Here Are Seven Vegan Dishes That Will Make Meatless Mondays — and Beyond — a Breeze
Thai cashew bowl with quinoa.
Vegan home cooks have a lot of company in the tofu, seitan and fresh vegetable aisles of the grocery store when the new year strikes. They know that eating dairy- and meat-free can be delicious year-round, not just when New Year’s resolutions hit. It’s the rest of us who are catching up.
Cooking a vegan supper can be much easier than you’d suspect. Soy- and other non-meat-based proteins tend to cook up in a flash. The right recipe, whether mingling meaty mushrooms and protein-packed farro or velvety eggplant with silky tofu, can be eye-openingly delicious. Here are a few of our favorite vegan recipes designed especially for hungry weeknight cookery.
1. Sichuan-Style Eggplant with Tofu
Steamed eggplant takes a quick bath in a tiny bit of oil with garlic and ginger in this delightful Sichuan-style eggplant with tofu recipe. Tofu provides all the protein you need, and a black vinegar-sugar-Sriracha-black bean sauce binds the whole thing together marvelously. (Pro tip: When you’re especially exhausted, it’s totally OK to grab takeout rice from the local Chinese place.)
2. Vegetable Tofu Barley Bowl
How beautiful is this vegetable tofu barley bowl? It’s flexible enough to accommodate whichever vegetables are in-season near you right now, and it’s a delight to look at. (Call it “rainbow dinner” and see if you can’t persuade a tetchy child to give it a shot.) We’re particularly fond of the harissa-shellacked slabs of tofu, which along with tender, easy-to-cook barley give the whole meal a good bit of protein.
3. Roasted Acorn Squash with Farro
Farro is a grain that’s packed with fiber, protein, iron and B vitamins. This roasted acorn squash with farro recipe is a lovely way to showcase its charms. Whether you serve it as an appetizer or an entrée, you’ll appreciate its eclectic flavors: fresh lemon, earthy squash and sage, bright fennel and juicy pomegranate seeds. The recipe calls for butter, but those with dairy-free diets can easily swap in vegan butter.
4. Chickpea, Porcini and Farro Soup
When properly prepared, nothing is heartier than the humble chickpea. (Unless it’s mushrooms or farro.) This winter warmer is hugely satisfying thanks in large part to classic stew ingredients like rosemary, tomato paste, garlic and onion. You’ll want to sauté the mushrooms separately (in vegan butter or olive oil) before folding them in to evaporate excess water and concentrate their flavor.
5. Thai Cashew Bowl with Tofu and Barley
A delicious sauce containing roast cashews, Thai basil and chiles is the key to this excellent Thai cashew bowl with tofu recipe. This dish is jam-packed with yummy vegetables, from spiralized zucchini to spinach to watercress. Tofu and quinoa provide additional sources of protein, and the super-savory cashew sauce binds all the elements together.
6. Seitan and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Black Bean–Garlic Sauce
The texture of seitan is hugely appealing to many of its fans. This umami-packed stir-fry recipe shows off its appeal. Chinese black bean-garlic sauce is the sole specialty ingredient, and it’s one worth picking up; you’ll use it in all sorts of other Asian and meatless dishes for its booming flavor. Red bell peppers, shiitakes, and bok choy bulk up the vegetable side of things, and ginger adds its inimitable fresh, pungent note. Best of all, this dish is ready in a snap.
7. Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms and Greens
This stir-fry comes together so quickly that you actually need to start the rice before you start cooking; that way they’ll be done at once (in about half an hour). Broccoli rabe lends its very slight bitterness and wonderfully satisfying texture to a combination of shiitakes and tofu. Classic Chinese ingredients (soy, sambal oelek, sesame oil, green onions and ginger) coalesce for a wonderfully aromatic sauce. A touch of cornstarch helps the sauce “velvet” the vegetables and tofu to marvelous effect.
The post Here Are Seven Vegan Dishes That Will Make Meatless Mondays — and Beyond — a Breeze appeared first on Williams-Sonoma Taste.
It’s easy to get stuck in a dinner rut, and even easier if some ingredients are off-limits. But with weeknights busier than ever right now, you’re going to need all the ideas you can get. That’s why we’ve come up with these six recipes, all of which are easy, crowd-pleasing and kid-friendly on top of being gluten free. From hands-off fajitas to a sweet new spin on Italian bean soup, here are half a dozen gluten-free supper ideas that are sure to make weeknights easier.
 Turkey and White Bean Chili
This creamy turkey and bean chili is loaded with flavor and nutritious ingredients without the added fat. |
 Turkey Cutlets with Fresh Corn and Tomatoes
This dish is super-efficient, since the fresh corn and tomatoes double as both sauce and vegetable, plus they cook in the same frying pan used to cook the turkey. |
 Panfried Halibut with Tomatoes and Basil
Fish fillets are an ideal choice for an easy weeknight meal, since most can be panfried in less than 10 minutes. Mild halibut’s the perfect fish to pair with the vibrant flavors of tomato and basil. |
 Sheet Pan Fajitas
For this low-maintenance dinner, the steak, bell peppers and onions are all cooked in a single baking sheet, making prep and cleanup a breeze. Serve the fajitas with corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas to keep things gluten-free. |
 Honey-Ginger Pork with Braised Kale
This simple pork braise is easy to assemble, and hands off once it’s in a slow cooker. Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos and the noodles for rice to make it gluten-free. |
 Zuppa di Fagioli
This variation on the Italian bean soup, zuppa di fagioli, adds chipotle chile powder for a pop of heat and crimson color, then tops each serving with a gremolata made from Meyer lemon, fennel and parsley for a pop of flavor. Hearty and restorative, this soup is perfect for a fall day. |
The post These Gluten-Free Weeknight Meals Are Guaranteed to Make Your Life Easier appeared first on Williams-Sonoma Taste.
This Vegan Green Energy Smoothie is not only refreshing, sweet and delicious, but it will keep you satisfied and energized!
Sweet sugar cookies that are super soft and chewy! These sugar cookies could not be easier to make!
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs have all the flavor of the wings but are much easier to serve. The Blue Cheese Ranch Dip balances the heat!
Tomatoes, garlic and onion are roasted and blended to create this perfect cozy bowl of creamy roasted tomato soup.
Loaded Whole30 & Paleo Sweet Potato Taco Wedges made with homemade taco seasoning and topped with ground beef, guacamole & more.
Embutido (meatloaf): made with turkey, stuffed with eggs and chicken sausage--dressed up but homey and comforting as the classic.
Authentic Belgian Liege Waffles. Made using a buttery, sweet, and dense yeasted dough that is studded with Belgian Pearl Sugar.
The best gluten-free peanut butter cookies! They are soft, chewy and a little crisp around the edges. Dairy-Free and Vegan option.
Green Goddess Potato Salad
This apple beet ginger juice is easy to make, tasty and great for helping to perk you up if you are in need of a boost!
These granola bars are the perfect pick-me-up made with just 9 healthy ingredients. Vegan + Gluten-Free.
Celebrate your next child’s birthday with those adorable Sesame Street characters everyone loves!
This delicious, Middle Eastern inspired Lentil Soup, made with red lentils, turmeric, spinach, carrots and lemon will exceed your expectations. It’s golden in color, and very easy to make and leftovers are freezer-friendly.
I love lentils and lentil soup. One of my go-to’s are my Chicken and Lentil Soup. I wanted to recreate a lentil soup I had at a Persian restaurant and knew this would be amazing! Directions included for Dutch oven or Instant Pot!
This Cheesy Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada Skillet dinner is about as fast as enchiladas can get, and that’s because it’s not really enchiladas—it’s a tortilla casserole made all in one cooking vessel.
I’m obsessed with Chicken Enchiladas, so I loved this easy skillet version! I used my homemade enchilada sauce which I usually double and keep in the freezer because it’s so dang good, but you can use jarred if you wish!
