"BOWLS!" by becky striepe

As you may know, I'm pretty big into bowl meals  ------->
as evidenced by my having written a whole cookbook on the subject!

However, right before my book, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N), was published, another wonderful vegan author came out with her own version of the epic meal in everyone's favorite vessel: BOWLS! (Link)

If you aren't familiar with Becky Striepe, she is the author and creator of the popular Glue and Glitter site and the author of the e-book 40 Days of Vegan Smoothies (Link).

When my book came out, Becky noticed the strong resemblance regarding the topic of our books and contacted me. Becky reviewed my book (HERE) and I'm reviewing hers now. After all, what better way to get a feel of the similarities and differences of two books so related than from the authors themselves?

In order to get a good feel of Becky's book, I decided to make a few dishes. As the title of BOWLS! indicates, Becky's book is extensive in the "mix-and-match" department. She devotes a whole chapter to just sauces and a whole chapter to just layers that you can make to assemble a delicious bowl.

Not that Becky doesn't provide stand alone recipes; there are 18 complete bowl recipes, ranging from breakfasts, to soups, to lunches and suppers, such as Roasted Veggie Bowl with Tahini-Miso Sauce and Peanut Butter Tofu Bowl.

All in all, all the bowls I made were tasty and very simple and easy to prepare. I believe the biggest asset of this book is the simplicity of the recipes and Becky's writing style. Her directions are easy to follow and she doesn't mince words.

The family enjoyed everything I made from BOWLS! and I did, too! Overall, a very nice cookbook, one that would please anyone in the mood for a delicious bowl of food.

Since I'm quite late to this party (Becky published it in August of 2014), there have been other wonderful bloggers who have sung the praises of BOWLS!

Vegan Richa - Peanut Butter Tofu Bowl
Canned Time - Southern Style Grits
A Cook in the Making - Chai Spice Oatmeal
Cadry's Kitchen - Ginger Sesame Kale
An Unrefined Vegan - review

Nevertheless, Becky has graceously offered a 10% discount for either BOWLS! paperback, e-book, or 40 Days of Vegan Smoothies. Becky self-published this book, which is quite the feat, I must say, as I work with a publisher and it is still very challenging! To get the 10% off any of her books, use the code ZSU10 when checking out. (Link to Becky's books.)

Photos of book courtesy of Becky Striepe

spicy noodles with peanut sauce

After reading many of the comments that folks left about what their favorite bowl meals are, I felt the inexplicable need to make one that seems to be a particular favorite among the crowd - bowls with peanut sauce.

While I've dabbled in the nutty concoction before, I haven't posted it to the blog - a huge oversight on my part!

At first I wanted to add coconut milk to the sauce, but then - with the addition of peanut butter and, (what I think is a great idea), the addition of red curry paste (more on that later), it became too much like Thai Panang Curry (recipe HERE).

So, I kept it simple, at 9 ingredients. The red curry paste (available in grocery stores, though watch out for fish or shrimp in the curry) is an easy recipe in my new book, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N). Red curry paste typically includes garlic and ginger and, therefore, omits the need to add those ingredients to the peanut sauce. Of course, if you don't have red curry paste, simply add garlic, ginger and red chili flakes to the sauce, and you're all set.

The optional capers add a *funk* to the sauce - much like fish sauce does. Add it completely at your discretion for that ingredient, though, since it is not a necessary addition.

To bring color and additional nutrition to the dish, I added kale and red bell peppers. Possible substitutions might be broccoli rabe (my first choice), julienned carrots, bok choy, napa cabbage, purple cabbage or daikon radish.

Watch out for your peanut butter; omit the sugar from the recipe if your peanut butter is sweetened.

After cooking the pasta (reserving about 2 cups of the cooking water), saute the kale and peppers and add the curry paste (cooking it a bit first, because the garlic and the ginger within it need to be sauteed), the peanut butter, scallions, tamari, lime and sugar and salt.

The whole thing can be done in under 30 minutes, including prep. Start the medium pot of water to boil while you chop the ingredients and this is a dish ready in a snap.

Spicy Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 

10 ounces pasta, such as soba, udon or spaghetti
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced**
1 (1-inch piece) ginger, grated**
8 ounces kale, tough stems removed and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 -inch slices
1 teaspoon red chili flakes OR 1 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste (depending on spice level)
1 cup reserved pasta water
5 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sweetener***
3 scallions, minced
1 teaspoon caper brine liquid (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
Roasted peanuts, to garnish
Lime wedges, garnish

1. Cook the pasta in a medium pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, kale and bell pepper. Cook until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red chili flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of reserved pasta water, peanut butter, tamari, lime juice, sweetener, scallions and caper liquid (if using). Mix well to combine. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. Add the pasta and mix well again. Cook to reheat, taste and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt and black pepper.
3. Serve the pasta garnished with peanuts and lime wedges.


**garlic and ginger: omit if using red curry paste 
***sweetener: omit or reduce if using sweetened peanut butter


 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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seared cauliflower and chickpeas piccata

It seems I have made piccata for the blog more than a few times but it's probably all in my head as I can only find it HERE. My memory lags probably because I make it for home at least every few months. The family loves Seitan Piccata and because it is a very easy dish to throw together (given you have seitan handy), I'm all for it.

The usual mashed potatoes are the accompaniment and maybe a vegetable sneaks in there, such as steamed green beans, but this time around I wanted to make it without seitan.

The flavor affinities of cauliflower + chickpeas + lemon + sweet potatoes + greens is a winner and I instantly wanted to transform these ingredients into one cohesive dish. The sauce for the piccata has only 9 ingredients, plus the cauliflower and chickpeas.

While I served this bowl-style, with the addition of sweet potatoes and greens, you can by all means ignore my suggestion and go with the standard mashed potatoes and green beans.

Roasting the sweet potatoes is the first order of business as preheating the oven and cooking the tubers will take the longest.

The next longest step is cooking the collard greens, so get them on the stove and you can essentially forget about them.

In this recipe I treated the cauliflower a little differently. I simply sauteed and seared the pieces until they were tender and golden.  Cover the cauliflower as it cooks over low heat and it will not only sear but cook all the way through. Definitely a fantastic way to treat this vegetable! A little seasoning of salt and black pepper and I could eat them all day long. I might, if given the chance.

Finally, the sauce is made. This step goes pretty fast after the chickpeas are done sauteing so it might be a good idea to have everything ready to go once the chickpeas are golden brown.

This is the best dish to eat all these seasonal produce in: cauliflower, sweet potatoes, collard greens and lemon.

There it is! Gluten free (if using rice flour), nutritious, pretty and delicious.

Seared Cauliflower and Chickpea Piccata
Prep and cook in 40 minutes
Serves 4 

Potatoes:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch half-moons
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Collards:
8 ounces collard greens, tough stems removed and cut into ribbons
1/4 small onion, chopped

Cauliflower:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1/2 -inch slices (as best as you can)

Sauce:
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour or rice flour
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth**
1/2 cup vegetable broth
 2 tablespoon capers
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley

1. Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425-degrees F. Combine the potatoes and oil on a baking sheet and season with salt and black pepper. Bake the potatoes until golden and tender, about 20 to 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes midway through cooking. Lightly mash with a potato masher.
2. Collards: Combine the collards and onion in a medium pot. Add enough water to cover the collards well. Cooking the collards in plenty of water will reduce their bitterness. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until tender over medium heat, about 20 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
3.  Cauliflower: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower slices (and the pieces that fell away when slicing), cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until golden, about 9 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook the other side until golden and the cauliflower is  tender, another 9 minutes. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
4. Sauce: Heat the now empty skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook until they are dry, about 3 minutes. Add the oil and cook until the chickpeas are golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Add the wine and cook until the wine almost evaporates completely. Add the broth and capers and cook until the broth is reduced by half and thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved cauliflower, lemon juice and parsley. Cook until the cauliflower is warmed through. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Assembly: Serve the mashed sweet potatoes with the collards and piccata. Spoon a little of the sauce onto each serving. 



** Wine substitute: Soak 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes in 1 cup of hot vegetable broth. Set aside to rehydrate and infuse the broth with the flavor for at least 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze the tomatoes of their liquid. 

 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

veganmofo - childhood meal + stuffed cabbage bowl

Second day of #veganmofo - childhood meal!

The second suggestion from the folks at veganmofo have us recreating a childhood meal. I love developing Hungarian recipes and have done so in both Everyday Vegan Eats and the upcoming cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

Everyday Vegan Eats  (Amazon, B&N) contains my most (most!) favorite Stuffed Cabbage recipe, which is a complete throwback to my childhood. I lived in restaurants and one of my parents most popular dishes was Stuffed Cabbage.

At the restaurant, my dad tweaked the Hungarian-style Stuffed Cabbage to be more Jewish-style with the addition of tomato sauce and sweetness. Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage is sour and made with ground meat and rice and a touch of smoke. Jewish-style Stuffed Cabbage contains tomato sauce and is sweet instead of sour.

I grew up with the Jewish-style Stuffed Cabbage, which explains why it appears in Everyday Vegan Eats! And while I completely love that version and  reserve a spot in my heart for it, on special (and only special!) occasions my dad would make the authentic Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage; therefore, now, I am at a loss as to which to pick for this round of mofo! Thanks, Obama!

However, since my publisher pulled my authentic Stuffed Cabbage-style Bowl from Vegan Bowls and the recipe will not be appearing in it, I get to share a freebie bowl recipe with you!

Typically, publishers pull recipes for lack of space, recipe difficulty or recipe length. In this case, I think maybe a little bit of all three was involved. While this bowl recipe is not too difficult, not too lengthy and does not take up too much space, I agree that it is partly a bit of all three and the decision to omit it was the right one.

Having said that, this is the easiest way to make stuffed cabbage, period. A bit more involved in the multi-tasking area, but definitely worth it.

This is a great time to introduce you to black cardamom. Black cardamom is not to be confused with green cardamom as they are night and day. Black cardamom is smoky and earthy and green cardamom is floral and sweet. I've discovered that I like using black cardamom because it brings smokiness to dishes without using liquid smoke. I love that!

Another very important thing to note: you MUST add the vegan sour cream. Make your own whole foods version or buy store-bought, but the sour cream brings the dish together. Without it, I'm afraid disappointment is in store. There is a creamy, sour, and tangy component that this dish desperately needs and cannot fare well without. Even the non-vegan version needs it, so do not skip it.

Stuffed Cabbage-Style Bowl
Unlike the tomato-based stuffed cabbage that we have come to love, Hungarian stuffed cabbage includes very little tomato. Instead, it is full of soured cabbage. In fact, even the cabbage that the rolls are stuffed in is a head of sour cabbage. To bring this traditional dish to a vegan bowl, I combine sauerkraut and green cabbage. Hungarians wouldn’t dream of preparing any dish without sour cream, so to make this bowl complete, I call for vegan sour cream, either store-bought or homemade, using the recipe from the Paprikás recipe.
Serves 4
SFO

Mushrooms:
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Lentils:
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 large black cardamoms
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1/2 cup drained sauerkraut

Rice:
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cups long-grain white rice

Lecsó:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch slices
2 medium Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1/2 head small green cabbage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Sauté:
2 tablespoon whole-wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
1 cup drained sauerkraut
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil

Vegan sour cream, homemade or store-bought

1. Mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the mushrooms to a baking sheet and bake until considerably shrunk, about 5 minutes. Combine the oil, tamari and paprika in a small bowl and stir into the mushrooms. Stir well and arrange the mushrooms in a single layer. Continue to bake until almost crisp, about 10 to 12 more minutes, stirring midway through cooking. Set aside.
2. Lentils: Combine the broth, lentils, cardamom, paprika and sauerkraut in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to a strong simmer over medium heat and cook until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. Remove and discard the cardamom. Drain and reserve 1 1/4 cups of the cooking broth.
3. Rice: Heat the water and salt over high heat in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and add the rice. Cook the rice until tender. Drain and set aside.
4. Lecsó: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, cover and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Add a splash of water or broth if needed, and add the tomato, garlic and thyme. Cook until the tomato breaks down, an additional 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook to wilt, about for 3 minutes.
5. Saute: Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour and stir until well incorporated. Add the drained rice, the reserved broth from the lentil, the sauerkraut and the paprika. Stir well and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved lentils, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and continue to simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Assembly: Serve the cabbage sauté in bowls, garnished with vegan sour cream and the bacon mushrooms. 

Quick tip: Preheat the oven to 425°F right away. Heat the broth for the lentils and the water for the rice right away. First chop the onions and then begin chopping the mushrooms while the onion cooks. Chop the bell pepper while the onion cooks. Chop the tomato and cabbage while the bell pepper cooks. 

Soy-Free Option: Substitute coconut aminos with a few pinches of sea salt for the tamari.

Substitute: Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke for the black cardamom.


 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

indonesian stir-fried noodle bowl from "vegan bowls" + #2

These are a few of my favorite things...about Vegan Bowls:

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you my most favorite aspects of my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

#2.
My next most favorite aspect of Vegan Bowls is that all of the recipes are on one page (except for a few that have substitution suggestions spill over to the next facing page).

This is really important since the recipes contain no sub-recipes needing to be made first. This means that once you turn to the recipe you want to make, there will be no further page turning needed to complete the dish.

My publisher and I really worked hard on making this a reality - especially since these are complete meals! Complete meals that you can prepare without any sub-recipes or page turning. I love this concept when I cook for my own family and I wanted to bring that uniqueness to this special book.

If you missed it, Reason #1 is posted HERE.

Below I am sharing my recipe for Indonesian Stir-fried Noodle Bowl from Vegan Bowls and felt it was appropriate to let you see the rest of the Chapter 5: Pastas. This chapter includes 14 delicious pasta recipes, including recipes from Europe, Asia and regions of the U.S.

If you have heard of the Laos dish of larb and have been wanting to make an authentic vegan version - look no further than Vegan Bowls. The Reuben Mac and Cheese is my homage to Tami Noyes of Vegan Sandwiches Saves the Day and the upcoming cookbook, The Great Vegan Grains Book (Amazon, B&N).

The list really goes on and on and not a single recipe is your ordinary, run-of-the-mill vegan renditions of pasta dishes. After you peruse the list, get in the kitchen and make the stir-fried noodle bowl below. It is quick and so, so good!

Indonesian Stir-Fried Noodle Bowl
SERVES 4
Mei goreng or bami goreng is a popular street food all over Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is a sweet and spicy dish of noodles fried with vegetables and eggs. The sauce usually calls for kecap manis, a thick, sweet sauce, but here we will make our own sauce using tamari, mirin, fresh ginger, and garlic. (Recipe from Vegan Bowls,  copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)


NOODLES
8 ounces medium-thickness brown rice noodles

SAUCE
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
1/4 cup mirin
1 tablespoon sambal oelek, or to taste
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon natural sugar

VEGETABLES
1/4 cup vegetable broth, divided
1 small red onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices
3 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 celery rib, cut into 1/8-inch slices
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or vegetable broth
6 ounces baby kale or baby spinach
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed in a bowl of hot water and drained

NOODLES: Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add the noodles and cook just shy of al dente, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles and cool under running water. Set aside.

SAUCE: Combine the broth, tamari, mirin, sambal oelek, ginger, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.

VEGETABLES: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of broth and the onion. Stir and cook until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of broth to the skillet. Add the broccoli. Stir and cook until the broccoli begins to char, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, celery, garlic and 1 tablespoon of broth. Stir and cook until the cabbage begins to char, about 2 more minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside with the onion. Add the sauce to the skillet and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the oil or 2 more tablespoons of broth, the kale, the edamame, the reserved noodles, and the reserved vegetables. Stir and cook until the pasta is warmed through and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more sambal oelek and tamari. Serve hot in bowls.

marengo bowl

Because Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) is so close to release (September 15!), I can't seem to get bowl dishes off my mind. Although this recipe, Marengo Bowl, is not in the book, creating more and more bowl foods these days seems to be my norm as they are easy, complete - in terms of starch, vegetable and protein - and convenient.

I am a sucker for re-creating classic recipes as authentically as is vegan-ly possible, and Marengo is no exception to this self-imposed rule.

Legend has it that Chicken Marengo was created to celebrate Napoleon's Battle of Marengo in the 1800's. After the victory, Napoleon's chef searched the village for ingredients fit for his highness and found chicken, eggs, crayfish, tomato and wine. Napoleon loved the dish so much that he insisted on eating it before each battle, believing it would bring him good luck.

So the legend goes. How much truth there is in the story is debated by historians, but the dish does exist and I am here to make it into a vegan culinary dream.

The most difficult aspect of this dish to veganize is the fried egg, which is served sunny side up as the egg yolk adds a "sauce" to the chicken stew. I decided to use a quick vegan Hollandaise sauce to add that extra sauciness and flavor.

While the mushrooms (if we are to believe the original tale) were added much later, it has become synonymous with Marengo. In addition to regular mushrooms in the stew itself, I decided to add grilled trumpet mushrooms (also know as king oyster mushrooms) because they are substantial and have a light reminiscence of seafood flavor - not as much as the regular oyster mushrooms, but very adequate in replacing the crayfish, or shrimp that is a popular addition these days. If unavailable, use protobellos.

Get the recipe below and don't forget to enter to win Kittee Berns' amazing Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love, HERE.

Marengo Bowl

Serves 4

Hollandaise: 3 tablespoons vegan mayo 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain vegan milk 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon dijon mustard ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric Pinch cayenne Sea salt and ground black pepper Sautee: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced thin 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 garlic cloves, sliced ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 bay leaf 8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, quartered 1 cup dry marsala or sherry 1 (15 - 18 ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand ½ cup water ½ cup sliced black olives Grill: 4 trumpet (or king oyster) mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ½-inch thick slices 2 teaspoons olive oil Cooked rice, as needed 2 tablespoons minced parsley. 1. Hollandaise: Combine the mayo, milk, juice, mustard, turmeric and cayenne in a small microwave-safe bowl. Whip with a whisk to combine and season with salt and black pepper. When needed, warm in a microwave in 20 second intervals until heated through. 2. Sautee: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, chickpeas, garlic, thyme, oregano, bay and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook until the onions and chickpeas are lightly golden, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the onion and beans and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, water and reserved onions and beans and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes. Add the olives and a 2 to 3 tablespoons of water if the sautee is too dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 3. Grill: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Combine the trumpet mushrooms, olive oil and salt and black pepper, to taste, in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Grill the mushrooms until tender, 3 minutes per side in the covered grill pan. turning the mushrooms a quarter turn after 2 minutes. 4. Assembly: Serve the sauce over the cooked rice in shallow bowls. Garnish with a few slices of grilled mushrooms, hollandaise sauce and parsley. Serve.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

zuppa toscanan

Zuppa Toscana is an Italian soup made of sausage, potatoes, kale and cream. I made a simple bechamel sauce to replace the cream, which is nothing more than cooking some flour in a little oil and adding the liquid. The flour-based roux thickens the soup and makes it creamy, therefore replacing the need for the cream.

I used ground Tofurkey sausage in this, along with seasoned lentils, but you can use either with equally great results.

I garnished my soup with some leftover Bacon Tofu from Everyday Vegan Eats (page 134) because I made a quadruple batch earlier in the week and I had a little bit leftover. The crisp vegan bacon was quite delicious in this soup and I recommend it highly.

If you have EVE and haven't tried the bacon, I urge you to do so...but go full out and pan-fry it because it gets crispy and crunchy and oh! so tasty.

Zuppa Toscana

Serves 4

3 tablespoons  olive oil, divided

½ medium onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups ground vegan sausage (such as Tofurkey Italian sausage) OR 2 cups cooked lentils (see note)

3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

1 ½ cups unsweetened plain vegan milk

3 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf (if not using seasoned lentils)

1 pound red potatoes, chopped

8 ounces kale, tough stems removed and chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1 cup chopped prepared vegan bacon (such as Bacon Tofu from Everyday Vegan Eats)

½ cup minced fresh basil

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium high. Add the onion, garlic and sausage, if using. Cook until golden,about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the remaining oil and the flour. Cook the flour for 2 minutes and add the milk. Whisk well to prevent lumps. Add the broth, bay leaf, if using, the potatoes and kale. Season with salt and black pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve the soup garnished with  bacon and basil.

Note: Cook the lentils with 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

lemon-braised tempeh salad

Braising tempeh (simmering slowly in a flavorful broth) can impart some great qualities to the tempeh, and the longer it cooks, the more flavor it imparts. The truth is, many of us don't have that kind of time, especially for lunch.

Since the tempeh is only lightly flavored (because of the quick braising time) the dressing comes to the rescue, in fact utilizing some of the braising liquid in the body of the sauce.

Cooking the potatoes just until tender is an easy feat with the addition of a steamer basket right over the braising tempeh - a trick that I love to employ since it adds a bit of the liquid's flavor without submerging the entire potato into the liquid itself, and because it saves on pots, water and energy.

I chose frisse salad, but arugula or watercress would make a delightful substitution; just keep it light, no kale or collards. The raw thinly sliced squash fits right into the spring-summer theme and a few slices of scallions and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper round things out nicely.

Lemon-braised Tempeh Salad

Serves 4

Tempeh:

½ lemon, cut into ¼-inch slices

¼ onion, sliced

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons capers

1 teaspoon dulse flakes

8 ounces tempeh, cut into ¼-inch slices on a deep bias

Water, as needed

2 medium red potatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices

Sea salt

Dressing:

6 tablespoons reserved cooking broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon vegan mayo

2 pinches natural sugar

2 small garlic cloves, very finely minced

Salad:

1 head frisee

½ cup parsley leaves

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 small summer squash, cut into thin slices

Black pepper

1. Tempeh: Place the lemon and onion on the bottom of a medium pan. Add the horseradish, capers and dulse. Layer the tempeh slices over the lemon and onion. Add just enough water to cover. Place a steamer basket over the tempeh slices and add the potato slices. Season with salt. Cover, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove the steamer basket and the tempeh. Drain off 6 tablespoons of the cooking broth and discard the rest of the broth ingredients.  

2. Dressing: Combine the broth, lemon, oil, mayo, sugar, garlic and season with salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine well. Set aside.

3. Salad: Combine the frisee, parsley, scallions and squash in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Assembly: Add the salad mix to a bowl, top with potatoes, tempeh and dressing. Serve with lots of fresh ground black pepper.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

mexican-flare quinoa bowl

With my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) coming out in a few short months, I'm again craving more bowl foods. As you can imagine, after months of bowls for breakfast, lunch and dinner during recipe development and testing, we needed a bit of a break from the bowl foods, but that didn't last too long.

Bowls are convenient, easy and balanced, which is part of their appeal when dinner rolls around. Who wants to think about what to serve with a protein to make it a complete meal, when that is exactly what bowl food is all about?

Since I cooked up a batch of black beans earlier in the week, the next most obvious application for the legume was a Tex-Mex meal.

This bowl is full of Mexican flare, including roasted corn, fajita vegetables, avocado and a salsa sauce. The quinoa is dotted with spinach, adding more nutrition and flavor. Serve this bowl with tortilla chips and dig in.

Mexican-flare Quinoa Bowl

Serves 4

Quinoa:

2 ¼ vegetable broth

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed well

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed

Vegetables:

3 cups corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Beans:

3 cups black beans
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sauce:

¾ cups salsa

¼ cup vegan mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Garnish:

Avocado, slices

Cilantro leaves

Tortilla chips

1. Quinoa: Heat the broth in a medium pan over high heat. Bring to boil, add the quinoa and salt, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and stir in the chopped spinach. Return to medium heat and cook until the spinach is heated through.

2. Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until golden, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside in a bowl. Add the oil to the skillet and stir in the bell pepper and onion. Season with the garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside in the bowl.

3. Beans: Add the beans to the skillet. Season with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and black pepper, to taste, and cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

4. Sauce: Combine the salsa, mayo and lime juice in a small blender. Blend until smooth and transfer to a small pan. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

5. Assembly: Layer the quinoa in the bottom of the bowl, topping with roasted corn, sauteed vegetables, beans and avocado and cilantro. Serve with the sauce and tortilla chips.

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