easy vegan dinners

International vegan cuisine, Sauces & Creams, Sides, Vegan

Old School Americana Recipes ~ Beyond Salisbury Steak Dinner

Posted on September. 2022September. 2022 by writinstuff

I grew up in the Midwest of the United States. From the day I was born, I lived in the Midwest and even spent my college and graduate school years in the Midwest. It was only after my post-graduate years that I left for the East Coast and then the West Coast and finally–so far–Europe.

All of this to say that I have a few Midwestern meals that I love, that I miss. For better or for worse, these recipes are deeply ingrained into me and once in a great while, I long for some of these dishes. They don’t all have happy memories but they mostly have a sense of comfort that makes me long for a small sliver of life back then, or just enjoying the simple meal with people I love.

Recently I had a longing for Salisbury Steak. When I was a small kid we had the frozen steaks all the time. You know what I’m talking about, the ones you poke holes in the plastic and pop in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, right? Well I think we can all agree that they’re not as delicious in reality as they are in the memory, but memories are often stronger than taste buds, or so I’m told anyway.

So I decided one night that I wanted vegan Salisbury steak made with Beyond vegan meat alternative and that’s how we ended up here.

In my childhood when I would make these frozen steaks, I would always have peas but sometimes there was rice or mashed potatoes. Unfortunately we had mashed potatoes recently so I opted for rice, super fluffy and extra delicious.

Vegan Americana Recipes ~ Vegan Salisbury Steak & Rice

So let’s talk about this quick and easy vegan comfort food recipe, shall we?

The ingredients list is short and simple, so let’s get down to vegan business.

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Grains, Herbs, Italian, oil free vegan recipes, Pasta, Plant Based, Vegan

Quick & Easy 30-Minute Vegan Pasta Recipe

Posted on July. 2022July. 2022 by writinstuff

Let’s be honest with ourselves if not each other, shall we? Some nights you just don’t feel like making a delicious vegan dinner but in the spirit of being a responsible adult who doesn’t want to waste money on crap, we do it anyway.

Some nights the result isn’t worth the effort. Some nights it is.

Instead of making due with crappy or greasy vegan takeout meals that are nutritionally imbalances, gross or just filled with processed foods, how about we try to find ways to make the results worth the effort.

How?

For starters, 30 minute meals. Whether you’re a parent, single or merely part of a couple, 30 minute vegan meals are a great way to get a healthy vegan meal on the table without a lot of hullabaloo.

(Like that word, don’t ya?)

The other night I was very hungry because some days I am always hungry, but I digress. I wanted food but it was incredibly hot outside (over 30 degrees Celsius) and spending time in the kitchen did not sound like any kind of fun. But adult here and so I had to, plus it was my night to cook.

So I went to the pasta cabinet and grabbed this tomato tagliatelle I found at Lidl that had no eggs, no milk powder, and no other unnecessary animal products. From there I grabbed a handful of ingredients and I was ready for something tomato-y, a little bit spicy and above all else, delicious.

Enjoy this simple vegan Tagliatelle Arrabbiata

Grab your ingredients and get in and out of the sweltering kitchen in thirty minutes. Or less!

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Asian Food, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Korean Style Vegan Mince Bulgogi

Posted on June. 2022June. 2022 by writinstuff

If you’re like me and you love all food from the continent of Asia then you know that the best way to constantly improve your Asian recipes is to keep making them. Each time I watch my favorite food bloggers I learn more and more about what little extras I need to add to my spice pantry and I slowly gather them until every dash of this or pinch of that helps me become a better home cook.

When it comes to Bulgogi, practice makes the best progress. Each time I make this dish the flavors are a little bit better, a little bit deeper and just so darn good that I always wish for more. And then a little bit more because you take the fat out of girl but you can take out the fat girl!

Today’s vegan bulgogi is made when vegan mince instead of soya strips, mushrooms or any other vegan beef strips alternative. I wanted the emphasis to be on the sauce and mince provided the perfect outlet for that.

This is an easy vegan recipe that is packed full of flavor, it’s easy to make and can be achieved with pantry staples.

So let’s not wait any longer, grab your apron and your favorite heat-resistant pan and let’s start gathering our vegan food ingredients!

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Bowls, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Lazy Vegan Meals ~ Greek Spiced Veggies & Orzo

Posted on December. 2021December. 2021 by writinstuff

Let’s be honest, no matter how much you LOVE spending time in the kitchen, creating new recipes, veganizing old favorites, some days you’re just not in the mood.

Takeout is always an option but if you live someplace that doesn’t have a lot of (good) vegan options, you still have to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible…without compromising the nutritious deliciousness that’s going on your plate and in your belly.

My favorite combination when I’m feeling lazy is to just do an easy paint by numbers lazy vegan recipe.

That’s how I came up with today’s recipe.

Lazy vegan meals are super easy to create, just follow this simple formula: Veggies + protein + grain = YUMMY.

Simple, right?

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Asian Food, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Italian, Vegan

Vegan Fusion Recipes ~ Asian Style Risotto

Posted on November. 2021November. 2021 by writinstuff

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.

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Asian Food, Bowls, Curry, International vegan cuisine, Potatoes, Vegan

Aloo Keema ~ Vegan Mince & Potato Curry Recipe

Posted on September. 2021September. 2021 by writinstuff

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.

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International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Potatoes, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Vegan Bar Food ~ Oil-free Buffalo Cauliflower Nuggets

Posted on September. 2021September. 2021 by writinstuff

As a girl from Chicago, one of my favorite foods to eat is anything deep fried and drenched in hot sauce. When I switched over to a vegan lifestyle, that meant TVP in the air fryer and dunked in my famous Frank’s-based sauce. And then cauliflower had her glow-up.

Now I’m not like most people who used to hate on cauliflower as being the paler, less delicious form of broccoli. I’ve always been a fan and I don’t need it covered in cheese or breading, no matter how good it might be.

In fact, I made it a goal to find different ways to have vegan buffalo wings without all the oil and calories.

And I’m pretty sure this is the winner.

Oil free vegan cauliflower in buffalo sauce

So what’s the trick to tasty but oil-free cauliflower nuggets? High cook temperature.

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Bowls, French, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Cajun Seitan Sausage Casserole

Posted on July. 2021July. 2021 by writinstuff

I don’t know about where you live, but here in Romania the weather has been a bit…let’s say temperamental. It’s been incredibly hot and humid one day, chilly and rainy the next, and them my personal favorite, the unbearable mix of super hot and incredibly humid.

Fun, right?

Yeah, I’ve been finding ways to not let the weather get to me, mostly by ignoring the heat, but also making use of the little desktop fan that I have all to myself. When the weather is really ridiculous, I just switch it up and wait until close to sundown to start working & writing, because I have that luxury.

But what about those days when the weather dips just a little? Well, on those days I take advantage and have something unexpected in this stupidly hot summer. Enter, Cajun vegan sausage casserole.

We can all agree that July is just too damn hot for any type of casserole, except when it isn’t. When that day rolls around, I’m taking full advantage. So…here we go!

When you’re in search of an easy vegan casserole recipe, I find the Cajun or Creole style options are wonderful. And very forgiving. These types of vegan recipes work really well if you want a spicy dish or a milder one, and you can experiment with grains to change it up and prevent mealtime boredom.

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Grains, International vegan cuisine, Italian, Pasta, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Childhood Favorites Gone Vegan ~ Spaghetti & Meatballs

Posted on April. 2021April. 2021 by writinstuff

When I was a kid one of my favorite canned meals was spaghetti and meatballs. As a latch-key kid, there was nothign better than racing home from school to crack open a can of ravioli, spaghetti-o’s or spaghetti and meatballs. All of that tomato-y goodness that, in hindsight, wasn’t all that good, waiting to stain your lips and your microwave safe bowl!

Who could resist?

Not me, that’s for sure!

So, when I was walking the aisles of Lidl last week and noted that here in Romania they have started to up their vegan food choices game. I found Verdino brand meatballs and you know what I did, grabbed up the last package with a giddy smile. I knew then what I wanted.

What is that?

Well, let’s see. Combine my love of carbs, noodles and pasta with these vegan meatballs and what do you have? One of my childhood favorites, re-done for the fancy, grown-up vegan I am today.

This is one of those vegan dinner recipes that you can do the easy way or the tasty way. Just kidding, I’m sure your jarred pasta is super delicious, it’s just a little too sweet for my taste. But if anyone knows of any no sugar added options, I’m game to give it a try.

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International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Potatoes, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Crispy Tofu, Smashed Potatoes & Mushrooms with Carrot Green Pesto

Posted on April. 2021April. 2021 by writinstuff

Some days you know exactly what you want for vegan dinner goodness and then there are those days when you’re just hungry but you have no idea what you want. We’ve all been there and where I live vegan takeout isn’t really an option so we have to do something.

Oh, the pressure!

So when one of us doesn’t actually know what we want for dinner but it’s our night to choose, we’ll just toss out a few ingredients, like say; pesto, mushrooms and potatoes. From there, the world is the cook’s #vegan oyster. You can do whatever you want as long as it contains the aforementioned ingredients.

This vegan dinner recipe is the result of one those nights.

Crispy Tofu, Smashed Potatoes & Mushrooms with Carrot Green Pesto

The other great this about this is that it is a super quick and easy vegan recipe, with most of the work being done by kitchen appliances. But before we get to that, let’s get to the ingredients.

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