Vegan curried split pea + red lentil soup

When the temperature outside and inside are lower than we’d like and you’re looking for food to warm you, this soup is a great choice. To cut cooking time, this method uses split peas soaked in water for several hours and an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. If you prefer, you can cook the soup on the stovetop.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion, diced
• carrot, diced
• pinch of salt
• rosemary sprigs
• fresh ginger, minced
• curry powder
• ground cumin
• turmeric
• chile powder of choice or red pepper flakes
• canned chopped tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, chopped
• garlic, minced
• red lentils (about ½ cup), rinsed
• green or yellow split peas (about 1 cup), soaked for several hours and drained
• store-bought or homemade vegetable broth or water (about 3 cups)
• optional add-ins: cubed super-firm tofu, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, vinegar of choice or fresh lemon juice
• hot sauce, for serving

Method

1. In the Instant Pot using the sauté function, warm some oil. Add the onion, carrot, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent. Add the rosemary sprigs, ginger, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and chile powder. Cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, garlic, lentils, split peas, and broth. Pressure cook for 15 minutes and naturally release for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure. Check that the lentils and peas are cooked the way you prefer. If not, sauté until done the way you like. Stir in any optional add-ins.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with hot sauce alongside.

Vegan green beans with a garlicky fresh tomato sauce

A tasty, easy, and quick side dish highlighting one of summer’s favorite vegetables.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• regular tomatoes, chopped, and/or cherry tomatoes, halved
• garlic, minced
• green beans, halved, or long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• warm water

Method

1. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes soften and start to turn into a sauce. Add the green beans, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat everything with oil. Add a few tablespoons of warm water and immediately cover the pan. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring once. Uncover, stir well, and cook to your desired texture, up to 5 minutes longer.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

Vegan marinated Greek salad with cauliflower, green beans, olives, tofu + herbs

A new take on Greek salad with ingredients marinated in the briny goodness of mixed olives, capers, tangy lemon juice, silky olive oil, and fresh herbs. Inspired by a recipe from Alice Waters.

Ingredients

• cauliflower, cored and cut into very small florets
• green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
• fresh lemon juice (~1 lemon)
• a pinch or two of salt
• a few grinds of pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil (~3 tablespoons)
• pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
• pitted green olives, such as Manzanilla, chopped
• a splash of olive brine
• fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh basil, chopped (and/or fresh oregano, chopped)
• capers
• a splash of caper brine
• nutritional yeast 
• super-firm tofu, cut into small cubes
• 1 ear of fresh corn (optional)

Method

1. In a steamer basket, steam the cauliflower until cooked through but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water.
2. In the same pot, steam the green beans until no longer crunchy but still bright green, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the same colander and rinse with cold water.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk while slowly pouring in the olive oil. Add all of the olives with some olive brine, the parsley, basil, capers with some brine, and some nutritional yeast. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Gently stir in the cooled cauliflower, green beans, and tofu until everything is covered in the dressing.
4. Chill for at least 1 hour to marinate. Stir occasionally. Allow to come to room temperature.
5. Microwave the ear of corn for 3 minutes. Let cool, husk, and cut the kernels from the cob. Stir in the corn and serve.

Vegan creamed kale

A yummy, easy, and special way to add nutritious kale to your dinner menu, especially in winter and early spring when locally grown greens are at their sweetest.

Ingredients

• raw cashews (about ½ cup), soaked until softened, then drained
• fresh lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
• salt
• avocado oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil
• shallot (medium-size), minced
• garlic, minced (from 2 or 3 cloves)
• kale leaves, cut into ribbons
• store-bought or homemade vegetable broth (about ¼ cup)
• possible seasonings: Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, hot sauce

Method

1. In a blender or high-speed blender, blend the cashews, ½ cup water, the lemon juice, and 1 or 2 pinches of salt until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend again to reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm some oil. Cook the shallot, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the kale and broth. Cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the lake has begun to wilt and most of the liquid is absorbed. Pour the cashew cream over the kale and mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.
3. Taste, adjust the flavor with one or more of the possible seasonings listed or seasonings of choice, and serve.

Baked vegan tofu frittata

This dish might sound complicated, but it isn’t. Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables or what you have on hand. Definitely worth a try for a fun brunch or dinner.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion (red onion, if available), diced
• sweet pepper, diced
• mushrooms, chopped
• broccoli, chopped
• greens (such as spinach, kale, chard leaves), chopped
• parsley, chopped
• firm or super-firm block of tofu
• nutritional yeast (about ¼ cup)
• unsweetened plant milk (such as soy or oat; about 2.5 oz)
• cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon)
• dried basil
• turmeric powder
• curry powder
• cumin powder
• salt or black salt (kala namak)
• red pepper flakes or ground chile powder
• black pepper
• tomato, diced; sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; or some store-bought tomato-based salsa
• green onions, sliced
• sliced Kalamata olives or other sliced olives

Method

1. In a dutch oven or large oven-safe pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil, making sure the oil is distributed throughout the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the sweet pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, greens, and parsley. Cook until everything is just softened.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
3. In a blender (preferably a high-speed blender), add the tofu, nutritional yeast, milk, cornstarch, basil, turmeric, curry powder, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the tofu mixture into the vegetables and fold until combined. Stir in the tomato, green onions, and olives.
5. Bake until the frittata is firm and starting to brown around the edges, about 45 minutes. Check a few times as it bakes to make sure it is cooking evenly (cover if needed to prevent burning). When done the way you like, allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Vegan tahini miso soup with summer vegetables

If you’re looking for a tasty main-course summer soup similar to a curry in texture and flavor (without coconut milk), this recipe is for you. Inspired by a recipe from 101cookbooks.com.

Ingredients

• fresh ginger, minced
• garlic, minced
• toasted sesame oil (plus optional olive oil or avocado oil)
• onion, diced, or white parts of green onions, thinly sliced
• spicy option of choice (such as hot sauce, chilli-garlic sauce, South Indian pickle, sriracha, harissa, etc.)
• homemade vegetable broth or store-bought broth or water
• white or red miso
• salty option of choice (such as coconut aminos, tamari, soy sauce)
• mushrooms, thickly sliced
• cauliflower, cut into small florets
• summer squash and/or zucchini, diced
• sweet peppers, diced
• super-firm tofu, cut into cubes
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• corn kernels
• greens of choice (such as kale, chard, beet greens, collards), cut into ribbons
• tahini
• fresh basil, slivered
• green onions
• seeds of choice (such as toasted sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and/or sunflower seeds)

Method

1. Smash the ginger and garlic together (you might use a mortar and pestle) into something like a paste.
2. In a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, warm the sesame oil (and other oil). Cook the ginger-garlic paste along with the onion, stirring frequently, until aromatic, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the spicy option and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Stir in about a half cup of broth or water with the miso and salty option. Stir until the miso is incorporated. Add the mushrooms, cauliflower, squash, sweet peppers, and enough broth to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are just soft. Stir in the tofu, tomatoes, and corn. Cook for a few minutes. Then stir in the greens and several tablespoons of tahini.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve topped with basil, green onions, and seeds of choice.

Vegan smoky, creamy, chunky spinach soup

Here’s a lovely, light summery soup. To make the cashew cream, soak about 1/2 cup raw cashews in water to cover for about 30 minutes and blend (best in a high-powered blender) until creamy. The cooked green beans in the ingredient list add more texture to the soup, but feel free to substitute any favorite vegetable. Inspired by a recipe on lovingitvegan.com.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• pinch of salt
• garlic, minced
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• potato, diced
• vegetable broth
• spinach or kale leaves, sliced
• cashew cream (see headnote)
• green beans or vegetable of choice, cut into bite-size pieces and steamed or microwaved
• freshly ground pepper
• smoky options: smoked paprika, liquid smoke, chipotle powder, or chipotle hot sauce

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm some oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, to toast. Add the potato and enough broth for the potato to cook in the liquid. Simmer until the potato is almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cashew cream just until the spinach is wilted and softened.
2. Use an immersion blender or a potato masher to create a creamy but chunky soup, adding more broth if needed. Stir in the green beans or cooked vegetable of choice and cook until the soup is heated through.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning with one or more smoky options and serve.

Vegan lentils with spinach, walnuts + fresh basil

Here’s a way to get your legumes, greens, nuts, and fresh herbs in one dish. Soaking the lentils cuts down on their cooking time. Serve over brown rice, your favorite whole grain, or pasta.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• green, brown, or black lentils, soaked
• homemade vegetable broth or store-bought broth
• spinach, chopped
• garlic, minced
• walnuts, coarsely chopped
• hot sauce of choice
• salt or tamari
• basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Method

1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm some oil. Add the onion in half of the pan and the mushrooms in the other half. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown bits form in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the lentils along with their soaking water, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Add broth to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are done but not mushy, checking every 10 minutes or so. Stir in the spinach, garlic, walnuts, hot sauce, and salt or tamari. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and soft. Remove from the heat and add the basil.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning with hot sauce, salt, and/or tamari.

Vegan quick-pickled pink and gold beets with fresh dill

Pickled beets in the fridge are great for snacking and adding to salads of all kinds. The saltiness of the brine is a punchy contrast to the natural sweetness of the beets. You can use red beets or a combination of varieties, but pink and gold beets do not bleed or stain. No need to wash, scrub, or peel the beets before cooking because boiling makes it easy to slip off their peels afterward. You’ll need one or two glass jars with tight-fitting lids.

Ingredients

• unpeeled pink beets (aka Chioggia or candy cane), halved if large
• unpeeled gold beets, halved if large
• red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
• fresh dill leaves, chopped (at least 2 tablespoons)
• white wine vinegar (about 1/2 cup)
• salt to taste (starting with 1/2 teaspoon)
• a few black peppercorns

Method

1. In a saucepan large enough to fit all of the beets over medium heat, add the beets with water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another saucepan over medium heat, add the vinegar, 1/2 cup water, salt, and peppercorns and stir until the salt is dissolved. Taste and add more salt if you want a saltier brine. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Strain and return to the pot. Keep warm.
3. Drain the cooked beets, return to the saucepan, and cover with cold water to cool. Slip off and compost the peels. Slice the beets and add a few slices to a glass jar. Layer on onion slices and some chopped dill. Repeat the layering until your jar is full or you run out of ingredients.
4. Slowly pour the hot brine over the beet mixture, pushing the beets down as you pour. Screw on the lid and let cool at room temperature.
5. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Vegan lettuce cups

Imagine lettuce leaves stuffed with a tasty filling — that’s “lettuce cups.” The long list of ingredients below demonstrates the variety you could include in the filling, but feel free to use any favorite vegetables. So that the filling cooks at about the same rate, chop the vegetables small and about the same size. At the table, you can serve diners a grain or grain combination (such as lentils, quinoa, and brown basmati rice) to mix into their filling before stuffing their lettuce leaves or to enjoy alongside their lettuce cups.

Ingredients

• olive oil or avocado oil
• onion, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• snow peas, cut diagonally into thirds
• red or green cabbage, chopped
• zucchini, chopped
• chard, chopped, with stems and leaves kept separate
• broiled tofu or super-firm tofu, cubed
• vegetable broth or water
• garlic, minced
• green onions, thinly sliced
• cilantro leaves and stems, thinly sliced
• sriracha or other chili sauce
• coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
• vinegar of choice (such as white balsamic, dark balsamic, rice, or other vinegar)
• toasted sesame oil
• sunflower seeds
• pine nuts
• lettuce of choice (such as red leaf, green leaf, romaine, or butter lettuce), separated into leaves, for serving
• avocado, sliced
• favorite grain or grains (see headnote), for serving
• hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Method

1. In a large pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion to half of the pan and the mushrooms to the other half. Let cook without stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the snow peas and cook another minute. Stir in the cabbage, zucchini, and chard stems. Cook another minute. Stir in the tofu with a splash of broth or water if the pan is dry. Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost cooked the way you like. Stir in the chard leaves, garlic, green onions, cilantro, sriracha, coconut aminos, and vinegar and cook until everything is done the way you like. Remove from the heat.
2. Drizzle with sesame oil and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more sriracha, coconut aminos, vinegar, and/or sesame oil. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and pine nuts and stir to combine. Serve the filling with the lettuce leaves, sliced avocado, grain of choice, and hot sauce alongside so diners can stuff and enjoy their own lettuce cups.