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Category: Sides

  • Vegan Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

    Vegan Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

    This is a tasty vegan creamy Italian pasta salad recipe with homemade croutons, fresh basil, juicy tomatoes, pickled red onion, and a dynamite cashew-based dressing. It answers the question, “What if panzanella was a rich plant based pasta salad?” And I hope you’ll also come to the conclusion that it’s a nice blend of Italian…

  • Cucumber Cabbage Slaw with Thai Basil, Sriracha and Lime

    Cucumber Cabbage Slaw with Thai Basil, Sriracha and Lime

    Popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, Thai basil is sweet, and smells and tastes a bit like licorice. When I added it to this Thai-inspired vegan cucumber cabbage slaw recipe, the flavors suddenly jumped from “nice” to “on point”. Overall, the salad is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour and heat. And the Thai basil…

  • Quinoa Salad with Basil, Berries and Butternut Squash

    Quinoa Salad with Basil, Berries and Butternut Squash

    Recently, I finished reading Finding Ultra by Rich Roll. The book focuses on how he became dependent on alcohol, found his way to sober, and turned to whole foods veganism and ultra endurance sports to change his life. At the very end, Rich provides some of his favorite recipes. This recipe for vegan quinoa salad…

  • Vegan Potato Rolls

    Vegan Potato Rolls

    This is an easy vegan potato rolls recipe with all-purpose flour, turbinado sugar, dry active yeast, vegetable shortening and more. They’re moist, slightly sweet, and buttery. The smell as they bake in the oven… wow. And they’d make a great edition to your dinner table or holiday spread (Easter, Thanksgiving and more). This recipe makes…

  • Chickpea Pizza Salad with Marinated Mushrooms and Black Olives

    Chickpea Pizza Salad with Marinated Mushrooms and Black Olives

    This vegan chickpea pizza salad recipe has it all—marinated mushrooms, black olives, pepperoncini, chopped tomatoes, herbs and spices. It’s everything I love about a good veggie slice, but sans crust. You can enjoy it any time of year. It holds up well, which makes it a terrific candidate for packed lunches and picnics. And it…

  • Almond Apricot Muffins

    Almond Apricot Muffins

    This is an easy vegan almond apricot muffins recipe with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, quick oats and more. I like that it uses dried fruit, because it transcends seasonality. You can enjoy them any time 💚 This recipe makes ~12 muffins. A few things… Discover other UVK recipes, like Vegan California Benedict with Portobello Mushroom, Lemon…

  • Wintry Three Bean Salad

    Wintry Three Bean Salad

    After the holidays, I find myself on the prowl for something less rich to eat. I just know that I’ve eaten a lot of X, so now, I’m in the mood for Y. And that’s where this wintry vegan recipe for three bean salad with green beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, fennel seed, thyme, citrus juice,…

  • Orangy Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Pears and Pumpkin Seeds

    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,…

  • Vegan Shopska Salad

    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.…

  • Vegan Granola Bars

    Vegan Granola Bars

    If you love vanilla chai, this homemade no bake vegan granola bars recipe with maple syrup, almond butter, crispy rice cereal, 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…

  • Roasted Baby Carrots with Leeks, Lemon Zest and Parsley

    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…

  • Stuffed Turnips

    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…

  • Vegan Soba Noodle Salad

    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…

  • Vegan Roasted Buckwheat Mushroom Patties

    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.…

  • Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad

    Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad

    This is an easy recipe for vegan arugula and 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 butternut squash salad recipe makes ~6-8 servings. It’s a great addition to…

  • Roasted Fennel and Beets

    Roasted Fennel and Beets

    Whether you enjoy this as a warm side dish or as a cold salad, this is a flavorful, easy vegan roasted fennel and beets recipe with sherry vinegar, orange juice and zest, walnuts and dried cranberries. It’s great for the fall, winter, holidays and more. This recipe makes ~4 servings. A few things… Discover more…

  • Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

    Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

    On July 4th, 1924, Caesar Cardini found himself with a slammed restaurant and a limited pantry. And in that moment, he chose to innovate and create the “Caesar Salad”. Inspired by this classic salad, this recipe for vegan kale Caesar salad has croutons, crispy tempeh bacon, crunchy romaine lettuce, a delicious homemade cashew dressing, and…

  • Sweet Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Bulgur

    Sweet Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Bulgur

    This is an easy recipe for vegan sweet corn salad with tomatoes, fresh basil and bulgur. The flavor is bursting with summer’s bounty! It’s one fresh, tasty corn and bulgur salad that’s perfect for lunch or as a side dish. It’s super simple to make. You boil some water and add it to the bulgur.…

  • Grape Cucumber Couscous Salad

    Grape Cucumber Couscous Salad

    With flavors inspired by Spanish white gazpacho, this easy vegan grape cucumber couscous pasta salad recipe is simple and refreshing. It’s got nice texture and flavor. The toasted walnuts add a satisfying crunch, but also work really well with the sherry vinegar. The green grapes, cucumbers and herbs make it taste very fresh. And the…

  • Savory Vegan Bread Pudding with Leeks and Rainbow Chard

    Savory Vegan Bread Pudding with Leeks and Rainbow Chard

    Is bread pudding a side dish or a main course? Is it a casserole for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Basically, it is all of these things! I’ve eaten this savory vegan bread pudding recipe with leeks and rainbow chard for breakfast and enjoyed it with a salad for dinner. It would make a great addition…

  • Asparagus Potato Salad with Fresh Dill and Horseradish

    Asparagus Potato Salad with Fresh Dill and Horseradish

    This easy recipe for vegan asparagus potato salad with fresh dill was an excuse to use horseradish. I love sneaking it into soup or a veggie burger recipe. And as I considered what to make for April, I thought, “Let’s make potato salad with horseradish!” Horseradish and fresh dill taste awesome with potatoes and asparagus.…

  • Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

    Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

    Often, I write down recipe ideas, and come back to them later. This month felt like a good time to circle back and look for inspiration. And there within all the scribbled notes was this little gem. What could be more delightful than an easy vegan recipe for strawberry spinach pasta salad with poppy seed…

  • Beet Risotto

    Beet Risotto

    This vegan beet risotto recipe is a delightful blend of elements of Slavic borscht and Italian risotto. It’s flavorful and delicious. And while beauty is never a high priority, I cannot deny how lovely magenta vegan beetroot risotto looks! As I’ve mentioned in other vegan risotto recipes, making risotto takes time and vigilance. It’s not…

  • Green Bean and Radish Salad

    Green Bean and Radish Salad

    This is an easy vegan green bean and radish salad recipe with barley, pistachios, and a very tasty orange-mint vinaigrette. Between the chewy grains, crisp veggies, and crunchy roasted nuts, there’s a lot of nice things happening with the texture. It instantly asserts itself as a spring salad. It’s light, and yet, filling and satisfying.…