Pizza Time! BBQ and B-Nut Squash

Got two recipes for you guys tonight!  Sorry I haven't posted so long - I got swamped by physics!..

Both of them went on the crust from here, using whole wheat flour for the buckwheat.  (made the full recipe and made 3 crusts with it)

Adapted from here,

Toppings:
BBQ sauce
chopped fresh cilantro
red onion slices
seitan chicken (baked at 350 for half an hour, no oil)
goat cheese
Cauliflower

Second up is adapted from DDD,

Toppings:
sauteed onion
shaved b-nut squash
goat cheese
arugula (added after baking)
pepitas

Cheesy Quesadillas

Adapted from Keepin It Kind

Blend until veeeery smooth: this queso cauliflower sauce, minus the miso, jalapenos, and hot sauce, and sauteing the onions and cauliflower before blending.
On a tortilla, spread ~1/2 cup sauce, jarred salsa (or make your own - that's what I'll do next time!), and the best cheese in the world; fold in half.  Cook in the oven or on a panini press until heated through and crispy, about 20 minutes.

This should make about 4 quesadillas.

Quickie and Gourmet: Linguine with Roasted Cauliflower and Alfredo Cream Sauce

You know, I think the title is as long as the recipe! ;)  This one is so creamy, and was a snap to put together.  I had PLANNED on making tofu parmesan, but, honestly, 5 hours of saying "HI WELCOME TO CICI'S" really had me beat yesterday.  I was feeling almost sick-wiped out by dinner time... so no long cooking sessions for me!  (Yes, my job is at Cici's Pizza.  No, it's not vegan, but No, I don't eat there.)

Adapted from WTHDAVEA

Chop up green beans and cauliflower, and roast for 20 minutes or so at ~400.
Blend together 8 oz silken tofu, 1/4 cup nooch, a large spoonful Toffuti Herbed Cream Cheese, a dash of nutmeg, and enough soy milk to reach desired consistancy.  Stir in chopped parsley.  At this point, the sauce needs to be heated up - you can either go with the stove or nuke it.  I, obviously, chose to nuke it, and that worked out just fine.
Serve all over whole wheat linguine.

Two Simple Recipes

Once again, I feel like I am struggling to keep up with my huge appettie, and no matter how much cooking I do, it always disappears.  Whatever.  That just means that I can cook more, which is, of course, no problem with me.  However, that does mean that simple recipes are starting to become more appealing to me, and these two fit the bill.  I have to say, as time marches on I am becoming less and less fond of mushrooms, probably because I was eating so many for days for a while.  So I was not too big on this soup.  But it was still really good, and I would absolutely love it without the mushrooms.  And simple roasted veggies have risen on my list of favourites.  This simple cauliflower thing is so simple, and tastes beyond amazing.  I mean, it's blow your socks off good.   Maybe I'm just weird or something, but I could eat this every week for months on end, and still like it.  I just wish that the heads of cauliflower weren't so small right now, because it get rather pricey.  The leftovers are not as good as the first day, but they still reheat just fine, and I would not hesitate to say that leftovers are still excellent.

Porky, Mushroomy Soup

Serves 8

Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

1 onion, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 lb crimini mushrooms, washed and cut into thick slices

3 cups cabbage, chopped
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp caraway
1 28 oz can petite dice tomatoes
3-4 yukon potatoes, diced
1 ½ tbsp smoked paprika

3 cups water plus vegetarian chicken bullion

1 lb vegetarian pork, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and garlic, cook for another minute, and add the mushrooms and cabbage. Sauté for 5 more minutes, until the cabbage has shrunken, and then add the seasonings, tomatoes, potatoes, water, and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add in the pork, and cook until heated through.

Serve with salt and pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese

Serves 4

Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

1 head cauliflower, core cut away and cut into bite-sized flowerets

1 tbsp olive oil (enough to coat all the cauliflower)

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp cheese – I used parmesan, and then mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 400. In a bowl combine the cauliflower and oil, and stir to coat. Or shake the two in a container with a lid or plastic bag. Put on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until nice and browned. They should smell lovely too.

Serve, topped with cheese.

A Tale of Two... Soups

Last semester, we read A Tale of Two Cities in english.  I know that that was several weeks ago, but for some reason that topic just appeals to me right now, and so here's my opinion on Mr. Dickens.  He's way too wordy.  I mean, seriously, just get to the point.  Most of the other people that I have talked to also agree with me.  Sometimes I wonder how Dickens manages to write that much about so little.  The really funny thing is that when I read A Christman Carol, the reading did not at all seem bogged down by wordy discriptions.  But when reading A Tale of Two Cities, that seemed to happen all the time.  I remember I spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out what had happened on a single page.  And this guy was one of the best authors of all times?  Um, ok.  I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to really appreciate the finer points of life.  Because a chef is just such a lowly position in life, and not artsy at all.  Sure.  Whatever. 

I'm jsut really glad ATOTC is over.  And really hope that I will not have to read Dickens much more, because I think I would like to find his grave and punch him in the face for torturing us students with way too many complicated plots and words, with long and winding discriptions.  Meant sarcastically, of course.

One of the soups, which I created after an aweful day, was spectacular.  And the other soup, which I made tonight after a spectacular day, was spectacular.  The first soup was a light concoction, and I got to use my new asian bowl and spoon, which you can see in the pictures.  That was really exciting... And the soup itself was so good and full of flavour.  And it has very few calories for being so full of flavour, which is always a nice bonus.  The egg was, I thought, very creative and original, and something that I would normally never even dream of.  But there you have it. 

The other, more hearty winter stew was rather good too.  When eating it tonight, my eyes were watering for quite some time, because the soup was so hot (not spicy).  And then, when I was making it, the soup nearly did not fit into our kettle, it was that big.  But, oh my gosh, it was really good and filling and full of flavour.

“Mutton” and Coconut Stew

Serves 8-10

Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen


1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cups cauliflower, cut into small flowerets

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp masaman curry paste, or to taste
3 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with a couple tbsps water
4 cups “mutton”, cut into bite sized pieces
1 ½ cups frozen sweet peas
A few drops coconut extract
More cilantro, to garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and cauliflower, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes or so, until the onion is tender. Add the tomatoes through potatoes, and simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes are almost tender. Add the remaining ingredients, and then serve with additional cilantro and salt and pepper.

Omelet Soup
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Chinese and Thai 400
1 egg for every 2 bowls being served at the time

1/2 tsp peanut oil

7 cups water plus equivalent bullion
4 carrots, chopped
2 baby bok choy, shredded
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with ½ cup water
½ bunch spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro and green onions, to serve

Beat the eggs lightly with a fork in a small bowl. Heat a small frying pan with the oil, and pour in the egg. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, and then let cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the egg is golden. Remove to a cutting board, roll the omelet, and then chop into ribbons. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add the water through bok choy to a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the soy sauce, through spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes.
Serve garnished with the egg ribbons and cilantro and cilantro.

More Noodles and Veggies

I tried yoga for the first time yesterday for several years, and it was amazing.  I loved it.  I was so relaxed, but it felt like I had actually gotten a decent core workout, and I was actually really tired afterward (admittedly, I had done a weight-lifting class an hour before).  I really want to start doing yoga every week.  I think that will be my new year's resolution.  M wants to do the same thing, only twice a week instead of once a week.  M's old.  She needs her yoga and stretching time.  But really, I enjoyed the yoga more than I thought possible.  My favourite part had to be at the very end, when the teacher sprayed the room with peppermint purfume, and we just sat on our mats for a good ten minutes.  I was so unwilling to leave the room, and just wanted to stay like that forever.  But the depressing part was when I got home, I could feel the tension coming right back on, and it was back to normal life in a matter of seconds.  But, as I said, the yoga was so relaxing, and I am hoping that it will get rid of some of my issues caused by stress from school and life.

Another destresser has got to be cooking.  Even more so when the dish turns out really good, like it did tonight.  This dish was actually supposed to be a noodle pancake sort of thing, and the noodles were to be fried and become a disc.  Well, that didn't exactly work out, so I decided to just go with a plain old stir fry.  It was still really really good, and both M and I loved it all the same. 

Noodles with Vegetables
Serves 4

Adapted from Chinese and Thai 400

3 servings frozen egg noodles

2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cup cauliflower florets
2-3 cups green cabbage, shredded
3 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 bunch green onions, chopped
½ lb snow peas or snap peas, trimmed
¾ cup bean sprouts
1 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup soy sauce, plus more as needed
3 tbsp agave nectar
¼ cup mirin
1 tbsp vegetarian chicken bullion
¾ cup vegetarian bacon
Boil a pot of lightly salted water, and cook the noodles until tender. Drain, and keep warm.
Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch through bullion. Set aside.

Reheat the wok, and add the garlic, cauliflower and broccoli with a bit of water. Sauté for a minute and add the carrots, pepper, mushrooms, green onion, and snow peas. Sauté until almost tender, and then add the sauce. Cook until heated through and stir in the bean sprouts and “bacon”. Stir in the noodles, and add more soy sauce as needed.

Gourmet "Chicken" Noodle Soup

I have five tests-like things tomorrow.  That's so not cool.  And I'm getting so ready for the holidays.  I can really tell that everyone is, because tempers are getting so high and I, for one, am likely to explode.  Not to mention I have not been keeping up with this blog.
And so, I have been striving to look for the most efficient and quick recipes possible, that will keep us fed.  Because I'm getting REALLY sick of a baked potato every single day.  I love them, but still. 

And so this soup was such a welcome surprise.  It turned out really good, and was quite easy to pull off in the limited time that I have.  Actually, "good' does not do it justice.  It's amazing.  A-mazing.  I really think it's that chicken bullion stuff.  It was kind of pricy, but totally worth it, because every dish that I have added it to has turned out really good.

This soup makes enough to feed an army, too.  It's really thick, especially as leftovers, but (get this), it got soupy again when heated up.  Weird.

Gourmet “Chicken” Noodle Soup

Serves 8

Adapted from Practical Pasta and Italian by Fiona Biggs

1 ½ cups broken whole wheat spaghetti
1 onion, diced
1 ½ cups carrots, coined
2 ½ cups cauliflower florets
4 cloves garlic, pressed
6 cups water
2 tbsp “chicken” bullion
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

1 vegetarian chicken, chopped

½ large bunch spinach
2 tbsp corn starch + 2 tbsp water
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat a large dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion, and carrots with a bit of water and sauté for two minutes. Add the cauliflower and garlic, and sauté for five more minutes or so.
Add the water, bullion and seasonings, and bring to a boil.
Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add the beans, chicken, spinach, pasta, and cornstarch 10 minutes before serving.
Serve, topped with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.

Slightly Sweet, Slighty Indian Stir Fry

Harry Potter 7 came out today in theaters.  I didn't go, but I know quite a few people that did, and it was supposed to be quite good.  Perhaps I will see it some day, but most likely not.  I don't get why people stay up unitl three in the morning to go see some movie, especially when there is school and work the next day.  Honestly, I think I would much rather sleep and cook.  I also heard that there were quite a few creative costumes running around the theaters, which I found rather funny.  One person tried to be the Hogwarts Express, and that was kind of a failure, appearently.

And so, in honnor of Harry, I made this stir fry.  Not really.  But I think it was just as good tasting, and probably better for you, than some of that stuff that the elves whip up for Hogwarts students.  The name pretty much says it all- a little sweet, mixed with subtle Indian flavours.  At first I thought it was rather bland, but as I ate more of it, I liked it exponentially more.  Especially the spinach.  I really need to eat more spinach.  I think it was one of the only veggies that I have loved since the day I was born... the only draw back is the amount of prep it takes.  But the ease of other ingredients in this stir fry negate that time.  I was pleasently surprised at how good this one tasted, and how easy all the chopping was.  And I still love those fingerling potatoes.  So cute, and they have such a nice pop.

Slightly Sweet, Slighty Indian Stir Fry

Inspired by Wok

Serves 4-6

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1 tbsp Better Than Bullion Beef Flavouring
1 1/2 tsp each ground coriander and cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 heaping tsp garam masala
1/3-1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, coined
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 shallots, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 package vegetarian mutton, defrosted and broken into bite-sized pieces
12 oz fingerling potatoes, large ones halves and boiled until tender (about 8 minutes)
1 bunch spinach, stemmed and washed

Mix together the soy sauce through garlic sauce in a bowl. 

Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water.  Add the onion and carrots, and after two minutes add the cauliflower and shallots.  After a minute toss in the garlic, and then add the pepper and cabbage after anothe minute.  After two or three more minutes add the mutton, and let it heat up a bit.  Stir in the sauce and potatoes.  When that is heated through again, add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Serve over rice.

Sweet and Salty Five-Spice Tofu Stir Fry

There'e nothing to warm the soul like a giant pile of veggies covering a small nest of noodles, and that's exactly what so many of my stir frys turn out to be.  This is just another one of those, only this is my first stir fry with five spice tofu.  It's really good stuff- I love the texture.  Although, for some reason this dish tasted quite salty, and I think the tofu was the culprit.

It all stemmed from an extra bundle of asparagus that was lying around, and really needed to be used up.  I also got an insiration to add edammame, which is something that rarely happens, and the concoction turned out rather tasty.  Not to mention the ingredients were easy to prep. 

Honestly, now I know what sleep deprivation feels like.  I've got two major tests tomorrow, and that's so not cool.  I don't know how so many of my buddies are living off of only a couple hours' sleep every night, but they are.  I suppose it's because they don't cook!

Sweet and Salty Five-Spice Tofu Stir Fry


Serves 4 - 6

Adapted from 101 Vegetarian Cookbooks

Zest and juice of one lime

¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp miso paste

¼ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
Chili sauce, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 carrots, coined

1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 package oyster mushrooms, large pieces chopped
2 cusp red cabbage, shredded
1 cup edammame
2 packs 5 spice tofu, chopped

2-3 heads baby bok choy, cut into ribbons

2 handfuls fresh basil, slivered
Toasted cashews

Mix together the lime through the salt in a small bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the cauliflower and carrots. After 2 minutes add the ginger, asparagus, and garlic. After another 2 minutes or so toss in onions and mushrooms. When that is heated through add the cabbage. When the veggies are almost tender add the edammame, tofu, bok choy, and sauce, and cook until bok choy is wilted. Stir in the basil.
Serve over noodles of some sort… topped with cashews.

Creamy Indian Potato Salad

Potatoes are certainly one of the most amazing foods that are available to chefs.  As I was eating this salad for lunch, I remarked to M that there must be a million different potato salads.  She agreed.  I mean, there's your traditional salad, there's grilled, there's balsamic, and I could go on and on about the different types.  This is just another twist on potato salads- adapted from one of Vegan Dad's most recent recipes called Indian Potato Salad. 
It was kind of funny when I saw his post.  I knew I just had to make it, and I am most certainly glad I did.  It really made a lot, too!  Good thing, because life is getting really hectic.  Not to mention that it tastes awesome. 

I made some substitutions because of what I had on hand... I nearly cried, though, when I saw that there was not a single onion in the whole house!  Really, what a crime to not have any onions!  But the salad, like I said, was great anyway.  I think my favourite part was the sweet potatoes, because I still seem to have a strange soft spot for them.  This dish is slightly spicy, and packed with flavour.  I had it at room temperature today, but I think it would be great hot or cold, too.

Oh, and that's the rest of my lunch in the picture.  A pear, and a nectarine.  I also had some of Target's yogurt.  I highly recommend that brand... it's really good!

Indian Potato Salad

Serves 6-8

Adapted from Vegan Dad


5 small red potatoes, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups cauliflower
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tbsp yellow curry paste
½ large green chile, seeded and minced
3/4 tsp ground yellow mustard
1/2 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 cup fat free mayo
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt pepper to taste

1. Boil each type of potatoes separately. The red ones took about 14 minutes, and the sweets took about 7 to get them to the firmness that I wanted. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add cauliflower and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic, and chile, and cook until cauliflower is tender.
3. In a large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Add the potatoes and veggies, and stir to coat. Serve at desired temperature.

Hoisin Udon Stir Fry

I think I have totally and completely fallen in love with hoisin sauce.  It is so sweet and tangy... and... good.  I know for a fact that I like sweet and heavyily flavoured foods, and stir fries are no exception to that.  Not to mention udon noodles have to be some of the best form of starch out there (but, honestly, have you ever met an Asian noodle that you haven't liked?)  There is just something about their thickness and slurp-able-ness that is irrisistable.  And where does all this get a person?  To what I had for dinner last night- this stir fry, based on Vegan Dad's Sweet Setian Stir-fry.  I originally had planned on using setian, but the pieces kind of decinigrated a bit, so tofu knots came to the rescue.  They were certainly just as good, or even better.  The cauliflower was a last minute addition, and I had a green onion crisis- we were all out, so I subbed a regular onion instead.  It still turned out to be one of the better stir fries that have appeared in front of M and I at dinnertime. 

When I first tasted the dish, it was slightly bland, so I added a bit more hoisin sauce to just my serving.  M said it was just fine with her, so it all depends.  I recommend having the sauce at the table, just in case. 

Hoisin Udon Stir Fry with Tofu Knots

Serves 4

Inspired by Vegan Dad

½ recipe beef setian, or 75 grams tofu knots, soaked

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 package snap peas (.75 lb), trimmed
2 cups broccoli
2 carrots, coined
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 baby bok choy, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 onion, sliced
2 cups cauliflower
1 tbsp grated ginger

1. Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, agave, and hoisin sauce.
2. Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and carrot. After a minute, add the cauliflower. After 2 more minutes add the garlic, broccoli, and ginger. Add the peas and pepper a minute later, and heat through. Add the bok choy and cook until wilted. Add the sauce and tofu or setian, and cook until you are satisfied. Serve over udon noodles.

Spicy Browned Curry Tofu and Veggies

Wow.  This dish turned out... really spicy.  Not to mention good smelling and tasting... but still.  M and I were actually crying a little bit at the end of our bowls.  But, despite the heat (foodwise, and outdoors, still), it turned out to be something quite memorable!
This is another dish that I adapted from the cookbook Wok.  It was originally called Spicy Fried Meat, and used pork, and had lots of oil and cucumber.  But, obviously, neither of those sit well with me, so I decided that some changes were in order!  At the last minute, I asked M what other veggie we should throw in, becauce the pile looked rather skimpy, and she liked my suggestion of cauliflower.  I actually really liked that addition, so yay.
The tofu seems to take forever to brown properly, but M and I were patient, and I think it was in the wok for atleast half an hour.  We were well rewarded though, and it was so nicely browned.  And I have included the original amout of chili sauce and curry paste in the recipe, but, just warning you, it's HOT. 
We served ours over a bed of raw green cabbage, but this would also be a great dish to have over rice or with noodles.  I might give rice a whirl next time... we'll see.

For some reason, this week I have been craving mushrooms.  M and I made a trip to the Asian market yesterday, and we came back with a boatload of mushrooms.  They have a really strong odor, but I don't really mind- nor, thankfully, does M.  It's actually quite envigorating.  But our fridge is exploding with things of Asian origin... need to work on that.

Spicy Browned Curry Tofu and Veggies

Adapted from Wok

Serves 4

1 tsp peanut oil

1 lb tofu, chopped (I did triangles just for a change here)
½ tsp pepper
4-5 tbsp soy sauce
3-4 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp stir fry sauce
1 tbsp chili sauce
1 ½ tbsp yellow curry paste
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, sliced into florets
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 ½- 2 cups purple cabbbge, shredded
2 large king oyster mushrooms, chopped
8 black olives, sliced
8 green olives, sliced
2 baby bok choy, chopped
Nutmeg, to taste
Peanut for garnish

Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the tofu, and fry for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely browned on all sides. Remove to a bowl.

Mix together the pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, stir fry sauce, chili sauce, and curry paste in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat up the wok again, and add a little water. Add the cauliflower and shallots, and stir fry for 2 minutes, adding water as needed. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, and garlic, and cook until fairly heated through. Add the bok choy and both kinds of olives, and cook until bok choy is wilted. Stir in the sauce, and add the tofu and nutmeg. Heat through, and serve when all veggies are done, topped with peanuts.

Serve over rice, noodles, or raw green cabbage, with plenty of tissues and water.