dill

Plant Based Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad With Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts (Vegan and Oil-Free)

September 20, 2019 by Veronica Grace 3 Comments

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Pasta salad is such a great meal for picnics or lunches that can be made ahead of time and eaten for a few days. For today’s recipe I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta because it has a nice texture and chew when eaten cold and goes well with the size of the other chopped veggies. You might be wondering what I’ve used for the base of the plant based tzatziki sauce and instead of processed coconut/soy yogurt I’m using silken tofu.

With silken tofu it’s just soy milk that has been curdled and formed and instead of separating the soy curds from the whey they are set together so it’s softer and creamier. It also doesn’t have added fillers, binders, or sugar. Quite often you’ll find silken tofu cheaper than a tub of plant based yogurt as well. You can find it at any Asian market, most health food stores and of course on Amazon depending where you live. I like to keep a few on hand for make plant based “cream” sauces like my Fettuccini Alfredo from my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

Of course you can use whatever other type of pasta you like for this salad as well, just make sure that it’s bite sized and cooked to the perfect tenderness so it’s not too al dente or too soft so it doesn’t fall apart. The farfalle shape works well because it doesn’t tend to get as stuck together in the fridge or break when made ahead of time for meals later on.

This also works great for traveling. I often have people asking me what they can bring on a road trip or flight besides dried snacks. Since this pasta salad is dairy and egg free you don’t have to worry about it being food safe and it will be fine out of the refrigerator for a few hours packed in a cooler or a bag. I’ve never had an issue eating pasta salad on a plane or bringing it through security. The sauce sticks to the pasta and isn’t liquid in the bottom so it’s not a concern.

So why not give it a try? Maybe you’ll find some new lunch ideas and you’ll probably want to make the silken tofu tzatziki again and again for using as a dip, salad dressing or sauce for wraps or pitas as well!

Silken Tofu Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 recipe of Silken Tofu Tzatziki
1/2 English cucumber, chopped or a few dill pickles chopped/diced
1/2 cup packed sundried tomato halves, sliced (mine were dried not packed in oil)
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, sliced (6 cooked artichoke hearts, sliced)
454g/1 lb bag of farfalle or other pasta (you can use gluten free if you like)
Fresh dill for garnishing (if you have any left from the Tzatziki recipe)

Directions:

1. 1. 1. Make Silken Tofu Tzatziki and set aside
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt if desired. For cold pasta it will make it more flavourful.
    3. Prepare vegetables and set aside.
    4. Cook Farfalle for approximately 14 minutes or to desired tenderness in boiling salted water. You still want it to be a bit chewy but not tough or too soft and falling apart.
    5. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water when at desired tenderness until cool.
    6. Add farfalle pasta to a bowl and make sure it’s cooled down before adding remaining ingredients.
  1. Add vegetables and sauce and toss to combine.
  2. Taste test and add any additional salt or pepper now if desired
  3. Serve or portion out into containers. Best eaten within 3-4 days due to fresh ingredients in the tzatziki sauce.
  What are you favorite ingredients to add to pasta salad?

Silken Tofu Plant Based Tzatzki Sauce (Vegan, Oil and Dairy Free)

September 19, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Looking for a deliciously cool dip or sauce for veggies, wraps, or Greek pita sandwiches? This recipe is super easy and uses silken tofu instead of yogurt for the base. Tofu actually is processed like cheese is taking a “milk” and adding coagulant and then separating the curds from the whey in most cases.

Silken tofu is set with the soy bean whey in it, so it’s a little softer and creamier. Which makes it a great substitute for dairy when you want a creamy base and because it’s less processed than soy yogurts it’s usually cheaper too.

Silken Tofu Vegan Oil Free Tzatziki Sauce

Silken Tofu Tzatziki (Vegan and Oil Free)

Ingredients:
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 12oz pkg firm Mori-nu silken tofu, drained (make sure to use firm, soft will be too runny for dip but maybe ok for salad dressing)
2-3 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp raw unsalted cashews or pine nuts (Soaked and drained if you don’t have a high powered blender)
1/2 tsp Herbamare or sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp ground black or white pepper
1 English cucumber deseeded, peeled and grated
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, tofu, garlic, cashews, salt and pepper into food processor or blender and blend until creamy.
Taste test and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper if desired.
Squeeze out all of the excess water from the grated cucumber with your hands or with a spoon through a mesh strainer.
Stir in the fresh dill and strained cucumber.
Store in a container and refrigerate a few hours before serving.

Use within 3-4 days for best results due to the nature of fresh ingredients.

What are you going to serve with your Tzatziki?

Oil-Free Plant Based Dill Potato Salad With Homemade Vegan Mayo

August 29, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Oil Free Vegan Cashew White Bean Dill Potato Salad (Plant Based)

Even though Summer is almost over you still have lots of time to enjoy some more family picnics or barbecues. Being plant based doesn’t mean you have to miss out of some of the traditional comfort food salads usually served so I wanted to share this recipe with you!

If you can cook some baby potatoes and you have a blender or a food processor you can make potato salad AND your own plant based vegan mayo. This is my take on a classic recipe including some of my favourite things for cold creamy salads like red onion, celery, dill and pickles.

This recipe is sure to please your friends and family for a cook out or even to pack for lunch for yourself or kids. No need to worry about it being food safe out of the fridge because it’s naturally egg free as well!

Why not give it a try and then tell me what you paired it with by commenting below? Enjoy 🙂

FTC Notice: This blog post contains affiliate links which go to supporting the blog.

Oil-Free Plant Based Dill Potato Salad With Homemade Vegan Mayo

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white bean and cashew mayo or other oil free homemade mayo 1.5 lbs baby potatoes (I used red skin)
3 stalks of celery, sliced
6 small sweet gherkin pickles sliced, or other favourite pickle chopped
1/4 red onion, diced 1 green onion/scallion, sliced
1/3 cup of fresh dill, packed and chopped
Herbamare or salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1). Make or portion out 3/4 cup of white bean and cashew mayo.

2). Wash baby potatoes and slice in half if desired. Place in a steamer basket in a large pot with enough water and steam just until fork tender. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes.

3). Drain and rinse the potatoes in cold water and place in the fridge for at least half an hour to cool down before dicing and continuing.

4). Prepare the vegetables and herbs.

5). If desired cut the baby potato halves again so they’re now in quarters. Place in a medium or large bowl and add the sliced vegetables and herbs.

Oil Free Vegan Cashew White Bean Dill Potato Salad (Plant Based)

6). Add the white bean and cashew mayo and stir to combine.

7). Taste test and add Herbamare or salt and pepper to taste. Depending on if you used my mayo recipe or another mayo recipe you might want to add some extra dijon mustard if desired.

8). Chill in fridge if desired. Best eaten within 3 days due to fresh ingredients.

Tip: To have an even dice of onion and celery and pickles you can use a vegetable chopper if desired.

Have you ever made your own vegan mayo before? What do you like to put in your potato salad recipe?

Creamy Vegan and Plant-Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad

September 7, 2015 by Veronica Grace

Plant Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad Vegan Oil Free

Sometimes you get a craving for a creamy salad, especially potato salad – but how do you make it creamy, oil-free and whole food based at the same time? Simple! I switch out the vegan mayo (not a condiment I use in my kitchen!) and substitute a fresh ripe avocado and mash it up and season my plant-based potato salad it just like I would any other.

Except that my version is ultimately tastier than what you’re probably used to. I like to give it more kick and I up the seasonings in it so it’s truly a dish you can enjoy on it’s own or pair with a light soup or wrap. This recipe is also oil free, soy free, gluten free and nut free as well so it’s great for allergy friendly households.

So get ready to try the best whole foods potato salad you’ve never had! And please tell me how much you enjoyed it once you have 🙂

Vegan/Plant-Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad

Serves 4-6 side servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs/908 g small baby red skinned potatoes (or other potato of choice)
3 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1/2 white onion sliced and diced
1 Large ripe avocado (should be soft and give to pressure)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp honey, maple syrup or liquid sweetener *optional to balance the acidity in the lemon and spiciness in the mustard
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon herbamare or salt *or to taste as desired
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup dill, packed and then chopped
1/2 bunch green onions/spring onions, sliced (top green parts only)

Directions:

1. Wash potatoes and cut out any bad spots or eyes.
2. Steam, or pressure cook the potatoes gently until they are just fork tender through the centre, but al dente. Immediately run the potatoes under cold water to prevent them from cooking further.
3. For best results, refrigerate cooked potatoes for about an hour until cool. (This ensures they don’t fall apart when slicing)
4. Quarter the potatoes and peel if desired.
5. Peel and mash the avocado in a small bowl. Add lemon juice, and seasonings (except fresh herbs) and stir into avocado to create a dressing.
6. Turn potatoes into a large bowl. Add the fresh herbs and avocado dressing. Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.
7. Serve or refrigerate until needed. Best consumed same day, or next day (as the avocado changes color and breaks down quickly)

What’s your favorite addition to potato salad and what type of potatoes do you like to use?

Fat Free Vegan Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers Recipe

June 9, 2013 by Veronica Grace 14 Comments

I have done A LOT of travelling in the past few years (visiting over 30 countries around the world), and Greece was one of my favorite places I visited. (Greek rice stuffed peppers were a favorite I found) Greece was pretty incredible and unexpected as I had never seen anything other than photos of ancient ruins or the white and blue houses of Mykonos on postcards. I went on a 2 1/2 week journey back in August and September of 2010 and visited many different places in Greece.

I saw the ruins of Athens, the rocky shorelines and picturesque houses of Mykonos, the rolling hills and mountains of Naxos, The Palace of the Grand Masters of Knights in Rhodes, the mesmerizing Balos Lagoon and Palace of Knossos on Crete, and the Tholos of Athena Pronaia Sanctuary and Oracle at Delphi.

I also took a ton of photos and wrote about that journey here. (I wrote about it on an old blog of mine and have moved it to this one). So if you are a travel bug like me or just love gorgeous landscape photography definitely check it out!

In my time in Greece I learned that there was much more than just olive oil and seafood to Greek cuisine. Traditionally the Greeks and Cretans ate vegetables, grains, fruits, seafood and olives. In fact their diet was vastly healthier eating homemade unprocessed food, unlike what they do now (which is more like a SAD Westernized diet drenched in copious amounts of olive oil and wine).

So what I took from my travels was using vegetables, grains and herbs in a way that complimented each other to bring out the full flavor of simple vegetable based dishes. The Greek rice stuffed peppers served in Greece are generally stuffed with ground meat as well, but occasionally I found some that were vegan without meat. Mykonos served some at the beach cafes and a Taverna in Delphi had some as well. But these versions used white arborio rice (Italian risotto rice) and were drenched in olive oil.

For my version I decided to switch to whole grain brown rice and remove the olive oil (for health purposes dousing all vegetables in olive oil isn’t recommended). So while it’s not “traditional” it is still very rustic and delicious. I’ve packed it full of dill, parsley and lemon juice so you get all the flavor of the full fat version but without the extra calories.

This recipe is featured in my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World which is available in a digital or physical version wherever you are in the world.

In fact it’s probably my family’s favorite recipe, my mom and even my friends make this recipe regularly as an entree for omnivores and they always receive rave reviews. So it makes me happy that something so simple can be delicious and satisfying to people on a wide variety of diets.

So scroll down for the recipe and get cooking!

Fat Free Vegan Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers Recipe

When I traveled in Greece I sampled several vegan versions of stuffed vegetables. Greek rice stuffed peppers was one of my favorites. I switched out the traditional Arborio rice for brown rice to make this a whole grain version. If you like the combination of lemon and dill, you’re going to love these.
Prep Time: 30 min Total Time: 1 hour 20 min

Yield:Serves 3-4 for entrées or 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients

6 large or 8 small bell peppers (any color but green)
1 large onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 small zucchinis, peeled and diced
1 cup / 236 ml. low sodium vegetable broth
3 cups cooked brown rice (or other rice or grain of choice)
5 Tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 cup whole fresh parsley, de-stemmed and chopped
3/4 cup whole fresh dill, de-stemmed and chopped
Half to a full lemon, juiced (depending on how lemony you like it)
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3/4 tsp. Herbamare or Sea salt (or to taste)
1 lemon—cut into wedges (optional for garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F /175 C. Cut tops off of peppers like you would a jack-o-lantern,
remove seeds, and wash thoroughly.
Place in an oven safe dish arranged upright and put tops back on. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, saut. onions, carrots and zucchini in vegetable broth for 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the rice and tomato paste and coat thoroughly.
Add parsley, dill, lemon juice, pepper, and Herbamare or salt and stir to combine.
When peppers are ready, remove from oven and fill with stuffing.
Place tops back on peppers and bake for an extra 30-40 minutes until peppers are soft.
Serve additional wedges of lemon if desired.

Additional Tips:

I don’t suggest using green peppers. Green peppers are actually an unripe pepper and much firmer. They will not be done in time if you cook them along with red, yellow or orange peppers. To freeze: cut them in half lengthwise and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags and lay gently in the freezer until frozen. Due to the rice these are best eaten within 3 days, please freeze any leftovers if you won’t finish them within that time. Rice can grown bacteria in a moist environment so it’s best eaten freshly cooked or reheated from frozen. Enjoy!

Variations:

If you don’t like the taste or texture of brown rice, you can use white rice or quinoa instead. Try different vegetables too, you can dice up mushroms, asparagus, celery or greens instead if you don’t have carrots or zucchini on hand.

Nutrition Facts: 6 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 170.9
Total Fat 1.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Sodium 325.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 37.1 g
Dietary Fiber 5.6 g
Sugars 3.6 g
Protein 4.4 g

For more delicious Oil-Free and Low Fat Plant Based Recipes, check out my new cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World:

On Sale $21.95 plus shipping!

Or get the Ebook version for $17.95 to download and read now!

Have you ever made stuffed peppers before? What are your favorite ingredients?

Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad

May 19, 2013 by Veronica Grace 12 Comments

Plant Based Avocado Dill Potato Salad Vegan Oil Free

Now that it’s Spring and some of us are thinking about barbecuing, picnics and potlucks, I thought it was the perfect time to dig out this recipe I haven’t yet shared with you. It’s a delicious twist on potato salad using avocados instead of mayonnaise. I’m sure many of you have loved potato salad and often enjoyed it in the summer with your families. But traditional potato salads are really rich and not very healthy because of the mayonnaise and sometimes eggs they contain.

This version of potato salad is much better for you and is packed full of flavour. I particularly love the addition of celery and dill to this potato salad recipe. In fact, I’m sure it will become a family favorite and you’ll no longer crave the store bought kind.

I like to use baby red skinned potatoes for this, but you can use whatever waxy potatoes you like. Leave them skinned, or peel them your choice! Since mashed avocado is perishable you’ll want to eat this recipe the same day or the next day for best results. Enjoy!

Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad

Serves 4-6 side servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs/908 g small baby red skinned potatoes (or other potato of choice)
3 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1/2 white onion sliced and diced
1 Large ripe avocado (should be soft and give to pressure)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp honey, maple syrup or liquid sweetener *optional
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon herbamare or salt *or to taste as desired
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup dill, packed and then chopped
1/2 bunch green onions/spring onions, sliced (top green parts only)

Directions:

1. Wash potatoes and cut out any bad spots or eyes.
2. Steam, or pressure cook the potatoes gently until they are just fork tender through the centre, but al dente. Immediately run the potatoes under cold water to prevent from cooking further.
3. For best results, refrigerate cooked potatoes for about an hour until cool. (This ensures they don’t fall apart when slicing)
4. Quarter the potatoes and peel if desired.
5. Peel and mash the avocado in a small bowl. Add lemon juice, and seasonings (except fresh herbs) and stir into avocado to create a dressing.
6. Turn potatoes into a large bowl. Add the fresh herbs and avocado dressing. Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.
7. Serve or refrigerate until needed. Best consumed same day, or next day (as the avocado changes color and breaks down quickly)

What’s your favorite addition to potato salad and what type of potatoes do you like to use?

80/10/10 Recipe: Low Fat Raw Vegan Green Pea Lemon Dill Blended Soup

October 7, 2011 by Veronica Grace 2 Comments

Green peas and dill are some of my favourite green things to eat. So I decided to combine them into a tasty raw soup recipe.

This is sort of a chunky style raw soup with diced veggie chunks in a blended base. Feel free to customize it as you like, but I find that having something to chew on in raw soups is nice so it’s not just eating smoothie with a spoon.

Alternately, if you don’t love green peas raw, you can substitute more of something else like zucchini, cucumber or even diced peppers.

Raw Green Pea Lemon Dill Soup

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

Soup Base

2 cups zucchini, peeled and chopped
2 cups yellow or orange tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of celery, chopped
1/2 cup dill, chopped fine
4 green onions, chopped
5 or 6 small dates, pitted
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup of chia gel (or a tbsp or two of chia seed)
2 tsp celery powder or 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Veggies:

1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 green onion, diced

*Using a veggie chopper is the fastest way to get the vegetables into little cubes to stir into the soup.

Directions:

1. Blend soup ingredients in a Vitamix or blender until well combined.

2. Divide soup and veggies into 2 bowls and garnish with extra dill or green onion.

Enjoy!

What do you think of this recipe?