Cheese

Bar Food, Cheese, Herbs, International vegan cuisine, Italian, oil free vegan recipes, Pizza, Vegan

Vegan Feta & Agave Pizza

Posted on March. 2024March. 2024 by writinstuff

I know plenty of people say they have a problem with social media or they simply bemoan the existence of it, but I love it. It’s not only a great marketing tool for my books but it is a great way to interact with people who like the things you like. And best of all? There’s an endless supply of quick recipe videos so I don’t have to expend too much creativity in the kitchen coming up with recipes.

Why bother when the interwebs have already done that part for me?

So one day I was scrolling, as I do sometimes when I’m stumped and I saw this recipe for a honey and feta sausage pizza. At first I was just gonna scroll past it but the thumbnail image was too enticing to ignore. So I clicked on it and watched the video and the idea of feta and honey together sold me.

Immediately my mind went to Violife brand vegan Greek block because that stuff is mighty delicious, and agave syrup. I knew those would be the perfect substitutes so it was only a matter of what to use for the vegan sausage. My first thought was Naturli vegan sausage because…well, vegan sausage. But the recipe used that ground sausage and I really wanted to give the actual recipe a veganized shot so I kept thinking.

There’s always vegan mince but that didn’t feel right either. And those nut-blend mince recipes are great but holy smokes are they caloric. So I decided I had to make the ground vegan sausage myself. And by make it myself I meant grab a brick of firm tofu and season & marinate it myself, just so we’re clear.

And that’s the short story long version of how today’s vegan recipe came to be.

Continue reading →

Bar Food, Breakfast, Cheese, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Cheesy Vegan Scramble Sandwich

Posted on January. 2024January. 2024 by writinstuff

Recently I was participating in a writing exercise that was meant to help writers reconnect with memories that allow you to fully flesh out a scene or a memory. It was a fun exercise that brought to mind weekend mornings in the summer back when I was in elementary school. I can’t say exactly when it was but I was skinny and I was looking forward to church, neither of which has been true for decades.

Anyway this memory involving something I used to love. A lot.

For a few years I lived with my grandmother and at the time she was still working, which meant I was on my own for breakfast before I headed off to school. One of my favorite things to make was a scrambled egg sandwich with a slice of “cheese”. I can say “cheese” with quotation marks in confidence because there was nothing remotely cheese-like about those so called cheese products.

But that memory made me want to recreate and veganize this particular scrambled egg sandwich. I’ve made a few different scramble recipes over my vegan years but this one had a few basic requirements that the others do not.

You have to keep this one simple because I was in elementary school and had a limited palate so I used table salt, black pepper, garlic powder and an Italian seasoning blend because I thought it was the height of sophistication with fancy words like thyme and oregano. Also, I used a basic vegan cheddar slice because it perfectly resembles that electric orange cheese square I loved so much. (thanks for that, casomorphin!)

What’s your favorite vegan cheese brand? Drop links in the comments!

Continue reading →

Cheese, International vegan cuisine, Italian, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Vegan, Vegan Food Products

Quick & Easy Vegan Gnocchi & Vegan Parm Cream

Posted on January. 2024January. 2024 by writinstuff

I don’t know about where you live but here in my neck of Romania there is just one brand of gnocchi that is accidentally vegan, meaning it is free of eggs and any other dairy or animal products, which is cool except it’s not very good gnocchi. For starters they balls are too big and too dry and that just won’t do.

For the record, I like my gnocchi not boiled. I prefer it browned in the skillet or the oven with a bit of a bite to it, not mushy and the giant gnocchi balls aren’t really conducive to that. But last week at Lidl there was a few more vegan food products from Vemondo and one of them was–yep, you guessed it–vegan gnocchi. No eggs, no milk and no cheese in these yummy potato balls.

So I grabbed them and we also found vegan parm, also from Vemondo, and I knew without a doubt the hubs would make something with both of those ingredients. He did not disappoint.

This is a very simple weeknight vegan meal and even with the sauce, it doesn’t take long to put together.

Continue reading →

Bar Food, Cheese, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegan Food Products

Vegan Sandwich Recipes! ~ Philly Style Mushroom Sub Sandwich

Posted on January. 2024January. 2024 by writinstuff

Happy 2024!!!!

I know it seems like I’ve been on a mushroom kick lately but the truth is that it isn’t just lately. I’m really proud of the photos that I snapped for this recipe and so I chose to post it on this first day of 2024.

Why?

There are plenty of reasons but we can start with my love of pretty much every type of mushroom I have ever tried. They’re delicious and versatile which means they are a really great vegan meat substitute. You can sauté them, bake’em, fry’em, airfry’em or deep fry them if that’s your jam.

Did I mention that they are also low in calories? 100 grams of mushrooms will run you about 30 calories, give or take a few depending on the variety.

And then there’s the fact that so many of you might be hungover or simply too tired from ringing in the new year to prepare a proper meal. With this recipe, the oven does most of the work so you can sit back and relax, and let the wonderful smells waft throughout the house. That’s right you can pop the onions and bell peppers in the oven about halfway through the mushrooms cook time–seasoned, of course–and pop the bread in during the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking and there you have it, a delicious vegan sandwich for a New Year’s lunch or dinner.

So, before we get into this vegan recipe, I want to wish you a wonderful 2024 and let you know how much I appreciate those of you who stop by, comment and engage, and I look forward to more of that if this is your first time stopping by.

All right, let’s do this Philly cheesesteak style vegan sandwich!

Continue reading →

Bar Food, Bowls, Cheese, one pot recipes, Potatoes, Vegan

Cheesy Vegan Potato Bake

Posted on December. 2023December. 2023 by writinstuff

You know, there’s something to be said about simple vegan dinners beyond the simplicity of them. Things in my house have been very busy lately. I’ve been participating in several book events online, working on Emerald Creek book 2 and often other necessary things like food end up taking a backseat. I spent all evening Sunday putting together ornaments for a giveaway in my book group, along with sending out stickers and magnets, which meant labeling a ton of envelopes and packages for international shipping.

Save me, please!

Just kidding…sort of.

Anyway the business of this time of year means that dinner doesn’t always get the fancy vegan dinner treatment it deserves. On this night in particular, my hubs made dinner and it was a pleasant surprise.

His dish was the epitome of an easy vegan dinner recipe and it was so dang delicious that nothing else mattered.

These Cheesy Vegan Potatoes had 2 main ingredients–vegan Feta cheese and potatoes–and that was more than enough for this potato lovin’ vegan! I was so busy in the writing cave right until the plates (silicon baking dishes) came out and then I had this steaming hot dish of potatoes and vegan cheese.

Um, yes please!

Continue reading →

Cheese, Dips, Sauces & Creams, Vegan, Vegan Food Products

Whipped Vegan Feta & Roasted Veggies

Posted on October. 2023October. 2023 by writinstuff

Happy Halloween! I know most people did their Halloween celebrations over the weekend but one of the good things about working at home/for yourself is that you’re free to celebrate on the holiday because everyone is at work, everywhere is less crowded and holidays like this for me, are so much fun!

Today’s vegan recipe is amazing, y’all. Like it is so delicious that you’ll wonder why you never thought to take your vegan feta cheese and whip it up before now. Or…maybe you have done it and I’m the only one late to the game. Either way, this vegan recipe will blow your mind.

Before we get into all that, let me be honest; this recipe is not my own. Oh no, a fellow food blogger that I follow posted this and I immediately knew that I had to have it, and because Dorothy posts vegan alternatives to her non-vegan recipes, following it was super easy!

Check out the original recipe here: https://vintagekitchen.org/2023/10/21/whipped-feta-with-roasted-beets-radishes/

The only changes I made were to the veggies because I’m still trying to like beets and I veganized everything that wasn’t vegan. Otherwise I followed it to the letter, including the fresh mint which was AMAZEBALLS!

Continue reading →

Breads, Cheese, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Vegan Cheese (& other goodies) Tray ~ Vegan Charcuterie Board

Posted on March. 2023March. 2023 by writinstuff

Let’s just start this post by me letting you know that yes, I know that charcuterie is a type of butchery and also yes, I am fully well aware that’s not technically the case with todays’ vegan food showcase. I concede all that if you promise not to take everything so literal.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about what we’ve got going on here today.

My hubs came across this vegan food brand, Rawckers, and because it was mostly vegan cheese products, he was, of course, intrigued. You see, he loves cheese. Unlike me who kind of lost my taste for it after going vegan, The Hubs is still going strong with his cheese love, so give him an option for cashew cheese and he’s all aboard the cheese train.

And best of all? He even had a plan for it. A plan that only required a little input on my part, which in Wife Land we call the best plan of all!

So he made a vegan charcuterie board which we enjoyed a few weeks back while watching UFC. Is that weird? Everyone thinks it’s strange that we were eating vegan food while watching professional combat athletes battle it out in the octagon.

Personally? I felt both fancy and savage, thank you very much.

Since there’s no cooking required there’s no actual recipe, but we’ll talk about…something.

Continue reading →

Cheese, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Smoked Tofu, Vegan Gouda & Cranberry Sauce Sandwich ~ Delicious Vegan Sandwich Recipes

Posted on December. 2022December. 2022 by writinstuff

Are you looking for a delicious and easy vegan lunch option? Look no further! This smoked tofu, vegan Gouda, and homemade cranberry sauce sandwich is the perfect combination of flavors and textures. Plus, it’s easy to make and can be customized to your taste preferences.

You don’t have to use smoked tofu, in fact you can use any vegan meat alternative you choose. But I was browsing online and came across a non-vegan dish that was very similar to this and jogged a few nostalgic memories and I knew I would make a vegan version, especially since I was looking for a new vegan recipe to use with the fresh cranberries. Gotta make the most of them while they’re in season, right?

Take some time to find a sandwich bread of your choice, because bread is very important when it comes to making a proper vegan sandwich.

Continue reading →

Casseroles, Cheese, oil free vegan recipes, one pot recipes, Vegan

Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower & Potato Casserole

Posted on November. 2022November. 2022 by writinstuff

One pot recipes. They are a staple in most households because they’re easy and–often–contain vegan cheese, but that’s not always the case.

One pot vegan meals are wonderful if you’re a busy vegan like me, consumed with a ghostwriting career, publishing romance novels and sharing yummy vegan recipes with the world. And when the weather gets chilly and sunlight fades too soon, sometimes you just want a vegan meal that is quick and easy, and doesn’t require using all the dishes in the kitchen.

Am I right?

This particular vegan dinner recipe is similar to casseroles I’ve eaten most of my life as a born & bred girl of the Midwest. Take a bunch of veggies, add potatoes and cheese and you have yourself a casserole! It brings back wonderful memories of a time when calories and nutrition meant very little to me and all that mattered was the ooey-gooey dish baking in the oven…and eating two helpings. At least.

These days it’s more of a convenience and a way to indulge in a mostly guilt-free way. Feel me?

Anyway this vegan dinner recipe is pretty simple, had limited ingredients and is so delicious everyone will swear you slaved in the kitchen for hours.

Fingers crossed.

Continue reading →

Casseroles, Cheese, International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, one pot recipes, Pasta, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Hot & Spicy Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

Posted on September. 2022September. 2022 by writinstuff

My husband loves mac & cheese. I mean he REALLY loves it and if I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it, he would request it at least once a week. Calories and fat and inflammation be damned.

Not that I mind (don’t tell him that) because vegan mac & cheese is delicious, especially this version that doesn’t actually include any cheese at all, not even vegan cheese. This is basically a thick and creamy vegan bechamel sauce with turmeric for color, tons of nutritional yeast, herbs & spices for a big ol’ pop of flavor.

The best part of all is that this vegan mac & cheese recipe is hot and spicy, and super easy to make!

If you’re not a big fan of spicy foods, I would recommend that you either take out ALL the seeds of the chili peppers or omit them altogether because I also added hot sauce to the bechamel because I am a crazy person who LOVES spicy stuff.