3 Vegan Recipes from Tampa Bay Chefs

Miss Vi’s Veggie Curry

Christene Phillips, the owner and chef behind the mobile catering company Miss Vi’s Cook-Up, says this recipe is the perfect end-of-week meal. As long as you have these spices and some sort of protein (in this case, jackfruit), feel free to throw in any vegetables you have on hand, from the ends of a bell pepper to a bit of green onion you have left over from another recipe. “Change up the flavor by adding coconut milk,” Philips says. Simply swap one cup of broth for two cups of coconut milk.

RECIPE

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
3 cloves grated garlic
1 onion, diced
1 tsp. grated ginger
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. garam masala (an Indian spice blend)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 large potato cut into small cubes
2 carrots cut into slices
2 cups garbanzo beans
1 cup young jackfruit
2 cups cut kale
1 cup cut cabbage 1/2 tsp. chili flakes for heat

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or pan, then add the onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute more, then add the curry powder, garam masala, tumeric and stir.

2. Stir in seasoned salt, diced potatoes and carrots, then top with vegetable broth. Cover pot and let simmer for five minutes. Check potato for doneness. Then add all other ingredients but kale. Let everything simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, add kale and cover the pot. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add hot sauce to your liking. Curry can be served over plain rice or eaten with roti.

CHRISTENE PHILLIPS
Miss Vi’s Cook-Up
(813) 263-9183
missviscookup.com

“Salmon” Sushi Rolls

Everyone can take part in sushi night with this recipe from Brad Myers, aka “The Vegabond Chef.” Myers has been a vegan chef for more than a decade, teaching classes and demos at local health food stores and venues like the Epicurean Hotel. He’s currently whipping up comfort food favorites at the new Dunedin Vegan Deli, but this is one of his favorite recipes to teach people learning to go vegan.

RECIPE

Mock Salmon
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup walnuts
1 tsp. kelp granules
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. celery seed
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. nama shoyu (a raw, unpasteurized soy sauce)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste (or more shoyu)
1 tbsp. dill
1 tbsp. green onion
1 clove of garlic

1. Soak 3/4 cup sunflower seeds for two to 12 hours. They should expand to fill a cup.

2. Strain out the soak water from the sunflower seeds and put them in a food processor with the chopped carrot. Blend until mostly homogenized.

3. Next add the walnuts. “I use walnut pieces, but I usually like to chop them up a little more with a knife,” Myers says. Also add the kelp granules, lemon pepper, celery seed, lemon juice, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, nama shoyu, cayenne and a pinch of salt. Process into a coarse pâté.

4. Finally, chop the fresh dill, green onion, and garlic and pulse into the mixture. Use as a layer in a nori roll or as a sandwich meat or salad topping.

Pickled Daikon

1 part lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)
1 part apple cider vinegar
1 inch of diced ginger
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. wasabi powder
1 daikon radish, peeled, cut into ribs and marinated in the above mixture

Roll Ingredients

Nori
Mock Salmon
Sushi Rice
Lettuce
Pickled Daikon
Avocado
Mango
Cucumber
Red Onion
Red Pepper
Sprouts

BRAD MYERS
facebook.com/vegabondchef

Vegan Chili 

We could all use a little extra comfort these days. Adam Kantrovitz, who owns the plant-based Rawk Star Vegan Café in Oldsmar and St. Pete, says this simple pressure cooker recipe is one of his most popular.

RECIPE

1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, chopped
2 to 3 celery sticks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large red bell pepper
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 to 2 tsp. salt (or more if needed)
2 small boxes of portabella mushrooms, chopped
2 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 tsp. cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 to 2 tsp. chili powder (depending on preferred spice level)
1 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. black or white pepper
2 tsp. coconut aminos
2 veggie bouillon cubes
2 cups soaked lentils
2 cups water (more if needed)
3 cans organic beans (bean trio, kidney, black, navy, etc.)

1. Heat olive oil in the pot of the pressure cooker with the lid off.

2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic and spices. Sauté until almost soft, stirring often so all ingredients are evenly cooked.

3. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients. Put lid on tightly and set cooker to sauté. Check frequently for 5-10 minutes to ensure chili is not burning on the bottom of the pot. Chili is done when the lentils are soft.

5. When finished, put pressure cooker on “warm.” Refrigerate remaining portions for up to two to three days.

Parmesan “cheese”

3 cups cashews
1/4 cup garlic granules
1/2 tbsp. sea salt

Process ingredients to a medium to fine texture and crumble on top of chili or other dish.

ADAM KANTROVITZ

Rawk Star Café
4011 Tampa Road #11
Oldsmar, FL 34677
(813) 855-0007
rawkstarcafe.com