Recipes | Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

Vegan Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

September 24, 2014 35 Comments

Have I mentioned that I love mac & cheese? ‘Cause I doooooo, and I just can’t get enough.

This time, it’s mac and cheese made with a creamy cauliflower cheese sauce. De-lish!

I’ve made numerous mac and cheese recipes in my life, but I think this one takes the cake. It’s cheesy and creamy and satisfying and YUM YUM YUM.

Even my mom, who is far from vegan, loved this dish and asked for the recipe. Mom never asks for the recipe! I knew it was a keeper when even she loved it.

I added some smoked paprika on top for a bit of smoky flavour, but you don’t have to. But it’s delicious and it’s pretty, so why not?

Also, a bit of vegan parmesan cheese never hurt anyone. Throw it on there.

Eat up, eat more, and do a happy dance for delicious vegan mac and cheese. Yes!

Vegan Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Pasta

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 cups elbow macaroni
1 large head cauliflower, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
½ cup nutritional yeast
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Paprika, as garnish (optional)
Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
Fill a large pot with water, and bring to a boil. Add in the chopped cauliflower and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until softened. Drain, and add to a food processor or high speed blender.
Add in the oil, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Process/blend until smooth.
Add cheese sauce to your pot full of drained pasta and mix well.
Serve, with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and some paprika, if desired.

Roasted Buttery Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Basil

September 23, 2014 2 Comments

Last year, a friend of mine told me she was eating a gluten-free diet and told me that instead of pasta, she often ate spaghetti squash for meals. So, being a skeptic, I was all “pffft, I bet it tastes nothing like pasta and everything like mushy squash”.

She made me some for lunch a few days later, with a roasted red pepper sauce, and steamed veggies and YOU GUYS. It was AMAAAAAAZING!

I now eat spaghetti squash whenever I can get my hands on it. Which is all the time now that it’s fall and squash is in every grocery store, around every corner, all over the place.

Recently, I’ve been playing with my recipes to be a bit more simple, and most as side dishes, as opposed to the star of the show.

This dish is my favourite. It is

Creamy
Bright
Soft
Garlic-y
Simple
Healthy
Rich
Absolutely Delicious

I usually serve it with some grilled tofu steaks, mashed taters and steamed veggies. Or I just shovel it in my mouth on it’s own. I won’t judge you if you do the same.

Roasted Buttery Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Basil

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

1 hour 35 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Sides

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash
3 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup fresh minced basil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce the squash a few times to let steam escape while it cooks. Bake for about 1 hour, or until you can easily pierce it wish a sharp knife. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
Cut squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Set aside for roasting or just toss them in your compost. Using a fork, scrape the squash. You should be able to easily get long strands that look like spaghetti. Set aside.
Heat a large pan over low-medium heat. Once warmed, add in the vegan butter and minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until garlic is very lightly browned. Add in the fresh basil, salt, pepper, and spaghetti squash. Mix well.
Add in the vegan parmesan cheese, mix well, and adjust salt & pepper, if necessary.
Serve. I find it to be a bit too heavy for main dish, but it works great as a side or a small lunch, alongside a crisp, green salad or other roasted veggies.

Crazy Good Baba Ganoush

September 19, 2014 1 Comment

Here’s a true story: Up until a few months ago, I had never eaten eggplant. Everyone I knew said it was either gross or bland or awful or terrible… you get the idea.

So, believe me when I say I was disappointed when I received 2 of them in our farm share box in July. I was going to have to throw them out. Because – gross. bland. awful. terrible. Right?

Well, thankfully, I didn’t throw them out. No offence friends & fam, but I wanted to try them myself instead of just taking your word for it.

I tried them roasted. Bland. Gross. Awful. Terrible.

I tried them steamed. Even more bland. Even grosser. Even more awful. Even more terrible.

And then I only had one eggplant left, so I asked my friend Pinterest for help, and found this recipe from Minimalist Baker: Baba Ganoush. Like hummus! I love hummus!

So I made it. I tried it. I devoured it. I guess I do like eggplant. Prepared certain ways, of course.

I’ve received at least a dozen more eggplants from the local farm since July, and I’ve always either made eggplant fries (recipe for those coming soon!) or baba ganoush. I used Dana’s recipe as a base, then added a few more of my faaaaaavourite things, and that created some seriously crazy good baba ganoush.

I wonder if I could get my friends & family to eat it…

Crazy Good Baba Ganoush

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

28 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Dips

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch circles + bit of salt
1 large clove garlic
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp coriander
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to broil on high.
Sprinkle your eggplant circles with a bit of salt and allow to sit for about 15 minutes to remove excess liquid. Wipe clean with a dry paper towel or dish cloth.
Arrange eggplant on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp of oil, and broil for about 8 minutes, turning once, until the eggplant is golden brown and soft.
Add eggplant to your food processor, along with garlic clove, lemon juice, tahini, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Adjust for seasonings. Add fresh parsley and pulse until just combined.
Serve with fresh veggies and enjoy!

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream

September 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

Okay FINE. It’s fall. I get it. I’m accepting the cold weather that won’t seem to go away. I’m accepting that soon enough, my kitchen will be bursting at the seems with all things pumpkin (no complaints there!). I’m accepting that OMG CHRISTMAS IS COMING.

I suppose I should get going on my shopping then, huh?

But first – chili. Smoky barbecue chili. To help ease my pain of no more summer.

This is such a fun change from the regular chili that I make. I love adding Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, because I find it has a sweet, smoky flavour that is really delicious in chili. I also added smoked paprika because, why not? Smoky goodness up in huuuurrrrr.

You don’t have to feel bad eating this chili either. It’s loaded with veggies, veggies, and more veggies. And with a silky white drizzle of delicious, homemade vegan sour cream added on top?

Hot damn! This is a tasty meal. A tasty, healthy meal that I ate two bowls of last week. In a row. I am not ashamed!

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Barbecue Chili

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-large red bell pepper, diced
½ large onion, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
½ cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked kidney beans
1⅓ cup cooked black beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
1 cup chopped spinach
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Chopped green onions for garnish, if desired

Sour Cream

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
¾ cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Barbecue Chili

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the pepper and onion and cook until onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the garlic and good for another minute or so, or until lightly browned.
Add in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and mix well.
Add in the beans, frozen corn, and barbecue sauce, and mix again. If it looks too thick, add in some more vegetable broth, just a bit at a time. Remember that it will thicken as it cooks, so you don't want it to be too thick right off the bat. Cook for about 20-30 minutes.
About 15 minutes before the chili is done cooking, add in your chopped greens, salt and pepper. Adjust s&p as necessary.
Serve, topped with vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, or whatever else you like on your chili!

Sour Cream

Add all ingredients to a food processor or high powdered blender and process/blend until smooth. Will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

September 17, 2014 7 Comments

Today is a special day for me.

It’s my 1 year vegan anniversary! One year ago today, I watched the documentary Vegucated, and it changed my life forever. It’s now been 365 days since I decided to make the switch to a vegan diet.

And to celebrate, I made myself some yummy chocolate chip cupcakes. Then slathered them with vanilla buttercream frosting. ‘Cause that’s how I roll.

But first, a few things I’ve learned since switching to a vegan diet:

It’s not as hard as you think it will be to eliminate all animal products from your diet.
Instead of thinking about foods I was eliminating, I thought about all the new foods I would be adding to my diet. This made it much easier for me to make the switch.
Once you stop eating animal products, people are suddenly extremely concerned about your protein intake. And iron. And calcium.
There are a ton of amazing vegan food substitutes out there that, although are not ideal on a regular basis (as they are often highly processed), make transitioning to a vegan diet so much easier.
Vegan food is kind of delicious and amazing. And by kind of, I mean definitely.

Things that have happened to me since switching to a vegan diet:

My compassion for animals skyrocketed. It’s always been pretty high to begin with, but I actually feel compassion for bees and flies, elephants, chickens and whales now, too. All animals are friends. Not food!
I have lost weight (without even trying). It’s been months since I’ve stepped on a scale, but at that point it was 10 pounds.
I’ve lost my love of all things super-sweet. In fact, super-sweet foods make me feel ill most of the time. I even switched to dark chocolate, when before, that stuff tasted like burnt cardboard to me. Now – I love it.
I’m more excited to cook now, when before, I was bored with the repetition of meat, potato/rice, veggie. My meals are way more exciting these days!
My hair is stronger and no longer falling out every time I run a brush through it.
My nails are stronger and growing like crazy.
I’ve introduced a whole heap of new food to my diet, things that I never knew existed before are currently some of my favourite foods.
I’ve increased my awareness of the things I put in my body.
I haven’t had a pimple in an entire year. Yippie!

Foods/Drinks that I consume (and love) now, that I wouldn’t touch before:

Tofu!
Asparagus
Avocados
Mangoes
Dandelion Greens
Swiss Chard
Farro
Freekeh
Buckwheat Groats/Flour
Cashews
Coconut Water
Hemp Milk/Protein/Seeds/Oil
Bananas (I used to hate them!)
Agave

My life has changed a lot in the last year, and all for the better. Happy 1 year anniversary to me!

Now, time to stuff my face with these amazing chocolate chip cupcakes.

They’re moist, sweet, chocolate-y and the vanilla buttercream frosting on top, well, that just takes these babies right over the edge. Perfect for a 1 year vegan celebration.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

42 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup vegan butter, softened (I used Earth Balance)
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups kamut flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup + ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

½ cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
2½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray your muffin pan with non-stick spray (or use paper liners).
In a small bowl, add non-dairy milk and vinegar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla, and using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the milk/vinegar mixture and beat again until incorporated. Do not over-mix.
Add in ½ cup chocolate chips and mix with a large spoon, until combined.
Divide batter evenly among your cupcake holders, being sure not to over-fill. You will likely have a bit of batter left over.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and allow to cool.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, add your butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and non-dairy milk. With an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more non-dairy milk. If it is too thin, add a bit more icing sugar. Add in a drop or two of food colouring too, if desired.
Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top (the remaining ¼ cup, divided). I used a piping bag to pipe the frosting on my cupcakes, but you don't have to!

Big Vegan Taco Salad

September 16, 2014 5 Comments

Hello, my name is Cassie, and I’m still holding on to summer with all I’ve got. Will. Not. Let. It. Go.

Considering I’ve switched from shorts and t-shirts to pants and sweaters in less than a week, I think it’s safe to say that summer has abruptly just up and left me, without even saying goodbye.

Which just means YAY, FALL FOODS TIME! But it also means summer is gone, and also, much of my fave summer meals. Boo. So let’s give summer one last hurrah, shall we?

This is a big, monster vegan taco salad that I whipped up on a whim the other day, hoping it would bring summer back to me (it didn’t), and it ended up being one of my most favourite salads that I made all summer.

It’s loaded with veggies, quinoa, vegan taco meat and a healthy drizzle of oh-so-good green sauce. It makes my tummy happy.

I also added crushed up tortilla chips (Neil Brothers are THE BEST!) on top, because duh, that’s just obvious. It added a nice salty, crunchy flair to the dish. It also kinda sorta helped with getting my two picky kids to eat a meal full of VEGETABLES.

Goodbye summer, you will be missed! And please… let fall last awhile before old man winter comes along! Pumpkin EVERYTHING is calling my name…

Big Vegan Taco Salad

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

Creamy Green Sauce

1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours)
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup parsley (cilantro would work, too)
2 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp onion powder
1 medium garlic clove
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Taco Meat

1 cup walnuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for at least 2 hours
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Taco Salad

4 cups chopped lettuce (I used mixed greens)
⅔ cup cooked quinoa
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup corn
¼ cup cooked black beans
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup salsa
Handful of crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Instructions

Creamy Green Sauce

Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Taco Meat

Drain walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until combined, and still a bit chunky. Set aside.

Taco Salad

On one large plate or 2 medium-sized plates, add your lettuce, quinoa, red onion, taco meat, corn, the black beans, cherry tomatoes and salsa.
Drizzle on a heavy amount of dressing, sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips, if desired, and dig in! If you have any left over, the dressing should last in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Notes

*Make this recipe gluten-free by omitting the tortilla chips (or using a gluten-free variety).

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

September 11, 2014 9 Comments

Fall is in the air. Can you smell it?

Though it’s not technically fall yet, I have already started making fall foods, because fall foods are the BEST EVER EVER.

Like this sweet potato shepherd’s pie. Gluten-free and loaded with good stuff like lentils, peas, carrots and corn. Perfect for fall.

You can really add any veggies you’d like to this dish, but I’ve always loved corn, peas and carrots. Along with celery, onions and garlic for some flavour, of course. I also swapped the traditional potato topping and used sweet potato instead.

Sweet potato:

Is a good source of magnesium (which helps with relaxation)
Is a source of vitamin D, which is hard to get in a vegan diet
Is naturally sweet-tasting
Contains almost twice as much fiber than other types of potatoes
Is good for your heart

So go ahead – stuff your face with sweet potatoes!

I love the hint of sweetness that the sweet potato brings to this dish. It really balances nicely with the vegetables and seasonings.

I always add a sprinkle of paprika on top of my shepherd’s pie, both for flavour and because it looks pretty. And good looking food just tastes better. It’s a fact. Look it up.

So let’s eat up, my friend! This sweet potato shepherd’s pie is not gonna last long around me – get it while you can!

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Dinner

Serves: 6

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped into small pieces
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced onions
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup diced carrots
4½ cups cooked lentils
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond)
Salt & pepper to taste
paprika & fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Steam your sweet potatoes and set aside.
While the sweet potatoes are heat a large pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add a tbsp or so of oil, then add in the diced celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add the cooked lentils and soy sauce to the veggies, and heat until warmed through.
Once your sweet potatoes are finished steaming, mash with the non-dairy milk some salt & pepper.
Scoop the lentil & veggie mix to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then spread the mashed sweet potatoes over top and spread in an even layer.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top has browned lightly. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika and fresh parsley, if desired. Serve warm.

Perfect Peach & Oat Breakfast Bars

September 9, 2014 5 Comments

Peach. Oatmeal. Dates.

Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.

Peaches have always been one of my favourite fruits. I put it in oatmeal, in banana ice cream, in crepes, and of course – directly in my mouth. So sweet and juicy. No other stone fruit compares to the deliciousness that is peaches!

When summer comes, I buy baskets and baskets of them at a time, and I still always seem to eat them all up within days. I just can’t get enough.

And now that summer has come to an end, that means my lovely peaches are making their way out of my kitchen soon. So sad. But peaches that aren’t in season are even sadder, so I rarely eat peaches during any season other than summer.

Are you drooling yet?

And with just a tablespoon of maple syrup in the entire pan, these are a healthy breakfast bar that any peach lover would enjoy!

These bars are a bit crumbly, so I suggest letting them cool completely, and then keeping them in the fridge and eating them cold or at room temperature, not warmed.

If you don’t have access peaches, you can replace them with another fruit of your choice, such as strawberries or blueberries. You may have to adjust the amount of fruit added, though. Enjoy!

Perfect Peach & Oat Breakfast Bars

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 9

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats*
¼ cup chopped dates
2 tbsp slivered almonds
1 tbsp chia seed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup + 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1¼-1½ cups chopped, peeled peaches

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang.
In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped dates, chopped almonds, chia seeds, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl, combine non-dairy milk, vanilla and peaches. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combines, making sure to not mush the peaches too much.
Spread into your baking dish and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove from pan by lifting up the parchment paper. Place on a large cutting board and cut into 9 squares.

Notes

*Use gluten-free oats to make this dish gluten-free.