This is one of my favorite cookie recipes- my grandmother and I used to make these for Christmas. Additionally, the recipe started out dairy free!
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups oatmeal
1 2/3 cups flour
Mix all the ingredients together, and roll fairly thin on a floured surface. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. When cool, put together as sandwich cookies with the date filling.
Date filing:
1 cup dates
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
Boil until thick!
The date filling helps keep the cookies moist and delicious.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Pie, Delicious Pie
OK, so I got a little behind, because this is still the Thanksgiving wrap up and it's almost Xmas. Oh well.
Pie!!
This pie is the Sweet Potato Pie with Three Nut Topping from Vegan with a Vengeance, made with a Pecan Nut Crust (I was trying to accommodate my MIL's diet issues- diabetic & kidney issues) with mine.)
The major mod was that I used brown rice syrup in the 3 nut topping- and absolutely hunt down the correct nuts for this- the hazelnuts made all the difference.
The crust was fantastic- but I had to double the recipe to get enough to cover the pan. So, here is my modified crust (this is doubled):
* 2 cup pecan pieces (frozen)
* 4 T melted Earth Balance
* 4 T Brown Rice Syrup
Preparation:
1. Take pecans out of the freezer and measure them into a food processor. Pulse the processor until the largest pieces are as big as lentils or split peas.
2. Add the margarine and the syrup. Blend until it's mixed evenly.
3. Dump it into a pie pan, and push with your fingers to cover the bottom and sides. It should be the right consistency to mold the crust to the pie pan evenly.
It was fantastic with this pie.
Pie!!
This pie is the Sweet Potato Pie with Three Nut Topping from Vegan with a Vengeance, made with a Pecan Nut Crust (I was trying to accommodate my MIL's diet issues- diabetic & kidney issues) with mine.)
The major mod was that I used brown rice syrup in the 3 nut topping- and absolutely hunt down the correct nuts for this- the hazelnuts made all the difference.
The crust was fantastic- but I had to double the recipe to get enough to cover the pan. So, here is my modified crust (this is doubled):
* 2 cup pecan pieces (frozen)
* 4 T melted Earth Balance
* 4 T Brown Rice Syrup
Preparation:
1. Take pecans out of the freezer and measure them into a food processor. Pulse the processor until the largest pieces are as big as lentils or split peas.
2. Add the margarine and the syrup. Blend until it's mixed evenly.
3. Dump it into a pie pan, and push with your fingers to cover the bottom and sides. It should be the right consistency to mold the crust to the pie pan evenly.
It was fantastic with this pie.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tofurkey Wellington
I realize that Thanksgiving was last week already, but we had company in town and it was hard to get time to talk about what I made...
So, today is the Tofurkey post, tomorrow will be pie :)
I made this recipe last year, but forgot to write down my modifications, and because of that, had a little trouble. It's one of the recipes on the Tofurkey website, and it really quite tasty.
Tofurky Wellington
Recipe by Susan Proper
Ingredients:
One Tofurky Roast, thawed (the small one)
One Tofurky Giblet & Mushroom Gravy, thawed (I couldn't find this separately from the Tofurkey this year, so I used a different brand of mushroom gravy)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, diced (I prefer crimini, or brown mushrooms)
1/4 cup olive oil or peanut oil, for frying
2 tablespoons finely diced onions
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I used powdered ginger cause that's what I had)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pepper and salt to taste
1 package frozen phyllo dough (or puff pastry)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1/2 cup Hummus (plain or flavored) (I used garlic hummus)
also-- melted Earth Balance Margarine and a brush
Heat the oil in a skillet, then fry the onions and mushrooms until the onions are caramelized (brown) and most of the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms. Place the Hummus, fresh garlic and spices in a small bowl. Mix in the cooled onions and mushrooms.
Now you’re ready to assemble. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place several sheets (you need at least 6-7, not several, or your dough will break when you try to wrap it up) of phyllo dough on a cutting board or clean counter top. (You may want to spread the surface with Saran Wrap – it can make the pastry step easier).
OK- I didn't find the saran wrap thing that helpful. I tried it, and things slipped too much, so I just put in on my cutting board. I also brushed the melted margarine in between the sheets of phyllo dough, like you would for spinach pie.
Spread the Hummus mixture on the center of the dough. Place the Tofurky on top of that, and spoon 3 tablespoons of Giblet & Mushroom Gravy over the Tofurky. Bring up the ends of the dough over the top of the Tofurky, enclosing the Tofurky in pastry. Seal the pastry.
I also brushed the margarine between each sheet of dough to stick it together while I wrapped it, and when I got it into the pan (which was not easy) I then put strips of dough with margarine around it to make it look nicer.
You should now have a Tofurky “loaf” encased in pastry. Carefully turn the whole thing over, so that the pastry seams face down, into a shallow pan or onto a foil-covered cookie sheet. Cut a few decorative ventilation holes in the top.
Optional: brush 1 tablespoon margarine or peanut oil on top of the Tofurky Wellington, cut in ventilation holes with a cookie cutter (leaf or diamond shape is traditional) or a sharp knife.
Bake for about an hour and a half, or until the pastry is a golden brown. Meanwhile, warm up the rest of the Giblet & Mushroom Gravy. Serve by cutting each guest a slice and pouring Giblet & Mushroom Gravy over the slice.
So tasty.
So, today is the Tofurkey post, tomorrow will be pie :)
I made this recipe last year, but forgot to write down my modifications, and because of that, had a little trouble. It's one of the recipes on the Tofurkey website, and it really quite tasty.
Tofurky Wellington
Recipe by Susan Proper
Ingredients:
One Tofurky Roast, thawed (the small one)
One Tofurky Giblet & Mushroom Gravy, thawed (I couldn't find this separately from the Tofurkey this year, so I used a different brand of mushroom gravy)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, diced (I prefer crimini, or brown mushrooms)
1/4 cup olive oil or peanut oil, for frying
2 tablespoons finely diced onions
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I used powdered ginger cause that's what I had)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pepper and salt to taste
1 package frozen phyllo dough (or puff pastry)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1/2 cup Hummus (plain or flavored) (I used garlic hummus)
also-- melted Earth Balance Margarine and a brush
Heat the oil in a skillet, then fry the onions and mushrooms until the onions are caramelized (brown) and most of the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms. Place the Hummus, fresh garlic and spices in a small bowl. Mix in the cooled onions and mushrooms.
Now you’re ready to assemble. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place several sheets (you need at least 6-7, not several, or your dough will break when you try to wrap it up) of phyllo dough on a cutting board or clean counter top. (You may want to spread the surface with Saran Wrap – it can make the pastry step easier).
OK- I didn't find the saran wrap thing that helpful. I tried it, and things slipped too much, so I just put in on my cutting board. I also brushed the melted margarine in between the sheets of phyllo dough, like you would for spinach pie.
Spread the Hummus mixture on the center of the dough. Place the Tofurky on top of that, and spoon 3 tablespoons of Giblet & Mushroom Gravy over the Tofurky. Bring up the ends of the dough over the top of the Tofurky, enclosing the Tofurky in pastry. Seal the pastry.
I also brushed the margarine between each sheet of dough to stick it together while I wrapped it, and when I got it into the pan (which was not easy) I then put strips of dough with margarine around it to make it look nicer.
You should now have a Tofurky “loaf” encased in pastry. Carefully turn the whole thing over, so that the pastry seams face down, into a shallow pan or onto a foil-covered cookie sheet. Cut a few decorative ventilation holes in the top.
Optional: brush 1 tablespoon margarine or peanut oil on top of the Tofurky Wellington, cut in ventilation holes with a cookie cutter (leaf or diamond shape is traditional) or a sharp knife.
Bake for about an hour and a half, or until the pastry is a golden brown. Meanwhile, warm up the rest of the Giblet & Mushroom Gravy. Serve by cutting each guest a slice and pouring Giblet & Mushroom Gravy over the slice.
So tasty.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
One of my Favorite Soups
This is one of those recipes that I've made a million times. I've made it for family dinners, work pot lucks... in fact, I've tried to bring other things to work pot lucks, but my several of my coworkers insist on this soup.
It's from one of my favorite cookbooks- How it All Vegan - which has a lot of great recipes.
The other good part about this is that it's one of those recipes that's so easy- cut everything up and throw in a pot and cook.
I always end up making a double batch, because the recipe calls for 2 cups butternut squash, and whatever butternut squash I buy, I always have double. It freezes well, though.
Squash Apple Sweet Potato Soup
1 medium onion, chopped (I actually use half an onion)
1 tsp oil (for frying the onion)
2 cups veggie stock
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2-3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you put in the called for 1/4 tsp cayenne, this soup is going to be incredibly hot. I put in maybe an 1/8 tsp for a double batch)
In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in oil until translucent. Add the stock, squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and all seasonings. Mix and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the pieces are soft. Take 3-4 ladles of soup out and puree in the blender, then return creamed soup to pot and mix and cook for a few more minutes.
Enjoy!!
It's from one of my favorite cookbooks- How it All Vegan - which has a lot of great recipes.
The other good part about this is that it's one of those recipes that's so easy- cut everything up and throw in a pot and cook.
I always end up making a double batch, because the recipe calls for 2 cups butternut squash, and whatever butternut squash I buy, I always have double. It freezes well, though.
Squash Apple Sweet Potato Soup
1 medium onion, chopped (I actually use half an onion)
1 tsp oil (for frying the onion)
2 cups veggie stock
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2-3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you put in the called for 1/4 tsp cayenne, this soup is going to be incredibly hot. I put in maybe an 1/8 tsp for a double batch)
In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in oil until translucent. Add the stock, squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and all seasonings. Mix and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the pieces are soft. Take 3-4 ladles of soup out and puree in the blender, then return creamed soup to pot and mix and cook for a few more minutes.
Enjoy!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Modified Moosewood
Last garden bounty
Originally uploaded by zombie amelia
If you've ever been a vegetarian, chances are you had a copy of the original Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Yellow pages, handwritten type, weird indexing, interesting recipes with not a lot of flavor... Yes, I know, it's a classic, I'm not supposed to criticize it. I own a copy and cook from it semi-regularly. In fact, we used to have two copies. (We kept the hardcover.)
1970s vegetarian cooking was seriously lacking in spices. I'm not sure if spices weren't really readily available like they are now, or people's palates weren't up to them, or if vegetarians were just trying to go for ingredient "purity," but I own several 1970s vegetarian cookbooks, and the Moosewood is not unique in this.
That said, if you punch up the recipes, they're pretty awesome. The Mexican Pepper Casserole is one of my favorites, but the original needs a little modification. The first time I made it, I wasn't sure what exactly was Mexican about it, it was so bland.
Tonight's Pepper Casserole was inspired by the last batch of vegetables from the garden- there have been two frosts in the past two weeks, and I don't think I can let them ripen any longer. We picked a TON of peppers- mostly green & red bell peppers, but also a lot of Zavory peppers, which have the flavor of habenero, but are not as hot.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Sliced garden peppers
Originally uploaded by zombie amelia
1 small hot pepper, chopped (more if you're into more heat)
1.5 cups chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced/pressed
2 T oil or margarine (original calls for butter or oil)
1 t each salt, cumin, coriander
1/2 t dry mustard (honestly, I skip this)
1/4 t each black and red pepper (add way more, to taste)
modification- 1 t chili powder
You can also add crushed red chili pepper in the spice sauté.
2 T flour
4 eggs
1.5 cups mixture (dairy free) sour cream and (dairy free) yogurt- I usually use 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup Tofutti sour cream- I use more yogurt than sour cream because fake sour cream has a TON of calories.
1/2 lb cheese- sharp or mild goat cheddar - grated, not sliced like the recipe calls for
Mix eggs with yogurt/sour cream until smooth.
Slice peppers in rings. Heat oil and saute onions with spices & garlic until onions are translucent. Add chopped hot peppers and saute for a minute or two.
Add peppers. Saute over low heat for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and mix well. Saute until the liquid from the peppers is gone.
Oil the casserole, spread in half the pepper saute, add a little less than half the cheese, then add the rest of the saute and almost all the cheese. Pour the egg/sour cream/yogurt mixture over the top, and sprinkle the last of the grated cheese on top. Garnish with paprika.
Bake covered at 375F for 30 minutes, then 15 more minutes uncovered. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
Serve with chips & salsa.
Enjoy!!
Friday, October 22, 2010
More Pizza, of the frozen variety
If you have a lot of food allergies like I do, you know that pre-packaged foods are often 1) impossible to eat, 2) completely disgusting when they are possible to eat.
As my post earlier this week proves, I love pizza. Most days, I prefer to take the time to make a tasty pizza with good ingredients. But some days, all you have the energy to do is turn the oven on and stick something in it. These are the days when the Tofurkey Pizza steps up.
Now, the problem with fake cheese products (in my own very personal taste opinion) is that they don't taste like cheese. I guess this is OK if this is a limitation you've chosen, but when it's one your body imposes on you, it's not so great. I've now tried two varieties of the Tofurkey Pizza, and while the plain "cheese" was OK, the Pepperoni Pizza was by far the winner. Maybe because I like the taste of fake meat products better than fake cheese products? I don't know. But it was pretty good.
A little zingy, melty, pizza-like. And clearly produced by stoners, for stoners, since you have to preheat the oven to 420. Easy to make, yummy to eat, best when you don't feel like cooking and just need a frozen pizza.
I'm even having the leftovers for lunch!
As my post earlier this week proves, I love pizza. Most days, I prefer to take the time to make a tasty pizza with good ingredients. But some days, all you have the energy to do is turn the oven on and stick something in it. These are the days when the Tofurkey Pizza steps up.
A little zingy, melty, pizza-like. And clearly produced by stoners, for stoners, since you have to preheat the oven to 420. Easy to make, yummy to eat, best when you don't feel like cooking and just need a frozen pizza.
I'm even having the leftovers for lunch!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Pizza!!I
I really love pizza. One of the sad things about being allergic to cow's milk is the utter lack of pizza delivery.
I make up for this by spending a little extra to make an awesome pizza at home.
I've recently discovered that Pillsbury (of all things) makes two kinds of dairy free pizza dough- the kind in the tube. I've tried both kinds, and prefer the "Classic" to the "Thin" because the thin is really hard to unroll and get on the pan evenly. I also pre-bake the dough- it seems to cook better pre-baked with the toppings on it.
This particular pizza has all sorts of garden goods on it- tomatoes, red peppers, and fresh basil. I also chop up spinach and mix it in with my tomato sauce, so it's well coated and doesn't burn.
I also advocate $$ cheese- in particular, water buffalo mozzarella. Tasty, delicious, not too strong (I realize that goat cheddar, which is also what I use, is an acquired taste.) Think of it this way- you're spending the money on cheese instead of delivery and tip!
So, this pizza recipe:
Pillsbury Classic Pizza Dough
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium red pepper, sliced
5-6 leaves of fresh basil, sliced
1 package fresh buffalo mozzerella
4 oz sharp goat cheddar, grated
Grease the pan, and pre-bake the pizza dough for 8 minutes. Chop the spinach and mix it in the tomato sauce, and spread the tomato sauce mixture on the pizza dough and add the toppings.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough edges are toasted.
Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!!
I make up for this by spending a little extra to make an awesome pizza at home.
I've recently discovered that Pillsbury (of all things) makes two kinds of dairy free pizza dough- the kind in the tube. I've tried both kinds, and prefer the "Classic" to the "Thin" because the thin is really hard to unroll and get on the pan evenly. I also pre-bake the dough- it seems to cook better pre-baked with the toppings on it.
This particular pizza has all sorts of garden goods on it- tomatoes, red peppers, and fresh basil. I also chop up spinach and mix it in with my tomato sauce, so it's well coated and doesn't burn.
I also advocate $$ cheese- in particular, water buffalo mozzarella. Tasty, delicious, not too strong (I realize that goat cheddar, which is also what I use, is an acquired taste.) Think of it this way- you're spending the money on cheese instead of delivery and tip!
So, this pizza recipe:
Pillsbury Classic Pizza Dough
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium red pepper, sliced
5-6 leaves of fresh basil, sliced
1 package fresh buffalo mozzerella
4 oz sharp goat cheddar, grated
Grease the pan, and pre-bake the pizza dough for 8 minutes. Chop the spinach and mix it in the tomato sauce, and spread the tomato sauce mixture on the pizza dough and add the toppings.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough edges are toasted.
Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Adventures in Cake Balls
My cousin made these for a baseball themed wedding shower, and I talked her through the ingredients... and to her amazement, there were several easily-available name brand cake mixes and frostings that were dairy free.
Many of the Duncan Hines mixes are dairy free (these were the Classic Yellow Cake mix) but they also make:
Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge
Moist Devil's Food
Angel Food
Deluxe Fudge Marble
Deluxe German Chocolate
Red Velvet
Swiss Chocolate
In general, the Vanilla and White cakes tend to have milk in them. These cake balls also had dairy free frosting and vegan chocolate on them. (The white "regular" baseball cake balls were not dairy free, due to the fact that she couldn't easily find a white chocolate substitute that was dairy free.) So we made do with dark chocolate baseballs. Very tasty.
Again, many of Duncan Hines frostings are dairy free, including:
(avoid the cream cheeses and butter frostings)
Caramel
Classic Chocolate
Classic Vanilla
Coconut Pecan
Dark Chocolate Fudge
Lemon Supreme
Strawberry Creme
Yes, I know, these all probably have processed ingredients that aren't the best for anyone, but really, it's cake. and frosting. and sometimes you just need either something easy or something you can easily recommend to a friend who is cooking and wants to make sure you can enjoy something at the party.
I'm very tempted to try the Red Velvet.
Many of the Duncan Hines mixes are dairy free (these were the Classic Yellow Cake mix) but they also make:
Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge
Moist Devil's Food
Angel Food
Deluxe Fudge Marble
Deluxe German Chocolate
Red Velvet
Swiss Chocolate
In general, the Vanilla and White cakes tend to have milk in them. These cake balls also had dairy free frosting and vegan chocolate on them. (The white "regular" baseball cake balls were not dairy free, due to the fact that she couldn't easily find a white chocolate substitute that was dairy free.) So we made do with dark chocolate baseballs. Very tasty.
Again, many of Duncan Hines frostings are dairy free, including:
(avoid the cream cheeses and butter frostings)
Caramel
Classic Chocolate
Classic Vanilla
Coconut Pecan
Dark Chocolate Fudge
Lemon Supreme
Strawberry Creme
Yes, I know, these all probably have processed ingredients that aren't the best for anyone, but really, it's cake. and frosting. and sometimes you just need either something easy or something you can easily recommend to a friend who is cooking and wants to make sure you can enjoy something at the party.
I'm very tempted to try the Red Velvet.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Hotels and feathers
Why is it that the new "luxury trend" at hotels is down bedding and pillows? I stayed at the Marriott the other night while traveling, and had to call them to remove the down comforter and feather pillows from my bed. I don't think they changed the sheets, either, since I spent half the night not sleeping, but coughing, hacking, and sniffling.
It seems like an unwise practice since I know there are many people who have a feather allergy. Hotels? shape up! I don't think I'll be staying at a Marriott any time soon.
It seems like an unwise practice since I know there are many people who have a feather allergy. Hotels? shape up! I don't think I'll be staying at a Marriott any time soon.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Pumpkins and Contact Dermatitis
I cooked 4 of my garden pie pumpkins last night (so I could puree and freeze the pumpkin flesh for later use) and discovered that I have yet one more allergic reaction- contact dermatitis to the skin and/or flesh of the pumpkin. :(
My hands started peeling right after I put the first two in the oven. I thought at first that there was something on the outside of the pumpkin that I just couldn't get off my hands, but after washing my hands a few times, I realized that the stuff I was trying to wash off? It was my peeling skin.
Charming, right? I have actually noticed this before with squash, but blamed it on waxing the squash skin. Now I'm not so sure... it may be one more symptom I can blame on my old friend Oral Allergy Syndrome, which makes up the more annoying part of my food allergies. If you're not familiar with Oral Allergy Syndrome, it's an allergy to the pollen of the fruits or vegetables- so a raw food allergy. When you cook the offending fruit/veggie, the pollen is killed and the food is edible. I am allergic to raw apples, some pears, citrus, celery, carrots, tomatoes, cilantro... and now maybe squash and pumpkins.
Last night my hands (especially my left hand- the one not holding the spoon but holding the pumpkin) were raw and peeling and cracked. They felt like they had a layer of stiff wax over them, but that was really my skin. I found a few sites that recommended putting cortisone cream on them, and that helped, but they're still raw this morning. But better, and less peeling.
So, I'll try handling the rest of the pumpkins (which also need to be cooked & pureed before they go bad) while wearing gloves and see if that helps.
My hands started peeling right after I put the first two in the oven. I thought at first that there was something on the outside of the pumpkin that I just couldn't get off my hands, but after washing my hands a few times, I realized that the stuff I was trying to wash off? It was my peeling skin.
Charming, right? I have actually noticed this before with squash, but blamed it on waxing the squash skin. Now I'm not so sure... it may be one more symptom I can blame on my old friend Oral Allergy Syndrome, which makes up the more annoying part of my food allergies. If you're not familiar with Oral Allergy Syndrome, it's an allergy to the pollen of the fruits or vegetables- so a raw food allergy. When you cook the offending fruit/veggie, the pollen is killed and the food is edible. I am allergic to raw apples, some pears, citrus, celery, carrots, tomatoes, cilantro... and now maybe squash and pumpkins.
Last night my hands (especially my left hand- the one not holding the spoon but holding the pumpkin) were raw and peeling and cracked. They felt like they had a layer of stiff wax over them, but that was really my skin. I found a few sites that recommended putting cortisone cream on them, and that helped, but they're still raw this morning. But better, and less peeling.
So, I'll try handling the rest of the pumpkins (which also need to be cooked & pureed before they go bad) while wearing gloves and see if that helps.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Garden tomatoes for dinner
This year I grew four heirloom tomato plants from seed (I don't know which varieties they are, since the seed package was assorted heirloom tomatoes), and even though I can't enjoy tomatoes fresh anymore due to my allergies, I like to cook with them.
Tonight's dinner was a variation on something I make frequently- seitan with vegetables on pasta or rice topped with a little goat cheese.
This version started with a small garden onion, minced, sauted in olive oil with two cloves garlic, pressed. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Cook until the onions are clear and starting to brown. Add the crumbled seitan (this one was a tasty new variety we were trying, Upton's Italian sausage variety, which crumbled nicely.)
Saute the seitan with the onions for a few minutes, then add 10-12 sliced white mushrooms (or brown, I had white.) Mix and cook on medium heat until the seitan starts to brown and stick to the pan. You may have to add more olive oil as you stir. Add some chopped fresh basil (5-6 leaves) and a handful of pine nuts.
At this point, you should add the pasta to that pot of water you started boiling a while ago... I used angel hair, but you could use any number of things. This had a nice Italian thing going, so I went with that. Add the chopped tomatoes, there were 4 here, chopped coarsely, and cook with the seitan mixture until the pasta is done, about 5-6 minutes. The tomatoes should have just started breaking down and releasing their juices, but not be too soft and mushy. I like to cook them just until they start to break down because this is the freshest I can eat them.
Serve the seitan over the pasta and top with grated sharp cheddar goat cheese. Enjoy!
Tonight's dinner was a variation on something I make frequently- seitan with vegetables on pasta or rice topped with a little goat cheese.
This version started with a small garden onion, minced, sauted in olive oil with two cloves garlic, pressed. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Cook until the onions are clear and starting to brown. Add the crumbled seitan (this one was a tasty new variety we were trying, Upton's Italian sausage variety, which crumbled nicely.)
Saute the seitan with the onions for a few minutes, then add 10-12 sliced white mushrooms (or brown, I had white.) Mix and cook on medium heat until the seitan starts to brown and stick to the pan. You may have to add more olive oil as you stir. Add some chopped fresh basil (5-6 leaves) and a handful of pine nuts.
At this point, you should add the pasta to that pot of water you started boiling a while ago... I used angel hair, but you could use any number of things. This had a nice Italian thing going, so I went with that. Add the chopped tomatoes, there were 4 here, chopped coarsely, and cook with the seitan mixture until the pasta is done, about 5-6 minutes. The tomatoes should have just started breaking down and releasing their juices, but not be too soft and mushy. I like to cook them just until they start to break down because this is the freshest I can eat them.
Serve the seitan over the pasta and top with grated sharp cheddar goat cheese. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Dairy-free Dutch Pancake
Or Dutch Babies, as the Joy of Cooking called the recipe.
I usually make breakfast on Sunday mornings, something a little more exciting than the regular frozen waffles or cereal... this past Sunday I was looking for something new, and stumbled upon the Joy of Cooking's recipe for Dutch Babies, or Dutch Pancakes. (I recall that the "Baby" reference was to the size of the pancake, but this was just right for two people, accompanied by juice, coffee, and our favorite, Gimme Lean.)
I have come to like the cooking abilities of almond milk, rather than soy, and I have it in the house all the time, unlike goat's milk. (Attention vegans- this recipe has eggs!) It worked great with almond milk- rose wonderfully, fell quickly, and tasted amazing. I'll be making this one again.
Whisk/beat together until smooth:
1/2 cup almond milk (we use Almond Breeze Original)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I did sift this, too, for extra smoothness)
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Melt in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (the recipe says "cast iron is ideal" and yes it was) over medium heat:
4 tablespoons margarine (I prefer Earth Balance)
Tilt the pan so that the margarine coats the sides. Pour the mixture into the skillet and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes (though mine was more like 18/20 minutes.)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately, for the pancake loses its puff, and therefore its drama, almost immediately. Eat with jam of your choice!
I usually make breakfast on Sunday mornings, something a little more exciting than the regular frozen waffles or cereal... this past Sunday I was looking for something new, and stumbled upon the Joy of Cooking's recipe for Dutch Babies, or Dutch Pancakes. (I recall that the "Baby" reference was to the size of the pancake, but this was just right for two people, accompanied by juice, coffee, and our favorite, Gimme Lean.)
I have come to like the cooking abilities of almond milk, rather than soy, and I have it in the house all the time, unlike goat's milk. (Attention vegans- this recipe has eggs!) It worked great with almond milk- rose wonderfully, fell quickly, and tasted amazing. I'll be making this one again.
Whisk/beat together until smooth:
1/2 cup almond milk (we use Almond Breeze Original)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I did sift this, too, for extra smoothness)
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Melt in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (the recipe says "cast iron is ideal" and yes it was) over medium heat:
4 tablespoons margarine (I prefer Earth Balance)
Tilt the pan so that the margarine coats the sides. Pour the mixture into the skillet and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes (though mine was more like 18/20 minutes.)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately, for the pancake loses its puff, and therefore its drama, almost immediately. Eat with jam of your choice!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Stuffed Pumpkin, ala Julia Child
So, my previous attempt at a cheese/bread stuffed pumpkin was too rich for my tastes. I grew a ton of pie pumpkins this year, so I wanted to find a better recipe for a stuffed pumpkin.
This one was AMAZING.
The original recipe was from Julia Child, and I modified it slightly with my ingredients.
Preheat oven to 400F
You need:
1 medium/large sized pie pumpkin
margarine (I love Earth Balance)
1 small chopped onion
1 tsp each thyme & sage
1 tsp salt + to taste
1/2 tsp (or more) pepper
4-5 oz Sharp Cheddar goat cheese- grated
3 slices oatmeal bread- torn into medium sized crumbs
2 cups no-chicken broth
4-5 peeled cloves of garlic, sliced into quarters
Saute the onion in the margarine, and add the seasonings & salt/pepper. Add the bread, and mix until the seasonings and margarine are absorbed by the bread. Clean out the pumpkin, and spread margarine around the entire inside of the pumpkin.
Put the bread/onion mixture in the pumpkin, add the cheese and mix it up (I added the cheese a little at a time and mixed) and then pour the broth in. Add the garlic cloves. Once the broth was in, it was easier to mix the entire thing up- so everything is mixed evenly within the pumpkin.
I put mine on foil in oven, which was good, since it seeped broth. Bake for about 30 minutes with the top off, until the mixture bubbles. Put the top on, and then bake for 2 hours. Test pumpkin with a fork before you finish cooking to make sure the pumpkin meat is tender and soft.
Let cool before eating, since it's going to be really hot.
Serve with peas!
This one was AMAZING.
The original recipe was from Julia Child, and I modified it slightly with my ingredients.
Preheat oven to 400F
You need:
1 medium/large sized pie pumpkin
margarine (I love Earth Balance)
1 small chopped onion
1 tsp each thyme & sage
1 tsp salt + to taste
1/2 tsp (or more) pepper
4-5 oz Sharp Cheddar goat cheese- grated
3 slices oatmeal bread- torn into medium sized crumbs
2 cups no-chicken broth
4-5 peeled cloves of garlic, sliced into quarters
Saute the onion in the margarine, and add the seasonings & salt/pepper. Add the bread, and mix until the seasonings and margarine are absorbed by the bread. Clean out the pumpkin, and spread margarine around the entire inside of the pumpkin.
Put the bread/onion mixture in the pumpkin, add the cheese and mix it up (I added the cheese a little at a time and mixed) and then pour the broth in. Add the garlic cloves. Once the broth was in, it was easier to mix the entire thing up- so everything is mixed evenly within the pumpkin.
I put mine on foil in oven, which was good, since it seeped broth. Bake for about 30 minutes with the top off, until the mixture bubbles. Put the top on, and then bake for 2 hours. Test pumpkin with a fork before you finish cooking to make sure the pumpkin meat is tender and soft.
Let cool before eating, since it's going to be really hot.
Serve with peas!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Mushroom Spinach Quiche (with goat's milk & cheese)
Another old post from Vox:
I happened to have a frozen pie crust (since I do NOT make my own pie crusts) and I simply stuck it in the oven for a few minutes while the oven was preheating it- got the crust doughy and defrosted, since the original recipe wanted me to make a crust from scratch and such.
I happened to have a frozen pie crust (since I do NOT make my own pie crusts) and I simply stuck it in the oven for a few minutes while the oven was preheating it- got the crust doughy and defrosted, since the original recipe wanted me to make a crust from scratch and such.
So- here it is:
Mushroom Spinach Quiche (adapted from Moosewood)
9" pie crust (frozen and thawed works nicely)
1.5 cups low fat goat's milk
1.5 cups (ish) of goat cheddar and goat jack cheese, grated
4 eggs
3 T flour
small container (8 oz) of white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 of a large onion
handful or two of spinach, chopped
1-2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or diced
salt, pepper, dill, paprika
Mince/chop onion and saute with garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms, saute more, then add chopped spinach. Cook until cooked.
Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk, flour and some salt and pepper and dill together until smooth. Grate cheese, sprinkle about half of the cheese in the bottom of the unbaked pie crust, then top with the mushroom mixture, then more cheese, then pour the egg mixture on top. Add the remaining cheese to the top and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake 40-45 minutes at 375F until center is solid when the quiche is jiggled.
This turned out quite tasty. And, cow's milk free!
If you care about such things, the entire quiche (made with my ingredients) is about 1620 calories, so if you're really hungry and want your servings to be a quarter of the quiche, that puts you at 405 calories per serving.
Mushroom Spinach Quiche (adapted from Moosewood)
9" pie crust (frozen and thawed works nicely)
1.5 cups low fat goat's milk
1.5 cups (ish) of goat cheddar and goat jack cheese, grated
4 eggs
3 T flour
small container (8 oz) of white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 of a large onion
handful or two of spinach, chopped
1-2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or diced
salt, pepper, dill, paprika
Mince/chop onion and saute with garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms, saute more, then add chopped spinach. Cook until cooked.
Meanwhile, beat eggs, milk, flour and some salt and pepper and dill together until smooth. Grate cheese, sprinkle about half of the cheese in the bottom of the unbaked pie crust, then top with the mushroom mixture, then more cheese, then pour the egg mixture on top. Add the remaining cheese to the top and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake 40-45 minutes at 375F until center is solid when the quiche is jiggled.
This turned out quite tasty. And, cow's milk free!
If you care about such things, the entire quiche (made with my ingredients) is about 1620 calories, so if you're really hungry and want your servings to be a quarter of the quiche, that puts you at 405 calories per serving.
Dairy-free camping foods
I had a few of these things posted over on my old Vox blog, so I'm moving them over...
Several years ago, I made an extensive list of all the freeze dried camping foods that had no dairy in them (including tiny, chemical ingredients.) It occurred to me that perhaps other allergic people might be interested in this list, so, here it is:
Mountain House
- Pork Sausage Patties
- Rice & Chicken Single Serve Entrée
- Beef Stew Single Serve Entrée
- Chicken Teriyaki Pro Pak
- Corn
- Green Beans
- Green Peas
- Strawberry Fruit Snacks
- Mango Fruit Snacks
- Apple Fruit Snacks
- Banana Fruit Snacks
Backpackers Pantry
- Scrambled Eggs
- Scrambled Eggs w/ Baco bits
- Denver Omlette
- Applesauce
- Fruit Cocktail
- Strawberries
- Jose’s Chicken Mole
- Pad Thai
- Asian Curried Stir Fry
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
- Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
- Thai Satay with Beef
- Sweet & Sour Chicken
- Chicken Saigon Noodles
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Jamaican BBQ Chicken
- Hawaiian Chicken
- Taos Black Bean
- Green Beans Almondine
- Peas and Carrots
- Sicilian Mixed Vegetables
- Hot Apple Cobbler
- Apple D’Lite
Natural High
- Black Beans and Rice, Caribbean Style
- Chicken and Broccoli
- Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Corn Crunch
- Honey Lime Chicken
- Three Bean Chili
Richmoor
- Blueberry Cobbler
- Breakfast #2 Eggs with Imitation Bacon bits, Hash Brown Potatoes, and Orange Drink.
- Chicken and Rice
- Dinner #3 Turkey Supreme, Chicken Noodle Soup, Apples & Spice, Orange Drink
- Freeze-Dried Corn
- Freeze-Dried Green Beans
- Freeze-Dried Peas
- Green Beans
- Hash Brown Potatoes
- Hash Browns O'Brien
- Lunch #2 Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, Pilot Biscuits, Pineapple, and Lemon-Lime Drink
- Lunch #3 Peanut butter & strawberry jelly, pilot biscuits, fruit leather, and fruit punch.
- Raspberry Cobbler
- Western Omelette
- Organic Black Bean Corn Bread w/Honey
- Organic Chili Batter Bread
- Organic Corn Bread
- Organic Garlic Pesto Fry Bread
- Organic Griddle Cakes
- Organic Outrageous Outback Oatmeal
- Organic Brownies
- Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Organic Scones w/Walnuts and Orange Peel
- Organic Ginger Sesame Pasta
Monday, September 6, 2010
Tasty Cans: Thai Ginger Soup
Sometimes you just have to go for comfort out of a can.
Yes, yes, I know, some of you out there are foodies. Well, I'm not. I'm just trying to eat well and still have a life and a job and the cats and the husband and the knitting... yeah. Busy.
So some dinners come out of a can. There's nothing wrong with that! Just choose your cans wisely.
This dinner started with 2 cans of Thai Kitchen's Coconut Ginger Tom Kha Soup (yes- it does have a fish ingredient, but it's gluten & dairy free, so, do what you will.) It's pretty tasty soup- spicy, too.
I also sauted up 4 cloves of garlic, 11-ish mushrooms of assorted variety (crimini and plain old white) and one can of my favorite ingredient, Companion Mock Duck! There were also frozen egg rolls in the oven.
So, warm up the soup, saute the garlic, sliced mushrooms, and sliced mock duck in veggie oil. You may also want to add a little tamari or soy sauce to the mushrooms & mock duck.
When the soup is just boiling, drain the oil from the sauted mixture and add the mock duck & mushrooms to the soup... and it's amazing!
A spicy treat, especially good if your sinuses are a little plugged.
Yes, yes, I know, some of you out there are foodies. Well, I'm not. I'm just trying to eat well and still have a life and a job and the cats and the husband and the knitting... yeah. Busy.
So some dinners come out of a can. There's nothing wrong with that! Just choose your cans wisely.
This dinner started with 2 cans of Thai Kitchen's Coconut Ginger Tom Kha Soup (yes- it does have a fish ingredient, but it's gluten & dairy free, so, do what you will.) It's pretty tasty soup- spicy, too.
I also sauted up 4 cloves of garlic, 11-ish mushrooms of assorted variety (crimini and plain old white) and one can of my favorite ingredient, Companion Mock Duck! There were also frozen egg rolls in the oven.
So, warm up the soup, saute the garlic, sliced mushrooms, and sliced mock duck in veggie oil. You may also want to add a little tamari or soy sauce to the mushrooms & mock duck.
When the soup is just boiling, drain the oil from the sauted mixture and add the mock duck & mushrooms to the soup... and it's amazing!
A spicy treat, especially good if your sinuses are a little plugged.
Gardening this summer
In addition to cooking, I love gardening. Flowers are nice (I grow many) but I also try for vegetables. This year, I started with several small cold frames and tiny plants and ended up with 15+ pie pumpkins, a bunch of peppers, tons of strawberries and tons of rhubarb (strawberry rhubarb jam!), several summer squash... I could go on and won't. And I'm waiting for more tomatoes.
I've been requested to make a stuffed pie pumpkin (or two) this year. I've made one recipe in the past with layers of bread crumbs, goat cheese, soy creamer, and egg, but it was too rich for my tastes, so I'm on the hunt for a less rich recipe.
I'll keep you posted.
I've been requested to make a stuffed pie pumpkin (or two) this year. I've made one recipe in the past with layers of bread crumbs, goat cheese, soy creamer, and egg, but it was too rich for my tastes, so I'm on the hunt for a less rich recipe.
I'll keep you posted.
Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup
This is one of my favorite recipes... I think I've got it perfected. (Can also be made Vegan.)
Soup:
2 cups Imagine Organic No Chicken Broth
3 cups veggie stock (I like Better than Bullion's Veggie stock)
2 good sized carrots, chopped
1/2 a medium onion, preferably yellow or Vidalia
2-3 tsp of dill
1 tsp salt
Veggie oil
one can Companion Peking Vegetarian Roast Duck (Mock Duck), cut into bite-sized pieces.
(Mock Duck is wheat gluten) though you can use Chicken style seitan, I prefer the canned Mock Duck sue to its seasoning. Canned Mock Duck can be found at Asian markets, though many natural foods stores are starting to carry it. The Companion brand is the one my local co-op carries, and I use it in everything- very tasty stuff.
Matzo Balls:
I know you can makes these from scratch... but I usually use a mix, like Manischewitz which takes egg, oil, and the mix. Very easy. For one batch of soup, I make one batch of Matzo Balls- I think one batch is two eggs, several Tbsp of oil, and 1/2 cup of mix, but don't trust my memory, check the box.
If you want to make this Vegan, make the Matzo Balls from Vegan with a Vengeance, which are made with silken tofu instead of egg.
Make up the Matzo mix first, since it needs to chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes after mixing. Start the water boiling for the Matzo balls just before you start on the soup, so the water is boiling when you've finished mixing up the soup.
Mince the onion, and in your soup pot, fry with a little oil until translucent. Add the carrots, salt, and dill. After sautéing for several minutes, add the mock duck. Sauté until the mock duck has gotten a tiny bit crispy and browned, adding more oil if you need to. Add the 5 cups stock, bring to a boil, then simmer while you make the Matzo Balls (about 30 minutes).
Once the soup is started, take your Matzo mix out of the fridge, roll into 1 inch balls, and drop into the boiling water. Cover, reduce the heat, and cook COVERED for 20 minutes. DON'T TAKE THE COVER OFF THE MATZO BALLS WHILE THEY'RE COOKING!!! That lets the magic out.
Once the Matzo Balls are done (and fluffy!!), serve the soup, add the Matzo Balls to each bowl.
This recipe is perfect for two hungry people with a tiny bit leftover.
I must add, I was raised Catholic, not Jewish, but you just can't go wrong with Matzo balls. I've also come to have a great appreciation for Kosher labeling, since it's a clue about whether or not there's dairy in something. Not foolproof, but a good clue.
2 cups Imagine Organic No Chicken Broth
3 cups veggie stock (I like Better than Bullion's Veggie stock)
2 good sized carrots, chopped
1/2 a medium onion, preferably yellow or Vidalia
2-3 tsp of dill
1 tsp salt
Veggie oil
one can Companion Peking Vegetarian Roast Duck (Mock Duck), cut into bite-sized pieces.(Mock Duck is wheat gluten) though you can use Chicken style seitan, I prefer the canned Mock Duck sue to its seasoning. Canned Mock Duck can be found at Asian markets, though many natural foods stores are starting to carry it. The Companion brand is the one my local co-op carries, and I use it in everything- very tasty stuff.
Matzo Balls:
I know you can makes these from scratch... but I usually use a mix, like Manischewitz which takes egg, oil, and the mix. Very easy. For one batch of soup, I make one batch of Matzo Balls- I think one batch is two eggs, several Tbsp of oil, and 1/2 cup of mix, but don't trust my memory, check the box.
If you want to make this Vegan, make the Matzo Balls from Vegan with a Vengeance, which are made with silken tofu instead of egg.
Make up the Matzo mix first, since it needs to chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes after mixing. Start the water boiling for the Matzo balls just before you start on the soup, so the water is boiling when you've finished mixing up the soup.
Mince the onion, and in your soup pot, fry with a little oil until translucent. Add the carrots, salt, and dill. After sautéing for several minutes, add the mock duck. Sauté until the mock duck has gotten a tiny bit crispy and browned, adding more oil if you need to. Add the 5 cups stock, bring to a boil, then simmer while you make the Matzo Balls (about 30 minutes).
Once the soup is started, take your Matzo mix out of the fridge, roll into 1 inch balls, and drop into the boiling water. Cover, reduce the heat, and cook COVERED for 20 minutes. DON'T TAKE THE COVER OFF THE MATZO BALLS WHILE THEY'RE COOKING!!! That lets the magic out.
Once the Matzo Balls are done (and fluffy!!), serve the soup, add the Matzo Balls to each bowl.
This recipe is perfect for two hungry people with a tiny bit leftover.
I must add, I was raised Catholic, not Jewish, but you just can't go wrong with Matzo balls. I've also come to have a great appreciation for Kosher labeling, since it's a clue about whether or not there's dairy in something. Not foolproof, but a good clue.
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