Mushroom, Chickpea Noodle Soup

This soup came about with a vague recollection of Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup when I didn't have access to her recipe (or the internet at that moment). Turns out my recipe is nothing like Lindsay's with the exception that we both used Chickpeas, Noodles and Mushrooms. Here's my adaptation. Since the idea was inspired by the original recipe, I'm still crediting Lindsay Nixon here. I also accidentally managed to delete all my pictures :( so there are no pictures today. 

Adapted from: Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 x 15oz Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2. 3 oz dry Spaghetti
3. 1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
4. 8 oz Cremini mushroom crowns, sliced
5. 1 small white onion, diced (or 2 tbsp dried Onion flakes)
6. 1 tbsp Better than Boullion - Vegetable Base
7. 6-8 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
8. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
9. 2 tsp dried Parsley
10. 1 tsp Rubbed Sage
11. Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put everything in a pot and simmer until spaghetti is soft. Taste test for salt, enjoy!!! For as simple as this recipe is, even my omnivore step-kids loved it!! Sorry I don't have pictures today :(

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 175 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 31.0 g; Fiber 4.7 g; Sugars 5.2 g; Protein 9.1 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Chickpea Hash

As part of a whole-foods lifestyle, it is my attempt to reduce our overall consumption of processed grains and grain products, especially white rice and white pastas. My husband is not a big fan of brown rice. He loves barley and bulgur but the mention of brown rice usually elicits a long face ;-) !!! So I'm always looking for different ways of substituting white rice in my recipes. Today, as I was getting ready to prepare dinner, I decided to switch white rice with potatoes. My initial thought was to just serve my chickpea recipe over steamed potatoes, but then I decided to try something different. And the result was actually phenomenal. Tony has 2 bowls full :) despite his initial reservations.  

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15oz cans Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2. 1 Small Red Onion
3. 4 Medium Roma Tomatoes
4. 4-5 Small Russet Potatoes
5. 2 tsp Garlic Powder
6. 2 tsp Onion Powder
7. 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
8. 1 tsp fresh diced or freeze-dried Basil
9. 1 tsp Paprika, to taste
10. 2 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Dice onion and 2 tomatoes and set aside. Puree the remaining 2 tomatoes in a blender until smooth and set aside. Peel potatoes and shred to match stick fries or hash brown thickness using a food processor or julienne using a mandolin slicer (about 2 cups). I used a mandolin today as I already had it out for the baked chips I made earlier. Set aside until ready to use. Line a heavy pot with water and add onions. Saute on medium-high heat until onions are translucent and add tomatoes and garlic and onion powders and saute until almost all the water has evaporated and the tomatoes take on a deep red color from the caramelizing sugars. Add a splash of water and add hash potatoes. Toss well making sure that the potatoes don't stick to the bottom or burn. Once well mixed, add 2 cups of water or broth, and add chickpeas. Add remaining seasonings, mix well, cover and simmer on low for 10 min, or until potatoes are fork tender. As the potatoes cook, they'll release some of their starches and make the broth rich and creamy and starchy. Garnish with fresh basil and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy! 

My Assessment: This was a great way to sub out rice or even pasta in this dish. Loved the starchy feel of the potato and the shredded/julienned potato almost had a pasta like consistency in this dish. Tony loved it and so did I. :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 271 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 55.3 g; Fiber 16.2 g; Sugars 5.7 g; Protein 13.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Chunky Potato, Broccoli & Mushroom Soup

This afternoon, I had broccoli and mushrooms in the fridge that needed to be used soon. I have often oven roasted the two together and they make for a great side dish. Oven roasting caramelizes the tips of the broccoli and adds a certain smokiness to the vegetable. Umm Umm Good!! Today however, I was making an Artisan Bread as well and wanted to make something which I could eat with bread. And what's better to eat with bread than a soup. 

Prep Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 cups Broccoli florets
2. 1 Red onion, chopped 
3. 6 Large Cremini mushrooms
4. 3-4 Medium Redskin Potatoes, diced
5. 6 cups of Home-made Vegetable Broth
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 2 tsp Dried Parsley
8. 2 tsp Dried Basil
9. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
10. 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
11. Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients with the exception of salt, pepper, liquid smoke and diced potatoes in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 min until onions and broccoli are tender and breaking apart. 

Using an immersion blender, puree everything until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer carefully into a jar blender and blend until smooth. Once pureed, add diced potatoes and salt to taste and simmer on low until potatoes are tender (~10-12 minutes). Add liquid smoke, taste test for salt, garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve with fresh bread!! 

My Assessment: This is my green version of a hearty potato soup. When I first made it, it tasted fine but was missing something and that's when I was reminded of my little bottle of magic :) Liquid Smoke. This soup cried out to be eaten after that ;)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 196 (Fat Calories 7)
Total Fat 0.8 g; Carbohydrates 41.8 g; Fiber 6.5 g; Sugars 3.8 g; Protein 8.3 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mushroom, Barley and Herb Risotto

Someone on Facebook posted a picture of their lunch - Creamy Mushroom Barley from Happy Herbivore Abroad. I decided I needed just that for dinner. Unfortunately, I'd loaned my book to a friend and didn't want to call and ask for a recipe ;) lest they feel like I was pressuring them to return the book. So I decided to Google a Mushroom & Barley risotto. I found a recipe online which I ended up adapting to the WFPBNO way. 

Mushroom, Barley & Herb Risotto

Adapted from: American Diabetes Association - My Food Advisor

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup Barley (Hull-less, whole berries)
2. 2.5 cups Vegetable Broth (or water)
3. 10-12 White Mushrooms, stemmed and halved. 
4. 1 Medium White Onion, diced
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
7. 2 tsp Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
8. 2 tsp fresh minced Oregano
9. 2 tsp fresh minced Parsley
10. 2 tsp fresh minced Basil
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Rinse barley until the water runs clean. Transfer barley to a pressure cooker with 2 cups Vegetable broth and mushroom base and cook on high for 22 minutes. Release steam (or allow to self-dissipate if you have the time). Meanwhile line a deep pot with more vegetable broth, turn heat to medium-high, and add onions and garlic. Saute until garlic is fragrant and onion is cooked down. Add soy sauce, and minced herbs and toss well. Then add mushrooms and cook for another 2-5 minutes. You want the mushrooms to warm up nicely but don't want them to cook down completely. 

Once barley is done, turn heat on medium-high and slowly transfer any liquid in the barley to the mushroom mixture first. Allow liquid to evaporate, not completely, but almost gone. Then add barley in slow scoop-fulls tossing everything in between, until all the barley is transferred. Allow any excess liquid to dry up completely. Serve warm with freshly cracked black pepper. 

My Assessment: We loved it!! Tony had 2 servings!! We both loved the chewy texture of barley in this dish and enjoyed the lovely mushroom flavor imparted by the fresh mushrooms as well as the mushroom base. A+ !!! Next step - when I get my book back, I'll need to compare it to the HHA version. I'd imagine it would be quite similar, as I have adapted my cooking style to match Lindsay's quite closely. (**Note: My barley was a little soupy (added too much water while PCing) so I added some pre-made Brown rice to the risotto to get it dried up and onto the table - we were starving!**). 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 204 (Fat Calories 11)
Total Fat 1.2 g; Carbohydrates 40.7 g; Fiber 9.4 g; Sugars 2.4 g; Protein 8.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary a lot.

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

So the DH is feeling a little under the weather with a sinus infection. What better to feed the poor baby than a wholesome home-made soup. I often add split lentils to my soups to increase overall protein content and also to make the broth at little creamier. Skinned Split lentils tend to breakdown when cooked well and that helps add a nice creaminess to soups. So much better than adding dairy based cream or additives like corn starch. This one came together really well. 

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (6 Servings):

1. 1 cup Mung Dal (split, skinned)
2. 1 x 15oz can Black Beans, drained, rinsed.
3. 1 Russet Potato, peeled and diced
4. 1 Large Tomato, diced (~1 cup)
5. 1 x 12oz Bag of Frozen Spinach
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
8. 1.5 tbsp Dried Parsley flakes
9. 1-2 tsp Lawry's Garlic Salt
10. 8-10 cups Water or Homemade Vegetable Broth
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. Hot Sauce (I use Cholula, optional)

Directions: 

Add all ingredients to a deep stock pot (start with 8 cups of water/broth and add more later, if needed). Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until lentils are tender and begin to break apart (~20-25 min). Taste test for salt, and add pepper for a garnish. Serve hot :) 

Tony's Assessment: Loved it. He ate 2 bowls for dinner and asked to take some for lunch tomorrow. 

My Assessment: This was a very filling soup by my standards. I was pretty full halfway through my first bowl and finished it only so as to not waste any. I liked it better with hot sauce added to it!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 170 (Fat Calories 15)
Total Fat 1.7 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g; Fiber 7.9 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 9.5 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

(Non)-Fried Okra

In the USA, the most commonly found version of Okra, even more than Louisiana Gumbo .. is Fried Okra  - it is a Southern Classic! Diced Okra is soaked in beaten eggs, and then dredged in seasoned cornmeal and then deep fried until golden. I've had it many a time during my omnivore days and given how fond I am of this wonderful vegetable, I had it about as often as I could find it on a restaurant menu. Since going plant based, I've tried a few different recipes but none of them have involved egg or deep frying. This one, although not as deeply battered as restaurant style Fried Okra, is quite similar and had a lovely crunch to it as well.

(Non)-Fried Okra

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1 x 12oz bag of Frozen, Diced Okra
2. 2 tbsp Chickpea Flour
3. 1 tbsp Corn Meal
4. 1-2 tsp Onion flakes
5. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
6. 1 tsp Parsley flakes
7. 1/2 tsp Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning, to taste

Directions: 

Allow frozen okra to thaw on the kitchen counter for 20-30 min. Preheat oven to 400 F. Add all seasonings to a large zip-loc bag and then add partially thawed okra to the bag. Close and toss everything together until okra is well coated. Since we're using frozen okra, it will have enough moisture to hold onto the seasoning, although some of it will fall off during baking, leaving just enough of a crunch on your plate. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper, or a thin coating of cooking spray. Transfer coated okra to the sheet and spread into a single thin layer. Bake uncovered at 400F for 15 minutes. Toss everything once and then for the last 5 minutes turn on the broiler on HI. Remove from oven immediately and serve hot. 

Steamed Veggies, Cous-cous, Garlicky Black Beans & Fried Okra!!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 70 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.5; Cholesterol 0g; Carbohydrates 13.4g; Dietary Fiber 3.2g; Sugars 3.3g; Protein 4.0g

East-Indian Dressing/Stuffing

Masaledaar Dabalroti or Masala Bread was something my mom used to make for us kids when we were growing up. It was one of those dishes that must have been improvised on a hot summer day when either my mom, or one of my aunts, didn't feel like making chapatis for the kids, but had sliced bread handy. Traditional Thanksgiving Dressing or Stuffing is very similar to its Indian counterpart, so it was relatively easy for me to Indianize it for my Thanksgiving. The cool thing about this recipe is that you can eat it any time of the year.

East-Indian Stuffing

Ingredients:

1. 1 loaf of White or Wheat bread, air dried overnight; cut/torn.
2. 1/2 loaf of 12-Grain bread, air dried overnight; cut/torn.
3. 4 tbsp Earth Balance non-dairy butter (optional).
4. 2 Large Yellow onions, diced, ~3 cups (cut/refrigerate on previous evening!) 
5. 1 big bunch of Celery, diced, ~3 cups (cut/refrigerate on previous evening!) 
6. 4 links Field Roast Italian (vegetarian) sausage links (optional)
7. 1/4 cup fresh Parsley, coarsely chopped. 
8. 8-10 fresh Sage leaves, coarsely chopped
9. A spring of fresh Rosemary, chopped
10. 1 tbsp Better-Than-Bouillon Vegetable Seasoning. 
11. 2-3 cup Vegetable Broth
12. 2 tbsp Garam Masala
13. 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
14. Salt and Pepper, to taste 
15. 1/4 cup raisins, or pine nuts, or chopped walnuts/pecans (optional). 

Directions (2-3 hours before Dinner):

In a large pan, or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add chopped onion and celery and cook until translucent. If using vegetarian sausage, saute the sausage first in a separate pan, and transfer to the dutch oven in which the stuffing will be prepared. Depending upon how greasy the sausage is, adjust the amount of butter, or skip it altogether. Then add celery and onions until translucent, mix in sausage, add spices, mix well. If using cubed bouillon, add to 1 cup of broth and microwave for 2 min to help dissolve the cube. To the pan with celery and onions, add cubed bread, a little bit at a time and mix well using a sturdy wooden spatula. Add nuts or raisins (I generally skip the nuts and raisins if I'm using sausage). Moisten with vegetable broth, mix well. Add more bread, and broth until all ingredients are well combined. Transfer to a buttered lidded casserole dish and let sit in the oven, at 250 F until ready to serve. Bake uncovered at 350 F for about 15 min for a crisp crust just before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

I used a crock-pot to keep the dressing warm this year. Instead of transferring to a casserole dish, I transferred the prepared stuffing to the crock and let sit on warm until I was ready to serve dinner. 

Spinach & Barley Pilaf

This dish makes for a great side 'one pot meal'. I use Barley instead of rice, as it is a high-fiber, high-protein grain, Spinach for all the lovely benefits of leafy greens. Finally at the very end, I add mushrooms for a ton of flavor and a lot more protein; the whole dish is done in about 15 min with quick-cooking barley and makes for a wholesome filling dinner.

Prep Time: 15-20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Quick Barley (I use Quaker Oats)
2. 1 14-16 oz can of vegetable broth, preferably with no added salt
3. 1 tsp Garlic
4. 1 tsp Parley flakes
5. 1/8 cup fresh minced Basil leaves
6. 1 cup Baby spinach
7. 0.5 oz Dried Porchini Mushrooms
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Directions:

In a deep soup pot, bring the vegetable broth to boil and add garlic. Once garlic becomes fragrant, add the barley and bring to a full boil before turning down the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 10 minutes and then add the spinach and allow to wilt.

Meanwhile, soak the dried mushrooms in hot tap water, change the water a couple of times to make sure that any dust is removed. Drain and add to the pot.


Stir everything together, add in Basil leaves and turn heat to low. Cover and allow to simmer/steam until all the water is evaporated.

Serve with a side of steamed vegetables, or enjoy the pilaf all by itself. I love this quick and easy dinner!