Scrappy Saturday: Pointless Soup

My mom's doing Weight Watchers, and once told me about their "No-Point Soup." I, of course, decided to call it "pointless" instead. It's delicious, lasts forever, is high in flavor and fiber, low in fat, and is so easy to make. It is also perfect for using up your scraps from the week.

For this soup, you'll need to have assorted veggies, including something leafy. You will also need a can of diced tomatoes and some herbs.

I started by heating about a tablespoon of olive oil in our largest pot along with a splash of white wine. While that was getting warm, I diced a Walla Walla onion and a few shallots. As I was finished cutting, I immediately put the veggies into the pot. For this soup, you don't need to have everything cut ahead of time (though you are certainly welcome to). I threw in a few cloves of minced garlic and gave it all a stir.

While it was getting soft (and smelling great), I turned my attention to the carrots we had lying around. I peeled and chopped them, and into the pot they went. I found half a head of green cabbage and put that in. By that time, everything was smelling nice, so I covered it with water and added a scoop of Better Than Bouillon. Under ideal circumstances, I'd use homemade stock, but I didn't have it on hand.

While that was bubbling away, I opened a 28-oz can of diced tomatoes and a 4 oz can of tomato paste, and into the pot they went. I also ran out into the garden and grabbed some fresh thyme, oregano, and marjoram, which I stripped off the stems, chopped, and put into the pot. I then sliced up a bunch of Italian kale and put that in, then turned down the heat and put the lid on.

I seasoned it with a bit of salt and black pepper, then a splash of balsamic vinaigrette.

Tips:
1. This keeps very well in the fridge and would also freeze well.

2. To make it largely fat-free, you can use stock to saute the aromatics. To make it richer, add a drizzle of olive oil (I like the basil kind) over each serving. You could also put on some cheese.

3. To make it heartier, add some cooked beans. You could also add pasta. Orzo is nice.

Scrappy Saturday: Middle Eastern-Inspired Quinoa and Eggplant

This weekend SPUD brought us scallions, radishes, grape tomatoes, and an eggplant. I decided to dispatch of them before they got sad and floppy in the produce drawer. My mom hates it when we waste food, but all too often, produce is forgotten (or used the same way over and over). Some of my tomatoes also had (finally) ripened, so a plan came together quickly. It may seem like a lot of work, but it only took me about an hour, including the time when I had to run to the store to grab a cucumber.

I decided to make some quinoa tabbouleh with Middle Eastern-inspired eggplant and a yogurt-mint sauce.

To make the quinoa tabbouleh, you will need:
1 c. uncooked quinoa
2 c. of water
1/2-1 t. salt
3-4 scallions, depending on size
1 c. cherry tomatoes
1 English cucumber
2-3 lemons, depending on size
olive oil
grated black pepper

1. Bring the water to boil in a saucepan that will hold at least 4 cups. Add the salt if you wish.

2. Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa. Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and cover it. Set a timer for 15 minutes.

3. While that's going, prep the vegetables. Slice the scallions (you want a total of about 1/4-1/2 c.), quarter the cucumber lengthwise and slice it (you want about 1 c.), cut the tomatoes in half if they are bigger than bite-size. If you have time, mince a handful of fresh parsley. Toss this into a large bowl.

4. When the timer goes off, check the quinoa. Give it a quick stir. If you can still see water that has not been absorbed, leave it on the burner, uncovered, for another minute or so. Once the water is gone, set the pot aside for a few minutes to let the quinoa cool slightly, stirring now and then. When it's cool enough that you can touch it without scalding yourself, put it into the bowl with the veggies and fold them together. (If you ran out of time before, you can chop and add the parsley now.)

5. Whisk together approximately equal parts fresh lemon juice and olive oil. I wound up using three medium lemons for about 1/3 a c. of juice. I like to put in fresh pepper as well. I didn't need salt, because the quinoa had been salted, but you can adjust seasoning to your liking. Toss the dressing into the salad and taste. You might need more of something. I do hope you don't need less, as it is too late.

For the eggplant:
1 medium eggplant
a couple of lemons
olive oil
tahini
water
cumin, cayenne

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Juice one of the lemons into a bowl.

2. Cut the stem end off of the eggplant and peel it. Cut it into medium cubes, dropping into the bowl of lemon juice and tossing as you go. You might need to add more lemon juice. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil.

3. Spread the eggplant cubes onto the greased cookie sheet, tossing to coat. Put into the oven. Set the timer for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, use a spatula to turn the eggplant cubes. Set the timer for another ten minutes.

4. After about 5 minutes, check the eggplant. Give one of the pieces a stab with a small knife. If it seems crunchy, leave the eggplant in the oven. If it is tender, pull a piece out and give it a taste. When it's done, take it out and leave it to cool slightly.

5. Make the sauce. Squeeze about 1 T. of lemon juice into a bowl. (If you hate dishes, like me, use the one that you already had out for the eggplant.) Add 2 T. of tahini and whisk together. It will be thick and it might seize up, but fear not. It will be fine. Add 1/4 c. of warm water, you want a semi-thick liquid, about the consistency of crepe batter. Season with cayenne and cumin.

6. Put the eggplant into the sauce and toss. That's it!

For the yogurt-mint sauce, I used the last quarter cup of yogurt (use plain, of course), 2 T. of minced fresh mint, and 1 T. of minced Walla Walla onion. Just mix together. It doesn't get much easier than that!

I served it with pita bread and the hummus that was on sale at the store.

Vegan Vendredi: Cherry Almond Sauce

Here we are again, on Vegan Vendredi.

My mom had half a pint of Bing cherries languishing in her fridge and asked me if I could think of anything to do with them. Of course I could.

I first pitted them. I did it the lazy way. I put a cherry on the cutting board, put the flat side of my knife over it, then smashed it. Pull out the pit and you're done! (This also works for peeling garlic, if you didn't know. However, you should definitely wash the knife and cutting board between peeling garlic and mashing cherries.

Then, I had a nice pile of pitted cherries.

I put these, along with as much juice as I could, into a saucepan with about 1 1/2 T. of maple syrup. I tossed in 1 t. of homemade elderberry Aquavit and a shot and a half of blackstrap rum. I let it simmer for awhile, then poured in about a quarter cup of plain almond milk. When I tasted mine, it was a bit too sweet for me, so I added the juice of half a lemon (also found languishing in the fridge). It turned out well after that... not too sweet and not too sour.

Let it simmer, and you're done! If I'd had almond extract, I probably would have put in 1/8th of a teaspoon. Alas, I did not. I will probably put some chopped almonds on top. I am planning to serve this over some vanilla soy ice cream.

Tipsy Tuesday: Bananas Foster Bread

I decided, on the fly, that Tuesdays will be Tipsy Tuesdays. Folks who know me know that I have a tendency to put booze into half of the things that I bake. Of course the alcohol cooks out of most things. However, my frosting is often pretty high-octane (not for kids).

This recipe is completely child-friendly. All of the alcohol cooks out. It's based on Betty Crocker's recipe for Banana Nut Bread. It differs from regular banana nut bread in that it's a bit richer, with a slightly burned-sugar-caramel note to the crust. It's also a bit moister and less cakey than some banana breads. It's great hot out of the oven with butter or margarine, and I bet it would be nice with nut butter as well.

2-3 overripe bananas
about 3/4 c. brown sugar, divided
1 T. butter
about 1/4 c. dark rum (or more... I used more of the blackstrap rum)
1 t. cinnamon, or more if you like
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. white sugar
3 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
3 T. canola oil
1/3 c. milk (or dairy alternative, unflavored)
1 egg (or equivalent)
1 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Slice the bananas and toss them into a nonstick skillet with 1/4-1/3 c. of brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is melted, stirring often. Turn the heat down a bit and let them bubble and caramelize. Tip the mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and mash them up. There will be some lumps. Tap the bottom gently on the counter to remove air bubbles, or give it a little stir. Add the cinnamon. Check how much of the mixture you have. You should have around 1 cup. Add enough rum to make the volume 1 1/4 c.

In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add the bananas, milk, oil, and eggs, and stir well. It will be thick. Mix in the nuts.

Tip the mixture into a nonstick 9 by 5 loaf pan. I suggest greasing the bottom a bit. Pop that bad boy into the oven. It will take about an hour to cook, but start stabbing it with a skewer after around 50 or 55 minutes, especially if your oven likes to burn things.

Once the skewer comes out clean, take the loaf pan out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack. After 10-15 minutes, turn the pan over. You can use a metal spatula to ease the loaf out if it's sticking. Be gentle... this loaf is a bit crumbly sometimes. Let it cool for another half an hour or so before you start to slice it, or you might wind up with a handful of delicious crumbs (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Enjoy, and stay tuned for my next Tipsy Tuesday. I just might have to make some of my famed cocktail cupcakes!

Meatless Mondays: The Sandwich

This is it. The sandwich. Even a carnivore liked it. As for the vegetarians? Well, bliss! The secret's in the sauce. :-) (And shhh! It's vegan!)

Here's how to make it.

First, make the Cole Slaw. That way, you can let it mellow while you're preparing everything.
You will need:
1/4 head of cabbage
1 firm, sweet apple (I usually use Gala or Pink Lady)
1 small, sweeter onion (I used a young Walla Walla this time)
1/4-1/2 c. Vegannaise (you can use regular mayo if you eat eggs and prefer it)
2-4 T. Cider vinegar
Prepared mustard, to taste
Agave nectar (you can use white sugar if you prefer), to taste

Chop, slice, or grate the cabbage and put it into a large bowl.
Grate the apple (skin and all) and onion (not the skin, please) into a smaller bowl. Add the Vegannaise and stir well. The sauce will be thick and chunky, which is okay. Add some mustard. I use about a tablespoonful, depending on how hot it is. Stir it all together. Then, add in the agave nectar (I use about the same amount of sweetener as I do mustard... add it slowly, as the apples and cabbage are sweet). Stir it all together. Add some cider vinegar. The sauce will still be full of lumps, but it won't hold its shape at all. Dump it onto the cabbage and stir well. Give it a taste. If it needs something, add it. You might need to add more Vegannaise if the sauce didn't cover everything.

Put that in the fridge.

Now, for the Barbecued Tofu.
You will need:
A block of extra firm tofu
About a cup and a half of your barbecue sauce
Half an orange
A dried chili pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put the barbecue sauce into a pot on the stove and heat it gently. Add the juice from the orange and the dried chili and stir. Let it bubble gently.
Slice the tofu. You want about 8 slices from the block.
Put about half of the sauce into a bowl and coat each slice of tofu with it. Place the tofu slices on a lightly greased cookie sheet and put it in the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. (You can alter the cooking time and temperature depending on how you like your tofu. A hotter oven or longer cooking time will make it chewier and get you some of that nice burned-on caramelized sauce. A cooler oven will keep the tofu more tender.)
When the tofu is done, take it off of the cookie sheets and cube it. Be careful, it's hot! Toss the tofu cubes with half of the remaining barbecue sauce.

To assemble the sandwiches, toast your rolls or buns. Melt some cheddar (Follow Your Heart makes a great vegan cheddar) onto the tops. Put the tofu on the bottom bun. Add some diced, drained pineapple if you want to. Drizzle with more sauce if you would like to. Top that with a scoop of the cole slaw. Put the cheesy bun on top of that. Eat it.

You will probably need napkins, and this is a bad choice for a first date.

Seafair and Sauce

My mom lives in a neighborhood has an excellent view of the Blue Angels, so I invited some friends over. I decided to do my version of a barbecued tofu sandwich that I'd had years ago when I was in graduate school.

I love barbecue sauce. It's sweet, tart, spicy, savory, smoky... whatever you want it to be. Furthermore, it goes great on everything except maybe ice cream. While I certainly could buy pre-made, it's so easy to make that I decided to do it myself. The basic ratio for barbecue sauce is one part cider vinegar, one part ketchup, and about one half a part of sweetener. You can then season it however you want.

I started with a small Walla Walla onion from the farmer's market, which I sauteed in a tablespoon or two of canola oil. I use canola oil rather than olive because it is more neutral-flavored. While the onion was sauteing, I added some cloves of garlic and a shallot. (You don't need to chop these too finely; you'll be putting this in the blender.)

Once they have started to caramelize, add a cup of ketchup and a cup of cider vinegar. Sprinkle in some brown sugar and a good dose of molasses. I'd imagine that I used about an eighth a cup of brown sugar and 3/8ths a cup of molasses. I let it simmer for awhile, then added 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke, some salt, pepper, and cayenne. Give it a taste. If it's too sweet, add more vinegar. If it's too vinegary, add molasses or brown sugar. If you want some more heat, put in some Tabasco. If you want some fun, add some blackstrap rum.

Take the mixture off of the heat and set it aside for a little while to cool, then whir it in the blender until it's smooth. (If you have an immersion blender, you don't need to let it cool as much.)

That's it! Tomorrow, I'll tell you about how I tweaked the sauce and put together the sandwich... there will be a great recipe for vegan cole slaw.

Big plans... Sweet Love!

So a few weeks ago, it was my friend Steven's birthday. Our mutual friend Kirsten and I had him over for brunch and cake. In addition to the vegan chocolate cake (the same one as in my blog last week), I made white chocolate-filled, dark chocolate-dipped strawberries. I call this Sweet Love. (Cute, isn't it?)

To do this, I made a vegan white chocolate ganache (cocoa butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and soy milk... I'll dink around with it and post a recipe one of these days) and squirted it into the strawberries, then dunked them into melted dark chocolate.

When buying a food injector, keep in mind what you will be using it for. The ones that are designed primarily for injecting marinades into meat might have multiple holes at the end. This would work fine if you were injecting tofu, veggies, or seitan, but for a smaller item like a strawberry, you want to find one that just has a hole at the end like a regular syringe. (Otherwise, you might find a mess on your hands, literally.)

Make the ganache. This time around, I'll be making regular white chocolate ganache with dairy. You heat heavy cream and pour it over chopped white chocolate, then stir until it's melted. If it doesn't cooperate, you can heat it gently in the microwave or put the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Once it's smooth, spoon it into your injector. You will probably need less than you imagine.

Use a skewer to poke holes in the tips of the strawberries, then put in the syringe and squirt out the ganache. Leave the strawberries to set as much as possible while you fill the rest. Once all of the are filled, melt the dark chocolate. If you know how to temper it, you can do so to make it prettier. Then, just dunk the berries as you usually would. Because the white chocolate ganache has set somewhat, it won't run out of the hole.

Troubleshooting: If you don't have an injector, you can still make this. You'll just wind up with a lot more white chocolate filling, and the berries will be booby-trapped! Just core the strawberries (cut off the tops and remove the white part from the middle) and fill them with melted white chocolate. Don't use ganache here unless you have a long time to let them set. Once the white chocolate has set, dip the filled berries into dark chocolate. You might want to lower them into the chocolate with a spoon or a fork so the white chocolate doesn't fall out.