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 8: Scallion Pancakes; Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Salad; Pita Pockets with Cilantro Pesto and Feta; Curried Cauliflower Soup...

Photo credit: www.vegetariantimes.com

This week’s patchwork menu began when my mom sent me a box of Florida oranges and a bag of pine nuts.

(Oranges because she can buy them in giant bags at her local farmer’s market, and knows that the ones I get here just aren’t as sweet and juicy as they ones she gets in Florida. Pine nuts because she saw them on sale for a lot less than what I pay in NYC…and because she is in constant disbelief about the cost of living in NYC – even in this economy - she was just doing her part to help me out.)

So, the box on my coffee table, containing two layers of oranges, neatly separated by tissue paper, and my re-sealable bag of pine nuts got me thinking. Whereas I could have continued trying to eat three to four oranges a day in order to eat them all while fresh, I found the salad with asparagus, mint, and oranges – and an opportunity to be more creative than that.

The salad included some feta. And, I had found the zucchini pancakes which required just a bit of cilantro. In keeping with my mission to maximize my use of purchased ingredients, I needed another dish that would make full use of the feta and cilantro. So, I put together the pita sandwiches…with veggies, chickpeas, feta, and a cilantro pesto (made with pine nuts).

Where does the soup come in? I love cooking dishes that only require one pot, cauliflower is really good for you, I was intrigued by the use of an apple in the soup, and the recipe only required me to buy four ingredients (I have everything else, like olive oil, curry powder, and honey, in the apartment already).

As I said – it was a random assortment of ideas and thoughts that pulled this menu together. And, here’s what I’m cooking.

This week’s dishes:
Fast scallion pancakes and zucchini corn pancakes with Thai chili sauce

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta salad

Pita Pockets with Cilantro Pesto and Feta

This week’s menu:

Sunday
Dinner: Curried Cauliflower Soup
Cook: Curried Cauliflower Soup, Pita Pockets (for Monday’s lunch)

Monday
Lunch: Pita Pockets
Dinner: Scallion Pancakes and Zucchini Corn Pancakes
Cook: Scallion Pancakes and Zucchini Corn Pancakes, Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta Salad (for Tuesday’s lunch)

Tuesday
Lunch: Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta Salad
Dinner: Curried Cauliflower Soup
Cook: Pita Pockets (for Wednesday’s lunch)

Wednesday
Lunch: Pita Pockets
Dinner: Scallion Pancakes and Zucchini Corn Pancakes
Cook: Scallion Pancakes and Zucchini Corn Pancakes, Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta Salad (for Thursday’s lunch)

Thursday
Lunch: Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta Salad
Dinner: Curried Cauliflower Soup and Zucchini Corn Pancakes
Cook: Zucchini Corn Pancakes, Pita Pockets (for Friday’s lunch)

Friday
Lunch: Pita Pockets

This week’s recipes:

Fast Scallion Pancakes and Zucchini Corn Pancakes with Thai chili sauce
Savory pancakes are one of my favorite things to order at Korean restaurants, like Hangawi (which is entirely vegetarian!) And, because I’m indecisive, I always just get the combination pancakes so that I can have a little of each kind. So, here are my own “combination” pancakes, pulled from Mark Bittman’s blog, and Vegetarian Times. The zucchini corn pancakes recipe calls for them to be eaten with salsa, but I’m going to keep the flavor Asian and eat both of these with a Thai chili dipping sauce.

Note: When I make these for the first time on Monday, I’ll make the full recipe – so that the batter for all of the pancakes will be ready. Then, I’ll store the batter for each type of pancake in separate, air tight containers, so that when I’m making them over the course of the week, I’m not spending time making everything from scratch, just making the pancakes fresh from the batter. Alternatively, you could make all of the pancakes on Monday, and then reheat them over the stove or in the oven each night that you eat them for dinner, over the course of the week.

Click here for the Scallion Pancakes recipe.

Click here for the Zucchini Corn Pancakes recipe.

Curried Cauliflower Soup
Less than 10 ingredients, and only two steps – you can’t really beat that!

If you find that eating the soup by itself is not enough, then I recommend that you add some bread on the side. You can toast some pita, brush a bit of olive olive and freshly ground black pepper on it. Or, spread some (Earth Balance) vegan butter on bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and toast.

Click here for the Curried Cauliflower Soup recipe.

Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta salad
This salad is wonderfully light and refreshing, but not so light that you’re hungry 20 minutes later. The flavors and textures blend really well, and it almost feels like the perfect thing to be eating with springtime upon us. (Unless you’re in Boston, where it snowed after a weekend of 50 degree weather.)

The original recipe (see below), serves 8. I am only making it twice this week, and I think 2 servings each time is plenty.

So, instead of using the quantities listed in the recipe, use the following for each time you make the salad:
¼ lb asparagus, trimmed
1 medium navel orange
2 oz., whole wheat campanelle pasta, or other medium size pasta, cooked, rinsed, and drained
¼ cup scallions, chopped
2 tbsp., chopped fresh mint
½ tsp., white wine vinegar
1 tsp., olive oil
½ tsp., salt
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons, crumbled feta cheese

Click here for the Orange, Mint, and Asparagus Pasta Salad recipe.

Pita Pockets with Cilantro Pesto and Feta
The cilantro pesto here is similar to one I posted in Menu 7, but uses pine nuts instead of walnuts. The chickpeas are thrown in for protein – you could also use baked tofu, or falafel nuggets, if you were feeling ambitious.

Ingredients for Cilantro Pesto:
2 cups, cilantro (packed down)
8 tablespoons, olive oil
2/3 cup, pine nuts
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves, garlic
Paprika, to taste

Ingredients for Pita Pocket:
1 Pita, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons, cilantro pesto
1/ 4 cup, green leaf lettuce
3 tablespoons, canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small roma tomato, diced
½ small red onion, diced
¼ cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons, feta cheese

Steps:
1. Pulse cilantro and olive oil in food processor or blender. (Add a bit of water if it’s not mixing well in the blender.)
2. Add remaining ingredients for pesto, and pulse or blend until smooth.
3. Spread cilantro pesto evenly inside of pita pocket.
4. Stuff pita pocket with lettuce.
5. Toss chickpeas, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and feta in a bowl to mix well. Then, add to pita pocket.
4. Serve.

Note: Depending on how many pitas you’re serving for a particular meal, you may or may not use all of the chickpeas. So, when you open the can of chickpeas, transfer all contents to an airtight container. Only rinse and drain the amount of chickpeas you’ll use in that one meal – store the rest in the container. I’ll store the unused portions of onion and cucumber in Ziploc sandwich bags – make sure to seal the bags so that there’s no air caught inside.

This week’s grocery list:
I think this is the cheapest week I’ve put together so far – I spent $10.00 at the farmer’s market on all of the produce. And, bought everything else I needed at Whole Foods for $25.00 (If you cook often like I do, you should have all of the oils, spices, and most condiments/bottled goods in stock in your pantry). And remember, that $35.00 includes things like flour and egg replacer that are now in stock in my pantry, so I can use them for future dishes.

Here’s the full list – just print, cross off what you already have, and you’re ready to shop.

Produce:
½ lb, asparagus
2 medium zucchini
1 medium cucumber
1 large head, cauliflower
1 bunch, green leaf lettuce
3 small roma tomatoes
2 medium navel oranges
1 small yellow onion
2 small red onions
1 medium Granny Smith apple
1 bunch, scallions
1 bunch, cilantro
1 bunch, fresh mint
1 bulb, garlic
1 lemon

Oils, Spices, Condiments:
Black Pepper
Salt
Olive Oil
Peanut Oil (optional)
Soy Sauce
Curry Powder
Paprika
Honey
Vegetable bullion cubes (for broth)

Canned and Bottled Goods:
White wine vinegar
Rice wine vinegar
Thai Chili sauce (for dipping)
1, 15 oz. can, chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Dry Goods:
8 oz., whole wheat campanelle, (or other medium size pasta)
Flour (of your choice – all purpose, whole wheat, or spelt)
Baking powder
Egg replacer* (if vegan)
1 pkg., Pita bread
1 cup, pine nuts

Refrigerator/Freezer:
8 oz., Feta Cheese (vegan version)
½ dozen eggs (if vegetarian)
8 oz., frozen corn
Soy milk

*If you don't want to buy packaged egg replacer, try one of these options.

Menu 7: Spiced Sweet Corn Soup, Mozzarella Pesto Melt, Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok-Steamed Collards and Quinoa, Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles...

Photo credit: Lolo at www.veganyumyum.com

When I was growing up, and would occasionally go out to eat with my family, I dreaded the moment when our food would arrive. Because, when our food came, it was not time to eat. “Wait, wait,” my mom would say. Despite collective groans from my brothers and me, she’d use her fork to poke around each dish, explaining, “I want to see how they made it, so I can make it at home.”

What was the point of going out to eat if we weren’t going to just enjoy our food? Did we have to reconstruct each recipe as we were eating?

Some years, later, I have (admittedly) become my mother (only now, I type notes into my BlackBerry while I’m eating.)

In this week’s menu, I continue to enjoy Lauren’s delicious recipes from Vegan YumYum, and aim to recreate two of the dishes I’ve enjoyed at restaurants in the last week. And, in the spirit of mothers, I bring you a recipe for soup from my friend Arathi’s mom. Enjoy!

This week’s dishes:
Spiced Sweet Corn Soup and Spring Greens Salad (in Teriyaki Ginger Lime dressing)

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok-Steamed Collards and Quinoa

Mozzarella Pesto Melt

Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles

This week’s menu:

Sunday
Dinner: Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok-Steamed Collards and Quinoa
Cook: Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok-Steamed Collards and Quinoa, Mozzarella Pesto Melt (For Monday’s lunch)

Monday
Lunch: Mozzarella Pesto Melt
Dinner: Tofu with Collards and Quinoa
Cook: Mozzarella Pesto Melt (for Tuesday’s lunch)

Tuesday
Lunch: Mozzarella Pesto Melt
Dinner: Spiced Sweet Corn Soup with Spring Greens Salad
Cook: Spiced Sweet Corn Soup with Spring Greens Salad

Wednesday
Lunch: Spiced Sweet Corn Soup with Spring Greens Salad
Dinner: Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles
Cook: Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles, Mozzarella Pesto Melt(for Friday’s lunch)

Thursday
Lunch: Mozzarella Pesto Melt with Sweet Corn Soup
Dinner: Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles
Cook: Prepare Spring Greens Salad for Friday lunch

Friday
Lunch: Spiced Sweet Corn Soup with Spring Greens Salad

This week’s recipes:

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok-Steamed Collards and Quinoa
Since I’ve read and heard so much about the nutritional benefits of quinoa, I’ve been looking for easy quinoa recipes with flavorful components – and this looks like it.

Click here for the Tofu with Collards and Quinoa recipe.

Mozzarella Pesto Melt
This is a simple sandwich that has incredible flavor because of the pesto – cilantro and walnut, instead of the traditional basil and pine nut combination. When we ate at the Chaco Canyon Café, and I ordered this sandwich, my boyfriend was surprised that I actually did a better job of ordering than he did. (This does not usually happen.) He was also happy that it was simple enough (for me) torecreate (for him).

Ingredients for cilantro walnut pesto:
2 cups, cilantro (packed down)
8 tablespoons, olive oil
2/3 cup, walnuts
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves, garlic
Paprika, to taste

Ingredients for sandwich:
1 foccacia roll
2 tablespoons, cilantro-walnut pesto
2 slices, vegan mozzarella cheese
¼ small red onion, sliced
½ small tomato, slices
1 handful, alfalfa sprouts

Steps:
1. Pulse cilantro and olive oil in food processor or blender. (Add a bit of water if it’s not mixing well in the blender.)
2. Add remaining ingredients for pesto, and pulse or blend until smooth.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto on each half of the foccacia roll.
4. Layer one slice of mozzarella on each half of the focaccia roll.
5. Layer one half of focaccia roll with red onion, tomato, and sprouts.
6. Place other half of sandwich on top of layered ingredients. Enjoy!

Note: Store the remaining pesto in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Spiced Sweet Corn Soup
Since I’ve started the blog (and feeding my roommate, Arathi), Arathi has wanted to contribute to the cooking that’s happening in the apartment. She’s tried her hand at chickpea tacos, and on Saturday, I came home to the smell of vegetarian chili wafting down the hall. Here, she shares her mom’s recipe for spiced sweet corn soup.

Ingredients:
4 cups, water
2 cubes, vegetable bullion
2 tablespoons, Earth Balance vegan butter
1 sweet onion (Vidalia), chopped
½ teaspoon, coriander powder
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon, curry powder
4 cups, fresh white corn kernels (frozen is ok, too!)
1 cup, unsweetened coconut milk
Salt, to taste

Steps:

1. Bring 4 cups of water and 2 vegetable bullion cubes to boil in a saucepan. Reduce to medium heat, and stir occasionally until cubes have dissolved. Once cubes have dissolved, turn heat off.
2. Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, stir, cover, and let cook for five minutes.
3. Stir in coriander powder and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add corn and vegetable broth and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
6. Remove pot from heat. Stir in coconut milk. Set aside for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to infuse.
7. Transfer all soup, except for 1 cup, to blender or food processor and puree. (You may have to do this in batches.)
8. Return soup to pot. Add reserved cup back to soup. Season with salt to taste. Serve!

Spring Greens Salad
This salad is inspired by one that I ate at Café Blossom on Saturday. I couldn’t find jicama when I went shopping – so I took it out of the salad. But, if you can find it, add about ¼ cup of diced jicama.

At Blossom, the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds were “tamari toasted”. In an attempt to recreate this, I will mix the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in about ¼ cup of tamari, and then “toast” them in a pan over low heat for about 3 – 4 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally. You can also just use them raw in this salad.

Ingredients for salad
1 cup mesclun greens
1/3 pint of cherry tomatoes
1/3 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup carrot, shredded
1 ½ tablespoons, pumpkin seeds
1 ½ tablespoons, sunflower seeds

Ingredients for dressing
6 tablespoons, fresh lime juice
8 tablespoons, teriyaki sauce
3 tablespoons, honey
2 teaspoons, ground ginger
1 teaspoon, salt

Steps:
1. Mix all ingredients for salad in a large bowl.
2. Whisk all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl.
3. Toss salad with 2 tablespoons of dressing. Serve.
4. Store extra dressing in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Notes: The ingredients that you are buying for this salad for the week are enough for 3 servings. The first two are dinner and lunch, back to back. The third is lunch on Friday. The recipe above is for one salad serving. So, on Tuesday night, I am going to make two servings worth – save the rest of the cucumber, tomatoes, and carrot (unchopped and unshredded) for Thursday evening, when I will cut them fresh and prepare Friday’s salad. Always store the dressing separate from the salad – this will keep the salad from becoming soggy. Additionally, I buy loose mesclun greens – so at the store, I am putting them into a plastic produce bag. But, when I bring them home, I transfer them into a plastic storage container (it has locks that snap shut on the sides), and store in the fridge. Keeping them in a box like this will help them stay fresh – don’t store salad greens in those plastic produce bags from the store. Alternatively, you could buy the greens that come in a plastic box.

Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles
While I’m so far from being a raw foodie, I enjoy having a raw, (or nearly raw, in this case) dish occasionally because it’s super fresh, and also is cleansing and energizing. Having a food processor makes this dish super quick, because you can chop all of the vegetables in it. While I’m now coveting a VitaMix, the food processor was definitely one of my best kitchen purchases.

Click here for the Nearly Raw Tahini Noodles recipe.

This week’s grocery list:
This morning, I got all of my produce from the farmer’s market, and everything else I needed from the grocery store – and the total bill was just over $40. (I do already have most of the oils and spices, but it just shows how inexpensive this is!)

Produce
1 bunch, cilantro
1 bunch, mint
1 bunch, collard greens
4 stalks, fresh white corn (frozen is ok, too!)
3 cups, mesclun greens
1 head, green cabbage
1 stalk, broccoli
1 pint, cherry tomatoes
2 roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
3 carrots
3 limes
1 lemon
2 bulbs, garlic
1 sweet onion
1 red onion
1, 8 oz. package, sprouts

Oils, Spices, Condiments
Coriander powder
Cumin powder
Ground ginger
Black pepper
Salt
Sugar
Curry powder
Vegetable bullion cubes
Vegetable oil
Honey
Red Chilli Flakes
Cinnamon sticks

Canned and Bottled Goods
(Buy these items in a size that you feel is appropriate for how frequently you cook.)
Teriyaki sauce
Soy sauce
Tahini
Rice vinegar
Chili sauce
Stone-ground mustard

Dry Goods
¼ pound, pumpkin seeds
¼ pound, sunflower seeds
¼ pound, sesame seeds
½ pound, walnuts
1, 12 oz. package, quinoa
1 package, whole wheat spaghetti
4 foccacia rolls

Refrigerator/Freezer
20 oz., frozen white corn kernels (don’t buy this if you’re buying fresh corn)
Earth Balance vegan butter
1, 8 oz package, vegan mozzarella

Call for Recipes!

I've always believed that if I left NYC, I'd find it hard to enjoy eating out as a vegan. And, thus far, on my long weekend away, I've pleasantly been proven wrong by the city of Seattle.

Last night's dinner at Cafe Flora was one of the slowest meals I've ever eaten - because I wanted to make it last as long as possible. One of my tasks this week will be to figure out how to re-create their artichoke croquettes. This might be a good place for me to start.

So, as my tastebuds continue their exploration of the Pacific Northwest for the next day and a half, I'm not posting a menu this week...But, for next week -

I'd love to put together a menu of recipes from friends and fans - so send me what you've got! Please be sure to include all ingredients, quantities, and step by step instructions. If you have photos, send those along, too! And, if you have your own blog or website, send me the address - I'll be sure to link the recipe to your site. If you're using a recipe that you've adapted from somewhere else, please be sure to include the information on the original source.

Send all recipes to themenudrawer@gmail.com, and look for a new menu next Saturday!

A "mini" Menu 6: Enchiladas, Lemon Pepper Pasta, Mac and Cheese (Take 2)...

Photo credit: Lolo at http://veganyumyum.com

This week’s menu was born of two thoughts as I poked around in my refrigerator this morning –
1. I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the vegan mac and cheese I last made, and have a craving for a better approximation of the ultimate comfort food.
2. I saved the remaining chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from last week’s saucy, hearty, creamy with a kick seitan sandwiches – and could I make an enchilada sauce with them?

Therefore, this week, I’m eating:

• Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
• Mac and Cheese (Take 2)
• Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli

(Oh, and it’s a mini because I’m going out of town for the long weekend – and flying out Thursday night means it’s only a four-day cooking week for me!)

This week’s menu:

Sunday
Dinner: Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
Cook: Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce

Monday
Lunch: Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
Dinner: Mac and Cheese
Cook: Mac and Cheese

Tuesday
Lunch: Mac and Cheese
Dinner: Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli
Cook: Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli

Wednesday
Lunch: Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
Dinner: Mac and Cheese
Cook: Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli (for next day’s lunch)

Thursday
Lunch: Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli
Dinner: Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
Cook: --

This week’s recipes:

Enchiladas with Chipotles–in–Adobo sauce
Mexican is my go-to food.

Once, for an entire week, every time my roommate wanted to order food, I wanted Mexican.
Almost every time I’m eating something non-Indian with my parents, it has to be either Mexican or Thai food. (This is because as Indians (from the South Asian subcontinent), they can only consume foods that are spicy. Ok, they can eat other foods – but who else asks for Tabasco sauce at Italian restaurants? )

It may also have something to do with the fact that I am often mistaken for being Latina. (My cousin Amit actually has introduced me to people as his adopted cousin “Julia”, alternatively from Cuba, Spain, Mexican, and the Dominican Republic.)

As a result of some mix of the above experiences and tendencies, I really like Mexican food, and thus here is my recipe for Enchiladas:

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup of chilli powder
2 cups of vegetable stock (from bullion cubes)
10 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt

(Note: Because I have leftover adobo sauce from last week, I am going to use 2 tablespoons of chilli powder, and 3 tablespoons of adobo sauce. If you don’t have the adobo sauce, however, just use the chilli powder as listed above.)

1, 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1, 15 oz. can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup water
1 packet Ortega taco seasoning

Cooking spray
6 whole-wheat tortillas
2 small red onions, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
¾ cup cheddar almond “cheese”, shredded (for inside enchiladas)
¼ cup cheddar almond “cheese”, shredded (for on top of enchiladas)

The sauce:
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cornstarch. Stir and cook for one minute.
2. Add the chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the stock, cumin, oregano, and tomato paste.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally - the sauce will thicken.
5. While the sauce is simmering, you should move on to preparing the beans, and chopping the vegetables. If the sauce is done simmering before you’re done assembling the enchiladas, cover, turn off the heat, and let it sit until you’re ready to pour it over the enchiladas.)

The beans:
1. Put beans and ¼ cup of water into blender. Pulse until beans are smooth. You may have to mix the beans around with a spoon in between pulses to make sure they all get crushed.
2. Transfer beans into small pot. Over medium heat, mix in one packet of taco seasoning. Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow the beans to warm until it’s time to assemble the enchiladas. (While you’re preparing the other ingredients, stir the beans occasionally.)

The enchiladas:
1. Spray a 9 x 12 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce into the pan. Spread with the back of a wooden spoon so that the bottom of the pan is covered with a light layer of sauce.
2. In their pot, portion the beans into about six equal servings (just use a spoon to separate into halves, and then each half into three sections).

For each enchilada:
a. Spread a portion of beans down the center of the tortilla.
b. Layer the tomatoes , onions, and cheese on top of the beans.
c. Roll the tortillas, burrito-style, and transfer to the baking dish.

3. Line the enchiladas next to each other in the baking dish.
4. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
5. Spread remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Mac and Cheese (Take 2)
What drew me to try this recipe is that the ingredients are a lot more diverse than the last recipe I tried, which was mostly based in soy milk and nutritional yeast. I could have messed up the proportions, but last time, I had to add a lot of soymilk to temper the taste of the yeast. And, while the cheese sauce had great consistency, it was not lick-my-lips cheesy.

So, while this recipe is not fat-free, it seems great because it has margarine, cashews, miso and tahini to flavor and cream-ify the sauce, in addition to mustard and breadcrumbs for a bit of gooey crunch. (Cashews worked really well in the tomato basil cream sauce last week.) Let’s see what happens.

Click here for the Mac and Cheese (Take 2) recipe.

Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli
Pick five things and make a dish:

Photo credit: Lolo at http://veganyumyum.com

The photo above made me feel like I was preparing for a Top Chef challenge. (In my own pleasantly vegetarian version of the show, of course.)

But, seriously, in my quest to use simple ingredients to make quick, tasty, dishes that don’t cost a lot of money – this works really well. Bring on a Quick Fire.

Click here for the Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli recipe.

Note: The recipe has portions for one – because I want to make this twice, I am going to double all of the ingredients in my shopping list.

This week’s grocery list:
Just cross off the things you already have in your pantry or fridge and you’re ready to shop!

Produce
2 heads, broccoli
2 lemons
1 large potato
1 carrot
2 small red onions
2 medium tomatoes

Oils, Spices, and Condiments
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Cooking spray
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Black pepper
Paprika
Dried Oregano
Ground Cumin
Chilli Powder
Taco seasoning
Vegetable bullion cubes (to make broth)
Dijon Mustard

Canned and Bottled Goods
1, 8 oz. bottle, sundried tomatoes in oil
1, 8 oz. bottle, tahini
2, 6 oz. cans tomato paste
1, 15 oz. can black beans
1, 15 oz. can of red kidney beans

Dry Goods
1, 16 oz. package of fettucini
1, 10 oz. box of whole wheat rotini
1, 8 oz. package breadcrumbs
3 oz., raw cashews
1, 12 oz. container nutritional yeast
Cornstarch

Refrigerator/Freezer
1 container Miso (smallest available)
1 pkg, Earth Balance Margarine
1 pkg, 6 whole-wheat tortillas
8 oz., vegan cheddar cheese (I like almond “cheese”)

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 4: Mac and "Cheese", Tortilla Soup, General Tso's Tofu, Thai Coconut Soup...

I miss cheese the most.

When I became vegan, it was the hardest thing to give up - really good substitutes are hard to come by. While there is nothing that can replace baked brie with walnuts and figs in my heart and tastebuds (sigh), I have been able to enjoy vegan versions of the ever-comforting Mac and Cheese, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Especially satisfying is that, with the vegan versions, you won’t feel overly stuffed or greasy afterwards.

So, this week, I’m making:

• Tortilla Soup with Grilled Cheese sandwich
• General Tso’s Tofu with Broccoli and Brown Rice
• Macaroni and Cheeze
• Thai Coconut Soup with Quick and Easy Noodles and Tofu

This week’s menu:
Here’s a quick view of what to eat and cook each night – it takes the stress out of figuring out what to do every night after work:

Sunday
Dinner: Tortilla Soup with Grilled Cheese sandwich
Cook: Tortilla Soup, Grilled Cheese

Monday
Lunch: Tortilla Soup
Dinner: General Tso’s Tofu with rice
Cook: General Tso’s Tofu with rice

Tuesday
Lunch: General Tsos Tofu with rice
Dinner: Mac and Cheeze
Cook: Mac and Cheeze

Wednesday
Lunch: Mac and Cheeze
Dinner: Tortilla Soup with Grilled Cheese sandwich
Cook: Grilled Cheese sandwich

Thursday
Lunch: Mac and Cheeze
Dinner: Thai Coconut Soup with Quick and Easy Noodles
Cook: Thai Coconut Soup, Quick and Easy Noodles

Friday
Lunch: Thai Coconut Soup with Quick and Easy Noodles

This week’s recipes:

Tortilla Soup with Grilled Cheese sandwiches:
One-pot dishes are great because you have almost no dishes to wash besides the cutting board, knives, and pot. This soup is also really quick, rich with Mexican flavors, and filling because of the tortilla strips and black beans. The recipe doesn’t call for it, but I like to bake the tortilla strips to make them crispy, and then put them into the soup. To keep them crispy, store them separately from the soup, and sprinkle them onto each serving of soup, as you eat throughout the week.

The soup can be eaten by itself. If you’d like to have something more filling, I’d add a simple grilled cheese sandwich on the side, because the soup has a lot of flavor on its own. As for vegan cheese substitutes, I really like almond-based “cheeses”. I find that they melt well, and have better flavor than any soy cheese that I’ve used to date. For this sandwich, I’ll buy a cheddar almond cheese, which will compliment the Mexican flavor of the soup.

Click here for the Tortilla Soup Recipe.

General Tso’s Tofu with Broccoli and Rice:
This recipe comes from my friend and college roommate, Lauren, who was visiting me with her husband this weekend. Before she shared this recipe with me, I struggled with getting tofu to that nice consistency where the crispy shell absorbs all of the sauce, and the inside is just the right shade of chewy. The key is freezing the tofu when you bring it home from the store, and then setting it out to thaw before you’re going to use it.

To make a complete dish, Lauren serves the tofu with broccoli and rice.

For the broccoli, I’ll cut up half a cup of florets and steam them in my microwave steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, you can put the broccoli into boiling water for 2-3 minutes. It will turn bright green, and retain some crunch while softening up a little bit on the inside. Add some salt to taste, and serve with the tofu and rice.

I prefer to use brown rice, which can take longer to cook. To speed along the process, I soak the rice in water overnight. When it’s in the rice cooker the next day, it’s pretty much guaranteed to cook all the way through, so you don’t get any of those grains that taste half uncooked.

I make the vegetable stock using water and bullion cubes. If you’re doing the same, before you begin any other steps, mix 1 cup of water and ½ of a buillion cube in a small pot, and bring it to a boil. You can then begin the rest of the steps, stirring the broth occasionally, stirring until the cube dissolves in the water, and reducing the heat to low once the broth has formed.

Lauren’s recipe for General Tso’s Tofu:

Ingredients:
1 package of extra firm tofu, frozen and thawed
¾ cup and 1 tbsp. cornstarch, divided
¼ cup, olive oil
1/3 cup scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon, crushed red pepper, (or more to taste)
1 tbs. vinegar
1 tbs. ginger, minced
1 tbs. garlic, minced
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. sugar

Cooked brown rice
Steamed broccoli (optional)

Steps:
1. Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Put the ¾ cup of cornstarch into a plate or shallow bowl. Roll/dip the tofu to coat each piece in cornstarch. Pan-fry the tofu until browned.
3. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
4. In a bowl, mix the vegetable stock, soy sauce, crushed red pepper, sugar, vinegar, and tablespoon of corn starch. Whisk until mixed well.
5. Pour the sauce onto the tofu mixture, stir gently to coat the tofu in the sauce. Turn the heat to medium low, cover, and let cook 2 – 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
6. Serve hot over brown rice, with steamed broccoli on the side (optional).

Macaroni and Cheeze
I like to have a vegetable side with my macaroni and cheese – just for variety. So, this week, I’ll sauté some asaparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper for 2-3 minutes, and have it as a side with my mac and cheeze. You could also do this with broccoli, or have the mac and cheese with a spinach salad. Or, if you’re not like me, and don’t need greens on the side, just enjoy as it is!

Click here for the Macaroni and Cheeze recipe.

Thai Coconut Soup
Here’s another soup for the week, because with the cold biting at me, I need something that will warm my whole self. Thai flavors are perfect for that.

Click here for the Thai Coconut Soup recipe.

Quick and Easy Noodles with Tofu
And, in case the soup isn’t enough by itself, here’s a really quick noodle dish to have on the side.

Click here for the Noodles with Tofu recipe.

This week’s grocery list:
This list includes every ingredient needed to make all of the dishes on this week’s menu. Just print it out, cross off what you already have in the pantry or fridge, and go shopping.

Produce
1 bunch, cilantro
1 bunch, scallions
4 medium-size tomatoes
1 medium-size zucchini
1 medium red bell pepper
1 head, broccoli
½ pound, asparagus
1 small jalapeno pepper
2 limes
1 lemon
1 onion
1 bulb, garlic
1, 3-inch piece of ginger

Oils, Spices, Condiments
Olive oil spray
Olive oil
Vinegar
Cumin
Chilli powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dry Mustard
Smoked paprika
Turmeric
Cayenne pepper
Dried lemongrass
Black pepper
Salt
Brown sugar
Nutritional yeast
Vegetable bullion cubes (for broth)
Teriyaki sauce
Chilli garlic sauce
Thai red curry paste
Tahini
Soy sauce

Canned and Bottled Goods
1 can, tomato paste
1, 15 oz. can, black beans
1, 15 oz. can, coconut milk
1, 15 oz. can, straw mushrooms

Dry Goods
1 pkg. rice noodles
Cornstarch
1 pkg. brown rice
1 pkg. whole wheat bread

Refrigerator/Freezer
1 pkg. of 6 -8 corn tortillas
3 pkg. extra-firm tofu
1 quart, soymilk
1 pkg. almond-based cheddar “cheese “