Herbed Tomatoes and Green Beans

Herbed Tomatoes and Green Beans

3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2# green beans, trimmed
1/4 c. vegetable broth
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 t. oregano
1 t. parsley
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until softened. Add the green beans and broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and seasonings and heat through. Serve. Enjoy!

Jamaican Jerk Tofu

Jamaican Jerk Tofu

4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small or 1 large jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 limes
1 t. ground allspice
3 T. olive oil
One package super firm tofu, frozen in package, boiled, pressed, sliced

In a gallon sized baggie, add everything but the tofu and squish the bag to mix well. Add the slices of tofu and gently massage to coat all sides of the tofu. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Place the marinated tofu on a cookie sheet. Spread remaining marinade over each slice. Broil until tofu browns slightly. Be sure not to burn the marinade. Serve. Enjoy!

The flavors came out very nice and even with the jalapeno was not too spicy. Just make sure you wash your hands after handling the jalapeno! You don't want to accidentally scratch anywhere near your eyes and feel the burn!

Sausage and Sauerkraut

Maybe it's because I have German ancestry, but I like sausage and sauerkraut. They kind of go together like ketchup and French fries.

Sausage and Sauerkraut

One green pepper, sliced
One onion, sliced
2 sausage links (I used Tofurky Kielbasa), sliced
One container vegan sour cream
One can Bavarian sauerkraut
1 T. paprika

Saute the green pepper and onion in olive oil until softened. Add the paprika and stir to mix in well. Add the sausage and sauerkraut and stir again to mix well. Cover and reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove lid and stir in the sour cream and mix well. Let heat through. Serve. Enjoy!

Serving this with a slice or slab of dark bread completes the meal!

Cabbage and Tomato Soup with Sausage

My husband's father used to make a cabbage soup that my son always loved. I think he likes my cruelty-free version much better!

Cabbage and Tomato Soup with Sausage

One onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
One head of cabbage, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/2 T. paprika
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. water
Two links of sausage (I used Tofurky Kielbasa), sliced

In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until softened. Mix in the paprika and stir to coat well. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, salt, pepper, broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cover. Simmer until sausage is heated. Serve. Enjoy!

Garlicky Chick'n Breasts and Cauliflower Salad

My daughter hit the quarter century mark this past weekend. How did this happen? Just yesterday she was dancing around this house in flouncy dresses and shoes that clicked when she walked on uncarpeted surfaces. Wasn't that yesterday? In my mommy memory it was.

Ever the adventurer, my once little ballerina all grown up likes to celebrate her birthday anywhere but the usual. This year it was at a park, where we could grill our mains and bring sides to share. It was a gorgeous day! Perfect for being outside. Her fiancé made a seitan brisket the night before that turned out beautifully. They even found a delicious vegan cake from a local baker. Hubby made his popular potato salad that our daughter requested. I made Garlicky Chick'n Breasts in foil with vegetables and Cauliflower Salad. We also had vegan grilled sausage.

Garlicky Chick'n Breasts

Heavy duty aluminum foil 
Carrots, sliced thin
One onion, sliced thin  
1 T. basil  
Vegan mayonnaise  
6   garlic cloves, minced  
1/8 teaspoon pepper  
Two packages Gardein Chick'n Scallopini  

Tear off 8 squares of heavy duty foil and lay one on top of the other. In the middle of each square add some of the carrots and onion. Top with a still frozen piece of the chick'n scallopini. Mix together the mayonnaise (about 2 T.) with the basil, garlic and pepper. Slather a spoonful on the scallopini and fold the foil over the vegetables and scallopini, sealed to prevent dripping but loose enough to allow steaming. Place the packets over hot coals, flipping once, until heated through. Check one to ascertain doneness. Serve. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Salad

One package chopped frozen cauliflower (you can use a fresh head, just steam first)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 of an onion, sliced
1/2 t. oregano
2 T. white wine vinegar (mine ran out, so I substituted balsamic vinegar)
One large avocado, cubed
One can small black olives
2 pepperoncini peppers, chopped

Cook cauliflower according to package directions, or steam if using fresh. Saute in olive oil the onion, garlic and oregano. Place the cooked cauliflower in a large bowl and pour the sautéed vegetables over it. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and chill. Serve. Enjoy!

I think it would have been prettier with just the white wine vinegar, but the taste was still delicious!

My son gifted my daughter with his cleverness. Money folded into shirts. I have to share!

Black Bean and Kale Soup

Two things my youngest never tires of - black beans and kale. I knew making this soup would be a huge hit, and it was.

Black Bean and Kale Soup

Olive oil
One onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. rice (I used a brown and wild mix)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
One can diced tomatoes
1 t. cumin
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. paprika
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3 handfuls of chopped kale
4 c. vegetable broth
2 c. water

In a Dutch oven, sauté the onion, carrots and garlic until softened. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Seitanic Hash

When I gave birth to my first child years ago, my mom came up to stay with us. She did a lot of cooking for us, and shared many of her recipes. We weren't vegan at the time, but I still have all of those recipes, recorded on cards and filed in my recipe box. The beauty of them all were their simplicity.

One dish she made was hash. Hamburger and diced potatoes and onions, simmered in gravy. I've made similar, but this time around I did things a little differently. This is also a good dish to use up any leftover pot roast, like the one I made here.

Seitanic Hash

Leftover seitan pot roast, diced
Two large potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced
One onion, diced
1/2 t. fennel seed
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

In a large skillet, sauté the pot roast, potatoes, carrots and onion until vegetables begin to soften. Add the seasonings and stir to mix well. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking, and add a little water if necessary. Serve with slices of buttered bread. Enjoy!