Beans and Rice with Roasted Sweet Potato and Green Sauce

From The Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen, Volume 1 (Rancho Gordo Press, 2019)

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds or wedges

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Rancho Gordo Stardust Dipping Powder or New Mexican Chile Powder

Salt and pepper

2 cups cooked Rancho Gordon Rio Zape or Midnight Black beans

2 cups cooked brown or white rice

For the green sauce:

1.5 cups plain yogurt (or sour cream)

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed

2 green onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 small jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped (optional)

Juice of 1 to 2 limes

Salt

Makes 6 servings

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with 1 tbs olive oil.

2) In a bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the remaining 3 tbs olive oil and a liberal amount of Stardust, salt, and pepper. Spread the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer; bake until soft, about 30 minutes. 

3) Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake until the edges of the sweet potatoes are caramelized, about 10 more minutes. Check the sweet potatoes often and move them around on the sheet to make sure they don't stick or burn.

4) In a small saucepan, warm the cooked beans over low heat. Add the cooked rice and stir to combine. Keep warm.

5) To make the green sauce, place the yogurt, cilantro, green onion, garlic, and chile (if using) in a blender; blend until smooth. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

6) Divide the rice and bean mixture among plates, top with sweet potatoes, and drizzle with the green sauce. Serve extra sauce at the table.

Buddha Bowl

 

This recipe comes from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 89.  I love it so much.  I eat it for lunch most days because it makes me feel good and it's got tons of protein and fiber and vegetables.  It takes a little time to make the sauce and marinade and BROL and bake the tofu, but I only do that once a week or so and it only takes a couple minutes to compile on the other days.  The recipe below includes my notes. 

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice (I use BROL here. Just make it once and use it for the week.)

4 oz tofu or tempeh (I use tofu marinated and baked in B-Savory Sauce.)

1/4 cup Korean Tahini BBQ Sauce

2 cups mixed baby greens 

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup mung bean sprouts (I haven't tried this with mung bean sprouts yet but I use homegrown broccoli sprouts in their place.  Any sprouts or microgreens would be good here.)

1/2 cup sauerkraut or kimchi (I use the vegan variety of Mother In Law's Kimchi.  It's in the vegan section of a couple grocery stores around here.)

1/2 avocado, sliced

Sesame or hemp seeds (optional.  I've been meaning to try this with nigella seeds.  Not sure yet if it'll be good.)

 

Directions:

1) Dole out your grains, tofu, and sauce onto a large plate and microwave for about 90 seconds.  

2) Pile everything else on top.  Enjoy. 

Nut-Crusted Tofu

This recipe comes from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook.  The ingredients are the same, but I've simplified the directions to make it less messy.  This is one of my favorite protein-rich dishes.  It's so good.

Ingredients
1/2 cup roasted, shelled pistachios (if salted, don't add salt to the bread crumb mixture)
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I like Panko)
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and black pepper
One 16-oz package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced lengthwise into 8 pieces
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Chop pistachios in food processor until they are roughly the size of bread crumbs. On a plate, combine them with bread crumbs, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and fresh ground pepper.

3. In a tall glass or measuring cup, combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, and garlic.

4. Use a pastry brush to coat the tofu all over with the wet mixture.  Then press each side into the breadcrumb mixture.

5. Place the tofu slices on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes, gently flipping the tofu slices over once at the halfway point.  They are done when slightly browned. 

Beef-less Stew

This beef-less stew from StraightUpFood.com is one my new favorite meals.  Cathy from StraightUpFood makes vegan whole food plant-based meals that are free of sugar, oil, and salt -- a diet I aspire to for health reasons -- and she makes some of the best dishes that meet this criteria that I've found.

When I gave up meat, beef stew was one of my favorite dishes that I never learned how to make vegetarian.  Seitan makes for a kind of weird texture, and the same goes for tofu, but portobello mushroom chunks are a surprisingly simple solution.  My version of the recipe has a couple minor spicing changes, but the original is at the link above.  It's a very forgiving recipe, like most soups and stews, and adding extra vegetables works great, especially if you have something you need to use up.  It's also a really good source of vegetables and starch (the potatoes) and protein (the peas and green beans).  I'll probably be making this once a week come autumn.

Ingredients

• 1½ large yellow or white onions, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
• 3 ribs celery, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
• 3 medium carrots, sliced lengthwise and cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 2 portabella mushrooms (about ½ pound), cut into ¾-inch pieces (I like to use even more, depending on how much I have on hand)
• 1½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
• 5 cups water (amount varies depending on if you add more veggies like me -- just use enough to cover the vegetables)
• 2 pounds white potatoes (I use about 3 large Yukon Gold), cut into ¾-inch pieces (peeling is optional, but I buy organic and just give them a scrub and leave the peels in tact)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tbs herbs de Provence (or herb blend of your choice -- I like this one because it has sage, rosemary, and thyme, among other things, without letting the rosemary be overpowering like it tends to do)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tbs dried parsley 
• 1½ cups green peas (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup green beans (optional -- I use frozen)
• 1 tsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (optional, but I like the relative saltiness)
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat a large soup pot on high with 1 tablespoon of water. When the water begins to sputter, add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently as the edges of the onion browns slightly, and adding a little water as needed to prevent sticking.
2. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, and continue to cook while stirring for an additional 5 minutes, adding water as needed.
3. Add the potatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs and spices, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low boil. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and green beans, and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
4. Place about one fifth or one quarter of the stew (broth and vegetables) into a blender, and blend under very smooth. Stir this back into the pot to thicken the stew. Season with a few twists of ground black pepper and Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium tamari or soy sauce) to taste.

Vegetable Biryani

I made this dish for the first time last week, and it's really good.  I would make a couple changes from the original recipe, so I incorporated them below.  Fresh or frozen vegetables work equally well.  Go for ease of preparation.  I want to figure out precisely how much liquid is necessary to make this with brown basmati rice too.  Most basmati rice recipes that don't involve adding raisins and other stuff call for 1.5x as much water as rice.  Most brown basmati rice recipes call for 2x as much water as rice.  I think I would try initially using the same water to rice ratio as this recipe calls for, with the understanding that I might have to add a quarter cup of water and steam longer if the rice turns out crunchy the first time around.  Brown rice also takes about 50 minutes to cook, in comparison to 20 minutes for white rice.  I'll amend the amounts and directions when I've had a chance to try it with brown.  I also think the ghee could be reduced by at least a tablespoon without adversely affecting flavor.

Ingredients

For the rice:
3/4 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon ghee
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the vegetables: 2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
3 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup peas

1/4 cup sweet corn
3 small new potatoes (about 6 ounces), peeled and quartered
1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons blanched, sliced almonds

Directions:

1.  Make the rice: Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.

2.  Toast the sliced almonds and shredded coconut in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Move them to a plate and set aside. 

 

3.  In a medium-sized pot with tight-fitting lid, melt ghee over medium heat. Add the golden raisins, turmeric, cumin seed, coriander seed, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute more. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, and steam until the rice is tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

4.  While the rice is cooking, make the vegetables. Melt the butter in the skillet used before with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the golden raisins, coriander seed, cumin seed, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Raise the heat to high, pour in the water, and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes more.

5.  Add the rice to the vegetable mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Divide the vegetable-rice mixture among plates and top with some of the toasted coconut and almonds. Serve immediately.

Dal Makhani

I found this recipe for slow cooker dal makhani on novicehousewife.com.  I just made it for the first time today and wanted to jot down the changes I made (some by accident, some because I didn't have the called for ingredient) because I want to be able to recreate it again.  It is fantastic.  It takes hours and hours in the slow cooker, but it takes very little active work.  The original recipe is at the link.  The version below is what I did today.  The Indian groceries near our house aren't that well stocked or particularly cheap, so I got my dals from Amazon.  My comments are in italics.

I'm not sure how much it would affect the flavor, but if you skipped the ghee (and the milk, or substituted coconut milk), it would be both oil free and vegan.  I'm going to try it at some point since I forgot to include half the ghee in the original recipe the first time I made this and it tasted as good as any dal makhani I've ever had from a restaurant. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad saboot (whole unskinned black lentils, also called black matpe beans)
• ½ cup dry red kidney beans
• 2 tbsp channa dal
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter -- optional, and I no longer include it)
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste (I use closer to 1/2 tsp)
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup ready made tomato puree (I used my grocery store's canned organic tomato sauce)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves -- I only noticed as I started cooking that it calls for leaves and I only have dried methi seeds.  I substituted 1/2 tbs methi seeds and the finished product was great.)
• pinch garam masala
• ½ tsp amchur powder (raw mango powder -- can be found in Indian grocery stores)
• ½ tsp black salt (can be found in Indian grocery stores -- I ordered Hawaiian black lava salt from Amazon as that was all I could find.  If it's not the same thing, it doesn't seem to make a difference.)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp onion powder

Grind to paste (I just ran them through a food processor because I am lazy.)

• 2 dry, whole red chillies, preferably Kashmiri red chillies- deseeded and soaked for 10 minutes and then drained (I used dry "japones" from India that I found at my regular grocery store.  I also think it would be reasonable to use chili-ginger-garlic paste as a shortcut for all three ingredients)
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

To Add later

• ½ cup milk mixed with ½ cup cream (I would consider this optional.  I ate an entire bowl of the dal makhani before I got to this step and it was fantastic.  You could also substitute lite coconut milk for a tasty vegan option.)
• 2-3 tbs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1. Boil the red kidney beans for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.  
2. While the red kidney beans are boiling, rinse the channa dal and urad saboot.  Add them to the slow cooker.  When the red kidney beans have been boiled and rinsed, add them to the slow cooker too.  Add the ghee, salt, water, and chilli-ginger-garlic paste.  Give a stir, set slow cooker to "low," and cook overnight. 
3. The next morning, mash the lentils a bit and add the tomato puree, kasoori methi, cayenne pepper, roasted cumin powder, nutmeg powder, amchur powder, coriander powder, black salt, and onion powder and let cook on low for another 4-6 hours.  If it starts to dry out or overcook, change slow cooker to "warm" setting until you're ready to eat.
4. Just before serving, add the garam masala powder and if you like the cream and milk, or just milk.
5. Add the chopped cilantro and serve with rice, naan or roti.

 

Best Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

I think I've perfected the crispy breaded tofu strip recipe.  Simran likes this one best anyway.  This one is 100% whole grain breading and contains no oil.  You can even make it no salt by not salting the breading (there is also salt in the creole seasoning, but you can control that too since you have to make it from scratch).

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other unflavored non-dairy milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tbs Kid-Friendly Creole Seasoning

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Drain the tofu, wrap with a couple clean kitchen towels, and top with a shatter-resistant plate and some canned goods.  Let it sit for 20 minutes or so to squeeze out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In a food processor, pulse the rolled oats a few times until they're about halfway between being oats and flour.  Add the corn meal, salt, and seasoning. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper (this is how you can avoid needing oil).

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.

Rigatoni alla Anthony

This is my adaptation of the dish I like best from La Dolce Vita, an Italian restaurant in my town.  It's very quick and easy, and I use whole grain pasta for mine, as well as a higher concentration of vegetables than the restaurant uses.  I personally think mine tastes better than the restaurant's, but only because the higher concentration of vegetables makes it have more flavor.  To make it vegan, just leave out the cheese.  I've also made it oil-free, though it doesn't taste as good as it does with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

Ingredients
1-2 tbs olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed (you want them bite-sized, so you can either get small artichoke hearts or larger ones that have been quartered -- I just get whichever is cheaper)
1 14 oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes, including juices
1/2 lb fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 16 oz. box of whole wheat pasta (I have never been able to find whole grain rigatoni, so I usually buy penne because it's close to the same shape.  I usually use about 12 oz. or 3/4 of the box when cooking for our 2-adult household, and there's always some of the dish leftover.)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 tbs freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Cook onions until translucent.  Add garlic and cook another minute more, making sure not to let it burn.

3. Add artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes, and chopped spinach to the onions.  Cook until the spinach is wilted and the other vegetables are heated through.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drain cooked pasta and stir into the vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve hot.

Dosa (From Scratch!)

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  He does not call it "dosa from scratch," but since everyone I know makes dosa from a box mix, I think this name sums it up better.  Now that I'm less incompetent at making pancakes, I'm hoping I can handle this.  If I can, we'll finally be able to have the long sought-after cheddar cheese and onion dosa that no respectable dosa shop will ever make on request.

Ingredients
1/2 cup white urad dal (dhuli urad)
2 cups basmati rice (you can also substitute brown basmati rice to make it whole grain and an earthier flavor and somewhat chewier texture)
2 to 3 tbs vegetable oil, as needed
Salt

Directions

1. Soak the dal and rice in separate bowls in water to cover for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if you prefer.

2. Turn your oven to its lowest temperature.  Drain the dal and put it in a blender with a tbs or two of water.  Purée it to a smooth consistency, adding as little additional water as necessary, but enough to allow the machine to do its work. Transfer the purée to a large mixing bowl.

3. Drain the rice and add half of it to the blender (there's no need to clean between batches) with about 1/4 cup water. Again, purée (it won't become as smooth as the dal), adding as little additional water as possible. Repeat with the remaining rice. Add the puréed rice to the dal and stir the two together; the resulting mixture should have the texture of a thick pancake batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, turn the oven off, and let the batter ferment overnight in the warmed oven.

4. Heat a large rectangular nonstick or cast-iron griddle over medium heat for a full minute before greasing it with a film of oil. Season the dosa batter with a large pinch of salt and stir to incorporate. Use a measuring cup or a ladle to pour 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan, then use the bottom of the measuring cup to spread the dough across the pan into a large oval shape not much more than 1/8 inch tick; don't worry if the thickness is inconsistent. (It's the same motion a pizza maker would make -- concentric circles with the bottom of the ladle -- to spread tomato sauce thinly and evenly across pizza dough.)

5. Tiny bubbles will form across the surface of the dough, and the bottom will crisp and turn a deep golden brown in 3 to 5 minute. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the dosa, then roll it onto itself to make a cylinder and remove it from the griddle. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the griddle as necessary. Serve hot.

Tofu, Provençal Style

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
Large pinch saffron threads (optional -- do it, it tastes better with the saffron)
1 tsp fresh marjoram, oregano, or thyme or 1/4 tsp dried (I use 1 tsp herbs de provence to get the best of all worlds.)
2 tbs drained capers
2 cups chopped tomato (canned is fine), with juices
1 cup good-quality black or green olives or a mixture, pitted
1 1/2 to 2 lbs firm or extra-firm tofu, preferably pan- or deep-fried, or cooked in another fashion, but frozen or even fresh and blotted dry will do, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I pan fry them, but in lots of grapeseed oil and for a few minutes on each side.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat.  When hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to take on some color, just a minute or so. Add the onions and the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the saffron, herb, and capers and stir, then add the tomato and olives. Stir, bring to a boil, and cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the tofu and cook, stirring once or twice, until it's swollen slightly and heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary and plenty of black pepper.  Garnish and serve.

Creamy Vegetable Lasagna

This is my second attempt at a vegan lasagna and my first attempt at making the recipe up myself.  It's based on what I remember of Stouffer's frozen vegetable lasagna, which I've eaten twice in the last decade, except made vegan.  The Stouffer's lasagna was rich but didn't seem particularly cheesy because the cheese was mostly blended into a white sauce that took the place of the standard marinara.  I didn't limit myself on oil or salt this time around since my primary goal today was to make a vegan lasagna that actually tastes good, which is difficult enough.  I finished assembling it about an hour ago, but it won't be cooked and eaten for another couple hours, so I'll have to come back to this post and update it based on how the meal turns out.  So far I've just tasted the individual components, and they were good.

Ingredients
12 lasagna noodles (I like the oven-ready whole-wheat ones from Whole Foods.)
1 16 oz. package firm tofu
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mixed vegetables, finely chopped (I used a combination of peas, broccoli, carrots, and spinach, mostly from my freezer, but I'm sure green beans and zucchini would also work well, among other things.)
1/4 tsp dried basil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
For Sauce:
2 14 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk.)
1 bulb roasted garlic
2 tbs olive oil, divided
3 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs Better-Than-Bouillon vegetable variety (This is totally a flavor cheat.  I rarely use Better-Than-Bouillon to make broth, but I have found it invaluable when I need to increase flavor and salt and have no idea what I'm doing.  I consider it a multipurpose American Flavor Paste.  I'm sure a patient person could recreate it with some spices, salt, and oil, but I'm not bothering finding out how today.)
1 tbs raw cashews, ground
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare garlic and 1 tbs olive oil for roasting as explained in the link.

2. While the garlic bulb roasts, mix 1 tbs raw ground cashews and 1/4 tsp garlic salt in a small container.  I grind the cashews in my food processor and keep about a cup of this blend on hand in my fridge for when something needs vegan Parmesan-style crumbles sprinkled on top.

3. Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Sweat onions for a few minutes, add garlic and carrots, and finally the remaining vegetables.  Season with basil, salt, and pepper, and cook everything until tender.

4. Drain tofu and blend it in a food processor.  Add about a quarter of the cooked vegetable mixture to the food processor and pulse until everything is incorporated.  Season with more salt to taste -- mine required an additional 1/8 tsp.  Set aside.

5. Put all sauce ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, including all the roasted garlic cloves, and blend until smooth.  (I'm not sure how this will cook up yet.  It's good as is at this point, but if it doesn't survive the lasagna-cooking process -- either from drying out or burning -- it might require more water or something.)

6. Increase oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a large casserole dish lightly with Pam.  Add a thin layer of sauce, followed by lasagna noodles, followed by half the tofu mixture, followed by the remaining vegetable mixture, followed by half the remaining sauce, then another layer of lasagna noodles, then the remaining tofu mixture, then a final layer of lasagna noodles, then coat with the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle cashew/garlic salt mixture over the top, and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com, and it's quite good and very healthy and very cheap to make.  I've adjusted the directions based on the easier, lazier way I make this.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (or ghee, if you don't care if it's vegan, or alternately skip the oil altogether)
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp good quality curry powder (or more to taste -- I like Badia's Jamaican style curry powder)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (I use low-sodium)
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 cups cooked butternut squash (I've also used pumpkin, or any sort of winter squash I have on hand -- if you don't want to bother cooking it in advance, add the squash when you add the lentils and cook until tender)
• 1 cup greens of choice
• Fresh grated ginger, to taste (optional)
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste (about 1/2 tsp salt, if using low-sodium broth)

Directions

1. In a large pot, add olive oil (if using -- or ghee, if using that) and chopped onion.  Sautee for about 5 minutes over low-medium heat.  [To avoid using oil, use a non-stick pot or simply let everything cook by boiling in the broth.]

2. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger (or ginger paste, as I use).  Cook another couple minutes.  Stir in curry powder and broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in cooked butternut squash and greens of choice. Cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and add some freshly grated ginger to taste.

Tofu Pot Pie

I've been making and loving this recipe for years, so I was shocked to see I hadn't actually posted it here yet.  It's based on Alton Brown's Curry Chicken Pot Pie.

Ingredients
2 batches pie crust (one for bottom and one for top)

8 oz (about half a package) firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed

2 cups chopped vegetable mix (peas, carrots, green beans, corn -- can be fresh or frozen, just use whatever you've got)

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup milk (I often use soy or almond milk, which work fine.)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon curry powder (I use Badia brand -- the yellow Jamaican-style kind -- even when it means buying it in bulk on Amazon.)

1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Pre-cook one pie crust and set aside to cool -- can be several hours in advance or just before making filling.  Put remaining pie dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

3. In a saute pan, lightly brown the tofu (butter/oil optional).  Set aside tofu, add a tablespoon of butter to pan and sweat the onion and celery. In a second small saucepan, start to heat the broth and milk. Add another tablespoon of butter and all the remaining vegetables to the celery mix, and heat through, cooking out as much water as possible. Whisk the flour and curry into the milk and cook until thickened. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Add the tofu back in to the saute pan with the vegetables. Fill cooled pie crust with as much vegetable/tofu mixture as it can comfortably hold, then pour in milk mixture to fill in and top off (do not overfill or it can bubble over through the crust). Roll out remaining pie dough into a sheet and lay it across pot pie.  Pinch edges shut, trim off excess, and cut four 1-2 inch slits in the center of the crust to let out steam.  Place into the oven and cook until top of pie has browned lightly and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.  (You can use extra vegetable mixture, milk gravy, and dough to make tiny pot pies and freeze them for later.  Alternately, you can cook excess pie dough in ramekins and make them into little tarts for dessert.)

[ETA 2/22/20: I've changed how I make the gravy and wanted to make note.  I make a cup of broth with vegetable Better Than Bouillon then add corn starch instead of flour.  No milk.  Resulting concoction is very salty but more flavorful than most broths, so I compensate by under-salting the tofu/veg mixture and the finished product evens out.  Don't use all the gravy.  Put tofu/veg mixture in the pie crust first, then add gravy so that it fills in around it.  It shouldn't cover the veg entirely.]

Cheese & Onion Pasties

I might be remembering wrong, but I think the cheese & onion pasties served at Tea & Sympathy had a creamier sort of cheese sauce than straight melted cheese would accomplish.  Since most recipes I've seen just have melted cheese inside, I've devised my own version to more closely resemble the cheese sauce of Welsh rarebit or a good macaroni and cheese recipe.  The short pastry recipe comes from Alton Brown's recipe for Pocket Pies.

Ingredients
for crust:

9 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 ounces shortening, approximately 6 tablespoons
3/4 cup milk
1 egg mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons water

for filling:

1 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup diced onion (yellow or white)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

1. [Steps 1 & 2 can be done up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.]  Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add diced onions and sweat until translucent.

2. Whisk together evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and mustard.  Add to pan with butter and onions, add shredded cheese, and stir, continuing to cook over low heat until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool completely.

3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds and then pour into a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the shortening and knead it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly. Add the milk all at once and mix in with a spatula until it begins to come together. Lightly flour your hands and the countertop and turn the dough out onto the countertop. Knead the dough ball, folding over 10 to 20 times. Using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut into rounds using a 2 1/4-inch ring. Roll each round as thinly as possible or to 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the dough, brush the edges of half of the dough lightly with the egg wash, fold over and seal the edges together with the tines of a fork, dipping it into flour as needed. Gently press down to flatten and evenly distribute the filling. 

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place finished pies onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Vegan Po'Boy Sandwich

The recipe below is based on looking at lots of po'boy sandwich recipes on the internet, as well as the way the crispy breaded tofu strips are cooked.

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 tbs Kid-Friendly Creole Seasoning

1 tbs grated lime zest

lettuce

tomato

pickles

Remoulade sauce

French bread

Directions

1. Drain tofu, wrap with a clean tea towel or a couple of paper towels, and place a plate with weights such as canned goods on top.  Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, spices, and lime zest. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy.

5. Cut French bread into 6-inch sections and cut open.  Fill with the cooked tofu, Remoulade sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.  Serve immediately.

The Best Black Bean Burgers

This is my third or fourth stab at a black bean burger recipe.  I've made so many changes since the last one that I thought I'd start over with a new post instead of amending the recipe again.  I'm still making adjustments on this until I master the spices and grains necessary to make it the right taste and consistency.  It always tastes good on a pretzel roll with chipotle mayo and avocado though.  And red onion and lettuce and tomato.  And provolone. 

Ingredients
2 (16 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup dried black beans, cooked in a slow cooker)
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup Old-Fashioned rolled oats
2 tbs flaxseed meal
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 tsp hot sauce

Directions

1. [The first 5 steps can be done in advance.]  Run old-fashioned rolled oats through a food processor until at least half of it resembles flour.  Add chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt.  Pulse a few more times to combine, and set the mixture aside.

2. Run onion, green bell pepper, and garlic through food processor.  Set aside and stir in hot sauce and flaxseed meal.  Let sit for 10 minutes while the flaxseed meal gets a little gooey so it can bind everything together.

3. Put (well drained) black beans in food processor and pulse a few times until most of the beans have been broken down, but not completely smooth. 

4. Move beans to a large bowl, add vegetable mixture, and incorporate.  Then add spiced oat mixture and stir until everything is incorporated.  Then add cooked brown rice, small amounts at a time, until mixture is the right consistency to mold into burgers.

5. Mold into 8-10 small patties.  If freezing for later, place patties between sheets of wax paper, stack, and seal in a plastic container or ziploc bag.

6. When ready to cook the burgers, preheat oven to 375 degrees, place patties on a baking sheet (a few sprays of Pam first help to make them flippable), and bake about 15 minutes.  Turn burgers over and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Vegetarian Turkey Club

This is a surprisingly low-calorie sandwich for how filling it is.  It's one of the first things I made to replace a beloved meat dish when I went vegetarian many years ago.  You can make the entire thing vegan by using vegan mayonnaise.

Ingredients
2 slices bread (I like 100% whole wheat)
1 serving (usually 4 slices) vegetarian turkey slices (I like Tofurky and Smart Deli brands best)
2-3 slices vegetarian bacon (Morningstar brand, from the freezer section)
2 leaves romaine lettuce
3-4 small slices of tomato
1 tbs mayonnaise

Directions

1. Toast the bread.  Microwave the bacon according to package directions.

2. Apply mayonnaise to one slice of toasted bread.  Pile on remaining ingredients, top with remaining slice of toast, and serve warm.

Chunky Ratatouille Sauce

This recipe comes from Neal Barnard's The Cancer Survivor's Guide.  Serve over pasta shells, brown rice, or your favorite whole grain.  I'm trying it over pearl barley tonight, since I have an enormous amount in my pantry. 

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup red wine or vegetable broth
2 small onions, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. Soak the eggplant chunks in salted water for 10 minutes.  Drain, rinse, and drain again.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of the wine in a nonstick skillet.  Add the onions, celery, and garlic, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally and adding more wine if the vegetables start to stick.

3. When the onions and celery are soft, add the eggplant and 1/4 cup of the water. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft. Add more water as needed to keep the mixture from drying out.

4. Stir in the mushrooms, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 cup of wine and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Chunky Ratatouille Sauce will keep for up to 4 days.

Brie & Arugula Sandwich

This is my knock-off of a sandwich served at French Roast restaurant in NYC's West Village, where Sameer and I used to brunch.  The only difference is that the restaurant uses an herbed butter where I prefer Dijon mustard.

Ingredients
1 baguette
brie
baby arugula
tomato
Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Slice baguette into thirds (it looks fancier if you do it on the diagonal) and then cut each piece into top and bottom halves.

2.  Fill each sandwich with a thick layer (about 1 cm) of sliced brie, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and a handful of baby arugula.  Apply Dijon mustard, close sandwich, and serve.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com while looking for a breaded fake-meat dish that doesn't call for oil (though this one does call for greasing the baking sheet).  I'm guessing if this works out, I can use the same breading mixture on seitan, or even just cook my tasty breaded seitans in the oven without frying them first in the skillet.  This recipe is meant to resemble chicken fingers and closely resembles the tofu strips I made for po'boy sandwiches a few weeks ago.  

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.

[Edited 10/11/2013:  I used Panko for the breadcrumbs, and these were really good and crispy.  They also retained their crust better than any of the pan-fried breaded seitan or tofu I've ever made.  I reduced the cayenne to just a dash since it's hard to say how a toddler will take "a kick of heat," and they turned out surprisingly bland, based on how many other spices were in there.  I tried them with spicy mustard and ketchup and got the impression they would probably be at their best (at least the way I seasoned them, with very little cayenne) with either honey mustard dipping sauce or some sort of chipotle aioli.]
[Edited 11/10/2013: I alter the spices every time I make this dish in an attempt to perfect it.  It's still not there yet, but I changed the recipe above to reflect the best version I've had so far.]