Moussaka & Cheesecake! Yum!

Notes on the process
This was definitely one of our most successful first tries.  Neither of us had make moussaka before, and we weren't entirely sure how it would turn out.  Fortunately, it was awesome.  As noted in the ingredients, we used crushed tomatoes, and we also pureed some of the vegetables, which made the finished product come out at about the consistency of a very thick stew.  If you wanted it to turn out more like a lasagna type of thing, you could leave the veggies in pieces.

This is definitely slow food, so unless you're a multi-tasking kitchen alchemist, it's probably best to give yourself at least 1.5 hours of prep time.  We were also making cheesecake simultaneously, which required some of the same equipment.  It was a fun afternoon in the kitchen!  Here's what we did:

MOUSSAKA!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked lentils (we used red, buy any kind is fine)
5 medium potatoes, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
2 large portabella mushrooms (we pureed ours with the eggplant, but you could used them sliced also)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 400g can tomatoes (we chose crushed - if you use whole or diced, the finished product would be more structurally sound)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. greek oregano
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 package vegan-rella
salt and pepper

White sauce!

1 1/4 c. rice or soy milk
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. corn starch
1  tbsp. basil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. oregano
egg replacer
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.

Step 1: Put the lentils on to cook - 1/2 cup dry makes 1 cup cooked.  1 cup water with 1/2 cup dry lentils, bring to a boil, stir in a pinch of salt and some oil, then turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 2: While the lentils are on, prepare the eggplant.  Peel and slice into small chunks.  Baste with a bit of olive oil, then place in the oven on a non-stick pan and roast for about 30 minutes until soft.

Step 3: Next, the potatoes!  It's not necessary to peel, just give the skins a good scrubbing, then slice into thin rings - these will be used as top layer of the moussaka.  Cover the rings with water and boil for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet.  Slice the onions, garlic and mushrooms (leave the mushrooms out if you're going to puree them) and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the lentils, tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, stir well and remove from heat.

Step 5 (optional): Remove the eggplant from the oven, and using a food processor, puree the eggplant with the mushrooms and a little bit of olive oil.

Step 6: Start assembling the moussaka!  We used a 9x13 baking dish, but if you leave all of the veggies intact, you could probably used a 9x9 dish.  First add the lentil/tomato mixture and spread evenly.  Then add the mushrooms and eggplant and top off with the potato slices.  If you pureed the mushrooms/eggplant, it's easier to add the potatoes first, then spread the puree over top of them.

Step 7: Grate the vegan-rella and spread evenly over the top.

Step 8: Make the sauce!  Slowly bring the rice/soy milk to a boil and stir in the spices, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Mix the olive oil and corn starch together to make a paste with no lumps, then whisk in to the sauce.  Finally, add the egg replacer - 1 egg's worth, according to package directions.  Then take off of the heat and stir until everything begins to thicken up.  Pour the sauce over top of the rest of the moussaka and then chuck it in the oven.

Step 9: Bake at 400F for 45 minutes.  Cover for the first 30, then remove the cover for the last 15 minutes of baking.  Let it cool for 10 minutes, then serve with fresh pita and hummus!

Step 10:  OM NOM NOM NOM!!!


Once you've finished that off, time for dessert!  We made ourselves a yummy "cheese"cake - no baking required.  We wussed out on the crust and used oreo crumbs and margarine, but if you're ambitious, here's a crust recipe that we've tried and loved from before:

Ingredients!

Crust
1 3/4 cups raw, unsalted nuts (almonds work well for this)
1/2 c. cocoa nibs
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cherry or vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cocoa
3/4 c. raisins

Filling
3 cups raw unsalted cashews
1/3 cup agave syrup
6 pitted dates
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. coconut oil
3/4 c. cocoa powder

Step 1: The crust!  If you're not lazy like us, grind the nuts, cocoa nibs (or just regular chocolate chips) and salt in a food processor until coarse.  Add vanilla extract and cocoa and pulse until thoroughly combined.  Add the raisins and pulse some more until blended and the mixture sticks together when you pinch it.  Press into the bottom of an 8-9 inch spring form pan, or just a regular tin pie plate, and put in the freezer while the filling gets made.

Step 2:  Soak the cashews in warm water for 1-2 hours and drain.

Step 3: Put the cashews, agave, dates, lemon juice and water in the food processor and blend until it's creamy.  Use a spatula to scrape down the sides to make sure you don't leave any chunks.

Step 4: Add the cherry/vanilla extract, coconut oil and cocoa powder, and continue processing until it's nice and smooth.  Pour the filling into the pan with the crust and put it back in the freezer for an hour to set.

Step 5: Remove from freezer and thaw until it's easy to slice - about half an hour.

Step 6:  Om nom nom nom...

Summer Heat!

Talk about inconsistency.  We're like the Oilers.  Hot streak for a few weeks, then nothin' doin' for 3 months.  That's pretty bad.  Well, here to make up for it, I have a recipe for the most delicious Southwest style Mexican soup.  This goes extremely well with cornbread, and all the other usual Mexi-fixin's - tortilla chips, guacamole and all the rest.  As with all soups, the longer you let it simmer before serving the better it'll taste, so give yourself a couple of hours at least before serving.

Ingredients!

6 c. veggie stock 
 1 c. crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 c. black beans*
1 c. frozen kernel corn
1 med. onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1 each of fresh anaheim, chili and banana peppers, minced
1 med. green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

6-8 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 dash liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. basil
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. corn starch

Procedure!

Step 1. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil until aromatic.  Add onion, hot peppers, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

Step 2. Add crushed tomatoes, lime juice and all the spices/seasonings.  Saute with veggies for another 5 minutes.

Step 3. Add the stock, beans and corn and bring everything to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and leave to simmer for 1-2 hours.

Step 4. Whisk together 1/4 c. olive oil and 1/4 c. corn starch until there are no lumps.  Bring the soup back to a boil, stir in the mixture, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

Step 5.  Garnish with cilantro, parsley or fresh dill.

Step 6.  Nom nom nom nom.

 This is one of the tastiest soups ever.  Adjust spices according to your own tastes.  The measurements given here yield a soup that is a bit spicier than your average medium salsa.

*Canned beans are fine, but as always, freshly prepared beans from dry are best.  To prepare black beans, soak 1 c. dry beans in 3 c. water overnight.  Drain, rinse, then cover the beans and bring to a boil.  Drain and rinse once more, then bring back to a boil in 3 c. salted water.  Reduce heat to min. and simmer for 1 hour, then drain and add to the soup.

Unstirfry with Cauliflower Rice

A new friend lent me some cookbooks, so hopefully we will have many recipes to post in the next few weeks!

Until then, here is a recipe we tried out a little while ago. The recipe is raw (although we had to substitute a few non-raw ingredients.) I like the idea behind eating raw foods, and whole foods in general, although my love for warmth keeps me from going raw. Maybe if I lived in a warmer climate, like Hawaii, but for now, I'll stick with my cooked food, thank you!

This recipe is from "Vegan Fusion", with a few changes.

2 1/2 cups chopped red cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1/2 cup julienned snow peas
1 cup thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
3/4 cup cashews

Dressing

1/2 cup sesame oil
3 TBS agave nectar or pure maple syrup
2 TBS umeboshi plum vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar
3 TBS Nama Shoyu **
1 small kaffir lime leaf, or zest of 1 lime
1 (1/2″-inch piece) peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove
1 TBS dehydrated onion flakes
1 tsp seeded and diced Thai chile or jalopeno
1 TBS tamarind paste

Cauliflower “Rice”
4 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup macadamia or pine nuts
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 TBS dehydrated onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. Combine all of the vegetable medley ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Add to the vegetable medley and toss well.
2. Prepare the cauliflower rice by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse-chopping until a smooth but textured consistency is reached. Do not over-process or it will get too mushy.
3. Serve the vegetable medley on a bed of cauliflower rice

** We didn't have Nama Shoyu, plus I can't have soy anyway, so we used BBQ sauce. This is our non-raw substitution.

This salad was delicious! I was a huge fan of the cauliflower rice... I think it would be a perfect thing to bring on a picnic, and eat lying in the sun. The recipe says that if you want softer veggies, you can leave them in the sun for about 30 - 45 minutes, stirring them occasionally.

I'd really like to try and lose some weight. I'm already down to my pre-pregnancy weight (and have been for a while), but I would like to try and get into better shape for the summer. I have some pretty bad eating habits, such as skipping breakfast, and eating big meals late at night. I don't really have much more to say on this subject, but I figure that now that it's out on the internet, it'll be harder for me to give up on it and slack off! Now all you readers can get on my back when you see me eating entire cakes. Only half the cake from now on! 

Roasted Squash Manicotti

I know, I know, it's been forever since I've updated this blog. This is how it always happens - we get off to a good start, and then life just takes over!

We've been so busy that we haven't been doing a lot of cooking lately. It's been mostly quick things, like stirfrys or burritos that really don't have a recipe. It's hard to find the time - or the enthusiasm - to make a real meal! But we had some family over a few weeks ago, and this is what we made to feed the masses! (Okay, six people).

This recipe takes quite a while, but you can prepare the filling earlier in the day, or even the day before, and just stick it in the fridge until you need it. 

INGREDIENTS

- 2 lbs roasted winter squash (we used butternut and mystery squash..)

- olive oil

- salt

- 1 cup walnuts

- 1 head of elephant garlic

- 1 tbsp sage

- salt and pepper to taste

- 8 manicotti shells

- alfredo sauce* 

-1 package vegan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss squash and pumpkin in a bit of olive oil and salt. Roast in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Roast garlic head at the same time, for about 15 mins, until soft. Allow squash to cool. Roast walnuts on a cookie sheet for 6 mins, turning after 3 mins. Allow to cool. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

2. Mash squash and the head of garlic with a fork. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. Mix into the squash mixture along with the sage and the grated "cheese". Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Cook manicotti shells for 4 minutes in boiling water. Drain, and stuff with squash filling. (We found it was easiest to just use our hands to stuff the manicotti.) Place in a large baking dish and cover with Alfredo sauce. Cover dish and bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 minutes. 

 

I need to remember to photograph first, eat later.

* Here is the recipe we used for the alfredo sauce. It was just kind of improvised, you could try a lot of different recipes
-3 C. rice milk
-1/4 C. corn starch, mixed with 1/4 C. oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
-1 Tbsp. dried basil
-pinch cumin, sage, thyme each

1. Bring  rice milk and spices to a boil, stir in oil and corn starch mix, and then reduce heat. Let simmer until ready to use, whisking often.  
So delicious! John's mom brought a butternut squash soup, so we had that as a side, as well as some roasted asparagus! It was a hit with everyone. 

R

                                                                Rowan loves the soup! And messes!

Macaroni and Cheese!

We all like to eat healthy. But, sometimes, when you've been taking care of a sick baby all week, when you're sick yourself, when winter just won't get the hint and leave...you need something more than salad. You need CARBS! Lots of carbs! But still cruelty-free carbs.

Ingredients:
- 450 g. elbow pasta (whole-wheat or spelt)

- 1 C. nutritional yeast
- 4 Tbsp. flour
- 2 C. rice milk
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp. mustard powder
- pepper, to taste

- 1 C. bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

- 1/4 C. chopped onion
- 1 C. frozen peas

Step 1: Boil water, preheat oven to 350F.
Step 2: Start cooking pasta! But don't cook all the way. Cook maybe 80% of the way.
Step 3: Add middle section of ingredients (nutritional yeast to pepper) in a large saucepan and mix together. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Add partially cooked pasta to oven-safe casserole dish. Add nutritional yeast "cheese". Mix in those peas! Top with bread crumbs, garlic powder, and onions.
Step 5: Bake in oven for approx 20 min.

You will probably want to serve this with a big serving of some delicious steamed vegetables, like cauliflower. Just to show that you haven't given up the whole health food thing COMPLETELY.

We didn't take any photos, because we were all too busy eating.

John's Ridiculously Tasty Chili

While I'm not usually one to toot my own horn, I have to say that I have both made and eaten a few chilies in my day, and this one is most certainly one of the very best.  It takes a bit of work, but the finished product is well worth the time.  And it makes enough to feed several people for a couple of days.  The outcome is moderately spicy, so feel free to add or subtract to taste if you prefer it hotter or milder.  Without further ado, here's what I'd take to the cookoff:

The Chili!

Ingredients:

2 C. kidney beans*
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 large potatoes, skin on, scrubbed and cubed
1 C. corn
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 small-medium onion, chopped
500mL crushed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 can of flat dark beer (leave open in the fridge overnight)
1 C. lentils
4 C. veggie stock

  - Seasonings:

1 Tbsp basil
3 dashes tobasco
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 dash liquid smoke
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. coriander seed
3 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

If you're preparing the beans from dry, see below.

1. In a large pot, heat the oil at medium heat, then saute the onion, celery, zucchini and pepper for 5 minutes.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes and all of the spices and seasonings.  Stir thoroughly.
3. Add the stock and beer to the pot and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils, beans, corn and potatoes, stir, and reduce heat slightly to a simmer.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour.

*It's okay to use canned beans, but it will turn out better if you cook them from dry.  One cup of dry beans makes two cups cooked.  The easiest way to do this is to soak the beans in a bowl of water overnight.  You can also do a quick soak by covering the dry beans with water and bringing them to a boil with some olive oil for 3 minutes.  Then drain, rinse with cold water, cover, bring to a boil again, then simmer for 1 hour before continuing with the recipe.

As with all soups and stews, the longer you let it sit, the better it'll turn out.  Gives all of the ingredients time to get to know each other.  I like to serve the traditional way with a green side salad, garlic toast and a nice red wine.  If you have a family chili recipe that you'd like to share, I'd love to try it.  Post it in the comments and we'll make yours!

Home-made "Sausage"!

My best friend is a celiac, which means she can't eat gluten. I made this recipe to spite her. And because I missed sandwiches. 

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C. vital wheat gluten
- 1/4 C. nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1-2 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
 - 3/4 C. cold water
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. crushed tomatoes
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. ketchup
- 2 T. olive oil (I used canola because I was out of olive oil)
- 2 Tbsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce, or, if you can't eat soy like me, check out our Stroganesque recipe for a vegan soy free version!)
-1-3 cloves garlic, crushed well

Now go like this! 



1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2.In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients. Mix the rest of the ingredients (liquid ingredients) in a smaller mixing bowl. Whisk well until mixed.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, then knead for several minutes. (I'm lazy, so I only kneaded it for 3 minutes. The longer you knead it, the better the texture)
4. Form into a log (6-8" long), wrap tightly in foil, twisting ends.

 Looks like Christmas!

Bake for 90 minutes. When done baking, unwrap and leave out to cool all the way. Then wrap it foil or plastic and refrigerate. Slice to use as desired.

I didn't take any finished photos, but here is a picture of the pig you DIDN'T eat!

We probably made about 10-12 sandwiches with the finished product, so it's much cheaper than the store bought veggie slices! And I liked it just as much. You could also use it in jambalaya or any recipe calling for sausage. Nom nom nom.