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EntreesGluten FreePasta and NoodlesTraditional Korean Recipes

Healthy Ramen Noodles

I know, I know–“healthy” and “ramen” can’t coexist, right? Well, I was determined to find a way to enjoy ramen noodles without breaking nutritional bank, and decided that in these scenarios, less is more. Or, maybe, less is less? Either way, I wanted to create a super simple ramen recipe that has the least amount of ingredients as possible. And that is when my Homemade Soy Milk came to the rescue!! Yup, in case you missed it, I actually made my own soy milk (hence the name, “Homemade”!) and it was absolutely freaking GLORIOUS.

If you haven’t made this yet, RUN AND I MEAN RUN to your local Korean grocery store and pick up some dried soybeans ASAP so you can revel in the creamy deliciousness that is a no-additive, no-filler, only natural ingredients non-dairy milk that is truly the STUFF OF DREAMS. And then, you will be able to make this recipe. 🙂 Ok, even if you don’t make your own soy milk (I get it, like who really has the time (oh, but you really do…!)?), you can also make this with store bought soy milk (though I recommend getting Korean soy milk–it tastes 10x better).

Either way, this recipe has like five (5) ingredients:

  • Ramen noodles
  • Soy milk
  • Salt
  • Cucumber
  • Kimchi

Yup. That’s it. Unless you count water (which I don’t), then it’s six. Either way, this may be the most low maintenance recipe on this blog. You start cooking the ramen noodles like you would normally:

I even add in the dried packet of vegetables that’s included. Also, you can totally use gluten free ramen noodles for this, as well, to keep this entire recipe gluten free.

After cooking the noodles, remove them from the pot and place them in a large bowl. Add a little bit of the cooking liquid from your pot, which will help thicken your soy broth.

And then you pour in your beautiful soy milk. Just look at how it swirls with the noodle water and creates this gorgeous creamy sauce!!

For texture and flavor, I added some cucumber and kimchi. These are actually very typical garnishes to add to the traditional Korean noodle dish called “Kong Guksu” (which translates into soybean noodles). At first, I didn’t think I’d like eating noodles with cucumbers, but I was so so wrong. The cucumbers add a really refreshing note to this otherwise rich noodle dish and cut through some of the heaviness of the soy milk. The kimchi, of course, provides that pop of acid and heat that makes every mouthful interesting.

QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR HEALTHY RAMEN NOODLES

  • Use gluten free ramen noodles to keep this recipe entirely gluten free.
  • Utilize the dried vegetables that come with the ramen noodles, but save the soup packet for something else.
  • Make your own soy milk for the best results, but if you can’t, head over to the Korean grocery store and pick out Korean soy (they taste oh so delicious). Otherwise, use your favorite brand of soy milk and make sure to heat it up before pouring over your noodles.
  • Try and keep the salt to a minimum–this recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon, but if you could ditch the salt altogether, that’s great! Remember, you’ll get plenty of brine from the kimchi!
  • Do not go light on the cucumbers. This recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of julienned cucumbers, but you could easily add more–they taste so good with the broth.

Healthy and Creamy Ramen Noodles

A healthy and delicious ramen recipe utilizing homemade soy milk and fresh cucumber and kimchi that will take you less than 15 minutes to prepare.
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1 person

Equipment

  • small pot

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Bring 2 cups water to a boil and then add ramen noodles.
  • Add any dried vegetables that come with the package but NOT the soup mix.
  • Cook according to package instructions. In the meantime, heat your soy milk (on the stovetop or microwave) so that it is hot (not boiling).
  • Remove the noodles from the pot and add them to a large bowl.
  • Add about 1/2 cup of the noodle cooking liquid.
  • Next add soy milk and salt.
  • Garnish with julienned cucumber and kimchi.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 16gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 2984mgPotassium: 489mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 537IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 331mgIron: 5mg
Keyword noodles, ramen, soy
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EntreesFoodMainsTraditional Korean Recipes

Egg Sushi

I pulled out my eyebrow pencil and began filling in my grandmother’s brows. It was graduation day—after 3 years of law school, I was finally graduating.  I was wearing a brand new Anne Taylor suit in all white and strappy white heels. But, Hahlmuhnee also wore her very best—a gold and Burgundy hambok, and though she didn’t ask, I knew she wanted my help with her makeup. My grandmother was born in a small village in North Korea. She never had any formal eduction. She married my grandfather, who was a poor farmer and then the Korean War happened. They became refugees. Eventually, through my mother, hahlmuhnee immigrated to the United States. Even though she never said it, she was so proud of me. At my college graduation, as I passed her in the audience to receive my diploma, she got up out of her seat and stopped me to shake my hand. After my law school ceremony, many came up to me to tell me, “Your grandmother is so beautiful!” Looking at my grandmother in her hanbok, I realized that it was as much her graduation day, as it was mine.

My husband is OBSESSED with JUSTEgg. And I’m not going to lie–having a chicken egg alternative has dramatically expanded my culinary world. There are soooooo many dishes from my childhood that became immediately accessible due to this mung-bean bit of genius. These Egg Sushi or tamago nigiri definitely bring me back to my mother’s kitchen or all those Japanese restaurants I used to go to with my family.

Quick Tips

  • Cool the rice a bit before you try to shape it. Otherwise, you will not only burn your hands, but you will have a hard time keeping the rice from sticking. You may even want to wet your hands a little to avoid the sticky rice situation.
  • You absolutely need to use a non-stick pan to make the gyerranmari (Korean word for omelet, but also known as tamago, in Japanese). If you try using any other pan–particularly if this is you’re first time trying this technique–you will get very frustrated.
  • You do NOT need to use a square pan; however, you do want to use a smaller pan, so achieve similar dimensions. Just slice off the ends (which won’t be as neat as when you use a square pan) and eat them, instead of using them for your nigiri.
  • You will also want to cool, slightly, the gyerranmari before slicing into it. Otherwise, the cheese will completely ooze right out and it will be too hot to handle.

Egg Sushi

5 from 2 votes
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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Add mirin and rice wine vinegar to rice and mix to incorporate.
  • Shape the rice into ovals, about the length of an egg, but not as wide.
  • Cut approximately 10 strips of roasted nori, each roughly 1/3 inch thick.
  • Add carrots, scallions, jalapeno, salt, and pepper to JUSTEgg and stir. Add oil to a nonstick pan (see notes below) over medium heat and pour approximately 1/2 of the mixture. Add 1/3 of a slice of cheese.
  • Once the JUSTEgg is nearly cooked, begin curling it (watch the video). When it is fully rolled up, push the roll back to the other end of the pan (the end you started rolling).
  • Pour 1/2 of the remaining amount of JUSTEgg mixture and repeat (i.e., add cheese, roll, and push back).
  • Pour the remaining amount of JUSTEgg mixture and repeat.
  • Slice the omelet into 1/4 inch slices. Place them on top of the rice ovals you made earlier in the recipe. Wrap them with the strips of nori.

Notes

For a list of my favorite pots, pans, and other stovetop items, including the pan I used for this recipe, check out “Stuff I Love: On the Stovetop“!
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EntreesTraditional Korean Recipes

Crunchy Gochujang Cauliflower

crunchy cauliflower in wok

What Was the Concept Behind This Dish?

So, I’ve been watching Korean dramas non-stop since quarantine started and basically, it looks like Kdrama characters have shifted all their food-love from lamyun to fried chicken or “chi-mek” which is a combo of “chicken” and “mek-joo” (which means beer).  I think I could create an entire second blog devoted to just veganizing Kdrama food and if I turned it into a mukbang, I could probably retire…. Should I do it?

I digress (as usual).

Anyhoo, because of all the fried chicken-ness of Korean dramas, I’ve been wanting to see if I could veganize some of my favorite “fried chicken” recipes.  Hence, the Kkampoong Tofu I posted a few weeks ago.  Next, I wanted to try my hand at General Tso’s chicken and that’s how this recipe came to be.

It’s Always The Hole In The Wall…

The BEST General Tso’s Chicken I’ve ever had in my life was from Mandarin Wok on Green Street in Urbana, Illinois.  Mandarin Wok was one of those highly functional restaurants, where they clearly committed all their money to creating delicious food… and not the dĂ©cor of the restaurant, if you get my drift.  The menu consisted of tri-fold pamphlets at the register.  At least, the one that I could read.  The “real” menu, I understand, was the Chinese that was scrawled onto the wall behind the register.  And it was there that the “real” General Tso’s Chicken lurked in plain sight, if not translation.  Luckily, I had a couple of friends in college who could read Chinese and put me onto the menu, so that I could simply under “Number 36, please.” 

And MY GOD it was so good. The outside was crunchy and sauce was spicy and tangy at the same time. It was so delicious I would often wrap some up in the styrafoam container they gave us drive it home with me all the way to Chicago. It was never as good as eating it at the restaurant (or in the same city), but it was still incredible and worth it. 

My Tricks For Making This Recipe.

  • I used cauliflower here because the flavor pairs incredibly well with the sauce, and moreover, it isn’t too heavy like tofu might be.
  • I like to cut the cauliflower into big chunks, as while they are marinating, they will inevitably start to fall apart (and create little chunks for “popcorn cauli”!).
  • I marinate the cauliflower in a little “no-chicken” vegetable base to add some extra flavor.
  • You have to coat each chunk of cauliflower very well in the corn starch. A thin coating will not create the “crunch” you’ll want.  It should be thick—thicker than you think is necessary.
  • You can double fry the cauliflower for extra crunch.
crunchy cauliflower in wok

Crunchy Gochujang Cauliflower

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2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head cauliflower rough chopped
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon “no chicken” vegetable base
  • 3 tablespoons  plant milk
  • 2 2 cups plus ½ tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup onion chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 leaves red cabbage chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped into very small pieces
  • 2 whole scallions chopped
  • 1/3 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Place cauliflower chunks into a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable base (I like “Better than Boullion”),together with the plant milk. Mix the cauliflower so that they are evenly coated and set the bowl aside (you can also refrigerate it overnight).
  • To another large bowl, add 1 cup of corn starch (save the rest for later), ½ tablespoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.  Stir everything together with a whisk and set it aside.
  • Prepare the sauce in advance by whisking together the 1 teaspoon of the vegetable base, regular soy sauce, light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, mustard, gochujang, maple syrup, and ½ tablespoon of corn starch. 
  • In a very large cast iron pan or deep fryer, bring the vegetable oil to350°F.  While you are waiting for the oil to get hot, dredge some of the cauliflower in the corn starch + garlic powder mixture.  Make sure that each chunk is thickly coated with the corn starch. You want the cauliflower to be super dry. 
  • Place the dredged cauliflower in the hot oil, ensuring not to crowd the pan.  You will have to work in batches and once the corn starch is all used up, add the second cup of corn starch, together with the garlic powder and black pepper, so that you can continue to fully dredge your cauliflower.
  • Fry your cauliflower for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Remove them from the oil and place them on a cooling rack to drain the excess oil.  Repeat for the remaining cauliflower.
  • Once all the cauliflower has been fried once, you can fry them all a second time(without worrying about over-crowding the pan) for extra crunch.
  • Once you have completed frying all your cauliflower, begin making the sauce by adding extra virgin olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, carrot, cabbage, and scallions to the pan. Sautee the vegetables until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the vegetable broth and cook for another 30 seconds.  Then, stir in the sauce you prepared earlier.  Cook the sauce over medium high heat for about 1 minute, until it gets thick.
  • Turn off the heat and pour the fried cauliflower into the sauce.  Stir the cauliflower gently until they are evenly coated.  Drizzle them with a the sesame oil and sprinkle the sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
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EntreesGluten FreeMains

Best EVER Black Bean Burger with Slaw

Why This Black Bean Burger Recipe is Worth Trying

This Best EVER Black Bean Burger with Slaw recipe is one that I’ve worked and reworked for years until I could honestly say that it is the best black bean burger I’ve ever eaten. I have been eating black bean burgers ever since I went vegan (four years ago). The overwhelming majority of the black bean burgers I’ve eaten, while flavorful, lack any sort of real texture. I don’t care how much umami you inject into something—if it’s just a big ball of mush in your mouth, it’s not going to taste great. So, over the years, I’ve employed all sorts of little tricks to maximize flavor while also maintaining texture.

I Hate Black Bean Burgers That Fall Apart, Don’t You?

I don’t know about you, but I hate food that is difficult to eat. It’s one of the reasons I always steered clear of “wings”—I hated getting my hands so messy. Korean cuisine is actually a fairly neat affair—from the eater’s point of view. The use of chopsticks facilitates precision and minimal touching of food, unless of course you want to (like when you’re eating lettuce wraps or rice cakes). It thus always drove me CRAZY whenever I bit into a sandwich or burger and the insides simply oozed out the sides and onto my plat or, worse, my lap.

You Can Watch Me Make a Version of These on my Instagram

So, these Black Bean Burgers with Slaw incorporate all my little tricks, some of which I picked up from veteran cooks, to make sure each bite is satisfying and bursting with flavor. I remember the first time I made these on my Instagram stories (tKV 14 in my Highlights), everyone was AGOG at the “CRUNCH” they heard when I bit into it. When I made these for my husband last night (after wrapping up a Chibo class on how to make these), my husband commented, “MAN!! These are the BEST!!” And let me tell you, he is a right old connoisseur of black bean burgers (it’s one of his favorite foods).

Live Testimonials From Folks Who’ve Tried This Recipe

Here’s a little clip from my Chibo class, where some of the participants raved about this Best EVER Black Bean Burger with Slaw:

Summary of My “Tricks”

I know a lot of you weren’t able to join the class (they sell out pretty quickly). So, I thought I’d put down the recipe here, so that you could try it for yourself. Here is a brief summary of my tricks:

  • Roast the beans in the oven until they split apart, to dry them out and add texture.
  • Add walnuts (toasted if you want!) to provide a little extra fat and bite.
  • Bind the patties with aquafaba (the bean juice left in the can).
  • Add onions and garlic sauteed with soy sauce for extra umami.
  • Dredge the patties in potato starch and coat with bread crumbs for CRUNCH.
  • Top burgers with vegan cheese, caramelized onions, and a slaw to add extra texture and balance out the flavors with a little acidity.

And with all that, you should be more than READY to have the Best EVER Black Bean Burger with Slaw of your ever-loving life. So, have at it!!

Best EVER Black Bean Burger with Slaw

5 from 1 vote
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4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can black beans with liquid
  • 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 large red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce use tamari to stay gluten free
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 1 cup bread crumbs regular or gluten free
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small carrots
  • 2 small cucumbers
  • 5-6 leaves red cabbage
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 4 slices vegan cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns vegan/gluten free

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
  • Empty 1 can of beans into colander over a bowl to collect the liquid. Donot discard liquid.
  • Once beans are fully drained, spread them in one layer on baking sheet. Place in oven for ~13 mins, until beans begin to split apart.
  • Chop up 1/2 onion and 3 cloves garlic. Saute with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
  • Season with salt and pepper. When onions start to brown, deglaze pan with 11/2 tbsp soy sauce and ½ tbsp of maple syrup.
  • Set aside 1/2 sauteed onions. Place remaining half in food processor and pulse 3-4 times. Dump into a large bowl.
  • Add 1/3 cup of walnuts to food processor and pulse 5-6 times and place in large bowl with onions.
  • When beans are cooked and out of the oven, place in food processor and pulse ~15-17 times until they have consistency of small pebbles. Add to large bowl.
  • Add rice, 1-2 tbsp potato starch, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, ½ tbsp chili powder and 2 tbsp reserved liquid from can of beans. 
  • Mix with a spoon or your hands until a "dough" forms. Quarter the dough and divide into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a thin patty. 
  • Dredge each patty in potato starch, coat with reserved bean liquid, and then coat with bread crumbs. Set aside in refrigerator.
  • Julienne 1 carrot, ½ cucumbers, and 2-3 cabbage leaves and place in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp mustard and 1 tbsp maple syrup, together with salt and pepper. Mix.
  • Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat.When pan is hot, add patties (do not crowd pan).
  •  Cook for ~5 mins and flip. Add cheese to each patty. Cook on stovetop with lid on the pan to melt cheese OR place in the oven at 450 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. 
  • Assemble by adding patty to bun, topped with caramelized onions and slaw. Serve with your favorite side dish (fries, duh). 
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EntreesGluten FreeMains

The Notorious “RBG”: Rice, Beans, and Greens

beans, rice, broccoli and collard greens together on white plate with gold trim

Simple, humble and nutritious describes this dish perfectly! Greens combine with beans and rice for a nutritional powerhouse.

I named this very simple and humble dish of rice, beans, and greens for one of my favorite Supreme Court Justices, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I think it’s very telling and NOT a coincidence that her initials are also the initials of the one of the healthiest and nutritional bowls of food I like to eat.

As many of you may already know, I’m an attorney by day (and often night). I’ve been a practicing trial lawyer for 16 years, now. I have been to court hundreds of times (I actually just did a trial from my bedroom during quarantine not too long ago—what was weird). And while times have certainly changed since RBG was just starting out and even appointed to the bench, I’m often the only woman, still, in a courtroom full of men.

beans,rice, broccoli, collard greens on plate with gold trim

Take, for example, the trial I was in earlier this year. Between the witnesses, the judge, and the other lawyers, there was a total of 12 men and 1 woman (me). I wonder, often, how this is possible, when more than half the students in my law school class were women, when more than half the candidates selected for internships at my law firm were women, when more than half the interns that were hired for full time positions were women.

I don’t know.

But that’s a rabbit hole that’s I don’t need to drop into right now. Suffice it to say that I admire Justice Ginsberg for spending a lifetime being the “only woman” in thousands of courtrooms, boardrooms, and war-rooms.

Which is why I named one of my favorite dishes for her!

Why is this one of my favorite dishes? Well, I think it’s obvious what qualifies something as a “favorite” for the TKV:

–Delicious

–Nutritious

–Stupid simple to make

This recipe hits all three of the above in a major way. The beans have a smokiness that will remind you of your favorite Chipotle dish and the broccoli have a little sweetness that will make you think of Chinese takeout. But this dish has minimal oil, while being packed with fiber and antioxidants. So the next time you want to end the day with a bang, give this Notorious RBG: Rice, Beans, and Greens a whirl!

Simple, humble and nutritious describes this dish perfectly! Greens combine with beans and rice for a nutritional powerhouse.
I named this very simple and humble dish of rice, beans, and greens for one of my favorite Supreme Court Justices, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I think it’s very telling and NOT a coincidence that her initials are also the initials of the one of the healthiest and nutritional bowls of food I like to eat.

As many of you may already know, I’m an attorney by day (and often night). I’ve been a practicing trial lawyer for 16 years, now. I have been to court hundreds of times (I actually just did a trial from my bedroom during quarantine not too long ago—what was weird). And while times have certainly changed since RBG was just starting out and even appointed to the bench, I’m often the only woman, still, in a courtroom full of men.

beans, rice, broccoli and collard greens together on white plate with gold trim

I don’t know.

But that’s a rabbit hole that’s I don’t need to drop into right now. Suffice it to say that I admire Justice Ginsberg for spending a lifetime being the “only woman” in thousands of courtrooms, boardrooms, and war-rooms.

Which is why I named one of my favorite dishes for her!

Why is this one of my favorite dishes? Well, I think it’s obvious what qualifies something as a “favorite” for the TKV:

–Delicious

–Nutritious

–Stupid simple to make

This recipe hits all three of the above in a major way. The beans have a smokiness that will remind you of your favorite Chipotle dish and the broccoli have a little sweetness that will make you think of Chinese takeout. But this dish has minimal oil, while being packed with fiber and antioxidants. So the next time you want to end the day with a bang, give this Notorious RBG: Rice, Beans, and Greens a whirl!

beans, rice, broccoli and collard greens together on white plate with gold trim

The Notorious “RBG”: Rice, Beans, and Greens

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2

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups brown rice cooked
  • 1 can black beans drained
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 teaspoon maple syrup divided
  • 1 Tablesppon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head broccoli chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 34 leaves collard greens chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a small pot, add black beans together with ½ clove of minced garlic and all the different spices (chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground turmeric, salt, and pepper). Let it cook for about 5 minutes, until beans are hot.
  • In the meantime, to two large pans, add ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, each. To one pan, add collard greens and some minced garlic. To the other pan, add broccoli and minced garlic.
  • Add salt and pepper to both pans. When collard greens are cooked (usually takes 2 minutes), remove from heat and set aside.
  • When broccoli is fully cooked (usually takes 3-4 minutes), remove from heat and add 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp maple syrup. Stir to make sure broccoli is evenly coated.
  • Add everything to a bowl and serve [with kimchi].
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EntreesMains

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This Chickpea Salad Sandwich is designed to staunch all your sandwich cravings. Full stop. I mean, what’s not to like? You mean the fact that it’s not chicken or tuna? Yeah, I know for some folks avoiding meat, it can sort of suck not being able to eat the things we grew up eating. But, I gotta tell you—I chowed down on this sandwich and didn’t miss a GD thing. And, my stomach was a lot happier about the whole thing too—no dairy, no heavy dressings, and plenty of healthy fibers and protein in my chickpeas!

But here’s the secret to this sandwich—grape jam.

WHUT?

I know. Grape jelly has no place in a savory salad sandwich! It belongs exclusively with its soulmate, PB! This is downright sacrilegious and unAmerican to boot!

Keep your pants on.

This is the itty bitty of “Korean” in this Korean Vegan recipe. This Chickpea Salad Sandwich is a take on the various sandwiches you can buy at one of those impossibly adorable cafes in Korea. You know—where all the sandwiches are individually prepared and packaged and you have to place them on a tray with a pair of tongs? And it works. You may not think it will, but give it try. The sweetness allows your tastebuds to truly appreciate the combo of flavors in the salad, in a way they simply would not if it was all savory savory savory.

So give this Chickpea Salad Sandwich a try! It’s easy to make, delicious, good for you, and just a little big weird. But in the best possible way.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 can cooked chickpeas or use 1 3/4 cups
  • 1/4 medium red onion diced
  • 1/2 large carrot diced
  • 1/8 each red bell pepper diced
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 1/8 cup leeks diced
  • 9 bread pickles diced
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons vegan sour cream
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons hummus
  • 1/2 Tablespoon mustard
  • 1/2 lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 12 slices favorite sandwich bread
  • 6 teaspoons grape jam

Instructions
 

  • Throw everything (except for jam and bread) into a large bowl and mash it up with pestle or masher or fork.
  • pread jam on 4 slices of bread. Place another slice of each of these. Top with chickpea salad and another slice of bread. Slice in half before serving.
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Entrees

The Best Damn Bean Burger Evar. With Gochujang.

The Bean Burger.

I thought it was easy.  Mash a bunch of beans together, throw in some tofu, and heat em up just like you would a hunk a beef.

NOPES.

As most vegans already know, that ain’t how it works.  As detailed here (by one of my favorite food gurus on the interwebs), the problem with most homemade bean burgers is that they either fall apart as soon as you breathe on it, OR, they turn into mashed potato burgers.

So, I took a leaf out of the Chef Kenji’s playbook, modified it to make it vegan and Korean-y, and voila.  Your gochujang black bean burger was born.

And it didn’t fall apart.

Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings Amount: 3

Recipe Lead: Sit down. Crack open a can of beans. Eat a burger. Without it falling onto your pants.

Ingredients
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp aquafaba (juice from can of black beans)
  • 1 tsp Korean pepper powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tsp garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 onion (diced)
  • 1/2 jalapeno (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup very ripe kimchi
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp + 1/4 cup potato starch
  1.  Roast black beans by placing in one layer on baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.  Put in 375° often for approximately 10-15 minutes, until beans are splitting apart.  Remove from oven and let cool.
  2. In sauté pan, saute onions, kimchi + kimchi juice, jalapeno in sesame oil.  Place in large bowl.
  3. Place beans in food processor and chop–not into a mash, just until crumble-y.  Add beans to bowl with onions.
  4. Place sunflower seeds in food processor and chop into small pebbles.  Add to bowl with beans.
  5. Add rice, breadcrumbs, aquafaba, spices, 1 tbsp potato starch, gochujang to bean/onion mixture.  Mold into patties (I made about three).
  6. Coat patties with a very thin coating of potato starch and the submerge in aquafaba.  Then coat with breadcrumbs.
  7. Fry in skillet, grill on grill, or bake in the oven–whatever your pleasure.  Serve with toasted bun (I used pretzel buns!) and top with whatever you like.  I topped it with my avocado cashew pesto, some roasted golden beets, and warm peaches.  So.
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Entrees

Eggplant, Sweet Potato, and Chickpea Curry

I was floating through Jamie Oliver’s section on curry (yes, the blessed man has an entire section of curry recipes) and I was inspired to try my own.  Naturally, I decided to add whatever I had in the house, including golden beets, sweet potatoes, and eggplant.  And, because I bake, I had no shortage of chickpeas…!  I’d never used coconut milk in my curry before, but it added a touch of sweetness that I found extremely soul soothing.  This will definitely be a go-to dish for us whenever we are in need of comfort food.

Eggplant, Sweet Potato, and Chickpea Curry

A delicious and healthy take on a traditional Indian curry. Chalk full of spices and hearty veggies–you won't miss a thing, I promise!
Print Recipe
1

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 baby eggplant
  • 2 golden beets
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon gochujang
  • 2 Tablespoon coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon green chili pepper

Instructions
 

  • Roast sweet potatoes and beets in the oven by chopping them into 1 inch cubes and placing in 400° oven for ~25 minutes (until both sides are slightly brown).
  • In the meantime, in a deep pan, over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil.  When oil is hot, add egg plant in one layer.
  •  Cook until both sides are a deep brown color.  Remove from pan.
  • Add onions to the same pan (should still be piping hot!).  SautĂ© until onions become slightly brown.  Add garlic, chili pepper, and salt. Fold in roasted root vegetables, as well as chickpeas.
  •  Add spices and gochujang and stir until everything is evenly coated.Add coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.  Cover and let simmer.Serve with steaming hot rice and homemade naan bread.

Notes

 Add spices and gochujang and stir until everything is evenly coated.Add coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.  Cover and let simmer.Serve with steaming hot rice and homemade naan bread.
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