Meatless in the Mountains

Veggie Apps for Super Bowl Sunday

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

Happy Super Bowl weekend! Here are some of my favorite meatless appetizers for EASY snacking during the big game. Here’s the starting line up:

Bean Dip

Potato Skins

Mushroom Bites

And don’t forget these Nachos!!

This Bean Dip recipe is so easy it’s embarrassing, but it’s so good so I’m not changing it! I’ve been making this for years and everyone always asks for the recipe! The salsa & cheese honestly are optional, it’s really just about the beans & the spices.

2 cans refried beans (there are great organic/veg friendly options out there now)

My MIM Ocho Spice Mix (sprinkle of each: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne)

1 heaping TBS salsa

1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese

Toppers: Sliced green onion, chips and/or veggies

Heat the beans over low on a skillet. Sprinkle on the MIM Ocho Spice Mix (I go heavy on the cumin and chili powder, light on everything else). Mix until spices are incorporated.

Next add the salsa to loosen up the dip, and the cheese. Mix until all is well combined & heated through. Top with sliced green onions & sprinkle of chili powder & dip with chips, or veggies. Yum!!

Football and Potato Skins just kind of go together. Thankfully, these have all the flavor without all the guilt from real bacon & real cheese. With these crafty substitutions, you won’t miss a thing.

4 medium russet potatoes

EVOO, and Canola Oil for the higher temp

Box of shiitake mushrooms, chopped

Salt, pepper & smoked paprika

Black pepper

1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese

Toppers: Avocado and sliced green onions

Heat oven to 400. Rub the potatoes with EVOO and prick with a fork. Cook on baking sheet for 1 hour.

On a sheet pan, mix the shiitakes with EVOO, salt, pepper & smoked paprika. Place in the oven with the potatoes, but cook for only about 35 minutes, checking often. You’re looking for a crispy-almost-looks-like-burnt-but-not-totally-burnt texture.

After potatoes have cooked & cooled slightly, cut in half lengthwise, crank the oven up to 450, and rub with the canola oil and sprinkle with some salt. Cook these on a baking rack with a pan that can take the heat underneath. Cook for 10 minutes then flip and cook another 10 minutes.

Place the potatoes skin side down and sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper and vegan cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes until cheese is soft and warm. Top with the crispy shiitake bacon, avocado and green onions.

Finally, the Mushroom Bites. These came together really quickly and were nice and filling. I used portabellas but you could use button and it would be fine. I was going for classic Italian flavors, but these actually ended up tasting like Thanksgiving stuffing, so if you want to serve with cranberry sauce for a dip or topper, that would be quite nice…

8 ounces of mushrooms, diced

1/3 large yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup earth balance vegan butter, melted

4 flax eggs (4 TBS ground flax mixed with 10 TBS warm water, set for 5 minutes)

2 tsp italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup veggie parmesan cheese

2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs of your choice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl except for breadcrumbs. When combined well, slowly incorporate the breadcrumbs. Form into balls on greased baking pan (I sprayed lightly with EVOO spray), and bake for 18-20 minutes. Pop in some toothpicks & serve.

My classy drink of choice on Sunday will be honey whiskey with a giant ice cube (thanks Lindsay!) Cheers, and enjoy the big game everyone!!

Posted in Apps | 3 Comments

Veggie Alfredo Pasta

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

This was the perfect Sunday night comfort meal after snowboarding at Park City Resort. This is the first debut of my vegan alfredo creations. It’s amazing how you can make a creamy sauce with no dairy! Just make sure you get the unflavored and unsweetened versions of either almond or soy milk (and non-GMOs!). I made the mistake once and overlooked the “vanilla” on the label and my pasta dish was vanilla-sweet-and-awful. Anyways, my thoughts right now are with our families and friends on the East coast as they brace for a blizzard starting Tuesday night… 2-3 feet expected. Hope you all stay cozy, warm and safe, and enjoy the fluffy white stuff!! Perhaps the perfect time to try out some new recipes from your favorite little mountain blogger??

Handful of asparagus, chopped

Handful of broccolini (or regular broccoli), chopped in florets

Handful of shiitake mushrooms, chopped

2 garlic cloves; minced

1/4 yellow onion; diced

Salt, Pepper & Nutmeg

1 carrot, peeled & chopped

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

2 TBS earth balance vegan butter

2 TBS flour of your choice (I used wheat)

1 1/2 cups of almond milk (or soy, or another kind)

Truffle Oil

Pasta of choice

Start boiling water in large pot. While water is warming, drizzle olive oil in saute pan and add the onion & garlic. Sprinkle on some salt, pepper & nutmeg and cook until onion starts to soften. Add in the asparagus, broccoli, carrots and season again lightly. Continue to cook and stir on medium until veggies start to soften slightly. Add the shiitakes in last and continue to cook and stir often.

In a separate small saute plan, add the earth balance and start to melt over medium. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook a couple minutes then whisk in the milk. Keep whisking to avoid lumps. Cook until sauce starts to thicken. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the pasta when the water boils (salt water first) and cook according to directions. Steal some pasta water from the cooking pasta pot to loosen the sauce if it starts getting too thick. When pasta is done, drain and add to the veggies, and top with the sauce. Use pasta water to thin again if necessary.

Top the dish with a drizzle of truffle oil, veggie parm and red pepper flakes if desired. (Toasted pine nuts would be a great topper as well). Enjoy!!

Last run today at Park City, had the trail to myself!

Posted in Entrees | 2 Comments

Taco Salad with Chickpea & Quinoa Chili

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

The Sundance Film Festival has arrived to Park City! We avoided the crowds last night and stayed in with this tasty meal. We’ll adventure to Main Street this weekend! We ate two big portions, and I had plenty leftover for lunch the next day.

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2 cloves garlic; minced

1/4 yellow onion; diced

1/2 red bell pepper; chopped

My Ocho Spice Mix (sprinkle of each: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne)

1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped

1/2 cup chickpeas

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup water

3 TBS salsa

2 TBS tomato sauce

Spinach (or greens of choice)

Avocado

Tortilla/Corn chips of choice

1/2 green onion; chopped

Wedge of lime or lemon

Cook the quinoa according to directions. While the quinoa cooks, drizzle some olive oil in a large fry pan, and add the onion, garlic, peppers and some ocho spice mix. Cook until onion starts to soften.

Add the broccoli florets, chickpeas, more ocho spice mix, tomato sauce and salsa. Cook for a couple minutes then add the quinoa and mix until combined well.

Scoop the chili over spinach, and top with green onions, chips and avocado. For some extra moisture, drizzle with some olive oil and fresh lime/lemon.

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Vegan Pancakes

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

We have family visiting! Lots of skiing has been happening. This morning we’re slowing down and making pancakes for breakfast before we hit the slopes again. They were perfect with smoothies made with frozen fruit & vegan protein powder. Now back to the mountains…

1 1/4 cups flour of your choice

1 TBS sugar or sweetener of your choice

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups water

1 TBS oil (any flavorless kind)

Earth Balance spread

Maple Syrup

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a small well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the water and oil. Stir gently until just combined.

Heat griddle or pan and add earth balance. I use a 1/4 cup scoop to add the batter to the pan. Wait until bubbles form or edges start to cook & flip.

If you’re feeling crazy like we were, you could add your favorite chocolate to the pancakes.

Top with earth balance & maple syrup and enjoy!

Some pics from our adventures yesterday on the mountain and around town…

Taking a moment to enjoy the view at The Canyons

Kyle and Norm at The Canyons

Hiking the chutes at Deer Valley

High West Distillery & Saloon

Posted in Entrees | 2 Comments

Roasted Broccoli, Rice & Pine Nuts

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

I’m sharing this simple vegan meal because it’s one of my favorites for a quick weeknight dinner. Although it has hardly any ingredients, it’s surprisingly filling. It worked perfectly for a post night-skiing weekday dinner. I like to take the broccoli a little too far (I love that crispy-almost-burnt texture) but feel free to take yours out earlier!

1 head of broccoli

EVOO

salt & pepper

red pepper flakes

1 lemon wedge

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

2 cups water

1 TBS Earth Balance

2 TBS pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the broccoli, then chop in small florets and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Bake until they broccoli have reached your desired level of crispiness – I take it a little too far, almost 20-25 minutes. These can be ready in 10-15 if you like yours less crispy.

Cook the brown rice according to directions, adding 1 TBS earth balance to the pot.

When the broccoli and rice are ready, squeeze the lemon wedge over the broccoli, and serve all together with the pine nuts on top. If you’d prefer, you can toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat for a few minutes before serving as well for an extra crispy bite. Enjoy!

A fresh 17 inches at Park City Mountain Resort

Love these sticks!

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Scrambled Tofu with Shiitake Bacon

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

Good morning from the mountains!!! We have a busy day today. The VISA Freestyle International has been going on at Deer Valley this week into the weekend. We’re making a big breakfast so we can hit the slopes then get fancy in the VIP tent to watch the competition. Ending our night at Cisero’s on Main Street where our amazing and talented rockstar friends from Holy Water Buffalo will be playing, wahoo! Here are some highlights from the last two nights:

Historic Night for U.S. Freestyle Aerials

Pat Deneen takes 3rd in Moguls

Now back to that big breakfast. Here’s the feast – scrambled tofu, shiitake bacon, fresh avocado and toast spread with earth balance. Don’t be scared of tofu, just give it a chance!!

Box of Shiitake mushrooms

EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)

Smoked Paprika

Salt & pepper

1/2 cube of extra firm tofu (organic & non-GMO)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 TBS dijon mustard

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 yellow onion; finely chopped

3 garlic cloves; minced

1 cup frozen broccoli florets; thawed & finely chopped

1 handful of greens

1/2 cup vegan shredded cheese (I used daiya)

Optional sides: avocado slices, toast w/ earth balance spread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop the shiitake mushrooms and mix around on a sheet pan with a drizzle of EVOO, salt, pepper & smoked paprika. Bake until dark red and crispy. The timing will vary depending on the size you chopped the mushrooms, keep a constant eye on these in the oven so they don’t go too far and burn. They will look almost burnt.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the tofu, nutritional yeast, mustard & turmeric. Season with salt & pepper.

Check out the shiitake bacon (top left) that’s the color/texture you’re looking for.

Heat a skillet on medium low and add some EVOO, then saute the onion, garlic & greens for a few minutes until onion starts to soften and greens begin to wilt. Fold in the broccoli and cheese and continue to cook a few more minutes. Finally add the tofu mixture and cook until all is incorporated and warmed through.

Serve the scrambled tofu with shiitake bacon on top, avocado on the side and a delicious toast of your choice, spread with earth balance. Enjoy!!

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Kale, Potato and Chickpea Soup

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

After a long snow-hike, nothing warms the soul more than a piping hot bowl of soup. The red pepper flakes in here took the heat up an additional level. White beans would have been perfect in here, but I only had chickpeas so that’s what I used! Also, the only organic potatoes at the store were these tiny Russian potatoes, so I went with it. Seemed fine, but feel free to substitute with a normal russet potato.

2 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 yellow onion; diced

3 garlic cloves; minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 bunches of fresh kale; stemmed, rinsed & chopped

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 large potatoes; diced (or a bag of small Russian potatoes in my case!)

1 can of chickpeas; drained & rinsed

4 cups vegetable stock

4 cups water

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the EVOO, onions & garlic. Saute a few minutes, then add the salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Fold in the chopped kale and nutmeg, and cook until the kale starts wilting. Stir in the potatoes and the chickpeas, and cook for a few more minutes.

Next add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn down the temperature and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. This timing can vary significantly based on the size of the potatoes that you chopped. I let mine simmer for almost an hour. Top with some vegan parmesan cheese if you have some, and enjoy.

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Quinoa Nachos with Avocado Sauce

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Meatless in the Mountains

There isn’t a better post-mountain meal than nachos…. they’ve always been my favorite so I’m constantly trying to make them a little healthier so that I don’t feel bad eating enormous portions (yes, the plate below was mine, not shared)… so here’s one version, many more to come.

Nachos:

Handful of tortilla/corn chips of your choice

Handful of greens, chopped (I used kale)

1 cup cooked (leftover) quinoa

1/3 yellow squash, chopped

1/2 pepper, diced (I used a mix of different colors)

1/3 zucchini, chopped

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1 TBS salsa

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp EVOO

1/2 cup vegan shredded cheddar cheese (I used the Daiya brand)

My Ocho Spice Mix (sprinkle of each: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne)

Drizzle of hot sauce

Avocado Sauce:

1 avocado

1/2 cup water

juice of 1/2 a lime

1 TBS diced yellow onion

1 small garlic clove

sprinkle of salt, pepper & cumin

Heat the oil on medium low in a large saute pan, then add the onions, garlic, squash & zucchini, along with the ocho spice mix. When veggies are starting to soften, add the beans, quinoa, salsa, lime juice and more ocho spice mix. Cook on low until all is heated and combined well.

To make the avocado sauce, put all ingredients listed under avocado sauce in a blender. Start on low then move to high until well blended. Taste & adjust the spices if needed.

Now prep your plate. Put down a handful of chips, then pile on the quinoa/veggie mixture, then top with the cheese. Pop in the micro for 20 seconds just to melt the cheese on top. Next, add a handful of the chopped greens, then drizzle on some hot sauce and a heavy hand of avocado sauce. Enjoy!