nut-free | Vegan Recipes from Cassie Howard

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

August 28, 2014 4 Comments

You guys – LEMON. And BLUEBERRY. Together forever in these delicious, fluffy pancakes pancakes, loaded with their other best friend – poppy seeds. And then into my belly one after one because omg yumzzzzz.

The lemon and blueberry combination has always been a favourite of mine, but in pancakes it’s the best. THE BEST.

Normally I just add blueberries to the batter, but this time I went ALL. OUT. (not really, it takes less than 10 minutes, and all you do is throw 3 ingredients into a pot) and made a blueberry compote to go on top of the pancakes. And it was the best decision ever and I will never go back to blueberries inside the pancakes again.

Not. a. chance. Just look at that blueberry goo! Now imagine biting into those pancakes with a scoop of blueberry compote on top, and then close your eyes, chew slowly and OMG are you drooling yet?

I am. I must make more lemon pancakes. But I have a basket of peaches on the counter so maybe I will make a peach compote this time.

Oh my, I think I have created a monster. A delicious, lemony, amazing breakfast monster that just won’t stop! Not that I want it to, of course…

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 6-8 pancakes

Ingredients

Pancakes
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup kamut flour (or all-purpose)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp lemon zest (1 medium lemon)
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp poppy seeds
Blueberry Compote
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup coconut sugar
3 tbsp water

Instructions

Pancakes

Make your flax egg and set aside to allow it to thicken up.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in the non-dairy milk, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds and flax egg. Mix everything well, but do not over-mix.
Warm your pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Spray with non-stick spray and scoop 1/4 cup of the pancake mix (per pancake) onto the hot pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until cooked through.
Repeat until all batter is gone.

Blueberry Compote

Add all ingredients to a small pot and heat over medium-low for about 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Mash down the blueberries with a fork and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. Serve over pancakes and top with shredded coconut, if you’d like!

Better Than Bacon – 8 Vegan Bacon Recipes

August 27, 2014 3 Comments

What is it about bacon that makes people go crazy? Bacon made from pigs or not – people love the stuff! Myself included (vegan bacon, of course).

One of the most common things people ask when they find out I don’t eat animal products is: “but how can you not eat bacon?!”. They are seriously confused as to how I could give up strips of pig fat (because really, that’s all bacon is).

It’s one of the main reasons a lot of my friends and family won’t go vegan. THE BACON. And THE CHEESE. They’re so addicted to these “foods” that they can’t even fathom giving them up, ever.

So I decided to find a bunch of vegan bacon recipes, to show them that you can be vegan AND eat your dang bacon!

8 Vegan Bacon Recipes

1. Easy Tofu Bacon

2. Crispy Mushroom Bacon

3. Crazy Good Coconut Bacon

4. Bacon-Flavoured Almond Slivers

5. Easy Tempeh Bacon

6. Vegan Bacon from King Oyster Mushrooms

7. Delicious Shitake Bacon

8. Raw Vegan Bacon

Take a look at all of that yummy vegan bacon! Who wouldn’t be satisfied with so many options for bacon? My favourite is coconut bacon & tofu bacon – they are both super easy to make. Mushroom-based bacon is tasty, too!

What is your favourite vegan bacon recipe?

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

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

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
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 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.

Homemade Croutons in 20 Minutes

August 12, 2014 1 Comment

Do you ever wander the aisles in the grocery store and come across items where you think – “people actually buy this?”. I do. A lot. But that’s probably because I make pretty much everything from scratch and it’s weird to me when I realize other people don’t do that too.

Cause’ homemade is the way to go, people. There’s nothing better!

If there’s one item in the grocery store that is absolutely and utterly pointless, it’s croutons. Actually, bread crumbs too. These are the EASIEST things to make yourself. So, so easy. Even a 5 year old can make these croutons (and mine has – supervised, of course!).

In just 20 minutes (or less!), you can have your own batch of homemade croutons to serve with salads. Or you can be like me and just eat them on their own, as a snack. Only cool people eat croutons as a snack.

Homemade Croutons in 20 Minutes

Recipe Type: How-To Guide

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 loaf day-old French bread
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
Chop bread into cubes. Make sure they’re bite-sized!
Add bread cubes, olive oil, garlic powder and basil into a large bowl. Mix well, so that all bread cubes are coated nicely.
Arrange bread cubes on a baking tray, lined with non-stick spray or a [url href=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00629K4YK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00629K4YK&linkCode=as2&tag=mrsjan-20″ target=”_blank” title=”Baking Mat”]Silplat baking mat[/url]. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until firm to the touch and lightly browned.
Allow to cool completely, then stick them in a freezer bag and pop in the freezer until needed. Thaw for 5 minutes before use.

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

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Lime-Infused Cashew Cream
1/3 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup water
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Beer Batter
1/2 cup kamut flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
1/3 cup beer
1 tsp cooking oil (I used avocado oil)
1 tsp lime juice
Putting it all together
1/2 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
1/2 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 1/2 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

[i]*Adapted from [url href=”http://www.forkandbeans.com/2013/04/08/beer-battered-cauliflower-tacos/” target=”_blank”]Fork and Beans[/url].[/i]

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

Recipe Type: Side

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

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
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp salt
1/2 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.

Vegan Cheesy Dill Popcorn

July 30, 2014 4 Comments

I used to visit this popcorn store near our house all the time before I switched to a plant-based diet. Kernels. That was their name – and they sold all different kinds of… you guessed it – popcorn. They often had buy one, get one free deals doing on too, which made my decision to stuff my face full of popcorn even easier.

Since all of their popcorn is coated in butter, I can no longer visit them and buy copious amounts of popcorn. Sad face.

My favourite flavour was cheesy dill. It was finger-lickin’ good, and I don’t say that lightly. That stuff was addictive. I couldn’t get enough! Once I quit cheese and butter, this delicious treat was off the menu for me.

And for months, I just sulked and whined about it. I want my cheesy diiiiiiiiiiiiiiill. I NEED it. I can’t survive without it! I’m going to dieeeeeeeeee…

Ahem.

Thankfully, I [kind of] know my way around the kitchen, so I thought I’d try out my own homemade cheesy dill popcorn – a vegan version that I was actually able to eat.

And I did it!

It is:
Cheesy
Dill-y
Satisfying
Healthy (ish)
Delicious
Mouth-watering
Crunchy
Full of flavour

Now I can stuff my face whenever I want! SCORE.

Seriously, if you’re a popcorn love and cheese and dill are your thang, give this popcorn a try. I dare you not to stuff your face, too.

Vegan Cheesy Dill Popcorn

Recipe Type: Snack

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Pop your popcorn and place into a large, brown paper bag.
Drizzle half of the melyed butter, close the bag, and shake and about 15 seconds. Repeat with remaining butter. Do the same with the apple cider vinegar.
Sprinkle the fresh dill, nutrotional yeast and sale over the popcorn. Close the bag and shake again – for 15-30 seconds, or until all popcorn is coated well.
Dump popcorn into serving bowl(s) and serve immediately.

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

Recipe Type: Bread

Author: Vegan Insanity

Prep time: 60 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 20

Ingredients

Breadsticks
1 1/2 cups very warm water (not too hot, not too cold – think bath water)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 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
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 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

[i]Adapted from [url href=”http://www.namelymarly.com/2014/06/homemade-garlic-breadsticks/” target=”_blank”]Namely Marly[/url].[/i]