vegan Archives - Taste With The Eyes

Vegan Chicago-Style Hot Dog

I’m taking a risk. I hope my Chicago friends and family won’t be mad that I am sharing a Vegan hot dog, but please hear me out. All these authentic Chicago-style hot dog “fixings” will really give you the Chicago dog experience.

Even ardent meat eaters might eschew hot dogs due to ingredients and additives in addition to beef or other meats – such as corn syrup, salt, potassium lactate, hydrolyzed beef stock, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, sheep’s casing…

So try a “a real vegetarian frankfurter” as Field Roast Grain Meat Co. calls it. Simply made from grains and vegetables, it is very tasty, balanced, and well-seasoned.

Now here is the best part, a Field Roast frank has 3 to 4 times the amount of protein as a regular hot dog, sporting 20g in one link with no cholesterol. It has 6g of fiber compared to zero in a hot dog and much less saturated fat as well. Interested?

How To Prepare a Vegan Chicago-Style Hot Dog

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Cooking in Challenging Times

Chickpea Stew with Lots of Veggies

Chickpea Stew with Lots of Veggies
Kale, Cabbage, Spinach, Carrot, Onion, Celery, Tomato

We are cooking in some challenging times, my friends. But we can do this and we can do this well! Look in the fridge and get excited!

We are cooking without the luxury of just popping over to the supermarket to get whatever ingredient our original recipe requires.

Today’s meal started in the pantry with a can of chickpeas and progressed to the veggie drawer in the fridge. There was a very small head of cabbage left over from my Stuffed Cabbage rolls. Less than a half bag of pre-washed spinach, and an aging bunch of curly kale.

Staples of carrot, onion, celery and garlic are almost always on hand. It was here that this hearty, healthy, satisfying stew recipe began to take shape.

Also, don’t underestimate dried herbs. They definitely have flavor and can substitute for fresh in these unusual times. Hopefully the dried herbs in your pantry are not too old!

Chickpea Stew Recipe

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Peach, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Ricotta Salad

Peach, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Ricotta Salad/Grain Bowl

Peach, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Ricotta Salad/Grain Bowl
with
Toasted Almonds, Red Oak Lettuce, Mint, Basil
Olive Oil, Balsamic Syrup, Edible Flowers
Lemon Verbena Iced Tea

Hey! How’s your summer going? Hot enough for ya? Try this Peach, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Ricotta Salad/Grain Bowl – it’s a bright, light, and simply delicious summertime meal. Perfect for these sweltering days…there is no recipe per se, just a combination of healthful ingredients that have a particular affinity for each other, all arranged in a bowl. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan too.

Enjoy the salad/grain bowl al fresco along with refreshing Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – the high levels of essential oil contribute to a delightful citrusy aroma and lovely lemony flavor.

Peach, Quinoa, and Almond Milk Ricotta Salad/Grain Bowl

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Mung Bean Lovers’ Pasta

Mung Bean Rotini & Mung Bean Sprouts in a Coconut Curry
#glutenfreevegan

Here’s a zippy gluten-free vegan pasta dish that’s full of flavor and spice, made with two different forms of mung beans. Those small green oval-shaped legumes are nutrient-dense and high in plant-based protein and dietary fiber. They are milled and ground into flour to make rotini shaped pasta. Fresh mung bean sprouts add texture and have a somewhat nutty flavor. They add more fiber, and Vitamins K and C.

I use Trader Joe’s Curry Powder with its wonderful exotic spice blend of cumin, turmeric, chile pepper, mustard, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, red pepper, cinnamon, black pepper, and saffron. Then I add more ground turmeric for the extra boost of flavor, color, and especially the curcumin. Curcumin is the chemical in turmeric that is responsible for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

A garnish of plenty of chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, and a drizzle of chili oil (or chili flakes) make this colorful pasta dish especially exciting and appealing!

Mung Beans Lovers’ Pasta Recipe

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Red Rice Noodles with Stir-Fried Tempeh and Savory Peanut Sauce {Vegan}

Red Rice Noodles
Stir-Fried Tempeh and Savory Peanut Sauce
Cucumber, Radish, Scallion, Cilantro, Peanut, Serrano Chile

Bursting with flavor. And color. And texture. And heat. May I say that this vegan dish has it all. Super satisfying organic red rice noodles are tossed with a savory peanut sauce that gets a hint of sweetness from agave nectar. Stir-fried tempeh cubes add substance and protein, radish adds a zingy crunch, while serranos bring fire which is balanced by cooling cucumber and herbaceous cilantro.

These Organic Red Rice Noodles from my friends at Explore Asian are a product of Thailand. Red rice called Kow Mun Pboo ข้าวมันปู in Thai, is a non-glutinous long grain rice that is reddish brown in color with a nutty flavor and a high nutritional value, as the germ of the rice is left intact. The noodles are made from organic rice, organic tapioca flour, and water only.

Organic Red Rice Noodles with Savory Peanut Sauce Recipe

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