This week's menu

Summer arrives today with a blast from the tropics, so the menu theme this week is try-not-to-heat-up-the-house-with-the-oven.  A couple of the dishes are perfect eaten cold right out of the fridge, which can be a refreshing way to get through this heat wave.

The first entree is Edamame Succotash with Sesame Rice Noodles.  This is usually a late summer meal when the local corn is ready for harvest, but since it feels like August already, this seemed appropriate. It can be eaten hot or cold, too.

The second entree is a twist on a couple of middle Eastern standards, tabbouleh and falafel.  I use quinoa instead of couscous for the grain, and the chickpea patties are panfried instead of deep fried.  The cornstarch coating on the outside gives them their crispy crust.

The third entree this week is a Thai yellow curry with Tofu and veggies on brown rice.  I could eat curry in any weather, and this one was particularly luscious with eggplant and zucchini soaking up the sauce.

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.

Say hello to turnips

Next to okra, turnips are probably my second least favorite vegetable.  I once attended a Thanksgiving dinner where food was served family style and I reached for the bowl with the big pile of what I thought was mashed potatoes and scooped out several heaping ladles onto my plate (can't get enough of those mashed potatoes!).  When I took the first forkful loaded with melted butter and gravy (these were my pre-vegan years), I nearly choked from the unexpected bitterness.  What evil mind would concoct such cruel deception?  And for Thanksgiving no less!  No Thank You.

It took me awhile to get that dreadful taste out of my mouth.  Many years, in fact.  I now find myself surprised to be trying turnips again.  Perhaps my tastes have changed, somewhat, as I've developed an affinity for bitter foods such as broccoli rabe and dandelion greens.  And I've also learned how to mellow flavors by combining them with their opposites.  In the case of bitter turnips, I thought, why not try mixing them with sweet potatoes?  Not the orange yams, but the Japanese sweet potato with purple skin and white flesh that tastes almost marshmallowy when cooked.  So this was my experiment for this week's menu.

The first entree features pan-seared tempeh with a silky piccata sauce accompanied by steamed asparagus and mashed sweet potato, turnip, and yukon gold potato.  Turnips are high in Vitamins B and C, they have more fiber than potatoes, and are lower in calorie, so adding them to the mash is a nice way to reduce carbs and get some health benefits at the same time.  Plus, as I mentioned, the bitterness is mellowed when combined with the other root vegetables.  Success!

Since it's been a rainy week here in Well on Wheels land, I made two entrees that are perfect for curling up with.  I love curry, so the spices in the Spinach and Chickpea Coconut Curry were warming and soothing.

The last entree was Fire-Roasted Tomato Black Bean Chili with Adobo.  I'm really loving the new Muir Glen adobo fire-roasted tomatoes which I've been using in chilis and soups.  It adds a rich depth of flavor and really boosts the firey kick.  Again, another great rainy day meal.

This Week's Menu

I've always said the key to good vegan food (or food in general, frankly) is having a few really awesome sauces that can be paired with just about anything.  That way you have versatility with menu creation and can instantly create layers of flavor with the addition of just one simple little element.

One of my new creations this week was a decadent cannelini bean pate made with sundried tomatoes, tahini, and lots of garlic.  I did a test recipe myself and served it for my own lunch on top of some gluten-free toast with mesclun greens, but since that wouldn't hold up too well after being refrigerated and microwaved, for my clients I decided to serve it on top of baked polenta and a bed of sauteed kale.  A handful of Daiya cheese and a squiggle of Sriracha top off this yummy treat.

The second entree features crispy pan-fried tempeh with a sweet and spicy Dijon glaze.  To balance the flavors, I combined the protein with baked garnet yam and broccoli.  I also love the bright green and orange contrast.

The third entree this week uses some late season asparagus (of which I'll always be a fan) paired with baked tamari tofu and a shallot cream sauce.  The quinoa is a nice foil to soak up the pool of creamy goodness in the bottom of the dish.

This Week's Menu

There was a bit of a heat wave this week, so I decided to make some entrees that could be eaten and enjoyed as cold salads.  It's always nice not to have to heat up the kitchen when the weather gets sticky.

The first entree featured an "Eggless Egg Salad" made from tofu.  I've served this to non-vegans and the response is always amazement.  "How do you get it to taste like eggs?"  ahh... that's the magic of tofu, and a little creative cheffery.  This was accompanied by some mesclun greens and a beet and walnut salad.

The second entree featured heaping piles of fresh basil.  I did a twist on the traditional pesto by tossing Penne Pasta with a Sundried Tomato and Walnut Pesto, then topped it with pan-fried zucchini and yellow squash.  I call this dish "summer in a bowl."

The third entree was a year-round favorite, Baked Tofu with Peanut Sesame Sauce, Cabbage, and Carrots on Brown Rice.  Eaten hot or cold, those flavors always come together nicely.

This Week's Menu

Technically, this was last week's menu, but it's been a crazy week and this is the first chance I had to post some photos.  What ever happened to a slow and relaxing summer?

On the menu this week were some of my favorite flavors:  fresh basil, spicy curry, and Dijon mustard.  Not all in one dish, mind you, although... I'd like to consider that a challenge some day.

The first entree was a bit of comfort food, with mashed potatoes as the featured starch.  The based tofu was topped with a Dijon-agave glaze, and Brussels Sprouts Amandine rounded out the meal.  I really liked the contrasting spicy-sweet-bitter elements, as well as the crunch texture of the slivered almonds balanced with the smooth and silky potatoes.

The next entree was a simple chick pea curry made special with the addition of pumpkin puree.  I sauteed some onion, stirred in the usual spices, and deglazed with diced tomatoes.  The sauce developed its richness with the addition of coconut milk and a squeeze of lemon, then I stirred in some baby spinach and cooked it until wilted.  I love this meal any time of year.

The last entree for the week was Pan-fried Tempeh with Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Baked Garnet Yam and Broccoli.  I love contrasting the orange-green color theme, and the garlicky punch of pesto melded nicely with the super sweetness of the baked yam.  This one is perfect for a late summer/early fall menu, but it worked just as well in the middle of a heat wave.

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.

Chickpea and Sundried Tomato Pate with Field Greens

The other day I was in a hurry for lunch (what else is new?), so I was thinking a quick sandwich would be the easiest solution for my hunger.  But then I looked in the fridge and didn't find any Daiya cheese, and I didn't feel like having peanut butter and jelly.  Again.  So I poked around my pantry and found some garbanzo beans which I thought I'd whip up into some hummus really quick and be out the door in 15 minutes.  Alas, I had no lemon, and you really need lemon when you make hummus.

What to do... what to do...  I set my mind to thinking what else might work well blended with garbanzo beans and had an epiphany:  sundried tomatoes!  Yes, definitely... they'd add a nice savory undertone and take the spread to a whole other level.  Since I still wanted a little lemony hint, I added some coriander to the puree.  I must say, this could easily become a regular sandwich filling in the Well on Wheels "quick and easy" repertoire.

I served mine all pretty as an open-faced sandwich on top of field greens fresh from my garden along with sliced cucumber topped with micro dill (also from my garden), and a few twists of Hawaiian Red Sea Salt and Grains of Paradise.

"Better Than Hummus" Chickpea and Sundried Tomato Pate

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbl tahini
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tsp dried coriander
1-2 Tbl olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
squeeze of Sriracha sauce (optional... though I do think it added just the right kick)
enough water to get smooth consistency (a couple tablespoons should suffice)

Puree all of the above ingredients in a food processor.  Gradually add enough water at the end to get a smooth consistency.  I wanted mine thick and fairly dry for the sandwich filling, but if you were using this as a dip you could add more water to make it smooth and creamy like hummus.  Sooooo.... good!

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!

Vegan Memorial Day

Ahhh... I love a picnic.  It's the perfect way to kick off summer, and what better day than Memorial Day?   So we had a little feast which started with a spread of garlicky hummus and fruit salad.

The picnic continued indoors with a pile of potato salad with chive blossoms, grilled tofu topped with onions and mushrooms, salad with fresh corn salsa, and oven-roasted potatoes (hey, you can't have too many potatoes!).

For dessert I tried an impromptu shortcake recipe to accompany the blueberries and strawberries, which fit the color theme of the holiday quite nicely.  And... success!  My gluten-free modifications resulted in a light and fluffy cake that peeled perfectly from cupcake papers.  I think I'll be making a habit of this one.

 
Gluten-free Shortcake
1 1/2 cups soy milk mixed with 1 Tbl apple cider vinegar
2 cups all purpose GF flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2tsp sea salt
1 cup Florida Crystals sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin tins with 24 paper liners.  Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add soy milk mixture and oil and whisk until there are no lumps.  Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until light and springy and toothpick comes out clean.  Cool shortcakes and carefully remove from paper liner.  Slice in half and top with fresh berries.   

Tofu Scramble with Chive Blossoms

The chives in my yard have now burst open with their gorgeous lavender blossoms, so I've been using them as garnish on just about everything this week:  salads, sandwiches, soups, and tonight... tofu scramble.  I started with some sauteed onion and mushrooms, then threw in a couple handfuls of chopped collard leaves fresh from my garden.  The chive blossoms really pull it all together, and they look so pretty sitting on top, too.

This Week's Menu

This week's menu was inspired by a recent trip to New York where I discovered an amazing array of exotic spices at Kalustyan's Spice Shop located in Curry Hill.  I picked up a spice mix called Vadouvan, a French spice derived from Indian curry.  In addition to the traditional seasonings of cumin, fenugreek, curry leaves, and turmeric, this mix contains fennel seeds, rosemary, cloves, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, onion and garlic, all with a roasted quality that lends a deep, rich savory flavor to anything it is rubbed on.  I, of course, decided to try it on tofu... and it was a smashing success.

Tofu Vadouvan with Brown Basmati Rice and Vegetable Mallum

The second entree this week included an ingredient I don't often use:  black-eyed peas.  I usually think of these as a New Year's "Hoppin' John" tradition and end up making them only once a year, but after ordering the Black-Eyed Pea Cakes at Blossom Cafe, I concluded their deliciousness is worth having around more often.

Black-Eyed Pea Cakes with Smoked Paprika Aioli, 

Sauteed Greens and Brown Basmati Rice

The third entree this week featured comfort food, which is my default for rainy days.  Pan-fried Tempeh topped with a thick Mushroom Ragout was the feature, and alongside it was a saute of green cabbage, potato and carrot.  Simple and satisfying.

Pan-Fried Tempeh with Mushroom Ragout 

and Cabbage Potato and Carrot Sautee