Review: Match Stuffed Vegan Chicken, Mediterranean Style

Match's Stuffed Vegan Chicken is filled with spinach, olives, sundried tomatoes, and cream cheese. I pan fried the chicken and served it atop horseradish mashed potatoes.

Hearty, meaty, and seasoned properly is how I would describe Match's Mediterranean Style Stuffed Vegan Chicken. It tasted just like a stuffed chicken breast. It was very easy to prepare: Pan fry the chicken for 7 minutes on each side until the middle is 160 degrees. After 14 minutes of cooking, I cranked up the flame to high for about 30 seconds and then turned the stove off and let the chicken sit in the covered pan for another 5-10 minutes.

This stuffed chicken tasted excellent with some instant organic potatoes that I made in about 3-5 minutes using the microwave. I stirred in a spoon of vegan horseradish spread before plating it.

I would highly recommend this product. Not many vegan "meats" taste like the original -- which is perfectly fine -- but I think carnivores would never know this is a cruelty-free.

Recipe: Vegan Eggs for a Hearty Egg, Bacon, Avocado, and More Burrito

Tonight I had a scrumptious “breakfast burrito” for dinner. It had herbs, avocado, “meat,” and vegan eggs. 

Before you make this burrito, you'll need some eggs -- and I don't mean the kind from our friends, the chicken. 

I mean a tofu-based egg product. I love my vegan egg recipe. The dish tastes like a cross between egg salad and deviled eggs. Indian black salt makes this dish, so don’t attempt this recipe until you buy this product. You can find this item at Indian grocery stores or on Amazon. Buy finely ground black salt.

Black salt, aka Kala Namak, gives off a sulfur smell. It sounds gross, but it works. 

Vegan Eggs

Ingredients:

• 12-15 oz container of tofu (The firmer the tofu, the firmer your “eggs,” so unless you like them runny, use extra firm)
• 4 T of vegan mayo (I used 3 T of Just Mayo Original and 1 T of Follow Your Heart Chipotle Mayo in this latest batch)
• 1 tsp of yellow mustard or 1 tsp of Dijon mustard – or do what I do and use ½ tsp of both!
• 3 T of sweet pickle relish (you can add more later if you want)
• 1 T of fresh lemon juice or 1 T of white vinegar or pickle juice
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1 tsp of turmeric (omit if you don't want bright yellow eggs)
• Dash of black pepper
• 1 tsp of black salt (you can add more later if you think the egg flavor is subtle)
• Optional: dash of hot sauce

In a bowl, mix everything but the tofu together. If your tofu was packed in water, like most are, wrap it in some paper towels while you assemble your other ingredients. Once all your ingredients (except the tofu) are mixed, taste it. It should be salty, tangy and eggy. Add the tofu and break it up with a fork or potato masher. Make it as chunky as you like. Mix everything well and taste. Add more relish (if you want more sweetness) or a pinch of black salt if you think it needs more egg flavor. Be careful with the black salt; too much and your dish will be very salty.

Note: I usually use Earth Balance Mayo or Follow Your Heart Vegenaise Original with this recipe, but I used Just Mayo. It’s runnier than the other mayo products, so I added a small spoon of potato flakes (instant mashed potato mix) to thicken the sauce before adding the tofu.

Second note: If you want this dish without the tofu, use cooked red potatoes that you’ve boiled and mashed (it's up to you if you want the skins removed or not). The finished dish will taste like an eggy potato salad.

To make the breakfast burrito, warm up a large flour tortilla. Smear it with a sauce, if you like. I smeared a spoon of Follow Your Heart’s Roasted Garlic Mayo on the tortilla. Next, add any ingredients you like. I chopped up a few slices of Upton’s Bacon and sautéed it in a pan until crispy (2-3 minutes). I added the bacon, cilantro, half a sliced avocado, some spinach, and then a couple spoons of the egg mixture. I also added a little chili garlic sauce for some heat. Roll up one side, tuck the right and left ends in, and continue rolling. Then, dig in!

If the neon yellow color of the eggs is a turn-off, omit the turmeric. But...turmeric is very good for you because it fights inflammation. Its power is boosted when mixed with a little black pepper!

You'll love this hearty burrito for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Add whatever veggies, herbs, and fake meats you like.

Review: Chipotle Vegenaise, Roasted Garlic Vegenaise, Just Mayo, and Earth Balance Original Mayo (all #soy-free, #non-gmo)

The new Just Mayo: very tangy, but still tasty.

I’ve always loved mayonnaise. 

I wanted it on every sandwich I ate when I was a kid. When I was in high school, my friends would remark at how gross mayonnaise was, and I would tell them how one day I was going to open a restaurant called “Just Mayo.” When pressed for further details, I would explain that people would come to my eatery and order a sandwich and milkshake, for example. When the order was delivered, it would be a plate of mayonnaise and a glass of mayonnaise, at which point the customer might ask, “What the heck is this?” The waiter would reply, “Just mayo!”

Similar to the scene where Dr. Evil from “Austin Powers” would be laughing for several minutes around his cronies, I and my peeps would laugh at this great business idea. Mwah haha…mwah haha…

Now that I don’t eat animals or things that come from them, I buy vegan mayo. I’ve tried making my own mayonnaise with a cashew base or tofu base or whatever base, and it wasn't that tasty. I’ve gone without mayonnaise at times, but I like a nice dollop of mayo with my vinegary dal and when I make my coconut bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.

I’ve had the pleasure of trying different vegan mayos, and this is how I rank them:

• First Place – Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise (non-gmo; there's a soy-free version): Thick, creamy, slightly sweet, yet tangy. Perfect in my sandwiches that have sprouts, pineapple, and spinach. (Sorry, I didn't have a jar around; so I don't have images of the front and back)

• Second Place – Just Mayo (soy-free, non-gmo): When I opened the lid, I was greeted with the familiar scent of non-vegan mayo – a vinegary, eggy smell. I’m sure the parts of my brain that handle scents and memories went nuts. Just Mayo was runnier than Follow Your Heart’s Vegenaise. It’s tangy and salty, with a sweet aftertaste; you want another bite after you swallow.

• Third Place – Follow Your Heart Chipotle Vegenaise (soy-free, non-gmo): Yowsa, this sucker packs a punch! It’s a lovely smoky orange color, and it’s very thick and creamy with specks of chili throughout. When you first taste it, you’re hit with a tang, then a little sweetness, then a lot of heat. This is perfect as a condiment to dip baked potato wedges into. It is more like a spread and less like mayo. 

• Fourth Place – Follow Your Heart Roasted Garlic Vegenaise (soy-free, non-gmo): This mayo has a consistency similar to the chipotle one, but is more mayo-like. Upon eating it, all you taste is roasted garlic and lemon; the garlicky flavor is almost like the taste of burnt garlic, but not in a disgusting way. The aftertaste is a sweet note. This would be nice on fake chicken sandwiches or even as a base in salad dressings with olive oil.

• Fifth Place – Earth Balance’s Original Mayo (soy-free, non-gmo): The flavor is one-note (tangy, then just dull), but it’s creamy, thick, and perfectly suitable to spread on a sandwich or make an entrée creamier. 

Vegans, fortunately, have tasty mayo options on the market. You don't have to slather your meals with mayonnaise, but once in a while a small spoonful can add a pleasant tang and creaminess to a dish.

Recipe: Tamale Casserole with Neat Mexican Mix

In yesterday’s post I reviewed Neat, which is a shelf-stable, dry-mix, meat-alternative product that’s available in three flavors: Mexican, Italian, and Original.

Using the Mexican mix, I made a hearty tamale casserole inspired by a recipe from Plan To Eat. 

Tamales are delicious but definitely require a bit of time to prepare. That’s why I like making tamale casseroles because I cook the filling, throw it in a pan, top it with the masa dough, and then bake. The trick to a perfect topping is steaming the masa dough so it obtains the tender, flaky consistency of a tamale cooked in a corn husk.

The last couple times I’ve made a tamale casserole, I prepared my dish, topped it with the masa, and then set the glassware on a rack inside of a roasting pan. I then added enough water into the roasting pan so the water level came about halfway up the side of the glassware. I covered the entire roasting pan and glassware with a few sheets of aluminum foil and baked it. The water bath steamed the masa effectively. 

I wanted to try Plan To Eat’s way because it didn’t involve the water bath. I did cover the glassware with foil because I was concerned the masa topping would get dry without it.

Masa is fun to work with because the texture is very fine. When you add a liquid, the mixture feels soft and fluffy in your hands. 

Tamale Casserole

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 2 cups masa
• 1-1/2 tsp of baking powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• ½ c of melted coconut oil
• 2 cups of vegetable broth

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour in the melted coconut oil and vegetable broth. Mix with a spoon and then your hands until the dough can be shaped into a ball. Set aside the bowl and complete the filling.

Filling:

• 1 package of Neat Mexican mix, prepared and set aside
• 1 T of oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 c. salsa
• ½ c. corn
• 1 can of black beans, drain and rinsed
• 1 c. of chopped olives
• Optional: chopped jalapenos, bell peppers, green onions.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Over medium heat, saute the onions in the oil in a large skillet. After 5 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the salsa, corn, beans, and prepared Neat mix. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and then remove from the heat. The Neat mixture will break down in the skillet and take on the texture of refried beans. You want the filling to be on the wetter side, so add more salsa juice or a couple tablespoons of veggie broth if the mixture starts to get pasty. Taste and add salt if needed.

The onion, corn, bean, and Neat mixture.

Transfer the filling to a 13-by-9-inch pan. Top with the chopped olives. (I also added chopped green onions). Grab a handful of the masa dough and flatten it in between your hands before laying it on the filling; repeat until the filling is covered. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and leave it covered on the stove for 10 minutes or so. 

Once in the glassware, I topped the mixture with chopped olives and green onions.

I flattened the masa dough in my hands and then placed the pieces over the mixture.

The masa topping was flavorful and slightly moist. The water-bath method produces a slightly moister topping, but the difference isn’t that great. With the water-bath method, you bake the dish for about an hour and then allow it to cool under the foil for 10-15 minutes. Bake longer if the topping looks like it needs more steaming.

I topped this tamale pie with salsa and some homemade Cilantro Avocado cream sauce, recipe from Oh She Glows here. (Scroll down for cream recipe)

A piece of tamale casserole topped with salsa and a cilantro avocado cream sauce.

The dish was spicy, sweet, tangy, and briny. The beans and corn gave a nice chew, while the Neat provided a creamy texture. The masa topping delivered a slight corn flavor and pastry-like texture. This is a dish worth making again! 

Product Review: Neat Meat Replacement Is Neato-Keano Swell (also #gluten-free, #soy-free)

The three flavors of Neat, a meat replacement and shelf-stable product. From left, Mexican, Italian, and Original

One of my favorite new vegetarian products that emerged on the market in 2013 is a shelf-stable, meat-replacement product called Neat. Neat was born in the kitchen of a Pennsylvania family, and the name came about when daughter Morgan said, “This isn’t meat; it’s neat!”

Another great thing about the company is that Neat is packaged by VisionCorps at its food facility in Lancaster County, Pa. VisionCorps provides support programs and employment opportunities to people who are blind or vision impaired.

Home cooks can prepare the Mexican, Italian, or Original mix with 2 tablespoons of water and 2 eggs or 2 egg substitutes (Yay, vegan option!). Parmesan or a vegan Parmesan is needed to make Italian neatballs. Once all the ingredients are combined, the thick mixture is then cooked in a pan with a little oil. 

I'm breaking up the Mexican Neat mix into crumbles as it cooks.

I’ve prepared and tasted all three mixes, and the finished products are slightly moist and just ever-so crumbly in your mouth.

Here’s a roundup of the three flavors:

• Mexican: As I prepared the mix, the smells brought back memories of Old-Ortega taco night as a kid. The strong aroma of chili powder and onion powder automatically makes you inhale deeply to take in that awesome taco-seasoning smell. This is definitely my favorite of the three, and I plan to use the mix when I make a tamale casserole (I’ll post the recipe and photos tomorrow).

• Original: This mix has the most delicious smells as you mix it and cook it in a pan. The package only lists “spices” in the ingredient list, but whatever the “spices” are, it’s a good combination fo’ sure. You can make ground neat, which will resemble the crumbles you get when making the Mexican mix. You also can make burgers – four patties per package.

• Italian: This mix definitely makes you think of Italian food as you prepare it. I made neatballs (eight balls per package) and used Parmela’sParmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese where the recipe called for 1/3 c. of Parmesan cheese. I added the cooked neatballs to some noodles and then poured on my homemade pesto sauce. My family enjoyed this dish tremendously, and the neatballs held their own well.

Neat can be purchased at VeganEssentials, Amazon, Vitacost, and on the Neat website.

Recipe: Mom's Halushka Goes Vegan

Halushka is an example of a non-vegan recipe that had emotional ties to me. The flavors and textures with this dish, which was cooked often by my mother, were always comforting – the sweet, tender noodles; the wilted cabbage; the salt and garlic flavors over the pan-fried protein. 

I remember how proud my mom was to serve this dish to her family as well as neighbors and at potlucks. It was always well-received. Well, I definitely don’t miss the animal protein, but that’s easily remedied with Viana’s Smoked Veggie Frankfurters. My vegan dish that was inspired by my mom’s Halushka recipe achieves everything that the original does without the Kielbasa.  

My mom’s recipe was very garlic heavy, which I loved, so don’t be surprised with how much garlic is in this recipe.

Ingredients:

¼ c. of vegan buttery spread

1 onion sliced thinly

4-5 cloves of garlic sliced thinly

1/4 c of garlic powder, divided

4 links of Viana’s Smoked Veggie Frankfurters sliced into discs

One small or medium head of cabbage shredded

2 servings of cooked thick noodles (I used brown rice fettuccine-style noodles that I had in the pantry)

Salt, as needed

Optional ingredients that are not in my mom's original recipe: red chili flakes, chopped kale

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to the directions and set aside. Melt the buttery spread in a large pot, and add the sliced onions. Sautee for 5 minutes over medium heat and then add the sliced garlic, 2 T of garlic powder, and the sliced frankfurters. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the shredded cabbage and put a lid on the pot to help wilt the cabbage. You can lower the heat a little while you wait. Once you’re able to stir the mixture easily and the cabbage is nearly wilted (5-10 minutes), stir in the cooked pasta. Taste and add salt to your liking. I added the other 2 T of garlic powder at this point. Continue to stir the mixture so the noodles get incorporated throughout. Remove the pot from heat. 

You can leave the dish as-is, or you can add red chili flakes and/or one bunch of chopped kale. You can either incorporate the kale into the hot mixture in a separate large bowl or place the chopped kale on top of the hot mixture and put a lid on the pot. After several minutes, the steam and heat from the cooked food will make the kale easier to incorporate into the mixture. 

Viana's Smoked Veggie Frankfurters have a smooth consistency and a smoky, salami-like flavor.

I see stinky garlic breath in my future.

The perfect bite: a little kale, cabbage, noodle, and smoked sausage. I think my mom would be proud. Now I have a version of the recipe I can pass on to my son.  

Recipe: Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

I was inspired to cook with cauliflower after watching the premiere episode of “How to Live to 100,” which is a vegan cooking show on The Cooking Channel. I don’t get The Cooking Channel on Cablevision, but you can watch episodes on the network’s website, here.

As chef Jason Wrobel points out in his show, cauliflowers contain:

• Phytonutrients that activate detoxification enzymes in the body
• Antioxidants – such as Vitamin C and Manganese – that fight free radicals
• Nutrients (like Vitamin K) that fight inflammation

One of my favorite cauliflower comfort-food recipes is a low-carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
3 T of vegan Parmesan, such as Parmela’s Parmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese
2 T of garlic powder
2 T of dillweed or ¼ c – ½ c of fresh chopped dill or chives
3 T of room-temperature vegan cream cheese (I followed this recipe to make my own scallion cream cheese)
2 T of vegan buttery spread (optional)

Directions: Steam or boil the cauliflower until fork tender. This can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and place in a food processor. Add the Parmesan and garlic powder, and pulse until creamy. Transfer the mashed cauliflower to a large bowl and stir in the room-temperature cream cheese, dillweed, and buttery spread. Add salt to taste. If you want more of a tang in your mashed cauliflower, use vegan sour cream or dairy-free yogurt instead of the cream cheese. Or, you can use the cream cheese and add 1-2 T of fresh lemon juice, which is what I did.

The cauliflower becomes creamy after a few minutes in the food processor.

My bowl of creamy mashed cauliflower with the scallion cream cheese mixed in it. the arlic powder and Parmesan give the cauliflower a satisfying, savory taste. The cream cheese provides a little tang, and the scallions and herbs add texture and fragrance. Yum!

Recipe: Almond and Pumpkin Porridge (#gluten-free, #grain-free)

Over the past few days, my breakfasts have consisted of a tasty eggless-salad sandwich with three strips of Upton's Bacon Seitan (Recipe to come!).

I wanted something different this chilly Sunday morning, so I tested a new recipe that I printed about a month ago from Choosing Raw.  Instead of oats, this porridge uses almond pulp that's produced from making homemade almond milk. I don't make my own almond milk, so I used almond flour.

The recipe calls for cinnamon. For the heck of it, I'm using Apple Pie Spice. Use Pumpkin Pie spice if you want.

Almond and Pumpkin Breakfast Porridge (gluten-free and grain-free)
Ingredients:

• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c. almond pulp (I used almond flour)
• 1 T of ground flaxseed or chia seeds, which are not ground up
• 1/3 c. of almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (I used Apple Pie Spice)
• 2 tsp of maple syrup (Go with Grade B, it's more flavorful than Grade A)

Toppings: chopped nuts, vegan chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.

Directions:

Add the pumpkin, almond pulp (or flour), flax or chia (I used chia), almond milk, salt, and cinnamon to a small to medium saucepan. Whisk the ingredients over medium heat until they start to bubble. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking gently and continuously. Empty contents into a bowl and drizzle with the maple syrup and toppings. I sprinkled a little more Apple Pie Spice on top. 

My porridge seen just before it began bubbling. Try to keep the chia seeds in the mixture.

The porridge was slightly salty and had the wonderful consistency of the cream of wheat I remember eating as a child. If you want your porridge creamy, then use flax; otherwise, the chia seeds add a chewy bite (I loved it). I tasted the pumpkin with each bite, but it wasn't strong. I didn't really taste the cinnamon or anything else, which is perfectly fine. So, adjust the seasonings to your liking. I might try this with ground cardamom next time. 

My finished bowl of almond and pumpkin porridge drizzled with maple syrup.

It was a hardy breakfast, and I only could eat half. My husband enjoyed the small spoonful I gave him, and my son -- as expected -- didn't like it. With his autism, textures can be a problem, so the chia seeds were not a welcome addition to his palate. He struggles sometimes with soups, cereal, and dishes that have different components (such as a sauce over rice). He loves crunchy things, so cereal in the beginning is good, but once it gets soggy he starts to gag with the mushy texture mixed with the runny almond milk. He doesn't struggle to eat; some children on the spectrum have low muscle tone in their mouths that affect their ability to chew and swallow. But, his problem is more of a strong gag reflex that comes about because he's sensitive to textures. His eating habits have improved tremendously over the years, so I have no doubt this problem will be a short blip in his life. 

Enjoy the porridge. It's definitely a keeper in my stack of recipes.