Doris’ Slow-Cooker Tomato Soup December 9, 2008

Doris’ Slow-cooker Tomato Soup  

Any woman can tell you that a slow-cooker is her best friend! It’s truly a godsend. Why, just yesterday Mavis and I met for… “coffee” in the morning, my Daughters of Bilitis reading group had lunch together,  I had a Socialist Workers’ Party Central Committee meeting in the afternoon,  and then Mavis came around for more… “coffee” before dinner! What’s a busy, modern woman to do! Still cook for her husband and children, of course. I prepared the ingredients in my slow-cooker in the morning, put on my pearls and left for the day and by the time Mavis and I had finished our after-”coffee” cigarette, a hot, home-cooked meal was waiting in my kitchen. I thought I’d share my favorite slow-cooker recipe for a busy day.

With love,

D.

2 cans whole plum tomatoes

2 onions, roughly chopped

1 medium carrot, halved and cut in slices

Three + cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1/2 tablespoon thyme

1/2 tablespoon basil

1/2 tablespoon oregano 

1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper (Asian, not Mexican. Chili flakes can be substituted)

4 cups chopped fresh kale

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas

-Pour tomatoes, juice and all, into your slowcooker. Mash with a potato masher or squeeze with your hands until they are a bit pulp-like but still a bit chunky

-Add all other ingredients

-Set to low and cook for 4-5 hours

-Adjust seasonings as necessary, serve with crusty homemade bread.

*Psst dah-lings. You can make this without a slowcooker. Add tomatoes and carrot with all spices, herbs and salt to a soup pot and cook over medium-low heat until tomatoes have broken down (25-30 minutes) stirring occasionally. Saute onions and garic in olive oil over medium heat and add once translucent with the kale and chickpeas. Simmer for another 15 minutes (or until kale is done) and enjoy

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches September 15, 2008

I like to make this as a quick lunch for my husband and children so Mavis and I have more time to ourselves. For cooking, of course.

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

The Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 cup tahini
One medium lemon’s worth of juice
2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Approx. 1/4 cup water (could be more, could be less)

Acquire blender or food processor (preferably from your fetching next door neighbour). Add garlic, salt and cumin and pulse until garic is fine-ish. Add lemon juice and pulse until you have a disgusting murky liquid. Add tahini and olive oil and pulse until well mixed. While food processor is still going, slowly add water to thin out the sauce (Should be thinner than the average tahini consistency but be substantial enough to hold a salad together).

The Salad:

3 cups chickpeas (cooked or canned), roughly chopped (should sort of me halfed). I recommend using a food processor. Attempting to use a blender will result in disappointment.
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
Handful of chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Add tahini sauce and toss until everything is well covered.

Works well on multi-grain toast, pita or a flour tortilla. I usually add some alfalfa sprouts or baby spinach for more greenery. Serve with a handful of sweet potato chips and celery and carrot sticks for full mom effect.

In addition to providing a satisfying lunch for my family, I got quite the compliments when I turned these into finger sandwiches for my League of Communist Women Voter’s Meeting.

Vegan Mushroom and Walnut Loaf June 29, 2008

Nothing like a hefty loaf to make you feel content and full. This loaf is well textured and has a great flavour. Doris made this for her husband and was very happy with the results.

1 1/2 lbs mushrooms (mix white and shitake)
1 cooking onion
4 cloves garlic
1 c chopped walnuts
Small block of tofu, crumbled (Soya Nova West Coast Smoked is amazing in this)
8-10 drops of liquid smoke
1/2 c bread crumbs
1-2 tbsp of nut oil (walnut is best, olive is a good alternative)
3 tbsp tamari
1 tsp oregano
3 tsp basil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Place mushrooms, onion and garlic into food processor. Pulse till very coarsely chopped. Add walnuts, pulse till combined. Add remaining ingredients and pulse till combined – should still be well textured.

Lightly oil a loaf pan, press mixture into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Optional, brush your favourite barbeque sauce on for the final ten minutes of baking.

Serve with your favourite potato and mixed vegetables for a truly authentic diner meal. Mushroom gravy also goes a long way with this.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Fudge Sauce June 23, 2008

Doris and I were busy for hours trying to create a fudge sauce recipe without dairy or butter. You never know when you need something thick and chocolatey, especially when you are around the likes of Doris! 

It is also a very quick and easy way to dress up a dessert for the woman who has little time. This is an almost effort-free sauce with very high appeal. This is a very smooth sauce, very rich, and it absolutely will settle anyone’s cravings.

2 cups of raw sugar
1 cup of cocoa
1 1/3 cups of non-dairy (vegan) coffee cream, or non-dairy milk (Silk sells an awesome one)
1/4 cup of vegan margerine
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of artificial butter flavour (optional)

In a saucepan, place sugar, cocoa, milk, margerine and salt. Put on stove top on medium, stir constantly till it come to a light boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off of heat, add butter flavour.

This can be served hot directly onto ice-cream, and it should thicken. It can also be allowed to cool, and used as a spread. It should also be thick enough to ice a cake. it is also good eaten right off the spoon!

(Mavis LOVES getting comments! Please let her know what you think of her recipes.)

Nomelet – An Egg-Free Scramble June 15, 2008

This is more like a scrambled egg with *stuff.* The flavour and texture of this is fabulous.

The reason why I wanted to come up with something like this is that my step-grandmother’s favorite food was an omelet. She would make this dish on Sundays I have been told, for her children. It isn’t really comfort food, as I was never that close to her, but thinking of omelets still fills me with that same warmth that only the smell of cheap old-lady perfume (“Taboo” for Gramma Gertie) ever could.

And now, back to Mavis and her frilly pink apron and jaunty yellow pumps….

The Vegan Omelet

1tsp olive oil
1 pkg Smoked tofu – firm (see note below if this isn’t available where you live)
1/4 c water
1/2 lime – juiced
1 small cooking onion – chopped
handful of sliced white mushrooms
1 green pepper – chopped
1 red pepper – chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1tsp dried parsley
1tsp tumeric
1/2c grated soy cheddar cheese
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1- Crumble tofu into a frying pan with olive oil. Add water and lime juice. Bring to boil then cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes.
2- Add onion and mushrooms, cover and cook on medium for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
3- Add peppers, garlic, parsley and tumeric. Cook on medium heat for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
4- Arrange all ingredients to be close and in a single layer (as much as possible) in the pan. Add grated cheese to the top, cover and let sit till cheese is melted.
5- Salt and pepper to taste.

This is a simple recipe that can be modified in any way you wish. You can substitute salsa for the veggies and monterey for the cheddar to have a TexMex-style omelet; add tomatoes, basil, oregano, and mozzerella for an Italian flavour. The sky is the limit.

A modern but very nice twist is to put this into a wrap, a breakfast burrito. This is my favorite way of eating this style of omelet.

Note – Smoked tofu is a wonderful item available here, but may not be available elsewhere. The smokey flavour gives this dish a hearty flavour. If you can’t find smoked tofu, you can create something similar by crumbling regular, firm tofu, and adding a mixture of water, not quite covering the tofu, and a good teaspoon of liquid smoke – mesquite is nice. Marinate overnight, stir when you think about it. Drain the water and use it as indicated above.

Mavis Diner – Mac ‘n Cheese June 15, 2008

So, my first attempt at this recipe was glorious. The taste, the texture, and the look was disconcerting enough to make any vegan look twice at their endulging host claiming this dish “Vegan.”

In my second attempt, I made a critical error. In purchasing soy milk, I bought the unsweetened of the brand I thought I had previously used. The cooking went well, everything seemed to work, until I poured some of the sauce onto the noodles and I detected a definite vanilla aroma. Sure enough, the soy milk was unsweetened, but it was still flavoured… without any really good indication of this on the package. The ingredients indicated vanilla, but generally it is labelled better than that here.

So, one boy turned down the vanilla flavoured mac ‘n cheese, while the other devoured it. I took one bite and decided that cheese and vanilla do not need to co-exist on noodles.

So, kittens, be forewarned that not all soy beverages are equal. Give yours a good sniff before trusting it here.

Also, if there is a place where Sheese, by Bute Island is available, I recommend this instead – the smokey cheddar, and the Gouda style work well here.

Bute Island – their website: check for suppliers, ask you local small grocer to carry their products.

Mac ‘n Cheese

1 tbsp margerine
1 tbsp all purpose flour
11/2 c soy milk (unflavoured, unsweetened)
1/2 c grated finely vegan Gouda flavoured cheese
1/2 c grated finely vegan Cheddar flavoured cheese
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Elbow-macaroni noodles, enough for four

1- In sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt margarine. Add flour to margarine and stir till combined.
2- Slowly add soy milk, tablespoon at a time at first, and mixing thouroughly with a whisk to avoid lumps. Bring to a slow boil.
3- Add cheese, stir till melted and then season to taste.
4- Cook macaroni according to instructions, strain and place in bowl. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and serve.

For another twist, place Mac ‘n Cheese into an oven-safe cassarole dish and grate more cheese onto the top. Add a sprinkling of bread crumbs and broil until the cheese is melted.

Another way to change this is to add fresh, chopped oregano and basil to the sauce when adding the cheese.

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake June 15, 2008

Okay kittens! Time to wear your frilly aprons, pink pumps and listen to your favorite Elvis Presley and Pat Boone songs. This recipe was made for the graceful curves and full skirts. Bring it in proper upside-down form to the church bazzare, serve it to your best company with your favorite whipped topping.

After many tries of this, I have come up with something that doesn’t stay in either a permanent-pudding or brick-hard state. I admit that I did have to use a proper egg replacer rather than a more creative option, but I am happy how it turned out. The succanat gave it a spicy sweetness that demanded the addition of a few spices. I hope anyone who tries this likes it. Good luck!

1 can sliced pineapple (in rings)
1 cup maple syrup
pinch of salt

1 cup vegan margerine
1 1/2 cup succanat
Enough egg replacer to replace 2 eggs, plus whatever liquid required
1tsp vanilla
2 tbsp of pineapple syrup, from can
1 cup of soy milk
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1- In a sauce pan, bring syrup to a boil and let simmer with minimal stirring for 3 minutes. Add salt and stir.
2- Place pineapple rings in the bottom of a 9x9inch cake pan. Place only one layer. Pour syrup over pineapples and set aside
3- Combine sugar and margerine in bowl. Add eggs replacer, vanilla, and pineapple juice and beat till light.
4- Mix dry ingredients – flour, baking soda and powder, cloves – in separate bowl.
5- Alternately blend dry then wet, a bit at a time, until all ingredients are encorporated.
6- Pour cake mixture over the syrup and pineapples and make sure not to stir together.
7- Bake at 350F for 45min or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8- Let cool for 2 minutes then invert into an appropriate sized plate.

Simple recipe, outstanding results!

Care T’ Salsa June 15, 2008

Doris and I have had too many lonely afternoons, so we have decided to teach ourselves to dance! What a better snack than cool, savoury salsa after a hot dance session.

This is a simple recipe for a tasty salsa. It is easy to heat up, or leave mild, and is equally savoury no matter which you choose.

4 Roma tomatoes, diced 
2 Red peppers, diced 
2 Limes, zested and juiced. Retain both zest and juice 
1 Red onion, diced 
4 Cloves of garlic, pressed finely 
1 cup Frozen corn 
1 Jalapeno, chopped very fine, seeds discarded (unless you want lots of heat – in which case, toss in the seeds too!) 
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar 
2 tbsp Olive Oil 
2 tbsp Cilantro, fresh, chopped finely (optional – can substitute for Fresh Parsley)
 
1 – Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for at least an hour, overnight is best. 
2- Serve with tortilla chips. Unsalted and whole husk is best. 
 
*Tip, heat tortilla chips in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F to refresh them.  
 
Try to use all organic ingredients if at all possible. 
 
For a nice twist, add one skinned and chopped peach. This offsets the heat nicely. 
 
Use also in fajitas, tacos, or any other mexican style cooking. Tastes great on baked potatoes, and on toasted bread. 

Sesame Cabbage Salad June 15, 2008

This is a simple, Chinese inspired recipe that is perfect for the summer potluck. It is great as a cold side for just about any lunch-time meal. It also packs a terrific punch as a side in a fancy supper time meal. 

1 Spanish onion
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 tbsp Tamari
1/4 c maple syrup
2 tsp rice vinegar

1 savoy or napa cabbage

i-In large pan, toast sesame seeds until golden brown. Remove from pan and grind to coarse meal.

ii-chop onions. Add onions and oil to pan and fry on medium until carmelised. Lower heat. Carefully add Tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar and sesame meal. Simmer for 5 minutes.

iii-chop cabbage -remove heart and any larger spines, and place in large bowl.

iv-pour fried mixture over cabbage, and stir. Let sit and stir every so often to ensure complete coverage of cabbage. Salad best if left in fridge over night or for a minimum of one hour.

Absolutely vegan and tastes amazing. Very easy and quick to make.

Chili or Grainalicious Sloppy Joe June 15, 2008

Nothing beats the heat like hot, thick chili. Some like their chili wet, others, meaty. Doris and I like ours the same, moist. Neither of us compromise on flavour, and that is where this recipe shines!

This recipe is packed with interesting flavours, proteins from a variety of sources and different grains. Super healthy complete meal. Also very filling.

1 can of crushed or cubed tomatoes
2 tsp of oil – olive or hemp
1 cooking onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of chili powder
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced, seeds separated
1/2 cup kasha (toasted buckwheat groats)
couple handfuls of quinoa
1 can of kidney beans, drained
1 can of pinto beans, drained
1 lime, zest and conserve, squeeze and conserve juice
1 zucchini, diced
2 carrots, unpealed and diced

1- In large pot, fry onions and garlic in oil til tender
2- Add can of tomatoes one can of water
3- Add jalapeno, kasha, quinoa, chili powder and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cover and let simmer till kasha and quinoa are fully cooked. Be sure to stir occasionally. Add additional water if it becomes too thick.
4- Add lime zest and juice,zucchini and carrots and cook till veggies are to desired level of done
5- Add kidney and pinto beans, cook enough to make hot again, remove from heat.

Other options – TVP, but compensate with additional water, mushrooms added while frying onions and garlic.

When serving, add a soy based dolop of “Sour Cream” as a garnish and a thick cut slice of bread.

Garnish also with old cheddar cheese.

Too, this tastes best the next day as a re-heated leftover. Also works as a filling for a sandwich (a la sloppy joe) if cooked thick enough.