Part II: 7 Time-saving Tips to Save Your Sanity in the Kitchen

In the second part of my "Kitchen Cool: Secrets of a Vegan Personal Chef" series, I address one of the greatest obstacles we all face when it comes to cooking: time. We never seem to have enough of it. And we always try to cram as much as we can into what little we have. While that can sometimes help with productivity, it often comes at the expense of our mental health and overall satisfaction.

But how do you make more time when we only have the same 24 hours of it each day??

Parsnip, Potato, Leek Soup with Sauteed Mustard Greens

Well on Wheels headquarters recently relocated to New Haven and I have returned to gardening at Chapelseed Community Garden, one of the New Haven Land Trust's 50 gardens across the city.  Before we were inundated by torrential rains, I managed to sneak in a couple of hours to tend to my 4'x8' plot I lucked out on because a fellow gardener was unable to commit to taking care of it for the entire season.

I arrived to find it overgrown with not just weeds, but broom-handle sized stalks of parsnips.  These were a challenge to uproot, but the process helped loosen the soil nicely for some lettuce transplants.

I happily harvested the parsnip payload and thought to myself, "these would be perfect for soup." So I decided to make a creamy bisque with potatoes, leek, onion, rice milk, and nutritional yeast.  

As it turned out, the parsnips were more woody than fleshy, so not only was it more like sawing than chopping to cut them into manageable pieces, but they took a particularly long time to boil and soften to the point where they could be pureed in my Vita-Mix.  Nonetheless, I managed to pull off a pretty decent impromptu bisque.

Since the mustard greens were already popping up in the community space, I picked a bunch that I sauteed and topped my soup with.  The bitter-sweet contrast worked well together, and this made for a lovely light lunch.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

On Mother's Day, I experimented with a recipe for a gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp.  I had made a crisp previously with apples but wanted to do something seasonal for this occasion, and when I found fresh red rhubarb at my local market, I decided this would be the perfect filling.

I cut up a quart of fresh strawberries and mixed them with the rhubarb and maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, corn starch, and a pinch of sea salt.  

While the strawberries and rhubarb were macerating, I mixed up the crumble topping in the food processor.  I started by pulsing 1/2 cup of almonds into finely ground almond meal, then added 1/2 cup quinoa flakes, 1/3 cup organic sugar, 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt.

Then I sprinkled the crumbly topping over the strawberry rhubarb mixture.

I spread the topping evenly over the surface and patted it lightly into place.

Then I baked it at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the topping was crisp and browned and the strawberries were bubbling.  I really wanted to dive into it as soon as I pulled it out of the oven, but I waited until it cooled and had set up a bit.

Although the fruit got a little mushier than I'd like, the crumble topping more than made up for it.  This was delicious served with a scoop of So Delicious Turtle Trails coconut ice cream.

This week's menu

Baked Tofu with Shiitake "Bacon" Baby Bok Choy, and Rice Noodles

Rows of Tofu

Stack of Black Bean and Quinoa Patties waiting to be pan-fried 

Black Bean and Quinoa Patties with Sauteed Onions, Red & Green Peppers 

CT Vegetarian Fest Recap

What an exciting weekend!  I am so happy to have been a part of the first Connecticut Vegetarian & Healthy Living Festival hosted at the CT Convention Center in Hartford this weekend.  Thank you to all who attended, volunteers who ensured everything ran smoothly (and for tracking down that elusive food processor!), vendors and non-profits who showcased amazing products and services, provided musical entertainment, and who screened the  brilliant documentary Vegucated.  It was a fabulous opportunity to connect with others of like-mind, and perhaps even open some minds (and hearts!) to the benefits of vegetarianism.

I've read anecdotal reports that approximately 5,000 people attended the event... in Hartford!  And not even for a UCONN game!!  Great job publicizing and spreading the word in advance!  In addition, hundreds of bags of canned goods were collected for organizations such as Food Not Bombs and the Connecticut Food Bank.  I hope someone enjoys the canned mango I donated!

I had a great time giving my presentation, "Waking the Taste Buds:  Foods of Spring."  It was a tough slot since Chef AJ and Ellen Jaffee Jones (Vegan on $4 a Day) were also presenting at the same time.  Decisions, decisions.  I was glad to see about 35 people huddled in close to hear me talk about healthy spring foods like asparagus, radishes, and quinoa.

I think the Asparagus, Radish, and Quinoa Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, Pistachios and Herb Oil was a hit!

Here's some of the nice feedback I received:

"The class was extremely informative.  Mary was very kind and entertaining, and the quinoa salad was simple and delicious!  I will be going home to make some!  This class was sure a highlight."

" I enjoyed learning about the health benefits of some of the ingredients like asparagus.  Mary was very nice.  Thanks for the class!"

"Delicious recipe.  Easy to make.  Great idea to take along for upcoming cookouts, picnics, etc.  Informative nutrition information."

"Great recipe!  Very knowledgeable, personable presenter." 

[special thanks to:  Michael for photos, my cooking assistants Devin & Jessica, Carol for the good mood (ring), and my awesome mom, the roadie, editor, head cooking assistant, and everything else!!] 

yay - microphone!  wish I had my guitar!

nice crowd! 

 mixing the vinaigrette

here's the herb oil in progress 

getting it all lined up and ready to go

my mom doing her thing 

leftovers work really well in zucchini boats!

Farmers Market Windfall

This weekend I dropped by City Seed's Edgewood Park Farmers Market in search of summer squash.  I was looking for some heirloom and unusual varieties to bring to my cooking demonstration at the Southington Public Library this Thursday where I will be giving a presentation on "Cooking the Garden Harvest."  While my quest proved unsuccessful, I instead happened upon some unexpected treasures.

I was captivated by the lovely display of organic veggies on Riverbank Farm's table, and shifted gears when I saw the wide variety of baby eggplants, sweet red peppers, cipolini onions, and baby potatoes.  I decided on the spot that this would make the perfect dinner.

I lingered at the market chatting with vendors as they closed down and packed up shop.  To my pleasant surprise, one vendor walked over to me with a bag of little pears, slightly blemished, though nonetheless perfect, and asked if I wanted them.  Really??  Of course!  Two made an ideal treat to refuel me after spending an afternoon in the sun.

Feeling satisfied and looking forward to my dinner, I contemplated leaving, when that same vendor returned with a box of veggies, asking if I wanted them.  Seriously??!  "But I don't want to take them away from a food pantry or anywhere you might be donating them," I said.  "We're just going to throw them out otherwise," she replied.  Well then... you don't have to twist my arm.  So I left with a garden harvest in a box.

Nightshade Sautee:  baby eggplant, potato, sweet red pepper and 

cipolini onion with fresh basil

That, plus the amazingly fresh and delicious dinner I prepared later in the evening, made for the perfect ending to a lovely late summer day.

Asherah's Gourmet Gluten-free Vegan Burger

Even though I advocate eating fresh whole foods, there are times when this busy chef is in a hurry and doesn't feel like cooking an entire meal, so I'm always on the lookout for new convenience foods that are vegan and gluten-free.  I had heard about a frozen burger made by Asherah's Gourmet that was both, and when I saw it at Whole Foods after a soul-sucking day of running errands in the rain, I decided to pick up a package and give it a try.  

This was an expensive endeavor.  At $9.99, that came to $2.50 for each of the four frozen patties, so I was expecting greatness for the investment.  The burgers are made with all organic ingredients, with quinoa, sweet potato and coconut flour being at the top.  This sounded like a perfect savory-sweet combination, with a little bit of richness thrown in to make it feel substantial.  The box promised "A taste good enough to live for," which convinced me to take the pricey plunge.

So I microwaved a patty.  And then I tasted it after it heated for 3 minutes.  In retrospect, I should've taken a photo, because what came out of the microwave was pretty much a circular pile of quinoa mush. It seems the only thing holding it together were the ice crystals.  As for taste, it was pretty much like mushy quinoa.  Not what I wanted for dinner.

Somewhat disappointed and frustrated yet nonetheless undeterred, I set out to augment this lackluster patty into something edible.  I had a big bunch of basil in my fridge which made for a quick pesto.  And I had some mushrooms that I decided to saute.  I made a bed of a slice of gluten-free bread and dressed some fresh garden greens with a simple Dijon vinaigrette on the side.  This managed to come together into something quite elegant, and the final detail of a squeeze of Sriracha sauce actually transformed the meal from mundane to mmmm... good.

For future reference, I'd recommend saving your money and spending 15 minutes or so to cook some quinoa, then dress it with the accoutrements as I have done here.  All in all, it took about 30 minutes to pull this together, which was about 27 minutes longer than I had intended to take preparing dinner.  But as a challenge to spark my creativity, it was worth it.  

Bavarian Spiced Portobello Mushroom Pasta

It was a dark and stormy night... and there wasn't much in my fridge except a lonely portobello cap and half a can of diced tomatoes.  So, I settled in to accepting the likelihood that there would be another pasta dinner on the horizon.  But tonight I decided to try something a little different.

I poked around my pantry for a box of spices a friend had gotten me for New Year's Day (thanks, Jessica!) and discovered this one marked "Bavarian Style Seasoning" which had me intrigued.  The label stated that this was a hand-mixed blend of crushed brown mustard, rosemary, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and sage. It sounded sausage-y to me, so I figured it would work well with the portobello.

I started by dicing the mushroom and sauteing it in olive oil until soft and lightly browned.  Then I threw in some sliced garlic and fresh basil. Once the garlic was golden and fragrant, I added about a teaspoon of the spice mix and some salt and pepper.  Instant aroma!  I deglazed with the tomatoes and let the sauce simmer until it thickened, about 10 minutes.

I tossed the penne pasta with the sauce, then topped it with some fresh thyme sprigs from my garden.  For a twist on the standard pasta sauce, this hearty, savory, and slightly tangy topping was a success.

Rawsomely Garden Fresh

I'm so excited to see green stuff growing in my garden... and it's not just weeds!  Yesterday I trimmed my first batch of Mesclun Greens and made a big salad for lunch and a little side salad for tonight's dinner.

Nothing you buy in the grocery store, not even organic, comes close to how delicious and delicate these leaves are.  They're loaded with water and the sun's energy, and they're sweet, too.  Without sounding all new agey and mystical, they really do feel like a life force is entering your body.  In a good way.

I also made a creamy cashew dill dressing to drizzle on top.  The dill was also fresh from my garden, and the flavor was light and refreshing, unlike the dill you get at the grocery store which I often think has a flavor reminiscent of gasoline.  This was pure dill, and heavenly, too.

Yesterday's lunch was topped with an avocado.  There's nothing better than sitting outside on the deck in the sunshine, eating a meal made from produce that you pick with your own hands right out of your garden that you planted.  And as I sat munching away, I thanked the sun, the rain, the compost, the seeds, and the alchemy that brought it all together in the form of lettuce on my plate.

Tonight's salad had the same dressing, a few remaining greens, a handful of snap peas also from my garden, and some grilled tofu leftover from Father's Day.  Pretty nice way to start the summer.

Chillin' and Grillin'

It's the middle of June, which normally is the time of year for grilling.  But with the weather we've been having, it's become a challenge to fire up the grill between raindrops.  I was in luck this weekend when some friends managed to squeeze in a cookout just as the clouds broke.

While there isn't much local produce ready, we did enjoy some cute baby zucchini, radishes, orange bell pepper, red onion, oyster mushrooms, and bok choy marinated in teriyaki sauce.  This made for a tangy  sweet and spicy combo perfect with a little bit of charring.  I think my favorite was the bok choy with its green ends all crispy and sweet as a contrast to the slight bitterness of the stalk.  Plus, it made for a lovely presentation.

Because there was a slight chill to the evening air, I brought along some lemon lentil and jasmine rice soup to warm us up.  All in all, a perfect pre-summer dinner out on the deck.

What I eat

I'm often asked what I cook for myself for dinner, and while the standard answer is "something quick and easy," I do try to be creative.  Or at least use one ingredient that's fresh, seasonal, and a little different.  So this week I prepared a few entrees for myself using something from my garden in each one.

On Tuesday night it was a curried tofu scramble made with potatoes, mushrooms, and some collard greens from my garden.  I topped it all off with chive blossoms which were blooming in a pot on my sunny backyard deck.

On Thursday night it was even easier.  I thinly sliced a Russet potato, layered it in a baking dish with some chopped onion, drizzled some olive oil and sprinkled salt and pepper on top, then baked it in a hot oven until the edges started getting browned and crispy.  For the last 5 minutes I topped it with some Daiya mozzarella style "cheese" and let it get all melty.  Then I pulled it out of the oven and squeezed some Sriracha sauce on top, and garnished with fresh chopped parsley from my garden.  This was dinner divine.

Tonight I went for the old standby of pasta.  I decided to make a vegan bechamel sauce since I had a head of broccoli that needed to be used.  I made the sauce by pureeing tofu with mellow white miso, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, olive oil, soy milk, and sea salt.  I topped it all off with some fresh thyme sprigs, which added a lovely lemony flavor to the final dish.  Simple, yet oh so satisfying.  Welcome summer!