Sunday Dinner- Pan Roasted Asparagus, Tofu and Quinoa Pasta

Well, well, well..... I want to have a place to archive these recipes (again!), so back to posting I go- this way, I will save the time of having to write these all down and put them in a recipe book (although, in all honesty, I would like to write recipes down and be able to put them in a cute little recipe book, maybe this is something I need to purchase).

I made a bunch of more complicated things for the week (pictures and recipes to follow as I eat them), but I was in the mood for something quick, tasty and unusual. This fits the bill for me, since I rarely eat pasta. I feel like a "vegan dinner" I hear about all of the time is some combination of greens/veggies, protein and pasta, but I have just never jumped on the train, I guess. This is actually pretty tasty, so I might just make something similar again.

It is also unusual because I don't really eat asparagus. I like it- I just never buy it. I was getting my haircut on Saturday and noticed it was the first day of the Boulder Farmers Market. I was always under the impression that farmer's markets were supposed to be affordable ($6 for a bunch of asparagus that I am eating in its entirety in the pasta & $3.50 for some field greens of some sort for a salad), but I guess not here. In any event, I guess I should be a GBL (Good Boulder Liberal) and support some local farmers. The asparagus, being that it is in season, is delicious. I would have loved it even more grilled, but alas, there is no grill to be found.

Since the chili-annatto tofu was already made, this was super fast.

Chili-Annatto Oil (for the tofu and whatever else)

-1/4 c peanut oil (sesame would be good too!)
-Red pepper flakes to taste
-1-2 whole chile de arbol pods
- 1/4 tsp annatto seeds

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet or saucepan until warmed, but not smoking
2. Add in the annatto seeds and heat the oil until it turns deep orange. Fish out the annatto seeds and throw them away
3. Add in the red pepper flakes and chile de arbol pods. Turn off heat and let oil cool.
4. Using a funnel, transfer oil from pan to container.

Chili-Annatto Tofu:
2 blocks extra-firm tofu (drained and pressed for 30 minutes)
Chili-Annatto Oil for coating
1 tsp Mexican Oregano, crumbled between fingers
1 tsp tomato paste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Stir marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Toss the tofu to coat and spread on baking sheet/pan
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Flip, then bake for 15 more minutes (you may need to add more oil).

Pan-Roasted Asparagus
1 large bunch asparagus, chopped into small pieces
4 cloves of garlic, smashed/chopped
1 tbs. coconut oil

Directions:
1. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant
3. Add in the asparagus and saute over medium until desired doneness.
4. At the last few minutes of cooking, add-in tofu to warm.

To Assemble:
1. Cook the pasta according to directions, and drain. Add the asparagus and tofu mixture.
2. Whisk together the juice of 1 lemon, lots of black pepper and pour over pasta.

Portobello Feijoada

 

OK, so it is beginning to seem like I say, "I don't really like soup," and then eat lots of soup. Well, I guess I should say that I don't really like most soups; however, both of the soups I have made from Viva Vegan have been freakin' fantastic. See the amazing awesomeness that was Guatita here. 

For my next jump into stew/soup making madness, I decided to try the Potobello Feijoada, a bean, seitan and mushroom-laced mountain of tasty. I served it up with sliced oranges and super-steamed (because I wasn't paying attention) kale w/sesame seeds and a sprinkle of lime juice.

Potobello Mushroom Feijoada

Ingredients
-. 2 cans black beans, rinsed w/1 1/2 c. of water
- 1 pkg. (or 2 c.) seitan, diced/sliced
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 4 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 jalapeno, diced (not a part of the original, but I added it)
- 1/3 c. veggie broth
- 1/2 lb. portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 c. veggie broth

Make it:

1. Put beans and water in small/medium saucepan and simmer until heated and soft (I did this for about 15 minutes or so while I prepped other ingredients and started the soup)
2. Put olive oil and garlic in a large pot and fry for 30 seconds. Add diced jalapeno and sautee for about 5 more minutes.
3. Add 1/2 c. of broth to de-glaze, stirring and bringing to a simmer. Stir in mushrooms, seitan, cumin, liquid smoke, thyme and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In blender, put about 1/2 to 3/4 the amount of beans in the blender w/liquid (I added too much, you would probably want like 1/4 c. here) and puree the beans.
5. Add the remaining beans from the saucepan to the soup. Add the 2 c. of veggie broth and then the pureed bean mixture. Partially cover and bring to a quick simmer.
6. Lower heat, keep partially covered, and simmer until mixture thickens, about 30-40 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld (and soup to cool!) before eating.

Here is another picture of my bowl of soup up close:

Delicious as is- however, I think it would be even tastier had I not pureed the beans with as much water as I did. Mental note for next time, taken.

What I ate: Super Tasty Viva Vegan-Inspired Edition

I could also have titled this post "Oh snap- time to use up the rest of my aji amarillo paste.....Next day: Oh snap, I am out of aji amarillo paste." Yes, I say "Oh snap" when I am thinking of marinades and pepper pastes. Now that I have been in possession of Viva Vegan for quite sometime, making marinades/sauces/beans with these kinds of flavor profiles seems to come together pretty quickly. This meal was surprisingly simple, nice and spicy, and healthy as well.

Tofu with Aji Amarillo Marinade:

Ingredients:
-1 pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for about 30 minutes, cut into pieces
- 2 tbs. of aji amarillo paste (it was a little more, since I was at the end of the jar)
- small palm (1 1/2 tsp-ish) roasted cumin (or regular would be fine)
- small palm (1 1/2 tsp-ish) Mexican oregano, crushed in palm
- 4-5 shakes of Tamari (um, maybe 2 tsp. worth)
- 2 tbs. olive or peanut oil (all out of peanut, so alas, I used olive)
-  juice of one small lime
- 1/2 c. veggie broth

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Whisk ingredients together and put tofu in to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
3. Line a baking dish w/aluminum foil (not necessary, but I find it saves a sticky mess)
4. Put about 1-2 tsp. olive oil in bottom of dish and then add tofu. Pour marinade on top and put in the oven.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until tofu turns golden brown

Ok, so you may be saying, "What else do I see in the picture?" I had about 5 leftover sliced portobello mushrooms that I threw in w/the tofu to cook. Nothing spectacular, but useful!

I served this alongside of (*gasp*) plain brown rice and steamed kale. I squeezed a little lime juice and S&P over the sides and it was good to go.

Aji amarillo is definitely my favorite pepper paste/condiment/marinade maker. I am sad that I am all out....normally, I would rush to the store to get some; however, with the massive snow storm we are expected to get in the next 2 days, I will probably hold off for a week.

What I ate: Veganomicon Edition.....

So, I have not been posting in a while. Between school, work, (yeah, I know this is starting to sound familiar) and other stuff, remembering to post food stuff doesn't exactly rank high on the list.

But, this does not mean I haven't been cooking. Case in point, this concoction of soul-food inspired dishes. I have to admit, the tofu was my least favorite part. I think I put too much liquid smoke in the marinade. It was slightly overwhelming.  The beans were my favorite- spicy and delicious! Anyways, here are the super-long list of recipes:

BBQ Black-eyed Peas (and Pinto Beans!)

Ingredients:
-2 cups cooked beans (I used a mixture of black eyed peas and pinto beans)
-1 package tempeh, crumbled
-2 tsp. oil
-4 cloves minced garlic
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. red pepper flakes (I added more than this)
- 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1/3 c. agave nectar (I used a little less than this, but it was still fine)
- 1/3 c. red wine vinegar
-1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
-2 tsp. liquid smoke

Make the sauce:
1. Preheat a saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
2. Add all of the other ingredients besides the mustard and liquid smoke, and cook for about 30 minutes (more if you can).
3. Add the mustard and liquid smoke and taste. Cook for 5 more minutes.
4. Puree sauce in blender to get rid of any clumps.

Make the beans:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. In a medium-sized dish (I went good old cast iron), add the cooked beans, sauce and crumbled tempeh.
3. Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened (about 45 minutes- 1 hour).

Smoky Grilled Tofu and Sauteed Kale

Ingredients:
-1 pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for at least 30 minutes, cut into triangles
- 1 large bunch of kale
-3/4 c. veggie broth
- 3 tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tbs. ACV (apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tbs. liquid smoke
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- 2 cloves crushed garlic

Make it:

1. Whisk all of the ingredients together  and put the tofu triangles in the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes, shaking occasionally to coat it all evenly.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Put tofu in a shallow baking dish, spooning extra marinade on top and bottom to coat.
3. Cook until desired doneness- about 20 minutes for me.


Kale: 

1. Add 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1 tbs. olive oil to skillet and heat for about 30 seconds.
2. Add kale and coat w/olive oil mixture.
3. Spoon on remaining marinade, lower heat and sautee for about about 5 minutes, or until done.

Jalapeno Cornbread:

Ingredients:
- 2 c. plain soy milk
- 2 tsp. ACV
- 2 c. cornmeal
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
-1/3 c. vegetable oil

-2-3 jalapenos, sliced finely and sauteed in 1 tsp. oil in large skillet (take out jalapenos and save skillet- use it to make the cornbread)

Make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine soy milk and vinegar in bowl and set aside to curdle
3. Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt. Create a well in the center, and add the milk/vinegar mixture and oil. Mix until just combined and no huge lumps remain.
4. Pour mixture into skillet. Sprinkle sliced jalapenos on top and bake for 30-35 minutes- until a toothpick comes out clean

This was a somewhat intensive meal (I made the beans and cornbread the night before, so it was super easy to make the tofu and kale the next night), but it was worth it after the week I had leading up to it. While I still liked the tofu, I definitely would have liked a little more spice (and a little less liquid smoke!) but it was still a success:)

Kale Chips and Chile-Glazed Tempeh

I just realized how long it has been since I have posted anything. A while. I started my adjunct jobs at two local institutions of higher learning, with a whopping 5 classes this semester. I also started a part-time slightly-more-than-minimum-wage job so, in the event that I when I get into a PhD program, I may actually be able to move.

Toledo being the place that it is, there aren't a whole lot of jobs available that don't involve retail, so I was glad to find this one. Anyways, today is Friday- my ONE DAY OFF for the week. :)

Accordingly, I went to the gym, checked the Aggie Fund mailbox, uploaded material for my online courses, did some shopping, and cooked a tasty (and quick) dinner: chile-sauce glazed tempeh and kale chips. Hurray! As in, "Hurray, it was effn' delicioso!"

Recipe, ahoy:

Kale Chips
1. Preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 350F.
2. Take a large bunch of curly kale (really, how much you make depends on how large your pan is, you don't want the kale to overlap)
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the kale with the following ingredients (depending on how much you want to make, your measurements may be different. You want everything coated, but there shouldn't be any saucy-ness at the bottom of the bowl):

--1 tbs. olive oil
--2 tbs. ACV (apple cider vinegar)
--1/4 tsp. Paprika
--1/8-1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

4. Cook until crispy (again, depending on amount), about 20-25 minutes.

For the Tempeh:

Chile Marinade:

--1/4 c. orange juice
--1/4 c. vegetable stock
--2 Tbs. Peanut oil
--1 Tbs. Tamari soy sauce
--1 heaping Tbs. Aji Amarillo paste
--1 tsp. Aji Panca paste (optional)
--2 tsp. Mexican oregano
--2 heaping tsp. roasted cumin (or regular cumin)

1. Slice the tempeh into 10-12 slices. Steam for 10 minutes (this helps the tempeh absorb the marinade).
2. Put the tempeh in the marinade and let marinade for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.
3. When ready, heat 2 tbs. olive oil in large cast iron skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Add tempeh and cook for 4-5 minutes each side, adding tsp. of remaining marinade as tempeh is cooking.
4. Heat remainder of marinade over low heat and pour over cooked tempeh.

I love, love, love kale chips! I could eat them everyday. The two flavors really don't match together; however, I will eat kale chips with anything.

First Meal Back After Holiday Eating Disasters....

So, after being at my parents for Christmas and in Cincinnati with my friends for NYE, I had done my fair share of unhealthy eating (um, and drinking). I decided to make a somewhat healthier meal*, but make sure it was packed with lots of vegetables and colors (I can't wait to get Color Me Vegan--I am pretty sure it's a still-to-come XMas/Birthday Gift for me!), so I went with a recipe from my roomies copy of Color Me Vegan and a delicious vegetable concoction I threw together.

I was iffy about making the rice--I generally do not go for sweet-themed things for anything other than desert; however, I am really, really glad I did (and also super-excited for the leftover rice for lunch today!) So, without further ado (since I am not quite through my cup of coffee and short on words), the recipes:

Yellow Rice with Chickpeas, Sweet Potato and Collards

For the Rice:

(I used a rice cooker for this; however, if you were making it in a saucepan, you would still throw everything together at the beginning. Then, bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and simmer for 50 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Also, this is the halved recipe from CMV, since I didn't need that many leftovers!)


South African Yellow Rice with Raisins (Geelrys):
--1 1/2 c. long-grain brown rice
--3 c. water (don't use stock here, this is a sweet rice & I think this would ruin the flavor)
--1 Tbs. Earth Balance or other vegan butter
--1/4 tsp. Tumeric
--1 small cinnamon stick
--pinch of salt (1/4 tsp? 1/2 tsp?)
--1/2 Tbs. sugar
--pinch of saffron (the original recipe doesn't call for this ingredient, but I get it super cheap at San Marcos and love the color and aroma it adds!)
--1/2 c. raisins (I used golden raisins to keep with the yellow color of the rice; however, traditionally the recipe uses regular raisins--wait, are the non-golden "regular" raisins? That's what I have always thought of them as, so I am going with it!)
--zest from 1/2 large lemon

Make it:
1. Put the ingredients in a rice cooker (or see the notes above for non-rice cooker method)
2. Once done, remove the cinnamon stick and fluff the rice
3. Done!

For the Beans, Greens, and uh, Starches:

--1 large sweet potato (or more or less, depending on how much you want in the dish), peeled and diced
--1 can chickpeas, drained
--Julienned Collard greens (again, no specific amount, just as much as you want)
--2 cloves garlic, crushed/diced finely
--2 tbs. Olive Oil
--1 tsp. cumin
--juice from 1 lemon and zest from 1/2 lemon
--cracked pepper to taste

Make it:
1. Peel and dice the sweet potato and boil in water until nearly fork tender (12-15 minutes). Set aside.
2. Julienne the collards and set aside.
3. In a large skillet on medium/medium high heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Fry garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add chickpeas and cumin and saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5-8 minutes (if you wanted crunchy potatoes, you could add them earlier and cook them longer...)
6. Add in collards, lemon juice and zest. Mix everything around to coat with oil, juice and spices. Turn the heat down, and let simmer and meld together for a few minutes until the collards are tender.

Assemble:
(This is never my strong suit, by the way)

1. Plate the rice and veggie/bean mixture on a plate. Garnish with sesame seeds (I used black sesame seeds)
2. Enjoy:)

*Sorry about the picture, the batteries were dead on my camera, so I took it with my cell phone.

Weekly Massive Meal: An Italian Feast

So, I have decided that I am going to do a large, (um, maybe?) fancy dinner once a week. Reasons for this are twofold: (1) I do not have the money to make fancy pants meals all the time; and, (2) I do not have the time to make fancy pants meals all the time. Last week I made this. And it was awesome. But, this week I wanted to do something different. When I think "big meal," my mind instantly goes "Latin-themed," so I felt like branching out a little and eating something different. Natch: Italian.

I saw an episode of "Giada at Home" on the Food Network recently, and she made this unintentionally vegan pasta dish, pasta alla formiana. It sounded interesting (as you will see below: you don't precook the pasta, it just bakes) and yums, plus I have seen it around on other vegan food blogs I frequent. I decided it seemed not only doable, but pretty cheap to put together. To go with it, I made some garlic bread and a yummy warm bean salad.

Time for recipes galore!

Pasta alla Formiana:

Ingredients:

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced/chopped

1/2 pound whole wheat penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling (this is what the recipe calls for, I actually did a little less)

1/4 cup dried oregano (yes, 1/4 CUP. You have gotta love oregano to love this dish!)

Salt and Pepper to taste

4-5 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut into slices

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 450F.

-Blend together crushed tomatoes and garlic in blender.
-Pour into a medium bowl and add uncooked pasta, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss together until coated.

-Grease a baking dish (if using glass). I used another type, so I lined it w/aluminum foil and coated w/some olive oil.

-Line the bottom and sides of dish with sliced tomatoes

-Pour in the pasta/sauce mixture and spread evently

-Top with sliced tomatoes, then drizzle the top w/a little olive oil and a couple of cracks of pepper.

-Bake at 450 for about 1 hour, until pasta is cooked. Let cool before digging in!

Garlic Bread 

(from The Vegan Table)

Ingredients:

-1 loaf crusty bread (I went with good ol' Italian)

-5-6 cloves garlic, minced 

-1/4 c. olive oil (you could probably melt down some Earth Balance instead, if you wanted)

-parsley (optional)

-pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 (I used the toaster oven for the pasta and the "big" oven for the bread)

- Cut bread in-half, lengthwise

-In a small bowl, mix together garlic, olive oil, parsley and S&P

-Spread mixture over the bread evenly

-Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Canellini and Roasted Red Pepper Salad w/Lemony Parsley Pesto

Ingredients:

- 1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained

- 1 (or more if you like) roasted red pepper, sliced into strips

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 1/2 c. flat leaf parsley

-  1/4 c. olive oil + 1 tbs. for pan

- 2-4 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

-S&P to taste

- red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

For the pesto:

(I made this about 30 minutes before I made the beans, so the flavors would have time to meld!)

-Blend the parsley, 1 clove of minced garlic, S&P, lemon juice and red pepper flakes in a food processor.

-Add in 1/4 c. olive oil (or more or less, depending on desired consistency).

-Set aside and let it meld into lemony, parsley awesomeness....

For the Beans:

-Drizzle enough oil in the pan to fry the remaining 1 clove of garlic (for about 30 seconds, or till fragrant)

- Add the roasted red peppers and stir on medium for 1-2 minutes

-Add the beans and heat through (about 3 minutes)

I served the beans over romaine lettuce with a drizzle of the pesto on the top. It was sooooooo good!!

Here is the entire (way to large) plate:

 

I loved this entire meal!!! A couple of words of warning; however: if you do not like the following ingredients:

1. Lemon

2. Oregano

3. Tomatoes

DO NOT, under any circumstances, make this meal! The pasta is amazing, and the oregano flavor is really pronounced. Perhaps my favorite part was the pesto. When I took a small taste after blending it, I thought "Oh, shit, I have screwed this up," because it was soooooooooooo lemony; however, when just drizzling it over the beans and romaine, it was PERFECT!

I don't eat Italian-style food very often, but this whole meal inspired me to rethink that position.