Another go-to lunch choice… a bulked up version of this cucumber salad with lots of protein from tofu and beans.   Also very easy to throw together in a rushed morning (but, seriously, would it kill me to plan ahead?).

~ 1/2 can beans (I like cannellini), rinsed and drained 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped 1 red pepper, [...]]]>

Another go-to lunch choice… a bulked up version of this cucumber salad with lots of protein from tofu and beans.   Also very easy to throw together in a rushed morning (but, seriously, would it kill me to plan ahead?).

~ 1/2 can beans (I like cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, cored and chopped
~1/4 red onion, finely chopped (don’t over-do it)
1/2 tub extra firm tofu, drained, squeezed or patted dry, and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

Dress with the following, stirred together:
~1-2 Tbsp dijon mustard (I like a lot of mustard. Specifically, I like Whole Foods Organic German Mustard)
~2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
~ 1 tbsp of some kind of vegan mayonnaise (optional)

I played around with the dressing from the previous post and came up with this simplified version.

Ingredients: 4 carrots 2 medium zucchini

Dressing: 1/3 cup rice vinegar 1 Tbsp light spy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Amino

1-2″ peeled fresh ginger 1 Tbsp peanut butter 1 clove garlic (optional)

Directions: Shred zucchini and carrots. Blend dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables to taste (this should [...]]]>

I played around with the dressing from the previous post and came up with this simplified version.

Ingredients:
4 carrots
2 medium zucchini

Dressing:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp light spy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Amino

1-2″ peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 clove garlic (optional)

Directions:
Shred zucchini and carrots. Blend dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables to taste (this should make enough dressing for 2 salads).

Ingredients: 4 medium zucchini, shredded 1 onion, finely chop 3/4 cup hummus 1/4 cup Daiya mozzarella “cheese”

Directions: Over medium heat, cook onions for about 5 minutes, add zucchini and cook an additional 5 minutes [...]]]> Inspiration hit while making zucchini hash. I stirred in some hummus, added some cheese and formed it into little cakes and re-grilled them. Great with some salsa. Yum!

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, shredded
1 onion, finely chop
3/4 cup hummus
1/4 cup Daiya mozzarella “cheese”

Directions:
Over medium heat, cook onions for about 5 minutes, add zucchini and cook an additional 5 minutes until it starts to brown. Move this mixture into a bowl and allow to cool. Stir in hummus and cheese. Form into patties and grill in a clean pan that has been prepped with cooking spray.  Re-spray between batches. Serve with salsa.

I had a lovely ladies brunch to attend last weekend and wanted to tackle the challenge of making a savory dish that was still vegan and easy. A friend suggested something with polenta and a lightbulb went off… I had some Whole Foods roasted red peppers in a jar, a can of black beans… and [...]]]>

I had a lovely ladies brunch to attend last weekend and wanted to tackle the challenge of making a savory dish that was still vegan and easy. A friend suggested something with polenta and a lightbulb went off… I had some Whole Foods roasted red peppers in a jar, a can of black beans… and a trip to my fantastic local market, Bi-Rite to look for something like pesto but not quite like pesto yielded a small container of their house-made Chimichurri sauce. Not familiar with Chimichurri? Me neither. I asked what it went well with, and got “it’s great on steak!” Hmm.  I muttered something about polenta and trusted my instinct that it would work with my idea, and I was right. I’ll try to make my own someday, but for now, Bi-Rite has me hooked on their version. Ingredients: Italian parsley, Champagne vinegar, garlic, serrano peppers, EVOO, S & P. If you don’t have access to or feel like making the sauce, the rest of the ingredients can stand on their own. Try with a bit of fresh pepper, olive oil and balsamic instead. Maybe some chopped fresh basil?

Ingredients:

Polenta – I used one of those long shelf life tubes and cut it up into 3/4 inch rounds
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, diced
1 can of black beans – drained and rinsed
Chimichurri sauce  - about 1/4 cup or to taste

Directions:

Slice polenta and place on a cooking-sprayed cookie sheet. Broil on both sides (took about 10 minutes on each side). Keep a close eye on it, you don’t want it really browned.  You can either serve the polenta with a pepper/bean/onion mixture on top, crowned with a bit of sauce, or cube the polenta and mix everything up. Option one has more curb appeal, but for the brunch I went with option two and it was easier to serve and still worked. If going with option two, however, it occurred to me later that it might have been better to roast the polenta in cubes, rather than cutting up the rounds post-roasting which was less clean looking.

There was a fantastic article in the New York Times this summer with broad-stroke outlines for inventive, minimalist salads. (101 Simple Salads for the Season). The article had sections for both vegan and vegetarian salads (many of which can be made vegan by skipping the additional cheese). I love the simplicity of the salads. The [...]]]>

There was a fantastic article in the New York Times this summer with broad-stroke outlines for inventive, minimalist salads. (101 Simple Salads for the Season). The article had sections for both vegan and vegetarian salads (many of which can be made vegan by skipping the additional cheese). I love the simplicity of the salads. The recipes are described in just a handful of sentences; it’s really cooking as an art. I’ve further simplified their #3 Vegan recipe for a cucumber salad.

Directions:

Peel and thinly slice one cucumber, combine with one diced shallot.  Mix together Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. Toss mustard/vinegar mixture over the salad. Done!

Possible add-ins:

cherry tomatoes, cubed tofu, white beans, avocado