2009 - 9 Fall Vegan Comfort Food Recipes

[VegWay Director]

2009 - 9 Fall Vegan Comfort Food Recipes - Original Vegan Recipes by Alaine Chang
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Grama T's Polish "Pizza" aka Mac N/ Cheese
Mom’s Vegan Chile Sans Carne w/ Golden Mashed Potato Bowls
Golden Mashed Potatoes
Boston “Beaf N’ Brew”
Alaine's Better Than Chicken Soup Miso Super Soup
Alaine's “Raid the Cupboards Mushroom-y Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Cannellini Meatball In-A-Jiffy Soup”
Vegan Halushki (aka Polish Cabbage & Noodles)
Joe’s Easy Spicy Dan Dan Mien (Noodles with Garlic-Peanut Sauce)


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Grama T's Polish "Pizza" aka Mac N/ Cheese
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

My Grama used to make killer Mac N' Cheese. Of course it wasn't vegan, but then neither was I when I first started eating it. My Grampa called it Polish Pizza because it wasn't a gooey kind of mac n'cheese, it could be sliced and minus the italian seasoning had almost a deep dish pizza-like quality about it. All I know is that it was one of the things I really loved and so I knew I would have to find a way to recreate it...vegan style. But you don't have to be vegan to love this dish. It's so yummy, I have yet to find anyone that regardless of dietary lifestyle that doesn't like it.


Ingredients:
1 lb. Tri Color Twistee Style Vegan Noodles
Salted Water with a drop or two of Oil to cook Noodles
1-28 oz. can Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Drained (reserve juice)
1 Large Softball Sized Sweet Onion, coarsely chopped( is about 3 cups or 11 oz.)
1 Tbsp. Oil or Vegan Margarine (plus 1 tsp. to grease the baking dish)
8 oz. Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated (I used Tease Brand)
8 oz. Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, grated (i used Cheezly Brand)

Instructions:

Pre-Heat Oven to 400 Degrees F.

Heat a frying pan. Add Oil or vegan margarine. When hot add chopped onions and sauté till tender.

Cook noodles in salted water (with a drop or two of oil to prevent noodles from sticking) When done drain and combine with sautéed onions.

Mix grated vegan Sharp cheddar and Mozzarella Cheeses.

Drain Whole Tomatoes, reserving their juice. Break up tomatoes into large chunks. Add to Noodles & onions. Mix in ½ of the grated cheese mixture (about 1 cup)

With 1 tsp oil or vegan margarine, grease a 9”X13” baking dish (I use a deep dish glass casserole one).

Put Noodle/Tomato/Onion Cheese mixture into the baking dish. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the reserve canned tomato juice. Top with the remaining grated vegan cheese mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve.

Notes: This recipe is even better the next day. Jut cut a square & microwave it covered on 50% power for 4-5 minutes. It also freezes wonderfully. I individually wrap squares in first saran wrap & then tin foil. Remember to label with dish name & date. When you want a quick meal, just unwrap and nuke on 50% as before. You may need to add a little extra time to be sure it's hot all the way through.

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Mom’s Vegan Chile Sans Carne
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

This is one of our family’s favorite chili recipes. It is more sweet than spicy and is great comfort food on a cold winter’s day:>) One pot makes it super easy. Makes ie. 21 cups (10-12 servings) I always make a lot and freeze the extra in single reheatable servings!!!

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3-4 Medium Carrots, chopped
2 Medium White Sweet Onions, chopped = 2-3 cups
1-12” Zucchini (optional), chopped into small chunks, wash & leave skin on
2-28-oz Cans Whole Tomato’s, crushed (or Crushed Tomato’s) & their liquid
15-oz Cans Red Kidney Beans & their liquid
10 tsp. Veggie Beef Powder (See “Amount to Use” - explanation below)*
2 Cups Water
¼ Cup Vegan Brown Sugar
6 tsp. Chili Powder (this can be increased or decreased to taste)
¼ tsp. Sea Salt
¼ tsp. White Pepper
1 Lb. Ground Boca or other mock ground beef substitute (or 2-12 oz boxes)

Optional: your favorite Shredded or Grated Veggie Cheeses: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella

Directions
1. Heat oil in “Dutch oven” or soup pot. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, salt & pepper. When sizzling begins, mix for a little, then cover & reduce heat to low & simmer till onion & carrot are tender

2. Add Ground Boca, mix well & return to covered simmer.

3. Increase heat of pot. Add zucchini small chunks. Stir around for a few minutes while sizzling.

4. Add crushed Tomato’s, Red Kidney Bean w/ their liquid.

5. Mix Veggie Broth powder & water. Add to pot

6. Add all other ingredients. Mix well.

7. Bring to a boil. Reduce Heat to low and simmer ie 1 hour or more. Sample periodically and add more chili powder & or brown sugar till it meets your personal taste.

Serving Suggestion: Spoon piping hot ladlefuls of the chili into “Golden Mashed Potato Bowls” and top with a mixture of your favorite Shredded Veggie Cheeses: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella.

*RE Veggie Broth Powder – These powders differ as to how much to use per cup of liquid. Frontier Veggie Beef Broth uses 2 tsp. Powder per 1 Cup liquid.

So for this recipe if using a different brand:
Amount to Use: Add however much powder would be required for 5 cups of liquid, but mixed into the two Cups of water listed in the recipe.

OR use 2 Cups of a liquid vegan "beef" broth and omit the powder and water from this recipe.


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Golden Mashed Potatoes
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang
Great Guilt-Free Mashed Potatoes without using milk.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Water
Sea Salt (to taste)
10-12 Potatoes, peeled & quartered
1 head Cauliflower separated into florets
¼ Cup Non-Dairy Margarine
(if and as needed) Imagine Un-Chicken broth


Instructions

1. Put potatoes and cauliflower in salted water. Bring to boil.
2. Cook potatoes & cauliflower till tender enough to mash (ie 10-15 minutes after boiling)
3. Removed potatoes & put in large mixing bowl. Add margarine and mix till blended.
4. Drain & remove cauliflower & put in blender or food processor. Pulse till liquid-y. Add to potato mixture. On a medium speed blend well.
5. Increase speed to “whip” and add as much Un-chicken both as necessary to make fluffy. Serve hot.


Notes:
Frozen Cauliflower can be substituted for fresh.
Instead of Cauliflower: Try substituting a large white Daikon Radish instead. When using the Daikon Radish you may need more Earth Balance margarine

or Un-Chicken Broth to achieve desired consistency


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Boston “Beaf N’ Brew”
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

When my husband & I were first married in 1975 , he bought me a Good Housekeeping Cookbook for our 1st Christmas as man & wife(out of self preservation , I think!) One of the best recipes in it was a Boston Beef and Brew. The gravy alone was so delecible, that it was all I could do to stop from drinking it. Many vegan years later, I got hungry for the over-all flavor of that dish and was determined to veganize it without sacrificing any of the superb flavor. Thankfully, I succeeded and so even though there's just the two of us at home, I'll make the full recipe and freeze single reheatable portions. It's a one pot recipe that yeilds many satisfying servings without a lot of work.

Serves 10-14

Ingredients
6 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
4 Lbs. Seitan “Beef” roast, slices or strips
6 Large Vidalia or White Sweet Onions, chopped
3 Cups Beer
3 Tbsp. Salt
6 tsp. Dry Mustard
¾ Cup Arrowroot Powder
1-1/2 Cups Cold Water

Instructions
In Dutch oven, over Medium-high heat, in hot oil, lightly brown Mock beef chunks or strips.

Remove “beef” from Dutch oven & pour off all but 3 Tbsp. of drippings.

In drippings, cook onions, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Return “beef” to Dutch oven & add all remaining ingredients except arrowroot powder & water.

Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, till “beef” is very tender & has absorbed the flavor of the other ingredients.

When done, place “beef” on a warm platter.

Blend arrowroot powder & water till smooth (I use a gravy shaker or food processor).

Slowly stir into onion, broth mixture in Dutch oven. Continue Stirring as gravy thickens.

Return “beef” to pot & mix well.

Serve hot over Golden Mashed Potato’s, Noodles, or Rice.


Notes:
Mock Meat:
One of My favorite store bought mock beef is Nature’s Soy, Vegetarian Beef. An 8oz pkg. is about $1.59 at Oriental grocery store. However, any Seitan

or TVP that is “beef” flavored will work. You can also use Morning Star Beef Starter Meal Strips, just rinse off the seasoning OR you can make your own

Beaf Seitan Roast & Cut thick strips to use in this recipe.

Using Arrowroot Powder:
To thicken with arrowroot powder, mix it with an equal amount of cold water, then whisk the slurry into a hot liquid for about 30 seconds.


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Alaine's Better Than Chicken Soup Miso Super Soup
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

I rarely have come down with a cold since becoming vegan, and I attribute that to my ritual of making this super nutritious soup when the weather starts to turn cold. The bonus is that unlike many "heathy" recipes which are jammed packed with vitamins, minerals, etc...but are about as tasty as cardboard...this soup is soooo delicious! The Tahini is a great calcium souce, the quinoa is loaded with essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein), the Red Star Nutritional Yeast has B-12 and the rest you can see.

Ingredients
4 Cups Vegetable Stock (or 4 cups Water & with enough Veggie broth powder to make 4 cups stock)

3 tsp. Naturade Soy Free Protein Booster

1 ½ Tbsp. Red Star Nutritional Yeast T-6635 (Vegetarian Support Formula)

1 Medium Onion (chopped)

4 Large Carrots (chopped)

½ Bag Frozen Mixed Broccoli & Cauliflower (or any mixed veggies)

½ Cup Sweet White Mellow Miso (or Barley Miso or any light color miso)

1 Cup Quinoa

¼ Cup Tahini

½ Cup water (to add at the end)

optional:
Smokey Baked tofu, cubed
Minced scallions to garnish

Instructions

1. Put mixed vegetables, chopped onion, and chopped carrots on a medium size pot of water.

2. Add Veggie broth powder, Vegetable protein booster and Nutritional Yeast. Mix well.

3. Bring pot of veggies & broth to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add quinoa & cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add miso, and tahini. Stir & cook (do not boil) for 5 minutes

Note: This makes a concentrated soup. To serve, use 3 or 4 parts soup (depends how thick you want your soup) concentrate to 1 part water & microwave. If desired add cubed smokey tofu before reheating and garnish with minced scallions before serving.

There's not salt in this recipe because I used a broth powder that has sodium in it. If you used a liquid or powder ready made product, taste soup before adding any salt. If you use a homemade broth you may also need to add some salt.


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Alaine's “Raid the Cupboards Mushroom-y Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Cannellini Meatball In-A-Jiffy Soup”
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Expeller Cold Pressed Olive Oil
2 Large Sweet White Onions, coarsely chopped,
2-15.5 oz. Cannellini Beans, Drained & Rinsed well
3-4.02 oz. Cans Mushroom Pieces, Drained & Rinsed Well
1-16 oz. Jar Vlassic Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Strips, Drained & Rinsed well
1-32 fl. oz. Organic All Natural Mushroom Broth
2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
20 Veggie Meatballs (I had some Veggieland Meatballs in the freezer)

I added no salt because as I was using canned goods and packaged soup I felt there would be enough sodium. And I can't use any ground black pepper because I'm allergic to it, so you may wish to add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Instructions:

Heat oil in a good size soup pot. When oil is hot add onions, stir a bit, reduce heat to low and cook ie. 15 minutes till onions are tender.

When onions are tender, add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook till beans are as tender as you like them. (Minimum 30 minutes, but if you get busy and forget about the pot on the stove, not to worry. It will be great a hour or two later:>)

Note:
You can leave the meatballs whole or break them up like I did for a more distributed, ground beef-like effect.

You can buy Veggieland products online at www.veggieland.com

Will the recipe work with other meatball or crumbles, burgers brand names? Sure.

Will it taste exactly the same? Maybe not exactly because different companies use different spices and fillers, etc...but I still think it will taste great regardless of the brand meatballs, etc. you use.

How much soup did it make? I think over 12 cups worth, I forgot to measure the results. Yes it makes a lot! But...You can freeze the leftovers :>)


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Vegan Halushki (aka Polish Cabbage & Noodles)
An Original Vegan Recipe by Alaine Chang

I made this for our Dec. 8th Potluck event with the Rombi Noodles. They reminded me of the consistency of the Kluski Noodles that my grandmother used.

Ingredients

1 Large Cabbage (ie 4-5 lbs.)
2 Large Softball Sized Sweet White Onions (chopped – ie. 8 cups)
2-12 oz Twistee Noodles or 1 lb. Rombi
(I use Bionature Organic 100% Durum Semolina Rombi)
2-4oz Sticks Vegan Margarine or 1-8 oz. Stick (I used )Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste


Directions

Cut cabbage into ½” by 3” strips. Put in large pot with a little water. Sprinkle with salt. Steam until soft. Drain off excess water.

Melt margarine in a large frying pan.

Coarsely chop Onions. Add to melted butter, sauté till clear.

Cook noodles as directed.

Combine steamed cabbage, onions & margarine and cooked noodles. Salt & pepper to taste. Mix well & serve hot.

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Joe’s Easy Spicy Dan Dan Mien (Noodles with Garlic-Peanut Sauce)
An Original Vegan Recipe by Joe Chang

Ingredients
1 LBS - Your favorite long noodles: spaghetti, soba, undo, etc (any kind)
¾ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Green Onions
½ cup Minced Garlic
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
1 tsp. Organic Vegan Sugar (or Splenda)
2 heaping Tbsp. Chinese Red Hot Sauce (or 1 heaping Tbsp. Crushed Red Pepper)
¼ Cup Boiling Water

Directions

Cook Noodles

Mince Green Onion

In a bowl Combine:
Creamy Peanut Butter
Sesame Oil
Salt
Sugar
Minced Green Onion & Garlic
Hot Sauce or Crushed Pepper
Add in ¼ Cup boiling water & mix till consistency of “honey”

Pour Peanut Garlic Sauce over Cooked Noodles & mix thoroughly

Note: The great thing about this recipe is that the quantity of ingredients used can be flexible. If you LOVE garlic (and this dish is ALL about the garlic)…add more garlic. If you want more spicy hot or less…increase or decrease the hot sauce.

The authentic Chinese dish uses ground nuts to create the sauce, but using peanut butter is much easier & just as tasty:>)

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_________________
Alaine Chang
Director & Co-Founder
The Vegetarian Way