Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt and Mint

Cauliflower sometimes gets a bad wrap as being bland, and I won't lie, it does not pass muster as a mashed potato substitute. Not in this house! But I do enjoy it, generally, especially in salads.

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt and Mint

One head of cauliflower
3 or more garlic cloves, minced
1/2" piece of ginger, minced
2 T. oil
One container plain vegan yogurt
Several mint leaves

Chop the cauliflower into small pieces. Saute the garlic, ginger, and cauliflower in oil, but don't brown. You want to keep the cauliflower crunchy. Add to a bowl with the yogurt and the mint, and mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Ramen Cabbage Salad

I'm not a fan of ramen noodles, in general. I associate them with being sick. But uncooked, they add a nice crunch to salads.

Ramen Cabbage Salad

1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/4 c. slivered almonds
One package ramen noodles (you won't be using the seasoning packet)
2 T. butter
1/4 c. oil
3/4 c. white vinegar
2 t. soy sauce
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
One head of Napa cabbage
6 green onions

Toast the sesame seeds, almonds, and ramen noodles in butter in a skillet. Set aside. Combine the oil, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl and mix well. Chop the cabbage and green onions and place in a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and gently toss. Before serving, top with the nut and ramen mix. Enjoy!

Zoodles with Basil Tomato Sauce

I'm trying to incorporate more raw food into my diet. I have a dehydrator, but haven't braved it yet. But I did get a spiralizer last year and boy, do I love it! So much fun!

Zoodles with Basil Tomato Sauce

Zucchini, probably two per person (I used five; it's what I had at the time)
4 tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/4 c. fresh basil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Spiralize your zucchini into noodles. I peeled mine first, but you can do it with peel or no peel. Add the remaining ingredients to a food processor and whirl until chunky. Pour the sauce over the zucchini noodles and mix well. Serve. Enjoy!

Chickpea and Potato Curry

My husband doesn't care for Indian food. Too spicy for him. Admittedly, some of it is too spicy for me, too. This dish, however, is very mildly spiced and simply delicious!

Chickpea and Potato Curry

One onion, diced
3 potatoes, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. curry powder
1/4 t. cayenne
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
One can coconut milk
1/4 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. frozen green peas

Saute the onion in some oil until softened. Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, spices, coconut milk, and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are softened. Add the peas and cover, simmer about 5 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Kale, Carrot, and White Bean Soup

National Soup Day was the other day, so naturally I had to make a soup dish. Despite the fact that my daughter finds soup particularly boring, I can happily say I had no leftovers! My youngest devoured four bowls!

Kale, Carrot, and White Bean Soup

1 bunch of carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
4 c. vegetable broth (I use low sodium)
One can diced tomatoes
Several handfuls of kale, sliced and stems removed
1 T. basil
One can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

In a Dutch oven, add the carrots, broth, can of tomatoes, basil, and 2 c. of water, and bring to a boil. Add the kale and the beans, cover, and reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes. The time will vary based on how thin or thick you sliced the carrots. The soup is done when the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. Serve. Enjoy!

I found this needed no extra seasonings; it was delicious on its own. Experiment with seasonings, if you like. I might try different carrots next time, just for fun, like baby carrots or multicolored carrots. Either way, this is a soup I will make again.

Island Tofu

Like I said previously, I love tofu. It is the absolute most versatile ingredient and favorite meat substitute. I know some people, especially those new to plant based eating, who don't like it, and I can guarantee it's not the tofu, but the way it's prepared. Try this and you'll change your mind!

Island Tofu

1/2 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried marjoram
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. brown sugar
1/8 t. ground allspice
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, cut into rectangles or triangles
One green bell pepper, cut into strips
3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
One jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Two tomatoes, chopped
One can of pineapple chunks, about 1 c., drained
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
2 t. lime juice

Mix the cornstarch, thyme, marjoram, salt, cayenne, paprika, brown sugar, and allspice in a bowl. Coat the sliced tofu in the mixture thoroughly, and cook in oil over medium heat until a nice golden b brown. Set aside.
In the same skillet, saute the bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and jalapeno in oil until softened. Add the tomatoes, pineapple chunks, soy sauce, water, and lime juice and simmer until flavors blend.
To serve, spoon the mixture over the tofu. Enjoy!

Mushroom Stroganoff

Over the past year or so, I've been discovering wine. Previously the only stuff I would drink had to be sweet. But as I've gotten more experience, I enjoy a variety of dry wines. I like a glass with my meal, and often look for recipes that either complement the wine, or have wine listed as an ingredient. This is one of those.

Mushroom Stroganoff

1/2 c. dry white wine
One onion, diced
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
One package sliced mushrooms
1 T. paprika
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 T. whole wheat flour
2 c. non dairy milk
One can chopped black olives
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked pasta or rice of your choice

Saute the onion and garlic in the wine until the onion has softened. Add the mushrooms, paprika, soy sauce, Dijon and Worcestershire sauce until the mushrooms have darkened. In a separate small bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth, then add slowly to the vegetables. Simmer until the sauce has thickened somewhat, and add the olives. Heat through, and serve over the pasta. Enjoy!