vegan Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

Knock-off Olive Garden soup

All-you-can-eat soup, salad and breadsticks! Sometimes you just crave the kind-of-delicious/guilty-pleasure ambiguously ethnic food of the Darden Group. Not willing to re-create a Bloomin' Onion®, my favorite food chain re-creation is the Zuppa Toscana from the Olive Garden. Made vegan with fresh kale, purple potatoes (they have the same antioxidants as blueberries!), and cannellini beans, this soup blows our favorite SchmItalian restaurant out of the water. Or the broth, so to speak. 


Vegan Soup with Purple Potatoes, Cannellini Beans, and Kale 

3 purple potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced thin
1 can rinsed cannellini beans
3 cups kale chopped into thin strips
1 carton Imagine No Chicken broth
.5 large purple onion, chopped
1.5 tsp dried rosemary
1.5 tsp red pepper flakes
drizzle of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt

 Saute potatoes, onions and kale in olive oil for 10 minutes. Crush rosemary and salt in a mortar and pestle. Add rosemary salt, garlic, and red pepper flake to pot. Pour the broth and add rinsed cannellini beans. Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper. When you're here, you're family®!

butternut squash mac and cheese

Apparently it is "fall" here in Pennsylvania- according to the excited squeals of my roommates. I have yet to interpret the dying leaves and suddenly cold weather as a "magical turn of season," but I am trying to get on their level by cooking some of the "fall-specific" foods of legend. So, bring on the pumpkin spice lattes, squash casseroles, and gourd necklaces.

Butternut squash mac and cheese has been hailed as the healthy answer to the rich and decadent American comfort food. After trying a few recipes (Martha, Rachael, and Bethenny,) I was still dissatisfied with the dish. The following recipe is an aggregate of my experiences with the best mac and cheeses, made a bit healthier with organic pureed winter squash (vitamin A, C, and potassium! Seasonal Affective Disorder be damned!) This recipe has more extensive notes below, based on the choices I made to adjust the recipe for deliciousness.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

1 package organic pureed winter squash
1 package whole wheat cavatappi
2 c shredded Gruyere cheese
5 balls of mini boccontini, or equivalent fresh mozzarella cheese (well drained)
3/4 c nonfat milk
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
pinch of nutmeg
fresh crack of black pepper
salt

Boil water and cook pasta very al dente in well-salted water. Make a roux. Cook up the flour, butter, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt until the mixture turns "blonde." Whisk in milk until the mixture thickens and has no lumps. Add the thawed butternut squash, and fully incorporate with the roux. Add the shredded gruyere cheese, and tear the bits of boccontini into the mix. Pour the well-drained spiral pasta into the cheese mix and fold together. Divide mac and cheese into casserole dish or ramekins. Top with panko crumbs and spray with olive oil. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

+ I have made this with fresh butternut squash (boiled and pureed), but I find it to be too moist. This product saves time, energy, and results in a better mac and cheese.
++ The ridged spiral tube shape of whole wheat cavatappi holds the cheese and squash mixture better than regular elbows. I also think it looks bougie.
+++I use a combo of fresh mozzarella and gruyere to achieve the strings of cheese people love in their mac and cheese.
++++Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs give a crunchy crust to the mac and cheese, achieving a casserole-like texture. I spray the breadcrumbs with olive oil to facilitate browning in the oven.

raw kale and garbanzo bean salad

 

Pennsylvania continues to surprise me.  Last week I got a knock on my backdoor, and a precocious little boy offered us some surplus kale from his family's garden. Our young neighbor went on to school me and my roommates on the type of grapes growing on our land, and the proper uses for our variety (apparently our grapes are too sour to make juice). I was impressed to meet a child who is excited about vegetables, in contrast to this group of young ones. Putting our new bounty of kale to use, I whipped up a raw kale salad for lunch. I like to keep the kale somewhat raw, rinsing the chopped leaves under very hot water before tossing with the garbanzos and cucumber.

Raw Kale and Garbanzo Bean Salad

1 large head of kale

1/2 an english cucumber, large dice

1 can of garbanzo beans

2 tbsp Annie's Organic Goddess Dressing

1 lemon, juiced

1 clove of pressed garlic

fresh-cracked black pepper

salt 

Slice the raw kale into ribbons, and then run under hot water. Toss all ingredients together.

zucchini soup

I live in Pennsylvania now, and the morning chill is a daily reminder that fall is just around the corner. That may be why I have been craving this light vegetable soup. Earlier this month I spent the weekend at my aunt's lakehouse in Massachusetts, and my cousin whipped up this incredible, and wonderfully simple soup. I could not believe that it was just simple summer squash, onions, and vegetable broth. Luckily, one of my new roommates has an immersion blender, making for simple soup, and simpler cleanup. Don't let the short ingredient list fool you- this soup is delicious.

Zucchini Soup

1 extra large zucchini squash
1 yellow onion
1 carton of vegetable broth
squeeze of lime
salt

Saute vegetables, simmer with broth for 15 minutes. Allow broth to cool, and then blend. Squeeze lime and season with salt. Thanks for the recipe, Kathleen!

vegetable soup with lavender salt

When teaching someone how to cook, one of the first things I teach is the formula for a simple vegetable soup. I find that this lays the groundwork for endless variations- the formula can be used for anything from minestrone to menudo (if you're feeling sassy). The easy formula for soup: Olive oil  + longest veg cook time -> shortest veg cook time + any combination of herbs, spices, garlic, and red pepper flake cooked til fragrant + canned, frozen or cooked bean (tomatoes, beans, corn) + broth + garnish (cheese, olive oil, fresh herbs, avocado, citrus, crackers, etc). Infographic to come. I often find myself making soup when I start to get to the end of my vegetables for the week. Half of a bell pepper, some zucchini, and a few baby carrots were on the way out yesterday. I made this soup a little special with some herbs de Provence and lavender salt. The light broth works well with a bit of floral sel, and I finished this with a squeeze of lemon.

Vegetable Soup with Lavender Salt

drizzle of olive oil

1/4 red onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 zucchini, sliced thin

5 baby carrots, chopped

1 1/2 cremini mushrooms sliced 

big handful of chopped kale

3 cloves of pressed garlic

2 big pinches of red pepper flakes

1/2 tbsp herbes de Provence

1/2 can Muir Glen diced tomatoes

1/2 can drained, rinsed garbanzo beans1 tsp lavender salt

3/4 carton Central Market vegetable broth

chopped parsley (garnish)

squeeze of lemon

Saute vegetables for 8 minutes.  Add herbs, lavender salt, and garlic. When really fragrant (about 3 minutes) add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for as long as you can stand (about an hour, for me). Serve with parsley and a squeeze of lemon (and a mountain of cheese for Cara :-) ).

 

chickpea of the sea pita

Recently on the Kitchn, I saw an alternative to chicken salad sandwich, Chickpea of the Sea sandwich. This recipe conjures memories of Jessica Simpson and her ditzy claim to fame- I'm pretty sure Chickpea of the Sea sandwich would just blow her mind. I adjusted the recipe a bit, using Sass Smoky Ranch dressing (a new obsession). This makes two pita.

Chickpea of the Sea Pita

1/2 c of garbanzo beans
1 stalk of celery
2 tbsp of red onion
1/2 tbsp of  Vegenaise
1/2 tbsp of Sass Smoky Ranch dressing
1/4 c of bell peppers, sliced thin
2 leaves of lettuce
8 slices of cucumber
1 whole wheat pita
Crack of black pepper
Pinch of salt

Rinse the chickpeas. Mash the chickpeas with the Vegenaise and the SASS. Stir in the chopped celery and red onion. Crack some black pepper and sprinkle a bit of salt over the vegetables. Stuff into toasted pitas.

Like the pomegranate fabric? It is from my cousin's awesome shop Lost Bird Found. Food just looks prettier on pomegranate!

vegan bánh mì

I can't remember where I first heard about bánh mì, but the details of the lionized Vietnamese sandwich both intrigued and repelled me. The basic ingredients include a French-style baguette, pork (or a vegetarian version with tofu), pickled vegetables, mayonnaise. This seemed like one of those unconventional couplings that are so crazy they just might work, like fried pickles with ranch, or Brigitte Nielson and Flavor Flav (remember them?). Well, I have to say, the sandwich earned it's reputation. It was a delicious melange of the five tastes : salty, sour, bitter, umami, and sriracha.

This sandwich came together very quickly. I marinated the tofu over night, but the assembly took about 15 minutes. This recipe makes one sandwich.

Vegan Bánh Mì

French baguette

Marinated tofu (half soy sauce, half balsamic vinegar)

2 slices of portabello mushrooms

Handful chopped crunchy lettuce 

1/4 cup of grated carrots

2 radishes, sliced thin

5 thin slices of cucumber

Cilantro

1 lime

Vegenaise 

Olive Oil

Salt

Sear mushrooms and tofu with a thin layer of olive oil. Turn once. While searing, chop vegetables and set aside carrots, radishes, and cucumber. Drizzle with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Slice baguette length-wise, and scoop out the bread insides, leaving a shell baguette. Spread Vegenaise on both sides of the bread. When tofu and mushrooms are done, set aside and let rest for about two minutes. When rested, arrange fillings evenly across the sandwich. Yeaaaaa Boyyeee!

baked samosas with mint chutney

Last month I went to Texas Beer Fest- hands down the best festival I have ever been to (and I went to Margarita and Salsa Fest, so that is saying something). One of the vendors there was Nisha's Indian Food, and I picked up some sweet and tangy mango chutney. This inspired me to try my hand at samosas, or fried Indian hand pies. To lighten them up a bit, I baked them instead of frying. I think that this improved the taste and texture. Adapted from Experiments of a Housewife (which is less nefarious than it sounds). 

Pastry Crust for Samosas

4 tbsp of ghee

3 c of whole wheat pastry flour

sprinkle of cumin seeds

1/4 c ice cold water

salt

Melt ghee. Add cumin seeds while warm. Sift whole wheat pastry flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. When comfortably warm, drizzle ghee with cumin seeds into flour, rubbing between fingers to form little breadcrumbs. Then add ice cold water in dribbles until dough forms. Knead the dough until all ingredients are incorporated, and let rest at room temperature for around 30 min to an hour. When ready to work, break off golf-sized bits of dough, and roll out into 7 in rounds.See Experiments of a Housewife for easy folding and stuffing instructions and visuals.

Filling for Samosas

2 russet potatoes, peeled

1/4 red onion, chopped

1/3 c peas

1/2 c tofu, chopped

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tsp ground ginger 

salt

Boil potatoes, drain.  Saute red onion, add tofu and spices. Gently stir with potatoes and peas. Set aside. 

Mint Chutney

1 bunch of mint (probably 1.5 c)

1 bunch of cilantro (about 1 c)

3/4 of a green chile (I include the ribs because I like it spicy)

squeeze of a lime

1/4 white onion

a few splashes of water 

salt

Pulse in a food processor until viscous.

complete protein quesadilla

lots of jalapenos for Cara!

I have been looking for an alternative to the Multi-Grain tortillas at Central Market- they are tasty but I still feel like I am eating big, pillowy carbs when I cook with them. Searching the freezer section for something a bit more balanced, I found the Food for Life Sprouted Grain Tortillas. These are a bigger than your average tortilla, but you only need one for a quesadilla. At 150 calories with 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, I probably would have been willing to eat these even if they had the texture of paper-mâché. 

Thankfully, the tortillas were good! They added a bit of nuttiness, but I wasn't distracted by the grains. The quesadilla came together quickly, with some melted low-fat cheddar cheese, pan-seared yellow and red bell peppers, and the last wilted greens from my Spring Mix.No cardboard textures here- we will have to find another material to build a piñata made in our own likeness.

My next Tex-Mex adventure is finding an alternative to the fabled Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Dip: an often imitated, never duplicated Texas treasure. A girl can dream, right?

brown rice bowl with baked tofu

 

For dinner last night, I made a basic brown rice bowl: brown rice, some seared yellow squash, carrots and onions. The special element of this bowl is the baked tofu. I never fully appreciated tofu until I baked it. If you think you don't like tofu, give baked tofu a chance! When baked, tofu becomes a chewy, toothsome hunk of goodness, almost like a (more delicious) chicken McNugget (minus the mysterious gray matter found in McNuggets). A few squares of baked tofu can turn a side dish into a meal. 

baked tofu: 

Drain firm or extra-firm tofu in a colander in the sink with something heavy on top (I use a pot, you can use a brick covered in foil, or the copy of War and Peace you have on your bookshelves to impress people) for as long as possible (for me, usually about an hour). Chop tofu into squares a little bigger than dice, and then marinate the tofu in a combination of half soy sauce and half balsamic vinegar. This gives the tofu a savory, almost BBQ-like flavor. Marinate as long as you can (for me, usually about an hour) and then toss in vegetable oil or spray your baking pan. Bake in the oven at 400 for about 30-40 minutes, tossing or turning over tofu once or twice so they brown evenly. The tofu will shrink a bit, and caramelize around the edges. Douzo, tabete kudasai.

whole-wheat quinoa crackers

Last week my neighbor, Tushar, invited me downstairs for wine, cheese, and a screening of the Real Housewives of New York in Morocco, otherwise known as "Lessons on Behavior to Avoid: Overseas Edition." After a night of truffled brie, goat cheese, and involved discussions on how to avoid becoming boozy harpies when we hit 40, I really wanted a repeat (of the meal, not the campy reality show). I headed to the cheese section of Central Market to pick up some brie, but realized when I got home that I forgot the crackers. Solution? Make your own crackers! This was way easier than I thought.

whole-wheat quinoa crackers:

1.5 c whole wheat flour
.5 c cooked quinoa 
.5 tsp baking soda
.5 c water
drizzle of olive oil
pinch o salt

Pulse in food processor until dough forms. Roll out until super thin (I used a tortilla press). Cut crackers with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Transfer to wax paper on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 30 min. They will crisp up as they cool.

falafel with tahini sauce

One of the staple ingredients in my kitchen is tahini, a paste made of sesame seeds. Tahini is like a lighter-tasting peanut butter. I use tahini to make dressings, dips, and hummus. To showcase this sauce, I popped some falafel into the toaster oven and stirred up a quick tahini sauce.

tahini sauce:

1/3 c tahini
1 clove of pressed garlic
a drizzle of honey
juice of 1 lime
drizzles of hot water
a pinch of salt
garnished with dill

Loosen up the tahini with drizzles of hot water and some lime or lemon juice, stir in some pressed garlic, honey, and salt. Serve with a generous glob of sriracha.