breakfast bake

For a beautiful and hearty brunch meal, this Breakfast Bake was wonderful. In fact, it was so good, I made a double batch and one is in the freezer for another day.

This contains tofu, sausage from the Field Roast Grain Meat Co., carrots, peppers, Daiya vegan cheese and hashbrowns.

I browned the hashbrowns and set them aside in a bowl. Then I sauteed the sausage, carrots, peppers and onions and put those in the bowl with the hashbrowns. Lastly, I sauteed the tofu, seasoned it with nutritional yeast, black salt and turmeric. I steamed the tofu for 10 minutes until there was no more liquid in the pan and then added that to the bowl as well. I mixed it all up, with a cup of Daiya, and popped it into a pie pan. I baked it for 20 minutes and served it with toast.

The most tedious part is getting the hashbrowns to brown in a small saute pan.

Use a big one.

Cost Breakdown

hashbrowns: $2

sausage: $2

tofu: $2

onion, carrot, pepper, green onion: $2

Daiya: $1.50

toast: $2

Total to make 5 servings:

$11.50

soup nazi (MoFo 3)

Hopefully everyone has seen the Seinfeld episode with The Soup Nazi (or was that more than one?) otherwise my play on this restaurant is useless. You remember, the soup guy who won't give you the soup unless you follow proper protocal for ordering? Well, the soup guy actually exists, but not as Soup Nazi - but, as the Soup Man - and he is still selling his soups in Manhattan, and takes great offense at any refernce to being called you-know-who.

I couldn't really tell you if any of his soups are vegan or even vegetarian, but it seems to me that unless you live close by or have the mula to ship it, you and I are out of luck anyway.

Not only that, but I am darn certain he does not make Mexican Chicken Chili or Crab Bisque vegan. Luckily, making the Chili vegan is doable, but the crab thing is a little more challenging. I am, however, willing to wager that his is not any better than my version: Golden Beet Bisque. 

Both soups require 4 hours of cooking. Let me say that again: 4 hours of simmering. Yeah, I know. BUT, so worth it! Just make one and let it hang out on the back of the stove on a lazy Sunday afternoon and by dinner you will be thanking me.

I used Tender Seitan in my Chili, but you can use tofu that you have wrapped or pressed and marinated in some nutritional yeast and sage and salt. Or use another can of beans.

The Bisque has some Earth Balance and a cup of cashew milk and is blended. This was so good! It tasted like beets but not overwhelmingly so - I didn't think I was digging in the garden after having a bowl - but, it certainly was rich.

To accompany the soups, I baked a lovely loaf of whole wheat bread. It is 100% whole wheat and tastes great, not to mention not costing $5.

And don't forget about the cookbook contest staring tomorrow. And if I forget, remind me!

Cost Breakdown:

Bisque:

beets: $3

onion, celery, garlic, tomato, spices: $3 

cashew: $1

Earth Balance: $.25

Total to make 5 serivngs:

$7.25

Chili:

seitan: $1

carrot, onion, celery, pepper, tomato: $2   

spices, herb: $1

beans, corn: $3

Total to make 5 servings:

$7.00

Bread:

flour: $1

maple syrup: $.50

olive oil: $.25

salt, yeast: $.25

Total to make one large loaf:

$2.00

Golden Beet Bisque Recipe

Mexican Chick'n Chili Recipe

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

japanese noodles and steamed buns

Asian Night

Cat is responsible for tonight's meal. She asked me to make some kind of Japanese Steamed Bun. She called it Nikuman.

This steamed bun is filled with ground pork (TVP) and Japanese spices - ginger, tamari, etc. I was very happy to make this for her since what teenager is not immersed in the Japanese culture in some way thanks to video and computer games. That is all very well, but I needed something else to make with it since steamed buns just didn't seem to be enough.

Caramelized Japanese Noodles with vegetables also came to the meal. Now caramelizing something that is moist is a little challenging and while given more time I'm sure I would have been able to get the job done better, three hungry kids just wanted food - caramelized or not!

The buns weren't all that difficult to make, but when there is a dough involved it can seem a little much. What is easy about this dough is that it comes together in a bowl and doesn't need to be rolled out, just spread out with your hands, sort of like a pizza dough being worked by hand.

The noodles were very easy - soba, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots (or any vegetable you want), and the caramelizing sauce - sesame oil, vegetarian stir-fry sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and brown sugar.

Everyone loved tonight's meal.

Cost Breakdown

oil, stir-fry sauce, vinegar, tamari: $1

bamboo shoots, ginger, garlic: $1

broccoli, carrots, mushrooms: $4

flour: $.75

nut milk, brown sugar: $1

TVP: $.75

noodles: $2

Total to feed a family of 6:

$10.50

JAPANESE CARAMELIZED NOODLES PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

JAPANESE STEAMED BUNS PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

witch fingers + brew

Alright, so it isn't really "witch fingers or brew," but green bread sticks with Cheezy Broccoli Soup.

The fabulous thing about this soup is that it is cheesy without soy. Yes, it is soy free and no processed cheese substitute is used. In fact, the cheesiness comes from nutritional yeast, carrots and potatoes. All very good for you, accessible (nutritional yeast should be on your shopping list constantly) and easy. Make sure to use the stems of the broccoli, too, since they are sweet and tender once peeled.

The bread sticks are just a great bread recipe with green food coloring. I used natural coloring ( yellow: turmeric, blue: blueberry) and I had to use quite a bit to get the bread to have the green hue (I used a product I bought at Whole Foods), but if you are using the food coloring that is available at any grocery store, you will certainly need lots less. The finger nails are almond slices and the hair is a sprinkling of Daiya. Just roll a bread piece into a rope about 10 inches long and cut it in half. Stick the almonds on (and cheeze if using) the tapered ends and let it rise for another 30 minutes and bake.

The kids got a kick out of it and they even enjoyed the soup.

There is a How-To Breakdown for the Cheesy Broccoli Soup .

Cost Breakdown

broccoli: $3

potatoes, carrots, onion: $3

flour: $2

finger accents: $1

spices, nutritional yeast: $1

Total to feed a family of 6:

$10.00

 4 out of 5 stars

Cheesy Broccoli Soup Recipe

How-To Breakdown for Soup

corned cabbage

Family Favorite

Well, this is almost a family favorite, since two of the five don't consider it one, but the other three that do speak very loudly.

This is a super easy to make, very simple meal, but oh so wonderful.

We started making out the entire corned seitan (corned beef) dish, complete with seitan, cabbage and potatoes, but as time went on, we realized we actually like the vegetables. True the seitan makes a great Reuben (see the Corned Setian recipe on the Recipe list page), but the corned seitan can be frozen and it takes more work and we found ourselves eating the cabbage and carrots and potatoes more.

The obvious solution was to skip the seitan and make only the vegetables. Now before you ignore this dish, let me tell you how fantastic it is.

 It is thhhhhiiiiissss good.

 Really.

The horseradish sauce is really what puts it over the top, so no matter what eggless mayo you use, Veganaise, Nayonaise or a homemade one using tofu, this is the sauce that makes the humble cabbage and potatoes an aristocrat.  

To make it all you do is put all of your vegetables, cabbage, carrot, onion and potato in a large pot and add the cooking broth made of pickling spice, balsamic vinegar, ketchup, maple syrup, cloves, garlic and paprika. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and serve with the Horseradish sauce.

Cost Breakdown

carrot, onion, garlic: $2

potato: $2

cabbage: $4

veganaise, horseradish: $1

spices, maple, ketchup, vinegar: $1

Total to feed a family of 6:

$10.00

soft polenta with lentil ragu

Italian Night

We haven't had polenta for a little while, so we did tonight. It was a quick, simple meal to make.

The polenta I cooked in almond milk to give it richness. The ragu is made with tomatoes, lentils, carrots, onions, garlic and parsley. Lentils cook very fast, in about 30 minutes, and are very tasty and healthy. No brainer there.

I served this meal with a broccoli 'salad' with garlic and red chili flakes. Salad because I cooled it to room temp after I steamed them and added a clove of minced garlic. The garlic 'cooks' while the broccoli is still hot and the color is still vibrant because I cooked the broccoli just until tender crisp and removed them from the heat promptly.

Cost Breakdown:
lentils: $1
tomatoes: $2
onions, garlic, carrots: $1.50
parsley, broccoli: $3
polenta, almond milk: $2
Total to feed a family of 6:
$9.50

thai glass noodles

Asian Night

Tonight we had Thai Glass Noodles from Buddha's Table, a vegan Thai cookbook. This was very easy and quick - just what I need on a weeknight. It was a one pot meal, also a bonus. I stir-fried the tofu and set it aside, then I stir-fried the veggies - onions, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and carrots - and added back the tofu, added the drained glass noodles (which are bean threads), peas and baby corn. It called for a sauce of vegetable stir-fry sauce, vegetable broth and arrowroot to thicken. 

It was very tasty and refreshing. Thai is very versatile and the family enjoys it - although not everyone enjoys the same vegetables! It seems they sort of swap vegetables at the table - my peas for your carrots, etc. Of course, without my knowledge. As far as they know.

Cost Breakdown:

tofu: $2

noodles: $2

onion, carrot, mushrooms, peas: $2

 garlic, ginger: $.50

tamari, stir-fry sauce, arrowroot: $.50

rice: $.50

Total to feed a family of 5:

$7.50

grilled vegetable lasagna

Summer is ebbing and my garden is ripening. Cat has been asking for lasagna again, so I granted her wish, although maybe not her vision.

I made this lasagna using grilled vegetables with a grilled eggplant-tomato sauce. I grilled whatever I could for this dish: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, fennel, onions, carrots and garlic. The sauce I made with the eggplants and the tomatoes I grilled and added the other grilled veggies, chopped, into the lasagna.

I made a tofu-ricotta-style filling with fresh basil, grilled garlic, tofu and olive oil. I added the Daiya and Follow your Heart cheezes to satisfy my daughter, but had I made it for just myself I would have skipped it. The irony is that she didn't like it - too many vegetables. The other two scarfed it, though!

This was really good and so satisfying. The summer vegetables were so welcome, knowing that summer is leaving and fall vegetables are arriving in my CSA. Sort of a grand exit, if you will.

Cost Breakdown:

eggplant, pepper, tomato: $9

onion, garlic, carrot, fennel: $3

Daiya and Follow Your Heart: $8

basil, tofu, olive oil: $4

pasta: $2

Total to make 10 servings:

$26.00

mama's bean soup

I made this soup with 'Picnic' in mind. Since I have taken this soup in a thermos before, I know this would have been great. As it was, the hike was cancelled, but the soup was still made.

This is one of my mom's legacies. She used to make this for us all of the time, and luckily, this was one dish I actually paid attention to while she was making it. Have I mentioned that I resisted cooking until my youngest daughter was born, or more precisely, until we became vegan? Sad, but true. Now I have to dig really deep into the recesses of my memories to recall how most of my favorite recipes were made by my parents.

Traditionally this soup has sausage in it, but I don't miss it - not even a substitute - because the soup holds up so well on its own. It has subtle hints of garlic, which is brought by the roux, which also makes this kidney bean soup so creamy. This is where dry beans are a bonus since you flavor the beans with carrots, onions, and celery during their cooking.  A swirl of a  nondairy sour cream completes this hearty, warming soup.

As Ellen says, it is the season of Autter (not quite Summer or Autumn, but a blend of the two), and this soup is just right for it.

Cost Breakdown:

beans: $2

carrots, onion, celery: $2

garlic, Earth Balance, flour: $1

spices, herbs, paprika: $.50

sour 'cream': $1

Total to feed a family of 6:

$6.50

alfredo primavera

When I was in my twenties, many moons ago, I worked with my brother who was the executive chef of some posh restaurant on the beach in Fort Lauderdale. I told you we have this culinary-curse. We worked long hours and were exhausted. Before we'd leave for home after yet another 14 hour day, he'd always make me Primavera Alfredo. Tons of cream and cheese and some vegetables to honor the 'Primavera' part - summer squash, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.

I had tried for years to make Alfredo vegan. So many recipes with tofu and soy cheese and soy cream cheese - oh! the variations! No good. Hadn't found a single one that was up to par.

Until the humble cashew. As I've blogged before, nuts are our friends. Nuts are healthy, terribly delicious and marvelously versatile - much like soy. Since soy is something I love but know that, say it with me,...too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing, I wanted an alternative. Besides, soy always left a gritty texture in the sauce, unless it was silken and silken tofu and I do not get along. It has an odd flavor that I just can't get past.

On to the Alfredo...easy, creamy and delicious! Just make sure to strain your cashew milk before using it otherwise you will get the same texture as with the tofu - gritty!

Use whatever summer veggies you have (or spring veggies as the name 'Primavera' implies), but if you use eggplant, salt it a little and let it drain for 15 minutes - the eggplant will hold its shape better. Use tomatoes in the sauce cautiously as you are not going for tomato sauce here. In fact, adding them raw at the end is great.

Cost Breakdown:

cashews: $2

nutritional yeast: $.50

summer veg: $5

pasta: $3

Total to feed a family of 5:

$10.50

lasagna bolognese

I had this scheduled for Sunday Dinner, but we had a guest tonight and she wanted the lasagna - "whatever the guest requests..." is our motto.

This is a favorite of Cat and she is the one who wanted this put on the menu. She likes this one better than the American Lasagna with the tomato sauce.

This is more authentic in that it has a white sauce (bechamel), ground 'meat' and a sprinkle of parm. Although I used Boca for my meat, it is easy to use seitan ground up or even a vegetable - although this I have not been allowed to test yet since I have vegan children who do not like vegetables - ironic, hmm?

The ground meaty sub is cooked for 2 hours on simmer in a creamy broth (this is the bolognese part) and a smooth velvety white sauce tops it in the layers of lasagna noodles. The bolognese sauce, white sauce, noodles and Parma! (a parm sub that is so good for you - having only walnuts (Omega-3 Fatty Acids), nutritional yeast (B12) and sea salt) are the only other components to this lasagna.

This lasagna can be totally soy-free and wheat-free with a proper wheat-free noodle.

It is a hit every time, although I remember the first time making it with some trepidation - it is not a traditional American Lasagna with the tomato sauce and cheese.

Different but just as good, if not better.

Cost Breakdown:
noodles: $3
ground soy: $5
carrot, onion, garlic, herb: $2
cashews: $3
wine and stock: $1
Parma!: $1
Total to make 10 servings:
$15.00

quick cassoulet

What makes a cassoulet a cassoulet? White beans. The rest is preference. Tomato sauce, sausage, duck - or any animal - carrots, etc. Traditionally cassoulets take hours to bake, but it is summer time and there is no room in this house for hours of heat!

I used some Tofurkey for my cassoulet, but had I seen the zucchini lurking in the back of the crisper drawer, it would have usurped the sausage for sure. Other vegetables, especially harder ones like winter squash, turnip, parsnip, cabbage or cauliflower would also have been a fine addition in lieu of the soy.

I topped the cassoulet with breadcrumbs sauteed in a pan with garlic, spring onions and parsley.

It was ready fast and tasted lovely. In the winter I will make a true cassoulet, but for today the Summer Cassoulet was just right.

Cost Breakdown

beans: $4
carrot, onion, garlic: $2
tomatoes: $3
panko: $1
Total to feed a family of 5:
$10.00

falafel

Picnic

Probably the only thing better than eating falafel at a picnic is making falafel - once you find an easy, quick, tasty recipe, that is.

If you are searching for the perfect falafel recipe, look no more.

For those that are unaware of what falafel is, it is ground chickpeas, parsley and carrots, made into balls or patties and are typically fried in plenty of oil. Not here, oh no! Frying them in a teaspoon or two will get you crispy and delicious flalafels. This recipe is not any more complicated than opening a can of beans into a food processor along with the veggies. Buzz, form into patties and pan-fry.

The tahini sauce is made with yogurt, garlic, homemade tahini (much cheaper than buying at the store), lemon juice,a little olive oil and a dash of sweetener.

The kids loved it. I loved it. David will love it, too.

Cost Breakdown:

pita:$1.50

chickpeas: $2

vegetables: $3

tahini and yogurt: $1

lemon: $.50

Total to make 10 patties, 5 servings:

$7.00

latkes

Cat cooked our meal today. She adores potatoes of any shape and kind, except when her mother mixes it with cauliflower or turnips or something.

In honor of the potato, she made latkes. She doesn't pan-fry them in a bunch of oil; she uses maybe a teaspoon of olive oil just to get some color on them and then bakes them for 10 minutes to make sure the potatoes are cooked. She loves them with ketchup - a fine, fine way of having food of any kind, but she will not snub her nose at the traditional applesauce and Better Than Sour Cream.

She has become quite proficient at making these and they are mightee-fine.

Cost Breakdown:

3# potatoes: $3

onion, carrot: $1

flour, baking powder, nutritional yeast: $1

applesauce: $3

Better Than Sour Cream and ketchup: $1

Total to feed 4 people as a meal:

$9.00

persian polenta, parsnip and kale

Whenever I have lots of vegetables in the fridge, or whenever the CSA box looks too inviting to resist, I make '2 veg and a grain.' I try to find a common theme and run with it. Today's was Persian.

I sauteed carrots and parsnips with Turkish apricots - typical of this region is dried fruit in savory dishes. I made creamed kale, not exactly Persian, but I have been craving it. I also made salad with black fig vinagrette, cranberries and shredded carrots. And finlly, I made polenta with fenugreek leaves and seeds and a few strands of saffron. After cooling the polenta I sliced it into rectangles and broiled it. 

There you have a Persian-inspired meal. 

Cost breakdown:

bunch kale: $2.50

3 parsnips and a carrot: $2

apricots and cranberries: $1

polenta: $ .50

3 c rice milk: $1.50

1/2 head romaine lettuce: $1

spices, onion, garlic: $1

Total to feed a family of 5:

$9.50