Creamy cauliflower sauce for pasta, or rice etc

This was very creamy and tasty. Good for pasta or rice dishes especially. We had this mixed in brown rice with some mushrooms, broccoli, summer squash, onions--very good.

For the sauce:

head of cauliflower
sweet potato (I just had a small amount from an old sweet potato) optional
2 teaspoons of minced garlic (or to taste)
Dijon mustard (1 tsp or so --to taste)
onion powder (to taste--I sprinkled it over)
lemon juice (1 tab or 1 and1/2 , it depends on how big your cauliflower is)
almond milk (for blending)
water (for cooking and blending)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop up cauliflower (leave out the core).  Chop sweet potato into small pieces if using. Cook these covered in non stick pan with water and garlic until very tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Place the vegetables in a blender adding some of the cooking water. Add the mustard, onion powder, lemon juice and enough almond milk to make a smooth creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if needed add more of the mustard or lemon or onion---all to your preference.

BQ tofu or Tempeh

Easy recipe especially if you have BQ sauce on hand. Great topped with red cabbage slaw on a sandwich---I think these taste a lot like BQ chicken--satisfying.

I found a sweet BQ from Aldi's that I like that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup--



If you go to the following link there is a good recipe for making it with Tempeh and a good slaw recipe: https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/bbq-tempeh-sandwich/#wprm-recipe-container-11856

DIRECTIONS:

In the picture above I just used some extra firm tofu (which came without water and already pressed) sliced into 5 pieces (horizontally) and dipped in the BQ sauce and placed it on parchment paper and cooked at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes. BUT NOTE: IT IS MUCH BETTER USING TEMPEH IN MY OPINION--I FORGOT TO PHOTO THE TEMPEH

Note if using Tempeh it is good to cut it in half and boil ten minutes first (helps remove bitterness) and then slice the 2 halves horizontally making 4. The link above has details on how to on Tempeh.

For a quick slaw use the following ingredients.

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon sea sal

Good with pickles too.

Cabbage Rice crockpot dish

This was nice and hearty. We added beanballs( )https://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/08/meatballs-vegan-gf.html )one time after the cooking. ...another time we added  kidney beans after cooking. Note: this is also great with pasta noodles--we used the left overs this way.

The above rice is what I used from Aldi---

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped cabbage (I used purple and green)
• 1 cup quick cook rice (I used a brown kind)
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2, 28 ounce jars Pasta Sauce (or 1  jar 28 ounce pasta sauce and 1 can 28 ounce fire roasted chopped tomatoes--note- you still need the above mentioned can of diced tomatoes. )
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or less  
• 2 cans of kidney beans (if desired) or you could add meatballs or beanballs
• balsamic vinegar to taste (I use this if the dish comes out too sweet
• Directions:
• Mix everything in a crockpot except for the beans (or meatballs) and leave out vinegar until the end-- and cook on low for 8-10 hours depending on your crock pot. I used and 4 and 1/2 quart one and did 1 hour on high and about 7 or 8 on low. Add balsamic vinegar if desired to taste. Add the kidney beans at the very end or your cooked beanballs

Good also served on pasta

Fudge like, banana, bean, peanut butter, muffins with added chocolate

Theses are surprisingly yummy--fudge like. I added chocolate chips to the blender; These are blender muffins so an easy mix.

 Recipe found here: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/04/04/flourless-blender-muffins-banana-vegan/


Go to the link for the how to---here are the ingredients:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quick oats 
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana
• 1 can white beans drained and patted dry (me-cannellini)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly sub
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey (For a sugar-free version, click here)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• optional handful mini chocolate chips, crushed walnuts, shredded coconut, pinch cinnamon, etc.

ps These mix up in my food processor and cook at 350 for 20 min and then cool 20 min.  

Cowboy Caviar

I like a batch of this for tortilla lunches and salads.  Could do for potluck as well.

• 2-3 plum tomatoes chopped  small
• 1 small chopped cucumber (optional---I like the crunch-pickle sized ones)
• 1/3 cup red onion diced or white --the red sometimes tints the color of the corn funny
• 1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz can black eyed peas rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn (just put it in frozen/ thaws quickly)or fresh raw corn
• 1 bell pepper 
• ⅓ cup Cilantro finely chopped
•  cumin--sprinkle to taste
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• optional---black olives or green olives would be nice as well
• Tortilla chips for serving avocado just before serving would be good too

Mix all together---to your taste. You can add olive oil if desired--I don't need it.

Another recipe I love that I got from a friend  is below

Use a large bowl put all the following ingredients in and stir in as much Italian dressing as you like

2 cans drained black beans

2 cans drained black eyed peas

1 can drained nibbles corn

1 can drained showpeg corn

1 container of chopped onions

1 container of mixed green peppers chopped

1 container of chopped green onions

1 container of chopped tomatoes

Chopped cilantro to your taste

1 small can of mild rotel

When I say container I buy the pre chopped stuff from Ingels or Walmart.  I like wishbone Italian dressing but have used knockoffs also.  

Enjoy

Scrambled tofu with tater tots

Love this for breakfast or quick supper if tater tots are already cooked---hash browns or potatoes would be good as well and healthier ;-)

Ingredients:

Use as much or as little as you want

onion chopped
garlic
red bell pepper (or any kind of bell pepper)
mushrooms chopped
fresh spinach chopped
extra firm tofu (drained and broken up)
turmeric
salt and pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
peas (garden peas frozen)

tater tots (or some kind of potato)

Directions:

Cook your potatoes (tater tots in oven--follow directions on package). Can do this earlier in day if desire.

Meanwhile during the last 15 minutes of cooking time for the potatoes:

In a ceramic pan with a bit of water saute onion, pepper, and mushrooms. Do this about 5 minutes or until they are basically tender and done. Add frozen peas and chopped fresh spinach and more water if needed. When spinach is tender break up  tofu and add to the pan. Sprinkle with turmeric, s and p,onion powder, garlic powder to your taste. When Tofu is hot just add your cooked potatoes and serve.

Pumpkin walnut oat cornbread

This will be nice for the fall, but good anytime especially with fresh fruit and cinnamon.
Next time I might try cinnamon in the batter--but it is good sprinkled on top. I like this because no added fat (besides the walnuts and what may be in the flours and no added sugar except dates.

I found this here: https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/11/19/pumpkin-walnut-cornbread/

Here are the ingredients:
 t

• 1 cup water
• 3 ounces pitted dates (5 to 6 Medjool or 10 to 12 Deglet Noor), cut in half
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (grind to make flour--used GF)
• 1½ cups yellow cornmeal (If using medium Cornmeal, grind finer)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ cups pumpkin puree (or 1 15-ounce can, see Notes)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ME--perhaps add cinnamon (Ceylon type) and raisins would be nice!!

Go to link for directions. Basically you soak the dates in the water (I nuked mine a bit to soften more quickly)--she says 15 minute soak.  Use parchment in bottom of pan. She says metal pans cook better for this and makes it more moist and you cook till cracks appear and the edges just start turning brown. She used 8" sq pan, but I didn't have a metal one in that size so I used a 9" round one which is very close in square inches to the 8" and it worked perfectly.  cooked about 35 -38 minutes.

Like I say, I like fresh fruit and cinnamon with this or honey and cinnamon on top.

Vegan Shepherd pie

We really like this shepherd pie a lot. I made it in a 9 by 13 inch pan. The recipe can be found here:
https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/seriously-the-best-lentil-shepherds-pie/   I changed the vegan potatoes just a bit and I love love them. My take on the vegan mashed potatoes is here: http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/08/vegan-mashed-potatoes.html

Another alternative is the tater tot casserole! https://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/06/tater-tot-casserole.html?m=1

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil (olive, canola, vegetable)
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 carrots , peeled and chopped
• 16 oz mushrooms , sliced (I did 3/4 a pound and next time might increase peas)
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils (or 38oz canned lentils, see notes)
• 3 cups vegetable broth (or 1 vegetable bouillon cube, see notes)
• 1 cup peas , fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (check to make sure it's vegan)
• 1 recipe Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes (this is from the original-I changed mine-see above.

Vegan mashed potatoes

This is such a tasty mashed potato recipe with no butter, but it is creamy! I used it on a casserole--
Here is the vegan potato recipe:


Ingredients:

8 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped (this makes a golden mashed potato!)
5-6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup almond milk (not flavored--or a milk of your choice)
1 cup of coconut milk from a carton --mine was 40 calories per cup)
salt to taste

Cook the chopped potatoes for 15-20 minute until fork tender.

Meanwhile heat the milk and garlic--on lowish setting for 5-10 minutes--you have to watch because it can boil over!

Mash the potatoes with a rice type masher adding 1/2 of the milk mixture. add more as needed--until the right consistency.   Salt and pepper as desired.

Stove top rice pudding

I love the fact this is made on the stove--makes it easier for me! Yummy too.

You can find a good vegan recipe here: https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2011/03/26/cardamom-raisin-rice-pudding/

I changed it a bit using left over jasmine rice ( a little over 3 cups cooked rice. Here is what I did

• 
  
• 3 cups (actually a bit more) left over jasmine rice
• 2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk (Used coconut milk from carton 40 cal a cup) 
• 3 ounces pitted dates (5 to 6 Medjool or 10 to 12 Deglet Noor), chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
• ½ cup brown or golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom 

Directions: 

1.soak the pitted dates in the milk with the vanilla to soften. I actually microwaved mine for 4 minutes which helped to soften them quickly.Blend in a blender.

2. place the liquid mixture on the stove adding the rest of the ingredients.

3.Cook on stove 10 to 15 minutes stirring so it doesn't catch on the bottom. (10 min seemed to work for me.

4. cool in frig--it thickens as it cools.

Meatballs - bean balls VEGAN GF

 takes minutes, my favorite GF  I omit Black pepper–great with Spaghetti sauce: https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-barbecue-meatballs/


Good for potluck too.

Ingredients--go to link for how to---took me 5 minutes!

Ingredients

For meatballs:

• 1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
• 1 1/2 or less cups rolled oats (me-GF rolled oats, quick) 1 cup oats works well also- I prefer less oats
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup (or picante sauce I used 2) you may need more if beans are not organic - also if mixture appears too fry add more,
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder *
• 2 tsp liquid smoke (I used the hickory smoke)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (I omitted)
• 1/2 tsp sage
• Salt to taste

* optional-a few teaspoons of dill pickle juice is good too or relish 

* in place of cumin can use some ginger, turmeric, cardamom and coriander in amounts desired 

• (I used just a few squirts--of oil-in pan-didn't need as much as called for since I have a ceramic pan) 

I mixed all ingredients -except oil- in a big bowl and then did it in batches in the food processor since my processor is small.  You want them chopped well , but you don't want paste--check the link on the original recipe for more details. If you don't use organic ones the beans may not be as soft and you may need to add more Ketchup. You pulse it about 6 to 8 times per batch.

• Form into balls--mine made about 13 large balls--If you do one inch balls it makes more like 20-23 balls.
• I cooked a temperature between low and medium in the pan for just a few minutes with a few squirts of oil--to brown then added sauce.

The linked recipe has a BQ sauce homemade. These are great with BQ sauce , but we also like them with spaghetti sauce.

pS can bake instead at 375 on parchment lined pan for 15 minutes turning once after the first 15 minutes. So about 7 minutes each side.

Cuban Black Bean Veggie burgers

Cuban black bean burgers: next time I might lower the lime which makes them a little tart and yet the left overs from the freezer were perfect. If you don't have lime I have substituted white wine vinegar--comes out very good actually. Recipe here: https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2012/10/10/cuban-black-bean-burgers/

Here are the ingredients--go to the link for directions. I had to cook mine lower than the medium she recommends because even on medium mine burned some,but you know, I liked them this way!!. I ended up placing them in the oven afterwords to cook on the inside a bit more. These are nice topped with all your favorite fixings! I freeze mine in separate baggies and have them whenever I want--just microwave.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cooked brown rice (short-grain or sweet brown works great) White rice works too.
• 1 ripe plantain, peeled and diced COOKED 5 min in water (see Notes below for choosing plantains-at link)
• 1 15-oz. can cooked black beans (or 1 ½ cups)
• ¾ cup rolled oats (I used GF)
• 1 medium red or yellow onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup grated carrots (I used the ones that come shredded all ready) 
• ½ of a red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice  OR White wine vinegar (maybe less--yet the leftovers were perfect )
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin

https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2012/10/10/cuban-black-bean-burgers/
*plantain needs to be very ripe--outside pretty black and inside orange--see the photos at the link--the plantain on the left is how it should look.