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!

curried asparagus sticks w/ parsley pesto

honey, I’m home!

yes, I have been absent for quite some time, and I must apologize profusely to my fellow followers.  I’m sure by now you have long forgotten about this lil ‘ol site, but I'm back and I'm ready for, well, something new.

but first let me explain a little of why I have been MIA:

1. Lost my job
2. Got a new full-time job (which I love…helping serve those who are disenfranchised…more about that later)
3. Bought a house (our first house!)
4. Added a new member to our family (No, not an actual child, more like a rescued German Shepherd…pics to come)
5. Travelled
6. Turned 40
7. Started a rock band (GPR…coming to a city near you)

so, if that isn’t good enough reasoning as to why I’ve been absent, well I just don’t know what is.

now, as for that “something new” I mentioned earlier.  in the next few weeks you are going to see some changes to my site, my vision, and how it is executed.

I’m going to start cooking the way I do off camera, and that is from the heart.  using little ideas to make big meals and to do it off the cuff. no recipes. no restraints. and no rights or wrongs.

hopefully you are as excited about this as I am.

so, welcome back to me, to you, and to the new RWV.

now, on to the food...

curried asparagus sticks w/ parsley pesto

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• whole wheat flour (enough to get a medium thick batter)
• 1/2 bottle dark beer
• curry powder - 1 tbsp
• cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp
• salt - pinch
• cracked black pepper - pinch
• paprika (for color) - pinch

*combine ingredients, submerge each asparagus spear and drop in hot oil until golden brown

for pesto:

• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 tbsp purple basil
• 1 head of garlic - roasted to a caramel color
• olive oil
• handful of roasted pine nuts
• a small pour of dry white wine (optional)

*put all ingredients together and blend until thickened - add more wine for less thickness

serve with a glass of 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!

 

quinoa, artichoke and kalamata salad

after stuffing my face with tons of holiday crud, i wanted something light but fulfilling.  something salty with hint of zest.  

this did just the trick.

quinoa, artichoke and kalamata salad

serves 6

salad

4 cups prepared quinoa

6 oz. fresh spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove – minced

2 cups walnuts – chopped and toasted

½ cup kalamata olives – chopped

1 ½ cups marinated artichoke hearts - chopped

1 scallion - chopped

salt and pepper to taste

dressing

1/2 large lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

in a medium bowl combine your dressing ingredients; whisk together until smooth and slightly creamy.  set aside.

in a large skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil and your minced garlic.  add your spinach, a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until wilted.

remove and put in colander to drain excess water.

on a large mixing bowl combine your quinoa with your artichokes, olives, spinach and walnuts.  add your dressing and mix well.  add salt and pepper to taste.

chill for 1 hour.

garnish with fresh scallions and lemon zest..

serve with pinot grigio.

enjoy!

coffee coated butternut squash with caramelized walnuts

ok, on to option #2 in the trio of butternut squash recipes.

even kids will like this!

(if you really felt adventurous, you could serve this with a small bowl of soy ice cream)

coffee coated butternut squash with caramelized walnuts

 

1 medium sized butternut squash

4 tbsp earth balance

handful of walnuts – chopped

1  cup brown sugar

¼ cup day old black coffee

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp olive oil

pre-heat your oven to 400.

peel your squash, slice in ½ and de-seed.  cut the squash into bite size cubes.

in a medium bowl combine the coffee, maple syrup, molasses and ½ cup of the brown sugar.

toss the squash with the oil and ½ of the mixture.

on a large baking sheet lay your squash evenly spread out.

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

in the meantime, prepare your walnuts.  in a medium size skillet heat your walnuts with 2 tbsp of the earth balance and the rest of the brown sugar.  slowly cook on low until brown and caramelized

once the squash is finished and can easily be pierced with a fork remove from oven.

toss the remaining mixture, the rest of the earth balance and the walnuts.

serve with a cup of hot coffee.

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!

 

 

quinua estilo español (or, spanish style quinoa)

just a new, healthier twist on an old favorite...feel free to jazz it up however you see fit!

spanish style quinoa

 

1-cup quinoa

2 cups broth (of your choice)

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 small Vidalia onion – diced

1 green pepper - chopped

1 red pepper – chopped

1 small can medium tomato/onion salsa

1 15oz. crushed tomatoes

1 small can of green chilies

½ tsp cayenne

½ tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

for garnish

½ cup fresh chopped tomatoes

¾ cup fresh cilantro – chopped

cook quinoa according to package directions, using broth instead of water; set aside.

brown onion, garlic and peppers pepper in olive oil.

add crushed tomatoes,  tomato salsa, green chilies, salt, black pepper, cayenne, red pepper, cumin and chili powder; saute for 5-7 minutes, or until spices have thoroughly combined.

 

combine the quinoa with all ingredients; heat through another 5-7 minutes, and transfer to serving bowl.

garnish with fresh tomatoes and cilantro.

serve with a cold beer.

a vegan thanksgiving day 2

for my second thanksgiving idea, i present creamy smashed baby reds with a white wine, carrot and rosemary gravy.

can we say yum?

 

creamy smashed baby reds w/ white wine, carrot and rosemary gravy

 

for potatoes

8-10 medium sized baby reds – peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 tbsp. vegan butter 

handful of fresh chives - chopped

½ cup soy creamer 

salt and pepper 

½ cup vegan sour cream 

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

 

for gravy

½ yellow onion – chopped

1 clove garlic – chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

3 carrots – chopped into larger pieces

1 celery rib – chopped

3 1/2 cups broth – veggie or no-chicken (reserve ½ cup for thinning of gravy)

1 tbsp fresh rosemary – chopped

1/2 cup white wine

salt and pepper to taste

 

in a stockpot, heat your oil and add your onions and garlic.  cook until transparent.  add your carrots and celery and broth.  cook until the carrots are very tender, approximately 10-15 minutes on a low/medium heat. 

in the meantime, peel and chop potatoes into small cubes. place into boiling salted water and cook until easily pierced  with a fork. drain. 

add vegan butter and soy creamer, and mash until smooth. add garlic powder, salt, and 

pepper to taste. add sour cream until desired texture is achieved. fold in chopped chives. 

now, with an immersion blender, blend the contents of your carrot/celery mixture together very well; until pureed.  add the white wine and rosemary and cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until all of the favors have blended together. Add salt and pepper to taste to your liking.  use the ½ cup of hot broth reserved to thin the gravy should it be too thick.

garnish with fresh chives.

enjoy!