Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Galette

A friend of mine was headed out of town, so she graciously offered me her CSA for the week. Was so happy to see this lovely box of local, seasonal veggies. In the box were some beautiful greens, some tomatoes, fresh strawberries, eggs and some amazingly fresh asparagus. Just picked and grown less than 25 miles away from me! Love it!

I  really want to highlight each of these lovely fruits and veggies on their own. That's how good they are are. I wanted the asparagus to have a starring role in tonight's main dish. I thought about a shaved asparagus salad, but I knew that it wouldn't be filling enough for the rest of the family. I also didn't really want to cut up the asparagus too much. It looks too pretty to mess with.

Here is a lovely Asparagus and Swiss Cheese galette that worked for our family. When paired with a salad, it makes for a perfect light dinner.

Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Galette
Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
swiss cheese or gruyere
2 tsp.dried thyme or 1 tbsp. fresh
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 pound of asparagus, washed and trimmed (thin stalks are better)
1 shallot chopped


Preheat oven to 400.

Roll out your puff pastry dough. Lay on a parchment paper lined baking tray.

Prick the dough with a fork along the inside of the edges. Leave about 1/2 - inch of clearance. This will form your crust.

Spread a thin layer mustard inside the fork pricks. Lay garlic pieces over this.

Lay cheese over the mustard.

Sprinkle herbs over this.

Lay out the asparagus however you'd like.

Sprinkle chopped shallots over the asparagus.


Bake in oven for about 20 minutes.



Enjoy with a salad for a nice, light and easy dinner! Gah! I have a weakness for buttery puff pastry. Way too good!

Categories: baked, breakfast, dairy, easy, lunch, vegetables, vegetarian

Mock Crab Cakes

I hate when I defrost a package of something and only use half of it in a dish - leaving me with extra food that I hadn't planned on using. I can't toss it back in the freezer. I don't want to make more of the same thing I just made. That was the predicament I was in the other day.

I had unintentionally defrosted a whole package of the imitation crab meat - of the lump meat variety. I usually divide the pouch in to recipe-size packages when I buy it, but didn't get a chance to this time around. I had used some of it this weekend in my mock crab rangoon.  I was left with 3/4 of a package though.

I often make fish cakes - usually salmon. Today, I decided to try making a kosher crab cake. I know it's not going to be the same as the real thing, but I figured that I could still make something tasty. It would be a quick dinner item to go with a salad and some steamed veggies.  These "crab" cakes did not disappoint.


Kosher Crab Cakes
Ingredients:

1 package of the imitation crab meat, chopped well (I used 3/4)
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 large eggs
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1.5 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
lemon zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp. horseradish sauce
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1.5 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. old bay seasoning
fresh ground pepper
tsp.salt
1.5 tbsp. vegetable oil for pan frying

Mix everything in  bowl.

Form in to patties.

Let the patties sit for a few minutes to set.

Pan fry in oil on each side until lightly browned. Keep in mind that the fish is fully cooked already.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve with steamed or sauteed veggies and a salad. We like this with a horseradish remoulade sauce.

Enjoy!

Categories: dinner, easy, fish

Vegetable & Tofu Lo Mein

After a 3-day holiday run, I'm all about easy meals this week. Here's a meal idea that is always on the back-burner in our house.

Every so often, I crave lo mein. Not the cheap "chinese" restaurant lo mein you get for $4 on any random NYC street corner. I crave a good, flavorful but simple lo mein. With really good noodles. Good veggies. A bit of tofu. There's an Asian marketing near me that carries a good variety of kosher and authentic noodles. While there, I stock up on rice noodles, egg noodles, rice vermicelli, and lo mein of course.  The fresh lo mein noodles last indefinitely in the freezer. They are good to have on hand for a rush dinner.

We always have veggies lying around. So this is a perfect way to use up those odds and ends sitting in your fridge. The dish is also flexible enough that you could throw in some frozen veggies as well.

Vegetable & Tofu Lo Mein
Ingredients

1/2 onion, chopped
1 package of fresh lo mein noodles
5 cloves garlic, chopped
small nub of ginger, chopped
1 tbsp. veg oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 container tofu, drained and cubed
assorted veggies, cut up  - some ideas: mushrooms, peas, broccoli, pepper, baby corn, zucchinni
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce (I used a mushroom flavored variety)
1 tbsp. sriracha - or less, to taste
1/4 cup of vegetable broth
chopped scallions
salt (to taste)
red pepper flakes (to taste)


Cook the noodles in water for a minute or two. If you don't have fresh lo mein noodles, you can substitute a spaghetti noodle. Drain the noodles and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large wok.

Add in the onions, garlic and ginger.

Add in the drained tofu and cook for a few minutes on high.

Stir in the cut up vegetables. Whatever veggies you'd like.

When the vegetables have softened a little, but still crisp, add in the soy sauce, broth. and sriracha. Taste a bit and see if it needs more chili flakes or salt, etc.

Stir in the lo mein noodles. Let the noodles mix with the sauce and veggies.  Make sure all noodles are coated.

Garnish with raw scallions.

Serve.

Enjoy!

Categories: asian, dinner, easy, tofu, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Rhubarb Crisp

There is a greenmarket in front of my office twice a week. I love checking it out to see what's in season. When I can, I prefer to buy from them. I love the splashes of color from the stands as I walk out of the subway. It's a nice change from the shlock vendors that stand in its place during the rest of the week.

For the past few weeks, they've had rhubarb stalks on their tables. I've never tried rhubarb. Not even in a strawberry-rhubarb pie. I've missed out on such a classic American staple. As I walked through the tables yesterday, I eyed the stalks. I asked one of the workers how much I would need. He said 1-2 pounds would be plenty - about 4-5 stalks. A colleague mentioned that rhubarb is great in a crisp. I decided to check it out. Got to try everything once, right?

We love fruit crisps in the summer. They come together easily and use what we have on hand. I wasn't sure how this one would turn out though. It smelled good while baking, but rhubarb has a mixed reputation. I set aside a small ramekin so that I could try it. I wasn't disappointed. It has this tangy and tartness to it that is welcome. 

Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients:

4 large stalks of rhubarb

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cut up the rhubarb, slicing it across - around 1/2 inch thick.

 Mix up the sliced rhubarb with the white sugar and the flour. Place in a buttered baking dish. A 9x9 would work for this.

In a separate bowl, using a pastry blender, mix up the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb.

Bake until the topping is golden brown. The rhubarb should be soft. It should take around 30-35 minutes.

Serve while warm - with a nice scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!

Categories: baked, dessert

Cookie Cookie Cheesecake Ice Cream

I have this lovely ice cream maker. I rarely use it. I love ice cream, but I only make it a few times a year. Such a shame.

Over the course of the past week or so, whenever I am with a group of like-minded Jewish women, the topic always moves over to Shavuot. The holiday best known for cheesecake, is the holiday where we received the torah. Everyone asks me what I have on my Shavuot menu. I invariably freeze and turn red. I have nothing on my menu. Seriously. I have this urge to have toast and eggs at every meal. Something super simple. Of course I can't get away with that.

It's supposed to be hot this weekend, so I decided to make a couple of different ice creams. In reverence to the holiday tradition, I have prepared a cheesecake ice cream base. I mixed in oreos and chocolate chip cookies for some of what I call Cookie Cookie Cheesecake Ice Cream.

Cookie Cookie Cheesecake Ice Cream
recipe adapted from David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop
Ingredients:

10 oz cream cheese, cut up
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half & half
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup crushed oreos
1/2 cup crushed chocolate chip cookies


Place the cut up pieces of cream cheese in the bowl of a blender.

Add in the lemon zest, sour cream, half & half and salt.

Blend until everything is mixed well together.

Chill for about an hour or two.

Pour in to your ice cream maker. Run the ice cream maker for about 25 minutes. Once the mixture is thickened, add in the cookie pieces.

Keep the machine running for 5 more minutes.

Pour in to a container and freeze.

Enjoy!

Categories: dairy, dessert, easy, sweet

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Let me start out by saying that I'm not a huge fan of cheesecake. When Shavuot rolls around, I start to get anxious. Cheesecake is expected and I just don't wanna.

I thought about what I had on hand and what I liked in a dessert treat. Why not combine the cheesecake with something that I actually like? Turn it in to something good. I thought about the basic elements. Traditionally, cheesecake has a buttery graham cracker crust. What if I turn this cheesecake in to a cookie bar? My favorite cookie is oatmeal chocolate chip (OCC). I could get in to a bar that is cheesecake and OCC combined. I kind of like the way this turned out.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:


Cookie Crust and Topping:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups oats
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake Layer:
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of 1/2 lemon


Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar and egg. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Stir in the coconut and the chocolate chips.

Press 3/4 of the dough in to a 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the crust is baking, prepare the cheesecake layer.

Beat the cheesecake ingredients together in a small bowl.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie crust.

Sprinkle the rest of the oatmeal cookie mixture over the cheesecake.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake start to become golden brown.

Cool on counter for 30 minutes.

Chill and slice up. Enjoy!

Categories: baked, dairy, dessert, sweet

Grilled Cheese with Pears and Caramelized Onions

My dad is the sandwich master - especially on the weekends. Even my kids know. Zaydie is who you turn to when you want any multitude of sandwiches. After a few weeks with my parents, my daughter came home asking me to make lunch like Zaydie did. "Zaydie likes it this way." "Zaydie makes this differently," and so on. Egg salad is never just chopped eggs with Zaydie. It's amped up with herbs and pickles or olives. Same with grilled cheese. There was always something added to it. I remember a period of time when grilled cheese was often filled with cheddar, tomato and sunflower seeds.

So...tonight's dinner is dedicated to my dad. As I drove home, debating what to make. I thought of the bag of fresh cheeses I had just bought at the store. With Shavuot coming up, I had to stock up. I wanted something fast and something tasty. I decided to make this. Not sure if I have upped the ante on my dad's sandwich skills, but hopefully, I have come close to reaching his sandwich awesomeness.



Grilled Cheese with Pears and Caramelized Onions (makes 2 good sized sandwiches)
Ingredients:


1 large onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. thyme
4 slices of bread ( I used rye, but a ciabatta or a sourdough would be great with this)
dijon mustard
gouda cheese, sliced
1 ripe bosc pear
more butter, for grilling


Start by heating up a small saute pan. Add butter to the pan. Get it hot. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Cook the onions slowly. Add the salt and the thyme. Let the onions caramelize.  This will take around ten minutes or so. Stir every so often. Once the onions are done, set aside.



Slice up your pear in to thin slices. About 1/4-inch thick.



Spread a thin layer of dijon mustard on the inside of two of the slices of bread. Make sure not too put too much mustard on, or it will overpower the other flavors. Add a slice of cheese; then a pear layer; then the caramelized onions and finally another slice of cheese. Sandwich it together with an a slice of the bread that doesn't have any mustard. You are now ready for some grilling!

This sandwich would do really well in a panini press. Alas, that is the one kitchen appliance that I don't have.

In a large pan, heat up a tablespoon of butter. Place sandwich in to pan. Pan should be on medium-high heat.

Take a large cast iron pan or some other heavy heatproof object and press it down on your sandwich.


Grill for a few minutes on each side.

Slice in half and eat up! Serve with some salad on the side.



Enjoy!

Categories: dairy, dinner, easy, lunch, sandwich, vegetarian

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Tamales

Every morning, as I walk to the subway, I walk by this little old woman selling fresh tamales from a big pot on a cart. It's a very small set-up, most likely illegal. She is there every morning though, rain or shine. I am sure they taste amazing, and I always wish I could sample her goods.

I have been toying with making my own tamales for a while. I bought some dried corn husks a while back. Had been debating the filling for while. Finally came up with a plan. Very happy with the results and I will definitely make again. Tamales can be frozen and reheated in the microwave or steamer.


Vegetarian Tamales
Ingredients

Dried Corn Husks

Filling:
1 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large zucchini, diced
1 can black beans
1/2 small can chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped
1/2 package of mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
chopped cilantro
1/2 cup broth
1 cup shredded cheese


Masa Tamale Dough:
2 cups masa harina
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 stick of Earth Balance shortening




Start by checking the corn husks. Check for bugs. My package didn't have any, but these still should be checked. There was corn debris. Just what looks like dried strands of the corn silk. Brush off any shmutz on the corn husks. Soak them in a large bowl of warm water for at least 30 minutes.



While the husks are soaking, you can prepare the rest of the components.

In  a large pan, saute the onion and the garlic in the oil. Add in the spices.

Mix in the zucchini and the mushrooms. Saute for around 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the chipotle pepper and the black beans.  Add the vegetable broth if the filling starts to look too dry. Turn off the heat and mix in the cheese. Set aside.



Now it's time to prepare the the masa dough. Measure out the masa, the spices and the baking powder in to the bowl of a mixer. With the mixer going on low, pour in the vegetable broth.  Mix to form in to crumbly paste.  Add in the shortening. Mix for a minute or so. Everything should be incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.



Now it's time to assemble.

Set yourself up with everything nearby.

Set up your steamer station. I didn't have a steamer that fit my dairy stock pot for this, so I used a metal colander. Place water at the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil. Turn it to medium.

Make strips out of a few of your corn husks. These will be your tamale ties.



Lay out a corn husk and spread some masa dough down the center.

Place about a tablespoon or two of your filling in the center of your dough.



Roll up the corn husk like a burrito: Fold the bottom side up, and the sides in. Then tie it up.




Place upright in your steamer set-up.



Steam on medium/medium-high for around 90 minutes. Check your water levels throughout.

When done, the masa dough will be firm.

Remove tamales from steamer.  They will be extremely hot. Be careful when opening.



Serve with some salsa and sour cream. Or eat it just straight out of the package. These are great as a meal or a snack even! Enjoy!

Categories: dairy, dinner, gluten free, main course, munchies

Vegetarian Yakisoba

This recipe is inspired by Mark Bittman and adapted from one of his recipes. I am addicted to cooking podcasts. I can often be found learning how to make obscure dishes while on the subway during my morning commute. While everyone else is playing Angry Birds or reading their Kindle, I am learning how to properly fillet a whole fish or spatchcock a chicken. I'm not complaining.

Today, I was catching up with Mark Bittman. He was preaching about the virtues of yakisoba. All I could think of are those commercials where they suggest that those heat & eat cups of Yakisoba bring families together. Anyhow, Mark Bittman had me at "fast food." Aside from the ease of preparation and the fact that it's hard to mess up, I like the flavors of the sauce and I had all the necessary ingredients at home. When the hubster came home and had a plateful, he declared it blogworthy.  So here it is.


Vegetarian Yakisoba 
Ingredients
adapted from Mark Bittman's recipe

8-10 oz. Asian noodle - an egg noodle or gluten free soba is best
1 container of tofu - drained and sliced up
2 tbsp. chopped ginger
2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup cut up broccoli
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped peppers
2 tbsp. chopped scallions

Sauce:
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I use a fish-free version)
2 tbsp. mirin or sugar
1 tbsp. sriracha or other hot sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Marinate the drained tofu in some sesame oil and soy sauce for about 15 minutes.

Boil a pot of water and cook the noodles. Drain and set aside.

In a large wok, heat up the oil.

Add the ginger and garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minutes. Add the tofu. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the rest of the veggies, except for the scallions.

Stir fry everything together for a few minutes.

In a small bowl, mix up the sauce ingredients.

Pour and mix them in to the vegetables.

Stir in the noodles.

Plate it up. Garnish with some chopped scallions.

Enjoy!

Categories: asian, dinner, easy, gluten free, main course, tofu, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Gluten Free Raspberry Chocolate Jam Bars

In my constant need to use things up, I came across a lovely bottle of raspberry jam in the fridge. It sat open and largely unused. I remember purchasing it with good intentions. Probably at someone's request. When I asked why it wasn't used, I was informed that strawberry was the preferred jam flavor. Ah well, I tried. I like raspberries. Why not bake with it.

I decided to test out a gluten free raspberry bar recipe that I had been playing with. I sprinkled on some chocolate chips, since dark chocolate and raspberry always go well together.

Gluten Free Raspberry Jam Bars
Ingredients

1 cup almond meal
1 cup gluten free flour blend
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1.5 sticks of butter, cut up
1 1/2 cups gluten free oats
zest of two lemons
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam

Chocolate Chips (about a handful)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a food processor, pulse the almond meal, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda and butter.

Pulse a few times. Add in the oats and lemon zest and pulse some more. Mixture should be crumbly but stick together a bit.

Butter a 9x13 baking pan.

Press 3/4 of the mixture in to the baking pan to form a crust.

Spread a light layer of the jam over the crust.

Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top. Not too many.

Sprinkle the rest of the dough mixture on top of that.

Bake for around 25-30 minutes or until the top has browned a bit.

Let cool for an hour before cutting.

Enjoy!

Categories: baked, dairy, dessert, gluten free, munchies

Baked Salmon with a Cumin Rub

This morning, I did something that I rarely remember to do. I took something out of the freezer to defrost. Gasp! In my morning rush, I can usually only handle my coffee and the kid's lunches. In that order. As I was literally running out the door, I did a mad dash to the freezer and grabbed a couple of Ziploc pouches of frozen salmon. I buy large quantities of salmon at a time, and then freeze in meal size pouches. IIn theory, it's a smart thing to do - when the process works. I often forget to take it out and am left scrambling at 5:30, and often running to the store for some fresh, defrosted fish or a brick of tofu. Things worked out in my favor today. This meant that a tasty and healthy dinner could happen in a reasonable amount of time. We even covered all of the basic food groups!  Rah, Rah!

Baked Salmon with a Cumin Rub
Ingredients

1 pound of salmon fillet
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. crushed garlic
1 tbsp. crushed ginger
1 tbsp. cumin
salt
pepper


Preheat oven to 400.

Mix the olive oil with the spices.

Rub the spice paste on to the salmon.

Let the salmon marinate for about 20 minutes.

Bake in the oven for about 11 minutes. You don't want to overcook the salmon.

Serve with a salad and some brown rice. Enjoy!

Categories: baked, dinner, easy, fish, gluten free, main course, pareve

Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad

Summer is beginng to show it's signs. Warm weather and fresh summer vegetables are starting to show their faces. Yahoo!

Summer produce makes me happy. On my Sunday trek to Trader Joe's, they had the most lovely ears of corn taunting me. I usually wait until later in the summer, when the white, sweet corn comes out. I gave in to the urges. I grabbed a bunch. The whole family loves corn. The kids love the mess of eating it off the cob. I decided to roast the corn and then turn it in to a salad. Yum!

Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad
Ingredients:

3 ears of corn, roasted (instructions below)
2 roasted peppers, diced
1/2 medium-sized red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 avocado, cubed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 plum tomato, diced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. cumin
salt
pepper



Preheat oven to 400.

Husk the corn. Make sure to remove all of the silk strands.

Brush corn with a little olive oil, salt and pepper

Wrap ears of corn in foil and roast in oven for about 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, remove the corn from the foil. Use oven mitts!

Hold the ear of corn over your stove flame and sear it a bit.

Do this with caution. This activity is not intended for kids.

Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Best to do this by holding the ear of corn straight up, while resting the bottom on the cutting board.

In a bowl, mix up all of the veggies, including the freshly roasted corn.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and spices. Mix in to the salad.

Enjoy!

Categories: gluten free, salad, side dish, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Hamburger Helper

I need to come out now and admit that I'm a stalker. I'm a grocery cart stalker. I like to see what other people are throwing in to their carts. I like to know what other people feed their families. I'm so curious. I always feel like nobody shops or cooks like me. I know that many people do. It just seems that whenever I'm in the checkout line at the store, the carts on either side of me come from a totally different food planet. There are thousands upon thousands of food items that people seem to stockpile - while I would never consider food. I just walk on by the boxes of Lean Cuisine and Lipton Skillet Meals. When I see things like that, the heavily processed foods, I get curious. What makes them so good? Aside from their MSG and other heavenly chemicals?

The other day, I peeked at a box of Hamburger Helper. I've never tried something like it. So many ingredients were listed on that side panel. I wondered if I could recreate something similar. Something the family would enjoy. Must fill 4 bellies plus possibly more for lunch the next day. It also must be budget-minded. It's not intended to be gourmet, but I could up it's worth a bit, simply by what I have on hand.

I honestly don't know if what I made tastes anything remotely like what's in the box, but we enjoyed it. That's all that matters, right?

Vegetarian Hamburger Helper
Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1 package of soy ground beef (I used the Trader Joe's brand)
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. black pepper
8 mushrooms
1 can diced italian tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
2.5 cups elbow noodles
1 cup shredded cheese


In a large, deep saute pan or pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter mixture.

Add in the beef crumbles and the spices. Cook for about 4-5 minutes.



Add in the mushrooms and diced tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring.

Add in the sauce and the liquid.



Add in the pasta.



Cook until the pasta is al dente. About ten minutes.

Add in the shredded cheese and cover the pot for about a minute or two.



Serve with some shredded parmesan cheese.



Enjoy!

Categories: dairy, dinner, soy, vegetarian

Tempeh and Vegetable Stir Fry Rice Noodle Bowl

I've given up meat. Completely. It was a long time coming. I first became a vegetarian at age 13. I stopped when I became pregnant with my older daughter. I've been mulling this over for a while now. Then, over Shabbat, I realized how put off I am by meat. I don't have a problem cooking meat. I know how to prepare meat and make it taste good. I don't have any PETA-like issues with other people eating meat. I just can't bring myself to eat meat anymore. For now, I will just go back to being a lacto-ovo vegetarian (will eat dairy and eggs). I may one day go vegan, but I think this works for me. I feel better when I don't eat meat and I am happy with my decision.

Today was one of those days that I needed to go through the fridge, use stuff up, toss stuff out. I found a package of tempeh that I had been meaning to use. Dinner on these kinds of days often ends up being one of those kinds of dishes where 75% of the ingredients could really be anything. It's what I had on hand. What makes a difference though, is the sauce. Still, everyone was happy with dinner. My younger daughter had a huge bowl of it.


Tempeh and Veggie Stir Fry in a Hoisin Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:

1 8 oz. package of Tempeh, cubed
1 cup of veggie broth
1 onion, diced
6 cloves, chopped
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 package of mushrooms, sliced
1.5 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup baby corn, sliced

Sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

3 cloves garlic, mashed in to a paste
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 1/2

tsp. rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp. peanut butter
1.5 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp. sesame oil
red pepper flakes (optional)


In a wok or large saute pan, steam the tempeh in the 1 cup of vegetable broth for about 20 minutes.  Drain the tempeh and set aside.

Dry out the wok with a towel.

Saute the onions, garlic and ginger in teh vegetable oil.  Add in the tempeh. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in the zucchini.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in the rest of the veggies. Cook for another 5 minutes or so. You don't want to overcook the veggies.

While veggies are cooking, mix up all of the sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

Pour the sauce over the veggie mixture. Stir and cook for two more minutes.

I recommend serving the stir fry over some rice vermicelli noodles or perhaps some brown rice.

Enjoy!

Categories: asian, dinner, easy, gluten free, main course, tempeh, vegan, vegetarian, whole grain

Mushroom Meatloaf

I rarely have the luxury of extra time on Friday afternoons.  I love when the days get longer in the spring time. Still, I somehow manage to race against the clock each Friday, to ensure that everything is ready in time. I had the day off this Friday. I managed to use it well. I also managed to have everytthing cooked with two hours to spare. That's unheard of in this house. Of course, I managed to find what to do in those two hours. There is always plenty of tidying up, working and parenting that can be done in that time.

What I was extremely happy about though, was that I could actually take a photo of one of the Shabbat foods. It's the little things, right?

When I did my weekly shopping trip to the kosher grocery store, they had ground beef on sale. I probably should have bought a few extra packages to throw in to the abyss of my deep freezer. I just bought one package though, and decided to wait until Friday to figure out it's fate.

When Friday came along, the ground beef screamed meatloaf at me. I chose to make a mushroom meatloaf. Everyone is happy with this meatloaf. I pair it with a vegetarian mushroom gravy. The gravy can do double duty for any side dishes.


Mushroom Meatloaf
Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground beef
2 small onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 containers mushrooms (1/2 container, chopped; the other 1/2 - thinly sliced)
2 tsp. ground thyme
2 tsp. paprika
2 extra large eggs
1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
pepper


Glaze
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tsp. soy sauce
1.5 tbsp. brown sugar
 tsp. sriracha sauce (less if you like it less spicy)
salt
pepper


Gravy
olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 container mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. flour
Vegetable broth - about 1-2 cups or to desired consistency
salt
pepper
garlic powder



Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix everything together except for half of the chopped onions and the sliced mushrooms.

Smush half of the meat mixture in to a loaf pan.

Sprinkle the remaining chopped onions and sliced mushrooms over the mixture. Top with the rest of the meat mixture.

In a small bowl, mix up the glaze ingredients. Spread over the meatloaf mixture.

Baked for around 45 minutes.

While the meatloaf is baking, work on the gravy.

In a deep saute pan, saute the chopped onions, garlic, shallots and mushrooms in olive oil.
Sprinkle in some garlic powder, salt and pepper

Stir in the flour to make a roux.

Whisk in the vegetable broth until you reach desired consistency. Taste. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

When the meatloaf has cooled down a little, slice and serve with the gravy.


















Enjoy!

Categories: beef, dinner, main course, meat, shabbat

Vegetarian Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich

Among the various food carts and trucks to ogle in my area, is the Vietnamese banh mi cart. For the uneducated, a banh mi is a delicious sandwich served on a baguette. It comes in various flavors - it's bumped up in flavor with some traditional Vietnamese flavors like lemongrass and cilantro. The near varieties often include a pate.

At lunch time, the line sometimes seems to be a mile long. As the line moves along, the ladies come out of the cart and cross of sandwiches as they run out. They have one vegetarian option - a tofu banh mi. 

I have yet to see a kosher restaurant sell an authentic banh mi. Aside from the pork varieties, there is nothing inherently "treif" about banh mi. I miss the days where I could stroll in to Chinatown and pick up a scrumptious three dollar Vietnamese sandwich. 

I decided to recreate it at home. I have been browsing Pinterest and eyeing the various banh mi options. I keep pinning and repinning ideas. I am happy with the way it turned out. I regret that I didn't include a vegan pate in this version. My second regret is that I didn't take the time to make my own baguettes. Baguettes will have to wait for another day.

The Bahn Mi I made, is made up of layers:

1. Baguette
2. Mayonnaise or Vegan Mayo
3. Daikon/Carrot Pickle (recipe below)
4. Baked Tofu Vegenaisse(recipe below)
5. Sriracha
6. Thinly Sliced Cucumbers
7. Thinly Slice Red Onions
8. Thinly Sliced Avocado
9. Cilantro

Carrot/Daikon Pickles

recipe very slightly adapted from Viet World Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 large daikon

2 thick carrots

1 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup sugar 

1  1/4 cups distilled white vinegar

1 cup lukewarm water

Cut the carrots and daikon up in to a thick julienne. I used my nifty new mandoline. 

Place the cut up carrots and daikon in a plastic bowl and mix with the salt and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Massage the mixture with your hands for a few minutes. The veggies will start to soften and some water will start to seep out. The vegetables will get a bit softer. Drain the liquid and then rinse the veggies in water and press all of the liquid out. Transfer to whatever container you will use to store your pickles.

In another bowl, mix up the rest of the sugar, the vinegar, and the warm water. 

Pour the brine mixture over the carrot/daikon mixture. Cover your container. Place in fridge and let them do their pickling.

Baked Tofu:
recipe slightly adapted from eat, live run


Ingredients:
1 lb extra firm tofu

2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
pinch of sea salt

Drain the tofu and slice the brick of tofu so it's about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the brick in half.

Mix the marinade ingredients.

Marinate tofu for about an hour.



Preheat oven to 350.

Drain 75% of the marinade ingredients. The rest will burn off.

Bake for about 15 minutes on each side.


Have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go. Layer your sandwich together. Get ready to eat. Enjoy!

Categories: asian, lunch, main course, sandwich, tofu, vegan, vegetarian, vietnamese

Vegan BLT with Homemade Vegan Bacon

While browsing Pinterest (such a time suck, but so fun!), I came across some homemade tempeh recipes. From there, I moved on to tempeh bacon. When I clicked through to the bacon though, I learned about the traditional way to make tempeh. You have to let the soybeans ferment and get moldy. You also need a special tempeh starter. Well that totally turned me off. I don't need instant gratification, and I am willing to go mail- order for something I must make, but this wasn't going to happen. So I kept on looking.

I finally came across a recipe for a vegan and gluten free tempeh-like bacon that I could handle. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand. So excited, I had to make the vegan bacon that night. So maybe there was a little bit of instant gratification going on there. 

For a little history, I've never really eaten the real thing. Not even in the days when I didn't keep kosher. I have had beef-fry, bacon salt and bacon bits. I know that those don't count. I do like a smoky bacony flavor though. So I was excited to try my hand at this. I was doubly excited to turn this in to a BLT. Something I have never sunk my teeth into, but always looks so good. The results were great. The other good thing about this fake bacon stuff is that it freezes well and is pretty versatile.

Vegan Bacon
slightly adapted from No Meat Athlete

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried adzuki beans or other small red beans
1/3 cup whole kasha (buckwheat groats)
1 tsp.onion powder
3 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. liquid smoke
4 tsp. nutritional yeast
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1.5 tsp. sea salt
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Soak the beans and buckwheat in a bowl for several hours. I let it sit while I went to work.

When you get home, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Strain and rinse the soaked beans and buckwheat.

Place all of the ingredients, including the strained beans and buckwheat in to your food processor. Pulse until everything is uniformly ground up and pasty. Don't puree it though.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spray with baking spray.

Spread the mixture out on the paper.

Press down on the mixture to spread out with another piece of sprayed parchment.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cool.

Slice in to bacon-like strips.

Store and freeze at this point, or cook up like bacon!

Vegan BLT (makes 2 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1/2 a recipe of the vegan bacon
3 tsp.oil of your choice
Earth Balance buttery stick - a few tabs
4 slices of bread (I used Rye)
Lettuce
Thinly sliced tomatoes

Vegan Mayonaisse (or you could use the real stuff if you are in to that sort of thing)

Fry the vegan bacon on medium in an oiled pan.

Let it get to your desired crispness. Don't let it go too long or at too high of a heat as it burns quickly.

Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Keep in a warm spot.

In that same pan, melt some of the Earth Balance.  Toast your bread in that buttery spread. 

Spread mayo on each slice. 

Layer with lettuce then vegan bacon and then the tomatoes. Top with the second slice toasted bread.

You've got a sandwich now!  Take a bite! This was so good! 

Enjoy!

Categories: dinner, gluten free, main course, sandwich, vegan, whole grain

Homemade Pita

While wandering the streets at lunchtime, I often eye the ethnic food carts. So many wonderful (and some not so wonderful) smells coming out of those carts. Two of the most popular falafel vendors, Alan's and Sam's, have the craziest lines snaking from the carts. They even serve a tasty little treat inside each bag when you order an overstuffed falafel sandwich. Included in the bag is a greasy piece of crisp pita. Sam's even has a bowl where you can help yourself to these tasty treats. Those crispy pita chips are such a tease.

We don't have too many decent kosher options in the area where I work - let alone kosher falafel carts. Moshe's used to come by, but they disappeared about a year ago. So I'm left on my own in the world of falafel sandwiches.

I offered to make the family some falafel the other night. Nobody was interested. When I suggested making some homemade pita to keep on hand though, the ears perked up. Homemade fresh pita is so much better than the store-bought and it comes together fast.

Homemade Pita
Ingredients:

1 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 + cups of flour



Place the yeast in a large bowl.

Pour the warm water over the yeast. Let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Add salt, olive oil, and 1.5 cups of flour. Stir the mixture in to a paste with a wooden spoon.



Stir in another 1.5 cups of flour.

Turn on to a floured surface and begin to knead. While kneading, add flour as necessary until the dough is not sticky anymore. The dough will still be soft and pliable.

When ready, form in to a large ball shape and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit for about 30 minutes or so - while the oven heats up.



Turn the oven to 465.

Cut the dough with a dough cutter in to around 8 equal pieces.

Form the dough in to balls.

Roll out the balls until around 1/4 inch thick. Make sure that the rounds aren't any thinner or they won't have that lovely pocket effect.



Spray the tops of the dough with a bit of water and olive oil mixed together. Not too much - just a couple of drops to keep moist.

Let the dough rounds sit for about ten minutes.  During that ten minutes or so, heat up your heavy baking sheet.

Take a spatula and turn 3 dough rounds at a time on to a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Keep the oven light on so you can watch the magic that happens inside your oven. The pitas will begin to puff up. At about 5 minutes or so, the pita will be puffy and will have browned a little on the bottom.



The pita should be ready. Place on towel or platter to cool.



Enjoy your pitas with falafel, hummus or whatever your heart desires. Stay tuned for some tasty treats that will be made with this yummy pita!




Enjoy!

Categories: baked, bread, israeli, vegan