On the Menu....

It's bugging me that the little corner fruit and veggie market 1/2 mile from my house is closed now. They close on Christmas Eve and don't open again til March. Their produce is really fresh, organic, for the most part, and much cheaper than Whole Foods. My goal for next year (as it was last year, but I blew that one....) is to grow more of our food ourselves. We have some friends who are very generous from their garden, but I really want to do better this year!

Each week I plan my menu - and make my grocery list - on Thursday or Friday. Then I shop on Friday afternoon after work. Okay, I gotta tell the truth. Most of the time, Paul does the shopping for me. His work is much closer to Whole Foods and I get a little wigged out by traffic.

So today I'm posting the menu for the entire week for your reading pleasure. And even though I have planned the menu, that doesn't mean I will stick too closely to it. Seems like there's always at least one curve ball during the week and we end up going out or eating leftovers.

So here is what I plan to make for the week. I'm not saying which day I'll make what, because that always depends on how I feel when I get home from work! Green Smoothies and fresh fruit are on the menu daily, and most main course recipes are served with a green salad or other green veggie.

Creamy Lasagna Casserole
Vegan Pizza with Daiya vegan cheese
Basic Lentil Dahl
Bean and Barley Stew
Cajun Chickpeas (based on this recipe, with a number of changes)
Ethiopian Cabbage

Hopefully I'll find time to follow up on the results of each dish that I actually make. The only thing on this week's menu that I haven't made before is the Ethiopian Cabbage. I'm not worried about how this will turn out, though. Every single ingredient is something we love, so how could it fail?

Each week I try to make one big "pot o' something" that will provide lunches for us to carry through the week. This week it is the Lasagna Casserole. This is loosely based on this vegan lasagna recipe from vegweb.com. I have made this as lasagna, but I find that the casserole is much less time consuming and much less messy!

Creamy Lasagna Casserole
16 oz rotini pasta, cooked half as long as pkg directions
1 cup red lentils
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped (or use an 8 oz jar of prepared roasted red peppers)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped crimini mushrooms
3 large clove garlic, minced
oil, as needed
4 cups tomato pasta sauce (jarred or homemade)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pkg Daiya mozzarella style vegan cheese

White Sauce
3 tablespoons Earth Balance
2 tablespoons flour, plus more as needed (I used chickpea flour and it works great)
1 tbs nutritional yeast
pinch of white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 cups nondairy milk, divided

I roasted my red peppers on top of the stove this time, directly over open flame. I'd never done it this way before, and I probably won't do it that way again. It was kinda neat and novel, but much messier than the way I usually do it, which is to halve the peppers, remove the seeds, and put them on a baking sheet under the broiler. Which ever way you choose, freshly roasted peppers are delicious and much better than the jarred kind.



For directions on how to roast fresh peppers, go here.

Roast the peppers, place in a paper bag, and set aside to cool.

In a medium sauce pan, cover the red lentils with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. REduce to a simmer and cook until they look mushy.

Cook the rotini per package directions, but only half as long. drain and set the pasta aside.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add onions, celery, garlic, and mushrooms, and cook until onions are translucent.

Peel off the blackened skins and chop the roasted peppers. Add them to the pot.

Add lentils, tomato sauce, and seasonings and stir to combine well. Reduce to a slow simmer, cover, and let cook while you prepare the white sauce.

Put the Earth Balance, flour, and nutritional yeast in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until Earth Balance is melted and the mixture is bubbling. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk. Continue to whisk gently to mix. When the the mixture is very thick, remove from heat and add the other cup of milk, whisking until smooth. Set aside.



Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Add the prepared pasta to the tomato sauce. Stir gently until pasta is even distributed.

Add the entire package of Daiya and again stir gently until cheese is evenly distributed.



Now pour the white sauce over the mixture, once again stirring gently to distribute the sauce throughout the casserole.

Transfer the casserole to a baking dish. You may want to set the whole thing on a cookie sheet to prevent spills in the oven. Mine bubbled over.

Bake for 20 minutes or so, until the casserole is bubbling. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.



The finished product!

Not sure what I'm doing wrong with my camera these days, but my pictures keep
coming out blurry. I'll keep working on it.....

The plan may already be changing. I'm thinking about a creamy pumpkin risotto recipe I saw recently. Stay tuned.....

Curried Cabbage with Broccoli and Coconut Almond Rice

It's been a hard week and a half since we lost Winston. He was our precious Sweet Boy and we miss him so much. So many wonderful, silly, funny, memories since he came to live with us 12 years ago when he was only 5 weeks old, so tiny he fit in Paul's shirt pocket.

All the "firsts" have been hard. The first time I came home from work and he wasn't barking joyously to greet me. The first time I made dog food and only needed to make half as much. The first time my mother-in-law came by and she refused to ring the doorbell because she couldn't bear not to hear him barking, so she called from the car to tell us she was here. The first time the neighbors mentioned that they hadn't seen Winston outside for awhile. And then when the vet called to say his ashes were ready for use to pick up.

But time does go on and we keep breathing and eventually we hurt less and less until the memories bring more smiles than tears. Winston, we will never, ever forget you, Sweet Boy. And of course Wesley is still here and we do love him so. He has adjusted fairly well - we have given him lots and lots of extra attention. I think he kinda likes being an "only child".





And now for a yummy new recipe. I threw this together as a pantry challenge sort of recipe amidst a week that was challenging from many perspectives. It took about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. (Hmmmmmm.......does that make me the vegan Rachel Ray???? Naah.) It is based on a recipe I came across on the blog One Hot Stove. Very, very yummy served over Coconut Almond Rice. I learned a new condiment from this recipe, ground coconut and sesame seeds, that I will use again. I'm sure this combination has a name but I couldn't find it online anywhere.


Curried Cabbage and Broccoli
3 tbs unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
1/2 medium head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bag frozen broccoli
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander

Grind coconut and sesame seeds together to make a fine powder and set aside. I use my spice-dedicated coffee grinder for this, but you could use a food processor.

In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil.

Add mustard and cumin seeds and fry for a minute.

Add onion and cabbage and fry for another minute or so.

Add chili powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and coconut-sesame powder. Fry for another minute or so.

Add tomato and salt to taste.

Let this cook unattended over med-low heat for 12-15 minutes. Do not add water or cover.

Serve with Coconut Almond Rice (recipe below).

Coconut Almond Rice
Prepare white basmati or jasmine rice according to package directions with this exception: Use one can of coconut milk (I use lite, but use full fat for extra richness and LOTS more calories....) in place of an equal amount of water. In other words, pour the coconut milk into your measuring cup. Add water to equal the amount of water called for to cook your rice.

While the rice is cooking, lightly toast 1/4 - 1/2 cup of slivered or sliced almonds by heating them in a skillet until they are lightly golden. Watch them closely and stir frequently because they will burn quickly. On a rather odd note, Paul always says that toasting almonds smell like scrambled eggs. ???????

When your rice is done, add the almonds and stir gently to mix through.


And right now I have simmering on the stove, a bog pot of leek and potato soup with an added bonus - cauliflower! It smells wonderful, so if it turns out as nicely as it promises, that will be my next post.

Our Story, Part II, and Stewed Cabbage with Rice and Lentils

Yes, I've been away for too long. Lots going on - vacation planning, a new laptop, training hard for two up-coming events - a sprint-length triathlon in August and a 10-miler in October. It might seem early to be training for an event in October, but you have no idea how hard I have to work to get my head ready for a long distance run! My body is ready looong before I get my head into it!

Now on to the next part of our story, and a quick recipe.

Our Story, Part II
So Paul and I find ourselves a family of four. Two very busy daughters keeping us running constantly and both of us in grad school. No time to plan for or cook healthy meals. Most of our meals during that time were either Hamburger Helper-type deals or fast food. Junk and more junk. During this time, Paul and I reached our heaviest weights. I maxed out at around 254 pounds, Paul at 432. I was wearing a size 24 and Paul's jeans were a whopping size 60.

This is Paul and me at a family reunion in September of 1998.

During this time, Paul was diagnosed with hypertension and Type II diabetes. Before long he found himself on 8 different drugs to control the two diseases. The diabetes was a bit of a wake-up call. I began to cook more and we began to pay more attention to the amounts of food we were consuming. Paul dropped around 60 pounds. I didn't.

The new resolve didn't last and Paul regained all of what he had lost. Then a series of events began that turned our lives upside down. I will condense this very long story to the bare bones. No, there were no tragedies. Paul decided to change careers. He had been doing psychiatric social work for many years and thought it was time for a change. He quit his job and went to work managing a woodcrafters' supply store.

It was a disaster. He hated it from the moment he started. And when I say he hated it, that is an understatement. He lasted all of 3 days. The store owner was furious with him, but Paul knew it was not where he belonged, so after those 3 days, he quit. And was unemployed. He was only unemployed for two weeks, but those were very long weeks!

Now, anybody who knows my husband at all knows what a conscientious and responsible person he is. To be unemployed with a family was devastating to his sense of responsibility. The anxiety was overwhelming. He began having panic attacks. He couldn't sleep or eat. To manage the anxiety, he began taking long walks. And lo and behold, by the time he started his new counseling job, he had lost around 15 pounds!

He kept walking every day. In the rain, in the heat, in the snow. And the weight kept coming off. I was becoming more aware of the types of food we were eating. I was preparing more fresh vegetables and we cut fast food out completely. I lost a few pounds, but nothing compared to what Paul was loosing!

Then Paul began "branching out". He started going to the gym. I hated him for it. Because he dragged me along with him. I would walk on the indoor track and mutter mean things while he pumped away on the elliptical machine. You see, I had long since made up my mind that I was fat and would stay that way for the rest of my life. Not because I liked it, but because I didn't think I could do anything about it.

To be continued..........

And now for a quick, easy, and delicious dinner......

Stewed Cabbage with Red Lentils and Rice
1 cup red lentils
1 cup basmati rice
5 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garlic granules
1 tbs dehydrated onions (or 1/2 tsp onions granules)
1 tbs caraway seeds
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 cups cabbage, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 red cabbage and 1/2 green)

NOTE: Seasonings for this are flexible. Use flavors and amounts that suit your taste!

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, bring bring broth to a boil. Add lentils and rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add cabbage, tomatoes, and all seasonings. Return to a boil, them simmer covered for another 15-20 minutes, adding water or more broth if it starts to stick or gets too thick. It should be somewhat saucy.

I served this over mashed potatoes and it was soooooo savory - comforting and delicious!

A Review of Daiya Vegan Cheese and Field Roast Italian Sausages

If you live anywhere close to Kentucky, then you know what the first Saturday in May means! It's DERBY DAY! And where I live, Derby Day is almost a sacred holiday. I have mixed feelings about horse racing. I am very much aware that there are abuses that happen in horse racing. Living in Kentucky, however, and being a horse lover, I also know how these animals are treasured and well-cared for in most situations.

Some horses were just born to run, like Secretariat and Seabiscuit and Affirmed and Man O'War.... My favorites of the past few years have been Big Brown - shame on his trainer - and Barbaro (what a heartbreak). I love Rachael Alexandra and Zenyatta and I will never, ever forget Eight Belles. These horses and fillies run / ran for the love of running and winning. Others, well, not so much. But we won't go there today. Today we shall celebrate the most beautiful and fastest horses in the world! (And some of the ugliest hats.....) And our hearts will be thrilled with the majesty and power of these amazing and magnificent animals!

Today's post includes pizza made with Daiya vegan cheese as well as cabbage and white beans cooked with Field Roast vegan sausages.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Whole Foods now carries Daiya vegan cheese. The first time I bought it at Whole Foods I had to get it from the deli, but now you can find it in the dairy section along with other vegan cheeses. The deli had the italian blend style, but the dairy section, at least in my local store, carries only the cheddar and mozzarella styles.

As I have already said, this stuff is a bit pricey. The deli charged $8.99 per pound. For the pre-packaged Daiya it was $4.39 for 8 ounces. It is so worth it, in my opinion, though, especially if you are making pizza. It is melty and stringy just like real cheese. And, as far as I can remember, its tastes pretty much like it too. Below is a pizza I made this week using Daiya. It has mushrooms, onions, red and green peppers, vegan pepperoni, vegan sausage (which I'll talk more about below), and Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce. I used pre-made organic whole wheat crusts, also available at Whole Foods.

This was seriously good!

This next dish uses Field Roast vegan Italian sausages. Field Roast products have been around for several years. They are made from gluten and vegetables. I first tried them when I used their stuffed roast for our Thanksgiving meal. It was pretty good, but I wasn't inspired to keep purchasing their products. They recently began making vegan sausages, however, and wow, do we love these! I have used their chipotle sausages which are quite spicy but most often I get their vegan Italian sausages, which I used for the pizza above and for the dish coming up next. Field Roast also makes sandwich slices, which are quite good as well.

This dish was a quickly thrown-together meal this week - pretty much a pantry challenge deal.

Cabbage and White Beans with Italian Sausage

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1-2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs caraway seeds (always with cabbage!)
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained (I used cannellini beans)
2 field roast Italian sausages, sliced
a pinch of red pepper flakes
lots fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and then the onions and cabbage. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 5-6 minutes. Add sliced sausage and cook until it browns and vegetables are tender. Add caraway seeds, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Add the beans and stir gently to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through.

I served this over oven-roasted potatoes. To prepare these potatoes, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut 2 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with 2-3 tbs olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and black pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet in a single layer and roast until they are brown and crispy. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of the potatoes!