Crispy Sesame Tofu

Who needs Chinese take out when you can whip up some delicious sesame tofu at home, quickly and affordably!

I love making crispy tofu and learned a long time ago that starch is the secret. Just press the tofu, coat, fry, and slather in this perfectly sticky, savory and sweet, vegan sesame sauce!

I like to serve our sesame tofu with a side of rice and broccoli, but serve it however you like! This meal is a go- to when I am in a hurry and havnt’t had time to plan dinner.

If you prefer not to fry the tofu in oil, you can use an air fryer! I just coat the tofu, give it a light spray with some oil (or not), and air fry at 375 for 10-15 minutes! It always comes out perfectly crisp!

Just another quick and simple dinner recipe to add to your arsenal! Who doesn’t love that!?

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INGREDIENTS:

• I batch crispy fired tofu

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut amnios

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon tapioca or corn starch

• 1 -2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare crispy tofu according to instructions.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, minus the sesame seeds, to a medium sized sauce pan. Heat over medium/low heat, whisking continuously, until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens. If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon or so of water to thin it back out a bit.

3. Coat the crispy tofu in the sesame sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice and with a side of steamed broccoli if you like.

serves 4

If you like this recipe, try these:

Popcorn Tofu

Crispy Coconut Tofu with Tropical Rice

Tofu Japchae

Sesame Tofu Tacos with Asian Slaw

We eat a lot of tacos in our house.

Tacos are easy, inexpensive, and typically make everyone happy. If I am in a pinch for time, or have no clue what else to make for dinner, I will normally throw together some tacos with whatever ingredients we have on hand.

Most recently I was in the mood for something light, crunchy, and asian inspired. So I decide to marinate some tofu, make a light crunchy slaw, a creamy ginger dressing , and fry up some leftover wonton wrappers I had on hand.

Everyone in the house loved these tacos, and I have a feeling will be my go to taco this summer. I always have tofu and slaw mix in my fridge, and my pantry always has the ingredients for this quick marinade!

I have most recently started buying a tube of minced ginger to keep in the fridge for quick flavor and less hassle. It seems we just keep getting busier in this house, so I am currently all about anything that can save me some time and effort.

So if you are in the mood to switch up your taco game, try these sesame tofu tacos with asian slaw. Taco Tuesday ( or any other day of the week) just got a little more exciting!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block extra firm tofu

• 1/4 cup soy sauce, or coconut aminos

• juice from 1 lime

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 pack flour tortillas

• a handful of cilantro

• 10 vegan wonton wrappers

• oil for frying

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Asian Slaw:

• 3 cups slaw mix, or shredded cabbage

• juice from 1 lime

• 1 -2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Ginger Dressing:

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 2 teaspoons minced ginger

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons agave or sugar

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Remove tofu from package and wrap in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top and let the tofu sit for 10-15 minutes to press out the excess liquid.

2. Cut tofu in 1/4 inch thin long strips. Whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and brown sugar in a shallow dish. Let tofu strips marinate in the mixture for about 15 minutes.

3. While the tofu is marinating mix together the ingredients for the slaw and set aside.

4. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

5. Stack the wonton wrappers on top of each other and cut them into 1/4 inch strips. Separate the strips.

6. Heat a medium skillet or small sauce pan with an inch or two of oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the wonton strips in batches, careful not to over crowd the pan. Fry the strips for just a few minutes or until golden brown. Place cooked strips on a paper towel lined plate.

7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu, along with the marinade to the pan. Let the tofu cook on each side for a few minutes before flipping. Cook the tofu until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the tofu is browning and crisping around the edges.

8. To build the tacos, add some tofu to a tortilla, top with slaw, a drizzle of dressing, some crispy wontons, and some fresh cilantro.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Alabama White Sauce Tempeh Tacos

Vegan Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Grilled Watermelon and Tofu Tacos

sesame tofu tacos with asian slaw, crispy wontons and creamy vegan ginger dressing

Vegan Meatball Sub Bake

My oldest daughter’s favorite meal has always been a meatball sub.

I don’t blame her, they are delicious. That said, they are also messy and I have 4 kids to clean up after. So over the years I discovered this vegan meatball sub bake makes them just as happy as a big messy sub does.

It also works great for feeding the extra gaggle of teens that are often at my house. They don’t even care that is vegan, and often go back for seconds.

If you don’t want to use Beyond Burgers, then use any plant based meatball you prefer. A little heads up though, my local Costco has started selling packs of 8 beyond burgers for around $14!! Less than $2 a burger. So even if I use 4, this meal is still far cheaper than eating out!

I LOVE making meatballs with thawed Beyond Burgers because they remind me the most of real meatball.

We top the meatballs with our perfect all purpose vegan cheese sauce, after letting it get extra thick and stretchy! It makes the perfect gooey mozzarella for this recipe. Lastly, we top it with buttery, toasty garlic bread! I’m telling y’all, this dish will more than likely be a hit with who tries it, vegan or non vegan! So forget trying to bite into a messy meatball sub, and turn it into this vegan meatball sub bake!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 thawed Beyond Beef burgers, or a bag of your favorite frozen plant based meatballs

• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (a mix of thyme, sage, basil, marjoram, rosemary, and oregano) if you do not have Italian seasoning feel free to add a combo of any of the listed spices

• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

• 1 flax egg

• 1 loaf french bread

• 1/2 batch All Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce

• 1-2 tablespoons vegan butter

THE SAUCE: ( or use a favorite pre-made sauce)

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 small 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1/3 red wine (optional)

• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Meatballs:

1. Mix thawed burgers, panko bread crumbs, garlic, spices, and flax egg together in a bowl.

2. Once well combined, form meatballs with a small scoop, or spoon, and place them on a baking pan. You can line the pan with parchment paper for easier clean up.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sauce: (you can also easily use store bought sauce)

1. In a medium sized sauce pan, sauté onions and garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil, and a teaspoon of salt, until onions are translucent.

2. Add the wine, and let it cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add the cooked meatballs, and let simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes.

The Casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Scoop sauce and meatballs into a 9x13 or large casserole dish.

2. Prepare cheese sauce according to directions, allowing it too cook until it is thick and stretchy.

3. Evenly top the meatballs with dollops of the cheese sauce,

4. Slice the french bread into 1/2- 1 inch thick slices and place evenly on top of the cheese sauce. Spread softened vegan butter over the bread. Sprinkle with garlic salt or any other seasoning you may like .

5. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for around 20-25 minutes. You just want heat the casserole through and toast the bread.

   Serves 4-6

If you like this recipe, try these:

Beyond Meatball Stuffed Challah

Savory Cranberry Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes

Stewed Sauerkraut with Lentil Meatballs

Vegan Meatball sub bake using beyond meat burgers

Vegan Stuffed Crust Pizza

What’s better than homemade vegan pizza? Well how about homemade STUFFED CRUST vegan pizza!

That’s right, we stuffed our easy vegan all purpose cheese sauce right into the crust! I make a ton of vegan cheeses, even vegan mozzarella that shreds and slices, but honestly this cheese sauce is always my preference for pizza. This cheese is gooey, stretchy, cheesy perfection! No need to ever try another vegan pizza cheese recipes, I promise.

We love pizza night in our house. It’s way cheaper than delivery, plus homemade dough is super simple to make, and everyone gets exactly what they want on top! Win, Win, Win.

If you are feeling too lazy to make your own dough ( I do not judge, really I don’t ) most grocery stores sell a pre-made pizza dough these days.It’s normally vegan but just check the ingredients to make sure!

Plus when you make pizza at home get to add whatever toppings you like, all the cheese you want, and it won’t cost you an arm and leg, because we all know everyone loves to overcharge for vegan food. ( I should write a whole blog post just about how badly that annoys me)

So ditch the pizza delivery, and make pizza night an event at your house with this perfectly gooey, cheesy stuffed crust vegan pizza. I promise its totally worth the effort!!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 batch Vegan All Purpose Cheese Sauce

• Marinara sauce

• Any toppings you like

The Dough:

• 3/4 cups warm water ( around 110 degrees)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons oil.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start by adding warm water, yeast, and sugar to a large bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. The yeast should have created a bubbly foam on top. If the yeast did not bubble and foam it is likely that the water was too hot, and it killed the yeast. I typically just use hot tap water to get the right temp.

2. Add the yeast mixture and remaining dough ingredients to a stand mixer and mix on medium for serval minutes to allow the dough to knead. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add a few extra tablespoons of flour. Your goal is a soft dough, but one not sticky. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can mix the ingredients in a bowl and turn the dough out onto a clean, floured surface to knead for 3-5 minutes.

3. Clean out the bowl you used for the water and yeast. Dry it well. and coat the bowl with a little oil. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour or until it had doubled in size. I place my dough in my oven on the bread proof setting, If you do not have a proof setting, you can just place it in oven (turned off) and allow to rise.

4. Prepare cheese sauce according to directions while dough is rising. You want the sauce a little on the thicker side for this recipe.

5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

6. Once dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a clean floured surface and punch the dough down. Stretch the dough into a circle using you hands. The dough will need to be and inch or 2 bigger than your pizza pan. Let gravity work for you when stretching the dough. Sprinkle the pizza pan with a little corn meal if you have it, to help keep the dough from sticking.

7. Make a ring of cheese sauce about once inch away from the edge of the dough, then fold the excess dough over the cheese and press down well to seal. Make sure you have a nice seal with the dough, or it will pop open and cheese will ooze everywhere while baking. You may have to pinch the dough a bit to make sure it seals.

8. Spread sauce over dough, and top with cheese sauce and whatever toppings you like. Bake on the top rack of your oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the crust has browned and the cheese is nice and bubbly and browning. Cook time vill vary depending on thickness of the crust.

9. Allow to cool some before cutting and serving

If you like this recipe, try these:

Muffin Cup Vegan Lasagna

Vegan Italian Noodle Bake

Vegan Italian Potato Roll Up

Vegan stuffed crust pizza with the perrect easy all purpose vegan cheese sacue and homemade vegan dough

Pulled Jackfruit Mexican Torta

We have some of the greatest neighbors and friends I could have ever hoped for, from a wide array of cultures.

Typically when we get together with friends from our street, food is involved. Really, really good food. Our friends Lissi and Craig love food just as much as we do, and we often share recipes back and forth. They are not vegan, but have started adding more plant based meals into their rotation, and often challenge me to veganize things I would have never considered.

Lissi was born and raised in Mexico, and she is constantly teaching me about her upbringing through food. Most recently she suggested I make a vegan version of a Mexican Torta using jackfruit. I had never had a torta, let alone had any idea what went on one, until she explained it. She told me she grew up going with her godparents in Juarez, to a place called Parque Burunda just to get tortas when she was a kid.

Tortas typically have meat, beans, mayo, avocado, and some kind of lettuce, tomato, pickled jalapeño combo on them. They are normally severed on a bolillo roll that is a lot like a french baguette. If you have a Mexican market near you, you should be able to find bolillo. If not, french bread works well too. You are looking for a bread with a crusty outside and soft inside.

I honestly think the refried beans are what makes this sandwich. My love for sandwiches runs deep, and this sandwich is now on my top favorites. It is so flipping good, y’all!!! The jackfruit comes together fairly quickly, and is perfectly tender, seasoned with a spicy kick. We opted for a light slaw mix instead of lettuce for an added tangy crunch, and it works so well.

So if you are clueless to a Mexican Torta like I was, then I can’t urge you enough to give this delicious sandwich a try. Lissi knows what she is doing in the kitchen, and has never once steered me wrong. I could not be more thankful for she and Craig, and the rest of our amazing neighbors, and all of the great meals we share together!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 - 6 Bolillo, or 2 sticks of french bread

• 2 cans jackfruit in brine

• 1 larger onion, sliced thinly

• 1 small can green chilies

• 2 teaspoons each, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons vegetable better than bouillon

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 can vegan refried beans

• 4 - 6 teaspoons vegan mayo

• 2 avocados

• Juice from 1 lime

EASY SLAW:

• 3 cups chopped cabbage

• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

• juice from 1 lime

• 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

• salt and pepper to taste,

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain jackfruit and rinse. Shred the fruit between your fingers over a bowl, or chop with a knife. I find using your hands works more easily and quickly for shredding the jackfruit.

2. Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add a few teaspoons of oil. Once oil is hot add the onions and the can of chilies. Let the onions cook until translucent and soft.

3. Add the shredded jackfruit to the pot along with the seasonings, lime juice, Better Than Bouillon, and water. Reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on. If all of the liquid cooks down and it begins to seem dry, add a little more water and let it continue simmering.

4. Prepare the slaw by mixing all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a teaspoon of mayo on one side of bun, spread a few tablespoons of beans on the other. Top with jackfruit, slaw, and slices of avocado. You can add extra cilantro if you like, and even slices of tomato or extra jalapeños.

Serves 4 - 6.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Open Faced Vegan Roast “Beef” Sandwich with Jackfruit

Vegan Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich

spicy pulled jacfuit mexican torta topped with lime slaw, vegan mayo, refried beans, and avaocado.

Vegan Fried Green Tomato Sandwich with Bacon and Mozzarella

The only thing I love more than a crispy fried green tomato, is a fried green tomato sandwich. We paired our perfect vegan fried green tomatoes, with our all mozzarella-like all purpose vegan cheese sauce, crispy vegan bacon, and tangy red pepper and garlic remoulade!

Seriously if you haven’t made your own vegan fired green tomatoes yet, why?!?!? I know this is definitely a southern thing, but it does not matter where you live. If you can find green tomatoes, buy them, and fry them. I you can’t find them in a store, grown your own, pick them green, and fry them!! You will thank me for this later if you have never had a vegan fried green tomato!! Promise

This is one of my all time favorite summertime sandwiches!! Its tangy, creamy, crispy and perfect! Put it on a toasted grainy bread or try our Easy Vegan Sandwich Bread recipe! Either way you can’t go wrong!

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INGREDIENTS:

• I batch Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes

• 1/2 batch Easy Vegan All Purpose Cheese Sauce

• 1 batch Red Pepper and Garlic Remoulade Sauce

• 8 pieces grainy bread

• 1 -2 cups arugula

• optional: vegan bacon. Store bought, or try our easy rice paper bacon.

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INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. If making the rice paper bacon, prepare according to directions, or cook store bought bacon and set aside.

2. Prepare Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes according to directions.

3. Prepare cheese sauce according to directions but allow it to get pretty thick. You want more of a soft mozzarella consistency vs a sauce. It will thicken as it cooks and cools.

4. Spread the cheese on 4 pieces of bread. Place all 8 pieces of bread right on the top rack of your oven ( not on a pan) allowing it to toast for about 5 minutes. This will also reheat the cheese.

5. Spread remoulade on the other slices of bread once you remove them from the oven.

6. Place bacon on the cheese side of the bread, then top with 2 to 3 slices of fried green tomatoes, and arugula. Top teach sandwich with a remoulade covered piece of toast and serve.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Easy Vegan Sandwich Bread

BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Pickled Veggies

Open Faced Vegan Roast “Beef” Sandwich with

Jackfruit

crispy fried green tomato sandwich with vegan mozzarella and roasted red pepper and garlic remoulade

Vegan Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

My mom doesn’t love to cook. That said, she taught me most of what I know about cooking, and is actually a really good cook (if you ask her she will claim the opposite, I think just to get her out of the task she doesn’t enjoy.) Since going vegan I have really missed some of the dishes she always made us. One of my favorite easy dishes she always makes is tater tot casserole. It’s cripsy tater tots, ground meat, all the “cream of” soups, and piles and piles of cheese. It took me a few tries to veganize this favorite comfort food, but once I did, it was game on. Obviously my kids love this dish! It has kids casserole written all over it. But I am a fully grown women and always go back for seconds. We use our easy vegan all purpose cheese sauce to sub in for all the “cream of” soups and the cheesy top! It works like a dream. You can use any meatless crumbles you like, but we always just thaw some Beyond Burgers and crumble them up. As a side note, I started finding Beyond Burgers at Costco and for half the price you find them at the grocery store, so be on the lookout if you are a Costco shopper! if you have ever had tater tot casserole in you per vegan days, and have been missing it, it’s finally time to rejoice. If you have never had it, let me tell you, it’s the most comforting, easy, gooey, cheesy, casserole recipe, ever!!! And thanks again to my mom for teaching me how to cook all those years ago!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag frozen tater tots

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 package meatless crumbles, or we used 3 thawed Beyond Meat Burgers

• 1 batch Easy Vegan All Purpose Cheese Sauce, divided

• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Line a 9x13 pan with a single layer of tater tots.

2. Dice yellow onion. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sray the pan with a little oil, and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.

3. Add the meatless crumbles or the thawed burgers. If using the burgers, break them up using a spatula and cook until the “meat” is cooked though. Sprinkle the “meat” evenly over the tater tots.

4. Prepare the cheese sauce according to the directions. Divide the heated sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the tater tots and meatless crumbles, using a spatula to evenly spread it. Leave the other half of the sauce in the pan.

5. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons turmeric and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to the other half of the sauce and whisk well. This will give the sauce a smokey cheddar flavor and color.

6. Evenly spread the cheddar sauce over the top of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

7. Allow to cool a little before serving.,

If you like this recipe, try these:

“Chicken” Divan with Jackfruit

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Vegan Italian Noodle Bake

Classic tater tot casserole made vegan using our easy all purpsoe vegan cheese sauce

Tempeh Summer Grit Bowl

I love grits and I especially love a grit bowl for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

You can make so many variations of grit bowls, but my favorite is always tempeh with some assortment of fresh veggies. T

his grit bowl is savory, filling, fresh, and delicious.

We added savory tempeh, broiled corn, fresh tomatoes, and onions, and mixed in some nutritional yeast to give the grits a cheesy kick.

This vegan grit bowl is perfect any time of day, super simple to throw together, and one of our easy summertime go to meals.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup old fashioned dry grits

• 4 cups water

• 1 - 2 ears of corn

• 1 tomato

• 2 green onions

• 1 - 2 avocados

• 1 package tempeh

• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos (you can use soy sauce as well, but skip the extra salt if you do)

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook grits according to package instructions.

2. Turn oven on broil and place shucked and cleaned corn on a baking pan. Once the oven is hot and the coils are red, place the pan in the oven and let the corn cook a few minutes. You just want it to get some nice color on the corn. Carefully remove the pan and turn the ears of corn using some tongs. Place back in the oven and let the other side cook a few minutes. Allow the corn to cool before cutting it off the cob using a sharp knife. I like to prop the ear of corn in a bowl and cut down the cob. The bowl helps hold the corn and catches the kernels.

3. While the grits are cooking, cut tempeh into cubes. Whisk aminos, maple syrup, liquid smoke, garlic, paprika in a shallow dish and add the tempeh. Toss to coat.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh along with the marinade. Allow the tempeh to cook for about 5 - 7 minutes, turning each piece until each side is a little crisp and all of the liquid has been absorbed.

5. Dice onions, tomatoes, and avocados.

6. Mix in nutritional yeast with the cooked grits along with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Assemble bowls by adding a few scoops of grits. Top the grits with the tempeh, corn, tomatoes, onion, and avocados. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

If you liked this recipe, then try these:

Southern Tofu Scallops and Grits

Vegan Fried Cheese Grits

Tofu or Seitan Marengo with Lemon Polenta

This tempeh grit bowl is savory, filling, fresh, and delicious.

BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Pickled Veggies

I recently went to visit my niece, Madison, in Charlotte. She knows, and shares my love for food, so took me to get the BEST sandwich at a local coffee shop, AFTER she nearly killed me with a Crossfit workout.

I think the sandwich was maybe an apology, or maybe not. She is fierce and probably didn’t feel sorry for me at all…..but it was all worth if for that sandwich.

It was a BBQ Tofu Sandwich with pickled veggies and some vegan mayo. So simple but so, so, so good!

So once I got home I knew I wanted to recreate this sandwich with my own twist. I normally have a batch of quick pickled veggies in my fridge. They literally take minutes to make, and add a tangy crunch to all kinds of sandwiches, salads, or just as a snack.

I opted to mix up some mayo with a little bbq and lime to give the sauce a little more zip than the original plain mayo. I also added some cilantro because, I LOVE cilantro! I am fully aware that a ton of people do not share my affection for cilantro, and if thats you, then just skip it on the sandwich.

You can grill up a batch of this bbq tofu and quickly reheat any leftovers for later. I will seriously eat this sandwich every day unit all the tofu is gone, then want to cry because all of the tofu is gone :(

So thanks again Madi for being the best Crossfit coach, for not totally killing me, and for introducing me to this sandwich. You are the best.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block extra firm tofu

• 8-10 slices sour dough bread

• 1 batch quick picked veggies

• 1/2 cup of any bbq sauce you like

• a handful of fresh cilantro

SAUCE:

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 2 - 3 tablespoons bbq sauce

• juice from 1/2 lime

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain tofu and wrap in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top for 10-15 minutes to help press out the excess liquid. (or use a tofu press)

2. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in a shallow dish. Cover with 1/2 cup of bbq sauce and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

3. You can either cook the tofu on the grill or in a skillet. If grilling, place the tofu pieces directly onto the hot grill and allow each side to cook for about 5 minutes, brushing the excess bbq sauce from the pan onto the tofu slices before you flip them. If you do not want to place the tofu directly onto the grill, you can lay foil on the grill and cook the tofu that way. Yo can also give the grill a spray with some cooking oil before you heat it to help with sticking.

4. If cooking in a skillet, heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with a little oil. Place the tofu pieces into the pan and pour the excess bbq over the tops. Allow tofu to cook on each side for about 5 minutes.

5. Mix the mayo, bbq, and lime in a small bowl.

6. Toast the bread. Spread a little sauce on each slice after toasting, and top with a few pieces of tofu, some pickled veggies, and a few sprigs of cilantro to serve.

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If you like this recipe, try these:

Beyond Meatball Subs

Open Faced Vegan Roast Beef Sandwich

The Jax Biscuit Sandwich

BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Pickled Vegetables.

Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd’s pie is not a food I grew up eating. To be perfectly honest, I had never even heard of it until I married my husband, and he expressed his great dislike for traditional shepherd’s pie. I was in full agreement that the meaty version full of peas, and carrots and what ever else was in there sounded awful. Then recently our friend Deanne had us over for dinner, and served a vegan lentil version of shepherd’s pie, and much to my surprise, I liked it. I actually really, really liked it! Savory lentils and veggies topped with creamy mashed potatoes. What is not to like!!! It took some convincing to get my husband to try it when I decided to make my own, but when I did he ate two helpings!! So the husband is now a convert, the shepherd’s Pie ban has officaly been lifted, and I will now be adding this deliciously easy dinner to our regular rotation! Thanks again Deanne for proving us wrong!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dried green lentils

• 2 carrots, finely diced

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 2 celery stalks, finely diced

• 2 cups chopped mushrooms

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon (optional, but adds flavor)

• 3 large russet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 2 tablespoon vegan cream cheese

• splash of milk

• salt and black pepper to taste (for the potatoes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and allow to cook unit the onions are translucent and soft.

3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the lentils, broth, and spices and reduce the heat to simmer. Let the lentils simmer for about half an hour to 45 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are soft.

5. While the lentils are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until they are soft and you can poke a fork through them.

6. Drain water from potatoes and mash using a hand masher or an electric hand mixer, adding in the butter, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. If they seem too thick, add a splash of milk.

7. Scoop cooked lentils into a pie dish or shallow casserole dish and top with the mashed potatoes.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the shepherds pie for about 25 minutes.

9. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley if you like before severing.

If you like this recipe, try these:

“Chicken” Divan with Jackfruit

Loaded Vegan Roasted Red Potatoes

Cheesy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese (The Lori Mac)

It helps to have friends that are genius, like my vegan friend Lori!

Lori is great for a multitude of reasons, including rodent rescue and release. She even took in, and raised, a baby mouse we found in our house, and was able to release it into the wild (and before you say, ewwwww, let me tell you, a baby mouse no bigger than you thumb nail is literally the cutest thing.)

She is GREAT, and has the biggest heart for all animals. Lori also apparently has some mad culinary skills, because not too long ago I saw her post on Facebook that she was going to make spinach and artichoke mac and cheese!!

WHAT!?!? Why had my brain not gone there yet? So we quickly whipped up a batch of our vegan spinach and artichoke dip and mixed into some noodles with a little extra cheese and, WOW!

Lori was not wrong with this one!!! So thank you Lori for being all around awesome and genius, and thanks for always saving all the little critters nobody else wants to save! We are your biggest fans and so are our stomachs!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz box elbow macaroni noodles, regular or gluten free

• I batch of vegan spinach and artichoke dip

• 2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds, homemade or store bought

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Boil noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Make Spinach and Artichoke dip according to recipe instructions.

3. Mix in 1 cup of mozzarella shreds into the dip.

4. Pour dip into a 9x13 casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Just long enough to heat through and melt the cheese on top.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Nut free Vegan Mac n Cheese

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese

Tofu Banh Mi Style Rice Cups

Tofu Banh Mi sandwiches are on constant rotation in our house. Everyone loves them, even the kids. What’s not to love about perfectly seasoned tofu, crispy pickled veggies,and spicy Sriracha mayo. In a recent effort to change things up , I decided to pile up tofu Banh Mi filling into these easy little rice cups.

I know that banh mi literally means bread or wheat but wanted to make something familiar for our gluten free friends and family that was a little different and fun! I love a banh mi, but my favorite part is the filling! It gets tricky to name a thing so people understand the origin and not cause disrespect to the culture from which it came. I wanted everyone to understand that this is all the parts of a tofu banh mi, but technically without the banh mi….so for lack of a better idea of how to have people identify what this is, I named it Tofu Banh Mi Rice Cups.

A local sushi place we frequent makes a tofu banh mi sushi roll that we love, so I decided to create a play on that. Just more rice and way more delicious filling!

I often make these for parties or potlucks and they are always such a hit. They cute, handheld, and delicious.

These light and fresh tofu Bahn Mi rice cups also work work great for meal prep because they keep well in the fridge for several days.

Who knows, you may end up loving these as much as we do, and may find yourself making them more often than a Bahn Mi sandwich!

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INGREDIENTS:

You will need a muffin tin for this recipe. This recipe yields around 2 dozen cups. You can easily half the recipe for less cups.

• 3 cups sushi rice (follow package cooking instructions)

• 1 package extra firm tofu

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons sriracha

• juice from 1 lime

• 3/4 cups quick pickled veggies

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Sriracha Mayo:

• 1/2 cup vegan mayo

• 2 tablespoon Sriracha

• 1 teaspoon lime juice

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. I use my rice cooker and use 3 actual cups of rice, not the scoop that comes with the rice cooker, and fill the water to the 4 cup line. Again you can half this amount if making less cups. Allow the rice to cool. It’s gonna be kind of sticky and thats what you need. Once the rice has cooled enough to handle, scoop about 1/4 cup of rice into each muffin cup and press the rice to form the shape of the cup. I keep a cup of water on the counter to dip my fingers in. If your hands are wet it will be easier to press the rice down. You will get around 24 cups, give or take. Pop the muffin tin in the fridge and for 30 minutes.

2. Drain tofu and wrap it in either a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top to allow the excess liquid to press out for 10-15 minutes.

3. Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch cubes. Whisk together soy sauce, Sriracha, and lime juice in a shallow dish and add the tofu. Allow it to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

4. Heat a large skillet with a little oil over medium heat. Add the the tofu along with the marinade to the pan. Let the tofu cook until all of the liquid has absorbed and the tofu has began to get a little crisp and brown around the edges.

5. Whisk the mayo, Sriracha, and lime juice together in a small bowl. If you like it spicy, add a little more Sriracha!

6. Carefully remove the rice cups from the muffin tin. They should just peel out. Divide the tofu among the cups, and top with some pickled veggies and chopped cilantro. Add a little of the Sriracha Mayo to each cup to serve.

7. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for serval days.

Vegan Italian Noodle Bake

I love Italian food, especially lasagna, but don’t always feel like taking the time and energy to make it.

So when I am craving noodle filled, cheesy, saucy Italian goodness in a hurry, this quick Italian noodle bake fits the bill!

It’s delicious comfort food at it’s best! Like lasagna but easier!! And sometimes I am just in the mood for easier!!

I especially love the wide eggless ribbon noddles that we use, but if you can’t find any near you, feel free to use any noodle you like. This quick recipe also freezes and reheats well, so Its perfect for meal prep!

You can use any easy ground meat substitute you like. Vegan round sausage or beef. Store-bought or homemade ground seitan would work.

This recipe also has lots of cheese. Which I am always a fan of. You can buy vegan cheese already shred, or try your hand at making your own easy vegan cheese! We have lots of sliceable, shreddable vegan cheese recipes on the the site that would be delicious in this recipe, and even a super easy vegan cream cheese recipe that is my all time favorite !

Thanks goodness for easy comfort food vegan dinners!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz package of wide ribbon eggless noodles

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 1 lb Lightlife ground “beef” or sausage, or any other ground vegan meat you like

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/2 cup non dairy plain yogurt

• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons non dairy cream cheese

• 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds, homemade or store bought

• 1 cup vegan mozzarella shreds, homemade or store bought

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Boil Noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles and mix in the yogurt, cream cheese, and dijon mustard. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, add a few teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and pepper to the pan. Cook until the veggies are soft. Add the Lightlife and break apart into a crumble using a spatula. Allow the meatless crumble to cook through.

3. Once the the meatless crumbles have cooked through, add the can of crushed tomatoes to the same pan. Add the thyme, oregano, salt and pepper and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. In a large casserole dish or 9x13, add half of the noodles to the bottom. Top the noodles with half of the sauce mixture. Next, add the remaining noodles and top with the remaining sauce.

5. Sprinkle the top with the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses ,and place on the top rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes. Long enough to melt the cheese and heat the casserole through.

6. This recipe works well for meal prep. You can easily freeze any leftovers and thaw to reheat for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

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If you liked this recipe, try these:

Muffin Cup Vegan Lasagna

One Pot Creamy “Chicken” Pasta

Vegan Italian Potato Roll Up

Savory Beet and Tempeh Burgers

I really love beets. This has not always been the case.

There once was a time where I thought I really hated beets! I refused, REFUSED, to believe they could taste like anything other than dirt.

Well, one day that all changed when I received a giant bunch of beets in a local produce delivery and was determined not to waste them. I

made my first batch of borscht and from that moment on beets went from my most hated food to one of my favorite foods.

There isn’t any way I won’t eat a beet now. I love them roasted, raw, pickled, in smoothies, and always in a burger.

I think these beet and tempeh burgers have the perfect texture and amount chew to them, thanks to the tempeh, and vital wheat gluten.

They are packed with protein, and all the many health benefits of beets! So if you think you hate beets too, I urge you to give them another chance! You may be surprised. They make a mighty tasty burger!

And if you are looking for the perfect grillable vegan burger recipe, this my just become your new go to!

And don’t forget to check out our quick rise or pretzel bun recipes too! The only thing better than a homemade vegan burger is one on a homemade vegan bun!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small red beet, peeled

• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1 package plain tempeh

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better than Bouillon

• 1/4 cup diced onion

• 3 teaspoons liquid smoke ( optional, if you don’t like liquid smoke, skip it or reduce amount)

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt ( omit if you use soy sauce, or don’t like a lot of salt)

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon thyme

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the beet into quarters and add it along with the onion to a food processor or high speed blender. Process until the beet is nice an minced up. If you do not have either a food processor or blender, then shred the beet using a box grater and finely dice the onion.

2. Next add the chickpeas and 1/4 cup of water, and process until they are nice and broken down. Again if you do not have a blender or food processor, you can mash up the chickpeas using a potato masher or a fork.

3. Break the block of tempeh into pieces, and add it to the blender. If you are making the burgers by hand, chop the tempeh into super small pieces, then using your fingers, crumble the tempeh over the beets, onion, and chickpeas and mix.

4. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for a minute, or until all of the ingredients are broken down and well incorporated. If mixing in a bowl, mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. It may be easier to use your hands to mix everything up vs using a spoon, but be forewarned your hands will be stained red for a while. The only downside of beets.

5. Equally potion the mixture, and form burger patties. You should be able to get about 10 burgers depending on the size. You can pan fry these burgers or grill them. If using the grill, be sure to spray it well with some cooking oil before putting the burgers down to avoid them sticking. They also freeze well, making them great for meal prep. Just form the patties and portion them into freezer bags. They should stay good in the freezer for a few months.

6. Server burgers on a vegan pretzel bun or quick no rise hamburger bun. You can also top the burgers with any of our quick and easy vegan cheeses.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Pretzel Buns

No Rise Hamburger Buns

Coconut Milk Gouda

Smokey Cashew Cheddar

Quinoa and Black Bean Burger

Vegan Matzah Oven Nachos

Matzah Matzah Matzah…You can actually do a lot with matzah if you are forced to eat it for a week!

But even if you don’t celebrate passover, matzah still makes a nice crunchy base for vegan nachos.

I actually get really excited about these nachos! Sometimes its just fun to change it up!

These nachos are covered in our gooey spicy, cashew queso, and topped with the yummiest tofu!

I love this recipe most because you built the nachos on a giant sheet pan, making them great for dinner parties or easy weeknight dinners!

They also make a great quick snack if your teenager comes home with a gaggle of hungry friends, and I might be speaking from personal experience here. I mean, who doesn’t want to dig in to a GIANT pan of nachos? Its literally the stuff of my dreams.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 5-6 sheets of matzah

• 1/2 batch vegan cashew queso (If you are celebrating passover, substitute with a passover appropriate option or omit the nutritional yeast in the recipe. It will still be tasty)

• A handful of shredded lettuce

• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

• 1/4 cup sliced olives

• A few tablespoon sliced green onions

• 1 can refried beans

• 2 avocados

• Juice from 1/2 lime

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

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MARINATED TOFU:

• 1 block of extra firm tofu

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 1 teaspoons onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1-2 teaspoons agave or maple syrup

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Drain tofu and wrap in a few paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place a few books on top and let sit for 10 minutes to press out any excess liquid.

2. Dice the tofu into small 1/2 inch cubes. Whisk the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow baking dish and add the tofu. Allow the tofu to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

3. For the guacamole, scoop the avocados from the peel into a small bowl. Mash the avocado using a fork until they are relatively smooth. Add the lime juice, cumin, and chili powder and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. While tofu is marinating prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with foil or parchment paper. Break up the pieces of matzah and scatter them on the pan. Dollop the beans over the matzah. Set aside.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu along with the marinade to the pan and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed and the tofu begins to brown and and crisp.

6. Scatter the tofu over the matzah and drizzle with the queso cheese sauce. Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes. The nachos just need to say in long enough to heat the beans and warm the queso.

7. Remove from oven and top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onions, and guacamole to serve.

Vegan Italian Potato Roll Up

Potatoes are my favorite food group. Mashed, fried, baked, loaded, stuffed, you name it.

So obviously I am not going to bat an eye at the idea of using them as the vessel that holds in all of the cheesy, “meaty”, saucy goodness in this roll up!

My whole family loved this recipe and fought over the leftovers! If you are not a fan of vegan sausage, you can easily swap it out for any meatless crumble you like, or even use a mixture of diced veggies.

I used vegan tofu ricotta in this recipe. If you have never made it, its super easy and any leftovers keep for about a week in the fridge. I love it and kind find so many ways to use up whats left over!

The super thin potatoes crisp up when you bake the roll, making the perfect gluten free alternative to a pastry wrap. Plus, potatoes are delicious and agin my favorite food group, so I don’t even miss a bready wrap!

This recipe is hearty, filling and sooooo good! Just know that a fight might break out over any left overs, so get your game face on.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 russet potatoes, peeled (I used 2 large potatos)

• 1/2 batch tofu ricotta

• 1 package vegan sausage (I used Lightlife) or you can use 4 vegan sausage, casing removed and crumbled up.

• 16 oz fresh spinach

• 1/2 to 1 cup marinara sauce

• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan shreds, any that melt (we used follow your heart)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Using a mandolin, cut the potatoes on the 1/8 inch setting. If you do not have a mandolin, you can try thinly slicing them on a box grater, using the side that has one single blade, or carefully, thinly slice them using a sharp knife. They need to be around 1/8 of an inch thick.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly spray with some cooking oil. Sprinkle the pan with 1/4 cup of the parmesan shreds.

3. Lay the potatoes on the pan in a thin single layer, making sure each potatoes is touching and overlapping just a little. You should be able to cover the pan with the potatoes. Give the potatoes a little sprinkle of salt, and another spray with some oil. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

4. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the ricotta according to instructions.

5. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into a crumble with a spatula and allowing it cook though. When the sausage is 3/4 of the way done cooking, add the spinach to the pan and let it wilt, and finish cooking with the sausage.

6. Check the potatoes after 25 minutes. They should be soft and sticking together. If they do not seem done, give them 5 more minutes. Once they are done cooking, remove from oven (but leave the oven on) and allow them to cool on the pan for about 10 minutes.

7. Once the potatoes have cooled, spread a nice thick, even, layer of ricotta over the surface of the potatoes. Next sprinkle the sausage and spinach mixture over the ricotta. Lastly, cover the sausage layer in a layer or marinara.

8. Starting at the end that you began layering the potatoes, carefully begin rolling into a burrito shape, using the parchment paper to help you get started. One potatoes might break when you are rolling it up, just press them back together and keep rolling. Give the roll up another spray of oil, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of parm shreds over the top. Put the roll up back in the oven for about 25 minutes. You want the roll up to heat through, and the parm to melt and brown.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool some before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with dried parsley or oregano to garnish.

Vegan Dry Rubbed Brisket

When we used to eat meat, smoked brisket was on the top of my meat favorites list!

Brietet Sandwichs, brisket knish, brisket slathered in bbq with side of baked beans and potato salad. Now I am super hungry!!

Obviously its been a LONG time since we have eaten brisket, but from what I remember, this vegan brisket is a close second!

We added some jackfruit to the jazzed up seitan recipe to add some extra meaty texture and it worked great. This vegan brisket is perfectly seasoned and coated in a savory, sweet dry rub.

If you have a food processor this recipe could not be easier. Just dump everything in there, let it mix and knead. Wrap it, bake it, and LET IT REST. Really, head my warning, it must rest to firm up. Don’t come at me if you cut right into yours and its not firm. I warned you!!

You can serve it as is, or pop it on the grill with some BBQ sauce and sliced up for the most delicious BBQ brisket sandwich. I have added a drool worthy picture below of said magnificent sandwich!!!

It firms up nicely and can be sliced extra thin using a mandolin, if you let it rest as stated above!

So if you have been missing smokey, savory, dry rub crusted brisket, hopefully this recipe will do the trick! I for one know what’s going to be on our grill this summer!

! Glory Glory! Brisket is back, baby!!!

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INGREDIENTS:

You will need aluminum foil, and a 9x13 baking dish for this recipe

• 1 can jackfruit in brine

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1/4 cup tapioca starch

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better than Bouillon

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 2 tablespoons oil ( I used grape seed)

• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 2 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

DRY RUB:

• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon thyme

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INSTRUCITONS:

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop the jackfruit in your food processor by pulsing a few times.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and mix for a minute, until a sort of dough forms.

3. If you do not have a food processor, finely chop the jackfruit using a sharp knife. In a medium bowl add the jackfruit and remaining ingredients. Using your hands, (I promise its just easier) mix all of the ingredients together until a dough forms. Knead the dough by hand for a few minutes.

4. Form the dough into a sort of oval shape, mimicking a brisket. Tear off a piece of foil that is about 3 times the size of the dough.

5. Mix up the ingredients for the dry rub in a bowl.

6. Pour dry rub into the middle of the foil. Take the “brisket and roll it in the rub to cover all sides.

7. Spray the brisket and the foil with some cooking spray and wrap the brisket in the foil, sealing it up. Just make sure it is going to be easy to open.

8. Place the foil covered brisket into a 9x13 pan and place in the oven on the top rack. Bake sealed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes open up the foil pouch and continue baking for another 30-40 minutes.

9. Allow the brisket to cool and rest in the fridge overnight. The brisket should slice easily once cooled. It should even be firm enough to thinly slice on a mandolin.

You can also baste the brisket it BBQ sauce and grill to reheat. I normally place brisket on a piece of foil on the grill to avoid a mess. I let it grill with the lid closed just until its heated through, then slice for sandwiches.

Vegan Casey's Corner Slaw Dog

Our family LOVES Disney!. We are lucky enough to live in sunny Florida, only a few hours from the park, and have the additional perk of discounted residence season passes. I

f you are fan, or frequent visitor of Disney’s Magic Kingdom as well, then you probably know all about Casey’s Corner.

For those not familiar, it is a quick serve restaurant that serves hot dogs and fries. In the last couple of years Disney has really stepped up their vegan game, adding lots of vegan options including beyond burgers, and sausages to all of their parks.

Thanks to these new offerings, Casey’s Corner now has a vegan hot dog that is so crazy good! It is actually a beyond sausage topped with pickle slaw, grilled corn and a special sauce.

I not only ate mine, but half of one of my kids, and wished I had another.

So when we came home from our last Disney day, I decided we could easily recreate this tasty treat, but maybe make it a bit healthier, and more budget friendly using carrot dogs.

I have never been a big fan of faux meat hot dogs, and although I love the Beyond brand sausage, we can not always easily find them, and they are not nearly as cheap as a bag of carrots!

You could 100% use any vegan sausage or hot dog you like for this recipe you like if you are not a carrot dog fan. I can tell you first hand it is just as delicious as a sausage, or a carrot dog!!

So if you have been to the park, had this hot dog, and are still craving more, it’s so easy to make yourself one or 3 (I’m not judging) at home.

If you have never had this hot dog, then you really have try it!! And if you ever get over the the Magic Kingdom, just know your biggest issue finding something vegan to eat, is actually just deciding on WHICH vegan thing to eat! Not a bad problem to have at a theme park!

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INGREDIENTS::

• 1 batch carrot dogs, or store bought vegan hotdogs or sausage

• 1 pack hot dog buns

• 2 cups slaw mix or shredded cabbage

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons vegan mayo

• 1/4 cup finely diced dill pickles

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 ears of corn

THE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons mayo

• 2 tablespoons bbq sauce

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare carrot dogs according to instructions. They are best if marinated over night, but I often will start a batch in the morning and grill them at dinner time.

2. In a medium bowl add the cabbage, pickles, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Store in the fridge covered until ready to use.

3. You can grill the carrot dogs (my preference) or also heat them in a skillet. If using the grill, lightly spray the grill surface with some spay oil. Grill the carrots for about 10 minutes or until you have some nice grill makes on all sides. If heating in a pan, spray pan with some oil, and heat carrot dogs for about 5 minutes to make sure they are cooked through.

4. Shuck and clean both ears of corn. If using a grill, lightly spray the corn with some oil or brush with vegan butter, and place on the grill along with the carrot dogs. Grill for about 10 minutes turning the corn serval times to avoid burning. If you do not have a grill you can boil the corn for 5 to 10 minutes just to heat through.

5. Allow the corn to cool. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the corn off of the cob.

6. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of mayo and bbq sauce in a small bowl.

7. To serve, top the carrot dog with slaw, some corn, and a drizzle of sauce.

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Seves 6-8

If you like this recipe, try these:

Carrot Dogs

Carrot Corn Dogs

Vegan Pigs in a Blanket (carrot dogs)

Vegan Beer Battered Fish Tacos

The magic of battering and frying up banana blossoms is mind boggling. It looks like, feels like, and tastes like fried fish!

So aside from eating a giant plate of vegan beer battered fried fish fillets(which I will gladly do with some fries and tarter sauce) fish tacos are my next favorite way to enjoy this magic!

Now, I know most people serve fish tacos on a flour tortillas, but the fact is, if you know how to prepare corn tortillas, they reign supreme over flour all day! I was pretty anti corn tortillas until someone (my brother in law, Dan) showed me if you cook them in a hot pan with a little oil and seasoning, they are seriously the best thing.

We also made the slaw with sauerkraut instead of fresh cabbage for this recipe. We make our own quick dill kraut, and it is the perfect amount of briny tang, mixed with creamy vegan mayo, and little sugar to round out these tacos. If you have never made a slaw from kraut, as my mom always says, don’t knock it til you try it! It’s also a convenient option if you do not have any fresh cabbage on hand. I normally have a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge making a quick slaw that much quicker.

And lets not forget the '“fish” is beer battered, so as far as I am concerned, there is nothing not to love about these tasty vegan fish tacos!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can of banana blossoms in brine

• 3/4 cups all purpose white flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon old bay

• 1 teaspoons dulse flakes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 can of cold beer, any beer is fine as long as it’s not a dark, thick beer

• Oil for frying (I used peanut)

• 8-10 corn tortillas

• 1 lime

• 1 avocado

• 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2-3 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt or sour cream

The Slaw:

• 1 cup quick dill sauerkraut (or any sauerkraut you have)

• 1/4 red onion thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup shredded carrots

• 2 tablespoons vegan mayo

• 1-2 tablespoons sugar, or agave

• A few shakes of dried parsley or cilantro

• black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mash the avocado and mix it with juice from half of the lime, sour cream or yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste until it is nice and creamy. You can also drop all of the ingredients into a bullet blender or food processor. Set aside.

2. Mix the sauerkraut (not the juice, just the cabbage) and remaining slaw ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

3. Drain can of banana blossoms and carefully remove the blossoms, laying them out on a paper towel to remove some liquid. They can easily fall apart so be careful. I found that only a few blossoms in the can that were fully in tact. I simply took all of the loose leaves and stacked them back together to resemble full blossoms. I have only been able to find one brand of blossoms on Amazon. I am uncertain if this is an issue with all canned banana blossoms, but stacking the leaves back together worked just fine for me.

4. Transfer the blossoms to a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of dulce flakes and a dash of salt.

5. For the batter, whisk together the flour, baking powder, teaspoon salt, old bay, and 1/2 can of cold beer (oh well, guess you have to drink the rest) in a medium sized bowl. The batter will be thick.

6. Heat a deep skillet with a few inches of oil over medium/ high heat.

7. While the oil is heating, begin carefully dipping the blossoms into the batter. For any blossoms that you had to reassemble, place them into the batter, and using a spoon, cover the top in batter. This will help keep the blossom in tact vs attempting to dip them. Carefully transfer the blossoms to the hot oil. TIP: if you are not sure if the oil is hot enough, place a chopstick into the oil, if tiny bubbles form around the chopstick, the oil is ready!

8. Fry each blossom for a minute or two on each side, or until they are golden brown. If they seem to be browning too quickly, reduce your heat a bit. Transfer the finished blossoms to a wire cooling rack that has been placed on top of a paper towel lined cookie sheet.

9. Heat a large skillet and spray with some cooking oil. Heat tortillas on each side, sprinkling them with a little all purpose seasoning, or any seasoning you like, and a squirt of lime juice. You just need to let them heat for a minute or two on each side, just until they get a little brown and crisp. This will help the tortillas taste amazing and not rip.

10. Cut fish fillets into bite size pieces. Place a few “fish” pieces in each tortilla, along with some slaw, and a drizzle of avocado cream to serve.

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serves 4-6

If you liked this recipe, try these:

Beer Battered Vegan Fried Fish Fillets

Alabama White Sauce Tempeh Tacos

Grilled Watermelon and Tofu Tacos

The Perfect Vegan Lasagna

If you have been looking for the perfect, cheesy, gooey, saucy, vegan lasagna, look no further! Layers of noodles, tofu ricotta, homemade marinara, and the perfect vegan mozzarella sauce make this lasagna the best vegan lasagna I have had, hands down!

It’s my go to dish to bake up for all of our non vegan friends and family, because no one ever even knows its vegan! We are house divided where lasagna is concerned, some preferring veggie lasagna, and others a classic “meaty” lasagna. So I have given instruction on making this lasagna 2 ways! Because two kinds of lasagna are always better than one!! Right?!?!?

If you are looking for a mini version that is perfect for meal prep, check out the links below for our Muffin cup lasagna, and ourLasagna stuffed peppers!! The lasagna cups are perfect for easy meal prep. Just bake them in a muffin tin and freeze. Pop out what you need later and reheat!! Easy Peasy!

I am telling you, you will never want to use store bought shredded mozzarella again after using this perfect cheese sauce. It’s super easy to whip up, and gets ooey gooey, bubbly, and browns. Its magic and it is staple in our house for so many recipes! Sometimes, like right now with this vegan lasagna, the secret is in the sauce!

So bake up a pan for yourself, and one for a neighbor or friend. They will be so thankful for a night off from cooking and so impressed that this lasagna is actually vegan! I always say the way to convince someone that vegan food is just a delicious, if not more, than the non vegan version is by sharing it!!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box lasagna noodles (regular or gluten free) DO NOT BOIL THE NOODLES. We will be using them dry in the recipe. This works fine, and there is no need to boil them first. Do not use “no boil” noodles. They typically contain eggs. Just use regular lasagna noodles.

Tofu Ricotta:

• 1 package extra firm tofu, drained

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 2 teaspoons miso paste

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 onion

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1. Add the onion to a high speed blender or food processor and blend for a minute to mince up. Add remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth.

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White Cheese Sauce:

• 1 cup of cashews (soaked in hot water a few hours, or coved in water and microwaved 3 minutes)

• 2 cups of water

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup corn, or tapioca starch

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1.Drain cashews. Add cashews and remaining ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth and liquified. Make sure there are no little bits of cashews left.

2. Add the mixture to a medium sized sauce pan and heat over medium heat, whisking continuously. The mixture will go from liquid to thick very quickly so do not stop stirring! You want the cheese sauce to be the constancy of a thick pudding. If it gets clumpy or too thick, you can add a little more water to the pan and it will thin back out.

The Sauce:

• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes drained

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced (optional)

• 1 cup diced mushrooms (optional)

• 4 cups raw spinach (optional)

• 2 cloves crushed garlic

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• salt and pepper to taste

• splash or 2 of red wine (optional)

“Meaty” option:

If you would rather have a ‘meaty” sauce, you could omit the carrot, pepper, and mushroom, spinach, and add a bag of meatless crumbles, or even use 2-3 Beyond Beef brand burgers. Simply thaw them ,and cook as you would ground meat before adding to the sauce.

1. In a large sauce pan, sauté all of the veggies and garlic in a few teaspoons of oil until tender. if using spinach, add it last and let it cook down for a few minutes to evaporate some of the liquid.

2. Add Wine and let cook for a minute

3. Add both cans of tomatoes, and spices, and let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes.

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Start by adding a little sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

2. Add a layer of noodles. Next, spread a nice sized scoop of tofu ricotta over the noodles, followed by marinara, then a layer of cheese sauce.

3. Repeat layers until you have used up all of the ingredients.

4. Make sure the top layer is the white cheese sauce. You can add some Italian seasoning to the cheese sauce if you like before you bake.

5. Cover with foil a and bake at 350 degrees for 45- 60 minutes. Remove the foil after about 20 minutes so the top can begin to brown . If you have filled the pan to the top you might want to put it on a baking sheet, incase it decides to bubble over.

6. Let lasagna cool a bit before before cutting, and serving.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Muffin Cup Vegan Lasagna

Vegan Lasagna Stuffed Peppers