First Attempt at Vegan Paella

 A long time time ago, before I became vegan, my Mom made this amazing Paella dish. I remember just loving it. All the flavors coming together in this delicious Spanish rice dish with saffron and other spices. The non-vegan version often has sausage, shrimp and/or fish in it, so this version obviously does not include these things. 

This recipe was a bit confusing because the rice was cooking much slower than the recipe said it would, my husband was in a hurry this night and had to leave, so our first serving of the dish was more like a soup with undercooked rice, which doesn't match the idea of a good Spanish rice dish. This recipe also didn't call for

saffron, but Chris and I had purchased some from Trader Joes just for making Paella. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish and after we tried a second bowl, where the rice was more cooked, I was looking for ways to improve upon it. One thing I did was used fresh tomatoes instead of the canned that were called for in the recipe and I think that may have changed the flavor. So, next time I'll use canned tomatoes. Also, I might try making and adding some vegan "sausage". I might also try adding oyster mushrooms. My husband had tried a dish in Milwaukee at a vegan restaurant that had oyster mushrooms in it and they tasted and had the texture of scallops. I don't think this dish really needs a meat substitute, but it might be worth a try. 

The artichoke hearts and the mushrooms in this recipe give it that almost meaty texture. This recipe is great if you are in the mood for something different. The other part of the recipe that I didn't follow, was that it says to add fresh squeezed lemon at the end. I did not do that. So, first I think I will just try to make it with the canned tomatoes, add the lemon juice, and lastly throw in some spices at the end. I think those steps alone will improve it exponentially. 

If you love Paella and want a healthier version of it, or are in the mood to try something a little different, I totally recommend this recipe. 

When my husband and I were in San Diego we were at a winery that had one vegan option. It was a Vegan Paella that I was really

excited to try. The chef made it up for us and besides being very oily, it was very delicious. It had all sorts of delicious vegetables that wouldn't normally be found in a Paella. Since having it I have wanted to try and copy it, but obviously with way less oil. This recipe was the start of my experimenting. So you may be seeing more Paella recipes pop up in the future!