Sourdough pancakes are a great way to use sourdough starter you need to discard. For those who don’t dabble in sourdough, you can simply omit from the recipe and add ⅛ cup more milk or liquid to thin the pancakes.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup sourdough starter
1 cup plant-based milk
1 cup blueberries, optional
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Method:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Add sourdough starter and milk. Mix until lump-free. Fold in blueberries, if using.
Heat pan on medium. Add oil.
Add ¼ cup batter at a time. When the pancake forms bubbles in the center, flip. Cook for 1 more minute until brown on both sides.
Serve with maple syrup.
Pro-tip: Keep pancakes in an oven or toaster oven on warm until they are all cooked.
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate comfort food. Enjoy it for Meatless Monday or any day of the week!
Ingredients
Mashed
potatoes
5 medium potatoes, diced
6 cups water
2 tablespoons vegan
margarine
¼ cup soy, almond or
other plant-based milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Gravy
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons all-purpose
flour
2 teaspoons nutritional
yeast
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Filling
1 cup dry lentils, plus 3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried sage
powder
2 cups frozen mixed
vegetables
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
Make the mashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes in the 6 cups of water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While the potatoes are
cooking, cook the lentils. Bring the water to a boil and add lentils. Cook for
20 – 30 minutes until tender. Stir in dried sage.
Make the gravy. In a large pan, toast flour and nutritional yeast in olive oil on medium heat for 2 minutes or until it starts to brown. Lower heat and slowly add water or broth, using a fork to crush any lumps that may form. Add salt and pepper. Return heat to medium until gravy begins to bubble and thicken. Add the lentils, frozen vegetables and herbs, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly until the vegetables are heated through.
Place lentil and vegetable mixture in a casserole dish then spread the mashed potatoes on top. Optionally add a pat of margarine to the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying.
Tangy tomatoes complement hearty pasta and beans in this rustic Italian meal for a filling dinner. The inexpensive ingredients are a bonus. Plus it can be made in one pot, making clean up easy. Serve it with a big salad and a glass of red wine for the taste of Italy. This recipe comes from my Meatless Monday Meal Planner.
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
8
ounces (about 2 cups) of small pasta, like dilatini, elbows or shells
1
tablespoon olive oil
1/2
onion, diced
3
cloves garlic, minced
1
stalk celery, diced
1 teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 teaspoon
dried parsley
1
teaspoon oregano
1
15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2
cup vegetable broth or water
1
15-ounce can white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup
kale, stems removed and cut into ribbons
1
teaspoon salt
Fresh
cracked black pepper
Method:
Prepare
the pasta according to package instructions.
In a
medium saucepan, sauté the onion in the olive oil on medium for about 3 minutes
or until transparent. Add the garlic and celery and sauté for 2 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, including the juice, water or broth, and the spices and bring
to a simmer. Add the beans, kale and salt and simmer for 10 minutes more,
stirring. Remove the pot from heat, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle
into bowls or plates and garnish with fresh basil.
I’ve been trying to make my own plant-based milks at home for a while now – to reduce waste, save money, and believe it or not, for the convenience. If you have the right ingredients and equipment at home, it’s much easier to just whip up a batch when you need it rather than going to the store. Some, like almond milk and cashew cream, are better and have a higher yield when the nuts are soaked. And let’s face it, nuts are expensive. Oat milk is a great alternative. It’s super cheap–we’re talking less than five cents a cup–and requires no advance planning. And it can be made in minutes. It’s great in a pinch. For example when you’re about to bake and realize you’re out of milk.
The downside: it’s best when consumed within 2 days and it does become a bit glue-y. I use it in coffee, but it does leave a little slurry at the bottom of the cup. In this video, I don’t strain mine, but you can strain it through a mesh strainer or nut milk bag to get rid of some of the graininess. Bottom line: this is an easy, quick, and cheap plant-based milk and a great one to have in your repertoire.
Enjoy!
Creamy Oat Milk
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 to 1-1/2 cup water, depending on desired thickness
Directions
Add water and oats to high powered blender. Blend on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Optionally strain through a mesh sieve or nut milk bag. Refrigerate and consume within 2 days.
This vegan nacho cheese is delicious and so easy. Your friends and family won’t believe it’s vegan, let alone that it’s made from potatoes and carrots. Omit chipotles and pour over pasta for a delicious mac and cheese. Recipe adapted from Chef Wanda White’s.
Ingredients:
2 cups potatoes, cubed
1 cup carrots, cut
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water reserved from boiling potatoes and carrots
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
dash cayenne
1 tsp. chipotle chile in adobo or salsa if you prefer
Instructions
Boil potatoes and carrots for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Reserve water. Add potatoes, carrots, and remaining ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more water 1/4 cup at a time if too thick. Serve over tortilla chips with your favorite nacho toppings.
“You should get a pressure cooker,” my friends told me. And I resisted. “I don’t need any more kitchen equipment,” I’d say. And they persisted. Finally I caved. I’m not afraid to admit I was wrong. I won’t go so far as to say the pressure cooker has changed my life, but it does allow me to make delicious meals in minutes, like this one. And beans from dry to cooked and delicious without soaking in under an hour. I’ll leave you with one final thought: you should get a pressure cooker.
Quick and Easy Hearty Minestrone
Ingredients
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, sliced
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups kale, torn into bite sized pieces
2 cups kidney beans, or 1 15-ounce can
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or one teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can tomatoes in juice (whole or diced is fine)
pinch salt
Directions
Place all ingredients in the pressure cooker and cook on the soup/stew setting for 30 minutes. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Note that you can change this according to your preferences – use white beans instead of kidney, your favorite herbs, etc.
Talk about a breakfast treat: this protein-rich easy breakfast will get your day off to a bright start. As a bonus, it’s ready in just 5 minutes!
Serves 1
Time: 5 minutes to prepare; should be refrigerated for at least 4 hours before enjoying
Ingredients
1 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon lemon
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon turmeric, optional
Instructions
In a bowl or mason jar, combine all ingredients. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Mix it up: Add a tablespoon of jam or toss in a handful of blueberries to the top and stir in before you enjoy.
These flaky, yet soft scones are perfect for impressing friends with a fancy brunch or tea party, or a bring-along breakfast for a road trip. The lemon complements the berries adding a hint of citrus. You can freeze the dough and bake later for a quick, yet decadent weekday breakfast.
Makes 6-8 scones
Time: 35 minutes, 15 minutes active
Ingredients:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dairy-free margarine, like Earth Balance
3/4 cup plain unsweetened soy or almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If using frozen berries, thaw them in warm water and strain well.
In a large bowl, mix together both flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Separate margarine into 6 pieces and add to flour mixture using a fork or pastry cutter to cut in until margarine is evenly distributed, with no pieces larger than a pea.
Combine soy or almond milk, vanilla or lemon extract, and zest and pour into dry mixture. Stir until dough comes together. Add berries and gently fold into the dough. Some berries may get squashed and add a hint of purple—that’s okay.
Once dough is thoroughly mix with berries, place on a lightly floured surface, and flatten to about 3/4 of an inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a tumbler, cut into 6-8 scones. You may need to reform the dough into a ball and press out again to make all the scones. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with additional sugar, optionally. Bake for 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
Pro-Tip: You can substitute berries with your favorite fruit. Or go crazy and use chocolate chips. If you do that, use the vanilla extract rather than the lemon.
This easy dessert takes me back to my childhood summers at grandma’s house. Buttery and decadent, you won’t believe how simple it is. While peaches are my go-to cobbler filling, you could swap them out for apples and cinnamon, blueberries, blackberries, or even pitted sour cherries. This recipe appears in my book, MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live — One Meal at a Time, published by Da Capo Press, 2017.
Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes; 15 minutes active
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) dairy-free margarine, like Earth Balance, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened plain soy or almond milk
2 cups fresh sliced peaches (you can use frozen, thawed peaches, or fresh or thawed, frozen berries, apples, etc. if you prefer)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I generally put my margarine in a large casserole dish and stick it in the oven while preheating to melt.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add soy or almond milk and mix together with a whisk.
Carefully remove your casserole from the oven and pour the batter over the melted margarine. Pour fruit over the mixture.
Bake for one hour until the top is golden brown and the crust has risen over the fruit. Best when served warm (with a scoop of vanilla dairy-free ice cream).
This is a go-to recipe in my house for when I’m in a hurry to make dinner, but want a meal that’ll fill me up and also provide plenty of nutrients. Nutty peanut butter and salty soy sauce combine with a little sweetness plus hot sauce for an explosion of flavor. Packed with protein and ridiculously easy, this dish is a hit with kids for the taste and with parents for its ease. Adjust spice as your family likes it.
