Chickpea Curry & Coconut Rice

I really burned myself out on curries for a while but I'm back, baby! I didn't know what sounded good, so I just kept adding shit until it tasted exactly how I wanted. It's a mishmash of all my favorite things, and damn was it tasty as hell!

I read somewhere recently about cooking rice in coconut milk for some good flavor. I love coconut milk and I love rice, so there was no way I couldn't fall passionately in obsession with it. I highly recommend making the coconut rice to go with the curry. Recipe: 1 cup uncooked rice to 1 can of lite coconut milk. You won't regret it.

Makes 4 large portions.

What you need:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (I steamed mine to cut cooking time down)
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 slightly heaped cup roasted cashews, but raw is great too
• 4 large button mushrooms cut into wedges
• 1 very large handful baby spinach, shredded or chopped
• 1-2 TB grapeseed oil
• curry powder, a few TB
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4-1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• salt to taste

 

What you do:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Once it's shimmering, add chickpeas, cauliflower, cashews, onion, carrot, and mushroom. Stir well and cook about 5 minutes. 
2. When the veggies are softened, add the spices and 3/4 of the coconut milk. Let simmer until it thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Feel free to add more coconut milk or spices. It's your dinner, not mine. When you're pretty much satisfied, turn off the heat and stir in the spinach to wilt. It'll only take about 2 minutes.
3. Serve up over some badass coconut rice.

Curry Power

Curry? Um, yes. I really can't ever say no to some tasty-ass curry, and you shouldn't either. 

Don't know what to make for dinner? Have veg that's about to go soft? Tired of the same old shit food? Time to make a fucking curry. You can add almost anything to curry in terms of veggies and spices. This recipe turned out to be one of my favorites and all I did was throw some random stuff together. 

Makes enough for 2 large dinner portions with some tasty jasmine rice.

What you need:

-2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 drained can)

-3 tomatoes roughly chopped

-1 large carrot cut into small dice

-1/2 red onion, cut into small slices or diced

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1.5 cups raw cashews

-1 cup frozen peas

-1 TB  coconut oil

-2 TB favorite curry power - I'm too lazy to concoct my own

-1/4 to 1/2 tsp sumac (optional but recommended)

-salt and pepper

-fresh coriander/cilantro

-cooked rice

What you do:

1. Cook rice and set side in to keep warm until plating.

2. Heat your oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and cook 3-4 minutes. Add onions, and cook until transparent, about 6 minutes. Now stir in the minced garlic. Once the garlic becomes fragrant, turn heat down to medium.

3. Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with the spices. I covered my pan for about 10 minutes as the tomato cooked down. Once the tomatoes get soft, remove the lid.

4. Add the cashews and peas, and cook another 5-7 minutes as some of the liquid cooks off and the curry tightens up a bit. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed to fit your own twisted tastes.

5. Serve over the yummy rice and top with some fresh cilantro/coriander. 

Savory Chickpea Crepes - 1st attempt

Let me start by saying that I have never eaten a crepe in my entire life...vegan or not. So, I had no idea how thick to make the batter. These ended up somewhere between a crepe and a pancake in their thickness. Seeing how much I love pancakes anyway, I wasn't disappointed.

I'm that weird person who eats her regular pancakes without syrup, preferring a more savory flavor. That was my inspiration for trying to make a savory (and spicy) crepe. So, I suppose I should maybe try calling these pancakes since they were thicker than a crepe. Whatever. The whole point is that these turned out so deliciously that I had to share them with you. I am trying to think of some sort of sauce to use with them, but I'm coming up dry. I did, however, use some mint chutney (just a smidge), and it was tasty.

I will definitely be trying these again, thinning the batter out a little bit to see if I can make them more crepe-like in their density. Regardless, make these. They are delicious.

Makes 4 pancakes/crepes/whatever about 4 inches in diameter

What I used:

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour (also called besan flour)
• 2/3 cup water or slightly less
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 TB fresh cilantro, minced (or 1 TB dried)
• 2 tsp Earth Balance

What I did:

• Mix together the flour and water in a bowl until it's mostly lump-free. Add in the other ingredients (except the Earth Balance) and mix well. 
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in 1/2 tsp of the Earth Balance.
• Once the butter melts, pour 1/4 cup of the chickpea mixture to the pan. When it starts to get air bubbles and the edges look dry, flip the pancake and cook another 2 minutes. 
• Repeat until all the butter and batter are used up.

Potato Chickpea Curry with Ginger

 

Potato Chickpea Curry with Ginger. Need I say more? Nope. Just make it already. It's delicious and inspired by a pal's IG feed. So, yeah, nothing to see here. Move  along to the recipe.

Serves 3-4 when accompanied by naan or rice

What I used:

• 3 medium-sized red potatoes
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 TB grapeseed oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Earth Balance
• 4 oz white mushrooms
• 1 medium red onion, sliced into half-moons
• 3/4 tsp ginger paste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 TB Shan chana chaat powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup rice milk just to keep it from drying out.

What I did:

1. To speed up the cooking, (at the suggestion of a friend) I microwaved the potatoes for about 4 minutes, then diced them. This saved SO MUCH TIME. Be careful, they're fucking hot. /disclaimer.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and some salt, and cook until softened. Add in the diced potatoes, garlic, Earth Balance, chickpeas, and chana chaat powder. Stir well and often for about 5 minutes, then add in the milk and the shrooms and stir again. Cook another 5 minutes.
3. Add in the ginger paste. Mix well, then check your salt and pepper levels. Adjust and serve that shit up with some naan, or rice, or both.
4. See? Easy peasy. Eat, eat, you're skin and bones.

Creamy Curry with Tofu

If you read my last post, you know that my pal, Nicole (of Nicole Eats) is completely kickass and my recent cooking inspiration. She has been on a mission lately to help me find a recipe for tofu that will make me actually LIKE tofu. Okay, okay, I am a sucker for a really good scramble. But, I mean tofu as a dish. So, while we were chatting last night I saw a recipe for curried tofu somewhere. It stuck in my brain, so I decided that I needed to make some tofu today...and make it curried. This is not the recipe I found online...or anywhere. This came from my head, and I'm pretty stoked about that. So, I (of course) texted Nicole today to ask if it would work or be any good. I got her approval, and heated up my cast iron skillet.

Making tofu is all fine and good, but what else was this chickpea to make for dinner? Well, I do have a killer rice cooker, so I started some rice. What else? Well, I dug around in the pantry and fridge and scrounged up some awesome. I made a mellow, creamy curry to go with the tofu (which was fucking awesome, by the way), and chowed down.

For the tofu: 

• 1/4 block of pressed tofu, cut into small cubes (or whatever size gets your motor going)
• 1 TB cornstarch
• 1 TB of your favorite curry powder (I've been gifted some Shan brand and it is AWESOME)
• pinch salt
• 1TB oil for pan-frying

1.  Heat the oil in a skillet until shimmering. I had mine over a medium-high heat.
2. Throw the cornstarch, curry powder, and salt into a bowl and mix well with a fork. 
3. Toss in the tofu and shake it around until all the sides of the tofu are covered in starch and spice.

4. Now, carefully pour the tofu into the skillet and make into a single layer if possible. Stir every few minutes, until the sides are a bit crispy and cooked to your liking. 

For the Curry:

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/4 of a large red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, tiny dice
• 1TB or more of your fave curry powder
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• 1/2 can of LITE coconut milk
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 TB cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water until the starch is dissolved

1. In a skillet with a lid, heat the broth with the curry powder and coriander mixed in. I turned my burner to Med-High for this. 
2. Once it's hot, add in the cauliflower, carrot, onion, tomato and garlic. Cook, covered, stirring every few minutes, until the veg is a bit crisp. I think mine took 8 minutes. 
3. Add in the chickpeas, coconut milk, and cornstarch slurry. Keep the lid off, and stir often so the coconut milk doesn't burn to the skillet. Cook until the sauce has thickened to your preference. Mine took about 6 minutes.

Almost there. Just another minute or 2.

So, there you have it. I officially like ONE tofu. And, I am getting back into my kitchen. Thank you, Nicole! You're my foodie BFF. xoxo meg

Brussels,Tatoes, and Chickpea Cutlets - VeganMoFo #7

I woke up to a freezing house and dreaded getting up to get ready for work. I just couldn't drag my ass out of my nice, cozy,warm bed. But, my dears, I have responsibilities. I started shivering as soon as I left the comfort of my blankets, and it seemed I couldn't get warm all day long. Cold days means comfort food cravings. Who am I to deny myself comfort? How many times can I type "comfort" in this post?

Potatoes=comfort food (I grew the potatoes in giant pots in my yard this summer)
Chickpeas cutlets=comfort protein
Brussels sprouts=comfort cabbages

So, yeah. That's what I made.

The sprouts:
I've learned that I can make super yummy Brussels sprouts in my cast iron skillet instead of roasting them in the oven. They cook a lot quicker and they are generally perfect. Just heat some oil over medium heat and, once hot, add your sprouts. Sear them until they start to caramelize. Then, I put a lid over the skillet and steam them for about 4 minutes.

The chickpea cutlets:
The cutlets are on page 133 of Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I will say that I've made them quite a few times and I change up the recipe pretty much every time. I use the cookbook as a guide for the basic ingredients, but I change up the spices and such. Here's one of my main changes, though: I use steak sauce instead of the soy sauce called for in the recipe. Why? It fucking rocks, that's why. I also add some very finely diced red onion, maybe 3-4 TB. I also suggest using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika, as well as adding a little poultry seasoning. Don't worry, it doesn't have poultry in it...just spices. The recipe says you can either pan-fry or bake the cutlets, and I always bake them. This time, I made them thicker than I usually do, and it was a great idea. They didn't get dried out, and they were a bit chewy. Bonus tip: dip them in steak sauce.

Mashed potatoes: 
Peel and dice some potatoes. Boil them until they're fork-tender then drain them. Mash in some almond milk and vegan butter. Add a little salt and pepper. Pig out and get a carb-coma.

Happy MoFo

Chickpea Salad on Crackers - VeganMoFo #2

Chickpea salad is the shit. You should probably make some. It's insane on crackers. It's killer on toast. Hell, it's great on a spoon. No matter how you eat it, I assure you that you'll dig it. One can of chickpeas makes enough for 2 sandwiches or an entire sleeve of crackers. It will keep for at least 24 hours in the fridge, but I can't imagine that it will even last that long. Be warned: chickpea salad is insanely addictive.

I have made this so many different ways, but the following is my basic version. Add whatever you want: celery, seaweed, whatever. Go forth and create food!

What you need:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 Tb vegan mayo (I prefer Vegenaise)
• 1 TB mustard
• 1 dill pickle spear, chopped (also good with a spicy dill spear)
• 1 tsp pickle juice
• 2-3 TB minced red onion
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce or aminos
• salt and pepper
• pinch of fresh dill (optional)
• 2 TB sunflower seeds (optional)

What you do:

1. Pile everything into your food processor and whir it until it reaches a consistency you dig. Adjust your seasoning and chow down.

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I decided to start doing an occasional Wordless Wednesday post when I get busy. So, here's what I've been up to for the last week:

Flowers from one of my favorite library patrons.I have the BEST job ever.

Homemade baked falafel with lemon tahini sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veg.

Adorable tiny bird at my feeder having its dinner while I cooked mine.

The awesome pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting I made for a dear friend.

Zen at the park.

Walking the pup at the park.

I grilled some pineapple. First I soaked it in full-fat canned coconut milk, then I grilled it and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Spotted this little guy on a dandelion out behind my house.

Vegan sausage gravy and biscuits with bananas for breakfast. Hell yes.

Crappy picture of the fabulous nachos I had. 'Chos are my excuse to eat tons of guacamole.

Due to horrific storms, we went without electricity for 8 hours.

I discovered the awesomeness that is the Nature's Harvest dry roasted edamame. So Yum.

New Rollerblades...finally. It's been so many years since I skated. Yes, I skated through my neighborhood in my librarian clothes after work. It was awesome.

I couldn't resist. I wear it on my work badge.

Ever eat chickpea sandwiches? They're a staple in my world. I love taking them for lunch at the library because they don't make your bread soggy (I absolutely cannot deal with soggy bread) and the flavor seems to get better as it sits. As for the bread, I never much took any interest in foccacia, but the fella came home with a giant, flat loaf from the store today. I wondered what the hell I was going to with it. Alas, I made a sandwich. And it was great. The foccacia was soft inside and chewy outside. Better yet, it was vegan!

This little recipe started with a recipe I found on Happy Herbivore's blog a couple years ago, and has constantly evolved ever since. This makes 1 sandwich, but I'll leave it up to you to double/triple/whatever.

What I used:

• 1/2 can drained chickpeas (About 2/3- 3/4 cup)
• 3 TB diced onion
• 2 TB sunflower seeds for a little crunch
• 1 TB Vegenaise vegan mayo
• 1 1/2 TB dill relish
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 TB nooch
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/8 tsp dried dill

What I did:

1. Put everything in your food processor and pulse a few times, until the mix holds together. If it's too dry, add a little more mayo or dijon mustard and pulse a few more times. Spoon the mix out onto some bread, top with some baby spinach (or lettuce) and a slice of tomato. Dig it.

Two-Bean Tacos

If you're a somewhat regular visitor here, you might realize that tacos are a food group to me. Tacos are my specialty. Here are some of my many taco recipe incarnations:

• Spicy Lentil Tacos
• Vegan Chicken Tacos
• Vegan Steak Tacos
• Fab TVP Tacos
• Tempeh Tacos
• Black Bean Tacos
• Spicy Chickpea Tacos

Okay, now that we've covered the fact that I'm a taco ninja, lets move on to these awesome Two-Bean Tacos. I have been craving tacos for a few days, so I decided I definitely needed to gorge myself on eat some. Yesterday, I used my super-mega-rad electric pressure cooker to cook some chickpeas that I had soaked overnight. If you like cooking your own dried beans, you should consider a pressure cooker. Instead of the 90-120 minutes of cooking chickpeas, it took me about 15 minutes from start to finish. I could have cooked them about 1-2 minutes longer, but it's new to me and I haven't figured out exact times yet. Still, it saved me a ridiculous amount of time! I dig it. Big time.

Alrighty, so, I had some chickpeas just chilling in my fridge - begging to be eaten. Out of curiosity, I wanted to add another kind of bean to the tacos, so I added a can of pinto beans I had in the cupboard. I wasn't sure how they would taste together, but it turned out spectacularly. And, in my attempt to overcome my kale aversion, I substituted lettuce for chopped raw kale on my tacos. It was fucking awesome. I'm slowly embracing kale...and it's pretty fun.

This makes a lot of tacos. We ate 6 and still have enough left for 2-3 more tomorrow. 

What I used:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
• 1 can whole pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cremini or white mushrooms, chopped small
• 1-2 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup salsa of your choice
• about 1 1/2 TB taco seasoning mix (I make my own: here)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

What I did:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook another 3 minutes. 
2. While the onions are cooking, pop the beans into a food processor and whir a few times. You don't want the beans pureed, but you don't want them whole (or they'll fall off the taco shells). 
3. Once the veg is done cooking, add the chopped beans to the skillet and mix everything up. Now, add the seasonings and salsa. Mix well and cook until heated through, about 5-8 minutes. Taste and add more spices or salsa as needed. The salsa should mostly be absorbed and it helps keep the beans from drying out while cooking. 

How easy was that?! 

Review: Cajun Chickpea Cakes a la Happy Herbivore

I was gifted a copy of Everyday Happy Herbivore for my birthday from my pal, Jenna. It landed on my stoop as a complete surprise and I started browsing immediately. I flipped right open to a chickpea recipe! How fitting, eh? But, really, I did open it right up to a dish called Cajun Chickpea Cakes on page 188. I pretty much hopped right up and made them.

They turned out very, very well. In fact, I'm made them again last night. I did, of course, alter the recipe a little bit. I just can't help myself! Mine seemed to be a little dry, so I added a TB more mayo, a TB of water and maybe a 1/2 tsp of soy sauce. I also substituted the poultry seasoning with my favorite, all-purpose seasoning from Simply Organic brand, because I never have poultry seasoning on-hand. These little buggers were incredible. I highly recommend making the cajun mayo to dip these in.

I made a double batch last night, which was a great idea because I had some leftover for lunch today. I love when meals make easy lunches. I reheated them in the microwave. I'm not sure if it was the nuking or what, but they were pretty crumbly today. I didn't have any of the cajun mayo left, so I used some steak sauce (A1) to dip in. It was awesome! They go really well with steamed and roasted veggies and even mashed potatoes.

These remind me a little of baked falafel in texture and consistency. I am obsessed with falafels, in case you didn't know. So, I'll probably use this recipe as a base and alter the tastes to fit my moods-- like substituting curry powder for the cajun seasoning. Who knows!?! I'm a wild woman in the kitchen. 

I haven't tried any other recipes from Everyday Happy Herbivore yet, but if they are as good as these chickpea cakes, I then this book is a keeper. Have any of you tried recipes from the new cookbook?

Meg's Epic Six Bean Stew

Such a pretty bowl of beans.

I'm a little proud of myself, I must say. I've never made a stew before. Ever. But, bean soup had been sounding particularly yummy, and bean soups from restaurants around here are nearly always made with ham. Gross. Since I can't bear to eat my lil piggy friends, I decided to try my hand at making a VEGAN multi-bean stew. Success! It was absolutely fantastic with some garlic naan. I'm not sure if it's just me, but bean stew (or soup) pretty much always requires bread to go with it. Don't want the bread, then don't have it. No skin off my back. Whatever.

Legumes used:

• cranberry beans
• black-eye peas
• pinto beans
• chickpeas/garbanzo beans
• light red kidney beans
• black beans

So, since I insisted on using dried beans, you can't really just whip up this soup. You need to soak and cook your beans. I'm thinking my beans took about 90 minutes to cook. Just put the soaked beans into a large pot and cover with several inches of water. I added 1 TB Kosher salt to mine and cooked with the lid askew until the chickpeas were done. The 3 cups of dried beans will magically morph into about 6 cups.

This recipe makes a TON. At least 6 large bowls. Which is perfect for me as I love soups and stews better the second and third days. It just seems like the flavors have more time to meld and get awesome. Or whatever.

What I used:

• 1/2 cup dried cranberry chocolate
• 1/2 cup dried black-eye peas
• 1/2 cup dried pinto beans
• 1/2 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 cup dried light red kidney beans
• 1/2 cup dried black beans
• 1 large idaho potato, peeled and diced small (about the size of dried chickpea)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly about 1/8-1/4 inch
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• about 5 cups of your favorite veggie broth
• 1 tsp all purpose seasoning (I prefer Simply Organic brand)
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• salt to your tastes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp curry powder of your choice (mine's a spicy muchi curry powder)
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

What I did:

1. After the beans were cooked, I drained them and added them to my large soup pot. Add all the ingredients. Stir well. Cook about 30 minutes over medium heat with the lid on. Stir every once in a while. 
2. Then remove the lid and let the soup cook down over medium-low heat for about 20 more minutes. 
3. I pureed about half of my soup with an immersion blender to make some of it smooth. You can use a blender or a food processor if you want, but be careful, hot liquids can make small explosions. Stir it all together and you're done. 

Chickpea Broccoli Casserole a la VwaV

There are days when you just need a hot, filling meal...something comforting for your tummy to devour and enjoy. Oh yeah, that was today. I woke up super hungry and I couldn't stop thinking about casserole. WTF? I am sooooo not a casserole kind of girl. But, whatever, I needed comfort food and I didn't know what to make. I saw somewhere online that people seemed to really like the broccoli chickpea casserole in the Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook, so I whipped it out. The book, not "it." Get your damn minds outta the gutter.

Well, I have had my VwaV cookbook for a couple years now, and I have made exactly 1 recipe from it. I think there is something wrong with me. I really don't know why I never think to use it. Whatever. Anyway, I made the casserole on page 97 (you can also find it posted all over the internet), but with some changes, including making it a little bit smaller because I didn't have enough chickpeas. Here are the other changes I made:

• had no chives, so I added 2 cloves minced garlic instead
• more breadcrumbs, with some extra on the top
• added lots of pepper and some extra salt (my broth was low-sodium, so that may be why)
• added 1 cup Daiya cheddar into the mix, and will probably add a little more next time
• added about 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, but will add more next time
• added in a little garlic powder and onion powder- maybe 1/4 tsp garlic and 1/3 tsp onion
• I ran most of the chickpeas through my food processor instead of mushing with a fork. Saves time.

Hmmm. Seems like I'm forgetting something. Wait, I do have a suggestion: saute your onion before adding it to the casserole mix. Mine were still a little crispy, and I will be cooking them next time. I do, however, have some more ideas for future casseroles now. Perhaps I will be adding some shredded hashbrown potatoes into it, along with some mushrooms. Who knows. I'm crazy that way. This casserole was quite yummy, though. Especially as it cooled down. You should give it a shot, even if you don't think you're a casserole kind of person. 

Here's what my version looked like before I baked it:

Here's what I blogged this day last year: Review of Strawberry Basil Preserves <--Click me!

Hearty Minestrone Soup

After being on the road and traveling for the last week, I missed cooking. Not only that, I missed eating REAL food. You know, whole foods, not processed garbage. Well, today was the perfect day for cooking- it was cold, windy and rainy...prime soup-making weather. So, that's what I did. And it was super yummy. Why minestrone? Two reasons: first, it is my favorite soup. Second, I had to make up for a terrible soup I ate on vacation.

You see, after my best friend's beach wedding, we went out to eat at a nearby restaurant. I ordered minestrone soup and some salad. The soup was a terrible let-down. It lacked pasta, beans and flavor. What it did have was cabbage and a few pieces of carrot. Boring. And not at all what I'd ever call a minestrone soup. So, I have been obsessing about minestrone ever since. I needed to make my own and erase that terrible experience from my brain. Sure, I've made minestrone before, but this is my new favorite recipe. Here's my other minestrone recipe if you're interested.

This soup is soooo filling! I absolutely love it. It's hearty and flavorful and overall awesome. It makes enough for about 6-8 bowls, depending on your appetite.

What you need:

• 3 medium to large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 large stalks of celery, sliced (I slice mine thinnish)
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 4 cups vegetable stock (I used Imagine brand)
• 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 16-oz can chickpeas, drained
• 16-oz can light red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 2 1/2 TB olive oil
• 1/3 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1 1/2 TB dried parsley
• 1/3 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp tarragon
• 1 TB dried basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
• 2 cups small dry pasta of your choice
• 2-3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
• salt and pepper to your tastes (minestrone isn't minestrone without lots of pepper)

What you do:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot that has a lid. Mine is an enameled cast iron dutch oven. Once hot, add the carrot, celery, and onion. Add your spices, minus the salt and pepper. Saute for about 4-5 minutes. Then add the garlic and squash. Cook another 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the broth and water and scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing has become stuck. Stir in the chickpeas, beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Salt and pepper the soup. Cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer about 20 minutes. 
3. Stir in the dry pasta and baby spinach. Cover with lid and cook another 20 minutes. By now, the liquid will have reduced somewhat and the pasta will be cooked through. Check for seasoning and serve up with some crusty french bread. Enjoy!!

The 3 C Curry - Vegan MoFo #17

It's nearly impossible to get a good photo of curry. This will have to suffice.

What is a 3 C curry you ask? Cauliflower, Coconut & Chickpea curry. And, it's one of the best curries I've ever had. Serve it over some rice and you've got an awesomely heatlhy and tasty dinner.

This morning, at my farmer's market, I got a MASSIVE head of cauliflower for $2.00! I had to have it. Then, after my impulse purchase, I had to figure out what to do with it. Some people buy handbags or candy on impulse, I buy veggies. Don't judge me! Well, I hadn't made curry in quite a while, so I decided that that's what I needed. I got the basis for this here, but I definitely changed it up quite a bit. I served mine over brown rice, and it made enough for 4 meals, no problem.  Enough chatter, on to the recipe!

What you need:

• 1/2 head large cauliflower cut into florets
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 can rotel or other diced tomatoes with chilis (I drained mine a bit)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 small red onion diced (or half a large one)
• 1 1/2 TB curry powder- Mine's exceptionally strong muchi curry powder, so you may need more.
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• salt and pepper
• 3-4 TB unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 dashes ginger
• 2 small jalapenos, seeded and minced (completely optional)
• 1 1/2 TB coconut oil

What you do:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are somewhat translucent. Then add the curry powder and stir. 
2. Now add the cauliflower, chickpeas, coconut flakes, jalapeno, rotel, and almond milk and stir well. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low and cover with lid. This will help the cauliflower and the carrots steam and soften. Just stir it once or twice to make sure it isn't all sticking to the bottom of the pan. I think I cooked mine like this about 15 minutes, until the cauli and carrots were softened to my liking.
3. Then remove the lid and let the liquid cook down some. Maybe 5 minutes or so. Then, you're done. Easy. This is why I love curries. The hardest part is waiting for it to get done.

A year ago today, I shared my version of Chickpea Tu-Not Sandwiches! Mmmm. You should try them :)

Baked Falafel Love - Vegan MoFo #12

You may or may not know that for the past week, I have been really sick. It was a sinus infection from hell. I'm finally starting to feel better and cooked for the first time in 5 days today. One of my most favorite foods in the entire world is falafel. So, I went to my most favorite recipe and changed it up a bit. The starter for this is the recipe on pages 121-122 in Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. If you don't have this cookbook, you need it. Borrow it from a friend or the library and check out the awesomeness. Then, splurge and buy it for yourself. And, while you're at it, grab Vegan Brunch by Ms. Moskowitz. It's probably my most-used cookbook ever. I love it!

Anyway, the falafels look dry from the baking, but they actually aren't at all. They're soft and tasty inside with a slight crispiness on the outside. In other words, they are perfect. I always make a super simple tahini sauce for dipping mine, but they are great solo. My tahini sauce recipe is this: tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a little water. Whisk and let rest a few minutes. Easy. No measurements.

Changes I make to the falafel:

• Dried parsley instead of fresh
• Red onion instead of white
• Smoked paprika instead of plain
• Sriracha instead of regular hot sauce
• Add in 1/2 tsp muchi curry powder
• Use 1 tsp olive oil instead of 2

I LOVE IT!

I've made it according to the exact recipe several times, and it is always delicious. I just like my changes a little better. They're great on pita with some tahini, lettuce and tomatoes. They're great on salads. They're even great all by their lonesome. You need to make them. STAT! Sheesh, what are you waiting for?

Moroccan - Inspired Couscous! Vegan and Fab

 

Sometimes I like to try to clean out my cupboard when I make a recipe. You know how it is: you accidentally push half a box of couscous to the back of your shelf and forget all about it til you reach for the bag of pistachios in front. Then, surprise! And while you're digging around in the cupboard, you suddenly realize that you forgot about the jar of preserved lemons your friend sent you. The wheels get turning. Then, bam! You eye those golden raisins you thought you finished. And, voila, dinner is born. I find I often inadvertently push stuff to the back of the shelf when I get new groceries. Despite my efforts to not be lazy, I am always sometimes a slacker when it comes to my shelving of the new foods. Doesn't sound like you? Well, then I envy your cupboard skills. Go on, brag about it and get it over with.

So, now you know that this dinner was a cupboard cleaner. You could really customize it lots of different ways. This is just how I made it. And, I must say, it was quite scrumptious. The ingredient list looks daunting, but half of it consists of spices. Moroccan food typically has lots of spice. Feel free to add more of less of these. I found this is the perfect mix for my tastes. And, if you know me well, you'll be surprised to find this recipe contains neither onion nor garlic. Shocking, I know!

This makes enough for 3 as a main dish. Or 6 as a side. You can serve it cold or warm. I like it a little better warm, personally.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Israeli (also called Pearl) couscous
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 TB dried parsley
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2-2/3 cup roughly-chopped pistachios 
• 1 heaped cup cooked (or canned) chickpeas
• 2 TB preserved lemon, finely minced (you could substitute fresh lemon juice, I suppose)
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper to your tastes
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 scant tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cinnamon (I used a 1/8)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Method:

1. Bring the water and parsley to a boil with a lid on the pot so none evaporates. Then remove from the burner, stir in the couscous, and cover for 8-10 minutes. It'll be ready when the liquid is all absorbed. While you wait, start with the rest of the recipe.
2. Whisk together your oil and vinegar and set aside. This is the dressing of sorts. 
3. Combine the spices in a separate bowl.
4. Your couscous should be ready by now, so go ahead and remove the lid. Add the chickpeas, raisins and pistachios and stir. Now add in the dressing and stir again. 
5. Add the spices a little at a time, stirring and tasting as you go. 
6. You can either serve it warm, like me. Or you can refrigerate it for an hour and serve cooled. Enjoy dudes and dudettes!

Red Lentil Dal with Chickpeas

Red Lentils, anyone? Yes, please!
I was perusing my farmer's market a few days ago when I stumbled upon a rad little booth that was chock-full of dried legumes. You know how I love my legumes! I simply cannot resist. Alright, so I found red lentils at the booth. Now what? Google to the rescue. Make a dal.

I've never eaten dal, but the suggestions I found said it was a curry. Dudes, I can do curries. So, here is my version. Pardon me if it isn't authentic or whatever. It is, however, fucking yummy over some brown basmati rice. The only thing that would have made it better is some naan or some pitas. It would be lovely served sammich style.

Instead of using oil to sautee the veg, I decided to use veggie broth, which is a trick I learned in the Get Healthy Go Vegan Cookbook by Neal Barnard. It saves on fat and calories, and it tastes yummy.Give it a shot sometime.

Anywhooo, it makes 4 dinner size servings when combined with rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 small roma tomatoes, chopped (with the guts)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/3 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 very large carrot (or 2 medium carrots) sliced thinly
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1 heaped tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 1 1/4 tsp cumin
• 2/3 cup dried red lentils
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp coriander
• pinch cardamom
• 1 tsp muchi curry powder (mine is super potent, so you may need to add more)
• salt and pepper
• pinch cayenne or chili powder

Method:

1. Put a medium size pot over a medium heat burner. Add the 1/3 cup of broth, the onions, carrots and garlic. Stir occasionally to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the onions are translucent. I put a lid on mine to cook a little faster. It took about 5 minutes.
2. Now mix in the turmeric, ginger, paprikas, coriander, cardamom, chili powder, salt and pepper.
3. Bring the burner up to medium-high. Add the rest of the broth, the tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, tomato paste and mix well. Bring to a boil for about 4 minutes.
4. Then put a lid on the pot and lower heat to medium-low. Simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now remove the lid and let thicken up for about 7 minutes, or until the dal is thick to your liking. 
5. Mix in the curry powder (adding it too early can sometimes turn the curry powder bitter). Let sit out for 5 minutes or so. Then serve it up over some rice or quinoa. Mmmmm.

Sometimes You Make Other People's Food

I was in the mood for some chickpeas today. What's new, right?! What to make, what to make? So many options. Chickpea sammies, chickpea masala, curried chickpeas, stew, chickpea noodle soup, chickpea patties. The options are endless. I settled on some baked falafel from one of my favorite cookbooks, Appetite for Reduction. Of course, I altered the falafel somewhat, adding more garlic, sriracha, and some curry powder. This is totally one of my go-to recipes when I'm not sure what I want. And, it always gets eaten. All of it. The falafels are extra tasty with a little lemony tahini sauce.

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My lemony tahini sauce recipe:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder or a tiny bit of minced fresh garlic
• 1-2 TB water

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Don't worry, it starts runny, but will get thicker as it sets. If runny, add a little more tahini and whisk again. If it's too dry, add a bit more water. Easy. Let set for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.

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Settled on the falafel, I had to think of something to make to go with it. DOH! Of course!
I recently stumbled upon a recipe for Salt & Vinegar Potato Wedges on The Tolerant Vegan's website. Ever since I saw it, I have been obsessed with making the potatoes. I honestly can't believe it's taken me this long to make them. The wait was worth it, I promise. HOLY HELL. These buggers are fucking awesome! The only thing I changed was to use a smidge less oil. Otherwise, I made them exactly as the recipe calls for. They'll be getting a regular rotation in my recipe repertoire. For reals. You absolutely HAVE to make them. I even ended up dipping mine in the rest of the vinegar cuz I liked it so much. Why didn't I think of this brilliant recipe? I absolutely love salt and vinegar potato chips, and these wedges are a low-fat, healthier version of them.

I'm not posting The Tolerant Vegan's recipe, because I think you should definitely visit her site. Read her "About" page. You'll be a better person for it. And, oh my god, her photos are mouth-watering.

Dudes and dudettes, that was my exciting post. And a big thank you to The Tolerant Vegan for the awesome recipe. I'm seriously smitten.

The Snarkiest Stuffed Peppers

Until a few days ago, I had never ever eaten a stuffed pepper. So, what, you ask, inspired me to make them? A sale on the colored bell peppers. They were a buck apiece instead of the ridiculous $2.00-3.00 each that they typically are here. I snagged 4 in the desperate hope that I'd find something to do with them. If all else failed, I'd be doing a lot of dipping in hummus. Alas, I got creative and made a very kickass stuffed pepper. I amaze myself sometimes. No, really, I do.

You eat quinoa, right? You better, because it is ridiculously healthy AND tastes really good, especially when paired with toasted almonds as it has a nutty flavor on its own. It has complete protein, fiber and nutrients. Dig it. It has other perks, too, like that fact that you can cook it up faster than brown rice, it's healthier than rice, and you can use it to replace rice in just about any dish. Oh, and did I mention it's really tasty? Don't believe me about quinoa's awesomeness? Read all about it here: Quinoa: An In-Depth Guide, WHFoods: Quinoa, and Livestrong. Or do your own search. You'll find that quinoa has a cult following for good reason: it's awesome. Moving on...

For this dish, I chose not to use green peppers because, although I do like green pepper, I can only handle them in small quantities. Gotta problem? I thought not. I used one red, one orange, and one yellow pepper, all quite large. They were heaping with delicious goodness. And, they helped me get rid of about a cup of cooked beans I had in my fridge. I've been trying extra hard to not waste any foods at all because I paid for it. And I hate wasting money. You should too, because in the US, the largest portion of materials heading to landfills is, get this, FOOD WASTE. Read all about it here: US EPA. Plus, you paid for that food, fucking use it. End rant. It's recipe time.

My recipe makes enough for 3 rather large peppers or 4 smaller ones, all packed to the brim.

Ingredients:

• 3 large bell peppers, or 4 smaller ones, tops sliced off, and ribs/seeds removed. Lightly slice the very bottoms so they will stand upright without falling, but be careful, otherwise you'll cut too far up and lose your bottom entirely. You want it to still be able to hold the filling!
• 1/2 cup (slightly heaped) dry quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 cup raw almonds, chopped to your liking
• heaping 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup cooked beans (mine was 2/3 black-eyed peas, 1/3 chickpeas)
• 4 oz, about half a package of fresh mushrooms
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 big handful baby spinach, shredded
• a few shakes of coriander
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Get a baking dish and lightly spray the bottom with cooking oil. Set aside.
2. Bring the water to boil in a small pot with a sprinkle of salt. Once boiling, mix in the quinoa, turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook until the water is pretty much all absorbed. This will take about 15-20 minutes depending on how old your quinoa is. It'll probably take longer if its older. You will see the little tails from the seed and the texture will be a little chewy, like brown rice. Meanwhile, get started on the rest of the steps.
3. Throw your beans and mushrooms into a the food processor and whir until you don't see any whole beans or large mushroom chunks. Put into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, almonds, garlic and carrot. Cook until the onion is partially translucent. Then add in the spinach to wilt. Should take another 3-5 minutes. Be sure to stir regularly so nothing sticks to the pan. By the time this is done, your quinoa should be ready.
5. Add the quinoa and the veggies to the mixing bowl with the beans. Mix it all really well and add your spices. Adjust as necessary. 
6. Use a large spoon to fill the peppers, gently packing it down as you go. Pack those buggers. Then set the peppers right side up in the baking dish. Pour about 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the dish, enough to cover the whole bottom of the dish. Spritz the tops with some cooking spray (keeps foil from sticking to the filling) then cover with foil. Bake about 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are slightly soft to the touch. You need to let them cool some before digging in, duh. I liked mine a little closer to room temperature, but whatever. Enjoy.

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