1 package trader joes soy chorizo
1/2 bag trader joes frozen fire roasted bell peppers and onions
shredded mexican cheese
salsa
guacamole
tortillas
cook frozen peppers and onions in pan until thawed completely. Crumble in soy chorizo and cook until hot. Serve on tortillas with cheese, salsa, and guac and some hot sauce.
verdict = awesome. Ate this for dinner 3 days straight on some whole grain tortillas from trader joes (maybe 10 inch tortillas?). So totally it made 6 (large) tacos.
follow up:
I made this again but with soyrizo from shaw's. The Trader Joe's soy chorizo was way better - more flavor, better texture (soyrizo was very mushy) and spicier too.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Chana Masala
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/chana-masala/
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced (I used a jalapeno)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used a quarter of this because my cayenne is extremely hot)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground (I left them whole)
1 tablespoon amchoor powder (see note)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced) (see note; I used a whole lemon to swap for the amchoor powder)
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor (if using it), paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.
Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or or in the days that follow, should it last that long.
verdict:
Came out very well. Can't really complain about anything. Could probably have added a little more cayenne as it had only a tiny kick to it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced (I used a jalapeno)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used a quarter of this because my cayenne is extremely hot)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground (I left them whole)
1 tablespoon amchoor powder (see note)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced) (see note; I used a whole lemon to swap for the amchoor powder)
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor (if using it), paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.
Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or or in the days that follow, should it last that long.
verdict:
Came out very well. Can't really complain about anything. Could probably have added a little more cayenne as it had only a tiny kick to it.
Baked Cauliflower Curry
http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2010/06/baked-cauliflower-curry.html
Ingredients:
420 gm cauliflower (half of a very large head of cauliflower)
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp curry powder
250 ml (about 1 cup) vegetable stock
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
120 ml (about 1/2 cup) coconut milk
2 Tbsp thickened cream (I used silk soy creamer)
Thickening:
2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
Method:
Rinse cauliflower and cut into pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well.
Preheat oven to 395 F.
Heat butter in a wok or sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add turmeric powder and curry powder until fragrant. Pour in vegetable stock (or chicken stock) and bring it to boil. Cook until reduced to 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and thickened cream. Season with salt and sugar. Toss back cauliflower and coat with sauce well. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add thickening and cook to the preferred consistency.
Transfer cauliflower together with sauce into an oven-proof baking dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes and let the cauliflower well absorb the sauce and softened. Serve hot.
verdict:
I thought it came out pretty well, however my sauce was nowhere near as thick because I was impatient when thickening it. In the future, I would keep the sauce separate until it is thickened, add the cauliflower to the baking dish and pour the sauce over it before putting it in the oven.
serving:
I ate it with some chana masala and basmati rice.
420 gm cauliflower (half of a very large head of cauliflower)
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp curry powder
250 ml (about 1 cup) vegetable stock
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
120 ml (about 1/2 cup) coconut milk
2 Tbsp thickened cream (I used silk soy creamer)
Thickening:
2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
Method:
Rinse cauliflower and cut into pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well.
Preheat oven to 395 F.
Heat butter in a wok or sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add turmeric powder and curry powder until fragrant. Pour in vegetable stock (or chicken stock) and bring it to boil. Cook until reduced to 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and thickened cream. Season with salt and sugar. Toss back cauliflower and coat with sauce well. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add thickening and cook to the preferred consistency.
Transfer cauliflower together with sauce into an oven-proof baking dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes and let the cauliflower well absorb the sauce and softened. Serve hot.
verdict:
I thought it came out pretty well, however my sauce was nowhere near as thick because I was impatient when thickening it. In the future, I would keep the sauce separate until it is thickened, add the cauliflower to the baking dish and pour the sauce over it before putting it in the oven.
serving:
I ate it with some chana masala and basmati rice.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Sweet and Sour Crispy Seitan
http://veganyumyum.com/2007/03/crispy-sweet-and-sour-seitan/
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Seitan, chopped into strips (I used one package westsoy)
1 tsp Ener-g Egg Replacer
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
Peanut Oil
Sesame Seeds for garnish
Sauce:
3 1/2 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar (you can eyeball the 1/2 Tbs)
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbs + 2 tsp Sugar
1 Tbs Tamari
1 Tbs Ketchup
1 tsp Molasses
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbs Cornstarch + 2 Tbs water
Add all the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water into a small saucepan and heat on low until sugar dissolves. Mix cornstarch with 2 Tbs water and add to sauce. Turn up heat to medium-high and whisk until sauce thickens. Sauce should be moderately thick, but not so thick it’s gel like. If you scrape a spoon down the middle of the pan, it should take a second for it to fill in the groove you made, but it should fill back in. Does that makes sense? Add more cornstarch to make it thicker if needed, or add water (or seitan juice) to thin it out if it gets too thick. Take off heat and set aside.
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Seitan, chopped into strips (I used one package westsoy)
1 tsp Ener-g Egg Replacer
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
Peanut Oil
Sesame Seeds for garnish
Sauce:
3 1/2 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar (you can eyeball the 1/2 Tbs)
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbs + 2 tsp Sugar
1 Tbs Tamari
1 Tbs Ketchup
1 tsp Molasses
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbs Cornstarch + 2 Tbs water
Add all the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water into a small saucepan and heat on low until sugar dissolves. Mix cornstarch with 2 Tbs water and add to sauce. Turn up heat to medium-high and whisk until sauce thickens. Sauce should be moderately thick, but not so thick it’s gel like. If you scrape a spoon down the middle of the pan, it should take a second for it to fill in the groove you made, but it should fill back in. Does that makes sense? Add more cornstarch to make it thicker if needed, or add water (or seitan juice) to thin it out if it gets too thick. Take off heat and set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup of peanut oil on HIGH in a large skillet, non-stick if you have it. Place chopped seitan in a large bowl. Sprinkle with egg replacer powder and mix well. It should dissolve from the moisture of the seitan. Add cornstartch and toss seitan until it’s completely coated.
Test oil with a piece of seitan. If the oil bubbles up immediately when you drop a piece in, you’re good to go. Add seitan to oil in one layer – you might need to do batches depening on how big your pan is. Fry on high for 5-7 minutes, stirring and turning the pieces often, until crispy and golden. Drain oil out of pan (it’s safer to remove the seitan with a slotted spoon and pour the oil out of the pan, but I take the whole thing over to the sink and use the pan lid as a barrier. This way the seitan stays in while I pour the oil out. If you get severe burns doing this, don’t blame me. I shouldn’t do it, but I do.)
Put the pan back on the stove with the seitan in it, but NOT over heat. Wait a sec for the pan to cool down, then add sauce. Use a rubber spatual to get out every last bit, as the recipe makes just enough to coat. Toss to coat seitan and serve immediately.
If your pan is too hot when you do this, your sauce might get CRAZY thick CRAZY fast, as cornstarch is wont to do around heat. It’s not a big deal, but you’ll be happier waiting for the pan to cool a bit.
verdict:
Awesome! The only thing I would change is possibly adding *slightly* less vinegar. Also, coat all the seitan before starting to fry to save time.
note: not as good left over, as the seitan gets soggy.
serving suggestion:
serving suggestion:
I ate with some brown rice and some broccolini.
UPDATE:
I made this recipe again but instead of seitan used a package of teryaki baked tofu from trader joe's. verdict: not as good, but still pretty good.
UPDATE:
I made this recipe again but instead of seitan used a package of teryaki baked tofu from trader joe's. verdict: not as good, but still pretty good.
Sweet Potato Curry
Ingredients
3 tablespoons madras curry paste ( I used Laxmi Tandoori Paste)
1 medium onion- diced
2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into chunks)
1 red pepper- sliced
1 15 oz can of chickpeas (or other white beans)
200g (6-7 ounce) bag of spinach
1 15 oz can of coconut milk ( I used lite)
Method
In a large sauce pan, fry the onion for few minutes in olive oil till soft. Add curry paste and fry for 1 min. Add the coconut milk, sweet potato, pepper and chickpeas and simmer for approx. 15 minutes until potato is cooked. Add spinach (fold spinach through the mixture in handfuls) simmer for a couple more minutes until spinach is wilted. If not liquidy enough add a little water. Serve immediately with rice or naan bread as desired .
Freeze left over portions in individual bags.
verdict:
very tasty. however, the recipe called for 4 sweet potatoes and I only used 2 which was plenty! After adding all the ingredients the liquid only about half covered all the veggies - which worried me - so I added (I think) a half cup of water. Mistake! It made it wayy too watery. Next time I would add 1/4 cup or less, although I would still have worries about the veggies simmering properly.
Once again another recipe that claims 4 servings....I would say this is maybe 5 or 6.
Also, I couldn't find the proper curry paste so I bought something else. I used 3 tablespoons and it had a pleasant (spicy) kick to it.
serving suggestion:
I ate it with some jasmine rice. It worked well to soak up the excess sauce i made when I added too much water.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Mini Fruit Tarts with Mascarpone Cheese Filling
http://inncuisine.com/scrumptious-sides/behold-the-blueberry/
I made these over the summer for my graduation party and they were a pretty big hit, and really simple to make. I bought both blueberry and strawberry preserves and fresh strawberries and blueberries...to make half and half blueberry and strawberry. The strawberry ones seemed to be a little more popular.
If I recall correctly, my mom picked up 3 dozen phyllo shells for me to use in case some of them were broken. But, none of them were and I'm pretty sure I filled the whole 3 dozen.
Recipe:
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup blueberry (or strawberry) preserves
fresh blueberries or strawberries
3 boxes frozen mini phyllo (fillo) shells
To Make the Filling
In a medium-size bowl, simply add the mascarpone cheese, well-chilled heavy whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar, and whip using an electric mixer until firm peaks form and the mixture holds its shape. Take care not to overwhip.
Preparing the Shells
Using thawed, mini phyllo (fillo) shells, spoon just enough blueberry or strawberry preserves (about 1/2 teaspoon) into each shell to cover the bottom. Next, spoon (or pipe in) mascarpone cheese filling (about 2 teaspoons) over the preserves until each shell is filled.
Top with a fresh blueberry or strawberry and serve immediately. This recipe produces approximately 3 dozen filled, mini phyllo shells.
I made these over the summer for my graduation party and they were a pretty big hit, and really simple to make. I bought both blueberry and strawberry preserves and fresh strawberries and blueberries...to make half and half blueberry and strawberry. The strawberry ones seemed to be a little more popular.
If I recall correctly, my mom picked up 3 dozen phyllo shells for me to use in case some of them were broken. But, none of them were and I'm pretty sure I filled the whole 3 dozen.
Recipe:
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup blueberry (or strawberry) preserves
fresh blueberries or strawberries
3 boxes frozen mini phyllo (fillo) shells
To Make the Filling
In a medium-size bowl, simply add the mascarpone cheese, well-chilled heavy whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar, and whip using an electric mixer until firm peaks form and the mixture holds its shape. Take care not to overwhip.
Preparing the Shells
Using thawed, mini phyllo (fillo) shells, spoon just enough blueberry or strawberry preserves (about 1/2 teaspoon) into each shell to cover the bottom. Next, spoon (or pipe in) mascarpone cheese filling (about 2 teaspoons) over the preserves until each shell is filled.
Top with a fresh blueberry or strawberry and serve immediately. This recipe produces approximately 3 dozen filled, mini phyllo shells.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Thai Green Curry Lentils
source: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=29449.0
ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
olive oil, as needed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 small (thumbnail sized) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
(I used a small spoon full of ginger from a jar)
1 bunch kale, de-veined and cut
1. In a stock pot, combine vegetable broth and lentils with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Check the lentils frequently so they don't burn.
2. While the lentils cook, add olive oil to a large skillet and saute onions, garlic, and red bell pepper until onions are just translucent and pepper is soft. Add zucchini and saute for a few minutes.
3. At this point, the lentils should be finished cooking. Add coconut milk, green curry paste, grated ginger and sauteed vegetables to the lentils, stirring gently to incorporate vegetables and liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add kale to liquid and simmer for a few minutes until kale is cooked to your liking. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
The finished product should be a thick stew-like consistency; you can eat it with a spoon by itself or serve it over rice!
serving suggestions:
serve over some brown or jasmine rice. However it is thick enough from the lentils that it can be eaten on its own.
verdict:
The taste was very nice but it could definitely use some more curry flavor. Next time I would add more curry paste and perhaps more of the ginger and garlic and maybe more salt and pepper. The lentils turn pretty mushy which may be normal, but I wasn't quite expecting since I have no prior experience with red lentils.
This recipe makes A LOT - it suggests 4 servings but after I had some (served over a small amount of brown rice) I still had a very large tupperware full of it.
Nutrition Information:
For 1 out of 6 servings
(this is just an estimation - assuming 2 tablespoons of olive oil used)
calories 232
fat 10g
saturated fat 4g
polyunsaturated fat 1g
monounsaturated fat 3g
trans fat 0g
cholesterol 0
sodium 309mg
carbohydrates 28 g
sugar 6g
protein 11g
potassium 191
fiber 7
vitamin A 54%
vitamin C 104%
calcium 7%
iron 19%
1 cup red lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
olive oil, as needed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 small (thumbnail sized) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
(I used a small spoon full of ginger from a jar)
1 bunch kale, de-veined and cut
1. In a stock pot, combine vegetable broth and lentils with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Check the lentils frequently so they don't burn.
2. While the lentils cook, add olive oil to a large skillet and saute onions, garlic, and red bell pepper until onions are just translucent and pepper is soft. Add zucchini and saute for a few minutes.
3. At this point, the lentils should be finished cooking. Add coconut milk, green curry paste, grated ginger and sauteed vegetables to the lentils, stirring gently to incorporate vegetables and liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add kale to liquid and simmer for a few minutes until kale is cooked to your liking. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
The finished product should be a thick stew-like consistency; you can eat it with a spoon by itself or serve it over rice!
serving suggestions:
serve over some brown or jasmine rice. However it is thick enough from the lentils that it can be eaten on its own.
verdict:
The taste was very nice but it could definitely use some more curry flavor. Next time I would add more curry paste and perhaps more of the ginger and garlic and maybe more salt and pepper. The lentils turn pretty mushy which may be normal, but I wasn't quite expecting since I have no prior experience with red lentils.
This recipe makes A LOT - it suggests 4 servings but after I had some (served over a small amount of brown rice) I still had a very large tupperware full of it.
Nutrition Information:
For 1 out of 6 servings
(this is just an estimation - assuming 2 tablespoons of olive oil used)
calories 232
fat 10g
saturated fat 4g
polyunsaturated fat 1g
monounsaturated fat 3g
trans fat 0g
cholesterol 0
sodium 309mg
carbohydrates 28 g
sugar 6g
protein 11g
potassium 191
fiber 7
vitamin A 54%
vitamin C 104%
calcium 7%
iron 19%
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Dal Nirvana
Adapted from: http://pesto-chango.blogspot.com/2012/01/dal-nirvana.html
Ingredients:
1 cup dry green lentils
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
3 tsp. minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
1/2 tsp. ginger spice
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more depending on how spicy you want it)
4 tbsp. earth balance (or butter)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup silk creamer
Add lentils to large pot and cover with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and let cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils.
Return the drained lentils to the pot (medium heat), and mash some of them against the side of the pot so they open. Add the butter, ginger, garlic, cayenne, and a healthy dose of salt and pepper.
Add the can of tomatoes and one cup of water. Stir it all together, bring it to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Put a lid on the pot and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. When it's finished, the mixture will be soft and thick. If it's not, continue to simmer (I took the lid off), and add more water if the mixture dries out. The end product should be thick, not watery.
Stir in the cream, check for seasoning, and if desired, garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro. Serve over rice or with naan bread for dipping.
verdict: Pretty good. On first taste it tastes a little bit too much like canned tomatoes, but the spices give it a nice aftertaste.
Ingredients:
1 cup dry green lentils
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
3 tsp. minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
1/2 tsp. ginger spice
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more depending on how spicy you want it)
4 tbsp. earth balance (or butter)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup silk creamer
Add lentils to large pot and cover with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and let cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils.
Return the drained lentils to the pot (medium heat), and mash some of them against the side of the pot so they open. Add the butter, ginger, garlic, cayenne, and a healthy dose of salt and pepper.
Add the can of tomatoes and one cup of water. Stir it all together, bring it to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Put a lid on the pot and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. When it's finished, the mixture will be soft and thick. If it's not, continue to simmer (I took the lid off), and add more water if the mixture dries out. The end product should be thick, not watery.
Stir in the cream, check for seasoning, and if desired, garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro. Serve over rice or with naan bread for dipping.
verdict: Pretty good. On first taste it tastes a little bit too much like canned tomatoes, but the spices give it a nice aftertaste.
serving suggestion:
served over rice. possibly with some roasted cauliflower.
served over rice. possibly with some roasted cauliflower.
nutrition info:
makes 4 servings
for 1 serving:
calories 276
fat 12g
saturated fat 3g
polyunsaturated fat 3g
monounsaturated fat 5g
trans fat 0g
cholesterol 0
sodium 270mg
carbohydrates 29g
sugar 7g
protein 11g
fiber 6
calcium 3%
iron 32%
potassium 0
vitamin A 11%
vitamin C 5%
makes 4 servings
for 1 serving:
calories 276
fat 12g
saturated fat 3g
polyunsaturated fat 3g
monounsaturated fat 5g
trans fat 0g
cholesterol 0
sodium 270mg
carbohydrates 29g
sugar 7g
protein 11g
fiber 6
calcium 3%
iron 32%
potassium 0
vitamin A 11%
vitamin C 5%
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