Category: cashews

cashews · cheese · greens · jalapeno · mac and cheese · pasta · vitamix · weeknight

Weeknight Vegan Mac and Cheese

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The football offseason is officially upon us but that doesn’t mean we should stop making epic foods! I understand many people, including myself, are crunched for time after work. Easy and delicious recipes are tough to come by, especially those with a wow factor.

This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and will blow you away with how good it is.  Here is where it definitely pays to have a Vitamix or else you’ll need to soak the nuts and work at it in a regular blender. Pair this with some bbq seitan cutlets (that I like to keep in the freezer) and a steamed veggie side. While similar to past mac and cheese dishes found on this website (Tailgate Mac and Cheese and Chili Mac and Cheese), this version is much simpler without losing any of that creamy delicious flavor. 
If you don’t have sunflower or sesame seeds feel free to use all cashews. If you a nut allergy, use all seeds. Gluten intolerance? Use your favorite gluten free pasta as this sauce is naturally gluten (and soy) free. You can make everyone happy this week for dinner, enjoy!

Prep 10 mins ∙ Cook 20 mins ∙ Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Water or veggie broth to cover
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews
  • ⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • ⅓ cup raw sesame seeds or tahini
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 16 oz whole wheat pasta of choice
  • 1 jalapeño chopped and quickly sautéed (optional)
  • A handful of greens, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Toss the sweet potato, carrots, onion and garlic in a small pot and barely cover with the water or broth. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minuted or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta according to the directions. I like to add a large handful of greens during the last 5 minutes of cooking to make it more healthy!
3. In a vitamix (if not using a high speed blender, please soak your seeds/nuts accordingly) add the cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, spices and the contents of the veggie pot, including water or broth. Blend until creamy.
4. Mix together the cheesey sauce and drained pasta. Toss the jalapeño if you want so kick or serve with your favorite hot sauce.

cashew cheese · cashews · cheese · grilling · liquid smoke · mushrooms · sandwich · smoked · tailgate · vegan · vital wheat gluten · vitamix

Grilled Vegan Cheesesteaks

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Week 9 Browns v. Bucs

The vegan tailgate is going strong! Not to be confused with the Bucks of Ohio State, the Browns took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past weekend in Cleveland. Perfect football weather made for perfect tailgate conditions. And the Brown won! The Browns have a winning record and this recipe was quite the crowd pleaser. 

This is another seitan recipe, so if you follow the blog you are basically an expert by now! It is my take on Philly Cheesesteaks, inspired by the Vegan Zombie. Everything, except the buns, is made from scratch, so you’ll need to set aside a few hours the night before the game to make everything. Also, this doesn’t have to be made in the parking lot and can be made at home very easily. Great for away games!

The key here is the tender, thinly shaved seitan and homemade herbed cashew cheese.  They pair together very well with grilled marinated peppers, onions and mushrooms. Load these sandwiches up the brim and expect a mess. We used a little BBQ or Sriracha on top and served alongside a roasted cauliflower and peanut salad with peanut dressing. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Seitan dry ingredients:

The seitan after baking for 90 minutes in homemade stock

1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp turmeric



Seitan wet ingredients:



1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp liquid smoke

2 cloves of shredded garlic

Ground pepper to taste



Stock for seitan:

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 diced onion

4 smashed cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

1/4 agave nectar

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/2 bunch of fresh thyme

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp molasses

2 cups water



Herbed cashew cheese:

Herbed cashew cheese block


1 cup cashews raw

1-1/2 cups water (and more if you need to soak your nuts)

2 tsp agar agar powder OR 2 tbsp agar agar flakes (this can be hard to find but most health food stores carry it)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked salt (or just regular salt)

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup fresh herbs (I used basil and oregano)



Veggies:

3 bell peppers
2 medium onions
8 oz. mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. Fresh herbs (I used thyme and oregano)
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tbsp. rice vinegar


AND:
8 Hoagie rolls

Directions
-Preheat the oven to 375
-Combine the wet and dry ingredients and form a dough. Roll into a log and place in a covered casserole dish (I used a roasting pan)

-Bring all the ingredients for the stock to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes

-Pour the stock in casserole dish to cover seitan. Cover and bake 375 for 45 minutes (Note: baste the seitan if it didn’t quite cover it every 20 minutes or so). Then flip seitan and continue to cook for 45 hour uncovered.
-Meanwhile make the cheese: Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and add the agar agar. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Turn down the heat to simmer and cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the agar is dissolved completely.

-Put the cashews into the blender with all the remaining ingredients. Pour in the agar mixture and Blend on high until very smooth.

-Pour into a glass dish or non-stick pan (if you think it will stick then spray with vegetable oil.) Refrigerate until firm. Remove the cheese by running a knife or spatula around the edge and it will pop out of the container.
-For the veggies, slice the peppers, onions, mushrooms and garlic and place in a sealed bag or container. Add lime juice, soy sauce, agave, rice vinegar and herbs and let marinate until ready to grill.
-Once the seitan is done, let cool and wrap up in foil, along with cheese, until its tailgate time.
-Grill the peppers, onions and mushrooms until charred. Set aside
-Shave the seitan using a grater or sharp knife. Grill in a grill pan or cast iron skillet.

-Grate this cheese using a box grater. toss on the seitan in the last few minutes to soften.
-Toast the buns on the grill and assemble the sandwiches to your liking







Marinating the veggies the night before






Grilled veggies

Shredded seitan
I used my cast iron skillet on the grill
The sandwiches can be served with your favorite side dish
Ready to take a bite!





cashews · field roast · greens · sausage

Chipotle Sausage Stuffed Cabbage with Creamy Chipotle Tomato Sauce

osuadamrLeave a comment
2014-07-22 21.21.21It’s been too long! I’ve neglected posting but have been blogging over at Field Roast and Fresh Fork.  I figured, why not share those awesome recipes over here!  Football season is coming up soon so it’s time to get thinking about what to cook.  Enjoy!
The first step to stuffing cabbage is steaming the head and peeling off the leaves one by one.  Fill the leaves with flavorful mixture or vegan sausage, brown rice, onions, garlic and spices.  Meanwhile, whip up a creamy, spicy tomato sauce.  Once the sauce is done and a cabbages are rolled, let simmer and prepare to be amazed!
Sauce
  • 4 large tomatoes, diced or 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
  • 6 oz. can of Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup Vegetable Broth
  • 1 Small Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups greens, chopped
  • 1/4 cups basil, chopped and packed
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 3 chipotle chiles, seeded and washed (optional)
  • ¾ cup water
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. In a large sautee pan, sautee the diced onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.
  2. Add the diced tomatoes with liquid, the vegetable stock and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, add the cashews, water and chipotle peppers to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.  (Tip: if you soak the cashews overnight it helps blend. Also feel free to use soy creamer instead!)
  5. Add the greens, basil and blended chipotle cashew cream and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Cabbage Rolls
  • 1 medium cabbage, cored
  • 4 chipotle field roast or your favorite vegan sausage, crumbled
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 1/2 cup sauce, reserved
  • Italian seasonings, to taste
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
 Directions
  1. Partially boil the head of cabbage just enough until you can gently peel away each layer. The leaves should be pliable but intact. Drain on a paper or kitchen towel. Repeat until the whole cabbage is done.
  2. Mix together all ingredients for the rolls. Place in the center, not too much so you can’t roll!
  3. Roll like a burrito. If necessary, you can use a toothpick to hold them together. Repeat.
  4. Place all of the finished rolls into a large sauce pot.
  5. Add all of the sauce to cover. If needed, you can add some additional vegetable broth or water.
  6. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour until sauce is bubbling, cabbage leaves are more translucent and filling is hot inside.
  7. Serve hot alongside green beans and maybe with a dallop of guac on top!
2014-07-22 20.25.32
2014-07-22 21.24.06
appetizer · cashews · daiya cheese · field roast · mushrooms

Grilled Pierogies with Chived Sour Cream

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The offseason continues and the Grill Master is just heating up.  The posts are flying over at the Cooks in the Field page on the Field Roast blog.  My latest is a divine grilled vegan pierogie stuffed with sausage, mushrooms, onions and daiya cheese and topped with chived cashew sour cream.

Pierogies are a staple of the large Polish community in Cleveland.  Pierogies are traditionally stuffed with potatoes and cheese, boiled and then fried.  I figured, why not grill the filling, stuff, boil and then throw them on the grill instead?  This recipe calls for grilled Italian Field Roast, onions and mushrooms.  Vegan cheese is optional, but adds great texture and creaminess.  Top it off with some chived cashew sour cream and prepare to be amazed.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • Filling:
    • 1 package Italian Field Roast sausages
    • 2 large onions, quartered
    • 8 oz. mushrooms, halved
    • Shredded vegan cheese (optional)
  • Dough:
    • 3 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 cup water, plus 3 tablespoons
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
  • Glaze:
    • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
    • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • Chived Cashew Sour Cream: 
    • 1 ½ cups cashews, soaked and drained
    • ½ cup water
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped

Preparation instructions

  1. Grill the Field Roast sausages on an oiled grill grate.  Rotate until all sides are charred
  2. At the same time, grilled the onions and mushrooms in a grill pan until charred.  The onions will take a little longer than the mushrooms
  3. Once cooled, chop into small pieces and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the dough.   In a large bowl combine flour, 1 cup of water and salt.  Warm the remained 3 tablespoons of water and mix with the flax.  Add to the bowl and knead.  
  5. Roll out the dough until very thin (should be about ¼ inch thick).  Using 4-inch cookie cutter (or a martini glass) cut out circles of dough.  
  6. Meanwhile, prepare a lot pot of boiling water
  7. Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of a dough circle. Top with a sprinkle of vegan cheese (optional).  
  8. Fold in half and pinch closed.  Use little water on your fingertips if they don’t stick. Repeat. (Style points: take a fork and press into the edges for a nice design!)
  9. Drop a few of the folded and sealed pierogies into the boiling water.  Don’t crowd the pot.  Boil for 5 minutes or until they begin to float.  Remove from the boiling water with slotted spoon. Repeat.
  10. Brush the mustard/vinegar glaze on and place on the grill.  Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes.  Keep moist!
  11. Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the sour cream except the chives in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Fold in chives.
  12. Serve the grilled pierogies with a dollop of the chive cashew sour cream and your favorite hot sauce.  

Rollin, rollin, rollin
Ready to be stuffed
The grilled stuffing all chopped up
Grill time!
Chived sour cream
cashews · chili · mac and cheese · nutritional yeast · tvp

Vegan Tailgate Chili Mac and Cheese

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Week 12 Browns vs. Steelers

Chili Mac and Cheese

Nothing says tailgating quite like a bitter rivalry and bitter cold.  It might have been hard to watch or move your extremities at times, but the food was the highlight of the day.  You’ve got to enjoy some quality tailgate grub and talking about the draft for next season.

My tailgate mac and cheese is one of my favorite recipes on this blog.  As I discuss in the post, vegan mac and cheese can be quite the adventure.  After experimenting for the past few years, I’ve settled on cashew based recipes, whole wheat noodles and lots of added flavor.  Unlike dairy mac and cheese, where the milk does all the work, vegan mac requires some creative flare.

On a cold day, you need some warm comfort food like chili.  Mac and cheese is not too far behind.  So why not combine the two, put it in a grill pan and throw it on the hot fire?  This recipe uses quick and simple TVP chili without beans, although a few legumes wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Mix it all together the night before and then just bring to the tailgate ready to grill.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb whole wheat macaroni
    • Cheese sauce!
  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least an hour
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 1 head garlic, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 roasted red peppers, skins peeled
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
  • 2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 cups TVP
  • 1-15oz can petite diced tomatoes, slightly drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (I used ancho and penzy’s chili 3000)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Prep work:
    1. Soak cashews.  Cover in cold water and set in the fridge.
    2. Turn oven to broil and roast peppers for a half hour.  Let cool and remove the skins
  2. Boil a large pot of water for the macaroni and cook according to package.

    The TVP Chili
  3. Meanwhile, in another pot sauté one of the onions for a minutes.  Add a couple cloves of garlic and place in a high speed blender.  
  4. Drain the cashews and add the to the blender with the vegetable broth, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, peppers, 2 tablespoons of the tomato paste, ground mustard, turmeric and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend!
  5. Add the blended cheese mix back to the pot and heat on low until it thickens.  
  6. Meanwhile, rehydrate the TVP in 3 cups of hot water.
  7. Sauté the other onion in a large pan.  When they turn brown, add the rest of the garlic for 30 seconds.  
  8. Toss in the spices and the rehydrated TVP.  sauté for another minute or two then toss in the tomatoes and tomato paste.  Cook for another couple of minutes.
  9. Toss the TVP mix, the pasta and the cheese sauce.  Cover with foil to refrigerate until ready to grill.
  10. Toss directly on a hot grill for about 20-25 minutes.  It is done when the cheese is bubbling!  A little cripsy on the bottom is good too. 
    All grilled up

    Chili mac pairs nicely with hot chili and grilled veggies
    appetizer · cashews · jalapeno · nutritional yeast · spicy · tofu

    Velvety Vegan Jalapeño Popppers

    osuadamr2 Comments

    Weeks 7 & 8 Road Games in Green Bay and KC

    Yup, thats a grilled vegan jalapeño popper
    The Browns have been on the road the past two weeks and continue to ride the quarterback roller coaster.  While that means I haven’t been down at the muni lot tailgating, I have an amazing appetizer recipe to share with you that works on the grill or at home in the oven.  Jalapeño Poppers!
    For centuries, vegan’s have tried to replicate cheese.  While we have come close, nothing quite gets us there.  However, cashews are my favorite creamy substitute, and they do a pretty darn good job providing that velvety texture and flavor.  As Tal Ronnen likes to say, cashews are “vessels of creaminess.”  
    Cashews and nuts are only one third of the vegan creamy equation.  The other parts of the trifecta are beans (think hummus or tofu) and avocado (which naturally stands on its own).  Nutritional yeast is an important  ingredient in the vegan cheese quest.  So is turmeric, for those who care about the yellowish appearance.  These poppers, while they don’t have avocados, have all the makings of a creamy vegan delight. 
    This recipe comes together quickly, especially if you have a couple hands on deck.  One person can cut open the peppers while the other prepares the filling.  Then you can both stuff the peppers and top with bread crumbs.  I left a few seeds in to give it a little heat, but it wasn’t overwhelming.  Enjoy!
    Ingredients
    Jalapeño boats
    • 24 large jalapeños, cut in half, membranes and some seeds removed
    • 14 oz. firm tofu, lightly pressed
    • 1/2 cup cashews
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 2 tsp. cumin
    • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. thyme
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. ground chipotle 
    • 1 tsp. turmeric
    • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
    Directions
    1. Cut and remove membranes and some seeds from peppers
    2. Paces remaining ingredients except breadcrumbs into a high speed blender.  If not using a vita-mix, soak the cashews for at least an hour and drain.
    3. Scoop the cheese mix into the jalapeño boats.  Be generous!
    4. Just before ready to cook, sprinkle on bread crumbs.
    5. Grill: place in grill pan and cover with foil.  Cook for about 15 minutes.
    6. Oven: place on baking sheet in oven at 400 degrees.  Cook for 20 minutes.