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Vegan Thanksgiving Sandwich

October 22, 2019 His Bite, Her Bite1 Comment

Nora: This sandwich is a combo of The Moistmaker (a Thanksgiving sandwich mentioned in Friends which contains a gravy-soaked slice of bread) and the turkey sandwich we served at the diner I served at in High School. It is a BIG sandwich that does not require any side dishes. Bring a fork so you can salvage any delicious bits that escape the bun!

Josh: Thanksgiving leftovers don’t have to be leftover anymore. Take leftovers out of tomorrow and into today! Take the best of Thanksgiving and stick it on some bread. Gardein brand Turkey cutlets are delicious and crispy, and even come with their own gravy. Make some stuffing because the bakery rolls are not enough bread for this sandwich. Cranberry sauce gives some sweetness and some zest to the other flavors. And finally, crispy fried onions because crispy fried onions. You’ll faint, it’s so good. You’ll also make a mess eating this so prepare for a fully indulgent experience.

Vegan Thanksgiving Sandwich

Recipe by: HisBiteHerBite

Serves: 2, stuffed to the brim

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
-1 pack (4 cutlets) Gardein Turk’y Cutlets
-1 gravy pouch from above-mentioned cutlets
-2 bakery hoagie rolls (NOT the kind you find by the sliced bread and buns. They are too mushy. Check the case where your grocery store bakery stocks the donuts.)
-2/3 can of cranberry sauce (save the rest for a midnight snack)
-1/2 bag of cubed stuffing
-vegan mayo
-2 tbsp vegan butter
-1 cup veggie broth
-1/4 cup crispy fried onions

Directions:
1. Cook the turkey cutlets in your oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking. Place the unopened gravy packet in a small dish of water to thaw.
2. After you flip the cutlets, melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in stuffing cubes, cover. Let sit 5 minutes.
3. Open the cranberry sauce and slice about as thin as the cutlets.
4. Slice the rolls lengthwise, coat the bottom with a thin layer of vegan mayo to prevent sogginess.
5. Pour thawed gravy into a tiny dish and microwave 30 seconds or until hot.
6. Assemble! Thusly: bottom bun with mayo, cutlets (side by side), cranberry sauce slices, stuffing (pressed down with fork), drizzle of gravy (or apply to top bun and let it soak in for less mess), crispy onions.
7. Press flat gently with your hands, then devour.

Closing Arguments

None needed, this feast speaks for itself.

Main

Cauliflower Cobbler

September 1, 2019 His Bite, Her BiteLeave a comment

Nora: A long time back, a coworker brought chicken pot pie leftovers to work that were very similar to this recipe. Cream of chicken soup, canned biscuits, you know the drill. I thought that kind of comfort food would be out of my reach until we came across this recipe! You can make your own vegan biscuits if you prefer not to deal with the spooky ingredients in canned biscuits.

Josh: Wholesome, savory, creamy, indulgent, and also delicious. This has that perfectly warming, pot pie eating experience to it. It is easy to make and great for reheating. It can feed a group or provide leftovers for many meals to come. Great in cold weather but also great in not-cold weather because it’s so darn scrumptious.

Cauliflower Cobbler

Adapted From: Connoisseurus Veg

Time: Approximately 50 minutes (10 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking, 10 minutes cooling)

Makes: Dinner for 2 and at least 3 separate sets of leftovers, or dinner for 5

Omnivore Index: This is obviously full of veggies, but it is so creamy and wholesome that nobody will realize it is nondairy.

Ingredients

1 med onion, diced
1 bag frozen soup veggie mix (approx 10-12 oz)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1 cauliflower, chopped into florets
1.5 cups veggie broth
2 cups nondairy, plain milk
1/2 cup nooch (nutritional yeast)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 can chickpeas, drained (approx 14 oz)
1 tbsp seasoning blend (for example, Trader Joe 21 Seasoning Salute or steak seasoning)
2 cans vegan-friendly biscuits (our local Kroger has a no-name brand that is vegan)

Recipe

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
-Sautee onions and frozen vegetables in a little oil until soft, add garlic, then add flour and stir until evenly coated
-Add everything except chickpeas and biscuits, simmer uncovered until cauliflower is tender (10-15 minutes)
-Add chickpeas, season with salt and pepper
-Place a 9×13 baking dish on top of a cookie sheet to catch overflow. Put stew into the baking dish, put biscuits on top covering stew. Bake 15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.
-Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Closing Arguments

Nora: Leftovers the next day may actually be better.
Josh: This recipe is just the best.

Main

Butternut Squash and Cream Cheese Soup

August 31, 2019 His Bite, Her Bite1 Comment

Nora: This is one of the earlier recipes from our collection. The ol’ recipe book says we’ve been making this since 3/25/17. It’s a good, simple soup that’s pretty quick to throw together and only needs a 25 minute simmer. Good for dinner even when you get home late. You could even chop the onions (store in the fridge) and mix the spices ahead of time so you or a responsible teenager can easily throw everything in the pot with minimal brainpower.

Josh: This is a fun soup to make because it is a little off the beaten path – it isn’t a brothy soup or a traditionally creamy soup, as it has a lot of sweetness and spice (butternut squash, cinnamon, etc.). The inclusion of the chickpeas/garbanzos add a lot of protein and fiber to this recipe, on top of the vitamins and nutrients you get from the squash, onions, garlic, etc. We always include spinach, which ups the health count, and the roasted cauliflower gives great crunchy texture to contrast the thick, smooth soup. This is a whole food, plant based meal with no need for anything artificial (no processed fake meats or dairy involved), the vegetable sources stand tall and delicious of their own merit. This is a great cold weather soup but frankly we’ve eaten it year round with no regrets. This soup will show you who is a butternut.

Butternut Squash and Cream Cheese Soup

Adapted From: Everything Vegan Cookbook

Serves: 6

Time: 10 active, 25 passive. 35 total.

Omnivore Index: It’s a thick, creamy soup but with no chicken broth. Great cold weather soup for all.

Ingredients:
-1 onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-3.5c veggie broth (we like Better than Bullion)
-20-24oz frozen squash cubes (our store recently changed bag sizes. Avoid the brick of frozen squash if possible. It’s very hard to cook down.)
-1 15oz can chickpeas, drained (can use 2 cans if you like lots of protein or tend to get hungry shortly after vegan meals)
-1 tbsp curry powder
-2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp chipotle powder
-1/4 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp ginger
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-4 oz cream cheese (store-bought comes out a little creamier, but it’s expensive so we usually use homemade – recipe here)
-spinach
-1 head cauliflower, roasted (recipe below)
-2 tbsp oil
-2 tbsp spice blend, variety or store bought (we like Montreal Steak, 21 Seasoning Salute, or Everything Bagel)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut cauliflower into florets. Toss in a bowl with oil and spice blend. Roast for about 20 minutes or until cauliflower is slightly charred at the tips and starting to soften.
2. Sautee garlic and onion in a little oil until soft and starting to brown. Stir in spices and toast for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
3. Add broth, chickpeas, frozen squash. Simmer about 25 minutes or until squash is tender.
4. Remove soup from heat. Using a potato masher (for chunkier soup) or immersion blender, puree soup to desired texture.
5. Return heat to low, stir in vegan cream cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Remember that your cauliflower spices may have salt and/or pepper already.
6. For softer veggies, mix cauliflower and spinach into soup pot and cook on low for about five minutes. For crisper veggies, add to bowl and then ladle soup on top.

Closing Arguments

Nora: It’s full of vitamins and fiber. It’s basically exactly what your doctor wants you to eat. It is also delicious.
Josh: This soup is one of my favorites because it has an indulgent taste and texture, yet it is entirely derived from plants and packed full of health-promoting goodness. You really can have it all.

Loaded Junk Food · Main

Poutine Tots

June 20, 2019 His Bite, Her BiteLeave a comment

Nora: I remember when I first learned about poutine. Gravy… on fries. With cheese. It’s so obvious! Mashed potatoes but crunchy and with CHEESE. Ever since college I have never been able to say no to a basket of gravy-fries. If cooking them at home, we prefer tots because of their superior crunchiness when oven-baked. We haven’t been inducted to the air fryer club… yet. Treat yourself to some heady, heavy deliciousness. If it seems too decadent, just remind yourself (as I often do) that all vegan food is essentially a salad.

Josh: Our Canadian friends have a lot to teach the world about life. One of the most important things I’ve learned is how critical poutine is. Seriously, it’s amazing. It is gravy and cheese on potatoes. It’s a goddamn revelation. We’ve made poutine with all sorts of fries now but we have two clear favorites: waffle fries and, our champion, tater tots. We bake the fries to crispiness because we don’t like deep frying, but you can cook yours however you like as long as they get crispy. If you make the cheese/cheeze ahead of time to cut down overall cook time the night you’re making it, the recipe only takes maybe 20 minutes or so (whatever the time it takes to bake the fries). You won’t regret poutine, ever.

Poutine Tots

Serves: 2 generously (it’s real good, is all I’m saying), probably 3

Cook Time: 20 mins if you make the cheeze ahead of time (or 45 mins if you make the cheeze at the same time)

Omnivore Index: The vegan-ness of this doesn’t come into play because it’s incredible. The only question is whether you like gravy and cheese on spuds or not. (Nora: An omnivore will definitely know the cheeze is fake.)

Ingredients

Cheeze
-1/2 cup (2.25 oz) raw cashews
-1 cup water
-1/4 cup minus 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
-1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
-1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Brown Gravy
-2 tablespoons oil
-1 small onion, diced
-4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
-2 cups veggie broth
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-3 tablespoons corn starch

-Tots, bag of frozen or homemade
-Green Onions, for garnish

Recipe

Make the cashew cheese ahead of time so it has time to cool.
1. Boil cashews 10-15 min, until softened. Drain and rinse.
2. Add all cheeze ingredients and blend in high power blender until smooth, at least 1 minute. (Will appear to be watery, but fear not.)
3. Pour into small saucepan and heat on medium-high heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom. It will curdle and look a little gross but keep stirring until thickened and stretchy, about 5 mins.
4. Scrape into a shallow dish and chill in fridge at least 30 mins.
5. Once solid, scoop small “curds” onto the poutine with a teaspoon or melon baller.

Tots
1. Bake according to package directions. You want them very crispy!

Brown Gravy
1. Using a medium saucepan, sautee onions and mushrooms in oil until well browned.
2. Add broth and soy sauce
3. Make a cornstarch slurry in a small dish with 3tbsp cold water. Add to gravy, simmer until thickened, about two minutes. Do not boil, since this can break down the starch and cause the gravy to thin back out. Gravy will thicken as it cools.

Assemble
1. Build your meal in layers. For equal delight in every bite, make a layer of tots, topped with a layer of cheeze curds, topped with gravy, and then another layer of each in the same sequence.
2. Top with green onion
3. Smash

Notes

-in this instance we used frozen tater tots but any form of potatoes could work – whether that be another form of frozen potato or homemade fries (the important thing is some crispiness to offset the rest of the dish being soft foods)

Even the cats keep their eyes on this meatless dinner!

Closing Arguments

Nora: JUST GIVE THEM TO ME.
Josh: Cheesy gravy fries. Think about it. Potatoes with cheese and gravy. C’mon, it’s perfect.

Main

Shiitake Wonton Soup

June 20, 2019 His Bite, Her Bite2 Comments

Nora: I am in love with this soup! I fully admit it is not authentic in any way but it is really, really yummy. Making the wontons isn’t a terrible ordeal; we often make this on weeknights and assemble dumplings while we talk about our day.

Josh: This soup is everything I want when I dine out, everything I wish was a vegan option at any restaurant. It is so light and flavorful, and homemade wonton really sells it. So delicious, so refreshing, and such great leftovers. Also, other than the time it takes to wrap the wontons, this is a really fast and simple recipe to make. It takes very little time and relatively little effort to put this soup together, and it packs a wallop in taste.

Shiitake Wonton Soup

Serves: 4-6

Time: 30 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook

Slightly adapted from:

Ingredients:
Wontons:
-1 pack (approx 40) vegan wonton, gyoza, potsticker, dumpling wrappers (check ingredients carefully!)
-5oz shitake mushrooms, washed and chopped small
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp dried ginger
-1 green onion (white and green parts), minced
-1/2 tsp sesame oil
-1/2 tsp liquid smoke

Soup:
-1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
-1 tsp sesame oil
-1 tsp dried ginger
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-10 cups veggie broth (not-chicken flavor is best)
-4 cups (1 small head) napa cabbage, cut cross-wise into strips
-2 tbsp rice vinegar

-2 more green onions, for serving

Directions:
For the dumplings:
1. Chop garlic, shiitake mushrooms and green onions. Mix with all other wonton filling ingredients.
2. Fill wrappers with about 1 tsp mushroom mix. Dip your finger in a small amount of water and run around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and seal the edges together, pressing any air pockets out. Press the two folded “corners” of the half moon together, overlapping slightly.
(You can make the wontons a day or two ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container with a well-wrung wet paper towel on top.)

For the soup:
1. Heat a large pot over medium-high. Heat oil until it shimmers. Add garlic and ginger, saute until fragrant.
2. Pour in broth, bring to boil. Cook wontons for 5 minutes or until they all float.
3. Remove from heat, add the cabbage and vinegar. Serve, topped with green onions.

Closing Arguments

Nora: Super-slurpy deliciousness!
Josh: An excuse to eat wonton soup? Yes, please.