“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.” — Julia Child
Category Archives: Lunch
16 Bean, Leek, and Kielbasa Soup
8 Comments
“I used to help my granddaddy make sausage. He would mix it up in a cleaned-out washtub with his hands, no gloves. Man, if we did anything like that today, they would jack the jail up and throw us under it.” ― Jimmy Dean
Don’t worry, we would never use Jimmy Dean sausages. We made this soup with yummy vegan Kielbasa, of course!
This hearty and satisfying stew was made from 16 types of dried beans (available at grocery stores as “16 Bean Soup Mix”), carrots, celery, onions, red wine, thyme, celery seed, Creole seasoning, garlic, leeks, green beans, beer, store-bought vegan kielbasa, and more! The recipe includes instructions for how to make this on the stove or in a slow cooker. We used our slow cooker and this turned out wonderfully. This is a great lunch recipe that goes really well with a vegan grilled cheese sandwich! The recipe is from Betty Goes Vegan by Annie & Dan Shannon, page 70.
Kielbasa Facts: Kielbasa is a type of Polish sausage that is also known as kołbasa, klobasa, kobasa, kolbasi, kovbasa, kobasi, and kubasa.
Share this:
A Slow-Cooked Tandoori Feast
6 Comments
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” — Mahatma Gandhi
For this sumptuous feast we slow-cooked Tandoori Baked Tofu and Tandoori Spiced Potatoes with Spinach from Carla Kelly’s book Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking, pages 118 and 112 respectively, and served them alongside Coconut Rice (page 216) and some warm Spelt Chapatis from Laura Matthias’ ExtraVeganZa, page 137.
I am crazy about the rich, spicy flavors of these Indian dishes. Slow cooking is a nice, low-maintenance way to cook because once your ingredients are heating up in the cooker you can literally walk away for 6-8 hours until your food is ready to eat! No fuss, no muss, no burnt food. We enjoy slow-cooking food so much at our house that we have two slow-cookers, which we used to make both of these Tandoori dishes. Next time we’ll have to make some yummy mango chutney, too!
Both the Tandoori Baked Tofu and Tandoori Spiced Potatoes with Spinach are grain-free.
Tandoori Fact: Tandoori cooking is named after a tandoor, which is a high-temperature cylindrical clay oven in which foods are cooked. Our slow cooker has a red clay pot (pictured above), which really enhances the richness of the flavors.
Share this:
Red Cherry Plum Jam
7 Comments
“That’s why I hate to get started in these jam sessions. I’m always the last one to leave.” — Elvis Presley
We recently made jars and jars of red cherry plum jam with the help of our backyard cherry plum trees using this recipe.
There is something so fundamentally satisfying about putting up foods from your own garden. Making jam is easy to do, and you can make a year’s worth in just a few hours for pennies once you’ve purchased the jars.
Canned foods will keep for an indefinite period of time as long as the seal is intact and they have been properly processed.
Canning Facts: Frenchman Nicholas Appert developed the method for preserving food that we call canning in 1809. He used glass jars sealed with corks held in place with wire.
Share this:
Mini Focaccia with Tapenade
7 Comments
“Appetizers are the little things you keep eating until you lose your appetite.” — Joe Moore
Feast your eyes on these cute little round focaccia breads with a caper and kalamata olive spread, topped with chopped heirloom tomatoes and fresh rosemary. These are fun to make and a great appetizer option for when you’re having company over. Delicious warm or at room temperature.
The recipe is from Party Vegan, by Robin Robertson, page 62.
Focaccia Fact: Focaccia is a popular flat oven-baked Italian bread that is traditionally topped with olive oil and herbs and other ingredients.
