Veg Sandwich with Sprouts and Hummus

These yummy sandwiches are one my favorite things to have for lunch! Every bite is fresh and crispy and filled with flavor. You can use any veggies you like, but I usually just use cucumber, red pepper and a green, such as spinach, baby kale or lettuce. For me the red pepper is a must. The sweet flavor is the perfect contrast for a nice garlicky, sesame hummus.

Sprout sandwich

I need to blog my hummus recipe sometime because it deserves a post of its own, but it's actually pretty basic and typical anyway, other than skipping the extra oil. The only oil in this one is from the tahini, and you could reduce it from 2 tbsp to 1 if you wanted to; would just have a bit less sesame flavor.

Hummus
1 can chickpeas (drained)
2/3 cup water
1 bulb garlic (peeled)
2 Tbsp tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Throw it all in the food processor and whiz on high a minute or two until creamy.

The Sprouts

We've been sprouting on and off for about four years. Sprouting is easy to do and sprouts are extremely packed full of nutrition. We've sprouted broccoli, fenugreek, mung beans and red clover. We buy our seeds and sprouting lids from Mumm's Sprouting Seeds and we're still using some seeds that we bought four years ago, although the germination rate isn't quite as high.

Sprouting lids on mason jars

Greening up in the window

Drying on paper towel

There are a lot of benefits of eating sprouts. They help with digestion, reduce acidity, they help build immune system, increase protein content, and they are highly nutritious.

Red pepper, kale and sprouts on flatbread with hummus

Cabbage & Dumplings

Cabbage & Dumplings

Nothing says comfort food like cabbage, dumplings or anything baked in a casserole dish. I love cabbage and have been trying to think of more ways to have it. I made this recipe up on the fly about an hour before bed last night (for our lunches today) and I'm blogging it only because my friend, Mary Bragdon White, asked me for the recipe, so I figured I'd blog it while I was documenting it for her.

The reason for slicing the veggies was purely for time's sake, since it's incredible quick, but the layering of the veggies, especially with the potatoes in the middle, really works well for this. My only regret is not having taken more photos of the process, but at least I had the sense to get one.

Recipe

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegan margarine (optional)
1 small onion
2 carrots
3 potatoes
1/4 green cabbage
1 box veggie broth
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Dumplings
1 1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c cold water

(Alternatively, you can use your favorite dumpling recipe. This one is very basic, but does the trick.)

Directions

Peel your veggies then use the food processor to slice them, starting with the onion and carrots. Spread the those over the bottom of a 9" round casserole dish - or similar size (with a lid). Toss half the cabbage into the processor then layer on top of the onion and carrots. Pour 1/2 the veggie broth over the veggies in the dish then sprinkle half the seasonings over top. Toss the potatoes into the food processor, then add as the next layer. Dot with the margarine if preferred. Slice the rest of the cabbage and spread over the potatoes. Pour the rest of the broth over the cabbage and sprinkle on the remaining seasonings.

Cover and bake at 400 for about an hour or until a fork can pierce through all layers. Fish down in there and test a potato if you're wondering. It can still have some firmness since there is still 15 minutes of baking left, but they should be mostly cooked.

Mix the dumplings and add by spoonfuls, cover and bake an additional 15 minutes. I didn't, but you might want to butter the lid before covering the dumplings.

Done like dinner.

Carrot Soup with Garlic, Ginger & Curry

Cup of carrot soup

I love carrot soup! Laura hates it. But, I love carrot soup! I make it a lot because she grows a lot of carrots, and even though we use them in everything from other soups, stews, vegan cheese sauce, side dishes and salads, we still have a surplus, which we will probably sell in future harvests. I usually have to eat it all myself, so I make small batches. If I happen to make too much I can usually find someone to take a jar of it.

Jarred carrot soup

I always make it different; sometimes a ginger-carrot, sometimes a garlic-carrot with cumin, or carrot-parsnip or whatever I happen to be in the mood for or have on hand. I happened to really love this one so I am blogging it for posterity. Never know, Alyssa or her children might be looking for a good carrot soup family recipe some far away day.

Recipe:

12 - 15 medium-sized carrots
1 or 1 1/2 boxes of vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy or cashew cream
1 onion or several small onions and/or shallots
1 bulb of garlic (or 2 small bulbs)
1" square piece of peeled fresh ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Carrots

After I peel the carrots I use the food processor to slice them up. Save tons of time. 

Garlic

Ginger

Onions and shallots

After everything is sliced, minced and chopped and starting with the onions and shallots, I start to sauté on medium-low heat in the oil (you can do a healthy sauté in veg broth if you're avoiding processed oil - which we should be) then add the carrots and ginger after a couple minutes. Stir around while they are cooking so they don't stick or start to brown. 

After about 6 minutes create a space on the bottom of the pan and scrape the garlic in the created area and sauté it in what's left of the oil. Let cook for about a minute or two on medium heat until aromatic, then add a box of veggie broth and the curry. Continue cooking until veggies are all soft.

Carrots, onions, shallots, garlic and ginger simmering

Add more veggie broth, if needed, to keep veggies covered until cooked and then transfer in batches to a blender or food processor and puree. Add veggie broth while pureeing if it seems too thick.

Carrot soup

Add back to stock pot and bring back to a simmer. Slowly add the cream while stirring then turn off the heat and serve with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. I always have a bowl right away and pour the rest into jars for lunches or to give to some lucky soup lover :)

Super Grain Porridge

Super Grain Breakfast

This is an incredibly hearty and filling breakfast that is totally worth the time it takes to make. It takes about 30 minutes altogether, and 25 of that is cooking time as there is very little prep.

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can add whatever fruits, berries, nuts, or flavors you like to the cooked grain base. I've made it with blackberries and vanilla, apples and cinnamon and simply maple syrup, and there are so many other variations.

Porridge ingredients

One other thing before I get to the recipe: I chose these grains because they are what I had on hand the first time I made this. The amount of water and cooking time was calculated based on the grain types and amounts. If you decide to go with another grain or add more of or omit one of these you may need to research how much water you'll need and how long to cook.

Recipe

Cook covered for 25 minutes:
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 Tbsp chia seeds
4 1/2 cups water



Add 3/4 cups rolled oats.

Replace lid and turn off heat. Let set 5 minutes then serve.

Cooked grains

Make it Apple Cinnamon

Sauté 3 or 4 minutes while the grains are cooking:
1 Tbsp butter
1 apple, diced

Sautéing apples

Add:
1Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Caramelizing apples

Stir while flavors meld for about another minute then turn off heat. Add to cooked grains.

Caramelized apples

Stir the apple mixture into the cooked grains and serve with the milk or cream of your choice. We use unsweetened almond milk.

Hearty porridge

Make it Berry Good

Add to the cooked grains when you add the oats:
1/2 cup (or as much as you want) frozen or fresh berries
1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

Honey Peanut Butter

Mix in at the end after oatmeal has been added and set
3 Tbsp peanut butter
3 Tbsp honey

Chocolate Raspberry

1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup cocoa
1/8 cup honey

Other Ideas

Mix and match according to preference and:

• cook with the grains
• cook separately and add to cooked grains
• add raw ingredients after grains have cooked

Toasted almonds or other nuts
Diced peaches
Dried fruit (dates, apricots, raisins, currants, goji berries, etc)
Almond or soy beverage
Almond nut butter
Hemp hearts
Flax seed

Sweeteners:
I would generally add 1 or 2 Tbsp of one of these for the whole pot of grains, but most people probably prefer sweeter versions.
Diced dates
Brown sugar
Maple syrup
Honey
Cane sugar

Mustard Glazed Stuffed Seitan Roast

Mustard Glazed Seitan Roast

This is a wonderful recipe that Laura made two years ago for Thanksgiving dinner. It is sooo good, yet she hadn't made it since - until today. She claims it's easy to make!

 Roast seitan with veggies and gravy

Ingredients

The Loaf

2 cups vital wheat gluten
2/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp herbamare
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp onion powder
2 cups cold vegetable broth
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 drops liquid smoke
2 tsp dried sage, crushed fine
1 TBSP dried thyme, crushed fine
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed fine
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 shallots

Mix all ingredients and roll out a rectangle about a foot long.

Cranberry-Herb Stuffing

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup pecans
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp herbamare
1 onion, chopped fine
2 leeks, chopped fine
1/4 cup celery, chopped fine
5 slices white bread, cut in cubes
5 slices wheat/grainy bread, cut in cubes
1-2 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup craisins

Mix all ingredients and place in center of the rectangle; roll into a log, closing the ends.

Mustard Glaze

1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp brown sugar

Baste the stuffed loaf then bake at 350. After half hour flip and baste with the glaze; baste again after 45 minutes of baking then bake an additional 15 minutes. Altogether baking is 1 hour.

Wild Rice & Pecan Stuffed Squash

Stuffed Squash

When you make food that turns out to be perfection, and didn't follow a recipe, it is imperative to blog that or at least write down what you did immediately.

Squash harvest

We have a bunch of squashes just recently harvested and Laura pointed out that some of them will keep a long time while others need to be used sooner, namely the Delicatas. I've been eyeing them up all weekend, and finally decided to stuff them with something yummy. And boy, did I ever! Check this out:

Ingredients/Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and place a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet.

2 Delicata squash
1 tsp vegan butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cut the stems off the ends of the squash, cut lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Spread with the butter and place flesh-side-down on parchment. Bake for 10 minutes.

Set one of the squash halves aside.
Mix the syrup and tamari together.
Turn three squash halves over and brush the maple mixture over the flesh. Back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Toast the pecans next to them or on a separate pan during this time.

Stuffing:

1/4 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup wild rice
1 1/2 cups veggie broth

Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off and leave covered for 30 minutes.

2 tsp vegan butter
1/2 onion, minced
1 carrot, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Handful of dried sage leaves, crushed (should be about 2 Tbsp)

In a saucepan, saute the onion and carrot in 1 tsp butter until soft then add the garlic, remaining butter and sage and continue to saute until garlic begins to brown, about 3 minutes.

Remove the onion/carrot mixture from heat and add it to the rice along with:
1 cup veggie broth
1/4 cup craisins
1/2 cooked squash that was set aside (scoop from skin)

Heat on low about 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the squash and pecans from the oven and mix the pecans into the stuffing. Add salt and pepper to the stuffing until it is seasoned to your preference. Scoop the stuffing into the three squash halves. Move oven rack up a notch and broil for about 7 - 10 minutes.

Stuffed Squash

Best thing ever.

Vegan Biscuits

Adapted from https://minimalistbaker.com/the-best-damn-vegan-biscuits/
Posted here for reference because it takes too long for the minimalist baker page to load, due to pics and ads.

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
4 Tbsp vegan butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C)
Add lemon juice or vinegar to almond milk to make "vegan buttermilk." Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
Add cold butter and use fingers or a pastry cutter to combine the two until only small pieces remain and it looks like sand. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t get too warm.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir gently while slowly pouring in the almond milk mixture. You may not need all of it. Stir until just slightly combined – it will be sticky.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface, dust the top with a bit of flour and then very gently turn the dough over on itself 5-6 times – hardly kneading.
Form into a 1-inch thick disc, handling as little as possible.
Use a 1-inch thick dough cutter and push straight down through the dough, then slightly twist. Repeat and place biscuits on a baking sheet in two rows, making sure they just touch – this will help them rise uniformly. Gently reform the dough and cut out one or two more biscuits – you should have 7-8.
Brush the tops with a bit more of melted butter and gently press a small divot in the center using two fingers. This will also help them rise evenly, so the middle won’t form a dome.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fluffy and slightly golden brown.