Creamy Potato Soup

Crispy fall weather brings with it evenings when all we eat for dinner is a bowl of hearty soup. Today was the first really chilly day of the year. We went on an approximately 4 mile hike (brr!) and came home and lazed for a few hours. Having been frozen to the bone earlier, both HOMY* and I wanted soup for dinner. I had some shredded potatoes in the freezer that I'd picked up on a whim and I decided to use those today. Simply potatoes has not added oils in their freezer packs so they're great to have in the freezer for on days you run out of fresh stuff.

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1 x 12oz Simply Potatoes (Shredded Hash Browns) or 3 cups fresh shredded potatoes
2. 1 Medium Red Onion, diced
3. 1.5 cup Non-Dairy Milk
4. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
5. 1 tbsp fresh or dried Scallions
6. 2 tsp dried Basil
7. 2 tsp Brown Miso
8. 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
9. 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a stock pot with water and add red onion, minced garlic and scallions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook until the onions are translucent. Add potatoes and non-dairy milk (of choice). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cover and allow to simmer for about 10 min. After the potatoes are cooked and beginning to break down, add basil, liquid smoke, soy sauce and stir.

Add more water to achieve the desired consistency (making sure to boil and simmer for a few minutes every time you add more water, else the soup will taste watery). Remove from heat when done, stir in Miso. Taste test for salt, and add more as needed.

Serve immediately with warm bread for sopping. Enjoy! We licked our bowls clean!! 

* HOMY = Husband of Many Years (term coined by my dear friend, Bindu! Thank you, Girl!)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 242 (Fat Calories 29)
Total Fat 3.2 g; Carbohydrates 44.5 g; Fiber 7.0 g; Sugars 2.6 g; Protein 5.7 g


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!

Tofu Paneer Pulao

Hello! Hello! It has been a while since I posted a new recipe. I have to tell you, starting a new job is hard. Its something I love to do .. and I really wanted (and needed) the change .. but the change has totally thrown me for a loop. I'm driving the same distance and time (about 40 miles one way) as my old job but I go in the direction of the city now and encounter a lot of traffic. By the time I get home .. I'm exhausted. For the last 3 months, I've relied on tried and true RRC and HH recipes. Various kinds of stir fries, and Red Beans and Rice and Dal and easy stuff like that. I'm sure you've seen my posts on my FB page. Last night I tried a new recipe and fired up my laptop, which by the way had been sitting on my desk for more than 2 months. I had so many updates to install, I never got around to posting my recipe before it was time for bed. 

This recipe came together really easy. It was born out of the desire to eat rice (Indians are rice eaters), but to eat a simple rice dish. Tofu is an excellent substitute for paneer (fresh cottage cheese) which is used in a lot of Indian dishes, as a source of protein. I used Mori-Nu Extra-Firm Silken tofu in this recipe because that is what I had on hand. Any firm or extra-firm tofu should work just as well. I did not press or drain the tofu. I used white rice in this recipe, but brown should work as well, so long as the cook time is adjusted accordingly. I used this dish as my entree. You can also serve this as a side dish. Enjoy!! 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup Basmati Rice
2. 2 cups Water
3. 1 x12oz Pack of Extra-Firm Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, diced
4. 1 tbsp Dried Onion Flakes (or use 1/2 cup fresh finely diced onions)
5. 2 tsp Garlic Powder
6. 2 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
7. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
8. 4-6 Green Onions (green portions only), diced finely.
9. Salt to taste.

Directions:

Wash rice well in a lot of water (soak and drain multiple times to remove all dust). Add everything to a dutch oven (in my opinion, pilafs always come out better in heavy lidded pots; I used my Le Creuset but any lidded stock pot should really work). Bring to a boil, reduce  heat, cover until only a crack remains on the side and cook on Medium-low until rice is tender. Cover completely. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. These last 10 minutes are crucial for rice pilafs as this allows the rice to absorb any excess water and fluff up. Serve warm with crispy baked papadums, or even baked tortilla chips. Sprinkle some hot sauce and you're talking my talk :) !!! Enjoy!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 189 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.6 g; Carbohydrates 41.4 g; Fiber 1.7 g; Sugars 1.8 g; Protein 4.6 g


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!

Quick Kohlrabi Saag

So when Tony got me Kohlrabi and Cebollitas this past weekend, I used the bulbs in a Cebollitas Asadas. Now I'm not one to waste any kind of veggies, especially not greens, so as a side, I made a Quick Saag (wilted greens) with the tops. And made Kohlrabi Greens my New Veggie #65. 

Kohlrabi (Kadam ka) Saag

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (2 servings):

1. 1-2 cups Kohlrabi Greens, chopped coarsely
2. 8-10 Scallion Stems or 1 medium onion (chopped coarsely, optional)
3. 2 tsp Minced Garlic
4. 1/4 cup Crushed Tomatoes (canned)
5. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a skillet with water and add garlic. Once the garlic begins to caramelize, add crushed tomatoes and mix well. Then add greens, sprinkle salt and mix everything together. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes. Then uncover and mix well. Allow all the water to evaporate. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve warm on freshly toasted multi-grain bread. Umm Umm Good!! 

Quick Kohlrabi Saag

My Assessment: The green were sweet and crunchy and the tomatoes added just the right touch of sweet and acidic flavors. This is my favorite way of eating greens of all types - lightly wilted, with lots of garlic :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 75
Total Fat 0.1 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 15.7 g; Fiber 7.3 g; Sugars 6.2 g; Protein 3.6 g

Cebollitas Kohlrabi Asadas

This past weekend, as we were recovering from our travels across the country to meet family, T stopped by the grocery store again. He must have been missing me by his side cause he got me a 2 veggies which he thought I'd never tried before. He got me some Kohlrabi (New Veggie #17) and he got me a bunch of Cebollitas - which I ended up making New Veggie #64. I decided to make a traditional Asadas because its traditionally vegan and hence easy to adapt to my no-added-fat technique. 

Roasted Cebollitas

Prep Time: 15-20 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. One bunch Scallions (Cebollitas) - 4 or 5 bulbs
2. 4-5 Small (baby) Kohlrabi
3. 2-3 cloves (or 1 tsp) garlic, minced finely
4. 1 tsp Ground Mustard Powder
5. Salt and Pepper, to taste
6. Lime Juice, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Rinse the kohlrabi and cebollitas bulbs in water. Trim ends. For the kohlrabi, peel the thick skin off with a paring knife and dice each bulb into 8-12 pieces, making sure that all the pieces are approximately the same size. For the cebollitas, either slice the bulb lengthwise into 2 halves, or leave whole, as you prefer. If you do cut it into 2 halves, remember to handle each half gently else the leaves will separate and burn in the oven. In a ziploc bag, mix all spices and kohlrabi and give a good toss. Spread halved cebollitas on a greased cookie sheet and pour the tossed kohlrabi on top (this gets the spices on the cebollitas without having to handle them too much). Spread the veggies in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes on one side, give a quick toss, check to see if the kohlrabi is tender and then bake for another 5 minutes until both the cebollitas and kohlrabi is getting a nice char on it. Remove, sprinkle lime juice on top and serve warm.  

Roasted Cebollitas and Kohlrabi

My Assessment: LOVED it!! Even Tony loved the kohlrabi. This dish, is so simple, and such an amazing side. It will definitely make it to my 'favorites' list!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 42
Total Fat 0.6 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 8.5 g; Fiber 3.8 g; Sugars 2.8 g; Protein 2.4 g

Veggie Fact of the Day

New Veggie #64

Scallions, or Cebollitas, are a staple in Mexican Asado dishes - i.e. traditional wood-charcoal grilled meats and veggies. Along with Nopales (prickley pear), whole scallions are often sprinkled with salt and grilled until they begin to char. The whole bulb is then topped with lime juice and serves a an excellent sweet and savory accompaniment to all kinds of Asado. Also known as Green onions, or spring onions, cebollitas are the edible bulbs of plants of the Allium family - a milder cousin of the onion. Diced scallions are used raw (in salads and salsas) and may be cooked into soups such as Pho, Stir-Frys and other Asian dishes. Cebollitas re mostly water, with a medium cebollita about 4 inches) containing only about 5 calories. They contain no fat, little protein and very few carbohydrates, mostly in the form of fiber. What scallions do have are whopping amounts of vitamins A, B9, C and K. Cebollitas are in fact one of the richest sources of Vitamin K with a 100g serving providing as much as 172% of the RDA. Cebollitas also contain good portions of calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Miso & Garlic Tofu Stir-Fry

In my humble opinion, a stir-fry is the easiest way to consume fresh vegetables in a hot dish without losing too much of the nutritional value (as opposed to eating the raw veggies). I often make quick stir fries out of whatever veggies and/or mushrooms I have handy, and have in the past often used commercially-made Asian sauces such as Vegetarian Thai Peanut Sauce or Vegetarian Oyster Sauce. While these sauces are great, they do contain a lot of added sodium and also the mystery ingredient "natural flavors". So today, I tried to make a stir-fry which was made with simpler ingredients and didn't have anything I couldn't identify in my pantry. 

Miso & Garlic Tofu Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients*:

1. 1 block (14oz) Extra-Firm Tofu, pressed** and diced
2. 2 bunches of Scallions (white parts halved and leaves separated)
3. 1 cup Baby carrots, thinly sliced, if needed
4. 2 large Oyster Mushrooms, sliced
5. 6-8 White mushrooms, sliced
6. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
7. 1 tbsp White Miso
8. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
9. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
10. 1 cup (or less) Vegetable broth
11. Pepper, to taste.
12. Brown Rice, steamed, 1 cup

Directions: 

Mix miso in about an 1/8 to a 1/4 cup of vegetable broth until completely dissolved. Set aside. If your rice is not previously steamed, fill a stock pot with water and add rice, and set it to boil on the back burner, once the water comes to a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium-high and allow to simmer until the rice is tender. Drain and rinse, like pasta. Set aside.  While the rice is boiling, line a large skillet (or wok, if you have one!) with broth. On high or medium-high heat, and add ginger-garlic paste and the extra garlic (for the extra oomph!). Once these release their aroma, add soy sauce and immediately add all the vegetables and a splash of vegetable broth. Stir fry for a couple of minutes until vegetables are done (to your taste) and add the diced tofu, toss well. Generally, I like to leave the vegetables just a tad crunchy and don't let them become fork tender. Mix well. Turn off heat (but leave the pan on the stove). Add Miso/broth mix and stir everything together. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes to allow the miso to release its flavors and for the tofu to absorb as much of the flavors as it can. Serve over steamed brown rice. Garnish with freshly sliced scallions and freshly cracked black pepper. 

Miso & Garlic Tofu Stir-Fry

My Assessment: Umm Umm Good!!! I had 2 huge guilt-free bowls tonight and I have enough leftovers to  take for lunch tomorrow. This recipe makes 4 good size servings. T tried the last serving and picked at it because he's not a fan of tofu.  

* This is a no-added-salt recipe. The soy sauce and miso had so much flavor and natural salt that I didn't add, or feel the need for, any salt at all.

** Press tofu between kitchen towels, with a weight on top for 5-10 min. This removes excess liquids and then the tofu tends to absorb fluids from the vegetables and the sauce and takes on a lot more flavor.  

Turban Tofu Spice

I've had a turban squash sitting on my kitchen counter for about a week and I've been searching for an "inspiring" recipe that whole time. I didn't come across anything particularly interesting and most of the recipes I did come across involved making it into a soup, similar to how one would use a butternut squash. And that idea seemed completed Blah!! to me! I didn't want to make just another soup or pie. One thing I knew for sure was that I wanted a savory recipe, that didn't involve using maple syrup (I mean ... how predictable is that!! Maple syrup on squash ... duh!).

Turban Tofu Spice

Prep Time: 20 min (with pre-roasted squash)

Ingredients: 

1. 1 small/medium turban squash (enough to yield about 3/4 to 1 cup pulp)
2. 1 medium onion, puréed in a food processor. 
3. 1 Pk (14 oz) Extra-Firm Tofu (pressed for 15 min)*
4. 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
5. 2-3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
6. 2 cups Vegetable Broth**
7. Salt and Pepper, to taste
8. Scallions, for garnishing

Directions:

In advance, roast the turban squash in a 350F oven, for about an hour until a pin inserted into the flesh glides in easily. Bear in mind that the shell is tough so it will take some effort to pierce it. I just put the whole squash in the fridge after it was done roasting. This evening, I used a sharp knife to remove the cap and then used a spoon to scoop out the flesh, making sure to separate the seeds first. When I was done today, all I had left was an empty bowl :)

In a skillet on medium heat saute onions and ginger-garlic paste until fragrant, adding splashes of vegetable broth as needed to prevent the onions from sticking/burning. Then add the squash and mix well with a rubber spatula, pressing any lumps to make a smooth paste. Add pumpkin spice and more broth, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally add the tofu, gently folding it into the squash. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and scallions and serve over brown rice. 

Pressing Tofu: I didn't know this trick until recently and it really does seem to help the tofu in being able to absorb a lot of the flavors of the dish. Place several sheets of paper towels or a kitchen towel under a block of extra-firm tofu, cover with a single layer and place anything heavy you can find (a couple of cans of beans or soup work great!). Let it stand for 10-15 minutes until the towels are soaked and then slice/dice tofu as you normally would.   

Vegetable Broth: I make my own vegetable broth every weekend and freeze it for use during the week (see link here). I simply save my vegetable and fruit scraps in a gallon ziploc bag during the week. Hence, my recipes often use copious amounts of broth. While vegetable broth is definitely more flavorful than water, if you don't have any broth handy, water should work just as well in any of my recipes that ask for broth. 

My Assessment: This works .. I was concerned about using Pumpkin Pie spice in a savory dish as it is traditionally used for pies and breads and all kinds of fall desserts. While I absolutely LOVE pumpkin spice desserts, most of them do have a lot of sugar and calories and I've been trying to avoid those. Of course, as I said at the beginning, I was looking for a savory dish. A close examination of the box revealed that pumpkin pie spice has ingredients very similar to Garam Masala (yup!). Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and Cloves ... !! No wonder it works!! Although, because the proportions of spices are quite different, and there is no cumin to overpower all the other spices ... this dish did not taste like curry at all. It was great!!! 

... And the lesson learnt today ... in a pinch, use PPS instead of GM with a little bit of Cumin and Coriander added separately. This was a great food night!!!

Southwestern Quinoa & Portabella Tacos

I made a big batch of southwestern style Quinoa to last me a whole week :) !! While plain Quinoa is amazing by itself in sweet and savory dishes, this southwestern version totally blows it out of the ball park! 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Quinoa
2. 1 cup mild Salsa
3. 2 Portabello mushrooms, Sliced
4. 1/2 cup Snow Peas
5. 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
6. 2 Whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Rinse quinoa and prepare as I've described previously (How to Prepare Quinoa). To make 'Southwestern' style quinoa, a version similar to Spanish rice served in Mexican restaurants across the country, I simply added fresh homemade salsa while preparing quinoa. In order to ensure that I could add Salsa without overwhelming my quinoa with liquid, I used a large mesh strainer to drain all of the liquid from the salsa into a measuring cup. Then, I made up the volume I needed with tap water.  I mixed the Salsa solids with the dry quinoa and added the measured amount of liquid to cook the quinoa. Once done, fluff with a fork for the best consistency. 

Separately, line a skillet with water and add taco seasoning. Once mixed, add the snow peas and cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced mushrooms. Toss well and cook for a couple more minutes until done. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in an oven set to 350F (takes 4-5 minutes).

Prepare Tacos by layering quinoa and veggies. I didn't have any fresh greens today, but a nice layer of baby spinach would definitely add a nice crunch to it as well. Overall a yummy no-added-fat dinner that was ready in 15-20 minutes.

* For a mild Salsa combine the following in a food processor.

1. 2 large or extra-large fresh Tomatoes
2. 2 Green Onions/Scallions
3. 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro leaves
4. 1 clove of Garlic
5. 1/4 Jalapeño (deseeded)
6. Juice of 1 lime
7. Salt, to taste

South Indian Upma

One of my favorite snack foods growing up was South Indian Upma. My mom would most often make it for breakfast, which is when it is traditionally eaten, and then occasionally she would make it as an evening snack. To me, it is almost a comfort food. It reminds me of lazy weekend afternoons at home with the lovely aroma of sizzling mustard seeds and curry leaves. I didn't get a very good picture today but the taste and aroma was just wonderful. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Sooji (semolina).
2. 1/3 cup fine rice vermicelli, dry, crushed 
3. 1 tsp butter
4. 1 tsp mustard seeds
5. 8-10 green onions/Scallions, sliced longitudinally.
6. 1/2 cup frozen peas
7. 1 medium tomato, diced into chunks. 
8. 4-6 dried curry leaves
9. 6-9 cilantro leaves
10. 1/2 tsp chilli powder
11. salt to taste

Directions:

In a dry skillet, on medium heat, roast semolina and crushed rice vermicelli until deep golden brown (about 5-7 minutes). In the center of the skillet, open up a spot by moving the roasted dry semolina and vermicelli to the side. Add the butter and mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop, mix into the roasted semolina and then add green onions, frozen peas and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and roast everything for another few minutes until all peas are thawed and the water from the tomatoes is evoporated. Mix in dried curry and fresh cilantro leaves and chilli powder. Mix well. Then add 1/2-2/3 cup of cold water. This will quench the heat and stop the roasting process, but will also release aromas from all the spices, and will also help the roasted semolina to puff up and cook completely. I like my Upma to be creamy and the consistency of oatmeal. Some people prefer it to be flaky, for which you should simply use less water.

My Assessment: A+++

Tempeh & Vegetable Lo-Mein

I've tried 18 new vegetables already this year and its only the 22nd of March ... I'm beginning to get worried that I won't have any left to last me through the rest of the 9 months of this year (LOL), so I've expanded my horizons a little bit and decided to include products other than fresh produce as well.  

Today, I tried something plant-based and although it is somewhat processed, I'm still going to call it New Veggie #19 - Soy Tempeh. Along with tempeh, I used two of my previous new veggies today as well. I used Bok Choy  (New Veggie #11) which I've promised myself I'll always add to my oriental dishes (its awesome!) and I had one small Radicchio (New Veggie #15) left over from the weekend which I wanted to use as well. I overloaded this dish with veggies. Other vegetables to use would be sliced carrots, snow peas, broccoli!! 

Tempeh &Vegetable Lo-Mein

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 pack (8 oz) Tempeh, cut into thin strips (or grilled chicken)
2. 1 cup spaghetti (boiled, al dente)
3. 1/2 cup Vegetable broth 
4. 4 tbsp Soy sauce
5. 2-3 tbsp Hoisin sauce, or Vegetarian Oyster sauce
6. 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
7. 1 bunch of Bok Choy, sliced
8. 6-8 Green onions, cut off the leafy parts and cut each one in half, length-wise
9. 1 medium Radicchio, sliced
10. salt to taste. 

Directions:

Boil spaghetti and set aside. In a skillet on medium heat, add vegetable broth and add ginger-garlic paste. Allow for the mixture to come to a simmer and mix in both sauces and add strips of tempeh. Cover and allow this to simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the green onions and allow to cook for a few minutes to get rid of the sulfur pungency. If you like raw onions, you may not need to pre-cook the onions like I did. Then, add the noodles to this sauce and toss well to cover noodles with sauce.  Do a quick taste test, and add more sauces and/or salt to taste. Finally add the bok choy and radicchio, toss well and just as the green (and purples) begin to wilt, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove as well. 

Nik's Reaction: He wanted to try the noodles, but was quite full with his own dinner by the time the Lo-Mein was ready. Alex tried a small serving. I think he liked the noodles and veggies but was not a fan of the tempeh (.. AT ALL!! LOL)

My Assessment: I liked the dish overall. This was my first time trying tempeh and, like Alex, I am not an immediate fan.  But I've heard so many people rave about it that I will definitely try it again. :)