Some Vegan Summer Recipes

I told a friend that I would post some vegan recipes that would work well as a gift for a family in strife. Here are some ideas, compiled sort of quickly in between laundry and scrubbing the floors, chosen for ease of preparation, sharability, and seasonality. PLEASE NOTE that your ingredients need to be vegan in order to produce a vegan product. There are tons of random ingredients that are NOT vegan compliant, if the vegans in question are very strict. The easiest way to avoid this is to stick with simple, fresh ingredients and processed foods with very short ingredient lists with names you can easily identify. Also, make sure you avoid honey, as well as meat and fish in any form, broth, gelatin, dairy in any form, eggs, etc. (Hope no one has a peanut allergy, because I went nuts with them, pun fully intended. If so, adjust recipe one or three as needed.)

Dal (an Indian stew; serves 4)

-In a saucepan, combine 1 cup red lentils, 3 cups water, and 1 cup chopped onion. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
-Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive, coconut or peanut oil and saute 1 cup chopped onion, 2 cloves pressed garlic, and 1 teaspoon curry powder, until onions and soft and beginning to brown.
-Add onions to lentils and salt to taste.
-Serve with chopped tomato, optional sliced avocado, and warm basmati rice. It would also be nice to give a side of sliced pineapple.)


Peanut Butter Pasta (Veggies can be changed, and we will often forgo steaming the veggies and using sliced red bell pepper, cucumber, and cilantro.)

-Cook 1 pound linguini according to package directions.
-Meanwhile, mix together 4 tablespoons peanut butter, 4 tablespoons tahini, 4 tablespoons cider vinegar, 4-8 tablespoons orange juice, and 4 teaspoons soy sauce.
-Separately, steam 4 cups broccoli, 3-4 sliced carrots, 1-2 cups sliced cabbage until tender-crisp.
-When everything is done, toss all ingredients together and top with 2 finely chopped scallions.


Sesame Noodles

-Cook 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil.
-Meanwhile, steam 1/4 pound snow peas until crisp-tender.
-Whisk together 1/2 teaspoon tahini, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon pressed garlic, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, salt to taste, and up to 1/4 cup water (until dressing is pourable).
-Toss dressing with noodles, peas, 2 diced cucumbers, and 2 thinly sliced scallions.
-Top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


Quinoa-Corn Salad and Peruvian Potato Salad (This is actually 2 recipes, but they go great together to make a perfect summer meal. This is probably the combo I would choose to share, actually.)

-Cook 2 cups quinoa per package directions. Make sure you rinse the grains thoroughly before cooking.
-Cook 2 pounds Peruvian blue or other boiling potato until tender and dice large.
-Meanwhile, make the two sauces: In one bowl whisk together 3-4 tablespoons peanut oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons dijon, and salt and pepper to taste.
-For the second sauce, in a small skillet, heat 1/8 cup peanut oil and saute 1 cup peanuts until browned. Transfer to a blender. In the same skillet, heat another 1/8 cup peanut oil and saute 1 small chopped onion and 1 pressed garlic clove until translucent. Add to blender with 1-2 trimmed jalapenos, 3/4 cup unflavored rice or almond milk, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt.
-When quinoa is done, mix with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups cooked corn, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1/2 cup sliced scallions. Pour citrus dressing over and mix gently.
-When potatoes are done, toss with 2 cups cooked corn and peanut sauce. Top with kalamata or other black olive, pickled onions (if you have 'em), and optional hand full of arugula.
-Serve both salads warm, room-temp, or chilled.