Monday, May 30, 2016

Vegan Cabbage Rolls with homemade spicy, smokey tomato sauce


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Cabbage rolls are such a simple meal. They are easy to make & a common dinner  in most homes. These are a little different than the cabbage rolls your mother used to make. I top these cabbage rolls in my homemade tomato sauce that's a bit spicy and smokey thanks to the paprika in my recipe. There are a few ways to customize this recipe. If you don't like it spicy, use plain diced tomatoes. Make it your own! 


Recipe :

Tomato Sauce-

Olive oil 
3 Tbsp. diced onion
1/2 cup veggie broth 
1 tsp. smoked paprika 
1 (14 oz.) Can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (use plain if you don't want it spicy)
1/4 cup tomato paste 
Salt & pepper to taste 

Cabbage Rolls -

8 cabbage leaves
8 oz. Mushrooms 
1 small red pepper, diced
1 small purple onion, diced 
2 cups cooked quinoa (or rice)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning 
Salt & pepper to taste 

Method :

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Prepare the cabbage leaves:

Remove tough stem from cabbage leaves with a sharp knife and steam for about 6-8 minutes until softened, but not mushy. Don't over cook the cabbage. It will cook some more in the oven. You just want it soft enough to work with when stuffing & rolling the cabbage. 

Set cabbage leaves aside to cool.

2. Make the sauce:

 In a skillet over medium heat, sautée 3 Tbsp. of onion in a bit of olive oil until soft and translucent.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, veggie broth, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat through. 

Add warm tomatoes to blender and puree until smooth. 

3. Prepare the filling:

Cook mushrooms, onions and peppers in a skillet over medium heat with Italian seasoning.

Remove from heat and add quinoa (or rice) & 1/2 cup of tomato sauce to mushrooms . Mix well. 

4. Assemble:

Place 1/8 of mushroom & quinoa on each cabbage leaf.

Fold both ends of the cabbage over the filling. Roll tightly, like a burrito, sealing off the filling. 

Place cabbage rolls into a greased casserole dish and top with sauce.

5. Bake:

Bake 20 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings. 








Monday, May 23, 2016

Summer Berry Cobbler


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This year has been a good year for berries in North Carolina. Lots of berries means it's time to make a cobbler, because that's what we do here in the South. This is an EASY recipe... really as easy as it gets with Southern style deserts.


Recipe:

5 cups mixed berries
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of plant milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter, room temperature 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Method :

Preheat oven to 400°

Pour berries into a 2 quart casserole 

Mix flour and sugar in a mixing bowl with a  whisk to combine. 

Add butter, milk and vanilla to flour. Mix well. 

Pour batter over berries.

Bake 45 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings. 

* delicious over nice cream!!



Monday, May 9, 2016

Cheezy Chick'n &Bac'n Stuffed Jalapeños



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Wow!!! Just wow!! This is the appetizer recipe you NEED for your Super Bowl Party, Next gathering or just because you love spicy, cheezy, smokey, jackfruit stuffed into jalapeños. I impressed myself and probably ate far to many tonight, but I have NO REGRETS! Please, stop reading this blog and go make these for yourself NOW!! Then spread the vegan goodness everywhere!

Looking for more great Jackfruit recipes? Try my Buffalo Jackfruit Quesadillas, or my AMAZING Creamy Jackfruit & Poppyseed Casserole ( Vegan Chick'n Casserole)

Recipe :

2 (17oz ) cans of young green jackfruit
1 dozen jalapeños, steamed, seeded and cut in half
2 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp  onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/4 cup Nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp. Bac-os  (or other vegan bacon bits)

Topping:

1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 tsp parsley
1 Tbsp vegan butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Assembly :

Preheat oven to 400°

Sautée jackfruit over high heat about 8 mins until browned.

Over medium heat, heat butter until melted. Add flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, & paprika. Whisk continously.

Add milk, bacos and nutritional yeast. Whisk continously until smooth and bubbly.

Mix jackfruit and Bac'n cheeze sauce in a mixing bowl.

Stuff jackfruit into jalapeños.

Crush Ritz. Add to a bowl with parsley, salt and pepper & butter.

Microwave Ritz 30 seconds. Mix well.

Top jalapeños with Ritz.

Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray.

Place jalapeños on cookie sheet and cook 20 minutes.

Allow to cool 5 minutes  before serving.

Makes 24 jalapeño poppers!