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.

Buffalo Chik'n Salad

I've never been a huge fan of salads, but I'm always up for a challenge, so I decided that I need to work on that. Enter: buffalo chik'n salad. In the words of a ridiculously-annoying-piece-of-shit-actor, "WINNING!" I have made this salad 3 times in the last week, so I think that says something.

I'm a recent fan of buffalo sauce, as I always thought I wouldn't like it. I tasted it once about a month ago, and I try to use it every chance I get. I use the bottled stuff, which appears to be much lower in calories than if I'd made it myself. The brand I got has 5 calories per tablespoon, so that's not bad at all. You can do the (chicken) chik'n a couple different ways, but I chose to brush the sauce onto the patty in between flippings. You can also cook the chik'n, and coat it in sauce at the end. I've done it both ways, but I like the first method better. It seems to allow the flavor of the sauce to cook into the chik'n better.

As for salad dressing, that's up to you. I prefer to blend a little vegan ranch with a tiny bit of avocado and drizzle it over the salad. It was awesome. But, you can do whatever your little heart desires.

Serves 2 as a main

What I used:

• 2 Gardein Crispy Chik'n Filets
• 3-4 TB bottled buffalo sauce
• 1 tsp grapeseed oil
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/4-1/3 cup red onion, diced

What I did:

1. Heat a grill pan (or non-stick skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the chik'n filets. Cook about 3 minutes, then flip. Cook another 3 minutes, then carefully brush some buffalo sauce on the tops. 
2. Turn heat down a bit to medium. Use tongs to very carefully flip your chik'n filets over. They will sizzle and pop. It's supposed to. Now, brush the top with sauce. After about 2 minutes, flip the filets again. I end up flipping the filets a couple times, brushing sauce on each time.
3. Carefully transfer the chik'n to a cutting board and slice into strips.
4. Get 2 plates and toss together the lettuce and spinach equally on each plate. Top it with the onions and tomatoes and then add the chik'n strips on top. Dress however you want.

Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie

Look carefully at the jar. POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER. I know you're thinking, "What the fuck, Chickpea?" And, dear readers, I was right there with you. My auntie brought this to me from her health food store and I was an instant skeptic, as I often tend to be. But, I decided to give it the ol' college try. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. Though, I have only tried it on a spoon (yummy and it cakes to your roof) and in this smoothie. I have to tell you, I am really quite impressed. I absolutely LOVE it in my smoothie. It gave the smoothie a bit of peanutty flavor without all the oil and fat of jarred peanut butter. Here's what the back of the PB2 jar says:

So, here's how I made my smoothie of excellentness:

• 1 carrot
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 big handful of red grapes
• 1 big handful of baby kale
• 1 big handful of baby spinach
• 3 TB orange juice
• 2 TB powdered peanut butter (PB2 is the kind I used)
• some ice

Blend that shit up and drink it down.You can thank me later.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie with Shrooms

It's not especially photogenic, but it tastes like comfort.

With the weather turning colder by the day, I have been wanting craving comfort food like mad. Funny thing, I never had shepherd's pie until I went veg, so it isn't some childhood memory for me, which is what most comfort food is to me. But, anything smothered in mashed potatoes instantly becomes comfort food. And if you have a problem with that, then I'm just going to have to ask you to leave. Now. We don't need your types around here.

When you look at the recipe, it seems like a lot of ingredients, I know. However, if you cook regularly, you probably have most of it on-hand already. About 1/3 of them are spices. See, less daunting already! I do hope, though, that you have the ability to multi-task because it definitely saves you a lot of time on this one. And if you don't, well, bummer for you.

I have found a new spice love. I feel so unfaithful to my constant standbys of garlic powder, coriander, etc. I'm in love with an all-purpose seasoning by Simply Organics. I only bought it because I found a recipe I want to make for Thanksgiving that calls for it. But, I've been trying it in other dishes and I'm completely hooked. I find it irresistible. So, I thought I'd shared the love and recommend it to you guys, too. I think you'll like it. Enough blathering on about spice. On to the recipe, already. Sheesh.

This makes 1 large-ish dish. I got 6 main-dish-sized servings out of mine.

What I used for the mashed potatoes: 

• 5 medium-sized yukon gold potatoes, cubed with skins on (You can use any kind, just peel them before boiling)
• some almond milk
• some Earth Balance
• salt 

What I used for the lentils:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• about 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp Simply Organic All-Purpose Seasoning

What I used for the rest of the dish:

• 1 1/2 TB coconut oil
• 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
• about 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
• about 1 cup finely shredded carrot (I just used 1 massive carrot)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach, stems removed
• 2 tsp Braggs aminos 
• 2 TB cornstarch
• 1/3 cup vegetable broth (approximate)
• 1 tsp Simply Organic All-Purpose Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• lots of pepper and some salt
• about 2/3 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned ones because that's what I had in my cupboard)

What you need to do:

1. Preheat your oven to about 400 degrees F. Lightly spritz a deep casserole or pie plate with some cooking spray. Shake the bread crumbs into the bottom of the dish to make a light layer covering the whole bottom. You may need more or less depending on your dish size.
2. Put your lentils, their broth and seasoning into a small pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer (with the lid on) until most of the liquid is dissolved and the lentils are softened to your liking. You do want a little broth left over...maybe 2-3 TB. The cooking time varies with the age of the lentils. Fresher lentils cook faster. Mine took about 15 minutes. Once done, leave the lid on and remove from the heat.
3. While the lentils are cooking, put your potatoes in a large pot, add about 1 TB salt to the pot and cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil, then cook for about 10 minutes. Maybe more maybe less depending on how big your taters are cut. You want them to be fork-tender. Then drain. Now, using either an electric hand mixer, of a potato masher, whip in some almond milk, butter and salt. I like mine creamy and buttery, but add however much you want. Once you get them tasting awesome, set aside.
4. I started this while the first 2 steps were still happening. You'll need a large nonstick skillet. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Now add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook another 4 minutes. Your mushrooms should be cooked perfectly now.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and the broth until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add that mix, along with the lentils and their broth, the Braggs and the spices to the skillet and mix well. Now add the spinach and mix around a bit. Just cook until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Taste and check for seasoning. Remove from heat.
6. Scoop the lentil mix into the baking dish. 

7. Now, scoop all the potatoes on top and smooth out into an even layer across the top. I then sprinkled mine with salt and pepper.

8. Bake about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly golden. Dig in and enjoy. Or not. Your loss.

Smoothie of The Day

Mmmm! While I was away on vacation I had smoothie withdrawal, so of course, I had to make an awesome one today to make up for it. Fortunately I remembered to make a trek to the grocery store yesterday to stock back up, otherwise yesterday's Hearty Minestrone Soup wouldn't have been possible...nor would today's smoothie. This is one of the best that I've had in quite a while. Maybe I was in a smoothie rut pre-vacation. Whatever. Here's what I used:

• 1 small banana
• 1/2 of a giant HoneyCrisp apple (skin and core left intact)
• 1 tangerine
• 1 small carrot
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• 1 small scoop of ice

Blend until nice and smooth. Enjoy.

In case you're curious, here's what I made this day last year:
Penne alla Vodka! <---Click to check out the recipe.

The view from my back porch this morning. Cold and foggy. I love it!

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!!

Pineapple Mango Green Smoothie

Pretty much every smoothie picture I take looks almost identical. I realize this. It's all because I put spinach in every single one. They all seem to just come out one shade of green different than the last. This morning I decided that I hadn't had a green smoothie in a few days, and that I NEEDED one asap. They make a delicious breakfast, especially when you don't really have time to make anything fancy before running out the door. Plus, you can always use fruit that is a tad too ripe for anything else.

I've been trying, as you may know, to eat a rainbow of colors everyday, and it is mostly going pretty well. This smoothie has a few colors:
Orange: Mango, Carrot
Yellow: Pineapple
Green: Spinach
Brown: Ground flax seed   

I wonder over the course of the last 10 months of owning my vitamix how many smoothies I've made? It must be about 100 or more. Crazy, huh? And, using the fresh fruit makes it so I don't have to add any refined sugars.

Here's what I did:
Pack you blender with 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 of a freshly chopped mango, 1/2 of a large carrot, 1 huge handful of baby spinach, 1 TB ground flax, 1/4 cup almond milk and a small scoop of ice. Blend until ultra smooth. If it is too thick, add a little water or more almond milk. Enjoy with a nice, big straw (I absolutely LOVE my Strawesome smoothie straws I bought a few months back).

Meg's Rainbow Smoothie

Remember a few days ago when I said I try to eat a rainbow? Well, this is the rainbow smoothie for your drinking pleasure. Sure, it looks brown here, but wait... It has 6 colors inside!
RED: 1 small apple
ORANGE: 1 carrot
YELLOW: 1/2 Peach, 1/2 banana
GREEN: a huge handful of baby spinach
 BLUE: 1/4 cup blueberries
BROWN: 1 TB ground flax, 3 TB almond milk

Just blend it all together (with a few pieces of ice) until silky smooth in your blender. If it's too thick, add some water or more almond milk. If you have a high-power blender, you probably won't need to add the extra liquid. Whomever invented the Vita-Mix deserves many, many high-fives! I bought mine last November as a less expensive refurb model from their website and I couldn't be happier. I use it a minimum of 5 times a week. Anywhoooo...

How's that for eating a rainbow for breakfast? I know, I'm missing purple, but I think I did darn good even without it. If I'd had some raspberries, I'd have been spot-on. But, I just want to show you how easy it is to eat a wide array of colors. Even if the rest of your day is monochromatic, at least you got a nice mix for breakfast. It's not always easy to get your full spectrum of colors, especially when they aren't in season. So, I'm taking full advantage now and stocking up my freezer for the months ahead. Off-season produce can be prohibitively expensive at the grocery store, so if you have the space, start stocking up and freezing what you can. Frozen fruit, in particular, makes excellent smoothies, pies, even muffins and pancakes.

Even if you're not a Veg*an, you can still get almost a full day's servings of fruit and veg with a big homemade smoothie. The (mostly worthless, corporate-interest-run) USDA says that women need 4 cups of produce/day, while men need 5. This smoothie easily makes 2 cups. So, you're at least off to a good start. Make the smoothie already. It's damn tasty, easy to make, has a LOT of fiber and your body will say thank you. Do I really have to keep working to convince you? Sheesh. Cut a chickpea some slack, dude.

**And if you are looking for awesome smoothie straws like I use, look no further than Strawesome. They make the BEST eco-friendly, reusable glass straws. They come in all different sizes, some specifically for smoothies. I bought mine a few months ago and use them pretty much every single day. They're made of the same glass as pyrex, so they are safe and sturdy. I've dropped mine on the kitchen floor more than once, and have yet to break any. To top it off, they're dishwasher safe and made in the USA in my home state of Michigan. You can also find them on twitter under username @BeStrawesome

What an Odd Smoothie...

I decided this morning that I really needed a smoothie. It's actually been a few weeks since I made one, so I thought I'd throw some random stuff together and see how it went. WHOA. Yumm! Dudes, I shocked even myself with this one. It sounds like it would be gross, but it was excellent. And, it was my first time using hemp milk, which my grocery store just started carrying. I think I like it. We'll see though. I haven't tried it in anything else yet. Almond milk is still my favorite, though.

For all the smoothies alone, my Vita-Mix has been amazing. I make other stuff in it, too, like salad dressings and sauces and even made soft-serve style ice cream in it a few times, but it makes the most perfect smoothies. It doesn't have any trouble cutting through pineapple core or carrots or whole apples. You'll never be able to go back to a regular blender. I've heard that Blendtec is super awesome, too. I dunno know, though. I'm a Vita-Mix gal. Well, enough blathering on. Don't freak when you see the ingredients to this smoothie. They sound bizarre together, but they taste so good!

This makes 2 smaller smoothies, or 1 very large one.

Ingredients:

• 1 mango
• 1 cup fresh pineapple
• 1 small carrot
• 1 big handful baby spinach
• 1/3-1/2 cup hemp milk
• 1/2 cup ice (you can add more if you like them super cold. I don't.)

Method:

1. Do I really need to tell you how to make this? Haha.

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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Green Day...the food, not the band + Dog Blankie

I completely forgot to do my St. Patrick's Day post last month of all the green food I ate that day! I was emptying out the SD card for my camera this morning and stumbled upon my green food photos. So, Better late than never...or whatever. If you don't like it, well, too bad because here they are.

Breakfast: Green Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple
• 1 clementine orange
• 1 small apple
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• 2 TB flax meal
• ice, if you want some

Method:
Put everything in the blender (I so LOVE my Vita-Mix for smoothies) and blend until well combined.

Lunch: Chickpea Salad SandwichIngredients:

• 1/2 cup (slightly heaping) cooked chickpeas
• 1 TB + 1 tsp Vegenaise mayo
• 2 tsp mustard (yellow, spicy brown or dijon are all tasty here)
• 2-3 TB raw onion
• 1 heaping TB nooch
• 1 TB dill relish
• 1 TB unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 tsp Braggs Aminos
• Green food coloring

Method:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and whir a few times, until combined. I like mine chunky, but you can puree if you want. It's your sandwich, after all.

Dinner: Green Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Chickpea Patties
The chickpea patties are just the chickpea cutlet recipe from Veganomicon, made into thicker patties instead of cutlets. I always add more garlic and some steak sauce to this recipe. The Mashed potatoes are easy:  green food coloring, Earth Balance, almond milk and salt. And, well, if I have to describe how to steam veggies, you may be a hopeless case.

So, there you go. My St. Patrick's Day green meals. Late, but oh well.

As for my Eco-Craft I started a last week, I am almost done! Check it out :)

Spicy Chickpea Pasta -what you make when you don't know what to make

You think I don't know that's a stupid name for a recipe? Really, I'm not dumb. I just sometimes can't think of creative titles. However, I can come up with some kickass recipes, so that makes up for my poor naming skills. I say it, thus it must be true. This is my blog. I make the rules.

Confession: I used to HATE (really fucking HATE) whole wheat pasta. I suddenly love it. Why? Because I'm a fickle chickpea and I do what I want. I frequently try new things that I used to dislike...maybe you should try it sometime; it's called being mature. Or whatever. I don't know. Just do it.

Now, this recipe is so easy, you'd have to be a complete fool to muck it up. And, really, add whatever you want. It'll be good. Maybe. Though, I bet mine is better because I created it.

This is enough for 4-5 large servings. Or, maybe if you are a giant, it's only 2 servings. I don't know you. I can't judge.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb whole wheat penne or the pasta of your choosing
• 15oz can of crushed tomatoes (I had a 28oz can, and used just over 1/2 of it)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2 huge handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped (next time, I'd use more)
• 8oz cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into quarters
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, garted very small (again, I'd use more next time)
• 1 1/2 TB Braggs aminos
• 2-3 TB nutritional yeast
• lots of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• a shake or two of thyme
• 1/8 tsp rosemary
• 1 TB olive oil
• 2 TB vegetable broth
• 1 TB sugar

Method:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Then add the onions and the spices (except the sugar). Stir around a bit. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic. You'll really smell it in about 2 minutes. Now, add in the broth and the mushrooms, carrot and chickpeas. You know the drill; stir well.
2. After the mushrooms are cooked, which will be about 5-6 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and the Braggs.Stir it up really well. Then leave uncovered to let the liquids cook down (reduce) some. This'll take about 15 minutes on medium heat. Stir every few minutes to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of your skillet. Meanwhile, get step 3 started.
3. About 5 minutes into step 2, you'll want to put your pasta on to boil in salted water. Think ocean water. Cook according to the package. My penne took about 12-13 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Gently fold the spinach into the sauce. It will take a few minutes to wilt down. Add the sugar and mix it in. Take a little taste and adjust your seasonings. I added more pepper and red pepper.
5. Toss in the pasta.

 I only added this photo because I love the reflected placemat on the bowl. I'm that awesome.

Spicy Penne with Chickpeas (and other stuff, too)

As you may or may not realize, I am, quite literally, obsessed with chickpeas lately (okay, all the time, not just lately).  I have been so hooked on cooking them myself instead of using canned, that I have considered buying them in bulk online to save some $$$.  Canned chickpeas are fine in a pinch, but soaking and cooking them is definitely my favorite now.  I'm thinking of starting to soak other beans now, too.  Anyway, I had about a cup of cooked chickpeas sitting in my fridge that I wanted to get used up, so I asked a friend for inspiration.  I was directed to this recipe, which I used as a guide, but also changed up a bit to fit my own tastes and on-hand ingredients.  Well, friends, it was excellent! 

To be honest, I was kind of (by "kind of" I mean very) skeptical of the addition of either orange juice or balsamic vinegar at the end of the cooking.  Sounds bizarro and kind of gross, particularly the orange juice suggestion.  I only had white balsamic vinegar, which is a little calmer in acidity and taste than regular balsamic vinegar, so I decided to use that.  As soon as I poured it into the pan, I regretted it and got a little upset with myself for making such a foolish decision.  But, after I mixed it up really well, I realized that it was awesome!  The original recipe also called for kale, which I rarely buy as I don't really love it (except in stews).  Maybe it's an acquired taste, I don't know, but I do know that I like spinach a lot, so I typically use that when recipes call for kale as it is lighter and less bitter in taste. 

My version makes at least 2-3 main course-sized servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pasta (I used penne)
• 1 heaping cup of cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (use less if you're fearful of the spice)
• 3-4 oz of fresh mushrooms (I had white mushrooms), sliced
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• a shake or two of oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp olive oil for sauteing the veg
• salt and pepper to your tastes

 Method:

1.  Put your pasta in a pot of salted pot of water. Cook per directions on the package.
2. In a large skillet (preferably nonstick), heat your oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a few shakes of salt along with the red pepper flakes. A little red pepper goes a long way. So you may want to go easy on it if you don't like really spicy foods.  Stir occasionally every couple of minutes until the onions are soft. 5-6 minutes or so.
3. Then add in your mushrooms, garlic and a TB or two of water to keep the veg moist and not stick to the pan. Add in your basil and oregano now, too. Stir around and cook until the mushrooms are mostly done. 3-5 minutes or so.
4. Add your tomato paste and the rest of the water and mix until the paste is incorporated.  After a minute or two, your pasta should be mostly done.  So, drain it, duh!
5. Add in the spinach, pasta, and chickpeas and stir to combine.  Cook about 4 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.  Add any more salt and pepper you may want. 
6. Pour the vinegar in and toss well.  Serve it up and enjoy :)

Chickpea Spinach Curry w/Tofu -- Vegan MOFO #27

This is actually a recipe I devised a few days ago, but I had my posts all lined up already, so I decided to squeeze it in as soon as I could.  It really turned out well.  I have, surprisingly, never made curried veggies before.  The day before I left to roadtrip it down to Nashville for T-giving, I found myself with a half-pound of baby spinach that I really didn't want to go to waste while I was gone.  So, I sent out yet another distress call to my vegan foodie pals on Twitter.  What on earth do I do with so much baby spinach?  Make a curry, Paul says.  So, I did.

Anyway, I made a curry.  So, here it is.  It's full of spicy goodness.  I served my curry up with some whole wheat couscous.  I'm not a fan of the super creamy curries, so I added only a little coconut milk, which I think helped to pull the whole dish together.  The measurements of spices in this curry are approximate because I kept adding more til I got it spicy enough.

This dish would easily serve 2-3 people as the main dish.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb or so of washed baby spinach
• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 small tomato, seeded and diced (optional-- mine seemed to disappear while cooking, so whatever)
• 1/2 block of tofu, pressed and diced
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp madras curry powder
• 1/4 tsp red curry powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• salt & pepper to your tastes
• garlic powder or fresh garlic (I was out of fresh, so I used about 1/2 tsp of powdered garlic)
• 2 TB olive oil
• turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous, quinoa or brown rice

Method:

1.  In a nonstick skillet, drizzle 1 TB of the olive oil.  Set the burner to medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add your tofu, along with a sprinkle of turmeric, several dashes of cayenne and some yellow curry powder along with a smidge of salt and pepper.  Toss to coat the tofu then cook until it starts getting crispy around the edges.  Stir often to cook the tofu evenly.  I think it took me about 8 minutes or so.  Then set the cooked tofu aside.
2. Return the skillet to the burner.  Add the rest of the olive oil and saute your onions (and tomatoes, if using) until they are softened and translucent.  
3. Add the chickpeas and stir well.  Cook about 3 minutes.
4. Add the spinach on top of everything and cook until it wilts.  I think it took me about 5 minutes.  After 2 minutes, I started stirring the whole mix together.  After the spinach is wilted, add the coconut milk and turn the heat up to medium-high heat.  
5. Add in the spices and mix very well.  Let the milk cook down by at least half.  Then add in the tofu that you already cooked.  I tossed the curry a few times and let it simmer down until there was very little liquid in the pan.  Check your spices again and add more as desired.
6. Serve over some sort of starch -- I really liked it with the whole wheat couscous. 

Garlicky Chickpea Spinach Soup -- VeganMOFO #11

After searching the internet, specifically FoodGawker, I came across a delicious-looking recipe for a chickpea garlic soup on Needful Things's blog.  It looked a bit creamy, which actually scared me a little because the recipe called for cream.  Well, eating vegan means no cow's milk, which means no cream.  So, I sent out a distress call on Twitter and had an overwhelming response from numerous tweeters (I love my Twitter peeps!).  One in particular stood out: @EpicurVegan said to try coconut milk as a replacement, which was promptly seconded by a few other folks.  If Twitter pals say it, it must be true, right?

Like the original source for this soup recipe says, it's good for cleaning out your fridge!  I used up half a bunch of spinach that was headed south and a couple of Idaho potatoes from my fridge and some onion and garlic from my counter top.  Even better was the fact that I had a can of reduced fat coconut milk sitting in my cupboard waiting patiently to be used.  I bought it on a whim and never even thought about how I would use it.  So, it was perfect! 

I definitely altered the recipe in several ways, so I will post my version here.  I added quite a bit more spice because that's just how I roll.  I loooooove spices.  I also added more garlic and tahini.  Anywhoooo, here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced or roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 average-size Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and diced small (about 1/3 inch cubes)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 TB cornstarch
• 2/3 cup reduced fat coconut milk
• 2 1/2 TB tahini
• 1/2 bunch of spinach - about 6-8 oz-, stems cut off and shredded (don't forget to wash very well!)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt

Method:

1. Heat oil over med-high heat in a stock pot or very large sauce pan.  I used an enameled cast iron stock pot.
2. After heating for 2 minutes, I added the onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until softened.  Then add your garlic and stir again.  Cook 1-2 minutes.
3. Add in the dry spices.  Stir.
4. Add the broth and potatoes.  Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes.  Then add in the chickpeas.  Cook another 5-ish minutes.  Check your potatoes.  You want them to be fork-tender.  Not hard, but not mush either.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, cornstarch and tahini.  Once it is all combined, stir the mixture into the soup and add the spinach.  Cook about 3-4 minutes so the soup thickens and the spinach wilts.  Check the flavor and add more spices as necessary.  I added a bit more garlic salt and a dash more cumin.  We ate ours with some garlic bread because nothing goes better with a garlicky soup than garlic bread!  The crust is perfect as a soup crouton. Enjoy!!

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is the PERFECT soup for chilly, windy days. Today was that day. Ever since the weather started to cool off this last week, I have been craving soup. I just didn't know what to make. When I woke up this morning, I knew that I absolutely HAD to make some minestrone soup. What to do when you have no recipe? Just make it up as you go! As I always say, add whatever sounds good to you or whatever you have on hand.  I know that the ingredient list is long, but the directions are insanely easy. Just use this recipe as a rough guide. I do very, very much recommend getting these fire roasted tomatoes to put into the soup. FABULOUS!

This recipe easily serves 6-8 adults.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1-2 cups water
• 1/3 pound pasta of your choice (I used ditalini)
• 28 oz. can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes & their juice (I got mine at WholeFoods)
• 15 oz. can of light red kidney beans, drained
• 15 oz. can of cannelini beans, drained
• 2 large stalks celery, chopped small (I also added some of the leaves from the celery plant)
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 small zucchini, sliced thinly into rounds
• 1 medium/large red potato, peeled and diced small
• 1 very large handful baby spinach, roughly chopped/torn
• 1 medium leek, sliced-- white and light green parts only (Be sure to clean the leek really well after slicing. I use my salad spinner)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TB dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• sea salt to your tastes
• 1/8 tsp ground coriander
• dash ground thyme
• 1/8 tsp crushed rosemary

Method:

1. Heat half of your oil in a stock pot, and half in a non-stick frying pan (both over medium heat).
2. Place the celery and onion in the stock pot to start them cooking. In the frying pan, place the potatoes, carrot, zucchini. Stir frequently so nothing sticks to the pans. When the onion is translucent, add the garlic, leek, and spinach and stir. Let cook about 2 minutes, then add the veggies from the frying pan. Mix well.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the stock pot. Then, mix in the vegetable broth.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. If you're adding the parmigiana-reggiano, do so now.
5. Cook about 20 minutes, boiling gently, covered. Be sure to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
6. Mix in your pasta and cover again (or cook separately and add in a few minutes). Follow the cooking time on the pasta you choose. Mine took 9 minutes, but yours may take longer. Once the pasta is cooked, you will likely need to add the water. I added about 1 1/4 cups hot water to mine and cooked it another 5 minutes.
7. Keep tasting and adjust your spices as necessary, and be sure to remove the bay leaves before serving. This soup goes very well with some delicious, fresh-baked crusty bread or some homemade garlic bread.