Vegan Recipes

Hearty Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup

On some days, a bowl of warm soup can soothe your senses and bring comfort. This vegetable lentil soup recipe from Mercola.com reader Marina Korsakova-Kreyn does just that by providing a harmonious blend of different vegetables and spices for a mouthwatering experience.

3 cups red lentils
1 large onion
5 medium carrots
5 medium potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 inch fresh ginger root
4 medium cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dry seaweed mix (optional)

Boil 3 quarts filtered water in an 8-quart pot. Add lentils. Add all vegetables (washed, uncut, and unpeeled) to the boiling water. Add ginger (peeled but uncut) and 3 cloves of garlic.

Add turmeric, curry powder, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook vegetables, ginger and garlic until ready, about 30 minutes. Use a ladle to take them out on a big plate, and let them cool for about 20 minutes (while lentils continue simmering).

Blend cooled vegetables, ginger, and garlic in batches with generous amount of filtered water. Return to pot with now-cooked lentils and reheat. Add finely minced clove of garlic (add salt if needed).

Note: If using seaweed, reconstitute them in 2 cups of boiling water, let them cool, and then blend along with vegetables.

Prep and cook time: 2 hours
This recipe makes 20 servings.

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Fresh Nettle Tea

Nettles

Stinging nettle loses its sting when you steep it, steam it, saute it, or put it in your blender.

Finely chop four heaped teaspoons of fresh nettle. Boil four cups of filtered water and remove from the heat. Add the nettle to the water and steep for 20 minutes with the lid on. Drink hot or cold.

You can also tie up your bundles of fresh nettle to dry, and enjoy nettle tea all spring long. Use 1 teaspoon dry tea to ounces water to make a strong, invigorating cup.

Recipe courtesy of herbsandoilsworld.com.

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Triticale berries with baby bok choy and onion comfit

triticale1 cup triticale berries, cooked
2 bunches baby bok choy
1 bunch spicy radishes
1/4 cup onion comfit (see below)

To cook berries, soak them overnight in 1 1/2 cups water. Drain the water and place berries in a medium sauce pan. Add 2 cups water and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once cooked, let cool down.

Meanwhile, slice baby bok choy into quarters, place on a grill and cook till they start getting nice grill marks. Let cool. Clean and slice radishes.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl starting with berries and adding onion comfit, radishes, and grilled baby bok choy. You can also use fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro to garnish.

Onion comfit
2 large red onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium sauce pan place sliced onions and a little bit of oil, and cook on medium heat till translucent, about 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often until the liquid has been reduced, about 20 minutes. Store in fridge until ready to serve. Use on sandwiches or with a hummus dip.

We thank Nash’s Farm Chef Karolina Tracz for this recipe.

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Sweet & Sour Broccoli

Purple Sprouting Broccoli1 bunch Nash’s purple sprouting broccoli
1 tablespoon high-heat oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Cut each broccoli stalk in half to create long, thin pieces. Wash and dry well.

Warm a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oils. Add the purple sprouting broccoli and brown it on the outside, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir frequently until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the sugar, vinegar, pepper, and soy sauce. Let the sauce reduce by half and stir to coat the broccoli. Taste for seasoning, and serve warm.

We thank Darin Gagner for this recipe.

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Amazing Vegan Whipped “Cream”

1 cup canned, full-fat coconut milk
3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1-3 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla
Small squeeze lemon juice
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

In a high-speed blender or Vitamix, blend all ingredients except the oil. Cashews need to be completely broken down for proper thickening. With blender running, drizzle in the oil until incorporated. Chill for 12 hours or, for a quick chill, pour into a shallow dish and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator where it can be stored for up to one week.

Thanks to Gigi Christianson for this recipe.

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Roasted Garlic

Garlic bulb with rustic background

Garlic lovers rejoice! Here’s an easy way to garlickify your life even further.

1 garlic bulb
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water

Cut “top” off garlic to expose individual cloves. Drizzle olive oil over garlic, being sure to oil each clove. Place in small, oven-proof dish. Add water to dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. With small paring knife, gently remove each clove and place in small dish. Mash garlic into a paste and serve with crusted bread.

We thank chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Hearty Mushroom and Oat Groat Soup

Whole Grain Naked OatsIt’s a great time of year to get your natural source of vitamin D in mushrooms. Snuggle up with a warm cup of this soup!

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, rehydrated
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium leeks, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms
6 cups vegetable stock or canned low-sodium broth
1/2 cup oat groats, soaked overnight and drained
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium parsnip, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

In a heatproof bowl, soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid separately. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Thinly slice the fresh mushrooms and add them and the reconstituted mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the stock, oat groats, carrots, parsnip, balsamic vinegar, thyme and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the oat groats are tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve piping hot.

Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com.

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Creamy Kale Salad

Nash's Red Kale, 2 bunches1 ripe avocado, halved, seed removed
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 bunch kale (8 ounces), stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 small red beet, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sweet, crisp apple, cored and cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Combine avocado, vinegar, mustard and oil in a food processor. Pulse until smooth (it will be thick). Season with salt and pepper. Combine kale, beets, apple and walnuts in a large bowl. Toss with avocado dressing and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

We thank Whole Living, January/February 2011 edition, for this recipe.

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Spicy Miso Cabbage Salad

green cabbages

1 medium-sized cabbage (red, green, or mix), finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
A few drops sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown miso paste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup scallions or chives, finely chopped

Toss the finely chopped cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Place something heavy like a pot (any size that will fit into the bowl) on top of the cabbage and leave for a couple of hours.

Combine the olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown miso paste, and red pepper flakes in a small jar and beat with a fork until combined. The miso takes some time to fully dissolve. You can add water to thin to any consistency desired. Taste the dressing and make necessary adjustments before adding to the salad (keep in mind that the cabbage has been salted).

Once the cabbage has wilted a little, toss with the miso dressing and scallions or chives and serve or cover and place in the fridge. It will get better as it marinates. Sprinkle the peanuts on top before serving.

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Potatoes and Grilled Kale

rainbow lacinato kale raab

What’s that — you’ve never grilled kale before? Now’s your chance!

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds small potatoes
Salt
1 pound shallots, unpeeled
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cornichons (tiny pickles), chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup parsley leaves with stems

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

Grill shallots, turning occasionally until skins are blackened and flesh is tender. Let cool, halve lengthwise and scoop out insides, discarding skins.

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornichons, capers, and potatoes and toss to coat.

Toss kale and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Season with salt. Grill, turning often, until charred and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Fold into salad, along with scallions, parsley and shallots.

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