Vegan Recipes Using No-Oil

There are many reasons to choose the path of veganism, such as saving the environment, the rainforests, the animals or your soul. Vegan American Princess sincerely believes that any reason to pursue veganism is excellent, and we applaud anyone who chooses to go “full-on” vegan or opts to take smaller steps towards this goal at their own pace. As Gwyneth says “It’s All Good!”

If one of your goals is to be as healthy as possible, Vegan American Princess strongly recommends a no-oil vegan diet following the recommendations of the Forks Over Knives team, including Drs. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. and John A. McDougall. The Engine 2 Diet also supports a no-oil plant-based diet. To make life easier for you, we perused the archives of Vegan American Princess to compile this list of 11 of our favorite no-oil vegan meals. These are recipes which we make often and which we hope will become staples in your kitchen too.

11 SIMPLE RECIPES FOR DELICIOUS “NO-OIL” VEGAN MEALS:

COLLEEN’S YELLOW SPLIT PEA DAL

From The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick Goudreau

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons water, for sautéing, divided

1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup yellow split peas, uncooked

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons water in a 3-quart saucepan. Cook onion, garlic, and ginger until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. To prevent sticking, use more water.

Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more water, as necessary.

Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so, thoroughly mixing paste with other ingredients.

Add 3 cups water and split peas, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until split peas are soft and broken down.

Add more water, if necessary. Simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick.

Add salt.

Top each bowl with fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired, and serve.

*Note: This recipe can also be made into a soup by adding more water.

MARY McDOUGALL’S TUNISIAN SWEET POTATO STEW

From The Starch Solution by John A. McDougall, MD

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water

1 onion, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

5 cups peeled and chunked sweet potatoes or Garnet yams

2 14.5 ounce cans chopped tomatoes

2 14.5 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 ½ cups vegetable broth

¼ cup natural peanut butter

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place the water, onion, jalapenos, ginger and garlic in a large pot. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Add cumin, cinnamon, red pepper and coriander. Cook and stir for 1 minute.

Add sweet potatoes or yams, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, green beans, vegetable broth and peanut butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until sweet potatoes or yams are tender.

Stir in cilantro and let rest for 2 minutes.

*Hint: Mary usually makes this with yams because she likes the bright orange color that they give to the stew. The chefs at The McDougall Program almost always use the lighter fleshed sweet potatoes. The stew tastes great either way, so use whichever is more appealing or convenient for you. If she doesn’t have fresh green beans on hand, she will leave them out and add 2 cups of chopped Swiss chard or kale instead (because she always has chard or kale growing in her garden). She adds the greens about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. This may also be made with almond butter instead of the peanut butter for those with peanut allergies, or leave out the nut butters entirely for a lower calorie version of this stew. Serve with some Sriracha hot sauce on the side to drizzle over the top for a bit of extra heat, if desired.

WORLD’S BEST MUSHROOM MARINARA WITH PASTA

From PCRM

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 cups sliced mushrooms

1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)

1 28-ounce can tomato sauce (I used Muir Glen crushed tomatoes with basil)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)

1 pound dry pasta (I used “Eden” Kamut Spirals but any whole grain pasta will do)

Directions:

Braise onion for 2 minutes in water, then add garlic and mushrooms. Continue cooking until onion is soft and mushrooms are light brown.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and fennel seeds, if using. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and top with sauce.

ENGINE 2’S ONE-DISH BAKED OATMEAL CRISP

Ingredients:

Frozen fruit (enough to layer a baking dish)

Quick-cooking oats (enough to cover the frozen fruit by one inch in the baking dish)

No oil/unsweetened non-dairy milk, as required (you can also do half water/half non-dairy milk if you like…I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk only)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a baking dish layer the following:

1 layer of frozen fruit

1 layer of quick-cooking oats (enough to cover the frozen fruit by one inch in the baking dish)

Next, pour non-dairy milk over the oats so that the oats are well covered.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil so that nothing overflows into the oven.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about 35 minutes or until the non-dairy milk has absorbed into the oats (there shouldn’t be any liquid). Enjoy!!

*Note: As previously stated, this will last in the fridge for one week.

SAVORY VEGAN LASAGNA

Recipe by Chef AJ

Ingredients:

2 boxes no-boil lasagna noodles

6 cups marinara sauce

2 cans great northern beans or cannelloni beans (drained and rinsed)

2 oz. fresh basil leaves (no stems)

1 cup hemp seeds (or raw cashews)

4 cloves garlic

1/4 cup miso paste

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 lemon juice

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

2 lbs. frozen spinach (thawed drained and squeezed)

2 lbs. mushrooms (sliced)

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce (low sodium)

1 lg. onion, finely diced

Directions:

1) In a food processor, add the beans, basil, hemp seeds, 3 cloves of garlic, miso paste, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and pepper flakes. Puree until smooth.

2) Add the spinach and puree again. Set aside.

3) In a large saute pan, saute the onions in 2 tbs of water until translucent, about 8 minutes, adding more water when needed.

4) In the saute pan, add 1 clove of garlic, the mushrooms, and the tamari (soy) sauce and saute until golden brown. Cook until mushrooms look glazed and no liquid is left in the pan.

5) Pour 3 cups of marinara sauce into 9 x 13 lasagna pan.

6) Place 1 layer of no-boil lasagna noodles on top of sauce.

7) Cover the noodles with about 1/3 of the spinach mixture. Then put a layer using about 1/2 mushroom mixture.

8) Repeat: 1 layer of noodles, 1/3 spinach mixture, 1/2 mushroom mixture.

9) Place 1 more layer of noodles. Layer the remaining spinach mixture on top.

10) Smother evenly with 3 cups of marinara sauce, making sure that all the noodles are completely covered in sauce.

11) Sprinkle with Faux Parmesan

12) Bake uncovered in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

13) Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Faux Parmesan

1 cup raw almonds or cashews

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 tbs. salt free Italian seasoning

In a food processor, combine all ingredients until a powered texture is formed. Can be stored in the refrigerator for future use.

Possible Substitutions and Notes:

1) For gluten-free lasagna: replace the noodles with gluten free lasagna or rice noodles, or bake thin slices of eggplant for 20 minutes first and use in place of noodles.

2) Instead of beans, extra firm tofu can be used.

3) Instead of frozen spinach, frozen kale can be used.

4) Sliced black olives can be sprinkled on top before baking.

5) Instead of hemp seeds or cashews, pine nuts can be used.

6) Refrigerated leftovers slice more cleanly than when the lasagna is hot.

Mangia and Enjoy!

DELECTABLE CARROT AND RED PEPPER SOUP

Recipe from The Natural Gourmet Institute, NYC

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

6 carrots, thinly sliced

2 cups water or vegetable stock

2 red bell peppers

2 cups soymilk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Place onion and carrots into a pot with water or stock and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Roast bell peppers by placing them over an open gas flame or directly under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a bowl, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes. Slip the charred skin off with your fingers, then cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds.

Blend the carrot mixture along with the bell peppers in a blender or food processor in several small batches.

Add some of the soymilk to each batch to facilitate blending.

Return to the pot and add lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper.

Heat until steamy.

*Note: This soup is great with Roasted Chickpea Nuts but they are made with oil.

CHEF AJ’S HAIL TO THE KALE SALAD

Ingredients:

2 large heads of kale (thoroughly rinsed)

1/2 cup raw almond butter (unsweetened and unsalted)

1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)

1 cup coconut water (or regular water)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice and zest

2 cloves of garlic

fresh peeled ginger (about 1″ or 3/4 of an ounce)

2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari soy sauce

4 pitted dates (soaked in water if not soft)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Chopped almonds (or any other nuts or seeds you prefer)

Directions:

Rip the kale leaves off the stems and set aside in a large bowl.

Next, prepare the dressing by blending all of the ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy.

After you have blended the ingredients until smooth and creamy, pour 2 cups of the dressing over the kale.

Using a mezzaluna (or Ulu blade) or vegetable chopper, chop the kale and massage the dressing into the kale while chopping at the same time.

Top the salad with chopped almonds (or any other nuts and seeds of your choice).

AZUKI BEANS WITH KABOCHA SQUASH

From The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 4″-6″ piece of kombu

1 cup dried azuki beans

2 cups kabocha squash cut into large chunks (peel only if the squash is not organic)

1 teaspoon shoyu

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Directions:

Combine the kombu and the beans in a bowl and cover with water by an inch or two. Soak overnight.

The next day, drain the kombu and beans and discard the soaking water.

Slice the kombu into 1″ x 1″ squares and place them in a heavy pot with a heavy lid, preferably enameled cast iron.

Add the beans and enough fresh water to just cover the beans and bring to a boil. As the beans boil, strain off any foam that rises to the top.

Let the beans boil, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 40 minutes. Check the beans every 10 minutes or so, adding water to the pot when the water level appears to dip below the bean level.

After 40 minutes, add more water to keep the beans covered and arrange the squash on top of the beans.

Cook for another 20 minutes, or until the beans seem soft and tender.

Add the shoyu to the beans, and cook 10 more minutes.

Serve garnished with cilantro or parsley.

TRADITIONAL WAKAME MISO SOUP

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 cups of water

1 medium carrot, sliced

3 tablespoons of pre-cut & rinsed wakame seaweed

2 scallions, sliced

3-4 tablespoons miso (color of your choice or mix colors, if you wish)

Directions:

Soak the wakame in cold water for 10 minutes and drain promptly.

Add carrot slices to 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Then, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

When carrots are tender, add wakame to the stock and simmer for one minute.

Then add scallions and simmer another minute.

Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, dissolve miso in some of the broth and return to pot.

Allow to steep briefly before serving.

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA FLAXSEED PORRIDGE

Adapted from Laura Dolson on About.com

Makes 1 serving

*Note: If you are not used to a lot of fiber, you may want to eat only half of this portion until you get used to eating this much fiber at one time.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon maple syrup (or drizzle on more or less, to taste)

1/2 banana

Directions:

Pour boiling water over ground flaxseed and stir well.

Stir in peanut butter and cinnamon.

Let thicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then drizzle with maple syrup and mix in chopped bananas.

*Note: You can make any version of this porridge that you desire. If you don’t want the fat, eliminate the peanut butter and use other add-ins. Or you may opt to use another type of nut butter such as almond butter or Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter.

*Other suggested “mix-ins: cocoa powder, chopped nuts, raisins, cranberries, dates, vegan chocolate chips, berries, chopped apples, applesauce, sugar-free maple syrup, agave nectar, sugar-free jam, Earth Balance Butter, stevia, shredded coconut, coconut milk, or anything you want.