Recipe Round-Up: Veganomicon

Wowsers, what a week. I've been struck down with the worst sick I've had in a while. There was a time there when I could barely eat. And if I am turning down food, you know things are serious. I was only able to take one day off work, and have spent the last three days there (the last two days with no voice). So today, this glorious Sunday, I am just lying around at home, drinking tea and soup, and hugging the cats. And finally getting this blog post up!

Veganomicon... does it need an introduction? Probably not. So let's get to it. I haven't used Vcon for awhile, but looking through some of these recipes I've made in the past, I need to revisit it. You can see my other posts about Vcon here.

Baked Apricot BBQ Tofu: I love BBQ tofu, and Vcon has a recipe for two different sauces you can use on yours. One is regular BBQ, but there is also an Apricot BBQ sauce, which is what I used here. It was very good!
Rating: :)



Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans: This is a hearty soup, that makes a bunch! Very good for feeding a lot of people, or for lots of leftovers. The roasted garlic is a very nice addition. I can never find tinned navy beans here, so I used cannellini beans. Also served with some olive and thyme sourdough.
Rating: :)



Creamy Tomato Soup (with Basil variation): This is a great tomato soup, with a very intense flavour. It has sundried tomatoes as well as canned tomatoes in it, and is made smooth and creamy by potatoes. There is a basil variation, which I have made as well - basically just stirring through some basil. But whichever way you have it, it is good. Especially with a grilled cheese!
Rating: :)





Jamaican Yuca Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato, Kidney Beans, and Plantains: This is a nice take on the shepherd's pie (and the filling is also nice on its own as a curry over rice). I have never found fresh yuca here, so I used frozen. I also used peas in place of lima beans in the filling. Oh yeah, and left out the scotch bonnet peppers! I couldn't find Jamaican curry powder anywhere, but the recipe notes it has some star anise and coriander and aniseed, so I added a bit of Chinese 5-spice to some curry powder for a completely inauthentic knock off attempt. Tasted good!
Rating: :)



Almost All-American Seitan Potpie: A very hearty dinner! I increased the amount of vegetables in the filling because that is how I roll. Pot pie isn't something I grew up with, but something I do enjoy now as a vegan. The crust was pretty easy to bring together, and was a nice pastry. After this photo it was drizzled in ketchup because that is how I feel pot pies should be served.
Rating: :)



Seitanic Red and White Bean Jambalaya: For me, this dish was missing something. It was OK, but not wow. Which is a bit of a shame, because it made so much. I had to use two casserole dishes to cook it in the oven (it does say to use the biggest pan you have).
Rating: :|



Spaghetti Squash Mexicana with Salsa Fresca: Hmmm.... spaghetti squash. It was unavailable here for ages, but is trickling through now. Sometimes at outrageous prices, but I have found it at decent prices sometimes and picked one up. First up, spaghetti squash in no way replaces pasta for me in any way, shape or form. Pasta is pasta, I love pasta. Spaghetti squash is its own thing. It's own not very filling thing (if I have it, I have to make sure I have some carbs somewhere else in the meal, or I die). The bean mixture that it is tossed with is nice here, with black beans and corn in a gentle spice. The best part is the salsa. The salsa recipe is included on this page, but it is also a separate recipe in the sauces section. It is great!
Rating: :)



Seitan in Mole Sauce: This has a great flavour. The mole sauce is made from scratch, and is really nice, and is mixed with the seitan, carrots and onions. I served with with brown rice and roasted cauliflower for my dad's birthday one year (see the tablecloth, that means special occasion!).
Rating: :)



Tropical Avocado Salsa Fresca: Just coming back to that salsa again, it is pretty much the greatest salsa you will even eat. You can choose between mango, pawpaw or pineapple. I have made it with both mango and pawpaw, they are both great options. My mum has an avocado sensitivity, so I made a portion for her using cucumber instead of avocado that was still nice and fresh. Please make this forever.
Rating: :D



Do you have Veganomicon? What are your favourite recipes?

Cute Kitty Photo of the Post



The final in my 'Dim Sim On Her Back In My Lap' series. Behold the awkward leg placement. Bless her.