Have you ever tried vegan food? If not, you might have a few misconceptions. You might think eating vegan is super expensive or that the food isn’t very tasty. In my experience, exploring vegan cooking has been really fun and I have found so many amazing recipes with ingredients I usually have in my house. So, here are 3 of my favorites for a whole day of vegan eating.
Breakfast: Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients:
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1 heaping cup organic frozen mixed berries
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1 small ripe banana (sliced and frozen)
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2-3 Tbsp light coconut or almond milk (plus more as needed)
Toppings (some suggestions):
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1 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
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1 Tbsp chia seeds
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Granola
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Fruit
Instructions:
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Add frozen berries and banana to a blender and blend on low until small bits remain (it should kinda look like dippin’ dots)
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Add a bit of coconut or almond milk and blend on low again, scraping down sides as needed, until the mixture reaches a soft serve consistency.
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Scoop into 1-2 serving bowls and top with desired toppings. My favorite toppings are fresh berries, chia seeds, walnuts, and coconut, but you can do anything you want.
Lunch: Kale Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
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1 cup dry quinoa (3 cups cooked)
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1 bunch Tuscan kale (also labeled as Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, or cavolo nero)
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15-ounce can chickpeas
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1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (or red onion or green onion)
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1 bell pepper
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2 carrots
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1/4 cup olive oil
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1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
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1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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1 small pinch curry powder*
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1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
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Make the quinoa: Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package.
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Chop the kale: Sprinkle the kale with 1 pinch of salt. Coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until all pieces are tender.
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Chop the other veggies: Peel and dice the carrots, dice the pepper, and finely chop the onion/shallot.
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Mix the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, curry powder, and grated garlic.
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Mix the salad: Mix the quinoa and vegetables together with the dressing and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and fresh ground pepper.
Dinner: General Tso’s Tofu
Ingredients:
For the general Tso’s tofu
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10 ounces firm tofu (275 g), cubed
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2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
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1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
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6 tbsp cornstarch
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Oil of your choice, I used extra virgin olive oil
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2 cloves of garlic, minced
For the sauce
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3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
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3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, see notes
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3 tbsp vegetable stock or water
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3 tbsp cane, coconut or brown sugar
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1 tbsp cornstarch
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1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions:
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Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish.
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Add the marinade ingredients (2 tbsp of tamari and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar), stir and let rest for at least 5 minutes, preferably overnight.
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Drain the tofu and discard the marinade.
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Transfer 1/3 of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tbsp of cornstarch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with the rest of the tofu cubes and cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed.
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Once the tofu cubes are coated with the cornstarch, heat some oil in a skillet and add the tofu cubes. I used extra virgin olive oil, but any oil will do.
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Cook the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
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Add the garlic to the skillet (add more oil if needed) and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Set aside.
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Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl (tamari or soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, vegetable stock or water, sugar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes). Set aside.
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Add the sauce to the skillet where you had your cooked garlic and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently.
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Finally, add the tofu cubes, stir and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Serve over rice and top with chives or sesame seeds.
Bonus: Vegan Brownies
Ingredients:
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1/4 cup pureed or well-mashed avocado
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1/4 cup avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
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1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
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1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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3/4 cup cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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3/4 cup water (I like to instead use 1/2 cup brewed coffee + 1/4 cup water)
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1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees F). Grease an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pureed avocado and olive oil until smooth.
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Add in the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and water (or coffee + water). Stir until smooth. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
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Pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly throughout the pan. Sprinkle with an additional 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips on top.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (there may be some melted chocolate chips in there). If you overbake, the brownies will have a cake-like texture.
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Remove and let the brownies sit out for at least 20 minutes before serving.
I hope you enjoy these recipes!