kettle goulash

  

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large pot 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

Although no kettle required, real Hungarian Goulash is slightly thick, but not from flour; it is thick from paprika and the starch from the potato. In fact, there is six tablespoons of paprika in this meatless, vegetarian and vegan soup. It was really scrumptious and so easy to make! 

Kettle Goulash differs from regular Goulash in thickness. Regular Goulash is more soupy and Kettle Goulash is thicker - whether that is because of the method of cooking (kettle on an open fire evaporates liquid faster) or because of the mounds of paprika that is poured on the meat even before any liquid is added, I am not sure. However, I do know that I like this version a lot! If you like it soupier, add more water and serve with pasta.

I used Gardein beefless tips this time, but both my son and I think it would be better with seitan. Our husbands, however, thought it was great as is - so there you have it - a matter of opinion, again. 

I made this the old-fashioned way, where the onion is first cooked a little and then the protein is added and shrouded in paprika. It is not stirred but is covered and cooked for 5 minutes. Then the broth is added along with the vegetables, stirred well, and simmered. 

I highly recommend trying this soup! Serve with some crusty bread and garlicky greens; it is very filling and delicious, not to mention crazy easy to make.

NEW TO PLANT-BASED EATING? Get my free zines and check out the wrap-up of Fall 2020 recipes HERE. Great way to set yourself up for success!

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Chop the onions and garlic.
• Chop the seitan (or use beefless tips; do not thaw) while the onion cooks.
• Cover to cook the protein and paprika together.
• Chop the vegetable while the protein cooks.

 

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Goulash

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 to 6 servings 

easy

1. Onion Base: Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, until the onion is golden. 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2. Protein: Add the Gardein or seitan on top of the Onion Base. Add the paprika evenly. Do not stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

4 cups frozen Gardein beefless tips or diced Easy Simple Seitan (Fall 2020) 

6 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

3. Vegetables: Add the potato, celery, carrot, pepper, tomato paste and vegetable broth. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and reduce to a medium simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  

2 large Russet potatoes (20 ounces total), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 medium carrots, sliced 

1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups vegetable broth

4. Serve: Season to taste and serve with crusty bread. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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alfredo scampi pasta bake - dump dinner

 

Overview

Time: 45 minutes
Dishes: large pot or 9x13 baking pan

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I know this says 45 minutes but this is technically a Dump Dinner, so you can prep this meatless, vegetarian and vegan dish in 5 minutes flat. You add the pasta and broth. Top with vegetables and beans. Add some flavoring, like garlic and lemon zest and bake! 

Once it is baked add some nondairy milk and vegan cheese, if you want, and this is ready for the table. It was super fast and easy and it was really good! I used broccolini and cauliflower, but zucchini, carrots or green beans should work great, as well.

The scampi-ness is thanks to the lemon zest and nondairy milk and the Alfredo part is because of the milk and vegan cheese, if you use it. I used Follow Your Heart parmesan shreds, but the Violife would be great, too , or regular vegan white shreds - or no cheese at all.  

No fuss dinner that hardly needs prep, plus it tastes good. 

On a weeknight, that covers my bases.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• It's a Dump Dinner - so not much to it!
• Layer the pasta, broth, vegetables, beans, zest, garlic and salt.
• Bake.
• Finish with the nondairy milk and vegan cheese and bake to heat and melt.
• Serve!

 

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Alfredo Scampi Pasta Bake

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

moderate

Preheat oven to 425-F

1. Pasta: Add the pasta to an oiled 9X13-inch baking pan (or equivalent). Spread evenly. Pour the broth over the pasta. 

12 ounces rotini pasta (or equivalent)

4 cups vegetable broth

2. Vegetables: Spread the vegetables and beans evenly over the Pasta.  Sprinkle with garlic, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil or lid and bake for 30 minutes.

3 cups chopped vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, pepper)

2 cups (an 15-ounce can) white beans, rinsed

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

3. Cheese: Add the milk to the Pasta. Add the optional cheese. Return to the oven (uncovered) and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Serve. 

1 cup nondairy milk

1 cup vegan shredded white or Parmesan-style cheese (optional)

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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chicken-free rice soup

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large pot, rice cooker

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

Tasty! I thought I would have leftovers of this meatless, vegetarian and vegan dish, but wound up needing to make a second batch. It's easy, too, so that wasn't a big deal.

This is really just a simple rice soup with a delicious broth. I used brown rice, so that always makes it take 15 minutes longer, using Instant Pot, so something to keep in mind.

The recipe calls for Easy Savory Broth Mix which you can find HERE or use any chicken-like broth mix, but don't skimp on it if the flavor is a bit bland. 

I used Gardein today, but I can see this with tofu, beans, zucchini or green beans or a plethora of other vegetables, so don't be afraid to try different ingredients. Keep the broth and rice and substitute your heart out.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Start the rice first.
• Cook the scallopini using a lid. 
• Chop the vegetables while it cooks. Add the vegetables and then take out the scallopini to avoid using another dish.
• Use a lid to cook the vegetables and soup, too.

 

Chicken-Free Rice Soup

Makes 4 servings 

easy

1. Rice: Cook the rice as desired, in a rice cooker or Instant Pot.

1 cup rice, any kind

2. Protein: Spray the bottom of a large pot with oil. Add the scallopini and cook, covered, over medium heat, until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove to the cutting board and chop when cool.

oil spray

4 Gardein scallopini

3. Soup: Add the oil and vegetables to the now empty pot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stir as needed:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt

4. Broth: Add the seasoning to the Soup and cook for 1 minutes. Add the water and cover. Cook over medium-high heat until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.

2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix**

8 cups water

5. Finish: Add the Rice, Protein and greens. Cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve

4 cups baby spinach or baby kale

 

 

 

** Substitute for Savory Broth Mix: 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon oregano. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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making breakfast tofu

Overview

Time: 15 minutes
Dishes: large pan 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I want to share with you what we enjoy for breakfast on most days. Either my husband or I will make our meatless, vegetarian and vegan breakfast sandwiches, which takes about 10 minutes from fridge to table. To make these delicious English Muffin (or bagel, or breakfast burrito, or toast if you like) sandwiches fast, I prepare a package of tofu at the beginning of the week, as the base for the sandwich.

The Breakfast Tofu takes about 15 minutes to cook, hands-off most of the time, and keeps for about 7 days. It is easy to make and not fussy at all. Below is the step-by-step.

Easy Sandwich:

1) Toast the English muffin and vegan sausage patty in the air-fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, 375-degrees.

2) Heat a slice or two of tofu with a slice of vegan cheese in the microwave for 1 minute.

3) Slice onion, jalapeno, tomato (or whatever) while everything cooks.

4) Spread vegan mayo, avocado or salsa on English Muffin.

5) Assemble and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Making Breakfast Tofu

Makes 10 to 12 slices; doubles easily 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Tofu: Rinse the tofu and slice into 10 to 12 slices. Do this while the tofu is in the package container to keep the tofu together and make it easy to transfer to the pan.

1 package tofu (any type except silken)

1. Sauté: Add oil spray to a large pan set over medium heat. Add the Tofu slices, cramming them into the pan. Cook the slices until golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. 

Oil spray

2. Flavoring: Sprinkle the turmeric and nutritional yeast evenly over the Tofu. Add salt to taste. Pour the water over the Tofu slowly and evenly. Use a spatula to gently loosen the tofu from the bottom of the pan. If using black salt, keep in mind that the black salt will also add saltiness. Add black salt after tofu is cooked because heat dissipates the flavor of black salt. Adding the water slowly and evenly will mix the yeast and turmeric efficiently. 

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1/16 teaspoon (half of ⅛ teaspoon) turmeric 

Salt

1 cup water

3. Cook: Cook the Tofu in the Flavoring until the liquid evaporates, about 4 to 7 minutes. Store until needed, up to 7 days, and season with black salt after reheating, if desired,. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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french dip

 

Overview

Time: 20 minutes
Dishes: medium pot 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I offer you another meatless, vegetarian and vegan family favorite - and very fast to prepare, too! The only catch is that you need to have the seitan ready. I highly recommend making the Easy Simple Seitan since it is very simple to make and fast. A loaf can be done in 45 to 60 minutes and costs a fraction of commercially available setian.

Good news on the seitan, besides that it is easy and fast, is that it freezes very well, so make it and freeze it for later use. 

The au jus here is just perfect for this sandwich. I recommend making your own Worcestershire sauce because it is easy, fast and much cheaper. It also tastes better, which dominoes into making the dip taste better, too. However, use bottled if you don't have the time or desire.

NOTE: It is important to the toast the roll well, otherwise the dip will become too soggy.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Put the broth on to bring to boil first. Reduce to simmer.
• Add the seasoning as you get them ready; no need to wait to bring to boil first.
• Slice the seitan as thin as you can while the broth simmers. 
• Toast the bread while the seitan simmers in the au jus. 

French Dip Sandwich

Makes 4 servings 

easy

 

1. Au Jus: Combine the broth, thyme, oregano and vegan butter in a medium or large pot. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

3 cups vegetable broth (or 3 cups water and 1 Tablespoon mix)

3 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2. Seitan: Add the seitan to the Au Jus, return to simmer and cook for 5 minutes:

1 (16-ounce) loaf Easy Simple Seitan, sliced as thin as possible 

3. Serve: Split 4 rolls, toast and fill with equal portions of Seitan from the Au Jus. Serve with the Au Jus on the side: 

4 hard rolls or Aquafaba rolls

Sliced Seitan 

Au jus

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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seitan picatta

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large skillet, 2 pie plates (or shallow dishes), measuring cup, lemon juicer

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I've blogged about Picatta a few times before, so if you haven't given it a try, yet, it really seems I would like you to. This meatless, vegetarian and vegan version is the fastest I can come up with, while keeping the recipe as delicious. 

This is seitan in a lemon-broth sauce and is really delicious. I've mostly seen it with capers, so toss in a few teaspoons if you are a caper fan, but I like to keep it simple. No capers here. 

We always have mashed potatoes with this and garlic greens, and all told, dinner was on the table in 45 minutes. The Picatta itself took 30 minutes, so I started the potatoes and even the brussels sporuts, first. 

I used my large skillet for the greens so had to settle with a medium skillet for the seitan and, thus, had to brown the seitan in three batches. Even with this additional timing for the extra batch, the dish was ready in 30 minutes.

Because some breading falls off while cooking, you might need to wipe the pan with a towel between batches to remove the burnt breading. 

We had a diner come a little late to the table, to his woe; all the "seconds" were gone. It really is that good. 

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• If making mashed potatoes, start those on the highest/strongest burner first. Then move to a lower burner when cooking the seitan (to allow the stronger heat for cooking the seitan).
• Use a cake pan for the breading and coating.
• Prepare the breading, coating and cut the seitan. 
• When breading the seitan, add the slices right from the coating and shimmy the pan back and forth to coat the pieces. This will avoid having to flip them.
• When cooking the seitan don't worry about getting everything evenly browned; it'll all go away with the sauce.
• Prepare the broth and lemon juice while the seitan browns.

 

Picatta

Makes 4 servings 

easy

Serve with mashed potatoes and greens. 

1. Seitan: Cut a loaf of Easy Simple Seitan into 1/4-inch thick slices.

14-ounces Easy Simple Seitan (1 loaf)

2. Breading: Combine the ingredients in a cake pan and stir well:

1 cup dried regular breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

3. Coating: Combine the ingredients in a second cake pan and stir:

6 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Dredge a few slices of Seitan in the Coating and then in the Breading. Add to the skillet. Repeat with as many slices as will fit. Cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes, and remove to a plate. Repeat until all the seitan is cooked. You might need to wipe the pan between batches to avoid burnt breading.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5. Sauce: Add to the empty skillet the broth and lemon juice. Cook until reduced by about a third, over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6. Serve: Add the Seitan to the Sauce and cook for 2 minutes to thicken the Sauce. Serve.  

 

 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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