Veggie Sides!*

HERBED SOUR CREAM MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
2 pounds brown baking potatoes
butter to taste (vegan or regular - as you wish)
1.5 cups sour cream (vegan or regular - as you wish)
at least 2 tablespoons each chopped dill, chives, flat-leaf parsley
carmelized shallots

This is pretty self-explanatory. Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes or until soft. Mash potatoes with butter and sour cream. Stir in chopped herbs. Top with carmelized shallots. Mmm mmm good.



SPICY CREAMED SPINACH
Ingredients:
1 shallot
butter (vegan or regular - as you wish)
2 x 10oz bags spinach
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (vegan or regular - as you wish)
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup sour cream (vegan or regular - as you wish)
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
a pinch of nutmeg

Cook 1 chopped shallot in a skillet with butter until soft. Add spinach and cook until it's wilted down. Add flour, Worcestershire sauce, veggie broth, sour cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Cook 5 mins and serve. Mmm mmm good.



GLAZED PEARL ONIONS
Ingredients:
1 pound bag of frozen onions
1 cup veggie broth
2 tablespoons each molasses, cider vinegar, and butter
salt and pepper to taste
chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a glaze, about 20 mins. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Mmm mmm good.

*These recipes were adapted from recipes found in Food Network magazine - November 2011 issue - pages 132, 133, and 159.

Vegan Terrine

*This recipe is adapted from the Vegetarian Times magazine November 2011, p.65, recipe entitled "Mediterranean Terrine."

This yummy terrine has roasted red peppers, roasted eggplant, and a cashew cream.

Cashew Cream Ingredients
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritonal yeast
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons agar powder or flakes (a sea vegetable available in health food stores which thickens sauces - often used as a vegan substitute for gelatin)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Terrine
2 jars roasted red peppers (I like to buy them already roasted and save myself the trouble)
1 teaspoon salt
1 large eggplant
olive oil
flat-leaf Italian parsley

First, make the cashew cream. Soak cashews in a large bowl of water for 3 hours or even overnight. Drain and return to bowl. Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk agar and garlic powder into 1.5 cups water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 mins or until agar dissolves; stir constantly.
Add agar mixture to cashew mixture in a food processor and process until smooth.
Pour into a rectangular-shaped loaf pan and chill for 1 hour.
Slice eggplant lengthwise, brush with olive oil, and roast eggplant slices.
Once, agar/cashew mixture has solidified, unmold it onto a plate and slice it lengthwise into two layers.
Line loaf pan with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap hangs over the sides.
Put parsley leaves into the bottom of the loaf pan, layer with eggplant, slices of roasted red pepper, and a layer of the cashew cream. Repeat. End with a layer of eggplant. Wrap loaf pan in plastic wrap and chill mixture. You can place something heavy on top so that the terrine takes the shape of the loaf pan.
When you're ready to eat it, unmold it by flipping the terrine over onto a flat plate. Ta da!

As promised, some travel photos thrown in ...

Pictures of our recent honeymoon in Los Cabos, Mexico!

From Honeymoon in Los Cabos, Mexico July/August 2011

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Link to photo album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109503127888000006939/HoneymoonInLosCabosMexicoJulyAugust2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIaV1ZCWtM-b1wE&feat=directlink

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Beet Greens with Black-Eyed Peas and Couscous with Dried Plums

Beet Greens with Black-Eyed Peas
beet greens from two bunches of beets
1 medium-sized red onion, sliced in thin strips
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (15oz) can black-eyed peas
oregano
fresh ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
olive oil

Heat olive oil in a pot with high sides. Throw in onion and saute until it's translucent. Throw in garlic and saute for a few seconds. Toss in beet greens, tomatoes, spices, and black-eyed peas. Break tomatoes up with a spooon and turn heat to medium, cover with lid, and let simmer until the greens are tender and the flavors have combined.

Whole-Wheat Couscous with Dried Plums (aka prunes!)
plain whole-wheat couscous
prunes chopped in quarters
your favorite spice blend for couscous (I use Moroccan couscous spice)

Make couscous according to package instructions. )My instant couscous was one part water to one part couscous.) First, I boiled the water and then turned off the heat. I threw in the couscous, spices, and prunes and then covered the pot. Let sit at least 5 minutes and then fluff with fork.

I served this with the insanely delicious chickpea cutlet from Veganomicon. Mmm mmm, good.

The Perfect Limeade

I don't have a big sweet tooth and I much prefer savory treats, but this is quite yummy when you are craving something sweet and refreshing ... as long as you're not diabetic. ;)

The Perfect Limeade

2 cups simple syrup (2 cups vegan sugar, 2 cups water)
2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

This recipe makes a half pitcher. *Just substitute lemon juice for lime juice for the perfect lemonade.

First, make your simple syrup. Pour two cups water and two cups sugar into a saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Chill in fridge. Pour two cups fresh squeezed lime juice into pitcher. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup water. Add 2 cups of the simple syrup once it's chilled and stir well. Add some thin slices of lime to make it look pretty.
Serve over ice.

This also makes a great margarita base; just add tequila and a smidge of orange liqueur to your glass and stir. Mmmm.

Quick and Easy Thai Red Curry

Ingredients:
2 - 3 tablespoons Thai Kitchen brand red curry paste (it's vegan)
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup (or more) fresh green beans, ends removed and cut in half
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 (14oz) can lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
10 fresh basil leaves (Thai basil would be best, but I used Italian basil and it was fine)
canola oil
1/2 cup water

Method:
Boil water in a large pot and blanch cauliflower and string beans for 4 mins. While that is happening, heat some canola oil in a large skillet with high sides. Throw in the bell pepper and saute until it's softened a bit. Add coconut milk, water, curry paste, sugar, and soy sauce. Add cauliflower, green beans, and basil. Stir and simmer 10 mins to let the flavors combine.
Serve over basmati or jasmine rice. Serves 4 hungry people.

My recipe for basmati rice is here.

Roasted Carrots with Za'atar Spice and Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Carrots with Za'atar Spice
*I think I cut this out of Vegetarian Times magazine, but I don't remember.
Preheat oven to 450F. Quarter two pounds of carrots. Toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until browned, about 20 mins. Remove from oven and toss in a bowl with 4 teaspoons za'atar spice, juice of two lemons, chopped parsley, and roasted (or raw) seasame seeds. Enjoy!
(Za'atar spice is a Middle Eastern spice blend. I purchased mine at my favorite Indian spice store.)



Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Peel and cut 4 sweet potatoes into small chunks. Boil potatoes until very tender, about 20 mins. Drain and return potatoes to pot. Toss in 2-4 tablespoons of vegan butter, salt (to taste), and 2 finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce from the pepper can.


I served the carrots and potatoes with the Moroccan style chickpeas.
Recipe here:
http://sundaegirl108.blogspot.com/2010/01/moroccan-chickpeas-couscous-and-roasted.html