Vegan Mofo Recipe: Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash

That's right!  This is the second blog post on squash this week.  I've had a plethora of delicious squash in my kitchen waiting to be cooked the last month or so- zucchini, butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and my own home-grown pie pumpkins!
Acorn squash is a wonderful stuffing vehicle for savory foods.  I particularly like to stuff them with rice and veggies, but home made bread cubes with vegetables is wonderful as well.

Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash
serves 4

2 acorn squash
2 cups of cooked brown rice
small head of broccoli, destemmed and chopped into small florets
1/2 cup of peas
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
1 T earth balance margarine
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. hungarian paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
olive oil spray

Place acorn squash directly on rack in oven set at 350 degrees.  Cook for 20 minutes.  While squash is cooking, saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes at medium high heat in medium sized saute pan.  Add broccoli and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
Remove squash from oven and chop off stem (plus an inch of flesh) and slice down the middle- see picture.  Cook until flesh is soft enough to scoop out (but not mushy)- maybe 10-20 more minutes, depending on the size of your acorn squash.  In a bowl, stir together all ingredients except for squash, margarine and olive oil.
When acorn squash is ready to scoop, remove flesh (leaving about 1/4 inch) from shell.  Chop it finely and add to rice mixture with margarine.  Stir well.  Cook about 30 minutes with the oven still set at 350 degrees.

Vegan Mofo Recipe: Very Veggie Bloody Mary

Even though Bloody Marys are technically categorized beverages and this is vegan month of food, my husband and I pack ours with enough veggies that this could be considered a mid-afternoon snack.  I also thought this recipe was worthy, as my bloody mary does not contain worcestershire sauce.  Most worcestershire sauces contain anchovies and my recipe is 100% vegan.
The pickled okra is something I picked up while visiting New Orleans.  New Orleans wasn't exactly a vegetarian paradise, but I did enjoy the fried pickles and pickled okra.

Very Veggie Bloody Mary
serves 2

2 cloves pickled garlic
2 martini olives
2 jalapeno stuffed olives
2 garlic stuffed olives
2 cups vegetable juice
3 ounces vodka (optional)
1 1/2 T horseradish
3 tsp. hot sauce (I prefer Tapatio)
2 celery stalks, ends trimmed
2 dilly beans
1 long carrot, peeled and sliced horizontally
2 pickled okra
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
pinch of salt
ice cubes

Pour vegetable juice and vodka (optional) into a medium sized pitcher.  Add horseradish, hot sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper and stir well.  Add 1 each of celery, carrot, dilly bean, garlic, okra and each of the olives to a large mason jar or pint class.  I like 3 ice cubes in mine, but my husband prefers two, so add however many you wish.  Finally, pour bloody mixture into the glasses equally, stir with celery stalk, and serve.

Vegan Mofo Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Sugar

Last year my husband brought home a pretty fair sized canister of maple sugar.  Beyond shaking some into a batch of beer, it has remained untouched.  I forgot all about the maple sugar until yesterday while baking 3 types of squash, wondering what to do with the butternut.  Miraculously, the maple sugar presented itself to me on the spice shelf, yearning to be given a second chance.
Neither of the guys at my house are big squash eaters, but they gave this a thumbs up.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Sugar

serves 4-6
1 medium sized butternut squash
3 T maple sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 T margarine
olive oil or olive oil spray

Set your oven at 350 degrees.  I put the butternut squash in right away, no reason to pre-heat.  When your squash is just tender enough to slice (will take about 15-20 minutes), remove from oven.  Slice horizontally and place, fleshy side up, on olive oil sprayed cookie sheet.  Spray top of squash with olive oil.
Bake until soft and easily punctured with fork.  Cube squash, while leaving it attached to the skin.  Drizzle with soy sauce and slather with margarine.  Shake maple sugar onto squash and serve!  This would taste fabulous alongside pesto pizza or gnocchi.  

Gigi's Vegan Mofo Recipe: Tofu Nuggets

I'm not the only one blogging up a storm for Vegan Mofo this month.  Veganville's Gigi (you know, the vegan whoopie pie goddess) has been a busier bee than me.  I highly recommend checking out her blog- click here for more delicious recipes.  Here is Gigi's take on You Won't Believe It's Vegan's tofu dish.  

Tofu Nuggets 
adapted from You Won't Believe It's Vegan

1 block firm tofu drained and pressed and cut into cubes

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1 T soy sauce or tamari

1/2 C nooch

2  T 21 Salute

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and coat with 1 T of olive oil.

Place the cubes in  a medium bowl and port the oil and soy sauce over it and toss it. Sprinkle with dry ingredients and toss again. Spread the cubes on the parchment bake 25 minutes turning once half way through baking time.

These are great in a sandwich, a salad, over grains.  If you want wish to serve them as a main course in a meal, they are great with slaw, polenta fries and/or sweet potato fries. 

Before you go, I wanted to plug Gigi a bit because I adore her baked goods.  Gigi doesn't just bake cupcakes, she also makes cupcakes, cookies and the chocolate scrumptiousness that is called Sam Sam Loaf (my friend Jill's fav).  Thanks for sharing, Gigi!

Jojo's Jonesing for a Vegan Hoho Cupcake

Veganville's Vegan Pumpkin Voopie Pies

Stasya's Vegan Mofo Recipe: Watercress Soup

Vegan Mofo has been so much fun!  I've been cruising everyone's vegan blogs and I have been so impressed and inspired by all of the lovely recipes and compassion out there.  Stasya from The Stitch and Fold has been generous enough to let us borrow one of her delicious Watercress Soup with us.  

As watercress can be difficult to find in many parts of the US (Stasya is from England), Stasya has also used white button mushrooms instead and offered them as a substitute.  

Watercress soup 
a supermarket packet of watercress – chop it all up and reserve some for garnishing
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
2 boiling potatoes, chopped
1 litre of vegetable stock
a little olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Freshly-cracked black pepper

Heat up the olive oil in a pot. Fry the onion till it starts to soften. Add the potato, vegetable stock and watercress. Add the thyme and bay leaf.  Put on a medium simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are done (prick with a fork – if it goes through smoothly, it is done).  Remove the potato, onion and watercress from the pot using a slotted spoon and put into a blender. Add a few ladlefuls of the vegetable stock. Remove the bay leaf from the pan.
Blend until smooth.  Pour the resulting puree back into the soup, using a spatula if necessary.
Garnish with the remaining watercress, add freshly-cracked black pepper to taste and serve hot.  Serves 2-3 and keeps well in refrigerator for about 3 days.  

For those of you who aren't familiar with Stasya or her shop The Stitch and Fold, she makes lovely amigurumi and origami.  Here is one of her latest designs- just in time for the holiday season:)  She will be adding more items- so keep your eyes peeled.  

Christmas Ornament Stockings

Stasya and her brother borrowed a book on origami when they were children and has continued to teach herself.  At school she loved creating little animals, boxes and flowers from scrap bits of paper- a passion that still remains (she is 22, for the record). As a result of practice from her school days, she has become quite good at making tiny origami models.  

Red Origami Rose on Leaf Stand

Stasya hasn't figured out if it is a coincidence or not, but her other passion is a different Japanese art- creating amigurumi (crochetted toys). She loves the cuteness of amigurumi and learned crochet from her mum so she could make her own cute things :-)

"I love nature, I love small things and I love cuteness so these qualities/concepts tend to be reflected in my shop items." -Stasya

This Amigurumi European Robin Bird is adorable!

Vegan Mofo recipe: Mellow Yellow Dal w/ mustard and cumin seeds

Dal has to be one of the world's most versatile and foolproof foods.  Cook lentils in water, add spices, chopped veggies, salt, stock or bouillon, and there you go- dal.  This dal is lovely to serve this time of year, because it's color reflects the yellowing leaves outside and it warms the throat and belly.  I added a little hot sauce to the top of mine to go with the chips.  When I eat this alongside Indian food, I prefer it with naan and keep the hot sauce out.  

Mellow Yellow Dal w/ mustard seeds

serves 6-8

1 1/2 cups split yellow mung beans (moong dal)

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

5 cups water

2 tsp. better than bouillon, vegetable flavor 

1/2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste

3 diced carrots

1 minced onion

1 minced celery stalk

5 tbs olive or canola oil

1 T cumin seeds

1 T mustard seeds

2 T chopped fresh ginger

1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped

1 T lemon juice

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)

Cook yellow split beans, celery and carrots with water and bouillon over med-high heat until boiling, then cook over low heat, partially covered, for an hour or until the yellow split beans are soft.  ++If you can't find a good quality vegetable bouillon use 5 1/4 cups water and 1 tsp. soy sauce instead.++ If you prefer a soupier dal, add a 1/2 cup more water.  Remove from heat and beat the dal with a whisk or heavy spoon until the dal thickens (about 2 minutes).  

In a small cast iron skillet (or small frying pan) heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.  Immediately add mustard and cumin seeds and cook for 15 seconds, then add minced onion.  Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft and gently browned.  Stir in ginger and chilies and cook for 1 or 2 minutes before removing from heat.  

While dal is still hot, add spice onion mixture and stir in lemon juice and smoked paprika (optional).  Garnish with fresh cilantro.  This reheats and freezes well and also tastes good at room temperature.  

Vegan Mofo recipe: Saag Paneer

Alright, so by nature saag paneer is obviously made with paneer- otherwise known as Indian cheese.  For years I've been substituting lightly fried tofu- which tastes delicious.  This original recipe can be found in Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.  Her cookbook is an all-time favorite of mine.

Vegan Saag Paneer
adapted from Julie Sahni

serves 6-8

about 1 lb. tofu (firm, refrigerated in water)

16 oz. gently cooked spinach (I use a mixture of fresh and frozen, but either is fine)

1 packed cup of gently cooked chopped chard or kale, stems removed

1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded

7 T olive oil 

2 cups finely chopped onion

2 T grated fresh ginger

1 tsp turmeric

2 jalapenos, minced (deseeded)

1/2 c water (or more as needed)

1 tsp. salt

2 medium sized red bell peppers (cored, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips)

2 tsp. garam masala

Puree spinach, chard, & green pepper in food processor or emersion blender.  Should be fine and velvety.  Drain tofu and gently press with tea towel.  Dice tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.  Heat 4 T oil in large, heavy nonstick pan over medium heat and add tofu.  Cook tofu until it is a light golden brown on most sides.   

In 1 T oil cook onion until gently browned (about 15-20 minutes), then add ginger and fry for 2 more minutes.  Add turmeric and jalapenos, stir for a few seconds and set aside.  Cook spinach puree with 1/2 cup water, salt, sweet peppers, 1 T oil on medium heat.  Add onion and spices and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.  Add tofu and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.  Stir in garam masala.  When ready to serve, stir in 1 T oil to glaze and mellow the sauce.  

I serve this with a simple basmati (or jasmine) rice pilaf.  Cook basmati rice and add thinly sliced dried vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, etc.) or gently cooked grated rice and peas.  Some wild rice added tastes lovely too.  

Vegan Mofo recipe: Too Easy Apple Pie

2011 has been a spectacular year for apples in NY state.  It is ridiculous how many apples I've been given this year- thanks to my sweet neighbor:)  So, what's a girl to do with 8 bags of apples?  Make apple pie, of course.  

So far I've made two different types of apple pie in the last week.  The traditional pie with two crusts and a crustless graham cracker crust pie.  This pie crust was on sale and I have too many apples to contemplate making crust, so I went for pre-made this time.  As you can tell, I did feel a twinge guilty about not creating my own crust from scratch.  It is vegan, however:)

Too Easy Apple Pie

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

9 inch pie dish (not deep)

About 10-15 peeled apples

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vanilla soymilk

3 T Earth Balance margarine, chopped in large pieces

olive oil spray

1 tsp. cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 tsp. lemon juice (or lime)

Core and slice (1/3 inch slices) enough apples to make a heaping mound of apples in pie dish.  Stir together apples, brown sugar, soymilk, 2 T margarine, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in large bowl.  Spray pie dish with olive oil and then deposit pie crust, making sure to cover dish and sides with graham cracker crumble.  Add apple mixture and place rest of margarine in little bits on top of apples.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  After 20 minutes remove cover, gently stir apple mixture without disturbing crust and bake until apples appear well cooked.  Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.  

Fav Vegan MoFo Product: Sunshine Burgers

Even as a kid I wasn't a big fan of burgers.  The texture of ground beef grossed me out, so when I explored  vegetarian burger options, it wasn't necessary for me to find a "burger" that resembled a beef burger.  Actually, the further it is from a beef burger, the better.  

When I discovered Sunshine Burger's Garden Herb in the natural foods store, I found my perfect burger.  The ingredients are very simple and nutritious: Organic Ground Raw Sun-flower Seeds, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Carrots, Organic Herbs and Sea Salt.  

The herbs are understated, but pronounced enough so that the burger isn't bland at all.  You can definitely taste the sunflower seeds, but they are balanced nicely with the rice and carrots, and not overwhelming.  Some people might not like the texture.  It is not firm like a burger, but soft.  I'm guessing that it wouldn't work well on a grill.  However, it is not dry like falafel and doesn't fall apart easily.  The ingredients work together as if egg binds it, even though it is vegan, so it functions like a burger better than some vegan varieties do.  

The burger takes very little time to cook, so it is the perfect meal on the go.  And, it tastes great in wraps and between bread.  I'm still enjoying the tomatoes from my garden, so delicious, ripe tomatoes have accompanied these burgers in a lot of meals the last two weeks.  Here is Saturdays's recipe:

Sunshine Burger w/ Garden Fresh Tomatoes Wrap

• 1 Garden Herb Sunshine Burger
• 1/2 medium tomato, chopped
• handful of mesclun or any young greens
• 1/3 onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 T hummous
• 1 tsp. salsa
• olive oil or olive oil spray
• chopped kalamata olives (optional)
• 1 medium-large size tortilla shell

Spray pan with olive oil spray or add 1 tsp. olive oil to medium sized cast iron skillet or non-stick pan.  On medium-high heat, saute onions for 3 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium and add burger to skillet. Cook burger and onions until burger is gently browned on both sides, adding more olive oil if needed.  When burger is cooked, remove from heat.  Warm shell thoroughly on both sides.  Spread hummous and salsa on shell.  Crumble up burger, add onions, tomato, kalamata olives and green.  Fold and serve.  

Vegan Mofo Fav Food: Sweet & Sara's Marshmallows

I'm not a big fan of marshmallows, probably because they aren't technically vegetarian AND come out of a plastic bag. Typically, I prefer savory over sweet. My son has a sweet tooth, though, and when I saw Sweet & Sara's vegan Vanilla Marshmallows at Cooperstown Natural Foods, they became my 'impulse' purchase of the day.

What I loved about these: they don't taste as disgustingly unnatural as most marshmallows do. Where some vegan products fail is that they often try to replicate a food item, but the vegan version will end up being way more processed than the meaty counterpart. For example, I can't stomach most vegan cheeses. Taste horrible and the ingredient list is far from natural.
What Soren loved: They taste better than marshmallows.
These are handmade and the texture is so much nicer- a little firmer. They keep for several weeks and need to be refrigerated. I cut them up in bits and add them to my brownies- although Soren and I found that they taste better added the minute the brownies emerge from the oven.




Tweet

Vegan MoFo Recipe: Mushroom and Rice Miso Soup

Been really into making combinations of mushroom and miso soups lately.  In the past, I've made mushroom and onion miso soup, mushroom and tofu miso soup with spring onions, and spicy pepper and mushroom miso soup.  Usually these are soups for one.  Really easy to make, warming, and healthy.
This week I had some leftover rice, which was the inspiration for this.  

I always saute the veggies/tofu first in about tsp. of olive oil or sesame oil.  This time I used 5 porcini mushrooms, a few slices of banana pepper, and 1/2 cup of leftover brown rice.  Cook until mushrooms are soft.

Heat 1 cup of water in tea kettle.  Right before boiling pour it into your bowl and add about 1 1/2 tsp. miso.  I used yellow miso.  Stir until miso is dissolved and add veggies.









Tweet