There are a wealth of resources out there for those who would like to learn more about animal-free cooking. Books, magazines and Internet sites offer endless recipes and ideas from which to choose. One of our favorite ways to come up with new ideas for great vegan fare is by making "corrections" to many traditional and ethnic recipes. Substituting for the flesh, eggs and dairy products, we've made
wonderful renditions of some favorites. So, as we like to say, "Veganize It"

Vegan Food
Veg Source
Vegetarian Resource Group

 

Try our Vegan Holiday Recipes!

Cornbread Dressing (Corn Bread recipe follows)

6 Tbsp margarine
1 14 oz pkg. vegetarian sausage
1 red bell pepper (if desire)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 bunches green onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 2 tsp dried rubbed sage
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
½ to 1 cup vegetable broth salt
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 x 10 x 2 inch baking dish. Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add crumbled vegetarian sausage, peppers, celery and green onion, sage and thyme. Simmer until vegetable are tender, about 15 minutes. Add corn and crumbled corn bread. Add enough vegetable broth so mixture is moist, but not soggy. Transfer dressing to prepared baking dish. Cover with Aluminum foil. Bake until stuffing is firm and heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until browned on top, about 15 minutes.

Corn Bread

2 cups yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1 ¼ cup soy milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cast iron skillet or a 13 x 9 x 2 inch metal pan. Mix the first 5 ingredients (the dry ingredients) in a large bowl. Melt margarine in a large bowl in the microwave or in a large saucepan over low heat. Whisk in soymilk, lemon juice and vinegar. Stir soymilk mixture into dry ingredient mixture. Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake corn bread until the top and edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Apple-Fennel-Walnut Salad

2 gala apples, ¼ inch dice
2 fennel bulbs, ¼ inch dice
½ cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
¼ cup walnut oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
salt and pepper to taste

Place apples, fennel and walnuts in a bowl. Whisk together oil and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place watercress in bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat. Arrange on platter. Top with apple mixture and drizzle remaining dressing over.

Seitan Bourguignon Pot Pie (8-10 servings)

2 lbs seitan (cooked wheat gluten), homemade or store bought*, cut into large cubes
flour
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup margarine
1 ½ cups carrots, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 cups whole pearl onions
1 lb mushrooms, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
½ bottle Burgundy wine
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth
1 sheet purchased puff pastry **

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt half the margarine with half the olive oil in a large heavy skillet Roll seitan cubes in flour and brown them on all sides over high heat. Remove seitan from pan. Melt the remaining margarine and oil in the skillet and add the carrots, mushrooms, leeks, garlic, parsley and pearl onions. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Return the seitan to the skillet along with the bay leaf and thyme. Add the wine and enough stock to cover the mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add flour to skillet, if necessary, so that sauce has a thick gravy-like consistency. Transfer to a three-quart oven proof casserole dish. Roll out puff pastry sheet so it is large enough to cover dish. Place on top of seitan mixture and bake until puff pastry is browned and flaky. *White Wave brand seitan is available in most local supermarkets and natural foods grocers. Seitan can be made from Vital instant wheat gluten flour. **Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry brand is widely available in supermarkets in the frozen food aisle.

Pumpkin Cheezecake Tart with Pecan Crust

Crust
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
¼ tsp salt
6 Tbsp margarine, chilled
1 Tbsp cold water
½ cup pecans

Filling
Tofu cream cheeze*
Tofu sour creme (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp arrowroot
¼ cup water
1 cup pureed pumpkin
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
crystallized ginger, chopped, for garnish

Crust: Grease 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pulse flour, sugar, molasses and salt in food processor. Add margarine and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add water and process until clumps form. Transfer to large bowl. Add pecans and knead until pecans are incorporated and dough can be formed into a ball. Press dough on bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake crust until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack.

Filling: Beat tofu cream cheeze and tofu sour creme in large bowl until smooth. Whisk arrowroot with water in small bowl. Add sugar and arrowroot mixture to cream cheeze mixture. Beat until blended Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to cheeze mixture and beat until blended. Spread filling in crust. Bake until tart is firm in center, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack. Cover and chill. Garnish with chopped crystallized ginger.

Tofu Sour Creme (makes 1 pint)

1 lb silken tofu (Denver Tofu CO)
¼ cup vegetable oil, such as safflower, sunflower or canola
½ tsp salt
2 tsp brown rice syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. *We recommend Tofutti brand "Better Than Cream Cheese" **Denver Tofu Company brand is also available.

Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie (8 to 10 servings)

2 lbs tofu
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, such as canola, safflower or sunflower
1 red onion, chopped
2 bunches kale, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp sherry
2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp arrowroot
3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled
2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
4 Tbsp margarine
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain tofu. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes and marinate in sesame oil and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, boil sweet potatoes until done. Drain and reserve 1 cup of liquid. Mash sweet potatoes in large bowl. Melt margarine in skillet. Sauté pears until they begin to soften Add reserved liquid,cover and simmer until pears are very soft. Puree pear mixture in food processor. Add to mashed sweet potatoes along with salt and pepper . Set aside. Spread marinated tofu on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake about 20 to 30 minutes. Turn tofu and bake another 20 minutes until brown. Steam chopped kale until tender. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add kale and baked tofu to skillet. Mix arrowroot with ¼ cup broth. Add sherry, arrowroot mixture and the remainder of broth to skillet. Simmer until mixture begins to thicken. Add more arrowroot, if necessary. Transfer tofu mixture to 3 quart ovenproof casserole. Top with mashed sweet potatoes. Bake until brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Scalloped Potatoes

3 cups potatoes, very thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp flour
3-6 Tbsp margarine
¼ cup chopped chives
1 ¼ cup soymilk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Drop potatoes into boiling water. Parboil about 8 minutes. Drain. Place the potatoes in baking dish in three layers. Dot each layer with margarine and sprinkle with flour and chives. Heat the soymilk in a small saucepan. Season with salt and paprika. Pour soymilk mixture over potatoes. Bake about 30 to 40 minutes, testing for doneness.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

1 head of cauliflower
2 cups onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup water
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup tofu sour creme
1 Tbsp curry powder or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro for garnish

Remove cauliflower florets from stem and steam until soft. Place diced potatoes in water in small pot and simmer until potatoes are done. Meanwhile, melt margarine in large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent. Add cauliflower and boiled potatoes in cooking water and stock .Simmer for about 15 minutes. Puree soup mixture in blender or processor in batches. Return to soup pot. Add tofu sour creme, curry powder, salt and sour creme and simmer until heated through. Ladle into bowls or a soup tureen and garnish with chopped cilantro.