As the holidays approach this year, we are getting more and more requests for vegan recipe ideas. I started my own vegan cooking business, Fire and Earth Kitchen, in 2011 and have been teaching people how to prepare delicious vegan meals from scratch as well as cooking weekly meals and catering parties ever since. It’s been a wonderful journey, the ducks jumped on board in 2015 and we’ve been so happy to marry our passion for the vegan lifestyle with our vegan recipes and general duck magic :) This year I have decided to share some of our beloved recipes with you all. These are tried and tested and have been shared with hundreds of people through our classes and online recipe card shop. If you enjoy the recipes please let us know, we’d love to hear if they worked out for your families and gatherings. If you’d like to try more of our vegan recipes you can see what’s available here. Stay tuned for more in the coming year, a cookbook is in the works!
Vegan Roasted Veggie & Pumpkin Seed Ricotta Lasagna (naturally vegan, gluten-free and soy-free)
by Renee Press/Fire and Earth Kitchen
Serves 6-12 (depending on hunger)
Prep: 30-45 minutes, Cook: 60-75 minutes
10-12 oz package of lasagna noodles
4-5 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
1 tsp brown sugar or agave
1 Tbsp oregano, 1/2 tsp sea salt
1.5- 2 cups water, as needed
1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Pumpkin Seed “Ricotta”
2 cups pumpkin seeds (raw, hulled)
1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup basil
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp fresh shallot, diced
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
1 cup water, or more as needed
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook pasta as directed (al dente), rinse and set
aside. In a medium pot, saute onion, garlic, and oregano for 2-3 min. until
softening. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Simmer for 20 min. until
tomatoes break down. Season with salt, sweetener and black pepper to taste.
Lightly oil two baking sheets, on one spread out sliced mushrooms, on the
other toss sliced red onion and bell pepper, sprinkle both with salt, pepper and
oregano. Bake for 15-20 minutes until starting to brown. Remove and cool.
In a food processor, process pumpkin seeds into tiny crumbs. Add remaining
ingredients and process again. Slowly drizzle in water and process until creamy.
In a 9”x13”pan, layer sauce, noodles, “ricotta”, and veggies, repeat. Top with
sauce, cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes. Top with fresh basil, serve!
Creamy Berry Chocolate Cheesecake Bars (Naturally vegan, gluten-free and soy-free)
By Renee Press/Fire and Earth Kitchen
Prep time: 25 minutes Chill Time: 1-3 hours
The crust:
3/4 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup raw pecans
or walnuts
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup medjool dates,
pitted
1 Tbsp maple syrup
The Filling:
3 cups raw almonds, soaked 1-2 hrs (not necessary to soak if using a Vitamix)
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted (not necessary to melt if using a Vitamix)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup berries, fresh or frozen
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 -1/2 cups water, as needed
The chocolate topping:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
Line a 8”x8” baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges by
1-2 inches. Process almonds, pecans or walnuts, salt, and cinnamon in a food
processor until mixture turns to small crumbs. Break dates into smaller pieces
and add along with maple syrup (or agave) and process again until sticky dough
forms. Press firmly into baking dish. Place crust in freezer to chill.
Blend all ingredients for filling in blender (high-speed, if possible) for 1-2 min.
If you have a Vitamix you don’t need to soak almonds or melt coconut oil).
Scrape down the sides and add water as needed until very creamy.
Pour almond “cheese” filling over nut crust and smooth. Heat almond milk
over low heat until steaming. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt and stir until
chocolate has just melted. Let cool for a few minutes before pouring over cream
and spreading evenly. Place back in freezer and let chill at least 1 hour, but up
to three hours is ideal. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and enjoy!