Creamy Alfredo Sauce (vegan, gluten-free)

Yum! This recipe couldn't be simpler. Whip up a batch of this delicious Alfredo-style sauce and satisfy your love for smooth, creamy, rich sauce!

.................................................................................

CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 1/2 cups alfredo sauce, about 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
1 can full fat coconut milk
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp freshly ground peppercorns
sea salt to taste

16 oz gluten free noodles, cooked according to package directions or noodles of choice

Method

Place cashews in a food processor or high powered blender and process until it forms a nut butter. Add the coconut milk, garlic cloves and ground peppercorn to the cashew butter and process until well blended.

You can eat this sauce raw, over zucchini ribbons or place the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat and warm through (cook a little longer if the garlic flavor it too strong, as the garlic warms it will mellow). Serve heated sauce over your favorite noodles, and enjoy!

.................................................................................

RECIPE NOTES:

*If you prefer a thicker sauce, add 1 TBSP of garbanzo flour as you heat the sauce, it will thicken right up.
*Add steamed broccoli, wilted spinach, or sautéed mushrooms for a heartier dish.


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Creamy Dill Dip (vegan, gluten-free)

Simple. Creamy. Delicious. Dip for just about anything.

.................................................................................

CREAMY DILL DIP

Gluten free, can be soy free (choose soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 cups of dip

Ingredients

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

1 cup vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt (I use Wayfare brand sour cream)

2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Method

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill at least 20 minutes before serving for flavor to meld. Dip away!!!


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Chick'pea & Grape Salad (vegan, gluten-free)

I have always been a big fan of Summer salads! You know, all those delicious favorites that show up at potluck gatherings. *drool*

I was thinking of titling this recipe "Chickens run wild and free salad." Since stepping on to the path of a compassionate lifestyle, I have been reworking my favorite dishes from earlier in life. This recipe is the IDEAL salad to get cruelty off the Summer salad menu, as it is packed with flavor and can easily make it's way onto the non-vegan's plate. Every year, 50 BILLION chickens are slaughtered worldwide. We, the consumers, are the only ones who can drastically reduce (and perhaps someday, eliminate) this astounding statistic.

If you are or were a fan of chicken or tuna salad, this tasty replacement is a great place to start. I have been totally vegan for just over 3 years now, and can I say…this tastes so much like chicken salad to me that I had trouble eating it at first! :)

So go ahead, give it a whirl. You will love the taste of cruelty free.

.................................................................................

CHICK'PEA AND GRAPE SALAD

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (24 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup small diced onion
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 cup grapes, sliced into quarters
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream OR plain vegan yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice

dash of paprika
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
sea salt to taste

Method

In a food processor, pulse chickpeas 5-8 times, until they appear coarsely chopped (be careful not to turn them into a paste or hummus-like texture).

Place pulsed chickpeas in a mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and stir gently to blend. Adjust salt to taste and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

√ serve on your favorite bread or wrapped in a tortilla with a crisp of lettuce
√ serve over a bed of kale, lettuce, spinach, or mixed greens
√ serve a scoop as a 'side' dish on a crisp of lettuce


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Garlic Chive Almond "Feta" Cheese (vegan, gluten-free)

Oh my goodness. I am in LUV with nut-based cheese.

Yep, that's right. You can make cheese with almonds, cashews, macadamia and more!

Making nut-based cheese can be really easy depending on your approach. Although there ARE more complex ways to create nut-based cheeses with different flavors and textures depending on the intended use, this is a very simple way to get started.

Warning…this is delicious. Prepare to have it fly off the party cheese platter, it's delightful for non-vegan pallets as well!!! Just make sure you notify those you share it with that this cheese is made of nuts, as some people have (sometimes severe) nut allergies.

Do allow at least 24 hours to make this cheese (although I have been known to eat it straight from the blender).

.................................................................................

GARLIC CHIVE ALMOND "FETA" CHEESE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep Time: 24 hours
Bake Time: 40 minutes (baking is optional, you can eat this raw)
Yield: 4 cheese wheels

Ingredients

2 cups whole raw almonds, soaked overnight and skins removed (optional, see notes)
2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup purified water
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic)
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 tsp sea salt (depending on your taste)

Method

In a food processor or high powered blender, pulse the almonds until they are coarsely ground. Add the remaining 6 ingredients and process until as smooth as possible (up to 10 minutes depending on your processing method).

Place the almond mixture in 3-ply cheese cloth and hang over a bowl (see photos above) for 12 hours or overnight at room temperature (you can also put it in the refrigerator, I just prefer the flavor better when it cultures at room temp). As the cheese hangs, the excess moisture will drip into the bowl, just discard this liquid.

Unwrap the almond mixture, form into 3 or 4 small "wheels"  and place in a lightly oiled (I used coconut oil) oven-safe dish or pan, and bake at 350˚ F for 40 minutes or until very lightly golden in color (my oven is temperamental, so the ones pictured here are very golden…still delicious). Cool (or eat warm!) and serve as a spread cheese or crumble into any dish that calls for a "feta" style cheese.

RECIPE NOTES 

About the Flavor
The good news is the flavor of this cheese is delicious immediately after mixing it together. The even better new is that the flavor improves after the initial 12 hours in the cheesecloth at room temp, again right after baking, and even more when it rests overnight in the refrigerator after baking. I enjoyed the flavor at 48 hours immensely. 

About the Texture
This cheese will be a wonderful texture for cheese spread or a thick dip immediately after mixing. After baking and a few hours of refrigeration, it slices easily for crackers or hors d'oeuvres. If you let it rest in the refrigerator overnight after baking, it takes on more of a "feta" style texture and can be crumbled. So far it hasn't survived more than 48 hours in my house…so maybe I will hide some in the fridge for texting to see what happens over the course of a few more days. You can also experiment with baking time if you want a drier, more crumbly cheese.

About Soaking and De-skinning the Almonds
The first time I made this cheese, I did not soak the almonds or remove the skins. It was delicious. If you are not going to soak the almonds, increase to water to up to 1/2 cup to provide enough moisture for processing the almonds to a smooth consistency. For ease of removing skins, bring a small pot of purified water to an almost boil, remove from heat and add almonds, soaking them in the hot water for a couple of minutes; strain the almonds and pop off the skins.

Raw Almond Cheese Option
Baking the cheese is optional, you can skip the de-skinning step to keep the almonds raw and serve as a raw nut cheese spread. I haven't tried it in the dehydrator yet, but I'm sure that would work nicely as well to dry it to a feta consistency.

Flavor Variations
Feel free to experiment with flavor variations. Try replacing the peppercorns with 1 Tbsp dried chives or any other flavor combinations you can imagine!



© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Baked Mac-N-Cashew Cheese (vegan, gluten-free)

Often non-vegans say something to me like: You made a choice to go vegan, why are you trying to make vegan foods that are like non-vegan foods (like cheese, burgers, etc.)? My reply is always that I did not lose my taste for foods like mac-n-cheese, I lost my taste for cruelty. I love recreating the flavors and textures I grew up with, and I've adopted a lot of new flavors and textures too. Being vegan isn't about deprivation, feeling like you have to give up a pleasure. Instead, it's about re-inventing how you experience a flavor or texture, so that the delight of your palate doesn't take away the life or freedom of another living creature.

I recently ventured into the world of making vegan cheeses, and I must say, my first attempts turned out great! I've explored recipes from several sources, and now I am ready to start exploring a little on my own. I took some of what I had learned about vegan cheese flavor and textures, and put it to the test making a baked macaroni and cheese dish. Much to my delight, it turned out deliciously!

Feel free to take your own experimental journey with this recipe. I have made several versions (ok, about a dozen or so!), all yummy in their own way, and this is the one I landed on as my favorite for texture, flavor, and satisfaction all around.

My partner, John, and I are doing lots more experiments with vegan macaroni and cheese, and we will share them with you in future posts! He made one a few days ago that was so velvety and creamy that I practically licked the plate clean (imagine a vegan and far healthier and tastier version of "Velveeta").

.................................................................................

BAKED MAC-N-CASHEW CHEESE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Yield: 11x7 casserole, about 4 servings


Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews or 1/2 cup cashew butter
1 1/4 cups water

3 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained (optional)
1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 can full fat coconut milk (canned, not the stuff in the carton or low fat)

8 ounces quinoa macaroni or spiral noodles, uncooked

For extra YUM factor, feel free to add any other veggies like kale or spinach (wilt first), peas, onions, or sautéed mushrooms just before baking.

Method

In a food processor, process raw cashews until it forms into nut butter texture (skip this step if using pre-made cashew butter, just place the butter in your food processor). Add water and process until cashew butter is dissolved in the water and it VERY smooth (you may need to scrape the processor bowl a few times). Add the next 10 ingredients and process until the tomatoes are fully incorporated. Add the coconut milk and process another minute or so to combine.

Poor the cashew cheese mixture over uncooked noodles placed in a 11x7 casserole dish. Bake at 450˚ F for 20-25 minutes or until noodles are al dente (liquid will completely absorb into the noodles and leave behind a cheesy, baked macaroni texture).

This dish is very flavorful and quite rich! Delicious served with freshly ground black peppercorns on top. Serves 2 for a full meal, serves 4 as a side dish.

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

Mmmmmmmmmm! When I first went gluten-free, I thought the world of warm, moist baked goods had vanished forever. It took me about a year to start experimenting with gluten-free baking, and much to my surprise, just like being vegan, it wasn't so bad. In fact, it was surprisingly yummy! The following recipe is adapted from a few other recipes I found when trying find a chocolate chip cookie that I could love. I often hear people exclaim that they would "have never thought they were gluten-free!"

.................................................................................

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free vegan butter) and vegan.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 dozen cookies


Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup vegan butter (like Earth Balance), melted
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 flax and chia blended "eggs" (see recipe note below)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups oat flour
2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (more if you like a very sweet, chocolatey cookie)

Method

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and wet ingredients separately, then combine wet and dry mixture in a medium mixing bowl, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a non-stick baking sheet (or line with baking parchment) and bake at 350˚ F for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to brown. The flax and chia "egg" is a great binder, but with gluten-free goods, you may need to wait a few minutes before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack to avoid unnecessary crumbling.

Enjoy with a tall, cold class of rice milk…oh, yeah!!!

.................................................................................

RECIPE NOTES

To make 1 Flax and Chia blended "Egg" for binding (you will need to DOUBLE this for the recipe above as it calls for 2 of these "eggs"): Combine 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 1/4 tsp ground chia seeds + 3 Tbsp warm water, process in food processor for about 1 minute or until it reaches an egg-like consistency. You could skip the chia if you like, and just use flax, but I find the combo works better for this cookie.

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Fudge Brownie Torte (vegan, gluten-free)

Oh. My. Goodness.

Yep, I did it. Not only is this DELICIOUS, but also vegan and gluten free. You may just want to make two while you're at it.

.................................................................................

FUDGE BROWNIE TORTE

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free vegan butter) and vegan.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

You will need at 10" springform pan or tart pan. Place your pan in the freezer to chill at least 10 minutes prior to prepping it by lightly coating with chilled vegan butter and dusting with rice flour.

Brownie Layer Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup vegan butter (like Earth Balance), melted
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 flax "eggs" (see recipe notes)
1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup garbanzo flour, sifted
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Method

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Combine wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls, then combine wet and dry mixtures and whisk well until all dry ingredients are moistened. Spread brownie mixture into prepared pan (see above) and bake for 20 minutes, or until brownie layer begins to pull away from the edges of the pan. Do not remove from the pan, cool completely.

Fudge Layer Ingredients

4 avocados, pitted and peeled

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 cup coconut sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp vanilla

Place all 5 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Layer the avocado mixture on top of the cooled brownie layer. Scroll down for final instructions...

Cover and place the torte in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving, removing springform or outer ring of tart pan and thawing about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers (as if!) covered in the freezer.

YUM!!!

.................................................................................

RECIPE NOTES

To make 1 Flax "Egg" for binding (you will need to DOUBLE this recipe as you need 2 flax eggs for this recipe): Combine 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp warm water, process in food processor for about 1 minute or until it reaches an egg-like consistency

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.