Broccoli and Spinach Vegan Quiche

I have had this recipe from Lindsey Nixon's book "Everyday Happy Herbivore" on my "Try" list for some time. Working from home today gave me the ability to give it a shot for a quick lunch. Very easy and made from ingredients I usually have in my fridge every day. Lindsey mentions using any type of greens that you want - I used some broccoli and spinach. I also subbed out the garlic and onion powder (personal taste) and added in harissa powder in their place for some spice.  I will post my modified recipe below - Lindsey's recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra-firm tofu
• 1 tsp harissa powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
• 2 cups of broccoli florets, chopped very small. 
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes                                      

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a shallow 9" pie dish and set aside. Steam broccoli (I used my microwave) until bright green and slightly tender. Combine all ingredients, except spinach and broccoli, in a food processor or strong blender and whiz until smooth and creamy, stopping to break up chunks and scrape the sides as necessary. Mix in the vegetables in and transfer batter to pie dish. Using a spatula, spread the mixture around so it's even and tight. Bake 30-40 minutes, until golden and the center is not still mushy. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.
 

 

White Chili & Cornbread

Yesterday it was cold outside. Not really cold, but cold enough to require a sweater for the first time in months. Which caused me to start to panic about the approach of winter.

Growing up in North Carolina and Italy, snow was a fun novelty. Living in New England, snow has become a dreaded hassle. I feel like everyone in New England gets excited about the approach of winter. Personally, I feel like once it snows here in Boston everything just becomes harder. The T is more crowded, you have to lug a huge down coat with you everywhere in order to not get frostbite when you step outside for two minutes, and the perils of walking down cobblestone streets multiply with hidden ice patches.

OK so maybe I am overreacting. Maybe September is a bit too early to panic about snow. I am going to focus on the positive things this month brings with it - pumpkin beer, apple picking, and falling leaves. And of course the things that I can cook again...stews, soups, chili, pies.

And those thoughts put me in a good mood....a good enough mood to make my first chili of the season. I love Ellie Krieger's white chili recipe so I veganized it and whipped up a quick cornbread on the side.

Chili Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
• 1 pound ground soy crumbles
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups low-sodium veggie broth
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges

Directions:

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

 

Add the ground soy crumbles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.


Add the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with cilantro and lime.

Cornbread Ingredients:

1 cup corn meal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 "flax" eggs (2 tablespoon ground flax + 6 tbps water)



Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Mix "flax" eggs and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the corn.
Add the wet ingredients to  the dry ones and stir until well combined. Pour into an oiled 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 20 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 

 

 

 

 

Garlic Mustard Baked Tofu

I whipped up this marinade before I went on a long run last night. When I got home, I put the tofu in the marinade while I showered and popped it in the oven when I was out.  Served over instant brown rice it was an easy filling meal. Even better, I ate the leftovers in a whole wheat pita with some lettuce for lunch today!

The marinade recipe was inspired by one I found on SmittenKitchen, modified to suit my preferences and what I had on hand.


2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Honey mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon sriracha
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you press a block of extra firm tofu. I usually drain the block of tofu, wrap it in a towel or paper towels, place on a cutting board, and place a heavy object on top.

Slice the tofu into long strips or triangles. Cover in marinade and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Place strips on a baking sheet coated in non stick spray, making sure the marinade covers the entire exposed surface, and bake for around 20 minutes. Turn strips over and cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve over rice, salad, or in a pita.

Pasta alla Formiana

I found this recipe in Giada's book, Weeknights with Giada, and made a minor tweak to make it vegan. The recipe is super easy....the end result was good but bland. Next time I will be adding add red pepper flakes and basil.

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 pound (8 ounces) pennette

1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1/4 cup dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 to 5 very ripe, extra-large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Directions:

  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

In a food processor, blend together the crushed tomatoes, garlic, and vegetable broth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Add the uncooked pasta, 1/3 cup olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss until all the ingredients are coated.

Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with tomato slices. Pour the pasta mixture into the pan and spread evenly. Arrange the remaining tomato slices in an overlapping layer on top of the pasta mixture, making sure the mixture is completely covered. Drizzle with olive oil and place dish on a baking sheet. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly crispy and the pasta is cooked, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Curried "Chicken-less" Chicken Salad

I have never been a big fan of chicken salad, but mostly because the thought of mayonnaise always turned me off. I decided to "fake" the concept with temeph and vegenaise. The result was actually delicious, I am looking forwad to having leftovers tomorrow!



Chicken Salad Ingredients:

1 8oz package of tempeh (I used three grain tempeh from Whole Foods)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbps whole grain mustard
2 tbps dijon mustard
2 tsp capers
2 tbps vegenaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp herbs de Provence

To serve:

1 handful of arugula, spinach, or other lettuce
1 whole white pita pocket
extra mayo and mustard if desired

Directions:

Cube and boil tempeh for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Crumble tempeh into sauce and chill for at least one hour before serving in a pita or on a bed of lettuce.

Baked Orange-Teriyaki Tofu with Stir Fried Broccoli and Red Peppers

This baked tofu recipe was adapted from Vegan Bites by Beverly Lynn Bennett. It can be eaten alone, on salads, in a stir fry, or with a side of vegetables. Tonight I used broccoli and peppers, along with some reserved sauce, to make a stir-fry base to add the tofu to.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and cubed

¼ cup tamari

2 tbps apple cider vinegar

1 tbps orange marmalade

1 tbps orange juice

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 teaspoons maple syrup

1 tbps minced garlic

1 tbps minced fresh ginger

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp sriracha

2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets

2 red peppers, cut into strips

Sesame Seeds for garnish

Directions:

Gently squeeze tofu to rid of excess water. Cut tofu into small cubes and place in a shallow baking dish.   

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place all remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk them together until well combined. Pour sauce over the tofu pieces in the dish and flip over each piece until evenly coated on all sides. Reserve 2 tablespoons of sauce.

Bake tofu for 20 minutes. Flip pieces over and bake for 15-20 additional minutes, until most sauce is absorbed.

Meanwhile place broccoli in a covered microwaveable container with tbps of water and cook for 2 minutes on high. Then heat the remaining sauce in a wok and add steamed broccoli and sliced peppers. Cook until lightly wilted. When tofu is done, add to wok, heat, and serve. Sprinkle sesame seeds over plate.

Seared Tempeh & Three Bean Salad

After a wonderful vacation in England & Croatia I am back in Boston. Having splurged on everything from clotted cream to octopus there, it is back to healthy vegan recipes for me. I got this recipe from the Southbeach Taste of Summer cookbook and just made a few tweaks. Perfect for a light supper or satisfying lunch.

Seared Tempeh & Three Bean Salad

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar substitute
• 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can white beans, drained & rinsed (I used half a can of garbanzo beans that I had leftover from dinner last night)
• 1 cup of green beans, trimmed and cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 eight-ounce package of tempeh (I used three-grain)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large bowl, juice the lemon, and whisk together with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. dijon, 1 tsp. soy sauce, the garlic, sugar, and pepper.
2. Add kidney & white beans, stir to combine.
3. Boil or steam green beans to crisp-tender (about 2 minutes). Drain and run under cold water immediately. Add to the bowl and stir together to combine.
4. Coat a skillet in olive oil spray and heat over medium-high. Add tempeh & remaining two teaspoons of soy sauce. Cook, turning occasionally until tempeh is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
5. When cooked, combine with bean salad and serve warm.
6. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and parsley.