Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

2 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli noodles
4 ounces (1/4 of a 16-ounce block) extra-firm tofu, pressed and sliced into strips
5 round rice paper wrappers
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage

Peanut Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons water

Method

1. For the peanut dipping sauce, in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for water and whisk until blended. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dippable sauce consistency is achieved. Set aside.
2. For the spring rolls, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to prevent sticking, and place in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.
3. Clear a clean, flat work surface (such as a large cutting board). Fill a large bowl with warm water. Working one at a time, dip rice paper into water and submerge completely for about 5 seconds to soften. Don’t leave in water too long or it will tear easily. Remove from water, and transfer to work surface.
4. In the center of 1 wrapper, lay horizontally a small amount of vermicelli noodles, tofu, red bell pepper slices, shredded carrots, yellow bell pepper slices, mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and shredded purple cabbage. Leave at least 1-1/2 inches on all four sides bare for wrapping.
5. To wrap spring roll, fold two opposite sides of wrap over fillings to create closed ends of roll. Then, starting from vermicelli noodle end, use both hands to fold rice paper over noodles and begin to tightly roll rice paper and fillings into a tube-shaped spring roll, being careful not to tear rice paper. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers and fillings. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The Friendly Vegan Cookbook

Mediterranean-style Tofu Balls and Vegetables in Sauce

Ingredients

1 pack medium-firm tofu
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1-1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
50 g panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper
1 courgette
1 (400 g) can chopped tomatoes
200 ml vegan red wine
potatoes roasted with rosemary and garlic or pasta to serve

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 200°C.
2. Place tofu, chopped onion, 2 peeled and roughly chopped garlic cloves, half the oregano and the breadcrumbs in a food processor and blitz to make a thick paste. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. To make the balls roll the mixture in your hands to the size of ping pong balls about 1 inch in size.
4. Place the rolled balls into a roasting pan coated with the oil. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes until the balls have browned a little.
5. Dice the pepper and courgette and add to the roasting pan along with the remaining 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, and the remaining oregano. Mix together and roast for another 10 minutes then add the red wine and put back into the oven for a further 10 minutes to reduce down.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Mix gently being careful not to break the balls.
7. Put back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until bubbling and the balls are a nice rich colour.
8. Serve with potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary or your favourite pasta.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Vegan Food and Living

Pickled Green Sandwich

Ingredients

3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup thinly sliced leek
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1/3 cup basil
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
1 large avocado, thinly sliced
8 slices whole grain or gluten-free bread, toasted
4 cups baby greens
1 cup sliced cucumber
2 (7-1/2 oz) pkgs smoked tofu, sliced in half lengthwise

Method

1. In medium saucepan, bring vinegar, 3/4 cup water, honey, salt, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes to a boil. Cook until honey and salt have dissolved.
2. Place onion and leek in bowl, cover with vinegar mixture, and let sit for at least 2 hours. Refrigerate tightly for up to 2 weeks.
3. In a blender, place mayo, yogurt, basil, chives, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, and puree until smooth.
4. Divide and smash avocado on 4 slices of toasted bread. Arrange greens and cucumbers over avocado. Top with tofu and pile on pickled veggies.
5. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with basil sauce and place on sandwich sauce side down. Slice sandwiches in half to serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Alive magazine

Deconstructed Vegan Pecan Pie

Ingredients

Pie Crackers
olive oil cooking spray
3 sheets phyllo dough (12″X16″)
1 cup maple sugar

Pecan Pie Filling

5 tablespoons vegan butter
3/4 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cups maple syrup
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 ounces extra firm silken tofu
2 cups pecans (toasted, roughly chopped)

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 (15 ounce) can full fat coconut milk (chilled overnight)
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. To toast the pecans, in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add pecans in a single layer. Cook until toasted and fragrant, tossing occasionally to avoid burning, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Chopped the pecan and set aside.
2. To make the Pie Crackers, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
3. Place one sheet of phyllo down, spray evenly with olive oil spray and evenly sprinkle 1/3 of the maple sugar over the top. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/3 of remaining maple sugar. Top the 2 layers with the last sheet of phyllo and spray with olive oil and sprinkle the rest of the maple sugar evenly on top.
4. Cut the phyllo into 3×4-inch rectangles and place on the prepared baking sheet, you should have 16 squares.
5. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the squares and a baking sheet on top to weigh down the squares. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
6. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, and allow crackers to cool.
7. Reduce temperature of the oven to 350ºF.
8. Make the Pecan Pie Filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the vegan butter, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking for 2 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla extract, vinegar and salt and set aside.
9. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, add the tofu and pulse until smooth. Add the maple syrup mixture to the tofu until combined. Remove filling to a large bowl and stir in the chopped pecans.
10. Place six 4-ounce ramekins in a large deep roasting pan. Divide the pecan pie filling between the ramekins.
11. Place the roasting pan in the center of the oven and before closing the door, create a water bath by slowly filling the roasting pan with water so it comes about halfway up the side of the ramekins.
12. Bake at 350ºF until the edges of the pie filling is set and the center has a slight jiggle to it, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
13. Make the Coconut Whipped Cream. Remove the can of coconut milk that has been chilling in the refrigerator overnight and scrape the coconut cream that has risen to the top of the can and remove to a large chilled bowl.
14. Whisk the coconut cream until soft peaks form and add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk until medium peaks form.
15. To serve, top each ramekin with a dollop of coconut whipped cream. Serve with pie crackers on the side.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Chef Carla Hall

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Tart

Ingredients

1 cup of ground oats
3/4 cup of ground almond
1/3 cup of wheat or spelt flour
3 tbsp of coconut oil
2 tbsp of runny tahini
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of dried thyme
3 tbsp or more of cold water

Filling

130 g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 block (280 g) firm tofu
2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
1 tsp of chopped sage
few sprigs of fresh thyme
1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg
2 cups of butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small cubes
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of unsweetened plant milk
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 180ºC. Spread the butternut squash cubes into a baking tray. Drizzle with some salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until soft. Then remove and set aside.
2. Make the crust: Add the oat flour, ground almond, salt, dried thyme, and wheat flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add in the coconut oil, tahini, and water. Start mixing with a spoon and then carry on with your hands. Mix everything together until you have a fairly sticky dough when pressed between your fingers. Add a dash more of water if needed.
3. With some extra coconut oil grease a quiche/tart pan. Spread the dough around the tin and with your hands pack the dough all the way around the edges. Use a fork to pierce the base of the tart (to prevent from puffing up while baking) and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil to a large frying-pan. Once hot add the chopped onion, cook for 5-8 minutes until it starts to brown and caramelize.
5. Mix in the garlic, thyme leaves, sage, and ground nutmeg and cook for another minute.
6. Remove the onion mixture from the pan and add it to a food processor together with the tofu. Add the plant milk and blitz until you have a ‘ricotta’ cheese kind of texture.
7. Heat the pan and add the mushrooms and soy sauce. Cook on medium heat until all the water from the mushrooms has evaporated and they are soft but not soggy.
8. Pour the tofu mixture into a bowl and fold in the cooked mushrooms and roasted butternut squash cubes. Mix to combine.
9. Spread the filling mixture onto the tart base. Spread evenly until the tart pan is full. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until the tofu is set and slightly browned.
10. Remove from the oven and let it cool down slightly for 5 minutes. The tart is delicious as it is or you can decorate it with some extra cooked mushrooms, roasted baby carrots, and pomegranate seeds.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Source: Plant-based News