Takeout Noodles with Asparagus & Sesame Ginger Sauce

Ingredients

8 oz. asparagus

1 oz. fresh ginger

4 radishes

2 tbsp. sesame oil

3 tsp. tamari

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. peanut butter

2 tbsp. chile garlic sauce

10 oz. fresh ramen noodles

¼ c. crispy shallots

¼ c. peanuts

1 tsp. vegetable oil

Salt

Directions

Bring a medium saucepan with 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Trim 1 inch off the bottom of the asparagus and slice the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Peel and mince 2 teaspoons of ginger. Grate the radishes on the largest side of a box grater.

Add the minced ginger, sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar, peanut butter, and as much of the chile garlic sauce as you’d like to a medium bowl. Whisk the sesame ginger sauce until combined.

Once the water in the medium saucepan is boiling, add the fresh ramen noodles and cook until just al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced asparagus and cook until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked ramen noodles, sesame ginger sauce, and a pinch of salt and toss until well coated and hot, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the takeout-style noodles and asparagus between bowls. Top with grated radishes, crispy shallots, and peanuts.

Serves 2.

Parmesan Gnocchi with Melted Summer Squash & Basil

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves

2 yellow squash

1 lemon

½ oz. fresh basil

10 oz. fresh gnocchi

1 tbsp. vegan butter

3 tbsp. vegan parmesan

1 tsp. crushed Aleppo pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot with 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Trim the summer squash and slice into half moons. Halve the lemon, juice one half, and divide the other half into wedges. Pick the basil leaves from the stems.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the crispy garlic to a small bowl and return skillet to medium-high heat.

Add the sliced summer squash to the skillet and cook until lightly browned in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook until the squash softens and breaks down, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the melted summer squash to a bowl.

Add the gnocchi to the large pot of boiling water and cook until the gnocchi floats, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the cooked gnocchi and shake to remove excess water.

Return skillet to medium-high heat with the butter. Once melted, add the cooked gnocchi and cook, undisturbed, until browned in places, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the parmesan and melted summer squash and stir to combine. Remove skillet from heat and add the lemon juice.

Divide the parmesan gnocchi with melted summer squash between bowls. Top with basil leaves, crispy garlic, and as much of the Aleppo pepper as you’d like. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 2.

Almond Butter Tofu Bowls with Charred Zucchini and Bok Choy

Ingredients

¾ cup sushi rice

1 garlic clove

1 oz. fresh ginger

2 tbsp. almond butter

4 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp. turbinado sugar

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. chile garlic sauce

1 zucchini

6 oz. baby bok choy

1 radish

8 oz. pre-baked tofu (i.e. Soy Boy)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Add the sushi rice, 1¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Mix the almond butter sauce

Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and mince just 2 teaspoons of ginger. Add the minced garlic, minced ginger, almond butter, tamari, turbinado sugar, sesame oil, as much chile garlic sauce as you’d like, and 2 tablespoons of warm water to a medium bowl. Whisk the almond butter sauce until smooth.

Trim the zucchini and slice into half moons. Roughly chop the baby bok choy. Trim the radish and sliced into matchsticks. Cut the tofu into bite-size cubes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the sliced zucchini and cook until charred in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped baby bok choy and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and transfer vegetables to a plate.

Return skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the cubed tofu and cook until crispy in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the almond butter sauce and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the cooked sushi rice between bowls and top with almond butter tofu and charred vegetables. Serve with sliced radish and any remaining chile garlic sauce. 

Serves 2.

Japanese Yam & Tofu Salad with Orange & Spicy Peanut Dressing

Ingredients

1 Japanese yam

6 oz. smoked tofu

¼ oz. fresh cilantro

1 orange

1 jalapeño

1 lime

1 tbsp. sesame oil

6 oz. shredded red cabbage

¼ c. sliced almonds

¼ c. spicy peanut sauce (pre-made)

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the Japanese yam into 1 inch cubes, place on a baking sheet, and toss with 2 tsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast the diced Japanese yam until tender and slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes. Pick the cilantro leaves from the stems. Peel the orange and cut into wedges. Thinly slice the jalapeño. Halve and juice the lime.

Heat just 2 tsp sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the cubed tofu and a pinch of salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the roasted Japanese yams, tofu, cilantro leaves, orange wedges, sliced jalapeño, just half the lime juice, remaining sesame oil, shredded red cabbage, and almonds to a large bowl. Toss the warm Japanese yam and shiitake salad. Taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Add the remaining lime juice and spicy peanut sauce to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Divide the warm Japanese yam and shiitake salad between plates. Drizzle with spicy peanut dressing.

Serves 2.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 c. vegan butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. non-dairy milk (I used almond)
3.5 oz. dark chocolate chips or chunks

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add the vegan butter and brown and white sugar to an electric mixing bowl and cream together. Add the vanilla and mix in.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and mix in the baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing in by hand until crumbly.

Add the 1 tbsp. milk and mix into a thick cookie dough. Add the chocolate chunks and mix in. Your cookie dough will be very thick, but sticky enough to easily roll into balls. Roll into small balls and space evenly on a parchment lined baking tray.

Bake for 10 minutes. The edges will be firm but the cookies will still be soft in the middle. This is fine, they will firm up as they cool.

Makes about 16 cookies.

Recipe credit to lovingitvegan.com. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 c. vegan butter
1 c. white sugar
1 c. creamy, salted peanut butter
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
6 oz. chocolate chips

Directions
Add the vegan butter and white sugar to an electric mixer and cream them together. Then add in the peanut butter and vanilla and mix together until well combined.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Then add in to the wet ingredients and mix in with a spoon (don’t use the electric mixer for this part) until you reach a thick crumbly dough. If at this stage you are able to mix it into a cookie dough, so what you have is a proper cookie dough instead of a crumbly dough, then you may not need to add any soy milk, but if you have crumbly dough, then you need the soy milk. This usually depends on the moisture content of your brand of vegan butter and/or peanut butter.

Add in the milk, only as much as needed to get to a thick cookie dough that is able to roll into balls. Add in your chocolate chips or chunks and mix in.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll into big balls and place onto a parchment lined baking tray. Aim for around 20 cookies from your batch, a couple more or less is fine.

Bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. The middles will still be very soft, this is fine, they will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies cool and firm up on the baking sheet before moving them.

Makes about 20 cookies.

Recipe credit to lovingitvegan.com. 

Vegan Blue "Cheese" Dressing

If I'm honest, this dressing looks more like honey mustard dressing, but it definitely has a blue cheese flavor profile! 

Ingredients

1 c. vegan mayo

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. crushed garlic

2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. white vinegar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 c. nutritional yeast

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried dill

2 oz. extra firm tofu, crumbled

Directions

Combine all ingredients up until the tofu. Whisk by hand until smooth. Crumble tofu with a fork and then add it in, folding it gently into the dressing. 

Makes about 2 cups.

Recipe credit to lovingitvegan.com. 

Carrot "Lox"

Ingredients
2 large carrots
1 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a peeler or mandolin to peel the carrot into thin strips. Toss the carrots with the soy sauce, salt, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and Liquid Smoke in a baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 30 minutes.

Drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Remove the dish from the oven and toss the carrots again to coat in the sauce. Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to dry out a bit. Once finished, toss the carrots with the dill fronds.

Serve with vegan cream cheese, capers, pickled red onion, and sliced tomatoes on bagels!

Makes enough for about 4 bagels.

Recipe credit to crowdedkitchen.com.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Cashew Sauce & Kraut

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
2 garlic cloves
½ cup cashews
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. agave
1 tsp. tamari
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
8 oz. Swiss chard (or other green)
1 Thai chile (or other hot pepper)
1 lime
4 oz. sauerkraut
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. + 1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and transfer to a baking sheet. Rub halved sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and bake cut-side down until tender, 22 to 26 minutes.

Peel the garlic and add to a blender. Measure just ⅓ cup of cashews and add to the blender along with the rice vinegar, agave, tamari, Aleppo pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Blend spicy cashew sauce until smooth. Taste, and add salt as necessary.

Thinly slice the Swiss chard stems and roughly chop the leaves. Halve the lime, juice one half, and cut one half into wedges. Thinly slice the Thai chile. Place remaining cashews in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and toast, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer toasted cashews to a cutting board and roughly chop.

When the sweet potatoes are done, return the skillet to medium-high heat with 1 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves and sliced stems, and cook until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sautéed Swiss chard with a pinch of salt and lime juice.

Divide the sautéed Swiss chard between large plates. Top with roasted sweet potatoes and sauerkraut. Drizzle everything with spicy cashew sauce and sprinkle with toasted cashews and sliced Thai chile. Serve with lime wedges.

Grilled Caesar Salad with Smoky Tofu & Roasted Tomato Pilaf

Ingredients
½ cup quinoa
2 hearts of romaine lettuce
15.5 oz. extra firm tofu (or use SoyBoy Smoked Tofu)
1 shallot
2 oz. roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. agave
¼ cup vegan Caesar dressing
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Add the quinoa, 1 cup water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan over high heat. Bring quinoa to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook until the spirals burst and the water is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes.

Halve the lettuce lengthwise. Drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into 1 inch cubes. Peel, halve, and thinly slice the shallot. Roughly chop the tomatoes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halved lettuce cut-side down, pressing to sear, and cook until charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the sliced shallots and cubed tofu and cook until browned in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the liquid smoke, agave, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is caramelized, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the quinoa and toss to combine. Top the grilled lettuce with roasted tomato pilaf and smoky tofu. Drizzle everything with Caesar dressing.

NOTE: This recipe could use a little spice!