Our Veggie Kitchen

Lasagna is a big deal. It just is! The closest thing I've come to streamlining the process is to do as much multi-tasking as possible, or to make the different parts ahead of time and refrigerate them. Still, it's an ordeal. Luckily, sometimes it's worth it because a good lasagna is so good.



Veggie Lasagna with Fennel Marinara
1lb lasagna noodles
10 oz spinach, chopped (or frozen)
4 cups broccoli florets
2 zucchini, chopped
2 tbs almonds, ground

Marinara:
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 carrot, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white wine
28 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup basil, chopped

Bechamel:
2 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
2 tbs flour
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 tsp salt
Ricotta:

1 lb firm tofu, drained & crumbled
1 tbs olive oil
3 tbs miso
1/4 tsp salt
1 small lemon, juiced

For the Marinara:
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, fennel and carrots. Saute until the onions are soft, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute for another minute or so, until the garlic becomes aromatic then stir in the wine, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil and set aside.

For the Bechamel:
Melt the margarine in a sauce pan, over medium-high heat, until it begins to bubble. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until the flour begins to brown. Remove from heat and add the soy milk. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. As soon as the sauce comes to a boil, remove from the heat and set aside.

For the Ricotta:
Crumble the drained tofu into a bowl. Stir in the oil, miso, salt and lemon juice.

For the veggies:
Rinse and chop the spinach and add to a saute pan with only the water that clings to the leaves. Cook over medium high heat until the spinach has completely wilted and the water has mostly evaporated. In batches, press the spinach between two saucers to drain and set aside. If using frozen, thaw, chop, squeeze out the water and set aside.

Add the broccoli and zucchini to the saute pan with about half a cup of water and cover. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the broccoli softens. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Assembly:
Cook the pasta until the noodles are pliable, but not completely cooked. Pour off most of the hot water and add enough cold water or ice so you can grab the noodles with your hand.

Add enough marinara to coat the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Add a layer of noodles (1/4 of package), then half the broccoli and zucchini, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the bechamel and 1/4 of the remaining marinara.

Add another layer of noodles, followed by the spinach, 1/3 of the ricotta and 1/3 of the bechamel.

Add another layer of noodles, then the remaining broccoli and zucchini, the remaining ricotta mixture and 1/4 of the marinara.

Finally, add the remaining pasta, then the marinara, then the bechamel. Top with ground almonds. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until bubbling, probably 30-45 minutes. Bake time will be longer if the sauces have been refrigerated. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

8 Servings: 585 cal (16g fat, 86g carbs, 35g protein)

I knew I wanted to make veggie enchiladas. I knew I wanted a citrus flavor and I knew I didn't want beans. I also knew that I was trying out a new sauce. What I didn't know is how amazingly good these enchiladas would turn out!

I simmered some sweet potatoes and zucchini in a sweet and tangy citrus sauce, added in some brown rice and mango. The filling was good on its own was good and much of it didn't make it to the enchiladas. Luckily, I made more than I'd need. Then I rolled the filling up in tortillas and poured my SIL's California Chili Pepper Enchilada Sauce, which turned out to be a perfect complement to the filling. So Good.



Sweet & Citrus Veggie Enchiladas
10 flour tortillas or 20 small corn tortillas
1 recipe California Chili Enchilada Sauce
1 mango, diced
1 sweet potato, diced
1 red onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chunked
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups brown rice, cooked
Citrus Sauce:
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1 zest of one orange
2 oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced
1 tbs tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced

For the filling, combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside. Saute the onion in vegetable oil. Add the sweet potato and saute for a couple minutes, then pour the citrus sauce into the pan with the zucchini. Cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the cilantro, mango and brown rice and prepare to spoon the filling into the tortillas.

Add a few spoonfuls of enchilada sauce into a 9x13 casserole, just enough to cover. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into a pie dish For each tortilla, dip into the sauce and flip, so both sides are coated. Add 3-4 heaping tablespoons of filling. Wrap each tortilla and place tightly into the casserole. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until bubbling.

5 Servings: 569 Cal (12g fat, 105g carbs, 14g protein)

Last time we visited my parents, my sister-in-law made enchiladas with her mom's enchilada sauce. My boy has been bugging me to make it ever since, so I finally broke down and called Martha for the recipe. Its a simple sauce made with rehydrated chili peppers, some tomatoes, onion and garlic. The sauce is bright red, fairly mild, and has a refreshing & not at all smoky, flavor.

I've also posted a black bean mole sauce and my favorite-in-the-world Tex-Mex Enchilada Sauce and this one makes a nice addition to the group. It is especially good with the delicious citrus enchiladas posted above.



California Chili Enchilada Sauce

3 oz dried California red peppers (1 large bag)
4 dried arbol peppers
2 tomatoes, whole
1 cup water (or water reserved from peppers)
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 whole cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Add the dried peppers and tomatoes to a pot of boiling water and simmer until the peppers have hydrated and turned bright red, about 20 minutes. Drain peppers onto a plate or strainer. For each pepper, cut the top off, and make a slit down one side. Rinse under cool water to wash out the seeds. Add the peppers and tomatoes to a blender along with a cup of water. If you want a warmer sauce, use the water you used to boil the peppers.

While the peppers are boiling, saute the onion and cloves in oil. When the onions begin to brown, add the garlic and cook until aromatic. Add them to the blender with the peppers. Blend the entire contents until smooth and add the salt to taste. Push the sauce through a strainer for a better consistency. Makes about 3+ cups, plenty for a casserole of enchiladas.

5 Servings: 99 cal (4g fat, 16g carbs, 2g protein)

Saturday was Pi day, a celebration of all things with a radius. We had friends over to celebrate and I made a seven layer taco dip with a new and improved nacho cheeze sauce and a DIY PI-erogi bar. The Pierogis were good, and it was fun letting everyone stuff the dumplings with their own goodies. And the Nacho Sauce was a huge hit.

I've made nacho sauce before and it's amazing when hot, but it's got cornstarch, so when it cools, it gets a bit clumpy. So I tinkered a bit and came up with a version that is creamy and dippable, at room temperature. This sauce was perfect.



Dippable Nacho Sauce
1/2 cup cashews, ground
4 oz pimentos
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1 tsp salt
2 tbs Tofutti Better Cream Cheese
2 tbs water (about)

Add all ingredients except water to the blender. Blend thoroughly. Drizzle in water 1 or 2 tbs at a time until a desired consistency is reached. Pour into a serving dish or refrigerate for later. Makes a little over a cup of sauce.

My blender doesn't do nuts well, so I put my nuts in a ziplock baggie, crush them a bit with a rolling pin, then grind them in a coffee grinder. If your equipment isn't great, this works like a charm.

5 Servings: 127 cal (8g fat, 10g carbs, 6g protein)



For the Seven Layer Dip, I did the following:
Layer 1: a can of refried beans mixed with 1 tbs taco seasoning.
Layer 2: quinoa cooked in 2/3 water and 1/3 salsa (awesome for tacos too)
Layer 3: Nacho Sauce
Layer 4: Tofutti Cream Cheese & Sour Cream mixed
Layer 5-7: Tomatos, Olives & Cilantro

For the Pierogi's, I used VeganDad's dough recipe, with some vegan sour cream added. For filling, I had nacho sauce, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onions, mashed potatoes and a mix of onions, potatoes, green peppers,and andouille sausage.



And finally, a pic of my wife and her Pi Day Henna.

Chicken Marsala used to be a staple comfort food. And, although I've used Marsala in sauces, I haven't made the mushroom-laden Marsala sauce since I went veg. I'm not sure why, though, because Chicken Marsala has always been a lot more about the sauce than what you pour over it. Here's a recipe for a faintly lemony fried tofu and a sweet and tangy Marsala sauce. Once again, I am comforted.



Tofu Marsala
Tofu:
1 lb tofu, drained
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice flour (or more flour)
1 small lemon, zested
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup parsley
oil for frying
Sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbs tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Marsala wine (I use dry)
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 tbs Earth Balance

For the tofu: Pour enough oil in a large saute to coat the bottom. Heat to medium high. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut each slice diagonally to form triangles. Mix the remaining tofu ingredients in a bowl. Working in batches, if necessary, coat each tofu slice in the seasoned flour then place into the hot saute pan. Turn each slice when it browns and begins to crisp. Remove and set on a plate. If working in batches, place cooked tofu in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.

For the Sauce: Saute the onions and sliced mushrooms in oil until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Add the Marsala wine and cook until the sauce has thickened to a syrup consistency. You will be able to scrape the sauce pan with a wooden spoon and the sauce will ooze back to fill where you scraped. Remove from the heat and stir in the earth balance, then add the lemon juice and parsley and stir again.

Plate the tofu and pour the sauce over each slice.

Note: I started frying the first of two batches of tofu, then started the sauce and each finished at about the same time.

4 Servings: 271 cal (23g fat, 17g carbs, 10g protein)

My favorite pesto has always been a simple affair with quality ingredients. Good extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil and the best parmesan cheese you could find. I've been putting off veganizing this because I thought the cheese was essential.

This pesto remains simple. It's quick, easy and endlessly versatile. I used this batch to make a pound of pasta, some pesto butter and a batch of creamy pesto salad dressing.



Basic Vegan Pesto
1/4 cup cashews, ground
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups basil (packed), divided
1 cup parsley (packed), divided
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs miso
1/2 small lemon, juiced

Roughly chop the basil and parsley. Mix the herbs together and split in half. Blend together the oil and cashews, then add to the blender half the herbs, garlic, salt, miso and lemon juice. Blend thoroughly. Mince the remaining herbs, add to the blender and pulse, just to combine. Makes about a cup of pesto.


Pesto Spaghetti
1 Spaghetti or other pasta
1/2 cup Basic Pesto (about 1/2 recipe)

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and stir in pesto.

4 Servings: 579 cal (18g fat, 88g carbs, 16g protein)


Pesto Butter
6 Tbs Earth Balance, Softened
2 Tbs Basic Pesto

Cream together the pesto and margarine. Chill until it hardens to desired consistency.

8 Servings: 114 cal (12g fat, 1g carbs, 0g protein)


Creamy Pesto Vinegarette
3 Tbs Basic Pesto
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegenaise
1 tbs arrow root
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and blend in in an immersion blender. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

16 Servings (4g fat, 2g carbs, 1g protein)

My wife won't eat soup unless she can drink it through a straw. So I was excited when she requested lentil soup this weekend. I kept it simple, steered away from chunky veggies and went with a soupy dal. The coconut milk was a great addition. It added a nice flavor, while keeping any heat at bay.



Curried Lentil Soup
1 lb lentils (about 2 cups)
2 quarts water
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, grated
1 tbs ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp garam marsala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) - optional
10 curry leaves - optional
1 small can coconut milk (5.5 oz)

Saute the onions in oil until they have browned fully, but not burnt. Add ginger and garlic, stir around, then add the spices, curry leaves and tomatoes. Stir until fragrant, then add the lentils, water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and bring back to a boil. Fish out the curry leaves before serving.

6 Servings: 375 cal (12g fat, 49g carbs, 23g protein)

I've been making lots of salad dressing. And since I need an excuse to eat all my dressing, I've been eating lots of salad too. I love adding cold, baked tofu to salads and this is the one I've been making. The marinade is amazing and, when baked into tofu, adds a subtle sweet & citrus flavor.



Sweet Lime Tofu
1 lb tofu, drained
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 lime, zested
1 lime, juiced
1 large clove garlic
1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
dash cayenne pepper, more to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour them in a 9 x 13 casserole with the tofu cubes. Toss to combine and bake uncovered at 350 degrees. Gently toss every ten minutes until the tofu is browned on all sides and the moisture is baked off.

4 Servings: 109 cal (6f fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein)

Yesterday was a confluence of ideas and requests. My wife was working out with a friend, so I was to make two dinners, one early for the kids, and alter for the adults.

My girls were introduced to hush puppies a couple weeks ago and have been begging for them ever since. I made them hush puppies and sammiches. I rarely deep fry anything, so, while I had the oil out, I decided to whip up some pakora batter and fry up some zucchini and mushrooms to go with the baked sweet potato fries, a perfect complement to the lady's health conscious efforts. I also make tofu Rueben sandwiches piled high with tofu, cabbage and thousand island dressing.



German Style Seed Bread
Alisa posted this bread on her blog: One Frugal Foodie. Her blog is dairy free and usually include vegan alternatives. She's got some yummy bread and baking recipes.

The German Bread is a no knead and looked pretty good. I ended up swapping some of flour (1 1/2 cups rye, 1 1/2 cups white and 2 1/2 cups whole wheat) and used 1/2 cup crushed flax and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds. This recipe made a dense, heavy and very filling bread. But in a good way. It was delicious and hearty and easy.



Tofu Reuben Sandwich
I've seen a couple of tofu Reuben sandwiches pop around the ether, and I wanted to try something a bit different. Corned beef is a brined meat, and tofu is naturally absorptive, so I decided to brine the tofu in corned beef spices for a couple of days. The brine was perfect, but didnt' soak into the tofu as much as I wanted. The sandwiches were good, especially on the fresh bread, but the tofu needs some tinkering. Maybe next time, I'll have a winner.



Sweet Potato Fries
These were another work in progress. I baked them in oil, brown sugar, cumin, cilantro and lime juice, but they came out soggy. I think I've got to find a way to introduce the lime juice without turning them to mush. The taste was great though, so they're worth some additional effort.

I'm pretty new to the world of tempeh. I don't know that I actually like the flavor, but the texture lends itself well to burgers. I made VeganDad's tempeh burgers a few weeks ago and have been making some sort of burger or meatball frequently ever since. I've got a personal vendetta against bread crumbs and usually try something else instead. This time it was chickpea flour. I was going to use some mashed pinto beans instead and next time I'll try that combination.



Chipotle Burgers
12 oz tempeh, grated
1 onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
2 tbs adobo sauce
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp browning sauce
1/2 cup canned corn
2 tbs juice from canned corn
3/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea flour (or smashed pinto beans)

Cook the tempeh in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Remove and cool. Grate the onion and tempeh, so that there are no whole beans, but they are not mashed to a paste. Add all other ingredients and need dough until the wheat gluten begins to bind. You may cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Split into 10 evenly sized balls and flatten the balls into thin patties.

When you are ready to make the burgers, pour some vegetable oil onto a cookie sheet, put in the oven and set it to preheat to 400 degrees. When the oven is heated, put the patties on the hot baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

10 Servings: 160 cal (8g fat, 10g carbs, 14g protein)