We’re so excited to share with you that we’ve just launched our newest 10 Weeks to Vegan program for Latin America, Semanario Vegano Costa Rica! With the support of local activists, it has been possible to create a culturally relevant program that will provide support to those who want to give veganism a try. Here is a vegan take on a traditional fish-based dish!

The original version of this is made with soursop, which is native to tropical areas of the Americas. Since it is difficult to find in the United States, we have substituted oyster mushrooms. Let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 250 grams of chipped oyster mushrooms (approx 2-1/2 cups)
• 1 pepper
• 1 medium white onion
• 1 medium purple onion
• A handful of cilantro (coriander)
• The juice of 5-6 limes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• Avocado, chili pepper, and crackers

Directions:

Start by slicing the mushrooms in a shape that you like, finely chop the onions, and the sweet pepper, dice the cilantro and place everything in a bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste and mix well. Squeeze the juice of 5-6 limes—it should be enough to cover part of the ingredients. Make sure everything is well mixed and let the ceviche bowl sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, this will intensify the flavor. Once you’re ready to eat it, add avocado on top and eat it with crackers.

Tip:

You can also change the base of this recipe with chickpeas, hearts of palm (palmitos), cauliflower, or texturized vegetable protein (TVP). If you miss the taste of seafood, try adding chopped seaweed, you’ll notice that this will make a huge difference!

The post Vegan Ceviche appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Kim Sujovolsky is the founder of Brownble.com, an online resource for aspiring or longtime vegans who are looking for guidance and inspiration in the kitchen.

Ready to try a new flavor combination? Give this hardy, flavorful Maple and Mustard Glazed Tempeh a try!

Maple and Mustard Glazed Tempeh

Yields 2-4 servings.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Cut the tempeh into triangles—or any shape you might like, this is just for presentation—and place it in a steamer basket over a pot with boiling water. Cover it with a lid. Let the tempeh steam for 12 minutes.
2. Remove the tempeh and pat it dry with a paper towel if needed. Place it in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, grainy mustard, balsamic vinegar, water, minced shallots, and garlic. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of oil.
5. Place your tempeh pieces in the pan and heat until one side is golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.
6. Once the tempeh is golden brown, pour the maple mustard sauce on top, and let it reduce slightly.
7. Remove from the pan and serve the tempeh topped with some of the sauce that’s still in the pan, the chopped pistachios and scallions, and your favorite sides. Enjoy!

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Festive Cheese Platter

Yields 2 round cheeses.

Ingredients

Cheese Base

Directions

1. Drain the cashews from the soaking water and add them to a blender. If you didn’t soak the cashews ahead of time, place in a pot of boiling water for about ten minutes and drain.
2. Add the garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and coconut oil. Blend together, scraping down the sides as needed until you have a thick cream. Depending on your blender, you may need to add a tablespoon of water to help it run.
3. Transfer the creamy mixture to a small pot and fold in the chopped chives.
4. Add the agar agar—diluted in a bit of cold water—to the pot and mix.
5. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let it cool slightly while you place some plastic wrap over two flat ramekins or small containers.
6. Divide the cheese mixture between the two ramekins, placing the mixture on top of the plastic wrap. Press it down well into the ramekin with a spatula since this will be your mold. Wrap the top with the plastic wrap.
7. Place the cheeses in the fridge for anywhere between 4 hours to 24 hours, depending on how firm you like it. It will still be a creamy cheese, but the more you leave it the more sliceable it will be. You can also increase the agar agar if you want an even firmer cheese.
8. Right before serving your cheeses, carefully remove them from the molds by pulling a bit on the plastic wrap, and then remove the plastic.
9. Place the extra chopped chives on a plate and carefully place the cheese over them so that they stick to the top. Turn it over and place it on your platter. Repeat the process with the second one, only this time using the crushed pretzels and smashed pink peppercorns.
10. Stick some whole pretzels on top of the pretzel-peppercorn topped cheese for a beautiful and festive look.
11. Add any additions you’d like to your cheese plate—from fresh fruit to different breads and toast, dried fruit, olives, etc.
12. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

The post Video: Festive Cheese Platter appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Janet is the founder of Vegan Pregnancy and Parenting, the largest online vegan parenting group in the world. She also owns Raise Vegan, an online resource for parents who are raising or considering raising their families plant-based. Find her on Instagram—link in the picture caption—if you have any questions.

This delicious and creative squash recipe calls for spaghetti squash, but it would taste just as delicious with your favorite seasonal winter squash!

Easy Peasy Pepper Squash

Yields 2 servings.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthways. Remove any seeds and drizzle oil around the inside.
3. Place the squash open face on a cooking sheet and roast for approximately 45 minutes.
4. In a skillet, add oil and onion. Sauté on medium heat until translucent, about five minutes.
5. Add peas, garlic, red peppers, beans, parsley, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook on low heat for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. When roasted thoroughly, remove the squash and scrape out the cooked contents. Combine with bean mixture in a separate bowl and spoon back into the squash shells.
7. Return to oven and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, let cool, and enjoy!

The post Easy Peasy Pepper Squash appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

By Toni Okamoto

With Cinco de Mayo today, I wanted to make something that was familiar and festive, but also really easy to make. 7-layer bean dips were a staple potluck item for my family when I was growing up, and it was surprisingly easy to make it completely vegan! With products like Beyond Meat beef-free feisty crumbles and Tofutti sour cream, it tasted exactly the way I remembered!

At the office we used the dip as a filling for burritos, and they were delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 package Beyond Beef feisty crumble
• Mexican rice
• 1 can vegetarian refried beans
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1 cup salsa
• Tofutti or Follow Your Heart vegan sour cream
• Chopped green onions, tomatoes, and olives, for garnish

Directions:

In a medium pan, cook Beyond Meat beef-free feisty crumbles according to package directions.

Prepare rice according to Mexican Rice recipe.

In an 8-×-8 square baking pan or dish, begin layering with the can of refried beans spread evenly, followed by beef-free crumbles, Mexican rice, mashed avocados, salsa, vegan sour cream, and garnishes (green onions, tomatoes, and olives).

The post 7 Layer Bean Dip appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

I love soup every day of the year, but especially when it’s cold outside. We’ve been suffering with bitterly cold temperatures below 60° here in California, and we’re coping by stocking up on the soup (and the parkas, scarves, gloves, etc).

If you, too, are in need of some warm wintry recipes, here are our favorites:

Creamy Tomato Thyme Soup

Black Bean Quinoa Soup

Plant Strong Soup

Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup

Lemon Orzo Soup

Hearty Miso Soup

Curried Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

Irish Farmhouse Soup

Potato Leek Soup

The post 9 Winter Soups appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

By Lisa Rimmert, Director of Development

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Portland for the first time, to meet with many wonderful Vegan Outreach donors there. Of course I had a long list of restaurants and shops to visit too, as everyone knows Portland is a haven of vegan goodness. I had some expected favorites, like Vtopian Artisan Cheese shop, Portobello, and a few others. But one place I ate surprised me and stood out.

Diane, an awesome VO donor, suggested Prasad, a little cafe inside a yoga studio, and I’m so glad she did. I ordered the BBQ Plate, made with barbecue chickpeas, jalapeño cornbread, millet, and steamed greens with jalapeño cashew cheese. It was one of my favorite meals in Portland, and that’s really saying something!

When I arrived home in Denver, I knew I had to recreate the meal. I made a couple changes due to laziness–using buckwheat instead of millet, because I had that on hand, and not including jalapeños in the cashew cheese. It was delicious! I made the dish for my parents, too, using farrow as the grain, and without nutritional yeast (a vegan sin, I know, but it’s hard to find where they live in rural Illinois!). It was delicious once again! I hope you make it and enjoy it even half as much as I did!

BBQ Chickpeas & Kale

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups dry buckwheat, farro or rice
• 1/4 cup raw cashews*
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup plant milk, unsweetened
• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 cans chickpeas
• 2 tbsp oil for frying
• 2 Tbsp oil for sauteing
• 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Preparation:

*It’s best, but not required, to use soaked cashews. They can be covered in water and soaked overnight in the fridge, or quick-soaked in the microwave, on the stovetop, or covered with boiling water. Let stand for 20 minutes before draining and using.

The post BBQ Chickpea Plate appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Raising Vegan Kids—Protein-Packed Snacks!

Beans, beans, the protein-packed snack, the more my kids eat, the more they come back—for seconds! Beans are little super foods. They’re an excellent source of protein, complex carbs, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

And best of all, beans are inexpensive and super versatile. I blend beans into sauces, mash them into oatmeal, toss them on veggies and main dishes, and even whip them into creamy dips and desserts.

My kids love hand-held snacks, so these beany bites are perfect to munch on at home or to pack along on adventures. These bites are very easy and quick to make, and a wonderful nutrient-dense snack for any time of the day.

Beany Bites

Yields 3 ½-4 cups.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Drain and rinse beans—if using canned. Pat dry with a towel.
3. In a large bowl, toss beans with soy sauce, vinegar, and coconut oil.
4. Arrange beans in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with salt and onion powder.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They’ll still be soft and a bit moist. Bake longer if you want a drier texture.

Recipe Tips/Variations

• You can toss the beans with a little barbecue sauce or ketchup in step 3 above. And feel free to sprinkle with garlic powder, pepper, thyme, oregano—or any spices you enjoy!

The post Beany Bites appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Try this quick and easy, colorful spread on toast, crackers, or right off the spoon!

Beetroot Hummus

Ingredients

Directions

1. Begin by scrubbing the beetroot and boiling it for 30 minutes. Peel and place into a blender.
2. Place the rest of the ingredients, except the horseradish, in the blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Transfer into a bowl and spoon in the horseradish sauce—swirl it in instead of mixing fully into the dish. Serve & Enjoy!

The post Beetroot Hummus appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Who says you have to give up cheesecake when you’re vegan? You won’t find anyone at VO saying that—that’s for sure!

Thank you to Renee Press with Fire and Earth Kitchen, who has provided this delicious recipe!

Berry Chocolate Cheesecake Squares

Yields about 12 cheesecake squares.

Ingredients

Directions

1. To Prepare the Crust: In a food processor, process the almonds, walnuts, sea salt, and cinnamon until a fine crumb is achieved. Add the pitted, coarsely chopped dates and the agave or maple syrup and process again until it comes together and becomes sticky. If you pinch the nut mixture it should hold together.
2. Place parchment paper or plastic wrap into an 8″ x 8″ square baking dish, letting it hang over the sides a few inches so you can lift it out later. Press nut mixture into the bottom in an even layer. Put it in the freezer to chill.
3. To Prepare the Chocolate and the Filling: Put chocolate chips in a small heat safe bowl. In a small saucepan heat almond milk and pour over chocolate, stirring to melt. Will take 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside. In a blender, put in all filling ingredients. Blend 1-3 minutes until completely creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add a little water if needed to make it totally smooth.
4. Pour filling on top of nut mixture, and spread chocolate on top of that. Cover whole dish in parchment/plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least one hour, but up to overnight. To serve, remove from freezer and lift the entire dessert out onto a cutting board. Remove parchment/plastic wrap from the bottom and cut into cubes. Let warm a little bit at room temperature. Serve and enjoy!

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