Case of the Mondays

Again no soup today instead, a hearty healthy meal that may take you back to the kids table not wanting to eat your mother's meatloaf.
This recipe is something I put together driving back from class listening to the Meat puppets. Ran into the kitchen and whipped it all up in about an hour and a half total (includes prep time as well)

Meatless Meatloaf
1 package of Gimme Lean Beef
(for larger serving sizes and pans use 2 packages of Gimme Lean )
1/4 cup quick oats
2 slices of bread (optional)
1/4 cup rice milk (or soy milk)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp soy sauce (optional) * also soy sauce is already packed with tons of sodium so if you plan on using soy sauce use less salt!
1/2 onion (minced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/4 cup carrots (optional)

anything that is optional is up to you whether or not you may like your veggies I recommend you use them. As for the 2 slices of bread I didn't use bread but if you do not have oats handy 2 slices of bread or bread crumbs (make sure they are vegan.. sometimes they sneak whey in the ingredients.) works just fine.

preheat the oven to 350

In a sauce pan saute onions and garlic and mushrooms until onions are translucent. (instead of using oil you can also use water to saute your vegetables)
When done, add to a small mixing bowl and combine all the ingredients (begin with your wet ingredients then add your dry ingredients slowly..)

In a small loaf pan (glass or metal), line your pan with foil. Make sure the foil is a big enough piece to cover the loaf and not just the bottom of the pan. Use cooking spray and to coat the foil (this is so that the loaf does not stick to your foil!) then add the loaf mixture to the pan and cover. Set your timer for 45 mins and bake

For the ketchup topping
I used 3 tbsp of ketchup and 1/4 tsp of brown sugar and mix together .

Flip your loaf and place it back in the pan and add the ketchup topping. Place back in the oven and bake for another 8-10 mins.

Enjoy!


Cauliflower Mash
1 lb of frozen Cauliflower
1/4 cup rice milk (soy milk)
1/2 tbsp earth balance
1/3 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic (minced)
Mix 2 tsp corn starch with 2 tbsp water


Boil cauliflower until soft. Drain and allow to cool
In a separate pot add earth balance and garlic. Set the heat on medium and saute garlic.
Add rice milk, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast and bring to a boil then immediately add cornstarch and water mixture. Stir constantly until it thickens.
Add cauliflower (make sure all excess water is removed) to the sauce and mash with a fork or blend in a food processor.
Place cauliflower mash to the pot or serving plate
You can add spring onion or a dollop of tofutti sour cream on top or for decor
Enjoy!

Comfort Food

So I didn't make a soup last night. However, I did make an amazing childhood blast from the past meal. One particular food mac n' cheese. I can literally live off of vegan mac (what? Its packed with tons of B12) I also made vegan franks in a blanket. I never ate pigs in a blanket growing up as a child; even pork in general .. particularly because of my muslim upbringing and my mother never trusting meat and suspected that any meat eaten outside of the home had some kind of contamination or pork mixed in it. (smart lady)

One story that I remember growing up was when I had a teacher explain to me that hamburgers didn't have ham in them. Being foreign rules. Anyways here is the recipe

Ultimate Vegan Mac (I have more than 1 version of vegan mac)

You will need:

2 Packets of Daiya - Mozzarella and Cheddar (yes I use both)

measure about a cup of each

3 cups Rice Milk (can use soy milk as well make sure to get unsweetened)

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1 cup frozen broccoli

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 box of elbow pasta (or whatever kind of pasta you desire, shells rules with this recipe as well)

1 tbsp of Earth Balance

Boil a pot of water and cook pasta (make sure to salt the water first, this will give your noodles some flavor) within the last 5 mins add the frozen broccoli to the pot to cook with the noodles.

Drain and put noodles back in the pot.

In a separate pot add earth balance to high heat and then add rice milk. Once it begins to boil, add Daiya, nutritional yeast, salt, cayenne pepper then bring the sauce to a medium heat. Make sure to whisk the sauce that way the Dayia mixes and melts properly.

Once the sauce thickens pour on top of noodles and mix. Enjoy!

Vegan Franks in a Blanket

1 can of pre made crescent rolls (yes! its vegan.. store brand is ok too I used Wegman's Brand)

1 package of vegan franks (you may also use tofurky franks as well)

Pre heat the oven to 375 (or 350 depending on the directions of your crescent rolls)

Pop out the rolls and unfold them into 8 triangular shapes.

Cut them in half as well as your veggie franks

Roll your franks in the blankets and place on a baking pan

Bake for about 8-10 mins and enjoy!

Last Minute Soup

Ever been in a situation when you literally have little or no food to make a proper meal? Yep. Happened this evening. I forgot that I had to go grocery shopping and was stumped when it was time to make dinner.  So I picked apart my cabinet and found the following ingredients

Last Minute Spinach Tomato Soup

1 cup of dry vermicelli

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (or Earth Balance)

1 onion chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 cup of frozen spinach 

1 can of tomato sauce

3 cups of water

1/2 tbsp of salt 

1/4 tsp of chili powder (or to taste)

Boil 2 cups of water and add the vermicelli to the pot. It's a thin spaghetti like noodle to make this recipe gluten free, substitute vermicelli for rice noodles or gluten free thin noodles. 

In a separate pot add vegetable oil (or earth balance), chopped onion, and garlic bring the heat to a medium setting and cook for about 10 mins or until the onions become translucent. 

Add spinach to the mixture and stir together. 

Then add 3 cups of water, vegetable bouillon cube, and 1 can of tomato sauce, salt and chili powder and bring heat to a boil then let the soup simmer. 

Drain the vermicelli (do not rinse )

You can mix the noodles within the soup however, the noodles become super soggy soo keep them separate and add together in a serving bowl! Enjoy! 

You can also squeeze a little bit of lime juice if you like a tang for you taste buds!

First things first..

My name is Nada and I love to cook. I have been a vegan for about 5 years and am continuously looking for the next best thing when it comes to vegan food. I am currently working on a cook book that I plan on getting published hopefully within the next year or so.

My recipes are 100% vegan and made with 100% love in every bite. If you have a recipe that you would like me to post or make let me know even if its a challenge. I am sure I can veganize it.

November Soups- Pea and Leak Soup

As the winter months approach I've decided that November was a great time to begin a plethora of soup recipes.

Today while walking home from class it hit me that everything was either dead or just about ready to be and that there was very little green left on the ground.. thus green pea soup came to mind to bring my mind at ease that winter's right around the corner.

Pea Leak Soup

3 cups of vegetable broth (could be store brought or made at home with vegetable boullion cube)

10 oz of frozen peas

1 cup of chopped leaks

1/2 cup of onion

1 tablespoon of Earth Balance

1/3 cup of fresh mint leaves

1 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cook the onions and leaks in Earth Balance for about 10 mins until onions are translucent

Add the vegetable broth, peas, mint leaves, salt and pepper . Cook together for about 3 mins.

Transfer the soup to a blender one ladle at a time. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the creamy soup to a large bowl and let it chill in the fridge. You can serve it chilled or you can reheat it and enjoy!

For decor you may add : a dollop of Toffuti Better than Sour Cream and a sprinkle of freshly cut chives.