Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

Vegan Insanity >> Vegan recipes that are delicious and easy to make. Plus, kitchen, cooking & shopping tips!

Super Simple Vegan Pad Thai

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Pad-Thai

I’d never eaten Pad Thai until I started eating a vegan diet. I had never even heard of it – can you believe that?!

After so many different recipes on so many different blogs, I thought I’d give it a try myself.

Pad-Thai-Vegan

That was 6 months ago, and this is the vegan Pad Thai recipe I seem to make the most. It’s just so easy, so delicious and so – SO – filling!

If you like your veggies to be a bit crunchy, don’t let them cook as long. If you don’t like cilantro, add parsley (that’s what I did). If you don’t have red peppers, use orange or yellow. If you don’t… you get the idea. This dish is very versatile! One time I was out of rice noodles, so I just doubled the amount of spiralized zucchini – YUM!

All I know, is that if you love Pad Thai, this simple recipe is definitely a must-try (LOOK MOM! I RHYMED!).

Vegan-Pad-Thai

Vegan Pad Thai
Recipe Type: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • Main Dish
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 block super firm tofu, drained and chopped into cubes*
  • 1 cup/8oz. rice noodles
  • 1 medium head of broccoli, very small chopped florets
  • 2 large zucchini, spiralized
  • 1/2 small red pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 green onions, chopped small
  • Sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Toppings
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and cook your tofu until browned on all sides, 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add your rice noodles and cook according to package directions.
  3. While your noodles are cooking, heat another tbsp of olive oil in the same large pan you used for the tofu. Then add in your broccoli, zucchini and red pepper. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until softened. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two more. Drain the rice noodles and add to the pan of veggies. Add the tofu, as well, and toss everything together.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until well combined. Pour all over the noodles, veggies and tofu.
  5. Divide between bowls, and top with peanuts, sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
*Use soy-free tofu to make this dish soy-free.

 

Warm Potato & Lentil Salad

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Vegan-Lentil-Potato-Salad

It seems as though there are people that love lentils and people that hate lentils – but no one in between. You don’t hear people say “lentils are okay” or “lentils are good, but not great”.

No – you hear “lentils are awesome!” or “lentils are gross!”.

Which one are you? I hope you’re the “lentils are awesome!” person, because if not, I’m afraid you won’t be too eager to try this recipe (but you should, because it’s SO SO good).

Vegan-Lentil-and-Potato-Salad

I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen back in February, and put it on my to-make list, then promptly forgot about it.

Until last week when I was cleaning up the files and bookmarks on my computer and I found it again. I emailed myself the link so I wouldn’t lose the recipe for a second time, and then made it the next day for lunch.

The only thing I did differently, was that I omitted the shallots from Deb’s recipe, partly because I didn’t have any, and partly because my husband despises them. I also used less red wine vinegar and less chopped parsley. I also added a bit of onion powder to make up for the missing shallots (kind of). Otherwise, I stuck to this recipe quite close.

Warm-Potato-and-Lentil-Salad

 

And I’m not gonna lie – I was skeptical. This salad has a lot going on.

But – as soon as I took my first bite, I was in love. The creaminess of the potatoes, the tangy-ness (is that a word?) of the dressing and the meatiness of the lentils – it all works so well together and makes for a very tasty and satisfying dish.

 

Warm Potato & Lentil Salad
Recipe Type: Entree, Lunch
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Lentils
  • 1 cup green lentils, uncooked
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • Pinch of salt
  • Potatoes
  • 1 pound small potatoes (I used russet and chopped them up, but fingerling would be nice, so would baby red or yellow potatoes)
  • Dressing
  • 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons capers, roughly chopped (if they’re salted, rinse them off)
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickles, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
Lentils
  1. Rinse well, then place your lentils in a medium pot with the thyme, bay leaf, a pinch of salt and 4 cups of water.
  2. Simmer lentils over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain (discarding the bay leaf) and keep them warm.
Potatoes
  1. While you are cooking the lentils, cover potatoes with 1-2 inches of water in a large pot. Cook for 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes/potato chunks), or until they can be pierced with a knife. Do not overcook.
  2. Drain and keep them warm.
Dessing
  1. While the potatoes and lentils are cooking, you can prepare your dressing. This is where the magic happens! Add red wine vinegar, minced garlic, onion powder, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste, to a small bowl. Whisk together well, then add the in capers and pickle. Mix everything together until combined.
Putting it all together
  1. If using fingerling or baby potatoes, cut them into bite size pieces. Put all potatoes in a large bowl, add lentils and dressing, and mix well (but be gentle with the potatoes).
  2. Add more salt & pepper, if necessary.
  3. Serve in individual bowls, with a sprinkling of chopped parsley on top.
Notes
[i]Adapted slightly from [url href=”http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/01/warm-lentil-and-potato-salad/” target=”_blank”]Smitten Kitchen[/url].[/i]

 

link

Best Ever Vegan Fried Rice with Scrambled Tofu

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075

I can’t even explain how good this fried rice is. I came up with the recipe on a whim awhile back. It was my first time making fried rice since becoming vegan in September of last year, and I wanted it to taste as good as I remembered fried rice tasting.

Thankfully, with a few additions (and subtractions!), this dish turned out remarkable. Even my husband, who only groans like crazy when his food is MEGA GOOD, couldn’t keep his mouth shut about it.

“You HAVE to blog this”, he said. “You HAVE TO. It’s SO GOOD.”

And so, here I am. Blogging it.

Fried-Rice-Vegan-Homemade

Traditional fried rice is made with fried egg and some kind of meat. Usually bacon – at least, that’s what was always in my fried rice growing up.

So, I had to either eliminate those ingredients, or come up with some substitutions.

I went the substitution route.

Fried-Rice-Vegan

Instead of fried egg, I added scrambled tofu, which gave the dish that yellow colour that cooked eggs do.

For bacon, I had a few options. I could use fake meat, but didn’t want to, I could use coconut bacon – but I’m not a big fan of coconut bacon, and I didn’t feel like making anything bacon-like, so I did the next best thing – I used liquid smoke in the sauce.

And guess what – it worked like a charm. Bacon flavour without the bacon. Hurrah!

Homemade-Vegan-Fried-Rice

Vegan-Fried-Rice

This is now one of my go-to meals when I am too tired to dream up something creative.

If you can cook the rice in advance, that will save you a lot of cooking time, since rice can take up to 45 minutes to cook (depending on the type you use – brown rice takes me 45 minutes to cook).

Vegan-Fried-Rice

Best Ever Vegan Fried Rice with Scrambled Tofu
Recipe Type: Entree
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Whether you serve it for lunch or dinner, this vegan fried rice is one of the best you’ll ever make! It’s simple, delicious, and healthy – what more could you ask for?
Ingredients
  • Rice
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (I used brown rice)
  • Scrambled Tofu
  • 1/2 block extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 20 minutes
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • Vegetables
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, diced (very small!)
  • 2/3 cup frozen peas
  • Green onions for garnish (optional)
  • Sauce
  • 2 tbsp tamari
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp sriracha sauce (or to the heat of your liking!)
Instructions
Rice
  1. Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.
Scrambled Tofu
  1. Crumble the pressed tofu in a small bowl. Add in the turmeric, nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until the garlic has browned lightly.
  4. Add in the tofu mixture and cook for about 5-7 minutes more, stirring often. Remove from pan and set aside.
Vegetables
  1. In the same pan that you used to cook your tofu, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat, then add in the carrots and peas.
  2. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. Set aside.
Sauce
  1. Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Putting it all together
  1. In a large pan or wok over medium heat, add your sauce, then the rice, then the vegetables, then the scrambled tofu.
  2. Mix everything together very well, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
  3. Serve, topped with a sprinkling of chopped green onions, if desired.

 

My Favourite Vegan Chili

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Veggie-Chili

I love chili. I don’t even care if it’s so hot outside that my hair sticks to my face and I can’t breathe if I’m in the sun for longer than 5 minutes.

Chili is another one of my favourite comfort foods. I can eat it all year round. It’s yumminess in a bowl!

Vegan-Vegetable-Chili

Thankfully, this vegan chili is a healthy one. It’s loaded with tons of vegetables, beans and infused with tasty chili seasonings. So go ahead, eat a bowl – or two – and don’t feel guilty about it at all!

Vegan-Chili

I had some leftover vegan nacho cheese, so I topped my chili with that, and a sprinkling of green onions (because green onions make any dish better).

Also? Fresh bread is a must with chili! Although it’s good on it’s own, this chili is extra good slathered on bread. Crushed tortilla chips are also delicious with chili! It gives the dish some crunch, which is nice.

Vegetable-Chili

This dish freezes very well, too, so it’s a great meal to make more of than you need. Pop the extras in the freezer and you have a healthy meal waiting for you on a night you don’t have time to cook dinner!

My Favourite Vegan Chili
Recipe Type: Lunch, Dinner
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup onion, chopped small
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cooked black beans (if using canned, drain and rinse first)
  • 1/2 cup cooked red kidney beans (if using canned, drain and rinse first)
  • 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas (if using canned, drain and rinse first)
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add celery, red bell pepper and onions to the pot, and let them cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned, and the celery and bell pepper are slightly softened.
  3. Add in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so, until the garlic has also lightly browned.
  4. Add in the diced tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well. If it looks too thick, add some vegetable broth or water, 1/2 cup at a time. Remember that it will thicken up as it cooks, so you don’t want it to be too thick when it first goes in there.
  5. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add in the black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas, and stir.
  6. Cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until thickened to your desired consistency.
  7. Serve, topped with vegan nacho cheese, vegan cheese shreds, vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, or whatever else you like on your chili!

 

Super Simple Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Veggies & Cashew Dressing

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Roasted-Veggies-Quinoa-Bowl

I love me some quinoa bowls.

Not only are they delicious, but they are so simple to throw together. Simply add a bed of quinoa to a bowl and top with whatever veggies you have on hand! To make it extra yummy, a cashew dressing is an awesome idea.

Getting ready for my grocery shopping trip the other day, I looked in my fridge to see what I had to use up before refilling it with more goodies.

Broccoli, cauliflower and a container of cooked chickpeas looked me right in the eye and begged to be used in a quinoa bowl.

So I obeyed. I never say no to a quinoa bowl. Especially when it’s covered in a tangy cashew dressing.

Yum yum yum.

Quinoa-Bowl-with-Roasted-Veggies

You don’t have to follow this recipe exactly – use whatever veggies you happen to have on hand! I’ve made quinoa bowls with green beans, edamame, zucchini, kale, collards, black beans, and so much more. Let your imagination run wild!

But please use the cashew dressing. It is out of this world amazing!

Super Simple Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Veggies
Recipe Type: Lunch or Dinner
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Quinoa & Vegetables
  • 4 cups [b]cooked[/b] quinoa (1 cup dry)
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned chickpeas, drain & rinse them first)
  • 3-4 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 3-4 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Cashew Dressing
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup water + more, as needed
Instructions
Roasted Vegetables
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line two large baking sheets with a non-stick mat, or coat with coconut oil.
  2. Divide the chickpeas, broccoli and cauliflower between the 2 baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some salt & pepper, and then use your hands to make sure all vegetables are coated with the oil and salt & pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring about halfway through the cooking process.
Cashew Dressing
  1. Add all dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender and process/blend until smooth. Set aside.
Assembly:
  1. Divide the quinoa among 4 bowls (about 1 cup cooked quinoa per person), add the roasted veggies on top, and drizzle with cashew dressing.

 

Potato, Black Bean & Avocado Burritos

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Burritos-Vegan-Beans

I’ve never really been big on burritos. In the past, the ones I’ve eaten have been bland, flavorless and in all honesty, a pain in the ass to prepare.

So a few weeks ago, I made it my mission to make the perfect vegan burrito.

And I think I’ve done it.

Bean-Potato-Burrito

I filled this burrito with all of my favourite things: potatoes, red pepper, black beans, tomato and avocado. I added some spicy seasonings, and that was it! Easy to make, and it was mighty delicious.

Finally – a burrito I actually want to eat!

Potato-Bean-Burrito

Potato, Black Bean & Avocado Burritos
Recipe Type: Entree
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 medium potatoes, chopped into small pieces (I used organic red potatoes)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 small red pepper, seeded & chopped small
  • 1 small tomato, chopped small
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (if using canned, drain and rinse the beans first)
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste)
  • Tortillas
  • 1 small avocado, sliced
  • Fresh parsley (optional)
  • Vegan sour cream (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cook your chopped potatoes in a large pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes minutes, or until softened. Drain and set aside.
  2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat, add your oil and potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add in the red pepper, tomato, chili powder, cumin and lime juice. Mix well, and cook for a few minutes more. Add salt & pepper to taste.
  3. Stir in the black beans and cook just until heated through.
  4. Scoop mixture onto tortillas, top with avocado and chopped, fresh parsley, wrap up your burrito, cut in half and serve (with a dollop of vegan sour cream, if so desired!).
Notes
*Add any other toppings you wish, such as salsa or other fresh herbs.

 

Vegan Cauliflower Parmesan

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Vegan-Cauliflower-Parmesan

Cauliflower is a miraculous food, isn’t it? On it’s own, it’s bland as hell, but that’s what makes it so awesome – because you can use it as a base for so many different dishes, such as:

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Cauliflower “Chicken” Wings

And now, this cauliflower parmesan.

Cauliflower-Parmesan-Vegan

I am in love with this dish. It is so yummy! I first saw it on Cara’s site awhile ago, and had it on my “to-make” list for weeks. This week, I finally made it, with a few small changes, and it came out even better than I’d hoped.

It does take a bit of time to prepare, but I promise you that it’s worth it!

Vegan Cauliflower Parmesan
Recipe Type: Entree
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3-4
If you’re looking for an incredibly satisfying meal, you’ve found it! This dish is one of my favourites because not only is it satisfying, but it is delicious and, of course, vegan. The breaded cauliflower is just mouth-watering. So good!
Ingredients
  • 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water)
  • Pasta of choice
  • 1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • Marinara pasta sauce of choice (homemade or store-bought)
  • Non-dairy cheese (optional, but strongly encouraged – I used a mix of Daiya chedder and mozzarella shreds)
  • 1 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Combine flax egg ingredients (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water) together and allow to stand until thickened, 5-10 minutes.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside, keeping warm.
  3. Once your flax egg is ready, add it, as well as flour, water and another tsp ground flax seeds to a shallow bowl. Whisk together. Set aside.
  4. In another shallow bowl, add bread crumbs, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Mix together.
  5. Dip each cauliflower piece into the flax mixture, then the bread crumbs, and place on a large plate. Continue until all cauliflower pieces have been coated.
  6. Pre-heat oven to 450F and also warm up a large skillet (the biggest one you’ve got!) over medium heat.
  7. Lightly oil your skillet, and cook the cauliflower in the skillet until both sides are lightly browned (5-10 minutes each side).
  8. Spread a thin later of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, then add in the cooked, breaded cauliflower. Top with a bit of non-dairy cheese, if desired, and bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve over cooked pasta and sprinkle on some vegan parmesan cheese.
Notes
[i]Recipe adapted from [url href=”http://www.forkandbeans.com/2013/05/24/cauliflower-parmesan/” target=”_blank”]Fork & Beans[/url].[/i][br]*Use gluten-free pasta, flour and bread crumbs to make this a gluten-free dish.

 

Deconstructed Falafel Bowl

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Falafel-Bowl-Deconstructed

As much as I love falafel, I really hate making them. They’re tedious and I’m lazy, so it’s rare that I make them. I have to really, really want falafel.

Of course, I’m a perfectionist and my falafel balls must all be identical in size and shape, so perhaps that’s why they take me so long to prepare, but who knows. All I know is that I love falafel and wanted to find a way to make this dish quicker.

As luck would have it, I stumbled across this post on Vegan Yack Attack (recipe from Megan at The Vegan Cookbook Aficionado) for deconstructed falafel bowls.

Falafel-Bowl

All of the deliciousness of falafel, without the hard work involved. Now that’s my kind of recipe!

I adapted it slightly, removing some ingredients and lessening others to suit my personal tastes, so feel free to check out the recipe on Vegan Yack Attack for Megan’s take on these bowls.

Deconstructed-Falafel-Bowls

Deconstructed Falafel Bowl
Recipe Type: Entree
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
All the goodness of falafels with only a fraction of the work! This bowl is full of good stuff, and takes no time at all to put together! [i]Adapted from [url href=”http://veganyackattack.com/2014/01/18/deconstructed-falafel-bowl/” target=”_blank”]Vegan Yack Attack[/url] & [url href=”http://www.cookbookaficionado.com/” target=”_blank”]The Vegan Cookbook Aficionado[/url].[/i]
Ingredients
  • Roasted Chickpeas
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Tahini Dressing
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 large clove garlic, grated with microplane
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
  • Putting everything together
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Cooked quinoa
  • Lettuce, shredded
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Hummus
  • Tahini dressing
  • Hot sauce
Instructions
Roasted Chickpeas
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
  2. Add chickpeas to a large bowl (if you’re using canned chickpeas, rinse them first). Add olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper, and mix well, until the chickpeas are all coated completely.
  3. Add chickpeas to baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.
  4. Toss with the fresh parsley and set aside.
Tahini Dressing
  1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until everything comes together nicely. Add more water, if necessary, 1 tbsp at a time.
Putting it all together
  1. In bowls, add some of the cooked quinoa, a bunch of roasted chickpeas, some tomatoes, some cucumber, a handful of lettuce, and a big dollop of hummus. Drizzle on some of the tahini dressing and a squirt (or more) of hot sauce. Serve and enjoy!