That Was Vegan?

Whew, that’s a mouthful to say!

If this sounds familiar, it should: it’s a variation of my Layered Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole from last May. They’re both very similar, only this one has both kale and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, so it’s spiiicccyyy. And smoky. And really hearty with all those potatoes and tortillas- kind of perfect for the cold snowy month of March.

Smokey Kale and Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole (8 hearty servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale, washed, destemmed and torn
• 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2.5 cups smashed)
• 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce, plus about 1 Tablespoon of the sauce, diced
• 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 10 oz can rotel with green chilies, drained (if you want the dish a little less spicy, get the mild with no chilies)
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels, thawed or drained
• 1/2 cup taco sauce (medium or hot, your call) plus a couple of Tablespoons
• Juice and zest of 2 limes
• Sea salt
• 12-14 taco or fajita sized flour tortillas, all sliced in half
• 1.5 cups salsa (again, you pick the heat)
• Daiya mozzarella for topping

Directions:

1. Water sautee the kale with the powdered garlic until tender, then set aside.
2. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, then boil until tender.
3. In a large bowl, combine the beans, rotel, corn and taco sauce, mixing well.
4. When the potatoes are cooked, mash them and add lime juice, sea salt, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and set aside.
5. Drizzle the bottom of a 9×13 casserole or baking dish with 2-3 T taco sauce, making sure the entire bottom is covered. Arrange tortilla halves across the bottom.
6. Cover the tortillas with half of the sweet potato mixture, gently spreading to get maximum coverage. Next, add a layer of the kale followed by a layer of the bean/corn mix (half of what you have), followed by another layer of tortillas.
7. Repeat once, ending with a layer of tortillas (this makes 3 layers of tortillas, 2 of everything else), then cover with salsa and cheese.
8. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 5-8 until the  cheese is fully melted.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Green Chile-Chickpea Tacos

These Vegan Green Chile Chickpea Tacos were inspired by a recipe I saw on Happy Herbivore, although I changed them up quite a bit. I kept the beans soft and spicy! I figured since I was serving them in crispy taco shells that I might enjoy them more if they were still soft.

The other adjustment? Why, I added some Hatch Green Chilies, of course!

I served mine with some mexi-rice (which was good… gotta share that recipe!) and a small side salad. A very healthy, low-cal meal!

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Vegan Chicken Sandwich with Sauteed Mushrooms

I know a lot of vegans try to avoid processed foods – and I do too, mostly – but sometimes you get a craving and I find it’s easier to just give into it. I mean, I’m going to give in eventually, so why waste all that time fighting it?

I’m kidding of course (mostly), but when I start to crave faux meat products, I’m more than happy to trot on down to the store and grab a box of Gardein. Sometimes I’ll make a Spicy Chik’n Sandwich (those are truly a favorite of mine!), and sometimes I’m craving some ‘shrooms… And that’s where these come into play.

I even included a lower calorie version, served on lettuce instead of a bun!

I wrapped mine up in the lettuce but if you’re the dainty neat type you could also go with a knife and fork.

Did you see all those mushrooms and onions? SO GOOD! I sauteed them in veggie broth, and the Gardein filets were cooked with just the tiniest bit of nonstick cooking spray. I’m looking out for my waistline… and yours too 😉

Vegan Chicken Sandwich with Sauteed Mushrooms (Makes 2 sandwiches)

Note: if you want to cut out some calories and/or carbs, switch out the buns below with extra lettuce!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 to 1/3  cup vegetable broth
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1.5 cups sliced mushrooms (I used white button, but your favorite ‘shroom will be good too!)
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Cooking spray
• 2 Gardein chick’n filets
• 2 buns, toasted or otherwise warmed
• 2 T vegenaise
• Lettuce for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the veggie broth over medium heat. When it starts to boil add diced onions and sliced mushrooms. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and S&P, then cook for another 2-3 minutes, adding more broth if needed.
2. Heat another pan over medium and spray with non-stick spray, then add the filets. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they start to crisp/brown a little bit.
3. Smear the buns with veganaise and add the lettuce and filets, then top with the mushroom mixture.

Enjoy!

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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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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!
5. 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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Sorry I disappeared again! I took a very last-minute trip to FL to see my father before he has surgery. I have recipes from last week to post (as soon as I have time to go through the photos) and I also have some yummy vegan finds in Daytona Beach to share, believe it or not! But first I want to share my vegan finds at Denver International Airport (DIA).

Whenever I’m flying into a new airport I always google “(airport name) vegan options”, and I love love love when a blogger has already shared their tips, so I figured I’d do that with my home airport.

Root Down

Yes, as in the same Root Down I reviewed on my Mile High Vegan Eats series! Tons of veg options, and you can eat in or get it to go. The weird thing about it is that it’s in Concourse C (most stuff is in B), but it’s very easy to take the train an extra concourse or two to get there, only takes a few minutes!

Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs

Another location of my super all-time favorite hot dog joint! Steve is a great guy and has made sure us vegans have plenty of options. Best part is the menu is clearly marked so you don’t even have to ask!

Itza Wrap! Itza Bowl!

First up is Itza Wrap! Itza Bowl! located on Concourse B. Apparently it’s been there for years, but I’ve never noticed it. The other odd thing about it is that the only existing location seems to be at DIA. And they don’t have a website or menu online (I linked to their Yelp! reviews above)

It’s tucked way back in a corner where you come up from the train, so you have to actually look for it. I suppose that’s why I’ve never seen it, but once I did, the word “Tofu” immediately caught my eye!

I didn’t eat here, but I talked to the people working behind the counter and I was told the vegan options are:

• White rice, brown rice or udon noodles
• Thai, teriyake or sweet and sour style
• Tofu or veggies
• Wrap or bowl

Not bad for airport food, right? And convenient enough to take on the plane with you if you’re in a hurry. And for those of you traveling through DIA who aren’t familiar with it, even if you’re flying through concourses A or C, the train between only takes a couple of minutes, so don’t be scared to explore!

Einstein Bros Bagels

Note: Einstein Bros used to use L-Cysteine in their bagels, an enzyme made from duck feathers. However, as of 2012 they have switched over to a synthetic form of L-Cysteine which does NOT use duck feathers! 

Next up is my favorite DIA snack (and what I grabbed before hopping my flight to Orlando last Thursday)- the Veg Out. Depending on the bagel you choose, it’s automatically vegan (most of their bagels are vegan as well, other than those with cheese. Here’s their nutritional info.) It’s schmeared with hummus then piled with tomatoes, sprouts, lettuce and red onion. When I’m flying, I usually ask for it sans onion, just so I don’t kill the poor guy sitting next to me 😉 They’ll usually offer other options, such as tomato sauce, but I always skip that- especially if I’ll be eating it on the plane. It’s located in Concourse C, but again… it’s a quick train ride from any other concourse.

I wish I had a picture to share, but I didn’t end up eating it until 2 or 3 hours later- I was too busy flirting with a gate agent for a free upgrade. Which worked, BTW! He said I was pretty 🙂  Happy Valentines Day to me, right?

Caribou Coffee

I haven’t stopped at Caribou Coffee in a while, but the last time I did they had some pre-packaged vegan and gluten-free snack bars called Earnest Eats. They actually had the word “vegan” printed on them! These coffee shops are all over DIA, upstairs from security in the main terminal as well as concourses A, B and C.

Taco Bell Express

We all know the vegan options at “the bell”, right? (and if thinking about them just made you hungry, go check out my veganized crispy potato soft tacos!)

So those are my vegan finds at DIA. Anyone who’s found other vegan grub at DIA, please chime in below and share. And please send positive thoughts to my pops!

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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This pizza dough is phenomenal! As you’ve seen, I’ve been on a bit of a pizza kick lately and this stuff is partly to blame – I just want to keep eating it no matter what’s on top! I make it using my (new to me) bread machine, which makes it so easy. I’ll never buy pre-made dough again!

The recipe is below, but first let’s take a little meander through the pizzas of the past…

There was my Korean Pizza with Kogi-Style:

Korean BBQ & Sriracha Pineapple Pizza

My veg-tastic Grilled Veggie Pizza:

Grilled Veggie Pizza

The “what was I thinking!?” BBQ Tater Tot Pizza:

Grilled BBQ Tater Tot Pizza

The possibly-coma-inducing Cheesy Mac ‘n Rib Pizza:

Cheesy Mac n’ Rib Pizza

My Farmer’s Market Pizza:

“Farmers Market” Pizza

The trend-following Breakfast Pizza:

Vegan Breakfast Pizza

And, finally, the veganized Thai Chik’n Pizza:

Vegan Thai Chicken Pizza

My Perfect Pizza Dough (makes one large pizza)

Recipe from Breville Custom Loaf owner’s manual

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water (80 degrees)
• 1 Tablespoons EVOO
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

1. With the collapsible paddle attached and in the upright position, add all ingredients to the bread pan in the order listed above. Secure the bread pan inside the baking chamber, select “pizza dough” setting and press the start button.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and use the heel of your hand to flatten. Roll the dough into a circle then lift onto a pizza stone. Pull and press the dough as required to fit your stone. Shape a 1/2 inch “crust rim” around the edge, then top with sauce and toppings as desired.
3. Depending on the toppings and amount of vegan cheese, bake on lowest rack for between 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts

Think back to your early 20’s. Fresh out of college, in your first apartment (probably with 2-3 roommates), and your focus was more on having fun with your friends than grocery shopping. You probably ate a lot of ramen noodles (with frozen veggies mixed in if you were “health conscious”, ha ha) and, if you were like me, a lot of spaghetti with melted butter and salt. These Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts are my grown up answer to that admittedly delicious dish.

No way could I have afforded pine nuts back then! It was bad enough that I was always borrowing money from my mom to make my bar tab rent, I doubt she would’ve been amused if I had hit her up to buy seeds too.

Whatever your age, these noodles are delicious. Pair them with a green salad and a glass of crisp white wine and I’d call that just about the perfect meal. It also reheats nicely for workday lunches (hold the wine. Or not.)

PS: Just kidding about that bar tab joke, mom!

PPS: Stop squinting at my pictures, looking for the pine nuts. I forgot to put them in there. I don’t want to talk about it.

Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts (6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 box fettuccine
• 4-5 Tablespoons Earth Balance (or vegan butter of choice)
• 1 large lemon (juice and zest!)
• Generous 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• S&P
• 4-5 tablespoons pine nuts

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta per package instructions, then drain. While they’re working, chop your parsley and get that lemon ready! A little trick is to roll it back and forth on your cutting board under your palm, it loosens up the juices.
2. When the pasta is done, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and the pasta, and mix well. Let the pasta sit in there for a minute or two and make sure everything is all warm and mixed.
3. Mix in your parsley, S&P, and top with the lemon zest. I recommend waiting to add the pine nuts until you’ve already plated the fettuccine to make sure they’re evenly distributed- a little less than a tablespoon per bowl.

Enjoy!

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Updated Review March 2015!

Now that I’m finally living in a very vegan-friendly city (for the first time since being vegan) I thought maybe I’d start reviewing some of my favorite spots for vegan grub. There are just so many great places to eat here, and I want to share in case any of you are planning a trip to the Mile High City!

First up is Sputnik, a “hipster dive bar” on Broadway. It’s just a few minutes south of downtown which makes it perfect for me to meet a friend for lunch on a weekday. Well, they’re perfect for a meal anytime because they have a full bar AND they serve brunch till 3:00 with vegan options!

Reia and I have had lunch there a couple times, and have always been very pleased with the food. Their menu makes me sooo happy! Although they’re not an all-vegan restaurant (they serve meat), all but 2 items on their menu are either vegan or vegan optional. For example, you can order a Cubano and get it with jackfruit while your omni friend can order his with pork. They also have a ton of special sauces for the fries, most of which are vegan.

My absolute favorite menu item is the Falafel Wrap: Israeli Style.

It’s warm crispy falafel, hummus, cucumber salad, pickles and french fries all wrapped up in a thick tortilla and then crisped on some kind of press. The way they make it is perfect, because everything stays inside the wrap, where you want it. And those fries!? If you go, get half n’ half sweet and regular, and definitely get the habanero jam for dipping. Trust me, you wont regret it.

My second favorite thing to order would have to be the Hush Puppies.

These little corn fritters are automatically vegan and come with a roasted jalapeno sauce that complements them perfectly. They’re so crispy on the outside and mealy on the inside you’ll want to eat them all, but you wont be able to. Share.

Also yummy? The aforementioned Cubano made with spicy jackfruit, mustard and pickles. You have to order this one vegan otherwise you’ll get cheese on it. This one is actually a bit spicy for me, so I only like to order it when I’m also having beer…

Oh, and how about a vegan Hand-dipped Corn Dog!? That’s right- that’s smoked tofu in there! I didn’t try it, but Reia assured me it was great.

So that’s the food. As I mentioned, it is a hipster dive bar and as with all hipster dive bars (in my experience at least), the bathroom is just gross. Update: As of July 2013, the bathrooms are remodeled and perfectly nice! Yay! And the tabletops are always sticky. But the food is really good, so just pee before you go and bring some purell or something 🙂

Updated March ’15:

My mama was out visiting this past weekend and we had Sunday brunch at Sputnik! 

I had the Stacks of Vegan Power, which are quinoa cakes, potatoes, tons of veggies and greens, and perfectly ripe avocado:

Mom had the Breakfast Sliders (which can come vegan or non-vegan, so order carefully) which don’t look super pretty but I loved them- tofu scramble, soy ham and spinach pesto, with plenty of crispy potatoes on the side. 

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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Enchilada Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Soy Curls

In case you guys haven’t noticed, I’m back to my original posting schedule of Monday-Wednesday-Friday and am pretty darn proud of myself. Even before I moved I had downsized to just twice a week, and then there was that loooong dry spell of which we wont speak.  Oops, I just spoke of it!

Maybe I should just stay on topic, with the topic being: “Mexican food and how tortillas have too many calories“. I love Mexican food and when I eat it I want to eat a lot of it, so when tortillas are involved I’ll end up having a couple of those as well… and those suckers can really add up. I’m not a crazy calorie-counter by any means, but I try to pay attention.

Anyhoozle, I was craving some delicious Mexican flavors last week (even after I scarfed down those roasted poblano peppers) and decided I needed something a little bit different, so I went the stuffed-pepper route. Admittedly there’s nothing new or particularly exciting about stuffed peppers, or even enchilada stuffed peppers. But who cares? Mine have quinoa and soy curls and black beans and they’re just darn delicious!

Enchilada Stuffed Peppers with Soy Curls and Quinoa (makes 6 half peppers)

Note: If you don’t have soy curls, you could use seitan or add some other beans in there… Chickpeas would be good!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soy curls
• 3 medium/large bell peppers, any color you like
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 2-3 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 2.5 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (or more!) sea salt, plus black pepper to taste
• Palm full dried cilantro
• 14oz can red enchilada sauce, halved
• 1/2 cup (ish) Daiya (I used mozzarella but pepper jack would be fun too)

Directions:

1. Place the soy curls in a bowl full of warm water to soak for 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid.
2. Slice your peppers in half, cleaning out the ribs and seeds, then set in the baking dish open side facing up.
3. Mix together soy curls, quinoa, black beans, lime juice, onions, cumin, garlic powder, S&P, cilantro and about half the enchilada sauce.
4. Stuff the peppers, then top with the remaining enchilada sauce (1-2 Tablespoons each) and the Daiya.
5. Bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes. You want the peppers to have softened and the cheese to be super melted.

Enjoy!

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