Go Vegan Step-by-Step, Part 13Step 7: Discover New Recipes
Buy a couple of vegan cookbooks and sign-up for a couple of vegan blogs to receive new recipes in your in box each week. Make it a goal to try one new recipe a week. Soon you will have a collection of tried-and-true favorites to enjoy.
Suggested blog: Fat Free Vegan
Suggested newsletter: VegNews Recipe Club
Suggested cookbooks: Veganomicon
Go Vegan Step-by-Step, Part 12Step 6: Learn to Cook
If you don’t know how to cook, learn—now. Sign up for a cooking class, read cookbooks or watch cooking shows on TV. Cooking is one of the most important skills you can have for good health. When you eat out, you don’t know exactly what goes into your food (think salt, fat and sugar), nor do you know the quality of the ingredients. I don’t mean you should never go out to eat, but eating nourishing meals at home, more often, is a healthier option. Make cooking a family affair. A family that cooks together stays together.
Pet peeve: Eating dinner in front of the TV every night. It’s one thing if you live alone and eat in front of the TV. It’s another thing if you live with your family and eat in front of the TV. Every family should eat one meal together a day.
Suggested reading: Cooking Solves Everything by Mark Bittman
Salad Recipe and Photo by Cathy Corey
From my sister’s kitchen…
Israeli Couscous and Radish Salad
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 cup couscous
1 bunch radishes, sliced thin
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
1 bunch dill, chopped
Dressing
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp white pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the couscous according to the package instructions and let cool to room temperature. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and let chill in fridge until couscous is room temperature. Now mix the couscous with the radish, celery and dill in a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad ingredients. Toss until the dressing covers the salad well, then serve.
Update: A reader mentioned her batch didn’t turn out as moist as mine looked in the picture below, so I have updated the instructions. I always appreciate comments on recipes, so I can make them better for all of you.
Yesterday it was cold and snowy and I was craving chocolate — brownies to be specific. I found a recipe online and started baking. When you have a well-stocked kitchen, it’s easy to cook and bake on-demand. This recipe is adapted from A Delicious Healthy Vegan Recipe for the Common Brownie on Ecorazzi. I substituted apple sauce for the oil and added chocolate chips. My craving was definitely satisfied. Give it a try the next time you want a chocolate treat.
Quick and Easy Vegan Brownies
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Combine the dry ingredients and half of the walnuts in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients plus the chocolate chips and stir until evenly combined. The mixture will be thick. Add additional almond milk as needed to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Secret tip: Ever since I learned to bake as a child, I almost always add more liquid than a recipe calls before. I follow the instructions and then add more liquid (water works most of the time) to the batter just before it’s ready to go into the baking dish. I mix the additional liquid into the batter and then pour it into the pan. The extra liquid tends to make for a moister end-product. In this recipe, I used extra almond milk as suggested above.
Spread into an ungreased 8×8 glass pan, top with the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30-35 minutes. To determine if they are done, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies. If it comes out clean, they are done.
A Recipe From My Sister’s Kitchen
If you like comfort food on a cold winter evening, give this recipe a try. It’s a good substitute for mashed potatoes. Plus, it’s super easy to make.
Mashed Cauliflower
Serves 4-6
1 large head cauliflower, steamed
1/2 cup cannelini beans, cooked
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp Spike seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp vegan cream cheese
2 tbsp vegan sour cream
Unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk or water, amount desired
Remove the stem and cut the cauliflower into medium-size pieces. Steam until tender. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend well. If you need to thin the mixture a bit, use a non-dairy milk or water as needed. The mixture should be thick like mashed potatoes when done. You can leave it a bit chunky if you prefer. Warm and serve.
Note: If you want to get more creative in the kitchen, you could substitute the olive oil, cream cheese and sour cream with cashew cream to create a healthier alternative.
This recipe was created by Cathy Corey.
©2007-2013 It's Easy Being Vegan™ by Christine Cook
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