Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

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

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Our Menu Plan This Week

July 1, 2014 2 Comments

Taco Wraps PicTaco Wraps made with walnuts & lentils, veggies and romaine lettuce leaves. 

Every week, I create a menu plan for the week ahead. I’ve always found menu planning to be helpful, but especially when eating a vegan diet. Sometimes I forget to make one, and those weeks are just awful. I stare into the fridge and whine that there’s “nothing to eat”, even though the fridge is packed full of deliciousness. It’s bad.

So – I menu plan every week (usually) to make things easier on myself. And it works. I promise.

Here is the menu plan for my family this week:

Breakfast:

  • Fruit Smoothie, Refrigerator Oatmeal x3 (Blueberry & Raspberry with Coconut)
  • Scrambled Tofu, Fruit Smoothie
  • Buckwheat Pancakes, Fruit Smoothie
  • Jumbo Fruit Smoothie (about 5 cups worth!)
  • Coconut Steel Cut Oats, Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:

  • Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Apple & Walnuts
  • Picnic Lunch
  • Mega Salad with Strawberries, Blueberries, Nuts, Seeds & Balsamic Dressing
  • Vegan Cheesy Dill Potato Salad, Green Juice
  • Vegan Salad with Baked Tofu, Tomatoes, Carrots, Nuts & Seeds (Lemon & Oil Dressing)
  • Sesame Noodles
  • Leftovers

Dinner:

  • Oven Roasted Potatoes with Vegan Gravy, Roasted Cauliflower & Zucchini
  • Black Bean & Brown Rice Burritos
  • Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers
  • Swiss Chard Rolls with Brown Rice & Lentils, Cauliflower Poppers
  • Green Chickpea Patties, Israeli Couscous Salad
  • Slow Cooker Lentil Stew

Snacks/Dessert:

  • Fruit
  • Raw Nuts
  • Banana Ice Cream
  • Popcorn
  • Banana Nut Muffins
  • Chia Pudding

What’s on your menu this week?

Filed Under: Menu Plans Tagged With: weekly menu plans

20 Delicious Vegan Dinner Ideas

June 25, 2014 3 Comments

Finding vegan dinner ideas has to be one of the easiest meals to search for. There are so many great ones out there, just waiting for you to make them! Pinterest was my best friend when I first switched to a vegan diet – and vegan dinners was almost always what I was looking for.

I’ve found a few favourites, and tweaked some that I liked “a bit, but not a lot”, and now I have a pretty set rotation of meal ideas, with a few new recipes every week.

If you’re like me and always looking for vegan dinner ideas, this list is for you!

20 Delicious Vegan Dinner Ideas

Vegan Dinner Ideas

Sloppy Black Eyed Peas

1. Sloppy Black Eyed Peas
Vegan-Pad-Thai

2. Super Simple Vegan Pad Thai
Soba Noodle Dinner

3. Sugar Snap Pea & Carrot Soba Noodles
Cauliflower-Bolognese-Vegan

4. Vegan Cauliflower Bolognese
Vegan-Lentil-and-Potato-Salad

5. Warm Potato & Lentil Salad
Vegan Veggie Stew

6. Roasted Root Vegetable Stew
Vegetable-Chili

7. My Favourite Vegan Chili
Black-Bean-Quinoa-Burger

8. Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers with Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
Lentil Cauliflower Tacos

9. Lentil & Cauliflower Rice Tacos
Vegan-Lasagna-Homemade

10. Vegan Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
Baked Veggie Spring Rolls

11. Baked Veggie Spring Rolls
Pesto-Pizza-Vegan

12. Thin Crust Pesto Pizza
Vegan Lentil Loaf

13. Vegan Lentil Loaf
Cauliflower-Parmesan-Vegan

14. Vegan Cauliflower Parmesan
Mashed Potato Enchiladas

15. Mashed Potato Enchiladas
Sweet Potato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

16. Sweet Potato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Butter Cauliflower

17. Indian Butter Cauliflower
Spaghetti Squash Gremolata

18. Spaghetti Squash Gremolata
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Pic

19. Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Zucchini Tian

20. Rustic Zucchini Tian

What is your favourite vegan dinner?

Filed Under: Recipe Ideas Tagged With: dinner

Our Menu Plan This Week

June 23, 2014 Leave a Comment

Breakfast Potatoes Pic
Yummy breakfast potatoes!

Every week, I create a menu plan for the week ahead. I’ve always found menu planning to be helpful, but especially when eating a vegan diet. Sometimes I forget to make one, and those weeks are just awful. I stare into the fridge and whine that there’s “nothing to eat”, even though the fridge is packed full of deliciousness. It’s bad.

So – I menu plan every week (usually) to make things easier on myself. And it works. I promise.

Here is the menu plan for my family this week:

Breakfast:

  • Bagel with Vegan Butter, Fruit Smoothie x2
  • Loaded Breakfast Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy, Fruit Smoothie
  • Chickpea Pancake, Fruit Smoothie
  • Refrigerator Oatmeal, Fruit Smoothie
  • Coconut Steel Cut Oats, Fruit Smoothie
  • Raw Breakfast Parfait with Berries, Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:

  • Baked Potato, Asian Cashew Salad
  • Couscous, Split Peas & Orzo with Edemame
  • Salad Bowl with Carrots, Tomatoes, Hummus & Spicy Baked Tofu x2
  • Mashed Cauliflower Cups, Chickpea & Broccoli Bowl with Tahini Sauce
  • Baked Falafels, Tomato-Cucumber Salad
  • Lentil & Amaranth Patties, Green Juice or Smoothie

Dinner:

  • Dinner at Family’s House (Birthday Party)
  • Dinner Out
  • One Pot Vegan Pasta
  • Baked Potato with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce & Roasted Broccoli
  • Pasta with Meaty-but-Meatless Pasta Sauce
  • Sauteed Kale, Spicy Tofu Steaks, Quinoa
  • Chickpea Patties with Spinach & Tahini Sauce, Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Snacks/Dessert:

  • Fruit
  • Raw Nuts
  • Banana Ice Cream
  • Hummus & Veggie Sticks + Crackers
  • Popcorn
  • Rhubarb Crisp

What’s on your menu this week?

Filed Under: Menu Plans Tagged With: weekly menu plans

Super Simple Vegan Pad Thai

June 20, 2014 26 Comments

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: 5 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins
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.
3.2.2704

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: dinner, lunch

Vegan Rhubarb Crisp

June 18, 2014 3 Comments

I’ll admit it – I was a bit skeptical of rhubarb.

For a long time, I balked at people that told me they made yummy desserts with it, because um hello – IT’S A VEGETABLE. Desserts aren’t made with vegetables. That’s just gross!

But I was proven wrong. Yet again. I tried my mother-in-law’s rhubarb crisp the other day (veganized), and fell in love. Then I begged her for the recipe.

Rhubarb-Crisp

The rhubarb has a very sour taste to it, so you just dump a bunch of sugar on it and BOOM. Deliciousness. I hate how sugar makes everything better.

Sigh. Oh well. A treat like this is fine every once in awhile, right? RIGHT.

Rhubarb-Crisp-Vegan

Look at that caramel-y gooey pile of oats and rhubarb and sweetness. It was Amazing with a capital “A”.

This vegan rhubarb crisp is crumbly and tart and sweet and YUM. It’s also perfect for summer.

If you are scared of rhubarb, like I was, try this recipe. You won’t be sorry and you will end up loving rhubarb – because it’s freakin’ good!

Vegan-Rhubarb-Crisp

Vegan Rhubarb Crisp
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6-9
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks, chopped small (I did 1/2″ pieces)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup kamut flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup vegan butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
  2. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil or non-stick cooking spray.
  3. In a small pot, mix together the maple syrup, water and cornstarch over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, melted vegan butter and non-dairy milk. Crumble everything together with your fingers.
  5. Press half of the crumb mixture into your baking pan, add the rhubarb, drizzle in the maple syrup mixture, then top with the remaining crumb mixture.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the rhubarb can easily be pierced through with a knife and the top of the crisp is a light golden brown.
3.2.2704

 

Filed Under: Dessert, Recipes Tagged With: nut free option, nut-free, pies and tarts, soy free

Pineapple, Banana & Hemp Smoothie

June 17, 2014 1 Comment

Pineapple-Banana-Smoothie

This is one of my favourite smoothies for 2 reasons:

1. It has pineapple, which is one of my favourite fruits that I don’t buy year-round because they taste best only when in season.

2. It’s fast. Most smoothies are fast, but this one is EXTRA FAST.

Banana-Pineapple-Smoothie

Pineapple-Banana-Smoothie-Vegan

Pineapple Banana Smoothie
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Smoothie
Author: Vegan Insanity
Prep time: 5 mins
Total time: 5 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond)
  • 1 large, ripe banana, cut into chunks
  • 1/4 pineapple, cut into chunks
  • 4 ice cubes
  • 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
  • pumpkin seeds, for topping (optional)
  • hemp seeds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Top with more hemp hearts and some pumpkin seeds, if desired.
3.2.2704

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: gluten free, nut free option, quick and easy, smoothies, soy free

Our Menu Plan This Week

June 16, 2014 2 Comments

Bananas
I can’t believe how many bananas we go through in a week!

Every week, I create a menu plan for the week ahead. I’ve always found menu planning to be helpful, but especially when eating a vegan diet. Sometimes I forget to make one, and those weeks are just awful. I stare into the fridge and whine that there’s “nothing to eat”, even though the fridge is packed full of deliciousness. It’s bad.

So – I menu plan every week (usually) to make things easier on myself. And it works. I promise.

Here is the menu plan for my family this week:

Breakfast:

  • Bagel with Vegan Butter, Fruit Smoothie x2
  • Hash Browns with Veggies
  • Stove Top Oatmeal
  • World’s Best Vegan Pancakes
  • Refrigerator Oatmeal
  • Banana Bread, Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:

  • Picnic Lunch x3
  • Tofu “Egg” Salad Sandwich, Fruit
  • Leftovers
  • Best Ever Vegan Fried Rice
  • Vegan Spinach Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Dinner:

  • Pasta, Zucchini Tian, Mini Garlic Bread Cheese Toasts
  • Herbed Chickpea Soup with Chickpea Dumplings
  • Vegan Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
  • Israeli Couscous with Roasted Veggies
  • Thin Crust Pesto Pizza
  • Quinoa Bowl with Spicy Baked Tofu & Roasted Veggies
  • Broccoli & Lentil Dal with Rice

Snacks/Dessert:

  • Fruit
  • Raw Nuts
  • Banana Ice Cream
  • Hummus & Veggie Sticks + Crackers
  • Popcorn
  • Rhubarb Crisp

What’s on your menu this week?

Filed Under: Menu Plans Tagged With: weekly menu plans

Where Vegans Get Their Protein

June 13, 2014 2 Comments

Ah, yes. The question every vegan is asked on a regular basis. Once you switch to a plant-based diet, suddently everyone is an expert on nutrition. Why is my protein intake a concern to these people anyway?

From what I’ve learned, people don’t like change. They fight it. Even if the change is not their own. So, when I switched to a vegan diet almost a year ago, I wasn’t that shocked when I first got asked the question “where do you get your protein?“, because I was prepared. I knew people would ask questions.

Where Vegans Get Protein

Contrary to what my friends & family thought, I actually did a lot of research before switching to a new way of eating.

Although this did happen pretty much overnight (it was the minute after Vegucated was over), I did my homework. I made sure that eating a vegan diet was healthy, I made sure that it was possible to get all of the vitamins that I needed, and I made sure that I was doing it for all the right reasons.

I didn’t switch to a plant-based diet solely because I love animals (although that was a big part of it), I did so mostly because it is simply better for you. Plants are better for you than animal products. It’s true.

So now, because I’d like to have a resource to send to those ignorant people that ask my where my protein intake comes from, here is a list of protein sources for vegans.

Pritein Sources

  • Tempeh (19g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Lentils (9g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Tofu (8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Peanut Butter (8g in 2 tbsp)
  • Quinoa (14g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Soy Milk (3.3g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Pumpkin Seeds (19g in 100g)
  • Roasted Almonds (21g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Pine Nuts (14g in 100g)
  • Peanuts (26g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Brown Rice (2.6g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Corn (9g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Pistachios (20g in 100g)
  • Sunflower Seeds (21g in 100g)
  • Cashews (18g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Flax Seeds (18g in 100g)
  • Sun-dried tomatoes (14g in 100g)
  • Seitan (75g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Avocado (2g in 100g)
  • Black Beans (22g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Chia Seeds (17g in 100g)
  • Barley (12g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Kidney Beans (9g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Edemame, Cooked (11g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Blackeyed Peas (3g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Navy Beans (8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Peas (5g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Lima Beans, Boiled (8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Spinach (2.9g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Broccoli (2.8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Asparagus (2.2g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Potatoes(2g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Brussels Sprouts (3.4g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Oats (17g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Kale (4.3g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans (19g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Walnuts (15g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Sprouted Grain Bagels, Buns, etc. (varies)
  • Whole Wheat Pasta (varies)
  • Buckwheat (13g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Couscous (3,8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Bulgur (12g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Millet (2.8g in just under 1/2 cup)
  • Whole Wheat Bread (13g in 100g)

How much protein do vegans need?

According to PETA:

Nutrition experts estimate that most of us need between 0.8 and 1 gram of protein per day for every kilogram of body weight. That works out to 55 grams of protein per day for someone who weighs 150 pounds or approximately 10 percent of normal caloric intake (people in endurance training and pregnant women might require a bit more, of course).

If a vegan eats a reasonably varied diet and consumes a sufficient amount of calories, he or she will undoubtedly get enough protein. And, unlike animal protein, plant-based protein sources contain healthy fiber and complex carbohydrates.

I recently tracked just how much protein I was getting in a day (over the course of 1 week) and it was over 70g a day on average, which is way more than I was getting as a non-vegan, I’m sure (I wasn’t eating many healthy foods back then)!

So – there. I get enough protein, okay? Thanks for asking. Now please don’t ask me again.

Filed Under: How-to Guides Tagged With: reading, tips and tricks

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I'm Cassie - vegan food lover and animal rights activist. I live in Vaughan, Ontario, right near Toronto, with my husband, our 2 kids, 3 cats, and a dog that thinks he's a cat, too. I love to cook and share delicious vegan food with everyone I know. MORE →


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