French Inspired "Venison" Seitan Casserole

Yesterday was Litha, or Summer Solstice. I made lots of delicious food and sweets, but one of the dishes I want to share most with you is a French Inspired Casserole. The Original Recipe calls for Venison but I used Gardien Beef Tips, though you could easily use homemade seitan (I would have, if I'd had any prepared.)  The dish is super rich, and flavorful and tastes wonderful alongside roasted tomatoes with thyme, charred asparagus and soft bread for sopping up excess sauce. It's a fairly simple recipe though does require some advanced prep.

French Inspired "Venison" Seitan Casserole.

1 Yellow Onion
4 Cloves
8 Juniper Berries Crushed
8 Black Peppercorns Crushed
1 1/2 Cup Red Wine
2 Celery Stalks
2 Carrots
2 Bay Leaves
6 Whole Garlic Cloves sliced
Zest of half a lemon
5 Sprigs Rosemary
2 Packages Gardien Beefless Tips (or Equivalent amount of homemade Seitan)
All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Earth Balance
4 Shallots Sliced
2 Cups Brown Stock
2 Tbsp Raspberry Jam
1 Heaping Tbsp Marmite
1 Vegan Beef Bouillon Cube (Optional but recommended)


- First defrost Tips or Seitan (if frozen) Place seitan in a large bowl.

- Quarter the Onion and stick a clove in each quarter. Place the Onion Quarters into the bowl with the seitan.

- Add Juniper Berries, Crushed Pepper, Chopped celery Stalks, Chopped Carrots, Sliced Garlic, Bay Leaves, Lemon Zest, and Minced Rosemary from the five sprigs to the bowl. Stir with a large wooden spoon to combine.

- Place a medium sized sauce pan on the stove. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and add in the Marmite and Bullion Cube. Whisk until the marmite and cube dissolve and you have a nice brown liquid. Add in 1 cup of the red wine, and raspberry jam, whisk to combine and lower the heat. Simmer for five minutes.

- Pour the stock/wine mixture over the beef and veg in the bowl. Stir to combine and make sure everything gets nice and covered. Place the bowl in the fridge and let marinate overnight.

- After the stew has marinated. Melt the Butter and oil in a large fry pan on the stove. remove the Onions from the bowl discard cloves and slice onions thin. Slice the shallots as well. Add both onions and shallots to the butter in the pan, fry until brown.

- Place the Tips or Seitan in a zip-lock bag and dump in enough all purpose flour to cover all the pieces. Shake the bag around to make sure evenly coated.

- Once onions are cooked place them in a well oiled cast iron casserole dish.

- Use the same pan to fry the floured seitan. Fry until brown, and add it to the Casserole.

- Add the remaining veg to the casserole. Then strain the marinade into the casserole through a fine mesh sieve. Discard bay leaves, peppercorns and juniper berries. You can season to taste with additional pepper and salt if you like but it should be salty enough.

- Bake in the oven at 350'F for 1 1/2 hours until tender and marinade has reduced by half. Serve with roast tomatoes, asparagus, a salad and soft bread like pita.

PS: Sorry for the poor picture quality I was more interested in eating, drinking and being marry to care much about photography.

Toasted Cashew Noodles....

This dish came about because I was starving, and craving noodles. I don't normally crave noodles, but I really felt like rice noodles in some kind of Asian style sauce. I didn't feel like Peanut noodles, though I love them, and I suddenly had a simultaneous hankering for Cashews. I didn't really have many fresh veggies on hand, and wanted to keep the dish simple anyway so the preparation would be quick - the faster it's made the faster I eat! - and this is what came about.

Surprisingly this turned out super good, it's got the perfect balance of sweet, salty, spicy, tangy. I also think the cashew butter makes a great stand in for peanut butter, and lends a more mellow, yet complex and nutty flavor to the dish. I also really love the nice bit of crunch in each bite from the red cabbage garnish. I didn't have any cilantro on hand, but I imagine that would make a good garnish too, if you happen to have some. Of course if you want to 'beef' it up, you could also add some cubed baked or fried tofu, or maybe even some tempeh. But I kind of like it exactly as it is, light and easy. Two of my favorite things right now.

Toasted Cashew Noodles

For the Noodles

2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
3 Carrots Sliced thin
6 Radishes cut into thin half moons
3 Green Onions sliced (White and green parts separated)
2 Garlic cloves sliced thin
1/4 Cup Cashews
12oz Rice Noodles
1/4 C or less of thin sliced Red Cabbage

For the Sauce

1/4 Cup Creamy Cashew Butter
1/3 - 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk (Depending on how thick you want the sauce)
4 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Mirin
2 Tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice
2 tsp Cane Sugar
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp Sriracha or to taste

- Place the noodles in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until they are tender. Drain and set aside.

- Heat the Sesame Oil in a large frying pan. When it's hot add the carrot, and radish. Cook on high for about 5-7 minutes until the veg becomes soft and starts to brown. Add in the white parts of the onions, and the garlic. Lower the heat and sauté for another 3-4 minutes until everything is cooked to your liking.

- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small pot and stir until smooth. Turn the heat on high, and when it begins to simmer whisk it for about a minute. You just want to heat the sauce through long enough for it to smooth out.

- Add the Cooked Noodles to the pan of veg. Pour the sauce over, and mix to combine.

- Divide into bowls, and top with Green onions, and red cabbage.

- In a dry skillet toast the cashews over high heat for 5-8 minutes until they smell nutty and begin to brown.

- Top each bowl with a handful of cashews and enjoy!

Roasted Root Bowl...

I've really been craving root vegetables lately. Radishes, Turnips you name it. The problem is I eat them so seldom I don't really know what to do with them most of the time. This is one of those magical dishes born somewhat out of necessity. Meaning, it was really all I had on hand and I needed to make something for dinner.

I am beyond amazed at how well this turned out. It's a super simple dish to throw together, and despite the hour and fifteen minute cooking time it is super low effort. I kept it lightly and simply seasoned so as not to overpower any of the natural roasted flavor of the veg. All the flavors work so well together and I love the variety of texture between the different roots and the cous cous. I hope you enjoy it too!

Roasted Root bowl

2 medium Sized Turnips Diced
1 Large Parsnip cut into Half Moons
1 large Onion Diced
12 Radishes cut in Half
1/2 Bag of Baby Carrots Left whole if small otherwise cut in half
Olive Oil to taste
Maple Syrup to taste
Sea Salt to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Garlic Olive Oil Cous Cous

2 Cups Pearled Cous Cous
4 cups Water
1 Vegan Chicken Bouillon Cube
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Ground Turmeric
Garlic Infused Olive Oil to taste (Optional but recommended)
Minced Parsley to Garnish

- Combine everything for the Roasted Roots in a large glass baking dish. Stir it so it's all mixed together then cool it at 400'F for 1 hour.

- Increase the heat to 500'F and cook for an additional 15 minutes until the roots are nice and browned.

- Combine everything for the garlic cous cous (except the garlic infused oil, and the parsley) in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed.

- Drizzle garlic infused olive oil over the cous cous, and stir to combine.

- Plate the cous cous, top it with the roasted roots, and sprinkle the minced parsley over top. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Toast From Pajottenland....

This has seriously become my favorite lunch. It is super simple and super satisfying. I Love the combination of flavors and I think this is a great way to utilize radishes. Radishes are a vegetable I really love but hardly have occasion to use in anything other then a salad, I imagine other people find this to be true, and while in a salad is not a bad way to eat radishes, I do enjoy new creative ways to eat them.

This simple open-faced sandwich originated as a Belgian snack food. Coming from the Pajottenland area West of Brussels.  Pajottenland is famous for unfiltered, fermented Lambic beers, and stinky cheese. The traditional recipe calls for either Quark (A stinky cheese from the area) or sour cream, so it was easy enough to veganize using Vegan Sour Cream. You can make this with or without Daiya, I've done both, and love it both ways.  However you choose to make it, enjoy!

Toast from Pajottenland

1 loaf Dark Rye or Pumpernickel Bread Sliced.
1 Bunch Radishes Sliced thin
12oz Vegan Sour Cream
1-2 Shallots finely diced
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
3Tbsp chopped fresh Chives or Green Onions
Daiya Cheddar Cheese (Optional)
Minced Parsley to Garnish (Optional)

- Toast the Bread.

- In a bowl mix the sour cream, garlic powder, salt, pepper, shallot, and chives/onion.

- Spread a layer of the sour cream mixture over each slice of toasted bread.

- If using Daiya sprinkle a layer of the cheese over the sour cream.

- Place the sliced radishes on top.

- Sprinkle with parsley and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Red Curry Rice Soup...

 

I made this soup a lot over January. It's so quick and easy which I love, but it's also super warming, comforting and packed full of nutrition and flavor. Unfortunately I didn't really write down a recipe, but this is more or less how it goes.

Red Curry Rice Soup

1Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion Diced
6-8 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 tsp Ground Ginger
3 Cups Vegan Chicken Broth
1 15oz Can Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Red Curry Paste
1 tsp Sea Salt
2-3 Tbsp White Jasmine Rice
2-3 Baby Bok Choy
3-4 Green Onions sliced thin
1/4 tsp Gochujang or Red Pepper Flakes

- Heat the Olive Oil in a medium sized pot. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 4 minutes.

- Add the Vegan Chicken Broth and Rice. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. 10 Minutes.

- Add in the coconut milk, salt, and Red Curry Paste. Simmer another 10-15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

- Add the sliced Bok Choy Leaves, green onions and Gochujang. Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes just until the choy has wilted.

- Serve garnished with extra green onions, and Gochujang if desired.

Classic Ratatouille...

It had been way to long since my last blog entry, I realize that. I had hoped to get back to regular blogging after we returned from our Washington/Oregon Road Trip, but things were just hectic, and I didn't have the time nor the energy, nor the inclination to do much cooking, or blogging. I don't know if today will mark my return to blogging or not, but I did want to post this recipe that I made last week because I thought it turned out rather good, and who couldn't use more vegetables?

Classic Ratatouille

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves Minced
4 Large Tomatoes
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Red Pepper Diced
1 Yellow Pepper Diced
1 Medium Eggplant Diced
2 Large Zucchini Diced
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste Mixed with 1 Tbsp Water
1 tsp Sugar
1 Bay Leaf
3 Springs Thyme
1 Tbsp Minced Basil
1 Tbsp Minced Parsley
1-2 Additional Garlic Cloves to taste
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black or White Pepper to taste


- Score a cross into the bottom of each tomato.  Plunge into boiling water and boil for 20 seconds. remove from the water and blanch in ice water. peel the skins away from the tomato, and chop the tomato. Reserve.

- Heat 1Tbsp Oil in a pot. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes. Add the 4 garlic cloves, the red and yellow peppers. Cook for about 4 minutes and then remove the vegetables from the pan.

- Heat the second Tbsp of Oil in the same pan. When it's hot add the eggplant and cook for 4 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the zucchini and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the veggies are a nice deep brown.

- Add the Onion and Pepper mix back to the pot.  Add in the tomato paste mixture and stir well to combine. Cook for 2 minutes and then add in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Stir well and cover to cook for 20 minutes. Check the vegetables after 10 minutes and if they look too dry add in about 1/4 cup water.

- Mix the remaining 1 or 2 garlic cloves with the minced parsley. When your Ratatouille has finished cooking add the garlic/parsley mix and stir lightly just to combine.

- Serve your Ratatouille hot with crusty French Bread or Garlic Bread. Enjoy with a glass of red wine for good measure.

Vegan Mofo #22: Seitan Stew from The Hague...

When we were in The Netherlands back in March we stopped in the Hague on our way from Brussels to Amsterdam. It was it was only scheduled to be a pit-stop, a one day adventure, a chance to see the Peace Palace, some other historical landmarks and the Girl with the Pearl Earring. I had not intended to fall in love with The Hague, but I did. The people there - and everywhere in The Netherlands really - were so friendly, the city was so calm and peaceful, a really nice change of pace from busy Brussels and crazy Amsterdam. I wish we had been able to stay their longer, and I wish we could have eaten more of the local food.

Our trip to The Netherlands inspired me to check out some books on Dutch cooking, and in one of those books I found a recipe for ‘Duck Stew from The Hague’ That sounded interesting to me, and since I’d already tailored my go-to seitan Chicken recipe to be a bit richer as a stand-in for Duck I thought I’d give this stew a try. It didn’t turn out quite like I thought it would, but it was still good. I have the feeling that it is lacking something though I can’t quite put my finger on what. I’ll have to play around with it in the future to get it just right, but overall I thought the experiment went well. The stew was tasty, and rich, and I liked the combination of red wine, olives, mushrooms and onions. Put olives in anything and I’m bound to eat it.

Seitan Stew from The Hague

Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Nondairy Butter
1 ½ lb’s Chicken Style Seitan
1 Large Onion Diced
2 Cups Vegan Chicken Broth or 2 Cups Water + 2 Vegan Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 1/4 Red Wine
1 tsp Dried Tarragon
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 ½ Cups Pitted Green Olives
1 Leek (White and Light Green Part Only) Sliced
2 Cups Button Mushrooms Sliced
6 Garlic Cloves Minced
1/4 C All Purpose Flour
½ Bunch Parsley Minced

- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add seitan and brown on all sides. About 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.

- Melt the nondairy butter in the pan, add the onion, and leek. Saute for 5 minutes until tender.

- Add the Mushrooms, and Garlic, saute for another 5-10 minutes until veggies are soft.

- Add in the flour, and stir to combine, coating all veggies.

- Add in the stock, wine, olives, seitan, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 40 minutes.

- Add parsley and stir to combine. Serve in large bowls with toasted bread and extra parsley for garnish.

Chickpea Flour Scramble - With Breakfast Taco Option...

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a while now, but I’ve found myself preoccupied of late. Sorry for the long absence, but I hope this recipe will make up for it. So, on the 23rd of April I really wanted a hearty breakfast. I woke up ravenous and desiring a scramble of some sort. Unfortunately I didn’t have any tofu on hand, neither did I have any canned chickpeas to make Isa’s Chickpea Scramble. However, it occurred to me in a brief moment of culinary genius that if I could make a scramble with whole beans, why couldn’t I make a scramble with chickpea flour? I had heard of it done before, and didn’t think it could be all that hard. I imagined it was somewhat like making a socca - which I love - and so I set to the task of making a chickpea flour scramble.

I was very skeptical that it would work out, especially in the beginning when I realized that the chickpea flour mix just didn’t want to break apart. The whole thing clumped together and wasn’t cooking. I thought I was going to have to scrap the whole endeavor - and no doubt if you try this recipe you might just think the same thing at first, but trust me, it works! - lucky for me I have patience - which is what this recipe needs - I kept at it and was rewarded by one of the most brilliant breakfasts ever. In fact I loved it so much I ended up making it the next day for my husband and I, as he hadn’t been home when I made it the first time. Skeptical as he was, he loved it too, and we devoured this scramble in taco form, though in my opinion it’s also just as good without the tortillas and extras.

What I love about this recipe is you can make the chickpea flour taste like whatever you like, I kept it simple and kept a traditional scramble flavor but you can literally add anything. You can add any spices you can add any vegetables and it creates the perfect gluten-free, and soy free scramble alternative for those who have allergies or sensitivities. More and more people are avoiding soy and gluten but that doesn’t mean they have to cut scrambles out of their lives too.

Personally I think this scramble has a better texture and mouth feel then a tofu scramble. Don’t get me wrong I do love tofu scrambles but I prefer a slightly dryer scramble and tofu scrambles usually have a bit of wetness to them. Also I think that the chickpea scramble mimics eggs better then tofu as it gets firm, but also retains that spongy, springy, softness of an egg. So if you’re looking for a new scramble to try give this one a go. I know it probably sounds weird but trust me the reward is worth it, I know you’ll love it.

Chickpea Flour Scramble 

1 ½ C Chickpea Flour
2 ½ C Water
1 tsp Black Slat
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

3 Green Onions diced
1 Ripe Tomato Diced

For Tacos 

Corn Tortillas
Shredded lettuce or Salad Mix
Vegan Cheese
Ketchup
Hot Sauce


- Lightly oil a medium sized pan, and heat over medium heat.

- In a bowl combine the chickpea flour through the black pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.

- Once the pan is hot add the chickpea flour mixture to the heated pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the top looks glossy and the edges look cooked.

This is how it'll look when you first pour it into the pan

- Using a metal spatula begin scrambling the half-cooked mixture as you would scrambled eggs. Begin by folding and flipping the mixture over. Let it cook another 2 minutes or so and begin flipping again. Bare in mind that the mixture will be sticky and it will only be partially cooked making it difficult to fold, and separate but keep at it. It does take some time but use your spatula to continue to break the mass into smaller and smaller chunks, flipping them and cutting them. It should take at least 10 minutes.

After about 10 minutes

- After 10 minutes the mixture should be a bit dryer and it should be easier to break into pieces. The pan may well be very dry at this time and you can add a touch more olive oil to the pan to help prevent sticking as well as to help crisp up the chickpea mix. About a tablespoon of oil should be more then enough. Continue to flip and break up the chickpea mixture into smaller pieces with your spatula. Another 10 minutes and you should have some small and medium sized chunks, it should by now resemble a more traditional tofu or egg scramble.

Another 10 Minutes 

- When you have the chickpea mix broken into the size chunks you prefer, and they’re nicely dried and cooked through add in your green onions and cook another minute.

We're almost there, it's time for green onions!

- Add in your tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes.

Just about done, add your tomatoes!

- Your scramble should be more then ready now, and you can eat it as is - as you would any traditional tofu scramble. You can eat it on toast, as a side with ketchup, or as I did in tacos.

The finished product, so worth the effort!

- For Chickpea Flour Scramble Tacos spoon some of the chickpea scramble into a corn tortilla, top with your favorite shredded vegan cheese, a handful of shredded lettuce or salad mix, and then drizzle with ketchup or hot sauce as you desire. It would probably even be good with salsa.

Tacos anyone?

ENJOY!!

Cream of Leek Soup with Pink Peppercorns...

Believe it or not I came up with this recipe on the plane from Brussels to Chicago. It was partially inspired by a side dish of curried leeks I ate while in Luxembourg City. I was thinking about that dish on the plane ride home, and thinking how happy I was that spring was finally upon us. Leeks seemed to be a pretty popular meal item most places we went in Europe, which was fine by me since I love them so. You might think that after weeks of eating them I might be bored of them, but that wasn’t the case at all, in fact I only wanted more, and for whatever reason I kept thinking curry, coconut leek soup. This idea just wouldn’t leave my brain the entire plane ride home, and somewhere over the Atlantic I came up with the idea of adding fancy pink peppercorns and tarragon into the mix. Sounds crazy I know, but damn if it wasn’t delicious! This made a nice sized pot of soup, but my husband devoured most of it in one sitting. I wouldn’t be surprised if you did as well.

Cream of Leek Soup with Pink Peppercorns 

3 Medium-Large sized Leeks
6 Cloves Garlic Minced
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Tarragon
1 15oz Can Coconut Milk
2 C Vegan Chicken Broth
½-1 tsp Pink Peppercorns crushed
Green Onions or Chives to Garnish
Sea Salt to taste

- Thoroughly wash the leeks and slice thinly.

- Melt the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, garlic, and curry powder and saute for 6-10 minutes until leeks are bright green, soft and fragrant.

- Add the Vegan Chicken broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

- Carefully remove leek and broth mixture form the pot, place in a high-speed blender and blend on high until completely smooth.

- Return the soup to the pot, and add in the coconut milk, tarragon and ½-1 tsp of Sea Salt - or to taste. Stir until the coconut milk is completely blended into the soup, then let simmer for about 5 minutes.

- Turn off the heat and stir in the pink pepper corns and green onions or chives. Saving a little of each to garnish each bowl. Serve and enjoy.

9 Days of Valentine's: Part 8...

And on the eighth day we broke from our French/Italian inspired menu and went Spanish with Paella. I can’t say I ever ate paella before. As I’ve mentioned I wasn’t a big fan of seafood growing up, and my exposure to Spanish food was limited to mostly Tex-Mex creations. Even when I grew up and started cooking for myself I never found the idea of Paella all that exciting. But a vegan paella? Well, why the heck not?

I used the recipe from Annie and Dan Shannon’s book “Betty Goes Vegan” It was simple and thought there were a few separate steps the recipe actually came together relatively quickly and without much fuss. I liked that. I’ve seen other vegan paella recipes that are either ultra simple - to the point of not needing a recipe - or way too complicated. The Shannon’s recipe seemed to have just the right level of down-home comfort, mixed with fancy-complication.

Now, in case you didn’t know outside of Spain paella is considered the national dish of Spain, though most Spaniards consider paella to be a regional Valencia dish. Paella has a long history in the country with ancient roots, and many variations and stories or origin - considered by food historians to be a union of two important cultures Roman, and Arab. There are three common types of paella - and variations on each. One is the traditional Valencia Paella, containing meat, greens, and beans. Seafood Paella which contains seafood, and vegetables. Then Mixed Paella which is more of a ‘free-style’ dish that can include anything from meat and seafood to greens other vegetables and beans.

I would classify the Shannon’s recipe as Paella Mixto, since it used Vegan Shrimp, Vegan Italian Sausage, Rice, Artichoke, Faux Chicken and Wine Broth, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic, Green Beans, tomatoes and spices. One of the classic features of paella is also that when cooked over an open flame the rice on the bottom of the pan gets crispy and this is the most prized part of any good paella. Of course when you bake a paella - as the Shannon’s recipe does’ a crispy rice crust is harder to come by, but the paella was still delicious, and I’m a bit grateful for the non-crispy rice. I have too many old fillings I’d be afraid of cracking on rock-hard kernels of rice.

So, this was my first experience both cooking and eating a paella. I fond the experience of cooking it really enjoyable. I loved every minute in my kitchen preparing the vegetables and vegan meats, layering everything together and smelling it as it baked. There was something really satisfying about creating and eating this ancient dish for the first time, like I was inspiring some Roman-Moorish alchemy in my kitchen. However despite the fun I had cooking, I did not find the dish to be as delicious as I’d hoped. I don’t think this is the fault of paella in particular or the Shannon’s recipe specifically, I think this has more to do with the fact that I don’t think I’m really all that fond of Vegan Shrimp. They’re too realistic for me, they’re too much like actual shrimp that it kind of creeps me out. Since I was never big on seafood to begin with, the fact that they’re so real isn’t really a selling point for me.

That being said I would most definitely make paella again, and I would even use the Shannon’s recipe again but next time I’ll leave out the vegan shrimp and replace it with more sausage or some vegan chicken instead.

Check back tomorrow to see what we had on Day 9 our final day of celebration. I’ll give you a hint, it’s Italian!

Stir-Fried Tempeh and Snow Peas in Black Bean Sauce...

This is just a really quick and easy stir-fry that would be good for dinner any night of the week. Simply prepared, it comes together without much effort making it perfect for busy nights. It was inspired by the limited produce I had in my fridge last week, and by my last trip to the Asian market where I got a huge jar of Black Bean Paste for a reasonable price. If you love Black Bean Sauce as much as me, and you’re in need of a good stir-fry recipe to throw into rotation, this one certainly satisfies.

Stir-Fried Tempeh and Snow Peas in Black Bean Sauce 

1tsp Sesame Oil
½ Large Yellow Onion Diced
*** 8oz Tempeh Sliced
10oz Snow Peas trimmed
3 Large Green Onions Sliced
3 Tbsp Black Bean Paste
4 Tbsp Water (or more to thin as desired)
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
4 Cloves Garlic Minced
Brown Rice for serving

- In a small bowl whisk together the black bean paste, water, agave nectar and minced garlic.

- Place the tempeh in a shallow dish or sealable container, pour the marinade over top and cover. Let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate and marinate for several hours.

- Heat Sesame Oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When sizzling add the yellow onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until soft.

- Using a fork remove the tempeh form the marinade, shaking off as much marinade as possible before placing the tempeh into the sizzling pan.

- Cook Tempeh without stirring for 2-4 minutes until browned. Then flip and cook another 2-4 minutes. If needed, add a little bit of water to the pan to deglaze the pan and prevent the tempeh from sticking.

- Add the snow peas and cook for 3 minutes until bright green.

- Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and stir to combine everything. Cook for 3-4 minutes until everything is heated through and the marinade has reduced slightly. Add in the green onions and stir to combine. Let the dish sit for a couple of minutes to let the green onions wilt slightly.

- Serve the stir-fry over brown rice and enjoy!

*** Note - To make this soy-free you could use seitan in place of the tempeh*** 

Zuppa Toscana...

This may come as a surprise to ‘die-hard’ Zuppa Toscana fans but I have never had a bowl of this - seemingly - famous soup, until today. Unbeknownst to me this is everyone’s favorite soup at the ‘Italian’ Restaurant chain Olive Garden, and though I’ve eaten there many times I’ve never had it. So why did I decide to make a vegan version? Well, the answer is really quite simple, this past week I kept seeing recipes for homemade Zuppa Toscana popping up on Facebook and other social media. My first reaction after reading the ingrieients list was ‘gross’ and ‘so unhealthy’ as the original contains loads of sausage, bacon and heavy cream, but then my second thought was ‘but what if it was vegan?’ and so for the past few days I’ve been dreaming of a veganized version of a soup I’ve never eaten, crazy right?

Today, as it happens was also a perfect day for soup as it’s quite damp, cold and rainy outside. Wonderful soup weather and so I happily set to the kitchen to try my hand at this unknown delicacy. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, something creamy, salty, smokey and spicy I guess, and really this soup did not disappoint. It’s loaded with so much delicious flavor, and made me go back for a second bowl. Further proof that food doesn’t need animal flesh or secretions to be tasty and decadent.

Zuppa Toscana 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1lb Vegan Italian Sausage Sliced - I used Field Roast
1 Large Yellow Onion diced
12 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
4 ½ C Vegan Chicken Broth - or Vegetable Broth
6-8 Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes diced- I used 8 and made a  mix of both
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 C Kale torn into bite-sized pieces
½ to 2/3 of a 15oz Can Full Fat Coconut Milk - How much you use depends on how many potatoes you use.
1-2 tsp Liquid Smoke - I used 2 tsp.
Ground Black Pepper to taste
1/4 C Minced Parsley

- Heat half the Olive Oil in the medium sized sauce pan over medium-high heat.

- When sizzling, add in the sliced Italian Sausage and cook until browned. About 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot, and place on a plate, set aside.

- Heat the remaining oil in the pot, and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until golden and fragrant.

- Add in the red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds, saute another 2 minutes.

- Add in the Vegan Chicken broth, the potatoes, and the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for five minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

- Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon crush some of the potatoes to thicken the soup. Leave some potatoes whole because you want the soup chunky, you want to crush just enough to get a nice creamy thickness.

- Once potatoes have been crushed, add in the cooked Italian Sausage, and simmer for five minutes.

- Add in the Kale, and coconut milk and simmer for an additional 6 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.

- Turn off the heat, add in the minced parsley, and liquid smoke and stir to combine. Add in black pepper as desired and taste for seasonings, adjust as needed. Let stand 10 minutes before serving so that the flavors have time to develop.

- Enjoy with some nice crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

*** Note - Field Roast is NOT gluten-free, but you can make this soup Gluten-Free buy using a GF Vegan Sausage.***

Quickie Pan Gravy...

The other day when My husband and I had our little impromptu Thanksgiving celebration I needed to make a gravy to go with our holiday roast. Unfortunately since the dinner was impromptu my resources were limited as I had not been shopping. Using what I had on hand at the time I came up with this super simple, yet super flavorful gravy. I couldn’t believe just how good it turned out, and it tasted amazing on our roast and our mashed potatoes. So if you’re in a bind this year, and you need a quickie gravy, this is the one for you. Or if you just want to cut a few corners, and do less work - who’d blame you? - I got you covered.

Quickie Pan Gravy 

1/4 C Earth Balance
1/4 Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 tsp Minced Dried Onion
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 Vegan Beef Bouillon Cube
1 ½ C Water
2 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Red Wine
1 tsp Thyme Leaves
Black Pepper to taste

- Melt the Earth Balance in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.

- Whisk in the flour. Whisk vigorously to form a roux, when the Earth Balance and Flour have come together and are beginning to turn golden, and smell toasty, add in the water, vegan bouillon, onion, and garlic.

- Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and let simmer, whisking frequently.

- Add in the Tamari, Red Wine, Thyme Leaves and black pepper.

- Continue to whisk on low heat until the gravy has thickened. This should take about 5 minutes.

- Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, remove the gravy from the heat. Pour it into a serving bowl and use liberally on your favorite holiday roast or a mound of mashed potatoes.