dinner | Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

Tofu Teriyaki Bowl with Broccoli & Peppers

August 13, 2014 12 Comments

If you were to to ask me a year ago if I liked tofu, I would have responded with one of the following things: EWWWWWWWW TOFU, YUCK YUCK YUCKY YUCK. GROSS, NO! ARE YOU CRAZY?! Today, tofu is one of my favourite things to eat. Love it. Any excuse to eat tofu now and I’m all YES PLEASE, GIVE IT TO ME NOW! My favourite way to eat tofu is with a big pile of rice. Rice, tofu, veggies, sauce. Awesomeness in a bowl. This dish is filled with yummy things: Crispy baked tofu Flavourful rice Steamed veggies The most delicious teriyaki sauce ever Eat it up, then eat some more. A satisfying bowl of delicious food. Time to eat!

Tofu Teriyaki Bowl with Broccoli & Peppers

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Rice

1 cup rice (I used basmati rice)*
2 cups water*

Baked Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu
1 tbsp oil (I used avocado oil)
1 tbsp cornstarch

Veggies

1 small head broccoli, chopped small
1 small bell pepper, thinly sliced (I used yellow)

Teriyaki Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp coconut sugar
½ tbsp sesame oil
½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (mixed well)

Putting it all together

Sesame seeds
Green onions, chopped

Instructions

Rice

Cook rice according to package directions (usually 1 cup rice to 2 cups water*). Set aside.

Tofu

Preheat oven to 425F. Wrap tofu in a clean towel, add something heavy (I usually use a few heavy cookbooks), and set aside for about 15 minutes to press out some of the water in the tofu. Slice your tofu into cubes or thin squares (like I did).
Mix together cornstarch and oil. Add the tofu and coat each piece evenly. Spread tofu on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a Silplat baking mat. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 20 minutes until browned (a nice deep brown is ideal, but not black!).

Teriyaki Sauce

Whisk together the soy sauce, sweet rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and fresh garlic. Then add the cornstarch/water mixture. Bring to a simmer in a small pot. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Broccoli

Steam broccoli & sliced peppers until fork-tender. Set aside.

Putting it all together

Add rice to your bowls, and top with tofu, broccoli and peppers. Drizzle the teriyaki sauce on top, then sprinkle some sesame seeds and green onions on top.

Beer-Battered Cauliflower Tacos with Lime-Infused Cashew Cream

August 6, 2014 9 Comments

What’s this? Two cauliflower recipes in a row?

Yes, yes, that’s right. Because I can’t get enough of the dang stuff. CAULIFLOWER FOR THE WIN!

Last week I bought 2 heads of cauliflower because I was off in cauliflower land, dreaming of all the cauliflower meals I wanted to make. This was one of them. Cauliflower tacos. With a beer batter. Because, duh. Everything is better with beer. That’s what my husband tells me, anyway.

These vegan tacos are both soft and crunchy at the same time, and when they’re served with the lime-infused cashew cream – well, watch out! They are crazy good.

Who needs fish when you’ve got cauliflower?

Beer-Battered Cauliflower Tacos with Lime-Infused Cashew Cream

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Lime-Infused Cashew Cream

⅓ cup raw cashews
2 tbsp lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 garlic clove
¼ cup water
½ tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Beer Batter

½ cup kamut flour
⅓ cup cornstarch
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
⅓ cup beer
1 tsp cooking oil (I used avocado oil)
1 tsp lime juice

Putting it all together

½ large cauliflower, cut into "steaks" or bite-sized pieces
corn or flour tortillas (I used flour)
lettuce of choice
2 large roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped
½ cup cooking oil (I used avocado oil)

Instructions

Lime-Infused Cashew Cream

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

Beer Batter

Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika in a large bowl. Add in the flax egg, beer, oil and lime juice. Mix together very well, making sure everything is combined.
Add about ½ cup oil to a medium pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is nice and hot, dip each piece of cauliflower into your batter and then place on the pan (you will need to do this in batches to prevent over-crowding the pan). Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Putting it all together

Add one cauliflower steak (or a few bit-sized pieces) to each tortilla, top with lime-infused cashew cream, the lettuce of your choice, some roasted red peppers and a few green onion pieces. Repeat with remaining cauliflower. Eat and enjoy!

Notes

*Adapted from Fork and Beans.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Bites with Lime & Cilantro

August 1, 2014 2 Comments

I’ve got a thing for cauliflower. The possibilities are endless with this stuff, so I use it whenever I can get my hands on it.

Though it’s good as a pizza crust, mashed like potatoes, baked like chicken wings, and stuffed into tacos – it’s also good on it’s own, roasted in the oven, covered in an array of spices.

Mmm mmm good.

I could eat this cauliflower all by myself – the whole thing – and I wouldn’t feel guilty. Because it’s cauliflower! And it’s healthy! And it’s better than most other savory snacks I can think of!

Oh, and did I mention that it’s crazy easy to make, too?

Chop cauliflower, toss with seasonings, bake, eat. The end.

Serve it up on it’s own as a snack, or alongside pretty much any meal you could possibly be eating. Burgers? Yep. Pasta? Why not? Tacos? Of course!

This cauliflower goes with everything. Eat it up!

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Bites with Lime & Cilantro

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Side

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 medium-large head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
4 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup cilantro
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp hot sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
In a large bowl, mix together the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, olive oil, cilantro, salt & pepper. Once mixed thoroughly, add the cauliflower pieces and toss, making sure every piece gets coated nicely.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and has browned.
Add the lime juice and hot sauce to the roasted cauliflower and mix gently. Cover each piece with the lime juice and hot sauce.
Remove to a serving dish, sprinkle with more fresh cilantro (optional), and serve immediately.

20 Delicious Vegan Quinoa Recipes

July 29, 2014 1 Comment

Let’s talk about quinoa for minute, mmkay?

Where has this stuff been all my life? I mean, seriously. It’s only been about a year since I found quinoa, and my love for it grows stronger every day. For serious. You can make breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even desserts with quinoa. There are SO MANY OPTIONS!

And not only is it crazy versatile, but quinoa is actually crazy good for you, too.

Quinoa is loaded with protein. There’s 12 grams in a 1/2 cup serving!
Not only protein, but quinoa is loaded with fiber, too. 6g in a 1/2 cup serving.
Let’s not forget about iron. Quinoa has that, too!
Quinoa is gluten-free, so even those with a gluten intolerance can enjoy it.
Because it’s high in riboflavin, or vitamin B2, quinoa can help reduce instances of migranes.
Quinoa is very low in fat and will keep you fuller longer than dishes made with pasta or rice.

Plus, it just dang tastes good!

20 Delicious Vegan Quinoa Recipes

1. Apple Pie Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

2. Quinoa Lentil Salad with Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprouts & Shallots

3. Quinoa & Black Bean Burger with Nacho Cheese Sauce

4. Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Dough

5. Quinoa Sushi Rolls

6. Pineapple Fried Quinioa… In a Boat!

7. Quinoa Corn Edamame Salad

8. Quinoa & Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad

9. One Pan Mexican Quinoa

10. Quinoa Taco Meat

11. Vegan Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

12. Quinoa Taco Salad

13. Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

14. Vegan Quinoa Tortillas

15. Super Simple Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Veggies & Cashew Dressing

16. Quinoa Cauliflower Bowl with Almond Sriracha Sauce

17. Gluten-Free Quinoa Bread

18. Baked Cheezy Quinoa Casserole

19. Quinoa Fritters with Garlic Aioli

20. 5-Ingredient Quinoa Pizza CrustWhat are your favourite vegan quinoa recipes?

Vegan Breadsticks with Herb Topping

July 22, 2014 2 Comments

I’ve been searching for the perfect breadstick recipe for years.

I’ve tried countless of them, and they all fell flat. Either they took 500 hours to rise (not really, but still – FOREVER), they didn’t rise at all, they were chewy, or they just plain didn’t taste good.

Then – I found Marly’s recipe and life has never been the same.

They’re light, fluffy, they rise in less than an hour, and they taste ridiculously good for being so simple.

I’m in love. My breadstick kick is back, and I am now enjoying these sticks on a regular basis.

Instead of all-purpose, I use kamut flour. I just love the flavour of it (and I really hate using all-purpose). I also switched up the herbed topping ingredients for a bit more flavour. The next time I make these I’m going to try “pizza” flavour. Yum.

These would also be yummy with melted vegan butter, cinnamon and brown sugar instead of herbs. Mmmm hmmm. Just don’t serve those with pasta. That would be weird.

Vegan Breadsticks with Herb Topping

Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Bread

Serves: 20

Ingredients

Breadsticks

1½ cups very warm water (not too hot, not too cold - think bath water)
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup whole wheat flour
3-4 cups of kamut flour (all-purpose would also work, so would light spelt)
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegan butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)

Herb Topping

3 tbsp vegan butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Breadsticks

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray (or use a non-stick mat or some parchment paper).
In a medium bowl, add water, sugar and active dry yeast. Stir and set aside until a proofed (about 10 minutes).
In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir to combine. Add the yeast mixture and melted butter mix well, until a dough ball forms.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, until smooth.
From the dough ball, pull golf ball sized pieces and roll them into balls, then into long pieces. Add to your baking sheet.
Preheat your oven to 150F. Once it reaches that temperature, turn it back off, and place the breadsticks in the oven. Now they have a warm place to rise. Allow them to sit in there for about 35 minutes.
Remove breadsticks from the oven and heat to 375F.

Herb Topping

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Spread half of the mixture onto the breadsticks (after they have doubled in size, and before you bake them).
Bake the breadsticks in the oven for about 15 minutes, then remove and spread the rest of the herb topping onto them.
Serve warm!

Notes

Adapted from Namely Marly.

20 Minute Garlic & Tomato Pasta

July 11, 2014 Leave a Comment

My love for pasta cannot be put into words – it’s that strong. If I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day, I’d be one happy girl (I’ve been known to cook up a pot of pasta for breakfast on really cold mornings! I’m weird, I know.).

Alas, this is not possible, so I indulge whenever I can. And when I do make pasta, I try not to complicate things. Simple is often best. Like this pasta here, for example.

There is very little added to it (just tomatoes, garlic, basil, parsley, lemon juice and some herbs), and it tastes amazing. Also, because there are so few ingredients, it takes no time at all to prepare!

I love simple pastas!

Isn’t it pretty?

Use any kind of pasta you want for this – it will work with almost all kinds, but I love linguine. Spaghetti and spiral noodles work well, too. This was just an organic white pasta, but I usually use spelt, whole wheat or brown rice pastas – and they all work well in this recipe!

Garlic & Tomato Pasta

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Pasta

Serves: 2

Ingredients

8 oz. pasta (or ½-1 cup per person)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
½ cup tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
½ tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Boil pasta according to package directions.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once warm, add garlic and cook until lightly browned, then add in the tomatoes and cook for another few minutes (3 or 4).
Drain your cooked pasta and add it to the pan. Mix everything together, and then add in your basil, parsley, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Mix again.
Serve immediately.

Spicy Cumin Carrots with Coriander Tahini Sauce

July 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

I received a bunch of gorgeous, organic carrots in my farm share box last week! This was my first time getting carrots with the greens still attached (I had to trim them down quite a bit) – I always bought them in a bag.

And wow – they are so small and adorable and TASTY. My husband and I were both marveling at the fact that these were the best carrots we’ve ever had. I don’t know if I can go back to the bagged variety.

Look at how different they all look, too. I love the one that’s all bent! I snatched it up first, right after I was done taking photos. It was delicious – just like the others.

Instead of just roasting these carrots, I rolled them in some cumin, salt & pepper, then drizzled a tahini & coriander dressing over top. Yum, yum – big time YUM.

Spicy Cumin Carrots with Coriander Tahini Sauce

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Vegan Insanity

Recipe type: Side Dish

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Carrots

1 bunch carrots (5 per person), washed and dried
½ tbsp avocado oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on your heat preference)
½ tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Tahini & Coriander Dressing

1 tbsp tahini
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp coriander

Instructions

Carrots

Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
Place carrots on your baking sheet and drizzle with avocado oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Roll the carrots around until they are all completely covered.
Roast for 15 minutes, or until fork-tender.

Coriander Tahini Sauce

In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and coriander. Drizzle over roasted carrots, sprinkle with poppy seeds (if desired) and serve immediately.

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!