Dinner tonight...

We had some Glazed Tempeh, Stuffing (Dressing for any Southerners out there), Pureed Squash, and Asparagus w/Italian Seasoned Mustard Garlic Sauce.

The Glazed Tempeh is easy-peasy. You put oil (prob 4 TBP) in your pan, add equal amounts of tamari (or soy sauce) and sweetener (brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave) and some spices (chili powder or curry powder are my usual). Bolding what I used tonight...mix the liquids, they'll start bubbling up- that's when you add the tempeh (or tofu can be cooked this way). Coat it and let it brown on one side. Flip, let it brown....tonight I had to shove them in a 375* oven whilst I finished cooking the rest of dinner.

The stuffing was Arnolds, the squash was frozen (tsk, tsk!) - I sprinkled some Nutmeg on it, and the Mustard Sauce was a variation on this one, using maple syrup as the sweetener. I subbed Italian Seasoning for the Thyme, added a finely minced (huge) clove of garlic and a dash of lemon juice.

Tonight I need to do meal planning for the week (at least), 'cuz tomorrow is shopping day- alone with all four kids. Dh is working some overtime...while it's good for the budget, sometimes it's not so good for my sanity :p

Curry Addicts Anonymous

...I need to join, lol. I *love* curries...I usually make them with powdered spice, but do buy Patak's sauce sometimes (their lactic acid *is* vegan, so a few of their ready-sauces *are* Vegan). I have found a new sauce that I am now addicted to, and it may as well be crack at $12.50 a bottle. William Sonoma's Pumpkin Curry sauce is divine..and I only had a few Tablespoons of it to use...my friend saved that much for me to try (she's not veg, so she couldn't just save a portion what she made for it). I tasted it and knew I'd make use of the meager amount....I took that bit and added 1/2 cup of veggie broth to simmer some smoked tofu in...

I served it over brown rice with mixed veggies on the side (just leftovers of all the frozen veg in the freezer). I loved it and so did the kiddos (they all love curry, too). I am actually contemplating buying a couple of jars, divvying them into thirds, and freezing it in those proportions. Then I have 6 meals worth of curry :p This stuff is awesome, so if you've got the $$- get a jar :)

Post T-day scavenging :p

We've been low on groceries and with germs and only one car, I've been putting off shopping...So I am cooking out of the cabinet- finding ingredients and then figuring out what I can do with them. It's sometimes a pain, but often I find it fun and I feel awesome for being able to throw random things together and make a yummy meal.

This was lunch on Monday-

Beans and Greens with Pasta
8 oz farfalle pasta, cooked and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can of canellini beans, drained
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 med. onion, rough chopped
1-2 TBS. capers
2-3 TBS. pine nuts
1/2 c veggie broth
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In large fry pan (I used an eco-non-stick lined one) saute onion and garlic until softened. Add beans and spinach, cook until spinach is warm- stirring a few times. Add broth, stirring to mix , mash some of the beans while doing this. Mix in the pasta, blend until coated and add S&P. Remove from heat, stir in capers and pine nuts. Serve. Makes 4 generous lunch servings.

Dinner was Chickpea Cutlets from Veganomicon(I bake them- brush with oil , 375 for 20 minutes, flip then bake 10 more min.) with a Sweet Thyme Mustard Sauce, Baked Acorn Squash, Fried Cabbage with Onions, and Broccoli with Cheeze Sauce.

Acorn Squash- gut it, stab it with a fork a few times, coat with Earth Balance, drizzle with maple syrup an sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake 375 for 45-60 min. (depending on size)

Fried Cabbage- Steam cabbage until just tender, heat oil in frying pan, chop or slice 1 sweet onion and saute with cabbage, add some earth balance near the end, mixing in, season with salt and pepper.

Cheeze Sauce- melt 1 TBS Earth Balance with 1 TBS flour until smooth and bubbly, whisk in a couple of cups of rice or soymilk, add some vegan cheese (I used FYH "cheddar") , a few sprinkles of salt, some onion powder, and a few tsp nutritional yeast, cook while whisking until it's desired thickness. Pour over veg of choice.

Sweet Thyme Mustard Sauce- Mix 1/2 cup nayonnaise, a few squirts of DijonMustard, a tsp of dried thyme and a TBS or 2 of agave or maple syrup. Adjust ratios to taste. (I usually just throw this together, no real recipe)