Author: HappyFoodNinja

Hey, my name is Adrianne, but I like to call myself the Happy Food Ninja! I am excited to share my love of food and cooking with you. My goal is to introduce you to easy ways to make delicious food, no matter what diet you subscribe to.

Simple Kale Chips

Simple vegan kale chips
20 Simple vegan kale chips

I was going to buy kale chips the other day, and then I was like  “why would I do that?” They are so simple, and quick to make at home, and wayyyy cheaper. So here is your very simple kale chip recipe. Feel free to add other seasonings of choice to jazz them up a bit, though they are delicious as is. My toddler loved them! She kept asking for the “crackers” how could I say no? The picture above is her sneaking a few as I was attempting to shot a legitimate photo. I couldn’t keep her out of them long enough to get a good picture, so you have proof these are irresistible to toddlers.

Kale Chips

 Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of curly kale de-stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200F.
  2. Place the chopped kale into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands massage the kale with the oil until each leaf is coated with oil.
  3. Place kale in a single layer (very important!) on a baking sheet, or two if needed.
  4. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 15-20 minutes until the kale is crispy to the touch and the edges are just starting to brown. Start checking around 10 minutes and check every few minutes after to make sure it isn’t burning.
  5. Allow to cool before consuming.

Vegan Thai Stuffed Peppers With Peanut Sauce

Vegan Thai Stuffed Peppers With Peanut Sauce
Thai Stuffed Peppers With Peanut Sauce

So this is not authentic Thai food, but there are some delightful Thai flavors going on. These stuffed peppers have a mixture of rice, lentils, and vegetables set off with some Thai red curry paste, and topped with a comforting peanut sauce. Super tasty, gluten free, vegan, easy, and comforting.

This recipe was developed in my quest to try new things and was inspired by my wonderful mother-in-law makes super yummy stuffed peppers (and has made me vegan ones because she’s awesome). I wanted to do a stuffed pepper, but take it outside the box a bit.

Thai Stuffed Peppers With Peanut Sauce

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown rice
  • 1/4 cup brown lentils
  • 2 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
  • 4 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers cut in half lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced, about 1 cup
  • 1 cup diced yellow squash of zucchini
  • 1 cup diced mushrooms
  • juice from half a lime, about 1 TBL
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 TBL minced fresh cilantro
  • 2-4 tsp red curry paste

Instructions

  1. Mix rice, lentils, and mushroom broth in a medium pan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice and lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375.
  4. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or aluminium foil. Place peppers on baking sheet cut side up and bake for 20 minutes until starting to soften.
  5. While peppers are cooking cut your vegetables.
  6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  7. Add olive oil, onion, squash, and mushrooms sauteing until tender, about 7 minutes.
  8. Add lime juice, salt, and garlic cooking 1 additional minute and remove from heat.
  9. Stir together the cooked rice and lentils, the vegetable mixture, cilantro, and the red curry paste. Add the curry past a teaspoon at a time and taste adjusting to your preference.
  10. Once peppers have cooked remove them from the oven and fill with rice mixture to overflowing.
  11. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes until cooked through.
  12. While peppers are cooking make peanut sauce.
  13. Serve hot with peanut sauce and garnished with cilantro.

Peanut Sauce

 Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 TBL brown sugar
  • 2 TBL tamari -Gluten free if needed
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  1. Boil water in a small saucepan.
  2. Once boiling whisk in peanut butter until smooth and remove from heat.
  3. Stir in brown sugar, tamari, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking.
  5. Add in cilantro if using and serve immediately.

Vegan Italian Tofuballs for Pasta-Toddler Approved

Vegan Italian Tofuballs
Vegan Italian Tofuballs

In need of some comfort food? I feel I am most of the time in the winter. I just want warm, filling, soul satisfying food. These delightful little nuggets fit the bill perfectly, especially when paired with whole wheat pasta and either your favorite sauce, or my favorite sauce.

Wolfie loved to help with these. She does everything from mashing the tofu to help form the balls. She also ate them! I mean, why wouldn’t you? They are a bit crisp on the outside, a bit salty, faintly “cheesy”, and heavy with Italian seasonings. These also freeze well if you feel like making a double batch.

Tofu Balls

 Ingredients

  • 1 lb water packed extra firm tofu
  • 1 TBL Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 cup grated zucchini (optional)
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • red pepper flakes to taste
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • 1/4-1/3 cup vegan bread crumbs
  • Neutral flavored oil for cooking

Instructions

  1. Mash tofu in a large bowl with your hands of a potato masher.
  2. Add Italian seasoning, salt, garlic, zucchini, pepper, red pepper, and nutritional yeast and stir together.
  3. Add bread crumbs a few tablespoons at a time stirring to combine. The mixture should start to stick together.
  4. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.
  5. Heat about a 1/4″ of oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet to about 350 degrees. I never actually check this with a thermometer, but you should. It should be hot, but not smoking, and when you flick a few drops of water into the oil it should sizzle and pop.
  6. Form the tofu mixture into walnut sized balls with your hands. Pack them a bit, but don’t worry if they feel loose as long as they hold their shape in your hand. If they don’t add more breadcrumbs until they do.
  7. Carefully place the tofu balls in the hot oil, and cook until one side is golden brown (3-4minutes), flip them and cook on the other side another 3 minutes or so until golden brown.
  8. Unless you have a super huge skillet you will need to work in batches. You might need to add more oil between batches. If this happens don’t forget to reheat the oil before frying.
  9. Once cooked remove the tofu balls and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
  10. Serve hot with pasta and sauce.
  11. You could also bake these on an oiled baking sheet at 375 for about 20 minutes. Still good, but not quite the same.

Vegan New Year’s Brunch Roundup

Banana Walnut Baked Oatmeal
Banana Walnut Baked Oatmeal

I haven’t been very good at posting for the last few weeks. I’m sorry. I am struggling with cooker’s block. With everything that has been going on (new baby and all) it has been a bit of a cooking rut for me. I’m starting to break out and have been focusing on making some new recipes. It is a process to get them where I am comfortable posting them for your consumption. It is my New Year’s resolution to cook something new once a week. Please hold me to it.

For now I have some amazing standby recipes for your New Year’s Brunch. Tweet me @happyfoodninja if you have a substitution question because you are in your pajamas and can’t be bothered to go to the store for some crazy ingredient.

Now, for brunch. 

 

Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise
Vegan Benedict With Hollandaise

 Tofu and Avocado Benedict 

Banana Chocolate Walnut Baked Oatmeal 

 

 

Vegan Drop Biscuits
Vegan Drop Biscuits

Vegan Drop Biscuits 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Scones 

 

Pancakes

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Or just visit my breakfast link for other ideas. I have a few…

Vegan Chickpea Cutlets

Vegan Chickpea Cutlets
Vegan Chickpea Cutlets

These amazing, delicious, soul satisfying chickpea cutlets are from the Veganomicon , which is, incidentally, my favorite cookbook. I’m on a short weekend getaway and I brought it with me for inspiration. I’m feeling a little routine in the kitchen these days and needed some amazing recipes to give me a kickstart. So thank you Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero for being amazing vegan cooks and delightful inspirations.

These chickpea patties are packed with flavor, chewy, and perfect for a heaping helping of gravy and a side of mashed potatoes. My daughter also loved helping with this recipe as it requires some kneading and she thought that was pretty much the best. If you are in the mood for comfort food this will fit the bill. I made this recipe before Thanksgiving and used a few of the cutlets in my one dish masterpiece. Really, it was so I got to eat all the leftovers without having to share with my husband. Don’t tell him.

Chickpea Cutlets

Originally from Isa Chandra Moskowitz

 Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup vital wheat gluten
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated with a Microplane grater
  • Olive oil for pan frying

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no whole chickpeas are left. Use an avocado masher or a strong fork.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and knead together for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed.
  3. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over low-medium heat. I like to use my cast iron pans for this.
  4. Divide the cutlet dough into 2 equal pieces. Then divide each of those pieces into 4 separate pieces (so you’ll have 8 all together). To form cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape.
  5. Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They’re ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch. You will have to work in batches to cook all the cutlets unless you have a bigger pan that I have ever seen.
  6. Now let them rest for a bit and you’re done!

 

Mexican Fried Rice (vegan and gluten free)

Vegan Mexican Fried Rice
Vegan Mexican Fried Rice

We are in between holidays right now. The perfect time to basically eat all the leftovers, clean out your pantry and freezer, and get ready for the next round of cooking. At times like these one must use what you have to make delicious food that eats as a perfectly composed meal, but takes little planning or preparation. I say between the holidays, but really, with two under two this is every day.

This Mexican Fried Rice was developed with bits and odds from my kitchen. It turned out so well my mother and my husband told me I had to blog it. Super simple, rich, just a little different, easy, and delicious. Feel free to mix and match veggies from what you have on hand. Same with the beans, kidney, pinto, black, or pretty much any bean you like would work just fine here.

Mexican Fried Rice

 Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice, cooked in mushroom or vegetable broth (or whatever leftover rice and add a bit more salt to the whole mix)
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 other bell pepper (white, red, yellow, orange) diced
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 7.5 oz can El Pato tomato sauce, or other enchilada sauce (100% prefer El Pato)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • Salt to taste.
  • Optional cheese to top

Instructions

  1. Cook rice in vegetable broth according to package directions.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add oil, and saute onion and mushrooms for a few minutes, until starting to soften.
  4. Add zucchini and cook about 2 minutes more.
  5. Add bell pepper and cook until just starting to soften 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add coked rice, garlic, kidney beans, and El Pato stirring to combine.
  7. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic, taste, and add salt as needed.
  8. Sprinkle with cilantro and cheese if using and serve hot.

Roasted Vegetables and Thanksgiving Suggestions

Roasted Vegetabls
Roasted Vegetabls

This is my  last post before Thanksgiving! oh, my. I felt I had to do a quick post on roasted vegetables as it is a stable for my fall table. I particularly love roasted butternut squash, beets, parsnips, onions, and broccoli. I love to roast my broccoli until it is almost burnt and super crispy. It’s like little broccoli chips. Anyway, roasting vegetables is super easy. The hardest part is prepping them. If you’re short on time you can buy them peeled and chopped at most stores.

These are a perfect side for any meal, and are quite delightful as an easy, colorful side for Thanksgiving. If you are looking for other options for any portion of your meal check out this recipe roundup from last year Thanksgiving Feast Suggestions . I need to add a few things from this year of course, like:

Vegan One Dish Holiday Meal
Vegan One Dish Holiday Meal

One Dish Holiday Meal -Perfect for a vegan to bring to non-vegan Thanksgiving

Easy Vegan Gravy 

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

Roasted Vegetables

 Ingredients

  • Lots of vegetables (about 6 cups) cut into even sized 1/2-1″ pieces
  • Some of my favorites are broccoli, carrots, beets, onion, parsnips, and winter squash. I might also add in potatoes or sweet potatoes to add more bulk if needed.
  • Olive oil- I never measure this, but about 1/4 cup
  • Salt – also never measured, sprinkle a little on knowing you can always add more later
  • Other herbs and spices if you like. I almost always only use salt as it allows the flavor of the vegetables to really shine.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400
  2. Place vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan with sides, I use my biggest jellyroll pan.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables, sprinkle with salt, and stir so vegetables have an even coating of oil.
  4. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes or so until starting to become brown and crispy on the edges, and sweet and caramelized. I like to cook mine about 40-50 minutes depending on how big I have cut them.
  5. They are perfect as is for a side dish, or try them in pasta, lasagna, salads, burritos, enchiladas, risotto, soup, you get the picture.

Baked Broccoli “Tots”

Baked Broccoli Tots
Baked Broccoli Tots

These broccoli tots are a fun way to eat your vegetables. My daughter had a blast helping me make these, and using the mini muffin pan allowed her to help shape the tots. She scooped them in and I patted them down. These were super yummy, and toddler approved. You could also serve these with a yummy dip for an appetizer. My husband and I ate them with pasta as a play on meatballs. A versatile dish to be sure.

Healthy Baked Broccoli “Tots”

Originally from gimmedelicious.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups roughly chopped broccoli
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup diced yellow onion
  • ⅓ cup cheddar cheese
  • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp garlic granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan, or baking sheet.
  2. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute then remove and shock with cold tap water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
  3. Chop broccoli finely and mix thoroughly with the egg, onions, cheddar, breadcrumbs, and seasoning.
  4. Divide evenly into cups of a muffin pan patting down to ensure they hold their shape. If you don’t have a muffin pan shape into tots and place onto prepared baking sheet.
  5. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  6. Remove from the oven and enjoy warm, or cold if you’re my daughter.

Easy Vegan Gravy Without a Recipe-Thinking Thanksgiving

Vegan Gravy
Vegan Gravy

Thanksgiving is coming!! I can’t wait! I love a holiday dedicated to food, especially comfort food. A necessary addition to any Thanksgiving table is gravy. Creamy, umami filled, and delightfully full of vegetables it is the perfect addition to your table, Thanksgiving or otherwise.

Some people think that gravy can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. It can me a simple process, and one that is easily adapted to various dietary needs such as vegan or gluten free. It is also something that is so very quick to make and delivers flavor as if you have been slaving for hours. When we have just odds and ends in the house I’ll make gravy to top biscuits for breakfast, or to finish potatoes or other fall vegetables for a quick and hearty dinner.

Easy Vegan Gravy

 Ingredients

  • 4 TBL olive oil
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour, or garbanzo bean flour if gluten free
  • 1 1/2 cup water or veggie broth
  • 3/4 cup non-dairy milk or more vegetable broth
  • a few teaspoons of dried herbs and spices: thyme, sage and black pepper rule my standard gravy
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast for an earthy flavor (optional)
  • 1-2 tsp of lemon juice or Dijon mustard for a little acidity and balance
  • 0-4 cups cooked vegetables (otional) My favorite combination is onions, mushrooms, and kale
  • 0-2 cups lentils, garbanzo beans, or fake meat (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
  2. Whisk in flour and cook while stirring until it starts to brown and become fragrent.
  3. Quickly whisk in the vegetable broth and milk and cook about 5 minutes to thicken. If too thick add more milk or water.
  4. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook 3-4 more minutes to heat everything through.
  5. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Discussion:

What is important for successful gravy?

  1. Creamy texture
  2. Flavor
  3. Add-ins

I I like to think of gravy as a beautiful vegetable filled umami bomb. It is a versatile vehicle for bringing vegetables and protein, a way to round out a meal, and the perfect sauce. It is an easy process to make gravy and you can easily change things up to fit your mood and your pantry.

 

How Does It All Work? 

The Texture 

Balancing ingredients for the proper texture.

  1. The ratio of flour to liquid above has worked well for me, however, feel free to adjust it to your preference. The ratio will also be slightly different if you are using different flour such as garbanzo bean flour. Start with the ratio I have listed, then add more flour to make it thicker, or more liquid to thin it out. Make sure to cook the gravy before attempting to make it thicker as cooking with thicken the texture.
  2. To incorporate the flour you can either mix it with cold liquid until smooth, then whisk into the hot pan, or you can sprinkle the flour into hot fat, suck as oil (equal parts flour and fat) and cook while whisking until it starts to brown and begins to smell fragrant. Then add liquid.
  3. Vegetables are optional, so are beans. The will affect the overall texture so think about how you want them cooked before adding them.

Flavor

Optional additions for flavor

  1. I pretty much always use a mixture of non-dairy milk and vegetable broth (or water and vegetable broth powder), however, I have used just water when I’m out of milk. The balance of these will affect the flavor.  Just water makes it a little less cream and less rich. More milk can make it taste more like the milk you are using, just be sure to have a type of milk you want to eat in gravy. If you use sweetened vanilla almond milk it will taste like a nasty vanilla flavored gravy,
  2. Herbs are your friend. If you are using dried herbs, add them in the beginning. If you are using fresh, add them at the end. I love thyme, sage, and black pepper for a fall gravy. I might leave out the sage and add smoked paprika and vegan sausage for a breakfast gravy, or just salt and pepper with lots of vegetable broth for a lighter version.
  3. Nutritional yeast, lemon, and Dijon mustard are some of my favorite other additions to boost flavor.
  4. The vegetables you choose to add in will also affect the flavor. I nearly always use onions, often mushrooms and kale. Celery, onions, and carrots would lean toward a more traditional chickeny flavor.
  5. Don’t forget the salt!

 

Add-ins

More flavor, more texture, and all the fun

  1. Your gravy can be as simple as the vegetable broth that has been thickened and a few herbs and spices, but feel free to add anything else you like.
  2. Protein- I love adding cooked brown lentils to my gravy. The texture is fun and it adds a big punch of nutrients. Other options are garbanzo beans which I like to mash a bit and/or pre-made veggies sausage or other fake meat products.
  3. Vegetables- as in this recipe I usually use onions, mushrooms, and kale. The combination is delicious. Other options are anything in your fridge. I do a breakfast gravy with carrots, celery, red peppers and lentils. My daughter loves the addition of peas. Try things out as you have them available.

Pumpkin Zucchini/Carrot Muffins-Vegan

Pumpkin Zucchini/Carrot Muffins
Pumpkin Zucchini/Carrot Muffins

And the quest for vegetables in everything continues. These are some delightful little muffins filled with vegetables, yet sweet and satisfying enough for an adult snack with tea. Whole grain, lightly sweet, nutritious, toddler and husband approved. I’m still on my pumpkin kick. Partially because my daughter loves the pumpkin pancakes so much I always have a half can of pumpkin in my refrigerator, and partly because it’s fall.

For these muffins either shredded zucchini, or carrots, or a mixture of both works beautifully. If you want them a little sweeter you could also sub in shredded apple, but, well, apple isn’t a vegetable…

Pumpkin Zucchini/Carrot Muffins

 Ingredients

  • 2 cups spelt flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini or carrots or mixture of both
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 3 TBL sunflower or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup seeds or chopped  nuts (flax, chia, pumpkin, walnuts or almonds)-optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or a light coating of oil and preheat oven to 375.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, spices, and salt. Stir briefly.
  3. Add the zucchini/carrots and pumpkin puree, milk, molasses, oil, and seeds or nuts if using stirring to combine.
  4. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups and bake for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Remove from pan and cool a few minutes before enjoying.