So in the meantime, I'd like to share a few of my favorite recipes created by others. Most of these are very quick and easy to prepare, and they're all delicious.
Baked Macaroni and "Cheese" from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
One night I was trying to decide what to make for dinner, and smelled my neighbors cooking something cheesy. Suddenly I was hit with the most intense cheese cravings I'd had in a long time.
I decided I really wanted some mac and cheese, and remembered I'd bookmarked a few vegan mac and cheese recipes a while back. Many of them involved using processed cheese substitutes instead of real cheese, and I'm not a fan of those for both health and aesthetic reasons. This recipe from Fatfree Vegan, however, involved an entirely plant-based, oil-free, made from scratch cheese that I just had to try.
This quickly became one of my favorite dishes. I haven't had real mac and cheese in years and haven't had real cheese in months, so I'm not sure how much it tastes like the real thing, but I thought it was absolutely perfect.
I did make small adjustments to the recipe: I replaced the optional salt with extra garlic powder, and I used less chili powder than the recipe calls for because I have a low spicy food tolerance. I used butter beans instead of northern beans, as I didn't have any northern beans on hand (butter beans are very soft and work great in creamy sauces). I also decided to mix broccoli, kale, and spinach into the macaroni and cheese mix before baking to up the vegetable content.
Vegan Soup For The Soul from Dreena Burton's Plant-Powered Kitchen
This is an incredibly hearty soup that reminds me of the tomato soup I had as a kid, but better. The recipe made such a large batch that I had leftovers for three days, which was wonderful. It was delicious enough to eat that many times in a row, and I paired it with different crostini and sandwich sides to mix things up a bit.
Tu-no Salad Wraps from Straight Up Food
These are very very quick and easy to make, and very satisfying yet light. I'm a big fan of Cathy Fisher's recipes in general (my favorite veggie burgers are adapted from hers) and this is definitely one of the best in my opinion.
I enjoy them in soft taco shells and always include the optional diced avocado as I find I tend to need the extra fat to stay full. I've never tried them with kelp powder as I never have it on hand, but they taste fantastic even without it.
Super Summer Soup from Bitter Sweet
This is my favorite soup. Especially when I'm not feeling well. It's light and packed with healthy things. I've been nursing a mild cold/sore throat the past few days and this soup has been helping me through it. I use garlic pepper/granulated garlic instead of salt, and usually just lightly grease the pan (or use a nonstick pan) with oil instead of drizzling the veggies in oil. It's also fun to swap out one of the zucchini for yellow squash!
Hummus in the Blender from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
I much prefer homemade hummus to store-bought, because I can control what goes in it (no preservatives!) and I personally think it tastes better. This is a nice simple recipe that can be made as-is or modified based on your preferences. I omit the salt and use lots of garlic. You can add in some oil (a tbsp or so, and just reduce the water a bit) if you want a more traditional hummus, or leave it without if you prefer not to use oil. It tastes great either way!
