Crazy Cabbage Slaw Salad Recipe

This yummy, cold salad is my attempt to recreate a great meal I had while visiting my parents recently.

I have to say, this comes very close to the sweet, tangy, crunchy salad I enjoyed.

It lasts, too. You can refrigerate it for a few days and the cabbage stays crisp and becomes almost like a slaw.

Crazy Cabbage Slaw Salad

½-1 head of cabbage – shredded

A few handfuls of any assorted salad greens, chopped

1 can of corn – drained

About 10 pitted and chopped dates

1-1/2 cup of slivered raw almonds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl

Creamy Citrus Dressing

About 1 ½ cup Veganaise

About 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

A splash of fresh orange juice OR ½ of an orange (squeezed)

A sprinkle of orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl

Mix the dressing into the salad, cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Enjoy!

*Optional - 1 chopped avocado as garnish

* Optional – Croutons

Vegan Chocolate Chipper Cookies

I LOVE chocolate chip cookies...I always have, but I don't eat pre-made, processed, conventional ones anymore because of some food allergies and personal ingredient choices. 

After experimenting with many cookie recipes over the last 8-9 years, I feel that this is the best at-home, veganized one so far.

I think that these really tatse like warm, yummy chocolate chip cookies and not like a bad, sad reproduction!

Let me know what you think...

Vegan Chocolate Chipper Cookies

½ cup vegan butter substitute, like Earth Balance

¾ cup organic sugar of choice

2-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

3 (or more) tablespoons of water

2 cups whole grain flour

½ cup finely ground walnuts

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ to ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to ◦350

In a large bowl, blend the butter substitute, sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of water until well mixed.

Stir in the flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt. Keep stirring until it forms together like dough. If it is too dry and crumbly add more water one tablespoon at a time, just until a small piece of the dough will hold together when formed into a little ball.

Form small dough balls and press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. When pressed, cookies should be about ¼” thick.

Bake for about 15 minutes and check. They should hold together but be sure the bottoms are not burning. My batch took a bit longer and I checked them about every 2 minutes.

Let them cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Mexican Madness Vegan Layered Dip

It was super simple to veganize this old favorite with just a few substitutions. This is ideal to bring to a party that has both veggies and non-veggies, as no one will EVER know it is animal friendly!

As with most whole food recipes, this is just a guideline to get you started. It is completely flexible and customizable to specific tastes, diets and available ingredients.

Mexican Madness Vegan Layered Dip

Dip Base:

1 Can of refried beans (I use refried black beans)

1 Can whole beans ( I like whole black beans)

1 tub of vegan sour cream

1 packet of taco seasoning

about 1 cup of your favorite salsa

Topping Options:

1 tomato, chopped

about 1 or 2 cups of vegan shredded cheese

Chopped black and green olives

Avocado or guacamole (drizzle lime juice on chopped avocado to keep it from turning brown)

Chilies or jalapeno peppers

Onions

* In a small bowl mix the vegan sour cream with about half the packet of taco seasoning. It is best to start with less and add to it, based on personal taste. Set aside.

* Rinse the whole beans and then in a separate bowl mash them with a fork

* Add the cup of salsa and the refried beans to the mashed beans and mix together

* Spread the bean mixture evenly along the bottom of a shallow casserole dish or pretty bowl

* Pour the sour cream mixture over the bean mixture and carefully spread to cover

* note - if you are adding guacamole, you can refrigerate the dip base a little to firm it up and then spread the guac right over the sour cream layer

* Then just sprinkle your favorite optional toppings on top and you’re done

Cover and refrigerate until it’s time to enjoy!

You can serve this with chips, small tortillas, veggies, etc…

Yum!

bean mixture

spreading the sour cream mixture over the beans

your dip base...waiting for toppings!

Chi Chi Chickenless Salad

I LOVE this recipe! It is super simple and surprisingly hearty. I saw the idea for this in a book put out by PETA. The book was geared towards college aged vegans with little time and few resources.
I tweaked it a bit to suit my tastes and added a special ingredient that I use to add to real chicken salad…way back when I ate that.

This recipe is VERY loose…no real measurements. I make it to ‘feel”.

Chi Chi Chickenless Salad

1 can of Garbanzo Beans (AKA: Chi Chi beans, Chick Peas, etc…) rinsed and drained
1 or 2 small handfuls of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 small red apples, finely chopped
Lemon Juice
Veganaise to taste/texture preference
Sea salt and pepper to taste

With a fork, slightly mash the Garbanzo beans in a medium sized bowl. Add the Veganaise, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Sprinkle some lemon juice and then toss in celery and apples. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! So easy.

I like to just eat it with a fork but you could stuff a pita with it too…

Enjoy!

Helen's Kitchen - Garden Steaks ...mmmm

HANDS DOWN…our new favorite veggie burgers!

Awesome texture - no more mushy, crumbly mess

Great flavor – delish on its own "as-is" or can be transformed by any other ingredients

Versatile – leave it whole on a bun, cut into strips for a stir fry or chop into cubes for a shish-kabob

Ideal any time of day – it can taste like a breakfast sandwich, afternoon grilled burger or hearty dinner entrée

You can find these winners in the frozen foods isle.

Click Here to go to the Helen's Kitchen Website

Enjoy!

Versatile Vegan Creamy Herb Topping

So, we were having veggie burgers the other night and I felt like having something creamy and herb-like on top of mine. After doing a quick recipe search online, I created this super simple spread. It hit the spot…and worked as a yummy dip for our fries too!
I put the remainder (covered) in the fridge and it became even more flavorful the next day

Versatile Vegan Creamy Herb Topping

½ Cup Softened Vegan Cream Cheese
½ Cup Vegan Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ - ½ Teaspoon dried Dill
Sea Salt to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and then add sea salt to taste.

You could really add any herbs that you like…it is a nice blank canvas.

Zippy Dip and Dressing

 

Zippy Dip and Dressing

I really, really love artichokes and I was looking for a new option for dipping the perfectly steamed petals into. I sometimes like an Italian type dressing or melted (vegan) "butter" but this time I was craving something creamy.

I was visiting my parents in California and had purchased a yummy new Miso Ginger salad dressing. I decided to mix a bit of that into a small bowl of Vegenaise... Voila! A smooth, creamy, tangy dip that didn't overpower, but actually complemented the buttery flavor of the steamed artichoke. I didn't really measure...just did it to taste.

Since creating this concoction, I have gone on to use it as a topping for veggie burgers, a spread on sandwiches or wraps and as a creamy salad dressing...mmmmmm.

I preferred this exact combination of these brands and specific flavors but you could switch it up...try other favorite brands or ingredients ...let me know what YOU discover!

Enjoy!