Meatloaf for the plant-based diet, no added fat

Low Fat Meat-less Meatloaf

The first step is to turn on the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine:

1/2 cup boiling water with
1/2 cup dry TVP granules, or beef flavored TSP and set aside while you get everything else going.

In a food processor, combine the following:
(or you can make this entire meatloaf without a food processor by dicing everything very fine but it may need a bit of water to make everything stick together)

1 Box silken tofu
1can black beans, drained
1/2 cup walnuts 
1/4 cup flaxseed meal whisked with 1/3 cup hot water
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Sirachi 
1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon paste, or "not-beef" flavor powder
2 tablespoon fresh parsley—don't skip this, at least use dried
1 tablespoon fresh basil
2 cloves garlic or more
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce—don't skip this
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pour into very large bowl along with:

1/2 cup chopped celery 

1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup finely sliced or shredded carrot 

1 cup of dry breadcrumbs (if you are out, put three slices of whole grain bread through the food processor and use that instead, or oatmeal or soda cracker crumbs)

3/4 cup vital wheat gluten
rehydrated TVP

Roll up your sleeves and stir it all together with your hands (don't forget the TVP—I can't tell you how many times I forget that….) Knead for a couple of minutes to get the gluten forming.
Form into a loaf shape and place in one large or two medium sized bread pans (lightly spray-oiled).

Brush the top with the super-fantastic-extra-special red sauce (really, don't skip this part):

8 tablespoons ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar or date sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Bake for  75 minutes, remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes before devouring.  If you want it done quicker, use two smaller pans. If baking as two medium loaves adjust the time down to one hour.

Stuffing! Vegan Cornbread, Wild Rice and (not) Sausage Stuffing Recipe, or Plant-based with no added fat

Previous Post but this is the perfect time of year to bring it back!

On Thanksgiving, I can forego everything but the stuffing.  We began eating a plant based diet just a few weeks before Thanksgiving the year we started this--2011-- and what a holiday to not be able to sit down and eat the traditional meal.  So it was essential for me to find a way to have a stuffing that tasted as close as possible to my recipe of cornbread stuffing with wild rice and sausage, the recipe for stuffing that became our standard after working on it for years.

The new plant based version is very similar, a combination of the stuffing I grew up with, cornbread stuffing, and the stuffing my husband likes--wild rice and sausage.  This version leaves out the diced boiled eggs, diced gizzard, heart and turkey broth and meat from the neck that I used to boil and include.

You know what?  I actually like this version better.

Cornbread Stuffing

Recipe:
1 batch cornbread from a plant-based, no added fat recipe prepared and cooled (can be made a day ahead, I always do it the night before--it's a tradition)
2 cups long grain and wild rice mix prepared by simmering in 2 cups vegetable broth and 1 tsp. dried herbs (Bragg 24 herb mix recommended)
1 cup vegan sausage substitute like textured soy, as low fat as possible (or see recipe below)
4 stalks celery, diced
1 cup soy curls, rehydrated with 3/4 cup hot not-chicken bouillon and diced into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup walnuts (toasted) and chopped coarsely
3 cloves garlic finely diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped very coarsely 2 tsp. dried rubbed sage or poultry seasoning and 1 tsp. granulated garlic and dash of blach pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cups broth (mushroom, vegetable or not-chicken bouillon stock)
Paprika to dust top of casserole with before baking

Cut cornbread into 1/2" cubes and set aside.
Sauté celery and garlic in nonstick skillet,
add broth and cook until garlic is tender.
Toss all ingredients in large bowl.  You may need to add more broth to make sure stuffing is moist but not saturated, then transfer to baking dish, 9x13 or similar.  Cover with foil or casserole lid and bake at 325 degrees farenheit for 60 minutes.

Sausage recipe:
3/4 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, unflavored) 
1 cup vegetable broth, hot
1/4 tsp dry powdered ginger
1/8 tsp anise, crushed fine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary, crushed
Stir all seasonings and broth into TVP and let sit for 20 minutes.
(Stir in 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten if pressing into patties such as for breakfast.)

Stuffing is even better the second day!  Serving suggestion: sprinkle dried cranberries over the top of  each serving.
This is ideal stuffed into large mushroom caps and baked until mushrooms are tender in a covered casserole with a little vegetable broth.

Spinach Loaf for the plant based diet

Adapted from "Low Fat Meat-less Meatloaf" this version has quinoa, lentils and lots of spinach!

Vegan Spinach, Quinoa and lentil loaf (don't tell the meat-eaters, they will think it is meatloaf)

Ingredients to be placed into large bowl and set aside:

1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup vegan meat substitute such as ground seitan
1/2 cup wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon chia seed
1/3 cup rinsed quinoa

Ingredients to be placed in food processor:

3 cups fresh spinach or 3 large handfuls (or equal amount fresh kale leaves)
1 box silken tofu, firm organic
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed or pre-cooked equivalent
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 teaspoons garlic powder or 1 tablespoon fresh minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Not-Beef vegetarian Bouillon

Combine processed ingredients with the items in your large bowl until well incorporated, then place in loaf pan.  Cover with balsamic vinegar sauce and bake for one hour at 350 degrees fahrenheit.  Serve with additional sauce.
Leftovers work well in sandwiches!



Balsamic Vinegar Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Stuffed Mushrooms, Vegan No-onions

One of my favorite appetizers during the holidays, or when dining out before we started eating only plants and no added fats was Stuffed Mushrooms.  I used to make them with cornbread stuffing and sausage, or crab and bread crumbs with cheese.

Now I make them with polenta and Smart Dog Vegan Sausage (it only takes one sausage for the entire batch so try not to freak out about the fat in that boy).  And they are fabulous!

Here they are, just starting to cook in a skillet with brown rice and Vegan Not-Beef Broth.

Recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms, plant-based with no added fat

Ingredients:

12 large mushrooms, stem removed and use melon baller to remove most of insides

Hollow out the mushroom caps

Filling ingredients:
2 slices polenta, 1/4" dice to make 1/3 cup or so
1 Smart Dog Vegan Sausage, 1/4" dice (or homemade vegan sausage)
2 stalks celery, 1/4" dice
2 tablespoons brown minute rice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Bragg essential amino's
2 tablespoons Daiya dairy free mozzarella shreds
2 tablespoons mushroom broth
1/2 cup of mushroom remains, 1/4" dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Stir ingredients together, stuff into hollow mushrooms and place in non-stick skillet with lid and 1 cup of broth and simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat.  Or bake at 350 in a shallow dish, covered, for about 30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

Done stuffing and ready to cook!

Vegan Pot-stickers, Plant-based No Added Fat

Vegan Pot-stickers without frying

Alton Brown has a recipe for Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings that I used to create the Pot stickers, but I removed the egg, sesame oil, scallions and red pepper for health and allergy reasons.  If you aren't allergic to onions and peppers then add the pepper and scallions back in (2 tbsp Each).

Filling ingredients:
1/2 pound firm tofu, pressed to remove excess water
1/2 cup coarsely grated carrots
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
A few drops sesame oil, optional
1 tsp Ener-G egg replacer powder
Dash each of salt and pepper

1 package of round dumpling skins, also called gyoza (preferably twin dragon brand)
Small bowl of water for wetting fingers

First step:
Press the 1/2 pound of tofu to remove excess water by taking 2 or 3 paper towels and folding into a pad the same size or slightly larger than your block of tofu.  Put the tofu on the paper towels and make another pad of paper towels to put over the top.  Place a plate or other flat surface on this and then weigh it down with a can of something, like a 32 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, etc.
Let this sit for at least 20 minutes while you gather the other ingredients together and toss them into a large bowl.  After the tofu has been pressed, slice into 1/4" cubes and toss with other ingredients.

Next step:
Heat two large heavy non-stick skillets to medium, without oil.  While these are warming up, make your potstickers by placing one skin on a flat surface and mounding about 2 teaspoons of the filling mixture onto it.  Wet your finger and run it along 1/2 the circumference of the skin, then fold that half to meet the opposite edge and pinch the edges together to shut it tight.  Now you should have a dumpling or potsticker that is in the shape of the letter "D".
Continue to make these while listening to your favorite jazz music, for cooking I like Steve Tyrell and Diana Krall.  Even if it is not Friday.
When you have enough to cover the bottom of a skillet, spray that skillet with a really light coating of olive oil spray before placing potstickers in it.  (*I have found that the canned Olive Oil Spray by Crisco puts out a much finer mist than Pam!  Who knew?)  Immediately cover with lid and make some more potstickers for the other pan.  If anyones else is home they will eat them as fast as you can make them is why I suggest two pans instead of one.  Also, you don't want to be standing there all day over one measly little pan.
After a few minutes, when the top looks transluscent and if you lift the corner of one and see a golden brown color, add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/8" deep.  Immediately place lid back on and steam until water has evaporated.  Remove the potstickers from the skillet and onto a plate.  Keep them warm by inverting a second plate over the top.

Chickpea Cutlets for the plant based diet

Chickpea Cutlets served on a bed of fresh spinach ribbons with oven roasted baby new potatoes and a lima bean, carrot and mushroom gravy.  Who thought plant-based could be so good?

There is a recipe for chickpea cutlets posted at food.com by Emily Souliere that came from "Veganomicon" By Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  The original recipe had olive oil as one of the ingredients and then fried.
This is a version of that recipe, but without the oil or frying in my attempt to follow the advice of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn in his book, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease".

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup plain nonfat whole grain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup non-fat vegetable broth
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves diced fine
1/2 teaspoon vegetarian "Not-Chicken" bouillon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry sage

Mash the chickpeas until no whole ones are visible, I use a potato masher. (If you use a food processor, be sure to just pulse and not over mix or you will end up with a texture which is completely wrong.)
Add remaining ingredients and knead for three minutes.

Divide dough into four equal pieces and flatten into a
shape resembling a flattened piece of chicken breast, about 4"x6".

Heat nonstick skillet to medium hot and arrange cutlets to cover
the bottom of the skillet. Flip after they have browned (about
4 minutes).  Set cutlets aside and brown two cups of sliced mushrooms in the same skillet.
Add two cups of mushroom broth. Simmer until thickened and place cutlets back into pan. Heat through.
Note that if you let these sit too long in the mushroom broth while you are waiting for that certain someone to finally get home from work, there won't be any broth left.  The patties will have soaked it all up.  Just saying.

Silk Crunch Cherry Pie, low fat plant-based version

Cherry Pie with oatmeal topping

I have been listening to Katie Herzig singing, "Hey Na Na" a lot lately--it cracks me up.  Very Cherry Pie-ish.
I used to have a cookbook with a recipe for "French Silk Peach Crunch Pie" that was basically peaches swimming in custard with a crumb topping.  Delicious but fattening and now that we don't consume milk products, not that appealing anymore.
I wanted to capture that same fruit and cream texture though, in a plant-based diet version with fresh pie cherries from our local farmer's market.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F then turn down to 350 degrees when you put your pie in the oven.
Bake your pie for 40-50 minutes, or until center is set.

Ingredients:

Start with the lowest fat pie shell you can find or make.  "Wholesome Organic Whole Wheat" is good but has 8 grams of fat per slice--so use sparingly.  Like birthdays, holidays, or not at all.

Filling:

2 1/2 cups pie cherries, pitted
1 box Mori-Nu Soft Silken Tofu
2/3 cup date sugar
1/4 cup rice milk
1/3 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix everything together except cherries in a blender then stir in the cherries before pouring into an unbaked pie shell.  Top with crunchy topping:

Topping:

1/4 cup oats
1 Tablespoon date sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla powder
a pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set, cool on wire rack. (In case you didn't see the same message at the beginning because you were in such a hurry to make pie.)

If you would like to make a plain cherry pie without the tofu filling:


Alternative filling:


3 cups pie cherries, pitted
2/3 cups date sugar
pinch salt
1/3 cup cornstarch

Stir together, pour into unbaked pie shell and top with crunchy topping.  Bake 40 minutes.
Yummy served with non-dairy low fat ice cream.  You really should be sitting on a swing out on the porch when you eat this if you can.
:)

Vegan Lemon Soufflé

I want to make this again!

Ingredients:
1 package Mori-Nu Soft Tofu
5 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of one lemon, two if you want more lemon flavor
5 tablespoons sugar, or your preferred sweetener
2 tablespoon almond milk
1 tablespoon egg replacer powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch


2 tall soufflé ramekins, 10 ounces each prepared by spraying with a light coating of cooking spray oil, then dust with fine confectioners sugar.  Place in pyrex 9x13 pan.  Pour boiling water between ramekins to a depth of 3/4" or about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Lemon Souffle,  after 6 minutes of baking

Vegan Lemon Souffle,  after 40 minutes at 350 fahrenheit 

Blend ingredients in a strong blender such as a Vita-mix.  Pour into prepared ramekins, bake for 45 minutes in the water bath.  Take a picture.  Devour with a friend.

Vegan Lemon Soufflé , an earlier attempt that looked great but was too wet inside (I bumped up the cornstarch and decreased the almond milk)

Note:  If I had tall 6 ounce ramekins, that would be my preference but baking this recipe in typical 6 ounce ramekins results in soufflés that do not puff up, see top of last photo.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, only not. Plant based no added fat, vegan

Today I made them with lots of celery, shredded cabbage, navy beans and baby spinach leaves and chia seeds.

I love sour cream enchiladas and so I set out to make a recipe that is very low fat and vegan for heart-health.  This is my favorite enchilada recipe and the one most closely resembling sour cream chicken enchiladas.

Stir together and set aside (this represents what would have been the "meat":
1 cup soy curls (break into small pieces) soaked in 1 tsp. "not-chicken" bouillon and 1 cup hot water

Combine white layer and set aside:
2 cups chopped celery
(Note:  this is an easy recipe to sneak extra veggies into such as broccoli or spinach so add some to the white layer or between layers if your kids won't eat them otherwise)
2 teaspoons cumin
dash pepper flakes
1 package soft silken tofu
1 can (4 oz) mild green chilies (double this if you really like green chilies)
1/2 cup Tofutti Non-Dairy Sour Cream
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Combine red layer and set aside:
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
The textured vegetable protein, now softened.

2 large cans enchilada sauce or make your own from scratch
Corn tortillas (or fat free whole wheat if you prefer)
1/4 cup soy or rice cheddar cheese shreds (optional)

Pour 1/4" layer of enchilada sauce in bottom of a deep 9x13"pan.
Layer tortillas dipped in enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan.
Spread 1/2 red mixture
Another layer of tortillas dipped in enchilada sauce
Spread all the white mixture.
Another layer of tortillas dipped in enchilada sauce
Spread remaining ted mixture.
Pour any leftover enchilada sauce over the top (You probably won't have any left.  No worries)
Spread soy cheese shreds over top.
Bake 350 f. for about 45 minutes or until bubbly hot.

Sour Cream Enchiladas made without dairy, meat or oil.

If you aren't allergic to onions, feel free to add them in with the celery.

Low fat Stroganoff Recipe for the plant based diet

For a nice saucy stroganoff, reminiscent of times when we all ate beef, before we knew better.  Very low fat. Did you know that stroganoff is a Russian dish?  I didn't until I just looked it up. Hmm.

We like to load up a dinner plate with raw spinach leaves or steamed kale and place a serving of this stroganoff over them instead of making a salad.  Tony Bennett and k.d. Lang are the musicians of choice tonight!

Ingredients for sauce, in order of placement into large, non-stick skillet:

1 large carrot cut into thin slices, I use a mandolin for this
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
3.5 ounce package fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered
1 large portobello  mushroom sliced in half and then into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced beef flavored seitan
24-26 ounces mushroom broth
2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook for about 5 minutes and then add roux.

Roux:  2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste, 1 1/2 tablespoons flour (oat or whole wheat) and 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with about 1/4 cup additional mushroom broth or enough to stir until thick and clump free.  Add to saucepan, stirring into the mixture until fully incorporated.

Cook until carrots and mushrooms are tender and sauce is thick.  Right before serving, stir in:
1/2 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes (fresh is better if you have it)

Serve over hot spelt noodles (one 10 oz package wide spelt noodles).  A spinach salad with Honey Mustard Vin-egret (no oil) works deliciously with this!

Hard to believe you can eat like this and still lose weight.  Life is Good.
Really, I even bought the T-shirt.
:)

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.

Almond Chicken for the plant based diet

Soy curls made to taste like Almond Chicken on a bed of steamed kale

No chickens died in the making of this meal.

A plant based version of the standard American Chinese Restaurant "Almond Chicken"
Ingredients:
1 cup              soy curls 1 cup              boiling water 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base 2 tablespoons Sliced almonds 1/4 cup almond flour (or grind up your whole almonds with a food processor) 1/4 cup flaxseed meal 1/4 cup bread crumbs (whole grain, dry) 1 cup water 1/2 cup almond flour 1/2 cup almond milk, lowfat 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour 1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional) 1 tablespoon Miso paste 1 bunch steamed kale  1.  Dissolve 1 teaspoon of bouillon in 1 cup of boiling water and pour over soy curls to dehydrate.  Let sit for 15 min. or longer while you prepare the other ingredients. 2.  Toast sliced almonds in small skillet until golden brown, set aside to use as topping. 3.  Toast 1/4 cup almond flour (ground almonds), then combine with flaxseed meal and bread crumbs. 4.  Drain broth from soy curls and reserve.  Dredge soy curls in almond flour mixture. 5.  Toast coated soy curls in medium-hot skillet until browned on all sides.  Set aside in warm oven. 6.  Combine sauce ingredients (1 cup water, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, garbanzo bean flour and 1/2 teaspoon bouillon) in blender or Magic Bullet. 7.  Pour sauce ingredients into skillet and bring to simmer, cook until thickened.  Remove from heat and add almond extract and miso paste, stir to combine. 8.  Place 1 cup of steamed kale or brown rice and 1/4 of the soy curls on each plate, cover with the almond sauce and sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the top.
8.  Remember to close your eyes with each bite, sigh and be happy and grateful to be alive.  Bless the cook.  Don't bother wiping the grin off your face.

x

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Sometimes I like to dig up old recipes and re-post them so they will be easier to find:

One of my favorite entrees at a local Italian restaurant was the butternut squash ravioli but it seemed to be prepared with a lot of butter and swimming in olive oil. So good and garlicky though, I knew it would be worth a try to develop a version we can sink our plant-based teeth into.

My daughter and I came up with this recipe last night for dinner and it was declared "blog-worthy" by the big cheese, our resident connoisseur of fine food. I am pleased with the way it turned out and am happy to share it with you.  I am certain I can never go back to the oily version now that we have this recipe.

For your music tonight, try listening to "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve.

Plant based Butternut Squash Ravioli without added fats

Recipe for PBNAF Butternut Squash Ravioli

Filling ingredients for ravioli:
1/2 box soft silken tofu
2 1/2 cups baked butternut squash
3 large cloves garlic, minced fine
1 teaspoon Bragg Herb Seasoning Mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon White pepper
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup baby bok choy, remove leafy portions and mince very fine

Place first seven ingredients into food processor or strong blender to combine. Stir in the minced bok choy.
For the ravioli, we use Twin Dragon Gyoza Wrappers. One package will make enough to serve 6, but you will have some filling left over.
Place one wrapper on your work surface and put 2 teaspoons of filling in the center, wet the perimeter using your finger that has been dipped into water. Fold the wrapper in half and pinch shut. Set these aside while you make the sauce.

Ingredients for savory orange sauce:
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
2 teaspoons vegan bouillon, chicken flavour
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
White pepper to taste

Combine orange juice with cornstarch in small bowl, using wire whip to ensure no lumps remain. In small saucepan or skillet bring water to a simmer and add all the other sauce ingredients, including orange juice mixture. Bring to boil and simmer for one minute.  Turn off the heat and let it sit while you cook the ravioli.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil, turn down heat to a simmer and add all the ravioli at once.  When they float to the top they are done. (It should just take a few minutes.  Do not let them cook at a full rolling boil as this will likely tear the delicate skins.)
Scoop them up with a wire mesh spoon and plop into a large serving dish with a little sauce at the bottom to keep them from sticking.  Continue to add sauce as you pile on the ravioli.
I used half a butternut squash for the filling, and then just diced the other half into bite-sized cubes and set them into the saucy ravioli dish.

Serve with a great big salad.  We have been enjoying the salad dressing made by Walden Farms.  Fat Free, Dairy Free--they do a good job.

Vegan or Plant Based Chunky Potato Miso Soup

Note to self:  write down recipe for chunky potato miso soup!

Lunch soup for one or two (while listening to Bolero):

2 small russet potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped to bite size chunks
3 small new red potatoes, same but leave peel on
1/2 cup sliced baby bok choy stalks
Dash of salt
Dash of Bragg 24 herb seasoning mix
2 teaspoons white miso paste
Enough tap water to cover potatoes
Bring to boil in 2 quart saucepan and boil hard for about 8 minutes or until tender and water has reduced by half.  Turn of the heat and mash about half of the potatoes leaving the rest chunky.  Add a splash of almond milk, a pinch of white pepper, and one finely diced stalk of celery and return to medium heat for two minutes before pouring into a serving bowl.  Garnish with a teaspoon of Tofutti Sour Cream (non-dairy) and fresh dill.  Optional toppings; TVP Bacon-like bits and/or non-dairy cheddar cheese shreds.  No onion for me but you go right ahead.  Hint, if soup is too thin add a sprinkling of potato buds to help thicken it up.

Super Potato Soup with Kale and Beans, Plant-based no added fat or PBNAF

Re-post

(This is what we are having for dinner on this rainy evening, how about you?)

Plant-based Potato Soup

Potato soup for dinner.  It has always been one of my favorite meals, even back when we were meat-eaters.  I didn't have to adjust the recipe much to make it heart healthy and dairy free, but now I have expanded my traditional potato soup recipe to include kale and beans.  Now it is super potato soup.  Listen to "Potato Chips" by Slim Gaillard. (I found it on an album of kid's music.  It's great!)

Traditional Potato Soup, Rebecca's Favorite:

3 cups russet potatoes peeled and diced
2 cups unpeeled baby red, white and blue potatoes
4 cups water
2 teaspoons "Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base"
1 teaspoon Bragg 24 Herb seasoning
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1-2 cups non-dairy milk (depending on how thin you like your soup)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 tsp miso paste (to be added at finish after soup is removed from heat)
1/4 cup Tofutti non-dairy sour cream (optional)

Boil potatoes in water for 10 minutes or until tender, pour off all but one cup of the water.  Add all other ingredients except miso and sour cream.  Slightly mash the potatoes, leaving some whole pieces.  Allow to thicken over low heat for another 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in miso and non-dairy sour cream.  Sprinkle with more herb seasonings.
Serve with whole grain toasted bread for dipping.  Yum.

Now, to turn this into Super Potato Soup with Kale and Beans:

Add after potatoes are tender:
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
Then:
6 cups fresh kale with thick leaf veins removed added 4 minutes before end of cooking.
1 can beans--whatever your favorite is (white kidney beans are a great choice)  4 minutes before end of cooking
1/4 cup fresh parsley added at end of cooking (this knocks it right out of the ballpark).

Plant based Red, White and Blue Fourth of July Cake without eggs, oil or butter

Fourth of July Menu from early in our plant-based life:

We are going to have hummus and raw veggies, and BBQ Soy Curls in a spinach wrap with coleslaw, baked beans, pasta salad, spinach salad with dried cranberries and for dessert—red, white and blue cake (if you aren't allergic to watermelon that would be a superior healthy dessert option).

Alternate menu: Portabello mushroom "burger patties", Quinoa Salad, Corn on the Cob, Asparagus.

Cake made from a mix without eggs and oil.

Red, white and blue cake (a dessert for the holiday--not something you should eat a lot of)
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh blueberries
1 lb fresh raspberries
1 package white cake mix, dry (this could be replaced with flour, baking powder, sugar and dried non-dairy milk—I will have to work on that—but in the meantime…http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-yellow-cake-mix-subtitute-18-25oz-betty-crocker-box-472383)
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup water
1/8 cup egg replacer powder
1/3 cup rice milk, or your favorite non-dairy milk
Steps:

1. Coat a 9"x13" pyrex baking dish lightly with crisco olive oil spray.
2. Pour all but 1/2 cup of the fresh blueberries into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Combine all the other ingredients except for the raspberries, using a mixer set on medium speed.  Scrape sides of bowl halfway through mixing.
4. Pour batter over blueberries and bake at 350 degrees f until toothpick comes out clean, about 32 minutes.  
5. Let cool on wire rack.
6. Make a white frosting using 3 Tbsp. Tofutti sour cream, 1 Tbsp. rice milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.  Adjust sugar and/or milk until you have a nice consistency.  (Goal: to look like traditional frosting but without all the fat of butter or shortening.)
7. Frost the cake, using a thin layer, just enough to act as "glue" to keep the berries from rolling around.  Place the raspberries in stripes and the blueberries in the corner—just like our beloved American Flag.
8. Take a bow as you serve it at the family 4th of July barbecue.

Plant based Waldorf Salad

Plant based Waldorf Salad

Re-post for summer:

I have always like collecting recipes and one time I found myself alone with my mother-in-law's cookbooks. In a book that came with her Sharp microwave oven I found a fantastic recipe for a Chicken Waldorf Salad made with bacon and mayonnaise and a pound of chicken meat with enough garlic powder to send the whole flavor sensation over the top.  It was soooo good.
I have kept that recipe in my own collection for the past 25 years although of course I never made it often and now I don't make it at all.  Yesterday was another hot, and I mean really hot day so I was in the mood for a cold dinner.  Here is a lightened version of that Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe for my future self and anyone else who would like to try it.

Recipe for Not-Chicken Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Butler Soy Curls (rehydrated in not-chicken broth) and diced to 1/2" or vegan chicken type meat product by Quorn
• 1 cup grapes, cut in half
• 6 large kale leaves, rinsed and sliced into thin ribbons and chopped to 1"
• 1 crisp fresh apples diced 1/2"
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (original recipe called for 3/4 cup--yikes!)

Place everything into large bowl and toss with dressing.  Chill for an hour before serving.

Salad dressing:

• 1/8 cup Miracle Mayo or your favorite non-fat vegan mayo or cashews processed in magic bullet (mini food processor)
• 6 oz. vegan yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Two cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
• dash black pepper

Alternative ingredients:  butter lettuce instead of steamed kale, cold peas, dried cranberries, forego the soy curls, add chia seeds.  Top salad with flaxseed meal.

Pot Pie Filling over Baked Potatoes

The other day while walking through the freezer section of Yokes, our local market, my daughter mentioned that one of the foods she misses (now that we don't eat meat) is Chicken Pot Pie.  I agreed and mentally filed it away as a recipe to someday turn into a vegan dish.

Nearly Chicken Pot Pie Filling over a baked potato

Pot Pie Filling Recipe, plant-based with no added fat

(First bake 2 or more large potatoes for an hour at 375, or until fork tender.  Let rest for a few minutes wrapped in foil)

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic 

1 cup vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen peas

2 fresh carrots, sliced thin

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon Not Chicken Bouillon 

pinch each of sage, Bragg 24 herb seasoning, dried parsley 

dash black pepper

Brown mushrooms in large skillet, then add the carrots and cook for a couple of minutes.  Combine water with cornstarch and bouillon in a small measuring cup, whip to remove lumps.  Place all remaining ingredients including cornstarch and water mixture into skillet and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes or until thick and bubbly.  (In my opinion frozen veggies don't need to be "cooked" for long, just "heated" so they keep their nice color and texture, so please don't overcook).

Spoon filling mixture over the prepared baked potatoes. Take a picture.

Optional:  If you really want something in this to taste like "chicken meat", I recommend using soy curls chopped into bite size nuggets.  Just add 1 cup soy curls and 3/4 cup more liquid, broth or water.

Optional toppings:  nutritional yeast flakes and flaxseed meal

Vegan Gingerbread, PBNAF

Vegan Gingerbread, nearly fat-free

Gingerbread

Revised from Betty Crocker version to be fat-free and plant-based.

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 13 cups oat flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup molasses (Note: strong molasses makes this cake really dark and manly....I usually use a mild molasses when I want to taste the ginger.)

3/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup applesauce

1 egg substitute or flaxseed meal and water mixed until frothy

1 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 teaspoons candied ginger chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Lightly grease and flour 9x9" square pan.  Beat all ingredients in mixer on medium speed until combined.  Pour into pan and bake about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle a little "Not Cream Cheese Icing" over top after cake has cooled to room temperature. Not Cream Cheese Icing Recipe, optional as it adds fat and sugar 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese 1 Teaspoon almond or other non-dairy milk 1/4 Teaspoon vanilla Mix together cream cheese, milk and vanilla until smooth.  Add enough powdered sugar to create a thick but pourable consistency.  Place in plastic sandwich bag, snip the corner and squeeze out the icing in a fantastic artsy design.  You can do it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies without eggs and butter

Although we have been eating a diet without animal protein or added fats for the past 3 years I never came up with a way to satisfy our occasional urge to have a chocolate chip cookie, until now. Just in time for the holidays.

Chocolate Chip Cookies without eggs. margarine or butter.

I have an arsenal of Vegan cookbooks but rarely use the recipes because they almost always contain fat. Sometimes I will borrow from a recipe and use it as the general outline of a new plant based recipe by substituting for the fat and other ingredients that conflict with me like onions, bell peppers and melon.

This recipe is derived from Chocolate Chip Cookies from "Vegan Cooking for Carnivores" by Roberto Martin. I replaced the vegan margarine with soft silken tofu and reduced the amount of flour and added a little baking powder. The result is a chocolate chip cookie with a puffed up profile and a slightly spongy texture—not going to win any baking contests but it does satisfy that need once in a while for a plain old chocolate chip cookie without having to eat animal protein or a lot of fat.

I did the math and found that since there are 2.5 grams of fat in 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Organic Butter Spread, it follows that one cup would contain 40 grams of fat (the recipe makes 24 cookies so that is about 1.7 grams of fat per cookie just from the margarine). One box of Morinaga Soft Silken Tofu contains 12 ounces of tofu and has 10 grams of fat per box, so one cup of this tofu has about 6.7 grams of fat. This works out to about .42 grams of fat per cookie from the tofu.
That is a big difference. It's worth trying to make an edible cookie that isn't so hard on our arteries.
It still has a cup of sugar and there is fat in the chocolate chips but hey, what do you want for nothin?

Here is the recipe for Plant Based Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients to be placed in large mixing bowl of electric mixer:

1 box Morinaga Soft Silken Tofu
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon egg replacer powder (beat until frothy with 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Better for Bread flour
2 cups vegan chocolate chips such as "Enjoy Life" Mini Chips, Dairy, Nut and Soy Free

Blend together just until everything is thoroughly combined.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets.  This recipe makes 24 medium sized cookies.  Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 13 minutes, cool on wire rack.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.