So, What Do I Cook? (Pillar article-problem solving)

 

Hello and welcome back to all my lovely subscribers of Nature's New Nook. On today's article I will be addressing and solving a common problem for those who are new converts to this life-style. Taking a large amount of food groups out of your everyday diet can leave many confused on what do I eat now? Especially for people who are not big on cooking or are aware of the amazing vegan meals you can make. I definitely experienced this problem when I converted to veganism. So in today's article post I will be helping solve this common problem and guide you            through some beginning steps with 3 of my favorite                                         vegan recipes. Let's get cooking.                                                      

1. Start by choosing some of your favorite comfort food classics, they can easily be veganising with a few ingredient switches. I decided to do a little bit of my own research for what American's view as some of the top comfort food meals. According to a survey conducted by the Harris Poll, it showed that Americans favorite comfort food is of course pizza. So that will be our first recipe today of a homemade vegan cheese pizza topped with delicious veggies. For this recipe I decided to buy already made pizza crust, but you can make your own dough by leaving out the eggs in the dough.
• "Cheese" Ingredients: 1/2 of a cauliflower, 3 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp salt, 3/4 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp lemon juice. Side note: you can also just buy vegan shredded cheese from the grocery store but it isn't as texture similar.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
• Sauce Ingredients:  3/4 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp parsley, 1/4 oregano, pinch of red pepper flakes and salt.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
• Start by boiling the cauliflower in hot water, until nice and fork tender. After fork tender, all the cauliflower to a high speed blender along with the tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, spices, and non-dairy milk. Blend this until smooth. Then after blended pour the sauce into a pot over the stove on medium to low heat. Continuous mix the cheese sauce for ten minutes until thickened, reduce heat to low. In a separate bowl add your tomato sauce along with the spices and mix together well. Remove your premade pizza dough from packaging (ensure to check ingredients that it has no milk or eggs) and lightly brush the dough over with olive oil. Then add your tomato sauce spread evenly over the dough, followed by "gooping" on your cheese sauce. Optional: follow by adding any of your favorite cut veggies for toppings, I like spinach, mushroom, and onion on mine. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, slice up, and enjoy!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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2. The next popular dinner American comfort food that can solve the problem of figuring out what to cook when starting out this lifestyle is vegan mac and cheese. This is my personal favorite vegan recipe that I make and I have received so many compliments on it from friends and family. Now usually people make this recipe with cashews in the sauce because cashews add a nice creamy base to sauces, but unfortunately I am allergic to cashews. So I had to tweak this recipe to cater to my allergy needs. I promise you when I say you will not taste the difference between this and regular dairy based Mac and Cheese without the bloated or crappy overeating feeling after. 
• "Cheese" Sauce Ingredients: 2 medium yellow potatoes, 1/2 of a yellow onion, 2 long stalks of carrots, 2 cups of nutritional yeast, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 cup of water from the pot (used to boil veggies), 1/3 cup plant based milk, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp sriracha, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, 1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch. You will also need a box of macaroni shaped pasta, again make sure to check ingredients that it is not made with eggs or milk.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
• First start by peeling and cutting your potatoes, onion, and carrot. Then take them and drop them in a pot of boiling hot water, boil until forgot tender or soft. Then drain the boiling veggies in a strainer but remember to reserve some of the veggie water for later. After, add the potatoes, onion, and carrot to a high speed blender. Along with adding the nutritional yeast, spices, plant based milk, some of the reserved veggie water, and then the tapioca or cornstarch. Blende this on high until smooth. While this is blending, begin to fill a separate pot of water and bring to a boil for cooking the macaroni pasta. Once the sauce is blended smoothly add to a seperate pot on the stove with low to medium heat. After a few minutes of heating the sauce up mix in the tomato paste and sriracha. Adjust salt levels to taste preference. Once the macaroni is done, drain and added it into the sauce pot and mix together.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
3. The last American favorite comfort food that will help solve the problem of not knowing what to cook will be the all american black bean burger classic. These plant based meaty like burger patties are packed with protein and other nutrients that will help keep you full and feeling guilt free. There are many different ways to make these burgers but this is my favorite recipes that adds a secret ingredient of mine. Serve these up for a summer barbeque or for an easy cheap dinner. This recipe makes about 5 full size patty's.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

• Burger Patty Ingredients: 2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 yellow onion, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 carrot stalks, shredded 1/2 cup quick oats, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, pinch of Salt and pepper to taste, and my secret ingredient 1/2 cup of drained chickpeas. You will also need burger buns, refer to ingredient list to ensure vegan.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
• Start by heating two tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet pan. Then combine in the onions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until onions are translucent and fragrant. After that then follow by adding the carrots, and spices in until carrots are tender. Remove pan from heat. In a separate bowl, mash the beans and chickpeas together then add the contents from the pan along with the soy sauce and quick oats. Continuously mix until well combined and form 5 patties. Place in freezer for 45 minutes to set completely. Once set, cook patties on a pan coated in canola oil over medium heat, flipping halfway. I like to add lettuce, tomato, red onion, and avocado to mine. Serve up and enjoy!

   

Now that you have all these new recipes to shop for, what will you put all your groceries in? At Nature's New Nook Look's store you can purchase our study and reusable plant-based tote bag for only $23.99. Find it here at   https://www.cafepress.com/naturesnewnooklooks! 

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