Vegan Tofu Katsu Recipe
Coming Soon…
5-Ingredient Vegan Portobello Philly Sandwiches
Just calling a sandwich a Philly automatically declares what you’re in for: something filling, something we wouldn’t necessarily call health food and maybe a little more grease than normal. Is it an everyday dinner? Most definitely not. But when you want something that hits the spot in the way the unique mixture of flavors of a Philly do, look no further.
Obviously we aren’t using meat in this recipe, but we’re also not going to be doing anything fancy. It’s actually one of the most simple recipes we’ve done in a while. This dish is all about building layers of flavor: some sweetness from the onion, a little saltiness from the grilled bread and a massive rush of umami from the mushrooms.
The two secret things that ensure success for this recipe? A sharp knife and some restraint — it’s tough to not just keep eating the mushrooms while you’re cooking them!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
2 bell peppers, sliced thinly
1 medium sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup vegan cheese (optional)
3 tbsp vegan butter, split in half
Neutral cooking oil like canola
Directions
Ella’s Harvest is a project simply to live simply and to cause no unnecessary harm. We strive to make delicious plant-based recipes accessible while growing our own food and help fellow vegans and those transitioning to the lifestyle. Follow us on Instagram @ellas_harvest or visit us on the site ellasharvest.com.
Vegan Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
They often say we eat with our eyes first — and if that’s true, there’s zero shame in going back for seconds or thirds of these stuffed peppers.
While you can make seasoned rice from scratch, to cut down on prep and cook time, we used parboiled rice with a ready blend of spices. There’s still dicing, mincing and seasoning to do, so don’t get too relaxed.
We also used some new-to-us products in this recipe — there’s no chance we’d skip cashew queso, are you kidding me? — that rounded out all the flavors beautifully. If you embrace the trinity of chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika, don’t sleep on this one.
Make sure you read the recipe all the way through before getting started. There’s some multitasking involved here!
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
35 minutes
Serves
4
Difficulty
Intermediate
Ingredients
4 red bell peppers, halved with membrane and seeds removed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
5 oz. finely diced bell pepper
1 medium onion, minced
1 package Spanish rice
1 lime (optional)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
Non-dairy sour cream
Non-dairy nacho cheese
Cilantro, chopped, to garnish
Olive oil
Directions
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Ella’s Harvest is a project simply to live simply and to cause no unnecessary harm. We strive to make delicious plant-based recipes accessible while growing our own food and help fellow vegans and those transitioning to the lifestyle. Follow us on Instagram @ellas_harvest or visit us on the site ellasharvest.com.
Vegan Pumfu Pad Thai Recipe
With fresh ingredients — and one that you may have never even heard of before — this pad thai balances bold flavors without being heavy-handed. Soy sauce or tamari lays a salty, savory foundation, while brown sugar, vinegar and a new-to-us protein add both a satisfying texture and unifying flavor to all of it.
We first tried Foodies Vegan’s Pumfu (a tofu substitute made of pumpkin seeds) a week before writing this up and had the eureka moment when describing its flavors: It’s slightly nutty but also fully takes on the tastes of marinades and sauces as well.
So what has a delicious sauce and is made even better with a nutty flavor added in? Pad thai of course.
Fresh produce makes all the difference in this recipe and is the key to balancing textures and flavors. There’s nothing quite like the crunch of bean sprouts and the unmistakable peppery hints of fresh cilantro next to chewy noodles and fresh spritzes of lime juice. Note that this doesn’t have any sort of spiciness as the recipe is written. If you choose to add some heat, red pepper flakes or sriracha in the sauce to taste would be the spot to do it.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
15 Minutes
Difficulty
Simple
Serves
2
Ingredients
1 pack Pumfu
3 servings pad thai noodles
8 tbsp low sodium soy sauce/tamari, split in two portions
3 tbsp organic brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp sesame oil
2 ½ tbsp neutral cooking oil
2 carrots, julienned
Bean sprouts to garnish (one handful)
Chopped peanuts to garnish
Cilantro to garnish
Directions
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Ella’s Harvest is a project simply to live simply and to cause no unnecessary harm. We strive to make delicious plant-based recipes accessible while growing our own food and help fellow vegans and those transitioning to the lifestyle. Follow us on Instagram @ellas_harvest or visit us on the site ellasharvest.com.
Homemade Vegan Japanese Curry
If you’ve never had Japanese curry, let’s just make sure you’re prepared for what you’re getting into here. The Japanese style is roux-based, thicker and generally a little more mild in terms of flavor.
What you find in Asian grocery stores, while quick and easy and satisfying, is usually full of preservatives. The good news is that making your own homemade version is easy — maybe just not quite as quick.
The key to getting good textures in this curry is being mindful about how you cut your veggies. Unless you’re using whole baby carrots, cut your carrot pieces into different lengths so they all cook evenly with the potatoes.
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
1 hour
Difficulty
Intermediate
Ingredients for the roux
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp curry powder
1 ½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp paprika
Ingredients for the curry
2 tbsp oil
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped.
2 tbsp dark-chocolate chips (optional)
1 apple, peeled, cored and shredded
4 cups of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Vegan Black Bean Burgers
Take your tastebuds to Flavortown A good black bean burger is about achieving the right texture and a balance of flavors.
These quarter-pound patties are pan fried to get crispy and finished in the oven. A little bit of salt, some umami and smoky undertones from smoked paprika add complexity while the addition of soy sauce-sauteed baby bellas add a healthy dose of savory flavor that’s as delicious as it is full of plant-based goodness.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Difficulty
Intermediate
Yields
4 quarter-pound patties
Ingredients
1 tsp canola oil
¼ cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
Soy sauce to taste
1 cup black beans, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup garbanzo beans, rinsed and patted dry
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp tapioca powder
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ cup oats
¼ cup corn kernels
1 tbsp coconut oil
Directions