Friday, August 25, 2017

Recipe Thursday: Simple Dahl.


I’m sharing another one of my old recipes. I took a poll on Facebook, and this was the recipe people wanted to see.  It’s one of my kids favorite recipes ever.
If you can’t find black mustard seeds, leave them out. It’s not a big deal…  everything else should be easily found in any well stocked grocery store. One tip about spices: buy them in bulk from a health food store or whole foods. They are so much cheaper!
I use a lot of garlic. I recommend it, but if you don’t want to use as much feel free to cut down. If you are sensitive to heat, then start with 2 tbsp. of ginger.
I love this recipe so much! I hope you do too.
SIMPLE DAHL
  • 3 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 10 cloves garlic, pressed
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp. curry powder
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • 2-4 tbsp. freshly chopped ginger
  • 1 lb. red lentils
  • 4-6 cups vegetable broth (I use better than bouillon)
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • Braggs or Soy Sauce to taste
  • 1 cup chopped, fresh tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp. diced, raw red onion
  • 1 lime, cut into 8 pieces
Method:
  1. In a heavy bottom 4 qt. pan over medium heat, add the oil, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the onion and garlic along with the salt. Cook for around 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  2. Add the rest of the spices and toast with the onion mixture for around 1 minute, then add the ginger, lentils and broth (start with 4 cups)
  3. Bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook for around 30 minutes, adding more broth if needed.
  4. When lentils are cooked, stir in the cilantro, lemon juice and zest, sesame oil, and season with Braggs or soy sauce.
  5. Serve over basmati rice and top with fresh tomatoes, raw onion, and a wedge of lime.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Recipe Thursday: Groundnut Stew

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I am going to be sharing a recipe every Thursday! It's only fitting that I will share the very first recipe I ever posted online, way back in May 2006 on my MeloMeals blog! This was always a huge hit in my World Vegetarian cooking class I taught when I lived in Portsmouth, NH. There are a lot of ingredients in this dish, and they all bring something to the table. People are usually shocked by the amount of garlic and spices I use, but trust me - this is how you make vegan food good. No bland or boring food here!

Groundnut Stew Serves 8
  • 4 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp. coriander
  • 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp. crushed, dried rosemary
  • ¼ tsp. ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. allspice
  • 2 onion, chopped (around 2 cups)
  • 1-2 Serrano chilies, chopped
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 each: green, red, yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes diced (around 4 cups)
  • 1 large carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 qt. vegetable broth or 4 cups water mixed with bouillon
  • 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1 29 oz. can kidney beans (or around 3 cups cooked beans)
  • Water if needed
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp. fresh basil
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • Hot sauce and Bragg’s or Soy Sauce to taste
Method:
  1. In a very large, heavy bottom Dutch oven, or stew pot heat oil over medium heat. Add the spices and vegetables, along with the salt and sauté for around 10 minutes. Make sure to stir the mixture well.
  2. Stir in broth, tomatoes peanut butter, and beans and bring to a simmer.
  3. Cover, and cook for around 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. You may or may not need to add some water.
  4. When the sweet potatoes are cooked through, add the onion and garlic powder, cilantro, thyme, basil, and lime juice.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt/pepper, soy sauce, and hot sauce to suit your palate.
  6. Serve over millet, rice, or quinoa.
I hope you try this! If you do, let me know how you like it!

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Savory breakfast is the best.


I'm a fan. Sweet potato toast topped with guacamole and chipotle hummus. And lots of Sriracha!

Friday, July 14, 2017

The Salad.

Grilled Romaine, Quinoa, Toasty Tempeh, Charred Tomato, Ranch, Parmesan. Vegan of course. 

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Vegan Meatball Sub


This is a recipe I'm testing and I've finally nailed it. The bread is homemade, as are all the sauces and meatballs.


Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Hydrating Watermelon Smoothie


It's kind of amazing that three simple ingredients can work so well together it feels like you are drinking dessert. (four if you count the stevia). This lovely little smoothie had frozen watermelon, frozen banana (rations 3:1), lime juice, and a very scant scoop of Kal stevia. 

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Recipe Testing: Tofu Banh Mi


I think this is my favorite sandwich ever. Crusty French bread, homemade Sriracha mayo (tofu based), pickled daikon & carrots, marinated tofu, basil, mint, cilantro, and jalapenos. 

Sunday, April 02, 2017

Lentil Pidcadillo Stuffed Peppers - Home Cooking


Clean out the fridge meals are a regular in my house. Those of you who used to read this blog years ago probably remember my method of having three sauces, two cooked legumes, and two cooked grains on hand. I still do that! My freezer always has cooked individual size portions of cooked grains and legumes, and my fridge is stocked with and abundance of homemade sauces. (Seriously, I make a new sauce at least 3 or 4 times a week during recipe testing for MeloMeals.) 

So, onto this meal. I had some red peppers I wanted to use and some cooked lentils, so I sauteed up some onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika along with a bay leaf for around 10 minutes, I deglazed with red wine vinegar and tomatoes and added raisins, green olives, and the olive brine. I filled the peppers with the mixture and popped them in my air fryer for around 15 minutes or so. I topped the peppers with my homemade vegan feta, and some pico. I added a bit of fresh marjoram to the pico, and wowza guys! It was amazing. So simple, so delicious, and so healthy. 

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Recipe Testing: Vegan cheese made from whole soybeans!

Day 1: I plan on aging this for at least 7 days,

Smoked White Cheddar Day 1: I plan on aging this for at least 7 days,. 

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Thai Red Curry Tofu, Daikon Noodles & Arugula






Hidden under the greens are noodles made of Daikon! I dry fried the tofu, then cooked the daikon/tofu in a red curry sauce I made a while back with some coconut milk (the drinkable kind from the carton) and peanut butter. 

This is my kind of breakfast! 

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Sauce



I get so excited when I score Scotch Bonnets! Habaneros are easy to find, but these babies are elusive. When we went to Jamaica, I fell in love with the sauce at a little roadside place and have been re-creating it every time I am lucky enough to get my hand on these firey, floral little gems. 


Thursday, March 16, 2017

Pizza experiment - gone wrong!

Before baking.

I am always looking for ways to improve upon my recipes, and even though I like my gluten-free and vegan pizza, it's still fun to experiment. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of the pizza after baking, because I burnt it almost beyond recognition. There were small edible pieces, and from the taste of them, this pizza would have been amazing. Fortunately, this was only a small pizza for one. 
homemade vegan sunflower-soy mozzarella, shrooms, pepper, onions

I made the cheese out of sunflower seeds and tofu. So many people are allergic to tree nuts that I'm experimenting again with sunflower seeds for cheesemaking. I pulled out some of my old cheese recipes from 2006 and tweaked them a bit.
Sunflower-Soy cheese before baking

Fortunately, I have access to commercial pizza ovens, so I'm going to make another batch of cheese and dough (and sauce) and bake one up there. I will report back! 

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Baby it's cold outside! Chickpea-Daikon Stew revisited


It's so cold! Fortunately, my slow cooker has been at work at home while I was away, cooking for work. I normally make this on the stove, but decided to test it in the crockpot. 
Daikon, carrots, potatoes, chickpeas in a savory Asian Fusion gravy is so delicious.The original recipe was born out of me attempting to recreate the Japanese Beef Curry my BF loves. I knew that I didn't want to try to replicate beef, but I love how the chickpea liquid gels when you cook them from scratch, so I knew chickpeas would be a great substitution. And they are! The chickpea liquid coats the veggies in a similar way that meat gelatin does (or so I'm told, I have never really eaten meat, but The Boyfriend confirmed this.) This is such a warming stew; perfect for the weather, but not nearly as heavy as a full potato based stew is. 

Wednesday, March 08, 2017

Spicy Thai White Bean & Corn Chowdah!


This soup is available at Unchained Pizza 960 William T. Morrissey BLVD. in Dorchester, MA! Vegan, gluten free, 100% homemade with love. 

Sunday, March 05, 2017

Leftovers!

Leftover Love


One benefit of being a chef is eating leftover food. This bowl contains Edamame, Red Quinoa, Greens, Radish & Carrots, Toasted Sesame Seeds, and Spicy Sesame Ginger Dressing.  the actual bowl was served over rice noodles instead of quinoa. 

Thursday, March 02, 2017

Greek Style Tofu Frittata

Greek Style Tofu Frittata
My Vegan Feta was amazing in this delicious fritatta. Peppers, mushrooms, onions, sun dried tomatoes, fresh oregano and feta are such a great combination!

Ethiopian Feast!


I love being inspired to create the foods I love to eat in restaurants at home. For some reason, today feels like Saturday even though it's Thursday, and I have some free time, so let the cooking begin! 

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Vegan feta experiments.

Greek Salad with House-Made Vegan Feta


I've been doing a lot of recipe testing for MeloMeals lately, and this vegan feta is aaaaammmmaaaaazing!!! 

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Spicy Panang Tofu Curry

Spicy Panang Tofu Curry

Spicy Chana Masala with Cashew-Tofu Raita

Spicy Chana Masala with Cashew-Tofu Raita

Roasted Tofu Taco with Avocado Salsa, Pickled Daikon & Jalapeno

Roasted Tofu Taco with Avocado Salsa, Pickled Daikon & Jalapeno

Korean Side Dishes


Carrot & Turnip Veggie Noodles, Roasted Tofu, Turmeric Sesame Ginger Dressing

Carrot & Turnip Veggie Noodles, Roasted Tofu, Turmeric Sesame Ginger Dressing

Homemade Gluten Free "Rye" Bread

Gluten-Free "Rye" Bread! 

Daikon Noodles with Sesame Ginger Sauce, Tofu, and Pickled Radish

Daikon Noodles with Sesame Ginger Sauce, Tofu, and Pickled Radish