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 garlicky cauliflower with kale + parsley

A tasty, simple way to use that head of cauliflower you’ve been meaning to cook. Instead of the kale, pick a favorite vegetable you have on hand (like chopped broccoli). For a main course, add small cubes of super-firm tofu. Inspired by a post on thehiddenveggies.com,

Ingredients

• olive oil
• vegan butter
• mushrooms, sliced
• garlic, minced
• cauliflower, finely chopped
• pinch of kosher salt
• kale leaves, slivered
• parsley, chopped
• optional add-ins: pine nuts, olive tapenade, miso, vegan pesto, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, sauerkraut

Method

1. In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, warm olive oil and vegan butter. Add the mushrooms and cook a minute or two. Add the garlic and cook until warmed in the oil, about 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat the cauliflower with the garlic butter and turn up the heat slightly. All the cauliflower to cook slowly, stirring every minute or so, until soft and slightly translucent. Stir in the kale and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding one or more add-ins and serve.

Vegan corn + potato salad with edamame

Definitely a satisfying salad, and who knows, you might still be able to get lovely farm-fresh tomatoes, corn, and sweet peppers where you are.

Ingredients

• corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• garlic, minced
• mixed fresh herbs (such as tarragon, basil, dill, oregano, and/or parsley) or dried herbs of choice
• extra-virgin olive oil
• Dijon mustard or prepared mustard of choice
• black pepper
• shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
• firm or super-firm tofu, cubed
• sweet pepper, diced
• green onions, sliced
• cilantro, chopped
• cherry tomatoes, halved, or regular tomato, diced, plus any juices
• vinegar of choice

Method

1. Steam or microwave the corn kernels and potatoes until cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, herbs, olive oil, mustard, and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the corn, potatoes, edamame, tofu, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro, and tomatoes. Toss gently.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed or with vinegar. Toss again and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Vegan roasted carrots, beets, kohlrabi + pumpkin seeds seasoned with cumin + garlic

This vegetable combo is very tasty, but feel free to use whatever roasted vegetables you enjoy. Usually people peel kohlrabi, dice it, and add it raw to salads, so this preparation is out of the ordinary (inspired by a post on sharonpalmer.com). Great as an appetizer or side for burritos, tacos, burgers, or sandwiches.

Ingredients

• carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• beets, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
• kohlrabi, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• garlic, minced
• cumin seeds
• pumpkin seeds
• olive oil
• white wine vinegar or vinegar of choice
• kosher salt
• pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 375º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the carrots, beets, kohlrabi, garlic, cumin seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast until browned in places and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Vegan quick cabbage salad with creamy dressing

Just a couple of steps to add a tasty, anytime side salad to your meal. Great served with a favorite sandwich or burrito.

Ingredients

• cabbage (green or napa), cut into shreds
• red onion, diced, or green onion, sliced
• red radish, sliced, or daikon radish, diced
• carrot, diced
• super-firm tofu, diced
• dried dill, or fresh dill, chopped
• parsley, chopped
• sunflower seeds and/or sesame seeds
• caraway seeds
• mayonnaise of choice
• prepared mustard of choice
• vinegar of choice

Method

1. In a large bowl, add the cabbage, onion, radish, carrot, tofu, dill, parsley, sunflower seeds, and caraway seeds.
2. Whisk in a small bowl before pouring onto the salad or directly spoon onto the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar onto the salad. Toss until well-combined and serve.

Vegan baby bok choy with garlicky spicy sauce

Here’s a tasty, uncomplicated dish to serve as a side dish or over rice, rice noodles, pasta, or grain of choice. To add more vegetables (like carrot matchsticks, small broccoli florets, and/or shredded cabbage) and cubed tofu, add them with a splash of broth after you add the ginger, then cover and steam a minute or two before continuing with step 2.

Ingredients

• homemade vegetable broth or store-bought broth
• miso, tamari, or soy sauce
• sriracha or other hot sauce
• toasted sesame oil
• tahini
• garlic, minced
• avocado oil or other high-heat oil
• onion, sliced
• mushrooms, chopped
• fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
• heads of baby bok choy, quartered
• green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• sesame seeds
• peanuts or cashews

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable broth, miso, sriracha, sesame oil, tahini, and half of the garlic to make a sauce. Set aside.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm some oil. Cook the onion until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until starting to brown. Add ginger and cook, stirring, a minute or two. Add the baby bok choy, the remaining garlic, and a splash of broth to steam the bok choy and to keep the garlic from burning. Stir until the bok choy greens are wilted and the bulbs begin to soften. Add the sauce and stir to coat everything. Cook until warmed through.
3. Garnish with sesame seeds and peanuts and serve.

Vegan potato-onion-kale baked pancake (gluten-free)

Baking one large pancake — instead of forming and cooking individual pancakes — makes this an attractive potato latke recipe. Shredding the potatoes and onion can take time, but a spiralizer or food processor can make the process fun. Serving options: Top with vegan cheese or yogurt, sauerkraut, hot sauce or salsa, mashed avocado, sliced tomato, green onions, tahini, applesauce, honey, jam — or your own idea!

Ingredients

• 2 really large potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 onion
• rounded ¼ cup flour of choice 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 kale leaves, cut into thin ribbons
• chile powder, garlic powder, or seasoning of choice
• olive oil, for brushing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a spiralizer with the finest shred blade, a food processor with the shredding disk, or a box grater, shred the potatoes and onion. If the onion is difficult to spiralize or grate, slice into very thin shreds. Transfer the shredded vegetables to a kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, kale, and chile powder until well-combined.
3. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread into one even, thin layer. Brush with oil.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cut into quarters and flip over. If desired, brush the second side with oil. Bake until browned, checking that if the outer edges brown faster than the middle to switch the middle sides to the outside. For more crispness, broil for a couple of minutes, watching closely so the pieces don’t burn. 
5. Remove from the oven and let cool a minute or two before serving topped with your favorite toppings (see headnote for ideas).

Vegan sautéed chard with tomato, balsamic vinegar + garlic

This delicious, tangy-sweet side dish makes eating healthy greens painless. In place of the chard, you can use kale or collard leaves, and you can omit the tomato — but the balsamic vinegar and garlic make the greens sing. What to do with any leftovers? Stuff inside a corn tortilla for a yummy taco.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• chard stems, thinly sliced
• chard leaves, cut into ribbons
• fresh tomato, diced
• balsamic vinegar
• garlic, minced

Method

1. In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil. Add the chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the chard leaves, stir, and cover to allow to steam for a minute or two. Stir in the tomato. Cook, crushing the tomato to help create a bit of sauce. When the tomato is saucy and the chard leaves are cooked the way you like, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and stir.
2. Remove from the heat. Stir in the garlic and immediately cover. Let the mixture sit for several minutes  in the indirect heat to meld the flavors.
3. Serve.

Vegan root-vegetable hash with fresh rosemary

All kinds of chopped root vegetables work in this simple recipe. But no need to be overwhelmed — just two kinds (like rutabagas and potatoes) are tasty, too. Plus you can include small florets of cauliflower and broccoli and/or winter squash (such as delicata slices and butternut cubes) if you have those on hand. Have fun exploring!

Ingredients

• assorted root vegetables (such as rutabagas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, onion, parsnips, beets, fennel bulb, and/or celeriac), peeled if you wish and cut into about ¾-inch chunks
• other vegetables of choice (such as cauliflower and broccoli florets and winter squash slices or cubes; optional)
• olive oil
• pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• fresh rosemary leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400º. Line a large baking sheet or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the chopped root vegetables and other vegetables (if using). Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet/sheets and spread in an even layer.
3. Roast for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, toss to combine, and spread in an even layer again. Continue to roast until the vegetables are done the way you like. Serve.

Vegan panfried winter squash with herbes de Provence (gluten-free)

Charring the squash a little adds smokiness, and the herb mixture adds fragrance and herbaceous depth to the sweet squash. Choose a winter squash that is heavy by volume to ensure plenty of flesh — not just skin and seeds. To make the uncooked squash easier to cut, pierce it two or three times and microwave just for a minute or two.

Ingredients

• winter squash of choice (such as butternut, honeynut, kabocha, delicata) or pie pumpkin, stemmed
• herbes de Provence herb mix or dried rosemary, oregano, and thyme
• olive oil
• kosher or sea salt
• chile powder of choice (optional)

Method

1. Halve and seed the squash, then cut into slices ¾-inch thick. Brush the sides of each slice with oil and place in a single layer on a platter.
2. To refresh the dried herbes de Provence, grind briefly in a mortar with a pestle or crush the herbs in the palms of your hands and place in a small bowl. Stir in salt and chile powder. Sprinkle the herb mixture on one side of the squash and press lightly into the flesh.
3. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm some olive oil. Place the squash, herb side up, in the pan and cook until char marks appear, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side, sprinkling more herb mixture on top if you like, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to the platter and serve.