Trish Hall

Oil-Free Vegan French Onion Soup

September 27, 2018 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

You won’t miss the fat in this oil-free Vegan French Onion Soup. The caramelized onions and fresh herbs bring a delicious flavor to this classic soup.

My daughter had requested French Onion Soup and a lasagna for when she came home for a visit a couple days ago and I was intent on getting them both made ahead of time. So please forgive me for the less than lovely pictures. I was somewhat distracted and didn’t remember to get good photos. In fact, I almost forgot to get a photo of the finished soup until after I’d taken a few spoonfuls of the broth out of my bowl! Oh well, life happens that way sometimes.

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Vegan Italian Bean Soup

September 22, 2018 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

This vegan Italian Bean Soup is perfect to throw together on a busy day. In just 30 minutes you’ll have a healthy, tasty and filling meal.

Hey, today is the beginning of Autumn and at the risk of sounding like an old woman…I’m just going to say it….where does time go?? Have you ever noticed how fast time flies by when you have a lot going on?

And if you’re lucky enough to have little ones in your life, you are probably even more aware of how quickly a day, a week, a month or a year passes. I became a Nana for the first time just a little over a year ago and my little SmileyRiley has grown from a tiny little bundle that we could hold for hours to a curious, dynamic, funny and very mobile little girl. She’s walking and exploring everything she sees.

So this recipe is for all you busy moms like my daughter, who work and come home to busy kids and need something for dinner that is fast, easy and good for everyone.

It’s also for people like me, who sometimes just want a soothing, satisfying meal that doesn’t take long to prepare. If you’re cooking for just one, you’ll have plenty to freeze for future meals. For two people, it will be a great dinner and then lunch the next day.

Like all my other recipes, it is gluten-free and oil-free. You can make it low sodium by using low sodium canned beans and omitting the salt in the recipe. If you are eating an oil-free diet, be sure to check your marinara sauce ingredients to ensure that oil has not been added. Most have oil.

You can see where I like to shop…Trader Joe’s should give me a gift card or something, right?

Okay, let’s make soup! This is going to be short because, honestly…this soup is extremely easy to make.

Open your cans of beans and pour them into a colander. You can save the liquid if you want to use the aquafaba to make other things. Rinse the beans and put them in a large pot.

Add the jar of sauce. Fill the jar about 3/4 with water, put the lid on and shake it to get all the sauce into the water. Dump that water into the pot.

Add the entire box of veggie broth.

Season with garlic powder or fresh garlic (I prefer fresh), Italian seasoning and salt, if using.

Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer while you cook the pasta (if using). Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add pasta to individual bowls and ladle the soup on top. You can add the cooked pasta to the soup if you prefer. We like to add our own amount of pasta to our individual bowls so that we get as much pasta as we like.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do!

Vegan Italian Bean Soup

This vegan Italian Bean Soup is perfect to throw together on a busy day. In just 30 minutes you'll have a healthy, tasty and filling meal.

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Vegan Italian Bean Soup

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

3-4 15 oz cans beans of your choice I used white kidney, kidney and Great Northern
1 25 oz jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 32 oz box vegetable broth low sodium if desired
3/4 jar water use the empty spaghetti sauce jar
1 lb gluten-free pasta, optional I used penne, but any shape will work
1-2 cloves garlic or 1-2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp salt adjust to taste or omit, your choice
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning crush/rub in palm of hand before adding

Instructions

Drain and rinse the cans of beans. Add to soup pot.
Add the spaghetti sauce to the pot. Fill the jar 3/4 with water, put the lid on and shake to get all the sauce into the water. Add that water to the pot.
Add the broth.
Add the garlic, salt (if using) and Italian seasoning.
Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
While soup is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
After 20-30 minutes of simmering, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Add pasta to individual bowls and ladle soup on top.
Cooked pasta can also be added to the soup pot before serving.
Serve with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Pasta can be cooked in the soup, but it will thicken the soup...a lot!

Vegan Meat-free Loaf

September 10, 2018 by Trish Hall 12 Comments

This Vegan Meat-free Loaf is the perfect dish for a cool fall evening. It works beautifully as a main course for your holiday table. Great hot or cold!

The garlic mashed potatoes were supposed to be on the plate, but I got excited to get the picture and forgot to add them first. So fill in that blank spot with your favorite side dish.

This loaf satisfies my need for a main dish that is full of flavor and has some chew to it and the oats give it that chewy mouth-feel and the lentils hold it all together. I like white mushrooms in this, but any variety will do well, I think. You could even leave the mushrooms out.

The spinach can be replaced with another hearty green, like chard or kale. I recommend chopping them into small pieces.

I have found that this loaf is even better the next day. If you make it as recommended in the two pans, it will be cooked well and will slice nicely after resting for about 15 minutes. But, if you wait until the next day you can slice it thin enough to make “meet loaf” sandwiches. We generally eat the first loaf and save the other one for future meals.

Be sure to pick a barbecue sauce that you like. I like a spicy one, so I make one loaf with my favorite and the other with a mild one for my mom. She’s not a fan of spicy.

Let’s Begin…

Get out two loaf pans and set aside.

Start by cooking your lentils (you can also purchase cooked lentils. I get mine at Trader Joe’s in a vacuum pack that lasts months in the fridge, so I try to always have them on hand).

After cooking (or opening the package…ha ha!) dump them into a bowl and mash them a bit.

Get a large frying pan and cook your onions until they are tender. Add your chopped mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are tender.

Add the lentils and mix it all up. Stir in the tomatoes with the juices from the can and the spices.

Turn off the heat and add the oats and combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

Line the bottom of each loaf pan with half of the barbecue sauce (divide it between the two pans) and evenly divide the loaf mixture between both pans. Use the remaining barbecue sauce to top each loaf.

Bake it in the pre-heated oven for about 50-60 minutes. The loaves should get crispy/caramelized around the edges.

Remove from the oven and let them rest about 15 minutes. Use a spatula to slice and serve.

If you make this, let me know how you liked it!

5 from 4 votes

Vegan Meat-Free Loaf

This is a vegan meat-free loaf that is delicious served hot or cold.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free, oil-free, vegan

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups lentils, uncooked If using pre-cooked lentils use about 3 cups
2 1/2 cups water to cook the lentils Ignore this ingredient if using pre-cooked lentils
1 large onion, chopped about 1- 1 1/2 cups, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic I like 4!
4 cups spinach, chopped small can sub other greens
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, including the juice
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp seasoning salt or a salt-free seasoning mix
2 1/4 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce I used Jack Daniels brand

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees, get out two loaf pans.
Bring lentils to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until water is mostly absorbed and lentils are tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and mash a little bit.
In a large pan, cook onions until tender (add a splash of veggie broth, water or wine to deglaze the pan when/if the onions start to stick and brown).
Add mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook and deglaze the pan until mushrooms are tender.
Add mashed lentils to the pan and mix thoroughly.
Add spinach and stir to incorporate evenly.
Stir in tomatoes (with the juice from the can) and spices.
Turn off the heat and add the oats and combine completely.
Spoon half of the barbecue sauce into the bottom of the loaf pans (dividing it between the two pans) and evenly divide the veggie mixture between the two pans.
Top each loaf with the divided remainder of barbecue sauce.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 50-60 minutes or until the barbecue sauce gets crispy around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let rest on a rack for about 15 minutes.
Slice with a spatula and serve.

Recipe Notes

This loaf is even better the second day. It slices nicely and is good cold as well as re-heated.

Some people have baked this in a shallow casserole dish with success. It just depends on the size/shape that you want. I like it in two loaf pans so that I can cut it in slices for cold sandwiches.

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Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

September 6, 2018 by Trish Hall 18 Comments

This is a vegan cheese sauce that is adaptable to suit many recipes.

I could eat this stuff with a spoon! Actually, I have eaten this stuff with a spoon…

It’s creamy and cheesy and full of smokey flavor. I’ve used this sauce on so many dishes and it never disappoints. I have friends who eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) who love this sauce and can’t believe it doesn’t have dairy products in it.

It can be used for nachos or as a drizzle on top of tacos. I add it to burrito fillings and casseroles. It is especially good as a layer in a layered bean dip. Baked potatoes with this and some broccoli….YUM!

I used to make it with all cashews, but because I want to keep my fat intake down, I replaced some of the cashews with tofu and sweet potato. I have even made it without any cashews and it still tasted delicious, but it did lose a bit of it’s creamy texture and was a little thin. Still awesome though, so if you don’t want any nuts in your sauce, use just the tofu and sweet potato.

Start by blending your cashews. If you don’t have a high powered blender like a VitaMix, then you’ll want to soak your cashews several hours until they’re soft. Otherwise, just throw them in that Vitamix and add about half the water and blend.

Once you have a smooth sauce, add the tofu and sweet potato. Blend until completely incorporated and smooth. You may need to use your tamper or a rubber spatula to push any unincorporated bits down.

Now add the nutritional yeast, red wine vinegar, and all the seasoning. I used the higher amounts of the spices, but you can start off with less and see how you like it. The lactic acid is something I keep on hand to add a little zing to recipes, but if you don’t have it, you can omit it or squeeze in a bit of lemon juice.

Blend until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. If too thick, add some of the water you have left until it blends easily. This sauce thickens a little bit when it is chilled. I store it in a jar in the fridge and have had luck with it being good for over a week. It usually doesn’t last that long because I eat it. It does freeze and re-heat well. Just thaw and stir it well as you re-heat it.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Get your spoon ready, because you are going to be eating this stuff out of the jar. This is a great vegan cheese sauce to use for Mexican dishes, cream soups, pasta, baked potatoes...and obviously...nachos.

Course: Main Course, Sauce, Side Dish, Soup

Keyword: Cheese, Nut-free, Sauce, Sweet Potato, Tofu

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cashews soaked if you don't have a high speed blender
1/2 pkg tofu (about 7 oz.) I use firm
1/2-3/4 cup water start with the smaller amount and add more if needed to get things moving in the blender
1/2 cup cooked sweet potato orange fleshed type
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tsp salt optional
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or 1/2 tsp lactic or citric acid powder
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

Add cashews and water to the blender. Blend on low for a minute until the cashews have incorporated the water.
Add the tofu and blend until it gets worked into the cashew water.
Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth.
Pour into jars and pour onto all things that need a cheesy sauce. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can make this without the tofu and sweet potato...increase the cashews to 3 cups and add enough water to cover them in the blender with an inch of water over them.
You can make it without the cashews at all. Add a full package of tofu and decrease the water to about 1/2 cup.
You can change the spices to suit whatever recipe you will be using this cheese sauce in.

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Vegan Zoodle Mason Jar Salad with Basil Avocado Cream

August 26, 2018 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

Be the envy of the office when you are eating this beautiful vegan Zoodle Mason jar salad.

Now, this is my kind of fast food meal.

Granted, it’s not quite as easy as driving through a crappy fast food restaurant line and picking up a plastic container of wimpy lettuce with a few carrots and tomatoes on it, but this jar full of goodness has so much more to offer than the fast food option.

The dressing is an oil-free avocado and tofu basil cream that’s packed with flavor and is nice and thick so it will coat your veggies nicely instead of just wetting them.

If you haven’t seen or read about jarred salads before then let me explain the reason they are so handy.

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Vegan Potato Soup

August 23, 2018 by Trish Hall Leave a Comment

A soupy and brothy, not creamy or cheesy, flavorful vegan potato soup. It’s so good you’ll want to make a double batch so that you have lots of leftovers.

Sometimes I want a soup with a bit of chew to it, instead of a creamy, smooth soup.

Fall is coming and I don’t know about you, but I am a big fan of soups for cool fall evenings. To be honest, I am a fan of soups for just about any meal. The possibility of flavors are endless and they generally require only one pot. Who isn’t a fan of only one dirty pot to wash?

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Helpful Tips for a Successful Plant Based Diet

August 23, 2018 by Trish Hall 5 Comments

Let’s talk about transitioning to a plant based diet…

Helpful Tips for a Successful Plant Based Diet|Your Mom’s Vegan

I’m going to give you tips to make the transition to a whole foods, plant based diet easier.

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How to Make Instant Pot Refried Beans

August 23, 2018 by Trish Hall 4 Comments

These Instant Pot refried beans are so much tastier than the canned refried beans.

Beans, beans, the musical fruit…Did you hear that little song when you were growing up? I did. Just about every time someone farted.

Can I say farted here?

Tooted, passed gas, stepped on a spider…and my all time favorite…POOTED! That was from my husband’s side of the family in Texas. So whatever you call it, beans or no beans, we all do it.

And beans are a great way to get your fiber and the often sought after PROTEIN. We can get plenty of protein from all of our plants, so I don’t eat them for the protein, I eat them for the taste and versatility.

I’m going to tell you how to use your Instant Pot to make refried beans. They are so much tastier than the canned refried beans, I promise! I make a double batch and freeze some in 1 cup portions for making quick meals. Just thaw in the fridge overnight and you can make burritos, nachos, burrito bowls, etc.

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Cooking Rice | Instant Pot and Stove Top Instructions

August 23, 2018 by Trish Hall 1 Comment

Cooking Rice | Instant Pot and Stove Top

Cooking Rice | Instant Pot and Stove Top Instructions|Your Mom’s Vegan

For both Instant Pot and stove top you’ll want to rinse your rice first. Measure it out, dump it into a colander or strainer and rinse it under a running faucet until the water that comes out the bottom runs clear.

Dump the rice into the Instant Pot or a pot with a well sealing lid.

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Vegan Potato Sauerkraut Casserole

August 21, 2018 by Trish Hall 75 Comments

This vegan potato sauerkraut casserole is a warm, cozy and filling dish that you will love to feed your family and friends.

I’ve recently been eating a lot of potatoes. I mean, A LOT!

Because I follow Dr. McDougall and his starch-based way of eating, I became aware of what he and his wife refer to as “Mary’s Mini.” It is a 10 day re-set that you do by eating only one starch for 10 days. Every meal is that starch with a side of non-starchy veggies. It is intended to be boring, so all the tasty sauces that we know and love are discouraged. Condiments and seasonings are okay.

You choose which starch you want to eat and stick with that the entire 10 days. Because I LOVE potatoes, I chose them and thought I’d never get tired of potatoes.

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