Dinner

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas (Oil Free Vegan Pulled Pork Tacos)

August 30, 2018 by Veronica Grace 4 Comments

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas Vegan Pulled Pork

Jackfruit tacos are something that are probably a lot more popular now than when I first wrote this recipe. I remember years ago watching The Great Food Truck Race and there was a vegan truck on it that had deep fried avocado tacos and flat top fried jackfruit tacos. When I started using green jackfruit (in brine from a can, not the fresh ripe stuff) I found that it really needs a lot of flavor and cooking time to become a delicious moist faux pulled pork like dish.

I’ve seen some people on blogs and on Facebook complaining about how bad canned jackfruit in brine is, but they actually just opened a can and took a bite of it as is. I definitely don’t recommend it. It’s like a briney cooked non descript vegetable. It’s not appealing so don’t do that. Pressure cooking or slow cooking is what I recommend, as well as rinsing and chopping your jackfruit very fine like you see above in my photo. Add whatever seasonings and delicious sauce you want to it and you will fall in love. The method plus your sauce choice are imperative for enjoying. You can find this Arroy-D brand at most Asian and Caribbean markets, and Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have their own versions as well now too.

I also want to make another point: PLEASE DON’T USE FRESH RIPE WHOLE JACKFRUIT. I see so many people on social media these days talking about buying an entire jackfruit at the asian market wanting to make a ton of “pulled pork” and freeze it. They’ve never used the canned jackfruit in brine, and they’ve never eaten whole fresh ripe jackfruit before. It’s a totally different thing!

A Warning About Fresh Jackfruit

If you buy a fresh jackfruit from an Asian market it will likely already be ripe, it’s not picked green and unripe for cooking typically. Even at Asian markets you might seen green mango or green papaya separately for salad dishes compared to the standard mangoes and papaya that are mature and will ripen on the counter.

If you want to break down a jackfruit I suggest you get some disposable gloves, a knife you don’t mind ruining, and some oil. Jackfruit comes from a type of rubber tree and the sap inside the jackfruit in between the pith and the fruit is very very sticky and will not come off without oil. You will need several hours likely to break down and section off a whole jackfruit by yourself for the first time. So unless you want to eat a lot of it fresh, or you live somewhere that ripe jackfruit is fairly inexpensive you probably won’t want to go this route. Sometimes the markets will have small sections of ripe jackfruit you can buy and it’s a bit easier to break down for a quick fresh jackfruit snack. This goes without saying but if you are allergic to latex or rubber you should avoid eating jackfruit as well.

Here’s a video for an idea

Fresh ripe jackfruit is green on the outside and bright yellow and sweet on the inside. Perfect for eating fresh like pineapple or mango. Jackfruit was the inspiration for Juicy Fruit Gum actually as well. So don’t use this type for making your tacos, you probably won’t like it and will have spent a lot of time and money as well.

If you want a “chicken” substitute for something like butter chicken or another type of curry you can also do that too instead of tacos and just switch out the sauce/seasonings and pressure cook/slow cook that as well. It does benefit from a long cooking time so I wouldn’t just add a can of jackfruit to a stovetop curry that I was cooking in only 15 minutes or so.

This recipe and my Black Bean and Corn Tacos are featured in my Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World cookbook and is currently on sale with all of my other recipe programs for Cyber Monday Sale here.

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas Vegan Pulled Pork

Jackfruit Carnitas (‘Pulled’ Jackfruit Tacos)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 20 oz. / 567 g can green jackfruit in brine (Arroy – D or other brand)
1 large sweet onion, sliced thinly
4 large cloves of garlic sliced
1 tsp. Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tsp. Smoked Spanish Paprika
½ tsp. Frontier Mexican Fiesta powder or other Mexican blend spice*optional
¼ tsp. Roasted Ground Cumin
¾ tsp. Herbamare or salt (or less if using salted bouillon)
½ cup / 118 ml. mild or medium salsa (Trader Joe’s tomatillo, Mild salsa, Newman’s Own Mango salsa etc. all work well)
1 cup / 237 ml. vegetable broth (or bouillon in water) for stovetop *see NOTE
1- 1½ cups / 237-355ml. water if needed for stovetop *see NOTE
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
12 corn tortillas (look for oil free low sodium ones)

NOTE: Check your pressure cooker directions for the number of half cups of water you need for each 5 minutes of cooking time. Make sure the broth / water content is sufficient. Stove top pressure cookers need much more water, while digital electric pressure cookers AKA Instapots use a much smaller amount; – around only ½ cup of broth / water total. The onions release enough water to keep it from burning. *If you’re using an Instapot/Digital pressure cooker only use 1/2 cup broth/water and skip the rest.

Pressure Cooker Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit and slice very thinly.
2. Place the above ingredients into a pressure cooker.
3. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Check it at 15 or 20 minutes, if it’s your first time cooking over the stove, to ensure there’s enough liquid in the bottom. You don’t want it to burn, but you need to cook the jackfruit well so it’s very tender and has a soft texture like pulled pork. If you use a digital pressure cooker, it should be fine left alone for 25 minutes. Use Quick Release method when done cooking.
4. Serve with your favorite sides like corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa, black beans, refried beans, or rice.

Slow Cooker Directions:

Place the ingredients in a slow cooker for 5-6 hours on low, but use only ½ cup broth or water in total and skip the rest. (In the pressure cooker the excess water turns into steam, unlike the slow cooker, which traps in moisture.)

Additional Tips:

You will have to go to an Asian market or Amazon.com to get canned green Jackfruit. Make sure it says in brine and not in syrup. You don’t want sweetened jackfruit for this dish. I found Arroy-D canned jackfruit in the tiny city of Corpus Christi, Texas so if I can find it there, I’m confidant you can find it in most states and countries. Sometimes I mix it up and add sliced mushrooms and/or zucchini as well to make the recipe go even farther. I’ve also doubled this recipe for potlucks with no problem as well.

Nutrition Facts: 4 Servings (3 tacos), Amount Per Serving: Calories 309.7 Total Fat 1.8 g Saturated Fat 0.0 g Sodium 444.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 68.0 g Dietary Fiber 5.4 g Sugars 6.5 g Protein 4.4 g

Have you ever had green jackfruit before? What did you think?

Tarka Dal Remixed with Yams, Potatoes and Spinach (Plant Based and Vegan Red Lentil Curry)

February 20, 2018 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Occasionally I take recipes I’ve already made and change them up a bit depending on what I have on hand if I need to use up some fresh ingredients or when I’m looking for something different. I highly doubt this is in anyway an authentic Indian dish now, but it’s still really tasty and healthy. I have adapted my Tarka Dal recipe here and doubled it except for the lentils and added yam, potatoes, and spinach to it.

This time I just tossed all of the spices in at the same time instead of making a separate tarka tempering. If you like eating large pieces of ginger or curry leaves in the finished dish great, if not after cooking you can remove them before serving.

I served this over white basmati rice but you can also use fresh roti bread, brown basmati rice etc.

Fat Free Vegan Red Lentil Tarka Dal (Indian Lentil Curry)

Serves 4

Dal Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils (split)
1 large onion, diced
4-5 large tomatoes, diced (or 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes)
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
4-5 inches of ginger peeled and sliced in long strips
1 medium yam/sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
As much fresh/frozen spinach as you want
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Herbamare or salt to taste
6 cups of water or vegetable broth (low sodium)
1 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp roasted ground coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds (black)
1-2 dried red chilli, chopped (more if desired)
8-12 curry leaves fresh or dried *optional
2-4 tbsp lemon juice
1 handful cilantro/coriander, chopped for garnish

Directions:

1. Place lentils into a mesh metal strainer and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. *To cook your lentils faster you can soak in warm water while you prep the rest of your vegetables.

2. Heat a large saucepan or large pot over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Sprinkle a little salt on the onions to get them to sweat. (You will need a large pot or giant saute pan for the amount of liquid here) Saute for 2-3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are soft.

3. Add drained lentils, yams, potatoes, seasonings (except lemon juice and cilantro) and water or vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil uncovered. Turn heat down to medium low and and cover with a vented lid (or leave lid cracked to let steam escape) cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are soft and to desired tenderness. Take off the lid and let some of the liquid cook down until desired consistency. If your potatoes and lentils are still soft and you need more liquid as water as needed to continue cooking.

4. Add the fresh or frozen spinach and stir it in to wilt or incorporate. As fresh spinach cooks down into nothing you can really add as much as you want here.

5. Add the lemon juice and check for flavours. Add more Herbamare or salt to taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

6. Serve and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Additional Tips:

If you like you can use different lentils, but keep in mind that whole lentils will take longer to cook, so you may need to cook this dal for around an hour until they are soft.

What’s your favorite plant based curry?

How To Make Thanksgiving Vegan or Plant Based and Still Enjoy It

November 6, 2014 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Our Thanksgiving is already long gone in Canada, but I saved this post for my American readers as many of you have a hard time deciding on what to make and spend a lot of time worrying if your guests or family can survive a meal without turkey or ham on a big holiday. Lol. Well never fear I can help give you some ideas for filling out your plant based Thanksgiving menu with ease.

I make everything from scratch and find that whipping up mashed potatoes and mashed yams/sweet potatoes an absolute BREEZE in my pressure cooker. I actually have 2 now, one is an EZ Bean Cooker pressure cooker that I can set manually for cooking anything else other than beans as well, so I fill one with potatoes, one with yams and then I don’t have to sacrifice stove top space and watch the pot. This is a huge time saver and I use my pressure cooker every holiday to makes my potato recipes.

A few things I’ll mention, I actually forgot about making stuffing this year as I focus more on making my lentil loaf recipe, stuffed peppers and mashed potatoes. No one seemed to mind though and having an alternative side of Greek Stuffed Peppers was actually a healthier option than traditional stuffing. The other thing is that I ran out of pecans and didn’t have any for my mashed yams but they were still delicious none-the-less. I also just realized that this Thanksgiving dinner was essentially gluten-free as well so everyone with dietary restrictions can enjoy it! And best of all we had so much leftovers for the rest of the week it was SO nice not having to cook each day. (As my lentil loaf recipe makes 2 loaves and I made a double batch of gravy!)

Here are my favorite veganized Thanksgiving dishes to share with you since many of you will be dining plant based or trying to dine mostly plant based this year and still feeding some carnivores too! All of these recipes have been tested on my family and their non vegan friends, so I assure you they are crowd pleasers.

Some of these recipes are featured in my blog, and some are in my recipe cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World has loads more delicious and hearty entree recipes for every occasion.

Vegan Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Raw Vegan Salads:

The Best Caesar Salad

Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad

Vegan Thanksgiving Entrees:

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Holiday Stuffed Acorn Squash

Greek Stuffed Eggplant

Herbed Lentil Loaf with Miso Gravy

Greek Stuffed Peppers

Vegan Side Dishes:

Holiday Baked Maple Yam Pecan Casserole

Cranberry Apple Pecan Holiday Stuffing

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Brown Gravy

Steamed Vegetables In Cheezy Sauce

Tangy Collard Greens in Coconut Milk

Vegan Decadent Desserts (These are not low fat):

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

(mine was based on this recipe here, I skipped the oil and t I put it in a pre made graham cracker crumb to save on time and added more spices to my tastes)

Holiday Vegan Pecan Pie

Vegan Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote

Vegan Lower Fat Desserts:

Fudgey Black Berry Brownies

Vegan Rice Pudding

Apple Strawberry Strudel Pie

There are lots of delicious and healthy recipes to choose from. I hope that I included some of your favourites or gave you some inspiration to try something new.

So if these goodies entice you be sure to check out my book Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World and grab it before Thanksgiving is here! (Available in digital and physical format.)

What are you looking forward to having for Thanksgiving this year?

Slowcooker Vegan White Bean Cassoulet by SkinnyMs

March 16, 2014 by Veronica Grace 8 Comments

I love using white beans, especially in plant-based Mediterranean cuisine. They are a delicious addition to soups, stews, chillis, salads or even in place of chickpeas in hummus. They have a mild creamy taste and pair well with almost any herb. I instantly liked this recipe for vegan white bean cassoulet because is jam packed and filled with veggies and flavor without all the meat and cheese of the classic French dish. And once you see how beautiful it is when it comes together it’s sure to please all of your family’s senses.

So before you put away your slow cooker for the season, why not try this hearty dish when you are craving something “different” yet still budget friendly and super filling. I’d also pair this veggie cassoulet with a nice light salad with a homemade vinaigrette. (Check out my quick dijon dressing in this video)

Vegetarian White Bean Cassoulet

A cassoulet is a French dish that is very complicated to prepare and is usually very meat-heavy. Traditionally it is a dish filled with fatty meats, white beans, and vegetables topped with savory bread crumbs and cheese. This version is not nearly as complicated, and it is a healthy cassoulet that is full of veggies. It’s a slow cooker recipe unlike any other. So, if you’re looking for a vegetarian white bean cassoulet recipe that is satisfying, rich, and filling, this one is sure to be a hit.

Vegan White Bean Cassoulet

Recipe provided by SkinnyMs.com

Ingredients:

Cassoulet:

3 leeks, white parts, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 15 ounce cans white beans of your choice, rinsed and drained

Breadcrumbs:

1 cup good quality coarse bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder)
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little vegetable broth or water. Add the leeks and celery and cook until soft. Add the carrots and cook until lightly browned. Add more water or broth as necessary. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the mixture to the slow cooker, followed by the rest of the cassoulet ingredients. Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours, until vegetables are tender. Lightly mash some of the beans to thicken the cassoulet.

Make the toasted breadcrumbs by tossing the breadcrumbs with the garlic (or garlic powder). Lay in an even layer on a baking sheet and lightly toast in a 350 F degree oven, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool and combine with the parsley and lemon zest.

To serve, spoon the cassoulet into individual ramekins and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Alternatively, sprinkle breadcrumbs directly on the cassoulet in the slow cooker and serve from there.

Notes:

This recipe has been edited to omit the olive oil to be in line with the needs of the readers of this blog.

Have you ever made a cassoulet recipe? What did you put in it?

Plant-Based Soy Curls, Squash and Kale Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce

September 8, 2013 by Veronica Grace 9 Comments

This plant-based peanut soba noodle dish is a recipe I decided on making after rummaging through my dried goods and freezer. I had bought a package of soba noodles so long ago I don’t remember when and I thought, you know I haven’t made any vegan Asian noodle dishes since my Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad (which is omg delicious btw). So I started looking online for something with noodles and butternut squash and I found this recipe online by Bryanna Clark Grogan of Vegan Feast Kitchen which is not really what I made, but it gave me the idea of putting butternut squash with kale, noodles and peanut sauce. Yum!

I decided to make this recipe lower in fat and steamed the butternut squash and kale (instead of roasting in oil) and I used a lower amount of peanut butter for my sauce. I also added some Soy Curls to it which actually make it taste a little like chicken noodle salad. Soy Curls are made from non-GMO soy and are really easy to make. Just soak in water to rehydrate and sauté in a pan with seasonings. It’s totally optional for this recipe, you can choose to use some tofu or tempeh instead if you like.

Feel free to use any kind of noodle you like, green or starch. This soba noodle recipe is very versatile and I’m sure you can come up with lots of variations to make use of what you have on hand. Scroll down for the recipe!

SoyCurlSquashPeanutSobaNoodles (2)

Vegan Soy Curl, Squash and Kale Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Soy Curls/1 package smoked tofu/1 package tempeh
1 9.7 oz/ 275 g package buckwheat soba noodles (I used Organic Sweet Potato & Buckwheat Noodles) or other egg free noodles
1 bunch of kale, de stemmed and cut into bite sized pieces
12 oz/340g package cubed butternut squash or 1 lb peeled and cubed (or 1 large sweet potato/yam peeled and diced)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Sesame seeds to garnish *optional

Plant-Based Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
1-2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or gluten free tamari *or to taste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp Sriracha or other hot chili sauce *or to taste

Directions:

1. Soak Soy Curls in warm water with a little salt and garlic powder or no salt seasoning if desired.
2. Blend sauce ingredients together
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
4. Next water sauté or use low sodium vegetable broth to cook kale, squash and Soy Curls (or tofu or tempeh) in a large skillet or wok. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper as desired.
5. Meanwhile, cook noodles in pot of water according to directions on package and drain in a colander and set aside.
6. In a large bowl or pot toss the noodles with the blended sauce and plate. Garnish with sautéed kale, squash and Soy Curls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or Gomaiso if desired.
7. Serve.

I hope you try this delicious recipe! What’s your favorite asian noodle dish? Do you make anything at home?

My Top 10 Most Frequently Made Low Fat Plant Based Recipes

August 27, 2013 by Veronica Grace 7 Comments

I’ve been doing some list making over the past few weeks as you might have noticed because a lot of you are finding it really helpful to have a bigger picture overview for tools, gadgets and easy recipes. I like being helpful so this is fun for me sharing my top 10 favorite fast vegan recipes with you as well!

I don’t cook fancy all the time, in fact most of the time I’m just like everyone else and want to get a healthy meal on the table quickly. So I’ve compiled a little list of the top recipes I fall back on when I don’t know what else to make, or am running low on new or “exotic” ingredients. I usually have all the staples necessary for these recipes on hand and it makes it easy for me to make again and again.

Sometimes I don’t follow the amounts of vegetables or seasonings exactly each time and season to taste as it’s easier than measuring everything out. So I wanted to share with you what I make when I can’t think or don’t have time to think of coming up with something new.

Most of these are dinner recipes but there’s a few you can use for breakfast or lunch as well.

Let me know if I picked any of your favorites!

1. Red Lentil Tarka Dal

I really love this curry because it’s so fresh and flavorful and doesn’t require any fresh vegetables. So I make this when I’m down to things like onions, ginger and garlic and if I’m lucky I have some left over cilantro in the fridge. This dal is super simple and you basically only need red split lentils, canned or fresh tomatoes and water or vegetable broth and Indian spices. I serve it with Basmati or brown rice. It’s truly a delicious fat free meal.

2. Rotini Marinara with Vegetables

Once upon a time I bought this giant box of whole wheat rotini from Costco and I STILL am eating from the same package. Buying 1 box of pasta at Costco pretty much negates needing to buy any more or any other kind of pasta for a long time lol, so every week or two I make rotini marinara or pasta primavera with fresh or frozen vegetables. It’s really nice to mix it up and use whatever I have left and it never gets old, it’s still one of my favorite quick recipes.

3. Soy Curls with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

Canned tomatoes or tomato sauce is well utilized in my kitchen as it’s an easy way to create a delicious fat free sauce and it can be seasoned with Mediterranean, Indian or Mexican spices really easily. I always have some chickpeas on hand and dried Soy Curls (which I pick up every time I go to Portland). You can use tempeh or tofu or skip it all together, but I like the texture of soy curls as it is a little meaty and goes really well with chickpeas in this recipe. Soy curls are also nice because they are compact and can be rehydrated so one package actually lasts for quite a few meals. If you like Chana Masala or Chicken Cacciatore you’ll like this.

4. Deluxe Dijon Tofu Scramble

I don’t really make or eat breakfast, but on weekends sometimes I make brunch. Whenever someone wants a hot breakfast or brunch I make this and it’s great for using up leftover veggies in the fridge, as I usually have half a bell pepper, or zucchini or some broccoli or mushrooms. You can also use whatever leftover veggies and greens you have in your fridge and throw this together. To make this faster I like to use pressed tofu (you can find it organic) as it’s already firm and doesn’t have much moisture in it so it’s great at absorbing flavours.

5. Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu and Tahini Sauce (sometimes I add pressed or smoked tofu as well)

Stir fry is probably the easiest thing to make especially if you have some frozen vegetables and dried rice. I like to change it up and make a little tahini sauce from scratch to top it with instead of using bottled sauces. I don’t use any Asian bottled sauces as most of them contain MSG and have a lot of sugar and sodium in them. This way I can control the flavor of the sauce and make it to my tastes with things like fresh garlic, ginger, soy sauce and spices. You can also change it up by using different fresh or frozen veggies and different nut butters.

6. Quinoa Bean Chili

This is my most used slow cooker recipe. Whenever I have to feed a lot of people for a potluck or a family gathering I make this. My chili is super hearty with fresh cooked quinoa, black beans, kidney beans, corn, bell peppers, carrots, celery and tomatoes. I’ve fed it to many non vegetarians and they honestly don’t miss the meat. The quinoa is a great ground beef substitute because of it’s small and spongey size and it’s a great alternative to fake meat or soy protein for those who can’t have soy. Did I mention it’s also gluten free? Yeah so I make this recipe because it suits almost everyone’s dietary needs.

7. Chana Masala from Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World or Eggplant Chickpea Curry

Another one of my favorite curries is a chickpea curry in tomato sauce. It’s also extremely easy to make if you don’t have any vegetables left and are down to canned chickpeas or canned tomatoes. Or you can use fresh cooked chickpeas by using my favorite new tool the EZ Bean Cooker and keep this recipe truly fast and affordable. Don’t be intimidated by curries, this one is extremely easy to make and you’re going to be thrilled with how tasty and filling it is.

8. Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheezy

This mac & cheese is my favorite recipe as you’d never guess that there is butternut squash in it and it is very satisfying being baked with panko breadcrumbs.The secret is using miso paste, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika for a delicious vegan cheese sauce. It’s one of my most complimented recipes by family and readers alike, so I hope you try it!

9. Smoothies!

I make smoothies for breakfast, or lunch whenever I don’t have time to make anything else, or I have ripe fruit to use up. Check out my smoothie selection on the blog and get some ideas for easy and tasty fat free smoothies you can enjoy for a quick meal.

10. Black Bean and Corn Tacos

Someone once joked to me that I must only eat tofu tacos as a vegan, and I kind of laughed because I actually have never had tofu tacos. I always make black bean and corn tacos because they feel naturally Mexican, simple and fresh. I serve these tacos often when I don’t have a lot of time and have a lot of people to feed. Then I make up some fresh guacamole and pico de gallo and everyone has a blast loading up their tacos with their favorite toppings. Long gone are the days of boring Old El Paso recipes from a box (like we do in Canada and parts of the USA). Have some real Mexican food the healthy way. Who doesn’t love tacos right?

I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for fast recipes you haven’t thought of before. Which recipe are you most looking forward to trying?

What do I bring for vegan camping?

August 4, 2013 by Veronica Grace 41 Comments

I went camping for the past 2 weekends this summer in the Rocky Mountains and although it’s a lot of work packing and setting everything up, it is fun getting out of the house, away from the computer and offline for a little while to just relax. Here’s some photos of our tent site to start.

I will admit I was a little concerned with ravenous mosquitoes and rain so I got an eating tent as well, which was handy as it did indeed rain pretty hard twice over the weekend so at least some of the stuff was protected and we could sit under the tent and wait for the rain to pass. The funny thing is we were the ONLY people tenting in this area, everyone else had trailers and toy haulers to hide in. It’s definitely more work tenting, but it’s more affordable and still kind of fun. Although it is quite chilly each morning!

Oh and we also went to do some dirt biking….

Um yeah so I’m apparently trying out dirt biking, even though I have no experience riding dirt bikes or motorcycles in general. It’s probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I got all this second hand gear to try it out. And I’m super glad I did!

Let’s just say that I came home with 8 bruises (2 big ones on my legs) and a smashed thumb from dropping the bike on myself and falling over several times going up and down steep rocky hills. It’s not easy learning how to to shift a manual transmission bike and steer and not be scared of crashing going down a giant hill at the same time lol. I’ll be trying it again, but I have to say I’ve never been so sore in my life. I could barely move the next day after coming home because of the bruises on my legs, and my arms and shoulders were exhausted from picking up and pushing the 250 lb bike up and off me and up and down the hills I couldn’t do.

I feel ridiculous in this outfit. The pants are very high waisted and so thick and bulky they make me sweaty. I also feel like I’m wearing space boots and an astronaut’s helmut!

Here’s our dirt bikes, my bf so lovingly built this little red one for me. I can’t imagine riding anything more powerful, it already feels beastly enough for me… lol

And now you’re probably thinking I’m insane and wondering what the point of this post was, well I want to show you what I brought for food camping, because a few of you wanted to know if I had any “camping recipes” on Facebook. Well I wouldn’t say recipes, but quick meal ideas because honestly spending time prepping, cooking and cleaning WHILE camping in a tent isn’t my kind of idea of fun. I needed a break from food prep and clean up, so I tried to make everything super simple to prepare. The last thing you want to be is hungry and cranky trying to start a camp fire and reach for snacks instead of a healthy meal.

So here’s my list of the top 6 things I brought for vegan camping to keep things simple and healthy for the weekend

1. The first thing I bring camping is pre washed and cut up fruit, each packaged in their own individual containers. (Ex. watermelon cubes in a giant container, pineapple chunks in a medium container etc.) This ensures that the fruit stays fresher longer so juicy fruits such as watermelon and pineapple don’t speed up the ripening process of berries or change their flavor. I brought watermelon, pineapple, red grapes, blueberries and strawberries. I always do my fruit this way and store it separately as I like fresh tasting fruit and not mushy muddled flavors. Whenever I want some fruit I can just grab a plate and a fork and plate some up for breakfast, a side for lunch or a snack. Almost half of my cooler is packed with large containers of prepared fruit to keep me eating fresh and healthy even in the great outdoors.

2. Veggie kabobs are next on my list because I don’t make them at home very often and it’s kind of fun to cook over the fire or a camp stove. I pre wash and slice up all of my veggies and place them in a container and can easily assemble as many as you like for your side dishes. For my kabobs I used yellow and green zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and mushrooms. I used a metal grate like this to place over the camp stove or fire to cook them.

Instead of brushing the veggie kabobs with oil, I like to drizzle or marinate them in balsamic vinegar and sprinkle a salt and pepper grinder mix over top of them for roasting. If you really like the veggies to absorb flavor I suggest using a little bag or container to toss and marinate them in balsamic vinegar. I was making mine very quickly and just drizzled a bit on top before grilling.

3. Fresh corn is another fun food to bring camping. I got some fresh corn on the cob (you can find this organic and gmo free from farmer’s markets and some health food stores so please don’t freak out) and put it in the cooler along with my ice. When I went to take it out it was actually soaked in water, and this was quite helpful. Pre soaking your whole corn cobs helps them retain moisture while cooking.

Next peel off just the outer layers of the corn husk, leaving the thin inner layers, wrap the cobs tightly in tinfoil and then place directly on a low fire or hot coals for about 20 minutes just until tender. This was the first time I’ve ever put corn directly on a fire and it turned out great! Camping food doesn’t have to be anything complicated, I just keep it really simple and let me tell you my friends were certainly jealous of my fresh and tasty meals I made!

4. For hearty breakfasts I made a double batch of my Deluxe Dijon Tofu Scramble and kept the seasoned tofu in one container and the sliced veggies in little bags separately so I could cook as much as I needed each day over the camp stove. Super easy and nice to have a hot breakfast when it’s cold every morning.

5. For fun I also bring some veggie hot dogs and veggie burgers (see my chickpea quinoa burgers, yam black bean burgers and spicy Mexican black bean burgers). You can also get vegan marshmallows as well to roast over the fire.

credit theartfulgourmet.com

6. To round out my veggie offerings I also brought mixed salad in little ziploc bags for easy serving and used balsamic vinegar as a quick dressing.

So there you have it, a little insight to my vegan camping adventures and what I bring to keep it simple and healthy in the great outdoors. What do you think? What do you like to bring camping and where do you go camping?

20 Minutes To The Table: Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichokes and Basil

July 28, 2013 by Veronica Grace 10 Comments

So the other day I was craving something pizza-like, but knew I wanted to put a healthy twist on it. Although you may think I’m apt to put hummus on just about anything (I might! lol) I actually don’t eat hummus all that often. But when I do, I love to make my own from scratch as it’s super simple. In this recipe I wanted to use the creamy hummus to sub for the sauce and cheese of traditional pizza and then top with some delicious veggies. Although you can use store bought hummus, I don’t like that it contains a lot of oil and isn’t as tasty as making your own. In fact there is a world of difference between fresh made roasted red pepper hummus versus the store bought kind.

In this episode of 20 minutes to the Table I’m going to show you how you can make your own roasted red pepper hummus, baked flat bread and a fresh salad with maple dijon dressing all in less than 20 minutes for an easy midweek meal

To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well!

Some other toppings for your baked flatbread could be sautéed mushrooms, black olives, pineapple, arugula, tempeh or smoked tofu. Use your imagination! Recipes below:

Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

This is half the recipe from my version in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Ingredients:

15 oz. / 425 g can chickpeas (no-salt), drained (reserve a few tbsp of liquid) *OR 1 3/4 cup fresh cooked chickpeas
1 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed butter)
6 oz. / 170 g (half a jar) roasted red peppers, drained *OR about 1 small fresh roasted red pepper
1/2 large lemon, juiced
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. Herbamare or salt, or to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired and blend again. Don’t worry if it’s a little thin, when it baked it will become creamy and thick!
3. Enjoy!

Recipe photo

Vegan Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Basil

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe above)
1 package of thin burger/sandwich buns or other flatbread
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts in water (not oil) *OR 400g of frozen artichoke hearts
1 small Vidalia (sweet) onion, sliced
1 handful of fresh basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté onion over medium heat for 5-7 minutes in a little bit of water.
2. Slice artichoke hearts and basil into strips.
3. Assemble flatbread by spreading a thick layer of hummus on each piece of bread and topping with cooked onion, artichoke pieces and basil.
4. Bake for 8-10 until crispy and brown on the bottom. (I baked mine for 10 minutes)

Spinach Arugula Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

Serves 3-4

Salad Ingredients:

1 5 oz package baby spinach & arugula mix
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/2 ripe tomato, sliced
1/3 cup chickpeas

Dressing Ingredients:

4 tbsp Dijon mustard
5-6 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if desired)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Assemble salad ingredients into a bowl.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Drizzle over salad and store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.

Have you ever made a vegan flatbread or pizza? What’s your favorite toppings? Let me know what you think of these recipes by posting below.

20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad Video

July 21, 2013 by Veronica Grace 50 Comments

20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Hi everyone! I had an idea the other day of putting together quick delicious meals for those of you short on time. This recipe is a great midweek recipe, if you can open a can and use a knife you can make this recipe very easily! I’ll start off by showing you how to make the raw Costa Rican Cabbage Salad recipe, and then the Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos (this is a variation on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.)

If you’d like order one of my cooking aprons or my cookbook my store is here: http://lowfatveganchef.storenvy.com

I’d like to point out that I used canned ingredients in my first video to show how anyone, no matter where you are, can make this recipe. You can also use home cooked beans and fresh corn (or frozen) if desired and using organic foods is your choice as well. This new series is going to show easy plant based recipes that absolutely everyone can make with ease, when pressed for time. That’s why I list the short cuts. Most of the time I cook from scratch, but I know this is not feasible for everyone, especially on a week night after work. Please of course feel free to use fresh cooked beans, organic fresh corn and your own homemade corn tortillas if you are a scratch cooker, but of course this will add to the prep time and take much longer than 20 minutes. Enjoy

Recipes follow below.

Raw Vegan Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 green cabbage shredded (or 5 cups bagged slaw mix)
1 medium (ripe) tomato, diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 glove garlic, pressed or minced
1 handful fresh cilantro/coriander roughly chopped (or to taste)
1 – 1 1/2 large limes juiced (use your discretion to balance with salt)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (use your discretion to balance with the lime)
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Toss ingredients into a large salad bowl (mine was a little small but I used it as it was clear to show you) and massage well for a minute or two, scrunching the cabbage to help soften it.

2. Adjust lime, salt and pepper to your tastes. If it’s perfectly seasoned it should taste neither of just salt or lime, but a nice mix between the two.

3. Place in refrigerate to marinate until needed.

To spice things up: Add a sliced fresh jalapeno or chili pepper.

Based on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Vegan Mexican Black Bean & Corn Tacos

Serves 2-4 (depending how ravenous you are!)

Ingredients:

19 oz. can no sodium black beans or pinto beans (or 2 1/3 cups cooked fresh)
12 oz. can no sodium/no sugar corn or 1.5 cups frozen or fresh cut
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 tbsp maple syrup, maple sugar or honey – I don’t use agave (*optional to add flavor to the unsalted beans)
1.5 tsp roasted cumin (or regular, but roasted is much more flavorful)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (or to taste)
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
1/4-1/2 lime juiced (or to taste)
8-12 corn tortillas (depends how full you load your tacos)
Salsa of choice (I always look for the lowest sodium on the shelves, you’d be surprised how much sodium is in salsa)

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over medium heat. Drain the corn (if applicable), add some black bean juice to the pot and the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the black beans, corn and seasonings (leave the lime juice until the end) and heat for 5-7 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

3. Meanwhile heat your corn tortillas over medium heat in a crepe pan, griddle or frying pan just until warm and place in a tortilla warmer, tinfoil or tea towel to insulate. Alternatively you can heat them over a gas flame until slightly charred or microwave just at the end all together for 30 seconds. (Any longer and it won’t be good…)

4. Add the lime juice to the beans and corn and taste test. Adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Assemble tacos, starting with a layer of black beans and corn, some salsa and then top with your marinated Costa Rican Cabbage Salad. Sometimes I like to add some fresh guacamole for variety as well.

6. Enjoy!

Make it spicy: add some chipotle chili powder, cayenne or a sliced jalapeno to the black bean and corns. Use your discretion.

Corn tortillas are fairly common in the USA and easy to find at most grocery stores and health food stores. I use corn tortillas because they usually have only 3-4 ingredients (but read the label to make sure there is no oil or lard) and are lower calorie than wheat tortillas. Wheat tortillas are more for burritos. If you’re in Canada check your health food store or google mexican/latin groceries in your area. I found several in my city of Calgary that had homemade corn tortillas. I will post a video later on show you how to make your own corn tortillas with masa (corn flour).

This makes a fairly light meal, if you’re family or dinner guests are ravenous I would recommend serving some fresh seasoned rice on the side to round it out, or double wrapping your tacos (use 2 tortillas) and load them up with beans and corn.

I hope you enjoyed my first episode of 20 minutes To The Table. I filmed this in my kitchen with a camera, a tripod and a lot of books lol. Let me know what you think by posting below!

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme (Gluten Free)

July 7, 2013 by Veronica Grace 22 Comments

Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to be enjoying outdoor barbecues and picnics. Everyone wants to enjoy a freshly grilled hamburger or veggie burger. But making your own is quite easy and insanely tasty without using oils or refined soy products. My chickpea quinoa burgers are soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free so they will work for everyone no matter how they eat. If you’ve ever made homemade hamburgers or wanted to, you can make these.

A simple food processor is such a versatile tool for making your own chickpea quinoa burgers. Mine isn’t anything fancy, just a basic mid sized one and it’s perfect for pulsing various ingredients to use in veggie burgers.

I like to top my veggie burgers with some fresh hummus (see my chickpea hummus here or my yam/sweet potato hummus here), sautéed mushrooms and onions (I use a little soy sauce and maple syrup to flavor them), lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. Cucumbers also work well in place of tomatoes for this chickpea quinoa burger as well as spicy mustard.

Find a nice whole grain bun or roll, toast the insides and top your veggie burger with all your favorite toppings. I also highly recommend some of my Summer salad recipes to go along with it such as Avocado Dill Potato Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Shaved Asparagus Salad, Costa Rican Cabbage Salad, Sweet and Savory Asian Salad, or Rock my Broccoli Salad. So now that your head is spinning with delicious Summer recipes let’s get grillin’! Mmm hmm.

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme

Makes 10-12 patties (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed yam/sweet potato, cooled (1 medium yam, cooked)
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cans chickpeas, drained and patted dry
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (stems removed)
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled (I used 1/2 cup dry mix of white and red)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste

Directions:

1. Poke holes in your yam and bake at 400 F for an hour or until tender inside. Set aside until cool.

2. Cook quinoa with a 1:1 ratio of vegetable broth or water in a pressure cooker or on the stove. (See my directions here)

3. In a food processor, add the garlic and onion and pulse until chopped finely. Add the chickpeas, thyme, lemon zest and juice and pulse until chopped and well combined. Scoop out flesh from yam (discard peel) and to food processor along with quinoa, pepper and salt. Pulse until well combined.

4. Form into equal sized balls and place on a non stick sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until needed.

5. Pre heat a pan or barbecue and press patties gently until slightly flatted and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once. Be careful to move gently so they don’t fall apart.

6. Serve on buns or lettuce wraps. (I find using a bun slightly bigger than the patty works best as they will squish a bit when eaten.

7. Store any patties in an air tight container and refrigerate or freeze until needed. (Leaving them uncooked is best).

Variations:

You can also use fresh dill instead of thyme if you wish for variety.

Also check out my Smoky Yam Black Bean Burger Recipe.

Have you ever made your own veggie burgers? What do you like to top your burgers with?