Rassa Aloo

Rassa Aloo simply means Curried Brothy Potatoes. My mom would make something similar to these as a breakfast dish which we would eat with puris (Indian deep fried, whole wheat, flat bread). Although it is derived from a very traditional Indian breakfast dish, my version is a lot higher on protein (in the form of TVP) and has no butter at all. My mom's version was pretty loaded with Ghee - a traditional Indian version of clarified butter. I've used TVP in this recipe because I'm trying to finish up my stock and am moving away from processed soy protein. Feel free to use Seitan or Tempeh, or even extra-firm tofu in this dish. 

Rassa Aloo

Prep Time: 15 min (with pre-boiled potatoes)

Ingredients (Serves 6-8):

1. 2 lbs Red Potatoes, boiled and quartered.
2. 1 x 15oz can of Diced (No Added Salt) Tomatoes
3. 1 cup presoaked TVP Chunks (I use Nutrela)
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 1 tbsp Goya Recaito Cilantro Cooking Base
6. 2 tsp Cumin seeds
7. 1 tsp Mustard Powder
8. 1-2 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
9. 1-2 tsp Garam Masala
10. 1/2 tsp Turmeric
11. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
12. 1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
13. 4-6 fresh/frozen Curry Leaves
14. Salt and Pepper, to taste
15. Lemon/Lime juice, to taste
16. Hot Sauce, to taste.

Directions:

Line a pan with water and add ginger-garlic paste and recaito cilantro cooking base. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add diced tomatoes. Saute for a couple more minutes until the tomatoes begin to simmer. Then add 2-3 cups of water (or home-made vegetable broth) to the pan. Bring to a boil and add TVP chunks, remaining spices and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot over rice or with slices of whole wheat bread. 

My Assessment: I can eat this dish just by itself, without any rice or bread or pasta because the added potatoes provide the starch. The TVP provides the protein and the tomatoes and curry leaves and spices provide all the flavor you might crave for a meal. Some might call it a chunky potato soup. Its pretty darn filling, I must add!!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 210 (Fat Calories 21)
Total Fat 2.4 g; Carbohydrates 36.5 g; Fiber 7.7 g; Sugars 6.7 g; Protein 13.1 g

Curried Kale Salad

Ummm Kale :) !!! When Tony is out, or when he's got dinner plans, I always plan for Kale. It's something he won't touch and if he's not eating dinner at home, I don't have to feel guilty about making something he won't/can't eat!! Tonight, I tried a Curried Kale Salad. 

Curried Kale Salad w Corn & TVP

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. 1 bunch Kale, leaves torn and stems removed (about 4 cups)
2. 1 cup frozen Sweet Corn
3. 1/2 cup Brown Basmati Rice
4. 1/2 cup TVP Chunks
5. 4 tbsp Canned Crushed Tomatoes
6. 1 tbsp Garlic
7. 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
8. 1 tsp Ground Coriander seeds
9. 1" pc of Cinnamon stick
10. 3 small Bay Leaves
11. 2-3 Cloves, whole
12. Salt and Pepper, to taste
13. 1/4 cup Mrs. Renfro's Hot Jalapeno Green Salsa.

Directions:

Curried Kale Salad w Corn & TVP

Boil brown rice in ample amounts of water, drain and set aside. Do the same for TVP. Feel free to use Seitan instead as well. In a deep stock pot, big enough to hold 4 cups of kale, add crushed tomatoes and all spices. Saute for a couple of minutes and add a splash of water, if necessary. Once the spices release their aroma, add TVP or Seitan chunks and mix well. Add another splash of water and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add corn, mix well and layer kale on top. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Allow kale to wilt (about 5-7 min, it will turn dark green). Add rice to this mix, toss everything really well together, add salsa and give another mighty toss. Taste test for salt/pepper or more salsa and serve warm. 

My Assessment: I seem to love all things kale. So I'll let you be the judge of this one. It was amazing and quite filling as well. I made this into 2 huge helpings, but it could easily be 3 or even 4, if you had a bowl of soup or something else with it. My second helping is sitting in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. Yum!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 403 (Fat Calories 24)
Total Fat 2.7 g; Carbohydrates 76.0 g; Dietary Fiber 11.1 g; Sugars 9.2 g; Protein 22.7 g

Kale-Loaded TVP Tacos

All day today I was thinking about how I was going to use the big bunch of Kale I had sitting in the fridge ..!! Yes .. you can stop laughing now ... I am indeed that nutty that I was dreaming about Kale!! On the way home, my food thoughts began to stray and I started thinking about crunchy tacos!! What could be better than combining both my food fantasies ... 

HH TVP Tacos with Kale

Adapted from: Happy Herbivore TVP Taco Meat

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (6 servings):

1. 2 cups TVP (rinsed and drained in fine-mesh strainer)
2. 4 tbsp A1 Steak Sauce 
3. 4 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce 
4. 2 tsbp Nutritional Yeast
5. 4 tbsp Onion flakes 
6. 4 tsp Chili powder 
7. 2.5 tsp Garlic Powder 
8. 2 tsp Ground Cumin 
9. 1 tsp hot sauce (to taste) 
10. 3 cups of Kale (fresh, stems removed)
11. 1 small tomato, diced
12. Corn Tortillas/Taco Shells (2 per serving)
13. Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Combine all the dry ingredients/spices in 1.5-2 cups of water using a whisk. Pour everything into a large skillet (the largest you can find with a lid). Add rinsed and drained TVP to this liquid and stir to combine everything together; simmer for 5 minutes until almost dry. Layer kale over the TVP, cover, reduce heat to medium and allow the kale to wilt (5-7 minutes).  Uncover, toss everything together and allow excess water to evaporate (another 5-7 minutes). 

Kale Loaded Tacos

While the kale and TVP is cooking, preheat oven to 350 F and place corn tortillas on an inverted muffin pan. Roasting regular corn tortillas for ~8-10 minutes in this manner makes great home-made taco shells that are baked, and not fried. They don't always have the perfect shell shape but they're pretty close and each one is unique :) !! Allow taco shells to cool for a few minutes after you remove them from the oven. Load up with TVP-Kale mix, sprinkle diced tomatoes on top and garnish with a sprig of cilantro. Umm Umm Good!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 204 (Fat Calories 10)

Total Fat 1.1 g; Carbohydrates 29.1 g; Dietary Fiber 9.1 g; Sugars 6.5 g; Protein 21.9 g

* Nutrition facts are provided without the taco shells as calorie content can vary by size and brand.

Feisty Fiesta Toss!

So T wanted tacos and he wanted quinoa for dinner tonight. I wanted something Mexican but wasn't sure I wanted to really eat the tortillas. I knew I wanted lots of veggies and I wanted to incorporate some greens in my dinner AND I wanted rice. A tall order? Naaah ... its not THAT difficult to make tacos, veggies, rice, quinoa and greens ... heck .. I decided to mix them all together :) 

Fiesta Toss-Up

This recipe is inspired by Happy Herbivore's Vegan Taco Salad

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 cup TVP crumbles (reconstituted) OR 1 cup Brown Lentils (Masoor Dal, steamed)
2. 1 cup Brown Rice 
3. 1 Pk Birds Eye - Steamfresh Mixed Vegetables - Corn, Peas, Carrots, Green Beans
4. 1 x 15oz can of Black Beans
5. 1 Medium Tomato, fresh, diced
6. 2 cups of Baby Spinach, fresh
7. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
8. 2 tbsp Onion flakes
9. 2 tsp Minced Garlic
10. 2 tsp Ground Cumin
11. Salt & Pepper to taste
12. 2-4 tbsp Medium Salsa

Directions: 

Place TVP crumbles in a fine mesh hand-held strainer and run water over the it for a couple of minutes. This removes any TVP dust and also partially reconsititutes the TVP.  Place TVP in a skillet and add half a cup of water and all dry spices. Mix well and allow water to evaporate. Then add steamed brown rice and baby spinach and toss well. Allow the spinach to wilt. Meanwhile steam the pack of mixed vegetables in the microwave (about 5 minutes). Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl and add salsa, steamed vegetables, black beans and fresh diced tomatoes. Add a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves, if available. Toss everything together and serve warm, with freshly baked tortilla chips to scoop up the veggie loaded crumbles. For those who like tostadas, serve over corn tortillas after crisping them in the oven (flat cookie sheet, 10 min @350 F). Yum!

Fiesta Toss-Up Tostada

My Assessment: This was a great WARM way to enjoy lots of veggies and carbohydrates. If you're watching carbs (I'm not sure why anyone would!), enjoy just the toss-up without the tortillas. If you're in the mood for a burrito, wrap the toss-up into a large tortilla.  Of course, if you're in the mood for a salad, go right back to the original HH recipe !!! This was a hit even with my non-TVP eating husband!! He loved it and asked to take leftovers for lunch ... AGAIN!!! Score :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving, with TVP): Calories 240 (Fat Calories 9)
Total Fat 1.0g; Cholesterol 0g; Carbohydrates 44.0g; Dietary Fiber 8.9g; Sugars 7.0g; Protein 15.5g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving, with Lentils): Calories 224 (Fat Calories 10)
Total Fat 1.1g; Cholesterol 0g; Carbohydrates 45.8g; Dietary Fiber 8.8g; Sugars 5.6 g; Protein 10.5g

TVP Mushroom Coconut Curry

Earlier in the week, I had almost a quarter of a gallon of coconut milk left over from my Holiday dinner with the family and I wanted to use it in a savory dish. I was also craving some TVP chunks, Nutrela, which I grew up eating as a kid. Now my DH, who has been Plant Strong for almost 10 weeks now, will eat vegetables and certain kinds of mushrooms but refuses to go near any of the non-traditional vegan food items that I've grown accustomed to including in my meals .. no tofu, tempeh, seitan or soy protein for him. So earlier this week, he wanted to have a bowl of cereal with almond milk for dinner and I decided to cook up something with the things I'd been craving ... Shiitake Mushrooms, TVP chunks and Coconut milk. 

Mild Coconut Curry

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 oz dried Shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted
2. 1 cup TVP chunks, soaked in hot water, and rinsed well
3. 1 x 15oz can of Hunts Fire-Roasted Garlic Diced Tomatoes
4. ~1-2 cups Coconut milk
5. 2 tsp Mustard seeds 
6. 4-6 Curry leaves (optional)
7. Smoked Paprika, to taste, for a not-so-mild flavor (optional)
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Directions:

Line a pan with coconut milk and add mustard seeds. As the coconut milk begins to boil, add tomatoes and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, and additional coconut milk to obtain the desired consistency. I made it soupy as I wanted to eat it over rice. I didn't have any curry leaves so I left those out this time. I did use the paprika as it adds a nice smokey flavor to the dish. Cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the the aroma of mustard and paprika starts wafting out of the pan :) Serve over a bed of white or brown rice. Enjoy!! 

Basic Vegetarian Gumbo

.. the aromas of good ol' Creole cooking always make me smile. Andouille sausage was probably one of favorite meats before I went plant based. I don't miss the meat, but I do sometimes miss the flavors. A good hearty Gumbo is a good way to remember those flavors all over again. A lot of vegan/vegetarian gumbo recipes that are available online use vegan sausage and while I am sure that would taste good, those products are also extremely greasy and processed. Instead of sausage, I tried TVP chunks, with Cajun seasoning and .. my current best friend in a bottle - LIQUID SMOKE :) !!!  

Vegetarian Gumbo

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients: 

1. 4 or 5 cups vegetable broth
2. 1 medium to large Red Onion, diced
3. 3 stalks of Celery, diced
4. 1 tbsp minced Garlic
5. 2 cups of Spinach, stems removed
6. 1 cup white button mushrooms, quartered
7. 1 cup Baby Carrots
8. 1 12-oz bag of Frozen Diced Okra
9. 1/2 cup TVP Chunks
10. 2 tbsp Liquid Smoke
11. 2-3 tbsp Corn Starch, as needed. 
12. 1-2 tbsp Creole/Cajun Seasoning, to taste
13. 2 tsp of fresh Thyme leaves
14. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions: 

In a deep stock pot on medium heat, bring 4 cups of vegetable broth to a rolling boil. You can use water instead, but vegetable broth tends to add a lot more flavor. As the broth boils, add ingredients one by one, making sure that the liquid continues to boil during this process. Add onions and garlic, then okra, then spinach, mushrooms and baby carrots. Lastly rinse the TVP chunks in running water and add those as well. Reduce heat to a simmer, and boil for another 10 minutes or so. I used spinach today instead of green bell peppers which are more traditional to Gumbo, so feel free to use those instead. After about 10 minutes of simmering the soup, mix cornstarch in tap water and add in small amounts until the consistency thickens (but don't let it congeal). Add liquid smoke and cajun seasoning, mix well, seasoning with thyme and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve over brown rice. 

My Assessment: From what I've read, you need to boil the gumbo for at least an hour to get rid of the sliminess of the okra. From what I know of okra, it tends to get slimier as you cook it more. I only boiled this soup for about 25 minutes, including the time after I added corn starch. I don't mind the slightly sticky flavor of it, but if you do, try boiling it longer. Overall, I really liked this recipe. No added fat, very low on salt and very high on a lot of flavor. I love Creole seasoning :) 

TVP Korma

Korma is a traditional dish originating in South/Central Asia. It is usually a rich sauce made with butter and heavy cream. A korma can be made with a variety of ingredients - lamb or goat meat, chicken, paneer, or even mixed vegetables. While I have always enjoyed the rich flavors of Korma, I definitely do not miss the heaviness with which it settles in the stomach. So here's a 'no-added-fat' version of this classic dish. 

TVP Korma

Prep Time: 30-35 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups TVP (Nutrela) Chunks
2. 1 medium Red Onion, diced finely
3. 1 large Tomato, diced finely (I used a can of Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes)
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
5. 1 cup fresh or frozen Peas
6. 1/3 cup Raw Cashews
7. 1/3 cup Almond Milk
8. 1 cup Vegetable Broth
9. 3-4 tsp Garam Masala
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions: One of the biggest revelations :) following my conversion to a plant-based lifestyle was that I do not need to use oil for cooking. It has changed my entire perspective on cooking. I now use vegetable broth, nut milk and just plain old water to saute and pan fry my ingredients. As an Indian, I grew up with caramelized onions and caramelized tomatoes ... and I was taught that you need to use oil for caramelizing these ingredients that are vital in Indian cuisine. Here's a quick tutorial on caramelizing tomatoes as well as onions - with water or broth. 

Line a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat with water and add diced onions. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt and mix well. Keep a measuring cup with water handy. Once the water comes to a boil, the onions should turn transparent. Keep stirring and allow the water to evaporate. As the onions dry up, some might stick to the bottom of the pan, which is fine. Add a splash of water, which will allow the  caramelized onions at the bottom of the pan to soften up again. Repeat the process until the onions are are rich red color.   

Once onions are done, add the tomatoes, and another pinch of salt. And repeat the same process with the tomatoes as with the onions. Cook until the tomatoes are cooked down and the onions and tomatoes together make a thick red paste.   

Voila!! Caramelized Onions and Tomatoes without Oil!!! Add Garam Masala, Peas and another splash of water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile boil a pot of water and hydrate the TVP chunks by soaking for 5-7 min. Drain and run cold water over the colander. 

As the chunks cool off, take handfuls and squeeze out as much excess water as possible and set aside. 

Once the peas are soft, add drained TVP chunks to the pan, and 1 cup of Vegetable broth. Mix well, cover and continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes.  Put the raw cashews in a coffee grinder and pulse a few times to get a fine granular powder.  Add cashews and almond milk to the skillet, mix well, simmer for a minute and its ready to serve!!  

Garnish with some fresh herbs, and freshly cracked black pepper. I served it over steamed brown rice.  

LOVED TVP Korma tonight ... !!!

My Assessment: While this dish does not have any added oils, it does have a higher fat content compared to any of my other recipes because of the cashews. It might be possible to achieve the same level of creaminess with Mori-Nu tofu, or nutritional yeast. I'll have to try that soon!!  The TVP chunks had a meaty texture to them. For folks that don't enjoy TVP, this recipe can be made with any kind of meat, or a bunch of mixed vegetables - corn, peas, carrots, potatoes and cauliflower would make for a lovely combination. 

10 min Mushroom Teriyaki

With a little bit of forethought, this recipe is a literally made in 10 minutes. Its quick and easy and nutritious to boot. About 12-24 hours prior to when you plan to eat it, rinse mushrooms in water, cut each one in half and put in a bowl with a fitted lid. Cover with about 1/3 cup Teriyaki sauce. When ready to eat, transfer everything to a skillet, rinse 1/8 cup TVP with tap water using a mesh strainer and add to the skillet as well. If you didn't remember to marinate the mushrooms overnight, let them sit in the Teriyaki sauce for about 10 minutes before adding the TVP and turning on the stove. Cook until everything comes to a nice simmer. Serve over brown rice!! Garnish with a little bit freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!!!

** If you're not a fan of TVP, and are a meat-eater, feel free to add ground turkey or ground chicken instead of TVP, but that will of course increase your cook time. I added TVP to make the sauce thicker, but you can also make this recipe with just mushrooms and its still yum!! :)

My Assessment: In my opinion, teriyaki sauce is way too sweet to be food .. LOL! I've never really enjoyed it 100% and I think I felt the same with this recipe. I'd rather make this with a Pad Thai, or a Kung Pao sauce, than Teriyaki! But that's just me ...

15-min Barley & Vegetable Soup

This past weekend I attended a lecture and cooking demo in Dublin, OH by Julieanna Hever and Chef AJ. Julieanna gave an excellent talk aimed at debunking the myths around plant-based cuisine and Chef AJ followed that up with No S-O-S (salt-oil-sugar) cooking demo where she made a couple of excellent soups, a quinoa salad, and also some yummy truffles. For her split pea soup, made from scratch, she used an electric pressure cooker and she set the timer, to just 6 minutes. The soup was superb. That inspired me to use my stove top pressure cooker tonight to make this Barley & Vegetable Protein soup ... and from start to finish - from the moment I turned the stove on .. to when I served it into a bowl, this recipe literally took just 15 minutes. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 cup Quick Barley (I used Quaker Oats brand)
2. 1/3 cup TVP crumbles, rinsed
3. 1/3 cup Split & Skinned Mung dal (green lentils)
4. 1 large onion, coarsely diced
5. 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely diced
6. 1/2 cup frozen corn
7. 1 pk (0.5oz) dried Shiitake mushrooms 
8. 5-6 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
9. 1/2 tbsp Roasted Cumin powder
10. 1/2 tbsp Penzey's Sweet Curry Powder (or use Garam Masala, instead)
11. 1 tsp Roasted Garlic salt
12. 1 14-oz can No-Sodium Vegetable broth
13. 2 cups water
14. 6-8 fresh basil leaves, for garnishing.

Directions:

Before doing anything else, place 2 cups of water and all the vegetable broth in the pressure cooker and turn  the stove on high to get the water going. Meanwhile rinse barley, TVP, lentils and mushrooms and mix in the broth. Add frozen corn. Dice onions and tomatoes and add to the cooker. Then add all the dry spices (except the salt).  By the time I had everything diced and added in the 2.5 cups of water in the cooker was at a rolling boil. Close the lid, keep the stove on high, and allow the cooker to come to a full steam pressure (about 4-5 minutes). Allow to sit at that pressure for 2 minutes and then turn off the steam. Using a spoon, lift the pressure regulator weight and release all the steam. Make sure to stay away from the gushing steam because it will scald you pretty bad. Once all the steam has been released, open lid immediately and mix. Do a quick taste check for salt, and if needed, sprinkle a small amount. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and serve steaming hot. 

My Assessment: Super quick dinner and a hearty one at that. This soup is so thick and rich and chewy, it didn't need any accompaniments at all. The barley was nice and nutty. The dal and the TVP made its texture creamy and I loved the flavor of shiitake mushrooms. Feel free to add more veggies, as you see fit to adapt this recipe to your taste. I used what I had in the freezer on this Thursday evening!! Lovely dinner ... and leftovers for later! Perfect week night dinner!

TVP & Onion Rice

One of all my all time favorite foods growing up, even though I was a meat-eater until recently, was Soy (TVP) Chunks sold under the brand name Nutrela in India. Its coming to be the end of the week and I didn't have too many fresh veggies in the house and I wasn't really in the mood to stop at the store on my way home, with my 3-year old in tow. So I decide to go back to the old favorite.

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Basmati Rice
2. 1 large Onion, sliced
3. 1 can (14 oz) of Hunt's Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
4. 2 cloves of Garlic, diced
5. 1/2 cup Nutrela (TVP) Large Chunks
6. 1/2 tsp Cumin
7. 2 tsp Cumin powder
8. 2 tsp Coriander powder
9. 2-3 tsp Garam Masala
10. Salt & Pepper, to taste
11. Fresh Coriander leaves

Directions:

Line a deep pan with water, add garlic and onions and cook until onions are translucent. Rinse TVP under running water to get rid of any dust (I use a mesh colander) and then add to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook on a simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and all the spices. Mix well. Once the mix is almost dry again, rinse rice in running water as well and add to the pan. Add 1.5-2x the amount of water (as rice) and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to a medium low, and cover partially. Cook until rice is tender (about 10-12 min). Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot. 

Mushroom & Barley Stew (Take 2)

So last week when i posted pics of my Mushroom & Barley stew, one of our friends commented that it wasn't a stew because the pics didn't look soupy enough :) .... well, it was soupy, but more on the dry side. So I decided to make it again, with modifications of course, and for Jeanne, I made it soupy too!! 

Mushroom & Barley Stew, Take 2.

Prep Time: 20 min  

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup barley (New Veggie #29)  
2. 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill TVP crumbles (optional; use additional 1/2 cup barley instead).
3. 3 cups of vegetable broth, and more, as needed. 
4. 8-10 large mushrooms, sliced.
5. 4-6 stalks of celery, diced.
6. 4-5 Slices of Field Roast Wild Mushroom Deli Slices, diced. (optional; Substitute with Italian sausage crumbles)
7. 1 cup of sliced fresh/frozen carrots.
8. Garlic salt, to taste.
9. 2-5 fresh Basil leaves, sliced.
10. 5-7 fresh Oregano leaves, whole.
11. Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. 

Directions:

Cook barley according to package instructions in advance, or use instant barley for this recipe. In a deep sauce pot, add vegetable broth and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Meanwhile slice mushrooms and celery and add to the pot. Continue to simmer. Next add the wild mushroom deli slices (or sausage crumbles) and continue to simmer. Add more broth as needed, to keep a good soupy consistency. Lastly add carrots, and herbs and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with a sprig of basil and freshly cracked pepper. Serve steamy hot!! 

My Assessment: Still LOVE barley! I love the nutty, very slightly chewy flavor of barley. I highly recommend that everyone try it at least once. The inclusion of celery and carrots added a whole other dimension to this soup. Um Um Good!!  

TVP Keema Mutter

This Friday evening was meant to be chilled out and relaxing, until I got it into my head that I wanted to eat Fresh Home made Chapatis. Of course, if I was making chapatis, I needed a curry, or a Subzi (Hindi: सुब्ज़ी) curry) to go along with it. Since my chapati endeavor was the first in over 20 years, I decided to make an easy one. 

TVP Keema Mutter w Chapati

Prep Time: 15 min

Ready to Heat & Eat TVP

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
2. 1/2 cup Peas
3. 1 Pack of Yves Meatless Ground (TVP)
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
6. 2 tsp Coriander Powder
7. 1 tsp Turmeric
8. 1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder, optional
9. Salt and Pepper, to taste
10. 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, and drizzled with lemon/lime juice. Salted to taste. 

Directions:

Line a skillet with about 1/8 cup vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add Ginger-Garlic paste and all spices. Cook for a few minutes and add peas, frozen or fresh, both work just fine. Cook for a few minutes until peas begin to cook down. Add in the TVP, either the ready to eat variety I used today, or reconstituted TVP such as Bob's Red Mill which is more commonly found brand in grocery stores. Toss everything really well together, add a splash of vegetable broth, if necessary and turn heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the spices to cook and all the flavors to meld together. Serve garnished with fresh red onion as a crunchy side, and fresh, hot off the skillet Chapati. 

This was was one of my dad's favorite foods ... so this one's for you Daddy, wherever you are!! Miss you everyday .... !!

Daddy with li'l Nik (7 months)

Vegetarian Taco Salad

After home-cooked Indian food, I can say quite confidently that Mexican cuisine is probably my most favorite. And taco salad, or the american version of it, probably ranks super high on the list. Ever since I made TVP Tacos a few weeks ago, I've been wanting to try TVP on salad. For those of you who're unaware of the acronym, TVP stands of Texturized Vegetable Protein, or Soy protein. It is found either granulated, or in large chunks. Bob's Red Mill is probably the most commonly found brand of TVP in American grocery stores. 

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Prep Time: 15 min.

Directions: I prepared the Taco Meat exactly as described (Happy Herbivore) with the only modification being that I like to dry the TVP as much as possible, without burning it. I think that gives it a more "beefy" taste and texture.  Lindsay's combination of soy sauce and steak sauce gives TVP a very authentic look and taste as well. 

For the salad itself, I used an organic spring green mix, added diced tomatoes, steamed corn and canned (rinsed) red kidney beans.  I didn't use an cheese (not even vegan cheese) and topped my salad off with some fresh mild salsa. I would have liked to add some crushed taco chips (but forgot!! ha ha!) ... I guess the  salad looked so delish even without it that I couldn't hold off ant longer. Overall an awesome dinner!!

Mushroom, Beans and TVP Pilaf

Made a modification of an older recipe today. Made the Mushroom and Onion Rice Pilaf but added TVP chunks (sold under the brand name Nutrela® at Indian food stores) and fresh frozen green beans!

Instead of using cooking oil, I used vegetable broth to saute the onions and release essential oils and aromas from the spices.  Quick & Easy & Yummy if I may say so myself!

Nik's Reaction: Not so great today ... he doesn't seem to be a big fan of mushrooms or TVP. He did eat some rice and green beans :)

Soy Protein (TVP) Tacos

Nutrela (TVP) Tacos

Growing up in India, I remember a period of time in the middle of the 80s decade when India experienced a major drought. Fresh vegetables and milk products were rare. However, the country managed to get along just fine with very few food imports because of increased grain & legume production. I don't know much about agriculture - so don't know if it was the drought resistant varieties, or if grains/legumes in general require less water to grow. One crop that flourished during that time was soybean.

I vividly remember soy milk being more readily available than cow's milk. And the other absolutely wonderful thing that came out of it ... Soy Protein - "Nutrela" became a family name and a synonym for Soy protein, or Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP), as it is called in the US. I remember loving it in granulated, and chunk form. Mom used to make "Nutrela Pilaf" and "Nutrela Curry" and "Nutrela Sabzi" ... we had it so many different ways. Once I moved away from home I somehow forgot about it completely. I saw it in an Indian store about 2 weeks ago and picked up a pack, just for the sake of nostalgia. Then, as I was looking at one my current favorite websites for vegan/vegetarian recipes/advice (Happy Herbivore) - I saw a picture of Chickpea Tacos, and right next to the cp tacos, I saw something that looked a lot like my old favorite. For those of you who don't have the luxury of an Indian food store close by, Nutrela is actually available online at Amazon.com and other brands of TVP can be found in most health-food stores, and also some grocery stores (Kroger, Buehler's, Trader Joe's etc).

I wrote to Lindsay, the author, and she confirmed that those were "TVP Beef Tacos" included in one of her cookbooks "The Happy Herbivore Cookbook"! The recipe is copyrighted, I'm sure, so I can't post it here. Buy the cookbook. It is totally worth it!! I thought these tacos were an amazing combination of my childhood and current tastes. Why anyone would eat beef tacos, when they can eat these, is absolutely beyond me! :)

Nik's Reaction: None :( !! We stopped at Barnes & Noble on the way home. He wanted (desperately) to go to the bookstore and was starving when we got home. He ate his very carnivorous meal (grilled chicken tacos) before I even had the onion diced.