Catalan Beef Stew with Mushrooms

 

INGREDIENTS:

Stew

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, chopped fine

1/2 tsp sugar

Kosher salt and pepper

2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and pulp grated on large holes of box grater

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 bay leaf

1 1 /2 cups dry white wine

1 1/2 cups water

1 large sprig fresh thyme

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 1/2 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes

Picada

1/4 cup whole blanched almonds *blanched almonds: bring water to a boil, boil almonds for 1 minute, drain and run under cold water, then peel the skins off

2 tbsp olive oil

1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves *eh, do at least 6!

3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1/2 lb oyster mushrooms, trimmed

1 tsp sherry vinegar *apple cider vinegar works fine

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the stew: Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat to 300. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring often, until onions are deeply caramelized–30 to 40 minutes. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, until darkened and thick, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add wine, water, thyme, and cinnamon to pot, scraping up any browned bits. Season beef with 1 1 /2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and add to pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, stirring after 1 hour, 1.5 to 2 hrs longer.

2. For the picada: While stew is in oven, heat almonds and 1 tbsp oil in 10 inch skillet over medium heat; cook stirring often, until almonds are golden brown, 3 to 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer almonds to food processor. Return now-empty skillet to medium heat, add bread, and cook, stirring often, until toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to food processor with almonds. Add garlic and process until mixture is finely ground, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to bowl, stir in parsley, set aside. 

3. Return now empty skillet to medium heat. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil until shimmering. Remove the woody base of the oyster mushrooms. Add mushrooms and 1/2 tsp salt, cook, stirring often, until tender–5-7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. 

4. Remove bay leaf. Stir picada, mushrooms, and vinegar into stew. Season with salt and pepper. Serve...over rice is good.

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Irish Soda Bread

 

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups gluten-free flour

1 tsp xantham gum (if not in gluten-free flour)

1/4 cup sugar 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, chilled and solid

1 1/2 cups almond milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 and arrange oven rack to middle position. Line a cast iron skillet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients; flour, xantham gum, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Whisk well.

3. Add the solid coconut oil to the flour mixture and press it into the flour with the back of a fork until all the oil is incorporated (it will look like the texture of sand).

4. Add the almond milk and lemon juice, mixing until you get a shaggy dough. Shape into a ball.

5. Place the ball of dough on skillet and cut a cross on the top of the bed.

6. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and crusty on top and the loaf sounds hollow when you knock on it. 

7. Cool completely before slicing.

Vegan/Allergy-Friendly Banana Bread!

 (from ambitiouskitchen.com)

INGREDIENTS:

Wet

3 big bananas mashed, 4 or 5 if you have shrimpy ones (1 1/3 cup mashed)

1/3c melted and cooled oil (called for coconut but canola was fine)

1/2c packed brown sugar

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2tbsp dairy-free milk of choice

Dry

1 3/4c flour of choice (Bob's 1-1 is a great gf option)

1tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2tsp salt

1/2 cup dairy/soy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is the best brand!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a tin (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 is recommended) with parchment paper and grease inside of pan. *Wasn't sure if they meant grease the pan under the liner or the liner...so I did both!

Mix WET ingredients together in a big bowl.

Mix DRY ingredients together and whisk. 

Add DRY ingredients to WET ingredients and mix together until just combined. Lumps are ok!

Add in chocolate chips and mix.

Put batter into pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and eat when cool!

Miso Mushroom Pasta

 Bit of an Asian fusion recipe from here:

Recipe

• 8 oz spaghetti
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 lb (!) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 c soy milk*
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 1 c warm water*
• 1 c green onion, sliced

Heat a bit of olive oil in a big pan, and saute the onion and garlic a couple minutes. Then add your mushrooms (and a little salt & pepper) and cook about 10 minutes to get most of the liquid out.

Probaby put your pasta in while that cooks. Also mix the miso into the water.

Next add the flour to the mushroom pan, and stir up to coat. Then mix in the soy milk, nutritional yeast, and a bit more salt & pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and fold in the pasta and get it all coated. Turn off heat and add the miso water and green onions. Serve!

Notes

This one has a really interesting flavor, and process! It would be a shame to ruin anything with that many mushrooms in it... I was worried the soy milk would be sweet - it's hard to picture in pasta! And it's so much liquid between that and the water, with limited time to cook out. 

But it all comes together! We've played with reducing the liquid (thus the *s above) so there's less broth at the bottom of the pot - although it's tasty broth ;)

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

There are some good vegan cold cuts out there, but I suppose some of the same questions with standard cold cuts apply - what actually goes in them? The answer is probably better on the vegan side, but isn't it nice to make things from scratch? So here's a lunch favorite:

Recipe

• Mash up a can of chickpeas with 2 tbsp veganaise & 1 tbsp hot sauce
• Mix in grated carrot, finely chopped red onion or celery, or any other veggies you have on hand
• Put it on a sandwich with more hot sauce, cheese, extra greens, avocado, sundried tomatoes, or anything else!

Notes

I like to do 2 cans of chickpeas to feel set for sandwiches for a week or two! There aren't a lot of specifics on how much veggie to add in, so use your judgment, but just don't overdo red onion...

Moroccan Freekeh Skillet

 What is freekeh? Why did we have half a pack to use up? I don't have the answers for you. But found this recipe and here we go:

Recipe

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 small eggplant, diced
• 1 squash, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 dates, chopped
• 1 can chickpeas, with liquid
• 1/4 c olives
• 2 tsp ras el hanout (substituting a mix of spices we had on hand seemed to work out)
• 1 1/2 c freekeh
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 c veggie broth
• 3 tbsp tomato paste

Saute your veggies & garlic in some oil, then add dates, chickpeas, olives, spices & freekeh and keep going a couple more minutes. Then add the lemon juice, broth & paste and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until teh grains are tender and liquid absorbed (can add more water if needed).

Notes

Turns out, freekeh is pretty good! It has a nice smoky flavor that went well in this eclectic dish. Successfully used it up and had a delicious dinner and good leftovers... Is more freekeh in the future?

Mushroom "Clam" Chowder

 OK so Anne & I eat a lot of southwestern food. And who can complain? Burritos are delicious, and we're in the right region for it to feel authentic (even the vegan version). But when I saw this recipe, I thought it was worth trying for something New England-y...

Recipe

• 12 oz mushrooms, rough chopped
• 4 potatoes, cubed
• 1 sheet sushi nori (we just used seaweed snacks...)
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 c non-dairy milk (forget what we used - soy, almond, or oat...)
• optional: green onion tops, old bay seasoning

Boil the potatoes 5-10 minutes to give them a head start. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms and green onion, and add the potatoes when they're done. Shred the nori and in it goes, then the flour - stir it all up so everything's coated in flour. Add the milk & old bay and boil for 5 minutes, then simmer 5-10 until it's at the right consistency.

Notes

While I wasn't convinced I was eating authentic New England clam chowder, I was pretty happy with how this came out. It was a bit on the thick side, so might try less flour or cook time.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Not always a soup fan, but had this recipe saved for a bit and took advantage of the recent cold spell to give it a shot!

Recipe

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 c veggie broth
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar or lime juice
• salt & pepper, cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, etc.

Heat some oil in a big pot / dutch oven, and cook up the onion, celery & carrot with a little salt & pepper. Next stir int he garlic & seasonings briefly, then add the beans and broth and simmer 30 mins or so.

Next, blend it up a bit. I used my immersion blender - you're not going for a puree, leaving plenty of ingredients in chunks. You can also pour a few cups of soup into a blender and add it back to the pot.

Finish with vinegar, cilantro, hot sauce, etc.

Notes

This was another one that exceeded expectations! The partial blending really helps make it thick and delicious. We kept going back for more:

Crockpot Quinoa Chili

We've been on a bit of a crockpot kick recently with some favorites like Beyond Meat Chili or Kung Pao Chickpeas in the regular meal planning rotation. That said, don't want to overdo them and have them get old, so always on the lookout for new options. This one looked worth a try:

Recipe

• 2 1/2 c vegetable broth
• 1/2 c quinoa
• 1 can (15 oz) beans - black, pinto, your call - drained & rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes - NOT drained
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 c corn kernels
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small chili pepper, minced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

I want to say, just add it all to your crockpot - but the original recipe is a bit more strict on the order. So, if you want to follow that: 

• broth, quinoa, beans & tomatoes
• peppers, carrot, corn, onion, garlic
• seasonings

OK after stirring all those in (in order or not), cook 2.5-3 hours high or 5-6 low - longer makes it less soupy.

Notes

This one came out unexpectedly kick-ass. Was very glad I doubled it up and will be eating scoops of this for a little while... Seriously, it smells so good (with the taste to back it up) that I haven't paused long enough to take a picture the first time or even with a couple rounds of leftovers.

Miso Eggplant

One of my observations about vegan eating is, in a lot of cases recipes can just get complicated. Whatever else you think about it, there's a simplicity to meat + starch + veggies. So I've kept an eye out for good ways of getting a simple protein on the plate, and letting us be flexible or creative with sides. So with that in mind, I thought this eggplant recipe was worth a shot:

Recipe

• 1 eggplant
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 1/2 tbsp minced ginger (or whatever amount makes sense)
• 2 cloves garlic (ditto)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c bread crumbs

Slice the eggplant into ~1" planks (or steaks, if you prefer). Sprinkle with salt, rub it in, and let sit for 30 mins or so.

In the meantime, mix everything else (except bread crumbs). Once the eggplant's ready, coat the top with the sauce and roast 30 mins or so.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Coat the eggplant with the bread crumbs (you don't need a lot, it's not fully breaded) and fry for a couple minutes per side.

Notes

Woop this one was really good! We've done it a couple times with coconut rice (basically sub coconut milk for half the water you'd use) and sauteed veggies. It takes a little time, but not all busy. Craveable and filling!

Double Chocolate Tofu Donuts

 Kicked off the Thanksveganing day of cooking and eating with a bit of a dabble into baking - this recipe seemed worth a shot!

Recipe

• 1 pack silken tofu, drained
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• (dark) chocolate bar for topping

Mash up the tofu. Mix up the dry ingredients (flour, sugar & powders), then add in the tofu. Keep working it until it comes together and stops being crumbly (a couple minutes). Roll the dough into a long snake and cut into 8 pieces, and curl them into rings.

From here, you can fry or bake (375 degrees, ~15 mins). Meanwhile, melt your chocolate topping and dip the finished donuts.

Notes

1. The above doubles the original recipe. I got halfway into this before thinking, what else am I going to do with half a pack of silken tofu (especially with T-giving leftovers incoming...).
2. The dough took a little time and effort to come together, so be patient! Just when you think you messed up, it comes together.
3. I am not a baker and actually did mess up though. I forgot the baking powder, and made melting the chocolate topping kind of gross. Which left me with a dense and less-appealing final product.
4. All that said, I still liked them! Worth trying again soon :)

T-giving bfast for the coffee drinker in the house...

 

Vegan Biscuit Sausage Stuffing

Well this one has been on the backlog since Thanksveganing...

Recipe

Start the day before by making a batch of vegan biscuits - Pillsbury Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits are highly recommended (and vegan, despite the name). Leave them out overnight to get crusty.

• 10 oz vegan sausage - chorizo also highly recommended
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp each of fresh thyme, sage & rosemary, minced
• 2 c veggie broth
• butter, salt & pepper

Cut the biscuits into 1" cubes. Melt butter in an oven-safe skillet, and cook up the sausage and veggies. Season with the herbs, salt & pepper until the sausage and onions are looking (and smelling) good. Pour in the biscuits and broth, toss, and bake at 400 for 20-35 minutes.

Notes

This dish really stole the T-giving show. And I feel a little sheepish about it, since the biscuits and chorizo came out of a pack... but totally worth it :)

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly! Also DELICIOUS.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups pureed pumpkin (1 15 oz. can is fine)

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c molasses

2 c rolled oats

1 c flour *substitute gf flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

***for the spices, a pumpkin spice mix would be amazing

1/2 c raisins *OPTIONAL--I say GROSS.

1 c chocolate chips/chunks of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix pumpkin, sugar, and molasses together.

In small bowl, combine oats, flour, spices, and baking soda.

Mix together with pumpkin and sugar. Mix in chocolate and/or raisins.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet. (I sprinkled a little kosher salt on top–highly recommend) 

Bake 11/13 minutes.

NOTES:

I was really impressed with these as they stuck together super well despite the lack of egg and they came out nice and chewy. 

I think the bake time was a little longer than written? Just watch for your desired level of chewy. 

And the batter was so good we ended up cooking a tray-full of the batter then eating the rest straight out of the mixing bowl over the course of a couple days.