Rhymes With Vegan

creamy italian eggplant rolls

let's cut to the chase...it's been a very long winter here in minnesota, but alas, spring has finally arrived.  in honor of this changing of the guards, i threw together my final farewell to drab, cold and gray with a comforting italian aria.

(this is also a great alternative to using noodles)

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

creamy eggplant rolls

1 medium eggplant

3 cloves garlic - minced

½ sweet onion – minced

1 bag spinach

1 block firm tofu

1 jar pasta sauce

1 large can chopped tomatoes

¼ cup red wine

TVP (optional)

olive oil

salt

pepper

toothpicks

 

drain your tofu and set aside.

peel the eggplant skin entirely.  thinly slice (the long way), sprinkle with salt and let sit for an hour, to get as much water out as possible.

heat pot on medium/low; add garlic and onion until transparent.  add your spinach and cook until soft but still bright green.  remove from heat and drain excess water with spoon.

combine the tofu, garlic and spinach mixture.  add a little salt and pepper and flavor to your liking.

in another pot add your chopped tomatoes, wine, tvp (optional) and sauce and let simmer until flavors combine.

put a spoonful of mixture onto eggplant peel, roll, stab a toothpick in and put into baking dish.  continue until all rolls are finished. 

add your sauce on top and throw into a 375 degree oven (covered) for about an hour.  remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes.  if you find that there is still more water, try to spoon it out after baking.

remove from oven; let cool.

serve with red wine.

enjoy!

creamy wild rice and cranberry casserole

well, it's that time of year when we start thinking about what to bring to those holiday gatherings.  it can be especially difficult when your family and friends stick with the same old traditional menu leaving you out in the cold.

i whipped together this dish the other night in honor of the gorgeous and authentic wild rice gift we received from a wonderful family friend.  this is NOT your run of the mill, grocery store wild rice, this here my friends is the real deal.  

an unwavering nutty smell, a soft yet chewy texture and a beautiful grey color, just like the autumn skies.

this is sure to become a holiday staple in your home!

 

creamy wild rice and cranberry casserole

2 cups protein (tofu, tofurky, seitan or field roast) - cubed

1 1/2 cup wild rice - cooked

1/2 onion - chopped

2 cloves garlic - minced

3 cups no-chikn stock

2 tbsp corn starch - thinned with water (for thickening)

2 celery ribs - chopped

1 carrot - diced

3/4 cup dry sherry

1 cup dried cranberries (you could also use fresh if you have the time)

1 pinch of crushed red pepper

1/2 cup sliced, raw almonds (reserve 2 tbsp for topping)

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

in a large skillet, heat your olive oil.  add the crushed red pepper, onions and garlic and let cook til transparent and pepper has infused.  add your celery, carrots and dry sherry.  add salt and pepper to taste and reduce until the veggies are al dente.

in a small saucepan, bring your stock to a boil and add your corn starch slowly until it thickens to a little lighter than a gravy.

in another large mixing bowl combiine your wild rice, cranberries, almonds and protein; toss well.  you can now combine all ingredients together. if you need to add more liquid (if it seems too dry), repeat the steps of thickening a stock and adding the additional liquid. (the idea is to get it really creamy)

top with your reserved sliced almonds, a handful of cranberries and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling.

remove, let cool and serve with a delicious green salad and a crisp white wine.

enjoy!

cannellini chowder w/ shallot chips and chili oil

the weather has been a bit strange this spring.  one day it's gorgeous and sunny; the next rainy and dreary. i cooked up this chowder because of the wet, chilly damp air we have had the past couple of weeks.

and... it was suprisingly delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cannellini chowder w/ shallot chips and chili oil

chowder

2 16 oz. cans cannellini beans (be sure to drain and rinse)

1 yellow onion - diced

2 ribs of celery - chopped

2 lareg carrots – chopped

2 cups diced potatoes (peeled)

3 large cloves garlic – minced

2 cups chopped chikn (you can use seitan or your favorite chicken substitute….or baked tofu!)

vegetable or no-chicken stock (enough to cover to 3 inches above ingredients…you may need to add a little water if it gets too thick)

2 bay leaves

olive oil

salt

cracked  black pepper

½ cup cashew cream (or your favorite creamer)

handful of chopped fresh parsley leaves 

shallot chips

2 large shallots - thinly sliced

canola oil (enough to fry your shallots)

salt and pepper

chili oil

crushed red pepper

olive oil

in a small bowl, combine 2-3 tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes and ¼ cup olive oil.  set aside.

heat a tbsp or so of oil in a pot over medium-high heat; add the onion, celery, carrot and cook until starting to soften, about 2-4 minutes.  turn heat down to medium, stir in the garlic.  cook another few minutes, but do not let the garlic brown.  add your potatoes, chikn, stock, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and beans and bring to a boil; turn heat down and simmer 20-30 minutes (uncovered). 

while the soup is simmering, heat some canola oil and add your shallot slices until they just bring to brown.  remove immediately and set on paper towels to soak up the oil.

when the soup is finished simmering, turn the heat off, remove the bay leaves and stir in the cream and fresh parsley. (soup will thicken upon removal of heat)

ladle into your favorite soup bowl and garnish with a few shallot chips and drizzle with chili oil.

serve with a glass of crisp white wine.

enjoy!

vegan "beef" style tagine w/chickpeas and rutabaga

tagines in moroccan cuisine are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender "meat" with aromatic vegetables and sauce.

in my opinion, the most important parts of the dish are the spices you use...

  crushed red pepper

cumin

 cinnamon

 turmeric

and presentation...

vegan “beef” style tagine w/ chickpeas and rutabaga

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp turmeric

½ rutabaga – peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces

1 16oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

2 small cans mock duck – drained and rinsed

1 cup dried cranberries

3 shallots

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic – minced

½ cup red wine

4 cups veg broth (reserve 2 cups to use while cooking)

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

salt and pepper

parsley for garnish

combine your spices and mock duck in a medium bowl and coat.

heat your oil in a medium to large pot (a dutch oven works really well) add your mock duck, shallots and garlic for 1-2 minutes. 

add your broth, cranberries, red wine, paste and tomatoes and bring to boil.  add your chickpeas, rutabaga  and salt - simmer for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

add additional stock as needed while cooking. 

you do not have to use all of the stock but as the dish cooks down you may feel the need to add a little more depending upon how much sauce you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

once the flavors have completely melded together and the rutabaga is tender, feel free to serve.  I served mine with a light quinoa and spinach dish.

garnish with fresh cut parsley

serve with white wine.

enjoy!

 

creamy vegan triple BLT

thanks to my kick-ass mother, this vegan BLT is sure to please (even the meat eaters in your life!)

warm, creamy, flavorful and so very easy to make.

 

creamy vegan triple  BLT

wheat bread

head of iceberg lettuce

3 medium tomatoes - sliced

2 cups veganaise

1 cup baco chips

drop of liquid smoke

salt and cracked black pepper

pickle spears

green olives

salty chips

re-hydrate your baco chips in hot water for 10 minutes, until they have softened.

in a medium mixing bowl combine veganaise, re-hydrated baco chips and the liquid smoke. let sit for 30 minutes or longer (if possible).

build in this order (it’s as simple as a-h):

a)   toasted bread

b)   slather of “bacony” mayo

c)   lettuce

d)   salt and peppered tomato

e)   toasted bread with “bacony” mayo on both sides

f)    lettuce

g)   salt and peppered tomato

h)   toasted bread with final slather of “bacony” mayo

garnish with a green olive, pickle spear and salty chips.

serve with a dark beer.

enjoy!

 

smoky squash and "ham" style soup

the 3rd in our trilogy of squash.

sweet and salty never tasted so good!

smoky squash and “ham” style soup

1 medium sized butternut squash – peeled and diced

1 medium yellow onion – chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves - minced

2 tbsp earth balance

1 cup fake bacon or bacos

1  tbsp brown sugar

4 cups no-chicken broth

3 scallions for garnish – chopped

¼ tsp liquid smoke

freshly ground black pepper

salt

heat oven to 400.

on a baking sheet toss your squash with 2 tbsp olive oil.  add a little salt and pepper and bake until soft, approximately 15-20 minutes.

remove from oven.

in a large pot add onion and 2 tbsp olive oil; cook until translucent, add garlic and cook for another 3 minutes..

add squash and stock into pot. bring to a simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

with an immersion blender, puree soup until silky smooth.  add your fake bacon, liquid smoke and earth balance; cook another 10-12 minutes on low. (if the puree is too thick, add a little more broth to thin it out)

season lightly with salt and crushed black pepper and garnish with fresh scallions.

serve with white wine.

enjoy!

 

mostaccioli w/ butternut squash sauce and brown buttered walnuts

for the past few weeks i have had these 2 butternut squash just staring at me in the kitchen.  each day i would pass them by not knowing what it was I wanted to do with them.  then, just like that i'm in the kitchen like a wild child and voila, 3 different dishes appeared before me!  i was thrilled and my partner was overjoyed as she sipped on wine and enjoyed sample after sample as the whirlwind cooking progressed.

of course i did make a squash soup which i have posted about before, but this time around i added some "bacon" to give it a nice smoky flavor.  i will post that next week.

so the trio of posts begin.

today's post?

mostaccioli w/ butternut squash sauce and brown buttered walnuts

 mostaccioli w/ butternut squash sauce and brown buttered walnuts

serves 4

1 medium sized butternut squash

½ yellow onion - chopped

1 scallion - chopped

2 cloves garlic – minced

2 carrots – chopped

2 celery ribs - chopped

2 1/2 cups veg stock

½ cup white wine

3 tbsp earth balance

1 tsp smoked paprika

handful of walnuts – chopped

fresh basil

salt and pepper

turn your oven to 375.

on a large baking sheet lay your squash (after cutting in ½ and de-seeding) face side down.  add 1-2 cups water; just enough to creep up the sides of the squash so as not to burn or dry out.

put in oven for 20-30 minutes; depending upon your oven.

In the meantime, prepare your veggies and begin your stock.  bring your stock to a boil for 5 minutes after adding the veggies, garlic and white wine.  let simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until veggies are cooked soft.  the broth should reduce a bit to add room for the squash.

once the squash is finished and can easily be pierced with a fork you can scoop out in the internal part and add to the stock.

cook your pasta until al dente; use approximately 2 cups uncooked.

in a small saucepan, add 1 tbsp. earth balance and your walnuts.  cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until browned.  remove from heat and set aside.

using an immersion blender (or food processor) blend all of your stock and squash together.  It should begin to thicken (if for some reason it’s too runny, add a little flour).  add your smoked paprika, 1 2 tbsp. earth balance and salt and pepper to taste.

toss the pasta with the fresh sauce and top with fresh basil, scallions and brown buttered walnuts.

because the flavors are so subtle, serve with a crisp white wine.

enjoy!

 

soupe aux oignons et champignons, à la française

in honor of the great julia child, i felt inspired to make one of the most delicious soups around, french onion.

it truly is one of those soups that i could sit and eat forever.  the deep, rich broth and the sweetness of the onions creates one mouthful of joy after another.

paired with the infamous Daiya mozzarella style (doctored up, of course!) and day old baguette makes for the perfect chilly autumn dinner, or side dish, or appetizer or breakfast!

i added finely chopped cremini to help enhance the earthy, "meaty" broth

 

 

french onion and mushroom soup

serves approximately 6

3 large yellow onions – thinly sliced

1 large package cremini mushrooms – finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic – minced

1 cup dark beer 

1-2 tbsp flour

4 cups water

½ cup dry sherry

1 tsp thyme (in an herb bag)

1 bay leaf

olive oil

2 tbsp silk creamer

2 tbsp veg bouillon (better than bouillon brand)

1 tsp kitchen bouquet (thickener/darkener)

1 baguette

2 cups daiya mozzarella style

4 tbsp earth balance

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

salt and pepper

 

in a large pot, cook onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp earth balance  and 1 tsp olive oil uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, and mushrooms are browned.

add flour and beer. cook for 1 minute creating a thick sauce.

stir in dry sherry and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

in a separate pot, make your veg broth with the water and bouillon.  cook for 1 minute and then add broth to onion/mushroom mixture and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes.  add the kitchen bouquet to reach the deep color needed.

while soup simmers preheat oven to 350°F.

in another small pot combine Daiya with the garlic powder, pinch of salt and onion powder. then add the silk over a low to medium heat, creating a wet cheese mixture.  remove and set aside.

put sliced bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until lightly browned. remove from oven once browned.

turn heat to 450 degrees.

discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and add soup to bowls.  add 1 piece of browned baguette and top each off with ¼ cup of Daiya and spice mixture.

cook until “cheese” is melted, then brush a little earth balance on the top of each and continue to cook until “cheese” begins to brown.

remove and serve right away with a deep red wine.

enjoy!

bella Steaks w/ bearnaise and baby reds tossed with caramelized onions and red pepper flakes

OK, I know that I disappeared for a very long time (i will explain my absence very soon) but I am back and ready for some more cooking.  This meal has been one of my favorites i whipped up one summer evening.

I love the richly flavored marinated bella steaks, and really? vegan bearnaise sauce?  HEAVEN.

Of course the baby reds simply boiled and tossed with a glaze of olive oil, caramelized onions and red pepper flakes makes a kick-ass side for this meal.

You can serve it as a sandwich, or on a bed of lightly sauteed spinach.

D-lish.

bella Steaks w/ bearnaise and baby reds tossed with caramelized onions and red pepper flakes

for the marinade:

2 tbsp mushroom flavored soy sauce

2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup red wine

2 cloves garlic – minced

¼ cup yellow onion – chopped

½ tsp cracked black pepper

4 large portabella mushrooms (stemmed and cleaned)

 

in a large pan or bag combine all ingredients and put cleaned mushrooms in and let sit for 1 hour.

 

for potatoes:

8 medium sized baby reds

2 tbsp olive oil

1 whole yellow onion (chopped and caramelized)

1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

*2 tbsp daiya vegan cheese (mozz style)

 

bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  toss in your cleaned baby reds and let cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.  remove immediately and toss with olie oil, red pepper flakes, caramelized onions, vegan cheese and salt and pepper.

 

for sautéed greens:

1 lb spinach – cleaned

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

 

in a sauté pan, bring oil to temp, toss in spinach and olive oil and cook until tender.  salt and pepper to taste.

 

for béarnaise sauce:

½ cup vegan butter

¼ nutritional yeast

¼ tsp turmeric

3 tbsp soy cream

¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon

2 tbsp dry sherry (mat need more, depending upon your liking)

salt and pepper

 

in a small saucepan, heat butter on low till melted, then add your nutritional yeast, soy cream and dry sherry.  whisk together until it forms a smooth cream sauce.  feel free to add more soy cream if needed, should it become too thick.  toss in the tarragon, turmeric, salt and pepper and whisk again.  remove from heat and serve right away.

 

serve with a deep red wine.

enjoy!

 

 

creamy white bean and basil stuffed cannelloni w/ fresh kalamata olive red sauce

this was one of those dishes my brain created and i just had to see it through.  i wouldn't rest until this dish was made, success or failure, it was a done deal for me.

you see, i kept craving something comforting and warm, and pasta always seems to satisfy that need.  but i didn't want your basic run of the mill angel hair or spaghetti, i wanted something creamy and rich. 

something that would satisfy all of my senses. 

folks, meet the meal that will satisfy all of those things, and then some.

 

creamy white bean and basil stuffed cannelloni w/ fresh kalamata olive red sauce

 

serves 3-4

6 cannelloni pasta shells

1 can white beans (14.5 oz.)

1 1/2 cups fresh basil (reserve 1 tbsp for garnish)

3 cloves garlic – minced

½ vidalia onion - chopped

¼ cup white wine

1 ½ cups stock (have a little extra available for the beans if needed)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

¼ cup red wine

3 tbsp kalamata olives – chopped

crushed red pepper

silk creamer (optional)

olive oil

salt

pepper

 

in a medium sized pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  add ½ your garlic and onions, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are transparent.  add your can of beans, 1 cup basil, stock and ½ tbsp crushed red pepper.  cook and reduce down.  if need be, add a little more stock.  once you get to a semi-thick consistency, you can remove and let cool.

in a skillet, heat up 2 tbsp olive oil, and add the rest of your garlic, onions, salt and pepper.  add your chopped tomatoes, red wine, ¼ cup basil and crushed red pepper.  bring to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.  you can now add your tomato paste to thicken.  add your kalamata olives and let cook another 10 minutes.

in a large pot of boiling, salted water add your pasts shells and cook until al dente, remove and drain.

with an immersion blender, blend your white bean mixture until smooth and creamy.  you can use a little silk creamer for extra creaminess, if needed.

fill each pasta shell with the bean mixture.  top with the kalamata red sauce and garnish with fresh basil and crushed red pepper. 

serve with a crisp white wine.

enjoy!