To keep your resolutions, try vegan dishes

We’re a few weeks into the new year, and already some resolutions are falling by the wayside.

One popular resolution is eating better, and for some people that means dipping their toes into the world of vegetarian or vegan foods.

It’s an easy thing to try. You can choose to eat this way once a week — perhaps with meatless Mondays — or go full throttle and eliminate not just meat but also all meat products from your lives.

To get involved in a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, plan to cook most of your own meals, especially in the beginning. Remember that planning meals entirely around vegetables is a foreign concept for most people, and one that requires planning and research.

Make sure your pantry is stocked with plenty of beans and whole grains and your refrigerator is loaded with hearty leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collards and vegetarian-friendly sauces — and be sure to avoid most convenience foods.

Going vegan is the perfect excuse to load up on all kinds of vegetables that are unfamiliar. Be willing to experiment. Many vegans find their diet has become much more diverse.

Remember to eat a balanced diet and find alternative forms of protein for good health.  

And if you find yourself craving a particular food, look for a meatless version. For example, someone who loves Parmesan cheese but has gone vegan may want to try  placing 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, one cup of raw, unsalted almonds and one teaspoon salt in a food processor and processing until powdery. Store the mixture in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for as long as two weeks.

A vegan lifestyle isn’t for everyone — but no matter what you decide, enjoy the food you eat.

Following are some vegan recipes from www.loveandlemons.com.

 

 

Easy Tomato Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

3 cups water or vegetable broth

1-1/3 cups full-fat coconut milk, plus more for drizzling

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in vinegar, then add tomatoes and juice, water, coconut milk, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and several grinds of pepper. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender.

Set four cups soup aside. Transfer remaining soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot with the reserved chunky soup. Stir to combine and season to taste.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil leaves for garnish.

 

 

Vegan Pesto

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or pepitas

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for a smoother pesto

Nutritional yeast, optional

Capers, optional

Sun-dried tomatoes, optional

In a food processor, combine pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until well chopped. Add basil and pulse until combined.

With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil and pulse until combined.

For extra cheesy flavor, add one tablespoon nutritional yeast. For brinier flavor, add two teaspoons capers. For more umami, add two oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Briefly pulse to combine. Taste and adjust, adding more nutritional yeast, capers, or sun-dried tomatoes, as desired. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

 

 

Broccoli Salad

1 pound broccoli crowns

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

1/3 cup diced red onions

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Smoky tamari almonds

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup pepitas

1 tablespoon tamari

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste

Chop broccoli florets into 1/2-inch pieces and stems into 1/4-inch dice, peeling any woody or course parts from the stem first.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, garlic and salt. Add broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.

Place almonds and pepitas on a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss with tamari, maple syrup and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake in a 350-degree oven 10 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes.

Toss almonds and pepitas into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.

 

 

Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons water, plus more as needed

1 small garlic clove, grated or pressed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Maple syrup or honey, as needed

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

In a small bowl, stir together tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic and salt. Season to taste. If it’s too bitter, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey. If it’s too sharp, add 1/2 to one teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. If it’s too thick, add water, as needed, to reach desired consistency.

 

 

Vegan Pizza

1/2 cup broccoli, florets chopped into small pieces, top of stalk diced

1/3 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Kernels from 1 ear fresh corn

1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion

1/2 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced

4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, diced

Extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound pizza dough

Cashew cream (recipe below)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Red pepper flakes

In a medium bowl, combine broccoli, cherry tomatoes, corn, onion, jalapeño and sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Taste. Vegetables should be well-seasoned and well-coated with olive oil.

Stretch pizza dough onto a 14-inch pizza pan. Brush outer edges of the dough lightly with olive oil. Spoon a few scoops of cashew cream onto the center of the dough and spread into a thin layer. Sprinkle vegetables evenly over the cashew cream.

Bake in a 450-degree oven for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and cooked through and broccoli is tender and roasted. Remove from oven and drizzle generously with cashew cream (if too thick to drizzle, stir in a little water). Top with fresh basil, fresh thyme and pinches of red pepper flakes.

For cashew cream, place one cup raw cashews, 1/2 cup water, two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons lemon juice, one peeled garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.

 

 

Vegan Meatballs

16 ounces mixed cremini and shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, grated

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1-1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup whole rolled oats

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Avocado oil

Marinara sauce, for serving

Place mushrooms on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread evenly, then roast in a 425-degree oven for 20 minutes, until slightly shriveled around the edges.

Place walnuts, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, fennel seed, cumin, paprika and sage in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground, then add roasted mushrooms, black beans, oats, olive oil, tomato paste, flaxseed, tamari and balsamic vinegar. Pulse until mixture is well-combined but still has a few larger bean and mushroom chunks.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and fold in panko. Use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the mixture, then use your hands to roll it into balls.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with avocado oil. Add vegan meatballs and cook five minutes, rotating balls as they brown, until browned all around.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 20 minutes, until the meatballs are firm and lightly crisp around the edges. Serve with marinara.

 

 

 

Easy Coconut Curry

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups cubed butternut squash

3 red Thai chiles or 1 serrano or 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced

2 cups cauliflower florets

1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges

4 cups fresh spinach

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

Freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

2 cups cooked basmati rice

Fresh basil or cilantro leaves

Naan bread, optional

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook 10 minutes, reducing the heat to low halfway through,  until soft and well-browned.

I n a small bowl, mix together garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom and salt. Set aside.

Add butternut squash and chiles to the pot, stir and cook five minutes. Stir in cauliflower, then add coconut milk and spice mixture. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Add lemon juice, lime juice, spinach and peas and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding additional lime juice, salt, and pepper as desired.

Serve curry over rice with fresh basil, naan bread, if desired, and lime wedges on the side.

 

 

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

12 ounces spaghetti

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Vegan Parmesan cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta according to package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve one cup pasta cooking water before draining pasta.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir and cook 30 seconds to one minute, until the garlic is lightly browned around the edges. Add kale, salt and several grinds of pepper and cook one minute, tossing with tongs, until the kale is wilted.

Add spaghetti and toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and lemon juice and zest and toss. If the pasta is too dry, add remaining pasta water to create a light sauce.

Season to taste. 

Garnish with parsley and serve with vegan Parmesan cheese.

 

 

Creamy Vegan Pasta

2-1/2 cups small shell pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

5 cups broccoli florets, chopped stems and leaves (keep stems separate)

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Lemon wedges, for serving

For pasta sauce:

1-1/2 cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup vegetable broth, more as needed

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make sauce, combine white beans, broth, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta according to package instructions, cooking until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté five minutes, until soft.

Stir in chopped broccoli stems for three to five minutes, until tender. Add broccoli florets and leaves and a splash of water or vegetable broth. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow broccoli to steam two to three minutes, until tender but still bright green. Add pasta, then stir in three-quarters of the sauce, adding more broth if too dry.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice, as desired, and portion into bowls. Divide remaining sauce between bowls. Top with pine nuts and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

 

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