(mostly) Vegan Easter!

My sister Lisa is vegan and so I challenged myself for Easter to make a mostly vegan meal for our families to enjoy. There was no super elaborate recipes, just simple good healthy food made vegan with a few modifications. The best thing about this meal is that I don't think anyone would have realized it was vegan if I didn't mention it and it was enjoyed by everyone.

Appetizers:
We made a vegi and cracker platter with two different dips. The chopped vegis included broccoli, orange bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and celery. The crackers were garden triscuts and buffalo wheat thins (both naturally vegan). The dips were a roasted red pepper hummus (store bought) and a homemade dip which was a sweet pepper and onion relish mixed with vegan cream cheese to create a creamy sweet peppery dip. It was a huge hit!

Entrees/Sides:
Spiral Ham (the only non-vegan menu item, prepared according to the package)
Roasted Potatoes and Onions (chopped potatoes, chopped onions, garlic, salt, pepper, evoo, baked in a casserole dish at 375 degrees for about an hour)
Maple Carrots (peeled, sliced, simmered on stove with a little water, evoo, salt, and maple syrup until carrots are cooked and liquid is reduced)
Dijon Balsamic Asparagus (sauteed asparagus tossed with balsamic vinegar, evoo, dijon mustard, salt and pepper)
Portabello Mushroom Linguine (sauteed mushrooms and onions tossed with tri color linguine and a garlic white wine sauce)

Desserts were not provided by me but included a cherry cobbler (vegan) and pineapple orange sorbet (also vegan) and chocolate cake/ice cream (not vegan).

Bob's Red Mill Bean & Grain Soup

I can't take much credit for this, as Bob's Red Mill created it and Grandma Ruth shared it with me, but I can say it was worth the wait and I wish I'd made more at once. Many types of beans, grains, and water boiled then simmered for about an hour and a half. Then I added in some onion and shredded some Jennie-O turkey bacon at the end as a topping. Such a great mix, I'll definitely be making more soon :)

Amazing leftovers, and great with potato timbales/sweet potatoes. Mmm!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters, this recipe was a very welcome and colorful winter dish during what can sometimes feel like a very earth-toned food season. I was shocked at how quick and easy assembly was. Walters provides a recipe for cashew cheese as a vegan topper (below), but I used about a half cup of a cheddar Colby mix.

Ingredients:
3 sweet potatoes or yams
3 tablespoons lime juice
1.5 cups black beans (I used 1 15 oz can of great northern beans, since it was all I had on hand)
1/2 red onion diced (I used a whole red onion)
1 large tomato diced (I used a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes since they're not currently in season)
8-10 soft corn tortillas (I used whole grain flour tortillas)
1.5 cups prepared salsa
1/2 cup corn (I switched the corn/salsa ratio and used a 15 oz can of corn and a half cup of salsa)
1/4 cup chopped scallions (I didn't have this, but that was probably for the best with all the red onion I used)

Directions:
1. Bake sweet potatoes for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you prep your ingredients. Remove and cool enough to peel.
2. Mash peeled sweet potatoes with lime juice.
3. Fold in black beans, onion and tomato.
4. Spoon filling into the center of each tortilla, roll and place, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish.
5. Spoon salsa over top and place under the broiler (mine was at 500 degrees Fahrenheit) for 3 minutes.
6. Remove from broiler, top with corn and cheese and broil for 2 more minutes (I did 4 since I had extra corn).
7. Remove from broiler again and top with chopped scallions.

YUM.

I will make sure I have black beans on hand when I try this again. I just didn't think ahead to soak and cook dried beans. The great northern beans weren't bad, but they weren't quite right. Also, I think a half cup of red onion, or using a small onion is good enough. I'm a huge fan of raw red onions, but a whole medium onion definitely lingered as an aftertaste. I think I will stick with the salsa/corn switch next time I make this, but I can't wait until it's summer and I have some fresh tomato to use in the sweet potato mash. If you use frozen or fresh corn, Walters recommends you blanch it before using.

Cashew cheese:
(which I intend to try next time, since it seems like it will only add to the awesome nutritional content that this dish has to offer)

1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon canola oil

Grind cashews to a fine meal in a food processor. Add nutritional yeast and process briefly to combine. Add oil and process until you have a moist meal (do not over process or meal will become dough-like). Set aside to use as topping during step 6 above.