“Stoup”

Yesterday was Mabon or the Autumn Equinox, the first day of Fall. Fall is my favorite season, I love the crispness in the air and I get in a crazy cleaning/organizing/planting mode. I love stews and soups during this time of year. It’s comfort food. Served with a hunk of bread, a nice Bavarian pretzel or crackers and you’ll fill those tummies, too.

Part of why I find this blog hard to maintain is that, being low income, I cook and bake a lot WITHOUT recipes. Tonight’s Stoup (stew + soup = stoup) was one of these meals...Ingredients are bolded in the instructions below. Enjoy!

I mixed up 18-20 cups of vegan chicken broth, bring up to boil- I use Tops brand, but Better Bullion and frontier both offer vegan chicken broths.

I then added 6-8 chopped potatoes and 1 bunch of chopped kale and set to simmer.

I chopped up 2 onions, peeled a head of garlic and slivered the cloves, chopped half a bunch of celery, peeled and sliced 3 carrots, and a bag of Gardein Sweet & Sour pork bites cut each piece into 4 (toss the sauce or save it for a later meal). Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté all of this until the onions and garlic are softened and the “pork” is browned, stirring frequently...add a little water to scrape up the bits from the bottom at the end.

Add one can of garbonzo beans, two cans of diced or stewed tomatoes, a healthy squirt of liquid aminos or soy sauce, 6 packets of Goya Sazón, salt and pepper, a Tbsp of Italian seasoning blend, and a couple of tsp of smoked paprika, a couple tsp of chili powder and your veggie/“pork” mix to the broth and keep simmering & stirring   every so often. I usually give 20 min for flavors to blend. 

Taste and adjust seasoning as you like. About 10 min before you want to serve, bring to a boil and add 1/2 lb of orzo pasta, cook until done and serve. I served tonight’s stoup with a huge soft Bavarian Pretzel Log, our local Aldi had them in the freezer section and they are accidentally vegan!!

The other thing about this recipe, swap things out....don’t have kale but have some frozen chopped spinach? Use it instead....don’t have Sazón? Add some more chili powder. Don’t have fresh potatoes, etc- sub canned mixed veg. If you use mostly canned veg, it doesn’t NEED to cook as long but it won’t hurt it. Veggie broth is just as good as vegan chicken broth. Have fun and enjoy your stoup.

It’s been forevah!!!

Life’s been hectic, the worlds in chaos. But yes, I still cook. No recipe tonight, just food porn. I made BBQ Chickn breasts, lemon pepper bok choi & spinach, and jerk seasoned rice n beans.

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Frugal Vegan Broth

We are low income. I have an old friend who thinks I should write a book on frugality/money saving tips. I am just doing what I can to allow us to breath a little easier.

Today’s project is broth-making. I make broth every few months, on years that we don’t compost - that’s because broth is made from scraps. So for the last couple of months, every time I cut or trim veggies I add those scraps to a freezer bag....I had a collection of 3 full gallon-sized bags in our freezer, so I decided it was time to make broth. The scraps include: carrot sweet potato peels and potato peels, trimmings from tomatoes, asparagus, onions, scallions, garlic, bell & jalapeño peppers, garlic scapes, cabbage, mushrooms, herbs and I’m sure a few other veg I am forgetting. I’ll also add things like miso (this time dried soup packets), nutritional yeast, seaweed sheets, and mushroom powder....it varies to what’s available in our kitchen.

I place these in my largest stock pot (ours is big enough that it’s an awkward fit on our stovetop) and fill it up with water...I’ll add a Tbsp of ginger paste and garlic/chili paste and 3 heaping spoons of the paste leftover from making Master Tonic/Fire Cider*** and kale flakes bring to a boil, then simmer for H O U R S, adding water as needed. I make it on a day when I know I’ll be home and not too busy. In the evening, I cool it down and freeze it in muffin tins....full size muffin tins makes it easier for adding to recipes.

***Since cooler weather & cold/flu season is approaching, I’ll do a post with my particular Master Tonic recipe. It’s a immune boosting mix of veg/herbs/fruit steeped in ACV...you take a couple of tablespoons when you feel a germ coming on and it helps you avoid or shortens the length. Our family has used this Home Remedy for years and most of us swear by it.

Another Take on the Hummus Stuffed Portobellos on a Bed of Spinach

Making another riff on this- http://gillvegfood.blogspot.com/2015/05/sorry-it-been-so-long.html?m=1

Our “local” chain, Wegmans, is trying to please all of us hummus-heads with a ton of varieties and one of our favorite in the gilleoin household is the Moroccan Lentil version....it has lentils, cumin, coriander, turmeric, etc. So it’s very Indian tasting..... so this time, I generously oiled my baking dish & tossed my spinach with 1/2 can coconut milk, a Tbsp of chili garlic sauce, a tsp of ginger paste, and some curry powder & ground cumin. I cleaned and seasoned the portobellos with salt & pepper and stuffed them with the Moroccan Lentil hummus. I plan on serving with a drizzle of non-dairy yogurt thinned with a bit more of the coconut milk on top and basmati rice on the side.

Mango-Black Bean Salsa

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes....I make it in Spring/Summer every year.

This is a doubled recipe, with slightly different ingredients- I subbed sugar instead of agave/maple syrup bc we are out of those, 1 red and 1 yellow onion instead is sweet onion, dry parsley bc we don’t have fresh right now. It obviously tastes best with all fresh, home-grown ingredients, but it’s still pretty damn good using Pricerite Roma tomatoes, lol.

Mango-Black Bean Salsa (double if you want as much as in the pic)

1 ripe mango

2 med tomatoes

1/2 bell pepper

1 jalapeño

1 sweet onion

1 clove of garlic minced or pressed

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 TBS each lemon and lime juice

1 tsp of agave or maple syrup

salt & pepper

small handful fresh parsley, (we genetically don't like cilantro, it tastes like soap to all of us: if you like cilantro, use that)

Mix sweetener with lemon and lime juices in your container. Cut everything up and mix together. Serve with tortilla chips or over Gardien or other vegan chick’n over rice. Or in a taco or just spoon it right into your mouth, lol.

No real recipe...

Yesterday early afternoon I premade pasta salads for yesterday’s dinner and tonight’s...totally off-cuff.

Last night we had Italian-inspired (pasta, fresh tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, kale, cukes, lentils and herb-roasted tofu in a doctored Italian dressing: about half n half Italian dressing, vegan pesto with some balsamic vinegar and oil… More added), I served it with French’s-type fried onions on top....tonight is a Mexican-inspired (pasta, bell pepper, diced jalapeño, onion, corn, canned diced tomatoes w/chilies, diced cukes, lentils, herb-roasted Tofu and diced veggie burger in a doctored Italian dressing: half n half Italian dressing and salsa, puréed with a pk of Sasón and some Sofrito mixed into it and a little more vinegar and oil). It’ll be served with fried tortilla strips on top.

Why is the off-the-cuff stuff THE BEST? When I try to duplicate it, it’ll still be yummy but DH will inevitably say, “this is delicious but it’s different than last time?” LOL.

Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Earth Balance or other vegan “butter”
• 4 leeks cleaned and thinly sliced, white and light green
• 1 tsp  salt
• 6 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2 leaves bay
• 3/4 cup vegan white wine (see barnivore.com)
• 5 cups water mixed with 1/4-1/2 c miso paste
• 4 pkts Sazón seasoning (in Goya/Latin Foods aisle)
• 4-5 cups medium potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 cup unsweetened plain soy or nut milk
• Some mashed potato flakes (Aldi & Pricerite brands are vegan)
• 1/3 cup grated Daiya vegan cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Using the sauté function, melt the Earth Balance in the instant pot. Once melted, add the sliced leeks and salt and sauté until soft. Add the crushed garlic; saute for 30 seconds and turn off the sauté function
2. Remove a small portion of the leeks and set aside for serving (I put in cast iron in oven on warm setting)
3. To the leek mixture in the pot add in the thyme, basil, bay leaves, white wine, miso broth, Sazon and potatoes. Give it all a good stir and set to high pressure for 10 minutes

4. Once complete, quick release and open the pot. Remove the bay leaves, add in the soy milk and use a stick immersion blender to puree the soup until it reaches the consistency of your liking- if I s Too watery, add mashed potato flakes until desired consistency- we like our potato soup super thick.)

5. Set the instant pot to warm and heat the soup through, if necessary.
6. Once hot serve up with a sprinkle of extra sautéed leeks and a sprinkle of Daiya.
   
   
   
   

Italian-Inspired Coucous Bowl

Couscous Bowls

2 pk of plain couscous, prepared with vegan chicken broth and olive oil

Protein Mix

1/2 pk Morningstar Farms chicken strips, cut in halves

6-8 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 lg green bell pepper, diced

1 small jar pine nuts

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Basil & thyme

White wine

Veggie Mix

3 crowns broccoli, cut into small florets

2 lb garlic scape, cleaned and cut bite-sized pcs 

1 med onion, diced

1 roasted red pepper diced

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Basil & Thyme

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Take cut veggies for veggie mix and  toss with olive oil until coated. Season with S&P and spices, per your taste. Put on cookie sheets and bake @ 375 F until browned on edges, approx. 30-45 min.

Hear a large deep cast iron skillet. Add olive oil and sauté veggies from protein mix. Once soften, add faux chicken, pine nuts  and brown. De glaze the pan with some white wine, add tomatoes and spices and allow liquid to reduce to about half.

Serve both mixes (1/2 bowl ea) over couscous. Dig in!

Chili Mac on the 4th

Today is hotter than when I’d normally make this but we want to get to the fireworks this evening...

Chili Mac Recipe

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 bell pepper (I used green but any are ok), diced

1 med onion, diced

2 jalapeños, sliced (spines/seeds removed if you don’t love spice)

1 pk Gardein vegan beef tips, halved

a couple tsp ea. cinnamon, cocoa powder, and cumin

1-2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)

1 cup vegan beef broth 

2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can ea. of kidney, pinto, and black beans, rinsed & drained

1 box macaroni pasta

Cook macaroni in water with some olive oil and salt after you’ve chopped the veg & beef tips. Drain when al dente.

Put oil in a large pan and heat till shimmery.

Add veg and sauté until softened. Add beef tips to brown outsides. Sprinkle cinnamon/cocoa/cumin & 1/2 chili powder over veg mix and sauté a few more min. to cook spices a little.

Add vegan beef broth, stirring well. Let reduce a little, then add tomatoes and beans. Taste and add more chili powder and flakes if you want. Add to noodles, stir and serve. Bon appetite!

Sorry the pic is so dark- had the light blocking curtains down to attempt to keep house cooler.

Playing in The Kitchen- Stuffed Portobello on Spinach Redux (no pictures ☹️)

In my post here,  http://gillvegfood.blogspot.com/2015/05/sorry-it-been-so-long.html , I shared a hummus stuffed portobello recipe....It was in regular rotation at my house and still is. This recipe allows for so much playing around which makes it *so* budget-friendly....I made it the other night using:

regular spinach (cheaper than baby spinach)- I just tossed it with some oil, crushed garlic, wine

roasted garlic hummus, to which I added-

                             1/3 can of diced tomatoes, cut even smaller

                              1 TBS of sofrito

                              1/2 minced jalapeño 

                              2-3 TBS rehydrated minced onion

                              a little garlic powder, paprika, S&P

As you can see, it’s different than the recipe but so tasty. I was in a Southwestern flavor mood. But this is easily adaptable for Italian (Italian seasoning, garlic,  even fresh basil could be mixed in with spinach and some good Olive Oil and you could add a couple of splashes of red wine....use a white bean hummus, tomatoes, garlic, onion, bell pepper, etc.) Indian (Curry and coconut milk in the spinach, lentil hummus with cumin, chili peppers, carmelized onions, etc.).....You see where I’m going? Playing around in the kitchen can be so fun. My husband teases me for watching the food network, because it is NEVER vegan friendly, but it has helped me come up with ideas for vegan dishes and flavor profiles, and sometimes even different techniques to play with. 

Excuses, Excuses

It’s been FOREVER.

Life’s been busy and I’ve maybe not been able to keep all of my balls in the air.


My husband had back surgery #7 last summer (I think he’s had 4 or 5 since the last time I blogged here 😿)

My mom died shortly after that, I spent a lot of time last year in hospital and care homes

The kids are getting older and daring to want to do things

I went back to work outside the house a couple of times for a span

I’ve lost a good friend and really don’t have any IRL

I’ll try to start adding content- we are still vegan and I still enjoy cooking & baking.

Sorry It's Been So Long....

Life blows by and I am trying to do 16253839 things at any given time, when I last posted, I think I was adjusting to being back home after working overnights...I have other web presences I try to keep up with, as well- social media, personal blogs, etc.

Last night was laid back- I made a variation on this recipe- http://eattothrive.org/recipes/main-dishes/portobello-mushrooms-stuffed-with-sun-dreid-tomato-hummus-on-a-bed-of-spinach/

I used 2 bags of Aldis spinach, which is more than the recipe calls for....I drizzled olive oil and shook some lemon pepper seasoning in between layers of spinach, pressing it down to try to keep it in the dish. I used red pepper hummus that I added a Tbs of olive oil, 2 tsp of Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp of chili powder to stuff the portobellos. I use a 9 x 13 baking dish, and the spinach fills it, so the portobellos are "perched" on top of the spinach. That's ok, though, because the spinach seriously shrinks during cooking. I don't cover with foil, as there is no way to not waste hummus and make a mess doing so. It works just fine that way- this is a recipe I make on a regular basis and I have NEVER covered it.

As for a side dish, I made:

Cherry Almond Italian-Inspired Rice

1/2 bag Lundenburg Rice

Vegan "Chicken" Broth Powder

1/2 c dried cherries, chopped

1 c slivered almonds

1 Tbs Italian seasoning

2 scallions, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Follow broth powder instructions to make enough for the water you need for your rice. Toast almonds in a little olive oil in a heated pan, once fragrant and brown, set aside. 

Add rice and the rest of the ingredients to prepared broth and cook as per the rice package instructions, adding water if needed (mine still had a 'bite' after following instructions, so I cooked a little longer, adding a little water to stop it from drying completely).

Guess What I've Been Doing....

Pickling! I did the garlic scapes (far right) last month. Last week, I had an abundance of cucumbers from the CSA  and my ma's garden, so I made some cucumbers into dill pickles...the kids liked them better than store bought, so last night I did two more quarts and an experimental pint, I am trying to duplicate a local pickle that is no longer made...added a chile pepper, some cinnamon and some cloves. I'll post the recipe later if they come out good XD  

I also pickled some chard stems (far left), some onions (middle rear) and a single half pint of beets (left front), as I am the only one who likes them.

Hopefully, I will swing back into blogging since I am no longer working outside the home. I want to attempt canning this year, but that will depend on whether I can budget in a pressure canner...fingers crossed!

I fixed it ;)

Pinterest is abuzz with an image of the top 6 nutrients women need- I edited it, to be the Top 6 Cruelty-free Nutrients.....Added some plant-based foods that (GASP) they'd left out, even though, in some case, the plant-based ones actually had higher content of said nutrient *SIGH*

THERE!! Much better :p

I finally started using the dehydrator!!

See, I got a Nesco dehydrator on cheapcheap clearance a couple of years ago, but was too overwhelmed/nervous to use it until recently...I thought I loved and was addicted to Kale Chips before, but the store's OVERPRICED ones have got NOTHING on homemade ones :p

I used this recipe. Beyond tasty!!

So this week I actually used my down time between calls at work to make a meal plan and grocery list...using cookbooks and recipes I printed from the 'Net. I copied/printed 2 such recipes for Eggplant "Bacon" that were similar to each other and kinda melded what sounded good to me into my own recipe.... I actually had to make way more marinade than either recipe called for, so adjusting for more marinade. I'll post the results on a future date.

Eggplant Bacon

1 medium eggplant, sliced thin, lengthwise strips

marinade -

3 Tablespoons smoked paprika

3/8 cup apple cider vinegar (6 Tbs)

3/8 cup sunflower oil (6 Tbs)

2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/8 cup Bragg's Aminos

1/4 cup agave

1 tsp Liquid Smoke

1 tsp Browning Liquid

5 Tbs water, to thin it out a little

Make marinade in a rectangular glass dish. Dip slices of eggplant in the marinade, coating both sides evenly. Put in dehydrator at 115 degrees, until crispy. The one recipe I had suggested that 12 hours does the trick.

I apologize for how long it's been, but dh had yet another back surgery and life's been overwhelming, busy, etc. I had a long stretch of depression and no one to lean on, friends were all too busy with their lives. And I went back to work, since dh is on temporary disability. So my time is limited, even now. I feel a little better than I did just a month ago and have been reading books to work on myself and my relationships. I have started cooking and baking more often.

The slant of this blog may change a little....I am trying to eat a low gluten vegan diet....supposedly it's been found helpful for other women who have PCOS. I want to be healthy, inside and out and I am working on it day by day.

Sorry It's Been So Long....

My camera is just about dead and the toddler is going through a phase where she refuses to sleep. I may start posting again....either sans photos or with cellphone pics :)

A recipe, just for looking :)

Yellow Apple Vegan Dump Cake

1 can of apple pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is vegan)
8 Tbsp Earth Balance

In an 8x8 baking dish, dump pie filling and spread evenly. Top with yellow cake mix...cube up the Earth Balance and distribute evenly over cake mix...Bake at 350 for 40 minutes :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We had a really rough 2010, so here's hoping 2011 is much, much better!
I will do all in my power to help it along and my first accomplishment towards this goal is making some Hoppin' John on New Years Day... The dish is said to bring abundance and prosperity into the New Year...Now, a ton of Hoppin' John recipes exist out there, but most of them aren't Vegetarian, much less Vegan.

So, here's my kludged-together veganised version for y'all....

Cruelty-Free Hoppin' John

2 cups dried Black-eyed Peas
8-10 cups prepared Vegan "Chicken" type Broth
1 package Lightlife Smart Bacon®
1 large Onion, diced
1 Bell Pepper, diced
1/3-1/2 cup carrots, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
large handful dried celery leaves & 1 tsp celery seed (or 1/2 cup diced celery)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 cups long-grain rice

Wash & sort peas. Fry the Smart Bacon until crisp, using spatula to cut into quarters. Set aside. Add vegetables, peas, broth and spices to pot. Crumble Smart Bacon into pot. Bring covered pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until peas are tender. Add rice, cover, and simmer over low for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat, allow pot to sit covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve- optional garnishes include hot sauce, chopped scallions, Daiya Chedder-style Vegan Cheese. Serve with collards and cornbread for an awesome meal!!

Hoping the New Year brings all that you need and most of what you want XD

Happy Halloween (& Blessed Samhain)

We did our normal Samhain/My Mom & Dad's Anniversary Party......We had fun, food , family and friends.

I bastardized a version of squash chili, to make a yummy Pumpkin Chili. No pics, because it got all ate up...YUM!!

Pumpkin Chili

1 pie pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onion, chopped
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoon mild chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons oregano
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or to taste)
2 28-ounce cans kitchen cut tomatoes
1 cup water
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 15-ounce cans beans (I used black, kidney,cannellini,pinto), drained

Prepare the pumpkin, and set it aside. Heat oil in a large, non-stick pot over medium-high heat, and add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the pepper is soft, about 7-9 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add all the seasonings, and stir well to coat the vegetables and "smoke" the seasonings. Stir in the tomatoes (and their juice), water, pumpkin, salt, and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

Transfer contents of pot into a large slow cooker and add the beans, and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Cook on High for 4-6 hours. Serve over rice, top with Better Than Sour Cream. :)

I also made cornbread from here.

We went trick or treating with all of the kids. We had good timing, because we were only one street away when the hail really started pelting down. We came back in and warmed up. I threw more food in the oven.

I cheated and used ready-made pizza dough- our local grocer (Tops Friendly Market)has the canned type (like Pillsbury) and theirs is vegan. I topped one with pizza sauce, Daiya "Mozzarella", and Yves "Pepperoni". The other I topped with my Olive Curry Wedge filling. And it came out *so* yummy. Everyone loved it (I wished I'd made more).

I also made a layered baked dip to serve with tortilla chips. Another one of my standard party fare recipes.

Baked Layer Dip

1 container Better Than Cream Cheese
1 can vegan refried beans (make sure they don't have lard)**(see note)
1 16 oz. jar of salsa (I use the kind that has black beans & corn in it)
1/2 bag of Daiya Cheddar
2 green onions, cut up
1/2 cup black olives, sliced

Pre-heat oven @ 350 F. Spread the Better Than Cream Cheese in an even layer in a 9"x13" pan. Top with refried beans. Spoon salsa over that, then sprinkle Daiya over the salsa. Top with green onions and olives. Bake until Daiya melts, about 15 minutes. Serve with Tortilla Chips.

** I did NOT use refried beans this time (I forgot to buy them, ugh!) I made some of frontier co-op's dried Fiesta Bean Mix (5 servings, prepared). It makes it a little spicier, but it was still very tasty!!

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 :)