Who says money can't buy happiness? It can...when you use it to buy food.

Photo credit: www.veganyumyum.com

Lately, I feel like I’m back in college…during finals. I’m preparing to take the GMAT exam in early May, and so my “free time” has become much more structured. Instead of coming home from the gym and debating whether to watch “Real Housewives” or “The Daily Show” while I savor my vegan mac and cheese, I find myself going through quick-fire motions of showering, cooking, eating, and pulling my review books off the shelf to get in a couple hours of studying before I fall asleep…and then get up in the morning, go to work, and get ready to do it all again.

Unfortunately, I cannot program myself to function robotically, and this schedule has fallen apart on more than one occasion. Inevitably, something doesn’t happen – either I don’t make it to the gym, or I don’t cook, or my willpower crumbles to the temptation that is “Lost”…

(What lies in the shadow of the statue??)

…and thus my score on the quantitative section has not gone up in two weeks.

It might be easiest for me to forgo the cooking for a while – just pick things up or order take out, and eliminate all of the time it takes me to plan, shop, prep, and, of course, blog. But, I can’t bring myself to do this.

When I was in college, finals was the time when I was most rigid about my sleep schedule – I had to get my eight hours; if I didn’t, I couldn’t function optimally, and the studying became somewhat useless. What sleep was to me during finals, food is to me now. Eating frozen crap or soup that was prepared in large batches two days ago just doesn’t do it for me.

So, I’ll wake up earlier in the morning to do GMAT review before work. And, instead of going to the gym every day, I go every other day. But, I cook and eat my food, and it makes me happy and able to focus on everything else I need to get done.

Here’s to contented tastebuds, a nourished soul…and to me getting better at math!

This week's dishes:

Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil

Kale and Sundried Tomato Hummus

Spring Spinach Salad

Purple Cabbage Salad with Currants, Carrots, and Almonds

Pizza with Pineapple, Sundried Tomatoes, and Basil

This week’s menu:

Sunday:
Dinner: Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil
Cook: Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil

Monday:
Lunch: Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil
Dinner: Spinach Salad with Hummus on Sourdough
Cook: Spinach Salad, Kale and Sundried Tomato Hummus, Purple Cabbage Salad (for Tuesday)

Tuesday:
Lunch: Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil
Dinner: Purple Cabbage Salad
Cook: Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes, Pineapple, and Basil (for Wednesday lunch)

Wednesday:
Lunch: Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes, Pineapple, and Basil
Dinner: Spinach Salad with Hummus on Sourdough
Cook: Spinach Salad

Thursday:
Lunch: Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes, Pineapple, and Basil
Dinner: Purple Cabbage Salad
Cook: --

Friday:
Lunch: Purple Cabbage Salad with Hummus on Sourdough

This week’s recipes:

Kale and Sundried Tomato Hummus on Grilled Sourdough with Spring Spinach Salad
I love dishes that sneak healthy things (kale) into delicious things (hummus and bread). With the warm weather upon us, I also enjoy citrus in my salads.

The quantity of dressing that you will make in the recipe below is enough for the week. Make it once and store it in the fridge. The salad recipe is for each serving so that you can assemble it fresh.

Click here for the Kale and Sundried Tomato Hummus recipe.

Spring Spinach Salad recipe:

For Dressing:
Juice of 1 orange
¼ cup shallot, finely chopped
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. agave nectar (or honey or maple syrup)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

For Salad (per serving):
1 navel orange
2 ½ cups, baby spinach
½ cup, sliced radishes
1 Hass avocado, peeled and sliced
¼ cup, sunflower seeds

Steps:
1. Place all ingredients for dressing in a bowl. Whisk to blend. Set aside.
2. Peel orange and remove white portions. Quarter the orange and slice it into fans.
3. Toss the spinach and radishes with 3 Tbsp. of the dressing in a large mixing or salad bowl.
4. Top with avocado and orange slices.
5. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve!

Thai Spicy Eggplant with Basil
Making Thai food can be intimidating – but this dish is not. It’s surprising easy and quick to make and the flavors are subtle, but definitely present. If you want, you can add some cubes of tofu to this dish.

If you can find it, (I usually do at the farmer’s market in Union Square), buy Thai basil for this dish. The leaves have a hint of purple in them. While the flavor is great with regular basil, the Thai version is distinctive, and I think you’ll find that the dish tastes more authentic as a result.

Ingredients:
1 cup of jasmine or brown rice, cooked according to package directions
2 Tbs. peanut oil (vegetable is ok, too)
½ tsp crushed red pepper (more to taste)
3 baby eggplants, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
¼ cup scallions, diced
2 Tbs. white vinegar
3 Tbs. soy sauce (or tamari)
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
2 handfuls, fresh basil leaves, chopped

Steps:
1. Heat a deep skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil and crushed red pepper, and let it sizzle for 10 seconds.
2. Add the eggplant, and stir-fry for three minutes.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir-fry for another three minutes.
4. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar, and toss for 2 more minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Add basil and stir gently to combine with eggplant.
6. Serve with cooked, hot rice.

Purple Cabbage Salad

Every now and then, my stomach craves something full of flavor, crunch, and general yumminess, but that also feels really light…so that when I’m done eating, I’m completely satisfied, but not needing to change into sweatpants. This salad does just that. Not to mention that cabbage is full of Vitamin C and thus, super good for you.

Click here for the Purple Cabbage Salad recipe.

Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes, Pineapple, and Basil
I love pizza. I also love sweet and savory combinations – give me a bag of kettle corn, and it will be gone before you can grab some bowls so we can share it.

I usually buy ready-made crusts from Whole Foods when I make pizza. But, as I don’t have plans to make a second pizza this week, I’ll buy Whole Foods Naan and make mini pizzas on them – so when I say “crust”, you can take this to mean a full pizza crust, or some mini version like mine.

The sauce for this pizza is inspired by one I found here.

Ingredients for sauce:
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Pint, Grape Tomatoes
¼ cup ground pine nuts
¼ Tsp. Salt
½ tsp. dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, if you don’t have an Italian mix)

Ingredients for pizza:
Cooking spray
1 ready-made pizza crust (or naan)
1/2 cup sauce, (prepared using ingredients above)
1/3 cup pineapple, diced
¼ cup sundried tomatoes, diced
3 Tbsp., basil, chopped

Steps:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add tomatoes, and toss in the oil until the tomatoes start to soften (about three minutes).
4. Add salt and herbs, and cook for additional two minutes.
5. As tomatoes continue to soften, gently mash them with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Stir in the ground pine nuts, and allow to cook for 2 to three more minutes.
6. Remove sauce from heat.
7. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray before putting the crust on the pan.
8. Spread sauce on crust. Layer with toppings. Bake for 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

This week’s grocery list:

Produce
3 oranges
5 cups, baby spinach
1 medium red bell pepper
1 bunch, scallions
1 bunch, basil
1 small bunch, kale
4 carrots
1 small head, purple cabbage
1, 4 oz. package, radishes
2 Haas avocados
3 baby eggplants
1 medium yellow onion
1 shallot
1 bulb, garlic
1, 2-inch piece ginger
1 Pint, Grape Tomatoes
1 Pineapple
Sundried tomatoes*

Oils, Spices, and Condiments
Cooking spray
Olive oil
Peanut Oil
Canola Oil
Balsamic VinegarSeasoned Rice Vinegar
Red wine vinegar
White vinegar
Soy sauce (or tamari)
Dijon mustard
Agave nectar, honey or maple syrup
Salt
Ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper
Dark brown sugar
Oregano
Basil

Bottled and Canned Goods
1 bottle, Tahini
1, 15.5 oz. can, chickpeas

Dry Goods
Sunflower seeds*
Pine nuts*
Sliced or Slivered Almonds*Dried Currants or Raisins*
Brown rice
Baguette, or sliced bread of your choice
Ready-made pizza crust, or package of pita bread/naan

*If you can buy them loose, just get a handful, otherwise, buy the smallest possible package. For sundried tomatoes, you’ll need about 15 for the week.

Menu 9: Potato Pea Curry, Kale Soup, Baingan Bharta, Asparagus with Vegan Hollandaise, Quick and Easy Potato Soup...

Photo credit: Lolo at www.veganyumyum.com

Though I grew up eating Indian food at least five days a week, and only want to eat my mom’s home-cooked Indian food when I visit my parents, I have typically shied away from cooking Indian food…primarily because, despite my mom’s best efforts to train me in the art of spices - I remain challenged in this area, and frankly, intimidated by the personalities of turmeric, cumin, cloves, and asafoetida.

For seemingly irrational reasons, while I lived with the best of personal trainers in Indian cooking for so many years, it’s “easier” for me to cook Indian food when I find recipes for Indian food online – as I have this week. So, with some trial and error, and advice from my mom, I’m now launching my education in Indian cooking with the eggplant-based Baingan Bharta and Potato Pea Curry included in this week’s menu. Enjoy!

This week’s dishes:
Baingan bharta (Eggplant curry)
Potato Pea Curry
Kale Soup
Potato Soup with Asparagus in Hollandaise sauce

This week’s menu:

Sunday:
Dinner: Baingan Bharta with Naan
Cook: Baingan Bharta, Kale Soup

Monday:
Lunch: Kale Soup
Dinner: Potato Soup with Asparagus
Cook: Potato Soup with Asparagus

Tuesday:
Lunch: Baingan Bharta with Naan
Dinner: Kale Soup
Cook: Asparagus (for Wednesday lunch)

Wednesday:
Lunch: Potato Soup with Asparagus
Dinner: Baingan Bharta with Naan
Cook: --

Thursday:
Lunch: Kale Soup
Dinner: Potato Pea Curry with Naan
Cook: Potato Pea Curry

Friday:
Lunch: Potato Pea Curry with Naan

This week’s recipes:

Baingan Bharta:
Baingan Bharta is the only thing I want to order when I go out for north Indian food. In fact, when I call Baluchi’s to order in and give them my phone number, they’ve already begun packing Baingan Bharta into a container for me. So, I decided it was time to learn how to make it on my own.

Once the eggplants are roasted, this dish is very quick to make. One change I made – when I scooped the flesh out of the eggplants, I pulsed it in the food processor until it was a bit smoother. I also included the roasted skin of half an eggplant for some color and additional flavor. Don’t pulse the tomatoes or anything else in the food processor! Just the eggplant and eggplant skins, and then add that to the saucepan.

When it’s all done, it tastes super fresh, and is probably a lot healthier than anything I would order in.

Click here for the Baingan Bharta recipe. You can eat this with rice or naan (Indian bread). This link includes a recipe for homemade naan – I’m going to buy prepared naan at Whole Foods, but may try to make it on my own one of these days.

Kale Soup:
I was looking for a kale dish and found this soup. While it requires 30 – 40 minutes of simmering time, it requires very little prep work. That’s why it’s a great thing to make on Sunday afternoon or evening – you can leave it to simmer while doing other things, and then you have a one-pot meal that is ready for multiple servings over the next few days.

I’d eat this with warm naan bread – brush a bit of olive oil on both sides of the naan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, if you like, and then heat it on a skillet (be sure to flip halfway through) until crisp.

Click here for the Kale Soup recipe.

Quick and Easy Potato Soup:
Think the Kale soup was easy to make? This one’s even faster. And, nicely satisfies the occasional vegan craving for something creamy.

Click here for the Potato Soup recipe.

Asparagus with Vegan Hollandaise sauce:
Asparagus is my go-to vegetable for when I am craving something carb-heavy or starchy (pasta, sandwiches), and feel a need to add something green on the side. So, here I’ve paired it with the potato soup. I think asparagus is great sautéed in some olive oil for two minutes, and sprinkled with salt and pepper…or blanched, with salt and pepper. Here, though, there’s a nice dipping sauce which adds some more flavor.

In the interest of keeping the asparagus freshly cooked, prepare half of the asparagus at a time. You can make the hollandaise sauce all at once, and store it in its own container. But, cook half of the asparagus on Monday night, for Monday night’s dinner, and then prepare the other half on Tuesday night for Wednesday’s lunch.

As for the silken tofu…so, I don’t have another lunch or dinner recipe that would make great use of the rest of the tofu this week – however, silken tofu is an excellent substitute for yogurt in fruit smoothies. So, put the leftover tofu in an airtight container, fill it so that half of the tofu block is covered in water, close, and store in the refrigerator. Use a bit of the tofu each day in a breakfast or post-workout smoothie like this one. If you decide to make the smoothies, though, don’t forget to add bananas, orange juice, and frozen mixed berries to your grocery list!

Click here for the Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce recipe.

Potato Pea Curry:
This is a simple, flavorful dish that can easily be adjusted if you want to include additional veggies – I’m thinking cauliflower, or green beans. Pair this with warm naan, or rice.

Click here for the Potato Pea Curry recipe.

This Week’s Grocery List:
As always, this list is comprehensive for all of the recipes included in this week’s menu. Print it out, cross off what’s already in your pantry and you’re ready to shop!

Produce:
2 medium eggplants, or 1 large eggplant
1 bunch, cilantro
1 small bunch, kale
1 lb., asparagus
4 tomatoes
4 medium onions
5 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 jalapeno
1 3-inch piece of ginger
1 bulb, garlic
1 lemon

Oils, Spices, and Condiments:
Vegetable Oil
Olive Oil
Cumin powder
Cumin Seeds
Coriander powder
Curry Powder
Rosemary
White Pepper
Vegetable Buillion cubes
Red chilli powder (Cayenne or paprika, works)
Turmeric
Salt

Canned and Bottled Goods:
Tahini
Tamari, or Soy Sauce
Curry Paste

Dry Goods:
2 packages, Naan (each contains 4)
Nutritional Yeast
8 oz. package, Quinoa
8 oz. package, Green Lentils
Raw cashews (if you can buy the loose ones, where you pay by the pound, just get 1/8 of a pound for this week)

Refrigerator/Freezer:
1, 14 oz. package, silken tofu
1 quart, soy milk
8 oz. package, frozen peas
1 package, Earth Balance buttery spread

Menu Five: Spinach Kofta, Tomato Basil Cream Pasta, TLT Sandwiches, Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale and Noodles

Photo credit: Lolo at VeganYumYum.com

This week’s menu is about the simplicity of ingredients.

While I am always excited to try new combinations of flavors, and to find those specific little ingredients that elevate a dish to something I might have never conjured up in my own culinary dabblings, it’s nice to bring a list to the grocery store knowing exactly what you’re looking for, and feeling assured that you will find all of it.

(Last week, I couldn’t find dried lemongrass, or canned straw mushrooms at the grocery store. And, I almost walked out without nutritional yeast, which was central to the macaroni and cheese recipe, until the guy at Whole Foods told me I could find some near the vitamins – I know it’s nutritional yeast, but should I really know to look there?)

Hence, the simplicity of ingredients. This week’s menu is also great because I’ll be using some of the things that are already in my pantry from previous menus, like the chickpea flour, yeast flakes, chili sauce, rice noodles, and soy sauce. Here are this week’s dishes:

Spinach Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
TLT Sandwiches
Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale, and Noodles

This week’s menu:

Sunday
Dinner: Spinach Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Cook: Spinach Kofta, Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

Monday
Lunch: Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Dinner: Spinach Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Cook: Marinate tempeh for TLT sandwich

Tuesday
Lunch: Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Dinner: TLT Sandwich
Cook: TLT Sandwich

Wednesday
Lunch: Spinach Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Dinner: TLT Sandwiches
Cook: TLT Sandwich

Thursday
Lunch: TLT Sandwich
Dinner: Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale and Noodles
Cook: Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale, and Noodles

Friday
Lunch: Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale, and Noodles

This week’s recipes:

Spinach Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
This recipe comes from the Fat-Free Vegan blog – which is also the source of the sweet potato falafels that I made a couple of weeks ago. Those were delicious, so when I saw this recipe for kofta, I had a feeling it would be a good one. (We’ll find out if I’m right this week.) I’ll plan on eating this with naan, or rolled inside of lavash bread with the cucumber yogurt sauce.

Click here for the Spinach Kofta recipe.

Note: Tofu generally comes in a 14 oz. container, and you’ll only use 2 oz. for this recipe. Store the remaining tofu in Tupperware – fill the container with water so that half of tofu is under water. You’ll use the rest for the Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale and Noodles on Thursday.

Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
I found this recipe on Vegan YumYum, and was excited that many of the recipes (including this one) are written for 1 – 2 servings – the perfect amount for people like me and, possibly, you! While it’s nice to have dishes that last for a long time, (read: less cooking), it’s also nice to have just the right amount for a couple of servings, so that you’re regularly eating fresh food.

I have a recipe on file that uses linguini, which I think I’m going to include next week. So, I’ll substitute linguini for the spaghetti in this recipe, and only buy the one box.

Also, if you don’t like eating lots of pasta because you find it heavy, buy a gluten-free version. I’m not gluten-free all the time, but I do buy gluten-free pasta often for this reason – gluten-free pasta does not weigh me down, and I find it’s better for digestion.

Click here for the Tomato Basil Cream Pasta recipe.

TLT Sandwich
So, I’m not a big fan of tempeh, which I discovered when I made the Tempeh Tikka Masala.

Then why are you including a tempeh sandwich in your menu, Julie?

Well, firstly, you might like tempeh.

And, secondly, this recipe looks great – a satisfying and complimentary combination of crispy lettuce, creamy avocado, and a spicy protein kick. Because I personally don’t love tempeh, though, I’m going to substitute with seitan. And, I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Click here for the TLT Sandwich recipe.

Note: In the interest of using freshly grilled tempeh/seitan in each sandwich, I’m going to keep the tempeh/seitan in its marinade in the refrigerator until I’m ready to assemble the next sandwich. I’ll roast the tomatoes all at once and store those in a separate container for each sandwich.

Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale and Noodles
According to Vegan YumYum, there are three things that create the perfectly pan-fried tofu: "a cast-iron pan, a decently long cooking period, and a rest period afterwards."

I don’t have a cast-iron pan currently, but I will follow the rest of the advice provided in this post closely to see if I can come close to achieving the right consistency without one.

I am also excited to cook with kale again, because it’s supposed to be so good for you – and in the right dish, it also tastes surprisingly good. (As confirmed by my roommate, who was hesitant to eat the Chickpea and Kale soup when she saw all the green, and then happily had seconds.)

Click here for the Pan-Fried Tofu, Kale, and Noodles recipe.

This week’s grocery list:
So, last week, I was pleased to rediscover Stiles, a year-round farmer’s market under a tent, near my apartment. I got all of the produce that I needed for the week, and some extras (strawberries, blueberries, a pineapple, and a couple avocados), for $17. Needless to say, this cut down on my grocery bill dramatically – all of their herbs are $1, (instead of $1.99 at Whole Foods); tomatoes are $1 a pound (compared with $1.99 or even $2.99 a pound for the vine-ripened ones); and you can get 8 limes for $1. I don’t know what I would do with 8 limes (except maybe have a Corona party?) – but, you see my point. If you can, definitely buy all of your produce at a well-priced farmer’s market.

As always, this list is for everything you would need to make all recipes in this week's menu. To avoid buying something unnecessarily, I suggest that you print out this list, cross off things that you already have in your pantry and refrigerator, and then head to the market and/or grocery store.

Produce
1 small head, romaine lettuce
1 head, kale
6 oz., fresh spinach
1 bunch, basil
1 bunch, mint
1 large tomato
1 pint, cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber
1 bulb, garlic
1 small red onion
1 small yellow onion
1, 3 in. piece of ginger
2 medium red potatoes
1 lemon
1 lime

Oils, Spices, and Condiments
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Rice Vinegar
Mustard
Chilli sauce
Cumin seeds
Ground cumin
Coriander
Garam masala
Brown Sugar
Salt
Black pepper

Canned and Bottled Goods
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 small can, tomato paste
1, 12 oz. bottle, maple syrup

Dry Goods
1, 8 oz. package cashews
1 box, linguine
1, 10 oz. package, rice noodles
Nutritional yeast
Chickpea flour
1 package of naan or lavash bread

Refrigerator/Freezer
8 oz. tempeh or seitan
1, 14 oz. package of extra firm tofu
Soy yogurt

Menu 3: Mashed "Potatoes", Babaganoush, Chickpea and Kale soup, Tempeh Tikka Masala, Sweet Potato Falafel...

Over the holidays, my cousin Rupal was crowned my mother’s new favorite nephew.

Why, you ask? (Especially if you are one of my mother’s many other nephews, angling to be in her good graces.)

His recipe for babaganoush earned him the honor – which I’m not so sure he’s happy about, since once he made the dish, he was “promoted” to her official sous chef, squeezing fresh orange juice for fifteen people, making chocolate chip pancakes with just the right thickness, and adjusting her recipe for hummus. At the end of Rupal’s trip, my mom expressed that our Florida home is open to him anytime he needs a vacation (from Austin), and insisted that he visit often.

The best part of all of this is that I’ve included Rupal’s babaganoush in this week’s menu. Speaking of which, here’s what I’m eating this week:

Chickpea and Kale Soup
Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
Tempeh Tikka Masala
Babaganoush wraps
Sweet Potato Falafel

The menu:
The weekly menu is a plan for cooking and eating – so that you use things while they are fresh, have variety in your daily set of meals, and know exactly what to cook or prepare each night. It also takes away the stress of thinking about what to do after work each night.

Sunday
Dinner: Chickpea and Kale Soup with Cauliflower mashed “potatoes”
Cook: Soup, Cauliflower mashed “potatoes”, Marinate tempeh

Monday
Lunch: Chickpea and Kale soup, Cauliflower mashed “potatoes”
Dinner: Tempeh tikka masala with naan
Cook: Tempeh tikka masala with naan, Babaganoush

Tuesday
Lunch: Babaganoush wrap
Dinner: Tempeh tikka masala with naan
Cook: --

Wednesday
Lunch: Tempeh tikka masala
Dinner: Chickpea and Kale Soup, Babaganoush wrap
Cook: Sweet Potato Falafel

Thursday
Lunch: Sweet Potato Falafel
Dinner: Babaganoush wrap, Cauliflower mashed “potatoes”
Cook: --

Friday
Lunch: Sweet Potato Falafel

The recipes:

Chickpea and Kale Soup
In my browsing of vegan food blogs, I came upon Fat Free Vegan – which for some of you translates into “no taste, are you kidding me?” – but really, Susan Voisin, who writes the blog, combines great flavors and high-nutrient foods to make her healthy dishes. She also writes that her blog is called “Fat Free Vegan” because she avoids cooking with fats like oil, margarine, or shortening. She does, however, cook with avocados, nuts, seeds, and the occasional bit of sesame or olive oil for flavor. (“Oil Free Vegan” just didn’t have the right ring to it.) She has generously agreed to allow me to link to her recipes, and so here’s the first Menu Drawer feature from her blog.

Click here for the Chickpea and Kale soup recipe and to view photos of the dish.

Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
I’ve heard that this is a delicious (and much healthier) substitute for mashed potatoes. Much like the tofu/pine nut “ricotta” from last week, most tasters can’t even tell the difference.

In this recipe, substitute 1 ¾ cups of vegetable broth for the broth listed.

Click here for the Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” recipe.

Tempeh Tikka Masala
When I became vegan, one of the things that I missed most was paneer tikka – especially the way my cousin Amit makes it on the grill. So, I was excited when I saw this recipe.

For the three cups of cauliflower florets required, I use frozen florets – just to eliminate the need to chop up another head of cauliflower. In addition – this recipe is not vegan because it calls for buttermilk. So, I substitute the buttermilk with Silk brand soy creamer. I also don’t plan to make the raita this week, and just eat the tempeh with naan or brown rice. I’ll do steps 1 and 2 of this on Sunday, so I just have to bake it come Monday night.

Click here for the Tempeh Tikka Masala recipe and to view photos of the dish.

Note: After making dish, I wasn't a big fan. I didn't really enjoy the tempeh, and found that my idea for a buttermilk subsitute wasn't the greatest - the sauce was too watery and didn't thicken the way I imagine it would with buttermilk. So, I suggest trying it with tofu or seitan, instead of tempeh. And, secondly, I don't recommend this dish for vegans - if you're vegetarian, it might work well if you stick to the buttermilk.

Babaganoush Wraps
The key to this is baking the eggplant with the garlic cloves inside of it.

Also, in terms of logistics, I’ll be doing this on Monday night while I’m also baking the Tempeh Tikka Masala. If you want to play it safe, make the tempeh, then increase the temperature to 425 and roast the eggplant. If you’re willing to take some risks in the interest of saving time, do both at 400 degrees. (The tempeh is supposed to bake at 375, and the eggplant is supposed to bake at 425). You may have to bake the tempeh for less time because of the increased temperature, and the eggplant for a bit more time (45 – 50 minutes). Just keep an eye on both, adjust the time as you see fit, and you should be fine.

You may want to add more or less of the lemon, salt, cumin, etc. depending on your taste. Start with what’s listed, and add more if you need to.

Finally, per my cousin’s advice, babaganoush will not taste just right until it’s been refrigerated for at least 4-5 hours (I refrigerate it overnight) and all of the flavors sink in. So, this will taste best when you take it out the next morning to put it into your wrap for lunch.

My cousin Rupal’s recipe for Babaganoush:

Ingredients for babaganoush:

1 eggplant
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients for wrap:

Lavash bread
½ cup of mesclun greens
1 small tomato, chopped
½ small red onion, chopped
1/3 cup cucumber, peeled and chopped
Handful of sprouts (optional)
Kalamata olives (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Cut six clove-shaped holes into the eggplant (two rows of three, going around the eggplant). Stick a clove of garlic into each of the holes. Place the eggplant on a baking dish or sheet.
3. Bake for 45 minutes, until the eggplant looks destroyed, and is entirely sunken in.
4. Remove from the heat and let the eggplant cool for about five minutes.
5. Cut the eggplant in half, and using a fork or a spoon, scrape all of the insides (make sure to get all of the garlic cloves!) into the food processor.
6. Chop up about 1 tablespoon of the roasted eggplant peel, and add that to the food processor.
7. Add in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and tahini, and pulse until the babaganoush is smooth.
8. Transfer to storage container. Drizzle with olive oil. Refrigerate overnight.
9. Serve with pita triangles, vegetables, or inside of lavash bread with your choice of following ingredients:
Mesclun greens
Red onion, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Cucumber, peeled and chopped
Sprouts
Olives

Sweet Potato Falafel with Yogurt Tahini sauce
This recipe makes enough for about 20 falafel balls, which I think might be too much for me. So, I’m going to halve all of the ingredients as I am cooking, to make only ten. I still may have leftovers, in which case, this week’s menu is also giving me lunch for Saturday.

Click here for the Sweet Potato Falafel recipe and photos.

This week’s grocery list:
This list includes everything you would need to make all of the recipes this week. Check your pantry and refrigerator before you go shopping and cross off things that you already have. If you’ve been making some of the previous menus, you should already have some of these items (i.e. tahini and most spices) and not need to buy them.

Produce
2 large lemons
1 lime
2 bulbs, garlic
1, 2-inch piece fresh ginger
1 medium sweet potato
1 bunch, parsley
1 bunch, green onions (chives)
1 large bunch, kale
1 head, cauliflower
2 carrots
1 medium cucumber
1 large eggplant, but long and lean – not the ones with the fat round base
3 small tomatoes
2 small red onions
2 medium yellow onions
1 large yellow onion
2 cups mesclun greens
1, 4 oz package sprouts (optional)
¼ cup Kalamata olives (optional)

Oils, Spices, Condiments
1 bottle of tahini (smallest available)
Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Ketchup
Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Paprika
Allspice
Ground ginger
Saffron
Bay leaves
Cinnamon
Tandoori spice blend
Vegetable bullion cubes
Olive oil
Honey

Canned and Bottled Goods
1, 15.5 oz. can of tomato puree
3, 15.5 oz. cans of chickpeas

Dry Goods
1, 4 oz. container of flax seeds
Chickpea flour
Baking powder
Sesame seeds (optional)
1 package of lavash bread
1 package of 4 naans

Refrigerator/Freezer
1 small container, soy yogurt
1 pint of Silk soy creamer
1, 8 oz. package of tempeh
24 oz. frozen cauliflower florets