Chipotle "Chicken" Wraps

It's Sunday afternoon and everyone is ready for lunch.  Because of our hectic weekend, I have nothing planned.  So, it is time to wing it!  After digging through the freezer, I found a bag of Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers that I had gotten a little while back, but forgot about.  We had a few tortillas left from dinner a couple nights ago.  So, the obvious lunch choice - a "chicken" wrap.  I whipped up a quick chipotle mayo to go with, and we had lunch in under 10 minutes.

For the wraps:

3-4 soft tortillas, warmed
1 bag Gardein Crispy Fingers (or your favorite protein - anything will work)
Spring mix
Daiya Vegan Cheddar Cheese (optional)
1 heaping tbsp Vegenaise
1 tbsp Soy Supreme vegan sour cream
juice from 1/2 lime
1 tsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
dash of salt

Cook the Crispy Fingers according to package directions.  If I am running short on time, I will fire up the toaster oven on broil, cook the "chicken" for 1 minute in the microwave on high, then put them under the broiler for 5-6 minutes to crisp them up.  To make the sauce, combine the last 5 ingredients and stir until smooth.  Warm the tortillas until soft (about 10-20 seconds in the microwave).  Spread some chipotle sauce first, then arrange 2 "chicken" fingers, followed by a sprinkle of cheddar, a little more sauce, and finally a handful of spring mix.  Wrap and enjoy!

Vegan Quinoa and Soyrizo Stuffed Bell Peppers with Poblano Cream Sauce

I have been wanting to make stuffed peppers for quite some time, but had not come across any interesting recipes.  Then, I went to 24 Carrots (a phenomenal Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant in Chandler) and stuffed peppers were being served as the day's special.  They were made with quinoa instead of rice...and were delicious.  So, I decided to try my own version at home.  Since everyone in my family loves the flavors of the southwest, I incorporated those flavors in my peppers.  Hope you enjoy!

For the stuffed peppers you will need:

4 sweet bell peppers, tops cut off and reserved, seeds removed
8-10 small red skin potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized cubes
1/2 package Soyrizo (meatless soy chorizo)
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 dry white cooking wine
1 C rainbow quinoa
2 C vegetable broth or water
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Place the diced potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 10 minutes, or until just tender.  Drain and set aside.  Next, place the broth/water and quinoa in a pot with a lid, bring to a boil, and cover.  Reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Removed from heat and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.  Meanwhile, warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until tender.  Add the soyrizo and stir to combine.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the soyrizo starts to brown.  Add the potatoes and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.  Finally add the wine and allow to cook until most of the liquid has boiled off.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Stir in the quinoa until well combined.  Fill the peppers with the soyrizo & quinoa mixture, place the tops back on the peppers, cover and cook in a roasting dish for about 30 minutes.

For the Poblano Cream Sauce you will need:

1/2 C sour cream substitute (I used Tofutti brand)
1 Poblano pepper, charred with skin and seeds removed
Juice from 1/2 small lime
Dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.  Serve on top of or on the side with the peppers.

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts

Like many people, I used to cringe at the thought of eating brussels sprouts.  They just never appealed to me.  So, when I came across this recipe, I almost didn't' give it a second thought.  Then, I saw a picture of the finished dish and decided to give it a try.  It was amazing!  It is a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis that I have adapted to be vegan.  Enjoy!

You will need:

1 pound spaghetti, preferably whole grain
1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mushrooms (I used cremini), chopped
8 oz vegan cream cheese
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 tbsp olive oil
zest from 1 large lemon
juice from 1/2 large lemon
1/2 C toasted pine nuts (your could use slivered almonds instead)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and removing the outer layer or 2 of leaves.  Place them into a food processor and pulse until coarsely shredded, or thinly slice by hand.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, and brussels sprouts.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until tender, about 6-7 minutes.  Add broth, zest, lemon juice, and cream cheese.  Stir until cream cheese is well incorporated and the sauce is creamy.  Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and sprinkle with nuts.  Enjoy!

Korma Curry "Chicken"

Now that my kids like Indian food, we have been eating it a lot more.  I try to make the sauces from scratch when I can, but some days get too busy.  So, I was excited to discover Sukhi's prepackaged spices.  You just add water and cream (I have a vegan version below).  Tonight I made the Korma Curry Sauce with cauliflower and Quorn Chick'n tenders over coconut pineapple rice.  It was a hit!  I found the sauce packets at Sunflower Market, but Whole Foods also carries them...or you can check out their website for more locations:  www.sukhis.com

For the Korma Curry:

1 package Korma Curry Sauce spices
3/4 C water
1/4 C whipping cream (or 1/4 C vegan sour cream - I used Tofutti brand)
1 head cauliflower (or your favorite veggie), washed, cut into bite sized pieces, and microwaved for about   2 minutes to soften
1 package Quorn Chick'n Tenders (these are not vegan, but you can substitute any protein you'd like or just double up on the veggies)

Place veggies, Chick'n, water, and sauce packet into a pan and mix until spices are dissolved.  Bring to a boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add cream and bring back to a boil for another 1-2 minutes.  Serve warm over rice.

I have been using brown basmati rice to accompany our Indian meals.  In place of the water, I use a 50/50 combination of coconut water and pineapple juice to add more flavor.  A dash of salt and pepper also livens things up a bit.  Enjoy!

24 Carrots

I recently stumbled upon a new restaurant - 24 Carrots.  It has become my new favorite place to dine out.  It started out as a juice bar in 2008 and has since expanded to serving food.  Everything is made from scratch using local, organic produce.  The menu is 100% vegetarian, and most everything can be made vegan.  There are also a number of gluten free options to choose from.  It is located in the NW corner of Chandler & Kyrene in Chandler.  Check out the link to their website below:

www.24carrotsjuice.com

Juicing!!

In honor of my 36th birthday, I bought myself a juicer.  I was inspired by the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".  If you haven't seen it, it is worth a look.  The juicer has been a great addition to my kitchen!  It has been fun for the entire family trying all sorts of combinations of fruits and vegetables.  Juicing is an easy way to get tons of fruit and veggie nutrients into your system quickly.  The combinations are endless, and you can taylor any recipe to fit your personal tastes.  Here are a couple recipes we have concocted and enjoyed:

Fruit (and a little veggie) juice:

5 carrots, unpeeled
3 medium sized oranges, peeled
2 apples, unpeeled
1 pear
8 large grapes

Run everything through the juicer.  I am using a Breville Elite.  The carrots, apples, and pears go through on high speed.  The grapes and oranges on low speed.  Stir to mix and enjoy!

Veggie (and a little fruit) juice:

2 green apples, unpeeled
1 pear
1" fresh ginger, unpeeled
1 cucumber, skin on
1 lime (hand squeezed)
6 celery stalks
2 C packed spinach

Alternate veggie recipe:

2 green apples, unpeeled
1 bell pepper (Orange, yellow or red work well...they are a little sweeter)
1 cucumber, skin on
1 pear
5 stalks celery
1 C packed fresh spinach
2 medium size tomatoes
1/2" ginger
1/2 lemon, hand squeezed

Run on high speed for the apples, cucumber, pear, celery, and ginger.  Slow speed for everything else.  Enjoy!

Raw Cashew Dream Cake

Here is another great raw dessert that is both delicious and easy to make.  I found this on another food blog:  www.mynewroots.blogspot.com.  It has a lot of great recipes, but this is one of my favorites!  I have made it a couple of times now and have gotten rave reviews!

For the crust:

1/2 C raw almonds
1/2 C soft medjool dates
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Pulse above ingredients in a food processor until it start to clump.  Press mixture into a 7" springform pan, or into a pie dish lined with saran wrap.  Set aside.

For the filling:

1 1/2 C raw cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour (the longer the better)
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 C coconut oil, warmed to liquify
1/3 C agave nectar or honey
1 C raspberries (or blackberries, which is what I used)

Place cashews, vanilla, lemon, oil, and agave nectar in a blender and blend until smooth.  A vita mix works great for this!  Pour about 1/2 to 2/3 of the mixture onto the crust.  Add berries to blender and combine until smooth.  Pour the remaining mixture onto the first layer and smooth.  Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours.  Remove from freezer about 1 hour before serving to allow it to thaw.  Enjoy!

Since I am always trying to change things up, I combined the chocolate "cheesecake" and this recipe into one cake.  It was delicious!  I used the chocolate crust and decreased the chocolate recipe by about 1/2.  I poured the chocolate layer first, then the white layer, then the berry layer.