Butternut Squash Soup with Variations

 I had often enjoyed butternut squash soup at restaurants, but never made it myself.  Then one day I overbaked a squash and it turned out too soft for the recipe I had planned.  I decided to try making soup, and looked at several recipes online, but they all called for cream or coconut milk.  At last, I just made my own recipe.  I made a plain recipe without any seasoning, and then tried different seasoning to see which I liked best. In the end there were several that were quite good.

Basic Soup

1 large (ish) butternut squash
1 cup (more or less) of plain soy milk
1 chopped small onion (about 3/4 cup)
2 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

Salt and/or pepper to taste

Cut the stem off of the squash, and then split it in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds.  Place it on a baking pan, and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hour. (I usually put it in the oven early and set my oven to time bake)

About 15 minutes before it is done, chop the onion and the garlic (I use pre-chopped garlic from a jar because it is less sharp). Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is wilted and soft. 

I have taken to leaving the seasonings
on the table so people can choose.

When the butternut squash is quite soft, remove it from the oven, scoop out the flesh, and discard the skin.  Put the squash it in a blender with the onions, garlic, and soy milk. Blend until the mixture is smooth adjusting the amount of soy milk to make a thick soup. Add one of the following seasonings, or try your own.

Adobo Butternut Soup

Add 1-2 tsp of Adobo seasoning during the blending.

Garam Masala Butternut Soup

Add 1 tsp or more of Garam Masala to the soup during the blending, plus a dash of lemon or lime juice.

Apple Harvest Butternut Soup 

Core and peal one apple, and cut into small pieces.  Add the apple in the skillet when you are sautéing the onion. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp cinnamon during blending. 

Butternut Curry Soup

Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, plus 1 curry cube, or 2 tsp of your favorite curry powder.  If you want, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil during the blending to give it the coconut flavor. 

Vegan Bao Buns

 I really like steamed Bao Buns.  I was first introduced to them at a small Taiwanese restaurant near my house. You can get frozen bao at most well stocked grocery stores, but not vegan ones, so I set out to make my own.  I found the recipe for the bread part of the bao at the King Arthur Baking Company website, and only altered it by exchanging milk with unsweetened soy milk. For the filling I made up my own recipe, including the water chestnuts to give it a little crunchy texture. 

Bread dough
1 cup unsweetened soy milk or other nut milk

6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast (using the fast-acting yeast is important, regular yeast won't work)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 cups flour

Heat soy milk until warm but not hot (you should be able to hold your finger in it without discomfort). Add the sugar, oil, yeast, and let sit for a few minutes until the yeast is dissolved. In a separate bowl (use a sand-up mixer if you have one) mix together the salt, baking powder, and 2 cups of the flour.  Pour in the liquid mixture, and mix thoroughly.  Add enough of the rest of the flour to make a soft but workable dough. Switch to the bread hook or turn the dough out on a floured board, and mix/kneed for another 5-10 minutes until the dough springs back when poked. 

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour or a little more).  Meanwhile make the filling.

Filling

1 16 oz package of firm tofu

1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
1 bunch green onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp vegetable broth base
1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced salt kind is OK if you are worried about your salt intake. 

1/2 tsp dry ginger

Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.  Cut into small pieces, or coarsely mash. 

Heat a frying pan or wok on the stove and add a little olive oil.  Slice the green onions and put them in the pan to sauté. Add the garlic. Add the tofu and water chestnuts and cook, stirring often, just until it starts to brown. Add the broth base and stir and cook for a few minutes until it is absorbed into the tofu. Add the soy sauce and ginger and stir and cook to blend flavors. 

When the bread dough has risen double, punch it down and let it rest for a few minutes.  Cut it into 12 equal pieces.  Taking one piece at a time (and leaving the other pieces covered) roll each into a 4-5 inch circle.  If you can, try to make the outside edge thinner than the center.  This will make it easier to pleat. 

Pick up the piece of dough in your nondominant hand and spoon in a heaping tablespoon of the filing,  Then pleat the outside edge like a fan, and pull them together to make the Bao bun shape. (As you can see from the picture I am not 100% great at this.  You can find tutorials about how to pleat it on youtube.) Let them rise for 15-20 minutes.

Steaming

You can use a traditional bamboo steamer, but I don't have one so I just use my vegetable steamer. Place the steamer in a cold pan and add about 1/2 inch cool water. Place each bun on a  3x3 inch piece of parchment paper, and carefully place them on the steaming rack. Don't crowd them as they will expand while cooking.  Place a lid on the pan and put it on the hot plate.  Turn the heat to medium high.  When the water heats enough to produce steam, set a timer for 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes is up, remove the pan from the heat and let it rest, without removing the lid, for another 5 minutes. Then you can remove the bao and serve. If you need to cook a second batch, pour the hot water out of the pan, and run the pan and the steamer under cold water until cool.  You have to start with a cool pan and water for each batch.

Serve the bao buns hot with your favorite dip. (I like a sweet and sour dip or a sushi sauce dip.) Leftover bao buns can be frozen.  Store in a zip-lock bag in the freezer for up to a few months.  To reheat, repeat the steaming process above, but only steam for about 10 minutes. 

Pearl Couscous with Garbanzo Beans

 This is an adaptation of a recipe I found at the vegetarian cooking website, Grateful Grazer. It has a very authentic middle-eastern flavor. In my version I decreased the amount of coriander (I found the coriander a little soapy tasting) and increased the amount of raisins because I like how the sweetness of the raisins balance out the spices.   

1 cup dry pearl couscous (I used the tri-color variety)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans (drained)
1 tsp coriander
1 Tbsp za'atar (a Mediterranean spice mixture.  I found it on Amazon)
1/2 cup (or more) baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
1 Tbsp olive oil 
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp lemon juice 

Combine couscous and broth in a sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the couscous is tender and the water absorbed (add more water if needed to make sure it doesn't scorch before it is tender).

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the garbanzo beans, spices, raisins, oil, and lemon juice. Toss to blend, and serve.

Dilly Carrot Soup

 Here is another carrot soup recipe.  I found this one in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison and is reproduced here with only a few minor changes.  It is more savory and aromatic than the other two carrot soups in this blog, and it might be my favorite so far. 

2 Tbs olive oil
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup diced onion
2 pounds carrots, sliced thinly
2 Tbs uncooked white rice, or 1/2 cup leftover white rice
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs dried parsley
1 1/2 Tbs dried dill
1 Tbs orange concentrate
6 cups water
1 Tbs vegetable soup base 

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large pot and then add the onion and pepper.  Sautee until softened. Add the sliced carrots and salt and cook a few minutes more.  Add the parsley, dill, orange juice concentrate, water and soup base. Simmer for 25 minutes until the rice and the carrots are cooked through. 

Remove the pot from the stove. Transfer half of the soup into a blender and blend until fairly smooth.  Return blended portion to the pot and serve. At the table allow diners to season with salt and pepper to taste.

Braided Stuffed Bread

 I now publicly admit that I like watching the British Baking Show.  One episode, the contestants where challenged to make a braided bread, and several of them made savory ones.  I thought to myself that you could fairly easily make a low-fat vegan braided bread. I made mine with whole wheat bread, but you could just as easily make it with white bread.  If you do, use a recipe that makes just one loaf.

Bread
3 cups wheat flour (or 1 1/2 each wheat and white)
1 tsp salt 
1 1/2 Tbsp powder milk
1 1/2 Tbsp molasses, brown sugar or white sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp margarine or olive oil
1 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/4 cup warm water.

1 tsp Italian seasoning, or 1/2 tsp each basil and oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

I just throw all the ingredients into a bread maker and set it to the pizza dough setting. If you don't have a bread maker, measure out the warm water (110-120 Degrees F)  and add the yeast, oil and sweetening agent. Let it sit while you mix up the dry ingredients. Mix 1 cup of the dry ingredients into the liquid yeast mixture and mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Mix at a higher level for 2 minutes.  Add additional flour a little at a time. When all the dry ingredients are added, switch to a dough hook and mix on medium for 5 minutes. Take out the dough hook, spray with cooking spray. Let the dough rise until about double, (about 1 hour). 

Meanwhile cook up the filling.

1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

1 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

Other leftover vegetables you might have on hand

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soup base

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a wok.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Add the grated carrot and cook until the carrot wilts. Add any leftover vegetables (I used and some leftover baked potato, corn, and green beans) and the sundried tomatoes.  Cook until heated through. Add the spices and stir and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Punch down the dough and let sit for 5 minutes.  Then roll it into a long oval (about the length of the cookie sheet you are using). Spray a the cookie sheet with cooking spray, and place the oval of dough on the pan. Use a sharp knife to make cuts about 1 inch wide and 2-3 inches long all along both sides of the oval. Spoon the vegetables onto the uncut middle of the dough. Fold the cut strips of dough over the vegetables, one side and then then other, and then tuck in the dough at the ends. 

Set the oven to 350 degrees, and while it is heating let the braided bread rise for 30 minutes. 

If you are not so worried about being vegan, beat up one egg and brush it on the top of the loaf.  (this is primarily cosmetic, and won't affect the taste) Bake for 25 minutes. Slice and serve.

I like to serve this will some simple white sauce (as it tends to be a little dry without some kind of sauce).  Or you could serve it with some pre-prepared spaghetti sauce to pour on top or use for dipping.

Polenta and Tomato Ragout

I found this recipe on Food and Wine, but modified it to meet our family's tastes and to make it lower fat. You can find the original recipe here.

To make the Polenta:

3 cups low-fat milk or your favorite unsweetened nut milk
2 cups water 
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 cup uncooked coarse-ground polenta

Combine the milk, water and spices in a saucepan and heat over medium until it just begins to boil. Reduce the heat and skim off most of the spices and discard.  Add the polenta a little at a time, stirring between each addition. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until the polenta is tender and creamy, about 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile make the Ragout

1/4 cup olive oil (or less)
4 cups cherry tomatoes (the original recipe calls for mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 garlic cloves minced (or less)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups thinly sliced greens (I used spinach, but you could use Napa cabbage, kale or chard)
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil (doesn't work as well with dried basil)
1 tsp lemon juice

 Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high until it starts to smell hot. Carefully add the tomatoes, salt,  and pepper. Reduce heat to medium  and cook, stirring often, until most of the tomatoes have burst and the juices run out, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, honey and vinegar, stirring occasionally until a glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Add greens and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Stir in basil. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. 

To serve, line a shallow soup bowel with the polenta and then spoon the ragout on top.  Eat the polenta and ragout together in each spoonful. 

Tomato Vegetable Curry

 My husband and I ate at a local Indian restaurant last week and I had a delicious dish that was naturally low fat and vegan.  Here is my best attempt to recreate it.

4 small red or yellow potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and sliced.
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 curry cube, or 1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp basil (or a Tbsp diced fresh basil)
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes

 Put potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots on to boil. Sauté onions and bell peppers.  Add the spices and sauté briefly to release the aroma. Add the diced tomatoes. Defrost frozen peas and corn in microwave. When the potatoes and carrots are cooked, but still firm, drain them and add all the vegetables to the tomato sauce. Simmer a few minutes until the flavor blends.  Serve over brown rice. 

Note: How hot this dish is depends on what kind of curry you buy.  I like the mild curry cubes, but if you want more spice, use a medium or hot curry. 

Note (2): I just tried this served over polenta rather than brown rice and I think I like it better that way.  To find a polenta recipe look above or here.

Harvest Pilaf

This is a dish that will only really work in July and August when you can get garden fresh vegetables.  I used farm-stand corn, and cherry tomatoes and basil from our garden. What a summer treat!

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cob fresh corn, cooked

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp fresh basil diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp vinegar

Cook rice in a rice cooker to make 2 cups.

Boil corn in hot water until done, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile sauté onion in olive oil until slightly caramelized.  Add garlic and sauté one minute more.  Add basil and cook until slightly wilted. Cut the corn off the cob. Toss everything together with the vinegar in a large bowl, and serve warm.

Shepherd's Pie

 When I had a bunch of kids around the table every night, one of our favorite comfort foods was shepherd's pie.  Sometimes I would make it with beef and sometimes with chicken.  I few months ago I had the idea to make a vegan version.  I made it twice and everyone liked it but both times I didn't pay close attention to how much of each spice I used to flavor the sauce to add it here.  This time I was more careful so here it is.

1 cup sliced carrot (about 2 large)
2 cups cubed potatoes (small bite-sized cubes)

6 small yellow or red potatoes cubed (I peel them but you don't have to) or the equivalent amount of russets, peeled.

1/2 onion chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced

1 tsp minced garlic

8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbs vegetarian soup base

1 Tbs dried parsley
1 tsp each of dried thyme, marjoram, basil and dill
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbs flour
1 10 oz package of mixed vegetables

Peel and slice carrots and cube the first 2 cups of potatoes. Put in a pan with water and boil until just soft. These are for the filling.

In a different pan boil the other potatoes until soft, these are the ones for mashing.

Meanwhile in a skillet, sauté celery, garlic, and onion until they start to soften, and then add sliced mushrooms. Sauté  until the mushrooms wilt. Add the spices and sauté a minute or so to release the fragrances. Drain the boiled carrots and potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the water.  Add the water to the onion mixture.  Make a roux out of the flour and a little cool water and use it to thicken the water/vegetable mixture. Cook the frozen mixed vegetables in the microwave for 5 minutes. Drain and add them to the saucy vegetables. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Drain the other potatoes and mash, adding enough water or nut milk to make them moist.  (if you aren't worried about fat, add a tbs or more of margarine to the mashed potatoes) Add salt and pepper to taste.  Put the vegetable mixture in a casserole and top with the mashed potatoes.  Bake for 20 minutes until heated through and the flavors are blended.

Carrot Stuffing Casserole

 When I was first married I got a home printed recipe book that had a version of this recipe.  In the original version it called for cream of celery soup and had cheese as an ingredient, but I had adapted this one to use my basic white sauce. 

2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced into about 1/4 inch slices
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, cut up
1 tsp basil
1 recipe of Simple White Sauce
1 box cornbread stuffing mix, prepared per package instructions (except I usually leave out or reduce the margarine)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Put the carrots in a steamer, and steam until they are done, but not mushy.

While they are cooking, sauté the celery and onions. Add the basic white sauce and the basil. Simmer a few minutes to blend the flavors.

Drain the carrots and put in a casserole dish.  Pour the white sauce mixture over the carrots, and top with crumbled stuffing mix.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  

Butternut Squash Couscous Skillet Meal

 This is one I developed myself.  It is like the stuffed butternut squash recipe, but with a twist.

1 butternut squash.  Peal cube and steam to al dent.
1 cup couscous prepared according to package instructions
1/c cup chopped onions
1 t garlic

2 T fresh basil, minced, or 2 t dried basil

1 zucchini
1 carrot, pealed and coarsely grated
1 cup boc choy, thinly sliced (or Napa Cabbage)

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Peal, cube, and start cooking the squash in a vegetable steamer.  Prepare Couscous and set aside. In a little oil, sauté onion and garlic together until the onion starts to wilt. Add basil, carrot, zucchini and cabbage.  Stir Fry until softened.  Add sundried tomatoes and heat through.  Stir in squash and couscous to coat and heat through.  Serve. 

To make it lower in fat, use sundried tomatoes without the oil, and add 1/4 cup vegetable broth. 

Carrot Onion Soup

 It has been a while since I added a new recipe.  This one is adapted from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Maddison. It is not a lot different from the Carrot Curry Soup, but I think it has more subtle spices.  I also like the texture of the sliced onions and carrots. 

2 T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 lb carrots, pealed and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs parsley flakes
3 Tbs white rice
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
Salt/pepper to taste
7 cups veggie broth

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add onions and cook until softened. Add carrots and cook for a few minutes more, watching that they don't scorch. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the carrots are cooked through.  Remove the bay leaf.  Remove about 1/2 of the soup and blend in a blender until smooth.  Return to the rest of the soup.  Serve. 

Note: The original recipe called for 1/2 tsp of coriander.  I didn't have it on hand.  Next time I do, I will try it with that added and let you know what I thought.

Red Potatoes and Fennel

 This is a vegetarian adaptation of a recipe I got from Cooking Light years ago.  In this version I replaced the chicken with mushrooms and tweaked a few of the spices.

Combine the following in a bowl:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup slivered fennel bulb

2 tsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms

Combine in a separate bowl:
2 T (or more if you like them) chopped black olives

6 medium unpeeled red potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 teaspoons fresh or 1 tsp dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Vegetable broth

Heat a large skillet or wok and spray with cooking spray.  Add the first set of ingredients and stir fry until shallots and peppers soften. Add the next ingredients and mix well,  Add enough vegetable broth to just cover the vegetables.  Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, adding water as needed to prevent scorching. 

Potato-Tomato Curry

 I picked up a new cookbook at the thrift store, 500 Fat-Free Recipes by Sarah Schlesinger.  I have tried three recipes in it but this is the only one I liked well enough to add it to my blog.  I made a few slight adjustments to fit my taste. This one takes a full hour to cook, so plan accordingly.

2 onions, sliced (I only used one)

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or more, to use while sauteing)

pinch of ground ginger

1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, marjoram, basil, and dill

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 tsp parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 small red potatoes, cubed

3 fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cube curry, or 1 teaspoon curry powder

Saute the onion in a large wok or frying pan using the broth to keep it from scorching. Add the spices and cook 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, then add the potatoes. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, adding more liquid as needed. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the other vegetables, and add enough water so the vegetable won't scorch and squeeze the lemon over the top.  Turn the heat to low and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through, checking periodically to make sure the there is enough liquid.

I served this over rice the first time, but it had enough potatoes that I think I will skip the rice the next time.

 

Vegetable Barley Soup

I do a monthly health challenge offered by my insurance agency.  One of the challenges this week was to cook a recipe with a new kind of whole grain.  I decided to try a vegetable barley soup.  It turned out pretty well.  I cooked it in a crock pot, but I think it would work fine just in a large pot simmering on the stove.

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced
2 red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

water

vegetable soup base

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix

1 zuchini sliced thin

Heat the oil in a pan and then add the onion, celery and garlic. Sautee until soft. Put all ingredients except the zucchini in a crock pot, adding enough water to cover the vegetables, and 1 tsp of soup base for each cup of water you add.  Set on high and cook for 4 hours, or until the carrots and potatoes are soft. (If you are doing it on the stove top, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour).  Add the zucchini and cook an additional 20 minutes or until the zuccini is translucent.  Serve with your favorite whole grain bread.

Balsalmic Roast Brussels Sprouts

My son and daughter-in-law made these for us last time we visited them.  They added 3 oz bacon, but it works fine without it.  I also think the balsamic vinegar marinade would work well with a variety of vegetables.

1 1/2 lb brussels sprouts, halved

1 lb red potatoes, cubed.
3 shallots, sliced
3 tsp garlic, minced
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 tsp Johnny's Seasoning Salt (available through Amazon or use your favorite seasoning salt)

Prepare brussels sprouts, potatoes, and shallots and put in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the vegetables and toss to mix.  Spread the vegetables on a cookie sheet or broiler pan lined with parchment paper, placing the brussels sprouts flat side down. (If you are adding bacon, chop raw bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on top of the vegetables). Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Broccoli and Mushroom Rice Bowl

 I made up this recipe to try to copy some rice bowls I had eaten at restaurants.  I wanted the sauce to be mild and not too salty.  If you don't like fish sauce, you can substitute with soy sauce.

3/4 cup brown rice.  Cook according directions on the package.
About 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 T olive oil or use cooking spray 
1/2 cup chopped onions 
1 pint mushrooms (8 oz) sliced
1 clove garlic, minced.
2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp fish oil 
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice (I put it in a rice cooker in the morning with a timer so it will be done when I get home from work). Keep warm.

Put broccoli in a steamer and cook until tender, but still bright green.  If you don't have a steamer, boil the broccoli, but be careful not to overcook it.

While the broccoli is cooking, sautee the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the olive oil until tender (if you want to use less fat, sautee them in a pan prepared with cooking spray and use a little of the vegetable broth to keep it from scortching).  Mix the corn starch, fish oil, and sugar into the vegetable broth, and then add to the mushroom mixture in the skillet.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently,  until the sauce thickens. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.

To serve, place some of the warm rice in a bowl.  Add some broccoli, and then top with the mushroom sauce.  

Vegetable Lasagna

I pretty much just made this one up. It is a vegetable lasagna with a white sauce instead of tomato sauce. It is not vegan because it has some parmesan cheese, but it is pretty low-fat.

6 wide lasagna noodles (I suggest wheat)
1 clove garlic (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1/2 c cup chopped onion
8 oz mushrooms
2 cup plain soy milk (or other unsweetened nut-milk)
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp italian seasoning blend (or 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp basil)
1 package italian vegetables 
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped.
parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Cook the noodles according to package instructions.  Spray a 9X9 or 8X10 pan with cooking spray.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, sautee garlic, onion and mushrooms until softened.  Add the spinach and sauté another minute to wilt. Set aside

In a saucepan mix soy milk and flour until blended. Add salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.  Heat on medium, stirring frequently,  until the sauce starts to thicken.  Remove from heat. 

Cook the italian vegetables according to package instructions.

To assemble the lasagna, place 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Trim lasagna noodles to the proper length, and put down as a layer.  Sprinkle 1/2 of onion mixture and 1/2 of italian vegetables as a layer.  Pour 1/2 cup sauce. Add another layer of lasagna, vegetables and sauce. Add a top layer of pasta and the rest of the sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Variation: If you want a tomato based sauce, substitute 1 cup of prepared spaghetti sauce for 1 cup of the soy milk sauce.  Layer the tomato sauce and soy sauce when constructing the casserole.  The soy milk sauce acts as the "cheese" layer balancing out the acid of the spaghetti sauce.

Sweet Potato Burgers

I found this recipe in the Plant Based Meal Solutions magazine. The sunflower seeds add a crunchy tecture, and the oatmeal binds them together.  The pineapple barbecue sauce adds a Hawaiian flare.

1 sweet potato, cooked (1 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried parsley
Olive oil cooking spray

Pineapple Barbecue Sauce (see below)

Pre-cook the sweet potato, (I usually bake it in the oven for an hour.  I preset the oven to bake before I go to work and time it so they will be done right when I get home.  You can also just peal them, cube them, and boil them.)  Peal and mash the sweet potato, and then add the other ingredients. Form the mixture into 4 patties.  Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the patties on the paper, and then spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees, for about 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently turn over the patties. Spray the other side with cooking spray and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.  While they are cooking mix up the Pineapple Barbecue Sauce

Sauce

1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
1/3 cup pineapple bits, drained. 

Put in a small food processor and pulse a few times.  The sauce shouldn't have big chunks, but it shouldn't be completely smooth either.

Remove the patties from the oven and serve on wheat or multi-grain buns.  Garnish with your favorite greens (I like fresh spinach) and the pineapple barbecue sauce. 

*Note: The magazine I got this from suggested you could make similar vegan patties using potatoes or refried beans instead of sweet potatoes. 

Applesauce Breakfast Cake (not vegan)

 This morning I had some leftover Mussleman's applesauce I wanted to use up so I made up this recipe.  It isn't super healthy or low fat, but at least a little better than a regular coffee cake (6 T rather than 8 T of oil) or a store-bought muffin.

1/2 cup Kodiak Flapjack mix
1 cup white or wheat flour (or you could use all Kodiak mix, and not add the salt, baking powder and baking soda)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 T olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 egg (if you wanted to you could leave out the egg)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup chunky applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the dry ingrediants in a bowl.  In a separate bowl wisk egg, and then add the rest of the ingredients.  Wisk some more, and then add them to the dry ingredients all at once.  Pour into a prepared 8X8 square pan.  

6 TB applesauce

Spoon the applesauce onto the batter in six evenly spaced dollups (like dots on dice).  Don't stir in.  Place in the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.  Then prepare the topping.

Topping

1/2 cup flour (white or wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TB butter or margarine

Mix together topping until it resembles course crumbs.  When there is 15 minutes left on the timer, remove the cake and spread on the topping.  Return to the oven and finish cooking

Glaze

1/2 c powder sugar
1 T butter or margarine
1 tsp soy milk (or however much you need to make a runny glaze)

Mix together the powder sugar and butter.  Add the soy milk and mix, adding enough liquid to make a runny glaze.  Drizzle over the warm breakfast cake.

Variation: I have made this same recipe but substituted frozen berries for the apple sauce.  I thawed the berries first.  When I did I had to add a little extra soy milk to the batter because it was too stiff.