Dinner 10/31

Glazed Apple Cider and Maple Syrup Tofu (additional side view)
(apple cider, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, clove, black pepper -- reduced down to a glaze, then brushed over pan-fried tofu and broiled for about 2 minutes a side)

Roasted Spaghetti Squash
(mixed with soy margerine and soy parmesan)

Sauteed Button Mushrooms

Orange, Rosemary and Maple Syrup Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables
(yams, potatoes, parsnips and turnips)



You have to be careful around us when ring molds are inolved ;)

Every once in a while -- not often -- there is a dinner where the mind's eye and execution come together. Tonight's meal was that -- the spaghetti squash/mushroom combo matched the glazed tofu (just right, not too sweet) -- likewise the orange/rosemary/maple syrup combo on the root vegetables hit just the right note.

oh, yeah this one will go in the cookbook under "Fall" ;)

UPDATE:

here's the basic tofu & glaze recipe:

Apple Cider and Maple Syrup Glazed Tofu:

Tofu:

1 block extra firm tofu
1 tbs tamari
black pepper
2 tbs canola/peanut/grapeseed oil

Cut the tofu into eight cutlet sized pieces, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a wok or large saute pan on medium high heat and cook tofu on both sides until golden brown.

Reduce heat to low and add the tamari to coat the tofu.

Cook for an additional two minutes until the pan is dry again

Glaze:

2 cups fresh apple cider
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp fresh ground corriander seed
pinch ground black cardamom seed
2 fresh ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a saute pan, and reduce the mixture by half.

Brush the tofu with the glaze and place under the broiler for about 1 minute per side (careful, it can burn quickly).

Add additional glaze if you want at the end.

Dinner 10/30

Black Bean, Soyrizo and Soy Cheese Tostada w/ Avocado

Plantain, Soyrizo and Soy Cheese Tostada w/ Avocado


after the loooong two hour trip around the neighborhood for the Halloween festivities, it was time for some simple, quick and tasty Mexican food. And you don't see it in the picture, but there was also hot sauce involved. Oh yes... I said hot sauce ;)

Dinner 10/29

Tofu and Walnut Stew over Jasmine Rice (additional pic)*
(tofu, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, walnuts, veg stock, cornstarch slurry)

Scallion Pancakes
(w/ hoisin dipping sauce)

Szechuan Style Eggplant
(garlic, ginger, red pepper, hoisin, tamari, veg stock)

Grilled Asparagus with Sesame Peanut Sauce (additional pic)


* this was a new one -- you blanch the walnuts and then deep fry them -- and in the context of the stew, it worked both in texture and taste. We'll have to make this again with seitan and see how that changes things... The scallion pancakes are, without a doubt, my favorite "crispy, deep-fried dough" side dish (also appearing on the list: puri, sopapillas).

and if you're scoring at home... why yes, that is a new tablecloth tonight ;)

Dinner 10/28

Miso-Glazed Eggplant w/ Sesame Seeds
(long eggplant strips, seared, then baked -- finally brushed with a mixture of sake, mirin, agave syrup and red miso, and finished under the broiler for one minute)

Peanut and Sesame Glazed Sweet Potatoes
(baked, then brushed with a mixture of peanut butter, sesame oil, tamari, garlic and ginger, and finished under the broiler for one minute)

Fried Tofu over Jasmine Rice with Scallions (additional pic)

Gyoza (additional pic)
(stuffed with button mushrooms, scallions and napa cabbage)

Sesame Asparagus Vinaigrette (additional pic)
(recipe from Ming Tsai)


obviously, I was obsessed thinking about the broiler and sesame seeds today. ;)

we sort of adapted the usual miso-glazed sliced eggplant for strips of eggplant (a late season roadside stand pickup this week) as well as the strips of sweet potatoes -- very form-based food choices. Here's a before broiling picture of both of them.

and, yes -- gyoza's again -- no shiitakes this week however, Miriam ;)

also, there was an early mist coming in off our little lake in the backyard that framed the table shot, it's a little clearer in the big verson... very Halloween-esque ;)

Dinner 10/27

Panade *

Braised Brussel Sprouts (additional pic)


* yes, it's that time of year again, time to break out the Panade -- and perhaps it's because we haven't had it in a while -- but it was possibly one of the best versions we've ever had... a nice fall weather combo of slowly baked (3hrs!) bread, onions, veg stock, kale and "follow your heart" soy cheese. And the best part? The leftovers for lunch tomorrow, fried up in the wok ;)

If your looking for a recipe, pick up the Zuni Cafe cookbook by Judy Rodgers... not a vegan cookbook by any stretch, but it's very adaptable

Dinner 10/26

Tomato and Jalapeno Enchiladas *
(stuffed with soy cheese and onion)


* Raw Food Wednesday takes another hit because of the the big UnSilent Film show last night, and while I did have two apples on the way home from the show -- dinner was relegated to the leftovers -- but, oh so tasty leftovers ;)

RFW will return next week at it's regularly scheduled time...

(l-r) Tim Thornton, Shawn Holt, Steven K. Smith and Bob Drake at UnSilent Film 5: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" 10/26/2005 @ Rain Nightclub, Cleveland, Ohio

Dinner 10/25

Black Bean and Soyrizo Sandwiches
(crusty bun, stuffed with black bean, soyrizo, onion, garlic, chipotle, lettuce, avacado, hot sauce)

Tomato and Jalapeno Enchiladas (additional pic)
(stuffed with soy cheese and onion)

a couple of Rick Bayless recipes from Chile Pepper magazine that Liz put together at lunchtime, because I've been running around trying to get my set together for the UnSilent Film show tomorrow -- expect a short recap tomorrow ;)

Dinner 10/24

Eggplant Parmesan over Rhombi Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce*

Figato Finto
(recipe from Mario Batali -- sweet and sour fried squash, with vinegar and cinnamon)

Shaved Fennel Salad


* before the snow comes, we just about used the last gasp of the basil on the deck...

Dinner 10/23

Seitan Au Vin over Rhombi Pasta
(seitan, cubed and dusted in flour, then pan-fried , pearl onion, carrot, garlic, red wine, veg stock)

Braised Leeks / Brussels Sprouts

Red Lentil Pancakes *

French Bread

Bistro Salad


* surprisingly, the kids loved these. The red lentil puree was leftover from Friday -- just added some flour and fried them in the wok. just think of them as really thick pappadams ;)

Dinner 10/22

Tofu Paprikash over Pumpkin Noodles

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Seeds (additional pic)
(a variation on this recipe from Emeril -- we subbed with veg stock, skipping the wine and cream)*

Seared/Steamed Green Beans with Shiitake Mushrooms

Dessert

Chocolate Espresso Spelt Cake (additional pic)
(from Gourmet October 2005)

a very tasty cake -- and a bonus, we used spelt flour ;)

for the cake we subbed 1/2 box of soft tofu for the 2 eggs, and unsalted soy margarine for the unsalted butter. The topping was from the ganache a few weeks ago, as we had plenty of leftover, so we froze it to see how it would hold up. We stuffed into a pastry bag and piped it on top with the cacao nibs -- it only lasted until the shot was taken, and then melted ;)

* We were looking for a different version of the butternut soup and happened to catch Emeril this morning -- the orange and the roasted seeds were nice additions...

Breakfast 10/22

Crepes stuffed with Apple and Raisins


* just to show that we do eat breakfast... Liz made these in the flat-bottomed wok -- we've recently tossed our two non-stick pans (not that we used them much anyway), because we don't want to wait to find out that they're toxic over long term usage.

and yes, there's still more apples to go... ;)

Dinner 10/21

Bombay Potatoes
(potatoes, mustard seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, cumin, corriander)

Katte Channe
Chickpeas in a Tangy Tamarind Sauce
(chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin seed, corriander and tamarind)

Saag Paneer
(spinach and tofu-as-cheese)

Red Lentil Puree
(w/ jalapeno, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper)

Spicy Butternut Squash
(fried butternut squash, onion, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper)

Okra Bhaji

Basmiti Rice


* thanks to Chris for the suggestion today ;)

Dinner 10/20

Butternut Squash Pasta w/ Puttanesca Sauce

Apple and Almond Soup ( additional pic)
(with fresh ground cinnamon)

Waldorf Salad ( additional pic)
(arugula, apple, celery, carrot, walnuts, with a raw tahini dressing)

Raw Food Wednesday Thursday rocks on with "apples" as the theme ingredient: the soup was almost like a dessert and salad was a meal unto itself. Also, the butternut squash pasta is fast becoming a favorite...

Dinner 10/19

Soy Boy Okara burgers
(guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard)

Homefries
(potato, onion, salt, pepper, ketchup)

a long day of running around as I had to take my car in for an oil change / battery check / brake inspection today (getting the car ready for UnSilent Film next week), so the first casulity was Raw Food Wednesday -- it's just been pushed back a day... tonight though, just a quick one for the kids sake...

also, no photo of the food, but here's the backyard from yesterday morning...

Dinner 10/18

Stir-Fry (additional pic)
(tofu, baby corn, baby carrots, ginko nuts, jalapeno, tamari)

Jasmine Rice

Gyoza
(stuffed with shiitake mushrooms and napa cabbage)


Some nights I get tired of cutting/prepping many vegetables -- so tonight, it was whole baby corn, whole baby carrots and ginko nuts... ;)

Also, we used tofu from the "Cleveland Tofu" company -- comes packed in a round tub with a square block of tofu inside. For a "firm" tofu it's sort of delicate to work with (crumbles slightly), but it tasted great as it fried up nicely.

UPDATE:

a request for the gyoza dumplings recipe -- as best as I can rememeber this is how it goes...

Gyoza Dumplings:

3 tbs. canola oil (divided use)
1 cup of diced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup of shredded napa cabbage
1 diced shallot
1 tsp of garlic
1 tsp of ginger
tamari or soy sauce (to taste)
chinese mushroom sauce (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
gyoza wrappers


In a wok over high heat, add 1 tbs. of the canola oil and stir-fry the diced mushrooms, stirring frequently until the mushrooms are soft and have released most their water (4-6 minutes), then reduce heat and add the tamari and mushroom sauce. stir-fry for an additional minute, then remove from the wok.

Turn the heat back up to high and add an additional 1 tbs. of canola oil and stir-fry the shallots, garlic, ginger and shredded napa cabbage until wilted and it has released its water. Reduce heat and add the mushrooms back in to combine. Check for seasoning, then remove the mixture from wok and let cool.

To prepare the gyoza:

First get a small bowl of water to dip your fingers in for sealing the gyoza.

Take 1 tbs of the filling and place in the center of the gyoza wrapper. Dip your finger in the water, run it along half of the gyoza and fold it in half, sealing the edges with your finger.

There's a whole method of folding the edges over themselves to help seal the dumpling, but much depends on how hungry you are at this point versus aesthetics ;)

Wipe the wok out and add the last tbs of oil and return to high, add a single layer of gyoza and sear, flipping occasionally until golden.

Add some tamari or soy sauce, swirl around in the wok, reduce the heat to low and cover for a few minutes until steamed.


We like to dip them in ponzu or sometimes we'll just steam them and add them to soup. Either way they're delicious...

Dinner 10/17

Tofu Piccata
(tofu cutlets dredged in flour, pan-fried, topped with lemon/caper sauce)

Roasted Delicata Squash with Maple Syrup

Apple and Potato Soup (additional pic)

Dinner 10/16

Seitan Bourguignon
(seitan, carrot, onion, garlic, veg stock, cotes-du-rhone, salt, pepper, herbes de provence)

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

Endive and Apple Salad
(w/ mustard vinaigrette)


A good day for stew... We spent part of the day ('neath the cover of October skies) at Beckwith Orchards getting some apples for our daughter's class and some fresh cider. So, now that the tomatoes are gone, expect the apples to be popping up on the menu for a while ;)

Beckwith Orchards Cider Mill and Gift Shop / 1617 Lake Rockwell Road / Kent, OH
Phone: (330) 673-6433.

Dinner 10/16

Semolina Pizza
(semolina dough, tomato sauce, onion, portobella mushroom, kalamata olives, jalapeno and soy cheese)


We're painting our kitchen for first time in almost 10 years, so everything is off the walls, and all the cooking utensils and plates are on the floor in the dining room. No small feat... ;)

So, for dinner, we needed something that could be cooked in one pan (the cast iron skillet) -- Semolina Pizza. The pizza dough is simple, and because of the lack of yeast, doesn't have to rise for hours -- this only takes 15 minutes. While it was resting, we fried up the veggies, and we heated up the last of the leftover tomato sauce, and then watched Napoleon Dynamite with the kids...

Semolina Pizza Dough

1 cup Semolina Flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup warm water

In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and work the mixture together until a ball forms, cover with plastic and let rest for 15 minutes.

Start to heat the cast iron skillet with canola oil. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll it out to about a 7" circle.

Place the dough in the skillet, and immediately start to add your toppings. With a spatula check the bottom of the pizza after a minute or so and adjust the heat if neccessary, it should be slightly bubbling on top and turning golden brown on the bottom.

You only cook the one side, so total cooking time will vary, but it usually averages around 3 minutes, depending on how hot your skillet is.

Dinner 10/14

Pad Thai *
(bean sprouts, tofu, thai noodles, tamarind, jalapeno, tamari, scallions and peanuts)

Potato Curry
(garlic, ground corriander seed, lemongrass, galanga, turmeric, potato, red curry paste, coconut milk, veg stock, salt, pepper)

Dessert

Bananas in Coconut Milk with Mint (additional pic)


* after making the raw version so many times, it was nice to have the cooked version for a change... the bananas were a nice change of pace for dessert, and also solved the "what to do with the leftover coconut milk?" question... ;)

Dinner 10/13

Chiles Rellenos (additional pic)
(stuffed w/ potato and soyrizo)

Arroz Verde
(Poblano Rice)

Jicama and Chayote Salad
(jicama, chayote, red bell pepper, jalapeno, shallot, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper)

Dinner 10/12

Raw "Meatloaf" (additional pic)
(from Juliano)

Gazpacho
(tomato, red bell pepper, cucumber, cilantro, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, topped with kalamata olives and scallions)

Arugula Salad w/ Tomatoes
(w/ guacamole dressing)


Raw Wednesday arrives with a theme this week: use that bushel of tomatoes already! ;)

It starts with a stand-by meal -- Juliano's "Meatloaf" -- ground nuts and portobello mushrooms, with a tomato marinara topping, dehydrated. The gazpacho takes care of a few of the tomatoes, with the salad taking a few more. The end result, still a big batch to go...

Dinner 10/11

Capellini Pomodoro
(angel hair pasta w/ homemade tomato sauce) *

Garlic Bread

Steamed Artichokes



* We bought a bushel of Farmers Market tomatoes on Saturday, so expect to see some recipes that utilize them this week. ;)

Dinner 10/10

Gyoza
(stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage and shallots)

Jasmine Rice

White Eggplant Braised in Coconut Milk
(topped with scallions)

Seared/Steamed Brussel Sprouts with Star Anise
(topped with fried tofu)

Dinner 10/09

Tofu Schnitzel w/ Lemon Sauce over Spaetzle

Roasted Broccoli

Creamy Dill Potatoes

Sauerkraut

Dinner 10/08

Tuscan White Bean Soup
(fennel, onion, celery, carrot, great northern beans, tomatoes, fennel stock, herbs de provence, salt and pepper)

Frito Misto
(Stuffed Squash Blossoms -- soy cream cheese and chives, with a rice flour batter and Onion Rings)

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted Garlic w/ Bread


* what better on a cold, rainy October evening... garlic, potatoes, squash blossoms and bread. ;)

UPDATE: Larry asked for the recipe, so here's what we can remember from last night...

The secret is the fennel stock, but veg stock will work fine as well. Otherwise, it's pretty straight ahead:

Start with the fennel stock -- We usually make this when we get the fennel home from the market as it makes the prep go much faster when we want to make soup, and also makes the fennel easier to store in the fridge ;)

Fennel Stock

1 fennel bulb (tops only, save bulb for the soup)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ground fennel seeds (optional)
8 cups of water

In a large soup/stock pot, add the roughly chopped the fennel tops (and the ground fennel seeds if using) and saute with 1 tsp of olive oil for a few minutes until the tops are wilted. If you're making the stock and then the soup, use the carrot peelings and onion skins from the soup prep and throw them in too. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduced the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for few minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve. If not using immediately, let come to room temp and refrigerate.

it's not at all salty at this point, but that's what you want.. you can always add it when the soup is being seasoned...


Tuscan White Bean Soup

3 tbs olive oil
1 fennel bulb diced
1 medium onion diced
2 carrots sliced
2 celery stalks diced
1 tbs garlic chopped
1 tsp herbs de provence (or rosemary and/or thyme)
1 bay leaf
2 cups of cooked Great Northern Beans
1 cup chopped tomatoes
6 cups Fennel Stock (or vegetable stock)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a soup/stock pot over medium heat and saute the fennel, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, herbs de provence, bay leaf, salt and pepper about 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the beans and tomatoes, cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add the fennel stock (or veg stock) and bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Check for salt and adjust if neccessary.

Dinner 10/07

Calabacitas *
(corn, onion, garlic, jalapeno, tomato, cornbread, soy cheese)

Wild Mushroom Quesdilla
(shiitake mushroom, poblano rajas, garlic, soy cheese, flour toritillas)

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

* the kids saw this recipe (adapted from) Rachael Ray -- we substituted soy cheese and instead of polenta, we used the leftover Blue Cornbread w/ Quinoa from the other night -- clever by half, eh? ;) Seriously, it turned out really well, with a nice chile kick...

Dinner 10/06

Eggplant Parmesan over Campanelle Pasta
(with a tomato and white bean sauce)

Braised Fennel ( additional pic)

Garlic Bread

Dinner 10/05

Raw Pad Thai
(recipe from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's "Raw" book)

Cream of Spinach Soup
(from Juliano's "Raw the Uncook Book")

Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart w/ Vanilla Cream (additional pic)
(from Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis "Raw Food / Real World")


* Back to an old favorite on Raw Food Wednesday -- mostly because we scored a case of young coconuts last Friday in Cleveland (and cheap too!)...

As for the soup -- um... err... my, how green it was ;)

The dessert however -- while it may have come from a raw book, it really isn't all that raw (it uses cocoa powder)-- was tasty as hell, yes -- raw... not so much. ;)

Dinner 10/04

Okra and Tomato

Blue Cornbread with Quinoa

Gumbo Z'Herbes (additional pic)
(spinach, kale, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, herbs de provence, red beans, cooked rice, veg stock, salt, pepper and file powder)


Our first attempt at making the Blue Cornbread from the Candle Cafe cookbook (very yummy) and you don't notice the quinoa at all. It is awfully blue though ;)

The Gumbo has become a house favorite after we made it for a catering gig a few Mardi Gras ago, and the Okra and Tomato is always a "go to" dish, although it takes about two hours to cook down completely...

Dinner 10/03

Polenta with Wilted Kale and Garlic (additional pic)

Grilled Red Eggplant with Balsamic Glaze

Braised Brussel Sprouts

French Bread


so, we finally got around to eating the red eggplant (additional pic) we got a few days back -- we've never seen one before. The skin was rather tough, but the inside was incredibly creamy and with the addition of the aged balsamic, sweet and delicious...

Dinner 10/2

Stir-Fry
(tofu, carrot, red bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, galanga, tamari)

Basmati Rice


* yet another day spent running around Northeast Ohio: Kent to Cleveland to Massillon to Solon and finally back to Kent, just in time to watch Iron Chef w/ Michael Symon from "Lola". Coincidently, that's where we had spent the afternoon -- at the "new" Lola with Chef Symon at a wine tasting event held by Private Reserve. Sadly, none of the food was vegan, but a good time was had by all regardless, as we tried some really nice unfiltered/unfined wines... here's a picture I took of Chef Symon with Robert Morson, owner of Riverside Wine and Imports in Kent...

I thought Michael could have won, but Morimoto knew he had to use the beautiful sushi roll to pull it out...

Dinner 10/1

Nachos
(soy cheese and garlic)

Chipotle and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Tomato and Cilantro Salsa



* we we're running around all day with the kids, so a quicky snack for dinner tonight... "Follow Your Heart" nacho soy cheese -- no picture of the food, but enjoy the shot of the Maxfield Parrish sky from the kitchen...