summer solstice - spring wrap up

Hello, hello Dear Readers! Happy Summer Solstice!

Today marks the longest day of the year, which means it'll only get hotter from here on (or colder in the other half of the hemisphere). With the US heading out of the pandemic, I hope it bodes better for all of us.

Since it is the end of the season, I am releasing my fourth free meatless, vegetarian and vegan zine, this one for Spring 2021. This makes a complete year of free zines and I hope a few of you have found them helpful. If you have any suggestions for the next year of zines, drop me a note. 

You can head to the  ** free zine **  page above (Link HERE) and download your zines for free. Printing instructions are in the pdfs; it is an easy way to have fast and easy recipes at your fingertips.

This past season I have prepared staples:

Seafood Tofu is a fast and easy marinating method that gives the tofu a hint of the sea. Of course, it depends on how long you marinate it in the seaweed-flavored broth, but about 20 minutes is all you need. It can be grilled, broiled, battered and fried. 

Zsu's Curry Powder is homemade curry powder and you need homemade curry powder to achieve the best flavor for your dish. Store-bought curry has lost its fizz and you never know how long it's been on the shelf. 

Spring, or any season, really, is a great time for soups, and this season I had plenty:

5. Middle Eastern Lentil Soup  is a unique take on lentil soup. This recipe uses the Indian-method of cooking lentils that retains the shape of the lentils after they are cooked through.

6. Texas Chili is very authentic and very delicious. It takes me back to Austin, where we lived for almost a decade. Top as you like, but the chili itself can be stove-cooked or slow-cooked. 

8. Creamy Cauliflower Soup is my take on Bakers Square Cauliflower Au Gratin soup and it is exactly the way I remember it (way back in my vegetarian days). 

11. Caldo non Pollo Soup is fast and easy soup that uses any chicken-style protein (or beans) to get a hearty and delicious soup on the table in less than 45 minutes, including rice. Have I mentioned it's a one-pot meal? Bonus!

Sandwiches are easy and fast, and this season I had two special ones:   

7. Sriracha Buffalo Sandwich is my take on a regular Buffalo Sandwich, but kicked up to sriracha level. With bits of crisp soy curls, it is perfectly spicy and awesome. 

9. Baja Tacos is authentic San Diego fare. Complete with seafood tofu, slaw, avocado and sauce, it is just perfect! The tofu is air-fried or can be baked.  

Pasta is a  vegan staple, frankly, and I made:

4. Primavera Alfredo is my take on an Alfredo pasta but packed with vegetables. This is just how I remember having Alfredo pasta back in my restauranteur days. Creamy and rich, but fast and vegan.

12. Cabbage Pasta is my childhood favorite pasta dish. This is a perfect way to use up any cabbage you have hanging around after you used what you needed in a recipe (thanks, Susan! Great tip!)

Finally for some "main" meals. I guess those would be anything that doesn't fall into the previous categories. 

1. Trinidad Chickpea and Potato Curry is my son-in-law's mother's recipe, authentic from Trinidad. It's already vegan by design, so I just wrote up the recipe and thank her profusely for this amazing dish. In fact, by page hits, this was a run-away favorite! 

2. Twice Baked Mexican Potatoes is my spin on a twice-baked potato. This is a weekend meal, but that's because the potatoes take a long time to bake. Nevertheless, it came in at second for popularity. 

3. Maple Dijon Seitan with Rice Pilaf is another Bakers Square redo. I worked at Bakers Square for five years during my younger twenty's, and while I never had the chicken part, I did have the sauce and cheese over the rice pilaf (again, my vegetarian days). It is deliciously accurate. The seitan is also easy to make and store in the freezer, if needed. 

10. Bainghan Bharta with Potatoes is so tasty! I hope more people will have the chance to have it. I am very cautious about sharing Indian recipes and I make sure they are worthy before doing so. This one is up to par. The eggplant is easy to prepare and the potatoes fill out this traditional dish.

The only thing left to do is get the pdf, figure out what you haven't made, yet, and start creating your menu. 

Enjoy!

** free zines ** Page for PDF

COMING

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cabbage pasta

Overview

Time: 35 minutes
Dishes: large pot, medium pot

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

This dish is one of our family's favorite. In fact, I fondly remember my mother making it for me when I was younger. It is practically a staple in the house, so it was a bit challenging to write a recipe for it, since it comes so naturally to us. 

This is a simple dish that makes perfect use of  a head of cabbage. It is slow cooked over 20 minutes to get it soft, tender and flavorful. It calls for a ton of black pepper, but if you grind it fresh, go a bit easier. Add it to your taste, but remember that the authentic Hungarian way is to use a bit more than is probably healthy. 

Heat your pot and add the cabbage as you slice it. This is the fastest way of doing it. Use a knife in lieu of a food processor because the processor either chops it too fine or not fine enough. Think of it as therapy.

Toss it with as much pasta as you like, but I keep it to 12 ounce of pasta for a small to medium size head of cabbage - either purple or green.

My apologies for missing last week's post. I was at UC Davis where my eldest daughter was celebrating her commencement with a Bachelor's in Neurobiology, Magna Kum Laude. I wanted to post, but the drive up there tired me out. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Start the water for the pasta.
• 
  

 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Cabbage Pasta

Makes 4 servings 

weekday

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

12 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta

1 tablespoon oil

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 small head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1. Pasta: Cook the pasta in a medium pot of salted boiling water, until   al dente. Drain the pasta, return to the pot:

2. Vegetables: Add the oil, bell pepper, onion and garlic to a large pot over medium heat. Add the cabbage as it is sliced. Once all the cabbage is added, cook, covered, and stir as needed, until tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add a few tablespoons of water, as needed:

3. Combine: Add the drained Pasta to the tender Cabbage. Toss well and serve. 

 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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hearty middle eastern lentil soup

Overview

Time: 45 minutes 
Dishes: large pot, immersion or regular blender 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

If you are looking for a fantastic and easy to make lentil soup, you've found it. And even if you aren't you should give this a try. Lentils are nutritious and hearty, so it is definitely worth a try. 

This soup uses dried lentils - green or brown - but, you can use French, if you like. Do not use red lentils because they are meant to fall apart during cooking. This recipe makes sure that your lentils stay whole and not mushy. 

To accomplish that, I used the Indian method of cooking lentils - sweating them. You cook the lentils for 10 minute without liquid, before adding the water and broth mix. This makes sure that your lentils stay whole after the simmering time.  

The last step is to puree as much of the tender lentils as you like, which gives the soup a nice body and texture. You can do this using an immersion blender or a standard blender. 

To finish the soup, you add a bit of lemon juice or yogurt - I went with yogurt, which adds an equal amount of acid to the soup, brightening it up.

The one issue you might encounter is the age of your lentils. I get my lentils from Azure Standard, so they are amazingly fresh. My lentils were tender after 15 minutes of simmering, but I have had lentils stay tough well into the 30 minute mark. The older your legumes, the longer they will take to cook. 

This was a really delicious soup that is hearty and creamy. Grab a bag and get cooking. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Gather your ingredients
• Add the vegetables and herbs as they are ready
• Wash and pick over the lentils while the vegetables cook
• Mince fresh herbs while lentils cook

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Hearty Middle Eastern Lentil Soup

Makes 4 servings 

weekday

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 

1 teaspoon liquid smoke (if not using smoked salt)

1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 teaspoon salt or smoked salt 

6 cups water

2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix

2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1/4 cup unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt

2 tablespoons minced parsley or cilantro

1. Base: Add the oil, onion, carrot, garlic, bay, thyme, coriander and cumin to a large pot over medium heat. Stir and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. 

2. Lentils: Stir in the tomatoes, smoke, if using, lentils and salt to the Base. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Stir halfway through.  

3. Soup: Add the water and broth mix to the Lentils. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and black pepper. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium, partly cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 15 to 40 minutes.  

4. Puree: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Remove and puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender to puree as much as you like. Add the lemon juice and parsley and serve. If using yogurt, stir into each bowl 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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baingan bharta with potatoes

Overview

Time: 40 minutes
Dishes: rice cooker, oven or air-fryer, large skillet

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I am a huge fan of Indian food, but I am always careful when preparing it because I never seem to hit the mark that my local Indian restaurant does. It doesn't keep me from trying, though, and every once in a while, I pull it off. This is one of those times.

This is a simple preparation of Baingan Bharta (as the original recipe is, too) but I added potatoes to make it more of a meal with some toothsomeness - that and I was fondly remembering the potato dishes from the same Indian joint, and I couldn't help myself.

I also used my homemade Zsu's Curry Powder because (1) I have it and need to use it, and (2) because it tastes amazing, so why not? If you don't have it, use store bought garam masala. 

You can increase the oil to 4 tablespoons if you like, but 2 tablespoons was perfect, although I will try cutting it to 1. Adding water when the potato starts to stick to the pan helps offset using too much oil and it helps cook the potatoes. Add the water in 1/4 cup increments. It will create a bit of sauce, too, while it cooks the ingredients.

If you start cooking the eggplant first, prepare the rice second and get started on the sauté last, you will get this on the table in 40 minutes. Yes, the eggplant sounds a bit daunting, but really, all you do is toss it in the air-fryer or oven (or on the burner if you're ambitious) and cook until tender. Then peel and mash. 

Overall, a very delicious and filling meal. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Start with the eggplant; it will take 20 to 30 minutes.
• Cook the rice second.
• Chop the onion and start cooking it while you peel and chop the potatoes.
• Use a lid throughout and adjust the heat from medium to medium-low as needed.
• Chop the tomatoes while the onion and potatoes cook.
• Cool the eggplant only enough to peel. Peeling should be easy as the skin separates from the eggplant. 

 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Baingan Bharta with Potatoes

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekday

Serve with rice or naan.

2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons oil

1 medium onion, finely minced 

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 teaspoons curry powder, Zsu's Curry Powder homemade, or garam masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup water for Onion, divided

2 medium tomatoes, chopped 

1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, thinly slice 

1/2 cup water for Tomato

1. Eggplant: Pierce the eggplants all over. Roast the eggplants in an oven (475-F) or over a burner or in an air-fryer (400-F) until the eggplant is tender and collapses, about 20 to 30 minutes. When cool to handle, peel. Mash the eggplant and mix with lime juice.        

2. Onion: Add the oil to a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the onion, potato, garlic, curry powder, coriander, salt, and turmeric. Cook until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes, covered. Stir as needed and add some water when the potato sticks. 

3. Tomato: Add the tomato, chile and 1/2 cup water to the Onion. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, about 5 minutes.   

4. Combine: Add the Eggplant to the Tomato and stir well. Cook for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve with rice or flat bread.  

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

texas-style red chili

   

Overview

Time: 45 minutes or 3 to 6 hours slow cooker
Dishes: large pot 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

Excellent chili, folks! This Texas-style Red Chili is as meaty as a chili can get and still be meatless. And, yes, it has beans. I was going to skip the beans, but my husband, who worked for a chili cook-off  in Texas for many moons, begged me not to. He said, it's all at the cook's discretion, regardless of the bean-naysayers. 

Therefore, you heard it from a chili expert - beans or no beans is up to the cook; add it or not. If you skip the beans, increase the meatless meat by 3 cups or so. 

I used 1 block of Impossible Meat and 1/2 bag of Taco Crumbles by Butler Soy Curls in this recipe, but any ground meatless meat will be just fine. I rehydrated 1/2 package of the crumbles with about 1 cup of water. I browned them together and then added the rest of the ingredients. It cooked in the slow cooker on high for 3 hours. Nothing could be simpler, really.

And it was fantastic! We topped ours with Fritos, cheddar shreds, Follow Your Heart sour cream and jalapenos. This chili is only as spicy as your chili powder, so you can up the heat any way you like: cayenne, spicier chili powder or hot sauce. However you make it, just make a batch. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Rehydrate or thaw any grounds you'll be using.
• While browning the grounds, gather the rest of your ingredients.
• Dump and cook. Simple. Slow cooker is great here. 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Texas-style Red Chili

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 6 servings 

weekday

May be cooked in a slow cooker.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 - 2 pounds vegan grounds (like rehydrated TVP, Soy Curls, Beyond Meat or Gardein) (5 - 7 cups, not packed)

1 tablespoon onion granules

1 tablespoon adobo seasoning

2 cups water

2 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegan broth mix (like Better Than Bouillon)

Toppings:

Frito or tortilla chips

Vegan shredded cheddar cheese

Minced onion

Minced cilantro

Nondairy sour cream

Thinly sliced jalapeno

1. Grounds: Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the grounds, onion and adobo seasoning. Stir well and cook to brown lightly, about 5 minutes.   

2. Liquid: Add the water, tomatoes, worcestershire, chili, paprika, cumin, sugar and broth mix. Stir well. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 40 minutes, covered. Stir as needed. Or cook in a slow cooker for 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. 

3. Serve: Serve the chili with your choice of toppings: fritos, cheese, onion, cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno, etc. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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twice-baked mexican potatoes

   

Overview

Time: 90 minutes
Dishes: medium skillet, baking sheet, large bowl, oven

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

Try as I might to make this dish weekday friendly, baking the potatoes just takes too long - there is no way getting around the 1 hour mark. You could shave off ten minutes or so by using smaller potatoes or microwave them first, but otherwise, the time is firm to get them cooked.

That was the bad news; the good news is that these Twice-Baked Mexican Potatoes are delicious! They are  laced with Mexican sausage (or chili powder added to regular vegan sausage), cumin, vegan cheese and topped with crunchy tortilla strips, nondairy sour cream and chives.

During my research into Twice Baked Potatoes, all I could find were heart attacks in a shell! Most of the top recipes called for cups of butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, whole milk. Yikes! No need for that kind of damage to animals or humans!

These unique twice-baked potatoes are crazy good and much kinder to all species. 

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Start the potatoes first. 
• Cook the sausage 5 minutes before the potatoes are done.
• Shred the cheese (or gather the ingredients) while the sausage cooks.
• Allow the potatoes to cool only enough to handle; you can't mash cold potatoes.
• Use a large spoon to scoop the inside of the potatoes.
• Use an ice cream scoop to fill the potatoes.
• Use your impeccably clean hands to shape the filling. 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Twice Baked Mexican Potatoes

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekend

Preheat the oven to 425-F. Serve with steamed broccoli or green salad.

4 (14-ounce) Russet potatoes

Olive oil

2 links vegan sausage (Mexican, if possible), diced

1-3 teaspoons chili powder (use sausage is not Mexican)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup yellow or orange shredded vegan cheese

1/3 cup plain unsweetened nondairy milk

3 corn tortillas, cut into thin slices about 1.5-inches long

1/2 cup vegan sour cream

4 scallions, minced

1. Potatoes: Wash the potatoes and dry them thoroughly. Pierce the potatoes all over with a paring knife. Rub olive oil on the surface of the potatoes and bake them directly on the middle oven rack until tender, about 1 hour. 

2. Mash: When the Potatoes are baked cut them in half and set them aside until cool enough to handle. When cooled slightly, scoop out the inside of the potato halves and transfer it to a large bowl. Take care to leave enough potato in the skins so that the halves hold their shape. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher. 

3. Sausage: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and sausage. Cook until lightly browned but not overcooked, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.       

4.  Add the chili powder and cumin to the Sausage. When the Potatoes are Mashed, add the Sausage mixture, cheese and milk. Stir well. 

4. Bake Again: Spray the potato halves with oil spray and fill them with the potato Mash. Make the filling heap above the shells. Transfer the potato halves to a baking dish. Add more shredded cheese on top, if desired, and bake in the preheated 425-degree F oven until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the chopped tortillas to a baking dish, spray with oil and bake with the halves during the final 8 minutes of baking time. Serve with the baked tortillas, sour cream and scallions.

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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