Four Ingredient Vegan Risotto

Four Ingredient Vegan Risotto

I set a goal for all of my recipes; make them easy, accessible, & quick. This one checks all of the boxes. This four ingredient vegan risotto takes about 40 minutes to an hour to prepare, it includes four ingredients that are easy to find, & it tastes pretty close to the real thing.

Initially, I created this by accident. My rice turned out super “watery” so I threw some nutritional yeast hoping to save it and was surprised by how much it tasted like risotto. Of course, I’ve been vegan for so long now so it’s very possible that it only tasted that way to me. Since then, I’ve tweaked the recipe and had family try it to confirm that it actually tastes like risotto.

Don’t have an hour?

There are two ways to make this. You can follow the recipe at the bottom and it will take you 40 minutes to an hour (and I recommend this way) OR if your in a bind, you can make it in less time. For the quicker way, make white rice the normal way but add 3 parts water instead of two. Once the rice is soft add nutritional yeast, vegetarian bouillon, and white wine (optional).

Okay, the long(er) way…

In a large sauce pan add your rice & vegetable broth. I used a white, medium grain rice & better than bouillon broth. My ratio was 1/2 a cup of rice to 2 1/2 cups of broth. This will make enough for 1-2 people.

Once the water starts to boil, set the flame at a low to medium heat. Cover to steam and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Once the rice is soft and most of the broth is gone add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast.

Side Note: Nutritional yeast might sound foreign and like a hard ingredient to find. It’s not. To give you an idea, I’m in California and could go into any grocery store around me and find it. And I’ve lived in another country and was able to find it. Anyway, if you are considering becoming vegan or living a plant-based lifestyle, nutritional yeast is a godsend.

Finally, add about a tablespoon of white wine. I used sauvignon blanc.

That’s it! You can add mushrooms, salt, pepper, & vegan parmesan as shown in the picture. I recommend Violife parmesan.

Four Ingredient Vegan Risotto

Keyword gluten-free, Risotto, Vegan
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 cup Medium White Grain Rice
  • 1/8-1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 tbsp White Wine Sauvignon Blanc

Instructions

  • Boil vegetable broth in a large sauce pan
  • Add rice and lower heat to medium low
  • Cover rice and star occasionally with wooden spoon
  • Cook for 40 minutes or until rice is soft
  • Add nutritional yeast & white wine
  • Serve with vegetables, pepper & vegan parmesan (optional)

Easy Teriyaki Tofu

Easy Teriyaki Tofu

I make this recipe way too often. Why? Because it’s so freakin easy. This is the perfect recipe for all the lazy vegans like me.

To be honest, this is a very light-tasting tofu recipe. This is for tofu lovers. So if you came for a tofu recipe that will make you forget you are eating tofu, unfortunately, this one isn’t it =/

BUT if you love (or even like) tofu, and just want to enhance it, welcome to my favorite and ridiculously easy tofu recipe!

To Start…

Because this is a fast and lazy recipe, we are not going to press the tofu. Take it straight out of the packaging and chop it into cubes. I do not care for my tofu to be crispy for this recipe. If you desire a crispier texture then you’ll have to press your tofu. ( I have a post for that: How to Press Tofu Without a Tofu Press) I do however like to use firm or extra-firm tofu.

Heat up about a tbsp to 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Vegetable oil is probably best, but I use olive oil most of the time.

Fry the tofu in the oil, gently stirring occasionally. Do this until the tofu starts to turn a very light yellow on all sides. Reference the photo below.

Lightly coat the tofu with garlic powder (1/4-1/2 tsp), a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Cook for another minute or two.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and coat the tofu with soy sauce and then agave syrup. I’ve tried maple syrup with this recipe and it just isn’t the same for me. But it’s a good substitute for agave if that’s all you have.

Then the tofu is ready!

Easy Teriyaki Tofu

Keyword gluten-free, Teriyaki, tofu
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Non-stick frying pan

Ingredients

  • 1 Package Tofu Firm or Extra Firm
  • 1-2 tbsp Oil olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • Soy Sauce to taste
  • Agave Syrup to taste (can substitute maple syrup or brown sugar)

Instructions

  • Chop the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
  • Heat the oil on a non-stick pan.
  • Fry the tofu, occasionally stirring, until it is a light yellow color.
  • Coat the tofu in garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Fry for another minute or two.
  • Turn down the heat to a simmer or the lowest setting.
  • Drizzle the soy sauce and then the agave syrup.
  • Let that cook for another minute.
  • Ready to serve!

How to Cook Fluffy White Rice

How to Cook Fluffy White Rice

You would think that cooking rice should be a simple task, but in my experience, I can tell you it’s not like riding a bicycle. But, I can assure you that once you have it down, you’ll be a pro at cooking rice.

Specifically, I am focusing on white rice. There are a couple of factors to consider, though. The size of your pot for example. In this recipe, I’ve used a 1.5-quart pot, which worked out perfectly fine, but I did make the mistake of taking my eyes off of the stove and the water started to boil over. So I suggested using a slightly larger and taller pot OR just keeping your eye on the stove and whenever water looks like it’s about to boil over remove the top and then cover again.

The second factor to consider is your stove. This batch of rice only took 15 minutes to steam. In my last apartment, it took 20 minutes. They were both gas stoves so I’m not really sure why the cooking time changes. It could also have been the type of rice I am using which was basmati. So it’s also good to double-check the instructions on the bag for recommended times.

Finally, I chose to put the pot on my smallest burner. If you cook rice on your large burner your chances of burning the rice or the rice sticking to the pot increase and we definitely do not want that!

Let Us Start – How to Cook White Rice!

If you’ve had a chance to look at my How to Cook Fluffy Quinoa post, you’ll see I use the 2 to 1 ratio. So for every cup of Quinoa, you use 2 cups of water. The same applies to white rice. In this recipe specifically, I use 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. If I were cooking brown rice I would use 2 and a half cups of water to 1 cup of rice.

So add both your rice and water to the pot. Also rinse your rice. I’m terrible at doing this but do as I say, not as I do I guess…

Some people also like to boil their water before adding their rice. I don’t like to do that.

Add salt and olive oil (optional) to the rice and water, then bring water to a boil.

Once the water is boiling turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Like I said earlier, every stove is different, so you’ll start at 15 minutes the first time and then go from there.

Important: Keep your eyes on the pot because water might boil over. That’s why I suggest using a slightly larger pot than I used which was 1.5 quarts. If the water starts to boil over just remove the top for a second and then place it back on. You will not have to do this the whole 15 minutes.

Once 15 minutes have passed check the rice. If all of the water is gone remove the pot from the heat, fluff the rice, and cover the rice for a couple of minutes. Fluffing the rice just kind-of means lightly moving it around with a fork. If the water doesn’t look like it’s evaporated then continue to keep on a low heat checking your rice every 30 seconds until the water is gone. And from this, you’ll know the exact amount of time to cook your rice the next time.

That’s pretty much it. You are read to serve.

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How to Cook White Rice

Total Time20 minutes
Keyword: How to, white rice

Equipment

  • 1.5 to 2.5 quart pot

Materials

  • 1 cup White Rice Basmati
  • 2 cups Water
  • pinch Salt (to taste)
  • drizzle olive oil optional

Instructions

  • Put rice, water, oil, and a pinch of salt in a pot
  • Place the pot on your smallest burner and bring to boil
  • Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat to the lowest setting (simmer) and cover
  • Set a timer for 15 minutes and keep your eye on the pot to prevent the water from boiling over
  • After 15 minutes check that the water has fully evaporated and remove the pot from the stove. Fluff the rice and keep covered. If water has not fully evaporated, keep the pot over a simmer and check every 30 seconds to see if the water is gone.
  • After a couple of minutes, you can season with more salt and serve!

Vegan Parmesan Potato Wedges

Vegan Parmesan Potato Wedges

About this Recipe

I think before I became vegan my favorite thing to get when going to the grocery store were the chicken wings and potato wedges from the hot foods section. As a kid, it made grocery store trips exciting because when I got to the car I would go all in.

I have yet to ask whether the potato wedges at the grocery store are vegan or not. But I think if they can find a way to make it non-vegan friendly they most likely will. So I’ve figured out a way to make them at home and if we’re being completely honest with ourselves, homemade is the way to go anyway.

To Start

I haven’t included measurements in this recipe. If I get requests to I will revise later. But for now, no measuring required.

Before doing anything else, remember to preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius).

Start by washing small to medium russet potatoes. I do not peel the potatoes but you totally can if you prefer. It will not affect the way the potatoes cook.

Cut the potatoes into two halves (into four pieces). Reference the picture below.

Boiling

Why boil first? I might be wrong but my theory is that if you boil the potatoes first when they bake the outside will be crunchy and the inside soft.

Fill a medium to a large pot with cold water. As you’re cutting your wedges you can place them in the pot of cold water. Place the pot with potato wedges on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until you can stick a fork through them but you do not want them falling apart. So maybe boil for about a couple of minutes.

Baking

Once you finish boiling, drain the water from the pot and you can start seasoning. Generously coat the wedges in olive oil, spices, and your favorite vegan parmesan. It is hard to “over spice” in this recipe.

I like to use Violife Parmesan Cheese. It makes all the difference in this recipe.

Transfer the wedges to a glass baking dish. And place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Garnish with more warm cheese and salt.

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Vegan Parmesan Potato Wedges

No measurements for this recipe

Ingredients

  • Small-Medium Russet Potatoes
  • Oil I used Olive Oil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Paprika
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Vegan Parmesan Cheese Violife is my favorite to use!

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 Degrees Fahrenheit (232 Degrees Celsius)
  • Wash and cut russet potatoes in 4 pieces (cut in half and then in half again). I do not peel the potatoes
  • Place potato wedges into a pot of cold water. Bring to boil. Boil until wedges are soft but not falling apart
  • Drain water and place wedges in a glass baking dish
  • Coat wedges generously with olive oil, spices, and vegan parmesan
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and garnish with sea salt and more parmesan

Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Latkes

Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Latkes

In my Opinion…

Ashkenazi food is gross and anyone who disagrees with me is lying. But, my one exception to the rule is potato latkes. Traditionally made using eggs and flour as a binder, but these ingredients can be so easily replaced! And I promise that you’ll get the same exact result.

To make these, we’re going to be using ground flaxseed instead of egg. Flaxseed is an amazing substitute for eggs, especially when baking for example.

Instead of flour, you can just use your favorite gluten-free flour. I went with oat flour.

Preparation

I recommend that the first thing you do is prepare your flax egg. Mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tbsp water. That is the equivalent of one egg. Let that sit while you begin your next step.

Next, peel and wash your potatoes and grate them. In the picture below you’ll see that I am using the side with the largest holes on the grater.

Also, don’t be alarmed when the potatoes start to turn pink. It’s normal.

Grating potatoes for easy gluten-free vegan latkes

If you’re brave enough you can also grate your onion. Otherwise, chop it up as finely as you can. I started by grating it but halfway through decided I wasn’t strong enough and grabbed a knife.

Once the onion is added take a paper towel or clean rag and soak up some of the excess water. This will help the latkes fry better.

Add both your flax egg and flour of choice to the potatoes and onion, and now you’re ready to start frying!

Frying latkes

Let’s Fry!

Something I want to say before we continue is PLEASE BE CAREFUL. We are working with quite a bit of oil and that’s why I keep the heat low.

Fill the bottom of a medium to a large non-stick frying pan with oil. I’m using vegetable oil. You could try olive oil or coconut oil, but it will most likely affect the flavor. You also want to be generous with the oil and might need to add more as you go.

This isn’t a healthy dish so you might as well go all in.

Turn your heat to medium-low and once the oil is hot you can start adding your mixture. I do a heaping spoonful but it’s up to you how big or small you’d like to make them. (To test if the oil is hot you can put a little bit of mixture in the pan and once that starts frying add the rest.)

*It is important that you try to flatten them out (or not make them so thick) so that they are cooked through.

It was hard to gauge how long each side needed to be fried. I would say fry 8-10 minutes on each side or until the latkes are a dark, golden brown. Reference the photo below if you need to.

Easy Gluten-free vegan latkes

Finally,

set your latkes on a paper towel or rag over a plate in order to soak up some of that oil. And place another paper towel/rag on top.

Once they’ve cooled after a couple of minutes you can eat! These are best served right away and with sour cream and apple sauce.

I am dipping these in a vegan sour cream. The recipe I used can be found here: https://www.noracooks.com/cashew-sour-cream/

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Gluten-Free and Vegan Latkes

A traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish often served during Hannukah
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Jewish
Keyword FriedFoods, gluten-free, Latkes, Vegan

Equipment

  • Medium to Large Frying Pan
  • Grater with Large Holes
  • Peeler

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Flax Seed
  • 2 Medium Russet Potatoes
  • 1/2 Medium Onion
  • 1 tbsp Gluten-Free Flour This can be almond flour or oat flour also
  • Vegetable Oil

Instructions

  • Make a flaxseed egg by combining 1 tbsp flaxseed and 2 tbsp water. Set Aside.
  • Peel Potatoes and Grate into a medium bowl.
  • Grate or finely chop the onion. Mix this in with the grated potatoes. For best results, soak up the excess water with a paper towel or rag.
  • Mix in the flaxseed egg and gluten-free flour.
  • Fill the bottom of the frying pan with oil and heat on the stovetop at a medium-low heat.
  • Once the oil is hot start adding spoonfuls of mixture. Be careful when working with hot oil, please!!
  • Cook each side for about 8-10 minutes or until dark, golden brown.
  • Once cooked cool on top of a paper towel or rag.

Notes

It’s best if you make the latkes thinner rather than thick so the inside will cook.
You also might need to add more oil as you cook. 
Traditionally eaten with sour cream and applesauce. 

vegan sweet potato soup

Try another holiday favorite!

Vegan Sweet potato Soup