Vegan No-Eggy Salad

The BEST vegan egg-less salad! 

Original recipe here:

https://theyummyvegan.com/blog/thebestveganeggsalad?rq=Egg%20Salad

I added a little more than a teaspoon of turmeric because I always add more turmeric than a recipe says. This … mashed on some pumpernickel toast with melted Daiya cheddar shreds, some homemade pesto, and fresh baby spinach was absolutely delicious! 

I always make the Bestest Pesto from Isa Does It because it IS the bestest pesto. You need look nowhere else! 

Makes a yummy quick meal. 

Heart of Palm Ceviche WFPB Oil Free

I made this WFPB and oil free ceviche today and it’ll definitely be a regular chez Hickman! I added some diced jicama and thinly sliced radish. Delicious! 

Original recipe here:

The Yummy Vegan Blog

Gỏi cuốn

 Summer Rolls (aka Gỏi cuốn)

Made some mostly raw summer rolls for lunch today. Filled them with shredded daikon, shredded carrot, fresh basil, fresh mint, julienned red bell pepper, and spinach. Rolled them in rice paper wrappers and some white sesame seeds. It was messy, but delicious. I think I'll try wrapping them in collards, chard, lettuce, or cabbage, too, for a totally raw option.

I finally found a dipping sauce that I like! Woo!

Spicy Raw Almond Butter Dipping Sauce 

(Recipe adapted from von Euw, Emily. The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook. Page Street Publishing Co, 2015, p.40.)

6 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon red miso paste (*it's what I had on hand instead of other miso)

3 tablespoons raw almond butter

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

Jicama and Radish Salad

This is so, so yummy! So light and refreshing.
I think I found this recipe in Food Network magazine.

Jicama and Radish Salad

1 jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks

about an equal amount of radishes, cut into matchsticks or shredded

3 or so scallions, sliced into tiny rounds

cilantro and mint, both chopped fine - about 1/4 cup each

Dressing:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:
Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over jicama, radish, scallion, mint, cilantro mixture in a big bowl. Mix well. 

Quick White Bean Salad

Quick White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
2 (14.5oz) cans large white beans (such as butter beans)
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
a couple handfuls of parsley, chopped fine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Stir together the EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss. Yum.

I also made some muhammara today and raw spaghetti with veggie meatless balls for dinner. yum!

Chewie made his second trip on the subway yesterday. He held up better than last time. He's a shy pooch and the subway is a big scary loud thing.

 

Fancy Raw Chia Pudding with Cashew Cream and a Summer Salad

Fancy Chia Pudding with Cashew Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in filtered water overnight (or at least for 10 hours), drained, and rinsed
2 cups almond mylk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
seeds from one vanilla bean (I just throw the whole bean in my Vitamix)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup chia seeds

Method:
Place all ingredients except the chia seeds in your blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 4 - 10 hours. Serve chilled with fresh organic fruit. Makes 6 servings.

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Mango and Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

(I think this is my favorite salad - ever!)

Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad:
6 cups fresh spinach
2 cups arugula
2 large mangos, peeled and cubed
2 cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped
Method:
Whisk together the balsamic, agave, thyme, salt, and pepper and add olive oil while whisking. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve topped with pistachios.

**Both of these recipes are from RAW FOOD COOKBOOK & DIET: 75 Easy, Delicious, and Flexible Recipes for a Raw Food Diet (by Rockridge Press) [Available on Amazon to download to your Kindle!]

Tofu and Peanut Stir Fry

Tofu and Peanut Stir Fry
(recipe adapted from a Food Network magazine recipe)

6 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (I found some Shaoxing rice wine in Chinatown)
1/3 cup oyster sauce (vegan version available here: http://importfood.com/sayw2405.html )
1 (14oz) block firm tofu, drained
1 cup unsalted peanuts, preferably raw
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 teaspoons minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 whole dried arbol chiles
1 can sliced water chestnuts
sugar snap peas, strings removed

1. Make the marinade: Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch, the rice wine, oyster sauce, ad 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Cut the tofu in half horizontally to make 2 large
rectangles, then cut each rectangle into 4 squares. Add tofu to the marinade and turn to coat.
2. Cook the peanuts in the oil in a large skillet over heat, stirring, until golden brown. (4-5 mins) Remove skillet from heat and transfer nuts to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
3. Drain the tofu, reserving the marinade. Sprinkle both sides of the tofu with the remaining cornstarch . Return the skillet to medium heat and add the tofu. Cook about 3 mins each side. Remove tofu to a plate. Add the ginger, garlic, chiles, and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the snap peas and water chestnuts. Whisk the marinade with 1 cup water, and add that to the skillet as well. Stir until thick. Add the tofu and nuts back in and heat through.
Voila!
Here it is cooking ... Mmmm.

 

I had a tempeh salad for lunch today that was quite pretty. ;) I just sautéed the tempeh cubes in a non-stick skillet with some cooking spray and sprinkled it with some hot paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. yum.

  

Baigan Bharta and Steamed Kale and Prepping for the week ...

Today I made smoothies for breakfast and then hit up the gym and went grocery shopping for the next couple of days.

I made a tabouleh salad and a spiced beet salad for lunch and snacks tomorrow and Tuesday.

Click for the Spiced Beet Salad Recipe.

The Tabouleh Salad is just a box of Near East Tabouleh with fresh lemon juice, grape tomatoes, fresh parsley, black olives, cucumbers, and roasted red pepper added. Mmmmm.

Then, for dinner, I made Baigan Bharta - an Indian roasted eggplant dish with some steamed kale. More Mmm ...

After my nice long break, needless to say, I'm not exactly looking forward to the beginning of the work week tomorrow. meh.

Things I've made this week ... Mmmm

I made the Asian Noodles with Black Vinaigrette from Crazy Sexy Kitchen tonight. It's amazing! I love this cookbook! I made it for my husband and I to take for lunches for the next couple days. I also made it with organic kale and an organic red pepper from our CSA, a sautéed leek, and chickpeas since that's what I had on hand. I topped it with some raw sesame seeds, but I forgot to do that before I took the picture. ;p

We had an abundance of organic kale this week from our CSA (lucky us!), so I also made some tabbouleh with kale instead of parsley(pictured below). Yum!

Our CSA also got us an enormous yellow watermelon. What a difference an organic locally grown watermelon makes when it comes to taste!

More on Vegan Bagel Spreads ...

Ok. So, I tried the Cashew Cream Cheese recipe in Crazy Sexy Kitchen and it's a pretty damn good raw vegan soy free alternative to cream cheese. It beats the smashed avocado. I also made the Tofu Ricotta from Veganomicon which is a good one too. I'm thinking the Cashew Ricotta from Veganomicon will probably be the winner. I'll try that next week. ;)

Here are some pictures of delicious wraps I've had over the past week or so. The first one is a veggie wrap from Strokos in Washington Heights (St. Nicholas Ave at 166th St.) and the second is the Smoky Avocado wrap from Blossom du Jour (three locations in Manhattan). Blossom du Jour is a 100% vegan takeaway. They also deliver and cater events. It was so yummy that it'll be my new Friday afternoon lunch after my yoga class. ;)

Crazy Sexy Food ...

As a gift to myself for having moved toward better eating once again, I got Kris Carr's cookbook, Crazy Sexy Kitchen. I love it! I had already read Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet book and this was a nice addition. I already made the Save the Tuna Salad (raw vegan salad made with soaked raw sunflower seeds and almonds) and the Curried Nada Egg tofu salad. Both of these salads were delicious! I'm sure I'll make them regularly. yum.