Who Loves Deliciousness? I DO!

There really isn't any rhyme or reason to this week's recipe collection. These were simply some new ones that we tried in our household that I happened to love, love, LOVE and that also had my family raving and craving for more!! So, let's meet the delicious culprits that won over our hearts and our tummies this week, shall we?

First off, I made this Hash Brown Casserole, but on the day that I made it, I actually made it for a dinner item. After tasting this dish's lusciousness though, I decided that it will likely become a breakfast/brunch or even the occasional 'brinner' (breakfast for dinner) treat. It's not the most low-calorie dish you could eat, but oh-so-worth every bite!! Serves 8-10.



Ingredients:

• 1/2 package silken tofu
• 1 package El Burrito Soyrizo*
• 3/4 cup onion (minced)
• 1 1/2 containers of vegan sour cream (I use Tofutti)
• 8 oz vegan cheddar (grated)
• 4 oz vegan jack (grated)
• salt and pepper to taste, and any other spices you like with potatoes (garlic, onion powder, parsley, celery salt, veggie bouillon, etc. I added about 1/2 tbsp of all the aforementioned spices except the veggie bouillon)
• 1 package frozen hash browns (usually 2 lbs)
• 1 regular size bag of baked potato chips or 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• optional: 1/4-1/2 cup vegan butter (I did NOT use the butter, I figured we had enough richness with the vegan cheese and sour cream.)
• optional: chopped broccoli, spinach, or any other veggie you might want to throw in here for more nutritional value. (I used about 4 cups of spinach.)

Directions:

1. Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Taste and make sure your spice ratio is to your liking.
2. Stir in any veggies you want and the frozen hash browns.
3. Put mixture in a 9x13, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. 
4. Remove the foil, and cover with crushed up potato chips or bread crumbs. 
5. Optional: Melt some butter and pour it over the top. Put back in the oven uncovered for about 10-15 minutes to *slightly* brown the topping. Enjoy! 

*Notes:

• This makes a lot so it's great for family get-togethers. In fact, it made enough to fill one 9 x 13 pan AND an 8 x 11 pan. So the cool thing is that you have one for 'the chamber' (our affectionate name for our storage freezer.)
• The original recipe did not call for any soyrizo, I thought that would put a little extra 'zing' into flavor. I'm happy I did it!

Cals: 480 Carbs: 46 Fat: 20 Protein: 22

Alright, so this next recipe is actually a bit more summer-y than it is this-time-of-year-y. But it looked simple and yummy, so I wanted to try it anyway. It is so quick and so yummy that I cannot put into words how lovely it is. This would make a great pasta salad for picnics/potlucks or you could serve it hot for a nice and light summer lunch. Pairs well with a crisp vegetable salad and a bubbly Moscato. Serves 4.


Bow Tie Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Capers, and Basil

Ingredients:

• 4 cups hot cooked bow tie pasta
• 4 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 2 pints)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted niçoise olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Red wine vinegar (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well. Sprinkle vinegar over each serving, if desired.

Cals: 315 Carbs: 51 Fat: 9 Protein: 9

This dinner dish had my taste buds dancing a jig of glorious joy. The spices are potent, but the flavor is savory and delightful. Serves 6-8.

Curried Red Kidney Beans and Cauliflower (Rajma Masala)

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 1 cinnamon stick (2-in.)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 tsp fennel
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 green cardamom pods, cracked open
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 can (14.5-oz.) whole peeled plum tomatoes, without juice
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• About 1 tsp. salt
• 6 cups cooked red kidney beans (about four 14-oz. cans), rinsed and drained $
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2- to 1-in. florets
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 6 to 8 cups hot cooked brown rice (I opted for couscous instead since I am currently IN LOVE with couscous and this dish went rather well with it, but I'm certain the nuttiness of the brown rice would set the flavor of the dish off very nicely.)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed 4- to 5-qt. pot or saucepan over medium-high heat. 
2. Add onion and fry, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. 
3. Stir in cinnamon, bay leaf, garlic, ginger, fennel, cumin, and cardamom and fry, stirring, 2 minutes. 
4. Add cayenne, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala and fry, stirring, 1 minute. 
5. Shred tomatoes into pot with your fingers. 
6. Stir in serrano chile, salt, kidney beans, cauliflower, and 1 1/2 cups water. 
7. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and liquid has thickened into a velvety-looking sauce (add more water if necessary).
8. Season beans with salt. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. 
9. Serve hot over brown rice, with plain yogurt on the side if you like.

Note:

• Garam masala is a mixture of warming spices; find it at Indian grocery stores or gourmet groceries. I did not have a garam masala when I cooked this recipe; instead, I used a tandoori masala and it turned out just fine. Use spices that are as fresh as possible--their health benefits, let alone their flavors, will be more potent that way.

Cals: 281 Carbs: 42 Fat: 7 Protein: 15

This week, I also discovered a new, and what I am sure will become my favorite vegan cooking site called Chocolate Covered Katie. Since I am a huge fan of desserts, I'm certain Katie and I will soon be the best of friends. I decided to try her Copycat Chocolate VitaTops. Hallelujah! I'm in love AGAIN! (I say that a lot, don't I?) Instead of simply making them into muffin tops, I doubled the recipe and made full chocolatechocolatechocolate muffins. These babies were so moist and melt-in-your-mouth-y that the entire lot was gone in 24 hours. I foresee many more Copycat Chocolate VitaTops muffins in my household's future! Serves 9.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp milk of choice (30g)
• 2 tbsp oil, or 2 more tbsp milk of choice (30g)
• 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (6g)
• 1 tbsp ground flax (6g) or 1 tsp energ powder (Can omit; they will just be a little denser.)
• 1/2 cup pureed prunes or pumpkin (120g)
• 1/2 cup spelt flour (all-purpose flour works too, and a reader says you can use Bob’s gf mix.) (65g)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
• 2 tbsp xylitol or sugar (25g)
• 1 to 2 more tbsp sugar or 1 to 2 nunaturals stevia packets (scant 1/16 tsp uncut) (Add 1 tbsp if using prunes, 2 if using the pumpkin.)
• highly recommended: 1/4 cup chocolate chips or mini chips (mixed into the batter)
• optional: 2-4 chocolate chips per muffin, for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a standard-sized muffin pan. 
2. In a mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients and whisk. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the decoration ingredient, and stir well. 
4. Now mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Don’t over-mix. 
5. Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups, and—if desired—place two or three chocolate chips on the top of each muffin. 
6. Bake 12 minutes, then allow to cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.

Cals: 28 Carbs: 6 Fat: 0 Protein: 1




So here we are again, at the point where I must bid you adieu. But don't worry; I'll be back again next week with more mouth-watering favorites that are just to die for! Happy eating!!

To your health and wellness,
Charlotte


"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men." -Leonardo da Vinci