How to Make a Vegan Lunch

Continuing my quest for flavorful vegan meals, I have been experimenting with lunch ideas. There are a number of online recipe sites which offer vegan-friendly ideas. I suggest trying www.vegetariansite.com, because it offers many an easily made scrumptious treat!

Spring is around the corner, and I have been looking for some quick and easy recipes for a lunch picnic.

At www.vegetariansite.com, I found a wonderful potato salad recipe. Using the Nayonaise that the recipe suggests creates the taste and texture of mayonnaise perfectly.

Quick and Easy Potato Salad

3-4 large potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (Nayonaise brand)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dry dill

Microwave the potatoes and water for 5 minutes on high power. Stir, then microwave for another 5 minutes. Drain the liquid. In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, mayonnaise, salt, onion powder, and dill. Pour this mixture over the potatoes and mix well. Serve warm or cold. (Serves 4)

Another recipe I found on www.vegetariansite.com was one for roasted vegetables and tofu. I have found that I don't enjoy the texture of tofu, so instead, I used tempeh. Tempeh is what I often use for a meat replacement. It is fermented soybeans. Information on tempeh can be found at www.tempeh.info and www.lightlife.com offers tempeh in different flavors.

Roasted Summer Vegetables and Tofu

2 to 3 cups cubed summer squash (I used zucchini and yellow squash.)

1 onion, cut into chunks

1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces

1/2 pound very firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used Tempeh Lightlife.)

1 tablespoon Spike, Schilling Garlic and Herb (I used Italian seasoning.)

2 tomatoes cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Prepare the vegetables as directed and mix them with the tofu cubes. Divide between two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss to mix, then spread evenly in the dishes. Bake until the vegetables are tender and the edges just begin to darken, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread the cooked vegetables over Risotto, Polenta, or pasta, and top with fresh tomato wedges. (Serves 8)

I also found two cookie recipes that I tried and adored! They were hits with the family as well.

Banana Oat Cookies

      2 cups mashed bananas

      2 cups castor sugar* 

      2 cups brown sugar

      2T egg replacement + 1/2 cup water

      2 tsp. vanilla

      1 tsp. salt

      2 tsp. baking soda

      4 cups flour

      5 cups oats

      4-7 cups any combination of: raisins &/or dates

Cream bananas and sugars, add egg replacement, and water.  

Beat thoroughly.

Add in vanilla, salt, baking soda, flour, and oats, and beat at medium.

Stir in other ingredients.

Using an ice-cream scooper put a golf ball size scoop onto a greased baking sheet approximately 2" apart.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until brown.

Cool and enjoy!

*Castor sugar is also sold as "superfine" sugar.     

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup table sugar

1 ripe, mashed banana

3-5 teaspoons of vanilla

3 tablespoons of water or soy/almond/rice milk

2 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoon baking powder (stir into flour for guaranteed dispersion)

2 1/2 cups oatmeal (quick oats will work)

2 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips (check bag for milk fat)

Beat together the margarine and sugars. Add the well-mashed banana and mix well, then add the vanilla, then the water. The water will try to separate; keep mixing with a figure-eight motion and add the dry ingredients, in the order above, by half cup increments.

Bake them for 10 or 12 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook them longer if you prefer a hard cookie, but be aware that bananas only approximate the action of an egg in the mix, and you can get cookies as hard as the cookie sheet if you aren't careful.

I kept the cookies in for 20 minutes, and they were lightly browned and still soft.

Both of these cookies are extremely good. You will not miss the egg or dairy products.

When changing your lifestyle to a vegetarian or vegan one, you can find many healthy alternatives that have wonderful tastes. Losing meat and dairy products from your diet does not equate to losing flavor.

Experiment and enjoy!