Vegan Caesar Salad with Tempeh Bacon

LOVE this hearty vegan Caesar salad! Makes an excellent entrée salad. Check out the original recipe on hotforfoodblog.com.

Ingredients

Tempeh Bacon

1 250-g. package tempeh

1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

1/2 c. water

1 tbsp. Liquid Smoke

3 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

1-2 tbsp. coconut oil, for frying

Garlic Croutons

3 c. cubed bread

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. vegan parmesan

Salads

8 to 9 c. kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped into ribbons

1 tsp. lemon juice

pinch sea salt

1 c. Vegan Caesar Dressing 

ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

For the croutons, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, ground black pepper, and vegan parm. Toss the cubed bread in the mixture until well coated. 

Lay out the bread onto a baking sheet and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, turning over once in the middle of baking, until golden brown. Depending on the bread you use, the time will vary so just keep an eye on them. 

For the tempeh bacon, thinly slice the tempeh into strips approximately 1/8-inch to-1/4-inch thick. 

Whisk together low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, water, Liquid Smoke, maple syrup, and smoked paprika in a shallow dish that you can use to marinate the tempeh in. Lay the slices of tempeh in the dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (the longer the better).

To cook, heat a non-stick pan over medium and add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil. Once the pan is hot add the slices of tempeh without overcrowding the pan. You might need to cook in two batches.

Once the first side starts to brown, you’ll want to start de-glazing the pan with a bit of the leftover marinade to prevent the slices from sticking and to get them really caramelized and browned. Flip the slices and do the same thing on the other side. You may need to add another tablespoon of coconut oil at this point. Cook time is approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool while you assemble the Caesar salad.

Wash kale and remove the leaves from the stems and discard those. Finely chop the leaves into ribbons or shreds and place in a large mixing bowl. Put lemon juice and sea salt on the kale and massage it into the leaves lightly with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until you notice it becoming darker in color and slightly wilting.

Add 1 cup of the Caesar dressing and ground black pepper and toss to coat evenly. Portion out the dressed kale to your serving dishes and top each salad with tempeh bacon, garlic croutons, and drizzle more dressing, as desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Southern Pasta Salad with Black-Eyed Peas, Greens & Smoked Tofu

My vegan version of a recipe from EatingWell.

Ingredients

1 c. sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

8 oz. elbows or other small pasta

8 oz. Swiss chard or kale, washed and cut crosswise into thin strips

8 oz. Soy Boy Smoked Tofu, chopped

28 oz. black-eyed peas, cooked or canned

½ c. sweet onions, chopped

1/4 c. brewed coffee

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. molasses

1 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and let stand until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut into slivers and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until al dente; add greens during the last minute of cooking. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Press to remove excess water and transfer to a large bowl. Add tofu, black-eyed peas, onions and the reserved tomatoes.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl for dressing. Add to the pasta and greens; toss until well-combined.

Makes about 18 cups. 

1 cup = 180 calories 

Sesame Orange Udon

Ingredients
10 oz. asparagus
1 oz. fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
1 orange
4 oz. curly kale
1 Thai chile
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
4 oz. organic udon noodles
¼ cup cashews
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. tamari
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the udon noodles. Trim about 1 inch from the bottom of the asparagus and slice the stalks into 2 inch pieces. Peel and mince the ginger. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Zest the oranges, then cut half into wedges. Destem the kale, and roughly chop the leaves. Thinly slice the Thai chile into the rounds.

Place a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat and add the sesame seeds. Toast, tossing frequently, until the seeds are lightly browned and fragrant, about 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a medium bowl and add just 2 tbsp. orange juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar.

Return the large skillet to medium high heat with 2 tsp vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced garlic, as many sliced chiles as you’d like, and minced ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the udon noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sliced asparagus and cashews to the skillet with the aromatics, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Season asparagus with salt, and toss to coat. Turn off the heat.

Drain the udon noodles and immediately add to the now empty skillet along with the chopped kale and the sesame orange sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and cook the sesame orange udon until the sauce thickens slightly and the sugar dissolves. Add the orange zest, taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.

Divide the sesame orange udon with asparagus and gingered cashews between large shallow bowls and serve with orange wedges.

Serves 2.

Crispy Plantain Tacos

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
6 oz. tomatillos
1 poblano pepper
1 lime
¼ oz. parsley
1 apricot or peach
1 red Fresno chile
1 plantain
1 red onion
6 oz. curly kale
6 whole wheat tortillas
2 tbsp. vegan sour cream
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F for the tortillas. Peel the garlic. Remove husks from the tomatillos, and rinse and halve the fruit. Destem, deseed, and chop the poblano pepper. Halve and juice the lime. Roughly chop parsley leaves and stems. Remove pit from the apricot or peach and dice. Trim, deseed, and thinly slice the red Fresno chile. Peel plantain and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Peel, halve, and thinly slice red onion. Destem curly kale and roughly chop the leaves.

Add the peeled garlic, halved tomatillos, chopped poblano pepper, just half the lime juice, chopped parsley, and ½ tsp. salt to a blender. Blend the fiery green sauce until smooth. Taste, and add salt as necessary.

Add the remaining lime juice, diced apricot or peach, thinly sliced red Fresno chile, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Stir the apricot salsa. Taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced plantain and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the crispy plantain to a large plate.

Wrap the whole wheat tortillas in foil and place in the oven until warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Return skillet to high heat with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Add sliced red onion and a pinch of salt and cook until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-high and add chopped curly kale and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until kale is bright green, 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide the warm whole wheat tortillas between plates. Add charred red onion and kale, crispy plantain, and apricot salsa. Top the crispy plantain tacos with fiery green sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 2

Chickpea Quinoa Bowls with Tarator Sauce & Pickled Shallots

Ingredients
¾ cup quinoa
1 can chickpeas (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. sumac
6 oz. broccoli florets
1 shallot or red onion
2 tbsp. golden raisins
2 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
½ cup sliced almonds
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
2 oz. Lacinato kale
1 tbsp. + 2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the quinoa, 1¼ cups water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the spirals burst, 12 to 15 minutes.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and pat dry. Place them on a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, sumac, and a pinch of salt, and toss to coat. Chop the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. Add the chopped broccoli, 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the baking sheet and toss to coat. Roast until the chickpeas and broccoli are browned in places, 12 to 15 minutes.

Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Add the sliced shallot, golden raisins, Champagne vinegar, just 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl and stir.

Peel the garlic. Halve and juice the lemon. Add the garlic, half the lemon juice, remaining sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and ⅓ cup water to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste, and season the tarator sauce with salt as necessary.

Destem the kale and thinly slice the leaves. Add the sliced kale to the cooked quinoa and toss until the greens are slightly wilted. Add the remaining lemon juice, taste, and season with salt and pepper as necessary.

Divide the kale quinoa, roasted broccoli, and sumac chickpeas between large bowls. Drizzle with tarator sauce and top with pickled shallots.

Mushroom Shawarma

Ingredients
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp. white vinegar
¼ c. vegan mayo
¾ tsp. ground turmeric
1 red onion
8 oz. cremini mushrooms
2 tsp. baharat spice blend
4 oz. curly kale
1 oz. fresh parsley
4 oz. shredded red cabbage
2 multigrain flatbread
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and mince the garlic. In a small bowl, combine just 1 tsp white vinegar (reserving the rest for the next step), the minced garlic, Vegenaise, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Mix the turmeric aioli.

Peel and slice the onion. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp towel to clean, and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Add the sliced onion and sliced mushrooms to a baking sheet, toss with 2 tbsp vegetable oil, the baharat spice, and ¼ tsp salt. Roast until the vegetables are crispy in places, about 16 to 18 minutes.

Destem the kale and thinly slice the leaves. Remove the parsley leaves from the stems. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining vinegar, kale, parsley leaves, red cabbage, 1 tsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Toss the kale salad to combine.

Wrap the flatbreads in foil and put them in the oven to warm, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Spread the turmeric aioli on the flatbreads. Place the roasted vegetables and kale salad on one half of the flatbread, and fold the other half over. Serve any remaining salad alongside the mushroom shawarma.

Serves 2; 420 calories per serving without the bread.

Brassica Bowls with Crispy Butter Beans

Ingredients
6 oz. broccolini
1 tbsp. Italian spice mix
6 oz. Lacinato kale
2 radishes
1 lemon
1 can butter beans
1/4 c. vegan Caesar dressing
1/4 c. walnuts

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Trim about 1 inch off the bottom of the broccolini. Add the broccolini to a baking sheet and toss with 2 tsp olive oil and the Italian spice. Roast until browned in places, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Destem the kale and thinly slice the leaves. Thinly slice the radishes. Halve the lemon. Add the sliced kale to a large bowl along with the just half the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Massage the kale for a moment until the leaves are dark green. Add the sliced radishes to the kale.

Drain and rinse the butter beans and pat dry with paper towels. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the butter beans in one layer, sprinkle with salt, and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until browned in places, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the remaining lemon juice, Caesar dressing, and a pinch of salt to a bowl. Stir the lemony Caesar dressing well. Divide the kale salad and butter beans between large plates. Top with roasted broccolini and walnuts. Drizzle with lemony Caesar dressing.

Banh Mi Bowl

Ingredients
1 brick extra firm tofu
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. Asian-style BBQ sauce
4 c. kale, stemmed and shredded
4 c. napa cabbage, stemmed and shredded
1/4 c. Jalapeno-Lime Aioli (see blog for recipe)
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 c. carrots, shredded or ribboned
2 c. cucumber, shredded or ribboned
1 c. cilantro, packed and coarsely chopped
1/2 c. pickled jalapenos and red onions

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain excess water from tofu and pat dry. Cut into small cubes. Toss cubes in cornstarch and lay out on baking sheet, spacing 1/4-inch apart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and crispy. Toss crispy tofu in the BBQ sauce. Lay out the cubes on baking sheet again and bake for 10 minutes.

To assemble the bowls, toss kale and cabbage together in a large bowl with aioli and chopped green onions. Toss to coat well.

Place dressed greens in serving bowls. Top with carrot, cucumber, cilantro, jalapenos, and tofu. Drizzle more aioli, if desired.

Serves 4. 

Tempeh Peanut Noodles with Blanched Kale

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce: 
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp. maple syrup or agave
1 tbsp. sriracha or sambal olek (more or less to taste)

For the noodles: 
6 oz. Asian-style noodles, like somen or soba
6 c. kale, sliced into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. coconut oil
8 oz. tempeh
1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. scallions, sliced

Directions
Mix ingredients for sauce and whisk or blend until thoroughly combined.

Cook the noodles according to package directions, but use a larger pot than usual. In the last 30 seconds of cooking the noodles, toss in the kale to blanch. After 30 seconds, drain and run under cold water.

In a wok or large skillet, heat up the oil. Crumble in the tempeh in bite-sized pieces and saute until it starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Turn off heat and add noodles and three-quarters of sauce. Mix it all up until well blended. Add more sauce here as desired, or save for leftovers. Top with scallions and serve warm or at room temperature.

1 recipe = 2,377 calories  

NOTE: For leftovers, add some carrot and cucumber cut into matchsticks. Eat cold, like a salad.

Thai Kale Salad with Cashew Dressing

Ingredients

For the green beans: 
1 c. green beans (stems removed, steamed and chopped)
1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

For the salad: 
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 bundles lacinato (non curly) kale (torn into bite-size pieces, large stalks removed)
3 medium whole carrots (chopped or ribboned)
1/2 medium red bell pepper (quartered and thinly sliced)
1/4 c. fresh chopped cilantro or basil
1/3 c. roasted salted cashews (or peanuts)

For the dressing:  
1/3 c. salted cashew butter (or peanut butter)
1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp. fresh grated (or very finely minced) ginger
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce or 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions
Steam green beans slightly so they still have a bite, either in a steamer basket on the stovetop, or in the microwave. Then transfer to a small mixing bowl and top with tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup, and sesame seeds (optional). Toss to combine, then transfer to refrigerator to chill.

Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add sesame oil and shallot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the meantime, add kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with a bit of lime juice and sesame oil and use your hands to massage the kale to soften and remove some of the bitterness. Set aside.
Prepare dressing in a small mixing bowl by whisking together all ingredients and thinning with a little hot water until pourable.

Add green beans, sautéed shallot, and remaining salad ingredients to kale and toss with dressing.

If keeping for later, store dressing separately. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days, though best when fresh.

Chopped Thai Salad with Coconut Curry Dressing

Ingredients

For the dressing: 
1-14.5 oz. can coconut milk
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
agave or honey, to taste

For the salad: 
3 c. kale, chopped
2 c. napa cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 mango, chopped
1 c. carrots, shredded or diced
1/2 c. roasted, unsalted peanuts
1/2 c. cilantro, finely chopped

Directions
Place all dressing ingredients into a blender (or similar) and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken dressing. Allow to cool.

Assemble salad components and toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as entree or 4 as side.

Harissa Spaghettini

Ingredients
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
a big pinch of fine grain sea salt
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. harissa (paste)
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) whole wheat spaghettini1 small bunch kale, well-washed and deveined
½ c. oil-cured black olives, pitted
½ c. pine nuts, toasted (or pistachios)zest of 1 lemon
pecorino or parmesan, freshly grated

Ingredients
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, place the cloves of garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle then with a big pinch of salt. Crush with the flat side of a knife. Now crush and chop, crush and chop until you have a garlic paste. Alternately, you can use a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic paste, harissa, and olive oil. Set aside. 

Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook per package instructions. Just before the pasta is done add the kale to the pasta water, count to six, drain, and set aside.

Heat half of the harissa dressing in the now empty pasta pot Add the pasta and kale, black olives, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Stir over the heat for a minute or so, then turn everything out onto a platter and drizzle with the remaining harissa olive oil. Serves 3 to 4 as an entrée. 

Lean Green Power Salad

Ingredients

4 c. kale, chopped

1 avocado, diced

1/2 c. quinoa, cooked

1/2 c. pomegranate seeds

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1/4 c. goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1 Meyer lemon, juiced and zested

1 tbsp. agave

Directions

If you’re using baby kale greens, you can keep them raw. Mature kale may be too tough for your taste, so feel free to blanch and cool very briefly. Combine kale, avocado, pomegranate, pecans and goat cheese and toss. Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, olive oil and agave. Dress salad to serve.