The Happy Gluten Free Vegan

Vegan barbeques aren’t as unusual as they used to be. Lots of folks love the conviviality of these events, as well as the trademark smoky taste of the cuisine. However, once you give up eating animal products, it can be challenging to find acceptable substitutes for your childhood favorites. Have no fear, because we’ve discovered a great vegan barbeque offering! These tofu/chickpea sandwiches have an appealing texture, similar to pulled pork or sloppy joes, but without the grease or the guilt! Chickpeas add protein and density, and the sauce – oh my. You’ll just have to try it for yourself.

INGREDIENTS
1 12-ounce block extra-firm, organic tofu
2 teaspoons olive oil (for pan)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (also called garbanzos), drained and rinsed
6-8 gluten-free buns
Coleslaw for topping (Your easiest bet is to buy bagged, pre-shredded coleslaw, then add a bit of Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo), a pinch or two of celery salt, and a small amount of finely chopped red onion).

BBQ SAUCE
1 teaspoon olive oil (for pan)
1 small scallion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tamari (not commercial soy sauce, which contains wheat)
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat olive oil in pan on stovetop and cut half of the tofu block into small cubes. Crumble the other half directly into pan and add the cubed tofu. Fry for 5-10 minutes until tofu is golden brown. Remove tofu from pan and set aside.

Add a bit more olive oil to the pan and sprinkle shallots and garlic inside. Fry 2-3 minutes until shallots and garlic are cooked through and slightly browned. Add the remaining barbeque sauce ingredients and stir continuously until combined (approximately 5 minutes). Add tofu and chickpeas and continue stirring for another 4-5 minutes.

Remove from pan and ladle onto slightly toasted buns. Top with coleslaw and a couple of pieces of lettuce. You’ll be wolfing this meal down in no time! For best results, serve with gluten-free beer. Serves 6-8 hungry guests. You’ll all be planning your next barbeque before the sandwiches are even gone!

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We love making soups in the winter. They’re warm, hearty, and help us feel better on a cold evening, especially at the end of a long day. If you’re under the weather, a good soup can nourish you like nothing else on the planet. We recently discovered this black bean tortilla soup at a friend’s holiday party and were so wowed that we begged her for the recipe. She was delighted to share it, and so are we. The concoction only takes about 45 minutes to prepare, so it’s a great dish if you’re on the run.

SOUP INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can, stewed tomatoes (check label, make sure no chemicals are added).
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt (not iodized!)
2 cans black beans (or 3 cups boiled black beans, if you have time)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

GARNISHES
3 small corn tortillas
1 avocado, sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large pan and add chopped onions and garlic. Fry on medium heat until onions and garlic are slightly brown. Your kitchen will smell terrific, and you’re just getting started! Add vegetable broth, stewed tomatoes, both chili powders, salt, and cumin. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are cooked through.

Add black beans and corn and continue simmering for 10 minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into thin strips. Place strips in olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan (cast iron is great!) Fry strips on both sides until brown and crispy, then remove from pan. Place them on paper towel to absorb excess olive oil.

Serve soup in festive bowls with avocado slices, a squeeze or two of lime juice, a liberal dash of cilantro, and as many tortilla strips as your heart desires. We love tortilla strips and find that it’s hard to put too many into this soup. But eat fast, because they do get soggy.

Serves 4-6 hungry guests. This soup is especially good with vegan, gluten-free cornbread and/or beer. If you do end up with leftovers, you can freeze them, or devour them in the next couple of days. You will be utterly delighted by this simple, inexpensive, and satisfying meal. Stay warm and enjoy!

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November puts us in a festive mood, and few foods are more synonymous with autumnal feasting than sweet potatoes. Often, when Thanksgiving rolls around, we just put a few sweet potatoes in the oven, roast them, and devour them as a side dish. Though sweet potatoes are undeniably delicious on their own, they can be combined with other ingredients to make an even tastier meal. This recipe combines sweet potatoes with millet, ground oatmeal, and black beans to make a scrumptious patty that can be devoured as a burger or used as a main course with a salad and/or a side dish of vegetables. We love this hearty entree, and feel confident you will, as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (fresh, not canned!)
1/3 cup uncooked millet
1 cup oats (make sure they’re gluten-free)
1 can black beans (rinse and drain), or 2 cups boiled
½ red onion, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise and place on cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes until pulp is soft. Remove from oven and scoop pulp away from skin. Mash sweet potatoes in medium-sized bowl. Discard or compost the skin.

Meanwhile, boil 1 cup water in medium saucepan. Add millet, turn down heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes. Millet will soften yet retain a slight crunchiness. Drain excess water and pour millet into large mixing bowl. Add mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, salt and spices. Mix should be moist but not runny.

Grind oatmeal in blender until it is slightly coarser than flour. This should take no more than a minute. Add oatmeal to your mixture and stir with large spoon until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Now your concoction will be drier, but it should still be moist enough to form into patties. Make sure they’re smooth and not too thick. Fry patties on stovetop in oil (olive is best) until lightly browned on both sides.

Serve as a sandwich on gluten-free bun with lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion, hot mustard, ketchup, etc. You can also enjoy your patty as a main course. They are dense and filling! Serves 6-8 hungry people, so invite all your friends for dinner. If you have leftovers, they keep well in the refrigerator and can be re-heated the next day. Happy autumn!

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We’ve been having fun with Miyoko Schinner’s cookbook, Artisan Vegan Cheese. So far we’ve made vegan and gluten-free sour cream, from a base of vegan and gluten-free rejuvelac. One of the things we love so much about this next recipe is how quick and easy it is. This is the perfect option for when you’re running late starting dinner, or just want something quick and easy so that you can relax the rest of the evening.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Low-Fat Chipotle Cheese Sauce

1 cup butternut squash, cooked and mashed
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt
3/4 cup water
1/2 onion, quartered
5 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 tbsp tapioca flour
1/2 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 tsp salt

Put all of the ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 2 to 5 minutes, until thick. If you’d like it a little spicier, you can add more minced chipotle chili.

This chipotle cheese sauce would be a delicious addition to broccoli, nachos, or over rice noodles for a delicious and easy macaroni and cheese.

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It’s fall, which means pumpkin EVERYTHING is upon us. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread will be filling bellies everywhere. We love all things pumpkin, but wanted to bring you a bit of a twist: a savory pumpkin dish.

We love pumpkin enchiladas because they are very filling, and so warming on cool autumn days. The spice of the chilies imparts a delicious contrast to the rich pumpkin. The black beans pack a mean protein punch, making this a perfect, well-rounded meal.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Black Bean Chipotle Enchiladas

Enchilada Filling:

1 can of organic pumpkin, we like Farmer’s Market Organic Canned Pumpkin, with BPA-free lining.
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 package of corn or preferred gluten-free tortillas

Enchilada Sauce:

2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
3 chipotles from can, plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce from the chipotle chili can
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 cloves of garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat ove to 350 degrees.

For the enchilada filling: Saute onions over medium heat in 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil until transluscent, approximately 3 minutes. Add another tablespoon of sunflower oil, then add the the rest of the enchilada filling ingredients, stirring frequently until warmed through.

For the enchilada sauce: Pour all of the ingredients into a food processor, and process until smooth and thoroughly blended.

Pour a little of the enchilada sauce into a 9×13 baking dish, so that a thin layer covers the entire dish.

Roll 1/4 cup of the filling into a tortilla and place each one into the baking dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until heated through and bubbly.

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