Vegan Recipes -- Healthy and Not

OK, a couple of posts back, I promised to share any new favorite recipes I found in my library cookbooks. Here are 2 of them. They are both OMG-heavenly! The Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe comes with a warning that it is definitely NOT healthy, so it may be safer not to look!

First the healthy recipe: Tempeh, Kale, and Sweet Potato Skillet from Vegan Express by Nava Atlas. I made this twice the first week I found it, and Pappy requested it again for his birthday dinner a few days later! This is a very satisfying and healthy comfort-food dish, and a great first experience with kale for Pappy and me.

Tempeh, Kale, and Sweet Potato Skillet

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, microwaved until tender/firm, then peeled, cut in half, and cut into thick slices
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp tamari
• 1 8oz package tempeh cut into 1/4" slices
• 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed, torn/chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1/2 cup cashew pieces

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and tamari. Add the tempeh, toss to coat, and cook until golden and crisp, then remove from the pan.
   
2. Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the pan and saute the garlic for a minute or two over low heat until soft.
   
3. Add the kale and 1/2 cup of water, the canned tomatoes, and the curry powder. Cook for about 10 minutes until the kale is bright green and wilted, but not soggy. I also added the sweet potatoes and tempeh here, because the recipe did not specify when to add them. I have seen other blogs with this recipe where they added them at the next step. Try it both ways and see which you like best.
   
4. Fold in the sweet potatoes and tempeh, if you have not already added them, along with the onion and cashews and cook until everything is heated through again.
   
   

And for dessert (or if you've been very, very good and want to blow it all!), here's the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Of course this is the first recipe I tried -- after all, it's the most decadent one I saw among all the cookbooks! I took these for Snibble Day at work and saved some for my granddaughter. They were a hit on both fronts.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls spaced a little over 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until ever so slightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.

As I said, make the cookies only if you intend to really blow your diet, or if you're taking them somewhere so you won't eat them all!


Well, that's all the damage I can do for today. Next time I'll have some other blogs to tell you about. Also, an update on my vegan life....

Keep it simple!
Mimi