Delectables with Dan: Vegan Lunchabales 3!

I really wasn't in the mood to blog. I struggled to work on this, I don't know, I just couldn't get all my thoughts together and focus on this piece. This year, I'm not going to feel forced or pressured to write for you guys, I'm going to write when I feel like I can. I think this change will help me with some of the depression and anxiety struggles. I love blogging, but I have a regular job and I'm also working on three books right now, so those things are more of a priority at the moment. Next month I'm hoping to release As You Were; my travel book! It's filled with photos, stories and tips about several of the countries I've toured. It's something I'm really proud of and can't wait to put out! Keep an eye on my Twitter & Facebook for updates on the book! 

Fajita Chikken Strips with Lettuce & Tomato Chunk Wrap


Sometimes a wrap is all you really want. With this chikken strip wrap, you satisfy your craving for spice and fill yourself up. It pairs great with veggie crisps or fruit cups when on the go. If you're at home a baked potato with a drizzle of olive oil with sea salt and cracked pepper is an amazing pair with this! 

1 low-carb garden greens wrap
6-10 gardein or morning star vegan chicken strips 
1/4 fajita seasoning 
1-2 tsp of water
bit of chopped lettuce 
3 tablespoons of diced tinned tomatoes
a drizzle of olive oil
pinch of salt and paper
1/4 c. vegan mozzarella OR cheddar shreads

In a medium frying pan, drizzle the bottom of it with olive oil to prevent the strips from sticking to the pain. Once the pan has heated up nice and warm throw the strips into the pan and allow them to cook thoroughly before adding in the seasoning with the bit of water required to make the seasoning. Make sure that the strips are coated with the seasoning. Mix and allow to heat for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In the centre of the wrap lay the diced up chicken strips. You don't want it to be too full. If you've cooked a little extra, you can simply make another wrap. On top of the strips, add the lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. Add the pinch of salt and pepper on top if desired. Close the wrap and cut in half. 

Vegan Mac N Cheese with Chipotle 'Chicken' Chunks 


I used to love homemade macaroni and cheese, but I wanted a plant-based and healthier version, so I tried a few different types and came up with this one! Sometimes I'd add chicken chunks, just to give it a little something else, you know? Thanks to Gardein and Go Veggie products I can make a healthy vegan version! I hope to make it with low-carb vegan noodles next to try another version of it! 

2c. cooked and drained whole grain pasta**
To cook the pasta add in a bit of olive oil and sea salt in the water, if desired.
1/4 c. Italian Style bread crumbs 
3/4 c vegan cheddar cheese shreads 
3 tbsp almond or cashew milk
1/2c. nutritional yeast 
3-4 Gardein Chipotle Chicken Fingers 

While the pasta is boiling, put the fingers in to cook. Cook until crisp and evenly cooked. The temperature and full baking instructions are on the package. I honestly, can't remember them, so just have a quick read before you pop them into the oven. Once they're finished baking, pull them out and chop them into even sized chunks. Drain the pasta well; you don't want any extra water getting into anything. Once you've drained the pasts, put it back into the same pot that you used. Add the cheese and yeast. Begin to mix well; it will be dry so add a bit of the almond milk; depending on your brand of vegan cheese, you may need a bit more milk. Mix until cheese is melty and noodles are well coated. Add in the chicken chunks and give it a nice few stirs so that it's mixed in evenly. Serve while still warm. You can re-heat this without any trouble, but you might want to add a bit of water before reheating. This is enough for one serving, so if you wish to make it for more people, simply double the recipe. Depending on how "cheesey" you want your noodles, you may need to add more of the ingredients. :)) 


**You can use any pasta that you desire, I just wanted to go with whole grain for this recipe. 
Whatever you don't eat can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days! 

Warm Tomato Soup & Vegan Cheesey Bread 



It's getting cold out and what do we want to eat? Soup! Tomatoes and I have a funny relationship, but I love nice warm tomato soup with fresh herbs and garlic. A lot of people don't seem to realise that tomato soup is made with milk or cream, but in this vegan-friendly version, I've subbed the milk/cream for some cashew milk. It gives that bit of creamy texture and taste that we all love! Soup and sandwiches are an old tradition, especially grilled cheese and tomato soup, but I wanted to give it a bit of a fancy vegan twist. I've paired the soup with a homemade cheesey bread that you can slice or pull chunks off to dip in your soup. A soup wouldn't be complete without a salad, so I did just some plain green apple slices and spinach as a nice fresh cool contrast to the warmth of the rest of the meal. 

SOUP
2 c. tomato puree 
2 tbs cashew milk
2 tsp dried basil, oregano 
1 tsp garlic salt 
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper 
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

BREAD 
1 package of pizza or bread dough*
1/2c. vegan mozzarella shreads 
1/4c. Italian bread crumbs 
drizzle of olive oil 

**Most are vegan, but double check the labels to be sure. Usually, I make the dough from scratch but it was too late to start the product and I was starving.** 

In a small saucepan, pour in the tomato puree and cashew milk. Stir well. Add in the seasoning, garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Give the mixture a few good stirs. Allow mixture to simmer on low heat until it begins to boil. After you've put the soup on to heat, at 375F put in the bread to bake. To make the bread, you will need to roll knead the dough a bit before placing into a well-greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the drizzle of olive oil, then the cheese shreads and top with the Italian breadcrumbs. Allow bread to bake for about an hour or until golden brown. Let bread sit for about 15 minutes before slicing to pair with soup. Remove soup from heat-DON'T LET IT OVER BOIL. Serve with a side salad for some extra veggie goodness! I did a quick spinach and green apple "salad" to go with it. Dunno, just wanted something really refreshing and light with it.

**I alter the oven temperatures and baking times every time I make the bread. I have no idea why. I just like to experiment with different temperatures and bake times. If I don't write them down as I do it, I mix them up. Sorry if I have done! 



Homemade Cheese-less Cheese Pizza! 


Sometimes we just want that little treat when we get home from work or have had a long week, but when you don't eat dairy, finding a good pizza can be a bit of a challenge. I don't see why there aren't more frozen options for vegan pizza...maybe that's something that I should move to change...anyway, I wanted to make one from scratch! 

1 lb fresh pizza dough
1- 1/4 c. tomato puree**
1c. vegan mozzarella cheese
3-4 diced basil leaves
1 tsp garlic salt 
2 tsp oregano 
3 tablespoons. Italian bread crumbs 

**You can use fresh tomato sauce if you wish

On a floured surface, roll out the bread dough. Once you've rolled it out into a decent size shape, spread tomato puree around the top of the dough, top with cheese, garlic salt and oregano. Top bot with basil. Around the edge of the pizza crust, sprinkle the Italian breadcrumbs. It gives the crust a nice little crunch when it bakes up.Before you put the dough down on the baking tray, spray with a bit of non-stick cooking spray. Put into cook at 375F for 40 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the pizza to sit for about 5 minutes before slicing it up into wedges to munch on! 



Thanks for checking out my latest vegan meals! I've got another blog in the works for sometime this month, I don't know when I'll get around to it but I will let you guys know via Twitter when I do. I'm looking at doing some veggie bowls, other types of wraps and even some vegan inspired baking you can take with you! More to come with Delectables with Dan this year! :D

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