"summer express :: 101 simple vegan meals ready in 10 minutes or less™"

101. You read right. When I saw "Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals ready in 10 Minutes or Less" by Mark Bittman in last Wednesday's New York Times, I just had to pen a vegan version. Try these mains when the heat is on and inspiration is off.



[Note: 10 mins. doesn't count time to boil water, cook rice, etc.]


1. Chop a cup of fresh mixed herbs with best quality extra virgin olive oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic in a pan. Serve over spaghetti or thin spaghetti, with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
2. Open a can of white or pink beans. Mix with olive oil, salt, minced garlic and a bunch of fresh chopped organic spinach in a pan. Cook, stirring until the spinach is wilted and the beans are warmed through. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast. Serve with a green side salad.
3. Make pesto. Put a couple cups of basil leaves, a few garlic cloves, pepper and olive oil in a blender (walnuts and vegan Parmesan are optional). Serve over pasta or grilled tofu or seitan.
4. Pan grill a seitan steak for 3-4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and serve over a green salad, drizzled with olive oil and lemon.
5.Warm olive oil in skillet with at least 3 cloves slivered garlic. When garlic softens, add a tsp of cumin and smoked Spanish paprika. Toss in some Light Life "Chicken" Tenders. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and lemon.
6. Gazpacho. Combine 1 pound tomatoes cut into chunks, a peeled chunked cucumber, 3 slices stale cubed bread, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 T sherry vinegar and 2 cloves garlic in a blender. Process til smooth adding water if needed. Season with salt, pepper and a dab of diluted miso paste.
7. Pannini. Grill vegan mozzarella with sliced tomato and basil leaves.
8. Soak couscous and 8 oz cubes tempeh in boiling veggie broth to cover until tender. Top with tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and black pepper.
9. Reconstitute a cup of TVP in warm veggie broth. Stir-fry with mixed with quartered onions, seasoned with cumin or chili powder. Pile into taco shells with lettuce, tomato and shredded vegan cheddar.
10. Chinese tofu and tomatoes. Cook minced garlic in peanut oil until translucent./ Add chopped tomatoes and then crumbled firm tofu, salt and pepper. Scramble with a bit of soy sauce.
11. Cut eggplant in half-inch slices. Broil with lots of olive oil, turning once, until tender and browned. Top with nutritional yeast or crumbled vegan feta. Broil another 20 seconds.
12. While pasta cooks, combine 2 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 T minced garlic, olive oil and 30 basil leaves. Toss with pasta, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast, if desired.
13. Make wraps from store-bought vegan "chicken" salad, warm white beans, olive oil, lettuce and tomato.
14. A Philly supper: bagels, vegan cream cheese, sliced tomato and lots of fresh pepper
15. Slice Italian vegan sausage into chunks. Brown in olive oil with chopped onions and peppers. When vegetables are cooked through, use to full baguettes.
16. Quesadilla: Put some vegan cheddar or jack onto a large flour tortilla along with a can of chilies, chopped onion, and tomato. and scallion. Top with another tortilla and brown on both sides until cheese melts.
17. Fast chili rellenos. Drain whole canned green chilies. Make a slit in each and insert a piece of vegan cheddar. Dredge in flout and fry in a skillet, slit side up, until the cheese is melt.
18. Cobb-ish salad: Chop vegan bacon and brown. Cut Light Life "Chicken" Tenders and cook alongside bacon. Toss romaine and watercress or arugula with chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, and crumbled firm tofu. Dress with oil and vinegar.
19. Sauté 10 whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. Toss with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, chopped parsley, and cooked angel hair pasta. Top with red pepper flakes.
20. Nicoise Salad: Toss drained canned green beans, a microwaved, chopped potato, tomatoes, olives, and romaine lettuce. Arrange on a plate with canned, drained chickpeas, sliced cucumber. Dress with a vinaigrette made with a bit of Dijon mustard.
21. Cold soba with dipping sauce: Cook soba noodles. Rinse in cold water until col. Toss with soy sauce and minced garlic diluted with mirin or dry sake.
22. Fried Rice. Soften veggies with oil in a skillet. Add cold take out rice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peas and 6 oz. firm tofu, crumbled, Toss until hot and cooked through. Season with soy sauce.
23. Taco Salad. Ross together greens, chopped tomato. chopped red onion. sliced avocado, a small drained can of black beans. and kernels from a few ears of corn, Toss with crumbled tortilla chips. Dress with lime, olive oil and chopped cilantro.
24. Migas with tofu. Sauté chopped stale bread with olive oil, mushrooms, onions and spinach. Stir in some crumbed tofu.
25. Migas without tofu. Sauté chopped stale bread with olive oil, chopped vegan spicy sausage, plenty of garlic and lots of olive oil. Finish with chopped parsley.
26. Sauté shredded zucchini in olive oil, adding garlic and chopped herbs. Serve over pasta.
27. Not exactly bahn mi but... Make sandwiches on crisp bread with vegan cold cuts, sliced pickles, shredded carrots, cilantro sprigs and Vietnamese chili garlic paste.
28. Not takeout: Stir-fry onions with cut-up broccoli. Add cubed tofu or seitan, and 1 T each minced garlic and ginger, When almost done, add 1/ cup water, 2 T soy sauce, and copious black pepper. Heat through and serve over fresh Chinese noodles.
29. Sprinkle tofu fillets with chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Dip in flour, then water, then breadcrumbs and desired dried herbs. Cook in hot olive oil. about 3 minutes per side, and serve with thin lemon slices.
30. The Waldorf: Toss a handful of walnuts in a skillet. Chop an apple; toss with greens, walnuts and a dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and minced shallot.
31. Put a stick of Earth Balance and a handful of pine nuts in a skillet. Cook over medium until nuts and "butter" are brown. Toss with coked pasta, fresh chopped basil, and nutritional yeast.
32. Grill store-bought vegan Italian sausage and serve over store bought hummus and lemon wedges.
33. Put 1 T soy cream and a slice of tomato into ramekins. Top with nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, Serve on toast.
34. Brown small "not" dog chunks in a skillet. Add white beans, garlic, thyme and olive oil. Or add white beans and ketchup.
35. Dredge tofu slices in flour and brown quickly in Earth Balance or oil. Deglaze pan with a couple of spoonfuls of capers and a lot of lemon juice or a little vinegar.
36. Make a fast tomato sauce of olive oil, chopped tomatoes and garlic. Poach tempeh in the sauce, then top with Vegan Parmesan.
37. Dip seitan cutlets in water, then dredge heavily in panko; brown quickly on both sides. Serve over lettuce, with fresh lemon, or bottled Japanese curry sauce.
38. Brown vegan bratwursts with cut-up apples.
39. Peel and thinly slice raw beets; cook in Earth Balance until soft. Take out of pan and quickly cook some sliced turnips in same pan. Deglaze pan with sherry vinegar, adding sauce to beets and turnips. Garnish with dill.
40. Southeast Asian steak salad: Pan- or oven-grill seitan steak. Slice and serve on a pile of greens with a sauce of one tablespoon each of soy sauce and lime juice, black pepper, a teaspoon each of sugar and garlic, crushed red chili flakes and Thai basil.
41. Miso steak: Coat seitan steaks with a blend of miso and chili paste thinned with sake or white wine. Grill or broil about five minutes.
42. Pasta with fresh tomatoes: Cook chopped fresh tomatoes in Earth Balance or oil with garlic until tender, while pasta cooks. A bunch of chopped fresh basil is nice, too. Combine and serve with vegan Parmesan.
43. Tofu teriyaki: Sear tofu steaks on both sides for a couple of minutes; remove. To skillet, add a splash of water, sake, a little sugar and soy sauce; when mixture is thick, return steaks to pan and turn in sauce until done. Serve hot or at room temperature.
44. Rich vegetable soup: Cook asparagus tips and peeled stalks or most any other green vegetable in stock with a little tarragon until tender; reserve a few tips and purée the rest with a little earth balance adding enough stock to thin the purée. Garnish with the reserved tips. Serve hot or cold.
45. Brush Portobello caps with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil until tender. Briefly sweat chopped onions, then scramble tofu with them. Put mixture in mushrooms.
46. Press a lot of coarsely ground black pepper onto both sides of seitan steaks. Brown in Earth Balance in a skillet for two minutes a side. Remove steaks and add a splash of red wine, chopped shallots and a bit of tarragon to skillet. Reduce, then return steaks to pan, turning in the sauce for a minute or two.
47. Near instant mezze: Combine hummus on a plate with vegan yogurt laced with chopped cucumbers and a bit of garlic, plus tomato, white beans with olive oil and pita bread.
48. Sear corn kernels in olive oil with minced jalapeños and chopped onions; toss with cilantro, black beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and lime.
49. Cook slivered tofu in a skillet slowly (five minutes or so) to preserve juices, with plenty of garlic and olive oil, until done; pour over watercress or arugula, with lemon, pepper and salt.
50. Combine reconstituted TVP with mayo, Dijon mustard, chives and tarragon. Serve in a sandwich, with potato chips.
51. Combine reconstituted TVP in olive oil, halved grape tomatoes, black olives, mint, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Serve with pasta, thinning with olive oil or pasta cooking water as needed.
52. Pit and chop a cup or more of mixed olives. Combine with olive oil, a little minced garlic, red pepper flakes and chopped basil or parsley. Serve over pasta.
53. Cook chopped tomatillos with a little water or stock, cilantro and a little minced fresh chili; serve over grilled, broiled or sautéed "chicken" style seitan, with corn tortillas.
54. A winning sandwich: avocado, arugula, vegan Parmesan, marinated artichoke hearts, and tomato.
55. Grated carrots topped with raisins, olive oil and lemon juice.
56. Cut the top off four big tomatoes; scoop out the interiors and mix them with toasted stale baguette or pita, olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs (basil, tarragon, and/or parsley). Stuff into tomatoes and serve with salad.
57. Pasta frittata: Turn cooked pasta and a little garlic into an oiled skillet. Brown, pressing to create a cake. Flip, then top with 12 oz soft tofu and loads of nutritional yeast.
58. Thai-style seitan: Thinly slice one and a half pounds of seitan steak; heat peanut oil in a skillet, add seitan and stir. A minute later, add 1 T minced garlic and some red chili flakes. Add 30 clean basil leaves, a quarter cup of water and a tablespoon or two of soy sauce . Serve with lime juice and more chili flakes, over rice or salad.
59. Dredge seitan in flour. Sear in olive oil or Earth Balance or a combination until crisp on both sides, adding salt and pepper as it cooks. Do not overcook. Garnish with parsley and lemon juice.
60. Rub not-too-thick seitan steaks with olive oil [Or if you're organized, you can marinate them overnight]; sprinkle with salt and pepper plus sage or thyme. Broil about three minutes a side and drizzle with good balsamic vinegar.
61. Cut up Italian vegan sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil until just about done. Dump in a lot of seedless grapes and, if you like, a little slivered garlic and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring, until the grapes are hot. Serve with bread.
62. Ketchup-braised tofu [Totally Bitttman's]: Dredge large tofu cubes in flour. Brown in oil; remove from skillet and wipe skillet clean. Add a little more oil, then a tablespoon minced garlic; 30 seconds later, add one and a half cups ketchup and the tofu. Cook until sauce bubbles and tofu is hot.
63. Veggie burger: Drain and pour a 14-ounce can of beans into a food processor with an onion, half a cup rolled oats, a tablespoon chili powder or other spice mix,, salt and pepper, and water as needed. Process until mushy, then shape into burgers, adding a little liquid or oats as necessary. Cook in oil about three minutes a side and serve.
64. A Roman classic: In lots of olive oil, lightly cook lots of slivered garlic, with 1/2 sp miso paste dissolved in water and a dried hot chili or two. Dress pasta with this.
65. So-called Fettuccine Alfredo: Heat several tablespoons of Earth Balance and about half a cup of soy cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to simmer. Add slightly undercooked fresh pasta to the skillet, along with plenty of vegan Parmesan. Cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta is tender and hot.
66. Rub seitan steak with curry or chili powder before broiling or grilling, then slice thin across the grain.
67. Cook vegan abalone in oil, with lots of chopped garlic. Remove; deglaze the pan with a half-cup or so of beer, along with a splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, rosemary and a lump of Earth Balance. Serve with bread.
68. Cook red lentils in water with a little cumin and chopped vegan bacon until soft. Top with chopped onions and little sherry vinegar.
69. Vegan grilled cheese with tomato and onion. Or better yet, try grilled cheese with banana, like they eat it in Brazil.
70. Boil a zucchini and onion until soft--puree in blender. Top with soy cream. Instant soup.
71. Tartines: Sauté some spinach and raisins in garlic and olive oil. Spread on a sliced baguette and toast under broiler until bread edges are golden.
72. Toast a piece of bread. Spread it with mashed avocado, chopped onion and a slice of tomato.
73. Stir fry some seitan, ginger, garlic, onion and broccoli in a wok. Toss with hoisin sauce and a dab of peanut butter. Serve over rice.
74. Microwave 1 cup of vegetables in 1 cup light coconut milk, seasoned with 1 tsp curry paste. Toss with cooked rice noodles. Top with ground peanuts.
75. Toss cooked udon noodles with a splash of sesame oil and thinly sliced onions, carrots and asparagus. Finish with a dab of soy sauce.
76.PB & J redux: Make a PB & J sandwich. Or use almond butter and apple butter. Or cashew butter and chutney.
77. Pita pizza: Top pita bread with store bought tomato sauce and shredded vegan mozzarella. Top with onions, arugula and/or basil.
78. Cold cucumber avocado soup. Puree an avocado and 2 cucumbers. Add soy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Season with fresh dill.
79. Philly Mushroom Steak: Sauté 3 chopped Portobello mushrooms and an onion in olive oil. Place in a hoagie roll lined with slices of vegan cheddar.
80. Baked potatoes: Nuke a few baking potatoes. Top with steamed broccoli, red pepper flakes, and copious amounts of nutritional yeast flakes.
81. Burritos: Spread tortillas with store-bought refried beans. Top with shredded vegan cheese and store-bought salsa. Nuke until warm.
82. Beans and greens: Toss canned beans with greens (arugula, collards, dandelion greens) that you've sautéed with loads of garlic in olive oil.
83. Shish-kebobs: Skewer fresh peppers, onions, and mushrooms. baste with flavored olive oil and grill until tender.
84. Jerk tofu: Dredge tofu slices in jerk seasoning. Grill until cooked--about 3 minutes on each side.
85. Leftovers become paella: Combine leftover takeout rice with mixed chopped frozen vegetables, veggie broth, 2 tsp saffron and some chopped vegan spicy sausage. Sautee in a bit of olive oil until warmed through,
85. Arugula Pesto: See #3 but substitute arugula for the basil. Serve with pasta or gnocchi.
86. Scramble some firm tofu in olive oil along with turmeric, minced onion, chopped red pepper and peas. Serve with toasted whole wheat bread.
87. Quick and extravagant: Soften garlic in a bit of olive oil. Toss with cooked pasta. Drizzle with white truffle oil and garnish with shaved truffle.
88. Raw pasta: Make zucchini pasta in spiral slicer (5 minutes). Top with your pesto of choice or store-bought tomato sauce.
89. Miso Soup: Heat water--do not boil. Add miso paste to taste, along with slivered scallion and tiny cubes of tofu.
90. Greek Salad: Toss together greens, tomato, vegan feta, and Kalamata olives and chopped cucumbers, Serve with fluffy pita bread
91. Minute chili: Mix one can kidney beans, one can chilies, one cup chopped vegan cheddar, one cup of corn and 2 T chili powder in a saucepan. Cook until heated through. Serve with cornbread.
92. Mushrooms and polenta: Sauté wild mushrooms and garlic in olive oil. Serve over store-bought polenta wedges;
93. Liquid meal for busy people: Blend 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup greens, and 1 cup fresh fruit until smooth.
94. Smashed beans sandwich spread: Mash a can of beans with 3 cloves (or more) of garlic, 1 tsp herbs of your choice and 1 T olive oil. Spread on a baguette and top with red roasted peppers.
95. Cold tofu: Arrange cubes of firm tofu in a dish, Top with scallion, slices of ginger and a drizzle of tamari and agave nectar.
96. Healthy sandwich: avocado slices, a schmear of vegan cream cheese, sprouts, tomato slices and chutney on black bread.
97. Tofu in black bean sauce: Sauté onion, garlic and red peppers in peanut oil until soft. Toss in cubed extra firm tofu. Top with store bought black bean sauce [diluted with water to taste] and cook until heated through.
98. Greek yogurt: Top plain vegan yogurt with cucumber, tomato, and chopped mint.
99. Tapenade: In food processor, combine olives, garlic, and a dab of miso paste, garlic and enough water to form a paste. Serve with bread and dippable veggies like carrots, zucchini slices and cucumbers.
100. Sloppy Joans: Reconstitute a cup of TVP in 1 cup of BBQ sauce and 1 cup water .Toss in very finely chopped green pepper and onion until soft and warmed though. Serve on buns.
101. "Not dogs" on buns — with beans!