Vegan Mac & Cheese

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Check out this creamy, cheesy Mac recipe. This recipe can be nut free if you decide to use a vegan cheese without nuts. Many vegan Mac & cheese recipes call for nutritional yeast, potatoes (for cream) and carrots (for color). This is simple and utilizes locally made vegan cheese!

This recipe has been adapted from the Crowded Kitchen recipe.

Ingredients

• Macaroni pasta: gluten free or regular macaroni both work fine.

• Vegan Butter

• Gluten free all purpose flour: or regular all purpose flour if you're not gluten free.

• Vegan milk: Opt for plain, unsweetened plant-based milk. (Be sure to check the ingredient label as some unsweetened nut milks still contain vanilla flavoring!) We prefer oat milk in this recipe for its neutral flavor.

• Salt

• Pepper (optional)

• Vegan cheese: we use shredded vegan cheddar cheese in this recipe. You can use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella, or one or the other. We've tried this recipe with a few different store-bought options and they've all worked well!

  • A few of our favorite brands for shredded vegan cheese that actually melts: VioLife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart. *Note: some vegan cheeses contain nuts so be sure to read the label if you have an allergy.

  • You can use local brands such as cashew-based Cultured Kindness, which offers otions like Gouda or Havarti. These come in soft rounds, so its best to cut them into smaller pieces and mix in slowly.

Instructions

1. Get your macaroni cooking in salted water. We use 1 teaspoon of salt for every 4 cups of water. Cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, start the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it's melted, add in the gluten free flour and whisk well until it forms a smooth paste.

3. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking while you add it, until no lumps remain. Let simmer for a few minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn.

4. Whisk in the salt, pepper and vegan cheese. Vegan cheese takes a bit longer to melt and fully incorporate, so be patient and keep stirring! After a few minutes of whisking over medium-low heat, you'll have a super smooth, creamy, velvety cheese sauce.

5. Add in the cooked macaroni and stir well until fully coated.

Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

The Lemon Bowl Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 3 parsnips (peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces)

• 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 3 in pieces)

• ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt

• ½ cup milk

• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To roast garlic, use a sharp knife to slice off the top of the bulb to expose the top of each clove. (Hold it at the base/stem which keeps everything together.) Place garlic head on a piece of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Wrap foil on top of garlic and pinch to close. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, place peeled parsnips and sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Strain and add back to warm pot.

4. Use a potato smasher to start mashing the parsnips and potatoes. Add yogurt, milk, butter and continue mashing.

5. Push out the roasted garlic from the cloves and add to pot; mash to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

19, S. T. N., 20, L. D. N., 27, C. M., & 28, L. D. M. (2022, April 27). Garlic mashed sweet potatoes. The Lemon Bowl®. https://thelemonbowl.com/garlic-mashed-sweet-potatoes/

Vegan Tempeh & Avocado Ruebens

Vegan Tempeh & Avocado Ruebens

Thanks to Dani Adelman, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Dani’s recipe, Dani will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! Submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

This recipe is mostly my husband's creation, with inspiration from others. It's evolved quite a bit over the years. We love to pair this with a fresh butter lettuce salad with oil, balsamic and vegan brazil nut parmesan. It's also great with a side of roasted potatoes. I used quite a few People's Co-op ingredients, including most of the bulk spices and others.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Sandwiches and fixin’s

8 slices of Ezekiel bread (or your favorite)

Sauerkraut (preferably homemade!)

Pickled onions (preferably homemade!)

Vegan butter 

Tempeh 

8 oz tempeh (preferably in bulk from People’s Co-op!)

1/2 cup veggie broth  

1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, grated  

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)

2 tsp tamari, shoyu or soy sauce 

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire 

Sauce

3/4 tsp coriander 

1 1/4 tsp hot sauce and/or 1/2-1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon

3 Tbsp Ketchup

3 Tbsp Vegenaise 

Avocado Spread 

1 large avocado 

1/2 tsp garlic salt (use less to start and adjust to your taste)

1-2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast (use less to start and adjust to your taste)

Squeeze of lemon 

Directions

Mix all tempeh ingredients except the tempeh in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. 

Cut the tempeh in half vertically so you have 2 rectangular pieces. Then cut the rectangular pieces in half through the middle so you end up with 4 thinner pieces. Cut remaining pieces into whatever shapes you’d like (triangles or squares) — you should have about 8 total pieces. 

Put the tempeh pieces into a shallow container and add the marinade. Make sure all the tempeh gets coated. Let it sit for 30 min. 

In the meantime, mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge. 

Then, make your avocado spread. Mash avocado in a bowl. Add garlic salt, nutritional yeast and lemon and mix it up. Set aside in the fridge. 

When the tempeh is ready, heat a large pan on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add the tempeh (reserve the marinade for later!) and cook until browning — about 3-5 min. Flip and cook the same on the other side. Add more oil if necessary. Toward the end of the cooking, add the reserved marinade and cook until it’s all been absorbed. 

Remove tempeh from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate. Wipe out your pan as best you can.

Now it’s time to assemble the Reubens! 

Lightly butter both sides of all 8 slices of bread. Place 4 slices on the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned. Flip and add 1/2 of your sauce to the cooked side of all 4 slices. Add sauerkraut and pickled onions to two of the slices and top with two pieces of tempeh each. Add 1/2 of the avocado spread to the other two slices of bread and let it finish browning. 

Flip the avocado slices onto the tempeh/sauerkraut slices to form your sandwiches and cook another couple minutes on each side until everything is nice and brown. Really press it down to get it cooking and held together.

Repeat this process if making 4 sandwiches.

Cut sandwiches in half and enjoy!

Watermelon Feta Salad

Watermelon Feta Salad

by Christina Cherrier, Eatwell 101

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon, diced

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

• Feta cheese, crumbled

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• (optional) pinch of cayenne or half a finely chopped jalapeno, to taste*

Recipe:

1. Soak sliced red onion in cold water for about 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This will help get rid of the onion’s pungent flavor.

2. Mix oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and optional spice* in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to emulsify, taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Add watermelon to a salad bowl or a shallow serving plate. Top with crumbled feta and garnish with red onion and cilantro. Add a good drizzle of the lime dressing. Enjoy!

Romano Bean Salad

Romano Bean Salad

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 quarts water

2/3 lb Romano beans, trimmed & cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tsp kosher salt

1 garlic clove

2.5 Tbsp chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 tsp capers

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 tsp lemon zest

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans, 2 teaspoons of salt, and garlic: cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

Drain and plunge beans into ice water. Drain again.

Place beans in a medium bowl. Finely chop garlic. Add garlic, parsley, and all remaining ingredients to the beans and combine. Season with salt to taste, and a light dust of cayenne if you want to add a little kick.

Radish, Pea and Asparagus Salad with Mint & Feta

I love this simple and quick recipe and think of this as my late spring/summer-time Greek salad. chunks of crunchy vegetables, spring onions, fresh herbs and feta, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Serves 4

Variations:

Mix and match your vegetables

Delicious herbs that you can add to suit your taste are fresh oregano, parsley, tarragon, chervil, chives or any combo.

Substitute 1/3 cup toasted seeds or nuts for the feta.

Ingredients

1 bunch radishes, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

2-3 Japanese salad turnips (Hakurei turnips), washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 spring onion or about 1/4 cup any onion you have, chopped

4-5 asparagus spears, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 cup snap peas, strings removed and cut into thirds

Handful of mint leaves, chopped (see variations)

A little fresh or dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 ounces feta, crumbled (see variations)

 

Directions

Put all the ingredients, except the feta, in a bowl. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning

with vinegar and/or salt or oil. Gently toss in feta and serve.

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Tagged: snacks, simple, Parties, vegetarian

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Spring Quinoa Salad w/ Herbs, Scallions & Lemony Vinaigrette

This is a very adaptable salad (template). Substitute vegetables and herbs as you wish just be sure to chop everything quite small. This is a good dinner salad on a warm night especially if you add cooked beans, cheese and/or toasted seeds or nuts or other proteins.

This makes a lot of salad so feel free halve the recipe. I load mine up with herbs, especially mint, parsley, cilantro, chives and thyme. The more the better!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups quinoa

One bunch radishes, trimmed and chopped

3-4 carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced or diced

2 cups bok choi stems, cut into small dice

2 cups mizuna or arugula or young mustard greens, fairly finely chopped

4 green onions (scallions) or 1 shallot or 1/2 a small onion, finely diced

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil, dill, sorrel, cilantro in any combination)

Salt

Dressing

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 garlic scape or stalk of green garlic or 2 cloves garlic, minced

Grated zest of a lemon

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa in a fine meshed sieve under cold, running water for a minute. Quinoa has a natural coating (saponin) which is a bit bitter and the rinsing removes it. Put the rinsed quinoa in a pan and add 2 ¼ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil then cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook, for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed. Put in a large serving bowl and let cool while you prepare the vegetables.

In a small bowl whisk mustard, garlic, zest and vinegar until smooth. Slowly add oil while whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. This dressing needs to be salty and tart. The quinoa will absorb a lot. You’ll be surprised how much vinegar and salt you need especially if you don’t serve it right away.

Add the vegetables and herbs to the cooked and cooled quinoa and drizzle on most of the dressing and mix well and taste and adjust with more dressing and/or salt and pepper as needed.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

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Lentil Bowl with Turmeric Tofu/Cauliflower and Raita

This employs some of my favorite spices and elements of Indian cooking. It’s a beautiful, light and delicious combination of green lentils, tangy raita, crunchy peanuts and spicy, fragrant tofu or cauliflower.

Make it with either tofu or cauliflower or any vegetable you’d like.

Serves 4

For the lentils:

1 1/2 cups small green lentils (they hold their shape much better than the larger, brown ones)

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

For the tofu or cauliflower:

Coating the tofu or cauliflower with this spice mixture is a little tricky. I suggest adding a bit of water to the spices in order to be able to evenly coat it. This does make crisping it up in the pan take a bit longer since the water has to evaporate but it works. If you wanted to keep it really dry use powdered garlic and ginger.

1 14-oz block firm tofu or about 6-7 cups cauliflower florets and stems, chopped fairly small

2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger (micro-plane works great)

1 large clove garlic, minced or grated

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons oil

Raita:

2 smallish cucumbers (you want about 2 cups grated cucumber)

2/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or Greek yogurt

1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons minced onion or scallion

1 garlic clove, minced

Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste

Pinch of ground cumin and ground coriander

Salt, to taste

Toppings:

2/3 cup roasted peanuts

1/3 cup fresh mint or cilantro, chopped

4 hard-cooked eggs - optional (bring eggs to a boil and cook for 7 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water), peeled and halved

Put the lentils, water and salt in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, crack the lid and simmer for 23 minutes (for me this leads to perfectly cook lentils that keep their shape). Drain and drizzle with a bit of oil and set aside.

For the raita, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise (no need to peel). Scoop the seeds out with a spoon and then grate the cucumbers on the large holes of a box grater. You want small pieces so if they come out long, chop them a bit with a knife when you’re done. Squeeze some of the liquid out with your hands and place in a bowl. Sprinkle a little coarse salt on the garlic and mash with the side of a chef’s knife until you have a paste. Add this and all the remaining ingredients to the cucumbers. Gently mix and let stand for a few minutes so the flavors can come together.

If using tofu, drain and press the tofu dry in dishtowel and then slice into planks and crumble or cut into small dice.

Mix the ginger, garlic, spices and salt in a small bowl. Add water to thin and then gently but thoroughly toss it with the tofu or cauliflower.  Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu or cauliflower and fry until crisp and just tender in the case of the cauliflower.

Portion the lentils (you may have a bit leftover) into 4 bowls, top with tofu/cauliflower, raita, peanuts and mint and an egg.

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Beet & Walnut Dip with Dill, Cilantro and Feta

This recipe is inspired by Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi. Use toasted bread to dip or dollop on hardboiled eggs or spread on a sandwich or in a wrap or eat it by the spoonful at the kitchen counter.

Yields about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

About ½ lb cooked, trimmed beets (4-5 small-medium)

½ cup walnuts (toasted at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until toasty smelling and a shade darker)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

2 teaspoons chopped fresh or dried sage

Dried hot pepper, to taste (cayenne, chili flakes . . . start with a few pinches)

Salt, to taste

1 stalk green garlic or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste

Garnish/topping:

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup dill, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, chopped

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Salt, to taste

Olive oil and lemon juice for finishing

Bread or crackers or vegetables for dipping (or serve it as suggested in headnote)

1. Boil the beets until tender. Peel and roughly chop. Put (cooled) walnuts, garlic, sage, thyme and hot pepper in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Add the beets, yogurt, syrup, salt and olive oil in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add lemon juice and/or salt if it needs brightening.

2. Put puree in a bowl and top with green onions, herbs and crumbled feta. Sprinkle with a little more salt and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Collard Green & Potato Curry with Coconut Milk & Homemade Naan

Collard Green & Potato Curry

I’m always looking for good ways to cook collard greens and this curry recipe really worked. My son typically likes greens but he’d much prefer them in a curry than as a plain, braised side dish. The key here is to cut the collards into really thin strips which contributes to the creamy texture of the finished dish. 

Serves 4

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated on a microplane

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated on microplane

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground hot pepper or chili flakes (more to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1 bunch collard greens, stack the leaves and roll them up then using a sharp knife cut them crosswise into thin ribbons and then cut the ribbons in half or thirds to create shorter strips

4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium dice

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 cup canned tomatoes with their juices

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems (optional)

Rice or naan for serving (See below for my naan recipe)

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds and hot pepper and stir well. Turn heat down to medium and cook for about 5 minutes until onion is softening and it’s very fragrant.

2. Add the 1/2 cup water and simmer for a few more minutes. Add collards and potatoes and salt and stir well. Simmer for a few minutes and then add can of coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the potato is just about tender. 

3. Add tomatoes and simmer partially covered for 15 more minutes or until everything is tender and creamy. If it’s at all watery remove the lid totally and cook down until it’s thickened. Stir in cilantro, if using. Taste and adjust for salt and heat to your liking. Serve over rice or with naan or other flatbread. 

Naan

This soft, tender, slightly charred, yeasted flat bread is so delicious. Enjoy it plain with a little melted butter and sprinkle of salt or use it to scoop up curries. You can make it start to finish in 90 minutes and much of that time is inactive–while the dough is rising.

Yields 8 pieces.

1/2 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 tablespoon oil

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted better, for brushing on the baked breads

Sea salt

1. Put the warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle over the yeast and sugar and mix thoroughly. Let sit for about 7 minutes until it begins to form bubbles on the surface and puff up. Mix in the yogurt, flour, oil and salt with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp dishtowel and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in bulk. If your room is warm this may only take 40 minutes.

2. When dough is doubled turn it onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a round and cut it into 8 even pieces (like a pie). Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into an 8-inch round, more less. They should be about 1/4 thick or even a little thinner.

3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. I typically do not grease my skillet at all but if yours is not well seasoned carefully rub a little bit of oil over the surface with a paper towel. When the pan is hot–you can tell by hovering your hand over the pan–put one rolled out piece of dough in the skillet. It will begin bubbling up right away. Cook for about 60-90 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for another 60 seconds or so on the second side until charred in spots and puffy. Remove from the pan and wrap in clean dish towel. Repeat with remaining rounds. Then brush each one with a little melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm. Wrap any remaining naan well and reheat gently before serving.

Winter Squash & Peanut Stew

Recipe by Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

The stew is delicious with butternut, red kuri, hubbard or buttercup squash. I wouldn’t use delicata as it’s not meaty enough.  This stew is rich, nutrient dense, sweet, savory, just a little spicy and vegan. Garnish with green onions and crushed roasted and salted peanuts for an extra kick.

 You can also add carrots or substitute carrots for some of the squash.

 Serves 6 +/-

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 pounds winter squash cut into chunks, about a rounded 4 cups of chunks (you can always roast a whole or half squash, seeds strings and all, for 20 minutes or so in a 400-425 oven and then remove it and peel and dice which is easier than doing it raw and then proceed with the recipe)

A couple of carrots, scrubbed and cut into rounds (optional, see headnote)

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 cups canned tomatoes, juice and all

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

4-5 cups Vegetable stock + extra as needed

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

Fresh lime juice, for serving (optional but very good)

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium- high heat. Add the onion and sauté about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant, turning down the heat if garlic begins to brown. Add the squash, the red lentils, the tomatoes, the cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and give it all a good stir to combine.

Add 4 cups vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. If there isn’t enough broth to cover everything by at least 1 inch, add another cup of stock. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until squash and lentils are very tender. If things look too dry add more broth as needed.

Add peanut butter and stir well. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until partially pureed, for a varied texture.

Season to taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Serve, topped with a tablespoon each of green onion and crushed peanuts and squeeze of lime juice.

Quick Broccoli Green Curry

This is the simplest of curries. Just a few ingredients and the broccoli and garlic shine. 

Variations:

• Cauliflower, zucchini/summer squash, green beans, carrots, eggplant sweet pepper, potatoes are all good substitutions or additions to the broccoli.

• If you’re using vegetables that take a bit longer to cook, like sweet peppers, potatoes, carrots and even eggplant, add the vegetables after you’ve fried the curry paste for a few minutes but before you add the remainder of the coconut milk and sauté in the paste for 5 minutes and then add the rest of the coconut milk.

Serves 4

• About 3-4 cups broccoli florets and chopped stems (see variations)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can coconut milk (full fat)

• 2 – 4 teaspoons green curry paste (spice level varies quite a bit by brand)

• 12 ounces firm tofu, cubed 

• optional: 1/2 cup water if you want a thinner curry

• 2 teaspoons fysh sauce or soy sauce

• Salt, to taste

• Juice of 1/2 lime, more to taste

• Handful basil leaves(optional)

• Rice, for serving 

*Everyone’s taste varies so experiment with the amount of curry paste. I find 2 teaspoons gives the dish a mild to medium kick and 3 is about medium.

1. Put 1/4 cup of the thickest part of the coconut milk in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste and garlic. Coconut milk is often partially solidified at room temperature and you want to use the thickest (or solid) part for this early stage though if it’s all uniform, which it sometimes is, just use 1/4 cup and call it good. Mix the curry paste and garlic in well and fry the mixture for few minutes, stirring frequently. The oil will begin to separate from the coconut milk which is what you want.

2. Add the broccoli, remainder of the coconut milk, fish/soy sauce, if using or 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Cook for a couple of minutes, add tofu and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until broccoli is tender but still bright green.

3. Add handful of whole basil leaves, if using. Taste the curry and season with additional fish/soy sauce or salt if needed. Finish with the lime juice and serve hot, over rice.

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Ribollita (Tuscan Kale & Bean Soup)

This simple but thick and luscious soup is a mainstay of Tuscan cooking and used to be made by re-cooking (ribollire) yesterday’s minestrone and simmering it over stale bread in this second incarnation. I make it all in one go, as do many Italians, but it is even better the next day. It takes a while to make unless you are using already cooked beans, but it is worth the time.

Ribollita calls for a modest list of ingredients and the bread and some good olive oil are important. And it’s extra good if you have some roasted to use, but canned is just fine. 

Note: The acidity from the tomatoes can prevent your beans from cooking properly and getting tender. This might happen if your beans are quite old (which is sometimes hard to tell). So to be safe you can cook your separately and follow the instructions for using cooked (or canned) beans below.

Serves 6

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

• 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped

• 1 large or two smaller stalks celery (if there are leaves attached include those), chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch dice

• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped canned, fresh or roasted tomatoes or 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 cup dry white beans (that you’ve soaked over night or for at least 4 hours), drained (or you can use 2 1/2 cups already cooked beans as well but you’ll add them to the soup a bit later). Use cannellini or navy beans. I’ve also, inauthentically used borlotti beans with great success.

• 1 very large or 2 smaller bunches Dinosaur kale (also called Tuscan or Lacinato kale) or any kind of kale you have, washed and well chopped (it really is best with Dinosaur kale though)

• 8 cups water or combination of water and bean cooking liquid if you’re using already (home) cooked beans

• 2 teaspoons salt, more to taste

• Plenty of freshly ground pepper

• Good olive oil

• 4 slices, crusty bread (several days old is fine), toasted and torn into bits

1. Saute the onion, celery and carrot and thyme in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, potatoes and tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Add the drained (but not cooked) beans, water and kale and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring everything to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes. If you are using already cooked beans, add them 30 minutes into the cooking time and simmer gently for another 45 minutes. Add pepper and taste and adjust with salt. It will likely need a bit more. 

2. Stir in the bits of bread and simmer for 5-7 more minutes until it’s somewhat broken down and has thickened the soup. Serve hot with plenty of good olive oil and more salt and pepper, to taste.

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Bean & Cabbage Soup with Herb Dumplings

Bean & Cabbage Soup with Herb Dumplings

by Katherine Deumling
@cookwithwhatyouhave

Dumplings are simple to stir together and if you happen to have sourdough starter on hand, you can employ some of it to make them extra bouncy and moist. The fresh herbs make them particularly flavorful. You can cook dumplings in most any soup, so this is just a suggested combination. Vary the beans, vegetables, stock and herbs to suit your taste and pantry.

Variations

• Incorporate different beans by using various or a combination of butter beans, cannellini beans, great northern beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, and/or black eye peas. Red or black beans can be substituted or added to the dish, as well.

• Cooked or canned beans (drain if using the latter) work well when limited on time. Add them to the soup during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

• Soaked, and drained, beans, as described below, are highly nutritious and delicious.

• Great herbs to use, in any combination, are parsley, dill, cilantro, chives, tarragon.

Serves 4-6

 
For the soup:

•  2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 leek, well washed and sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 stalk celery, diced (optional)

• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or any hot pepper, fresh or dried, to taste

• 2 cups soaked and drained white beans (see variations)

• 4 cups vegetable stock or water

• 1 cup water

• 4 cups cabbage, chopped (regular green or savoy are my favorites here)

• Salt and plenty of pepper

• Chopped parsley or cilantro, for serving

For regular dumplings:

• 1 1/4 cups flour (whole wheat or spelt is delicious)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Several pinches red pepper flakes or cayenne or minced fresh serrano chili (optional)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup whole milk (or plant-based milk)

For sourdough dumplings:

• 1/4 cup active sourdough starter

• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour (whole wheat or spelt is delicious)

• 2/3 cup whole milk (or plant-based milk)

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• Several pinches red pepper flakes or cayenne or minced fresh serrano chili (optional)

• 3/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped

Heat the oil in medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, garlic, carrot, celery, thyme and hot pepper. Gently cook for about 8 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the soaked beans, stock and water and bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 25-30 minutes or until beans are tender. Add cabbage and taste for salt and add pepper and cook for a few minutes to soften the cabbage.

If making the regular dumplings, stir together flour, baking powder salt and hot pepper, if using. In another bowl whisk egg and milk together and stir in herbs. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and combine quickly. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop small walnut sized portions of dough and gently place on simmering soup. They will expand significantly so leave a little space between. (If you can’t fit all the dough in one layer you can cook the remaining dough after you’ve served the first round of soups and dumplings. You should have enough soup left to cook all of it.) Cover the pot and gently cook the dumplings (without flipping them) for about 10 minutes or until they are cooked through when tested with a sharp knife.

For sourdough dumplings, stir together the starter with the flour and milk in a medium bowl. Cover and let rise for 3-8 hours (if you’re in a rush you can also skip this step for slightly less fluffy but still delicious dumplings). When your soup is ready, whisk the egg, salt, baking soda and power, hot pepper (if using) and herbs into the flour/starter/milk mixture. Cook and serve as described above.

Serve soup and dumplings with a generous scattering of fresh herbs.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Miso Butter

Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Miso Butter

Serves 4

•  1 medium head cabbage

• 2 teaspoons oil

• Salt 

Miso Butter:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons white miso 

• 2 tablespoons mirin (rice cooking wine)

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1. Slice cabbage in about 1-inch rounds, on the equator, starting at the top and slicing all the way to the root. The slices may fall apart a bit but it will all be delicious. Coat with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until the cabbage is tender and browning in places. 

2. While cabbage is roasting, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in miso, mirin and soy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more mirin for zing or soy sauce for salt. If the butter looks too thick, stir in a teaspoon or two of water at a time.

3. Arrange cabbage on a platter and drizzle with miso butter. Serve warm.

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Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

In late summer, early fall when peppers of all kinds are abundant I make a sauce like this when I have a few minutes to spare. I usually don’t have a specific plan for using it but it never lasts long. It makes a great (fairly spicy) dip but also a wonderful base for a salad dressing or topping for roasted vegetables or meats or is delicious stirred into eggs or beans or even spread on a sandwich.

This is quite similar to this tomatillo based  however the high percentage of Anaheim (Poblano would work too) peppers here gives it a richer flavor.  You can vary the ratio of peppers to tomatillos to suite your taste and/or what you have on hand. It’s a very flexible sauce that is a good template for most any pepper, sweet or hot.

Yields about 2 cups

• 3-4 Anaheim peppers (or other peppers, see headnote)

• 1 jalapeno or Czech Black pepper

• 6 medium tomatillos

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• Splash of olive oil

• Salt, to taste

Set your oven to broil. Put the tomatillos and peppers on a baking sheet and set under broiler. Check frequently and turn peppers to evenly blister. The smaller peppers will likely be done before the larger ones so remove as they are blistered and soft. Put roasted peppers and tomatillos in a bowl and cover with a towel or plate to steam for a few minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel peppers and remove most of the seeds. Put peppers, tomatillos and garlic in a food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped. Add salt and little olive oil, pulse again and taste and adjust seasoning. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.

The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it’s really quite quick to make. It’s one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it’s been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.

–Inspired by 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

 Serves 4-6 (makes wonderful leftovers)

 Variations

• Substitute any combination of sweet and semi-spicy (anaheim, poblano) peppers for the kohlrabi and greens

• Make a greens heavy version with just chickpeas and mustard greens, chard, spinach or beet/turnip greens

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2-3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup chickpea cooking liquid or water

3 teaspoons ground coriander (toast whole seeds in a dry skillet for about 60 seconds, cool and grind if you have time)

1 teaspoon ground cumin (toast whole seeds and grind if you have time)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or other dried, ground red pepper (or more if you love heat!)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 cups chickpeas (home-cooked cooking liquid reserved or canned and drained)

2 medium/large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice

1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into small dice

1 small bunch mustard greens, spinach or chard (see headnote), washed and finely chopped including stems

3 cups water or chickpea cooking liquid

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup plain yogurt, for serving (optional, see variations)

• Put 1/3 cup water in a blender jar. Add the garlic and ginger and blend until smooth.

• Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat. Add the whole cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds. Add the blended garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes until fragrant and thickened a little. Add the tomato paste, water and spices, lime juice and 1 cup water or chickpea cooking liquid and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 7-8 minutes until thickened a bit. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, kohlrabi, greens or whatever vegetables you’re using along with 3 cups water and the salt. Stir well, bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

• Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice. Serve warm with naan, rice or as is. Top with yogurt if you’d like.

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Tomato Paella

Tomato Paella

This is a delicious, quick, inexpensive, vegetarian version of the classic rice and seafood dish. Mark Bittman published this recipe in the New York Times many years ago and I’ve been adapting it ever since. It’s best with really flavorful, juicy, ripe slicing tomatoes. If you have a few big beautiful heirloom tomatoes, this is the place for them. Unlike Bittman I cook the whole thing on the stove top instead of finishing it in the oven but with either method it’s a quick one-dish meal with a simple green salad on the side.

Note: It’s important to season the ingredients properly as you go. It’s a shame to under salt this dish as you can’t make up for it at the end. Taste your stock or bouillon to make sure it’s well seasoned.

Serves 4-6

• 3 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water 

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe, slicer/heirloom tomatoes (not sauce tomatoes), cored and cut into thick wedges (about 4 medium to large tomatoes)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• Large pinch saffron threads

• 2 teaspoons Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika), or other paprika

• 2 cups Spanish or arborio or other short-grain rice (I use arborio)

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (if the stock isn’t very salty or you’re using water–see Note)

• Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

1. Warm stock or water in a saucepan. If using water, add a teaspoon of salt to the water. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat.

2. Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in saffron if you are using it and pimentón and cook for a minute more.

3. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another two to three minutes. Add hot stock or water and stir until just combined. It will bubble furiously.

4. Give the hot broth and rice a stir and then carefully arrange the tomato wedges on top of the rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl. Cook covered, over medium heat undisturbed, for 18 -20 minutes. Check to see if rice is dry and just tender. If not, keep cooking for another 5 minutes and remove lid if there is excess liquid.  If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water. When rice is tender turn heat up to high and cook an additional few minutes to develop a crust on the bottom, then take off heat and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.

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Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant

Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant 

This is so good! I can eat the whole dish by myself. Serve it as a side or with rice.

 Serves 4

•  2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 -1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh, minced Serrano, jalapeno or other hot pepper, to taste

• 2 medium eggplant (or several smaller ones—any kind of eggplant will work in this dish—the long slender Japanese ones, more common Italian, globe ones, . . .), skin on, cubed, about 6 cups worth

• 1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (optional but very good)

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 3-4 tablespoons Thai basil, basil, or cilantro, roughly chopped

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok heat the oil and sauté onions and pepper (if using) over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add red pepper flakes (or fresh hot pepper) and eggplant and cook, covered, until it softens and browns a bit, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and stir well and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add the sauce and stir well to mix and coat veggies. Cook over medium heat for a a minute or two until sauce thickens. Stir in the herbs, reserving a few for garnish. Taste and adjust with salt, if needed, which is unlikely thanks to the soy sauce. Serve hot over rice with remaining herbs.

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