Coconut Red Lentil Curry

We have cooked with curry paste here and there, but nothing really adventurous, so we decided to try this recipe out that I found on vegnews.com. What a surprise! I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it was wonderful! It had just enough spice to be slightly spicy without overbearing, and had a great flavor.

 

Coconut Red Lentil Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unrefined, organic coconut oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups red lentils
2 cans organic coconut milk
4 to 6 cups water (enough to cover all ingredients)
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups diced sweet potato
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 

 

 Directions:

 

1. Sauté onion in the coconut oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sea salt, stir, and cook for one minute more. 

 

2.  Add the lentils, coconut milk, water, and remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. 

 

3. Stir well, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes more, until the lentils are cooked through and creamy. Add more salt and pepper to taste. 

 

 

Note: After cooking for about 45 minutes, it thickened up nicely. We thought about having it with rice, but there is already a lot of carbs in the curry. It was delicious without it =)

 

Three-Bean Chili

I have to say, I've never used canned chiles or canned chipotle chiles before, but it gives the chili almost a spicy, smoky flavor. I'm not sure if the recipe had a typo in it, or if it really calls for 3 Tbsp of chili powder, but we only had about 2 1/2, and WOW!! SPICY! So, I think I'd probably knock it down to 1 Tbsp, maybe 1 1/2, or to taste. But the flavor was very good and we were very happy with it! =)

 

Three-Bean Chili

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (2-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles, drained

1 cup water

3 Tbs chili powder, or to taste

1 canned chipolte chile in adobo, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, green chiles, water, chili powder, chipolte, cumin, marjoram, and sugar. Stir in the black beans, Great Northern beans, and kidney beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. 

3. Uncover, and cook an additional 10 minutes to allow flavors to develop and the chili to thicken. Serve immediately.

Herb Garden!

Last year we decided that we were going to try and plant as much of a garden as we could on the balcony of our condo. It worked out pretty well for a first try. Take a look!

 

Chocolate mint, feverfew, chamomile, and valerian, with lavender in the middle pot.

 

 Sage, peppermint, oregano, spearmint, and lemon balm.

 

 Nice big pot of basil. 

 

Tyson helping me garden! =) 

 

Palm, violet, lamb's ear, pepper plant with marigolds, and a pretty pot of flowers.

 

Hen and chicks, and wildflowers.

 

 Pot of flowers =) Red geraniums are supposed to protect your home.

This year, I decided to try and start growing seeds inside before we plant them outdoors. I planted them 3 days ago and they're already starting to sprout!

 

So far, the calendula (edible marigolds), thyme, and catgrass are sprouting!

We have a few plants left from last year, but the only ones that are still thriving are the aloe and the lavender. The lavender was actually outside all winter long and flourished!! We did bring the aloe inside, but put it out a week ago or so.

 

Hopefully, come spring, we'll have a lot of sprouted herbs to plant outside in our garden. In such a busy area, it's nice to have a little bit of comfort, even if it is something as simple as a garden of fresh herbs.

Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, and Grape Tomatoes

Wow! What a colorful, fresh dish this was!! The flavor of the swiss chard and tomatoes paired perfectly with the basil, one of our favorite herbs to cook with. And the beans gave it a little extra protein to make the dish more filling. Just delicious!

 

Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, and Grape Tomatoes

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium bunch red chard, tough stems removed and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups ripe grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 lb penne

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil, for garnish

 

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary.

 

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu

This is another dish from 1000 Vegan Recipes, and I have to say, it's definitely one of my favorites so far!!!! It came out extremely flavorful and satisfying!

 

Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

12 ounces linguine

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp dry sherry, (optional; if not using, add an extra Tbsp of soy sauce and a pinch of salt)

1 Tbsp water

Pinch sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp canola or grapeseed oil

1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and diced

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups small broccoli florets

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cup sliced fresh shiitake or white mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 green onions, chopped

 

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tsp of the sesame oil and toss to coat. Set aside. 

2. In a small bowl,  combine the soy sauce, sherry, water, sugar, and the remaining 2 tsp sesame oil. Add the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Set aside.

 

3. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 Tbsp of the canola over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4. Reheat the remaining canola oil in the same skillet. Add the onion, broccoli, and carrot and stir-fry until just tender, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and green onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the sauce, the cooked linguine, and the tofu and toss to mix well. Cook until heated through. Taste, adjusting seasonings and adding more soy sauce if needed. Serve immediately.

 

Note: We used a package of brown rice fettuccine that was 14 ounces, instead of 12 and it worked just fine. I cooked it according to the package directions. For the soy sauce, we used Tamari. And instead of extra-firm tofu, we used firm. And as always, we put a lot more garlic that the recipe calls for!! =)

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

This is a recipe from my 1000 Vegan Recipe book. The soup turned out alright, but it definitely needs something else. We both agree some fresh cilantro blended in the soup would add a lot. And maybe a little bit more thyme and cayenne. But overall, it was good.

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

4 1/2 cups cooked or 3 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cayenne

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, for garnish

1/3 cup dry sherry

 

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, beans, thyme, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the soup has thickened, about 45 minutes.

2. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, and return to the pot. Reheat if necessary.

3. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parsley. Add splash of sherry to bowl. 

Note: Rich's 2nd bowl and my 1st bowl (after it sat for a while) had a much better flavor then when I tasted his right after it was done. I think letting it sit for a little while is a good idea and makes the flavors come out a little better. I didn't add the sherry to mine, but added some cracked red pepper instead. It was yummy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

This is a recipe from Alicia Silverstone's book, The Kind Diet, and they are to die for!!! They are big enough so one (or maybe two) is completely satisfying. If you love peanut butter cups, this is an amazing vegan substitute.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance butter

 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares

1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener

1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk

1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

Directions:

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.

 

3. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Note: We use fresh ground peanut butter from Whole Foods that they ground at the store. It's just peanuts and it's delicious. The first time I made this recipe I used vegan graham crackers, which was great. But since going gluten free as well, I had to find a substitute. I found some cinnamon cookies at Giant that are gluten free and vegan, and used those, and it tastes almost exactly the same. I did use maple sugar, which you can get at Whole Foods as well, and I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk instead of soy, rice or nut milk. Yum!!