Vegan Apple Crisp

Dennis and I usually kick off Autumn with a trip to Warwick, New York, for a day of apple picking, wine tasting, and farm stand hopping. I start looking forward to it probably around mid-July, and I start thinking of all of the fall treats I'm going to make with the bounty we bring home. Should I make caramel apples? There will definitely be apple oatmeal for breakfast!

Sadly, we're skipping our annual trip this year, but I'm still craving my usually fall apple treats. I mean, fall just doesn’t seem like fall until there’s an apple crisp baking in the oven and the house is full of the scent of the warm fruit mixed with cinnamon.

Sometimes a few apples may get banged up on the way home, with little bruises dotting their skins. Those are the apples I like to use in my crisps. I simply cut the bruised bits away, and use the rest of the apple.

The Difference Between a Crisp and a Crumble

I was recently looking for a vegan crumble recipe online, and all of the recipes that Google fetched for me were actually crisps. They have similar toppings, so I can understand where the confusion comes from, but there is a difference.

A crisp has an oat-based topping (that sometimes also contains nuts), which crisps up when you bake it. The topping on a crumble is a flour-based streusel, which is crumbly. Hence their names! Sometimes oats and nuts are added to crumble toppings, which adds to the confusion.

What You Need

• Apples 
• Cinnamon
• Dried cranberries
• Rolled oats
• Brown rice flour
• Pecans
• Cinnamon
• Maple syrup
• Almond butter

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make Vegan Apple Crisp

This recipe is super easy to make!

• You need a 9x12-inch baking dish at the ready, and you should preheat your oven to 350°
• First you peel, core, and chop your apples.
• Then you mix the apples with the rest of the filling ingredients and place it in your baking dish.
• Next you mix the rolled oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and maple syrup together and then mix in the almond butter. You can use the same bowl that you mixed the filling ingredients in—there's no need to wash it.
• Then you spread the topping mixture on top of the apple filling.
• Finally, you bake your crisp for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is crisp and the apples are tender.

My oven runs hot, so I only need to cook my crisp for 45 minutes.

Troubleshooting Tips

• I don't go crazy peeling my apples. If they have a little bit of skin left on here or there, it's okay.
• A few years ago I picked up a handy tool that both cores and slices apples at the same time, which makes preparing them for this crips easy. If you don't have one (and I doubt you do!), you can just slice the apple away from the core and then cut the slices into bigger chunks.
• If your almond butter has come straight out of the fridge, it might be firm and difficult to add to the topping. You can use a pastry blender, or mix it into the topping with your hands.

The Best Apples for Baking

The best apples for baking include:

• Jonagold
• Honeycrisp
• Fuji
• Granny smith
• Gala
• Breaburn
• Cortland
• Pink lady
• Mutsu
• Winesap

How to Customize Your Apple Crisp

You can easily make this recipe your own!

• Instead of apples, you can use 6 pears. Or you can use a mixture of apples and pears.
• You can use pretty much any flour instead of brown rice flour. Sometimes I'll use whole wheat, if that's all I have on hand. (I don't recommend coconut flour, though.)
• Instead of dried cranberries, you can use raisins or dried blueberries.
• You can use cashew butter in the place of almond butter. Sun butter can be used if you have an nut allergy.
• Chopped walnuts or almonds can be used in the place of pecans. To make it nut free, you can use pumpkin seeds.

Serving Your Apple Crisp

Of course, a crisp is excellent for dessert, but I've been known to have it for breakfast too, since it's made with fruit and oats.

Serve your crisp warm. I like to top mine with a scoop of nondairy vanilla ice cream or a dollop of vanilla cashew cream.

Apple Crisp

Dianne

Vegan apple crisp is the quintessential fall dessert! It makes a great breakfast, too!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 483 kcal

Ingredients

  

Filling

• 6 medium apples peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (approximately 12 cups)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon brown rice flour

Topping

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup almond butter

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Place the apples in a large bowl and gently fold in the syrup, cinnamon, cranberries and flour. Spread the mixture out in a 9” x 12” casserole dish.
• To make the topping, mix together the oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon and syrup in the same bowl. Cut the nut butter into the mixture using a pastry blender or your hands.
• Carefully spread the topping over the apples
• Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until the apples are fork tender. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

More apple recipes you might enjoy include:

• Date Sweetened Caramel Apples
• Apple Pie Smoothie
• Vegan Cheese and Apple Tarts
• Cinnamon Oatmeal Baked Apples

The post Healthy Vegan Apple Crisp appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Red Curry Green Beans

I’m not sure what’s going on with me lately, but I’ve been craving Thai food. I just love the combination of spices, lime juice, and peanuts that are so prevalent in Thai cooking. After enjoying my Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls recently, I found myself with a hankering for something with Thai curry paste. Red Curry Beans to the rescue!

Red Curry Green Beans are traditionally served as a side dish. I don’t often make main and side dishes for dinner – I usually make one big pile of something like a stir-fry or pasta dish. So I've made this recipe a main by adding in tofu, which is not traditional to the original dish. I wanted to make the dish heartier than a side would be, and I also wanted to give it a little boost of protein.

What You Need

• Green beans
• Extra firm tofu
• Peanut oil
• Tamari
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Red curry paste 
• Vegetable stock
• Lime juice
• 
Kaffir lime leaves
• 
Agave
• Red pepper flakes
• Sea salt
• Thai hot pepper
• Scallions
• Crushed peanuts

See the recipe card for exact amounts

How to make Thai Red Curry Green Beans

This dish comes together super quickly, so it’s handy to have all of your ingredients prepped before you start cooking.

• First you blanch the green beans, which will cut down on their cooking time.
• You can start cooking the tofu while the water for the green beans is boiling to cut back on cooking time a little. Remove the tofu from the pan when it's done, so you can use the same pan for the garlic and ginger.
• Once the green beans are ready, you cook the garlic and ginger along with the red curry paste or a few minutes.
• Next you add everything else to the pan, including the cooked tofu. Just cook for a few more minutes and dinner is ready!

How to Serve your Red Curry Green Beans

Serve your green beans with cooked brown rice or rice noodles.

Kaffir Lime Leaves

Kaffir lime leaves can be little difficult to find. I found them sliced and preserved in salt water in a jar in the Asian section of my local Whole Foods, right next to the curry paste. I’ve also found them dry in the spice section of Fairway Market. I’ve yet to find them fresh anywhere.

Red Curry Paste

Make sure you read the ingredients of your red curry paste to make sure it doesn’t contain fish. I recently made the mistake of buying a jar without checking the ingredients and didn’t realize until I started cooking with it than it wasn’t vegan. I like Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste. (Be careful though, because their Roasted Red Chili Paste contains anchovies and shrimp!)

Thai-Style Red Curry Green Beans

Dianne

Spicy Thai-style Red Curry Green Beans is the perfect quick and easy dinner!

This recipe serves 2 people as a main dish or 4 people as a side dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Servings 2 servings

Calories 591 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound green beans trimmed and chopped
• ½ block extra firm tofu cut into small, half-inch dice (7 ounces)
• 4 teaspoons peanut oil divided
• 4 teaspoons tamari divided
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger minced
• 3 tablespoons red curry paste
• ¼ cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime leaves drained, or 4 leaves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon agave
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Thai hot pepper thinly sliced
• 2 scallions sliced
• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and have a large bowl of ice water ready. Cook the green beans in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove them from pot with a slotted spoon and place them in the ice water to keep them from cooking. After a few minutes, remove them from the ice water and set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil and 2 teaspoons of tamari in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu to the oil and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes per side, until each side is lightly golden. Remove the tofu from heat and set aside.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the rest of the oil to the pan along with the garlic and ginger and cook until translucent and fragrant, about two or three minutes.
• Add the red curry paste and mix with the ginger and garlic. Cook for about a minute.
• Add the rest of the tamari, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, stock, agave, red pepper flakes, and salt to the pan. Stir and mix well.
• Increase the heat to medium-high again. Add the green beans and tofu to the pan and toss to coat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender.
• Serve hot, topped with the scallions, crushed peanuts, and pepper slices. Serve with cooked brown rice.

Other Thai-style recipes you might enjoy include:

• Thai-Style Cauliflower Steak
• Thai Noodle Salad
• Coconut Tempeh with Pineapple Salsa
• Tempeh Lettuce Wraps
• Sweet Potato Curry
• Coconut Curry Soup

Other green bean recipes you might enjoy include:

• Green Bean Casserole
• Thai Green Curry
• Plant Based Niçoise-Style Potato Salad from Gluten-Free Vegan Cooking in Your Instant Pot by Kathy Hester
• Slow Cooker Curry

The post Thai Inspired Red Curry Green Beans appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Growing up, I ate very little fresh produce. Almost everything came from a can, box, or bag. Even potatoes were canned! The only fresh vegetables I can remember are iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. I didn’t know anything different, so I didn’t mind, and I liked most of them.

Broccoli was my favorite though. My mom would make broccoli with cheese sauce, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m pretty sure the only reason I liked it so much was because the broccoli was acting as a vehicle for the cheese, but hey, it got me to eat my greens. And broccoli is still my favorite vegetable.

Vegan Cheese Sauce

The cheese sauce I grew up eating came in powdered from a packet. Just add water for instant flavor! I don’t trust too many foods that come from packets these days, and I make my own cheese sauce. I often make it with just cashews, but I’ve found that sauces are a great way to hide extra veggies, so I sometimes make it with carrots and cauliflower, as I did here.

What You Need

• Carrot
• Sweet potato
• Cauliflower
• Onion
• Nutritional yeast
• Raw cashews
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Sea salt
• Olive oil
• Broccoli

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

• First you place the carrots, onion, sweet potato, and cauliflower in a large pot, and fill it with enough water to cover the vegetables plus about two inches.
• Next you bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender.
• Then you drain the vegetables and save the water. You should allow the vegetables to cool slightly.
• You place the vegetables in a high-speed blender or food processor along with the nutritional yeast, cashews, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and 1 cup of the reserved cooking water. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You can add a little more water if the mixture is too thick. Keep in mind that it will thicken when it’s heated.
• Now, you cook the broccoli in the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, until the broccoli turns bright green. If the broccoli starts to stick to the pan, you can add some of the reserved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time.
• Finally, you lower the heat to medium, add the cheese sauce to the pan, and cook until it’s warmed throughout and has thickened slightly. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little more of the reserved cooking water. 

Raw Cashews

"Raw" cashews aren't actually raw, because the needed to be processed with heat in order to remove them from their shells. When buying cashews, look for the unroasted and unsalted kind.

Raw cashews are soft, and they have a mild flavor. Roasted cashews aren’t as soft, and they will give your recipe a roasted, almost burnt flavor.

Serving Your Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce is a great side dish that can be served with anything from baked tofu and rice pilaf to lentil loaf and roasted potatoes.

It’s a terrific topper for a baked potato, too. It's great with pasta, as well.

Throw in a can of chickpeas and serve it over brown rice or pasta to make it a complete meal.

You may have some cheese sauce leftover. It’s great on tacos, tofu scrambles, nachos, veggie burgers, and pretty much anything else you can think of!

Vegan Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Dianne Wenz

This Broccoli with Cheese Sauce is a veganzied version of one of my childhood favorites. No one will ever guess that there are extra veggies hidden this dish!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 105 kcal

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup chopped carrot chopped
• 1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potato
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup raw cashews soaked for 2 hours, drained and rinsed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 bunches broccoli cut to bite-sized pieces (about 6 or 7 cups)

Instructions

 

• Place the carrots, onion, sweet potato, and cauliflower in a large pot. Fill it with enough water to cover the vegetables plus about two inches.
• Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender.
• Drain the vegetables and save the water. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly and then place them in a high-speed blender or food processor along with the nutritional yeast, cashews, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, onion powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking water and blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick. Keep in mind that it will thicken when it’s heated.
• In a large pan over medium-high heat, place the olive oil and broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli turns bright green. If it starts to stick to the pan, add some of the reserved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time.
• Lower the heat to medium, add the cheese sauce to the pan, and cook until it’s warmed throughout and has thickened slightly. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little more of the reserved cooking water.

Notes

If you have extra cheese sauce, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

More Broccoli Recipes You Might Like Include

• Broccoli and Rice Casserole
• Vegan Broccoli Quiche Cups
• Broccoli Slaw
• Lemon Pepper Soy Curls with Broccoli
• Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce from The Wicked Healthy Cookbook 

The post Vegan Broccoli with Cheese Sauce appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Multigrain Pancakes

It may sound shocking, but I’m not that into pancakes. They get soggy too quickly, and I feel like I’m left with a plate of paste. I often find that I’m super hungry an hour or two later when I have them for breakfast I can handle them in small doses along with something savory, like a little bit of tofu scramble and some hash browns, but I don’t really like to have them as my breakfast main dish.

Dennis, however, loves pancakes. If he had his way, he’d have pancakes for breakfast every day. I’ve caught him making small pancakes for snacks, too.

Dennis’s birthday is Christmas Eve, which is kind of a bad day for birthdays. I always get up early and make him a big breakfast, to give the day a yummy start. In the past, I’ve made Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Sandwiches and Breakfast Pizza.

Last year, because he loves them so much, I made pancakes. Not just any pancakes – vegan Multigrain Pancakes with Almond Butter Drizzle. I served them with fresh fruit, veggie sausages, and slices of cheesy tofu.

This recipe is a vegan adaptation of an omnivore dish I came across in Cooking Light magazine a few years ago.

What You Need

• Almond or soy milk
• Apple cider vinegar
• Rolled oats
• Warm water divided
• Almond butter
• Maple syrup
• Whole wheat flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sea salt
• Ground flaxseeds
• Vanilla extract
• Fresh fruit

See the recipe card for exact amounts

Clabbering Almond Milk

Clabbered almond milk (or soy milk) is the first step in this recipe. Clabbering thickens and curdles milk, giving it a buttermilk-like consistency.

To make clabbered milk, you just need to add vinegar to almond or soy milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It will look curdled, which is what you want. This won't work as well with other non-dairy milks, so make sure you use either almond or soy.

How to Make Multigrain Pancakes

• To make this recipe, first you mix non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar to clabber – it will curdle and sour, giving it the appearance of buttermilk. 
• You then add rolled oats to the milk to mixture to soften them. 
• Then, you mix whole wheat flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, water and ground flaxseeds. 
• You then mix in the oat-milk mixture. 
• Then you cook the batter in a hot pan or griddle, until it cooks up to fluffy pancakes.

Serving Your Pancakes

These multigrain pancakes are topped with fresh fruit and a drizzle that’s made with almond butter, maple syrup, and water. The drizzle is really the star of the recipe!

Recipe Notes

If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can use substitute Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. If you follow a nut-free diet, you can use soy milk and sunbutter.

Multigrain Pancakes with Almond Butter Drizzle

Dianne

Start your day with a stack of vegan Multigrain Pancakes! Serve them with fresh fruit and Almond Butter Drizzle.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 4 pancakes

Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond or soy milk
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ⅔ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons warm water divided
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups fresh fruit

Instructions

 

• Whisk the almond or soy milk together with the apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then combine the clabbered milk with the oats in a medium bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup warm water, almond butter, and maple syrup to make the almond butter drizzle. Whisk until smooth. Set aside until the pancakes are ready.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
• Mix together the remaining 3 tablespoons of warm water and the ground flaxseeds.
• Add the milk–oat mixture, the flax mixture, and the vanilla to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
• Heat a large griddle over medium-high heat. Spoon ½ cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until the edges look dry, about 2 or 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cover the pancakes so they stay hot while the rest are cooking.
• Serve drizzled with the almond butter sauce and garnished with fresh fruit.

Other breakfast recipes you might enjoy include:

• Fruit and Nut Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
• Overnight Oats with Mixed Berries and Chia
• Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits
• Swedish Bagel 

The post Vegan Multigrain Pancakes with Almond Butter Drizzle appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Caramel Apples

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Autumn is my favorite time of year. Growing up, one of the things I always looked forward to during the season was caramel apples. I just loved biting through sweet, chewy caramel to a crisp, tart apple.

When I was young, my mom and I would buy caramel apple kits and make the treats ourselves. The kits came with popsicle sticks and sheets of premade caramel that we would melt over apples. I remember them not tasting as good as store-bought caramel apples, but they were fun to make.

My love for caramel apples followed me throughout my 20s as well. The treat would make its appearance in grocery stores in mid-September, and I would start hoarding them. I don’t remember the brand that made them, but they came three to a pack, and the apples covered in gooey caramel and then rolled in crushed peanuts. They were absolutely snack time perfection. If caramel apples weren’t in stock, I would buy the little tubs of caramel sauce for apple wedge dipping.

And then, at the age of 29, I went vegan. Years went by without any caramel apples. Traditionally, caramel contains milk, so store-bought vegan caramel apples are impossible to find. My autumn snack of choice has become apple slices slathered in crunchy peanut butter. This new snack is reminiscent of my beloved caramel apples since they were covered in peanuts, but they’re not the same thing.

Vegan Caramel Apples

This year, I was determined to recreate the caramel apples from all those years ago in vegan form. When I took the Rouxbe Essential Desserts course a few years ago, I did make a caramel sauce, but it was a little tricky and involved boiling different sweeteners. Dates can be caramel-like in nature though, and I also learned how to make date paste in the course. How about combining date paste and peanut butter for a healthier treat?

The caramel apples of my youth didn’t have a chocolate drizzle, but I’m a firm believer that everything is better with a little chocolate. 

What You Need

• Medjool dates
• Natural peanut butter
• Vanilla extract
• Unsweetened dairy-free milk
• Popsicle sticks or apple sticks
• Apples
• Peanuts
• Non-dairy chocolate chips

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How To Make Vegan Caramel Apples

These vegan caramel apples are super easy to make. Some forethought is required though, as the dates need to be soaked ahead of time.

Once the dates are soft, mix them together with a peanut butter, vanilla extract, and a little dairy-free milk. A high-speed blender or food processor will do the trick. I like to use my Blendtec’s Twister Jar, since it’s works well with thicker blends. Whichever you use, you’ll need to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula a few times, since the mixture will be thick. It will mix up to be pretty smooth and creamy, but don’t worry if it’s not totally smooth – little chunks of dates are okay.

• First you place a popsicle stick or apple stick into each apple.
• Then you spread the peanut butter-date paste mixture on to your apples.
• You then roll them in chopped peaunts.
• Finally you drizzle them with melted chocolate! 
• Place your caramel apples in the fridge to set for about an hour or so.

Medjool Dates

There are two kinds of dates that I often see at the grocery store – medjool and deglet noor. Deglet noor are the most popular, and they’re the ones that are often sold with the name of just “dates.”

Deglet noor dates are small and firm with a sweet flavor. Medjool dates are larger and chewier, with more of a caramel flavor. They’re softer, so they lend themselves well to raw dessert recipes and creams. I like to soak them for about 15 minutes when using them in recipes where they need to be blended. (Make sure you remove the pit!) Because the dates are blended into a paste in this recipe, soak them until they're really soft.  You can leave them soaking overnight in the fridge if needed.

Vegan Chocolate Chips

When buying chocolate chips, make sure you check the ingredients for dairy. Chocolate chips that were once vegan are sneaking milk into the ingredients, so I always check, even if it's a brand I've bought before. I like to use Enjoy Life and Pascha.

Recipe Notes

The amount of Vegan Caramel Apples you end up with will depend on the size of the apples you start with. If your apples are on the larger side, this recipe will make 6 caramel apples. If they’re smaller, you’ll end up with 8 caramel apples.

I like to use granny smith apples in this recipe. Not only do I love their bright green hue, I also love the flavor combination of sweet caramel and tart fruit. Any type of apple can be used, though.

I’ve used peanut butter in my Vegan Caramel Apples recipe, but any nut butter will do. I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure they’re just as tasty with sun butter, too. I’ve used chopped peanuts, but you can use any type of chopped nut. You can even roll them in cacao nibs or toasted coconut flakes.

These Vegan Caramel Apples are super messy – both to make and to eat. But that’s what makes them so much fun! Don’t worry about making them look pretty – just slather them with the caramel, roll them in peanuts, and enjoy!

Storing Your Caramel Apples

Store your apples in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Date-Sweetened Vegan Caramel Apples

Dianne

Date-Sweetened Vegan Caramel Apples are a quintessential autumn treat! They’re covered a caramel-like sauce, dipped in crushed nuts, and then drizzled in melted chocolate. They’re gluten-free and oil-free.

4.20 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8 caramel apples

Calories 413 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates (12-14 dates)
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-4 tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free milk
• 8 popsicle sticks or apple sticks
• 8 green apples
• 1½ cup chopped peanuts
• ½ cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Place the dates in a medium-sized bowl with enough water to cover them. Allow them to soak until they are soft. This will take an hour or two. They can also be left overnight in the fridge.
• Drain the dates, and then place them in a high-speed blender or a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of non-dairy milk. Process until smooth and creamy. Some small chunks of dates are okay. This could take a few minutes, and you may need to stop and scrape down the sides of your blender or food processor a few times. If you’re using a high-speed blender, start on low and then gradually increase the speed to high.
• Place a popsicle stick or apple stick through the stem of each apple and line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a rubber spatula to spread the date mixture on an apple. Then roll it around in the chopped nuts. Place it on the parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining apples.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. (I fill a small saucepan with water and then place another pan that’s about the same size on top. I turn the burner on low and stir constantly.)
• Drizzle the chocolate onto the apples. You can do this with a pipping bag, or you can just drizzle it on using a spoon or fork.
• Place the apples in the fridge to let them set. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Other Apple Treats to Try this Season Include:

• Apple Pie Smoothie
• Vegan Cheese and Apple Tarts
• Apple Pie Oatmeal
• Cinnamon-Oatmeal Baked Apples

The post Date-Sweetened Vegan Caramel Apples appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Vegan Potato Pizza

The first time I had potatoes on pizza was at a restaurant in New York City called Palá Pizza. It was made with non-dairy cheese, very thinly sliced zucchini and potatoes, and rosemary, and it was the most perfect thing I had ever eaten. Palá has since closed, unfortunately. I used to make excuses to be in the area so I could eat there, and I was really sad to see it go.

Peacefood Café, also in New York City, serves a potato pizza as well. Their version is made with mushrooms, potato, pesto, black olives, and arugula. While it doesn’t really taste much like Palá’s, it’s pretty amazing in it’s own right. I love the flavor combination, and I find myself craving it often. Rather than trek back into Manhattan, I’ve recreated the dish at home.

In my version of Peacefood's Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza, I've used arugula pesto, sautéed mushrooms, olives, and thinly sliced potatoes. The pizza is baked and then topped with fresh arugula.

Pizza Dough

While I occasionally do make my own pizza crust, it's so much easier to buy ready-made dough. My local Whole Foods carries a pre-make multi-grain dough that bakes up nice and fluffy, and it's super delicious. For gluten-free pizzas, I like to use Bob's Red Mill's gluten-free mix. This pizza would work well on a cauliflower crust, too.

Slicing Potatoes

My food processor has a slicing blade that cuts potatoes paper thin in a matter of seconds, and I like to use it for this recipe. A mandoline slicer works really well for slicing potatoes, too. If you don't have either, you can slice them thinly for hand. The pizza is baked, and then topped with raw arugula.

The first time I made this pizza, I didn't pre-cook the potatoes, and they tasted a little raw on the finished pie. So now, I toss them in a bit of oil with salt and pepper and then pop them in the oven for a few minutes. It makes a world of difference in their flavor.

What You Need

• Waxy potatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Mushrooms
• Prepared pizza crust
• Kalamata olives
• Red pepper flakes
• Arugula
• Arugula pesto

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to make Your Pizza

• First, slice and roast the potatoes.
• While the potatoes are roasting, you sauté the mushrooms.
• Then, top your prepared pizza crust with pesto, potatoes, mushrooms, and olives.
• Next, bake your pizza for about 10 minutes.
• Finally, top your pizza with fresh arugula, slice, and serve!

Recipe Notes

I like to use my homemade arugula pesto in this recipe. If arugula isn't your thing, you can use spinach pesto, or store-bought dairy-free pesto. I like Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto and Trader Joe's Kale Pesto.

If you like your pizza cheesy, add some non-dairy mozzarella. Myioko’s Kitchen’s Fresh VeganMozz is my favorite vegan mozzarella, but Follow Your Heart, Daiya, and Violife also have great cheeses.

If you want to try your hand at making your own vegan cheese, try Somer McCowan’s Moxarella Cheese. I also have a vegan Mozzarella recipe in my cookbook Eating Vegan.

Peaceful Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza

Dianne

Pesto, potatoes, and arugula come together deliciously in this Peaceful Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza, which was inspired by a dish from Peacefood Cafe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 slices

Calories 59 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the Pizza

• 2 medium-sized waxy potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
• 1 teaspoon sea salt divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 5 ounces white button or crimini mushrooms sliced (about 5 or 6 mushrooms)
• Prepared 12”-15” pizza crust
• ¼ cup kalamata olives sliced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups arugula tightly packed
• 1 recipe Arugula Pesto

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Thinly slice the potatoes. If you have a mandolin or a slicing blade for your food processor, it will work great for this. If not, carefully cut the potatoes into slices that are about ¼” thick with a sharp knife.
• In a medium bowl, toss the potato slices in 1 teaspoon of oil, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, and the black pepper. Line the slices on the prepared baking sheet so that none are overlapping, and bake for 10 minutes, until they brown slightly.
• While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining oil a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and the rest of the salt, and cook until the mushrooms brown and release their liquid, about 10 minutes.
• To make the pizza, spread the pesto over the crust, leaving about an inch around the edges. Layer the potato slices on top of the pesto, then add the mushrooms, olives, and the red pepper flakes. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the arugula. Slice and serve hot.

More Pizza Recipes You Might enjoy include

• Kale and Sweet Potato Pizza
• Vegan Metro Pizza
• Green and White Pizza
• Breakfast Pizza

The post Vegan Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce

August has been a busy month for me so far, so I've been making quick and easy meals. Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce comes together in a matter of minutes, so it's been perfect for dinner on hectic weeknights.

I’ve had broccoli in black bean sauce many of times, but I’ve never had it likes this. This recipe calls for fermented black beans, rather than the black bean paste that’s traditionally used. I didn’t have time to run to the nearest Asian grocery store to pick them up, but fortunately, Amazon has them. I had never had them prior to buying them for this dish, and I was surprised by their bold, salty flavor.

This dish was much better than any takeout I’ve ever had, and it came together much more quickly than waiting for delivery!

What You Need

• Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• Tamari or soy sauce
• Agave or other sweetener
• Sambal oelek or thinly sliced fresh chiles
• Toasted sesame oil
• Ground white or black pepper
• Cornstarch
• Peanut oil
• White onion 
• Fermented black beans 
• Garlic 
• Ginger 
• Dried red chiles 
• Broccoli 
• Water chestnuts 
• Vegetable stock

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

Fermented Black Beans

You can find fermented black beans in the Asian aisle in some well-stocked grocery stores. They can also be found in Asian grocery stores and on Amazon.

How to Make Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce

This recipe is super easy to make!

• First you whisk together the sauce ingredients.
• Then you heat the oil in a large wok or pan.
• Next you add the onion and cook it about 30 seconds
• Now you add the black beans, garlic, ginger, and dried chiles and cook them for another 30 seconds.
• You add the broccoli and water chestnuts to the pan next and cook them for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Add ¼ cup of vegetable stock and cook for another 15 seconds or so.
• Finally, you add the sauce to the pan and cook for another minute or so, or until it thickens.

Recipe Notes

I don't like water chestnuts, so I left them out, which makes me think that you can easily adapt this recipe to suite your tastes.

If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure you use tamari, rather than soy sauce.

Serving Your Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce

The recipe says it serves four as small plates, but we added some rice, and we got two full servings out of it. You can also add some baked tofu, to give it a little more oomph.

Rouxbe Plant-Based Pro

I taught myself to cook out of necessity when I went vegetarian in the early 90s, because my mom’s idea of vegetarian food was a bag of frozen cubed carrots, corn, and peas that had been heated in the microwave. I bought a couple of cookbooks, subscribed to Vegetarian Times, and hit the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve taken a few cooking classes here and there, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I formally trained as a plant-based chef in the Rouxbe Plant-Based Professional Course, which was developed by Chad Sarno. I learned tons in the class, and I developed a lot of confidence in the kitchen.

The Wicked Healthy Cookbook

If you don’t have time to take the Rouxbe course, you can learn to cook with Chad, his brother Derek, and David Joachim with their new book The Wicked Healthy Cookbook.

The Wicked Healthy Cookbook crushes any stereotypes that vegan food is bland or tastes like dirt, and it elevates to the level of gourmet cuisine. This book will teach you how to cook healthy food that’s full of flavor and will have even hard-core omnivores coming back for seconds.

The recipes in The Wicked Healthy Cookbook vary from easy-to-make dishes like this Broccoli with Fermented Black Bean Sauce to more elaborate fare, such as Banana Blossom with Coconut and Chile or Niçoise Salad with Plant-Based Eggs and Olive Dirt. If you’re new to vegan cooking, don’t worry about anything being too difficult to make, because Chad and Derek are good teachers, and they include easy-to-follow instructions.

The book is packed with tips for cooking wicked healthy meals, and it includes lots of information for new chefs, including what type of equipment to have on hand as well as lists of ingredients to stock your kitchen with. Seasoned vegans will love the new, innovative recipes.

With this book, you’ll learn how to make your own pizza dough and your own tortillas. You will get to experiment with ingredients that may be new to you, such as banana blossoms and lobster mushrooms. You’ll also learn how to create party-friendly spreads, such as a mac & cheese bar, a loaded baked potato bar, and a taco bar.

Chapters in The Wicked Healthy Cookbook include:

• Time to Get Wicked Healthy
• What to Keep on Hand
• The Conscious Cook’s Mind-Set
• Healthy Food Doesn’t Have to Taste Like Shit
• First Bites
• Handhelds
• Bowls
• Straight-Up Vegetables
• Comfort Food
• Nature’s Candy
• Wicked Healthy Juices and Cocktails
• Sauces and Basics

I plan on doing more wicked healthy cooking in the future. Next up, King Satays with Spicy Peanut-Ginger Sauce!

Broccoli With Fermented Black Bean Sauce

Chad Sarno and Derek Sarno

Beef and broccoli with black bean sauce was a favorite our mom made when we were growing up. For her stir-fry sauce, she used canned fermented black bean paste, which is made with soy sauce, sugar, fermented black bean puree, and sesame oil. I prefer whole fermented black beans, since they’re easy to get now at Asian markets and have an amazing, earthy umami richness. Otherwise, this stir-fry is our ma’s recipe exactly. The Asian holy trinity of ginger, garlic, and chiles—plus a little Shaoxing wine—rounds out the flavors. If you don’t like broccoli, try green beans, asparagus, or bok choy. Add some mushrooms, edamame, or any kind of soy protein to make it a main dish. —Chad

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients

  

Black Bean Sauce

• 3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon agave or other sweetener
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or thinly sliced fresh chiles
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ⅛ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Vegetables

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 white onion sliced thin
• 2½ tablespoons fermented black beans rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1- inch piece fresh ginger minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3 dried red chiles such as cayenne
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• ½ cup sliced water chestnuts (fresh or canned)
• About ½ cup vegetable stock

Instructions

 

• For the sauce: Whisk together the wine, tamari, agave, sambal oelek, sesame oil, and pepper. Whisk in the cornstarch. Set aside.
• For the vegetables: Have everything prepped and ready to cook. The cooking will go really fast, so it’s crucial to have everything prepped. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over the highest heat. You want the pan blisteringly hot. Pour the oil around the edge of the pan to evenly cover the surface. Add the onion and stir-sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the black beans, garlic, ginger, and dried chiles; stir-sizzle another 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and water chestnuts. Use a spatula to press the broccoli against the wok to sear and get some color on it, 15 to 30 seconds more. Add ¼ cup of the stock and continue stir-frying to steam the broccoli and soften it, about another 15 seconds.
• Add the sauce and stir-fry until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 1 minute. The sauce should thicken and coat the broccoli. If it’s too thick, add a little more stock so the sauce lightly glazes the vegetables. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Excerpted from the book THE WICKED HEALTHY COOKBOOK by Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno, and David Joachim. Copyright © 2018 by Chad Sarno and Derek Sarno. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.

 Other Easy Stir-Fries Include:

• Tofu and Shirataki Noodle Stir-Fry
• Spicy Soy Curl Stir-Fry
• Tofu Teriyaki Stir-Fry
• Sweet and Sour Tofu

More Broccoli Recipes Include

• Kung Pao Tofu and Broccoli
• Broccoli and Tempeh with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Lemon Pepper Soy Curls
• Broccoli and Rice Casserole
• Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

The post Wicked Healthy Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Vanilla Cherry Smoothie

It's no secret that I love cherries. They're my favorite fruit, and they're only in season for a very  limited time each year. When the stores first start stocking them, the price can be rather ridiculous, but I buy them anyway. I just can't pass up a display of fresh cherries in the grocery store.

When cherries aren't in season, I stash frozen bags of them away in my basement freezer. While I like to snack on the fresh variety, frozen cherries are great for smoothies. And I have smoothies for breakfast several days a week, so I pretty much always have bags of cherries on hand.

Chocolate is usually my flavor of choice to mix with cherries, but sometimes I find myself craving something a little lighter. On those days, I reach for the vanilla extract.

This recipe is super simple. It's pretty much just fruit and greens with a few add-ins. I've used ground flax seeds (or flax seed meal) for their omega fatty acid content and hemp seeds for a little bit of protein.

What You Need

• Frozen cherries 
• Frozen bananas
• Ground flax seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Vanilla extract
• Vanilla nondairy milk
• Baby spinach or baby kale

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make a Vanilla Cherry Smoothie

It couldn't be easier to make this recipe! You simply throw everything together in a blender and mix until smoothie and creamy. It only takes in seconds in my Blendtec.

Recipe Notes

I use frozen bananas in this recipe. I don't eat bananas straight – they're far too mushy for me. So I usually put them in the freezer for my smoothies as soon as I get them home from the store. If your bananas aren't frozen, you can throw a few ice cubes in the blender along with the rest of the ingredients, to make sure it's cold. (Because nothing is worse than a warm smoothie.)

Unless you want to pit a lot of fresh cherries, it's best to use the frozen kind in your smoothie. A 10-ounce bag of them says it's actually 3 servings. Mixed with greens and bananas, that would probably mean this recipe makes 4 smoothies. But I since I have my smoothies for breakfast, I like the them on the large side, and I get two servings out of this recipe.

I pretty much never measure my greens. I just plop a couple big handfuls of them into my blender.

How to Customize Your Cherry Smoothie

It's easy to make this recipe your own!

• I had originally created this recipe a few years ago with Vega One French Vanilla protein powder, after they kindly sent me some samples to try. I've used hemp seeds for protein here, but go ahead and add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder, if you want.
• You can  use pretty much any type of leafy green veggie you like. I find that baby spinach and baby kale have the most neutral flavors, and they don't overpower the cherry and vanilla.
• If you can't eat bananas, you can use an avocado.
• Cherries and almonds go together nicely, so you can add a touch of almond extract to your smoothie.

Storing your Smoothies

Store any unused smoothie in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze your smoothies and defrost on the countertop or in the refrigerator when you're ready to drink them.

Vanilla Cherry Smoothie

Dianne

Cherries are my hands down my favorite fruit, and they make up my favorite smoothies. I usually prefer a cherry-chocolate flavor combo, but cherries mixed with vanilla borders on the sublime.

This recipe makes 4 medium smoothies or 2 jumbo smoothies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 207 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups frozen cherries (10 ounce bag)
• 2 frozen bananas
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups vanilla almond milk or your favorite nondairy milk
• 2 cups baby spinach or baby kale

Instructions

 

• Mix all of the ingredients together in a blender until smooth. If the seems too thick, add a little more nondairy milk. Serve cold.

More smoothie recipes you might enjoy include:

• Snickerdoodle Smoothie
• Carrot Cake Smoothie
• Apple Pie Smoothie
• Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie

More cherry recipes you might enjoy include:

• Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
• Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits
• Chocolate Cherry Nice Cream
• Cherry Almond Smoothie Bowl

The post Vegan Vanilla Cherry Smoothie appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Seitan Chimichurri Tacos

If this taco recipe gives you a sense of déjà vu, it’s because it was inspired by the Seitan Skewers I posted a few weeks ago. I had a hankering for tacos, and I saw that there was some leftover chimichurri sauce in the fridge. I Googled “chimichurri tacos” I discovered that it is indeed already “a thing”. Chimichurri Tacos are usually made with steak, so I’ve used portobello mushrooms and seitan for meatiness.

What You Need

• Neutral-flavored oil
• Onion
• Poblano or Anaheim peppers 
• Portobello mushrooms 
• Seitan 
• Salt
• Chimichurri Sauce
• Jalapeno Lime Aioli
• Tortillas
• Diced tomatoes and sliced jalapenos for serving, optional

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make Seitan Chimichurri Tacos

These tacos are super easy to make!

• First you cook the onions in the oil in large pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the begin to soften and brown.
• Then you add the peppers, portobellos, seitan, and salt and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the vegetables soften and the seitan browns.
• While the mixture is cooking, you can warm the tortillas. I place the stack in the oven set to 250° for 5 minutes. You can also heat a pan on the stovetop over medium heat and warm tortillas one and a time, for a minute or two on each side.
• Next you add the chimichurri to the seitan and vegetable mixture and give it a big stir to make sure everything is coated.
• Finally, you assemble your tacos by dividing the filling up among the tortillas. Drizzle on the Jalapeno Lime Sauce and top with tomatoes and jalapenos, if you want.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is an Argentinian green sauce that’s used both in cooking and as a condiment. It’s frequently served with grilled meat. Traditionally, it’s made with chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar. I like to think of it as a spicy pesto.

I use my own, homemade chimichurri recipe here, but if you're pressed for time, you can use store-bought. I love Trader Joe's chimichurri sauce.

Jalapeno Lime Aioli

Don't skimp on the Jalapeno Lime Aioli that accompanies these tacos. It gives the meal little extra sumthin' sumthin'. If you don't have time to make your own, try Bitchin' Sauce Cilantro Chili sauce.

Seitan

Seitan is wheat gluten, so it's not suitable for those with gluten sensitivities. These tacos can be made with Soy Curls if you want to make them gluten-free.

You can usually find it in the same area as the tofu in the grocery store. I used Upton’s Traditional Seitan in this recipe, which I think is the best packaged seitan on the market.

If you’re up for a challenge, feel free to make your seitan. The seitan I made in the skewer recipe would be delicious in these tacos. I also have a recipe in my cookbook Eating Vegan.

Serving Your Tacos

Serve your tacos with all of your favorite toppings. You can add salsa, chopped avocado, sliced jalapeños, shredded lettuce, or whatever strikes your fancy.

Seitan Chimichurri Tacos

Dianne

Filled with seitan, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and chimichurri sauce Seitan Chimichurri Tacos have become a Taco Tuesday favorite in my house. But don't wait until Tuesday to make them, as they're perfect for dinner just about any night of the week!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 tacos

Calories 274 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 3 poblano or anaheim peppers deseeded and cut into thin strips
• 2 portobello mushrooms cut into thin strips
• 8 ounces seitan thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Chimichurri Sauce
• ½ cup Jalapeno Lime Aioli
• 8 6-inch tortillas
• Diced tomatoes and sliced jalapenos for serving, optional

Instructions

 

• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil and onions. Cook the onions until they soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers, portobellos, seitan and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the seitan browns.
• While the mixture is cooking, warm the tortillas. I place the stack in the oven set to 250° for 5 minutes. You can also heat a pan on the stovetop over medium heat and warm tortillas one and a time, for a minute or two on each side.
• Add the chimichurri to the seitan and vegetable mixture and give it a big stir to make sure everything is coated. Remove from the heat.
• Divide the mixture up among the tortillas and drizzle on the Jalapeno Lime Sauce. Top with tomatoes and jalapenos, if using.

More tacos you might enjoy include:

• Buffalo Chickpea Tacos
• Tempeh Tacos
• Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
• Double-Shelled Black Bean Tacos
• Soy-Lime Seitan Tacos

The post Seitan Chimichurri Tacos appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.

Vegan Tofu Tuna Salad

I ate a lot of tuna salad sandwiches when I was young. It was easy enough for me to make on my own – open a can, add mayo, and plop it on bread. (For some reason we never added celery or onions in my house.)

It was the first meat that I gave up, before even going vegetarian though. In the early 90s there was so much talk about dolphins getting caught and dying in tuna nets that I couldn’t continue to eat it. I’m not sure why I was worried about the dolphins and not the tunas, but I guess you have to start somewhere.

Pretty much every vegan has a tofu “tuna” recipe under their belts. They’re usually made with chickpeas. I actually have two different chickpea “tuna” recipes here on my blog, and I love them both. But sometimes I like to mix things up a bit, and that’s where this tofu tuna – or tofuna, as I like to call it – comes in.

What You Need

• Firm tofu 
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Lemon juice
• Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• Tamari
• Celery 
• Carrot 
• Red onion 
• Garlic 
• Seaweed flakes
• Sea salt
• Whole grain or gluten-free bread
• Tomato 
• Lettuce

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

Preparing Your Tofu

This recipe does require a little advanced planning, as the tofu needs to be frozen and then thawed before you can make it. Freezing it changes the texture and makes it easier for the tofu to soak up sauces, and in this case, mayonnaise.

Freeze the tofu while it’s still in the pack. Once frozen, allow the tofu to thaw either it on the counter on in the fridge. Then press it the way you normally would to remove any excess water. Make sure you squeeze out as much water as possible. I have a tofu press, but you can also use a cast-iron skillet or a heavy book.

How to Make Tofu Tuna

This recipe couldn't be easier to make!

• Once your tofu has been frozen and thawed, you crumble it in a large bowl. 
• You then add the rest of the remaining ingredients and mix. 
• Chill the mixture for a few hours so the tofu can absorb the flavors. 

Serving Your Tofu Tuna

When I know I’m going to have a busy week, I’ll mix up a batch of this tofu tuna on Sunday so that lunches are easy to make throughout the week. Here, I’ve used it on bread as sandwiches, but you can always pile it on top of a salad too. Use gluten-free bread to make the recipe gluten-free.

Seaweed Flakes

I've thrown a little bit of seaweed to my tofu here in to give it a very slight fishy flavor. You can use kelp, dulse, or nori flakes, (or a blend of all three) which can be found in shaker containers in the Asian food aisle of most grocery stores.

Recipe Notes

I’ve used my homemade oil-free mayo in this recipe. If you’re pressed for time, you can use store-bought, of course.

This tofu tuna salad recipe is extremely flexible, so feel free to mix up what you add to it. If you prefer scallions to red onion, that will work. If you're out of carrots but have a red pepper, dice it up and add it! 

To give this more of a “chicken salad” feel, rather than “tuna,” omit the seaweed flakes and use two teaspoons of dried dill.

Tofu Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Dianne

Pack your lunch box with Vegan Tofu Tuna Salad Sandwiches! They’re great for the office or for school!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

Servings 6 sandwiches

Calories 207 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the Tofu Tuna

• 1 container (14 ounces ) firm tofu frozen and thawed
• ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 carrot diced
• ¼ cup red onion diced (about ¼ of an onion)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons seaweed flakes
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the Sandwiches

• 8 slices whole grain or gluten-free bread
• 1 large tomato sliced
• 8 lettuce leaves

Instructions

 

• Crumble the tofu into a large bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Chill for a few hours so the tofu can absorb the flavors. Season to taste.
• To make the sandwiches, place about ¼ of them tofu mixture on a slice of bread and top with the lettuce and tomato. Top with another slice of bread and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Notes

To freeze your tofu, place the entire container of tofu in the freezer for about 24 hours, or until it seems frozen throughout. Remove the tofu from freezer and allow to thaw. Squeeze as much water out of it as possible.

If you enjoyed these sandwiches, you  might also like:

• Tahini Chickpea Salad
• Apple Pecan Tempeh Salad
• Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
• Raw Sunflower Seed Tuna Wraps

The post Vegan Tofu Tuna Salad Sandwiches appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.