Do you love sweet, and savory pies? My wife and I love them both. It’s not an easy thing to find vegan varieties of these in one restaurant, but Mission Pies has done it! Today we enjoyed an awesome meal there.

When you first walk in the place it seems homey and inviting. A corner shop with individual and communal tables along with a nice kids table right up front. The staff is friendly and helpful. But as we all know what really matters is the food.

We had a red bean & rice pot pie with a delicious corn meal top crust. The flavor was right on, and we ate every last bit of it. For dessert we ordered two slices of vegan apricot pie which was awesome.

I highly recommend Mission Pie.

2901 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 282-1500
Website: missionpie.com
Open Mon-Thu 7am-9pm; Fri 7am-10pm; Sat 8am-10pm; Sun 9am-9pm
Subway: 24th St. Mission BART

There’s no doubt that my wife and I love asian food. We eat vegan dishes from throughout asia on a weekly basis. Also, Emily’s mom is the best chinese cook I’ve ever enjoyed a meal from. I’ve also learned a lot from her over the years. So, it should come as no surprise that wonton soup is one of our favorite dishes.

This tasty version comes from the awesome website Vegan Yum Yum. It’s easy to make and oh so good. Thanks Lolo! Visit her website for more great vegan recipes.

The original recipe called for seitan as the protein. However, I didn’t have any seitan when I made this so I used baked tofu instead.

Ingredients – Filling

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1-2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 cup chinese broccoli, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup baked tofu, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili sauce, more if desired (like sriracha)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

Ingredients – Broth

• 4 cups water
• 5-6 fresh ginger slices
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup chinese broccoli leaves, packed (sub: spinach or collards)

Directions – Filling

• Begin by chopping the Chinese broccoli very thinly with a sharp knife, from the base of the stem up towards the leaves (just like chopping scallions).
• Heat a large pan with oil and add the ginger.
• Once the ginger becomes fragrant, add the broccoli and tofu, stirring well and cooking until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
• Transfer the broccoli and tofu mixture to a small bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
• Taste and adjust to your liking.
• Set aside while you make the broth.

Directions – Broth

• Heat all of the broth ingredients together except the greens in a small sauce pan, until sugar and salt is dissolved and the ginger has had time to infuse into the broth.
• Taste and add more salt if desired, but remember this is a mild broth that is only meant to be a complement to the wontons.
• Once the broth has begin to simmer, turn off heat and toss in greens.
• Cover and set aside.

Filling the Wontons

• Place 1-2 tsp of filling in the center of the wonton.
• Wet the edges of the wrapper with water (a finger dipped in water works great) and seal into a triangle, removing as much air as possible from the dumpling.
• Make sure edges are secured.
• Set the triangle in front of you, pointing up.
• Wet one of the bottom corners.
• Hold the corners, one between each thumb and forefinger.
• Begin to bend the wrapper, as if you were forcing it into a horseshoe shape.
• Don’t change your grip, and resist the urge to fold the corners over.
• Bring the two ends together, crossing them slightly, and press to seal.
• Going from the triangle shape to a completed wonton is one fluid motion.
• Your dumpling should look like a fun little fish-boat-hat.
• You can now freeze your dumplings, or cook them right away.

To Prepare the Soup

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Re-heat your broth to steaming, if necessary.
• Gently lower the wontons into the boiling water and cook until they become translucent, about 2-3 minutes if the wontons aren’t frozen, longer if they are.
• Remove them from the water with a spider (or other slotted spoon device) and place them into the hot broth.
• Take care to remove and discard any dumplings that have opened up during cooking.
• If they open, water gets inside, washes all the flavor away, and you’ll be sad if you serve it or eat it.
• It will taste like watery mush, and I promise you won’t be happy about it.
• Ladle 3-4 wontons into a bowl and add a small amount of broth, enough to half-way cover the wontons.
• Make sure to get some greens in there, too.
• Serve immediately.

I have to say, “this is the best breakfast recipe I’ve ever tasted”. I wanted to emphasize this because it’s true. Once you make and try this dish you may never go back. This awesome recipe comes from, vegalicious.org. If you want to be amazed by great vegan recipes you should visit this site often.

The great thing about this recipe is you can change any protein or veggie to suit your taste, and it will be great. I used smoked tofu and spinach, however, the original recipe called for spicy tofu and kale – just add whatever you have or whatever you like. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 250 grams / 8.8 oz tofu crumbled
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color
• dash or two of Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 ounces spicy tofu pieces, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese
• 1/8 cup soy milk
• 6 sheets vegan puff pastry dough, thawed
• poppy and sesame seeds, optional

Directions

• Blend soy yogurt mustard, nutritional yeast, Tabasco and turmeric together and set aside.
• Prepare the onions, garlic, red pepper, spinach and tofu pieces.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Saute the onion until it begins to soften and become glassy.
• Add the red pepper pieces and continue sauteing.
• Add the spicy tofu pieces.
• Add the spinach and cook until lightly wilted.
• Add the cherry tomatoes and crumbled tofu.
• Stir well.
• Add the soy yogurt mixture and cook until the mixture begins to become sold and the liquids are
• coked off.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 shredded soy cheese
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
• Place the 6 sheets of thawed puff pastry next to each other in a row 3 by 2, slightly overlapping and using soy milk to connect the overlapping slices together.
• Spoon the tofu mixture down center of pastry, leaving a one inch margin on top and bottom and three inch borders on each side.
• Cut pastry on side borders into one inch strips.
• Crisscross strips over top of filling, lightly brush each tip with soy milk to help stick the strips together.
• Brush top and sides of pastry with soy milk and top with seeds if desired.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
• Remove from oven and let cool a bit before slicing to serve.

This tasty Greek inspired dish works well as a side dish, and has a great flavor. Sometimes, my wife and I just eat this as a main course with a salad and some fruit. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
• 2 1/4 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut vertically into wedges
• Fresh ground pepper and salt, to taste
• Flat leaf parsley, to garnish

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for a minute to release the flavor.
• Place the tomatoes in the pan, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the potatoes to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Take the pan off the stove and add the mixture to a greased casserole.
• Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• You can serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for a day or two.
• When serving add some fresh parsley to garnish.

This is a really delicious vegan dessert, and is very easy to make. You can serve it by itself, or you can add the icing and the garnish. Either way it’s oh so tasty. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for a day or two. Enjoy!

Ingredients

The Cobbler Cake

• 3/4 cup flour – (all or part whole wheat)
• 1/4 cup soy flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup soy milk
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 16-ounce can sliced peaches — well drained & cut into 1/2 inch pieces

The Vanilla Icing

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons vanilla soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Garnish

• Several large strawberries
• Fresh mint leaves
• Powered sugar
• 1 fresh peach

Directions

The Cobbler Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, soy flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Stir together well.
• Add soy milk and almond extract and stir just until blended. Gently stir in the well-drained and chopped peaches.
• Pour the batter into an 8″ square baking pan coated with nonstick spray.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cut into rounds with a large biscuit cutter for a nice presentation, or squares to serve.

The Vanilla Icing

• Combine all ingredients with enough soy milk to the desired consistency, less milk for a thicker consistency, more for thinner.
• This is a very forgiving recipe, if it becomes too thin add more powdered sugar and too thick add more liquid until you’re happy with it.
• Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake. A pastry bag and a small round decoration tip work perfectly for this.

To Serve

• Serve by itself or with some vegan vanilla ice cream. To make a nice presentation you can use a spiral slicer to cut a strawberry lengthwise and place it on top of the cake. Then top that with a mint leave. Next take some powdered sugar and sprinkle around the edge of the plate, and then add some small slices of fresh peach.

This recipe mixes together so many textures and flavors that the end result is a mouthwatering crutch fest. It’s great by itself, or served along side any main course. It’s best if put in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

• 6 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 Cup sugar snap pes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 1 cup daikon, grated
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hot or Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

• Place the napa cabbage, purple cabbage, sugar snap peas, carrots, daikon, green onions, cilantro, and ginger in a large bowl and mix well.
• Place the sesame oil, mustard, lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted seam oil, and lime zest in a blender and mix well.
• Add to the vegetables and mix thoroughly.

This tasty Central Asian dish is easy to make and is full of flavor. The original recipe is from Taste of the East. I like to serve it with a flavored whole grain rice and a salad. However, it’s a great side to almost any dish you want to serve it with.

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen lima beans
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3/4 cup vegan yogurt
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

• Bring the lima beans and stock to boil in a large pot.
• Cover and lower heat to simmer.
• Cook until the beans are tender, for about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add the olive oil to a saute pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, stirring constantly until the onions are just cooked.
• Transfer to a large bowl.
• When the lima beans are done add them to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.
• Mix well and enjoy!

You can also garnish the dish with some fresh dill right before serving.

The flavors of this dish are amazing. Tangy yogurt, sweet currants, and crunchy pistachios combine with the basmati make a very tasty rice dish. You can serve this by itself as a snack, or add your favorite veggie or protein for a full meal. Enjoy!

The original recipe was from Taste of the East. All of the recipes I’ve tried from the book so far are easy to make, and only take about 30 minutes. It also captures the taste of the east in a tasty vegan

Ingredients

• 2 cups white basmati rice
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons soy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
• 4 tablespoons currants
• 3/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 3 tablespoons of hot water

Directions

• Place the rice, water, salt, coriander and vegan yogurt in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, approximately 10 minutes.
• Allow the pot tot off the heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients, including the saffron and soaking water.
• Gently fluff with a fork.

Ever since I went to Hong Kong I’ve been hooked on the British convention of grilled tomatoes for breakfast. Since I don’t eat eggs I’ve been looking for a vegan substitute that would work well with the grilled tomatoes. As I found from this awesome recipe from The Complete Book of Vegan Cooking herbed polenta is the perfect choice. Crispy, creamy and sweet are all great together. Serve this dish with your favorite whole grain toast and fruit for a great breakfast. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup polenta
• 4 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh chives
• 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh basil
• Olive oil, for greasing and brushing
• 4 medium to large tomatoes
• Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Directions

• Place the stock in a heavy pan, with the salt, and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, slowly pour in the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon.
• Stir constantly for 5 minutes, until the polenta begins to thicken and come away from the sides of the pan.
• Add the sun dried tomatoes and stir until blended.
• Remove from the heat and stir for another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the margarine, herbs and fresh ground pepper and mix well.
• Transfer the mixture to a baking pan, and spread evenly with a spatula.
• Cover the surface with parchment paper, and put in a cool place until it has completely set and is cold.
• Turn the polenta out onto a cutting board.
• Stamp out rounds with a large biscuit or cookie cutter. If you don’t want to waist any of the polenta you can also cut it into squares.
• Brush the polenta with oil and set aside.
• Cut the tomatoes in half and brush the cut part with oil.
• Heat a griddle pan lightly brushed with oil until piping hot.
• Cook the polenta in each side until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
• Right before the polenta is ready add the tomatoes and grill for about 3 minutes.
• Serve garnished with fresh herbs with some fruit on the side.

This fresh tasting salad combines buttery Yukon Gold potatoes with crunchy and colorful broccoli, spring onions and cherry tomatoes. The rich flavors of the herbed pesto finish this dish off perfectly. I like serve this salad with freshly baked warm italian bread. Enjoy!

Ingredients – The Salad

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole or sliced
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces

Ingredients – The Herb Pesto Dressing

• 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

• Steam the potatoes until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Steam the broccoli until just cooked, but still and bit crunchy and bright green, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and broccoli, and place in a large bowl
• Add the cherry tomatoes, green onion and walnut pieces.
• Toss and set aside.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the second 1/2 cup of walnuts with the garlic, and blend well.
• Add the parsley, basil, chives, walnut oil, olive oil, vinegar, salt, sugars, crushed red peppers and blend until smooth.

Assembly

• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.