Smoky Lentil Tempeh Sloppy Joes

I realized when taking a picture of the final product for this recipe, that it's hard to make a sloppy joe look pretty in a picture.  A sloppy joe is a sloppy joe when it comes to looks, but they aren't all equal in yum.  This recipe was inspired by Lentil Seitan Sloppy Joes from the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin

Smoky Lentil Tempeh Sloppy Joes
Makes 6 big sloppy joes
8 oz package of tempeh
1 15 oz can lentils, rinsed and drained
2 t olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/2 c chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 c tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
1 chili in adobo sauce, chopped and seeds removed
2 T cider vinegar
1 t vegan worcestershire sauce
1 t mustard
1 T molasses
1 1/2 T brown rice syrup
salt and pepper

6 whole wheat buns
pickles

Cut the tempeh into small pieces.  Place a steamer basket into a medium saucepan and add water until it almost reaches the steamer basket.  Add the tempeh and cover with a tight fitting lid.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low-steam for about 15 minutes.

While the tempeh is steaming, make the sauce.  In a medium bowl, mix the tomato sauce, chili in adobo, tomato paste, cider vinegar, worcestershire  sauce, mustard, molasses, and brown rice syrup until well combined.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, peppers, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes, until veggies are softened. 

Add the garlic and steamed tempeh, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.  Add the lentils and sauce and reduce heat to low.  Cover and heat through for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The tempeh and lentils will absorb the flavors from the sauce.  Serve with buns and pickles. 

Vegan Truffled Mushroom Grilled Cheese

I bought a little jar of white truffle oil to see what all the truffle buzz is about and it's pretty good stuff.  So far, I've only used it with mushroom dishes and this one is no exception.  I was debating between making a pizza and sandwich, and the sandwich won this time.  These can be made in a panini maker, in a toaster oven, or in a pan like traditional grilled cheese.  This would also make a delicious pizza, just use a pizza crust instead of bread.

Vegan Truffled Mushroom Grilled Cheese
Makes 6 sandwich rounds or 3 larger sandwiches

8 oz mushrooms sliced (I used button, but this would taste great with any variety)
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/2 T olive oil
2 t truffle oil
salt and pepper
6 T vegan mozzarella cheese (I used Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds)
a big handful of spinach leaves
6 sandwich rounds (I used Rudi's Organic Whole Wheat Sandwich Flatz) or 6 large slices of bread

Make the mushrooms:

In a medium/large sized pan, over medium heat, cook the olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot for 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and the shallots are softened.  Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and truffle oil and give it a stir.

Assemble the sandwiches:
If using sandwich rounds, divide the mushroom mixture on 6 halves of the rounds or if using larger bread, on 3 pieces of the bread.  Top each of the 6 rounds with 1 T of vegan cheese, or top the 3 pieces of larger bread with 2 T each of vegan cheese.  Top each one with some spinach and put the other slice of bread on top to assemble the sandwiches.

In a pan sprayed with cooking spray, grill each side over medium/medium low heat for about 3 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and serve.

Split Pea Soup

It's the beginning of hot soup season!  I picked up some leeks, potatoes, and a beautiful bunch of fall herbs on Saturday at the farmers market from my favorite chemical free farmers and made split pea soup in the crock pot.  It will make your house smell so savory while it's cooking, mmmmm!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Split Pea Soup
Makes 12 Cups
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups split peas rinsed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 c diced carrots
1 c diced celery including leaves, use the inside core if possible
2 1/2 c chopped, cleaned leeks (see below)
2 c potatoes, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes
1 T fresh thyme leaves
1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 T fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 t celery salt
1/2 t black pepper

Cut the dark green tough ends off the leeks.  Slice the white/light green/tender part of the leek in half length wise, then chop into 1/4 inch slices:

Soak the slices in a bowl of water and separate the slices with your fingers.  Rinse and drain them several times to remove the grit.

Add the leeks, and all of the listed ingredients to a crock pot.  Cook on high for 4 hours. Soup is done when the veggies are soft, and the peas blend in to the rest of the soup.  Season with pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Burritos

Burrito or fajita night for us typically means this recipe.  They are not very spicy, so for those of you that would like to add a kick, sprinkle some cayenne pepper on the sweet potatoes or add a little chipotle pepper in adobo to the quinoa when you are cooking it.
On Cooking and Ingredients

Sweet Potato Burritos

Makes 8 burritos

8-8 inch whole wheat flour tortillas

1 large sweet potato or yam (I like it better with the orange sweet potatoes, not the light ones)

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 t chili powder

sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

1/2 c vegan mayo

2 T taco sauce

1/2 T organic taco seasoning

1 large onion, cut in half and sliced

1 large red pepper, sliced thin

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 can organic black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup organic frozen sweet corn

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups lightly packed spinach, roughly chopped

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 1/2 cups quiona, cooked following package instructions (if you'd like a kick, add a little chipolte in adobo sauce to the quiona while it cooks)

Optional: cilantro, avocado, salsa

Make the sweet potatoes:

Cut the sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes.  Toss with oil, chili powder, and cayenne if using.  Place in a roasting pan and roast in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, then stir, and bake for 5-15 minutes longer until potatoes are soft, but not mushy.

Make the sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayo, taco sauce, and taco seasoning.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Saute the veggies:

In a large frying pan, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced onions and peppers and saute until tender-crisp, about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Make the bean mixture:

In a medium sauce pan, over medium/low heat, saute the oil and garlic for 3 minutes or until slightly soft.  Add the corn and black beans to the pan and heat through.  Stir in the spinach and continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes until the spinach is slightly wilted.  Remove from heat. 

Assemble the burritos: Divide the quinoa, sweet potatoes, onions/peppers, bean/spinach mixture, among each of the tortillas.  Drizzle some sauce over each one.  Serve with cilantro, salsa, and avocado.

Spring Roll Salad

Vegetarian spring rolls are so good, but I find that it takes patience to make them. Getting the roll in a good form and not breaking the wrapper are two challenges that can be avoided by making spring roll salad!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Spring Roll Salad

Makes 2 really big salads, or 4 sides

Tofu

10 oz drained tofu (see instructions: http://www.verveggie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-08-27T17:38:00-05:00&max-results=5 )

1 T canola oil

1 T sweet chili sauce

1 T tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

Dressing

1/4 c brown rice vinegar

2 T brown rice syrup

1 T sweet chili sauce (or more to taste)

Salad

4 oz skinny brown rice noodles or vermicelli

2 T rough chopped mint leaves

3/4 c shredded or finely sliced carrots

2 c shredded cabbage

Garnish

3 T peanuts

green onions

gomasio (crushed seaweed, sesame seeds, sea salt)

Cook 4 oz of noodles according to package directions.  Rinse the noodles in cold water and set aside.

Make the tofu:

In a medium sized oven safe dish, mix the canola oil, chili sauce, and tamari.  Cut the drained tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and place into the dish with the sauce.  Toss the tofu until well coated.  Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Give it a stir and then bake for 10 more minutes.  Cool the tofu.

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl, mix the brown rice vinegar, brown rice syrup, and chili sauce.  Whisk until well combined.  Add more chili sauce to taste if you would like more heat.

Make the salad:

In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, carrots, cooled tofu, cooled noodles, and mint leaves.  Add the dressing and toss well.  Add peanuts, gomasio, and green onions and serve.

Vegan Southwest Tempeh Rueben

I love sauerkraut and my uncle makes the best I've ever tasted-it's just fermented cabbage and salt and I eat it right out of the jar, just thinking about it makes my mouth water!  Reuben sandwiches typically aren't vegan friendly, but this one is.  Yum!

On Cooking And Ingredients

Vegan Southwest Tempeh Reuben
Makes 3 sandwiches
1 8 oz package of tempeh
1 t vegetable oil
1 cup sauerkraut
6 slices of sprouted grain bread
6 tomato slices
1/2 of an avocado, sliced thinly
4T vegan mayo
1 chili in adobo sauce, chopped finely
1 T chopped cilantro

Slice the tempeh in half length-wise, then slice them into four pieces.  Heat the oil in a non-stick or cast iron pan to medium heat.  Add the tempeh slices and cook on each side until they are browned-about 5-7 minutes on each side.

While the tempeh is cooking, make the sauce.  In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayo, the chili in adobo, and cilantro.
Toast the bread slices.  Spread a little sauce on each slice (it is pretty spicy).  To 3 of the slices of toast, add 2 tomatoes, 2-3 avocado slices, 2-3 pieces of tempeh, and 1/3 cup of sauerkraut.  Serve right away.

Cucumber, Cabbage, and Tofu Chopped Salad

I share a community garden plot with my mom and she picked the first done cucumber and gave it to me, that was very nice of her:)  I used the cucumber and a small head of purple cabbage from the farmers market to make this yummy salad.......

On Cooking and Ingredients

Cucumber, Cabbage, and Tofu Chopped Salad

4-6 side dish servings

Tofu

1 15 oz block of tofu, drained, and cut into half inch cubes

1 T tamari (wheat free soy sauce) or 1 T Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/2 T olive oil

1 T brown rice vinegar

1 t maple syrup

Dressing

1 t grated ginger

1 t grated garlic

1 T tamari

2 T brown rice vinegar

1/2 t toasted sesame oil

1 t agave or other sweetener

Salad

2 c chopped cabbage

2 c cucumber chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 c tofu recipe 

Optional Garnishes

cilantro

dulse granules (seaweed that can be found by the nori or sushi supplies in your local natural foods store)

sesame seeds

Make the tofu:

On top of a plate, fold a kitchen towel so that it can cover the bottom and top of a block of tofu.  Put the tofu on it, then the other half of the kitchen towel, then a cutting board, and a heavy pan to weigh it down.  Drain in the refrigerator 3-4 hours or overnight.

When the tofu is done draining, cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.  In a roasting pan, mix the tamari, olive oil, brown rice vinegar, and maple syrup.  

Add the tofu and stir to coat.  

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Take it out of the oven and stir it, then put it back in the oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

It will be lightly browned.  Let the tofu cool for 10 minutes on the counter, then put it into a glass covered container and store it in the fridge to cool.  You want to put cooled tofu into the salad.  Also, this salad uses 1 cup of tofu, so you will have extra to use on another salad or in another recipe.  While the tofu is cooling, make the dressing. 

Make the dressing:

In a medium/large sized bowl, mix the grated ginger, garlic, 1 T tamari, 2 T brown rice vinegar, 1/2 t toasted sesame oil, 1 t agave, and mix well.

Assemble the salad:

To the bowl with the dressing, add the 2 cups of cabbage, 2 cups of cucumber, and 1 cup of the tofu and mix well.  Garnish with optional cilantro, dulse, and sesame seeds.

Vegan Cream of Celery Soup

We planted celery in the garden this year and it is just starting to get big enough to harvest.  It is dark green and full of flavor.  The pale green celery in the grocery store almost tastes like water compared to this stuff.  It inspired me to make cream of celery soup in the middle of the summer:)  If you make this using grocery store celery in the winter time, try to buy the greenest celery you can find and use the inside stalks and leaves if possible.  This soup tastes fantastic and nobody would know that it was vegan if you didn't tell them.
On Cooking and Ingredients

Vegan Cream of Celery Soup
Makes about 5 cups
1 1/4 packed cups of really green celery, half leaves, half stalk, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves of garlic
1 quart vegetable broth
1 large potato, chopped into about 1.5 inch chunks, you can leave on the skins if they are soft
pepper to taste
salt (only use salt at the end if needed, if you use sodium free vegetable broth, you may need salt, but if you use vegetable broth that already contains salt, you probably won't need it)

1/2 c raw cashews, soaked for an hour
1/2 c water

(If you are allergic to cashews, you could use 3/4 cup of non-dairy, unsweetened creamer)

To a large pot, add the celery, onion, garlic, potato, broth, and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

While the vegetables are simmering, make the cream.  Drain the cashews.  In a high speed blender, blend the cashews and water.  This makes about 3/4 cup of cream.  You may substitute another non-dairy, unsweetened cream if you would like.

When the potatoes are soft, remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients in the pot, or blend by batches in a high speed blender.  It will look like this:

Add the 3/4 cup of cashew cream or other cream of your choice and stir will.  Heat gently until warmed again, season with salt if needed, and serve.

Grilled Tofu and Peanut Salad Wrap

This is a great clean out your fridge recipe-I had little bits of different green things in my fridge harvested from the garden to use and this was the result.  Pretty tasty:)

If you want to make the wraps bigger, you can add some brown rice pad thai noodles.  But it tastes great with just the greens, veggies, and tofu.  You can also use whatever veggies you have in your fridge that need to get used-carrots, jalapenos, pea pods, peas, green beans, pretty much any raw veggie you like.
On Cooking And Ingredients

Grilled Tofu and Peanut Salad Wrap

Makes 4 small/medium sized wraps or 2 really huge wraps

Salad

3 cups of greens torn into bite sized pieces (I used a little cabbage, a couple of collard leaves, and a couple kale leaves)

1 cup sliced veggies-any color sweet pepper, carrots, broccoli, carrots, pea pods, etc.

2 T sliced scallions, including green parts

2 T fresh herbs-cilantro, basil, or mint ( I had mint and basil on hand)

3-4 T prepared peanut sauce
a handful of sprouts

Tofu

1 15 oz block extra firm organic tofu

3 T peanut sauce

1 T high heat tolerating organic oil 

My tofu method

Fold a kitchen towel several times until there is enough towel to cover the bottom and top of a tofu block.  Place the towel on a plate, place the tofu on one half of the towel, fold the other half of the towel over the tofu, place a small cutting board on top, and weight it down with a heavy pan or pan filled with water.

Drain the tofu for 4-6 hours or even overnight in the refrigerator.  

Slice the tofu into thirds length wise and width wise so you have 9 slices of tofu.  Mix the 3 T of peanut sauce and 1 T oil and brush both sides of the tofu slices.  

Grill on medium to medium low for about 5 minutes on each side until tofu is slightly browned.  Check it during cooking to make sure it doesn't burn-the heat and time really depend on your grill.

Mix together the salad ingredients-the greens, veggies, scallions, herbs, and about 4 T of peanut sauce.  Divide the tofu and salad between each of the wraps you are using, top with sprouts, and serve.  

Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive TapenadeTart

It's been too hot out lately to use the oven, so dinner tonight was on the grill.  This tart is so easy to make if you use a ready made crust.  I have flopped one too many crusts in my life to attempt to bake one from scratch, so I used a ready made, organic, vegan cornmeal crust.  If you can't find one at your local natural foods store, use your favorite pizza crust.  When it's not so hot out, this tart can be made in the oven, just follow the instructions for baking the crust.  On Cooking And Ingredients

Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Tapenade Tart
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil, just dried) soaked in water for 1-2 hours
1/2 cup kalamata olives cured in olive oil, drained
1 T chopped fresh basil
1 small clove garlic
1 8.5-9 inch vegan organic cornmeal crust
1 small zucchini sliced thin


Heat the grill to medium/medium low.  While the grill is heating, make the tapenade.


Sun Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Tapenade: In a food processor, pulse the soaked sun dried tomatoes, drained olives, basil and garlic until mixed well, but not pureed.  Makes a cup.

Assemble the tart: Spread the cup of tapenade on the crust.

Top with zucchini slices.

Place it on the top rack of the grill, or some method of indirect heat on your grill on medium to medium low heat.

Grill for 15-20 minutes, checking to make sure the crust doesn't burn.   The tart is done when the crust  and zucchini slices are slightly browned.

Grilled Very Herby Potatoes

This recipe sort of reminds me of french fries-white potatoes and oil, but baby reds from the farmers market have to be utilized once in a while.  I wouldn't call this recipe healthy, but these potatoes do taste pretty good and are nice to make outside on a hot day.
I looked up grilled potatoes on Food Network to find a method of grilling potatoes since I've never done it before, and this is a combination of methods, so thank you Food Network chefs!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Grilled Very Herby Potatoes
Serves 6 as a side dish

4 cups baby reds, cut into pieces that are no more than 3/4 inch thick at the thickest part
1/3 cup garlic infused olive oil
6 T fresh herbs, I used 2 T parsley, 2 T dill, 2 T chives
1-2 T canola or other high heat organic oil
salt, pepper

In a large pot, add the potatoes and just enough water to cover them.  Cover the pot, turn the heat on high and bring it to a boil.  After one minute of boiling, drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl.  Toss with 1-2 T of canola oil, salt, and pepper.

Place the potatoes on a grill heated to medium and cover.  Grill until the potatoes are browned and then flip.  My little grill took about 10 minutes on each side. 

While the potatoes are grilling, mix the garlic infused olive oil and herbs in a small bowl.

Remove the potatoes from the grill and drizzle them with the herbed oil and toss.  

Sort of Like Tuna Chickpea Salad

I was looking through my cupboards last week for something quick and easy to make because I was really hungry, and this is what happened when I grabbed a can of chickpeas and looked in the fridge to see what was available:)  That day, due to my hungry state, I ate it with whole wheat pita chips.  But a couple days later, I made the leftovers into a "tuna like" melt.  It also is great over a bed of spinach or mixed greens. 
Ingredient note: Dulse is a type of seaweed.  It is high in iodine and is a good substitute for table salt.  You should be able to find it at your closest natural foods store by the nori (sushi wraps). 

Sort of Like Tuna Chickpea Salad
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 T Vegenaise
2 t. brown mustard
1 1/2 t. dulse flakes
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 t brown rice vinegar
salt and pepper

Put the chickpeas into a bowl and mash well with a fork, but leave it a little chunky. 

If you are making a double batch, it's easier to use a food processor and pulse a few times.  Smash in the celery and green onions.  Add the Vegenaise, mustard, dulse, and brown rice vinegar and stir until combined.  Add a little salt and pepper to taste.

Tuna Like Melt
(makes 1 sandwich)
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1/3 c Sort of Like Tuna Chickpea Salad
Spinach
3 slices of tomato
6 dill pickle slices
2 T shredded vegan meltable cheddar (I used Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds)

On one slice of bread, spread the chickpea salad.  On the other slice of bread, sprinkle the shredded vegan cheddar, and toast in a toaster oven until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven and add the tomato, spinach, and pickle slices. 

Roasted Beet Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette

I love to watch cooking shows to get inspiration.  The idea for this salad was inspired by a salad my sister made and the following recipe by Guy Fieri:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/roasted-root-vegetables-with-spicy-pepitas-and-horseradish-creme-fraiche-recipe/index.html
A note on horseradish and reading labels:  If you can, buy horseradish from a natural foods store.  Conventional stores sell horseradish that has eggs in it as well as ingredients that look like asldkfsijhksfpaoie.  If you can't read what the ingredient is or don't know what it is, don't buy the product until you know.  That's my motto for label reading and grocery shopping.

Roasted Beet Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette
Makes 3 large salads

2 large beets
2-3 carrots
1 small purple onion
2 t olive oil
salt and pepper

1 5 oz box of spinach or mixed greens

1 T brown seedy mustard
1 T horseradish
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T brown rice syrup or your choice of sweetener
3 T olive oil

1/3-1/2 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)

Cut the beets, carrots, and onions into bite sized, even sized pieces, about and inch to an inch and a half.  Put them in a large pan, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes, then check them.  You want the veggies to be slightly cooked, but still have a crunch.  No mushy veggies in this salad!  If they still are really crunchy at 20 minutes, roast them for 5-10 more and check again.  When they are done, let them cool.

Horseradish Vinaigrette:

In a small jar, add the mustard, horseradish, vinegar, brown rice syrup, and olive oil and shake it up.

Divide the greens, veggies, vinaigrette, and pepitas into 3 and add them to 3 large serving bowls.  Mix it up and serve.

Tip: If you want to make this salad the night before and bring it to work for lunch the next day, you can mix the veggies, dressing, and pepitas, and place them in the bottom of a bowl with a cover, then put the greens on top.  Then when it's time for lunch, mix it up.

My Favorite Miso Soup

I woke up this morning tired, with a mild sore throat and runny nose.  The window was open last night and there is a lot of tree and grass pollen floating around these days.  For breakfast (yes breakfast), I made this easy miso soup.  It takes 15 minutes and always makes me feel better when I feel like I might be coming down with something.  It probably makes my house and me smell like garlic breath, but that's ok.  It would really be ideal for our health if everybody had garlic breath all the time rather than artifically sweetened minty breath-garlic is sooooo good for us and our immune systems.  Another ingredient I use in this soup is wakame flakes. Wakame is a type of seaweed.  For this soup, I use it for flavor, but seaweed is also very good for us and is a great source of iodine.  You can find it at your local natural foods store.  This recipe was inspired by many different recipes of Miso soup, a little book by Natural Health Magazine called Secret Natural Remedies, and the back of the Pacific Wakame package.

My Favorite Miso Soup
1 1/4 c water
1 clove chopped garlic
2 t wakame flakes and about a half a cup of soaking water
3 t yellow miso

Bring the 1 1/4 cup of water and garlic to a boil in a small pot, and reduce the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.  While the water and garlic cook, add the wakame flakes to a small bowl of water and soak.  Remove the garlic broth from the heat and disolve the miso into the broth.  Drain the wakame and add to the broth and it's done!  When you are eating this soup, be sure to stir up the miso and garlic that settle to the bottom.