thanksgiving is damn near tomorrow.

& here i go w/ the late macaroni and cheese post.

for the dairy eaters, for the wheat eaters, there's plenty. there are a million and one recipes. even some with, like, hot dogs in them.

but, the soy, dairy, and/ or gluten-free livers don't get a whole lot. of course, there's store bought mixes and frozen entrees. but what about thanksgiving and other major meals? what about the first major snow of the year, when you go buy all manner of crap so you can stay in and eat? that's what i'm getting into right now. a recipe, for those who are in deep need of mac & cheese that won't make them feel like the oddball out. or like they're destined to have tummy problems and/ or hives for indulging themselves.

karina of gluten-free goddess has a recipe for what she simply calls the best vegan mac & cheese. it looks amazing. i haven't tried it yet. cuz i'm lazy and would rather deal w/ the sinus headache of rice pasta drowned in regular ass cheese sauce.

also, heidi swanson has this spelt macaroni w/ cashew cheese that i've made before. with the right substitutions, this can be fully allergen free. the flavor is amazing.

happy cooking!

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.

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!

curried sweet potato soup: part 1.

the ingredients:

4 lbs sweet potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 medium yukon gold potatoes, skins on, boiled and diced
2 medium red bliss potatoes, skins on, boiled and diced
1 large red onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped (i leave the skins on; you don't have to)
1 shallot, diced
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsps olive oil
about 2 quarts of water or vegetable broth
curry powder
sea salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
garlic powder
fresh ginger, grated or sliced (to taste; ground ginger may be subbed)

combine shallot, garlic, onion, spices (all are to taste!), & olive oil in your stock pot.

cook until onions are translucent and the carrots are soft; add water or vegetable broth; bring to a rapid boil.

add all potatoes; lower the heat to a simmer.

cook for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

** at this point i decided i had to go to bed. next post: coconut milk, pureeing the soup, last-minute tweaking, and what happens when you add a dollop of honey.

UPDATE: i pureed the soup, added a bit more veggie broth to thin it out, and left the coconut milk out. it was deliciously amazing. :)

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.

fire roasted salsa.

tomato. shallot. green pepper. lime juice. salt. pepper. garlic.

4 roma tomatoes, rinsed
1 large green pepper, seeded and halved
1/2 shallot, diced
lime juice, to taste
salt, pepper, garlic (crushed or powder) to taste

roast the tomatoes, one at a time, on your stovetop. when the skin is blackened and almost peeling, remove. dice the tomatoes and set them aside in a bowl w/ salt, pepper, garlic and lime juice.
roast the green pepper and dice it.
add the shallot and pepper to tomatoes.

serve room temperature or chilled. enjoy with eggs, toast, as a side to some home fries, with a tofu scramble for breakfast. yesterday it served as a topping for a vegetable tamale, and WOW was it delicious. :D

black bean dip is the damn truth

how do i know? cuz i made some!

2 cans trader joe's cuban-style black beans
garlic powder, to taste (or crushed garlic to taste)
adobo, to taste
2 plum tomatoes


drain one can of beans. add it and one tomato to your blender or food processor.
dice the other tomato; set aside.
drain the other can of beans and mash them with a fork or potato masher.
combine the bean/tomato mix from the blender with the mashed beans; season the mixture to taste.
fold in the diced tomatoes
serve with chips, or use as a spread (i bet it's amazing w/ tvp or real chicken)

i'm a lightweight lush.

this cannot be denied.
i'm a teetotaler; a sipper of alcoholic beverages, if you will.

and, because of that, i'm always looking for new/ different ways to enjoy booze.

today's recipe is for something totally warm-weather inspired and awfully tasty: red wine sorbet.

3/4 cup raspberry sorbet
1/4 cup lemon sorbet
red wine (i used cabernet sauvignon) to taste

you can blend the ingredients in a blender if you'd like -- i was lazy and used a spoon inside the wine glass.

it's good.

i'm enjoying it despite having taken some allergy meds earlier today (i forgot!). . .

happy sippin!

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.

spicy mango fried rice.

i made the coconut forbidden rice about 2 weeks ago, & was looking for something to do w/ allllllll the leftover i had. so, i froze it & thought really hard about what would be suitable. it's tooooooo hot for soup, & i wasn't about to attempt much else (sweet sticky rice was out because of the ginger & garlic) beyond plain old coconut rice as a side dish. then i thought about it. i like mango & coconut outside of desserts.
so i came up w/ spicy mango fried rice! here goes nothing. all measurements are estimations, children...

2 cups coconut forbidden rice
1 cup trader joe's frozen mango chunks, thawed slightly and diced
2 small cloves (or one large clove) garlic, peeled & pressed
3/4 teaspoon pureed ginger
2 tbsps olive oil (or whichever oil you cook with -- butter or margarine would mess w/ the flavor)
ground ginger, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
onion powder (i didn't have a real onion), to taste
blk pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
chili powder, to taste

1) mix the diced mango & seasonings in a bowl; set aside. (i let mine sit for about 10 minutes or so before i started cooking, so the mango would get thoroughly spicy)
2) in a skillet or wok, heat the oil to its frying point.
3) add rice. stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
4) add fruit/ spice mixture. stir-fry for another 3 minutes or until the mango is tender.
5) remove from heat. serve.

i like my rice kinda crisp so i kinda overcooked it, then added the mango. i let the whole dish cool before tasting any of it. it was really good. i'm supposed to be sharing it w/ my homegirl but i genuinely don't see that happening. lol.

happy eating.

black bean burgers are my shit.

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

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

coconut forbidden rice.

this is my own variation on the recipe for purple jasmine coconut rice which i posted a few days ago, from 101 cookbooks. this was a complete stab in the dark, as i (a) didn't want cashews or shallots, & (b) had never cooked w/ forbidden rice ever in my life . . . i used heidi's measurements for the rice, coconut milk, water & salt.

2 cups forbidden (aka black) rice
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (i use the foco brand, which is hella cheap & thick as thick can be -- do NOT use lite. use regular, whichever brand. & please for the love of pete, don't use coconut creme.)
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 large clove of garlic, crushed (optional)

soak the rice in cold water for 45 minutes to an hour in the pot you'll be using to cook it. once the rice is finished soaking, drain & rinse it twice. add to the pot the water, sea salt & coconut milk. stir the mixture. place the pot over high heat, uncovered. bring rice to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. lower the flame to a low simmer. cook for about 20 minutes without stirring the rice or removing the lid. remove from heat. allow the rice to sit for 20 minutes (still covered). fluff the rice with a fork & serve with the garnish of your choice.

this was a really easy recipe.
i ended up adding about a half cup more coconut milk once i'd finished though; the taste wasn't quite right to me.

next time i'll try some shredded ginger . . .

are you lactose intolerant?

tryna lay off the cow juice?
are you looking for something more nutritive than regular old elbow macaroni?
do you love macaroni & cheese, but find it to be the kind of thing that'll ruin your insides as well as put you to sleep?

well, look no further. heidi swanson is looking out! i'm posting the link but will also come back w/ my own report on said recipe, along with any possible ingredient substitutions.

if any of you tries it first, please give me a shout & lemme know how it went. thanks!

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.