Chef Reveals Her Vegan Soul Food Secrets in New Cookbook
Who wouldn’t be a fan of vegan soul food? Take the cruelty to animals out of shrimp and grits or fried chicken and you get all the taste with none of the guilt. Foodies everywhere are opting for plant-based fare as more people change their minds about the proper treatment of animals, not to mention meat’s contribution to environmental destruction and its damage to our health. The word is getting around, and the proof is in the (banana) pudding—check out this lengthy list of vegan-friendly soul food restaurants around the country.
Ohhlicious
Chef Michelle Grandy has joined the conversation with a vegan soul food cookbook titled Ohhlicious. She has spent years uncovering plant-based food flavors and perfecting recipes that mimicked her grandmother Gussie’s cooking. Now, you can get your hands on these special vegan culinary secrets!
Plant Power
Grandy’s gradual transition from eating animals to going 100 percent plant-based involved years of learning about health, food ingredients, and cruelty to animals within the meat industry. The final step occurred during a flight from Washington, D.C., to San Diego, as she read a pro-vegan book and finally decided to make the switch. She had suffered from a chronic lung disease her whole life, but after three months of clean eating, she was no longer dependent on prescription asthma medications. Grandy credits her vegan lifestyle with healing the asthma that doctors insisted was incurable.
Soulful Recipes
Ready to try some vegan soul food? Here are two of the scrumptious recipes from the Ohhlicious cookbook:
Stuffed Marinated Collard Greens
Vegan Stuffed Marinated Collard Greens from ‘Ohhdelcious’ Cookbook
View RecipeIngredients
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
- 1 bunch collard greens (about 12 leaves), stalks discarded and leaves preserved in large pieces
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 pkg. Beyond Meat Beefy Crumble
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tsp. thyme
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 cup cooked brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic, and 3 tablespoonfuls of the tamari or soy sauce and mix until combined. Add the collard greens and mix until well coated. Set aside until the collards begin to break down, about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the leaves to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add the vegan beef crumbles and sauté until browned. Add the remaining garlic and tamari or soy sauce as well as the onion, celery, carrots, jalapeño, basil, thyme, and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth and mix well. Stir in the parsley and cooked brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa and simmer until the broth is reduced and excess moisture has been absorbed.
- Arrange a reserved collard leaf on a work surface and top with ⅓ cup of the prepared filling.
- Roll up the leaf, starting with a long edge, and tuck in the ends, like a burrito.
- Repeat with the remaining collard leaves, serve, and enjoy!
Makes 6 servings
Adapted from Ohhlicious cookbook
Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese
Chef Grandy’s Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese
View RecipeIngredients
- 3 Tbsp. vegan butter
- 1 tsp. yellow mustard
- Pepper, to taste
- 2–3 drops Tabasco sauce
- 3 Tbsp. flour
- 2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk
- 2 cups Follow Your Heart Cheddar Shreds
- 1 16-oz. pkg. elbow macaroni or pasta of choice, cooked
- 1 cup Cashew Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds
- Panko breadcrumbs and paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large pot, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the mustard, pepper, and Tabasco sauce and mix until smooth. Whisk in the flour until combined and stir in the nondairy milk. While stirring, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until thickened, about 1 minute. Mix in the Follow Your Heart vegan cheese shreds and stir again until melted and the mixture has thickened further, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and Cashew Cheese Sauce to the “cheese” mixture and mix well. If desired, add up to ½ cup additional nondairy milk for consistency.
- Pour the mac and “cheese” into an 8-inch-by-10-inch baking dish and top with the Daiya vegan cheese shreds as well as a sprinkling of panko breadcrumbs and paprika.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the “cheese” is bubbling and the top is starting to brown.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Adapted from Ohhlicious cookbook
Have you been thinking of going vegan? Order a free vegan starter kit to help you make the transition!
