Archives for April 2016

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup

April 28, 2016 by VPKDana

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup is the perfect thing for a cold day or for when you’re feeling a bit under the weather. It’s chock full of fresh veggies and packing some heat.

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup is a warm, delicious bowl of goodness. It is also a great make-ahead meal for no fuss weekday meals. Set the timer on your crock pot, 8 hours later come back and dinner is ready.

When I was a kid my dad would make me chicken soup when I wasn’t feeling well. His came from a can, but the intent made it tasty. With the super fresh and healthy Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup you can freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months and pull it out to make in a sauce pan when you’re feeling like a quick pick me up.

I use the Beyond Meat products fairly often. Once or twice a week in fact. You can add them to all kinds of dishes. The strips are good for Chinese chicken salads, on pizzas, or in sandwiches or quesadillas. I made a fettucine alfredo with them and it tasted fantastic.

If you don’t have a crock pot here is a stove-top version:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and celery in hot oil until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir garlic into the onion mixture; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add chicken and beans; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes.
Add all your dry spices.
Pour wine, vegetable broth and water into pot.
Add arrowroot powder. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
For a thicker soup you can add potato flakes or a quarter cup of coconut milk.
Stir carrots, peas, green beans, and potatoes through the broth. Simmer until carrots are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Add parsley, spinach, and dill at the end.

I found a product that let’s me save time on the potatoes. I was out shopping and I saw a Potato Express box that promised a fully cooked potato in 4 minutes. I grabbed one to try at home and it works well. They come out perfectly cooked. Depending on the size of the potato you’re using, it may take a little less time, or slightly more.

While you wait for your crock pot to ding, you can whip up something to accompany the soup:

Couscous salad with butternut squash & cranberries.
Arugula & fennel salad with lemon vinaigrette.
Warm spinach salad with tempeh bacon crumbles.
Spicy kale with garlic & olive oil.
Roasted broccoli with garlic.
Roasted green beans with harissa.
Roasted sweet potato slices with cilantro pesto.
Herbed french bread loaf.

You can also use grains to thicken the soup base. Some grains work better than others for this task. The best choices to get the job done are ones with a higher starch content, like barley, cornmeal, white and brown rice, amaranth, kamut, teff, and even oats. You can cook the grains separately and toss them into the soup. You can cook them separately and add them to the soup or, to get the most starch out of them, add them in uncooked. You may need to add a little extra stock or lengthen the cook time, but you’ll get a thicker and heartier soup for it.

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Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Vegan

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 8 hours 10 mins

Total time: 8 hours 30 mins

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

12 oz. Beyond Meat Chicken Strips
2 - 32 oz. boxes of No–Chicken Broth
2 cups of water
½ cup dry white wine.
2 large potatoes diced. I baked them before adding to the soup.
1 white onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
2 stalks celery, peeled and finely sliced
1 cup peas, canned, frozen, or fresh
1 cup tightly packed chopped spinach leaves, stems removed,
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup loosely packed fresh dill fronds, chopped (about 1 small bunch)
1 can beans, drained rinsed. I only had cannellini handy. Use the kind you prefer.
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder
1 tsp. yellow curry powder
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Bake potatoes for 20 to 40 minutes or until tender.
Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and set aside.
Combine the chicken strips, broth, 2 cups of water & wine.
Add beans, carrots, celery, onions, and spices.
Add arrowroot powder.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in the insert of a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove the chicken strips.
When cooled, shred the chicken or cut into cubes and add back to the soup.
Add the potatoes, peas, parsley, spinach and dill.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let cook for 10 to 15 more minutes
If you want a thicker soup you can add potato flakes.

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup is the perfect thing for a cold day or for when you're feeling a bit under the weather. It's chock full of fresh veggies and packing some heat.

Feisty Falafel

April 25, 2016 by VPKDana

Feisty Falafel is named such because of the fiery spices I added. The creamy yogurt, cilantro, and tahini sauce with fresh squeezed lemon tempers the heat perfectly.

Feisty Falafel is the outcome of much experimentation. Deep fryer, skillet, waffle iron, oven baked…I’ve tried them all. Dry & canned chickpeas, butter beans, mung beans, and all sorts of different veggies and spices. This is my spicy version of the traditional recipe.

When I used to go out to check out bands a lot more often, the streets were usually crammed with food cart vendors hoping to feed the late night crowd. I always searched for the falafel cart, hoping to find the perfect, portable pub crawl food.

The best falafel I ever had was from Naja’s Place on the Redondo Beach pier. 88 beers on tap, live music and excellent bar food. The fresh pita bread & hummus were so, so good. I enjoyed many afternoons there in the warm California sun. I tried to emulate the fantastic falafel of my youth with this recipe.

Besides the Feisty Falafel, I have other versions waiting to be tried:

Beet & onion

Sun dried tomato & olive

Lime & poblano pepper

Lemon & fresh turmeric

So many delicious possibilities! I should just make up all these batters, so I can have them waiting in the fridge when I want to whip up some snacks.

Here are a few tips to help with forming the chickpea batter:

Using dried chickpeas eliminates the need for flour or other binders, giving you falafel that is light and crisp.
Letting the falafel dough rest after grinding allows starch to seep out, making it easier for the balls to retain their shape.
Making small balls gives you a better ratio of crisp exterior to moist interior.

You’ll want to serve immediately alongside some yogurt-tahini sauce and/or hummus on the side, or stuffed into pita bread with tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, and shredded cabbage.

If you want to make your own pita bread there is a great recipe available at The Kitchn.

The sauce is pretty easy to make::

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 & 1/2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp. Tahini

1 Tbsp. lime (or lemon) juice

1/4 Tbsp. salt

Stir it well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I love spinach so I stuffed it into my pita with tomatoes and cucumbers topped with the yogurt-tahini sauce. You be you and dress up these amaze-balls however you like.

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Feisty Falafel

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Lunch

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

½ pound dried chickpeas
2 Oz. picked fresh cilantro, parsley, or mint leaves
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, sliced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 small hot pepper - seeds removed, diced.
1 Tsp. ground cumin
½ Tsp. ground coriander seed
½ Tsp crushed red pepper
½ Tsp ancho chile powder
2 Tsp.salt, plus more for seasoning
2 to 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Rinse chickpeas and place in a large bowl.
Cover with cold water, enough to allow the chickpeas to triple in volume.
Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
The next day, drain, rinse, and carefully dry chickpeas in a salad spinner.
Combine chickpeas, herbs, pepper, scallions, garlic,and salt in a food processor.
Pulse until chickpeas are very finely minced,
A handful of the mixture squeezed into a ball should hold together.
If not, process a little more or add some breadcrumbs.
Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes
This will help the balls retain their shape better once formed.
Scoop out heaping spoonfuls of the mixture into your hand.
Gently shape each into a ball and place them on a clean plate.
Fill a deep cast iron or nonstick skillet with ¾ inch of oil
You can use a deep fryer, just follow its instructions. .
Heat oil over high heat .
Carefully lower balls into oil one at a time, allowing space between each ball.
Allow to cook until well browned on bottom side.
Then flip until browned on second side.
About 4 minutes total.
Transfer cooked chickpea balls to a paper bag–lined plate.
Season with salt.
Repeat with remaining balls..

Feisty Falafel is named such because of the fiery spices I added. The creamy yogurt, cilantro, and tahini sauce with fresh squeezed lemon tempers the heat perfectly.

Pink Green Juice by Lady J

April 20, 2016 by VPKDana

Pink Green Juice by Lady J is a guest post from a friend of mine who is a raw food enthusiast. I wanted to let her introduce the joy of juicing to you (and to me).

Pink Green Juice by Lady J is one drink I’ll be making often. She has been on a raw food diet for some time now. I’d say it is more a health conscious lifestyle choice than a diet really. I’ve spoken with her a few times about the health benefits to be had from this type of diet. I don’t know if I have the discipline to do it 100 percent, but I can certainly add this recipe into my life.

Lady J:

I feel grateful for juice. I enjoy the process of making it, and I get so excited about my juices that I feel the need to encourage others to make juice as well.

If you are curious about juicing, and want to ease into experimentation, this oh so simple concoction is a good one to try. Sweet, pretty, and so good for your health. Don’t assume that green juices are the only life enhancing option.

I know a concern of many is that the sugar content is rumored to be too high. I recently heard someone say that juice is worse than soda. Aah! That one hurt. Sugar from fruit is good sugar. A simple sugar, and a simple carbohydrate to give you energy. Understand that sugar from juice is only a concern if you pair it with something containing artificial sugars or something with starch. If you drink juice and then a doughnut, you’re going to get sugar spikes. If you drink juice and eat bread, you will get sugar spikes. Now you know!

On to the juice. To make this juice, simply run one whole watermelon and 5-7 green apples through a juicer. This recipe will give you approximately 64 oz of juice. If you prefer less, just use less ingredients.

I understand that not everyone is a fan of Granny Smith Apples. I am one of those people. Too tart! However, when paired with watermelon, you get a sweet, slightly tangy juice. Not overbearing, and it won’t make you pucker.

If you decide you don’t want to bother with the apples, you can juice the watermelon on its own. If you don’t have a juicer you can blend the watermelon and then strain it. Yes, strain. I always do.

My mother –who has never made juice –insists that I shouldn’t strain my juices because it removes the fiber. Removal of the fiber doesn’t mean that your juice is no good. The first time I strained my juice, I could picture my mom scolding me. But don’t listen to my mom. As you dare to strain, don’t think, “I’m losing life!” You’re fine. If your focus is on fiber I recommend smoothies. Juices and smoothies are great and serve different purposes. Juice is easily digestible, and quickly assimilates so that you get the vitamins, and minerals right away.

Let’s get to some of the health benefits of this juice.

Green Apples :

Improves skin texture
Enhances hair growth
Contains Vitamins A, B, C
Contains Minerals. Iron, Copper, Manganese, Potassium
Contains fiber which increases metabolism
Contains anti-oxidants
Reduces blood pressure
Cleans intestines, assists digestion.

Watermelon :

92% water. Water lubricates the joints
Serves as a diuretic
Has Lycopene
Helps heart function
Reduces fat
High Vitamin C which supports the body in many ways. From mood, to eye support, to wound healing, and more.

Sound good? I thought so.

Lastly, I suggest that you drink your juice from something that is pleasing to the eye, and enjoyable to hold in your hands. I initially pour my juices into a big 64oz mason jar. If I don’t want to drink that much juice in one sitting, I transfer the juice in to two 32oz mason jars. Lately I’ve been using 33oz vintage style glass jars–and I always use reusable glass straws. So pretty, so much fun.

Happy juicing!

You can find more about raw foods and juicing on her blog:

http://ladyj-in-lotus-pose.blogspot.com/ I hope you all enjoy Pink Green Juice by Lady J as much as I did. Let me know how you like it if you try it too!

Pink Green Juice by Lady J is a guest post from a friend of mine who is a raw food enthusiast. I wanted to let her introduce the joy of juicing to you (and to me).

Tofu Bites

April 19, 2016 by VPKDana

Tofu Bites are the perfect dinner appetizer or lunchtime snack. Have them with some sweet honey mustard, chile, or ranch dipping sauce.

Tofu Bites are the ultimate finger food. Make up a batch for your next party, and trust me, these will disappear quickly. Set out 4 or 5 different dipping sauces to offer some variety. From mild to wildly hot. My old standby sriracha plays a role here. Spicy and delicious.

I was out shopping once and I passed up on a tofu press. That was a mistake. Unless you dry it out really well, the consistency of it is too mushy to cook with. I’ve had it draining for up to a half hour in the sink with heavy pots stacked precariously on top. Freezing it seems to be the best method I’ve found for it to retain firmness.

Some recipes will call tor water but I prefer to use home made vegetable broth I’ve created from all the odds and ends that are left over. I usually chop much more than I need and freeze the remainder for future use. You can use whichever leftovers you have on hand.

Ingredients for veggie stock –

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, halved if large
1 small fennel bulb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Preparation

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 4 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until stock is reduced by half, 1-1 1/2 hours.
Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. DO AHEAD: Stock can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool completely, then cover and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.

But really, you can use so many different things. You do want to stay away from cruciferous veggies–no cabbage, no broccoli, no cauliflower, and for the love of all things holy, no brussels sprouts–because they can leave bitter flavors in your broth. Make sure everything you use is clean too–you don’t want to make dirt soup! And remember, there’s a difference between things you don’t want to eat vs. things you shouldn’t eat. Clean carrot peel is fine in a broth or stock; a moldy carrot is not.

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Tofu Bites

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 Pkg. firm organic tofu, frozen and thawed. Press if needed
2 cups vegetable broth, if you have your own, thaw
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons tamari
½ cup (or more if needed) corn starch or arrowroot powder
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)
½ cup oats blended into a flour (or ½ cup oat flour) - gluten-free oats if following a diet
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ cup cooked, blotted dry quinoa
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Break the tofu into uneven chunks/pieces with your hands. Or cut into small squares.
Freeze the tofu and then thaw in the fridge.
If the tofu is not completely thawed, it will finish thawing in the broth.
Place tofu into a bowl and pour in the vegetable broth, garlic and tamari over the top
(you just have to make sure the tofu is completely covered).
Set aside in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
Combine the quinoa, flour, nutritional yeast, salt, sugar, pepper and spices.
In a bowl, pour the corn starch (or arrowroot powder).
Once the tofu has marinated, gently dip the chunks with your hands into the corn starch.
Next, dip into the breading. Make sure all sides are coated.
Repeat the process until all your pieces are well coated. Set aside.
You can freeze your leftover vegetable broth to use in other recipes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Gently place the tofu pieces in hot oil (try not to crowd them).
Fry for about 2 minutes on each side or until crisp and browned evenly.
Remove from oil and set on brown paper bag to blot the excess oil.
Serve the Tofu Bites with oven potato fries and your favourite dipping sauces.

Notes

Modified from an Under a Lemon Tree recipe.

Tofu Bites are the perfect dinner appetizer or lunchtime snack. Have them with some sweet honey mustard, chile, or ranch dipping sauce.

Five Ingredient Pasta

April 15, 2016 by VPKDana

Five Ingredient Pasta is a quick weekday meal or a great dish to bring to a dinner party or potluck.

Five Ingredient Pasta has been done in so many delicious ways. This is my contribution to that milieu. I have made this recipe twice in the last week and it was a hit both times. It is so quick to put together, you’ll have more time for enjoying dinner with friends and family.

I have tried to take a traditional Italian pasta recipe and give it a south of the border taste. You have to mix it up a little, yeah? The spicy bite of the soyrizo gives this dish a flair that is just as flavorful as the meat based counterpart.

Soyrizo, a fresh, healthier take on the traditional chorizo, has 65% fewer calories and 80% less fat than its animal-based counterpart. Made from Non-GMO soy and flavored with spices and expeller-pressed soy oil, Soyrizo has both the texture and flavor of traditional chorizo without the cholesterol. And while it is filled with the important omega 9 fatty acid, it has almost zero saturated fat (0.5g per serving).

Prepare Soyrizo the same way you would prepare traditional chorizo in a recipe. Keep in mind that, since Soyrizo is not meat-based, it does not need to be cooked as long as the traditional chorizo does.

Vegan soyrizo must be refrigerated, but it can be frozen and then thawed when you’re ready to make it. Soyrizo turns out the best when it is cooked quickly over very high heat. Preheat a frying pan without oil and place the soyrizo into the pan, stirring and mashing constantly to avoid sticking. Once the soyrizo is heated, it is ready to eat.

SERVING SOYRIZO

Heat soyrizo as described above. Stir in soft silken tofu, and cook until the tofu has coagulated. Serve mixture alone, in hard or soft tortillas, or over rice or cooked grains.
For a baked meal, heat soyrizo as above. Grease a baking pan, add soyrizo, pour soft silken tofu on top, and bake until bubbly.
For a skillet dinner, chop leftover cooked potatoes. Heat soyrizo as described above. Then, add in the potatoes or cooked rice, cooked beans, cooked veggies, chopped tomatoes, and chopped onions.
Use soyrizo crumbles as a topping for baked potatoes, with some vegan sour cream, chopped scallions, and bell peppers or onions.
Make soyrizo crumbles into a topping for homemade pizzas.
Combine soyrizo crumbles with onions and either fresh bread crumbs or stuffing mix. Stuff into bell peppers or tomatoes and bake.
Blend soyrizo crumbles with cooked grains and cooked mixed veggies for a one-pot meal.
Use a small amount of soyrizo to season white, black, kidney beans or garbanzos. It’s also a great addition to bean soups, such as split pea or minestrone.

Five Ingredient Pasta comes together so quickly, you’ll be happy with all the free time you have left to engage with your company. I have made recipes that take me over an hour and a half to prepare and while the end result is super tasty, it cuts into the time I have to use to bring you new and exciting recipes (and planting more peppers, let’s not forget about our kitchen gardens).

Some freshly grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top is delicious. If you love olives as much as I do, throw in a liberal amount. I found a new bread at Trader Joe’s that goes very well with this dish; Trader Giotto’s Garlic & Cheese Bread Sticks. Just bake them for 5 to 7 minutes while pasta is simmering. Pour yourself some red wine, kick up your feet, and relax.

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Five Ingredient Pasta

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 16 mins

Total time: 21 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

17.6 Oz. penne pasta
28 Oz. can crushed tomatoes
12 Oz. pkg. soyrizo
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tsp. olive oil

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions, or until tender.
Drain well and set aside.
Heat oil in an extra large skillet and add garlic
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes
Add tomatoes and soyrizo
Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in pasta
cook for 2 to 3 more minutes

Five Ingredient Pasta is a quick weekday meal or a great dish to bring to a dinner party or potluck.

Lemon Chicken Style Seitan

April 14, 2016 by VPKDana

Lemon Chicken Style Seitan is a great recipe to swap out for the popular traditional chicken dish. It’s best enjoyed on a bed of fluffy rice.

Lemon Chicken Style Seitan is what I make when the urge for Chinese food hits me. Just pop these puppies into some chow mein, add to a stir-fry, or set atop a bed of fluffy rice. Golden, crunchy coating with a tender, juicy center.

I find that I’m using seitan (say-tahn) a lot in recipes. I normally prepare my own, but if it’s a busy night, I use store-bought brands. It hasn’t been widely known until recently. It’s been around for a long time though.

According to Barbara and Leonard Jacobs in their excellent book Cooking with Seitan, The Complete Vegetarian “Wheat-Meat” Cookbook, “seitan has been a staple food among vegetarian monks of China, Russian wheat farmers, peasants of Southeast Asia, and Mormons. People who had traditionally eaten wheat had also discovered a method to extract the gluten and create a seitan-like product.”

Seitan can be flavored in many ways:

By adding the traditional broth of tamari, ginger, garlic, and kombu
Use paprika, cayenne, fennel, garlic, and Italian seasoning for a “sausage” flavor
Add poultry seasoning or veggie chicken flavor broth powder to make a “chicken” flavored seitan,

There are some store brands that make more convenient food to prepare. I have had the most luck using high gluten flour or Bob’s Red Mill vital wheat gluten, When I’m making my own seitan I knead it a little longer so it comes out more dense. I like it to be quite firm, as it substitutes more easily for animal foods in recipes.

This is a basic recipe for seitan:

2 cups gluten flour
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp ground ginger
1-1/4 cups water or vegetable stock
3 Tbsp. Braggs liquid amino acids, or tamari
1-3 Tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

Add garlic powder and ginger to flour and stir. Mix liquids together and add to flour mixture all at once. Mix vigorously with a fork. When it forms a stiff dough knead it 10 to 15 times.

Let the dough rest 2 to 5 minutes, then knead it a few more times. Let it rest another 15 minutes before proceeding.

Cut gluten into 6 to 8 pieces and stretch into thin cutlets. Simmer in broth for 30 to 60 minutes.

Broth:
4 cups water
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
3-inch piece of kombu (a type of seaweed)
3-4 slices ginger (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring broth to a boil. Add cutlets one at a time. Reduce heat to barely a simmer. Seitan may be used, refrigerated, or frozen at this point.

Commercially prepared seitan is offered by Westsoy or Sweet Earth, You can find it in tubs or vacuum packs soaking in marinade in either the refrigerator or the freezer section of many natural food stores. You may also find frozen or fresh gluten in Asian markets by the name Mi-Tan.

Lemon Chicken Style Seitan tastes great with either the home-made or store-bought seitan. Add the toppings of your choice. I went with green onions, crushed red pepper flakes, and Trader Joes balsamic glaze.

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Lemon Chicken Style Seitan

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

8 oz. (when drained) seitan
1½ tsp tamari
1½ tsp sake
1 green onion, finely minced
1½ tsp ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Grapeseed oil for shallow frying
For sauce:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp toasted sesame oil
1½ tbsp water
½ tsp arrowroot powder

Instructions

Place the seitan in a bowl, and add tamari, sake, green onion, ginger, garlic. Mix
Set aside and let marinate.
Heat oil in a wok or small skillet for frying.
Stir the arrowroot powder into the seitan mixture.
Once the oil is hot, tip everything in and let it fry on high heat.
Turn pieces to cook evenly
When it's golden and crispy, take it out of the oil and set aside.
Pour away the remaining oil.
Mix lemon juice, sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, toasted sesame oil, water, arrowroot powder.
Add that into the hot wok and mix for a few seconds until it begins to thicken.
Add the seitan back into the wok, and stir until hot:

Lemon Chicken Style Seitan is a great recipe to swap out for the popular traditional chicken dish. It's best enjoyed on a bed of fluffy rice.

Garden to Table

April 12, 2016 by VPKDana

Garden to Table is going to be my goal for making recipes with the freshest ingredients available. Today I’m heading out of the kitchen and into my small backyard.

Garden to Table is my idea of delicious. When I was younger, I could barely keep a houseplant alive. Now that I’ve done research on the topic, I’m able to sustain quite a sizable amount of herbs, veggies & fruit.

I don’t have a large backyard by any means, so my lemon, lime, and kumquat trees are of the dwarf variety. I only have a 12 by 36 inch plot of dirt, so I put in grapevines, blackberries, and a Lions Tail that snuck in (I let it stay even though it crowded out the Pink Lemonade blueberries).

An old colander makes a great hanging planter, just line them with landscaping cloth and tuck m up & out-of-the-way. Shipping pallets can be made into a vertical herb garden. You can recycle all kinds of objects for use in your outside areas. I poked some holes into the bottom of a large storage tub and planted beets, mini eggplant, and cucumbers. An old fire pit was being used as a planter box for several varieties of lettuce.

I was let loose in a garden center this past weekend and my car was packed with all kinds of heavenly smelling herbs and veggies. I got Cucumbers, eggplant, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, basil, sweet orange peppers, pattypan squash, bee balm, purple & yellow bell peppers, coolapeno pepper, sweet mint, jicama seeds, beets, a dwarf kumquat and maize.

I want to try my hand at pickling & I’ll be able to have my pick of fresh ingredients. I can make all kinds of jams too. Blackberry & basil jam with a little vanilla and dried hibiscus petals mixed in sounds delicious. I will be making that for damn sure.

Here is a list of some things you can grow in your space. Click the link to find out when and how.

Asparagus
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Greens
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Melons
Microgreens
Okra
Onions
Parsnip
Peas
Peppers
Sweet Peppers
Bell Peppers
Radish
Tomatoes
Turnips
Watermelons

Herb plants are great too. They tend to run small, so you can fit a variety in a tight space. My garden has a few plants that attract bees. Bees are important, so I try to grow things that will sustain them. One family of plants that provides a good source for nectar is the Lamiaceae (mint family). These flowers, made up of five fused petals, are usually irregular in shape, have square stems, and are usually quite fragrant. Bees will hang on the outside of the flower and insert their proboscis inside to gain access to the sweet nectar. Many of the herbs that we like to cook with, like basil and lemon balm, are in the mint family, so not only do they give us food, but the bees as well.

Some great kitchen Garden to Table herbs to try growing: basil, chives, cilantro, lavender, sage, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, marjoram, summer or winter savory, tarragon, thyme, and dill. If you have room on your windowsill or any sunny spot, you can easily set up mini pots with the herb that you cook with the most.

Full meals can be constructed just by foraging in your own backyard. Pluck some lettuce, radicchio, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes for a salad. Grab a lime, a jalapeño pepper & some cilantro to make a quick dressing. I’ll include the recipe, most ingredients can be grown outside your back door.

Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 jalapeño pepper – seeded and chopped small

1 clove garlic – minced

3/4 Tsp. fresh ginger root – minced

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup honey

2 Tsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tsp. salt

1/4 cup cilantro leaves – packed in tight

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.

Then, all you have to do is put the pepper, garlic & ginger into a food processor or blender and pulse until minced. Pour in the fresh lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Then add the cilantro leaves. Pulse a few times to blend. with blender on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated fully. Add more salt if needed. Garden to Table indeed.

Chickpea Veggie Burgers

April 7, 2016 by VPKDana

Chickpea Veggie Burgers with quinoa are a great, fresh alternative to a store-bought frozen pattie.

Chickpea Veggie Burgers are great for summertime barbeques or poolside eats. Pile some sweet potato fries, salad, or fresh fruit next to this delicious burger and enjoy the perfect weather with family and friends. They are just as filling as any hamburger. Healthier for you too.

Chickpea Veggie Burgers are my go to burger lately. Crunchy-on-the-outside patties, spicy and soft on the inside. I always have to make extra as these disappear quickly. I have been trying different veggie burger recipes and I have had some pretty spectacular fails. Some of them crumbled if I even looked at them sideways. A few came out firmer but too bland for my taste. Trying to find that perfect combo of texture and flavor is tricksy.

Some of the ways you can get the patties to bind together better:

You can make a “flax egg” by combining 1 Tbs. ground flax seed and 3 Tbs. warm water and letting it sit until it gels. Add this to the mix last and it does a good job of decreasing the mush factor
Arrowroot powder is a starch used as a thickener, much like cornstarch. Add to the veggie burger mix to thicken and bind. Arrowroot is my new fave thing, I use it in place of cornstarch in pretty much all recipes.
Add rolled oats if the mixture is too wet, or if it sticks to your hands excessively. It is hella hard to shape patties when it’s stuck to your hands. Ideally. rolling the mixture into a ball, then flattening it into rounds should be fairly easy.
Mash two-thirds of the beans, only lightly mash the rest. This may help the pattie hold its shape.

I got a brand new rice cooker that actually has a setting for quinoa. If you don’t have a rice cooker you can go the stove top route.

Quinoa: This is how I usually cook quinoa: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the quinoa and cook for 10 minutes. Drain. For these burgers, I have been cooking a cup at a time, which produces over 2 cups of cooked quinoa, and I use 1 cup here and save the rest. If you want to be exacting, use about 1/3 cup dry quinoa to get 1 cup cooked.

Suggestions for toppings on the Chickpea Veggie Burgers:

Grilled vegetables like red bell pepper, green chilies, onions, or mushrooms
Coleslaw with shallots, fennel, cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes
Tempeh bacon & fresh spinach
Avocado & sprouts or microgreens with chipotle mayo
Tzatziki, hummus, sweet/hot mustard or sriracha aioli
Pickled red onions & Sweet Baby Ray’s bbq sauce
Chao cheese & sun-dried tomatoes

This list is endless, whatever food you like can be piled on. French fries? sure, why not? Fried green tomatoes? Go for it!

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Chickpea Veggie Burgers

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 cup chickpeas rinsed & drained
1 cup cooked quinoa (I used tri-color)
½ cup red onion roughly chopped
⅓ cup carrot chopped small
3 scallions, ends trimmed and roughly chopped
1 small zucchini, grated
⅓ cup flour
1 egg replacer
2 Tsp.basil
2 Tsp. cilantro
2 Tsp. kosher salt
1 Tsp cracked black pepper
1½ Tsp. smoked paprika
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
2 to 4 Tbsp. oil. One for each set of two patties to fry in

Instructions

Place the drained chickpeas (on a paper towel to dry them as best you can} ,
Add chickpeas, quinoa, onion, scallions, spices & herbs in a food processor & blend 10 seconds
Add egg replacer and flour, blend a few more seconds.
(or use a masher until blended).
Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Blend in the grated zucchini
Use a ½-cup measuring cup to portion the mixture into 6 patties.
The patties can be wrapped and stored in the fridge for a half hour or so, to set
Or they can be saved in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days until ready cook
Heat a pan over medium high heat.
For two patties, add 1 tablespoon oil.
Cook for 4 minutes adjusting the heat as necessary. Flip & cook for 4 minutes more
Or bake them at 375 on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 30 mins. flip after 15

Chickpea Veggie Burgers with quinoa are a great, fresh alternative to a store-bought frozen pattie.

Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas

April 4, 2016 by VPKDana

Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas are by far the best portable snack food in creation (in my not so humble opinion). Warm, golden crust enveloping a succulent blend of veggies and herbs.

Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas are little pockets of awesome, hands down. When you get the dough to the optimal shade of golden brown & the vegetables tucked inside are cooked to perfection? Someone should give you some kind of award.

As you will learn if you follow this page, I like heat. But not ghost pepper hot though. I like a slow, steady build. A pinch of ancho chile, red pepper flakes, or anaheim peppers are a few of my favorite staples. What are your favorite ways to kick things up a notch?

You can fill Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas with just about anything. Make them as mild or as hot as you like. Bell peppers, hot peppers, carrots, spinach or broccoli would all work well for savory. Whatever your favorite foods are can probably be incorporated into these winning, hand-carry parcels of deliciousness.

So many empanada fillings, so little time. I just went out and got a small deep fryer. You bet I’ll be making tons more of these perfect pillows of perfection. If someone installed an industrial sized mixer in my kitchen along with a few more ovens, I would make dozens upon dozens of every kind you could imagine.

I want to make ALL the dessert empanadas! Fig, caramel, and cheese. Strawberry, basil, and cream cheese. Chocolate with a little chile pepper mixed in. My mouth is watering just thinking about making these. Tiny pies you can eat in three bites. Portable pumpkin, apple, or cherry pies!

They all come out delicious! If you end up with leftover dough, you can make desert empanadas at the same time. Yum times 2.

Here are some tips & tricks for the filling:

Make sure the filling you use is not too watery or it will make the dough soggy.
To reduce the moisture of your filling, place it in a strainer for at least an hour.
It is a good idea to let your filling cool or even refrigerate it before assembling.
Filling ingredients should be diced small for best results.

If you’re making your own dough for these, here are some lessons I’ve learned:

When using a recipe with baking powder, know that your empanada will grow, but will be very hollow inside. I prefer to have a pocket full of filling and not air.
Never use more than one stick of butter or 1/2 cup of shortening for every three cups of flour or you’ll end up with dense, crumbly dough.
If a recipe calls for yeast, the texture will be more like pita bread.
Add your favorite fresh, dried or powdered herbs and seasonings to the flour before mixing. My favorites include crushed red pepper flakes, ancho chile powder, fresh chopped basil & thyme.
For baked dough use very cold butter and for fried dough use solid shortening. Vegan shortening is available. I just found out that Earth Balance has one.
Always use ice water, never lukewarm or hot. I just put a cup in the freezer while I’m assembling ingredients.
Refrigerate the dough ball for at least 3 hours before assembling your empanadas.

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Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

1 pkg. Goya brand discos - 10 rounds
2 cups potatoes - peeled and cut into cubes
1 pkg. Beyond Meat beef crumble
½ onion, diced
1 clove garlic - minced
1 green onion - sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp mace
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Take out empanada wrappers and let reach room temp.
Peel the potato and boil for 10 minutes in salted water, until soft
Remove the potato, and finely dice when it is cool enough to handle.
Preheat oven to 400.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Saute the onion and garlic until translucent.
Increase heat to medium high and add Beyond Meat beef.
Cook for about 3 mins. or just slightly browned.
Add spices except green onions, and parsley, stir
Remove from heat and add potatoes, green onions, and parsley.
Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
Dab water on finger, run along outside edge of dough
Fold in half, roll or pleat the edge, and press with a fork.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown

Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas are by far the best portable snack food in creation (in my not so humble opinion). Warm, golden crust enveloping a succulent blend of veggies and herbs.

Mini Veggie Pot Pies

April 2, 2016 by VPKDana

Mini Veggie Pot Pies are a delicious addition to any weekday dinner. They would also be a filling lunch all on their own.

Mini Veggie Pot Pies are one of the most delicious compact meals I’ve ever made. A golden, flaky crust cradling veggies that are bursting with flavor. I remember eating the store-bought version for dinners with my dad when I was a kid. This is a fresh & savory update. It spends about the same amount of time in the oven.

Mini Veggies Pot Pies can easily be customized to feature the best vegetables from any season of the year, including white asparagus, carrots, green beans, and peas in the spring or okra, zucchini, and tomatoes in the summer.

If you want a meat-like texture & taste you can add some mushrooms. Beyond Meat Beef Free Feisty Crumbles. Dice some Gardein Chick’n Scallopini after cooking to package directions and viola! Chicken pot pie.

The light, buttery, flaky crust on the Mini Veggie Pot Pies is almost my favorite part of the pie experience. I did cheat a little with the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets though. Dough is not that hard to make. I’ll include a quick guide to whipping up a batch that you can use instead of a commercial brand.

Dough for crust:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick or 1/2 cup frozen Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
Ice water

Instructions:

Cut the butter into small cubes and add to flour.

Using a fork, cut the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Then, using your hands, quickly rub the mixture together so that the butter is incorporated

Gradually drizzle ice water into the bowl, mixing with the fork until the dough holds together.

Quickly shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Place on a floured surface a roll out to 1/8 inch thick.

Place the ramekins upside-down over the dough and use a paring knife to cut out circles about 1/2 inch larger on all sides.

Or 2 circles, one circle about 2 1/2 inches wider to form the bottom and sides, smaller one on top, pinch edges of each together once you have added the veggies.

The best part of having extra dough left over? Rolling it up into 6 inch long strips and imprinting it with a fork like I’m edging a crust. Because I am! Extra pieces to add to the baking sheet when the pies are still in the oven.

But back to the Mini Veggie Pot Pies! If they don’t get snapped up and eaten, you can freeze them and enjoy them later. Hide the ramekins behind the unidentifiable lump wrapped in plastic that no one will touch.

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Veggie Pot Pie

Author: Danaan

Recipe type: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Dinner

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 17.3 oz pkg Pepperidge Farms puff pastry sheets
1½ cups leek - chopped (white and green portions)
1½ cups celery - chopped
1½ cups carrots - diced
½ cup peas - fresh or frozen
½ cup corn - fresh or frozen
1½ cups red skinned potatoes - cubed small
2 Tbsp flour or arrowroot powder
2¼ cup vegetable broth - store bought or your own, if you have some handy
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp garlic - minced
1 Tsp poultry seasoning blend
1 Tsp mace
1 Tsp onion powder
1 Tsp white pepper
Salt to taste - 1 or 2 Tsp

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat
Add leek ,carrots, and celery
Saute for 8 minutes (until tender)
Stir in garlic
Stir in flour - cook 1 minute
Add potatoes and broth and the rest of the dry spices
Cover and bring to a boil, keep an eye out so you can reduce heat to low
Simmer uncovered 10 mins.
Take out dough and let sit out according to pkg. directions
Preheat oven to 400
Remove pot from heat and add peas & corn, stir
Place dough strips crossing each other on the bottom of each cup size ramekin
Spoon ¼ cup of veggie mixture into center - more if using larger bowl
Fold dough over top and seal edges
Or roll out the dough and cut circles that fit over just the top of your oven safe bowl
Press dough down against top of ramekin, crimp with fork around rim to seal
Use fork to poke holes through the top
Place pot pies on baking sheet and cook 35 minutes or until golden brown

Mini Veggie Pot Pies are a delicious addition to any weekday dinner. They would also be a filling lunch all on their own.

Archives for April 2016

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup is the perfect thing for a cold day or for when you’re feeling a bit under the weather. It’s chock full of fresh veggies and packing some heat.

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Feisty Falafel is named such because of the fiery spices I added. The creamy yogurt, cilantro, and tahini sauce with fresh squeezed lemon tempers the heat perfectly.

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Pink Green Juice by Lady J is a guest post from a friend of mine who is a raw food enthusiast. I wanted to let her introduce the joy of juicing to you (and to me).

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Tofu Bites are the perfect dinner appetizer or lunchtime snack. Have them with some sweet honey mustard, chile, or ranch dipping sauce.

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Five Ingredient Pasta is a quick weekday meal or a great dish to bring to a dinner party or potluck.

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Lemon Chicken Style Seitan is a great recipe to swap out for the popular traditional chicken dish. It’s best enjoyed on a bed of fluffy rice.

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Garden to Table is going to be my goal for making recipes with the freshest ingredients available. Today I’m heading out of the kitchen and into my small backyard.

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Chickpea Veggie Burgers with quinoa are a great, fresh alternative to a store-bought frozen pattie.

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Spicy Vegetarian Empanadas are by far the best portable snack food in creation (in my not so humble opinion). Warm, golden crust enveloping a succulent blend of veggies and herbs.

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Mini Veggie Pot Pies are a delicious addition to any weekday dinner. They would also be a filling lunch all on their own.

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