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Edamame Flavored Tofu Dumplings

27 Dec

In between the holidays and the new year, I tend to get a bit restless and sluggish about cooking. It just seems like the days between Christmas and the New Year are made for lazing about and not really doing anything. But I am always in the mood for dumplings, especially when they are light and fresh and come in a crispy rice paper wrapper. With a bit of leftover veggies and a box of shelf stable Mori-Nu Silken Tofu from the pantry, these come together so quickly, and without the hassle of folding dumpling wrappers. The wrapping method for the rice paper dumplings is very similar to how you would fold a burrito, just pull all the sides in fold until you have a small packet to cook. Since the rice paper wrappers are already moistened before wrapping, there’s no need to add water into the pan to steam the dumplings, simply crisp and enjoy!

I had seen multiple versions of these rice paper dumplings making the rounds on social media, but when I saw Mori-Nu Silken Tofu released a new bunch of flavors (Yuzu AND Edamame) I knew they would be a perfect addition to these. The pop of green from the edamame-flavored tofu is gorgeous and the flavor compliments the shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce perfectly. If you would like to substitute, I’d recommend using the Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Extra Firm.

You can add in as many vegetables as you like to this-it’s a very versatile way to use up leftovers from veggie platters and vegetables that didn’t quite make the cut for your charcuterie board. If these dumplings don’t strike your fancy, I’d be happy to recommend trying my mapo tofu dumplings.

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Sticky Eggplant

10 Aug

Some sticky icky eggplant in my chopsticks, to go alongside my platter of sushi, because why not have both?

I saw a similar recipe to this on Instagram a few weeks ago and obviously had to make my own version. I’ve been well stocked on eggplant all summer thanks to the Old Capitol Farmer’s Market in my town and all the wonderful farmers who bring their produce out.


How many other things in your life do you limit to one or the other, when instead, you could just have both? Like sushi and eggplant. Both of my favorite things. But I never enjoy them together!


The eggplant is simply cooked in a large cast iron skillet with some oil and water until its fully steamed and a bit charred. Then it’s topped with sauce and cilantro and sesame seeds and it’s ready for consumption. I like to serve this with rice or rice noodles, or simply by itself. Let me know if you give it a try!

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Tofu Omelet

8 Aug

Every time I’m at a hotel, I wish there was a totally vegan breakfast buffet. Does this exist somewhere? My favorite thing is the folded omelets in the steamer trays. Something about the perfectly sized bits of yellow is so enticing. I’ve been spending a lot of time cooking up breakfasts on weekends and these omelets have become one of my favorites, since it’s so quick to throw together and very little clean up!

I’ve been obsessed with the recipe for tofu eggs from Post Punk Kitchen, which is what inspired this omelet recipe.  This is such an easy breakfast with some pantry ingredients-you can absolutely put anything you want in it. My favorite options include spinach, tomatoes, peppers, black beans, any variety of vegan cheeses, or zucchini.

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This recipe starts with blending all the “egg” ingredients in the blender. As I said in my previous post, I’m particular about how my pantry is stocked, but one thing I always have is a case of Mori-Nu Tofu. Not only is it shelf stable, I can use it in multiple dishes, like mapo tofubaked tofu, or in place of the chickpeas in my popular chickwheat shreds. You first need to drain the Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Extra Firm.

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Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend until completely smooth. It will seem like a pale yellow, but it brightens up a lot once cooked!

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The next step is to preheat the oven and grease two pie pans. You could also use cast iron skillets or metal cake pans. Any shallow bakeware will work, but glass seems to let the omelets release the easiest.

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After they’re in the oven, prepare the inner ingredients. Since they won’t spend much time in the oven, they will need to be heated thoroughly beforehand. I chose chicken of the woods mushrooms for these, because I happened to come across them while foraging, but any store bought mushroom will do.

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You’ll be able to tell that the omelets are done after the tops firm up. The color will be much more yellow and vibrant.

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After topping with cheese, veggies, and whatever else you’d like, you should put it back in the oven to melt the cheese. I highly recommend serving these with everything you would find at a breakfast buffet-hashbrowns, waffles, toast, bagels, vegan sausages, and lots of orange juice.

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Greek Chickpeas and Rice

26 Jan

I think there’s something really comforting about a big bowl of beans and rice. There’s so many different variations from different cultures that it’s hard to choose just one to love. Fortunately for me, no one is making me choose. But if I had to, I’d probably pick this dish because I love tangy Greek tomato sauces and creamy chickpeas.

Greek Chickpeas and Rice

This dish is very similar to the spanakorizo I posted a while ago, but without the spinach and a little more flavorful sauce. It’s an awesome meal for the cold days of winter, especially if you’ve recently been sick and have absolutely no appetite for anything but comfort food. Maybe that’s just me. If you want to make it even more authentic, try a few cubes of this delicious vegan feta on top. You won’t regret it.

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Vegan Caramel Turtles

22 Dec Vegan Caramel Turtles

 
I made these turtles as a present for my family last year on Christmas and they requested I make them again this year. And by requested, I mean demanded. But I was happy to oblige because these are delicious and I get to opportunity to taste test them before the big day.
I’m a huge fan of rich, chewy caramel, but it’s hard to find a vegan version that compares to the non-vegan kind. Cocomels are the only ones I’m aware of, although there could be more. I used this same caramel recipe in my birthday dacquoise, but it’s originally from Fork and Beans. If you’ve never made homemade caramel before, here’s a disclaimer: it’s easy to screw up. Trust me, I’ve screwed it up multiple times and I have made this recipe a LOT.

Vegan Caramel Turtles

A few tips for your success include:

  • low and slow is the way to go. Don’t try to heat it too fast, because it will burn to the bottom of your pan and ruin it forever. Not like I’ve had experience with that.
  • use parchment paper in the pan. Aluminum foil and wax paper will not work. You’ll end up peeling them off the caramel while trying to salvage any bits of caramel and it’s just really messy. Seriously, I haven’t done this a few times either.
  • don’t try to use an immersion blender if the emulsion breaks. Caramel is hot. Like over boiling temperature hot. If you stick a blender in it, it’s going to splash onto your arm and burn you. Definitely don’t try this. See the first tip on how to avoid the emulsion breaking.
  • don’t expect it to be as firm as non-vegan caramel. Unless you have a candy thermometer, it might get firmer. I haven’t been able to successfully get it that firm. Let me know if you do.

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Aquafaba Ranch and Tartar Sauce

2 Dec

So apparently I’m a little late to this party, because people have been making mayo with aquafaba since April. Can you believe it’s only been in the past year that aquafaba has been discovered? It seems like I read about it everywhere now!

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While I’m a big fan of Just Mayo by Hampton Creek, I also love to be able to make things from scratch. Tonight we’re having a fish fry with Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Shrimp and Gardein Fishless Filets, so tartar sauce was a must. The ranch? Well, I’m saving it for pizza Friday. I know I’m not the only person who dips pizza in ranch, so stop giving me that weird look. Continue reading

Quiche with VeganEgg by Follow Your Heart

28 Nov Quiche with VeganEgg by Follow Your Heart

I’m still enjoying experimenting with the Follow Your Heart VeganEgg because as I’ve admitted before, I tend to get “committed” (read: obsessed.) It’s been sold out by most retailers, but it should be coming from back to Amazon and Vegan Essentials soon! I’ll be checking regularly with the rest of you, because I know I’m going to run out!
Quiche with VeganEgg by Follow Your Heart

The carton of VeganEgg contains a recipe for quiche florentine, but I wanted to put my own twist on it by using a hashbrown crust and vegan sour cream. This came out even better than my previous tofu quiche texture, and I usually never admit to improvement. I think I could eat this daily for breakfast and never get sick of it. Like a proper Midwesterner, we ate this with ketchup for dipping, because in the Midwest we put ketchup on everything. Or maybe that’s just me and I’m using my location as an excuse. I guess we’ll never know.

Quiche with VeganEgg by Follow Your Heart

I would highly suggest prepping this early by getting your cold water ready, or even preparing your filling and crust the night before if you want to serve it for breakfast.

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Potato Cheese

13 Nov Potato Cheese

A recipe for cheese, made with potatoes. You may have seen my previous post on the infamous potato-carrot cheese. I’ve also used agar to make that same recipe into slices. Well, it was an obvious jump to try to make a mozzarella version. This version does use kappa carrageenan as a binder, but you can easily omit it if you want a melt. I haven’t tested it with agar powder, but I’m sure it would work if you activated the agar in water before pouring the rest of the mixture in.

Potato Cheese-Vegan | Avocados and Ales

Without further ado…

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Aquafaba Cheddar

3 Nov Aquafaba Cheddar

“But how do you live without cheese!”

If you’re vegan (or lactose intolerant) you’ve probably heard that at least once, or a thousand times. Thankfully, there’s been some really amazing vegan chefs who have made our cheeseless existence quite tolerable. Miyoko Schinner, Jay Astafa, Somer McGowan, and Skye Michael Conroy, have all taught me some valuable tips on vegan-cheese making. I actually took the inspiration from this from Richa Hingle at Vegan Richa.  Her vegan cheddar cheese ball came across my feed around Halloween and I knew the flavors would be perfect for an adaptation of my mozzerella aquafaba cheese. The original recipe that I drew inspiration from for the cashew mozzarella was developed by Jay Astafa. You can watch the YouTube video here. I noticed he uses soy lecithin as an emulsifier, which aquafaba has been shown to do in recipes like Nina’s butter and Peanut Butter and Vegan’s mayo. This inspired me to make the cashew mozzarella using aquafaba as the emulsifier.
Aquafaba Cheddar

Vegan cheese doesn’t create casein protein strands like dairy cheeses do, which is why we use tapioca starch to create that stretchy texture. Some places may have it labeled at tapioca flour, but they should be interchangeable. I find mine at an international market for a cheaper price. I use vegan lactic acid powder to create that dairy-like tang in this recipe. It’s definitely worth the purchase, but if you cannot buy it, substitute a tablespoon of lemon juice instead. Since cheddar has a significant tang to it, I include apple cider vinegar as well as miso paste. Nutritional yeast also adds to the cheesy flavor. Refined coconut oil helps with firmness upon refrigeration and improves the mouthfeel and melt.

Most vegan cheeses use either agar or kappa carrageenan as a binder to be sliceable and shreddable. I choose to use kappa carrageenan, as I prefer the melt and mouthfeel it imparts. I am well aware that many people choose not to consume it and I completely respect that; this recipe may be possible with agar powder, but I have not tested it. If you do test it, please contact me with your results!

Aquafaba Cheddar

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other vegan cheese recipes:
Cheddar Cheese Ball
Another Cheddar Cheese Ball
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Cultured Cheddar

The Vegan Meringue group on is a great place for more aquafaba recipes as well.

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Vegan Tiramisu Macarons

1 Nov Vegan Tiramisu Macarons

Inspiration comes in the strangest places sometimes. I saw this recipe for vegan tiramisu last week and though it was gorgeous, and immediately wanted to make tiramisu macarons. Like most things in my life, it took about 3 days before I was actually able to make the attempt. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to infuse coffee liqueur into the shells, so I would suggest eating these with a shot of Kahlua.

Vegan Tiramisu Macarons
Since today is World Vegan Day, it seemed like a good day to share the recipe. I’m actually going to be bringing these to a work potluck later, and I’m sure they’re going to be well received! Who can resist chocolate, coffee, and buttercream!?
Vegan Tiramisu Macarons

As always, I have Charis at Floral Frosting, to thank for the macaron recipe. You also should take a look at the Vegan Meringue Facebook group for more amazing recipes. If you have trouble with the directions, try reading my troubleshooting guide for a little more in depth description.

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