What's For Dinner Tonight (Veggie Version)? (european, cumin, fennel, nutmeg)

[Xpat]

Last night we had the Seitanic Red and White Bean Jambalaya from Veganomicon - it was awesome! We made a triple batch so there are lots of leftovers...

[buni13]

RUDY'S VEGAN PAD THAI
My boyfriend came up with this recipe when we went vegan because we missed eating Pad Thai at restaurants (FYI, Thai restaurants use eggs and fish sauce). Original recipe and photos. Enjoy!!



[ INGREDIENTS ]

(1) Package rice noodles (16-18 oz.)
(1) Cup fresh bean sprouts
(1) small bag fresh snow peas
(1) Tbsp. tomato paste
(2) Tbsp. tamarind paste*
(2) Tbsp. vegetarian fish sauce (Nam Pla)*
(1) Tbsp. "Rooster Sauce" (Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce)**
(3) cloves garlic, minced or pressed
(2) tsp. red pepper flakes
(3) green onions, chopped
1/3 Cup peanuts, crushed
(1) 14 oz. Package Extra Firm tofu, cubed
1/2 Cup cilantro, chopped (half bunch)
vegetable oil for frying
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish
crushed peanuts for garnish
lime juice for garnish
__________________________________________________ ________

[ PREPARATION ]

• Cut tofu into small cubes (3/4 of an inch)

• In a saucepan, heat enough vegetable oil to fry tofu. Cook tofu until a dark golden brown. Remove from oil, drain on paper towel, set aside.

• While tofu is frying, prepare rice noodles according to instructions (see below). Then mix finished noodles with just enough vegetable oil to coat (so they won't stick later). Set aside.

• In a small bowl, dissolve tamarind paste in 1/2 cup warm water. Mix slightly– be sure to remove any hard seeds from the paste!

• In food processor, combine tamarind mixture, tomato paste, vegetarian fish sauce, garlic, salt and "rooster sauce." Process until sauce is evenly mixed.

• In a large frying pan or wok, heat 2-3 Tablespoons oil with the red pepper flakes. Add rice noodles, sauce mixture, green onions, tofu and most of the crushed peanuts. Stir constantly on high heat for 2-3 minutes, using tongs (decrease heat if rice noodles begin to stick). Add cilantro, snow peas and bean sprouts. Mix well. Remove pan from heat.

• Garnish with cilantro, a little lime juice and crushed peanuts. For a more authentic Thai dining experience, bring crushed peanuts, rooster sauce (chili garlic) and red pepper flakes to the table on a small tray. Diners can add these condiments to their taste preference.


__________________________________________________ ________

* You may not find these ingredients in your neighborhood grocery store– buy them online or free your behind and visit an Asian market! FYI– Rice noodles are inexpensive at Asian markets.

** add more "Rooster Sauce" (Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce) to achieve that "Authentic Thai Hot" flavor. You can now find this sauce in the Asian section of Wal-Mart's grocery department (some Asian markets carry it, but not always).

RICE NOODLE PREPARATION:
Bring enough water to a boil to cover the noodles (or you can use very hot tap water). Turn off heat and immerse rice noodles in hot water for 3-7 minutes until noodles are soft, cooked through but still firm and al dente, not mushy (check firmness frequently, as you would regular pasta). Rinse with cold water for 30 seconds and drain well.

STIR FRYING:
The secret to stir-frying is in the preparation. Since this is a quick method of cooking, it is vital to have all your ingredients prepared, chopped, diced or cubed ready next to your cooking area so that you can add them quickly and easily. Choose a wok or skillet large enough to accommodate your ingredients. Place it on high heat. Add 1 to 2 Tbs. vegetable oil. Swirl the oil in the wok to coat the surface. Heat the wok until the oil is hot (but not smoking), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. It is important to have the oil hot before you begin to stir-fry. Now you are ready to begin your recipe. Move the food around quickly, using a wok shovel or pancake turner to stir, toss, and fold. Do not overcook.

[plaidmom]

Tonight I made a vegetarian Caldo Verde (green soup) thickened with white beans, instead of potatoes, to bump the protein.

Served with a simple orzo-risotto topped with sauteed zuchinni, mushrooms and toasted pine nuts.

Kind of an odd mix of cuisines. Just trying to use stuff in the fridge/pantry.

[ylisa7]

Hello everyone. I am new to the WFDT veggie version. I am not a vegetarian but I could easily do without meat. I usually have at least 3 non meat meals a week so here I am for some new ideas. I love all kinds of beans but I don't know a lot of recipes. My DH just thinks I'm strange, lol.

Tonight I had Italian breaded and oven fried fresh zucchini from my garden. I only have one more zucchini for the season. I had a little pasta on the side with marinara sauce.

As you can see I am no gourmet so hopefully I can learn from you.

[f_m]

Originally Posted by younglisa7

Tonight I had Italian breaded and oven fried fresh zucchini from my garden. I only have one more zucchini for the season. I had a little pasta on the side with marinara sauce.

As you can see I am no gourmet so hopefully I can learn from you.

Sounds good, anything you can grow yourself tends to be very good. You might consider whole wheat pastas too.

Today I sauteed bell pepper slices (orange and yellow) with sliced white mushrooms, firm tofu pieces, and a cubed tomato. This was cooked in olive oil with pepper and oregano. I don't use much spice, so other people would probably prefer more spices.

[ylisa7]

Originally Posted by f_m

Sounds good, anything you can grow yourself tends to be very good. You might consider whole wheat pastas too.

Today I sauteed bell pepper slices (orange and yellow) with sliced white mushrooms, firm tofu pieces, and a cubed tomato. This was cooked in olive oil with pepper and oregano. I don't use much spice, so other people would probably prefer more spices.

I love whole wheat/whole grain pastas but hubby doesn't. Most of the time I cook 2 different meals but last night I cheated and gave in to his white pasta.

Your dinner sounds great. I have been on an oven roasted peppers, onions, and tomato kick. I'll have to try the mushrooms and maybe the tofu. I haven't had tofu in years.

[Wicked Felina]

Rudy's Vegan Pad Thai ----Bravo on this one! I love Asian food, just don't cook it that often.

plaidmom - the Caldo Verde dinner you made, who could not love that? Sounds like a dandy meal for informal dinners. Do you have your own personal recipe for it?

younglisa - I am completely impressed by your homestead. What a difference from when you first posted pics of it. So utterly gorgeous in that area - a beautiful world isn't it?

Sorry guys, I'm in my getting-back-in-shape mode, so my dinners, breakfasts and cooking are extremely limited to that which gives me all nutrition I need - not necessarily the tastiest food!!!

I'll get back to sharing dinner recipes fairly soon, instead of just reading about them! I am compiling quite a list of recipes to try. Winter is a big cooking time for me,summer I usually eat a lot of raw foods. Does anyone else tend to do that???

[ylisa7]

Originally Posted by Wicked Felina

Sorry guys, I'm in my getting-back-in-shape mode, so my dinners, breakfasts and cooking are extremely limited to that which gives me all nutrition I need - not necessarily the tastiest food!!!

I'll get back to sharing dinner recipes fairly soon, instead of just reading about them! I am compiling quite a list of recipes to try. Winter is a big cooking time for me,summer I usually eat a lot of raw foods. Does anyone else tend to do that???

I know all about the "getting back into shape" mode. Good luck. It's hard to make interesting meals while trying to limit calories. At least it is for me. Good luck to you.

Summer for me is usually a lot of salads and this year it was a lot of "zucchini". Winter I love soups and stews.

I found some new recipes that I want to try this week. Well maybe this week. It seems I clip and save more recipes then I will have time to make during my entire life, lol.

Tonight will be homemade veggie pizza. I am still in search of a good pizza dough. I make a different recipe every time.

I also have a batch of really good lentil stew/soup. It's too thick for soup but not quite a stew.

And later this week I want to try a new recipe for Carrot Zucchini burgers.

We'll see how I do, lol.

[BloomingArtist]

Spicy Broccoli and Cauliflower Bake

6 Cups combined broccoli and cauliflower florets
1 1/2 Cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 Cup sour cream
1 small can sliced black olives
1 small can diced green chile
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 C tortilla crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 2 1/2 quart casserole with cooking spray.
Pour 1 inch of water into a deep pot, bring to a boil and add broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook fo 5-6 minutes, or until crisp-tender, drain.
In a large bowl combine the cheese, sour cream, olives, and chile.
Fold the vegetables into the cheese mixture. Transfer to the casserole dish and spread out evenly.
Mix the butter with the tortilla crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes until the tortilla crumbs are browned, and the vegetables are heated thru and bubbly.

This is easy to change up by subbing different cheeses and add-ins...quick,easy, and good!

[Kele]

Potato and Broccoli Soup (dairy free for the vegans in the crowd)

6 medium size potatoes--peeled and cubed (sorry, just can't do potato skins--they taste like dirt to me no matter how much I scrub them)
1 medium size onion
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 head of broccoli (if you use any stems, be sure to peel first)
veggie broth to cover potatoes ( I use the O organics cartons)
Spices--I like sea salt, coarse ground pepper, rosemary, and a little bit of nutmeg

Saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil until the onions are transparent. Add diced potatoes, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add veggie broth until potatoes are covered (I add the entire carton and then fill the carton halfway with water, shake, and add to the pot)
Add spices and cook until potatoes are nearly soft. If liquid gets low, add more water and a veggie bullion cube.
Add the broccoli and cook the entire pot until the broccoli is tender but not mushy.

At this point, I then blend the soup in batches in the blender, leaving some chunks in the soup.

Pour it back into the pot and adjust spices.

I usually grate Gruyere cheese over the top before serving--but the soup is delicious without it. It's also creamy without adding dairy. Add a crusty bread and a salad. It's a tasty and warming meal for winter--the season that lasts for about 8 months here in Wyoming!