What's Cookin Veg*ns? January 2010

[Kimber47]

Hope I'm not overstepping, but I really enjoy the daily threads and gather so many great ideas for meals at our house!

So! What are you makin' in your veg*n kitchen?

[ambereva]

I just put two vegan eggplant-portabello lasagnas in the oven for tomorrow (and the freezer). Tonight we had cajun black bean chili and butternut squash pie.

[catnip]

I've been making do without an oven or a stove this week (and I don't have a microwave). I've made a vegan french onion soup (entirely in a crockpot, and it was amazing), polenta with white beans, garlic and sage (love that crockpot), crockpot oatmeal, red lentil-cauliflower-and-spinach curry with coconut milk and raisins, gingerbread waffles, and the ultimate no-dairy challenge meal- a reasonably good fondue facsimile with crusty bread, blanched broccoli and apple chunks as dippers, and a no-bake chocolate 'cheesecake' for dessert. Not the meals I had planned when I did my grocery shopping this week, but pretty darned tasty.

I resisted the urge to try a french onion soup for years because I thought that it wouldn't hold up without the cheese. But now I have Daiya.

But this soup was actually quite excellent even before I added the Daiya and tossed the bread-bowl full of soup into the toaster oven to broil. The cheese added a great touch, but it would have been good and satisfying without it.

I started by thinly slicing 4 yellow onions into half-rings. I put a tablespoon each of Earth Balance margarine and olive oil into the pot, and added the onions. I turned the crockpot on high, and wandered by to stir it, and add a little bit of white wine every half hour or so for about 2 hours. (Obviously one could have done that faster on a stovetop, but that wasn't an option).

Once the onions were carmelized, I added 2 tablespoons of flour, a teaspoon of dried thyme, and stirred it together, and put the lid back on. After about 10 minutes, I stirred again, and added 6 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, a teaspoon of Better than Boullion Vegetable base, a teaspoon of Vegemite yeast spread (which is FOUL, FOUL stuff as a spread, but makes an excellent faux-beef boullion), a couple of tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast, and a splash of brandy. Then I let it simmer on low for several hours. I think I might have added a little more salt or soy sauce when I dished it up.

[BelovedK]

Vegetarian meatloaf (made with BBQ sauce and boca crumbles ) and mashed potatoes. if I have time I will make sauteed collards with currants and pine nuts

[wytchywoman]

Originally Posted by BelovedK

Vegetarian meatloaf (made with BBQ sauce and boca crumbles ) and mashed potatoes. if I have time I will make sauteed collards with currants and pine nuts

How do you make the loaf with boca crumbles? Do you cook them first? What do you use as a binder? I have been hunting for a good faux meatloaf recipe for many years and have yet to find one that even somewhat resembles normal meatloaf.

[MountainMamaGC]

I have a bunch of mushrooms that are about to go bad so I think I am going to make a mushroom and spinach linguini tonight.

[BelovedK]

Originally Posted by wytchywoman

How do you make the loaf with boca crumbles? Do you cook them first? What do you use as a binder? I have been hunting for a good faux meatloaf recipe for many years and have yet to find one that even somewhat resembles normal meatloaf.

I don't use a recipe, I have done them different ways. I have done the flax meal and water thing which works pretty well (not perfectly though). I mix green peppers, onions, bread crumbs and BBQ sauce, garlic and spices. honestly, they crumble, but they taste good. They stay in loaves when I cook them, but they crumble when they are served (no one cares though, it basically tastes like good old meat loaf.

[BelovedK]

Oh, the crumbles are thawed, and the combination of BBQ sauce and bread crumbs does hold it in a loaf to cook.

eta, after all of that, the meal has been pushed to tomorrow night as DH isn't coming home till late

[somegirl99]

Very simple today, just some quinoa flavored with a bit of salsa, raw veggies and hummus.

[lactivistmama]

I have a really bad cold and am exhausted so it is brussel sprouts, quinoa, ad beans tonight..

[KnockedUpButtercup]

Originally Posted by ambereva

I just put two vegan eggplant-portabello lasagnas in the oven for tomorrow (and the freezer). Tonight we had cajun black bean chili and butternut squash pie.

That squash pie sounds delicious!

Catnip, your French Onion Soup sounds wonderful, and I'm impressed with your mad crockpot skills.

I made a big pan of throwdown lasagna - no-boil noodles, Cashew Ricotta (V'con), and marinara sauce w/ tvp, and a wee bit of Follow Your Heart on top.

Holly

[wytchywoman]

Originally Posted by BelovedK

I don't use a recipe, I have done them different ways. I have done the flax meal and water thing which works pretty well (not perfectly though). I mix green peppers, onions, bread crumbs and BBQ sauce, garlic and spices. honestly, they crumble, but they taste good. They stay in loaves when I cook them, but they crumble when they are served (no one cares though, it basically tastes like good old meat loaf.

I made this last night and that's about how mine turned out. I used crumbles, onion, ener-g egg replacer and my special yummy sauce on top. I crumbled the second I lifted it out of the pan but it tasted pretty good. Much more like meatloaf than what I have made in the past.

[SandyBeachBums]

Last night I was so tired. It was mac, baked beans, sautéed broccoli. People added whatever they wanted to theirs, too. I put goddess dressing on my broccoli and a piece of olive bread with goat cheese on top. Goat cheese was my naughty New Years even goodie. We went to TJ's and let everyone pick out New Years munchies. Our cart was quite funny looking.

[wytchywoman]

Tonight is Crockpot Ministrone Soup and French Bread

[kangamitroo]

ambereva--please share your vegan eggplant-portabello lasagna recipe.

tonight we had kale, garlicky chickpeas, and roasted sweet potatoes. served separately for dd's sake, and then dh and i end up mixing it all together. simple but yum.

[ambereva]

Originally Posted by kangamitroo

ambereva--please share your vegan eggplant-portabello lasagna recipe.

Here ya go. I make huge batches of the pesto and keep them in my freezer, makes the prep for the lasagna much easier. It's also really good on plain pasta and as a spread on a wrap. Also, I use different veggies sometimes depending on what's in season, but always with the eggplant and mushrooms.

Makes 2 lasagnas, eat one now and freeze the other.

Ingredients:
• 1 pound whole grain lasagna noodles

• Filling:

• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 large onion and 1large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lb extra firm tofu, crumbled
• 2 eggplant, 3 zucchinis, 2 portabello mushrooms, finely diced
• 1/3 cup Tahini
• 1 Tblsp nutritional yeast
• Pepper and salt, to taste

• Pesto:

• 2 large handfuls basil leaves
• 1 lb. Spinach, steamed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 Tblsp lemon juice
• 1 Tblsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Garnish:

• 1 - 3 heirloom tomatoes, 1/2" slice

Preparation:
1. Boil water in a large pot. Add a drop of olive oil and the noodles. Reduce heat to medium high and cook until pasta is al dente. Rinse in cold water, set aside
2. Sautee veggies in a large pot, beginning with onions, garlic and peppers and adding the rest once the onions and peppers begin to soften. Cook until soft and golden (up to 30 minutes)
3. Reduce heat, add crumbled tofu, cook 5 minutes, stirring. Mix with remaining filling ingredients and set aside
4. Pesto: process all ingredients in a food processor
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6. Lightly oil the pans. Layer noodles, pesto, and filling - twice.
7. Finish with a layer of pasta, then pesto, then garnish with sliced tomatoes
8. Bake until lasagna is thoroughly heated, approximately an hour
9. Cool 10 - 15 minutes before serving

[es1967]

I've been trying to clean out the fridge for the past few days but here it is anyways.

Lentil and rice soup-recipe from 101 cookbooks
Gardein w caper sauce, mashed potatoes and veggies
Walnut Lentil loaf, baked sweet potatoes and Citrus Collards w raisins
Fettucine w homemade basil pesto and sauce
Honey baked Lentils w wild rice pilaf and red beet salad


I love this recipe for the Citrus Collards w raisins. Below is the link if anyone is looking for an awesome recipe. Well, my fridge is very empty and I'm getting my new veggies tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntj6f...eature=related

[ambereva]

Tonight I made lentil soup with kale and broccoli. LOTS of Kale and broccoli. My 6 year old had 4 bowls!!!

[nolansmummy]

I made a recipe out of my new cookbook- Southwest Pie- it was interesting. Dh liked it , but i'm not so sure i did.
It was onions, green peppers, salsa, garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes and corn all cooked together, then topped with cornbread. It was missing something, but i'm not quite sure what, i'll definitely mix it up if i try it again.

[maciascl]

Last night we had Vegan Dad's sausages & gnocchi with broc in garlic & olive oil. Tonight I am planning grilled chik'n patties, sauteed mushrooms & onions & roasted white & sweet potatoes.