swedish meatballs

one package of gimme lean beef
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1 T finely chopped parsley
1/2 t granulated onion
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
good dose of cracked black pepper
pinch of thyme
pinch of nutmeg
2 T olive oil for frying

for the sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 T sherry
1 1/2 "beef-style" bouillion cubes combined with 3 cups of water
about 1/4 cup of soy milk mixed with 2 1/2 T of corn starch, plus additional soy milk if needed to thin sauce
squeeze of fresh lemon
lots of cracked black pepper
2 T fresh chopped parsley

half pound pasta of choice, cooked according to package instructions. i used whole wheat "egg" noodles.



combine first 10 ingredients and mix until well incorporated & then shape until 12 1-inch balls.

heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. fry meatballs in oil until evenly browned on all sides.

to make sauce:

on medium heat, saute onion in olive oil until soft. add garlic & cook some more. raise the heat & deglaze pan with sherry and allow reduce (about 5 minutes).

add broth and allow to cook. add cornstarch slurry & stir to combine. lower heat and simmer until thickened. add lemon juice, parsley, & pepper.

if necessary, thin out sauce with additional soy milk.

top noodles with meatballs & gravy & enjoy.

galena in pictures, & more!

i know i'm a little (okay, a lot) late in blogging, but here are some photos from galena!



(note: every time we stay at hawk valley, we take a picture of us jumping on the bad. so silly bed jumping picture #3!)






i've been pretty busy lately... lots of work to do as the semester winds down and when i actually have some time to relax, i take full advantage of it. we've had a wonderful, lazy weekend... i've been cooking and baking and ryan has diligently cleaned up after me.

i made a wonderful leek & potato soup this weekend. simple, but very flavorful and fulfilling.



ingredients:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, sliced into thin rounds
half a white onion, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bit size cubes
vegetable stock (2-3 cups) [** or 2-3 cups of water with one vegetable bouillon cube.]
1 1/2 cups white wine
1/2 t dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
about 1/2 cup of soy milk
salt + pepper

1. saute leeks, onion, & carrots in olive oil until soft & translucent. add garlic and saute for another few minutes.
2. deglaze the pot with a bit of white wine. add potatoes, stock, wine, thyme, and parsley.
3. simmer on low-medium heat until potatoes are cooked through and fork tender.
4. transfer half of the mixture to a blender. add soy milk and blend until smooth and creamy.
5. add the blended mixture back to pot and stir to combine. salt + pepper to taste.
6. garnish with chopped scallion and more parsley.

i used some leftover black bean sauce from the local chinese restaurant to make tonight's dinner. i cheated, but it was still delicious and, not to mention, a lot cheaper than ordering take-out.



yum.

pyrex finds from the past few months... & food!

we've had some awesome finds at our local antique/thrift shops the past few months... most of these we've been lucky to find locally, but i do admit to order some from ebay & etsy!







i bought a few individual gratin dishes off etsy and had glorious fantasies about making individual pot pies & the like but i've also seen a few recipes for baked pumpkin pasta floating around, so i decided to take a stab at it. i saw paula dean make hers with butter (of course), sausage, heavy cream, & lots of cheese... and i have been eying the veganomicon pumpkin baked ziti recipe for a while, but wanted something a bit quicker & easier. i also only had rotini, but it ended up working out fine :)



ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat pasta (your choice... i used rotini, but would recommend ziti or penne)
1 recipe tofu ricotta. i use this one as a base, but usually add some soy milk to make it creamy and smooth. here i omitted the basil
1 T extra virgin olive oil
half a large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 can pureed pumpkin
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/2 t rubbed sage
1/2 t dried thyme
generous pinch of nutmeg

for herbed bread crumbs:
1-1 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 t earth balance
generous pinch of sage
salt + pepper

(preheat oven to 375 degrees)

01. cook the pasta! strain it and rinse with cool water BEFORE it's al dente.
02. make tofu ricotta & set it aside.
03. saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until caramelized. add garlic & cook some more.
04. add canned pumpkin and cook briefly. add soy milk to make a creamy sauce & season with herbs, nutmeg, salt & pepper. let cook a few minutes longer.

(meanwhile, melt the earth balance in a pan. add breadcrumbs and seasoning and toast until browned.)

05. when pasta is done, toss with the pumpkin sauce off the heat. immediately transfer to a casserole, stir in tofu ricotta, & top with bread crumbs. throw it in the oven and cook until sauce is bubbly & bread crumbs are nice and toasty brown. enjoy!

(also, gratuitous weight loss update: 20.2 lbs down, 10% of the starting body weight. still got some ways to go, but feeling really good.)

i love salsa verde!

i really love salsa verde.
despite my love for spicy food, i actually don't make mine very spicy at all.

(i do prefer my red salsa fiery hot, however!)

i've messed around with several different recipes, and i think this is the real winner. i prefer a chunkier salsa, but i'm sure it'd be just as good blended smooth.

ingredients:
1.5 lbs tomatillos, husks removed, washed & cut in half
2-3 serrano chilies, seeded
1 medium white onion, diced
2-3 large garlic cloves
juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sugar
salt + pepper to taste

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. prep veggies.
2. place chilies and tomatillos on a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down. spray with olive oil and salt + pepper. pop 'em in the oven for 5-7 minutes (or until the tomatillos release their liquid and roast.)
3. ... in the meantime, spray a pan with olive oil and saute onion until softened.
4. add garlic and roasted tomatillos/chilies to pan and cook some more (about 5 minutes). remove from heat.
5. when cooled, transfer to blender and add lime juice, sugar and cilantro.
6. pulse to desired consistency, scraping down sides with a spatula to keep salsa well incorporated. add salt + pepper to taste if desired.
7. serve immediately or allow to cool... its good both ways!


ryan & abby came over for dinner last night and we had tacos with rice and beans. we had found a package of prepared shredded "vegetarian chicken" last weekend at the asian market so i sauteed it up with lots of spices, a yellow bell pepper, tomato, and an onion. totally delicious wrapped up in soft corn tortillas & topped with lots of salsa verde and crunchy purple cabbage. we played poker which was super fun but, as usual, ryno kicked my A and won the $25. boo!!

lots going on!!

ryan and i have both been working lots, and i've also been very busy with school stuffs. weight watchers is still going well... i lost another pound at my last weigh in, which is right on track with recommended healthy weight loss. i survived this weekend partly because ryan was working, and i've made some yummy food!

last night we had the leek & bean cassoulet from veganomicon, but i decided to skip the biscuits to keep it core plan-compatible.

tonight i made a super delicious stuffed squash! i adapted it from a weight watchers recipe, and it was surprisingly good.



recipe!

ingredients:

1 acorn squash
8 oz of white mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 shallot, diced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tsp of soy sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp ground savory
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt + pepper to taste
2 T dry sherry

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. slice acorn squash in half, or get someone strong to do it for you!
3. spray with extra virgin olive oil. i use this nifty thing, but rub with olive oil before using store-bought cooking spray! salt + pepper.
4. roast face down on a baking sheet for about 40-50 minutes, or until soft.
5. while squash is roasting, heat 2 tsp of olive oil in skillet. add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid.
6. add shallots and garlic and cook until shallots soften.
7. sprinkle herbs and nutmeg on top of mushrooms and let sit to reconstitute for a minute or so. stir to incorporate.
8. add cooked brown rice and stir to combine. add soy sauce and sherry and allow to cook out for a couple minutes or so.
9. when acorn squash is softened, take out of oven and stuff with stuffing! stick it back in the oven for 10 minutes or so to heat through.

ryan finished his side, but i was unable to finish mine so i'd say each "side" is a very generous serving!

finally, a gratuitous kitty shot!

a productive food day!

phew! today i made a bunch of things for during the week...

this morning before work i made the filling for a biscuit-topped stew with some things i had hanging around the kitchen. the stew has finely diced onions, carrots, and sweet potato + fresh corn, green peas, & tempeh in a tangy herb gravy. tomorrow i'll top the casserole with some fluffy biscuits... mm, comfort food!

today i also made some chocolate chip cookies and some butternut squash wontons!




for the wonton filling i roasted and mashed two medium butternut squash and then sauteed it with some sage, garlic + onion powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. i fried them in some canola oil... which i never do, but i just couldn't resist! they are so so rich and i think i may pair them with a chili-plum sauce later this week.

a bit on local eating, & some dinners...

the aurora farmer's market has finally gotten into full swing & we've been enjoying the bounty of local produce very much. the aurora market may not have some of the fancier things others have but everything we've gotten has been delicious.

we bought a half dozen ears of corn last saturday and i'm definitely regretting not buying the full dozen! it is hands down the best corn i've ever tasted and i'm pretty sure it'd be blasphemous to soak it in butter like so many of us are used to doing...

as part of a surprise batch of gifts for me, ryan picked up some awesome roundhouse rootbeer... also local, also delicious!



last night i made the chili-cornmeal crusted crusted tofu from veganomicon with a side of steamed local swiss chard & bicolor corn. delicious, as expected! he also got us the first season of law and order svu on dvd & a raw foods cookbook for me!!

tonight i made a vegan take on "salsibury steak" with some more corn on the cob & some homemade dinner rolls, which were perfect for soaking up the savory gravy. i've never had salsibury steak before, but ryno said it was definitely reminiscent and delicious!



to make the gravy i caramelized some thinly sliced onion and button mushrooms in olive oil and brown sugar. then i stirred in some flour & broth until thickened, tossed in some herbs, lots of black pepper, and (the cheater part) a packet of onion soup mix. i boiled and seared some chunks of tempeh and simmered them in the gravy while the rolls baked. by the way, i used this recipe for the rolls and it couldn't be easier thanks to buttercup!

very yummy. the picture may look a bit dull, but this was perfect summertime comfort food.

green smoothie!

i've been reading a lot about the benefits of dark leafy greens and also green smoothies, so this morning when i discovered that ryno ate my last apple, i headed into the kitchen to experiment. "eat a banana," he told me, knowing full well that i have a love/hate relationship with bananas... the taste and smell doesn't bother me in the least, but the feeling of biting into a mushy, warm banana is enough to keep me away from them.
this smoothie is the first green smoothie i've ever made at home, and i must say that i'm pleasantly surprised! i was worried about masking the taste of the spinach, but the fruit definitely did it's thing. yum!



mango-spinach smoothie

ingredients:
2 ice cubes
5-7 cubes of frozen mango
1 banana
biiiiig handful of spinach
& enough soy milk to make it blend easily

blend & enjoy! this combo makes enough for one big glass of smoothie, as pictured.

potstickers!

this morning i made a million yummy potstickers!
i loosely followed a recipe out of an old "wok and stir fry" cookbook i have, and these are totally delicious. i admit to sneaking some of the filling as i worked!

we're going to have them for dinner tonight with miso soup. they're super easy to make!

vegan "pork" potstickers

these potstickers are traditionally prepared with ground pork. i'm not a huge "fake meat" fan, but one of my favorite products is lightlife smart ground. smart ground worked perfectly, but i'm sure these could be made using ground seitan, crumbled tempeh, or crumbled extra firm tofu.

ingredients:
1 package lightlife smart ground
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T of finely chopped scallion
1 t of grated ginger (i used a microplane grater)
2 t sesame oil

2 t sugar
1/4 t molasses
2-4 T light soy sauce (i just eyeballed)
2 T seasoned rice vinegar
1-1.5 T mirin
salt to taste
1 t sesame oil

1 package of vegan wonton/dumpling wrappers (most are)

prepare sauce in a small bowl and set aside. i did this by sight/taste, so adjust to suit your own palette.

heat sesame oil over med-high flame and saute garlic, scallion, and ginger until fragrant. add smart ground and stir to coat.

add sauce to pan and quickly stir fry. transfer filling to separate bowl.

create a station with filling bowl, wrappers, a work space, and a small bowl of water for sealing the wrappers.

hold the wrapper with the point facing towards you. spoon 1-1.5 T of filling into the center of the wrapper.

wet finger with water and run your finger along the edges of the wrapper (it will feel sticky, which is what you need to properly seal them)

pinch together the ends of the wrapper making sure the filling does not come out. make sure that there are no air bubbles in the potsticker.

continue until filling is gone!

to cook, heat sesame oil over med-high heat and add potstickers. once the bottoms are browned, add enough water to just cover the potstickers and put a lid on the pan. allow potstickers to steam for 5-6 minutes or until water evaporates.

serve with dipping sauce of your choice and ENJOY!

some more thrifting & lazy nights

this afternoon we went thrifting/antiquing and i was able to find some more vintage pyrex pieces! i think these are 60s-70s era, but i've been researching some other 50s pieces that i'll keep my eye out for. afterwards we went to downtown geneva and stopped in the spice house and kiss the sky, two of our favorite local spots. i bought some great indonesian cinnamon and ryno got a radiohead record!
when we got home we did some bear things. despite currently being broken from a bike accident he will most likely blog about, he was kind enough to hang my cast iron skillets on the wall in the kitchen and i reorganized the cupboards. this freed up a lot of space in our virtually non-existent kitchen - something i'm constantly messing with in the pursuit of functionality. this is what we've had to work with!


for dinner i made one our go-to quick and simple meals and it definitely hit the spot with some wine. coming from an italian background, one of the first things i ever learned how to cook was a simple tomato sauce and pasta. right now i just throw everything together, so these measurements are just estimates. like most cooking, seasoning and spices are definitely dependent on an individual's taste. ryan and i both prefer a more chunky sauce, but give the tomatoes a quick whiz in the blender before adding them to the pan for a smooth sauce.

better than jarred tomato sauce!



ingredients:
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T extra virgin olive oil
one large (28 oz.) can of organic diced tomatoes
2-3 fresh basil leaves
1/4 t dried oregano
pinch of sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
optional: swirl of dry red wine
optional: a few generous pinches of crushed red pepper flake

one package whole wheat angel hair pasta

1. while water is boiling for pasta, heat olive oil over medium flame and add garlic. sauté until fragrant - make sure not to burn the garlic or else your sauce will be bitter!
2. add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. add basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. if using wine, add and continue to simmer until alcohol is cooked out. if using red pepper flake, add to taste.
3. continue to simmer while pasta cooks. strain pasta (reserve some pasta water), and add to pan with the sauce, adding enough pasta water to moisten the pasta. stir to incorporate and served drizzled with a bit more olive oil, if desired.

some new finds...

ryno & i did some successful shopping today. after we picked up my dress from the tailor, i bought some comfy bike-riding pants. afterwards we went thrifting and i found some really lovely vintage pyrex nesting bowls and a cast-iron grill pan that's in great shape! i've been making tons of fresh salsa recently, so it seemed like a pretty good way to break in my new bowls!


fresh salsa!

ingredients:
5-6 small/med size tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1/4 of a large red onion (or sweet white onion, if you prefer)
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
squeeze of lemon or lime
optional: handful of chopped cilantro (i've been making it with cilantro a lot recently, but couldn't find a good bunch at the store today)

chop everything up!
mix everything together - most of these ingredients are suited for my preference. add or leave out to suite your own taste.
add sugar, salt, pepper, cilantro, and lemon juice. let sit to let flavors meld or EAT!

indian night!

i originally was going to make chickpea cutlets but decided on a whim that i wanted indian food. i usually make saag with aloo gobi, but decided to use what we had. here's a delicious chole recipe that adapted from a few online sources & a yummy recipe for aloo saag.

chole
ingredients:
1-2 T canola oil
1 28 ounce can chickpeas
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ginger paste
1 green chile, split
1 small can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water

1 1/2 T coriander powder
1/2 t tumeric
1 t cumin
pinch of asafetida (hing)
salt
1 t paprika
1/4 t garam masala

1. heat oil in pan. saute onions, garlic, ginger, and chiles until onions are soft and beginning to caramelize.
2. add coriander, tumeric, cumin, paprika, and hing and fry until spices are fragrant.
3. add chickpeas and coat with onion/spice mixture. add tomatoes and water and let cook covered on medium heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. add salt to taste and garam masala.

aloo saag
ingredients :
1-2 T canola oil
5-6 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 small (10 ounce) package of spinach
1 small can diced tomatoes pulsed in a blender

pinch of hing
1/2 t cumin seeds
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t ginger powder
4-5 dried red chiles
salt to taste

2 T cornstarch mixed with water
soy milk (1/2-3/4 of a cup?)

1. boil potatoes until fork tender, but not still firm.
2. heat oil in pan. when hot add pinch of hing, cumin seeds, red chiles, tumeric, red pepper and ginger. fry until fragrent.
3. add tomatoes and fry until well combined and darker in color.
4. add spinach and stir to coat with spice/tomato mixture.
5. add cornstarch/water mixture and stir spinach until well combined. add soy milk to desired thickness.
6. cook on medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes covered.
7. stir spinach and add potatoes, stirring until well combined. continue cooking on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until spinach is at desired softness.

mmmm..! we had both with steamed brown basmati with peas. so good!

biscuits & crazy!

before i came to the midwest i had never heard of biscuits and gravy. for me, a staple breakfast typically included eggs and toast and, for a while, eggs benedict (sans canadian bacon). last night while shopping ryno pointed out an egg poacher when i realized how long it has been since i've actually had eggs... definitely not something i miss! my homemade biscuits and "crazy" (something ryno somehow came up with on a long bike ride last summer) has quickly become one of my favorite breakfast foods. i've tried a few different biscuit recipes and have probably tried a dozen different gravy recipes. some "non-fat" recipes requiring nothing more than mixing store bought gravy mix with milk and cornstarch to somewhat more engaged recipes. the following recipe is one that i'm definitely sticking with and feel like i've finally perfected. the biscuits could be made by subbing half whole wheat pastry flour for some extra healthiness but, i must warn, this is not a particularly healthy recipe. i've tried recipes with less fat which were typically lackluster (tough crumbly biscuits, too thin gravy).
biscuit ingredients:
2 cups flour (as mentioned, you can sub whole wheat pastry for half or all of the flour)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t sugar (less if using sweetened soy milk)
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
3/4 cup plain soy milk (unsweetened preferably)
1/4 t apple cider vinegar

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. whisk together soy milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit to thicken.
2. sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.
3. cut in shortening using a pastry cutter or your fingers until flour crumbs.
4. slowly add soy milk/vinegar mixture and mix to form a soft dough.
5. put dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until the dough is no longer sticky.
6. flatten dough out on surface and cut into rounds using a biscuit cutter (i use a small wine glass!). this should make 10-12 biscuits.
7. cook for 10-12 minutes or until tops and bottoms are slightly golden brown.

after the biscuits are in the oven i like to throw together the gravy...

gravy ingredients:
2 T earth balance
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
generous pinch of rubbed sage
pinch of thyme
lots of black pepper
a dash of cayenne
sugar (optional)

1. on medium heat melt earth balance in a small saucepan.
2. slowly stir/whisk in flour to form a smooth roux.
3. slowly add soy milk to the roux, stirring constantly.
4. add sage, thyme, pepper, cayenne, and sugar to taste. this is mostly personal prefence.
5. cook another five minutes or so to allow flavors to incorporate and gravy to thicken. serve immediately over biscuits.

mmmm.. enjoy!

60 degrees?!

today was the first really nice day, so ryno and i walked up to the gas station and put air in my bike tires! we took a nice long bike/run & came home and ate a delicious, healthy dinner..

buki enjoyed the fresh air... whoa, spider cat!



for dinner we had bbq baked tofu with quinoa and some steamed broccoli. i made the barbecue sauce based off the "backyard barbecue sauce" in veganomicon...

(modified) backyard bbq sauce

ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced finely (i just used the mini food processor)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 10 oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles (like rotel - next time i make it, i'm going to use 2 cans of rotel and one can regular tomatoes)
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 1/2 T sugar
1/2-1 T maple syrup (depending on how sweet you'd like it)
1/4-1/2 t chipotle chili powder depending on how smokey/spicey
2 t liquid smoke
1 T dijon mustard

1. throw tomatoes in a blend and pulse a few times just to break them up - don't completely liquify them!
2. saute onions in olive oil until soft. add garlic and saute for another minute or so.
3. add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30-60 mins. mine simmered about 45 minutes and it was definitely good.
4. add liquid smoke and mustard. cook another five minutes or so.
5. let cool and transfer sauce to blender and blend until smooth, if desired.

we were both getting pretty hungry so i skipped the last step... i liked it chunky, but it would definitely have a more authentic bbq sauce texture when blended!

mmmm.. im gonna make more and use it on everything now!

our weekend..

as ryno blogged, we had a very nice, semi-productive weekend... we were able to spend a total of $15 (with tip!) on lunch and dinner out! its nice to be thrifty bears while still enjoying ourselves and having yummy meals. we also did a bit of shopping and treated ourselves... NO we did not actually take pictures with the easter bunny, but we did take this candid photo of him! i bought a nice, new big frying pan and ryno treated himself to some new records. now.. lets just make the in-car record player!

now.. let me tell you, sometimes the world is a dangerous place... especially for bears, i mean really.. you just have to watch out sometimes!



for dinner we had some quick indian food because i was craving it like crazy... i modified my go-to "saag tofu" recipe a bit, reducing the oil a lot and upping the spices. i'm completely happy with it at this point, and it definitely satisfies any craving for the "real thing." i was also craving something sweet, but didn't want anything too scandalous, so i tried to healthify an already pretty healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe. the original recipe is all over the place online, but here it is with my modifications.

vegan chocolate chip cookies
(makes a dozen average sized cookies)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (next time i'm going to try subbing whole wheat pastry)
1 t baking powder
1⁄2 t baking soda
1⁄4 cup unrefined sugar
1⁄4 t salt
1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄2 t blackstrap molasses
1 – 1 1⁄2 t pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup applesauce
1⁄3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350°.

1. in a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
2. in a seperate bowl, combine the maple syrup with molasses and vanilla extras and stir in the applesauce until well combined.
3. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. fold in the chocolate chips, incorporating the wet with the dry, being careful not to overmix.
4. drop spoonfuls of dough on to a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. (i had to keep them in for 15 for them to get golden and cooked through. i checked them at 11 as recommended for the original version, and they were not cooked through)
5. let sit until they set up (no more than five minutes) and transfer to cooling rack. enjoy!

quick dinners, crazy kitties, & snow days

ryno & i had a pretty productive weekend, if i do say so myself...

we did a ton of food shopping (which is always super exciting) and picked up some fun things like dumpling and spring roll wrappers, brown sushi rice & a sushi mat, and a few different asian noodles! i foresee lots of experimenting and playing in the future!

today i'm having a snow day, letting our new crock pot handle some yummy tempeh chili, and cuddling with the crazies... and i do mean crazies!



we got home pretty late sunday night and we threw together a quick dinner... bare bones, no rice.. no bread.. ! just aloo gobi (indian potatoes and cauliflower)


ingredients :
1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped
2-3 medium sized potatoes, cubed (i prefer red for this dish, but used russet because it's what i had.)
2 green chilies, diced
2 bay leaves
1 T canola oil
pinch of hing
1 T fresh, grated ginger
1/2 t cumin seed
1/2 t tumeric
1/4 t red chili powder (more for a spicy dish, obviously)
salt to taste
1/2 t amchoor (mango) powder (optional)
handful of chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

01. combine chilies, ginger, tumeric, & red chili powder and add water to make a paste.
02. to a heated pan, add canola oil. to test that oil is hot enough, drop 1 or two cumin seeds into the oil - if they sizzle and rise to the top quickly, the oil is ready.
03. add hing, cumin seeds, and bay leaves to hot oil. fry for minute.
04. add spice paste to the pan and fry until fragrant (about 3-4 minutes).
05. add cauliflower & potatoes to the pan, as well as a little bit of water. stir to coat vegetables with spices. add salt to taste.
06. cover and let cook on medium heat for five minutes. after five minutes, check vegetables, stir, and add more water if they seem dry.
07. cover and cook for another 10 minutes, stopping to stir half way through. at this point the potatoes and cauliflower should be tender.
08. sprinkle with mango powder and stir to incorporate. garnish with cilantro and serve with brown basmati rice.

palak tofu

i made some palak tofu and jasmine rice for lunch before work... yum yum!

ingredients:
10 oz package of frozen spinach
1/2 lb extra firm tofu, cubed
2 T canola oil
pinch of hing
1 T ginger paste
1/2 t cumin seed
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t red chili powder
1/4 t red pepper flake
about 3/4 c tomato puree
2 T cornstarch mixed with cool water
soy milk

01. lightly pan fry cubed tofu in canola oil. remove tofu from pan and use remaining oil to cook in.
02. add pinch of hing, ginger paste, cumin seeds, tumeric, red chili powder, and red peper flake. fry until fragrent.
03. add tomato puree and fry until well combined and darker in color.
04. add spinach and stir to coat with spice/tomato mixture.
05. add cornstarch/water mixture and stir spinach until well combined. add milk to desired thickness.
06. cook on medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes covered.
07. stir spinach and add tofu, stirring until well combined. continue cooking on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
08. stir well before serving, and plate with steamed rice and choice of bread.