Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Tarragon Spiced Walnuts & Grapes

Tea Sandwiches part 2 includes this chicken salad sandwich tossed with crisp red grapes, scallions and walnuts tossed in a sweet and savory tarragon blend.
Because this salad spread is so hearty, it also works great in butter lettuce cups or endive spears.

Tarragon Spiced Walnuts
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl organic cane sugar
2 tbl water
1 tbl minced fresh tarragon
salt and pepper

Over medium-low heat, toss the walnuts and olive oil together. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and toss. Cook 2 more minutes. Add the water, tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes more until the nuts are toasted and start to get sticky.
Let cool on a plate.

Chicken Salad Sandwich
2 sandwiches
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
3 gardien chicken patties, thawed, small dice
salt and pepper
1/3 cup halved red grapes
1/4 cup minced scallions, green parts only
2 tbl roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
tarragon walnuts
4 pieces bread, toasted

Saute the thawed chicken patties in olive oil until cooked through and golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the grapes, scallions, cilantro and mayonnaise. Add the chicken and walnuts. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve on toasted bread.

Potato Salad with Homemade Rosemary Mustard

Time and time again I have made my own ketchup but I never thought to make my own mustard. The inspiration to make it myself came from my husband's distaste for it. He claims to hate anything with vinegar in it and mustard can be pretty stringent. I thought if I made my own, I could adjust the vinegar to fit both of our palettes. The process is pretty quick and painless and lends it's hand to making mustard in any flavor you want.

Red potato salad with corn, red onions, scallions and celery for crunch tossed in homemade mustard while warm.

Rosemary Mustard
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbl fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1-2.6oz container yellow mustard seeds
2 tbl white wine vinegar
1 tbl agave
1/3 cup water
salt & white pepper

Saute the shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and mustard seeds and cook until the seeds have toasted. Add the vinegar, agave and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to get desired consistency. Cool for later use or toss in potato salad while warm.

Potato Salad
8 red potatoes, medium dice
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, small dice
1 celery stalk, minced
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, small dice

Combine the potatoes with salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender but not falling apart. Drain.
Saute the onion in olive oil until tender, 5 minutes. Add the celery, corn and garlic. Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Add half of the scallions.
Mix the potatoes with the vegetables and toss with mustard. Garnish with the rest of the scallions.

Roasted Vegetable Baguette with Parlsey Pesto

These sandwiches are perfect for making ahead of time, wrapping in parchment and bringing to an event or picnic. Merely bring the spinach in a separate baggy so it doesn't wilt in the sandwich and you have a wonderfully flavorful, hearty sandwich at your disposal.

Roasted red bell peppers, red onions, garlic and artichokes inside crispy baguettes with olives, fresh spinach and parsley-almond pesto.

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches
makes 4 sandwiches
2 red bell peppers, seeded, thick strips
1 red onion, 1/2" slices
1-15 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
12 garlic cloves
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup green olives, chopped
1 cup baby spinach leaves
4-6" baguettes

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the bell pepper, onion, artichokes and garlic in olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender and lightly charred.
Assemble each sandwich with a spread of pesto, the veggies, olives and spinach.

Parsley Pesto
1 head parsley, ends trimmed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbl toasted pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the parsley with stems, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until well broken down. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until you reach your desired consistency. Since I used this as a spread for sandwiches I kept it pretty chunky.

Chipotle Orange Barbecued Ribs

The 4th of July really means only one thing...barbecues! So the only obvious choice in my opinion was to redo my rib recipe with different flavors and a fresh, new barbecue sauce with orange and chipotle.
These ribs are actually really quick to make and don't require any resting or long periods of boiling but just a quick bake and a slap on the grill for that nice char flavor. Bake them ahead of time and grill right before eating. They taste even better the next day!

Chipotle Orange Barbecue Ribs
serves 4
2 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 chipotle pepper, seeded, minced
4 tsp paprika
4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbl agave
2 tbl tamari
2 tsp liquid smoke
juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup)
1 cup chipotle orange barbecue sauce plus 2 tbl

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 9x13 baking dish with oil.
In a large bowl, combine the wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, chipotle, paprika, garlic, cumin, onion, mustard powder, zest, pepper and salt.
In another bowl, combine the broth, tahini, agave, tamari, liquid smoke, orange juice and 2 tbl of barbecue sauce. Add into the dry mix and stir with a fork to combine into a ball. Do not over mix or knead.
Press evenly into the baking dish, covering the whole bottom. Use a knife to score the ribs into thin strips.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Brush the ribs with sauce. Place the ribs, sauce side down on the grill and cook for 5 minutes for a dark char. Baste the other side with sauce and turn over, grill for 5 minutes.
Cut into slices and serve.


Chipotle Orange Barbecue Sauce
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbl orangic light brown sugar
2 tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tbl dijon mustard
1 canned chipotle pepper, minced
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened.

Seitan & White Bean Barbecue Sandwiches with Brussel Sprout Slaw

This sandwich is savory, a little sweet, crunchy, sloppy and perfect for lunch or dinner. Each component tastes better the longer it sits which makes this ideal picnic/ travel food. Just make sure to bring plenty of napkins.

Crispy seitan, white beans and orange bell pepper in tangy barbecue sauce and crunchy coleslaw made with brussel sprouts.

Seitan & White Bean Barbecue Sandwiches
makes 3 sandwiches
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
8 oz seitan, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbl organic light brown sugar
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
1 tbl tomato paste
1 tbl dijon mustard
2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1-15oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
3 ciabatta rolls, toasted

Over medium high heat, saute the shallot, bell pepper and jalapeno in olive oil until they start to brown and caramelize, 5-7 minutes. Add the seitan and garlic and cook until the seitan has brown, crispy edges. Add the brown sugar, vinegar and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook until the brown sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes. Add the mustard, worcestershire, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the broth, scraping up all the bits on the bottom. Add the white beans and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir every couple minutes so the bottom doesn't scorch. Serve with slaw on toasted rolls.

Brussel Sprout Slaw
12 brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbl sweet dill relish
1 tbl orange marmalade
salt and pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Let sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Barbecue 'Ribs', Cold Farfalle Salad & Grilled Corn

I am really excited to post my recipe for Seitan Ribs because I have been working on this one for quite some time now. Never being able to get the texture just right, I put the recipe down and come back to it months later, hoping one day I will figure it out. Well, I figured it out! I promise these are better than any of the brands you can buy, cheaper and quick to make.

Barbecue Ribs
serves 2-3
1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tbl nutritional yeast
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried mustard powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbl tahini
1 tbl agave
1 tbl tamari
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup barbecue sauce plus 1 tbl

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with oil.
In a large bowl, combine the wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, cumin ,paprika, garlic, onion, mustard powder, pepper and salt.
In another bowl, combine the broth, tahini, agave, tamari, liquid smoke and 1 tbl of barbecue sauce. Add into the dry mix and stir with a fork to combine into a ball. Do not over mix or knead.
Press evenly into the baking dish, covering the whole bottom. Use a knife to score the seitan horizontally, then 6 slices vertically, 12 slices total.
Bake for 25 minutes. Once done, brush the top with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Place the seitan, sauce side down on the grill and cook for 5 minutes for a dark char. Baste the other side with sauce and turn over, grill for 5 minutes.
Cut into slices and serve.

Cold Farfalle Salad
4 oz mini farfalle pasta
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas
l  red bell pepper, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
1 celery stalk, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbl dijon mustard
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Cook the pasta until al dente.
Steam the broccoli and peas for 4 minutes until just tender.
Combine the pasta and broccoli with the rest of the ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Grilled Corn
3 ears of white corn, shucked
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
smoked salt or sea salt

Preheat a grill or grill top to medium-high.
Rub the ears with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked salt. Grill for 10 minutes, turning every 3 minutes until slightly charred.

Eggless Tofu Salad in Grilled Avocados, Asparagus & Baked BBQ Chips

A perfect spring picnic meal.

The best vegan "egg" salad filled inside tender grilled avocados with asparagus and homemade baked barbecue potato chips.

Eggless Tofu Salad
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed for 1 hour
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 celery stalk, minced
2 tbl dijon mustard
2 tsp dill relish
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cut the tofu in small cubes and place in a steam basket. Steam for 15 minutes. Combine the warm tofu with all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Chill until cold and serve.

Grilled Avocados & Asparagus
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
4 ripe avocados, halved, seeded

Prepare a grill top to medium-high. Combine the oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the asparagus in the oil and place on the grill. Rub the cut side of the avocado in the remaining oil and place on the grill.
Grill the avocado for 5 minutes for nice grill marks and the asparagus for a couple minutes more until crisp-tender.
Scoop the eggless tofu salad in each avocado bowl and serve over a bed of asparagus.

Baked BBQ Chips
1 extra large russet potato or 2 medium
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tbl organic light brown sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp pepper

Use a mandolin (or your knife) to slice the potato into paper-thin slices. Place in a large bowl of cold water and sit for 15 minutes. Drain and pat completely dry.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Toss the potato slices with olive oil. Combine all of the spices and toss the potatoes with 3/4ths of the mix. Make sure to get each potato.
Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray. Lay out each potato slice, making sure not to overlap. Bake for 10 minutes, check and flip over the chips. Bake 5-8 minutes more until crisp. Toss with the remaining spice mix and serve immediately.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw

My husband is gone for the night so I tried to think of something I like to eat but don't normally eat when he is around. Coleslaw came to mind but I didn't want to eat something thick and laden with mayonnaise so I decided to throw together a thai-style slaw that is full of flavor and plenty of crunch.

Sesame, coconut and ginger dressing tossed with purple and napa cabbage, edamame, red peppers, peanuts and plenty of other crisp vegetables.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped
1 cup cooked edamame
1/2 cup snow peas
1/4 cup carrot matchsticks
1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers
1 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts

Combine all of the ingredients except the peanuts and toss with dressing. Let sit for at least an hour before serving. The longer it sits the better it tastes! Garnish with peanuts.

Dressing
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
3 tbl rice wine vinegar
1 tbl agave
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
salt and pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and toss with slaw.

Chopped Chickpea Salad

I love to make bean salads, especially on my weekends when I have more time to make lunch. This salad tastes better the longer it sits and requires no cooking. The faster you can chop vegetables, the faster you can enjoy this fresh chickpea salad.

Red bell peppers, cilantro, mint, carrot, red onion and spices, tossed with salty sunflower seeds and chewy dried cherries ontop of chickpeas and baby greens. Pita chips make a great spoon to eat this salad with.

Chickpea Salad
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil)
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbl maple syrup
2 tsp lime juice
2-150z cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
5 mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
4 cups baby greens
pita chips

In a large bowl, combine the mayo, curry, pepper, salt, maple syrup and lime juice. Stir to combine then add the remaining ingredients. Serve on top of greens with a side of crunchy pita chips.