Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato "Meat Loaf"

Lentils, Sweet Potatoes, Walnuts, and Oats. Thats all I have to say about this delicious comfort food. Pair those words with caramelized Brussels sprouts, and you have my heart. I would not even go close to brussels sprouts until I tried them this way at a restaurant in Denver, and instantly had to make up and vegan-ize their recipe, and these ones are pretty darn addictive. 

Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato Loaf

1 Tbs coconut Oil

1 stick of celery, chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 Tbs fresh minced ginger

2 3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 cup green lentils

1 large sweet potato (I use white sweet potatoes, but im sure yams would work) grated

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp dried basil

1 cup rolled oats

Heat coconut pil in a large pot. Saute onions and celery until soft. Add ginger & garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes. Add lentils, veggie broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer until most of the broth is absorbed, and lentils are cooked (about 25 minutes). Stir in walnuts, tomato paste and basil, and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in oats ad remove pot from heat. Throw half of the mixture in your vita-mix (or food processor) and process until smooth. Stir the smooth mixture back with the non-processed mixture. Press firmly into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Brush top with either a ketchup & hot sauce mixture, or your favorite vegan smokey bbq sauce. Bake in oven 40-45 minutes. Serve warm with caramelized brussel sprout & Devour!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
1lb brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 lemon
Coarse salt, to taste

Steam the brussels sprouts for about 6-10 minutes, or until bright green and tender. When cool enough to touch, cut each into half lengthwise. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the sprouts cut side down in the pan, and cook for about 4 minutes, allowing them to brown. Resist moving them, unless to check how much they have browned. When browned, flip sprouts to other side for about 3 minutes till slightly browned. Remove sprouts, and sprinkle with the salt, and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Devour!

Vegan Banana Coconut French Toast

Childhood weekend breakfast plates were usually stacked high with my moms mouth watering french toast, and of course always topped with powdered sugar. And now with this killer twist on moms recipe, there is no better way to start a morning than with vegan banana coconut french toast! Plus now you wont have bread, that is grilled in goopy snot-like egg batter, i mean come on, its pretty sick! (And not in a good way!) 

1 banana

1/2 cup coconut milk (like from the can used for curry, not the "milk" milk)

1 cup rice or almond milk

2 Tbs Coconut Sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

splash of vanilla

6-8 slices of bread (I use whole grain)

2 Tbs Earth Balance

In a vita-mix (or food processor) blend together banana, coconut milk, almond milk, coconut sugar, cinnamon and vanilla till smooth. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl. Heat Earth Balance in a griddle, or skillet over medium heat. Dip bread into coconut banana mixture, and cook bread until bread is lightly brown on both sides. Serve warm with syrup, fresh bananas, powdered sugar... and then Devour! 

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

No gluten, no animal products, no crap, Hooray! Word on the street is it is going to snow tomorrow in Colorado, so for all you people living in cold places, or heck, even warm places, here is one of my favorite soup recipes! This winter favorite is filled with hearty, delicious fresh ingredients!  Freeze any left overs for that unexpected snow day (if you are able to resist devouring the whole pot)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

7 cups vegetable broth

1 cup lentils

Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onion, constantly stir until onions are softened. Stir in the tomatoes, ginger and spices and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, broth and lentils. Bring to a boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft enough to easily poke with a fork. 

Happy Birthday Gluten-Free & Vegan Style

Just because you avoid animal products, and your belly cant handle the gluten, doesn't mean that you cant celebrate your birthday in style! For my friend of mine, Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Almond Mocha Cake is the way she is raging tonight, and I bet the other guests wont even realise that its GF & Vegan!!! Chocolate Cake layered with Mocha Buttercream and layer of  almond slivers, all smothered in Almond Buttercream! Happy Birthday Darianne!

You tempted? If you live in the Denver Area, hit me up on my website, blog, or email, and a cake will be in your mouth asap! If you don't live here, you can still order baked goods, such as sweet bread, muffins etc @ www.Devourbakery.com under the menu tab!! 

Vegan and Gluten Free 2 "Cheese" Corn Gratin

What is better than being able to indulge in delicious, guilt-free, vegan and gluten free food? NOTHING! So here is one more comfort-food dish for the cold winter months that will keep your belly full with some yummy veggies, & that I a sure will have your youngsters asking for seconds! Nom nom

1 lb yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 lb tomatoes, halved, seeded and cup into 1/3 inch slices

2 Tbs olive oil

 1/2 cup plain rice or almond milk

1 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa (I use White Girl Salsa)

2 Tbs cornstarch

5 ears of corn (kernels off the cob)

3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (DONT USE FOR GF, sub gf "breadcrumbs" or extra cheese)

3/4 cup Daiya Cheddar "cheese"

1/2 cup Daiya Pepper-jack "cheese"

1/2 cup basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 3qt baking dish, arrange squash and half of the tomatoes on the bottom. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, and sprinkle top with half of the basil. Roast for about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together "milk," salsa & cornstarch. Combine corn kernels, panko crumbs, 1/4 cup of cheddar, 1/4 cup of Pepper-jack, and rest of olive oil. Sprinkle remaining amount of cheese over the roasted veggies. Top with corn mixture, and pour "milk" mixture over corn. Top with the rest of salsa, tomatoes & basil. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until tomatoes are cooked. Serve warm and Devour!!

Vegan Wild Mushroom Risotto

Plain and simple: This vegan risotto is kick ass. With its "soul food" power, it makes you happily stuffed, satisfied and stoked that you're eating food that is making your belly smile in more than 1 way!

6 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup dried mushrooms (I like chanterelles)

1/2 cup hot water

3 Tbs Olive Oil

1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

1 cup fresh Mushrooms (like crimini, porcini, or portobello)

2 garlic cloves

1 small onion, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

1/3 cup white wine

1/2 cup Vegan Parmesan cheese

2 Tbs Basil, chopped

In a large saucepan warm the vegetable broth over low heat to keep warm. Place hot water and dried mushrooms in a bowl for about 20 minutes. When mushrooms are soft add to warming vegetable broth.

Heat 1 Tbs of olive oil and 1 Tbs of Earth Balance in a large saute pan. Add fresh mushrooms and saute till soft and lightly browned and remove mushrooms from heat. Heat remaining amount of olive oil, add onions and shallot till soft and transparent. Add garlic and remaining Earth Balance and saute for 1 minute. Add rice and mix till well combined. Pour in white wine and stir till absorbed. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and stir till almost fully absrobed. Continue adding 1 cup of broth at a time, stir constantly until absorbed. Keep adding broth till rice is a creamy texture, and broth is almost completely gone. (this whole broth-adding process should take about 30-35 minutes) Stir in sauteed mushrooms, and vegan parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Serve & Devour 

Vegan Smokey Chipotle "Hot Wings"

For all you vegans out there who get stuck watching the superbowl, or actually just like football, here is a seitan "hot wing" that will even be devoured by the manliest of men and meat-aterians alike! Now there is finally one other great thing about the Superbowl besides the commercials!! 

1 box Seitan

1 cup plain almond milk

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with oil. Wisk milk, oil, garlic and onion powder, paprika and salt in a bowl. Dip seitan into milk mixture then roll in bread crumbs till fully coated. Place on baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden. Remove from oven and smother with my favorite, Smokey Chipotle White Girl Salsa. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes, Serve & Devour