Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cozy-autumn-wild-rice-soup/

This is awesome.  I cooked this last night as part of a zoom cooking collective with Kindworks, a wonderful giving organization.  Starting last week, there is a weekly group cooking initiative to produce large quantities of soup to donate to local food banks.  We shop in advance for the ingredients and try to chop the vegetables before the zoom meeting starts.  Then we chat and cook together.  Last night, Chef Saanya started the conversation by asking us to tell kitchen stories from our past, time we spent with our grandparents.  It was a wonderfully warm hour of soup and sharing.  

As many soups are, this one seems like it can easily be altered to suit your tastes.  For instance, I didn't have any Old Bay, which was the main flavor ingredient for this soup.  I had Tagine, which is a Moroccan spice blend of paprika, cinnamon , turmeric, ginger, chili pepper, black pepper and cardamom.  I'll have to make some up, or replenish my supply at Whole Foods.  After dinner, I realized that the 'Best By' date was 2016!  I used a lot of it - might have been able to use less if it were fresh! 

I used only 1/2 of the coconut milk and will try it with another non-dairy creamer.

The wild rice was a wonderful texture with the other ingredients.  I might consider using another hearty grain like farro or bulgur.  

I might try with more kale also.  

From the Gimme Some Oven website, which I will now have to check out: 

This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup features fresh seasonal produce, hearty wild rice, and a zesty creamy broth. The vegan version of the soup is listed here in this recipe, or see options below for the cream sauce version.

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SCALE INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed

• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.

1. Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes.  Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes.  Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure.  Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

CROCK-POT (SLOW COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of a large slow cooker.  Stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the slow cooker.

1. Slow cook. Cook on high for 1 to 2 hours*, until the rice is cooked and tender.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

STOVETOP METHOD:

1. Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

1. Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.

1. Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Peruvian burritos with aji verde sauce

Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde  from Feastingathome.com

★★★★★

5 from 15 reviews

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine Prep Time: 30 Cook Time: 30 Total Time: 1 hour Yield: 4 Category: Vegan, vegan dinner, Burrito Method: Stove top and Oven Cuisine: Peruvian Diet: Vegan

Description

Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde Sauce filled with roasted sweet potato, fresh corn, peppers, quinoa and creamy black beans, then drizzled with spicy Peruvian Green Sauce. A flavor bomb! Vegan and Delicious! (Read the recipe through first before making- yes, there are several components here but this really can be made in one hour. Make several things at the same time- it can be done!)

Ingredients

• 1 small-medium yam or sweet potato, diced (about 1–2 cups)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ——-
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa (or sub rice)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• ——–
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 1 ear of corn, (1 cup corn kernels, or sub 1 cup frozen corn, or 1 cup diced zucchini)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 poblano chili
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ——-
• 1 can refried black beans (or see notes)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 /4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Vegan Aji Verde Sauce:

• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 –1 jalapeno ( or 1/2 a serrano chili)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cilantro, small stems ok
• 1–2 tablespoon lime juice

4 extra-large tortillas  ( 14-16 inches)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F and gather ingredients & cut veggies.

BAKE SWEET POTATOES: Dice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Toss with a little olive oil, and a generous five-finger pinch of salt and pepper. Spread out and bake in the middle of the oven until crispy and tender, 20-25 minutes.

COOK QUINOA: At the same time, bring quinoa, water, and pinch of salt to boil in a medium pot. Once boiling, cover, turn heat to low and cook until all the water is gone about 15 minutes. Turn heat off and leave covered. Fluff before serving.

SAUTE FILLING: Also at the same time, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions 2-3 minutes until they just begin to soften. Add garlic, corn and peppers and lower heat to med, sauteeing until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with the salt, cumin, coriander and oregano. Set aside. When the sweet potatoes are tender, add them to these veggies.

BLEND THE  Peruvian Green Sauce (AJI VERDE SAUCE): While the veggies are sauteeing, blend the Aji Verde ingredients together using a blender. Start with cashews and water, blending till smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides. Add remaining garlic, chili, salt, cilantro and lime juice. Blend until relatively smooth. Scrape it into a small bowl.

WHIP THE BLACK BEANS: Place 1 can refried black beans into a medium pot, breaking them up with a fork.  Add 1/4 cup water (or more) to loosen. Gently warm over medium-low heat, whipping with a fork until they are smooth and creamy. Add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and spices. If you don’t care about it being “vegan” stir in grated melty cheese or a dollop of sour cream for extra richness. Whip with fork until creamy and flavorful. You want these to be slightly salty. Cover and turn heat off.

ASSEMBLE BURRITOS: Heat tortillas up until soft and pliable (over a gas flame, or in the oven on the rack). Spread with whipped black beans “the glue”, a few tablespoons quinoa, 1/2 cup veggies and 2-3 tablespoon of Peruvian Green Sauce. Roll up, tucking the ends in as best you can. Enjoy!

Peruvian BURRITO BOWLS: Spoon some warm whipped black beans into the bottom of a bowl. Top with some quinoa, vegges and AJI VERDE Sauce. Garnish with avocado slices, diced tomatoes, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, sunflower sprouts.  If making bowls instead of burritos, I would double the beans for 4-6 people. 

Peanut Coleslaw

From Mollie Katzen's  The Heart of the Plate - photo 8/29/2020

Needed to find something to do with a small head of cabbage from Hungry Harvest.  A recent article in the Food section of the Washington Post has chefs recommending their favorite vegetarian cookbooks. This one was mentioned, and I had a copy on my shelf which I hadn't used much.  This recipe reminded me I should be using it MORE!!

This was wonderful and refreshing.  It starts out as 5 cups of cabbage, but quickly settles into much less as the salt, sugar and vinegar tenderize it.  Add the cilantro and chopped peanuts shortly before serving.

Other options include tofu, orange sections, or a grain or noodles underneath.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup finely minced red onion

5 cups finely shredded green and/or purple cabbage (1 small head)

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 Tbsp natural peanut butter

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp hot water (more if needed, but the liquid collects quickly)

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Crushed red pepper - I just used a quick sprinkle

Cilantro leaves chopped (optional)

1/2 cup chopped lightly toasted peanuts

Directions:

1) Mince red onion, place in a fine mesh colander, pour some hot water over to take out the 'sting'.  

2) Place 4 cups of the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, sugar, vinegar.  Toss to coat, and let sit while preparing the rest.

3) Measure the PB into a small bowl, add garlic and 2 Tbsp of the hot water.  Mash with a spoon and then whisk smooth, adding a drop more water as needed until it's the consistency of stirred sour cream.

4) Pour the peanut sauce onto the cabbage, add the onion and toss.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until it packs down enough to make room for the additional cup os cabbage and grated carrot and chopped red pepper.

5) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight - although I have to say, it was delicious immediately.

6) Shortly before serving, season to taste with cilantro and peanuts.

Gado-Gado - with peanut sauce

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen  1977

This is normally an Indonesian dish, with ingredients listed below. I had Asian eggplants and okra I needed to use, so I made this delicious sauce and used it to top the stir fry made with the veggies and onion.  Then I used the leftover sauce the next few days as a dip and to flavor lentils and other dishes.  Very versatile, and improves day by day.  The first night I thought the taste of vinegar was too strong, but by the next day and especially two days later, it was perfect.

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 cup good, natural peanut butter

2 Tbsp honey

1/4 tsp cayenne, more to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger root

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 cups water

3/4 tsp salt

Dash of tamari

2 Tbsp canola oil

UNDERNEATH THE SAUCE:

An artful arrangement of combined cooked and raw vegetables on a bed of fresh spinach.  Here are some recommended veggies and garnishes from Moosewood Cookbook:

Shredded cabbage, carrot slices, celery slices, steamed or raw

Broccoli spears or fresh whole green beans, steamed

Fresh, raw mung bean sprouts, tofu chunks either raw or sautéed in oil with sesame seeds, or pieces of egg

GARNISH WITH:

A drizzle of sesame oil, apples, lemons, oranges, raisins, and/or toasted seeds and nuts

Veggie Sesame Noodles

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Veggie Sesame Noodles

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

★★★★★

4.7 from 21 reviews

This riff on sesame noodles features tons of colorful vegetables. This recipe is healthy and easy to prepare—perfect for bringing to get-togethers! It’s vegetarian/vegan and easily gluten free. Recipe yields 6 side servings.

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces soba noodles or spaghetti noodles of choice*
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ⅓ cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce, just be sure it’s reduced sodium or it will taste too salty)
• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (scale back or omit if sensitive to spice)
• 2 ½ cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 10 ounces or ¼th medium cabbage)
• 3 whole carrots, peeled and then sliced into ribbons with vegetable peeler (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• Optional: 2 cups shelled edamame, steamed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Once they’re done cooking, drain them in a colander and rinse them well under cool water. Transfer the drained noodles to a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often (keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly). Once they’re fragrant and turning golden, transfer them to a small bowl so they don’t burn. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
4. To assemble, add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro and optional edamame to your bowl with the noodles. Drizzle in the dressing. Add all of the sesame seeds, and use tongs to toss until the mixture is fully combined. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later. This salad is best consumed within a couple of days, but it will keep for up to 5 days.

NOTES

Recipe adapted from Last Minute Sesame Noodles on Aggie’s Kitchen, originally from Eatingwell.com 

Okra with potatoes and onions

From Aruna:

https://www.sanjanafeasts.co.uk/blog/2019/09/gujarati-style-okra-potatoes/

I was inspired to cook okra after seeing how nice the pods were at Oasis farm.  I dutifully picked some then left them in the field by accident.  The store bought ones probably aren't as good, but they'll do until the next trip to the farm.  

This is a recipe that Aruna recommended.  Seems like a good recipe but there are no measurements.  Cant really say what I used, but it tasted good in the end.  Maybe it doesn't matter?

Learned that using lemon juice keeps the okra from getting slimy - which is why I usually avoid it.  We'll have it for dinner tomorrow, but it seems good so far.  And it has potatoes - what more do I need to say?!

Substitute for asafetida is garlic or 1/2 garlic powder and 1/2 onion powder.  I used the latter.  There were several garlic cloves already in the recipe.

No Bake Peanut Butter Power Bars (gluten free)

This is from Melissa Nicalaou.  I can no longer find it on the website balanced platter.com.

Makes12 small bars or 24 squares.

Ingredients:
8 Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cooked quinoa (or dry rolled oats)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup unsalted smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup raw honey (or maple syrup, date syrup, molasses to keep vegan - up to 1 Tbsp molasses)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used hemp hearts instead)

Directions:
1)  Add the dates to the bowl of a food processor and process until chopped.
2)  Add the nuts, quinoa (or dry oatmeal) and seeds, including hemp and process until a meal has formed.
3)  Add the peanut butter and honey (or maple syrup) and process until a thick dough forms.
4) Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking pan. A square baking dish works well.
5) Place the bars in the freezer until set, about 1-2 hours.  Remove from the freezer and slice into bars.  Store in the freezer until you're ready to eat them.  They're tasty when they reach room temperature, but extra special when eaten soon after removing them from the freezer.

NUTRITION FACTS per 1 square of 24, using maple syrup as sweetener:

Total Fat  5.7 grams

Sat fat  0.8 gm

poly Unsaturated fat 2.3 gm

Mono Unsaturated Fat 2.3 gm 

Total Carbs 11 gm

Dietary fiber 1.9 gm

Sugars 8 gm 

Protein 2.8 grams

Vegan Zucchini Breakfast Strata

Chitra brought this to Sheri's for brunch, and it was amazing.  Definitely try this - looks like it takes a bit of time to get the ingredients together, but it's worth it.  Probably also worth checking out this vegan website.

https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-zucchini-breakfast-strata/

Vegan Zucchini Breakfast Strata

A flavorful vegan zucchini breakfast strata with basil cashew cream and olive oil mashed potatoes. This dish is perfect for any meal any time of the day.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini (cut into thin rings)
• 1 medium tomato (seeded, all juice squeezed out, and diced)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (sub with dry herbs if you'd rather)
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 jalapeno pepper (or any moderately hot chili peppers. Deseed and chop finely)
• 10 leaves basil + more for garnish
• 1 cup raw cashews soaked for 30 minutes
• Juice of 1/2 lemon + zest of the lemon
• 4 medium russet potatoes (boiled and peeled)
• 4 leaves sage (finely minced)
• 5 slices bread (use white, whole wheat or sourdough, cut into cubes. For a gluten-free version, use a glutenfree bread.)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the garlic, sauté for a few seconds. Don't let it brown. Add the zucchini, tomatoes and onions. Season with ground black pepper and Italian seasoning. Saute for five minutes or until zucchini is soft but not mushy. If there is liquid in the pan, cook over high heat for a few minutes until most of it has evaporated. Turn off the heat.
• While the zucchini is cooking, place the soaked, drained cashews in a blender along with 2 cups water, basil, lemon juice, salt and jalapeno. Add salt to taste and blend until very smooth.
• Make the mashed potatoes by mashing together the boiled, peeled potatoes with the remaining 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, salt, sage, and lemon zest.
• In a large bowl, mix the zucchini-tomato mixture, bread, and half the mashed potatoes.
• Place them in a 9 X 12 inch baking dish and spread evenly.
• Pour on the basil cream evenly, and toss or press down slightly to make sure the bread cubes are immersed in the cream.
• Scatter on the remaining mashed potatoes over the casserole.
• Cover tightly with a cling wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to merge and for the bread to get thoroughly soaked.
• When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Place the baking dish in the oven and cook 40 minutes.
• After 40 minutes, turn on the custom broil to 450 degrees. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the bread and mashed potatoes turn golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, garnish with basil, let stand about 10 minutes. Then scoop out and serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg