Simply Vegan: Recipes for Tasty Dishes Ashley Sosa

Simply Vegan: Recipes for Tasty Dishes

By Ashley Sosa

The last couple of months have served as a time of self-reflection and many have taken advantage of the break in routine to make changes to their dietary lifestyle. Therefore, many have decided to follow a vegan nutrition plan. A vegan diet, not to be confused with a vegetarian one, consists of only eating plant-based foods and avoiding all animal products like eggs, dairy and meat. A vegan diet is rich in beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Ahead you will find multiple vegan recipes consisting of a main dish, dessert and snack that provide both savory and sweet options that even the most inexperienced cooks can prepare. These are rich in nutrients like Fiber, Vitamins A and C, as well as highly rich in antioxidants.

Vegan Mixed Berry Brownies

Cooking Time: 45 minutes Servings: 9

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ tsp instant espresso powder ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ cup non-dairy milk of choice ½ cup melted vegan butter ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup mixed berries

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix all of the wet ingredients together and all of the dry ingredients together in separate bowls, then bring these two together until all ingredients are combined. Step 2: Place batter in a Parchment paper lined 8x8 baking pan, top with frozen berries and bake in at 350ºF in theoven for 45 minutes. If brownies still have a wet center, bake longer until the toothpick comes out clean. *Instant espresso can be subbed out with strongly brewed coffee, adjust nondairy milk to ¼ cup non-dairy milk and ¼ cup of strongly brewed coffee.

Vegan Mushroom Garlic Fried Rice

Cooking Time: 10 minutes Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 cup cooked white rice 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ onion, minced ¼ tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free) 1 handful of spinach, roughly chopped ½ cup frozen peas

Instructions:

Step 1: Heat a skillet with one tbsp. of vegetable oil, and cook mushrooms until slightly tender. Then add the spinach, onion and garlic to the skillet. Step 2: Add rice and let fry for a bit until the grains of rice pop in the skillet. Step 3: Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir until everything is coated in soy sauce and serve. *Per your choice, can be topped off with sesame seedsor tofu scramble.

Vegan Oatmeal Bowl

Cooking Time: 7 minutes Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1 cup oats 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk 1 tsp vanilla 1 pinch of salt ½ banana 1 ½ tsp ground flaxseed ¼ tsp cinnamon 2 tsp instant espresso powder 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, optional Handful of mixed nuts or mixed berries, optional

Instructions:

Step 1: Combine oats, milk, vanilla and salt in microwave safe bowl. Step 2: Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir every 50 seconds to prevent oats from boiling over. Step 2: Let cool for a few minutes and add fruit and other toppings.

Vegan Vegetable Stir Fry

Cooking time: 15 minutes Servings: 2

Ingredients:

½ onion, cubed 3 garlic cloves, minced ½ inch of garlic, minced ½ carrot, cubed ½ red bell pepper, cubed ½ zucchini, cubed 2 tbsp peanuts 1 tbsp veget able oil

Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:

1 tsp brown sugar ½ tsp cornstarch ¼ tsp vinegar, white or rice 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free) 1 ½ tbsp water A few drops of sesame oil

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Step 2: Heat up vegetable oil in a pan on medium/high heat. Step 3: Toss vegetables along with garlic and ginger into the pan. Step 4: Stir vegetables to prevent burning until sauce has thickened. Step 5: Add peanuts to vegetables and serve alongside mushroom garlic fried rice.