Vegan Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

January 16, 2024January 16, 2024Leave a comment

Vegan Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells
vegan ~ dairy-free What’s new at Vegan Rescue?… Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Serves: 12 to 16
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

For this Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells recipe, I’m purposely leaving out some of the exact measurements, leaving it to your preference. I like my stuffed shells saucy and “cheesy,” but some people don’t like so much sauce or too much cheese. Also, since we had extra mouths to feed this week, I made a large batch of stuffed shells. I felt like I was meal prepping for a few days, lol. This batch of stuffed shells made enough for three (13×9) glass baking dishes. I’m including pictures of the steps below. But definitely check out Vegan Rescue on Instagram for a video of this recipe ~ don’t forget to Like/Share/Follow. These stuffed shells were so delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Jumbo Pasta Shells (about 2-3 12oz boxes)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (about 2 Tbsp)
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (about 1 Tsp)
Sweet Onions, chopped (about 2 medium)
Fresh Garlic, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
Ground Veggie Crumbles (I used 2 packages of Gardein Crumbles)
Shiitake Mushrooms, chopped (about 10oz)
Fresh Baby Spinach, chiffonade (about 4 Cups)
Vegan Cheese (I used Daiya – both Mozzarella and Parmesan)
Marinara (Pasta) Sauce (store-bought/jarred is okay)
Vegan Tofu Ricotta ~ Recipe found here.

Spinach Tofu Ricotta

Directions:
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
-In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. To this, add the Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic, and Onions. Sauté for about two to three minutes until onions are translucent.
-Add the Ground/Veggie Crumbles and cook for about 10 minutes. To this add the Shiitake Mushrooms and cook for another minute. Remove the “meat filling” from heat and set aside.
-Prepare Jumbo Shells according to package. (Placed in boiling, salted water and boil for about 10 minutes until al dente). -Drain the shells and set aside.
-In a large 13×9 baking dish, add pasta sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
-To each of the cooked shells, I add a spoonful of the “meat” filling on the bottom of the shell and top with the Vegan Tofu Ricotta mixture.
-Place each of shells into the baking dish into a single layer.
-Top with additional sauce, then cheese. I used a mixture of the Mozzarella and Parmesan to top.
-Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour. Cheese should be melted.
-Enjoy!

Vegan Tofu Ricotta

Serves: 12 to 16
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

Ingredients:
Jumbo Pasta Shells (about 2-3 12oz boxes)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (about 2 Tbsp)
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (about 1 Tsp)
Sweet Onions, chopped (about 2 medium)
Fresh Garlic, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
Ground Veggie Crumbles (I used 2 packages of Gardein Crumbles)
Shiitake Mushrooms, chopped (about 10oz)
Fresh Baby Spinach, chiffonade (about 4 Cups)
Vegan Cheese (I used Daiya – Mozzarella/Parmesan)
Marinara/Pasta Sauce, store-bought
Vegan Tofu Ricotta ~ Recipe found here

Directions:
-In-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
-In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. To this, add the Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic, and Onions. Sauté for about two to three minutes until onions are translucent.
-Add the Ground/Veggie Crumbles and cook for about 10 minutes. To this add the Shiitake Mushrooms and cook for another minute. Remove the “meat filling” from heat and set aside.
-Prepare Jumbo Shells according to package. (Placed in boiling, salted water and boil for about 10 minutes until al dente). -Drain the shells and set aside.
-To the prepared Vegan Tofu Ricotta ~ add the Spinach and about 1/2 Cup of the vegan parmesan cheese, optional. Stir to combine and set aside.
-In a large 13×9 baking dish, add pasta sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
-To each of the cooked shells, I add a spoonful of the “meat” filling on the bottom of the shell and top with the Vegan Tofu Ricotta mixture.
-Place each of shells into the baking dish into a single layer.
-Top with additional sauce, then cheese. I used a mixture of the Mozzarella and Parmesan to top.
-Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour. Cheese should be melted.
-Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

January 14, 2024Leave a comment

Balsamic Vinaigrette
vegan ~ gluten-free ~ soy-free ~ dairy-free

Makes: about 16oz
Total Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

What’s new at Vegan Rescue?… Balsamic Vinaigrette and a Power Salad!

I love making my own salad dressing and vinaigrettes are the easiest. I’ll typically add Dijon mustard to my vinaigrettes but ran out this time. This recipe does not include it, but I do recommend it. Another plus to making homemade salad dressing is that you can swap and mix ingredients. This recipe uses agave, which can easily be swapped for honey.

This dressing is the perfect match for this chopped/shredded Power Salad that I made. But it also goes perfectly in wraps or even on top of some veggies. The salad was made with shredded Baby Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Parsley and topped with Chickpeas, Sundried Tomatoes, and Sunflower Seeds. I always like shredding baby spinach, similar to how you julienne basil leaves. The baby spinach blends nicely when it is shredded rather than leaving the leaves whole. Also, I massaged the kale in this recipe with salt and balsamic vinegar. This Balsamic Vinaigrette is so simple and easy, a definite “go to” where you can swap ingredients. Enjoy!

**Check out Vegan Rescue on Instagram for a video of this awesome salad and dressing!

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
3 Tbsp Agave Nectar
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
Salt/Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 Tsp-1 Tsp)

Directions:
-In a 16oz bottle or mason jar – combine all ingredients.
-Shake well to combine and store in refrigerator.
-Enjoy!

Power Salad
Baby Spinach
Brussels Sprouts
Red (Purple) Cabbage
Kale
Parsley
Chickpeas
Sundried Tomatoes
Sunflower Seeds

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes: about 16oz
Total Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
3 Tbsp Agave Nectar
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
Salt/Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 Tsp-1 Tsp)

Directions:
-In a 16oz bottle or mason jar – combine all ingredients.
-Shake well to combine and store in refrigerator.
-Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet (w/ JUST Eggs)

October 7, 2023Leave a comment

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet (w/ JUST Eggs)
vegan ~ gluten-free ~ dairy-free

Makes: 2 to 4 Omelets (Omelettes)
Total Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

I absolutely LOVE making breakfast/brunch. Sunday brunch was a regular tradition for us. We still have a big Sunday breakfast/brunch sometimes, but since the kids have been away, it is not as often now. I’ve made so many omelets over the years (even pre-vegan) and I find that making the filling separately is so much more flavorful. Is it just me or are there not that many vegan breakfast restaurants out there yet? I really hope you try this recipe.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1-2 (12oz Bottle) JUST Egg product
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
8oz Mushrooms, sliced/chopped roughly
5oz Baby Spinach
1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt/Pepper to taste
Oil/Vegan Butter for cooking
Vegan Cheese for topping/filling, optional (I used Field Roast Shredded Chao)

Directions:
-In a large pan, heat oil for veggies over medium-high heat. I used about two tablespoons of oil.
-Sauté onions for about two minutes, they will become translucent. To this mixture, add the mushrooms and sauté for another one to two minutes.
-Next, add the crushed red pepper flakes and spinach. Add salt/pepper to taste and sauté, stirring the mixture for another minute to cook down the spinach.
You can remove the mixture from the pan and set aside, if you do not want to use a separate pan.
-In a large pan, heat oil/butter over medium-high heat. Shake up the bottle of JUST Egg prior to pouring. I use half the bottle per omelet, pour into the pan in a circular motion.
-Turn heat down to low or medium-low heat and cook the JUST Egg for about 10 minutes total. About halfway through scrap down the sides periodically to ensure the omelet is not sticking.
-Once cooked, flip the omelet over (optional) and add filling to the center. I also add the cheese during this step if you are using cheese.
-Fold the sides up towards the center. If you are using cheese, you can top with additional cheese and cook for another minute or two to melt the cheese.
-Enjoy!

Additional: I note that the recipe makes two to four omelets, since the filling can be divided into two omelets or four depending on your preference.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Makes: 2 to 4 Omelets (Omelettes)
Total Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

Ingredients:
1-2 (12oz Bottle) JUST Egg product
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
8oz Mushrooms, sliced/chopped roughly
5oz Baby Spinach
1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt/Pepper to taste
Oil/Vegan Butter for cooking
Vegan Cheese for topping/filling, optional (I used Field Roast Shredded Chao)

Directions:
-In a large pan, heat oil for veggies over medium-high heat. I used about two tablespoons.
-Sauté onions for about two minutes, they will become translucent. To this mixture, add the mushrooms and sauté for another one to two minutes.
-Next, add the crushed red pepper flakes and spinach. Add salt/pepper to taste and sauté, stirring the mixture for another minute to cook the spinach.
You can remove the mixture from the pan and set aside, if you do not want to use a separate pan.
-In a large pan, heat oil/butter over medium-high heat. Shake up the bottle of JUST Egg prior to pouring. I use half the bottle per omelet, pour into the pan in a circle motion.
-Turn heat down to low or medium-low heat and cook the JUST Egg for about 10 minutes total. About halfway through I scrap down the sides periodically to ensure the omelet is not sticking.
-Once cooked, flip the omelet over (optional) and add filling to the center. I also add the cheese during this step if you are using it.
-Fold the sides up towards the center. If you are using cheese, you can flip the omelet and top with additional cheese, cooking for another minute or two to melt the cheese.
-Enjoy!

Spinach & Pesto Panini w/ Tempeh & Smoked Mozzarella

September 4, 2023September 6, 2023Leave a comment

Spinach & Pesto Panini (with Tempeh and Smoked Mozzarella)
vegan ~ dairy-free

Serves: 2 Sandwiches
Total Time: 20-25 minutes (includes prep)
Difficulty: Easy
Author: Vegan Rescue/Jessica Williams

It’s that time of year when I focus on quick and easy meals. It is just the two of us, so I tend to make on rice/beans, pastas, soups, and sandwiches as simple staple meals. Last week, I made pasta with an alfredo sauce (I’ll post this later this week). Today, I made a similar pasta dish, swapped the broccoli with spinach, and used a store-bought pesto. Finding some vegan store-bought sauces is essential for those quick dinner meal nights. Speaking of store-bought, a few months ago, we found Legh’s Soup at our local whole food store and their brand is so good. Whenever we pick up some of their vegan soups, I always feel the urge to make either a big salad or sandwich with it. For today’s recipe, I made this Pesto Panini Sandwich, using some of the same elements of the pesto pasta.
This sandwich is bursting with flavor – enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 Slices of Thick Bread (I used Merzbach’s 3-Penny Loaf)
2 Tbsp Seggiano Fresh Basil Pesto (store-bought/freshly prepared works too)
2 Tbsp Vegenaise
2 Cups Fresh Organic Spinach
1 (6oz) Pkg Tempeh (I used LightLife Smoky Bacon)
1-3oz Miyoko’s Smoked Vegan Mozzarella (portion depends on preference)
2 Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced
Vegan Butter for grilling

Directions:
-Pre-heat panini pan or grill to warm. Pre-cook tempeh according to package instructions, or in a lightly oiled pan, heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
-While the tempeh is cooking– spread vegan butter/Earth Balance on the back of each of the four slices of bread.
-On the opposite side (inside slice) – spread one side with pesto sauce and the other with Vegenaise.
-Top with spinach, tempeh, mozzarella, tomatoes.
-Cook for about 3-5 minutes per side if using a pan-style. If using a panini press, I typically will cook until the “ready setting” activates, typically about the same time (3-5 minutes).
-Enjoy!

The soup!

Spinach & Bean Enchiladas with White Mushroom Sauce

March 22, 2016March 22, 20163 Comments

Spinach & Bean Enchiladas with White Mushroom Sauce
(Serves 6-8)

Enchiladas come in so many varieties with different fillings and sauces. My first enchilada experience was when I was a teenager. A cousin’s ex had made them and her version was the popular shredded chicken with the Campbell’s condensed soup mushroom sauce. My veganized version was a play on my original experience. This recipe is creamy and absolutely delicious and a must try. It may seem complex but is fairly simple, I utilized my nutribullet for the sauces and the Cilantro-Lime Jasmine rice was very simple to make, recipe included. Top with creamy avo-crema sauce. Enjoy!

Filling Ingredients:
1 (15.8oz can) Great Northern Beans (or White Kidney)
1 (15.5oz can) Chickpeas, crushed/chopped
1 (15.25oz can) Corn
4 Scallions, chopped (Light Green/White parts)
8 ½ oz Diced Green Chilies (2 – 4.25oz cans)
4oz White Button Mushrooms, chopped (divided)
4oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, chopped (divided)
3 Cups Baby Spinach (3 handfuls)
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 ½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Course Black Pepper
¼ Tsp Cumin
2 Tbsp Oil
8 Flour Tortillas

Directions:
-Preheat oven 375 degrees F and grease 13x9x2 glass-baking dish with earth balance (vegan butter).
-Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat and sauté beans, corn, chilies and scallions for about 4-5 minutes.
-Turn off heat and fold in baby spinach and mushrooms. Add salt/pepper and cumin then set aside until ready to use.

-Divide filling evenly among 8 tortillas. Roll and place seam side down in greased baking dish.
-Pour White Mushroom Sauce (recipe below) over entire dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil then bake an additional 10 minutes. Enjoy!

White Mushroom Sauce Ingredients:
2 Cups Cashews, soaked (about 30 minutes)
½ Cup Non-Dairy Sour Cream
1 (13.5oz can) Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 Garlic Cloves
½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Course Black Pepper
4oz White Button Mushrooms, chopped (divided)
4oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, chopped (divided)
2 Tbsp Flour

Directions:
-Blend all ingredients except mushrooms until smooth.
-Once smooth, stir in chopped mushrooms.
IMG_9876a

Notes: For the mushrooms I just buy 2 (8oz) containers – 1 of each. Wipe clean, remove stems and chop once, then divide for filling and topping.

Fettuccini with Olive Oil, Garlic and Veggies

October 17, 2015October 17, 20157 Comments

Fettuccini with Olive Oil, Garlic and Veggies
Vegan, GF Option (use GF Pasta)

Simple and delicious! This recipe is an example of something I would eat out at a restaurant. Most restaurants serve or have boxed pasta and veggies and olive oil. Just request this simple idea tossed with garlic and I’m in!
*It’s funny because when we go out to eat with friends or family, they often go straight to the salad section to see what ‘we’ can ‘eat’ – me, I often check to see that they have eggless pasta or rice and request that with some veggies, olive oil and garlic. I know they gotta have olive oil and garlic, right? Check this one out – I frequently make something similar to this at home with broccoli (we LOVE broccoli !!) and peas. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Fettuccini Pasta, prepared according to package
Small Potatoes, quartered or sliced in half
Asparagus, stems removed
Frozen Chopped Spinach, steamed
Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
Edamame, shelled/steamed
Fresh Parsley
Garlic, minced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper to taste
Chili Powder to taste
Red Pepper Flakes, pinch

Directions:
-In large pot fill with water – add potatoes and bring to boil. Once boiling add pasta and cook until al dente and potatoes are fork tender.
-Add about 2 Tbsp Olive Oil to pan and saute Asparagus for 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
-Back to same pan, add mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
-Back to pan add remaining olive oil (that will be used to toss with pasta), pan will still be hot – here add minced garlic also and red pepper flakes.
-Toss together pasta, olive oil with garlic, edamame, asparagus, mushrooms and spinach along with salt/pepper to taste.

Notes: I did not include measurements in my initial ingredient listing as I made a large batch of this meal to have for leftovers for a few days. The ingredient list below are the measurements I used – again this is for a large group/party or perfect for leftovers. If making for smaller family or group, adjust quantities as needed.

————–
(Serves 10-15)
28oz Small Potatoes
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 (9oz Pkg) Frozen Chopped Spinach (about 1 cup)
7oz Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
2 Cups Frozen Edamame, shelled/steamed
2lbs Fettuccini pasta, prepared according to package
1 Bunch Fresh Parsley
2-3 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1/3-1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp Chili Powder
Salt/Pepper to taste

Warm Mushroom and Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

June 16, 2015June 18, 20155 Comments

Warm Mushroom and Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
(Serving 2-4) – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

Mushrooms! I love Spinach too! It’s funny when I think back to my childhood I remember the typical stuff like certain movies, t.v. and video games. It’s interesting how veggies were marketed to us in a roundabout way back then. Obviously times have now changed with all the commercials and advertising (especially here in the U.S.). I’m unclear as to what the true message is these days…junk, soda, greasy, cheesy, crust filled, all you can eat, candy etc. I think I read somewhere that 70% of the commercials on children t.v. channels are all junk foods. It’s no surprise the increase in obesity, diabetes heart diseases, cancer etc. in this country. Now when I was growing up I remember Spinach and Mushrooms the key ingredients in this dish which are both very nutritious. Remember Super Mario Bros. and Mushroom world. Mushrooms would allow me to double in size and strength or take an extra hit. Having strength to break bricks. Then there is Popeye whether the original intention was to boast the health benefits of spinach and maybe it wasn’t, the reality is we viewed Popeye as having incredible strength and abilities after eating a can of the stuff. The best part is…it really is a super food and nutritiously good for you. Vitamin A, K, B6, Iron etc. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
¼ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
5oz Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
3.5oz Bunapi Mushrooms (White Beech), ends removed
7 Whole White Button Mushrooms, quartered
6 Whole Baby Bella Mushrooms, quartered
¼ Tsp Sea Salt
3 Handfuls Fresh Baby Spinach (abt 4 Cups)
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
½ Tbsp Blue Agave Nectar
1 Tsp Horseradish Mustard or Dijon

Directions:
-In sauté pan heat 2 Tbsp Olive Oil over medium-low heat, add Crushed Red Pepper Flakes and Garlic for about 2 minutes.

-Remove Garlic-Red Pepper Oil and pour into a bowl, set aside.
-Back to empty pan – heat over medium and add mushrooms in batches. I started with Shiitake about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
-Add quartered (larger pieces I cut down further) Baby Bella / Button mushrooms and ¼ Tsp Sea Salt and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and add with Shiitake.
-To pan add 1 Tbsp Olive Oil and sauté Bunapi Mushrooms for about 5 minutes. They should pick up some nice color from the pan/prior ingredients. Remove and add with other mushrooms.

-Back to pan add fresh Spinach and warm through until slightly wilted. Remove from pan and add with mushrooms, the spinach will continue to warm through with mushrooms.

For Dressing: -To bowl with Olive Oil, Garlic and crushed Red Pepper Flakes add: Balsamic Vinegar, Agave Nectar and Mustard – whisk together to combine. Toss all ingredients together to combine. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Note from the past: Be sure to divide mushrooms and cook in multiple batches. If you throw all the mushrooms in the pan together at once they will get watery and steam up instead. You don’t want to over stir or season yet. You’ll want mushrooms to release their own natural moisture and sizzle into a golden color.

Warm Mushroom and Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Servings: 2-4 ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free
Time: 20mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Directions:
-In sauté pan heat 2 Tbsp Olive Oil over medium-low heat, add Crushed Red Pepper Flakes and Garlic for about 2 minutes.
-Remove Garlic-Red Pepper Oil and pour into a bowl, set aside.
-Back to empty pan – heat over medium and add mushrooms in batches. I started with Shiitake about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
-Add quartered (larger pieces I cut down further) Baby Bella / Button mushrooms and ¼ Tsp Sea Salt and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and add with Shiitake.
-To pan add 1 Tbsp Olive Oil and sauté Bunapi Mushrooms for about 5 minutes. They should pick up some nice color from the pan/prior ingredients. Remove and add with other mushrooms.
-Back to pan add fresh Spinach and warm through until slightly wilted. Remove from pan and add with mushrooms, the spinach will continue to warm through with mushrooms.

Bucatini with Smoked Tomato Sauce

May 15, 2015May 23, 20157 Comments

Bucatini with Smoked Tomato Sauce
(Serves 8-10) – Vegan, Soy-Free

I love Pasta! There are so many different kinds of pasta. This one I’m using here today is Bucatini – it is a long spaghetti-like pasta with a hollow center. This pasta has a hole running down the center; I really enjoy the way this pasta grabs the sauce with every bite. You can certainly use spaghetti in this recipe. Just like I said in my prior spaghetti post, I never need a reason to make spaghetti! This sauce is more of a smoky sauce you can certainly kick up the heat too by adding additional red pepper flakes or make it sweeter by adding additional sugar. The spinach in this sauce adds a level of sweetness as well. Enjoy!

Bucatini Pasta with Smoked Tomato Sauce

Servings: 8-10 ~ Vegan, Soy-Free
Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Credit: VeganRescue.com

Ingredients:
2 (12oz Pkgs) Bucatini Pasta
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil + additional for pasta
¼ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 oz White Button Mushrooms, chopped or sliced
1 (28 oz can) Crushed Tomatoes
1 (14.5oz can) Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Tsp Oregano
½ Tsp Ground Pepper
2 Tsp Sea Salt
4 Tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke, optional
1 (10oz Pkg) Frozen Spinach, thawed

Directions:
-Bring large pot of water to boil and prepare Bucatini according to package directions.
-Add 2 Tbsp Olive oil to sauté pan and sauté crushed red peppers for about a minute. Add Garlic and continue sautéing for another 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside.
-Add 2 Tbsp Olive oil back to sauté pan. Add Tomatoes (both cans) and seasonings, bring to slow bubbling boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Feel free to add more sugar if you’re enjoy a sweeter sauce.
-Prepare Spinach according to package to thaw. Add Spinach and Mushrooms back to sauce and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
-Serve over warm Bucatini Pasta, I toss the pasta in a pan with additional olive oil before topping with sauce to serve. Enjoy!

Potato Spinach Cakes with Creamy Chive Garlic Sauce

May 10, 2015May 11, 20155 Comments

Potato Spinach Cakes with Creamy Chive Garlic Sauce
(Makes 10 Patties) – Vegan, can be Gluten-Free (GF Breadcrumbs)

Welcome back – well for me anyway 🙂 . I took a week-long hiatus from blogging to enjoy some quality time with my family. We took a family vacation this past week – road trip style. We went along the East Coast making a few stops along the way. Our first stop was in Washington, DC – we walked so much this day, it was great! We visited: two Smithsonian museums, the Lincoln Memorial & Reflecting Pool, Washington Monument and saw the White House. We started off our day with breakfast at – Woodland’s Vegan Bistro; the French toast was great. Amongst the group the breakfast sandwich and grits were also sampled. We then stopped in Myrtle Beach, SC. My cousin lives out there, it was awesome connecting with family. We missed them the last time they came out to our area PA/NJ, so it was nice to visit with them. He has a beautiful wife and three wonderful children. Their kids had me in stitches, so adorable. They are blessed. Their hospitality was so appreciated. Delicious food and great coffee too, just chatting with my cousin gave me so many ideas. The last stop was Disney in Orlando. We visited Magic Kingdom and also Universal – we had a blast. Personally, I had as much fun as the kids and I can say that place is truly magical. In Orlando we also ate at Ethos Vegan Kitchen, great vegan eats.
So there’s my update. I hope you all have been well. Naturally I missed being away from my kitchen after so long, so I wanted to make something quick and easy. This recipe is delicious. A must try. To quote my husband, “This is a mixture of Chive & Garlicky heaven.” Enjoy!
Note: I baked this recipe but it can just as easily be fried in canola or olive oil for 3-5 minutes on each side.

Ingredients:
3 Russet Potatoes, peeled/boiled
2 (9oz Pkg) Frozen Chopped Spinach (abt 2 cups), thawed and drained well
1/3 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp course Ground Pepper
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (vegan butter)
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds (Flax meal)
2 ½ Tbsp Water

Directions:
-Preheat oven 400 degrees. Grease baking sheet.
-Combine Flax Seeds and Water for about 15 minutes to create Flax Egg.

-Peel Potatoes and chop/quarter then boil large pot of water (enough water to cover).

-Boil for 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain and return potatoes to hot pot so any remaining water will absorb about 5 minutes.
-Mash potatoes. Add Earth Balance butter, seasonings and fluff with fork. Stir in Panko and Spinach.

-Combine into patties and bake for 15 minutes each side (30 minutes total).

Creamy Chive Garlic Sauce
(Makes about 2 Cups) – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

–

Ingredients:
1 Cup Cashews, soaked
Juice of ½ Lemon
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3-4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 ½ Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
½ Cup Sunflower Seeds
(.75 oz) Chives, chopped (abt ½ cup packed chopped)
1 Cup Water

Directions:
-Soak cashews, I soaked for about 1 hr, then drain.
-Combine all ingredients in high-speed blender (I used my nutribullet), serve and enjoy!

Great for topping on potato cakes and fantastic as a dip or topping for a burger too. My husband and son dipped a potato chip in this sauce and instantly thought (sour cream and onion potato chip).

S…Spinach Soup

April 22, 2015Leave a comment

Spinach Soup
(Serves 4) – Vegan, Gluten-Free

Happy Earth Day! – This is an older recipe of mine, but with Earth Day today plus today is “S” for the A-Z Blog Challenge so I was thinking Green and thought of this Spinach Soup.
There are various reasons for adopting a Vegan lifestyle. Helping to save the planet, I’ll say is a pretty good reason.
On Twitter today (Earth Day) I posted a quote. I wanted to share some great Native American wisdom. “Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money” –Cree Indian Proverb. Think about it.

Ingredients:
1 (16oz pkg) Frozen Spinach Whole Leaves, steamed
3 small white Potatoes, boiled
3 Cups Water (use water from boiled potatoes)
1 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (Almond/Coconut)
½ Tbsp Soy Sauce
½ Tbsp fresh ground Pepper
1 Tbsp Salt
½ Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
¼ Tsp ground Nutmeg
½ Tsp Cumin
Directions:
-While the potatoes are boiling, I steam the Spinach.
-Blend all ingredients together. Garnish with Olive Oil and Sriracha. Enjoy!

Vegan Rescue

Uncover the Vegan within.

Tag: spinach