Menu Plan

3 cups water
4 cups carrots, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 potato
1 parsnip
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 vegetable bouillion cube
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk

Instructions:

In large saucepan, bring water to boil. Add all remaining ingredients except milks. Reduce heat and simmer 40-45 minutes, or until onion and carrots are tender. Remove from heat and blend mixture in food processor; return to saucepan. Reduce to low heat and stir in the coconut milk and soy milk, heating until warm. Serve warm. If desired, garnish with chopped green onion or chives.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

2 cups split peas
6-8 cups vegetable stock
1 large onion (2 cups)
1 carrot
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3-5 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp minced rosemary
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Directions

Place the peas and 6 cups stock in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and partially cover.

Meanwhile, chop the onions and carrot and sauté in butter/olive oil for about 10 minutes, until onions are somewhat translucent. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture into the peas along with the salt and pepper. Simmer for another 40 minutes or so, until the peas are mushy and falling apart. If at any point the soup seems too dry, add more water or stock.

If you like a thick, hearty soup, you can purée some or all of it.

Easy Peanut Noodles

1/2 cup vegetable or veggie-chicken-style broth
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger root (substituting dry ground ginger will NOT work well here)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy, chunky, plain, natural style, whatever)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup or agave necter (or corn syrup works in a pinch)
1 - 2 teaspoons hot chile paste (like Schiracha - from an asian market or well-stocked supermarket) or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 cloves garlic, pressed thru garlic press
1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice or red wine vinegar

8 ounces noodles of your choice: Udon noodles, Buckwheat Soba noodles, thin vermicelli noodles or rice sticks (like for Pad Thai), plain ol' unseasoned Ramen noodles or whole wheat spaghetti!!

Toppings/Garnishes:
-- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
-- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews
-- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

First cook the noodles according to package directions for whatever type of noodles you have.
Drain and set aside, covered, to keep warm.

Meanwhile, (or while noodles are cooking if you can do two things at once) combine broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, syrup, chili paste, lime juice and garlic in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat.

Garnish with toppings: green onions, cilantro and peanuts. It's these garnishes that REALLY make this dish special!

Build Your Own 'Frito-Pie-Taco-Salad'

There's no recipe, just pile your favorite ingredients on your plate and enjoy.

1 head lettuce, shredded or chopped small mixed with:

1 cup shredded green or purple cabbage (I use green so it blends in - but purple is prettier)

1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped and mixed with:

1 bunch green onions/scallions, chopped

1 chopped red bell pepper

2 minced jalapeno peppers (pickled or fresh, your choice)

1 can sliced olives

2 chopped tomatoes

salsa

Vegan 'sour cream' (homemade or Tofutti)

shredded vegan cheese if you want

2 cups chili (homemade or canned) mixed with 1 cup pinto or black beans

2 cups crumbled 'burger', whatever kind you like, mixed with Taco Seasoning and a little salsa

1 bag Fritos or your favorite chips

Set all ingredients out in serving bowls.

Pick and choose and make your own Taco Salad.
We like to start with chips first.
My kids like the burger and chili on the chips, I prefer the chili on top the salad greens and salsa as 'dressing'....

Cashew Garlic Alfredo Sauce

Cashew Garlic Alfredo Sauce:

1/2 cup raw cashews (not roasted)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (I don't measure, just a good squeeze)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
1 Tbsp. extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tb. nutritional yeast (optional)

Pulverize raw cashews in the food processor until very fine. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. (*The BEST way to do this, is to make the sauce while the pasta cooks - scoop out 1 1/2 cups of lightly salted pasta-cooking water and use it - the starch from the pasta-cooking water thickens the sauce PERFECTLY!) Add water to cashews and process until smooth... this will take several minutes.
Add nutritional yeast (optional) , garlic clove, olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice. Process again until smooth, another couple minutes, it'll start to thicken a bit too! Makes a decadently creamy sauce. Serve over cooked pasta.

This stuff is wonderfully simple and tastes SO very good. I often add sauteed mushrooms, chives, chopped olives or sundried tomatoes, depending on my mood.

Veggie Gravy

28 oz. Vegetarian "beef" or vegetable broth (I use "Imagine" Foods in the aseptic box, but you can mix your own from bullion and water or do whatever you want).
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
2 T. all-purpose flour

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil;cook 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Strain brothmixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.(I know, sounds wasteful - if you want, you can make chunky vegetable gravy and leave them in, in that case, use ike 2 cups of chopped mushrooms).

Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes or until browned,stirring constantly. Transfer flour to a large bowl, and cool completely.

Add 1/4 cup broth mixture to flour; stir well with a whisk. Add remaining broth mixture, stirring well with a whisk.
Pour mixture into skillet; place over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, veggie burgers, or "meat" loaf.

To make this into Stroganoff:

Make above gravy. Add 2 cups sauteed mushrooms. Stir in 1/2 container Tofutti Sour Cream and heat gently. Serve over rice or noodles. YUM!

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Feb 18, 2008

Menu Plan

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