Guest Blogger: VEGANesp – Spanish Chickpea Stew

VEGANesp is an unique blog run by a couple Elena and Seth, hence the name ESP. P, is their last name initial, so that’s adorable. Here they are in their own words,  “We’re Elena & Seth. We’ve been vegan since late 2009 and we love it – so much so that we decided to share our wonderful voyage through this amazing vegan life on-line. We’ll talk (a lot) about what we eat, vegan events and other aspects of a vegan lifestyle. We’ll include features about vegan businesses, post articles and videos, and offer (hopefully) helpful information and tips.” Follow VEGANesp on their blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Welcome Elena and Seth!

Monday, December 9

Spanish Chickpea Stew

Rating: 4.25

I keep trying to make healthier recipes, but the cold, wet weather we’ve been having leaves me wanting comfort food more often than not. Still, I try to include a few super-healthy recipes each week. We’ve had the Forks Over Knives Cookbook for a while, and I have to say, the recipes we’ve made from it have been hit or miss. This one was a hit though. Like most of the FOK book, this dish is pretty easy to put together – it all goes in one pot – and is loaded with veggies. Once more, I used russet instead of Yukon potatoes, but otherwise, I stuck to the recipe as written. And, once again it was thinner than I expected, more like a soup, but still really good. And it made a LOT. It’s a hearty dish, with carrots, potatoes, chickpeas and chard, so it really can be a one-pot meal. The Spanish flavor comes from the seasoning of toasted cumin, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika. I added extra of the smoked because we love it. While we’re not gluten-free, this dinner was, so if you’re looking for a hearty GF recipe, this is definitely a good one. Not content to have just the one green veggie of chard, I steamed some broccoli to have on the side, but that’s really just because we wanted an extra veg.

Guest Blogger: Lisa’s Project: Vegan – Blue Plate Special #15: Tofu Milanese & Saffron Risotto

Love when a good recipe comes together from a few simple ingredients often found in a pantry. I just bought some saffron and now I know what to do with it. Lisa is the author of Lisa’s Project: Vegan. Here she is in her own words, “My name is Lisa Dawn Angerame and I write Lisa’s Project: Vegan. I am a vegan wife and mom. We are living a vegan lifestyle for our health, the health and welfare of the animals, and that of the planet. I make delicious, creative meals with love and compassion. Most of my recipes take less than 30 minutes to make and call for organic ingredients where possible. Enjoy!”

Follow Lisa on her blog, Facebook and Twitter. Welcome Lisa!

This is by far one of my favorite recipes! Breaded tofu cutlets seasoned to perfection topped with a light and refreshing salad sitting next to a pile of delicious saffron risotto. Two things about saffron risotto (1) it is much easier to make than you might think and (2) saffron is not as fancy as it sounds. It is fresh and delicious and turns the risotto a gorgeous yellow color. This whole meal can be prepared rather quickly and easily and you will find yourself in Milan asap!

Tofu Milanese
1 box extra firm tofu, pressed
Flour
Rice milk
Panko + Salt + Italian seasoning (oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage)
Sunflower oil
Lemon slices for garnish

Saffron Risotto
1 big onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 cups water, hot

Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mixed lettuce (arugula, radicchio)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
S and P

Press the tofu.

Chop and saute the onion in olive oil in a large skillet with sides. Heat up the water and stir in the saffron to steep. When the onions are translucent, add the rice and stir around until translucent. Add a big ladle of hot saffron water and stir until absorbed. Then add another ladle of saffron water until it is absorbed. Stir often but start making the rest of the dinner. Keep adding water as each ladle full is absorbed until there is no more water left.

While this is going on, cut the tofu in half through the middle, then half again, and then into triangles. Set up a breading station by pouring each element into a bowl. Use your judgment. I have no measurements here.
1 – flour
2 – rice milk
3 – panko + seasonings
4 – plate for breaded tofu
Dredge the tofu in the flour, then the rice milk and then the panko. Heat up sunflower oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the tofu until golden on one side and then flip it over. Try to get the sides too.

Mix the salad dressing in a deep mixing bowl. Add the mixed greens and toss.

To plate, place the risotto on the bottom. Place the tofu gently on top and then pile a nice handful of salad on top. Garnish with a lemon slice. Enjoy!

Guest Blogger: Sugar Coated Vegan – Vegan Pinto Bean & Pepper Jack Quesadilla

More new bloggers! Exciting to see what vegan bloggers are doing and enjoying. Our newest contributor is Alexis from Sugar Coated Vegan. Here is Alexis in her own words, “My name is Alexis and I run the vegan food blog (sugar coated vegan)! I blog about  vegan desserts along with the occasional savory recipe! I’m a self proclaimed vegan foodie from NYC with dreams to open a vegan bakery one day in the near future!” Please follow Sugar Coated Vegan on:  Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and of course the blog! Welcome Alexis!

The pepper jack cheese from Daiya sounded perfect for this yummy vegan quesadilla with pinto beans! It’s stuffed with the beans, peppers and tomatoes for a fresh twist and topped with a quick and simple salsa! There are SO MANY variations you can do with this like a mixed bean filling or stuffing it with different kinds of veggies and topping it with some fresh guacamole and vegan sour cream! I find that quesadilla or on a more broad note Mexican and Spanish foods are one of those things that you really miss when you go vegan. I swear everyone thinks it is so hard to replicate them but it really isn’t now that there are tons of vegan cheeses out there as well as easy nut based cheeses that actually melt.

These are SO QUICK and EASY to make!

I pulled these together within a few minutes and the only real waiting part is for the cheese to melt! Isn’t that the best part though?! It does take a bit for it to melt because it isn’t a traditional cheese but that problem is modified with cooking them on low for an extra amount of time so the tortilla doesn’t burn! Definitely try using a bunch of different color variety of peppers because the extra color looks so pretty in this! As you can see from the pictures I stuffed these a little too much because they’re not as thin as regular quesadilla but hey, the more the merrier! Feel free to use a whole wheat or gluten free wrap as well for an even healthier version!

Now, the salsa I made with this is not an authentic “omg I am in love” kind of salsa but a very simple one you can make when you don’t have anything else on hand. I actually used the “salsa” as a seasoning for the beans because I hate when you have smashed beans and they’re too dry so I like to add a little liquid while they’re cooking. You can definitely try adding whatever seasonings you like to it to spice it up a bit!

Guest Blogger: The Food Duo – The Pot(Luck) of the Vegan

New bloggers who blog as a couple! Meet – The Food Duo! Here they are in their own words, “We’re a couple of quirky vegan kids in NYC who play with their food! Just don’t tell our moms! Recipes, reviews, news you can use and fun stuff…all from a vegan point of view! The Food Duo is written by Macaroon (girl) and Artichoke (guy).” Keep in touch with the Food Duo on all their social media links: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram. Welcome Macaroon and Artichoke!

Sunday Potluck! Can we do this every weekend…PLEASE?

Sorry, I’m a few days late with my “Kiss Me, I’m Irish (for 24 hours)” line! Then again, if my mom’s correct, we may have some Irish blood somewhere on her side of the family, but who knows? LOL

St. Patrick’s Day certainly has its religious roots, but I’ve always grown up with it being a celebratory day with friends (old, new and those lasting a single pint). The camaraderie that comes about truly makes the day fun and festive more so than just wearing green (which I did) or watching the parade (this year, the day before). This year was no different, except the parade on Saturday the 16th, rather than Sunday the 17th. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a lovely Sunday evening at a pot luck, meeting new folks, eating good food and sharing a common bond being VEGANISM!Organized through the NYC Vegan EatUp group on Meetup.com, our evening was entitled VEGANPOTLUCKAPALOOZA! So, you know anything ending in “PALOOZA” is certain not to disappoint. The pot luck was held at Harmony Kitchen Cafe in the East Village (NYC), which is a great vegan cafe and art space, which is part of the Yippie Museum, a venue of expression and activism. It was the perfect, cozy setting, and a big thanks to David Hall, the owner, for having us! BTW, Harmony Kitchen has some of the best iced tea I’ve ever had, and Artie is in love with their coffee.

The gathering included some home chefs and professional eaters (some being one in the same…like ME). We shared dishes of hearty comfort goodness. The menu was full of deliciousness: delightful rainbow salad, perfect stuffed mushrooms with daikon, two kinds of yummy mac ‘n cheese (one gluten-free), stuffed shells with a flavorful cashew ricotta and garlic mashed potatoes with green cauliflower. The meal was topped off beautiful raw mint pie for dessert. I think we all did a bang up job!

So, you may be wondering what Artie and I made for the evening. Well, our contributions were the stuffed shells and mashed potatoes. Since we made our dishes without following a set recipe, we’ll need to work them out in written form, and share them soon, but they were pretty simple to make.

A sampling of a shell and skin-on mashed potatoes “aerial” shot

 

There isn’t much more I can say except it was great spending time with our fellow vegans, learning a little something about them and about ourselves. It was a wonderful experience and I hope we get to do this again really soon!

Oh and I’m in total love with the mint pie!

AMAZING! So happy Sarah shared the recipe. Will be making this soon for Momma Mac!

Guest Blogger: The Vegan Green – Nut Roast

Always love when new contributors join the VBU! family. Our newest member is Nicole, author of The Vegan Green, a recipe based blog from Devon, UK. As the measuring system is a little different in the UK, you’ll notice Nicole’s measurements are different. I found a converter website, click here to check out the measurement differences.  Follow Nicole on her vegan journey through her: blog, Facebook and Twitter account. Please welcome Nicole!

I thought it a good time to update the nut roast recipe that I use regularly. It is a fantastic recipe, but the method could do with some simplification!

These are the ingredients you will need:

225g cashew nuts chopped/ground
170g breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
85g plain wholemeal flour
215ml hot water
1 dessertspoon soy sauce
1 dessertspoon tomato purée
1 dessertspoon yeast extract

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Place all wet ingredients in a jug and stir until dissolved. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and really give it a good mix.

Tip into a tin of your choice. I use a cake tin because it has a removable base which makes it easier to take out and place on a plate.

Cook in the oven at 190-200C for 45-60 minutes.

Guest Blogger: A,B,C,Vegan – Cranberry Bread Salad

The holiday season is coming up and Esther from A, B, C, Vegan has a lovely Cranberry Bread Salad recipe for you. Esther took three years to transition to a full vegan lifestyle and understands the challenges new vegans encounter when they first start down this amazing path. She is now a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and plant-based nutritionist, offering personalized coaching for individuals looking to go vegan or merely incorporate some meatless meals and learn about eating healthier. She also offers menu consultation services, helping restaurants add meatless items to their menus to make more restaurants accessible for everyone.
Esther works and blogs at A,B,C,Vegan, where she helps new vegans, experienced vegans, and the merely curious explore this wonderful new world, giving inspiration, motivation, and community for a vegan lifestyle. She teaches the hows (recipes), the whys (health and compassion for animals), the whats (ingredients), and anything else readers want to see.

Esther is a graduate of the Main Street Vegan Academy, self-taught chef, soon to be graduate of the eCornell certification program in plant-based nutrition, and has her Master’s degree in teaching.

Follow her Blog, Facebook and Twitter. Welcome back Esther!

I so badly wanted to add some extra green to my Thanksgiving table, so I devised this salad. And promptly forgot to actually make it for Thanksgiving! But I had the ingredients, so I ended up making it for lunch that weekend… and the next day, and the next day, and the next day…. Yeah, it’s that good. I’ve been devouring it for over a week now and still not tired of it. It finally occurred to me what it reminds me of, and why I love it so much. My Grandpa used to make this cranberry bread for Thanksgiving, and this is basically that – in salad form. (It’s like the opposite of my green smoothies turned kale doughnuts.) Cranberries, walnuts, orange, all mixed together… it’s like the holidays in a bowl! Add this to your holiday table (works just as well for Christmas as Thanksgiving 🙂 ), and see if it doesn’t bring a little extra smile to your face. 🙂

Cranberry bread in a bowl!

Cranberry Bread Salad

Guest Blogger: In Vegetables We Trust – Portabello Stew

Please welcome back Alex of In Vegetables We Trust. This young man has a lovely blog and a very creative mind, I would highly suggest you keep an eye on his blog as I predict we are witnessing a rising star in the making. You can read his first submission HERE: Slow cooker chili, roasted butternut squash and fennel flatbreads. Follow In Vegetables We Trust‘s blog and Facebook account. Welcome back Alex!

Portabello stew:

Ingredients:
1 packet of dried Portobello mushrooms
4 carrots, sliced
2 big waxy potatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups of mushroom stock (from the rehydrated portobellos)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup or red lentils, rinsed
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons mushroom ketchup (optional)
1 tablespoon barley miso
1 teaspoon yeast extract
a dash of tamari/soy

Method:
re hydrate your mushrooms according to packet instructions using plenty of boiling water, whilst they’re rehydrating you can chop all your vegetables. once the mushrooms are rehydrated, pick them out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and put them on a plate ready to be added into the stew later and strain off two cups of the liquid to remove any small bits, use this as your stock.fry of the onion till translucent, then add the garlic and fry a little more. Add the carrots and potatoes next, followed by the lentils stock and tomato sauce. Bring to the boil and then pop the lid on and let simmer for about 20 minutes till the lentil are all cooked and the vegetables are nice and soft. Add the thyme and mix the rest of the ingredients in a measuring cup with a little water and add to the pot, cook till thickened up a bit. Serve in a deep bowl with fresh thyme.

And stuffed flat breads:

Flatbread dough recipe:

1 1/2 cups of strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting your surface when rolling, extra points for unbleached organic
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 teaspoon of dried yeast
3/4 cup of tepid water
1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus extra for greasing your baking tray and brushing over you flat bread parcels

Filling ingredients:

1 tin of mock duck, liquid drained
1 teaspoon of freshly crushed cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
olive oil for frying
Method:

Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together with a fork. in a cup dissolve your yeast in the tepid water and then pour your oil in the water. Add the liquids into the flour/salt mix gradually whilst mixing with your hands, squeeze out any lumps as they form, if the dough’s a bit wet add a touch more flour- too dry? No problem a tad more tepid water. Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and knead till it is slightly tacky, but still nice and soft. Then leave on the side in a bowl covered by a tea towel for about 45 mins. Now prepare your filling, nice and simple, rub the mock duck in the cloves and cumin, a little salt and cracked black pepper and fry up till nice and browned. When your dough is ready pop the oven onto 230c/450f and split the dough into four little balls and roll into circles on a floured surface till 3-5mm thick, place 1/4 of the filling slightly off centre and fold the dough over sealing the edges with water, place on an oiled baking tray and brush with oil. Bake for about 10-15 mins till crisp. And enjoy! Serve with pistachio sauce and lemon and red onion kale sauté to make a meal, or pop them in your lunch box cold.

Guest Blogger: V is for Vegetables – Lentils and Basmati Rice with Caramelized Onions and Spiced Pita

Please welcome back Vanessa, author of V is for Vegetables. You can read her previous post here a recipe for Zucchini Boats. Check V is for Vegetables on Twitter as well. Please welcome back Vanessa!

My new iPhone finally arrived in the mail. Can you believe the camera on it? I love how many different uses the iPhone has and the camera might be my favorite part on the new one. The camera has facial recognition technology on it which is nothing new but I loved how it kept finding faces in the rice. Do you see a man’s face to the left of the center onion ring? I didn’t see it at first until I realized my phone was trying to tag him as a person. The phone is almost too smart.

This Middle Eastern dish is often called Mujadarah which is a fancy way of saying “rice, lentils and onion.” I adapted this dish from Veganomicon, the excellent cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. The one downfall of this cookbook is the lack of pictures. When I first made this dish, I thought, “No wonder there are no pictures… This looks like kitty litter.” With a little garnish, this dish ends up looking as delicious as it tastes.

Ingredients for rice, lentils and onion:

• 3 large red onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup long-grain basmati rice (brown or white), rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• Basil leaves for garnish

Directions for rice, lentils and onion:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lay the onion rings flat and separated in a large roasting pan. Toss in olive oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes until translucent and slightly burnt.

3. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add rice, cinnamon, allspice, and cumin. Return to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Uncover and gently stir in the lentils. Bring to a boil again then lower heat, cover and simmer. Cook until all water is absorbed. For me, this takes 12-15 minutes. Allow the dish to cool for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.

5. Fold in the caramelized onions, garnish with basil leaves and serve with pita bread.

Ingredients for spiced pita:

• 4 whole wheat pitas
• 4 Tbsp olive oil for brushing
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Directions for spiced pita:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice the pita bread into 1/8ths like a pizza.

3. Combine olive oil with the seasonings. Brush the mixture onto the insides of each pita crisp.

4. Spread the pita crisps out on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until light brown.

Serves 4-6

Slightly adapted from: Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Guest Blogger: Earthgiven Kitchen – Tomato Cashew Pasta

Please welcome back Sarina from Earthgiven Kitchen, formerly called Earthgiven. Please see her previous contribution post called “Kale is the new bacon”. For this post Sarina will delight us with a vegan gluten free recipe for Tomato Cashew Pasta! Join Earthgiven Kitchen’s blog and Facebook page.

A spin on traditional tomato sauce by adding creamy, nutritious cashews. This recipe was inspired by Vegan Yum Yum’s Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta.

Tomato Cashew Pasta

1 package (454 gm) pasta (we like Tinkyada rice pasta best)
1/2 cup cashews
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp oil
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 1/2 – 2 cups tomato sauce (we like Neal Brothers Arrabiata sauce)
4 large basil leaves, minced
black pepper

Soak the cashew in filtered water for at least one hour, then drain and rinse. (You can read here why nuts should be soaked first.) If you’re short on time, you can soak them in hot water for ten minutes but the longer, the better.

While the pasta is cooking, sautée the garlic in the oil. When soft, combine the garlic and cashews in a food processor until pulverized. Drain the cooked pasta and return the hot pot back to the stove. On low heat, warm 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce, then add the sun-dried tomatoes, cashew and garlic. Add more tomato sauce if you want to thin the sauce (it will make it lower in fat, calories and protein). Add the basil leaves and stir. Pour in the drained pasta and turn gently to coat. Serve topped with black pepper and extra basil leaves if desired.

This is Vegan MoFo post #5!

Guest Blogger: A House Full of Health – Such a busy day! Testing!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to my fellow Canucks. Hope everyone is enjoying the magic that is Vegan Mofo. Please welcome back a veteran VBU! contributor – Marsha, author of the blog A House Full of Health. You can see her first post for VBU! here, second and third. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and of course her blog. Welcome back Marsha!

First day of Vegan Mofo and here I am blogging at 7pm! Yes, I’m behind! But, let me tell you about my day.

I woke 12 hours ago ready to start my day. For the last 2 weeks I’ve been “testing” recipes for a business venture I’m looking to pursue. Plant-Based Personal Chef. Today was another testing day. My steps are simple. Go grocery shopping, pick up fresh bread (if needed), cook, package, dishes (interlaced throughout the day). Sounds easy, right?

Wow! It’s hard work! Rewarding. But, taxing. Maybe I’m just getting old??!!

Last night I took some time to prepare my menu for the week. I used to do this on Thursday evening to subsequently shop on Fridays but with shopping on Mondays, for the time being, busily worked on it last night. Anyway, when preparing a menu I decide on what we will be having for dinner each night as well as ingredients I need to get and at which store. I then wrote down each item I would be cooking including all the “kitchen gadgets,” I would need and all the ingredients for each. This makes it easier to know how many total carrots (or other item) I would need. This makes prep that much easier.

Menu:

Monday: BBQ Ranch Quinoa Salad. This is a recipe I was so excited to try off of Wendy Polisi’s page Cooking Quinoa.  This is to be served with chips and salsa. Guacamole too!

Tuesday: Since I’ve gotten in the habit of salads on Tuesdays I’m keeping with the theme. Big Ole Salad night! With a Country French bread.

Wednesday: Pita sandwich. Filled with a quinoa, chickpea salad. With black-eyed pea hummus. Sweet potato fries as a side dish.

Thursday: Chili (oh yes! It’s that time of year again. I can finalize my recipe!) with rice. Cornbread as a side dish.

Friday: Spaghetti with “meatballs.” Garlic bread as a side

Saturday: Tunisian Bean Stew with Country French Bread. Salad as a side dish. I was wanting to use pumpkin since it’s October and all so I found a great recipe on Susan’s website, Fat Free Vegan.

Sunday: Roasted Squash stuffed with quinoa. Cranberry green beans (getting ready for Thanksgiving too!) as a side dish.

One thing I learned in Culinary School (among many, of course) was getting everything ready for prep. Mis En Place. If I need carrots for 4 of my recipes it would be best to get them all prepped at once. It does seem to make things a tad easier.

I felt as though I had an assembly line going on for produce. I had 7 onions to cut!

One of my favorite kitchen gadgets, my egg slicer. Although, I never use it for eggs. Funny, huh? I use it for mushrooms. Sometimes black or green olives. It’s so convenient and easy to use!

For my chili I roast up some red bell peppers and jalapenos. Today, I did something a little differently. I cut the red bells into large slices. The jalapeno, I cut in half. I roasted that way, it was actually easier than doing them whole. I love roasted veggies!

I believe I sauteed a pound a half of mushrooms today. I guess I like to incorporate mushrooms. They are so flavorful, meaty, and full of great nutritious value.

Today’s cook took 8 hours. That’s not including the 2 hours it took to shop. I’m still learning and I’ve realized this one every recipe I chose had many components. Each one took longer than anticipated which is why my 5-6 hour cook time ended up being extended. I’m in learning mode, that’s for sure.

But!

I’m wiped!

We are certainly prepared for the week. And, the hubby got dinner on the table tonight. He did the finishing touches so I could spend some time with my little one.

This is why I do this! More time with the family. So, yes, a little late on my blog but I have a good excuse, right? And, I now have dinner for the week! Yay!

What time savers do you do in the kitchen?

Do you ever prepare meals ahead of time?

Marsha
~PlantStrongMoma
http://www.ahousefullofhealth.blogspot.com
http://www.ahousefullofhealth.com