Things You Must Try

During my hiatus, I haven't used my fancy camera one time.  Part of that is my frustration with not being able to quickly master it and part of it is just taking a much needed break.  As I tell my children, sometimes if you go away from something for a while, when you try again it's suddenly easier.  It's like clearing your brain, if you will.  I'm hoping that will happen with my photography skills.  I do know I don't practice often enough.  Again, something that I preach to my children almost daily.  Man this parenting thing sure does teach you a lot of what you're not doing as an individual!
Even though I don't have my own pictures, I've provided a link to the original photo to give proper credit.  Original pictures or not, I had to share some of our favorite recipes from the last couple of months.  There's a little something for everyone, I hope, so be inspired to try something new!
Let's start with dessert first, shall we?  I made this cake for my mom's birthday and it's one of my all-time favorites (and I've made a LOT of cakes!).  The only part I don't like is that you have to put the cake in the refrigerator to help set the whipped cream frosting in between the layers.  I just don't like the way the fridge dries out the crumb and makes it a little less moist, but even still the flavors of the cake make you forget about the texture of the cake.  She suggests Valencia oranges and after trying them, I second that suggestion. Navel oranges just don't have the powerful sweet orange taste like the Valencia ones.  She also talks about various butters and I used an Irish butter to give some extra richness to the cake.  Just don't use the cheap stuff and you should be good.  I didn't get a chance to do the fancy icing technique because I don't do artificial colors, but you should still watch her video of how she achieves such a beautiful pastel swirl.  It's almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.  

Orange Party Cake with Whipped Orange Frosting
via Sweetapolita

For a slightly healthier meal, might I suggest this BLT Chopped Salad with Corn, Feta & Avocado.  Seriously, it's everything I love all wrapped up in a giant bowl.  It's got both the crunch of the bacon and corn, as well as the creaminess of the avocado and feta.  Summer on a plate!

BLT Chopped Salad
via How Sweet It Is

Another delicious salad is this Thai Chopped Chicken Salad.  I omitted the edamame, but even without it was very filling and hearty.  I missed where the peanut sauce was supposed to be different from the dressing, so I just piled them all together in a mason jar and shook away.  I can't say what they taste like apart, but it's mighty tasty all blended together.

Thai Chopped Chicken Salad
via Taste and Tell

If you want to channel your inner-90 year old granny, this recipe for Homemade Chicken 'n' Dumplings is the way to go.  Seriously people, this is where it's at.  I have been dreaming of this big bowl of goodness ever since I made it nearly a month ago.  I made it as a surprise for Wes since he often feels our meals are too healthy (is there such a thing?!).  We were both pleasantly surprised how authentically awesome these dumplings were.  Now don't get discouraged that these are from scratch.  As Jenna points out, from start to finish this entire dish takes about 30 minutes.  You couldn't even park and get waited on at Cracker Barrel in that amount of time.  Plus as a bonus, you know what's in it (or not in it).  

Homemade Chicken 'n' Dumplings
via Eat, Live, Run

For a few vegetarian and vegan options, the next 4 are incredible!  I honestly couldn't pick a favorite because they're all great in their own right.  The French Onion Burger from the Curvy Carrot is full of flavor and one of the "meatiest" veggie burgers I've ever made.  It holds together well and doesn't smoosh into 100 pieces when you take the first bite.  The boys didn't even know it wasn't a traditional burger.  I served them on a pretzel roll from Trader Joe's and I'm now in love with those buns!  I'm a sucker for anything with caramelized onions, so this one had my name written all over it.  I couldn't lift the picture from her site.  Smarty pants!   
Wes requested a Bahn Mi type sandwich one week and even added that it could be vegetarian.  Not one to ignore a good challenge, I set off to find the best recipe.  And boy did I?!  There are many components to this sandwich, just as there are for a traditional Bahn Mi, but each one is an integral part of the overall goodness of the sandwich.  The mushroom pate would be great on a burger.  The only modification I'd make in the future would be to halve or even third the pickled vegetables.  They do keep for up to a month, but I had difficulties finding other uses for them.  I did enjoy the Daikon, as this was the first time I think I'd ever had one.  Crusty bread is another must to help absorb some of the wetness from the pate and veggies.  We went the egg route, as opposed to the tofu.

Vegetarian Bahn Mi Sandwich
via The Chubby Vegetarian

Another vegetarian meal that I would bet you wouldn't miss the meat is this hearty Chickpea Crockpot Pie with Biscuit Topping.  If you haven't noticed by now, we like bread.  Really it's me and I've passed on my affection to everyone else since I'm the cook.  These biscuits, although vegan, are the bomb!  I think the moisture from the crockpot helps a lot, as does the creamy broth and veggies sticking to the underside of each bite of the biscuit.  It's a match made in heaven.  Everyone was asking for seconds and were fighting for the leftovers.

Chickpea Crockpot Pie with Biscuit Topping
via Peas and Thank You

The last recipe may be a bit of a stretch for you.  Just trust me, it really it quite tasty.  Your kids will love that they get to eat a waffle and you'll love that said waffle is packed with nutrients.  Again, don't let the laundry list of ingredients overwhelm you.  Most of them are spices and all together it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare.  The cauliflower gets chopped up, so the mouths you are feeding are none the wiser that they're actually eating something healthy.  Honestly, I think I liked this one more than Wes, but he's funny on the texture of his food.  He needs some crunch in every meal and, well, this meal is lacking in that department.  He also doesn't like anything with the word "sloppy" in it because he said it automatically sounds unappealing.  I guess I see it.  The boys and I loved it though.

Cheesy Cornbread Waffles with Cauliflower Lentil Sloppy Joes
via Keepin' It Kind

Phew!  I'm hungry now.  Doing a big post like this makes me realize just how many meals have come out of my kitchen in the last 3 months.  Which one are you going to try first?  That is if you're not in a food coma by now!
 

Roasted Vegetable Pockets

This is an adaptation of one of our family's favorite carnivore dishes, Chicken Crescent Squares.  Since we've started the vegetarian lifestyle, I find it increasingly more difficult to look at, much less touch raw meat.  So on few occasions we do have meat, I have to take a deep breath and try to think about something else as I cut it up.  I've never been the world's biggest meat-lover, so this isn't all completely new for me.  I don't expect most vegetarians experience this same phenomenon when they initially make the switch.

So I wanted to be able to still enjoy this recipe that we loved so much.  Once I decided to remove the chicken, the cream cheese didn't seem to fit anymore either.  I basically decided I'd just roast some veggies, throw in some roasted garlic and then spoon it into the crescent squares before baking.  

It turned out great and no one even missed the chicken.  Now it was a completely different dish than the old one, but just as tasty, if not better!

Roasted Vegetable Pockets yields 4 pockets {Print this!} Ingredients:

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 leek, white and light green parts only, washed and thinly sliced

4oz button mushrooms, quartered

2 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 small red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tube of crescent rolls (I like Trader Joe's or Immaculate Baking Co.)

1 whole head garlic

1-2 T olive oil

1 tsp tumeric

salt & pepper

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.  

Remove the outermost layers of skin from the head of garlic, being sure to keep the entire head in tact.  Cut off just enough of the end (top) where you can just barely see the garlic.  Tear off a small piece of aluminum foil (enough to wrap around the garlic) and place the head of garlic in the middle of the foil, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil, and gather the foil.  Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until it's squishy when you squeeze it.

Drizzle 1 T. olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Spread to coat with your hand.  Sprinkle salt and pepper generously on top of the oil.  Scatter the sweet potato cubes and cauliflower on top of the prepared pan.  Sprinkle with tumeric before baking for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and add mushrooms, pepper, and leeks.  Toss with additional olive oil and spread veggies into a flat layer.  Bake another 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are soft.  Remove from baking sheet to a bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar.

Remove crescents from tube in one piece.  Divide along dotted lines to form 4 squares.  Seal the diagonal lines by pinching them together.  Flatten them out slightly with a rolling pin.  Spoon a heading tablespoon (or more) of the prepared veggies into the center of each square.  Bring each corner of the square to meet in the middle and pinch to seal each corner.

Bake, according to the crescent roll package directions, usually about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

**Linking up with Bloom Designs, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Healthy 2 Day Wednesday, Healthy Vegan Friday, and What's Shakin'. 

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

There are few things better than breakfast foods.  Well, okay, maybe family, friends, and sunshine are a little better, but on the food spectrum I'll take breakfast over other meals any old day.

I'm a half and half kind of girl when it comes to sweet and savory.  I like to start with something savory that has some sustenance to counteract the sugar from the sweet.  I love going to breakfast with my mom because she's exactly the same (probably where I got it), so one of us orders savory, the other orders sweet and we split.  For a few sweet hours, it's perfection!

Last weekend I was in the mood to make something sweet for breakfast.  I pulled up some of my bookmarked recipes and let the kids pick which one looked the best to them.  Sawyer is easily swayed by his super cool, do-no-wrong, big brother, so really it was up to Colin.  These cinnamon rolls beat out donuts!  I have to admit I was surprised.  But I'm glad they did because they were delicious.  Just the right amount of sweetness, with just the right amount of dough.  These aren't going to be Cinnabon knock-offs, but I promise you'll feel much better after eating one of these than you would with one of those!

I opted for the icing because cinnamon rolls just aren't cinnamon rolls without a little glaze or icing.  The glaze absorbed right into the dough, making them even softer and moist.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15-17 minutes
Yield: 8 rolls
{print recipe}

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup "buttermilk" (Mix 1 T vinegar with almond milk to make 1 1/4 cups. Let sit for 5 minutes.)
• 6 T melted vegan margarine
• 2 T melted vegan margarine
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T cinnamon
• 2 T water
• 3/4 -1 cup powdered sugar

Cooking Directions:

1. First, make your "buttermilk". Measure 1 Tbsp of white or apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup to 1 1/4 cups with almond milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Mix all of dry ingredients together in a large bowl; then add in the melted margarine and the "buttermilk".
3. Kneading it for a few minutes, it should become a bit smooth and more elastic than wet. If it still seems wet, go ahead and add some more flour.
4. Once it's a bit neater, roll it out into a roughly 12x9 rectangle, about a 1/2-thick. It doesn't need to be perfect. After that, top the dough rectangle with melted margarine and your mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll it up.
5. Cut the roll into 8 pieces. (A great tip: use some dental floss to cut the rolls. Just wrap it around the roll and pull the two ends across and it will cut the rolls very nice and neatly.)
6. Put your perfectly-cut rolls in a greased baking pan and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 - 17 minutes.
7. While they're in the oven, you can mix your glaze with however much powdered sugar you want, thinned with just a bit of water. Pour it over the rolls while they're fresh out of the oven, so it gives them a nice caramelized layer and absorbs into the roll.

**Linking up with Jam Hands, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, and Healthy Vegan Friday.

Vegan Lasagna Bolognese

Sometimes seeing a laundry list of ingredients dissuades me from trying a recipe.  However, when you actually read the list, chances are you'll have quite a few of the ingredients on the list.  Just think of it as "the more the merrier" and maybe you'll open up a whole new world of possibilities.  When half of the list is veggies, just think of all the nutrients you're packing into that one dish!   This one may seem long and involved, but it comes together fairly quickly and I love getting to sneak as many veggies as I want in the sauce since it's all getting pureed in the end.  I didn't even miss the cheese, but then again I went into it knowing it wasn't going to be a typical lasagna.   My only note is to be generous with your sauces.  After all, that's what will be cooking your noodles and keeping your lasagna from becoming dry.

Vegan Lasagna Bolognese adapted from Vegan Richa {Print recipe}

Quick Bolognese sauce:

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/2 of a large red pepper, chopped

¼ tsp chili flakes, more if you like it spicy

2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp vinegar

2-3 T. red wine, optional

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1/4 cup water

½ package of tempeh (or chopped mushrooms)

No-boil lasagna noodles (for later use)

¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs (for crumb topping)

½ tsp basil (for crumb topping)

In a large pan, add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium.  Add chopped onion and 2 bay leaves and sauté until transparent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add red pepper, celery, carrots, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the peppers and celery begin to soften.  Add the tomatoes, garlic cloves, wine (if using) and vinegar and cook just a minute more.  Remove from stove and transfer to a blender.  Puree until smooth, adding water ¼ cup at a time, as needed.

While you’re pureeing the sauce, crumble ½ package of tempeh into the original skillet and let it begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes.  Once it has a little color, return the sauce to the pan with the tempeh and cook for 7-8 minutes until slightly thick.  (The water content from the sauce will get absorbed in the noodles during baking.)

Taste and adjust salt and herbs.

Quick White Garlic sauce:

¼ cup raw cashews

2 T. flour of your choice (wheat, white, spelt)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp onion powder (or flakes)

2 T. nutritional yeast

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup non-dairy milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar or maple syrup

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

In a blender, pulse the ¼ cup raw cashews until they are mostly ground.  Then add remaining ingredients up to the olive oil.  Blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust if needed.  For a creamier sauce, add the olive oil and blend again.

To assemble the Lasagna: 

Spread a thin layer of the Bolognese sauce on the bottom of a 7x11 pan.  Top with a layer of no boil lasagna noodles, followed by a layer of the white sauce (the sauce will be thin, but will thicken during baking.)  Repeat layers until both of the sauces are gone, ending with the white sauce.

Top with bread crumbs and ½ tsp basil and some shredded Mozzarella or vegan Parmesan.  Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. 

Remove lasagna from oven, remove the foil, and let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

**Linking up with Buns In My Oven, Taste & Tell Thursday, and Whole Foods Wednesday.

Weekly Recipe: Wild Style Rice Salad

 

If you're following along with my weekly menu plan, this salad goes with the Garlicky Avocado Shrimp Sandwiches.  I wasn't able to link to a recipe, so I wanted to share it with you.  

It's a very interchangeable salad, where you can add and subtract nearly any of the ingredients and it will still turn out great.  For added nutrition, I do advise you to stick to the wild rice, as opposed to brown or white rice, but if you're opposed brown rice would also work.  (As a kid, I used to pick out every one of the black rice kernels!)

Wild Style Rice Salad

2 bell peppers (colors of your choice), seeded and diced

1 stalk of celery, chopped

2 green onions, diced

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

1 cup uncooked wild rice

For the vinaigrette:
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp agave syrup (or honey)
1 tsp dried badsil
1 garlic glove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup EVOO

Soak wild rice overnight, or at least 8 hours.  Drain.  Combine rice with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan.  Boil, then cover and reduce heat to low, cooking for 30 minutes.  Remove lid and drain the rice.  Allow to cool as you prep the remaining ingredients and dressing.

For the vinaigrette, combine all but EVOO in a jar.  Shake vigorously to combine.  Add EVOO and shake again.

Combine rice and the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with vinaigrette.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.  You can make this a day ahead.

Serves 8-10.

**Linking up with Jam Hands, Whole Foods Wednesday, Keep It Real Thursdays and Whole New Mom.

Weekly Recipe: Taco Cupcakes

Have I told you lately that I could eat Mexican food every day?  Well, I could.  I love that by adding cumin and/or chili powder to a dish automatically gives it a big boost of flavor.  I like being able to inject flavor with spices, as opposed to those fatty additives that we love so well - hello, Mr. Cheese, I'm talking to you! When I came across this blog, Emily Bites, I was instantly smitten with her "cupake" idea.  She basically uses muffin tins to create individual portions of common dishes - Lasagna, bbq, and French dip just to name a few.  Her cleverness won her a spot on Anderson Cooper's show!  How cool is that?  So I couldn't wait to try out one of cupcake creations.  First up, to veganize her Taco Cupcakes.

These were every bit as delicious as they looked and I loved that they are not only adorable, but also very portable.  My only complaint would be that my mouth is not big enough to consume each cupcake in one bite, thus some of the filling falls out.  Don't let that little detail stop you, these would be great to serve at a party or just for a quick weeknight fix.   Taco Cupcakes (vegan) adapted slight from Emily Bites 1 1/2 tsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil) 1/2 pkg tempeh (crumbled) or Quorn crumbles 1 1 /2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 16 wonton wrappers (or more) 1/2 cup salsa 1 cup Daiya Mexican cheese 1/2 cup guacamole (homemade is best!) Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 12-count muffin tin with non-stick spray.   Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add crumbled meat alternative and spices.  Stir to heat throughout, about 7-8 minutes.  Add black beans and cook just until warmed.   Push 1 or 2 wonton wrappers in the bottom of each muffin hole (I used 2 because I didn't think 1 would hold it).  Sprinkle the bottom of each with about a tablespoon of the Daiya cheese.  Top the cheese with equal amounts of the bean mixture, followed by equal amounts of salsa.  Finally, top each cupcake with another sprinkle of Daiya cheese. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to sit for a few minutes before removing the cupcakes.  Top each with a dollop of guacamole (not pictured below).  

Linking up to Tastetastic Thursday and What's Shakin'.

Weekly Recipe: Three Bean Salad with Corn and Avocado

Oh summer how I'll miss thee.  With your sweltering 90+ degree weather, 100% humidity, and grass burning, crop stopping hot sun rays, I'm not too sad to see you go.  I will miss the bright colored florals, the leaves actually on the trees, as opposed to bare limbs, and most importantly, the summer vegetable bounty.  I'll gladly sacrifice those things for that crisp autumn air, beautiful fall foliage, and I'll even replace those delicious summer vegetables with squashes and gourds.  Summer, it's been nice, but it's time to move over for fall.  

Here's somewhat of a transitional side dish that will carry you over into fall.  Most of these veggies are available nearly year-round...at least at a price!

Three Bean Salad with Corn and Avocado

source:  Cooking Light

• 1 cup halved heirloom grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 ears shucked corn $
• 1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained $
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained $
• 2 diced peeled avocados

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
2. 2. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. 3. Brush corn, onion, and jalapeño evenly with oil. Place vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill corn for 12 minutes or until lightly charred, turning after 6 minutes. Grill onion slices and jalapeño 8 minutes or until lightly charred, turning after 4 minutes. Let vegetables stand 5 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs. Coarsely chop onion. Finely chop jalapeño; discard stem. Add corn, onion, and jalapeño to tomato mixture; toss well. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and next 4 ingredients (through kidney beans) to corn mixture; toss well. Top with avocado.

Linking up to What's Shakin' Link Party.

Vegan Week: Soft Honey Wheat Rolls

This may be a bit of a cop out for an actual vegan recipe, but it's more to prove my point that even everyday recipes can easily be turned vegan.  Besides adding the the whole grains, this recipe uses honey (for those vegans that use honey) instead of sugar, and vegan butter (such as Earth Balance).  I was pleasantly surprised how easy these rolls were to make and how great they tasted with the whole wheat flour added in. I've mentioned before that I have an issue with yeast, but I'm determined to overcome that fear and this recipe moved me one step closer to that goal.  They rose, they were light and airy, and they tasted a great - a trifecta in the baked goods world!

Soft Honey Wheat Rolls

source:  unknown

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons honey, divided
1 pkg. (1/4 oz or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoon vegan butter, melted + additional 1 tablespoon to brush on rolls

In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons honey, yeast and salt. Add water and 2 tablespoons melted butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Add additional 1/2 cup all purpose flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover dough and let rest about 10 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 9-inch round baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 11 - 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine 1 - tablespoon honey with 1 - tablespoons melted butter and brush on warm rolls before serving.

This concludes Vegan Week.  I hope you've gotten some ideas and if nothing else, I hope you've learned that eating a plant-based diet is not all that scary!  Just think how much your body would thank you for all those extra nutrients (:
Linking up to Keep It Real Thursday at Beyond the Peel.

Vegan Week: Spiced Tempeh Cauliflower Pilaf

Have you been inspired yet?  Or are you bored with my Vegan Week posts?  Are you craving a plate of greens, or are you still hungry for a hunk of meat?  Even if you're able to get a few new side dishes in your repertoire, I'm happy.   I know it can be tough to get in 3 full cups of veggies each day but this pilaf is a good start!  If you're not a fan of cauliflower, I'd encourage you to try this dish because it's practically undetectable once all the other flavors and spices hit your tongue.  The peas provide a little hint of sweetness to complement the cinnamon, while the meatiness of both the tempeh and the cauliflower soak up the savory and salty flavors.  This could easily stand on it's own as a one-dish wonder but you can also pair it as a side to a piece of omega-3 rich salmon.

Spiced Tempeh Cauliflower Pilaf adapted from: Veggie Num Num 3 T. avocado oil (or any oil you have on hand) 4oz tempeh, crumbled into bite-sized pieces 2 tsp mustard seeds 2 tsp tumeric 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 large onion, diced 2 tsp freshly grated ginger root 2 cups brown rice 2 cups no-chicken chicken broth 2 cups water 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets 1-2 cups fresh or frozen peas 1/2 cup raw cashews, roughly chopped 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

  1. Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the pieces of tempeh and fry for a few minutes until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on absorbent paper. 

  2. Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the mustard seeds and heat over a medium-low heat until the seeds begin to pop. Quickly add the turmeric, paprika and cinnamon and over a low heat combine the spices with the oil until you have a paste.

  3. Add the onion and increase the heat a little continuing to fry until the onion is soft. Add the ginger and cook for just a minute before adding the rice.

  4. Combine the rice well with the spices and onion, add the cauliflower and cooked tempeh and increase the heat. Add the stock and water and bring to the boil.

  5. Cover and decrease the heat to low, allow the pilaf to cook for about 20 minutes until rice is tender and stock nearly absorbed. Do not remove the lid but turn the heat off and allow the rice to sit 10 minutes. 

  6. Add the peas, stir through quickly and cover and cook for a further few minutes until stock is fully absorbed and rice cooked.

  7. Garnish with cashews and cilantro.  

  8. Serve warm accompanied with naan bread.

Linking up to Keep It Real Thursday at Beyond the Peel.

Vegan Week: Red Curry Lentils

Today's recipe is a great one for those of you looking for some international flair.  I love the flavors found in Indian food, so I knew this highly praised dish would be a hit.  I especially love that it was an all-in-one dinner, when paired with a simple side of roasted broccoli.   I assure you that when you add an ingredient as hearty as lentils, you won't miss the meat being on your plate.  Personally, I enjoy being able to eat a meal without having that feeling of something heavy sitting on my stomach afterwards.   Have I convinced you to try any of the recipes this week yet?  I still have a few more days (:

Red Curry Lentils by:  Prevention RD, via Pinch of Yum

1 1/2 cups dry brown basmati rice
1 1/2 cups dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 large onion, diced
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp red curry paste
1/2 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cane juice sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 (14 oz) can tomato puree or sauce
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped for garnishing

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Add the rice, stir and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 35-40 minutes.

In a large sauce pan, heat 6-8 cups water and the lentils over high heat. Boil for about 15-20 minutes; drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until softened. Add all the spices (curry paste, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, sugar, garlic, ginger) and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce; stir and simmer until smooth.

Add the lentils and the coconut milk. Stir to combine and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings (scant 1 cup of rice with 3/4 cup lentils).

Linking up to Keep It Real Thursday at Beyond the Peel.

Vegan Week: Grilled Corn and Lima Bean Salad

One of my favorite summertime meals is to have a salad trio for dinner.  Side dishes have always been the highlight of the meal for me, so I love getting to have 3 (or more!) on one plate.  Summer is the perfect time for this because of the bounty of in-season produce    This salad has no shortage of fresh veggies and is held together with a very light dressing.  It tastes like summer on a plate with the grilled corn, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes!  I failed to read the recipe all the way through and missed the step of refrigerating before serving but I actually preferred it a little warm.  You just have to roll with the punches because sometimes the best tasting things were discovered by pure accident.  

Grilled Corn and Lima Bean Salad adapted from Southern Living

·          1 (16-oz.) package frozen lima beans

·         4 ears fresh corn, husks removed

          1 large red onion, cut into thick slices

·         1 large red bell pepper, cut into thick rings

·         3/4 cup vegannaise

·         3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

·         1 garlic clove, pressed

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·         1 cup halved grape tomatoes 

1.  Cook butter beans (or lima beans) according to package directions; drain and cool completely (about 20 minutes).
2.  Meanwhile, preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Grill corn, covered with grill lid, 15 minutes or until done, turning every 4 to 5 minutes. (Some kernels will begin to char and pop.) At the same time, grill onion and bell pepper, covered with grill lid, 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Cool all vegetables completely (about 20 minutes).
3.  Cut kernels from cobs. Discard cobs. Chop onion and bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces.
4.  Stir together vegannaise and next 5 ingredients. Stir in tomatoes, corn kernels, and onion and pepper pieces. Add salt to taste. Cover and chill 2 to 8 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.
Linking up with Keep It Real Thursday at Beyond the Peel.   

Vegan Week: Lentil Meatloaf

If any of you are exploring veganism or even vegetarianism, this week should be right up your alley.  I was always under the misconception that trying to find recipes that were both tasty and vegan would be challenging.  That very well may have been the case 10 years ago but with the explosion of the blogosphere and the internet, there is no shortage of great recipes now.  Now my only issue is wanting to try every single one of them! Sometimes I am doubtful about new recipes, not so much for myself, but for the rest of the family.  I'm happy to report this Lentil Meatloaf was a crowd pleaser not only for my family, but for several coworkers as well. The texture was definitely reminiscent of a hamburger-based meatloaf and the flavors were definitely there as well.  The finishing step was the ketchup topping and if there were any doubts, that sealed the deal.   Don't be turned off by the laundry list of ingredients.  They are all things that are good for you, so if you don't have them laying around, it might just be a good idea to stock your pantry with them.  Many of the items are found in other vegan and vegetarian recipes, so I think you'll find that you won't have any trouble using them up.   The chia seeds?  Great in your morning oats, smoothies, and even as egg substitutes in baking.  Packed with protein, these little guys are great for you! The tahini?  Hummus anyone?  Tahini is a great addition to nearly any hummus and another source of protein and also thiamin and phosphorus.   Just check out these nutrition stats for one slice of this loaf (1/5 of the loaf): 277 calories, 44 calories from fat, 5.2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 788.8mg sodium, 574 potassium, 47.4g carbohydrates, 12.5g fiber, 6.4g sugar, 14.1g protein.

Dreena's No-fu Meatloaf by:  Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Ingredients

·         1/2 cup brown (green) lentils

·         1 cup vegetable stock

·         1/3 cup water

·         1 dried bay leaf

·         3/4 cup bulgur (toasted cracked wheat) (for gluten-free version, use certified gf steel cut oats)

·         1 cup water, boiled

·         1/4 cup natural ketchup

·         1 cup rolled or quick oats (ensure gf certified for gluten-free)

·         3 tablespoons tamari (use wheat-free for wheat/gluten-free version)

·         2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

·         2 tablespoons ground white chia (or black chia, or can use flax meal)

·         2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (see note for gf version)

·         2 tablespoons tahini or sunflower seed butter

·         2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses

·         1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

·         1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

·         1 teaspoon dried basil

·         1/8 teaspoon ground fennel (optional)

·         Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Topping:

·         3 – 4 tablespoon natural ketchup

·         1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) OR 2 tsp vegan bbq sauce (optional)

Instructions

1.    Combine the lentils, vegetable stock, 1⁄3 cup of water, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until just about tender. Once done, add the bulgur and boiling water, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for another 8 to 9 minutes.

2.    Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil an oven-proof glass loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with a strip of parchment paper to cover (place it in to protrude along the short ends of the pan; this helps for easier removal of the veggie loaf from the pan). Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl.

3.    Once the bulgur is cooked, remove the bay leaf and add all the remaining ingredients (except topping). Stir very well. Transfer the mixture to prepared pan and pack it in. Spread the topping mixture over the top.

4.    Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or so, before cutting to slice and serve. Serves 5-6.

Linking up to Jam Hands and Keep It Real Thursday at Beyond the Peel.