Veggie Punk Kitchen

Vegetarian cooking to a punk soundtrack.

Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake

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Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake is a flavorful and simple dish to prepare! Fluffy English muffin pieces topped with spicy soyrizo, potatoes, eggs, veggies, and cheese make a very filling breakfast.

Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake is a flavorful and simple dish to prepare! Fluffy English muffin pieces topped with spicy soyrizo, potatoes, eggs, veggies, and cheese make a very filling breakfast.Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake has become my new favorite dish for laid back brunches. It is so easy, and so delicious…especially with a few spoonfuls of salsa or some avocado slices to pile on top. You can prepare it the night before serving, too, to let you join in on the get together. Prepare ingredients as instructed. Cover baking dish and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Who doesn’t like a hot breakfast casserole on a leisurely weekend? But, not just any casserole! I’m talking a layer of fluffy, crisp Thomas Original English Muffins, spicy Trader Joe’s soyrizo, potatoes, bell peppers, onions and melty cheddar.

There are so many ways to serve this. Roll it up into a burrito or make a quesadilla and dollop some sour cream or salsa fresca on top.

If you have leftovers, you can freeze some burritos for a breakfast on the go. Some tips for freezing:

  1. Use fresh, room temperature burrito-size tortillas. Cold tortillas tend to crack when rolled. Since you want the burrito to hold the filling in a tight package, soft tortillas are a must.
  2. Choose any fillings you love as long as they aren’t too wet. Again, you want a tight, compact package, so drippy, wet fillings aren’t going to go over well.
  3. Assemble burritos with room temperature ingredients. It’s important to me not to let the burritos get soggy. If they are soggy before they even enter the freezer, they aren’t going to improve in the deep freeze. By using room temperature ingredients, I can avoid any steamy, soggy messes. Plus, they chill and freeze quicker, reducing the risk of freezer burn.
  4. Wrap them well. I usually make dozens of burritos at a time. As soon as they are rolled, I stack them in zip-top freezer bags. It’s rare that I’ve had them stick together. An alternative means of wrapping is to wrap each one individually in foil or plastic wrap and then store the whole lot in a freezer bag. This method is particularly helpful if you’re going to pack a few burritos for work or school.

Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake is a flavorful and simple dish to prepare! Fluffy English muffin pieces topped with spicy soyrizo, potatoes, eggs, veggies, and cheese make a very filling breakfast.I used a Potato Express to speed up the process. It’s like having a magic bag. 4 minutes in the microwave and out comes a perfectly cooked spud. I see a lot of late night ads. Knives that cut through tin cans AND tomatoes. Miraculous food choppers, ginormous cupcake molds, and various other seemingly useless objects. I saw the Potato Express at my local CVS, and I thought I’d throw caution to the wind and give this a shot. I’m SO happy I gave into the temptation for a cooking shortcut.

Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake is a flavorful and simple dish to prepare! Fluffy English muffin pieces topped with spicy soyrizo, potatoes, eggs, veggies, and cheese make a very filling breakfast.

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Soyrizo Potato Breakfast Bake
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • 8 oz. pkg. soyrizo
  • 4 Thomas’ Original English Muffins, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 medium to large russet potatoes - cooked then cut into rounds
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 large eggs or 7 medium eggs
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • ¼ Tsp. red pepper flakes
  • ¼ Tsp. cumin
  • ¼ Tsp. paprika
  • ¼ Tsp. sage
  • Dash of oregano
Instructions
  1. Cook potatoes and set aside to chop up when cooled
  2. Add olive oil to a medium skillet set to a medium-high heat
  3. Once hot, add garlic, bell pepper, and onion.
  4. Stir for 4 - 5 minutes or until veggies are softened.
  5. In another small pan cook soyrizo, crumbling with a wooden spoon as it heats.
  6. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
  7. Add veggies to soyriizo, blend in spices except salt & pepper.
  8. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
  9. Place English muffin cubes in the bottom of a greased 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
  10. Drizzle with melted butter.
  11. Add layer of soyrizo mixture
  12. Add layer of potato slices (I added some extra salt & pepper onto potatoes)
  13. In a large bowl, whisk shredded cheddar, eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
  14. Pour over top of casserole.
  15. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes
  16. Insert knife in the center and check that it comes out clean. Done
  17. Sprinkle with fresh green onions if desired.
  18. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving

Cooking tunes: The Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks, The Ramones – We’re Outta Here, Misfits – Famous Monsters, Bad Religion – Recipe for Hate.

Writing tunes: New Order – Substance, The Specials – The Singles Collection, KROQ’s Flashbacks: Greatest Hits, The Replacements – Don’t Tell A Soul.

Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado

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Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado is a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknights. It tastes great as a cold leftover too.

Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado is a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknights. It tastes great as a cold leftover too.Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado was just what I needed as the weather starts to cool down. it has been too hot for ages. I swear every summer seems hotter and hotter. I may have to start vacationing somewhere like Alaska or someplace that promises never to hit triple digits. I still love California weather overall though.

Traditionally the finished noodles are topped with a variety of garnishes, like seaweed that has been crushed into a powder, pickled ginger, katsuobushi (fish flakes), and mayonnaise. I avoid regular mayo when possible. I did find some So Good miso mayo that is pretty tasty. You could try some of these garnishes, or keep it simple with a sprinkling of thinly sliced scallions. I used avocados on the side since I wanted a sort of meaty flavor in the absence of chicken I normally see in this dish.

I used Hakubaku Organic Soba, Authentic Japanese Buckwheat Noodles. You can use any brand that’s available though. Just follow package directions.

Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado is a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknights. It tastes great as a cold leftover too.One of my favorite noodle dishes is yakisoba, Japanese stir-fried noodles. Soba means thin, spaghetti-like noodles made from buckwheat flour, which are stir-fried along with vegetables and tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. Hot or cold, these are a bowl of yum.

Chilled soba is often served on a sieve-like bamboo tray called a zaru, sometimes garnished with bits of dried nori seaweed, with a dipping sauce known as soba tsuyu on the side. The tsuyu is made of a strong mixture of dashi, sweetened soy sauce and mirin. Using chopsticks, the diner picks up a small amount of soba from the tray and dips it in the cold tsuyu before eating it. Many people think that the best way to experience the unique texture of hand-made soba noodles is to eat them cold, since letting them soak in hot broth changes their consistency.

Hot soba dishes:

  • Kake soba: Hot soba in broth topped with thinly sliced scallion.
  • Haikara soba: Topped with tenkasu (bits of deep-fried tempura batter).
  • Tsukimi soba: (moon-viewing soba): Topped with raw egg, which poaches in the hot soup.
  • Wakame soba: Topped with wakame seaweed
  • Nameko soba: Topped with nameko mushroom

Cold soba dishes:

  • Mori soba: Basic chilled soba noodles served on a flat basket or a plate.
  • Zaru soba: Mori soba topped with shredded nori seaweed.
  • Hadaka soba (naked soba): Cold soba served on its own.
  • Hiyashi soba Cold soba served with various toppings sprinkled on top.

I decided to whip up a version that includes carrots, red onion, savoy cabbage, garlic, and ginger, but instead of adding chicken or pork, I topped the noodles with fresh avocado & green onions.

Veggie Yakisoba with Avocado is a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknights. It tastes great as a cold leftover too.

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Veggie Yakisoba
Author: 
Recipe type: dinner
Cuisine: Japanese
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 8 oz.packages fresh yakisoba noodles
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • ⅓ cup mirin
  • 3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil, plus additional oil as needed
  • ½ medium carrot (about 2 ounces), peeled and cut into small strips
  • ½ red onion, vertically sliced
  • ¼ savoy cabbage (about 10 ounces), cored and shredded
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 2 ripe, avocados, seeded, peeled, cut into thin slices, then halved
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. Heat and separate the noodles according to the package directions. Set aside.
  2. Combine ketchup, mirin, soy sauce, & sesame oil in a small bowl, set aside.
  3. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large sauté pan or work over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the carrots and onions and stir-fry from 1 minute
  5. Add the cabbage and continue to stir-fry until the veggies have softened.
  6. While cooking, drizzle in additional grapeseed oil as needed.
  7. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  8. Add the noodles to the pan and toss to combine
  9. Add the ketchup mixture and stir constantly until everything is well coated,
  10. Stir until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  11. Remove from the heat, top with avocado slices and scallions, serve

Cooking tunes:

V/A – Dope, Guns and F*^*ing in the Streets, Vols. 4-7

Rollins Band – A Nicer Shade of Red

DEATH – spiritual, mental, physical

Writing tunes:

The Misfits – Collection 1 and 2 – Box set

Swans – The Glowing Man

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree

 

Pine Nut Pesto Pasta

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Pine Nut Pesto Pasta is a fresh & flavorful dinner choice for those in a hurry. Toasting the pine nuts made my kitchen smell wonderful.

BasilPinenut1Pine Nut Pesto Pasta has just a few ingredients and is a cinch to whip up any weeknight. It is bursting with flavor and it is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Serve some garlic bread on the side, add a bottle of wine and you’re all set.

Food & wine pairing can be tricky. I had to research the subject, being more of a beer snob. I found some useful info on the Undiscovered Italy homepage.

Pairing pesto with wine can be difficult. (For clarity, we are talking about a traditional pesto of basil, garlic, pine nuts, EVOO and Parmesan.) The sauce is both pungent, with assertive flavors from the garlic and cheese, and delicate, as basil has quite a bit of nuance. Generally, whether looking for white or red wine, young, fruity, aromatic wines are far better than anything aged, overripe, oaky, or flabby. Good pesto is bright and fresh, so you want to find a wine that exhibits similar traits. Of course, another key consideration is what you are serving with the dish. A simple pasta dish dressed with pesto, for example, will probably work better with a white wine, but the addition of heartier ingredients such as sausage or tomatoes make red a viable option.

argiolas-costamolinoAs is the case for most Italian food, the safest bet with any pairing is to follow the rule “if it grows together, it goes together”. Genoa, pesto’s homeland, is in Liguria, a small region on the Mediterranean coast just northwest of Tuscany. The indigenous white grape here is Vermentino, which makes lovely wines that offer rich flavors of tropical fruit but also bring great acidity, matching the dual personality of its sister sauce. Ligurian Vermentino is not exactly easy to come by in our area, but Sardinia’s Argiolas makes an excellent option –Costamolino ($14.99) – which is widely available and delicious for the price. Of course, other aromatic northern Italian whites can also work well, including Ligurian Pigato and Bianchetto Genovese, plus Arneis, Gavi and Soave.

 

Pine Nut Pesto Pasta is a fresh & flavorful dinner choice for those in a hurry. Toasting the pine nuts made my kitchen smell wonderful.Pine Nut Pesto Pasta was so simple to make. I’m always coming up with exotic dishes that take hours to prepare. So this was a respite from hot stove duty. I had plenty of leftovers too, that will be okay in the fridge for a few days. You could freeze it & pull it out when you just have no time to prepare a full meal.

You can use almonds, walnuts, or pistachios to replace the pine nuts if you fear the pine mouth. I had not heard of that syndrome until today, nor of anyone experiencing it. I should probably not even bring this up, but I find it a fascinating phenomenon. I’m a culinary adventurer, so I have no fear of puny nuts & seeds.

Pine nuts can cause taste disturbance. It’s known as pine nut mouth or pine nut syndrome. It causes everything you eat to have a bitter, metallic taste. Luckily it’s not permanent — it only lasts a couple of days. It’s hypothesized that the particular species of pine responsible for this is the Pinus armandii in China.

There are pine nuts you can buy from Italy, but they are hella expensive. Be brave. So what do you say? Let’s adventure boldly on to the Pine Nut Pesto Pasta recipe.

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Pine Nut Pesto Pasta
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10 - 12
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound spaghetti noodles
  • 4 oz. prepared basil pesto
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped basil
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup roasted pine nuts
  • black pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese - for topping
Instructions
  1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large stockpot
  2. Add spaghetti to pot - cook per package directions
  3. In a small skillet toast pine nuts over medium flame
  4. Shake pan frequently so all sides are golden and release aroma - about 3 minutes
  5. Toss noodles with olive oil and pesto
  6. Sprinkle with pepper, pine nuts, fresh basil, and cheese

Pine Nut Pesto Pasta is a fresh & flavorful dinner choice for those in a hurry. Toasting the pine nuts made my kitchen smell wonderful.

Cooking tunes – Fugazi: Steady Diet of Nothing / UK Subs: Endangered Species / Peter and the Test Tube Babies: Pissed & Proud

Writing tunes – Wipers: Youth of America / Television: Adventure / Nurse With Wound: Salt

Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup

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Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup is a great, no fuss weeknight meal. Throw most of the ingredients into the pot in the morning, come home, add a few things, dinner is served.

Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup is a great, no fuss weeknight meal. Throw most of the ingredients into the pot in the morning, come home, add a few things, dinner is served.Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup is another use up all the veggies in the refrigerator type recipes. I hate to let anything go to waste, so I use my slow cooker for soups and stews quite often.

I used to make a damn good chicken soup. Now I have to find ways to modify old favorites. Sometimes tofu just doesn’t cut it. This time I used Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken Free Strips. Chicken flavored seitan would work for this recipe too. You’ll notice I added quite a lot of fiery spices. It will be a running theme. Feel free to scale those back a bit if you’re not as enthusiastic as I am about heat.

I used Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro, but you can add just about any grain into the mix. As for all the vegetables, pick your favorites. Just remember that some things take a lot longer to cook than others. You might want to pre-cook some of the veggies like potatoes or yams.

You can turn my Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup into anything you want pretty much. Saute some mushrooms and add them near the end. Kale would be good too. Just cut out the thick stem and chop it up.

Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup is a great, no fuss weeknight meal. Throw most of the ingredients into the pot in the morning, come home, add a few things, dinner is served.Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup was pretty easy to prepare. It gave me time to get other things done. I didn’t have to stand over a hot stove, which is a plus. My Slow Cooker has a timer too, so I can set it to start an hour or so late, in case I’m going to be out all day

If a dish usually takes:

  • 15 – 30 mins, cook it for 1 – 2 hours on High or 4 – 6 hours on Low
  • 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2 – 3 hours on High or 5 – 7 hours on Low
  • 1 – 2 hours, cook it for 3 – 4 hours on High or 6 – 8 hours on Low
  • 2 – 4 hours, cook it for 4 – 6 hours on High or 8 – 12 hours on Low

Root vegetables can take longer than meat and other vegetables so put these near the heat source, at the bottom of the pot/

Specific Crock Pot Cooking Tips

  • For best results, ground meats must be cooked in a skillet and drained of all fat before cooking in the crockpot.
  • Cayenne pepper and tabasco sauce tend to become bitter if cooked for long periods of time. Use small amounts of these ingredients and add toward the end of the cooking time.
  • Add tender vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini during the last 45 minutes of cooking time so they don’t overcook. Canned tomatoes can be added with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning of cooking time.
  • Dairy products should be added during the last 30 minutes of cooking time, unless the recipes states otherwise.
  • Liquids do not boil away in the crockpot, so if you are making a recipe that wasn’t specifically developed for the crockpot, reduce the liquid by 1/3 to 1/2 unless you are cooking rice or making soup.
  • Stir in spices for the last hour of cooking. They will lose flavor if cooked with the rest of the ingredients for the long cooking period.

A sprinkle of fresh herbs or squeeze of lemon juice at the end of simmering can brighten flavors and cut through the richness of long-cooked recipes. Other excellent finishing touches: hot sauce, citrus zest, grated Parmesan, good-quality olive oil or even sautéed garlic.

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Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15
 
Ingredients
  • 12 oz. pkg. Beyond Meat Chicken Free Strips - diced
  • 1 large potato - baked - cut into cubes
  • 1 cup Farro
  • 1 can green chile ( I used Hatch Chiles)
  • 1 can black beans - drained - rinsed
  • ½ onion - diced
  • 1 large carrot - thinly sliced (or ½ can pre-cooked carrots)
  • 2 bell peppers ( I used 1 red & 1 green) chopped small
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic - minced
  • 1 container vegetable stock (about 6 cups)
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley - fresh - chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. basil - fresh - chopped
  • ¼ Tsp.- paprika
  • ¼ Tsp. - whole mustard seeds - crushed
  • ¼ Tsp.- ginger
  • ¼ Tsp. - red pepper flakes
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Bake potato then let cool
  2. Use a splash of olive oil in a hot skillet to cook the onions and garlic. 3 - 5 minutes. let cool
  3. Add all ingredients except spinach, basil, and parsley, and spiced to slow cooker
  4. Low setting = 8 hours/ Medium setting = 5 hours/ High setting = 3 hours
  5. minutes before end add spinach and stir in spices.
  6. Garnish bowls with basil & parsley

Slow Cooker Veggie Chicken Soup is a great, no fuss weeknight meal. Throw most of the ingredients into the pot in the morning, come home, add a few things, dinner is served.

Tunes for cooking – The Birthday Party – Prayers On Fire

Tunes for writing – The Cramps – Bad Music For Bad People

Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala

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Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is a welcome addition to any table. It will fill your kitchen with the heady aroma of Indian spices.

Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is a welcome addition to any table. It will fill your kitchen with the heady aroma of Indian spices.Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is a bright, richly flavoured Indian dish normally cooked with chicken. Since my meat eating days are over, I wanted to find a way to enjoy this amazing dish vegetarian style. I was a spice wimp until recently, but I’m building up my tolerance and adding heat to just about everything.

For some reason, I didn’t manage to get my dish the exact shade of vibrant yellow/orange that I see in restaurants or on YouTube. Turmeric usually does the trick. Indian food is super difficult to photograph. I was kind of reluctant to even try, The taste is so good though, that I didn’t want to exclude it because it was not so photogenic..  Next time I make this I will try to nail that summery shade.

I am kind of wading into unknown territory here. With the Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala, I hope it’s the first step on an adventure into unknown pleasures. I find the American palate pretty bland. I want to try preparing exotic dishes from all corners of the world.

I would be delighted to have chef & writer Anthony Bourdain’s job of continent hopping and being able to experience the regional cuisine of so many unique cultures. Breakfast in France. Brunch in Brussels. Lunch in Los Angeles. Dinner in ?

Naan bread  served up warm on the side of the Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is great for making sure you get every last speck of the sauce. Pita bread works too though. Icy drinks will be in demand to tame the heat.

Like maybe a mint-lime cooler?

  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed mint leaves
  • Ice, for serving
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle sparkling water, cold
  • Lime slices, for garnish
  • Mint sprigs, for garnish

Combine the lime juice, sugar, and mint in a blender. Puree until smooth. Fill two tall glasses halfway with ice cubes. Pour half of the lime juice concentrate in each. Top with sparkling water, garnish with lime and mint, and serve.

Turn the above into a Mojito if so inclined. Pour 1 ounce rum into tall glass with ice, and top with Mint Lime Cooler. You can get ready made mojito mixes too like Monin brand.

I know everyone cools to their taste, so if you try this recipe, let me know what you did differently.

Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is a welcome addition to any table. It will fill your kitchen with the heady aroma of Indian spices.

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Tikka Masala with Tofu & Potato
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10
 
Ingredients
  • 1-16 oz extra firm tofu
  • 2 small potatoes - baked
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded/diced
  • 5 oz. baby spinach
  • 2 tsp. turmeric, divided
  • 2 tbsp, garam masala, divided
  • 2 tsp. ancho chili powder, divided
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 quarter tsp white pepper
  • 1 quarter tsp. sweet paprika
  • 6 cardamom pods crushed
  • 3 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp.raw onion, diced crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-28 oz diced tomatoes
  • ½ tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Take the tofu out of the package, drain off the water.
  2. Wrap in a cloth or paper towel
  3. Place something heavy on top (plate or cans) and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Change towels if necessary.
  5. Meanwhile, heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil and add onion, ginger, and garlic.
  6. Stir it often until onion starts to brown (4-6 minutes)
  7. Add 1 tbsp. garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder.
  8. Cook for a minute or two then add bell pepper, tomatoes to the skillet.
  9. Stir everything together and let it cook for 5-8 minutes.
  10. Stir in spinach and allow it to simmer for another minute or two.
  11. Once it cools down, puree the tomato mixture and leave it aside.
  12. Discard all the water from tofu and pat dry with paper towel.
  13. Cut tofu into cubes and toss in remaining spices and corn starch to coat evenly.
  14. Heat another skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil.
  15. Pan fry tofu 2-3 minutes on each side until it is evenly browned on all sides.
  16. Place it on a plate lined with paper towel.
  17. Simmer the tomato puree in low heat
  18. Add the tofu into the skillet until heated through.
  19. Stir in coconut milk (or cream of your choice).

Spicy Tofu Tikka Masala is a welcome addition to any table. It will fill your kitchen with the heady aroma of Indian spices.

Southwest Veggie Rice Cups

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Southwest Veggie Rice Cups are savory bites of pure cheesy goodness packed into cupcake form.

Southwest Veggie Rice Cups are savory bites of pure cheesy goodness packed into cupcake form.Southwest Veggie Rice Cups were kinda fun to make. My friend was recruited to help, so that made all the chopping less tedious. Having someone to chat with (and to pour you more wine) makes the prep time fly by. We turned on the music and got into our dicing rhythm.

I use my muffin/cupcake tins for all sorts of things besides traditional  sweet cupcakes:

  • Mac n Cheese Broccoli Cups
  • Jalapeno & Cheddar Bake
  • Mini  Spinach Frittatas
  • Polenta Cups with Sweet Peppers
  • Soy Sausage & Sage Muffins

You can add all kinds of different ingredients to this dish. Mushrooms, carrots, fresh peas, kale, broccoli, acorn squash, cauliflower, green beans, jalapeño peppers… pretty much whatever veggies one may have handy that don’t have a lot of excess moisture. the drier the mix is, the better it sticks together.

They are also super delicious with lots of spices & fresh herbs including chives, basil, sumac,  lemon thyme, sage, dill, and oregano… every variation works well.

Feel free to sub your favorite cheese (or soy variation). If you like the crunch of gratin, use shredded cheese instead of the cubes on the top. Cherry tomatoes cut in half work as a topper too. Throw on a sprig of fresh parsley and this side dish looks posh, If you want to impress your omnivore friends, add tempeh bacon bits.

For vegans: Daiya brand soy shredded pepper jack cheese would work well. You can use any soy cheese is your favorite though. Mix it up! Egg substitutes are available like Ener-G Egg Replacer or Bob’s Red Mill brand.  For the flax egg, use ground flaxseed. 1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp of warm water = 1 egg. After adding water wait 10 mins for it to turn gel like.

A hint for those using a rice cooker: 2/3 cup rice = 1 cup using the rice cooker measuring cup.

Store Southwest Veggie Rice Cups in a covered container in the refrigerator. They are okay to re-heat in the microwave or oven. If you are re-heating in the oven, cover them so they don’t dry out.

Variation: Southwest Veggie Rice Casserole
Use 1/2 cup grated pepper jack in place of the cheese squares. Use one medium tomato, sliced thin.
Grease base and sides of a non-stick square pan. Line base with parchment paper.
Firmly press rice and egg mixture into the prepared pan. Cover top of rice mixture with tomato slices and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake at 390 degrees  for about 35 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Cut into slices, drizzle with sweet chili sauce and serve.

Southwest Veggie Rice Cups are savory bites of pure cheesy goodness packed into cupcake form.

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Southwest Veggie Rice Cups
Author: 
Recipe type: Brunch
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10
 
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup jasmine rice
  • 1 cup grated zucchini, drained in towel lined strainer.
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • ½ cup baby sweet peppers
  • 1 cup finely chopped spinach
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped Hatch chilies
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Pepper jack cheese, cut into 10 1 in.cubes or wedges
  • Sweet chilli sauce, to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 390.
  2. Grease 10 holes in a muffin pan (1/3 cup capacity holes).
  3. Line the base of each hole with a circle of baking paper.
  4. Or you can use silicone baking cups sprayed with oil.
  5. Boil rice according to directions on packet.
  6. Drain cooked rice and set aside.
  7. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  8. Add onion, chilies and garlic and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Add sweet peppers, and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally.
  10. Add zucchini, spinach, salt and pepper.
  11. Stir to combine and cook for another minute.
  12. Remove saucepan from heat and transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl.
  13. Stir in rice. Allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
  14. Stir in (beaten) eggs and parmesan cheese into rice mixture.
  15. Fill the prepared muffin holes with the rice mixture.
  16. Press the mixture down so that the cups are densely packed
  17. Top each cup with a piece of cheese.
  18. I cut the cheese into 1 inch wedges and pushed them into the middle of the cups.
  19. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  20. Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.

Southwest Veggie Rice Cups are savory bites of pure cheesy goodness packed into cupcake form.

 

Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup

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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 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Stir garlic into the onion mixture; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes more.
  3. Add chicken and beans; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add all your dry spices.
  5. Pour wine, vegetable broth and water into pot.
  6. Add arrowroot powder. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
  7. For a thicker soup you can add potato flakes or a quarter cup of coconut milk.
  8. Stir carrots, peas, green beans, and potatoes through the broth. Simmer until carrots are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. 
  9. 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.

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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Vegan Chicken Vegetable Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Vegan
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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
  1. Bake potatoes for 20 to 40 minutes or until tender.
  2. Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and set aside.
  3. Combine the chicken strips, broth, 2 cups of water & wine.
  4. Add beans, carrots, celery, onions, and spices.
  5. Add arrowroot powder.
  6. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in the insert of a slow cooker.
  7. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  8. Remove the chicken strips.
  9. When cooled, shred the chicken or cut into cubes and add back to the soup.
  10. Add the potatoes, peas, parsley, spinach and dill.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Let cook for 10 to 15 more minutes
  13. 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

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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.

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.

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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Feisty Falafel
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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
  1. Rinse chickpeas and place in a large bowl.
  2. Cover with cold water, enough to allow the chickpeas to triple in volume.
  3. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
  4. The next day, drain, rinse, and carefully dry chickpeas in a salad spinner.
  5. Combine chickpeas, herbs, pepper, scallions, garlic,and salt in a food processor.
  6. Pulse until chickpeas are very finely minced,
  7. A handful of the mixture squeezed into a ball should hold together.
  8. If not, process a little more or add some breadcrumbs.
  9. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes
  10. This will help the balls retain their shape better once formed.
  11. Scoop out heaping spoonfuls of the mixture into your hand.
  12. Gently shape each into a ball and place them on a clean plate.
  13. Fill a deep cast iron or nonstick skillet with ¾ inch of oil
  14. You can use a deep fryer, just follow its instructions. .
  15. Heat oil over high heat .
  16. Carefully lower balls into oil one at a time, allowing space between each ball.
  17. Allow to cook until well browned on bottom side.
  18. Then flip until browned on second side.
  19. About 4 minutes total.
  20. Transfer cooked chickpea balls to a paper bag–lined plate.
  21. Season with salt.
  22. 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.

Tofu Bites

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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.

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.

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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Tofu Bites
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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
  1. Break the tofu into uneven chunks/pieces with your hands. Or cut into small squares.
  2. Freeze the tofu and then thaw in the fridge.
  3. If the tofu is not completely thawed, it will finish thawing in the broth.
  4. Place tofu into a bowl and pour in the vegetable broth, garlic and tamari over the top
  5. (you just have to make sure the tofu is completely covered).
  6. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
  7. Combine the quinoa, flour, nutritional yeast, salt, sugar, pepper and spices.
  8. In a bowl, pour the corn starch (or arrowroot powder).
  9. Once the tofu has marinated, gently dip the chunks with your hands into the corn starch.
  10. Next, dip into the breading. Make sure all sides are coated.
  11. Repeat the process until all your pieces are well coated. Set aside.
  12. You can freeze your leftover vegetable broth to use in other recipes.
  13. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  14. Gently place the tofu pieces in hot oil (try not to crowd them).
  15. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side or until crisp and browned evenly.
  16. Remove from oil and set on brown paper bag to blot the excess oil.
  17. 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.

Savory Potato Waffles

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Savory Potato Waffles are a spicy, crisp on the outside, fluffy within grab and go breakfast or lunch treat. Make extra and freeze them to enjoy later.

Savory Potato Waffles are a spicy, crisp on the outside, fluffy within grab and go breakfast or lunch treat. Make extra and freeze them to enjoy later.Savory Potato Waffles are a snap to make and it’s easy to clean up after. They are so filling and satisfying, you’ll want to make extra to freeze (good for up to 3 months) and pop into the toaster for breakfast or lunch.

I haven’t had a waffle iron in ages, so I went out and got one last weekend. The first thing I asked myself is what can I make in this besides a run of the mill waffle? How do I flatten a potato in this? So I came up with whipping up a batter and adding potatoes, veggies and spices. Non dairy too! So vegans can enjoy as well.

Savory Potato Waffles are very easy to modify too by adding whatever flavor profile your palate desires:

  • Try throwing in some seeded, diced chile peppers for extra heat.
  • Crumble up some cooked vegetarian bacon from Sweet Earth or the Lightlife brands.
  • Toss in some greens like finely chopped spinach or arugula
  • Stir in your favorite vegan shredded cheese like Daiya or Go Veggie
  • Caramelized onions would taste great inside the waffle or on top

There are quite a few recipes out there for making potatoes in a waffle iron. None of them had quite the flavor I was looking for though. I like to add red pepper flakes to almost everything and it made these Savory Potato Waffles come out with just the right amount of heat for me. The kind that slowly builds with each bite.

You can make excellent use of your leftover mashed potatoes using this recipe. Eggs are a great side dish to add. Or whip up some Ener-G or Bob’s Red Mill brand egg replacers. Fry up some Fakin Bacon to go with. I guess it depends on how hungry you are! Lol.

If you don’t have a waffle iron you can alsomake these in a grill pan. Spray or oil a pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side over low heat. When you flip, press it down onto the lines of the pan. Presto! Savory Potato Waffles sans waffle iron.

Savory Potato Waffles are a spicy, crisp on the outside, fluffy within grab and go breakfast or lunch treat. Make extra and freeze them to enjoy later.

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Savory Potato Waffles
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound potatoes
  • ½ cup bell pepper (any color) chopped small
  • ¼ cup non dairy butter - I used Earth Balance
  • ½ cup non dairy milk - I used unsweetened soy
  • 1 cup flour - I used unbleached white flour, but you can use any type you like
  • 4 tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tsp. chopped chive rings
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. mace
  • 1 tsp. sage
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes - I used 2 tsp. for additional heat
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder & 2 tsp. onion powder OR cook fresh, which I did
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp scallion - fresh, chopped (1 tbsp. for adding into mix, 1 tbsp. for garnish)
Instructions
  1. Peel & chop potatoes into cubes
  2. Steam potatoes for 15 minutes - allow to cool - mash until smooth
  3. You can also boil them instead for 20 mins. or until tender
  4. If using fresh garlic - mince 2 cloves.
  5. If using white or yellow onion - chop ½ cup
  6. Chop bell pepper
  7. Add oil to heated pan - add onion and garlic
  8. Cook onion until it's translucent - about 3 minutes
  9. Add bell pepper to pan
  10. Cook about 4 minutes on medium heat - let cool and set aside
  11. Heat up waffle iron - turn knob to between medium and high
  12. Preheat oven to 200 - to keep waffles warm as each one is done - do not stack
  13. Stir milk and butter into potatoes
  14. Stir in dry ingedients, except flour
  15. Stir in vegetables
  16. Stir in the flour until mixture forms a smooth batter
  17. Spray surface of iron with cooking spray
  18. Depending on the size of your iron use ¼ to ½ cup batter
  19. You can also place one Tbsp. of batter into each section of iron
  20. Cook each waffle for about 7 minutes
  21. If waffle comes out too wet add flour/arrowroot powder to batter
  22. Spray surface of iron each time you cook a waffle
  23. Place the done ones on a cookie sheet in oven
  24. Serve warm with salsa or vegan sour cream - top with green onion

Savory Potato Waffles are a spicy, crisp on the outside, fluffy within grab and go breakfast or lunch treat. Make extra and freeze them to enjoy later.

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