Plant-based Eggplant Marsala, low fat

While visiting relatives in Las Vegas during the thanksgiving holiday we had the good fortune to dine at one of the great Italian restaurants there. We ordered eggplant Marsala and enjoyed it very much.  It is eggplant "steaks" in a mushroom sauce which has a complex, tangy taste due to the lemon juice and wine.  Now that we are back home, we couldn't wait to try making it without fat. It turned out fabulous. I borrowed from two recipes posted at SparkRecipes, one by Frenchifal and the other by Ffrench15 and I also mimicked the version we enjoyed on thanksgiving.

Since I didn't have any Marsala wine, I actually used Chianti in this and it turned out well.

Eggplant Marsala

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 eggplant
1 cup Chianti
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups sliced brown button mushrooms
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, whole
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon Bragg 24 herb seasoning
Sea salt for dredging, 1/4 cup or so
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, whole grain low fat
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 lb pasta (alternate: serve over brown rice)
6 paper towels

Step 1: Peel eggplant, cut off ends and slice into 4 thick slices the long way (or more depending on size of eggplant). Dredge in salt and press between thick layer of paper towels for 20 to 45 minutes.

Eggplant, peeled and sliced into thick steaks

Eggplant ready for breading in flax seed meal mixture

 Step 2: Rinse slices and pat dry. Coat with mixture made of bread crumbs, flax seed meal and 1/2 teaspoon Bragg 24 herb seasoning. Brown in nonstick skillet without oil, 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and tender.  Alternate method, place under broiler for 4-5 minutes per side.

Breaded eggplant

Eggplant breaded and ready to broil

Broiled eggplant in Marsala mushroom sauce

Step 3: Slice mushrooms and arrange in nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until golden. Add broth, wine, lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary and Bragg seasoning. Simmer while eggplant and pasta cook, or about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Prepare pasta according to package directions. Do not rinse. Set aside.
Step 5: Combine flour and milk, stir with small wire whip to remove all lumps. Add mixture to wine sauce and simmer for two more minutes until thickened.  Add eggplant steaks to sauce and if necessary simmer until fork slides easily into the eggplant.  Sometimes broiling, although providing a nice brown finish will leave the insides not completely cooked.

Add fresh parsley last

Step 6: To serve, place 1/2 cup or so of pasta on each plate. Spoon 1/4 cup of sauce over it and then lay an eggplant slice over. Spoon enough additional mushroom sauce over the eggplant to cover. Garnish with parsley.

Serve eggplant Marsala with a dark green vegetable like broccoli

Pesto change-oh, pesto made with kale and no oil

This is a bright, lemony sauce to use on whole grain pasta for those dinners where you want pasta, but not tomato sauce.  A pesto sauce made from a 'whole-lotta' kale and lemon but without the olive oil traditionally found in pesto sauce so it won't hurt your heart.  

Kale Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

5 large curly kale leaves, rinsed and torn to make about 3 cups or enough to fill your food processor bowl
12 fresh basil leaves, or a handful, or about 1/3 of those fresh bunches they now sell in the produce section--sans roots
4 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
zest and juice from one lemon (in that order to make it easy on yourself)
2 large cloves garlic
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. miso paste

Combine all ingredients in food processor and zip around for about 30 seconds.  Toss with hot pasta. This makes enough for one pound of pasta prepared according to package directions.

Whole grain penne pasta with kale pesto sauce, fresh diced tomato and vegan parmesan

Mac n' Cheese with Peas, PBNAF

Penne pasta made from brown rice, topping is
raw shelled hemp seeds instead of flax for a wild evening.

Our standard household favorite to eat while the big cheese is away is Mac n' Cheese because he does not share our enthusiasm for the dish.  Did I mention my daughter, my Mac n' Cheese partner, is away at college?  It's just me and the dogs.  It's just me and the dogs and the parakeets.  It's just me and the dogs, the parakeets and the fish. It's quiet anyway.

But now that I don't eat real cheese not having a favorite go-to recipe has become a problem because he is away, a lot.  Okay, not a lot but these occasions demand a little comfort food like Mac n' Cheese so it is about time I found a recipe worth blogging about.  I have tried a couple of the vegan versions but none have seemed truly great without a little tweaking to my tastes.  No onion powder please.  No turmeric either.

Shells n' Cheesy Sauce with peas

This is adapted from "Soy-Free Mac n' Cheese Recipe" by Lindsay Nixon.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vegetable pasta shells or whole grain pasta of your choice
1 3/4 cups rice milk, low fat unsweetened
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (or slightly less)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Vegan Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon paprika (not smoked)
1/4 teaspoon Bragg 24 Herb Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Not-Chicken Bouillon
1/4 cup non-dairy cheddar shreds
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 tablespoons miso paste (most common available is made from soy which works for me)
1/2 teaspoon dry parsley flakes
2 pinches smoked paprika
flaxseed meal for topping

Put the water on to boil for the pasta and add it when the water is at a rolling boil.  Let the pasta simmer while you make the sauce.
Sauce:
Pour milk into a large skillet, add the yeast, cornstarch, garlic powder, vegan parmesan, paprika, herb seasoning, parsley and bouillon.  Simmer until thickened, add cheddar shreds.  Remove sauce from heat and add miso paste, parsley and paprika.  Set aside.
By now the pasta should almost be done.  Add the frozen peas to the boiling water and continue cooking until the peas are hot and bright green and the pasta is done.  Drain or scoop out of the water with a strainer and combine with the sauce.  Top with flaxseed meal.

You are done.  Except for the best part which is eating it.  :)

Notes:

• Never rinse your pasta with cold water because then the starches wash away that help the sauce stick to it.  (Probably something I learned watching the chefs on Food Network...who knows?)
• Never add miso until the end of cooking because the heat destroys the good stuff in it.
• "Government Cheese" by Keb Mo is the only song I have with the word "Cheese" in the title.  Somehow it is not festive enough for this occasion so "Wouldn't it be Nice" by the Beach Boys is my recommendation tonight.

Thai Peanut Noodle Recipe, low fat, vegan style with PB2 powder

Plant-based Pad Thai

Noodles!

A lot of the recipes I use are based on a tomato type of sauce and sometimes I want a little something different.  This recipe is a version I derived from "Julie's Peanut Sesame Noodles" at www.everydaydish.tv/index.php?page=recipe&recipe=119.   I am sure her version tastes wonderful but since I don't want so much fat and must avoid onions I made a few little changes…..:)

This recipe is one of the most popular that I have blogged. I hope you just love it!  It's one of our favorites.

Thai Peanut Noodles or "Vegan Pad Thai"


1 pound whole grain linguine such as brown rice type

Sauce:
1 cup dry peanut butter powder (PB2)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup warm water
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or diced fine
4 cloves garlic, diced fine
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (omit to decrease fat)
2 teaspoons sweetener such as agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons siracha sauce  (bump this up if you like food really spicy)
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal

Other ingredients to add at the end:
1 pre-packaged coleslaw mix, (without the dressing) or 4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups fresh spinach, baby leaves or regular leaves cut into bite size pieces
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts or 1 cup steamed asparagus, or broccoli, etc.
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup diced grilled tofu, optional
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (toast them in a medium hot non-stick skillet until golden)
   
Steps:
1.  In a large pot, boil the noodles until al dente. Drain but don't rinse.  Place in large bowl.
2.  While the noodles are boiling, put all the sauce ingredients into blender and blend away for a minute.  Let this sit for a few minutes while the flaxseed helps it to thicken up.
3.  Pour peanut sauce over noodles and other ingredients, toss well to coat.
4.  This works as a hot dish or later as a cold noodle salad.

Serves-8

Note:  The longer we are on a plant based diet, the less sweet and salty I seem to like in my recipes.  I have gone back twice now and decreased the amount of soy sauce and sweetener in this recipe to adjust it to my ever-changing tastes.

Dave's Pizza Sauce

If you are looking for a great plant-based pizza sauce recipe, my brother-in-law has a great recipe for pizza sauce that he consented to share and publish on this blog:

Dave's Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
2 - 6 ounce cans tomato paste
12 oz water
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion (unless of course like me you are allergic)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

In a mixing bowl add tomato paste.  Fill tomato pase can with water, then add to bowl.  Measure the basil and oregano into the palm of your hand, rub together into bowl.  Add remaining ingredients.  Whisk together until the tomato paste is smooth.  Put a lid on the bowl or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, at least four hours (up to 24 hours--the longer the better.)
Keep any left-overs covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.  If the sauce seems too thick, just add a little more water.
Makes enough sauce for two 16" pizzas.  Also great as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.

PB2 Peanut Sauce

Plant-based Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe:

1 cup dry peanut butter powder (PB2)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup warm water
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or diced fine
4 cloves garlic, diced fine
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
5 tablespoons sweetener
1 1/2 teaspoons siracha sauce
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal

Low Fat Hummus Recipe

My favorite hummus recipe without Tahini:

Put one can of drained chickpeas in a a strong blender or food processor.
Add 1 clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 small mild hot pepper without seeds or stem
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons water may be necessary to get it to blend

Blend until smooth.  This will make enough to last a couple of days in your refrigerator.  I use it in place of mayo.
If you prefer a hummus made with tahini, go ahead and add up to 2 tablespoons (but not more because of the amount of fat that is in tahini).  Your heart will thank you.

(Hummus Recipe derived from ELovings at Recipes.com)

Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Stir-fried Spicy Eggplant made without frying,
on a bed of kale and brown rice and red lentils.

My favorite dish at P.F. Chang's China Bistro is the Stir-fried Spicy Eggplant, but I have been wondering if it would taste as good without frying the eggplant first.  Just as I suspected, to me it tastes better!  I found one of many copy-cat recipes at "recipe secrets": http://www.recipesecrets.net/forums/recipe-exchange/31921-p-f-changs-china-bistro-stir-fried-spicy-eggplant.html.
This shouldn't be considered an extremely healthy way to eat eggplant due to the sugars in the ingredients but it isn't too bad either.  After all, we have eliminated the majority of the fat from the original recipe.

Here is my version:

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

Brown eggplant in large non-stick skillet on medium high (without any oil) until tender inside and browned on all sides.  Add sauce mixture and stir until thick, about one minute.  Serve over a bed of kale and/or brown rice with lentils.  Garnish with sesame seeds, I found black sesame seeds at the local health food store and used those for the photo.  Downright elegant.

Sauce ingredients (place into small blender):

2 large cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon date sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
1/2 teaspoon ground bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Dear Restaurant, Please serve something like this:

What I long for while away from home is something like this:  a plate of steamed kale (that is still a nice bright green, so not too long on the heat please) with pan roasted mushroom slices and green beans that again are green and tender-crisp (not mushy and some gray-green color).

Green Beans, the fun way

After I took the photo, I added walnut sauce (it doesn't photograph well but tastes divine).
If you would like to make this for yourself, here is the recipe:

For the Kale:
2 or 3 cups washed, torn kale with the large vein stem removed
1/4 cup water
dash of Bragg 24 Herb seasoning
dash garlic powder

Bring water to simmer in skillet with lid, add the kale and other ingredients, replace lid and cook for one minute.  Turn off heat.

In a different skillet:
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced fresh green beans
1 clove garlic, diced fine

Saute in skillet at a high heat with lid until mushrooms are golden brown.  The water from rinsing the beans is enough to provide a nice steam.  Add garlic, if desired.

For the walnut sauce (this is derived from Anne Esselstyn's Walnut Sauce Recipe):
Omit this sauce if you are avoiding soy products.

In a Magic Bullet Blender or equal, combine the following (makes enough for several servings and keeps in fridge several days):
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or other soy sauce
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic, about one really large clove

Blend until smooth and creamy, pour a little over your plated kale (drain the water off first), mushrooms and green beans.  Feel the goodness seep through your insides.  Ahhh.

Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom Sauce simmering and thickening.  Mmmm, gotta love mushrooms.  They are our friends.

When I first attempted to make the Almond Chicken gravy, the sauce was delicious but not right for the recipe.  It tasted too strongly of mushrooms and overpowered the almonds.  My J-man, the big cheese, the head gizmo, said to make sure and keep the mushroom sauce recipe too and we will use it on stuff not called Almond Chicken.
 
(Be sure to listen to "More and More and More" by the Ryan Montbleau Band while you make this.)

Ingredients, to be added to medium hot skillet and simmered until thick:

2 cups mushroom broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons corn starch, made into a paste with 1 Tbsp. broth and then added to skillet
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
1/2 teaspoon parsley. optional
1/2 cup broth made from

Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base, added as needed to thin sauce 2 Tablespoon miso paste, added after removing sauce from heat.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe, PBNAF

Sometimes comfort food is in order.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce with vegetables, mushrooms and pasta on a bed of baby spinach 

I found this incredible recipe for Vegan Fettucine Alfredo that was published courtesy of Tofutti, unfortunately it included soy margarine in the recipe so I had a little work to do.
Here is my version which is very much like the original recipe but with a few modifications and less fat! I used what I have learned from other great recipes for Alfredo Sauce, like adding a little hot sauce and mustard.  Tricky, this game of making totally plant based recipes better than ever....
Honestly, this is soooo good!
You just have to try it.  Listen to Dean Martin's, "That's Amore" while you work, or your favorite spaghetti sounding music.  Perhaps something from the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun".

First get a big pot of cold tap water on the stove to boil for the pasta, then start the sauce.

Ingredients to be placed in blender:

1 package soft silken tofu
1/2 cup low-fat almond milk or non-fat soy milk
1/4 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme, vegan sour cream
2 Tbsp Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, vegan cream cheese
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp non-dairy parmesan cheese, such as Galaxy Nutritional Foods Soy Grated Topping Parmesan Flavor
1 tsp miso paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, or to taste
Fettucini Whole Grain Pasta or your favorite other kind, cooked according to package directions.

Blend everything but the pasta together until smooth and pour over hot cooked and drained (but not rinsed) whole grain pasta.

I also use this for the white sauce on gourmet pizza like Papa Murphy's.