Vegan Steel Cut Oats with Banana and Manuka Honey

 

So good!!!!

Manuka Honey can be found at Trader Joe's or other specialty grocers. It can also be ordered online from Amazon and eBay.

Adventures in Canning: Southwestern Black Bean Soup

 Southwestern Black Bean Soup

 

 

    I started canning about 5 years and I really enjoy it.  However lately we just haven't had the time with all our home projects and other hobbies. Well,  I just picked up a new pressure cooker after my last ones seal wore out and it was all the inspiration I needed to get back into it.  A year ago...we did have a pantry full of stocks, broths, soups, and canned beans but we have since used up all our storage.  This left me antsy as I love the look of a full pantry that is ready for anything!  My husband is in LOVE with the black bean soup (it's vegan) that they sell at Costco, he takes it to work almost everyday. I was determined to search out a recipe so I could can some for him.  So I began searching the internet, the recipes were all over the place with cook times and ingredients.  So I settled for a basic black bean soup recipe that I would tweak to make my own.  The basic black bean canning recipe can be found here:  http://www.food.com/recipe/home-canned-or-stove-top-black-bean-soup-365370 .  What is nice about it is that it includes both stove top directions and canning directions so there is no pressure to run out and get a pressure cooker if you don't already have one, since you can throw it right into a stockpot and go.

 

 

The first thing I did was sanitize the jars, then I let the beans soak in them for a day in 1 quart jars. 

Beans soaking in water over night

Next you rinse the beans and clean your jars again.    After your jars are prepared  you put the beans back into the jar.  Add all the ingredients as listed in the link I gave you.  Here are some modifications I did to put a southwestern spin on the soup:  Swapped red onion for white onion, swapped jalapenos for green chilis, added diced tomatoes and added corn.  You can really play with it and make it your own just be sure to add hot water to it after your ingredients and leave about 1 inch space at the top of the jar

 

Add your ingredients, fill with hot water, leave space at the top



I used 1 quart jars

 

 

 

 

After everything is in the jar, you've added the hot water, you've remembered to leave about 1 inch space you can seal them up and prepare your pressure cooker. 

Pressure cooker,  doesn't actually hold 4 like my old one :(
I realized that after the photo. I had to cook them 2 at a time in the center.

 

 

 

I cooked these on high on my stove top in the pressure cooker for 90 minutes.

That's it!! Your house will smell amazing!!!

 

Bon Appétit,

 

 

Recipe adapted from Food.com  Photos by Laura Spear





   

Maple-Pecan-Crusted Vegan Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup crushed pecans
2 cups of your favorite vegan chicken

Directions:

In a cast-iron skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat then add the salt, brown sugar, ginger, and olive oil. Mix that together.  Stir in the maple syrup, pecans and turn the heat down to low. Wait for it to bubble then add your vegan chicken. Flip it a few times to get it coated and then let your chicken simmer in the maple syrup mixture.  Cook for 2 to 3 mins then flip and cook another 2 to 3 mins. The kitchen will smell AMAZING.  You know the chicken is done when you have a golden brown crust on the pecans.

Recipe by:  Annie & Dan Shannon authors of the Betty Goes Vegan cookbook.
Photo by:  Laura Spear

Halloweegan Peppers, Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns

Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns Halloweegan Peppers

You can stuff Acorn Squash or Peppers for this recipe. The filling can also be changed to whatever you want, spaghetti, pasta, noodles, rice, quinoa, I used orzo and followed the recipe below because it's what I had on hand. Kids love these fun little faces!! The husband even laughed when he took a left over one to work because his Tupperware lid is see through and you just say this scary face looking back at you from inside his lunch hehehe. This recipe also works year round, try different faces for different holidays. For example I plan to use red and green pepper to make "elf peppers" this Christmas :)

Stuffed with yummy orzo, recipe below I just substituted Orzo for Quinoa

My kids LOVED these jack o'lantern faces! 

Prepare the squashes:

• 2 gold acorn squashes
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

If you're going to bake them in a conventional oven, preheat it to 375ºF.

Slice off the bottom tip of the squashes to create a flat base. Cut off the tops and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Save the tops for later!

Use a pencil to draw the faces on the squashes, and use a small serrated knife to carve out the faces. Luckily, carving a small acorn squash is easier than carving a big pumpkin!

Brush a little olive oil all over the inside of the squashes and lightly sprinkle them with salt and black pepper. At this point you can choose to bake them in a conventional oven for an hour or until soft, or you can cook them in the microwave like I did. Place the squashes in a microwave safe bowl, add about 1/2 cup of water and microwave for 5 to 8 minutes or until soft.

In the meantime, make the quinoa stuffing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes or until soft. Stir in the mushrooms and saute two more minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for just about 30 seconds.

Add the parsley salt, black pepper, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy. If the quinoa is still crunchy you can add more broth and simmer it for a few more minutes. 

Spoon the quinoa stuffing into the acorn squashes and cover them with the reserved squash tops. Reheat the finished dish, if necessary, and serve. 

For Tiny Appetites: You can make those mini pumpkins instead of the bigger acorn squashes. You can stuff 6 to 8 mini pumpkins with this recipe, depending on their size.

Halloweegan Peppers:

 You can also stuff a carved orange bell pepper. Carve, stuff, and bake in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe from Vegan Wing it, Photos by Laura Spear 

BBQ Portobello Sliders

BBQ Portobello Sliders

makes 6 sliders

6 baby portobello mushrooms

6 slider buns

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

2-3 ounces gouda, sliced into squares (I used daiya vegan pepper-jack cheese)

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup bbq sauce, for drizzling and dipping

Heat a skillet on medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and let caramelize, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, then turn off heat and set aside.

While onions are caramelizing, brush mushrooms with remaining olive oil and sprinkle both sides with pepper, paprika, onion and chili powder. Heat a skillet ( or a grill) on medium heat and cook until mushrooms are juicy and tender – about 5 minutes on each side. With 1-2 minutes remaining, add a slice of gouda on top to melt.

Assemble sliders by placing the mushroom on the bun, then top with onions, avocado, and a hefty drizzle of bbq sauce.

Recipe by howsweeteats.com Photos by Laura Spears iphone :)

Creamy Fall Asparagus Soup

One of my favorite things about fall is soup! Sure you can have soup anytime of the year but in our house we reserve soup for those times when we aren't feeling very well and who wants to only eat soup when you are sick? Not me. So September in our house is FALL MONTH, we throw up the fall decor, put those fall spices smells in the scent burners and put some hot soup on the stove.

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 tablespoons vegan margarine

10 ounces frozen or fresh asparagus spears

1 cup vegetable broth

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 dash garlic salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

(additional black pepper and salt to taste)

1 cup plain soy milk

Mix the ingredients, except the soy milk, together in a bowl and cook in the microwave for 10 mins (I did mine in my pressure cooker for 10 mins) Let it cool (you want to let it cool completely or it will explode in your blender like mine did :) Pour the cooled soup into a blender, pureeing until smooth. Return the mixture to a bowl, stir in the soy milk and microwave until heated through (I returned it to the pressure cooker for about 5 mins)

Makes 2 servings

Recipe adapted from PETA's Vegan College Cookbook, Photos By Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Curried Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Serve this scrumptious dish as a first course on Thanksgiving Day or as dinner's main event on a chilly evening. The curry gives it a subtly exotic flavor, while the apple and honey add a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
• 3 cups chicken broth (for vegan use no-chicken broth or veggie broth)

• 1 1/2 cups solidly packed pumpkin mash or canned pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (for vegan sub in soy or almond milk)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (you can also use agave)
• Sour cream and chives, for garnish (optional) (for vegan choose a vegan sour cream)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium-size soup pot. Stir in the onion, celery, and apple. Partially cover the pot and sauté the ingredients over medium-high heat until the onion is clear, about 8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and sauté the mixture for another minute. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and cook it for 1 minute more.
2. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor, add the pumpkin, and puree the soup until it's smooth.
3. Pour it all back into the pot, then stir in the remaining chicken broth, the salt, and the bay leaf. Set the soup over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. After 5 minutes, stir in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of honey. Taste the soup, adding more salt or honey if necessary to get the desired balance of sweet and savory. Simmer it for 2 minutes more, remove the soup from the heat, and serve it hot. For a pretty -- and tasty -- touch, garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped chives. Makes 6 servings.
   
   
   Recipe from Family Fun Magazine, Photo by Laura Spears IPHONE :)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese (vegan) By Chef Chloe Coscarelli

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni or piccolini
• ¼ cup vegan margarine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
• 3 cups soy, almond, or rice milk
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, make a roux or paste by whisking the margarine and flour over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add nondairy milk, yeast, tomato paste, salt, and garlic powder to the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste (I added a little black pepper) and stir in lemon juice and agave. Toss the noodles with the sauce and transfer to the prepared pan.

Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the pasta and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Chef Chloe Coscarelli, and can be found in the cookbook Chloe's Kitchen available from amazon. Find the cookbook and many more in my amazon widget in the upper right hand corner of this blog. Photos by Laura Spear 

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Pumpkin pecan pie for Thanksgiving?? That sounds weird I know! I have been a long time pecan pie lover where as my husband loves pumpkin pie. I find pumpkin pie too bland, in fact the only way I've enjoyed it in the past is smothered in so much whipped topping that you couldn't tell that it was pumpkin at all. My husband thinks that pecan pie is too sweet, he's also not a big fan of nuts in anything he eats unless they are plain, served in a bowl, and next to a nice cold beer. So..... When I was browsing through my vegan cookbooks wondering what in the heck i was going to make for dessert I came to my newest cookbook Party Vegan, and there I found my answer. Robin Robertson the author of party vegan did an amazing job incorporating recipes for each and every holiday so that you can not only have a dinner for your family, but host an event for a large group of family or friends. I am in LOVE with this cookbook, you can find it on my Amazon spindle to the right of this page if you'd like to check it out.  Long story short this pie recipe brought both our loves of pie together, awww how romantic! 

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegan margarine, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

For the topping:

• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted

For the filling:

• One 16-ounce can solid-packed pumpkin
• 4 ounces firm silken tofu, drained and patted dry
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

For the crust:

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, pulsing to blend. Add the margarine and pulse to combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a time and pulse until the dough just starts to hold together. Remove the dough from the food processor and shape it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the topping:

In a small bowl, combine the pecans, maple syrup, and margarine. Stir to combine. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling:

In a food processor, combine the pumpkin, tofu, maple syrup, and vanilla, and process until well blended. Add both sugars, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, cornstarch, and baking powder. Process until smooth and well combined.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to about 10 inches in diameter. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and flute the edges. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the pecan topping. Return to the oven and bake 30 minutes longer. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then chill in the refrigerator for 5 hours or until set.

Recipe by Robin Robertson, Photos by Laura Spear 

Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Soup

The soup alone costs a total of $2.93 to prepare. 

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoon vegetable bullion
• 2-3 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tsp nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Saute the vegetable oil and chopped onion on medium high until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add 2 cups water and vegetable bullion (or 2 cups vegetable broth).
3. Add the pumpkin puree and coconut milk, nutmeg and sugar, stir to combine. (I used a food processor to puree the pumpkin, but you could use canned if you wanted). Heat this mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

We enjoyed this soup with a garnish of coconut milk, fresh cilantro, and sweet toasted pumpkin seeds. To make swirls use a spoon to drizzle coconut milk and then use a knife to connect the dots to form lines.

Recipe by Sarah Kaiser, photos by Laura Spear