Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

This AMAZING recipe is a combination of cinnamon roll recipes from Forks Over Knives and VegNews Magazine.  It's a lot of trouble, but totally worth it for a special occasion.

Ingredients:
1 cup unflavored plant milk, warmed
1 pkg active dry yeast
4 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes (nothing but potatoes, cooked and mashed)
1⁄3 cup + 1 T. maple syrup, divided
2 T. ground flaxseed
1⁄2 t. + 1⁄3 t. salt, divided
4 T. room temperature vegan butter, divided
2 apples, peeled and petite-diced
10 T. granulated sugar, divided
3⁄4 t. + 3 T. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1⁄4 cup unflavored plant milk

Method:
1. In a large bowl combine 1 c. warm milk and yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 c. flour, potatoes, 1/3 c maple syrup, flaxseed, and 1/2 t. salt. Measure 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, and stir in as much of this flour as you can. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining measured all-purpose flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1½ to 1¾ hours).

2. In a skillet, melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Add apple and 1 T. maple syrup. Saute until very soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. For the streusel topping, combine 6 T. granulated sugar, 5 T. all-purpose flour, 3/4 t. cinnamon, and 1/3 t. salt. Add 3 T. room-temp butter, and toss with 2 forks until mixture appears crumbly.

4. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 granulated sugar, and 3 T. cinnamon. Roll dough into a 13 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush 2 T. melted butter over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture (It will seem like a lot.) and layer with cooked apples, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle 1/3 of the streusel topping over the apples.

5. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. With long end toward you, roll dough toward unfilled border evenly into a log. With seam side down, use a sharp knife to cut log into 12 equal pieces. Place rolls, cut side up, into prepared pan in 4 rows of 3, leaving some space between rolls.

6. Brush top of dough with some plant-based milk and sprinkle with remaining streusel topping. Pat down gently to adhere to dough.

AT THIS POINT: If you are preparing the night before, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Remove from fridge the next morning and continue.

7. Place pan in a warm part of the kitchen covered with a towel for a 2nd rise, 45 minutes-1 hour or until rolls have expanded. Preheat oven to 375 while rolls rise.

8. When rolls have risen, bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow rolls to cool for 10 minutes before glazing. While rolls cool, whisk confectioner's sugar with 1/4 c. plant-based milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over rolls and serve.

Southwestern Stew with Coconut Quinoa

This special-tasting stew is slightly modified from Anna Lappé and Bryant Terry's (He's from Memphis!) recipe in their cookbook named deliciously Grub.

This is definitely a weekend dish, because it takes a while to make, but it's not difficult...and it's very tasty!

Ingredients:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 c. sliced red onion
1 (or try 2 for more smoke and spice) chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (Remove the seeds if you want to tame the heat.  Leave them if you want to keep it spicy.  They'll be puréed anyway.)
10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped  (Yes:  10!)
one 28-oz can whole tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
2 bay leaves
up to 4 c. vegetable broth/stock
salt, to taste
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch chunks
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 15-oz can coconut milk
1.5 c. quinoa, rinsed
3 T. dried unsweetened coconut
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn kernels, drained

Method:
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet that has a lid.  Add the onion and chipotle, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic, and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

In a blender, puree the drained tomatoes along with the onion and chipotle until smooth.  Pour the mixture back into the large skillet.  Add the bay leaves and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a thick consistency (about 10 mins).

Add enough vegetable broth/stock to the reserved tomato juice to make 4 cups, then add to the puréed tomato mixture with 1 t. salt (or to taste).  Add the potato chunks, bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are softened (about 40-45 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the coconut milk with 1.5 cups water and 3/4 t. salt in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Add the quinoa and dried coconut, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Allow the quinoa to rest, covered, for another 5 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.

When the potatoes are soft, remove the bay leaves from the stew and stir in the black beans and corn.  Serve the stew over the quinoa.  Serves 4 - 5.

Hearty Irish Lager Stew

Here's an Irish recipe vegetarians can enjoy on St. Patrick's Day next week, courtesy of Vegetarian Times.  I made this for the holiday last year, and it was a hit!

Ingredients:

• 1 T. vegetable oil, divided
• 8 oz. button or shiitake mushrooms, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 t.)
• 1 c. diced onion
• 3 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 ½ cups)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 1 ½ t. tomato paste
• 1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 ½ c. vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle, plus 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided
• ½ cup lager beer
• 1 ½ T. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Method:
1. Heat 1/2 T. oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining 1/2 T. oil to pot. Add onion, and cook 5 minutes or until translucent. Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add lager, flour, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring often. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cabbage, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage softens. Stir in chopped thyme and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. 

Serves 6.

Smoky Potatoes

I don't remember what magazine I found this recipe in.  I was sitting in the doctor's office with Scott when I saw this in a magazine and literally just photographed the recipe for later.  It's good!  Scott's not even a potato fan but still enjoyed this smoky vegan side dish.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 T. smoked paprika (This recipe is not the same with regular paprika.  Be sure to get the smoked paprika.  You won't be sorry!)

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly-ground pepper

4 scallions, chopped

 

Method:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

 

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes and bell pepper with the olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.  Arrange in an even layer, and roast, turning once or twice, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender (20 - 25 minutes).

 

Toss with the chopped scallions, and serve warm.  Serves 3 - 4 as a side dish.

 



Potato Salad With Green Beans

I don't really like "creamy" or mayonaise-y potato salads.  But I love potatoes in pretty much any form, so I jumped at the chance to try this non-creamy potato salad published in a recent Food Network Magazine.  I changed it just a little, but not enough to make a wave.  AND I got to use lots of stuff from my own garden:  potatoes, garlic, oregano, and dried red pepper.  Woot!

 

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs. new potatoes, scrubbed clean

2 cloves garlic, peeled

salt

1/4 to 1/3 c. sherry vinegar

1/4 to 1/3 c. plus 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, separated

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1/2 lb. green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1.5-inch pieces

1/2 c. pitted and slivered kalamata olives

4 large stems fresh oregano, leaves washed, dried with a paper towel, and chopped

3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

red pepper flakes, to taste

 

Method:

 

Put the potatoes and garlic in a pot and cover with well-salted water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still hot, carefully cut the potatoes into large bite-sized chunks (try not to pull off the skins) and transfer to a large bowl.  Finely chop the garlic and add it to the potatoes along with 2 T. each vinegar and olive oil.  Season generously with salt.  (NOTE:  It is important to do this while the potatoes are still warm so they absorb the vinegar and oil and are seasoned all the way through.)

 

Meanwhile, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold the green beans.  Add the onion, green beans, and salt, to taste.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the green beans are wilted and browning and the onions are transluscent.  Remove from heat.

 

Add the green beans, olives, oregano, scallions, and red pepper flakes to the bowl with the potatoes.  Stir to combine.  Taste and adjust the salt.  Add the remaining oil and vinegar, to taste.  Allow the salad to sit one hour at room temperature for the flavors to marry.  Serves 6 - 8.

Vegetable Tagine

Here's another great recipe from Donna Klein's cookbook titled The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  There's a lot of chopping, but that just means there are a lot of fresh vegetables in this dish which is ultimately a very good thing.  And it's colorful, which means it covers a lot of the nutrient spectrum.  Finally, it just tastes good, too!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, slivered

5 c. vegetable broth, divided

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained (I saved the juice from the can and used it as part of my vegetable broth.)

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1 c. frozen green peas

6 oz. large green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 bell pepper (any color will work, but yellow would look great since this color is otherwise missing from the dish), seeded and coarsely chopped

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

2 c. instant couscous

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

juice from 1/2 of a juicy lemon

Method:

In a medium stockpot (not saucepan), heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, and sauté 1 - 2 minutes more.

Stir in 2 c. vegetable broth, tomatoes, potato, salt (I used about 3/4 t.), and pepper.  Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.  Add the carrots and green beans and return to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the frozen peas, chickpeas, bell pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer gently until all vegetables are tender (7 - 10 minutes).  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the remaining 3 c. vegetable broth to a boil.  stir in the couscous and remaining 1/2 T. olive oil.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let stand until all the broth is absorbed (about 7 minutes).  Uncover and fluff with a fork.  (Do a good job of the fluffing right away, because the longer the couscous sits unfluffed, the less fluffing you'll be able to do!)

Add the fresh parsley and lemon juice to the vegetables, stirring well to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper as necessary.

Serve the vegetables over the hot couscous.  Makes 5 - 6 entrée servings.  I served mine with pita bread to keep with the Mediterranean theme.  Yum!

Vegan Enchiladas

It did not take long for Scott's new cooking kick to lead him in the direction of Mexico, and he made these awesome vegan enchiladas by slightly modifying recipes from Rick Bayless's Authentic Mexican cookbook.  Well, we put cheese over the top, but that's easy to fix, eh?  The sauce is from scratch.  That's right!  From scratch!  This is definitely a weekend dish since it takes a bit of time to do everything.  But Scott's a beginner, so the dish is time-consuming but not difficult.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

non-stick cooking spray

1/4 c. canola oil, plus a little more if needed

sauce:

4 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled

4 medium dried guajillo peppers (about 1 oz. total), stemmed, seeded, and deveined

6 medium ancho peppers (about 3 oz. total), stemmed, seeded, and deveined

boiling water

1/4 t. black peppercorns

1/4 t. cumin seeds

2 c. vegetable broth (and maybe a little more)

1 t. salt

large pinch sugar

filling:

2 medium-small red potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium-large carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

3 T. cider vinegar

1 t. salt

1/2 large red onion, chopped

1 1/2 t. canola oil

 

Method:

If the tortillas are moist, lay them out in a single layer to dry a bit.  When dried, wrap in plastic wrap until ready to use.

 

Make the sauce, starting 2 to 4 hours in advance.  Heat a heavy skillet or griddle (cast iron is perfect) over medium heat, then lay the unpeeled garlic on one side to roast.  Tear the peppers into flat pieces and, a few at a time, press them against the hot surface with a metal spatula.  Flip them over and press again.  You will hear them crackle, and you'll see them blister and change color.  Remove to a bowl, cover with boiling water, weigh down with a plate to keep them submerged, and soak for at least one hour (preferably 2 or 3).

Turn the garlic frequently for 15 minutes or so, until blackened a little and soft within.  Remove, cool, peel, and place in a blender jar.  Grind the peppercorns and cumin seeds using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, then add to garlic.

Drain the peppers, squeezing gently.  Add to the blender jar and measure in 1 1/2 c. of the broth.  Blend until smooth, then strain into a large bowl through a medium-mesh sieve.  Season with 1 t. salt and one large pinch of sugar.  Add additional broth to thin to the consistency of a light tomato sauce.

 

Cook the vegetables.  Place the potatoes and carrots in a medium-size saucepan, cover with water, and add the vinegar and salt.  Simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain thoroughly and set aside.  While the potatoes and carrots are simmering, heat the 1 1/2 t. canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the chopped onion until transluscent, about 8 minutes.  mix with the potato and carrot mixture that has been drained and set aside.

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

Prepare the tortillas.  Heat 1/4 c. oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  When sizzingly hot, quick-fry the tortillas to soften them, one at a time, for 2-3 seconds on each side.  (I find this is difficult to do without tearing the tortillas, so I keep a-hold of each tortilla with my tongs, and I don't let the small section I'm holding get into the oil.  You may find something better, but that's how I prevent the tears that seem inevitable.)  Drain on paper towels.

Assemble the enchiladas:  Pour a cup of the sauce onto a plate, and lay the first tortilla in the sauce.  Flip it over so that both sides are now coated with sauce.  Lay a row of filling down the center (about 1/12 of the total amount, and roll it up.  Transfer to the baking dish, seam side down.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.  Once the tortillas are all filled and in the baking dish, pour the remainder of the sauce over them paying special attention to the edges.  Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until just heated through, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately with desired accompaniments like refried beans, tortilla chips, pico de gallo, salsa, and/or guacamole.  You could also try this recipe by adding chopped spinach to the filling.  Modify any way you like, and have a marvelous fiesta!

Lemony Greek Potatoes

Eeeeeee!  Last night I made a new recipe from The Food Network magazine, and it was so fantastic!  It's a great end-of-winter dish, and finally something new with potatoes.  Note that the vinaigrette that the potatoes are tossed in is so yummy I would be perfectly happy using it as dressing for a green salad.  Make it and see what you think!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1 small shallot, quartered (use regular onion of the same size in a pinch)

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves only

1/4 c. fresh parsley leaves, plus 1 T. chopped fresh parsley for serving

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

3 lbs. large russet potatoes, cut lengthwise into wedges

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degress F.

Put the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 c. fresh parsley into a food processor.  Add a rounded 1/2 t. salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.  Purée until mostly smooth.

Toss the potatoes with 1/2 c. of the prepared vinaigrette in a large bowl until wedges are coated.  Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.

Roast the potatoes until tender and golden, turning occasionally, 45 - 60 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a platter and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.  Season with salt and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Serves 6.

Irish Chocolate Potato Cake

Here's a confection for your St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Scott made this yesterday with a caramel drizzle, and it's DEE-licious.  Since the cake contains dark chocolate, potatoes, and almonds, I like to think of it as sort of "healthy" for cake.  (Disregarding, of course, the 1/2 lb. of butter and 1 lb. of sugar!)

The cake recipe came from www.europeancuisines.com, and the icing came from a decade-old issue of Vegetarian Times.  We served it after a "St. Patrick's Eve" meal of vegetable and tofu pot pie (recipe here) and boiled cabbage for an Irish-feeling meal.

Ingredients:
1 c. cooked potato (see below for specific instructions on the potatoes)
1 1/2 T. AP flour
1 1/2 T. cocoa

2 1/2 c. AP flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 rounded t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 lb. butter or vegan margarine (I like to use Earth Balance vegan margarine.), at room temperature

2 1/3 c. (1 lb.) granulated sugar

4 eggs

9 rounded T. finely-grated chocolate

5 rounded T. ground almonds

2/3 c. plant-based milk

1 batch caramel icing (recipe below)

Method:
Be sure to prepare the potatoes in advance and allow them to cool COMPLETELY.  Do not add them to the batter if they are even slightly warm.  If you do, the result will be a heavy cake that may fail to rise or rise only partway.  To prepare the potatoes, peel and chunk 2 medium potatoes and boil until soft when pierced with a fork.  Drain them completely, and dry them briefly over low heat.  Remove from heat.  When completely cool, mash well with a potato masher or ricer.

Mix 1/2 T. flour with the cocoa in a small bowl.  Prepare a tube pan (like a Bundt pan) by spraying it well with non-stick spray.  Be sure to cover every crevice and fluting.  Now add the flour/cocoa mixture to the pan and shake it around until every surface is coated.  Failure to proper cover every crevice and surface may result in a cake that does not unmold properly, so take the time to do this part correctly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the 2.5 c. flour once by itself.  Sift it a second time with the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and set the yolks aside.  In a small mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Set the whites aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir the grated chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture.  Add the potatoes and stir again.  Add the flour, alternating with the plant-based milk, beating gently after each addition.

When the flour and milk are fully incorporated, fold the whipped egg whites carefully into the cake batter.  Spoon the completed batter into the prepared cake pan.  Tap gently once on the counter to settle.

Bake for 1.5 - 2 hours.  With a wooden skewer, start testing for doneness at 1.5 hours and periodically after that until the skewer inserted through the tallest part of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes in the pan.  Invert on a baking rack and remove from pan to cool completely.  Drizzle with caramel icing (or the icing of your choice), and serve.

Caramel Drizzle Icing

Ingredients:
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. plant-based milk
2 T. vegan margarine
1/4 t. salt
1 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Method:
Combine brown sugar, plant-based milk, margarine, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is slightly thick, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.  Stir in almond extract and gradually beat in powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth and creamy.  Let icing cool slightly, and pour over cake.  Icing sets as it cools.

Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

Here's an idea that I tried recently, and it turned out deliciously!  When I make mashed potatoes, I use a hand mixer to "mash" them to ensure no lumps.  Just before this mixing recently, I put in 1 deseeded chipotle pepper (I used the kind that is canned in adobo sauce.) for every 2 potatoes.  It gave the potatoes a smoky flavor with a mildly spicy kick.  YUM!

Here's another idea I haven't tried yet:  using these chipotle mashed potatoes to top a vegan pot pie or shepherd's pie.  If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

Spinach and Potato Soup

Remember when I said I was trying to incorporate more sweet potatoes into my diet?  Well, ditto for leafy greens.  This recipe has both, and I am able to take credit for this one myself.  It's been a fairly warm spring in Memphis, but we had a cold snap last night.  Soup was a warm and comforting supper, and this recipe is super easy!

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
water or vegetable broth (I used water plus some leek broth I had in the freezer.)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1 12-oz. package frozen crowder peas
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 12-oz. package chopped frozen spinach


Method:
In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the onion until transluscent.  Add the garlic, and sauté a minute more.  Add the diced potatoes plus water/broth to cover.  Add 1 t. salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.


Raise heat to high and bring the water/broth to a boil. Add the frozen crowder peas plus additional salt, if desired (I used anotehr 1/2 t. and honestly could have used a little more.), and return to a boil. When the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the crowder peas have a proper cooked texture when bitten, add the can of diced tomatoes with juice and the frozen chopped spinach.  Add more water/broth, if necessary.  (The soup will be very spinach-y.)  Bring the soup briefly back to a boil to ensure all soup (including frozen spinach) is thawed and warm.  Adjust salt/pepper to taste, and serve warm with crackers, cornbread, or some other tasty bread.

Savory Vegan Breakfast - Spicy Black Bean Potatoes

Memphis has a famously great breakfast restaurant called Brother Junipers, and you should visit it if you haven't already.  I love their potato dishes.  The "P1" is my favorite, and I usually order it without the cheese.  This weekend, I didn't have the time to wait for a table at the popular restaurant, so I took a stab at the "P1" at home.  I think it turned out pretty well!

Ingredients:

1 T. canola oil

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch chunks

1.5 c. salsa (I used 1 can of Kroger's diced salsa-style fire-roasted tomatoes.  They have some kick!)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Method:

In a large nonstick skillet, preferably with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat.  Toss the potatoes in the oil, and cover the skillet with either the lid or aluminum foil.  Allow the potatoes to cook in the oil until they're softening, about 8 minutes.

Remove the cover and pour the salsa over the potatoes.  Try to have the salsa spread out enough to touch all the potato pieces without disturbing the potatoes.  Pour the black beans on top and recover.  Cook until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.  Remove from heat before the potatoes are too mushy to hold together.  Stir in scallions.

Serve the potato dish with a piece of whole-grain toast and green tea for a healthy, savory vegan breakfast.

Potato-Leek Soup

A couple of nights ago I made a version of potato-leek soup adapted from Barbara Kafka and Christopher Styler's cookbook Vegetable Love.  I didn't expect much from it.  The recipe is simple, and I was really just trying to use some leeks I had in the fridge before they went bad.  But wow!  It turned out great!  Vegans, I'm sorry to say that, surprisingly, the cream made a fair difference, but you can certainly make this without it.

I didn't photograph it, because puréed potatoes don't make much of a photograph, but it was still quite delicious.  I served it with bruschetta (recipe and photo here), because we are still getting fresh tomatoes from the garden.  Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 lb. white potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 leeks

3 c. water

1 pkg low-sodium miso soup mix (to prepare 8 oz. miso soup...I used Edward & Sons Miso-Cup brand.)

2 T. organic heavy cream (optional - As many of you know, I prefer Organic Valley brand.)

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Remove the green leafy end and 1 inch of the root-end of each leek, and compost the removed parts.  For the remaining leek stalks, cut them into ½-inch sections crosswise.  Wash them in a basin of water to remove any grit.

In a large saucepan, add the potatoes, leeks, water, and the miso soup mix.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Working in batches of approximately 2 cups each, purée the prepared potato mixture in a blender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (I used approximately 1 tsp. salt.)  Add the organic heavy cream, if using, and serve warm.

Swiss Chard with Potatoes

If you've been reading posts since this summer, you know I've had a ton of Swiss chard on my hands from the garden.  It's been my pleasure to try to find new and interesting things to do with this garden green, because we had great success with it this year.  Here's a delicious dish based on a recipe from Rick Bayless's Authentic Mexican cookbook.  I served it as an entrée with a side of black beans and with garlic toasts, but you could easily use it as a side dish, too.



Ingredients:

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 fresh jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and thinly sliced

1 (maybe 2 - try it both ways) medium tomato, cored and coarsely chopped

6 small red-skinned boiling potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch dice

1/4 c. water

3/4 t. salt, separated

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 6 large leaves), stems cut out and leaves sliced crosswise into 1-inch strips

Method:

In a large, lidded skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and jalapeno and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly browned (about 7 - 10 minutes).  Add the tomato to the pan and cook a little longer to reduce the liquid slightly.

Stir in the potatoes, water, and 1/2 t. salt.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix in the chard and remaining 1/4 t. salt.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the greens are tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir to coat the vegetables in the tomato-y broth, and serve immediately.

Warm Kale and Potato Salad with Mustard-Lemon Dressing

I tried a new recipe from Martha Stewart last night, and I felt it was worth sharing. Since The salad is a nice change of pace during the late winter when in-season produce is limited. The only real change I made was cutting down the mustard, so if you love mustard, amp it back up.  Here's the 411:

1.5 lbs. small potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 T. plus 2 t. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper
1/2 t. mustard, or to taste
1 T. finely grated lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 lb. kale, trimmed, cut into large pieces, and rinsed well (I just used 1 bunch of kale...no idea what it weighed.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the potatoes, onion slices, 1 T. oil, and 3/4 t. salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with pepper, and toss to coat. Spread mixture in a single layer. Roast, stirring potatoes and scraping the bottom of the pan every 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until potatoes are brown and crisp (35-45 minutes).

Combine mustard, zest, and juice in a bowl. Heat remaining 2 t. oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 6 minutes. Add mustard-lemon mixture and toss to coat. Cook until heated through. Sprinkle with 1/4 t. salt, and season with pepper. Toss with potatoes.

I served it with a side of Great Northern beans, a warmed baguette, and a glass of red wine.

Martha says the recipe serves 6, but I'd say that's only as a side dish. As a main dish, it serves about 3-4. Here's the per-serving info she gives: 268 calories, 1 g. saturated fat, 6 g unsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 48 g carbs, 389 mg sodium, 8 g. protein, 7 g fiber.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

I've started a new job this week, and I'm tired! I know I've been kind of M.I.A. recently, and that's why. Anyhoo, are you needing something new for a dinner entrée? Here's something exciting: twice-baked potatoes!

You need:

baking potatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
smoked paprika (regular paprika will do but it's not as exciting)
yummy stuff to put in your potatoes like leftover grilled peppers and onions, snipped chives, extra-virgin olive oil, vegan sour cream...use your imagination! I usually like to have something onion-y and something high-fat. What?!

To make them:
Scrub the potatoes clean, then bake them at 475 degrees F for an hour. Don't wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil to bake them, because you want the potato skins to crisp up.

Once the potatoes are done cooking, remove them from the oven. Slice them in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop most of the flesh from each potato-skin shell into a bowl. Salt the inside of the shells.

Using a fork, mash the potato pulp like you would any baked potato. Stir in salt and pepper to taste along with whatever yummy stuff you want to add. Like I said, I like to include something with a lot of fat to get a more exciting mouth-feel. That would be, like, extra-virgin olive oil and/or vegan sour cream and/or vegan margarine. When I made them this week, I stirred in chopped grilled onions, chopped grilled bell peppers, and olive oil. The grilling of the veggies really makes this dish outstanding!

Scoop the seasoned pulp back into the potato shells, dividing it evenly among the shells.

Put the shells on a jelly roll pan or other baking vessel, then sprinkle each potato with the smoked paprkia. Pop it back into the oven until warmed through and slightly crisped on the surface.

You can serve this with a green salad or green vegetable, a protein source like beans or tempeh, and a bread like yeast rolls or baguette to make a delicious and balanced meal.