Beans, Figs and Katz

Moving Day

2009-07-05T12:34:00.004-04:00

Thank you for visiting us here at blogspot. We've decided to move to wordpress, so please find us at: http://beansfigsandkatz.wordpress.com/

We'll have our old recipes, which will continue to live here (at least for awhile), and lots of new, exciting foods. Our katz may even make some guest appearances....

XOXO
Stef and Jennifer

New flavors

2009-05-28T22:03:00.003-04:00

Thin crust pizza with pineapple, red bell pepper, jalapenos, tomatoes and special white sauce.

Salad with marinated tempeh, kale, avacado, carrots, tomatoes, red bell pepper and apple cider vinegar.

The chocolate exhibit had a flavor!

Roasted Eggplant with Fontina, and more

2009-01-07T23:33:00.004-05:00

1 eggplant
olive oil
salt
pepper
homemade spaghetti sauce
whole wheat angel hair
fontina
madrigal baby swiss
some kind of stinky cheese that began with the letter R

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Lay on paper towels and lightly salt. Allow to sweat for about 30 minutes. Remove paper towels and rinse.

Lightly oil eggplant slices and place in baking dish. Bake for about 10 minutes, flip over, and bake another 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. Remove from oven.

Grate cheeses. Pour a layer of sauce into a baking dish, place eggplant slices on top and season with pepper. Cover with a layer of cheese and then another layer of sauce. Repeat with next slices of eggplant, cheese, and top with remaining sauce. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Serve over cooked angel hair pasta.

The second night, we added sauted spinach to the eggplant and sauce mixture. Delicious!

Carrot, Ginger, Pumpkin, White Bean Soup

2009-01-07T23:28:00.003-05:00

1 onion, diced
5 carrots, sliced
1/2 can leftover pumpkin
2 fennel fronds (or celery)
1 tsp cumin
1.5-2 tbls grated (fresh) ginger
cayenne, salt and pepper
1 can white beans
3 tbls vegetarian chicken stock powder (or bouillon cubes)
water to cover (2-3 cups)

saute onion in olive oil until translucent. add ginger, carrots, fennel and spices. cook 2-3 minutes. add water to cover, bring to a boil and stir in stock or bouillon until dissolved. add in beans and stir. cover and reduce heat to simmer. cook about 30 minutes, or until carrots are soft.

optional: you can puree the soup before adding the beans with your immersion blender!

original recipe here.

New Year's Eve Vegetable Baklava

2009-01-07T23:19:00.004-05:00

Adapted from Epicurious.

1/2 cup toasted walnuts (2 ounces)
1/4 cup matzah meal
1.25 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, reserving fronds, bulbs halved and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
1/2 pound parsnips (3 medium), sliced diagonally 1/3 inch thick
1/3 pound carrots (3 medium), sliced diagonally 1/3 inch thick
1 large onion, halved and sliced
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2/3 cup water
1-2 tbl. dill
8 (17-by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Crush walnuts and fry lightly in a pan, until toasted. Mix with matzah meal. (I'd leave this out in the future).

Slice potatoes 1/4 inch thick. Divide all vegetables between 2 large 4-sided sheet pans and toss each pan of vegetables with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Roast vegetables, stirring and switching position of pans halfway through, until softened and golden brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Leave oven on with 1 rack in middle.

Add 1/3 cup water to each pan of vegetables and stir and scrape up brown bits from bottom. Chop 1/4 cup fennel fronds. Combine all vegetables in 1 pan and toss with fennel fronds and dill.

Brush baking dish with some of remaining olive oil. Cover stack of phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Keeping remaining phyllo covered and working quickly, place 1 sheet on a work surface, then gently brush with some oil and sprinkle with 2 rounded tablespoon walnut mixture. Place another phyllo sheet on top and repeat brushing and sprinkling. Top with a third sheet and brush with oil.

Drape phyllo stack into one half of baking dish, gently pressing it into bottom and up side and leaving an overhang. Make another stack with 3 more phyllo sheets, more oil, and remaining walnut mixture. Drape into other half of dish (phyllo will overlap in center of dish).

Spoon vegetables into phyllo shell. Fold overhang toward center over filling (it will not cover vegetables) and brush edge with oil. Brush remaining 2 sheets of phyllo with remaining oil, tear in half, crumple, and arrange on top of filling.

Bake in middle of oven until phyllo is deep golden brown, 15- 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

This was HUGE. When we couldn't finish it after a few days, we pulled out the vegetables and made a soup by adding beans, tahini, canned tomatoes and more dill.

Weekend French Toast

2009-01-07T23:15:00.002-05:00

6 slices Old apple-cinnamon bread from the freezer
1 egg
1 tsp. turbinado sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup rice milk
dash of cayenne (oops)

Mix eggs, rice milk and spices in a pyrex dish. Soak bread on both sides, then fry until golden in a lightly buttered pan (about medium heat). Serve with honey.

Jalapeno Corn Cornbread

2009-01-07T22:46:00.004-05:00

Adapted from here

1 cup yellow corn meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup canned jalapeno peppers, minced
1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
1/3 cup sorghum
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup rice milk
1 slice of lime, squeezed
1 (generous) Tbsp. lemon juice (the yogurt and juice mixture was a substitute for buttermilk)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400° F. Combine the flour, corn meal, baking powder and baking soda. Mix very well. In another bowl, combine the oil, sorghum, yogurt/juice and egg. Whisk for 2 minutes. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Bake in a greased bread pan until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

We served this with chili!

Pineapple Upside-Down Gingerbread Pumpkin Cake

2008-12-28T22:23:00.003-05:00

Adapted from Epicurious.

Topping:
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup soy butter
1 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon molasses
1 cup frozen pineapple

Cake:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soy butter, room temperature
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup canned pure pumpkin

For topping:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease with soy butter, a 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Combine sugar, butter, orange juice, and molasses in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves and syrup is smooth; boil 1 minute. Pour evenly into prepared pan. Arrange pineapple pieces close together in a single layer in the syrup.

For cake:
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter in large bowl. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in egg. Beat in molasses, then pumpkin. Beat in dry ingredients just until blended, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in 1/2 cup boiling water. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Cool cake in pan 30-45 minutes. Place platter over pan and invert. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Potatoes Au Gratin

2008-12-28T21:40:00.003-05:00

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 c. soy butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 tbl. whole wheat flour
salt and pepper
1 c. rice milk
1/2 c. fat-free plain yoghurt
1/2 c. yoghurt with Wholefoods ranch dressing seasoning mix
2 c. cheese grated (combined): .75 oz mustard cheese, white Cabot cheddar
paprika

Heat oven to 375.
Slice potatoes approximately 1/8 of an inch thick. Spread potatoes evenly into an ungreased casserole dish.

In a pot, melt butter and cook onions for about 2 minutes (until golden). Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Remove from heat.

Stir in rice milk, yoghurt, dip, and 1.5 cups of cheese. Heat to boiling and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Pour cheese sauce over potatoes. Divide one-fourth of a cup of rice milk and pour into each corner of the casserole dish.

Bake 45 minutes, uncovered.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes and cook an additional 15-20, until brown.

Red Headed Step Cabbage Meets Slausage, Apples and Potatoes, Oh My!

2008-12-28T21:27:00.004-05:00

We tend to overcook sometimes, so we make good use of the freezer. For this exciting edition of Beans, Figs and Katz, we married two of our favorite, but large dishes together to create a delicious casserole.

Preheat oven to 375. Defrost frozen items.

In a large 2 quart casserole dish, we combined:

1 container (approximately 2 cups) of the Slausage, Apples and Potatoes, Oh my!, 2 containers (approximately 3.5 cups) Red Headed Step Cabbage, and some leftover rice (about 1.75 cups.)

Bake for 40 minutes, or until heated through.

Egg Noodles with Fancy Cheese and Kale

2008-12-28T21:20:00.004-05:00

2 cups (dry) egg noodles, cooked
1.5 c. kale
2 oz ricotta salata
2.5 oz (approximately) unpasteurized Chimay cheese with beer
1/4 c. soy butter
1/2 c. rice milk
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

In a pot on medium-low heat, melt together butter, rice milk and cheeses. Add in salt and pepper to taste.

Cook and drain egg noodles. Chpp kale to slightly larger than bite size.

Mix together noddles, cheese mixture, noodles and kale.

Bake 30-40 minutes until brown on top.

Coconut Custard Brownies

2008-12-07T20:40:00.004-05:00

Heavily borrowed from Tofu for Two's Vanilla Custard Brownies. However, we were not paying attention to the conversions very carefully, so the texture is probably a bit different.
We made these yesterday for Jennifer's birthday and they turned so rich, fudgey and delicious!

Preheat oven to 350 and butter an 8 x 8 x 5 cooking dish.

The Custard Topping:

2-2.5 oz firm tofu (we just used what was left in the fridge)
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons Karo syrup
1 and 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup light shredded coconut

Mix ingredients well with a hand-mixer, then stir in coconut. Set aside.

The Brownie Batter:

4-5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 oz vegan butter
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 plain, plain yogurt
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Melt chocolate and butter on the stove, with a little water. Set aside to cool. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Then stir in the yogurt and coconut milk. Stir well then add in the chocolate and butter.

Pour into the greased baking dish. Pour the coconut and tofu mixture on top of the brownie batter. Take a knife and swirl the coconut mixture around for the marbled design.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. The original recipe said to bake for 35 minutes, but ours was not yet cooked in the middle so we left it in for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Mediterranean Tomato Chickpea and White Bean Soup

2008-12-07T20:20:00.007-05:00

1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 can chickpeas
1 can white beans
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 small potatoes
4 jalapenos and juice
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp. parsley
1 tbl. cumin
1 tbl. Hungarian paprika
1 tbl. oregano
1 tbl. cayenne
1 tbl. red curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 tbl. tahini
1 tbl. tamari
dash of sherry
olive oil
pepper
water

In a large stock pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add in spices, along with chopped potatoes, carrots and celery. Add sherry (to taste) and jalapenos. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add in canned tomatoes and beans. Stir well to prevent stickage. You may want to add between 1/2 cup and 1 cup of water to cover all the ingredients (and depending on how soupy you enjoy your soup.)

Bring to a boil, then cover loosely and reduce heat to simmer for at least 30 minutes.

We served this with a scoop of rice and grated Mustard Seed Cheese.

Southwestern Vegetable and Bean Soup

2008-12-02T15:32:00.003-05:00

1/2 red onion
1 1/2 red bell pepper
4 pickled jalapeno peppers
2 celery stalks
8 oz frozen corn
1 head broccoli
2 carrots
2 small yukon potatoes
4 garlic cloves
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
28 oz diced tomatoes
4 cups vegatable broth
1/2 tbl. cumin
1 tsp cayenne (or more!)
salt and pepper
1 tsp. olive oil

Chop all vegetables into bite sized pieces.

Saute onion, red bell pepper and garlic until soft and fragrant, in a large stock pot. Add in celery and carrots, stirring frequently. Add corn, jalapenos, spices, salt and pepper, cook for about 5 minutes. Add in canned tomatoes (do not drain). Bring to a boil. Add in vegetable broth, bring to a boil. Add in broccoli and potatoes, and beans, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook covered for about 30 minutes. Check to see if the potatoes are tender. Cook for about 5 minutes uncovered. Serve as soup, or over rice as a stew.

Sick Girl Soup with Egg Noodles and Tofu

2008-12-02T15:24:00.005-05:00

Prep 4 cups of water with 3 cubes of bouillon and set aside. Slice 1/4 of a block of tofu into small cubes. Pan fry tofu in a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne on the tofu and fry until golden brown.

In a large pot, saute a bulb of garlic in olive oil. Then deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of sherry. Add two spoonfuls of miso and 1/4 cup tamari. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Add in tofu and extra cayenne, cook for about 5 minutes. Return to a boil and add 3/4 cup dry egg noodles, cook until the noodles are tender (5-8 minutes). Add a splash of tamari and 1/4 cup sherry and reduce heat to low.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

2008-12-02T15:01:00.005-05:00

Loosely adapted from Emeril's French Onion Soup.

This recipe makes two casserole dishes (8 generous servings), and is best if made a day ahead.

6 tbl. butter
2 pounds white onions, sliced
1 tbl. rosemary
1/2 cup sherry
6 cups water
4 vegetarian bouillon cubes
1/4 cup tamari
1 vegan Italian slausage
3-4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
6 slices of bread made into homemade croutons
2 cups white cheddar, grated

Melt butter in a large stock pot. Slice the onions very thinly and add to the pot. Cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes and then add garlic and rosemary. Stir frequently. The onions will start to break down, but continue cooking until the onions are caramelized and translucent, about 45 minutes. Add the sherry and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the boullion cubes and water and bring to a boil. Add in tamari and slausage (crumbled). Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.

Croutons:
Place six slices of old bread on a baking sheet. Lightly butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic and parsley. Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes. If the bread is not crisp enough, flip the slices over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Cut into small chunks.

Place half of the refrigerated soup in a casserole dish, then top with half of the crutons and half of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes covered with foil at 350, then remove foil and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

Twice Baked Potatoes with White Cheddar and Mustard Seed Cheeses

2008-12-02T14:50:00.003-05:00

3 small Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup of shredded white cheddar and "Red Dragon with Mustard
Seed and Ale" English Cheese
1/4 cup rice milk
1/4 cup margarine
salt and pepper

Poke holes in the potatoes and bake for 10-15 minutes at 400.
Cut in half and scoop out the insides. Save the skins.
In a large bowl, mash together potato, cheeses, milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Place potato skins on a baking sheet and stuff with mashed potato mixture.
Dampen the outside of the skins with a little water and sprinkle with salt.

Return to oven for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are crisp on the outside.

Betty's Fruit Cobbler

2008-12-02T14:41:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Stef's mom for the recipe! This version includes our vegan revisions.

2 small to medium sized apples
12-16 oz frozen mixed berries
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup turbinado sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup rice milk
1/2 cup soy margarine

Mix together dry ingredients. Pour in milk slowly, and stir with a spoon.
Melt margarine into a deep pyrex or corningware baking dish.
Pour batter on top of the hot butter. Do not stir.
Add fruit in the center of the batter. DO NOT STIR.

Bake 35-40 minutes (or more) at 325 until light brown around the edges.

Homemade Spaghetti Oh's

2008-12-02T14:21:00.002-05:00

Half a bag of o-shaped pasta
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 white onion
3-4 cloves garlic
oregano, parsley
salt, pepper
1/4 cup old red wine
parmesean
butter

In a medium sized pot, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add in garlic and spices, cooking until fragrant. Add red wine and deglaze the pan. Add tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil, then cover loosely and reduce to a simmer. Cook at least 30 minutes on low or medium low heat.

Boil and drain pasta. Return to pot and add in butter and parmigiana. Stir well. Add pasta to tomato sauce and let sit for several minutes before serving.

Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed With White Bean and Spinach Hummus

2008-11-02T21:38:00.004-05:00

4 portabella mushrooms
1 can white beans, drained
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1/2 tbs lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
pepper, oregano, rosemary, parsley to taste
red wine vinegar
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine beans, lemon juice, spinach, garlic and herbs in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet with a little bit of olive oil on the bottom. Spoon the filling on top of the mushrooms evenly. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until hummus is golden on top.
Serve with a delicious salad and homemade slausage.

Homemade Slausage

2008-11-02T12:11:00.008-05:00

Based on the amazing and easy recipe on Every Day Dish TV. Watch the video, she's rad.

The original recipe makes 8, but we wanted to make several different flavors (all at the same time), so our recipe is for 12 (4 of each type).

Alsatian X-mas Style

1 cup + 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/8 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp Osem vegetable soup mix
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 and 1/8 cups cool water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients
and garlic. Whisk together the water, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.

2. Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. (We don't own a steamer, so we just used a large pan with a domed lid and set the sausages inside a loaf pan.)

Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. (To store in the freezer, we wrapped each sausage individually in wax paper and then placed inside a Ziploc bag.)

Chorizo

1 cup + 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/8 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp Osem vegetable soup mix
1 tbsp granulated onion
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tablespoon dried chili flakes
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp brown sugar
1 and 1/8 cups cool water
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

Italian-Style

1 cup + 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/8 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp Osem vegetable soup mix
1 tbsp granulated onion
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 and 1/8 cups cool water
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

French Inspired Channa Dal Soup

2008-11-02T11:54:00.006-05:00

Inspired by Sonya's French Lentil Soup.

3 tbl olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cups chard stems, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
2-3 tbs tomato paste
1.5 cups red wine
16 oz dried split chickpeas
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp thyme
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs German mustard
salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat oil and saute onions, chard and carrot. Add in bay leaves and garlic, cooking until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and wine and reduce the liquid by 3/4.

Add in chickpeas and enough broth to cover with a few inches of liquid. You may need to add extra water. Simmer with a cracked lid for about 40 minutes, or until the chickpeas are soft. Uncover for the last few minutes, or until the soup is the desired thickness. Add in a large spoonful of mustard, stir and serve immediately.

Serve with delicious salad:
Swiss chard (red and green)
Red bell pepper
Carrots grated
White cheddar, grated
Red wine vinegar
Dash of salt and pepper

Spicy Southwestern Chili

2008-10-26T21:15:00.009-04:00

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 16 oz can refried black beans
1 16 oz can pintos (do not drain)
2 soy chorizo (TJ's brand)
1 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 cloves garlic
1 white onion
1 red pepper
cumin, oregano, salt and pepper
red chili flakes

In a large (stock) pot, on medium heat, saute onions and spices, add garlic and stir well. Next, saute crumbled soy chorizo (or other slausage) until browned. Add in tomatoes and then the beans. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, with lid cracked. After about 45 minutes, check the consistency. If you prefer the chili thicker, remove the lid and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes (or longer) on low. Remove the chipotle peppers before serving or storing.

Tonight, we served the chili with rosemary mashed potatoes and a swiss chard salad.

Egg Noodles with Swiss Chard and Cherry Tomatoes

2008-10-24T22:34:00.004-04:00

1/2 pound egg noodles
28 oz can cherry tomatoes
1 bunch green chard, without stems
olive oil
salt and pepper
oregano
3 cloves garlic

Mix together tomatoes, spices and olive oil in a pot, on medium heat. When the tomatoes are bubbling slightly, add in the minced garlic and stir. Cook for at least 10 minutes, then add in chopped swiss chard. Stir well and cover. Cook for about 10-20 minutes (or longer). Meanwhile, boil water and cook noodles. Drain and rinse with hot water.

** In retrospect, I wish I had made the sauce with onions and red pepper flakes as usual. I also wish I had added in some wine or vinegar. Alas.**

When the sauce is ready, stir in the egg noodles and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. Top with parmigiana or other delicious cheese.

Red Headed Step Cabbage and Potatoes

2008-10-24T22:22:00.004-04:00

1 head red cabbage
3 yukon potatoes
1/2 white onion
4 carrots
3-4 cloves garlic
2 cups swiss chard stems
1/2-1/3 red bell pepper
rosemary
thyme
salt and pepper
1 tbls jewish soup mix
1/2-1 cup water

In a large pot, saute onions in olive oil and add spices, soup mix and garlic. Add in potatoes and about half a cup of water (or more if need), cook at least 10 minutes. Stir in carrots and other vegetables, adding more water to prevent stickage. Cook covered until potatoes are done. Check frequently to stir and ensure that the vegetables are not sticking to the bottom. Total cook time should be about 20-30 minutes.

Serve with couscous.

Coconut Pecan Crusted Brownies

2008-10-24T22:13:00.007-04:00

Adapted from Epicurious.

For topping
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For brownie layer
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate melted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Make topping:

In a 1 1/2-quart bowl stir together topping ingredients until combined well.

Make brownie layer:
In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat. Melt in semi-sweet chocolate and stir frequently. Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir into butter mixture until just combined well.

Spread batter evenly in pan and sprinkle with topping. Bake brownies in middle of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownies for 20 minutes or so before eating.

Slausage, Apples and Potatoes, Oh My!

2008-10-12T22:26:00.006-04:00

In a dutch oven...

Two granny smith apples, chopped
1 red onion
1 white onion
4 italian vegan sausages
4 small yukon potatoes
3 tbs garlic, pressed
3 cups (approximately) swiss chard stems, chopped
3/4 cup kale
Red wine vinegar
1 cup of veggie kosher broth
Salt, pepper
Rosemary
Savoury
Vegan butter

Preheat oven to 400

Add a dollop of vegan butter to the dutch oven. Layer ingredients in the pan: potatoes, apples, onions, chard stems, kale, and slausage. Pour in 1/2 cup red wine vinegar and veggie broth. Add seasonings and garlic on top. Stir to mix well. Cover and cook.

Check and stir after 20 minutes. Add additional vingear if needed.

Cook for a total of about an hour. Test potatoes to determine if the dish is done.

Twin Lentils and Swiss Chard

2008-10-12T22:16:00.004-04:00

1 cup split chickpeas
1/2 cup urid split beans
1 onion, chopped
3/4 pound swiss chard
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
7 cups water
1 tbs dried Ginger
1 tbs Coriander
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbs Garam masala
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp Turmeric
generous portion Chili flakes
Cayenne
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp Baking soda

Saute onions, garlic and spices in oil. Add tomatoes. Add chickpeas and split beans. Add water and bring to a boil. Add in half of the swiss chard, return to boil. Then cover and cook on medium. Cook for approximately an hour, stirring to prevent stickage. When beans are soft, uncover and add the remaining chard. Add in 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Reduce heat to low, stir and cook off excess liquid. Add in red pepper. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with saffron rice.
Cook rice with 2 tbs vegan butter and 1 pinch saffron threads.

Cabbage with Urid Split Beans

2008-10-12T22:04:00.003-04:00

1 head cabbage
1 cup urid split beans (or other mung beans)
1 tomato chopped, or 1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
Garam masala
Cumin
Corinader
Turmeric
Ginger
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Vegan butter
Approximately 4 cups water

Saute onions and spices in butter, in a large pot (or stock pot). Add tomatoes and split beans. Add in cabbage and stir well. Cover with water (approximately 4 cups.) Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. When the beans are soft, uncover and let the water boil off for about 10-15 minutes, until it is the desired texture. Serve with channa aloo masala and rice.

Channa Aloo Masala

2008-10-12T21:57:00.007-04:00

Although this recipe sounds very simple, it was incredibly rich and delicious.

1 can chickpeas, drained
4 small potatoes (yukon gold), chopped
1/2 onion choppped
3/4 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
Garam masala paste
Fenugreek
Turmeric
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Cayenne and red pepper flakes
Vegan butter

Saute onions in vegan butter until soft. Add garlic and other seasonings. Add tomatoes and cook for several minutes.
Add chickpeas and potatoes. Stir and bring to a boil.
Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are soft.

Spinach and Tofu Stuffed Shells

2008-10-12T21:37:00.004-04:00

Adapted from Vegweb "Vegan Stuffed Shells"

1 extra-firm tofu
5 tbls nutritional yeast
nutmeg
1 onion, chopped
1 bag frozen spinach (1 lb)
4 cloves garlic
2 tbls olive oil
1 box jumbo shells
salt, pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil

Cherry Tomato Sauce
1 28 oz can cherry tomatoes (Wholefoods brand)
1/2 cup old wine
Cayenne
Salt and pepper
Basil, thyme, oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend tofu and olive oil in food processor. Reheat spinach in microwave and press out excess liquid. Add nutmeg, nutritional yeast, spinach, onions, garlic, and spices. Blend until smooth.

Cook sauce on the stove.
Add one layer of sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.

Stuff shells with spinach mixture and place into baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.

Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pineapple Tempeh

2008-10-12T21:28:00.004-04:00

Adapted from Vegweb

1 tempeh block
1.5 cups frozen pineapple
1 cup carrots, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup fresh kale
2 tbs chili garlic sauce
2 tbs tamari
1 tbs cornstarch
1 pinch of turbinado sugar
Chili oil
Juice of one orange

Heat chili oil. Fry tempeh until crispy, drain on paper towel.
In remaining oil, fry onions and garlic. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes.
Add tamari to the pan and vegetables. Mix in chili sauce and pineapple, allow to cook down.
Add in tempeh and juice of one orange.
Mix cornstarch with water, add in slowly and stir until desired thickness.
Serve with rice.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

2008-10-12T21:17:00.004-04:00

Adapted from Veg web "Best Vegan Mac and Cheese"

1.5 cups rice milk
1 cup water
1/3 cup tamari
1.5 nutrional yeast
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl garlic powder
1/4 block of tofu
1/2 c. olive oil
1.5 lbs pasta
1 dollop mustard

Preheat oven to 350
Boil water and cook pasta
Add ingredients to food processor (but do not overfill!!!!)
Drain pasta and add to large baking dish
Cover with sauce
Bake about 15-20 minutes, until browned on top

Cabbage tomato soup

2008-10-12T21:05:00.005-04:00

Sorry, no pix.

1 head cabbage
1 32 oz vegetable juice (Wholefoods brand)
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
3-4 carrots, chopped
Garlic
Cayenne
Sherry
Salt and pepper
Extra water

Chop up cabbage and carrots and garlic.
Place all ingredients (except sherry) into a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to low.
Cook for at least 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if necessary.
Add sherry to taste and more cayenne.

Serve with baked potatoes!
This soup was so good the first time, but it was even better the second day. And even better (I shit you not) after we froze it and defrosted.

We're back

2008-10-12T21:05:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the delay. It's been a busy few months. Below we have posted a few brand new recipes and some that are back-dated. XO, jennifer and stef

Spicy Noodles with Vegetables

2008-08-31T11:11:00.009-04:00

Peanut butter
Soba noodles
Thai chilies
Broccoli
Tofu
Carrots
Chili oil
Tamarind sauce
Rice vinegar
Onion
Garlic
Soy sauce

Saute tofu in chili oil
Cook noodles and drain
Combine vinegar, peanut butter, tamarind, chili oil and soy sauce in a bowl
Saute onions and garlic
Add in vegetables and sauce mixture
Add tofu and noodles
Cook for 5-7 minutes

Sushi

2008-08-23T23:16:00.015-04:00

For our first foray into homemade sushi, we borrowed several ideas from our favorite restaurant and came up with a few new combinations of our own.

Sushi #1: Avacado and cream cheese
Sushi #2: Pan-fried tofu with carrots, cucumber and green onion
Sushi #3: Tofu, mango, avacado, cucumber and green onio
Sushi #4: Wasabi, mango, avacado, cucumber, carrot and green onion
Sushi #5: Tofu, cream cheese, mango, avacado, cucumber, carrot and green onion

Baked Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Slausage Balls

2008-08-19T21:58:00.020-04:00

We altered the slausage ball recipe, based on the ingrediants in the fridge.

1 Gimme Lean Sausage Style tube
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbl. oregano
6 mushrooms
1/2 white onion

Sauce:
1 32 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. red onion
1 tbl. minced garlic
6 mushrooms
2 tbl. red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper

Cook one pound of whole wheat fusilli, slightly less than al dente. Drain and pour into a large glass baking dish.
Sprinkle cheese (Cabot Black Wax Cheddar) over pasta (about 1/4 cup shredded). Add sauce and slausage balls. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Jerked Tofu with Mango

2008-08-18T21:36:00.009-04:00

The Jerked Tofu was great the first time, but we wanted to try it again a little differently. This time we added Champagne Mango and marinated it over night. Then to cook it, we slow cooked the mixture in a low-heated oven.

2 cups Jerk Sauce
1/2 cup leftover broth
1 mango
6 oz firm tofu, (half a block) pressed

Combine broth with Jerk Sauce, add tofu and chopped mango to marinate in the fridge over night. Cook in a metal baking dish, loosely covered with foil, on low heat. We started with it at 250, then turned it up to 300, and cooked it for about 2 hours.

Stef says ideally, cook half the time completely covered with foil, 1/4 time vented, 1/4 completely uncovered.

Serve over rice, which I make extra-dry. A little over 1 cup of rice to 1 and 1/4 cup of water (salt and pepper) in the rice cooker. After the rice cooker turns off, let the rice stand for 15 minutes or so before fluffing.

The salad pictured is rainbow chard, heirloom tomatoes and avacado, with a dash of salt and pepper and apple cider vinegar. Also, white corn, cooked the way Stef's mama taught her.

Flogging from Scribefire

2008-08-16T15:36:00.002-04:00

I installed Scribefire awhile ago, but this is the first time I have tried blogging from it directly. I like it in theory; however, uploading a photo is more complicated than it should be.

I love these tiny peppers. They are especially good with hummus, Weaver St's vegan chikin salad, or just by themselves.

Technorati Tags: peppers

Dutch Style Pancakes with Vegetables

2008-08-13T23:16:00.008-04:00

Pancakes adapted from http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1618,144179-240205,00.html.

1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1 c. milk

Mix thoroughly. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Have pan very hot. Pour in batter and cook thoroughly on each side.

Vegetable topping:

2 handfuls of kale
5 mushrooms
1/4 c. red bell pepper
1/4 c. yellow bell pepper
1/4 c. red onion
1/2 c. grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar
oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to taste

Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add in onions first, then spices. Add in other vegetables and stir. Cook about 7 minutes on medium-low heat.

Top pancakes with vegetable mixture. Makes a lot!

New Wave Kugel (Dairy)

2008-08-13T22:55:00.005-04:00

I was craving kugel and I wanted to use up some of the cheese in my refrigerator. I had leftover ricotta from the malai koftas and a few other odds and ends. The pasta was the vegetable alphabet pasta from Trader Joe's, which has a nice sweet flavor.

1/2 package multicolored pasta
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup soy margarine
1/2-3/4 cup fat-free ricotta
1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano and/or fontina (grated)
salt and pepper

Cook noodles until slightly less than al dente. Drain and cool. In a pot, heat soy milk and margine, add salt and pepper to taste. Melt in pamigiano-reggiano (or whatever cheeses you have in the fridge.)

In a baking dish, add pasta, cover with soy milk mixture and mix in ricotta. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Goat Cheese with Dried Cranberries, Dark Chocolate and Walnuts

2008-08-13T22:22:00.003-04:00

For New Year's, we made this treat to accompany the champagne.

Fancy crackers or wafers (honestly, we can't remember what kind of crackers we used.)
Mild, spreadable goat cheese (fresh)
Dried cranberries
Dark chocolate bits
Raw walnut, pieces

My favorite bagel

2008-08-13T18:29:00.008-04:00

Half a pumpernickel bagel, half a poppy seed
Jalapeno cream cheese on one side
Veggie cream cheese on the other

Black Beans, Kale and Saffron rice

2008-08-12T19:03:00.003-04:00

1 c. (uncooked) rice
2 c. water
2 bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp (or more) saffron
salt

Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add bouillon cubes and dissolve. Remove from heat, add saffron and salt, stir. After the broth cools slightly, ladle slightly less than 1.5 cups into the rice cooker, add dry rice and cook.

1 can black beans and lightly rinsed
1/2 cup leftover broth (see above)
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 handfuls raw kale
garlic powder
cayenne
salt and pepper

Bring broth to a boil, then add onions. Cook for a few minutes, adding spices to taste. When onions are soft, add kale and stir. Add in black beans and reduce to simmer, until the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and let the beans sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

We ate this with a little bit of cheddar, and the leftovers from yesterday.

Rosemary-Garlic Vegan Mashed Potatoes

2008-08-12T16:18:00.009-04:00

3 Ukon Gold potoates
1/4 c. rice milk
1/4 c. vegan margarine
1-1.5 tsp rosemary
1-1.5 tbl. fresh garlic
salt and pepper (lots!)

Cut and boil potatoes in lightly salted water, about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Blend in a large bowl, rice milk and margarine and spices. Add in potatoes and blend until as smooth as you like.

**In the past, I used soy milk and that was good too.

We had this with Kale and Kidney Bean Salad.

Malai Koftas

2008-08-08T17:27:00.008-04:00

Potato Balls:
4-5 Yukon gold potatoes, boiled and slightly mashed
8 oz. ricotta (fat-free)
salt, pepper, a dash of curry

Chop the potatoes and boil until easily forked. Drain and allow to cool. In a large bowl, mix potatoes, ricotta and spices. Form into 1-2 inch balls and roll in a little oil (any cooking oil will do. I use olive because I always have that in the house.) Place in a baking dish and cook at 400 for 20-30 minutes, or until as brown as you would like.

Alternate 1: you can deep-fry or pan fry the potato ball if you prefer them crispier.

Alternate 2: make the balls ahead of time and refrigerate (or freeze). This will give your balls extra structural integrity.

Sauce:
1-2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 can tomato sauce
8-10 oz plain, fat-free yoghurt
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ginger
salt, pepper

Heat oil in a large frying pan or pot and add mustard seeds. When these pop, add onions and fry until golden. Add in other spices and stir for a few minutes over medium-low heat. Add in tomato sauce and bring to a slow boil, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the oil begins to separate a little at the top, take the sauce off the heat and stir in the yoghurt. Serve with the potato balls and rice.

For vegan version: Use mashed tofu and a little olive oil in place of the ricotta. Substitute vegan yoghurt for cow yoghurt in the sauce.

Soy Hot Chocolate

2008-08-08T16:27:00.007-04:00

3 cups soy milk
1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3-4 tablespoons sugar

Heat ingredients in a pot, stirring. Add more chocolate or sugar if desired.

Pour into chocolate pot and drink on the patio on an overcast, fall day.

Fresh Spring Rolls

2008-08-08T16:16:00.012-04:00

20 medium spring roll wrappers
1 small package marinated tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 ripe mango
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup crushed cashews

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Heat water and pour into a shallow dish (such as a cake pan.) Dip the wrappers (individually) into the water to moisten. Fill with the tofu mixture, then roll tightly like a burrito. Place on a plate or wax paper.

Dip in soy sauce, chili sauce, peanut sauce, etc.

Special Potatoes

2008-08-08T16:12:00.005-04:00

Boil several potatoes, ideally Ukon Gold, but others will do.
Drain in a colander and allow to cool a little.

Heat in a large pan, oil and mustard seeds (1 to 2 tbl.) When seeds pop, add potatoes and mash. Add 1 tbs. turmeric, 1 tbs. curry, salt, pepper, more oil or lemon juice if needed. Cook until browned and seasoned all the way through.

Saffron Risotto

2008-08-08T16:05:00.003-04:00

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups vegetable stock
1 pinch saffron threads
2 tablespoons margarine

Bring stock to a simmer. In a separate large saucepan on an adjacent burner, heat the olive oil and add the shallots and the rice. Lightly saute: you actually are toasting the rice. Cook until the rice until it becomes translucent and the shallots become soft, stirring constantly. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Begin slowly adding the warm stock, 1 ladle-full at a time, to the rice pan, stirring as you go. This will bring out the starch in the rice and make the mixture creamy. As the mixture absorbs the broth, ladle more into the pot. When the first ladle of stock has been absorbed into the rice, add the pinch of saffron. When all of the stock has been ladled into the rice pot, slowly simmer until the rice is soft and creamy. Stir the margarine into the risotto for more flavor and creaminess. Set aside, keeping warm until needed.

Serve with Slausage, Peppers and Onions.

Slausage, Peppers and Onions

2008-08-08T15:54:00.005-04:00

2 links of fake sausage, one spicy, one sweet/savory
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup white wine
Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown on all sides. Remove from skillet, and slice.
Melt butter in the skillet. Stir in the yellow onion, red onion, and garlic, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in red bell pepper and green bell pepper. Season with basil, and oregano. Stir in white wine. Continue to cook and stir until peppers and onions are tender.
Return sausage slices to skillet with the vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until sausage is heated through.

Add a little more white wine while simmering if needed.
Serve with Saffron Risotto.

Spaghetti and Slausage Balls

2008-08-08T15:31:00.006-04:00

8 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta, cooked

Sauce:
1 32 oz can cherry tomatoes
1/4 c. old red wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tbl. each: basil, oregano, thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper

Saute onions in small amount of olive oil (or lemon juice) until golden. Add in garlic until you can smell it, about 30 seconds to a minute, do not over cook. Add salt, pepper and spices, stir frequently. Add wine to deglaze the pan and reduce. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, stir, then reduce heat to simmer, with the top cracked (or all the way on.) Cook 20-30 minutes (minimum) and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Slausage Balls:
1 tube Gimme Lean sausage-style tofu stuff
1/4 c. diced onion
1/4 c. diced red bell pepper
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
1 tbl. oregano
1/4 c. whole wheat flour

Combine ingrediants in a bowl, oil hands, then roll balls (1 to 1.5 inches) and lay on wax paper. (1 tube should yield about 25 balls.) Fry balls until browned, then add to sauce.

Drain pasta and serve!

Kale Vegan Alfredo Pasta

2008-08-08T12:32:00.004-04:00

Adapted from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7348.msg69975#msg69975

1 1/2 cup soy milk
6 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2-1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 teaspoon each: dill, thyme,
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoon flour (amount various)
4 medium/large leaves of kale

6-8 oz cooked, whole wheat thin spaghetti

1 head cooked broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces

Add everything except the kale and flour to a saucepan and stir. Steam kale (or if you're making pasta, cook it in the boiling water before you add the pasta) for about 1-3 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like it. Remove and cut up in small pieces. Add to the sauce. Heat the sauce, and when it is fairly warm, start adding flour slowly, so that it doesn't clump. Whisk or stir constantly! When you have enough flour added, remove from heat and serve over pasta and brcoccoli.

This is good the first night; it is even better as leftovers.

I have also added mushrooms to the sauce too, either chopped portabella or cremini.

Split Pea Surprise

2008-08-08T12:27:00.002-04:00

1 cup green split peas
1 cup frozen spinach
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 bouillon cube
1-2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1/2-3/4 cup dried coconut
1-2 tablespoons red thai curry
1-2 tablespoons ginger (grated or the paste in the jar)
dash of cumin and turmeric
water
toast mustard seeds in olive oil, add onion and saute with a little salt and pepper, add in bouillon cube, curry, ginger and other spices adding the garlic last, add in coconut, then spinach. add split beans and mix well. add water to cover, bring to a boil and stir. then simmer with the pot top partly open for 30 minutes or until peas are soft. stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom. if the water is boiling off too quickly, put the top completely on.

I think this would be good with other vegetables and I also though that instead of coconut, you could use coconut milk!

Lentil Surprise

2008-08-08T12:25:00.003-04:00

1 cup red lentils
1 small onion
1 cup frozen spinach
1/2 pepper
1 tbl garam masala
1 tsp curry
1 tsp cummin
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
salt and pepper
3-4 cups vegetable broth

Saute onions until golden, add salt and pepper and spices. saute garlic until fragrant, add spinach and peppers. add lentils and coconut, stir.
Cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, Cover. Simmer about 20-30 minutes. add more broth if it's too dry.
Enjoy!

Black Bean Extravaganza

2008-08-07T22:35:00.002-04:00

1 can black beans
1 can (re)fried beans
1 can jalapenos
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup kale
3/4 cup old tortilla chips
1/2-1 cup salsa
1/4-1/2 pepper jack cheese

In a casserole dish layer:
salsa
chips, crushed a little
refried beans
black beans
jalapenos
pineapple
onion
kale
cheese
salsa, and repeat
The top layer should have some cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is browned on top.

Kidney Bean and Kale Salad

2008-08-07T22:29:00.002-04:00

Adapted from the Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein

1/2 head of kale
1 can kidney beans, drained
1/4 c. red onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 pickling cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper

Marinate beans, onion, cucumber and tomatoes in the vinegar and oil, for 30 minutes to an hour. Serve on top of fresh kale, add salt and pepper, mix.

Jerked Tofu

2008-08-07T22:28:00.004-04:00

Adapted from http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave2/authentic_jerk.asp#Recipe5

1/2 pound firm tofu
1 cup vegetable stock
Pinch salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Jerk Sauce

Jerk Sauce
3 habaneros (or Scotch bonnet peppers), seeds and stems removed
1 onions, chopped
2 clove garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari
1/8 cup minced scallions

Slice the tofu into bite-size pieces.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, adding salt, garlic and thyme. Add the tofu and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove tofu and drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle black pepper onto the tofu, then cover in jerk sauce. Bake for 30 minutes (or more) at 300. Next time, we will marinate the tofu in the jerk sauce for awhile in the fridge and then bake it for at least an hour, possibly on lower heat.

In a food processor or blender, process all ingredients until smooth.

Tomato Basil Risotto

2008-08-07T22:26:00.001-04:00

Tomato Basil Risotto
Adapted from http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/11454/tomato-basil-risotto.html

8 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. margarine, divided
1/4 c. chopped onion
1-1.5 c. chopped cherry tomatoes
1 c. mushrooms
2 c. Arborio rice
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook broth in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in large pot over med-hi heat; add onion, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add rice; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add broth, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly; allow rice to absorb liquid before adding more broth. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp. butter, chopped basil, and remaining ingredients.

Tofu and Vegetables with Garlic Sauce

2008-08-07T22:18:00.004-04:00

Adapted from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8731.0

½ pound firm tofu, cubed
1 carrot
1 can waterchesnuts
½ cup mushrooms
¼ cup green onions
1 cup kale
1 head of broccoli
4 cloves garlic
1 vegetarian vegetable stock cube
1/4 cup of tamari
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
½ tablespoon cayenne
½ tablespoon of turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Pan fry the tofu and then set aside.

Chop vegetables into bite sized pieces and mince garlic.

Boil 1.5 cups of water and add the vegetable stock cube, set aside.

Sauté garlic ginger, red pepper flakes and sweetner in tamari.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water, set aside.

Add the broccoli to spice and tamari mixture and cook over high heat in a large skillet for 2 minutes. Then add the tofu back in. Add in the veggie broth and simmer 5-7 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir to distribute it. Cook for 1-2 minutes more or until it thickens.

Serve with rice, or Peanut Butter Noodles!

Kale Quesadillas with Vinegar Salsa

2008-08-07T18:04:00.001-04:00

Tortillas
1/2 head of kale
1 can pinto beans, drained
1/3 pound feta
dash of lemon juice
salt and pepper

Mix together all ingrediants, then stuff tortillas. Grill in a pan!

1 yellow tomato
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Chop ingrediants, mix and cover. Ideally let salsa sit over night, but at least 1 hour.

Taco Salad with Homemade Black Bean Chili

2008-08-07T17:41:00.002-04:00

I should have taken a picture, but I didn't have my camera at S's last night. So imagine a beautiful shell, stuffed with fresh greens, black bean chili, peach salsa and cheese.

Spicy as eff chili:
2 homemade (or not) veggie burgers, crumbled. (S makes hers with TVP.)
1 can of black beans, drained
1/2 red onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
2 jalapenos, chopped and some juice
1/2 can of leftover tomato sauce
salt

Saute veggie burgers in some olive oil until browned. Add in onion, garlic and seasonings. Stir frequently. Add in black beans, jalapenos and tomato sauce. Continue stiring and bring to a slow boil. Lower heat and cover slightly, let cook for awhile. It should be nice and thick.

Taco shells:
Chipotle tortillas from TJ's
Place in baking dish, or "mold," we use a casserole dish and a lot of aluminum foil to make it small enough. Bake at 350-375 for 10-15 minutes, until crispy.

Salad:
Several handfuls of fresh kale and rainbow chard
3/4 cup green onions chopped
1/2 cup small yellow tomatoes

Peach salsa: Wholefoods

Cheese: sharp white cheddar

Kitchen Roulette

2008-08-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

How it all began...
I love cooking and I love organization, but for some reason I cannot keep track of the recipes I love. This blog-o-dex will hopefully remedy my little knowledge management problem and maybe other people will read it from time to time. Please feel free to use any of these recipes or ideas that you like. I will try to credit original sources as much as possible because 1) I am a librarian and I believe in that sort of thing and 2) it is actually useful information to have.

Kitchen Roulette: is the term I use when I cook up all the things I have lying around the house. The goal is to make a complete, delicious and nutritious meal using only ingredients I have already purchased. That said, I do have a lot of "fancy" foods and spices already, so it's not that I just stumbled across the pomelos and chili oil...

Lastly, I adore cooking with other people, espcially S, L, A, A, and J...you know who you are.