Tag: vegan comfort food

What to Eat for a Vegen Celebration of Snowy Weather

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I know I’m a little late to the party on this, but I wanted to add my ideas for some snowy day comfort food. I would have had this out yesterday, but I was getting ready for my first real date with my husband since my daughter was born. It took a while to get ready sinceI had to take a very long nap so I could stay up past 8pm. Today I’m a little sluggish from staying out too late, and totally craving comfort food even though winter storm Jonas mostly missed us in Boston, but it did snow which is a good excuse to snuggle in and eat delicious food. So what would I eat?

Vegan Hot Chocolate
Vegan Hot Chocolate

Vegan Hot Chocolate: Absolutely a must on any snowy day. This one is rich, thick, so chocolaty you won’t believe it, and you will never go back to instant again.

 

 

Vegan Sloppy Joes
Vegan Sloppy Joes

Vegan Sloppy Joes in the Crock Pot: While you are outside playing, or shoveling off your car, you can also be making a super yummy dinner of sloppy joes.

 

 

If you have a few more minutes, or a second day because you are actually snowed in, this perfect vegan lasagna is the way to go. It is so creamy you will be sure there is cheese in it, and it will satisfy your every comfort food craving while still giving you a good serving of vegetables.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Planning ahead for tomorrow morning? Make these cinnamon rolls today and they will be ready for a Monday morning pick me up that will bake while you’re getting ready for work.

 

 

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Maybe a little dessert? Ice cream is a perfect way to celebrate the snow. Choose one of my flavors like this vanilla with chocolate and peanut butter swirl, or create your own using my “without a recipe” guideline to vegan ice cream.

Have fun in the snow and I hope you are safe and warm.

 

Vegan Shepherds Pie

Vegan Shepherds Pie
Vegan Shepherds Pie

Thanksgiving is over, your refrigerator is still filled with leftovers, and you feel like you need something healthy, but you can’t quite let go of the comfort food. Well, this is the answer to all your problems. This deliciously healthy, yet satisfying, shepherds pie is filled with vegetables and lentils, and topping with your leftover mashed potatoes. If you don’t happen to have any leftovers I am giving you a suggestion on how to make new ones. This is a versatile recipe where you can throw in whatever vegetables sound good, or that you have hanging around. You could even through in that leftover green bean casserole if you so desire.

shepherds pie

 Ingredients

For the mashed potato topping (you can also use leftover mashed potatoes)

  • 5-6 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 4 TBL buttery spread
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (or other plain unsweetened non-dairy milk)
  • 2 TBL nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the filling

  • 3 cups cooked green lentils
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 5-6 button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup cut green beans
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15 oz can no-salt added diced tomatoes (if yours have salt just omit the added salt)
  • 4 TBL tomato paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 TBL vegan worchestershire
  • 1 TBL dijon mustard

Instructions

  1. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.
  2. Boil potatoes over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. While potatoes are cooking heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet (I use a cast iron pan).
  4. Saute onions for about 2 minutes, then add mushroom and cook until just softened, about 2 more minutes.
  5. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, worchestershire, dijon, and lentils.
  6. Warm through, turn off heat and set aside.
  7. Drain your cooked potatoes, return them to the pan and mash them with the buttery spread, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and 1/2 tsp of salt.
  8. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the lentil/vegetable mix in the skillet forming an even layer.
  9. If you want you can cover you sepherds pie at this point and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it, up to 2 days, or immediately proceed to the next step.
  10. Bake in a preheated 375 oven until the top is golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
  11. Serve hot.

Vegan Pizza with Homemade Crust

Vegan Pizza
Vegan Pizza

Here is a vegan pizza recipe as promised. I love homemade vegan pizza, really love it. This crust is the best and anything you put on it will be delicious! The crust is easy, versatile, and tender. The addition of Italian seasoning, while simple, really takes the crust to the next level. If you have fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary) add those instead! I use this crust for pizza, calzones, pizza burritos, and for a yummy garlic butter breadstick recipe that I’ll think about sharing.

I have been without cheese long enough that the vegan cheese tastes exactly how it is supposed to and I miss nothing about “real” pizza. With that said, my husband uses real cheese on his pizza and sometimes pepperoni! We each make our own and end up happy as can be.

This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes.

Homemade Vegan Pizza

Makes 2 10-12-inch pizzas

 Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3-4 1/2 cups flour (I use a mixture of whatever I have on hand; whole wheat, bread flour, white flour, I have even used a few cups of Buckwheat flour mixed with wheat flour with success.)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 TBL Italian seasoning
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • Pizza sauce of choice, as much as you like
  • Vegan Cheese, as much as you like (I use Daiya mozzarella)
  • Toppings of choice (onions, peppers, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, olives…)

Instructions

  1. Stir the sugar into the warm water in the large bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. After 5 minutes stir if the yeast hasn’t dissolved completely. The yeast should begin to foam, which indicates that it is still active and alive.
  2. Using the mixing paddle attachment, mix in 3 cups of flour, salt, and Italian seasoning on low speed for a minute.
  3. Replace the mixing paddle with the dough hook attachment.
  4. Knead the pizza dough on low to medium speed using the dough hook and adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Make sure to let the dough continue to mix until all the flour in incorporated before adding more flour.
  5. If you don’t have a mixer, you can mix the ingredients together and knead them by hand.
  6. Once the dough is smooth and elastic drizzle the olive oil over the dough turning it to coat all the dough with a thin layer.
  7. Cover the dough (I use a damp kitchen towel) and let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, at least 1 hour. You can let it sit for several hours if you want. You can also put it in the refrigerator for another day before rising, and let it rise the day you are using it.

Preparing the Pizza 

  1. Once the dough has risen preheat your oven to 400.
  2. Divide the pizza dough into as many pieces as you are making pizzas. We usually do two large with this recipe.
  3. Roll out the dough to your desired thickness, we do about 1/4″ thick and try to make them fairly round.
  4. Put the dough in the pan of your choice; I use a pizza stone for one and my biggest cast iron skillet for the other.
  5. Spoon pizza sauce onto crust and spread out in a thin layer.
  6. Add the cheese and toppings of choice.
  7. Back in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust golden brown.
  8. Consume as soon as it has cooled to a safe temperature.
Vegan Pizza
Vegan Pizza

Pizza Burrito

Pizza Burrito
Pizza Burrito

You heard me, Pizza Burrito. Two of my favorite things join hands in this delicious combination to bring you a tangy, spicy, salty, cheesy, creamy, crunchy, soul satisfying bite. This dish was born on the drive home from a weekend climbing trip as my husband and I discussed what we should have for dinner. His go-to is pizza, and mine is burritos. We compromised/brought both our favorites to the next level.

There are two ways to go about pizza burrito making, and both are amazing. 1) make a tortilla pizza and add burrito filling, or 2) make a calzone filled with both pizza and burrito fillings. I like the calzone version better, but the tortilla version is a little less work.

I realized as I wrote this recipe I have never posted about pizza, pizza dough, or guacamole! . I’m sorry. I will rectify my oversight soon.

Pizza Burrito

 Ingredients
  • Pizza sauce
  • Tortillas or Pizza Dough
  • Leftover refried beans, or canned
  • Vegan or regular mozzarella cheese
  • Soyrizo or other fake taco meat
  • Guacamole
  • Hot Sauce

Instructions

Tortilla Version

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Place tortillas (1 per person) flat on a baking sheet and spread pizza sauce in a thin layer on tortilla topping with cheese.
  3. Bake tortilla pizza in hot oven for 10-12 minute until cheese is melted and tortilla is starting to brown.
  4. While tortilla pizza is baking heat beans and taco meat until warmed through.
  5. When tortilla pizzas are done top with beans and taco meat, roll up, and cover with guacamole and hot sauce.

Calzone Version 

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Roll out pizza dough into an oval about 1/4″ thick (1 oval per person).
  3. Spread pizza sauce over half the oval and top with cheese, heated beans, and heated taco meat.
  4. Fold the naked half of the pizza dough over the topping and pinch the edges together to keep the filling inside.
  5. Bake in hot oven until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
  6. Finish with guacamole and hot sauce and be careful because the filling is HOT!!

Mexican Hot Sauce

 Ingredients
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 5-8 dried chile de arbol
  • 1/4 no salt added tomato sauce
  • 1 TBL minced onion
  • 1 TBL white wine vinegar
  • 1 TBL white or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 TBL chopped fresh tomato
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp agave nectar

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
  2. Once oil is hot add the chile de arbol and cook until browned and fragrant.
  3. Place chiles and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning to you preference.

Crave Worthy Vegan Smoky Bean Dip

Vegan Smoky Bean Dip
Vegan Smoky Bean Dip

This bean dip is one my husband made for me the first time while I was pregnant and he was being delightfully sweet and making me a surprise dinner. Since then I have made it every few weeks. Pretty much whenever we have all the ingredients in the house. This is one of those vegan recipes that you crave, and really think there is no way it could be vegan. It is also gluten, soy, and corn free (all the things I am avoiding because of my daughter’s sensitivities). When you need that super yummy, feels bad for you, gooey, warm, salty, comfort food; this is the one for you.

If you are being careful of the foods listed above make sure to read labels. Many canned refried beans have soybean oil, some liquid smoke has gluten, some salsa and hot sauce has gluten, soy or corn, and most vegan cheese has soy.

Vegan Smoky Bean Dip 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups refried beans, homemade, or one 15 oz can
  • 1/2-3/4 cup prepared salsa
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 TBL prepared hot sauce
  • 1/2-3/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese (Daiya brand is everything free)
  • Chips, crackers, or something crunchy to dip with

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan.
  2. Heat over medium-low heat stirring frequently until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
  3. Serve hot with crunchy dippers.

Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder

Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder
Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder

I recently had a baby (reason 1 why I have been so terrible and posting for the last year) and often need quick and yummy food. We are also gearing up for a winter storm here in Maine, which means I need something warm and comforting. This chowder fills all the need with its creamy, comforting, delicious, savoriness. It is what I crave when it is cold and rainy or snowy. It is also one of the easiest things to make. When I have 10 minutes and a crazy day I will throw this together in the slow cooker and let it do its thing. I don’t know how to describe this other than as a comfort food. You can feel yourself relaxing while eating a bowl, and warming from the inside out. I served this to a group of very non-vegan friends and they all loved it and asked for the recipe. No one could believe it was made without dairy. Score one for vegan chowder! I’m sorry for no picture. I blame the baby.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups cubed potatoes (I like russet potatoes for this one)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels (I use frozen)
  • 1 15oz can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup water (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 TBL vegetable broth powder (omit if using vegetable broth)
  • 3 TBL nutritional yeast
  • 2 TBL vegan cream cheese (optional)
  • 2 TBL dry white wine (optional. Use more veggie broth, water or milk)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients In a pot or slow cooker.
  2. Cook over low heat until potatoes are tender, stirring g occasionally if cooking on the stove, about 30 minutes.
  3. If using a slow cooker cook 6 hours on low.
  4. Serve hot with fresh bread