Vegan Tuna Salad or Chicken Salad

Around my house we just call this Chickpea salad, but who in the world would search for those keywords?  This is a nice little replacement for tuna or chicken salad, and to be honest it's just way better for you (it lacks mercury, antibiotics, hormones, etc.), and it's pretty spot-on when it comes to the flavor.  It doesn't have the signature fishy smell, but I don't know anyone that loves to rock cat food breath.  One of my best friends, Mrs. Margie, passed this on to me.  I add some things to pump up the nutritional value and make it more robust, but it's perfectly good without the additional options.

(GF) Naturally Gluten Free

Served over salad

Ingredients:
1 can of Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas (or about a cup and a half of soaked and cooked)
1/4 cup vegan mayo (I use "Just Mayo", found at Dollar Tree!)
1 stalk celery finely diced
1/8 Cup onion diced fine
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbs Dill Relish (add or subtract to liking)(Carrot relish also works)
1/2 Tbs Mustard (add or subtract to liking)

**if you crave the fishy taste, feel free to add 1 tsp. of kelp powder

Optional additions that I love:
1 Tbs pumpkin seeds
1 tsp chicken-style seasoning
1/2 tsp dill weed
5 green grapes quartered

In the middle of mixing

Directions:
-Mash chickpeas with a fork manually OR put in vitamix and press down continuously with the tamper stick OR put in a food processor and process just until chickpeas have lost their shape (you don't want chickpea soup, so only process for a few seconds!)
-Mix in the rest of your ingredients, until everything is covered in chickpea

Paleo boats with red cabbage

**Eat alone, put on top of a salad as pictured, put on bread for a sandwich, or wrap in a cabbage leaf for a paleo boat!

Paleo (kinda) Vegan Pizza

So, I feel a bit ridiculous admitting that I'm not exactly sure what all the Paleo diet allows for.  I'm pretty sure that no processed foods is part of it, but I lost interest in what Paleo had to offer when I saw the first asparagus bundle wrapped in slimy (totally unhealthy) bacon (photo) on my Facebook feed.  So anyway, I still think it's a pretty cool notion to limit the amount of Gluten in your meals, and definitely a plus to lay off of processed foods.  Daiya (vegan Cheese) and marinara aside, this is pretty much straight from the garden!  It's versatile too, if you want to change the toppings.

(GF) Naturally Gluten Free

My pizzas before they were baked

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggplants

1 Jar of marinara (I like Barilla, it's vegan and kosher)

Bag of Daiya Shredded Chedder or Mozzarella (purchase at publix or other)

Salt or Garlic Salt to sprinkle

Suggested Toppings:

Chopped Mushrooms

Baby Spinach

Diced Onion

Sun dried Tomatoes

Diced Zucchini 

Artificial Bacon Bits (can be purchased from any grocery store)

Ignore the fact that this eggplant has not been peeled

Instructions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- oil two cookie sheets

- Peel eggplants with a potato peeler or the like

- Lay eggplant on its side and cut in about inch thick slices 

- Place each piece on the cookie sheet

- Sprinkle each "pizza" with salt or Garlic salt (not too much, it's just to add a little flavor)

- First spread about a Tablespoon of Marinara on each "pizza"

- Then top with Spinach

- Then your daiya cheese

- Then all of the other topping you choose

-Bake on 350 for 25 minutes, on top rack

Feeds 4 Adults +
**Served with Crisp salad and roasted asparagus
ENJOY!

Photo Credit to my baby sister!

Easy Vegan "Beef Stew" recipe

It makes me feel good to make food with nothing but items from the local farmer's market or the produce section of my grocery store.  This, aside from the seasonings and cornstarch, can be made with all "living" foods. That makes me very happy. ----> :D <------- See?  This is the easier version of my other recipe that has a few more steps in it, but a tad less fat (because it's missing the cashews).  This can be made in one pot.  You just need a blender!  Easy = Good.  If you want to make this even easier, you can pick up a bag of pre-cut veggies (for stew) in the freezer section of your grocery store.

(GF) Naturally Gluten Free 

(make sure your seasonings do not contain gluten/wheat)

Recipe:

4 Large Portobello Mushrooms (cut into bite sized cubes)(This protein replaces the meat)

6 Large Red potatoes (cut into bite sized cubes)

6 Carrots (cut into bite sized cubes)

1 Large Red/Purple onion (quartered)

1 Tbs. ( or 1 bullion cube) Vegan Beef-style seasoning (I use Mckay's)

1/4 Cup Vegan Beef-style seasoning

1 Cup cashews (raw or roasted, salted or not)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 Tbs. Corn starch

Water

Serves 4 Adults

Directions:

Put all vegetables and the 1 Tbs. (or bullion) of beef-style seasoning in a large pot

Cover with water (completely) and boil until all vegetables are soft (about 40 minutes)

After boiling, drain off 2 cups of the vegetable broth and put into the blender with cashews, corn starch, salt, and 1/4 Cup beef-style seasoning

Drain and discard any remaining liquid/broth (or save for something else)

Blend your vegetable broth, beef-style seasoning, cashews, corn starch, and salt on high until smooth (may take a few minutes (no grittiness should be felt)

Pour your blended mixture over vegetables in pot and warm on low, constantly stirring until desired thickness is reached (about 4 minutes)

Pour in a bowl alone, or over rice, broken pieces of bread, torn up biscuits, or your choice of grain (like quinoa or amaranth).

Enjoy with a nice warm fire in the fireplace... trust me, it adds something irresistible to the meal.

Vegan Beef Stew Recipe

I actually named this "Bella Stew" a long time ago, but lest it be lost in all of the random vegan "weird" recipes that don't ring a bell on the internet, I properly gave it the "Beef Stew" moniker for find-ability.  It's just another vegan spin on one of my childhood favorites.  You know, one of those disgusting school lunchroom meals that you pretended to hate but secretly loved.  Don't worry, it's much better than any lunch-room entree, but it certainly will take you back to those days of comfort.  This recipe is pretty simple and straight forward.  It's easy and it's naturally gluten free without any processed faux meats or junk. The mushrooms are hearty and filling, and easily take the place of that ole' meat. Look for short cuts at the bottom!

(GF)  Naturally gluten free (just make sure your beef-style seasoning is)

Organic or pesticide free produce is always best!

Recipe:

4 Large Portobello Mushrooms (cut into bite sized cubes)

6 Large Red potatoes (cut into bite sized cubes)

6 Carrots (cut into bite sized cubes)

1 Large Red/Purple onion (quartered)

1 Tbs. Beef-style seasoning (I use Mckay's)

1/4 Cup Beef-style seasoning

1 Tbs. oil (I used coconut)

2 Cups (dry) white rice or grain of your choice (other options are quinoa, amaranth, millet, barley, etc., just make sure your portion yields 6 to 8 servings)

Water

Directions:

-Sautee your mushrooms in 1 Tbs. of coconut oil and 1 Tbs. of Beef-style seasonings in a Large pot (on medium/hot)

-After about 10 minutes (or when the mushrooms are soft and juicy), scoop mushrooms out of pot and set aside in a bowl (leave juice in the pot)

-Now add your potatoes, carrots, and onions to your pot with the mushroom juice, add water (just enough to cover contents), and simmer on medium high for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft (stir every so often to ensure that vegetables aren't sticking to the bottom of pan, you should never run out of water; if you do, add some to continue cooking until soft)

-While your vegetables are cooking, you'll want to start your rice or grains in another pot.  Cook them according to the package directions, but without salt.  Make sure to cook enough to serve 6 to 8 people.  

-Once veggies are soft, scoop out 2 cups and put in a blender

-Drain off 1.5 Cups of liquid from your veggies and add to blender (Drain off the rest of the liquid and discard or save for something later)

-Add 1/4 Cup of Beef-style seasoning to blender and then blend until smooth

-Now add your sauteed mushrooms back to your pot with the vegetables and mix in

Place a serving of rice on each place, top with vegetables, and then pour blended mix over the top of it.

You could also just add the blended mix back to the vegetable pot and mix, it's up to you how you want to present it.

Enjoy!

**Shortcuts:
-If you're crunched for time, forget about sautéing the mushrooms first, and just throw it all in the pot together.  Your mushrooms won't have as robust of a flavor, but there's not THAT much difference when you don't saute first.
-If you just don't feel like cooking all that rice (or whatever grain you chose), you can always just tear up a good piece of bread, throw it in the bowl and top that instead.  I used sour dough bread today and it was AH-mazing!
OR you can just see my other recipe here.