black bean soup.

i love black beans. this is not a secret. i love soup. also, not a secret. here's my black bean soup recipe.

ingredients:

1 bag goya dried black beans, pre-soaked, picked through, and rinsed

fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (i used about 1/3 cup)

3 leaves fresh culantro, chopped

2 white onions, diced

6 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped

black pepper, to taste

sea or kosher salt, to taste

water (about 3 cups)

white vinegar (1 capful)

hot sauce, to taste (optional)

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

olive oil

PRE-SOAKING THE BEANS

put the beans in a plastic container. add about 1/2 cup of vinegar. fill the container w/ cold water. your beans will need to soak about 24 hours in your fridge (or, if your kitchen is FREEZING the way mine is, they can stay out). how will you know they're soft enough? the dark purple liquid that will run off of them when you rinse. also, the beans will be soft enough to squeeze ever so slightly.

instructions:

in your stock pot, add all spices (except vinegar and hot sauce), olive oil, garlic, and onions. heat on medium-high heat until onions are translucent.

add rinsed beans to pot.

add water, vinegar, and hot sauce.

bring soup to a full boil, stirring occasionally (to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot).

reduce heat.

simmer for approximately 3 hours or until the beans reach your desired tenderness.

you may also add to this soup: chicken broth, veggie stock, or beef broth instead of water. you may also include bacon. because bacon is fucking delicious.

frittata for that ass.

see, i don't really eat eggs all like that. unless i have a vicious hangover. so, when i'm trying to figure out low-gluten or gluten-free breakfasts, i never think of omelets or anything of that nature. it's like: oatmeal, potatoes, turkey sausage, bacon, maybe leftovers from the night before. i never think about eggs. as a matter of fact, i only buy them if they're an ingredient in something. so, when i saw our fridge was home to 4.5 dozen eggs in anticipation of thanksgiving, i was like "eeeeeewww! what am i gonna do w/ all those eggs? how do i keep them from going bad? ACK!"

then, it dawned on me: make scrambled eggs for boothang every morning. but that really didn't work, cuz she never eats more than two at a time. & i didn't feel like making sweet potato latkes. so i thought, and thought, and while perusing thekitchn.com, it hit me: FRITTATA!

not that i think y'all care how i arrived at this. i'm being self-indulgent & a bit of a story telling jackass. time for the recipe.

ingredients:

1 dozen eggs, beaten

3 small yukon gold potatoes, sliced into thin rounds

olive oil

hot sauce, to taste (i use crystal) ** totally optional. not required. at all.

black pepper, to taste

sauteed vegetables (i mixed broccoli, spinach, and some onion marmalade)

3 cloves of garlic, pressed

a few pinches of sea salt

** there's no cheese in this recipe because we only had american and i don't count that mess for anything that isn't a cheesesteak or grilled cheese sandwich **

instructions:

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

add about 1 tablespoon coat the biggest oven-safe skillet you have (cast iron is my go-to, about 1 foot in diameter) with olive oil. heat oil; add potatoes and a pinch of salt. cook potatoes until they are soft, stirring often. remove potatoes from skillet and set aside. in the same skillet, warm broccoli, spinach, garlic & onion marmalade. remove vegetables from skillet and set aside. you will need to add more oil to the skillet. lower flame to medium-low, and with a paper towel (or a basting brush), lightly touch the entire inside of the pan with olive oil.

pour about half of your beaten eggs into the skillet. cook until the edges of the eggs begin to solidify. layer potatoes on top of the egg; cook for about 3 minutes or until you see more of the egg solidify. add the other vegetables and the rest of the egg. cook about 5 minutes at medium-high heat or until the top layer of egg is runny primarily at the middle. turn off flame, place skillet in oven.

bake for about 15 minutes (or until the egg is no longer runny). remove skillet from oven. with a butterknife flush against the inside wall of the skillet (between the frittata and skillet), turn the pan. keep going until you return to your original starting point (the easiest way to complete this is to start at the handle).

let the frittata cool for about ten minutes. with a steady, protected (THIS MEANS A REALLY STRONG OVEN MITT OR A DRY TOWEL) hand on both the bottom of the pan and the handle, turn the skillet over onto a large plate. (the frittata will be upside down.)

after the frittata cools, feel free to flip it right side up. slice in half, then quarters, followed by eighths.

serve with toast, breakfast meat or tofu scramble, or by itself.

reheats really well in the oven, and keeps pretty well in the fridge overnight. if you're serving this the day after preparing, the frittata can be a bit runny in the middle -- the reheating will take care of that. if possible, let the frittata get to room temperature before placing in oven. and, please do NOT put your cast iron in the fridge. add cheese before serving, if desired.

buen provecho!

tangy coconut lime soup.

so, i didn't feel like making a big, grand meal. & i had some leftover ingredients hanging out in the fridge. my basil (which i bought only a week ago!) was beginning to wilt. there were scallions boring holes in my very being every time i opened the crisper. and the pre-seasoned chicken thighs i'd cooked last tuesday were just sitting in their own juices. angry. neglected. unloved. so, i decided to make a soup. this soup is somewhat complicated, but all the way awesome. it's an all-day-long recipe.

ingredients and instructions are posted in the order of their addition to the soup. omit or add what you like, where you like, w/ the exception of the lime vegetable broth -- the addition of coconut milk really cuts its flavor.

lime vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, skinned, whole
6 scallions
4 celery stalks
6 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
juice of 1 lime
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
crushed red pepper (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tbsp ground thyme

olive oil

in a stockpot, add scallions, garlic, and olive oil. saute all until scallions become fragrant. add spices, carrots, celery, and water. bring to a boil. lower to a simmer; cook until carrots and celery are soft. remove celery, carrots & scallions. add coconut milk. bring to a full boil; lower to a simmer. add more seasoning & the juice of up to 3 more limes per your taste.

this is where the recipe gets all choose your adventure for folks. veggies/ vegans/ ppl w/ no desire to add meat: turn off the soup, add veggies of your choice. i like bell peppers, broccoli, sliced carrots, a diced onion.

for the meaties:

this is where i threw in some leftover bone-in, skin-on, seasoned really well chicken thighs. 3 of them. and all their drippings. i simmered everything until the meat fell off the bone. i then added more spices, turn the pot off, added broccoli, bell peppers, and mushrooms, and served w/ white rice.

serves as many as you want, depending on how much you make... or how many ppl you have to feed to begin with.

deliciousness unreal: black eyed pea salsa.

i think black eyed peas are awesome. after making & eating this salsa, you probably will, too.

ingredients:
1 big-ass can of black eyed peas (i use goya), drained & rinsed
1 bag frozen corn, thawed & drained
1 large green bell pepper, large dice
3 roma tomatoes, large dice
1 medium white onion, large dice
3 celery stalks, sliced horizontally (you can be fancy and dice if you want, i don't really care)
the juice of 1 lime
sea salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
crushed garlic, to taste
black pepper, to taste
olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) (optional)

combine spices, lime juice, onion, & celery in a bowl. mix enough to thoroughly coat the onion & celery. set aside for about 10 minutes. (during this time, you can finish any chopping or do the rinsing/ draining of the corn and black eyed peas)
add all other ingredients; mix gingerly, as the peas will be kind of soft & you don't wanna turn them into mush. chill the salsa or serve at room temperature.

this salsa is also absolutely fucking delicious when served as a soup, in chicken or veggie stock. jesus.

fried rice.

i like rice.
i am also kinda broke on the regular.
so, i make fried rice. like this. (as per usual, no actual recipe, just an ingredient list & room for modifications and substitutions)

ingredients:

2 cups of rice (i prefer brown, but it's not necessary), cooked (make sure it isn't sticky)
1 large white onion, diced (or 1/4 lb scallions, chopped)
carrots (three medium sized),cut into medallions about 1/4 inch thick
the juice of 1 lime
toasted sesame oil, to taste
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
garlic (about 2 tablespoons,minced)
3 medium sized chicken breasts marinated (optional)
olive oil

instructions:
cook chicken breasts in olive oil, salt, pepper & garlic. set aside to cool. cube the chicken once it cools.
in the same pan, add rice & carrots. cook on medium-heat for about 2 minutes. reduce heat. add scallions. add a splash or two of sesame oil. add lime juice. while the rice & veggies are cooking, season the mixture to your tastes. add chicken to rice by folding (don't stir, you may break the rice, & nobody really wants that). return to high heat. cook for about 5 minutes.

serve w/ as many or as few veggies as you like, with or without soy sauce, with tofu, red meat, or pork. it's up to you! just don't forget the lime juice. lol.

kale recipes abound!

look at this fabulous link: 20 kale recipes, all of which are easy to prepare (by my standards) and probably taste just as yummy as they want to.
enjoy!

(oh. i live in nyc now. i've been busy/ lazy/ my laptop is a piece of crap -- not a lot of blogging. some new food delights have come into my life, though, and i'll have to blog on them soon.)

awesome sauce.

no, really, that's what i call it. here's what it is:

1/2 can organic tomato paste

1 cup vegetable broth 

1 cup water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

black pepper, to taste

sea salt -- just a pinch!

a healthy squeeze (if you have a squeeze bottle) of honey

enough olive oil to coat the pan you're cooking in

add the olive oil, onion and spices. when the onions turn translucent, add everything else with the honey being last. stir. bring to a simmer. once the sauce reaches your desired consistency, remove it from heat. 

this sauce tastes excellent as a base for lamb stew (i added squash and zucchini to mine), would probably be great with steak or a vegetarian steak-like protein (mushrooms! holla!), and just makes my tastebuds dance like the brand new day scene in the wiz. 

enjoy!

super-green pesto!

if you know me, you know i love garlic and pepper. so, when you add basil and spinach to the mix, that's just cause for celebration. so, some time ago i made a LOT of basil-filled, spinach-tastic pesto and froze about half of it. because of the current economic climate, i've come to the conclusion that i must rely on my sense of creativity if i want to feel less like i'm eating the same thing over and over. i thawed the pesto out and was reminded that i should record my ingredients lest they be forgotten.

the recipe is loosey-goosey as there are no measurements (as per usual), so i say you do everything to taste and see what works for you.

baby spinach
frozen spinach (maybe 1/3 cup)
fresh basil (however much you like)
garlic ( a LOT)
pine nuts!
olive oil
salt
pepper
onion powder*

toast the pine nuts in olive oil; add basil, baby spinach, onion powder, salt and pepper. once the basil and baby spinach are slightly wilted, throw it all in a blender or food processor with frozen spinach. blend the ingredients. if the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water to change the consistency.

i had mine with rice noodles and chopped tomato. om nom nom.

eat up! leave your pesto ideas in the comments. cuz, you know, i believe strongly that 3949 people read this blog and have been waiting patiently for an update. :)

*you could probably use fresh onion, maybe half a shallot or something, but i didn't have any on hand.

mashed potatoes.

(what? in august? YES.)

i saw this recipe from heidi "i am secretly the devil because i want you to cook and eat all the time" swanson and had to try it for myself.

holy crap. it's delicious. my variations:

no scallions, just fried shallots
veggie broth instead of milk
garlic powder in addition to fresh garlic
a sprinkle of cayenne
smart balance instead of butter (it was all i had available)
no parmesan

it's awesome. i wanna add some more potatoes to it. such goodness.

getting ready for fall . . .

quorn porn.

quorn stir-fry. sort of. i hate the taste of most fake meats by themselves so enter the brilliant idea that spawned from my evil mind, inspired by omi's un-chicken salad recipe.


ingredients:
1 box quorn naked chik'n cutlets
3/4 cups water or veggie broth (about enough to cover the cutlets in a bowl)
1/4 cup bragg's liquid aminos, shoyu, soy sauce, or mushroom broth
1 large green pepper, seeded and sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 shallot, sliced
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
olive oil

instructions:
sit the frozen cutlets in the liquid mixture and seasonings; set aside to thaw for about 30 minutes or defrost in the microwave and set aside for about 15 minutes
lay the sliced pepper pieces across one gas stove burner. turn the flame on; blacken the pepper on both sides and set aside to cool (this process depends on how high your flame is; i recommend medium as your setting)
drain the liquid off of the cutlets (save it or trash it, it's up to you) and slice them widthwise into strips; place in a bowl
slice the roasted pepper into strips
add the olive oil to the trustiest skillet you own (mine is cast iron. act like you know!)
when the oil is hot, throw in the scallions, peppers, and sliced quorn
heat that mug to your desired brownness and/ or texture

** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS WHERE I DECIDED TO THROW MY SKILLET INTO THE OVEN TO GIVE THE QUORN THE LEGITIMATELY CHICKENY TEXTURE THAT I LOVE. DON'T DO THAT WITH YOUR NON-STICK JAWN. IT'LL IMPLODE. OR SOMETHING**

after you finish cooking, serve with rice or rice noodles or whatever you want. i served mine on a bun with spinach and fire-roasted veggie salsa on it. please see below:










what's that, you say?
yes, it's a white bun. it's a white onion bun, fresh from teixeira bakery (they get delivered to "ethnic" aka puerto rock-friendly supermarkets in the philly area).
fire roasted veggie salsa? i'll post the recipe later.
i just had to get this one on the blog before i forgot how i made it.

black eyed peas with brown jasmine rice

(i meant to make this post days ago, but i've had a series of internet issues that have resulted in my becoming comcast's bitch as opposed to verizon's or earthlink's again)

if you're a person from the african diaspora or live in the southern united states, you probably know about the new year's day tradition of eating black eyed peas & collards to bring in a new year of wealth & prosperity.

so, here's my recipe. late as hell (i forgot to publish it after adding photos) . . .

ingredients:

one 1-lb bag of goya frijoles caritas (it says in english somewhere on the bag, black eyed peas), soaked & rinsed
one carton of trader joe's vegetable broth
diced bell peppers (assorted colors)
olive oil
1 small red onion
sofrito
garlic, crushed (to taste)
salt, pepper, adobo & whatever spices you like (to taste)
bragg's liquid aminos (for the smoky taste)

instructions:

1) saute veggies & sofrito in olive oil, in the same stock pot you're going to cook the peas in.
2) once the onions are translucent, add veggie stock, braggs & spices.
3) add peas. bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4) cook the peas to your desired consistency.
5) serve with the rice of your choice. enjoy!

note: i cooked my brown jasmine rice with bay leaf. YUM.

the best veggie sandwich ever:

avocado, sliced thin
plum tomato
red onion
alfalfa sprouts
cucumber
trader joe's goddess dressing or other condiment
toasted whole wheat, rye, or other bread

arrange the sandwich according to your vegetable hierarchy. make sure both bread slices are adequately slathered in the condiment of your choice.
slice the sandwich in half, and serve with pickle, chips, soup, salad, popcorn, or other delicious item.

crispy eggplant w/ curried tomato sauce

(courtesy of omi)

an improvisation with yummy results. one of those "i can't believe it's (almost) vegan!" type deals.
all spices are to taste--if you want a truly curried sauce, use more powder. if you just want to hint at curry, use less.

1 medium eggplant or 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2" slices
3-4 whole tomatoes, diced (or 1 can whole tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce (probably 1/2 can if using canned tomatoes)
1 can coconut milk
1 medium or small red onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, peeled & diced (use appropriate substitution for powdered)
2-3 cloves garlic
1.5 cups jasmine rice*
egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1/2 cup water)**

olive oil
vegetable oil (optional--for frying i usually use a mix of soybean & olive oil)
kosher salt (optional)***
plain breadcrumbs
curry powder
sage
basil
thyme
bay leaves
salt & pepper
honey or vegan sweetening agent (approx. 1 tsp)


1. dice the onion, ginger, and garlic. season with curry powder, salt, pepper, sage, basil and thyme. set aside.
2. if using fresh tomatoes & tomato sauce, dice the tomatoes and set aside. if using canned tomatoes, you can open the can later.
3. cook rice according to package directions, adding a bay leaf. remove the leaf from the rice before serving.
4. time to fry the eggplant! heat about 1 cup olive and/or vegetable oil (enough to almost cover the eggplant slices) in a pan. the oil should be almost smoking before you add the eggplant.
5. pour the egg wash (or vegan version) into a dish. in a separate dish, pour out some breadcrumbs and stir in salt, pepper, and approx. 2 tsp curry powder. dip the eggplant slices in the wash, then the breadcrumbs. fry the eggplant until it's golden brown, about 3 min on each side. drain using paper towels and set aside.
6. reserve enough oil from eggplant frying to sautee your onion/ginger/garlic mixture (about 2 tbsp).
reheat the oil in the same pan (don't wash it! keep that flavor!) and sautee the mixture until onions are translucent.
7. reduce to medium heat and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a bay leaf. bring to a boil.
8. add coconut milk to taste, and adjust seasonings. if there is any bitterness, add honey SPARINGLY until it fades, stirring well after each addition.
reduce heat to simmer and cover. bring to a second boil (about 5-7min).
9. once sauce is boiling, taste again and adjust seasonings as needed. REMOVE THE BAY LEAF!
10. when you like the sauce, puree it in a blender or food processor until smooth.
11. make a bed of the jasmine rice, place several slices of eggplant on top, and pour the sauce over it all. enjoy!!

makes approx. 3-4 servings

*depends on how "indian" you want this to taste. you can probably use plain white or brown rice as well, but nothing tastes like jasmine rice cooked with bay leaves.
**or whatever vegan concoction makes breadcrumbs stick to food. :-)

***some ppl salt eggplant before using it. i find it doesn't matter, but you can try it.
after slicing the eggplant, put it in a colander with a plate underneath. layer the eggplant in the colander, sprinkling each layer with kosher salt. after about 30-60 minutes, the water will come out of the eggplant. pat dry with paper towels, brushing off any excess salt. cook as directed.

collard greens!

since it's about to be autumn, that means one thing to me: it won't be too hot to cook. i can actually warm my entire apartment by roasting some potatoes or making cornbread. most importantly, though:
i can prepare as many stockpots full of collard greens as i wish to. praise the lord & pass the hot sauce.
my greens are a mash-up of omi's recipe for collards & whatever i feel like the day i prepare them. i usually throw some sofrito into the pot, & have been known to squirt a lil lemon juice in (don't ask, it sounded good at the time & turned out great), also. anyway, here's my first photo contribution to the delicious ignorance blog:

veggies, sauteed & looking sexy:



collards in the pot!




simmering vegetable goodness...



the finished product:




i took these photos w/ my camera phone & am amazed that they turned out this good... lol.

black bean burgers are my shit.

apparently, i'm not alone in feeling that. :D

(found this link via blogs of note...)

portabellas!!

portabella mushroom caps, sliced
approx. 4tbs bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce
approx 4tbs vegetable broth
parsley
oregano
sage
a pinch of spike natural seasoning
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium sized onion or one small onion
olive oil
salt (to taste--between the spike & veggie broth you probably won't need it)
blk or cayenne pepper (to taste)

~arrange mushrooms in a single layer in a pie or casserole pan lightly
greased with olive oil
~add seasonings, let sit for 10-15 minutes or up to overnight
~place in broiler about 5 minutes or until mushrooms shrivel a bit & onions
are caramelized

enjoy with pasta, on sandwiches, as a "beefy" main dish, etc.

**if you want "steak", leave the caps whole (or only cut in 1/2), skip the
veggie broth and bragg's and use A-1 or another steak sauce as a marinade w/
the other seasonings.

thanks to omi for posting this.

recipes

sans swine collards

collard greens (or kale)

red bell pepper (optional)

veggie broth

spice blend

bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce

apple cider vinegar (small batch: 1.5 tbsp, larger batch 2 tbsp or to taste)

sea salt

basil

old bay seasoning

oregano

parsley

sage

thyme

cayenne pepper OR crushed red pepper (to taste)

black pepper (to taste)

1 clove fresh garlic or dried minced garlic to taste (approx. 1 tsp)

chopped onion (small batch: 1/2 med, large batch: 1 lg)

liquid smoke (optional....use (sparingly!!) if you want that "meaty", smoky taste)

instructions

• clean the greens, remove stems, and chop if desired
• combine all spices and minced onions in the bottom of the pot. stir well. if the smell reminds you of salad dressing, you're on the right track.
• add collards. pour veggie broth over the greens. the broth doesn't have to cover the greens. i would say 2-4" of liquid is enough: 2" for a smaller batch, up to 4" for a larger one.
  in a pinch, use water. if you do, use as little as possible & step up the seasoning accordingly.
• place over low heat for approximately 20min, stirring occasionally. once the collards have changed color and become tender (usually once the broth has come to a boil), turn off the flame and let them steam until tender.
• enjoy! (even better the next day! and they freeze well)

~~~~

classic 7up cake

ingredients

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3 cups sugar

2 TB vanilla extract**

5 eggs

3 cups flour

3/4 cup 7-Up (Sprite works just as well)

confectioner's sugar (optional)

directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cream butter and sugar for 20 minutes (time yourself. seriously.). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.
• Slowly add flour, a little bit at a time. Mix well.
• Take bowl off mixer & gradually fold in 7-Up with a spatula. Pour mixture into a lightly greased ring-shaped/bundt cake pan (it's a big cake) for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Let cool & sprinkle w/ confectioner's sugar, if desired.

**some recipes say to use lemon extract, but i think that's overkill, given the citrus flavor of the 7up. either way, use either lemon OR vanilla extract, not both. and i always, always use the real extracts, not imitation.

~~~

veggie lasagna

1 large eggplant or 2 medium sized eggplants

1 box frozen spinach or 1 small bag fresh spinach

1 16 oz container ricotta cheese

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese (2-3 cup size, depending on your preference. i usually use a 3 cup bag)

1 16oz can button mushrooms or 1 pint fresh mushrooms, sliced (your choice...portabellas are great)

1 box oven ready or traditional lasagna noodles

2 jars marinara sauce (suggestions: Five Brothers' "four cheese", trader joe's "caponata marinara", paul

newman's marinara)

1 red pepper (opt.)

1 green pepper (opt.

1 yellow pepper (opt.)

olive oil

kosher salt (opt.)

salt

pepper

oregano

parsley

basil

dash of minced garlic or 1/2 clove fresh garlic

parmesean cheese (optional)

directions

• heat oven to 350 degrees.
• slice eggplant about 1/2" thick. sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, place in a colander, and weigh down with a dinner plate. let it sit for 30min-1hour.*
• frozen spinach: cook spinach according to package directions (if you're using frozen), let cool to room temp.
  fresh spinach: take about 1/2 the bag and chop finely. mix with ricotta cheese. add salt, pepper, parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, and oregano to taste. stir well. refrigerate until time for layering.
• heat olive oil in pan (approx. 1 tbsp—enough to coat the pan, but not to pour). if using whole mushrooms, slice about 1/2" thick. if you're using peppers, chop finely. sauté mushrooms & peppers until heated through and tender, adding garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the pan Drain and set aside. reserve pan drippings for eggplant.
• if you salted the eggplant, blot dry with paper towels. sauté until tender...you don't have to fry them 'til they brown. add oil as needed, allowing it to heat before adding more eggplant. place eggplant slices between layers of paper towels to drain. set aside.
• coat bottom of lasagna pan with a thin layer of marinara sauce. add a layer of noodles (follow instructions on the box for oven ready noodles)
• spread ricotta/spinach mix over noodles. follow with a layer of peppers/mushrooms and eggplant.
• sprinkle mozzarella cheese over vegetables, then another thin layer of sauce. top with noodles. repeat. topmost layer should be (in order) noodles, sauce, mozzarella, and parmesean cheeses.
• cover lasagna with alumninum foil. bake for 45 min. uncover and bake for another 15-20 min or until cheese on top is golden brown.
• enjoy!!!

*i've found it doesn't make a difference whether you do this or not, but some folks think that if you don't, the eggplant will be bitter. *shrug*

**for vegans: soy mozzarella shreds bake well, unlike most vegan cheeses. i don't know if you can find soy ricotta. i use real cheese. adjust quantities depending on how large/dense you want the lasagna and the taste/texture of the brand of vegan cheese you're using.

**lazy ppl's version—I swear it works…& if you hate soggy eggplant, you might wanna try it. basically, don't cook a thing. Get sliced mushrooms. Slice the eggplant as instructed. Prepare the ricotta/spinach mixture as above. layer as follows:

sauce (bottom of pan)

noodles

(raw) eggplant

(raw) mushrooms

cheeses

sauce

noodles

etc.

to season, sprinkle a mix of parsley, oregano, basil, and black pepper over each layer of eggplant and mushrooms. use a little more sauce on each layer than you would with cooked veggies. Bake as directed.

~~~

vegan "crab" soup

adjust quantities depending on how much soup you want. you can even make (or buy) your favorite tomato-based veggie soup & just add a ton of Old Bay, the seasoned tofu, and seaweed.

prep time: about 1 hr-90min

ingredients
1 bag fresh/frozen mixed soup vegetables
spinach (optional; if using fresh, you want it coarsely chopped with longer stems removed.)
seaweed (optional...but adds "fish" flavor. wash/drain according to pkg directions)
1 red bell pepper(s)
1 small or medium onion OR onion powder to taste
1 16oz can tomato sauce or 1 small can of tomato paste
veggie broth
extra firm tofu (1lb for a large pot, 1/2 or 1/3lb for a smaller one)
2-3 tbsp Old Bay seasoning (http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?ID=6216)**
salt & pepper to taste
sage
thyme
parsley
cayenne pepper
spike natural seasoning (optional; http://www.amazon.com/Spike-All-Purpose-Seasoning-oz/dp/B0004LZD4I)
olive oil

directions
shred or mince the tofu so it resembles crabmeat. place in a bowl. add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, a pinch or two of spike, and some of the old bay seasoning (about 1 tsp). stir and set aside in refrigerator. if you have time, do this the day before.

pour a little olive oil in the bottom of your pot (barely enough to cover the bottom of the pot...1/2 tsp?). add frozen veggies (do not thaw), FROZEN spinach, bell peppers, onions, and spices. add vegetable broth to get your desired consistency (soup or stew?). use less broth for frozen veggies, more for fresh ones. add tomato sauce/paste, stir well.

let simmer over low medium heat, covered. bring to boil, stirring occasionally and adjusting spices if necessary. cook until vegetables are tender (fresh) or thawed and heated through (frozen).

remove the tofu from the refrigerator. it should smell something like tuna salad. dump it in the pot. if you're using FRESH spinach, add it when you add the tofu. bring to a second boil.

enjoy!

it's better the next day!


**in case you've never used old bay, it has a strong flavor. use it to taste, and go easy on the other peppers (cayenne & black) unless you want a really spicy soup.

many thanks to omi for these delicious recipes.

garlicky herby roasted potatoes

easy. cheap. relatively quick.

prep time: about 10 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

ingredients:

3-4 small-to-medium sized yukon gold potatoes, washed, cubed, skin on
garlic (fresh, minced, or granulated)
basil (fresh or dried)
parsley (fresh or dried)
onion powder, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
adobo (optional, but poor ppl use it constantly. broke bitches stand up!)
sriracha hot sauce, to taste
olive or canola oil (you can get ignorant & use bacon grease if you really want/ need to)

preheat oven to 350.
mix all ingredients in a bowl; transfer mixed ingredients to baking pan or sheet. cover potatoes w/ foil.
bake for about 20 minutes; check potatoes for tenderness. if they're ready, remove the pan from the oven & leave it covered until ready to serve.

** this recipe is ibs-friendly because the potatoes have the skin on, which adds fiber.
** this recipe is vegan/ vegetarian friendly.


happy eating,

lenée