This is that something warm and cozy.

My last name ends in a vowel, and thus…I love pasta. And I love how easy it is to make a truly excellent bowl of pasta at home.

You really just need good ingredients, time, and the dedication to do it right. You don’t need any special equipment or techniques to still make something that tastes like it was made with them.

That was the exact vibe I got from this vegetarian “meat” sauce my dad made for me last year. We had lasagna for Thanksgiving or Christmas last year, and he made me my own personal lasagna with this sauce.

Of course, my “personal” lasagna was huge and fed me for a good week, but the leftover sauce was my favorite part.

It was so rich, perfectly chewy, and weirdly very meaty? Even though it was made with only vegetables? It was incredible.

My dad is a great cook, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised. But he really hit it out of the park with this one.

My mind was blown, so I asked him to write down the recipe, and I’m finally publishing the recipe for you all so that your minds are blown too.

The idea of a “Sunday Sauce” comes from the fact that it’s cooked low and slow on the stove over a few hours. So just know that going in; you won’t be eating this sauce in 20 minutes. Instead, it’s a great weekend (Sunday) meal! And it freezes beautifully, so make it once and have it for meals whenever.

To make the recipe, you’ll start where all cozy stuff starts: a soffritto––a mixture of carrot, onion, and celery.

Well…sorta.

I don’t do celery. Never have, never will. The smell, flavor, texture, and pure essence of the thing just totally freaks me out, so I’ll never ever buy it (and therefore never cook with it). So my soffritto is just onion and carrot.

That said, if you don’t think celery is evil, feel free to add some and cut down on the other two. I won’t judge (too much).

The “meatiness” in this sauce comes from mushrooms…but in a few ways! We’ll rehydrate some dried mushrooms, chop them up nice and fine, and add them (along with some of their soaking liquid!) to the sauce. It gives a wonderful umami kick to the final sauce that you just can’t get from fresh ‘shrooms. They also lend a delightful chewiness that isn’t unlike the chew you experience when eating a traditional bolognese.

That said, you’ll also need some fresh mushrooms, as they make up the bulk of the sauce. Baby bella and/or white buttons work great (I used both!).

Your usual cast of characters are the final ingredients needed to make this an actual sauce: whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (spring for the San Marzanos!), tomato sauce/passata, white wine, garlic, and time.

Cooking this sauce over the course of an hour or two really helps the flavors develop and the texture to become more meaty. You’ll also immersion blend the sauce a bit to make it a bit more bolognese-y versus chunks of vegetables in tomato sauce-y.

I love recipes like this because it’s very much a low-effort, high-reward sort of recipe. A few key ingredients + time really do result in a sauce that’s rich, has a nice bite, and is perfect with your pasta of choice and a big ol’ slice of crusty bread and/or focaccia.

Grab yourself a glass of something fun and dive on in.

Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese)

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Look no further! This is an excellently meaty vegetarian/vegan pasta sauce! It cooks low and slow for a few hours, so it’s a great weekend recipe.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 120 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: ~5-6 cups
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried mixed mushrooms (I used porcini and oyster), retain 1 cup of the soaking liquid
• 16–18 ounces baby bella and/or white button mushrooms, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 3/4 cup carrot (I used baby!), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (and a glass for you, if ya fancy)
• 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 14 ounces (or more, if you want it extra saucy!) tomato sauce/passata
• To serve: 1 pound pasta (cooked), focaccia, vegan parmesan, fresh parsley, and another glass of wine

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Instructions

1. Quickly rinse your dried mushrooms, then place in a heat-safe bowl and pour 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water on top. The mushrooms should be completely covered by the water. Let them rehydrate in the hot water for 10 – 15 minutes, then carefully remove and mince. Save 1 cup of soaking liquid. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
2. In a dry pot over medium heat, cook the fresh mushrooms until the water evaporates and light searing starts. Carefully remove the mushrooms and set aside. 
3. Add olive oil and sauté the carrot, onion, and garlic with a pinch of kosher salt until soft, but not browning. 
4. Add the cooked, fresh mushroom to the pot and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Mix to combine.
5. Add the wine, mix, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits.
6. Add the minced rehydrated mushrooms and 1 cup of their soaking liquid. 
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the San Marzanos and their liquid, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. 
8. Cook uncovered until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce is more sauce-y, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 1-2 hours. 
10. Add tomato sauce and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
11. Use an immersion blender to make the sauce as chunky / smooth as desired. 
12. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta and other toppings/sides like vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

This recipe freezes well! When cooled to room temperature, transfer sauce into air-tight containers and place in the freezer. Then place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and heat before serving. Yum!

The post Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese) appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Veggies are grand.

But both are better when bread is at hand.

I love bread. I was actually talking to a friend the other day and said, “You know, I’ve never been sad eating good bread.”

And it’s true. Eating good bread is one of the very best eating experiences I could think of.

And I love bread in all forms––as pizza, as the base to sandwiches, and yes, even as the star of a salad.

Panzanella, aka bread salad, is one of those dishes that’s so quick, incredibly simple, and effortlessly satisfying.

I’m not lying: the amount of pure, unadulterated enjoyment panzanella gives me far outweighs the effort it takes to actually make it myself.

And I never, ever make it.

But…I went out to dinner with a friend a few nights ago, and we split a panzanella. It was very similar to the one you see here––filled to the brim with fresh summer veggies and packed with big, chunky bread cubes.

I immediately deemed that bowl of slightly-soggy (in the best way) bread, veggies, and dressing my happy place, so I knew I needed to make my own version asap.

So I went to the market, grabbed some beautiful tomatoes and fresh bread, and went to work.

Panzanella is definitely one of those “choose your own adventure” kind of dishes; it can be as simple or complex as you want. But I went relatively simple with mine, allowing the flavors of the season to really shine:

• Big chunks of fresh tomato, because nothing is better in the summer.
• Thinly-sliced cucumber for some crunch.
• Corn kernels for a beautiful pop of sweetness.
• Wafer-thin slices of shallot, for some bite.
• Mixed, chopped olives for a lil briney moment.
• Crisp, cubed chunks of good, stale, and/or toasted bread.
• Fresh basil, because summer.
• And a quick and easy vinaigrette to finish everything out.

And while all of these ingredients are great on their own, they really shine together. The stale/toasted bread soaks up all of the juices from the tomato and dressing like the perfect carb sponge that it is. It becomes nice and chewy, and all of the veg gives you a different experience each and every bite.

It’s extremely simple, but I swear: the joy this dish gave me far outweighs most other dishes I’ve eaten in recent memory. It’s just all about celebrating those special flavors, textures, and aromas of summer.

And as a self-proclaimed summer-hater, this panzanella has me second-guessing my distain for all-things hot, humid, and hazy.

Since I’m cooking for one, I kind of assumed I’d have leftovers, but no, the recipe, as written, is the exact right amount for a single serving.

That said, it’s easily scalable, so feel free to impress all of your friends, families, and loved ones with your panzanelling. It really is the best way to use up that end-of-summer produce!

Easy Summer Panzanella

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5 from 3 reviews

A quick, easy way to use up that summer produce: panzanella! Add some white beans to make it more of a meal, or keep it as light summer salad.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 large serving
• Category: Salad
• Method: Mix
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

SALAD:

• 2 thick slices good bread, cut into bite-sized cubes*
• 1/4 cup corn kernels (I used thawed frozen, but fresh steamed or canned works too)
• 1 large tomato, cut into large chunks
• 1/4 English cucumber, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 small shallot, cut into thin slices
• small handful pitted kalamata and/or green olives, chopped
• a few leaves of basil, torn into chunks

DRESSING:

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• pinch salt and pepper
• small squeeze of agave or honey
• pinch of granulated garlic
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional, for some heat)

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Instructions

1. If your bread is dry and stale, great! It’s ready for panzanella. I ended up toasting mine by cutting it into cubes and toasting it in my toaster oven (dry, with no oil) at 375 degrees F for 2-4 minutes. It got a little color (see photos), and it was dried most of the way through.
2. Combine all of your other salad ingredients (including your stale/toasted bread) in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl or jar, combine your dressing ingredients. Shake/stir well to combine.
4. Pour your dressing over your salad ingredients, and mix well to coat all of the ingredients. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary (I always love a few extra cranks of black pepper).
5. Eat immediately!

Notes

*Use your favorite kind of good bread. A sourdough would be great. My market didn’t have a good sourdough, so I ended up with an “Everything Bagel-style loaf.” It was good! If you like the bread, it’s a good bread for panzanella.

**I used the olive oil my olives were marinading in for a little extra flavor! Regular extra-virgin olive oil works great, too.

The post Easy Summer Panzanella appeared first on Fooduzzi.

And let me tell you why:

1. It is SO quick. It can be as quick as it takes to cook your pasta.
2. It requires minimal ingredients.
3. It can be packed with plant-based protein, which keeps ya full for longer.
4. It’s really so good and comforting. Who doesn’t love a creamy pasta dish?!

My love affair is going strong with this one, my friend. Excited for you to try it!

I use hummus in… everything. It’s a great, creamy, protein-packed, and convenient base to a lot of different things like:

• Toast
• Slaw
• Flatbreads
• Dressing
• Wraps

And… pasta sauce. I’ve used hummus as a pasta sauce a few times here on the blog, but this combination is my fave. Roasted red pepper hummus, some red pepper flakes, a bit of lemon zest if you’re feelin’ it, and your favorite assortment of veggies. Easy, delicious, and just extremely quick for when you’re in a pinch at dinnertime.

Now, when I make pasta for myself, I’m eating some sort of bean pasta (aka one made with chickpeas or lentils) 95% of the time.

While no bean pasta can hold a candle to traditional, bronze dye cut wheat pasta, I love using it because of the extra protein it can bring to the final dish. I used Banza’s Cavatappi in this recipe, but I also love the bean pasta from Aldi and Trader Joe’s. Lots of stores have options these days!

With the addition of hummus as our sauce, we’re really maximizing the amount of plant-based protein in this recipe!

You can choose your favorite vegetables to add to this dish –– I love the best sautéed mushrooms (of course), but zucchini is another fave of mine.

To speed this recipe up even more, you can use a frozen vegetable like broccoli, peas, or corn! Or a combination. The world is your (vegan) oyster. I always recommend throwing a little garlic in there too because what is pasta if not a vehicle for copious amounts of garlic?

Quick, simple, tasty, and filling –– what more could you want out of a weeknight-friendly meal?!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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A creamy, easy, and weeknight-friendly pasta dish packed with plant-based protein! I truly make this every single week.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• sautéed mushrooms
• 8 ounces pasta (I use chickpea pasta)
• 10 ounces roasted red pepper hummus*
• up to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes**
• zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• ~1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• salt + pepper
• Vegan Parmesan and fresh parsley, for topping

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Instructions

1. Start cooking your sautéed mushrooms in a large enough skillet to fit your pasta into once it is cooked. You’ll build the sauce and dish in this skillet!
2. A few minutes after starting your mushrooms, start cooking your pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce.
3. When the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the hummus, red pepper flakes, and optional lemon zest to the skillet over low heat.
4. Slowly add your reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce, then toss your cooked pasta into the sauce. 
5. Carefully taste, and season with salt or pepper if needed –– I really like an extra crank of black pepper with creamy pasta sauces like this!
6. Top with vegan parmesan and parsley and enjoy!

Notes

* It should go without saying, but be sure to use a hummus you like the flavor of. For example, I don’t love the flavor of Sabra, so I don’t use it here. I actually really enjoy Aldi’s Park Street Deli Roasted Red Pepper Hummus in this dish!

** This amount makes this dish spicy. If you’re sensitive to heat or nervous about the amount, start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase if desired.

The post Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta appeared first on Fooduzzi.

I actually crave these when it gets close to dinnertime. And I made these for my parents a few weeks ago, and they both were like, “These are really good mushrooms.”

So yeah, I think they’ve earned the right of being called “the best.”

The technique for this recipe comes from none other than Dan Souza from America’s Test Kitchen. Have you watched the What’s Eating Dan? series on YouTube? It’s so good.

He kind of reminds me of Alton Brown in the way he approaches cooking. It’s a great series, but his mushroom video in particular is fascinating.

Mushrooms are such a weird, cool, versatile, and delicious ingredient to cook with, and in his video, he talks about why it’s impossible to overcook them (it has to do with the substance in mushroom cell walls called chitin, which is very heat-stable).

That said, I think it’s easy to cook them in the wrong way.

They can be slimy or overly oily and just… not very pleasant to eat.

But! When you know how to cook them right, it’s magic. These sautéed mushrooms are so chewy and meaty and actually kind of sweet thanks to this brilliant cooking method..

I guarantee you this cooking method will change the way you approach sautéing mushrooms from now on. And luckily, it’s very simple:

Step 1: Clean and slice your mushrooms. Add them to a skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of water.

Yes, water!

If you’ve ever sautéd mushrooms and cooked them in oil, you’ll know that they really love to suck up that oil. You’ve probably added more and more oil to the pan as the mushrooms cooked because the pan looked dry and your mushrooms start to stick.

Well by starting the cooking process with water, we allow the mushrooms to cook and release their water (which they have a lot of!) before adding a little oil to get them nice and caramelized.

Also, cleaning mushrooms is one of my least-favorite kitchen tasks, but this method has worked well for me:

I stick them in my salad spinner whole, fill it with water, and just spin the mushrooms in the water so that the dirt is gently removed. Then I take the strainer basket out, pour out the water, and spot-clean the shrooms as necessary. Then slice!

Step 2: Let the mushrooms to cook, stirring frequently, until all of the water has evaporated.

You’ll sauté the mushrooms until there’s no more visible liquid at the bottom of your pan and the sizzling sounds “dry.” Your mushroom slices will also shrink through this process since they release a lot of their own water while cooking.

If it looks like the mushrooms have stopped shrinking and there’s still a lot of water in the bottom of the pan, you can carefully tip some of the water out and discard. I ended up doing that with this batch.

Once the sizzling sounds dry, you can go ahead and add your oil and toss the mushrooms to coat. You’ll add salt and pepper to season here as well.

Step 3: Spread your mushrooms in an even layer in your pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes.

Adding the oil at this stage (and not before) helps the mushrooms caramelize and become beautifully chewy –– almost meaty! You’ll notice that the mushrooms brown quickly, so after you wait for a minute or two, toss again, spread into another even layer, and continue this process until the mushrooms are almost browned to your liking.

Step 4: Optionally, add more flavor!

I feel like sautéd mushrooms scream for some minced garlic, so that’s what I added here. I like adding the garlic 2-3 minutes before the mushrooms are done to make sure it doesn’t burn.

I also added some fresh parsley once I took the mushrooms off of the heat, but fresh thyme is excellent here as well.

And that’s that! It definitely takes a bit of time, but it is so worth it. I really love using these mushrooms on pizza or pasta, and there may just be a new creamy vegan pasta recipe using these on the horizon here on Fooduzzi very very soon. 😉

The Best Sautéed Mushrooms

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4 from 2 reviews

My very favorite way to cook mushrooms! I love these sautéed mushrooms on pizzas and in pasta dishes, but they’re great as a stand-alone side!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2-3 servings
• Category: Side
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 16 ounces mushrooms*, cleaned and sliced
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons high-heat oil (like avocado)
• pinch salt
• 3–4 cranks of freshly-cracked black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add your mushrooms and water, and cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated and the mushrooms have released their water and shrunk in size. The sizzling will start to sound dry, and you’ll no longer see any bubbling. This can take 6-10 minutes. If you find that your mushrooms have stopped shrinking but there’s still a lot of water in the pan, feel free to carefully tip some of the extra water out and discard.
2. Once no more (or very little) water remains in the pan, add your oil, salt, and pepper. Toss your mushrooms to coat.
3. Spread your mushrooms in an even layer in your pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes.
4. You’ll notice that the mushrooms brown quickly at this stage. Toss again, spread into another even layer, and continue this process until the mushrooms are almost browned to your liking. For me, this took 8-10 minutes.
5. 2-3 minutes before your mushrooms are done, add your minced garlic. Continue cooking and tossing until your mushrooms are caramelized and browned to your liking. You can’t really overcook these, so do what feels best! I love a deep golden color.
6. Add your herbs off the heat, toss and serve. Feel free to adjust any seasoning at this stage as well. I like mine with extra black pepper.

Notes

*I used plain ol’ white button mushrooms here, but baby bellas work great too. And as you can see in Dan’s video, any kind of mushroom is really a-okay!

The post The Best Sautéed Mushrooms appeared first on Fooduzzi.

If you’re a sweet potato fan, you must put this recipe on your to-make list this season.

I always have a couple of sweet potatoes in my pantry. Always. They’re one of my favorite starchy meal add-ins, and I especially love them when they’re roasted.

They have such an incredible natural sweetness that’s accentuated when roasted slow in the oven.

And now that the temperatures are dipping (finally!), it’s time for my oven to do some heavy-lifting in the meal department.

While this recipe offers the coziest of vibes, it’s extremely simple and straightforward.

You’ll tossed some cubed sweet potatoes with maple syrup, oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. The potatoes never get too sweet, even with the addition of maple syrup, because the small amount of apple cider vinegar is there to tame the flavors a bit. Then you’ll simply roast the potatoes, covered, at 400 degrees F.

I like popping the top off for the last five minutes of roasting to develop some extra caramelization and flavor, but it should take about 30 minutes for your potato cubes to become soft and tender.

And since they’re nice and soft after roasting, I like to top them with something crunchy. Enter: granola!

I’ve been having a true moment with granola, and I love the crisp, nutty bite it gives this final dish! I used a maple-flavored version, but a cinnamon one would be great as well. Anything with seeds and/or nuts is a plus because they bring even more texture to the party.

And that’s that! A very simple, highly delicious side dish for your this-time-of-year needs.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

Vegan Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Granola

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An easy Thanksgiving side dish that’s totally vegan and only requires 7 ingredients! Full of texture, not too sweet, and a big crowd-pleaser.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Roast
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ~1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• salt + pepper, to taste
• a few handfuls of granola (maple-flavored or otherwise!)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine your sweet potatoes, maple syrup, oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix to coat, then dump all of the contents onto your prepared baking sheet, spreading into an even layer.
3. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, then bake for 15 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the potatoes from the oven, uncover, and toss with a spatula.
5. Return to an even layer, cover, and bake again for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove the cover and bake for another 5 minutes, or until done to your liking. At this point, your potatoes should be soft and slightly caramelized. The maple syrup burns quickly when the potatoes are uncovered, be vigilant!
7. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, and scoop your potatoes (and any liquid) into your serving plate/platter/bowl. Top with lots of granola, and serve with additional granola on the side!

Notes

Adapted from Eating Well.

The post Vegan Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Granola appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Just because you don’t eat meat / are vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a BLT this summer.

And yes, I guess by definition, you can’t enjoy a traditional BLT because the B in a BLT stands for bacon and bacon is decidedly not vegan.

But if we rethink our definition of bacon… stick with me… then just maybe we can BLT just like our omnivore friends.

Today, we are entering the world of coconut bacon.

Stay! I promise it’s good. In fact, it’s SO good. I’ve been using the leftovers all week on… everything.

Coconut bacon is kind of crazy because the texture is just… very bacony. It’s crisp, kind of chewy, nice and fatty, and actually really flavorful (think: salty, smoky, and sweet) if you do it right.

And you know we like to do it right here at Fooduzzi.

A lot of the coconut bacon recipes I’ve seen (and tried) have called for a little ingredient called liquid smoke, but I do not like it. Feel free to try it here if you so desire, but I really don’t like the artificial smoke flavor. I feel like we get enough of the smokiness from the use of smoked paprika, an ingredient I always have because I love it on roasted sweet potatoes, so that’s our only “smoke source” here.

I also see a lot of coconut bacon recipes getting roasted. And like… I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to turn on my oven when it’s 90 degrees outside. So I decided to see if I could make my coconut bacon on the stove, and it worked great! Just make sure to keep:

1. The pieces moving constantly
2. An eye on the bacon at all times because it burns quick
3. The heat in the medium-low range so things don’t get too crispy too quick

Of course, we’ve got our other normal BLT ingredients here –– crisp iceberg lettuce, fresh salt + pepper tomatoes, creamy vegan mayo, and golden fried bread. You can’t mess with a classic too much, right?

So good. So summery. So easy.

Enjoy, friend!

Easy Vegan BLT

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A super easy vegan spin on the classic summer sandwich: the BLT! It comes together in just minutes, and you’ll have extra vegan bacon for more vegan BLTs all week long!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 sandwich
• Category: Sandwich
• Method: Pan Fry
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

VEGAN COCONUT BACON:

• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like grapeseed)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut chips

FOR EACH SANDWICH:

• 1/2 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1/2 tablespoon vegan butter (or more oil)
• 2 slices of bread (I used sourdough)
• vegan mayo
• iceberg lettuce, shredded or separated into leaves
• sliced tomato, salt and peppered

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Instructions

1. COCONUT BACON: In a medium bowl, combine your soy sauce, oil, maple syrup, tomato paste, and smoked paprika. Whisk to combine.
2. Add your coconut chips and toss to coat completely. Allow to marinade for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a large plate or cookie pan with paper towels.
3. Heat a large pan over medium-low heat. Working in two batches, scoop out some of the coconut bacon and add it to your pan, leaving any additional liquid in the bowl to discard.
4. Cook your bacon, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until golden. If certain pieces start to get darker than others, you can use tongs to remove them and place them on your paper towel-lined plate. Try to keep the pieces of coconut separated as they cook. They’ll crisp further as they cool.
5. Repeat with your second batch of coconut bacon, leaving any excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl to discard.
6. In a separate large pan, heat your oil and vegan butter over medium heat. When melted and your pan is hot, add your bread, and toast until deeply golden, about 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
7. ASSEMBLE: Liberally spread both of the non-toasted sides of your bread with vegan mayo. Add your lettuce, tomato, and a large handful (or two!) of your coconut bacon. Top with your other mayo-spread piece of bread and enjoy!

The post Easy Vegan BLT appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Leave. Lettuce. Alone.

• If you’ve ever had a bag of slimy, brown lettuce in your fridge, this recipe is for you.
• If you’re sick and tired of throwing away unused lettuce week after week, this recipe is for you.
• If you’ve ever ate a salad and thought, “Wow, the lettuce is adding nothing to this dish, and if it wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t miss it,” this recipe is for you.

Essentially, we’re taking everything good about a salad and leaving out the not-so-good (aka the lettuce).

Why? Because of all of those reasons up there. ☝️ And also because it’s probably my least-favorite part of any salad.

I’m never like “OH YES ROMAINE TONIGHT!” Or like “Mixed greens?! Yes please!” Or even like “Kale? HECK YES.”

I just… don’t love lettuce.

But I do love veggies. And that’s how the “Just the Toppings Salad” was born.

Is it weird to eat a salad that is just toppings? Perhaps.

Should that stop you? No. Especially if you’ve fallen victim to the high hopes of working your way through a bag of lettuce in a week only to find it in a very different color in a deep, dark corner of your refrigerator the following week.

I definitely don’t know what that’s like. Definitely not.

Groceries are just too dang expensive right now to allow for that. At least in my opinion.

That’s why I’ve been making a version of this salad every day for lunch for about a month. It’s everything I love about a salad, and find that I’m eating more veggies this way because I’m not at the mercy of the lowly bag of lettuce anymore.

I am FREE. And you can be free too, my friend.

I realize this has been a chaotic and silly little post about a lettuceless salad, but it really is very good.

And of course, the beauty of this salad lies in whatever ingredients you have on-hand. I always have a mix of veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, carrots, and olives, but anything you love in a regular salad will work.

I also am just so incredibly into roasted, salted sunflower seeds on my salads right now, so those are not optional. Unless you don’t like them. In that case, you do you.

Add some chickpeas for protein and toast up some bread on the side, and what do ya know! A tasty, veg-filled salad with nary a lettuce leaf in sight.

Out with the food waste, in with yummy, lettuceless salads. Yes, please.

“Just the Toppings” Salad

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Yep, you’re looking at a salad without lettuce. And if you’ve thrown away your last bag of slimy, brown lettuce, this recipe is for you!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 salad
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Chop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

YOUR FAVORITE SALAD INGREDIENTS LIKE:

• 5 baby carrots, sliced thin into circles
• 1/4 an english cucumber, sliced thin into circles
• 6–8 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 green onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup chickpeas from a can
• a handful of marinated olives
• 2–4 tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• salt + pepper
• Everyday Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette (or your favorite dressing!)

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Instructions

1. Cut up all of your ingredients and place them in a bowl.
2. Toss with your dressing and enjoy!

Notes

I think a nice Mediterranean spin on this recipe would be fab by using marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, and maybe even some vegan feta… YUM.

The post “Just the Toppings” Salad appeared first on Fooduzzi.

I am very pro-taco, and these tacos were born from my slight disappointment over some vegan tacos I’ve had out at restaurants recently.

When I get vegan tacos at a restaurant, they seem to be soft and soggy a lot of the time. No texture whatsoever. Just a bunch of mushy ingredients (albeit delicious mushy ingredients) in a soft tortilla.

Most recently, I had some potato tacos and some nopales (cactus) tacos, both of which were filled with ingredients like cooked onions, pickled jalapeños, and stewed tomatoes. Although they both tasted just fine, I felt like the texture was lacking that all-important crunch.

So! I decided to play around in the kitchen. And many overstuffed tacos later, we have the taco situation that makes my heart sing.

And I know: at first glance, it doesn’t really look like there’s anything all that crunchy on this taco.

But my friend, that’s where that vegan creamy slaw comes in!

We’re using it as an ingredient versus just as a topping. And it goes into the tortilla first to give us something fresh, crisp, and zingy to bite into in the middle of the tortilla.

It’s such a simple thing, but it makes all the difference! Instead of having just a little slaw moment with all of your other toppings, it’s the star of the show, the belle of the ball, bringing you a fresh, crisp-chewiness that is just so delectable.

For the slaw, you’ll need vinegar, oil, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and hummus (which makes it creamy!). Then top that slaw-filled tortilla with some savory stewed black beans, salsa, hot sauce, onion, jalapeño, tomato, peppers, cilantro, or whatever you fancy.

You could say I was slightly hungry when I was shopping for ingredients for these tacos, so I grabbed pretty much every topping I could think of. That said, it’s a very customizable recipe, so use what you have/like!

Don’t knock the whole slaw-first-in-a-taco situation until you try it! In a blind side-by-side taste test, my taste tester (me) preferred the slaw-first method 100% of the time.

And I just don’t know how you can argue with that logic.

Black Bean Tacos with Vegan Creamy Slaw

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My go-to taco recipe these days! This recipe is super simple to make, but it really packs a punch thanks to the crunchy slaw and spiced, stewed black beans!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 5-6 tacos
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: Mexican-American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

VEGAN CREAMY SLAW:

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons hummus
• 1/2 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
• pinch sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 oz finely shredded cabbage

EASY STEWED BLACK BEANS:

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15-oz can black beans (with the liquid from the can)*
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE TACOS:

• tortillas (corn, flour, or your fave)
• salsa
• hot sauce
• onion (green or white)
• cilantro
• thinly-sliced peppers
• chopped tomatoes
• jalapeños
• lime
• or your favorite taco toppers!

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Instructions

1. SLAW: In a medium bowl, whisk your hummus, oil, apple cider vinegar, granulated garlic, sugar, and salt/pepper. Once combined, add your cabbage and toss to coat. Set in the fridge until ready to use.
2. BEANS: In a large skillet over medium heat, add your oil and onion. Season with a small pinch of salt and cook until mostly translucent, stirring frequently (2-3 minutes).
3. Add your garlic, and cook for another minute or so, or until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
4. Add your beans (liquid and all!), and stir to combine. Add your chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and smoked paprika, and continue to cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has absorbed but the beans still look saucy, 5-8 minutes. If you run a spoon through the beans, it should leave a trail that closes in about 2 seconds –– see the photo in the post for a visual!
5. Add your cilantro and carefully taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Because our slaw is so zippy and punchy, I didn’t add any acid to these beans, but feel free to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten this mixture up!
6. ASSEMBLE: Warm/char your tortillas as desired (I charred mine over my gas burner). Add a large scoop of the creamy slaw into the center of your tortilla. Then add some black beans and your desired toppings!

Notes

*All cans of black beans are seasoned differently, so the salt level of the beans will be fully dependent on that! Use a reduced sodium can of beans if you’re worried about it. I used the blue can from Trader Joe’s.

The post Black Bean Tacos with Vegan Creamy Slaw appeared first on Fooduzzi.

And I know. This is definitely one of those websites where we say things like “obsession” and “SO GOOD” and “omg wowwww” quite a bit.

But like, truly. This grain bowl? Ob-sessed.

And I know. It’s silly to be obsessed with a grain bowl. It’s just a bunch of veggies, a grain, and some dressing.

But man do I look forward to it every day when I’m eating it for lunch during work. And I thank my lucky stars I was feeling motivated enough the Sunday before to make a big batch to feed me quick, nutritious, delicious lunches all week long.

Do you farro? It’s a revelation for me. So much better than quinoa (IMO!) and just a lil more fancy than rice. It’s so chewy, so toothsome, and just really great in a salad like this. It’s a whole grain wheat, so it’s not gluten free, but it is oh-so very delicious.

As for the veggies/additions in this salad, my faves are:

• Cucumber because I love that crunch
• Red pepper again for crunch (and sometimes I go roasted red pepper if I’m feelin’ extra fancy)
• Chickpeas for their creamy proteinness
• Shallot sliced real thin (or green onion… just something with a lil bite)
• Kalamata olives for something tangy and fun (omit if you’re not an olive person, but feel free to double the amount if you’re an olive fiend like me!)
• Grape tomatoes because you can find good ones pretty much any time of year

Feel free to pick and choose your Ultimate Veggie and Topping Lineup here, but those right there are my go-to.

As for dressing? I like this Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette. Nay. I love this Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette. And I sometimes make it extra thick by adding a bit more hummus so that it clings to the farro in just a very seductive and luxurious way.

Have I made you excited about this grain bowl yet?

What if I told you that I like to add a little bit of green to the party for even more health and fun?

Some baby kale and fresh chopped parsley is excellent, but I feel like spinach, basil, or mint would be great too. These are going to be “right before you eat it” additions, so they don’t get slimy and gross sitting in the fridge with their other grain bowl friends.

To meal prep, I store all of the grain bowl + veg + chickpeas in the same container all mixed up. Then, when I’m ready to eat, I scoop some out, add some baby kale and parsley, and drench it in my dressing.

Easy peasy, really filling, super delicious, and just a very quick meal prep option if you hate doing it like I do!

Let’s win lunch together now, shall we?

Meal Prep Farro Grain Bowl

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A super quick, easy, nutritious, filling vegan meal prep farro grain bowl! Endlessly customizable so you’re never bored of this stunner.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 5-6 servings
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Boil
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 cup farro
• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced or diced
• 1/2 large red bell pepper (or any color you fancy), diced
• 1 small shallot, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced or torn
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• Creamy Balsamic Dressing
• To serve: some sort of green (baby kale, regular kale, spinach, etc) and some sort of herb (parsley, basil, mint, a combo of the three, etc.)

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Instructions

1. I like to pre-soak my farro for even quicker cooking the next day. It always seems like a major thing to soak a grain the night before, but if you add a cup of farro to a container, fill with water, and let it sit covered in the fridge overnight, your cooking time will be cut in half the next day. Huzzah!
2. Cook your farro according to package instructions (for me and my pre-soaked farro: I put my drained farro in a pot with 3 cups of water. I brought it up to a boil, reduced the heat to medium-low, and cooked uncovered for 10 minutes. Then I just drained the excess water).
3. Pour your farro into a large bowl or onto a large baking sheet to cool.
4. Meanwhile, prep your veggies: slice your cucumber, dice your red bell pepper, slice your shallot, pit and slice your olives, slice your tomatoes, and drain and rinse your chickpeas.
5. When the farro is cooler (not CRAZY hot, but it can still be a little warm), combine it with the vegetables and chickpeas. Mix to combine, and season with a small, three-finger pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Store your farro/veg mixture in a container by itself. Then, when you’re ready to serve, mix a few spoonfuls of it with your greens/herbs of choice and a few glugs of your dressing!

The post Meal Prep Farro Grain Bowl appeared first on Fooduzzi.

It’s so easy, so good, so FRESH, and so easy to iterate upon depending on what you have on-hand.

I really love cucumber. It’s easily one of my favorite “vegetables that’s technically a fruit.”

I love it sliced in my water, I love it sprinkled with some salt and eaten plain, and I love it in a cocktail (don’t knock it til you try it!).

But perhaps the most common way I use it? In salads.

I love the fresh, juicy bite it gives any salad, and using it as the star in a salad like this? Nothing better!

Like I mentioned, you can customize this salad based on the ingredients you have at home.

A lot of the time, I don’t have avocado (or the one I do have isn’t ripe yet… or it’s too ripe. You know how avocados are.), so I just leave it out. Or double-up on the edamame!

I also really love keeping with the “green” theme here and use green onion instead of shallot, but my store was completely out of green onions when I was making this recipe to shoot photos. So alas, we have shallot, and it worked just fine.

Every once in a while, I’ll top this salad with furikake (a Japanese seasoning that’s primarily made with seaweed and toasted sesame seeds). Trader Joe’s sells a version that’s vegan, and it’s a nice way to add even more green and texture to the dish!

As for what to serve the salad with? I love it alongside a burger, some gochujang maple tofu nuggets, or even as a fresh side to something like THE Buffalo Falafel Waffle. You really can’t go wrong!

Enjoy this savory, zippy, slightly sweet, kinda tangy cuke salad, friend!

Quick & Easy Cucumber, Edamame, and Avocado Salad

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5 from 1 review

A simple quick side that is savory, zippy, slightly sweet, and kinda tangy! Just a really great balance of flavors here and easily customizable based on the vegetables you have on-hand!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2-3 servings
• Category: Side
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari to keep this gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• Pinch red pepper flakes (or small squeeze of Sriracha!)
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen*
• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half circles
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1 small shallot, sliced (you can also use 2 green onions, sliced)
• 1 small handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• A sprinkle of furikake seasoning or toasted sesame seeds, optional

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Whisk well to combine, until the brown sugar dissolves.
2. Add the edamame, cucumber, avocado, and shallot, and mix to coat all ingredients in your sauce. Gently stir in your cilantro. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
3. Top with furikake or sesame seeds if desired! Best enjoyed as soon as you make it.

Notes

* I buy mine frozen, so I just toss them in a cup and cover them with hot water to quickly thaw!

The post Quick & Easy Cucumber, Edamame, and Avocado Salad appeared first on Fooduzzi.