Curried Parsnip Soup

When we lived in New York we were members of a local community supported agriculture group (CSA), Hellgate CSA. The setup was that we would pay for a season of vegetables and fruits, then each week our farm(s) would deliver freshly picked produce to a central location where we would then gather our bounty. It was because of that CSA and those farmers that I have such a passionate interest in food. Yet, I admit that it wasn’t always perfect. Because of the way it was structured (and many CSAs follow this model), we didn’t have a huge choice in the food that we would get from week to week, so it was either an opportunity to discover something new to love or, yes, something to never want to eat again (I still have yet to figure out if I ever want to try bitter melon of my own accord again).

Not too long ago we joined another CSA run by Full Circle Farm in Washington. It’s modeled in such a way that we have more choice, however they still will send you a predetermined box of produce if you do not make any changes. A couple of weeks ago I saw that we would be receiving parsnips and I can’t say I was thrilled about them. I had parsnips for the first time in New York, likely thanks to our first CSA, and I recall that I roasted them along with some other vegetables, but I didn’t quite like the combination of flavors and never was inspired to eat them again. (Parsnips, if you have never had them, are similar to carrots in sweetness, but otherwise the flavor is somewhat unusual and savory.) But I realized that I couldn’t let parsnips go by the wayside this time, and so I left them on the list.

I’m so glad I did, because I wound up making this very creamy and delicately-flavored parsnip soup. It’s perfect as a starter to a meal or on its own with some salad or bread. While the curry in this dish does add additional spiciness, it is not hot. To add some heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes to each individual bowl for a little kick.

Curried Parsnip Soup
Recipe based upon Spiced Parsnip Soup from Allrecipes.com

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cubed
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 3 1/4 cups boiling vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup vegan milk, plain and unsweetened
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes or paprika for garnish

Chop your onions. Melt the vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and fry the onion in butter until soft, about five minutes.

Sautéing some onions in vegan butter

Peel and chop your parsnips, and chop your garlic.

Chopping parsnips

Add the parsnips, garlic and curry powder to the pan, and fry for a couple of minutes to release the flavors.

Frying parsnips, onion, garlic and curry

Boil the vegetable broth, and pour into the saucepan with the parsnips, onions, garlic and curry powder. Stir to remove any bits of vegetable from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes or until parsnips are soft and easy to break with a spoon.

Simmering parsnips and vegetable broth

Remove from the heat, and blend with a hand mixer, immersion blender or regular blender for a good 30 seconds to a minute.

About to blend parsnips into a creamy soup

Pour back into the large pan (if using a regular blender), then stir in the vegan milk, and heat through, but do not boil.

Stirring in the vegan milk

Taste test, then season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve in individual bowls, then garnish with red pepper flakes or paprika.

So smooth and creamy!

This is definitely a soup I’ll be making again, and I may try some variations with things like cauliflower or potatoes. Do you have any favorite parsnip recipes?

Vegan Squash Gratin

That hubbard squash went a long way. I had no clue when I bought it that I’d get three recipes out of it, but I did. I thought I might get four, but to be honest, I was ready to make the rest of it and have it vacate the bottom of my refrigerator in favor of other things. That said, I love how diverse the recipes have been with this single winter vegetable.

First I made a rich and creamy hubbard squash risotto, then I simmered a hearty winter squash and bean stew, and finally I’m ending with a hubbard squash gratin recipe. The squash is so tender and mildly sweet in this dish, and its topping is crunchy and flavorful with the addition of breadcrumbs and fresh herbs. Not to mention that I used Daiya vegan cheese and it works beautifully in this recipe.

Still looking for holiday side dishes? Consider a gratin if you have a decent vegan cheese in a store near you.

Vegan Squash Gratin
This is a revised version of Merritt’s Butternut Squash Gratin recipe on Allrecipes.com

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 8-ounce package shredded vegan cheese (I used Daiya’s mozzarella)
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Prepare your winter squash. If you are going to use a hubbard squash or one similar to it, please take care when cutting it open. It’s much tougher than a butternut, so it can be easier to injure oneself. Refer to my risotto post to see how I cut open this particular squash.

The rest of my hubbard squash - about 2 1/2 pounds of squash meat

Dice your onions and mince your garlic.

Chopped onion and garlic

Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then stir in the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions soften and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cooking onions and garlic in vegan butter

Add the winter squash and brown sugar.

Brown sugar and hubbard squash

Continue cooking and stirring until the squash begins to brown on the edges, but is still somewhat firm in the center, about 10 minutes more.

Hubbard squash cooking with the onions and garlic

Scrape the squash into the prepared baking dish, and pour in the vegetable broth. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil, the place in the oven. Bake for about 45 or 50 minutes.

Preparing to bake the squash gratin

Chop up your fresh rosemary and thyme, then add to the dry breadcrumbs.

Fresh rosemary and thyme go into the breadcrumbs

I chose to use a package of Daiya cheese, but you can use whatever vegan cheese you like. I find that Daiya has a great flavor and the texture works really well.

Daiya mozzarella style shreds

Add the vegan cheese to the breadcrumbs and fresh herbs, then mix well together.

Topping for squash gratin

Remove the foil from the baking dish, then sprinkle the squash evenly with the vegan cheese mixture.

Adding the vegan cheese topping to the squash

Return to the oven, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the topping is lightly crunchy and brown.

Vegan squash gratin fresh from the oven

This turned out really great. While the Daiya didn’t melt exactly like cheese, combined with the crunchy breadcrumbs, it still wound up being a really nice flavor and texture that complimented the tender squash.

If you’re not much of a winter squash fan, the topping alone is worth trying with other vegetables like potatoes or even turnips. You could also do a green gratin with chard or collard greens. And of course, it is a great topping for making vegan macaroni and cheese. There’s really no end to experimentation.

A serving of vegan squash gratin

Do you have a favorite gratin recipe?

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

Vegan Stuffing

There are a lot of things I love about Thanksgiving meals – the mashed potatoes, the roasted Brussels sprouts, the apple pie. But there are a few dishes I normally would rather pass on to the next person at the table. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I finally met a stuffing I actually liked and even wanted to try to replicate myself. Most vegetarian and vegan stuffing dishes I have tasted have been too dry, over-spiced and generally just have tasted like they have been an afterthought to the meal. Granted, there are a lot of people who love the same stuffing that I dislike, so no offense to them.

But I bet there are quite a few of you out there who claim you’ll never like stuffing. Maybe you won’t, but before you throw in the towel completely and say you’re done trying a bite of it at every holiday meal just to be nice, try this stuffing. It’s rich, the spices are prominent yet balanced, and the vegan meat gives it a heartiness that make this become an instant star of all the side dishes. Plus there’s a little bit of sweet added in by way of cranberries and apples. Did I mention I also don’t like cranberries? In this recipe, I like cranberries.

Vegan Stuffing
This lovely recipe came to me from a friend who veganized this recipe for us, her only guests who had vegan diets. Thank you N!
Serves 4-6

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
• 3 3/4 cups white bread, cubed
• 1 pound vegetarian/vegan sausage, cut into pieces (frozen is fine) (I used one package of Tofurky Kielbasa)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 tablespoons melted vegan butter
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1-2 cups vegetable stock

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut your bread into cubes, and put them on baking sheets on a single layer. Bake in the oven for about five to seven minutes.

Note: You do not have to use two different breads. I used only a few slices of a sourdough loaf, which yielded about six cups of cubed bread.

Cutting bread into cubes

Gather the ingredients which you will be frying: the vegetarian or vegan sausage, onions, celery, sage, rosemary and thyme.

I chose to cut the Tofurky Kielbasa in half lengthwise, then the two pieces into half lengthwise again, then I chopped them into small pieces.

Preparing the Tofurky Kielbasa

Chop your onions and celery into smallish pieces.

Onions, celery and spices

Fry the vegetarian or vegan sausage and onions in two tablespoons of butter over medium heat till evenly browned, occasionally stirring. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme, and cook for about two minutes, stirring to blend. Remove from heat.

Yum.

Chop your apples and parsley, and measure out your cranberries. Make sure the cranberries are not clumped together. You want them to mix evenly throughout the stuffing.

Chopping apples and parsley

I would recommend that you chop your apples into smaller pieces than I did – this will help the sweet flavor to more evenly distribute.

Place the toasted bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, then pour the vegetarian or vegan sausage mixture on top of the bread. Pour six tablespoons of melted vegan butter over the mixture, then add the apples, cranberries and parsley. Mix well.

The stuffing is coming together

Drizzle with about one cup of the broth until thoroughly moist but not soggy. Mix again. Transfer to a baking dish and allow to bake for about 20 minutes.

If you have added more bread cubes than the recipe calls for you may need to add a little more broth to the baking stuffing, however if you have followed the recipe exactly, I would recommend not adding more broth. I did this and wound up with soggy bread on the bottom of the dish.

Adding vegetable broth to the stuffing mixture

This is a great stuffing and one I would heartily recommend for your vegetarian or vegan – or even omnivorous – Thanksgiving. And in case you prefer a more traditional stuffing, I’ve got you covered. Check out my post on vegan sausage stuffing with mushroom gravy. It’s still pretty good, but if I were you, I’d go with this one instead.

This vegan stuffing has made me a convert!

Do you enjoy stuffing? If not, what is your preferred dish to have at Thanksgiving?

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

Hubbard Squash Risotto

I don’t know about you, but I like it when I see dirt on my vegetables. It makes it feel as though they have spent some honest time in the ground and haven’t been sterilized and made shiny by a machine. I think of calloused hands, tending them as they grow from seeds to tender shoots to fruiting plants, then finally picking the vegetables with care and passing along the love to me.

Golden Hubbard Squash

It’s that dirt that probably made me cave for this golden hubbard squash when I was out shopping for a pumpkin. That and the fact that I had never heard of a hubbard squash, and was so curious by its shape and size. $12 later I had no clue what I’d do with it, but I’ve discovered several recipes that have potential, and it’s a good thing, too. Destructing it this weekend I discovered that just the amount of meat alone allows for you to get creative and try several different dishes.

The first is a creamy and rich risotto. The hubbard squash may be in the name, but shallots and chanterelles grace this dish adding delicate flavors. Because of its richness it is best served as a side dish, or along with a refreshing salad with a citrus or vinegar dressing. You may also want to consider serving this as a unique dish at your Thanksgiving meal.

Hubbard Squash Risotto
Based upon the Winter Squash Risotto recipe found at Eating Well

Tip: You can use other types of winter squash if the hubbard squash is not available or preferred.

• 5 cups vegetable broth or plain water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 cups hubbard squash, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups shiitake, chanterelle or white button mushroom caps, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads (optional)
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, or dry vermouth (optional)
• 1/2 cup finely shredded or crumbled vegan cheese like Teese Vegan Cheese or Daiya

Wash your hubbard squash, then cut off both ends.

Cutting off the stem end of the squash

You’ll notice pretty quickly that the exposed flesh sweats. Before you cut the squash open, put the towel under the squash to reduce the squash’s ability to slip, then carefully cut the squash in half.

Exposed hubbard squash

I found that my squash was too large to cut straight through, so I would cut down one side, turn it, then cut down the other side. Cut one side of the squash into smaller pieces that will be more manageable to handle for when you will be peeling it. You may need only one-third or one-half of the squash for this recipe, so keep this in mind as you are cutting the pieces.

Then using a potato peeler, peel the squash. The skin is bumpy, so you may find the peeling process to take longer than it would with a smoother-skinned squash.

Cut hubbard squash getting peeled

Once it is peeled, cut three cups of small half-inch chunks.

Tip: To make the chopping easier, pop the peeled pieces into the microwave for about a minute (you may need to do a tad bit more). They may be hot to the touch, so take care, but when they are cool enough to handle the chopping should be far easier. Be aware, though, that this is not meant to be cooked in the microwave, so do not allow it to be in there for more than five minutes at most.

Chopped hubbard squash

Place broth or water in a medium saucepan, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not simmering.

Vegetable broth warming up

Slice the shallots, which are mild onions. If you need to, you may substitute white or yellow onions.

Slicing a shallot clove

Prepare the mushrooms. I used chanterelles, but you can use shiitake or I am sure that white button mushrooms would also work just fine.

Chanterelles

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, the add the shallots. Cook and stir them about one minute. Stir in squash and mushrooms, and cook and stir for five minutes until the mushrooms give off their liquid.

Shallots, hubbard squash and chanterelles cooking

Add thyme, salt, pepper and saffron (if using), then cook for 30 seconds.

I had some saffron on hand, so I decided to use a little. It’s a very expensive spice that has a bitter and tart odor, but is usually used in dishes to add a bit of color.

Saffron

Add rice, and stir until translucent, about one minute.

Adding the arborio rice

Add wine (or vermouth) and cook and stir for about one minute, until almost absorbed by the rice, about one minute.

Stir in one-half cup of the hot broth, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed.

Adding broth to the risotto

Continue adding the broth one-half cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all the liquid has been absorbed, and until the rice is tender and creamy. This will take at least 30 to 40 minutes total, and you may have some broth left.

The art of making risotto

Remove from the heat and stir in the vegan cheese. I used Teese that I mashed up with a fork.

Teese vegan cheese in risotto

Serve immediately.

Hubbard squash risotto

If, like me, you have never made risotto before, you may want to take a moment to watch this video that I found after I made this. Watch the video, then try the recipe. You may save yourself some time, and your risotto will probably be just as creamy and perfect.

Have you made risotto before? What are the star ingredients?

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

I am not big on making New Year’s resolutions, and this year I have made only minor ones that I’ve already broken. That said, here’s one that I am confident I can keep up throughout the year. My resolution is to try to make more foods outside of my comfort and cultural zones. While I love the food I grew up on – the mashed potatoes, fried okra and apple pie, I think that it’s too easy to always fall back on those. It’s time to break out a little and try my hand at new cuisines.

One thing I have wanted to learn how to make for quite some time is stuffed grape leaves, also known as dolmas or dolmades, a food that can be found in many areas of Europe including Greece and the Middle East.* Because this is made in a variety of places, it can be made in many different ways, so this is just one recipe of many that you can try. (Quick note: not all stuffed grape leaves are meat-free. If you buy it from a store or order it at a restaurant make sure that you’re getting vegetarian [vegan] stuffed grape leaves.)

Stuffed Grape Leaves
Makes about 50 or 60 dolmas
This recipe is based upon My Own Famous Stuffed Grape Leaves found at allrecipes.com

• 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (I did not have fresh dill, so I used about 2 or 3 tablespoons dried dill)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 quarts vegetable or vegan chicken broth
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
• 60 grape leaves, drained and rinsed
• hot water as needed
• 1 cup olive oil

Gather together and prepare your ingredients.

Preparing ingredients for making dolmas (stuffed grape leaves)

In a large saucepan saute your rice, onion, parsley and dill in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about five minutes. Add half of your broth to the rice and turn down the heat, and let simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Sauteing and cooking rice for stuffed grape leaves

Don’t allow the rice to cook completely, and once the 10 or 15 minutes is up, take it off the heat.

Undercooked rice

Stir in about half of the lemon juice and allow to cool for a few minutes. I used a strainer to make sure no small seeds were added into the rice.

Squeezing and using fresh lemon juice

Take one grape leaf, with the shiny side down and the protruding veins facing you, and add about one to two teaspoons of rice mixture close to the bottom of the leaf.

Grape leaf

Then proceed to wrap your grape leaf by following these steps:

1. First, fold the bottom left part of the leaf over the rice.
2. Then, fold the bottom right part of the leaf over the rice.
3. Fold over the top left portion of the leaf.
4. Fold over the top right portion of the leaf.
5. Roll up the rest of the leaf.
6. Done!

How to roll up a stuffed grape leaf

Place each stuffed grape leaf into a large saucepan, and make sure that they are placed tightly together.

Stuffed grape leaves pre-cooked

Once all of the stuffed grape leaves have been added to your saucepan, sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over them, then pour the cup of olive oil and remaining broth over them. Place a plate top side down on top of the stuffed grape leaves to weigh them down and keep them submerged.

Preparing the stuffed grape leaves to cook

Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook on medium low to medium heat for about 30 minutes (the original recipe calls for a full hour, but you may find that your rice is too mushy if you cook them for that long). Let these sit in the refrigerator for several hours overnight, then serve cold. You can serve these as an appetizer, a snack or with a salad.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

These are so easy to make, although I will say that I imagine that these would be easier to make with fresh grape leaves. The leaves I purchased were stuck together and if I wasn’t careful some leaves tore easily making them unusable. It also seems it would be better to select your own leaves because some were already torn or had holes in them. I would imagine that these would be a great thing to make when your herb garden and grapes are coming into their own in the summer, that way you can rely on your own backyard for ingredients.

Despite some frustrations with the grape leaves, I think that these turned out great and I’m impressed with how simple it is to make them. While they don’t taste exactly like what I’ve had from the store, they do taste similar and taste just as good. They are lemony and spicy, and I love how fresh these taste.

Have you made these before? If you haven’t made these, have you had stuffed grape leaves before, or are these completely new to you?

Yum.

*I had asked my Facebook fans what cuisine they wanted me to make next on Novel Eats. It was a tie between Greek and Middle Eastern, and as you can see, everybody won! Become a fan of Novel Eats on Facebook so you, too, can help me in times of culinary indecision. :)

Yum - garlic

It would seem that we are now officially in autumn, even though we never really had that real New York summer that we’ve come to expect from year to year. It’s as if we’ve had a late spring or early fall from April or May until now, with only a sprinkling of a few days of summer here and there. But now we’re getting real days of fall, with light jackets, scarves and sweaters.

I’ve discovered in the last couple of years that I love this time of year, and not just because of the turning leaves and change of wardrobe. I’m finding that one of the biggest reasons is because it allows me to get back into the kitchen in full force. I can turn on the oven or stove without having to worry about it heating up the house and competing with the air conditioner, and of course that always means a return to warm and hearty soups.

This is a twist on your typical potato soup and can be made in a variety of ways including a creamy variation (with soy milk or another preferred milk alternative), and isn’t based upon one particular recipe but is inspired by several.

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup

• 4 heads of garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of salt for each head of garlic
• 6 to 8 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used Idaho potatoes, but you could also use red or white potatoes, or another preferred variety)
• 8 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Black pepper, if desired
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped, if desired

Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take a head of garlic and turn it on its side and slice off just the tops of the garlic, so that each clove is exposed and is still attached to the head.

Preparing garlic to roast

Put the head of garlic on a piece of foil and wrap the foil up around the garlic so that when you add the olive oil it does not escape. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on top of each head of garlic, then sprinkle a pinch of salt on each head. Cover all four heads of garlic with one sheet of aluminum foil (some people do not completely cover the garlic, but I find that this makes it so the oil does not splatter your oven). Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes.

Wrapping garlic in foil, then drizzling a little of olive oil on each

Once the garlic is done roasting, let it sit for a few minutes to allow it to cool.

Roasted garlic

You can then remove the garlic and place it in a small bowl or plate by squeezing it or taking a fork and pulling each clove out one by one. I wound up peeling the sides of each garlic and was able to scoop them out more easily that way, but it was still a messy process. Set the garlic aside.

As your garlic is roasting, prepare your potatoes and onions. I like to cube my potatoes straight into a large empty pot, then rinse them off. Add the water and salt, and bring to a boil (I added a vegan vegetable broth powder).

Cubed potatoes

Let the potatoes boil until they are tender, and then add in the garlic.

Take a potato masher and mash the potatoes and garlic directly in the pot, while still leaving a few larger pieces of potato intact.

Stirring and mashing the garlic and potatoes

Then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes more.

Finishing up the soup

Serve with a dash of garlic and/or a teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley.

Roasted garlic potato soup

Alternate versions

• To make this a little bit creamy, omit one or two cups of water, and after you have mashed the potatoes and garlic, stir in one or two cups of vegan milk. You’ll need to stir more frequently to ensure the vegan milk does not burn.
• To make this a smoother consistency, blend about four to six cups in your blender until smooth, then return to your pan and stir it with the portion that you did not blend.
• Want this to be heartier? Add in other vegetables like carrots, celery or tomatoes. You could also roast one or two more heads of garlic to give it a stronger garlic flavor.

This is a really nice soup. The garlic is not overwhelming, but the taste is still definitely there. This goes very well with a slice of bread spread with vegan butter, like Earth Balance or Soy Garden.

How do you prefer your potato soup? Or do you like other soups more?

Thanksgiving can be a problematic holiday for vegans, especially when they are invited over to non-vegan or non-vegetarian homes. The hosts usually mean well, but often there’s not much to be had for vegans at a typical Thanksgiving gathering. When I was young I was lucky that my whole family, aside from a few in the minority, were vegetarian. That included grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. The minority didn’t seem to mind because they either had also been raised vegetarian or they chose to keep silent (maybe not – I can’t remember too many early Thanksgivings that revolved around talk of missed turkey).

These days, now that vegetarianism, and to a certain extent, veganism, is more widely understood and accepted, there is more sensitivity involved. Still, it’s challenging for vegans to have a meal sans milk and cheese. This is where I am going to give a minor confession.

I am not a strict vegan. I will eat dairy and eggs if my hosts haven’t considered that I may not eat those things. The only line I refuse to cross is the meat line, mainly because I have never had meat be a part of my diet (yes, never), so to be honest – meat kind of weirds me out as a food group.

With that said, not all vegans eat the same or follow the same set of unwritten rules. Even so, I am going to share one thing with vegans and one thing with meat-lovers.

Vegans: If you’re asked to bring something to a holiday meal, consider these two recipes. They’ve got creaminess and heartiness written all over them! Impress those meat-lovers with your culinary skills, and have them begging for you to come back next year. They might even ask you where you got the recipe. (Send ‘em on over – I don’t mind!)

Meat-lovers: If you have asked a vegan or vegetarian over for a holiday meal, but have no idea what to fix, consider trying to make something that they can eat, and make these two recipes. Just because these are vegan recipes doesn’t mean they are weird or hard. It doesn’t matter if they don’t wind up being the hit of the meal – the fact that you went to any trouble at all to make your veggie guests comfortable is a wonderful gesture and one to be appreciated. They might even ask you where you got the recipe. (Send ‘em on over – I don’t mind!)

I feel like I’m repeating myself…

Vegan Sausage Stuffing

• 1 package Tofurky Kielbasa (or another vegan meat alternative), diced or ground up
• 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 – 6 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 teaspoons Italian season blend
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound of bread, cubed (I used an organic seven-grain bread, but you could use most any kind and have it turn out well)
• 16 ounces vegetable broth, or chicken broth substitute
• Cooking spray or olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dice or grind up the Tofurky, and then saute in a large non-stick frying pan for about five minutes in 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Add the chopped onion and celery, and saute for another three minutes.

Stir in parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Transfer the vegan sausage mixture to a large bowl. Add the cubed bread and broth and stir together well.

Spoon stuffing into a large baking dish coated with cooking spray or olive oil.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Uncover, then bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Creamy Mushroom Gravy
This versatile recipe is known as Cashew Gravy on VegWeb.

Two quick notes:

1. If you make this gravy to go along with the above stuffing recipe, I would recommend doubling or tripling this gravy recipe to ensure you have enough – I’d lean more toward tripling… But you may want to experiment first to see if you even like this gravy (personally, we love it in our household).
2. If you don’t want to use a creamy gravy, I’d highly recommend the gravy I made last year which I thought turned out really well.

• 1 package mushrooms, sliced (I’ve used your standard mushrooms in this recipe here, but I’d also recommend baby bellas)
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/2 cup cashews, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos (a soy sauce substitute) or low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons nutritional food yeast (can usually be found in the supplements section of your grocery store)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Set aside one cup of hot water. Put everything else except for the mushrooms in a blender and blend very well, about five minutes.

Add second cup of water. Pour into a pan, and stir constantly (preferably with a whisk) on medium to high heat until desired thickness. It may take a few minutes to get it thick, but as soon as it starts to thicken up watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t over-thicken, then turn off the stove.

Saute sliced mushrooms in a couple of tablespoons of water.

Saute the mushrooms until tender.

Stir the mushrooms into the gravy, and serve with the stuffing.

The stuffing turned out well, and it tasted really hearty. I think that part of it had to do with the seven-grain bread I used. That kind of bread always has a little extra oomph, but I’m sure you can get away with basic bread and have it turn out just as well (meat-lovers: make sure you read the label for dairy or eggs if you’re buying bread).

I really liked pairing the stuffing with a creamy gravy. I actually experimented with a non-creamy recipe a few weeks ago, but I wound up really disliking it, so I chose to share this gravy instead. I think that this gravy recipe does a good job of balancing the spices and stronger flavors in the stuffing. I’ll repeat what I said above in the recipe, but if you make the stuffing recipe exactly as it’s listed above, I’d recommend doubling or tripling the mushroom gravy recipe to ensure that there’s enough.

P.S. These recipes were requested by a reader (Hi Rachel!) a few weeks ago. If there’s anything you’re interested in seeing me try (and hopefully not fail!) send me a message and I’ll see what I can do. I would have had this one to you guys sooner, but life’s become a zoo the last few weeks! Should calm down after the New Year, though!

P.P.S. Yes, I’m still working on the redesign. Because of the zoo, though, it’s taken a back seat for the moment.

The weather in New York is being a bit cranky. A couple of weeks ago we had early summer weather, but this past week was more like mid-spring. Today it’s warm again, and only time will tell if it stays. Since we’re in this in-between stage, it only seems appropriate to have a few last bowls of soup to warm ourselves up.

It has been a while since I have made barley soup, and after realizing I had the makings of it in my cupboards I decided that would be today’s project. The nice thing about this soup is that it is so easy to make that it takes hardly any effort. Chop up a few vegetables, toss in some barley, water and spices and you’re pretty much done. The result is a filling, yet mild soup.

Barley Soup

• 1 8-oz pkg. button or white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Chicken-style seasoning or vegetable-based seasoning (to make the water more broth-like)
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry barley

Chop up all of your vegetables. I like to chop my mushrooms into quarters if they are small enough. This makes them a little more meaty, but you can slice your mushrooms however you like.

Heat up your oil in a large pot and throw all of your vegetables in with your spices. Sauté for a few minutes (about 7-10 minutes).

Add the water and barley, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it is at the boiling point lower the heat and let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally. Taste test the soup once you are close to the end to make sure the barley is as tender as you like. It all depends on how chewy you like it. Serve.

I like this soup because it is really so simple – mainly because it does not have too many spices or vegetables. I like it as well because the barley lends a little bit of creaminess to the soup. For a vegan it’s nice to have a bit of creamy every now and then without the guilt of extra calories that soy milk (or almond or hazelnut or…or…or) brings.

Perhaps next week I’ll be begging the weather for mercy and wishing for cold weather. Until then, though, I’ll be cozying up to my barley soup.

“Here you are, Messere!” The host’s voice took his mind off his worries. The man placed a wooden platter in front of him, containing slices of dark bread soaked in a reddish slop. On top were two slabs of cheese with a thick, moldy rind. “And here is some wine, true nectar of Saint Dennis!” he exclaimed, setting down a moist earthenware jug.
“Dionysus,” Dante muttered.
“Saint Dionysus?”
“No, Dionysus the god.”
“By God, Messere, you are right; the other was Saint Damian.”
The prior dismissed him with a nod and looked around for a spoon. He resigned himself to using his fingers, and after having rolled up his sleeves, scooped up and swallowed a dripping mouthful. Not so bad, aside from the mold on the cheese, and not too different from what the kitchens of the Priors’ Palazzo dished out, he thought as he fell upon the wine.

-The Mosaic Crimes by Giulio Leoni, Anne Milano Appel

There are some books which sound good in the description, but wind up being disappointing to me. Sad to say, this is one of those. I typically enjoy reading books that are along the lines of The Last Cato, The Da Vinci Code, or Labyrinth. They are not exactly what I would call fine literature, but they are entertaining and keep me on the edge of my seat.

This book, centered around Dante Alighieri and his quest to solve a handful of mysterious crimes, never swept me into the story. Dante was portrayed not as a hero, but more as a self-centered jerk and in the end did little that was impressive. The only real impressive thing was how often he managed to be in a tavern and seem to only subsist on wine. The above quote is the only mention of food in the entire book (at least that I recall).

I was so uninspired that I had a hard time coming up with something to make. I wanted to stay true to the book and make some kind of red Italian soup with bread, but I just couldn’t do it. I finally decided upon a creamy Italian white bean soup, which was justified because it says “Italian” right in the name. So there you go, Dante – hopefully a better meal than the slop you had earlier.

Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound white Great Northern beans, already cooked (1/2 pound dry makes about 2-3 cups cooked beans)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 cups water
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook onion and celery in oil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring. Stir in cooked beans, vegetable broth, pepper, thyme and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 15 minutes.

With slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the bean and vegetable mixture from soup and set aside.

In blender at low speed, blend remaining soup in small batches until smooth, opening up the center piece of the lid so the steam can escape. (If you have a blender like a VitaMix, you can probably get away with doing it all in one batch like I did.) Once blended pour soup back into stock pot and stir in reserved beans.

Bring to a boil, occasionally stirring. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat, and serve.

I liked this soup, but I cannot say that I loved it. It definitely was creamy, and the spinach was a good addition to give it a contrasting flavor, but it seemed like something was missing. I couldn’t place my finger on it though. Maybe it needed to be more hearty, or different beans. I used Great Northern, but perhaps I should have gone with a white bean with more flavor.

Sorry Dante, maybe this wasn’t your kind of soup after all.

Our community supported agriculture (CSA) season ended just this last week, and we received both turnips and rutabagas for the first (and last) time. Since rutabagas are similar to turnips I also used them this time around. I think turnips tend to have a little bit more of a kick, though, so normally I would use only turnips. The mashed potatoes still turned out lovely and I really have no complaints.

This is a recipe that has become less of a recipe, so the following is more of an approximation of what I did.

Mashed Potatoes with Turnips/Rutabagas

• 5 – 7 large potatoes of your choosing, peeled and quartered
• 2 – 3 turnips and/or rutabagas, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 5 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• Salt
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 – 5 Tbsp. mayonnaise or Vegenaise
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Place the potatoes and turnips/rutabagas into a large pot and cover with water. After they have been boiling for a few minutes (5 – 10 minutes) add the onion and garlic cloves. Boil until the turnips are tender (note that you may want to start boiling the turnips first and then add the potatoes later as the turnips will take longer to soften).

Drain the potatoes, turnips, onions, and garlic cloves and pour into a large bowl (or back into the pan). Add salt (this will be to taste), butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Either mash the ingredients together with a potato masher (more lumps) or get out a hand mixer and mix until it is at the consistency you prefer. Taste it to see if it has a good flavor and adjust the seasonings until it is how you want it.

Vegan Gravy
Taken from AllRecipes.com and originally called Vegetarian Gravy

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I did not use 1/2 cup – more like 1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tsp. nutritional yeast
• 4 Tbsp. light soy sauce (I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
• 2 cups vegetable broth (I used 2 cups of water with 1 heaping Tbsp. McKay’s Chicken Seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp. dried sage (I didn’t use this because I don’t think I had any on hand.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (I didn’t use this because the chicken seasoning and the liquid aminos were already providing enough sodium)
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the broth. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened.

The recipe said that once you reduce the heat you should stir it for another 8-10 minutes. My gravy did not take that long to thicken at all, so I would actually shorten that time to 2-3 minutes.

Both the mashed potatoes and the gravy turned out really well. When I was seasoning the potatoes and trying to achieve the perfect flavor I realized that I was trying to get it to taste more like potato salad. It didn’t taste exactly like potato salad, but even if it had I would have still loved it.

There are still some turnips and rutabagas sitting in my kitchen, so I am sure to make this recipe again in the very near future.

More Thanksgiving recipes to come in the next few days!