Vegan Yum Yum (37 page)
Black pepper, to taste
Optional add-ins:
1 small handful fresh basil
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for heat
1 cup baby spinach or other greens
Roasted Cauliflower and Wilted Spinach Salad
W
e love pasta salads in the summer, but the ingredients in this pasta salad make it perfect any time of the year. This travels well, so bring it along to potlucks, picnics, or pack it up for lunch at work. You can use kalamata olives, too, instead of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Roasted Cauliflower and Wilted Spinach Salad
Makes 4 servings
step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 ºF and put a pot of salted water on to boil.
step 2
Place the cauliflower in a baking pan in one layer. Add the olive oil, dried herbs, salt, and pepper and toss with the cauliflower. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes until just beginning to brown and fork-tender, but
not
mushy. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 1 to 3 minutes until nicely colored.
step 3
Cook the pasta, then drain and rinse in cool water. Toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking, if not using immediately.
step 4
Place the spinach in a large bowl. Dump the hot cauliflower on top of the spinach and gently toss. Set aside and let the heat from the cauliflower wilt the spinach. Add the pasta on top.
step 5
Add the tomatoes and vinegar and toss well. Add more olive oil if needed. Season to taste with more salt/pepper and vinegarâuntil the flavors really popâand then serve.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
¼ cup olive oil
½ tablespoon dried herbs of your choice
(basil, marjoram, oregano, and thyme work well)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste
3 cups penne pasta
4 cups baby spinach
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
(more if needed)
Seven Spice Udon
I
invented this dish one night when I was looking for a midnight snack. It's best with the dry udon noodles that come in packs of five-noodle bundles. Pan-frying them in a nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet gives the noodles a nice crunchy texture here and there, but the real secret is the spice mix. Use Shichimi Togarashi (aka Japanese Seven Spice) generously on these noodles. The mixture varies depending on the brand, but mine contains orange peel, black, white, and toasted sesame seeds, cayenne pepper, ginger, poppy seeds, Szechuan pepper, and nori (seaweed). You can mix your own if you can find all the ingredients (the orange peel is key!), but it'll be far easier and far less expensive to purchase a bottle at a local Asian grocer or online.
Seven Spice Udon
Makes 2 servings
step 1
Cook udon noodles in boiling, salted water for 4 minutes, or for as long as the package directs. Rinse with cool water and coat very lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
step 2
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a nonstick sauté pan and cook the shredded Brussels sprouts and carrots with ¼ teaspoon Seven Spice until just tender, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
step 3
In the same nonstick pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the noodles and let them cook over high heat for several minutes without disturbing them. The noodles should turn golden brown on the bottom and begin to form a noodle pancake. Turn the noodles and add the cooked vegetables, along with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and remaining Seven Spice. Once heated through, with some of the noodles crispy and golden and others soft, serve.
Ingredients
3 small bunches dried udon noodles
2 to 3 tablespoons oil, for cooking
5 Brussels sprouts, shredded
1 large carrot, shredded
1
teaspoons Japanese Seven Spice, split into ¼ and 1½ teaspoon amounts
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
D
uring the summertime, I can't get enough of recipes that use fresh tomatoes and basil. But no matter what time of year, I'm always down with quick recipes. You can make this sauce in the time it takes to boil the pasta, so this simple sauce makes a 9-minute meal that's hard to beat. Cashews are the base of most of my favorite vegan cream sauces because they're very rich tasting and blend easily, allowing you to create a velvety smooth sauce in your blender.
Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Makes 2 servings
step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
step 2
As the pasta is cooking, core the tomato, then roughly chop it. Add it to your blender, seeds, skin, and all. Add the cashews, water, and tomato paste. Blend until very smooth.
step 3
Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, being careful not to burn it.
step 4
Pour the sauce from the blender into the sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Add the salt and let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
step 5
If desired, add the wine or water to thin out the sauce. Taste and season, if necessary. Let it simmer until the pasta is finished cooking.
step 6
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it well. Add the pasta to the sauté pan with the black pepper and freshly chopped basil leaves. Toss it to coat. Serve immediately, garnishing with more pepper and basil.
Ingredients
6 to 8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
1 to 2 large, ripe tomatoes
½ cup raw cashews
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
(optional)
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons wine or water
(optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly cracked, coarse black pepper
1 large handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Apple Strudel
T
his dessert is super easy to throw together, even at the last minute. Surprisingly, the most common brand of puff pastry sold at the grocery stores is actually vegan. It's not the healthiest puff pastry in the world, but it's definitely vegan, easy to use, and easy to find. Check the freezer section for it; it's sold in sheets that come in a narrow, rectangular box. Keep one in your freezer and you'll always be prepared.
Apple Strudel
Makes 6 servings
step 1
Defrost the puff pastry according to package directions (it takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes to defrost one sheet).
step 2
Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.
step 3
Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and then coat with the dry spice mixture.
