GF Vegan Meatloaf Cupcakes

It's hard finding a suitable meatloaf recipe when you're a vegan. Every now and then you just really want comfort food with all the ease of tossing ingredients in a bowl, mixing it up, and 20 minutes later you've got dinner for days. Enter in this meatloaf. My friend Erica made it and packaged me up an entire container worth for lunch and dinner as I was pulling a 15 hour day at school, 9 of those hours being a clinic shift. This meatloaf got me through those 15 hours. Literally. Not even a week later I harassed her for the recipe so I can replicate it at home.

What's the deal with the cupcake sized meatloaf you may ask? Well, it's super convenient. You don't have to slice the meatloaf up to serve and it's already divided out into little portions for tomorrow's lunch and such. Ideally a normal size muffin tin is the way to go, but since I only had a mini muffin tin I just went with it.

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 8-ounce package organic tempeh
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce (found at Whole Foods)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds + 6 tablespoons warm water- combine and let rest for 5 minutes until thick

Ketchup topping:
2 tablespoons remaining tomato paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
*Or use store bought ketchup

Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying it with nonstick spray.

In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic, shallots, and bell pepper in some oil until translucent, about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a food processor add the tempeh until it is ground into little pieces. Poor the ground tempeh into a mixing bowl and add in the cooked vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and dried herbs- stir until well combined. Add in the chia mixture that has congealed in the water- this is your egg replacer. Mix in the remaining ingredients: oats, sunflower seeds, and parsley. The mixture will be very thick, so use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. If you need to you can add a splash of water to get it to mix better, maybe a tablespoon or so.

Mix together the ketchup ingredients if you aren't using store bought. Honestly, it's convenient just making it yourself since you'll have leftover tomato paste anyways. 

Using your hands, press the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tin. Spoon over the ketchup mixture before baking the meatloaf in the oven for 23 minutes, 15 or so for a mini muffin tray. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.

I served my meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.

Recipe from Fork and Beans

Simmered Collard Greens

This past weekend my mom and I took a mini vacation to Orlando to spend some much appreciated quality time together. We mostly spent our trip lounging at the pool, soaking in as much sun as we could get between the reliable afternoon rain showers of Florida Summers. I took her to Ethos Vegan Kitchen, my all time favorite vegan restaurant in the entire continental United States, where I was inspired by yet another one of their dishes. I had the most yummy simmered collard greens that accompanied my main dish of BBQ 'Chikun' with mashed potatoes and gravy. Apparently what they're saying is true: Collards are the new Kale. I've made collards before, but I've never had them simmered so simply. I thought they were drool-worthy. So the day we got back I ran out to the store and bought a bundle of collards and simmered away.

1 bunch collard greens
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth*
Seasonings (optional)*

Remove the stems from the collards and rip the greens into smaller pieces.

In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant. Add in the greens and vegetable broth and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours with a lid over top. Strain out any remaining liquid before serving. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

*The broth you use will determine the flavor profile of these collards. I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base which has great flavor.

*A lot of people enjoy adding red pepper flakes or hot sauce to their simmered collards, but I loved how I had them at Ethos, so flavorful and simple, so I did without.

Pastelitos de Guayaba

When I was in Jacksonville this past weekend with Marc we ended up buying a guava tree, even though he never had guava before. This inspired me to recreate the guava and cheese pastries of my past. My love for guava stems back to my childhood when my dad would bring home guava stuffed churros from Miami on his way back from work. My brother and I would fight over them like a bunch of rabid animals. And for my birthdays I would ask for a tray of guava and cheese pastries instead of the traditional birthday cake. Guava just tastes like my childhood, you know?

The guava tree we planted

1 package puff pastry, most brands are surprisingly vegan!
1 package guava paste, found in the Latin specialty foods aisle of the supermarket
1 container vegan cream cheese, yes- they now sell this stuff at most Publix Supermarkets!*
Almond milk, or any other preferred plant-based milk
Flour
Sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

On a lightly floured surface lay out the puff pastry sheets, let them thaw out until they're soft, it may take 15 minutes if they came straight from the freezer. Cut each sheet into quarters, so you'll have eight squares as there are two pastry sheets.

You want to add about a heaping tablespoon of each the guava paste and cream cheese to the corner of each square of pastry dough. It's sort of hard to measure since it's difficult to mold as it is very sticky, but just eyeball it. The first time around (as pictured below) I didn't use enough guava or cream cheese. The second time around I cut about 1.5 inch long by .5 inch wide rectangles of guava and used a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese, which turned out perfect.

Moisten the edges of the dough with almond milk before folding into triange and crimping with a fork. Brush the tops of the pastries with almond milk and sprinkle with some sugar.

Place pastries on a greased baking sheet and back for 27-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Allow to cool slightly before eating as the inside filling will be molten-lava hot.

*If you want to skip the vegan cream cheese just double up on the guava, I've made them with and without the cream cheese and they're both great.

Ranch Salad with Buffalo Tempeh

Vegan or not you can't deny the glory of wing sauce. That stuff is just spot on. So when I was browsing through the internet and found a buffalo tempeh recipe I had to give it a go. It came together quickly, which is always greatly appreciated, and the homemade ranch dressing was divine. I had some leftovers so I threw it in a wrap for lunch the next day, which is my preferred way to eat this as I am a wrap enthusiast.

Tempeh and buffalo sauce:
8 oz organic tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth (as the hot sauce tends to be pretty salty)
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot buffalo hot sauce (Frank's is the original ingredient in buffalo wing sauce)
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Ranch dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Pinch of coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

Salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Extra chives for garnish

Tear the tempeh into large bite sized pieces.

In a large pot add some water and bring to a boil. Toss in the torn tempeh and boil for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the tempeh and saute in a pan with 1/2 the olive oil (2 teaspoons) for 7 minutes until slightly browned.

Once browned, push the tempeh to the side of the saute pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the center of the saute pan and toss in the garlic. Allow the garlic to sizzle in the oil for 15 seconds or so before mixing the tempeh and garlic together, sauteing for another minute. 

Add the hot sauce, vegetable broth, and oregano to the pan with the tempeh and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five minutes, the sauce will reduce by half.

While the tempeh is simmering in the buffalo sauce whisk all the ranch ingredients together until well combined.

In a large bowl toss the salad ingredients with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Serve in individual bowls before topping it with the tempeh and some extra sauce from the pain. Serve with additional ranch dressing on the side.

*If you want to have a ranch salad with buffalo tempeh wrap just skip the bowl and roll into your preferred wrap, enjoy.

Recipe adapted from The PPK

Gingery Coconut Stew with Brussels and Rutabaga

In all seriousness, I've been slacking on my daily dinners. School has started up again and I'm back to 15 hour days. I decided I had to find a recipe that was easy to throw together but didn't compromise the flavors of the dish. I came across this stew, which had some of my favorite ingredients in it: Brussels, coconut milk, lime, and ginger. It's a mild dish that definitely didn't lack any flavor and got the stamp of approval from the family.

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 heaping tablespoons minced ginger, fresh is always better
3/4 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes- use turnips if rutabaga is unavailable
1 cup carrots, sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz can light coconut milk
1 15 oz can BPA-free chickpeas
Juice of one lime
Zest of 1/2 lime
Salt to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Jasmine rice, for serving

In a large stock pot over medium best sauté the onion in the oil, along with a pinch of coarse salt, until slightly browned. Push the onions to the edges of the pot, creating a well in the middle, and place the Brussels in the well. If you can get a nice sear on them that would be ideal. Stir the Brussels every now and then. Once they have a decent sear add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pot, sautéing for a minute until ingredients become fragrant. 

Add in the rutabaga, carrots, and vegetable broth- cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the chickpeas and lime zest. Cook with lid ajar until rutabaga is tender, about five minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and taste for salt. Heat through and serve over rice with cilantro for garnish.

Recipe from Post Punk Kitchen

Pesto Hummus

As often as time allows I try to make the drive up to Orlando to visit my childhood best friend, Danielle. Being up there with her is always a breath of fresh air. We usually spend my visits pondering our life journey over cups of loose tea from Dandelion Communitea Cafe, eating great food at Ethos Vegan Kitchen, thrifting and crystal shopping, and sometimes, if we have the energy, checking out the local counterculture night scene.

Sam, Danielle and Me. I've known these girls since I was one years old!

Dani and I last December in Downtown Orlando

We try and wrap up my visits by spending Sunday morning at the farmers market by lake Eola. There is a vender there who sells the most delicious pesto hummus. For months now I've been saying I'm going to try to replicate his hummus and pass the recipe onto Dani so she can make it herself. I finally did it. I think mine may have come out a little more 'pesto-y' than the vendor's, but it's delicious. The other day I brought some to class and within minutes Erica popped over and said "I can't believe you brought the pesto hummus and didn't even tell me!" which at that point, her boyfriend Shaun came over, and before I knew it I was sharing my hummus with 5 different classmates.

Replicated version of the pesto hummus

1 1/4 cup packed spinach
1 can BPA-free chickpeas
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 purple garlic clove (regular garlic is fine too if you don't have purple garlic)
1/2 cup basil, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-3 tablespoons light olive oil, start with 1 and add more as necessary, it should be thick as this is hummus and not pesto sauce
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, this gives it more of the traditional 'pesto-y' flavor, but certainly isn't necessary)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve with pita chips, veggies, or use as a spread for a veggie wrap.

Mexican Themed Dinner Party Part 3/3: Baja Tempeh Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw

This is the last post in the three part series of the Mexican themed dinner party recipes (part 2 and 3 being the Gazpacho and Esquites Corn Salad). These tempeh tacos are phenomenal. Out of this world, seriously. They can (and should) be made in advance so all you have to do is set up the taco bar and let people assemble the tacos themselves when it's time to eat. The cilantro-lime crema was liquid gold, I used the leftovers for days. And the cabbage slaw was fresh, crisp, and had a hint of spice. Trust me on this, vegan or not, your guests will love these.

Tempeh/Marinad 

I doubled this recipe to feed 8 people

8 oz package of organic tempeh

1 bottle beer, preferably an IPA

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons avocado or peanut oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Cilantro-Lime Crema

I doubled this recipe and had a ton leftover, which was a blessing because I ended up putting this on everything and anything

1/4 cup plain unsweetened soy yogurt

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1/3 cup cilantro, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cabbage Slaw

4 cups of coleslaw mix, found in the lettuce section, containing shredded cabbage and carrots 

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pickled jalapenos, diced

Corn tortillas

Additional taco toppings, optional (I used fresh diced jalapenos, avocado, and thinly shaved radishes from the garden- get creative with this!)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tempeh into three equal strips, the long way. Now cut those strips in half, the long way. This gives you six long, thin, strips. Once the water is boiling place the tempeh in the water, reduce to a low heat, and simmer for ten minutes.

While the tempeh is simmering combine all the marinade ingredients in a large shallow glass dish, like a casserole dish. If you doubled this recipe you will need to set up two large casserole dishes, as one will not be big enough to marinate all the tempeh. Gently place the tempeh into the marinade (it's okay if some of the tempeh breaks apart, this stuff is fragile). It's better if the tempeh sits all day, this way it really soaks up the marinade. If not, an hour will do. Make sure to flip the tempeh halfway through the marinating time so both sides equally absorb the marinade.

In a glass bowl, toss together the cabbage slaw ingredients. Lay a piece of saran wrap loosely over the cabbage mix and place a weighted item over top of that (like a can of beans or a jar of pasta sauce). Let it sit at room temperature for an hour, or let sit in the refrigerator all day. Once again, the longer it sits, the better the flavors.

In a blender add all the ingredients for the Cilantro-Lime Crema, blend until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt, or a little extra lime or cilantro. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour to allow the flavors to combine. Once again, I made everything in the morning to simplify my life.

Rub a grill pan down with coconut oil, heat the grill pan over medium heat, then lay the marinated tempeh pieces onto the pan and allow them to cook 6 minutes a side, letting grill marks appear. If you don't have a grill pan you can use a regular pan and a bit more oil. Once all the tempeh is cooked, cut into smaller strips. If you're not eating the tacos right away, just stick the tempeh in the oven until heated through before serving.

When ready to eat, warm the corn tortillas and place them out along with the crema, cabbage slaw, and tempeh along with any other toppings you wish to include. Build your tacos and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The PPK

Mexican Themed Dinner Party Part 2/3: Esquites Corn Salad

This is post 2 of 3 of the Mexican Themed Dinner Party recipes, post 1 being the Gazpacho. This Esquites corn salad is a play on Mexican street corn on the cob that is rubbed down with spice, mayo and lime. This recipe is great for many reasons, first and foremost because everyone loves it (a few people asked for this recipe before leaving!) and secondly because it can pretty much be done with your eyes closed- minus the sauteing part, that is.

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 cups fresh or frozen yellow corn, thawed if frozen (from about 6 ears)

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons plant-based mayo

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

3 limes, juiced

Coarse salt, to taste

In a large pan over medium low heat add the oil, once hot, add the corn and saute for 15-20 minutes until some of the corn starts to become toasted and golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Allow to cool a bit before mixing in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let rest for at least 15 minutes, to allow flavors to marinate. Serve at room temperature.

Mexican Themed Dinner Party Post 1/3: Gazpacho

My best friend from college, Indigo, came into town for a little vacation (click here if you want to view our vacation blog post). I haven't seen Indie since our New Years vaycay to Toronto and Buffalo. Yes, technically it's only been three months, but that's three months too long for us gals. 

With that said, I planned a little dinner party for us with Erica, Erica's boyfriend Shaun, my family, and Marc. Because Indie and I go hard on Mexican food I decided Mexican would be the only appropriate theme. I made Gazpacho, an Esquites Corn Salad, and Baja Tempeh Tacos with a Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw. I split the recipes into three posts, so stay tuned for the Esquites Corn Salad and Baja Tempeh Tacos.

Gazpacho   

2 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
½ red onion, roughly chopped
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup blanched almonds
1 slice of sandwhich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
Salt and black pepper

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Add all ingredients into blender, you may have to do this in batches, and blend until completely smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator and chill for a minimum of one hour, this also gives time for flavors to come together. Garnish with avocado before serving. I forgot to take the picture after I garnished, but don't skip on the avocado, it's divine with the Gazpacho.

Recipe by  L.V. Anderson

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week my boyfriend's best friend, Chris, got a job promotion. Every time I see Chris he asks me if I baked him anything. I don't usually... but given the circumstances of a promotion I felt like cookies were in order. I called Erica, my right hand lady when it comes to baking, and asked her for a peanut butter cookie recipe. We decided on a more 'classic' peanut butter cookie- rich, with a slight crunch around the edges, and some chocolate chips thrown into the mix. I went over to Erica's, peanut butter in hand, with every intention of making these cookies. But within three seconds flat she had all the ingredients in a bowl and I quickly knew my place in this kitchen, off to the side. I did, however, slightly flatten each cookie before baking, which is a crucial step in the cookie making process. No flattening=no cookies.

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup sugar
1 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agave
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + extra  (Ghirardelli semi sweet chips are vegan but the bitter sweet are not)

Preheat your oven to 350 F

In a small bowl whisk together the flax, plant-based milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit for ten minutes so the mixture thickens and curdles a bit. This will act as the egg replacer.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate medium sized bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well incorporated.

In another bowl whisk together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil. Once well incorporated mix the flax meal contents into the bowl along with the vanilla and agave. Slowly add in the flour mixture, using clean hands mix to incorporate as the forming dough will become pretty thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray.

Form the dough into 1 inch balls that are slightly flattened, about 2 inches apart from one another. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops of each flattened cookie and bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Makes between 2-3 dozen

Recipe adapted from Vegan Baking

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

Erica, Shaun, and I went to the farmers market the other day to check out some beautiful, fresh, local, organic produce. I stumbled upon these gorgeous red carrots that were shades of yellow and orange on the inside. They had these massive tops to them and I knew I had to figure out a way to cook them. Throwing away all that nutrition would be blasphemy. I asked the farmer who sold them to me what he did with them and he said he once made a pesto using the tops. It was like music to my ears. I would roast the carrots and top them with a carrot top pesto. It turned out absolutely amazing! Never again will I be throwing away carrot tops.

1 large bunch of carrots with tops
1-2 tablespoons of light olive oil, for roasting
1/4 cup basil
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup light olive oil, for pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste

Erica and I at the market, it's amazing we didn't melt in the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Wash the carrots and remove the tops, making sure to save them. Cut the carrots into even segments. I left a little bit of the tops on the carrots to make the dish appear more rustic but the tops became brittle in the oven so I suggest just removing the tops completely.

Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with non stick cooking spray. Toss the carrots in the oil set aside for roasting and bake until fork tender, about 25 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the pesto. Add roughly 1 1/2 cups of reserved carrot tops to the food processor along with the basil, macadamia nuts, yeast, garlic- blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to blend until all the ingredients are well incorporated and somewhat sauce-like. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Once the carrots are tender, arrange them on a dish and spoon the pesto over top. Serve warm.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I had two green peppers in the fridge, a box of mushrooms, and not much else. This was very a much a 'throw-something-together-and-lets-hope-it-works' meal. I made it for my family quickly and ran out of the door as I had plans for the night. Several hours later I received a text from my mom saying 'dinner was awesome!'. I was elated since I always struggled with turning bell peppers into an enjoyable meal. Not only is it up to par in the taste category but it is insanely easy to throw together too.

 2 green bell peppers
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 box white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons braggs liquid aminos/soy sauce/ tamari
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup steamed broccoli (you can sub this for any other leftover veggie you have in your fridge)
1/4 cup diaya cheese + extra
Small bundle of scallions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Halve the bell peppers, removing the seeds. Place in a small casserole dish that has been sprayed with non stick spray.

Rinse quinoa until water runs clear, then add it to a pot along with the broth and bring it to a boil. Cover and reduce head to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking quarter the mushrooms. Saute them in a pan with a little olive oil until they let out all their liquids and start to shrink down in size. Add in the liquid aminos and steak seasoning, continue to saute until tender. Remove from heat and place the mushrooms in a large bowl.

Cut the steamed broccoli into bite sized pieces and add them to the bowl with the mushrooms.

Dice the scallions and saute for 2 minutes, then add to the bowl with the mushrooms and broccoli. Toss in the diaya cheddar and the quinoa once it is done cooking. Stir the contents of the bowl until fully incorporated, then spoon into the bell pepper halves.

Bake for 55 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle a little more diaya cheddar over top and broil for 1-2 minutes before serving.