Peanut Butter Noodles (vegan)

Recipe from From My Bowl  
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 servings

The sauce for this dish is spot on. It tastes fabulous in this dish, but would also make a nice dip for spring rolls or drizzled over nourish bowls. 

 
8 ounces dried udon noodles or 12 ounces fresh or other pasta (I used rice noodles.)
¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter (I used a Tablespoon of natural peanut butter and then I made up the rest using PB2 and water.)
1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
1 Tablespoon low sodium tamari or soy sauce plus more to taste
1 Tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar agave, or maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce sambal oelek or sriracha
2-3 Tablespoons hot water

Prep: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions; dried noodles will take around 8-12 minutes while fresh noodles take 1-2 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse.

Make the Sauce: In a small bowl combine the peanut butter, garlic, tamari, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce. Whisk together until a thick paste forms, then add 2 tablespoons of hot water and whisk until a thick sauce forms and the sugar has dissolved. Add more water if necessary, but keep in mind that the sauce will thin out more when combined with the noodles.

Combine: Return to the pot or a shallow pan. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and use tongs to mix well, until every noodle is coated. The residual heat left from cooking the noodles usually warms them up enough for me, but you can also gently heat the noodles over medium low heat if desired. Add additional soy sauce to taste, as necessary.

Serve: Top with green onion, crushed peanuts, and/or chili oil and serve warm. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and are best reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water to help thin the sauce out again.

Notes: Gluten-Free: Udon noodles are not gluten-free but you can easily substitute them with rice noodles! Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Additions: edamame; mushrooms; scallions; tofu; broccoli; red bell pepper, etc…

Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1315mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Peanut Miso Cucumber Crunch Sandwich

Recipe from Plant Based RD
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 sandwiches

I’m not a huge fan of sandwiches, but this one is quite delish.  I love that you can make the components in advance and then, come lunch time, place them on your favorite whole grain bread and enjoy. Easy peasy, tasty, tasty.

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced 
Pinch of kosher salt 
¼ cup cilantro leaves, minced 
1 scallion, thinly sliced 
3 Tablespoon finely chopped peanuts 
Zest and juice of 1 lime 
1 heaping Tablespoon natural unsalted peanut butter 
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon sriracha 
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

1 (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2 teaspoons white miso paste 
2 scallions, thinly sliced ,
1 clove garlic, grated 
2 Tablespoons natural unsalted peanut butter
Pinch of salt 
1 Tablespoon sriracha 
2 teaspoon maple syrup 
2 teaspoon rice wine or brown rice vinegar 

Slices of whole grain sourdough bread or whole wheat bread or whole wheat lavash or whole wheat pita

Add the cucumbers to a medium bowl and top with a pinch of salt, cilantro, scallions, peanuts and lime zest. To a separate small bowl add the lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha and maple syrup and whisk together until evenly mixed. Pour the mix overtop the bowl of cucumbers then toss everything to combine and place in the fridge.

To a separate medium bowl, add your chickpeas and miso then use a fork to mash them together. When mashing, mash as much of the chickpeas as you personally like.

Add the scallions, garlic, peanut butter, sriracha, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar then stir together well to combine into a uniform mixture. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to enjoy.

To assemble a sandwich, add a few spoons of the peanut miso chickpeas onto a slice of bread and spread it out evenly. Then layer the cucumbers on top. Cover with the other slice of bread then enjoy! (I would recommend adding some of your favorite greens to your sandwich as well.) Serve with some seasonal fruit or berries for a wholesome lunch.

Nutrition: (1 of 4 servings) 360 calories; 14g fat; 3g saturated fat; 0g trans-fat; 0mg cholesterol; 700mg sodium (This could be reduced by using tamari in place of soy sauce); 50g carbohydrates; 10g fiber; 3g sugars; 12g protein 

Tempeh Bacon (vegan)

Recipe from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Servings: 4

I can always count on Rainbow Plant Life for great recipes.  Here’s a delicious tempeh “bacon” to try when the farmers market tomatoes are at their peak.  

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce/230g) block tempeh (See below for how to prepare it.)
2 Tablespoons olive oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice, divided
1½ Tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1½ Tablespoons maple syrup
3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 
2½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
2½ teaspoons liquid smoke 
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
Smoked sea salt for finishing (I used Malden smoked sea salt.)

Instructions:
Remove the block of tempeh from the package. Cut the tempeh block in half crossways.  Place in a steamer basket.  Bring about an inch of water in a pot to a boil.  Add the steamer basket to the pot.  Turn down the heat so the water is simmering.  Place a lid on the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the tempeh is steamed, remove it from the pot and onto a cutting board.  Slice the tempeh crosswise into thin strips, almost as thin as you can, about ⅛ inch thick.
Whisk together ½ Tablespoon of olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, maple syrup, tamari, salt, cayenne, onion powder, smoked paprika, and liquid smoke in a medium bowl.
Marinate the tempeh. Transfer the tempeh to a shallow dish with an airtight lid and pour on the marinade. Seal the dish with the airtight lid.  
Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or 8 hours or overnight for the most flavor. Gently flip the dish a few times during this time to evenly distribute the marinade.
Cook the tempeh bacon. Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering (it might take a few minutes), arrange about HALF of the tempeh slices or as many as you can in a single layer, leaving behind excess marinade.

Notes: 
Don’t skip the steaming step as it will prevent the tempeh from tasting bitter.  Tempeh can easily crumble, so handle it gently.  
Don't try to cook all the tempeh at once, or it won't crisp up.
Cook for 3½ to 4 minutes. About 1 minute before flipping, generously brush the top side of each tempeh piece with some of the reserved marinade.
Now flip each piece and cook on the second side for 2 to 2½ more minutes until seared on the other side, generously brushing more marinade on the top in the last minute.
Repeat with the rest of the tempeh and ½ Tablespoon of olive oil (you shouldn’t need a full Tablespoon since there’s oil residue in the pan). The second batch usually cooks quicker because the pan is hotter, 2½ to 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second side.
Regarding the tempeh…You're looking for plain tempeh, not any pre-seasoned tempeh or any other varieties like "three grain tempeh" (the grains get crunchy and detract from the texture). 

Nutritional Information: (per serving) calories 229; fat 15.5 g; saturated fat 2.6 g; cholesterol 0 mg; carbohydrates 12.2 g; fiber 0.3 g; sugars 4.9 g; protein 13.1 g; calcium 80 mg; iron 2 mg; potassium 315 mg

Asian-Style Salad Dressing (Vegan, Oil-Free)

Here's a fantastic salad using the Asian-Style Salad Dressing
served along with baked tofu and pesto.

Here are the ingredients for a great salad
(ingredients listed below the dressing recipe)
all prepped and ready to toss with the Asian-Style Salad Dressing 
(pictured in the jar on the left.)

Recipe from Ellie Likes Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Servings: 6

Well, this was just fantastic, good enough for company.  I highly recommend using all of the “optional” add-ins. This dressing will make any salad sing.

Ingredients
1 small carrot, chopped
½ small onion, chopped (I used ½ of a red onion.)
1 garlic clove
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
3 Tablespoon tahini
2-4 Tablespoon soy sauce (I used 2 Tablespoons soy sauce + 1 Tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.)
¼ cup rice vinegar
Water, as needed to thin

Optional Add-ins
1 tbsp date paste, maple syrup, or other sweetener (I used 1 pitted date.)
½ inch knob of ginger (I used 1 Tablespoon minced ginger from a jar.)
1 teaspoon white miso
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper

Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend to your desired consistency.  Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time in order to thin out the dressing, if desired. 
Store covered in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings) 80 calories; 4.9 g fat; 0.7 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 502 mg sodium; 6.1 g carbohydrates; 1.6 g fiber; 1.8 g sugars; 2.4 g protein; calcium 55 mg; iron 1 mg; 118 mg potassium

Although the salad dressing tastes great on just about any salad, this salad combo (pictured above) along with the Asian-Style Salad Dressing is pretty darn fantastic:

Power Greens

Green or Purple Cabbage

Blanched Broccoli (stems and/or florets)

Cherry Tomatoes

Yellow Bell Pepper (red or orange peppers are fine too)

Jicama

Sumac Onion Salad

Walnut Dukkah*

Vegan Feta

Malden Salt or Kosher Salt (sprinkle over the greens before adding the other ingredients)

Freshly Ground Pepper (sprinkle over the greens before adding the other ingredients)

Asian-Style Salad Dressing

*Homemade Walnut Dukkah: Makes roughly 1 cup (more than what you'll need) 

1/2 cup walnut halves

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons cumin seeds

2 Tablespoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Place the walnuts on a baking pan and roast them for 5-10 minutes or until they become slightly darker and fragrant. Remove the walnuts and set aside. Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes or so.  Place the sesame seeds in a bowl with the walnut pieces.  Add the cumin and coriander seeds to the now empty skillet and toast for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  (They will making a popping sound.) Place the toasted spices, the walnuts, the sesame seeds, and salt in a spice grinder and grind.  Store in an air tight container in the fridge.  Sprinkle over salads, soups, hummus and anything else you fancy.

Crispy Sesame Tofu and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life (Nisha Vora) 
Servings: 4

This is one of those “moan meals” during which every bite will produce a moan from the eater.  It looks like a lot of ingredients, but the this is quite easy to make.  The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.  While the tofu and mushrooms are roasting, you can clean up any dishes you used for prepping and set the table. This is definitely company worthy!  

Tofu and Mushrooms
1 (16-ounce) block of extra-firm tofu
16 ounces of oyster mushrooms (can substitute shiitake mushrooms)
2 - 2½ Tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, divided 
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce 
1 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
1½ Tablespoons panko breadcrumbs 
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds or white sesame seeds
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 small batch of rice noodles or brown rice noodles (4 to 6 ounces)
1 large head of Bibb or butterhead lettuce

Garnishes: chopped cilantro, chopped chives or scallions, and sesame seeds

Spicy Almond-Sesame Sauce
4 Tablespoons smooth, creamy almond butter
½ to 1½ Tablespoons Sriracha
½ Tablespoon black vinegar, or 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon agave nectar (or maple syrup)
½ Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce 
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1- inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated (or heaping teaspoon minced from a jar)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drain the tofu and press it.  Once pressed, chop the tofu into small cubes. Place tofu cubes in a large bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of the neutral-flavored oil, the 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, the 1 Tablespoon tamari, and 2 pinches of kosher salt. Toss to combine. Then add the arrowroot powder, panko, and sesame seeds. Gently toss to combine, using a spoon or your hands. Spread the tofu out in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

Clean off the oyster mushrooms with a damp towel. Then, slice off the tough woody ends. Use your hands to separate the bunches into individual mushrooms; for large mushrooms, slice them in half. Add the mushrooms to the same bowl used for the tofu; toss with the remaining 1 to 1½  Tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on another lined baking sheet. Bake the tofu and mushrooms in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and toss the tofu and flip each mushroom over. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, until tofu is crispy and browned and the mushrooms are golden brown. 

While the tofu and mushrooms are baking, cook the rice noodles according to the package. When they are done cooking, drain the noodles. Use scissors to cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces. While the tofu and mushrooms are baking, make the Spicy Almond-Sesame Sauce. Add the almond butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 25 seconds to help loosen it up. Then add the remaining ingredients except for the water and whisk well to combine. Then, stream in the water and whisk to thin out the sauce until pourable but still thick.
Assemble the lettuce wraps: Separate the lettuce leaves. Spoon a small amount of the cooked rice noodles on top, followed by the baked tofu and mushrooms. Spoon the sauce on top. Repeat with remaining lettuce and fillings.

*Note: Calories per serving: 586 calories

Curry Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free & No Oil)

Here I've made a triple batch of this scrumptious dressing.

Here's a simple veggie salad topped with Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
and drizzled with Curry Dressing,
served along with Pear Cranberry Chutney and sliced oranges.

Recipe from Monkey and Me Kitchen

Yield: 2/3 cup dressing

This is my husband's absolute favorite dressing.  And, no wonder!  It's slightly sweet, slightly tangy and full of flavor.  Of course, it goes well on any salad, but it's also delicious over roasted veggies and tofu too.  Those of you who eat poultry and pork, it would be a perfect sauce to drizzle over.  I make this often and when I do, I double or triple the recipe so that I can easily add a bit of WOW to our meals.

3 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon miso
1 teaspoon curry powder
1-2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  For best flavor after refrigeration, remove from the fridge and allow to sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature before serving.

Nutritional Info:  (2 Tablespoons serving) 67 calories; 4.4 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 5.5 g carbohydrates; 0.9 g fiber; 2 g protein