Asian Food – The Spicy Spatula

Gochujang Spiced Vegan Chicken, Mushrooms & Rice

December. 2021December. 2021Asian Food, Bowls, International vegan cuisine, Vegan3 Comments

Okay guys, so I have just discovered the easiest, peasiest Asian style vegan dinner recipe on the planet. Maybe discover is a strong word, but I happened upon a few similar recipes that were decidedly not vegan and decided that they had the makings of a super delicious lazy vegan dinner.

Why lazy? Well, put simply, the past couple years have been exhausting. Not only did we move to a place with limited vegan food options right before 2019 got under way, but the only improvements in my small-ish town have been in terms of vegan options at the grocery store.

That means more cooking. More experimenting with vegan recipes. More time in the kitchen.

Which I love.

Mostly.

But it would be nice, every once in a while, to go out where someone else does the cooking. Where there are appetizers and cocktails and maybe even dessert before the bill.

But that’s not on the table unless we schlep all the way to Bucharest which…no.

So, anyway…here is yet another lazy vegan recipe. Gochujang spiced vegan chicken & rice.

When I say easy vegan recipe, I mean emphasis on EASY. The ingredient list in this recipe is short and sweet.

Continue reading ➞ Gochujang Spiced Vegan Chicken, Mushrooms & Rice

Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl

November. 2021November. 2021Asian Food, Bowls, Grains, International vegan cuisine, VeganLeave a Comment

Hello fellow foodies! I’m going to keep today’s post short and sweet because like my American followers, I am gifting myself with a vegan Thanksgiving feast. It’s been a few years since I’ve done the whole Thanksgiving meal but my Romanian in-laws are excited-ish so I have a bit of work to do.

But first, Egg Roll in a Bowl.

Why?

That’s simple. It has been an uphill battle to find vegan egg roll wrappers at stores here and online. Okay, they are abundant online but as much as I love egg rolls, I don’t need 125 wrappers. Then I stumbled upon thousands of vegan recipes for egg roll bowl and egg roll in a bowl and I thought to myself, “Why not?”

So now you are all caught up.

The best thing about having all the yummy goodness of an egg roll but in a bowl on a bed of rice? No deep frying, no air frying, no frying involved. At all.

So how do you make this deconstructed vegan egg roll recipe?

Continue reading ➞ Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl

Vegan Meatball Coconut Curry & Noodles

November. 2021November. 2021Asian Food, Curry, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Sauces & Creams, VeganLeave a Comment

Do you love curry? Vegan meatballs? Coconut curry? Because I love pretty much everything about all of those things so when you combine them, you have a pretty good vegan meal on your hands.

The good thing about a recipe like this is that you can use pretty much whatever you want in it, as long as you adhere to certain staples like ginger, garlic and your favorite type of curry. Actually, you don’t even have to do that…but it will totally alter the taste of your vegan curry.

Because of the vegan meatballs, I kept this meal pretty simple without compromising flavor. This way it’s easy to simplify if you’re in a time crunch.

I’m going to start you with a basic list of ingredients and you can use whatever substitutes you want/need because you’re the one who has to eat it.

Continue reading ➞ Vegan Meatball Coconut Curry & Noodles

Vegan Fusion Recipes ~ Asian Style Risotto

November. 2021November. 2021Asian Food, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Italian, VeganLeave a Comment

I don’t know about you guys but sometimes I get tired of the same old recipes. I mean, really tired. To the point that if I have something other than ramen noodles, mashed potatoes or French fries too often, it will be a LONG, long time before I’ll even want it again. Yeah, I can be picky like that.

But with this new crop of fusion recipes that seem to pop up every single day, that’s become less and less of a problem for me. Take the other day, for instance. I had no idea what I wanted and it was my night to choose what we had for dinner. Then I thought about rice, but we’d just had rice the other day so I thought, “Risotto”. I love risotto (try my vegan risotto Bolognese recipe!) but there’s only so many times you can have mushroom risotto or vegan risotto Milanese. Right?

I thought so, anyway, so I wondered if there was a way to mix risotto with my favorite type of cuisine. Asian.

Guess what? There was!

And so this broccoli and king oyster mushroom risotto with Asian flavors was born. Or rather, it was born to me because the internet was chock full of recipes of this style.

If you know how to make risotto, then this recipe will be super easy for you. If you don’t, grab a box and read the instructions. I learned and perfected my risotto recipe thanks to Rachel Ray and Tyler Florence years ago on Food Network.

Continue reading ➞ Vegan Fusion Recipes ~ Asian Style Risotto

Easy Plant Based Vegan Lunch Recipe ~ Veggie Ramen & Miso Soup

November. 2021October. 2021Asian Food, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Plant Based, Soup, VeganLeave a Comment

It’s no secret that one of my biggest food weaknesses is noodles. Whether it’s Fire Noodles, or a peanut butter soba noodle dish, or a vegan noodle soup, I love it. I want it. I need it. I’ll take a double portion of someone else is making it vegan.

And when I’m feeling a little bit lazy or if I just want noodles, I will dig around in the veggie crisper, grab a few favorites and combine them with ramen or udon or soba or…whatever else is out there that I can buy or get shipped to me. When the weather dips a little, add a tiny bowl of soup using the waste free broth I keep on hand, and BAM, a quick and easy vegan lunch.

Have you ever felt like having Miso soup but you don’t have all the ingredients? Me too. I’ve looked into the ethnic food aisles in Germany and Romania and you know what? NONE of them are vegan. They all have some type of fish flakes in them so you have to improvise, and that’s how I came up with my own version of vegan miso soup.

Continue reading ➞ Easy Plant Based Vegan Lunch Recipe ~ Veggie Ramen & Miso Soup

Vegan Sushi ~ Spicy Tuna & Veggie Rolls

October. 2021October. 2021Asian Food, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, VeganLeave a Comment

Back in the days when animal products could be found in pretty much every facet of my life, I wasn’t a huge fan of sushi. Okay, that’s not entirely true. As a pre-teen girl in love with romance novels that featured women in expensive suits who ate sushi for lunch, I was obsessed with it and whenever I made a trip from the suburbs to Chicago, I would take advantage of all the sushi offerings.

Eventually sushi made its way to the burbs and I could eat it more often and I did, and I enjoyed it. Immensely.

Then one day in 1997, as it happens with so many animal consumers, I got sick. Really, disgustingly sick within hours of eating (allegedly) fresh sushi. That was the last time I ate sushi until I went vegan.

Now, I can safely say that I’ve developed or re-developed a fondness for the vegan sushi.

Full disclosure: as much as I wish I was responsible for this incredible vegan meal, the kudos belong to my husband who is our resident sushi expert. I may be a pro at rolling some things, but not sushi, so whenever we have it, he’s the vegan sushi chef in our house.

So if you’re impressed, it’s with him. Not me.

Continue reading ➞ Vegan Sushi ~ Spicy Tuna & Veggie Rolls

Quick & Easy Vegan Stir-Fry – Kale & Vegan Mince Stir-Fry

October. 2021October. 2021Asian Food, Bowls, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, VeganLeave a Comment

I don’t have much time for a post today but I did something recently that I swore I would never do again after a very bad experience when I was ten years old. Eat Kale.

Came across some beautiful looking kale at the market and I figured it was time to give it another try, and guess what? It was pretty damn good. Okay sure, the vegan mince (Naturli brand) helped, as did all the other veggies, but it was tasty (and bitter) and worked very well with the recipe.

If you’ve made one stir fry, you know how to make them all! Start with the veggies with the longest cooking time and work your way down, ending with the vegan mince.

Continue reading ➞ Quick & Easy Vegan Stir-Fry – Kale & Vegan Mince Stir-Fry

Restaurant Style Vegan Beef & Broccoli

September. 2021September. 2021Asian Food, Bowls, International vegan cuisine, VeganLeave a Comment

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Asian food? Because I do. A lot.

There’s no good Asian delivery options with vegan options so when we want it, we have to cook it ourselves. That’s just fine by me because then I can use Cronometer to make just enough for two people. Takeout Asian food always gives out so much, which I love…but I also don’t love.

There was a beautiful head of broccoli at the market this week and I knew immediately what I wanted. Vegan Beef & Broccoli but not just the kind you make when you’re being a lazy vegan, but the kind that comes in a thick, silky sauce filled with flavor.

Oh yeah…

There’s nothing better than finally getting a vegan beef & broccoli recipe right. Like, really right. This one, credit to my hubs, was Top 5 Vegan Beef & Broccoli, at least in my opinion.

Continue reading ➞ Restaurant Style Vegan Beef & Broccoli

Aloo Keema ~ Vegan Mince & Potato Curry Recipe

September. 2021September. 2021Asian Food, Bowls, Curry, International vegan cuisine, Potatoes, Vegan2 Comments

I love a good curry. Who doesn’t? I mean, you get tons of vegetables and rice steeped in delicious and vibrant flavors, sometimes spicy with your favorite vegan meat alternative and it’s just a big bowl of goodness. Unlike soup, I am never opposed to eating a curry in the heart of summer of the depths of winter.

And I recently discovered Aloo Keema, a dish that originated in Pakistan/Northern India that has the simplest of ingredients: mince, potatoes and rice with bread if you choose to double-carb it.

The flavors of the dish really appealed to me so I figured, why not?

As far as vegan curry recipes go, this is a pretty easy one with a manageable list of vegan ingredients.

Continue reading ➞ Aloo Keema ~ Vegan Mince & Potato Curry Recipe

Vegan Chicken & Soba with Peanut Sauce

August. 2021August. 2021Asian Food, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, VeganLeave a Comment

You know what I love that I don’t eat nearly enough of? Peanut butter. It’s creamy and delicious and the expensive stuff tastes like you just ate a handful of peanuts. There’s nothing about it that I don’t love, except the calories. My life would be complete if I could find calorie-free peanut butter for cookies or international stews, or did I mention cookies?

But my love of Asian food means that occasionally I do give in to my love for peanut butter to make a quick sauce to accompany whatever noodles I’m craving at the moment. Try my Mongolian Fire Noodle recipe!

If you love nuts or nut butters, this is an excellent way to indulge without going overboard, just remember that the key is always…moderation.

This vegan chicken and noodle dish seems small, right? I know, but when you add peanut butter you have to make certain adjustments. It’s still delicious, though. I promise.

This vegan dinner has a few unusual ingredients but I think you’ll find them wonderful additions that make this dish taste like it was made my a professional.

Continue reading ➞ Vegan Chicken & Soba with Peanut Sauce