Low Fat Sausage Stew

One package vegan sausage of choice (we used Beyond Meat)

One can sauerkraut (I like Bavarian style)

2-3 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and sliced

One onion, sliced into rings

2-3# red potatoes, quartered

3 c. vegetable broth

Caraway seeds

In a crockpot, layer the potatoes, sauerkraut, apples, and onion. Pour in vegetable broth, and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Cook on High for 4 hours.

While cooking, cook your sausage in your preferred method. We bake ours, because it gives the outer part a nice crispness. When done and cool enough to touch, cut into coins and set aside.

When the vegetables are done, scoop a serving into a bowl and top with sausage, stir to mix.

Enjoy!

I served it with chewy ciabatta bread. This could be made in a Dutch oven and simmered until potatoes are tender.

Black Eyed Peas and Beer Brat Soup in the Instant Pot

I finally got an Instant Pot. I'd been wanting one and kept looking at them every time I went to a store that sells them. "One of these days," I kept telling myself. One of those days finally arrived a few months ago. Then the inevitable where it sat while I stared at it for awhile, uncertain how to proceed. My son is braver. He got one months before I did, and his sat unopened in his dining room. We both decided to brave it. He went first.

Black Eyed Peas and Beer Brat Soup

2 c. dried black eyed peas, soaked overnight
One red onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 c. vegetable broth
One small can tomato paste
2 t. oregano
One bay leaf
1 t. salt
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. brown sugar
One package vegan beer brats, sliced
One green bell pepper, chopped

Because this was my first recipe, I didn't use the saute function, but you can saute the onion and garlic first, if you prefer. Add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook at pressure for 5 minutes. When done, release pressure after 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Serve. Enjoy!

Mixed Grill Kabobs

I really like kabobs. They are easy to make, and you can make them any variety of ways. They're so versatile!

Mixed Grill Kabobs

One package vegan chicken, cut into cubes
One package Gardein Beefless Tips
One package vegan sausage, cut into thick slices
Assorted fresh vegetables, cut into large chunks
1/3 c. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 T. shredded lime peel
1/4 c. lime juice
2 t. crushed rosemary
1 T. olive oil

Place the everything in a ziploc baggie, seal, and shake well to coat everything as evenly as possible. Let marinate in the fridge overnight.

Drain well, but reserve any leftover marinade. Thread, in random fashion, the meats and vegetables on skewers (if using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them first!) Grill over medium heat, basting periodically with the leftover marinade. Cook until veggies are nicely cooked. Serve. Enjoy!

Cajun Sausage with Red Beans and Rice

There are numerous vegan sausages on the market now. True, I could make my own, but I haven't yet ventured into that territory. So, because a Whole Foods is just down the street from me, I get to buy them easily enough.

Cajun Sausage with Red Beans and Rice

1 T. olive oil
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 of a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can red beans, drained
1 package Tofurky Andouille Sausages, sliced into coins
1 c. water
1 c. vegetable broth
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 t. red pepper sauce
1 t. oregano
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
Cooked rice

In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and sausage until vegetables are softened and the sausage is browned. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the rice, and heat through. Serve over the cooked rice. Enjoy!

Warning - it is pretty spicy! Adjust the heat as you like.

Quick Jambalaya

I visited New Orleans a few years ago with my mom. It was with a tour group, so much of our food was decided for us. I lucked out because I simply asked at each location if they had any vegan options. I was not disappointed once. It was a lesson I learned - don't be afraid to ask. You could and probably will be very pleasantly surprised.

One of our dining experiences was with a chef. I talk a little about the experience here. As much as I love to cook, it is unlikely I will ever be as good as a chef. Probably because I go for quick more than fancy. Emphasis on quick. Like this dish.

Quick Jambalaya

Vegan meat of your choice (I went with sausage and tofu)
One onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
One green bell pepper, chopped
2 T. olive oil (peanut oil, if you have it)
1/2 c. vegetable broth
3 c. cooked rice
One can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
Your favorite Cajun seasoning

In a Dutch oven, saute the vegetables in the oil until soft. Add the vegan meat and heat through. Add the broth, rice, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Add seasoning to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking. Remove the bay leaves. Serve. Enjoy!

Summer Pasta Salad

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Tofurky has these artisan sausages, and I had to grab a couple of them. I knew what I would do with the first one right away, but the other one stumped me. So I went to the Tofurky website and found the perfect recipe!

Summer Pasta Salad

1 package bow tie pasta
1 package Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausage, sliced into coins
2 T. olive oil
One red onion, sliced
Handful of fresh spinach leaves
One yellow bell pepper, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. balsamic vinaigrette dressing

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse and set aside.

Brown the sausage for a few minutes in the olive oil. Remove sausages and drain on a paper towel, set aside. Cook the onion for a few minutes stirring often and brown lightly. Remove pan from heat and add spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts lightly. Transfer onions and spinach to a bowl. Add peppers, tomatoes, vinaigrette and pasta. Add the sausage to the bowl and mix all together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve. Enjoy!

 

The original recipe can be found here.

I also got the Tofurky Chick'n and Apple Sausage and used it to make Sausage and Sauerkraut. It was fantastic!

 

Cornbread and Sausage Dressing

Every Thanksgiving, there are two things that are on the table, without fail. Cranberries, and a cornbread and sausage dressing. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

Cornbread and Sausage Dressing

One package of cornbread of choice, baked ahead of time
One package of vegan ground sausage (I use Lightlife)
One onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. corn kernels
Vegetable stock
1-1/2 t. thyme
1-1/2 t. sage
1/2 t. rosemary
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 T. parsley

Break up the cornbread into chunks and place in a large bowl.

Cook the sausage with the onion and celery until vegetables are softened.

Add the sausage mixture to the cornbread, in the bowl. Add the corn, herbs and seasonings. Add enough vegetable stock to make everything very moist, but not soupy. Stir everything well.

Pour into a casserole dish and bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 350.

Serve. Enjoy!

Sausage and Sauerkraut

Maybe it's because I have German ancestry, but I like sausage and sauerkraut. They kind of go together like ketchup and French fries.

Sausage and Sauerkraut

One green pepper, sliced
One onion, sliced
2 sausage links (I used Tofurky Kielbasa), sliced
One container vegan sour cream
One can Bavarian sauerkraut
1 T. paprika

Saute the green pepper and onion in olive oil until softened. Add the paprika and stir to mix in well. Add the sausage and sauerkraut and stir again to mix well. Cover and reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove lid and stir in the sour cream and mix well. Let heat through. Serve. Enjoy!

Serving this with a slice or slab of dark bread completes the meal!

Sausage and Peppers

The first time I ever had store bought vegan sausage, I was underwhelmed. Not that I was ever a fan of sausage in the first place, but occasionally I would cook some up. You know how when you start to feel bad the thing that won't get out of your brain is the last food you ate? For me, that was always sausage. Which begs the question: why did I keep eating the stuff and what possessed me to want to try the vegan variety?

Good question. I still don't have an answer.

That being said, I am still drawn to the rare sausage dish. And this one? This one is awesome!

Sausage and  Peppers

Olive oil
One package favorite vegan sausage (I prefer Tofurky or Field Roast), sliced into coins
One onion, chopped
One green bell pepper, chopped
3-5 potatoes, chunked
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. marjoram
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
One can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. vegetable stock

Saute the sausage in the olive oil until slightly browned, and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil until softened. Add the potatoes, herbs and spices, tomatoes and stock; bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Add the cooked sausage and heat through. Serve. Enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

While rice and beans are pretty much a staple in my house, very much a comfort food, I haven't had spicy red beans and rice in a very long time. I thought I needed to remedy that situation.

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

1 c. water
One onion, chopped
One green bell pepper, chopped
One bunch of green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One small can of tomato sauce
1 t. mustard
One bay leaf
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1 t. black pepper
1 t. basil
3 cans red beans, drained and rinsed
One package vegan sausage
Olive oil
Cooked rice

Add the water, onion, bell pepper, green onions and garlic to a Dutch oven, and cook over low heat, until vegetables are softened. Add tomato sauce and seasonings, cover, and continue cooking over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. Slice the sausage into coins and fry in the olive oil. Add the sausage to the vegetables and seasonings and heat through. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Warning: this stuff is HOT! You wouldn't think so, looking at the ingredients, but trust me. I found it a little too spicy hot for my tastes, but my kids loved it and devoured it. If you don't like that much heat, try halving the cayenne and black peppers.

Low Country Boil aka Frogmore Stew, Vegan Style

Low country boils are associated with South Carolina and Georgia, and being a native born southern girl, I grew up eating a lot of seafood. Knowing what I know now, how scientific studies have confirmed that fish have a complex nervous system and can feel physical pain, how fish immediately begin to suffocate when pulled from the water, and how the sudden pressure change can rupture their swim bladder, I just can't in good conscience justify eating seafood. Overfishing has created dead zones in the ocean, where no life exists. I can pluck an apple from a tree or a carrot from the ground; when we fish we deprive ocean mammals of their only source of food.

So how does one go about enjoying foods one grew up with, but in a cruelty-free and responsible manner?

Easy!

Low Country Boil aka Frogmore Stew, Vegan Style

12 c. water
1/4 c. Old Bay Seasoning
6 red potatoes, washed
6 ears of corn
2 cloves of elephant garlic, sliced
One package vegan sausage (I used Field Roast Mexican Chipotle), cut into one inch pieces

This recipe uses a pressure cooker.

Add water, Old Bay and potatoes to the pressure cooker and close the lid. Bring to pressure and let cook 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure.
Add the corn, garlic and sausage, close the lid and bring to pressure once again. Cook 5 minutes and let pressure come down on its own.

If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can add all of the ingredients to a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook about 30 minutes. When potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, it's done.

Serve using a slotted spoon. It will be HOT! I added a little vegan butter to my potato and corn and nothing else.

Low country boils and Frogmore stew are the same dish - both have potatoes, corn and sausage. They differ from mine in that I don't include the shrimp. If you want to add some vegan shrimp to the dish, go ahead! I'm sure it will be absolutely delicious! I didn't have any on hand, so went with what I did, including the odd addition of the spicy Mexican Chipotle sausage. Any sausage would work.