A New Take on Soft Tacos

April 17, 2013 7 Comments

Last week I received a box of Grape-Nuts© products and had fun all weekend crafting up ideas with them, for both Gazing In and my other blog, Trail Cooking. (Grape-Nuts® is hosting a neat contest through the 19th if you are outdoorsy!)

G1

I saw a recipe on their website for vegetarian tacos. Made with Grape-Nuts®. I kid not. OK, you know that meant I had to try it out. And see if it would actually work/taste good. Shockingly? It does. You’d never know it was Grape-Nuts® passing for “meat”. Hmmm…maybe I shouldn’t have mocked my Mom every time she bought a box of that hippy cereal when growing up? ;-) How was it nearly everyone’s Mom in the early 80′s always had a box on hand?

Anyhow, let the feast begin…..

ST2

Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 cup salsa, preferably chunky style
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup lower sodium taco seasoning mix (store-bought organic or homemade)
  • 2 cups Grape-nuts® cereal
  • 8 soft taco sized flour tortillas, preferably whole grain
  • Shredded lettuce
  • 1 tomato, seed and chopped
  • 1 lime, wedged
  • Shredded cheese, dairy or vegan
  • Sour cream, dairy or vegan
  • Salsa

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium, add and onion, sauté until tender. Stir in salsa, water and taco seasoning mix, bring to a boil over medium-high. Stir in Grape-Nuts, take off heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes, stir well.

Serve as filling for soft tacos, with toppings as desired. Squeeze fresh lime over the filling for a great taste.

Serves 4.

ST1

Green Salsa Rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • ½ cup verde (green) salsa
  • ¼ cup dried onion
  • 1 cup long grain white rice

Directions:

Bring broth, salsa and onion to boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, stir well.

Return to boil, turn down to medium-low, cook covered for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff and serve.

Serves 4.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: I received product samples.

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Vegan Comfort Food: Herb Biscuits & Pasta Fagioli

April 15, 2013 11 Comments

In Washington State it often seems that if you get a streak of pretty spring weather, you will pay for it later with 4X of rainy, cold weather. Being April doesn’t mean shorts season, but rather hearty meals to chase the cold off.

HerbBiscuits

Herb Biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary, finely crumbled
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour through salt in a large mixing bowl.

Astir vinegar into milk, let curdle, then add oil. Stir wet into dry, until mixed.

Drop balls of dough on prepared sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden on top.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Pastaf

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 15 to 19 ounce cans white beans (small, Great Northern or white kidney)
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 13.25 ounce package multi-grain elbow macaroni or similar small pasta shape

Directions:

Heat a tall saucepan/small stockpot over medium, add oil and onion, sauté until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. If using fresh garlic, add and sauté for a minute.

Stir in tomatoes, basil, beans and vinegar (and granulated garlic, if using). Cover and simmer over medium-low while pasta cooks.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add macaroni, cook as indicated, drain.

Taste sauce for seasoning, add salt and pepper as desired. Toss with pasta and serve.

Serves 6.

~Sarah

Filed Under: baking, cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cookbook Review: 200 Easy Mexican Recipes (W/ Recipes)

April 11, 2013 2 Comments

Hmm..lets keep it going and have another cookbook review this week!
200mexicanrecipes

Love Mexican food? But hate yourself every time after you eat out, and feel all bloated from the grease ‘n salt in the meal? (And how is it no matter where you eat out, you reek after?) You need to read 200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes From Burritos to Enchiladas asap! Every delectable you could dream of, from Horchata to dips, sauces, enchiladas, burritos to desserts…well you get the idea.

A number of the recipes are vegetarian (or even vegan) “accidentally” and if you are willing to use meat substitutes, many more can be vegetarian (and vegan cheeze, such as Daiya can be used as well). Which is what I did with the enchilada casserole, using faux-hamburger crumbles, such as Light Life or Gardein and so on.

Since my brother was visiting recently, I went all out and made a smorgasbord of food – all delicious!

Mex1

Green Chile and Herb Rice (Page 98)

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup finely chopped roasted green chile peppers
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

To roast the green chile, take your preferred chile (I used a large poblano pepper), place on a baking sheet. Roast 2 to 3″ under the broiler, flipping often, until the skin is charred. Place in a heat safe bowl, cover and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Rub off the skin, remove stem and seeds, then chop.

Blend the roasted chile with the cilantro, garlic and oil in a mini food chopper or food processor until blended. Mix with hot rice, season to taste with salt.

Vegan-friendly recipe.

Mex3

Stove Top Refried Beans (Page 100)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans pinto beans, liquid reserved
  • 2 Tbsp oil

Directions:

Heat beans and ¼ cup reserved liquid in a large saucepan over medium-high. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Using a potato masher, gently mash beans. Beans should be like a thick paste, not tunny. If too thick, add more reserved liquid, 1 tsp at a time, until bean mixture is thick, but not stiff

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil and beans and stir until well blended and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve, if desired, with crumbled queso fresco cheese, otherwise it is vegan-friendly.

Mex2

Enchilada Casserole (Page 174)

Ingredients:

  • 24 6″ corn tortillas
  • 3 cups enchilada sauce, green or red
  • 1 package faux hamburger crumbles (use the precooked variety such as Gardein) or 2 cups faux chicken strips (Gardein)
  • 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or white cheddar cheese (for vegan use Daiya)
  • 1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • ½ cup sliced black olives
  • 1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 6 corn tortillas in the bottom of a 9×13″ glass baking dish, overlapping as needed. Top with 1 cup of the sauce, spreading to the outer edges of tortillas. Top with half of the ”beef” or “chicken” and 1 cup of the cheese. Garnish with one-third of the onion. Layer 6 more tortillas, 1 cup sauce, remaining ”meat”, 1 cup cheese and half the onions. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and sauce, cheese and onion.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with the lettuce, olives and tomato.

Notes:

I find enchilada casseroles bake best when tightly covered with foil, that is my preference. Thin a little sour cream with whole milk and drizzle over the wedges for a great flavor. The book has great recipes for green and red sauces, or use canned. Brands vary in heat/spice (and questionable ingredients – some green sauces have chicken broth), so read carefully.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a copy of the book for potential review.

Filed Under: Cookbooks, cooking, Dinner Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Carrot and Peanut Noodles

April 5, 2013 2 Comments

Carrot2

 

I prepared this cheerful dish a few weeks back for the family, the toddler enjoyed it quite a bit. The color is what I liked, it felt very inviting.

Carrot1

Carrot and Peanut Noodles

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
  • 1 heaping Tbsp natural chunky peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp warm water
  • 1 pound pasta, any desired shape
  • Raw sesame seed for topping

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil, onion and carrots, sauté for a few minutes, add in garlic and ginger, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes, shaking pan periodically and stirring. Take off heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook as directed. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain pasta.

While pasta is cooking, purée carrot mixture in a food processor with soy sauce, peanut butter and 2 Tbsp warm water.

Toss hot pasta with sauce, add in reserved pasta cooking water, as needed, till smooth and coating.

Serve with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Serves 4.

PS: On Monday will be another book giveaway coming! If you love cooking, especially vegan, be sure to pop by to enter!

~Sarah

Filed Under: cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Comfort Food: Garlicky Beans & Tomatoes with Pasta

March 29, 2013 6 Comments

I was feeling in the need for a hearty dish the other night and caved in the grocery store, bringing home a package of faux ground beef. I try to avoid processed faux meats, but ya know…sometimes one craves it. Simple and easy, perfect for a rushed kind of day!

Garlic

Garlicky Beans & Tomatoes with Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces bow-tie pasta, mini size preferably
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
  • 12 ounce package Smart Ground
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with garlic
  • 15 ounce can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and broken up

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add pasta and cook for time on package, drain.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil and onion, sauté until tender. Add in Smart Ground, cook until heated. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and spinach. Cover and let simmer over medium-low until pasta is done. Add pasta and toss to coat.

Serves 6 (or more).

~Sarah

Filed Under: cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Comfort Food: Spanish Quinoa

March 28, 2013 6 Comments

I grew up eating a lot of “Spanish Rice” casseroles that always had green beans, diced (canned) tomatoes and other stuff. The recipe rarely changed and nearly always had ground beef in it (yeah, if you were born in the 80′s or before, you probably ate things like this…..). Making it with quinoa though takes it to a new level. One, it adds in a lot of protein and fiber, two it cooks quickly so you can eat in under 30 minutes (unlike brown rice). It is great served with tortilla chips for dipping or tortillas to wrap up into burritos. And noooo canned green beans thankfully.

SpanishQuinoa

Spanish Quinoa

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp granulated garlic or 3 cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp dried or fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 cup frozen kernel corn
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 ounce can green chile, preferably roasted variety
  • 1 bunch green onions, trimmed, white and light green only, sliced thinly

Directions:

Heat a large deep skillet over medium. Add in oil, onion and bell pepper, saute for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic, cilantro and chili powder, stir to combine.

Add corn through green chile, bring to a boil over high. Cover tightly, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off stove, stir, cover again and rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with warmed tortillas or tortilla chips, green onions sprinkled on and salsa (salsa verde is nice). For a vegetarian version, sprinkle on cheese and dab on sour cream (or use your favorite vegan versions either way).

Serves 6 easily.

~Sarah

Filed Under: cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: The Complete Gluten-Free Whole Grains Cookbook

March 8, 2013 7 Comments

gfwgcookbook

The Complete Gluten-Free Whole Grains Cookbook: 125 Delicious Recipes from Amaranth to Quinoa to Wild Rice has over 4o recipes that are vegan or have vegan variations, and many more that are vegetarian friendly. But that isn’t what makes the book, rather the whole grains section on how to buy, store and cook the grains is what makes the book worth it (the recipes are wonderful as well). Job’s Tears? I had not heard of it before. And now I am trying to source it. Fascinating! I find anytime I read about a new ingredient, I am still awed that there is still so much to learn about food.

In the end, I picked a recipe that while simple, had a lovely layer of flavors, more complex than you might think it would have. I suppose the boys were not excited to see a platter of spinach served on top of creamy rice, but oh, to me? It was heavenly comfort food. I followed the directions, but used vegetable broth. The dusting of cheese can be left off and the rice will be vegan.

Oh, and this meal? Even more divine the day after, mixed together. Umm…it will become a regular. And a new way to use brown sticky rice? Wonderful.

Brownrice

Italian-Style Green Rice, Page 172

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup short-grain brown rice (sticky rice)
  • 1¼ cups water, divided
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 8 to 16 ounces fresh spinach (see notes)
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine rice and 1 cup of the water. Stir well. Cover and set aside for at least 3 hours. Drain, reserving liquid.

In a heavy medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine broth and reserved soaking water. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 35 minutes. Remove lid, stir well and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

When rice is almost cooked, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in spinach leaves and the remaining ¼ cup water, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a cutting board and chop finely.

Spread cooked rice over a large plate or platter, arrange spinach on top. Drizzle olive oil over, sprinkle on the cheese and onions.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Notes:

Fresh spinach isn’t cheap now, at least on the West Coast. There was a huge crop failure a few weeks back. That means even non-organic is selling for $4.50 to 5 a pound. Ouch. And for me, 8 ounces is plenty. I like spinach, but too much can be over powering, so I went with 8 ounces. That was perfect, to me. Creamy rice, with the bite of greens.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Cookbooks, cooking, Dinner Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Cashew Basmati Risotto

February 28, 2013 7 Comments

Is this really a risotto? Maybe, maybe not. Does risotto have to be made with a certain white rice, blended with dairy and cheese, and a nice helping of butter? I think one can go out from the norm and have fun -

BRR2

It is delicious though. The grains of basmati stay single, with a pop between the teeth. No mushy or sticky rice at all. Do take the time to soak your rice beforehand, even an hour helps cut time off the cooking (40 minutes instead of 50 or more). If you don’t have the luxury of time to fo it, extend the cooking time, but watch to see if it needs more broth as it cooks, adding in as needed.

brr

Cashew Basmati Risotto

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped or 8 ounces frozen strips, thawed and chopped
  • 2 shallots, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 1 or more hours, drained
  • ¾ cup raw cashews
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2½ cups vegetable broth, boiling

Directions:

Heat a large deep skillet over medium, add oil, peppers and shallots, sauté until tender, add garlic, sauté for a minute.Add rice and cashews, continue sautéing, for a few minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and half the broth, let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add in the remaining broth, cover, let return to simmering, turn to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring periodically.

Serves 4.

~Sarah

Tomorrow is my birthday….and I can’t wait to make my cupcakes this afternoon. There could be a lovely post coming tomorrow if my ideas turn out! But maybe first I should go do my workout in advance for all the calories ;-) And so…off to the gym and my trainer I go!

Filed Under: cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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