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Orangy Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Pears and Pumpkin Seeds
Recently, I learned that you can cook quinoa in fruit juice. Who knew? Immediately, I was inspired to put together a vegan recipe for orange quinoa salad with cranberries, pears, spinach and toasted pumpkin seeds. It packs a lot of flavor and stores well. And it works well as a Thanksgiving dish, as a side,…
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Vegan Shopska Salad
Almost a year ago, I was listening to The Slavic Connexion interview with Dr. Mary Neuburger, Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin and Director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES). She discussed her book, Ingredients of Change: The History and Culture of Food in Modern Bulgaria.…
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Grilled Red Pepper Spread
I’m lucky enough to live very close to a grocery store stocked with delights from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, the Balkans, and more. One of my favorite things is trying all the spreads! Over the last couple months, I’ve tried so many delicious savory vegetable spreads, but one that really stands out is Bulgarian lyutenitsa (or…
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Tofu Sushi Rolls with Asparagus, Avocado, Cucumber and Vegan Wasabi Mayo
I like plant based sushi rolls to taste like something. I need sauces that are going to highlight the filling in the best ways. So using wasabi mayo, I put together this delicious vegan tofu sushi roll recipe with asparagus, avocado, and cucumber. Think of it as an AAC roll, but up a notch. This…
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Vegan Wasabi Mayo
Looking for a sauce to take your plant based sushi to the next level? Maybe you’re stick of the same old, same old veggie burger condiments? Or perhaps, you want your next coleslaw to have a bit more pizzazz? Have I got the thing for you! It’s an easy vegan wasabi mayo sauce recipe with…
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Vegan Tofu Burger with Indian Spices and Green Peas
At the beginning of the year, I purchased a copy of Plant-Based India by Dr. Sheil Shukla. Let me just say, there’s a reason this cookbook was voted one of the best of 2022 by the New York Times. It is incredibly good! There isn’t a recipe that isn’t a showstopper. And after cooking out…
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Vegan Granola Bars
If you love vanilla chai, this homemade no bake vegan granola bars recipe with maple syrup, almond butter, rice krispies, quick oats, cinnamon and more is for you! They don’t take a lot of effort, but they’re really good. They work well as a snack, as nourishment on a hike, toted along on a camping…
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Curried Cauliflower Soup
Inspired by the flavors of India, this is a vegan curried cauliflower soup recipe with potatoes, green peas, carrots and coconut cream. One of the chief ingredients is madras curry powder, which is a personal favorite. If you love curries, I hope you’ll find this soup is warming, nourishing and has a tasty flavor to…
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Roasted Baby Carrots with Leeks, Lemon Zest and Parsley
Looking for an easy veggie side dish? Well, look no further than this recipe for vegan roasted baby carrots with leeks, lemon zest and parsley. It proves once again that simple can be very tasty! This recipe makes ~4-6 servings. A few things… These roasted baby carrots are great for Easter or spring holiday spreads…
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Stuffed Turnips
Slovenes have a tradition of stuffing turnips with millet porridge and cottage cheese, and then, baking them in the oven. To this day, Slovenia’s dish, loška smojka, is considered by some to be a classic part of their cuisine. Inspired by this dish, I decided to create a spin-off vegan recipe for stuffed turnips with…
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White Bean Hummus with Roasted Garlic and Crispy Sage
One of my friends has an allergy to peas and lentils. Due to this, he cannot eat chickpeas without consequences. For years, he had to forego hummus. As it became in vogue to make hummus out of everything, his world started opening up. And so with this in mind, I put together this easy white…
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Vegan Chicken and Rice Soup
This is a Mexican-inspired vegan chicken and rice soup recipe with soy curls, cilantro, jalapeño, carrots and more. It’s hearty, warming and comforting. Plus, as an added bonus, it is a great way to use up leftover cooked rice. This recipe makes ~4-6 servings. A few things… Vegan Chicken and Rice Soup 2 cups water…
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Vegan Soba Noodle Salad
I go through ingredient obsessions. And for me, the ingredient of the moment is buckwheat. In the past months, I’ve explored using it in many recipes. So, without further adieu, I share with you this delightfully creamy, super easy, cold vegan soba noodle salad recipe with shiitake mushrooms, asparagus and a ginger tahini dressing. It…
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Slow Cooker Vegan Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Across the U.S., but particularly in the South, there’s a tradition of eating black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day to bring good luck. The peas represent good luck, health and plenty. The greens symbolize the green of currency, and are meant to bring financial gain in the year ahead. Looking for a…
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Vegan Roasted Buckwheat Mushroom Patties
Buckwheat is an important grain-like seed that’s sustained Slavic people for a thousand years. To highlight this delicious pseudocereal and Slavic flavors, I’ve put together this recipe for vegan roasted buckwheat mushroom patties topped with caramelized onions and fresh dill. Roasted buckwheat groats (sometimes, called “kasha”) are combined with potatoes, mushrooms, onions, leeks and more.…
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Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad
This is an easy recipe for vegan arugula and roasted butternut squash salad with cinnamon maple vinaigrette dressing, toasted walnuts, crisp apples and pomegranate seeds. My favorite part is the vinaigrette with it’s hint of vanilla extract and touch of ground ginger. This arugula and butternut squash salad recipe makes ~6-8 servings. It’s a great…
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Vegan Cranberry Sauce
This is an easy vegan cranberry sauce recipe with frozen berries, maple syrup, a cinnamon stick, ground ginger and vanilla extract. Tart and sweet, it’s the perfect cranberry compote for holiday celebrations, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or more. Use any leftovers as a condiment for sandwiches or enjoy it on top of pancakes or waffles.…
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Roasted Parsnip Soup
Parsnips taste a bit like carrots, but a hint earthier. When they’re roasted, they get sweeter and possess a starchy texture. They’re a delicious addition to many soups, so why not make them the star? Thus, UVK brings you this easy vegan roasted parsnip soup recipe with potatoes, apples, garlic, onion, dried rosemary and more.…
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Vegan Black Bean Dip
This is an easy homemade vegan black bean dip recipe with canned blacked beans, onions, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, liquid smoke, chili powder, cumin and more. It’s a two step process–sauté the onions, garlic and jalapeño and then, combine all the remaining black bean dip ingredients in a blender. That’s it. This recipe makes ~2…
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Vegan Caesar Dressing
This is a quick, easy oil free recipe for creamy vegan Caesar dressing with raw cashews, nutritional yeast, capers, lemon juice, vegan Worcestershire, dijon mustard and more. It uses a high speed blender, like a Vitamix. It’s one simple, fast and incredibly tasty cashew Caesar dressing. It makes ~1 cup dressing or ~8 servings. Store…
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Mango Hand Roll Sushi
Many Americans are familiar with maki sushi. It is shaped like a long cylinder, is sliced, and then, eaten with chopsticks. Temaki sushi, or hand roll sushi, is cone shaped, and can be eaten by hand. Inspired by Japanese temaki, this is an easy vegan mango hand roll sushi recipe with cucumber, red bell pepper,…
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Smoky Roasted Chickpeas
This is an easy vegan smoky roasted chickpeas recipe with smoked paprika, garlic powder, soy sauce, hot sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke and olive oil. The process is easy–mix everything together, marinate, and then, roast the chickpeas in the air fryer or oven. Enjoy these smoky chickpeas as a snack, topping for salads, inside wraps,…
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Grilled Tofu Skewers with Red Peppers and Mushrooms
This is an easy recipe for vegan grilled tofu skewers with a soy sauce marinade, mushrooms and red bell peppers. Loaded with garlic, ginger and scallions, the marinade is very flavorful. Overall, it’s a simple, tasty dish for summer. This recipe makes ~5 skewers. A few things… This grilled tofu skewers recipe tastes delicious on…
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Vegan Cold Beet Soup
Inspired by Lithuanian Saltibarsciai, this easy vegan cold beet soup recipe has cucumbers, scallions, lemon juice, cashews, horseradish and fresh dill. It’s a very tasty creamy vegan cucumber beet soup recipe! Traditionally, Lithuanian cold beet soup uses buttermilk or kefir, and is topped with hard boiled eggs. For this inspired vegan version, we’ll be using…