Vegan Chicken Soup

This is adapted for a Washington Post article on 4/1/2020, but greatly simplified.  Turned out great.  Didn't make the matzoh balls to go with it, but I like my standard recipe well enough to not bother trying these.  They called for 10-12 scallions, flaxseeds instead of eggs, dill.  Might try some of those in mine.  For the soup, they have you cook some of the veggies, squeeze the water out and discard, then cook the remainder of the veggies.  I just chopped all of them and left them in the soup.  Great clear soup, with turmeric giving it a golden color.   Recipe is for Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup, but I'm unable to access it right now.

The soup was a great clear soup, not tomato based for those who prefer avoiding tomatoes,  with lots of veggies.  I halved this recipe and I'd say it was enough for 6-8 servings.

Ingredients: 
4 quarts vegetable broth, low sodium
1 medium yellow onion
6 medium carrots, sliced
6 stalks celery, sliced
2 turnips (I used parsnips)
2 medium leeks split lengthwise and rinsed thoroughly, bottom and tops removed
1/2 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1/2 bunch fresh dill
4-6 cloves garlic shopped
4-5 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Combine all of the vegetables and garlic in the broth, plus the parsley and the stems of the dill and the bay leaves.  Cook for about 45 minutes, or until veggies are almost soft.

2) Add the dill, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for10-15 minutes, until veggies are done.

That's it!  Let it set for a day or so.  Then enjoy!!

Braised red cabbage

From Canyon Ranch Nourish

Excellent with mushroom burgers - I didn't have some of the ingredients last time, so I'll try it again, but it has great potential.  I also cooked it stovetop only, finishing it by covering it and letting it simmer.

Purple cabbage joins the list of vegetables and fruits rich in anthocyanin, the purple and dark red pigments the protect against cancer and heart disease.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup julienned yellow onion
4 cups shredded red cabbage
2 bay leaves
Pinch ground cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp caraway seed
1/4 cup red wine
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 cup julienned Red Delicious apples
2 Tbsp honey

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium ovenproof sauce pan over medium heat.  Sauce the onions in olive oil until golden.  Add the red cabbage.  Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the bay leaves, cloves, salt , pepper, caraway seed, wine, vinegar, and water.  Mix well and cover tightly.

3.  Transfer the sauce pan to the oven and braise for 25 minutes, or until the cabbage is wilted.  Add th apples and honey and mix well.  Cover and braise for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Each serving contains
120 calories
21 gm carbs
4 gm fat
0 mg cholesterol
2 g protein
252 mg sodium
3 g fiber

Mushroom Burgers

From Canyon Ranch Nourish

This is a bit labor intensive, but excellent taste.  Only 4 small burgers result, so probably should double the recipe to get more than one meal out of it.  Served with braised red cabbage and onions.
Great on a tortilla with hummus or avocado and the cabbage topping.

I only had portobello caps on hand, so next time I'll try with the 3 mushrooms.  I'm guessing it'll be even better, since I like oyster mushrooms a lot!

Ingredients:

2 tsp EVOO
2/3 cup minced yellow onions
2 Tbsp minced garlic
10 oz portobello mushrooms, gills and stems removed
2/3 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
2/3 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp low sodium tamarind sauce
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chili powder (we only used 1 tsp)
1/2 cup oat flour (make by processing oats in spice grinder)
1/4 cup roasted, chopped cashews
2 Tbsp brown rice flour (we used whole wheat)
2 tsp minced flat-leaf parsley

For serving - tortilla or multigrain rolls, lettuce, tomato, red onion (or braised red cabbage)

Directions:
1) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan.  Sauce the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent.

2.  Add all the mushrooms and cook to release their liquids and slightly caramelize them.  Add the salt, pepper, tamarind, Worcestershire and chili powder and cook until dry.

3.  Remove from the heat and stir in the oat flour, cashews, rice flour and parsley.  Immediately pulse in a food processor, until the mixture comes together.

4. Form the mushroom mixture into 3-oz patties.  Grill the patties on a flat-top grill or in an electric skillet at 350 until slightly brown on each side.  I put them in the oven - but watch carefully to just brown, a few minutes on each side.

Granola Bars with Dried Fruit and Seeds

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/granola-bars-with-dried-fruit-and-seeds?_rand=0.719828771392392

I've made these 4 times and they're always great.  A small but filling snack to take to the gym.  I'd count on 15 bars.  

I decreased the dried fruit to 1 cup and the coconut to ~1/3 cup to decrease the sugar and saturated fat.  I used almond butter each time, but might try peanut butter next time.  

YIELD

Makes 20 bars   

ACTIVE TIME

30 minutes     

TOTAL TIME

55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1. • Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
   • 1 1/4 cups dried fruit (cherries, raisins, currants, cranberries, and/or blueberries), divided
   • 2/3 cup honey
   • 1/2 cup creamy almond, peanut, or sunflower butter
   • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
   • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats, divided
   • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
   • 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
   • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
   • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

PREPARATION

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 13x9" pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides; spray parchment.
   2. Pulse 3/4 cup fruit and 1/2 cup hot water in a food processor until smooth and incorporated, 3–4 minutes. Add honey, almond butter, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and pulse until combined, about 15 seconds. Add 1/2 cup oats and pulse until well combined, 30–45 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and remaining 1 cup oats and 1/2 cup fruit. Pulse until just combined, about 15 seconds.
   3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing down until completely even. Bake granola until darkened, firm around the edges, and the center gives just slightly when pressed, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan. Remove granola using parchment overhang, then cut into 20 bars with a serrated knife.
2. Do Ahead
   1. Granola can be made 5 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Cooks' Note

For crisp bars, arrange baked, sliced bars on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden brown, 8–10 minutes, or toast as desired in a toaster oven.

Hearty butternut squash lentil soup

Adapted from  https://www.acouplecooks.com/lentil-and-butternut-squash-soup/

This is the first time I've seen this site, but I'll be going back for more!  I had leeks from HH to use up and wanted a hearty protein-filled soup to feed the family, so this version seemed perfect.  I adjusted their recipe by referring to other lentil soups, and added coriander, bay leaves and switched out the greens for baby spinach.  The butternut squash I was planning to use had already gone bad, so I switched in sweet potato.  The lemon and some salt and pepper are essential to make the flavor sing.

The original blogpost also has videos for preparing a butternut squash and leeks for cooking

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SCALE

INGREDIENTS

• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 carrots - diced
• 2 large leeks or 1 large yellow onion (or a combination; 1 leek and 1yellow onion works well) 
• 1 medium butternut squash (3 cups diced; use frozen diced as a time saver) or sweet potato - cubed
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale or Swiss chard - or baby spinach - coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 cups vegetable stock (I used 6 cups broth and 2 water)
• 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils
• 1 generous teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 generous teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

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Directions:

1. Mince the garlic. Peel and chop the carrots into half moons.
2. Chop the leeks: chop off the dark green stems and the bottom roots, then slice each in half length-wise. Place each leek half cut-side down on the cutting board, then chop it into thin half-moons. Rinse thoroughly in a colander to remove any dirt.
3. Chop the butternut squash (watch the video!): Slice off the neck of the squash and peel it with a vegetable peeler. Peel the base. Slice the base in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice the neck into thin rectangles, then into long slices. Turn the slices the other way and dice. Cut the base into thin slices and then dice into small squares. 
4. Wash and chop the kale or spinach (watch the video!). You can also wait to do this step while the soup simmers in Step 6.
5. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil; add the leeks or onions and sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add carrots and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
6. Add the squash/ sweet potato, vegetable broth, lentils, thyme, oregano, coriander, bay leaves and kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils and butternut squash are soft (taste test a few). In the last few minutes, add the chopped chard/ spinach and simmer until tender. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the lemon juice.  Have extra lemon juice at the table and add as desired.

vegan curry banh mi

From Lemongrass, Ginger and Mint Vietnamese Cookbook by Linh Nguyen 2017

Of course this is supposed to be served over a bun, which we didn't have.  It could also be served over rice.  Japanese or Korean yams are sweeter and more flavorful that other types.

Sore up to 3 days.

I substituted several ingredients, since in this time of Covid, I'm trying not to run to the store to just pick up a few things.  So here's today's version, tomorrow might be different!

Ingredients:
10 oz block of firm tofu (I used tempeh)
6 Tbsp oil, divided
2 yams (~ 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 taro root (~ 10 oz), peeled and cut into 1.5 inch pieces (I used parsnips)
10 lemongrass stalks
3 Tbsp minced garlic
1 eggplant - longer thinner type - cut into 1.5 inch pieces (used larger eggplant, but only sides)
1 Tbsp minced hot chiles (optional)
2 Tbsp lo sodium soy
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp curry powder (used yellow curry paste)
2.5 cups boiling water

1/2 cup coconut milk (used soy creamer)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

3 Vietnamese baguettes or Portuguese rolls, or 1 French baguette

Directions:
1. Pat the tofu dry to reduce spattering.  Halve lengthwise then cut it crosswise into 8 pieces

2. Heat a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.  Swirl in 4 Tbsp oil to spread it evenly.  Add the tofu and fry until golden on the bottom, about 7 minutes.  Flip and fry the other side until golden, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the tofu to a plate.

3. Add the yam and taro (parsnip) to the pan and fry until lightly golden, about 4 minutes on each side.  Transfer these to the plate with the tofu.

4.  Bruise the lemongrass stalks with a pastel or meat hammer to release the fragrance.  Bunch them together and tie with a lemongrass leaf.

5. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add the fried yam, taro, tofu, eggplant and chiles.  Add the soy, sugar an curry and lightly mix.  Add the boiling water and the lemongrass bundle.  Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the yam and taro are soft, about 20 minutes.

6.  Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the coconut milk and chopped basil.

7.  Heat a heavy skillet or sauce pan over high heat. Heat the baguettes for about 2 minutes on each side to make them crispy before serving.

8.  Break the baguettes and dip them in the curry stew.  Or serve over steamed rice.

Lentil soup

Best Lentil Soup

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

• https://cookieandkate.com/best-lentil-soup-recipe/comment-page-10/

• 
  

★★★★★

4.9 from 1459reviewsI 

4/12/2020 - This recipe is good, but I tried another recipe recommended by cookie and kate that was even better than this one - check out acouplecooks.com - their lentil and butternut squash soup, which I'll add as a hearty lentil soup.

This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.

NOTE:  the lemon and salt, pepper are essential.

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
2. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
4. Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
5. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
6. Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
7. Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).