Tomato-Spinach Tofu Skillet

The Bear was out of town for a couple of days so I took this opportunity to play with some of my vegan cookbooks.

My advice to Sneaky Vegans who want to encourage others to eat more vegan meals has always been this: test recipes that feature any kind of food substitute - soy, seitan, tofu, etc - and make sure it actually tastes good (and not just "good-for-vegan-food" good, I mean the "so-gobsmacking-good-you-want-to-stick-your-head-in-the-bowl-and-bathe-in-it" kind of good) before you try to sneak it past an omni. Sure non-vegan recipes can suck sometimes too, but those seem to be more easily forgiven and quickly forgotten.

Another thing I do when the Bear isn't home is work ridiculously long hours. So the other night I found myself starving to death after realizing that I hadn't eaten since the night before. I had pre-emptively purchased a block of tofu at the beginning of my little husband-holiday so I immediately pounced on this opportunity to use it. I don't use it a lot as I'm not a fan of processed food but the truth is, I actually like tofu. At least when it's in a recipe that's built around it rather than thrown in as a placeholder for something else. It's all about expectations folks.

This is one of the easiest dishes to make and it's wonderfully versatile as you can substitute all kinds of spice blends to vary the flavor. This is one I tried.

Scrambled Tofu
adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance
Serves 2 as a stand-alone meal or 4 for brekkie served with potatoes and toast

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped in 1/2" chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained but not necessarily dry
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional, as I didn't have any but it was still good!)
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 handfuls of freshly washed spinach

Spice Blend
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with your fingers
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (you can also substitute curry powder)
1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes. Then add the spice blend and mix it all up for another minute. Add 1/4 cup water and deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape up all the garlic and spices. Yum.

Crumble the tofu and mix it in well. Don't crush or mash it, just fold it in until everything is well combined. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat a bit if you find the tofu is sticking. If you happen to have nutritional yeast (this is still on my list of things to get) this is where you'd mix it in. I'm told it's delicious, but I didn't miss not having it so up to you.

Throw in the chopped tomato and spinach, mixing well to get the spinach cooked down. I realize it's probably easier to saute the spinach first, but doing it at the end keeps it from shrinking into nothingness. Same for the tomatoes, to keep them somewhat in tact rather than reducing them to mush.

Depending on how much water the tofu was retaining, you may need to add splashes of water here and there if it gets sticky. When the veggies are cooked to your liking, serve it up and enjoy.

The bear saw this photo when he came home and wants me to make it for him. So for all the folks out there who think vegan food doesn't look appetizing...eat THAT!

Pumpkin-Parsley Risotto

Photo courtesy of La Vita Saporita

The first runner-up to that other amazing risotto is this lovely bowl of deliciousness.

Although I normally reserve pumpkin-related stuff for the Fall, this weather has been so bizarrely autumnal recently, we decided to celebrate instead of curse it. It actually turned out to be a much lighter dish than I expected, so it's perfect for Spring as well.

I'm happy to report that the same taste-tester who stuck his head in this other pot of gooey goodness was caught sneaking the pot into the kitchen yet AGAIN. Super score!

Pumpkin-Parsley Risotto
Recipe courtesy of La Vita Saporita

1/2 cup olive oil
1-4 shallots (or 1 onion), chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 small bunch Italian (flat) parsley, chopped
1-1/2 cups pumpkin, cubed (500g/1lb)
2 cups risotto rice (300g)
1 cup vino bianco (white wine)
5-6 cups (1.5L) vegetable broth
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup vegan parmesan (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable broth.

In a separate, heavy-bottomed saucepan, start by making your soffritto. This is the base for every good risotto. Heat the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots (or onion) and the sea salt - this will help onion soften the onion without browning to keep the flavor delicate. Add the sugar and cook for 3-5 mins. Add the garlic and half the parsley and cook another 3-4 mins, stirring frequently.

Next, add the pumpkin and cook until fork-tender. This could take anywhere form 5-20 minutes, depending on the pumpkin. If it starts to stick, add a few spoons of stock to keep everything loose.

When you can cut through the pumpkin with the side of your wooden spoon, add the rice and saute for 1-2 minutes until the rice is well coated and slightly toasted.

When the rice is slightly translucent or spotted turn up the heat to high and stir for about 30 seconds to keep it from burning before adding the white wine - it should make that great sizzling sound and begin to evaporate immediately.

Then turn the heat back to medium and continue cooking (and stirring) until the wine has evaporated. Add enough stock to cover the rice completely and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add one cup at a time of the remaining stock, and keep stirring until it is absorbed again. It is this act of constant stirring that gives risotto its creamy texture. It is also one of the things that makes risotto such a great group activity, as it permits plenty of time to drink and gossip.

Repeat until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy. The consistency should be slightly liquid, somewhere between solid and soupy. Then season with a bit of pepper and check the salt.

If you happen to have some vegan parmesan, you can toss it in at this point or sprinkle it on top for serving. However, don't let anyone, ANYONE (not even great Italian food writers) tell you that risotto gets it's creamy consistency from butter or cheese 'cuz it just ain't so. Master the simple art of stirring and you, too, can be a Risotto Queen!

Spoon it into shallow bowls, sprinkle with remaining parsley and enjoy immediately.

Sun-dried Tomato-Basil Risotto with Balsamico

Photo courtesy of La Vita Saporita

It was a close race, but this Sun-dried Tomato-Basil Risotto was the most requested this week. For those of you who voted for the Pumpkin-Parsley Risotto, stay tuned - it will get posted before the weekend. Promise.

But back to this ridiculously good risotto. The Bear was highly skeptical when he saw the ingredients on the counter and I have to admit, I wasn't expecting it to be all that interesting either. But I had just found this recipe (and I hadn't gone to the market to get anything else) so we tried it out.

Wow.

This risotto is amazing. I can't remember the last time we dropped so many F-bombs in the kitchen - and I mean that in the best possible way.

Sun-Dried Tomato-Basil Risotto with Balsamic Vinegar
Courtesy of La Vita Saporita
Serves 4

5 cups vegetable broth
2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
1-1/2 cups (250g) arborio rice
1 cup red wine
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes (about 3 oz), cut into bite size pieces
1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
20 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Pour the veggie broth into a saucepan and add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to simmer and reduce to warm, but don't take it off the heat. It's important that the cooking liquid is always hot to facilitate the starch release.

While that's happening, warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a teaspoon of salt - this will soften the onion and keep it from browning. Then add the garlic and saute until soft.

Next, add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice is thoroughly coated and becomes translucent. Nicely toasted rice is another secret to great risotto.

Add in a cup of red wine (and pour one for yourself while you're at it) and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Then add a cup of the broth and tomatoes and stir. And stir. And sip. And stir some more.

When the broth has been absorbed, add another cup and keep stirring until the liquid has again been absorbed. Feel free to pour yourself another glass of wine. Call your mom. Make out with your husband. But whatever you do, keep stirring.

Continue adding the broth a cup at a time. When the rice starts to soften (test a couple of grains after 2-3 cups), stir in the sun-dried tomatoes then continue adding rest of the broth (a cup at a time) and stir-stir-stirring until the rice is al dente (tender but slightly firm in center).

When the rice is nice and creamy, stir in the last cup of broth along with the balsamic vinegar. When these have been mostly absorbed, remove from heat, add the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. The traditional texture is all'onda (wavy). It should spread out easily, but not have a watery perimeter so be sure not to cook the liquid out completely.

Risotto should be served and eaten immediately or it will continue to cook itself in its own heat which will dry it out and make the grains too soft.

Spoon onto individual plates or bowls, garnish with the basil chiffonade (and a few crumbles of goat cheese if you like) and serve with the remaining red wine.

Buon appetito!

Grilled Pepper Fajitas with Aromatic Black Beans

Had two leftover bell peppers after making this pot of deliciousness so we decided to make fajitas.

One thing I've learned making vegan meals for non-vegans is that a handful of aromatics (garlic, onions and fresh herbs) really goes a long way. Much of what we "taste" is really about what we smell, so a sure-fire way to get people excited about eating whatever you're serving is to get some good kitchen smells going.

These would work just fine with a simpler guac (or even plain avocados) and black beans straight from the can, but it's really worth a few minutes of chopping to go the full Monty. Even if you're not trying to win-over non-vegans, do it anyway. It's delicious.

The third version of this herby guac (para bailar la Bamba) with some pimped up black beans add a substance and texture that turned what would otherwise have been "one of those lame veggie wraps" the Bear turns his nose up at into a hearty, flavorful dinner.

We also fired up some of these strawberry-lime bananas for dessert.

Fast. Filling. Fab-u-lous.

Aromatic Black Beans

14oz can of black beans
4-6 cilantro stems (or the whole sprig, it's up to you)
1 garlic clove, crushed or pressed
1/4 cup chopped onion
pinch finely minced red chille
pinch of salt

Combine everything in a saucepan and simmer 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat.
While that's going on, make the guac and set it aside while you grill the veggies.

Grilled Pepper Fajitas
makes 4-6, depending on serving size

1 each red and yellow bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
1/2 onion, sliced lengthwise (use the other half for the guac and beans)
3-way guacamole
aromatic black beans
4-6 whole wheat tortillas

Lightly oil a grill pan and lay the peppers and onions out in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, turning as needed, until they are done to the tenderness of your liking. If you don't have a grill pan, you can just saute them in a skillet.

Remove and set aside. Quickly warm the tortillas in the same pan, about a minute on each side.

Assemble the fajitas with guac, beans and veggies.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Caponata with Bell Peppers

Photo & Recipe courtesy of La Vita Saporita

Food Photography.
Add this to the long list of things for which I do not possess any God-given talent.
But please don't judge the caponata unfairly as a result. It ain't pretty, but it's delicious!

Eggplant Caponata with Bell Peppers
Serves 6

It's worth mentioning that Caponata is a Sicilian aubergine dish normally made with celery, aubergines (eggplant), vinegar and capers. This regional twist substitutes the celery with bell peppers. Actually, this whole recipe is an exercise in approximation so be as creative with it as you like!

1/2 cup (100g) olive oil
2 large eggplants (1-3/4 pounds/1kg), diced or sliced in strips
1 celery stalk chopped (apparently optional, but probably good too)
1 each red and yellow bell pepper, sliced in strips (optional if you use celery, but why not both?)
1 onion, thinly sliced (I used two)
14oz (500g) ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced (fresh is best, but canned is ok too)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (we used red, worked fine)
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup pitted olives (black or green)
3 tablespoons (50g) capers (we used a whole cup in lieu of the olives)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly torn basil leaves, to garnish

Firstly, you must must must sweat the eggplant. Unless, as Rhea commented below and Savuer confirmed, you're using smaller ones that you know don't need it.

Cut it lengthwise in thick slices and rub them lightly with salt on both sides. Place them vertically in a colander and let them sweat for at least an hour. This will pull the bitterness out of the flesh and leave them delightfully sweet. Rinse them, pat them dry with a paper towel and slice them lengthwise in strips.

In a large skillet, fry the onions in the oil until golden. Add the eggplant and peppers and cook "until the colors are vibrant." Technically the eggplant is supposed to be cooked in a separate skillet and combined in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking but honestly, I couldn't be bothered. It still tasted great.

Next, add in the tomatoes (and celery if you're using it) and cook until heated through, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in the vinegar, sprinkle in the sugar, capers and olives and bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat until the vinegar has evaporated, approximately 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with freshly chopped basil. If you happen to have some vegan parmesan, that would be a lovely addition as well.

Nota bene: This doubles as a fabulous antipasto when served cold.
Buon appetito!

Update: a tablespoon each of pine nuts and golden raisins would be a great addition.
Add them in at the same time as the capers and olives.

Spring Soup with Carrots, Apple and Fennel

This delicate combination of springtime flavors (young carrots and fennel with a couple of apples and some fresh ginger tossed in) is the perfect warm-up for those chilly Spring evenings when you're craving warm comfort food but still want to keep things light.

It was a HUGE hit with the Bear, even though he was a little skeptical when I told him this was all I had time to make for dinner. Turns out it was not only good enough for him to go back for seconds, it was filling enough that he couldn't finish! Love it when that happens...

Carrot-Apple-Fennel Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced; fronds reserved and chopped
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 medium apples, cored and cut into chunks (I used Gala)
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4-5 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large, heavy saucepan, warm oil over medium heat. Add the fennel slices, and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the carrots, apples and garlic, and cook for another minute or two. Pour in only 4 of the 5 cups of vegetable broth and reserve the last cup.

Season with salt and simmer, covered, until you can easily cut the carrots with a spoon, about 20 minutes. Add the ginger at the end (this keeps the flavor bright) and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Remove the soup from the heat, and stir in the orange juice and reserved fennel fronds. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot. Or, if you don't have one, transfer it in 2-3 batches to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve warm.

Grilled Avocado with Mango Mint Salsa and Wild Rice

I'm always looking for new things to do with mangoes and this salsa is a fantastically fresh way to perk up some of my favorite things. It's super simple and addictively delicious - two more of my favorite things.

Mango-Mint Salsa

1 mango, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or mint
Zest of 1 lime
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste

Mix everything together and chill for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Unlike guacamole, it won't discolor so let it sit longer if you can. It's perfect when it's freshly made but even more sublime after all the little bits have had a chance to mingle.

It was last served it on the patio atop a grilled avocado with wild rice (cooked per package directions with some green onions) and mango-lime puree (recipe below).

In the same week (it's that good) we served it at a dinner party in a wrap with this pimped up guacamole and some aromatic black beans and rice which, unfortunately, we devoured before I could take any photos.

Yum.

Mango-Lime Purée

2 ripe mangoes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lime rind
1/4 cup (60 mL) lime juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
A pinch each of cumin and cayenne pepper

Peel and cube mangoes. In food processor or blender, purée with lime rind and juice, salt, cumin and cayenne. Set aside or refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before using.

This is typically used as a base for grilled fish, but I decided it would work just as well with a grilled avocado. If anyone can think of other ways to use it please let me know because it was delish!

Chickpea Fritters with Red Onion and Parsley

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of anything called a "patty." Perhaps it's the foodie in me, but I don't consider them to be real food. My grandmother used to make "meat patties" and even at the age of six I found it odd, concluding that they must have been made of some random mystery meat that failed in its efforts to be a full-fledged burger. But perhaps Gram just knew this fundamental truth: calling something a burger sets certain expectations that, if not met, will invariably make the eater feel let-down. And few things are more devastating to an Italian grandmother than someone being disappointed with her cooking.

Personally, I love veggie-type things smashed together in a (for lack of a better word) patty, as long as they aren't being passed off as burgers and have a more inspiring moniker. And I have no doubt that if I told the Bear I was making garbanzo-burgers, bean patties or any other such thing for dinner he would have surprised me with "just-remembered" dinner reservations.

Chickpea Fritters, however, seemed to intrigue him. Ironically, Italians find anything that smacks of the American South to be "exotic" - I love that. And he loved these.

Sneaky Vegan Marketing 101, my friends: never underestimate the power of presentation and packaging.

Leek Risotto with Spring Peas

Vegan risotto need not be an oxymoron, but a soy-based bastardization of this authentic regional recipe would be borderline blasphemous in my family.

The Bear makes some of the best risotto I've ever tasted - and I've tasted a LOT of risotto. Of course, anything jammed with butter, cream and cheese is usually pretty heavenly, artery-blockages notwithstanding. So how the hell I was ever going to get away with a butterless, creamless, cheeseless risotto that wouldn't end in divorce...

The answer was sitting quietly on my kitchen counter: leeks.

I grabbed my Italian cooking bible and frantically searched for a recipe. Found one, yay! Risotto con porri e panna: starts with butter, ends with cream and is finished with cheese. Boo. This is now a personal vision quest...

Though excited at first, the Bear quickly turned skeptical when he scanned the fridge and found no butter, cream or cheese in the house. He let me amuse myself anyway, secretly planning to rectify the situation with an emergency pizza. I don't know if it was because he had such low expectations to begin with, but he was blown away - seriously blown away - by how good this was - especially because there was virtually nothing in it!

The actual recipe is ridiculously simple: slice up some leeks, cook 'em down, add rice and stir, add broth and stir (repeat this move about 10 times), throw in peas at the end, garnish and serve. However, there are a few secrets to making a truly transcendent risotto. I'm eternally grateful that they were passed on to me, so if you're interested, here they are:

1) First and foremost, take your time. Grab your iPod, open a bottle of wine, phone a friend and get comfortable in front of the stove. Plan to be there for at least 40-45 minutes, adding one cup of liquid at a time and stirring constantly. Con-stant-ly. Leaving rice to soak in an unattended steambath yields nothing but...well, cooked rice.


2) You don't have to make it yourself, but whether it comes from a can, a box, or a boullion, use broth. Never water. I cannot emphasize this enough, in conjunction with the previous point. Rice cooks itself in water. Risotto is prepared by constantly adding and cooking down broth.

3) Use good risotto rice and the best quality ingredients you can find. Cooking is nothing but chemistry. Compensating for the lack of butter, cream and cheese is easy when you use fresh ingredients and give their flavors time to develop and marinate.

4) If by some bizarre chance you've forgotten about an open bottle of Prosecco - or any sparkling or white wine - and allowed it to go flat in the back of your fridge (gasp!), this is an excellent way to rectify the situation. Use that last cup (surely you don't have more than that left over) for the first absorption before continuing to add the broth...one cup at a time.

Portabella Mushroom Fettuccine

Wow, Mom is really getting the hang of this vegan business! She refuses to open any of my new vegan cookbooks, prefering instead to use "real" recipes and just take out the stuff she can't eat. Pretty good strategy for a reluctant vegan - and anyone else who's having trouble sharing their kitchen with an omnivorous family.

Portabella mushrooms are one of my favorite "sneaky" ingredients because they marinate well with almost anything you would use on a steak.

So here's a little something she whipped up for us the other night.

1/2 cup burgandy or other dry red wine
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (she left this out and it was still delish!)
1-1/2 teaspoons dry oregano
12oz top sirloin, cut into thin strips
12oz portabella mushrooms, sliced
8oz fettuccine (we used wheat pasta but spinach or sun-dried tomato fettucine would be excellent!)

Combine first 6 ingredients in an airtight plastic bag for marinade. Add mushrooms and beef and turn to coat thoroughly. Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning beef frequently.

Cook pasta per packaging instructions.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil spray. Heat over medium-high for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1/2 the mixture to skillet. Cook for 4 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Stir frequently. Set aside and cook the remaining mixture.

Return the set-aside mixture with juices to skillet and add remaining marinade. Increase heat to high and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Remove from heat, spoon over pasta and serve. Sadly we didn't have any vegan cheese on hand, but a few shreds would have been a nice finishing touch. Still, this was delish. Try pairing it with this vegan Caesar salad on the side.

Yay Mom!

Brandon's Chana Masala

Just picked up a copy of Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life. She's one of my favorite food bloggers who, along with her husband Brandon (a vegetarian she met through her blog, Orangette), are living proof that omnivores and herbivores can live happily ever after in the same kitchen. Way to go guys!

So this is actually Brandon's recipe that Molly put in her book and it consistently gets rave reviews. Don't be intimidated by the ingredient list - this seriously simple and fabulously filling one-pot wonder is beyond bursting with flavor. It's even better the next day after the flavors have marinated.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground corriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala (optional if you can't find it but sooo good if you can!)
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup water
One 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes (crushed or diced work as well)
1 tablesppon coarsely chopped cilatnro
Pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes, or to taste
Two 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3-1/2 cup plain (soy) yogurt
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Pour the olive oil into a Dutch oven and carmelize the onion over medium heat. Stir occassionally but let it stew. Even a little charring is ok - the more color, the more flavorful the final result.

Reduce heat to low and add the garlic, cumin seeds, corriander, ginger, garam masala, cardamom pods and salt. Stir constantly until fragrant and toasty, about 30 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and stir. Scrape up the yummy brown bits from the bottom and cook until the water has evaporated completely.

Your kitchen should be smelling heavenly right about now.

Now pour in the tomatoes - if you're using the whole tomatoes, either break them apart with your hands as you add them or crush them in the pot with a masher. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add cilantro and cayenne and continue to cook, stirring occassionally, until the mixture reduces a bit and begins to thicken. Add the chickpeas, stir well, and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cook a few minutes more until it is absorbed. According to the recipe, the process of adding and cooking off water helps to concentrate the sauce's flavor and makes the chickpeas more tender. Kind of the same concept as the secret to a great risotto. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Stir in the yogurt if you like (I used a dollop as garnish instead) or you can leave that out and serve with the lemon wedges instead. Either way, sprinkle with a pinch of garam masala and some chopped cilantro.

I found some delicious artisanal olive bread to serve it with, but any nicely toasted or crusty bread will do.

 Buon appetito!

Spicy Winter Vegetable Curry

Mom is totally on the program and this is one of her favorites. I made a few substitutions to help her ease up on the cholesterol but either way, this is a winner!

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I've been using water to saute and it works well)
1 small vidalia onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons curry powder
4 teaspoons garam masala (optional)
a 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons salt
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
15 oz can peas, drained (we forgot these  - and but I also recommend using fresh peas)
14 oz can coconut milk (for a lower fat/cholesterol version, we used vanilla soy milk)
Scallions to garnish

Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. If you use water you'll have to stir more - just keep adding it until the veggies are cooked as you like.

Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, curry powder, garam masala, ginger, and salt; cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, and potatoes.

Pour in the coconut (or vanilla soy) milk, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with scallions for a touch of green - especially if you forgot the peas like we did!

Veggie Pot Pie

Oh, how super cute is this?

I was obsessed with pot pies when I was a kid. This is a great one for the munchkins!

Photo & Recipe courtesy of Happy Little Vegans

2 frozen store bought vegan pie crusts (the kind in the pie tins)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen green peas
1 large sweet onion chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped into cubes
3 cups of water
1 veggie boulion cube
2 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1/3 olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
3 tablespoons faux butter
3 tablespoons unbleached flour
3/4 cup soy milk


Preheat oven to 400. Remove pie crusts from freezer and let them sit while you prepare the ingredients.

In a pot, combine the corn, peas, potatoes, water, bouillon, salt and pepper. Boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until potatoes are soft.

Heat oil in a skillet, saute the garlic and onion until transparent and lightly browned – careful not to burn. Add the cumin, ginger and the 3 tablespoons of flour, stirring until flour is lightly browned and mixture is thick. Add in the soy milk and faux butter, and stir.

Pour onion mixture in the skillet into the pot of veggies, simmer for another 15 mins until thick.

You can also add a tablespoon of red or white wine for a bit of a kick, and if its still not creamy enough for you add a bit of cornstarch and more butter.

Roll your crust out flat. At this point it should be soft and workable. Then take your ramekins (or whatever baking dish you want to use) and turn it upside down onto the crust to make an impression. Follow the line and cut it out.

Fill your ramekins with the filling and place the cut out crust on top. If you want decorative pieces, now is the time to cut them out and place them where you like.

Bake on cookie sheets for approx 15-20 mins or until the dough is slightly browned.

Enjoy!

Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta

Photo & Recipe courtesy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Post Punk Kitchen

The Bear love-Love-LOVES polenta! This hearty winter stew is so full of flavor he'll never notice it has no meat.

Plus, it doesn't fit in the bowl anyway. Enjoy!

Olive oil (1-2 tablespoons)
1 small onion, diced medium
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Several dashes fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup green lentils
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
2 lbs plum tomatoes, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 lb small yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
3 leeks, white & light green parts only, in 1 inch chunks (and washed well)
Fresh sprigs of rosemary or thyme

4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry polenta

Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in olive oil, along with a dash of salt, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, celery seed, pepper and salt and saute a minute more.

Add the lentils, baby carrots, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes, until lentils are slightly softened.(now is a good time to start the polenta.)

Add potatoes and leeks. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 to 30 more minutes, until potatoes are fork tender and lentils are soft. Let sit for 10 minutes or so to allow the flavors to meld.

To make the polenta, bring vegetable broth and salt to a boil in a 2 quart pot. Add oil. Lower heat to simmer. Add the polenta in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Whisk for about 5 minutes, until polenta is thickened. Keeping heat low, cover and let cook for 20 more minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

Serve the stew over polenta and garnished with fresh herbs.

For more amazing recipes from Isa, check out her book Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Trofie with Black Truffle Sauce

Photo Credit: Cafe Travel via La Vita Saporita

Thought it was about time I posted something besides dessert!

The truffles in this gorgeous pasta dish are so intensely flavorful that it's super easy to veganize with vegetable stock and soy cream.

You can find the full recipe here.

Buon appetito!

Vegan Mexican Lasagne

Believe it or not, with all the amazing food options in Europe, Mexican food is really hard to come by. And good Mexican food is downright non-existent. Like most Europeans, the Bear has some weird genetic aversion to cilantro so Mexican isn't usually at the top of the favorites list. Tragic, I know.

But I'm feeling naughty today. And I just found this super yummy recipe for Vegan Mexican Lasagne from my girl over at PeaSoupEats.

Rave reviews all around!

Sassy & Spicy Lentil Soup

Here's a nice hearty soup to warm up a winter night.

It's so fragrant and flavorful that the Bear didn't even notice he was eating nothing but beans and veggies...
but he did scrape his bowl (and mine) clean.

Yay!

This recipe comes courtesy of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef - thanks Shauna & Danny!

SASSY & SPICY LENTIL SOUP

Basics:
1 cup lentils
8 cups cold water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8oz canned tomatoes with juice

Finely-diced veggies:
1 medium-sized yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small carrot (peeled)
1 rib celery
1 red pepper

Spices:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric - I substituted 1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt (with more, to taste, at the end)
1 teaspoon black pepper

Finishing touches:
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup vegan sour cream (try Tofutti Sour Supreme)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mix the spices together in a small bowl and set them aside.

In a BIG pot, sauté half the onion with one clove of garlic in one tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Stir it occasionally so you don't burn the garlic. When the onion and garlic are nicely translucent, add half the spice mixture and cook for one minute. Add the lentils and the water. When the water has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow this mixture to simmer until tender, about 25-30 minutes or so.

While that's going on, sauté the rest of the onion and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil in a separate skillet, also on medium heat. Next, add the carrot and celery and cook until the carrot and celery start to soften. They don't have to be totally soft as they'll be cooking in the soup soon enough. Add the red pepper pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Then throw in the rest of the spices and stir it up for a couple more minutes.

Now, toss it all into the pot of lentils, which should be tender by now. Mix in the tomatoes (with juice) and let it simmer for another 30 minutes or so.

You will probably find yourself taste-testing a lot at this point - it's just so freakin' good - so take this opportunity to add salt to your taste.

Here's a nice little tip from Danny, otherwise known as "the chef": just before serving the soup, stir in the finely-diced ginger and stir it in well. Cook for a few moments more. Apparently this keeps the taste of ginger "bright". Taste the soup again (yeah, I'm twisting your arm) and if you need more salt and pepper, season to taste.

Serve it up and top with a small dollop of [vegan] sour cream and a little bit of chopped cilantro.

The claim that it "serves six" is valid - the Bear was so stuffed after a bowl and a half that we actually had leftovers to freeze.

And that never happens...

For more great recipes from Shauna & Danny, pick up their book Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

Jamie Oliver's Early Autumn Minestrone

They say that every Italian wife worth her salt can whip up a minestrone with her eyes closed.
I ain't there yet.

Fortunately, I found a great recipe from Jamie Oliver. Love him.
A friend just showed me his iPhone application. What a rabbit hole that was...

Anyway, the irony in using a British guy's minestrone to validate my position as a proper Italian wife is not lost on me. But I made some adjustments to take out some of the steps that the Bear says "a real Italian would never do" (while also quietly ignoring the call for rashers/bacon) and, as usual, there wasn't a drop of it left on his plate.

So between me and the Brit, we must be doing something right!

Photo by David Loftus

JAMIE'S EARLY AUTUMN MINESTRONE
"Italianized" by the Bear and "Veganized" by me
(serves 4-6)

Gather the following:

• 200g cannellini or borlotti beans*
• 1 bay leaf* (optional)
• 1 tomato, squashed* (optional)
• 1 small potato, peeled* (optional)

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 2 small red onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 small potatoes
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
• ½ a head of fennel, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

• a small bunch of fresh basil (leaves and stalks separated**)
• 2 x 400g tins (or 14-15oz cans) of good-quality plum tomatoes
• two glasses of red wine (one for the soup and one for me!)
• 2 small courgettes (zucchini), quartered and sliced
• 200g chard or spinach, washed and roughly sliced (including stalks)
• 565ml (about 2-1/2 cups) vegetable stock, preferably organic
• 55g dried pasta (about 1 cup)

*Ok, so this is the main part we ditched. Neither of us are fans of throwing away perfectly edible food that's used to "flavour" something. I also didn't have fresh, dried beans handy. So I bought a bottle and cut 30 minutes off my time. Win-win.

Otherwise, start making your soffrito by heating a good splash of olive oil in a saucepan and adding the chopped onions, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and the finely sliced basil stalks.

**This is another thing the Bear swears a real Italian would never do - we threw it all in, stalks, leaves and all. You're supposed to sweat the veggies, not the details, right?

Anyway, saute whatever ends up in the pot very slowly on a low heat, with the lid just ajar, for around 15 to 20 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add the tomatoes, courgettes and one glass of red wine. Simmer gently for 15 minutes...and enjoy the second glass yourself.

Then add the chard or spinach, veggie stock and beans.

At this point Jamie suggests putting the dried pasta into a polythene bag, squeezing all the air out, tying the end up, and "bashing gently" with a rolling pin to break the pasta into pieces. Personally, if I want to bash something, it's not going to be gentle and that whole process sounded waaaaay to complicated when there is a plethora of different pastas available in my local market. I opted to use some organic Sicilian gomitini (tiny little macaroni).

Whatever you choose, put it the soup, stir it up and continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked.

If you think the soup is looking too thick, add a little more stock. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it sprinkled with the torn-up basil leaves and some extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top.

It was good. Really good. So good, in fact, that the Bear almost forgot to smother it with fresh Parmesan.
Almost.

Oh well,  you can't win 'em all...