Category: Entree

Vegan Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Vegan pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce
Vegan pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce

This recipe has a long title and a lot of steps, but it is totally worth it. This could be a perfect main dish for your vegan Thanksgiving, or a perfect addition to take to Thanksgiving at a friends. You can eat this as a entree and be happy, and others will eat it as a side and be amazed at your cooking abilities. This is a luscious, rich, and satisfying vegan holiday meal.

You can make the ravioli ahead of time and freeze them to cook on the day of whatever event you are celebrating, even if it is just a Wednesday evening at home. The sauce should be made fresh and don’t skimp on the Earth Balance. Now is not the time for diets.

Vegan Pumpkin Ravioli 

The filling

Ingredients

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 block firm tofu, mashed
  • 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • 1 TBL minced fresh sage
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Dash cinnamon
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1 cup pureed pumpkin or squash

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over medium heat.
  2. Saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and tofu cooking until any water has evaporated from the pan.
  4. Add the vegan cream cheese, nutritional yeast, sage, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg stirring together until the cream cheese has melted.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

The pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup semolina flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • extra water for brushing

Instructions

  1. In bowl of stand mixer mix flours, salt, oil and water with paddle attachment until combined.
  2. Switch to the dough hook and mix about 2 minutes on speed 2 to knead. The dough should form a ball, if it is crumbly add more water, if it is sticking to the sides of the bowl add more semolina flour.
  3. Cut the dough into 4 sections and run through your pasta roller according to its directions until it is the thickness recommended for ravioli, a 5 on my machine.
  4. Lay out rolled pasta on a lightly floured surface.
  5. Brush the side of the pasta facing up with water using a pastry brush.
  6. Place pumpkin mixture on pasta dough by heaping tablespoon. The mixture should be about 1/2″ away from one edge of the pasta, and about 1″ between each spoonful.
  7. Fold over the half of pasta dough that does not have pumpkin mixture on it pressing the dough between each heap of pumpkin to seal.
  8. Once dough has sealed to itself cut the ravioli to leave one heap of pumpkin in each ravioli.
  9. Dust ravioli with more semolina flour and place in one layer on a semolina dusted plate until ready to cook. You can also freeze them at this point.
  10. When ready to cook bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  11. Once water boils cook ravioli 3 minutes and remove to pan with sauce to finish cooking.

The sauce

Ingredients

  • 6 TBL Earth Balance
  • 3 TBL fresh sage, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, minced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup white wine or more vegetable broth

Instructions

  1. Heat Earth Balance in a large skillet over medium heat until starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add sage, garlic, and walnuts cooking until garlic is tender and sage starts to brown, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the vegetable broth and wine cooking until reduced, 5-7 minutes more.
  4. Add the cooked ravioli directly from the water and toss in the sauce to finish cooking, about 1 minute.
  5. Serve hot.
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Dinner Hash

Vegan Dinner Hash
Vegan Dinner Hash

Here is another meal that is totally delicious, easy to make, and uses up what you have. It was the end of the week and we just had odds and ends. A few things from the garden, a few things from the farmers market, but nothing that was saying “meal” to me. I decided to just throw them all together and make a hash. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. The recipe I’m including has what I had on hand, but feel free to substitute what you have. The potatoes are important for bulk, but if you had more of a hearty vegetable that would be fine as well. I happened to have the vegan “chicken” in my fridge, but you could also use tofu, tempeh, or beans for a little protein.

Vegan Dinner Hash

Ingredients

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 large potatoes, cut into small cubes
  • 1 very large onion, chopped
  • 4 mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 head of cauliflower, chopped
  • few florets of broccoli, chopped
  • 3 ears corn, kernels removed
  • 1 small zucchini, cut into small cubes
  • vegan “chicken”, chopped
  • 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pepper
  • 1 TBL dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 TBL minced fresh sage
  • 1/2 vegetable broth

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium/high heat. I used my huge cast iron for this.
  2. Add potatoes and cook until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the onion, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, and corn. Cook until tender, about 5 more minutes.
  4. Add zucchini, chicken, garlic, and spices cooking until zucchini is just tender.
  5. Add vegetable brother and stir to absorb.
  6. Taste and adjust spices to your preference.
  7. Serve hot.

Vegan Mustgo Pasta

Vegan Mustgo Pasta
Vegan Mustgo Pasta

Ok, this is one of those recipes that is hard to write because it was just a little of this and a little of that from the refrigerator. Using up leftovers and odds and ends can be hard, but essential to reduce food waste. I HATE throwing away food! Because of this I have developed a skill for putting things together and making a new dish. My mom used to call this Mustgo as in “this must go, that must go.” As children my brothers and I would actually as for “musko” thinking it was an actual dish.

For this mustgo I had mostly odds and ends that needed to be used up before we left for a trip. Not enough of anything to make an actual recipe. We also had leftover pasta. I always seem to make more pasta than sauce. For the vegetables you could use leftover stir-fry, fajita vegetables, or frozen whatever. The sun-dried tomatoes are optional as not everyone has them in their refrigerator all the time as I do:) Nutritional yeast is also optional, but totally delicious. Happy mustgo to you!

Vegan Mustgo Pasta

Ingredients

  • Leftover cooked pasta, about 3 cups
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 TBL oil from sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
  • 1-2 cups of vegetables (I used 1 onion, 3 mushrooms, and a little broccoli)
  • 1/4 vegetable broth
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 TBL sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
  • 2 TBL fresh basil or 1 tsp dried (optional)
  • 1 Tomato, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oils in skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add vegetables and saute until cooked through.
  3. Add the leftover pasta, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper.
  4. Cook until vegetable broth has evaporated.
  5. Add garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh tomato cooking 2 minutes.
  6. Add the fresh basil if using, and toss lightly before serving.

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Vegan Sloppy Joes
Vegan Sloppy Joes

Vegan Sloppy Joes are the perfect summertime meal for sitting on the deck, or a potluck with friends. A hearty meal filled with summer flavors and perfect with pickles and potato chips which are two quintessential summer foods. This recipe removes any “meat” product and uses barley for the hearty filling.  If it is too hot to cook you could also put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for several hours, maybe 6-8, on high.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup pearl barley
  • 2 Cups vegetable broth
  • 2 TBL tamari
  • 1 TBL vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 TBL yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 hamburger buns, halved and toasted

Instructions

  1. Cook barley in the vegetable brother, tamari, and 1 TBL of Worcestershire sauce until tender, about 25- 30 minutes.
  2. Once the barley is cooked saute the onion in a high sided skillet until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the green pepper and cook 1-2 minutes more until just tender.
  4. Add barley, tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard and the 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
  5. Stir together and cook until warmed through.
  6. Serve warm over toasted buns.

Vegan Millet and Pasta Salad

Vegan Millet Pasta Salad
Vegan Millet Pasta Salad

This is one of my all time favorite things to eat in the spring/summer. I’m not sure what it is, but the combination is fabulous. I’m not sure the actual original source, but it is a recipe from the Sunnymeadow School cookbook where my best friend when to school growing up. In my mind this is something her mom would make for pot-lucks and one I always looked forward to. It is a great pot-luck dish, and one even non-vegans will eat. Just remember to add the dressing the same day you are serving it or it gets a bit dried out. It is also a perfect, easy weekend lunch. This week I made a slightly larger batch of millet and have made the salad a fresh a few times.

Vegan Millet and Pasta Salad. 

Ingredients

  • 8-10 oz dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup cooked millet
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 scallions, chopped (optional)
  • 3 TBL peanut or almond butter
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup prepared vinaigrette dressing (such as Newman’s Own light Italian)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, cooked millet, red pepper and scallions if using.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together the nut butter, maple syrup and dressing.
  3. Pour the dressing mixture over the noodle mixture and toss together.
  4. Serve cold or room temperature the same day you make it.

Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice

South Indian Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice
South Indian Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice

This rice dish is a South Indian dish from my childhood. I was lucky enough to learn how to make this from Alamelu Vairavan, the author of “The Art of South Indian Cooking” who was a friend of my mother. I still remember the smell of this dish as she made it the first time I tried it at a small cooking class. It is still one of my favorite dishes. I just made it today for a potluck. It was a hit and my dish was scraped clean. The dish comes together very quickly once the rice is cooked and tastes like you worked all day to achieve the depth of flavor. Good luck my friends.

South Indian Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmate rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 TBL olive oil
  • 1/2 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 large onion, but into strips
  • 1 large tomato cut into small chunks
  • 2 small jalapenos or Serrano chili peppers, minced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 TBL curry powder
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 3 cups coarsely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup lightly salted cashews
  • 1/4 earth balance buttery spread, or butter
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Instructions

  1. Cook rice in water until tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. Cool rice one hour so the grains will not stick together (if you have time)
  3. Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.
  4. When oil is hot, but not smoking, add the cumin, fennel and cinnamon.
  5. Stir and brown for about 30 seconds.
  6. Add the onion, tomato and chili peppers and saute one minute.
  7. Add the tomato sauce, turmeric, curry, salt and green bell peppers.
  8. Cook and stir occasionally until the bell peppers are just tender, 1-2 minutes.
  9. Stir in the cooked rice and immediately reduce heat to low.
  10. Stir in the cashews and butter.
  11. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.

Vegan Thai Red Curry

Vegan Thai Red Curry
Vegan Thai Red Curry

Yummy, yummy Thai food. I have loved Thai for as long as I can remember. When I was younger my best friend had a friend of the family who was Thai. She made the best Pad Thai I have ever eaten. My friend was able to talk her into a few cooking lessons, and I was able to talk my friend into the recipes which I have adapted slightly. Red Curry is one we make a lot at my house. It is one of my husband’s favorites, and I can make it in under 20 minutes, so it hits to table on a regular basis. This is a recipe people just do not believe is vegan because it is so flavorful and satisfying.

Few notes: You can use any kind of curry paste you like, and how much you use will depend on the brand and how spicy you like your food. If you don’t have mushroom broth power you can use vegetable broth powder, or sub vegetable broth for the water in the recipe.

Vegan Thai Curry

  • Ingredients
  • 2 TBL coconut oil
  • 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
  • 2 TBL tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 TBL coconut oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 oz Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water + 1 TBL mushroom broth powder or 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 oz Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 3 cups other veggies whatever you like cut into bite size pieces
  • juice of half a lime (1-2 tablespoons)
  • 1-3 TBL red curry paste (depending on the brand and how spicy you like it)
  • 2 TBL tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 TBL brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot add a few tablespoons coconut oil, let it heat for just a few seconds, then add the tofu to the pan in a single layer.
  2. Cook the tofu without touching it for 2 minutes, until it is golden brown on one side. Flip/stir it and cook until golden brown on all sides.
  3. Turn off the heat in the pan, and pour 2 TBL tamari over the tofu. Set it all aside.
  4. Heat 1 TBL coconut oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
  5. Add the mushrooms and onions, cooking briefly until fragrant (about 3 minutes)
  6. Add coconut milk, water, broth powder, and veggies to the pan.
  7. Heat everything to a simmer over med/low heat.
  8. Simmer veggies until almost tender, about 5-10 minutes
  9. Add lime juice, curry paste, 2 TBL tamari, and sugar.
  10. Taste and add adjust the sugar (sweet), tamari (salty), lime (acid/brightness), and curry paste (spice and flavor) to your liking.
  11. Heat through and serve hot over rice.

Vegan Gravy with Mushrooms, Onions and Kale

Vegan Gravy
Vegan Gravy

This vegan gravy rocks. I could be more modest I suppose, but it really is yummy. I often make it in the fall, but it is cool and rainy her in Maine right now and it got me thinking of yummy warming foods. I make the gravy with mashed potatoes most often and serve it on Chickpea Cutlets from the Veganomicon, my favorite vegan cookbook. I also sometimes add lentils and have it on biscuits for breakfast. Last thanksgiving I layered the gravy with seitan, mashed potatoes, scalloped corn and biscuits for a one dish thanksgiving. If you’re luck I’ll post that wonder sometime. For now you may have gravy.

Ingredients

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup chopped kale
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup water or veggie broth
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 TBL mushroom broth powder (if using water)
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • salt (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
  2. Add mushrooms, onions and kale and cook until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.
  3. While the veggies are cooking mix flour and water to make a smooth paste.
  4. Add the flour/water mixture to the vegetables while stirring.
  5. Quickly whisk in the milk and cook about 1 minute to thicken. If too thick add more milk or water.
  6. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients and cook about 2 more minutes.
  7. Taste and add salt to your liking.

Vegan Loaded Pasta Sauce

Vegan Loaded Pasta
Vegan Loaded Pasta

I make this meal about once a week when it’s cold out. It is my favorite. It is like Vegan Lasagna in 20 minutes. It was kind of hard to write a recipe for it because it is a little different every time. This is the basic version, where it all started. I basically use a cheap jarred sauce and make it taste super yummy. This is a very quick weeknight meal.

Few tips: I always add a little of the water I cook the pasta in at the very end. I rinse out the sauce jar with it and add it to the pasta. About a 1/4 of the jar of water. Sometimes I add a little wine if we are having it with dinner. I might also add sweetener if it tastes a little acidic. It depends on the sauce you are using. You can use any green instead of the kale, or take it out altogether. I also love to roast eggplant and just add it over the top. Enjoy!

Vegan Loaded Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced button or cremini mushrooms
  • 3 cups chopped Kale
  • 3/4 block of extra firm tofu
  • 3 TBL Vegan cream cheese
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp veggie broth powder (optional)
  • 1 TBL molasses
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 TBL Italian seasoning
  • 1 Jar pasta sauce
  • 1 package noodles of your choice cooked according to package directions

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pan with high sides, or a pot over medium/high heat.
  2. Saute onion and mushroom for about 5 minutes until the onion is starting to look translucent adding a dash of salt if you like.
  3. Add the Kale and cook for 2 minutes more.
  4. Mash the tofu into the pan with your hands or a fork.
  5. Stir in the cream cheese, nutritional yeast, molasses, veggie broth powder if using, salt and Italian seasoning. I use about 1/2 tsp of salt, but it is optional.
  6. Add the jar of sauce and about 1/2 cup of cooking water from the pasta cooking until everything is heated through.
  7. Serve over pasta.

Farmer’s Market Saute

This is one of my favorites. I’m not sure where it came from but I remember my mom making it in the summer and fall when everything was ripe and fresh from the farmer’s market. This year was my first year gardening and I was able to make it with things from my garden, I only had to get corn. It was an exciting day! You can, of course, substitute any of the vegetables for whatever is fresh. I only require that you use tomatoes and all the fresh herbs. So fresh and tasty.

Ingredients

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1/2 lb green beans cut into 1″ lengths
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 2 TBL chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add potatoes and cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 15 minutes
  3. Add onion, garlic, zucchini and green beans and cook stirring occasionally about 2 minutes.
  4. Add corn, tomatoes, vegetable broth and herbs.
  5. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 3-5 minutes.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.