I know, I know... I said the next several posts were going to be about sushi. But what can I say - I have the attention span of a three-year-old. I'll get back to it, I promise.
I've been distracted by the brief span of warm weather we've had here in Ohio (both days of it!), and when warm weather hits, my attention turns to... the grill!
My in-laws wonder why I still have a grill - they think it's just for burning up hamburgers and steaks. But vegetarians and vegans can do lots of great things on the grill. Here's one of 'em:
Teriyaki Tofu Vegetable Kebabs
1 package of extra firm tofu (the kind packed in water, not that icky "silken" stuff
1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell peopper, each cut into 1' x 1" (roughly) square pieces
1 package (8 oz) white button mushrooms, whole
1 zucchini squash, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2" thick rounds
6 oz teriyaki marinade (no, I don't make my own)
4 bamboo skewers (you can get about a hundred of these for a dollar at any big-chain supermarket)
Step 1 (Optional, but recommended)
Toss the package of tofu in the freezer and leave it overight. Take it out in the morning and let the package set at room temperature until thawed. Freezing improves tofu's consistency, and gives it a (dare I say it!) meaty texture.
Step 2
Drain tofu. Press with paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove excess water. Cut tofu into 1" cubes.
Step 3
Load tofu, green/red bell pepper pieces, mushrooms, and zucchini/yello squash pieces onto each of the skewers in an alternating pattern. Leave 2" on each end of the skewer so you can turn it (and so stuff doesn't fall off). Place skewers in teriyaki marinade.
Step 4
Light grill and set to medium-high heat. Turn the kebabs in the marinade every few minutes to make sure they're covered.
Step 5
Place kebabs directly on the grill. You can use cooking spray, but I've found that if the kebabs are properly lubricated with marinade, they don't seem to stick anyway.
Turn kebabs about every 5 minutes or whenever you get bored with standing in front of the grill.
In about 20 minutes, you'll have piping hot, yummy tofu vegetable kebabs!
Showing posts with label Easy vegetarian recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easy vegetarian recipes. Show all posts
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Vegan Capellini Pomodoro
Sadly, I have no good story to go along with tonight's recipe. I wanted pasta, I was in a hurry, and Ragu just wasn't going to cut it. End of story.
So without further nonsense and/or fanfare, I give you: Vegan Capellini Pomodoro
1 lb. angel hair pasta (or penne regate, or farfalle, or whatever the hell shape of pasta strikes your fancy)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large roma tomatoes, diced
4 oz white or portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 large red bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, sliced and quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
6 oz vegetarian vegetable broth (we've been over this before, but it bears repeating: not all "vegetable broth" is vegetarian. Those sneaky bastids will add chicken stock to make processing easier.)
2 oz white cooking wine (mine says "chablis". Your mileage may vary.)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried sage
Now...
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, run cool water over the pasta, and set aside.
Steam asparagus in a vegetable steamer or over a large pot of boiling water. Asparagus this time of year tends to be a bit tough (ok, you can fence with it) so give it a good 20-25 minutes of steaming time while you're going through the rest of the steps.
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan for 1 minute. Add broth, white cooking wine, tomatoes, sage, oregano, and red bell pepper, cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook for an additional 2 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Add steamed asparagus to vegetable/broth mixture, let simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Serve veggies over pasta.
Note: This recipe doesn't quite make my coveted "under 30 minutes" collection. I clocked the prep time tonight at 34 minutes. This might have been because I was tired/disorganized/drinking cheap beer. If you can do it in under 30, email me, and I'll take your word for it.
So without further nonsense and/or fanfare, I give you: Vegan Capellini Pomodoro
1 lb. angel hair pasta (or penne regate, or farfalle, or whatever the hell shape of pasta strikes your fancy)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large roma tomatoes, diced
4 oz white or portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 large red bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, sliced and quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
6 oz vegetarian vegetable broth (we've been over this before, but it bears repeating: not all "vegetable broth" is vegetarian. Those sneaky bastids will add chicken stock to make processing easier.)
2 oz white cooking wine (mine says "chablis". Your mileage may vary.)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried sage
Now...
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, run cool water over the pasta, and set aside.
Steam asparagus in a vegetable steamer or over a large pot of boiling water. Asparagus this time of year tends to be a bit tough (ok, you can fence with it) so give it a good 20-25 minutes of steaming time while you're going through the rest of the steps.
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan for 1 minute. Add broth, white cooking wine, tomatoes, sage, oregano, and red bell pepper, cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook for an additional 2 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Add steamed asparagus to vegetable/broth mixture, let simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Serve veggies over pasta.
Note: This recipe doesn't quite make my coveted "under 30 minutes" collection. I clocked the prep time tonight at 34 minutes. This might have been because I was tired/disorganized/drinking cheap beer. If you can do it in under 30, email me, and I'll take your word for it.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Spinach wraps
Now, if you've read the previous post, you might have surmised that I had a batch of baby spinach to use up. You'd be right. Hey, we (I) here at The Veggie Guy don't believe in waste, or in having stuff turn into bags of runny brown goo at the back of the fridge.
So... I made spinach wraps tonight. Pretty easy stuff, and you can substitute pretty much whatever you don't like.
So here goes:
2 large whole wheat or sprouted grain tortillas
1 handful fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup roma tomatos, diced
1 avocado, mashed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/4 tsp dried basil
4 oz white button mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 oz canned artichoke hearts (packed in water, not oil)
Heat oil in a medium pan. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute on medium heat. Add mushrooms and balsamic vinegar, cook for 3 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat.
Mix cayenne pepper and basil into mashed avocado.
Spread 1/2 avocado mixture on each tortilla. Add spinach, onion, tomatos, and artichoke hearts in layers on each tortilla. Place 1/2 mushroom/galrlic mixture on top. Roll tortillas into wraps.
Serve with fresh veggies or pita chips and hummus.
So... I made spinach wraps tonight. Pretty easy stuff, and you can substitute pretty much whatever you don't like.
So here goes:
2 large whole wheat or sprouted grain tortillas
1 handful fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup roma tomatos, diced
1 avocado, mashed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/4 tsp dried basil
4 oz white button mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 oz canned artichoke hearts (packed in water, not oil)
Heat oil in a medium pan. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute on medium heat. Add mushrooms and balsamic vinegar, cook for 3 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat.
Mix cayenne pepper and basil into mashed avocado.
Spread 1/2 avocado mixture on each tortilla. Add spinach, onion, tomatos, and artichoke hearts in layers on each tortilla. Place 1/2 mushroom/galrlic mixture on top. Roll tortillas into wraps.
Serve with fresh veggies or pita chips and hummus.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Arroz con Vegetales - Mexican Rice with Vegetables
I'm leaving for Las Vegas in a couple of days... as much as I love Vegas, being a vegetarian there is a bit of a challenge. People come to Vegas for (among other things) the plethora of fine steakhouses, so there's really not much left for the vegetarians. Alas.
Anyway, I decided to make one of my favorite Mexican dishes while I'm packing, since I figure it will be a while before I get a really satisfying meal.
This recipe is a little tough to squeeze in under the half hour mark, but it's well worth the effort. You can cut some time by using a packaged Mexican seasoning mix, but to be honest, it's just not quite the same.
Arroz con Vegetales - Mexican Rice with Vegetables
Serves 4
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 zucchini squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 poblano pepper, cut into 1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces
1 can yellow corn
4 cups cut broccoli florets
1 onion, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 oz Veggie Shreds cheddar "cheese"
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
8 flour tortillas, fajita size
1/2 cup water
Cook rice in a rice cooker according to directions (my rice cooker instructions say to add 1 cup of water to the rice, 1 1/2 cups water to reservoir, and cook for 24 minutes).
While rice is cooking:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove tortillas from package, wrap completely with foil. Set aside.
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions and garlic, saute for one minute.
Add red bell pepper, zucchini squash, yellow squash, poblano pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
Add remainder of vegetables. Saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Add cumin, water, Tabasco, and cayenne pepper. Turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
While vegetables simmer, place tortillas in the oven for 3 minutes.
Mix cilantro into cooked rice.
Place 1/4 of cooked rice on each serving plate, cover with 1/4 of shredded cheese. Spoon vegetables over rice and cheese.
Serve with warm tortillas and chips and guacamole or salsa. Upon serving, spoon vegetable, rice, and cheese mixture into tortillas.
Anyway, I decided to make one of my favorite Mexican dishes while I'm packing, since I figure it will be a while before I get a really satisfying meal.
This recipe is a little tough to squeeze in under the half hour mark, but it's well worth the effort. You can cut some time by using a packaged Mexican seasoning mix, but to be honest, it's just not quite the same.
Arroz con Vegetales - Mexican Rice with Vegetables
Serves 4
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 zucchini squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 poblano pepper, cut into 1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces
1 can yellow corn
4 cups cut broccoli florets
1 onion, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 oz Veggie Shreds cheddar "cheese"
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
8 flour tortillas, fajita size
1/2 cup water
Cook rice in a rice cooker according to directions (my rice cooker instructions say to add 1 cup of water to the rice, 1 1/2 cups water to reservoir, and cook for 24 minutes).
While rice is cooking:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove tortillas from package, wrap completely with foil. Set aside.
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions and garlic, saute for one minute.
Add red bell pepper, zucchini squash, yellow squash, poblano pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
Add remainder of vegetables. Saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Add cumin, water, Tabasco, and cayenne pepper. Turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
While vegetables simmer, place tortillas in the oven for 3 minutes.
Mix cilantro into cooked rice.
Place 1/4 of cooked rice on each serving plate, cover with 1/4 of shredded cheese. Spoon vegetables over rice and cheese.
Serve with warm tortillas and chips and guacamole or salsa. Upon serving, spoon vegetable, rice, and cheese mixture into tortillas.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Urad Dal
Dal is one of the staples of Indian cuisine, and comes in many forms. The term "dal" refers to a paste-like dish made from various types of beans. Dal is also sometimes used to refer to the beans themselves, although "gram" is the appropriate term for beans when used in Indian cuisine.
Urad gram is black lentil beans, which are also sometimes sold as "white lentils" when the black husks have been removed. Urad dal is made from the white lentil variety - these can occasionally be found in American supermarkets, but are more commonly found at Indian specialty grocers.
Here is an easy recipe for urad dal. Most of the spices used in this dish are readily available in supermarkets, except for garam masala, which can be ordered online or purchased from an Indian grocer.
1cup basmati rice
1 cup dried white lentils
1 tsp grated ginger
1 medium white onion, finely diced
2 fresh jalapeno or green chili peppers, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ground hot red chilis (I have used ground cayenne pepper, with good success)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Cook basmati rice in a rice cooker or large saucepan according to directions.
Rinse the white lentils and soak in water for 15 minutes. Boil in 5 cups of water until lentils are soft (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Add oil to a large pan and heat for a few minutes. Add ground cloves and coriander seeds, heat for 30 seconds or until coriander seeds begin to pop. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapenos, heat for another 30 seconds. add ground red chili, turmeric, cloves and stir for 15 seconds.
Add cooked white lentils, lemon juice, and garam masala, heat for 2-3 minutes while stirring frequently.
Serve with basmati rice.
Urad gram is black lentil beans, which are also sometimes sold as "white lentils" when the black husks have been removed. Urad dal is made from the white lentil variety - these can occasionally be found in American supermarkets, but are more commonly found at Indian specialty grocers.
Here is an easy recipe for urad dal. Most of the spices used in this dish are readily available in supermarkets, except for garam masala, which can be ordered online or purchased from an Indian grocer.
1cup basmati rice
1 cup dried white lentils
1 tsp grated ginger
1 medium white onion, finely diced
2 fresh jalapeno or green chili peppers, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ground hot red chilis (I have used ground cayenne pepper, with good success)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Cook basmati rice in a rice cooker or large saucepan according to directions.
Rinse the white lentils and soak in water for 15 minutes. Boil in 5 cups of water until lentils are soft (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Add oil to a large pan and heat for a few minutes. Add ground cloves and coriander seeds, heat for 30 seconds or until coriander seeds begin to pop. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapenos, heat for another 30 seconds. add ground red chili, turmeric, cloves and stir for 15 seconds.
Add cooked white lentils, lemon juice, and garam masala, heat for 2-3 minutes while stirring frequently.
Serve with basmati rice.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Easy Taquitos
Here's one of our household favorites - partially because my wife loves Mexican-ish food, and partially because it's a quick and easy solution for dinner. These taquitos can be assembled in about 10 minutes, and ready to serve in another 15. Yay for me for serving up yet another recipe that beats the 1/2 hour threshold. But you know me... that's just how I roll.
Note: This is one of the few recipes here that is not vegan. You can make it almost vegan by using Veggie Shreds ("almost" because Veggie Shreds contain casein, an animal product). Barring that, I'm not sure what you would do.
Anyway, here's how Super Easy Taquitos happen:
8 corn tortillas, taco size (I dunno - 8 inches in diameter?)
1 can vegetarian refried beans (don't assume all refried beans are vegetarian. Some contain lard and/or bits of Marlon Brando)
1 jar taco sauce
4 oz Veggie Shreds cheddar "cheese"
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spoon 2 tbsp refried beans into each tortilla, about 1/3 of the way from one edge. Spread chopped onion over refried beans. Pour 1 tsp of taco sauce over beans/onions. Fold edge of each tortilla closest to the beans over the filling, and continue rolling until you reach the opposite edge.
Place the taquitos in a large casserole dish or rectangular glass 13" x 9" baking dish, allowing the taquitos to touch. Pour taco sauce over the top of the taquitos, then sprinkle the remainder of the onions over the taco sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with chips and guacamole or salsa.
Note: This is one of the few recipes here that is not vegan. You can make it almost vegan by using Veggie Shreds ("almost" because Veggie Shreds contain casein, an animal product). Barring that, I'm not sure what you would do.
Anyway, here's how Super Easy Taquitos happen:
8 corn tortillas, taco size (I dunno - 8 inches in diameter?)
1 can vegetarian refried beans (don't assume all refried beans are vegetarian. Some contain lard and/or bits of Marlon Brando)
1 jar taco sauce
4 oz Veggie Shreds cheddar "cheese"
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spoon 2 tbsp refried beans into each tortilla, about 1/3 of the way from one edge. Spread chopped onion over refried beans. Pour 1 tsp of taco sauce over beans/onions. Fold edge of each tortilla closest to the beans over the filling, and continue rolling until you reach the opposite edge.
Place the taquitos in a large casserole dish or rectangular glass 13" x 9" baking dish, allowing the taquitos to touch. Pour taco sauce over the top of the taquitos, then sprinkle the remainder of the onions over the taco sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with chips and guacamole or salsa.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Lemon Pepper Rice
Every now and again, I get the temptation to step away from my rice cooker and make a rice dish the old fashioned way. Now, truth be known, this is usually because my rice cooking bowl is in the dishwasher, but it makes for a better story if I sound ambitious about the whole thing.
Anyway, tonight was just such a night. Not wanting to wait for the dishwasher to complete its cycle, I pulled out a pot and, with a really determined look on my face, set out to create a tasty rice dish that I wouldn't try in my rice cooker.
The lemon pepper rice that resulted from my, um... impatience had a few cool things going for it. First, it allowed me to make a dish from scratch ingredients I already had on hand in one pot... so less mess for me to clean up later. Second, it was downright yummy, enough so that even my five-year-old was willing to try it. Third, it was pretty healthy, weighing in with only 0.2 grams of fat and about 120 caleries per serving. Not bad.
So here you go. This rice made a nice side dish for my portabello burgers, and I imagine it would work quite well with aked tofu or steamed vegetables as well.
1 cup long grain rice (I had basmati rice on hand, but white rice would work just as well, and probably better.)
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup chopped scallions
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Black pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste or 2 cloves minced garlic (I opted for the garlic salt tonight. Chalk it up to a long day.)
Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
That's it. Very little knife action, and the dish does most of the work on its own. I can certainly appreciate a side dish that doesn't require my constant attention, and this lemon pepper rice certainly makes the list.
Enjoy!
Lee (The Veggie Guy)
Anyway, tonight was just such a night. Not wanting to wait for the dishwasher to complete its cycle, I pulled out a pot and, with a really determined look on my face, set out to create a tasty rice dish that I wouldn't try in my rice cooker.
The lemon pepper rice that resulted from my, um... impatience had a few cool things going for it. First, it allowed me to make a dish from scratch ingredients I already had on hand in one pot... so less mess for me to clean up later. Second, it was downright yummy, enough so that even my five-year-old was willing to try it. Third, it was pretty healthy, weighing in with only 0.2 grams of fat and about 120 caleries per serving. Not bad.
So here you go. This rice made a nice side dish for my portabello burgers, and I imagine it would work quite well with aked tofu or steamed vegetables as well.
1 cup long grain rice (I had basmati rice on hand, but white rice would work just as well, and probably better.)
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup chopped scallions
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Black pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste or 2 cloves minced garlic (I opted for the garlic salt tonight. Chalk it up to a long day.)
Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
That's it. Very little knife action, and the dish does most of the work on its own. I can certainly appreciate a side dish that doesn't require my constant attention, and this lemon pepper rice certainly makes the list.
Enjoy!
Lee (The Veggie Guy)
Easy Eggplant Stirfry
I had some of the vegan hot and sour soup frozen from last week, and it was freezing when I came home tonight, so I decided to thaw out the soup for tonight's dinner. But, lazy bastid that I am, I hadn't been to the grocery yet. So what to make with the hot and sour soup?
As I was wandering through the grocery, a fat purple eggplant sang its evil siren song to me from the produce section. "Come to me, young(ish) lad. Marvel at my smooth skin. You know you want me..."
Now, eggplant and I have had a rocky sort of relationship. Occasionally, it is kind; mostly, it is a dastardly substance that defies all laws of cooking. It has defied me on more occasions than I care to recall, and I resisted its sultry call.
Then, I gave in.
Eggplant, thou art a cold master.
Ahem.
Anyway, since the eggplant had already claimed me as its bitch, I figured it was a good time to try out a stir fry with the wily stuff.
I'm happy to say that it turned out wonderfully... probably about as authentically Chinese as Taco Bell is authentically Mexican, but still excellent stuff.
So if you are ready to tango with the eggplant, I invite you to try my eggplant stirfry recipe. May the gods of nightshades smile as kindly upon you as they have smiled upon me this icy evening.
1 large eggplant
1 tsp olive oil or hot chili oil
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used the white ones, because shiitakes were just too danged expensive today)
1 6 oz can sliced bamboo shoots
1 bunch scallions
tamari or soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 bottle Iron Chef Sesame Garlic Sauce
1 cup white rice
Prepare white rice in a rice cooker or medium pot (if you don't have a rice cooker, my sympathies. I ruined many a rice based dish before I got my hands on one of these).
Slice eggplant in about 1" x 1/2" wedges. I cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half crossways in 1 inch sections (so I had about 10 half-moon shaped pieces an inch thick). I then cut each half moon into about four wedge shaped pieces. Heck, cut it however you want.
Place the eggplant pieces in a large skillet with the oil, and sprinkle liberally with tamari or soy sauce (tamari is better, but significantly more expensive). Let fry for about 6 minutes on medium heat.
Chop white parts of scallions, add with ginger and garlic to eggplant. Chop green parts of scallions and set aside. Let cook for about another 2 minutes, and then add sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
After another 5 minutes, turn down the heat to low, and add the Iron Chef Sesame Garlic Sauce and the chopped green scallions. Simmer on low for 2 minutes, then serve over cooked rice.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
As I was wandering through the grocery, a fat purple eggplant sang its evil siren song to me from the produce section. "Come to me, young(ish) lad. Marvel at my smooth skin. You know you want me..."
Now, eggplant and I have had a rocky sort of relationship. Occasionally, it is kind; mostly, it is a dastardly substance that defies all laws of cooking. It has defied me on more occasions than I care to recall, and I resisted its sultry call.
Then, I gave in.
Eggplant, thou art a cold master.
Ahem.
Anyway, since the eggplant had already claimed me as its bitch, I figured it was a good time to try out a stir fry with the wily stuff.
I'm happy to say that it turned out wonderfully... probably about as authentically Chinese as Taco Bell is authentically Mexican, but still excellent stuff.
So if you are ready to tango with the eggplant, I invite you to try my eggplant stirfry recipe. May the gods of nightshades smile as kindly upon you as they have smiled upon me this icy evening.
1 large eggplant
1 tsp olive oil or hot chili oil
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used the white ones, because shiitakes were just too danged expensive today)
1 6 oz can sliced bamboo shoots
1 bunch scallions
tamari or soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 bottle Iron Chef Sesame Garlic Sauce
1 cup white rice
Prepare white rice in a rice cooker or medium pot (if you don't have a rice cooker, my sympathies. I ruined many a rice based dish before I got my hands on one of these).
Slice eggplant in about 1" x 1/2" wedges. I cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half crossways in 1 inch sections (so I had about 10 half-moon shaped pieces an inch thick). I then cut each half moon into about four wedge shaped pieces. Heck, cut it however you want.
Place the eggplant pieces in a large skillet with the oil, and sprinkle liberally with tamari or soy sauce (tamari is better, but significantly more expensive). Let fry for about 6 minutes on medium heat.
Chop white parts of scallions, add with ginger and garlic to eggplant. Chop green parts of scallions and set aside. Let cook for about another 2 minutes, and then add sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
After another 5 minutes, turn down the heat to low, and add the Iron Chef Sesame Garlic Sauce and the chopped green scallions. Simmer on low for 2 minutes, then serve over cooked rice.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Recipe: Raw Hummus
If you're new to raw foods, all of the sprouting and dehydrating can be a little overwhelming. Here's a good recipe that will help you get into the swing of creating raw foods without running out and buying a $200 dehydrator. It'll also help you develop a little patience, because this recipe takes about 3 days from start to finish (although you'll only put in about 15 minutes of actual work).
Sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are packed with protein and vitamins to support a healthy immune system - very important during these icky winter months.
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 1/2 cup water
4 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, whole
Soak dried chickpeas in water for 1 day. Drain. Let sit for 2 days, rinsing and draining once or twice per day. Chickpeas are ready when the sprouts are about 1/2 inch long.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove water from heat and let sit for 1 minute. Place sprouted chickpeas in the hot water for one minute; drain. (This step is very important. If you skip this, the hummus will be completely awful. Believe me - I've tried it.)
Place chickpeas, garlic, cumin, 1 1/2 cups water, tahini, lemon juice in a blender. Blend on high for at least one minute. If hummus is still not smooth, add a bit more water and blend again until smooth.
Serve with cut fresh vegetables like carrot sticks, celery stalks and sliced cucumbers.
Sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are packed with protein and vitamins to support a healthy immune system - very important during these icky winter months.
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 1/2 cup water
4 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, whole
Soak dried chickpeas in water for 1 day. Drain. Let sit for 2 days, rinsing and draining once or twice per day. Chickpeas are ready when the sprouts are about 1/2 inch long.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove water from heat and let sit for 1 minute. Place sprouted chickpeas in the hot water for one minute; drain. (This step is very important. If you skip this, the hummus will be completely awful. Believe me - I've tried it.)
Place chickpeas, garlic, cumin, 1 1/2 cups water, tahini, lemon juice in a blender. Blend on high for at least one minute. If hummus is still not smooth, add a bit more water and blend again until smooth.
Serve with cut fresh vegetables like carrot sticks, celery stalks and sliced cucumbers.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Recipe: Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
Now, here's one of my favorites before I became a vegetarian - there's something about Chinese hot and sour soup that is just plain comforting, especially when it's downright freezing outside (like today - it's about 2 degrees Farenheit right now).
Unfortunately, most hot and sour soups you find in Chinese restaurants are made with chicken stock, and many contain either pork or chicken. You can find vegetarian hot and sour soup in some health food stores (and occasionally in supermarkets), but to be honest, it's pretty awful stuff.
So I did some experimenting to come up with a vegan hot and sour soup that had the same wonderful smell and taste as the commercially available version, without all of the animal products. It took a few tries, but I finally tweaked a couple of meat-centered recipes, and came up with a hot and sour soup that hits the spot!
If you can find mixed mushrooms at your supermarket, this hot and sour soup is pretty easy to make. If you can't find packaged mixed mushrooms, any of the types I've listed below will work fine.
Here's what you'll need:
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (white button mushrooms, cremini, portobella, straw mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms)
1 package (16 oz) extra firm tofu, drained and sliced into 1/4 " x 1/2" strips
1 bunch scallions
4 oz chopped kale
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 oz. ginger, grated
4 cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp chili sauce
Pour water, vegetable broth, rice vinegar, white vinegar in a stock pot or large soup pot on medium high heat. Stir frequently until liquid starts to boil.
Chop scallions, add to liquid, saving some of the green part for garnish. Add remainder of ingredients and cover.
Heat for 15 minutes or until kale is tender. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with remaining scallions.
Variations:
Prep time: 10 min.
Cooking time: 15 min.
Total time: 25 min.
Note: This hot and sour soup can be easily frozen and saved for later. I typically make a double batch and freeze half of it.
Unfortunately, most hot and sour soups you find in Chinese restaurants are made with chicken stock, and many contain either pork or chicken. You can find vegetarian hot and sour soup in some health food stores (and occasionally in supermarkets), but to be honest, it's pretty awful stuff.
So I did some experimenting to come up with a vegan hot and sour soup that had the same wonderful smell and taste as the commercially available version, without all of the animal products. It took a few tries, but I finally tweaked a couple of meat-centered recipes, and came up with a hot and sour soup that hits the spot!
If you can find mixed mushrooms at your supermarket, this hot and sour soup is pretty easy to make. If you can't find packaged mixed mushrooms, any of the types I've listed below will work fine.
Here's what you'll need:
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (white button mushrooms, cremini, portobella, straw mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms)
1 package (16 oz) extra firm tofu, drained and sliced into 1/4 " x 1/2" strips
1 bunch scallions
4 oz chopped kale
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 oz. ginger, grated
4 cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp chili sauce
Pour water, vegetable broth, rice vinegar, white vinegar in a stock pot or large soup pot on medium high heat. Stir frequently until liquid starts to boil.
Chop scallions, add to liquid, saving some of the green part for garnish. Add remainder of ingredients and cover.
Heat for 15 minutes or until kale is tender. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with remaining scallions.
Variations:
- For those of you that want a more meatlike texture, you can either freeze and thaw the tofu before preparing the soup, or substitute seitan. You might even be able to use those Morningstar Farms Chik'n strips, but I haven't tried it.
- You can also add egg whites for a non-vegan version. Slowly stir 6 egg whites into the liquid when if comes to a boil, and before you add the other ingredients.
Prep time: 10 min.
Cooking time: 15 min.
Total time: 25 min.
Note: This hot and sour soup can be easily frozen and saved for later. I typically make a double batch and freeze half of it.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Recipe: Vegetarian Sausages
So how exactly did I get from steamy, great cold-weather soup to veggie sausages? Well, I'm a guy. And guys, by design, have to get out and use the grill even in the dead of winter. Nobody really understands why - we just do.
Anyway, don't let the "sausages" title stop you. They don't taste like meat, and even better, they don't try to! Really, the biggest similarity they share with the real thing is that they're cylindrical and fit nicely in a bun.
Here's the stats:
Calories: 213
Fat: 12g
WeightWatchers Points: 5
So you'll need:
1 small white/yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
1 egg yolk
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
all-purpose flour
Stir-fry onions, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 min. Add remainder of ingredients, except flour, and mix well. Use hands (probably your own) to form 8 sausages.
Roll in flour and set in refrigerator to chill for 30 min.
Grill on oiled foil for 15-20 min, serve on whole wheat buns with condiments (and, if you're like me, grilled onions and jalapenos).
Note: I've tried to make this vegan several times and failed miserably. I've substituted the cheese for soy cheese, and that seems to work reasonably well (meaning not much cursing going on in the kitchen), but every time I omitted the egg yolk, the danged things fell apart on the grill. If and when I find a solution, I will post, well, post haste.
Enjoy!
Anyway, don't let the "sausages" title stop you. They don't taste like meat, and even better, they don't try to! Really, the biggest similarity they share with the real thing is that they're cylindrical and fit nicely in a bun.
Here's the stats:
Calories: 213
Fat: 12g
WeightWatchers Points: 5
So you'll need:
1 small white/yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
1 egg yolk
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
all-purpose flour
Stir-fry onions, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 min. Add remainder of ingredients, except flour, and mix well. Use hands (probably your own) to form 8 sausages.
Roll in flour and set in refrigerator to chill for 30 min.
Grill on oiled foil for 15-20 min, serve on whole wheat buns with condiments (and, if you're like me, grilled onions and jalapenos).
Note: I've tried to make this vegan several times and failed miserably. I've substituted the cheese for soy cheese, and that seems to work reasonably well (meaning not much cursing going on in the kitchen), but every time I omitted the egg yolk, the danged things fell apart on the grill. If and when I find a solution, I will post, well, post haste.
Enjoy!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Recipe: Winter Soup
Since we're heading into January, which in Ohio means some pretty bitter weather (yes, I hear you New Englanders, we don't have anything to complain about), I thought maybe a soup recipe would be good. Ok, another soup recipe. It's winter - you can't have too many soups!
So, if you liked my Dal Soup recipe, get your stock pot back out - here's a happily satisfying Winter Soup! This is a vegetarian recipe, but you can omit the cheese to make it vegan.
You'll need:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, chopped (I use 1 yellow and one green)
4 cups vegetable broth (if you buy canned, make sure it says vegetarian vegetable broth on the label. For some reason, regular vegetable broth often has chicken stock. Go figure.)
4 chopped roma tomatoes or 2 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 14 oz can chickpeas
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 oz parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
Stir-fry leeks, zucchini, garlic in oil for 2 min. Add these plus remainder of ingredients to stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15-30 min.
Serve with french bread or pita slices.
Enjoy, and stay warm!
Lee aka The Veggie Guy
So, if you liked my Dal Soup recipe, get your stock pot back out - here's a happily satisfying Winter Soup! This is a vegetarian recipe, but you can omit the cheese to make it vegan.
You'll need:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, chopped (I use 1 yellow and one green)
4 cups vegetable broth (if you buy canned, make sure it says vegetarian vegetable broth on the label. For some reason, regular vegetable broth often has chicken stock. Go figure.)
4 chopped roma tomatoes or 2 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 14 oz can chickpeas
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 oz parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
Stir-fry leeks, zucchini, garlic in oil for 2 min. Add these plus remainder of ingredients to stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15-30 min.
Serve with french bread or pita slices.
Enjoy, and stay warm!
Lee aka The Veggie Guy
Recipe: Mexican Salad
OK, I'm going to post a recipe that isn't going to do much to dispel the notion that we vegetarians are a bunch of salad eaters. :-)
This is a very tasty light and tasty salad that you can put together in just a few minutes (a BIG plus in my family). It's vegan, unless of course, you can't have a salad without cheese (I know a few folks like that), or you use a different dressing. The dressing in this recipe is an oil-and-vinegar based recipe, but I've used a bottled fat-free ranch in this salad to cut time and make the salad low-fat, and it worked just fine.
For the salad:
Leaf lettuce (I use mixed field greens)
2 ripe avocados
2 tsp lemon juice
1 medium red onion
2 cups mixed beans, drained and cooked (I use a can of black beans and a can of great northern beans. I've seen it done with kidney beans too.)
For the dressing:
A few drops of hot chili oil
4 tbsp olive oil (Use extra virgin olive oil if possible. It really will make a difference!)
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
Remove avocado skins and pits, thinly slice avocado flesh and sprinkle with lemon juice (this prevents discoloration).
Chop the lettuce leaves and place into a large salad bowl. slice tomatoes and onion; push onion slices out into rings. Arrange tomato slices, avocado slices, and onion rings around the salad bowl, leaving room in the center for the beans.
Spoon the bean mixture into the center of the salad bowl.
Mix salad dressing ingredients and pour over salad.
This is a very tasty light and tasty salad that you can put together in just a few minutes (a BIG plus in my family). It's vegan, unless of course, you can't have a salad without cheese (I know a few folks like that), or you use a different dressing. The dressing in this recipe is an oil-and-vinegar based recipe, but I've used a bottled fat-free ranch in this salad to cut time and make the salad low-fat, and it worked just fine.
For the salad:
Leaf lettuce (I use mixed field greens)
2 ripe avocados
2 tsp lemon juice
1 medium red onion
2 cups mixed beans, drained and cooked (I use a can of black beans and a can of great northern beans. I've seen it done with kidney beans too.)
For the dressing:
A few drops of hot chili oil
4 tbsp olive oil (Use extra virgin olive oil if possible. It really will make a difference!)
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
Remove avocado skins and pits, thinly slice avocado flesh and sprinkle with lemon juice (this prevents discoloration).
Chop the lettuce leaves and place into a large salad bowl. slice tomatoes and onion; push onion slices out into rings. Arrange tomato slices, avocado slices, and onion rings around the salad bowl, leaving room in the center for the beans.
Spoon the bean mixture into the center of the salad bowl.
Mix salad dressing ingredients and pour over salad.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Recipe: Easy Portabella Burgers
You can't get much easier than this, unless you want to chuck one of those frozen veggie burgers in the microwave.
Portabella caps (1 for each burger)
Soy sauce
ground basil, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil, if pan frying
Whole wheat hamburger buns (I like the jumbo buns for these)
Any condiments you desire. I usually use some combination of the following:
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Pickles
Alfalfa sprouts or broccoli sprouts (I love these, but they do garner strange looks.)
Tabasco sauce (Ok, ok, so I use this on nearly everything.)
Annie's Goddess Dressing (Very tasty and vegan. You can find store locations here.)
Sprinkle soy sauce on portabella caps. Fry 2-3 minute each side in olive oil, or grill 2-3 minutes each side on a grill. dust with ground basil on one side. Assemble bun, portabella, and condiments in standard hambrger fashion and enjoy!
Portabella caps (1 for each burger)
Soy sauce
ground basil, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil, if pan frying
Whole wheat hamburger buns (I like the jumbo buns for these)
Any condiments you desire. I usually use some combination of the following:
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Pickles
Alfalfa sprouts or broccoli sprouts (I love these, but they do garner strange looks.)
Tabasco sauce (Ok, ok, so I use this on nearly everything.)
Annie's Goddess Dressing (Very tasty and vegan. You can find store locations here.)
Sprinkle soy sauce on portabella caps. Fry 2-3 minute each side in olive oil, or grill 2-3 minutes each side on a grill. dust with ground basil on one side. Assemble bun, portabella, and condiments in standard hambrger fashion and enjoy!
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