Archive for May, 2009

A Tale of Two Recipes

May 31, 2009 at 7:39 pm · Filed under Food, vegan ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Well, it’s not really a tale, per say…but I liked the title so I’m sticking with it.  I don’t think I’ve posted a recipe in a while – here’s two!

I mentioned my Salad Stir-fry a few posts ago.  I first came up with it because I had about a ton of baby greens from my CSA that I realized needed to be used the day they needed to be used if I were to save them from going in the trash.  I thought they might wilt down nicely in a stir-fry like spinach does, and I thought it might be interesting to make it salad-like, with a combination of hot and cold components and a thickened salad dressing as the sauce.  It turned out so well that I just had to make it again in order to perfect it and post the recipe!

(The sauce is based on the Asian Miracle Dressing from Vegan Lunchbox.  I tried it pretty much straight up the first time and then tweaked it a bit to better suit the stir-fry.)

Salad Stir-fry

2 Tbs peanut oil
1 white onion, diced
2 bulbs of green garlic, bulb minced and shoots sliced, or 2 cloves of regular garlic, minced, plus 3 green onions, green parts only sliced
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 lb mushrooms (whatever kind you like, quartered or sliced)
1/2 lb frozen shelled edamame, thawed
at least 1/2 lb baby greens or spinach, or a combination

sauce:
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2-1 tsp sriracha
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs cornstarch

cooked brown rice
sprouts
sliced cucumber
sesame seeds

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Carefully add the onion and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the garlic/green onions and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Add the carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms release their juices. Add the edamame and stir to combine. Add the greens by handfuls, stir-frying each addition and adding more greens as there is room until all the greens are wilted.

Whisk the sauce again and add to the wok. Stir-fry until the sauce coats all the ingredients and thickens.

Serve over brown rice, topped with sprouts, cucumber and sesame seeds.

Serves 3.

Second is a recipe for Swiss Chard Risotto, which I feel like I’ve been working on forever but really have only made three times.  It’s just been very intermitent.  I guess it’s not really chard season anymore, but it should still be available in some areas.

To go with my risotto I made some white bean/corn/red pepper cakes.  To be perfectly honest, this was from a few weeks ago and I have NO idea how I made them.  I know there was flour and breadcrumbs involved, and I baked them, and they didn’t turn out as firm as I wanted but for a thrown together patty accompaniment they were just fine.

This recipe was originally included with my CSA newsletter.  I followed it exactly the first time, but it lacked a little something.  I also had never made risotto, ever, so I was a risotto novice.  Here’s my perfected version!

Chard Risotto

Regular green swiss chard will taste fine, but the risotto will be much prettier with red or rainbow chard.

5 c faux chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbs olive oil
medium white onion, chopped
1 1/2 c arborio rice
bunch of swiss chard, stems sliced and leaves roughly chopped
1/2 c dry white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 Tbs
2-3 Tbs chopped fresh herbs such as dill or parsley, optional
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer, adding a pinch of salt if the broth is not already salted. Turn down the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and chard stems and saute until onion is turning translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add the rice and chard leaves and saute until the chard starts to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and lemon juice and simmer until absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Add the warm broth one ladle-full at a time, simmering until each addition is completely absorbed and stirring almost constantly. Add the herbs, if using, with the last addition of broth. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy; you may not need to use all of the broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Lastly, I mention this only because I think it’s a great tip for those trying to reduce their fat intake.  I ate the leftover white bean patties on a salad, and I had just read a tip that day on Eat’n Veg’n for a great fat-free dressing – mix dijon mustard and apricot jam or preserves.  I’m sure it would be a lot healthier if the preserves were sugar free – mine were not, but I’m at peace with that.  The dressing on it’s own tastes very strong, I was almost worried to put it on my salad.  But combined with the salad ingredients it mellowed and I liked it a lot.  Give it a try!

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In The Meantime…

May 26, 2009 at 8:11 pm · Filed under Food

Remember that song by Space Hog?  That song rules.

I’m not normally a fan of quickie posts like this, but I feel like I’ve been neglecting my blog so I wanted to put something up.  I had planned to get a few posts up in between the time I came home from Florida and left for Texas, but as we all know things don’t usually go as planned.  June should be a less crazy month for me in theory, so hopefully I can do some catching up then.

For now I’ll tide you over with a picture of my handsome boy.

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Massive Post of Catch-Upedness

May 19, 2009 at 8:57 pm · Filed under Food, vegan ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I wanted to get a post up two Fridays ago before I left for Florida, but that did not happen.  Then when I got back it did not happen.  So I feel way behind, and to remedy this situation I’m gonna throw a whole bunch of stuff together right here.  I went to Florida to attend a wedding and visit family and friends.  I was in total vacation mode and didn’t take very many pictures, but those that I did will get their own post soon.

A few weekends ago some vegan friends and I headed up through the Berkeley hills to have a picnic and check out the Lawrence Hall of Science.  Unfortunately, it had rained off and on all weekend and there was nary a dry picnic spot to be found.  So, we did what any sensible people would do and picnicked in my car.

I brought caramelized leek hummus…

…and veggies for dipping.

Becca & Steve brought a sandwich spread, recipe from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan but I don’t know what it’s called.  It had avocado and tomato and tempeh and it was smoky and good.  Becca also made potato salad with Bacos.  Yummy!

I brought gluten-free strawberry shortcake, but was so eager to eat it during the car picnic that I forgot to take a picture.  So here’s a picture of my serving again after dinner that night, and a recipe!  (I sliced the berries here, but am changing the recipe to call for quartering them cause I thought the slices didn’t hold their texture well enough.)  I’m not gonna lie and tell you that you wouldn’t know they’re gluten free, but I think they hold together relatively well and have a nice texture.  I sadly didn’t have any vegan whipped cream to put on top!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake

To make the recipe non-gluten-free just substitute 1 3/4 all-purpose flour for the g-f baking mix, brown rice flour and xantham gum.  The lemon zest, rosemary and black pepper can be optional if you don’t want those flavors in your dessert, but I think they give it a special something.

1 lb strawberries (2 pints)
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1 c gluten-free baking mix
3/4 c brown rice flour
3/4 tsp xantham gum
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c shortening
6 Tbs soy creamer
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbs fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Hull and quarter the strawberries. Place in a bowl and add sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir gently to combine, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the g-f baking mix, brown rice flour, xantham gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and mix. Cut the shortening into pieces and add to the flour mixture. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the soy creamer, lemon juice, lemon zest, rosemary and black pepper and stir just until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a surface lightly floured with the g-f baking mix. Using floured hands, knead the dough gently about 10 times. Pat the dough out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Use a floured round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut out rounds. Transfer the rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat out any remaining dough and repeat. Bake the shortcakes for 15-18 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown.

To serve, gently split each shortcake with your fingers or a fork. Spoon some strawberries onto the bottom, replace the top, and top with more strawberries. Spoon extra juice over the shortcake. Serve with vegan whipped cream.

Serves 6.

For dinner that night we grilled.

I tried the new tempehtations from Lightlife, classic bbq flavor.  I was a little wary of eating them plain, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Very tasty!  I’m not sure I’ll be buying them very often because they’re a bit pricey, but if you’re into tasty convenience food then I would definitely recommend them.

Alongside the tempeh are your regular ol’ mushrooms and asparagus, and in the back is…

…an avocado-ranch twice baked potato.  The avocado makes the filling super-creamy without adding any other fats or faux dairy.  BF said the filling was too creamy, but to that I say “whatevs”.  This was a recipe for a contest, so if I don’t get a positive response I will definitely pass it on.

We went to a San Francisco Giants baseball game on Sunday and got to tailgate across the bay!  I made a grain and veggie salad that nobody else seemed too excited about, but that just meant more leftovers for me.

This one had whole wheat orzo, TJ’s harvest grain blend, red bell pepper, cucumber, corn, shredded carrot, fresh dill, rosemary and a dressing of vegennaise, lemon juice and sugar.  I think that was it.  I meant to add a shallot and toasted pine nuts and totally forgot, but it turned out nice without.

We went with skewers again for the main event.  Mine had peppers, onions, zucchini, marinated mushrooms and Tofurkey Italian sausage pieces.

This was my dinner last night:  roasted potato and fava bean salad with miso-mustard dressing.  In the front are sauteed Chinese broccoli and carrots.  This was really good, but it could use a few tweaks before I write up the recipe.  I love fresh fava beans!

And now, some laptop lunches.

4-24 roasted sweet potatoes, chana palak masala, whole wheat orzo, kiwi

4-28 waffles, tofu scramble, veggie sausage patty, maple syrup, fruit salad

4-29 carrots, gherkins, cinnamon-raisin toast, tofu scramble, strawberries

4-30 grit cake, succotash, mango-habanero sauce, pickles,
blueberries, sour gummies

5-1 spaghetti casserole, lettuce, corn, radish & carrot, goddess dressing, prunes, dried apricots & dark mint chocolate

5-4 avocado-ranch twice baked potato, grilled mushrooms & asparagus, bbq tempeh, g-f shortcake with strawberry-balsamic juice in the small container

5-7 pizza with red pepper flakes, dill pickle cashews, orange wedges

5-8 roasted zucchini & carrots with dill, soy nuggets with bbq sauce, chex, sauteed chard, sweet potato-pecan-chocolate chip muffin, prunes

That’s it for tonight!  Coming up will be recipes for my salad stirfry and chard risotto, and how-I-gained-5-pounds-during-6-days-in-Florida.

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Weeknight Meals

May 7, 2009 at 4:16 pm · Filed under Food, vegan ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

May is a busy month for me this year – I’m going out of the state twice, once for fun and once for work, my birthday falls in between those trips, and there’s the usual baseball games and other stuff going on.  So I haven’t had a lot of energy to focus on my cooking.  I still eat well I suppose, but it’s been more of a matter of just getting decently healthy food in my belly.

I’m calling this Cheater’s Channa Palak Masala.  Method:  Steam-fry or saute a diced onion, add minced fresh garlic and ginger, add chickpeas and a can of diced tomatoes, put in a whole lot of whatever seasoning you find appropriate (I used curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, dry mustard and cayenne), and add spinach to wilt at the end.  Delicious, quick, easy, and nutritious.  I was going to serve this over rice but was too hungry to wait the hour for brown rice, so I used whole wheat orzo, which didn’t really go with the masala that well.  On the side are roasted sweet potatoes seasoned with coriander.  The coriander is a tip I picked up from Vegan With A Vengeance’s sweet potato fries, and I will probably never roast sweet potatoes without coriander now because it’s so good.

I had a laugh when I saw that Lindsay from Happy Herbivore made Channa Masala just a few days after I did using about the same recipe, with an option to add spinach.  This was even funnier because as I was making mine I decided to steam-fry the dish with water rather than using oil and this made me think of her.  Great minds think alike!

One of my favorite ways to use up random veggies, tofu scramble!  I don’t follow a recipe, nor do I write one down, but my scrambles usually involve turmeric, about a ton of nutritional yeast, yellow mustard, a splash of soy milk and maybe some soy sauce.  This one also had zucchini, carrots, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms and fresh basil.  Yum yum.

I had planned to also make strawberry corn pancakes (a la VCON blueberry corn pancakes) and have full on breakfast-for-dinner, but by the time I got home I had neither the energy nor the patience to actually cook two things.  So I threw together this fruit salad, which made me realize that I don’t eat fruit salad enough.  I always have singular fruits and rarely put them together.  I liked adding the orange sections because the juice acted like a dressing and kept the bananas from turning brown.

I found myself with a lot of fresh herbs in the fridge threatening to go bad, so I had decided to make some pesto pasta.  But then that day I got a MAD craving for tomato sauce, so I spent most of the day trying to figure out how to have both marinara and pesto, and whether that was even a good idea.  Turns out it is!

I made this meal completely from what I just happened to have at home.  The pesto was made with a little bit of mint, thyme and oregano, a lot of parsley, pine nuts, and no basil whatsoever.  The crumbly stuff on top is supposed to be tofu ricotta but I used frozen and thawed tofu, which I knew wasn’t a great idea from the beginning.  I wanted tofu ricotta though, and the frozen tofu was the only tofu I had.  So the tofu stayed crumbly and spongy and didn’t get creamy like normal, but bf said that he actually liked it that way, so go figure.  (On a side note, bf ate what I ate for dinner TWICE last week.  I think it was a freak coincidence, or that he was just feeling lazy and cheap.  Fine with me!)

Anyway, I mixed cooked whole wheat spaghetti with organic jarred sauce, layered it in a casserole dish with the pesto and ricotta, and baked it for 20 minutes.  I’m calling it spaghetti casserole.  I wasn’t sure how this would turn out – I knew it would be edible, but didn’t know how great it would be.  It was great!  The pesto really did the trick.  Parsley pesto is good.  Oh, and this dish totally reminded me of the spaghetti pie my mom used to make with leftover spaghetti when I was young.  Vegan spaghetti pie?  Hmmm…..

With the bisketti, I had a side salad from whatever-I-could-find-in-the-fridge:  lettuce, carrots, radishes, corn kernels, clover sprouts that surprisingly had lasted a long time, and goddess dressing.  A fine side salad, indeed.

Here’s a weeknight meal made out of necessity, but then actually remade and written down cause it was so good.

This is  Salad Stirfry, and I’ll write more about it soon.  I love how colorful it is!

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