Category Archives: Lazy Vegan

Apr 12 2013
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Lazy Vegan, Raw

Sesame Citrus Salad Starring KALE!

This was an afternoon salad for me and Brent when we were both home and wanted a snack that was more significant than a pickle. Brent peeled 3 mandarin oranges and prepared some soy curls.

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I tore up some red and green kale and washed it.

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I tossed it together with sesame seeds and a tangy citrus dressing and threw in the orange slices and soy curls for an easy tasty treat.

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It was much more filling than either of us had anticipated. I think just about any citrus dressing would do but we used a local specialty: tangerine vinaigrette.

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The orange, green and purple were also visually stunning and I love when food nourishes your mind AND your body so I’m a fan. Let me know what your variation on this theme is.

This is Christie, signing off!

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Apr 02 2013
2 Comments
Desserts, Lazy Vegan, Main Dishes

Breakfast Wrap

This particular item more resembles dessert than breakfast but the nutritional profile doesn’t disappoint. All I did was take a flax gluten-free tortilla and topped it with the following

1 tbsp chocolate peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter and Co. but really any vegan nut butter will do)

2 tbsp dried blueberries (dried cranberries or raisins would work well too)

1/2  banana, sliced

1/4 apple, sliced

1/4 cup granola (I used Cascadian Farms)

I microwaved it for 20 seconds so it would soften and then ate it… It kept me full until lunch time. The crisp acidic apple and the soft sweet banana were perfectly balanced with the chewy blueberries and nutty chocolate crunch of the granola and peanut butter. Next time I might add some slivered almonds.

This is Christie, signing off!

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Mar 18 2013
1 Comment
Lazy Vegan, Reviews

The Lazy Vegan: Tandoor Chef Vegetable Masala Burgers

Hi, Veganesers! This isn’t a Lazy Vegan post as much as it’s a “I’m so busy and haven’t had a chance to go to the grocery store let alone cook anything” post. At least it’s not a “I’m curled up on the floor, crying my eyes out for no reason and have no appetite” post.

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I spotted these Vegetable Masala Burgers by Tandoor Chef at a local grocery store last week and decided to try them. I like veggie burgers, I like Indian food… this seemed like something different that would be perfect for those lazy days.

The ingredients include the following: potatoes, canola oil, carrots, green beans, water, bread crumbs, bell peppers, onions, corn, salt, green peppers, milled cane sugar, ginger, cellulose gum, spices, citric acid, tumeric, mustard seeds. They are not gluten-free. I didn’t have any buns (at least not burger buns) so I threw some rice on the plate along with a roasted eggplant.

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The burger was good but far from great. The spices were very subtle so I added some Sriracha to give it a kick. I was happy to see that one patty was only 120 calories, but it only has 2 grams of protein so it’s not very substantial. I’m glad I gave these a try, but I don’t think I’ll be buying them again. They weren’t tasty enough in order for me to prefer them to more protein-packed burgers that I can make or buy.

‘Til next time! –Melissa

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Jan 16 2013
1 Comment
Lazy Vegan

The Lazy Vegan: Sweet and Sour Soy Curls

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I was not a big fan of sweet and sour anything when I was growing up. Sure, I loved dipping egg rolls and chicken in sweet and sour sauce, but the actual “sweet and sour” dish from any Chinese restaurant was just blech. I do find myself craving it, though, and the last time I had sweet and sour chicken, it was excellent. The chicken was perfectly breaded and coated perfectly in a very light and tasty sauce. I was thinking about it today, which is why I made a quick version of it using soy curls. I was so lazy about it that it’s almost embarrassing.

I rehydrated and drained some soy curls and then heated them in a pan, seasoning them with garlic powder and Bragg Liquid Aminos. When they were heated through, I coated them with some sweet and sour sauce and then removed them from heat. After plating the soy curls, I drizzled some more sauce on them. You guys, this is very important: it’s all about the sauce! I bought some sweet and sour sauce from the store tonight (yeah, yeah, when I’m not lazy I’ll make my own sauce instead) and it was kind of super bland.

Even though this dish wasn’t exactly spectacular, it filled my craving, and it’s exciting to know that I can only improve on it. Next time, I think I will bake the soy curls instead. That was my original intention, but I was really hungry so I went down the path that would take less time. I’ll try to make the sauce or at least use a better brand next time.

Now, if only I had a fortune cookie… –Melissa

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Jan 07 2013
2 Comments
Lazy Vegan, Recipes

Super Easy Rice and Veggie Soup

In lieu of being sick and not wanting to cook, nor eat anything complicated, Christie devised a method of making single-serving soup that is souper easy to make!

See what I did there?

What you need are :
Vegan Bouillon
Instant Rice
Frozen Veggies
Water
Microwave

Put the instant rice and frozen veggies in your bowl, add the bouillon and fill with water. Microwave for about two minutes, stir, and heat again for two minutes.

Watch as I fix it for my sick self.

It seems like a ‘no, duh’ recipe as I write it out, but really it’s a solid recipe to have in ones repertoire. For when you feel sick, or lazy, this soup can have you fed — gluten and cruelty free — in about five minutes.

Hope you all are having a happy and healthy new year!

Peace out, my vegans.

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Dec 25 2012
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Lazy Vegan, Reviews

The Other Lazy Vegans: TV Dinner 7

Apparently I’m dating myself by using the term “TV dinner” so I’ll just pretend it’s a play on the title of our blog. Whatever. We’re trying more Amy’s tonight because holidays are too cooking intensive for me to handle sometimes. This time it’s the brown rice and vegetables bowl.

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This one looked pretty good right out of the box.

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After microwaving it maintained a fairly attractive visage. The vegetable had a good texture: the broccoli was just on the brink of crossing from tender to mushy but I’ll forgive that fact given how little time I spent standing over the stove.

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The flavor wasn’t anything special but certainly wasn’t offensive. It benefited greatly from the addition of some soy sauce (Brent) and teryaki sauce (me).

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This is one I’d do again for the nutritional profile, ingredients and versatility of the flavors. It’s just too easy.

This is Christie, signing off!

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Dec 19 2012
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Lazy Vegan

The Lazy Vegan: Amy’s Strikes Again, Another Giveaway Winner!

Yes, this is my second Lazy Vegan post in a row, but I choose not to feel too guilty about it because I know my time is spent doing other worthwhile things like getting ready for the holidays. Ho ho ho! Amy’s is a trusted brand among all of us at Turning Veganese. I stepped away from the frozen section (where I usually shop for Amy’s Kitchen products) and meandered to the canned section, where I found this lovely item:

chiliNow I know that making chili is really easy but I’m glad to know that there’s a vegan option out there for when I don’t have time or simply don’t want to make a giant pot of chili. Amy’s Organic Chili is a great vegan chili that consists of red beans and tofu (textured to look like ground meat). I tried the Medium spice level which wasn’t terribly spicy at all — it’s more tart/salty than spicy. The directions are simple. Maybe a little too simple: heat and serve. Um… how about a little guidance, Amy? I definitely didn’t want to have to wash a pot to I poured half the can into a microwave-safe bowl, heated it for 60 sec, mixed it around and then heated it for another 45 seconds. This seemed like a perfect amount of time. Warning: it will explode so make sure you cover the bowl before heating it.

The chili tasted good, but there’s a weird sweetness to it and I found that it improved exponentially after I added some raw onion and crushed red pepper. Cheese, such as shredded Daiya cheddar, would probably be a good addition as well. I found the beans to be a little mushy. It doesn’t compare to homemade chili, but I would definitely buy it again to keep in the cupboard when I’m looking for something comforting and easy on a cold winter night. I also think that this would work great on nachos or maybe even on fries or a vegan hot dog. At any rate, I am a big fan of Amy’s and have been so long before I turned veganese. I’m really happy to see more Amy’s products, including gluten- and dairy-free products, in my grocer’s freezer and canned food aisle.

On to the fun stuff!!! This week’s winner of a Bubble & Bee Lotion Stick is… Lle Schreiber! Woohoooo! Check out her blog, Living, Learning, Eating. There’s still one more chance to win a lotion stick as well as a chance to enter our TofuXpress giveaway. Get all the details here! –Melissa

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Dec 13 2012
1 Comment
Lazy Vegan, Reviews

The other lazy vegans: TV Dinner 6

Brent and I were feeling lazy and Amy’s strikes again. This time we’re trying the black-eyed pea and vegetable bowl.

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I’m a big fan of black-eyed peas: they offer the texture and flavor of beans but without as much gas causing power. TMI? I think so. Let’s talk about food instead.

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This particular bowl looked pretty good right out of the box. I’m a little bummed (as usual) with the sheer amount of packaging but it’s pretty earth friendly with the dearth of it being printed cardboard which is recyclable in most communities.

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After microwaving we were greeted by something that’s rather attractive for previously frozen food. The broccoli and carrots were kind of mushy which was surprising given the color. The peas themselves were well seasoned (it was supposed to be a ginger sauce but I didn’t notice any ginger) but was definitely improved by the addition of our own condments: Brent chose sriracha and I used buffalo wing sauce.

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This is a good go-to for something with a decent nutritional profile, simple ingredients and versatile flavor.

This is Christie, signing off!

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Dec 04 2012
3 Comments
Lazy Vegan, Reviews

Lazy Vegans: TV Dinner 4

So we’ve been throwing ourselves on these TV dinners with reckless abandon. Well, not literally throwing ourselves since they’re in the freezer.

This one is another Indian delight: vegetable korma. This is something I’m used to from a favorite Indian restaurant. This version was much lighter than the restaurant styles I’m used to and I am a fan. The korma was lightly spicy and flavorful. The vegetables had a good texture. The rice was fluffy and the peas were firm. The daal was savory and smooth.

I’d do it again… if I’m feeling lazy.

This is Brent and Christie, signing off!

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Nov 10 2012
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Lazy Vegan, Snacks

An Apple a Day…

I realized today that I haven’t been eating much fruit lately. I forced down some oranges earlier in the week but have otherwise had no appetite for fruit… or really, any food. I wanted to be good today, so I snagged an apple from my sister’s kitchen and sliced it up into wedges.

To make things more fun and interesting (and inspired after rummaging through my nieces’ Halloween candy), I took a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter and softened it by heating it in the microwave for 10 seconds, stirring it, and then heating it for another 10 seconds. I took the melty peanut butter and drizzled it on the apple slices.

Voila! One of the easiest snacks ever!

Don’t forget to eat fruit, you guys. –Melissa

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