Chickpea and Collard Greens Soup

Dinner 12/15

Chickpea and Collard Greens Soup

Damn, it's cold... I don't know whether to eat it or stick my hands in it. ;)

As most of you know, we make our own veg stock (weekly) for nights just like this where you want something homemade but don't want to fuss -- mirepoix, chickpeas, sauteed collard greens, a bit of pepper, smoked paprika and miso and Bob's your uncle...

Tags: soup, carrots, chickpeas, collard greens, stock, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Dessert 12/10

Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Happy Birthday son!

Tags: chocolate, cheesecake, espresso, dessert, birthday, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Double Fisted Cupcake Eatin'

Dessert 12/03

Mini Nog Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

There was a very long time after testing cupcakes recipes for "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World" that we never wanted to bake or eat another cupcake. Ever.



Thankfully enough time has passed so that we may again enjoy baking and eating cupcakes.

The nog cupcake is a riff off of the vanilla recipe in VCTOTW, and the pumpkin one is straight out of the book. If you happened to be at the 40th anniversary of Kent Natural Foods on December 3, 2011 you could have tried the nog cupcakes, but not the pumpkin ones, because those mysteriously disappeared before we could get to the party.

Tags: cupcakes, nog, pumpkin, VCTOTW, dessert, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Terrine, Spinach, Apple and Fennel Salad

Dinner 12/02

Terrine

Spinach, Apple and Fennel Salad

Full credit goes to Liz on this one -- I simply took the pictures and cooked the seitan and mushrooms...

The terrine started with puff pastry, folded into a bread form lined with parchment paper (for easier removal later). On the bottom went a layer of Daiya Mozzarella.



The second layer consisted of sauteed Collard Greens along with mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) and garlic.



The third layer was pan-fried seitan.



Batting clean-up was diced sweet potatoes that were roasted.



Fifth was a layer of roasted yellow beets mixed with red bell peppers.



Another layer of Daiya...



...Sauteed mushrooms



Finally, the terrine was topped with a puff pastry "lid" with vent holes, and cut-out stars.



After baking (400°F for 25-30 minutes), the terrine rested for 5 minutes, was removed from the form, and sliced.



The terrine was served on a base of mushroom gravy with a spinach, apple and fennel salad.

Tags: terrine, seitan, sweet potato, mushrooms, red bell peppers, daiya, apple, fennel, salad, gravy, puff pastry, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

What The Hell Does A Vegan Eat For Thanksgiving Anyway? 2011 Edition

What The Hell Does A Vegan Eat For Thanksgiving Anyway? 2011 Edition

Roasted Kabocha Squash

Wild Rice Stuffing

Apple Wood and Sage-Smoked Tofu Blocks stuffed with Sauteed Collard Greens

Oyster Mushrooms

Mushroom Gravy

Braised Carrots

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Potatoes

Knotted Dinner Rolls

Bourbon-Orange Cranberry Compote

Dessert

Pumpkin Mousse with Whipped Cream

Chocolate & Coconut Milk Ganache Tart with Sea Salt

Two days of cooking, 45 minutes of eating, two bottles of wine and 326 pictures later...



The main stack started with kabocha squash which was portioned into rectangles tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and then roasted at 425°F for 20-25 minutes.

The wild rice stuffing took a different turn where the wild rice was deep-fried(!) for 20-30 seconds at 375° F. That caused it to act like popcorn and took on a delightfully nutty tasting, crunchy, but light texture that contrasted nicely between the squash and tofu. The wild rice was then added to sauteed onions, garlic, sage, tamari and pepper.



The tofu blocks were cored (like this) and smoked with apple wood and sage...



...tossed with tamari for 5 five minutes and then deep-fried for 5 minutes at 375°F.




As Liz likes to say "Why should the carnivores have all the fun & holiday danger?"




The sides consisted of braised carrots, roasted Brussels Sprouts (15 minutes at 450°F) and roasted Yukon Gold potatoes (450°F for 40 minutes, turning halfway through)

The cranberries (12 oz. of cranberries, juice of one orange, 1/4 cup of bourbon, 1 tbs. of maple syrup, pinch of salt & pepper) were cooked down until all of the cranberries popped and thickened, then the zest of the orange was added. It cooled and thickened up in the fridge while the rest of the meal was prepared.



Liz made the fancy-schmancy knotted dinner rolls (a recipe from Peter Reinhart).



They were as wonderful to eat as they were to look at.



For dessert Liz made a pumpkin mousse (thickened with agar agar), topped with (soyatoo) whipped cream.



She also brought back the Chocolate and Coconut Milk Ganache Tart with Sea Salt


As always, it's not a holiday without gratuitous pictures of the table. ;)

Table Right



Table Left



Centerpiece with Turkey



Centerpiece with Amaryllis

Tags: thanksgiving, tofu, collard greens, carrots, potatoes, kabocha squash, wild rice, smoker box, rolls, brussels sprouts, pudding, pumpkin, chocolate, desserts, tart, sea salt, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Carbonnades a la Flamande, Braised Leeks

Dinner 11/21

Carbonnades a la Flamande

Braised Leeks

We haven't made this in ages, but tonight was a good chilly fall night to bring it back -- applewood-smoked seitan and onions stewed in Belgian beer.

Carbonnades a la Flamande
(serves 4)

2 tbs. olive oil
4 cups of sliced onions
16 oz. seitan, cut into 1/2" cubes (optionally smoked)
salt & pepper

1 tbs. herbes de provence
2 cups Belgian Style beer
1 cup veg stock
1 tbs. tamari

1 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. cornstarch

In a dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and sweat the onions with a little salt and pepper until just starting to brown, about 6-7 minutes. Remove the onions and reserve.

Add more olive oil if needed and do the same to the seitan until it's browned on all sides.

Add the onions back to the dutch oven, along with the herbes de provence.

Next, add two cups of your favorite vegan Belgian-style beer, and one cup of veg stock plus the tamari. Bring to a boil and place in a 375F oven for one hour.

To finish, thicken the sauce by adding a slurry of 1 tbs. of wine vinegar and 2 tbs. cornstarch that have been mixed together and whisk to combine.

Served over potatoes or pasta.

Tags: seitan, onions, beer, stew, recipe, leeks, pasta, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Hoisin Tofu Blocks stuffed with Radish & Beet Greens topped with Beech Mushrooms on a bed of Chinese Long Beans

Dinner 11/19

Hoisin Tofu Blocks

Radish & Beet Greens

Beech Mushrooms

Chinese Long Beans

This one has been simmering in the back of my mind for a while -- beginning with the infamous Borg Tofu Cube from 2008.

The twist came with the removal of the center of the cube by way of an apple corer, as seen here.



The large cubes were deep-fried for 5 minutes, then braised in a hoisin, tamari, mirin and agave sauce for 10 minutes. Served on top of Chinese Long Beans that were flash fried and braised in the same sauce. The centers were filled with a braised mix of radish and beet greens with the addition of garlic, ginger and tamari. The best way to fill the holes was (appropriately) with the back end of a chopstick. They were topped with stir-fried beech mushrooms.



The reason gleaming the cube will become clear after Thursday. ;)

Tags: tofu, hoisin, long beans, tamari, mushrooms, beet greens, radish greens, garlic, ginger, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Lasagna with Mustard Greens

Dinner 11/14

Lasagna with Mustard Greens

The twist in tonight's lasagna was the addition of mustard greens (shredded, cooked down in olive oil with onions, garlic, salt and pepper) layered between the pasta sheets along with the usual suspects: tofu ricotta (firm tofu, nutritional yeast, parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper), sauteed button mushrooms and zucchini, our tomato sauce and cheddar Daiya.

The greens added a nice change-up in flavor from kale or collard greens.

(now with recipe)

Lasagna

Mustard Greens

1 tbs. olive oil
12 oz. mustard greens, shredded
1 tbs. garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
salt & pepper to taste

In a large pan or wok, heat the oil to medium and add the onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute. Carefully add the mustard greens with tongs. Continually turn the greens until it begins to wilt. Add the salt and pepper and continue to cook until the greens have released most of their liquid. Set aside on a plate.

Mushrooms & Zucchini

1 tbs. olive oil
10 oz. button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4", cut into quarters
1 tsp. tamari
pepper to taste

In the same pan, add the additional olive oil and saute the mushrooms for 6-8 minutes until they have given up most of their liquid. Set aside on a separate plate.

Add the zucchini and cook, turning frequently for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Add the mushrooms back to the pan, add the tamari and pepper and toss to incorporate for 1 minute. Remove all to a plate and set aside.

Tomato Sauce

1 tbs. olive oil,
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs. smoked paprika,
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tbs. parsley
1 tbs. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
15oz. (fire-roasted) whole tomatoes

In the same pan as the mushrooms and mustard greens, add the additional olive oil and saute the onions. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and herbs and cook until golden. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up as best as you can (a potato masher works wonders here). Bring the sauce to a boil and then simmer for 10-12 minutes, until thickened. Check for seasoning.

Tofu Ricotta

16 oz. firm tofu, crumbled
2 tbs. parsley, chopped
2 tbs. nutritional yeast,
1/2 cup soy sour creme,
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, zested
salt and pepper, to taste

While the tomato sauce is simmering, you can make the ricotta. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your fingers into small pieces. Add the parsley, nutritional yeast, soy sour cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix (with your hands) to incorporate -- you can bust out the immersion blender and/or just chuck the whole thing in the vita mix and puree. It should be fairly thick, but spreadable.

16 oz. Daiya Cheddar
12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions.

Assembly

In a 9x9 oven-proof pan, spread 2 tbs. of tomato sauce on the bottom of pan. Lay four lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce. Add about half of the Daiya/mushrooms/greens/tofu ricotta/tomato sauce in whatever order you like. Add another four lasagna noodles perpendicular to the first layer and add the remaining of the Daiya/mushrooms/greens/tofu ricotta/tomato sauce. Add the final four lasagna noodles and top with a little bit of the tomato sauce and Daiya if you have any left.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. With a serrated knife, cut the lasagna into nine 3"x3" squares.

Tags: lasagna, daiya, mushrooms, zucchini, mustard greens, tofu, pasta, tomato sauce, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

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I knew that picture of smoked tofu would come in handy one of these days! ;)

Mushroom Stuffed Collard Wraps, Roasted Kabocha Squash, Grilled Tofu

Dinner 11/07

Mushroom Stuffed Collard Wraps

Roasted Kabocha Squash

Grilled Tofu

We picked up some lovely Collard Greens the other day, and didn't want to simply shred and slow cook them (although that's tasty too!). With the addition of the shiitake and shallots, they were the anchor of the dish which also included Roasted Kabocha Squash (recipe) and Grilled Tofu which was first hickory-smoked for 25 minutes, marinated with a combo of 1 tbs. olive oil and 1 tbs. of tamari and black pepper for 5 minutes, then grilled about 4 minutes per turn for nice crosshatch marks.



The collards had the center stem removed and were steamed for 5 minutes to soften, then stuffed with pan-fried shiitake mushroom, shallots, pepper, tamari and white wine and then wrapped like a spring roll. They were finished in the oven by adding the leftover pan sauce from the mushrooms, then covered with foil and baked for 15-20 minutes at 350° F.



Here's the pretty cutaway shot showing the mushroom mixture inside.

Tags: shiitake, mushroom, collard greens, kabocha, squash, tofu, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Farro, Grilled Tofu, Mushrooms, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner 11/05

Farro

Grilled Tofu

Roasted Broccoli

This farro & tofu dish has become a staple of the dinner rotation, with good reason -- it's delicious! ;)

The farro (approximately 1 1/2 cups) was pressure cooked for about 24-25 minutes on the first ring (~7.5pps) with enough veg stock to cover by 1/2".

The base was sauteed in olive oil: diced onion, carrot, celery, garlic, collard greens, and mushrooms. When the farro was done cooking it was added to the base and cooked together for another 5-7 minutes.

Topping the veggies, the tofu was first hickory-smoked for 25 minutes, marinated with a combo of 1 tbs. olive oil and 1 tbs. of tamari and black pepper for 5 minutes, then grilled about 4 minutes per turn for nice crosshatch marks.

The roasted broccoli was tossed with salt & pepper and roasted for 15 minutes at 450F tossing once about halfway through.

Tags: farro, tofu, broccoli, pressure cooker, grilling, mushrooms, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Spinach Ravioli, Roasted Delicata Squash

Dinner 10/31

Spinach Ravioli

Roasted Delicata Squash

The ravioli (using square wonton wrappers) were filled with a tofu ricotta (1 block of extra firm tofu crumbled, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, salt & pepper to taste, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/4 cup of parsley minced) and 3 cups of spinach cooked down in a pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper until most of the liquid evaporates.

The ravioli were filled with mixture and folded over, making a triangle and then sealed with a cornstarch slurry (1:1 cornstarch & water). They were boiled for about 2 minutes in salted water until they floated to the surface. Finally, the ravioli were scooped out and finished by tossing them into a warm pan of melted Earth Balance.



Sharing the plate was the roasted Delicata Squash. The squash was peeled, cut in half lengthwise, the seeds scooped out and cut into 1/2" slices. The slices were pan-fried in olive oil until golden brown on each side (about 4-5 minutes), seasoned with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. In a separate pan, 2 cups of onions were pan-fried in olive oil until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. The squash was then added to a roasting pan with the onions and 2 tbs. of white wine and tossed to combine. The pan was covered in aluminum foil and baked for 25 minutes at 350F.

Tags: delicata, squash, ravioli, spinach, parsley, wonton, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Potato Soup with Fried Shallots and Fresh Horseradish

Dinner 10/30

Potato Soup with Fried Shallots and Fresh Horseradish

A nice homey Fall soup with a spicy hit via the freshly grated horseradish and chives. Simple, hearty and filling. 'nuff said...

Tags: horseradish, potato, soup, shallots, fall, chives, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Barley & Potato Soup with Seitan Sausages, Red Cabbage and Onions, Biscuits

Dinner 10/24

Barley & Potato Soup with Seitan Sausages

Red Cabbage and Onions

Biscuits

The soup is a riff on Graupensuppe, a German-style barley soup -- carrot, onion, celery root and leeks, topped with fried seitan sausage.



The red cabbage was pan-fried along with the onions, ground caraway seeds, salt & pepper -- the only thing I changed was an added shot of tomato paste and 1 tbs. of garlic -- and it was finished with a really cool German beer-vinegar (which I need to find again).

Also, the biscuits? Flaky good...

Tags: barley, celery root, cabbage, vinegar, seitan, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Chicago Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Dinner 10/22

Chicago Style Deep-Dish Pizza

We watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen the other day and used this recipe as a starting point (subbing Earth Balance), making our own tomato sauce, and using Daiya cheddar in one and mozzarella in the other.



They turned out so well, I think we'll use these at Holiday Party XV (which is only 7 weeks away -- eeep!). They would be perfect to make earlier in the day and toss in the oven for the second wave of food...

Tags: pizza, tomato, daiya, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Seitan Osso Buco, Polenta

Dinner 10/15

Seitan Osso Buco

Polenta

Seitan Osso Buco

2 tbs. olive oil
16oz. of seitan, cubed (optionally hickory smoked for 25 minutes)

The seitan was pan-fried in a large dutch-oven until well browned. Remove the seitan and keep warm.

1 tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 tsp. thyme, crumbled

In the dutch oven add 1 tbs. of olive oil over med-high heat and saute the onions and carrots for 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic and thyme and cook for one additional minute.

2 tbs. of flour

Add the pan-fried seitan back into the pot, add the flour and mix to combine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

1 cup of red wine
1 cup of whole tomatoes
1 cup of veg stock

Off heat add the wine, tomatoes and veg stock. Return the pot to med-high, crush the tomatoes (we like to use a potato masher) and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, and reduce to a simmer on low heat for about an hour until it thickens up. Serve over the polenta.

Polenta

The polenta started with 1 cup of fine cornmeal whisked into 4 cups of boiling water seasoned with 1 tbs. of salt. From there we turned down the heat to low and made it like a risotto, adding an additional 2 cups of water, about 1/3 cup at a time here and there (don't sweat the timing, just don't let it scorch the bottom of the pan). Finally, we stirred in 1 tbs. of soy margarine, 1/4 cup of microplaned Smoked Cheddar Sheese, 2 tbs. of nutritional yeast, and 1 tsp. of black pepper. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, and check for seasoning.

Tags: seitan, polenta, recipe, tomatoes, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Caramelized Onion Tart, Mini-Peppers with Daiya, Cauliflower and Paprika Soup

Dinner 10/14

Caramelized Onion Tart

Mini-Peppers with Daiya

Cauliflower and Paprika Soup

After the success of the Tomato and Basil Tart (and with the other half of the puff pastry still available) we made this luscious caramelized onion tart. The base was a mix of vegan cream cheese with minced parsley, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, minced shallots, salt and pepper. The onions were slow cooked in olive oil until golden, about 10 minutes, and were seasoned with salt & pepper.

The puff pastry was rolled out slightly to fit the rectangular pan, then the layer of herbed cream cheese was added and was then topped with caramelized onions. It was baked at 400F for about 25 minutes (check after 20 minutes to be safe).

The pickled peppers came from the olive bar section of the supermarket, and were stuffed with a dollop of Daiya and baked at the same time as the tart -- a nice one bite app.



The cauliflower & paprika soup was our riff on Karfiolleves minus the tiny dumplings (galuska) via Saveur -- the recipe isn't online at the moment -- but it's simply one diced carrot & onion with 1 1/2 tbs. of smoked paprika, salt, pepper, six cups of veg stock and a small head cauliflower roasted, topped with chopped parsley.

Tags: soup, cauliflower, paprika, onions, tart, puff pastry, daiya, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Bindaetteok (Mung Bean Pancakes)

Dinner 10/11

Bindaetteok
(Mung Bean Pancakes)

It's amazing how good 2 cups of soaked (for eight hours minimum) mung beans, 1/4 cup of soaked basmati rice, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tbs. of tamari, 1 tbs. of sesame oil, 1 cup of shredded, sauteed napa cabbage and carrots, a pinch of cayenne and smoked paprika (to mimic gochugaru) and 1/4 cup of scallions taste when made into Korean-style pancakes. ;)

We really need to make some kimchi to kick these into overdrive -- but they were still pretty awesome.

The dipping sauce was pretty traditional -- tamari, minced scallions, red chili pepper flakes and a little vinegar.

Tags: mung beans, kimchi, cabbage, chili flakes, vinegar, tamari, rice, carrots, scallions, korean, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666