Cooking/ Recipes

Enjoy An Easy Vegan Brunch For Easter

Forget about eggs for Easter! Vegan foods are cruelty- and cholesterol-free, and they taste great, too. If you’re planning to decorate eggs, check out PETA’s catalog for dyeable EggNots, which look and feel like eggs, without the cruelty of the egg industry.

On Easter morning, indulge in a decadent yet easy-to-prepare brunch, featuring an egg-free French toast casserole, tasty breakfast tempeh, savory potato crostini, an Italian Easter Pie, and other excellent egg-free brunch foods. (Feel free to enjoy some vegan fudge and other sweets, too!) These “comfort food” recipes are perfect for an Easter brunch that appeals to family members of all ages and tastes.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup
1 loaf (13–16 oz.) French bread, cut into 1-inch slices
Egg replacer equivalent to 8 eggs (the recipe tester used 1 banana, 1/2 cup applesauce, and Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent to 4 eggs)
2 cups vegan creamer
1 cup nondairy milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping (see recipe below)
Maple syrup, to taste

Arrange the bread slices in a generously greased 9-inch-by-13-inch flat baking dish. Place in rows, overlapping each slice.
In a large bowl, combine the egg replacer, vegan creamer, non-dairy milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.
Pour over the bread slices, covering evenly. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.
Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spread the Praline Topping evenly over the bread slices and bake until puffed and light golden brown, about 40 minutes.
Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping
2 sticks (1 cup) vegan butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup or agave nectar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Smoky, Crunchy Breakfast Tempeh
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
8 oz. tempeh, very thinly sliced
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add the tempeh slices and fry on both sides until brown and crispy.
Add the liquid smoke and soy sauce (be careful—the oil may spatter) and cook for 1 more minute on each side.

Makes 2 to 4 servings

Garlic-Potato Crostini
4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine, plus more for buttering the bread
2 Tbsp. non-dairy cream cheese
4 marinated artichoke hearts, minced
1–2 Tbsp. soy Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated vegan Monterey Jack cheese (try Follow Your Heart brand)
1 onion, grated
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 French baguette, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Garlic salt, to taste
Paprika, to taste

Boil the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot, off the heat. While still warm, add the vegan margarine, non-dairy cream cheese, and artichoke hearts. Mash until smooth. Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate until cool.
Add the vegan cheeses, onion, chives, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Mix well, then set aside.
Spread a thin layer of vegan margarine on one side of a baguette slice, then sprinkle with the garlic salt. Spread a heaping spoonful of the potato mixture on the opposite side of the slice and place it, potato-side-up, on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining slices. Sprinkle a bit of the paprika on each slice.
Bake at 400°F until crispy, about 10 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Easter Pie
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dairy-free margarine
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1 lb. vegan sausage, crumbled
2 lbs. firm tofu, crumbled
1/4 cup soy Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground fennel seeds

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, combine the flour, margarine, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoonful of salt. With the machine still running, add the water to form a dough ball.
Divide the dough into two balls and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the vegan sausage, tofu, soy Parmesan, parsley, remaining salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and fennel seeds.
Roll out the dough into two 11-inch circles. Place one circle in a 10-inch pie plate and spread the filling mixture over it. Cover with the other dough circle, pinch the edges, and prick the center with a fork.
Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour.

Makes 8 servings

Easy Vegan Chocolate Fudge
6 Tbsp. vegan margarine
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Lightly grease a 5-inch-by-9-inch loaf pan using a little of the vegan margarine.
Place the remaining margarine, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and soy milk in a heatproof mixing bowl or the upper part of a double broiler.
Place the bowl or boiler over simmering water and stir until smooth. Add the nuts if desired.
Pour quickly into the prepared pan. Chill thoroughly, then cut into squares.
Low-fat variation: Replace 5 tablespoonfuls of the vegan margarine and 3 cups of the sugar with 2 cups of puréed dates.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen squares

These recipes and more can be found on PETA’s website at PETA.org/Living/Food. Happy vegan Easter, everyone!

Image sources: French Toast | PETA; Fudge | Whatscookingamerica.net