tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35985985950590727022024-03-13T15:12:39.941-05:00The Reduction ProjectI'm eating my way through <i>Appetite for Reduction</i> by Isa Chandra Moskowitz!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-33948555467465538782011-08-05T19:44:00.004-05:002011-08-05T19:44:00.399-05:00Moroccan Chickpeas & Zucchini<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0nojil82IU/Ti703DdzgFI/AAAAAAAAA6c/TuKNettz7XM/s1600/IMG_6240.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0nojil82IU/Ti703DdzgFI/AAAAAAAAA6c/TuKNettz7XM/s400/IMG_6240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633709410547368018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Moroccan Chickpeas & Zucchini (page 249)<br />served with quinoa and green salad<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Another winner from <span style="font-style: italic;">Appetite for Reduction</span>! I enjoyed this a lot. It had a nice flavor, with a comforting blend of spices. I always love chickpeas, so I'm already biased there. As a bonus, this recipe makes a huge pot-ful, and I was able to freeze several portions for El Hombre to have on hand when the girls and I will be traveling for a couple of weeks.<br /><br />I wasn't sure the girls would like this recipe, since the spices are on the exotic side, and it has cooked zucchini, which is usually not a favorite. So, I tried to bill this as a cultural experience for them: we got out the globe to find Morocco, we played some Moroccan music during dinner, we looked at pictures of traditional Moroccan dress, etc. Did it work? Well, they both said they liked it, but neither ate a whole lot, so I'm not sure.<br /><br />Instead of the suggested couscous, I served this with quinoa, which I thought made a nice alternative.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-62524848702612451802011-08-03T09:37:00.004-05:002011-08-03T09:37:00.255-05:00Unfried Refried Beans<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnjDrd9JFkA/Ti7wvV_00yI/AAAAAAAAA6U/H_Cjp3_3Lwk/s1600/IMG_6239.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnjDrd9JFkA/Ti7wvV_00yI/AAAAAAAAA6U/H_Cjp3_3Lwk/s400/IMG_6239.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633704880036434722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Beans for breakfast: Unfried Refried Beans (page 136)<br />served with hash brown potatoes and berries<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />First, let me state the obvious: it is not easy to take an appetizing picture of refried beans!<br /><br />Beans and hash brown potatoes are a regular item in our breakfast rotation around here. Sometimes it is baked beans, and other times, we have black beans or refried beans. And sometimes we stuff the beans and potatoes inside a couple of corn tortillas and call them breakfast tacos.<br /><br />Many people don't realize that refried beans are ridiculously quick easy to make, even without lots of oil. Isa's recipe is a slightly different variation of what I usually make, because of the addition of tomato sauce, and the coriander. Usually, I stick with cumin and a little bit of chili powder for the spices, instead.<br /><br />I enjoyed the beans, but the girls did not. El Hombre wasn't here to try it, so I can't report on his assessment. SweetPotato said it was "too tangy" - maybe the tomato sauce? SweetPea said there was some "extra taste" that she couldn't identify, but she didn't like - maybe the coriander? So I guess this was too different than what they are used too.<br /><br />In conclusion, even though I liked these beans, I'll probably stick to my usual way of making refried beans, since that's what the kids'll eat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-51579970012220178272011-08-01T19:28:00.003-05:002011-08-01T19:28:00.246-05:00Cauliflower Pesto Soup<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOgZCYQ9mK4/Ti7sM3jCbII/AAAAAAAAA6M/8-ME0DpLnJw/s1600/IMG_6220.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOgZCYQ9mK4/Ti7sM3jCbII/AAAAAAAAA6M/8-ME0DpLnJw/s400/IMG_6220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633699889700564098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cauliflower Pesto Soup (page 210)<br />served with a simple green salad and creamy Italian dressing, and whole-wheat cheezy garlic dinner rolls.<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />So this was super duper yummy! It has great flavor and texture, and once again, it was totally easy. It's basically a matter of throwing ingredients in a pot, letting them simmer a bit, and then pureeing the results with the fresh basil.<br /><br />Fun fact about this soup: there are only 50 calories per serving! I guess that's entirely possible, since it's based on cauliflower, which is a naturally low calorie food. So, theoretically, you could eat the entire pot of soup for only 200 calories. That's a lot of soup.<br /><br />The final product was not quite as intensely green as I had expected, but it was still a nice, light and appealing green color. The toasted pine nuts were a nice finishing touch. Another fun fact: Bulk pine nuts at my neighborhood H-E-B cost $27 per pound! It's a good thing you only need a couple of tablespoons for this recipe.<br /><br />The girls were a fan of this soup also. To round out the meal, I made a simple green salad and quick whole-wheat cheezy garlic dinner rolls.<br /><br />So far, one of the most valuable takeaways for me from <span style="font-style: italic;">Appetite for Reduction</span> has been the amazing nature of cashew-based creamy dressings. For tonight's salad, I whipped up a simple creamy Italian-like dressing, with cashews, water, a little red wine vinegar, onion, garlic, and Italian seasonings. Yum.<br /><br />Anyone interested in my quick dinner roll recipe? We think they are really quite good, and they are the perfect addition to a soup and salad type meal. Also, they are about 100 calories per roll.<br /><br />Mix together in a bowl:<br />2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour<br />1/2 cup nutritional yeast<br />1 teaspoon granulated garlic<br />1 1/2 teaspoon salt<br />2 tablespoons yeast<br />1 1/2 cup warm water<br /><br />It'll be a little sticky. There should be enough dough to fill a lightly greased standard muffin pan (12 pieces). Let rise for 20-30 minutes. If you like, lightly sprinkle the tops with more nutritional yeast or a mixture of vegan parmesan (1 tbsp) and paprika (1/4 tsp). Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes. Yum!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-65090626565754817542011-07-30T11:22:00.003-05:002011-07-30T11:22:00.308-05:00Ginger Bok Choy & Soba<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5e88WxZiC0/Tic_tFJI4qI/AAAAAAAAA50/mBkQXBOsI8s/s1600/IMG_6217.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5e88WxZiC0/Tic_tFJI4qI/AAAAAAAAA50/mBkQXBOsI8s/s400/IMG_6217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631539902757266082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ginger Bok Choy & Soba (page 176)<br />with the addition of shelled edamame<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I've made a similar dish several times, except I usually use whole-wheat noodles and call it "lo mein." I enjoy bok choy very much, and it always makes a great addition to Asian-type noodle dishes. This time, I went to the trouble to especially seek out soba noodles, which are generally more expensive than the whole-wheat noodles I usually have hanging out in the cupboard.<br /><br />I tossed in a few handfuls of shelled edamame for a bit of extra oomph.<br /><br />This was tasty, and enjoying, and comforting. But not necessarily great or exciting. Maybe it's just because this was really nothing new for me. As I mentioned, I've fed the family something similar many times, and I'll probably make it again many more times. It's a great lazy way to use up veggies and make a one-pot meal with pantry staples.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-995431179569667582011-07-28T15:04:00.005-05:002011-07-28T15:04:00.332-05:00Orange-Scented Broccoli<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UVbupdLna-Q/Tic7zFy8X6I/AAAAAAAAA5s/3RjLumApaVw/s1600/IMG_6207.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UVbupdLna-Q/Tic7zFy8X6I/AAAAAAAAA5s/3RjLumApaVw/s400/IMG_6207.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631535607965310882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Orange-Scented Broccoli (page 100)<br />with Apple-Miso Tofu (page 151) and sticky brown rice<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />This broccoli made a lovely accompaniment to the Apple-Miso Tofu. One of the things I really appreciate about <span style="font-style: italic;">Appetite for Reduction</span> is how darn easy almost every single recipe is. This one is no exception. Once I had the rice cooking on the stove and the Apple-Miso Tofu tucked away in the oven, all that was left to complete an easy, healthy rounded meal was to make the broccoli. It was a simple recipe.<br /><br />As a bonus, SweetPea liked it, too! It's been challenge getting her to appreciate broccoli, and today she declared the Orange-Scented Broccoli is one of her top three favorite ways to eat the little green trees (the other two being either raw dipped in hummus, or in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard_na">lard na</a>). So, it's a win!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-17803094122651107942011-07-26T09:22:00.000-05:002011-07-26T09:22:00.379-05:00Apple-Miso Tofu<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XR7_9WXD_38/Tic2dmU_YoI/AAAAAAAAA5k/6HUmae9JqNA/s1600/IMG_6202.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XR7_9WXD_38/Tic2dmU_YoI/AAAAAAAAA5k/6HUmae9JqNA/s400/IMG_6202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631529741182788226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Apple-Miso Tofu (page 151) on a bed of baby spinach<br />served with Orange-Scented Broccoli (page 100) and sticky brown rice<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I wasn't sure about this recipe - it sounded a little strange, but maybe good. It WAS good! Delicious, in fact!<br /><br />I usually prefer a firm, chewy texture in my tofu, and this turns out more soft instead (even though I started with the extra-firm variety), since it is baked with juicy apples in a covered pan. I really didn't mind the softer texture. The flavor was so satisfying. I left the skins on my apples, 'cause they're prettier that way, and served the tofu over a generous bed of baby spinach.<br /><br />One note about the recipe: the ingredient list calls for one teaspoon of sesame oil. Normally, I try to leave out any added oils in my cooking, but, well, I'm a sucker for sesame oil. It's tasty. So every once in a while, I splurge. You get five grams of fat per serving with this recipe, which isn't so bad, so I figure if I'm extra good for the rest of the day, it shouldn't be a big deal, right? The problem here is that while the sesame oil is listed in the ingredient list, it is not mentioned any where else in the recipe instructions. It's not included in the marinade ingredient list, but the "everything else" category, instead. I decided to drizzle the one teaspoon of sesame oil over the tofu after marinating and before adding the sliced apples.<br /><br />This is something I would definitely make again. (I might consider cutting the amount of sesame oil in half, to cut out some of those fat grams.) I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. How about you - has anyone else tried this?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-54475382690868997642011-07-24T11:21:00.004-05:002011-07-24T11:21:00.792-05:00Tofu Chimichurri<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_m2NwB7bkk/TicxgxEC2OI/AAAAAAAAA5c/yyMhg2Ny5kQ/s1600/IMG_6201.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_m2NwB7bkk/TicxgxEC2OI/AAAAAAAAA5c/yyMhg2Ny5kQ/s400/IMG_6201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631524298045970658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tofu Chimichurri (page 150)<br />served with sauteed zucchini and yellow squash and brown rice<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I've had my eye on this recipe for a while. I remember the first time I ever heard of chimichurri: in our pre-child and pre-vegan days, El Hombre and I attended a potluck barbecue at the home of some Argentinian friends, and I saw this guy slathering his cooked steak with a thick green sludge like it was salsa. Curious, we gave it a try, too, and it was amazing! Bright, tangy, and flavorful. Perfect on grilled foods.<br /><br />Isa says that chimichurri is a marinade, but in my experience, it is also a thick condiment, like salsa. This recipe calls for marinating the tofu in a thin chimichurri sauce. I prepared the tofu and marinade early in the day, and left in the refrigerator for El Hombre to cook up later in the evening.<br /><br />The girls and I arrived home after ballet folklorico class to find El Hombre standing over the stove, flipping the tofu around in a pan. It was a little messy, and some of the tofu broke apart, but the end result was quite delicious. I liked it, and I think it's safe to say El Hombre loved it, as he devoured quite a lot.<br /><br />This recipe was good, but I would do it differently next time. Cooking the chimichurri sauce results in a loss of the bright green color and taste, which is what makes chimichurri so beautiful and fresh tasting. I think grilled tofu served with a more traditional chimichurri sauce as the condiment would be great. I'm inspired and will probably do it soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-92078661677719321482011-07-22T11:21:00.000-05:002011-07-22T11:21:00.595-05:00Tempeh Helper, take 2<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y9bhQS1Y39s/Ticuj3Bu-BI/AAAAAAAAA5U/yUmZZtAJQs8/s1600/IMG_6196.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y9bhQS1Y39s/Ticuj3Bu-BI/AAAAAAAAA5U/yUmZZtAJQs8/s400/IMG_6196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631521052651616274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tempeh Helper (page 171) with Easy Breezy Cheezy Sauce (page 173)<br />substituting zucchini for green peas<br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://reductionproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/tempeh-helper.html">My first attempt at the Tempeh Helper was a real disappointment.</a> We all found the natural bitterness of the tempeh too overwhelming for the dish, and it just really wasn't even palatable. Blech. I concluded that pre-steaming the tempeh would probably be a good idea, which is exactly what I did last night. It adds an extra step, but the recipe is simple enough that it's still pretty fast to get on the table. I simply used the microwave to steam it in a dish with a little water while I began the "Easy Breezy Cheezy Sauce."<br /><br />I also got a great tip from <a href="http://lazysmurf.wordpress.com/">Lazy Smurf</a> in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3598598595059072702&postID=2807371726565094894&isPopup=true">the comments from the last Tempeh Helper post</a>: apparently, <a href="http://wheatsville.coop/">Wheatsville</a> carries a locally made tempeh that isn't as bitter tasting. I had the opportunity to swing by Wheatsville the other day (not my usual part of town), so I picked some up. This stuff is great! Made by <a href="http://www.heartyvegan.com/">The Hearty Vegan</a>, it is flavorful, yet mild. (I also picked up a package of their tempeh sausage patties, and those are awesome, too!)<br /><br />I switched up the pasta this time, using whole-wheat elbow macaroni instead of tiny quinoa shells. And, I diced up a zucchini and tossed that in the pot instead of using frozen green peas.<br /><br />So, in conclusion - the change in tempeh protocol and brand made a huge difference in this recipe for this family. The kids liked it a lot, and so did El Hombre. Me? I thought it was okay. I've never been a huge fan of dinner-from-a-box style foods, and of course, this recipe is modeled after Hamburger Helper. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it again, but if this kind of food is your thing, it certainly is a fast, easy weeknight meal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-10645195717353896762011-07-20T11:20:00.006-05:002011-07-20T15:19:01.373-05:00Tortilla Soup<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Dy6Anx8-mA/TiciwLcKSII/AAAAAAAAA5M/rHoM4nCUPvk/s1600/IMG_6174.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Dy6Anx8-mA/TiciwLcKSII/AAAAAAAAA5M/rHoM4nCUPvk/s400/IMG_6174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631508070150064258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tortilla soup (page 208)<br />garnished with crumbled blue corn tortilla chips, and chopped cilantro and jalapeno<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Alright, so I made a few modifications to this recipe. I know my way around tortilla soup; I've made plenty a pot-ful in my lifetime. Admittedly, I have never before made Isa's recipe exactly as it is written, but I believe my modified version is probably, dare I say it... better than the original.<br /><br />First of all, instead of using two jalapenos and one poblano or bell pepper, I used two poblanos in the soup, and saved the jalapenos for garnishing at the table. I wanted to keep the soup relatively mild for the kids, and let the adults add spice as desired to individual bowls.<br /><br />Probably the most important modification I made, in terms of flavor, was to roast the peppers. I just set them on the burner grate over my gas flame, giving them a turn every now and then with tongs, until they got nice and blackened all over. Then, I scraped off the blackened skin (mostly - I left little bits here and there for flavor), chopped them up, and proceeded as usual. I added the peppers to the pot after the onion had cooked, since they were already somewhat cooked by the roasting process.<br /><br />Finally, I used a few crumbled up stale corn tortillas to thicken up the soup, instead of crumbled tortilla chips.<br /><br />I left the rest of the recipe pretty much intact with no other changes. The result: delicious and satisfying!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-26026436536929581122011-07-10T21:25:00.005-05:002011-07-10T22:38:56.466-05:00Cool Slaw<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJLiQtFpAGg/ThpvJPJYwQI/AAAAAAAAA30/GNWCcBV9QHA/s1600/IMG_6134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJLiQtFpAGg/ThpvJPJYwQI/AAAAAAAAA30/GNWCcBV9QHA/s400/IMG_6134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627932888828264706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cool Slaw (page 38)</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />I ate several meals out downtown this weekend with others whom I was attending a conference with. This means I ended up eating several salads. You know-- it just doesn't seem to occur to most restaurants that it is quite possible to prepare a satisfying meal without meat, dairy, or eggs... unless it's a salad. Of course, even then, everything still has cheese in it somewhere, you know-- to make it "satisfying." Now, I had some great salads this weekend. Really, delicious salads. And at home, I eat many, many salads as the main part of my meal... but the salads I make are HUGE. <a href="http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/chef-ajs-husbands-favorite-no-oil.html">I think I first heard Wendy use the term "Hugh Jass Salad."</a> Hugh Jass, indeed. But these restaurant salads, while quite delicious and bursting with flavor, were no Hugh Jass salads.<br /><br />I'm getting a bit ramble-y here, but the point I'm trying to make is that it was nice to come home and have some "real" food. <br /><br />El Hombre planned a little cook-out for our Sunday afternoon, with some veggie burgers, grilled corn-on-the-cob, and fresh guacamole and chips. There was still an unused half-head of cabbage in the refrigerator leftover from the <a href="http://reductionproject.blogspot.com/2011/07/curried-cabbage-peas.html">Curried Cabbage & Peas</a>, so it seemed appropriate to also make the Cool Slaw to go with our dinner.<br /><br />I've made this recipe before, but as a component of the <a href="http://reductionproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/buffalo-wrap-more-like-soft-tacos.html">Buffalo Tempeh Wraps</a>, which were so, so good. Have I mentioned how *~*magical*~* cashews can be, when blended into sauces and dressings? Cashews, a little onion, a bit of apple cider vinegar, mustard, agave, some water... that's it, blended into oblivion - the perfect creamy, dreamy dressing for this coleslaw. So. Freakin'. Tasty.<br /><br />Anyway, this is good stuff. The perfect people-pleasing coleslaw for summer cookouts and potlucks. If you haven't already, give it a try!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-21959675709128745832011-07-07T22:16:00.009-05:002011-07-08T10:26:30.114-05:00Curried Cabbage & Peas<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GgjgMIbH0oo/ThZ3ijsohqI/AAAAAAAAA3s/xVGT3fyD-4Y/s1600/IMG_6102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GgjgMIbH0oo/ThZ3ijsohqI/AAAAAAAAA3s/xVGT3fyD-4Y/s400/IMG_6102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626816220027717282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Curried Cabbage & Peas (page 111)<br />(substituting baby yellow squash for carrot)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Tonight was kind of a disorganized dinner-making experience. Still, dinner made it to the table, and that's what's important, right?<br /><br />First of all, I didn't get home until nearly 6:00 pm, and I really wasn't in the mood to cook dinner as soon as I walked in the door. I was really quite tempted to just pick up some Chinese take-out on the way home, but I told myself, no, we have food at home, and Chinese take-out is way too greasy, anyway.<br /><br />I had originally planned to make the Braised Cabbage with Seitan (page 97), but my week didn't go exactly as planned, and I didn't have any prepared seitan for the recipe. But, I still had the cabbage. <a href="http://fitandfabulousatforty.blogspot.com/">Amy</a> commented <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3598598595059072702&postID=6477698977917475981&isPopup=true">here on yesterday's post</a> that she recently enjoyed the Curried Cabbage & Peas; I thought, hey, I've got peas! I'll make that! Along with the <a href="http://reductionproject.blogspot.com/2011/06/forty-clove-chickpeas-broccoli.html">40-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli</a>, since I've also got a big pot of chickpeas and some broccoli hanging out in the refrigerator. OK, a plan was in place.<br /><br />I quickly got the chickpeas, broccoli, and garlic (and quartered small red potatoes) in the oven to roast, then I started slicing up an onion and the cabbage. Then I discovered, oops, no fresh ginger root. I figured this qualified for one of those "in a pinch" situations, so I subbed dried ginger. Then I realized, darn, no carrots! Well, might as well use up those baby yellow squash that have been languishing in the crisper drawer.<br /><br />The resulting Curried Cabbage & Peas turned out okay, but not great. I'm sure the missing fresh ginger root would have made a big difference. And the carrots certainly would have made it more colorful. But all-in-all, it wasn't bad, especially considering the last-minute ingredient substitutions that were made.<br /><br />I'm always trying to think of ways to make these veggie "side dishes" into a more satisfying complete meal. I bet this would be great served over brown rice with the addition of some cubed tofu or chickpeas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-64776989779174759812011-07-06T21:45:00.005-05:002011-07-07T00:06:46.166-05:00Mango BBQ Beans<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vpkuxCWPN4/ThUek4tCEPI/AAAAAAAAA3k/O3jLdyube3k/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vpkuxCWPN4/ThUek4tCEPI/AAAAAAAAA3k/O3jLdyube3k/s400/IMG_5950.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626436928514691314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mango BBQ Beans (page 133)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />We had a busy Fourth. The girls had a ballet folklorico performance early in the afternoon, then we went over to our friends' house for swimming and potluck-ing before heading to the local park for an <a href="http://www.arcattack.com/">ArcAttack</a> show (the Plan B for Independence Day, since fireworks have been banned due to drought conditions around here). All the kids were super excited about the show, though they were bummed about not quite making it to the <a href="http://www.faradaycage.org/">Faraday cage</a>. They were <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> close.<br /><br />One of the dishes we brought to the potluck was the Mango BBQ Beans. The flavor was fantastic here, but I thought the sauce-to-bean ratio was a bit too high. I would probably either add more beans, or lessen the amount of liquid called for, or even let it cook down for an even longer time to allow the sauce to reduce further. I don't think there would be any harm at all in letting these beans hang out on the stove over low heat for a long a time - I would think they would only get better. Also, SweePea made the observation that she thinks small red beans would be better, instead of kidney beans here, and I think have to agree with her on that point.<br /><br />Overall, these were excellent beans. El Hombre especially loved them, letting me know on more than one occasion that I can make them again any time, any time at all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-6976654103334551822011-06-29T11:46:00.006-05:002011-06-29T14:16:28.334-05:00Unfried Fried Rice<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz1WXVPkiZs/Tgt487PMEPI/AAAAAAAAA3c/0toKebFG5Bc/s1600/IMG_5941.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz1WXVPkiZs/Tgt487PMEPI/AAAAAAAAA3c/0toKebFG5Bc/s400/IMG_5941.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623721547791077618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Unfried Fried Rice (page 70)<br />with strips of Nomelet (baked vegan tofu omelet)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I have fond memories of making fried rice with egg, back in the day when we were fresh out of college and completely broke. It was so yummy and comforting. So, when inspiration hit me a few weeks ago to combine Isa's Unfried Fried Rice recipe with the Happy Herbivore's <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=W74kyfBjEjQC&pg=PT27&lpg=PT27&dq=happy+herbivore+nomelet&source=bl&ots=XCQSywAuEx&sig=xQmmmnHoa4llGmt2oz2m68qU-QE&hl=en&ei=PXYLTtT0DfSmsALs6bitAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false">Nomelet</a>, I got really excited to give this recipe (well, both recipes) a try.<br /><br />I kept the add-ins super simple for the sake of the kids. It paid off, because SweetPea, normally not a fan of rice in any form, gobbled this up and asked for seconds. But I think it would also be great with lots of extra vegetables - carrots, zucchini, peas...<br /><br />I used my cast-iron wok to make this, which I think was important in getting that crispy "fried" taste and texture here. Also, I found it necessary to turn up the heat a little higher than indicated to get things really going.<br /><br />Served with a hefty portion of no-oil stir-fried broccoli in garlic, soy sauce, and a little tahini, this made a great healthy weeknight dinner.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-1801528863058463712011-06-27T11:28:00.004-05:002011-06-28T14:46:06.999-05:00Shaved Brussels Sprouts<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqtaPR-KpDY/TgoumJYK51I/AAAAAAAAA3U/gcTzJ6H9_Cs/s1600/IMG_5930.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqtaPR-KpDY/TgoumJYK51I/AAAAAAAAA3U/gcTzJ6H9_Cs/s400/IMG_5930.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623358317612689234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Shaved Brussles Sprouts (page 92)<br />served with BBQ tofu, mashed potatoes and gravy, and El Hombre's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salad<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />These Brussels sprouts were really simple, but tasty. I especially liked how garlicky it turned out, with plenty of thinly sliced garlic cloves. Sometimes simple is the best - this recipe is really only three ingredients (onion, garlic, and Brussels sprouts), plus salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />There were jokes aplenty at the dinner table, because of the name of the recipe. We all giggled at the thought of hairy Brussels sprouts (i.e., un-shaved).<br /><br />El Hombre made an awesome salad to go with our dinner. I think he used just about every single vegetable we had in the house: mixed greens, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumber, carrot, green onion, roasted eggplant, cilantro, mushrooms... I'm sure there was something else in there that I'm not thinking of right now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-82667935606714420072011-06-25T23:02:00.003-05:002011-06-27T11:27:29.863-05:00Bee Ell Tees<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3g_oiwjUUQU/TgiumkBkkrI/AAAAAAAAA3M/9aliescUXZM/s1600/IMG_5926.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3g_oiwjUUQU/TgiumkBkkrI/AAAAAAAAA3M/9aliescUXZM/s400/IMG_5926.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622936112300593842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bee Ell Tees (page 271)<br />Whole-wheat bread, Cashew Miso Mayo (page 270), spinach, tomato, and Eggplant Bacon (page 42)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />The eggplant bacon is something we keep going back to; it's been great in salads, and we loved it in the breakfast sandwich. This weekend, I thought it was time to try a simple BLT for a casual Saturday night dinner.<br /><br />I also tried making the Cashew Miso Mayo for the first time. I was at a little bit of a disadvantage here because I killed my food processor just the day before (which means I'm in the market for a new one... anyone have one they love and would recommend?). I used my blender instead, which worked great at first, but the more blended the cashews got, the more thick the mixture became, which resulted in the blender just throwing all the mayo up on the sides of the blender, where it stuck instead of falling back down for further blending. I blended for many, many minutes, and scraped down the sides many, many times, but it still never got quite as creamy and smooth as it would have if I had been able to use my food processor. Still, it was really tasty, and the perfect spread for these sandwiches.<br /><br />Bottom line: these sandwiches were a hit with all of us. Yum!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-81775882364259264262011-06-23T21:43:00.000-05:002011-06-24T10:08:43.321-05:00Mediterranean Bowl<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdHtzyu_phU/TgSnuKRqASI/AAAAAAAAA3E/XFyhfrUF2u4/s1600/IMG_5906.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdHtzyu_phU/TgSnuKRqASI/AAAAAAAAA3E/XFyhfrUF2u4/s400/IMG_5906.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621802646339453218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mediterranean Bowl (page 267)<br />Bulgur, roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, and Caesar Chavez Dressing (page 43)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Another Bowl to Go! Except that I ate it at home.<br /><br />I figured you can't go wrong with the Caesar Chavez Dressing here. Once I actually assembled the bowl, however, I realized this was going to be a very monotone meal, unless I did something about it. It was all varying shades of beige/cream. Mmmmmm. So I went out to the backyard garden, snipped a bit of fresh parsley and sprinkled it on the top. Better.<br /><br />This was good, but as we were eating our dinner, we thought of a million ways to make it better. This is supposed to be a Mediterranean bowl, right? How about some Mediterranean-type ingredients, beyond the chickpeas and bulgur? Like olives! Chopped tomatoes! Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves! An extra squeeze of lemon!<br /><br />I was also missing my leafy greens with my dinner, so I thought maybe a big serving of baby spinach would be a smart addition here, too. But then, I suppose it might be more like a salad than a "bowl"... so maybe big salad to go with the bowl, to keep the integrity of the "bowl" concept.<br /><br />Anyway, I'd certainly make this one again, but I'd also dress it up a more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-11953782295406826802011-06-22T22:45:00.005-05:002011-06-22T23:33:49.443-05:00Classic Black Bean & Veggie Chili<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3hzsKBb-Hmc/TgLBb9mgDjI/AAAAAAAAA28/1PFuh6pfaTY/s1600/IMG_5897.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3hzsKBb-Hmc/TgLBb9mgDjI/AAAAAAAAA28/1PFuh6pfaTY/s400/IMG_5897.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621267971048476210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Classic Black Bean & Veggie Chili, page 236<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Another guest post from El Hombre, since he was in charge of getting food on the table tonight!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tonight's dinner was very much true to the recipe. The Classic Black Bean & Veggie Chili is delicious and easy to fix. Thirty minutes is all you need to from start to finish. Basically, you chop up your onions, garlic and veggies add the broth and seasonings and you are set.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">After things were nicely simmering, I reduced the heat and focused on fixing some yummy cornbread to go with dinner. I used the cornbread recipe from </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.joyofveganbaking.com/">The Joy of Vegan Baking</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and baked the batter in a funky little cast iron corn stick pan that la Mujer (Julie) fancies as an awesome thrift store find.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">As expected, the girls were less than enthusiastic, with SweetPotato saying it was a bit "spicy." I think it was my liberal use of chili powder that got to her. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />I stuck with the recipe since it was my first time fixing it, but I feel really confident about adjusting seasonings and adding a variety of different veggies. Next time, I think I'll use eggplant along with the zucchini that was called for, and I would also enjoy adding mushrooms!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Overall, a great easy to fix dinner, and you can't beat that! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-34021414970483675102011-06-21T22:08:00.005-05:002011-06-21T22:44:15.445-05:00Arabian Lentil & Rice Soup<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAJUnwG8Zn0/TgFkuASBVSI/AAAAAAAAA20/1VE00WR7YaU/s1600/IMG_5878.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAJUnwG8Zn0/TgFkuASBVSI/AAAAAAAAA20/1VE00WR7YaU/s400/IMG_5878.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620884551447434530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Arabian Lentil & Rice Soup, page 206<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />After breaking triple digit temperatures here every day for over a week (nine days in a row, I think?), it finally cooled off a little. Today, it was only ninety-nine degrees Fahrenheit. I wore a hoodie and made some soup.<br /><br />This was really easy to put together with simple ingredients: red lentils, brown basmati rice, and few other staple ingredients. The only chopping required was for the onions, garlic, and carrots. The end result was flavorful and hearty, without being heavy. With both lemon zest and lemon juice, the soup had a lovely bright taste that paired well with the cumin and coriander seasonings.<br /><br />This recipe made a lot; I think I may try a few additions with the leftovers, something green, perhaps, like spinach or peas, and a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-8379406705403115702011-06-21T09:59:00.001-05:002011-06-21T09:59:00.187-05:00Pasta de los Angeles<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-603H9icPT9I/TgAOB86O7pI/AAAAAAAAA2s/EHj4CFPkAEM/s1600/IMG_5843.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-603H9icPT9I/TgAOB86O7pI/AAAAAAAAA2s/EHj4CFPkAEM/s400/IMG_5843.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620507761651412626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pasta de los Angeles, page 177<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Right off the bat, I was slightly suspicious of this dish. "Pasta goes Mexican!"? Hmmmm.<br /><br />I have to say, it wasn't bad. It really wasn't great, either, but it wasn't bad. Most interesting, however, were the reactions from the rest of the family. El Hombre, who I thought for sure would be the most critical, actually seemed to like it. He said it was reminiscent of a seafood-y pasta dish (?!?), like it had those little canned cocktail shrimp in it somewhere. Huh?!? SweetPea, my nine-year old, said it reminded her of the Pasta con Broccoli, and then proceeded to douse her portion with Caesar Chavez salad dressing. Okay. SweetPotato, the seven-year old, thought it was okay, but a bit on the sour (lime) side, and the black beans were the best part. She ate the beans and left the pasta.<br /><br />As for me, my reaction was "Meh." It was okay. I'm not really convinced that this is what the angels are having up there in heaven. I'd rather eat my black beans, tomatoes, and cilantro in a tortilla, or a salad, or over rice, but this was interesting to try once. I probably won't make this again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-8300190995277427332011-06-20T20:45:00.005-05:002011-07-07T22:26:02.631-05:00Black Bean, Zucchini, and Olive Tacos<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfF-Ilzi4mM/TgACN4SV1JI/AAAAAAAAA2k/iZFqqF1uQII/s1600/IMG_5824.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfF-Ilzi4mM/TgACN4SV1JI/AAAAAAAAA2k/iZFqqF1uQII/s400/IMG_5824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620494772429247634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Black Bean, Zucchini, and Olive Tacos, page 131<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />The addition of kalamata olives to tacos is something I never would have thought of, but the idea is genius. The olives give this taco filling a sharp, salty kick that totally works.<br /><br />These tacos almost didn't get made: after a day of redecorating and furniture rearranging with the help of my good friend, Anne, we were just about out of oomph and seriously contemplating ordering some take-out. But we sat and rested for a spell, viewing the results of our hard work while sipping a well-earned glass of wine, and then we rallied in the kitchen and made these tacos happen. And I'm so glad we did - the tacos were completely satisfying.<br /><br />Instead of serving with the suggested Garlic-Lemon Yogurt, I whipped up my usual garlic sauce: silken tofu, garlic, lemon juice, and salt whirred together in the food processor. So, similar, but not the same. I'm not really a fan of soy yogurt. And, we included chopped cilantro to top off our tacos. You can't have tacos without cilantro in this house.<br /><br />I thought the girls wouldn't like this at all, but they surprised me! They even enjoyed them again the next day as leftovers for lunch. I'm pretty sure the olives were the magic ingredient.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-37524360161259132652011-06-13T20:04:00.006-05:002011-07-07T22:25:31.343-05:00Peanut-Lime Tofu Bowl<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cwPTSOv9l4E/TfeG9Od2WfI/AAAAAAAAA1o/GELqaZkvv8M/s1600/IMG_5780.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cwPTSOv9l4E/TfeG9Od2WfI/AAAAAAAAA1o/GELqaZkvv8M/s400/IMG_5780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618107446581418482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Peanut-Lime Tofu Bowl, page 267<br />Quinoa, steamed broccoli, tofu, Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing (page 34), and peanuts<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I'm renaming this the Peanut-Lime <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Dragon</span> Bowl, because that's more fun to say! This is basically one of the bowls suggested on page 267 of Appetite for Reduction, except with broiled and glazed tofu, instead of sauteed tempeh. We just went to Costco this weekend, and there's a drawer-ful of tofu in the refrigerator.<br /><br />Quinoa, steamed broccoli, broiled tofu lightly glazed with a bottled Thai sweet chili sauce, that wondrous Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing, and a sprinkle of dry-roasted peanuts. How can you go wrong with this combination?!?<br /><br />So, so, so good. And incredibly easy to put together, with uncomplicated components. This time around, for the dressing, I whirled all the ingredients in the blender for several minutes until smooth, instead of leaving a few chunky peanut-ty bits like last time. It was great!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-52823084307673134222011-06-12T22:12:00.008-05:002011-06-12T22:43:17.985-05:00Chili Verde con Papas<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V-RNxyHaxw0/TfWEFDvmEHI/AAAAAAAAA1g/VwHZ1JmjXls/s1600/IMG_5769.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V-RNxyHaxw0/TfWEFDvmEHI/AAAAAAAAA1g/VwHZ1JmjXls/s400/IMG_5769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617541332653707378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Chili Verde con Papas, page 240<br />with fresh homemade corn tortillas<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />This was really, really delicious. I adore those cute little tomatillos, and chile verde is such a comfort food. The stew had an amazing aroma as it simmered away in the kitchen this afternoon.<br /><br />It really did not seem spicy to my taste buds, at all. Once you remove the seeds, jalapenos are actually a pretty mild pepper. This time, El Hombre and I both spiced up our bowls with some extra dried red chile flakes. Next time, I would probably leave the seeds in at least one of the jalapenos, or swap them out for a hotter variety, such as serrano. Poblano peppers would be good here, too, instead of the green bell pepper.<br /><br />I was surprised at the amount of kale in the finished dish. I guess I was expecting a lower ratio of greens to stew, but I loved the way it turned out. It was chock full of kale, which paired beautifully with the chile verde base.<br /><br />(Anyone notice the spelling variations in this post? I had to go back and correct my post title... the AFR recipe is titled "Chili Verde," even though my instinct is to spell it "Chile Verde." I think "chile" is the correct spelling for "chile verde," while "chili" would be used for "green chili." Anyway, it's good food.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-82521010563299211112011-06-09T20:19:00.008-05:002011-06-09T22:02:48.437-05:00Red Thai Tofu<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NcvsPw3sTEI/TfGHb0ZIUwI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/WNA-mvtUHLw/s1600/IMG_5600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NcvsPw3sTEI/TfGHb0ZIUwI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/WNA-mvtUHLw/s400/IMG_5600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616419122297983746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Red Thai Tofu, page 149<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />I've been enjoying the texture of broiled tofu lately, so instead of sauteeing these cubes of tofu as the recipe instructed, I went the broiling route instead. I like broiled tofu because the texture kind of reminds me of fried tofu, without all the grease - crispy corners, chewy on the inside.<br /><br />The original recipe directions are to saute the tofu, then remove it from the pan while you saute the veggies, then add the tofu back to the pan when you add the sauce, and cook for a few more minutes. So while my tofu was in the oven, I sauteed up the rest of the vegetables for this dish, as well as a big pan of broccoli to go with our dinner. Then it was a snap to mix up the sauce and add it to the veggies, along with the broiled tofu.<br /><br />This dish came together quickly, and it was tasty. However, I thought the sauce was too thin and wished it had clung more to the tofu and vegetables. From the recipe description in the book, I was expecting more of a glaze, but it was more broth-y instead. Otherwise, this was an acceptable dish that is nice and easy enough to keep in a regular rotation.<br /><br />I've heard others rave about this recipe, so I'm wondering what I'm missing to make me rave, too. It was good, but not necessarily one of my favorite AFR recipes. Have you tried this tofu? What do you love, or not, about it?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-59421721141648615802011-06-06T20:39:00.009-05:002011-07-07T22:24:23.860-05:00Cranberry-Cashew Biryani<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fz2fpCdixWA/Te2GagJADNI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/ScgOwGLtH4s/s1600/IMG_5561.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fz2fpCdixWA/Te2GagJADNI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/ScgOwGLtH4s/s400/IMG_5561.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615292100263283922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cranberry-Cashew Biryani, page 67, before the finishing cilantro garnish<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Okay, so that's kind of a terrible picture up there, but this was really yummy. Who cares that it's not really an authentic biryani? Not me. It was satisfying and delicious. El Hombre thought it was fantastic, too.<br /><br />I love how colorful this dish is: the carrots, cranberries, and peas are like little jewels scattered throughout the yellow hued rice. I also really love that practically all the ingredients in this dish are pantry staples for me. So, theoretically, I could whip this up pretty much anytime.<br /><br />The only problem with this dish? It makes a lot, and I wanted to eat a lot of it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598598595059072702.post-49736093434886310042011-06-05T21:29:00.008-05:002011-07-07T22:23:40.355-05:00Pad Thai Salad with Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCeFc6lFgHw/Tew-T84XdeI/AAAAAAAAA1I/YtwMEXzzvjM/s1600/IMG_5531.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCeFc6lFgHw/Tew-T84XdeI/AAAAAAAAA1I/YtwMEXzzvjM/s400/IMG_5531.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614931347905148386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pad Thai Salad with Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing, page 33<br /></span></span></div><br /><br />Really, you just can't beat the salads in <span style="font-style: italic;">Appetite for Reduction</span>. I have loved (almost) every single salad in this chapter, so far. I knew I would also love the Pad Thai Salad as soon as I had my first taste of that glorious Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing. El Hombre commented that he could probably just drink it.<br /><br />I added a thinly sliced red bell pepper to the salad, and I topped it with some broiled tofu cubes, lightly glazed with a bottled Thai sweet chili sauce. Perfect.<br /><br />Some very dear friends of ours are moving into a new house in our neighborhood (lucky us!), so I brought them some salad tonight while El Hombre was over there helping them unload the moving truck. There were positive reviews for this recipe, and according to his lovely wife, our friend Bill even remarked that he might consider moving to "Planet Vega" one day. I think that means he has enjoyed my Vegan food, right?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6