SC 1.2: Recipe Catch-Up, Trees, and 20-Minute Magic

Although I am already feeling energized and changed in my body and mind, it is hard not to let a long, busy day eradicate that feeling.  So, how about some thanks?  If there is anything that can bring back that positive spirit, it is thinking about all of the positive things in one's day -- no matter how big or how small they may be.


A few of today's things for which I'm thankful:


* G told me a story about Carla, the Princess of the Styrofoam Tower
* Carla (maybe a princess?  definitely a great mentor and author) officially received her second book deal for the one pot testing, which has become a vegan crockpot book (WOOT!)
* My sister-in-law, Hannah, received a spot in a Pastry and Baking Program next year
* A visit to the grandmas is imminent
* And... my first official day of my part-time job is this Fri.!


Oh...and then, I had 20 minutes in an empty house to do a relaxing yoga practice for the day -- YJ Challenge "20-Minute Evening Sequence" from the YJ Challenge.  Happy sigh.  For those of you who may be concerned about your flexibility, strength etc., why not start with a practice like this? This practice is designed to be gentle; the postures are accessible to all; and it is a wonderful place to start with the breathing, stretching, and tension-release that are so important to all yoga endeavors.  The purpose, as noted by the instructor, is to unwind and release some of the stress that builds up in one's day.  All you need for this session is a comfortable floor space and a chair (if convenient); if you don't have a yoga mat, a thicker rug or carpet should be just fine, or you could add a towel or blanket for additional padding.

Mon. dinner/Tues. Lunch: Tempeh Thai Basil Wraps

As I mentioned yesterday, this dish was inspired by Matthew's dinner, Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice, at Thai Elephant in Astoria, NY -- mostly by flavor not by content.  

Serves 4

Time: about 30-40 min.

1 block (8 oz.) tempeh (your choice, I used soy)

1-1.5 c. veg. broth

1 head Boston lettuce 

2 c. fresh bean sprouts

2 c. grated carrots

2 T. sesame oil

1.5 c. diced onion

8 cloves roasted garlic (I had this leftover from a previous meal; you could reduce amount and use fresh -- maybe 3-4 cloves, or roast a small head of garlic in advance)

2 T. Tamari (might want to reduce if using soy sauce)

2 t. ancho chili powder

1.5 T. dried basil (Thai or reg. fresh would be great, but...you use what you've got!)

salt and pepper

1. Cut tempeh six times lengthwise and then into dices.  I find this makes it easier to crumble.  Crumble into saucepan, cover with broth, and simmer for 20 min. uncovered, until stock in mostly absorbed (These are essentially the directions by Moskowitz  in Vegan with a Vengeance for "Sausage Crumbles.)

While tempeh is cooking...

2. For Boston lettuce head, cut out stem/core, peel "cups" away, rinse, and let drain/dry while you cook. Prep carrots/onion if not already prepared. 

3. When you have about 10 min. left on the tempeh, heat sesame oil on med. in a saute pan large enough for onion and tempeh. Once heated (sizzle when onion hits it, as one might say), start to caramelize onions -- cook for ten minutes.  They won't be fully caramelized, but you'll get some of the flavor.  Add the garlic after ten minutes and saute for two minutes.  Add tempeh and tamari; cook 5 min.  Then add 2 t. ancho chili powder (or hotter pepper if you like, I like smoky) and basil.  Continue to cook until all liquid is absorbed.  Taste tempeh for salt and pepper, as needed.

4. Distribute lettuce cups evenly (according to size, some may have 3 large v. 6 small).  Make a bed of sprouts in the cup, spoon tempeh onto sprout bed, and then top with carrot shreds.  Beware tempeh sauce dribble from the cup! 

Fresh, subtly smoky basil flavor, light but filling -- great for cleansing or summertime!

Roasted Veggies (inspired by the  "Scarlet Roasted Vegetables" in Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet)

Here's the scoop: I pretty much used the vegetables that she recommends and her roasting directions, but I roasted them simply with roasted garlic oil, salt, and pepper.  Preheat oven to 350, and use .5 t. garlic oil to grease large baking dish (I used my largest glass dish).  Here were my veg. allotments -- all need to be cleaned and chopped (my pieces were about 1/2-1"):

1 red beet

1 fennel bulb

3 carrots

2 large parsnips

4 celery stalks

8 shallots

Mix with 1.5-2 T oil, add salt and pepper, and mix -- the vegetables will be very lightly coated and NOT oily.  Put in dish, cover with foil, cook for 40 min., cook uncovered for another 20 min.  

Servings: 6 large

(I used half for the squash and still have a ton; stay tuned for another use...)

Tues. Dinner/Wed. Lunch: Spaghetti Squash Cake with Tomato and Roasted Veggie Sauce

Servings: 3

I cooked the squash (a small one) in advance, so I already had my spaghetti ready to go.  In the last 20 min. of veg. roasting, I put roasted garlic oil- coated ramekins (no more than 1/8 t. to coat) stuffed with spaghetti and patted down in the hopes of a bit of crisping into a cake.  It wasn't that crisp, but I'll use the idea again, as the spaghetti square is a fun alternative to the usual pile of squash.  I simply topped the square with sauce I'd made previously and then warmed.  I chose to surround the sauce and spaghetti with veggies mostly for picture taking, but with skeptical eaters, I'd definitely blend the roasted veggies with the sauce.  The hub had a particularly funny and unusual reaction to the cooked carrots...who knew!

Delicious, warming, filling, and fantastic as leftovers -- I just loved how the root veggies brought out their individual sweet heartiness while melding so well together!

Wed. dinner/Thurs. Lunch: Bok 'n Broc Stir Fry

Until recently, my cousin never much cared for ANY vegetables...even salad.  However, when she was very young, I convinced her that she should try broccoli florets because they were like tiny trees and were, therefore, fun.  I can't eat broccoli without thinking of her and smiling.

Tonight's dish was one of those recipes that I will continue to tweak, especially because my taste tester's taster is off due to a cold/flu bout.  I'll give you the measurements but know that this was a broccoli by broccoli taste test with the sauce.  If you are expecting potent tamari or typical take-out punch, then I warn you...the flavor is mainly the freshness of individual veggies with light salty/sweetness and an aftermath of gingery heat.  

Time: 35 min.

Serves: 6-8

1.5 c. brown rice

1 T. sesame oil

1/4 c. water or as needed

1 chopped red onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 c. broccoli, thinly sliced florets

4 c. chopped baby bok choy (I used 2 heads)

10 cremini mushrooms, finely diced (This was a lesson learned.  I love mushrooms, but I actually put in too many and sliced them too large; they overpowered my bok 'n broc which was no good since this dish is all about the green stuff.  The amount here is what I think would work better.)

3 T. Tamari

1 T. agave

2 t. ginger (I had dried pieces -- if you use fresh or dried, just be esp. mindful of taste testing and add 1 t. at a time)

 Salt and pepper

1. Cook rice according to package directions and proceed to step 2.

2. While rice is cooking, prepare vegetables as directed.  Then, heat oil over med. heat.  Add garlic and onion -- saute for 4 min.  Add broccoli and saute for 6 min.; add bit of water as needed to avoid burning and help with cooking, I probably added about 1/4 c. total.  Taste test broccoli for al dente, then add bok choy. Add half the designated amount of tamari, agave, and ginger.  Salt and pepper (again, no exact measurements here, as I just spray with my electric grinders -- they rule.)  Taste and add a bit more as needed.  When flavor is to your liking, add mushrooms and saute for 1-2 min. more.

3.  By this time, the rice should be done. ( If it is done slightly before the veggies, just fluff and set it aside.)  Put approximately 1/2 c. or your desired amount of rice in the bottom of a bowl, top with 1c. veggies -- salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, as needed.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds to fance it up (picture came out blurry, so I just included the pre-fance dish).

A bowl of this and a half of a raw bar for dessert -- perfect.

Final thoughts:

Day 2 -- fulfilling in terms of the cleanse and productivity.  I'm looking forward to a hot power yoga class tomorrow, some more "work" with doggies, an afternoon to get caught up on business, and an evening with the hub.  I also am excited that I'll be able to post the recipe for tomorrow's dinner early, because the dish benefits from some rest in the fridge before serving.  

Chicago Diner at home and a Winterized Salad

Chicago Diner Mushroom Burgers with Winterized Salad
(burger toppings are dips from earlier post)

Somehow, I ended up with three packages of mushrooms in my refrigerator.  So on Tuesday, I knew a mushroom-based dish was in order, and I had been craving a patty (having been particularly naughty this past week with eating only the french fry portion of this comfort dish -- doh!).  I've not done much patty experimentation to date, so I took to the internet and quickly received a sign -- a recipe from the Chicago Diner.  A bit of home and hearty goodness -- perfect!

Regardless of whether or not you are from the Chi-town area, you may have heard of this well-established vegan dining mecca.  I actually took my first trip to it solo, last summer, when I was in town for a visit.  It was the first time in a long time that I have been to a restaurant where I am overwhelmed by the menu.  I remember literally sitting there with my coffee, mouth agape, as I tried to narrow my options.  I finally gave in and asked my server what her favorite dish was because I couldn't decide.  Needless to say, it rocked, the place rocks, and the next time you are in or through the Chicago area, you should make a stop (preferably with several people...so that you can try more delicious eats!).

I was going to include this recipe a different way, but I thought it was quite cool of godairyfree.org to provide such easy access and citation for their recipes, so here it is:

Chicago Diner Mushroom Burgers (Vegan, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)
Go Dairy Free - Thursday, 24 February 2011

2011© Go Dairy Free

Here are my recipe notes:

* Used 3 carrots for celery/peppers and leeks for the onion (Probably closer to 4 c. instead of 2 c. for these items)
* Used all cremini mushrooms
* For quick-cooking oats and flour, I might start with 2c. and 1/4 c. respectively next time, and then add as needed to bind (remember the oats will expand in the 5 min. of cooking). My patties were lovely and dense, but I am curious to see if (with reduction) I can bring out even more mushroom-y goodness. When you are cooking the entire mix together, you will feel like you are rolling a ball around in your soup pot -- that it ok!  And yes, do use a soup pot!
*For cooking, I did the oven time as directed and then sauteed burgers in pan on the stove.  Worked out just fine, though I am certainly eager to put these on the grill in the summer!
*As for the yield, our batch made 16 thick patties about 3-4" in diameter.  I would be afraid of the size if we only made 8 patties.  Oh...and also, we ate these without buns, did not need buns, and were pleasantly full with the side of vegetables.
* The sun-dried tomato dip was AMAZING on these burgers and a little goes quite a way to heighten the flavor even more.

If you have mushroom fans in your life or are looking for a great vegan burger option, this recipe will become a fave!

Winterized Salad
When we were in grad school, my friend, Em, used to make this red cabbage salad that I loved, which I always found entertaining because I wasn't the biggest fan of red cabbage.  I thought the same was true for my hub -- he is always a good sport about eating what I make, but I wondered if I could help his enjoyment of red cabbage by taking away some of its bitterness.  So, I wanted to revise this recipe into a warm cabbage salad and hope that some adaptations would help with enjoyment a la my playing with brussels.  Ultimately, this is a lovely warming version for the winter, even though I found out that he generally enjoys the raw version -- go figure.

Serves: 4-6 as a side

1 T. oil
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small head red cabbage, decored and sliced as thinly as possible into about 1" pieces
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1.5 T maple syrup
Salt and pepper
2 heads of baby bok choy, bottom trimmed, washed, thinly sliced
1.5 T red wine vinegar (to taste)

1.  Heat oil over med. to med. high heat in large saute pan, then saute shallots  for 4 min. until softened, but not crisped.
2.  Add cabbage and saute for 10 min. uncovered (add a bit more oil or water, as you don't want sticking).
3. Add carrots, syrup, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine turn down to med. and cover for 30-40 min. until veggies are softened.
4. Add bok choy and vinegar; stir until combined and bok choy is wilted but vibrant green (about 5-7 min.).  Check and adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar balance with veg/maple sweetness as needed, and serve.

Yum -- and a great way to vary fiber intake!  Green of the month:  definitely baby bok choy.

Enjoy -- and don't forget to let me know if you try/enjoy the recipe or have any questions!

Blizzards and B Soups

I have shoveled approximately 4 hours in the past two days.  Yesterday, I spent an hour shoveling the newly formed, three inches of slush from my driveway, so that the ice rink it would become might only be an inch or two in depth...as opposed to half of a foot.  I also was hoping that, in de-slushing, my hub might be able to make it into the driveway, as opposed to sliding into it (and maybe our snow-covered truck).  To make it through that experience and celebrate the hub's safe return, it was certainly hearth and soul-warming soup time.

 Cheezey Breezey Broccoli Soup 

At the tail end of high school, through the college years, and until my vegan transition, there was one soup that stood above all others as the solution to life's problems and the filling warm-up on a cold day: Panera's broccoli cheese soup.  I no longer choose to eat it (and may not have anyway now that they post the calories in what I once thought of as a relatively "healthy" lunch choice"), but back in the day, it just made my world a better place.  As I got older and looked for a healthier version of this meal, I often turned to a vegetarian recipe that my aunt had found on a website; since becoming vegan, I've modified that recipe somewhat, but I still hadn't found what I was looking for with the flavor/consistency, until yesterday.   (Continue singing U2 here, if you are so inclined.)  The final product shown here with "Drop Biscuits" from The Joy of Vegan Baking nicely omits the mad scientist lab feel of its creation (think tiny bowls and my plopping in various additions, dirtying several spoons).  Also, the hub has never been the biggest fan of this soup, but he kept saying how impressed he was (since I snuck in some spinach and I know he is not the biggest fan of vegan cheese essence, I was especially excited).  So...overall -- success at this homestead!  Hope you enjoy it as well!

7 c. water w/ 3 t bouillon (or half prepared stock/half water depending on flavor density of stock)

2 bags frozen broccoli florets (usually 14 oz. each)

1 c. thawed chopped spinach (or any other greens you have hanging about)

4 med. potatoes (peeled and diced)

2 med. yellow onion (peeled and diced)

3 T. Earth Balance butter*

 1 t. thyme

5 small cloves of garlic (minced)

2 T nutritional yeast

1/2-1 c. non-dairy milk to desired consistency*

1/2 c. sour cream* (if adding to pot; could also allow individuals to dollop a hearty t. of cream themselves or make swirls yourself with dollops for spruced up presentation)

salt and pepper to taste

*Option: omit butter, and use 3/4 c. sour cream and more toward the 1c. milk to reduce total fat

1. Add broccoli through garlic to large soup pot.  Cover with water until just covered (about 1-2" above veggies) and add bouillon.  (If using prepared stock, add the 3-4 c. of that first and then add water to covering point.)

2. Simmer on med. to med. high heat for 30-40 min.  Remove at 30 minutes to blend with immersion blender to desired consistency; you could also do this step in a standard blender, but more waiting time is involved and it is usually quite a bit messier.  (I HIGHLY recommend getting an immersion blender; they are extremely affordable and incredibly handy for a diverse array of cooking needs.)

3.  Add in nutritional yeast, then add milk to desired consistency, and then add sour cream as best fits your artistic desires and time constraints.  I've tried sour cream in the soup both ways, and the flavor is there either way you add it.

Makes 12-16 meal servings (would be easy enough to half the recipe too)

As intimated, the cheeze is really like a breeze here in that you get the sense of it, but it is certainly not dominating.  Mostly, there is a bit of mellow tang and some additional creaminess to help support the thickening provided by addition of potatoes.  Enjoy!

Baby Bok and Barley Stew  

This stew was inspired by two things: 1) many odds 'n ends and last gasp veggies in the fridge 2) the reading of some article about Sarah Jessica Parker eating mushroom barley soup.  Random -- but delicious!

1 T. sesame oil

2 leeks (cut off tops/bottoms, wash thoroughly, 1/4" slice both white and light green parts)

5-6 celery stalks (cut off tops/bottoms, wash thoroughly, 1/4" slice) 

3 cloves of garlic (peeled, bottom trimmed, minced)

1 16 oz. container of mushrooms (cleaned, destemmed, sliced)

1 2" x 1/4" in. piece of ginger (could add more to add spice)

1 c. barley (rinsed and sorted)

4 c. water (if you want more of a broth to this soup,  you might use 5-6 c. of water and an additional 

                 piece of ginger)

3 carrots (top layer peeled and give to dogs; peel the rest of each carrot until unable to peel further)

2 heads of baby bok choy (washed, bottom cut off, sliced)

1/2 -- 1 T. Bragg's (or other soy sauce like sauce)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Lightly coat the bottom of a soup pot with the 1 T. of sesame oil and heat on med. (adjust between med./med. high as needed for your stove).  Add leeks, celery, and garlic, and saute for 3-4 minutes until leeks are softened.  Add mushrooms and a flash of salt and pepper; saute for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add ginger, barley, and water.  Stir.  Bring to a boil, then lower to med. for 30 min. Stirring a few times.  Test barley for donenessbok choy, and cook an additional 3-5 min. to slightly soften bok choy.  In the last minute, add Bragg's and s/p to taste.  Remove ginger and serve.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Cooking the barley in the soup adds a nice creaminess to the broth; the flavors are very subtle yet cleansing here.  To be honest, I wasn't sure how this would turn out since I was experimenting with the broth and ginger a bit, but I think we'll have this dish more frequently as it was quick and certainly a great way to use up veggies.