A Fully Vegan ThanksLIVING Feast

A Fully Vegan ThanksLIVING Feast

Maybe it's your first holiday season eating plant-based. Or, maybe, it's your thirtieth! Or, maybe, it's your first-time cooking for a vegan family member. Or, maybe, you just love cooking and as long as it tastes good, it doesn't matter that it's vegan! Whatever your reason, these recipes are perfect for the season. Scroll on down for an entire feast of recipes from soup and salad to start, to sides, a show-stopping stellar main dish, and even a no-fuss dessert.

Vegan Jamaica (Hibiscus) Tacos

 

Vegan Jamaica (Hibiscus) Tacos 

We were having a Dia de los Muertos celebration at work, so I made jamaica tacos as the vegan option for guests. 

Budget Recipe: Vegan Corn & Potato Chowder (made with canned corn and potatoes!)

Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder

Sometimes you just want a cozy, hearty bowl of soup that won't break the bank, without going to the store, or spending all day in the kitchen. That was me this morning. I just returned home from a road trip. I am still unpacking, and have to head back to work today...but I really wanted a warm, creamy soup to pack up and take with me. I didn't have time to go buy groceries, and I didn't have a lot of time, so I looked through my cupboards and fridge to see what I could come up with...and this chowder was born.

Orange Cranberry Sauce with Rosemary

Orange Cranberry Sauce with Rosemary 

Adding a sprig of rosemary gives this tangy Thanks-Living stape a bit more depth. (Tastes great on a leftover sandwich, or on top of icecream, or even better on top of a vegan cheesecake!) 

Nutty Fruitcake

Nutty Fruitcake

You might just be able to win over even the biggest fruitcake haters with this one, as it contains no fluorescent green or red unidentifiable gelled fruit bits. Rather, it is chock full of dried fruits and nuts and then topped with candied fruits and nuts. This is a sophisticated fruitcake, if you can believe it! This recipe makes 6 mini cakes which makes it perfect for gift giving.

Smoked Pumpkin Bisque with Cashew Cream

Smoked Pumpkin Bisque with Cashew Cream

This was a game changer for me and fresh pumpkin. See, I'm not so much into baking, but I absolutely love cooking, and I had my hands on some heirloom pumpkins I wanted to play around with. So...into the smoker they went! I simply cut 3 medium size pumpkins in half, skin, seeds, and all, and chucked them in a smoker with Applewood Chips for 5 hours. The result? A slightly smoky, slightly sweet, easy to puree pumpkin that is perfect for soups, curries, stews, chili and more!

Makin' Bakin! (New and Improved Easy Vegan Bacon Bits!)

Makin' Bakin! (New and Improved Easy Vegan Bacon Bits!)

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Quick & Easy

Many moons ago I was challenged to make imitation bacon bits that don't have so many weird ingredients (you can read about it HERE) and that popular recipe ended up in my Veggie Burger book! Now, I have a new and improved version that I want to share with you here!

Seven Cheese Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese

Seven Cheese Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese

Oh, that's rich! It's been a minute since I've made a proper baked mac and cheese! I've been having fun trying out all the different vegan cheeses available these days and I had quite the collection building up in the fridge. So I threw together this Seven Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese!

This is a little different than most of the recipes I post, because it really depends on a lot of store-bought cheeses. I listed the brands thst I used below, but feel free to sub any of them with your favorites! (...and you don't need seven. Lol.) 

Korean BBQ Tacos with Roasted Corn Pico

Korean BBQ Tacos 

The key to a great taco is making sure you have the right combination of flavors and textures. Something Crunchy, something soft. Something hot and something cool. 

Cauliflower Ceviche

Cauliflower Ceviche 

This plant-based spin on ceviche is perfect for get-togethers and potlucks, or as a unique addition to your Taco Tuesday menus! 

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce

 

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Fresh and bursting with summer flavor, you can make this super simple Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce in the oven, air-fryer, or in a foil packet on the grill!

“That” Broccoli Salad!

“That” Broccoli Salad!

You know the one.  The one everyone's Aunt invented and brings to every potluck?  Well, now you can make it completely vegan and tell everyone you invented it!

Cauliflower Tacos with Quick Pickled Radish Relish, Strawberry Salsa Fresca, and Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce Plus Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice

Forget about farm-to-table, I say straight from the fields to your face! Ha! Yesterday I did a cooking demo at Tanaka Farms! I made Cauliflower Tacos with Quick Pickled Radish Relish, Strawberry Salsa Fresca, Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce, and Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice on the side. 

It was nice to teach about plant-based/vegan cooking to a non-vegan crowd and then chat with them

Spicy Vegan “Tuna” Roll

This one is fun! It uses the same method as the Watermelon Poke Bowls to prepare transform the watermelon into fish...but it uses "normal" ingredients you should be able to find at just about any supermarket!

Southwest Peanut Butternut Squash OR Sweet Potato Tacos

There are so many ways to fill a taco, without using "meat substitutes." Beans, grilled vegetables, bbq pecans, tofu, corn, or in this case...butternut squash or sweet potatoes.

Foods that Nourish: Sweet Potato, Kale, and Brown Rice Bowls with Creamy Savory Cashew Sauce

If you hate reading long, drawn out stories before getting to the actual recipes, well...start scrolling now, because this one? This one's gonna be a doozy.

The Better Mac (Vegan Version of a Big Mac!)

The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet (just got better!) has been out for a few months now, and I have been doing veggie burger cooking demos out and about. I am not doing a full blown book tour this round, and since most of you aren't gonna be able to make it out to one of my demos in Southern California, I figured I would share it here!

This is the Better Mac...aka a vegan version of McDonald's Big Mac. You know...two all vegan patties, Better Sauce, lettuce, cheeze, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun? With that excessive third bun in the middle? Follow below and you can have your fast-food fix at home whenever your heart desires.

The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better! (Recipes and a Giveaway!)

This Burger is Nuts (page 82) with lettuce, vegan provolone, red onion, sauteed mushrooms,
and guacamole on a toasted sesame seed bun. Styled and Photographed by Kate Lewis.

Over a decade ago I began writing a book, I had every intention of self-publishing, that was tentatively titled Just the Burgers: 101 Homemade Veggie Burgers. It was pretty much done. But, as luck would have it, I got a book deal! Not for this book, but for 500 Vegan Recipes with Celine Steen, and it was so successful, we immediately got to work on The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, and then Home Cooked Vegan Comfort Food, and then...finally I could breathe, pfew! A few years had gone by and I decided to ask if I publisher would like to take over the burger project...and they did! In 2011, the first edition of The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet was released. And now, in 2019, The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better!

Chili Con Jackfruit...because REAL chili has NO beans!

Last weekend I competed in the Long Beach Vegan Chili Cook Off at 4th Street Vine on 4th Street in the heart of Retro Row. Growing up in Long Beach, it's amazing how this strip of boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and vintage stores have not only kept their doors open over the years, but have been flourishing! That section of Long Beach is so popular these days! It's pretty exciting to see (and rather difficult to park!)

Holiday Helpers! Sweet and Sour Bean Balls

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the food. From appetizers to the main event to dessert to cocktails, I love celebrating with vegan food!

These sweet and sour bean balls are a great appetizer during the cold holiday months. Poke in a toothpick and your ready to go!