Spinach Salad

We all need to get more greens in, right? This is a tasty way to do it.

Spinach Salad

1/2 lb. fresh spinach

1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts

One tomato, cut into small pieces

1/4 red onion, cut into small pieces

Dressing:

2 T rice vinegar

1 T soy sauce

6 T oil (I used olive, but peanut would be good, too)

1/4 t cayenne

1/4 t salt

Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients well, pour over salad, and mix to coat everything well. Serve. Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

My husband detests sweet potatoes. I like them. My kids will eat them, but I can't say they are huge fans. Admittedly, when I was younger, I didn't like them, either. They've grown on me as I've gotten older, very likely because of the plant based diet I consume. Since becoming a vegan, I've discovered so many new and different ways to use vegetables I had never done before, just always falling back on the tried and true, the usual, the known. I don't cook that way anymore. I love experimenting!

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

One onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 t. cumin
1 t. turmeric
1 t. crushed red pepper
2 c. lentils
8 c. vegetable broth
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 t. cinnamon
12 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Saute the onion, carrots, and celery using water or a little oil. Add the garlic and saute until everything is soft. Add the spices, lentils, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 45 minutes. Add spinach and lemon and cook until the spinach wilts.
While the lentils are cooking, add the potatoes and cinnamon to a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer while the lentils cook. When done, drain and mash.
In a large casserole dish, add the lentils mixture. Top with the mashed sweet potatoes, spreading over the entire mixture. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

A couple of notes. Let the dish sit for 10 minutes OUT  of the oven. It makes a difference. Also, I bought this awesome dicer from a thrift store and used it to cut the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. It cuts in uniform cubes and is just a lot of fun to use! Another thing I did was I discovered a potato ricer hidden in my cabinets. I suspect my dad gave it to me some time ago, but I had forgotten about it. It is super cool to use. You add the cooked potatoes and smash. The potatoes come out the numerous holes. I did it right over the casserole dish, and then just moved them around to cover. I'll try to take pictures of these items on a later post.

For the record, my husband still refused to eat it. But the kids and I liked it!

Shepherd's Pie

There are soooo many recipes out there for Shepherd's Pie. I've tried a few. I knew this one would be a hit when my husband walked through the door and asked what smelled so good? He had two servings. He's kind of a picky eater, so this was truly a testament to how good it is.

Shepherd's Pie

2 zucchini, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
Mashed potatoes
Vegan grounds (I used a combination of Gardein and Beyond Meat)
One onion, cut into bite sized pieces
3 or more garlic cloves, minced fine
1 T. fennel seeds
1 t. thyme
1 t. savory
1 t. sage
1 heaping t. paprika
3 T. soy sauce
1# spinach, stems removed

Lay the zucchini out on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Flip them over and repeat. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

While the zucchini is baking, saute the spinach until wilted. In another pan, saute the onion until softened. Add the vegan grounds, the seasonings, the soy sauce, and the garlic. Heat through.

Lay the zucchini side by side in a casserole dish. Spread the cooked spinach on top. Now spread the vegan grounds mixture on top of the spinach. Lastly, spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the grounds. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

It may not look pretty, but oh my was this delicious! I barely had enough left over for my lunch the next day! Definitely a keeper!

Garlicky Garbanzos and Friends, Redeux

I made this again recently and made a couple of slight changes. Seriously, this dish is so quick and easy and yummy. Definitely a good one when you have little time.

The original recipe is posted here.

This time I added about a teaspoon of savory with the other herbs, and a sprinkling of black pepper to the finished dish. I think I liked it even better.

You can also dice up potatoes, rather than using the canned variety, if you have some potatoes hanging around, begging to be used. Just cut them in a small dice and cook as the recipe suggests, and they should come out soft.

You can also cut the ingredients in half quite easily.

Asian Spinach Salad

Hubby and I have started going for walks every day we can. I've noticed that after every walk, he really wants a salad. This usually means we go to the grocery store and take advantage of the salad bar. So, to save some time, and get to try out new recipes, I've decided to make different salads at home.

Asian Spinach Salad

1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts
Fresh spinach leaves (I used the prepackaged, prewashed kind)
10 grape tomatoes, halved
Thinly sliced red onion (as much or as little as you like)
2 T.  rice vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1/8 t. cayenne
6 T. canola or peanut oil

Mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, cayenne and oil together. Shake well. Assemble remaining ingredients in a bowl, and pour on the dressing. Mix gently but well, to coat everything evenly. Serve. Enjoy!

Tofu Steaks

Tofu and steak aren't two words that anyone generally associates with one another. And, let's face it, if you are trying to convince a steak eater that tofu is an exact substitute, you will fail miserably. That does not, however, in any way, shape or form imply that tofu steaks aren't delicious. They are! And cruelty-free, to boot. But while many meat eaters can be fooled by many of the meatless products out there, calling your tofu steak to them doesn't pass muster. I don't even know why we call them tofu steaks. What we really should just say is they are delicious, and here! Try one!

When we first went vegan, one of the first recipes we tried were tofu steaks. Not bad, but my son, who cooked them, went a little heavy on the soy sauce. Needless to say, they were a little on the salty side. I toned that down a bit when I made these.

Tofu Steaks

One package extra-firm tofu, frozen, thawed, boiled, pressed, sliced
One package sliced mushrooms
Lite soy sauce

Saute the tofu and the mushrooms in olive oil. Season with the lite soy sauce and sprinkle with salt and pepper. The trick is using enough soy sauce to flavor, but not overwhelm. Serve the steaks and mushrooms over a bed of organic spinach leaves and sprinkled with sliced green onions. Take a bite of the tofu along with the mushrooms and spinach and enjoy the blending of flavors in your mouth!

Serve alongside mashed potatoes made with rosemary, and green beans seasoned with Braggs aminos.

Enjoy!

What Do You Do With Leftover Beans? Wraps!

Typically in my house, leftover beans and rice get gobbled up by the next day for lunch. IF there are any left over! I had a couple of servings left from the black beans and rice from the night before, and I decided to mix them with some other ingredients and roll them into wraps for dinner. They didn't look pretty, but they sure tasted good!

Black Beans and Friends Wraps

One onion, chopped
One green bell pepper, chopped
One package sliced mushrooms
One container roasted red pepper hummus
Large whole grain tortillas
Fresh organic spinach

Saute the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms until softened. Add the leftover black beans. We had mixed the black beans, corn, green onions, bell pepper and cilantro from the night before all together, and this is what we used. Spread the hummus on a tortilla. Layer the spinach on top, then add the black bean/mushroom mixture. Roll up and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes. Serve with guacamole and salsa, if desired. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving, Part Two

As a vegan, our meals don't revolve around a meat dish as a centerpiece. For us, there is no such things as too many side dishes! This year could be considered an exception in that we did make our first Tofurky roast, which could easily be viewed as a *main dish*. However, it was just one of many dishes we made that day.

Orange Fennel Salad

One bunch fresh, organic spinach, washed and leaves separated from stems
One fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin
3 Clementine oranges, peeled and sliced
Citrus Dressing

We bought already packaged baby spinach and baby kale. Place this in a bowl with the sliced fennel and oranges. Pour the dressing on top and mix it well.

Citrus Dressing

1/3 c. vegan mayonnaise
One container vegan plain yogurt (I used one made from almond milk)
2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate

Mix well.

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

1-1/2 lbs. potatoes (I used a mixture of red and gold potatoes)
1/2 lbs. parsnips
Vegan butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegan milk
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Cut the potatoes into chunks. I never peel mine, but do so if that is your preference. Peel the parsnips and cut into chunks. Add both potatoes and parsnips to a large pot of water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, until potatoes and parsnips are soft. Remove from heat and drain. Add back to the pot, along with the butter, salt, pepper, milk and parsley. Mix well until nicely mashed.

Baked Cheezy Cauliflower

One head of cauliflower
1/2 c. vegan mayonnaise
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. vegan milk
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Daiya cheddar shreds

Remove leaves from the cauliflower and trim away the core so that the head of cauliflower can sit flat. Place in a glass pie plate with 1/2 c. water. Cover with wax paper shaped to form a tent. Microwave for 10 minutes.
When cooled enough to handle, slice the cauliflower. Arrange the slices in a baking dish.
In a pot, melt the butter. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and Daiya cheddar shreds until the shreds have melted into a sauce consistency. Pour this sauce over the cauliflower. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

I'll add more recipes from our day tomorrow!

Spinach Stew

Today is the International Day of Non-Violence, so it seems appropriate that I should adapt a recipe from The Peaceful Cook. It was one of the first cookbooks I ever bought when I became vegan (even though the book is lacto-vegetarian and not vegan) and the first time I ever heard of Braggs Aminos.

Spinach Stew

One bunch of organic spinach
Olive oil
1/2 t. dry mustard
2 t. Dijon mustard
One can diced tomatoes
2 T. dill seeds
1 T. Braggs Aminos
2 c. pasta
Water

Dice the spinach and saute in olive oil until wilted. Add remaining ingredients and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour. Check periodically to see if you need to add more water to make it soupy. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Garbanzos and Scallopini

Spinach Salad with Garbanzos and Scallopini

One package Gardein Chick'n Scallopini
Olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. dried oregano leaves
1/8 t. sea salt
One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One can black olives, drained and halved
1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
3 c. spinach
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t. fine sea salt
1/4 c. sliced fresh basil

Fry the scallopini for 2-3 minutes on each side in olive oil until caramelized and hot through. Let cool slightly and cut into 1/2” strips. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, dried oregano leaves and fine sea salt. Pour this over the chickpeas, olives, and spinach. Add salt and pepper and fresh basil and scallopini and mix gently, but well.

The original recipe is at the Gardein site, but I changed it up to suit the tastes of my family.

Crunchy Wraps

My kids and I went to the Vegfest earlier this month. It was the first time for us, and only the second year for the festival. We loved it! Seeing so many veg-friendly people gathered in one place was very exciting! There were numerous booths and displays to check out, and several places offered samples. We watched a demonstration on making kale chips. Note to self - make those chips tonight! Afterward we tried a new-for-us vegan restaurant and then hit a grocery store to pick up healthy goodies!

Getting home late I wanted to make something quick and easy. This definitely fit the bill!

Crunchy Wraps

Vegan cream cheese
Flour tortillas (we used spinach)
Shredded spinach
Shredded red cabbage
Sliced avocados
Chopped tomatoes
Diced cucumbers
Diced red onion

Spread the cream cheese on the tortilla and top with a sprinkle of the each vegetable. Roll up the tortilla and enjoy!

Even my non-vegan hubby loved these! Win!

Garlicky Garbanzos and Friends

When life gets full around my house, we have a tendency to fall back on family favorites like rice and beans, spaghetti, salads, quick and easy foods because we are hungry and have limited time for food preparation. It's why I always love slower days, when I can feel like I am actually cooking! Even if it does turn out to be relatively simple to prepare and involves canned goods, it is time I spend in front of the stove, in the kitchen, doing more than throwing something together.

Garlicky Garbanzos and Friends

Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 cans diced potatoes, drained
2 cans garbanzos (chickpeas), drained
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans spinach, drained

Saute the garlic, basil and red pepper flakes in the olive oil until they become fragrant (which is pretty quick). Stir in the canned veggies, bring to a boil, cover, then simmer about 10-15 minutes.

This was really delicious and required no added seasonings. What leftovers I had were still just as tasty reheated.

Shepherdess Pie

I love autumn. I love foods associated with autumn. I love to cook. Hmmm, sounds like a match made in heaven! That's what you'll think when you eat this.

Shepherdess Pie

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
10 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
3 stalks celery, sliced
8 cloves garlic, sliced
Olive oil
1 t. poultry type seasoning
dash ground cloves
dash nutmeg
pinch anise seeds
1 t. paprika
sprinkle of Braggs aminos
Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes in the way you like. I don't peel the potatoes, just wash and but into eighths. Cover with water, bring to a boil, cover with a lid and turn to simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes, depending on how many potatoes you are boiling and how small you cut them. When done, drain the water, add some soy milk or vegetable broth, salt, pepper, sprinkle of basil and oregano, a little bit of nutritional yeast and mix away!

Saute the onion, garlic, rutabaga, carrots, celery and squash until onions have wilted. Add spinach and spices and mix up.

Pour cooked veggies into a casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes, being sure to seal all edges.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Comes out sizzling and delicious!

The history of shepherd's pie is one of meat and potatoes. Mine, however, is cruelty free. It lends itself to any variety of ingredients, but always topped with potatoes.

Cottage pie refers to an English or Irish meat pie made with ground beef and with a crust made from mashed potato. A variation on this dish using ground lamb is known as shepherd's pie. Unlike standard pies, cottage or shepherd's pie does not include a bottom pastry crust.

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (cf. "cottage" meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).

In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.
The term "shepherd's pie" did not appear until the 1870s, and since then it has been used synonymously with "cottage pie", regardless of whether the principal ingredient was beef or mutton. Several countries have their own version: 
In Ireland and parts of Canada  the dish is commonly called shepherd's pie even when containing beef.
In the United States a similar dish is called cowboy pie. In New England the most common recipe for shepherd's pie consists of ground beef, canned creamed corn, mashed potatoes, and cream of mushroom soup.
In Quebec, a similar dish is called pâté chinois (Chinese pie).
In France, a similar dish is called hachis Parmentier.
In Jordan, Syria and Lebanon a similar dish is referred to as "Siniyet Batata" (literally meaning a plate of potatoes), or "Kibbet Batata".
In Russia, a similar dish is called "Картофельная запеканка" (Kartofel'naya zapekanka, or "potato baked pudding").
In Chile a similar dish is called pastel de papa (potato pie).
In Argentina a similar dish is called pastel de carne (meat pie)
In the Dominican Republic this is called pastelon de papa (potato casserole), it has a layer of potatoes, one or two of meat, and another of potatoes, topped with a layer of cheese.
In New Zealand it is also referred to as a potato-top pie, and is commonly filled with ground beef.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!

I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me Spinach!

I couldn't resist the quote, because tonight's supper was called Popeye Pasta. And, yes, it had spinach in it.

Popeye Pasta

Olive oil
One onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 cans (I used 15 oz. each) crushed tomatoes
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. basil
1# pasta (I used whole wheat spirals)
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach

Cook pasta according to directions. Saute in oil the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, oregano, basil and spinach. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Drain pasta, top with sauce, serve!

The original recipe called for 1/2 t. marjoram, but I realized too late I didn't have any. It also called for 1/3 c. of red or white wine. Well, I discovered a wine bottle with, I am not kidding, one teaspoon of wine left. Who leaves a teaspoon of wine in the bottle, and then puts that bottle in the refrigerator?! Argh! However, even without the suggested ingredients, the dish came out delish.

You can use fresh spinach instead of frozen, if you want. Just add it after simmering and when it wilts, pour over pasta.

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia, from the word aspanakh (roughly "green hand"). Arab traders carried spinach into India, and then the plant was introduced into ancient China, where it was known as "Persian vegetable". The earliest available record of the spinach plant was recorded in Chinese, stating that it was introduced into China via Nepal (probably in 647 AD). In AD 827, the Saracens introduced spinach to Sicily. Spinach invariably made its way into England, where it is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (1390). In 1533, Catherine de'Medici became queen of France; she so fancied spinach that she insisted it be served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as "Florentine," reflecting Catherine's birth in Florence. During the 18th and 19th centuries, spinach water was used as touchpaper for fireworks since paper soaked in it would smolder well.

Extraordinarily high in vitamin C and rich in riboflavin, one cup of cooked spinach also contains a very high level of vitamin A, folate, magnesium, potassium, as well as vitamins E, B6, K and thiamin. Folate, a mineral found in high amounts in spinach, has been shown to reduce high blood pressure and inflammation of blood vessels. The chemical version of folate, folic acid, has long been associated with lower rates of birth defects when taken orally during pregnancy. This leafy green is also an excellent source of manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin B2 and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper. Plus, it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.

A lot of people aren't fond of cooked spinach, describing it as a blob of green stuff. I like to eat it raw, as well as cooked, especially in a salad. Eating raw spinach is a popular choice but not the best choice for everyone. Spinach is high in oxalic acid when ingested raw. Oxalic acids can produce damage to blood vessels. Some people may produce symptoms such as gout, arthritis, and rheumatism after eating large quantities of raw spinach. These acids can cause kidney stones and gallstones in people with lower renal functions.

However, oxalic acid can be lowered in spinach by boiling. Frequently change the water the spinach cooks in by boiling, draining the cooking water, boiling again, and then rinsing before consumption. This will greatly lower the oxalic acids present. The nutritional value of spinach does reduce with cooking, yet it still remains one of the most excellent sources for bountiful natural nutrients available. One pound of leaves can be reduced to about one cup of the cooked product. Since the iron in spinach is in soluble form, the water left from cooking will contain that element, as well as other water-soluble nutrients that should be used instead of thrown away.

Studies have shown that consumption of green leafy vegetables such as spinach may slow the age-related decline in brain function. So, eat your greens and keep working those crossword puzzles to keep your brain young and agile!