VEGAN LIVING

Vegan living can be exciting when we explore the possibilities of creating food that is normal, and erase the sense of separation one can feel being Vegan and being restricted to a few choices when eating out.

RICE DISHES

ARROZ CON POLLO

4 oz Plant Based chicken Bites

1/2 cup frozen veggies

1cp rice

2 cp water

1tsp salt

3 tbsp Olive Oil

SOUPS

Making a vegan soup is easy and fast; the soups are flavorful and truly delicious. There are as many versions as one's imagination.

QUICK (FUCILLI) PASTA AND BEYOND MEAT SOUP

This is a super fast meal for one or two people; sautée about three spoonfuls of sweet onion and one Beyond Meat burger patty with plenty of Olive oil, about a quarter cup. Once the onion is translucent, add about three cups of Vegetable broth, add a tsp of sea salt, and half a teaspoon of raw sugar.

At boiling point add two cups of Fucilli pasta, bring to a boil and simmer till pasta is al dente. You might have to add additional broth to fully cook the pasta (I use small pasta cuts that cook fast)

Serve with fresh bread 🥖

3 tbsp chopped onion

1 Beyond Meat patty

3 cps Fucile pasta

3 cps Vegetable Broth

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 Tsp sugar

SWEET POTATO - GINGER AND CURRY SOUP

I learned that there are several kinds of sweet potato; any of them can be used for this delicious velvety soup.

I used white sweet potato which I had never tasted, cooked it in the microwave oven. I wrapped the potato in plastic wrapping paper and cooked it two minutes at time, turning it until it was soft.

I peeled the potato discharging any areas that did not look perfect; diced it and added it to the pot along with all the ingredients

1 large sweet potato

1 tsp fresh ginger

1 tst salt

1tsp sugar

1/2 tsp curry powder

Enough vegetable broth to cover all ingredients

Bring to a boil and use a hand blender to puree the mixture of ingredients; add more broth in order to have a velvety cream like soup; serve with fresh bread.

This is a delicious and elegant soup

POTATO - CARROT - SPINACH AND ONION SOUP

I gathered spices and vegetables from my pantry; fresh herbs

Plus organic frozen spinach;

I saute onion, garlic, basil; mixed with tomato paste, ápices and coconut oil, until onions are tender; add Yellow Mung Dal, and mix it in. You can use any other beans instead, but I stick to organic only.

Add two diced potatoes and one medium carrot; cover with filtered water; bring to a boil, and simmer until potatoes are tender. When ready; I blend the contents to create a wholesome base for more potatoes, onions, and carrots.

Add two more diced potatos, a diced small carrot, and one half medium onion; add more filter water; bring to a boil, and simmer until tender; add salt and pepper to taste. This is a delicious Middle Eastern savory soup.

A SECOND VERSION:

ITALIAN VEGETABLE -TOMATO SOUP

I start with filter water or vegetable broth which can be purchased or made at home. I add to it vegetables and herbs; the veggies can vary depending on what is in season or what the limitations are to purchase the right organic items. I use only organic products when cooking a vegan dish; otherwise, I feel the combination vegan-non organic is an oxymoron; vegan cooking is for health.

In this soup I combined onions, carrots, celery, sweet and white potatoes, and turmeric for added health reasons. I used a fresh turmeric root that can be disposed of before serving; otherwise the flavor is too strong. I let this cooked at low temperature for about one hour, making sure all vegetables and potatoes were soft.

I cooked separately a tomato sauce spiced with smoked imported paprika, for an exotic flavor; and once ready, combined both the vegetable and potato broth with the tomato sauce into one pot and let it simmer for fifteen minutes longer.

MAKING A TOMATO SAUCE

I make this tomato sauce with one 28 0z. can of San Marzano tomatoes, I started with six cloves of garlic sautéed in olive oil, added the tomatoes, one tsp. salt, one tsp. sugar; one tsp. herbs; here I used dried oregano because I did not have fresh. Fresh is definitely better;

The result is really a delicious soup with a tomato taste similar to an Italian soup; if you love tomato sauces and soups, this recipe is definitely for you.

VERSION NUMBER 3

KALE - VEGETABLE SOUP

Dice and saute celery, onions, tomatoes, carries, ginger(one piece cut in half, to take out before blending), Kale, and spices in coconut oil until tender; blend to create a thick base.

Pull out ginger to avoid strings in soup.

Add second budge of vegetables; and filter water. Save beans and add when vegetables are tender.

Serve with fresh bread.

VEGAN ENTREES

CEASAR SALAD SANDWICH - A QUICK MEAL

One of my favorite meals is a Ceasar Salad sandwich; I use hearts of Romaine lettuce, Vegan Caesar Dressing, and I like to add a sweet fruit for a softer flavor, grapes work very well because of their consistent sweetness.

The bread I prefer is the sourdough rolls found at Fresh Market or the Chiavata rolls also from fresh Market.

The vegan caesar dressing I buy at Wholefoods; I add black pepper for flavor and decoration

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE IN VEGETABLE BROTH

Sauteed organic frozen veggies in olive oil and diced onions; I add a generous amount of olive oil because I like the effect of olive oil in my digestive system.

once the veggies are translucent I add the rice and twice the amount of organic vegetable broth; bring to a boil and let cook until almost dry. I cover the pot and let it sit over a simmer flame for three to five minutes depending on the amount of rice I am cooking. for one cup, three minutes; longer for two or more cups.

3 sp of diced onion

4 sp olive oil

1 cup frozen vegetables

1 cup organic rice

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp salt (per cup of rice)

serve with your favorite bean or lentil soup

BURGER AND FRIES

Yellow potatoes grilled in a counter top air fryer oven that speeds the process;

Slice the yellow potatoes, add olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a sheet of aluminum foil to protect the inside of the oven, containing any oil drippings. I set the oven at 400 and cooking time to 20 minutes and voila lovely fries.

The burger is Beyond Meat, it is sauteed on a hot frying pan for two minutes on each side and dropped on a chiavata bun that was warmed also in the oven for just a minute on each side. I coated the bread with ketchup and a vegan garlic salad dressing in lew of mayonnaise. I have not found a vegan mayo i like.

in any case the outcome was spectacular!

PASTA WITH A VEGAN MEAT SAUCE

ORGANIC PASTA WITH (VEGAN) MEAT SAUCE AND VEGAN PARMIGIANO SUBSTITUTE NUTRITIONAL YEAST FLAKES