Usually, our first thought when we think about making plant-based or vegan food is that it is going to require a lot of work and a lot of specialty ingredients. But the new cookbook Call Me Vegan is proving us wrong.
“No matter who you are in the kitchen, these pages demonstrate how easy it is to create incredible tastes and textures (think crispy, crunchy, chewy, creamy, gooey) using minimal ingredients and basic kitchen utensils,” promises author Halle Burns.
The proof is in these effortless and tasty recipes, which are perfect for sharing or enjoying solo. Try one tonight!
Cucumber Bites
(Serves 8)
1 medium cucumber, with stripes of peel removed
1⁄4 cup cooked sushi rice
1⁄4 peeled and thinly sliced avocado, and/or 1 handful of any combination of the following: 1⁄2 thinly sliced bell pepper, 1 ⁄2 julienned small carrot, 1 thinly sliced green onion
Sprinkle of fine sea salt
Sesame seeds, to serve
2 tbsp. ranch dressing or soy sauce, for dipping
1. Slice off both ends of cucumber. Use a metal straw (or very stiff plastic one) to pierce through center of one end and all the way through, removing seeds as you push. Repeat, cleaning out center, until opening is 3 ⁄4” wide.
2. Hold cucumber on a flat surface and stuff half of the space with rice and avocado, then stuff with any vegetables you are using. Slice horizontally into 8 rounds.
3. Sprinkle bites with salt and sesame seeds. Serve with dressing or sauce for dipping.
PER SERVING: 25 cal, 1g protein, 5g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g sugar, 1g fat
Watermelon Tuna Bowl
(Serves 2)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. furikake, plus more to serve
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. sesame seeds, plus more to serve
1⁄4 tsp. pepper
1⁄4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp. sesame oil
2 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1” cubes
2 cups cooked sushi rice
1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
1⁄4 cup diced cucumber
1⁄4 cup diced mango
1⁄2 avocado, sliced
Spicy mayo, to serve
1. In a bowl, mix first 7 ingredients. Add watermelon; marinate in fridge 2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 400°F. Put watermelon on a parchment-lined sheet pan; roast until cubes are somewhat firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Turn off oven and let watermelon cubes continue to dehydrate in oven, with door closed, 1 hour more.
4. Divide rice between two bowls and top with lettuce, cucumber, mango, avocado, and watermelon tuna. Top with spicy mayo and furikake and sesame seeds.
PER SERVING: 380 cal, 8g protein, 73g carbs, 4g fiber, 12g sugar, 7g fat
Fruity Oat Squares
(Serves 8)
1 overripe banana, peeled
2 tbsp. vegan butter, softened to room temperature
1⁄2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. maple syrup
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 ⁄2 cup frozen mixed berries
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, use a fork to mash together banana and butter. Sprinkle in oats, cinnamon, 1 tsp. maple syrup and salt and stir to combine.
2. On prepared sheet pan, shape banana mixture into a 5” square that’s about 1 ⁄4” thick. Bake until oats darken and mixture feels firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium, combine fruit and 1 tbsp. maple syrup, mashing together, and cook until water cooks off and mixture is reduced by half and becomes jam-like, about 5 minutes.
3. Let oat bar cool. Slice in half, spread cooked fruit onto one side, and top with the other half. Cut into 8 squares and enjoy.
PER SERVING: 56 cal, 0g protein, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 4g sugar, 3g fat
