Hit in the Ribs

I found out I'm going to be on the road for work for two weeks this month on Friday, and it kind of threw my whole weekend into a funk. I'll be missing my friend and fiance's birthdays and Halloween . . . and I have to figure out how to absentee vote. It'll all be good, but I got it in my head I was going to be around and now I'm not. It will also probably change the theme of my vegan mofo blogs for the last half of October to eating vegan on the go.

But enough whining. Tonight, I threw together dinner on the fly and these are definitely recipes in progress. First, I tried Sol Cuisine organic BBQ tofu ribs for the first time. I had them frozen and defrosted them in the microwave before baking them. I wasn't satisfied with the amount of sauce, so I added some store bought BBQ (turns out quite a few are vegan.) They were good, but not great. I didn't get the "chewy" texture they advertise, but the texture was better than simply baking some extra firm tofu. I also think I'd like them better with a less sweet BBQ sauce, something with heat or vinegar.  It's squash season in Minnesota, so I served them over some simple baked spaghetti squash letting the BBQ sauce be the seasoning.

Here's the recipe that's still in the works, but tasty:

Wilted Swiss Chard w/ Celeriac, Walnuts and Raisins

1 small celeriac (celery root) - peel and dice

2 large garlic cloves

2 shallots (or half a small onion)

1/4 c walnuts

3 T raisins

1 large bunch swiss chard

2 T red wine (or water)

Heat a cast iron pan on high. Add diced celeriac and shallots/onions and let brown. Add in crushed walnuts and raisins and heat briefly. Cut the swiss chard leaves off the stems (it's okay if the smaller ones get in) and cut in bite size strips/squares. Layer the leaves on top of the cooked ingredients and stir. Turn down to medium and let the leaves wilt (they'll end up 1/3 the size they start). If the pan starts to stick, add the red wine or water and let it cook off. The wilting will take 5-7 minutes.  

We usually make wilted greens with a ton of garlic and some salt (or soy sauce) and pepper...maybe red pepper flakes or almonds. I wanted to explore the option of making something with a sweeter and homey taste. I think it's missing some brightness, maybe orange zest or balsamic vinegar? Check out these other swiss chard recipes.

www.veganmofo.com

Taco Takeover

They're quick and easy and ever-so-tasty...they're tacos! Tonight, I needed to burn through some of the veggies we've got leftover from the garden and farm box, but I wanted something quick and easy. Enter the ol' standby, but never unwelcome: tacos. I like the versatility and simplicity of tacos. You really can construct just what you want. Load up the filling or nix it for a salad of fixings. I prefer to balance the two and squeeze on some lime juice.

Taco filling

1 pkg Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo
1 med onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 tomato
2 peppers (your choice)
olive oil (optional)


Heat a cast iron pan on medium high. Add oil if you choose. Add diced onions and let brown while you dice the tomato. Dice peppers and garlic while you add the tomato. Add in peppers and garlic and let the onions carmelize and the tomatoes break down until they barely exist. Add in soy chorizo and turn down to medium. Heat and let the chorizo brown a little. Serve with corn tortillas and fixings.

If you're like me, you could eat Mexican food alot. Why not make it convenient on yourself by prepping a container in your fridge with the fixings you like? For instance, we have cilantro, onions, cabbage and lime wedges in a container ready to go at a moments notice. Who cares if they get mixed up a little? They're just going on the taco where they'll get mixed up anyway. Add in some tomatoes, avocado, hot sauce and tortillas and you're in business.

Other taco filling inspirations:

Post Punk Kitchen's Ancho Lentil Tacos - SO GOOD (one of the only ways I like lentils)!
My vegetable enchilada (with swiss chard and black beans) - deconstruct it into tacos.

What's your favorite taco filling or fixing?

www.veganmofo.com

Thai Me Up

Not sure how I feel about going across the river (to Minneapolis) to visit Krungthep Thai - an outpost of St. Paul's own Bangkok Thai Deli located on University Avenue (home of light rail construction.) Alas, I did it because that's where Compassionate Action for Animals was hosting their "Dine Out" for Veg Week.

I was happy to see a Thai place featured because I love the balance of flavors often present: sour, sweet, creamy and salty. The main thing to watch out for if you're sticking to a 100% plant-based meal at a Thai restaurant is the use of shrimp paste or fish sauce, sometimes they can just omit or substitute with soy sauce. Other times they can't, and it can sometimes be a challenge to know exactly what you're getting.

That said, Krungthep Thai was able to make almost everything on the menu vegan...AWESOME! My fiance shared a spring roll with me and the basil and mint freshness was uber-tasty.

But the piece de resistance was the green curry! Good green curry is that perfect balance of the four flavors with just the right amount of heat. There's a lot of not so good green curries out there; either too bland or sweet. The stuff I had tonight was really, insanely good. It featured tofu, thai eggplant, red bell peppers, thai chilis, basil and kaffir lime leaves. The bowl was huge; thankfully, allowing me to share with friends while still eating my fill.

If you can't get to a Thai restaurant, you could always try making the New York Times' vegan Thai Green Curry Vegetables yourself. :)

Proud participant in:

www.veganmofo.com

Aw, Pumpkin

Don't tell my fiance, but I have had a lifelong serious crush on ... pumpkin.

No, I don't have strange boundary issues and a ridiculous pet name that would have me revealing an affair on my food blog. My crush is on pumpkin itself and stops at liking to consume it in a myriad of forms. Okay, and carve it, but that's where I draw the line.

For the last couple years, I've carved a jack o' lantern for two reasons: 1) it's something artistic and fun to do and 2) I have a reason to make toasted pumpkin seeds. Simply Recipes' Roasted Pumpkin Seeds clued me in to the secret: boiling the seeds in salted water before toasting! Salt and pepper is my favorite, but it's fun to play with other spice combos like chili pepper and lime juice or pumpkin spice.


Pumpkin spiced things have that warm cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger combination that harmonizes with the sweet richness of the pumpkin itself. So good.

Alas, I thought pumpkin in the form of pumpkin spiced lattes and I were going to have to divorce because the Starbucks version has some sneaky dairy in it; however, per the usual, some savvy vegan swooped in and saved the day with this vegan pumpkin spiced latte recipe.


Lastly, Isa Chandra Moskowitz once again knocks my socks off with her pumpkin cheesecake with pecan crunch topping.

www.veganmofo.com

Comfort Foods

I've flirted with vegetarianism since I was a teenager, but thanks to the support of my fiance-turned-vegan-fiance I've been meatless since January of this year. Despite being meatless, I still sometimes crave "comfort" foods from my childhood - some of which included meat. Thankfully, the faux meat industry has revolutionized since I was a kid, and one of my favorite brands is gardein. They're 100% plant-based (vegan), offer a lot of variety, and are pretty tasty.

Tonight, I tried one of their newer products: turk'y cutlets. The crispy oven-baked breading makes it heavier than I'd like, but at 250 calories for two cutlets they're still reasonable for an indulgent comfort food meal. I paired the cutlet with some baked delicata squash, mashed potatoes and fresh tomato slices. Gardein's homestyle gravy is insanely good (and I'm not a huge gravy fan), but it also packs on the calories, fat and sodium. True of typical "comfort food."

Food being tied to a feeling like comfort is at once obvious and strange. Why is it that food elicits in us emotional responses instead of just providing us the energy we need?  I have no clue, you should tell me in the comments if you know. :)

One of the biggest challenges I've had over the years to maintaining a meatless lifestyle is that emotional response to food in the form of family holidays. It's really kind of fascinating when you think about how seeped our family traditions are with food. For my family, holiday meals gravitate around meat. Luckily, I've got open-minded parents and extended family and an inspiring fiance who have helped transform the traditional holiday meals into vegan friendly tables recently. Check out our fun vegan easter brunch or thanksgiving. 

You can take comfort in knowing a plant-based, meatless meal is not only comforting to you, but also to the animals. Now, that's real comfort food.

Stuff It

What to do when you're up to your ears in vegetables? Regardless if they're from your garden or the farmers' market, tis the season to be inundated with vegetables. There's worse problems to have.

So, what do you do with all these veggies? I know! Stuff them . . . with more veggies! Below are some of my favorite stuffed creations:

Growing up in Northern Minnesota, I love wild rice hot dish. I also love squash. So, despite my state currently debating whether or not to limit the freedom to marry (vote no!), I married the two. I introduce to you: Wild Rice Stuffed Squash.

If squash isn't your thing, you could stuff ... Peppers with Italian-style Quinoa. Learn from my mistakes, spray a little oil on the bread crumbs to get them toasty brown.

Maybe, you're stubbornly refusing to turn on your oven or need a quick and tasty hors d'ouevre for a social gathering. Or maybe you're swimming in tomatoes (romas work best)...try Nava Atlas's deviled tomatoes. Yes, I know chickpeas are legumes and not technically vegetables, but there's chives too :)

Need more stuffed inspiration?

Naked Kitchen's Paella Stuffed Eggplant (omit or sub on the optional cheese)
Daily Garnish's Creamy Vegan Kale Stuffed Mushrooms 
Epicurean Vegan's Cabbage Rolls

If you've got stuffed inspiration, share in the comments!


Proud participant in:

www.veganmofo.com

Soup-er Fall Classics

I just got home from a trip up North to visit my parents and the fall colors are at their peak. The season screams of cool breezes, warm hues and coziness. All this says to me: soup. In the summer, it's too hot. In the winter, not hearty enough. In the spring, too time consuming. In the fall, it's just right.

Here's some classic soups to get your fall off to a good start:

1. Borscht

2.  Stew-alicious Stew

3. Squash Bisque with Cashew Cream


4. Chili

Proud participant in:

www.veganmofo.com