This is my favorite sandwich, hands down. It's nutritious, spicy, simple and delicious! I first had a version of it in Madison, WI back in 2000. I religiously frequented the restaurant where I had it and always walked away with a huge smile, shocked that a simple sandwich could make me so happy. Ever since creating my own version I have convinced many that being vegan isn't all that bad. The secret to the marinade is the liquid smoke. My life changed once I discovered that magical little ingredient. I generally prepare this marinade if I have time to kill when cooking a completely separate meal and let the tempeh sit in the fridge marinating until ready to use. I have also made this sandwich with extra firm tofu instead of tempeh. The result is a smokier, crispier more bacon-like flavor. I decided I preferred the 'meatier' texture of the tempeh but it's awesome either way.

Tempeh Lettuce Tomato Sandwich (TLT) with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Marinade:
6 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
1/2 cup of warm or boiling water
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 package of tempeh ( I prefer turtle island's spicy veggie tempeh), cut into 15 strips (divide into fifths then slice into thirds)

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Reduce heat and add sliced tempeh and poach for 10 minutes to increase digestibility and the ability to absorb a marinade (optional).
2. Mix all marinade ingredients together in an airtight container. Add sliced tempeh and marinate for minimum 30 minutes, preferably overnight.

Servings per sandwich:
2 Slices of toasted bread (I use spelt or sprouted wheat)
1 roma tomato, sliced
2 romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and torn into small pieces
2 tbsp Chipotle mayonnaise (recipe listed separately)
5 slices of marinated and fried tempeh
salt and pepper (optional)

1. Once tempeh is marinated, heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a cast iron (or non-stick) pan over medium high heat
2. Add tempeh and cook until browned (about 5 minutes) then flip and brown the other side
3. Once cooked, place on plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil
4. Spread chipotle mayo on both sides of toasted bread
5. Layer 5 slices of tempeh on one slice of bread then top with the lettuce pieces and sliced tomato. Add a dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to the tomatoes, if you prefer
6. Top with the other slice of bread and cut in half


Total Prep Time: 10-15 minutes to prepare marinade, 10-15 minutes to prepare sandwich
Servings: Marinated tempeh can make up to 5 sandwiches

Notes:

• If you prefer tofu, simply slice tofu into thin, 1-inch wide pieces and fry in the same way
• I've made this by baking instead of frying the tempeh and it comes out great
• When out of chipotle mayo I've had this with plain mayo and it's quite tasty served that way as well
  

I came up with this spicy spread to add a kick to my TLT sandwich (recipe to follow). I'm working on making my own chipotle sauce but in the meantime the canned variety will work. Once I crack the code on a homemade chipotle sauce, I'll post it and update this recipe. I make this dressing in large batches so I can use it in a variety of sandwiches, especially the TLT and veggie burgers. If you have other suggestions for uses, let me know!

Chipotle Mayonnaise

1 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 7oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2/3 lime, juiced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tbsp cilantro (optional)

Add all ingredients to a small food processor and blend until smooth

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 cups

Smoothies in the morning are my favorite part of waking up. I rarely eat the heavy 'traditional' breakfast foods as I find they are difficult to digest and do not give me the energy I need to start my day. Smoothies, on the other hand, are great for the digestive system, supply the fruit I need in my daily dose and leave me perfectly satisfied until lunchtime. I try to drink them with fresh fruit as often as possible but I do keep frozen fruit in my freezer for convenience and for the days I'm in a rush. On the frozen fruit days I let all the ingredients sit in the blender for 10-20 minutes so the frozen fruit can defrost in the juice. I never add ice or milk as I find it takes away from the yummy fruity goodness already in the blender. I always add ground flax seeds, which I grind in my coffee spice grinder, to incorporate essential omegas into my diet.


Strawberry Mango Smoothie

1 mango, peeled and sliced
12 strawberries, green part cut off
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 cups of orange juice, fresh if possible
1 tbsp ground flax meal (optional)
1 tbsp soy protein powder (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Adjust orange juice according to thickness desired.

Makes 2 16oz drinks

This spicy potato and peppers stir fry could easily be served as a breakfast food though I ate it as a light dinner. I originally wanted to make it with tempeh but decided TVP (textured vegetable protein) would be faster and easier. You could easily make this with store bought 'ground beef', 'sausage' or tempeh or just go with the potatoes and peppers for a simpler side dish.


Green Chiles Potatoes and Peppers with TVP

3/4 cup TVP
3/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp garlic powder (though I used Goya Adobo)
2 1/2 tbsp of grapeseed oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of peppers, chopped (I used green, red and yellow)
1 4.5 can of green chiles
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 tbsp salsa verde
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (about 25 cranks)


1. Pour the boiling water on the TVP, mix with garlic powder and set aside for 10 minutes to reconstitute
2. Heat oil on medium high heat in a non-stick saute or stir fry pan
3. Add TVP and brown for 7-10 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning/sticking to pan
4. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often
5. Add peppers and garlic and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes
6. Add the can of green chiles and stir fry for another 2 minutes
7. Add the rest of the ingredients except fresh pepper and stir until well mixed and then cover to create a steam effect to cook the potatoes
8. Lift cover and stir every couple of minutes to avoid burning/sticking to pan
9. The dish will be done when potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes
10. Top with fresh ground pepper, adjust salt according to personal taste and top with your favorite hot sauce or salsa

Total Prep and Cooking Time: About 45 minutes-1 hour
Total Servings: 5-6 side dishes or 3-4 entrees

It will soon become apparent that I am obsessed with chick peas. I eat them as often as possible in soups, salads, hummus, cooked dishes or simply by themselves. This dish beautifully pairs fragrant indian spices with tomatoes and chick peas. The list of spices is extensive, though I consider them all staples in my kitchen. I generally serve this dish over coconut jasmine rice but it would be delicious over any cooked grain of your choice.


Curried Chick Peas and Tomatoes

2 tbsp of grapeseed oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
1 med onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced or 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 60z can tomato paste
3 1/2 cups cooked chick peas or 2 cans drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
juice of half a lime (about 2 tsps)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Warm oil in a large saute pan or wok
2. Add onions and cook until translucent
3. Add fresh garlic and fresh ginger (if using) and stir for about 2 minutes
4. Add fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies and cook for 3-5 minutes
5. Add coconut milk and tomato paste and bring to a light boil
6. Stir in chick peas and all the dried spices (including salt and pepper) and cook together for 20-30 minutes on medium low heat
7. Remove from heat and add fresh lime juice and cilantro
8. Serve over rice

Notes:

• If you don't like a heavy tomato taste, cut the fire roasted tomatoes and tomato paste by half
  
• If you prefer a non-spicy version use fire roasted tomatoes (or plain diced) without green chilies and omit the cayenne
  

I absolutely love when fresh corn season comes around so I can enjoy this incredible tasting yet ridiculously simple recipe. I dream about this dish all winter long. It is imperative you use fresh corn, as frozen or canned corn will not do this dish justice. I always add chick peas to this dish to give it more texture and flavor but it's tasty without it as well.

Sweet Corn and Spicy Jalapeño Salad

1 ear fresh corn, husked and the kernels shaved off the cob
1 large jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
2 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil or 3 tbsp if using chick peas
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 cups of cooked chick peas or 1 can drained and rinsed (optional)


1. Toss all ingredients together Adjust oil, salt and pepper according to personal taste
2. For maximum flavor, let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving

Total Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Cook Time: None
Servings: 2-4 side portions

I made this the other night with garlic mashed potatoes and miso gravy. Yum! It was really simple to throw together and had just the right amount of spice. I bet this would be good in a sandwich as well.

Spicy BBQ Tempeh

1 package tempeh, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into quarters for a total of 8 pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup hot water
2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil)
1 tbsp spicy chili paste, such as sambal oelek ground fresh chili paste
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp garlic and onion powder mixture or 1/4 tsp of each
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Reduce heat and add sliced tempeh and poach for 10 minutes to increase digestibility and the ability to absorb a marinade.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients and set aside.
4. Drain tempeh and add marinade to the sauce pan on medium heat. Add more water or soy sauce if tempeh is not mostly covered. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Place tempeh and marinade in an oven-proof glass baking dish, spread out as much as possible
6. Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes, turning once, until the marinade has been absorbed

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Serves 2-4

Notes:

• I lined my baking dish with parchment paper to make clean up easier
• You could also marinade this overnight before baking for a deeper, richer flavor
  

I had a version of this soup many years ago before deciding to become a vegetarian. It's comforting, easy to make and a complete meal. Cooking the noodles along with the soup instead of separately gives the soup a naturally thick consistency.

Lentil Vermicelli Soup

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, quartered lengthwise then chopped
1 stalk of celery, cut into long thirds then chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried rosemary
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 cups of lentils, sorted and rinsed
7 cups of vegetable broth or water with 2 bouillon cubes
1/3 cup of vermicelli noodles (spaghetti will work), snapped into 1-2 inch pieces
2-3 tsp of sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup of fresh parsley (optional)

1. Warm olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat
2. Add onion, carrot and celery until fragrant (about 5 minutes)
3. Add rosemary, garlic and a few cranks of fresh pepper and saute for a minute or two
4. Add broth, lentils and bay leaf
5. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered for about 30 minutes (when lentils become soft) stirring occasionally
6. Add 2 tsp of salt and more fresh pepper, bring soup to a boil again and add noodles. Reduce heat and cook until noodles become al dente (about 10-12 minutes)
7. Remove from heat, pull out bay leaf and stir in fresh parsley
8. Adjust salt and pepper to taste

Total Prep and Cooking Time: about 45 minutes to 1 hour
Servings: 4-6 bowls

This is one of the easiest, simplest soup recipes I make, yet it is one of the most nutritious and comforting. I'm especially fond of it when I have a cold for all the yummy, garlicky goodness.

Chick Pea Kale Garlic Soup


4 cups of chopped and steamed kale
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of cooked or canned chick peas
6 cups of Vegetable stock or 2 bouillon cubes with water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper
1 tsp of fresh or 1 tbsp dry thyme
Splash of soymilk (optional)

1. Steam chopped kale and set aside
2. Warm olive oil in a soup pot on medium high heat
3. Saute diced onions for 5 minutes, stirring often then add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes
4. Once they're both soft add the vegetable stock, chick peas and kale
5. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for at least 20-30 minutes
6. Add salt, pepper and thyme
7. Add soymilk if you prefer the soup cloudy and want to cut down the pungent 'garlicky' taste into a softer flavor

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Servings: 4 bowls

I put this cheese on just about everything I eat except, of course, sweet things. I simply cannot live without it. Not only is it a great source of B vitamins (including B12) but it also gets me a nice dose of healthy raw nuts sprinkled on my food.

Nutritional Yeast Cheese

1/2 cup of raw almonds, walnuts or pecans
1 cup of nutritional yeast
1 tsp of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well incorporated. Keep in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Use it to top salads, mashed potatoes, soups or popcorn.

After years of missing the hot gooey goodness of spinach artichoke dips I created this recipe, which I think comes pretty damn close to the original, without all the heavy cheese, cholesterol and cruelty.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp spelt flour (or flour of your choice)
1 small yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves chopped, plus one left whole and raw
1 (12 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 (8 oz) package frozen spinach (thawed, drained & squeezed dry)
1 (12 oz) package firm silken tofu
1 1/2 cups cooked chick peas, or other white bean (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
2 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of fresh parsley
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp of dried basil, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Blend together tofu, chick peas, nutritional yeast, raw garlic clove, vinegar, lemon juice and parsley in food processor until smooth. Remove contents and place in large bowl
3. Heat oil in cast iron skillet. Add flour when hot and stir constantly until browned
4. Add onion, garlic and cook 3 minutes then add spinach & artichoke hearts and saute until onion is soft
5. Add cooked ingredients and spices to bowl and stir until well mixed. You can also puree all ingredients in a food processor for a creamy consistency or pulse to leave it chunky.
6. Add extra seasonings & nutritional yeast, as needed
7. Smooth into non-stick baking dish and top with basil and nutritional yeast 'cheese' (recipe to follow) or plain nutritional yeast. Bake covered for 15-20 mins plus an additional 5 minutes uncovered or until lightly browned on top.
8. Serve warm with toasted bread, tortilla chips or fresh veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and celery.

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Servings: As an appetizer for 5-10 people

Nutritional Yeast 'Cheese'

1/2 cup of raw almonds, walnuts or pecans
1 cup of nutritional yeast
1 tsp of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well incorporated. Keep in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Use it to top salads, mashed potatoes, soups or popcorn.

I created this recipe on Cinco de Mayo to serve with refried beans, fresh salsa and corn chips. Ok, and margaritas. The result was delicious goodness. This recipe is easy to throw together as a great side dish or main course.

Mexican Rice

1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of earth balance
2 cups of long grain rice, thoroughly rinsed until water runs clear
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and stems removed, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
I 14.5 can of whole tomatoes, pureed or 1 14.5 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 tbsp of ground cumin
1 tbsp of sea salt


1. Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large heavy cast iron pot over medium high heat.
2. Add rice and stir constantly until it begins to brown.
3. Add onions and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add jalapeño and red pepper and stir 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water or broth, fresh cilantro, cumin and sea salt. Stir well, reduce heat to medium low and cover with a slight air escape. Do not stir rice again until all the water is absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).
7. Once water is absorbed, uncover, stir and cook 5 more minutes uncovered, until fluffy.


Note: You can add other ingredients to this recipe for a more complete meal such as corn kernels or cooked beans (I’m a fan of adding chick peas) right before adding the broth/water. You may want to adjust the seasonings to compensate for the new ingredients.

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 Minutes

The secret to this soup is using the right amount of jalapeño so it gives it a spicy kick without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the potatoes and leeks. Though I generally leave the seeds of jalapeños in for extra spiciness, they tend to overwhelm the flavor of this soup so I do recommend you remove them.

Potato Jalapeño Soup


1/4 cup of earth balance
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 leek (white part only) finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño pepper with the seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
1 tbsp of sea salt
1 bay leaf
2 bouillon cubes mixed in water or vegetable stock, enough to cover potatoes
6 peeled, washed and cubed russet potatoes
2 cups of plain soy milk

1. Heat earth balance in large soup pot on medium high heat.
2. Add leeks, onions and salt and saute until translucent (about 5 minutes). Do not brown.
3. Add garlic and jalapeño and stir together for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, bay leaf,
bouillon or stock (enough to cover potatoes)
4. Bring to a light boil, cover and reduce heat to medium
5. When potatoes become soft (about 20-30 minutes), pull out the bay leaf
and drain the potatoes, making sure to save the liquid.
6. Mash with a potato masher or large fork. Do not use an electric mixer or the
potatoes will become gummy.
7. Once mashed, add the 2 cups of soy milk and stir over low heat. Add reserved broth slowly until desired consistency. Further puree using an immersion blender, a wire whisk, electric mixer (though only for a short period of time to avoid the gummy effect) or wait to cool and blend in a blender. You can also leave it slightly chunky for extra texture.
8. Serve with fresh ground pepper.

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 1-1/2 hours
Total Servings: 4-5 bowls

*A special thank you to Jannequin Bennett's book, "The Complete Vegan Kitchen" for suggesting mashing the potatoes before pureeing.