We started the new year off right with this amazing recipe from the Veggie Queen. Y'all, it was so good I made it again the next day!
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
The Veggie Queen's Black Eyed Peas and Greens
We started the new year off right with this amazing recipe from the Veggie Queen. Y'all, it was so good I made it again the next day!
Vegan *Chicken* & Dumplings
It's winter in Texas, which means we have random cold weather sprinkled into the normal January days. Time for some comfort food! Daddio requested chicken & dumplings, and instead of my regular recipe I decided to try something new. I used the instant pot and the stove top, mainly because I was running behind (what's new?) and wanted to speed the process. With some very minor adjustments, this stove top recipe turned into a mixed IP/stovetop meal.
Ingredients:
3-4 carrots, sliced
3-4 ribs of celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 white potatoes, large dice
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper, freshly ground
1 bay leaf
3 Not Chick'n bouillon cubes (divided)
6 c water (divided)
seitan (rinse and chop to preferred size)
8 oz white mushrooms, rough chop
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn meal (I prefer Bob's Coarse Grind for texture)
1 T baking powder
2 T parsley (optional)
1 1/2 c almond milk
Place the following in the Instant Pot and give a stir. Set pot to 5 minutes at high pressure. Manual release.
3-4 carrots, sliced
3-4 ribs of celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 white potatoes, large dice
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper, freshly ground
1 bay leaf
2 Not Chick'n bouillon cubes
3 c water (enough to just cover veggies in the IP)
--
While the IP is working its magic, bring the following to a simmer on the stove top in a large soup pot:
seitan (rinse and chop to preferred size)
8 oz white mushrooms, rough chop
1 Not Chick'n bouillon cube
2 c water
--
After manual release of pressure, pour contents of IP into soup pot on stove top, add 1 cup of water ( for a total of 2 cup per bouillon cube). Bring this to a boil.
While soup is coming to boil on the stovetop, mix dumpling batter:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn meal (I prefer Bob's Coarse Grind for texture)
1 T baking powder
2 T parsley (optional)
1 1/2 c almond milk
When soup is boiling, drop batter by spoonfuls into soup. DO NOT STIR. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT STIR. (PS: It is inadvisable to stir, even though you really, really want to. Trust!)
Serve immediately, but also makes for good leftovers!
Some notes worth mentioning:
-I am not a fan of meat substitutes, but like to try them from time to time in certain recipes since we have omnivorous friends & family over for meals often. My family liked the seitan in this dish, but we likely won't use it again unless we make this for non-family members.
-I enjoyed the potatoes in this soup, but I also like my dumpling base to be creamier instead of brothy (is that a word?). Next time, I may add one more potato but mash it to try to adjust the consistency of the broth.
-Served with a hearty green salad (leaf lettuce and spinach) topped with hard boiled eggs for a protein and B vitamin boost.
Ingredients:
3-4 carrots, sliced
3-4 ribs of celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 white potatoes, large dice
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper, freshly ground
1 bay leaf
3 Not Chick'n bouillon cubes (divided)
6 c water (divided)
seitan (rinse and chop to preferred size)
8 oz white mushrooms, rough chop
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn meal (I prefer Bob's Coarse Grind for texture)
1 T baking powder
2 T parsley (optional)
1 1/2 c almond milk
Place the following in the Instant Pot and give a stir. Set pot to 5 minutes at high pressure. Manual release.
3-4 carrots, sliced
3-4 ribs of celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 white potatoes, large dice
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper, freshly ground
1 bay leaf
2 Not Chick'n bouillon cubes
3 c water (enough to just cover veggies in the IP)
--
While the IP is working its magic, bring the following to a simmer on the stove top in a large soup pot:
seitan (rinse and chop to preferred size)
8 oz white mushrooms, rough chop
1 Not Chick'n bouillon cube
2 c water
--
After manual release of pressure, pour contents of IP into soup pot on stove top, add 1 cup of water ( for a total of 2 cup per bouillon cube). Bring this to a boil.
While soup is coming to boil on the stovetop, mix dumpling batter:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn meal (I prefer Bob's Coarse Grind for texture)
1 T baking powder
2 T parsley (optional)
1 1/2 c almond milk
When soup is boiling, drop batter by spoonfuls into soup. DO NOT STIR. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT STIR. (PS: It is inadvisable to stir, even though you really, really want to. Trust!)
Serve immediately, but also makes for good leftovers!
Some notes worth mentioning:
-I am not a fan of meat substitutes, but like to try them from time to time in certain recipes since we have omnivorous friends & family over for meals often. My family liked the seitan in this dish, but we likely won't use it again unless we make this for non-family members.
-I enjoyed the potatoes in this soup, but I also like my dumpling base to be creamier instead of brothy (is that a word?). Next time, I may add one more potato but mash it to try to adjust the consistency of the broth.
-Served with a hearty green salad (leaf lettuce and spinach) topped with hard boiled eggs for a protein and B vitamin boost.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Sweet Tooth
We needed a simple snack to cure our sweet tooth...and I had a fresh bag of flower just waiting to sift. It's a wild Tuesday night, y'all!
I found this recipe for maple cinnamon cookies somewhere on the internets and took a screen shot. It was so simple, everything is pretty much a staple item in my kitchen, and they are delicious! Nothing like warm cookies and cold almondmilk—am I right?
Maple Cinnamon Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T applesauce
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
cinnamon for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix wet ingredients:
3/4 c. canola oil
2 T applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar (I know, this isn't a wet ingredient but we're pretending today)
1/4 c. maple syrup
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients and then add to wet:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix to combine. Then, place dough by spoonful onto baking sheet. I used my hands to roll them into balls. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
During the first batch, I check at the halfway point and noticed they weren't spreading at all. I pulled them out and pressed them with a fork (peanut butter cookie style) so they would bake through in the time allotted. For the second two trays, I pressed them prior to baking. You can sprinkle the cinnamon before baking or after.
Next time: I think I will form the dough into a tube and wrap and place in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. Then, I'll slice and bake instead of pressing. For some reason, the pressed hash marks on cookies don't taste right if they're not peanut butter. Yep, I'm quirky. ;)
Enjoy!
I found this recipe for maple cinnamon cookies somewhere on the internets and took a screen shot. It was so simple, everything is pretty much a staple item in my kitchen, and they are delicious! Nothing like warm cookies and cold almondmilk—am I right?
Maple Cinnamon Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T applesauce
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
cinnamon for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix wet ingredients:
3/4 c. canola oil
2 T applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar (I know, this isn't a wet ingredient but we're pretending today)
1/4 c. maple syrup
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients and then add to wet:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix to combine. Then, place dough by spoonful onto baking sheet. I used my hands to roll them into balls. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
During the first batch, I check at the halfway point and noticed they weren't spreading at all. I pulled them out and pressed them with a fork (peanut butter cookie style) so they would bake through in the time allotted. For the second two trays, I pressed them prior to baking. You can sprinkle the cinnamon before baking or after.
Next time: I think I will form the dough into a tube and wrap and place in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. Then, I'll slice and bake instead of pressing. For some reason, the pressed hash marks on cookies don't taste right if they're not peanut butter. Yep, I'm quirky. ;)
Enjoy!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Dinner for a busy evening
I am a homeschooling mom of 3 with a pilot husband. We are busy, just like so many other families. Last night after Punky's gymnastics class and before Sunshine's martial arts class was dinner time. I menu plan every week but sometimes I'm just not feeling it. Last night was one of those nights. The menu said spinach fettuccine. This is a family favorite (it used to include shrimp but is absolutely delicious veganized) but I wanted to change things up. Plus, I was avoiding the grocery store (forgot to pick up the noodles earlier in the week). Anything to avoid the grocery store, right?
I had about 1/3 pkg. of fine, whole wheat spaghetti noodles that I cooked to al dente. In a large pan, I melted about 1 T seasoned Earth Balance spread and 1 tsp olive oil. I added about 5 oz. fresh spinach and the grape tomatoes (halved) that I had on hand. The spinach wilted down and the tomatoes swam in the seasoned "butter". As soon as the noodles were ready, I strained them and added them to the seasoned veggies and tossed. Delicious!
We used an extra sub roll to make garlic toast under the broiler (more Earth Balance spread, olives, and non-dairy cheese of your choice), and our busy evening meal was complete!
Tip: Add freshly ground pepper, to taste, after plating the food. My Punky does NOT like pepper in her food, so we use it sparingly during the cooking process.
I had about 1/3 pkg. of fine, whole wheat spaghetti noodles that I cooked to al dente. In a large pan, I melted about 1 T seasoned Earth Balance spread and 1 tsp olive oil. I added about 5 oz. fresh spinach and the grape tomatoes (halved) that I had on hand. The spinach wilted down and the tomatoes swam in the seasoned "butter". As soon as the noodles were ready, I strained them and added them to the seasoned veggies and tossed. Delicious!
We used an extra sub roll to make garlic toast under the broiler (more Earth Balance spread, olives, and non-dairy cheese of your choice), and our busy evening meal was complete!
Tip: Add freshly ground pepper, to taste, after plating the food. My Punky does NOT like pepper in her food, so we use it sparingly during the cooking process.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Bún Chay
Tired of the same old lunch menu (PB&J, hummus & dippers, chickpea salad sandwiches, etc), I decided to google "vegan lunch recipes" during my menu planning last week. It's been fun reading through new recipes, but I was most excited about this one! I have been looking forward to it since I typed it in on Sunday.
Bún Chay (Vietnamese Noodle Salad) was a hit with the kids! I did find rice sticks and we tried those today, but decided that we don't care for the texture so we won't be using them again. We also sautéed the tofu bits instead of deep frying. Otherwise, we pretty much followed the suggested items and then I let the kids choose how much of each item they wanted in their bowl.
I was proud of my littlest sidekick, who tried everything and only turned her nose at the cilantro. ;) My 10 year old didn't care for the mint or cilantro, but was the only one of us who liked the rice sticks (noodles). My 13 year old liked everything except the rice sticks. Their favorite was the dressing...mine too! :)
Bún Chay (Vietnamese Noodle Salad) was a hit with the kids! I did find rice sticks and we tried those today, but decided that we don't care for the texture so we won't be using them again. We also sautéed the tofu bits instead of deep frying. Otherwise, we pretty much followed the suggested items and then I let the kids choose how much of each item they wanted in their bowl.
I was proud of my littlest sidekick, who tried everything and only turned her nose at the cilantro. ;) My 10 year old didn't care for the mint or cilantro, but was the only one of us who liked the rice sticks (noodles). My 13 year old liked everything except the rice sticks. Their favorite was the dressing...mine too! :)
Comfort Food
Our family's comfort foods have slowly started evolving as our menu has changed. One thing that has remained consistent: our kids find comfort in a warm bowl of soup. Taco soup, noodle soup, veggie soup...we love soup! Soup that cooks in a crock pot is even better!
I decided to switch things up a bit and check out a new recipe for lentil-veggie soup. This is a crock pot recipe, but I had to finish it up on the stove top. If I had it to do all over I'd soak my lentils overnight, and make sure my veggies were chopped small enough to cook in a crock pot in the time allotted. Otherwise, the flavor was wonderful. The kids loved it and have already asked when I'm making it again.
Alongside our big bowls of soup were steaming, delicious corn muffins. One of the girls helped me whip these up from a box mix. We used applesauce in place of the eggs. They were delicious! Very dense and moist. Yum!
I decided to switch things up a bit and check out a new recipe for lentil-veggie soup. This is a crock pot recipe, but I had to finish it up on the stove top. If I had it to do all over I'd soak my lentils overnight, and make sure my veggies were chopped small enough to cook in a crock pot in the time allotted. Otherwise, the flavor was wonderful. The kids loved it and have already asked when I'm making it again.
Alongside our big bowls of soup were steaming, delicious corn muffins. One of the girls helped me whip these up from a box mix. We used applesauce in place of the eggs. They were delicious! Very dense and moist. Yum!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Comfort Food: Veggie Pot Pie
This morning I woke up and smelled it, last night's dinner. You know when you bake something and can still smell the delicious aroma the next day? That's what happened. I immediately started daydreaming about leftovers at lunch. Sad, huh? But it was that good.
My family loves a good pot pie. I hadn't made one since we jumped on the vegan wagon in August. I don't typically make them in the hot months of the year, so as soon as it started cooling down our cravings picked up. We needed pot pie. A google search and some recipe reviews turned up some great ideas. This one was the most inspiring, but I already knew it would have to be tweaked. I planned on using store-bought crust and only the veggies that I already had at home. My stomach is growling right now, and I'm starting to wonder if we really need to save those last two slices for Daddio (who was, sadly, overnighting in the The Bahamas and missed out on this delicious dinner!).
Without further adieu...
Veggie Pot Pie
Ingredients:
Cashew Cream
1.5 c raw cashews (*soaked)
1 c. veggie broth
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. nutritional yeast
1/4 t. salt
Veggie Mixture
1 t. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
hashbrowns**
frozen mixed veggies (my medley included corn, carrots, peas, green beans)**
Cashew soaking: Four to eight hours before you need them, place the cashews in a bowl and cover with piping hot water. Allow to soak and then drain immediately before processing.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour olive oil into skillet on medium-high, add onions as oil begins to heat up. Sauté until they begin to caramelize. Add hashbrowns and allow to begin browning before dumping in mixed veggies. Sauté for a few minutes to get the cooking process started.
3. While veggies are sautéing, put cashew cream ingredients into high speed blender or food processor and liquefy. Add more nutritional yeast and/or salt to taste.
4. Combine veggies and cashew cream and stir well. Season to taste.
5. Pour veggies & cream mixture into pie crust. Cover with another crust and pinch edges to seal. Poke holes or designs in top crust to vent.
6. Bake for 40 minutes. About 1/2 way through baking, cover edges of pie so they don't burn. I have a crust shield, but foil works well, too.
7. Remove from oven carefully and allow to sit for 20 minutes. This will help the cream thicken up and allow the pie to cool a bit. It will still be very warm when you cut into it.
**Add veggie amounts based on your personal preference and what dish you're planning to use. If I could keep mushrooms long enough to use them, I would've put those in this dish to add some meatiness. However, we absolutely didn't miss them or the meat!
My family loves a good pot pie. I hadn't made one since we jumped on the vegan wagon in August. I don't typically make them in the hot months of the year, so as soon as it started cooling down our cravings picked up. We needed pot pie. A google search and some recipe reviews turned up some great ideas. This one was the most inspiring, but I already knew it would have to be tweaked. I planned on using store-bought crust and only the veggies that I already had at home. My stomach is growling right now, and I'm starting to wonder if we really need to save those last two slices for Daddio (who was, sadly, overnighting in the The Bahamas and missed out on this delicious dinner!).
Without further adieu...
Veggie Pot Pie
Ingredients:
Cashew Cream
1.5 c raw cashews (*soaked)
1 c. veggie broth
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. nutritional yeast
1/4 t. salt
Veggie Mixture
1 t. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
hashbrowns**
frozen mixed veggies (my medley included corn, carrots, peas, green beans)**
Cashew soaking: Four to eight hours before you need them, place the cashews in a bowl and cover with piping hot water. Allow to soak and then drain immediately before processing.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour olive oil into skillet on medium-high, add onions as oil begins to heat up. Sauté until they begin to caramelize. Add hashbrowns and allow to begin browning before dumping in mixed veggies. Sauté for a few minutes to get the cooking process started.
3. While veggies are sautéing, put cashew cream ingredients into high speed blender or food processor and liquefy. Add more nutritional yeast and/or salt to taste.
4. Combine veggies and cashew cream and stir well. Season to taste.
5. Pour veggies & cream mixture into pie crust. Cover with another crust and pinch edges to seal. Poke holes or designs in top crust to vent.
6. Bake for 40 minutes. About 1/2 way through baking, cover edges of pie so they don't burn. I have a crust shield, but foil works well, too.
7. Remove from oven carefully and allow to sit for 20 minutes. This will help the cream thicken up and allow the pie to cool a bit. It will still be very warm when you cut into it.
**Add veggie amounts based on your personal preference and what dish you're planning to use. If I could keep mushrooms long enough to use them, I would've put those in this dish to add some meatiness. However, we absolutely didn't miss them or the meat!
 |
| Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do it justice. I'll be totally honest and say that I couldn't spare the time to make it pretty and take a good picture because the smell was so enticing. :) |
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