“Broccoli Cheese Soup” Grilled Cheese

When Go Veggie! (formerly known as Galaxy Nutritional Foods) sent me some of their new vegan shredded cheese and asked if I wanted to participate in National Grilled Cheese month, it was really a no-brainer. Not that I knew it was National Grilled Cheese month until they told me… but once I found out, I was totally in! And so I present to you (drum roll please)… the Vegan “Broccoli Cheese Soup” Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

It’s got steamed broccoli, sweet onions sauteed with garlic, and a delicious mix of Go Veggies! new vegan Mozzarella and Mexican shreds combined with just a little bit of vegan butter. It’s rich, but it also has a ton of broccoli so we’re going to call it a health food, k? What is absolutely healthy is that delicious massaged kale salad in the background – they went perfectly together!

As you can see from the pictures, the shreds melted perfectly. I still have lots of the mozzarella left, so I’m thinking another crazy pizza creation is in my near future, ha ha. I’ll keep you posted of course!

Look at all that green on my plate!

“Broccoli Cheese Soup” Grilled Cheese Sandwich (makes 2 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

4 slices hearty bread (I used a homemade multi-grain ‘cause I’m fancy)
Vegan butter
1 heaping cup broccoli florets (it helps if they’re sliced thin)
1+ teaspoon garlic powder
Sea salt
2 1/4 inch slices of sweet onion, each sliced in half so you get the long pieces of onion
2 handfuls Go Veggie! vegan cheese shreds (Either flavor would work, I used a mix of both… ’cause I’m fancy!)

Directions:

Schmear butter on one side of each slice and set aside.
Steam the broccoli (I use a colander in a pot of boiling water because maybe I’m not so fancy after all?) until it turns bright green, 5-6 minutes. About halfway through, sprinkle it with the garlic and sea salt and give it a stir.
Water saute the onions just until soft, 4-5 minutes. Give them a sprinkle of garlic too!
In a frying pan over medium heat, lay down your first two slices of bread, buttered side down. Top each with about 2/3 of the cheese, then add the broccoli and onion. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low, just for a couple minutes. We want that cheese to get reeaaal melty!
Turn the heat back to medium and remove the cover. Add the rest of your cheese and the remaining slices of bread, buttered side up. Now, if you want your sandwich to be a little bit extra decadent, add a little butter to the side of the bread that’s facing the cheese. It’s not required, but it sure is good!
When the bottom slice is browned, flip and continue to cook until the color is the way you like it! Serve immediately!

Enjoy!

*Go Veggie! provided me with free product to review, but the opinions are 100% mine!

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Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios

Oh man, do I love sandwiches. Love ‘em! And quite possibly, the one I love most of all is this Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich, complete with chewy cranberries and crunchy pistachios!

Back when I was an omnivore, chicken salad was always a favorite of mine, but thankfully those days are long behind me.

Long side story: I still remember the last time I ate chicken, it was chicken schnitzel in Heidelberg, Germany right before climbing the hill to tour Schloss Heidelberg (in flip-flops no less… I don’t recommend it). Such a beautiful city, and an amazing castle. Everything I saw of Germany was wonderful, actually. I would absolutely go back again (any German readers that want me to come visit? I’ll cook for you! )

It’s funny I remember that, isn’t it? I was still transitioning to vegetarianism (this was mid 2008), and had managed to eat veg my whole trip up till that point. Thankfully I was traveling with a co-worker who spoke a lot of German and had a wife who was vegetarian, so he was able to help me out with ordering. I don’t know why I had chicken that day, certainly I could’ve chosen a salad. I suppose this is why I’m so supportive of people who are transitioning slowly – my own journey absolutely had its starts, stops, detours and cliffs!

I also remember the last time I ate pork. We had gone out for bbq, and I hadn’t eaten meat in a couple of months. Let’s just say it didn’t agree with me, and from that day forward I was pescatarian, which lasted for about a month. I live in Colorado for crying out loud, so the only fish in my life was from McDonald’s and that seemed a pitiful reason for hanging on to eating any flesh at all. In fact, the last fish I ate was from McDonald’s. We had ordered a pizza which never showed up at the house and I was a starving, grumpy mess. And still used to relying on fast food. I know, I know, excuses… but like I said, detours and cliffs! Anyway, that was the last little fishy (or parts thereof) that I’ve knowingly consumed.

Which (somehow?) brings us back around to the Vegan Chik’n Salad Sandwich pictured here:

It’s truly delicious and, in my humble opinion, good enough to make an omnivore ask “That was vegan?”. Soy curls are so chicken-esque it’s a little scary, and as I’ve said before, there are some great vegan mayos out there!. And oh my lordy, those chewy sweet cranberries, crisp apples and crunchy pistachios are the star of the show anyway! This truly is a chik’n salad sandwich, all grown up!

Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios (makes 4-5 hearty sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups dry soy curls
1 small granny smith apples diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 scant dashes of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
5-6 Tablespoons vegan mayo (more or less, depending on how creamy you want the salad to be)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (such as Craisens)
1 teaspoon sea salt
a pinch of thyme

Directions:

Soak the soy curls in very warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze all excess water out of them, then roughly chop the larger pieces and set aside.
While the soy curls are soaking, mix the diced apple and vinegar, draining out any excess.
In a mixing bowl, combine the apples with all other ingredients, stirring well. Check for seasoning, then chill for at least 30 minutes, covered. Serve as desired (sandwich, on crackers, etc)

Enjoy!

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Spicy Chik’n Sandwich

Spicy (Vegan) Chicken Sandwich

Those of you not lucky enough to have been raised vegetarian or vegan might remember the spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy’s… and now I present to you its vastly superior cousin, the Vegan Spicy Chicken Sandwich!

This veganized version is exactly how I remember the original being: crispy, spicy, and addicting.

I made mine moderately-to-quite spicy, but it’s easy to adjust the heat levels to your liking- just add more or less chili powder. And if you’re a wuss like me you can also add gobs of ketchup to cool it down

The original recipe comes from The V Word. I’ve never tried her recipe as is, but I’m sure it’s good! I saw it and immediately had to make it spicy, ha ha. Her “double-dip” method is great though, the result is a super crispy piece of chik’n that makes the perfect sandwich- although it would also be good if you were trying to make a sort of “fried chik’n”, too, I think! Oh, and her version is gluten free (other than the gardein), mine isn’t.

Look at that beautiful breading!!!

Spicy Chik’n Sandwich (makes 4 sandwiches)

Recipe adapted from The V Word

Ingredients:

1/2 cup AP flour
2.5 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
a pinch of black pepper
1 cup non-dairy milk
1.5 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more, to taste)
1/2 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
A sprinkle of S&P
1 box (4) Gardein “Chick’n Filets”
Oil for frying
4 burger buns
Lettuce, tomato, onions as desired for toppings
Sriracha, ketchup, etc

Directions:

Grab 3 bowls, the wider and more shallow the better. In the first bowl combine flour, cornstarch, garlic, paprika, oregano, and onion and chili powder, sea salt and pepper. In bowl #2 combine the non-dairy milk and vinegar (this makes a sort of vegan buttermilk), and in bowl #2 combine the bread crumbs with the remaining spices and S&P.
Take each filet and coat it in the flour mixture, then dip it quickly into the milk (just long enough to get the whole thing wet), then dip them back into the flour, making sure they’re completely coated. Let them sit for 3-5 minutes.
Dip once more into the milk, then roll them around in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure you have complete coverage. Let them sit for another 3-5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. You just need it to be deep enough so the filets are half submerged (you’ll be flipping them). When the oil is hot fry the filets until nice and crispy, flipping once, 3-4 minutes per side. Be careful as you move them around, you don’t want to break off any of that nice breading!
Set them on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil, then assemble your sandwiches as desired- topping with Sriracha if you want some extra heat!

Enjoy!

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What To Serve At A Vegan BBQ

Asian-Style Tempeh Burger

Alternate title: What Should I Serve My Crazy Vegan Cousin at my BBQ Next Weekend? I’ve wanted to do a recipe roundup of all my favorite vegan BBQ items for those of you looking for some new ideas, but I got to thinking about how there are probably a lot of omnis out there who have a vegan friend or two and, (if they’re nice omnis) maybe they don’t want to just throw a Boca patty at them and be done with it. Maybe they want to put some thought into it. Maybe they really have no idea what a vegan would want to eat at a BBQ, but after reading this will be so inspired they’ll become vegan themselves! Ha ha

Below I have a nice compilation of links (and one new recipe!) divided up into food categories, but first I want to share a couple thoughts that I have on planning a successful BBQ:

Serve lots of appetizers! Your friends are going to be drinking and talking and they’re going to eat more apps than you think they will, so plan accordingly.
Have lawn games! People like to play games while they’re drinking and talking, before the grill is fired up.
Don’t overextend yourself! Decide how many guests you’re comfortable having, and draw the line there. If the hostess is stressed out, no one will have fun.
Planning is everything! Make a spreadsheet- Figure out everything that needs to be done before the first guest arrives, and put yourself on a schedule. Also? Make sure everything is done before the first guest arrives. (See #3)
Paper plates are lame! Visit your local thrift shops and buy yourself a whole mess of mismatched dinner and dessert plates. I’ve built a huge collection never paying more than $.50 each, so if one breaks I don’t stress about it at all. And the crazier the patterns, the better! They’re fun, a great conversation piece, sturdier than paper, and you’re not contributing to the landfill. Win-win-win-win!
This is the most important: Invite guests that will love on your dogs!

Cute, right? That little dude spent the whole afternoon loving on my dogs, and in return they taught him how to use their doggy door. Seriously, it was hilarious. If I had kids, I’d have them going in and out of the doggy door all the time, just for my own amusement

But back to the food! Here are a few of my favorites.

What To Make For A Vegan BBQ: Some Ideas…

Appetizers

Strawberry-Jalapeno Salsa
Sweet Potato Hummus (from Happy. Healthy. Life)
Beanfields chips, and raw veggies for dipping
Buffalo Tofu Spring Rolls

Sides

Fruity Quinoa Salad with Pecans
Spicy Pasta Salad
Creamy Avocado Potato Salad (from PPK)
Green Chile Baked Beans (could be as simple as mixing a can of vegetarian beans with a can of diced green chilies and heating!)
Chili Mac n’ Cheese

Mains

Asian-Style Tempeh Burgers (recipe below!)
Chili-Lime Marinated Veggie & Seitan Kabobs
Spicy Chickpea Burgers
Green Chile Black Bean Burgers
Field Roast Sausages

Desserts

Serve any of those dishes and I’m pretty sure you’ll be a very popular hostess!

Now let’s talk Tempeh Burgers, shall we?

I’ve been trying to create a veggie or bean burger with Asian flavors for the past month or so, but nothing was really working. Chickpeas seemed wrong, black beans just seemed weird… What the heck was I going to make my burger with? Then, one day, I was on Slate.com and saw this article in the side bar. It seemed like the perfect starting point for my asian-style burger! I just wish I knew where they got their enormous chunk of tempeh that could be cut into burgers! My local store carries rectangle pieces that gave me leftovers -which were reincarnated as Curried Tempeh Salad.

Asian-Style Tempeh Burger (Makes 2-4 burgers)

Recipe adapted from Slate

Note: Once your tempeh is cut into 2 equal squares you can prepare them as is, or you can slice them horizontally through the center to create 4 thinner burgers. I tried the thicker version, and it was just too much for me- but might be great for those with a larger appetite!

Ingredients:

Two 8 ounce packages of tempeh, cut into 2 equal squares (I used about 6 oz from each package, so you might have something a little better in your local stores)
1/3 cup Braggs liquid aminos
4-5 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon powdered onion
1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
1 tablespoon agave
2 good pinches of powdered ginger
2 teaspoons sriracha
Dash of sea salt, if desired
Non-stick spray
2 (or 4) hamburger buns, toppings as desired

Directions:

Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, mix all other ingredients in a large bowl. Marinate the tempeh for 30-45 minutes.
Heat grill to medium, and cook burgers for 7-8 minutes on each side. You want grill marks, but be careful not to let them burn.

Enjoy!

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Curried Tempeh Salad (AKA: Flightless Chicken Salad), and Musings on Inspirations

Curry Tempeh Sandwich

When I was an undergrad at SNHU I took one class in particular that has really stuck with me, more than 14 years later. I couldn’t tell you the name of the class or one single thing I learned from the textbook, and I can’t even remember the name of the professor. All I remember is that he inspired me to go vegetarian for the first time.

He was a vegetarian, and I think a bit of a hippie. The thing I really remember about that day was that he brought in some vegetarian food for everyone to try, including something he called Flightless Chicken Salad. I don’t know what was in it, although as I think back I’m certain the “meat” must’ve been tempeh. This was before Vegenaise, so it probably had some kind of tofu-based sauce. I remember that it was good, and I remember thinking that his was a lifestyle that really spoke to me. Not the hippie part, but not eating animals, and the way he was always trying to raise awareness and make the world a better place. I saw him as this kind, gentle person who was truly making the world around him a better place. I wanted to be that person, too.

So I went home and announced that I was now a vegetarian. This was where it got tricky. I had no idea what vegetarians ate (other than Flightless Chicken Salad, which I had no idea how to reproduce), I had zero understanding of nutrition beyond the USDA Pyramid (lies!), and it’s not like I could just zip over to the local corner store and stock up on Tofurky and tofu. I’m sure there were items like that available somewhere back then, but certainly not in Backwoods, NH. This was also before Google, so that wasn’t really an option for me either. I know I’m making excuses, because there were people who went vegetarian or even vegan and stuck to it. But for me, it wasn’t time.

After a few days of probably just starving myself, I went back to eating meat, and tried not to think about how I was avoiding becoming the person I wanted to be.

My second attempt was when I lived in LA. I didn’t know anyone who was vegetarian, but I wanted to lose weight. A coworker made an off-hand comment, something like “Vegetarians are skinny, maybe you should do that!” Living in LA I had access to great vegetarian and vegan substitutes, so I filled the fridge with veggie balls and Tofutti Cuties from Trader Joes. Ultimately it didn’t stick, BUT I continued to weave those alternative products into my diet. I don’t think I ever bought meatballs other than the veggie ones after that, and the Cuties were pretty much always on my shopping list. Plus I was broke and couldn’t afford meat anyway, so I think we could safely call me “Vegetarian Adjacent”. A good side story- my friends and I were always out clubbing (oh man could I tell you some stories- but I wont) and a lot of times we’d all end up back at my apartment after last call. I’m not sure how my roommates felt about that, but I had a lot of fun, ha ha. Anyway, people would be hungry so unless we remembered to hit the Del Taco drive through on the way, I’d end up throwing something together. My favorite was spaghetti and those TJ’s vegetarian balls. The first timers would usually give me a hard time: “I’m not eating those!” or “Gross!”, but everyone ALWAYS loved them. Always. People tend to have a hangup about trying vegetarian or vegan food, but I think if they’d just open their minds a little, they’d be pleasantly surprised.

Unfortunately this round of attempted conversion didn’t stick either- in fact it would be another 6 years before I officially became a vegetarian (and 8 until I became vegan), but I choose not to dwell on that. Instead I’d like to send a big THANK YOU out to that one professor who attempted to open the minds of a room-full of college students. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised!

Read more about how I ultimately became vegan (and stuck with it!)

Curried Tempeh Salad ( 2 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

4-5 ounces of tempeh, steamed and crumbled
3 tablespoon vegenaise (plus a little extra for spreading)
Heaping 3/4 teaspoon curry powder (or more, to taste)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 handfuls baby spinach
4 sliced of bread (I used Sandwich Thins, but any bread or even pita would be good)

Directions:

Mix together tempeh, vegenaise, curry and salt. Taste and adjust as needed.
Smear a little bit of the vegenaise on your bread, then layer 1/2 the spinach and top with 1/2 the tempeh salad.
Serve with a side of grapes or chips.

Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato “Po’Boy” with Creamy Coleslaw

Sweet Potato Po’Boy

You cannot blame this one on me. I saw a post a while back on Cooking The Vegan Books, and they posted a picture of a sandwich made with breaded sweet potatoes. I instantly thought of my Beer Battered Sweet Potatoes and knew I had to make it. And that I had to smother it in creamy southern-style coleslaw.

I don’t know that mine could actually be classified as a Po’Boy, but that’s what they called theirs so I’m sticking with it.

Enjoy!

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Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Rice & Bean Burritos

These were simple to make, delicious, and as an added bonus were very cheap to make. My favorite part? The smokey heat provided by the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the crisp lettuce and creamy sour cream. Yum. The recipe below is enough for 3 burritos… I actually made two and took the rest to work with me for lunch.

Spicy Rice & Bean Burritos (Makes 3 burritos )

Recipe adapted from A Bitchin’ Kitchen Recipe (non-vegan)

Ingredients:

1 T EVOO
1 t minced garlic
1 t chili powder (I used a NM blend)
1-2 peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (depending on taste- I used 1.5)
1.5 t adobo sauce from can
1/2 t cumin
1/4 cup water
1/2 can red kidney beans
1/2 can black beans
1 handful of Daiya cheese (I used cheddar)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup salsa
3 large burrito tortillas
Shredded lettuce
2-3 T vegan sour cream

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil and add the garlic, chili powder, chipotles, adobo sauce, cumin, water and beans for 5-6 minutes until everything is warm and the water is gone.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, rice and salsa.
Divide the mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla, then top with lettuce and sour cream. Roll them up good and tight, you don’t want any goodness escaping!

Enjoy!

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Beanball Subs

Beanball Sub

I made these for dinner a few weeks ago. I actually made the beanballs on a Sunday afternoon, and reheated them in some sauce one night after work for a quick meal. The rolls were left over from when I made my Korean BBQ Subs, which, if you haven’t checked them out yet, you really should!

I followed the recipe from Melomeals for “3-ingredient veggie burgers“, made into beanballs. As I noted below, I added crushed red pepper flakes and sea salt to the mix, and the flavor was great! The only problem I had with the recipe was the microwaving-until-inedible stage. I did the 10 minutes, and they were pretty hard, but not the rock-hard she specifies in the original recipe. I ended up adding another 5 minutes in the ‘wave until they were truly inedible (just following instructions!). But even after simmering in sauce for almost 20 minutes they were still a little hard, so my recommendation would be to only microwave for 10 minutes, even if they’re not completely hard at that point.

But anyway, once I got them softened back up again the flavor was really great, and went perfectly with some fries on the side! And I loved being able to make the beanballs over the weekend, throw them in the fridge (or freezer!), and have them on hand. Another quick, easy dinner idea from me to you!

Vegan Beanball (Meatball) Sub

Simply let the beanballs simmer in your favorite red sauce until they’re thoroughly softened (at least 10 minutes), spoon into a roll and serve with a side of fries. Or, if you’re feeling virtuous, a Massaged Kale Salad

Enjoy!

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Pear, Raspberry and “Bacon” Grilled Cheese Sandwich (revisited)

Pear, Tempeh Bacon, Raspberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I originally blogged about this sandwich last winter after seeing it (a non-vegan version) on Pinterest. It was insanely yummy, but messy. At the time, my best cheese option was Daiya mozzarella shreds, and although they melted nicely, it was hard to keep them where I wanted them on the sandwich… So when the Daiya wedges came out, I KNEW I had to make this again, using the Jack flavor.

Man oh man, am I glad I did! It was even richer and gooey-er than last time, and just as wonderful as I remembered. The raspberry and pear bring a natural sweetness, while the tempeh bacon (especially combined with a little applewood smoked sea salt!) added a savory layer. I also chose to go with an uber-flavorful bread- a Jewish Rye. Any bread would work, as long as it’s thick and substantial enough to support all these fillings… but I definitely recommend the Rye.

Helllooooo Cheese!

Pear, Raspberry and “Bacon” Grilled Cheese Sandwich (2 Sammies)

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum (non-vegan)

Ingredients:

8 strips of Tofurky bacon (or vegan bacon of your choice)
Applewood smoked sea salt
4 slices of bread (the heartier, the better)
3-4 T of raspberry jam
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced (pop any slices that don’t fit on the sandwiches right into your mouth!)
About 1/3 wedge of Daiya Jack, sliced
2 T Earth Balance

Directions:

Preheat pan to medium-high heat.
Heat bacon thouroughly, according to package instructions, sprinkling with a little of the smoked sea salt. Set aside.
Take 2 slices of bread, butter one side of each, and spread 1/4 of the jam on the other side of each, then place in pan EB-side down (jam side up!).
Layer each with the pears, the tofurky bacon and the cheese.
Turn heat to low and cover pan with a lid, to let the cheese get as melty as possible. This should just take a minute or two- you don’t want your bread to burn OR get too soggy!
Once the cheese is melty, spread butter and remaining jam on either side of the two remaining pieces, the add to pan (butter side up), then flip everything over so it can brown on the other side.

Enjoy!

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Korean BBQ Quesadillas

Korean BBQ Quesadilla

Korean-Mexican Fusion… Yummmm!

I made these with the leftover seitan from the Korean BBQ (or Bulgogi) Subs, combined with some of that fancy new Daiya Jack wedge cheese… YUM! That cheese melts like magic, and the slightly sharp flavor melds perfectly with the richness of the Korean BBQ sauce. We also really enjoyed the chewiness of the seitan, all tucked away in a bed of gooeyness.

I could easily eat these for lunch every day this week. I wont- I’ll stick to my salads… but I’ll be thinking about these bad boys!

This is my favorite shot… that one little piece of seitan is peeking out and saying “Hallo!”

Jason had his with a side of (vegan) sour cream and salsa, but I enjoyed mine on it’s own. I also think a side of extra BBQ sauce to dip it in would be yummers.

Korean BBQ Quesadillas (Makes 2)

Ingredients:

4 large flour tortillas
1 loaf homemade seitan, thinly sliced and marinated for at least an hour in Korean BBQ sauce (I used Bibigo brand, but you could also make Bulgogi from scratch)
About 1/2 a wedge of Daiya Jack, sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch thick slices

Directions:

In medium/hot skillet, lay out one tortilla.
Layer cheese and seitan, then cover pan and let it sit until the cheese gets melty. Dribble a little extra BBQ sauce over the cheese/seitan.
Remove cover, top with another tortilla, and flip over.
Repeat to make 2nd quesadilla.
Move to plate, and use sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice into quarters.

Enjoy!

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That Was Vegan?

Recipes so delicious you'll never think twice!

Category Archives: Sandwiches

“Broccoli Cheese Soup” Grilled Cheese

Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios

Spicy Chik’n Sandwich

What To Serve At A Vegan BBQ

What To Make For A Vegan BBQ: Some Ideas…

Curried Tempeh Salad (AKA: Flightless Chicken Salad), and Musings on Inspirations

Sweet Potato “Po’Boy” with Creamy Coleslaw

Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Beanball Subs

Pear, Raspberry and “Bacon” Grilled Cheese Sandwich (revisited)

Korean BBQ Quesadillas