Archives for December 2010

Creamy Veggie Bake (Made possible by Green Buffalo Food Co.)

December 13, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When one door closes, another one opens. In this case, when one CSA ends, another comes! We had our last week of our CSA this last Monday, and luckily, I met another food delivery company in my area, at an event for our Writers Association. Green Buffalo Food Company delivers organic, locally-grown/raised food right to your door. I was very enticed by the fact that they don’t require a contract–just weekly or bi-weekly delivery and we can tell them what we don’t want in our delivery. I have 3 butternut squashes on my counter, so I can wait on getting more. Oh, and fruit! It includes fruit!

We received our first delivery today and let me tell you . . .I get excited over home-delivered organic vegetables! Christmas came early.

Isn’t it a gorgeous box of produce?! (potatoes are in the bag). Organic is of course wonderful, but it isn’t always the prettiest—or the very large, so I was very impressed with what we got. And everything is packed so carefully and sweetly (which is fitting because Ali and Ryan, who own GBF, are incredibly lovely people). (sorry, that’s a lot of adverbs). I was giddy with vegan excitement as I perused through the box, wondering what to make for dinner. I had to refrain from using everything—reminding myself that it needed to last the week. I opted for a vegetable bake that didn’t use up everything and certainly didn’t disappoint.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic
1 large zucchini, sliced, then quartered
2 C mushrooms, quartered
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1-8oz pkg. tempeh, cubed (small)
2 small broccoli heads, florets only
1/2 C almond milk
1 pkg Silken tofu
1/2 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 C vegan cheddar (I used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)
1/2 C bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet heat olive oil and garlic. Add the zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, onion, and tempeh. Saute on medium heat until they just barely begin to soften. Add mushroom and saute another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, almond milk, garlic salt, and pepper in a food processor. You can also just whisk it in a bowl; stir in the cheese.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish and layer half of the sauce on bottom. Add the vegetable mixture, then top with the rest of the sauce. Stir around to combine everything.

Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake another 10 minutes.

Let sit for about 5-8 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli

December 11, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I lost my pasta maker. You’re probably wondering, how on earth do you lose a twenty-five pound kitchen appliance? Well, if I knew that, it wouldn’t be lost, right? 😉 Somehow, it didn’t make the one mile move to our new house a year ago—and we didn’t use movers; just us. Apparently, the pasta maker in question ran away with my Chantal soup pot because it’s missing as well. Not sure what kitchen conspiracy happened, but I’m hopeful that someday, both (and whatever else was in the box) turns up. So I don’t recommend making ravioli without a pasta maker, otherwise, the process is a lot harder than it needs to be. The taste however, was well-worth the work. There’s nothing like fresh pasta.

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta Dough:
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 C flour
1 Tbs olive oil
Dash or two of salt
1/2 to 3/4 C water

The rest:
1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms
1-1/2 C chopped spinach
1 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
1 jar marinara sauce

Yummy, gluten-free sauce.
In a food processor with the sharp S blade, pulse the nutritional yeast a few times to make a fine powder. Then switch to the plastic dough/bread blade.

Add the flour and salt and pulse to combine. While the machine is running, add olive oil and water to form an elastic-y dough.

Roll out small pieces of dough at a time into a long rectangle. I used a pizza cutter to slice into squares. Place some spinach, 2-3 mushroom slices and a pinch or two of cheese.

I then folded over one side and pinched the edges.

To seal the edges, I used the pizza cutter to the three sides.

I ended up with 18 pretty ugly raviolis that I placed on floured waxed paper, otherwise, if they sit too long, they will stick to the surface and it would be a terrible mess.

I boiled about 3-4 raviolis at a time, then transferred to an oiled, glass dish. Be sure to turn the ravioli once to cook the tops and bottoms—about 1 minute per side.

Brush the tops with olive oil as well. Ladle sauce over individual servings and top with any remaining vegan mozzarella. Enjoy!

Feast On This!

December 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Wow…Friday already?! That was fast. . .

Staying Vegan (.com)

I’ve recently discovered this Staying Vegan, a blog dedicated to giving you tips and tricks to staying on the vegan path. You can meet (and see) Jason Doucette, owner of Staying Vegan everyday on videos he posts–giving advice and tips on living as a vegan, in a non-vegan world!

He gives practical, thoughtful, and oftentimes, clever answers and advice to everyday vegan dilemmas such as, finding vegan products in a small town, what to say to meat eaters who say they “love animals”, and vegan kitchen essentials, which leads to. . .great recipes and other advice for the vegan chef in you.

Check out Staying Vegan and once you do, I’m sure you won’t hesitate to sign up for his newsletter!

Do you find that it’s had to stay vegan? What are some frustrating issues that you encounter often from being a vegan?

How to Raise a Vegan Mini-Me

Well, I don’t know if I really have the answers to this, but I think I’ve learned a few things along my vegan journey. My son went vegan shortly after turning 11, so weaning a kid off animal products at that age, could be like starting World War III, but lucky for me, my kid takes after his mother. 🙂 I was never a big meat eater as a child, and neither is The Sixth Grader. That helps. So here are a few things I’ve learned as a vegan parent:

1. Cook Good Vegan Food. Easy, right? It really is, actually. Today, meat and dairy alternatives are so much better than they ever used to be and make cooking veg a lot easier than you think. However, I would introduce these “alien” foods little by little—don’t want to induce shock. When making things with ground beef, try subbing half the meat with Boca Crumbles, then every time you make junior’s favorite tacos, add more of the plant-based crumbles. Do the same with dairy: Make a mixture of almond milk and cow’s milk in a container for their morning cereal, and slowly convert it completely to almond milk. This may take a couple of weeks. Wean. . .think wean. My suggestion, is not to make it a big deal. Don’t go saying, “Guess what? Mommy’s going to make Tofu Steaks for dinner! Yea!” Won’t work; they’ll hate it before they even try it. Also, don’t try to focus on veganizing their favorite meals because it could backfire. Perfect it first, before surprising them with it.

2. Let the Kiddo be the Cook. Or at least be the sou chef (if knives aren’t involved). Whether it’s once a week, every two weeks, or once a month, let the kid pick out ingredients to make a meal for the fam. The main rule: ingredients have to be plant-based. Take them to the farmers’ market or Whole Foods and let them have a gander—rule number one won’t be a problem. There will be plenty to choose from. I think that when kids know they can be part of something and to also know a little of what to expect, they’re putty in your hands. Being able to create a meal for the family (with your help, of course) give them so much confidence and pride, they’ll probably forget that it’s vegan. Not only that, what a cool activity to do together that gives you chance to instill healthy eating habits!

3. Watch Food, Inc. This one is great for kids 5th grade and up. They “get it.” Watch it with them, then talk about it. Even though it’s not about veganism, it raises poignant questions regarding animal consumption and where it comes from. The Sixth Grader said that this movie really pushed him to go veg. For the reader, try The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Reader Edition. I have not read this version, have you? What did you think?

4. Try a Heaping Scoop of Guilt. That’s right. Mom’s are awesome at this. Or maybe what it is, is just tugging at your kids’ heartstrings. Take them to an animal sanctuary/rescue. Yea! Field trip! Kids love this stuff, especially when animals are involved. This is a perfect opportunity to explain why and how these animals came to be at the sanctuary. I’m sure those in charge of the sanctuary are great when talking to kids about their fabulous organization and would gladly help you out.

5. Be the Coolest Lunch Lady Ever. Pack your kid’s lunch and be the envy of all grade-schoolers everywhere and let your kid help! Ask for their suggestions, then of course, compromise (because you’ll have to), but also let them pick something out. Again, like dinner, it has to be plant-based and preferably healthy, but it gives them a little bit of power. And change it up every so often; the same-o, same-o gets boring and thrown in the trash. The Sixth Grader gets a sandwich with Smart Deli meat, a Tofutti cheese slice, tomato and spinach. He picks out his favorite soy yogurt and other snacks, such as peanut butter pretzels and trail mix. Make it a team effort and they’ll look forward to their vegan lunch everyday. Maybe you can make their favorite chili Sunday night and send it with them all week, or vegan mac n’ cheese.

6. Don’t Give Up, But Don’t Be a Nag. They’ll come around. Kids learn from their parents’ actions and will see from you, that being a vegan works. Cut them slack though, because otherwise, they’ll fight you the whole way. If you include them in the process, they’re more apt to be open to it—they may even teach you a thing or two!

“To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

December 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This was probably one of the strangest meals I ever made. Not in a bad way, just a strange process. This recipe is from my friend over at Kitchen Challengers and I finally got around to attempting it—I had never made gnocchi before, but have always wanted to, plus, I needed to veganize the recipe, which wasn’t hard. I suggest making the dough ahead of time and perhaps even having some help once it comes time to boil these squash pillows. The results were fabulous! I love squash, and combined with the seasonings and some vegan mozzarella, the gnocchi was savory and delish!

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs butternut squash (I used one large and one small)
1 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer powder + 2 Tbs water
1-1/4 C flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 C Vegan Parmesan
5 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
2 Tbs fresh sage, chopped
1/4 C Vegan Rella

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Cut the squash in half, clean out the seeds and place in a baking dish with 1/2 C (I used about a cup) of water. Bake for 45 minutes. Using tongs, I transferred the squash to a cooling rack.

Once they have cooled enough to handle, scrape out the squash into a bowl and mash them. I used a pastry blender.

Mix in the egg replacer, flour, nutmeg, salt, pepper and vegan Parmesan. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. I did this step earlier in the day, so it sat in the fridge for a couple of hours. I think the longer the dough chills, the easier it is to use later.

Boil 6 quarts of salted water. So here comes the fun part. The recipe recommends using a pastry bag and kitchen scissors to create the gnocchi. It gave me a good excuse to head over to Bed Bath & Beyond to pick one up—I had been needing one anyway. I’ve also seen it where the dough can be rolled out by hand and cut into pieces. Either way will work . . .I’m sure. 😉

So squeeze out 1/2″-1″ “dumplings” and cut into the boiling water. You can cook about 20-30 at a time and within 2-3 minutes, little water-logged Cheetos, will rise to the surface—one by one. Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, fish them out and transfer to a large bowl of ice water.

After a few batches, I then transferred them to a bowl lined with paper towels. You will probably have to add more ice to the water once or twice until you have made all the gnocchi.

In a large skillet, melt the margarine and add the sage and gnocchi until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with mozzarella. Enjoy!

Mushroom and Kale Stroganoff

December 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I saw this recipe this morning from Healthy Exposures and I knew I had to make it. It calls for some roasted red pepper hummus and I actually had some in the fridge, so it just had to happen. It also has two of my favorite ingredients: mushrooms and kale. I was sold. I doubled the recipe, as originally, it’s for 2 servings. The fennel, I believe, was key. It gave the dish that stroganoff-beef taste, which surprised me, as I’ve only used fennel in chai flavoring. Be sure to check out Healthy Exposures’ yummy vegan recipes, (plus this original recipe),wonderful photography and her beautiful horse, Teddie. 🙂

INGREDIENTS:
14-oz whole wheat pasta
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced (I added this)
1 Tbs olive oil
3 C sliced mushrooms
6 large kale leaves, thinly sliced (I tore them up)
1/2 tsp fennel seed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 C reserved pasta water
2 Tbs white bean flour (I used garbanzo flour since that was all I had)
4 Tbs roasted red pepper hummus
1 Tbs pub-style Dijon mustard
2 Tbs nutritional yeast

Cook pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add the garlic and onions. Saute until the onions begin to brown. Add the mushrooms, kale, fennel, salt, and pepper.

Okay, I went a little nuts with the kale, but I LOVE kale so much, I could not be stopped. Add 4 Tbs of water and cover until kale cooks down. In a small bowl, whisk together the pasta water, flour, hummus, Dijon, and nutritional yeast. Once the kale mixture has cooked down, add the liquid mixture to it and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens.

I then served this over individual servings of pasta and seasoned with a little salt and pepper. It was phenomenal! We all loved it. Enjoy!

My Cure-All Vegetable-Miso Soup

December 3, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Well, curing colds is the idea. If anything, this soup is hearty and flavorful. It’s also packed full of immune-boosting ingredients. The Husband was struck with a cold for two weeks, then after four days of wellness, got hit again. The Sixth Grader is now catching on to this cold business. I’m a firm believer that fresh fruits and vegetables are the best remedy for the cold. Unfortunately, the Husband didn’t load up on them when he was sick . . .hmmm. . . Twice, I did feel it coming on, and both times I ate a big bowl of steamed kale. Cold symptoms gone. I make the kale a regular thing for me now—at least three days a week and even for breakfast. So last night my sniffling, coughing guys were asking for me to make the colds go away, so to the kitchen I went and for a appetizer, I made them split an orange bell pepper, which is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin A and antioxidants.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C low-sodium vegetable broth
3 C water
2 C red potatoes, diced
1 large leek (loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, chromium and selenium)
2 tsp garlic, minced (also loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, chromium and selenium)
1 C carrots, sliced (get your beta carotene, Vitamin A and antioxidants)
2 C button or shiitake mushrooms, quartered (packed full of nutrients–long list–plus some fiber)
1 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (high in fiber and protein)
1/2 C yellow miso

Optional: 1 C kale or spinach

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the vegetable broth and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes, carrots and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes and then add the garlic and beans. Simmer again for another 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are soft, but still with a bit of a crunch. Stir in miso and mushrooms and simmer 5 minutes. It’s that easy!! Serve with a little extra love and it’s sure to cure colds! Enjoy!