Squash and Apples? Yum!

Today is the first day of my 21 Day Detox, based on the 2012 Whole Living Action Plan (with vegan options). I tried the Squash Soup recipe as it was published but found it a little too much like pumpkin pie for my tastes. So I added some cumin and curry powder to give it an Indian flavor.

Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup  

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves, chopped
    1 inch fresh ginger, grated (2 tablespoons)
    1/2 teaspoons turmeric
    1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/8 teaspoon cardamom
    2 teaspoons cumin
    1 teaspoon curry powder
    Dash ground cloves
    2 carrots, peeled and chopped
    1 tart apple, peeled, quartered, and chopped
    4 cups chopped butternut squash
    Coarse salt and pepper
    Chia Seeds for Garnish

    Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, apple, squash, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover partially and reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

    Cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

    Working in batches, puree until smooth in a blender. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Happy Holidays - Sunburst Muffins

It's a beautiful sunny morning in Northern California ... unlike the blistery cold snowy Christmas morns I spent in Big Bear.  Somehow it seemed appropriate to celebrate the annual return of the Sun with a bright vibrant navel orange. I remembered a coffee cake that my mother used to make ... pulverizing an entire orange, adding in walnuts, cinnamon and sour cream.

I carefully chose my fruit and nuts, deciding on making muffins instead. And it was so therapeutic crushing those almond shells.  Thanks to Post Punk Kitchen for the basic recipe.

Sunburst Muffins

2 cups organic unbleached flour
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Himalayan salt
1 large orange
 1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
Zest and juice orange. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center and add canola oil, orange juice, zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix just until all wet ingredients are moistened. Add chopped almonds and dates.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, sprinkle tops with coarse sugar, and bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.
  

Holiday Feast - Stuffed Seitan Roast

Last night was the final meeting of my Empowerment Group for the year and we celebrated with a Potluck. I was surprised by the number of wonderful veg-friendly dishes that people brought. So I admit, I indulged in a few bites (well, more than a few) of food with dairy. One was a creamy pesto salad with wide noodles and green beans. It was very tasty and could easily be made vegan with a parmesan-free pesto and soy or coconut milk. Another was linguine with tomatoes and artichoke hearts in a white cheese sauce. Again, I think I'll try to replicate it without the dairy.

My contribution was a Stuffed Seitan Roast. Everyone seemed impressed that it was Vegan and several asked for the recipe. It's from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen with only a few modifications.

I should warn you, it will take about 2 hours from start to finish, so be sure to give yourself enough time ... not like I did!

STUFFED SEITAN ROLL

Stuffing

    1 large onion, chopped
    2 ribs celery, chopped
    8 ounces mushrooms, sliced or chopped
    1 1/2  teaspoons dried thyme
    1/2 - 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
    generous grinding of pepper
    4 slices whole wheat bread, cut into small cubes
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    1/2 cup vegetable broth or water

Seitan

    2 cups vital wheat gluten 
    1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1 teaspoon rubbed sage
    1 teaspoon marjoram
    1/3 cup quick oatmeal
    1 cup vegetable broth
    1 cup great northern beans or garbanzos, cooked
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 clove garlic, peeled
  
Baking Broth

    1/2 cup vegetable broth
    1 tbsp vegetable oil
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil (optional)

Instructions

Sauté the onion and celery in a non-stick skillet until onion is becoming translucent. Add the mushrooms, thyme, sage, and  black pepper. Cook until mushrooms exude their juices, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients along with enough water to moisten the stuffing but not make it soaking wet. Remove from heat and keep covered.

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Place the broth, white beans, soy sauce, and garlic in blender and process until liquefied. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the bean mixture, and stir until gluten is completely moistened.  Knead until dough holds together in a ball, adding more flour or liquid as needed. Set aside while you make the broth.

Heat the broth ingredients until hot but not boiling.

Assemble:

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil an oval or rectangular baking dish, 11-13 inches long and 6-8 inches wide. (Your seitan will expand to fit it, so try not to use a very wide dish.) Line your work surface with plastic wrap, parchment paper, or waxed paper. Place the dough in the center, cover it with plastic wrap, and roll out the seitan, making sure that it is the same thickness in all places, until it’s about 9×13 (an inch or so either way doesn’t matter, but make sure it’s not longer than your pan). Spread the stuffing evenly, leaving a 1-inch margin on all sides. Lift up the plastic wrap on one of the long edges and roll the seitan up like a jelly roll. (Alternatively, arrange the stuffing in a horizontal line across the middle of the seitan and bring one long edge up and over it to the other side.) Pinch the ends sealed first and then pinch well to seal the long seam. Take care to make sure that the edges are completely sealed and no gaps or stuffing shows. Lift the seitan roll carefully and place seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish. Pour the baking broth over it and seal tightly with foil so the roast can steam.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, baste with broth, recover tightly, and bake for another 25 minutes. Baste again and return to oven uncovered for about 30 minutes. Baste 2 or 3 times as it’s cooking. Seitan is done when top seems firm and brown and the broth has evaporated. You can test it by cutting a small slit in the middle; if it is doughy rather than firm, return to the oven.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer carefully to a cutting board or serving platter and cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Heating the Kitchen - Apple Crisp

The pilot is out in our unit and we're still waiting on the gas company, so we're using small space heaters and the range to help keep the house warm.

Since the oven was nicely (pre-)heated to 350 degrees and there were a dozen apples in the bowl, an Apple Crisp seemed the logical solution. This recipe is modified from Post Punk Kitchen. I thought it was incredibly tasty and my son (who doesn't care for sweets) must have as well ... this is all that was left!

APPLE CRISP

For the filling
4 lbs apples
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup vegan organic sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried chopped dates

For the topping
1/2 cup quick cooking oats (not instant)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tablespoon soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Set aside.
Place fruit in the baking dish, add sugars and spices and combine everything well (you may need to use your hands to do this). Pour cornstarch mixture over everything.
Prepare the topping, in a medium bowl, combining all dry ingredients. Add oil, soymilk, and vanilla, mix well. Crumble topping over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Tofu Spinach Lasagna

As much as my friends enjoyed the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, by the second go-round they were a little burned out on some of the food. So I decided to look for something new and found a Two-Week Vegan Meal Plan with recipes on the PETA Website. It uses more fake animal products than I care for, but it's great for my friends to be exposed to some meat alternatives, especially in the early stages of vegetarianism/veganism, helping them make the transition.

This recipe is an adaptation of one on their site. I added some white beans and nutritional yeast to the tofu mixture to give it a little more body, texture and taste. And I apologize for the photo. It looked a lot prettier before a ravenously dug in.

Tofu Spinach Lasagna - Serves 3-4

1/2 pkg oven ready lasagne noodles
1 lb. soft tofu
1/2 cup cooked white beans
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup soy milk
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 10-oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tbsp basil
2 cups tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process tofu, beans, nutritional yeast, soy milk, garlic, lemon juice and Italian seasonings until smooth.

Place small amount of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish. Top with layer of noodles, followed by tofu mixture, then spinach. Sprinkle with basil. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of noodles. Top with sauce and bake about half an hour.

à votre santé - Savory French Lentils

Inspired by Annie and Dan Shannon's Betty Goes Vegan, along with the movie Julie & Julia, I had briefly considered veganizing Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. But the uninhibited exaggerated use of animal-based products, made it nearly impossible. Still, I had some authentic herbes de provence (a souvenir from a friend's European vacation) that needed to be used. So I substituted the seasonings in this dish for the ones I had on hand.

SAVORY FRENCH LENTILS - Serves 3-4

3/4 cup dry French (puy) green lentils, rinsed
2 1/4 cups water
1 mushroom bouillon cube
3 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dry or fresh bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
freshly ground black pepper to taste
lemon wedges (for serving)

In a saucepan on high heat, combine all ingredients, except lemon wedges, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 35–40 minutes, or until lentils are tender and have absorbed most of the water. (If more water is needed to soften lentils, add 3–4 tablespoons of boiled water). Remove from heat and season with additional pepper if desired. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over portions.

Recipe from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton of www.plantpoweredkitchen.com.

Oriental Restaurant in my Own Kitchen - Tofu and Eggplant in Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Every once in a while, I cook a meal that is so aromatic, it turns my entire house into an ethnic restaurant. This is one such dish!

Tofu and Eggplant in Black Bean Garlic Sauce

1 tbsp peanut oil
12 oz firm tofu, cubed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2lb eggplant, cubed
1 bell pepper, sliced
5 green onions, sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
extra green onions, sliced, to garnish
steamed rice, to serve

Steam eggplant until tender crisp. Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil. Stir-fry tofu for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Stir-fry eggplant, garlic, pepper and onions for 6 to 7 minutes until tender. Thin bean sauce with 1-2 tbsp warm water. Stir into vegetable mixture. Return tofu to pan and stir to coat. Spoon into rice bowls. Top with extra onions.

Vegan MoFo - Mushroom Marsala

I loved being part of 2013 Vegan MoFo but I'm not accustomed to tracking and photographing my meals then blogging about them every day. So, now that life is back to what I consider normal (at least for me), I did take a picture of my dinner last night ...

MUSHROOM MARSALA - Serves 2

1/2 lb Mushrooms, sliced
1 small Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Vegetable Stock
1/4 cup Cribari Marsala

Saute onion in oil until transparent, Add garlic and mushrooms, stirring and cooking until lightly browned. Add stock and wine. Simmer about five minutes until desired consistency. Serve over noodles.

Everyday is a Day of Thanks - Seitan with Cornbread Stuffing and Brown Gravy

My mother is certain that it's Thanksgiving. The fact that Autumn has brought a bit of a chill to the air and the nursing home decided to serve Roast Turkey last week (and she's in the early stages of dementia) has her thoroughly convinced. I started to correct her but decided there was little point in disagreeing.

Of course, she's concerned that I won't be eating turkey. I promised her that I would have something appropriate and set about making seitan and cornbread. This meal does take some advance planning since the cornbread works best after it has cooled for a couple of hours (preferably overnight) and seitan can be a bit of a project. But I think that, once she sees what I'm having, she'll approve.

And even though it isn't officially Thanksgiving, every day that she graces on this planet is a day of thanks for me.

SEITAN WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING AND BROWN GRAVY

Make the cornbread several hours ahead of time, preferably the day before. Click here for the recipe I used, substituting unsweetened soy milk. You might want to work on the seitan while the cornbread is baking. This recipe worked really well and made nice thin slices when done.

Stuffing:
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
2 cups cornbread, cubed
1/2 cup vegetable broth

Saute the onion and celery in the sesame oil. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spices with the bread and cornbread, mixing well. Add the onion and celery and stir to combine. Add broth just until moistened, adding more or less as needed.

Cut seitan roast in 1/8-1/4" slices. Lightly oil casserole dish or individual ramekins. Layer seitan and stuffing. Since I had some Simply Organic Vegetarian Brown Gravy Mix on hand, I went ahead and used that, adding 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence   Pour gravy over the seitan and stuffing layers. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Six Shades of Green - Enchiladas Verde

Firey Red Enchilada Sauce is one of my favorite condiments but sometimes, like today, I just want a nice mellow Salsa Verde. That means finding a filling that doesn't overpower it. Flashback to a 13-year-old Betty Crocker Easy Vegetarian Booklet. The original calls for shredded and cream cheese ... ingredients I no longer use. So I had to adapt it a bit. The results were pretty tasty.

ENCHILADAS VERDE

1 medium zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
4 medium green onions, sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground oregano
1 cup cannellini beans
1/2 package soft tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups prepared green sauce (salsa verde)
Avocado, green onions and cilantro for garnish

Sprinkle shredded zucchini with salt and let sit for about 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture. Drain and dry. Combine zucchini, cilantro, spinach, onions, soy, cumin, chili powder and oregano in bowl. Mix well and set aside. In food processor, puree beans, tofu, nutritional yeast and garlic until smooth and spreadable. Add salt and pepper. Soften tortillas on hot griddle. Spread bean/tofu mixture on each tortilla,retaining a small amount for garnish, top with zucchini mixture and roll into enchiladas. Place seam side down in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Top with salsa verde. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees until sauce bubbles. Dollop remaining bean/tofu mixture on enchiladas and garnish with sliced avocados, green onions and cilantro.

Hot/Cold, Tender/Crisp, Sweet/Sour

I hadn't realized how many contradictory terms punctuate my recipe files. But often the interplay of these flavors and textures turns ordinary ingredients into something noteworthy. Today, I decided to use up my last can of Vegetable Skallops and simmer them in a tasty sweet sour sauce.

SWEET SOUR SEITAN - Serves 3-4

1 can Worthington Vegetable Skallops, coarsely chopped
1 large can pineapple chunks with juice
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup date palm sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp chinese five spice
2 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
3-4 cups cooked brown rice

Saute skallops and onion until onion is translucent. Add bell pepper and pineapple. Cook until they start to brown.Whisk vinegar, sugar, water, soy sauce, seasonings and arrowroot in small bowl. Add to vegetables. Cook until thickened, adding more water if needed. Stir in sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Peanut Butter - Hold the Jelly

Okay ... I suppose of all my quirks and addictions, my penchant for peanut butter is the most benign. I put a spoon or two into my oatmeal along with sliced bananas, add it to my waffle batter with a little maple syrup, slather it on an English Muffin for a midnight snack, stir it into my butternut squash soup and sometimes even turn it into cookies with dark chocolate chunks. So it's probably not surprising that tonight it ended up in my oriental noodle dish.

VEGETABLE LO MEIN

8 ounces dry udon noodles
1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons arrowroot
1 cup vegetable broth, divided
3 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 package broccoli slaw
8 ounces sliced mushroom
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1. Cook udon noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Marinate tofu in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 teaspoons arrowroot for 15 minutes.
3. In a measuring cup, mix together remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon arrowroot, ½ cup broth, peanut butter, and chili sauce. Mix well and set aside
4. Spray a large wok (or large skillet) with cooking spray. Add tofu with its marinade to wok and stir-fry tofu until browned on all sides. Remove tofu and set aside.
5. Heat 1/4 cup broth in the wok and add onion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add celery, mushrooms and broccoli slaw. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth, cover, and steam vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tofu and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add sauce and sesame oil, turning to coat tofu and vegetables. Add cooked udon noodles and turn to coat noodles with sauce. 

Ratatouille + Pasta = Awesome Dinner

Summer is officially over but the squash plants don't seem to realize it ... and there are only so many ways you can eat zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant before the dishes all taste alike. Fortunately, I had some leftover marinara sauce and lasagna noodles on hand. And once the ratatouille is made, this dish goes together very quickly. 

• RATATOUILLE LASAGNA
• 1 small eggplant
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 red or yellow pepper
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/2 cup fresh
• 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 2 small yellow squash
• 1/2 cup pureed cannellini beans
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried italian seasoning blend
• 1 cup prepared marinara sauce
• 12 lasagna noodles

Chop onion and mince garlic. Saute over medium heat until softened. Add chopped yellow or red pepper. Peel eggplant and chop coarsely. Remove ends of zucchini and chop coarsely. Add to pan. Saute until slightly browned. Chop tomatoes, adding to pan. Stir in seasonings, tomatoes, vinegar and agave. Simmer until vegetables are tender crisp, adding water if needed. 

Meanwhile, chop yellow squash and steam until soft. Mash cooked squash in bowl. Add beans and nutritional yeast. Set aside. 

Cook noodles according to package directions. Spread thin layer of marinara in bottom of deep baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, followed by a layer of the eggplant mixture. Spread half the yellow squash mixture over eggplant and top with noodles. Repeat layers. Top with marinara sauce.

Bake for half an hour at 350 degrees until sides bubble and casserole is firm.

Taco Night! Ole!

Seeing a Pinterest post for Cauliflower Buffalo Wings made me realize I hadn't made tacos in a while. I've tried them the traditional way, just substituting TVP for the Ground Beef and Daiya for the Cheese and those were great while I was transitioning. But now I tend to veer away from meat substitutes, figuring if that's what I need, then maybe I'm not really ready to go vegan full-time.

BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER SOFT TACOS WITH BROCCOLI SLAW IN RANCH DRESSING

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 Tbsp melted vegan margarine
1 tsp garlic powder
1 lb prepared broccoli slaw
1/2 cup vegannaise
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
12 corn tortillas

Steam cauliflower until tender crisp. Whisk hot sauce with melted margarine and 1 tsp garlic powder then toss with cauliflower to coat evenly. Saute until lightly browned.

While cauliflower is steaming, whisk remaining seasonings into vegannaise in medium bowl. I like mine really thick so the slaw doesn't get runny, but you can thin with soymilk if you prefer. Toss with broccoli slaw and set aside.

Heat tortillas on a griddle until heated through. Top with browned cauliflower and prepared slaw.

I'd tell you this will serve 3-4 people but I'd be lying ... I can eat 6 tacos all by myself!

Better Burgers

Nery is having so much fun in her kitchen these days ... creating all sorts of wonderful dishes from the Vegan Kickstart. This one even passed muster with her carnivorous spouse!

CHICKPEA SENSATION PATTIES

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked chickpeas (drained)
2 medium-large garlic cloves, quartered
2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (see note for gluten-free option)
2 tablespoons Braggs Aminos
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon capers
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, divided
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons rolled oats

 
In a nonstick pan on medium heat, water saute onion, celery, salt, and black pepper for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion and celery start to soften. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree chickpeas with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, aminos, thyme, capers, and salt. Add sauteed veggies and puree to incorporate. Add 1 cup brown rice and puree to combine, then add remaining rice and pulse to incorporate but retain some texture. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in oats. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Remove from refrigerator and form into patties with your hands. Fry for 6-9 minutes each side, until golden.

I Must Be a Mushroom ...

... People keep me in the dark and feed me bu!!$hit. But I think if I was a Portobello or Chanterelle, it wouldn't bother me as much. Maybe that's a good lesson for me - to pretend that I'm a beautiful gourmet mushroom and use the bad behavior of others to my own benefit.

Meanwhile, all this talk about mushrooms has me craving fajitas again. So I'm borrowing Nery's photo of this wonderful dish to share with you. She's been on the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart with me and has lost weight, feels lots healthier, and looks great! Now that she's experienced so many flavorful vegan dishes, she says that she can't imagine going back to her old way of cooking!

PORTOBELLO FAJITAS

1/2 onion, thinly sliced
Splash of water (about 3 tablespoons)
2 large portobello caps, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large roasted red pepper, sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Corn or whole wheat flour tortillas
Salsa or lime wedges

Over medium-high heat, sauté the onion until it turns a rich, dark, brown color. Add a splash of water and quickly stir. The liquid will evaporate in just a few seconds. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the portobellos and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms glisten and lose their raw, whitish look. Add the cumin and chili powder; sauté for 15 to 30 more seconds. Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add the roasted red peppers and cilantro. Serve with tortillas as well as salsa or lime wedges.

Rice is Nice

Nothing exciting today since I'm trying to eat up some of my leftovers. But I did make up a batch of rice and realized that my DIY Rice-a-Roni might be worth sharing. It's not as healthy as brown rice but, at less than 10 Cents a Serving, it's a quick, easy, and inexpensive side dish.

RICEY-RONEY - Serves 2 hungry men

1 cup long grain white rice
1/4 cup vermicilli
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons dried chopped onion
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute rice and vermicilli in oil until rice becomes opaque. Stir in dried onion and broth. Cover and simmer approximately 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Season to taste.

Variations:  (Note - Always add these ingredients after sauteing the rice and pasta.)
For Asian Rice, add 3 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce, 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil and a dash of Chinese Five-Spice.
For Spanish Rice, use veggie "chicken" bouillon instead of broth, add a cup of Chopped Tomatoes, and season with 1 tsp each Cumin, Chili Powder and Oregano.
For Confetti Rice, add a cup of frozen mixed vegetables.

Baseball and Pizza

I admit it's rather difficult living in Giant territory when the L.A. DODGERS will always be our home team of heart. And despite their loss yesterday, the Dodgers are still leading their division. That makes my usually somber son extremely happy!

The only thing that makes him even happier than watching a winning game is to watch the game while scarfing down pizza. And the fact that it's relatively healthy makes me happy!

BBQ TOFU PIZZA

Smoked Tofu

1 pkg firm tofu, cut into 8 slices
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp liquid smoke or 2 tbsp steak sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Drain and slice tofu and place in marinade for at least one hour. You can grill them until they're browned on both sides or bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes a side or fry them on a griddle. Whichever works best for you.

BBQ Pizza

1 large prepared pizza crust (Trader Joe's wheat dough is good)
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 small red onion, chopped or sliced
1 small bell pepper, chopped or sliced
1 recipe smoked tofu

Spread BBQ sauce on crust, using more if you like it saucier. Top with remaining ingredients. You can cut the tofu into smaller slices or crumble it over the top. You can also add sliced mushrooms. Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crust starts to brown.

I added some sliced mushrooms and fresh spinach to this one. Feel free to vary the veggies.

Note - You can make individual pizzas using pita bread as a crust, just reduce the baking time.   And, trust me ... you won't miss the cheese!

Fiesta/Siesta

For some reason, I was up at the crack of dawn today. Unfortunately, my mind tends to keep racing long after my body waves the checkered flag. So I dutifully performed my weekend chores of dusting, laundering and mopping, then turned my attention to cooking. The leftover tofu scramble sounded okay but it needed a bit of a kick. And since I had some refried beans, corn tortillas, salsa and avocados on hand, a Mexican brunch sounded like the prefect solution.

TOFU HUEVOS RANCHEROS

This dish doesn't have a recipe as much as it has assembly instructions.  My go-to for tofu scramble is on the old blog of Meet The Shannons. Just click here for the recipe.

Spread refried beans on a corn tortilla and heat in a toaster oven until the beans are warm and the tortilla starts to brown. Top with a couple spoons of tofu scramble. Drizzle with salsa and garnish with avocados. I would have also used some fresh cilantro with sliced green onions if I'd had any on hand.

This would be great for company brunch along with margaritas or sangria! But for now, I think I'll take a nap!

Autumn is in the Air

While my friends in Southern California are enduring a bit of an Indian Summer, I'm watching the leaves turn golden, orange and red from my window off the Sonoma Coast. The weather is perfect for a hearty chili and the combination of spices in this one really hits the spot!

SWEET POTATO LENTIL CHILI  - Serves 6

  
1 3/4 cups onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 - 2 1/2 cups orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 1/4 cups dry red lentils
2 1/2 cups water
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 - 14 oz can black or kidney beans, rinsed
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedges (for serving)

In large pot on medium heat, add a small amount of water, the onions, celery, sweet potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices, and stir through. Cover and water saute for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally; reducing heat if onions are sticking to bottom of pot. Rinse lentils. Add to pot with water, tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf, and stir to combine. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in lime juice and serve portions with lime wedges.

Photo Credit: Nery Alfonso

Eastern Indian Feast

I love, love, LOVE Eastern Indian food! The combination of ingredients and spices never fails to make my mouth water. So I was very happy to see an Indian Day on Kickstart and thought I'd try something special for lunch.

ALOO GOBI WITH HERB ROTI

The Aloo Gobi was really good just the way it was. But garbanzo and whole wheat are both such dense flours, the Herb Roti was a little too heavy for my taste. Next time, I'll probably try a mixture of 2/3 cup garbanzo, 2/3 cup whole wheat with 2/3 cup unbleached white and see if that helps.

1 onion, chopped or thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, or 1 1/2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
head cauliflower, broken or cut into bite-size florets (3-4 cups)
2 medium potatoes, chopped (peeling optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Toast cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside.

Heat 1/2 cup water in a large pot. Add onion and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften. Reduce heat to medium. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Continue cooking, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed to prevent sticking. Add spices to vegetables along with tomatoes, and salt. Stir to mix, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until flavors are blended.

Day 11 of the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart

I seldom follow recipes to the letter but today I came really, really close! I didn't have fresh basil on hand so I had to use dried basil. And my jar of stuffed olives had been turned into tapenade, but that was pretty much it. And since I sauteed everything until it was fully cooked, I didn't bother putting it in the oven.

PENNE AL FORNO

8–10 fresh basil leaves
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
Water
16 ounces brown rice penne pasta
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
6–8 green olives stuffed with garlic, sliced, or ¼ cup pitted whole kalamata olives
2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce
2 cups rinsed cooked cannellini beans (optional)

Roll the basil leaves tightly and slice them into ribbons. Over medium heat, sauté the carrots, celery, zucchini, and onion for about 3 to 5 minutes (this will ensure they are soft enough by the time they are done baking and will help all the flavors meld). Bring the water to a boil. Add the brown rice pasta and stir. Cook the pasta until it is slightly underdone (it will finish cooking in the oven). Immediately mix all the ingredients together in deep baking dish. Cover the dish. Bake the pasta at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. If you want to add the beans, stir them into the pasta just after it comes out of the oven.

Cooking with Yam Noodles

Today my son was craving Fettuccine Alfredo, a creamy buttery dish that I often enjoyed with him. But alas, the rich sauce is laden with animal products (along with all the hormones and antibiotics) and unhealthy fats. So I made the next best thing.

SHIRATAKI PRIMAVERA

I'm still having a rough time finding the perfect vegan alfredo sauce. This time I used the recipe from Happy Herbivore. It was quick and easy. But in searching the web, I have found others that are soy-free and/or nutritional yeast-free that I will be trying.

1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/4 lb sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
12 ounces soft silken tofu
1 cup soy milk
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 packages tofu shirataki noodles , cooked according to package instructions

Blend tofu with milk, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder and a light dash of cayenne pepper (optional, or alternatively, add a drop or two of hot sauce) until smooth and creamy. Set aside. Saute onion until softened, add garlic and cook until fragrant, add zucchini and mushrooms, cooking until slightly browned. Add flour and seasoning mix, toasting lightly. Pour in sauce, add nutritional yeast and stir well. Cook until fairly thick. Fold in prepared noodles, coating evenly and serve.

Note - Shirataki Noodles have a strong odor and a bit of an aftertaste. Be sure to rinse them well before and after cooking. They are best in dishes where they are completely covered with sauce

Cuban Black Beans Revisited

On the Menu Plan for today's 21 Day Vegan Kickstart is a Cuban Black Bean Soup. Fortunately, I had some cooked beans left over from the other night so I had a jump start. But en route to the soup, I decided to turn them into something crunchy. CUBAN BLACK BEAN TAQUITOS!  And they were so easy, there isn't really a recipe.

I diced a couple of small potatoes (about 1 cup) and boiled them until tender, draining the cooking water. Then I added a cup of the Cuban Black Beans, 1/4 cup of Salsa Verde and mashed everything until chunky but spreadable. I heated twelve corn tortillas on a hot griddle until softened and spread them with a couple spoonfuls of the mixture, rolled them tightly and placed them on a greased cooking pan. It only took 7-8 minutes per side in my toaster oven.

The Creamy Guacamole was just as easy. I mashed two small avocados, added 1/4 Vegannaise and 1/4 cup garden salsa.

Saturday Breakfast

The weekend is finally here and a leisurely Saturday breakfast is a great way to celebrate.

I've tried several recipes for TOFU SCRAMBLE over the years but always seem to go back to the one at MeetTheShannons . Annie decided to  veganize over 500 recipes from the Betty Crocker Cookbook ... and the results were fantastic!

    
        6 Red Potatoes (small and cubed)
        1 Package of Firm Tofu (drained)
        Olive Oil for Cooking
        1 Splash of Liquid Smoke
        Salt for boiling water - I wouldn't add more than 2 teaspoons.
        4 Medium Green Onions (chopped)
        1/2 of 1 Red Pepper (sliced)
        1 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
        1 Teaspoon Thyme
        1 Teaspoon Basil (dried)
        1 Teaspoon Paprika
        1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
        1 Teaspoon Braggs Aminos
        1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast

    Heat salted water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water starts to boil - add the Potatoes and cover the pot. Remove the Potatoes once they are tender.

    Add one splash of Liquid Smoke to Olive Oil in a Skillet. Add the Potatoes and fry on medium heat. Let them start to get crispy on one side before flipping. Once they start to brown, add the Green Onion and Red Pepper and cook until softened.

    In a large bowl - Mash Tofu and then mix in Nutritional Yeast, Cumin, Basil, Thyme, Paprika, Braggs and Turmeric. Pour into the Potatoes. Mix in the Skillet till the vegetables are covered. You may need to add a bit more oil. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until it reached the desired texture.

Remove the Scramble from the skillet and garnish with imitation bacon bits if desired.

Faux BBQ

Perhaps it's the warm Indian Summer or the lingering memory of Labor Day grill fests, but I'm craving something slathered in BBQ sauce. Fortunately, I had a box of VEGGIE RIBS in the pantry so I didn't have to start from scratch. It's the first time I've used this mix and while it wasn't bad in a pinch, I'll probably make my own savory seitan to do the job next time.

The MACARONI SALAD was from scratch though. I used a simple recipe, my son's favorite (he doesn't like it when I go gourmet on him, adding kalamatas, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, etc.) so I just prepared a pound of  noodles according to package directions, drained and rinsed, then let them cool. I added about half a cup of vegannaise, a couple tablespoons of sweet relish, a couple tablespoons of dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

The trick to an "eggy" flavor is using black sea salt. I bought mine at Savory Spice Shop in Santa Rosa.

Eating "Out" at Home - Vegetable Fajitas

Today's 21-Day Vegan Kickstart menu plan suggested going out to a Mexican restaurant for dinner tonight. I find that I can't always trust restaurants to not use chicken broth to prepare their rice or animal fats to prepare their beans so it's much safer to eat here at home where I know what goes into each dish. And with these vegetable fajitas, I don't miss the restaurant at all (well maybe the margaritas).

VEGETABLE FAJITAS

I started by making a tomato based marinade using one cup of tomato sauce and adding the following seasonings:
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons pasillas chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Slice the following vegetables and marinate at least one hour:
1 onion
1 bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 zucchini
1/2 lb mushrooms (portobellos are best)
Saute in oiled pan until vegetables become somewhat limp and slightly browned. Serve with tortillas, garnished with avocado.

Curried Tomato Lentil Soup

This is from PCRM 21 Day Vegan Kickstart ... with some minor modifications. Guess I should have spiffed up my little crock pot before taking it's photo. Oh well. This turned out really tasty.

Curried Tomato Lentil Soup 

Serves 4

This recipe is based on an Ethiopian soup with a rich, deep curry flavor and complex textures. It’s easy to make in a big batch for the week ahead, but it’s so good, don’t expect it to last more than a couple of days.

1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder (berbere is preferable)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup brown or green lentils
1 Yukon Gold potato, diced
1/2 cup brown rice

Add the onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and fenugreek, veggie broth and tomato paste, to slow cooker, stirring until the tomato paste is thoroughly combined with the broth. Simmer on low for 4 hours.. Add the lentils, stir and simmer on low for another 3-4 hours until the lentils soften.
Puree about half the soup and return to pot.

Crispy Orange Tofu

This is based on an recipe from an awesome cookbook called Chloe's Kitchen. I've toted it to potlucks and my friends can't believe it's tofu ... and vegan. I just smile and bask in the compliments.

14 oz extra firm tofu
1 lb stir-fry vegetables
1 cup orange juice
Zest from 1/4 orange
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp sea salt

Drain and press tofu then cut into 1/2" cubes. Dredge in cornstarch and salt, and fry in a small amount of oil until golden brown. Remove from pan and blot to remove excess oil. Saute the stir-fry vegetables for a few minutes. Return tofu to pan. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over tofu. Simmer until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

What's for Lunch - Falafel Plate

Today's 21-Day Vegan Kickstart midday meal plan calls for a hummus wrap but I couldn't leave it at that. I tend to keep cooked garbanzos, Falafel mix and Tabbouleh mix on hand so it went together pretty quickly until I realized I was out of tahini. Yikes!

I really like the added richness and slight sesame flavor so I added a splash of soy milk and toasted sesame oil instead. It didn't taste exactly as the original, but pretty darn close. And by the time I dusted it with smoked paprika and pine nuts, I really couldn't taste the difference.

I like making my falafels in small meatball sized patties so they have a crispier texture and I don't need as much oil to fry them. A scoop of hummus and a scoop of tabbouleh topped with a few patties and wrapped in a lettuce leaf were the perfect way to celebrate the end of the holiday weekend.

Happy Labor Day!

Cacciatore di Verdure

Welcome to the first day of VeganMoFo! I've been cooking up some recipes from the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart Meal Plan the past couple of days, but also creating recipes based on what I already had in my fridge and pantry. This Cacciatore is a result. I chopped all the veggies in nice large chunks.

1 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped zucchini
1 chopped stalk celery
3-4 cloves minced garlic
2-3 large portobello caps
1 cup stewed tomatoes
1-2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
1-2  tbsp capers (optional)
1 tbsp ground thyme
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 cup vegan chardonnay

Saute vegetables in olive oil until slightly browned. Add tomatoes, herbs and wine. Simmer until vegetables are tender and wine has cooked down to a thick sauce. Drain and rinse capers and stir into vegetables. Toss with cooked noodles to serve.

This should make enough for 3-4 people but I was really hungry!

Note - Many vintners use blood and bone marrow, casein (milk protein), chitin (fiber from crustacean shells), egg albumen (derived from egg whites), fish oil, gelatin (protein from boiling animal parts), and isinglass (gelatin from fish bladder membranes) to clarify their wines.

Click Here for a list of vegan-friendly wines compiled by another blogger.

2013 VeganMoFo

7 Minutes to go! I feel like I'm counting down on New Year's Eve. And for some of my friends who will be following along and trying some of my animal-free dishes, it may well be the start of a new year ... a new lifestyle ... for them. To your health and the health of the planet!

Tempeh Mushroom Stroganoff

I just finished leafing through Angeline Linardis's "V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking" and had to try one of her more intriguing recipes, especially since I had most of the ingredients on hand. I don't usually have sherry in the house, but I do have an opened bottle of Marsala so I decided to substitute. And I'm not a huge fan of tarragon so I omitted it. Otherwise, I pretty much followed the recipe ... which is unusual for me. Instead of tofu or vegan sour cream as the sauce base, it called for pureed white beans.

The end result was a very flavorful, high-protein meal with a creaminess I did not expect.This one's a keeper! And, if you haven't done so already, I strongly recommend you add this book to your shelf.

Unfortunately, I don't have permission to publish the recipe, but here's a link to a Tempeh and Mushroom Stroganoff recipe from WholeFoods. Just imagine it with a Rich White Bean and Marsala Sauce instead of the pretend sour cream with vegan worcestershire.

The Pressure is on

Now that I've committed to next month's VeganMoFo, I'm scrambling to organize my pantry and put my recipes in order. I've been saving so many interesting Vegan dishes to Pinterest over the past several months, I've got plenty to choose from ... maybe too many.

But I usually don't give much thought to dinner, grabbing whatever I have on hand, then blending flavors and textures that seem like they'd complement each together. And they usually do. It will be a challenge for me to do a little advance planning so the ingredients and process will be camera-ready.

Oh well. I can do this!

Back In Action

Where did the past year go?

I've been viewing and posting to Pinterest like a crazy lady but have completely ignored my own little blog and it's feeling sorely neglected. Well, I guess it's time to remedy that. VeganMoFo is less than one month away and I need to get serious about posting on a regular basis - sharing the bounty of my kitchen with other Herbivores. I know that I can commit to posting at least 5 times a week. How about you?

Click here for the VeganMoFo Signup Form! I look forward to seeing your posts and sharing my own.