Garam Masala Roasted Cauliflower

On a whim I wanted to do something with some fresh cauliflower that was cut up in the refrigerator.  Since we were going to eat an Indian themed dinner I found a recipe for roasted cauliflower but I didn't have the exact ingredients to make it. I decided to combine two recipes and the results follow. Spice combining on a whim seemed to work in this case. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 1/2  cups of fresh cauliflower. Chopped into small florets.
1 tsp fresh lime zest
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of garam masala
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper 
olive oil
salt to taste

Directions:

1. chop up the cauliflower & toss with a splash of olive oil
2. sprinkle on seasonings and mix well.
3. place cauliflower on a baking dish.
4. Roast in a 450 degree oven until browned and tender.

Savory Baked Tofu

This recipe is adapted from a Moosewood Cookbook that I have had in my collection for years. When the tofu comes out of the oven it is hard not to start snacking on it right away. Amazingly delicious.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of gluten free tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic grated (with a microplane)
Szechuan pepper to taste
1 block of firm tofu

Directions:
1. Press the tofu between two plates with a book or other weight on top for 15-20 min. Once a pool of water has collected under the tofu - chop the block up into 1 inch cubes
2. Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl and then microplane a large clove of garlic into it
3. Mix the tofu into the wet ingredients.
4. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Bake at 400. Turn every 10 minutes or so to crisp up on all sides. Remove from oven when nicely browned.

Grilled Zucchini Lasagne

Ingredients:

3 large zucchini
14 oz white mushrooms thinly sliced
1 bottle of your favorite pasta sauce
2 small yellow onions
Penzy Spice Pizza Seasoning
1 batch of Cashew Ricotta
1 (4 link) package of Meatless Italian Sausage

Directions:

1. Make the cashew cream. I used a recipe from the following website The Simple Veganista
I made mine the day prior so the flavors could meld.

2. Using a mandoline - slice the zucchini longways into thin strips. Also thinly slice the mushroom, onions, and Italian sausage. Make sure the veggie sausage is as thin as you can get it.

3. Toss the zucchini in a bit of olive oil and a few dashes of Penzy's Pizza Seasoning

4. Grill zucchini directly on the grill. Wrap up the mushrooms in foil with a little olive oil and pizza seasoning. Wrap up the sausage with the onions after tossing with a little olive oil and pizza seasoning. Grill until the zucchini has grill marks and is slightly tender. The rest should all be cooked until tender.

5. Once everything is grilled, start layering your lasagne in an 8x8 baker. Pour in a bit of sauce. Then layer the Zucchini, next spoon on a thin layer of Cashew Ricotta, next the Sausage and onions, mushrooms, and then repeat. Top with sauce and bake at 350 until bubbly. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan if you wish.  It is a bit runny the first day so it is a great dish to make the day before and reheat.

#1 Sauce

                                                                                   

#2 Grilled Zucchini

#3 Cashew Ricotta

#4 Onions and Veggie Sausage

#5 Mushrooms

Zucchini Chips

    Slice Zucchini thinly

                                         

Toss with olive oil & Penzy's Greek Seasoning

                                         

Place in Dehydrator. Wait several hours until crisp. Enjoy!

Spicy Soy Chorizo & Potato Tacos

Spicy Soy Chorizo & Potato Tacos

Ingredients:
Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo 
10 oz (1/2 a bag)Trader Joe's Shredded Potatoes
7 oz (1/2 a bag) Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Peppers & Onions
Trader Joe's Soy Shredded Soy Cheese
Corn Tortillas
Avocado 
Salsa
Olive Oil  

Directions For Filling:

1. Add 1 TBS of oil to a large pan
2. Saute Onions and Green Peppers 
3. Add Shredded Potatoes
4. Add entire tube of Chorizo (Cut of the end and squeeze the content out - tube is plastic) 
5. Heat corn tortillas and fill with 1 TBS or more of filling, sliced avocado, salsa, vegan cheese,  and any other condiment of your choice. 

     

  

Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili
vegan & gluten free

Ingredients:

1 package of dry black beans
1 box of veggie broth
1 container of Trader Joes Mirepoix 
  (16 oz of chopped celery, onion, and carrot)
1 cup of frozen corn
1 cup of Costco Organic Salsa
2.5 cups of Tomato Puree
1 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs Adobo Seasoning
1 Tsp cumin
1/3 cup of Gluten Free TVP
Olive oil for sauteing

Directions:

1. sort and soak beans overnight
2. cook the beans 3 hours or until soft. 
3. drain beans and set aside
4. saute mirepoux
5. Add spices and let warm up with the veggies
6. Add veggie broth, tomato, and salsa
7. Add TVP
8. Add beans
9. Cook until tomato taste mellows and broth reduces 45 min - 1hr. 

Accidental Noodles (Kimchee Noodles)

This dish was accidental. I was aiming to make a kimchee soup and then I started getting carried away. When I added the noodles I didn't think they would soak up all the remaining liquid. It was a pleasant surprise.

Spicy Kimchee Noodles with Tofu

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed kimchee (check ingredients some have shrimp or fish) I used King's from Whole Foods
1/2 package of firm tofu cut into cubes
4 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Toasted Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp of Gochujang (hot pepper paste)
1 Tbs olive oil
2/3 package of Bean Threads. I used Ka-Me.
1/3 cup of TVP (textured vegetable protein. Mine is Gluten Free.
8 cups of water



Directions:

1. Fry Kimchee in a dutch oven in 1 Tbs or less olive oil and 1/2 tsp of Gochuang
2. Add 8 cups of water, 4 TBS soy sauce, 1 Tbs Sesame oil
3. Add TVP and tofu
4. Cook on medium until the liquid is reduced and the contents look like stew not soup.
5. Soak Bean threads for 15 minutes in plain water. Rinse and then
6. throw into the pot. The beans will soak up the remaining liquid.

Enjoy.