Spinach Artichoke Dip | Super Bowl 2014

This dip is simple, delicious and ready within 30 minutes. Check out the recipe and YouTube video below. Let me know what you think once you make it.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

by Brown Vegan & Daily Garnish

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 14oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water)
• 2 1/2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp vegan mayo
• 1 tbsp Tofutti cream cheese (or other vegan cream cheese)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup Daiya non-dairy mozzarella cheese shreds

Instructions

Saute your garlic on medium heat.

Drain the artichoke hearts, chop them up and add to the garlic pan. Add in fresh spinach and allow to cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Take mixture to a food processor and add in remaining ingredients, blending until smooth.

Serve immediately with bread, crackers, or chips or add additional shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes on 350º.

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Check out the video below....

Sweet Tempeh & Bell Pepper Stir-fry Recipe

It's recipe time!

Pic Source 

Tempeh is one of those foods that you either love or hate.  I happen to love it. It's an awesome meat alternative, made from fermented soybeans and then formed into a patty. Tempeh is also a great source of protein and helps to lower cholesterol.

Print & share the full recipe at the bottom of this post.

Since tempeh tends to have a bitter taste, I always cut it into thin cubes and steam for about 20 minutes before marinating.

We're using maple syrup, soy sauce and garlic as a simple and flavorful marinade. Marinate the tempeh covered for at least 30 minutes.

You can also save time by steaming and marinating the night before.

Saute onion & red bell pepper on medium-high heat. Then add in tempeh and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice or quinoa. 

Instead of using rice, I served my stir-fry with a cauliflower "rice" for the first time.  I'll post about that experience later this week.

Sweet Tempeh & Red Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

by Brown Vegan

Prep Time: 60 mins

Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)

• 8 oz pack of tempeh, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

Instructions

Steam tempeh for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce, maple syrup & garlic.

Add in tempeh and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

In a large pan heat oil on medium-high heat.

Saute onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add in bell pepper and cook for 4 more minutes.

Finally add in tempeh with marinade and cook everything together for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with rice or quinoa

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I Wanted A Krispy Kreme Donut...

...so I purchased a Babycakes Donut Maker for $9 at my grocery store. Why the heck is it so high on Amazon?

Sometimes I have cravings for non-vegan food. That's life. 

Brandon (my 8 yr old) has a gluten-intolerance, so I stopped baking desserts for a while.  The idea of vegan and gluten-free desserts just didn't sound very appealing to me.

The craving wouldn't let up, so I googled and came across a recipe on Bonappetit for the BabyCakes cookbook. I saw several recipes during my search but this one looked the most promising.

I needed ingredients like potato scratch, xanthan gum, garbanzo bean & rice flour and arrowroot and spent over $40 on gluten-free ingredients. $40!

The verdict? They taste nothing like Krispy Kreme donuts (I didn't expect that) but they did come out pretty light and delicious.  They reminded me of a pancake but Eric said they just "taste like a lemon-glazed donut." The boys loved them and we've made the recipe a few times since (posted a pic on Facebook the other day).

Since I have all these ingredients, you can expect more gluten-free baking in the future.

I covered each donut with a simple powdered sugar and lemon glaze. 

Have you experimented with gluten-free baking? What do you think so far?

30 Minute Meal Idea-Chickpeas & Tomatoes

Hey! I hope you're having a great week. :-)

I had a 1/2 can of diced tomatoes in the fridge that I didn't want to go bad. So I googled "diced tomatoes" and "chickpeas" and came across this simple recipe on Martha Stewart's website.  Thanks, Martha! 

Full recipe is at the bottom of this post

Using onion, garlic, salt and & pepper, it took me less than 30 minutes to get lunch on the table.  Instead of using mint from the original recipe, I chose basil (my fave) and served with rice. 

This meal is great solo, with rice (like I did) or in a wrap.  It's simple and delicious and makes it a perfect last minute lunch or dinner.

If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think.

Chickpeas & Tomatoes

by Brown Vegan

Prep Time: 6

Cook Time: 13

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil (to saute)
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 14 oz diced tomatoes (keep the juice)
• 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

In a medium-sized pot, heat the oil and saute the garlic, onion, salt & pepper on medium heat for about 6 minutes.

Add in chickpeas & tomatoes, cover and reduce the heat a little.

Cook for about 7 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in basil leaves and additional salt & pepper, if necessary.

Serve solo or with rice, pasta, or in a wrap.

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What's for Dinner? Creamy Vegan Sausage & Kale Pasta

It's been way too long since I've made a cooking video on my YouTube channel.  I finally got motivated to film yesterday and plan to get back into the full swing in the coming weeks.

I pulled together an awesome skillet meal heavily inspired by this creamy pasta recipe from Divas Can Cook.  Instead of using heavy cream and cheese I opted for canned coconut to give the pasta a delicious and creamy texture. You don't have to worry about an overwhelming coconut flavor in this recipe. I also used vegan sausage to make this meal completely plant-based, simple and delicious.

Why eat Hamburger Helper when you can put together a healthier skillet meal in less time?

My family approved of this meal and I know yours will too. Send me a picture on Twitter or Instagram when you make this dish. :-) 

Vegan Sausage & Kale Pasta

by Brown Vegan

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 3 cups mini bow-tie pasta, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sautéing)
• ½ cup red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 vegan sausage links (I use Field Roast), chopped
• 1 large tomato, diced
• ½ cup canned coconut milk (add more, if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 2 cups raw kale, steams removed & ripped into bite-sized pieces
• salt & pepper to taste (I add mine at the end)

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add in pasta and cook until al dente.

In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic on medium heat until the onion is soft. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes. Next add in vegan sausage and tomato and warm together for about 3 minutes. Then stir in coconut milk and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in pasta and kale and finish cooking for 3-4 minutes medium heat.

Optional: Add in more coconut milk to make a creamier sauce

Season with salt and pepper if necessary

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