You’ve frequently heard me refer to “the Flamingo”, and I’ll bet you thought I was talking about myself, didn’t you? Well, today the truth comes out, and the Flamingo insisted on speaking for himself about one of our experiences at the Eat, Write, Retreat food bloggers conference in Washington, DC this weekend, and wrote a guest post for me. * Enjoy!

Cashew Cream Tartlet

Reneé has been busy, chatting face-to-face with her fellow bloggers at the Eat, Write, Retreat conference in Washington, so I, the real Flamingo of Flamingo Musings, am giving her a break. (Well, that, and they won’t let animals onto the conference floor, so I have to stay in the room and do something to amuse myself.)

The people at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw (1341 L St. NW, Washington DC) graciously allowed me to accompany my mistress to a tasting of “raw cuisine.” (Thankfully, they’re pro- rather than anti-avian.) I must admit, I was skeptical; it’s completely vegan, and so there’s no shrimp (and in my business, you need to eat a lot of shrimp to keep up the proper pinkness). I was, however, pleasantly surprised. We feasted on a buffet of vegan delicacies. We began with “mocktails” made from lime juice, agave, ginger and soda water, accompanied by kale chips dusted with spices, swiftly followed by a red pepper hummus, sushi using shredded jicama in place of rice and sunflower sprouts in place of fish, an olive tapenade served on “crackers” made of nut flour, as well as a divine shaved fennel and cashew cream tartlet. There was even dessert (which made my feathers flutter in anticipation!). Chocolate caramel nut squares vied with a blueberry “cheese” cake, and finally, a most interesting apple-celery sorbet, which was the brainchild of chef-author Michael Natkin.

Our host, Elizabeth Petty, owner of Elizabeth‘s, informed us that “raw” means never heating anything past 115°F in order to preserve the natural enzymes in the food. It’s a very healthy approach for people (if not for flamingos, i.e. no shrimp – even if I do generally eat them raw), but it has a few drawbacks. For one thing, my understanding is that some foods are actually more nutritious when cooked— like tomatoes. For another, it seems almost impossible to make a sturdy cracker without real heat; after several attempts to shovel tapenade onto one of the crackers and having the edible platform disintegrate in my beak, I had to rely on the kindness of one of the assembled humans to spoon some of the tapenade onto a nut-flour based “cracker” so I could eat it. My mistress found the textures of the numerous dishes tended to blend together, and she wasn’t entirely happy with the great reliance on ground nuts as a substitute for starch as well as dairy products in the cuisine.

Of course, everything is a matter of definition. Perhaps not everything has to avoid being hotter than 115°. We had a great many dessert items with chocolate, and cocoa beans, if I’m not mistaken, must be roasted at 250° or higher to make chocolate.

Aside from my “no shrimp” objection, there seems to be a considerable amount of labor involved in the making of “raw” cuisine. Ms. Petty revealed that the fare for her Friday night tasting menu (which we were sampling) takes the entire week previous to prepare. That time investment may be the price to pay for putting out interesting “raw” cuisine, but I think I’ll stick with my shrimp.

 * I can not tell a lie. Today, the part of the Flamingo was played by my husband, Mike, a darned good writer, who for the first time, asked if he could write a guest post for Flamingo Musings. Who could say no to that face?

Photo used by permission of Kathy Blake of The Experimental Gourmand. Thanks, Kathy!

A couple of weeks ago, I was scouring the farmers market looking for inspiration. My spring canning class was coming up and I wanted to show the class something a little bit different in the pickle category – something that might inspire them to think of vegetable pickles “outside the jar”.  Something that would lend itself to use beyond a sandwich garnish.  My eyes landed on some beautiful, stripey, baby eggplant, and I knew immediately what I would do.

Two years ago, while participating in the Can Jam, I created a recipe for pickling spring onions and green garlic in balsamic vinegar and red wine that was so versatile, I used it as part of an antipasto plate, on cheese sandwiches, and even used the pickling liquid as a dressing for salads and caprese picks.  That recipe was even chosen to be included in Sarah B. Hood’s book, We Sure Can!

I thought that something similar would work for this beautiful baby eggplant, so I gave it a try.  And yes, it was worth it! The eggplant became tender and smooth – almost unctuous – contrasting in texture with the still firm onion, and the sweet/tart balsamic brine works beautifully as a dressing, alone or mixed with melted butter and/or olive oil.

One of my serving suggestions in class:  Melt 2 Tbs butter, add 2 Tbs olive oil, then add a one pint jar of this pickle, including the liquid.  Heat gently for just a couple of minutes and toss with hot pasta, long or short, of your choice. Instant supper! If you use short pasta, toss the hot pasta with olive oil and this pickle, and you can also serve it as a cold pasta salad – refreshing on a hot summer day. The possibilities go on and this recipe is easily doubled if your eggplant crop starts getting out of control, this summer.

Melanzana Balsamica
(Balsamic Eggplant)
(Makes about 3 pints)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs  baby eggplant
• 1 large red spring onion
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 1 cup red wine (preferably Italian)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp canning salt (or 1 ½ tsp kosher salt)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar (5% acidity or higher)

Preparation:

Fill the canning pot with water and bring to a boil.  Place 3 pint canning jars and their lids into the pot and sterilize for 10 minutes.  While this is happening:

Wash and dry the eggplant, cut off the stem caps, and slice lengthwise into quarters.  If using a less-tender-skinned variety of eggplant, you may wish to peel it first.  Peel the onion, cut off the ends, cut in half lengthwise and cut into thick slices, also lengthwise.  Peel garlic cloves and smash with the broad part of the knife blade.

Put the vegetables into a medium non-reactive pot, add the wine, water, and salt, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium-high, and allow to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Canning:

Divide the hot vegetables equally between the 3 hot jars, pressing down firmly.  Add the hot liquid to each jar. Release trapped air bubbles with a chopstick or any thin, non-metallic tool (such as a plastic knife), allowing the liquid to fill the space.  Leave ½” headroom at the top of each jar, removing any excess liquid with a spoon.

Clean the jar rims well with a wet paper towel, place lids on the jars, screw on the rings finger-tight, and return to the canning pot. Bring back to a rolling boil and process for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow the jars to remain in the water for an additional 5 minutes before removing them to a covered surface to cool. Listen for the ping!

Allow to meld for a minimum 1 ½ – 2 weeks before using.  Of course, it gets better with age.

Things have been a little crazed around the ol’ Flamingo Pond these days, and I apologize to everyone for not putting together a #GreatHallowTweet Halloween bloghop, this year.

But that doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten about our fave holiday of the year, around here, and I haven’t forgotten that you need to give those kids of yours (young and old) a special supper before they hit the Trick or Treat trail!

Slime Soup! This falls into both categories: Trick and Treat. I mean, c’mon – what kid doesn’t want to eat slime on All Hallow’s Eve? The color’s a wonderful, bilious green, the texture is smooth and silky, and best of all – and you don’t have to tell them this part – it’s actually healthy.

Slime Soup (Quick Broccoli Vichyssoise)

Ingredients:

4 cups (1 quart) vegetable broth (I used my store brand’s organic version)
2 potatoes (about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs russets or golds)
1 16 oz. package frozen broccoli
1 cup unflavored soy milk or regular milk (1% is fine)
salt & pepper

Preparation:

Pour the vegetable broth into a 4 or 5 quart sauce pot.

Peel the potatoes, cut into roughly half-inch pieces, and add to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the broccoli to the pot, cover, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the milk to the pot, whip out your handy dandy hand blender, and puree until completely smooth. (You can carefully do this in a regular blender and then return the soup to the pot). Stir, and warm through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pita chips, crackers, or a nice crusty bread.

I love this soup for a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s quick – you can make this in 30 minutes or less. It’s super-healthy and perfect for Meatless Monday or anytime you want to trick the kids or your significant other to eat some veggies. It’s equally delicious hot or cold. So, if it’s chilly where you are, it makes a nice warmer-upper. If it’s 87 billion degrees outside, like it is here, it’s refreshing and nourishing at the same time. So, you can even make this in the summertime for a healthy light supper as a turn on vichyssoise!

Slime Soup would be great served cool at a party, too. Just pour it into a cauldron (okay, fine – a punch bowl would work, too), and let folks pour themselves a cup.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Bwahahahahahahahaha!

I’m starting to warm up to kale. It took awhile, and some peer pressure. And guilt.

One of my favorite ways to disguise ->ahem!<- incorporate kale in meals, is to add it to pasta. We do love pasta around here, and I’ve got to admit that – aside from calling out for pizza – it’s my favorite “fallback” position when it comes to supper. Perfect for “Meatless Monday” (today is Monday, right?), 30-Minute Meals, or whatever category you’d like to put it in, we just call it “Delicious.” We’re totally going Italian, here!

Pasta Fagioli e Cavolo
(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb. spaghetti
1 bunch kale
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbs. butter
4 – 5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1 19 oz. can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
Salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar & parmesan cheese to finish

Preparation:

Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions and set aside.

While you’re waiting for the pasta water to boil, rinse the kale under cold water, blot fairly dry, and, using just your hands, strip the leafy parts off of the ribs. Discard the ribs. Roll up the leafy bits and slice into thin strips.

Using the same pot you cooked the pasta in, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add salt and pepper, and continue to poach the garlic until it just starts to turn golden, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add the kale strips and toss until it’s completely coated with the hot garlic oil and wilts. Add the beans, followed by the cooked pasta, and toss it all together until the kale and beans are well-distributed.

Serve in individual bowls and finish by drizzling some balsamic vinegar over each serving and grating some parmesan cheese on top. If you want to make it look really fancy, shave the cheese on top with a vegetable peeler. You can also serve it family-style, and let everyone do their own drizzling and grating (or shaving). Add some nice crusty Italian-style bread, and ->poof!<- supper’s ready!

Notes:

Okay, I made up the name. It means pasta with beans and kale. But if I called it that, would you look at it twice? And now you’ve got a fancy Italian name when the family looks at it, looks at you, and says, “What’s that?“

If you don’t want to use butter, just add another 1/4 cup of olive oil. I know it sounds like a lot of oil, but it really isn’t when you consider that it has to coat all of that pasta and greenery. You can also substitute 4 Tbs. of Smart Balance Light spread (my favorite non-dairy butter substitute), but it will take a bit longer to melt.

Make it even healthier by using wholegrain pasta. Many of the newer ones are very very good.

If you’re in a really fancy mood, or serving this to company, adding a small drizzle of truffle oil at the end will really send this over the moon. You know, if you happen to have some around.

This dish is fast, it’s easy, and it’s completely open to change-ups. No kale? Try some Swiss chard. No cannellini beans? How about some navy beans or great northerns? Kidney beans would add a real pop of color, and make it the same colors as the Italian flag!

*Name change at suggestion of two actual Italian-speakers. LOL! And just when I was getting the hang of typing Ravizzone.

Last night I made an old favorite for supper: lentil barley soup with mushrooms. Living in South Florida, we don’t get much of an opportunity – or inclination – to eat much in the way of hearty soups of the bean-mushroom-barley persuasion. We rarely need to warm up that much! But I’ve had a yen for mushroom barley soup, lately. I was just waiting for our temps to drop enough to justify it. The cooking lentils, pearl barley, and potatoes act as natural thickeners, and give this soup lots of texture and substance. It really is a meal in a bowl!

When I was growing up in Ohio, my Mom used to make a lot of bean/lentil/mushroom/barley soups in the winter. Her soups always had a meat base, usually gotten from throwing a big old beef bone or two into the pot. While not vegetarian by any stretch, I was never really a big meat-eater, either. And modern times being what they are, I live in the wrong end of town to have much access or choices in the kosher meat department. So, my version is completely vegan*, low-fat, and a real budget-stretcher, too.

Mom called her soup, krupnik. No, I don’t know what it means, but it doesn’t sound terribly appetizing, does it? I suppose it would be sexier to call it soupe aux légumes du potager avec champignons et orge – or something – but for now, let’s stick with Lentil Mushroom Barley Soup, okay?

Lentil Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients:

3/4 cup lentils
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 – 5 thin carrots, peeled & cut into 1″ – 1-1/2″ pieces
1/2 cup mushroom slices
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
3 bay leaves
3 – 4 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-1/2″ pieces
2 Tbs. worcestershire sauce* (I used Oxford Falls Vegan, Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce)
freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation:

Put the lentils and pearl barley into a strainer or sieve, and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. Allow to drain.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a 6-quart pot. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Sweat the vegetables until the onions are translucent and softened. Add the carrots and mushrooms, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the lentils and barley, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaves, stir, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Now add the potatoes, worcestershire sauce, and pepper (if using) stir, cover, and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. You may need to raise the heat briefly after adding the cold potatoes, but as soon as the soup begins to boil again, reduce it back down to medium-low. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and remember to remove the bay leaves before serving.

Notes:

Unlike most other beans, lentils don’t need to be soaked or softened before cooking, so they’re very convenient to have around for what I call “cooking by the seat of my pants”, and they’re packed with protein and other good stuff.

This recipe is a real time saver, if you choose to make it several days ahead of time and refrigerate it. While it’s very flavorful and satisfying immediately after cooking, making the soup ahead of time allows the flavors to meld and deepen. You can also freeze it for later use. Now that’s planning! Which I don’t. Usually. Oh, and if you’re really in a hurry, go ahead and use a couple of 4 oz. cans of mushrooms, drained well. I won’t tell anyone.

I referred to this recipe earlier as a “budget-stretcher”. Here’s why: As the soup cools, the starches from the lentils, barley, and potatoes, um, coagulate (for lack of a better word), and make it twice as thick as it was when it was freshly-cooked. The cooling process turns the soup into more of a soup base. To reheat, you must add more water or broth to the soup so it won’t burn. So, if you’re storing it (either refrigerated or frozen) for later meals, make portions half the size that you’ll need later. When ready to re-heat, just put the soup portion into a larger pot and add a nearly equal amount of broth or water. If you’d like, you can add another cut-up potato to leaven things out, and simmer for about another 20 minutes until the potato is fork-tender.

This soup also lends itself to nearly infinite variation, too, depending on what’s in your fridge. If you’ve got some kale or spinach you need to use up, just cut it into ribbons and toss into the pot for the last ten minutes of cooking. Chunks of squash – either summer or winter varieties – work well in here, too. Fifteen or twenty minutes should do it. So, clean out that vegetable drawer and use your imagination!

Stay warm, friends!

Here we go, kids! It’s Day One of The #GreatHallowTweet Bloghop! Eighteen of your favorite bloggers are doin’ up Halloween all week long and we want you to join us on the haunted trail leading up to the big day, itself!

You’re going to need something warm and filling before going out for an exciting evening of Trick or Treating, so let’s warm things up with a bowl of hot and spicy Butternut Squash & Black Bean Stew with Kale. Yes, I said kale. I don’t usually much care for it, either – except maybe as chips – but in my never-ending quest to figure out how to make all these dark, leafy greens you’re supposed to eat taste good, I think I’ve nailed this one. ‘Cause just about anything tastes better in a spicy bowl of stew, right?

Just tell the kids (and your spouse) that it’s “Bugs & Lawn Clippings Stew”. It’s Halloween, right?

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Stew with Kale

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (about 2-1/2 tsp.)
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 cups butternut squash, cut into approx. 1/2″-3/4″ pieces)
1-1/2 tsp. ground chili powder (I used chipotle, of course!)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. Worcestershire (I used Oxford Falls vegan)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 29 oz can (or 2 15.5 oz cans) black beans, drained & rinsed
1 small bunch kale, chopped (about 3-4 cups, packed)

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a 6 quart pot, over medium-high heat, and add the onion, garlic, and salt. Sauté until the onion begins to turn golden-colored, about 5-6 minutes. Add the butternut squash, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine.

Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice, the black beans, and the vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. When the stew begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the squash becomes tender, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Add the chopped kale to the pot and stir to combine completely. (If you prefer, you can substitute Swiss chard) Allow to simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes, till the kale wilts but retains a bright green color.

Are you warmed up, yet? Great!

In case you missed it, check out my Wilton Halloween post from earlier this month – lots of good stuff there, too!

Now go take a look at the #GreatHallowTweet blog list in the sidebar there on the right, and hop on over to the next blog on the list! Or go somewhere you’ve never been before! We’ve got some great bloggers who are just BATTY for Halloween waiting for you – and do they have some Tricks and Treats – all week long!

Spicy Butternut Squash & Black Bean Stew With Kale

It’s quite embarrassing that I haven’t posted anything in nearly two whole weeks, so let me break the ice a bit with this quickie one-pan meal. It uses fresh vegetables and another fun pasta shape – orzo.

Orzo is a small pasta, shaped rather like large rice grains, and particularly well-suited to my favorite one-pan meal concoctions. Basically, you can just toss it into the pan with everything else, and it will cook itself! One less pot to wash!

This dish is also very versatile – don’t limit yourself to the vegetables I used here. You can use whatever’s on hand or even (ack! don’t tell anyone!) frozen mixed vegetables of your choice! And it takes about 30 minutes or less from fridge to table. No excuses, now!

Orzo Pasta & Veggie Skillet

(makes about 4 servings as a main dish)

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped coarsely

3-4 cloves garlic (or more if you like), chopped coarsely

approx. 3 cups broccoli florets

2 large yellow summer squash, chopped coarsely

1 large (or 2 medium) tomatoes, chopped coarsely

1 32 oz. container of vegetable stock or broth (preferably organic)

1 box orzo pasta

salt & pepper to taste

Shredded parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Preparation:

In a large pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high, then add the onions and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and squash, stir and cook briefly, or till the broccoli starts to turn a bright green. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.

Pour in the vegetable stock, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Now add the orzo, stir to combine, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat to medium. Allow to cook for about 12-15 minutes.

Sprinkle individual servings with parmesan cheese, if desired.

I’ve got two – count ‘em – two treats for you today! Maybe even three!

I was on the web recently, looking at platform beds for my new space-age foam mattress, when I was struck by an idea for another frozen and healthy concoction (it happens that way, sometimes), and inspired by the new Flickr group,

created by Elle and Heather, I give you treat number one:

Vegan Blueberry “Ice Cream”
(makes about 1-1/2 pints)

Ingredients:

1 dry pint blueberries
1/2 cup agave nectar (divided) -or-
1/2 cup sugar (divided)
1 cup soy milk
1 cup silken tofu
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Preparation:

Make the blueberry syrup at least one hour before preparing the base.

Wash the blueberries, removing any stems in the process. Do not dry.

To make the syrup: In small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries and 1/4 cup agave nectar or sugar. Bring to a boil, and allow to cook and reduce for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer contents to a heat-proof container, and refrigerate. You should have about 2/3 cup of blueberry syrup. When the syrup is completely cooled (it doesn’t have to be cold – just room temperature is fine), make the “ice cream” base.

To make the base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk, silken tofu, remaining 1/4 cup agave nectar or sugar, vanilla, and salt. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Put the now-soft ice cream into an air-tight container and mix in the blueberry syrup. Cover and freeze – minimum an hour or two.

So, if you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, diabetic, or just want a sweet, frozen sump’n-sump’n on a hot summer day, that won’t kill your diet and might actually be >gasp!< healthy, give this a try while the blueberries are in season!

I promised you a second treat, didn’t I? I don’t think you’ll be disappointed…

I was contacted recently by CSN Stores – you know, the hugely popular web company with over 200 internet stores that carry everything from patio furniture to (my personal fave) Cookware.com? They asked if I would like to give you – my dear, dear readers – a gift certificate for $50! Think about it – $50 to spend anyway you like in any of those 200 stores! It’s like Christmas in June, isn’t it? I said, “Heck, yeah! My readers deserve a little something special!” Because I love my readers. All of my readers. So I know you won’t be mad when I tell you that only those of you with U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses can play. Sorry!

And because I love you, I’m going to give you several ways to win:

First way, go to CSN and find something you’d love to blow $50 on, come back here and leave a comment about it.

Second way, follow me on Google Friend Connect (over there in the sidebar), and leave another comment that you did.

Third way, follow me on Networked Blogs (also over there in the sidebar), and leave another comment. If you already follow me on Google Friend Connect and/or Networked Blogs, leave a comment for each one that you do.

Fourth way, tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and/or mention it on Facebook, then come here and leave the link to your tweet or mention in another comment. You can tweet and FB everyday – but only comments about tweets and mentions with links will be counted. Above all, make sure I have a good e-mail address for you – if I can’t contact you within 3 days after the end of this giveaway, I’ll choose a new winner.

Fifth way, “Like” Flamingo Musings on Facebook, and of course, come back and leave a comment that you’re a “liker” (I really hate that… What was wrong with “fan,” anyway?). Again, if you already like Flamingo Musings, please leave a comment saying that.

Winners will be selected by random.org next Sunday night, June 13, 2010 at 11:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time. I’ll tweet, FB, and e-mail the winner shortly afterward.

Fun, right? Well, guess what? Here’s your third treat: My buddy Barbara, over at Barbara Bakes, is also giving away a CSN gift certificate this week! Double your chances of winning by visiting her, too!

One post, three treats – isn’t that a great way to start off the week?

*Disclosure: I have not been paid in any way or given any inducements of any kind to write this post or participate in this giveaway.

Print this post for your Moleskine journal

It’s Monday once again. Back to school, back to work, and back to the eternal question: “What the heck am I going to make for supper that I can get on the table before someone gnaws a hole in the couch?” “Oh. And yeah. I’d like to get a vegetable in there, somewhere.”

My answer? Taco Salad.

Surprise! It’s vegan! Wait! Don’t run away! First the recipe, then my notes (which includes non-vegan/vegetarian substitutions).

Vegan Taco Salad
(makes about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup ground beef-flavored TVP (textured vegetable protein)

2 cups hot water

1 16 oz. jar of your favorite salsa (I used Oxford Falls Fried Green Tomato Salsa – a tomatillo-based salsa)

1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Mixed salad greens

Riceworks Sea Salt Brown Rice Crisps

1 large tomato, diced

Tofutti “Better Than Sour Cream”

Preparation:

In a large frying pan over high heat, pour the water and TVP, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Add the salsa, canned diced tomato, and beans, stir well, and allow to cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 10 – 15 minutes.

Assembly:

In a large bowl – I like my flat soup bowls – place a bed of the salad greens. Take a large handful of the chips (count out a serving size, if you like), and crush in your hands, sprinkling them over the greens.

Spoon the chili over the salad greens/chips. Top with a tablespoon of the Tofutti “Better Than Sour Cream” and the fresh diced tomato.

Notes:

No, we haven’t given up meat. I guess we’ve always been “flexitarians” before there was actually a name for it. All that means is that we have vegetarian meals a few days a week. That’s just the way we’ve always been, without giving it any thought. Our use of TVP actually grew out of a desire to find non-meat substitutions for dishes we wanted to cook in which you can’t get around the dairy ingredients, in my kosher kitchen.

This is one of the variations of my 15 minute chili / sloppy joes. Okay, so you don’t have to make it vegan, but in the spirit of environmentalism and the movement to eat more meatless meals, I urge you to try it. All of the ingredients are easily available in natural foods markets or online, and this is one painless and delicious introduction to that exercise.

If you keep kosher, feel free to use dairy sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. TVP is certified kosher / pareve.

To make this with meat, substitute the TVP and water for one pound of ground beef. Brown the ground beef and then add the rest of the ingredients as indicated. You can use any tortilla chips and dairy sour cream for your toppings.

To quote the old commercial: “Try it, you’ll like it!”

*Disclaimer: I have not been paid or otherwise induced to use the named products. I use them because I like them. So there.

Project Vegan Yum Yum continues!

This week’s recipe assigned to us by Elle from Lauren Ulm’s blog-turned-book of the same name, is “Aloo Matar” (Which I’m pretty sure means “dead potato”. Oh no, wait. That’s Spanish. Never mind.)

Aloo means Potato and Matar means Peas. This is a vegan turn on an already vegetarian Indian dish of potatoes and peas in a spicy tomato-based sauce, properly called “Aloo Muttar”. But that’s how she spelled it, so…

What’s really vegan about this recipe, is that there is no ghee (Indian clarified butter), and no yogurt. In order to create that creamy consistency, Lauren has you run cashews through a food processor and blend in water. A stick blender with a mini-chopper attachment will make short work of the operation (a couple of good ones are in the “In My Kitchen” section of my Amazon store, there in my sidebar. Plug.). While the consistency is by no means as thick as yogurt, the effect in the finished dish is pretty authentic. I noticed that she uses this little trick in several different recipes, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had to try it. I was initially skeptical, but I have to admit that it works!

Unless you cook Indian food on a regular basis and already have an extensive pantry of Indian spices, you’ll need to go shopping. Don’t expect to find asafoetida or fenugreek leaves on the shelves at your local megamart. But that shouldn’t discourage you! After all, the internet is a marvelous thing, no?

Other things I did differently:

I didn’t feel like going shopping and didn’t have any fresh hot peppers in the house, so I used one whole dried Indian pepper. I didn’t process the diced tomatoes – seemed like a waste of energy. The tomatoes break down and the sauce cooks just as beautifully without it.

My husband had recently boiled a bunch of new red potatoes that he was afraid might go bad soon, so I used those, with the skin on, and just quartered them. I probably used twice as many as the recipe calls for, and that’s a good thing. As much as I like spice, there’s a lot going on here, and the additional potatoes helps smooth that out a bit.

I served this over rice and it was delicious! And don’t jump all over me for not using basmati. This was already cooked and in the fridge, just waiting to be refreshed and used. I’m all about the easy, people. The leftovers also keep really well. A few minutes in the microwave and it was just as good as the night I made it. The second time, I served it with purchased whole wheat naan and it was equally tasty.

The fussiest thing about this recipe? All the spice batches. But frankly, a lot of Indian cooking is like that – six gazillion spices separated into batches that go into the dish at different times. But if you organize them ahead in small prep dishes, it makes the process go much smoother. So don’t use that as an excuse!

Verdict: I will absolutely make this again. It’s a keeper.

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