Don't Fear the Vegan: Cheezy Quinoa & Chick Pea Skillet with Heirloom Tomatoes

When I found this recipe, I went back to my blog to compare it with my other vegan recipes and...

Well, there wasn't much there. I have a vegetable side dish and a creamed soup made with coconut milk.

I truly am on the 'eat less meat' bandwagon. I got on it a long time ago and have found some delicious vegetarian recipes while appreciating a low-cost meal by comparison to many of my meat-filled options. It's just that the bandwagon has so many great detours through steak village and sausage alley. I get distracted!

This one got my attention though, because as I read through the recipe, I figured it had a shot at being flavourful. For one, the basil, tomato and balsamic topping is a favorite combination in this household. It's fresh and chalked full of dynamic tastes. The second sign was that the two neutral components are well seasoned before they're combined. The quinoa is salted and mixed with nutritional yeast and the chick peas are toasted and seasoned with an interesting mix of paprika and maple syrup.

Finally, I've read about nutritional yeast and wanted to try it. For those of you who know about as much as I did a week ago, it's a pure form of yeast grown for its' nutritional value. A tablespoon's worth has about 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. It's also a good source of magnesium and a host of other nutrients (http://bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html). It has a lovely umami flavour and often binds ingredients like cheese does.

Try it. I enjoyed it, Ruedi enjoyed it, it was an easy weeknight meal to prepare and it goes great with bacon! I'm kidding...kind of.

From:  http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com

Serves 4-6

Quinoa

• 1 1/4 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Chick Peas

• 3 cups cooked chick peas (if you're buying them dried, I've made some notes below)
• 1 t paprika
• 2 t maple syrup
• 1/2 t ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 t olive oil

Tomato

• 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 2 T lemon juice

Method

Quinoa: Boil the water and add the quinoa and salt, covering the pot and simmering for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the quinoa to sit for another 10 minutes, still covered. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Mix in the nutritional yeast and set aside.

Chick Peas: If you are using dry chick peas, rinse and soak them in a pot overnight, and then cover and simmer them for 45 minutes. This will give you a chick pea akin to the canned variety. Heat the olive oil on medium heat. Toss in the chick peas, coating them with the oil and letting the chick peas toast for a few minutes. Add the paprika and stir well. Pour in the maple syrup and toss with a little salt. Set aside.

Tomatoes: Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Together: Toss a few spoonfuls of chick peas in with the quinoa. To serve, pour the quinoa on to a platter and spoon the remaining chick peas on top. Add the tomato mix on top of that and sprinkle a little sea salt over the entire platter.

Roasted Cauliflower with Mushrooms

Side dish or entree: you pick. Add some sun dried tomatoes in olive oil for a touch of sweetness or swap out the watercress for cilantro to give the curry a bit more punch. There are any number of ways to modify this dish, but frankly, it was delicious without any additional ingredients. I served this as a side dish with a filet of cod and give the pairing two thumbs up.  


From: http://thesmoothielover.com

Serves 4 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t salt
• 2 cups mushrooms, chopped into bite size pieces
• 2 t olive oil
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews
• handful of watercress leaves
• 1 t curry paste 
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 400F.  In a bowl, add the tablespoon of olive oil, salt and cauliflower, tossing until the all cauliflower is coated with the oil.  Place the cauliflower on a cookie sheet and roast until golden; about 20 minutes. While the cauliflower is roasting, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms in and toss until coated in the oil.  Saute the mushrooms for about 4 minutes and then set them aside. When the cauliflower is roasted, remove from the oven and combine it in a large bowl with the curry paste. Add the mushrooms, cashews and watercress and season the dish with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Soup & Salad: Roasted Cauliflower & Fennel Soup with a Chorizo, White Bean & Arugula Salad

It's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood, a beautiful day in the blah, blah, blah... Day one of Fall is here and I'm in a hearty soup mood to help kick off the season. I found both the soup and salad recipes online and as usual they can be adapted to suit any diet. The soup is vegan, as it uses a base of coconut milk and vegetable stock. I'm sure I've made blended soups with coconut milk before, but really enjoyed the richness it added to this particular recipe once combined with the toasted and smoky vegetables. I displayed the salad in a jar, since that's how I packed it for my lunches. Now that I've tried my first jarred salad as part of a packed lunch, I won't be going back. This storage method keeps all ingredients in good form and ready to mix when you're ready to eat.

The common thread in these recipes is the use of fennel. Tis the season for it and while not everyone loves the slight licorice taste of this root vegetable, I hope these subtle combinations will change your mind.







Roasted Cauliflower & Fennel Soup

Adapted from: http://www.forageddish.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 lb cauliflower florets
• 2 medium heads of fennel
• 1 medium white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic with skin on
• 1 T coconut oil
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for drizzling

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F. Wash then loosely chop the fennel and cauliflower florets. Chop the onion and then slice the tips off of the top of each the garlic clove, ensuring that the skin is left on on the rest of the garlic. Place all vegetables on baking sheets and roast them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the edges of the vegetables brown a little.

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil. Place the vegetables in the pot and toss them to coat them evenly with the oil. Add the stock and coconut milk and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender or food processor. Season with coarse salt and pepper and blend for another minute to mix in the seasoning. Drizzle each serving with a little olive oil and serve with crusty, buttered bread.


Chorizo, White Bean & Arugula Salad

Adapted From: http://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

Four canning jars, approximately 750 ml each

Dressing

• 8 T olive oil
• 3 t sugar
• 4 t dijon mustard
• 2 t honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• One fennel bulb, sliced
• Half a red onion, sliced
• 1 cup of white, kidney beans (I used canned and rinsed them)
• 1/2 cup diced chorizo, salami or hearty cured meat of your choice
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 4 cups of arugula
• Handful of dill, loosely chopped

Method

For the salad dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour a quarter of the salad dressing into the bottom of each of four jars. For the salad, divide all the ingredients into four and assemble the salad in a jar, one layer at a time in the order provided.  Ensure the jars are transported right-side-up to ensure the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. When ready to serve, invert the jar and shake to mix the ingredients with the dressing.