writinstuff

Retro Comfort Food ~ Vegan Mashed Potato Casserole

Posted on April. 2022April. 2022 by writinstuff

I don’t know about you all out there in the world but when I was a kid I loved a good mashed potato casserole. Sometimes it would be like an off-shot of a Shepherd’s Pie with ground beef and peas, other times it would just be straight up cheesy goodness with some animal served on the side.

Check out this vegan comfort food recipe: Vegan Schnitzel & Cheesy Pasta

However it was done, I loved nothing more than an old-fashioned mashed potato casserole. So I decided, why not take this classic recipe and veganize it?

Why not, indeed?

The key to any good mashed potato casserole is, of course, the mashed potatoes, which leaves you free to do whatever else you please…if you want anything else at all.

This recipe is pretty easy to complete, very delicious and it promises to provide loads of comfort, whether you need it or not!

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Asian Food, International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, Vegan

More Vegan Sushi

Posted on April. 2022April. 2022 by writinstuff

Today’s post is just a quick humble brag post on my hubby and the way his sushi making skills have improved over the years. There’s no need to do another complete vegan sushi recipe, but just in case you’re in the mood to impress someone special I’ve listed a few of my favorites below.

Spicy Tuna & Veggie Rolls
Sushi Salad Bowl
Smoky Tofu Nigiri & Vegan Crab Roll

My birthday was a few weeks ago and I really didn’t feel like driving to Bucharest to get some good Asian food, so I requested vegan sushi, super spicy tuna in particular because I kind of love UnFished brand vegan tuna.

Although I’m not doing a full recipe, I will provide you with a tip here. Always make your sushi rice a few hours in advance so it has time to cool properly before you handle it.

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one pot recipes, Potatoes, Vegan

Creamy Vegan Potato Chowder

Posted on April. 2022April. 2022 by writinstuff

So this is my second time making vegan potato chowder. The first time I made this vegan chowder, I followed (mostly) a recipe that appeared on my Facebook timeline and it came out…all right. There was nothing wrong with it but it wasn’t quite as thick and creamy as I’d been hoping for.

So, this is vegan potato chowder…take two!

This time I decided to just wing it. Okay, not wing it in reality but I took my time to get a thick bisque-like chowder that people are always raving about. Also, I kept it simple. Instead of overloading the dish with veggies that might overpower the potatoes, I kept the vegan ingredients list to a minimum.

Let’s get to today’s vegan chowdah!

Gather your ingredients and let’s get started!

If you like my silicone oven pads, check out similar ones here!

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Asian Food, Bowls, Grains, Indian, International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Vegan

Easy Vegan Dinners ~ Spiced Chickpeas & Rice

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

We’re all so busy all of the time that we’re often on the lookout for easy vegan recipes, right? I mean, for example I’m committed to the cause, I annoy my friends and family and all that, but some days I want something delicious, vegan and easy. Whether it’s an easy vegan salad or my favorite Easy Vegan Colcannon, sometimes easy is the priority.

Of course, I don’t mean easy like frozen pizza or other vegan junk food that doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of taste, calorie friendliness or satiety. I mean is this something I will enjoy and not regret when I’m finished eating.

When it comes to this easy plant based vegan recipe, you won’t have any regrets, except that there isn’t enough for seconds. But you can easily double this recipe to make four servings.

So let’s not waste any time and get right into these saucy spiced chickpeas and rice. You can thank me later. 😉

If you want to forego the sauce, simply toss the chickpeas in dry seasoning and pop them in the air fryer or the oven. Otherwise, keep reading to get the recipe.

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Bowls, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Italian, oil free vegan recipes, Pasta, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Spicy Red Orzo & Vegan Feta ~ Easy Orzo Recipes

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

Sometimes you want pasta for dinner but you don’t really know what you want, which is exactly what happened to me the other night. We have pasta in the pantry. Always. All types and shapes of pasta, but that doesn’t make the decision any easier.

Looking for a new way to use broccoli? Check out this Pasta & Creamy Broccoli Sauce recipe!

So the other night The Hubs and I were both out of ideas for dinner. It was his turn to pick and didn’t know, which is usually something I enjoy because it means I get to choose what to make. But on this night I had no idea. I didn’t feel like anything in particular and I was just plumb out of ideas.

Until I spotted the bag of orzo in the pantry. It’s not something that’s widely available here in Romania so when Lidl had one of their specialty weeks–Greek week for this particular item–I knew I would find it.

So I grabbed a bag of mince, a mix of fresh and canned tomatoes, a chili pepper and then I was off to the races, as they say.

This spicy orzo with red sauce is full of flavor, easy to make and a great excuse to bust out the vegan feta cheese you just bought but refuse to eat with just a knife.

This is a quick and easy vegan meal that works especially well on those nights you don’t feel like making dinner or you have other things waiting for you. Enjoy!

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Italian, Pasta, Vegan

Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes ~ Vegan Sausage & Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

Pasta is a staple in this house because when either one of us is feeling a little too lazy to be creative, pasta is one of our favorite go-to recipes. You can pair it with just about anything, like King Oyster Scallops. Take your favorite vegan meat alternative, sauce and vegetables and make some fabulous. It’s easy and almost always tasty, so I usually keep a few different types of pasta in the pantry.

Want something a little more creative? Try this Lemon Broccoli Pasta & Vegan Salmon recipe!

Another great thing about easy vegan pasta recipes? You can use all of your leftover vegetables so you don’t end up tossing them in the trash.

Today’s vegan recipe is easy, flavorful and oh so delicious you’ll make it every single time you have a few extra spears of asparagus.

The flavor in this dish packs such a punch that no one will ever believe this is a thirty minute vegan meal.

All the praise with just half the work, where do I sign up?

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Desserts, oil free vegan recipes, Vegan

Oil-Free Vegan Devil’s Food Birthday Cake

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

So I don’t eat a lot of sugary stuff. It’s not because I have some big vendetta against sugar even though it really isn’t great for you, it’s just a matter of taste. I’d rather have popcorn or salt & vinegar potato chips instead of cake or muffins or anything.

Unless we’re talking peanut butter cookies, because I could crush those bad boys in one sitting.

But, I digress.

Today is my birthday. Yay, happy birthday to me!

And I made a cake because every once in a while I think that I want something sweet, like this Apple Crumble Coffee Cake. The operative word is think because I say I want it and then I go through the whole process of making something baked & sugary only to have a teeny tiny sliver of it. It’s pretty terrible actually and my hubs ends up eating it all and taking some of it to his parents.

But this dessert is different.

I swear.

Okay, not so much.

One of my favorite cakes in my pre-vegan, fat girl days was Devil’s Food Cake. Now, I don’t mean the healthy version, oh no, I’m talking about the version with cocoa power, lots of oil and coffee and milk. It’s airy and fluffy and chocolatey and delicious.

At least it is until you plug those calories into a food tracker like Cronometer.

Track Your Nutrition & Health Data with cronometer.com

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Bowls, International vegan cuisine, Potatoes, Vegan

Easy Vegan Colcannon ~ Cabbage & Leek Colcannon

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

I know, I know, St. Paddy’s day was yesterday and I had a blast, thanks for asking.

You may not know this, but I grew up in Chicago and we did March 17th right always. Thanks to a large Irish population the city has many ways to help celebrate, including the annual tradition of turning the Chicago River green! So though I am only adopted Irish, it’s proximity to my birthday has always been the kick-off to my own birthday celebrations.

This year was no different.

I mean, I was hoping that I could make vegan corned beef this year but coming across vital wheat gluten (seitan) has been harder than finding gold or BitCoin so I decided to try something a little different.

If you’re interested, check out my Seitan Gyros recipe!

Colcannon. I’ve always had a fascination with this dish but thanks to many, many, MANY years of loathing kale, I’ve stayed away. And since we all know that I recently amended my opinion of the dark leafy green with my Kale Stir Fry, I figured a vegan Colcannon was an excellent way to switch things up.

So…here we are.

Happy Friday and let’s get into this quick and easy vegan recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday dinner or any damn day you please!

This recipe is pretty easy and incredibly delicious. and a perfect way to use up leftover leafy greens.

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Bowls, Plant Based, Potatoes, Vegan

Tex-Mex Vegan Mashed Potato Bowls

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

Just in case you were wondering:

~Yes, I do eat things other than ramen noodles and other Asian style noodles.
~Yes, I do eat things other than curry and other Asian food.

Okay, now that we’ve cleared that up, lets talk about this quick and easy vegan bowl recipe that you will almost certainly love. It features another of my all-time favorite foods. Potatoes.

As evidence, I point to my Mongolian Mashed Potatoes, or Vegan Buffalo Strips & Mash. If you’re curious about other recipes featuring mashed potatoes, just search the blog here.

Tex-Mex or Southwest style mashed potato bowls.

Easy vegan weeknight dinner – Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bowls

The great thing about this easy vegan meal is that you can switch it up and change it to whatever cuisine you like, or you can simply exhaust all options for Tex-Mex before moving on to something else.

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Curry, Dips, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Easy Plant Based Vegan Recipe ~ Jamaican Style Curried Artichokes & Mushrooms

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

With each passing year there are more and more vegan meat alternatives. Whether it’s Beyond Burgers, vegan meatballs, sausages or the all-purpose TVP, there are many ways you can take your vegan diet and lifestyle to the next level. You can enjoy childhood favorites without the cruelty. You can still enjoy your favorite comfort foods, like Vegan Salisbury Steak, without using animals to satisfy your hunger.

Great, right? It’s the goal of every vegan I’ve met since becoming vegan in 2017.

But sometimes you just want to get back to your plant-based vegan roots. Or sometimes I do, anyway. There’s no particular reason for this. I eat plenty of fresh vegetables. Fruits? Not so much, but it’s something I’m working on becoming better at as much as I can. But between vegetables (raw and cooked), whole grains and beans, I do try to get a good dose of them to my diet each week.

But on this day, I was visiting a new Lidl here in Ploiesti and they had, guess what? Fresh artichokes, already trimmed!!! I was totally stoked and knew that it was time to use them or lose them.

So, I used them.