Veggin'

This tomato soup is smoky, flavorful and, best of all, creamy…and, the surprise is, it’s vegan.

Pair this with a grilled cheese sandwich, on some really good sourdough bread, and you’ve got a perfect stomach-warming meal on a cold day.

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
by Megabeth

• 12 plum tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 Tablespoons basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup cashews
• water (or vegetable broth)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat baking sheet with a small amount of olive oil. Place tomatoes, cut size up, onion and garlic on baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on top of the tomatoes, onion and garlic and add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast vegetables for 40 to 45 minutes. Flip tomatoes halfway through cooking. Keep an eye on the onions as they may cook faster than the tomatoes.

While vegetables are roasting, soak cashews in one cup water or vegetable broth.  Place in blender, and puree until smooth. Pour into saucepan.

Place roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic in the blender with the basil. (If you have a small blender, divide in half.) Once blended, add to cashew puree in sauce pan.

Then stir in nutritional yeast.

Add more freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Much like in the movie Ratatouille, there are many flavors that can take me back to childhood, and this is one of them. This celery root salad was a ubiquitous feature on my grandmother’s table whenever we came to visit. My mother now makes it for any special family meal.

Celery root, or celeriac, is really an ugly little thing. It’s a funny looking bulb, with dirt, and it’s hard to see it’s potential. But, once you peel off all the dirt and little poky bits, it’s a flavorful ingredient. It’s got a very unique taste which could be described as a very slight celery flavor with a little hint of parsley.

The recipe was transcribed by my grandmother from my great-great-grandmother. My mother still has that recipe card. It’s basic in its steps and has no measurements. I suppose the recipe card serves as a reminder of previous dinners and memories made while eating the salad. This salad works in its simplicity and is left to the chef’s individual preference to create that heirloom flavor.

Celery Root Salad
By Megabeth’s Great-Grandmother

celery root
carrots
red onion
fresh parsley
oil (good olive oil)
vinegar (red wine or white)
sugar, to taste

Clean dirt off celery root. Cut off green tops. Use vegetable peeler to remove outside of root until just white flesh is revealed. Chop into bite size pieces. Chop carrots.

Boil water in large pot. Add chopped celery root and carrots. Boil vegetables until fork tender.

Drain and add to bowl. (Megabeth Mother’s note: Or, use a flat container so the flavors can be evenly distributed when it’s marinating.)

In separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and sugar. About 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar. About a teaspoon of sugar. Drizzle over vegetables, add parsley and let marinate in refrigerator until chilled.

Looking to make some pasta but wanting to kick it up a notch? Add some roasted butternut squash, toasted pecans and you’ve got it. The pecans add a crunchy texture into what would otherwise be “normal” pasta while the basil brings in a hint of spring that I’ve been longing for on these long winter nights. I used both fresh regular basil and some red leaf mixed in for good measure.

I’m a fan of butternut squash already peeled, cubed and ready to go.  The bright orange color and the sweet roasted flavor helped boost my mood on a cold winter’s evening. I suppose a bonus is the heated oven keeps things nice and toasty in the kitchen.

Penne Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pecans
By Megabeth

• 1 package fresh cubed butternut squash
• 16 oz whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup crushed pecans
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup grated parmesean cheese
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Spread butternut squash, onions and garlic cloves on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until butternut squash is golden. Add pecans to baking tray for the last 4 to 5 minutes to toast. (Watch onions to make sure they don’t burn.)

Meanwhile, make penne pasta per package directions and place in bowl. Toss roasted vegetables into pasta. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with some cheese.

This is a recipe worthy of being doubled or even tripled. Be forewarned, the measurements below make just enough for two people as a side dish. The curry flavoring and the bite of pecorino cheese adds a unique twist to how one may normally eat spinach. I wish I had made more because it was certainly the star of the show the night we ate this for dinner.

Spinaci Gratinati con Pecorino e Pinoli
Spinach Gratin with Pecorino Toscano and Pine Nuts
from the July/August 2011 issue of La Cucina Italiana

• Fine sea salt
• 3 Tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 1/2 pounds spinach, tough stems removed
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces Pecorino Toscano or other mild sheep’s milk cheese, grated on large holes of box grater (1 cup)
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, spread pine nuts on a baking sheet, bake until fragrant and just lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let nuts cool.

Submerge spinach in the boiling water and cook until just wilted, about 1 minutes. Drain in a colander, squeezing to extract excess water.

Heat broiler. In a large gratin dish, spread half of the spinach. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese and pinch salt. Top with remaining spinach. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese, pinch salt and curry powder.

Broil until cheese is lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining 1/4 cup cheese; continue to broil, rotating pan once halfway through, until cheese is golden, about 2 minutes more.

Remember that warm quinoa and corn salad I made a few recipes ago? Well, it’s back and paired up with some roasted vegetables to make a taco.

One thing I am always, Dear Reader, is honest. And, I must confess something here. The flavors of this recipe were really super good, but my execution of it was, well, terrible. You see, I picked up soft tacos rather than hard taco shells. The weight of the potato mixture and the quinoa made these next to impossible to pick up and eat. What’s the fun of a taco if you have to eat it with a knife and fork?

So, please note that my final pictures of nicely lined up tacos actually turned into a fiesta of food all over my plate. I ate them as a quasi-burrito then gave up and grabbed my fork.

Bottom line: use hard shells if you want to have a taco experience. Otherwise, fill soft tortillas and roll them up as a burrito. Or, just throw the roasted vegetables with the quinoa salad and dig in!

Quinoa and Vegetable Tacos
Vegetarian Journal, Vol. 30, Issue One 2011

• 1 large sweet potato or yam, washed and diced
• 1 medium potato, washed and diced
• 1 onion, peeled, outer skin removed, and diced
• 1 ½ cup sliced carrots (1/2-inch slices)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ cups Warm Quinoa and Corn Salad
• 1 ½ cups shredded lettuce
• 1 or 2 cups chopped medium-sized tomatoes
• Salsa
• 1 package prepared vegan taco shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place potatoes, onions, and carrots in a large baking dish.

Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and place in the oven. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally for approximately 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

While the vegetables roast, assemble the remaining ingredients. Microwave the Quinoa and Corn Salad for a few minutes or until warmed. Layer the quinoa and corn, roasted vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa in taco shells.

This year got off to a rocky start due to a mending arm after a bike accident which meant I spent a little less time in the kitchen. Once I got going, I did hit upon several recipes that are worth profiling here in my 2011 Year in Review.

Without further ado, the winners of the 2011 Veggin’ Awards go to…

Best Retro Entry: 1970′s Adobo Meatballs

We stepped into a time machine when I made these little guys for a disco potluck. They were spicy, delicious, and oh-so-retro paired with the classic cheezball with Ritz. I swear I heard the strains of Stayin’ Alive as we sashayed down the street carrying these plates to our friend’s house.

Best Product(s) Reviewed: Veggie Brothers Vegan Food Delivery

Heck, a giant box filled with dry ice and wonderfully prepared vegan food…what’s not to love? From soups to breakfast pastries, I had a great time eating and reviewing the Veggie Brother products. My toaster oven never had so much fun.

Best Guest Assistant Chefs -  The Cooking with Kids Series: Home-made Corn Dogs, Zippy Ranch Dip, Pizza-rific Lasagna and Zucchini Chippys

I have to say, the judge is a little biased on this one considering I’m the proud Auntie of my twin niece and nephew. It was a lot of fun messing up Nana’s kitchen with flour and goopy batter. Best of all, Nana did the clean up and we did all the eating!

Best Guest Assistant Chefs – Runner Ups: Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali in the Vegetarian Giro d’Italia cooking series.

The summer was filled with a flurry of vegetarian Italian recipes. Some of my favorites included: Gorgonzola Soup and Strozzapreti with a Mushroom Ragu. The stozzpreti entry does bring pause because it was a reflection after a very sad day in cycling.

Best Cycling Series: The Vegetarian Vuelta a Espana

From saffron to tomato soup to monkeys and food poisoning, I covered it all through this special series through Spain. If I had to pick my favorite recipes, I would have to say it was the  artichoke rice cakes with manchego cheese and the potatoes with saffron, almonds and bread crumbs. We ate a lot of cheese and saffron during the month of August.

Best Cycling Related Post – Chilled Soup Category: Chilled Avocado, Tomatillo and Cucumber Soup

Check this post out for a mini-history of California cuisine and a recipe for soup that was so fresh, healthy and unique with the saffron-lime ice as an extra adornment.

Best Guest Post: YoBimbo – Ridiculous Poblano Conglomeration

YoBimbo and her partner are allowed to cook for me whenever they’d like. For an “on the fly” recipe, this was indeed ridiculously good. (Seriously, when are you guys coming over again and feeding us?)

Best Recipe That’s Been Made Again and Again and Again:  Jalapeno and Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese, yum. Macaroni and cheese with spicy jalapenos and tomatoes? Triple yum. I’ve made this a million times since discovering this recipe. It just that good.

Best Ode to Faux Meat: Black Pepper “Chicken” Curry

Bottom line about fake meat products: It isn’t mean to taste like the meat, it’s meant to be a conveyance device for flavors. This recipe shows just that.

Best Recipe for Strapping to the Back of a Bike and Surviving the Ride to a Pot Luck: Stuffed Calabacitas (Squash Stuffed with Corn, Tomatoes, Green Chiles)

Hands-down, these were one of the best items I made on Veggin’ all year. And, they are sturdy little buggers, too. They lasted a bike ride through some cold and rainy weather, and after a quick visit back in the oven they were devoured in no time flat.

 And, there you have it folks, 2011 in the bag. Hope ya’ll have a healthy, happy new year. Stay tuned to what’s going to be an interesting 2012 here on Veggin’!

This vegetarian chicken divan pot pie tastes like it too hours to make when in fact, it only takes about 5 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook. (Just remember to thaw your puff pastry ahead of time.)

Because you’re only placing a few squares of puff pastry on the top, you don’t get overwhelmed by too much breading. The filling really is the star of the show. However, the success of the recipe depends on the portabello soup you use, so find a nice flavorful organic soup and you’ll be good to go.

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie
from the October 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times

• 4 cups broccoli florets (halved if large)
• 11/4 cups prepared creamy portobello mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise or soy mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. dry sherry or cooking sherry
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning (or 1/8 tsp. each ground thyme and ground sage)
• 1 lb. seitan, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or shredded vegan cheese of choice, optional
• 2/3 sheet (1/3 of 17.3-oz. pkg.) frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 425°F, and place oven rack in bottom third of oven. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish or oval casserole or gratin dish with cooking spray.

Place broccoli florets in microwave-safe casserole with lid, and add 3 Tbs. water. Cover, and microwave on high power 2 minutes. Stir, cover, and microwave 2 minutes more, or until broccoli is tender. Drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together soup, mayonnaise, sherry, and poultry seasoning in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Add seitan and broccoli florets; stir to combine. Transfer broccoli-seitan mixture to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.

Cut pastry into 6 equal squares. Place squares evenly over seitan mixture. (Filling does not need to be completely covered by squares.)

Bake 20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden and filling is hot and bubbly.

The other night I was faced with a couple portobello mushrooms that needed to be cooked. I grabbed some shredded parmesan, panko, sun-dried tomatoes and basil and voila! A new Veggin’ creation good enough for a quick weekday meal and uniquely flavorful enough for a dinner party for eight.

So quick and easy, I didn’t even bother with pictures from the intermediate steps.

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
by Megabeth

2 large portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
4 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3 to 4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for coating baking dish
panko crumbs
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely and place into bowl. Add cheese, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Drizzle a little olive oil in bottom of glass baking dish to lightly coat. Remove mushroom “gills” gently with a spoon.

Place mushrooms in baking dish. Put the filling in each prepared mushroom.

Sprinkle panko crumbs on top of filling.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.

You ever go to a restaurant, eat your meal, and wish you could recreate what you just ate at home? Shahi Paneer has been that elusive dish for me. Until now. This recipe nails it on the head.

This paneer in a creamy creamy cashew sauce with that oh-so-good flavor will keep you going back for more.

Shahi Paneer (Paneer in Cashew Sauce)
from Show Me the Curry

• Paneer – 14oz block (home-made or store bought), cubed
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Onions – 2 small, finely copped
• Tomato Sauce – 1, 8oz can
• Garlic – 3 cloves, finely chopped
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, grated
• Green Chili – to taste, finely chopped
• Cumin Powder – 2 tsp
• Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
• Garam Masala – 2 tsp
• Cashew Pieces – ¾ cup
• Milk- 1 cup
• Water – 1 1/2 cup
• Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Cilantro – 5 sprigs, finely chopped for garnishing

Soak cashews in milk for about 15 min or until ready to use.

Heat 2 tbsp Oil in a medium size non-stick wok on medium to high heat. Add Onions and fry until they start to dry out. Add Ginger, Garlic and Green Chili and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add Tomato Sauce, stir well and cook until oil separates.

While Onions/Tomato Sauce is cooking, blend soaked Cashews and Milk in a blender until smooth.

Once Onion/Tomato mixture is ready, add Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and GaramMasala – mix well.

Add Cashew and Milk mixture and mix well. There should be no lumps in the gravy.

Add Water, Salt and Sugar and bring to boil.

While waiting for the gravy to boil, sauté cubed Paneer in 1 tbsp oil, on medium to high heat in a non-stick pan. Once Paneer is light gold/brown in color, take it out on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Once gravy comes to a boil, add in Paneer and mix.

Garnish with fresh cilantro or with additional broken cashews.

Serves 6.

Quinoa. I’ve cooked with it many times here on Veggin’, and I can’t say enough about it. It’s so easy to cook and it packs a punch with protein that it really should be in every pantry.

This quinoa and corn salad is fabulous warm or cold on it’s own. You can also pair it with other recipes, including one I’ll be featuring here on Veggin’ very soon. Stay tuned!

And, before I forget, let’s talk how easy this is to make. You cook the quinoa, whisk up the dressing and take a minute to chop some fresh herbs and scallions and you’re done. Look forward to the leftovers, the longer it sits, the better it gets.

Warm Quinoa and Corn Salad
from  Vegetarian Journal

Quinoa and Corn

• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• One 15-ounce can corn, drained and rinsed

Bring water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, add the quinoa and corn, bring to a second boil, and then reduce heat again.

Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until grains have absorbed all of the water. While the quinoa and corn cook, prepare the dressing.

Dressing

• 4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, and garlic. Add cayenne, if desired.

(So, easy that I didn’t even think to take a picture of this step!)

Finishing and Serving

• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped curly parsley or peppercress
• 1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts (I used pecans)

When quinoa is done, transfer to a medium-sized serving bowl. Blend the dressing, scallions, and parsley into the quinoa. Top each serving with some walnuts (or pecans). Serve with a steamed vegetable side dish.