vegalicious recipes

Pasta with Pumpkin and Pistachios

2010-03-12T20:19:53Z

We really enjoyed this colorful recipe. Pumpkin puree makes a really nice pasta sauce and the nuts added a nice crunch.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water
3-5 fresh sage leaves (optional)
1/2 lb. penne, fusilli or other pasta
3 TBS. minced fresh parsley leaves as optional garish
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios

Directions:

Saute the onion and red pepper in a small frying pan.
When the onion becomes soft and glassy, add the garlic and lightly saute it also.
Place the pureed pumpkin in a pot and add the sauteed vegetables.
Add the vegetable bouillon, red pepper flakes, nutmeg and water.
Optionally add the sage leaves if desired.
Cook the mixture until it is warmed.
Puree he mixture once again to form a smooth consistency.
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil.
Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente.
When the pasta is ready, drain and return to the pot.
Mix 1/2 the pumpkin mixture into the pasta and stir to evilly coat the pasta.
Serve the pasta garnished with pistachio nuts and optionally minced parsley leaves.
Serve the other 1/2 of the sauce in a “gravy boat” for people to add on top of their serving.
Optionally if you would like a creamier flavor you can add soy cream.

Notes:

Butternut squash can also be used for this recipe. Our favorite pumpkin is known as the red kuri, uchi kuri, or hokkaido. It grows to a medium small size which is good for a family of four. The pumpkins store very well over the winter months as well. As we were using a fresh pumpkin for the recipe, we had enough to steam some pumpkin pieces to add t the sauce to make it a bit chunkier.

Adapted from http://www.recipezaar.com/Penne-With-Pumpkin-Sauce-100336

Review: Stir-Fried Tofu, Red Cabbage and Winter Squash

2010-03-10T22:05:00Z

We recently came across this nice recipe from the New York Times. As we still have a couple of pumpkins from last year’s harvest to eat up, we were happy it find it.

This makes a very tasty dish. We served it as a main meal, but without rice or pasta. We had so much pumpkin that the meal was plenty , without putting it over something more. We did add a fresh apple, chopped in bite sized pieces, as we enjoy apple with cabbage.

Minty Pea and Spinach Soup

2010-03-08T20:48:45Z

We’re in the mood for Spring. This vibrant sweet soup tasted great on a cold but clear day. We are looking forward to making it with peas and spinach fresh from the garden, but that will be a while yet.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

3 cups frozen peas
1 small package frozen spinach
2 shallots
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 cups water
3 Tbs. nutritional yeast flakes
Fresh basil leaves
fresh mint leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the peas and spinach in a large pot. (reserve a couple of peas as garnish)
Add the water and vegetable bouillon cube and bring to a boil.
While the sop is cooking, peel the shallots, chop finely and add to the soup.
Pick the leaves from the basil and mint springs and also add to the soup.
Add the nutritional yeast.
When the soup has come to a boil, remove from the heat and puree it.
We wanted a thick and chunky soup, so I did not puree it for long. If you want it very smooth then puree for longer.
Taste the soup and add salt ad pepper or other flavorings as desired. We really enjoyed the soup just as it was, slightly sweet and minty.

Notes:

If you would like a creamier soup, you can add soy cream after you have pureed the soup.

Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios

2010-03-05T20:19:54Z

This is a very simple way to enjoy Brussels sprouts, yet one of our favorites as it is so easy.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons fine olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup pistachio nuts

Directions:

Clean the Brussels sprouts and cut a small X on the bottom (stem side).
Place in a steamer and steam for 5-8 minutes until soft but still retaining their color.
Meanwhile, blend the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together and chop or slice the pistachios.
When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place in a serving dish and drizzle the olive oil mixture over them.
Sprinkle the pistachios on top and serve.

Review: Apricot, Beet and Cumin Soup

2010-03-05T20:04:36Z

Dear Vegalicious Readers, this is a delicious soup we recently found at the “Daily Green” blog.

It has the earthy flavors of beets, with the mild sweetness of apricots and orange juice. Perked up with the flavors of onions, garlic and cumin. Altogether, this flavor packed soup that is really tasty. It can also be halved for a smaller amount. We do hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we did.

Herbed Breadsticks

2010-03-03T18:41:44Z

These are really tasty and easy to make. Enjoy them with a good Italian meal or as snack.

Yield: 4 doz. (depending on size)

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbs. dried basil
paprika
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan margarine or oil

Directions:

Place the flour in a large bowl.
Add the salt and herbs.
Measure 1 cup of warm water. Add the tablespoon of sugar and yeas to the warm water and allow to bubble for about 3 minutes.
Pour the yeast mixture and oil into the flour and mix well.
Kneed the dough a bit until it is elastic and supple.
Place in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
When ready to bake the breadstick, preheat the oven to 425 F / 218 C.
Melt the vegan margarine on a cookie sheet with sides.
Roll the bread sticks by taking a small amount and rolling it on a clean counter top, just as you did when you were a kid playing with clay.
The sticks will shrink when you put them on the oil, so make them a bit longer than planed.
Lay the breadsticks on the buttered cookie sheet.
When the cookie sheet is filled with breadsticks, spray the top of the breadsticks with oil.
Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven to bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.
Allow them to cool, place in an airtight container to keep until needed.

Notes:

Basically this is a recipe for pizza dough with extra herbs, and “fried” in the oven with oil. The recipe makes a lot, so you could halve it, or make half and freeze the other half of the dough for another time.

Review: Carrot Rhubarb Jam with Rosemary

2010-03-01T18:42:22Z

Tigress in a jam posted this delicious marmalade recipe, which we enjoyed last weekend on Seminole pumpkin bread.

This jam, or marmalade was delicious and very easy to make. The combination of carrots, orange and rhubarb with a touch of rosemary – wow. Making the jam, I used much less sugar and vegan pectin (apple pectin) to set the jam. I was happy about the decision to use less sugar, as it was already very sweet. Tigress in a Jam has many nice jam and butter recipes, I think the next recipe I try will be the carrot, apple butter with cardamom. Tigress had adapted her recipe from a recipe in Well Preserved: Small Batch Preserving for the New Cook by Mary Anne Dragan

Red Cabbage and Beet Salad With Pears and Walnuts

2010-02-24T20:40:15Z

This salad tastes lovely and is even better the second day.

Ingredients:

1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 large beet, peeled and grated
1 pear, peeled and sliced
walnuts, chopped
2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbs. walnut oil
1 Tbs. agave or maple syrup
1 inch nob ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To “wilt” the red cabbage, slice it in very fine slices.
Sprinkle the red cabbage with 1/4 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and mix well in a bowl.
Strongly kneed the red cabbage and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
Rinse the cabbage under running water to remove the extra salt and vinegar, squeeze the extra water out and place in a large serving bowl.
Grate the beet and mix into the cabbage.
Make the vinaigrette, pour over the salad and mix well.
Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
Serve the salad with slices of pears.

Notes:

If you prefer a crunchier salad, then skip the “wilting” process of the cabbage and just serve it raw, sliced. If you prefer cooked beets, then roast or boil the beet first, then grate it.

Red Cabbage Sandwiches

2010-02-22T21:43:00Z

These are amazing sandwiches. Not just the color, but also the flavor is amazing and very tasty indeed.

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1/4 head red cabbage, finely shredded
2 tablespoons soy yogurt
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 bps. oil\pinch salt
4 slices wholegrain bread

Directions:

Finely shred the cabbage.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garam masala.
Add the red cabbage and saute until just wilted.
Remove from the heat and add the soy yogurt.
Mix well. Season to taste with additional garam masala or salt.

Notes:

I had seen these amazing sandwiches on the Veggiewiz blog and slightly adapted them to be vegan. We really enjoyed them.

Review: Zucchini Puffs with Tomato Yogurt Sauce

2010-02-21T13:47:41Z

This is a really tasty recipe that we enjoyed from Joshua Ploeg’s book “In Search of the Lost Taste“. We have enjoyed so many nice recipes from this book, as well as it being a fun story to read. This recipe offers a great way to use up those extra large zucchini that sem to hid in your garden until the last minute when they suddenly appear as monsters. The recipe is easy to follow and makes a good main meal or tasty appetizers or finger food.