Make and/or eat some thing inspired by a book or film.
Day seven of Vegan MoFo and it is the delightful Bridget Jones Diary inspired, Blue Leek and Potato Soup.
The Diary of Bridget Jones is one of my favourite books and movies. I love how imperfect she is. If you want a good laugh, then this is the movie for you.
Bridget Jones Blue Leek and Potato Soup
Now, of course you do not have to turn the soup blue……I did , just for fun with a couple of drops of blue food colouring. Poor Bridget had the misfortune of using blue string to tie up the leek in her soup which gave her the blue version.
blue-soup
This soup is delicious in either colour.
Enjoy,
(Blue) Leek and Potato Soup
Serves 4 – 6
2 Tblspns olive oil
5 medium potato’s peeled and roughly chopped
3 leeks, trimmed, thoroughly washed and sliced
4 cloves garlic chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tblspn lemon juice
salt to taste
finely chopped green onions for garnish if wanted.
Sauté the potato’s, leeks and garlic in the olive oil until vegetables start to soften a little and brown. Add the vegetable stock and simmer covered for 30 mins until the vegetables are soft.
Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (or you can wait until the soup cools a little then place in small batches in a blender and process. Be Very Careful that the soup is not too hot or it could explode out of the top of the blender and cause serious burns).
Add coconut milk, lemon juice and stir to combine.,
MoFo recipe # 6 is Smokey Potato Bacyn Bisque with Dark Rye Bread. This is now my new favourite soup. Creamy and rich, full of potato’s and Bacyn, a perfect Fall soup.
The ingredient that takes this soup over the top is the Bacyn. The recipe for this is from The Gentle Chef. Chef Skye Michael Conroy has a wonderful website full of amazing vegan dishes. He is a master at reproducing dishes that are normally full of meat and dairy. While some vegans think it is abhorrent to replicate animal products, I like to be able to taste dishes that I loved before I became vegan.
I became a vegan for three main reasons. Firstly for my own health as it is now well documented that eating animal products is harmful to our helth. Secondly and equally important, to prevent the cruelty and death of animals. Lastly to prevent more environmental damage to our world. I still love the taste of dairy and meat, I just choose not to enjoy that taste at the expense of my health, innocent animals or the environment, so when I can replicate those tastes in a vegan recipe, I am very happy.
I have included the recipe for the Bacyn or “Bacun” as Chef Skye named it, at the very end of the post. In the ingredients list, I have added a link to an article in “Free From Harm” that has the recipe in it as well.
Enjoy,
Smokey Potato Bacyn Bisque with Dark Rye Bread
Smokey Potato Bacyn Bisque with Dark Rye Bread
Makes 10 servings Ingredients
5 large baking potatoes, cooked and cut in 1-inch cubes
2 Tblspns vegan butter
8 slices bacyn, chopped and cooked until crisp (reserve some for topping)
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups vegan chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cashew creme
1 celery stalk finely diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
Melt vegan butter in large pot and gently fry chopped bacyn until crispy, remove bacyn from pan, leaving the remaining butter.
Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and flour, stirring well and cook another 2 minutes.
Slowly add chicken broth to onion and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in potatoes,creme and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes (do not boil). Stir in bacyn.
Dark Rye Bread
Makes 1 loaf
1 ¾ cups + 3 Tblspns warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons, or one ¼ ounce package active dry yeast
1 Tblspn sugar
2 ½ cups bread flour
1 ½ cups dark rye flour
1 ¾ tspns salt
1 Tblspn molasses
2 tspns caraway seeds
Activate the yeast
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes until foamy
Whisk together the dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, dark rye flour and salt until well incorporated.
Whisk together the wet ingredients
In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together the molasses and caraway seeds and stir until just combined. Whisk in the foamy yeast.
Mix the dough
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon in one circular direction for 1 minute. Now stir in the opposite direction for 1 minute.
Coat the ball of dough in vegetable oil
Add about 1 Tblspn olive oil to another medium mixing bowl and spread it around the inside with your fingers. Use a spatula to scrape the dough into the oily bowl. With dampened fingers, form the dough into a ball and rotate it around in the inside of the bowl so it’s coated in oil.
Let the dough rise
Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and let it rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Let the dough rise once more
Degas the dough by pressing on it with dampened hands several times until no more gas comes out of the dough. Form the dough into a ball again and let it rise until it’s doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.\
Proof the dough
The dough can now be proofed by gently forming it into a lightly oiled loaf pan and allowed to sit covered with a plastic bag until it reaches about 80% to 90% of it’s intended size, which should be about 40 minutes. The proofing stage is where the dough takes most of its shape. It’s important to leave room under the plastic bag so the dough can rise sufficiently.
Preheat oven to 375F (191C). Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely in tin before removing and slicing.
Smokey Potato Bacyn Bisque with Dark Rye Bread
Smokey Potato Bacyn Bisque with Dark Rye Bread
For this recipe, two batches of dough will be mixed to create the bacun. Dough 1 is for the darker marble layer and Dough 2 is for the lighter marble layer.
Bacyn
Makes 1 lb
Dry ingredients for Dough 1:
1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 Tblspn nutritional yeast
2 tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground white pepper
Liquid ingredients for Dough 1:
½ cup water
2 Tbspns dark brown sugar or real maple syrup
2 Tbspn tamari
2 T liquid smoke
1 Tbspn red miso paste (If you cannot obtain red miso paste, substitute with 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
1 Tbspn vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1 T olive oil
Dry ingredients for Dough 2:
⅓ cup vital wheat gluten
1 Tblspn garbanzo bean flour (also known as chickpea flour)
1 tsp garlic powder
Liquid ingredients for Dough 2:
⅓ cup water
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 Tblspn olive oil
Dough 1 Technique:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk together the dry ingredients for Dough 1 in a large mixing bowl. Stir together the liquid ingredients for Dough 1 in a separate bowl or measuring cup until the brown sugar and miso dissolves. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Set aside. Dough 2 Technique: Whisk together the dry ingredients for Dough 2 in a small mixing bowl. Stir together the liquid ingredients for Dough 2 in a separate bowl or measuring cup until the salt dissolves. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Divide the dough in half. Now you will begin the layering process which will create the marbling effect for the bacun. First, tear off a large sheet of 18-inch wide heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it on your work surface. Take a piece of Dough 1 and flatten and spread the dough on the foil until it is about ¼-inch thick. You don’t need to worry about the shape. Next, using your fingers spread ½ of Dough 2 over the dark layer of dough. Flatten and spread another piece of Dough 1 over the light marble layer. Spread the remaining portion of Dough 2 over the dark marble layer. Finally, flatten and spread the last piece of Dough 1 over the top. If the layers don’t stack perfectly, that’s good, because if you are too precise the bacun will look like it was made by a machine. For this recipe imperfection is actually a benefit. Shape the dough into a rectangular “slab” about 1-inch thick. Once again, don’t worry about being too precise; the dough will expand during baking to conform to the shape of the foil package. Sprinkle the bacun with some coarse ground black pepper or smoked black pepper, if desired; or for sugared bacun, brush with real maple syrup or rub with dark brown sugar. Wrap the slab of bacun in the foil (don’t roll), creating a flat package. Fold in the sides of the foil (like wrapping a gift), pinching to seal the foil as you fold. Place the package seam side down directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 90 minutes. Cool the bacun in the foil until the package can be handled comfortably before opening. Slice the bacun thick for chewy bacun or thin for crispy bacun. The bacun can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Fry the bacun slices in a skillet with a generous coating of cooking oil until lightly browned and crisp around the edges. Avoid overcooking or the bacun will be dry and hard. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil.
When I told my boyfriend I was making “Clamless Chowder” he laughed so hard I though he was going to hurt himself. Apparently he thinks it is hugely funny to have Clam Chowder sans clams. Well the smile was literally wiped off his face when he tasted it. If I do say so myself, it tastes even better than the original.
Creamy and peppery with a hint of ocean taste from the Arame, perfectly paired with the Cheez Biscuites and nice cold glass of Chardonnay 🙂
Now this post is actually four recipes (does that mean I can take the next three days off?) but do not be intimidated, this is definately worth the extra effort. You can also make extra Cashew Cream and Chedah Cheez and keep them on hand for other recipes (yes they will be popping up in the next few days posts).
Enjoy,
Clamless Chowder with Warm Garlic Cheez Biscuits
Clamless Chowder
Makes 4 – 6 serves
Ingredients:
3 Tblspn vegan butter or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large ribs celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can mushroom pieces (or if you can find them, canned oyster mushrooms, drained and diced)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups vegan chicken or vegetable broth
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 bay leaves
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbspn Arame flakes (dried seaweed)
sea salt to taste
1 cup vegan cream, recipe below (you can also use full fat coconut milk)
In a large soup pot, melt the butter over med heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook an additional min.
Add in the flour and stir to combine completely then allow to cook for 1 min.
Slowly add the broth, stirring to mix. Add the potatoes, bay leaves, black pepper and arame flakes. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat and allow to barely simmer for 20 mins stirring occuassionally. Season with salt.
Stir in the cream and let heat through for one min before serving.
Clamless Chowder with Warm Garlic Cheez Biscuits
Vegan Cream
Makes one cup cream.
1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight
1/2 cup cold water
Drain the cashews. Add cashews and water to blender. Blend on high for 3 or 4 mins until smooth and creamy scrapping down the sides as necessary.
Clamless Chowder with Warm Garlic Cheez Biscuits
Gluten Free Garlic Cheez Biscuits
Makes 6
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix (see below for recipe)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 tspn sugar
1/4 tspn salt
3 Tblspn vegetable shortening, at room temperature
4 Tblspn cold vegan unsalted butter
1/2 Cup chedah cheez (recipe below)
3/4 cup non dairy milk
For the garlic butter:
3 Tblspn vegan butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tspn chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 425
Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter, pulse 4 or 5 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a soft dough. Turn out onto a clean surface and gently knead until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.
Drop the dough onto the baking sheet in 1/4-cup portions, 2 inches apart, and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: Melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the biscuits with the garlic butter and serve warm.
Clamless Chowder with Warm Garlic Cheez Biscuits
All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mixture
Makes 1 kg flour
Thouroghly mix together the following flours.
100g brown rice flour
100g buckwheat flour
100g millet flour
100g quinoa flour
100g sorghum flour
100g oat flour
100g teff flour
150g potato starch
150g cornstarch
Clamless Chowder with Warm Garlic Cheez Biscuits
Chedah Cheez
Makes one cup
3/4 cup plain unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oul
3 Tblspn cornstarch
3 Tbspn nutritional yeast
2 Tblspn white miso
2 tspn lemon juice
1 tspn apple cider vinegar
1 tspn tomato paste
3.4 tspn onion powder
1.4 tspn dry mustard powder
1/4 tspn guar gum
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Transfer mixture to a pot and heat over moderate heat stirring constantly. As the mixture heats up it will begin to thicken and appear lumpy. Stir vigerously while continuing to cook for another 2 – 4 mins until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
What do you get when you add brown rice penne noodles to a spicy Thai vegetable soup? A delicious Spicy Thai Noodle Bowl. Perfect for a cool Fall Sunday lunch. The addition of the brown rice noodles makes this a perfect comfort food while keeping it gluten-free.
The mixture of white and sweet potato’s satisfy my love of anything potato while upping the nutrition and fibre content. You may think having both potato’s and noodles in the same dish is a little overload, but for me it is just right. You could always substitute the white potato’s for any other vegetable of choice, but for me, the only thing better than potato’s or pasta, is potato’s and pasta.
Spicy Thai Noodle Bowl
The spice level in this soup is quite high, but if you leave it overnight before serving, a lot of the heat is reduced. I love a nice spicy dish during the colder months, somehow it warms you up from the inside. Feel free to change the level of spice to your personal taste. Reduce the amount of Thai Chilli Sauce, or the jalepeno, or remove the seeds from the jalepeno, all will lower the heat.
Enjoy,
Spicy Thai Noodle Bowl
Spicy Thai Noodle Bowl
Serves 8
4 cloves garlic peeled
1 jalapeno pepper
2 Tblspns fresh ginger
3 large onions cut in half
2 medium carrots
6 cups vegetable stock
2 Tblspns ground coriander
4 Tblspns Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce
2 medium sweet potato’s chopped
2 medium white potato’s chopped
juice from 2 limes
4 cups cooked brown rice penne
fresh basil to garnish if desired.
Place garlic, jalapeno, ginger and onions in a food processor. Pulse a few times until very finely diced (alternately, you can finely dice or grate by hand).
Add garlic mixture to a large pot with 1 cup of the vegetable stock and place over medium heat.
Run carrots through food processor with the slicing blade (or cut thinly by hand). Add to pot with garlic mixture.
Add coriander and Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce to pot with remaining vegetable stock. Heat to a simmer.
Add chopped sweet and white potato’s. Continue to simmer for 10 mins or until potato’s and carrots are tender. Turn off heat,
Stir in juice from 2 limes,
Spoon 1/2 cup cooked penne into a bowl, ladle soup over top and if desired garnish with whole, or chopped fresh basil.
This was a perfect weekend for a nice big pot of hot creamy soup. We had our first snow fall yesterday, with quite a bit of the white stuff still hanging around today. Definitely a nice weekend to stay indoors and enjoy some comfort food.
I am not a big fan of traditional creamed soups, but I do love anything potato, so this soup is high on my favourite list.
Fresh leeks, potato’s and the secret (well, not so secret anymore) ingredient, cauliflower, give this soup a rich creamy taste and texture.
The only way to improve this would have been if I had baked a loaf of fresh bread to dip into the creamy goodness. Reality was, that I was feeling very lazy so just the soup this time. Fortunately this recipe is very easy and quick to prepare.
Enjoy,
Cream of Potato & Leek Soup
Potato Leek Soup
Serves 6
2 tblspns olive oil
2 medium onions roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 large leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 cups cauliflower flowerets
2 large potato’s diced
4 cups vegetable stock
½ tspn sea salt
½ tspn cumin
Pinch each black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tblspn lemon juice
Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 5 mins till soft. Add white and light green parts of leeks. Continue to cook for additional 5 mins until leeks are soft.
Add cauliflower and potato’s , cook 5 mins more. Add vegetable stock, salt, cumin and pepper. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 mins or until potato and cauliflower are soft.
Allow to cool slightly. In small batches, transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot. Stir in lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste.
With Fall in full swing, we have an abundance of winter vegetables to use up. I still have an assortment of squash decorating my dining room table, so this week, I wanted to use up one of the spaghetti squash.
Sheppard’s pie is traditionally a mixture of left over meat and vegetables covered with mashed potato and baked until warmed through. I have added green lentils and mushrooms to this recipe. Both add a rich earthy/meaty taste and texture, The base layer of spaghetti squash is purely to use up the squash. You can add in or sub out any of the vegetables you like depending on what you have on hand. I would keep the mushrooms, lentils and mashed potato’s, but anything else could be changed, let your imagination run free.
I have mentioned before that I usually cook up a couple of big dishes on the weekend and then take them to work for lunches for the week. This recipe works wonderfully for this. Once cold, it can be sliced and holds together really well.
I actually love this served cold, straight out of the fridge. I have a big weakness for cold potato’s, (plus pizza, chinese food, pasta…basically any leftovers) but it is easy to warm up for a more traditional meal.
Enjoy,
Sheppard’s Squash Pie With Mushrooms And Lentils
Sheppard’s Squash Pie with Mushrooms and Lentils
Serves 10
1 spaghetti squash
1 garlic clove minced and mixed with 1 tblspn olive oil
1 ½ cups cooked green lentils
6 large white potato’s
non dairy milk of choice to mash the potato’s with
2 tblspns nutritional yeast
2 tblspns olive oil
6 cloves garlic minced
3 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 cups mushrooms chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 yellow or green zucchini chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tblspns soy sauce
1 small tin tomato paste
Grease large baking dish and set aside.
Pre heat oven to 350 F.
Cut spaghetti in half lengthways. Remove seeds. Spread garlic/olive oil mixture over centre and cut edges of squash. Place on a baking tray and bake, cut side up for 45 mins until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool. When cool, remove flesh from squash with a fork and set aside.
Peel white potato’s, cut and cover with water in large pot. Bring to a boil and cook until potato’s are soft. Drain and mash with non dairy milk and nutritional yeast. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until onions are soft. Add mushrooms, cook for a couple of mins until mushroom begin to release their liquid. Add carrots, celery, red pepper and zucchini. Cook for 5 mins until vegetables begin to soften.
Sheppard’s Squash Pie With Mushrooms And Lentils
Add vegetable stock, soy sauce and tomato paste. Bring to a low simmer and allow to cook for 10 mins,
Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Stir in cooked lentils.
Take cooked squash and cover bottom of greased baking dish and press down firmly.
Cover with mushroom lentil mixture.
Sheppard’s Squash Pie With Mushrooms And Lentils
Top with mashed potato’s and spread gently to evenly cover entire dish.
Bake in 350 F oven uncovered for 30 mins.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.
In last weeks post, I promised the remaining two recipes for my Thanksgiving dinner, and here they are.
Scalloped Twin Potato’s (at the top middle of the pic) and Greens with CauliCheeze Sauce (at the bottom of the pic). I could not decide if I wanted Brocoli with CauliCheeze sauce, or Asparagus with CauliCheez sauce, so I had both. 🙂
Lentil Seitan Roast with Mushroom Sage Gravy
This photo is literally what I ate for Thanksgiving (plus a second helping of Scalloped Twin Potato’s, they were so good. While this is a ton of food, I still felt full of energy afterwards, No Turkey overload here, just great food.I decided to make the scalloped potato’s with a mixture of white and sweet potato’s this year. The white potato, while delicious, is a bit of a bad boy, he is the one you love, but you know you shouldn’t. A little is fine, but too much could get you in trouble. Now his twin, Sweet Potato, on the other hand is the good reliable guy, the one that wont hurt you and is actually good for you, He has loads of vitamins and fibre. When you mix the two together, you get the best of both worlds.
Scalloped Twin Potato’s
When it came time to make the Brocoli and CauliCheez Sauce, I was literally standing in the grocery store with a lovely vibrant green head of brocoli in one hand and a bunch of crisp tender asparagus in the other and I couldn’t make up my mind which one I wanted, so I did both, you can never have too may greens on your plate 🙂
Asparagus with CauliCheez Sauce
Both the brocoli and the asparagus tasted wonderful with the caulicheez sauce. The recipe made lots of sauce, so I had some left over. By mid-week, I had a craving for pasta (not an unusual occurrence for me), so I used up the remaining sauce and turned it into Mac and CauliCheeze (no recipe, just added the sauce to cooked pasta and voila!!)
Mac and CauliCheez
Enjoy,
Scalloped Twin Potato’s
Scalloped Twin Potato’sServes 4
2 tblspns olive oil
1 medium onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced or grated
1 tblspn flour
2 cups unsweetened almond (or other non dairy) milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 white potato’s peeled and thinly sliced
1 large sweet potato peeled and thinly sliced
Heat oil in medium pot on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 mins until soft.
Add flour and cook 1 min. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the almond milk while stirring quickly. The mixture will thicken immediately. Add the rest of the milk and continue stirring until everything is completely mixed. Stir in nutritional yeast and salt and pepper. Lower heat and allow to simmer slowly for a few minutes to thicken. Remove from heat.
Grease the bottom of a baking dish with a little olive oil. Place half the white potato slices in the dish in an even layer, top with half the sweet potato slices, Pour half the milk mixture over the top. Repeat with remaining potato’s and milk mixture.
Bake uncovered in 350 F oven for approx 35 mins or until potato’s a soft and top is lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 – 10 mins before serving.
Asparagus with CauliCheez Sauce
Greens with CauliCheez Sauce
Serves 4
1 head of brocoli cut into medium florets’
or, 1 bunch asparagus trimmed (or a combination of both)
Steam brocoli and/or asparagus until just tender.
CauliCheez Sauce
1/2 head cauliflower cut into medium florets’
1 onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1/2 tspn smokey paprika
1/4 tspn dry hot mustard powder
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tblspn corn starch
1/2 tblspn lemon juice
salt to taste
Place cauliflower, onion and garlic in medium pot, add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for 20 mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer in small batches to food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and add paprika, mustard powder and nutritional yeast. Mix cornstarch with 2 tblspns water to a smooth paste, stir into cauliflower mixture. Return to heat and cook on low for 6 mins until thickened. Stir in lemon juice and salt to taste.
Drizzle sauce over brocoli and/or asparagus and serve.
This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. Growing up in Australia, we did not celebrate Thanksgiving, but living here, I just love this holiday.
The scenery at this time of the year is just beautiful. Where I live. in Northern Ontario, it is a vibrant mix of dark green, vivid red, burnt orange and bright yellow leaves all mixed in together and situated amongst rocky outcrops and pristine lakes.
While I joke that I hate the Fall because I know Winter is just around the corner (and I am definitely a Summer girl, give me a beach and sunshine and I am happy), the truth is, Thanksgiving weekend is truly magical here.
Last year I tried making a Tofu Turkey, which turned out OK, but not exceptional. This year I am making a Lentil Seitan Roast which is totally delicious. It is stuffed full of mushrooms, leeks, garlic and cranberries and then smothered in Mushroom Sage Gravy…….totaly mouthwatering.
I will also be making Scalloped Twin Potato’s (white and sweet potato’s in a creamy garlic sauce) and Brocoli with CauliCheez Sauce. Both these recipes will follow in the next day or so.
If you are in Canada, I know this is posting too close to Thanksgiving for you to try, but it is also perfect for the Christmas dinner table. For my American followers, this might be perfect timing for your celebration next month. For everyone else, again, it is perfect for a Christmas dinner, or just because you feel like a wonderful tasty roast.
Enjoy,
Lentil Seitan Roast with Mushroom Sage Gravy
Lentil Seitan Roast
Serves 8
Stuffing:
2 tblspns olive oil
6 oz mushrooms finely diced
2 Leeks sliced finely
4 cloves garlic minced or grated
2 tblspns fresh thyme chopped
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tblspn lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
In large pan, saute mushrooms and leeks in olive oil over medium heat until soft, 5 – 10 mins. Add garlic and thyme and continue to cook for additional 2 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add breadcrumbs and mix well. Cook until breadcrumbs begin to toast and mixture is quite dry (make sure to stir often to prevent burning).
Remove from heat, add in broth, lemon juice and cranberries. Stir to mix well and complete coat breadcrumb mixture. Set aside.
Roast:
3 – 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3/4 cup cooked green lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tblspn poultry seasoning
3 tblspns soy sauce
2 tblspns olive oil
2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tspn fennel seeds crushed
1 1/2 tspns sweet paprika
2 tspns dried thyme
2 tspns dried sage
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Place garlic, lentils, vegetable broth, poultry seasoning, olive oil and soy sauce in food processor. Process until fairly smooth.
In large bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients. Mix well.
Add lentil mixture to dry mixture. Combine well and work into a stiff dough. Knead for a few minutes to make sure everything is incorporated.
Form the “dough” into a flat rectangle that is approx 12 by 10 inches. Place the filling in the centre of the rectangle and form it into a log shape using your hands to squeeze it tightly. The log should reach to within 2 inches on each side of the “dough”. Bring the front and back of the “dough” up and over the filling to meet at the top. Make sure the seam is totally joined by squashing together. Close the ends by squashing the dough togeher.
Lentil Seitan Roast Prep
Place three large sheets foil on workspace. Gently transfer roast to the centre of the foil and wrap up completely, making sure the roast is completely secure.
Lentil Seitan Roast Prep
Place on baking sheet and bake for 1 – 1/2 hours. Every 15 mins, turn the roast on the baking sheet so that every side is in contact with the baking sheet at some time (this will allow the entire roast to brown nicely). After 1 hour, check to see if the roast feels solid by gently squeezing with a pair of tongs. If still soft, allow to cook longer.
Once cooked remove from oven and allow to cool in foil before unwrapping and slicing. This will give the best result. I make this the day before it is required and leave it in the foil overnight in the fridge (after cooling) then place back in the oven, still in the foil for 20 mins to reheat prior to serving.
Mushroom Sage Gravy
Serves 8
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tblspns corn starch
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 tblspns olive oil
16 oz mushrooms, finely diced
4 – 6 cloves garlic minced or grated
2 tspns dried thyme
1 tspn dried sage
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tblspns nutritional yeast
In large bowl or jug mix together vegetable broth and cornstarch until dissolved. Set aside.
In large pot over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 5 mins until soft. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and continue to cook for additional 5 mins.
Add vegetable broth/cornstarch mixture and nutritional yeast. Continue to cook over medium heat for 20 mins, stirring often.
Gravy can be served as it is, or if you prefer a smoother gravy, allow to cool slightly then transfer to a blender and blend gently until smooth. You may need to add a little water or broth if too thick.
Roasted Harvest Vegetables
This is not really a recipe. Just take whatever vegetables you like, cut into serving size pieces, toss in a little olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and sea salt to taste.
Place in a baking pan and roast in oven at 375 F for approx 20 – 40 mins depending on vegetables used.
Harvest Roast Vegetables Prep
I used heirloom carrots, parsnips, pumpkin and sweet potato.
When I signed up for Vegan MoFo, I did not have a theme, I was just going to “wing it”. However, it is seeming to me that Soup Sundays, might be a little mini theme here. Last Sunday I posted a wonderful creamy corn chowder, and this week it is a pumpkin soup.
This recipe is one of my favourites. I have been making this soup for many years, adapting as I have gone along. The first major change was in the pumpkin itself. In Australia, we have a wonderful variety called “Queensland Blue”. It is a big hard pumpkin with a blueish skin and it has a very deep rich pumpkin flavour. We bake it and serve it as a side vegetable. In fact, when I was growing up, supper would almost always be some kind of meat, baked pumpkin, mashed potatoes and either broccoli, beans or peas.
When we moved here to Canada, one of the first things I noticed (after the weird yellow and orange colours of butter and cheese??) was the lack of cooked pumpkin. Other than in desserts, you rarely see this wonderful vegetable.
I have had to sub out the Queensland Blue pumpkin for a Butternut, which gives a lighter taste, but still delicious I have also replaced the original dairy cream with coconut cream and this actually gives the soup a richer taste.
Enjoy,
Pumpkin coriander Soup with Coconut Cream
Pumpkin coriander Soup with Coconut Cream
Serves 6
2 tblspns flax seeds soaked in water for 1 hour
¼ cup sesame seeds soaked in water for 1 hour – Note: soak flax and sesame seeds separately.
1 ½ tbspns olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 head garlic roasted (take whole garlic head, slice off top to reveal top of cloves, drizzle with olive oil, bake in hot oven, 375 for 20 mins. Squeeze out soft garlic cloves)
1 small sweet potato chopped
1 medium white potato chopped
1 medium butternut squash chopped
3 cups veg stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sprouts of choice
1 tspn oregano
½ tspn coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley to garnish
Fill large pot with enough water to cover chopped squash and potato’s. Cook over medium heat until soft. Drain.
Heat oil over medium heat, sauté onions until soft.
Add roasted garlic, cooked squash and vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, add all remaining ingredients, except coconut milk and sprouts, simmer 15 mins.
Pumpkin coriander Soup with Coconut Cream
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add sprouts and coconut milk (if your coconut milk has the solid cream at the top of the can, set 6 tspns aside. When serving add one tspn to each bowl and gently swirl)
Pumpkin coriander Soup with Coconut Cream
Allow to cool slightly. Puree with a hand blender or transfer in batches to a blender and process until smooth, being very careful to only fill blender half way and to allow steam to escape while blending.
Add solid coconut cream if available, sprinkle with fresh parsley
You will probably be sick of hearing from me by the end of September. 20 posts from today until September 30th, quite a challenge, but I am really excited and looking forward to cooking up a storm.
So, to start off, I was given some wonderful fresh local corn and after very little thought, a corn chowder came to mind. We have also received new white potatoes’ in our CSA basket as well as green onions, so they have been added.
To thicken the soup into a chowder, I have grated one white potato. As the cooks, it breaks down and acts as a thickener.
The soy or almond milk gives a nice boost of protein making this a complete meal in itself. It is very filling, although I can never have just one bowl.
Enjoy,
Summer Creamy Corn Chowder
Summer Creamy Corn Chowder Serves 6
2 tbspns olive oil
1 onion chopped fine
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large sweet potato chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 large white potato chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 medium white potato grated
4 green onions finely sliced
1 lb corn kernels, fresh if available otherwise frozen or canned
½ tspn cumin
½ tspn chilli powder
4 cups plain non dairy milk (Soy, Almond, Rice etc)
2 cups vegetable stock
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, sauté for 3 – 5 mins until soft.
Add garlic, stir and cook additional 2 mins.
Add sweet potato, and chopped white potato. Stir in grated white potato (this will help thicken the soup, as the grated potato will break down when cooked). Add green onion, corn, cumin and chilli powder. Stir and let cook for 1 min.
Add non dairy milk and vegetable stock.
Increase heat, allow to simmer for 15 – 20 mins or until potato’s are cooked.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
stairway to vegan 