A delicious vegan Panang Curry

This is soooo good, almost as good as my Thai restaurant but definitely vegan and so quick and easy to prepare. What more needs to be said.

Panang (Beef- not!) Curry with Peanuts and Fresh Basil
heavily adapted from The Curry Book by Nancie McDermott

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons red curry paste, divided
I 14-oz pkg firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons mushroom flavored dark soy sauce, divided
1tablespoon soy sauce
1 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
pinch salt
1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into long, thin strips
fresh Thai basil leaves, sliced

Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl. Place the tofu cubes in a medium bowl and spoon the curry paste-soy sauce mixture over the tofu. Let sit for about 15 minutes or so.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, combine the oil and remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons curry paste. Cook 3-4 minutes, adjusting the heat to keep the paste sizzling gently without popping and splashing,mashing and scraping the paste to soften and warm it. Add the tofu and cook 2-3 minutes, separating the pieces to coat them with the paste.

Stir the coconut milk well and add 1 cup to the frying pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat to keep it simmering gently.

Add the remaining coconut milk, remaining dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, and peanuts. Cook gently about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper strips and stir them into the curry. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt or sugar as needed.

Transfer to a small, shallow bowl and gently mix in some of the chopped basil. Garnish with a basil spring if desired. Serve hot or warm.

I added some shiitake mushrooms and served mine over greens. YUM!!!
The thai basil makes all the difference in this dish.

Primanti Brothers sandwich

The homemade Primanti Brothers sandwiches were a hit! I loved mine!

My sandwich was layered with

Italian bread

on the bottom slice of bread- spread some diced cherry peppers

half of an avocado lightly sprinkled with salt
French fries
Cole slaw- recipe below adapted from epicurious.com

a few slices of thinly sliced onion
Sliced tomatoes lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper

Serve with a dill pickle on the side

If Whole Foods starts to carry Field Roast again, then I would add a few slices of it inbetween the bottom slice of bread and the cherry pepper spread. I considered adding some fakin' bacon but loved this sandwich as prepared.

Carolina Cole Slaw

adapted from Bon Appétit March 1996
Caroline Belk: Richmond, Virginia

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar- I used a heavy 3

6 tablespoons vegetable oil- I u sed 3 as suggested in the notes

2 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 medium cabbage (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard and celery seeds in non-aluminum medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and dressing comes to boil. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Combine cabbage and dressing; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate until cold, tossing occasionally, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
Yield: Serves 8

Menu for the week of 12/28

Sun
leftovers

Mon
black beans (Columbia Restaurant recipe)
rice
salad

Tues
Bhangra Burrito with chickpea-potato curry and spinach- rebar
recipe follows- I really love this! It reminds me a bit of a samosa but baked not fried.

Wed
still planning a New Year's Eve feast

Thur
black-eyed peas
Hopping John
mustard greens
cornbread


Bhangra Burrito
with chickpea-potato curry and spinach
rebar
yield: 6 burritos

"Unconventional burrito fillings are inevitable in the world of cultural food fusion. In this recipe, the corss-cultural mix makes perfect sense- the filling is pure Indian and the Mexican tortilla that wraps up the curry is a close cousin to the chapathi. The outcome is delicious and makes an ideal lunch or dinner entree. Serve with mint-mango chutney and steamed basmati rice."

4 garlic cloves
1 oz (30 g) ginger, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper, with seeds
1 red pepper, seeded
6 Roma tomatoes
3 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) toasted and ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted and ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) tumeric
1/2 teasoon (5 ml) cracked pepper
1 x 19 fl oz (540 ml) can chickpeas
2 lbs (900 g) red potatoes, 1/2" dice
1/2 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch spinach, washed, stemmed and sliced into 1/2" thick ribbons

Roughly chop garlic, ginger, jalapeno, red pepper and tomatoes. Place in a food processor and pulse to form a coarse puree. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and suate onion with 1/2 teasoon salt until translucent. Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and pepper and continue to saute to cook the spices. Add the vegetable puree and simmer gently 5-10 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook a further 10 minutes to heat through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 350F. Toss diced potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until lightly golden and soft, about 15-20 minutes. Toss the chick pea mixture with roasted potatoes and chopped cilantro. Season to taste.

To roll, lay a tortilla and spread 1 cup spinach ribbons topped with 1 cup chick pea curry across the middle of the tortilla. Roll it up into a cylinder and place seam-side down in a lightly oiled baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes to heat through. Serve hot with chutney and rice.

Mu Shu in Moments

I've decided to keep on blogging- my original intent was to have my recipes available when I was away from my home or computer. I've found lots of new recipes in the past year and will start to post them. I'll also keep on posting the week's menus. Have you ever felt- there's nothing to cook this week??? I've been feeling that a lot lately! So here's back at it!

My newest fave recipe- great for a weeknight.. I leave the chicken and eggs out but DH has found that he likes Morning Stars Chik'en Strips (I'll get the right name the next time I go to the grocery store.) Mung bean sprouts are also a good addition. This is quick and easy and sooooo much better than the Chinese restaurant's version.

Mu Shu in Moments
Gourmet Feb 06
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mu-Shu-in-Moments-233797
for the original recipe
my version below

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 (16-oz) bag coleslaw mix
handful mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
several scallions, coarsely chopped, served in a bowl at the table
8 (6-inch) flour tortillasI prefer whole wheat
1 package Morning Star Chick'n Strips, cooked separately for DH

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and heat until hot, then cook ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add coleslaw mix, mung sprouts, and 2 tablespoons water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until coleslaw is wilted, about 5 minutes.
Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 2 tablespoons water, and hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Add to coleslaw mixture stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately put tortillas between 2 dampened paper towels on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power until tortillas are hot, about 1 minute.
To assemble, spread hoisin on each tortilla and top with mu shu mixture, chicken strips, additional bean sprouts, or scallions, then roll up.

Serves 4

A great class, a beginner's curry and a dal

A friend took me to an Indian cooking class at Sur la Table last monday night. It was the most work I've ever done in a class but the food was great and I've been inspired to try more Indian cooking. The instructor was very knowledgeable and so willing to answer questions. This was the 5th Indian cooking class I've taken and its the one class that has really inspired me to give Indian cooking a go at home.

I will admit to making a purchase at Sur la Table that night! There was a 15% coupon good for just about anything in the store that night. I spied a Santoku knife at some of the cutting stations so I made sure that I ended up there. The knife felt so good in my hands and cut beautifully. I went, ok I rushed, over to the knife display at break. After holding several knives and talking with the sales helper, I chose a 6-inch chef's knife. The handle felt as one with my hands- sturdy, comfortable and well-balanced. Chopping and cutting are dream now. Which is very important when you chop lots and lots of veggies. Why a chef's knife and not the Santoku? I rock when I chop (advantage- chef knife) and also thought the chef's knife would be more versatile. I am so pleased with my new knife.

Tuesday after the class, I went to the store and bought radishes, carrots, onions, a cucumber, a yellow pepper, and celery for a salad for dinner that night! I chopped and chopped and smiled and smiled!

This Sunday I tested out the knife and some Indian recipes. I made the dal from the class and a beginner's curry from The Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi (pictured above.)

The dal was very delicious. I added the cilantro and some hotter pepper than the version I had at the class. DH and I love a bit of spice and the taste of cilantro. The packaged lentils were a shade of red with a hint of orange and pink but the dal cooked up yellow. It was a cheerful color on a cold rainy night. I thought that initially the dal had too strong a ginger taste- although I love ginger I felt that it was a bit strong. However, there is no ginger in the recipe! What was I tasting?? the lemon?? The next day for lunch, the dal had mellowed and tasted perfect with no trace of the ginger. I would like to try cooking this in the crockpot next time.

4 1/2 flamingos taste

5 flamingos for ease

The recipes...

I still am hoping to have pictures soon but please read about the curries.

Masoor Dal

Beginner's Curry

Smoky Seitan, Pinto Bean, and Hominy Stew

I love when I choose a recipe that sounds good and then it tastes good! And this one is that recipe plus it's even easy! and quick! And I'm saying that after having had to run to the store to buy another can of hominy and pinto beans. The first can of hominy I opened had some kind of thick layer just under the lid and then I noticed a few dents in the rim of the can at the bottom. Of course, I noticed this after dumping the hominy over the pinto beans to drain. I dumped it all and ran to the store to buy more. I am so glad I did- this really is good!

5 flamingos all around!!!

Smoky Seitan, Pinto Bean, and Hominy Stew
adapted from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced white onion (about 1 large)
1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
3/4 cup diced carrot (about 1 large)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1)
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups organic vegetable broth
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, undrained
1 pound seitan, cubed
1 (15.5-ounce) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and remaining ingredients to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 8 servings
adapted from Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Black-Eyed Pea Patties

Black-Eyed Pea Patties with Garlic Pepper Salsa
Black-eyed peas were introduced in the Caribbean by African slaves. Somewhat drier than other legumes, they are ivory-gray in color with a black "eye" at the inner curve. They go by many names, including gungo and pigeon peas. These patties can be shaped an hour in advance; cover and refrigerate.

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
2 (16-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and well drained
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped tomato
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Combine minced garlic and chiles in a large bowl. Place 1 teaspoon garlic mixture in a small bowl; set side. Add peas to remaining garlic mixture in large bowl; mash mixture with a potato masher. Stir in bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and ground flaxseed, stirring until well blended. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and 6 patties.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, chopped tomato, and fresh lime juice to the reserved garlic mixture in bowl; stir well. Serve with patties.

adapted from Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Red Lentil Patties with Cilantro Sauce

This comes from the Healthy Hedonist and is similar to but different enough from the Red Lentil and Chickpea Burgers. I made this wed and as usually happens with Myra Kornfelf recipes about ate it all before it even got to the table!

I rec doubling the sauce. DH thought that the bean mixture (before shaping into patties) would make a great dip with some added seasonings- either curry for an indian and a bit unusual dip or mexican/hot pepper seasonings.

Red Lentil Patties with Cilantro Sauce
Healthy Hedonist
1 cup basmati rice (I subbed Red Bhutanese rice as she suggested)
1/2 cup red lentils
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons coconut oil, sesame oil, or ghee (I used sesame oil)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 cups finely diced onions
1/4 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
Cilantro Sauce- recipe follows

Wash the rice and lentils, and drain them. Place them in a medium saucepan and add the water, turmeric, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and simmer, without stirring, until the water is absorbed, 15 minutes. (This took closer to 25- I wonder if its because I used the Red Bhutanese rice. It still looked kinda soupy but the recipe worked great anyway.)

Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and saute until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, about 12 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and remove the skillet from the heat. Add the mixture to the cooked rice and lentils. Stir to combine. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it sit until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

Spread the arrowroot on a large plate. Form the lentil mixture into 8 patties. Dredge the patties in the arrowroot, and place them on a clean plate.Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties and saute until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining oil and patties. Serve warm, drizzled with the Cilantro Sauce.


Cilantro Sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup unsweeten coconut milk, stirred before measuring
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed and seeded
1 garlic cloveone 1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Spanish Omelet

I made this Tuesday. I am trying to do better with the photography and now maybe video!

The omelet was very tasty although I would have liked more saffron flavor to have come through. DH's version was very close to the recipe as posted just no onions. My version, cooked separately, had onion but was not put in an omelet but served over steamed kale. I love kale- the filling was great on its own and I had the leftovers for lunch minus the kale (and egg!)

4 1/2 flamingos for taste and ease for both DH and I.

Spanish Omelet with Peas, Potatoes, and Saffron
A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen

Salt
1/2 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 pound peas in pod, shelled (about 2/3 cup)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled between your fingers
6 large eggs
freshly ground black pepper

Bring about 1 quart water to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add salt to taste and the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are just beginning to soften but are not at all mushy, about 7 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook until the veggies are barely tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. (I used a regular skillet and it didn't stick.) Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. (If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat.) Add the saffron and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Set the pan asite to let the onions cool slightly.

With a fork, beat the eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grindings of pepper together in a medium bowl until well combined. Beat in the peas, potatoes, and onions, scraping the skillet as clean as possible.

Move an oven rack to the top position and heat the broiler. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the empty skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, swirl the oil to coat the pan bottom evenly (and sides if using a reg skillet!). Add the egg mixture and cook, occasionally sliding a spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the omelet, until the bottom of the omelet is golden brown and the eggs are runny just on top, about 8 minutes.

Place the pan directly under the broiler and cook just until the top is golden brown and set, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent the omelet from burning.

Remove the pan from the broiler. The omelet can be cooled to room temp in the pan if desired. Once cooked, the omelet can be removed from the pan whole and chilled for several hours. Cut the omelet into wedges and serve.

Rigatoni with Cauliflower,Curry Powder, and Coconut Milk

Another winner from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen! This was quick and easy and made a great weeknight dinner. At first I was worried that it wasn't flavorful enough but I was wrong. It was delicious- the cauliflower shone through and the curry was just right. I used Hot Curry from Penzey's and sprinkled just a bit more at the table. I also served mine over more spinach.

4 flamingos

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups- you could add more if you like)
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (I used a serrano and through the whole thing in and maybe could have thrown another!)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, preferably light
1 pound rigatoni
3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the pasta.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cauliflower, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat the veggies with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chile, garlic, and curry powder and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring once, until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the empty pot and add the cauliflower sauce, baby spinach, cilantro, lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Stir just until the spinach is wilts, about 30 seconds, adding more cooking water if needed to moisten the pasta. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste, and serve immediately.

Jerk Seitan

Another excellent dish from Vegan With a Vengeance! DH has decided to go semi-vegetarian so I bought him some seitan to try while I was out of town. He mixed it with bbq sauce and has become almost vegetarian! Go dh! I found this dish and decided to try it and we were both pleased. I loved loved the onion and red peppers and he enjoyed the seitan. I would add a serrano pepper to the marinade next time for more zing. I made the coconut rice- my first attempt at that- and loved it although the rice took a bit longer to cook than stated. Overall an excellent dinner with fab leftovers.

5 flamingos

Jerk Seitan
Vegan With a Vengeance

For the Marinade:
1/2 large white onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce (2 soy sauce, 1 braggs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

For the seitan:
2 cups seitan, cut into strips (i left it as the chunks from the pkg)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, thickly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded adn thickly sliced (i used a red bell pepper)

Prepare the marinade by pureeing all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until relatively smooth. There will be some chunkiness but that's ok. Place the seitan in a shallow bowl and pour that marinade over it. Mix to coat. Cover and let marinate for an hour.

In a large skillet, saute the onions and peppers in olive oil over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Remove the seitan from the marinade and reserve the liquid. Saute for 10 minutes, until the seitan has browned to your liking. Add the remaining marinade and cook for about 2 minutes to heat the sauce through.

Serve with coconut rice, sauteed greens, and baked sweet potatoes or roasted autumn vegetables; ladle the extra sauce over each serving. (we had steamed broccoli)

Scilian-Style Broccoli and New Potatoes with herbes de Provence

Two excellent recipes- they can be used together as side dishes or as a meal. Although I was concered about the herbes and spices matching, they go well together. I subbed veggie broth for most of the olive oil in both recipes. For the broccoli, I added more capers (I used some large-size capers that a friend gave me and wasn't sure that the measurements for larger sized capers would be equivalent to the reg sized.) I also easily doubled the red pepper flakes- DH and I like spicy-spicy. For the potatoes, I added a bit more herbes de Provence.

5 flamingos for taste and effort

Sicilian-Style Broccoli

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen

This quick-cooking method of cooking broccoli in just a little liquid until it evaporates can be used with cauliflower as well.

Makes 4-6 servings

1 head broccoli (about 1 1/4 pounds)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup veggie broth

2 tablespoons drained capers, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon in a small bowl

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut off and separate the broccoli florets. Trim the tough ends of the stalks; peel, if necessary, and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and stalks, veggie broth, capers, and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the hear to medium-low, cover, and copok until the broccoli is tender but still firm, 5-7 minutes.

Uncover, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until any remaining broth evaporates, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

Variation Instead of capers, add 2 tablespoons of dark raisins or zante currents that have been plumped in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts just before serving.

New Potatoes with Herbes de Provence, Lemon, and Coarse Salt

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen

Wild herbs grow in profusion throughout Provence. Herbes de Provence is a specific combination generally consisting of rosemary, thyme, basil, savory, chervil, mint, marjoram, oregano, and sometimes lavender. If you don't have some on hand, simply use dried rosemary; it's a safe bet. Try to get tiny new potatoes that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter for this dish. If they're much bigger, cut them in half before boiling.

1 1/2 pounds tiny new potatoes, scrubbed and left whole

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence

juice of 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan or medium stockpot with salted water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes, depending upon size. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the herbes de Provence, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 seconds. Add the drained potatoes, coarse salt, and lemon juice; stir well to coat. Cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until the potatoes are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Advanced preparation You can boil the potatoes and let them stand for up to one hour at room temperature before completing the recipe. Or you can refrigerate the boiled potatoes overnight. Bring them to room temperature and finish the recipe.

Edamame

Eating Well had two delicious sounding edamame recipes in the jan/feb 07 issue. I made the Eygptian Edamame Stew for dinner tonight. It was very good although I think that it could benefit from sitting overnight to let the flavors mingle. The lemon added at the end brightened the dish but I think that I would add a bit less next time. This is a very good quick dish to make during the work week. DH made his own hamburger and fries and we were both very happy tonight.

3 1/2 flamingos for taste and ease

Egyptian Edamamae Stew

adapted from Eating Well Jan/Feb 07

16 oz pkg frozen shelled edamame (about 3 cups)

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 large zucchini, diced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste (I forgot this!)

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook until tender, about 5 minutes or according to pkg directions. Drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, covered, until the onions are starting to brown, about 3 minutes more. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Stir in edamame and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each.

Serve over whole wheat couscous.

Jambalaya

We had Chinese take out last night for Chinese New Year and I discovered that I like Moo Shi Vegetables better Moo Shi Shrimp. It was slightly less sweet but you could have knocked me over with a feather with this revelation! So tonight I decided to go with a New Orleans dish with Madris Gras this Tuesday. I usually make a King Cake (from Jambalaya Jr League cookbook) but DH didn't want it this year. I think he is trying to be good dietwise. I picked our favorite Jamabalya recipe from the cookbook with the same name. DH bought this cookbook for me on his first business trip to New Orleans almost 9 years ago. It is a great cookbook but now I have the near-vegan challenge. I decided to make two versions. Leftovers are needed in this house for lunch and for when I'm out of town. To make this dish vegan was really easy- I left out the sausage and shrimp :( and added more red pepper and onion. I love red pepper and suateed onion so that made up for the missing shrimp. I also added a dash of liquid smoke- I hope that's vegan! And I served it over steamed collards (just because I like that.) If I were to make this again, I would try adding a teaspoon or so of cajun seasoning for some added flavor and kick.

4 flamingos for taste

4 for effort (because I made two separate jambalayas)

Sausage and Ham Jambalaya
adapted from Jambalaya: A Collection fo Cajun & Creole Favorites from The Junior League of New Orleans

i large onion, cut into 1/4" dice
1 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (about 2 cups)
2 large cloves garlic
3/4 cup dry white wine plus 1 glass for the cook ;)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 + teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 + teaspoon dried basil
1/4 + teaspoon dried majoram
1/2 + teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup brown rice

extra Tabasco to shake on at the table

Saute onions and red peppers in a Dutch oven for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients (I was heavy on the spices but not enough to increase the amounts listed here. Next time I would add even more.) expect for the parsley and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and mix in the parsley and rice. Cover and simmer about 35 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Add more liquid if necessary to make sure that the rice cooks.

The best peanut noodle recipe

Thanks to Joe http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/05/sesame-noodles-with-napa-cabbage.html I have now found the best peanut noodle recipe. I've made several from Cooking Light, but this one had the depth of flavor and peanutty taste that I've been looking for. And it was very easy to put together. And best of all, DH loved it as well (although he didn't seem to mind that I made my serving heavier on the napa cabbage and his with more noodles!)

5 flamingos for taste and ease!

Please check out Joe's blog for this recipe- his photos are 1000x better than mine and it's his adaptation that I fell in love with.

Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage
(Adapted from Veg Times by Joe at http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/)

10 ounces whole wheat spaghetti (I used udon)
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I may have had a heavy hand with this!)
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to the directions on the package.

In a small saucepan, whisk together peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar and crushed red pepper.

Warm sauce over medium-low heat while you wait for the noodles to cook.

Place cabbage in a colander in the sink - when the noodles are ready, drain them over the cabbage so the hot water can wilt the cabbage.

Place the noodles and cabbage in a large bowl, add warmed peanut sauce and toss well to coat. Sprinkle each plate with a portion of the chopped cilantro before serving.

Makes about 4 servings.

An eggless omelet??

Another excellent recipe from Vegan with a Vegeance. This was sooo good, even my meat loving DH went back for seconds. I usually shy away from tofu- it has no taste or it tastes like tofu or, well, tasteless tofu. Not here. I was licking the bowl and savoring the garlic and saffron flavors- uuuummmmmmm. Unfortunately, my red peppers were moldy! So no sauce. I had a bit of salsa on the side and was perfectly happy. I did make some other changes noted after the ingredients.

5 +++ flamingos for taste

4 flaminogs for time and effort but my nonvegan DH loved this dish so we've got a same dish meal. I served this for dinner- too much time involved for breakfast!

Revolutionary Spanish Omelet with Saffron and Roasted Red Pepper-Almond Sauce

Vegan with a Vegeance

a small pinch of saffron (I think my pinches are generous)

3 tablespoons plain soy milk

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for spraying (I used about 1/2 of the 1/4 cup and don't have a sprayer so skipped that step)

1 medium-size onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

4 medium-size Yukon Gold, unpeeled, halved and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1 1/2 pounds soft tofu, drained

2 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 4)

1 teaspoon salt

dash of cayenne pepper (I used 2 generous dashes)

Place the saffron threads in a small cup and gently press the threads with the back of a spoon a few times; don't crush completely. (I placed the saffron in a spoon and then put a second spoon on top and very gently pressed.) Warm the soy milk in a small saucepan till just about boiling. Remove from heat and pour over the saffron; stir briefly and set aside for a minimum of 25 minutes. The longer the saffron soaks in the soy milk, the more flavor and color will be released.

Preheat oven to 375F. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Add the slcied potatoes and onions. The pan should not be completely full; there should be about 1/4 inch of space left on top; remove some potatoes if it appears too full. Gently toss the onions and potatoes in oil to coat. Place in the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring on occasion, till onions are very soft and the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a food processor blend till smooth the drained tofu, garlic, and remaining 1 tablepoon olive oil. (I put the oil in the food processor right after the tofu began to drain and the saffron to infuse- I thought this might add more garlic flavor to the dish.) Add the soy milk mixture to the tofu mixture along with salt and cayenne pepper. Blend till creamy.

When the potatoes and onions are tender, remove from the oven. Pour the tofu mixture into the pan and gently fold the potatoes and onions into the tofu mixture. With a rubber spatula, smooth the top, making sure to make the center slightly more shallow than the outside; this will help ensure the center cooks evenly.

Spray the top of the omelet olive and return to the oven. Bake for 50 mixture to 1 hour till the top is deep yellow and lightly browned in spots, and a knife inserted into the cneter comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes before cutting.

To cut, run a knife along the edges, and press down on the omelet while slicing. Excellent both warm and at room temperature. Serve with the Roasted Red Pepper-Almond Sauce.

Roasted Red Pepper-Almond Sauce

3 red bell peppers, roasted, skinned, seeds removed, and torn into chunks

1/4 cup almond meal or finely ground almonds

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 tablspoons olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until thick and creamy. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Home fries

This is a recipe chosen for the Sunday Game of the Week that I play on the Cooking Light Boards. I loved it although it didn't fit into my cast iron skillet and aggravated me for a while- DH has good cooking sense and helped to solve the problem. Threw half the batch in a bigger skillet and with a little patience, this dish came out great. What I discovered was that I loved it without the browning and I really loved the flavor. I can see making this with just onions for a side dish. I think the dill was the secret ingredient.


Tex-Mex Homefries
Horn of the Moon Cookbook

1 quart water
4 cups cubed unpeeled potatoes (I have 2# very small Yukon Golds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed (I used Penzeys)
3/4 cup diced green pepper (I left this out cus of DH)
1 medium sized red tomato, coarsely chopped (I subbed halved grape tomatoes)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (3 onions) I left the slices large so that DH could pick them out and I'm so glad that I did!
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (on DH's serving!)
1/2 cup sour cream (didn't use- a no- no for me and DH doesn't like)
1/2 cup salsa (I used Amy's Black Bean and Corn- my new fave)

(This is a description from the book) I've added a few more veggies, spices, and some hot pepper to the basic Home Fries recipe. Patti, a breakfast cook at the cafe, came up with the idea of topping home fries with cheese, salsa, and sour cream one morning. Everyone had it for breakfast that day and loved it.

Bring water to a boil in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes and cover. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are just tender and a fork goes into them easily. Drain.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix potatoes with salt, pepper, cilantro, dill weed, green pepper, and tomato. Stir well. Preheat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; add oil. Saute garlic, hot pepper, and onion over medium heat. When onions begin to brown, add potato mixture. Continue to cook over low heat until potatoes are nicely browned. Sprinkle grated cheese over potatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and serve with sour cream and salsa on the side.

4 servings

A bit about the cookbook- Horn of the Moon- my first vegetarian cookbook that I bought for myself right after I was married. I didn't have very much money but something about this book caught my eye and I splurged. I am so glad that I did. I did my first tastings tofu, tempeh and just having tasty meals without the meat. The author is Ginny Callan who move to Vermont from NYC to attend college. She became a vegetarian and then launced a natural food sandwich company in 1976. Then she opened the Horn of the Moon cafe. I've made the Tofu Mushroom Stroganoff (which is when I discovered that DH hated mushrooms and couldn't even stand the smell of them- and it was a small apt too!) and Marinated Tempeh Burgers (which he actually liked). I went out later and bought her second one Beyond the Moon which has two excellent salad recipes that I still make- a potato salad with no mayo plus green beans and a cashew rice salad. I've posted both of those on these boards a while ago. The recipes are very delicious but I haven't cook from it in a very long time. Thanks,cookiee (the mc for the SGOTW) for helping me blow the dust off this tasty cookbook.

I forgot to take a pic!!!

Ginger Roasted Winter Veggies

"You didn't take any pictures of dinner??" my DH said last night! Well, it was black beans and rice, a tried and true dish that for whatever reason I didn't think post-worthy. I wanted black beans on Sunday for the nachos so I went ahead and made a bag of dried to have leftovers for Tuesday. I like the bite-ier texture of beans cooked from dried rather than canned. Nuked up with some leftover brown jasmine rice and some steamed kale mixed in and its almost instant dinner. Very tasty and healthy instant dinner :) and perfect on a night that I stayed later at school for a work out class.

Tonight was mostly leftovers again- the Spinach Chickpea Curry served over the leftover steamed kale. This really was so very very good the night it was served and even better tonight. I have a great new go-to fave dish. :) :) :) DH also had grilled smoked pork chops. Two nights of mostly leftovers- I had the time and energy to try a new recipe- Ginger Roasted Winter Veggies from Vegan with a Vegeance. Another winner from this cookbook. The veggies were perfectly cooked- not too mushy not too crisp. The ginger was noticeable but just right. The kitchen was scented with the cinnamon and allspice and mmmmmm that was so nice on a cold winter evening.

Ginger Roasted Winter Veggies

Vegan with a Vegeance

1 pound parsnips (about 2 average size), washed, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

2 large carrots, washed, peeled cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1 pound sweet potatoes (about 3 medium-size). peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

2 heaping tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup olive oil (I used 1/2 of this)

pinch cinnamon

pinch allspice

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 350F.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients, making sure all veggies are well coated. Doing this with your hands works best.

Place the veggies in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (I used the large bar pan from Pampered Chef and it worked perfectly.) If there is any extra liquid, pour it over the veggies.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the veggies. Bake for 20 or so more minutes, until the veggies are tender inside.

4 1/2 flamingos- just a bit of an issure chopping all the veggies- esp the butternut squash. my knives are not that sharp and my arms humming from my workout earlier in the afternoon.

This curry rocks!

Wow- this has to be one of the best curries I have ever made. I made the Chickpea and Spinach Curry from Vegan with a Vegeance. I loved the curry flavor but also that the taste of the chickpeas, spinach, and tomatoes came through. It's a curry that emphasizes the flavor of the veggies without a heavy sauce. Even DH, who is not fond of chickpeas, snuck a few nibbles. I notice he's been doing that lately :) I meant to make a full recipe but noticed that 1 of my cans of chickpeas had a dent in the rim- aarrrggg- I have to be real careful when I buy canned goods from my local grocery store- and as careful as I think I am, a few get by.
Here is what I made-

Chickpea and Spinach Curry
adapted from Vegan with a Vegeance

1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon veggie oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 vidalia or sweet onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder (I used Penzey's Maharajah)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cardamom pods (I used green)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups fresh spinach (I used baby and left it whole)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Prepare the tomaotes by removing them one at a time from the can, squeezing out the juice, and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Place the prepared tomatoes in a bowl and reserve the juice in the can.

Preheat a large-sized saucepan (esp if doubling) over medium heat; pour in the veggie oil and then the mustard seeds. Let the seeds pop for about a minute- mine didn't pop :( I wonder if I don't have the right seeds??) then add the onion; turn up the heat to medium-high and saute for 7-10 minutes, until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for 2 more minutes. Add spices, salt, and 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juice; saute one minute more. Add tomatoes and heat through. Add the spinach, mixing until wilted. When the spinach is wilted and the mixture is liquidy, add the chickpeas. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust spices if necessary.


I had this curry with a bit of whole wheat couscous (made with veggie broth and garlic), and a salad. DH had the couscous, salad, and grilled lamb.

5 flamingos for taste- this curry is a repeater!
5 flamingos for time and effort

Nachos

I tried some new nacho chips at Whole Foods the other day and they were good! (The chips were Japapeno tortilla chips with diced jalapeno peppers and crushed red peppers by FoodSouldTasteGood) So I bought some and thought to make nachos this weekend. And we did! DH had his with grated Craker Barrel cheese, black beans, and then topped with salsa. I had mine with the new chips topped with chopped romaine, chopped cherry tomatoes, black beans, salsa, and vegan cheese sauce. I really liked the cheese sauce and so did DH- he very quietly kept taking bites and scoops of the vegan cheese sauce. I had bought the Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak this summer but put it aside after trying a vegan cheese that was only ok. This was pretty darn good and DH kept adding a bit to his nachos too!

Edited to add that as delicious as this was, it didn't seem to keep well. It tasted way too much of the nutritional yeast and the subtle flavors of the veggies and other seasonings were long gone.

Unprocessed Cheez Sauce

The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak

1 medium potato, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 or 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped (I used 2 smaller carrots)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 sweet onion)

1 cup water

1/2 to 1 cup crumbled firm silken toful or 1/2 to 1 cup cooked and drained white beans (I used 1 cup drained navy beans)

1/2 to 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes (I decided that I would use 1/2 cup flakes after using the highter amount this summer and not liking the result. I do think this is an acquired taste and I'm just starting to aquire it!!)

2-4 tablespoons miso- I used brown

1 -2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

Combine potato, carrot, onion, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender (I used my food processor) along with remaining ingredients. Process until velvety smooth. Serve immediately or return to saucepan or fondue pot to keep warm.

Tips: If mixture fills your blender more than halfway, blend in two or three batches.

The larger the quantities of tofu or white beans and nutritional yeast will make a thicker, richer-tasting sauce.