Vegan Shepherd's Pie (w/ Garlic-Basil Mashed Potatoes)

Every year, on St. Patrick's Day, we'd have Corned Beef and Cabbage. Since I stopped eating meat, I forgo the corned beef but still have the potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

This year, we decided to celebrate a day early and I was in charge of making the dinner, so I decided to change things up a bit and make a Shepherd's Pie, with a Garlic-Basil Mashed Potatoey Twist!

Meat and Veggie Mixture

1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
4 Carrots, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Small Orange Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Bag (frozen) Gardein Beefless Ground
2 Tbsp Annie's Naturals Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Dry Red Wine
1/2 Cup Water
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Sauce the onions, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic, with a little oil, until all the veggies are tender and start to brown a little then add tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Add the (frozen) beefless ground and stir/cook until thoroughly heated. Add worcestershire sauce, red wine and water. Cook for another 5-7 minutes so that the wine can reduce and the flavors can meld.

Transfer mixture to an oven-proof (glass, metal or aluminum) baking dish and spread evenly.

(I used a 11 3/4 x 9 3/8 x 2 5/16 aluminum roasting pan, since I was bringing it to my mom's house)

Mashed Potatoes

2.5 lbs Red Potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp Trader Joe's Reduced Fat Mayonnaise
1/4 - 1/2 Cup of Soy Milk (dependent on desired texture)
1 Large Clove of Garlic, minced
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Basil (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees.

Fill a large pot with cold water, salt and potatoes and  bring to a boil.

Cook potatoes for about 25 minutes, until soft, and then drain and rinse. Return them to the pot or another large bowl. Add mayonnaise, soymilk, garlic, garlic powder and basil - and mash until desired texture is reached - then season with salt and pepper.

Spoon potatoes on top of meat and veggie mixture and spread evenly. Rake with a fork and then place in the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes (or until the top starts to brown). Cut and serve.

(Tip: If you're bringing food to someone else's house to finish up, write the final cooking instructions on top of the container - it will make your life much easier)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sloppy Vegan Brats

Ever have those days where you're torn between wanting two different things for dinner, but just can't decided which one to choose? Why not have them both!

This is a 2-in-1 recipe combines "Sloppy Dave's" (which my boyfriend's version of Sloppy Joe's) and Viana Veggie Bratwurst. You can eat each component separately or all together - but it definitely tastes delicious if you pile it all on one roll. This may just be the ultimate comfort food!

Sloppy Vegan Brats

Veggie Bratwurst

3 Links of Viana Veggie Bratwurst
Water
2 Tbsp of Oil (We used Grapeseed)
(Sea) Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Pre-heat a medium-sized frying pan, over high heat, and add the bratwurst and about 1/4 inch of water. Roll the links around the pan and cook until water dissolves.

Once the water dissolves, add oil (and salt and pepper) to brown. To get a nice browning effect, be sure to keep the links moving - it should take around about 2 minutes to give them a nice, brownish skin..

Placed the cooked links to the side - you'll be using them in a bit. Onto Part 2....

Sloppy Dave's

Grapeseed Oil
1/2 Large Vidalia Onion, diced.
1 Small Red Pepper, diced.
3 Big Cloves of Garlic
1 12oz Bag of (frozen) Boca Crumbles
1 1/4 Cups of Hunts (Traditional) Tomato Sauce
Basil
Oregano
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Add a thin layer of oil to a pan and saute peppers and onions, salt & pepper, over med-high heat, until onions are slightly browned.

Stir in garlic and frozen Boca crumbles. Cook until crumbles are heated through - it should only take a few minutes. Add a little more salt & pepper and equal parts basil & oregano (to taste)

Lower heat, to medium, and add the tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly until everything is covered, with sauce, evenly.

Turn the heat off and let the pan sit on the stove while you move onto Part 3...

Garlic Bread

1/2 Stick of Vegan Butter
2 Small Cloves of Garlic, pressed.
1/2 Tbsp of Oregano
2 Long, Whole Wheat Sub Rolls

Melt the butter in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften, then add two (2) cloves of pressed garlic and oregano. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly on rolls. (Hint: Don't cut the rolls all the way through!)

Place buttered rolls, facedown, on a griddle pan (set to med-high heat). You can remove them from the pan when they're slightly browned around the edges.

The final step is to put the sandwich together! Place a link of the bratwurst, along the seam of the bread, spoon on a few spoonfuls of Sloppy Dave's, cut the sandwich in half and then dig in!

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it!

Grilled Cheddar Cheese

The awesome people at GO Veggie! sent me a few samples of their vegan products and over the weekend, we tried a few of them. Since I've made grilled cheese - many, many times before - I decided to test drive their cheese slices and I have to say that I definitely was not disappointed!

I know that this is a super simple recipe, but there may be someone out there who never thought to make it once they went vegan.

Grilled Cheddar Cheese




Earth Balance Vegan Butter
2 Slices of Bread
2 GO Veggie! Cheddar Flavor Rice Vegan Slices
Vegan Bacon Bits (Optional)

Spread a thin layer of butter on one-side of both slices of bread.

Pre-heat pan, over medium heat, place the bread (butter-side down) in the pan and cover each side with a slice of cheese.



Cover with a steel dome cover (or a piece of foil, tented in the middle to keep the cheese from sticking to it) and cook for about 3-5 minutes (until slightly browned).

(Optional) Sprinkle vegan bacon bits on each slice

Flip one piece of bread on top of the other piece, plate and then cut in half.



I almost didn't get a picture of the finished product because I was too busy chowing down on the melty deliciousness of it. :)

Cookbook Lottery #1 - Betty Crocker's Spicy (Vegan) Rice Patties

The first Cookbook Lottery Recipe is from Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

Spaghetti and Spicy Rice Balls (Pg 374)

This recipe was originally for "Spaghetti and Spicy Rice Balls" but, in typical Tracie fashion, I felt like changing things up a bit so instead of rice balls, I decided to make rice patties and forgo the spaghetti.

Betty Crocker's Spicy (Vegan) Rice Patties
(Makes 4 Patties)

1 Cup (uncooked) Carolina Brown Rice
1 Tbsp Osem "Chicken Style" Consomme
1/2 Cup Quaker Quick Oats
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1/4 Bread Crumbs (Italian Flavored)
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Ground Red Pepper (Cayenne)
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed mixed with water (to replace the egg called for in the original recipe)
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds (just dump in the bowl)
1/4 Cup Soy Milk
Wheat Germ
Cooking Oil

Cook rice as per the directions on the package. After you bring the water to a boil, stir in Osem consomme, then reduce to a simmer.

While the rice is cooking, mix together oats, onion, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, red pepper, flax and flax mixture. When the rice is done cooking, add the rice and soy milk to the mixture and mix until everything is well blended.

Divide mixture into four (4) sections, shape each section into a ball and then flatten to make a patty.

Coat a large plate (big enough to fit the patties) with wheat germ. Place the patties on the plate and then cover with more wheat germ until fully coated.

In a large frying pan, pour in about an inch of oil and heat it. (It's hot enough to use when you insert the handle of a wooden spoon and it starts to bubble around it.)

Place the patties in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for about 3 minutes. Cooking times may vary, so just keep on eye on them. When a nice light brown crust forms, they're finished.

Cover the large plate, that you used for the wheat germ, with a couple of paper towels and then place the patties on the plate. This will help to absorb any excess oil.

The patty tastes great on it's own but I'm sure it would taste awesome with a sauce on it as well.

Spoiler Alert! The next "Cookbook Lottery" recipe will be from the Veganomicon! Stay tuned!

Pat's Savory Stuffed Peppers

I credit my love of cooking to becoming vegan but even more so to my dad.

My dad, Pat, loved to cook; he'd cater all my parties, cook amazing dinners and every Sunday morning he'd make a huge breakfast- not because he had to, but because he loved to. Not surprisingly, one of his favorite Holidays was Thanksgiving, because he got to cook a huge meal for the people that he loved. Even after I told my parents that I decided to go vegan, they were extremely supportive. I would often find him on the computer, researching information, to make the stuff he cooked "Tracie Friendly".

Shortly after he retired, he started working for a Jewish Temple as a janitor. One day, they were looking for someone to cater a meeting. My dad mentioned that he could cook and, as it turned out, he did such an impressive job that - from that day, until the day he left - he catered most of their events. I remember him coming home and being all excited about all the new, kosher dishes that he concocted. His dream was to open his own catering business, and while that dream never came to fruition, cooking for the Temple was a good alternative for him.

Unfortunately, he passed away this past October. He may be gone, but his love of cooking will live on through me. :)

I decided to name this stuffed pepper recipe after my dad because, after all, I learned how to make these by watching him. It's been slightly modified and adapted, but the basic recipe is still his. ♥

Pat's Savory Stuffed Peppers
(Serves 2)

2 Large Peppers
1 Cup (dry) Rice [I used Royal Blend - Texmati White, Brown, Wild & Red but any kind will do.]
1 1/2 Tbsp Osem "Chicken Style" Consomme
1/2 Of an Onion
2 Cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 handfuls of baby spinach
2/3 Bag Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles
(1) 1.5 oz packet of Meat Loaf Seasoning (I used McCormick 30% Less Sodium Meat Loaf Seasoning Mix)
(2) 24 oz Jars Tomato Sauce (I used Francesco Rinaldi Tomato & Basil and Garden Vegetable)
GO Veggie! Grated Parmesan Style Topping (optional)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)




Cut the tops off and clean out two (2) large peppers.

Cook one (1) cup of (dry) rice according to directions on package. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 1/2 Tbsp of Consomme, stir and then cover.

While the rice is cooking, saute the onions, garlic, spinach in a pan until the spinach has almost wilted. Push mixture to one side of the pan and pour in 2/3 of a bag of Boca Crumbles until throughly heated. (The crumbles should only take a few minutes to heat.)

Once the rice is done, mix the rice, crumbles and the onion/garlic/spinach mixture together and add about 2/3 of the packet of Meat Loaf Seasoning. (You could actually use the entire packet if you'd like - I just happened to only use two-thirds)

Use a large spoon to fill the peppers with the mixture - make sure you fill them all the way to the top! Place the peppers in a sauce pan -with high sides - and then pour the two (2) jars of sauce so that they cover the peppers/pan evenly.

[Tip: Try to make sure that the pan small enough so that the two peppers fit snugly and it's deep enough so that you can almost cover the peppers fully. If you don't have enough sauce, you can fill one of the jars up with water and add that to the pan. Just make sure you mix the water & sauce together.]

Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

After pepper is plated, top with the extra sauce and sprinkle on some GO Veggie! Parmesan topping.

Tracie's Rad Red Curry

I was all set: I had drawn the name of a cookbook, picked a recipe and bought the ingredients but the problem was that when the time came to make it, I was really craving curry, so I decided to see if there was something else in the cookbook that I could use. Unfortunately, really jumped out at me, so I just decided to wing it.

At some point in the near future, the recipe that I had originally planned to do, will be done, but today, you get this!

Tracie's Rad Red Curry
(Makes 3-4 servings)

2 Bags Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice
1/2 an Onion
Mushrooms (use as many as you'd like)
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Thin Slices of Fresh Ginger
1-13.5 FL OZ Can of Coconut Milk (two are pictured but I only used one)
2 Cubes of Edward & Sons Red Curry Cubes
1-16 oz Bag of Japanese Vegetables
Ground TurmericTrue Lime
Salt & Pepper

Bring water to a boil and boil the two (2) bags of Jasmine Rice for 10 minutes.

Chop up about 1/2 of a medium-sized onion, mushrooms, two (2) garlic gloves, two (2) thin slices of ginger and a couple pinches of salt. Saute until the onions become clear and the mushrooms start to shrink.

To this mixture, add 1 (13.5 fl oz) can of coconut milk and two (2) cubes of curry and stir until curry cubes are completely dissolved. (You may need to press the cubes with a spoon a bit to help them dissolve faster). Remove from heat.

By this time, the rice should be done cooking. Drain the bags and pour rice into the curry sauce. Mix until all of the rice is coated.

Open the bag of Japanese Vegetables and pour them into the same pot that you used to cook the rice. Heat for about 5-7 minutes (or until vegetables are fully thawed and warm.)

When the vegetables are done, pour the rice/curry mixture over the vegetables and add a little turmeric, true lime and salt & pepper (to taste). Mix thoroughly.

The recipe should take under 30 minutes to make and the finished product should look like this :)

Tofu Vegetable Lasagna

My last attempt at lasagna didn't turn out so great, but I'm happy to say that this time around it was quite the success! It even tasted better when it was reheated a couple of days later.

Unfortunately, we started eating before I got the chance to get it ready for its close-up, so this picture will have to suffice.

Tofu Vegetable Lasagna
(8-10 Servings)

1 16 oz pkg firm tofu
1 large onion (chopped)
1 16 oz package mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
1 can mexicorn (mixed peppers & corn)
1 16 oz bag frozen broccoli, carrots, watercress (defrosted)
1/2 of a medium sized eggplant (optional)
1 box of oven ready lasagna
2 lg jars of tomato sauce
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach (defrosted)
4 or 5 plum tomatoes (sliced)

Seasonings (to taste): oregano, basil, dill, salt, pepper, old bay, chili, nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

If using (optional) eggplant: Peel and cut [4] slices of eggplant. Brush with olive oil, salt & pepper and place in oven for about 15 minutes (until slightly browned). Flip over and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Press and drain tofu. Crumble into a large bowl.

Saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic, on medium heat, until onions are translucent and mushrooms are cooked.

Add the can of mexicorn and the bag of broccoli, carrots & watercress to the bowl. Add seasonings to taste.

To assemble the lasagna:

Cover the bottom of a 13x9x3" pan with a layer of sauce.
Add a layer of [4] noodles
Add another layer of sauce (covering all the noodles)
Add half of the tofu/vegetable mixture
Add 4 slices of eggplant (optional)
Add another layer of [4] noodles
Add another layer of sauce
Add a layer of spinach (use all of it)
Add the rest of the tofu/vegetable mixture
Add another layer of [4] noodles
Add another layer of sauce
Cover the top with sliced plum tomatoes and then sprinkle nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.

Cover with foil and place onto a baking tray to avoid leakage. Cook for about an hour. Remove from the oven and let it sit on the counter for about 10-15 minutes. Serve.

If there is a lot of excess sauce on the sides, spoon it out before serving and place it in a bowl. It can be used to top off the lasagna or poured over leftovers for the next day. If you divide it into individual sized containers and freeze it, it makes for a great quick and easy lunch during the work week.

Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail

In my pre-vegan days I absolutely loved shrimp cocktail, so when I came across this recipe in the February 2012 issue of Bon Appetit, I knew that I needed to give it a try.

The results? It was okay. On its own, the cauliflower doesn't taste all that much like shrimp but when dipped in the cocktail sauce, it definitely helps add to the flavor. It may not be an exact replica, but at least it's a new spin on cauliflower! I'm excited to give other seasonings a try now.

Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail
(4 servings)

1/2 cup dry crab boil seasoning (Old Bay)
1/8 cup sea salt
1 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1.5 lemons, halved crosswise
1 head of cauliflower, cored, trimmed into 2" florets
Cocktail sauce

Combine crab boil, salt, onions, garlic, and 3 quarts water in a large pot. Squeeze juice from lemons into pot and add lemon halves. Set pot over high heat and bring liquid to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions, garlic, and lemons from broth; discard. Return liquid to a rolling boil.
   
Add cauliflower; turn off heat, cover pot tightly, and let stand until cauliflower is crisp-tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain; spread out cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Cauliflower can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Arrange room-temperature or chilled cauliflower on a platter with cocktail sauce for dipping.

The original recipe can be found here at Bon Appetit.com.

Super Simple Butternut Squash Pasta

I love pasta, but I get bored of the same old pasta with marinara or tomato sauce all the time, so I decided to try something different. This is what I came up with.

Super Simple Butternut Squash Pasta
Makes 2-3 servings

16 oz Pacific Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
6 oz (dry) Wacky Mac Veggie Spirals
2 tbsp Corn Starch (mixed w/ water to make it liquidy)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Cook pasta as specified on the bag.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 16 oz of soup in a pan and add in the liquid corn starch and stir until soup becomes thicker*. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper to taste.

Drain pasta and then add to the butternut squash sauce. Stir and serve.


*If the sauce isn't thick enough, just add another tablespoon of corn starch (w/water) to the mix until it reaches the thickness you want.

Cranberry Orange Relish

Hi everyone! I haven't abandoned Tracie Cooks, I've just taken a small hiatus. I do have a few new recipes to add and in honor of the holiday season, today I'm posting my mom's recipe for Cranberry Orange Relish. It's delicious, ridiculously simple and there's no cooking required!

"When I was growing up, my father always made home-made Cranberry-Orange Relish every Thanksgiving. Since he passed away, my husband and daughter have searched every store around to get the "right" kind of cranberry sauce for me (I cannot stand "jelly" cranberry sauce). This year, we got fresh cranberries and oranges and decided to recreate the sauce my father made!!! I was surprised that many of the on-line recipes had directions to "cook" ingredients. Well I made my father's version and to everyone's surprise, EVERYBODY liked it!!!! So here it is. Enjoy! ~Nancy"

Cranberry Orange Relish

1 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1 Large pit less orange
1 cup of sugar (add SLOWLY to taste) [Try Splenda or Equal for lower calories]

Wash cranberries and put them in a food processor. Zest some of the orange peel and then cut the orange into eights and put them into the food processor. Add sugar and then pulse the mixture until it's a relish-like consistency. That's all there is to it!

Note: I have a 14 cup food processor, so you may need to make two batches - add half the amount of cranberries and orange segments at one time - to fit into yours.

Easy Vegan Chili & Macaroni Salad

When I got home from work the other day, the last thing I wanted to do was cook but I also didn't feel like ordering out or heating up a pre-packaged meal, so I decided to give this a try. I was out with my cousin and she had suggested that I make this. It was so simple that I don't think I'll ever buy canned chili again.

Easy Vegan Chili
(Servings: About 3 - can be more less, depending on portion size)

1 - 15.5 oz Can of Light Kidney Beans (drained)
1 - 15.5 oz Can of Dark Kidney Beans (drained)
1 - 14.5 oz can of Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
1 packet  of McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix
2/3 Can of Water (using the Hunts can)
1 tbsp Flour

Portobello Pot Pie Turnovers with Roasted Radishes and Carrots

Watching the Food Network is dangerous. There's always something on there that looks so delicious that it just begs to be transformed into vegany goodness; this is one of those recipes. It may not be the healthiest of choices, but it sure is yummy - and who doesn't need some comfort food every once in a while?

Portobello Pot Pie Turnovers 
(Makes about 6 turnovers)

2 tbsp Butter (plus, a little extra, melted, to brush over the top of the pastry)
1 Onion, chopped
1 - 16 oz bag Baby Carrots, chopped (only chop 1/2 the bag)
2 Stalks of Celery, chopped
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp Dried Thyme
3 tbsp Flour
1/2 cup Dry White Wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 Cup Stock (I used 1 Cup warm Water mixed with 1 tbsp Osem Chicken Style Consomme)
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
5 oz Baby Bella (Portobello) Mushrooms (about 1/2 a container)
1 1/2 Sheets Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm puff pasty)

Spicy Tofu Bean Patty

Last night, I was in the mood for something spicy so I came up with this recipe. It has a little kick but it's not overpowering. It would work well as a burger, without a bun or even for breakfast (like a sausage).

Spicy Tofu Bean Patty

1 pkg Firm Tofu (frozen, then thawed)
1 Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans (15.5 oz)
1 tbsp Flax Seed

1 Onion
1 Stalk Celery
3 Medium Mushrooms
1 tbsp garlic

4 tbsp Medium Salsa
1 1/2 tbsp Hot Sauce

Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Basil
Dill
Thyme
Cinnamon (only a dash)

1 1/2 Cups Quick Oats

Saute onion, celery, mushrooms and garlic in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil until onions become translucent.

In a food processor, mix tofu, dark kidney beans and flax seed until well blended. Add onion, celery, mushroom and garlic mixture, blend some more.

Add a light layer of each spice (except cinnamon), covering the top of the mixture - one by one, pulsing in between each then add about 2 shakes of cinnamon.

Move the mixture to a bowl and then add quick oats and mash everything together with your hands.

Form mixture into balls and flatten (about the size of your palm). Spray the pan with cooking spray and cook over low-medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Once you realize how easy it is to make tortillas at home, you'll never buy those packaged ones again!

There have been many times that I bought an entire package of tortillas, only used 1 or 2 and had the rest of the package go to waste. With this recipe, you can adjust it to make more or less and it uses ingredients that most people already have handy around the house.

And just think of all the different variations you can make - garlic & herb, oregano & basil, cinnamon & sugar, etc. Let your imagination go wild!

Homemade Flour Tortillas
(Servings: About 2 Tortillas)

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Vegan Butter or Vegetable Shortening
1/4 tsp Salt* (optional)
2 tbsp of Water

In a bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add butter (shortening) and cut it in with a fork. Add water and mix. If you need more water, add only a little at a time. Add enough water so that the dough sticks together but isn't sticky to the touch.

Form into 2 balls and - one at a time, on a lightly floured surface - flatten with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out into a circle until very thin.

Pre-heat a dry skillet for about a minute over medium heat and then place tortilla on the skillet. Heat for 30-45 seconds or until bubbles start to form and the edges start to pull up a bit. Flip tortilla over and cook for another 20-30 seconds.

*For a less salty tortilla, salt can be left out of the recipe.

Modified from the recipe found on Sprinkled with Flour.

Pineapple Raisin Coconut Rice

Looking for a way to spice up some plain old brown rice? Give this a try!

Pineapple Raisin Coconut Rice

1 small to medium onion (diced)
2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 can (20 oz) Pineapple Chunks
1 1/2 cups Water
4 tbsp Raisins
1 tbsp curry
1 tsp turmeric
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive Oil (for sautéing)
2 1/2 tbsp of toasted coconut flakes*

Saute onions in a pan until clear.

Add brown rice, coconut milk, can of pineapple chunks (pineapple and juice), raisins, curry, tumeric, salt and pepper, water

Stir, bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes (or until the rice is cooked and there is no more liquid)

Add toasted coconut* and stir. Sprinkle some of top as a garnish if you like.

*To make toasted coconut - preheat over to 375 degrees and spread coconut flakes on a foil covered cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for about 5-7 minutes - or until coconut flakes are lightly browned.

"Pepperoni" Pizza

Why order a plain, non-cheese veggie pizza from a pizzeria when you can make this delicious, and ridiculously easy, version in about 20 minutes at home?

"Pepperoni" Pizza

1 Premade Whole Wheat Crust
1 Small Jar of Ragu Tomato Sauce
1 Box of Lightlife Smart Deli® Pepperoni
1 Bag of Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
Olive Oil (to brush the crust)

Preheat over to 375°F.

Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil.

Spoon sauce onto the crust and cover with a layer of pepperoni.

Cover the sauce and pepperoni, thoroughly, with mozzarella cheese and then add another layer of pepperoni to top it off.

Place on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for about 15-20 (or until the cheese gets melty and the crust is slightly browned.)

Note: If you can't find lightlife or daiya in your area, Yves Meatless Pepperoni and Tofutti Mozzarella Slices are good substitutes.

Servings: About 8 Slices (dependent on the size of the crust)

Split Chickpea Soup

Happy New Year, everyone! I did quite a bit of cooking over the holidays, but didn't have enough time to document anything, so I took a bit of a hiatus but now I'm back. And come bearing gifts of a new soup recipe!

Winter is the perfect time for soup and I've been on such a huge split pea soup kick lately, that I decided to come up with my own version, but with a bit of a variation.

Split Chickpea Soup

16 oz Bagged Beans (8 oz Split Peas / 8 oz Chick Peas)
6 Cups Water (Plus a few more cups - optional)
6 tsp Chicken Style Consomme (I used Osem)
1 Red Onion (chopped)
2 Stalks of Celery (chopped)
1 1/2 tsp Garlic (minced)
1 Bay leaf
Olive Oil (for sautéing)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
4qt stock pot (or sauce pan)

Rinse and drain the peas and chick peas and then set them aside.

Chop up the onion and the celery sticks. Pour a little olive oil in the pot and saute the onions over low to medium heat. After a few minutes, add in the celery and garlic and saute another couple of minutes.

Add the peas, chick peas and water to the pot. Stir to mix everything together and then bring the water to a boil. Add consomme - stir. Add the bay leaf.

Cover and turn heat down between low to medium so that the water stays at a simmer.

Let soup simmer for 1hr & 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and puree the soup using a food processor or blender. The soup should be really thick so once you pour it back into the pot, add 1-2 cups of hot water. Stir. If soup is still too thick, add more water until desired thickness is achieved.

Add salt & pepper. Serve.

Makes about 8-10  servings

(The longer the soup sits, the thicker it gets, so you can always thin the soup out by adding a bit of water to it before reheating it.)

Perfectly Golden Tofu

For the longest time, the proper way to cook tofu eluded me. Every method I tried never seemed to work; it was either not cooked enough, too dry, not flavorful or just a complete disaster. Then finally, one day I figured it out! This recipe has worked quite well for me, so hopefully it will help you if you've been trying to tackle the art of cooking tofu too!

Perfectly Golden Tofu

1 120z package of Extra Firm Tofu (I use House)
Oil
Your choice of seasoning (I used Adobo for this recipe but if you want something simple, you can also use just salt & pepper as well)
1 tbsp Garlic
1 tbsp Soy Sauce

1. Squeeze the water out of the tofu. Pat dry and then cube.
1. Pour a thin layer of oil into a skillet and spread tofu in the pan in a single layer.
2. Sprinkle seasoning (of your choice) lightly over the top of the tofu cubes and then cover and cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes (or until golden brown)
3. Flip the cubes over to cook the other side. Cover and cook for about another 5 minutes (or until that side is also golden brown)
4. Add about 1 tbsp of garlic and 1 tbsp of soy sauce and stir around to mix a bit and then cook for an additional minute.
5. Remove from heat and place tofu in a bowl (or plate) on a paper towel (or paper bag) to absorb any excess oil. Serve and enjoy!

You can also use the same basic recipe to make tofu steaks. Instead of cubing, just the block of tofu in half twice.

To give the tofu a more meaty texture, freeze tofu in the package and then defrost it a few hours before you're ready to use it. Be sure to remember to squeeze the water out of it before you cook it.

Quinoa con Calabacitas

This summer, I went to the June Shindig at Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties, NY. The day was filled with guest speakers, demonstrations, food and other fun stuff. The CAS Chef, Kevin Archer, did a few cooking demonstrations and gave out the recipes for the dishes he prepared.

They were all extremely tasty, but this dish (in particular) stuck with me. It was something different, delicious and seemed really easy to make. I'm going to a pot luck "Meet Up" tonight and figured that this was the perfect time to make it.

Quinoa con Calabacitas

2 Cups Quinoa, cooked
1 Onion
1 Zucchini
1 2/3 Cups Corn Kernels (frozen [but thawed] or fresh)
1 Avocado
1/3 Cup Lime Juice (or juice from 2 limes)
3 tbsp Cilantro, dried
3/4 tbsp Cumin, ground
3/4 tsp Sea Salt

1. Cook quinoa in a rice cooker. (3/4 Cups of quinoa w/ 1 1/2 Cups water) or you can cook the quinoa on the stove per the directions on package.
2. Dice the onion and zucchini.
3. In a large bowl, mix diced onions, zucchini and corn kernels.
4. Mash (or blend) avocado, lime juice, cilantro, cumin and sea salt to make a dressing. Combine with vegetables and then add cooked quinoa and mix well.

This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

(Yields about 4 Cups)

Caponata

I watch way too much of the Food Network.

On Saturday, I was watching "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and Anne Burrell made Caponata. I had just bought an eggplant the day before and was wondering what to do with it, so this recipe couldn't have come at a better time. It's basically an eggplant stew in tomato sauce. It looked fairly easy to make and I only had to pick up a few things, so I decided to make it on Sunday. In true Tracie fashion, I modified the recipe a bit but I don't think it changed the flavor all that much. I'd definitely make this again; it would be great to bring for a pot luck!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, peeled, alternating with 1-inch strips of skin left on, cut into 1-inch dice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Palm full of chili powder
3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1 red and 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup water
6oz tomato paste (small can)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup black olives
Palm full of dried mint leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.

Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and chili powder and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the olives and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Let cool and transfer the Caponata to a serving bowl. Serve by itself or over pasta, brown rice, quinoa, a bed of lettuce or bread (as an appetizer).

Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.

Serves: 6 - 8 People

Original Recipe found here at FoodNewtork.com