Edward & Sons: Review, Lactation Cookie Recipe, and GIVEAWAY!

I have always been a huge fan of Edward & Sons food company. If you don't already know, they are also the makers of Road's End Organics, Native Forest, Premier Japan Organic, Let's Do Organic, and The Wizards. The quality of their food products is outstanding, and with their slogan, Convenience Without Compromise, you can understand why. Edward & Sons aims at making healthy packaged food products, and it never misses the mark. Here are some of the new or popular products that I wanted to show you today.

Who doesn't love Chreese? What is Chreese, you ask? Well, it is Road's End Organics deliciously healthy, nutritional yeast based cheese, and I love it! Not only do I love it, but my 13 month old kiddo does too! And this is great for me because this stuff is good for her! Each serving of Mac & Chreese contains a whopping 13g of protein and tons of Vitamin B12 (the goodness increases when you mix it with vegan milk and butter)! This is important for vegans, and everyone, to be including B12 in their diets, making this product a slam dunk in the natural community. These are so super easy to make and pack a nutritional punch. My daughter definitely gives these her seal of approval. She especially loves the 123, ABC's & Chreese 4Kidz pasta; these are incredibly easy for older babies and small children to eat because of their tiny shape and size. Love this.

Edward & Sons are like masters in coconut. Their coconut is always amazing tasting. Their Let's Do Organic fine shredded coconut and toasted coconut flakes are so amazing, fresh, and delicious, that they taste like you harvested them right from the island yourself. You rarely come across a shredded coconut product that has that cool coconut taste that is completely saturated in tropical coconut. You can tell it is minimally processed and doing amazing things for your body as you're eating it. This is the only shredded coconut that I buy. And toasted coconut flakes save you time when you are going for that in recipes. Well done.

Speaking of coconut, Native Forest has amazing coconut oil. It is great quality and gets the job done. I can't say enough good things about it. We all have heard of the amazing benefits of coconut oil, and this particular brand has the quality and flavor that a consumer deserves. Love it! I use it for oil pulling, cooking, baking, on my skin, and anything else that I can use it for! 

I also really enjoyed the Native Forest canned okra. They are organic, whole pods, and I must admit that before trying this, I had only used fresh or frozen okra. It is refreshing to have the convenience of a canned product with the organic quality that Edward & Sons continually deliver.

My pals at Edward & Sons also make amazing soupy-type products. I love their bouillon, which makes the best broth around! They come in flavors like "Chicken", "Beef", and Vegetable, but I definitely enjoyed their new Red Curry bouillon. It would be fantastic in any Indian or Thai dish, or just on its own as a cup of yummy broth with a spicy kick. I recently made a great Thai soup and this bouillon perfected it. You know what else I love about these vegan bouillon cubes? Because I'm a freak, I love the packaging so much. The name of the broth flavor is on the side of the box, so I stack them up on top of each other in my pantry, and I can easily grab the flavor I need without sorting through all of them. I know, wicked nerdy... whatever.

I'm also a fan of their Miso-cup. It is not like using fresh refrigerated miso paste, so you're not getting that freshly made taste, I hate to admit, but it is the best in a packaged miso that you can get since it uses a packaged paste that mixes with the water. It is definitely tastier than the powder miso soup pouches, plus you get the convenience of taking this soup with you on the go. If you were to take freshly made miso soup, it would obviously spoil, however it is nice to be able to take this along with you to places like work, travel, camping, etc. Plus, it doesn't taste overly salty and has a really nice, balanced flavor.

Would you like to WIN a box full of Edward & Sons goodies, just like mine? The fabulous folks at Edward & Sons are generously providing two of my readers with their very own package of goodies! Stay tuned after the recipe...

RECIPE TIME!!!

I used Native Forest Coconut Oil and Let's Do Organic Fine Shredded Coconut in this cookie recipe. Technically, they are "Lactation Cookies", but my family has been eating them and they are not producing any breast milk like I am, so it is safe to say that these are also "regular oatmeal cookies". Wink, wink. This is an amazing oatmeal cookie recipe, the ingredients just so happen to be lactogenic and support a nursing mother in making extra milk.

Oatmeal, Coconut, Raisin "Lactation" Cookies

Makes about 56 cookies

What you will need:

2 cups oats

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

2/3 cup Native Forest Coconut Oil, melted

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup oat milk (or vegan milk of your choosing)

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

4 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup Let's Do Organic Fine Shredded Coconut OR Toasted Coconut Flakes

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease about two baking sheets. In a medium bowl, mix oat milk and flaxseed, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix you melted coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, yeast, and add in your flax mixture. Now, mix together your wet and dry bowls, then fold in raisins and coconut. Roll into balls about the size of a large tablespoon and bake for about 10 minutes. Enjoy these yummy cookies!

Now, I bet you're eager to know more about this giveaway that I mentioned earlier. To enter: 

• Follow me @theDirtyVegan on Twitter and also follow @EdwardAndSons on Twitter. 

• I will tweet a giveaway tweet and all you have to do is retweet that. I will be choosing two winners. Winners will be chosen and announced on Monday morning, 5/19/14. 

Let the tweeting begin!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Go coconuts!

Vegan Lasagna Nests: Fun Spring Dinner!

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food." -George Bernard Shaw

The inspiration for today's recipe, comes from something that my mother recently made. She made lasagna "cupcakes" using wontons and lasagna ingredients. The idea to even make this today, was when I was perusing the cupboard and refrigerator for dinner ideas to come to me. I had about half of a box of lasagna noodles, 5 noodles to be exact. What on earth do you do with that? I dislike wasting anything, especially food, so I decided to make something like my mother's lasagna cupcakes, except these will be called Lasagna Nests and be made with the noodles. Last year (big and waddly, and about to have a baby), I made Candy Bird's Nests, that were very make-with-your-kiddos friendly. So this spring, here are some edible nests that are cute, fun, and guaranteed to be a hit with your family.

Vegan Lasagna Nests

What you will need:

• 5 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente according to box and cut in half
• 1/2 cup pasta sauce
• 8 oz frozen spinach
• 1 16 oz container Tofutti Ricotta "Cheese"
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp Litehouse Garlic
• 2 tsp Litehouse Italian
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 6 slices Tofutti Mozzarella, crumbled
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• GoVeggie vegan Parmesan "cheese", to taste
• Muffin Tin
• Coconut Oil to grease tin with

This is what mine looked like before baking them!

What to do:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease 5 spots on a muffin pan with coconut oil. In each cup of the pan, place lasagna noodle half, crisscrossed. Spoon about a tablespoon of pasta sauce in each cup. In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, oregano, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, Mozzarella, and flaxseed, then scoop it into each cup on top of the pasta sauce that you spooned. Drizzle remaining pasta sauce on top of each cup and sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5- 10 minutes. Let sit in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan and serving. The longer you let them sit to set, the easier they are to remove from pan and the prettier they look. These would be great to serve with salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!

The finished product! Yummmm!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Fruit, and Nuts with Veggie Burger Pasta Alfredo

This recipe has such complexity in it's flavors that you really need to make it to truly understand. My inspiration for this was the lovely flavor compliments of cheese, nuts, and fruit; the savory and the sweet. You will love this recipe! Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Fruit, and Nuts with Veggie Burger Pasta Alfredo

What you will need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh brussels sprouts, halved
• dash of sea salt
• dash of pepper
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp mixed nuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp dried fruit, chopped
• 1 lb box of mini shells pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup vegan milk
• 4 oz vegan cream cheese
• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan
• dash of sea salt
• dash of pepper
• 4 veggie burgers, cooked according to package and cut into chunks

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 400 degrees. In a baking dish, toss olive oil and brussels sprouts, sprinkle salt and pepper on them, then bake for 35 minutes stirring once. Then mix in brown sugar, nuts, and fruit, and bake for 5 more minutes. Cook shell pasta according to package directions, drain, and mix with olive oil back in pan or in a large bowl. In a saucepan melt vegan butter and whisk in flour, then whisk in vegan milk, cream cheese, and parm and heat on medium until bubbly, stirring frequently. Once bubbly, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and mix well. Toss in brussels sprouts and veggie burger chunks and serve immediately, Enjoy!

YUM!

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Hungarian-Style Braised Mushrooms

This is my favorite PETA recipe that my hubby and I have been making for years and years. We absolutely love it! Tons of flavor and you can change the recipe up by using different types of mushrooms for variety. We served this over spaghetti, but we've had it over any grain like rice, quinoa, or different types of pastas. It is also delicious by itself as a type of soup or stew.

Fun DV Fact: PETA's recipes really saved my ass when I first became vegetarian and subsequently vegan. I also bought their recipe cards, that I still have to this day, and I spent a lot of time on their website and online learning everything I possibly could about animal rights. The reason I am the Dirty Vegan is because I watched an undercover PETA video that exposed animal cruelty at a factory farm. I started posting in the PETA2 forums and wished that I could be more of a voice for animals. I then started writing letters to companies, politicians, and law enforcement in response to action alerts. Every chance I could get, I would promote veganism and have been an animal rights activist ever since I became veg, which was the second I viewed that PETA video. Now, thousands of people from all over the world read this blog. I've received lots of emails from folks who were inspired to become veg after reading my work. Even if someone were to make my recipes, or go meatless sometimes in order to try them, we are still saving lives. Whether it is big or small, it is joyous to see the positive changes we are making for our cause and movement.

This is what this amazing Hungarian Mushroom dish looks like once you add in the cashew cream. Yummy! Definitely one of my favorite dinners ever! You should really check out the recipe.

What is your favorite dinner? You know, the type of dinner that if you had to choose only one dinner to eat for the rest of your life, you would choose it.

Food Tastes Better With Vegan Cheese In It

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients" -Julia Child

Cheezy & Crispy Vegetable Casserole

10 button mushrooms, quartered

1 small yellow squash, chopped

1 small green zucchini, chopped

 10 kalamata olives, sliced
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb wheat pasta, cooked al dente
1 cup vegan mozarella shreds (I used Daiya)
4 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/4 cup vegan cream (I used Silk Original)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup french fried onions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add first nine ingredients into a large casserole dish. Drizzle olive oil then top with french fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until casserole is melted, bubbly, and topping is crisp. Enjoy!

Rich, creamy, cheezy - is there anything more divine?

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Yes, Another Veg-friendly Chain Restaurant!

I'm happy to report yet another vegan friendly restaurant that not only will accommodate us veggie folk, they have vegan dishes on the menu now! No, I'm not kidding you. And yes, I realize this is unusual for chain restaurants, some of which still do not offer a simple veggie burger on their menu. Well, Ruby Tuesday has lots of veggie options. Like what, you ask?

Its not just about the salad bar anymore (which is not too shabby either); you can actually get other things. They make veggie sliders which are like little mini veggie burgers, which are off and on their menu that changes frequently. Right now, they are offering a lot of farm fresh veggie dishes on their menu. They have a lunch and dinner portion of the above picture, which is their Spaghetti Squash marinara (a vegan item on their menu - just be sure to say no fresh cheese on top because some staff may put some on top, although it is not mentioned on the menu, it can happen), that is like pasta but with the strings of squash instead, and has chunks of tomato, green zucchini, and onions in the sauce. It tastes pretty amazing too! They also offer a Veggie Trio dish where you choose three vegetarian sides that are on their menu. In addition to the plethora of produce to choose from in the salad bar, you may also want to start with their salsa, and fresh guacamole chips appetizer. It is portioned like a mini meal (very generous size) and I'm told there is no sour cream or dairy in the guac, which is pretty obvious anyway.

This restaurant is among the best chains for accommodating vegetarian customers. So I definitely recommend it. You may want to call in advance, since they do change their menu items so often, and especially since autumn is approaching. I'm not sure what they will be offering for the upcoming season, but am excited to find out. Ruby Tuesday, please keep the veggie menu items coming - we love it! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.

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Dining in the City

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." -W.C. Fields

Let's face it, if you are vegan like me (I've encountered plenty of this for almost a decade), or even vegetarian, you have experienced the "going out to eat crisis". Oh no, your friends, family, co-workers, etc. want to go out to eat with you but they are stressing out because you are vegetarian. Over ten years ago I was stressing out a little too, and that was just as a vegetarian, however being vegan sometimes makes it a little more difficult because restaurants seem to sneak dairy, eggs, and honey into the unlikeliest places. However, now the options are much different for vegan dining. I know a lot of us tend to dine with our veggie partners or friends and seek out veg-friendly restaurants, but today I have yet another discovery of veg-friendliness in an unexpected place; you will be pleasantly surprised.

Joe's American Bar & Grill has many locations around the United States. I had the pleasure of dining at the Providence Place location in the heart of Providence, RI. WaterFire was happening and the city was filled with personality. Joe's is located right across from WaterFire, making it a great place to eat if you plan to see the show or partake in a romantic gondola ride.

This gorgeous picture is of their Angel Hair Pasta Primavera. Just ask for it vegan with no cheese, because they normally do the vegetarian dish with Parmesan. This angel hair dish was extraordinary including fresh ingredients such as zucchini, squash, tomatoes, red peppers, basil, garlic, oil, and lemon. The flavor combinations were especially pleasing to the palate, making this primavera much better than the usual options for vegetarians at restaurants. We also had nachos to start, which were made vegan with guacamole, salsa, and veggies. I ended my meal with a nice black espresso, which was rich and had a great quality taste.

Joe's American Bar & Grill is a cosmopolitan of cuisine that works out great for everyone you may be dining with. We all know that it is highly unlikely that your entire family, friends, and social network are vegan, so it is great to find a place where you don't have to have menu anxiety and can go out and dine with others. Places like Joe's also deter you from the inevitable and awkward vegetarian conversations, with the menu versatility and atmosphere. You can order pizza with no cheese and just oil, tomato sauce, and veggies of your choosing, and many other options that are available upon request. Actually, quite a few of their menu items can be made vegetarian easily, especially since they do a lot of fresh dishes which aren't pre-made like some other eateries might do. This makes Joe's a five star with their accommodating factors. The surroundings were pretty cool also.

We had delightful sidewalk seating, directly on Providence Place. Our view was of beautiful buildings on a wonderful summer evening. The energy from WaterFire was nice also and you could even hear music from the show. The staff at Joe's American Bar & Grill were friendly and personable, even for an uber busy weekend night when the establishment and city were jam packed with crowds.

The wall out front of Joe's opens and you can see inside from the sidewalk seating. The atmosphere was cool and fun!

The next time you are in Providence, do not overlook fine American cuisine like that of Joe's American Bar & Grill. They are definitely down with the vegetarians and vegans!

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Impressive Beefless Recipe

Make A Vegan Impression With My 'Beefless Stroganoff' Recipe

1 lb wheat pasta or noodles

1 14oz container Tofurky "Giblet" Gravy

3 tbsp vegan butter

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup vegan white wine

1 cup veggie "beef" (I used Trader Joe's Beef-less Strips)

Sprinkle of vegan Parmesan to taste, optional

Boil water to cook pasta/ noodles. In a small saucepan, defrost/ heat Tofurky gravy over stove. In a large saute pan, melt vegan butter and saute onions and garlic. When aromas are released, add wine. Stir then cook for about 3 minutes. Add in "beef" and simmer on low until your gravy and pasta are ready. Add gravy to saute pan and heat thoroughly. Drain pasta and serve Stroganoff over pasta. Sprinkle vegan parm on top. You may also like to serve this dish with a side of country vegetables such as potato, mushroom, green beans, etc. Enjoy!

Filling, fabulous, and fun! Perfect dinner party or holiday dish!

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Colorful Cookout Recipe

Cook up something colorful and fun for that Independence Day gathering! Who wants an ol' boring salad?

Make Some Noise At Your Holiday Cookout With My 'Fireworks Pasta Salad' Recipe


1 lb. wheat rotini
1 16oz bag frozen Trader Joe's Soycutash (or mixed vegetables of choice), thawed
3 tbsp vegan mayo
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp dijon or spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Soy, Tamari, Shoyu sauce)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp chives
Sea salt and black pepper to taste


Boil water and cook pasta to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water in strainer. Mix with the remaining ingredients and chill until time to serve. Enjoy!

Have fun, Naughty People!

Dine Like You're Famous!

"I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, papa-paparazzi. Baby, there's no other superstar you know that I'll be, papa-paparazzi" -Lady GaGa

 A quick bite with your fellow famous friends and/ or lover before a night on the town?

 A business lunch to go over your newest project?

Lunch with your girlfriends (and/ or boyfriends!) during your day of shopping at the hottest stores?

We've all seen the tabloid pictures of celebrities and socialites like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Mila Kunis, Rachel Bilson, Miley Cyrus, and Britney Spears dining at hot California restaurants such as Koi, The Ivy, and Mr. Chow. And how about New York City eateries like Butter and Il Cantinori? Have you ever wanted to have the superstar experience yourself, but maybe are stuck in a state like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, or New Jersey? Also maybe you are wondering how to dine like a celebrity when you are vegan. Well have no fear - Papa Razzi is here!

Papa Razzi Trattoria & Bar in Cranston, RI is super swanky, chic, and the place to see and be seen. And it just to happens to be located in the glamorous Garden City Center where you can find sophisticated retail locations such as Anthropologie, Williams Sonoma, Whole Foods, Starbucks, and lots more, to fulfill your wildest Rodeo Drive fantasies. The perfect day? Shopping at these glammy stores and boutiques then waltzing into Papa Razzi just in time for your reservation...and possibly getting your photo snapped by the paparazzi! Well you do look fabulous in those designer shades, with shopping bags from the hottest stores, dining at this stylish establishment, with the tastiest vegan options. And yes I said vegan options...read on for details!

The experience at Garden City is definitely very celebrity, but when you approach the restaurant, the swank-factor gets taken up a notch; even more when you step inside. You first will notice the luxurious and hip decor. The bar is really modern and cool if you just want to go in for drinks and a bite. Also, something that caught my eye immediately was the gorgeous staff - but since you are a beautiful vegan socialite yourself, who else better than other gorgeous people to be a part of your dining experience? The bathrooms are clean and lavish also. But I know you didn't come here to only hear about the hot staff and the decor; you want to hear about the vegan-friendly food!

There are an assortment of sumptuous salads to choose from; my favorite is the Spinachi which is baby spinach, fresh strawberries, shiitake mushrooms, and vinaigrette (just ask for it without the goat cheese). There are also a variety of pasta dishes that can be made vegan upon request. What I love about this restaurant the most is the friendly and approachable vibe. The waitstaff and management are so helpful and accommodating  That is very important to me when dining out, and the fact that Papa Razzi is so kind to people with alternative diets, means a lot. For dinners you can also get wood-fired, thin crust pizzas without cheese (I do this at Bertucci's too and they taste amazing!). The vegan possibilities are so great when you are at an elegant restaurant like this with a huge selection of ingredients and wonderful people willing to serve you up tasty veg-friendly dishes! Right on the Papa Razzi menu they encourage you tell them if you have any special requests, which is awesome for a restaurant to do. And you all know how proud of my Italian heritage I am (hence most of my recipes on here are Italian dishes and/ or heavy on the Daiya cheese!), so it is cool for me to be vegan and find a cool Italian restaurant willing to accommodate my diet. And seriously, what's more celebrity than getting a custom made vegan dish that a talented Italian chef creates for you? Chefs love doing that stuff, but rarely people ask them to.

There are other Papa Razzi locations (like upscale Newbury Street in Boston and even locations in DC!), but if you are in the Cranston, RI area, I do recommend this one for the whole experience at the Garden City Center and the exceptional restaurant service. I hope you enjoy being fabulous and almost famous! You can tell them the Dirty Vegan sent you, but I can't guarantee the VIP treatment is from me - you may just feel fancy saying it. For now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Champagne dreams and tomato sauce wishes to you, my Friends!

Good luck in ducking the paparazzi, all you Fabulous Naughty People!

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Flaky Biscuit Topped Lasagna Casserole

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." -George Burns

Give Your Taste Buds the Gift of Happiness With My 'Badass Lasagna Casserole' Recipe

1 14oz block tofu, drained

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

10 oz vegan “meat” (I used Boca - see my tip at the bottom)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 cup frozen broccoli cuts, thawed

1 lb and 1 cup pasta sauce

8 oz oven-ready uncooked lasagna, broken up into pieces

Olive Oil Biscuit dough

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend first 6 ingredients in blender or food processor until creamy. Set aside, this is your rosemary and thyme tofu ricotta. Then heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and sweat onion and garlic until aromas are released. Saute veggie “meat” until browned. Then dump everything (broken bits of uncooked lasagna, tomato sauce, broccoli, tofu ricotta, veggie “meat”) into a casserole dish/ pan (I used a 3 qt). Mix it all up until everything is evenly coated and thoroughly incorporated. Make Olive Oil Biscuits (this takes just minutes - what a quick and easy biscuit!) dough. Stretch and form dough on top of casserole in your desired pattern. Bake for 30- 35 minutes. Let settle before cutting into it. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips:

-Be sure to coat the uncooked pasta pieces nicely with the casserole to ensure they cook well.

-If you are mixing and notice you haven’t broken the lasagna pieces small enough or to your liking, no worries.  Just press down on them gently with your wooden spoon when mixing everything together in the baking dish. 

-This is a great dish to prepare earlier in the day or in advance using a baking dish with container lid. Just follow all the directions except the baking part and store in refrigerator until ready to bake.


-If you don't have any veggie "meat" on hand but have vegan burgers, you are in luck! I often (and in this case) use Boca Burgers in place of ground veggie "meat". For this recipe I microwaved 4 burgers just enough to defrost, then mash and crumble before sauteeing. Its sometimes even cheaper to do this since veggie burgers are so moderately priced.

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Crockpot Dinner Delight!

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it." -Buddy Hackett

This recipe will be easy for you to make but your family will want to take it, for sure!

What you will need:


4 tofu steaks, cut into strips (please do not do this when they are frozen, microwave or thaw them some)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup frozen vegetables
1 cup almond (or other vegan) milk
1 cup water
1 Edward & Sons Not-chicken bouillon cube
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
sea salt & pepper, to taste (optional)


Rice or pasta of your choice


What you will need to do:
Place first 8 ingredients in crockpot and cook on Low for 5- 6 hours (on High would probably be 3- 4 hours). Just before ready to serve, prepare rice or pasta. Spoon crockpot mixture over rice or pasta and serve. Enjoy!


Recipe Tips:


-If you cannot find Tofu Steaks like Helen's Kitchen brand, you can use any other vegan protein like Gardein, Lightlife, Tofurky, Fieldroast, or Boca. Lightlife's Smart Strips Chick'n would work great in this recipe also!


-You can go ahead and add more Nutritional Yeast if you would like to thicken the sauce more or for a "cheesier" flavor.


-Alternatively, you can serve this over your favorite noodles (like soba or rice noodles), instead of rice or pasta. That would also be super yummy.

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Deceptive Pasta Dish?

This pasta dish that I created is so deceptive! It tastes gourmet or very fancy, when in reality it is super easy, quick, and with salsa! This is an inventive way to use salsa, especially when you have some in the fridge with nothing to dip in it. Why not use it to make this extremely yummy dish? Also, this is a complete dish. Healthy carbohydrates, healthy fat, veggies, high protein (the tofu steaks alone are 16 grams of protein per serving!), amino acids to break down and use that protein to rebuild your muscles (and refuel!), some B vitamins in the nutritional yeast, antioxidants in the ground pepper, fiber....must I even go on? Its definitely good for you but tastes like something you can get at a restaurant for probably more calories and less nutrients. Yay for being Dirty and healthy!

You won't believe this 'Nuh-uh Salsa Pasta' Recipe


1 lb your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup frozen onions and peppers (I used Trader Joe's fire-roasted)
1 cup salsa (natural kind is best in this)
4 tofu steaks (you will want to thaw/microwave before cutting), cubed
3 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy/ shoyu/ tamari sauce)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
pepper to taste

Boil water and cook pasta. While that is cooking, heat olive oil to medium heat in a sauce pan. Add frozen onion and peppers and let cook for about 3 minutes, or when they begin to thaw and get warm. Then add salsa until it begins boiling. Then add tofu steak cubes, Bragg's, nutritional yeast and bring to boil. Simmer until pasta is ready. Drain pasta and mix in your salsa sauce mixture with the pasta. Enjoy!

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WholeSoy Giveaway Winner and Daydreamy Tuscan "Sausage" & Mushroom Pasta

The winner of the WholeSoy Giveaway is PurpleLarkspur! Please e-mail me at thedirtyvegan.blogspot@gmail.com with the address that you would like me to mail your prize to. I will get that shipped out right away! Congratulations, PurpleLarkspur and thank you to everyone who entered. There will be more giveaways coming up soon, so please stay tuned for them! Now let us travel off to our Tuscan fantasy... 


Pretend you are in a beautiful villa in Tuscany, overlooking gorgeous green valleys...unless of coarse you are really in Tuscany, then I suppose you would just look outside. Either way, I hope you enjoy this pasta dish that I created. The fresh flavors are pretty amazing combined with Field Roast's pop of flavors (think eggplant and grains, yum!), you will feel like you are doing something very naughty, when in reality, this dish is actually pretty healthy.

Pretend with My 'Tuscan "Sausage" and Mushroom Pasta' Recipe


1 lb wheat pasta (I used rotini here)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 package Field Roast Italian Sausage (4 links), chopped
2 cups water
1 Edward & Sons Not-chicken bouillon cube
Sprinkle (or two) Italian seasoning
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Vegan Parmesan, to sprinkle before serving (optional)


Boil water and cook pasta to al dente. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in saucepan on medium heat. Sweat garlic until aromas are released. Add mushroom, tomato, and sausage. Stir and let cook for about 3 minutes. Add water, bouillon, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and let simmer until pasta is ready. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Drain pasta and mix together pasta and sauce. Serve with some vegan parm sprinkled on top, if you like. Enjoy!

Buon Appetito!

Here's to daydreaming!

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Life is Best Lived Saucy and Cheezy!

"The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat are really good friends." -Author Unknown

Eat Happy Food, Like My 'Cheezy "Sausage" Pasta a la Peas' Recipe

Ingredients:


1 lb pasta (I used small shells)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
14oz package Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage
15oz can sweet peas
1 cup MimicCreme (or other vegan heavy cream substitute. I love MimicCreme, made from cashews and almonds!)
1 cup Daiya cheddar cheese (or other vegan shredded cheddar) 
1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan buttery spread)
sea salt and pepper to taste


Boil water and cook pasta for about 10 minutes or until al dente. Heat olive oil on medium high heat and sweat garlic until aromas are released. Brown veggie sausage for a few moments. Mix in peas, cream, and buttery spread. Cook for a few moments then melt in "cheese" shreds when just about ready to serve. Mix into your pasta and enjoy!

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"All animals except man know that the ultimate point of life is to enjoy it." -Samuel Butler

Drool Over My 'Creamy Veggie Macaroni Bake' Recipe



Ingredients you will need:

1 box of pasta (about 13.25 oz)

1 jar of tomato sauce (1 lb)

1 bag frozen steam in bag vegetables (I used broccoli, cauliflower, carrots mix)

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (like Tofutti)

2 cups vegan shredded mozzarella (like Daiya)

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp buttery spread (like Earth Balance), melted

JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE STILL PAYING ATTENTION....

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Boil water and cook pasta until al dente. While that's happening, follow frozen steamer vegetables instructions and get that started in the microwave. When pasta is al dente, drain and place pasta back in sauce pan. Add the cream cheese, mix, and melt that in the warm pasta with a wooden spoon. Mix in vegetables, tomato sauce and vegan mozzarella. When thoroughly combined, transfer mixture into a casserole or baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Pour melted buttery spread on top to finish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Let settle and cool off a bit. Enjoy!

This recipe reminds me of something that my late Aunt used to make when we were kids. My bake tastes similar to her dish. I absolutely loved it, and eating this reminded me of her. I hope you love this Dirty Vegan recipe as much as I do and I hope it brings a smile to your face as well.