Vegan

Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

January 26, 2023 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

This Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce is easy to make and will give all your Asian recipes a fantastic flavor boost.

No blog blather today…just the recipe that you all have been asking me to post.

Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

This Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce is easy to make and will give all your Asian recipes a fantastic flavor boost.

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup low sodium tamari (or soy sauce if you don't need gluten-free)
1/4-1/3 cup date sugar or sweetener of choice
8 oz can of pineapple juice
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1/2-1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp Mirin (sweet rice seasoning) optional, but highly recommended.
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame seeds (crushed a bit)
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4-1 tsp gochujang paste (optional)

Instructions

Add tamari, sugar, pineapple juice, garlic powder, onion powder, Marin, and rice vinegar to a medium saucepan. Whisk until blended well. Heat on medium heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water. Set aside.
Add the crushed sesame seeds to the sauce and the Gochujang (if using) and bring the sauce to a low boil.
Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens. It should still be easily pourable.
Use the sauce while still warm or store it in a glass bottle or jar in the fridge.

Seedy Flax Crackers~Oil-Free & Gluten-Free

April 29, 2022 by Trish Hall Leave a Comment

These Seedy Flax Crackers~Oil-Free & Gluten-Free have just two basic ingredients and you can add in any nuts, seeds, or seasonings that you like.

If you are following a gluten-free and oil-free way of eating, you know how hard it is to find crackers without those ingredients. I have only found one brand that makes crackers without oil and gluten ingredients and they are expensive! So I decided to try making my own and this is it!

They are crispy and hold up well for dipping in hummus or as a base for cheese.

Scroll down to the recipe box if you don’t need to see photos of the process.

I used the tools you see below to make it easy, but you definitely don’t need the cracker roller…it just makes them more uniform in size and they look a little nicer. You can use a knife instead of the scraper/cutter. The little bands on the rolling pin make it easy to get the dough rolled to an even 1/8th inch, but you can eyeball that instead. In addition to these tools, I also use a silicone spatula…the kind used to mix and scrape.

Let’s get started. Mix the flax meal with the boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes. If you are going to add any nuts, seeds, or seasoning, get them out. Chop up the nuts or seeds.

The flax mixture will be thick and can be pressed into a ball (using a rubber spatula) at this point. Use the rubber spatula to knead in any of the optional ingredients. You can also do this with your hands if you wet them, but it is messy.

Tip the dough out onto a parchment-lined cutting board (I used a flexible plastic cutting board) and press it with the back of the spatula or your wet hands. Form a rectangle narrow enough to miss the spacers on your rolling pin.

Top the dough with another sheet of parchment and roll the dough out until it is 1/8th inch thick

Carefully peel the top parchment off. Using the cutting board, slide the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet. If using a cracker rolling tool, roll it to create perforations. If not using the roller, you can bake it as is and break it into pieces when it’s done. Or you can use a knife and score it before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and remove from the oven and carefully flip it over. I used a piece of parchment and the flexible cutting board on top and then flipped it. Be sure that only parchment is on the baking sheet and not the plastic cutting board! I may or may not have put my PLASTIC cutting board in the oven for a few minutes before I realized what I’d done!🤭

Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, watching for browning. If any edges start to get too brown, break those crackers off and take them out, leaving the rest to finish.

They will crisp up more when cooled, so it’s good to pull one out towards the end and let it cool and test it for crispness.

Cool on the baking sheet or move to a cooling rack. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. They’ll be fine at room temperature for about a week or store for much longer in the refrigerator.

Serve with your favorite hummus or with your favorite plant-based cheese. The delicious cheese in the first photo is made using this recipe from Bradi at the Vegan8.

Seedy Flax Crackers~Oil-Free & Gluten-Free

These Seedy Flax Crackers~Oil-Free & Gluten-Free have just two basic ingredients and you can add in any nuts, seeds, or seasonings that you like.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: gluten-free, oil-free, wfpbno

Keyword: Seedy Flax Crackers~Oil-Free & Gluten-Free

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

1 cup flax meal
3/4 cup boiling water
2-4 Tbsp seeds of choice, chopped OPTIONAL
1/4 cup nuts of choice, finely chopped OPTIONAL
1-2 tsp seasoning of choice (See Notes) OPTIONAL

Instructions

Oven 350 degrees
In a small mixing bowl, add flax. Add boiling water and stir well. Set aside for 5 minutes.
If using optional ingredients, chop the nuts and/or seeds.
Add any optional ingredients to the flax dough. Push them in with a flexible spatula or wet hands. I used the silicone spatula/scraper and pushed and "kneaded" it just like you would knead bread dough.
Once everything is well incorporated, tip the dough onto a parchment-lined flexible cutting board or onto your counter. Press into a rectangle that is narrower than your rolling pin.
Add a sheet of parchment on top and roll the dough out to 1/8th inch thick. See the blog post for pictures of the guides I use on my rolling pin. Peel off the top parchment.
Carefully slide the parchment/dough onto a baking sheet using the flexible cutting board or just by lifting the parchment carefully.
Score the dough with a cracker roller or knife. (Or you can just bake it as it is and break it up after baking).
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are beginning to lift. Remove from the oven and flip the whole thing over using a piece of parchment on top. ( I used the flexible cutting board to help flip it over...don't accidentally leave it in there!)

Bake again for another 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. They will crisp up more after cooling, so I take one out towards the end of the time and cool it and check for crispness. You can break them apart as you check them, or wait until they are done and cooled.

Cool on the baking sheet or transfer to a cooling rack.
Enjoy with your favorite hummus, dip, or sliced vegan cheese.

Recipe Notes

For seasonings, I've used the following with good results:

Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (from Trader Joe's)

Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika

Rosemary, thyme, tiny pinch of sage

Vegan Oil-free Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry

November 7, 2021 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

Full of the flavor of warm spices this Vegan Oil-free Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry is perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

This is comfort food to me!

You can use pre-cut veggies to make it faster. Chopping veggies isn’t too time-consuming for me, so I like to use fresh, whole cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

Gather your ingredients!

Chop the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. I cut them into about 1″ cubes.

Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets.

Dice the onions into small pieces. I use this chopper to get it done fast. If you use that link to buy the chopper, I will get a few cents, at no additional cost to you.

If you are using fresh ginger, grate or mince it to a fine paste.

Sauté the onions in a large pot. Add a splash of water or broth if they begin to stick and scrape them up. Continue to cook them low and slow until they soften. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the spices and cook for another minute or so.

Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potato, cauliflower, and plant milk and broth (if using). I like to add the broth because I like there to be plenty of “gravy” to pour over my rice. If you are planning to this eat on roti or in a similar way, you might like it to be a thicker stew and you would leave the broth out or use much less.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. I usually leave the lid cocked to avoid boiling over, depending on the pot I’m using.

Stir occasionally and check sweet potatoes and cauliflower by poking with a fork. You want them tender, but not mushy.

Add salt and pepper, if using. You can add the optional curry pastes now or add them to your individual servings to suit each person’s tastes. I add both the red and green curry paste for a nice bit of HEAT, and my mom adds the turmeric paste for additional flavor with no heat.

Serve over cooked rice or with roti for dipping. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Pictured below are the pastes from Mekhala. All oil-free, gluten-free and delicious!

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Oil-free Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry

Full of the flavor of warm spices this Vegan Oil-free Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry is perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: cauliflower, curry, gluten-free, no oil, oil-free, Sweet Potato

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

2 cups chopped onion
2-3 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
1 tbsp garam masala can sub curry powder
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1(15 oz) can chickpeas (about 1.5 cups)
2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes Don't drain
2 cups plant milk (I used soy) Optional: Add a couple of drops of coconut extract, to mimic the traditional coconut milk.
2 cups veggie broth Optional: I use it because I like lots of "gravy" for serving over rice.
1/4 cup chopped cilantro Optional garnish that I recommend
salt and pepper to taste, if desired
3-4 cups cooked rice for serving Optional
roti for serving Optional
Mekhala curry pastes to taste Optional: See blog post for info

Instructions

Saute the onions until softened. Splash with water or broth if they begin to stick.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for about 5-10 minutes.
Add spices, stir and cook 1-2 minutes.
Add chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and plant milk. Add broth if you are using it.
Bring to a boil, stir, and then lower heat to medium to simmer, covered for about 20-30 minutes or until cauliflower and sweet potatoes are tender (not mushy). Vent the lid if necessary to keep it from boiling over.
Add salt and pepper if using. Add any optional ingredients like curry pastes.
Serve over cooked rice with a garnish of cilantro if desired. Or serve with roti.

Gluten-Free Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

October 25, 2021 by Trish Hall Leave a Comment

These Gluten-Free Chickpea Lettuce Wraps are packed full of veggies! The filling can be made into a delicious wrap, dip, or sandwich.

I created this filling after a busy day that I hadn’t prepared well for. I found myself out running errands during lunchtime and grabbed a wrap from Trader Joe’s. Theirs were wrapped in a lavash which wasn’t the best choice for me because I am sensitive to gluten. It doesn’t make me sick, but I do get bloated and uncomfortable when I eat gluten. So, I peeled off most of the lavash and ate the filling. The filling was good, but I thought it was way too light on the veggies so I put a lot more in mine.

If you don’t need step-by-step instructions and pictures, scroll down to the recipe card below. If you like to see the size and textures of each veggie as I added it, then stick with me here.

Gather your ingredients.

I used homemade hummus, but you could use store-bought.

To make the hummus I used one can (about 1.5 cups) of cooked chickpeas. I didn’t peel them, but you could if you like ultra-smooth hummus. I blended them with lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and garlic. If you want to make it lower fat, you can replace the tahini with white beans. I used my Cuisinart 13 cup food processor with the small bowl insert. This keeps the ingredients contained near the blade. It got really smooth.

Once you have the hummus made, set it aside.

Add the carrot to the food processor and pulse until you have little tiny carrot bits. Add the carrots to a large bowl. Pulse the broccoli to the same size. Do the same with the radish, parsley, cilantro, and green onions.

Add the hummus.

Stir and add your favorite salt-free seasoning (or salt if you use it).

You can use this as is, for a dip or a wrap, or you can add another can of chickpeas that you have pulsed. This gives a thicker consistency that is good as a sandwich spread.

I did it both ways and really enjoyed the creamier batch in the lettuce wraps. I had the thicker version in a sandwich and that was great too!

Gluten Free Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

These Gluten-Free Chickpea Lettuce Wraps are packed full of veggies! The filling can be made into a delicious wrap, dip, or sandwich.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, party, Snack

Cuisine: American, gluten-free

Keyword: gluten-free, Lettuce Wraps, Chickpea

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

For the hummus (if not using store-bought)

1 15 oz can chickpeas (reserve the liquid aquafaba) about 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup lemon juice more depending on your tastes
1/4 cup tahini Or sub with white beans
1/2-1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp minced garlic I used two large cloves
salt to taste if using optional

Everything else:

1 large carrot, cut into 1" chunks
1 small crown of broccoli, cut into florets about a cup
1/4 small cabbage, about a cup-sized wedge I used Savoy cabbage, but any would work
1 cup cilantro, loosely packed big stems removed
1 cup parsley, loosely packed big stems removed
2 green onions, whites, and firm part of the green
2-3 radishes
1 15 oz can chickpeas this is optional
1 cup hummus Recipe above, or store-bought
your favorite salt-free seasoning mix optional

Options for getting it to your mouth:

butterleaf or romaine lettuce
crackers
celery
sandwich bread
a spoon or fork 😋

Instructions

For the hummus (if not using store bought)

In a small food processor bowl, add all the ingredients, except the reserved aquafaba
Pulse until everything starts to mix well.
Slowly add aquafaba and blend on high until you get the consistency that you want.
You will need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple of times. Blend until very smooth.
Set aside.

For the rest:

Add the carrots to the food processor and pulse until they are about rice-sized. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
Do the same to the broccoli. Add to the mixing bowl.
Add the cilantro, parsley, green onions, and radishes. Pulse until rice-sized. Add to the mixing bowl.
Add the cabbage to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add to the mixing bowl.
If you want the thicker version of this filling, pulse the other can of chickpeas until they are broken down into rice-sized pieces. Add this to the mixing bowl.
Add the hummus to the mixing bowl on top of the chopped veggies and mix well.
Add salt or salt-free seasoning, if using.
Scoop onto lettuce leaves, or use as a dip with crackers or celery sticks. If you've made the thicker version, spread it onto bread and make a sandwich!

Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce

September 1, 2021 by Trish Hall 1 Comment

This Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce is delicious as a soup with some crusty bread on the side or ladled over your favorite starch.

I created this for the Instant Pot, but it works well cooked on the stovetop also.

If you are someone who likes to see pictures of the steps in a recipe, stay with me here. If you don’t need all the details, just fast-scroll down to the recipe box below.

I like to put my mushrooms out in the sun to soak up some Vitamin D before I cook them. If you want to read about the science behind that, click here.

Gather your ingredients!

Chop your onions, mushrooms, and kale.

I use this chopper to cut the onions into 1/4″ pieces and the mushrooms into 1/2″ pieces. If you use that link to buy the chopper, I get a few cents at no additional cost to you.

If you are using the Instant Pot, press the sauté button and add the onions. Sauté until they begin to caramelize.

When the onions begin to carmelize, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally until the water is mostly evaporated.

Add the dill weed, rosemary, paprikas, and salt and pepper, if using.

Stir well.

Cook for another minute and then add the tamari and parsley (if using). Add the wine (if using) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. This will cook off any alcohol. Add the broth.

Turn off the Sauté feature and close the lid. Be sure the vent is turned to the sealing position. Manuel cook at high pressure for 1 minute and allow to come down from pressure naturally for about 10 minutes. Release any pressure and open carefully.

If you are cooking this on the stovetop, just bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer and cover with a lid slightly cocked. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Mix the plant milk and arrowroot or cornstarch and add to the soup. Stir well for a few minutes.

At this point I switched the Instant Pot to the slow cook option and let it cook for about an hour to really marry the flavors. You can skip this step and go right to the next and last step if you are in a hurry.

If adding the greens, stir them in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Just before serving, add the yogurt and lemon juice and stir.

Enjoy it as a soup, as is…or ladle it over your favorite starch as a sauce.

Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce

This Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce is delicious poured over your favorite starch. I ladled it over brown rice when I created it and I think it would be really good over noodles or potatoes too.

Course: Main Course, Sauce

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

2 cups onions, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic I used about 2 tsp minced
1 lb portobello mushrooms, chopped in 1/2" pieces or use whatever kind you like
1/3 cup dry (not sweet) white wine optional
2 tsp dried dill weed or 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill weed finely chopped
1-2 tsp fresh, minced rosemary 1/4-1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp paprika (can use hot paprika)
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt (optional)
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped optional
1 Tbsp tamari (can use soy sauce if gluten is not an issue)
2.5 cups veggie broth Can increase if you like the soup thinner
1 cup plant milk (I used almond)
3 tbsp arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup plant yogurt (I used Forager cashew yogurt)
2-3 cups chopped greens (I used collard greens) optional
1 tbsp lemon juice optional

Instructions

If using the Instant Pot, select the sauté button and allow it to heat.
Add onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize.
Once the onions are beginning to caramelize, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are cooked down and the water is mostly evaporated. Add the dill weed, rosemary, paprikas, and salt and pepper (if using) and stir well. Continue to sauté for a minute and then add the tamari and parsley (if using). Add the wine (if using) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. This will cook off any alcohol.
Add the broth, turn off the sauté feature and close the lid. Be sure the vent is turned to the sealing position.
Manual cook at high pressure for 1 minute. Allow it to come down from pressure naturally for about 10 minutes. Release any pressure and open carefully.
If using the stovetop, just bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to a low simmer.
Mix the plant milk and arrowroot (or cornstarch) and add to the soup. Stir well for a few minutes.
At this point, I switched to the slow cook option and just let it cook for about an hour to really marry the flavors. You could probably skip this and go right to the next and last step if you are in a hurry.
If adding greens, stir them in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking
Just before serving, add the yogurt and lemon juice (if using) and stir.
Enjoy as a soup, as is...or ladle over your favorite starch as a sauce.

Greek Zucchini Salad with Vegan Feta

September 8, 2020 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

This Greek Zucchini Salad with Vegan Feta is a healthy and tasty way to use zucchini. It can be made a day ahead, so it’s perfect for parties!

It’s that time of year when your garden is cranking out zucchini faster than you can use it or sneak it over to the neighbor’s front porch. 😆

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Oil-free Pesto Potato Salad

July 22, 2020 by Trish Hall Leave a Comment

No more boring potato salad! This Oil-free Pesto Potato Salad is a much more interesting and colorful dish to brighten your picnic table and your tastebuds!

No long boring story about how I came up with this recipe 😉 I had baby potatoes and some of my pesto sauce in the freezer and decided that they sounded good together. I mean, potatoes and garlic and basil…how can you go wrong?

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NanaJo’s Oil-Free Italian Dressing

July 12, 2020 by Trish Hall 19 Comments

Zesty and bursting with flavor, NanaJo’s Oil-Free Italian Dressing is perfect for many types of salads and especially good on a pasta salad.

My mom (aka: NanaJo) has been making her own Italian dressing for most of my life. This was our go-to dressing for taco salad and was an often requested recipe by family and friends. The original recipe used olive oil, so when we started on our whole food, plant-based way of eating, we had to come up with a way to replace the oil.

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Kale and Quinoa Salad with Apples

May 27, 2020 by Trish Hall 5 Comments

This Kale and Quinoa Salad with Apples is a nutritious meal by itself or a great addition to your potluck table. It’s great for packed lunches too!

I’m a big fan of salads, but one thing I especially like about a kale salad is that it can be made ahead. Kale is so hearty that it doesn’t wilt or get wimpy if it sits in the fridge for a few days. Even after having dressing on it, it is still crunchy and good. …

Vegan Magic Cookie Bars

May 11, 2020 by Trish Hall 1 Comment

With a peanut butter cookie dough base instead of graham crackers, these Vegan Magic Cookie Bars are wicked-good and have the bonus of being gluten-free.

I’m sure you’ve had versions of these since you were a kid. I know I did. The ones from my childhood were called 7 layer bars or Magic Bars and had loads of butter and sweetened condensed dairy milk. I knew I could make them vegan, but also wanted to eliminate gluten and oil, so the graham cracker base and the (vegan) butter had to go. …