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The old Vegg packaging (seasoning packet) has been replaced by a canister (not pictured).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

This homemade pizza is made by toasting the top of a naan bread, then adding pizza sauce, sliced sauteed mushrooms, thinly sliced baked tofu (to give the texture of cheese), spoonfuls of Alfredo cashew cream, and dried herbs. I then heat a pan with a little oil, put the pizza inside and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes on very low heat, the bottom crisps up, and the topping gets warm.

Cashews that have been soaked, drained, then blended with water or non-dairy milk produce a wonderful, creamy sauce. I made a batch of cashew cream the other day and have been able to apply it to a number of dishes.

When I make cashew cream, I first soak the cashews for at least 4 hours. If you want to make 1 cup of cashew cream, soak 1/2 cup of cashews, which you'll blend with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or non-dairy milk. From there, you can flavor your cream sauce in a number of different ways.

Plain cashew cream is a great substitute for heavy cream. I use plain cashew cream in my Curry Pumpkin Soup. I also use it when I make my vegan cheesecake (recipe to come in the next day)

Curry Pumpkin Soup

When I want more of a cheesy taste, I blend the cashew cream with a little salt and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (found in the baking aisle and not the same as bread yeast) or vegan Parmesan.

I microwaved washed asparagus in a bowl for 2 minutes. I then drizzled warm Alfredo cashew cream sauce over the top. I lightly salted the asparagus and added black pepper prior to adding the sauce.

Over some whipped organic mashed potatoes, I added sliced sauteed mushrooms, a pan-fried vegan "chicken" cutlet, and some Alfredo cashew cream sauce. I served asparagus alongside the potatoes.

Along with the vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, I also had the juice of half a lemon, a little nutmeg, black pepper, and one garlic clove (or some garlic powder). This produces a sauce similar to Alfredo.

So, if you're a new vegan, make sure to have raw cashews around. They'll add creaminess and depth to your soups, sauces, and desserts.

Recipe: Creamy Potato Salad with Tofu Eggs

This potato salad is creamy, tangy, and has chunks of "tofu egg salad" in it.

Who doesn’t love a good potato salad?!

I prefer mine on the saucy side and with a bit of a tang to it. I want to taste the tender potato chunks with crunchy elements, such as chopped celery. I also like a mild pungent flavor that only green onions can provide. 

Before I became vegan, I loved chopped boiled eggs in my potato salad. I can still have that egg flavor and texture with black salt and tofu.  

Creamy Potato Salad with Tofu Eggs

(Inspired by this recipe from Kraft.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. – 1/2 c. of prepared tofu egg salad (recipe below)

3 medium-sized red potatoes cut into small chunks (I leave the skins on)

1/3 c. – 1/2 c. of vegan mayo (start with less and add more if needed)

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp – 1 tsp of organic sugar

4 green onions sliced thinly (include most of the green part, too)

1-2 stalks of celery sliced thinly

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until fork tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain under cold water and set aside.

Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Add ½ tsp of sugar and taste. Add more sugar if you want a sweeter sauce. If you want more tang, add a little more mustard or vinegar. Add the potatoes, green onions, and celery and mix well. Fold in the tofu egg salad (add the egg mixture 1/4 c. at a time until you get the ratio and taste you prefer). If you have any vegan bacon, chop some up, pan fry until crispy, and add to the potato salad.

Tofu Egg Salad

Ingredients:

12-15 oz container of extra firm tofu

1/4 c. of vegan mayo

1 tsp of yellow mustard or 1 tsp of Dijon mustard – you can add 1 tsp of both if you like the taste of mustard

3 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish 

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of vinegar or pickle juice

1 tsp of smoked paprika

1 tsp of turmeric 

Dash of black pepper

Dash of hot sauce

1 tsp of black salt (also called Kala Namak)

Directions:

Drain your tofu and wrap it in some paper towels while you assemble your sauce. In a bowl, mix everything but the tofu together. Once all your ingredients (except the tofu) are mixed, taste it. It should be salty, tangy, and egg-like in flavor. 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 or a pinch of black salt. Be careful with the black salt; too much and your dish will be very salty.

Review: Gardein Breakfast Sausage Patties and Upton’s Bacon Seitan

A cruelty-free breakfast definitely doesn’t include sausage and bacon…unless those items are made from veggies and grains.

If you’re a plant-based eater and want a hearty protein with your fluffy pancakes and tofu eggs, than I would definitely try Upton’s Bacon Seitan. If you pan fry it, it retains its chewy texture, but I found that when I cooked it in the toaster oven (on a tray, no oil), it crisped up a bit. 

Whenever I have Upton’s Bacon in my fridge, I eat 2-3 slices every morning. Yup, every morning. I usually just stick it between two pieces of toast with a savory spread. Otherwise, I enjoy it with tofu eggs or pancakes. It’s chewy, savory, and has a lovely spice. It doesn’t taste like bacon, but when crisped slightly in the toaster oven, it does taste like crisp, dark brown bacon.

Upton’s bacon is sliced thinly, and I find the contents more than generous. I think one box lasts me easily a week.

Gardein's sausage patties that I pan fried with fennel seeds to bring out a savory flavor.

When it comes to breakfast sausages, I haven’t found one that I really like. Gardein’s Patties look like an imitation pork patty – like what you’d get at McDonald’s. But, it tastes like mushy carrots. Now, I like carrots, so that’s not a bad thing, but if you want a savory, sausage taste, pan fry the patties with some fennel seeds. I found that gives it that sausage taste you might remember.

The patty is tender and hearty, but I just wish it had more of a savory and spiced taste to it.

So, buy the bacon seitan, but skip the Gardein patty – unless you like mushy carrots with your eggs and pancakes. 

Upton's bacon seitan sandwiched between two pancakes.

Recipe: Cheesecake with Silken Tofu, a Nut Crust, and Homemade Caramel Sauce

The zest and fresh juice from one lemon gives this cheesecake a delicate, tangy flavor. A drizzle of homemade caramel sauce provides a burst of sweetness, and the nut and coconut crust provides a hearty chew.

This crust recipe comes from: Hungry hungry hippie

The homemade caramel sauce comes for the entertaining VeganZombie (part of Butterbeer recipe)

Lemon Cheesecake

Crust:

1 c. of nuts (I had a mix of almonds and Brazil nuts) 

2 T liquid sweetener (I used agave)

1 c. coconut flakes

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions: 

Soak the nuts for four hours and then drain and empty into a food processor. Add the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse for 1-2 minutes until mixed thoroughly. Press the crust into a pie dish. (I didn’t grease the pan and my crust came out fine)

The blended nut crust is sweet and chewy.

The tofu in the cheesecake recipe

 Filling:

1 12oz package of silken tofu

1 tsp of almond extract

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

¼ c. of sugar

½ c. of vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti)

Tiny pinch of salt

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Wash the food processor after making the crust and place all the filling ingredients inside. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Empty filling into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 250 and bake another 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Ready to bake

Caramel sauce from the Vegan Zombie:

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup almond milk

In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water up to a boil. Add lemon juice (to prevent crystallization) and swirl pan around without stirring (but you can scrape the sides to keep sugar from sticking to the sides of the pot). Once it turns a dark amber color, remove the sauce from heat. Add the almond milk and stir it all together.

My contribution to this recipe is that I add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract at the end. 

The cheesecake filling is tangy and creamy and goes well with the sweet caramel sauce. 

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.

Creative Curry Time

I was craving a tomato-based curry in which to submerge some baked tofu and eat with a few sweet potato falafels, but I didn't have any canned or fresh tomatoes. Good thing I had a can of chunky tomato soup (vegan, of course). This soup was already sweetened a bit and had some herbs tossed in, so I liked that some of the flavoring was done for me.

My baked sweet potato falafels. Recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen.

A little back story -- I'm hoping my family gets to move to Arkansas in the next couple of months, so I've been working through all the food I have stored in my pantry and freezer to save up some money and lighten the moving load. The move would be part of a relocation through my husband's job. When my husband first mentioned that we might have the opportunity to move to Arkansas, I opened up Google and typed in "vegan restaurants in Bentonville, Ark." I didn't search for rental rates, schools, or big-city-like things -- I just wanted to know what the atmosphere would be like. I was happy to see in the search results that there are vegetarian restaurants that could easily serve me vegan fare. Plus, I read they also have cool farmers markets in the area, so I'm gung-ho about going. Anyway, that's why I don't rush out to buy "missing" ingredients when I want to cook; I just try to be creative with what I have.

So, back to the recipe ...

Ingredients:

• 2 T of olive oil
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, minced (I used a big honkin' spoon of ginger-garlic paste because I was out of garlic and ginger -- about 2 T; the paste can be found at Indian stores)
• 1 minced hot pepper -- jalapeno or green chili, for example (I had one lonely chipotle pepper sitting in about 2 T of adobo sauce sitting in a container in the fridge; I used this pepper and the sauce)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp of garam masala
• 3 chopped tomatoes or 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used my 19-ounce can of tomato soup)
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 c. of cubed baked tofu (You could use chopped mushrooms instead)
• 1/4 c. of raisins (I didn't have raisins, so I used dried cranberries)
• 1/2 c of chopped cashews
• Optional ingredients: dash of cinnamon, coconut milk, vinegar, sugar

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for less than a minute. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a couple minutes. Add the curry powder, paprika, garam masala, and tomatoes. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce allow the liquid to reduce a bit on low heat. Add the baking soda and stir well (the mixture will foam a bit; the baking soda cuts away some of the acidity). Add the cubed tofu, cashews, and raisins, and simmer for another 5 minutes. At this point, I added a dash of cinnamon and about a 1/2 cup of coconut milk I had sitting in the fridge. (I had used most of the cream to make coconut whipped cream, so I had mostly the watery portion leftover). If you want your curry sweeter, add a little sugar. If you need more tang, add 1-2 T of vinegar. 

That's it. You can add a pinch of salt if needed. My tomato soup had salt in it, so I didn't need to add any extra. Serve with tortillas, naan bread, or over rice. I'm weird and like to eat my chunky curries like stew. 

My finished curry. My spoon shows the baked tofu and some cashew bits.

I was happy with how the curry turned out. It had a little heat to it, and the tofu chunks and bits of cashews and dried cranberries provided great texture. The baked tofu wasn't mushy; it had a nice chew to it. The cashews were softened, but still had a bite to them, and the dried cranberries gave bursts of sweetness that cut into the smoky heat from the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.

I love this brand of baked tofu. I buy it from Whole Foods and freeze the extras. I used half a package for this recipe (two chunks are in each package). I then slice the tofu in half the long way, and then I cube it.

My husband loved the curry. I like surprising him with my fun creations and showing him that his American-born Desi girl knows how to use her spices!

The Hunt for the Red Food Truck

My first Cinnamon Snail experience began like a treasure hunt.

The generous, whimsical Snail crew were going on a month-long hiatus, so my sister and I wanted to try some menu items before she returned home from visiting me in New Jersey.

Fortunately for us, the Cinnamon Snail was giving away one savory item and one sweet item per person on their last day -- Dec. 23. Anticipating the huge crowd, the Snail said they wouldn't post their location until they were parked on Monday morning. So, on the 23th, we took an early bus from Jersey to the Port Authority and waited around 42nd Street until they listed their location on Twitter. It was raining, so as soon as we found out where they were parked, we grabbed a cab and set out.

The red food truck was easy to spot, and with four of us in our party, we got to try eight heavenly food concoctions.

For those of you blessed with the opportunity to visit the Cinnamon Snail, here's a review of the free food we received:

1. Blue Corn Pancakes with pine nut butter and and Vermont maple syrup ($9): The three pancakes were a lovely light blue (as to be expected) and they were hearty and tasted like sweet corn tortillas. The pancakes soaked up the nut butter and syrup and were great for sharing.

2. Maple Mustard Tempeh Sandwich on grilled spelt bread with roasted garlic aioli, kale, tomato, and onion ($8): This was our favorite savory item out of the bunch. It was the easiest to eat, too, because it was the least messy and had a sheet of wax paper in which to wrap around it. Those who order this during their lunch hour won't get their clothes, face, and hands dirty with this sandwich. The sandwich had a mix of sweet and savory flavors, with the slice of raw onion providing a zing with each bite.

3. Lemongrass 5 Spice Seitan with curried cashews, arugula, Szechuan chili sauce and wasabi mayo on a grilled baguette ($9): This sandwich was a few inches larger than the MMT sandwich and was messy because the seitan was in chunks. The bursts of wasabi were wonderful mixed with the curry and chili spices.

4. Thanksgiving Sandoo with porcini mushroom simmered seitan, rosemary parsnip bread pudding, marinated kale, orange cranberry relish, roasted garlic aioli on grilled baguette ($10, seasonal item): This sandwich is a favorite among Snail-iens (the term used to describe Cinnamon Snail fans). It was the same size as the Lemongrass sandwich and was equally messy because of the seitan chunks and globs of tender stuffing.

5. Cranberry Glazed Doughnut and Pistachio Doughnut ($2): These cake doughnuts were bursting with flavor and were nice and oily. I like oil-soaked cake-like things, but those who don't like fry-bread-type items may not like the texture. The cranberry glaze was tart and a perfect accompaniment to the slightly sweet cake.

6. Cinnamon Snail Roll ($3) and Norberweiberberweiberhydrafab Doughnut ($2): The cinnamon roll was dry, but full of cinnamon flavor. The sweet glaze on top prevented the pastry from being overly dry. The Norber... doughnut was very sweet -- a little too sweet for my liking, but my sister loved it. This doughnut has a white-chocolate glaze and is stuffed with bourbon hazelnut ganache and dusted with dirty blonde streusel.

If you have a chance, look up the Cinnamon Snail on YouTube and see if you can find a video featuring Adam, the owner. He's a hoot! You can tell the Cinnamon Snail is a labor of love and is all about bringing the best food and best attitude to the masses.

Tip for the over-thinkers: Because I'm one of those people who overdoes the planning phase of any excursion, I knew we would need extra napkins and silverware. Looking back, I should have packed a few paper plates as well because the sidewalk got to taste a couple chunks of tender seitan. Don't worry; I cleaned up after everyone.