The Curious Chickpea • Page 2 of 13 • vegan food for everyone

Grilled Homemade Seitan Steaks with Mashed Potatoes and Shallot Gravy

May 17, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea Leave a Comment

Have you ever made your own seitan? Every time I make it I can’t help but think how crazy easy and cheap it is to make. And most recipes make enough to have seitan for days and days. Not that you need to eat it all at once, because it freezes SO well!

I really like seitan, and cook with it a lot. And usually I buy it, because it’s convenient, and because I really enjoy the various store bought options. But sometimes I’m looking for something specific and I can’t buy it, or I just want a lot of seitan without spending a ton of money….

Easy Homemade Vegan Queso Fresco

May 15, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 1 Comment

Do you crave creamy, soft, crumbly cheeses to go atop your tacos and salads? Or maybe to smear over a crusty piece of toast? Are you dreaming of a vegan version of queso fresco? Well I’ve got just the recipe for you!

For those of you who might not have encountered queso fresco before, it is a soft and mild tasting fresh cheese from, you-guessed-it, Mexico. It’s a bit reminiscent of feta, goat cheese, ricotta, or paneer. It often seen paired as a cooling contrast to heavier and spicier dishes (think enchiladas, tacos, huevos rancheros), or for added richness on lighter recipes like salads, roasted vegetables, or even crumbled atop soup. It’s versatility makes it a great cheese to have stocked in your fridge….

Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer

May 10, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea Leave a Comment

If you’re craving comfort in the form of an Indian curry, this vegan palak tofu paneer is the recipe for you! It has a beautiful vibrantly green (like, you know this stuff is going to be good for you), creamy, and super flavorful spinach gravy base and crispy-edged, soft inside, crumbly tofu, which stands in for the soft farmers cheese that is paneer.

It’s perfect when served with fragrant basmati rice and scooped up with some Indian flatbread. This curry is easy to make and by Indian standards comes together quickly. The hardest part is probably washing all the sandy dirt out of the spinach (which is not that hard!)….

Vegan Battered Tofu Mexican Tortas

May 8, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 2 Comments

You guys. I think I’m in love with a sandwich. But not just any sandwich! Oh no, my love is reserved for this battered tofu torta. I also have a really hard time with not typing beer before battered tofu, but there is no beer in here! Though there could be, and that would be extra tasty, just sayin.

Have you heard of tortas? Tortas are a Mexican sandwich, and can be served hot, cold, or pressed like a panini. They use a crusty white sandwich roll, telera or bolillo, which sometimes is slathered with red sauce (torta ahogada). Fillings vary by region and person making it, but they commonly include, refried beans, some kind of chile pepper, meats and cheeses….

The Ultimate Homemade Sandwich Rolls

May 3, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 4 Comments

I’m going to say something that’s possibly a bit controversial: sandwiches are only as good as their bread. You can have the most delicious filling but if the bread sucks, the sandwich will always fall short of good. And you can’t beat freshly baked bread. The crust is more tender, the insides perfectly soft but sturdy enough to hold up to the filling. And if you’re looking for the perfect flavorful white sandwich rolls, then this is your recipe!…

Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant Marinara and Vegan Lentil Meatballs

May 1, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 1 Comment

This meal is a bit of a mouthful. Both to say and to eat. Spaghetti with roasted eggplant marinara AND vegan lentil meatballs. It’s also my favorite kind of meal too, both comfort food and bursting with delectable flavor. Slow simmered marinara is made with roasted garlic and roasted eggplant with a splash of red wine for good measure. The roasted eggplant and roasted garlic cook into the sauce, melting into the tomatoes to make a delicious and sneaky-veggie laden marinara. The lentil meatballs (“meatballs” or lentil balls or whatever you wanna call them) are made with lentils (surprise! j/k), pecans, and sun dried tomatoes. Top some spaghetti with the marinara and meatballs and you’re ready for your Lady and the Tramp moment….

Cajun Soy Curls and Creamy Vegan Jalapeño Grits

April 26, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea Leave a Comment

This recipe is brunch goals. The creamiest grits. Chewy soy curls seasoned with mouth watering cajun spice. Paired together it is the ultimate comfort food. Admittedly, this isn’t the quickest recipe to make, because to it takes a good chunk of time to make grits properly, but it’s so easy! Grits just need an occasional stir as they cooks to avoid clumps and keep them from sticking to the pot. If you’re looking for something pantry friendly, easy to make, gluten free and vegan for brunch then this recipe is for you! That being said, don’t be limited by the brunch title, this makes a seriously delicious dinner entree as well. …

Vegan Smothered Burritos with Red Sauce

April 24, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea Leave a Comment

Are you Team Taco or Team Burrito? These days, I’d probably have trouble picking a side, but I was staunchly Team Burrito throughout childhood. Burritos were actually one of my favorite foods, if there was a burrito on the menu, you bet I’d be ordering it!

There is just something so satisfying about burritos, whether handheld or smothered and baked. Breakfast burritos, bean burritos, wraps that pass themselves off as burritos, burritos stuffed with your favorite taco fillings–I love them all! I’m not sure I love photographing them though, haha. Well today I’m sharing a recipe for the kind of burrito I grew up eating, a vegan smothered burrito!…

Mexican Red Chile Sauce

April 19, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 1 Comment

If you love Mexican food (hi! me!) then you have got to make this red chile sauce. Made from dried chiles it has all that authentic flavor your Mexican food has probably been missing. I’ve been experimenting with this sauce for the past 6 months (basically as an excuse to always have some version of it stashed in the fridge). It’s the perfect base for your taco “meats” and Mexican soups. It makes for the most flavorful enchilada sauce, and adds so much depth to your beans. It even makes a darn good sandwich spread. And it’s the easiest to make! I think you’ll love it! It’s a streamlined, flavor-packed, 8-ingredient recipe with almost no hands on effort and is ready in no time.

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Hoisin Glazed Tempeh Bowls

April 17, 2018 By thecuriouschickpea 2 Comments

Grain/buddha bowls have been hip for years, and I can see why. They’re super versatile, stuffed with veggies and your choice of protein, usually served with a whole grain, smothered with a yummy sauce, and the perfect vehicle for eating more avocados. They also are great for meal-planning and meal prepping. The veggies can be batch washed and chopped, you can cook the grain in advance, make the protein so it’s ready to go, and have dressings galore stored in your fridge. And leftovers pack up perfectly for lunch. Honestly, I don’t know why we don’t eat them more! Especially when they’re as delicious and straightforward to prepare as these hoisin glazed tempeh bowls….

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