Dressing & Sauces

The Nine Best Vegan Substitutions That Don’t Taste Vegan

These nine easy Vegan alternatives will make Meatless Monday that much easier
July 21, 2016
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Dressing & Sauces

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The best vegan substitutions (you won't even know the difference!), Waiting on Martha

Almost six years ago I gave up meat (I’m a pescatarian) and never looked back.  Honestly, it was one of the easiest changes I’ve ever made.  And while I’d like to say giving up dairy has been as easy as giving up meat, the truth of the matter is giving up dairy has been hard!  But, like many others I struggle with food intolerances caused primarily by dairy, so learning to live without it in my every day life is extremely important.  

Luckily there are so many vegan substitutions for my favorite condiments and toppings these days that taste just as good (if not better) than the real thing.  And just because you’re not completely vegan or even vegetarian, you can still enjoy these vegan substitutions in your dishes, and enjoy the benefits of cutting out those sketchy ingredients and chemicals in the traditional versions.  Plus eating less meat is not only better for your overall health it’s imperative to the survival of our planet.  I’ve turned my husband, parents and friends onto all of these you see here today for the simple fact that they make us feel better eating them, and truthfully it’s rare they can even tell the difference.

A word to the wise though; always choose soy free “meats” whenever possible and like everything moderation is key.  At the end of the day these are still processed foods and the healthiest way to live is always with unprocessed, whole foods. Truly, MKR

No. 1…Quorn Chik’n Tenders.  When I became a vegetarian a few years ago, one of the biggest things I missed were crispy, fried chicken.  Thankfully I can still get my fix whenever the craving hits with Quorn’s alternative that’s meatless and soy free.  Seriously tastes just like ’em dunked in a little ranch, honey mustard or my personal favorite McDonald’s BBQ sauce.

No. 2…SO Delicious Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer. I’ve been a fan of using SO Delicious’ coconut milk for some time now, whether it’s in a smoothie, my morning coffee or in a dessert.  So when I discovered its French Vanilla coffee creamer, I was immediately sold.  

No. 3…Follow Your Heart Pepper Jack Style Slices.  Cheese is by far the most difficult thing to fake in a vegan sense.  But if cheese is a must for you go with the Follow Your Heart pepper jack; it’s the best you’ll find and trust me I’ve tried them all!

No. 4…Field Roast Italian Sausage.  This vegetarian sausage will appease even the biggest meat-lover.  With fresh eggplant and packed with fennel, red wine, garlic and sweet peppers, it’s great in homemade soups as well as backyard barbecues. 

No. 5…Follow Your Heart Veganaise (Soy Free).  There are plenty of recipes and dishes that call for mayo, and they’re better for it (let’s be honest with ourselves).  Hence why this vegan substitution can always be found in my fridge.  I use it in my broccoli salad, my onion spinach dip and so much more. 

No. 6…Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream. I can’t imagine eating Mexican food (and I LOVE Mexican food) without sour cream.  To my pleasant surprise, this vegan sour cream tastes just as good (again, if not better) than the real thing.  I’ve realized quite often it’s a textural thing for me with food and condiments, and this is one that I’m happy to be able to still enjoy thanks to a solid vegan version. 

No. 7…Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese.  Like the sour cream, the cream cheese will make you double-check the label in disbelief.  It’s THAT good.  Whether as a bagel schmear, mixed in your favorite dip, or inside a cheesecake, this vegan cream cheese is a solid, solid alternative.  Dice up some fresh chives and/or herbs for a little extra flavor. 

No. 8…Lightlife Smart Dogs. These “veggie dogs” have been popularly dubbed the best vegan hot dogs around.  They contain no cholesterol and are lower in fat as well as calories than real hot dogs, and needless to say they’re not made up of all of that sketchy stuff that we’ve all heard is in traditional ‘dogs.  I’m a huge fan of these because—let’s be honest here—the secret to a great hot dog is cooking it on the grill with all in the sauces, relish, and for me coleslaw on top! 

No. 9…Field Roast Breakfast Sausage. Some mornings just call for breakfast sausage.  But as a vegetarian, I won’t get anywhere near the real thing.  Fortunately, this vegan version tastes incredible (even the Mr. agrees).  I’ve served them many times to guests around the brunch table and to my delight, nobody knew the difference. 

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Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

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Homemade Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad & Skillet Baked Beans

Everyone's Favorite Sides for a Great BBQ
May 25, 2016
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Appetizers & Sides

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Homemade coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad and skillet baked beans recipe for Memorial Day BBQ party Skillet baked beans and homemade coleslaw recipe

It isn’t a true barbecue without all of the traditional sides, everyone knows that.  And this year I kicked it up a notch with my take on homemade coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad and last but not least, skillet baked beans. And you know the funny thing about all of these side salads (besides the beans of course)?  They all use the same main ingredients: Veganiese/mayo, mustard and sugar.  Easy breezy.

We kicked off our barbecue week on Monday with the best ever grilled veggie burgers and peppercorn crusted beef burgers (which are to-die-for, if I do say so myself…well okay, I’m taking the Mr.’s word for it on the beef burgers). And yesterday, we shared a few of our top must-haves for anyone hosting the barbecue this Memorial Day weekend.  But today may be my favorite of all simply because I could live off of sides alone, and a barbecue always has THE BEST sides. 

The thing about all of these side salads is it’s really all about how you like it, and you can adjust the recipes accordingly to make them creamier/spicier/soupier/etc. truly making each one your own. For example I like my coleslaw like KFC‘s…(#noshame) nice and dressing loaded and my potato salad more on the mustardy side. 

And lastly, the only side that doesn’t include copious amounts of mayo…my skillet baked beans.  They’re just as divine as they sound.  There’s something about the sweet BBQ flavor alongside the tangy side salads that’s just second to none.  This year, I chose the the cast-iron skillet over the Big Green Egg rather than the oven, and being a vegetarian, I actually smoked the bacon and put it on the side for guests to add if they prefer.  I also changed up my recipe a bit this year by adding green peppers and onions, which I hadn’t done before.  But after reading and taste testing a few different recipes, I decided it was a great addition to an already winning recipe. 

Stay tuned as we round out our barbecue week here on the blog, just in time for all of your Memorial Day party dreams!  Truly, MKR

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Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

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Homemade Hummus, Black Bean & Vegan Onion & Spinach Dip

Homemade, Healthy Dips to Satisfy Your Salty Craving
May 13, 2016
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Appetizers & Sides

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2016-04-19_0002Healthy homemade dips, including vegan onion & spinach dip Waiting on Martha

As you know, one of my all-time favorite junk food, no-holds-bars snacks is chips and dip (Dean’s French Onion & Ruffle’s Potato Chips if I’m being specific).  But, I know better than to reach for the dip and chips on a regular basis, so lately I’ve gotten creative in the kitchen subbing in a few healthy, homemade options that still hit the spot and are perfect with fresh veggies and chips alike. 

First up my homemade hummus and black bean garlic dip.  I’ve always been a fan of hummus, but got tired of the limited organic options so I decided to begin Vita-mixing up my own versions at home since they’re both incredibly easy to make.   For traditional hummus the recipe calls for only three simple ingredients (plus salt), but you can add anything else you like such as garlic, roasted red peppers, or jalepenos for a little kick.  The black bean dip, is similar to the hummus but lends itself to a creamier texture and in my opinion is best with just a little garlic and fresh chives because fresh chives and/or green onions make everything better.  Both dips can be made in large batches and upon refrigeration will last for 7-10 days making them an easy mid-day snack.

The third dip, and star of the show, is my vegan onion and spinach dip.  It nails that creamy-Ranch-dressing taste we all secretly want, without all of the “bad” ingredients and highlights my very favorite local onion, the vidalia.  Vidalia onions are sweeter than your typical white or yellow onion and are great for just about anything (creamed vidalia bake recipe HERE), but my favorite was to enjoy a vidalia is simply smoked on the Big Green Egg with a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Try it, you will not be disappointed.  And since we’re talking favorites here I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention my deep love of  Tofutti.  if you haven’t tried Tofutti yet, you’re in for a pleasant surprise because it tastes the exact same as sour cream in my book, but it’s dairy free and has less calories.  The Tofutti cream cheese is pretty fantastic as well!

Anyway, back to the actual dip.   Along with the Tofutti, I added chopped and sautéed vidalia onions and garlic mixed with fresh spinach, red onions, and jalepeno topped off with chives.  The vegan veggie dip’s texture should be a bit chunky, and each scoop will be better than the last.  I prefer the dip to be served room temperature, but you can also serve it straight out of the fridge if late night snacking is your thing(it’s addicting…don’t say I didn’t warn you!).  

Check out the recipes below, and I hope you’ll whip some up to enjoy this weekend and throughout next week.  TGIF Friends! Truly, MKR

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Vidalia Onion & Spinach Dip
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons un salted butter
  2. 4 cups chopped Vidalia onions
  3. 1 pkg. fresh baby spinach
  4. 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  5. 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  6. 1 jalepeno, finely diced
  7. 2 (16-oz.) containers Tofutti vegan sour cream
  8. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  9. salt to taste
  10. Potato chips and veggies like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and bell peppers
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium head; add onions and garlic, until golden and tender, 15-20 minutes.
  2. 10 minutes in add red bell pepper and jalepeno, continue cooking.
  3. Gradually add spinach, stirring just until wilted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and remove from heat.
  4. Let stand until mixture reaches room temperature.
  5. In a very large bowl mix together the sour cream and onion mixture. Add additional salt to taste and divide into single bowl or serving bowl. Garnish with fresh chives and serve with chips and veggies.
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Garlicky Black Bean Dip
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Prep Time
7 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
12 min
Prep Time
7 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
12 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cans of organic black beans
  2. 4 cloves of garlic
  3. olive oil
  4. salt to taste
  5. Chives, chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Rinse black beans in a colliander, drain and add to Vitamix or blender. Add garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix on high until smooth. Add salt to taste, garnish with fresh chives and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Notes
  1. When mixing you may need to add additional olive oil and water to achieve the desired texture.
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Traditional Hummus
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Prep Time
3 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
8 min
Prep Time
3 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
8 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cans garbanzo beans
  2. salt to taste
  3. 4 tablespoons olive oil
  4. 2 tablespoons tahini
  5. Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
  1. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans in a colander and place into Vitamix or blender. Add olive oil, tahini, and salt to taste and blend to desired texture. Squeeze with a bit of lemon juice and serve.
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

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