Tag Archives: Vegan

Crust-free Chicken Pot Pie (v) (gf)

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Entrée, Gluten-Free, Mushrooms, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Crust-Free Chicken Pot Pie (gluten free & vegan) | The Hip Vegetarian | @hipvegetarianThe other day I was looking at my round white potatoes and thought hmmm, they might work well as a crust replacement for a chicken pot pie.

So last night I fired up the stove, cut my potatoes in thin slices, fried them until they were golden and used them as the crust for one of my favorite entrees.

Inadvertently I made my pot pie vegan, because I was out of cream; and quite honestly, I didn’t miss the cream AT ALL. The pot pie still had great flavor for the gravy.

Usually I use flour as a thickener, but this can easily be converted to gluten-free by using corn starch.

To cut down on fat, I saute my onions, celery and garlic in water instead of oil or butter.

The great thing about a chicken pot pie is that you can use what ever you have on-hand in the refrigerator or freezer. Peas, pearl onions, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, corn — whatever little bit you need to use up — just throw in your stew.

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

2 medium Round Potatoes, thinly sliced
1 bag, Morningstar Chicken Strips, Meal Starters
1/4 cup, Water
1 medium Onion, chopped
3 ribs Celery, diced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
3 carrots, chopped
4 tablespoons, Cornstarch
1 cup Dry White Wine
2 cups, Broth
Salt, to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon, Thyme
1 cup, frozen Peas
2 cups, Mushrooms, sliced

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9×13 baking dish.

Slice potatoes into thin slices and lightly fry in a skillet until golden. Line the bottom of casserole dish with a layer of potatoes. Set the rest aside.

Fry chicken strips until golden. Set aside.

Saute onion, celery, garlic and carrots in 1/4 cup of water until soft. Add water add needed during sauteing. Stir occasionally.

Add wine and vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Mix corn starch in a little bit of cold water, until it’s disolved. Add to mixture on the stove and bring to boil for 2 minutes. Stir to prevent lumps from forming.

Bring to a boil. Add thyme, peas, mushrooms. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, 5-9 minutes. Add chicken and remove from heat. Pour mixture in baking dish and layer the top with remaining potatoes.

Bake until bubbly; approximately 20-25 minutes.

Cranberry Holiday Tea

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Beverages and tagged with , , , , , ,

This recipe comes from my mother’s cookbook. It’s one of the few things I can remember her making for the holidays. With 2 cups of sugar and orange juice, the cranberry tartness fades away in this warm smooth tea.

This original recipe gave me the inspiration for a mocktail version I posted over at The Bloom Blog, turning it into a sparkling cold drink. So be sure to pop over there and say hello.

Cranberry Holiday Tea | The Hip VegetarianCranberry Holiday Tea

1 quart Cranberries (3 12 oz. bags)
2 cups Sugar
2 quarts Water
2 cups Orange Juice (fresh)

3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 sticks, Cinnamon

Mix and boil cranberries, sugar and water until cranberries pop open. Strain cranberries from the juice and discard.

Add Orange Juice, lemon juice and cinnamon sticks. Simmer on the stove for about 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

Raw Cranberry Sauce

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Raw Cranberry Sauce | @HipVegetarian

Raw Cranberry Sauce | @HipVegetarian

Here’s a quick Thanksgiving Recipe gift for you all: Raw Cranberry Sauce.

I made this recipe a few years ago and never could find it again. Then just this morning I realized it was the same cooked Recipe from Williams Sonoma, just slightly modified.  This sauce is a heavenly twist on the traditional cranberry sauce out of a can.

Raw Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

1/2 Orange
2 Tbls Orange Juice
1 Tart Apple (Granny Smith / McInstoch / Pippin)
3 cups, Fresh Cranberries (12 oz)
1 1/4 cup, Sugar
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

Remove skin from the apple, and core in to 8ths. Remove stem from orange on the outside. Rinse and check cranberries for firmness.

Throw everything into a food processer and blend untill you have the consistancy you like. And yes, that even include the orange peel!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Vegan, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , ,

Thanksgiving is upon us and if you’re like me, you haven’t even made a menu yet.  So this morning, I’ve been hastedly collecting ideas off the net and creating a Pinterest Thanksgiving Board for collecting.

So far my narrowed list below is still too long. So what do you think I should keep or delete for the big day of Thanks?

Honeycrisp Apple and Parsnip Soup

Honeycrisp Apple and Parsnip Soup

Apple Orange Relish from Williams Sonoma

Apple Orange Relish from Williams Sonoma

Mashed Cauliflower with Macadamia Nuts

Mashed Cauliflower with Macadamia Nuts

Pear, Gorgonzola & Candied Pumpkin Seed Salad via @HipVegetarian

Pear, Gorgonzola & Candied Pumpkin Seed Salad via @HipVegetarian

Butternut Mac-n-Cheese. Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012

Butternut Mac-n-Cheese. Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012

Honey Roasted Squash via Oprah.com

Honey Roasted Squash via Oprah.com

The Best Brussels Sprouts via @HipVegetarian

The Best Brussels Sprouts via @HipVegetarian

Squash and Spinach Lasagna. Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012

Squash and Spinach Lasagna. Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012

Roasted butternut & feta Wellington via BBC Good Food.

Roasted butternut & feta Wellington via BBC Good Food

Honey-Almond Tart with Orange Mascarpone via Vegetarian Times

Honey-Almond Tart with Orange Mascarpone via Vegetarian Times

Sinless Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding via @vegnews

Sinless Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding via @vegnews

For more menu ideas for Thanksgiving 2012, visit my Pinterest Board, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter to see what’s happening in the Hip Vegetarian’s kitchen as the big day approaches. You never know when disaster might strike!

Way Better Snacks — One of the Best Tortilla Chips on the Market

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Gluten-Free, Reviews, Vegan and tagged with , , , , ,

Not often do I come across a new chip and think “Amazing!”

That was my first thought when I starting munching on the new chips from Way Better Snacks. I was intrigued that these chips are made with sprouted grains vs. the usual corn tortilla chips I’m used to buying. I was even more impressed with the simple ingredient list on the back of each bag.  I could pronounce each ingredients and actual knew what was being listed.

The ingredients for the Sweet Potato Tortilla Corn Chips consist of: Stone Ground Corn, High Oleic Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil, Sweet Potato,Organic Sprouted Quinoa, Organic Sprouted Chia Seed,  Pure Sea Salt.

I also liked the nutritional value for each serving.  Each serving is 11 chips; 130 Calories; 7g fat; 0.5g Saturated fat; 2g fiber; 0g Sugar; 2g Protein.

I wasn’t the only fan who liked these chips. My family did too. One evening my boys hung out on the deck eating a variety of Way Better Snacks. My four and two year old gobbled them down.  In fact the oldest told his Dad to “get his own” when my husband dipped his hand into the 4 year old’s bag.  We had a lot of find trying different salsa’s and seasoning with the chips.

These chips are hearty. Not only are they wholesome, they are thick too.  Take a avocado straight from it’s skin and spread it onto one of these chips, and they won’t break. Making it wonderful to use for appetizers.

What makes these chips better, (according to the company), is that sprouting has been known to enhance the bioavailability of nutrients and aid in digestion. When germination occurs, “anti-nutrients” such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors are reduced or eliminated. Every serving has over 400 mg of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. The broccoli and radish seeds contain sulforaphane glucosinolate, the natural antioxidant found in broccoli.

But here is what’s best about Way Better Snacks — all their chips are:

All Natural
Vegan
Certified Gluten Free
Non GMO
Certified Kosher
Excellent Source of Whole Grains
Low Sodium
Contains: No Trans Fat, Artificial Colors, Flavors or Preservatives

Honestly I can’t think of a chip that’s more perfect.

Over the next few days I’ll be posting some recipes that go wonderfully with Way Better Chips. So be sure to check back to get some new ideas to use with this tortilla chip of the future.

Way Better Snacks provided the product for review however all opinion are 100% The Hip Vegetarian’s.

Way Better Snacks come in six different flavors: No Salt Naked Blues; Simply Sweet Potato; Simply Sunny Multi-Grain; Simply Beyond Black Bean; Simply Unbeatable Blues; Simply So Sweet Chili. Photo:

Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Gluten-Free, Macadamia Nuts, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , ,

This recipe in Nom Nom!

Have you ever tried substituting mashed potatoes with cauliflower? The results are delicious. I think I first discovered this idea when I tried the South Beach diet once. However add some macadamia nut butter and rosemary to the dish, and this little recipe rocks!

I originally stumbled across this recipe in the Get Naked Fast cookbook by Diane Stabos. Which by the way, is a must buy if you’d like to move toward a vegan diet.

Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower

1 head Cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup Macadamia Nut Butter
2 tbsps Olive Oil
1 teaspoon fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Rosemary for Garnish

Steam Cauliflower in hot water for 3-5 minutes. Blend in food processor until grainy — but don’t over process until it’s liquidy. Add into the food processor the macadamia butter, rosemary, olive oil and salt. Process until fluffy.

Roasted Cauliflower

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Gluten-Free, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , ,

Roasted Cauliflower

Here’s an easy recipe to use up any cauliflower that you may have sitting in the refrigerator.

This garlic, lemon juice and salt/pepper combination turns this sometime unpopular vegetable into a tasty side dish for the family.

Easy and quick to make. Even the children can help assemble the dish together.

Roasted Cauliflower

  • 5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sliced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower on a cookie sheet or large casserole dish.  Drizzle cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper over top. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Occasionally stir. Bake for 15 minutes.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

This Asian Broccoli Slaw is so addicting. My husband and I could sit down and eat this in one sitting — which isn’t good because this recipe makes a lot of slaw.

Nom. Nom.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

2 pkgs. (16 oz) Broccoli Slaw
4 Green Onions

Asian Broccoli Slaw

Almond Mixture:
1 cup sliced Almonds
1/2 cup Sesame Seeds
2 pkgs. Ramen Noodles (crushed)
1/2 cup Butter

Dressing:
3/4 cup Oil
1/3 cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup Splenda or Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Saute almonds, seeds and noodles in butter until lightly borwned. Set aside to cool, then store in refrigerator until ready to put the salad together.

Stir dressing ingredients together well.

Just before serving, combing all ingredients and toss lightly.

Macadamia Nut Butter

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Such an easy recipe that can be added to potatoes, cauliflower and more.  I can’t wait to try this as a Macadamia Nut and Honey Sandwich.

I tried blending the nuts in my Vitamix, but I wasn’t using enough nuts for the blades to grab on to — they kept getting stuck. So I transferred over to my Cuisinart Hand Blender and they blended up perfectly.

Macadamia Nut Butter

1 cup of Macadamia Nuts

With a hand blender, blend nuts until smooth. Takes about 3 to 5 minutes.