Recipe: Soy Curl 'Chicken' Salad

I enjoyed my 'chicken' salad atop some cilantro. I added some mashed avocado to the other piece of toast and drizzled some chipotle hot sauce over the salad. This salad includes grapes, sweet corn, black olives, tomatoes, curry powder, and onions.

This hearty 'chicken' salad features dehydrated soy curls by Butler Foods. Once re-hydrated, these pieces of non-GMO soy have the texture of shredded chicken. You can impart any flavor you want onto the soy curls by soaking them in a flavored broth or adding seasoning after they plump up. They also get a nice crunch on the outside when pan seared in a little oil. Just be sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible after the curls are re-hydrated.

Soy Curl 'Chicken' Salad

Ingredients: 

2 cups dry soy curls

3 cups of vegan chicken broth (I used two cubes of Not Chick'n Bouillon)

1 cup of grapes halved and then quartered

1/2 cup of minced onion

1/2 cup of chopped nuts (I used cashews)

1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup of sliced black olives

1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed

1/4 cup of sweet relish

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of vegan mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon of BeeFree Honee

1 tablespoon of prepared mustard

1 to 2 tsp. of curry powder to your taste

Splash of fresh lemon juice (I used half a small lemon)

Black pepper (I didn't need salt, but you can add some if you want)

Directions:

Re-hydrate the soy curls in 3 cups of hot vegan chicken broth. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. In a bowl, combine the grapes, onion, nuts, tomatoes, black olives, and corn.

In a separate bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise, BeeFree Honee, mustard, relish, curry powder, pepper, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Pour the sauce over the other ingredients and mix well.

Drain the soy curls very well and add to the bowl of ingredients. Mix well and chill until ready to eat. 

**If you want your soy curls to have some added texture, pan fry the curls in a little oil until the edges are crispy and then add to the sauce and other ingredients.

The soy curls re-hydrating

The finished "chicken" salad featuring Butler's Soy Curls.

Review and Recipe: The Vegg and Vegan Omelette

A photo collage from my Instagram account, @stay_at_home_vegan

The old Vegg packaging (seasoning packet) has been replaced by a canister (not pictured).

The Vegg is a vegan product that mimics the flavor and texture of a semi-cooked egg yolk. It's completely plant-based and has an egg aroma thanks to one of its ingredients -- Black Salt. The Vegg currently is sold in canisters, but I still am working through the old packaging, which was a seasoning-like packet (I bought a bunch of the product when it first came out).

You need to blend The Vegg with water in a high-speed blender (doing it by hand doesn't produce the correct texture). I use my Vitamix, but any blender or hand mixer would work. You can't cook the liquid directly; it won't take form. You need to add it to tofu, potatoes, bread, etc., and from there, The Vegg will bind and cook with the other food item.

This morning I was craving an omelette. I usually make tofu eggs, but that produces a scrambled-egg consistency. I remembered I had some naan bread, and I figured I'd dip the bread in The Vegg, and then use that for my egg flavor and shape of a folded-over egg.

After dipping the naan in Vegg, I pan-fried it in a little oil for about 8-10 minutes on each side over low heat. While that cooked, I prepared my filling. I cooked some asparagus, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. By the time the veggies were done cooking (and I had a chance to wash most of the dishes), the naan was ready. I assembled my omelette and dug in. While the naan still tasted like a nice piece of toasted bread, it did have an egg-essence to it. Naan is rather thick, so next time I might try a large tortilla and see how that goes.

The omelette was satisfying, savory, and delicious. I had a little extra nut-cream sauce to which I added garlic and other spices, and that provided some extra punches of flavor to the filling.

Recipe: Broccoli Salad with Cranberries

This tangy broccoli salad makes a wonderful lunch or side dish.

This refreshing broccoli salad is perfect for when you have lots of fresh broccoli and you're not sure how to use it all. The sliced almonds and sunflower seeds add a nice flavor after being toasted in a pan for 5-10 minutes on low heat.

I like to soak my dried cranberries for 5-10 minutes in warm water to help them plump up before adding them to the salad.

Broccoli Salad with Cranberries
(4-6 servings)

Salad Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of broccoli florets
• Half of medium to large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 T dried minced onion

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of vegan mayo (I used Vegenaise)
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp of maple sugar
• Tiny pinch of salt (optional)

Directions:

Toast the seeds and almonds for 5-10 minutes over low heat, and mix with all the other salad ingredients and set aside. Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.

Recipe: Pineapple Coconut Curry

Fresh sweet basil gives the dish a lovely fragrance.

This is one of my favorite dishes to make because it's simple and delicious.  This curry bowl is hot, soothing, and packed full of veggies in a creamy, spicy broth. Adjust the seasonings to your preference if you desire a hotter or milder curry. 

Pineapple Coconut Curry Veggie Bowl

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 T of oil

1 onion sliced thinly

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T minced ginger piece or 1 T of jarred ginger paste

2 bell peppers of your choice (green, red, yellow, or orange)

1 c of shredded carrots

1 jalapeno (don’t include the seeds if you want less heat)

4 green onions sliced thinly

2T soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos

2T rice vinegar

2 cups of chopped mushrooms (or cubed tofu)

1 T of organic sugar

1 c. of pineapple chunks, reserve some liquid

2 tsp of curry

1-2 c of loosely packed chopped basil (I always buy big bunches of basil, so I usually end up using 2 cups in the dish)

1 13-oz can of coconut milk (lite or full-fat – whatever your preference, but the full-fat produces a creamier curry)

1 c. of chopped peanuts, toasted (heat a pan and throw the nuts in and mix every 30 seconds for 2 minutes or until the peanuts become fragrant)

Coconut milk makes the curry creamy, and the pineapple juice adds a little sweetness.

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the sliced onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder and stir. After 30 seconds, add the garlic, carrots, bell peppers, jalapeno, and green onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the veggies cook, chop up your mushrooms (I like using shiitake). Add the mushrooms to the pot, along with the soy sauce and vinegar. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the can of coconut milk, sugar, ¼ c. of pineapple juice, and the pineapple chunks and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the basil, lower the heat, and let the curry simmer for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add salt, more pineapple juice, sugar, or something spicy (like red chili flakes or red chili paste). Mix in the peanuts, turn off the heat, and cover the pot. When ready to eat, serve over steaming rice and garnish with a few cilantro leaves, additional jalapeno slices, and lime wedges.