Coconut and Curried Cauliflower by Katie Newell

I love this recipe.  I cook a little brown rice and smother it in this goodness!

Coconut and Curried Cauliflower
1 Head Cauliflower, cored and cut into bite sized florets (about 6 cups)
1 Diced Onion
1 can Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Golden Raisins
2 15-oz Cans Light Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Cashews
1/2 cup Cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Mild Curry Powder
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cardamom (1 tsp of ground ginger can be substituted if you can't find Cardamom)
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Organic Sugar
1/4 tsp Cayenne, if desired

1. Prepare your produce. Core cauliflower and cut into bite size florets. Dice one onion, and coarsely chop 1/4 cup cilantro leaves.

2. Prepare your seasonings. In a small bowl or ramekin, combine all ingredients listed under “seasonings”.

3. Rinse and drain 1 can of garbanzo beans.

4. Heat a large deep skillet or large pot (big enough to hold all of the ingredients) over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and heat for an additional 30 seconds, until oil shimmers.

5. Saute onion in oil for about 7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the seasonings and stir constantly for 2 minutes more, being mindful not to let the spices burn. Add cauliflower and saute an additional 3 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, raisins and chickpeas.

6. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir until thoroughly combined and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

7. Transfer contents of skillet to a serving bowl, and garnish with cashews and cilantro.

Servings: 6

This is one of my favorites.  Basmati rice is a fun little rice to use.

Basmati Rice with Grilled Vegetables & Pine Nuts
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 bulb fennel (anise), quartered
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 grated peel and juice of a lemon
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup chopped roma tomatoes or whole cherry tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
fresh ground pepper
salt or Bragg to taste
pine nuts for garnishing

1. Wash the rice then cook in a saucepan with 2 cups filtered water, covered, until done, about 35 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. If grilling on the barbecue, toss in olive oil, grill, then chop into bite-sized pieces. If sauteing, chop raw vegetables into bite-sized pieces and stir fry separately in 1 Tbsp olive oil each batch. If roasting, toss large or small chopped pieces in olive oil and roast until cooked and slightly charred. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking or burning.

3. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper, and salt or Bragg. When the vegetables are cooked, place the rice in a large bowl and top with veggies. Season with salt and pepper, add parsley and tomatoes, then pour on the dressing. Gently stir everything together with a large spoon or salad tongs. Taste and adjust seasonings, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature, topped with pine nuts.

Servings: 4

Delicious Vegan Hot Chocolate (allrecipes.com CYMBALINE)

I LOVE HOT CHOCOLATE!  Therefore, that was one of the things I was going to miss by changing my eating habits.  This is a tasty version of hot chocolate that almost makes me forget about my Ovaltine :)  Side thought...I love to heat almond milk and add Starbucks hot chocolate mix which does not contain any milk products.  I found the mix at Costco.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups soy milk
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Bring the soy milk, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and whisk until frothy. Serve immediately.

Basic Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sate ("The New Best Recipe" by the Editors of Cooks Ilustrated pg 226-227)

YUM!  This recipe made me feel super fancy.  The unsalted butter is substituted with soy butter.  We had a salad on the side and it was great!

Basic Polenta
6 cups water
Salt
1 1/2 cups medium cornmeal,  preferably stone-ground
3 tablespoons unsalted soy butter, cut into large chunks
Ground black pepper

1. Bring the water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once boiling, add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pour the cornmeal into the water in a very slow stream from a measuring cup, all the while stirring in a circular motion with a wooden spoon.

2. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover.  Cook, vigorously stirring the polenta once for about 10 seconds every 5 minutes and making sure to scrape clean the bottom and corners of the pot, until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth, about 30 minutes.  Stir in the butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sate
1/3 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup water 3 tablespoons unsalted soy butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 lb portobello mushrooms, stems discarded, caps halved and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 lb cremini mushrooms, stems discarded, caps wiped clean and halved
Salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground Pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 recipe basic polenta

1. Rinse the dried porcini mushrooms in a small strainer under cool running water; drain.  Add the mushrooms and water to a small microwave-safe bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in the plastic wrap with a paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds.  Let stand until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes.  Lift the mushrooms from the liquid with a fork and mince.  Pour the liquid through a small strainer lined with a coffee filter or a single sheet of paper towel set over a measuring cup.  Reserve the mushrooms and strained soaking liquid separately.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with the oil and the rosemary sprig in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Once the foaming subsides add the portobello and cremini mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have shed their liquid and the cut surfaces have browned, about 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and minced porcini.  Cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Remove and discard the rosemary, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and tent with foil to keep warm.

3. Return the pan to the stove and increase the heat to medium-high.  Add the porcini liquid and red wine to the skillet and scrape the pan bottom to loosen any browned bits.  Simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup, 6-8 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until completely incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Divide the polenta among individual bowls.  Divide the mushrooms among the bowls and drizzle a little sauce over each portion.  Serve immediately.

Vegan Black Bean Soup (allrecipes.com submitted by YCHRISTINE)

I made up this soup for the whole family and it is now a favorite with my 6 year old little girl and my husband.  This is fabulous with a side of polenta (made with soy butter, of course).

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 152 | Total Fat: 4.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Fresh

My cute friend Camee sent this along to me.  This looks fantastic!  I am definitely getting this cookbook.  I'll post again once I've made this.  YAY!

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Pleasantly surprised! (Asparagus, Cabbage and Potato Chowder)

Oh my!  Totally loved the soup I made tonight.  Don't judge it by the way it looks.  I left the peel on my carrots and added just a bit of salt at the end and it was perfect!

Asparagus, Cabbage and Potato Chowder: 500 Vegan Recipes by Celine Steen and Jobni Marie Newman, pg. 145
8 cups vegetable broth
1 lb red potatoes
1 lb peeled carrots, roughly chopped
12 oz asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 head cabbage, shredded

Add the broth, potatoes, carrots, asparagus, onion, and garlic to a Dutch oven or large-size soup pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.  Add the paprika, celery seed, dill, and nutritional yeast.  Stir.  Using an immersion or countertop blender, puree until almost smooth.  This soup tastes best with a bit of chunkiness.  Stir in the shredded cabbage and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

Yield: About 10 cups