Sesame-Mustard Vinaigrette (page 60) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

I snagged this Vinaigrette recipe from the Iceberg Lettuce, Cucumber, and Carrot Salad to use with my own greens - namely, a bag of spinach and beet greens, with some carrots and black olives tossed in for extra nom. Actually, the black olives didn’t pair so well with the dressing, but that’s okay - I know now not to use them again.

Otherwise, two thumbs up!

Sichuan-Style Lo Mein with Sesame and Garlic (page 100) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

You guys, I came so close to messing this one up something epic! Instead of one tablespoon of sesame oil, I used three. (That’ll teach me to multitask in the kitchen!) Luckily, I was able to salvage the sauce by adding extra soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar to even things up. Sure, I ended with with a little leftover sauce, but I can use it on a bowl of rice and veggies. Recycling!

This is a super-garlicky and sesame-y lo mein (though probably mine is more over-the-top than most), with eight - count ‘em, eight - cloves of garlic and both toasted sesame oil and tahini. I tossed in a few miscellaneous mushrooms I had on hand but otherwise, this is a very noodle-centric recipe. In other words, yay!

Though I didn’t like it quite as much as the Pantry Lo Mein, I think it’s my own fault for mucking it up. This has the potential to be another super-delicious dish.

Country-Style Vegetable Stew with Tofu Puffs (page 43) and Chinese Corn Flour Flatbread (page 6) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

Instant Ramen Noodle Soup with Vegetables (page 45) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

Probably owing to the fact that I lived at home all throughout college, I never had to subsist on ramen noodles. In fact, I’m not even sure I tried them prior to making the Instant Ramen Noodle Soup. Which is weird, because I love all the noodley things!

And today’s dish is no exception: deceptively simple, this soup is lip-smacking good. With just eight ingredients (nine, if you count the water), it’s a snap to prepare and makes for a tasty on-the-go meal. Not instant, exactly, but about as close to it as homemade can get.

Pantry Lo Mein (page 98) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

WOW. This lo mein is even better than takeout!

The main recipe is just for lo mein noodles and a sauce, but Klein provides variations for a few different dishes. Pictured above is the Spinach and Mushroom Lo Mein, with the spinach swapped out for grated carrots. (Though I did serve the noodles on a bed of spinach - perfection!) The stir fried veggies also come with their own saucy goodness, so you could just easily serve ‘em on rice or pancakes. Versatile!

Roasted Sesame Green Beans (page 160) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012). SO GOOD!

Stir-Fried Bok Choy & Shiitake Mushrooms (page 152) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

The mushroom soy sauce really makes this sing! (Seriously, why am I just now trying mushroom soy sauce? Someone tell me please!) Garlic, bok choy, and mushrooms satueed in peanut oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce, served atop a pile of rice, and topped with peanuts.

I’m finding that I’m not a huge fan of steamed or fried greens - I prefer them fresh and crispy instead of wet and stringy - so next time I make this, I’ll probably swap them out for baby corn. But the mushrooms are delish, and the saucy broth? Triply so!

Most of the effort is in the prep - two pounds of bok choy takes forever to slice! - but the rest of the process? Easy peasy.

Roasted Carrots with Sesame and Ginger (page 155) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

Coated with a delicious, sweet soy sauce-rice vinegar-ginger-sesame glaze, these roasted carrots are so good that you might want to eat them on their own, as a snack. The recommended cook time is 20 to 25 minutes, but I had to cook them a little longer to get them nice and tender. No big.

Almost as easy as they are tasty!

Velvet Corn Soup (page 35) from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein (2012).

This soup is a lot like my favorite potato and corn “spowder,” but minus the potatoes and with white wine, sesame oil, and soy sauce for extra flavor. Okay, so maybe it’s not that similar after all! Either way, the Velvet Corn Soup is quite tasty, though a little on the thin side. Drink it from a mug or add a little flour for a thicker consistency!

Chinese Sweet Walnuts from Donna Klein’s The Chinese Vegan Kitchen (page 27). Super tasty!