Thai Wraps with Lime-Scented Jasmine Rice and Salad with Peanut-Soy Dressing

Dinner tonight almost turned non-vegan... Somehow, some way, I managed to get my thumb caught between the two mechanisms of my can opener and take a nice chunk out of my beloved finger.  It bled for almost an hour, so of course my only worry was that dinner was going to be late, and I was hungry and annoyed.  It took me a little longer to get everything done with one digit out of commission, and it started hurting like a mother as time went on.  That being said, it's kind of hurting me now to type a whole bunch, so you'll forgive me for being brief.  I can say this much, however, and that is that W raved about this meal.  We love Thai food in general, so I knew this would be up his alley, but he very rarely raves.  He likes things, yes, and sometimes says things are really very, very good.  But raving is exclusively for super good eats.  Just sayin'...

Thai Wraps

For the cutlets:
1 c. cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 T. canola or coconut oil
½ c. plain, dried breadcrumbs
½ c. vital wheat gluten
2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
½ tsp. grated, fresh gingerroot
¼ tsp. grated lime zest
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ - ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (use according to your taste... we like spice)
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ c. vegetable stock or filtered water
1 T. soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
1 T. lime juice
1 T. natural peanut butter
½ tsp. rice wine vinegar
¼ tsp. sesame oil
Canola or coconut oil, for pan frying (I used coconut oil)

For the satay sauce:
3 T. natural peanut butter
3 T. unsweetened coconut milk
1 T. soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1-2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. organic brown sugar
1 small clove garlic, grated or pressed OR ¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

For the wraps:
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 small-medium cucumber, sliced (preferably seedless)
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Add the chickpeas and oil to a large bowl and mash until no whole chickpeas remain. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until mixed. Knead for 1-2 minutes, or until strands of gluten begin to form. Shape the dough into 4 flat cutlets and set aside.

Preheat a skillet or grill pan and coat with a thin layer of oil. Cook the formed cutlets until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice on the bias into ½-inch strips.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium. Whisking constantly, cook the sauce until smooth and well blended. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave or in a pan until pliable. Spread about 1 T. of the satay sauce onto each tortilla. Add ¼ of the cucumbers to each tortillas and sprinkle with the cilantro. Add 1 cut up cutlet to each tortilla. Wrap the sides of the tortillas around the filling and serve.


Peanut-Soy Dressing

3 T. soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
3 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. agave nectar or honey
1 T. natural peanut butter
1 T. coconut oil or canola oil
½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to your taste
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. curry powder

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Toss with greens and garnish with chopped peanuts.

 For the jasmine rice, just cook according to package directions.  Stir in some grated lime zest, then, cover the pot with a tea towel.  Place the pot's lid over the towel and let steam for about 5 minutes.

COST:

1 c. cooked chickpeas ≈ $0.23
½ c. breadcrumbs (I don't know... I make my own!)
½ c. wheat gluten ≈ $0.78
2 limes = $0.60
¼ c. vegetable stock ≈ $0.12
3 cloves garlic ≈  $0.05
2 T. coconut milk ≈ $0.11 (use the rest for making whipped coconut cream for dolloping onto fresh berries!)
5 T. Shop Rite natural peanut butter ≈ $0.23
≈ 3 T. Marukan rice vinegar ≈ $0.25
5 T. Kikkoman soy sauce ≈ $0.50
4 whole wheat tortillas ≈ $1.00
1 small cucumber = $0.66
½ c. Goya jasmine rice ≈ $0.31
2 cups green leaf lettuce ≈ $0.40

Total: $5.29

Note about the cost breakdown: A lot of these things I consider to be pantry staples.  I always have soy sauce, rice vinegar, etc.  And peanut butter, for crying out loud!  I'd die without peanut butter in my pantry.  It's like my rocket fuel.  But I've included them anyway.  You're welcome!  The spices and cilantro are a no dice... I can't sit here all night calculating serving sizes of curry powder and cilantro leaves.  I know I am a total loser, but I actually do have better things to do. : P

Pasta Shells with Broccoli Rabe and Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

Nice easy dinner tonight... Almost a one-pot meal, but not quite. This is my vegan adaptation of a meal I used to make quite a bit many moons ago with ground sausage. It was something of a compromise meal for W and me (and yes, that is grammatically correct), since he's mad for sausage (that sounds wrong) and I love greens, and we're both pasta fiends. (Who doesn't love a good carb?) I made it a couple of times sans sausage, using only fennel seeds to stand in for the flavor of sweet Italian sausage, but I wanted to replicate the ground sausage. I considered using the sausage-style TVP crumbles you buy at the store, but I'm really shying away from products like that lately because they're simply meat-free processed food. So here's what I came up with.  (More parentheses, for extra measure.)

Pasta Shells with Broccoli Rabe & Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

1 recipe tempeh Italian sausage crumbles (recipe follows)
1 lb. orecchiette or seashell pasta
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, thick stems removed
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (preferably no salt added)
½ c. reserved pasta cooking water
1-2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the pasta to the skillet with the sausage crumbles or to a large bowl. Reserve about ½ cup of the water and set aside. Return the water to a boil and cook the broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a colander and run under very cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and transfer to a cutting board to coarsely chop the greens, then return to the large pasta pot. Add the pasta, tempeh crumbles and beans to the large pot and add enough pasta water to moisten; toss everything to combine. Drizzle with the olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper.

Tempeh Sweet Italian Sausage Crumbles

1 (8 oz.) package tempeh
3-4 T. olive oil
2 tsp. fennel seeds
½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried rosemary
½ tsp. paprika
1 T. dry red wine OR vegetable stock
1 T. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Fit a pot with a steamer basket and bring the water to a simmer. Steam the tempeh for about 10 minutes, or until puffed up and tender. Alternately, boil the tempeh for 7-10 minutes, or until puffed up and tender. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then use the large holes of a box grater to grate the tempeh into coarse crumbles, or simply break into crumbles with your fingers.

Begin heating the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the tempeh crumbles and sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Do not let the pan dry out! Add the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and garlic, and cook, stirring, for a little less than a minute, or until fragrant. Rub in the parsley, basil, oregano and rosemary, and stir. Sprinkle in the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Add the wine/stock and Worcestershire sauce and cook until the liquid evaporates completely, about 1 minute. Remove to a bowl and set aside or freeze for later use.

Notes: As far as pastas go, I find orecchiette to be one of the more expensive varieties. I don't know if it's because the Food Network made them suddenly trendy or what, but good ol' ShopRite brand medium seashells work fine for me. Also, I suggest tearing the broccoli rabe stems off with your hands and leaving the pieces large at first. You know how learned to tear your salad greens by hand instead of chopping them? Same goes for all greens; it keeps more of the nutrients in the greens than cutting them with a knife. Also, leaving the pieces more intact makes them easier to fish out of the water when they're through cooking. If you have the knack for timing things perfectly, add them in the last couple of minutes of the pasta's cooking time and just drain them all together. But I'm crap at timing things when I need to, and plus, I find smaller pieces of broccoli rabe just shoot through my strainer anyway. And that's all I got to say 'bout that.

COST:

1 (8 oz.) package tempeh = $2.99
1 bunch broccoli rabe = $ 1.38 (on sale)
1 lb. seashell pasta = $1.29
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans = $0.75

Total = $6.41 for a very large pot of pasta

Pasta Primavera

I can't believe I'm not asleep yet, but I haven't been sleeping all that well lately. Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with overwhelming stress? W always suggests exercise, and it works for me temporarily, but once I'm done exercising, it doesn't take long for the stress to start eating away at me again. I wish I could hit the fast-forward button for just a sec.

Anyway, W rarely requests meals, especially since I started cooking vegan. But he told me he was really craving a pasta primavera, and, seeing as it is spring and all, it struck me as a great idea. I use Giada's recipe almost to the letter when I make this, as I have blogged before. All of my previous comments still stand: yellow peppers are expensive, herbes de Provence are the shizzy and it blows turning on your oven when the weather is nice and warm. But it's all totally worth it. Best.  Primavera.  Ever.

I amp up Giada's recipe just a tad with a garlic-infused béchamel sauce. I always kind of liked that light cream sauce you'd get in most restaurants, but I don't like pasta drowning in it. First, I cut a clove of garlic in half and rubbed the inside of a small saucepan with the cut sides. I made a roux of 2 T. vegan margarine and 2 T. unbleached flour, then whisked in 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk. I plopped in the cut garlic clove, along with another crushed clove, then brought it to a boil, lowered the heat and simmered it until it was thick. I removed the garlic and tossed the pasta with the sauce first before stirring in the roasted vegetables. Very simple and quick, and I do think it adds a little something more to the whole dish.

Other changes I make:  I usually omit the onion.  Not for any particular reason other than that, by the tme I am through julienning all those veggies, I've had enough chopping.  I also roast the tomatoes with all the other vegetables, and I slice about 10-15 leaves of fresh basil in a chiffonade and toss them in at the end.  Oh, and, obviously, I do not add Parmesan cheese.  Otherwise, Giada's got a real winner in my book.

Anyway, if you dare to turn on your oven (one day I might have A.C. in my kitchen. Or even... central air! Oh, to dream...), I highly recommend giving it a try. Happy springtime!

COST:

1 lb. farfalle pasta = $1.19

12 oz. cherry tomatoes on the vine = $2.00 (on sale)

0.67 lb. red bell pepper = $2.67

0.44 lb. yellow bell pepper = $2.20

0.74 lb. yellow squash = $1.47

0.78 lb. zucchini = $1.16

1 bunch basil = $2.99

4 carrots ≈ $0.35

1 c. almond milk ≈ $0.32

Total = $14.35

Yes, the ingredients for this are a tad pricey (mostly because bell peppers have always been expensive and have recently gone up in price anyway), but you'd pay about this much in a restaurant for this kind of dish, and it wouldn't be vegan!  Plus, it makes 6-8 servings (as always, it depends who's eating!)  So if we say 6 servings, that's about $2.40 per person.  I just had to make this because W never makes requests, and we have always loved it, so it was worth the splurge.  You can also slim down the grocery bill by using omitting or using only one bell pepper, or leaving out the tomatoes.  And if you grow your own basil, bless you!  My tiny little planter isn't big enough for a basil plant, nor is my little porch, if you can even call it a porch.  I can't wait to move!  The apartment we're looking at has a nice, big porch, where I'm hoping to expand the list of herbs I grow myself.

Oatmeal Smoothie

Sorry I've been remiss in updating... Life has been hectic. We've been apartment hunting every day this week, since our lease ends at the end of May. And our roommate situation is less than ideal, to be nice about it, so we're hoping to get the hell out of here ASAP. It's been a major stress on me for a few weeks now, and I just want it over with already. All that stressing leaves very little time for blogging. I've eaten far more Subway Veggie Delite subs than I should admit to because I just haven't had the time or energy to get a dinner together. I'm bad, I know. I would give anything for June to be here already. Anyway, in the meantime, here is one of my new favorite breakfast/snacktime treats. I wish I had a gorgeous, high-speed Vitamix blender to get it ultra-smooth, but I guess I'll have to deal with a couple of lumps for now. Still super tasty, all the same.

Oatmeal Smoothie

1½ c. almond milk
½ c. old-fashioned, rolled oats
2 tsp. - 1 T. demerara sugar*
½ tsp. vanilla extract
⅓ c. frozen fruit (I used blueberries)

Add all the ingredients except the fruit to a blender and blend until completely smooth.  Add the frozen fruit to the bottom of a large glass and pour the smoothie mixture over the top.

*Add sugar to taste. Whether or not your almond milk is sweetened, and whether or not you add fruit will affect the sweetness.

Note:  I felt that, if I were to blend the fruit in directly with the smoothie, it would overwhelm the nice, earthy taste of the oatmeal.  I like it better this way, but if you want to blend it all together, feel free.

Moroccan Carrot Stew over Couscous

I think, now that I'm working, I'm getting better and better at coming up with quick meals that you can just sort of throw together.  This is one such meal.  It's also the kind of dinner you can make with things you'd usually have on hand.  I always have carrots, but I also had a few baby carrots wasting away in my fridge, begging to be used.  So that's what I used tonight.  I wish I'd also had some greens to throw in this stew, but alas, I had none.  But I think it would make a wonderful addition.  Or maybe a nice green salad on the side, dressed with some simple oil and lemon juice.  Yum.  Yes, I need to get to the grocery store!  Anyway, my preferred brand of couscous is Hodgson Mill's whole wheat couscous with flaxseed.  It's actually cheaper per ounce than the Near East stuff I think people normally buy (at least, it's always sold out at my store) and has all kinds of good schtuffs in it.  So yes – highly recommended.  Plus all couscous is awesome because it cooks so quickly.  Perfect for a throw-together meal like this.  Man, I'm knackered... I don't even know what I'm saying anymore!

Moroccan Carrot Stew over Couscous

2 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T. tomato paste
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 pinch ground allspice
4 medium-large carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias (½-inch slices) – about 1½-2 cups
1 c. soaked and cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 c. canned, drained and rinsed)
1 c. vegetable stock, filtered water or a combination of both
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Fresh black pepper, to taste
2-3 T. chopped, fresh parsley

1 box couscous, prepared according to package directions (preferably whole grain fortified)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the spices and toast, stirring, for no more than 20 seconds, or until aromatic (you don’t want to burn them).


Add the carrots, chickpeas and stock/water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cover, then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Remove the lid and cook for another 2 minutes or so, or until the liquid has reduced into a thin sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.


Cook the couscous according to package directions.  Fluff with a fork, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir to combine.  Spoon the couscous into a bowl and ladle the carrot stew over the top.

COST:

1 yellow onion ≈ $0.33
4 cloves garlic ≈ $0.07
2 T. tomato paste ≈ $0.20
1 cup baby carrots ≈ $0.85
1 cup chickpeas ≈ $0.23
1 cup Tabatchnick boxed vegetable stock ≈  $0.47
Parsley = Free.  My herbs are growing again... Yay springtime!
1 (11 oz.) box couscous = $2.29

Total: $4.44

Note: Dried beans are so much cheaper if you have the time and foresight to soak them.  I do like the convenience of canned beans, especially when I realize I've forgotten to soak any beans, but make sure you buy ones with no salt added.  This whole BPA in the lining of cans thing freaks me out, so I've pretty much sworn off them for now.  (I think Eden Organics cans are BPA free, but I'd have to check on that.)  Some beans I find I can't get dried all the time in my supermarket, like cannellini, so I continue to use the canned once and a while.  But really, it's no sweat to soak beans overnight or follow the quick-soak instructions.  (Generally, you boil water, add the beans, boil them for a couple of minutes, then let them soak for 1 hour before cooking them.)  Then you'll have more beans than you know what to do with, and they freeze pretty nicely. 

Also, I wish I had the monies to buy that fancy tomato paste in a toothpaste tube I see on all these cooking shows.  But ah me, I cannot afford such luxuries!  I have found that it freezes well though.  I roll back a plastic baggie and spoon the paste evenly into the bottom of the bag (this can be messy).  It will make a little tomato paste log sort of thing when it's frozen.  Just let it thaw a few minutes before you use it so you can cut off a chunk easily, then get it right back in the freezer.  Don't keep it around for too, too long, though; it is prone to that freezer burn taste after a while.  But never let your paste go to waste!  Oh, play her off, Keyboard Cat!

Chickpea Cutlets à la vigneronne

Hey, blogosphere. Sorry I have to make this quick. W and I spent the holiday weekend at his parents' house dog-sitting again, so not much cooking went on. Unless you count adding a can of cannellini beans and some basil to Campbell's tomato soup. I had, once upon a time, fostered hopes of working on my vegan "ham" recipe, but it will have to wait for another time. I made my first attempt at Christmastime, but it didn't meet my standards. I figure Easter would be the next hammy holiday, but I just didn't get around to it. Oh, well.

Before we departed for the great puppy-sitting excursion, this was dinner. Oh, I know what you're thinking. "Another Chickpea Cutlet recipe? Seriously?" Well, have you tried these babies yet? They're freaking amazing. I used them like I used to use chicken in recipes (which was once my go-to protein). I know the original recipe by heart at this point, so I can whip them up on a moment's notice and change the flavor profile as I wish. This particular variation is an adaptation of a recipe I posted long ago for my Vintner's Wife's Pork Chops. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly the same way and just used the ol' cutlets instead. One thing I discovered: don't add the garlic and herbs to the pan first, as I did with the pork. It won't get the cutlets crispy enough. Also, if anyone out there has a good "pork-like" recipe, I'm listening. I've seen a recipe for something called "UnPork Chops," and I've been curious to try it. However, to my recollection, it relies heavily on MSG, which I'm not crazy about. So for now, I adapted the recipe to use the Chickpea Cutlets.

The Vintner's Wife's Chickpea Cutlets

1 recipe Chickpea Cutlets (Oh, just Google it already)
PLUS
1 tsp. chopped, fresh rosemary and an extra clove of pressed garlic

2 T. olive oil
2 T. chopped rosemary needles
2 T. chopped fresh sage leaves
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 T. vegan margarine
1 very small onion or a medium shallot, finely minced
1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
½ c. dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
1 c. vegetable stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
5 cornichons or baby gherkins, minced – about 3 T.

Prepare the chickpea cutlets and season on both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat a thin layer of olive in a large, deep-sided skillet.  Pan fry the cutlets, partially covered, until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 6-7 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate, cover and set aside.


Wipe out the pan if needed.  Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the rosemary, sage and garlic slices, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.   Add the margarine to the pan and let it melt, then add the onion/shallot. When it has become translucent, sprinkle in the flour and mix it in well, allowing it to cook for about 1 minute. Add the white wine, scraping up the fond, or brown bits, from the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to reduce by one-half.  Whisk in the vegetable stock, raise the heat and allow the mixture to, once more, reduce by half. Season well with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.


Stir in the Dijon mustard, parsley and cornichons/pickles. Spoon over the chickpea cutlets and serve.

Note:  I used more cornichons this time than in the recipe because I was in a pickle mood (half the jar was gone between me cooking and munching on them), but use to your own taste.  Cornichons, by the by, are little French pickles.  They are delicious, and if you've never had them, try to find them!  Baby gherkins would work fine, too, but they are a little bigger and have a different flavor.  And, in a real pinch, you could even chopped up several slices of dill sandwich pickles.  Also, remember what I always say about heartier fresh herbs like the rosemary and sage in this recipe: they save well in the freezer for weeks, even months!  So don't feel like they'll go to waste because you can always have some on hand when you need them.

I served these with some simple rosemary roasted potatoes and my Dijon mustard Brussels sprouts. Miam miam!

COST:

Rosemary and sage = I had these in my freezer, so they cost me nada this time around.  (Usually in the $2 range each.)
Approx. ½ (14.5 oz.) can chickpeas = $0.38
½ c. breadcrumbs (I really don't know the price; I make my own using leftover bread!)
½ c. Bob's Red Mill gluten flour = $0.78
5 cloves garlic ≈ $0.09
1 very small onion ≈ $0.15
½ c. Robert Mondavi Chardonnay (on sale) ≈ $1.00
1 cup Tabatchnick vegetable stock ≈ $0.47
5 cornichons ≈ $0.41 (a 14 oz. jar costs just shy of $6 because its chichi, but you'll love 'em!)
2 pounds potatoes = $1.19
1 (10 oz.) box frozen Brussels sprouts = $1.19

Total = $5.66