Quick & Easy Vegan Celebrations: 150 Great-Tasting Recipes Plus Festive Menus for Vegantastic Holidays and Get-Togethers All Through the Year

297 Pages·2010·9.44 MB·English

by  Alicia C. Simpson

Praise for Alicia C. Simpson and her books . . .
“Yum. Yum. Yum!”
—Sarah Kramer, coauthor of How It All Vegan, on Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food
“Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food is filled with accessible, invigorating recipes.
Alongside simple preparation instructions are cooking tips and suggestions for pairings with other dishes
in the book. . . . Beautiful full-page color photos illustrate these delectable combinations. . . .
Simpson’s unpretentious recipes provide vegan simplicity, and her enthusiasm for cooking is infectious. . . .
Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food delivers on all counts.”
—Brittany Shoot, Feminist Review blog
“With Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food, Alicia Simpson shows the budding vegan cook how simple
it can be to whip up delicious, cruelty-free creations in the kitchen with common ingredients.
The easy-to-follow recipes, creative meal ideas, and cook’s tips are sure to inspire you to get cooking!”
—Leigh Saluzzi, co-owner of Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe
“Alicia C. Simpson’s book is a wonderful entrée into the world of vegan cooking for those
who are just getting acquainted with what veganism has to offer, as well as those on a tight budget.
Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food educates readers about yummy plant-based sources of protein, calcium,
and iron—as well as how easy, cheap, flavorful, and quick it is to make healthy vegan snacks, smoothies,
and dishes. This book is a must for those who have always thought ‘going vegan’ is intimidating,
complicated, expensive, and time-consuming.”
—A. Breeze Harper, editor of Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society
“Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food has made it possible for us to enjoy many of the classic comfort foods
we once enjoyed—favorites such as Mac and Cheeze, Collard Greens, and Sweet Potato Pie.
Guess what though? It is all vegan!”
—Traci Thomas, founder of the Black Vegetarian Society of Georgia
“I love this book! As a vegetarian for over twenty-four years, I know the amazing benefits of a vegan diet
for the person and the planet. I love how Alicia shares personal insights and delicious Southern-inspired
recipes, making veganism easy and accessible to the masses. From the section on ‘Vegan Myths’ all the
way to the decadent vegan desserts that remind me of mother’s cooking, Quick and Easy V egan Comfort
Food has something for everyone. The world is changing and consciousness is rising. People are searching
for a more compassionate way of living, but may not know where to start. Alicia’s book is a must-have
and will be a permanent part of my cookbook collection. I highly recommend it to all of my readers!”
—Martha Theus, 21st Century Vegetarians blog, and coauthor of “Throwin’ Down” Vegetarian Style!
THEEXPERIMENT
BECAUSEEVERY BOOKISATESTOFNEWIDEAS
AAllssoo bbyy AAlliicciiaa CC.. SSiimmppssoonn
Q U I C K A N D E A S Y
Vegan
Celebrations
Over 150 Great-Tasting
Recipes Plus Festive
Menus for Vegantastic
Holidays and Get-Togethers
All Through the Year
Alicia C. Simpson
THEEXPERIMENT
NEW YORK
Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations:
Over 150 Great-Tasting Recipes Plus Festive Menus for Vegantastic Holidays
and Get-Togethers All Through the Year
Copyright © Alicia C. Simpson, 2010
Insert photographs © Lori Maffei, 2010
All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or
online reviews, no portion of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information
storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
The Experiment, LLC
260 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10001-6425
www.theexperimentpublishing.com
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed
as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and The Experiment was aware of a
trademark claim, the designations have been capitalized.
The Experiment’s books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for premiums and
sales promotions as well as for fundraising or educational use.
For details, contact us at [email protected].
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924702
ISBN 978-1-61519-022-5
Cover design by Susi Oberhelman
Cover photograph © Colin Cooke, featuring Jambalaya (page 78),
Key Lime Cupcakes (page 238), and Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade (page 156)
Author photograph by Kelly Donovan
Photo insert food styling and photography by Lori Maffei
Text design by Pauline Neuwirth, Neuwirth & Associates, Inc.
Manufactured in the United States of America
First published October 2010
Published simultaneously in Canada
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dedicated to my baby brother, James.
I live every day of my life as a celebration of and tribute to yours.
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Contents
Party Starter or Party PooPer 1
How to Get your Party Started 2
a KitcHen for all occaSionS 3
The Crème de la Crème 15
Say Cheese! 15
Vegan Spirits 17
cooKinG uP tHe BaSicS 19
Dried Beans 19
Alternative Flours 20
Grains 22
GadGetS and GizmoS 24
new year’S eve 31
Aloo Samosas with Tamarind Chutney 32
Tempeh Cakes with Spicy Remoulade 34
Beer-Battered Green Beans 36
Sun-Dried Tomato Dip 37
Coconut Curry Peanut Noodles 38
Black-Eyed Peas 39
Cabbage 40
Southern Sweet Corn Bread 41
Gingered Champagne Cocktail 42
Chocolate Martini 42
Game day SPread 43
Spicy Seitan Burgers 44
vii
CONTENTS
French Onion Burgers 46
Sun-Dried Tomato Pinwheels 47
Loaded Potato Skins 48
French Onion Dip 49
Spinach Artichoke Dip 50
Seven-Layer Dip 51
Game Day Nachos 52
Roasted Five-Spice Nuts 54
Brownies 55
valentine’S day 57
Seitan Parmesan 58
Fusilli with Cabernet Sauce
and Portobello Brisket 60
Pasta Puttanesca 61
Panfried Seitan with White Wine Herb
Sauce 62
Spaghetti and Mock Meatballs 64
Ginger, Almond, and Fried Seitan Salad 66
Garlic Green Beans 68
Lime Sorbet with Mixed Berries and Chambord 69
Red Velvet Cupcakes 70
Bananas Foster 72
Sweetheart Sangria 73
mardi GraS 75
Andouille Sausage 76
Jambalaya 78
Gumbo 80
Naw-Fish Étouffée 82
Lobster and Cheese Grits 84
Fried Oysters with Cajun-Spiced Horseradish 86
Oyster Po’ Boys 88
Bourbon Street Tofu 89
Dirty Rice 90
Beignets 91
Baked Beignets with Chocolate Almond Sauce 93
King Cake 95
Hurricane 97
viii
CONTENTS
St. PatricK’S day 99
Irish Soda Bread 100
Red Potato Cakes with Tomato
and Wilted Spinach 101
Shepherd’s Pie 102
Fish and Chips 104
Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches 106
Red Cabbage Salad 107
Stout Beer Cupcakes with Whiskey
Cream Cheeze Frosting 108
Green Velvet Cupcakes 110
Irish Cream Liqueur 111
Irish Cream Latte 112
St. Patty’s Shake 113
eaSter 115
Broccoli Frittata 116
Rosemary and Chive Biscuits 118
Hidden Treasure Muffins 119
Crispy Baked Tofu 120
Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup 122
Parmesan Roasted Asparagus 123
Au Gratin Potatoes 124
Creamed Corn 125
Hummingbird Cupcakes 126
cinco de mayo 129
Huevos Rancheros 130
Papa Chorizo Frittata 132
Flautas sin Pollo 134
Taco Soup 136
Tempeh Soft Tacos with Lime Crema 137
Quinoa-Stuffed Poblanos with
Black Beans and Mango Peach Salsa 138
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers 140
Chorizo Empanadas 142
Mexican Chocolate Mousse 144
Classic Margarita 145
ix
CONTENTS