oil free vegan recipes

Grains, oil free vegan recipes, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Vegan Tuna Sandwich Upgrade ~ Tapenade Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich Recipe

Posted on May. 2023May. 2023 by writinstuff

The good news is that my book is off to the editor! The not-so-good news is that means there are still about a thousand different things that I need to do to prepare for book launch.

But I still have to eat which means another vegan sandwich recipe…of sorts.

Did anyone else love a good tuna salad sandwich as a kid? My favorite was made with Miracle Whip, celery, mustard and diced pimento. It was simple and went really great with crackers. But recently I was in the mood for a proper grown up vegan tuna sandwich but with a twist.

Tapenade.

If you’ve been around a while you know that I love pesto of all varieties and I will put it on absolutely anything from Vegan Eggs to Tabbouleh Salad and yes, my favorite Pizza Brot recipes! If you love vegan pesto as much as I do, click here to get started on pesto basics.

But the truth is that I love tapenade just as much, I mean what’s not to love about an olive centric dish? But it can get salty and I’m searching for more ways to add tapenade to dishes without making it salty AF.

Anyway, let’s jump right in!

Continue reading →

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

Vegan Napa Cabbage Roll Recipe

Posted on May. 2023May. 2023 by writinstuff

Hey guys! Did you miss me? Did you even notice I was gone? 😛

I know! Last week was an incredibly busy week for me. I finished (yay!) book 2 in the Green St. Girls Romance series and I am thisclose to finishing the first round of edits before sending it off to my editor. I have to tell you that is a huge relief and I am both excited to be done and nervous to let anyone else see it.

I really love this story and I needed to take a break from vegan food blogging to make sure I did what needed to be done to make the book the best it can be.

But I’m back…sort of.

I’m going to post some vegan food recipes but I’m not going to be going in to deep detail about what to do because I really just don’t have the time. Please don’t hate me and try to understand that I have a lot to do right now and I really wanted to share some of these recipes with you!

Today we’re going with the vegan cabbage rolls. I first peeped this video on Instagram by plantbasedly and I knew I had to try it. I love napa cabbage, cabbage rolls and I knew there was a good chance I would love this.

So…here we go!

Continue reading →

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

Vegan Sandwich Recipes ~ Spicy BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

I’ve been really lazy in the kitchen lately and by that I mean that me and the Hubs have been living on two things: sandwiches and one pot vegan dishes. I’m trying to finish off Green St. Girls book #2—which is thisclose to being complete—and getting everything settled for a much needed break next month, and making one meal to eat for both meals is a great time saver.

But when I really need a break but not too long, sandwiches are my jam. A good vegan sandwich recipe requires some work but not the kind of work where you make a whole meal.

With a sandwich half the work is done by the bread so you just have to work in the sandwich filling, and today’s filling is spicy jackfruit.

This is an easy vegan sandwich recipe that you can fancy up or play it down, depending on how much time you want to spend in the kitchen and how many ingredients you want to use. And I find that adding a small bowl of fresh, raw veggies—also called a salad for you healthy food haters out there—can complete pretty much any meal.

You can use store bought vegan barbecue sauce or make your own with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your cabinets.

So let’s knock this vegan sandwich recipe out so I can get back to my writing cave, shall we?

Continue reading →

International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Vegan, Vegan Food Products

Creamy Greek Style Vegan Polenta & Greens

Posted on March. 2023March. 2023 by writinstuff

Have I ever told you how much I enjoy polenta? I’ll let you in on a little secret, as much as I love it, my husband has a fanatical love of polenta.

Well, in Romania it’s called Mămăligă and it’s a little stiffer than polenta but they are basically the same. His favorite is mămăligă cu branza which translates to polenta with cheese, and I have to admit that it is super delicious. And I happened upon some vegan Greek white which is an excellent version of vegan feta cheese, and a perfect ingredient to mix into your favorite version of polenta.

I’ve talked a lot here and here about what makes a really good and creamy polenta, so check it out for tips on getting the best polenta you can.

I paired this polenta with a Beyond “steak” patty and kohlrabi greens with garlic and grilled onions because, well because it is wicked delicious.

What’s your favorite thing to pair with polenta?

Continue reading →

Asian Food, Bowls, Indian, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Oyster Mushroom Vegan Mujadara Recipe

Posted on January. 2023January. 2023 by writinstuff

Mujadara is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for vegans looking to expand your culinary knowledge or to simply tickle your tastebuds. I love trying out new recipes from around the world because it’s fun to veganize them and then I get to experiment with new herbs and spices in all kinds of other dishes.

Made with golden lentils, wild rice, and oyster mushrooms, this easy vegan recipe is full of flavor and nutrition. The addition of ginger, garlic, onion and turmeric give it a warm and comforting taste that is sure to please.

You can use a variety of vegan meat alternatives to make this dish include tofu, vegan beef strips or even beans. The choice is yours!

Continue reading →

International vegan cuisine, Italian, oil free vegan recipes, Pasta, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Vegan Stuffed Pasta Shells with Silken Tofu Ricotta

Posted on January. 2023January. 2023 by writinstuff

Happy 2023!!!

Show of hands, who loves pasta? The easy answer is just about everyone except one girl I’ve known since I was a kid!

One of the pasta dishes I haven’t thought about in a long time is stuffed pasta shells. Back in the day I used to love it, bursting with bubbly cheese and a thick tomato sauce–usually from a can–I couldn’t get enough of it. But then as the years went by, I kind of forgot about it for years and years and years.

Until recently (well not so recently but these suckers aren’t easy to find in Europe) when I found myself watching some non-vegan cooking show and what did I see? Stuffed pasta shells. I looked everywhere, at all the grocery stores in town, even online and there was nothing.

Then one day at Lidl, which does a fantastic job of bringing in specialty items from week to week, I saw a giant bag of pasta shells. Score!

I still had a box of silken tofu in the fridge for just this purpose so I knew what would happen, and SOON.

So, if you’re looking for a delicious and easy vegan twist on the classic stuffed pasta shells recipe, look no further! This recipe uses silken tofu as a substitute for ricotta cheese, and is filled with flavorful vegetables such as spinach, onion, tomatoes, garlic, and bell peppers. Plus, the addition of tomato paste adds a rich and savory depth to the filling.

Continue reading →

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

Vegan Fried Rice & Vitasia Veggie Spring Rolls

Posted on August. 2022August. 2022 by writinstuff

Here’s a secret I want to share with you all. Sometimes I can be a bit of a food snob and it’s not necessarily one of those instances where I believe that I’m too good for a certain type or food product but more so that I’m very distrusting of a lot of pre-packaged foods and it gives me extreme anxiety so I just avoid them. This is especially true when it comes to bagged or any other pre-packaged salad products, thanks to a childhood of recalls that left me deathly afraid of food poisoning and other food borne illnesses.

But the more this vegan food blog grows, the more I try to step out of my comfort zone to try new vegan food products because I know I’m not the only one. So when I was at Lidl this week and came across a package of veggie spring rolls from Vitasia, I took a long hard look at the ingredients list and decided to give it a shot.

What goes well with vegan spring rolls? Well to be honest plenty of things but my Hubs requested veggie fried rice so that’s what we went with and it was pretty dang delicious. Mostly.

I wanted to make a quick and easy vegan meal that was plant based and delicious, so I kept it simple but please, tell me what you prefer to eat with vegan spring rolls?

The pre-packaged spring rolls came with those little packets of what I still call duck sauce even though I have always and only eaten them with egg rolls, but I improvised and added a few things to them, which we will talk about.

DO you have a favorite brand of vegan egg rolls? Brand names & links welcome in the comments!

Continue reading →

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!

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

Asian Food, Bowls, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Easy Vegan Lunch Recipes ~ Mushroom & Snow Pea Bowl

Posted on May. 2022May. 2022 by writinstuff

Whether you work at home like me or you have to head to an office each day, lunch is inevitable. By the time noon rolls around, your belly might rumble with hunger or maybe you skipped breakfast, or maybe you just practice intuitive eating and lunchtime is when your hunger kicks into overdrive.

Enjoy some of these vegan lunch recipes:

Veggie Ramen & Miso
Smoke Tofu Bahn Mi
Soul Food Lunch Plate

Whatever the reason you need to eat lunch and you have choices. Will you head to the nearest drive-thru to satisfy your hunger with something greasy and delicious but that won’t provide you for much energy to get through the day? Or will you load up on something healthy and full of vegetables and nutrients to keep you going?

I know which choice we all want to make. The easy choice and that’s a given since our brains are hard-wired to maintain the status quo, to avoid doing anything that might cause the smallest amount of pain or discomfort. But with a few seconds of thought and good decision making you’ll reach your health, work or life goals much easier.

And all of that was just my way of introducing my latest dish, Mushroom & Snow Pea bowl. So simple, right?

Darn tootin’!