritional yeast in these quite a bit (from 1/4 cup to 2 Tbsp) - and this worked perfectly for me, as someone who doesn't like overwhelming nutritional yeast taste. I think 2 Tbsp is my limit... any more, and it would have been too much for me. 

A word on filling the quiches: make sure you press the filling into the crust- how you put it in is pretty much how it will come out, so you want the filling and the crust neatly pressed against the muffin mold. I didn't do this so well, which wasn't a big deal - it still tasted good! But if you are serving for others, you want to aim for a neat little pie. 

Additions & substitutions: Next time, I'm definitely adding some thinly sliced mushrooms to these- I think they would be a perfect addition here. I also think broccoli would go really well in these - there are so many variations here that would work well - tomatoes, asparagus, peppers (if you like 'em), artichoke hearts.... vegify the quiches to your heart's desire!

Veggie-Stuffed Zucchini

Recipe adapted from The Happy Go Lucky Vegan

I'm not a big fan of peppers (actually, I just plain don't eat them- they upset my stomach) - so I was pretty excited to try a variation to stuffed peppers. I actually really loved the filling in these- it was flavorful and delicious! I ended up making extra filling and having it for lunch, and also using the sauce on a stir-fry the next night too.

The sauteed filling: I added chard & asparagus to the original recipe.

Ingredients: for 2

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  
• 2 large zucchini (I used 1 zucchini and 1 summer squash since I love squash!)
• ~1/2 cup finely diced carrots
• ~1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 2 cups chopped spinach (or Swiss chard, or a combo- which is what I did)
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews or peanuts
• 1 Tbsp oil (for pan)
  
• 2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/8-1/4 tsp sirracha, or to taste
• Optional: other veggies, such as a few chopped spears of asparagus, or water chestnuts or green beans.

Prepped & ready for the oven!

Steps:

1. Mix the sauce: soy sauce, vinegar, and sirracha.
2. Prep all veggies: chop celery, carrots, and leafy greens. Cut the zucchini in half and use a Tbsp or spoon to scrape out the seeds & middle. You can save this middle, roughly chop, and use it in the stuffing. (I recommend adding a spoonful of the sauce to each halved-out zucchini and letting it soak in while you prep the other veg).
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Heat oil in saute pan and cook the garlic for ~1 min. Add carrots, cook 2-3 min, then add celery & zucchini chopped insides, cook 1 min, then add the greens and cook ~2min. Add the sauce, and cook a few more minutes, until greens are wilted. Don't overcook the veggies, as they will cook more in the oven; but the carrots should be slightly tender. (NOTE: I also added some chopped asparagus - I cooked them separately, until almost done, and added them to the stuffing before putting it the oven. It was a good addition).
5. Place the zucchini halves on tinfoil-lined cookie sheet, and spoon in the veggie filling. Wrap the stuffed zucchinis loosely in the tinfoil, and cook ~15-20 minutes until zucchini is tender, depending on the size of your zucchini (for the squash I used, I only cooked for about 15 min, since it was smaller)

The verdict: a good recipe, but despite the filling being flavorful, overall it came out a little bland. It may be my zucchini was too big, but I think, as noted above, it would help a lot to pour a little sauce into the hollowed-out zucchini prior to adding the stuffing, and let it soak in while you are prepping the stuffing. The sauce & stuffing were delicious and flavorful, so really it just needed to soak into the base better.

My husband and I also decided, next time: 1- sub the tamari for regular soy sauce (we're not gluten free, and the tamari tastes a little off), 2- use peanuts instead of cashews (the cashews I used didn't have any flavor, and I really think peanuts would bring out more here). Also, we thought adding a little peanut sauce for more flavor would be good- try drizzling a bit over the top. I could also up the sirracha a bit more- I played it safe and just used maybe 3-4 drops, but next time, I'm adding more!

Looking forward to trying this again! Thanks to Jesse at Happy Go Lucky Vegan for the recipe inspiration!

Vegan post-run brunch: tofu scramble breakfast burrito

Along with my husband and a few friends, I ran the San Francisco half marathon this Sunday (the first half, which goes across the Golden Gate bridge). Aside from waking up at 4:30 AM, it was great! Very hilly, though. After 13.1 miles of running up and down and all around San Francisco, I was craving a nice big breakfast! I have to admit, I was reaaaaaaaally jealous watching my husband eat his egg & cheese bagel, but I'd made a commitment to go vegan for the month of July, and it was July 31! I couldn't give up on the last day!

So instead, I waited until we got home and whipped up this vegan tofu scramble. It's sooooo easy to make, and, I was pleasantly surprised, made me just as happy as an egg & cheese bagel would have.

Vegan tofu scramble (my take):
Ingredients (for 1 burrito):

• 1 serving firm tofu, drained and cut into pieces
• 1-2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes in oil & herbs, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 small avocado
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
  
• olive oil
  
• 1 flour or wheat tortilla, burrito sized
  

Steps:

1. In a small pan, saute the shiitake mushrooms in some olive oil, and then set them aside.
2. Heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil and add tofu.
   
3. Once the tofu is beginning to brown, add the sundried tomatoes and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Add the rosemary and mix.
   
4. Heat the tortilla for about 10-15 seconds, and add the scramble, mushrooms, and sliced avocado. Enjoy!

(I just might have added ketchup to this too!)

I also enjoyed a vegan mini muffin with my post-race brunch!

Big Salads!

Often, I actually prefer my salads to those I can get at restaurants. It's not because I make any kind of amazing dressings or extra-special ingredients. It's because I like "salads with lots of stuff in them!"

My ideas of the anti-salad: soggy salads (ie- salads so overdressed you might as well be sipping dressing), "the wedge" (really! Who had the awful idea of chopping a head of iceberg in half and slathering some creamy dressing all over it and calling that a salad?!), or even worse- those iceberg lettuce salads from steakhouses of the 80s with 3 wedges of boring tomatoes and a few thickly sliced cucumbers. Yawn. What a waste of a vegiportunity! I like my salads to SING with vegetables.

What I love about salads is they can be made QUICKLY. And, when done properly, they are healthy, filling, and delicious. Here are my tips for making a good salad:

• Variety- Not just in the 'toppings' but in the lettuces. My favorite salads usually have at least 2 different kinds of lettuce (although a good kale or spinach salad doesn't have to- but if you're using something basic like romaine, or -God forbid- iceberg- definitely mix it up a bit. There are some good baby lettuce mixes you can buy pre-packaged, but make sure they are fresh). Adding some fresh herbs, like dill or basil, can also be a nice flavor addition.
  
• Color- this is another way to test the above- if you have a colorful, beautiful salad, chances are you've got some good variety in there (as well as different nutrients you need!)
  
• More veggies! I often like having chopped fresh steamed asparagus, zucchini or squash, sauteed mushrooms, beets, chic peas, jicama (for a nice crunch!), or sprouts in my salads.
• Nuts, fruits, & seeds- (what my husband calls twigs & berries) -Adding some dried or fresh fruit, healthy nuts, or seeds can go a long way to spicing up your salad. My new favorite is pomegranate seeds, which also pack a high punch of antioxidants. Trader Joes has some really good dried fruit options. Here are some ideas: raisins, cranberries, apricots, chopped figs or dates; mandarin oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries, apples, avocado; walnuts, almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds.
  
• Proteins(s) - Since I'm veggie, I like using beans, edamame, tofu, or tempeh. Adding some protein to your salad ensures it will keep you full, and takes it from a side to a meal. Items with healthy fats also go a long way towards keeping you full (like avocados and nuts), in addition to just making the salad really yummy!
  
• Freshness- Using fresh ingredients should always be a rule of thumb! The only real exception to this is some frozen veggies *can* be acceptable in a salad - corn is often ok, or peas, and sometimes artichoke hearts.
• Keep the dressing light! Don't drown your salads!!! Dressing shouldn't be the highlight of the salad, or the only thing you taste when you take a bite.
  

Some "Big Salad" meal ideas:

• Mandarin oranges, fresh dill, avocado, green apple, atop baby greens with a light dressing
  
• Middle-Eastern: hummus or chic peas, olives, feta, cannellini beans, sauteed zucchini, asparagus, atop fresh baby spinach with a balsamic dressing
  
• "Salsa salad": Black beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, avocado, jicama, atop shredded mixed iceberg and romaine lettuces, with salsa as the dressing
• Summer salad: strawberries, blueberries, edamame, sprouts, orange grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, atop baby arugula with a citrus or honey-mustard dressing

The salad pictured above has avocado, tempeh, pomegranate seeds, carrots, tomatoes, snow peas, edamame, and baby arugula blend. I used Brianna's dijon honey mustard dressing, which is awesome!!

Speaking of salad dressing, I usually look for low-fat dressings that will complement my salads rather than over-power them. Some of my favorite store-bought dressings:

• Brianna's Honey Mustard
• Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
  

While I do like making my own salads, these places have some of my favorite salads in the Bay Area (which, I might add, is a pretty darn good area to be in if you're a vegetarian or vegan who loves big salads with fresh ingredients!):

• Blue Barn Gourmet in San Francisco's Marina/Cow Hollow (Yelp)
• The Plant Cafe Organic in San Francisco - Embarcadero and Marina/Cow Hollow (Yelp)
• Paisan in Berkeley (Yelp)
• Crepevine - multiple locations in the Bay Area (Yelp)

Spinach Squares

Recipe courtesy of: Gail

These spinach squares are delicious & easy to make- great for dinner any time of year.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp butter, melted in a 9 x 13 pan
• 3 eggs
• 1 Cup of flour
• 1 Cup of milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 lb of grated Monterey jack cheese
• 2 10-oz boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (wring out most of the water)

Steps:

1. Melt butter in pan in oven (watch so it doesn't burn).
2. Beat eggs, flour, salt, baking soda, and milk.
3. Add cheese and spinach and then turn the mixture into the pan.
4. Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes.

Notes: These are good as leftovers too :-)

Thanks Gail!!

Chickpea and Spinach Saute

This recipe comes from my friend Lindsay, who got it from a Kronos class. It is yummy and filling, easy to make, and healthy too! Very good if you need to make a good-for-you meal quickly.

Ingredients: (serves: 2)

• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes - finely chopped (buy the olive-oil pack)
• 4 tsp oil - can use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup onion or shallot - finely chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves - minced
• 1 cup (canned) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• dash freshly ground pepper
• 6 cups spinach - coarsely chopped (fresh spinach is best)
• 2 tbsp pine nuts or chopped blanched almonds (optional)

Steps:

1. Increase heat to medium and add oil. Cook the onion and garlic about 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp. water and pepper. Heat through.
2. Add spinach; cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach is just wilted.
3. If adding nuts: Toast nuts in ungreased skillet over low heat one minute, stirring to avoid over browning. Remove and set aside, add to dish when finished and ready to serve.

Nutrition information (per serving):
344 calories, 14g protein, 17g fat (7g polyunsaturated- the good kind of fat!; 6g monounsaturated; 3g saturated fat; 0g trans fat- the really bad kind of fat!), 41g carbohydrates.