Gumbo z'Herbes with Cajun Tempeh Bacon

Most people outside of my home state have never had this "Greens Gumbo," but it's an authentic Louisiana dish. Traditionally, it was made without meat to serve during Lent, but with Louisianians being the great seafood and meat lovers they are, ham and seafood eventually made their way into this naturally vegetarian soup. Well, now they've made their way out again!

You can use any kind of greens you want in this gumbo--the more varieties the better. I've heard it said that for each green that's put into the soup, you'll make another new friend during the coming year. So don't hesitate to add more than the 5 (including parsley) greens I've used. You can never have too many friends!

I've paired this with my favorite tempeh dish, Cajun Tempeh Bacon, but if you prefer, you can add one of the optional protein ingredients instead. But the spicy, smoky tempeh really takes it to a new level.



Gumbo z'Herbes
(click for printer-friendly version)

1/4 cup flour (I used white whole wheat but may be omitted)
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
12 cups water or vegetable broth (I used water)
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped
1 pound chopped turnip greens (I used frozen)
10 ounces spinach leaves
1 cup minced parsley, packed
8-10 ounces collard greens, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups chopped)
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (or to taste)
salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: 3 cups beans (great northern are good) or 1 pound smoked tofu, cubed

First, brown the flour in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. (If you avoid flour products, you may skip this ingredient entirely, but it will give the gumbo a richer, deeper flavor.) Add the flour to the hot skillet and stir constantly, scraping the bottom, until it is a uniform medium-brown, about the color of light brown sugar:



Expect to spend about 10 minutes browning the flour. Be careful not to burn it! If it burns, please throw it out and start over.

When the flour is browned, remove it to a plate to cool.

Put the onions in a large soup pot, and brown them for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaves and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the browned flour and stir well. Add the water, a little bit at a time at first, stirring well. Add all the remaining ingredients (except optional ones) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all the vegetables are tender.

Once the vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes) puree the soup using a hand blender or remove it to a blender and puree. Put it back into the pot and add any optional ingredients and continue to cook for at least 1 hour. (Longer cooking lets the flavors develop.) Just before serving, check the seasoning and add more liquid smoke, salt, hot sauce, and pepper, if needed. Serve over brown rice.

Cajun Tempeh Bacon
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This is probably my favorite tempeh recipe. Besides going well with Gumbo z'Herbes, this makes a great TLT sandwich. If you have time, steaming the tempeh for about 15 minutes before marinating improves the flavor and the absorption of the marinade.

Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
2 tablespoons water
4 drops toasted sesame oil (optional, but good)
1-3 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce (I used 1 tbsp. of Cajun Power, which is not as hot as Tabasco, though more flavorful)
1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 package tempeh (I used LightLife Flax tempeh), cut into 1/4-inch slices
Optional: Cajun seasoning blend

Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Place the tempeh slices in either a large ziplock bag or in a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the tempeh and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. Stir or shake the bag gently from time to time to distribute the marinade.

Drain the marinade from the tempeh and reserve it. Spray or wipe a non-stick skillet with a little canola oil and place it over medium-high heat. When it's hot, lay the tempeh in the skillet, spoon a bit of the marinade over the top, and cook until marinade evaporates and tempeh begins to brown. Sprinkle lightly with Cajun seasoning (optional) and flip over. Sprinkle that side with seasoning and cook until lightly toasted. Serve hot.

I'm a little late to the party, but if she'll have it, I'm sending this recipe over to Alanna's Soup's On event over at A Veggie Venture. Hop on over and check out the HUGE list of vegetarian soups. You're sure to find something tasty to take the chill off.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live

Yaki-Fu Stew

This package of roasted gluten has been in my pantry ever since I bought it at the Hong Kong Market right after Thanksgiving. I've been searching for a way to use it but couldn't find a mention of it in any of my Japanese or Asian cookbooks (including Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East). I came up almost as empty on the internet, though I was able to piece together that dried, roasted gluten is called yaki-fu in Japan and that it is used in soups and simmered dishes like sukiyaki.

You can see from the photo that yaki-fu looks like croûtons or bread that has been toasted and dried. The kind I bought is very hard and sometimes nearly 3/4-inch thick. (I tried to break a piece before cooking and couldn't; when I tried to cut it, it tended to crumble so I stopped for fear of losing too much to crumbs.) When it's cooked, it absorbs water and becomes easy to break apart, though since it's made completely of wheat protein, it doesn't dissolve in water like bread would. It has a texture that's hard to describe, different from any food than I can think of--spongy like frozen tofu but puffier, rougher, and less dense. Whatever flavor it has comes from the broth that it's cooked in.

Obviously, this isn't a gluten-free food, but for vegetarians who are avoiding soy, roasted gluten is an excellent source of protein. One ounce contains almost 10 grams of protein and only 58 calories. To make this stew, I used about 1/3 of an 8-ounce package, which was more than enough for a 4-serving pot of stew. (Never fear: If you can't use roasted gluten, I've included some substitutes in the notes after the recipe.)

This stew is in the tradition of oden, a Japanese winter stew of root vegetables simmered in a clear broth. The roasted gluten stands in here for fried tofu and fish cakes, and kombu (kelp) added to vegetable broth replaces the fish-based dashi. If you can find it, mushroom bouillon or broth gives the stew a much greater complexity than standard vegetable broth.



Yaki-Fu Stew
(click for printer-friendly version)

Say it three times fast! Yaki-fu Stew is basically a veganized version of oden, the traditional Japanese simmered stew.

6-8 cups vegetable broth or water with bouillon added (I used mushroom bouillon)
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 strip kombu
2 lotus roots, peeled and sliced
8 cups sliced bok choy (about 4 baby bok choy, sliced thin)
1 carrot, sliced
6 sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
2-3 ounces roasted gluten (yaki-fu)

Bring 6 cups of water or broth to a boil. Add bouillon, if you're using it, and the soy sauce and mirin. Rinse the kombu and add it to the pot along with all the remaining ingredients. As the gluten softens up, break it with the edge of a spoon into bite-sized pieces. Simmer for about 30 minutes, adding water if it becomes dry. Remove the kombu before serving (unless you like the taste and texture). Serve with hot mustard paste (see photo below).

Substitutions:

• You may omit the mirin and use a teaspoon of sugar.
• You may omit the kombu or use another type of sea vegetable.
• Instead of lotus roots, you can use peeled potatoes, sliced water chestnuts, or Japanese yams.
• Instead of bok choy, substitute Chinese or napa cabbage, kale, or chard. Or add spinach at the end of cooking.
• Instead of fresh shiitake mushrooms, substitute dried ones (reconstituted) or any fresh mushrooms.
• Instead of roasted gluten, substitute 8 ounces of baked tofu, 8 ounces of seitan, or 3/4 cup of TVP chunks. Or skip the fake meat and substitute shelled edamame or another vegetable.

Additions:

Go crazy and put whatever veggies you want in this. Some additions that I plan to try are

• daikon
• bean spouts
• zucchini
• pumpkin or winter squash
• shirataki (yam noodles) or konnyaku (yam cake)

To make mustard paste, just add water to the dried powder and stir until it is the right consistency. Start with about 1 tablespoon of powder for 4 servings and add more if necessary.

Makes 4 servings, each containing 124 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 10 g Protein; 22 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 427 mg Sodium; 5 g Fiber

Additional info:

Fu Gluten Cakes
Vegetarian Oden Recipe
Oden: Japanese Winter Food

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live

Thai Eggplants and Chickpeas in Peanut Masala

Whenever I'm in New Orleans, there's one thing I have to do. Is it visit the French Quarter? Eat a vegan Muffaletta? Catch a jazz performance? No, though those are all high on my "love to do" list, the one thing I have to do is visit the Hong Kong Market. It's a huge Asian supermarket, probably bigger than all the Asian markets in Mississippi combined, and it's the only place where I can find produce like purple yams, long bok choy, and Thai eggplants. I always bring an empty ice chest just for transporting these delicacies back home.



Since I first tried Thai Eggplants, I've been wanting to go back for more. And though this batch wasn't quite as fresh as the last, I was still happy to get them. I'd hoped to be able to pick up some small purple eggplants and long Japanese ones, but they were all in very bad shape. So I consider myself lucky to have found these at all.

Once I got them home I decided to ignore the fact that they are Thai eggplants and treat them like Indian ones. This recipe is sort of a shortcut version of Bagara Baingan, perhaps my favorite Indian eggplant dish. It's traditional to roast and grind your own peanuts for Bagara Baingan, but I took the easy way out and used peanut butter. I also didn't stuff my tiny eggplants with the masala paste; instead, I cut them into quarters and simmered them in the rich peanut-sesame-coconut sauce until they were tender. I threw in a handful of chickpeas just to add a little protein and served it over rice. What can I say? This is one of those times when words fail and I wish computers had "Taste-O-Vision." If you like Indian food, put this on your "Must Try" list!



Thai Eggplants and Chickpeas in Peanut Masala
(click for printer-friendly version)

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; most of them are thrown together into the food processor and ground to a paste. This dish comes together remarkably easily, and if your eggplants are young and tender, it cooks quickly. Note that if you don't have Thai eggplants, any eggplant will do.

2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ginger paste (or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chilli pepper or cayenne (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate (or substitute)
2 tablespoons coconut (dried, fresh, or frozen)
1/2 tablespoon agave nectar or sugar
salt to taste
10-12 small Thai or Indian Eggplants (or use one large eggplant)
1 cup cooked chickpeas

In a dry, non-stick skillet, toast the coriander, cumin, and sesame seeds until the sesame seeds begin to turn golden, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from pan and let cool. Then transfer to a blender or grinder and grind to a paste. (Magic Bullet owners can do this in the small jar with the flat blade.)

Add the onions to the pan and cook until they begin to brown. Transfer to a food processor and add the ground spices and all remaining ingredients except the eggplant and chickpeas. Puree to a smooth paste.

Remove the stems of the eggplants and cut them into quarters. (If you're using small purple eggplants, you may choose to leave the stem attached and cut a deep cross up through the bottom of each eggplant; if you're using a regular eggplant, cut it into 1-inch cubes.) Spray the skillet lightly with oil or non-stick spray, add the eggplants, and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown on the outside. Add the spice paste, the chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well and cover. Simmer, adding more water if the sauce seems too thick, until the eggplants are tender. (The time will vary depending on the eggplants you use, but count on at least 15 minutes.) Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired, and serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving (without salt) contains: 219 Calories (kcal); 8 g Total Fat; (29% calories from fat); 9 g Protein; 33 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 25 mg Sodium; 7 g Fiber. Note: This is a higher-fat recipe.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food

Happy Mardi Gras!

We had a great weekend in New Orleans. We drove in on Saturday morning and spent the rest of the day out on the street watching parades until about 9:30 that night. I didn't want to risk breaking or losing my good camera, so I brought my old one and managed to get only a few decent shots. (None of my photos of the big parade, Endymion, came out because by then it was too dark for my ancient camera, so if you're looking for photos of Grand Marshall Taylor Hicks, you're out of luck.) Here are a few photos just to get you into the Carnival mood; if you're looking for recipes, check the end of this post for links to my previous New Orleans dishes.



This is my favorite photo. I love the joyfully outstretched hands of the guy on the left and the hat and "Adversity" t-shirt of the guy on the right.



Here's E. right after we got there. By the time we left, her little neck was weighed down with about 15 pounds of beads. We were very lucky to be able to spend a lot of time up above the street in a viewing stand (thanks, Cousin Doug!) You can see some guys across the street on a makeshift stand of their own.



This gumbo is definitely not vegan! One of the irreverent floats from the Krewe of Tucks.



Another Tucks float--they really throw a lot of stuff! We got home Sunday with enough bags of beads, toys, and plastic cups to completely cover our kitchen table. Unfortunately, they're still there.

I'd hoped to have a new recipe for you by today, but I've been busy making old favorites. Last night I made "Crab" Cakes using tofu instead of okara, and right now I've got Red Beans and Rice cooking on the stove--I'm bringing them to E.'s school for a Mardi Gras party at lunch. You can bring a little Mardi Gras to your table, too, with any of the following recipes:

Mirliton and White Bean Stew
Not-So-Dirty Rice
Tofu Jambalaya
Black-eyed Pea Gumbo
Eggplant Creole
Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Cajun White Beans
Chickpea Gumbo
Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

Happy Mardi Gras, everyone!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

A to Z Pasta Salad

I've lost count of how many times visitors to the Fatfree Vegan Recipes site have emailed me with the question, "What is that pasta dish in the photo at the top of your website, and how can I find the recipe?" It's always a little embarrassing for me to have to admit that I bought the photo from a stock photo service back before I started taking my own food photos for the site. I thought it resembled a pasta salad that I used to make often, but the truth is, the white chunky substance in the photo is more likely to be cheese than the tofu I hoped it would be taken for. Every time someone writes, I give them general instructions for making the pasta salad and promise that someday I'll get around to making it, taking my own photos, and posting the recipe.

Since I don't eat a lot of pasta anymore, that day has been a long time in coming. Recently, however, I needed to make a dish for a potluck, and since asparagus is once again affordable, I decided to make the pasta salad (even if it's definitely not salad weather here in frosty Mississippi). I call it "A to Z Pasta Salad" because the vegetables you can use start with Asparagus and end with Zucchini—so many variations are possible. The one unbreakable rule is to use only fresh vegetables and blanch them to soften slightly rather than cook them until mushy. Even at this time of year, it's refreshing to have a touch of spring on the dinner table.



A to Z Pasta Salad
(click for printer-friendly version)

Use any fresh vegetables you like, instead of or in addition to the asparagus and zucchini. I've had great success with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, yellow squash, mushrooms, and artichokes. Try to use only fresh herbs, if you can get them, and use a salad dressing that you know you like.

8 ounces extra-firm lite tofu (NOT silken)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 clove garlic, slightly crushed

1 pound penne or other chunky pasta (use gluten-free rice pasta, if necessary)
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed and sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 yellow or red pepper, chopped
8 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved if large
2-3 tablespoons fresh herbs of choice (I used basil, oregano, and parsley)
your favorite fat-free Italian salad dressing, to taste
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
optional: sliced black olives, added just before serving

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and press each one gently between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut each slice into half-inch cubes.

Mix up a marinade of the soy sauce, cider vinegar, water, and garlic. Put the tofu into a bowl or zip-lock plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Allow it to marinate for at least an hour, up to overnight, turning or stirring the tofu once in a while to make sure it all gets covered.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove the tofu from the marinade (discarding the marinade and garlic) and place it on an oiled or parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, and then turn and bake for 10 more. Edges should be just beginning to brown. Place the tofu cubes in a large serving bowl and toss with a little Italian dressing.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Add a small amount of salt, if you want.) Once it boils, drop the asparagus and zucchini pieces into it and blanch for exactly 1 1/2 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon into a bowl filled with cold water. Once they have cooled, add them to the tofu.

Use the same pot of boiling water to cook the pasta according to package directions. Once it reaches the al dente stage, drain it in a colander and rinse it with cold water. (Be careful not to overcook; you want it to still have some "bite" to it so that it won't fall apart in the salad.) Drain it well and add it to the tofu and vegetables. Add the yellow or red pepper, tomatoes, and herbs and toss with enough salad dressing to coat but not drown the pasta. Add salt and fresh pepper to taste, and serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes enough for a crowd!

I'll be away for the next few days, celebrating the next holiday on the calendar, which is...? I'll give you a hint...the first word is Fat, but the second is definitely not Free. I'll be back sometime around...um...Tuesday!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Valentine's Treat: Chocolate Cookies Two Ways

As soon as I saw the recipe for Balsamic Chocolate Drops at Habeas Brûlée, I knew I had to try it. Not only was I intrigued by the use of balsamic vinegar to enhance the chocolate flavor, but these fudgy drops were also easily veganized and already lower in fat than most cookies. So I made them one night to bring to a party—getting them out of the house so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat too many of them myself! Made with Earth Balance margarine and soy yogurt instead of butter and yogurt, they were a decadent treat.

But I couldn't stop there. I liked the rich, chocolaty taste so much that I wanted to see if I could eliminate the fat completely and still have a luscious—but lighter—dessert. I needed to replace the margarine, and I decided that of all fat substitutes, prune puree would complement the chocolate best. I also added another chocolate enhancer, a pinch of cinnamon. And since prunes are sweeter than margarine, I was able to cut down on the sugar, an added bonus. The cookies came out much softer than the margarine version, almost like thin brownies or cakes. The biggest surprise was that E. and I actually preferred the no-fat version. I guess we just like our cookies soft rather than crispy.

So here are the two recipes—first the higher-fat version and then my fat-free version. Make some to share with the one (or ones) you love!



Vegan Balsamic Fudge Drops
(adapted from Habeas Brûlée)

Balsamic vinegar is the secret ingredient, but the only sign it's there is the deeper, richer taste it gives these cookies.

1 cup unbleached white flour (or use gluten-free baking flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup soy yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see Note)
Vanilla sugar (I did this the quick way by pulverizing a vanilla bean with sugar in my blender)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Mix the flour, soda, and salt together and set aside. In another bowl, mix the cocoa with the sugars and set aside.

Melt the margarine in a medium-sized saucepan. When it is completely melted, take it off the heat and add the sugar/cocoa mixture and stir to combine. Then add the soy yogurt, vanilla extract, and balsamic and stir until mixed. Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until it's combined—don't over-mix.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with vanilla sugar, and place them in the oven. After 5 minutes, switch the pans around so that the one on top is on the bottom and the front sides are in the back. Check again in 4 minutes. Be careful—depending on the type of pan you use, they can go from underdone to burned in seconds (I found out the hard way!) They shouldn't need more than 11 minutes and will look soft on top, but they'll harden as they cool.

Remove from the oven and transfer onto cooling racks. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Note: I used regular (i.e. cheap) balsamic vinegar, but I'm sure you'd get more effect if you follow Danielle's instructions to make reduced balsamic.

Per cookie: 77 Calories (kcal); 3 g Total Fat; (29% calories from fat); 1 g Protein; 14 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 66 mg Sodium; 1 g Fiber



Fat-Free Balsamic Fudge Cookies
(click for printer-friendly version)

These fudgy-but-fat-free cookies have three chocolate enhancers: cinnamon, prunes, and balsamic vinegar. You probably won't be able to detect any of them in the finished product, but they lend the cookies a deeper, more chocolaty taste.

1 cup unbleached white flour (or use gluten-free baking flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
2/3 cup demerara sugar (or other vegan sugar)
1/2 cup prune puree (see note)
1/3 cup soy yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see note #2)
Vanilla sugar (I did this the quick way by pulverizing a vanilla bean with sugar in my blender)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt together and set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the prune puree with the sugar and cocoa and stir to combine. Add the soy yogurt, vanilla extract, and balsamic and stir until mixed. Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until it's combined—don't over-mix.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, flatten each cookie slightly and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Place them in the oven. Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes—be careful not to burn the bottoms!

Remove from the oven and lift the parchment paper or silicone mats onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely. These taste best cold and somehow even better the next day. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Note: I made prune puree simply by buying canned prunes and pureeing them in the blender. You can also buy a fat substitute, Wonderslim, which is essentially pureed prunes (or so I've heard), but it costs more and doesn't work any better. I've also heard of people using jars of babyfood prunes, but blending my own always made more sense to me. (Caution: don't use dried prunes!)

Note #2: I used regular (i.e. cheap) balsamic vinegar, but I'm sure you'd get more effect if you follow Danielle's instructions to make reduced balsamic.

Per cookie: 59 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 1 g Protein; 14 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 52 mg Sodium; 1 g Fiber

Thanks to Danielle at Habeas Brûlée for the original recipe!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Vegetables for Valentines - The Vegetable Love Round-Up

Last week I challenged my readers to come up with the most sensuous, delicious, and romantic vegan Valentine's dishes they could imagine. The only catches were that they had to be low-fat, and they had to use vegetables. Well 17 of you (and counting) rose to the challenge and cooked up some fabulous meals. Thanks to all who entered. You make vegan cooking look downright sexy! [Update: Keep 'em coming! Late entries will be added to the end of this post as they come in.]

B'couscous I Love You, from Amey at Vegan Eats and Treats, is a perfect Valentine's dish. It's light, filled with veggies, and has a cute name--what more could you want? Perhaps a salad with heart-shaped chiogga beets?



Chris and Harald Walker at Vegalicious went all out with the lovely Hearty Ravioli, a classic spinach ravioli floating in an Italian tomato sauce.



Susan at Scottish Vegan shows us a variety of uses for heart-shaped cookie cutters. In addition to the Lime and Coriander Rice with Tofu Hearts shown above, she also uses them to make heart vegetables for a salad and heart fruits for dessert.



Eco-aesthete offers up an easy to make stir-fry and a baked plantain dessert--quick "so you can spend more time with each other instead of at the stove."



Sher of What Did You Eat? proves that less can often be more with this lighter version of French Onion Soup: Red Onion And Red Wine Soup With Tomatoes, Thyme And Heart Shaped Croutons.



These beautiful Bouquets for my Valentine are sent to you courtesy of Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi. You might think they're too lovely to eat... until you see the three exotic dips they're served with!



Zandria at Keep Up With Me makes a Bulgur-Carrot Soup that looks heart-warming as well as heart-healthy.



Stretching the definition of "vegetable" to include sesame seeds, A Veggie Venture's Alanna says this Armenian Tahini Bread is Armenia's answer to cinnamon rolls. Mmmm. What Valentine's dinner is complete without dessert?



Virginie, of Absolutely Green, got out of her sick bed to do a little research on aphrodisiacs before creating her recipe. Her Crumble d’artichauts au sésame, sans beurre, margarine ou huiles (Fatfree Artichoke & Sesame Crumble) looks like it just might do the trick! (Look for the English translation at the end.)



Bazu of Where's the Revolution? comes up with not one but two special Valentine's dishes: Vegan Ceviche, above, and Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Heart Salad with Blackberry Balsamic Syrup.



Mandira of Ahaar presents Thai Rice Noodle & Vegetable Soup, a wonderful mix of tofu, vegetables, and rice noodles.



We had one write-in entry. Sera found this Simmered Sweet Kabocha by Rae at Bunnyfoot simply irresistible.

Cooking without added fats isn't something Emily at Better Politics Through Food is used to doing, but she rose to the challenge with Green Beans and Flageolets over Sweet Potato-Parsnip Puree—and managed to use almost all the vegetables her wife will eat. Now that's love!

In addition to the blog entries, several recipes were posted in the comments of the announcement post and by email:

Chile offers up this yummy Pumpkin Pudding:

Creamy and smooth, sweet and satisfying. Who could ask for anything more?

Pumpkin Pudding

2 cups cooked and pureed pumpkin (Can substitute acorn squash or sweet potato.)
1 cup vanilla soymilk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Dash salt and pepper
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or maple flavoring
1/4 cup oat bran, cream of wheat (like Maltomeal), or cream of rice
Cinnamon sugar

In a blender, process all ingredients except oat bran or cereal until well blended.
Pour into a pan and mix in oatbran or cereal.
Heat until slightly bubbly, cook for 1-2 minutes, and let cool for a couple minutes.
Spoon into two bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Jenny Cox offers a nameless dish that's "a mix of spicy and sweet, just like the best romances."

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion
1 head cauliflower
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raisins
1 can of chickpeas
1 tsp (or to taste) red chile paste
1/2 tblspn curry powder (or more, to taste)
salt/pepper to taste

First saute the onion, sliced, in little olive oil spray in a large, nonstick skillet. While they're softening, chop up the head of cauliflower into small florets, and add to the skillet. Saute for one minute, then add the can of tomatoes. fill the can 1/8 full with water and add that as well. Bring to a simmer, and add the curry powder and the chile paste. add at least 1 tsp salt. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the raisins and the chickpeas, and cook for another five minutes (or until the cauliflower is cooked through)

taste the sauce, and adjust the spice/curry balance as you like it, and season with a little extra salt and pepper if it needs it.

I served this over quinoa.

Carla adapted Isa's recipe for Beet Cakes to make it fat-free, and it sounded so good that I had to give it a try, shaped into hearts for the occasion.

2 cups peeled shredded beets (about 3 average sized beets)
1 cup peeled shredded carrot (or parsnip) (about 1 average sized carrot)
1 cup peeled shredded sweet potato (1 average sized sweet potato)
1 shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
½ teaspoon salt
several dashes fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped (or caraway)
1/2 cup rolled oats, quick cooking
1 cup homemade whole wheat bread crumbs, plus additional for covering

Took the grated beet and carrot and just about covered with water and cooked for 10 min until it was soft. Drained well and reserved the liquid to use for the sweet potato. Cut this into smallish cubes, cooked just covered with the liquid for 15 minutes until soft, drained (reserving liquid - I hate to throw away cooking water if I can find some use for it) and mashed with a little of the liquid. Mixed these two together and let cool for 10 minutes. To this I added the shallot and seasonings as well as 1/2 C rolled oats (quick cooking but not instant) and 1 C Homemade WW breadcrumbs. Mixed well until combined - it was a little moist but not sticky. I used a 1/4 C measuring cup and scooped out 1/4 C fulls which made a nice patty shape, covered in breadcrumbs, flattened a little and baked on a tray lined with tinfoil for 30 min at 400F, turning them after 15 minutes. They didn't brown up or anything but were very good!!

One more idea from Chile:

My idea I think would go well with the holiday and perhaps fit more couples. Draw out the shape of a heart on a platter. Fill in half the heart with shredded beet and half with shredded radish. Sprinkle with a nice vinaigrette (or draw an arrow through it *grin*). This would represent the two halves coming together to form a whole. One half sweet and the other spicy. :)

Late arrivals:

The Gluten-Free Vegan presents a complete Valentine's dinner in a loving tribute to her dad.

Myloverisvegan cooks a vegan 5 course meal, including heart-shaped Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust.


Two Vegan Sisters really heart pizza!

Thanks to all who participated for giving us so many great vegetable dishes to choose from. I'll be back tomorrow with a special Valentine's Day recipe of my own!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food Vegetable Love

My Favorite Recipes of 2006 - Part 1

I was asked by Virginie, of the wonderful French blog Absolutely Green, to join her in posting my top 10 recipes of 2006. Well, I gave it my best. I started with January, copying and pasting links to recipes that I remembered as being my favorites, but when I got to June I noticed that I already had over 20 recipes. What to do?

I decided to exclude old favorites like My Favorite Lasagna and Tofu Jambalaya and focus only on recipes I first tried in 2006--and I was still left with 12 recipes. After a lot of tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth, I managed to cull the list down to 10 recipes, more or less. And I was still only up to June! I knew I'd never be able to come up with a top 10 list for the whole year, so I decided not to try. After all, it's my blog--I can make my own rules. So what follows is my Top Ten Recipes from the First Half of 2006.


Mexican Pumpkin Soup


Thai Coconut Soup with Tofu and Mushrooms


Coconut Chai Breakfast Cake


Mirliton and White Bean Stew


Miang Kum Rolls


Pav Bhaji (Spicy Mixed Vegetable Sandwiches)


Spinach and Artichoke Pie


Roasted Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms with Horseradish Sauce


Kale and Toor Dal


Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

Stay tuned for my top ten for the second half of 2006.

And don't forget about Vegetable Love, the round-up of Valentine's vegetable dishes coming up on Tuesday. There's still plenty of time to get your entry in, so start cooking!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free

Vegetable Love

Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, lady, were no crime....
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires, and more slow.
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze....
~~Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress"

Valentine's Day is just a week away, and cooks all over are busy planning intimate, romantic dinners. But when you're trying to eat healthy or lose weight, coming up with delicious dishes that are high in sex appeal but low in fat and calories can be a challenge. That's why I thought it'd be fun this year to take the focus off the chocolates and the champagne and put it on...vegetables. And I'm asking for your help. [Update 2/13/07: The Round-Up has been posted here!]

Between now and Monday, February 12, post a recipe on your blog for a dish suitable for a romantic Valentine's dinner. It should be vegan and low in fat, and it should feature one or more vegetables. Soups, salads, and side dishes are acceptable, main dishes are encouraged, and desserts will be given extra creativity points. Mention in your post that you are participating in "Vegetable Love," and link back to this post. Then, send me an email (my address is in the sidebar) with your name, the name of your blog, and the permalink and name of your recipe. I'll post a round-up of all the recipes on Tuesday morning--just in time for Valentine's Day.

(If you don't have a blog, feel free to post your recipe in the comments below.)

Is there a prize? No, just the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping thousands hundreds dozens maybe two vegans set the mood for the perfect Valentine's dinner.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free valentines Vegetable Love

Polenta Lasagna with Portabellas and Kale

You know I really like a recipe when I make it two days in a row. I first made this dish for dinner last night, and though I liked it and my husband thought it was "outstanding," I still wanted to tinker with the recipe. It was good, but I thought it could be incredible. So this morning I got to work, making a couple of small changes, and boy am I glad I did. A good recipe got even better—and I got an amazing lunch!

Like Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup, this recipe is a devious attempt to get you to eat your leafy greens. Kale and portabella mushrooms are sautéed with garlic and then mixed with a creamy "cheese" sauce before being baked between two layers of polenta. (Fans of my Eggplant Parmesan will recognize the sauce from that recipe.) Despite the long list of ingredients, this dish is pretty easy to put together, especially if you use packaged polenta and jarred marinara sauce. You'll probably spend the most time preparing the kale, but you can even cut out that task if you substitute bagged spinach instead.



Polenta Lasagna with Portabellas and Kale
(click for printer-friendly version)

If you use packaged polenta, slice it into 18 thin slices. If you make your own polenta, spread the cooked polenta out on a baking sheet and use a spoon or your moistened hands to spread it no thicker than 1/4 inch. When it has solidified, either cut it in half and use each half as one layer or cut it into an even number of pieces that you can fit together to fit your baking dish.

1 18-ounce package prepared polenta or 1 recipe of Quick Microwave Polenta
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 large portabella mushroom, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups, chopped)
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 bunch kale (about 8 ounces after trimming), center rib removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces (may substitute spinach or other greens)
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
Cheese sauce (below)
1 1/4 cups marinara sauce (homemade or in a jar)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
vegan soy parmesan

"Cheese" sauce:
1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp. cashew butter or tahini
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/8 tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. corn starch

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 8x8-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

Place the cheese sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.

Sauté the onions and portabellas in a non-stick skillet until the mushrooms begin to exude their juices. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.

Add the kale, basil, and 1/4 cup water. Sauté until the kale is wilted and tender and the water has evaporated. Add the cheese sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat.

Cut the polenta into 1/4-inch thick slices. Line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the slices, overlapping slightly if possible. Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce over the polenta, and then spread the kale mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle the chopped olives over the kale and top with the remaining polenta. Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with soy parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings—if you can resist eating the whole pan yourself!



Each serving (excluding optional ingredients) provides: 182 Calories (kcal); 6 g Total Fat; (30% calories from fat); 7 g Protein; 26 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 691 mg Sodium; 4 g Fiber. You can lighten this up a little by using low-fat silken tofu and fat-free soymilk.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food

Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup

[Just wanted to let you know that the photo that you readers chose, Kiwano, Banana, and Pineapple Sorbet, received two awards in the Does My Blog Look Good in This? competition! Thank you all for helping me to pick the right photo to enter. The competition was tough, and I'm honored to have had my photo selected. Check out all the winners and entrants, and consider entering your own photo into next month's event at Fancy Toast.]

On Tuesdays, our local whole foods co-op offers members 10% off on produce; the new supply arrives on Wednesday, and it's the produce department's way of clearing the shelves. I just happened to be shopping there last Tuesday, scouring the depleted produce area for anything that still looked fresh, when I came upon something I couldn't identify. It had flat, oak-shaped leaves and a bright purple center stem and looked like a combination of swiss chard and dandelion greens. Of course, I immediately put it into my cart—there's nothing so tempting to me as a New Vegetable.



I was stumped and had to track down someone from the produce department, who identified this mystery green as red kale. I would have never guessed it was a member of the kale family because it was neither bumpy like lacinato kale nor curly like regular kale. Instead, its purple and green leaves seemed to have other tiny leaves sprouting out of them!

When I got it home and tasted a little bit of it raw, I found that it is less bitter than regular kale and could possibly be eaten in a salad. But because the center veins and stems are very fibrous and tough, I knew I wanted to cook it, so I made it the centerpiece of this light and delicious, Italian-style vegetable soup. I can't say that it made the soup taste any different than regular kale, but I, at least, knew it was there.



Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup

You can substitute any other leafy green for the kale, but if you're using quick-cooking greens such as spinach, allow the soup to cook for 25 minutes before adding the greens; then add the greens and cook just until they're done.

1 bunch red kale (or use any other green available)
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or about 5 "ice cubes" of frozen basil)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans
4 cups water
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Optional serving suggestions:
Balsamic vinegar and soy parmesan

Prepare the kale by removing the thick parts of the center rib and discarding them. Slice the leaves thinly. Measure out 4 cups of kale for the soup; save the rest for another use.

Mist a large, non-stick pot lightly with olive oil. Sauté the onion and celery until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic, and sauté for another minute. Add all the remaining ingredients, and allow the soup to simmer, adding extra water as needed, until the kale is tender, about 30-60 minutes, depending on the kale. Taste the soup and add more basil, if necessary.

Serve the soup, stirring a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of vegan parmesan into each bowl, if desired. Makes about 6 servings.

Each serving contains: 152 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 9 g Protein; 30 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 258 mg Sodium; 7 g Fiber

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live

Chickpea and Turnip Stew with Ethiopian Spices

I bought a pound of organically-grown turnips at the farmer's market, and it took me a few days to decide what to do with them. Turnips are not something I use often; in fact, the last time I bought them may have been almost a year ago when I made Creamed Turnips. I mentioned in that post that the turnips had a sharp odor when I cut them, but these little organic turnips had no such odor. In fact, they were so tender and sweet that I wondered if I could have used them unpeeled.

But instead of throwing them in unpeeled, I saved the peel and did something I rarely do: I made vegetable stock. Making your own stock is extremely simple, but I almost never think ahead to do it. All you need to do is simmer some vegetables in water until they're soft and strain the vegetables out, pressing on them to get all the juices. I made the stock for this recipe by simmering the turnip peels, the light green parts of the leeks, and the carrot trimmings along with about 2 cups of celery leaves and stalks, a handful of fresh parsley, and two chopped carrots in 6 cups of water for a half hour. When I strained it, there was about 4 cups of broth--just enough for this recipe.

You may remember this spice blend from Ethiopian-Inspired Red Lentil Soup. It's a wonderful combination that I think of as "warming." I like to keep it on-hand for any time I want to spice up an otherwise humdrum dish. If you are a fan of exotic seasonings, give it a try. It's easy to put together and stays fresh for a while in the refrigerator.



Chickpea and Turnip Stew with Ethiopian Spices

This is a very simple, adaptable dish that cooks up quickly. If you don't have time to make the berberé spice mixture, you can change the flavoring entirely and use curry powder or garam masala; you may need to adjust the amount to taste. Also feel free to substitute the turnips with potatoes or any other root vegetable.

1 pound small turnips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
2 teaspoons berberé seasoning (below)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 leeks, white parts only, washed well and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained well
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup plain soymilk

To make the berberé spice mixture, combine:

1 Tbs. ground cardamom
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1 Tbs. fenugreek
1 Tbs. ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. ground cloves
1 Tbs. ground allspice
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. turmeric
1 tsp. cayenne (use more or less to taste)
1 Tbs. ground black pepper
1 Tbs. ground sea salt (optional)

Clean the turnips well. Trim off the tops and bottoms and then peel them. Cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.

Coat a large pot lightly with non-stick spray. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to turn brown. Add the ginger root, berbere seasoning, and turmeric and sauté for another minute.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the soymilk. Cook, covered, until the turnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove about 1 1/2 cups of the stew and puree it in a blender. Return it to the pot, along with the soymilk. Stir well until heated throughout and serve.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free Eat to Live