sriracha buffalo sandwich

   

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: medium pot, medium bowl, small bowl, baking sheet

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I have had a hankering for Buffalo-style sandwiches ever since living in Miami and having them at a nightclub waaayyyy back in my younger days. It was served on a bun with slaw and mayo. I made this sandwich with those flavors in mind, but, of course, upped it with Sriracha. 

If you like some other hot sauce, this recipe should be able to support it, no problem.

You might be wondering why air-fry/pan fry the reconstituted Soy Curls and then broil them? Valid question! When the curls first reconstitute they are packed with moisture. You could squeeze them out first and skip the air-frying, but you would also be skipping a lot of bonus flavor and texture. I advise against it. 

Use the Savory Soy Curls recipe HERE and then make your Sriracha Buffalo sandwiches. 

The slaw does well with either mayo or yogurt add it adds the welcome heat relief. We loved these quick sammies and it satisfied my craving for those long-ago flavors.

Side Note: Work is walloping me, since I am also taking a certification course and volunteering for a high school girls hackathon (Contact me if you know a high school girl who would like to participate. It is Pacific time, but it is virtual. I can send you an e-Flyer). Bear with me while I finish the Winter recipe zine. I hope to have it done in the next few weeks.  

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Prepare your Savory Soy Curls
• Gather your ingredients.
• Make the sauce.
• Start the slaw.
• Broil the Curls.
• Finish the slaw. 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Sriracha Buffalo Sandwich

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekday

Preheat broiler to high.

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 - 1/2 cup Sriracha

1/4 cup agave

1/4 cup lime juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger

3 cups chopped, Savory Soy Curls

4 cups shredded cabbage (1/2 small head or bag slaw mix) 

1 small carrot, shredded (skip if using slaw mix)

1/4 small onion, grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup vegan mayo or plain, nondairy yogurt 

2 green onions, minced

4 burger buns

1. Cooking Sauce: Stir together ketchup, Sriracha, agave, juice, garlic and ginger in a medium pot. Remove and set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixed sauce. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the Soy Curls, mix and transfer to a baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes or until lightly charred. Set aside. 

2. Slaw: Mix the cabbage, carrot, onion, lemon juice, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside. 

3. Topping Sauce: Mix the vegan mayo or yogurt, 2 tablespoons reserved Cooking Sauce and green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning.       

4. Serve: Toast the buns well. Divide the Soy Curls among the buns, add the Slaw and the  Topping Sauce to the Curls. Serve.        

 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

stromboli

Overview

Time: 45 minutes
Dishes: small pot, medium bowl, baking sheet

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I watched a popular video on how to roll Stromboli, and I am here to report to you to not make the same mistake I did - when you fill your dough, add the cheese to the bottom and then the Soy Curls. This will make folding the ends up and over the filling and crimping the seam easier. Then you can flip the dough to place the seam on the bottom of the baking pan to make sure it does not open during baking.

However you fold or fill it, when you bake this dish, make sure the cheese portion is on the top not on the bottom to allow the cheese to melt into the filling and prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

While I did prepare it the hard way, it was definitely well-received in the household. In fact, I only got a small piece to taste before they were snapped up.

I used my homemade pizza dough, which is easy and fast, and I used Soy Curls (as prepared HERE on Making Mondays). You could use Gardein or seitan or even cold cuts, if you like. It will still be delicious!

I used fresh spinach, which I just pan-cooked. No seasoning, nothing; I just cooked it to wilt it. If you use frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze it well, else your Stromboli will be too wet. No soggy Stromboli, please.

I added fennel seeds to add sausage flavor, so if you have it, please add it. All in all, very tasty meal that took less than 45 minutes to get to the table. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Gather your ingredients.
• Cook or microwave the spinach while you roll the dough.
• Press the spinach of excess liquid, if needed. 
• ADD THE CHEESE TO THE BOTTOM of the dough to make folding easier.
• Flip the filled and sealed dough onto the baking sheet, making sure the cheese is at the top.
• Make the sauce while you bake the Stromboli. 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Stromboli

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekday/weekend

2 cups chopped, prepared Soy Curls (as prepared HERE)

5 ounces spinach (cooked, if fresh; thawed and squeezed, if frozen) 

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

2 teaspoons dried basil, divided

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 pound pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)

5 garlic cloves, minced, divided

10 slices vegan cheese

1/4 cup vegan parmesan (optional) 

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon onion granules

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. Protein: Mix the soy curls, oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, chili flakes and fennel seeds together. Set aside. 

2. Stromboli: Divide the dough into two. Roll each half into an 8X12 rectangle. Sprinkle each dough half with 2 minced garlic, add half the parmesan, if using, half the slices of cheese and half the reserved Protein, leaving a 2-inch border without any toppings. Fold the dough around the filling, pinch the seam closed and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Tuck each end under. Brush with oil, add salt. Pierce all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake until golden, 17 to 25 minutes.

3. Sauce: Mix the tomato sauce, onion, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, and garlic in a small pot. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Partly cover and cook until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Add pinch sugar if too tart. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce with the Stromboli. 

 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

making savory soy curls

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

Today's Making Monday recipe is Soy Curls. This is a take on my Tender Soy Curls recipe that is from Everyday Vegan Eats; it is adapted to use the Easy Savory Broth Mix.

Butler's Soy Curls are terrific in recipes and it is a healthier, tastier alternative to textures soy protein. With a caveat. You really should cook them properly.  

First, they should be rehydrated with flavor - for that I use the Easy Savory Broth Mix as the base. Then you can use them in recipes that have liquid, but for recipes that are not too moist, Soy Curls are amazing when they are slightly crisp. Here I show you the easier way of doing that. 

I use this recipe to make my Curried Chicken-free Salad Sandwich, the upcoming Sriracha Buffalo Sandwich and the upcoming Stromboli. It is also perfect in my Shawarma!

Either prepare the Savory Soy Curls and use in recipes right away or rehydrate, drain and store. It is best to air-fry right before use, but you can always re-crisp them after storing. I find it best freshly air-fried, but it is your call and you can certainly experiment. 

I have an extra large air-fryer, so I fry it in two batches, but with smaller air-fryers you might have to do it in more batches. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to crisp them evenly.  

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Making Savory Soy Curls

Makes about 4 1/2 to 5 cups 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

5 cups water

1 1/2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix

1 (8-ounce) bag Soy Curls (about 6 cups)

Oil spray

1. Rehydrating Curls: Add the water and broth mix to a medium pot, bring to boil, add the Soy Curls and reduce to simmer. Simmer until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain, if needed. Store the curls in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before air-frying or sautéing. 

2. Air-Fry: Preheat the air-fryer to 400F. Add the Rehydrated Curls, spraying with oil. Season with salt. Air-fry in batches, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Cook until crisp as you like it, about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of Curls added to the air-fryer. Use in recipes. Alternatively, sauté in batches with oil in a large skillet over medium heat, until crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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vegetarian, vegan, meatless, plant-based

curried chicken-free salad sandwich

 

Overview

Time: 35 minutes
Dishes: bowl, air-fryer

Heads Up! mango chutney and curry powder

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

This sandwich filling is a regular meal at our house. In fact, I find that I make this meatless, vegetarian and vegan dish it at least every three weeks, and that is saying something since I don't remake many things, always looking for something new. 

This reminds me of the Whole Foods curried tofu they used to sell, and since we liked that a lot, I decided to remake it at home. 

It is sweet and tangy and crunchy. It has almonds and raisins and mango chutney. The mango chutney can be very sweet, so use the amount that suits your taste. If the dressing is too thick, thin it with some plant milk. This will depend on how thick the chutney is.

You have your choice of Air-fried Soy Curls, Savory Tofu or Sauteed Gardein scallopini. I haven't tried it with chickpeas, but they should be sauteed, too, if you use that.  

Fresh, homemade curry powder does wonders (and smells amazing) so I do recommend you make a batch of Curry Powder (make Zsu's Curry Powder HERE), instead of the stale jar hanging in the back of the spice rack. 

Throw this between bread, inside lettuce leaves, on top of crackers, or roll in a tortilla. Either way, chances are good you, too, will make it again.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Make the protein first.
• Make the curry powder, too, if you can.
• Make the dressing while the protein cooks.

 

Curried Chicken-Free Salad Sandwich

Makes 4 servings 

moderate (Preparation time for the protein kicks it to moderate) 

 

1. Protein: Prepare one of the proteins of your choice:

4 cups chopped air-fried soy curls or

4 cups cubed, air-fried Savory Tofu, or

4 cups chopped Gardein slices, sautéed

2. Dressing: Combine in a medium bowl:

3/4 cup vegan mayo

1/4 to 1/2 cup mango chutney

2 tablespoons vegan milk (optional, to thin dressing)

1 tablespoon mild curry powder, Zsu's Curry Powder or store-bought

1/2 teaspoon salt

3. Add the Protein to the Dressing. Also add:

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup minced scallions

1/2 cup toasted almond slices

 

4. Serve: Stir very well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill if not eating right away. Serve in pita, in tortilla, in lettuce leaves, on bread or on crackers.

 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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tater tot casserole

Alas the first chosen winner for Vegan Sandwiches Save The Day never responded and therefore some other lucky person is the new winner! 

Laurie is the new winner!

Laurie, please contact me to own your very free new cookbook 

by Tami Noyes and Celine Steen!

veganaide (at) yahoo (dot) com

In other interesting development, below is Tater Tot Casserole, Duggar style, just a lot healthier. 

Tater Tot Casserole is amazing because you can utilize whatever protein you'd like for the bottom layer: soy curls (thanks, Dorian!), TVP, ground seitan, tofu, marinated, grilled and diced, or tempeh. I used Soy Curls, rehydrated and sauteed with onion and garlic. The sauce is a creamy "chicken" style gravy. The whole thing is slathered with tater tots and baked to golden crispiness. 

It is as easy as you want it to be and it is sure to be the favorite of any kid. Throw some veggies on the side to make it a complete meal. 

I've blogged about Tater Tot Casserole before, but this time, I am taking the time to write up the recipe.

Cost Breakdown

Soy Curls: $3
onion, flour, spices: $.75
almond milk: $1.50
tater tots: $3
Total to make 5 servings:
$8.25

RECIPE UPDATE: this dish has been tested and revised and will be featured in the upcoming cookbook "Everyday Vegan Eats," by Zsu Dever.

cubano vegano sandwich

Continuing with the Viva Vegan! cook-athon, I made the Cuban sandwich. Kick-butt! The family absolutely loved it and great appreciation was given to Terry Hope Romero.

A very authentic version of the famous Cuban sandwich of mustard, thick bread, sweet pickles and 'pork' (I used soy curls rehydrated in 'checken' like broth, liquid smoke, lime juice, garlic and Whorchestire Sauce because I forgot all about the seitan). Great sandwich!

Cost Breakdown:

bread: $3

soy curls: $3

condiments: $2

Daiya: $2

Total to make 5 sandwiches:

$10.00

taquitos

The first on Mikel's cooking list is Taquitos.

Taquitos are too easy to make! No frying need be involved, just a tortilla and some good filling.

The filling can be beans, grains, vegetables, seitan or soy products - soy curls, tofu, TVP. You should have a nice thick sauce to bring the filling together, roll up the tortillas, place them fold down on a sprayed baking tray, sprinkle with a little olive oil and bake until crisp, about 15-20 minutes on 375.

Mikel made soy curls for his taquitos. He soaked the curls in Bryanna's Vegetable stock (about 1 c curls to 1 1/2 c stock). After draining the curls, he sauteed them with onions, garlic and pepper. He made sure the curls had a bit of color on them - important for flavor.

For the sauce he ground 1/4 c of cashews with the remaining stock he used to soak the curls and blended them well, making a cashew-stock milk. Even if you do not use the curls, blend some veg stock (about 2/3 c) with 1/4 c cashews to get the milk. Remember that nut milk (fresh) thickens when heated.

He added this milk to the pan, heated it until thickened and rolled up the filling in his warmed (to make them pliable) tortillas.

We devoured them - barely managing to save David some for his lunch tomorrow.

I am still on my chipotle kick so, I minced a few peppers and added them to a diced avocado with a squirt of lime. Goo-ood!

Cost Breakdown:
soy curls: $2.50
tortillas: $4
cashew and stock: $1.50
avocado and chipotle: $2
Total to make 10 taquitos:
$7.00

(plus $2 for the avocado)

cauliflower hand pies

European/Potato Night

For tonight's meal, we nod to the British Isles. We had savory hand pies. I made it with cauliflower and some soy curls in a creamy gravy. The soy curls are optional here, in my opinion, since the cauliflower is the star. For hand pies to work, the gravy needs to be outstanding. If the gravy is insufficient or tasteless the whole pie is doomed. To make these pies more flavorful I added 1/4 c of Dijon mustard to the gravy which I made with almond milk and a roux. 

Do not be afraid of the pastry! As overwhelming as I've found it to be in the past. I guess my hesitation in making pastry lies in all the mess. Flour everywhere! Not anymore. I use a little oil spray instead of flour to roll my dough. The dough! It must be flaky! Cakes must be moist, doughs must be flaky. This must be why I am not a pastry chef- the dough phobia. I am happy to report that that is all in the past. My dough is flaky and since I like more bang for all my bucks, I use whole wheat flour and lace it with herbs. 

Delicious! ~ I type as I write this with a mouth full of creamy cauliflower wrapped in a flaky herbed -dough.

Cost Breakdown:

dough: $1
1/2 cauliflower: $2

onion, pepper, garlic, spices: $1.50

soy curls: $1

milk: $.50

Total to make 8, 4" pies:

$6.00

courico tacos

This recipe came straight out of Vegan Brunch. I know I'm not the first to cook and blog about this dish, but seeing all the rave reviews, I put it on my menu.

Let me tell you, the raves aren't exaggerated - this is highly delicious. I defy any meat-eater to by-pass this fare. It is spicy and smoky thanks to the chipotle peppers, sweet owing to the tomatoes, pungent because of the hint of vinegar and the soy curls are a great choice in this. In fact, I am sold - it is soy curls from now on. The difference between Soy Curls and TVP is that TVP is defatted soy beans and Soy Curls uses the entire bean. I like that idea much better. I am totally into whole foods, and this is in line with that philosophy.

Cost Breakdown:

soy curls: $2

tomato: $2

onion, garlic, chipotle: $1

pineapple salsa: $2

shells: $2

Total to make 8 tacos:

$9.00