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!

Everyone's favorite....Curry Squash Soup

I LOVE pumpkin and its cousins, the other winter squashes. In fact, I make all of my young students sing this silly little song about "Mr. Pumpkin" every year:

"Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin
Round and Fat, Round and Fat,
Harvest time is coming, Harvest time is coming
Yum, yum, yum! Yum, yum, yum!"

Amid the giggles, we discuss our favorite pumpkin (and by extension... squash) based foods. While they all say pie and perhaps bread, I amaze them all with things like soup, purees, smoothies, pancakes, french toast etc... Somehow my students seem to think of pumpkin only as a sweet food. Not me, I love how versatile this vegetable is!

So it is with great joy that I made my first squash soup of the year! This one is not for the faint hearted. To help my congestion due to fall allergies, I made it heavily spiced. So... feel free to go easy on the spices. Its still absolutely delicious!

Curry Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sake or white wine
1/2 onion, chopped
small piece of ginger, chopped
1 large carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBS curry powder
3 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
4 cups cooked squash
1 cup almond milk

Method:

1. In the wine, saute the vegetables.
2. Stir in the curry powder, then add water and bouillon.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. As soon as bouillon is dissolved, add squash.
5. Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
6. Puree soup with an immersion blender.
7. Stir in almond milk and gently reheat.

This soup is good topped with toasted squash seeds, tiny crackers or croutons.

A list for C.W.

A very nice guy I work with is now eating vegetarian wraps for lunch to improve his general health. While he is not (yet...) a committed vegetarian or vegan, I offered to help him out by providing a list of easy and quick vegan spreads and sandwich ideas. I want to offer a special thank you to the nice vegans in the Fat Free Vegan Yahoo group for their suggestions!

So here goes:

1. Hummus with veggies on any bread
   


2. Peanut Butter and Jelly


3. A veggie sandwich (spinach, carrots, tomato and diced cucumbers) in whole wheat with Italian dressing in a pita
   


4. Vegetarian refried beans on tortilla with sliced bell peppers
   


5. A black bean burger with salsa on a small wheat bun
   


6. A black bean burger with guacamole on a small wheat bun
   


7. Hazelnut butter and banana


8. Seasoned Baked Tofu, lettuce, tomato and sprouts with dressing in a wrap


9. A "BLT" wrap using lettuce, diced tomatoes, vegan bacon bits and vegan mayo (trader joe's makes a good one that is even low fat)


10. Veggies of your choice on rye bread with crunchy mustard


11. A crusty baguette with tiniest drizzle of oil and lots of vinegar piled with lettuce, onions, olives, peppers, mushrooms, oregano and red pepper flakes before being toasted in a hot oven


12. A taco salad in a wrap with lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn and salsa or guacamole


13. A portobello mushroom marinated overnight in Balsamic vinaigrette, then grilled or panfried and served on a toasted bun with 'fixins.


14. Falafel made from a mix in a pita with lettuce, tomato and a Tahini based dressing.


15. almond butter and raisins


16. Vietnamese rice-paper wraps filled with veggies and any ginger or peanut dressing

See.... you have options and yet there is no meat or dairy which means no virtually no cholesterol and low saturated fat! There aren't any "weird" ingredients on here either... everything listed can be purchased through normal grocery stores and places like trader joe's.

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.

Easy Weeknight Dinners Series presents: Veggie Pasta Presto!

This has been one of those crazy weeks where there haven't been nearly enough hours in the day to accomplish even half of my to-do list. I am lucky if my husband and I eat one balanced meal-a-day (I wonder...do cheerios even count as a balanced meal?) and takeout menus are scattered across the dining room table instead of dinner plates plates heaped with nutritious and lovingly cooked meals.

This is a sure sign that I need an intervention...

As I was pondering with great distaste my lack of both time and tasty vegetable concoctions it occurred to me that many people were also probably suffering from similar time constraints. After all, I can't possibly be the only person with a long commute, large to-do-list etc... Thus I was inspired to start this little series:

Easy Weeknight Dinners

Nothing you'll find within this series could ever pass for gourmet. But it is all quick, simple and nutritious. Best of all, the recipes shouldn't require any special trips to the health food store for weird ingredients.

Without any further ado... here is the first installment.

Veggie Pasta Presto!
Number of tools: 6 (2 pots, cutting board, knife, spoon, strainer)
Time: Approximately 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb penne pasta
1 lb frozen broccoli
olive oil or white wine for sauteing
additional olive oil/ vegan butter for pasta (optional)
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
generous sprinkle basil
generous sprinkle marjoram
1 can plum tomatoes (28 ounces)
1 cup frozen peas

Method:

1. Put a pot of salted water on to boil for pasta.
2. In a tiny amount of olive oil or white wine (for fat free version) saute onion, carrot and garlic.
3. When onion is nearly translucent add basil and marjoram and saute for about a minute more.
4. Add canned tomatoes (including liquid) and bring to a boil. Break up tomatoes using the spoon and boil for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary (if you like a sweeter sauce, this would be the time to add sweetener... though I don't advocate it)
5. By now the water should be boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions, adding the frozen broccoli for the final few minutes of cooking time.
6. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to pot.
7. If desired, stir either olive oil or vegan butter through pasta (to prevent sticking) and broccoli and season generously with pepper and salt if necessary (skip this step for fat free).
   
8. Stir in vegetable mixture and serve.

Note: My husband actually likes this dish as it stands in step 7 with LOTS of pepper and olive oil. He calls it "Macaroni and Greens". This is what it looks like.

phee phi pho phum....

a
So this whole saga started when I saw an innocent looking cube of "pho" bouillon at H-mart (my local asian grocery). I had no idea what pho was but my curiosity was peaked! It turns out that pho is basically the national dish of Vietnam and apparently totally tasty and totally not vegan....

Well I can't seem to walk away from a challenge to save my life so I decided to give it my best shot. I read all I could about Vietnamese Pho, including articles about how it should never be vegetarian and articles describing how it could be made vegetarian occasionally... I finally came up with this one.

At first I was afraid to even take a bite because the broth was a mysterious blackish color... but I was brave. Boy was I glad I was because it was was great. The flavors were rich and warming. Not only did I enjoy it but my husband (remember... the non-vegan) and my neighbor loved it too!!

I cannot attest to its authenticity, so if I made some critical misstep (besides the obvious ones... i.e. no fish sauce) feel free to let me know but please understand that this is pho-inspired more than actually pho. I have never had real pho and probably never will since it seems impossible to find a vegan version in a restaurant. Regardless I encourage you to be brave and wade into the murky blackness because the taste was exotic and delightful. It wasn't too difficult either!!

By the way if you want a lighter broth, strain it through cheesecloth or find whole components of all of the spices in the chinese 5 spice (ie whole cinnamon sticks, whole star aniseed etc..)

Vietnamese Pho, sort of

Ingredients:

Broth:
4 shallots
3 inches of ginger
25 basil leaves
12 cloves of garlic (DO NOT BE AFRAID... THEY WILL MELLOW OUT!!)
1 cup asian cooking wine
1/2 cup dried shitakes
2 heaping tsp chinese 5 spice blend
1 tsp dried cilantro
a lot of fresh ground black pepper (I used 30 cranks on my mill)
6 cups vegetable broth or water

1 block baked marinated tofu (I used a store bought "asian" flavor), cubed
1-2 cups napa cabbage chopped
2 green scallions chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves chopped

4 ounces rice pasta (the medium size that looks like linguine), soaked/cooked according to package directions

Optional garnishes:
chopped peanuts
hoisin sauce
Siracha sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges


Method:

• Place all ingredients for broth in a large pot and bring to a boil.
  
• Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for an hour, stirring occasionally.
• Strain out solids, reserving liquid.
• Return the liquid to stove and add napa & tofu cooking 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in basil and rice pasta and heat through
• Toss in scallions and serve with various garnishes on side

Like I said... be brave and try it!! It wasn't even difficult!

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.

The last supper

Tomorrow is my first day back to work after the summer break, so I chose one of the most comforting foods I could think of: miso soup. Now, this may seem like an odd choice but I love miso soup. I mean I REALLY LOVE miso soup. When I'm sick it is what I crave and when we are out eating in a Japanese restaurant, I always manage to eat my husband's as well as mine (luckily... he doesn't mind too much). This particular soup, I amped up with tons of vegetables and some rice noodles, which is sacrilege I am sure but delicious nonetheless.

We followed it with my first homemade sushi attempt (which totally felt like cheating because it was so easy), inari sushi. Everything (except the rice) that I needed for the sushi came in this little kit, which I bought at the Asian grocery store:

There were no English directions, so I used the pictures as a clue and in about the time it took to cook the sticky rice we had delicious little pockets of tofu stuffed with seasoned rice and a packet of garnishes cutely labeled "flake". I usually only get this in sushi restaurants but the home version was equally good. Here is the finished product:


After a final survey we concluded that I loved the inari and DH thought that they were "ok". He seemed to prefer eating a big bowl of the sticky rice with some cucumber. The next time I make sushi at home, my goal is to do it like these guys:



Now since the sushi was essentially rice and tofu, we ate tons of miso soup tonight. My husband even said that it was better than the stuff you get in restaurants!

Deluxe Miso Soup

Ingredients:

Water
a 2-inch piece of kombu, rinsed (a type of seaweed)
4 pieces of dried shitake mushroom
small bunch chives
splash rice wine
splash soy sauce

a handful of dried rice noodles
2 cups of mixed chopped vegetables of your choice and tofu
(* I used carrots, chives, napa, laver, red peppers, peas and tofu)
2 TBS miso (fermented soybean paste)

Method:

Begin by making your Dashi. Fill a two quart stock pot with water. Add the kombu, chives and dried mushrooms and bring to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes, then add the wine and soy sauce. After 15 more minutes, strain out the solids, reserving the mushrooms. Taste the Dashi and add more soy if necessary.

Take a moment to chop the rehydrated shitakes.

Bring the broth back to a boil. Reduce heat and add the noodles. Once noodles are soft add the other vegetables, tofu and the shitakes. Heat through and then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the miso but do not allow the liquid to boil again. Serve immediately.



Miso is excellent for your health. It is high in many trace minerals, including zinc, manganese and copper. Some studies also suggest that it may help prevent breast cancer among women. Plus it is super tasty. I am no doctor though, so do not take my advice in place of a medical professional!! This information is not meant to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure anything... Got it? Be smart and do your own research!

in food as in marriage....compromise is good!!

The other day my husband and I went shopping at a local Asian Market, Han Ah Reum. He rarely goes grocery shopping with me, but when he does it definitely alters the contents of our cart. The case in point on this last trip was a Nakiri (a Japanese Vegetable Knife). I felt we didn't need it, but my DH insisted I would love it... I compromised and wouldn't you know he was right! I love the new knife and used today's vegetable soup as an excuse to chop and chop and chop.


Eventually, my DH saw just how much fun I was having in the kitchen and came to join me in the soup-making. Before I knew it, he had the knife and was adding stuff to the soup....stuff I wouldn't have added. Stuff like the basil, oregano and marjoram. It wasn't the spices themselves that I objected to but the quantities. Nor did I object to the rice in principal, but I was thinking pasta... Since I wouldn't even have my lovely new knife if it weren't for following his earlier suggestion, I decided to try to compromise on the soup ingredients as well.



Well... Surprise Suprise this was a delicious soup!! And easy too!! In honor of our joint efforts I am naming it : Marriage Is About Compromise Soup or MIAC Soup for short. I suggest you try it at home and see if you don't love it too!!

MIAC Soup

Ingredients:
1 rib celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 head baby napa cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 cup green beans, chopped into small pieces
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup minced fresh marjoram
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 tofurky italian sausage, chopped into small pieces
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup wine (I used rice wine, white would work just as well)
4 cups hot water
2 Vegan Not Beef Bouillon cubes
red pepper flakes, to taste

1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
1 additional cup water (if necessary)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Put everything except cooked rice and water in crock pot and cook on low 7-8 hours.
2. One hour before serving, stir in rice and additional water, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.


We were able to throw this together and simply leave it, while we went to a recital for one of my husband's students and then socialized with some friends. When we returned home the soup was ready to eat. How easy is that?

We're having a heat-waaaaave!

Wow is it hot in Baltimore lately! After our especially mild summer, I feel like my husband and I are even less able to handle the heat. Heat typically never bothers me but for some reason, today all I want to do is meld with my couch while my AC blasts away. Since the temperatures are pushing 100 degrees.... I guess that is acceptable. Anyway due to the heat, we have reverted to the "three R's of dinner" : Relax, Reuse and Reheat. So no new recipes today....

Instead I want to talk about my favorite breakfast (especially on hot days!!) the GREEN SMOOTHIE. I could drink a green smoothie every day. It is my favorite breakfast: fast, easy, healthy and light. It is also a way to sneak additional servings of veggies into my day. I originally read about green smoothies online when I stumbled upon the Green Smoothie Challenge. The people who run this side promote raw green smoothies all over the web. Below is a cute video from You Tube they posted about green smoothies:




This is how I make my green smoothies. First I assemble all of my ingredients. Look at all of the good things that are about to go into my blender! I have fruit, vegetable and even a little flax seed for additional fiber and omega 3's.


First I cut all of the fruit into chunks and put in the blender with some water.


After that I blend the combo until it is frothy and smooth.


Next I add the lettuce (spinach and kale are good too) and flax seeds; after it is smooth again I can throw in some ice and then I am ready for my icy green smoothie!




This is especially delicious on a hot day! Plus I know I am getting lots of good things. I usually drink a blender-full which is a few little glasses like these. If I were going to eat toast or anything I wouldn't have room for that much though. These little smoothies can fill you up!

The Great Vegan Cook-In

This morning, my husband's good friend (and our neighbor) showed up with assorted meats for the grill (remember folks... I'm married to an omni, it happens sometimes), so we had an impromptu party. While they did their thing I was left to fix a vegan cook-in for myself and another neighbor who decided to eat veggie that night ( yay!!). I'm calling it a cook-in because although much of the food was grilled or is traditional cook-out/picnic food, we live in Baltimore and have no real yard to speak of. In fact the grilling was done on our teeny-tiny balcony on a tailgate-style grill. We ate all of the food indoors in the air-conditioning around a table.

The menu du jour:

• Vegan Boca burgers on kaiser rolls
• Compassionate Collards
• Potatoes and Peas in a dijon vinaigrette
• Corn on the cob
• Mint Iced Tea
  

The potatoes and peas were a twist on potato salad made with a vinaigrette instead of a mayonaise based dressing. I wanted to try something different since I have been eating so much potato salad lately. It was ok, but a bit to mild for my palate. My husband said he definitely prefers my usual potato salad, but it was worth a try. Since it wasn't too noteworthy I am foregoing sharing a recipe for it.

The Collards were a total success though and so perfectly seasoned that no one requested any hot sauce, vinegar, or even salt & pepper! They were perfectly done, smoky, spicy and not a bit watery. Plus they were the ultimate no-fuss side dish. I threw them in the crockpot and walked away. Besides stirring them every hour or so, I didn't think about them again until dinner time. I named them compassionate collards because unlike the southern tradition of seasoning greens with meat, these were wonderfully meat free. Here is the recipe:

Compassionate Collards

Ingredients:

For each bunch of collards you will need:
1 sweet onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers ( from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
1 packet imitation ham flavoring (I used the goya variety...if you read the ingredients it is meat free) or some liquid smoke

Method:

Clean your collards really well but do not spin dry, you want a little water clinging to them.

Prep the collards by removing the center stem and chopping into bite-size pieces. (this is really easy to do if you stack several leaves and roll them tightly before chopping)

Place in a large crockpot, put all other ingredients on top of the collards. Do not add additional water!!! As the vegetables cook down they will give off some of their own water which will season the collards without causing them to be watery.

Turn Crockpot on high and let cook until done to your desired tenderness (for me that was about 4-5 hours...)

See... Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!!

Note: I left the chipotles whole so that people could see them and not bite down on one if they didn't want too. They could be chopped or even pureed if you wish.

By the way, when I went to pick up the Boca Burgers I noticed that Morningstar farms now offers a grill-style chick patty, that is TOTALLY VEGAN!! I usually don't even think twice about their stuff because it has eggs or milk... but this was exciting. So even though my friend requested the boca burgers, I bought a box of the Morningstar Grillers Chick'n for later.

I would say the cook-in was a success as everyone cleaned their plates of all their veggies, one of my friends asked of he could have some collards to go and people lingered late into the night. Now if I could just find a way to fit us all of that small balcony so we could have a proper cook out!

A healthier greener goddess...

The Baltimore Urbanite this month ran an entire article on salad bars and specifically "Green Goddess" Salad dressing. Although the original dressing is decidedly unvegan with its mayonnaise, sour cream and anchovies, I was inspired to try to create my own Veganized version of this green monster. Both my husband and I found the dressing below to be delicious but bear in mind neither of us has any idea what the real "Green Goddess" is all about. To go with the dressing, I created a salad based on my own salad bar favorites from when I was a kid. I would eat so much salad that my dinner had to go home in a little Styrofoam container. This salad was so tasty that I ate two bowlfuls.. I almost had to pack up the rest of my lunch again! (My husband also had two bowls... there really is something magical about this salad!)

Magical 70's Salad with Greener Goddess Dressing
(By eschewing animal products, this dressing is both healthier and more eco-friendly than the original)

Greener Goddess Dressing

Mix the following in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy:

1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 clove of raw garlic
1 small handful of chives
3 TBS rice wine vinegar
2 TBS dijon mustard
1 caper berry, stem removed
1 TBS caper brine
2 TBS dried tarragon
1 large sheet roasted laver
1/3 cup vegan Mayonaise
6 ounces silken tofu (1/2 vacuum- sealed block)

Magical 70's Salad:

Put all of the following in a large bowl, chopped (if necessary) into equal small pieces:

Leaf Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Carrot
Cucumber
Mushrooms
Red Pepper
Scallions
Extra Firm Tofu (water pressed out)
Black Olives
Tiny green peas (from freezer, defrosted)
Sunflower seeds

Mix chopped veggies in a bowl with a small amount of dressing until every bite is covered. Sprinkle with freshly grated black or red pepper.

(NOTE: As an afterthought I realized that croutons and fake bacon bits would probably be awsome in this salad)


To go with the salad, I fixed a quick and simple tomato bisque that truly cooked itself. This is so simple that I am almost embarrased to call it a "recipe".

Lazy-Girl's Tomato Bisque (LOW-FAT)

Ingredients:
3-4 cloves garlic, whole
2 cans tomatos (stewed if you like it sweeter, plain if not)
fresh or dried basil to taste
almond milk, unsweetened
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

Place garlic, tomatoes (including liquid) and basil in an oven safe pan. Roast at 450 for about 1 hour or until garlic cloves are soft and fragrant.

Remove from oven and puree using blender or imersion blender.

Once tomatoes are smooth, add almond milk to thin the tomato puree. Season with pepper and salt (if necessary).

Yep... that's it. Embarrasingly simple. Its even tastier if you start with fresh tomatoes, but using canned saves ALOT of time. (If you start from fresh, you will need to add more S&P)



And finally for dinner I had vegan lasagna. I tried a trick from Jessica Seinfeld and hid carrots, spinach and mushrooms into the sauce before pureeing everything. The lasagna was pretty good, but if I did it again, I'd probably skip the spinach.


The basic outlines of the lasagna components were:

Sauce: Cook 1/2 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 stalk celery, 1 carrot, lots of red pepper and braggs liquid aminos (or just salt...) in a little red wine. When veggies are soft add two cans italian tomatoes, fresh basil and parsley. Bring to a boil and cook to combine. (this was where I added the spinach but leave it out... just trust me on this one.) Puree everything until smooth and add small can tomato paste. Taste sauce and adjust flavors if necessary. (If you didn't listen and added the spinach anyway you will need to add agave syrup.) Heat through and set aside until you are ready to assemble your lasagna.

Tofu Riccota: In a food proccesor combine equal parts silken tofu and extra firm tofu, some basil, a few cloves raw garlic, some chives, a few squirts lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Bragg's (or salt) and pepper. (It is also good if you add a tiny amount of EVOO or some vegan parmesan). Set this aside until you are ready to assemble as well.

I am going to assume you know how to assemble your lasagna. I followed the box directions for the oven temperature and noodle preparation.

Vegan lasagna is one of my favorite dinners. I seem to make it differently every time, but I always love it. There is just something about all of those noodles and the garlicky tofu-ricotta that I just love. Although my DH has tried this in the past and announced it "ok", it is not his favorite. I don't take it personally, he didn't even like it when I got a restaurant version that was out of this world. Vegan lasagna is a hard sell to non-vegans. As an Italian and non-vegan he is never going to accept a lasagna that is not dripping with cheese and meat. He ate something else tonight. That's fine....more for me.

Sunday Dinner

Most of the time Sunday dinners are big at our house. Since we have been traveling, we have been eating alot of takeout, fast food and other less than tasty stuff, so I wanted to be sure that we had a good dinner today.

Today's menu was: Veganomicon's Chick Pea Cutlets (for me... DH had a different protein), mashed turnips bought fresh from the farmer's market, Asian style greens (seasoned with mirin, crushed pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, kecap manis and sesame oil) and a carrot puree.

The picture didn't come out too well but everything tasted great. I always love the chick pea cutlets because they are chewy and have a great crust to to them. The other veggies were all well seasoned and tasty as well. Although turnips seem like a fall or winter vegetable, the ones that I get at the farmer's market this time of year always seem to taste sweeter and have an excellent texture. Also since they are my husband's favorite vegetable, any time I can get them we eat them.

I always love my greens sauteed and seasoned with soy, ginger, garlic, pepper and sesame. This time the greens in question were labeled "Chinese Brocoli" and were a lovely green with tiny yellow flowers. The carrots were a new attempt for me, which I adapted from a soup recipe. They were delicious, both sweet, spicy and rich without being heavy or fatty. The basic recipe is at the bottom of the page.





For dessert we had Blackstrap ginger bread with lemon sauce from Vegan Lunch box. It wasn't very sweet, but with the lemon sauce it hit the spot.


The carrot puree was an adaptation of a soup recipe from the cookbook A Vegetarian's Ecstasy.

Indonesian Carrot Puree (LOW FAT)
(adapted from A vegetarian's Ecstasy)

Ingredients:

8-10 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 of a medium banana, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 spoonful minced ginger
1 TBS soy sauce
pinch each of : crushed fennel seed, crushed red pepper, clove powder, wasabi powder, curry powder and turmeric

sweet white wine and soy milk (I used vanilla)

Method:

Put carrots, banana, garlic, ginger soy sauce andspices in a two quart sauce pot. Pour in enough wine to cover the carrots and boil until carrots are soft enough to mash and the wine reduces. Remove from heat and puree using immersion blender or food processor. When carrots are fully pureed, stir in 1/2- 1 cup of soy milk. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

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.