Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

This AMAZING recipe is a combination of cinnamon roll recipes from Forks Over Knives and VegNews Magazine.  It's a lot of trouble, but totally worth it for a special occasion.

Ingredients:
1 cup unflavored plant milk, warmed
1 pkg active dry yeast
4 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes (nothing but potatoes, cooked and mashed)
1⁄3 cup + 1 T. maple syrup, divided
2 T. ground flaxseed
1⁄2 t. + 1⁄3 t. salt, divided
4 T. room temperature vegan butter, divided
2 apples, peeled and petite-diced
10 T. granulated sugar, divided
3⁄4 t. + 3 T. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1⁄4 cup unflavored plant milk

Method:
1. In a large bowl combine 1 c. warm milk and yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 c. flour, potatoes, 1/3 c maple syrup, flaxseed, and 1/2 t. salt. Measure 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, and stir in as much of this flour as you can. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining measured all-purpose flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1½ to 1¾ hours).

2. In a skillet, melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Add apple and 1 T. maple syrup. Saute until very soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. For the streusel topping, combine 6 T. granulated sugar, 5 T. all-purpose flour, 3/4 t. cinnamon, and 1/3 t. salt. Add 3 T. room-temp butter, and toss with 2 forks until mixture appears crumbly.

4. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 granulated sugar, and 3 T. cinnamon. Roll dough into a 13 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush 2 T. melted butter over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture (It will seem like a lot.) and layer with cooked apples, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle 1/3 of the streusel topping over the apples.

5. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. With long end toward you, roll dough toward unfilled border evenly into a log. With seam side down, use a sharp knife to cut log into 12 equal pieces. Place rolls, cut side up, into prepared pan in 4 rows of 3, leaving some space between rolls.

6. Brush top of dough with some plant-based milk and sprinkle with remaining streusel topping. Pat down gently to adhere to dough.

AT THIS POINT: If you are preparing the night before, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Remove from fridge the next morning and continue.

7. Place pan in a warm part of the kitchen covered with a towel for a 2nd rise, 45 minutes-1 hour or until rolls have expanded. Preheat oven to 375 while rolls rise.

8. When rolls have risen, bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow rolls to cool for 10 minutes before glazing. While rolls cool, whisk confectioner's sugar with 1/4 c. plant-based milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over rolls and serve.

Arugula and Broccoli Salad with Tofu

This balanced and filling salad is based on a recipe from EatingWell magazine, made vegan (and delicious) by a few tweaks from me.  The quinoa is unexpected, but it works.

Ingredients:

juice and zest of one organic lemon

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, separated

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. soy sauce or to taste

1/2 t. smoked paprika or to taste

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, chopped into 1/2-in. or 1-in. pieces (Tofu has a more pleasant texture if it is frozen first, then thawed before use.  Plan ahead.)

1 c. vegetable broth

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed

20 oz. bag frozen broccoli

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

2 T. canola oil

6 c. arugula

your favorite vinaigrette dressing

1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes

Method:

Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 T. olive oil, salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste (be very generous with the pepper), garlic, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a wide, shallow container.  Toss the tofu with the mixture (the tofu will likely soak it up almost right away), and marinate until ready to use in later step.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring vegetable broth and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Let stand, covered, another 10 minutes.  The grains should be softened but not mushy.

Meanwhile, mix 1 T. olive oil and 1/2 t. salt on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toss the broccoli in the oil, and roast for 10 minutes.  The broccoli should be completely thawed and warm.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Toast the walnuts over medium heat just until they are fragrant.  Set aside.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat.  Toss the tofu and lemon zest in the oil, and cook a few minutes until browned on one side.  Toss again, and cook another few minutes until browned on a second side.  Remove from heat.

Divide the arugula between 4 plates.  Toss arugula with the desired amount of vinaigrette dressing.  Top each salad with 1/4 of the broccoli, the quinoa, the walnuts, the tofu, and the sun-dried tomatoes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Veggie Edamame Bowl

This delicious, colorful, and healthy bowl recipe is based on a recipe from EatingWell.  It can be made with quinoa (as in the photo) in place of the rice for variety.

Ingredients:

1.5 c. brown rice

rounded 3/4 t. salt, divided

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 20-oz bag frozen broccoli florets

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks

1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1.5 T. olive oil

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

2 c. frozen mukimame (shelled edamame)

your favorite vinaigrette

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, combine rice, 3 c. water, and 1/4 t. salt in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Stir lightly, then bring to a rolling boil.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

While the rice is cooking, toss the carrots, broccoli, bell pepper chunks, and onion wedges with the olive oil, a rounded 1/2 t. salt, and ground black pepper.  Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until the vegetables are tender (check the onions and carrots particularly) and browned in spots, 17 - 20 minutes.

While the vegetables and rice are cooking, bring 1/2 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the frozen mukimame, cover, and cook until just heated through.  Remove from heat and drain the water.

In each of 4 bowls, add 1/4 rice, 1/4 of the roasted vegetables, 1/4 of the mukimame, and vinaigrette to taste.

Serves 4.

Vegetable Rice Pilaf with Turmeric

This delicious veggie-studded pilaf has a satisfyingly crunchy texture.  It's based on a recipe (here) from One Green Planet.

Ingredients:

2 T. canola oil

1 small onion, diced

2 c. uncooked white rice

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 c. frozen cut green beans

1 c. diced or shredded carrot

1.5 t. ground turmeric

1 t. ground cumin

1 or 2 pinches cayenne pepper

2 t. ground sweet paprika

1 t. chili powder

1.5 t. salt (or to taste)

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t. ground coriander

4 c. water

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

juice of 1 juicy lemon

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved (I used yellow ones in the photo; they're not easy to see in the turmeric.)

1/2 c. unsalted, roasted cashews, chopped

Method:

In a stockpot, warm the canola oil over low heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.

Increase the heat to medium, and add the rice and garlic.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice starts to brown slightly.  Add the green beans, carrot, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and coriander.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook the pilaf for 15 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed and the rice is soft.

Add the chickpeas and cook for 5 additional minutes, until the water is completely absorbed.

Stir in the lemon juice.  Gently mix.  Stir in the tomatoes and cashews.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired.

Serves 4.

Southwestern Quinoa

This recipe is slightly modified from a side dish from the Food Network.  Serve this version as an entrée.

Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions, sliced, OR 1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, and minced
2 t. canola oil
4 t. tomato paste
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. chipotle chili powder
1 t. salt
2 3/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed
2 bell peppers, chopped (any color will do, but 1 green and 1 orange make the dish colorific)
1 15-oz can corn, drained
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Method:
In a large skillet, sauté the scallions or onion and jalapeno in the canola oil over medium heat until the vegetables have softened.
Stir in the tomato paste, ground cumin, chipotle chile powder, and salt. Add the water and quinoa, stir, and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is soft but not mushy, 15 - 20 minutes.  Add the bell pepper, cover, and steam 3 minutes until the bell pepper is tender-crisp.
Stir in the corn and pinto beans, and warm through.
Stir in the tomatoes, and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Curried Tofu Sheet Pan Dinner

This amazing recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, and they give credit to Robin Bashinsky for the original recipe.  I've tweaked it a little here, but the idea is still the same.

NOTE:  You'll need 2 sheet pans for this recipe.

Ingredients:
3 T. canola oil, divided
4 t. curry powder
1 1/4 t. salt, divided
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes that are 1/2-inch in size
1 14-oz pkg extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes that are 3/4-inch in size (If you're new to tofu:  get the Chinese kind, not the silken kind.  Freeze it for 24 hours, then thaw it before cooking, as this gives it a better texture.)
canola cooking spray
2 10-oz bags frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
6 oz. fresh green beans, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
1/2 c. plain, unsweetened coconut milk yogurt (vegan)
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 c. chopped unsalted cashews


Method:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.  Place 2 rimmed baking sheets in the oven during the preheat.

In a large bowl, combine 2 T. canola oil, curry powder, and 1 t. salt.  Add the sweet potatoes and tofu, and toss to coat.  Carefully remove the hot sheet pans from the oven and coat each pan's cooking surface with canola cooking spray.  Arrange the sweet potato-tofu mixture in a single layer, divided between the 2 pans.  Set the tossing bowl aside, and bake the sweet potato-tofu mixture at 500 degrees F for 10 minutes.

While the sweet potato-tofu mixture is cooking, add the last 1 T. oil to the tossing bowl.  Add the cauliflower and green beans, then toss to coat.

Remove the pans from the oven, and carefully (Caution!  It may splatter oil!) add the cauliflower-green bean mixture divided between the two pans.  Toss the contents of each pan, then arrange back into a single layer, and return to the oven to bake until the potatoes are tender, about 10 - 12 more minutes.

While this is baking, combine the yogurt, lime juice, and remaining 1/4 t. salt.

When the potatoes are tender (check with a fork), serve the vegetables drizzled with the yogurt sauce and sprinkled with chopped cashews.  Serves 4 - 5.

Barley and Arugula Salad

This is based on a recipe originally published in the now defunct magazine Vegetarian Times...just a few tweaks.  It's SUPER EASY and perfect for a summer weeknight.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil, divided

1/2 t. salt, divided

1 c. pearled barley

2 cups shredded or finely diced carrots (I use the bagged, pre-shredded carrots to save time.)

1 t. ground cumin

1/4 c. raw pepitas or pistachios

2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 scallions, chopped (green and white parts - optional)

6 c. baby arugula

Your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Bring 2 1/4 c. water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 t. olive oil to a boil.  Stir in barley, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the barley is chewy but not mushy (between 20 and 30 minutes...check for desired consistency).

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 t. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrots and cumin and stir to coat.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender-crisp.  Add pepitas or pistachios, and cook 2 minutes more.  Stir in a scant 1/4 t. salt.  Remove from heat.  Stir in chickpeas and cooked barley, then allow to come to nearly room temperature.  Stir in the scallions.

Divide the arugula between 4 plates, and dress each plate's serving with a teaspoon or so of your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing.  Add the barley mixture (either mixed with the arugula or served on the side) and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serves 4.