Spiced Po and To Matoes

HEY!!!!!


Made brekkie for Bee this mornin'.  Curry spiced potato wedges and broiled tomatoes with garlic, cumin and cilantro.  Some scrambled tofu on the side would make this great to serve for brunch!  I also made baked bananas for 'breakfast dessert' (slice banana in half, top one half with vegan chocolate chips and toasted coconut, put other half on top, wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 10 min).

Curried Potato Wedges and Broiled Tomatoes with Garlic and Cumin

Ingredients:

-4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into large wedges lengthwise

-2 tbsp veg oil

-1 tbsp curry powder

-2 slightly underripe tomatoes, washed and quartered

-1 tbsp veg oil

-1 tsp cumin

-3 cloves garlic, sliced

-1/3 cup chopped cilantro

-S&P

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the potato wedges with the oil and curry powder.  Bake on a cookie sheet for thirty minutes or so, flipping the wedgies half way through cooking.  Season with S&P.

Set your oven to 'broil'.  In a small casserole dish, toss the quartered tomatoes with the oil and cumin.  Tuck the garlic into the tomato chunks, under the seeds and such and broil the tomatoes until they are melted and oozy.  About 5 min... Then toss the tomatoes with the cilantro and season with S&P.

NOW EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

XOXO

V.V.

Sprouts and Squash

Hey Lovelies,

Bee and I had a very special house guest recently, who when asked what she liked to eat, responded "I like brussel sprouts.  And spaghetti squash."  MUSIC to my ears.  Bee and I went grocery shopping seperately prior to the arrival of our guest and both returned home with squash and enormous bags of brussel sprouts.  And after they were all gone, as well as our wonderful guest (ATM, who we can't WAIT to see again!), we went out and bought more squash and sprouts.  YUMMY!  And such hearty, healthy and delicious winter fare. 

Here's a pasta recipe that was concocted late at night after many, many nights of celebrating the return of ATM.

Spaghetti with Sundried Tomatoes, Soy Chick'n and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

-1 box spaghetti noodles

-3 tbsp olive oil

-1 cup brussel sprouts, quartered lengthwise

-6 cloves garlic, sliced

-chili flakes (to your taste)

-2 tsp dried basil (if you have fresh or freeze dried basil, use 1/4 cup!)

-1 cup chopped soy chick'n (you don't actually have to use it, but it's tasty protein!)

-1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

-juice of 1 lemon

-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsely

-1/3 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
-S&P

Boil water in a large pot and cook the spaghetti until it's al dente (tender but still with a bit of bite).  Strain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water (it will become part of the sauce, the starches in the pasta water help to thicken!), and set aside.

Toss the brussel sprouts with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with S&P.  Bake in a roasting pan for about 15 - 20 min in a 375 degree oven, tossing them halfway through.  Set aside.

For the sauce, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat.  Add the garlic, chilis, soy chick'n and bsail and saute until soy chicken is lighty browned.  Add sundried tomatoes, lemon and pasta water.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Add the spaghetti, lemon, breadcrumbs and sprouts and toss well so the pasta is well coated.  Season with S&P and serve!


YUM YUM YUM!!!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
V.V.

Applesauce

Hello Sweeties,

We know the Dutch are crazy, but they are particularily APPLE CRAZY.  My Oma makes applesauce that would make little Dutch angels weep.  It's in a whole other league than any beige, flavourless slop that you might buy in a jar at the grocery store.  And it's PINK! 

Making applesauce is very homey and domesticated so if you are trying to cheer up a friend (or Dutch person) it is suuure to please.  Especially with some homemade granola or a crushed oatmeal cookie on top, which is what I did when I made applesauce for my roomate, Bee, right after we'd moved into our apartment and began hanging pictures on the walls (always improves the lived-in factor of a place). 

Oma Applesauce
Ingredients:
-8 macintosh apples
-Juice of half a lemon
-1 cup water
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-pinch salt

Wash the apples really really well in hot water.  Quarter the apples, (skin-on, core-in) and place them in a large pot with the water and lemon juice.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil on high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the apples become a mushy, lumpy, saucy mess.  

Place a fine mesh strainer over  a large bowl and pour the sauce through the strainer, stirring it to help it pass through without all the peels and little icky bits.  Discard the peels and icky bits.

Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt.  Let the heavenly sauce cool and then EAT IT!!!!!

*****VARIATION ALERT*****
*You can core the apples and leave the peels on, skipping the straining step and just mashing the sauce with a potato masher.  This makes a nice chunky sauce :)

*Try leaving out the vanilla and adding a tsp of fresh grated ginger.  AH-MAZING!

*If my Oma were making applesauce, she might slip in a few tablespoons of grand marnier or brandy ;)

XOXO
V.V.   

Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini Pizza with Leeks and Spinach

BABIES!!!!

Exciting things are happening in the world of V.V.!  I have a new apt (a.k.a. NEW KITCHEN) and a new roomate (a.k.a. NEW SOUS CHEF)!!!!  Both are absolutely wonderful and have already aided in creating some unbelieveable meals.  My roomate, Bee, made this incredible wilted spinach salad with roasted sweet potatoes and a warm dijon vinegrette that I can't wait to post!

It seems that Bee and I have done nothing but invite people over to EAT since we moved in and it has been SO MUCH FUN!  We had her family over for a fabulous three course thank-you-for-helping-us-move dinner on Sunday.  I didn't take any pictures but I will DEF post the recipe.  Last night, we had a bit of an impromptu pizza party and wound up with a DELISH blog-worthy combo.

Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini Pizza with Leeks and Spinach
Ingredients:
-2 or 3 premade pizza crusts
-1 eggplant, chopped into small cubes
-1 zucchini, also chopped into small cubes
-4 tbsp olive oil
-1 tsp thyme
-2 tbsp vegan butter
-1 leek, washed well (it tends to get sandy between the leaves, rinse em well) and sliced thinly
-1 large bunch spinach, roughly chopped
-3 cloves garlic, sliced
-1/2 cup red wine
-S&P
Sauce:
-3 cloves garlic
-1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
-1 cup chopped parsley
-juice of one lemon
-2 tbsp tahini
-1/2 cup olive oil
-2 large tomatoes, quartered and broiled until soft and mushy

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the eggplant, zucchini, thyme, olive oil and a bit of S&P.  Roast the veg in the oven for about 20 min, or until everything is soft and delicious looking.  Set aside.

Switch that oven temp to 400 degrees.  In a skillet, heat the vegan butter over medium highish and saute the leeks until they are wilted and soft (sprinkle them with a little salt and they'll wilt faster).  Then add the garlic and wine and cook until most of the wine is cooked off.  Wilt the spinach into the leek mix then season everything with S&P and set aside.

In a blender, pulse to chop the garlic, seeds and parsley.  Add then lemon juice, tahini, oilve oil and broiled tomatoes and blend until smooth.  If the sauce is toooooo thick, add a tbsp of red wine of two.

TO ASSEMBLE:  Spread a thick layer of sauce onto the crusts and top with roasted eggplant mixture and leek mixture.  Bake in your 400 degree oven for about 8 - 12 min, or until the crust is GOLDEN!

YUMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

XOXO,
V.V.

BREAD!

G'day Mates!

Today I am posting a recipe for a delicious loaf of homemade bread.  Making bread is very rewarding: from the kneeding to the rising to the punching to the baking - you will feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment when you lift that golden, steaming loaf from the oven.  Annnnnd making bread is sooooooo EASY!!!  It does take a little bit of time, but during that time you don't even have to be near the bread!  Give 'er a try, and then give yourself a big pat on the back for mastering an essential life skill!

Homemade Bread

Ingredients:
-1 1/4 cups warm water
-2 1/4 tsp yeast (aka one package)
-1 tsp salt
-1 tbsp sugar
-1 tbsp vegetable oil
-approx 3 cups all-purpose flour (you may need more, ya may need lessssss)

Makes one loaf, double everything for two!

Pour the warm water into a large bowl and stir in the salt and sugar until they are dissolved. Sprinkle over the yeast and wait about 5 min, the yeast will probably foam up a little.  Stir down the yeast mixture and the veg oil.
Add the first two cups flour and mix wellllllll (I like to get my hands right in it). Add a little more flour, a small handful at a time, until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.On a clean, floured surface, turn out that dough and KNEEEED IT for about five - ten min, or until the dough is smooth and stretchy and elastic. You may have to keep adding more flour...
Oil the bottom and sides of your bowl with a little more veg oil and plunk your dough ball in the middle. Cover it with plastci wrap and a tea towel and let it rise for an hour somewhere warm and cozy.

After an hour, punch the dough down (fun!) and kneed again for a minute or two. Then drop it into an oiled up bread pan.  Let it rise again, uncovered, for another 30-45 minutes. Score the top of the loaf with a few knife slashes (this makes it look super authentic hee hee) and brush the top of the loaf with a little water (makes for a golden crust).

Bake yo bread for about 45 minutes or until it looks mighty golden in a pre-heated 375 degree oven.

Turn the loaf out of the pan and let coooooool...

YUM YUM!

If you want to make an herbed version, add a tsp of your fave herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, sage, whatevs) to the flour before you kneed and replace the veg oil with olive oil.

If you want cinnamon bread, increase the sugar to 2 tbsp and add 2 tsp cinnamon to the flour before kneeding. Ah hell - throw in 1/2 cup chopped raisins if ya want too!

The stew in the picture is a quick Tomato Kale Stew that I just whipped up by sauteeing 2 chopped garlic cloves, some chili flakes and two cups of chopped kale in some olive oil and adding a can of diced tomatoes with the liquid.  Maybe a splash of red wine, too.  Then just bring to a boil, simmer for a few min and season with S&P.  Very simple, very hearty and yummy soup!

Until we meet again,

XOXO
V.V.

Sesame Soba Noodles

HOLY TOLEDO IT'S COLD OUT THERE!

I know, I know.  I'm a Winnipegger and it's mid-January and it's -45.  Way to state the obvious, V.V.!

I'm just about to run off to school so I thought I'd leave ya a little recipe for something that you can take along for lunch.  If you've never tried soba noodles you MUST!  They are made from buckwheat flour and contain antioxidants as well as all eight essential amino acids.  They are high in iron, protein and fibre too!  AND they are cheap and filling so they make a great pantry staple for those days when you're broke and hungry!

The noodles are traditionally served either cold with a sauce or hot in a broth.  The version I'm sharing with you can be served hot or cold.  You can eat soba noodles any way your little heart desires: today I'm taking some for my lunch with grated zucchini, garlic and ginger, yum!

Sesame Soba Noodles 

Ingredients:

-2 oz soba noodles

-1 tbsp tahini

-1 tbsp shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

-1 small garlic clove, minced

-chili flakes (to your taste, rebel)

-1 tsp rice vinegar

-2 tsp water

-any veggie toppings you like (I used roasted sweet potato and bok choi here, you could use ANYTHING YOU WANT!  Sky's the limit!  Grated carrot, broccoli, green onion, tofu, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc)

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add the soba noodles, reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the noodles are tender (about 6-8 minutes).  Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

In your chosen take-away tupperware container, combine the tahini, shoyu, garlic, chili flakes (yow!), vinegar and water.  You may have to add more water if the sauce is too thick, tahini has a tendency to seize up.  Add your noodles to the sauce and toss 'em.  Top with your veg of choice, seal that lid and you are on your way!

XOXO

V.V.

Vegan Benedict. Nuff Said.

Hello my darlings,

Happy New Year!  As it turns out, the holidays were a bit overbearing (physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially) and I had to take a brief hiatus from my bloggin'.  But I am back and armed with a pile of recipes that I can't wait to share with you!

I know tons of people who have decided to try a vegan diet as their new years resolution. Good on ya!!!  Even if you don't stick to it 100%, you'll be amazed at how good you feel eating wholesome, DELISH, and compassionate foods!

The Christmas morning breakfast tradition at my Dad and StepMama's house in Calgary is Eggs Benedict.  So this year, I whipped up an AWESOME Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Benedict WITH vegan Hollondaise sauce :)

Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Benedict with 'Hollondaise' Sauce

Ingredients:
-one Roma tomato per person
-four asparagus spears per person
-olive oil
-one English muffin per person, halved and toasted
-1/2 cup vegan mayo
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-1 tbsp nutritional yeast (or less, or even more, depends on your taste)
-cayenne pepper (again, according to your taste)
-1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp Dijon mustard
-S&P
-smoked paprika and chopped parsley (totally optional garnish)

Let's do dis:

Melt the Earth Balance butter in a saucepan over med-low heat and set aside. 

Pre-heat your broiler to 'high'.  Halve the tomatoes and place them cut side up on a baking sheet along with the asparagus.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with S&P.  Broil until the asparagus is tender and the tomatoes are oozy and soft...mmmmmm...oozy and soft tomatoes...this should take about ten - fifteen minutes.

Place the mayo, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard in a blender.  Blend on low speed while slowly pouring in melted Earth Balance in a steady stream until everything is well combined. 

Return the sauce to the saucepan and place over medium low heat to warm it all up.  Season the sauce with S&P.  If it's too thick, add a teeny bit of water until you get a thick but still pourable consistency.

 To assemble:  Place English muffin halves on a plate.  Arrange asparagus in an "X" on muffins and top with tomato halves.  Pour on as much sauce as you can handle - I'm a saucy gal myself ;)

Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley and STUFF YOURSELF!!!!!

XOXO
V.V.