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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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Vegan Cucumber Mint Sandwiches
Inspired by Thai flavors, this is an easy recipe for vegan cucumber mint sandwiches with almond butter, cilantro, jalapeño slices and pickled red onion. It hits all the right notes–salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy. And it takes very little effort to make, which couldn’t be more fitting for summer. At Chez UVK, I often…
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Cold Mango Soup
One of my favorite summer treats is cold fruit sprinkled with Tajín. For a person, who hardly tolerates fruit, the chili pepper, lime and salt seasoning is a game changer. I actually look forward to it! So, with this in mind, I created a refreshing vegan cold mango soup recipe with pineapple, cucumber, red bell…
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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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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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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…
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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…
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Sriracha Tofu Salad
This is a delicious, easy vegan sriracha tofu salad recipe has a lot of versatility! For a protein-packed meal, enjoy it solo. Or fill a tortilla with it with additional cucumber slices and fresh cilantro to make a tasty sriracha tofu wrap. Maybe add some cold orzo pasta? And enjoy a Thai-inspired tofu orzo salad.…
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Avocado Cucumber Carrot Sushi with Sweet Chili Sauce
This recipe for vegan (or vegetarian) avocado cucumber carrot sushi rolls with sweet chili sauce is the perfect summer meal. It’s flavorful, refreshing, crunchy and loaded with a sweet garlicky sauce. It uses one of my favorite condiments, Mae Ploy Sweet Chilli Sauce, which you can find all over the U.S. at major grocery stores.…
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Gazpacho
Is gazpacho vegan? Usually. Traditionally, the Spanish cold soup is vegan, but sometimes, it’s garnished with meat. And other times, the preparation uses ingredients that are not vegan. When in doubt, find out or better yet, make your own! And this vegan tomato gazpacho recipe couldn’t be easier. Like many modern gazpacho recipes, you add…
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Refrigerator Dill Pickles
In the summer, my cousins and I would play outside all day. Periodically, we’d sneak into the refrigerator in the garage and eat icebox dill pickles. It’s one of my fondest childhood memories. And I still love dill pickles. For years, I wasted my money buying them at the store. But these days, I like…
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Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
Is tzatziki vegan? Unfortunately, one of the main ingredients in the popular Greek sauce is yogurt. So no, it is not vegan. Fortunately, this Greek-inspired vegan tzatziki sauce recipe uses either vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt. It does a great job filling the void. It’s super easy to make. You chop some cucumber and…
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Za’atar Chickpea Pita
This is one simple vegan chickpea pita recipe. You’ll have to mix the ingredients for the za’atar chickpeas the night before, because they need time to marinate. Other than the marinating time, this recipe is quick and easy. No air fryer for the marinated chickpeas? No worries. Below are two alternatives for preparing the chickpeas…
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Cucumber Cantaloupe Salad
Light and refreshing, this is the perfect cucumber cantaloupe salad recipe for warm days. Fresh cantaloupe, crisp cucumber, mint, lemon, and rich macadamia nuts, it’s the perfect cookout side or works well as a cooling side dish on a lazy, hot evenings. The best parts… the way mint works with cantaloupe, the refreshing cucumber mingling…
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Lemon Tahini Kale Salad with Toasted Pita
Inspired by Levantine fattoush, this vegan lemon tahini kale salad recipe has crispy, toasted pita bread, a homemade dressing, crunchy cucumbers, radishes and red bell pepper and more. It’s light and refreshing, but hearty at the same time. This kale and pita bread salad makes ~4-6 dinner salads or 2 large dinner salads. It is…