RECIPE: Vegan Breakfast Sausage

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RECIPE: Breakfast Sausage - But Make It Vegan
for Environment911.org
April 2022

Some mornings call for a really big breakfast—and these breakfast patties fit in beautifully with a tofu scramble and some roasted potatoes. I like to make them for brunch, or on a camping trip, while sipping on my hot cup of tea. They’re loaded with so much flavour and spice, I guarantee you won’t miss the meat.

Makes Approx. 8-10 Sausages

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cans of black beans
- small onion
- 1 red pepper
- 6 cloves garlic
- fresh rosemary
- fresh sage
- fresh thyme
- 1.5 tsp fennel seeds
- salt & pepper
- optional: teaspoon of paprika (or other spice)
- 2 flax eggs (instructions here)
- (optional: bread crumbs)
- cooking oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Make your flax eggs.

Roughly chop and de-seed your pepper, peel and quarter your onion, and peel your garlic.
Add three ingredients into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Remove and place into a large bowl.

Add the black beans into the processor and blend until almost a paste, and then place into the bowl with the pepper-onion-garlic mixture.

Chop your fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and add to the bowl with some salt and pepper. (This is also great to sprinkle over potatoes if you’re having them.)

Mix ingredients together with your hands, then add in the flax eggs and mix until combined.
(If the mixture doesn’t hold together fully, add in some bread crumbs or oat flour.)

Dive into equal parts of desired size. Roll and then press flat.
Heat oil in a pan and fry until both sides are nicely browned.

If you have leftovers, try making a breakfast burrito or hash the next day.

RECIPE: Vegan Panko Cauliflower Bites

Vegan Panko Cauliflower Bites for Environment911.org
February 2022

If you need a good weekend mid-day snack to go along with whatever sports you’re watching on the TV, this is a super easy, and tasty recipe.
If you wanted you could also coat them in the hot sauce of your choice once they’re baked.
Vegans and non-vegans alike will love this snack!

Serves 4-6  

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 medium to large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces 
- 1 small head of garlic 
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast) 
- 1 cup non-dairy milk 
- all-purpose flour (approx. 1 cup) 
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
- 1/2 tsp onion powder 
- 1/4 tsp salt 
- 1/4 tsp pepper 
- 1/4 tsp paprika (optional, more if you want more heat) 
- zest of one small lemon 
 
- juice of one small lemon 
- 1/4 cup vegan buttermilk (see how to make it here) 
- 1/4 cup of vegan yogurt (plain) or mayo 
- finely chopped parsley and/or chives (approx. 1 tbsp) 
- salt and pepper 
- paprika and/or hot sauce (optional) 
  

INSTRUCTIONS: 
 
To save time roast the head of garlic ahead of time (in a foil packet, cutting the top off and drizzling with olive oil – approx. 30mins, at 450) - which allows it time to cool so you don't burn your fingers as well! 

Preheat oven to 450. 
Place an OVEN-PROOF, non-stick, cooling/wire rack on a baking sheet.  

In one shallow bowl, add the cup of non-dairy milk and whisk in the all-purpose flour. In a 2nd bowl, combine the panko, onion and garlic powder, paprika, vegan parmesan, salt and pepper, and lemon zest until thoroughly mixed. 

Dunk the cauliflower florets in the non-dairy milk/flour and then dredge them in the panko mixture, and put them on the baking sheet (you may want to spray it down with cooking spray for extra non-stickness. 

Bake in the oven for about 20 mins and then flip and bake again for about 15-20 mins until brown and crispy! Keep an eye on them throughout, as some oven may cook them faster than others. 

While this is baking, make the sauce by combining the roasted garlic, lemon juice, 'buttermilk', yogurt (or mayo), parsley or chives, optional hot sauce/paprika, and salt and pepper. You can do this by hand, but I used an immersion blender to make sure it was nicely pureed. 
Pour into a small bowl for dunking once blended. 

Plate the cauliflower on a serving tray with the sauce, and serve hot! 

RECIPE: Vegan Banana Bread

RECIPE: Vegan Banana Bread
for Environment911.org
September 17, 2021

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This classic loaf is easy to adapt to a vegan version!

I came home after a weekend away and the bananas in my house were extremely ripe. Sure, I could have tossed them in a smoothie, but it had been a while since I made a loaf of banana bread.

This is my mom’s banana bread recipe that I’ve used for years, but I tweaked it a tiny bit (mainly replacing the two eggs with two flax eggs) to make it vegan. Plus, I added vegan chocolate mini-chips for fun.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup of sugar (make sure it’s vegan, coconut sugar works well)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

• 1 cup, mashed/puréed, over-ripe bananas, approximately 3

• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal

• 5 tbsp water

• 1/4 cup of mini vegan chocolate chips, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grease a loaf pan with a small amount of the vegetable shortening. (You can also flour it, but I’ve always skipped that step.)

2. In a small bowl, whisk the flaxseed and the water together to create 2 flax eggs. Set this aside for at least 5 minutes while you mix the rest of the batter.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Either with two knives in a cutting motion or with your hands (my preference), crumble the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs and feels like sand.

5. Stir in the banana and flax eggs, (add chocolate chips here too, if using) until just combined, and no dry spots are left.

6. Pour into the pan and spread evenly.

7. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes and then check the loaf—every oven is different, so you don’t want to overdo it. My oven takes about an hour to get it to the nice golden brown I like. Stick either a toothpick or a knife into the centre of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it should be done.

8. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

9. I store it wrapped in tinfoil and it lasts several days.

ENJOY!

Vegan Stroganoff
for Environment911.org
March 12, 2021

Traditional Beef Stroganoff gets a vegan twist with this all-mushroom version of the classic dish

There was a restaurant in my neighborhood that made a Chicken Stroganoff years ago, and I think that was the last time I had Stroganoff. I don’t enjoy beef, and tend to eat vegetarian, but the other day I saw a photo of Stroganoff and thought: I bet I can veganize this.

The results were even better than I imagined. Not only was it quick and super easy, but it was also hearty and filling—and I used a mix of mushrooms that I really enjoyed (I can’t wait to try it with seasonal ones like morels and chanterelles).

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups mushrooms, cleaned, chopped, variety of your choice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock
- 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp flour
- Fresh thyme (or dried)
- 1/4 cup plain vegan yogurt or sour cream
- Salt and pepper
- 4 oz pasta, your choice, but a wide noodle is best (and make sure it doesn’t contain eggs if you're doing strictly vegan)
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for a few minutes, then add the garlic, thyme and the mushrooms.
Continue cooking until the mushrooms have softened (5 minutess or more, depending on the type of mushrooms used).

Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, then simmer.
In a bowl, whisk the flour with the stock and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Then add to the skillet gradually, whisking as you go until incorporated, and the sauce begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and let stand for a minute, and then add in the vegan yogurt or sour cream, salt and pepper, cooked pasta and stir together.

Season to taste (add more thyme or salt and pepper if needed), then plate and top with chopped parsley.

Makes 2 servings

Vegan Scallops
for Environment911.org
February 19, 2021

I’ve been wanting to make vegan scallops for a long time, and these turned out excellent. I combined a few recipes that I found online, using different tips and strategies from all of them.
If you’re a big seafood person and eat scallops, these are obviously not going to be exactly like the real deal, but you can enjoy them for what they are—delicious mushroom morsels!

These "scallops" would also be great in a variety of pasta dishes, so research some recipes online and see what you can create for your next Meat Free Monday!

Makes approximately 10 "Scallops"

"SCALLOP" INGREDIENTS

• 3 large king oyster mushrooms

• 3 tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)

• 1 tbsp miso paste

• 1/2 sheet nori

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 2 tbsp vegan butter

• Thyme

PURPLE POTATO PURÉE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup purple potatoes, peeled and diced into one-inch cubes

• Salt

• Non-dairy milk

• Olive oil or vegan butter

INSTRUCTIONS

For the marinade, heat up the vegetable broth in a shallow pan until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add in the soy sauce, nori, olive oil, white wine and miso paste. Stir until the miso is fully dissolved.

Clean off the king oyster mushrooms (I use a mushroom brush), and slice into approximately one-inch thick rounds. You should be able to get 3 to 4 "scallops" out of each mushroom. Discard the caps, or save them to slice up for a mushroom risotto or maybe a breakfast burrito with tofu.

Give the mushrooms a shallow cross-hatch with a sharp knife on each side—this will help them absorb the marinade better.

Put the mushrooms in a wide, container, spacing them evenly, and then pour the marinade over them. Leave them for an hour or two (or longer if you prefer), flipping them over occasionally making sure they’re getting evenly coated.

Heat a pot with slightly salted water and when it comes to a boil, place the cubed potatoes in. Watch while they boil, checking after 5 minutes to see if they can be pierced with a fork easily. It could take up to approximately 8 minutes, depending on the size of the cubes.

Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add a sprinkle of salt and a splash of non-dairy milk, then begin to mash with a potato masher. Add in some vegan butter or a bit of olive oil and keep mashing.
(You can decide the consistency of the potatoes. I like them lump-free and thicker so they are easier to spread on the plate and the scallops stick to them.)
Salt to taste. Cover, and set aside while making the scallops.

Once your "scallops" are marinated, take a frying pan (I use my cast iron) and place on medium heat. Then add the vegan butter until melted and sizzling, and place the scallops into the pan.
Fry for a few minutes on each side until they are golden.

Prepare plates with a spoonful of potatoes, swirled in an arch (this obviously isn’t necessary, but the presentation points are worth it!).
Place the "scallops" 3 or 4 to a plate and garnish with fresh thyme.

Vegan Cheese & Spinach Manicotti
for Environment911.org
January 12, 2021