The original Canadian Poutine was invented in Quebec and was a meat-based gravy with cheese curds over french fries. We can do better!! Serve this vegan poutine over roasted potatoes or a variety of roasted veggies!
I’ve been using this tried and true cheezy sauce recipe for so long I couldn’t remember if it was my creation or from someone else. I suspected it might be a Joanne Stepaniak recipe so I checked it out and sure enough this sauce recipe is from her book, The Saucy Vegetarian. Joanne is also the author of The Un-Cheeze Cookbook and many other great vegan books. Check them out to add to your collection!
2 Tbsp white onion, (chopped if using a hand blender)
2 Tbsp miso (I use a sweet light miso, but any will work)
½ tsp salt
NOTE: For orange colored sauce (more “cheddary” looking) add ¼ cup pimento pieces, or raw or roasted red bell peppers, or ½ shredded carrot, and reduce water to ⅓ cup.
Directions:
NOTE: Poutine gravy-sauce can be made in advance and given a quick whisk, or pulse, before serving.
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process well until creamy and smooth, one to two minutes, until creamy.
There is no need to heat the sauce if veggies, pasta, or whatever you're pouring it onto ...is piping hot. Otherwise you can either let your blender run until it heats sauce (if it has that feature) or scoop it into small saucepan to warm, whisking often. NOTE: If you heat the sauce too long it will thicken so may need a splash or two of water to thin. Serve in a gravy boat for individuals to serve themselves.
Leftovers make delicious toppings on rice bowls, veggies, tofu or tempeh.
Chutney is a traditional accompaniment to curry dishes that balances and cools. Topping Curry-in-a-Hurry with fresh coconut ginger chutney makes this quick curry dish special, so don’t leave it out… it takes only five minutes!
Coconut Ginger Chutney has a sweet and flavorful element that recipe testers said they not only enjoyed the first bites, but the lingering flavor too!
Add baked squash pieces, steamed carrot chunks, chopped tomato or chopped green onion (near the very end of simmering).
Directions:
In a heavy pot or skillet, sauté onions and garlic in water. When the onions are soft, add the salt and
spices and cook another minute or two, stirring.
Add the canned chickpeas and stir.
Use a hand blender to puree most of the mixture leaving some whole if you wish. (This step is optional if you would rather have the texture of the whole chickpeas. Traditional curry is typically pureed.)
SLOW COOKER OPTION:Sauté onion and garlic (as above). Place all other ingredients in a Slow Cooker. Simmer on low for 6-7 hours, or high for 2-3 hours. Puree with hand blender.
This cheezy potato-grain-based pizza crust is as satisfying as any flour crust. You can bake it in advance, adding your favorite toppings and heating prior to serving.
Variations abound…change up the pecans with either walnuts, cashews or sunflower seeds. Add a teaspooon of your favorite curry powder or paste. Add chopped greens like parsley, dill or cilantro. Replace dill pickles with other pickled veggies or olives. The possibilities are endless! Serve in a whole-grain wrap or in a fresh or steamed collard leaf!
Author: Victoria Laine
Serves:: 4-6 wraps
Prep time::
Total time::
Ingredients:
8 oz (454 g) pkg tempeh, pre-marinated (spiced, smoked or original)
½ cup pecans, raw or dry roasted, chopped
1 Tbsp light soy sauce or Braggs liquid soy
½ cup chopped dill pickles (or olives)
½ cup chopped celery, and/or bell peppers
1-3.5 oz pkg alfalfa or mixed sprouts, (or 1 cup shredded spinach greens)
6-8 whole grain wraps (tortilla shells or pitas)-or collard leaves (raw or lightly steamed, with stem removed)
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Some store-bought tempeh is sold ready-to-eat and pasteurized, especially those that are pre-marinated, but some tempeh needs to be cooked first before using. If cooking is required, it can be steamed, poached, baked, grilled, pan-fried, etc.
Directions:
OPTIONAL: Lightly toast raw nuts/seeds in a pre-heated toaster oven at 350ºF or a dry cast iron fry pan for about 3-4 minutes. (Watch carefully as they can burn easily…better yet, use the timer!)
Grate tempeh with a hand grater (coarse side) or in a food processor with the grate blade. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the chopped nuts, soy sauce, pickles, celery and/or peppers. Mix well with a wooden spoon or clean hands.
Make individual wraps with either warmed tortillas shells or pitas. You can warm tortillas a variety of ways. Microwave 1 or 2 at a time for 10 seconds, or heat a heavy fry pan (medium heat) and place each shell in the pan for only about 30 seconds, flipping it to the other side for a few seconds also. Repeat with each shell, filling one while warming the next. Or, you can remove them from the package and place the whole package on a large sheet of foil. Bring ends of foil together to make a package, and place in a pre-heated (400ºF) oven or toaster oven for about 10-15 minutes.
NOTE: Some shells and pitas are fresh and pliable enough to avoid warming.
Fill each tortilla, pita, or collard leaf with both the tempeh pate filling and some sprouts or greens.
Serve immediately or as soon as possible, as filling will eventually make the wrap soggy. (Or line the wrap with large spinach leaves which acts as a moisture barrier helping to reduce or eliminate the soggy factor.
Open Sesame Edamame Stirfry Noodle Bowl w/ Tangy Ginger Sauce
The secret to successful stirfrying is to have all of your vegetables, as well as your homemade sauce prepared before cooking begins. Making your sauce in bulk, in advance, means you have it on hand when a stirfry craving hits, and can throw together and quick stirfry in minutes. Any wholegrain noodle can be used for this meal, however buckwheat noodle are especially tasty and provide disease fighting bioflavanoids. If you can find sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes), they’ll be well worth any searching you have to do. Not only do they have special health benefits…they have a unique sweet-starchy-crisp texture that I can’t get enough of. No need to peel them, just slice them and throw them into the stirfry, along with, or in place of, one of the other veggies. They’re delicious raw as well, and I often have half of them eaten before they hit the pan.
Author: Victoria Laine
Recipe Type:: Dinner
Serves:: 4-6 servings
Prep time::
Cook time::
Total time::
Ingredients:
SESAME GINGER STIRFRY SAUCE:
½ cup tahini
6 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
¼ cup Bragg's liquid soy -or- lite soy sauce
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch knob ginger root, grated
½ tsp cayenne powder or pepper flakes (optional - extra spicy)
1 tsp blackstrap molasses (optional - adds a teryiaki twist)
NOODLES BOWLS:
250 g wholegrain fettucine or other flat noodle
EDAMAME STIRFRY:
3-4 Tbsp water or veggie broth
APPROXIMATELY 10 CUPS VARIETY OF VEGGIES, for example:
1 large sweet onion, chopped or sliced
1 small cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 cups carrots, diced into bite sized pieces
½ small purple cabbage or bokchoy, sliced or shredded (about 2 cups)
1 small broccoli, cut into small florets -or- 8 asparagus spears,cut in half
2 cups fresh mushrooms, shitake or other, chopped
2 cups frozen shelled edamame beans or fresh sugar peas
1-2 limes (opt)
Directions:
SESAME GINGER STIRFRY SAUCE:
Whisk together all ingredients or blend well in a blender or food processor. Note: If you are blending or using a food processor, there is no need to mince and grate garlic and ginger.
NOODLE BOWLS:
Boil water in a large pot with ¼ tsp salt. Add noodles. Stir occasionally.
Drain cooked noodles and rinse under tap water.
Divide into single portions in individual serving bowls allowing enough space for the stirfry ingredients.
EDAMAME STIRFRY:
Prepare Stirfry Sauce before cooking begins and prepare all veggies before cooking begins, slicing or cutting into bite sized pieces. Peel and cut onion into chunks.
In a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stirfry prepped vegetables in water or broth, until almost tender crisp. Stir often.
Pour prepared sauce over veggies. Add edamame beans. Thin with a few splashes of water if needed. Simmer to heat sauce through and continue cooking veggies until tender crisp. Remove from heat. Portion stirfry over noodles. Serve warm.
Optional:Squeeze a squirt of lime juice over each serving.
This easy, delicious recipe was given to me by my dear friend Anne many years ago. I’ve tweaked it slightly and demonstrated it in cooking classes many times. It’s a great way to introduce legumes (beans) to first timers!
Ingredients:
Black Bean Corn Salad
DRESSING:
1/3 cup fresh lemon
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
pinch – 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
SALAD: 2 cups frozen or fresh corn
1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped fine
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, bite size
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1-2 tomatoes, chunky chopped
6 green onions or chives
(2) 15oz cans black beans (drained)
DIRECTIONS:
1/ Mix dressing ingredients together in a lidded glass jar, shaking well or whisk together in a bowl.
2/ Mix salad ingredients and combine with dressing.
3/ Serve in a decorative glass bowl if desired.
Note: Can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Frozen corn does not have to be cooked, just place in strainer and run hot water over top. Fresh sweet corn also does not have to be cooked, just cut off the cob and add to salad.
Hi, I'm Victoria Laine, whole-food educator, author, and health blogger.
My website is the home of all things delicious and nutritious, celebrating the pleasure of food and well-being.
You'll find recipes, menus, books, and courses, as well as private nutrition counseling for Celiac disease, inflammatory conditions, allergy eating, plant-based lifestyles, and more.
I'd love to hear from you if you have questions or suggestions!
