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Vegetable Fried Rice (with Air Fryer Tofu)

Vegetable Fried Rice (with Air Fryer Tofu) - The Vegan Rhino

Vegetable Fried Rice (with Air Fryer Tofu) - The Vegan Rhino  

Fried rice is one of those dishes you normally get when you are out at a restaurant where they cook in front of you hibachi style. Being able to re create that experience in your home is what this recipe is all about. It is simple to make and the best with leftover rice. With a quick sauté of vegetables, rice, seasonings and tofu, you have yourself a full meal!

Vegetable Fried Rice (with Air Fryer Tofu) - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 4

Ingredients 

2 cups uncooked white rice

3 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 cup baby Bella mushrooms

3/4 cup carrots, halved and chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 celery stalks, halved and chopped

3 green onions, chopped large pieces

1 cup broccoli florets

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp. plant-based butter

1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. organic tamari sauce

1 package tofu, drained and pressed

 

Seasonings

Sprinkle of Himalayan Pink salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder

Avocado oil, light drizzle

Vegetable Fried Rice (with Air Fryer Tofu) - The Vegan Rhino

 

Directions

  1. Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside once done.
  2. Season tofu and drizzle with oil in air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Shaking after 12 minutes and continuing until timing beeps.
  3. In a wok on high heat, add sesame oil and vegetables, sautéing for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Combine rice, butter, salt, pepper, and drizzle with tamari sauce in wok. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring in tofu.
  4. Serve warm garnished with green onions or sesame seeds.

 

Chef’s tip: The best is if you make the white rice a day in advance prior to cooking the fried rice.

Tostones- Fried Green Plantains

Tostones- Fried Green Plantains - The Vegan Rhino

Tostones- Fried Green Plantains - The Vegan Rhino  

Wondering what a tostone is? Its slices of unripe, green plantains (like a banana) that are pan fried, smashed, and fried again until crisp. With a sprinkle of Himalayan Pink salt, they can be extremely addictive. A tip that I was told is to dip the tostone in a garlic-water blend before re frying, it adds additional flavor that steps them up a notch! You can pair them with black beans, rice, and avocado slices.

Tostones- Fried Green Plantains - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 18

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 green plantains, 1-inch thick slices (Plátanos verdes)

1/4 cup avocado oil, for frying

Himalayan Pink salt, for sprinkling

Tostones- Fried Green Plantains - The Vegan Rhino

 

Directions

  1. Slice ends and 3 long slices through the skin only. Peel back and slice in 1-inch thick slices.
  2. In a skillet on medium-high heat with oil, pan fry the plantain rounds for 3 minutes or until golden in color. Remove and set on a kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
  3. Using a clean glass, use the bottom to smash the plantains. Re fry in oil until crispy for 1 minute on each side. Remove onto paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt.
  4. Serve warm with sauce of choice or Puerto Rican-style with a slice of avocado.

 

Chef’s tip: Take 1 cup water and add 1 Tbsp. minced garlic with juice of 1 lime. Dunk smashed plantains for 5-10 seconds before drying and re frying.

Best Bourbon Mushroom

Best Bourbon Mushroom - The Vegan Rhino

Best Bourbon Mushroom - The Vegan Rhino The best bourbon mushroom that’s easy, vegan, and tastes just like you may remember minus the poultry. This bourbon sauce has a deep flavor with hints of apple which is really yummy. Generally I like to enjoy this over a big bowl of fried rice, but you could eat it with white rice or noodles if you’d like. Ready in 20 minutes or less, this may just become your new favorite dish.

Best Bourbon Mushroom - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 2 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. avocado oil

2 lbs. baby Bella mushroom caps

Bourbon sauce

1 grated garlic clove

1/4 tsp. ginger, grated

3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 cup organic apple juice 

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. tomato paste 

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water, reserve 1 Tbsp.

1/3 cup organic tamari sauce

2 tsp. cornstarch

 

Directions

  1. In a sauce pot over medium heat, add all sauce ingredients (except cornstarch) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, mix together cornstarch and remaining water and pour slurry into pot. Simmer until sauce thickens and remove from heat.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat with mushrooms, sautéing until lightly brown. Evenly coat with the sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Serve mushrooms over bed of white rice and garnished with green onions.

 

Chef’s tip: For a more thick sauce, add extra cornstarch. 

Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks

Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks - The Vegan Rhino

Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks - The Vegan Rhino  

Country fried cauliflower steak is the ultimate comfort food to enjoy. Fried to perfection, they are a great non-meat alternative if you’re vegan or looking to try something new. Smothered in a non-dairy country gravy and paired with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans, this dish will be a huge hit! For those of you that are not fond of gravy or are looking to create something else, I got you covered. These cauliflower steaks are great with marinara sauce topped with vegan parmesan cheese, like a cauliflower parm! Its delicious and another way to use this recipe.

Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks - The Vegan Rhino

Yields 4

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, stem removed and sliced

1 cup organic all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika powder

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 Rhinos Country Gravy recipe

 

Directions

  1. In two shallow dishes, combine flour, cornstarch, and seasonings in one, mixing to combine. In the other, add non-dairy milk.
  2. In a pot filled half way with water, bring to boil with a pinch of salt, steam the cauliflower for roughly 4 minutes and drain on a paper towel afterwards. Slice into 4 steaks. Take cauliflower steaks and coat with flour, then into non-dairy milk, and finally flour, removing an excess.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with oil to fry. Cook for roughly 3 minutes and flip, cooking for an additional 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
  4. Serve gravy over fried cauliflower steaks and garnish with parsley and side of mashed potatoes and green beans.

Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks - The Vegan Rhino

Chef’s tip: This cauliflower steak is also great for cauliflower parmesan! Just add your favorite tomato sauce and vegan cheese, broil and you’re done!


Quick Collard Greens

Quick Collard Greens - The Vegan Rhino

Quick Collard Greens - The Vegan Rhino  

Quick collard greens are an underrated leafy green vegetable that is a nutritional powerhouse. Dark greens, like collards, provide an important non-dairy source of calcium to our bodies that we don’t get from dairy. These collard greens are inspired by my friend Nancy who introduced me to how good they are! Since collards have a tendency to be more bitter, you can pair this side dish with sweet foods or potato salad. You could even toss some in a tofu scramble, it’s delicious!

Quick Collard Greens - The Vegan Rhino

Yields 3

Ingredients

1 lb. finely chopped collard greens, washed

1 Tbsp. avocado oil

1/2 cup yellow onions diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 medium tomato

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 sprigs thyme

1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

 

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, sauté onions and cook 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  2. Combine the tomatoes, smoked paprika, thyme, and salt in pot and cook 2 minutes. Add collard greens and cook until wilted. Pour in vegetable broth and apple cider vinegar, cover and reduce heat to low, simmering 30 minutes.
  3. Serve warm.

Quick Collard Greens - The Vegan Rhino

Chef’s tip: For more of a smoky flavor, add a drop or two of smoked flavoring.

Rhino’s Country Gravy

Rhino's Country Gravy - The Vegan Rhino

Rhino's Country Gravy - The Vegan Rhino

This country gravy, also known as a white gravy, is made from milk that is thickened by a roux, which is flour cooked in vegan butter. This gravy recipe is best with a soy milk because of its natural flavor profile. If you don’t use or have soy milk, you can always opt for oat milk or almond milk, just make sure it is unsweetened. Smother this gravy over Country Fried Cauliflower Steaks or biscuits! The choice is yours.

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients

5 Tbsp. vegan butter

1/3 cup organic all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

  1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and sprinkle with flour, stirring for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in non-diary milk and whisk until gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Serve over fried cauliflower steaks and garnish with parsley and side of mashed potatoes and green beans.

 

Chef’s tip: The best type of plant-based milk is soy because it has the most natural flavor. If you can’t use soy, go for unsweetened oat milk.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Asian Lettuce Wraps - The Vegan Rhino

Asian Lettuce Wraps - The Vegan Rhino  

These vegan asian lettuce wraps are the perfect way to bring the restaurant to your home. They are quick (less than 30 minutes!) and a healthy dinner alternative that tastes scrumptious! I know this may be a bold claim that these lettuce wraps could be just that good, but they are! I enjoy the marinade by Ginger People so much that I decided to utilize that for the sauce, which cuts time in half and reduces the amount of ingredients needed. Give these a go, your family will surely enjoy them, even the kids!

Asian Lettuce Wraps - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 4

Ingredients

1 (16 oz. container) extra firm tofu, drained

Potato starch, enough to lightly coat tofu

2 Tbsp. avocado oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 cup chopped white mushrooms

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup birds eye shredded carrots and broccoli florets

1/2 bottle The Ginger People Ginger People Sesame Marinade

Romaine or iceberg lettuce cups

Chopped green onions, for garnish

Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

 

Directions

  1. Drain and press the tofu until majority of the liquid is gone and pat it dry. Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and lightly dust with potato starch. Set aside.
  2. In a 8” inch skillet on medium heat, add half the oil and sauté the onions with mushrooms for 5 minutes. Season with garlic, salt and pepper; Sauté for an additional minute. Remove mixture and set aside on a plate.
  3. Next, add the remaining oil and cook the tofu for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Add the vegetable medley mix, mushrooms, onions, and sauce. Cook until sauce thickens.
  4. Serve immedietly with a side of lettuce cups, extra sauce, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Asian Lettuce Wraps - The Vegan Rhino

Chef’s tip: For extra crunch, chop up some water chestnuts!

Fresh Watermelon Margaritas

Fresh Watermelon Margaritas - The Vegan Rhino

Fresh Watermelon Margaritas - The Vegan Rhino 

If you’re 21+ I have the perfect drink for you to make! Margaritas are usually a crowd favorite but when you add fresh watermelon juice to the mixture, it gets a whole lot better. Whether you want this on the rocks or blended into a frozen drink, you’ll enjoy these all summer long (or anytime!).

Fresh Watermelon Margaritas - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 6

Ingredients

1 large watermelon, roughly 12 cups juice

1/2 cup lime juice

6 Tbsp. organic cane sugar

7 oz. tequila of choice

4 oz. grand marnier or triple sec

2 cups crushed ice

Kosher salt or sugar, to rim glass

 

Directions

  1. In a blender, add the sliced watermelon and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and add 4 cups watermelon juice to a large pitcher with lime juice, sugar, tequila, triple sec, and crushed ice. Stir to combine.
  2. Serve in a glass with ice and sugar rim. Garnish with mint.

 

Chef’s tip: Blend the watermelon and make the juice the night before. You can infuse the juice with mint leaves.

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto - The Vegan Rhino

Earthy Mushroom Risotto - The Vegan Rhino

This creamy gourmet mushroom risotto is a real crowd pleaser and a must try! Making a creamy homemade risotto takes time but its well worth it. With just a few simple ingredients, you can turn plain rice into a delicious entree or side dish.

Earthy Mushroom Risotto - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 5 servings

Ingredients

.7 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

4 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 Tbsp. avocado oil + 2 Tbsp. vegan butter

16 oz. sliced baby Bella mushrooms

1/2 cup shallots, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 sprig thyme

2 Tbsp. vegan butter

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/4 tsp. Himalayan pink salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup vegan parmesan 

Parsley, to garnish

 

Directions

  1. In medium pot, bring vegetable broth to boil and reduce heat to low. Add porcini mushrooms, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Remove porcini mushrooms and slice.
  2. In large pot over medium heat, warm avocado oil and butter mixture. Add porcini mushrooms, baby Bella mushrooms, shallots and onions; cook for 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer mixture (including liquid) to bowl and set aside.
  3. In same large pot, combine 2 tablespoons vegan butter with uncooked rice for 1 minute (avoid browning rice). Add salt, pepper and white wine. Cook until liquid absorbs.
  4. Return mushroom mixture to pot with rice. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup hot vegetable broth and stir until mostly absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup and so on until rice absorbs all of the liquid (this step takes roughly 35 minutes). Remove thyme spring and stir in vegan parmesan.
  5. Spoon into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

 

Chef’s tip: In step No. 4, make sure liquid absorbs completely before adding more hot broth. This is VERY important!

Cool Blue Nice Cream

Cool Blue Nice Cream - The Vegan Rhino

 

Cool Blue Nice Cream - The Vegan Rhino 

If you have heard of nice cream, you are going to love this! For those of you have not, nice cream is essentially a non-dairy ice cream made by freezing bananas and blending them. It is probably the best snack to enjoy on a hot day, after dinner for dessert, or even after a workout. Either way, the options are endless on when you can enjoy this cool blue nice cream bowl! To get this color, I added a natural butterfly pea supercolor powder by Suncore foods. They have tons of amazing powders that can give your foods a natural color boost with added nutrients and benefits. This bowl was topped with banana, dried apricots, and strawberries. Its super simple and a tasty snack to try!

Cool Blue Nice Cream - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 1

Ingredients

4 frozen bananas

1/3 cup oat milk

2-3 tsp Suncore foods Blue Butterfly Pea Supercolor Powder

 

Directions

  1. In a blender, combine the frozen bananas, oat milk, and butterfly pea powder. Blend until smooth using a tamper to evenly mix the nice cream.
  2. Pour into a bowl and tip with strawberries, diced dried apricot, banana, or any toppings of your choice.

 

Chef’s tip: Feel free to switch up the powder used.