Mushroom Keema Pulao

As most of my regular readers know, rice is a staple in the RRC household. Whether it is steamed brown rice with stir-fried veggies, or white basmati rice with red beans or lentils, or black rice in summer salads!! I'm a rice freak :) !!! Today's recipe was inspired by my need to use a package of mushrooms and my 5 year old son's lack of desire to eat anything that looks like a mushroom. 

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup Basmati Rice
2. 2 cups Water
3. 1 Small Red Onion 
4. 10 oz White or Cremini Mushrooms
5. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
6. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Rinse the rice well in several changes of fresh tap water (until the water runs clean) and set aside. Using a food processor fitted with an S-blade, finely mince the red onion. Transfer to a heavy lidded pot such as a Le Creuset French Oven (I use a 5.5qt pot). Saute the onions on Medium high heat until beginning to golden brown. Add occasional splashes of water anytime the onions begin the stick to the bottom of the pot. Using the same food processor, finely mince the mushrooms (stems included) to the consistency of fine mince-meat (also called keema). Once the onion is golden brown, add mushrooms, mix well and saute for another few minutes with occasional splashes of water to prevent sticking. After about 5 minutes, add cumin seeds and saute until aromatic (about 2-3 min). Add rice, salt, water and mix well. Turn heat to high, allow the water to come to a boil and then reduce heat to Medium-Low, and cover the pot, with just a slit at one end to allow minimal escape of steam. Cook rice until tender (about 10-12 min) at this temperature. Once rice is bite-tender, cover the pot completely, turn off the stove and let sit for 10 min. These 10 minutes, called 'dum' are critical in making or breaking a pilaf!! The word, derived from Persian, means "steam cooked" ... where any residual water in the pot converts to steam under the heavy lid and allows any last remnants of rice to cook to their optimal tenderness. This method also allows for absorption of any excess water in the pot and makes for a fluffier rice pulao. Serve hot, with your favorite curry. 

Note: I called this dish 'Keema Pulao' because the minced mushrooms do take on the look and texture of a minced-meat pilaf. Overall, it was a hit with my 5 year old and a hit with my 45 year old as well :)

Nutrition Facts: Calories 197 (Fat Calories 8)
Total Fat 0.8 g; Carbohydrates 41.6 g; Fiber 1.8 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 5.9 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!

Southwestern, Pan-Seared Smothered Tofu

Some days I stand in my pantry for a few minutes searching for something to make for dinner. This, despite the fact that the pantry and freezer are pretty well stocked, except at the end of the week ;) !!! I definitely wasn't expecting this on a Tuesday evening. Anyhow ... it turned out Tony had not eaten his lunch and was going to eat his leftovers for dinner. He's not a big fan of tofu so I decided that this would be my main ingredient. The rest of the recipe just kind of evolved around it, as I gathered up various items from the pantry and refrigerator. 

Southwestern, Pan-Seared Smothered Tofu

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1 x 14oz Pack of Firm or Extra-Firm Tofu (cut into 4-6 strips)
2. 1 x 12 oz Pack of fresh White Mushrooms, stems removed and halved.
3. 1/2 cup frozen yellow corn
4. 1/2 cup cooked Black beans, drained.
5. 2 tsp Taco Seasoning
6. 2-4 tbsp BBQ Sauce (your favorite)
7. 2-4 tbsp Salsa (your favorite)
8. Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions:

Heat a medium cast iron skillet to high heat (a drop of water should sizzle as soon as it is added to the skillet). Toss the mushrooms with a sprinkle of table salt and add to the heated skillet and dry roast for a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to darken. Remove mushrooms and set aside. Allow all the water released by the mushrooms to evaporate and the skillet to attain a nice uniform dry heat again. Move the mushrooms to the side and add each of the tofu slices directly onto the dry heated skillet. The tofu will sizzle immediately upon placing on the skillet. Do not move each piece for a couple of minutes. This allows a seared skin to form on the tofu which allows you to turn it without crumbling it. Sear the other side in a similar manner. 

Once each piece of tofu is well seared, add the mushrooms equally across the surface of the skillet, sprinkle taco seasoning over mushrooms and tofu, and then drizzle the salsa and BBQ sauce over the entire surface.  Next cover the tofu with black beans and corn, cover, reduce heat to medium low and allow everything to simmer for 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Garnish with hot sauce and serve with fresh bread, or toast as I did. Enjoy!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 458 (Fat Calories 85)
Total Fat 9.5 g; Carbohydrates 58.6 g; Fiber 11.5 g; Sugars 10.2 g; Protein 34.7 g

Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

I did a Veggie Fact of the Day post yesterday to talk about my New Veggie #71 - Bulgur. I've had the Indian version of bulgur all my life (it's more golden, vs. the dark brown color I found here in the US). In India, it is usually made as a thick sweet porridge that is typically eaten for breakfast, but I always liked it best after it had been chilled in the fridge for a few hours. Here in the US, bulgur is more commonly used as a side dish and as a savory cereal, and that's how I decided to try it this time. It is an excellent low-glycemic white rice replacement and since Tony doesn't enjoy brown rice, I'm always looking for other whole grains that can be used instead. 

Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup dry Bulgur
2. 2 cups Home-made Vegetable Broth (or water)
3. Salt, to taste

Ingredients (Serves 4) for Soupy Asian Vegetables:

1. 15 oz No-Salt Diced Tomatoes (canned)
2. 1 x 12 oz frozen Edamame
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Green Beans
4. 8-10 White Mushrooms, sliced
5. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste 
6. 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
7. 1 tbsp Brown Miso
8. 3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
9. 1 cup Water
10. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Pressure cook bulgur and vegetable broth, under high pressure, for 8-10 minutes, in an electric pressure cooker. Or for the same time in a stove-top. If you don't own a pressure cooker, bring the bulgur and vegetable broth to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer, partially cover the pan and let simmer until all excess liquid has evaporated and the bulgur tastes nice chewy :) For the Soupy Asian Vegetables, mix everything in one pan, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer until bulgur is done. I'm not sure whether or not bulgur is traditionally eaten in the Far East. I just used it here as a substitute to rice. I really enjoyed the texture of bulgur (as did Tony), so it is definitely going on our rotation. 

Nutrition Facts (Per 1/4 cup Serving of Bulgur*): Calories 150 (Fat Calories 4)

Total Fat 0.3 g; Carbohydrates 32.0 g; Fiber 4.0 g; Sugars 0.0 g; Protein 4.0 g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving*): Calories 188 (Fat Calories 42)
Total Fat 4.7 g; Carbohydrates 17.3 g; Fiber 9.4 g; Sugars 4.5 g; Protein 13.7 g

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

Tips for Leftovers:

1.  One of the suggestions I've gotten, but not tried yet, is to use bulgur as a replacement for TVP in tacos and other dishes. Will definitely be giving that one a try!! 

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.

Sautéed Kale & Lentil Joe's

Over the last several days, I've seen a few different pictures for Lentil Burgers and Lentil Joe's on Facebook and was craving something 'lentily' tonight. I also had a bunch of Kale that I wanted to use. I also wanted to make a variation of the Mustard Greens & Balsamic Chick Pea recipe I tried earlier in the week. All in all .. I think I was just really hungry from only having had an early brunch and no late lunch. 

Earlier in the week, Eco-Vegan Gal posted a picture of her Lentil Joe's that will be on the Forks Over Knives page. And I was inspired by a Fatfree Vegan Kitchen recipe which I was trying to make variation. Also, I've been a tester for Happy Herbivore recipes and I've tried this excellent recipe from her (which I can't post because it is copyrighted and not published yet!). I've made, in a past life, a recipe by Post Punk Kitchen which is great. And in my search today, I also came across this gem by Tasty Easy Healthy Green. Of course, as luck would have it, I didn't have all the ingredients for any one recipe, so I mixed and matched and improvised and so the credit for my creation goes to all these lovely folks. 

Sautéed Kale & Lentil Joe's

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 4 cups of fresh Kale, leaves torn into bite sized pieces
2. 1 cup raw Green Lentils 
3. 1 Medium White Onion, diced
4. 8-10 White Mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
5. 1 large Tomato, diced
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 2 cups water or home-made vegetable broth
8. 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
9. 2 tbsp Honey
10. 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
11. 6 tbsp Soy Sauce
12. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
13. Salt to taste. 

Directions:

Remove stems form kale leaves, tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and wash the leaves well to remove any traces of dirt. Allow to sit in a colander to drain. Line a deep pot with half a cup of vegetable broth. Turn heat to medium-high. Add garlic and half the soy sauce. As the water comes to a boil, saute garlic until it begins to release its aroma. Then, add the kale to cover the entire surface of the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and allow the greens to wilt to a bright green (3-5 min). Remove greens from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing them time to drain, and place in a bowl. To the remaining liquid in the pan, add turmeric and diced onion. Allow onion to wilt and then add lentils. If there isn't enough liquid (~1/2 cup) in the pan, add more vegetable broth. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover to allow lentils time to cook (~10-15 min). After about 10 min, check the lentils and if they're about done, add mushrooms and more vegetable broth, if needed. Cover and cook until mushrooms are tender and lentils are done. Once lentils are done, turn heat to medium high to allow excess liquid to evaporate in these last few minutes as you add the final flavorings. Add tomato, mix well, allow to wilt and blend with the lentils. Now add the remaining ingredients  (ketchup, honey, dijon mustard, soy sauce and salt to taste). Cook for a couple more minutes until the consistency is dry, yet sloppy, enough to resemble Joe's. Serve over a bed of Sautéed Kale or assemble the kale and lentils in a Sloppy Joe sandwich.  

My Assessment: I loved it both ways. A great way to get greens! As I predicted a few days ago, the FFVK recipe works great with Kale and the chickpeas were well substituted with lentils.  

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 187 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.6 g; Carbohydrates 36.5 g; Fiber 6.9 g; Sugars 10.5 g; Protein 12.2 g

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

* Nutrition facts are provided for the 'Bed of Kale' option, without the bun, for the same reason.

  

Tomato & Kale Miso Soup

Those of you who follow my blog regularly probably know already that I've been under the weather the past few days (Sinus infections suck!).  I started the day out so-so but felt significantly better as the day went by. My throat was still sore so I decided to make a rather simple Miso Soup for dinner tonight. I've made it before (see Cremini Miso Soup) and this one is a slight variation on that recipe.  To be quite honest, every miso soup recipe is a slight variation of the last recipe you used. It's just that good :)

Tomato & Baby Kale Miso Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 2 large Tomatoes, diced
2. 6 White Mushrooms, sliced thinly
3. 4 cups Baby Kale (~6 oz)
4. 6 cups Water or home-made vegetable broth
5. 4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
6. 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
7. 1 tbsp White or Yellow Miso
8. Salt (probably won't need any), to taste
9. Black Pepper, freshly cracked, to taste

Directions:

In a large stock pot, bring tomatoes, broth, mushrooms and kale to a rolling boil. Add soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Turn off heat and mix everything well together. Allow the soupy broth to cool for a couple of minutes and then add miso and stir in really well to dissolve. Let sit for another minute or so and then mix in again to dissolve miso. Taste test for salt (with the miso and soy sauce you probably won't need to add any). Garnish with lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy with freshly baked bread or crackers. 

Miso Soup

My Assessment: Perfect brothy peppery soup for a sore throat! Did you know that Miso is a nutritional powerhouse? During the aging process, basic nutrients in soybeans (or barley, or brown rice) are broken down into their simpler forms. It is packed with amino acids and vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, potassium, B vitamins and protein. It includes all the essential amino acids and is often considered a source of complete protein. Miso also facilitates the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium. Along with miso, the tomatoes gave it an extra tartness which worked well with the baby kale! And Tony, who swears that he hates kale, lapped up his large serving :) with gusto!!! (wink! I didn't tell him he was consuming kale!)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 107 (Fat Calories 8)
Total Fat 0.9 g; Carbohydrates 20.0 g; Fiber 4.3 g; Sugars 7.0 g; Protein 7.7 g

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

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

Happy New Year to all you fellow Herbies out there. It is a new year, it is time for a new veggie and since it is the first of January, I selected, not surprisingly, Black-Eyed Peas as New Veggie #63. Eating Black-Eyed Peas on New Years Day is a tradition in Southern United States and it is supposed to bring you luck to last the whole year through.  Black-Eyed peas may be served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens), with the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas cabbage may be used in place of the greens. Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold. Some say that for the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day (that's a rather healthy serving .. I don't think I could manage that!). Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health. Whatever the reason might be, I figured if they're bringing good luck, I shouldn't pass on eating them today. 

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

The preparation I've made today is quite a traditional Indian preparation, with the exception of mushrooms and corn. I added the latter, only because I accidentally added too much salt to my preparation and need to tone down the sodium content. 

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (4 servings):

1. 2 cups dry or frozen Black-Eyed Peas
2. 2 large tomatoes, diced
3. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
4. 2 cups of water
5. 4 tbsp Granulated Onion
6. 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
7. 1 tsp Cumin seeds
8. 1 tsp Coriander seed powder
9. 6-8 Mushrooms, sliced
10. 2 cups frozen corn
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. 1-2 tsp Garam Masala, to taste

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook under high pressure for 12-15 min. Dry beans take slightly longer than frozen beans (which are pre-soaked). Once done, open the cooker, give a good stir and simmer for a few minutes until the dish has the consistency of a thick stew. Serve over brown rice, garnished with fresh or dried cilantro. Enjoy!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 201
Total Fat 2.3 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 39.4 g; Fiber 7.8 g; Sugars 4.9 g; Protein 10.4 g

The Kitchen Sink Soup

Cold winter days call for a heartwarming soup and some home-made bread. I got wish #1 today. My husband coined the term The Kitchen Sink Soup - according to him ... "Its got everything in it, but the kitchen sink!" ... well yes, it is kind of true. I always use the same basic recipe and it works like a charm, every time, no matter what you put in it. 

The Kitchen Sink Soup

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients:*

1. 2 cups Protein (Red Kidney Beans, Black beans, Chick Peas, Various Lentils)
2. 2 cups Vegetables (Onion, Spinach, Green Beans, Corn, Peas, Carrots, Kale, Celery)
3. 1/2 cup Starch (Red Potatoes, White Potatoes, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Barley, Quinoa, Noodles)
4. 1/2 cup Mushrooms (white, cremini, shiitake, portabella, oyster)
5. 4-6 cups Vegetable broth
6. 6-8 Dry Sun-dried Tomatoes (I buy the Whole foods 365 brand), sliced/diced.
7. 1 tbsp Minced garlic
8. 1 tbsp Miso (Barley or Soy).
9. Pepper, to taste.

Directions:

Line a stock pot with vegetable broth and add garlic. Once the garlic begins to release its aroma, add remaining ingredients (except Miso). Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until whatever starch you've added are done. When I use beans and/or chickpeas, I typically use canned. When I use lentils, I tend to use red lentils which are quick-cooking. Once starches are done cooking, turn off heat and add miso. I used Barley miso today. I typically don't discriminate between various kinds of Miso and use them interchangeably in my recipes. Do a quick taste test and if needed added more broth (as needed) and miso for flavor, or salt (if you prefer). Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and serve steaming hot. 

The Kitchen Sink Soup

Today, I used Red kidney beans, Baby spinach, Red Onion, Green Beans, White mushrooms and a blend of Brown and Wild rice. Umm Umm Good!! 

Wish #2 (homemade bread) will be granted soon ... Santa brought me a B&D Bread Maker!!! Yeah!!!

* This is a 'no added salt' recipe i.e. no salt is added over and above what is already in the condiments. In this soup, all the salt is coming from Miso and the sun-dried tomatoes add a lot of flavor, thereby reducing the need for additional salt. 

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.  

Mushroom & Kale Tacos

If asked, any member of my family, ranging from 3 to 43 years, will say without pause that their ideal meal consists of Tacos. Since going plant-based I've tried to incorporate as many of my veggies into burritos and tacos and tonight's meal was no exception (although I cannot get any of the other 4 people to eat these tacos). I had some leftover Wilted Kale & Onion Salad from earlier in the week. And I saw some fresh mushrooms as I was taking the leftovers out of the fridge. Into a skillet went the sliced mushrooms, with 1 cup of Wilted Kale and Onion Salad and Voila!! 

Mushroom & Kale Tacos

Prep time: 15 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely torn
2. 1 medium Red Onion, julienned
3. 6-8 White button mushrooms, sliced thinly
4. 2 cloves of Garlic, minced
5. 3-4 tbsp Medium Salsa, to taste
6. Salt & Pepper, to taste
7. 4 Corn Tortillas, for taco shells.

Directions: 

Rinse torn kale in cold water, drain and set aside. Slice mushrooms and set aside. Line a large skillet with water. Add garlic and turn heat to medium. As soon as the garlic begins to simmer, add the julienned onions and mushrooms and kale. Cover, reduce heat to medium low. Within a couple of minutes, the kale will turn bright green and begin to wilt. Keep covered for 2 additional minutes. Remove lid and turn heat to high for a couple of minutes to allow the water to evaporate. The kale will however, continue to sweat so the tacos will be a little wet and drippy. I didn't mind that part of it. if you want your tacos really dry, make sure you dry the kale completely. In my opinion though kale doesn't taste as good when it is dry because it is a very fibrous leaf. Prepare taco shells by wrapping in foil and heating in a 350F oven for 5 minutes. Prepare tacos, Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, and more salsa, as necessary. Serve warm. 

My Assessment: This isn't a dish that looks pretty ;) or appetizing to non-kale lovers :) but it was amazingly delish!!! I enjoyed these tacos with freshly made HH Butternut Squash Soup. I didn't add any additional toppings because this was flavorful enough for me. Optional toppings include freshly diced fresh tomatoes, olives, even fresh sweet corn.

10-min Mushroom Subzi

Given that it is Election Night 2012, I wanted to make something quick and easy so that I could settle in front of CNN and watch President Obama win his second term. Yes, I support him. That's my prerogative :) !! A Subzi, in Indian, Pakistani, and Nepali cuisine, is any spiced preparation of vegetables, typically dry, that is eaten with Rotis.  

Mushroom Subzi

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup white and/or cremini mushrooms, mixed, cut into quarters. 
2. 6 oz (1/2 pack) Extra Firm Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (cut into 1/2" squares).
3. 1-2 tsp Garlic powder
4. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
5. 1 tsp Dried Cilantro
6. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a skillet with water and add mushrooms and spices. Allow the mushrooms to release their water and for most of it to dry up (~5-7 min). Then add the silken tofu pieces and mix everything together. Its okay if the tofu squares break apart as they will only add to the creaminess of the subzi. Allow all the water to dry up, taste test for salt and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh cilantro. Serve with fresh (or frozen) chapatis. Yum!

My Assessment: This is my favorite way of making a quick subzi. I love garlic so this dish is extremely flavorful for me. If you have your own favorite spice, use that instead to focus on that flavor. Its probably best to use a powdered spice to maintain cooking time.  The tofu acts as a sponge for all the garlicky flavor and coats the mushrooms. Occasionally, I add some chili pepper powder to this dish to give it an extra kick. Enjoy!!! :)

Cremini Miso Soup

So this afternoon, I made a batch of my Quinoa Chili that has been a hit so far with everyone who's tried it, herbivores and omnivores alike :) !!! T loves it and asked for me to make it again. We both ate big bowls for lunch and were quite full. So full that I wasn't super hungry for dinner but I wanted to eat something ... don't know if it was boredom, or real hunger but I decided to make a low calorie, light soup for dinner. For a few days, I've been craving Miso soup and have looked at various recipes online. This one is a conglomeration of multiple recipes that I have read, and what I had at home. For example, I didn't have any baby bok choy, but did have baby spinach so I used that instead. I also used this soup as a platform for my New Veggie #52 - Cremini Mushrooms. 

Cremini Miso Soup

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Vegetable broth
2. 1 cup baby spinach
3. 6 Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced. 
4. 6 oz (1/2 pack) Extra Firm Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (cut into 1/2" squares). 
5. 1 tsp white rice vinegar
6. 2 tsp Miso*
7. 1 tsp Powdered Garlic
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste. 

Directions:

In a soup pot, bring 2 cups of vegetable broth and 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add garlic and baby spinach, reduce heat to medium and once the garlic is wilted, add thinly sliced mushrooms. Continue to boil for a couple more minutes and then add tofu squares. Silken tofu tends to be fragile to touch so make sure you stir gently after adding the tofu. Boil for another minute and then turn the heat off and remove pot from stove. Remove a little bit of hot broth into a small mixing bowl. Add miso to the broth and stir well to make a thin paste. Fold that into the contents of the pot. Taste test for salt and add freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.  

*Miso, is a slowly fermented soybean paste. It is a treasure trove of high quality protein and amino acids, simple sugars and fatty acids making it superbly easy to digest and easy on the stomach for someone suffering from GI issues. It is essentially the chicken soup of the vegan world. The fermentation process is enabled by an edible strain of fungus called aspergillus oryzae. It is also an excellent probiotic. In order to obtain the maximum benefits, Miso should be not be boiled. Most enzymes are destroyed by temperatures above 104°F (38°C). So unpasteurized miso should be added only after cooking is complete to help obtain its probiotic benefits. 

Oil-Free Loaded Tostadas

So we're a family of Mexican food lovers ... all the boys including 3-year old li'l Nik Coder love tortilla chips with salsa and when asked, each one of us, will prefer to eat at a Mexican restaurant than any place else. Tacos are on our regular dinner rotation and everyone enjoys them immensely. Over the last several months, Tony has moved from making beef tacos to using ground turkey and recently even grilled chicken (the kids all still eat meat).

Since I went plant-based 9 months ago, I've tried TVP tacos, chick pea tacos, portabella mushroom tacos, squash fajita burritos and even just bean burritos. While I've always been a soft taco kinda gal ... the boys all seem to prefer crispy shells. Tony is especially fond of tostadas .. although it always bothered me to see him deep frying flour tortillas (not a very healthy option I must add!!). Now that Tony is going plant-based with me (yayy!) ... and his repertoire of plant-based foods is still somewhat limited, we've been trying to explore new foods and today was the day to try some new taco toppings. As I was getting dinner ready, he mentioned tostadas ... just in passing .. and I remembered reading this blog post a few weeks ago (I can't recall where) which talked about making baked tostadas and taco shells. And so ... taco night quickly transformed into Loaded Tostada night :)

Oil-Free Loaded Tostada

It was so superbly satisfying for me to able to serve Tostadas without even a trace of oil. All in all tonight's dinner took about 20 minutes to prepare (I multi-task well and used a combination of appliances - pressure cooker, microwave, oven and the stove). This was one of the more enjoyable dinners we've had in a long time.  Preheat oven to 375 F. Drape store-bought corn tortillas/soft tacos over an inverted muffin pan and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes (to allow them to crisp up a tad more) and serve warm. ... super simple and not fried or dripping oil!!  

Here's how I went about preparing each of the toppings -

Southwestern Quinoa - I use an electric pressure cooker for making Quinoa, and follow Chef AJ's technique. 1 cup Quinoa + 1.5 cup water - Cook under high pressure for 2 min, let stand for 10 min and release the steam immediately for fluffy perfectly cooked quinoa - every time. Today, I simply added 2 tsp of Taco seasoning mix to give it the southwestern kick. Or you can make Quinoa is a sauce pan too (simply use 2 cups of water for every cup of Quinoa). 

Sautéed Mushrooms - Slice 1 cup mushrooms and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce and salt (to taste) until mushrooms are tender and all the water has evaporated. 

Sautéed Corn - Thaw 1 cup frozen corn and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1-2 tsp Taco seasoning until all the water has evaporated. 

Refried Black Beans - Drain 1 can of plain black beans, add 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 2-3 tbsp mild salsa and microwave on high (uncovered) for 5 min. Remove, mix well with a spatula making sure to smush some of the beans while doing so. Microwave on high for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered. Or you can also do the same thing in a skillet. 

Serve with fresh salsa, freshly diced tomatoes, black or green olives, avocado and lettuce (we didn't have any today). Um mm good! 

My Assessment: I am a convert. I can most definitely say that these were so much better than soft tacos. The crispy shell adds so much more to the overall gustatory pleasure of tacos :) ... I hate to admit it ... but Tony was right all along! Tostadas are so much better than soft tacos. One more lesson I learnt from Tony today (after my tostadas were already loaded), spread the beans first then add the rest of the toppings - that helps all the other toppings stay on so much better!! 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 :) 

Mushroom Pizza

So I was going to start a 30-day 'unprocessed' challenge today. I managed to do really well all day - no processed foods all day and then fell off the wagon .... umm totally fell off the wagon!! I came home, and T was planning on having a 'juice' dinner so I had to come up with something really quick for me and my li'l rugrat - & BOOM! Fell off the wagon!! Here's the recipe for those interested. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients: 

1. 2 whole grain naans (Stone Fire)
2. 4 tbsp marinara sauce (I used Ragu!)
3. 1/2 cup Daiya Mozarella Style Shreds 
4. 1/2 cup Sliced mushrooms
5. 2-3 Tofurkey Breakfast Links, diced

Directions: 

Preheat overn to 375F. Place each naan on a flat surface, like a large cutting board, or butcher block. 

Spread 2 tbsp of Marinara sauce on each naan, making sure to cover the edges, without spilling over. 

Then, spread half the daiya cheese on each naan, in a thin layer. 

And finally spread the mushrooms, as many as you like, in a single or multiple layers on top of the cheese. 

And then, add pieces of vegan sausage, as needed, interspersed between the sausage.

Place pizzas on a pizza stone, or non-stick pizza pan, and place in the oven for 8-10 min until edges are browned and the bottom is crispy.... and Enjoy!! 

Nik's Assessment: He LOVED IT. He picked out pieces of sausage off the pizza and was enjoying the melted daiya cheese. 

My Assessment: I hated it!! It is amazing how quickly you lose the ability to process oils/fats in your food. It was way to greasy for me thanks to the daiya cheese. Next time, I will probably try this with a non-fat alternative to daiya like this Melty Pizza Cheese which a friend told me about (thanks Julie!) .. but I found this only AFTER dinner tonight! Next time .... !!!

And here's when I get on my soapbox about unhealthy vegan foods. I already know I should not be eating these high-fat processed foods like vegan cheese and vegan sausage because they are about as unhealthy as their meat/dairy based alternatives.

"Instead of replacing meat with healthier alternatives, vegans too often fill their plates with meat alternatives crafted from highly processed soy proteins bathed in vegetable oil ...//..... Calorie for calorie, fake foods are not much better nutritionally than the animal foods they replace. In some cases, they are worse." - John A. McDougall, MD - In: The Starch Solution

Next step - ensuring that these items are not even brought into my house, because when they're in the fridge, I feel horrid throwing things away and invariably end up eating them - which only makes me feel like the human trash can - & I deserve so much better than that!! :-)

Seitan & Miso Soup

Even in the middle of summer, some days I crave soup. My sister is a soup-fiend. She always wants more. I'm not as bad as her but a good soup gets me all excited about my dinner. I've been thinking for a few days about making a Miso soup and finally got around to it today. Since this is the first Miso-based recipe I've made, I'm also going to use this opportunity to assign Miso to my new veggie list as New Veggie #35. In addition to Miso, I had 2 other lovely ingredients that also made it to my new veggie list: Seitan - New Veggie #36 and Kombu - New Veggie #37.  At some time in the past 6 months, my new veggie list has been transformed into my New Plant-Based Products :) and that's okay. I'm still exploring and finding new veggies to try and then I come across ingredients such as Seitan and Kombu .. which I've never tried before and which need to be on the list!! 

Seitan & Miso Soup

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups of water
2. 1/3 cup White Miso
3. 2 Baby Bok Choy, stalks chopped
4. 6-8 oz White mushrooms, quartered
5. 1/2 cup shredded carrots
6. 1-2 inch piece of Kombu (optional)
7. 8 oz Cubed Seitan 
8. 2-4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
9. 1 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
10. Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add miso to the pot and turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Once miso is dissolved, slowly add mushrooms, carrots, kombu, soy and oyster sauce and allow to simmer. Then, add chopped stalks of bok choy and save the leaves for later. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. For the last 2-3 minutes add seitan cubes and leaves of bok choy. Garnish with freshly chopped black pepper and Enjoy!!

Seitan Miso Soup

My Assessment: I LOVED IT!!! No rugrat assessment today!! Didn't want anything to do with it :) !! Seitan tasted a lot like boiled chicken to me ... somewhat chewy and hearty. I loved the flavor of white miso in this soup - savory and sharp, almost like a sharp cheddar (maybe I'm crazy ;-)!!) ... and the Kombu imparted the flavors of the sea ... !! Great combination of ingredients overall. 

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 ...

HH "Cheater" Pad Thai

So last night, there was just Nik and I at home and I wanted a quick dinner for the two of us. The li'l guy hadn't had a nap all day, so I also needed something that would go down relatively easily i.e. it needed to be a favorite ... and noodles, in any form, generally do the trick. I settled for HH "Cheater" Pad Thai.  

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients*:

1. 1 small red onion, julienned
2. 1/2 cup shredded carrots
3. 6-8 white mushrooms, sliced
4. 1/2 cup frozen green beans
5. 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
6. A double batch of HH Cheater Pad Thai Sauce** 
7. 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed/crumbled. 
8. 1 cup Quinoa Pasta (Spaghetti) 

HH Cheater Pad Thai

Directions:

Line a skillet with water and saute Ginger-Garlic paste followed by all the veggies. Separately boil pasta noodles and set aside. Once the veggies are ready, add sauce and allow to coat all the veggies. Add noodles and toss everything together. Garnish with roasted crushed peanuts! Slurp!! 

Nik's Reaction: As I said at the start, any kind of noodles are a big hit! He ate a nice big helping and apple on the side too! I'm quite sure that slurping noodles is probably one of his favorite activities.

* A 'no added salt' recipe i.e. no salt is added over and above what is already in the condiments.
** Since I was cooking for a 3-year old, I skipped both the chili and the hot sauce.

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!!  

Mushroom & Barley Stew

So while it is not a true veggie but a grain, New Veggie #29 is Barley. I can honestly say that I have never before tried Barley, in any form except brewed :) !!  

Mushroom & Barley Stew

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 cup barley, cooked according to package instructions
2. 1 cup vegetable broth
3. 1 medium/large Red onion, diced
4. 6-8 Mushrooms, sliced
5. 2 Field Roast Vegan Sausage Links, sliced/crumbled
6. 1 tbsp Garlic
7. Salt, and pepper, to taste
8. 2-5 fresh basil leaves, finely diced

Directions: 

Line a skillet with vegetable broth and add garlic and onions. Cook until tender. Meanwhile dice mushrooms and add to the skillet as well. Once mushrooms reduce mix in vegan sausage and mix well. Then add barley, toss well, and top off with barley and freshly diced basil leaves. When done, the dish should be the consistency of a thick soup or stew. 

My Assessment: For having tried barley for the first time, I really really liked it. It gave the stew a hearty flavor - and the nuttiness of the barley made it chewy enough that I didn't even feel the need for bread with it. Overall, a good recipe and a great grain ... !!