Creamy Roasted Garlic Sauce

I originally made this sauce for the cheesy garlic potato breakfast casserole, but my does it have many uses! Toss it with pasta, use it on pizza instead of red sauce, as a dipping sauce for bread, or just eat it with a spoon. Don't be intimidated by roasting the garlic, it's actually very easy and makes for an amazing flavor. This sauce is pretty thick but if you want it thinner just add more water until it's the desired consistency.

Creamy Roasted Garlic Sauce (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 3 hours
5 cloves roasted garlic (see below for how to roast)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbls. white balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt

To roast the garlic, break off 5 cloves and keep the skin on. Cut off a bit at the pointy end of each clove (the part at the top, not the part that is attached to the rest of the head). Wrap all the cloves loosely in tin foil - you can do them all together, you don't have to wrap each one individually - and roast for 20-25 minutes at 350 F. The garlic inside will be very mushy, almost like garlic jelly. Also your kitchen will smell incredible.

Drain and rinse the cashews. Combine all ingredients except for the garlic in a blender. Add the garlic to the mix by squeezing out the mushy clove through the top part that you cut off (or if you're lucky the peel will just come right off and you will have a mushy garlic glove). Discard the skins. Blend until smooth.

Orange Glazed Seitan over Rice

So even though I don't really like Chinese food I created this dish to mimic having Chinese leftovers for breakfast. I actually ate it for breakfast but I think it would make a fine lunch or dinner too. The orange glaze itself is pretty simple to make and would work well on veggies or another meat substitute or just as a sauce for an Asian-inspired meal.

Orange Glazed Seitan over Rice (serves 4)

8 oz. seitan, cut into small pieces
1 cup (dry) rice (I used a combination of brown and wild rice)
1 Tbls. sesame oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. sesame seeds

For the glaze:
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup water
2 Tbls. rice vinegar
2 Tbls. white vinegar
1 Tbls. red miso paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 inch knob fresh ginger, grated

Start cooking the rice according to package directions. Next, combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until the glaze coats the back of a spoon.

When the rice is about 10 minutes away from being done, heat the sesame oil in a large pan. Saute the seitan until it is golden brown. Add the seitan to the glaze and stir to coat. When the rice is done, season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, spoon rice into bowls and make a well in the middle. Add the seitan and garnish with sesame seeds.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

I had cinnamon ice cream once as a child (I think at Cold Stone?) and I'm not sure why this ice cream flavor hasn't really caught on. Maybe it's because we think of cinnamon as a "warm" flavor? Whatever the reason, whip up a batch of this cinnamon ice cream and prepare to have a new favorite flavor. Aaron had the genius idea to top it with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, which I highly recommend. Make sure to use real cinnamon extract, if you use cinnamon "flavoring" it will not be quite so tasty. I had to hunt around but eventually found it at Sur La Table.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

2 cups soy cream
1 cup soy milk, divided
2 Tbls. arrowroot powder.
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. cinnamon extract
Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal for topping (optional)

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of the soy milk and the arrowroot power. Set aside.

In a pot combine the soy cream, remaining 1/2 cup of soy milk, sugar, and ground cinnamon and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and quickly whisk in the arrowroot/soy milk until thickened. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then stir in the cinnamon extract.

Chill the batter in the fridge and make according to your ice cream maker's directions. Top with Cinnamon Toast Crunch and enjoy!

Breakfast Pizza

I totally stole this idea from Whole Foods, because whenever I'm there in the morning they always have these amazing breakfast pizzas with scrambled eggs on top. Aside from the fact that crumbled tofu is commonly used as a vegan scrambled egg substitute, I am also stealing the tofu-on-a-pizza idea from Thai Pizza Cafe. Thai Pizza is a Thai restaurant in St. Louis where you can get all of your standard Americanized Thai fare in a bowl...and also on a pizza. I highly recommend it if you're ever in St. Louis but if not, enjoy this breakfast pizza instead.

Breakfast Pizza (serves 4)

1 package extra firm tofu
1 recipe pizza crust
1/2 recipe pesto
1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces
1/4-1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. seat salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
1 avocado (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Start by pressing the tofu. While it is pressing, preheat your oven to 350 F and start making the pizza crust. While it is rising, chop the zucchini and onions. Combine and set aside. Make the pesto if you have not done so already.

Roll out the pizza crust and bake for a few minutes. While it is baking, crumble the tofu into a bowl and combine with the turmeric, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.

Layer on the pizza the pesto, tofu, zucchini/onion mix, and cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes and cool for a few minutes before slicing. Top with avocado and/or cilantro, if desired.

Seed and Grain Bagels

I made these bagels to take to my grandparents' house last week when Aaron and I went over to announce our upcoming nuptials. Poppy, who loves his bagels, was a huge fan of these - so much that he wanted to keep all but one of the leftovers. Which worked out fine for me, because I ate it on the car ride home. We had them toasted with butter but I also think they'd be amazing with peanut butter or apricot goat cheese spread. If you've never made bagels before don't be intimidated - they take a while to make but they're not difficult.

Seed and Grain Bagels (makes 6)

1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup water
1 Tbls. agave nectar
2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast (1 packet)
2 cups flour
1/4 cup any seed/grain mixture you like (I used 1 Tbls. each of flax seed, chia seed, hemp hearts, and amaranth)
1/2 tsp. wheat gluten
1/2 tsp. salt
Water for boiling
1/4 cup baking soda

Combine the coconut milk and water and heat until warm (not hot!). Stir in the agave nectar, then the yeast, and let sit for about 5 minutes, until bubbly and foamy.

In a large bowl combine the flour, seeds/grains, wheat gluten, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until fully combined, adding a bit more warm water if needed. Knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough forms a ball and is soft and pliable. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 90 minutes.

After rising

Punch the dough to release the gasses. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and form into small balls. Cover with a warm, wet towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

Make the dough into bagel shapes by flattening the ball slightly, sticking your thumb through the middle, and shaping. Cover with a warm wet towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

When there are about 5 minutes of rising time left, bring a large pot of water to boil. I recommend using the deepest pot you have and filling it about halfway with water. Preheat your oven to 350 F.

When the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda. If you add it too fast it will boil over and make an enormous mess over everything in your kitchen (not that I've done that...). Keeping the water at a rolling boil, add the bagels 2 or 3 at a time. Boil for 1 minute, flip, and boil for another minute. Drain the bagels on a wire rack. Repeat until all the bagels have boiled.

Bake the bagels for 20-30 minutes, or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. YUM.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Aaron is almost out of the Italian salad dressing I made him last week so I thought I'd whip up a raspberry vinaigrette next. This is super easy and takes about 3 minutes to make. He is a fan!

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (makes 1 cup)

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 Tbls. each of white vinegar, olive oil, and sugar

If using frozen raspberries microwave them for about a minute to get them a little juicy. If using fresh raspberries, just skip this step. Blend all ingredients together for about 15 seconds until smooth.

Creamy Cheddar Cheese Sauce

I intended for this to be a nacho sauce, which I guess it could be if you made it spicier, but what I ended up with was a not-too-sharp, not-too-mild cheddar cheese sauce. Use it as a dairy-free alternative in any recipes that call for a cheese sauce, or try it atop pasta or vegetables. It is super easy to make - if you can measure ingredients and turn on a blender, you're good to go.

Creamy Cheddar Cheese Sauce (makes 1 1/2 cups)

12 oz. silken tofu
2 Tbls. canola oil
2 Tbls. nutritional yeast
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. brown miso
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Breakfast Bowl #3: Quinoa with Fruit Compote and Cream

After making so many savory things for breakfast lately I thought I'd give my sweet tooth some attention. It was kind of fun to make a vegan sweet cream; just the novelty of it is enough to make me want to cook this again. It's denser than a whipped topping but not quite as rich as a creme fraiche, plus you can adjust the sweetness to your liking.

Breakfast Bowl #3: Quinoa with Fruit Compote and Cream (serves 4)

1/2 cup cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 apples (any kind)
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbls. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
12 oz. silken tofu
1/8 cup non-dairy milk
2 Tbls. agave nectar
1-2 Tbls. powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 Tbls. vegan butter

Make sure the cashews have soaked in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Next, start cooking the quinoa according to package directions.

While the quinoa is cooking, peel and chop the apples into small pieces. Combine in a small pot with the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has mostly turned syrupy (about when the quinoa is done).

While the quinoa and fruit are cooking, make the sweet cream. Drain the cashews and blend with the tofu, milk, agave nectar, and powdered sugar until smooth. Whisk for a few minutes to get it a bit fluffier, and set in the fridge. Also chop and toast the walnuts if you haven't already.

When the quinoa is done, add the butter and fluff with a fork. To assemble the bowls, scoop in quinoa, then the fruit on top, then a dollop of cream. Sprinkle walnuts over the top.

Balsamic Glazed Green Beans and Asparagus

Aaron and I were going to make this dish to bring to our friends' Superbowl party, but alas the poor guy has had the flu for the past week so we stayed at home :(. We don't have cable and can't get reception from our building but luckily I figured out how to stream the game through the Roku so we could watch it on TV. Not that I care about football...but Aaron was happy. I had something that made me just as happy though - this dish!

Balsamic Glazed Green Beans and Asparagus (serves 4-6)

1 bag green beans
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbls. chopped parsley
2 Tbls. slivered almonds
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Start making the balsamic glaze, as I do in this recipe. Next, you will blanche and shock the vegetables. This helps keep them a beautiful green and also preserve their texture.

To do this, get a large pot of water boiling and snap off the ends of the beans and asparagus. Carefully drop them in the boiling water and boil for 1-2 minutes, until they are a vibrant green. While they are boiling, prepare an ice bath (lots of ice + cold water in a large bowl). Transfer the greens to the ice bath and let cool for a minute or two.

Next, transfer the greens to a large baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands and bake for 10-12 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, lightly toast the almonds and chop the parsley. The glaze should be done by the time the veggies are (if it's done first just turn off the stove and let it rest). To serve, drizzle the glaze over the veggies and top with parsley and almonds.

Noodle Kugel

Noodle kugel is the quintessential Jewish food. A rich noodle casserole typically made with egg noodles, you can make it savory or sweet. Aaron's mom makes a savory one and since it's loaded with egg and dairy products, I've never tasted it. But everyone loves it so I took it upon myself to veganize it. Aaron's verdict was that it was very good and that the biggest difference between this one and his mom's was the noodles. So score for the vegan dairy/egg substitutions! Make it sweet if you want by adding sugar, raisins, and cinnamon before baking it.

Noodle Kugel (serves 6-8)

For the noodles:
1 lb. rombi pasta (you can use any kind you want, but this is the closest in shape to egg noodles)
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
Extra solid vegan butter for buttering the pan

For the "cottage cheese":
1/2 block firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbls. agave nectar

For the "eggs" and "sour cream":*
2 tsp. unsweetened soy milk
1 Tbls. + 1 tsp. cold water
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube (I use Edward & Sons)
1/2 cup tofu (use silken if you have it, otherwise just use what's leftover from your block of tofu you used for the cottage cheese)
1/4 tsp. turmeric
Heaping 1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbls. nutritional yeast
1/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for several hours
3/8 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

*Because you need to blend ingredients to mimic both the eggs and the sour cream, when doing it vegan it's easiest just to make them together. They're added at the same time to the recipe, which is fortunate for minimizing the blender work you have to do!

To start, get the tofu pressing for the cottage cheese ONLY, don't press what you will use for the eggs and sour cream. While it is pressing, make the "eggs and sour cream." Heat the soy milk and water in a small bowl and stir in the vegetable bouillon to dissolve. It's okay if it doesn't dissolve completely, but do the best you can.

Blend together the soy milk mixture with the tofu until creamy. Then blend in the rest of the ingredients, draining and rinsing the cashews before using. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and start boiling the pasta water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, make the "cottage cheese" by crumbling the tofu into a bowl and mixing in the other ingredients with your hands. Set aside.

Combine the melted butter, applesauce, and 1/4 tsp. of sea salt together. Drain the noodles and toss with the mixture. Stir in the "eggs and sour cream" and "cottage cheese."

Butter a large baking dish and pour in the noodle mixture. Pour the soy milk over the top. Cover in foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 30 more minutes. Slice and serve.

Drop Biscuits

Aaron loves to bake his own biscuits. He's tweaked this recipe a bit to get it just right, and man are they tasty. We like them fresh out of the oven topped with vegan butter. In the time between making this recipe and posting about it we have eaten them all...guess it's time to bake some more.

Drop Biscuits (makes 4)

1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. butter-flavored Crisco
Vegan butter (for serving, optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a small bowl combine the soy milk and the lemon juice and let rest for at least 5 minutes. It will curdle and become like buttermilk.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the Crisco using a fork (fork in the Crisco?).

Pour the milk into the large bowl and mix. Drop 4 heaps of batter onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve fresh topped with butter.

Just realized this picture came out blurry...

Breakfast Bowl #2: Meat n' Potatoes

Not real meat and potatoes. (Okay, real potatoes. Fake meat.) In vegan cooking there are two general camps: Food that tries to emulate the Standard American Diet, and food that embraces veganism in all of its plant-based glory. I like to dabble in both, and this dish definitely belongs to the former. If you're a vegan skeptic who simply cannot imagine a meal without an animal, this is for you. Aaron said it somewhat tasted like steak but that regardless, it was really tasty. Plan ahead because the "meat" needs to be marinated overnight.

Meat n' Potatoes Breakfast Bowl (makes 4 servings)

1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos/tamari/soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbls. nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1 Tbls. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbls. ketchup
1 Tbls. grape jelly
8 oz. seitan
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium russet potato
Salt and pepper
Canola oil
1 avocado (optional)

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a medium sized tupperware to make the marinade. Tear or cut the seitan into small chunks and marinate in the fridge overnight.

When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 F. Wash and peel the potatoes, if desired, and chop into small pieces. Toss in a large baking pan with canola oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes or until fork-tender, stirring occasionally.

About 15 minutes before the potatoes are done, heat a drizzle of canola oil in a large pan. Add the seitan and the remaining marinade and cook on medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened to fully coat the seitan.

Combine the seitan with the potatoes and top with sliced avocado (optional).