Gack Yack

I came across this recipe on SuperVegan the other day, and it sounded like a good scientific experiment for a side dish. Go ahead – give it a whirl.

Preheat your Broiler. Cut heads of broccoli in half and blanch in boiling water for 4 minutes. Dry on Paper towels and place on a greased cookie sheet (Figure A.) Rub each floret with Veganaise and sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutritional yeast (Figure B). Place under Broiler for 10 minutes or until blackened.(Figure C) Serve as a delicious side dish to your meal (Figure D).

This recipe from Vegweb is a good side dish for Thanksgiving when everyone fails to understand why you don’t eat turkey. Enjoy.

What You Need:

1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 carrots, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound leeks, cut lengthwise into eighths (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 russet potatoes, cubed
1-1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound chard, rinsed and ribbed
4 large garlic cloves, diced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the Brussels sprouts, leeks, and potatoes in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place them in a baking pan. Arrange kale in a layer in another baking pan. Roast kale, and potato mixture, for about 15 minutes. The potatoes should be golden and the kale should be crisp.
2. While potatoes and chard are roasting, saute the garlic in the sesame oil until it is soft and fragrant. Remove from stove and stir in balsamic vinegar.
3. Place roasted vegetables in a bowl and stir in the garlic-balsmaic dressing. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!

If you’re into Vietnamese food, one of the hardest meals to give up is Pho. After all, the probability of finding vegetarian Pho (that’s NOT made with chicken or beef stock) at any decent Vietnamese restaurant is almost absurd. The recipe offers a tasty substitute for those days when you just want some damn Pho.

Go Pho it! (That expression is mildly retarded, I know, but I had to go Pho it. And now I can’t stop…)

What You Do:

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente, then drain and cut into shorter lengths suitable for soup. Set aside until needed.
2. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
3. Add the broth, kombu, soy sauce, ginger, five-spice powder and water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
4. Add the seitan, bean sprouts, half of the scallions, and half of the cilantro. Season with lime juice, pepper and, if desired, some additional soy sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes longer, then remove from the heat.
5. Serve at once, garnishing the top of each serving with a thin wedge or two of lime, and the remaining cilantro and scallions.

Recipe courtesy of VegNews.com and photo courtesy of To Live and Eat in L.A.