Mongolian BBQ--Seitan Style

Mongolia is a land of high desert studded with
mountain ranges. Perfect for the contry's meat and dairy
industry.

I confess that I've never eaten any kind of food called Mongolian--let alone had it barbecued. The only thing I ever heard about Mongolia was that some parents threatened their kids with being sent to Outer Mongolia for misbehaving, though I never knew any kids who ended up there. At least I don't think I do as none of my pals growing up ever disappeared overnight.

Now I'm pretty good in geography, but I'm going to tell you that I had to get down my globe to find out where Mongolia is. I know, I know, you're all laughing because you know it's a country bordered by Russia and China. Truthfully, I think I must not have been paying attention in geography class the day that part of the globe was being discussed.

So I Googled the country and found out more than my brain wished to remember. All of that research just because I came across a recipe for Mongolian BBQ made with Seitan--a faux meat product made of protein-rich wheat gluten. The dish sounded like something I'd like eating. Spicy. Sweet. Crunchy. Chewy. The accompanying photo made me drool. Well, not really, but almost. And then I discovered that the recipe I was so crazy about wasn't even from Mongolia. Some clever chef once fried up a bunch of beef and put a hot, spicy sauce on it and called it Mongolian BBQ.  That's been it's name ever since. And from what I've learned, the dish is now served in that country, even though it didn't originate there. Figure that one out.

It doesn't matter what you name this recipe. It would taste great if it was known as "Gunk". But I warn you. It is warm on the tongue and the back of the throat, though it doesn't make my mouth hurt or my lips swell in pain. And while the food is spicy, it's a good kind of heat that I found addictive and I wished I'd doubled the recipe. By the time my guests and I finished eating, all that remained was a bit of the steamed rice I'd served as a side. Everything else was gone. Which only means I'm going to have to make it again. And soon. Because yes, it was that good.

MONGOLIAN BBQ

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup water

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. agave nectar

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. sirracha

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

8 oz. mushrooms of your choice

8 oz. package of seitan, cubed or cut into strips

2 tsp. grated ginger, fresh

1 good pinch of cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 big handful of snow peas

2 green onions, sliced thin

1/4 cup diced cilantro

3 cups steamed rice

Make the sauce by combining the first six ingredients together in a small bowl.

Place a large wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and stir fry the mushrooms and seitan until they are lightly browned. Add the snow peas, scallions, and cilantro and and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the spices and stir fry another 3-5 minutes.

Add the sauce to the pan, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened. Serve over the steamed rice.

Try not to smack your lips while eating.

Serves 3-4, depending upon how many sides you have.

Vegans are always ready to try something new and tasty.

This recipe has been adapted from the cookbook, Chloe's Ktichen.

Easy Mushroom Risotto--Honest

I love rice. Always have. I like all kinds of rice, all colors of rice, and any recipe that includes rice. I especially like those recipes that involve tossing the rice into the oven to let it do its thing without me having to set a timer or keep watch. That's why I was thrilled to hear Ina Garten on the Food Channel say that she had found a way to make risotto in the oven.

Now I am partial to risotto. It's thick and creamy and stands up to anything you can think to put in it. But making a good risotto involves standing at the stove, spoon in hand, stirring, stirring, and stirring. It also includes having a pot of some kind of warm liquid on the back burner so that when the rice gets dry, I can add in another ladle or two. And then continue with the endless stirring. For at least 20 minutes. Sometimes 30.

Bah, Humbug.

Patience has never been one of my virtues. Hence, when I saw that Ina's oven risotto turned out perfect, I was sold. I tweeked her recipe to make it vegan and then served it to company. We all declared it a prize winner. And while I used assorted mushrooms as my vegetable of choice, this risotto could be made with all manner of roasted veggies or veggies and faux meat or an assortment of cooked and fresh vegetables so that the dish would be both creamy and crunchy. If you are a rice lover like me, give this recipe a try. I bet you'll be smacking your lips over its taste and tap dancing at its ease of preparation.

EASY MUSHROOM RISOTTO

1/2 pound of fresh mushrooms of your choice

1 oz. package of dried mushrooms. 

5-6 cups of no-chicken broth

6 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped shallot (I used sweet onion)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

Saffron, the world's most expensive
spice. A little goes a long way.

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 cup frozen peas

Reconstitute the dried mushrooms according to package directions.

If your fresh mushrooms are large, slice them; if they are small, leave them whole.

Put the reconstituted and fresh mushrooms into a Dutch oven with the 6 Tbs. of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until the ingredients are lightly wilted but not browned.

To the Dutch oven add all but the frozen peas and 1 cup of the broth.

Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Most of the liquid will be absorbed and the rice will still be a bit too firm. Remove the pot to the stove top to finish cooking.

Add the last cup of broth and give everything a good stir. It will take about 3-5 minutes for the liquid to be absorbed by the rice and the whole mixture to become thick and creamy.

Taste the risotto. If the rice is still too firm, add a bit more broth, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Just before serving, add the peas and continue cooking until the peas are no longer cold. Serve the dish hot. You can sprinkle the dish with vegan Parmesan or minced parsley. I served a side of Caesar salad and garlic toast.

Vegans who don't like to cook are always on the lookout for oven recipes. I'm one of them.

Mushrooms, Spinach & Noodles--Oh My!

I've always loved spinach but have had an off-putting relationship with mushrooms since I was a kid. To me, they were rubbery and had little to no taste. I pretty much stayed away from them till becoming a vegan. Then I looked them over, saw how many recipes used them and decided to find out how to cook them so that I could eat them without gagging.

Well, I did it. For me, a fresh mushroom is still boring and way too chewy. I just plain don't like the feel of it in my mouth. But cook the fungi in a bit of vegan margarine till it is absolutely soft and glazed a dark brown, mix it with a few onions and a bit of garlic, and I have a starter for something tasty.

This whole recipe evolved from a dish I saw cooked up on television when Ina Garten made mushroom lasagna. Since I'm a lazy cook, I turned it into a simple noodle dish and added in some of my own ingredients-- all while turning it into a vegan meal that was beyond delicious. I served it alongside a dinner salad and some garlic toast. If you're a noodle lover, my guess is you'll like this meal. Let me know what you think.

MUSHROOM, SPINACH & NOODLES

In a large skillet put:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. any kind of mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 of a small onion, chopped
4-6 sun dried tomatoes, sliced
Big pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms begin releasing their water. Cover the pan and move it to a low-heat back burner for at least 30 minutes or until the mushrooms are well browned and soft. When the mushrooms are to your liking, add 1 bag of baby spinach to the pan. Cover and leave it on the back burner another 20 minutes. If the vegetables get too dry, add 1 Tbs. water and put the cover back on the pan.

Cook the noodles in a large saucepan:

4 quarts water, salted and brought to a boil
8 oz. noodles (I used No-Yolk)

Cook the noodles until they are al-dente, about 10 minutes.

Drain the noodles and transfer them into the pot with the mushroom ingredients. Pour the white sauce over the top and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and mix again. The nutritional yeast has a Parmesan flavor that goes well with the dish.

Serves 3-4

Vegan White Sauce

Into a saucepan put:

2 Tbs. vegan margarine or olive oil
2 Tbs. flour
Cook over medium heat until the roux is light tan in color. Do not let it burn or you'll have to start over.

Add in 2 cups non-dairy milk
3 Tbs. nutritional yeast
A dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens into a white sauce that coats the back of a wooden spoon--about 8-10 minutes. Use as directed above.

Eating vegan is good for your heart!

Pepper Steak With Tempeh

I have my favorite vegan cookbooks and I use them all the time. I also have my favorite family recipes that I've been missing from my "now" medically necessitated vegan world. How to combine the two separate ways of eating into one lifestyle has long set my mind a thinkin'. After all, in my 53 years of marriage I gathered a lot of recipes that were worth making again and again. With the kids grown and parents in their own right and my hubby gone off to heaven before me, I yearned for the "comfort" foods of my old days.

I know it sounds silly, but I've been missing Pepper Steak. You can tell by the recipe card sitting in my big blue recipe file box that it has been used over and over because it is stained to the point of being nearly unreadable. In the days when two kids and hubby were around the table with me, I had to double the recipe because we all loved the dish to the point of  being pigs about the whole thing. But that's another story.

This particular recipe is a delicious blend of round steak, vegetables, and spices that cooks into a fragrant, saucy mixture that I always served over mashed potatoes. My taste buds been longing for that old favorite from the time in my life when I was surrounded by a happy and loving family. So I set out to veganize it. Nobody was more surprised than me when it turned out to be nearly as good as the real thing.

For the mashed potatoes, I just did them the old way. Peeled, cut into chunks, and boiled to tender. Then I warmed some rice milk, which I find far more palatable than soy milk, with some vegan margarine and whipped them into fluffy clouds. I added salt and pepper and sprinkled them with paprika just before serving. Doggone good if I do say so myself.

As for the Pepper Steak itself, I changed nothing except for substituting tempeh for the round steak. Who knew the whole concoction would be good enough to deserve its own blog? Happy chomping.

PEPPER STEAK/TEMPEH

1 package tempeh

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. flour

Cut tempeh into bit size pieces, dredge in the flour, then brown in the hot oil in an oven-proof pot with a lid. The tempeh will look and taste more like the real thing if it has a good crust on it. Remove from the heat.

Add to the pot:

1/2 cup catsup

1 cup No Beef broth (use vegetable broth if you can't find the other)

1 large onion, chopped

2 green peppers, sliced into rings

1 cup mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas)

3 Tbs. soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything to distribute the seasonings. Cover and cook in the oven at 350 for an hour. Serve over the mashed potatoes. Enjoy.

Vegans never sleep; we are always thinking up
new ways to veganize old favorites

Friends don't let friends eat bad food.

Meet my friend Judith Levine. She is someone who always lights up a room with an abundant smile and a quick wit. She is a native of Fayetteville who lived for a number of years in France before coming home to marry the love of her life. Her life is lived with passion and flair and she possesses a curiosity in everything around her. Not only that, she is a fabulous cook. And I do mean fabulous. Every meal is an event and an adventure. And she never picks up a cookbook or uses a recipe!

Judith and I recently started a business together called www.conegratulations.com . We sell petal tossing cones to brides and florists along with display cases. Lest you think this is just a shameless plug(okay, it is...) there is a food connection. The cones are food grade and perfect to hold snacks, canapes, pannise(great vegan treat by the way), hors d'ouvres, candy and the like. Perfect for parties and catering. So every week, Judith and I hold a strategy session at her house and she makes lunch. Sometimes it is more lunch than strategy but really, you should not mix business with food anyway right?

Today my sweet friend made us a lovely soup with ingredients she had on hand. There was no recipe, no prior planning and it took all of ten minutes to make. Coincidently it was vegan(she is not) and it was incredible. I never even thought to ask if it had a name and am constructing a recipe on the hoof.  Come to think  of it, I don't even know if it has a name.It is a delicious quick vegan meal and I urge you to try it.

Judith's Mushroom and Tofu Coconut Soup

1 container silken tofu, drained
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
   juice of one lemon
6 cups or so vegetable or No Chicken stock
1 oz shredded dried shitake mushrooms
a handful of scallions, chopped
a handful of cilantro, chopped

Bring the liquids to a boil with the shitake mushrooms. Simmer five minutes. Add the tofu and simmer a few more. Throw in the scallions and cilantro and serve. Now how easy was that! And oh, so good.

Thanks for the wonderful meal my friend. I hope we have many more together!

Tempura

Gluten free vegan - there's a challenge. If the recipe calls for wheat flour, it doesn't get a second look from me. But in the fine print of all the tempura recipes I read, it says, don't stir this batter too long or you will activate the gluten in the flour and the batter will be too sticky. That means that here is a recipe that lends itself to gluten free flours. Yahoo.

I love the crunch and versatility of tempura. It's a technique that uniquely modifies a vegetable. Tempura provides texture and a certain mystic to a meal. It's just plain fun to eat tempura. Even a wary child will be intrigued.

Warning: Deep frying requires your full attention. Hot oil and a batter are a spitting, popping combination. Be careful and mindful. Keep the small children out of the kitchen. If you are dipping vegetables like bell peppers, that have a skin on them, score the skin before you batter or it may blister and explode in the hot oil. Wear an apron. Safety goggles aren't out of the question. But a helmet is going a little too far.

Tempura (mushrooms, spinach and sweet potato) and rice

Tempura 
 (deep fried vegetables)
1 cup flour (for gluten free, use brown rice flour or chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
and very important
1 cup ICE cold water


Vegetables
(such as: sweet potato, mushrooms, spinach, kale, eggplant, carrot, green beans, potato, okra, pumpkin, snow peas)
Peanut oil 
(traditionally sesame oil is used, you can also use canola or vegetable oil)

Prepare the vegetables. Wash and cut into bite size pieces. Dry. 

Heat the oil. It is ready when batter dropped into the oil turns golden brown. (325 - 350 degrees F)

Mix the batter last so you are working with cold batter. 

When oil is hot, dip the vegetables into the batter to coat lightly, then carefully put into the hot oil to fry. They will be ready in 2-3 minutes.Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and rain on paper towel. 

Serve hot with a soy or plum dipping sauce, or just give your vegetables a splash of lemon. 

Serve with a green salad and a bowl of steaming hot rice. 

Barley & Greens

I was leaving town in a few days and when I looked into the fridge, to make my hungry man a meal. He had generously offered to bake a frozen pizza for us, but I thought, "let's have a look at what is available and fresh first. Oh, my washed kale will go bad if I don't fix it tonight.
What else? Gee. I never tried cooking barley..here's a recipe on line for barley, mushroom risotto. Okay! An hour and a half later I had this lovely fragrant plate pictured above.

My husband didn't think so. He ate in silence, practically turning his body away from me. He said the meal tasted bland. I knew he was losing patience with my vegan cooking, but I tried my best. It was still a hot healthy meal. After dinner, at 8:30 he was going to bed. I followed to offer him dessert, saying "Shall I tuck you in?" This is code for, well you know. Right then his wrath unleashed. "I have to get up at 4:30 tomorrow! You made me wait hours when I was hungry! I don't even like vegan food! I just wanted eat my pizza!" Point taken. Don't try to push your healthy lifestyle changes too fast on your family members. Once you lose their trust, they will resist any further attempts to win them over.

I wish I had made that recipe first for my self, and tasted it before giving it to my husband. I wouldn't call the barley mushroom risotto too bland. It is creamy and nutty, like oatmeal is subtle but filling and satisfying. I was disappointed with adding canned corn to the kale. It was OK, but there wasn't a good balance with the intense spinach-like flavor of the greens against the candy crunch of the corn. I fried some onion and added a clove of minced garlic right before I splashed a cup of vegetable broth into the pan. Then I added the clean chopped bunch kale and cooked it down. I added the can of corn as an after thought because I liked the color and brightness against the greens.

Mushroom Barley Risotto
2 table tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked barley
salt to taste

Saute mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Then add the rest of ingredients and simmer for 50 min. Please check the packaged barley directions carefully for the exact proportion and cooking time. The above recipe is from memory, but I followed the package, and was happy with the result. I might even serve it again to my husband when he is in a better mood!

Roasted Vegetables, Farfalle, and Vodka Sauce

Although this recipe seems complicated, it isn't. It's comprised of only three elements. Roast the veggies, which can be done ahead if you wish; make the vodka sauce, which can also be done ahead of time; assemble the main ingredients while you cook the pasta and then combine the whole thing into one great meal. 

I went a little crazy this week. My local health food market had such great prices on vegetables, I bought way too many. I mean, there sat these large red, yellow, and green bell peppers at 3 for $1.00. Mixed or matched. I couldn't resist and put two of each color in my basket. The market also had portabella mushroom caps, palm-sized, at 3 for $1.99. Who would pass up a deal like that? I came home with 6. The list of good buys goes on and on. Do any of you know what I'm talking about?

Of course the day rolled around when a peek into the Frig told me I'd better use up what was left while everything still looked appealing. Next thing I knew, I was creating another mystery dish. Vegan, of course. Since I've always loved Pasta Primivera, I thought I'd model my dish after that. Imagine my surprise when it turned out better than it's role-model. Does that mean I'm a master chef hiding in grandma clothes? No. It means I poured a vodka sauce over the whole thing in an effort to ramp up the flavor. It was an inspired decision. Give it a try. I bet you'll like it.

ROASTED VEGETABLES, FARFALLE, AND VODKA SAUCE

Roast your vegetables. I used red, yellow, and green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and portobello mushrooms. Cut the vegetables into sections, spread them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Do not cut the vegetables into tiny pieces as they will burn and have to be thrown out. You can roast any amount of veggies on hand. At my house, leftover veggies are used in many ways.

Prepare the vodka sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. vegan butter or margarine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (I buzzed mine in the food processor as I wanted a smooth sauce)
1/2 cup soy milk or soy cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup vodka

In a large skillet, heal the oil and butter. Add the crushed tomatoes, cream, salt, and pepper. Cook for a minute or so, stirring once in a while. Add the vodka and continue cooking on low for about 5 minutes. Because I like thick sauces without the addition of flour, etc. I let the sauce cook down on a simmer burner until it was the consistency I wanted.

Fill a pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. In the meantime,


Assemble the vegetables
2 cups roasted vegetables, cut into small pieces. 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 box frozen peas, thawed but not cooked

8 oz extra firm tofu, cut into small pieces. I used tofu with herbs. It's become my favorite.

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste. Remember the roasted veggies have already been seasoned.

Put the oil in a large skillet with the minced garlic. Saute on low for a minute. Do not burn the garlic or you'll have to start over.

Add the tofu to the pan, stir until the it browns a bit. Add the roasted vegetables, seasoning, and salt and pepper. Saute everything until the flavors marry. Add the thawed peas and continue cooking on low until the peas are warmed though. The peas pop in your mouth as you eat, making them a welcome addition to the roasted vegetables. Canned peas will not perform the same as frozen ones. 

Drop 8 oz. farfalle into the pasta pot. DO NOT forget to add salt to the water or your pasta will be tasteless. Cook the pasta until almost al dente. It will finish cooking in the vegetable medley.  Drain the pasta, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water, and add directly to the roasted vegetable mix. Cook everything together for approximately 2 minutes. If the veggie-pasta mix seems too dry, add just a bit of the reserved pasta water and continue cooking. Pour the vodka sauce over the pasta-vegetable mix and gently stir everything together, being careful not to tear the farfalle.

Bow ties you can eat rather than wear? Who knew? Obviously, the Italians did. They named the bowtie shape, "farfalla," which means butterfly. The more common name in this country is farfalle and is commonly called bowtie.

These Black-Eyed Peas Don't Sing

My family loved picnics. Ever since I can remember, eating outdoors was my parent's favorite past time. Once I was married and in charge of cooking, packing, and hauling the food, picnics fell greatly out of favor--at least with me. Even today, I find no fun in sitting on the ground, swishing away flies, and packing up leftovers and dirty dishes to take home. My theory? Eat first, then go have fun with the family and friends.

Considering what I know now, I'm surprised I've lived so long. I grew up in an era where family picnics, church picnics, group picnics, scout picnics, and all the other summer picnics consisted of potluck food. The fried chicken sat out in the sun, waiting for someone to take the last piece; the mayo based potato salad did the same, as did the deviled eggs. Then there was the mayo based coleslaw and the smoked fish--all washed down with unpasteurized milk straight from the cow. All disasters waiting to happen. So how is it I've lived more than 70 years?

Maybe I'm a living miracle. More likely, God had mercy on a whole generation of us who knew no better. In today's world, I no longer take potato salad into the wild; fried chicken is a no, no. It isn't because I've been informed but because everyone else has too. What a waste it would be, since nobody would eat it and I'd just end up tossing it out.

After years of searching for picnic-safe foods, I've had some misses and near misses and a couple of tasty choices. And while each was tolerable, non tickled my palette like the one I'm blogging today. The center of this sunny day picnic salad is black-eyed peas--the original kind that just sort of hang around looking dull and tasteless. But combine them with anything else from the garden or market and your tongue is in for a tangy surprise that's sun-safe, heat-safe, and time-safe. And all because of a tiny legume that's known as a pea but is really a bean.

Black-eyed peas are popular in the South, but they offer such a mild, almost nutty flavor that they should become a favorite in every part of our nation.

BLACK-EYED PEAS SUMMER SALAD

1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed
1 cup mushrooms, any kind, chopped small
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing, your favorite

Put the peas, mushrooms, and salad dressing into a medium-sized bowl. Set in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Longer if possible in order to allow the dressing to permeate the peas and mushrooms.

In the meanwhile, cut into small pieces:

1 small red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper
1 cucumber, seeded
1 tomato, seeded
2 green onions, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
4 oz. smoked tofu, cut into small cubes
8 Kalamata olives, chopped small
Pepperoncini pickles, as many as you wish, chopped small

Add all of the chopped ingredients into the bowl of peas and mushrooms. Mix well so the salad dressing is well distributed with all the vegetables.

These ingredients made a far larger salad than I had imagined. The first night, I stuffed a good portion inside a wheat pita pocket and added lettuce as a finishing touch. It was tasty and filling. I barely had room for the roasted corn I'd made.

The next day, I put some of the salad in a bowl (above) and ate it plain, accompanied by a few wheat crackers. The salad was much better than the day it was made. A pleasant surprise.

By the third day, I was nearing the end of my stash so I added some cilantro and a splash of hot sauce, mashed everything together and rolled it into a warm flour tortilla. By now, the salad was singing on my palette, forcing me to determine that maybe even this kind of black-eyed peas also had talent.

Conclusion: This summer salad keeps well and grows better each day that it stands, leading me to believe that I should make it about 3 days in advance of serving it. Every vegetable stayed fresh and flavorful and nothing tasted mushy. A real winner for those who attend picnics and want to take a dish that can take the sun without growing any nasty bacterias.


Copyright 2011 by Sandra L. Keith, All rights reserved
Top photo courtesy of MS Word Clip Art
Middle photo belongs to the author and may not be reproduced without permission

Peppers Fit For The President

 The stuffed peppers tasted so much better than this photo looks. It simply did not want to stand by itself in the bowl, so I propped it up with pita chips--which now that I think of it, would have been a good thing to add to my menu that night. Also, I waited until the next day to take the photo, not realizing the pepper would appear so shriveled. Fresh out of the oven, these delicious bells were a delight to the tastebuds.

First off, I would not pester any of my friends or family to become a vegan. That may be due to the fact that I have become one under doctor's orders and not by choice. Even so, after just a few months of the vegan lifestyle, I can honestly say that I don't remember the last time I felt so normal. No more bouts with the intestinal disease that has put me in the hospital and/or resulted in four surgeries over the last 15 years. Oddly enough, I wonder why none of the other surgeons or gastro-guys ever mentioned eating vegan before this. The fact that I've lost considerable weight (which I could afford to do), look dewey-skinned sans makeup, and feel bright and sassy each morning when I get up has made a monumental difference in my life. And when you're past seventy, each day of feeling fine is a gift. That's my opinion anyway.

So would I want that for you too? Of course. Would I insist you give vegan a try at least once a week? Only if you want. If you stopped by my home for a visit, is there anything I might do to "silently" expose you to how good vegan food can be?  Doggone right.  I'd get out my arsenal of tried and true recipes that look like regular food, smell like regular food,  and taste like regular food. Today's recipe is one of those. It's so good that I'd serve it to anyone who dropped by, even if it were the president. (Yeah, fat chance of that ever happening; I'm just trying to make a point.)

My goal in all this? To intrigue you, the reader, with appetizing food that's been tested on my own palete as well as that of a few friends. Now I admit that I like my food with layers of flavor, mostly derived from assorted spices and herbs. If you aren't one of those "spicy" creatures, either cut down the amount or leave it out altogether. But be warned: mess with the flavor profile of any vegan dish and unless you're a professional in the kitchen, you'll be eating what everyone and their dog seems to think vegan food tastes like. 

BLACK BEAN, MUSHROOM, AND QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Saute the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups finely chopped mushrooms

Add to the above mixture and cook until the mushrooms lose their moisture, about 5 minutes.

1 Tbs. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

Stir into the above mixture. Then add to the pan:

1/2 of a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce

1/4 cup of water

1/2 cup quinoa

Lower the heat, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Cut the tops off  4 bell peppers of  any color and remove the seeds and ribs. Boil a pot of water, then add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes. This greatly reduces oven time for cooking the peppers through. Drain the peppers and let rest.

While the peppers are in the water, set your oven to 350 degrees.

When the mushroom, quinoa mixture has finished cooking, add 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed and 1 tsp. pure maple syrup. Stir the beans, etc. into the quinoa mixture, give everything a stir to blend it together and let it simmer a few more minutes. Place the peppers in a small baking dish so they help each other stand upright and stuff each one to the rim. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce around the peppers and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven, garnish with cilantro and serve. Not a cilantro lover?  Use parsley.

This recipe is so good I would eat it as is. However, it isn't like me to leave a good thing alone. I had some ideas on how to make this recipe more to my own liking, so the next time I made it, I mashed the black beans, giving them more body before adding them to the quinoa pan. The third time I made it I diced up one cooked vegan bratwurst and added it to the mashed beans mixture before filling the peppers. Ahh, now it's perfect. I suggest you try the original recipe and go from there. I served my bell pepper with corn on the cob, oven roasted in its husk. A fistfull of sweet black grapes served as dessert. I was so full I rolled into the livingroom and promptly dozed off in my recliner. I figured the dishes would still be there in the morning.



Springtime in S. CA and the azaleas are in full glory. I planted this sun-loving version just outside my library window so I could see it without having to walk all the way around the house.



Copyright 2011 by Sandra L. Keith, all rights reserved
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Tostadas

Since my experimentation with soy "meats" started, my husband has been afraid to come to the dinner table...And I can't say I blame him. I'm sure there is an art to serving soy replacement meats, but I would rather share my successes here rather than bore you with failures. I also couldn't risk my man's trust and faith in my culinary vegan adventure either. So I fell back to an old stand by, tostadas. What could go wrong when you fry any ingredient? Here corn tortillas, but the longer you fry it, the more crispy it gets; better tasting than bagged chips even! Warm up a can of refried beans (vegetarian of course). Saute onions and mushrooms. Buy your favorite olives, salsa and green salad mix, and HOLA! Comida es claro.

VEGAN TOSTADAS

corn tortillas

4-6 tablespoons frying oil

refried beans (canned)

1 medium onion

3 green onions

8-12 ounces mushrooms (1/2 pkg)

2 tablespoons olive oil

fresh salsa

olives

green salad mix

avocado (optional)

1. Chop medium onion, mushrooms and green onions and set aside.


2. Heat small heavy skillet on high heat a few minutes, before pouring the frying oil to cover bottom of pan by one inch depth. You know when the oil is hot enough to fry when the tortilla bubbles the second it touches the oil. I always lay a piece of tortilla in the cold oil, and when I hear the sizzle, I discard it. Use tongs to flip tortillas, cook one or two minutes per side, depending on you desired crispness. Collect fried corn discs between paper towels and keep warm in covered dish or oven.


3. Heat another medium skillet on medium heat. Put olive oil in pan, add red, yellow, or white chopped onions. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook together 5-7 more minutes until the mushrooms are almost done, then add green onions last, and turn down to low heat.


4. Heat through refried beans on the stove or microwave.


5. Set out salsa, olives and green salad on table.


6. Layer the beans thinly on the tortilla first. Then spoon the onion, mushroom mixture on top. Let your family and dinner guests put the rest of the ingredients on from the table. These tostadas have plenty of flavor without avocados, in case they are out of season. By the way, my husband displayed great gluttony with mucho gusto!
   

Pot Pie Redux

Spring is teasing us here. It pops in and then out. A cloudy day with drizzle, but warm enough to work in the yard(construction site) and move a few thousand pounds of rocks. More rocks.They seem to multiply. I'm hungry. Ready for a Hungry Man dinner. Without the chicken.

I posted a recipe for a Vegan Pot Pie a little over a year ago. It was delicious. I wanted to simplify it a bit and I wanted to try it with seitan. I have never made or had seitan. Allegedely it tastes like meat and some vegetarians avoid it because of that. I don't think it tastes like meat. It is high in protein. You can buy it pre-made, make it yourself or buy a mix. Premade is pretty expenseive. The mix is not. And it's easy. You add water, mix it around, knead it for a few minutes, shape it and then simmer it for 45 minutes in broth. Then you chop it up and use it in your recipe.



This is a pretty loose "recipe". Saute your seitan in hot oil until browned. Remove and set aside. Saute some chopped onion , some herbs, garlic, celery and carrot in three tablespoons of olive oil for a few minutes with a sprinkling of salt. Add peeled, diced potatoes, a bit of vegetable stock and cover for about 10 minutes until your vegetables are soft but not mushy. Add a handful of frozen peas,some frozen corn and the browned seitan.







Stir in three tablespoons of flour and cook for a few minutes to get rid of any raw flour flavor. Slowly add two cups of vegetable stock and 1/2 cup of red wine. Stir and bring to a boil. Add some lemon juice to brighten the flavors a bit of soy sauce or Marmite. Take off the heat and put into an ovenproof casserole dish.



Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons baking power to mix. Pulse in 6 tablespoons COLD vegan margarine until the consistency of coarse corn meal. Slowly add 1/2 cup Soy Milk and blend until the mixture comes away from the side of the food processor bowl. Drop by spoonfuls onto the vegetable mixture. Don't worry if the vegetable mixture is not completely covered by the biscuit mixture. It will rise and fill in nicely. Bake for 30 or 40 minutes and then let rest 10 before serving.





Next time you make it, make it with mushrooms and not seitan. I don't know what the hell all the fuss is about. It does not taste like meat. It tastes like rubbery, boiled wheat gluten. Not bad but not what I am craving after a day of moving rocks. The cats seemed to like it though



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