I have never met a cookbook I did not like.   I find there is always a recipe a tip or a photo that appeals to me … and I find it’s always possible to adapt the ideas I find to suit my taste or the different dietary restrictions of my family, friends or clients.

Here are some tips that will help you adapt any recipe to suit your vegan life style:

• Replace meat in a recipe with chopped mushrooms or frozen soy crumbles for recipes.
• If the recipe calls for beef or chicken stock , use vegetable stock instead.
• When the recipe calls for milk or cream, use instead coconut milk or almond milk for dessert.  Use rice milk or soy milk for non-dessert recipes.
• When the recipe calls for eggs, use egg substitue, such as egg replacer or use pureed tofu.
• If you use pureed tofu in a cake, use a couple of tablespoons of orange marmalade to add moisture and flavor.
• When the recipe calls for cheese, use pureed tofu or arborio rice.

Don’t be afraid to use these tips to experiment and learn the art of adapting recipes from non-vegan cookbooks.

Until you’re ready, here are three “ready to suit” tasty vegan recipes.

Vegan Cesar Salad

serve 6

1       head romaine lettuce, chopped

1       cup chopped scallions

12     ounce lite tofu

1/4  cup lemon juice

3      cloves garlic, mashed

2      tablespoons olive oil

1      cup croutons

salt and pepper to taste

- In a large salad bowl, toss chopped lettuce with the chopped scallions.

- To make the dressing: In a food processor, puree tofu until smooth.  Add lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.  Puree for a minute more in the food processor.

- Add the salad dressing to the vegetables and toss well. Add the croutons and enjoy.

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

serve 6

10     ounces lite tofu, firm, pureed

1/2   cup arborio rice

1        large carrot, cut into three pieces

1       small onion, chopped

4      cups water

3     cloves garlic, diced

1/4  cup dry bread crumbs

1      cup soy milk

6     cups short pasta

1     tablespoon olive oil

1     cube vegetable bouillon

1     tablespoon paprika

salt to taste

-In a heavy saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Drop the rice, the carrot and the onion.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is mushy and the water is almost evaporated.  Remove from the heat.

-Saute the diced garlic in olive oil for seconds.  Add soy milk and the vegetable bouillon.  Cook over low heat until milk is boiling adn the bouillon is dissolved.

-Place the rice with the carrot and the onion in a food processor, Puree for few seconds.  Add the soy milk mixture, the tofu, paprika and the salt.  Puree until smooth paste.

-In a heavy pot, bring salted water to boil.  Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain.

-Mix the cooked pasta with the tofu paste and spoon into a greased 13 X 8-inches baking pan.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden.  Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Vegan Bread Pudding

serves 6-8

1 1/2 cup sugar

12      ounces lite tofu, pureed

4        cups coconut milk

2        tablespoons orange marmalade

2        tablespoons coconut flaks

1/2   cup raisins

4       cups of French or Italian bread cubes

-In a large bowl, whisk  together the coconut milk, the coconut flakes, the orange marmalade and 1/2 cup sugar.  Add the pureed tofu and the raisins.  Add the bread, mix, cover and refrigerate for one hour.

-In a small heavy sauce pan, mix the rest of the sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Cook over high heat until sugar turn into a nice amber color.  Pour and spread the caramelized sugar into an 8X11- inch baking pan.

-Pour the bread tofu mixture into the baking pan.

-Place the baking dish in a 9X14 -inch baking pan.

-Pour hot water in the large pan until it covers half of the smaller pan.

-Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven, and then remove the smaller baking pan from the water bath.  Serve the bread pudding hot or cold.

Filed under: Deserts, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian