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. 

Vegan Curry Empanadas

I had a brain explosion a few days ago and decided that I needed to attempt something mind-bendingly tasty. This is the result. Handheld curried goodness. I baked mine because I hate frying and at least pretended that it was healthier. Then I remembered how much fat is in the empanada dough. Oh well, dears, you should make this anyway! It tastes like heaven in a pie-like crust. Make this shit already.

Makes at least 6 empandas depending on the size and how full you fill them. I made 6 that were cut about 6 inches in diameter before folding. The dough makes enough for several more, but I stopped at 6.

Empanada dough:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup fat (I used 5 TB shortening and 3 TB vegan butter)
• 1/3 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup ice water

1. Combine all ingredients except the water in your food processor and pulse until it looks like pebbles. Then add the water 1/4 cup at a time, pulsing until the dough just holds together. It took me 3/4 cup, but your flour may be drier and need just a smidge more. 
2. Once you get to that point, I gently smooshed the dough together and cut it into 2 balls.Touch it as little as possible. Flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Flour your counter and roll each ball out to 1/4 inch thickness. I used a 6-7 inch diameter bowl, flipped it upside-down and cut around it with a knife. 
4. Fill them up, then seal the edges by pushing the edge together like this:
Press the edges together Then fold it over like so:
5. I lined my baking sheet with a piece of parchment and sprinkled it with a little flour for good measure. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while you're assembling the empanadas. I melted a tiny bit of vegan butter with a dash of curry powder and brushed it on each of the empanadas before baking. Cook about 20 minutes in the middle of the oven, then turn on the broiler for about 3 minutes to brown up the top a bit. The end result should look something like this:

I know you need to know what I did to make the filling, so here it goes!


Okay. So, you need some stuff.

Filling:

• 3 small red potatoes, diced quite small
• 1 cup of cauliflower florets, cut about the same size as the taters
• 2 large white mushrooms, chopped small
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red onion, finely diced
• about 6 ounces faux ground beef (I used LightLife Smart Ground Original)
• curry powder
• turmeric
• coriander
• salt and pepper
• 2 TB soy sauce 
• 1-2 TB oil or vegan butter

What you should do with it all:

1. Boil some water. Add the potatoes and cauliflower until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet with the butter/oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegan beef, onions, and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes, then add the cauliflower, peas, mushrooms and potatoes, and the rest of the spices and soy sauce. Add the spices until you're satisfied with the flavor. I think I cooked mine about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you roll out your empanada dough. It should look like this: 

Okay. So, these are pretty time consuming. I'll give you that. But, they are SOOO worth the effort.

                       

Chickpeas, Veggies and Dumplings

Comfort food? Hell yes. I was skimming around the internet a few days ago and stumbled on Mama Pea's recipe for Chickpeas and Dumplings. Chickpeas...dumplings...you can't possibly go wrong. I looked through my pantry and fridge and decided that I wanted something similar. So, I started with Mama Pea's recipe and then altered it to my tastes and what I had here already. It was great fresh from the skillet, but it was even better as leftovers for lunch the following day. I took a shortcut when I made mine. I used Bisquick (mixed with almond milk) to make drop biscuits that I cooked in the skillet with the veggies and chickpeas. It was perfect!

Serves 4

What I used:

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into a small dice
• 1 Idaho potato, peeled and cut into a small dice
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3 cups veg broth
• 1 TB oil of your choice (I used coconut oil)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• pinch oregano
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• pinch red pepper flake
• 1 TB cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• for the dumplings:
• 1 1/4 cups bisquick mix (approx)
• 1/3 cup almond milk, give or take, until the dough is held together and no dry bits remain
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt

What I did:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Be sure you use a skillet that has a lid. This helps steam your dumplings once you add them to the skillet. So, anyway, heat the oil. Then add the onion, potato and carrot. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add in the broth and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrap up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Go ahead and add in the spices, the peas and the chickpeas. Bring to a light boil, then, in a small bowl mix the cornstarch and a ladle of broth to the bowl. Mix vigorously with a fork until the cornstarch is dissolved. Then add it back to the skillet. Whisk it well, then lower heat to med-low and simmer the liquid down a bit. I think I let mine cook about 10 minutes this way. 
3. Then mix your bisquick mix together in a bowl. Use a fork or spoon to drop blobs of the dough into the veggies and broth. Cover with a lid and cook about 15 minutes. This will steam your dumplings to awesomeness. DONE! Pig out. You know you wanna. 

Spicy Peanut Veggies & Noodles

I have been itching to make something spicy and peanutty for a while now. So, get this, I did it. Amazing, I know. Shower me with praise. Or not. I just know that this turned out awesomely and I will absolutely be making it again. For the noodles, I used a thinnish spaghetti noodle as that's what I had onhand. You can use whatever you want, but I like long, floppy noodles. Hahaha. I used to love lo mein noodles, but they have eggs in them, which is oh so sad. I haven't tried the rice noodles yet...they kind of freak me out for some reason. Perhaps I shall soon. Who knows. Crazier things have happened. In the meantime, I highly suggest you make this ridiculously yummy dish. I know you'll like it.

This makes 3 rather large servings or about 5 as a side.

What I used:

• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1/2 red onion, cut into thick strips
• 1 cup pea pods, ends removed and cut in half
• 5 button mushrooms, cut into chunks
• noodles
• 1/4 cup (or a bit more) smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2-3 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 TB (or more) sriracha sauce
• a couple TB water
• 2 tsp coconut oil 
• dry roasted peanuts for a tasty garnish

What I did:

1. I steamed the broccoli and cauli for about 5-6 minutes until they were just tender enough to spear with a fork (the broccoli will be a vibrant greeen). Then, I heated the coconut oil (you can use any oil) in a skillet over medium heat. I sauteed the onions until they started to lose their color. Then added in the carrot and mushroom along with the steamed broccoli and cauli. While the veg is cooking, start cooking your pasta.
2. While the pasta and veg are still cooking, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha and water. It seems like it will never mix together, but keep on whisking. Taste it when it looks homogenous and add any more spices as necessary. Set aside. 
3. By now, your veggies and pasta are ready. I added the pea pods in the last minute of cooking the veg because I love them nice and crispy. You can do whatever you want. Now, add the sauce to the pasta and then gently fold in your veggies. I let mine sit a few minutes to meld together and this is what it looked like:
   
   
   

Curried Quinoa!!

Ever have those days when you just don't feel like making anything fancy? Yeah, I had that day today. I decided to start with some quinoa and see where it took me from there. As I puttered around my kitchen looking for other stuff to add to the quinoa, I found some frozen peas and some chopped walnuts. But what spices? Dudes, you know I can't resist curry powders, so I decided to take a chance and make curried quinoa. This was pretty tasty on its own, but even more so with some garlic naan (or a garlicky pita). They go perfectly together. Take my word for it! I command you. Enjoy....or not....whatever.

This makes enough for 3 bowls as a main dish or 4-5 as a side.

What I used:

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 large carrot, grated (I actually used a microplane to grate mine)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1-2 tsp curry powder of your choice
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• salt

What I did:

1. Combine broth, water and spices in a pot over medium-high heat with lid on. Once lightly boiling, stir in the quinoa, carrot and onions. Leave the lid on and lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 12-15 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully stir in your peas and walnuts, and place the lid back on the pot. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Taste for spices and dig in.

Veggie Fried Rice - Vegan MoFo #14

OMG! I am seriously in food-love with making my own fried rice now. It's completely crazy how easy it is. My pal, Lidia, of Air Eater taught me that you need to cook your veggies and your rice separately. How I didn't know this is a shame!

You can't necessarily make this on-the-fly unless you already have cooked rice just hanging out in your fridge, so it does take a little planning. I threw the rice into the rice cooker this morning and then popped it into the fridge before heading out to get stuff done. When I got home, I grabbed my coconut oil and got to work.

I had (and still have) some fresh veggies leftover in my fridge from the veggie platter I made for my pal's bridal shower. As I hate wasting good food, I decided last night that I needed to make some sort of veggie dish. Then, this morning I saw Lidia's post about making fried rice and I knew it was the answer. You could probably make this out of just about any veggies, but I had carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, onion and some frozen peas. Just make sure you cut them all small, and about the same size, so they cook evenly.

Makes enough to serve at least 4 bowls, depending on the size of your bowl.

What I used:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
• 4 TB coconut oil, separated in half between the rice and the veggies
• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp sesame oil
• soy sauce or tamari or Braggs aminos to your tastes
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced carrot (I didn't exactly measure)
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets (it was all I had left)
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 2/3 cup frozen peas

What I did:

1. Heat 2 TB coconut oil in a deep skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add in the carrot and cauliflower, stirring. Let cook about 3 minutes. Then add in the broccoli and onion. Stir occasionally, and cook about 3 minutes. Add the peas, then turn heat to medium-low and put the lid on. Meanwhile, start the next step.
2. Heat the other 2 TB coconut oil in another skillet over medium heat. I used nonstick. Add in the rice and use a wooden spoon to break up any chunks. Stir frequently so all the rice is lightly coated in oil and then add in the sesame oil. Stir again. I think I cooked mine about 5 minutes. I stirred it often so that no chunks formed and the rice was all cooked through. 
3. By now, the veggies should be fork-tender, so go ahead and gently fold them into the rice. Add a little soy sauce and stir well. Taste and add any other salts or spices you'd like.

See?! You can totally make this. And you should stop by Lidia's blog or her twitter (@lidialf) and thank her for sharing her knowledge with me! I truly have such amazing vegan internet pals!

Tempeh Helper - Vegan MoFo #11

I have been really sick the last few days, so I haven't really felt much like making anything fancy. I was really hungry today, for the first time in a few days, and wanted something easy. After a little searching around, I settled on making the Tempeh Helper recipe from Isa Chandra's cookbook, Appetite for Reduction. The recipe is also posted here on the PPK website.  Because I'm still feeling so crummy, I'm not going to blab on and on or give you the recipe, but I will tell you the changes I made to the recipe to fit my tastes:

• I used 1 cube of Not-Chik'n bouillon cube in the helper, and half a cube in the cheezy sauce instead of the broth powder in the original.
• I used mustard powder instead of prepared yellow mustard.
• Used slightly less thyme and oregano because I don't love them too much.
• Used about 1 1/2 cup dry pasta (mini shells).
• Added about 1/2 tsp cumin to the cheezy sauce.
• Used about 3/4 cup of frozen peas instead of the 1/4 called for.

It really was quite tasty with some bread & butter. When I was a kid, mom always served hamburger helper with a slice of bread and butter. Not sure why, but I couldn't resist doing it with this version. Funny, though, even as a kid, I hated the beef. I would pick around and eat only the noodles and sauce. Anyway, give the tempeh helper a shot. It's not fancy (or pretty), but it does fill your hungry tummy.

Tempeh and Roasted Veg Curry

Because I am a farmer's market addict, I went today and got more veggies...and fruit. (Cut me some slack, the fruit season in Michigan is pretty short, so you have to get while the gettin's good.) Then I decided that I really needed to cook something hearty and colorful and spicy for dinner and I had a HUGE craving for tempeh. What's new, right?! What to make, what to make? Curry, of course!

I took a different route with this curry. Normally, I'd pan-cook all the veggies in lots of oil until they were done. This time, I roasted my veggies in the oven first. For me, that meant using a lot less oil than cooking the veg on the stovetop. I also cooked the tempeh separately and then added it all in together near the end of cooking so it would get a little crispy around the edges. The cooking steps look long, but I promise it is really easy to make and well worth the time to make it. This curry goes absolutely perfectly with some brown basmati rice and homemade vegan garlic naan (or pita). Don't be overwhelmed with the ingredient list, half of it consists of spices, so it's not so scary, really.

Rainbow colors in this dish:

Orange: Carrots

Yellow: Summer Squash

Green: Peas, Zucchini

Violet/Purple: Onion

This dish makes enough for 4 as a main dish when served with rice or bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 block tempeh, cubed
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into half-moons
• 1 large zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into thick half-moons
• 1 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 large carrots cut into thick 1/2 inch slices
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 TB vegan butter (Earth Balance is my preferred brand)
• 2-3 TB garlic chili sauce (I use this brand Taste of Thai)
• 1 scant TB curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp celery seed (optional)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• pinch ginger
• 1 TB liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• salt and pepper
• cooking spray

 Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 440 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with the cooking spray. On one sheet, spread out the zucchini and squash and on the other spread out the potatoes and carrots. Lightly spritz the tops with the cooking spray and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Be sure that the veg is in a single layer on each sheet. Bake the potato sheet on the bottom rack and the zucchini sheet up higher. Cook about 15 minutes. Remove both trays from the oven and flip the veggies. Then cook another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the zucchini are cooked through. During the second half of the roasting, start step 2.
2. Spray a large skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes, onion, half of the minced garlic. Then add in the tempeh. Stir often. Add in 1 1/2 tsp of the chili garlic sauce,  the paprika, ginger, some salt and pepper, and celery seed. If the tempeh is sticking to the pan, add a little more cooking spray. I cooked mine about 10 minutes, until the tempeh was crisping around the edges. Remove the pan from the burner until the roasted veggies are ready.
3. Now, add the milk and butter to the skillet that has the tempeh. Turn the burner to medium. Add in all the rest of the ingredients, including the roasted veg. Cook about 10 minutes, until the milk/sauce is thickened and mostly absorbed and the peas are nice and hot.

Vegan Lentil & Potato Curry

 

If you visit my blog often, you'll know that lately I've had a complete obsession with making curries, and today is no different. I was looking around for some way to use up a cup of dried lentils I've had in my cupboard for a while and I thought that maybe, just maybe, they could work in a curry. BAM. I was so right. What's new, right? I'm beginning to think I have a knack for this whole "cooking" thing.

If you haven't cooked lentils before, they're really easy to cook. But, they are disgusting if you overcook them. There's a fine line between perfect lentils and overcooked mushy ones. When you cook lentils, check them often. The cooking times can vary greatly depending on the type of lentil as well as how old the lentil is. I cooked mine in veggie broth for about 20 minutes today, checking them often so I wouldn't overcook them. For this recipe, you want to still have some chewiness to the lentils because they will cook a bit longer in the curry. I boiled the potatoes for about 7-8 minutes to make them "fork-soft" to cut down on curry cooking time.

I'm all about brown rice, so I made some to go with the curry. It seriously went so well together that I can't imagine one without the other now. What I ended up doing is lightly toasting a garlic pita, then topping it with some brown rice, then the curry. Definitely the way to go. So, I highly recommend it. But, whatever. It's your dinner.

This recipe make enough for 4-5 giant entree-sized servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked lentils (1 cup dried, cooked in about 1 1/2 cups veggie broth, for about 20 minutes)
• 2 smallish Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/3-inch dice, then boiled until fork tender
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/3 cup plus 1 TB veggie broth
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped really small
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 of a white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 2-3 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp cardamom
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the onion and carrot and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. 
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well to cover everything in spices. Cook for about 4 minutes, then cover with lid and turn heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Adjust your seasonings and serve with cooked brown rice. I like to eat mine on either garlic naan or a garlic pita bread. Sooo tasty!!

Split Pea Burgers & My Eco Craft

About a month ago, I bought some dried split peas and had no idea what to do with them, but I wanted to try them out. Well, I threw them in the cupboard and forgot about them until earlier today when I stumbled upon Alton Brown's recipe for split pea burgers, so I knew I had to make an attempt at them. As always, I have a serious inability to follow recipes. I always have to give them my own spin and make changes based on my tastes as I am a picky chickpea with particular tastes. And, I have to say, I rocked this recipe out. It was a serious hit at my house. As you can see in the photo, I made some baked tater tots. What you can't see is the amazing queso dip I made to dip the tater tots into. WHOA. Seriously yum.

Makes 4 average-sized burgers

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 ounces sliced mushrooms
• kosher salt to your tastes
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dried split peas
• 1/4 cup raw brown rice
• 3/4 tsp coriander
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs plus 2-3 TB for coating the burger before cooking
• 2 TB vital wheat gluten

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper and some salt. Let them cook about 4 minutes. Then add in the mushrooms and garlic and cook another 4 minutes. 
2. Then add the peas, rice, broth, and spices and stir well. Turn heat to medium-high until the mix starts to boil. Then turn to medium-low and simmer about 40-50 minutes, or until the rice and peas are softened. Be sure to stir ever 5-10 minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the pan. There should be no liquid left when it is done.
3. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the mixture into a food processor. Whir a few times, until the mix is chopped, but NOT pureed. I think I whirred it about 7-8 times total. 
4. Pour the mix into a large bowl. Use a large wooden spoon to stir the 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and the gluten into the bowl. It should start solidifying almost instantly. Just mix until you can't see any dry breadcrumbs. Then put the bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
5. Pour the rest of the bread crumbs onto a small plate. Then remove the peas from the fridge and cut into 4 equal-sized pieces. Shape the pieces into round patties. Then, carefully set the first patty on the bread crumbs. Flip to coat the other side, too. Once they are all coated, you'll want to heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray the skillet with a little cooking spray.
6. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the breadcrumbs are browned and the patties are cooked through.

I liked mine with some Vegenaise, raw onion and mustard, but you should dress the split pea burgers however you like. Though, my way is far superior. Hahaha.

And now, for my Eco-Craft:

A couple years ago, I made someone a scarf with this outrageously pink yarn, and had half a skein left over. I threw it in the closet and totally forgot about it until last night when I went looking for something else. I thought, "Hey, I should make something with this." So, I decided that instead of tossing out the obnoxious-colored yarn, I will make a dog/cat blanket. And, I am thinking that I'll donate it to the local animal shelter. They are always in desperate need of blankets and towels to line the cages and give the animals a little comfort. I don't know if the yarn I have will run out before I'm done, so it may end up being several different colors. But, who cares if it helps the animals!?!
What I am getting at though, is that instead of tossing out your old yarn, or other leftover crafting supplies, put it all together and make something else with it! Reduce your waste. So, here is what the blanket is looking like so far:

Have a kickass day!

Chickpea Noodle Casserole (like tuna...only not)

My pal posted a recipe for a mock tuna casserole yesterday, and I was instantly intrigued. As I read the recipe, I thought, "Chickpeas. Pasta. Peas. How could it possibly be bad?" To tell the truth, it really is quite delicious. I didn't follow the original recipe exactly, but I used it as a starting point because I can never bring myself to exactly follow any recipe...ever. It's a weakness. Or a strength. I'm not really sure which yet! 

I really really liked this casserole! I'm typically not the biggest fan of casseroles as many tend to have no texture whatsoever, but this one did from the chickpeas and even from the peas. Really, it's great. You can add other veggies, but I stuck to peas as my add-in because I LOVE PEAS. And if you don't, well, that's just sad. I found some generic pasta that somewhat resembles the old egg-noodles most of us grew up on. You really could use any pasta you want. 


This makes about 5-6 big servings.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pasta of your choice
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, pulsed a few times in your food processor, DO NOT PUREE
• 6oz fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced onion 
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 TB olive oil
• 3 1/2 TB flour
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup veggie broth
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3-4 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 TB garlic salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to your tastes
• 1/2 tsp coriander

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook your pasta according to package directions. Then drain and set aside. While pasta is cooking, start on step 3 below.
3. Heat 1 TB oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onions, and saute for 5 minutes, or until softened. Then add the fresh garlic. 
4. Whisk some flour into the garlic onion mixture, and add 1 TB oil. It'll be really thick. Now, whisk in the milk and broth. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens somewhat. 
5. Lower the burner to medium-low heat. Now add in the chickpeas, coriander, nutritional yeast, onion powder, mushrooms, and garlic salt. You will want to keep whisking so nothing burns to the bottom of the pan., but continues to thicken somewhat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
6. Fold in the peas and the pasta and cook another minute or three.
7. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. 
8. In a small bowl, combine the last 1 TB of oil with the breadcrumbs. I added some salt and pepper to the bread crumbs because I pretty much always do. Now, mix well and spoon over the casserole, covering the entire surface if you can.
   
   
   
9. Cook on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs get toasted and the sauce is bubbling. Mine took exactly 25 minutes. This is what it should look like:
   
   
   

There you have it! Super tasty and really filling. And, the sauce is delicious. Tuck in, dude.

My Veggie Potpie (can kick your potpie's ass)

There are few things I love better than a good potpie (or is that pot pie?). Actually, that was a lie, as I love many more things than potpie. But I refuse to apologize! Why? Because this is my fucking blog and I am a malevolent dictator of said blog. So, potpie, it is magnificent and tasty and probably one of my most favorite comfort foods of all time. And, that, is not a lie.

I like my potpie with flavor, which all frozen potpies lack. Why waste my time eating something that tastes like shit? I absolutely refuse to have a bland dinner. So, I add some curry powder to my filling, which gives it a mildly-spiced, amazing-scented, kick-assedness. Or whatever. It rocks. I suggest using a homemade crust because it turned out SO much better than the pre-made, frozen crusts and puff pastries I used in the past. My friend, Meagan, sent me this recipe for the crust, which I halved because I didn't have enough Earth Balance to make a double crust and I didn't feel like going to the store. I ran 3.2 miles on my dreadmill (ha) today and got lazy afterward. So, cut a chickpea some slack, dude!

If you decide to make your own crust, make it before starting the filling and put it in the fridge until it's time to use it. For a flakier crust, you'll want a cold dough where the butter and shortening haven't melted. I used a pastry cutter to blend the ingredients in a large bowl until pretty well combined. Then I quickly mushed it all together by hand and wrapped it tightly in some plastic wrap. When I was done cooking the potpie filling, I rolled out the crust and put it on top of the pie plate. Don't fuck it up and forget to use lots of flour on the countertop otherwise you will have a hell of a time getting the crust off the counter. Learn from my mistake. Or not. Whatever.

This recipe is for one 9-inch potpie. I used an enameled stoneware pie plate for the potpie. You can use whatever you want. Maybe an 8x8-inch casserole or something? Speaking of using whatever you want, you can use whatever veggies you want in this potpie. I used what I had on-hand. Get creative or something!

On to the recipe. And, yes, it does include chickpeas!

Ingredients:

• At least 1 crust, in the fridge until later
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2-2/3 cup diced onion
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 5 button mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 large & 1 small potato, peeled, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (use canned if you must)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup-slightly heaping- frozen lima beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 1/2 TB flour
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 3/4 tsp curry powder, though I added a few shakes more to taste before baking the pie
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• salt

 Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Boil a medium-sized pot of salted water. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Check for them to be softened and then drain. 
3. While the potatoes and carrots are boiling, get a large skillet. I use one with straight sides so I don't spill anything to my glass cooktop, which can be a complete bitch to clean. Anywhoooo...put the skillet on a medium heat. Add half the oil.
4. Now add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes. Then add in your garlic and mushrooms. Saute for about 3 minutes, until the mushroom is cooked and the garlic very fragrant. 
5. Add the frozen veg. Stir well and cook a minute or three. 
6. While they are cooking, combine the almond milk and veg broth and heat for 1 minute in your microwave. Basically, you want them warm to hot in temp. Use a microwave-safe bowl, of course. I really shouldn't have to tell you that part, but I am anyway.
7. Add the potatoes and carrots, along with the oil, flour and spices. I used a whisk to mix together. Don't worry. It will be very dry for a minute. Chill.
8. Whisk in the milk/broth mixture and keep whisking until the sauce is thickened. It should take about 4 minutes. I like mine kind of thick (ha), so I cook it a minute or two longer. Taste your filling and adjust your spices as needed. Pour the filling into your pie plate.

9. Cover pie plate with the crust. Slice a few gashes into the crust to help with possible overflow/venting. I put foil around the edges of the crust for the first 20 minutes of cooking.

10. Remove foil after 20 minutes and cook another 25-30 minutes. Your crust will be lightly browned and you'll hear your filling boiling.

There you go. Slice into that pie and pig out. You know you want to. And if you don't, well, get lost sucka!

Veg Chowda or The Ugly Soup That Tastes Rad

Yeah, this is some ugly-ass soup. I know this. So keep the vomit/babypoo comments to yourself. Or whatever. Now, what you don't know is that it tastes excellent...especially with my genius addition of the garlic croutons*** I made from some ciabatta I bought at the bakery yesterday. And, aside from the sodium content, it is crazy healthy.

This soup started with a desperate desire to use up about 4 cups of cooked white beans (I had a mix of cannellini and great northern). My Twitter pal @vegdancer offered up this recipe. I thought it sounded good, but, as you know, I tend to add other foodstuffs, particularly spices, and change any recipe I get my paws on. I used that recipe as a very rough guide to get started and then let my brain go wild adding anything that sounded remotely tasty. Then, I thought it looked silly as a regular soup, so I started up the immersion blender (I rarely have occasion to use it as I typically HATE pureed foods), and went to town. I was a bit disappointed when I realized there were no chunks of bean or veg. So, I just added the last 1 cup of beans I had on hand and about another 1/2 cup of frozen corn. No biggie.

HAHA!! If only you'd known me about 18 months ago, you'd laugh your ass off because that one simple thing would have put me into meltdown mode. When I was just learning to cook, I always followed recipes to the letter, sad, I know. Anything that deviated from a printed recipe was cause for immediate alarm. No joke. No more, my friends! I have learned so much and continue to learn more every single time I cook. And, little things like that don't scare the hell out of me like they used to. I'm a big girl now or whatever.

***For the croutons, I just buttered 4 slices of a tasty ciabatta loaf. By buttered, I mean lightly covered with Earth Balance vegan butter. Slice into crouton sized bits. Place on a baking sheet buttered sides up and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt, not powder. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are browned to your liking. Then remove and set aside to cool while the soup is cooking. Don't cover or they will not be crunchy.

This following recipe is mine and it makes far more than I would have liked to end up with. I think it could easily make 4-6 large-ish bowls.

Ingredients:

• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced quite small
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups veg broth (you could use water, but that seems a bit boring to me)
• 3 TB Braggs liquid aminos (shut up, I love it)
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/8 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• lots of fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 TB cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup frozen lima beans
• 3-4 cups cooked white beans (You could use 2 cans of white beans, drained, rinsed)
• 1-2 TB mellow white miso

Method:

1. In a large soup pot, heat your oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Then add in the carrot and onion. Saute about 6 minutes, stirring 2-3 times until the onion is translucent. 
2. Add the garlic and mushroom and cook about 2 minutes, until the garlic is super fragrant. There is nothing better than the smell of sauteeing garlic in my house.
3. Now add in the red pepper flakes, potato, broth and Braggs aminos. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil for a few minutes.
4. Once boiling, add in all the spices, not the cornstarch. Put the lid on and turn down to medium heat. Cook at a rolling boil for about 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings, except salt since the miso you add later is very salty.
5. Remove the lid and let the liquid reduce slightly. Maybe 3-4 minutes? I don't remember. Now, add in the frozen veg and the beans. If you want a soup with texture, reserve about 1 cup of the beans and 1/2 cup of the corn to add at the end. I let this cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
6. Whisk in the cornstarch. Turn the burner down to low and whisk occasionally to keep anything from burning to the bottom of the pot. 
7. I whipped out my immersion blender and went crazy with it. I pretty much pureed everything in the pot. So, then I added in the reserved beans and corn and let cook about 5 more minutes to heat them through. Carefully whisk in the miso. Now taste your seasoning and add more as necessary, duh!

Serve with the garlic croutons. I swear, you will not regret it. And, if you do, well, get lost. I don't want to hear about it!

Winter Stew

Stew. I needed it. It is brutally cold here, and the only solution is a thick, hearty, delicious stew. I was introduced to a similar stew when I visited a friend a few weeks ago, and I pretty much turned into a vegan piggy when I ate it. Thus, I knew I would have to try my hand at it when I got home. The stew is based originally on the Cholent recipe in Veganomicon, sorry I can't remember the page, and I am far too lazy to get up and find it. Haha. C'mon, it's early morning. Cut me some slack. I am unaccustomed to blogging so early!

I suppose you could really add in any veggies and this stew would work. Also, I used some frozen veg, but only lima beans and peas. The other veggies were fresh. I'm not generally a fan of frozen veg, but I do often use frozen peas and corn in dishes (never alone). So, there you go. Do whatever you want. I do recommend that you eat the stew with some nice hearty bread. Mega yum.

This is enough for 3 large bowls, but you can do maths to figure out a larger batch.

Ingredients:

• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 small potatoes, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 small carrots, peeled, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 onion, cut to your liking
• 1/3 cup TVP (I used the granules because I can't find the chunks)
• 1/2 cup dried lentils
• 1 cup or so of cooked chickpeas (I had some that needed using, so I threw them in)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/8 tsp or less fennel
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2-3 tsp Braggs liquid aminos

Method: 

1. Get a dutch oven or large soup pot out and heat over medium temperature. Add the oil. When hot, add in the onion and the spices. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Then add your garlic. Cook 2 minutes.
2. Add in the other ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Check the doneness of the potato and carrots and the seasoning. Turn to low and simmer about 10 minutes more. In the last few minutes, I removed the lid and let it thicken up a bit more. 

See! So easy and tasty. Your tummy will thank you!

Aloo Masala My Way

When I was in Boston a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of eating the most spectacular wrap at a little Indian takeout shop. It was an amazing Aloo Masala on a naan wrap. It had the masala, some rice, lettuce, tomatoes and cukes and a killer garlic chili sauce. It was fucking beautiful. Holy yum, dude. Despite becoming a vegan piggy and scarfing the hell out of the wrap, I couldn't eat all of it. It was massive. And, I knew that I needed to make it as soon as humanly possible. I partly stole this recipe from my pal's blog: Liberal Portions. He knows I'm snagging and changing his recipe a bit, so bite me!

I really have no reason to explain any more details, so here is my version of the Liberal Portions' recipe, which makes 3-4 sizeable wraps. I shall warn you, my spice measurements may be a bit low as I just kept adding more and more spices to my personal tastes. My garlic naan is the perfect companion for this masala!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 potatoes, peeled, chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 2 TB olive oil 
• 1 TB mustard seed 
• 1 1/2 TB cumin 
• 1 1/4 tsp turmeric 
• 1 tsp ginger 
• 3 TB Curry powder (I used a mix of madras and regular curry powders) 
• 3/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg 
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 carrots, peeled, sliced thinly and steamed (or use frozen, whatev)
• 2 TB Braggs liquid aminos
• salt and pepper to your tastes

Method:

1. You need to boil your potatoes in some salted water. When they are fork-tender, drain and mash. I mashed with a hand-held non-electric old school masher. Set aside, please.
2. Now, heat the oil over a medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Add in the mustard seeds for just a moment. Be careful, mine started popping and it will burn you a bit (so, if you hear a pop, turn the heat down and add your other spices asap...take my word).
3. Add all the other spices, aminos, and the cooked carrot and the frozen peas. Stir well. Let cook about 6 minutes or so. I turned my heat down to a medium-low heat.
4. Add in the potatoes. Heat through. Maybe about 2-3 minutes. Mix well to incorporate all the spices and veg into the potatoes. 
5. You can either mash it all together by hand or throw it in the food processor for a few pulses. I just mashed by hand.
6. Adjust your seasonings and serve it up! I made mine into a wrap, but you don't have to. 

Get creative. Or whatever. Enjoy!

Veggie Cassoulet - I'm Back!

As you may know, I've been sick lately and haven't felt like eating anything, let alone cooking it.  But, my friends, I am back.  I used an altered version of a recipe from Veganomicon (I think the recipe was originally Leek and Bean Cassoulet with Biscuits or something like that) to make this tasty dinner.  Well, as I didn't have leeks, I decided to just make my own version using potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and garlic.  It's basically a very tasty stew with biscuits cooked on top.  And, it was delicious.  Don't be freaked out by the steps involved, its actually super duper easy!  Although it does take a little time to make, and it helps greatly if you are a multi-tasker, like myself because it really will cut down your time involved.

I think the only changes I would make next time would be to add some sauteed celery and a few shakes of a curry powder.  One of my favorite potpie recipes uses curry powder for a little kick and I love it, so I think it would be a pleasant flavor to add to this dish as well.

Easily feeds 2 hungry adults with some leftovers.

Ingredients for stew:

• 2 large carrots, peeled, sliced thinly
• 2 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• about 1/2 can great northern beans, rinsed well
• 4 large cremini mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 TB cornstarch
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• any other spices that strike your fancy
• salt to your tastes, but add in little by little because your broth might be pretty salty already. Also, I just love salt, so I tend to put more in food than is probably necessary.

Ingredients for biscuits:

• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 TB vegetable shortening
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a small pot, bring your potatoes and some salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork-tender. Then drain and set aside.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, I got an oven safe pot out. I used a 2 qt. cast iron stock pot, and put it on medium-heat.  Add the oil and heat about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the carrots.
4. Cook carrots for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then add in the onion. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, until onions are translucent and the carrots are softened.  
5. By now, your potatoes should be done cooking and setting aside. Take a moment to combine your broth and the corn starch and set aside for a minute or two. Make sure it is mixed well, with no lumps.
6. Add the peas, beans, and potatoes to the pot. And then add in the broth mixture and mix well.  Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. The sauce will thicken and bubble. BUT, after you increase the heat, you need to start your biscuits.

7. Put the dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl. In a small bowl, add the vinegar to the milk and let set 3 minutes to curdle slightly like buttermilk.  Meanwhile, back to the dry ingredients. Mix them well, then using a fork, gently mash the shortening into the flour. There will be chunks, which is what you want, but only make them pea-sized. You don't want giant chunks.
8. Now, drizzle the milk over the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork until combined. It should be a smidge sticky. I actually didn't need all of the milk to make it work, so add it in a little at a time. If its too wet, add a bit more flour.
9. Your stew should be thickened now. I'd recommend you add your spices and adjust them before adding the biscuits.  Remove from the heat. Add your biscuit dough in small clumps onto the top of the stew.  Making at least 6 biscuit mounds. 

10.  Then put the whole pot in the oven and bake about 13-15 minutes.  Serve up nice and hot. 

Colorful Quinoa Fiesta

   

Born of a desire to not waste any food, this recipe uses a bunch of ingredients that I have onhand in my fridge and pantry. I hate wasting food, and when I found an unopened box of quinoa squirreled away in the back of my cupboard, I immediately started thinking about how I could use it. Granted, this recipe only used about 1/4 of the box, but it's going to be the first of several recipes dedicated to this delicious and versatile ingredient. If you're new to quinoa, see the note at the side of this page to read more about what it is and what you can do with it. When you're measuring and preparing the quinoa, just remember that a little bit goes a long way. You may think you're not making enough, but it seems to multiply when it's cooked :)
You can use whatever ingredients you would like in this recipe, I just took the opportunity to use what I had here. I also made it into a main dish, which is another reason for so many ingredients. Feel free to add or subtract and to experiment! That is the best thing about cooking...the ability to take a basic recipe and change it however you want. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did (and will do again for a snack later)

Here's my Recipe: Serves 3 as a main dish or 4-8 as a side

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried quinoa (be sure to rinse it well unless you have the pre-washed variety)
• 1 cup organic, low-sodium vegetable broth (you could use water if you prefer)
• 1 very small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 very small summer squash, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2/3 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to your taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• A few shakes of chili powder (probably less than 1/8 tsp)

Method:

1. Put chopped almonds into a small saucepan over medium heat. You will stir them every 30 seconds for about 4 minutes, or until you can smell them lightly toasting. Remove from heat and from pan immediately so they don't burn. Set almonds aside.
2. In same pan, place dried quinoa over medium-low heat. Stir almost constantly for about 3 minutes. You're very lightly toasting the quinoa to give it a slightly nuttier taste. As soon as the 3 minutes are up, pour the vegetable broth over the dry quinoa. Put the pan over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, cover and cook, stirring twice for about 15 minutes over a medium-low heat. You'll know the quinoa is done when it becomes mostly transparent and the liquid is absorbed.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, get a large skillet heating over a medium heat. Add the oil and spread around the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, zucchini and squash. Cook about 5-6 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the zucchini and squash are softened. I used 2 large wooden spoons to flip the veggies partway through cooking.
4. Add in the corn, peas, bell pepper, chickpeas and cook for another few minutes to heat thoroughly. Add in spices to your tastes.
5. By now, the quinoa should be all done cooking. Fluff it with a fork and add to the veggie skillet. Mix in your almonds and heat about 2 minutes to allow the flavors to all come together.
6. Remove from heat and serve up right away.