Chic Vegan

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Book Review, Recipe and Giveaway: Keep It Vegan

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Keep it VeganI hadn’t heard of Áine Carlin before I was asked if I wanted to review her cookbook, but now that I’ve spent some time cooking with her new book Keep It Vegan: Over 100 Simple, Healthy and Delicious Dishes, I wish I had gotten to know her sooner! If you haven’t heard of her either, let me introduce you: Áine Carlin is an Irish-born actress-turned-writer. She was once a dedicated meat and dairy lover, but she went vegan 4 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. She blogs about food, fashion and life at PeaSoupEats.com.

 

macaroni cheese_030Keep It Vegan full of easy-to-make recipes that contain easy-to-find ingredients, but that doesn’t mean the dishes lack flavor. Everything I’ve made has been delicious! The dishes are recognizable, so there’s nothing that a new vegan or omnivore would find weird, but the recipes are all made with a creative flair. The first recipe I tried was the Savory Pudla Pancake, which was inspired by Indian cuisine. It’s more of a chickpea omelet than a pancake, and it’s perfect for a protein-filled breakfast. Other creative dishes include Sweet Potato and Kiwi Soup, Hole Mole Black Bean Chili, Santorini-Syle Spaghetti with Lemon, Capers and Tomatoes, and the Stuffed Mushroom Burgers below. Chapters include Breakfast, Brunch & More, Midday Meals and Simple Suppers, Something Special, Sides and Sauces, and Sweet Treats.

 

winter squash salad_094Keep It Vegan is perfect for those who are trying to eat less meat, newbies who want to get started on their vegan journey, and even veteran vegans who want to add a some more dishes into the repertoires. It’s even perfect for rainy afternoon reading, as it’s full of mouth-watering photography, super-cute illustrations, and interesting tidbits about the dishes.

 

We have a copy of Keep It Vegan for one lucky Chic Vegan reader. Be sure to check out the giveaway after the recipe.

 

Stuffed mushroom burgers and dijon-coated potato wedges

serves 4

mushroom burger_112There’s no reason to do without burger and fries when meat is no longer on the menu. By stuffing the already “meaty” portobello mushrooms, you create a dense texture that would fool anyone into thinking there’s more

than just veggies inside that bun—and when I first turned vegan, that was of paramount importance. I was never a fully fledged fast-food aficionado, but I enjoyed the occasional blowout. Now, however, I can indulge my greasy whims from the comfort of my home and without harming any unsuspecting cows in the process! It’s diner food without the moral, calorific, and overly-processed dilemma, and who could ask for more than that?

 

Ingredients

For the ketchup

  • 4 tomatoes, halved
  • salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the wedges

  • 4 large potatoes, washed
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped

For the mushroom burgers

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra
  • for greasing
  • 4 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine
  • 1/2 onion, finely diced
  • 4 portobello mushrooms
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 sprig thyme, leaves chopped
  • 1 cup white bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 4 ciabatta rolls, halved
  • arugula leaves, to serve

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, the allspice, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and oil and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool before pressing through a sieve. Season and chill until needed—the ketchup will keep for two days.

Slice the potatoes into thick wedges and place in a roasting pan. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, oil, cider vinegar, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Pour the mixture over the wedges and toss to coat thoroughly. Roast for 1 hour, shaking the pan occasionally so the wedges don’t stick. Season again when they are removed from the oven.

For the mushroom burger stuffing, heat the oil and half of the vegan butter/ margarine in a medium-sized, non-stick, heavy-bottomed frying pan and add the onion. Season and sauté gently until it begins to soften. Remove the stalks from the portobello mushrooms, finely chop, and add to the pan. Sweat the onion and mushroom stalks for a minute or two before adding the garlic and thyme. Season generously and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the bread crumbs to the pan along with the remaining vegan butter/margarine and red wine vinegar. Let the bread crumbs fry for a few minutes until golden before finally adding the toasted pine nuts and freshly chopped parsley.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. Rub the mushrooms with oil and season the outsides with salt and pepper. Divide the bread crumb mixture between them and pack it in tightly using the back of a spoon or your fingers. Place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven with the wedges for the last 30 minutes of their cooking time.

Spread a little ketchup in each roll and serve the burgers in them with a handful of arugula leaves and the potato wedges on the side.

 

We have a copy of Keep it Vegan for one lucky winner. Follow the instructions below to enter. Contest ends at midnight on January 27th. US residents only, please. Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is the Editor-In-Chief for Chic Vegan. She is a Holistic Health Counselor, Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Plant-Based Nutrition Specialist. Dianne coaches people from across the country to help them improve their health and wellbeing, and she helps people make the dietary and lifestyle changes needed to go vegan. Dianne lives in New Jersey, where she runs the busy MeetUp group Montclair Vegans. Through the group she hosts monthly potlucks, runs charity bake sales and organizers guest speaker events. An avid cook and baker, Dianne also teaches cooking classes to local clients. In addition to food and nutrition, Dianne loves crafts and cats. To learn more, visit Dianne’s website and blog at Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. Nicollette D says

    Favorite vegan dish?? Too many choices! Anything with garbanzos, tamari, broccoli, pasta… well about anything.

  13. Angela C. says

    I would our to win this cookbook! Her veggie burger recipe sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing, I had never heard of her either!

  14. Angela C. says

    I would love to win this cookbook! Her veggie burger recipe sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing, I had never heard of her either!

  16. Tanya Phillips says

    So many favorites, I like bowls. Like southwestern with rice, veggies, black beans, etc

  20. Ashley says

    I have no idea how to pick…so I will just say that I think my favorite vegan meal is food from Root Down in Denver!

  22. Carrie D. says

    I love anything with tempeh! We’ll be having some fantastic veggie chili during the Super Bowl!

  28. Krista Furgerson says

    I’m really into spiralized sweet potatoes with roasted purple onion, quinoa, and a hummus sauce. Yum!

  30. Rosanna says

    So many dishes.. Lentil-Sundried Tomato Burgers, Veggie Paella, Chickpea Salad, … and the list goes on and on!!!

  33. Zyxomma says

    My favorite vegan dish is usually the one I’m eating! That said, my live lasagna is always amazing, and my stuffed portobellos earn praise from all. Health and peace.

  36. Kristine says

    Such a difficult question! I will say one of my favorites is . . . whole grain pasta with broccoli, olive oil, salt and pepper. So simple yet so yummy.

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