Carrot, Ginger, Pumpkin, White Bean Soup

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

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.

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

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.

Mediterranean Tomato Chickpea and White Bean Soup

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.

Betty's Fruit Cobbler

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.

Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed With White Bean and Spinach Hummus

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

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

Spicy Southwestern Chili

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.

Slausage, Apples and Potatoes, Oh My!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spicy Noodles with Vegetables

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

Soy Hot Chocolate

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

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

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

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.