September 21, 2024September 24, 2024 by betsy

Creamy Hot Chili Crisp Alfredo (vegan/plant-based)

Photo note: I didn’t bother to stage a photo because we wanted to dive in on a Friday night at the end of a full week. So this shot is of a real dinner on a real table: rustic but lovely enough for company. And the flavor will send you!

Inspired by a vegetarian dish in the New York Times, this creamy, decadent-tasting, and nutritional powerhouse of a one-dish meal became an instant go-to using my favorite condiment: hot chili crisp! And it is vegan and plant-based, natch.

I subbed coconut milk + cornstarch for cream and vegetables for the pasta–spiralized butternut squash and riced cauliflower–along with the spinach. Feel free to use the vegetables of your choice or even cooked pasta (about 2 cups) as in the original recipe. I am just not a big pasta fan, yet I wanted the look, so I use the spiralized squash; zucchini would be nice, too. And, I use frozen vegetables to avoid food waste from unintentional spoilage.

Creamy Hot Chili Crisp Alfredo (vegan & plant-based)

1 tablespoon plant-based butter
2 tablespoons hot chili crisp (found in jars in Asian section of international aisle in grocery store or Asian markets)
1-13.5 ounce can lite coconut milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 to 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
12 ounces frozen spiralized butternut squash, cooked according to package directions (I microwave)
10 ounces riced cauliflower, cooked according to package directions (I microwave)
1/3 to 1/2 cup plant-based parmesan or feta (I like Follow Your Heart)
Optional garnishes: more parmesan/feta and pinenuts, toasted or not

In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in hot chili crisp. Lower or raise heat as necessary throughout cooking process. Whisk in half coconut milk. Whisk cornstarch into remaining coconut milk in can and whisk into mixture in skillet. Heat through. Add cheese and stir until almost melted. Add spinach and stir until wilted and distributed. Gently fold in noodles and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until heated through. Serve in bowls garnished as desired.

#vegan #veganism #veganshare #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegansofinstagram #vegansofig #vegansoffacebook #vegansofvirginia #goveg #veganforlife #govegan #doitfortheanimals #animalsarefriendsnotfood #herbivore #crueltyfree #thebloomingplatter #foodstylist #recipedeveloper #foodphotography

@vegan_community

July 11, 2024September 21, 2024 by betsy

Black Bean & Hominy Soup–An Asian-Mexican Explosion (vegan & plant-based)

On a school architecture trip to Chicago in May, I had occasion to slip into Seoul Taco for a tofu taco, which served to solidify my love of Asian-Mexican fusion cooking. So, with our turn to host our Starlight Supper Club coming up in June and my husband Jonesin’ for bulgogi b*** in lettuce wraps–mushrooms for me and the vegetarians–we settled on an Asian-Fusion menu.

Bob and I hosted this thrice-annual fete on a weeknight so my cousin visiting from Houston could join the clan, most of whom he had met previously. I am out of school for the summer, but he and I had a day hike planned that Wednesday, so my contributions needed to be quick and fuss-free. To fit the bill, I whipped up this unforgettable soup loved by all–even Bob–and a delectable Miso Blackberry Quick Cobbler, which I will share in another post.

Our Supper Club always serves buffet style no matter which one of the three couples hosts and no matter the menu, so in the soup went to our stainless steel “crockpot” on low for a streamlined and attractive serving solution.

However and to whomever you serve it, you will definitely want to add this one-bowl wonder to your repertoire:

Black Bean & Hominy Soup

Yield: 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced, or about 1 cup
2 stalks celery, diced, about 1/2 cup
1 carrot, diced, about 1/2 cup
2 medium red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, diced, about 2 cups
Pinch sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Asian chili crisp
1 tablespoon, minced ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable soup base or 1 large vegetable bouillon cube
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-15 ounce cans black beans with juice
2-15 ounce cans, hominy, drained (we like the yellow for color)
10 ounces riced cauliflower, cooked (we buy a frozen package and cook it in its package in the microwave, per directions)
2-15 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans coconut milk (lite or regular)

Garnishes: plant-based sour cream, candied peppers, roasted & lightly salted ppumpkin seeds

In Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot, bring olive oil to a sizzle over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell peppers, and pinch salt and saute, stirring frequently, several minutes, until softened. Adjust heat if necessary. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds, stirring continually. Stir in remaining ingredients in order and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors are married. Serve warm in bowls or mugs (pictured), garnished as desired.

Reese Lusk of **Lusk Studios** about to Get his Asian-Fusion On!

#vegan #veganism #veganshare #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegansofinstagram #vegansofig #vegansoffacebook #vegansofvirginia #goveg #veganforlife #govegan #doitfortheanimals #animalsarefriendsnotfood #herbivore #crueltyfree #thebloomingplatter #tofutti #foodstylist #recipedeveloper #foodphotography #vegansoup #plantbasedsoup #Asianfusion #mexicansoup

June 13, 2024June 13, 2024 by betsy

10-Minute Riced Cauli & Kimchi: a Summer Obsession

If lite, nutritious, colorful, and filling is your jam, this dish–warm or cold–is ready to devour in 10 minutes…you’re welcome! Plus the texture contrasts and bursts of layered flavors makes this “throw together” exciting to eat and share.

I can eat an entire recipe when famished, but it should serve two. I doubled the recipe for a luncheon with a pair of dear friends yesterday–they are retired and I am on summer break–and we had one serving left over (which will be my lunch today).

To my delight–and surprise in one case–they both asked for the recipe.

I hope you will enjoy this dish often this summer as I already have! When I dreamed it up while trying to devise a dish to go with my husband’s bulgogi for an upcoming supper club party, it quickly became my go-to.

Enjoy!

-Betsy

10 ounces frozen riced cauliflower, steamed in the bag in the microwave for 5 to 6 minutes, according to directions

2.5 ounces baby spinach, wilted for about two minutes in bowl in microwave

2 tablespoons non-dairy cream cheese, flavored or not (I use Tofutti “Smoke”)

1/2 cup mild kimchi with vegetables (I use Cleveland brand from Harris Teeter; in Eastern VA and NC, it is in the cold case in the produce section where vegan items hang out)

1 tablespoon chili crisp (more or less to taste)

Garnishes: Peanuts, sliced scallions, sesame seeds–I like “tuxedo” (black & white mixed)–and optional carrot chip

Stir together cauli and spinach with cream cheese until melted. Stir in kimchi and chili crisp, reheat if necessary, or chill, and serve garnished as drsired.

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021 by betsy

Sichuan-Inspired Noodles in Hot Chili Oil with Spinach

Yield: 1 to 2 Servings

This lightening quick, nutritious, delicious, and colorful meal is satisfying on every level. Plus, if you care about such things, the entire enormous bowl is only 300 calories.

Simply heat together 2 handfuls fresh baby greens and an 8 ounce package shirataki noodles. Drain, place in a large bowl, and toss with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon soy sauce, just shy of 2 tablespoons hot chilli oil, fried chilies in oil, or hot chili crisp–available on the International Isle at the grocery store–and an optional dash crushed Sichuan peppercorns to tastw. Heap into a bowl and garnish with a smidge of the hot chili oil or crisp and a few roasted and lightly salted peanuts.

Dinner is served!

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodpornvegansofinstagram #vegansoffacebook #vegansofvirginia #veganchinese #plantbasedchinese

June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 by betsy

Sichuan Pizza (vegan & plant-based)

Homemade Sichuan Pizza!

My addiction to hot chili crisp (or oil) from the grocery store is no secret, and I am happy to share my “secret” pizza recipe, which is really more of a simple method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out your favorite pizza dough super thin and place on a baking stone or lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, top with very thinly sliced yellow onion and garlic and halved grape tomatoes. Sprinkle with vegan mozz–or not–and bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a slaw of shredded cabbage, carrot, mayo (I use Walton Farms no-calorie mayo), and hot chili crisp/oil to taste. Pile on top of freshly baked pizza, top with pickled veg if desired, drizzle with a little more hot chili crisp, sprinkle with lightly salted peanuts, and garnish with a basil leaf.

I hope you love it as much as I do; I enjoyed two nights in a row!

#plantbasedpizza #vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegansofinstagram #vegansoffacebookveganpizza #plantbasedasian #veganasian

January 3, 2021February 15, 2021 by betsy

Sichuan Black Eyed Pea Soup with Hot Chili Oil (vegan & plant-based)

It is fair to say I am obsessed with the Tofu Braised in Hot Chili Oil at Judy’s Sichuan, a great local restaurant. But with its big cubes of deep fried tofu, it is a fairly high calorie dish. So I have created a profusion of ways to incorporate the flavor profile into healthier dishes, including popcorn and even popcorn salad, a whole grain-based salad like no other.

I created this warming and pleasantly *lip numbing soup so that we could enjoy our black eyed peas on New Years Day with punched-up flavor. Though Bob and I have been very fortunate during the Covid19 pandemic, I felt I should enjoy a bowl of this good luck omen on behalf of this beleaguered world.

While I made the soup for the holiday, please enjoy it any day for any reason. These humble black eyed peas are remarkably tasty with their unexpected twist.

*Sichuan peppercorns, not peppers at all, possess a numbing property that is not due to heat and, in fact, enhances other flavors.

Sichuan Black Eyed Pea Soup
Yield: 4 servings

1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 red and 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns (I purchase at Asian grocery)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced on diagonal
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced on diagonal
1 to 2 tablespoons Chinese hot chili oil or fried chili crisp (I purchase the latter at Kroger on International aisle and use as is or make my chili oil from it)
2 cups fresh black eyed peas (you may substitute canned, rinsed and drained, or cooked dry peas)
1-15 ounce can lite coconut milk and 1/2 can warm water
Optional Garnishes: scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal, lightly roasted and salted peanuts, star anise

Cover bottom of soup pot with water, add sesame oil, and place over medium heat to bring to simmer. Add onion and bell peppers, sprinkle with salt and ground Sichuan peppercorns, and simmer, stirring frequently, until tender. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavours have married, peas are very tender, and soup is heated through, approximately 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning to suit your taste and add more water if needed. If desired, puree 2 cups of soup and pour back in, stirring to distribute. The soup will be less colorful, but creamier; I enjoy it both ways. Serve in mugs or bowls garnished as desired.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #plantbasedSichuan #veganSichuan #veganblackeyedpeas #plantbasedblackeyedpeas #veganblackeyedpeasoup #plantbasedblackeyedpeasoup

December 20, 2020December 29, 2020 by betsy

Sichuan Chex Mix with Hot Chili Oil (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4 quarts (16 cups or 1 gallon)

Every Christmas, my late mother made traditional Chex Mix. She would not be at all happy with my messing with tradition.

With apologies to my mother, this year’s vegan Sichuan Chex Mix is inspired by my Chinese obsession from Judy’s Sichuan in Virginia Beach, VA: Tofu Braised in Hot Chili Oil. Redolent of garlic, ginger, and chilies, this dish features 4 other key ingredients: fried tofu and stir fried jalapeños, red and green bell pepper, and peanuts over Jasmin rice.

I think, though I am not certain, that an elusive flavor in the dish is lent by Sichuan Peppercorn which I purchase st the Asian market and grind myself. Warm, but not hot (to me), this seasoning also adds a very temporary, characteristic, and pleasant lip numbing sensation. The Chex mix is delush with or without.

Seasoning Mix:
1/2 Cup vegan butter
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Fried Chili in Oil (sold in a jar on Kroger’s Asian aisle)
2 teaspoons grated ginger (I purchase it in a squeeze jar)
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Onion Powder

Optional: 1 to 3 teaspoons ground Sichuan Peppercorn

Cereal Mix:
7 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 cups pretzel sticks
*3.5 ounces crispy fried onions in bag, carton, or can
*3.5 ounces crispy jalapeños in a bag
*3.5 ounces crispy red bell pepper or beets in a bag or carton
4 ounces roasted and salted edamame
1 cup roasted and salted peanuts

*I use Fresh Gourmet brand from Kroger. I wanted bell pepper, but couldn’t find them in two stores, so the beets added that red, sweet, and earthy element I wanted.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Melt butter in large roasting pan in preheating oven. Stir in remaining Seasoning Mix ingredients followed by all Cereal Mix ingredients, coating evenly. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely and package in airtight containers.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #plantbasedsichuan #vegansichuan #plantbasedchexmix #veganchexmix

November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 by betsy

Asian Fusion Popcorn Salad (vegan & plant-based)

Seriously, this dish is OUTRAGEOUS!

You can laugh if you want at the idea of popcorn salad, but if you think of popcorn as just another grain, it doesn’t seem so odd and it is delicious.

No recipe, I just mixed a bowl of Skinny Pop popcorn with a few edamame, some finely diced red bell pepper, finely sliced scallions, and roasted and salted peanuts, and tossed it together with a tablespoon of my famous hot chili oil found right on this site.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #asianfusion #popcorn

November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 by betsy

Japanese Fusion Nachos (vegan & plant-based)

Your local gastropub could only hope to top this, the best healthy bar food evuh…

Japanese Fusion Nachos!

This is less a recipw than a formula.

Vegan eggroll wrappers, cut into triangles, deep fried, drained well, and topped with:

-shredded vegan mozzarella
-steamed edamame with sea salt
-finely diced red bell pepper
-sexy sauce [1 part sweet chili sauce + 3 parts vegan mayo (I use no-calorie)]
-sliced scallions
-wasabi smoked almonds
-Everything Bagel Seasoning (sesame seeds + dried garlic, etc.)

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegannachos #plantbasednachos #asiannachos #plantbasednachos