Vegan Diner (35 page)

Refrigerate the dressing for an hour, if possible, to let the flavors meld.

Variation:
For a thicker ranch dip, omit the soymilk. For a Southwestern-style ranch, add a little bit of puréed canned chipotles in adobo sauce. Be careful because canned chipotles can be very hot. In place of the chipotles, add a few drops of hot sauce (such as Tapatio brand) to taste.

Salads are one of the few ways that I can
easily get my son to eat his vegetables. Fortunately for me, he absolutely adores the smoky flavors of this dressing on a spinach salad. This dressing can be made in a flash, and is so much fresher-tasting than anything you can buy.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

½
cup boiling water

¼
cup lightly packed sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

6 tablespoons canola or olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3
½
tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

2 large garlic cloves

½
teaspoon fine sea salt

In a small bowl, combine the boiling water and the sun-dried tomatoes, covering the dish with plastic wrap or foil. Let sit for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened.

In a blender jar, combine the sun-dried tomatoes and soaking liquid, canola oil, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast flakes, garlic, and salt. Blend mixture until ultra-smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Use the dressing right away or transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.

It's easy to forget how simple it is to make homemade
dressings and keep them in your fridge, ready-to-go. This dressing is full of omega-3 fatty acids, and is a tasty way to eat your vegetables.

MAKES ABOUT
½
CUP

¼
cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons flax oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a bowl or glass jar, combine the balsamic vinegar, flax oil, soy sauce, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together until smooth.

Drizzle the dressing over salad greens or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Variation:
Substitute hemp oil for the flax oil.

Flaxseed oil is
considered one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Flax oil should never be heated, so it's a perfect oil to use in salad dressings and dips. Make sure to store your flax oil in the refrigerator, as it's very sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen.

Secret sauce is tangy and creamy, and creates
the magic on a great Reuben sandwich. This sauce will also work well on burgers or as a French fry dipper. It will keep in your fridge for weeks, so feel free to double the recipe.

MAKES ABOUT 1
¼
CUPS

¼
cup ketchup

½
cup vegan mayo

½
tablespoon agave nectar

Small pinch fine sea salt

In a bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mayo, and agave nectar until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a tiny pinch of salt.

Use the Secret Sauce right away, or transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator.

Tip:
This recipe works really well with organic ketchup.

Variation:
For a spicy kick, add a little cayenne or ground chipotle pepper.

I love making
and creating sauces. They can add all sorts of new layers of flavors to sandwiches, burgers, and most everything else.

This sauce is a slight variation of the sauce
that I use for the Cheezy Mac. You'll love this sauce drizzled over French
fries, mashed potatoes, nachos, and just about everything.

MAKES ABOUT 2
¾
CUPS

2
½
cups water

½
cup raw cashews

6 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder

1
½
teaspoons granulated onion or onion powder

1
½
teaspoons smoked paprika

1
¼
teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon sweet or regular paprika

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened

In the jar of a blender, combine the water and cashews. Blend mixture at high speed until completely smooth and no bits of nuts remain. Add the nutritional yeast, cornstarch, flour, garlic, onion, smoked paprika, salt, and paprika, blending until very smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring sauce to a simmer, whisking continuously. Once mixture comes to a simmer, reduce heat slightly and cook, whisking continuously until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the margarine. If sauce is too thick, add a little additional water to thin.

Use the sauce right away, or whisk it periodically until it's cool. You want to keep a skin from forming on the top of the sauce.

Variation:
To make this a nacho cheezy sauce, increase the granulated onion and smoked paprika to 2 teaspoons, and add
¼
teaspoon ground cumin. You can also stir in chopped pickled jalapeños.