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Showing posts with label Main Dishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main Dishes. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2012

Determined Darling's Thanksgiving Staples

This ain’t your Mama’s Thanksgiving and these aren’t your Mama’s Thanksgiving staples, unless of course your Mama was a hippy then, maybe. 
This is actually the first year I will be cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal and my first gluten free Thanksgiving.  I am so excited!! I kept it pretty traditional for two reasons.  One tradition is comfortable and on Thanksgiving some traditions like stuffing and mashed potatoes must be followed! Two neither of our families (brothers and sisters not included) is very adventurous with their food.  New foods must be introduced slowly as not to cause heart palpitations and immediate dislike.  And under any circumstance do.not.use. the word “vegan” unless of course you want them to avoid your food like the plague. 
Since I’m not quite finished finalizing our feast (I’m such a procrastinator) I wanted to leave you with some recipes for the staples of our feast.    
Determined Darling’s Gluten-Free, Vegan Thanksgiving Staples
Lentil Loaf
Forget the turkey and enjoy this yummy loaf!
 
Garlic Parsley Mashed Potatoes
Hello creamy garlic heaven!
 
Lovely Lady Stuffing
Bright pink lady apples make this stuffing amazing!
 
*** Click Here for a printable document of all these delicious dishes***
  
Lentil Loaf
 
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked lentils
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 large onion diced
8 oz mushrooms halved
2 medium carrots grated
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
½ cup garbanzo flour
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp pepper
dash of salt
 
Directions:
1.)    Preheat oven to 375 F
2.)    Sautee onion and garlic until golden
3.)    Add mushrooms and sauté covered until tender 8 minutes
4.)    Meanwhile grate the carrots  and combine with quinoa and half the lentils in a large bowl
5.)    Remove mushroom mixture from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes
6.)    Add mushroom mixture and half the lentils into a food processor, pulse until thick and combine but with texture
7.)    Add the mushroom lentil mixture to the bowl with the quinoa, carrots, and whole lentils. Stir to combine
8.)    Add nutritional yeast, Bragg, and spices, stir to combine
9.)    Add garbanzo flour and stir to combine *The mixture will be wet and stick but hold together well
10.)    Place parchment paper in a 9 x 5 loaf pan and oil the paper
11.)   Add mixture into the loaf pan and bake at 375 F for about 90 -100 minutes or until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean 
12.)   Remove from pan by lifting out using the parchment paper, allow cool for a few minutes, slice and serve!
 
 
Garlic Parsley Mashed Potatoes
 
Ingredients:
5 lbs Russet Potatoes, skins on!
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup vegetable broth
¼ - ½ cup finely minced fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other butter substitute)
 
Directions:
1.)    Clean potatoes, cut into large chunks, place in a large bowl and cover with water
2.)    Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes until tender
3.)    In a small pan saute the garlic in Earth Balance until fragrant (about one minute)
4.)    Drain the potatoes and put in a large bowl mashing slighting with a potato masher
5.)    To the potatoes add the garlic butter, 1 cup veggie broth, salt, and pepper
6.)    Mash until desire consistency is reached, ( I like mine lumpy!) adding more broth if needed
7.)    Add parsley and stir to combine
Serve immediately!
 
 
Lovely Lady Stuffing
 
Ingredients:
11 cups 1 inch homemade croutons (check out my recipe here)
2 cups onion diced
2 cups celery chopped
2 pink lady apples, cored, then diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp sage
½ tsp salt, to taste
½ tsp pepper, to taste
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
2 -3 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 
Directions:
1.)    Preheat oven to 375 F
2.)    Put croutons into a large bowl
3.)    Saute onion, celery and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden
4.)    Add apples, parsley, and a dash of salt and pepper
5.)    Saute for 3-5 minutes until soft
6.)    Add sautéed veggies to the bowl with croutons
7.)    Add oregano, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine
8.)    Add veggie broth and stir to combine.  Mixture should be soft
9.)    Put the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes covered with foil and 15 minutes uncovered. 
10.)   Remove, Serve, and Enjoy!
 
              
What are your favorite vegan Thanksgiving dishes?  And what are you most looking forward to on Thanksgiving Day?
 
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Monday, October 29, 2012

Miso Noodle Soup

(Here in PA we are hunkered down waiting for Hurricane Sandy to come.  Right now we have rain and a little wind but, they are calling for fierce wind, flooding, and power outages.  Thinking of everyone on the coast and anyone else affected by this storm, here’s to hoping everyone stays safe!)

 
In college one of my favorite fast (i.e. packaged) “meals” was Undon Miso Soup.  Now, since I try to avoid anything package I haven’t eaten this soup!  How silly is that, it is so easy to make.   When I’m trying a recipe for the first time I search around for  inspirational recipes and then I make my own!  The best place to go for inspiration, Pinterest of course!  (Check out my Real (yummy) Food board for more inspiration. ) I found and pinned a yummy looking Miso Soup recipe from Flourishing Foodie.  I used her recipe as inspiration and made my own Miso Noodle Soup. 
 Miso Soup is one of my favs and is said to make a healing soup.  Miso is a complete protein that is high in antioxidants and B vitamins.  I’ll talk more about the healing affects of Miso  when I share with my “Hearty Healing Soup.”  It is important to purchase a quality Miso to avoid genetically modified ingredients.  For those of you who avoid soy there are good soy-free Misos available, in fact this soup is made with soy-free Miso.  Additionally, it can be difficult to find a gluten-free Miso. Beside the likelihood of gluten ingredients, the starter culture Koji, is often barley.  I have found and love South River Miso, they have eight varieties of Miso with no gluten ingredients.

It is a high quality, organic Miso. A word of caution for those who eat GF, their "gluten free" Misos are made on the same equipment as the gluten varieties.  They are never made at the same time and the equipment is washed between batches. You can read more at South River Miso.   So far I have not had a problem, as always use at your own risk.  If anyone knows a different Miso that is GF I would be very interested to know! 

Other ingredients include garlic, mushrooms, carrots, scallions, and green beans from our CSA basket, you could sub snow peas for the beans and it would be equally delicious.   


Baked tofu adds heartiness to this simple soup. I started by slicing and pressing the tofu for about 30 minutes.  Then I diced it into bite size pieces and covered with a little extra virgin olive oil, Bragg Amino Acids, and lemon juice.  Then I baked it at 375 F for about 20-30 minutes (stirring halfway through) until the tofu is tender but crispy and lightly browned on the outside. 

 
You can add the tofu directly to the soup but I like the bit of crispiness baking gives the tofu. 
I sauteed the carrots and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden, added the rest of the veggies, broth, and water.  Allowed the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes until the veggies were tender.  Then I added cooked rice noodles.


For the noodles I used Pad Thai rice noodles. These are easy to find in your grocery store’s Asian food section. Many are gluten free but be sure to check, I used Annie Chung’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles.  
When the soup is almost finished it’s time to add the Miso.  I put a few ladles of broth in a measuring cup because I didn't want to dirty more dishes!

Then I put 4 tablespoons of Miso in the bowl and stirred to combine.  It was pointed out by one of my darling readers Mary H.  how important it is to mention you never want to boil Miso as it destroys the beneficial microbes in the paste.   


This mixture was added back to the soup and then Mr. Darling and I gobbled up a couple bowls (of soup, we didn't eat bowls haha)!

This is a perfect soup for a cold day!
Miso Noodle Soup
gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, egg-free
 
14 oz firm tofu
5-6 ounces cooked rice noodles
8 oz mushrooms quartered
3 cloves garlic minced
4 carrots diced
1.5 cups fresh green beans diced
1.5 cups scallions thinly sliced
3-4 tbsp Chickpea Miso (substitute another light Miso if you like)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
3 tbsp Bragg Amino Acids (soy sauce or another alternative)
1 tsp turmeric
Pinch red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Pepper to taste
 
Directions:
 
1.)    Press tofu slices for 30 minutes, dice into small bite size pieces, cover lightly with olive oil, juice of half a lemon, and pepper, bake at 375 F for 20-30 minutes (stir halfway through) until lightly browned. 
2.)    Meanwhile, saute the garlic and carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden.
3.)    Add the remaining vegetables, broth, water, and Bragg.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and let simmer, covered 20-30 minutes until veggies are tender.
4.)    Reduce the heat to low, add in the baked tofu and cooked rice noodles, stir to combine. 
5.)    Ladle about ½ cup of broth into a small bowl, to it add 3-4 tablespoons Miso and stir to combine.
6.)    Add the Miso mixture to the soup and stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. 
Note: I do not add salt to this soup with the broth, Bragg, and Miso I feel it is salty enough, if I do feel it needs more salt I add a little more Bragg.    
7.)    Serve and enjoy!!
 
A hot bowl of Miso soup is perfect for warming you up on a cold, rainy day.  Here’s to hoping it keeps Mr. Darling and I warm as Hurricane Sandy passes. 
 
 
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Monday, October 22, 2012

Veggie Style Mexican Chili

Isn’t it funny how the smell and taste of food can bring about vivid memories?   For me, the smell of celery and onion reminds me of my Mom and Grandma preparing Thanksgiving dinner and Mexican food reminds me of college taco nights with friends.  In college my roommates and cross country teammates and I had taco night at least twice a month.  It always involved a ton of tacos, tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole.  And although the tacos we ate then are vastly different than any I would make now, cooking Mexican food still makes me want to invite friends over for dinner!  Since then my idea of Mexican has broaden and I’ve learned it can also be healthy (not like the greasy tacos of my college days!)  This delicious and healthy Mexican Chili is my take on taco soup.  Let’s start with the yummy ingredients. 

 
Onion, jalapenos, peppers, corn, and beans in a spicy tomato broth make a hearty Mexican chili.  Toppings like olives, green onions, lime, and avocados cool down the spice and make it extra delicious.  This spicy, hearty, healthy chili is the perfect meal to invite friends over for dinner on a cold evening. 
 Mexican Chili
Gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 large green pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
2 cups cooked kidney beans – equals one 15.5 ounce can
2 cups cooked black beans –equals one 15.5 ounce can
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5 ounce can tomato puree
4 cups veggie broth
Spices:
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp cayenne
 
Toppings:
green onions
olives
avocado
fresh lime juice
you could also use:
shredded cheese (vegetarian) or vegan cheese
cilantro
diced tomatoes

 
Directions:
1.)    Sautee onion in the olive oil over medium heat until golden.
2.)     Add garlic and sauté for about a minute more.
3.)    Add green and jalapeno peppers and sauté for about 3-5 minutes.
4.)    Add veggie broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, and spices.
5.)    Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender. 
6.)    Serve in individual bowls with toppings and a side of tortilla chips and salsa. 
 
 
Do you get all nostalgic over Mexican food like I do, if not, what foods bring up good memories for you?  And what is your favorite, healthy Mexican food?
 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Squash and Potatoes Au Gratin

 
I have a confession …I really don’t like butternut squash that much…gasp (I know) this is fall blasphemy! What can I say I love savory food and I’ve always disliked the sweetness in butternut squash.  It’s the same with sweet potatoes and pumpkins but I’m determined to make delicious dishes with these ingredients.  I even made a savory pumpkin soup I’ll share the recipe next week. 
For now, back to the squash!

 
We got our first butternut squash of the season in our CSA basket and we also happened to get a bag full of potatoes.  Then it popped into my head au gratin is the answer.  It turns out au gratin isn’t all that healthy or vegan, shocking (note the sarcasm.)  I searched around for a healthier more vegan friendly way to make it and found The Scrumptious Pumpkin who used cauliflower as a base to make her au gratin.  Awesome! I used a base of cauliflower along with garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and a little liquid (reserved liquid from cooking the cauliflower) to make my au gratin. 


I did use organic cheese at the end to create the yummy crust, however, if you want to make it vegan just add ¼ cup nutritional yeast to the cauliflower base and gluten free breadcrumbs drizzled with olive oil as the crust.  This would also be delicious!!
Butternut Squash and Potato Au gratin
Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option, Egg Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free Option
1 large butternut squash sliced thin
6 medium potatoes sliced thin
1 large head cauliflower
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
¾ cup reserved cauliflower liquid
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped chives for topping
Directions
1.      Preheat oven to 400 F
2.      Clean and Roughly Chop Cauliflower, add to a large pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until very tender.
3.      Meanwhile wash the potatoes and squash and thinly slice.  I used the large slicer on my food processor since I had so much to slice.  It was the perfect size; you could also easily do this by hand it would just take longer.  Set aside.
4.      Once cauliflower is very tender, drain. Reserve about a cup of the liquid. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
5.      Place the cauliflower in a food processor along with garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and ½ cup reserved liquid.  (If you are making this dish vegan add the ¼ cup nutritional yeast now)
6.      Process until smooth then continue adding the remaining reserve liquid until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  (I used about ¾ cup liquid)
7.      Add half of the potatoes and squash to a 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with half the cauliflower sauce.  Repeat the process with the rest of the potatoes, squash, and sauce.  Make sure all the potatoes and squash are covered in the sauce. 
8.      Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes.
9.      Remove foil and bake for another 20 or until the potatoes are tender. ( If going vegan add the gluten free breadcrumbs and evoo before baking uncovered)
10.  Remove the dish and cover with grated cheese.
11.  Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
12.  Top with chives and serve!
** This dish is garlicky, if you don’t like that reduce the amount of garlic/garlic powder.


My husband loves all kinds of veggie dishes but the way to his heart is potatoes and cheese …needless to say he loved this dish.  We may even make it for Thanksgiving!  If you make this and try the vegan version let me know how it turns out!!

Check out all the recipes from "winter squash week!" Rice & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash here and then, Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds here
Do you have the same semi-aversion to sweeter squashes and sweet potatoes like I do or do you think I’m nuts?
 
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Monday, October 8, 2012

Rice & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash

 
I love fall, the crisp air, the smell of leaves, and all the delicious harvest food.  Nothing says fall like the winter squash harvest.  Winter squash has been popping up in our CSA basket for the last couple weeks and I have been whipping it up into as many recipes as I can think of.  I adore eating seasonally and winter squash provides the hearty and warm dishes I’m craving now that the weather has turned cold. 
This week I have a few squash filled recipes to share! We’ll kick off “winter squash week” with the lovely acorn squash.  A ridged (usually) dark green squash (they can be tan or yellow) with sweet yellow-orange flesh and a good source of vitamin C, A, and B6.  I find their round shape makes them the perfect squash to stuff.  (And save the seeds they are delicious to roast, recipe coming this later week)
I stuffed the squash with a vegetable rice mixture that got deliciously crunchy as it baked in the oven. 
 
It was so delicious I took the leftover stuffing (for one squash you will have extra) and baked it in oven to give it that delicious crunch…leftovers.were.amazing!
 
The main dish was just as amazing with that soft but crunchy rice mixture inside the baked squash. YUM.

Rice & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
Gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy Free, Egg Free
1 acorn squash (although the stuffing could fill 2 if you wanted)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 onion diced
1 mild pepper diced
2 large carrots diced
8-10 ounces mushrooms quartered
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce)
1 tablespoon (soy free) Earth Balance (or butter) (plus a little more for topping)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
 About 1.5 tablespoons EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions:
1.)    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2.)    Cut squash in half and remove seeds – save them for roasting check out my recipe here!
3.)    Put the squash in a baking dish, face up, lightly rub with EVOO place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes
4.)    While the squash is baking heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat
5.)    Add the onion, carrot and red pepper flakes and saute until golden, about 5 minutes
6.)    Add the pepper and mushrooms, cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes
7.)    Stir cooked rice, Bragg, and Earth Balance into the pan and heat for about 3 minutes
8.)    Remove squash from oven and spoon rice mixture into the squash
9.)    Top each squash half with a small amount of Earth Balance
10.) Bake at 375 F for 30 more minutes or until the squash is tender
       ENJOY!!!
 
TIP: If you use one squash you will have left over rice mixture and it is fine to eat the way it is.  However, if you want to make it really delicious put it in a baking dish topped with a little Earth Balance and bake along with the squash for about 20 minutes.  It will be soft, hot, and a little bit crunchy soooooo good.
Do you love all the winter squash available this time of year?  What’s your favorite squash dish?
Check out the second recipe of Squash Week for my Rosemary Roasted Squash seeds here!!
 
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Monday, September 24, 2012

Vegan Hot Stuffed Peppers

When I first met Mr. Darling he worked at a delicious Italian restaurant that had the best stuffed hot peppers.  Of course this was long before I was a Veg and they were stuffed with Italian sausage.  I had actually (sort of) forgotten all about them until four hot peppers showed up in our weekly CSA basket.  They had to be stuffed!!! So I started thinking of a flavorful stuffing for them.  Since becoming a Veg I have realized that all those great meat dishes I use to love get their flavor from a delicious mix of veggies and spices.  Seriously! These hot peppers got stuffed with an oniony-tempeh mixture that made them oh so delicious. 
 
If you’re not familiar with tempeh it is a soy product made from cooked and fermented soybeans.  It has a nutty texture and taste that is all its own.  If you are not a vegetarian/vegan this dish would make a delicious meal for a “meatless Monday.”   
 
I started by sauteing onions, garlic, and celery.  Then I added in the tempeh and spice mixture.  A little red wine added some juiciness and got all those yummy bits off the bottom of the pan. 
 
Some marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish with hot peppers cut and cleaned out.  I stuffed each one generously with the mixture and topped with a little more pasta sauce. 
 
Then baked in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes and removed when the pepper pierced easily with a fork.   
 
Vegan Hot Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
4 hot peppers {sliced open with the seeds removed}
1 package tempeh {crumbled by hand}
1 small onion diced
1 celery stalk diced
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup red wine
2 tsp fennel
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne
One jar marinara sauce –homemade or store bought
Directions:
1.)    Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit
2.)    Cut the tops off the peppers slice about ¾ of the way down one side of the pepper and spoon out any seeds.  Set aside. 
3.)    Cook or prepare the marinara in a small saucepan. 
4.)    In a separate pan saute onions, garlic, and celery until golden over medium heat.  Add crumbled tempeh {TIP: just use your hands to break apart and crumble the tempeh} and spices.  Cook until the tempeh has browned nicely, stirring occasionally.  Once the tempeh is browned add the red wine scraping the bottom to incorporate all those yummy bits.  Leave the flavors combine for about a minute then take off the heat.
5.)    To assemble cover the bottom of a baking dish with marinara sauce, set the peppers on top, spoon the tempeh mixture equally into the peppers, top with a bit of sauce. 
6.)    Bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for about 10 minutes and remove when the pepper easily pierces with a fork.  Enjoy!!
 
Yummy! This totally hit the spot! I love the taste of the fennel seeds. They give the tempeh such great flavor. 

How about you?  Any inspirational dishes from CSA or farmer's market veggies?
Or a restaurant dish that inspired a homemade one?
 
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