Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

VEGAN COOKING CLUB

COOKBOOK

Liz Gary, M.A. ARC - Experience Club Leader

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

This recipe book is dedicated to the ARC Experience leadership team and students who came together to experience, learn, and begin to think more critically about our food choices. These recipes help prove you can have it all again…just switch out a few ingredients and you can reduce your risk for disease, help the environment and make an impact by decreasing our

dependence on animals as a central food source. It’s awesomeness in action at Chula Vista High School!

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Table of Contents

Introducing the Vegan Cooking Club

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Lemon and Roasted Garlic Hummus

Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake

Vegan Pesto & Fettuccini Alfredo Sauces

Veganize This! Betty Crocker Chocolate Brownies

Chula Vista High Super Sub Sandwich

Tropical Fruit Salad with Agave Lime Dressing

Soyrizo Potato Tacos

Vegan Banana Nut Pancakes

Resources & Information

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Introducing the Vegan Cooking Club

Minutes before the bell we were ready with 500 free vegan ice cream sandwiches and literature about the vegan diet thanks to a mini-grant from the VegFund and Sprouts Chula Vista

Vegan ice cream sandwiches got the seal of approval from students. Made with soy milk instead of dairy, they are so similar in every way that most people wouldn’t even know

the difference!

Lunchtime information and outreach introducing the Vegan Cooking Club.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Sprouts Chula Vista has one of the best selections of vegan food products in all of San Diego County. Right here on 3rd Avenue in Chula Vista you can find a wide variety of plant-based alternatives to dairy, eggs, meat, and even seafood. Many of the food products used in our culinary labs came from the local Chula Vista Sprouts Farmer’s Market.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers These veggie burger sliders were easy to make and delicious. You can have it all again! Try making these with the homemade French fries recipe below. Makes 24 slider size burgers or 12 regular burgers.

Ingredients:1 15 oz can black beans, drained1 medium sweet potato, baked, skin removed1 cup quinoa, cooked1 cup brown rice, cooked1/2 cup organic bread crumbs 1/2 cup hemp seed or finely chopped walnuts 4 green onions, sliced1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro1 tablespoons brown sugar1 teaspoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon cumin1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder1 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: Mash the beans and sweet potato, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Shape into patties and cook on a lightly oiled flat grill about 8-10 minutes each side. Or lightly coat each patty with olive oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, flip them over and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus Making hummus from scratch is fun and easy…and a lot less expensive than buying it prepared. Try this basic recipe and then explore making additional flavors like chipotle, jalapeño and cilantro, red pepper and more! Ingredients: 2 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained (save 1/2 cup of the liquid)1/2 head of garlic, roastedjuice of 1 lemon, zest of half a lemon3 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons sesame tahini1/2 cup reserved liquid from the garbanzo beans1 teaspoon sea saltSmoked Paprika for garnishFresh cut vegetables for dipping

Directions:Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take one whole head of garlic and coat it in olive oil. Place it in a hot oven and roast it about 20 minutes or until it is golden and soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Place the beans into the jar of a blender add the 1/2 cup reserved liquid, squeeze the roasted garlic from one half of the head of roasted garlic into the beans, add the lemon juice, olive oil, sesame tahini, and sea salt. Process in the ingredients with the blender starting on low speed progressing to high speed gradually. Add a little more liquid if needed to process until you reach a smooth consistency.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over the top then sprinkle with smoked paprika. Chill before serving, serve with freshly cut vegetables and pita chips.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Tasting Session! Vegan Chocolate CheesecakeA decadent dessert with all the goodness of cheesecake that anyone would love

Crust:1 1/2 cups nut meal (almond, hazelnut, or walnut)1/4 cup cocoa powder1/4 cup maple syrup1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Filling:1 1/4 cup cashew pieces, soaked 4-6 hours1 1/4 cup almond milk1/2 cup maple syruppinch of sea salt1 teaspoon vanilla1 12 oz. package non-dairy dark chocolate2 tablespoons cocoa powder1 16 oz. block organic firm Wildwood tofu*

Step 1) Combine all the ingredients for the crust in a medium mixing bowl. Mix it well until it becomes fudge like in texture. Spread it evenly on the bottom of a 8-inch spring form pan or silicone cheesecake mold. Use the back of a spoon dipped in water to help press the crust down evenly.

Step 2) For best results with the filling use a high speed blender. Combine the drained cashews, almond milk, maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla, cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the blender jar and blend on high for 2-3 minutes and it becomes a smooth liquid. Continue blending, add the tofu gradually in chunks allowing it to blend thoroughly with each addition. Continue blending for another 2-3 minutes until it’s smooth and glossy with the consistency of soft pudding. Pour the contents into the prepared mold and chill for 6-8 hours before serving.

*Choose a high protein nigiri tofu, the Wildwood vacuum packed tofu is ideal. Tofu is an ancient superfood that has been eaten for centuries by populations of people who have been studied and found to have much lower rates of the common diseases associated with the Standard American Diet. Soy is one of natures most perfect foods and the United States is the largest producer of soy on earth today. Discover the versatility of tofu and get the latest facts on soy and your health from the Physcians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Gourmet Seasoned Popcorn Use dairy-free vegan butter and experiment with a variety of toppings and seasonings. Add in optional vegan cheese, nutritional yeast, nuts, seeds, chopped dried fruit, or chocolate chips for a super hearty delicious snack.

3 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil 1/2 cup organic or non-GMO popcorn kernels3-4 tablespoons vegan buttersea salt or seasonings

Heat a large pot on medium high, add the oil and watch for it to begin shimmering when hot. Drop a kernel into the oil and wait until you see it bubbling. Add the additional kernels, place the lid on the pot and shake it to coat the kernels evenly with the oil. Let it sit a minute and watch for the popping, hold the pot with a hot pads and give it a shake once or twice during popping to cook evenly. When the popping slows down turn off the heat and wait for the last kernels to pop. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl, place the vegan butter in the hot pan and swirl it around until it melts. Drizzle the butter over the popcorn and serve with a sprinkle of salt or get creative and try any number of a variety of herbs and spices, vegan parmesan cheese is great on popcorn. Buy it ready made or combine equal parts nutritional yeast and walnuts in a blender and grind to make homemade vegan parmesan.

Homemade Kettle Corn Fun and easy to make, this lightly salty and sweet homemade version is as good as the kettle corn you find at the fair!

3 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil 1/2 cup organic or non-GMO popcorn kernels3-4 tablespoons cane sugarSprinkle of sea salt

Heat a large pot on medium high, add the oil and watch for it to begin to get hot and shimmering, stir in the sugar. Add the popcorn kernels, place the lid on the pot and shake it to coat the kernels evenly with the sugar and oil. Let it sit a minute and watch for the popping, hold the pot with hot pads and give it a shake once or twice during popping to cook evenly. When the popping slows down turn off the heat and wait for the last kernels to pop. Transfer to a serving bowl and lightly season with sea salt. The popcorn will be slightly sticky until it cools down.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Pasta Sauces Vegan Pesto2 tightly packed cups of fresh basil¼ cup flat leaf parsley1 cup walnuts, pistachios, hemp seed or almonds1 clove garlic, minced 1/3 – ½ cup olive oil1tsp sea saltFreshly ground black pepper1 tbsp lemon juice Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until slightly chunky. Use on pizza, with pasta or served with vegetables.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce1 small head of cauliflower, steamed1 cup cashews1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder1 large clove garlic1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or substitute with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)1 cup non-dairy unsweetened milk (almond, soy, flax, rice, hemp)

Step 1) Combine all ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Serve hot with pasta.

Homemade Vegan Parmesan Cheese 1 cup nutritional yeast1 cup walnuts1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powderpinch of salt

Place all ingredients into the jar of a blender, blend until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Sprinkle on pasta, veggies or popcorn. Store refrigerated for up to four weeks in a sealed container.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Chula Vista High Super Sub Sandwich Students made history in the Vegan Cooking Club creating the biggest vegan sub sandwich ever at Chula Vista High. Made with a variety of vegan deli meats and cheeses this super sandwich was a big winner!

Ingredients: 3-4 loaves of freshly baked French or Sourdough Bread3 packages Tofurky vegan deli meats2 packages sliced vegan cheese2-3 tomatoes, sliced1 purple onion, sliced into thin rounds1 box of baby tender greens2 avocados, slicedVegan MayonaiseSea salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:Prepare a surface to make the sandwich. Use cutting boards lined up together or a foil covered wooden plank. Line up the loaves of bread and cut off about one inch of the inside ends of each loaf at an angle so they will line up together to make one continuous six food sandwich. Next, lay the loaf on it’s side and carefully cut it in half lengthwise into a top and bottom half.

Spread vegan mayo evenly over the inside of each loaf. Layer the vegan meat and cheese evenly across the the bottom half of the sandwich, add the sliced avocado to the top half of the sandwich, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the sliced onion rings, tomatoes and lettuce, fold the top half of the sandwich over the bottom and secure it with toothpicks every 2-3 inches. Using a serrated knife, hold the sandwich securely and cut into 2-3 inch servings slicing through the space between each toothpick. Using a serrated knife, hold the sandwich securely and cut into 2-3 inch servings slicing through the space between each toothpick. Transfer to a plate or napkin and serve.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Tropical Fruit Salad with Agave Lime Dressing This super salad was made with a variety of seasonal fresh fruit and drizzled with an agave syrup and fresh lime juice.

Ingredients: 1 whole pineapple, peeled and sliced1 whole cantaloupe, peeled and sliced1 pint of strawberries, stemmed and sliced3 bananans, peeled and sliced1 bunch of red grapes, halvedJuice of three limes3 tablespoons agave syrup

Directions:

Combine all the fruit in a large bowl. Blend the lime juice and agave in a small bowl then drizzle over the salad. Stir to blend then serve.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Soyrizo Potato Tacos

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

Vegan Banana Nut Pancakes Students made history again by celebrating National Pancake day with vegan pancakes! We took the eggs and dairy out and learned how to use substitutes like tofu as an egg replacer and vegan butter instead of dairy butter.

Ingredients:1/4 cup soft organic tofu1 cup non-dairy milk 2 tablespoons sunflower oil2 tablespoons organic cane sugar1 cup organic whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder1/8 teaspoon or just a pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts2-3 bananas sliced Maple syrup and vegan butter for serving

Directions: Combine the tofu, non-dairy milk, oil and sugar in the jar of a blender and blend unFl smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, blend just until well combined. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Heat a griddle, oil it lightly then pour about 1/2 cup of batter for each pancake. Place sliced bananas on top and spoon a small amount of batter over them. Cook until bubbly and lightly golden brown then flip and press to cook the other side. Transfer to a plate and hold in a warm oven until all pancakes are ready for serving. Top with additional sliced bananas, chopped nuts, vegan butter and maple syrup.

Chula Vista High School Vegan Cooking Club Cookbook

To learn more about the benefits of the vegan diet and plant-based living check out some of these resources. Thank you Lincoln High School for hosting the Vegan Cooking Club!!

New Food Documentaries coming in 2018:Eating our way to Extinction: https://vimeo.com/194513120The Game Changers: https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/james-camerons-new-film-the-game-changers-charts-the-rise-of-veganismThe Yo Yo Effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a82js0Gx-kIDominion: https://vimeo.com/241265022

Current Food Documentary Films & Trailers found on YouTube and Netflix:What the Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m8WwSUcUPEForks over Knives: https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/ Eating You Alive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8sGE5n-i1QFat, Sick and Nearly Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv3vEXy_EwUEarthlings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Jy1Zozz3sCowspiracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV04zyfLyN4PlantPure Nation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E6sa0OtjSEVegan Everyday Stories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qedrlO1Gg0Food Inc.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0Vegucated: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKzng1_byMYFood Matters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4DOQ6XhqssSupersize Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOvrkkj_T-IThe Future of Food: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9Y_QH_c70sHungry for Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vBlxr9E9ks

Non-Profits Promoting Plant-Based Living with Education and Outreach:Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: www.pcrm.orgPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) www.peta.orgFarm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) www.farm.orgMercy for Animals (MFA) www.mfa.orgThe Humane League www.thehumaneleague.comThe Humane Society of the United States: www.humanesociety.orgLast Chance for Animals: www.lcanimal.orgFarm Sanctuary: www.farmsanctuary.orgA World Well-Fed: www.awfw.orgThe VegFund: www.vegfund.orgCompassion Over Killing: www.cok.netMeatless Mondays: www.meatlessmondays.comPaul McCartney explains the meat industry: www.meat.orgDr. Gregor’s Nutrition Facts: www.nutritionfacts.orgKaiser Permanente, The Plant-Based Diet: www.kaiserpermanente/ThePlantBasedDiet.org

Local Vegan Meet-Up Groups & Classes:PlantDiego: www.plantdiego.comSan Diego Vegans: www.meetup.com/sandiegovegansNew Options Food Group: www.newoptionsfoodgroup.com

Plant-based Living: it’s a trifecta of wins. Good for your health, good for the environment, good for the animals.