Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

    

Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms 

Ingredients:

Double/triple ingredients for large batches 

8 large mushrooms 

1/2 cup Vegetable broth

1/2 cup garlic powder

2 cups Dry Stuffing mix, I used Pepperidge Farm Herb

1 TBSP of Olive Oil

1 small onion

3 small celery stalks

1/2 cup fried onions

1 tsp garlic powder

Pepper to taste 

1/4 cup Daiya Mozzarella Shreds 

1. Pull off the stems of mushrooms (Wash, Save, Set aside) and use a spoon to scoop out as much as you can of each to make a little mushroom bowl

2. Rinse Mushrooms and pat dry with paper towels.  These need to be pretty dry so when you bake them, the moisture doesn't ooze out and make a slimy mushroom

3.  Cut onions, celery, and mushroom stems in tiny pieces.  Add onions and celery to fry pan with Olive Oil

4. Once the onions and celery are soft, add the mushroom stems that you cut up, then add garlic powder and pepper

5. Measure out two cups of dry stuffing mix and dump in fry pan, add 1/2 to 3/4 cups of Vegetable broth and mix well until you get a gummy stuffing

6.  Add the fried onions to the mixture and mix well

7. Pre heat oven to 375 and then use your stuffing mixture to stuff your mushrooms.

8. Add some Daiya Mozzarella Shreds on top of each one. A little goes a long way with these Shreds

9. Bake Mushrooms for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms look "dry" and not slimy

This serves 2 people.  If you're using for a party, I would make 4 batches of these.  Non vegans like this too.  Also if you are serving at a party with dairy eaters, go ahead and split these up, put half Daiya Shreds on some and half regular dairy mozzarella on the others.

Beet Bean Vegan Veggie Burgers

    

It looks like beef!

Beet Bean Vegan Veggie Burgers

2 Fresh small beets

1 onion (I used large)

1/2 can black beans

1/2 can chick peas

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp dill spice

1 tsp mustard spice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp olive oil for onions

1 tsp olive oil for frying burgers

* Food Processor or blender

1. Peel and cut onions into bite size pieces, fry them in skillet

2.  "Peel" beets from their skin and soak and wash good to get the grit off them

3. Make your rice according to the instructions on the package

4. Add the beets to the food processor or blender until they look like little chunks (similar to ground meat), dump in big bowl or pot

5. Do the same with the black beans and the chick peas, add them to the skillet and fry them up a bit

6. Add frozen corn to skillet and mix around for a bit

7. Add all the rest of the ingredients, the rice, and the skillet ingredients to the big bowl or pot with the beets in them, mix well

8.  If you need more bread crumbs to make the mixture more firm, go ahead and do so.  You want the mixture to be semi-firm so you can make burgers out of them

9.  Use a lid from a screwed on jar the size of the burgers you want. I used a peanut screwed on lid to make my burgers round, or just pat out old school into a circle.

10.  Skillet fry them until they are browning on each side.  They will be warm throughout after about 5 minutes.  

The best part about these burgers is that you can't under-cook them and get sick from raw beets!  You can eat this mixture right out of the bowl if you wanted.  You can taste it before you get the patties going.  Add whatever spice you like in your burgers.  If you usually eat beef burgers, why not give your gut a rest for a night and eat a meatless meal!  You don't have to have a label like vegetarian or vegan to eat this or any of my recipes.  

Bacon Onion Sandwich with Green Peppers - Vegan

Inspired by the thought of a BLT and a PHILLY steak,  I thought of this mixture.   Its hard to find something to eat on a sandwich when you're eating a vegan diet.   Unless you just want peanut butter and jelly all the time.   So here's a hot yummy sandwich that tastes oh so sandwichy.

4 sandwiches worth

Ingredients:

*1 large onion sliced long
*1 green pepper chopped in chunks
*1 celery stalk, chopped small
*3 Tablespoons of imitation (soy) bacon bits
*1 Tablespoon of Garlic powder
*1 Teaspoon of black pepper
*2 pinches of salt
*1 Tablespoon of spicy mustard or dijon
*1 Tablespoon of vegan (without anchovies)  Worcestershire sauce
*Bread of your choice (F. Y. I - wheat is plant based,  white is not)
*Water as needed

*Condiments of your choice.   Veganaise and ketchup is delish

HERE'S A HOMEMADE VEGAN WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE:
http://www.marthastewart.com/258132/homemade-vegan-worcestershire-sauce

Step 1:  Slice onion, celery, and pepper and put in a skillet with no oil.  Add garlic powder, black pepper, and fry them up on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add a little water if they are sticking when stirring.

Step 2: Add bacon bits,  blending well,  and about 1 Tablespoon of water and cook mixture until everything is soft,  about 10-15 minutes.   Keep stirring and add a little water if necessary to keep mixture from sticking to skillet.

Step 3:  Add spicy mustard and stir until blended.

Step 4:  Add Worcestershire sauce and stir until well blended and cook until all liquid is absorbed.   Add salt and stir,  put on simmer,  no lid,  just to keep hot.

Step 5:  Toast your choice of breads and add a little Veganaise and ketchup to top and then some of the cooked mixture to the bottom.  Slap together,  cut in half,  and go to town.

* I used an Orowheat sandwich thin whole wheat with flax seed bun for mine and regular whole wheat bread for my other diner.   See pictures

Vegan Veggie Lasagna

Well today I really wanted lasagna and wanted to make it with something more than just veggies.  I made up this recipe.   It turned out so delicious and I can't wait to make it again.   It was gone quick.   This can be made ahead of time and reheated or freeze in portions for quick meals.   I thought it tasted yummier the next day for leftovers!

My instructions are very thorough,  so don't be scared - this won't take you 3 hours.   I just wrote a lot to be sure everything was covered.

Ingredients:
*1 can of black beans
*1 firm package of tofu
*12 lasagna noodles (your favorite kind)
*2 cans stewed tomatoes drained well but reserve the liquid of 1 can for recipe
*1 medium onion,  chopped small
*1 red bell pepper,  chopped small
*6 small yellow squash or 1 bigger one
*1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (or your homemade) 
*1 carrot cut matchstick or shredded
*2 zucchini, 1 for sauce, 1 for top layer
*2 Tablespoons of minced roasted garlic from jar
*1 Tablespoon of parsley
*1 Tablespoon of oregano
*1 Tablespoon of basil
*1 Teaspoon of garlic salt
*2 Teaspoon of black pepper, divided
*1 can black pitted olives, minced
*2 Tablespoon of Veganaise mayo

Step 1:  Squeeze / drain tofu and break up into a bowl in crumbles that resemble ricotta cheese

Step 2:  Add minced roasted garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, 1 of the teaspoons of black pepper, and the Veganaise mayonnaise to tofu.   Stir up good and try to keep the consistency of ricotta.  Put in fridge until ready to layer lasagna

Step 3:  Cut up the onions, red pepper or use the food processor like me.  Just don't make them shredded! 
-Fry them up in a skillet with 1 Teaspoon of garlic salt and you don't need to add oil.  If they start to stick add a little water.  Just keep checking and stirring.   We just want to soften them and make them tastier here.

Step 4:  Cut your carrot the way you like,  matchstick or shredded.   If using matchstick make sure they are thin so they cook in oven within 45 minutes.  Cut your zucchini in medium pieces without the seeds, keeping the curve to them.   It looks nice for the top!!   You can remove onions and red pepper after they are soft and translucent and cook matchstick carrots and zucchini to soften them a little. 

Step 5:  Using a food processor or blender, mince your black olives. Make sure you drain liquid first. Dump out and set aside on dish.   Then put in black beans (drain out liquid first) and add reserved liquid from stewed tomatoes and blend well.   It should be a little lumpy.

Step 6:  Get a bowl and add the jar of pasta sauce to it then add your carrots and half of the zucchini.  Mix up.  Reserve other half for top layer.

Step 7:  Put just a small amount of sauce on bottom of glass baking pan so that the noodles don't stick.   Then put 4 lasagna noodles down flat.  

Step 8:  Next layer is squash.  Peel squash.   Then use the peeler and peel/ shred 3 mini squash (or half of big)  into the dish on top of noodles.  Make sure to keep away from seeds and only peel squash without seeds into dish.  Arrange them as flat as you can across the noodles.   Dont worry if they don't look pretty

Step 9:  Add a layer of onions and red pepper mixture.  Make sure to keep enough for another layer.  Add half of the minced black olives.

Step 10:  Break up with your hand, one can of stewed tomatoes across for next layer

Step 11:  Smear bean mixture for next layer

Step 12: Smear a sparse amount of sauce over beans.   VERY THIN

Step 13:  Sprinkle half of the tofu mixture for next layer

Step 14:  Layer 4 lasagna noodles.   Repeat steps 8,9,10,11,12,and 13

Step 15:  Layer 4 lasagna noodles on top,  then arrange zucchini real pretty on top, then pour all of sauce on top.  Spread even, help it get into sides with a knife.  

Step 16:  Bake on cookie sheet at 350 for 35-45 minutes.   CHECK TOP TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT BURNING.   It's okay to have sauce on top to look a little crusty, tastes good.  No burned stuff though!!

Step 17:  Let sit out for 15-20 minutes before serving so it firms a little before cutting

Step 18:  Pig out!!

Mexican Pizza Vegan

I made this recipe up after eating a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. 
Serves 4

Ingredients:
*1 cup of oil of your choice
*4, 100 percent whole wheat tortillas
*1 medium onion, chopped in medium cubes
*1/2 cup fresh or canned with water low sodium mushrooms, chopped finely or use food processor
*2 can with low sodium stewed tomatoes, drained (tip save juice in fridge for another dish later)
*1 can of Taco Bell Vegetarian refried beans
*1 Tablespoon of Chilli Powder
*1 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder
*1 Teaspoon of black pepper
*1/4 cup of Enchilada sauce
*Optional for topping - black olives and fresh tomatoes chopped

Step 1: Use a deep frying pan wide enough to fit a whole tortilla and put the oil in and heat up on low heat with a lid for safety

Step 2: Start chopping onions by hand to get nice size cubed chunks.  You want to be able to see them in your mixture of beans.

Step 3: Oil should be hot,  test by dipping in the end of a tortilla and if it fizzles,  let's do this.   Put one tortilla and let it fry up about 2 minutes,  and then flip and fry for 2 minutes.  Remove and put on a paper towel lined plate and do the rest.

Step 4: Get a can or metal bowl with a lid and pour your oil in it to save for another fry fest.   Leave just a coating in the pan and dump in onions.  
-Add pepper and garlic powder and fry up until translucent.

Step 5: While onions are cooking get the mushrooms ready.   Once the onions are translucent,  add your mushrooms and cook for a few minutes

Step 6: Add your refried beans and mix,  or fold in.   Let them cook for about 10 minutes and stir a few times to insure your onions and mushrooms are well blended in.
- Open enchilada sauce and add ONLY 1/4 cup and save the rest for another meal.  Add to bean mixture.

Step 7:  While the beans are cooking, use your food processor to chop the tomatoes up into a salsa type liquid.   Add 1 Tablespoon of Chilli powder before processing.   Heat in a small saucepan.

Step 8: You can add optional items to the mixture or for on top.  Sometimes I add sliced black olives to the top of my pizza and fresh tomatoes cubed. 
If you want to do this start chopping and your mixtures will be ready to go when your done.

Step 9: Take a cooked tortilla and put on some bean mixture and spread.  Make sure to leave enough for all the other tortillas you fried.   You might go back for seconds because this stuff is goooooooooood.  
Anyway add some of the tomato mixture to the top and spread.   Then toppings like olives or chopped fresh tomatoes. 

Step 10: Pig out.

Hope you like it.  My 1 year old loves these!!   Helpful hint is to use a pizza cutter to cut into 4ths. If you use a knife everything oozes out. 

And no someone didn't sneak a bite,  the tortilla broke off when I picked it up.  Yea that's what happened.  :)