Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

This simple gravy comes together in minutes with minimal ingredients. It's delicious with mashed potatoes. Mine came out a little lighter than the picture, but it went well over mashed accompanied by sides of roasted brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and peppers. This recipe will spice up or put the "comfort" in any comfort food dish that calls for gravy.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced or white button mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion sliced thin sliced
  • 1 bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or wheat powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce store brought type may have anchovies
  • 2 tablespoons steak sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic and onion powder optional

Instructions
 

  • In a small pan, saute onions, peppers, and mushrooms for several minutes, stirring frequently, until they are reduced in volume and all the excess water is evaporated. If your mushrooms stick, add a splash of water to the pan.
  • Meanwhile, add the flour to the cup of water, broth, steak sauce and worcestershire sauce and stir well (I blended). Set aside.
  • Add the garlic to the sauteed vegetables and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the thyme, salt, and pepper (and other spices) to taste.
  • Give the flour/broth mixture a stir and slowly add it to the mushrooms. Stir until the gravy has thickened. If you prefer a thinner gravy, add a little more water and stir.

Notes

Prep your potatoes, sides and or other dish, so they are ready when the gravy is done (quick cook time)...

Vegan Tuna Hoagie

Vegan Tuna Hoagie

I'm from Philly and sometimes there is nothing that will satisfy me like a hoagie! Making a hoagie without cheese or meat seemed too much of a challenge, so I avoided it until now. I found a few recipes for vegan tuna salad made with chickpeas (which I tweaked to my taste). I know what you are thinking, and I did too... Start with a crusty Italian roll, a good vegan mayo, and hoagie veggies, and you have the ingredients for a great vegan tuna hoagie.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4 6" sandwiches

Ingredients
  

Tuna

  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 large onion diced
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 1 tbs sweet ralish
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbs vegan mayo more if you like...

Sandwich Fixins

  • 1 large loaf of Italian bread any crusty bread will do in a pinch
  • 1/2 large onion sliced
  • 1/2 head iceberg lettuce shredded
  • 1 large slicing tomato sliced
  • dill pickles slices
  • vegan mayo
  • oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • crushed dryed peppers

Instructions
 

  • Add chickpeas to the bowl and smash with fork or potato masher (leave some chunks)
  • Add the other ingredients and mix like tuna salad then set aside
  • Cut your roll and remove some of the fluffy bread if there is too much for you (one long or several smaller rolls will work just as long as the sandwich is about six to eight inches)
  • Spread some mayo the top half of the roll and a layer of the tuna on the bottom
  • Layer the shredded lettuce on the tuna and season with a light sprinkle of oregano
  • Layer the tomatoes over the tuna and season with the salt and pepper to taste
  • Top off the tomatoes with the dill pickles and crushed peppers to taste (pickled peppers can be used too)
  • Close and cut large roll in six inch sections and serve

Tofu Bolognese

Tofu Bolognese

Traditionally this is a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna, Italy, hence the name. With a few tweaks and tofu, this recipe is converted to a meatless yet flavorful a sauce for pasta or zoodles.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz block of firm tofu 450g
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large large onion finely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 28 oz diced Italian tomatoes 800 ml
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Break up the tofu in a food processor or with a fork. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, heat olive oil.
  • Add onion, celery, carrots and salt.
  • Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables begin to soften (about 15 minutes).
  • Add the tofu, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, basil, oregano, crushed red peppers and tomatoes.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer gently, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan regularly, for 45 minutes.
  • Uncover and continue cooking 30 minutes or until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over the pasta of your choice.

Roy’s Weekly Blog May 7, 2018

Roy's Weekly Blog

- Pounds

Roy's Individual Plan

  • Three meals a day only and tracking these meals in LiveStrong’s app
  • NO sugar, processed foods, or dairy (including diet sodas)
  • Avoid oils
  • Plant based meals at least twice a day
  • Poultry or fish consumption limited to 4oz or less daily

Blog Entry

I started spreading the word about this website, and I hope it is a source of motivation and at least a good reference point for starting a whole food plant based (WFPB) lifestyle.

I took some time off to get acclimated to my new job and prove to myself this lifestyle would survive the test of time.

The most challenging obstacle for me is not losing weight (when I focused on doing so), but once I reached my goal, maintenance always meant gaining back more than I loss. I have lost over 100 pounds before, only to regain it and more. Dealing with food cravings and not remaining “disciplined” and calorie counting always seemed to derail me.

I was really self-conscious about this happening again, so I took some time to test my new whole food plant-based diet. What I found out is, the lifestyle (no sugar, minimum oil, no animal products, and eating food as close to how they were grown) held its own. The only craving I had was hungry when I did not eat enough, but the desire for sweet, fat, and savory was satisfied with whole foods without binging as I have done in the past with processed foods. Furthermore, this was done without tracking calories! I actually lost more weight even though I travel for work, when on vacation, and worked outside the home when not traveling for work. Traveling was a challenge once or twice due to the limited selections, but most cities (even in Europe) had lots of vegan and meatless whole food options.

The keys  for me was plenty of fruit, no artificial sweeteners or diet products of any kind, tons of veggies accompanied by starchy carbohydrates (whole grain rice and potatoes), avoiding oil when cooking (you can sauté with water), and continuing to add variety with new and international recipes. I learned how to make curries with beans, tuna with beans, a hoagie with veggies and beans, bolognaise with carrots and soy, amazing stir-fries, “no cheese” mac and cheese, and much more. There are substitutes for almost everything you eat today, and for the items that don’t have a substitute, there are so many new options to explore and enjoy.

Now that I know this lifestyle is totally legitimate for health, weight loss, and maintenance, my focus is now on getting serious about my workout routine. I want to get into weightlifting/bodybuilding again, and prove like others have that this lifestyle does provide the nutrients necessary to be muscular.

In closing, I shall restart blogging at least once a month. The plan this week is to hit the weights and get the pain over with… Also, I switched to a doctor whose practice has Whole Food Plant base as its core philosophy. My first visit is this week, so I will be blogging about that experience soon. Talk to you then!…

My Transformation

I have tried every diet concept known to man, and most of these I now know promote less-than-healthy eating habits or don’t address the real issue with SAD (standard American diet) “rich in red meat, dairy products, processed and artificially sweetened foods, and salt, with minimal intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, and whole grains.” But after doing extensive research brought on after dealing with complications related to being overweight with hypertension, I began to use real food to heal me.

For the last year, I have adopted a whole food plant-based lifestyle. I personally adhere to a strict diet that avoids all animal-derived products, including meat, eggs, and dairy. I credit this lifestyle change with giving me back my energy and zest for life, helping me to shed weight and be an example of what can be accomplished with this healthy lifestyle.

The keys to my transformation are rooted in the China Study and a theory called the Pleasure Trap. The “China Study” examined the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer as well as the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. While the “Pleasure Trap” research offers unique insights into the factors that make us susceptible to dietary and lifestyle excesses and present ways to restore the biological processes designed by nature to keep us running at maximum efficiency and vitality. Both confirm the effectiveness of a WFPB diet.  The China Study show facts that a WFPB lifestyle can reverse  metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and prevent the growth of cancer.

Healthy and Tasty Kale Salad

Healthy and Tasty Kale Salad

This salad recipe has been a staple in my new lifestyle, and I would like to pass it on to you in hopes that it makes healthy eating a little easier.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup olive oil massage with oil to make tender
  • 1 small purple onion sliced thin
  • 1 stalk celery sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning garlic, onion, and pepper granules (equal parts)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 large plum tomatoes diced
  • 2 small carrots grated (tri-color look best)
  • 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/8 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/8 cup raisans

Instructions
 

  • After massaging the kale add the other ingredients top with lemon juice and toss.

1-Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

1-Hour Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Hearty vegetables in a brothy sauce topped with fluffy mashed potatoes, all baked to bubbly perfectly. It’s kind of what Thanksgiving dreams are made of, at least in my world.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

FILLING

  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown or green lentils rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1dried thyme
  • 1 10- ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas carrots, green beans, and corn

MASHED POTATOES

  • 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes washed
  • 1/4 cup vegetable milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Slice any large potatoes in half, place in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then generously salt, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they slide off a knife very easily.
  • Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher, pastry cutter or large fork to mash until smooth. Add milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.
  • While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (or comparable sized dish, such as 9x13 pan. An 8x8 won’t fit it all but close!).
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized - about 5 minutes.
  • Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil. Then reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35-40 minutes).
  • In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
  • OPTIONAL: To thicken the mixture, add 2-3 Tbsp mashed potatoes and stir. Alternatively, scoop out 1/2 of the mixture and whisk in 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and whisk. Return to the pan and whisk to thicken.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then transfer to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little sea salt.
  • Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.
  • Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheats well in the microwave.

Notes

You may want to add additional spicies.  I cranked this recipe up with the gound garlic, onion, and pepper seasoning mix I make.

Easy Vegan Lasagna

Easy Vegan Lasagna

This Easy Vegan Lasagna is a great meatless, dairy-free lasagna packed with a hummus tofu ricotta that'll please anyone! You'd never guess it wasn't packed with cheese. Only 220 calories and 17 grams of protein per slice!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian, Vegan
Servings 9 people

Ingredients
  

For the lasagna:

  • 12 whole grain lasagna noodles
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 16 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
  • 16 oz pkg frozen spinach thawed or pound of fresh
  • 5 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic – crushed and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil or italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried oragano or italian seasoning

For the tofu ricotta:

  • 2-14 oz pkg extra firm tofu drained and pressed
  • 10 oz tub roasted garlic hummus 1 heaping cup
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast additonal for topping
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook just until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add onions and garlic sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms herbs and spices and cook until soft. Add spinach and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
  • Place drained tofu in a large bowl. Crumble with hands. Add hummus, nutritional yeast, basil, salt, and garlic powder. Stir together with a fork until it's semi-smooth and resembles ricotta.
  • Place about a cup of marinara in the bottom of a 9x13in baking dish. Top with 4 noodles (3 lengthwise and 1 widthwise to cover the gap at the end). Next add half of the ricotta mixture and half of the vegetable mixture. Top with a heaping cup (or more) of sauce. Repeat with more noodles, tofu mixture, and veggies. Then top with one last layer of noodles and another cup and a half of sauce; Top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

My Burrito Bowl (My Version of Chipotle’s)

My Burrito Bowl (My Version of Chipotle’s)

Served in a bowl and made with a homemade, cilantro-lime rice, pinto and or black beans, sauteed onions and peppers, a spicy dressing, and guacamole, this dish is healthy and good.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4 bowls

Ingredients
  

Cilantro-lime Rice

  • 4 cups extra long grain cooked brown rice
  • 1 whole juice from a small lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • dash of sea salt

Beans

  • 2 15 oz can pinto beans
  • 2 tablespoons onion
  • 2 tablespoons garlic
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle-chili adobo

Fajita Veggies

  • 2 medium bell pepper
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 tablespoon garic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oragano

Guacamole

  • 1 large avacado
  • 1/4 cup onion
  • 1/2 jalapeno jalapenos chills
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro
  • 1/2 small lime

Toppings

  • 1 heart romaine lettuce shredded
  • 1 large tomato chopped
  • 1 package roasted corn

Instructions
 

Rice

  • Cook rice as normal with water, lime juice, cilantro and sea salt per directions

Beans

  • Cook your beans to close-to-optimum softness, then add onions, garlic, oregano, and chipotle-chili adobo and simmer for an additional 20 - 30 minutes.

Fajita Veg Mix

  • Slice up the bell peppers, red onion, and fresh oregano, then stir fry in light oil or water until soft.

Guacamole

  • Mash the avocado with red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and juice from lime

Bowl Assembly

  • Start with a cup of rice base at the bottom of your bowl Top with a half to whole cup of beans on one side and 1/2 cup of fajita mix on other Add tomato, corn, and or lettuce Slap on a healthy topping of guacamole
  • Drizzle with the Wholly Moly Chipotle Dressing (link in notes)

Notes

You can go free stye with the toppings, please don't let me limit you here.   Wholly Moly Chipotle Dressing

Roy’s Blog Entry October 27, 2017

Roy's Weekly Blog October 26, 2017

Roy's Individual Plan

  • Three meals a day only and tracking these meals in LiveStrong’s app
  • NO sugar, processed foods, or dairy (including diet sodas)
  • Avoid oils
  • Plant based meals at least twice a day
  • Poultry or fish consumption limited to 4oz or less daily

Blog Entry

Wahoo, what a great week!  My new partner joining me on this lifestyle journey is my son.  He made a kicking plant based lasagna this Sunday.  We plan to tweak it by adding more seasoning and our favorite veggies, after I will post the results on our recipes page.

I am just so full of energy and conviction to share this lifestyle message.  Frankly, nothing new to report except but an additional 3 pounds lost this week.  I spent most of my time ensure my education on protein is objective and factual, so I can deliver a constructive answer to the most asked question regarding living on a whole food plant based lifestyle, “Where do you get protein from?”  

The plan this week is to start lifting weights to supplement the aerobics and body weight exercises I have been doing.   I will amp up the calories, as last week several days my intake was too far below the recommended amount to lose 1 – 2 pounds a week.  Talk to you all next week…

Video of the Week

Where do vegans get their protein? Let The Happy Pear and Tim Shieff fill you in on a little secret.

Green Bean Potato Salad Recipe with Olives

Green Bean Potato Salad Recipe with Olives

Briny olives and a creamy dressing make this potato salad extra delicious. It’s perfect as a side dish.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound small yellow or white potatoes
  • 1 pound green beans ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • 1/2 cup pitted olives halved
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon of onion powder
  • Salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions
 

Cook Potatoes and Beans

  • Add potatoes to a pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Season with salt — 1 teaspoon for every quart of water. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or you can easily pierce them with a fork.
  • When the potatoes are done, transfer them to a strainer to cool. When cooled, slice into 1/2-inch rounds.
  • Bring the water that potatoes were cooked in back to a boil then add green beans. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender. Strain and cool.

Make Salad

  • Combine potatoes, green beans, olives, spring onion and the parsley in a large bowl.
  • Make the dressing by whisking vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and olive oil until creamy. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Set the salad aside and wait 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Best served room temperature or warm..

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