Our Veggie Kitchen

Rice-A-Roni is delicious. It had always been a quick meal idea that everyone liked. So, maybe everyone liked it because a package has 3100 mg of salt. Sometimes you make sacrifices for convenience. The real problem is that I've only found one that's even vegetarian and I haven't found a single one that's vegan.

A few months ago, I found this recipe. And it sent me down a path that ended with a post today. First off, if I have a cooking albatross, it might be rice, so I always use jasmine or basmati. It took a few tries to get the right amount of broth and to get a consistent outcome. During that time, i decided that it took very little seasoning; just a little pepper and thyme and far less than a tablespoon of salt (yikes, Rice-a-roni folks). I added a sauteed onion and a little celery for crunch and I was done.

We have a new quick & tasty weeknight treat and it has less fat, way less salt and its 100% vegan. This time it's a 500 miles north of San Francisco treat!



Fried Rice and Vermicelli
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/2 cup angel hair pasta, broken into pieces
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I use chicken flavored)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until the onion is soft. Stir in the rice, pasta and garlic. Saute until the pasta begins to brown. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is done.

Note: for the angel hair pasta, it's easiest to take a small amount of pasta at a time and break it apart with your hands. You can also chop it with knife, which is more uniform, but it's messier. You'll be finding little pasta pieces in your kitchen for months.

5 Servings: 312 cal (6g fat, 57g carbs, 6g protein)

I think the Urud Dal is the most common dal used dal for dosas.  It's got a difficult to explain flavor that I often don't like.  But in these dosas, the flavor is more subtle and is perfectly paired with fenugreek seeds.  If you can't find fenugreek and urud, both available at an Asian or Indian grocery, you might try the moong dosa that I posted this week.  Also look at my dosa introduction for substitutes.  Serrano or other hot peppers make a nice addition blended into the batter also.  One or two won't be hot, but will add a little depth.



Urud Dal Dosa
1 1/4 cup white rice
1/2 cup urud dal
1/4 chana dal
1 tbs fenugreek seeds
3/4 tsp salt
6 tsp vegetable oil

Add beans, rice, fenugreek and lentils to a bowl. Add enough water to cover by a couple inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Add to a blender, along with the salt, and pour in just enough water to cover. Blend thoroughly, adding a little water, if necessary to keep the blender going. you should end up with a thin pancake batter. Leave on a counter to ferment for a few hours to a 24 hours, or not at all. I prefer the flavor after a few hours of fermentation. Once fermented, you can store in a refrigerator, but the fermentation won't completely stop.

To prepare, heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into a small dish. Dip a paper towel into the oil and coat the pan. Pour about half a cup of batter in the center of the pan. With the back of a large spoon, quickly spread the batter outward. The batter should thinly cover the pan. When the batter dries around the edges and air bubbles begin to form, dip the back of a clean spoon in oil and brush the dosa, paying attention to the edges. Flip the dosa and with your fingertips or a spatula, twist the dosa as it cooks. Remove and cook the next dosa.
Makes about 6 dosas.

I found this how-to video to be very helpful from Manjula's Kitchen.

12 Servings: 138 cal (3g fat, 24g carbs,5g protein)

A dosa is an Indian crepe made of a combination of pulses, lentils and rice. Moong Dal dosas have a more delicate flavor and more body than urud dal dosas and I found a greater variety in recipes ranging from mostly rice to mostly dals. After some testing, I added just enough rice to give the dosa a slightly crispy texture.

I filled these dosas with fried potatoes & onions and soy yogurt chutney.



Moong Dosa
1/2 cup mung beans
1/2 cup white rice
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp vegetable oil

Note: The original post had 3 tbs vegetable oil. This was a typo, 3 tsp should do.

Add beans, rice and lentils to a bowl. Ad enough water to cover by a couple inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Add to a blender, along with the salt, and pour in just enough water to cover. Blend thoroughly, adding a little water, if necessary to keep the blender going. you should end up with a thin pancake batter. Leave on a counter to ferment for a few hours to a 24 hours, or not at all. I prefer the flavor after a few hours of fermentation. Once fermented, you can store in a refrigerator, but the fermentation won't completely stop.

To prepare, heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into a small dish. Dip a paper towel into the oil and coat the pan. Pour about half a cup of batter in the center of the pan. With the back of a large spoon, quickly spread the batter outward. The batter should thinly cover the pan. When the batter dries around the edges and air bubbles begin to form, dip the back of a clean spoon in oil and brush the dosa, paying attention to the edges. Flip the dosa and with your fingertips or a spatula, twist the dosa as it cooks. Remove and cook the next dosa.
Makes about 6 dosas.

I found this how-to video to be very helpful from Manjula's Kitchen.

6 Servings: 109 cal (3g fat, 18g carbs,4g protein)

I grew up in a small agricultural town in Eastern Washington. It's the same town where, during my summer vacation, I couldn't find soy yogurt and had to beg the Thai restaurant for some Kaffir lime leaves. But what the town lacks in variety it makes up in quality. And the available Mexican cuisine was a definite strength. There were at least half a dozen distinctly different, and amazingly delicious restaurants scattered throughout town.

My favorite dish was a particular arroz con pollo that was so good, that, to this day, I can close my eyes, lean back, and still taste the sauce. It was chicken and mushrooms, simmered in a sofrito and poured over Spanish rice. It was heaven.

This was close. I posted the Chicken Seitan and the Sofrito last week and the Spanish Rice, a couple weeks prior. And I brought them together for this dish. I dusted the seitan with flour and pan fried it and when I added the sauce it turned into more of a gravy. Next time, I'll nix the flour. But still, this was a delicious and nostalgic treat.



Arroz con Pollo
1/2 recipe Spanish Rice
1 recipe sofrito
2 tbs vegetable oil
4 chicken flavored seitan cutlets
1 lb small mushrooms, halved
15 small corn tortillas

Make the soffrito and set aside. Make the Spanish Rice.

While the rice is cooking, Heat oil in a large saute pan set to medium-high. Pat the seitan cutlets dry and slice them into strips. Add them to the saute pan and fry, stirring occasionally until the strips begin to crisp in places. Remove and set aside.

Add the mushrooms and sofrito. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the mushrooms have softened. Add back the seitan strips and continue to simmer until the rice is finished cooking. Add a little water if necessary to thin the sauce.

To assemble, add a little rice and seitan/mushroom/sauce to each tortilla. Top with sour cream or guacamole if you wish. Eat over a plate with plenty of napkins. You'll need them.

5 Servings: 650 cal (17g fat, 90g carbs, 32g protein)

I've been working a Spanish Rice recipe for about a month, now. I got the flavor right a couple batches ago, but the water content continued to elude me. So, finally, I strained the tomato and just measured the liquid, then added additional broth. This batch turned out perfectly.



Spanish Rice
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded & chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
2 tomatoes, grated
1 lime, juiced
1 1/2 cup chicken flavored vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan set to medium high heat. Add the onion and pepper and saute until soft. Add the garlic, saute until fragrant then add the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes, lime juice and broth. Bring to a boil, stir in the rice. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4 Servings: 376 cal (6g fat, 73g carbs, 8g protein)

I participate in a sort of Iron Chef Competition on one of the cooking forums I visit. Last week's ingredient was mushrooms. So I went shopping with mushrooms on my mind and found a pound of Shiitake mushrooms for five bucks. They were thick and meaty and there was no way I could pass them up.

So this fried rice is the result of that discovery. Fried rice can be as simple as rice, frozen veggies and soy sauce, but I usually try to add a little extra flavor to the sauce. I usually add some combination of minced garlic, ginger and shallots, doused in sesame oil, then stir in some soy sauce, sherry and, sometimes, a little broth. I added bok choy for some crispiness and color.



Shiitake Fried Rice
1 1/2 cups white rice (5-6 cups cooked)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed & sliced (or see note)
1 purple onion, chopped
4 ribs bok choy, chopped (leaves sliced into ribbons)
1 can baby corn, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbs sherry
1/2 tbs sugar

For the rice, cook according to package directions and cool in the fridge, or use leftover rice. I frequently avoid this step and just used freshly cooked rice, but leftovers are better.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute just until it begins to glisten. Add the mushrooms and chopped bok choy ribs (not the leaves) and saute until the bok choy is cooked, but still crisp. Remove any thick veins from the bok choy leaves and slice into ribbons. Add the leaves and corn and stir together.

Push the veggies to the side. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the center of the pan and pour in the sesame oil. Stir in the center of pan until fragrant, then stir into the veggies. Add the rice and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Mix the sauce ingredients, then add to the rice. Remove from heat and serve.

Mushroom Note: Shiitake mushrooms are usually very expensive ($10+/lb). You can cut the cost by buying dried shiitakes and rehydrating them or by using a mixture of shiitake and button mushrooms. Try to use some, though. Shiitake mushrooms have a texture that is quite different from other mushrooms. Asian grocers are often much less expensive than other stores.

4 Servings: 451 cal (9g fat, 76g carbs, 15g protein)

The month is drawing to an end and I've got just a couple reminiscent posts from my blog's first month. This post draws upon my first sausage post: The Andouille. I make my sausages in large batches and keep them in the freezer. Over the last year, I've developed an Andouille Sausage, an Italian Sausage and a Beef-Flavored Frank.

So . . . my youngest had her 9th birthday slumber party this weekend. She had a very specific request for quiche, and my middle girl did most of the work, which left me with an uncommon occurrence. I had time to prepare a meal for adults that no child would have to touch. So I went to work with the trinity of cajun cooking (onions, celery & bell pepper) and some Andouille Sausages from the freezer. The result was this delicious bit of fire. The cayenne is optional, but is certainly pleasing if you like heat.



Cajun Mushrooms with Andouille
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 links Seitan Andouille, halved & chopped
1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbs Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional or to taste)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 small can coconut milk (5.5 oz)

Heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and bell pepper and cook until soft. Add the garlic, stir for a few seconds, then add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have given up their moisture. Add the Andouille and cook until heated through. Add the tomatoes, including juices, tomato sauce and spices. Bring to a boil, then add the coconut milk. Bring back to a boil and remove from the heat. Serve over rice.

4 Servings: 377 cal (21g fat, 31g carbs, 24g protein)

I knew I wanted to make veggie enchiladas. I knew I wanted a citrus flavor and I knew I didn't want beans. I also knew that I was trying out a new sauce. What I didn't know is how amazingly good these enchiladas would turn out!

I simmered some sweet potatoes and zucchini in a sweet and tangy citrus sauce, added in some brown rice and mango. The filling was good on its own was good and much of it didn't make it to the enchiladas. Luckily, I made more than I'd need. Then I rolled the filling up in tortillas and poured my SIL's California Chili Pepper Enchilada Sauce, which turned out to be a perfect complement to the filling. So Good.



Sweet & Citrus Veggie Enchiladas
10 flour tortillas or 20 small corn tortillas
1 recipe California Chili Enchilada Sauce
1 mango, diced
1 sweet potato, diced
1 red onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chunked
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups brown rice, cooked
Citrus Sauce:
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1 zest of one orange
2 oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced
1 tbs tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced

For the filling, combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside. Saute the onion in vegetable oil. Add the sweet potato and saute for a couple minutes, then pour the citrus sauce into the pan with the zucchini. Cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the cilantro, mango and brown rice and prepare to spoon the filling into the tortillas.

Add a few spoonfuls of enchilada sauce into a 9x13 casserole, just enough to cover. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into a pie dish For each tortilla, dip into the sauce and flip, so both sides are coated. Add 3-4 heaping tablespoons of filling. Wrap each tortilla and place tightly into the casserole. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until bubbling.

5 Servings: 569 Cal (12g fat, 105g carbs, 14g protein)

I made this for a change in repertoire of weeknight rice meals. My intention was to start the rice, then do the prep work, make the sauce and saute the veggies in time for the rice to start cooking. The pace was brisk, but I did it. I ended with a veggie laden rice dish with Alfredo overtones. Next time, I'll use brown rice. It'll give me an extra fifteen minutes and the texture would work better in this dish.



Creamy Spinach and Rice
1 1/2 cup jasmine or brown rice
12 tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb small button mushrooms
1/2 lb baby spinach, chopped
2 zucchini, chunked
plenty of cracked black pepper
salt to taste
Sauce:
1 tbs cornstarch
12 oz silken tofu
1/4 cup cashews, ground
1 tbs miso
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp nutmeg (see note)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

NOTE: 1/2 tsp of nutmeg will yield a strong nutmeg flavor. You may want to add 1/4 tsp and adjust with more to taste.

Add rice to boiling water, and cook according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, heat oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and mushrooms. Saute until the onions are soft (you should have time to chop the spinach while the onions saute). Add the spinach and cook until most of the liquid from the spinach and mushrooms has been cooked off. Add the garlic and zucchini, and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant, a minute or two. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice and sauce are completed.

While the spinach cooks, combine the sauce ingredients and blend thoroughly. Combine the vegetables with the sauce. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add the rice and stir to combine. Add salt and plenty of cracked black pepper to taste. Pepper will definitely enhance the flavor, so don't forget it.

4 Servings: 514 Cal (13g fat, 77g carbs, 22g protein)

I've been wanting to make these for a while but, for one reason or another, never got around to it. My middle girl loves enchiladas, but I thought these may be a bit spicy for her. I was wrong. She wolfed three enchiladas and had leftovers for lunch.



Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas
10 flour tortillas
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
8 oz spinach, chopped
1 can black beans
4 oz can olives
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups enchilada sauce (see below)

Saute the onion in vegetable oil. Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is thoroughly cooked. Add the black beans, olives, cooked rice and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. Add a few more spoonfuls of sauce into a 9x13 casserole, just enough to cover.

For each tortilla, add 3-4 heaping tablespoons of filling. Wrap each tortilla and place tightly into the casserole. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, until bubbling.

Note: The sauce for this recipe is very thick. If you like your enchiladas more saucy, add another cup of water to the sauce.

5 Servings: 569 cal (23g fat, 78g carbs, 16g protein)

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted. Truth is, I took some time off around Christmas and became very skilled at doing nothing. Eugene had snow for about a week and, here in the Great Wet Northwest, pretty well shuts things down. Then, my son got a new X-Box for Christmas. My wife got Soul Calibur IV. Needless to say, I became skilled at Soul Calibur.

In between being lazy and ... being lazy, I did do my fare share of cooking. I took a shot at tamales, for the first time ever. I played around with 'meat'balls. I played around with Spanakopita. And, I made Red Beans and Rice.

I've got a friend who grew up in New Orleans, so he knows what red beans and rice should taste like. Unfortunately, his recipe was of the "a little of this" variety. And I think that's how cajun cooking is meant to be. I did some playing around, made a couple of batches and came up with this.



New Orleans Red Beans
1 lb dried red beans
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbs vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
3 links Seitan Andouille (or other sausage), sliced

Soak the red beans overnight. Make sure the beans are somewhat fresh, not over a year in the pantry or they won't get creamy when you cook them (advised to me). Also, don't use the 'quick' method of softening beans--soak them in boiled water for a couple of hours. They won't get creamy (my experience). So, soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.

Saute the onions, celery and green pepper in oil until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and spices. Cook for another minute or so, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the beans and enough water to cover the beans. Stir in the Worcestershire Sauce and liquid smoke.

Bring to a medium boil. Cook the beans, uncovered, over a slow boil (more than a simmer) for 2-3 hours, or longer, stirring occasionally. If the beans get too thick, or dry out, add some more water. As the beans cook, they should break apart and begin to disintegrate into a thick, slightly soupy bean mixture. An hour before the beans are ready, stir in the sliced Andouille (or other sausage) or other 'sausage.' Remove bay leaves and serve over steamed rice.

My first vegetarian cookbook was the New Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen. The first recipe I made from that cookbook was something she called Gypsy Soup. It was a pretty simple chickpea soup, but it always seemed to hit the spot. This recipe is inspired by that soup. It's got a nice medley of flavors and textures and, once again, it really hit the spot.



Gypsy Rice
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cups cabbage, shredded (about 1/4 head)
15 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
3 oz tomato paste (1/2 can)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 shakes cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 cups water

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, cabbage, celery and garlic and cook until the cabbage has fully wilted and most of the liquid has been cooked off. Add the remaining ingredient and stir to combine, making sure the tomato paste is fully combined. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.

5 Servings: 376 cal (4g fat, 75g cars, 10g protein)

I did some research on 'rusut' and here's what I found out: Nothing! It's probably Croatian in origin and I always thought it meant 'rice.' It isn't, at least as far as I can tell. I asked my dad and he said the same thing. At this point I'm thinking it's either a dialect or the product of a lazy tongue.

This is an old family dish. One of those ethnic things that you ate, but no one else on your block has even heard of it? Originally, it was just a down and dirty, meat and rice, weeknight dinner. I made it last night with some seitan and, well . . ., it didn't translate. The rice is just as I remember, and that's a good thing, but I'm going to keep trying on the 'meat.' It's not bad, just not great. I think, next time, I'll omit the seitan and stir in some beans.

On a side note, I'm headed up to Washington this afternoon to release my boy into the wild. His grandpa is meeting me half way, in Centralia. So dinner will be some restaurant in a small town that I don't know with an ultra-picky eater. I know I can find something in Olympia (kinda the beginnings of Puget Sound,) but that's an extra hour, round trip. I may just settle for the realistic expectation of fries and ketchup. Ug

(Actually, that sigh was so debilitating, I didn't have the energy for punctuation)



Rusut
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz mushrooms (optional)
3 links seitan hamburger, diced
OR 1 or 2 cans of beans OR omit (we'll see)
1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon
1 tbs sugar
1 1/2 cups white rice
15 oz can tomato sauce
4 1/2 cups water

Saute the onion in olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the mushrooms release their liquid. Add the diced seitan and spices and stir until the sietan is warm. Add the rice, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the rice is done, about 20-25 minutes.

If you're using beans, stir them in at the end. The rice will cook them and they won't mush up.

5 Servings: 415 cal (8g fat, 66g carbs, 20g protein)

The sun is rapidly fading here in Eugene. I've been working hard to use all my basil before it withers and I've had a healthy Thai Basil plant that needed to be on my plate. I've been kicking some ideas around and invited a nice family of willing guinea pigs. We had taco fixins left over from yesterday, so I made no attempt to make our meal kid friendly. In the end, we had a nice meal of mostly good food and always good company. Here was my menu:



Thai Fried Rice - I'd made this before. I love it. It's a mixture of fried tofu, thai basil, cilantro, thai peppers and ginger. Not hot, but a nice warm treat.

Thai Sausage - I'd been reading about Thai street food and came across this. Originally cased and skewered, I decided to make patties. I've been eating it all weekend; on a bed of jasmine rice and doused in sweet chili sauce. One day soon, this will make a great hamburger, pot stickers too.

Thai Basil Pesto - I had high hopes for this. I blended cashews with lime juice, thai basil, cilantro, galangal (yum), Kafir Lime leaves (double yum)and birds eye chili peppers. I marinated it in tofu and baked it. . . I'm going to call this a work in progress.

Red Curry - Sweet potatoes and spinach in a red coconut curry. Pretty simple, pretty tasty, but, as you can see, it only barely looked edible. Probably the subject of a future post.

Not on vegan Thai cousine - Thai cooks are amazingly adept at concealing non-vegan food in their meals. Eggs are easy to spot, but sauces and pastes commonly have fish parts. Curry paste, especially red, usually (but not always) has shrimp paste, and fish sauce is in everything. I use Golden Mountain Sauce as a substitute for fish sauce. It has a more authentic Thai flavor and a bit of a fishy taste. Its worth getting. You may sub soy sauce instead, though.



Thai Sausage
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup cooked & chilled white rice
1/4 cup shallot, minced
1 tbs galangal (or ginger), minced
1 tbs lemongrass, minced
1 tbs green Thai birds-eye peppers
1 tbs garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Wet Ingredients:
3/4 cup cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbs Golden Mountain Sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

Mix the vital wheat gluten with the other dry ingredients. Make sure that they are thoroughly mixed and no lumps of rice remain. Use your fingers! Mix in the wet ingredients, adding a (very) little gluten or water to make a moist dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form into 15 small patties and fry in a large fry pan (or double batch) in a little oil, over medium-high heat until brown on both sides (about 10 minutes). Transfer patties to a 9 x 13 casserole, cover and bake for about 40 minutes, turning once. Test a patty to check consistency and cook more if necessary.

5 servings: 253 cal (7g fat, 19g carbs, 30g protein)

Thai Fried Rice
2 tbs vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs ginger, grated
1 tbs chopped red chilies
4 oz fried tofu, chopped small
3 cups jasmine rice
2 tbs golden mountain sauce
2 green onions
1 cup thai basil, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add garlic, ginger and chilies. Stir fry for a couple, until fragrant. Add the rice and toss well, breaking up any lumps. Add the golden mountain sauce and toss through with the green onions, tofu, thai basil and cilantro.

4 Servings: 335 cal (13g fat, 45g carbs, 10g protein)

I've been making this for a couple years and it is very good. Top it with slices of avocado, tomato and olives and maybe some sour cream or salsa. This recipe makes a lot, but makes for great left overs.



Black Beans and Rice with Cilantro Pesto
Cilantro Pesto:
1/2 cup unpacked fresh basil
1/2 cup unpacked fresh parsley
1 cup unpacked fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup almonds

Put the almonds in a blender and pulse to a meal, but not into powder. Toast the ground almonds in a dry frying pan, being careful not to burn. Mince the herbs and garlic and combine with the oil, lime juice, and almonds. Set aside.

Beans and Rice:
2 cups jasmine rice, uncooked (or 6 cups cooked)
3 cups cooked black beans (2 cans, drained)
1 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1 tbs cajun seasonings
a dash of cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1/4 cup cashews, roughly chopped (or pine nuts)

The rice can be either freshly cooked or left over. Fry the cashews in the margarine until it browns slightly. If using cold rice, add and fry until it is reheated, then add the beans. Otherwise, add the rice and beans and stir until the beans are heated through. Stir in the cajun seasoning, then the pesto. As always, this is kid-friendly mild!

Serve with piles of whatever: some combination of olives, tomatoes, avocado slices, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

6 servings: 460 cal (12g fat, 74g carbs, 14g protein)

The theme this week is fast. So I came home, sauteed some onions and peppers, threw in some this and that, added rice and simmered for 25 minutes. Before I knew it, my photographer and my budding thespian had wolfed their dinner and left for rehersal.

Did I say I'm not a photographer. In the absense of my wife's eye and ability, I was left with quantity over quality. I snapped about 20 pics and not a one came out, so I'll post what I have and beg for assistance in the future.

I made some Seitan Andouille this weekend with intentions of making Grandpa Pete's Quick and easy Jambalaya. It tasted great and, after a little prep, it comes together in 30 minutes.




Weeknight Jambalaya
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white rice
2 heaping tbs tomato paste (or ketchup)
2 tsp Better Than Boullion, veggie (or enough granules to make 2 cups broth)
1 recipe Seitan Andouille (or 1 lb Mock Kielbalsa)
4 1/2 cups water
several shakes cayenne (to taste)

Saute onions, celery and green peppers in oil until they begin to soften. Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Stir in tomato paste and broth concentrate or boullion and brown just for a moment. Stir in sausage, and rice, then add water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until the rice is done.

5 Servings: 521 cal (12g fat, 70g carbs, 35g protein)