Healing Garden Soup

I'm not sure the picture does this meal adequate justice, but eating a bowl of this soup is truly like eating a colorful garden and is equally nutrient-rich.  Yay!  I made this as a first real meal after being sick for the past two days (now you know the reason for such post catch up); it has an easy smidge of kick but is warming and filled with veggie goodness.

Serves: 8+ soup bowls

1 large fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, roughly minced
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
about 1.5 c. frozen chopped butternut squash
8 c. prepared veg. broth or 8 c. water (3-4 t. boullion, which is less than pkg. instructs)
3/4-1 c. short grain, brown rice (rinsed)
1 8 oz. container baby bella mushrooms, finely diced
3-4 oz. arugula
salt, pepper, red pepper

1. In a large soup pot, heat 1-2 T. of olive oil (just enough to lightly coat bottom of pot) to med.-high heat.  Then, add fennel, onion, garlic, celery, and carrots.  Flash with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 min.  Add butternut squash; cook for another 5-7 min. until onion begins to become opaque.

2. Add water and rice.  Bring to a boil; then reduce to med. low and simmer for  40 min. or so until the rice is cooked.  Stir occasionally; midway through, flash some red pepper in (about 5-6 turns of the red pepper grinder).

3.  Once rice is cooked, taste for seasoning; you should taste veggie flavors with a very slight hint of pepperiness.  Add mushroom and arugula.  Turn heat to low; serve when arugula is wilted but still green (about 3-5 min.) and everyone is ready (uhm...).

Recipe requests, Battle Bob, and 60th B-day Fun!

Dear readers, I've missed you!

Between fun with technology, the improved weather, jobs, interviews, and visitors, I've missed my blog time.  In perusing my reader this morning, I see that I am not the only blogger who is having seasonal separation.  Guess, I'll just have to give this sunrise yoga a go and hope that the earlier daily start time will provide a bit more time for blogging.

We got snow AGAIN last week (of course on the day that my father flew in for a visit), but then, it was gorgeous over this past weekend.  Peas, radishes, and spinach were planted (picture forthcoming when the incoming rains have departed); delicious meals were consumed; and the majority of the golf ball bucket was crushed by me at the driving range (ok...maybe a beginning crushing :)).  Earlier in the week, I also chased a rooster out of the farm garden...repeatedly; he can't have our worms, but I appreciated his determination.

In the midst of it all, I made some favorite recipes and took on Bob's Sausage Biscuits and Gravy with my veganized version.  Plates were clean and the birthday boy was contentedly full -- 'nuff said.

By request, the Triple-Layer Cheesecake (a recipe that originally appeared in VegNews as created by Beverly Lynn Bennet) made its reappearance.

While we certainly enjoyed this deliciousness, both the hub and I are ready to get back to our more cleanse-friendly practices.  It's been interesting to notice the impact on our bodies over the last two weeks of off-cleanse eating.  Awareness is good!

Other favorites included the Refried Bean Soup recipe that I adapted from Fix-It-And-Forget It Lightly (posted elsewhere on the blog...I think), as well as this recipe for Garlic Knots.  Both the knots and the cheesecake are excellent reminders that vegan does not necessarily mean healthy (as even BAKERIES sometimes claim).  Consuming a plant-based diet (omitting the processed items, as extra sugars, fats, flours etc.) is the best way to go!  This is definitely a reminder to me from my body after this past week.

In addition to serving the knots as a side to the BBQ, Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes (yes...VEGAN!), and Sauteed Greens, they also served as the biscuit stand-in during Battle Bob.  Let me explain: a favorite dish for my father and brother, consumed on the special occasion of road tripping to see family, was/is the Sausage Biscuits and Gravy at Bob Evan's.  Now, certainly, the traditional version would not be happening here, but I like revision challenges as you know.  Especially given the birthday events, this challenge was particularly important.  Since the garlic knots are "like buttah" in your mouth, I thought they'd be a lovely biscuit stand-in.  I used the white bean and tempeh sausage patties from VwV and made Carla's Mushroom Gravy (a testing recipe from the cookbook in progress).  The hub made his homefries (better and better).  I left my set-up a bit deconstructed so that the various elements were visible.

I added some leftover sauteed greens to mine...just because I love them.
Plates were wiped clean, as they always were at Bob's.  I consider this a mark of successful veganization.

Finally, I leave you with a recipe that sets the tone for the cleaner forthcoming weeks that we plan for this homestead.  It is simple in flavor and preparation.  By reader request,  here is the recipe for the Green Quinoa Bowl.

1/2 c. red quinoa (prepared according to package directions -- use broth for water)
1 T. olive oil
2 c. fresh Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced
2 c. fresh broccoli, sliced and chopped (1/2"-1" pieces)
1/2 c. shallots, finely diced
1/2 c. green baby Swiss Chard, thinly sliced
2 c. arugula
Salt, pepper, and red pepper

* This recipe is certainly one that is amenable to substitution-- spinach for arugula, extra broccoli instead of Brussels, greens as....you....wish (echo, echo, echo).  It is a fantastic recipe for just using up odds 'n ends and getting those greens!  You could even (if absolutely necessary) use leftover bits of steamed veggies from earlier meals.

1. Start quinoa.  While quinoa is cooking, heat oil over med. in large saute pan.  Add brussels, broccoli, and shallots.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a few twists of red pepper and saute for 3-5 min.  Once veggies have started to soften (broc and brussels warmed but somewhat al dente), add chard and arugula.

2. Cook until chard and arugula have softened but all items are still vibrant in color.  Taste, and add salt, pepper, red pepper to your liking.  (I kept seasonings to the minimum of natural veg. flavor enhancement -- let the market produce shine!).

3. When quinoa is finished, mix gently to combine with greens.  Note: the quinoa mostly serves as color accent to the greens, like cranberries or nuts on a salad (present and flavoriffic, but not the predominant element).

Enjoy!

Looks like rain here for the next several days, but I love this element of spring too -- a productive setting for cleaning, reading, regrouping, and germination (haha!).  Go, seedlings, go!

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.  

Happenings over the Hiatus

Miss me?  I missed you, dear blog and appreciated readers.  I don't really have a fantastic reason for my extended hiatus.  Having read other blogs, I know that such breaks frequently happen to all but the most dedicated of bloggers (and sometimes, even the die-hards); after starting which such vigor, I didn't expect and certainly didn't plan to fall into that trap, but I did. Boo.

But now, I'm back...to let you know...I can really cook it down.

With that Contours-inspired lead-in, I want to give you a glimpse at the kitchen happenings over the hiatus.  See something you MUST eat?  Post a comment with your request, and I'll post additional recipe or source info as needed.  Hope you are well, and I hope that this blog may continue to be a resource for you as you facilitate your health and happiness in 2011!

Christmas Dinner:
VwV Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce with
Garlic Knots and Chopped Salad
(Yes, homemade gnocchi and rolls!)

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls and
QEVB Pea, Tarragon and
 Cream Cheese Tart

Couple's Cooking #2:
Black Bean and Squash Empanadas
from VEGANOMICON

Beyond yum (and you can even
freeze them for later yum!)

Couple's Cooking #1:
Completely Homemade Ravioli
(Yay new roller attachment!)

Ravioli stuffing: Pinot-sauteed
mushrooms, VwV ricotta, and
fresh spinach

Plated

Pretty darn spectacular,
especially since this was the
first use of roller and first
time making ravioli!

Couple's Cooking #3:
Look out Brown Sugar -- our adaptation
of VwV's Pad Thai 

VegTimes Jan./Feb. '11:
Spiced Quinoa and Red
Lentil Soup and Sweet
Potato and Leek Gratin