Vegetable Korma

Vegetable Korma is a comforting and intriguing Indian dish. The seasonings offer a little bit of heat which is offset by the creamy unctuous sauce. Some kormas have a lot of sauce, but I like mine to be packed with vegetables that are coated with the sauce so I have a veggie loaded version of this classic dish.

This was really good served over brown basmati rice. I also prepared slices of Indian spiced marinated tofu to go with it (I just sprinkled the pressed tofu slices with the same ones used in this dish). Yum!

Vegetable Korma

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp curry
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup potato, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced into rounds
1 cup diced broccoli (use frozen to save time)
1 cup diced cauliflower (use frozen to save time)
1 cup diced tomatoes with the juice
1 cup canned coconut milk
3/4 cup frozen green peas
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water.

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan and add the onion to it. Sauté the onion over medium/low heat for five minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes more, while stirring. Add the vegetable broth to loosen whatever may be sticking to the bottom of your pan. Next, in goes the curry, garam masala, coriander, and cayenne. Give this a stir and then add the carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli and let the vegetables soften for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

While that is cooking boil the potatoes in water to cover until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and set aside to add them in at the end. Otherwise, it is hard to get the potatoes to cook to the right consistency alongside the other vegetables.

Check the vegetables for tenderness and then add the diced tomato, coconut milk, potatoes, and peas.  Finally, add the cornstarch and water if you would like a thicker sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings and serve over rice (brown basmati rice is a great choice). I will often toss in a can of garbanzo beans to make this a one dish meal.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 257 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  177 Calories from Fat  100

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  11.1g 17%

Saturated Fat  9.3g 46%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  358mg 15%

Potassium  541mg 15%

Total Carbohydrates  16.0g 5%

Dietary Fiber  4.3g 17%

Sugars  5.8g

Protein  5.4g

Vitamin A 70% • Vitamin C 64% Calcium 5% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

This salad is elegant. I love the simple flavors that when combined become something wonderful.   This is one of those meals that I look forward to each summer when the strawberries and spinach are at their freshest.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

5 oz spinach
2 tsp minced red onion
1/8 cup flax seed oil (vegetable oil would work well too)
1/8 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp champagne vinegar (apple cider vinegar would taste just as good)
dash of brags
dash of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1/2 tbsp poppy seeds

Directions:

Wash and tear the spinach into bite sized pieces. Place the spinach in a mixing bowl.

Mince the onion and put it in a small bowl. Add the dressing ingredients; the oil through the salt and pepper and whisk together.

Slice the strawberries and add them along with the sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and dressing and then toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

For 4 servings
Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 102 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 83 Calories from Fat 26

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2.9g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 70mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 36.4g 12%

Dietary Fiber 3.2g 13%

Sugars 9.4g

Protein 3.1g

Vitamin A 67% • Vitamin C 37% Calcium 7% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Colorado Ratatouille

I am not French, but I do enjoy French food. Ratatouille is classic French dish where onions, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper are stewed over low heat with garlic and herbs. It is fresh and simple because the slow cooking brings out the natural flavor of the vegetables.

Eggplant makes my mouth itch, so I make a variation of ratatouille where I use the veggies I can easily get here in Colorado. I especially love to make this at the end of the summer when the zucchini is abundant.

Colorado Ratatouille

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Garden Fresh Vegetables

1 tsp  olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow summer squash
2 large ripe tomatoes
6 garlic cloves
1 large onion
2 russet potatoes
salt and pepper
dried parsley
dried basil

Directions:

Wash all veggies. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pan. Cut all the veggies in rounds and crush the garlic cloves.

Layer the veggies in the soup pan and add salt, pepper, dried basil, parsley and crushed garlic between the layers. I like to order the veggies with zucchini on the bottom followed by potato, tomato, summer squash, and onion. Then I add some herbs and start again until all the vegetables are used up. I didn't include specific amounts of the dried herbs, salt and pepper because I just sprinkle a little each time.

Layered Vegetables in Soup Pan

Cook it for 2 - 2 1/2 hours over low heat. The vegetables will stew in their own juices and slowly cook. Keep them covered and don't stir them. Check after two hours to see if they are tender. They should break down and soften but you still want the zucchini and squash to retain their shape. If they smell like they are burning lower the heat and add 1/2 cup of water to the pan.

To serve, drizzle with olive oil and add more fresh herbs. I also like to add some vegan parmesan ( I think Go Veggie makes a great parmesan) or nutritional yeast for added flavor.

For 6 servings
Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 227 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 92 Calories from Fat 10

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.1g 2%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 15mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 19.0g 6%

Dietary Fiber 3.8g 15%

Sugars 4.6g

Protein 3.0g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 70% Calcium 2% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Every year my mom buys a flat of peaches from Palisade, Colorado. This year the crop was hit hard by an early frost in the spring so they are expensive, but she still picked up a few to share. They are so fresh tasting and sweet.

I have a weird aversion to the fuzz on the peel, so I don't eat them unless blanched or peeled but that only brings out the sweetness even more.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy peaches is with blueberries in a dessert. Peach blueberry pies, crisps, and now a cobbler.

This dessert is wonderful. The peaches and blueberries compliment each other perfectly and the topping is great for soaking up the juice..... it's just. so. good.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Fruit Ingredients:

3 cups fresh peaches sliced - from 4 peaches (I blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water first to remove the peel)
3 cups blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp instant tapioca pearls
1 tbsp brown sugar (you can find natural vegan brands)

Biscuit Topping Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup soy milk

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and put a pan of water on the stove to boil.

Grease the bottom of your baking dish with some vegan margarine. The pan I used was a glass casserole dish measuring 8x11x2".

Make a small x with a knife on the bottom of the peaches and then drop them into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Then remove the peaches and run under cold water to cool. The peels should slide right off. Slice the peaches into bite sized pieces. Place the diced peaches and the blueberries into the casserole dish. Add the vanilla, brown sugar and instant tapioca pearls to the fruit and stir to combine.

Next make the topping. The topping is a cross between a biscuit and a cake. In a separate mixing bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix the soy milk with the vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside. Then cut in the margarine with your fingers or a pastry knife until it has broken down and formed small pea sized clumps. Add the soy milk and vinegar mixture to the dough and mix. You will have a soft dough. It is much runnier than biscuit dough, but thicker than cake batter.

Spoon the cobbler dough on top of the fruit in six clumps. Don't worry about spreading it around. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature and enjoy.

For 8 servings
Nuritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 157 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 193 Calories from Fat 57

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.4g 10%

Saturated Fat 1.0g 5%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 232mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 32.2g 11%

Dietary Fiber 2.6g 11%

Sugars 12.9g

Protein 2.7g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 114% Calcium 4% • Iron 7%

Nutrition Grade B-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Parsley, Parsnip and Potato Soup

This soup came out of an abundance of parsley in my garden two years ago. I had harvested a bunch of parsley and wanted to do something other than tabouli with it. I kept thinking of soup and knew I had something when I saw my parsnips had done pretty well too. I am a big parsnip fan. I love that they are a unique vegetable that you don't see as often as carrots and plus they have that earthy sweetness going for them.

My mouth was watering just from peeling the parsnips and smelling how sweet they were. Yes, I know it is kinda crazy to get this excited over vegetables, but I can't help myself.

I used onion, garlic, carrot and celery for an aromatic base and let the main ingredients shine; treating the parsley like I would a green. Then I blended half of the soup for a rich, thick, and creamy mouthfeel.  This soup is definitely for parsley lovers, as it is filled with green parsley goodness. So good that one bowl has 5 grams of fiber, 52% of vitamin A, and 66% of vitamin C. You can definitely feel good about that.

Parsley, Parsnip, and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp vegan margarine
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
4 cups water
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 whole peppercorns (or just add crushed black pepper)
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Heat the oil and margarine in a soup pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and let them soften. Stir them frequently and add the carrots when the onion has started to turn opaque and a few edges are starting to brown. Next up is the celery. I even add some of the celery leaves if they are still attached. I figure, why not? They have a lot of flavor in them.

I never worry too much about the timing with soup. As long as you don't let it burn ... you are good. Just keep stirring every now and then while you prep the next ingredient.

While the onion, garlic, carrot, celery mix is heating through, peel and dice the potatoes and parsnips and add them to the pan. Then in goes the 4 cups of water, the marjoram, the tarragon and the black pepper. Let the soup come to a slow boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Now is the time to get to work on the parsley. Wash the parsley and then pinch each leaf from the stem. Just think if it as a meditative practice as you pinch pinch pinch....until you have a cup of fresh parsley leaves.

Add the parsley to the soup and let it cook a few minutes more, about 5-10 so the parsley softens. When the soup is about done, add the salt. Finally, remove half of the soup and put it in a blender. Puree half of the soup and add it back into the pan which gives you a creamy broth and some vegetables to chew on. The broth is green, but who cares - they say the more color the healthier your food and I am embracing that here!

I like to do the nutritional analysis to see how my recipes rate. I don't worry about calories so much, instead I like to see how food rates nutritionally. I was excited to see this soup was very good for you.

Makes 6 servings
nutritional info from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 323 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 117 Calories from Fat 15

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.7g 3%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 424mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates 24.1g 8%

Dietary Fiber 5.1g 20%

Sugars 4.1g

Protein 2.5g

Vitamin A 52% • Vitamin C 66% Calcium 5% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Deep Dish Pizza

A friend gave me this recipe years ago, and I used to make it all of the time. It makes great leftovers and is a satisfying meal. I have since adapted it to fit my vegan diet, and still love it. It is also family friendly and everyone enjoys it (I do leave the crumbles off half for my son, who enjoys it with only the veggies)

Deep Dish Pizza

Crust Ingredients:

1 tbsp active dry yeast (1 package)

1 cup warm water

1 tsp natural sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

3 - 3 1/2 cups flour

Crust Directions:

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Let this stand for five minutes. Add sugar, salt and oil; then briskly stir in 2 cups of flour. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until it pulls together into a shaggy dough. Knead until the dough is smooth, adding a little more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Press into a greased 13 x 9 casserole dish and let it rise for 15 minutes.

Italian Seasoned Boca Crumbles (or any TVP product) Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz meatless crumbles (Boca, Yves, etc.)

1 tsp crushed fennel seed

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/8 cup wine

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or 1/2 cup water with 1/2 tsp vegetable bullion)

Seasoned Crumble Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, but be careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add the crumbles to the pan along with the fennel seed, chili powder and stir. When it starts to stick, deglaze the pan with the wine, and then add the vegetable broth. Let it simmer until the liquid has absorbed and the crumbles are heated through.

Pizza Ingredients:

Crust (above)

Seasoned Crumbles (above)

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup prepared pizza sauce (I used jarred)

vegan cheese or nutritional yeast

1 thinly sliced roma tomato

2 tbsp black olives

Fresh or dried basil and oregano

Other veggies of your choice: spinach, onion, mushroom, zucchini, etc.

Pizza Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Brush the crust with the tsp of olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce over the crust next. Then sprinkle with any vegan cheese or nutritional yeast that you would like. Then add the sliced tomatoes. The crumbles go after that, and are topped with the olives, and any other veggies you want to add. Finally, sprinkle the herbs (basil and oregano) over the top.

Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.

For 12 pieces. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 123 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 196 Calories from Fat 26

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2.9g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 396mg 17%

Potassium 109mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 33.3g 11%

Dietary Fiber 3.0g 12%

Sugars 1.1g

Protein 11.1g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 10% Calcium 4% • Iron 18%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet