Holiday Dinner

DISCLAIMER: THERE WILL BE UPDATES TO THIS POST (i.e. PHOTOS AND MORE DETIALS)

We have been busy beyond belief and I have not had a chance to post much lately. However I am hopping that this holiday post will make up for the lack of recipe post this past month.

For the holiday we had my parents and grandmother down and we had a huge feast the featured the various items from our CSA.

For Breakfast:

Whole Wheat Applsauce Pancakes with Homemade Tempeh Bacon

For Appetizers:

Spinach Dip with Veggies
1-12oz container of Sour Supreme
½ C vegenaise
1pkg of vegetable soup mix (I used Lipton)
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

Mix all ingredients and let sit overnight. Serve with veggies

Sausage Rolls with Assorted Mustards adapted from http://www.vegcooking.com/recipeshow.asp?RequestID=902&Search=sausage+rolls

1 packet puffed pastry dough
Dijon mustard, to taste
2/3 package of Gimme Lean “Sausage”

• Roll out a packet of puffed pastry dough (like JusRol) to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rectangles and spread each with Dijon mustard.
• Wrap the pastry rectangles around “sausage” and bake at 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7 for 10 minutes, then cut each into several pieces.


For Dinner:

Roasted Celeriac, Cipolini Onions and Carrots (all produce from CSA)
2 small bulbs of celeriac, peeled and chopped into large chucks
4 large cipolini onions, chopped into large chunks
10 large carrots, chopped into large chucks
3 huge cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive oil to coat

Toss the celeriac, onions, carrots and garlic with the salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake at 425F for 45 min.

Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales adapted from- http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/11/mushroom-lentil-and-wild-rice-timbales.html

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large slices bread
2 cups mushrooms, quartered (about 10 large)
1/2 cup light silken tofu
3 cloves garlic, quartered
1 tablespoon sherry2 tablespoons water
1 cup lentils, cooked
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 fresh sage leaves minced
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup wild rice, cooked
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make ahead: 1 cup wild rice (about 1/2 cup before cooking)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray 6 ramekins with canola oil or cooking spray and have ready a large baking pan that will hold them (9x13-inch should work). Place one nice-looking mushroom slice in the bottom of each ramekin, if desired.

Saute the onion in a non-stick pan until it begins to brown. Set aside.

Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until it turns to crumbs. Add the mushrooms, tofu, garlic, sherry, and water and blend until fairly smooth. Add the lentils and process again until smooth. Add the tomato paste, herbs, cornstarch, and salt and process until well-blended. Add the onions to the processor and pulse to include them but do not over-process (you want them to retain some texture.)Scrape the contents of the food processor into a bowl and add the cooked wild rice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.Divide the mixture among the oiled ramekins and smooth the tops with a spoon. Set the ramekins in the large baking dish and add hot water to the dish, taking care not to splash it into the ramekins.Bake, uncovered, until tops are brown and crusty and middles seem moderately firm when pressed with a finger--about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and invert the ramekins onto serving plates. Serve with your favorite mushroom gravy

Impromptu Mushroom Gravy adapted from- http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/11/mushroom-lentil-and-wild-rice-timbales.html

1/2 onion, minced
10 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
3 fresh sage leaves minced
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup plain soy creamer
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk the soy creamer and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.


Vegan Green Bean Casserole adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/11/best-vegan-green-bean-casserole.html

Beans- I prefer to stick to what I had as a child, French style canned green beans however feel free to use fresh, frozen or regular canned green beans.

Sauce:
10 ounces mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
generous pinch cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup vegetable broth (I used Imagine's No-Chicken)
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 cup soy creamer

Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces. Spray a non-stick pan with canola oil and heat it. Add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices. Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the soy creamer and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.

Topping- Again, I stick to traditional and use plain ol’ french fried onions which I mix some into the beans and sauce and use the remaining to top it.

To assemble:
Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish, mix with ½ the French fried onions and top with the remaining French fried onions. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes.

Organic Spiced Cranberry Sauce- Recipe can be found at http://foodietots.com/2008/11/20/organic-spiced-cranberry-sauce/

Cranberries from our CSA

Ingredients:
1 12 ounce bag organic fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup apple cider
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Berries will pop and burst. Don’t worry if it is still slightly runny, it will set up more as it cools. Remove from heat and cool; refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes the equivalent of one can, but tastes infinitely better! Enjoy!

Herb Pull Apart Rolls- adapted from http://www.cooksrecipes.com/bread/herb_pull_apart_rolls_recipe.html

1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup melted earth balance
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon dill

In a mixer bowl add yeast, warm water and sugar until bubbles start to form around the edges.
To the bowl add salt, thyme, oregano and dill.

Attach the dough hook to the mixer and turn to speed 2 and mix for 1 minute or until everything is well blended.

Now continue at speed 2 and add flour in 1/2 cup increments and mix for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a bowl and cover it. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Now punch the dough down.

Make sure you flour your work surface and rolling pin, and roll the dough into a small disk.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and divide each piece again into 6 equal pieces and roll those pieces into 36 small balls.

Put three balls into each greased muffin pan and cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12 rolls.

For Dessert:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie – Adapted from http://veganvisitor.wordpress.com/2007/11/19/good-gourd/

PUMPKIN “CUSTARD”
1 1/2 cups canned Pumpkin
1 1/2 cups Soy Milk
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves
Pinch Freshly Ground Nutmeg

In a large bowl, whisk together soy milk and cornstarch until smooth.Add the pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices; mix well.

To make Vegan Pumpkin Pie:
1 Vegan Pie Crust

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.Roll out to a single crust, dock the pastry with a fork and blind bake for 10 - 15, or until light golden in color.Prepare the basic custard and pour into the crust.Bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes.Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing

Fruit Cake Muffins from VegNews
Gingerbread Cookies

Horrible Blogger

Photo of the roulade from a few days before Thanksgiving (trial run)

I have been a horrible blogger lately with minimal photos and recipes. Things have been crazy busy with the holidays coming up and end of year for work so hopefully once the new year comes I will have more time to spend on blogging. I did however want to sum up Thanksgiving dinner:

Seitan Roulade
adapted from Vegan Yum Yum's Recipe

2 Cups Vital Wheat Gluten
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Salt2
1/3 Cups Warm Vegetable Broth
Mix gluten, yeast, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add the vegetable stock and gently mix with your hands until all of the dry mixture is moistened. You should have a soft, squishy, wet dough. Knead a few times, and agitate the dough by squeezing and pressing it.
Dump the dough out onto a large cutting board and use your fingers to press it out to a 12×18″ rectangle. If the dough is too springy, let rest for 15 minutes before rolling it out. Cut the dough into quarters.
Heat a large, non-stick skillet over high heat with some olive oil. Briefly pan-fry the seitan pieces until just barely golden brown on both sides. This gives color, flavor, and kick-starts the cooking process so your pieces will be easier to handle.
Set aside until you’re ready to roll up the roulades. Make the stuffing (I used a corn bread stuffing that I mixed with sauteed onions and red kuri squash)
Place stuffing on top of a piece of seitan, covering the whole surface. Roll up the seitan, stretching it to make as tight a roll as possible. Let the roll rest on the seam.
With kitchen twine or any cotton string you have, tie up the roulade so that it doesn’t unroll.
Repeat for the three other sheets of seitan. Place the tied roulades on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Lightly brush with olive oil. Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes, turning half-way through, until golden brown. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. Remove strings before serving!


For the side dishes we had:
Mashed Parsnips Topped with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and Torpedo Onions
for the parsnips:

• 20 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 2 T earth balance
• 1/4 c soy creamer
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil the parsnips until soft. Drain. Add the earth balance and soy creamer to the pan and heat until earth balance is soft and melted. Return the parsnips to the pan and mash with a potato masher. Place in the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish.

for the Brussels Sprouts and Torpedo Onions

• 2 stalks of Brussels Sprouts, shredded
• 3 torpedo onions (your standard red onion works fine as well)
• 2 T earth balance
• 1 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute the sprouts and onions over high heat for 2-3 minutes in the oil and margarine. Lower the heat to medium and cook until caramlized (15-20 min). Spoon evenly over the parsnips.

Heat oven to 400F. Cover with foil and place in over for 10 minutes prior to serving.

We also enjoyed Fat Free Vegan's Green Bean Casserole:

Beans

2 quarts water

1 tablespoon table salt (Alanna says it's essential)

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

Bring the water to boil in a large pot. While it's heating, cut up the beans. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, and then spray for a minute with cold water to stop the cooking. Let them drain in the colander, shaking every now and then to get off all the water.

Sauce

10 ounces mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

generous pinch cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Fresh pepper to taste

2 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon dry sherry

3/4 cup soy creamer (or try full-fat unsweetened soymilk)

Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces. Spray a non-stick pan with canola oil and heat it. Add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices. Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the soy creamer and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.

Topping:

1 1/2 slices whole grain bread

1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 3-ounce can of French fried onions

Put the bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Pour into a bowl and add the onions. Stir to combine.

To assemble:
Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish and top with the onion mixture. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes. If you are not serving this right away, refrigerate the topping separately; bring to room temperature before sprinkling the topping on the casserole and baking for about 20 minutes or until hot throughout.

As well as Fat Free Vegan's Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake


Lastly I roasted some Red Kuri Squash and topped with a drizzle of VT maple syrup

Carnival Squash and Black Bean Casserole

Tonight I am making (it's in the oven right now):

Carnival Squash and Black Bean Casserole
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan's Pumpkin and Black Bean Casserole


1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or one can, rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (or other mild chili powder)
1/8 - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (to taste)
15 ounces canned tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved*

1 pound pumpkin (about 1/2 one small pumpkin) or any winter squash (butternut, acorn, etc.)

3/4 cup soymilk or other non-dairy milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon tahini (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the black beans with the next 8 ingredients and set aside.

Cut the pumpkin in half. Set aside one half for another use and peel the other half. Cut it into very thin slices about 1/4-inch thick and 2 inches long.

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with canola oil. Lay one-third of the pumpkin slices in the bottom of the dish, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the bean mixture. Repeat layers with another third of the pumpkin and the remainder of the beans. Finish with the final third of the pumpkin slices.

In a blender, combine the reserved *tomato liquid (about 1/2 cup) with the soymilk and remaining ingredients. Blend well and pour over the pumpkin. Cover tightly, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 20-30 minutes, until sauce is thick and bubbly and pumpkin is tender.

*If you prefer to use fresh tomatoes, use one cup of chopped tomatoes and substitute 1/2 cup of water for tomato juice in the sauce recipe.

faux sausage and mac &cheeze

Last night I made faux sausage for the first time from Everyday Dish TV and they were great. I also tried Vegan Dad's Creamy mac and Cheeze which is soooo yummy.

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages
Makes 8 links

2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp Bills Best Chik’Nish Seasoning (if using another brand which is salty, or saltier than Bill’s Best, you’ll want to greatly reduce the amount you use)
2 tbsp granulated onion
1 to 2 tbsp fennel seed, optional
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, preferably freshly ground
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
1 tsp ground smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 1/4 cups cool water*
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the water, garlic, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.
2. Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. After cooling, the sausages may feel a bit dry on

Veganmofo: CSA stirfry and a ridiculous amount of Daikon

I made a yummy stir fry last night however I didn't bother to measure anything so it's not a real helpful recipe to recreate. I made it with onions, daikon, pepper, carrots and cabbage and peanut gluten. I stir fried it all in some a mix of sesame oil, canola oil and hot chili oil (I know sounds like a lot of oil but I only used about a teaspoon of each.) I first cooked everything except the cabbage and gluten until soft. Then I added soy sauce and a little sugar and let it caramlize up then I added the cabbage and cooked until wilted. Lastly I added hoisin and gluten and served over brown rice.


However I still have a massive amount of daikon because of share partners do not like it so I got stuck taking it all and I have no idea what to do with it all. Any ideas? Help!

Veganmofo: Weekend

So this weekend has been pretty busy so I have had little time to blog. I am also sorry to say that I have very few pictures because I can't find the charger for my digi camera :(.
Weekend break down:

Friday night we met my parents in Winooski and went to dinner at Food 88 which was really good. I got the Combo Vegan Maki Roll which was gigantic and so yummy and Neil got the Cashew Tofu which was great; the sauce was really light with a nice spice.

Saturday I made a yummy hash out of products from our CSA:
Hash

• 1 bulb of fennel diced
• 1 onion diced
• 4 sm red potatoes skin on and diced
• 1 bell pepper
• salt and pepper
• pinch of chipotle chili pepper
• 1 bunch of parsley chopped
  

1. saute the fennel onion and potato for 5 min over med-high.
2. add the bell pepper and spices and cook for 20 min stirring occassionally.
3. add parsley and cook for 30 more seconds and serve.
   

For dinner we had a celebration roast with mashed potatoes and VWAV
Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy
makes about 3 cups
1/4 C all purpose flour
Approximately 2 1/2 C water
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium sized onion, quartered and sliced thin
2 tsp mustard seeds3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C cooked chickpeas, or 1 can, rinsed and drained
2 pinches ground cumin
2 pinches paprika
1 pinch dried rosemary
1 pinch dried thyme
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried coriander
3 Tbs soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 C nutritional yeast
Mix the flour with 2 cups of water until the flour is mostly dissolved. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions and mustard seeds; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are browned and the mustard seeds are toasted. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the chickpeas; use a potato masher to mash them -- you don't want to mash them into a paste, just make sure each one is broken up although if there are a few whole ones left, that is ok. Add the herbs and spices, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits of onion. Lower heat and pour the flour mixture into the pan. Stir constantly until a thick gravy forms. Stir in the nutritional yeast. If it looks too thick and pasty, add more water and mix well. It may look like it doesn't want any more water added to it, but just keep mixing and it will loosen up. Keep warm until ready to serve.

and corn. I was so excited to see that the Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier now carries Field Roast products so now I don't have to wait and go to maine or mass to get one.

Sunday Neil and I went to Gesine to get some amazing soy lattes and then home to start making Christmas gifts. We didn't make anything new just ate leftovers for lunch and some pasta with sauce for dinner.

Veganmofo: Delicata Squash Soup

Last night my hubby Neil made some wonderful soup from our delicata squash that was part of our CSA this week. He used veganyumyum's recipe for delicata squash soup and it was super yummy! I have a photo but it is on my film camera so you will have to wait until I get them developed and put on a disc. To acompany our soup we had a slice of our Elmore Mountain Pain au Levain bread from our CSA and I made a warm shallot dressing with Sweet Salad Turnips over a Bunch Mizuna. Our entire meal used ingredients from our CSA and were otherwise local and organic it was a great light meal before our first yoga class at Yoga Mountain.

Veganmofo: Moroccan Tofu & Couscous

I got this great Moroccan dipping sauce a few weeks ago and decided it would just takes so good on some tofu. So I marinated to tofu in the sauce for the day and then baked it in the oven for an hour.

For the couscous:
1T olive oil
1 shallot minced
2 roasted red peppers, diced
1/4 c raisins
1 c whole wheat couscous
1 1/2 c boiling water
salt and pepper to taste


Bring a kettle of water to boil. Then sautee the shallots over med-high until soft. Add the peppers, raisins couscous, salt and pepper a stir to combine. Add the boiling water and stir. Remove from the heat and cover. Let sit for 5 min and then fluff with a fork.


I haven't charged the battery for my camera so that is why I still have no picture of my tofu loaf or of this dinner. However Neil is working from home today so he plans on photographing dinner from last night since there were left overs for lunch and then he can also upload the tofu loaf picture.

Veganmofo- Favorite Chili

I was just lurking some blogs as I waste the last 45 min at work and I came across this recipe for Tempeh Chili and I made this about 2 or 3 months ago and it was amazing. So thick and yummy and I want to make sure the rest of the world knows how great it is.


Tempeh Chili
(from 28 Cooks)

1 (8 oz) pkg tempeh

Marinade
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Lousiana-style hot sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1/2 c water

In large ziploc bag, combine all marinade ingredients. Add tempeh, seal bag, and refrigerate for 1-8 hours (or longer). Grate tempeh with large grater and place into medium bowl with remaining marinade. Heat olive oil over medium-high in large pot. Add garlic and onion, and saute until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, mustard, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, beans, tempeh, and water. Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 30-45 minutes, until chili is thickened. Serve and enjoy!

Veganmofo- Tip Top Tofu Loaf

As you might have already known we have been crazy busy with trips to Northampton and Cooperstown/Albany. Along with this we have had house guest so needless to say our house is need of some cleaning. Since I had to get up early with Neil this morning I decided since I had the time I would get dinner ready. Rather than having to rush home after the gym and try and prepare dinner and clean all I have to do is heat the oven and pop my tofu loaf in and cook up some broccoli!


La Dolce Vegan's Tip-Top Tofu Loaf

• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 c medium-firm tofu, drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 T ketchup
• 2 T tamari
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 1t montreal chicken spice (my own addition)
• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1 T tahini
• (in La Dolce Vegan the recipe calls for 1/4 t black pepper and 1/4 c parsley, minced however I had no fresh parsley so i omited these and went with montreal chicken spice which already has pepper in it)
  

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a 9-inch loaf pan with olive oil and set aside. In a food processor, blend together tofu, onions, garlic, ketchup, tamari, mustard, montreal chicken spice, oat flakes and tahini until well mixed. Pour into baking dish, pressing down evenly into baking pan. Bake for 55-60 min. Let cool 10 min before removing from pan.




4 Servings; per serving: calories 220.5; sodium 697.5mg; fat 10.25g; carbs 14.5g; protein 17g

Veganmofo- Sesame Ginger Stir Fry

Last night for dinner we decided to try a recipe from our new book La Dolce Vegan!


This is our adaptation of the recipe:
(Eileen's) Neil and Lindsay's Sesame Ginger Stir-Fry

• 1 cup of whole wheat couscous
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 package of may way natural veg chik'n
• 1-8oz pkg of shiitake mushrooms
• 1 T sesame oil
• 3 T tahini
• 1 T water
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 pkg of stir fry mix (broccoli, carrots and snowpeas) from the produce section
• 2 T soy sauce

In a medium pot cook the couscous according to directions.

While the couscous is cooking, in a wok on med-high heat, saute the onions, chik'n and mushrooms with the sesame oil. Cook until the onions are translucent.

In a small bowl, stir together the tahini and water until smooth. Set aside.

Add the garlic, ginger, and veggie to the pan and saute for 2-3 min. Add the tahini and soy sauce. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 4-6 min. Serve over couscous.
Makes 4 servings.

4 servings- per serving: calories 326; fat 17g; sodium 792mg; carbs 27g; dietary fiber 13g; sugar 3g; protein 15g

Veganmofo- Apple Almond- Crumb Cake Muffins

We had some left over apples that were beyond what I like eating; pretty much as soon as they get soft I am over them. So I decided to make some muffins.

For Muffins:

• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c almond meal
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/4 c + 2T sugar
  
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground allspice
• 1/4 t salt
• 3/4 plain soy milk
• 1/3 c canola oil
  
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 c grated apple
• 1/2 c diced apple

For Topping:

• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• pinch of salt
• 3 T canola oil
• 1/4 c maple granola

Prepare the topping by mixing all the dry topping ingredients except the granola together in a small bowl. Drizzle the oil in 1 T at a time while mixing with your fingertips until crumbs form. It may be slightly went. Then add the granola in and mix to crumble. Set aside

Preheat oven to 375F, line the muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl mix together th flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt and almond meal. Create a well in the center and add the soy milk, oil and vanilla. Mix, then fold in the grated and chopped apple.

Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin. Bake for 22 min.

Made 11 muffins- per muffin: calories 226; fat 10g; sodium 189mg; carbs 30g; dietary fiber 1g; sugars 26g; protein 4g

VeganMofo- Italian Tomato Sauce

Yesterday Neil and I had my parents and grandma down for lunch. I made some yummy tomato sauce to go along with the salad and apple crisp my mom brought.
The sauce was adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen (copyright 1977)

Saute in a large pot:
3T olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1T minced garlic
3t italian spice
2 bay leaves
2 t salt
1/2 lb coarsely chopped mushrooms
1/2 c nutritional yeast

when onions are clear and very soft, add:
1-28oz can of roasted tomatoes
1- 13oz can of diced italian tomoatoes
2T red wine
2t sugar

Turn the heat way down. Cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Veganmofo: Cupcakes and Squash

This morning I was very ambituous and I decided to makes cupcakes and roasted squash soup for a dear friend of mine who just found out her father has cancer. She is home right now to be with him and her mom and I decided to make some "lets be positive cupcakes" and some yummy comforting roasted squash soup. I am going to deliver them to her tonight after work, I hope they enjoy them!

Roasted Squash Soup:

adapted from Andrea's Recipes

Ingredients
1whole butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 whole acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

fresh ground black pepper

kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) margarine

1 onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

6 cups of vegetable broth

1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage

1/4 cup plain soy milk

1 T maple syrup

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Cut the butternut and acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place face down on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool so that you can handle it without getting burned. (If you have a convection oven, do not preheat. Put the prepared squash on the baking sheets and put into the cold oven. Bake at 400° F for 20 to 25 minutes.)
3. Scoop all of the squash out into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.
4. Melt the margarine in the pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, mashed squash, and herbs and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Pour about 1/3 of the soup into the blender and puree. Pour puree out into the large bowl and repeat two more times. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. Stir in the soy milk and maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Cupcakes:

I added thawed frozen raspberries and saved the juice for the frosting.

Frosting Recipe:

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, we use Earth Balance

1/4 juice of raspberries

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

Veganmofo: Comfort Food

Tonight we are having a big bowl of comfort food- mashed potatoes. Neil received a big bag of potatoes from a guy at work and now we have to use them. The plan is to make some yummy Montreal Chicken Spice Mashed (rather whipped) Potatoes. They will then be topped with vegan gravy, french fried onions and to add a little green we will have some salt and pepper roasted brussel sprouts on the side. I know not the most well balanced meal but we have been craving something warm, creamy and comforting in these last few cold and rainy days in VT.

Vegan Gravy (adapted from Vegetarian Gravy on http://www.vegcooking.com/)
3 Tbsp. Earth Balance
3 Tbsp. corn starch
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I like to use Veggie Better than Boullion)
3 Tbsp. dark soy sauce salt and pepper to taste
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the cornstarch. Stir over moderate heat for a few minutes until the flour turns brown.
• Pour in the water or stock and stir slightly until thickened. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the soy sauce and a little seasoning to taste, if desired

For the Potatoes:
4 potatoes, diced
3/4 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 T Montreal Chicken Spice (trust me makes all the difference)

Cook the potatoes and then add the remaining ingredients and whip with electric beaters.

For the Brussels sprouts:
1 bag frozen sprouts (fresh if you can)
1t salt
1/2t pepper
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Defrost sprouts slightly and then cut them in half, arrange in a baking dish, and set aside.
• Mix the salt, pepper, and olive oil and pour the mixture over the Brussels sprouts. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees F. Turn after about 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Makes 4 servings

Veganmofo: Dinner Tonight

Sesame Soy Curls with Asparagus and Roasted Garlic Couscous

Adapted from http://veganyumyum.com/2008/05/sesame-soy-curls-with-asparagus-and-quinoa/

Serves Four

1 package Dry Soy curls

2 Tbs Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2t chili flakes (I like mine spicy)

1 box frozen asparagus

2 Tbs Sugar

5 Tbs Soy Sauce/Tamari

2 Tbs Rice Vinegar

2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil

Sesame Seeds for garnish.

Place soy curls in a bowl and cover with boiling/near boiling water. Let sit for 10 minutes or so to re-hydrate. Once hydrated, squeeze out any remaining liquid.
Heat a wok over high heat and add oil. Add soy curls and stir-fry until browned. Remove curls from the wok and add garlic, chili and veggies (using more oil if needed). When asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp, add soy curls back into the wok. Add soy sauce, sugar and vinegar and toss well. Drizzle sesame oil over the top. Taste a soy curl and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve over Roasted Garlic Couscous

I am using Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous

Yummy Tempeh Hot Wings

Tonight for dinner we tried out a recipe we both have been dying to try because we love hot sauce! We made up some yummy tempeh hot wings, rosemary roasted potatoes and a green salad of sweet endive tossed in Amy's Tahini Tomato Dressing. It was a wonderful, light and satisfying meal.

(Photo to come)

Recipe:
Buffalo Tempeh "Wings"
(courtesy of 28 Cooks)
1 (8 oz) pkg tempeh
1/3 c soy milk
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs (I was unable to find Italian seasoned panko crumbs that were vegan so I used plain ones that I seasoned with a bit of oregano, salt, pepper, and basil.)

Wing Sauce
1/2 c Louisiana-style hot sauce (I used Franks)
2 tbsp butter (I used Earth Balance)
1 tbsp ketchup

Bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove tempeh from package. Slice into 8 strips. (If you are a first time tempheh eater and have texture issues, I recommend slicing into 10-12 strips) Once water is boiling, lower heat to medium high, add tempeh, and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Set out 3 bowls. In one, pour in soy milk. In the second, combine flour and seasonings. In third bowl, add panko crumbs. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place each strip in milk. Coat in flour mixture, then briefly re-dip into milk. Toss with panko crumbs, coating well. Set on slightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tempeh strips. Once all are coated and on baking sheet, lightly spray all "wings" with cooking spray. Place into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip "wings" over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
While they are baking, place wing sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover with Saran wrap and heat in microwave on medium high setting for a minute and a half. Remove from heat and whisk ingredients together.
When wings are finished baking, toss with sauce. Serve immediately.



For the Rosemary Roasted Potatoes I cut 3 red potatoes into wedges and tossed with a tablespoon of canola oil and tossed with minced garlic and dried rosemary (use fresh if you have it).

The salad was simply greens in this case sweet endive and our favorite dressing (Tahini tomato) but feel free to use any you like!

Curry Noodle Bowl

Tonight I decided to make curry noodle bowls for dinner and our lunch tomorrow. I found that there could be some improvements made to this dish next time around. I used soba noodles for a change and decided that a nice udon noodle would have worked much better in the dish. Also I used a red curry and it seems that it would be nicer with a yellow curry but we will see next time how I like that versus the red. Lastly I chose to use morningstar chik'n strips and they did not hold up well in the curry for the future I would use tofu or try a fake chik'n that holds up better such as Yves chik'n strips.

(Picture to come)

Recipe:

CURRY NOODLE BOWL (adapted from Hooked on Heat)
Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 15 min Serves: 4

1 lb noodles of choice
1 cup morningstar chik'n strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp red curry
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 can coconut milk
3 cups light flavored vegetable stock
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt & pepper, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, chopped chillies and lemon wedges, for garnish (really makes a huge difference so make sure in include!)

HEAT oil in a deep pan, and saute garlic and curry paste till fragrant. Add in onions and chik'n, and saute till lightly brown.

ADD in coconut milk, stock and lemon grass, and let it come to a boil on low heat. Add in musrooms and noodles, and cook covered till noodles are tender and done. Stir in napa cabbage, and cover cook for 5 minutes.

SEASON with salt and pepper, add garnish with coriander leaves, chillies and a dash of lemon juice. Ladle in large bowls and serve piping hot.

Pad Thai

Neil made me this one night for dinner and then we made it for my parents while they were visiting. We just use our favorite veggies and tofu and it is so good.

20-Minute Pad-Thai-Style Noodles- vegcooking.com

You’ll find most of these ingredients in your pantry and fridge. In the time that it takes to boil pasta, you’ll have a delicious meal!

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup hot vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (or more, to taste)
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. flour

• Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.

For the ‘Pad Thai’:
1 pkg. fettuccine noodles
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup sliced red onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 broccoli crown, cut into florets
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup crushed peanuts

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
• Add the onion, mushrooms, and broccoli. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.
• Stir in the carrot, bell pepper, prepared sauce, and cooked pasta. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the dish is heated through.
• Top with the crushed peanuts before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Yummy Slow Cooker BBQ

Barbecue Tofu- vegcooking.com

Tofu is slow cooked in a zesty homemade barbecue sauce for a delicious anytime meal.

2 lbs. extra-firm tofu, pressed and diced
1 1/2 cups ketchup
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

• Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
• Serve on a bed of lettuce or on a hoagie roll.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I made this the other day for Neil and it was soooo good. His mom then made it with vegan meatballs and added some mushrooms and a little water to thin it out and it was amazinggg!