A VEGAN HOLIDAY

QUINOA STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Yield: 4 servings | Total Time: 1 hour | Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup toasted pepitas
• ¼ cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° Cut each acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Place squash cut side up on baking sheet. Drizzle squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt, rub seasoning in evenly. Flip squash over so cut side is down and bake 30-45 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Leave oven on.
2. Prepare the quinoa while the squash cooks. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and one cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all the water is absorbed, about 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Cover, and let the mixture steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the fluffed quinoa, toasted pepitas, green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir together until evenly mixed. If necessary, add additional salt.
4. Once the squash is fully cooked, flip back over so the cut side is up. Divide the quinoa mixture evenly between the squash halves. Return squash to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Recipe adapted from: https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-stuffed-acorn-squash-recipe/

Chef notes and tips for adapting recipes based on preferences, allergies

• Perfect for a vegan main dish
• Excellent source of complete protein
• Easily adaptable to fit your taste
• For a different flavor, use wild rice instead of quinoa
• Experiment by swapping the pepitas for pistachios
• Prep the stuffing the day before to save time
• A complex looking dish that is secretly easy to make

– Shay Ernest, nutrition and dietetics major

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Yield: 4 servings | Total Time: 30 min | Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1lb of green beans
• 1 shallot
• 4 medium white cap mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 Tbl of olive oil
• 2 Tbl of flour
• ¾ cup of vegetable stock
• 1 cup of non-dairy milk substitute
• ½ cup of fried onions
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. If you are using fresh green beans, cut off the stem and half them. Then, blanch the green beans in salted water for two minutes and shock them in ice water afterward. If you are using canned green beans, then rinse them after opening.
2. Chop the mushrooms and shallot and mince the garlic.
3. In a medium sized pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the shallots and mushrooms until golden brown. Once they’re golden brown add the garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Add the flour to the pot and sauté until all the flour is picked up by the mushrooms and shallot. Then, add the vegetable stock to deglaze. After deglazing, add your choice of non-dairy milk substitute and begin stirring until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Once the sauce has thickened, add half the fried onions and green beans, coating them in the sauce. Transfer to a casserole pan and top with the rest of the fried onion.
6. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Inspired by: www.delishknowledge.com/fresh-green-bean-casserole

Chef notes and tips for adapting recipes based on preferences, allergies

• If you want a healthier crunch instead of fried onions, try slivered almonds
• Drain and rinse canned green beans (if used)
• For even more vegetables, add a can or frozen bag of peas and carrots
• One-fourth cup red wine and a half cup of vegetable stock is a great way to add richness and depth to the sauce
• Don’t forget to cut the stems off fresh green beans.

– Justin M. Cefalu, nutrition and dietetics major

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Yield: 8 servings | Total Time: 30 min | Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 8oz of Whole Wheat Macaroni
• ½ of nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbl of mustard
• ¼ cup of vegan butter
• ¼ cup of flour
• 2-3 cups of non-dairy milk substitute
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Tbl of vegan butter (for crumb)
• 1 cup of panko bread crumbs (for crumb)

Instructions

1. Melt 3 tablespoons of vegan butter and mix it with 1 cup of panko bread crumbs for the crumb and set aside.
2. Boil 8oz of macaroni until al dente and then shock in an ice bath or cool under running water and set aside.
3. In a medium pot, melt ¼ cup of vegan butter and then mix it with ¼ cup of flour to create a roux.
4. After the roux is formed, add 2-3 cups of non-dairy milk substitute (depending on desired thickness) and bring it to a simmer to thicken.
5. Once it has thickened, add the nutritional yeast, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Then, add the macaroni and transfer to a casserole dish
6. Add the crumb evenly over the macaroni and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until the crumb turns a golden-brown color.

Inspired by: https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-cheese-sauce/

Chef notes and tips for adapting recipes based on preferences, allergies

• Dijon mustard adds a certain tanginess associated with cheese. Apple cider vinegar can be used if you don’t like mustard.
• For an even healthier pasta alternative to whole wheat macaroni, try pasta made from lentils or black beans.
• Different milk substitutes can alter the flavor of the dish, just be certain you are aware of any nut allergies when using options like cashew or almond.
• Start with a small amount of milk when building the sauce, then gradually add more until you get the consistency you like. It’s much easier to make the sauce thinner than it is to reduce it if you add too much.
• This recipe is so easy and simple that there’s plenty of room for adding your favorite vegetables like spinach or broccoli.

– Justin M. Cefalu, nutrition and dietetics major

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Yield: 12 servings | Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes  | Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potato Mash:

• 4-5 large sweet potatoes
• 1 ½ tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Crunchy Nut Crumble:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and cube sweet potatoes into large chunks. In large pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-high and gently boil for 10-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
2. While potatoes cook, prepare crumble topping. Pulse oats in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped. In medium bowl, mix together oats, pecans, almond meal, cinnamon, and salt. Pour on melted coconut oil, melted vegan butter, and maple syrup. Stir till evenly combined.
3. Once potatoes are cooked and drained, mash with vegan butter and coconut oil until smooth. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, mix till combined.
4. Spoon potato mix into a lightly greased 2 ½ quart casserole dish, ensuring to spread and smooth the mixture evenly in the dish. Next, sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the potato mixture.
5. Bake, uncovered for 16-23 minutes, or until the dish is hot throughout.

Chef notes and tips for adapting recipes based on preferences, allergies

• An easy recipe to make ahead
• Double the crumble topping for an extra crunch
• For a creamier casserole, swap the oil for canned coconut cream
• Simply use gluten free oats for a gluten free option
• Create a lighter texture by “mashing” the potato mix in a blender

– Shay Ernest, nutrition and dietetics major

SWEET POTATO PIE

Yield: 6 servings | Total Time: 2.5 hours | Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 Vegan Pie Crust
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ¾ cup sweet potato puree
• 6 tablespoons Aquafaba (see note)
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil

Note: Aquafaba is the cooking liquid from beans, which is used as an egg alternative because its protein structure is similar. It is recommended to use liquid reserved from draining a can of chickpeas or white beans.

Instructions

1. Par-bake your pie crust according to the package or recipe instructions. Be sure to prick the crust all over with a fork to avoid bubbles forming. After par-baking, set your oven to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. First, whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then combine all the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Next, gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
3. Pour the filling into the par-baked pie crust, smoothing out the top into an even layer. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Remove pie and cover the edges of the pie with tin foil or a pie shield to stop them from browning too much. Continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set. The top should be dry and it should feel a little springy when you touch it.
4. Cool pie on a wire rack for at least an hour, preferably two, before slicing into it. After cooling completely, leftovers can be stored in the fridge.
5. Serve with toppings of your choosing – vegan whipped cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or just a simple slice of vegan sweet potato pie!

Recipe adapted from: https://yupitsvegan.com/vegan-sweet-potato-pie/