Feeling skeptical about vegan food? Think that vegetables can’t be tasty and easy to cook? Or maybe you’re just looking for a couple of recipes to impress your special someone? Check out these seven vegan meals that will fit perfectly for a special occasion and an ordinary dinner. And don’t worry if you’re not a pro chef – following these recipes is easier than finding a girlfriend on a Russian dating site.
Tofu Ricotta with Basil
Ricotta is a traditional Italian dairy product that’s often mistakenly called cheese, which is not true – ricotta isn’t made from milk but from the whey left over from cheese. You can easily make vegan ricotta at home. Here’s what you need for it:
- 400 g hard tofu;
- 8 fresh basil leaves;
- 1/2 tsp sugar;
- salt and pepper to taste.
Mix all the ingredients together, then sprinkle them with lemon and oil (feel free to use either sunflower or olive oil). Grind the resulting mixture with a blender. Tofu ricotta tastes great with bread, lean pasta, or lasagna. Bon Appetite!
Vegan Kuksi
If you want your romantic dinner to be fresh and unusual, you’re going to need something to impress. And this soup will do just that.
For 3-4 servings:
- 2l water;
- 1 pack Rice noodles;
- 1 cup soy asparagus (soaked);
- 1/4 small white cabbage;
- 1 eggplant;
- 1-2 tomatoes;
- 2-3 cucumbers;
- Parsley, dill, cilantro, basil to taste;
- 1 Bulgarian pepper;
- 4 radishes;
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce;
- 1 tbsp Vinegar;
- 1/2 tsp ground red pepper;
- Vegetable oil for frying;
- Sesame for sprinkling;
- Salt to taste.
Finely chop the cabbage. Cut the eggplants into small pieces. Stew cabbage and eggplants with vegetable oil, salt, and season to taste. For the sauce, chop the tomatoes, pepper finely. Grate cucumbers and radishes in long strips. Chop the herbs finely. Pour fresh vegetables with cold water. Add soy sauce, vinegar. Boil the noodles until tender. Pre-soak dry asparagus, rinse well, marinate in a little soy sauce. Collect all the ingredients in portions in deep bowls. Put the noodles on the bottom, cabbage, asparagus on top, pour the sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Warm eggplant salad
Just in case you need something light to warm you up before the main course. Here’s what you need for 3-4 servings:
- 2 small eggplants;
- 3-4 large tomatoes;
- 2 Bulgarian peppers;
- 1 pc salad;
- 1 bunch arugula;
- Greens to taste (basil, cilantro, parsley);
- Salt, spices to taste;
- Olive oil;
- Olives (optional).
Cut the eggplants into cubes. Fry in a pan with olive oil and spices until tender, about 10 minutes. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Cut the pepper in proportion to tomatoes. Chop the greens finely. You can tear the salad and arugula with your hands. Combine all the ingredients, season to taste. If the eggplants were fried in oil, use no dressing.
Pasta with basil and tomatoes
There are dozens of pasta variations. What we used to call ‘pasta’ is just one of the many forms of dough. If you want to use something instead of Spaghetti, the taste won’t change.
For 2 portions:
- 150 g Spaghetti;
- 240 g chopped tomatoes;
- 5 Bulgarian pepper;
- 15 fresh basil leaves;
- 1 tsp dry basil;
- 4 tbsp olive oil;
- Salt and spices to taste.
Cut the peppers into small cubes, fry over low heat in a pan with olive oil for about 5-7 minutes. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat. If you’re using only fresh basil, chop it and add 5 minutes to simmering along with salt and spices. Boil the spaghetti. When the tomato sauce is ready, add the spaghetti and stir well in the pan. Decorate with fresh basil leaves.
Pink cheesecake
Want to make the evening even sweeter? This cheesecake will be a perfect culmination of a romantic dinner. The recipe is free from sugar and extra fats.
For the base:
- 50 g almonds;
- 10 g coconut flakes;
- 6-8 dates;
- a pinch of salt;
For mousse:
- 3/4 cup cashews;
- 5 tbsp almond milk;
- 3 tbsp Jerusalem artichoke syrup;
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil;
- 1 tsp vanilla extract;
- 1/2 tsp salt;
- 2-3 tsp dried beetroot powder or 2 tbsp beetroot juice (add a handful of cashews if using juice);
- 3 tbsp lemon juice;
In a blender with an S-shaped bowl, mix all the ingredients for the base; don’t forget to remove the pips from the dates. Grind to the desired consistency, tamp the base on the bottom of the mold so that you get a cake. Pre-soak cashews for 4 hours and beat in a blender until smooth. Add the beets for color. Pour the mousse into the base, freeze it for 6-8 hours. Let it thaw for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Cut it into portions, store the remaining pieces in the freezer for up to three months.
