creamy vegan nacho cheese sauce

by In Appetizers, Snacks, Soups, Sauces, and Such Leave a comment

It’s vegan nacho cheese! Pour it over a pile of tortilla chips or make it into a thick dip. Mmmm.


Creamy Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
 
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Pour it over tortilla chips or make it into a thick dip. Mmm!
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup raw cashews (note: if you don't have a high-powered blender such as a NutriBullet or Vitamix, soak the cashews in water for several hours then drain them before using; this step will make the sauce much creamier)
  • 1 cup water (plus more to reach desired consistency)
  • 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika (plus more to shake on top, if desired)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder (heaping)
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • Sriracha (optional, and to taste)
Instructions
  1. In a high-powered blender, blend the cashews, 1 cup of water, and all of the other ingredients (except for the Sriracha) until smooth and creamy.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a sauce pan. Over a low heat, use a whisk to stir constantly so mixture won't burn, adding water in ¼-cup increments until desired consistency is reached (about 5 to 10 minutes). Add Sriracha to taste, if using.
  3. Pour over nachos (or into a bowl if using as a dip). Shake a little more smoked paprika on top, if desired. Serve immediately.

 

 

creamy lumaconi pasta with garlic and fresh thyme

by In Main Dishes, Side Dishes Leave a comment

Creamy, garlicky, herby, yummy. Serve with your favorite freshly made salad. Note: Be sure to make a batch of cashew parmesan cheese before you start! Hint: Love green peas? Cook some up and stir them in at the end. They're perfect for this recipe. 

Creamy Lumaconi Pasta with Garlic and Fresh Thyme
 
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Creamy, garlicky, herby, yummy. Add cooked green peas to this if you're a fan!
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Ingredients
  • 8 ounces lumaconi (snail shell pasta)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon plant-based butter (like Earth Balance)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cashew milk (or other plant-based milk)
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth or broth made from vegan bullion cubes (I use Edward & Son's Not-Chick'n bullion cubes)
  • ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese (get my recipe at APB: Eats)
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme (optional: reserve a few pinches of the thyme for garnish)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions (until al dente) in salted water. Drain pasta and set aside.
  2. Return the hot pot you cooked the pasta in to the stovetop. Over a low heat, melt the plant-based butter into the olive oil. Saute minced garlic in the mixture until just golden (30 to 40 seconds or so). Be extremely careful not to burn the garlic as it will definitely ruin the pasta!
  3. Shake in the flour and whisk everything together. Pour in the broth and plant-based milk slowly while continuing to whisk together until mixture is smooth. Turn up the heat just a bit. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly until it's thick and creamy, around 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the cashew parmesan cheese and thyme (reserving a little for garnish if you choose) until smooth.
  5. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with reserved thyme. Serve immediately.

 

 

apple-walnut tea bread

by In Breads, Muffins, and Scones, Breakfast Leave a comment

So easy to make, and freezes well, too.


Apple-Walnut Tea Bread
 
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Ingredients
  • ¾ cup vegan sugar
  • 4 tablespoons plant-based butter (like Earth Balance), softened
  • 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground golden flax seed + around 5 tablespoons water; mix and let sit a minute until it's goopy like eggs)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 large apples (I used Golden Delicious), cored, peeled, and grated
  • ¾ cups chopped walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Decorative vegan sugar crystals (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan (you can grease and flour the pan or just use cooking spray).
  2. Cream the sugar and plant-based butter together in a large bowl.
  3. Mix in the flax eggs. (I use a hand mixer for this, but you could just stir vigorously.)
  4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (the mixture will be stiff until the next step).
  5. Stir in the grated apple, lemon juice, and lemon zest (now the mixture should be wet), and then add the walnuts, making sure everything is mixed thoroughly.
  6. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Shake on decorative sugar, if using. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes or so before turning bread out of pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting (okay, you won't be able to wait that long, but give it a few minutes or it'll fall apart as you try to cut). Serve warm or cold, and freeze the leftovers.