Vegan Corner

My Story

I initially became a vegetarian not because of animal rights or for health issues, I did it to support my sister in her desire to live a vegetarian lifestyle.  She was eating what I considered to be rabbit food, while I feasted on rare steak. She never said a word, but the look on her face said it all.   

It was midnight January 1, 1991 when I ate my last steak and decided to join her on her vegetarian venture. And what a wonderful journey it turned out to be. As a chef I was already an advocate of nutritionally sound food .I found it stimulating and challenging to create delicious vegetarian dishes which offered great variety beyond her boring salads, rice and bean dishes.  She never knew until then that there was truly a" Vegetarian Heaven ".

Instead of our traditional New Year’s Dinner, we had our first delectable family vegan New Years Dinner.  The meal was enjoyed by all and the absence of meat was not an issue.

I followed a vegan diet for three years, but I still craved my chocolate cake, pizza and mac & cheese so I invited those items back into my life. Today, I vacillate between vegan, vegetarian and a raw food lifestyle. This enables me to indulge and enjoy healthy foods with a variety of choices. It’s like having the best of three worlds; all the finer foods in life. As a results of my healthy indulgence I created this blog for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and other health conscience eaters who want more for dinner than salads and tofu. 

So for 2012 let's all eat well!

Soulfully Yours,

Joyce

Links to Our Vegan Recipes

Bread, Grains & Legumes

Apple Cranberry Stuffing

Basic Black Beans

Bhutanese Red Rice Pilaf with Cranberries

Black Bean Avocado Spring Salad 

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Black Bean Burger
Ethiopian Style Black Beans

Black Bean Salad

Black Beans - Savory Vegan 

Forbidden Rice Salad

Brown Basmati Rice

Chick Peas aka Garbanzo Beans  
Cilantro Lime Herb Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

Corn Crazy 
Cranberry Orange Couscous

Curried Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

Curried Rice

Dirty Rice - for the New Age Vegan

Falafels

Forbidden Rice Salad

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Grits with Sautéed Onions and Peppers
Ham Boneless Beans

Hoppin John 

Hummus
Jamaican Rice and Peas 

Jasmine Rice with Lima Beans and Dill

Joyce's Vegetarian Dressing
Lentils and Butternut Squash Curry
Mama Guzman's Black Beans
Maple Fruity Oatmeal  
New Age Refried Beans

Pinto beans

Quinoa Salad With Apples, Walnuts & Cranberries   

Red Beans and Rice

Refried Beans – Vegan 

Raw Corn Arugula Salad

Rice Pilaf
Roasted Quinoa Fruit Salad

Sauteed Crazy Corn 

Spanish Rice – Vegan
White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers 

Chutney, Relish & Sauces
Basil Spread
Blueberry Ginger Relish

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

Creole Sauce
Jerk Sauce  
Muffuletta Olive Salad

Orange Cranberry Relish

Pico de Gallo – Vegan
Strawberry Mango Salsa 

Tomato Relish

Worcestershire Sauce - Vegan

Drinks & Smoothies

Breakfast Smoothie

Bok Choy Smoothie

Chai Tea Mix
Citrus Cooler
Cucumber Mint Water
Fennel Tea

Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider  
Kale Tonic

Mango Pineapple Smoothie
Mint Lime Water
Minty Watermelon Water

Oak Berry Mango Smoothie

Oat-Berry Mango Smoothie

Russian Tea - Americano

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Strawberry Ice Tea

Strawberry Lemonade
Strawberry Orange Mint

Wild Berry Smoothie

Fruits

Grilled Mango with Strawberry Coulis
Grilled Peaches with Maple Balsamic Glaze 

Loaded Guacamole – Vegan

Melon Salad
Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar
Strawberry Mango Salsa

The Ultimate Salad

 

Miscellaneous

Garlicky Kale Chips
Grilled Portabella Mushrooms

Shepherd's Pie - Vegan

Vegan Meatloaf

 

Salads, Dressings & Marinades

Arugula and Fennel Salad

Arugula and Fennel Salad with Pomegranate Seeds 
Asian Marinade

Asian Style Salad
Asian Slaw

Asian Style Vinaigrette

Asian Style Salad

Black Bean Avocado Spring Salad 

Black Bean Salad
Black Eyed Peas Salad

Cole Slaw 

Cranberry Salad Dressing

Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Dynamite Fruit Salad

Forbidden Rice Salad
Green Bean Salad

Golden Beet Salad   
Grilled Cabbage Slaw
Israeli Salad 

Jicama Mango Salad with Cilantro Lime
Kale and Romaine Salad
Kale Strawberry Avocado Salad 
Mama Guzman's Cilantro Cabbage Salad 
Maple Mustard Dressing 

Melon Salad
Mexican Corn Salad

Mexican Style Vinaigrette
Old Fashioned Broccoli Salad
Raw Kale Salad
Red Leaf Lettuce with Mandarin Oranges
Roasted Quinoa Fruit Salad 

Soulful Potato Salad 

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Spinach Salad 

Strawberry Orange Vinaigrette

The Ultimate Salad

Tropical Cucumber Avocado Salad  
Vegan Kale and Romaine Caesar Salad

Vegan Mayonnaise

Vegan Pasta Salad

 Watercress and Spinach Salad – Vegan

Seasonings, Spices

Basic Rub - Seasoning 

Blackening Spice

Cajun Seasoning

Creole Seasoning

Curry Powder
Ethiopian Berbere Spice 

N'awlins Cajun Seasoning

Poultry Seasoning

Sazon Seasoning

 

Soups & Stews

Basic Vegetable Broth

California Golden Chili the Vegan Version
Cauliflower Dill Soup
Creamy  Blueberry Soup

Curried Carrot Soup
Ethiopian Lentil Stew

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Split Pea Soup

Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup

Vegetable Soup

Winter Squash and Apple Soup

Vegetables

Bok Choy 
Breakfast Squash
Broccoli Rabe Asian Style
Broccoli with Garlic

Cabbage and Peppers

Cinnamon Citrus Roasted Squash
Citrus Grilled Asparagus 

Citrus Roasted Asparagus

Collard Greens - New Age Style
Creole Cabbage
Creole Squash
Faux Browned Butter Green Beans with Pecans 

Grilled Bok Choy w/Asian Flare

Flame Roasted Artichoke 

Green Beans

Green Beans Almandine
Green Beans with Onions and Chili Flakes

Green Beans with Sautéed Garlic

Greens with Pot Likker 

Greens with Caramelized Onions and Tomatoes
Grilled Bok Choy – With an Asian Flare
Grilled Eggplant with an Asian Flare
Grilled Eggplant with Basic Marinade

Grilled Cabbage

Grilled Pumpkin with Raspberry Sauce  

Grilled Vegetables
Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Marinade 

Lemon Garlic Spinach

New Age Greens
Rosemary Lemon Green Beans Almandine
Sautéed Greens with Berbere Spice

Sautéed Greens with Caramelized Onions
Sauteed Kale

Sautéed Red Cabbage 
Southern Collard Greens

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin

Squash with Sage
Steamed Cabbage

Stewed Tomatoes New Age Style 
Swiss Chard with Onions, Peppers & Garlic

Wild Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

     Root Vegetables

Cilantro Lime Yams

Country Style Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry Glazed Carrots

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes/Yams

Israeli Carrots

Mashed Rutabaga
Mexican Home Fries
Orange Ginger Carrots

Israeli Carrots

Oven Crisp French Fries 

Oven Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Baby Carrots with Dill
Roasted Baby Carrots with Herbs

Roasted Rutabaga

Roasted Yams with Apricot Sauce  

Roasted Yams with Fennel

Roasted Yams and Pecans

Root Vegetable Casserole

Rosemary Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes
San Francisco Garlic Fries

Soulful Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Home fries

 

Note: I have taken the position that liquid smoke is not vegan.  When I want the smoked taste added to a dish, I will occasionally grill onions, peppers, garlic etc. on a charcoal grill.  I then puree them in soups and beans or slice/dice them in vegetables to get the desired flavor.