Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Creamy Herbed Cauliflower Soup


Description:
I found this recipe on the Healthy Happy Life website. It's really good. It's easier than it looks.

From her site: Easy, Creamy Cauliflower Soup. This luscious and decadent soup is naturally creamy using soy milk, organic cauliflower and white potatoes. Low in fat and high in flavor - I have spiced it with a combo of fresh and dried herbs: saffron, garlic, pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley and chives. You can choose whatever herbs you'd like. Onto the recipe...

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 cups chopped white potato (about 1 large potato, skin on)
1 1/2 cups veggie broth OR water+veggie bouillon cube
2 1/2 cups plain soy milk
1 large head organic cauliflower
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp maple syrup, Grade B pref'd
1 1/2 cups loose parsley
2 Tbsp dried herbs/spices (any combo)
*I used (garlic powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary and chives)
2 Tbsp cashews or sunflower seeds (optional)

Saffron Roux
1 cup plain soy milk
1 cup veggie broth or water + veggie bouillon cube
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp saffron strands

Topping:
crumbled cauliflower florets, fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Place large soup pot on stove over med-high heat. Add EVOO.

2. Add chopped onion and saute for a minute.

3. Add in chopped potato.

4. Turn up heat and add in ACV, veggie broth, soy milk and chopped cauliflower. Add cauliflower in broken crumbled pieces. Cover with lid or foil and allow soup to 'steam cook' cauliflower for about 4 minutes.

5. When cauliflower and potatoes are tender, add in your dried herbs, pepper, mustard and maple syrup. Fold these items into the soup - let cook for another minute.

6. Turn off heat and remove pot from stove. Transfer soup to a large mixing bowl to cool for a few minutes.

7. While soup mixture is cooling, turn stove back on. Place your soup pot back on medium heat. Add your roux liquids and whisk in the liquid bit by bit. Try not to create clumps. When all the flour has dissolved into liquid to form a thick liquid, add in the saffron strands. Turn off heat, and set aside.

8. Carefully transfer soup mixture to a high speed blender - blend in batches - not all at once. I blended the soup in three separate batches. NOTE: You will add the parsley and optional nuts/seeds directly to the blender to blend with the soup.

9. In the last batch of soup you blend, add the roux. Then combine all the blended soup and fold gently. Eat at once, store in the fridge or pour soup back into soup pot to simmer until ready to serve.

Garnish with fresh raw cauliflower crumbles

Note: When re-heating, you may want to add a bit more soy milk or veggie broth to thin out the soup.

Other Optional Ingredients:
*2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
*1 Tbsp Vegenaise
*1 cup tempeh cubes
*2 cups leafy greens, chopped
*fresh ginger

Black Bean Burger


Description:
I found this recipe on Foodgawker and it was super yummy (IMO) :-))

Ingredients:
1 can of plain black beans, rinsed and drained
approximately 1.5 cups of finely chopped zucchini
1 medium potato, boiled & chopped
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
1 big garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
fine bread crumbs of your choice (I used whole wheat panko)
salt to taste
olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon of a Mexican hot sauce, I used the Frontera Habanero Hot Sauce from the Yucatan, or try 1/2 of a finely chopped jalapeño
bread, grilled tomato, and cilantro garlic chutney for serving, and cheese if you prefer

Directions:
My method:
1. Sauté the onion in 1 teaspoon of oil, till translucent and golden brown.
2. Add the garlic and zucchini, and cook till slightly soft.
3. Add the beans, all the spices including the hot sauce or jalapeño, and let it cook down on medium heat. Zucchini releases a lot of water, cook most of it off.
4. When everything is a bit tender and well cooked, mash it down.
5. Take it off the heat and mash in the boiled potato.
6. Let the combination cool for a few minutes, then form medium-sized patties by hand. If your patties don't hold together well enough, add some bread crumbs to the mixture and try again.
7. Dip the patties in the bread crumbs to cover them all around. The breadcrumbs will stick because of the potato starch.
8. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on medium high, & cook 2-4 patties (whatever you fit based on the size of your pan) till they are golden brown on each side.
9. Put them on a paper towel for a minute or two, to absorb any excess oil.
10. Serve on bread of your choice, with extras like lettuce & cheese or a fresh salad.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Spicy Thai Noodles

Description:
It is Vegan MoFo III, the Vegan Month of Food, Day 31.

Ingredients:
* Soba or Udon noodles, one package
* Silken tofu, one package
* 1/2 can coconut milk (regular or light)
* 1/2 lb mushrooms
* 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
* 1 Tbsp red curry paste
* Olive oil, for sauteing


Directions:
Prepare noodles as directed.

Warm oil over medium heat in a large skillet and saute mushrooms and Brussels. Remove mushrooms and Brussels and reserve. In the same skillet, scramble tofu. Set aside.

In a small pot, warm coconut milk. Add red curry paste and combine.

Add noodles to large skillet with tofu. Add mushrooms and coconut milk curry mixture. Stir well to combine.

Serve with chopsticks.