Emerald Curry

I love Thai food! I love the taste, the smell, the look, basically everything about it. I have to say that my favorite Thai dish is green curry. I have made green curry every way you can think of, I have made green curry paste from scratch, used all fresh spices and herbs, tried different vegetables, different faux meats. After all my trial and errors, I finally out did myself tonight. This curry tastes very similar to Thai take out...which has been my goal all along. Best Thai green curry I have ever made. There were a few ingredients that I wanted to use but was unable to find, so this recipe will have a few options, I was told that there is an Asian market around here but I have not been there yet, I am hoping that they have the items I could not locate at Hannaford/whole foods.

Ingridents:

2 table spoons organic coconut oil
1 1/2 cans organic coconut milk
2-3 table spoons pre-made green curry paste. (pre-made works best because a lot of the ingredients needed to make it are hard to find so using pre-made actually gives a more authentic taste)
2-3 Kaffir lime leaves (if you can't find use 1 tbs lime zest)
1 cup Thai eggplant or regular egg plant. (Thai eggplant is seasonal here)
1 cup zucchini chopped
1 cup green beans
1 can chick peas
1 can seitan (you can find this in the Thai section at whole foods)
2 tsp palm sugar (you want to use palm sugar because it gives it a richer flavor, also in the Thai section at whole foods)
4-5 fresh basil leaves
Rice vermicelli noodles, or cooked rice

Directions

In a wok or large skillet on medium heat the coconut oil, add the coconut milk stir and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute and then add the green curry paste, mix well and let simmer for a few more minutes. If you were able to find Kaffir lime leaves add them after the curry paste. (If using lime zest you want to want till the end to add it. Use the small holes on your grater to skim the outside peel of your lime, you don't want to hit the white part because that will add a bitter taste to your curry) Add the eggplant, zucchini, and green beans. Let cook for 8-10 minutes. If it starts to splatter at any point reduce the heat. Add your chickpeas and seitan, palm sugar, zest, and basil. Let cook for a few more minutes. Serve over rice vermicelli, or rice. Enjoy!

Beer Battered Tofishy Tacos

So I don't make these very often for a few reasons the first being that they are not very healthy, considering that they are fried. Second because they are time consuming and leave quite a mess in the kitchen. However Jesse just loves them and is always asking me to make them for him. I love them too but since I am the one who does all the cooking and cleaning, well........ So here we go

For the Sauce

1 cup vegenaise
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs vinegar
2 tbs fresh dill, chopped
2 tsp capers, in brine
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika

In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients well.

For the Beer Batter

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp kelp granules
1 cup vegan beer of your choosing (Go with a micro brew, you don't want to use cheap beer)
1/4 cup almond milk

Combine all dry ingredients, add the beer and milk and mix well. You want the batter to be the consistency of pancake batter, so add more beer/flour as needed.

For the Tacos

1 lb pressed tofu, sliced into large triangles
1 packet miso soup mix (check labels a lot of them contain fish)
kelp granules
extra flour
oil for frying
corn tortillas
cabbage, shredded
Lots of paper towels

Heat about 3/4 of an inch of oil on medium high  in a cast-iron skillet. Prepare your miso soup mix according to directions. Add some kelp granules  and mix. Soak the tofu in the mix no longer than five minutes and drain. Fill a small bowl with flour and coat the tofu triangle. Then dip into batter  to coat and place in the heated oil. (You will get messy and it helps to use both hand, the batter is heavy and the tofu will break apart if you don't lift it with both hands. Try to let the extra batter drip off before you put it in the oil). Cook until golden brown on both sides. Place on a layers of paper towels to soak up extra grease. When all the tofu is cook and can use the same oil to fry your corn tortillas. spoon some sauce on the taco shell, then add the fried tofu, top with cabbage and extra sauce if desired.

Garden Burgers with Spiced Scalloped Potatoes

Garden Burgers

1/2 cup cooked Adzuki beans
1/2 cup cooked black eyed peas
1/2 cup zucchini, grated
1/4 cup green onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced
1/4 cup baby bella mushrooms, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp garlic minced
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water

Directions: In a medium sized bowl mash up the beans until they resemble a paste. Add all other ingredients and mix together. With your hands mold into patties, If to dry add a tbsp of water. Cook in a skillet on the stove with a bit of oil. I grilled up some onion and mushrooms to top the burgers, These are very versatile, Change up the veggies, add different spices, use different beans, try a different type of flour if you can't have gluten. Adjust to your preferences.  Top with anything you want. Makes approximately 8 patties

Spiced Scalloped Potatoes

4-5 potatoes, thinly sliced. (I used red, but any will work)
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup almond milk
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp gram masala
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sesame seeds
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast.

Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your potatoes in a baking dish slightly overlapping. Pour over the vegetable broth, then drizzle on the milk. I used a spray bottle of oil to mist the tops of the potatoes. Sprinkle on the garlic and spices. Then spray or drizzle again with the olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Chocolate Almond Mint Cookies

I was doing a little spring cleaning today, I cleaned out the fridge and after I was done I just felt like baking. Maybe I just wanted the house to smell nice, I don't know. So I looked through my pantry and decided to put my cocoa powder, mint extract, and almond slivers to good use. In my head it sounded like a great combination and well I just love how these came out. The texture is great and the flavor even better. If you are a fan of mint chocolate you have to try this out. Its so quick and easy.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I used unbleached all purpose whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 cup almond slivers
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp mint extract
3/4 cup canola oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. In a small bowl mix together the syrup, extract, and oil. Add the wet to the dry and combine with a spoon. It should be a little crumbly...If to dry add a little more oil. Mix in the almonds.  Roll the mix into about a 1 inch balls and then press flat with you palms. Place on baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes. Do not bake for any longer or they will dry out.  Makes 20-24. Enjoy!

Thai Chick-Un Pizza from Eat Drink and Be Vegan

This was so so yummy I have to share the recipe with you all. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Eat Drink and Be Vegan by Dreena Burton. It's filled with great recipes!

Peanut Sauce

2/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp tamari
2 large cloves garlic, quartered
1 1/2 tbsp frish ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tbsp water (or additional milk)
1 1/2-2 tbsp agave nectar

Pizza
1 (10-12 inch) pizza shell .....( I used the pre-made pizza dough from Shipyard)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1-1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped. (I used canned)
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts (I used soy bean sprouts because they were out at the store when I went)
Peanuts and cilantro chopped as garnish (optional)


Prepare the sauce in a food processor, all all ingredients and puree until smooth. Add water or more milk to adjust thickness. Adjust to taste, add more red pepper flakes, or agave.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread sauce onto your pizza dough. Distribute chickpeas, bell pepper and pineapple evenly. Bake for 17 -20 minutes, sprinkling on green onions for last minute of cooking, until the crust is golden. Serve sprinkled with the bean sprouts.

Review on Cocoa Coconut Chili

I recently ordered a new vegan cookbook from Amazon. Eat Drink and be Vegan by Dreena Burton is an awesome cookbook. Most of the recipes are wheat free. There are so many I want to try out. They all sound amazing. Last night I made the Cocoa Coconut Chili (wheat free). It was awesome! So full of flavor. Sweet and spicy my favorite two flavor combination's. It was very mildly spicy and my one year old son Radley went to town on a bowl! Hadley not so much but I think it was because she was tired and grumpy. She fell asleep in the middle of the living room floor while I was cooking it. We had to wake her up to try to feed her and she just wasn't having it. This chili made my whole house smell amazing....I wouldn't be surprised if our upstairs neighbors were enjoying the smell as well. So your welcome up there!

Ingredients:
1-11/2 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups onion, diced
1 1/4-11/2 cups celery, diced
1/2 cup red or yellow bell pepper diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp all spice
2 1/2-3 tbsp dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 cans of 28 oz diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp chipotle hot sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1-1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
1-2 fresh limes

Directions:
In a large pot on medium heat, add oil, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally; reduce heat if onions or garlic starts to burn. When onions start to soften, add cocoa and stir for 1-2 minutes, then add tomatoes, beans, coconut milk, and coconut. Stir to combine. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn kernels and agave nectar, and cook another 5 minutes to heat through. Remove cover to let liquid reduce if desired. Season to taste with additional pepper, or hot sauce. Serve with lime wedges and squeeze on generous amounts of juice.

I decided to use dried beans rather than canned. I let the beans soak overnight. Also by the time we feed the babies and got them to bed. So we could sit down with a movie and enjoy dinner without the kids. I forgot about the lime wedges. I bet it would have been good with them but they are not necessary.

There she is with her thumb in her mouth passed out surrounded by toys!

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

I love hummus and when I made this a few nights ago I was just in heaven. Hummus is 100 times better when you make it yourself. From time to time I get the store bought hummus and that is what inspired this recipe. I was at Trader Joe's and picked up their Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus. I enjoyed it so much that I had to make some myself...So this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

2 cups unpacked cilantro
2 large jalapenos seeded and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups chickpeas
2-3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves chopped garlic
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt





In a food processor toss in your cilantro and jalapeno and mix until it is well combined and looks minced

Add the chickpeas and mix some more.

Add all the other ingredients and mix until smooth. Adjust flavors to taste. If too thick you can add a tablespoon or two of water.

 

We decided to use this on some wraps for dinner. They came out really well. I just grilled up some of the morning star chickn' starters, some baby bella mushrooms, and some orange bell pepper. I spread the hummus on the wrap and added some romaine lettuce and then the chickn' n veggies and topped with a little daiya cheese.

Vegan Lunch Pockets

I just finished making these today. They are by no means quick to make, but once you make them you can bag them and toss them in the freezer. They are easy to take with you to work or to use in sack lunches for your little vegan monsters to take to school. Although my one year old twins are not in daycare or school they love these and it is something I can quickly warm up and give them. I was able to make 24 total, 8 "Ham" n "Cheese" 8 Pizza and 8 Tofurkey, broccoli and "Cheddar".

I was inspired to make these because I missed my hot pockets....

Hadley and Radley chowing down on the Ham n Cheese Pockets.


Ingredients:

4 cups Unbleached all purpose whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flax meal
1 1/2 cups cold vegan shorting or butter
2 tablespoons organic sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Mix together all the dry ingredients then with a pastry cutter or two butter knives held together cut in the shorting until the flour is crumbly. Add the water and mix well. If too sticky add more flour, If its too dry add a little more water. Cover a refrigerate for at least and hour.

For the fillings:

1 package vegan ham slices cut into squares
1 package vegan turkey slices cut into squares
1 package vegan pepperoni
1 package cheddar daiya cheese
1/2 package mozzarella daiya cheese
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 cup frozen broccoli

"Ham"n"Cheese: Mix together the cut up ham and 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese.
Tofurkey Broccoli and Cheddar: Mix together cut up tofurkey, broccoli, and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese.
Pizza: Mix together the pepperoni, marinara and mozzarella cheese.

To Prepare preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Divide your dough into three equal balls. On a clean surface with a rolling pin roll out your first ball. Place a bowl about the size or 6-8 inches upside down and cut the dough around the bowl. I was able to get 8 circles out of each ball of dough.

Add a couple spoonfuls of the filling onto the dough and then fold in half. With a fork press the edges together. Continue until all your dough and/or filling is gone. Bake for about 30 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool before placing into freezer bags and freezing. I hope you enjoy!