Easy Vegan Lasagna

If you are looking for a vegan lasagna that reminds you of classic meaty-cheesey lasagna, this is it.  Plus, it's really easy to make. 

Ingredients:
Lasagna noodles (I like De Boles brand of rice noodles because they don't need to be pre-cooked!) 
Marinara sauce
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms
Frozen veggie crumbles
Olive Oil
Basil, oregano, salt, pepper, splash of agave nectar, dash of cayenne pepper
Extra-firm tofu
Daiya vegan cheese

First, make some tofu-ricotta.  Just combine extra-firm tofu, salt and pepper, olive oil, and italian spices in a food processor until smooth.
Next, saute the chopped onions and garlic in a little oil.   After a few minutes add the veggie crumbles and cook until they start to brown.  Add the sauce and extra spices.  Finally, add the mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes. 

In a casserole dish, start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.  Then place a layer of noodles, tofu ricotta, sauce, and sprinkle cheese.  Repeat with noodles, ricotta, sauce, cheese.  3 layers is best.  Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes on 350.  Take the foil off and broil for about 10-15 minutes to get the top nice and brown.   

Peach berry cobbler

My mom and I made this peach-blackberry cobbler while I was visiting in Knoxville. I forgot to get a good picture of the finished product... oops! But it was fun and easy to make. I got this Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe from www.chooseveg.com and I added blackberries and a little less sugar than it called for. It was a great recipe!
http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=214

Here is a picture of the cooked peaches right before adding the buscuit dough on top, then baking it for about 25 minutes.

Coconut milk ice cream on top was a good choice!

BBQ Tofu, Homestyle Potatoes and Broccoli

The other night we made fried tofu with BBQ sauce, steamed broccoli and carrots, and oven-baked homestyle potatoes.

First, the potatoes were sliced and then put in a casserole dish, added some Earth Balance vegan butter and spices, and let it all bake for about 15 minutes. Then we added some whole wheat bread crumbs (I just put a slice of bread in the food processor and pulse for quick crumbs) and let it all bake for about 10 more minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and it all looks brown and yummy. The bread crumbs make it crunchy.


For the tofu, it is a good idea to press it between paper towels for a few minutes to get the excess water out. Put a couple of layers of paper towels around the block of tofu then set something heavy on top. (I let it press for a couple minutes while I cut up the broccoli and carrots.) Then we sliced the tofu in triangles and fried it in some coconut oil until slightly brown. Next we poured BBQ sauce on top and put it in the oven for about five minutes.


It was a hearty dinner!

Typical summer lunch

Did I mention that I love braised greens and quinoa?  Oh, I already did?  Oops.  The pic is kind of blurry but the lunch was fresh and delish!  On the side is avocado, tomato, and french bread with hummus.  My favorite lunch.

Spinach Pasta with Tomato Sauce

I've seen this locally-made pasta made by Decio Pasta sold at farmers markets and Whole Foods, so I thought I'd give it a try. They have many different flavors, and I decided on "Spinach Basil Garlic" infused linguine. (Upon visiting their website I realized this is their #1 seller). In just four minutes the noodles are perfectly al dente. The flavor isn't over-powering, but the essence of spinach, basil and garlic was there.


I also sauted some onions and garlic, then added sliced veggie italian sausage (Lightlife brand Smart Sausage). A friend gave me some cherry tomatoes from her garden, so I sliced them in half and sauteed them before adding a jar of organic pasta sauce.


I can't wait to try other some of the other pasta "flavors" made by Decio. It was delicious!

Spicy Chick'N Quesadillas

For a quick snack or dinner when I don't feel like cooking, these spicy quesadillas are a real hit. Just heat up a Boca Spicy "chicken" patty in a pan with a tiny bit of oil, then cut it into pieces.  Make sure to read the label because not all Boca products are vegan, but some are.  If you want to use a different type of veggie patty, just sprinkle some cayenne pepper while you heat it and it does the trick.  I also like to make a spicy aoili sauce with vegenaise and hot sauce to spread on the tortillas.  I like whole wheat.  Then I grate plenty of Daiya vegan cheese and grill up the 'dilla.  (on medium heat using a little butter--Earth Balance vegan spread-- on the tortillas)  

 I made that plate in preschool. 

Tamale Lunch

I love buying frozen tamales from the Tamale Store here in Phoenix. They set up stands at most of the the local farmers markets and sell both hot and frozen tamales. You can also call in an order and you can pick it up at the market or at their store in north Phoenix. The Tamale Store offers a selection of vegan tamales that I love. They are delicious when steamed, but also taste good out of the microwave for a quick lunch (great for work).


Today I had a "Southwest Chipotle" tamale-- spicy chipotle masa, sweet corn, onions, cilantro, and peppers. On the side I sliced up an organic tomato, some fresh guacamole, and Tacupeto chips and salsa. Don't forget the We Can't Say It's Cheese nacho dip!

What's in my fridge??

It's been a whole month since I've updated my blog, so to kick things off and start fresh, I'll do a special post called "What's in my fridge" (an idea I got from my favorite magazine, VegNews.) So here it is!

Some highlights and must-haves that I cannot choose not to live without:

1. Almond milk
2. Sriracha hot sauce
3. Vegenaise
4. Nathan's kosher dill pickles
5. Daiya non-dairy cheese in mozzarella and cheddar
6. Dilly beans purchased at local farmers market (next to them is a container of fresh guacamole I made and Tacupeto salsa)
7. A plethra of dairy alternatives: Earth Balance vegan butter, Silk soy yogurt (with probiotics), Follow Your Heart vegan cream-cheese, Tofutti vegan sour cream, and We Can't Say It's Cheese vegan nacho cheese.
8. Selection of beers including Rogue Hazelnut Brown, Old Chub, and PBR.
9. Blue Sky organic cola
10. Fresh pineapple that I cut up and put in containers last night
11. Mock meats: Smart Deli pepperonis for pizza, Tofurkey Hickory Smoked sandwich slices, and Tofurkey beer brats.
12. Organic tomatoes and strawberries
13. Produce drawer: Rainbow chard, green leaf lettuce, baby bella mushrooms, onions, shallots, red and green peppers, green beans, etc.
14. Mingus was curious and wanted to see what's up.

I love a well-stocked kitchen because it gives me inspiration for meals and prevents me from eating out too much. Lots of great vegan products keep me and my omnivorous boyfriend happy (for about a week until it's time to go shopping again. :)

I also wanted to put extra emphasis on this amazing new product I just bought for the first time: We Can't Say It's Cheese non-dairy cheesy spread.


I had read about this product a couple months ago in VegNews Magazine, but hadn't seen it in the store until now. It's vegan, soy and wheat free, and made with all natural ingredients. I am in love with this creamy, tasty, cheesy stuff! Last night I used it as a dip last night alongside guacamole and salsa.. SO good.