easy vegan meals

Childhood Classics Revisited ~ Vegan Fish Stick Sandwich

Posted on February. 2023February. 2023 by writinstuff

Okay so today’s recipe isn’t so much of a recipe as it is just sharing a childhood favorite among friends.

Things have been so busy lately with my clients keeping me busy and trying to edit my back catalog (shameless promo here if you love romance books and small town romance in general: ), that I haven’t been doing a lot of cooking. Okay, that’s not true either. I have been cooking but mostly things I’ve made thousands of times before.

Vegan salads and Noodles. The end.

But we decided to try out a new vegan food product, more fish sticks. Why do I keep trying these recipes when they inevitably disappoint me? The honest answer is that my husband is responsible for this latent sense of hope that I feel, always with my fingers crossed that I’ll find some I like.

But the truth is that I’m not a fish sticks (fish fingers for my UK friends and readers) fan. Back in my childhood days I would suffer through it because it was that or nothing but I’m just not a fan and these new vegan fish sticks? They taste just like I remember.

So instead of wasting them by tossing them out, I did what I used to do back in the day, turned it into a sandwich! It was my own homemade kiddie version of a filet-o-fish and this time, it was veganized.

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one pot recipes, Plant Based, Vegan

Easy Vegan One Pot Meals ~ Oven Roasted Veggies

Posted on November. 2022November. 2022 by writinstuff

Don’t you just love a good one pot vegan meal? Not only do you get to minimize the amount of dishes used while cooking, but you usually don’t have to stand over the stove and stir and wait.

And stir and wait.

Today’s vegan recipe is a riff on a recipe that my mother-in-law makes that I love. The major difference is that I’ve significantly reduced the amount of oil in this dish and added more waste free broth instead. And there’s no meat or meat alternative served on the side.

This vegan recipe works as a lazy weekend meal or one of those empty the refrigerator meals when it’s almost time to go shopping…but not quite yet. It’s quick and easy, and your kitchen equipment will do most of the heavy lifting here.

I will warn you, this dish isn’t pretty or fancy and it is nowhere close to gourmet. But it is tasty and vegan and easy, and I hope you like it.

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Bowls, Curry, Grains, International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, Vegan

Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe ~ Jerk Roasted Eggplant Bowl

Posted on July. 2022July. 2022 by writinstuff

It’s only Wednesday but already this week has been crazy! My book, Let It Be Love is officially LIVE which means book promo and events galore. Even though I knew it was coming, it still kind of snuck up on me.

All of that to say that this will be short (ish) and sweet.

As you may or may not know up until moving to Romania I was not a fan of eggplant. I had tried it a few times and absolutely hated it. The taste. The texture. The mouth-feel. Nothing about it was enjoyable to me and that persisted for most of my life.

But here in Romania eggplant is almost the only vegetable people eat. It’s in Vinete (eggplant dip) and Zacusca (vegetable dip) or just served overcooked with tons of oil for “garnish”. Still wasn’t a fan.

And then my aunt-in-law made some Vinete and I tried it and…liked it.

So I began to experiment with it. Mostly for my husband who is Romanian and loves my baba ghanoush. And then I saw this roasted jerk eggplant recipe and it actually looked good.

Check out my Graffiti Eggplant & Courgette Couscous Salad recipe, or Vegan Eggplant Fries for a different take on eggplant recipes.

So I made a vegan buddha bowl with jerk seasoned eggplant, curry TVP and a grain cooked with plenty of turmeric. And here we are.

Jamaican Jerk Roasted vegan eggplant steaks

I’m still experimenting with cooking eggplant and finding ways to add it to the menu but this one came out pretty well. It was a little softer than I would have liked but next time I’ll shave 5 minutes from the cooking time.

Enjoy!

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oil free vegan recipes, Potatoes, Sauces & Creams, Sides, Vegan

Easy Vegan Salisbury Steak & Onion Gravy w/Mashed Potatoes

Posted on June. 2022June. 2022 by writinstuff

When you spend much of your time far away from home, traveling the world, is that you find yourself homesick for the weirdest things. Food you haven’t thought about in two decades often pop into your mind and then BAM, it’s all you can think of until you satisfy that craving.

So here I am with vegan Salisbury steak on the brain when the truth is I really disliked it as a kid. Remember those six packs with the grill marks and a brown sauce that passed itself off as real gravy? They were never as good as you thought they would be, but somehow in June 2022 that’s what was on my mind and when a Romanian brand of vegan foods put a burger on the grocery store shelf, I knew what I had to do.

Check out this version of old school Vegan TV Dinners!

Fair warning, this recipe is pure nostalgia. No matter how much you fancy it up, veganize it or whatever else you do to it, this is still Salisbury steak. It’s tasty enough but it serves as a perfect reminder that being homesick is mostly about the memories, so I ate it and then called my sisters.

But some of you won’t listen or your heart will override your head and you’ll want old school Americana meals veganized so, let’s hop to it.

Vegan Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy & Mashed Potatoes.

Quick & easy vegan Salisbury steak recipe

This is a meal that will transport you right back to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, so grab your Doc Martens, NKOTB t-shirt or Cross Colors jacket and get ready to go back home.

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Grains, Plant Based, Vegan

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Vegan Mince, Mushrooms & Mustard Greens

Posted on April. 2022April. 2022 by writinstuff

These are some strange times that we are all living in…right? It’s April but there’s still an abundance of squash at the grocery store as well as the farmer’s market. It’s weird. Uncanny, even.

More so when I think about all the time I put in to learning when vegetables were in season so that I could adjust for local ingredients in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. But now we’re living in the Upside-Down where birds don’t leave Romania in the winter, squash is available year round and now, suddenly, you can purchase turnip and mustard greens wherever you go.

Okay, rant over. Was that technically a rant?

I don’t think so, let’s just call it an energetic questioning of events, shall we?

Anyway since butternut squash is still available and I LOVE it, you know I grabbed one and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

Stuff it.

Looking for other butternut squash recipes?

Squash & Lentil Stew
Butternut Squash & Spinach Queso
Chocolate & Squash Blondies

That’s right. Even though it’s April and the weather is–finally–warming up, I decided that I would make a hearty vegan autumn meal and it’s my house and my blog and I can do what I want.

Vegan mince & veggie stuffed butternut squash

Keep in mind that this is a vegan recipe for two, so if your household is bigger you’ll need more ingredients.

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

Creamy Broccoli Sauce & Vegan Pasta

Posted on February. 2022February. 2022 by writinstuff

I am so excited about today’s vegan recipe, y’all. Maybe I’m just late to the game but I stumbled upon this Creamy Broccoli Pasta recipe online thanks to the beautiful and talented Gaz of Avant Garde Vegan. I made some adjustments because of course I did, but the spirit and flavor of the recipe is pretty much the same.

The great thing about a simple vegan recipe like this is that you can add as many greens as you want without compromising flavor, and the food processor still does most of the work. This was my first time having a vegan pasta dish like this but I was pleasantly surprised about the flavor and consistency of the sauce, and so was my husband.

You can have creamy vegan broccoli sauce without a few florets!

This vegan pasta recipe is quick and easy, and best of all you can change it up to change the flavor profile for a completely new taste.

Looking for more vegan pasta recipes? Try this Vegan Seafood Pasta recipe.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

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Bowls, International vegan cuisine, Italian, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Vegan

Vegan Sausage, Spinach & Mushroom Risotto

Posted on January. 2022January. 2022 by writinstuff

In need of a one pot vegan recipe that’s not your standard vegan casserole or soup? Consider risotto, it’s a great way to get your fill of grains while mixing a bunch of delicious vegan ingredients to the skillet.

Depending on how much time you have, you can fancy it up with a saffron broth, or just add a few threads of saffron to your waste-free broth to save on time. If you’re in a hurry, plain water will get the job done but without the depth of flavor that will trick a crowd into thinking you’ve been in the kitchen all day! (wink, wink)

Check out this Asian fusion risotto recipe, here!

For today’s offering, we have vegan spinach, portabella mushrooms and spinach risotto.

This is an easy vegan recipe that requires minimal prep work, although I do recommend that you make sure you thaw the spinach if you use frozen, which I did, as well as the vegan sausages, which also came frozen. Other than that, all you’ll need is a sharp knife and your favorite cutting board.

Make Every Bite Count & Count Every Bite

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Grains, International vegan cuisine, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Vegan

Hot & Spicy Vegan Sausage Jambalaya

Posted on January. 2022January. 2022 by writinstuff

When it comes to making a one pot vegan dinner, few dishes are easier or tastier than jambalaya. And my favorite part of making a good vegan jambalaya is that there are just so many options. You can switch out meat alternatives like vegan chicken and vegan sausage and use beans. Or multiple types of beans. Or even go with tofu or tempeh, the choice is yours are there are so many of them.

You can switch up the different types of rice available at your local markets, switching up basmati for jasmine, wild rice or black rice or even red rice. Just remember that different grains mean different cooking times and you’ll have to adjust your vegan recipe to suit that.

You can even turn your jambalaya into a Cajun style casserole with or without cheese, or even topped with your favorite spicy peppers.

Since this is a one pot vegan recipe, you will have focus on prep before you do anything else, so if you’re a spontaneous sort of home chef who grabs this and that from the cabinets at the last minute, prepare yourself for a lot of “oh crap” and running to stir to prevent things from sticking to the pan.

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