Vegan Cookbook for Teens: 100 Easy and Nutritious Plant-Based Recipes
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Interior and Cover Designer: Emma Hall
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Photography © 2021 Marija Vidal. Food styling by Victoria Woollard Author photo courtesy of Angela Prodanova
ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-028-0
eBook 978-1-64876-029-7
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“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
—MAHATMA GANDHI
Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: It’s Your Kitchen
CHAPTER 2: Breakfast and Brunch
Baked Tofu Bacon
Apple Pie Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Oven-Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
Poblano-Sausage Hash
Tofu Scramble Totchos
Jalapeño and Sweet Potato Tofu Scramble
Eggy Muffin Sandwiches
Strawberry-Banana French Toast
Cheater Chilaquiles
Frozen Yogurt Breakfast Bites
Summer Berry Fruit Salad
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats
No-Bake Cereal Bars
Maple-Cinnamon Banana Bread
Chocolate-Cherry Baked Oatmeal
Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
CHAPTER 3: Soups, Snacks, and Sides
Baked Potato Soup
“Grilled Cheese” Tomato Soup
Potato and Sausage Soup
Southwestern-Style Chickpea Stew
Quick Quinoa Chili
Crispy Coconut Tofu Bites
Cheeseburger Eggrolls
Cream Cheese Wontons
Easy Hummus
Nacho Cheese Dip
Ultimate Nachos
“Cheesy” Bacon and Green Bean Casserole
Sweet ’n’ Spicy Corn Salad
(Just a Hint of) Maple Roasted Cauliflower
Creamy Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Agave-Garlic Roasted Veggies
CHAPTER 4: Meals for One
Buffalo Chickpea Wrap
Jalapeño Popper Grilled “Cheese” Sandwich
Hearty Barbecue Sandwich and Slaw
The Paris Baguette
No-Cheese Quesadilla
Next-Level BLT
Chipotle Butternut Wrap
Green Goddess Avocado Toast
Leveled-Up Ramen
Epic Baked Potato
Baked Buffalo Tofu Wingz
Flatbread Pizza
Avocado and Chipotle Chickpea Flatbread
Fancy Chick’n Salad Sandwich
Roasted Veggie Tacos
Spicy Lentil Lettuce Wrap
Big Barbecue Tempeh Salad
Easy Mac ’n’ Cheesy
Lemon-Butter Spaghetti Squash
Roasted Beet Salad
Super Quick Sesame Soba Noodles
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
CHAPTER 5: Meals for Many
Pizza Supreme
Baked Ziti
Decadent Fettuccine Alfredo
Garlicky-Lemon Broccoli Noodles
Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato-Basil Sauce
Chili Mac
“Cheesy” Lasagna
Veggie Noodle Casserole
Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Chile-Garlic Tempeh Stir-Fry
Italian Meat Loaf
Baking Sheet Fajitas
Cowboy Beans and Rice
Baked Teriyaki Tofu with Asparagus
Spicy Hawaiian-Inspired Chickpea Burgers
Butternut Squash and Kale Orzo
Baked Chimichangas
Spicy Red Beans and Rice
Southwestern Stuffed Zucchini with Avocado Crema
Cashew Tofu
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Balsamic-Glazed Veggie and Kale Bowls
Mediterranean Chickpea Bowls with Tahini Sauce
Easy Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice
Thai-Style Peanut Chickpea Salad
Zesty Peppers and Bowties
Banh Mi–Inspired Veggie Dogs
CHAPTER 6: Desserts and Drinks
Cinnamon Twists with Cream Cheese Dip
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark
Apples ’n’ Caramel Dip
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie
Cookies ’n’ Cream Ice Cream Cake
Gingersnap Apple Pie Sundaes
Chocolate Mug Cakes
The Best Strawberry Milkshakes
Sweet Basil Lemonade
Hot Cocoa
Pineapple-Strawberry Slushies
Raspberry Iced Tea
Blueberry Lemonade
Maraschino Cherry Sparklers
Avocado Smoothies
Berry Yummy Smoothies
MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Introduction
Hello! My name is Barb, and I’ll be your guide as you explore the world of vegan c
ooking. I’ve been vegan for over 10 years now, and I’m excited to share ideas, tips, and recipes with you. If you’re reading this book, it’s likely that you are either vegan or interested in adding more vegan foods to your plate. I went (and will always be) vegan because I love animals. Dogs, cats, cows, and elephants—I have a big soft spot in my heart for every one of them. There are other reasons people choose to go vegan or to eat more plant-based meals, too. Eating vegan reduces your carbon footprint and helps save the planet, and it can also make you healthier. Whether you want to be kinder to animals, the planet, or your own body, there’s no wrong reason to go vegan!
I didn’t learn to cook until I was in my 20s, but I firmly believe that cooking is an important life skill for any teen to have. It’s especially important for vegan (or vegan-curious) teens, because it gives you the ability to create delicious and nutritious plant-based meals for yourself. We’ve all had to make a meal out of vegetable sides while everyone else at the table eats meat. That’s fine, but it’s not fun. Fun is being able to create tasty vegan food to nourish yourself, your friends, and your family. This book will show you that vegan cooking doesn’t have to mean eating boring sprouts and salads. It can be fun, flavorful, and easy to master!
CHAPTER 1
It’s Your Kitchen
When I first became interested in cooking, I wasn’t sure where to start. Everything in the kitchen seemed a bit overwhelming. Did I need different-sized pots? How many knives should I have? Why are there so many kinds of spices? I had a lot of questions, but I was lucky I had an uncle and friends who were really great cooks, and they usually had the answers. Once I got comfortable with the basics, I had the confidence I needed to try more challenging recipes and techniques. One day I realized I knew what I was doing in the kitchen!
If I can do it, anyone can—including you! Even if you’re new to cooking, this book will show you step-by-step how to make delicious vegan food. We’ll go over common cooking terms, essential tools, and kitchen safety. We’ll even touch on how vegans (even growing teens!) can get all the nutrients they need while still eating their favorite foods. Stick with it, and before long you’ll be the confident cook who others come to with their questions.
First Steps
If you are new to cooking, the kitchen can seem like an intimidating place. So many appliances and utensils! I promise it’s easier than it seems, and it only takes a little know-how to get started. Follow these steps to get yourself ready to start cooking.
Flip through the book and choose a recipe that sounds delicious. Start in the fridge and pantry and see what ingredients you already have on hand, then make a shopping list for the rest. Try to tag along on your family’s next grocery trip and choose your own ingredients. It’s a great way to bring the cooking process full circle.
Wear the proper attire. Wear something comfortable, cover up with an apron, and tie that long hair back.
Set out all your vessels and utensils before starting. This keeps you organized, and it’s also a great reminder to read the entire recipe through before starting.
Measure out and prep all your ingredients up front, according to the ingredient list. If the ingredient list calls for “1 carrot, grated,” that means you should grate the carrot before you start cooking. Other recipes instruct you to prep ingredients during inactive time, like when you are waiting for the oven to heat up.
COOKING BASICS
Cooking has its own terminology, and learning it will make reading recipes easier. Here are some common terms and definitions to get you started.
Bake: To cook using dry heat, like in an oven.
Beat: To stir the ingredients together vigorously.
Boil: To cook ingredients in boiling water.
Broil: To place the food directly underneath the oven’s heating elements to brown it.
Chop: To cut into smaller pieces, usually between ½- and ¾-inch in diameter.
Cube: To cut into a ½-inch cube. It’s more precise than chopping and usually larger than a dice.
Dice: To cut into small cubes. Small dice usually means ⅛-inch cubes, and large dice usually means ¼-inch cubes. This cut is more precise than chopping.
Fold: To gently add an ingredient to a mixture by using a spoon or spatula to scoop the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl and over the new ingredient.
Mince: To cut into the smallest pieces possible—the tinier the better!
Puree: To mash or blend an ingredient until completely smooth.
Sauté: To cook in a small amount of oil over direct heat.
Simmer: To cook in a hot liquid that is bubbling but not quite boiling.
Slice: To cut large ingredients into flat pieces of a similar thickness.
Steam: To cook food using the steam coming from boiling water, rather than in the water itself.
Whip: To use a whisk to incorporate air into whatever you’re mixing.
Whisk: A technique and the name of the tool used to quickly combine ingredients.
ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT
Although there’s no need for a shopping spree to stock up on kitchen equipment, there are a few tools I find very useful when cooking. The following are tools called for in the recipes in this book—tools that I own and use on a regular basis.
Baking dishes and pans
Baking dishes are usually glass or ceramic and rectangular or oval, and they can be used for making everything from casseroles to baked pasta dishes. I call for 1-quart, 1.5-quart, and 2.5-quart baking dishes in these recipes. Baking pans are metal, usually square or rectangular, and used more for baked goods like cakes and breads. They are also good for creating bars that you want to cut into perfectly even portions, like the No-Bake Cereal Bars that call for a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. This book also calls for a loaf pan, such as in the Italian Meat Loaf, as well as muffin tins.
Baking sheet
Also called a cookie sheet, a baking sheet is a metal rectangle with a small lip around the edge. It’s used for baking cookies and bar-type desserts and also for roasting vegetables and baking things like tofu. Recipes calling for a small baking sheet refer to one that is roughly 10 by 15 inches, but others use the most standard-size baking sheet, which is roughly 11 by 17 inches.
Blenders and mixers
These are used to mix and puree foods. A stationary blender sits on your counter. A “stick” or immersion blender is one that you dip right into your pot or mixing bowl—there’s no need to pour ingredients back and forth! You also might need a hand mixer, a small appliance with two detachable beaters that allow you to whip or beat ingredients together quickly. Or you can always use a whisk!
Colander and strainers
A colander is the funny looking bowl with holes poked through it. It will help you drain the water from cooked pasta without burning yourself. I also recommend a fine-mesh strainer (sometimes called a sieve) for straining small things, such as seeds, from food.
Dutch oven
This is a really heavy pot (usually made of cast iron) with a lid that can be used both on the stovetop and in the oven. This is great for recipes like “Grilled Cheese” Tomato Soup where you make the soup on the stovetop and then finish it under the broiler.
Food processor
One of my favorite tools! You can use it to blend, but you can also use it to chop, dice, and grate fruits and veggies.
Knives
Having at least one good chopping knife is important, and having a few different types is even better. The most important are a chef’s knife for cutting and chopping, a serrated bread knife for slicing bread and tomatoes without tearing them, and a paring knife for peeling, slicing, and removing seeds from fruits and vegetables.
Lidded jars
These are great for recipes like Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, but also for when you want to make smoothies ahead of time or for on the go! You can buy mason jars with lids, or you can simply rinse and reuse pasta sauce jars (that’s what I do!).
Measuring cups and
spoons
Make sure you have a liquid measuring cup (this will likely be glass or plastic with a handle and spout and lines up the side), a set of dry measuring cups (likely metal or plastic), and a set of measuring spoons. You can’t measure ingredients properly without these items!
Mixing bowls
Having bowls in a variety of sizes is important because many recipes, especially those for baked goods, require you to mix some ingredients separately from others. It’s also good if at least a few of your mixing bowls have covers for when you need to rest or refrigerate ingredients.
Peelers and graters
There are different styles of peelers, and any of them will work to get the tough skin off vegetables like potatoes and squash. I also recommend a box grater for grating veggies and cheese and a type of grater called a zester for when you need very small pieces, like taking the zest from citrus. Microplane is a popular brand of zester.
Saucepans
These pans can be used for boiling, sautéing, and all types of cooking. They are identifiable by their high sides and one long handle. It is useful to have them in at least small and medium sizes with lids.
Skillet with a lid
Also called a frying pan, the skillet is a flat-bottomed pan with a handle that is mostly used for frying and browning, but can also be used for other kinds of cooking. I call for a large skillet (14 inches or larger) and a medium skillet (between 8 and 12 inches) in these recipes. A large one is great for cooking ingredients in a single layer. When in doubt, use a larger skillet, as it is easier to cook when your ingredients aren’t crowded. I also recommend having at least one nonstick skillet for making things like pancakes. With all skillets, heavier ones are better as they conduct heat more evenly.
Spatulas
These come in all different shapes and sizes, but the two most important kinds are rubber (or silicone) scraping spatulas and flat turning spatulas. Flat spatulas are used for flipping things in a pan (like pancakes) and for moving food from a dish to a plate. Rubber spatulas are great for mixing wet and sticky ingredients together, as they are designed to scrape the sides of bowls or pots.
Stockpot with a lid
The stockpot is a very important tool to have, used for boiling water, making soups and sauces, and making recipes that are too large to fit into a saucepan. Stockpots, also called pots, have two looped handles, one on each side, to make them easier to lift when full of heavy liquid.