Mini Vegan Quiches

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Mini Vegan Quiche with Gluten-free Crusts

(Margaret’s tried and true version)

This can be made with various ingredients, but here’s a start!

1 12.3 oz package firm silken tofu, drained

¼ cup plain soymilk

2 tbs nutritional yeast

1 tbs cornstarch (or potato starch or arrowroot)

1 tsp tahini or cashew butter (I use more like a tbs)

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp turmeric

½- ¾ tsp kala namak salt—gives an eggy flavor (or regular salt)

1 tsp minced garlic (can use powdered if needed)

1 tbs minced fresh chives

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

black pepper to taste (I omit)

1 cup finely chopped broccoli or other veggie or (2 cups spinach, etc)

1 cup chopped mushrooms (I rehydrated dry, or leave out and use more veggies)

Opt: ½ - 1 cup grated non-dairy cheese

1 package GF crust mix. Make per directions (divide in two and chill), then divide into the number of muffins cups you are going to use as you line the cups.

The conundrum here is numbers—one recipe of the quiche makes about 12 quiches. One recipe of a GF crust mix (for two pie crusts) makes about 16-24 quiches–about 16 if you spread the crust to the top, or stretch it to 24 if you just go halfway up the muffin cup. You can underfill the cups with quiche or do a double recipe and stretch. Or just make some without the crust. Or make fewer and roll out extra crust and cut out adorable shapes to stick on top…chicks/bunnies for Easter, etc.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray (or use liners) 12 muffin or cupcake sized cups with non-stick spray...or grease lightly with vegan butter.

Mix tofu and soymilk in blender or food processor til smooth. Then add in next 10 ingredients. Pour this mixture into large bowl of chopped veggies/mushrooms and stir well.

Fill muffin tins (already lined with raw crust) with this tofu mixture. Bake in oven about 20-35 minutes. Cool slightly and serve. They are nice with some vegan butter. Also good cold. Freezes well.

Vegan MOFO Psychedelic Sunday Rockin' Mockin' Toona

Psychedelic Sunday is so named because of a new book/cookbook I am reading called "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure." It's not vegan, but it does have many vegan or vegetarian recipes or recipes that can easily be made vegan. I've been having an issue with what seems to be known as "Silent Reflux." My doctor thinks its GERD, but I'm not convinced. My first line of defense is usually "what am I eating that could be causing this?" or "what else can I eat that will help me?" Dr. Jamie Koufman believes that a low-fat, low-acid, alkaline diet will help this condition.

Rockin' Mockin' Toona is my version of her "Marc's Tasty Tuna Salad." Well, in fact, it's not even close to her version cause it's MY version of tuna salad!

Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see all the versions of things you can make with this basic vegan "Tuna" salad.

For all you non-vegan folks who might be making this for your loved one (or the one you want to love!), just think what a great picnic lunch this would make! And if he/she is gluten-free, too, definitely make it a salad on a bed of lettuce or stuffed in a tomato or on some nice GF bread.  (Just maybe take an enzyme tablet in case the garbanzo beans decide to create a little uncalled-for music!)

Rockin' Mockin' Toona Salad

1 can organic garbanzo beans
4 stalks celery, chopped finely (about 2/3 cup)
1-2 spring onions, chopped
2 Tbs pickle relish
1 Tbs lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tsp kelp granules*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs mustard
2-4 Tbs vegan mayo

Alternative options: tomato, bread, corn chips, lettuce, meltable vegan cheese.

*I was out of kelp granules, which I think helps to give it a "fishy" tuna taste. Instead, I had some toasted nori snacks on hand and I carefully chopped up 4 of the little sheets. I think you could also chop up a regular sheet of sushi nori and get the same result. I kept a little to garnish with.

1. Strain and rinse garbanzo beans under cold water. Shake dry and pat with a towel to dry a little more. Too much liquid and you will have a runny salad. Chop them in a food processor or by hand with a masher until they are about the consistency of tuna flakes. Put in large bowl.

2. Add celery, onions, pickle relish, lemon juice, kelp granules, garlic powder and salt to the bowl and mix thoroughly. You can leave out the lemon juice and/or the garlic if you know it causes reflux.

3. Add mustard and mix.

4. Add mayo one tablespoon at a time and mix well. This is high in fat, and you really only need just enough to make it a nice spread that holds together. Depending on your own tastes, you may like 1-4 tablespoons. I like it with 2.

Serving suggestions:
Here's where the fun begins...

1. Just eat it right now! Out of the bowl!
2. Chill and eat later.
3. Stuffed Tomato: Slice a tomato in half and scoop out a little from each half. Fill with Toona Salad. Guaranteed to impress your vegan. Serve on a bed of lettuce or a few pretty lettuce/kale leaves. Garnish with sprinkles of kelp or chopped nori. (Note: Tomato is not usually reflux-friendly.)
4. Make a sammy! Any old bread will do, but to make it special, try toasting the bread! Or lightly frying in a pan. My DH loves his Toona Sandwiches with crumbled corn chips, olives and pickle slices inside the sandwich!

5. Toona Melt!! I've never actually had a real Tuna Melt before, but this Rockin' Mockin' Tuna Melt is pretty darn tasty. My version: Toast a nice piece of bread that has been lightly buttered. Spread with Toona Salad and top with your favorite Daiya Cheese. Broil in a toaster oven until cheese is melted. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder (watch out for reflux) or curry.

New Year's Black-Eyed Peas

This is my own creation after reading a number of recipes. No, I didn't make any cornbread, but next time I will.

I didn't measure a thing, so this is all approximate.

First I soaked overnight about 1.5 cups of the black-eyed peas I found in my pantry. (That was lucky!)

Then I drained off the water, rinsed and added enough water to cover by an inch, added about 3TBS of no-salt veggie broth powder, 2 tsp salt and simmered for about 30 minutes.

Next, I sauteed some onion (1 whole) and garlic (2 cloves minced). To that pan I added about 2 cups of the beans, some of the simmering broth, a little white wine and some veggie bacon bits (to add that Southern hamhock flavor without killing a pig).

And, heat it all up....serve and EAT!

I had beans left over, I could have added it all to this pan.

Someday I'll remember to take a picture before we eat it all!

Ingredients
1.5 cups black-eyed peas
2 tsp salt
3 TBS veggie broth powder

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 TBS veggie baco bits
1/4 - 1/2 cup white wine

What else would have been good?
Sauteed Mushrooms
Serve it on brown rice
Serve it on corn bread