Down Home Vegan Cooking

The Alkaline Diet

The focus of my cooking and food preparation is on achieving an alkaline diet; I strive for a ratio of 80% alkalizing to 20% acidifying foods.  Naturally, most vegetables and fruits, some nuts, and pseudo grains are alkalizing; therefore, my recipes will call for sprouted grains to replace regular whole grains, sea salt to replace regular salt, sweeteners such a agave syrup and stevia to replace sugar and acidifying syrups, coconut milk to replace soy milk.

I am always translating traditional recipes into vegan-alkaline-friendly alternatives.  I love watching the cooking shows on Food Network but always with the mind that the traditional ingredients can be replaced with vegan-alkaline alternatives.  This kind of cooking requires experimentation, and this website will feature the recipes that I have tried and deemed successful.

Buon Appetito!

Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

1 sprouted grain English muffin, toasted
2 teaspoons vegan butter (I use Earth Balance.)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 slice ripe tomato (or salsa if desired)
sea salt to taste
black, coarse ground pepper
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 of a ripe Hass avocado
other seasonings as desired

Toast English muffin to desired toastiness; then add butter to each half.  On one English muffin half, place tomato, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, & any other seasoning you like.  Place avocado on top of tomato/seeds/seasoning mixture.  Top it off with the other half of the English muffin.  Press down to flatten sandwich to make it easier to handle while eating.

To make a lunch or brunch version of this sandwich, simply substitute Vegenaise for the vegan butter and add onion.
Creamy Collards
 
16 oz. bag of cut collard greens
2 cups water (I use distilled water)
2 onions
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 cup coconut milk

Place collards in large pot, pour in water, and let cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, then turn heat down to simmer.  Julienne the onions.  Add to collards, along with yeast, salt, onion powder, and coconut milk.  Mix well.  Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.  You might add a little olive oil, if you desire.
Cabbage Stew
 
1 large white onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp onion powder

In a large skillet, sauté onion olive oil until onion is translucent.  Add cabbage, carrots, and vegetable broth.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage reaches desired tenderness, about 15 minutes.  Add yeast, chili powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Serve over brown basmati rice or with corn bread, if desired.
Chocolate Chip Brownies 
 
1 cup sprouted grain flour
3/4 cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
 
1/2 cup coconut milk
egg substitute equivalent of 1 large egg
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
 
3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Oil and flour 9x9 baking pan.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder; mix well.  Combine milk, egg substitute, agave, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla; mix well.  Combine dry and liquid mixtures and add walnuts and chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes.
Eggplant/Mushroom Parmigiana
 
1 eggplant
2 onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
 
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup coconut milk
 
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
oregano, basil, rosemary to taste, fresh or dried
sea salt, coarse black pepper to taste
 
2 cups tomato sauce*
2 cups vegan cheese
 
 
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Cut eggplant in desired pieces, bathe in coconut/olive oil mixture, roll in bread crumbs/nutritional yeast/ spice mixture.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes in 400 degree oven.
 
Remove eggplant from oven and place pieces in 13x9x2 baking dish.  Cover eggplant with mushrooms and onions.
 
To the 2 cups tomato sauce add desired spices and spoon over eggplant.  Add cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
 
*Any tomato sauce will work, but for a fresher variety:
 
4 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
sea salt, oregano, basil, rosemary to taste
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup distilled water or vegetable broth
Cut tomatoes in small chunks and chop onion.  Place tomatoes in sauce pan.  Heat until tomatoes begin to fall apart.  Add chopped onions and spices.  Add olive oil and tomato paste and water or vegetable broth.
 
Biscuits
 
2 cups sprouted grain wheat flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegan butter
3/4 cup coconut milk
 
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
 
Combine flour, baking powder, salt.  Cut in butter.  Add milk slowly.  Mix until all moisture is taken up.  Form into ball.  Flatten and cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. 
 
Tip:  While the biscuits are baking, get started on the gravy.
 
After biscuits are done, place them under broiler for 5 minutes to give them a nice brown finish.
 
Gravy
 
3/4 cup sprouted grain wheat flour
sea salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
 
1/2  cup vegan butter (I usually omit the butter)
 
3 cups coconut milk
 
Combine flour, salt, and pepper in bowl.  Melt butter in pan.  Add flour mixture, stirring and mashing until mixture becomes grainy.  Slowly add milk, whisking until mixture is smooth.  Heat until mixture begins to thicken.  It will continue to thicken after removed from heat and allowed to cool.  Smother a couple of biscuits with a big ladle full of gravy and enjoy!
 
Other Vegan Friendly Recipes:
 
Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry in Down Home Speak)  Cooking Easter Dinner with Sam & Leyn
Country Corn Fritters
Guacamole
Southwest Rice and Beans
Cheese Scrambled Tofu
Raspberry Lemon Vinaigrette
Raspberry Orange Vinaigrette
Homemade Breadcrumbs
Baked Green Tomatoes
ChiliMexiCali
Kale Stew
Eggplant Cannellini

 

 

 

 

   

Cooking is home.

 

 

email Linda Sue Grimes

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