Vegan Meatlover's Pizza

 Being vegan doesn't ever mean you cannot ever enjoy indulgences. This pizza recipe is delicious, pack full of protein, and a comforting fun way to have a meal. 

 

Makes: 1 large pizza

28 oz. ready-made pizza dough

1 jar pizza sauce of choice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 wheel Miyokos vegan mozzarella

1.5 oz or 1/3 wedge Violife vegan parmesan

1 package Yves vegan pepperoni

2 Sweet Italian Beyond plant-based sausages

1 oz (quarter package) Impossible plant-based ground beef 

3 tbsp McCormick imitation bacon bits

Optional: I added mushrooms and onions to mine 

1. Thaw your pizza dough if frozen and preheat your oven to 400℉. 

2. In the meantime, shred your mozzarella and parmesan. Use a thicker shredder for the mozzarella and a thinner shredder for the parmesan. Then set the shredded cheese aside. 

3. Spread some parchment paper on a pizza baking sheet. Add olive oil to your hand and remove the pizza dough from the packaging.. This prevents the dough from sticking to your fingers. 

4. Spread the dough around so that it is even distributed on the sheet, with your fingers. Remove any air bubbles if they show up. 

5. Spread pizza sauce on top and sprinkle with the cheese you shredded earlier. Then spread a desired number of pepperoni slices. 

6. Break apart small chunks of the sausage and and ground beef. Spread desired amount on pizza, evenly distributing. Since they are vegan, pre-cooking is not required and they will bake with the rest of the pizza. 

7. Sprinkle vegan bacon bits on top. At this point, feel free to add any vegetables if you wish. 

8. Top the pepperoni's with a small bit of water. This will prevent them from drying out in the oven. 

9. Place the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. This is to prevent the bacon bits and pepperoni from burning. 

10. Once baked, let cool for about 10 minutes slice, and serve. Enjoy!

Chocolate Baked Oats

Want a dessert for breakfast? This is the perfect breakfast for you. Baked oats are a delicious and nutritious start to a meal. These baked oats contain cocoa and chocolate chips. 

 

Chocolate baked oats topped with raspberries, bananas, and hemp hearts

 

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

2 tbsp chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup soy milk (or high protein plant milk of choice) 

1/2 cup fresh raspberries 

1 banana

1. In a blender, blend 1 cup of old-fashioned oats until it looks like flour. Pour in a small baking dish or ramekin. 

2. Mix in your other dry ingredients: cocoa powder and ground flax seed. Then add your chocolate chips. 

3. Once the dry ingredients are mixed, add soy milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Mix well and place in an oven or toaster oven at 400℉ for 10 minutes.

4. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then top with fresh raspberries and a sliced banana. Dig in with a spoon. Enjoy!

Crabless cakes

 Crab cakes are a popular variety of fish cake usually served as an American appetizer. This vegan friendly recipe emulates the texture of crab with artichoke hearts while also being high in protein and other nutritious elements. It is served with homemade vegan remoulade. 

Vegan crabless cakes served with a dipping sauce of vegan remoulade

For the crabless cakes:

1 can chickpeas

1/2 can artichoke hearts

2 sheets of nori 

1 tbsp old bay

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tbsp water 

For the remoulade: 

2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

2 tbsp capers 

2 tsp caper brine 

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp old bay

1. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. In a food processor, add your chickpeas and nori. Blend until well combined. Ensure that some chunks are left. 

2. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and add your artichoke hearts. Using a fork, break down the artichoke hearts and incorporate well into the crushed up chickpeas. 

3. In a small bowl, add your arrowroot powder and water. Mix well into a slurry and pour into the mixing bowl with the chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and nori. 

4. Then add old bay seasoning and mix until well combined. 

5. In a well-oiled baking sheet pour equal parts of the batter and ensure that they are shaped as circles. 

6. Bake at 400℉ for 30 minutes. Then flip over and bake for another 10 minutes. 

7. As it bakes, prepare the remoulade. Finely chop your capers and add to a small bowl. Then add your caper brine, lemon juice, vegan mayonnaise, and old bay. Mix until well combined. 

8. Once the crabless cakes are completed, serve with the remoulade. Enjoy!

Chickpea "Tuna" Melt

There are many vegans who grew up eating meat and fish. While they choose to abstain for ethical, environmental, or health reasons, the craving doesn't always go away. This recipe is a chickpea "tuna" salad in a sandwich. I call it a chickpea melt, since I cannot in good conscience call it a tuna melt. As a vegetarian my whole life, I have never had tuna. Nevertheless, this sandwich was delicious as its own and I would definitely recommend it. 

Vegan chickpea "tuna" melt, with Chao vegan cheese

For the chickpea "tuna" salad:

1 can chickpeas 

4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise 

1 tbsp yellow mustard 

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 can artichoke hearts

1/4 red onion

1 stalk of celery

1 tbsp sea weed flakes 

2 tsp lemon juice 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

 

For the sandwich as a whole:

vegan cheese slices (I used Chao cheese slices)

2 slices of bread 

2 tbsp vegan butter 

1. Drain one can of chickpeas and pour into a mixing bowl (save the chickpea water, it can be used as an egg replacer). Then star to mash them all up with a fork.

2. Add in the artichoke hearts. Continue to use a fork to mash them in and incorporate them into the chickpeas.

3. Dice up onion and celery and mix them into the chickpeas and onions. Then add your condiments: mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and dijon mustard. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and add you lemon juice. 

4. Add your sea weed flakes and stir thoroughly. Then set aside. We will now begin to make the sandwich. 

5. Bring a pan to medium-low heat and add tbsp of butter. Let it melt and add a slice of bread. Add a slice of vegan cheese on top and cover with a lid. This will allow the cheese to melt quicker before the bread burns, especially if it is vegan. 

6. After 2 minutes, remove the lid and place about 2 tbsp of the chickpea salad onto the cheese. Cover with another piece of bread and slightly press down. Lift the whole sandwich up, add butter to the pan, and place the sandwich back in flipped over. 

7. Cook this side for 3-5 minutes on medium- low heat (feel free to adjust the timing based on how toasted you want the bread to be). Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!