African Peanut stew & a little soap box....

As is so often the case in life my professional and personal lives overlapped in tonight's dinner. My students are currently learning about the music from the continent of Africa. Dinner to night was an African Peanut Stew. Both of these things, dinner and music class illustrate a key problem we have in public perception. Africa is a CONTINENT full of many different countries and cultures. So to call something African is about as definitive as to call something European.... it doesn't really define the culture that it is from nor (since Africa is so large) does it really even pinpoint a region. Is it from Egypt? Ethiopia? South Africa? Nigeria??





Before you assume that I am going ballistic over something as simple as the name of a stew, please understand that I see this as symptomatic of a larger problem. We (and I am including myself in this) simply lack knowledge about the vast continent of Africa. Perhaps this is due to the way Africa is portrayed in the media, educational bias, or lack of exposure. However, once we are aware of such a vast hole in our knowledge; the appropriate thing to do (in my humble opinion) is not to sit back and be content in our ignorance but to work to correct it. So I am learning new information about Africa along with my students this month.





And I hope to share some of that (the food stuff) with you! So for your information and possible enlightenment, here we go! Nearly every vegan cookbook worth it's salt has a version of an African Peanut Stew which is made with veggies (such as Yams) and peanuts.

Yams (often replaced with sweet potatoes) are common throughout West and Central Africa. In Nigeria (according to one of my kiddie books) they are commonly served fried as a snack.

Peanuts are also common throughout Western Africa and are the main crop of Senegal. In fact though, it seems peanuts were not native to Africa or North America. The versatile peanut was first brought to Africa by Portuguese Travelers from South America.

(FYI: If you want more information about African food crops, this website is incredibly informational!)





Where did the "African" stew actually originate though? Is there really such a thing? Or is it a North American creation based on African ingredients? Well.... that's an interesting question. It seems that many of the West African Countries have some sort of Peanut Stew tradition: Senegal, Nigeria & Ghana just to name a few. My recipe seems to be most similar to the Senegalese version. So I think that the name could be more specifically West African Peanut Stew OR Senegalese Peanut Stew. Take your pick. (If I am wrong and you know differently, I am happy to hear about your experiences.)




This was a lot of talking, when you probably just wanted a recipe.... So I will now put away my soapbox and pull out my oven mitts!

West African/ Senegalese Peanut Stew

Ingredients:

1TBS oil

1 Large onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 inch of ginger, finely chopped

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

2 heaping tsp cumin

1 tsp tsp coriander

hot chillies (minced to taste** see note)

1 can chick peas

28 ounces canned diced tomatoes

water

2 bouillon cubes, veggie or not-chicken flavored

4 sweet potatoes or yams

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup frozen spinach

corn starch, if necessary

Method:

1. 
   
   In oil saute onion until translucent then add red and hot peppers. Saute 2-3 more minutes.


2. 
   
   Stir in garlic, oil, and spices. Saute one minute (be careful not to burn garlic!!) then add tomatoes and bring to a boil.


3. 
   
   Add bouillon cubes, sweet potatoes, and beans. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil.


4. 
   
   "Dissolve" the peanut butter into a small amount of the boiling liquid and add to stew.


5. 
   
   Cook until sweet potatoes are done.


6. 
   
   Stir in spinach, heat through.


7. 
   
   Thicken with corn starch, if necessary.

(** Note, I cheated on the hot peppers and used a very hot pepper puree that I had already prepared. The flavor was still great and prep time was reduced.)

only the best vegan wrap ever...

Today I enjoyed the best lunch I have ever packed for myself. I had a Southwestern Seitan Wrap with chipotle dressing. Can I say DE-LI-CI-OUS!! The fact that it was easy only makes it better. If you have seen one wrap you have seen them all. So instead, here is a picture of the filling:


I chose a whole wheat wrap for "nutrition" and portability, but this would probably be good also with crackers or on toast. (I often find wraps to be of dubious nutritious value... even though they are touted as the healthy alternative to regular bread. Plus it is harder to find vegan ones around here than it is to find vegan bread)

The filling consisted of (this is enough to make two) :

• lettuce (3-4 leaves)
• chopped spinach (1/4 cup or so)
  
• chicken style seitan (say 3-4 ounces)
• avocado (to taste... I used about 1/4 cup)
• scallions
• chopped bell peppers
  
• black beans (say 1/4 cup)
• corn (another 1/4 cup)
• chopped tomatoes (1/4 cup)
• vegan mayonaise (a few tablespoons)
• the adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (to taste... I like it spicy)
• a few squirts lime juice
• vegan cheese shreds, if desired... (i didn't use these)

I mixed the mayo, chipotle sauce and tomatoes together SEPARATE from the other stuff and then combined them. That way the liquid from the tomatoes helped thin out the dressing a bit.

Nothing beats the cold like a good soup!

I hope it is not as cold where you are, faithful readers as it is here! It seems like the cold is following me. When we left Baltimore, there had just been a blizzard, once we arrived in Connecticut they were having a cold snap (running in 12 degrees?! really??!!) and now that we are back home it is cold and windy again (Now I am running in the 20's with extreme winds...). Luckily I am becoming used to the cold and beginning to develop techniques for handling it better. In addition to clothing tricks (layers, layers, and more layers) and common sense stuff (don't go out with wet hair!), I have discovered just how much I love a good hot soup! In fact nothing seems to warm me up like a good soup.

Luckily vegan soups abound. They are easy, tasty, nutritious and warming. In the few days since our return I have already made two! The oyster mushroom stew was my first attempt at using oyster mushrooms in anything. In fact, I bought them without really being sure what I was going to do with them. Then I found this recipe on the site http://www.veg-world.com/recipes/oyster.htm. Let me tell you.... I was not disappointed... this stew was reminiscent of the chowders my mother used to serve in the winters, but without dairy, meat or seafood! It was delicious! The mushrooms were slightly chewy, meaty and with the faint flavor of shellfish (like an oyster or clam) without being overwhelming. The broth was creamy, rich and flavorful as well. As I was eating, it occured to me that I hadn't had a good cream soup in years!

Oyster Mushroom Stew

Ingredients:

• ¼ tbsp. olive oil
• Small onion, diced
• Stick of celery, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, diced
• 3½ cups (28 fl oz, 840 ml) vegetable broth
• ½ cup (4 oz, 110 g) silken tofu
• 2 small potatoes, diced
• 4 large (11 oz, 330 g) oyster mushrooms, diced
• liberal amounts of red pepper!
• 3 tbsp. dried parsley

Method:

1. First in a pot of salted water boil the potatoes. Drain and set aside.


2. In as little olive oil as possible (or to make it truly fat free- use wine) saute the onions celery and garlic.


3. Once onions are translucent add the oyster mushrooms and saute for a few minutes before adding the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then stir in the potatoes, parsley, red pepper and (if desired) salt.


4. Return to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer.


5. In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until creamy and then stir into pot. Heat through, taste adjust seasoning if necessary and then serve with your favorite little tiny oyster crackers!

This next soup is an Italian favorite that my husband and I love! By turning it into a crock pot recipe, it it now both delicious and simple! If you have never had it, Escarole is a bitter Italian green that looks similar to leaf lettuce.

Erin's Escarole Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 1 Stalk celery
• 1 carrot
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 can white kidney (canellini) beans
• 2 small heads of escarole
• 1 cup white wine
• water
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• Bryanna's Homemade Chicken Bouillon Powder
• Optional: rice, cous cous or small pasta

Method:

1. Peel, wash and dice all veggies and put in crock pot.
2. Season with Salt, red pepper and pepper.
3. Add wine and stir well.
4. Add enough water to cover veggies (be sure to pay attention to how much you add!!) and the corresponding amount of bouillon powder.
5. Cook on low all day and enjoy.
6. Optional pasta directions: I like to add the rice or small pasta already cooked so that it doesn't soak up to much broth. If you don't please pay attention to the amount of water you add to be sure you have provided enough!

Note: Since Bryanna's broth powder is so tasty and well seasoned (I always add extra garlic and thyme to mine....) I didn't add any additional spices. If you use a commercial bouillon or vegetable broth this will probably need some additional spices. May I recommend: Parsley, sage and thyme.

Well there you have it: Not one but TWO easy and delicious soups for a cold winter's day!

Indian Feast!

My husband and I regularly go out for Indian food but it is so much more fun (and so much cheaper!) to eat at home... so tonight I tried my hand at a few new dishes: Palak Tofu, Dal and a cumin scented salad. The salad and the Dal were great, the Palak tofu needs some tweaking before I share it with the world.


The Cumin Scented Salad was inspired by the lovely pile of cucumbers and tomatoes that I always see beside the buffets at Indian restaurants. Because my DH doesn't care for tomatoes though, we altered it slightly to include peppers instead. Be sure to set out some vinegar for anyone who wants it. (My husband's suggestion!)

Cumin Scented Salad

Ingredients:

3 small Persian cucumbers (or one English Cucumber)
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper
1/2 small onion
2 TBS olive oil
3-4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cut all veggies and place in bowl
2. Toss lightly with oil and spices.
3. Enjoy!

Dal

Ingredient:

3 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup dried red lentils

Pam Spray OR small amount vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and Pepper to taste


Method:

1. Bring broth to a boil in a three quart sauce pot and add lentils. Cook to desired done-ness.
2. In a separate pan, saute the onions until translucent.
   
3. Add garlic and spices stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and heat though before adding to lentils.
5. Cool mixture and then puree about 1/3-1/2 of the mixture in batches before adding back to pot.
6. Reheat and serve with rice or bread.

If I ever get that Palak Tofu just right I will be sure to share it with you!

Fall confetti soup

As teachers it is inevitable that a virus gets one of us every year.....this time my husband has come down with the swine flu. This has got to be the worst type of sick I have ever seen! His fever is very high and all he has the energy to do is sleep and cough. I am hoping that a nice soup will warm him up and give him some energy to help in his recovery. A little battle of veggies versus viruses if you will....

Soup is also economical. It is a great way to make a decent meal out of few resources. I am always amazed at how a "little of this and a little of that" can come together to make such a tasty meal. This one used mostly pantry items and required no special trip to the grocery store, which is great since I am also in self isolation until I see if I am sick...

By the way, in order to make it low-fat, omit the oil and sautee in broth or additional wine.

Fall Confetti Soup

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil

1 stalk of celery chopped (approx 1/2 cup)

1 large carrot chopped

1/2 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 TBS oregano

6 TBS basil

1 cup chopped potato

1 cup white wine

6 cups vegetable broth

1 can cannelini beans

2 cups frozen spinach (any green would do)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1. In oil saute celery, carrots and onion.


2. Add sun-dried tomato and hot pepper. Continue to saute until onion is nearly transluscent and onion is soft.


3. Add garlic and spices being careful not to burn.


4. Stir in potato, saute for a few more seconds then add wine.


5. Bring wine to a boil and let boil for about 3 minutes.


6. Add broth and bring to a boil.


7. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.


8. Add beans and greens, heat through and adjust seasoning if necessary.

The flavoring on this was divine! The sundried tomatoes gave the soup a hint of tomato without creating a tomato broth and the beans and potatoes made it filling! All in all I am so pleased with this soup... now if I can just be sure that I don't have the swine flu.....

Easy Weeknight Dinners Series presents: Southwestern Wow!

Since my week doesn't seem to be getting any easier... this is the second installment in my new series of simple family dinners for weeknights. Tonight's meal has a slightly higher sodium content than I would like but it is still has a fat free option and is quite tasty. This is so simple that it is almost silly but I was able to throw it together in about 30 minutes and the bulk of that time was spent just letting the rice cook which makes it a definite plus in my book.

Southwestern Wow!

Number of tools: 5 (pot, cutting board, knife, spoon, can opener)
Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Ingredients:
olive oil or extra broth for sauteing
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS dried oregano (or you can just give it a good sprinkle...)
2 chipotle peppers*
1 cup uncooked rice (I set this for white because that was what I had, brown rice would be awesome, just adjust the water/vegetable broth)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 can of low sodium corn (15 ounces)
1 can of black beans (15 ounces)
1 cup frozen chopped spinach

Possible stir-ins and additions to make it fancier:
Vegan cheese
Vegan sour cream
guacamole
tortilla chips

Method:

1. In a tiny amount of olive oil or broth saute the onion and garlic until slightly translucent.
   
2. Add the chipotles and oregano stirring constantly.
3. Stir in the dry rice for a few seconds until everything is well mixed then add the water.
4. Bring to a boil, add corn and beans.
   
5. Return pot to a boil then reduce heat.
6. Simmer mixture until rice is done (mine took about 25 minutes) adding the spinach a few minutes before serving in order to heat through.

* A note about those chipotles: Two make it pretty spicy so you may want to reduce them amount or omit them all together. Also if you don't have chipotles on hand DO NOT even consider going to the store. This is supposed to be quick and easy! Use some other type of hot pepper or a small sprinkle of hot sauce.

New Brunswick Stew

When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to this place called "Bones and Buddies II". (I have no idea if there was a B&B I or where it was....) It was a weird little hole in the wall that served lots of greasy southern food at tables with paper napkins in a red plastic basket and hot sauce at every table. The only reasons to go there in my childhood opinion were square dogs, root beer and Brunswick stew.

Square Dogs are easy enough to veganize and require no special instructions, they were hot dogs that were sliced up and served on toast with lettuce and mayo. Slice up a veggie dog, toast bread, spread a little vegan mayo and you are good to go. By the way, kids love square dogs and it saves you from the too few hot dogs vs. too many buns issue. Also it is way easier to locate vegan wheat bread than vegan wheat hot dog buns!

Brunswick stew however... that's a much different story. The original version was a vegetable stew that was heavy on young green Lima beans (I really have a thing for Lima beans...) and other good southern veggies with chicken and smokey ham. I have always loved vegetables and this dish was full of them. So many of my childhood food memories are wrapped up in this odd stew. It was not elegant, was not pretty and even contained okra (oh the horrors!!) and yet I loved it! So here is my new veganized version, renamed : New Brunswick Stew. My husband, who does not care for Lima beans, even conceded that it was good. It evokes the correct flavors without harming either Mr. Chicken or Miss Piggy. That gives me even more reason to love it.

New Brunswick Stew
(with low fat option)

Ingredients:

2 TBS earth balance, or other vegan margarine (leave out for low fat version)
1 medium onion
1/2 large red pepper
1 stalk celery
2 medium carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
parsley
sage
rosemary
thyme
4 cups vegetable broth or bouillon
2 cups water
1 lb young green lima beans
1 large potato
1 vegan not chicken bouillon cube
1 cup okra
1 cup corn, cut from cob
1 cup tomato, chopped
2 TBS hot sauce (or to taste)
1 TBS liquid smoke

Method:

• Chop all vegetables and set aside
• In a large, heavy bottomed pot heat the earth balance or (for low fat version) a small amount of vegetable broth and saute the onion, red pepper celery, and carrot.
• As soon as the onion begins to soften, season heavily with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (yes, like the song....). Add garlic and stir carefully so it doesn't burn.
• Once garlic is lightly colored add vegetable broth and water. Bring to a rolling boil.
• Add Lima beans, potato and bouillon cube. Return to a boil.
• Boil rapidly for about 15 minutes. Check to be sure that the bouillon cube is dissolved and then turn down to a low simmer.
• Add okra, corn, tomatoes, hot sauce and liquid smoke. Simmer on low until the vegetables are done to your liking. (I did about another 30 minutes on the lowest possible flame)
  
• Check seasonings and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Note: To have the best stew, use the freshest vegetables possible!! I personally do not like to boil them to mush but others may feel differently.

So the next time you have some Lima beans: fix this stew, sit out the hot sauce, pour yourself some sweet tea or root beer and see if you don't fall in love too!! (Try to skip the paper napkins though... they aren't so good for the environment)

Fat-free southern vegetable saute.... and sinful peanut butter cookies

This week traffic has been HORRIBLE!! I have been getting home around 7 PM or later due to accidents and rubberneckers. So tonight I chose an easy, fat free, one pot dish: a southern vegetable saute. It was a combination of potatoes, beans, carrots and a local staple....kale! It was tasty, simple and fairly balanced nutritionally.

Southern Vegetable Saute

Ingredients:

3/4 cup wine (I used white)
1 cup double strength vegetable broth
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into slices
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 lb kale, washed and chopped
1 can black-eyed peas, drained
salt& pepper
red pepper flakes
generous pinch each of: rosemary, sage, thyme

Method:

In order to keep this dish fat-free, pick a non-stick of a surface as possible (such as a green pan or well seasoned cast iron pan). Using a tiny amount of the wine to prevent sticking, saute the garlic. (Throughout this process add wine (up to 3/4 cup) and then broth (up to 1 cup) as necessary to continue to prevent sticking.) When the garlic begins to brown add potatoes, carrots, red pepper flakes and spices. Stir carefully and continue to add more liquid if necessary. Cook for a few minutes until the potatoes gain some color and begin to soften before adding the kale. Wilt the kale before adding salt and pepper to taste. Once kale is throughout wilted stir in black eyed peas and heat through. Adjust seasonings as necessary and serve with hot sauce on the side.



The other night we were dying for something sweet, so after perusing lots of cookbooks I came up with these peanut butter cookies. It was wonderful because I didn't have to make a special run to the store for anything...They are NOT low fat but they ARE delicious. We enjoyed them with big glasses of almond milk.

Sinfully Good Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 1/4 cup other sugars (granulated / brown)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan shortening
1/2 cup silken tofu
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

Method:

• Using a hand mixer, cream together peanut butter, sugars and agave nectar.
• After they are well combined, mix in shortening.
• Add silken tofu and mix well. There should be no visible lumps of tofu.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
• Stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture. Mixture will be stiff.
• Using a tablespoon, drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork, leaving criss-crossed lines.
• Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 9 minutes. Allow to rest on the tray for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

the best black beans!

Since it my first week back to school, I am leaving work at least an hour later than I should. There is so much for teachers to do when setting up their classrooms for the year and even though I teach music, I am no exception. So I have come to rely on my new favorite appliance: my crock pot! I simply throw it all in, turn it on and have dinner when I get home. The food isn't necessarily gourmet, but it is nutritious, delicious and best of all easy!!

Tonight's beans came out especially well. I've read through dozens of different cookbooks and considered lots of different spice combinations and thought this was the best combo we have had yet. They had a great flavor, slightly smoky and spicy, with lots of good peppers. We ate them with hoe cakes, which are essentially crispy fried cornmush pancakes. I read somewhere that they were called hoecakes, because they were originally made so large that they had to be flipped with garden hoes.... ours fit on a normal spatula though.

My husband ate a ton of the hoe cakes and I ate a huge bowl of beans, so there was something for everyone this meal. Plus the recipe makes a huge pot of beans, so I can take some with me to my parents when I see them this weekend. Everyone likes a vegan who brings food!

(The hoecake is the golden yellow fried bit sinking into the beans. )

Tasty Black Beans
(Low fat option)

Ingredients:

4 cans black beans (buy a good brand that is not already cooked to mush!!)
1 cup white wine
2 TBS olive oil (optional)
3 cloves garlic, put through a press
1 whole onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 chipotle peppers (from a can in adobo sauce) left whole
2 bay leaves
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 TBS oregano
3-4 good cranks of freshly ground black pepper

a pinch salt

Method:

Throw everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 8+ hours. Before serving, mash some of the beans with a hand masher to thicken everything.

Hopefully in a week or so, I will be back to making fancier food. It just always takes a while to get back into my routines and finish setting up. It is good to have these sorts of recipes to eat during times like this.

Lima Bean Laziness

This morning, while I ate my new Amish Pumpkin Butter on regular toast (its too hot to bake today...), I was reading through my copy of the cookbook Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann. One of the things that she stresses continually is how sensitive her son is to spices, onions, and other savory foods. Similarly, my mother doesn't care for overly spicy food. Although I love zesty curries, spicy hot peppers, and lip puckering vinegars.... not everyone does.

So enter today's easy crowd pleaser: Lima Bean Soup! I love soup and in the summer what better than putting stuff in a crock pot instead of heating up your house to make dinner? It's mild but flavorful, nutritious, and doesn't require a trip to the grocery store (which is great since I have tons of laundry to do). It's not terribly spicy and more importantly... its not Asian-fusion. There is a limit to how many ginger-chili-soy combos I can serve before someone complains.

Plus to quote the B52's "Some people are fat, some people are lean. But I want you to show me the person who doesn't like butterbeans!".

Lima Bean Soup

Ingredients:
2 8 oz. cans of lima beans
1 small diced onion
2 small scallions, diced
1 stalk of diced celery
2 diced carrot
1-2 garlic cloves
a pinch each dried rosemary and thyme
1 TBSP olive oil (if cooking on a stovetop)
2 cups veggie broth or vegan imitation chicken broth
OR part broth part white wine

salt & pepper

Method #1 (lazy summer version ALSO LOW FAT)
Put all vegetables & herbs in crock pot. Omit oil. Add enough broth/wine to barely cover the vegetables. Turn crock pot to high for one hour then turn heat back to low until you are ready to eat (give it a few more hours). Season with salt & pepper prior to serving

Method #2 (stovetop)
Heat oil in large pot
Saute onions, celery and carrots until onions are nearly translucent.
Add garlic and herbs, stirring constantly to avoid burning until garlic is slightly colored.
If using wine, add now and bring to a boil. Boil wine for a few minutes before adding broth to cook out the alcohol. Add the rest of the liquid and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to simmer and add lima beans. Simmer for at least 10 minutes to combine flavors and then season with salt and pepper.

NOTE: for a thicker consistency, blend about 1/3 of the soup and stir back into pot.

No matter how it is cooked, this soup is excellent served over rice or with cornbread. In our house we especially like this recipe. Due to the heat, today we ate it with sandwiches.