Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Vive le Vegan with Some Twists

I love Dreena Burton’s recipes and all three of her cookbooks. I love them because they are healthy, low fat, low sugar, and many are gluten free – just my style when it comes to good food. Main dish recipes use ingredients I always have on hand and they are written flawlessly. Her treats are small in quantity and never sickeningly sweet or full of margarine. And her recipes ALWAYS turn out perfectly. I revisited Vive le Vegan! on Sunday to make some of my favorite recipes for dinner.

Let me preface by saying that I was hoping Chase would come over for dinner, but I ended up taking dinner to him, so the pictures are rather boring.

Dreena’s recipes are also easily adapted. Sunflower Lentil Pie is one of my favorites. Say you get distracted and burn your pot of the last of the lentils in your pantry (oops!). Luckily I had a fresh pot of homemade pinto beans, so I decided to make the pie with pintos instead of lentils. I gave it a Mexican twist by seasoning it with cumin, red pepper flakes, and cilantro. The Mexican twist was easily inspired by wanting the cool Avocado Sauce from Vive to accompany the pie, and just plain loving all foods Mexican.

Here’s my Mexican Sunflower Pinto Pie.




And here’s the Avocado Sauce. I added cilantro to it.

Please imagine a perfect slice of spicy pie drizzled with the creamy dreamy Avocado Sauce. Doesn’t that look good?!!!! Even though I didn’t cut the pie and have a piece when it was done, I can tell you that the “batter” was fabulous. And of course Chase will tell you he ate nearly half of it for dinner.

I also made some colorful veggies – sauteed purple cabbage, with many onions and colored peppers from the farm box. I kept seasoning it and trying to spice it just how I wanted but couldn’t get it quite to my liking. I finally decided to stir in some bottled Italian Dressing and then I was happy.


Chase was very impressed with his veggies and loved them just as much as the pie. So again, imagine a pretty purple mound of cabbage next to that slice of pie on a plate.


For treats I made my all time favorite easy Vive recipe that always hits the spot, and is not too sweet yet full of flavor – Banana Oat Bundles. My usual twist to this recipe is to add chocolate chips. This time I added chocolate chips AND cacao nibs and they were heavenly.

So ends my ode to Dreena. I know there are many fabulous new vegan cookbooks out now, which I look forward to purchasing and cooking from soon, but it’s nice to have the good ol’ standbys to fall back on anytime. Thank you, Dreena, for providing me with so many “go to” recipes!

19 comments:

Monique a.k.a. Mo said...

Woah that pie and those cookies! Everything looks great. I have to get that book.

nora said...

Dreena mighttt be my favorite vegan cookbook author. If I want something fancy I'll hit up vcon, wvwav, or vb now (and I adore Isa), but you're right about Dreena's stuff: it's always easy, healthy, but overwhelmingly delicious.

I've always wanted to make that sunflower pie!! yum!

and I like to bring the banana oat bundles (and the super charge me cookies from edbv) with me on hikes!

Jenn said...

Yum! Everything looks delicious.

Anonymous said...

I have one of Dreena's books (ED&BV) and I absolutely love it. I don't think I've ever tried a recipe of Dreena's that I didn't like. I think it's about time I get my hands on Vive Le Vegan.

Oraphan said...

Your dinner looks fantastic and it sounds so healthy and delicious. I can imagine a perfect slice of pie drizzled with creamy avocado sauce and a sauteed purple cabbage, Mmmm, must be really good. I've never had any Vegan cookbook, Vive Le Vegan might be my first one:)

The Voracious Vegan said...

I need to get that cookbook because these recipes look delicious, just like something I would love to make.

Sophia said...

That avocado sauce looks so creamy and tasty. I really want one of those cookies right now.
http://whatyourmommadidntknow.blogspot.com/

Carrie said...

Yay Dreena! I need to try more of her recipes.

Jes said...

The pinto pie and cabbage with the avocado sauce sounds amazing!

Anonymous said...

Dreena is great! I want that avocado sauce and the pie, they both sound fabulous.

Mihl said...

What a great review of Dreena's recipes!

miss v said...

i dont have any of her books, but her blog is definitely a go-to one for me. everything looks great!

jessy said...

i love dreena’s recipes, too – and they are indeed awesome on all accounts! i don’t have vive le vegan – i totally need to pick it up! you are too sweet to make Chase such yummy food and bring it to him, too! the banana oat bundles have me drooling – i love that you added nibs & chips. heavenly, indeed!

Hannah said...

Ah yes, Vive is somewhat of a classic around here. Those banana oat bundles just never get old!

Amy said...

Mmm you can bring dinner (and dessert!) over to me any time you like! It all looks fantastic!

I love Dreena's recipes too. I should make more of them more often!!

urban vegan said...

Dreena's books are like old friends--always there when you need them!

Ricki said...

I love Dreena's recipes, too. Always so creative, and yet so "doable." And yours looks wonderful!

kmouse said...

Love it all! The pinto pie looks especially yummy!

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