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Something GUD Sunday

11/30/2014

I got another Something GUD Vegan box today and once again it did not disappoint! So many awesome things! I absolutely love baba ganoush, it might be my favorite dip. I already had some of it with the Iggy's baguette tonight and it was so good! I could have eaten the whole thing! Can't wait to cook with all these great looking vegetables!

Rainbow Carrot-Four Town Farm-conventional
Sweet Potato-Joe Czajkowski Farm-organic
Yellow Onion-Red Fire Farm-organic
Lacinato Kale-Langwater Farm-organic
Honeycrisp Apples-Apex Orchards-conventional
Empire Apple-Steere Orchards-conventional
Pea Shoots-Allen Farms-organic
Mixed Baby Greens-Heron Pond Farm-conventional
Sage and Thyme-Chase Farms-conventional
Butternut Squash
Iggy’s – Whole Wheat Baguette
Mom’s Organic Munchies – Hemp Cookie
Samira’s Homemade – Hummus / Baba Ganoush
Two Guys Soup
21st Century Tofu

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Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce

11/30/2014

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I made this for my family last week while I was at home. My mom, dad, and uncle all ate it and loved it! I love working with spaghetti squash cause it's so versatile - you can make it work with any cuisine. I saw this recipe on Pinterest from Leelalicous and thought it would be a great last minute dinner to make! You can sub out the vegetables for whatever you prefer or have on hand.

Ingredients:
1 medium to large Spaghetti Squash
1/2 Avocado
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
Green Beans
1 Cup Shredded Carrots
Basil

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Lime
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Cloves of Garlic - minced
1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger - minced
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Lemongrass (optional) - minced

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Servings: 4 as entree

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan with a little bit of water on the bottom. Cover it with foil and cook for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your squash.

While the squash is in the oven, prepare the rest of your ingredients. Wash and prep the green beans and steam them for about 5-7 minutes, until they're soft but not mushy. Once they're cool, slice them in long diagonal strips to make them skinnier. Slice the tomatoes in half and cut the avocado into cubes. Put all of the ingredients except the avocado and basil in a large bowl.

Combine the peanut sauce ingredients in another bowl and whisk them all together.

The squash will be done when you can easily stick a fork through the skin, don't let it get too mushy though or all the "spaghetti" strands will stick together. Once the squash has cooled enough that you can touch it, use a fork to scrape apart the inside of the squash, pulling the flesh off of the skin. The flesh will fall apart into spaghetti-like strings.

Add the squash to your bowl of vegetables. Pour in the peanut sauce little by little until you have enough to coat everything but it isn't too soupy. If you have any left over you can use it as dipping sauce. Slice the basil and add that on top, along with the avocado. Enjoy!

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Southwestern Pizza

11/24/2014

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This is another recipe inspired by the awesome Vegan Richa (I told you she was one of my favorites).

I'd had pizza dough from Something GUD in the freezer for a while so Jay and I decided to finally make something with it. I let him pick from my Pinterest list of vegan pizzas and this is the one he picked! It was delicious and soooo filling. We divided the pizza into 6 slices and each only had one slice. Jay not only approved of the dish as a whole, but also the Teese Vegan Mozzarella and the dough individually. Jay had to taste the cheese ahead of time before he let me put it on the whole pizza and said it tasted exactly like mozzarella. It melted really well too.

I don't have a pizza stone, so I rolled my dough in a rectangle in order to get it to fit onto the cookie sheet. The original recipe called for spinach, but I had kale and thought it would be a good way to get some into Jay's diet, so I used that instead.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough
1 Cup Kale (or other cooking greens)
2 Cups (1 can) cooked beans - kidney, black, or pinto work best
1 Cup of sliced tomatoes
1/2 package Teese mozzarella (or other vegan cheese)
1/2 Cup BBQ sauce
1/4 Cup corn
1 Avocado

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 6

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out dough until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Sprinkle a cookie sheet (or pizza stone) with cornmeal or place parchment paper on it. Cook the pizza dough for about 5 minutes on each side, so that its firm enough to hold up on its own, but not cooked all the way.

While the dough is cooking, prep your toppings. Chop/rip up your kale into smaller pieces.

Place toppings on top of dough in this order: kale, tomatoes, beans, cheese, corn, BBQ sauce.

Put the pizza back in the oven and cook for 15 or 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the dough has a nice golden brown color to it.

Let the pizza cool a bit, add avocado, and enjoy!

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Scrambled Tofu

11/23/2014

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Scrambled Tofu is a quick and easy breakfast dish, especially if you have Vegg vegan egg yolk replacer. Vegg has both an egg yolk replacer and a egg replacer for baking. I've only used the egg yolk version in pretty basic ways, mainly sprinkling it on tofu. It's main ingredient is nutritional yeast, which is high in B12 (the only essential nutrient that vegans do not get naturally in their diet).

Ingredients:
1 Package Firm Tofu
4 Tablespoons Vegg Vegan Egg Yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt (if you have Himalayan Pink Salt that will add a sulfery taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
Tomato
Spinach
Avocado

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 as a side or 2 as a main dish

Pressing my tofu

Instructions:
Wrap and press all the water out of the tofu. This is not essential, but will produce a better product. Because tofu comes in water, it helps to press the tofu out so that it can absorb whatever flavors you are adding to it. I wrapped my tofu in paper towels and a dish cloth and then put something heavy on it, like the inside of my slow cooker. If anyone is looking for a Christmas gift a Tofu Press would be awesome. I pressed my tofu for 10-15 minutes, but however much time you have is good. If you're pressed for time, you can still have a good scrambled tofu without it.

Add a little bit of water to your pan and crumble the tofu into the pan so that it resembles the texture of scrambled eggs. You can continue to break up the tofu as you cook it. Add 1 tablespoon of Vegg for every quarter of your tofu. In these pictures I made half of my tofu with two tablespoons of Vegg. Continue to cook, mix, and add a little bit of water until all the Vegg is absorbed and the tofu is yellow. Add salt and pepper to taste. I generally top mine with some tomatoes and avocado and my favorite condiments - Heinz Ketchup and Sriracha. Eat on it's own or serve with some bean and/or potato hash.

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Bado's Pizza

11/22/2014

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I'm back in Pittsburgh at my parent's house for Thanksgiving and the three of us ordered pizza for dinner from our favorite place - Bado's. This has been our favorite pizza place for as long as I can remember. I spent my childhood Friday nights playing indoor soccer and eating Bado's pizza.

I selected my own toppings to create a custom order - Basil, Broccoli, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Roasted Red Pepper, hold the cheese.

I'm generally a crispy-crust person, but there's something about the softness of the Bado's crust that is so comforting to me. I liked how the broccoli wasn't cooked before it was put on the pizza - it has just the right amount of al dente crispness from the pizza oven. The basil was so fresh. It was delicious over all. You're the best Bado's.

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Cook Dry Beans from Scratch

11/22/2014

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I buy dry beans instead of canned for many reasons (of course, sometimes you're in a pinch and you just need a can). People think that dry beans are too big of hassle to deal with, but they're very simple to cook. I like to make a big batch and then store them in smaller portions so it's just as convenient as buying canned beans, except this way I can control the amount of sodium (none) and other additives (none), plus it's cheaper.

It's a two-day process, but it doesn't take much work. The day or night before you're planning on cooking your beans soak them in water. This helps to activate some of the nutrients, neutralize the enzymes that cause gas, and reduce the rest of the cooking time. I like to cook my beans in a slow cooker because then it's even less effort (and worry) and frees up space on the stove, but you can cook them regularly on the stove if you would like.

Ingredients:
Kidney Beans
Water

Prep Time: 12-24 Hours
Cook Time: 6-8 Hours
Yield: 6 cups

Instructions:
Soak Beans for 12-24 hours, depending on how much time you have. If you're short on time you can bring the beans to a boil and then soak them for an hour.

Rinse the beans and place in the pot you'll be cooking them in, either your slow cooker or a pot on the stove.

Important Note: If you are cooking kidney beans you need to boil them for 10 minutes in order to remove a toxic chemical called Phytohaemagglutinin.

Cover the beans so that it comes about 2-3 inches above the beans. The amount necessary varies based on the type of bean, your cooking method, or the specifics of your slow cooker. If you put in too much water you can just cook your beans a bit longer and then you know to put in less next time. Using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours. If cooking on top of your stove simmer for 1-2 hours (again, it varies depending on the type of bean).

Once the water has been mostly absorbed, drain the beans and let them cool. 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked beans equals one can of beans. Anything you're not using put into 1 1/2 - 2 cups portions and put in the freezer for later use.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

11/19/2014

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Stuffed squash is a great recipe to make on those days when you have a ton of random vegetables in your fridge and you don't know what to do with them. Just chop them all up and make some filling for a stuffed squash! If you don't have any squash the filling could also be used as a side dish or as a topping for baked potatoes. What's great too is that you can customize the flavor of your dish based on the spices you add. If you're full fledged into fall mode you can add some sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, and even pumpkin pie seasoning! Or make it spicy with cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:
2 Small Acorn Squash
1/2 Cup Barley (or your favorite grain - quinoa, rice, farro, millet, etc.)
1 Small onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Small head of broccoli
2 Carrots
1 Cup of Kale (or greens of your choice - collars, spinach, chard, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash with the cut side down into a glass dish with 1/4 inch of water in the bottom and cook for at least 30 minutes or until the squash is soft when poked with a fork. This will vary depending on the thickness of your squash. Once they reach the desired softness, remove them from the oven, drain the liquid, and return them to the dish, cut side up.

Meanwhile, cook grains according to package directions. Here is a quick guide to cooking times for various different grains.

While your grains and squash are cooking, prepare the rest of the filling. Chop your vegetables into your preferred size. If you want your carrots, pepper, and broccoli to be softer I would recommend chopping them smaller. Add some water (or oil) to a pan and cook the onions on medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the onions are translucent, add the carrots, bell pepper, broccoli, and greens, in that order. Continue adding water as needed to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the spices and cook for about 5 minutes, depending on how soft you like your vegetables, keeping in mind that they will continue to soften in the oven.

Add the cooked and rinsed grains into the vegetable mixture and stir until well combined. Scoop the mixture into the squash halves and return the squash to the oven. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

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Butternut Squash Tacos

11/11/2014

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Looking for something to do with the other half of the butternut squash you used for the macaroni? Here's what I made!

I actually made this before I made the macaroni, but since it's based on a recipe from someone else I didn't want to leave off with it on the blog. I thought #TacoTuesday would be a great day to post it!

This recipe comes from the great Richa Hingle over at Vegan Richa. I made the butternut squash part almost exactly the same way. I didn't have any Chipotle sauce so I used her alternate of BBQ sauce plus taco seasoning. Jay had an Old El Paso taco kit on hand and I was really worried that the tacos were going to be sweet because of the butternut squash so I used the taco seasoning from that (we don't use the sauce they provide). These are definitely Jay Approved! They were some of the best tacos I've ever had. We both had them for left overs and when I finished them off Jay was definitely upset there were none left for him. I plan on making them again but this time I'll use a healthier taco seasoning - probably this one I've had pinned on Pinterest for a while but have yet to make...

The night I made this it was one of those nights where we had nothing on hand, so I had to scramble to find some toppings to put on the tacos. I had some frozen corn in the freezer, homemade pickles carrots in the fridge, and some salsa so I threw those on and I made some quick vegan mayonnaise using Mori-Nu tofu. Mori-Nu tofu is packaged in an aseptic box so it is shelf stable and is great to have in your pantry for nights like this. Normally I make cashew sour cream, but Jay said that he liked the texture of the tofu sour cream better - it was a lot smoother and closer to sour cream than cashews.

For night 2 I had time to run to the store and grab some avocado to go along with the corn, sour cream, and salsa.

Ingredients:

For Tacos:
1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled, with seeds removed
1 tsp Oil (or water)
1/4 Cup BBQ sauce
1 Package Taco seasoning
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Chipotle Pepper Powder
2 Tbsp Water

Toppings:
1/2 Cup Corn
Avocado
Salsa
Any other toppings of your choice - cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.

Sour Cream:
1 Package tofu
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:
Shred butternut squash with a cheese shredder. Heat oil in pan and add squash. Cook for a few minutes, until heated all the way through.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, but don't cook too much.
While that's cooking, make your sour cream. Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until well combined.
Once heated all the way through, add squash to the taco shell of your choice and add your toppings. Make it gluten free by using corn tortillas or make a taco bowl by putting it on top of quinoa or rice.

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Roasted Cauliflower, Pear, and Kale

11/9/2014

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I finally had a chance to do some cooking this weekend and use some of the ingredients that I got in my Something GUD delivery last week. I've been thinking all week of how to use the cauliflower and I thought roasting it would be a great way to increase the flavor while maintaining its interesting structure. Jay however, did not agree with me. The spiky cauliflower pieces scared him too much so he was unable to try the dish.

I added the pears for some moisture and flavor and recently saw a recipe for roasted kale on Pinterest so I thought I would try adding some as well. Unless I cut it up really small, I'm not a really a fan of raw kale so I'm always looking for a way to new ways to cook it.

Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower
2 Pears (mine were Bosc)
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon dried Sage
1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1 Bunch of Kale

Prep Time: 10-15 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Servings: 3-4

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Prep the ingredients - chop the cauliflower and kale and slice the pears. Make sure you only use the leaves of the kale and not the ribs.
Add the cauliflower and pears to a glass casserole dish. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar, pepper, sage and red pepper flakes over the kale and cauliflower.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Add the kale and roast for 10 more minutes.
I only used about 2 leaves worth of the kale in the casserole dish. I put the rest on a cookie sheet and roasted them on their own (with some red pepper flakes).
Use as a side to a main dish or combine with rice, quinoa, or another grain to make an entree.

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Scholar's Pub

11/6/2014

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Last night I had an alumni event at Scholar's Pub in Boston, which means this blog is quickly turning into more of a restaurant review blog instead of a cooking blog... oops. It's been a busy week, but don't worry, for the most part I'll be posting recipes as opposed to restaurant reviews.

In the meantime, Scholars... I've been there on weekend nights before, but never for dinner. I hadn't realized until recently how creative of a menu they have, definitely more than your average bar fare.

I had the Lemon Scallion Risotto, which is the only thing marked on their menu as vegan. They also have a portabella sandwich that seems to be vegan by reading the menu, but for some reason is not marked as such. It was dark (hence the poor quality photo) and loud, plus I was at a networking event so I didn't want to eat a messy sandwich and therefore did not inquire about it.

My dish was delicious. It was not what I expected based on the description, but it was still great. I was expecting more of a light Italian dish, when I read about the risotto, lemon, and asparagus, but I guess I should have paid more attention to the shishito peppers in the dish. The waitress informing me that it was a slightly spicy dish should have been my key that it was not a typical Italian risotto. While it was not spicy to my standards, the sauce was distinctly Asian, and not lemony at all (which is fine with me cause lemon is not my favorite flavor). Based on the thickness of the sauce I'm not sure how healthy it was, but the pepper, asparagus and tomato were great (I love some cooked tomatoes!!).

Overall, it was a great dish, a little misleading, but still good. I was surprised to find such a great menu at Scholars, since I think of it as a place to dance on the weekends. I appreciate the fact that not only do they have designated vegan items on their menu but, even though it's only one item, it's an interesting dish you don't find everywhere and not a boring go-to just so that they can say they have something. Thanks Scholar's!

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Something GUD Sunday

Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce

Southwestern Pizza

Scrambled Tofu

Bado's Pizza

Cook Dry Beans from Scratch

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Butternut Squash Tacos

Roasted Cauliflower, Pear, and Kale

Scholar's Pub

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