Mains

Lentil Miso Soup

This Lentil Miso Soup was an inevitability. I love lentil soup and it was only a matter of time before I came up with my own. This soup will taste a lot like the lentil soups you would order at your local Mediterranean restaurant, but, of course, with a little Korean twist. One of the reasons I love lentil soup is because it is so darn good for you. When we were little, it always seemed like all the “healthy” foods tasted horrible. As an adult, I’ve learned there are so many delicious and good-for-you foods, and lentils definitely fall into that latter category.

Lentils form the backbone of both Indian and Mediterranean cuisine and it is no coincidence that heart disease, obesity, and diabetes happens a lot less frequently in those two regions of the world than in the United States. “Pulses” (think beans) have a ton of fiber in them and studies suggest that fiber may be the thread to long life. Fiber also helps you to feel fuller faster, meaning you end up consuming less calories. I’ve read enough about legumes and fiber to start trying to sneak lentils and beans into everything I eat—even desserts!

Now, before you tackle my Bean Ice Cream recipe (just kidding…sort of), try your hand at this soup. It’s perfect on one of those “I’m to busy to cook” evenings because you basically chop up the ingredients, throw it into a pot, and forget about it for like 30 minutes and voila—you have a delicious and hearty Lentil Miso Soup at your service.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup red lentils uncooked
1/2 cup rice uncooked
1 Tablespoon veggie base can sub with miso paste
2+6 cups veggie stock
1/2 red onion diced
2 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
7 cloves garlic minced
salt
pepper
1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
3-4 bay leaves
1 cup kale chopped
1/8 cup parsley chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

In a large soup pot (I used a Dutch oven), add lentils, rice, miso paste, veggie base, and 2 cups stock.
Bring to a boil and then let simmer until all liquid is evaporated.
Meanwhile, sauté all veggies (except kale and parsley) and spices in a little oil.
Once softened, add veggies to pot of lentils/rice, together with 6 cups of veggie stock and bay leaves.
Bring to boil and let simmer until rice is cooked.
Before serving, remove bay leaves and add kale, parsley, and lemon juice.

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Entrees Mains

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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Mains Traditional Korean Recipes

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

So, this Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice is the culmination of having lots of odds and ends (like one single solitary kale leaf) in my fridge and not enough energy in my body to come up with anything else for dinner. I remember, when I went paleo for a little bit (it was a very bad decision, guys, don’t recommend it), my meals consisted of a daily dump (wow, bad imagery, but so appropriate) of random meats into a big pan, together with whatever veggies I had on hand. While it didn’t always taste that great and left my stomach feeling even worse, it was easy and somewhat thoughtless. Funny enough, I think some of the most popular Korean recipes are those that were derived by people who simply didn’t know how to, or didn’t have adequate brain power, to cook.

You see, every Korean kitchen will have rice and kimchi. Start with those two things, and you’re like 90% there. Then just add in oil and every vegetable known to man in your fridge, and you’re done. Basically, that’s how I came up with this Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice.

Where’s the egg? Well, go ahead and add your favorite egg replacer in there, but honestly, I made this Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice last night with like 50 ppl on Chibo, and none of them missed the egg. My husband—who gobbled up about 80% of it before I could get in a spoonful—certainly didn’t miss no eggs. So, do yourself a favor. Make this Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice and find out what all the fuss is about!

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

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3 People

Ingredients

2 + 1 tbsps vegetable oil
3 cups day old/cooled rice
1/4 medium onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1 cup kimchi (chopped)
1 whole carrot (diced)
1/2 head broccoli (chopped)
3-4 shiitake mushrooms (chopped)
1 small Yukon gold potato (diced)
2 Leaves kale (julienned)
Salt & pepper
2 tbsp gochujang*
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 green onion chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
optional garnish: roasted nori strips

Instructions

Begin preparing kimchi fried rice by mixing sauce—2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp maple syrup.
Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to a very large pan over highest heat setting.
When oil begins to shimmer, add 1 cups of day old or cooled rice. Do not crowd the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Fry rice in oil until it starts to toast and remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining rice.
Add 1 tbsp of oil. Sautee all veggies, including kimchi. Season with a little salt.
When veggies start to brown, add sauce and stir until all veggies are coated.
Add back fried rice and mix until fully incorporated. Turn off the heat and add 1 tsp sesame oil for shine.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and roasted nori.
Snip a little green onion over the top of both the kimchi fried rice.

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Mains Pasta and Noodles

Mushroom Gochujang Pasta

This Mushroom Gochujang Pasta, like many things, was an borne out of a need. And that need was to not waste all the mushrooms I had. You know the drill—you see something on Pinterest full of mushrooms and you KNOW that you can do it, so you go all out at the grocery store (when that was a thing…) and buy every variety of mushrooms known to man, because you are SO going to do that Pinterest mushroom recipe thing.

But then, life—i.e., the kids’ soulless fetish for Mac ‘N Cheese—gets in the way and your mushroom dreams look a little grim. Well, here’s your chance to redeem yourself!! Actually, this was really more about my own redemption, guys, not gonna lie.

But, you are the happy beneficiaries of my funghi soul searching! So, don’t let this be that pinterest post that dies on the vine—whip out those shrooms and try this amazing Mushroom Gochujang Pasta!

Mushroom Gochujang Pasta

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Ingredients

10-15 each mushrooms sliced
3/4 medium white onione sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
salt
pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons gochujang
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon hummus
1 Tablespoon extra virgin
1 cup mushroom broth can sub any broth or water
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1 box pasta cooked according to directions on box
1 cup pasta water

Instructions

Make sauce by mixing together gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, and hummus. Set aside.
Add extra virgin olive oil to pan over medium high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add mushrooms to pan. Do not mess with them for about 1 minute. Give them a stir with a wooden spoon or tongs and then let them sit for another 1 minute without bothering them.
Next add onions and garlic. Similarly allow them to sit with the mushrooms without messing with them for about a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add sauce mixture to cooked veggies, along with broth/water. Bring to a quick boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked chickpeas.
When pasta is ready, add to pan with sauce and veggies, along with a little pasta water (2 tbsp at a time) if sauce is too dry.

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Mains

Vegan Wellington

Vegan Wellington

Delicious, flaky crust is filled with vegetables and covered with your favorite gravy for an easy weeknight meal that is comforting and filling.

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Ingredients

1 package puff pastry thawed and pliable
1 package field roast Italian sausage
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
8-9 cremini mushroms roughly chopped
1 carrot rough chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 stalk celery chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 teaspoon thyme dried
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/4 cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat until it gets hot.
Add mushrooms and cook for ~ 2-3 minutes, until they start to get soft. Next add onions and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Then add carrot, garlic, celery, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for ~3-4 minutes. Set aside.
In food processor, add Field Roast sausage links and pulse ~8-10 times until sausages are the consistency of small pebbles. Add to large bowl. Repeat with walnuts and add to bowl with ground Field Roast. Repeat with sautéed vegetables and add to same bowl.
Add flour, breadcrumbs, and tomato paste to bowl and using a large wooden spoon or your hands, incorporate all ingredients and shape into a thick log, approximately 10 inches long and 4 inches across.
Place the log onto the thawed sheet of puff pastry. Wrap the log completely with the puff pastry by pinching the seams, cutting off any extra (which you can save for future use).
Using a very sharp knife, create slits in the top of the puff pastry. Mix together 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with 1 tbsp non-dairy milk. Brush the top of the puff pastry with mixture.
Place in the oven and cook for approximately 34-40 minutes, until puff pastry is golden brown. Serve with your favorite gravy.

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Mains Pasta and Noodles

Mushroom Pasta

Mushroom Pasta

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Ingredients

10-12 cremini mushrooms sliced
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2-3 sprigs thyme
salt
pepper
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2-3 Tablespoon baba ghanoush
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 cup mushroom both or pasta water
4 leaves lacintao kale cut into ribbons

Instructions

Begin cooking your preferred pasta according to instructions on packaging. The sauce will take ~7 minutes to prepare, so plan accordingly.
In a large pan, add extra virgin olive oil and when it is hot, add mushrooms. Cook for ~2-3 mins, then add garlic and onions, together with salt & pepper and thyme leaves (not the sprigs themselves!).
After about 1-2 mins, deglaze the pan with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and reduce heat to a simmer.
Add baba ghanoush and nutritional yeast and once dissolved, add mushroom broth or pasta water (i.e., the water your pasta is cooking in). This should start to thicken to about half its original volume pretty quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Once pasta is cooked, add to pan with sauce, together with kale, and incorporate. Add additional pasta water if pasta gets too dry. Add extra black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.