Our Veggie Kitchen

Chickpea Alfredo

2011-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite "this-couldn't-possibly-have-beans-in-it" cream sauce. I made it this time with asparagus & carrots, but its amazing with cauliflower and really good with zucchini as well. At some point, I'm going to make this sauce with zucchini ribbons instead of pasta. That should be a treat. The sauce really complements veggies and tastes amazing.

Chickpea Alfredo
15 oz can chickpeas
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
4 cups BOILING water
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tbs miso
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and blend. It's important that you use boiling water or the cashews won't cream up and the sauce will be gritty. Also, I use an extra large blender, so you may need to do this in a couple batches. And, finally, don't be afraid to add a little extra water. If you're combining it in a hot pan, you with pasta, the pasta will absorb some, and it will cook off a bit in the pan.

This makes a lot of sauce. Easily enough for a pound of pasta loaded with veggies, but it's great just poured over veggies. If you don't use a whole batch, I'll bet it freezes nicely.

5 Servings: 249 cal (13g fat, 27g carbs, 8g protein)

Three Bean Salad

2011-02-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl is about to start. I'm not hosting a party this year, so my focus is on food I can make ahead of time and whip out for dinner during half time. I made a three bean salad to add a healthy aspect to a mostly junk food day. It's easy to make, relatively healthy, and is great for a side or a light lunch.

Here's my menu:
Vegan Explosion Queso
Seven Layer Dip (beans, quinoa cooked in salsa, queso, letuce, tofutti sour cream, olives & tomatoes)
Tofutti CheeseSteak for dinner
Tots (with queso! I can't wait!)
Three Bean Salad

Three Bean Salad
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) green beans
1/2 purple onion, quartered & sliced thin
1 tbs fresh oregano, minced
1/2 small lemon, juiced

combine the vinegar and sugar. Microwave until the sugar fully dissolves and the vinegar is clear (a couple minutes, stirring once or twice). Stir in the olive oil and spices and set aside. Combine the three beans, the chopped onion, lemon juice and oregano in a large bowl. Pour in the vinegar & oil mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight), stirring several times. Refrigerate, if marinating longer than an hour. Take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

8 servings: 217 cal (8g fat, 32g protein, 6g protein)

Taco Burger

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

On of my goals for this year is to stop buying Boca Burgers. So I've been tossing around some homemade burger ideas and made three this weekend. Two were really really good. One needs work. My youngest loved the All American Incrediburger from American Vegan Kitchen. And my middle girl loved my first attempt at a Taco Burger. It was good enough to warrant a second batch and, with a little tweaking and a can of olives, I'd arrived at success. I succumbed to family choice and left out a little corn, but I think it would be a welcome addition.

Taco Burgers
1/3 cup bulgur
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tbs taco seasoning
1/2 tsp marmite (optional but good)
-----
6 oz tempeh
-----
1/2 can (15 oz) refried beans
1/2 onion, grated
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
3 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp browning sauce (optional)
-----
1 cup vital wheat gluten
-----
2-3 tbs vegetable oil (for cooking)

Cook the tempeh in boiling water for 10 minutes, then let cool in the refrigerator until it is room temperature. Grate and set a side. Meanwhile, mix the bulgur, taco seasoning and marmite in boiling water. Set a side for twenty minutes, until cooled to room temperature (while preparing the other ingredients).

When cooled, add the bulgur, tempeh and remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine then knead in the bowl with your fingers or a spatula for 3-4 minutes, until the gluten activates (the dough will get firmer and a bit elastic).

Put a cookie sheet into the oven and preheat 400 degrees. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Form each ball into a patty. The dough will be a little elastic, but should hold its shape without too much trouble. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and add 2-3 tbs vegetable oil. Swirl around to coat and add the patties. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning after 10-15, until the patties are browned on both sides. Serve hot, or refrigerate/freeze.

10 Servings: 149 cal (5g fat, 12g carbs, 15g protein)

----------

On a side note, I made a couple of recipes from American Vegan Kitchen this weekend. I made the All American Incrediburger and it truly was. She includes a method for baked and steamed and, I must say, the steamed are something special, one of the few homemade burgers my youngest will eat. I Added double batch of beer battered onion rings (and zucchini chips) and was in comfort food heaven. . . Oh Damn, I forgot to make Fried Avodado Wedges.

Taco Seasoning

2011-01-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

I've been making my own taco seasoning ever since I discovered that my favorite blend used whey. Since I use it in several posted recipes (Beans & Bulgur, Confetti Pasta Salad, Taco Burger ... tomorrow's post), I thought I should just post it. This is a mild, not spicy blend, so feel free to add more cayenne if you'd like.

Taco Seasoning
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper

Combine all the spices. For the oregano, I pour the leaves into my palm and grind them into a powder with my thumb. Add the spices to a fry pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Allow to cool and store.

Makes about 5 tbs.

Instant Mac and Cheese

2011-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been over a month. Life has been a crazy zoo lately and mine has included the typical holiday craziness, year end work craziness (i'm an accounting geek) and two weeks of sick craziness (including a quarantine request from the health department, shortly after the doctor stabbed my brain *see below*). In all this crazy craziness, this blog has taken a back burner.

I though I'd get back into the swing of things with a little bit of a re-post. Last year, I came up with a super delicious Mac & Cheese powder, that is still super delicious. But I've tweaked the preparation so that it's rich & creamy, not at all gritty and microwaves in ten minutes. I've been making a double batch and storing the powder in the pantry.

Mac & Cheese Powder
1/2 cup cashews, roughly ground in a spice grinder
1/4 cup oats
2 tbs soy milk powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tbs lemon pepper (add more salt if its salt free)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric

Combine all ingredients and, in batches grind in a spice grinder. After each batch, pour into a sifter and sift/shake into a container. It's important that the powder be fine. Store in an air tight container. And, remember that it takes just as long to make one batch as it does to make two ... or three. Also, cook up a single serving and test for salt, as different lemon pepper brands have different salt levels. Once you've made a batch, it's easy to repeat and makes for a quick meal.

Single Serving - Microwave
1/2 cup dry macaroni or small shells
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup mac & cheese powder
1/2 tbs Earth Balance or vegetable oil (optional, but makes it creamier)

In a 3 cup bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together. Microwave on high until the mixture comes to a boil (2 minutes in my microwave). Stir again and microwave on medium-low (4 on my microwave), so that it simmers, but doesn't boil over. Remove, stir and let rest for a couple minutes (so your tongue doesn't blister). It may take a little testing to adjust the time & power setting to your microwave, but after that, it'll cook unmonitored.

Four Servings - Stove Top
2 cups dry macaroni or small shells
4 cups water
1 cup mac & cheese powder
2 tbs Earth Balance or vegetable oil (optional, but makes it creamier)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked. Remove from heat, adding a little water, if necessary, and stir. Serve with vegan dogs, tater tots, or other decadent childhood treats.

Each Serving: 349 cal (12g fat, 49g carbs, 13g protein)

__________________________________________

***Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection characterized by a long, dry coughing fits. The kind where, days after you've pulled a stomach muscle, you're ready drown in a puddle of your own tears. The kind where you're willing to run naked through a field of roses just on the off chance that a thorn brushes that throat tickle that won't relent. And, strangely, you feel pretty good about half the time so you go stir-crazy cooped up at home because the health department nurse called and asked very nicely that you stay home from work for another week ... and called again just to make sure you didn't you didn't ignore your request (maybe she knows my doctor). And they give you drugs to kill the infection and drugs to help you sleep ... and to test for it, they take a cotton swab, attach it to a six inch toilet snake ... suggest that "you might feel some pressure ... have the nurse "brace" the back of your head ... and cram the whole thing into your nostril, through your sinus canal and lodge it into your brain ... then they twist, just until your eye bulges (like that guy from the Maltese Falcon) and you're ready to confess to being the other guy on the grassy knoll ... Whooping cough is unpleasant.

Mixed Mushroom Stuffing

2010-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

I usually make a couple different stuffings for Thanksgiving, and this year was no exception. I made Italian Sausage Stuffing and a mushroom stuffing. This time of year, in Oregon, you can get chantrelles for under $10 per pound and I used half a pound (torn apart instead of chopped) and added some shiitake and oyster mushrooms for a good variety. I added loads of basil & parsley and some rosemary and some water chestnuts for a little crunch. This mushroom stuffing was seriously good, the best one I've made for sure.

I know Thanksgiving is over, but Christmas is right around the corner and, really, when is a bad time for good stuffing?

Mixed Mushroom Stuffing
1 tbs vegetable oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (chantrelles, shiitake, morrel, etc)
1 lb button mushrooms, divided
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/2 tbs fresh rosemary, minced (maybe 1/2 tsp minced)
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 cup vegetable broth
12 oz stuffing cubes

For the mushrooms, chop or slice the wild mushrooms and slice half the button mushrooms. Finely chop the remaining button mushrooms. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onions and celery until the onions have softened. Stir in the garlic and carrot and cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms, in batches (unless you have a very large saute pan) until the mushrooms begin to soften. Add the sherry and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook until the mushrooms have fully released their moisture, about 20 minutes. A few minutes before they're ready, stir in the basil, parsley and rosemary. Season with salt & pepper, if necessary.

When the mushrooms are done, toss the stuffing cubes with 1 cup of vegetable broth until the moisture is absorbed. Mix the stuffing cubes in with the mushrooms. Pour into a 9x13 casserole, pressing stuffing with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.

8 Servings: 262 cal (4g fat, 47g carbs, 10g protein)

And the Winner is . . .

2010-11-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of VeganMofo, and the American Vegan Kitchen give-away. Over a hundred people left comments on the blog while more than twenty left comments on Facebook. I was truly amazed at how many people were interested. I'll make sure that I do more give-aways in the future.

But for now, the winner, with the 53rd comment on the blog is . . . LazySmurf. So send me your contact information, and I'll get the book mailed right out. Thank you LazySmurf and everyone who participated, and thank you Tamasin for providing a such a wonderful cookbook. For those of you that didn't win, the American Vegan Kitchen is a great cookbook. Its inexpensive, and available on-line. Mine's already littered with bookmarks.

Holiday Feast

2010-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

We had our Thanksgiving feast yesterday, so we could celebrate with one of our good friends. And calling it a feast may have been an understatement. I had a batch of Italian Sausage seitan in the freezer, so I made Sausage Stuffing and another, Wild Mushroom Stuffing. We had a double batch of Zucchini Fritters that were perfect with fresh Pull Apart Rolls and Cranberry Sauce. We snacked on Artichoke & Spinach Dip and Baco-Bacon Dip and filled our plates with green bean casserole and mashed potatoes with two kinds of gravy.

It was a great mix of old favorites and new recipes. I've made mushroom stuffing before, but the one I made yesterday was my favorite by far. And I made a holiday gravy with a hint of cranberry to go with the fritters that will also get a post in the next few days. But everyone's favorite was the pull apart rolls. They were fluffy and sweet and prefect with a zucchini fritter.

Vegan Stuffing Cubes

2010-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

I did a little (very little, actually) poking around, and I wasn't able to find any stuffing cubes I knew to be vegan. It seems bakeries toss together their day old bread, so your favorite baguette is probably still mixed with some milk-enriched wheat or, at least a little egg wash. And the commercial varieties I looked at seemed to have possibly vegan/possibly not dough conditioners. Why do you need a conditioner to make stale bread? The good news is, stuffing cubes are easy to make and you can use your favorite vegan bread, whatever that may be.

On a side note, I'll be doing the drawing for a copy of American Vegan Kitchen this weekend, so If you haven't signed up, just leave a comment on this post. There's over 90 comments so far and, I'm betting we can get to a hundred!

Vegan Stuffing Cubes

Cut a one pound loaf of bread and cut into slices (if necessary), then stack the slices and cut each stack lengthwise and widthwise. TaaDaa, Cubes! Now, to dry them out, just arrange the cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them at 300 degrees 30-40 minutes, tossing every ten minutes, or so. I bake at 300 degrees because I want to dry the cubes out without toasting them, but a hotter oven will do it faster, just be more attentive.

I did a little before and after weighing, and the bread I used (homemade, but stupid-easy no knead bread) lost about 1/3 of its weight from baking. So, a pound of bread makes about 10 oz of croutons. Now, go forth and make tons of yummy vegan stuffing.

Chick'n Burgers

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

My daughter just recently went vegan from being vegetarian. And since then we've been shooting through Boca burgers. So I set my sights on something similar to the Chicken Boca, something breaded and chicken-y and something that could be easily pulled out of the fridge, microwaved and eaten for lunch.

After some trial and error, I arrived at this recipe. I tried some with & without breading, some baked and some fried. This recipe isn't the closest to Boca, but it's definitely the best. It's got a great texture out of the freezer (even better than fresh) and, even microwaved, it's got a thin, crispy layer. The problem is, we're still shooting through Boca burgers because I can't keep these in the freezer. . . I think she's sneaking them out for her friends.

Chick'n Burgers
15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup bulgur
1 1/4 cup chicken flavored broth, boiling
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 tbs vegetable oil, for cooking
Spices:
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 small bay leaf, crumbled
1/4 ~~cup~~ tsp black pepper

In a bowl, combine the bulgur and boiling broth. Set aside for 20-30 minutes, until the bulgur has softened and cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, pour the drained chickpeas into a bowl (a pie pan works great) and smash with a fork into a coarse meal. Combine the spices and nutritional yeast in a spice grinder and grind. Add to the chickpeas along with the cooled bulgur & broth, the grated onion, minced garlic and 1 tbs vegetable oil. Stir to combine, then add the vital wheat gluten and mix to combine.

Put a cookie sheet into the oven and preheat 400 degrees. Knead the dough for a few minutes (maybe 5), and divide into 8 balls. Form each ball into a patty. The dough will be a little elastic, but should hold its shape without too much trouble. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and add 3 tbs vegetable oil. Swirl around to coat and add the patties. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning after 15, until the patties are browned. Serve hot, or refrigerate/freeze.

8 Servings 213 Cal (8g fat, 23g carbs, 15g protein)

Featured Blog: Cranberry Orange Bread

2010-11-21T12:23:00.000-08:00

I've started featuring some of my favorite blogs each month. And as a part of that, I'll help promote new bloggers, something I found valuable when I first started. This month, I'm featuring Alexandra Caspero of Delicious Knowledge. She's a dietitian and posts a mix of nutrition & exercise and a variety of recipes.

Also, If you've got a new (at least 3 months old) blog, [email protected]">send me a message. If I feature your blog, it'll be on my featured list for a month, on my blog roll for another month, and I'll post and review one of your recipes.

Cranberry Orange Bread

I was set to cook something else from her blog, until she posted this Cranberry Orange Bread. I made it today and I'm glad I changed my mind. This recipe is a keeper. It's quite different from most sweet breads. It is more savory, not as sweet and the mix of cranberries and oranges (always a winner) were perfect complements.

The dough has a consistency more like cookie dough than, say, banana bread, but it baked up fine. I used half white & half whole wheat. Next time I think I'll stick with white. Also, I used pistachios instead of walnuts because I hate walnuts.

Thousand Island Dressing

2010-11-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law makes thousand island dressing with vegenaise & catsup that's pretty tasty but it's way over the top calories wise. I like my salad dressings to be in the 5-6 grams of fat per serving, and this is no where close. I found that I could get the creamy texture with strained soy yogurt and a little olive oil. The result is probably not the same as Thousand Island (I really don't remember for sure), but the flavor is good, its good on salad (and tots!!) and it's really low-cal.

Thousand Island Dressing
1 cup soy ~~milk~~ yogurt
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs Ketchup
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs minced shallots
1 Tbs Minced Pickle

Layer a piece of cheesecloth in a strainer and let the soy yogurt drain for 20-30 minutes. Sometimes I get impatient and wrap the yogurt in cheesecloth and gently squeeze. This works but is a little messy. Combine the strained yogurt and other ingredients in the blender and blend thoroughly. If you'd like it a little chunky, withhold the pickles and shallots, blend everything else, then add the pickles and shallots and pulse to desired consistency. Leave the dressing in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

28 cal (2g fat, 3g carbs, 1g protein)

No Tuna Sandwich

2010-11-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

We spent the last couple days in the hospital while my youngest had her appendix removed (a kid should never be sick like that). She's back now and recuperating and playing with her sister. So I won't have a picture today. The sandwich I made today is surely worthy of a quick post.

I'm always looking out for another sandwich, so when I found No Tuna Salad in the American Vegan Kitchen, I new I had something to try. I's made with Soy Curls. They rehydrate while you chop the onion, celery, etc., so it's fast & simple. . . and so delicious.

If you'd like a chance to win American Vegan Kitchen, there's still time. Just comment on this post or click on the link on the left. You can get a second chance to win by commenting anywhere on the Facebook Page. I'll be drawing the winner sometime after Thanksgiving.

Vegan Turkey Gravy

2010-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Each Thanksgiving for the last few years, I've made VeganDad's Seitan Turkey, not so much for dinner, but for day after sandwiches. Outside of my Sausage Stuffing, Turkey sandwiches were my favorite, and VeganDad got me through my first meatless Thanksgiving.

It struck me this year, that I could make gravy as well. I took VeganDad's 'turkey' spice combination and began playing with proportions. After a couple batches and a tester who's acutally had turkey in the last three years, and I arrived at a winner. If you like VeganDad's turkey, you'll like this. If you haven't had his turkey seitan, I highly recommend it.

Vegan Turkey Gravy
3 cups water
3 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
6 tbs flour
1 1/2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp liquid smoke

Combine the nutritional yeast and spices and set aside. Melt the margarine in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for a couple minutes, allowing the flour to cook a bit. Add the spice mix, stir and cook for a minute longer. Remove from heat and add in the water and liquid smoke. Return to heat and bring just to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly, probably 5-10 minutes Test for seasoning and serve.

This gravy is especially good with a few dried cranberries stirred in.

6 servings: 88 cal (6g fat, 7g carbs, 2g protein)

Featured Blog: Cornbread

2010-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I first started going vegetarian; starting with picking out the chicken, then cooking my exact same repetoir only sans meat, and eventually learning about gelatin and caesin and all the different places you can find beef tallow and other parts. Until I found the on-line vegan community, my diet was all about becoming more restrictive. But once I started finding vegan cooking blogs, I started to discover the wondrous depth and breadth of vegan cuisine.

So, with my site update, I added a section called 'featured blogs.' These are simply blogs that I enjoy reading. Blogs that have influenced or inspired me. And, as often as I can, new blogs that could use some exposure. So, each month, I'll feature three (probably) different blogs. I'll share a nugget that they've posted and, in some small way, I hope to honor the author. Because there are some amazingly gifted and dedicated bloggers that are exposing the world to some amazing vegan food.

And my first featured blog is:
Vegan Food; More Than Tofu and Sprouts!
And her Green Chili Cornbread

Tofu Mom's blog is one of the first blogs that I started following. She's the self proclaimed Paula Deen of vegan cooking (definitely in a good way). She knows her way around comfort food and I've used many of her recipes. The recipe that I chose to cook is Green Chili Cornbread, made with green chilies and creamed corn. I must admit that I prefer it without the chilies, but I love the cornbread, the delicious creamy texture and crispy crust. So, if you're in the mood for cornbread, this recipe is a must try.

And, incidentally, Tofo Mom will be doing thirty days of gravy for VeganMofo. Take that Paula Deen!!

Easy Tofurkey Cheesesteak

2010-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

I totally stole this idea. One of Eugene's best food carts is just a few blocks away. Viva Vegetarian sells
Tofurkey hot dogs and shredded BBQ sandwiches and Tempeh Reubens . . . AND CHEESESTEAKS!!! The Tofurkey is thinky sliced and tender, like I'd never made myself. After a few trials (tasty trials), I came up with my own version. Definitely an idea worth stealing.

Easy Tofurkey Cheesesteaks
1 package Tofurkey Kielbasa (4 Sausages)
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup water
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
6 hoagie rolls

Take each sausage and cut in half length-wise, then width-wise. Cut each quarter into thin slices. Set aside. Heat the oil in a saute pan set to medium-high. Saute the onions and green pepper until the onions begin to brown. Stir in the Tofurkey and saute for a couple minutes, until warm. Stir toghether the water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, paprika and vegan Worcestershire sauce. Pour into the saute pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Divide amongst six toasted hoagie rolls and serve.

6 Servings: 413 cal (13g fat, 50g carbs, 27g protein)

Mofo Giveaway

2010-11-07T23:24:00.000-08:00

I received a new cookbook in the mail last week, and I couldn't be happier. I've been looking for American Vegan Kitchen since it came out earlier this year. I haven't been able to find it in my neck of the woods. Even the Great and Powerful Powell's, in Portland, was sold out. I've been thumbing through it's pages and, so far, I like what I see.

And, I'll be giving away a copy this month for VeganMofo.

If you'd like a chance to give away a copy of American Vegan Kitchen, just comment on this post or, any time this month, comment on the Our Veggie Kitchen Facebook Page.

Note: I'll ship internationally only if it's financially feasible. If you win, and I can't ship the book, I will make a small donation to your favorite charity redraw a domestic winner. Thank You.</p>

Linguine and Sweet Curry

2010-11-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

A week in, and I'm already behind. That just means I've got lots to post. I'm making 'turkey' gravy, I've got a condensed mushroom soup recipe I need to get written up, and my kids' new favorite burger recipe. And I've got a cookbook give away to start. . . and I'm already drooling over some of the recipes. And on to today's post: Italian Indian food!

A while back, I made cabbage kofta in a delicious sweet curry sauce. Kofta are tasty for sure, but they're a little bit of work and they're deep fried. So, they're kind of a treat. I've been working on a baked spinach kofta so I could avoid the deep frying. In the mean time, here's that same sauce paired with linguine. It's a flavor you don't expect with pasta . . . or a pasta you don't expect with curry. And I really like this curry sauce. If you're doing kofta as well, double the sauce.

Linguine in a Sweet Curry Sauce
1 lb linguine
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp fenugreek seed
2 tsp mustard seed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbs ginger
2 Serrano peppers, seeded & chopped
4 cups shredded & chopped mustard greens (3-4 ribs)
2 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt
1/3 cup almonds, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (or a squeeze of lemon juice)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving some of the water. Add the pasta to boiling water about the same time the onions are done cooking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan, over medium-high heat. Add the fenugreek and mustard seed and cook until they begin to pop. Add the onion and saute, stirring often until the onion caramelizes and turns brown. Add the garlic, Serrano peppers and ginger. Cook until aromatic, about half a minute. Add the mustard greens, a handful at a time, and continue to cook until they are wilted. Stir in the ground almonds, turmeric, chili powder and amchoor, then stir in the soy yogurt. Bring just to a boil, stirring to incorporate the yogurt and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, adding water to the sauce, if necessary. Salt to taste.

Substitution Notes: Amchoor is powdered green mango and imparts a tart flavor. You can substitute lemon juice, if you wish. Fenugreek adds a distinctive flavor to the sauce. If at all possible, use fenugreek. If you can't, you can substitute curry powder. Use mustard greens, other greens will not substitite well.

5 Servings: 513 cal (15g fat, 79g carbs, 18g protein)

2010-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm all set for this year's veganmofo. I've got half a dozen new recipes just waiting for posts, including a delicious new chick'n burger, condensed cream of mushroom soup (for holiday casseroles, of coarse), an easy cheese steak recipe, and a few surprises. I've also added tons of content, including easier access to some of my older recipes. So happy 'mofo. It's going to be a great month! I though I'd start MoFo off with a last year's deliciousness!
___________________________

Last Year's veganmofo was a great success and great fun. I had a couple of unifying themes and a couple of surprises. More importantly, I was able to make, eat and share some delicious food. So here's a review of last year's Veganmofo.

Chicken Seitan:

I perfected my chicken flavored cutlets. I made at least a hundred cutlets last year and always have some in the freezer. I'd been working on this recipe for a while and, just before the month started, I made 24 seitan cutlets. I made 20 and used every bit to its fullest:

Chick'n Stir Fry:
Arroz Con Pollo:

BBQ Chick'n Sandwich:
Baked Chick'n Nuggets:

The second planned theme was Thai food. I had been working on a green curry that I was able to unveil this month as well. I posted the paste (so much better when its fresh) along with some of its uses. I didn't, however, post my Thai/Trailer Park fusion delight, Green Curry Paste & Vegenaise. I'm certain that I'd lick this off of hot pavement. It was especially good on the Thai Burger patties.

Thai Green Curry Paste:
Thai Tempeh Burger:

Brussels Sprouts Curry:
Thai Chowder:

And, speaking of burgers . . . through the magic the internets, a good many people found their way to some of my burger posts.

BBQ Tempeh Burgers:
Chickpea Burgers:

And, finally, the biggest surprise was a high fat, but highly delicious appetizer that I made, somewhat, on a whim. I was participating in an iron chef challenge for garlic and decided to make these poppers. It was the confluence of delicious food and an amazing pic (thanks kfad) and, in less than a week, it has breached my top 5 most popular posts.

Garlic Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers:

It was an amazing run, with some amazing fun. I'm all set for this year.

White Bean Waffles ... Really!

2010-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

My middle girl has decided to go vegan (yeah!). So she's having to replace her morning eggo ritual. For my part, I've been packing the freezer with waffles. I've been making regular waffles and banana waffles and, now bean waffles. These waffles have absolutely become my go-to waffle recipe. They really are good.

I wanted to make a waffle that wasn't such a carbo-bomb. I tried to take what I learned about dosas and apply it to waffles. Dosas are Indian crepes made with a batter beans or lentils and rice. The beans make for a hearty meal and the rice adds a surprising crispiness. The waffle version is still easy, still crispy and still fluffy.

White Bean Waffles
Wet Ingredients:
15 oz can white kidney beans (or other white bean)
2 cups soy milk (I use unsweetened)
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
3 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs ground flax seed
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice flour
1 cup flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Start heating the waffle iron. In a blender, add the wet ingredients, including the flax seed. Set aside for a couple of minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the blueberries). Just before you are ready to start cooking, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir, just enough to combine. If the batter is too thin, or if it thins over time stir in a little more flour.

For 8 inch waffles, pour about half a cup of batter into the iron, enough to generously cover 2/3 of the iron. Cook according to you waffle iron's directions. Makes about 5 8" waffles. Generally speaking, once steam stops rising from the iron, the waffle is ready. Makes sure to reheat the waffle iron with each batch and apply spay oil as necessary to keep the waffles from skipping.

Makes five 8-inch waffles.

5 Servings: 13g fat, 66g carbs, 13g protein

Squash Curry

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I bought a big hubbard squash. I made a batch of squash casserole, chopped some more up for the freezer and saved some for a curry this weekend. I thought the sweetness from squash and sauteed onions would go perfectly with hot, pungent curry spices. I ended up a bit pressed for time and just used plain ole curry powder, but it turned out really good, and, in the end, a pretty simple meal. My favorite use of tempeh is simmered in coconut curry, so it was a natural complement to the squash.

Squash Curry
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 medium onions, halved & sliced into half rings
1 tbs ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups winter squash (hubbard, butternut, etc), peeled & diced into large chunks
12 oz tempeh, cubed
1 small can (5.5 oz) coconut milk
3 cups water
1 1/2 tbs curry powder
1 tsp hot chili powder (I used 3/4 tsp chili powder & 1/4 tsp cayenne)
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cinnamon (3-4 inches)
4 cardamom pods
1 cup soy yogurt

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, stirring frequently until they have browned. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, until aromatic. Pour in the coconut milk, water and spices. Add the squash and bring to a boil. Then, gently stir in the temeph. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally (gently), for about 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Stir in the yogurt and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and pick out the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and serve, poured over rice.

5 servings: 370 cal (22g fat, 32g carbs, 18g protein)

Complete Website Update (Finally!)

2010-10-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

Our Veggie Kitchen is here.

My site has been badly in need of an update for over a year. And I've been working on this update since summer. This month, I made a final push to finish before Veganmofo. . . I made it. Phew!

I've also changed my name. Our Veggie Kitchen, I think, reflects the my family's experience in the kitchen, and also the family of bloggers that have influenced me. So please update your bookmarks and links. Thanks.

I've added a lot of new content and made it easier to review older content, I hope to do a couple new things with the update. First, want to give props to the vegan blogging community. Each month, I'll feature some of the blogs that I love and, give some up-start blogs exposure. If you've got such a blog, post a comment or send me a message.

Second, I hope to reach a larger non-vegan audience. I get good feedback from omnivores I know, but I don't know how many get exposed to the blog (probably not many). I love hearing a vegan rave about one of my recipes, but I love it even more when someone makes my recipe instead of something with meat. Every little bit helps. I'm hoping I can turn a little ad revenue into a little site promotion.

Finally, I've done a lot of work the last couple of weeks. If you notice any busted links, typos, or even elements that you like or dislike, please let me know by posting a comment or sending me an e-mail. I'm really interested in what everyone thinks.

Thank you all for being patient. I haven't posted while I was working on this. I'm all set for veganmofo in November. I've got lots of pics, new recipes and holiday ideas.

My Blog Has Moved

2010-10-23T19:27:00.002-07:00

I've moved my blog to a new URL: http://ourveggiekitchen.com.

Hopefully, blogger will forward all your old feeds & bookmarks, but I don't know, for sure what they'll do. If you have any problems, I'd really like to know.

e-mail me at: [email protected].

My Blog Has Moved

2010-10-23T19:27:00.001-07:00

Artichoke Spinach Dip

2010-09-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I frequently experiment with new ideas for vegan sandwiches, especially sandwich spreads. They make school-time lunches a breeze and they often double as a dip for veggies or chips. With my oldest daughter, it's often a dip for her spoon.

I've made this Artichoke Dip a few times. It's got a subtle white bean base and just creamy enough, while avoiding a calorie overload. And the artichoke flavor shines through. I've also made this Spinach Dip. With the stronger spinach flavor, I could use a whole can of white beans without tasting beany. But my girls turn their nose up at all the spinach. This iteration, blending the two is the perfect mix. It's healthy enough to use it in a sandwich, its got great flavor and my girls love it. In fact, it's my favorite of the three.

Artichoke Spinach Dip
1 bunch spinach, washed, chopped and cooked
8 oz water chestnuts, finely chopped
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, minced
2 tbs pickled jalapeno peppers, minced
Sauce:
1 can white kidney beans
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1/4 cup vegenaise
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic

Add the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend thoroughly, until very smooth. To the blended sauce, add the cooked spinach, minced water chestnuts, minced artichokes, and jalapenos. Pulse the blender to combine and refrigerate until the sauce thickens, at least a couple of hours. The dip is better if kept overnight.
Makes about 3 cups

12 servings: 139 cal (5g fat, 19g carbs, 6g protein)