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.....

Moroccan "Chicken" Stew

I love fall! It is my hands-down favorite season. I love the smell of a wood fire in the fireplace. I love the changing color of the leaves, the color of a September sky, a full October moon. I love crisp mornings and warm, sunny afternoons. I love brilliant hardy mums, and bright pansies. I love college football (GO CARDS!) and I love NFL football (GO COLTS!)

I love winter squash and fall crop greens, pumpkins, cabbage, and broccoli. I love thick, hearty soups and stews with warm, crusty bread just out of the oven.

So, without further ado, here is today's recipe: Moroccan "Chicken" Stew. This has become one of my all-time favorite dishes. It is true fall fare - comforting, sweet and spicy and savory all at the same time. This dish is easy and quick to boot! It comes with a bit of controversy, however, and here it is: It calls for honey. Honey is the one thing that I have never completely let go of in my vegan journey. I don't use it often, and a jar of raw, locally produced honey will last a very long in my pantry. And while I know about all the vegan substitutes (feel free to use any of them you prefer), for this dish, I use honey. Let the beatings begin......

Moroccan "Chicken" Stew
1 lb vegan soy nuggets
2 tbs olive oil
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 fresh tomatoes, pureed (or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
1/4 cup honey
2 cans chickpeas, drained.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add peppers, onion, and garlic and cook 5-6 minutes.

Add cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook another few minutes. Add tomatoes, honey, and chickpeas. Stir to combine and cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in vegan chicken. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice. Add a salad with this Vegan Ranch Dressing and some fresh crusty bread.



Here is a quick dessert I made this weekend too. You may have made this or some variation of this cake, but this was my first time, and I was really impressed. This was so easy to throw together!

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 18-oz spice cake mix (read the ingredients to be sure it's vegan)
1 15-oz can of pureed pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 glass baking dish or a square baking pan.

Combine the cake mix and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add any or all of the optional ingredients you desire (see below). Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Frost with Vegan Cream Cheeze Icing.

Optional ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup raisins soaked in rum for 30 minutes
1/3 cup chopped nuts

My Favorite Things (or Things I Can't Cook Without).....

She's baaaaaaack.......

Sorry for the long absence. Life has been kinda nuts. Like I said in my last post, there has been a vacation (white-water rafting in Tennessee), 2 car accidents (a fender-bender on the freeway and the garage door opener malfunctioned and smashed my car), a bad case of bronchitis which set off my asthma in a big way, work madness, and lots of fun stuff going on in the sports and fitness ministry of my church, where I volunteer teaching spin and doing other cool stuff.

Then there is the fact that my little poodle, Winston, is sick with a mysterious illness that causes his nose to bleed. That all by itself has made me a basket case. The last severe bleed put him in the veterinary ICU for 4 days. He is home now and sometimes he goes for 3-4 days with no bleeding, but usually there is at least a small trickle of blood. I say mysterious because the vets that have examined him all concur that this is most likely a nasal carcinoma, but all the scopes and scans he has had reveal nothing other than inflammatory tissue. No tumor at all. He doesn't act sick - he eats well and he is energetic and happy and doesn't act like a 12-year-old dog.

Statistically, dogs who demonstrate this kind of bleeding and are diagnosed with kind of cancer are usually dead within 90 days of diagnosis. Winston's first bleed occurred over 2 years ago. I don't know - maybe it's his vegan diet keeping him alive. And maybe it's his sweet nature and tenacious spirit.

I'm happy to say that I am healthy and exercising again, although the bronchitis interrupted my training for the Army 10-miler to the point that I had to withdraw from the race. Sorry Jenny - you're gonna rock it even without your mom! You too, Jason!

I've been relying on lots of tried-and-true favorite standby recipes. Not much experimenting or innovating lately. So, I thought I'd write about some of the things you will always find in my pantry, spice cabinet, fridge/freezer. If I have these things on hand, I can always come up with a tasty, healthy vegan meal. These are items that I will buy even if they aren't an ingredient in my meal plan for the week, just because there will usually be a glitch in the plan or something unexpected come up during the week where I need something quick and easy. So, here they are, in no particular order.



With Vegenaise (I think this is the only decent-tasting vegan mayo) and some relish (I like dill best), I can use a can of chickpeas, some poultry seasoning, and some celery seed to make chickpea salad. Makes yummy sandwiches!



Vital gluten for seitan, vegan sausages, or chickpea cutlets is a must.



Many different herbs and spices. Cumin, ginger, cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander, thyme, basil, rosemary, chili powders (ancho, chipotle, regular - several to choose from), marjoram, herbs de provence, poultry seasoning, several paprikas, several curry powders, garam masala, saffron, fenugreek.... the list goes on and on. If I have to choose a few I can't live without, I'd have to say cumin, cumin seeds, coriander, basil, thyme, and a couple I'll mention later. Thanks to Paul for installing the sheet of stainless steel which holds the magnetized canisters.



Yeah, I know this is funky-looking. These are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They come in a small can in the Mexican foods section. I never use but one or two of them at a time, so I put the rest in a plastic freezer bag and store them in the freezer til I need them. These are delicious in Cashew Chili-Lime Sauce.



For soups or stews.



Pan-roasted broccoli is the BEST!



Tahini for roasted cauliflower, seitan, or hummus.



Slice these sausages up with cabbage or pizza or grill them just like brats!



Sometime I just like a bowl of rice cooked in broth.



I always have several types of pasta. Rotini or fusilli is my favorite because the ridges hold whatever sauce you use. Easy tomato sauce and Cashew Chili-Lime sauces are my favorites.



Always buy organic soy milk. Organic will never be made from genetically modified soy beans. I like to have unsweetened on hand for sauces that don't need to be sweet.



I go through this stuff like water.



Coconut milk - the large can is the lite to save calories. Bit I keep a small can of full fat when I want more richness and flavor. For Asian recipes, especially soups, and adding richness to baked goods.



These are the best canned tomatoes ever. Throw a can in the blender, add one clove of garlic, some basil and thyme, an a bit of salt. Process, then add a little unsweetened soymilk. Heat. Voila! Almost instant Tomato Bisque!



I keep a variety of canned beans on hand. Hummus, chickpea cutlets, soups, chickpea salad. Lots of quick easy meals start with a can of beans.



Had to include this tea. We make tea in our coffee maker. It's crazy how much tea we drink. Four tea bags and 1/2 cup raw sugar make one gallon of the best iced tea any southern girl ever drank!



Red lentils are a life saver! They are a great meat substitute in pasta sauce and make a delicious dahl. Even my dogs eat red lentils!



Paul loves to snack on these,but I keep them on hand to make Cashew Chili-Lime Sauce, which takes about 5 minutes to make and is wonderful on veggies and pasta.



Red pepper flakes are one of those things I try to never run out of. Even if you don't want much heat in a dish, red pepper flakes add depth and flavor to any recipe.



Yes, fresh is always better, but when you're in a hurry...... And note, these are GRANULES not powder. Yes, there is a difference.



Smoked paprika, how do I love thee...... I love thee in cabbage, I love thee in seitan, I love thee in vegan sausages...... If you have never tried it, you really must buy some smoked paprika. It is my new favorite spice.



I really cannot cook without these wonderful veggie cubes. Rice, soups, seitan, I use them in everything!



Full spectrum sea salt has not been bleached or processed. It has less sodium and lots of trace minerals, including iodine, that are lost when salt is processed. Try some pink Himalayan sea salt and you'll never go back!



My kitchen shuts down when I run out of nutritional yeast. Really. I use it just abut everything. Seitan, salads, sauces, you name it. I try to buy it in bulk and when I have to buy the cannister, I save it to store the yeast in.



This is one of those ingredients that once you try it, you'll use it in everything. Use it in any recipe that calls for soy sauce and in many recipes instead of salt.

So, there are most the things I have on hand on any given day. I'm sure there are probably other things I could have mentioned, but these are the biggies.

What are the ingredients you can't do without? I have learned about many of these items by reading other blogs. Leave me a comment. Maybe I'll learn about a new can't-live-without ingredient!

Amazing Chickpea Salad

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic granules
1/4 tsp onion granules
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/4 cup dill relish
1/4 - 1/2 cup vegenaise
salt and black pepper to taste

Place chickpeas in a food processor and pulse several time until chickpeas are chunky but not smooth.

Scrape chickpeas into a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Combine well. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Serve with crackers or as a sandwich.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Panch Phoran

I had no intention of blogging about tonight's dinner. I had planned to have broccoli - yes, again - but I didn't have any. I did find a head of cauliflower in the fridge, so I improvised. Paul took one bite of the cauliflower and actually yelped. "You gotta write about this one!" So here I am. The photo is a bit blurry, but Paul is right - this is a keeper!

This is super simple. It came together in about 5 minutes and took about 25 minutes in the oven. We had it with chickpea cutlets, based on this recipe, a staple in our kitchen.

Panch Phoran is a Bengali spice medley made up of five different seeds. You can find it in most international and Asian grocery stores. Sometimes you may find it already ground or you may find it as a bag of whole seasonings which you will need to grind yourself with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee grinder. (I have 2 electric coffee grinders - one for coffee and one for spices.)

Roasted Cauliflower with Panch Phoran

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup tahini (You may want to use more depending on the size of the cauliflower. Or just use more 'cause tahini is yummy!)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs freshly ground panch phoran
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine well. Make sure the tahini and spices coat all surfaces of the cauliflower. Dump it all out onto a cookie sheet and spread into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Stir once while cooking.

Pantry Challenge Day 2 - Chickpea Stew and Dumplings

Last week I cooked about two pounds of dried chickpeas to make hummus for our New Year's Eve party. After making two big batches of hummus I still had 4-5 cups of chickpeas left in the fridge. I also had some cabbage and a couple of carrots so tonight's dinner was a no-brainer - a thick stew of chickpeas and veggies with tender rosemary dumplings, perfect for a cold Kentucky night.

For the stew:

3 tbs olive oil
2 carrots, cubed
2 ribs celery, sliced
2-3 cups green cabbage, chopped
2 potatoes, cubed
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbs flour
8-10 cups vegetable broth
3 cups cooked chickpeas
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp celery seed
2 tsp caraway seeds (I always have to have caraway with cabbage.)
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, cabbage, potatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook for 6-7 minutes. Add flour, poultry seasoning, celery seed,caraway seed, and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer while you make the dumplings, or for at least 15 minutes.

For the dumplings:

2 cups flour
3/4 - 1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed dried rosemary
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 cup margarine (I prefer Earth Balance)

Combine milk and vinegar and set aside (This sours the milk so you have vegan "buttermilk"). In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, rosemary, and baking powder. Mix well.

Mix margarine and flour mixture together until crumbly. Add milk and vinegar and stir until just combined. Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering stew. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, being sure not to overcook.

The result was a protein-packed stew with delicious, savory broth, tender veggies, and light rosemary-infused dumplings.