Category Archives: casseroles

Maple, Walnut, Pecan, and Sage crusted Tempeh Cutlets and other Thanksgiving delights

Posted on November 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

i have no idea why i was stressing out about this years thanksgiving meal- maybe it’s because i used to be the ‘seitan guru’ and not having my usual wheat based, classed up centerpiece to fall back on left me feeling lost. then i remembered my often forgot about friend, tempeh. duh!  tempeh! *smacks forehead 

tempeh was the perfect solution to my centerpiece ‘problems’. its naturally gluten free, has a great texture, and can get jazzed up easily. i’ve made this tempeh several ways now, once with tomato jam holding the nuts in place, and the second with a thick maple glaze doing the work. both are equally delicious,  but not everyone will be able to find tomato jam at the grocery store so i’m sticking with maple for this recipe. this was fabulous as our thanksgiving main, but if cut into smaller triangles, would make an excellent appetizer, or side dish!

Maple Pecan Walnut and Sage crusted Tempeh Cutlets

serves 6

1 bundle fresh sage leaves, about 4 large stems full of leaves

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

2 tbs gluten free soy sauce/tamari

2 packages lightlife tempeh, original soy flavor

1/2 c grade b maple syrup

1/2 c raw pecans

1/2 c raw walnuts

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp each marjoram and thyme

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

start by poaching the tempeh; take each rectangle of tempeh, and slice into 3 slightly odd shaped triangles. place in a skillet and cover with the vegetable stock, soy sauce, and submerge 2 of the stems of sage into the broth. take a fork and lightly prick the top of each piece of tempeh. cover, and bring to a simmer. cook for 15 minutes, flipping once. let cool completely in the broth, or let marinate over night.

poaching the tempeh

poaching the tempeh

place the nuts, 10 sage leaves, the paprika, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper into the bowl of your food processor. pulse until the nuts are finely ground. simmer the maple syrup in a small saucepan until reduced slightly and it clings firmly to the back of a spoon. brush all sides of your tempeh cutlets with the syrup, and then press into your nut mixture, coating each side evenly. i baked mine in a toaster oven for 20 minutes on the broil setting, without flipping. you could also pan fry, or bake these little guys in a regular oven.

maple walnut pecan and sage crusted tempeh

maple walnut pecan and sage crusted tempeh

other thanksgiving delicacies

beccas GF green bean casserole

beccas GF green bean casserole

my sister makes her own cream of onion soup and crispy onions, rendering this staple vegan, gluten free, and perfect for mushroom-phobes!

raw caramel pecan truffles

raw caramel pecan truffles

she also made these amazing truffles, from a recipe on fragrant vanilla cake!

a very vegan, gluten free thanksgiving meal!

a very vegan, gluten free thanksgiving meal!

from top center to right; maple pecan sweet potatoes, cranberry cherry relish, mashed potatoes with savory mushroom gravy, cornbread, cranberry, and apple stuffing, maple walnut pecan and sage tempeh, and green bean casserole in the center. YUM.

and lastly. the PIE, now lovingly known as pumpkin pie-zilla. i found the crust on fork and beans, and the filling on gluten free goddess.

gluten free vegan pie crust

gluten free vegan pie crust

as you can see, GF crusts may roll out well between 2 pieces of parchment, but that doesn’t mean you should expect them to just drop in like normal. i ended up pressing the crust in, but i might add a little chia gel next time to help pliability and moisture retention. the fluted edges started to crack off during the extended baking time since i made a deep dish pie. i’d also brush the crust with a little earth balance and agave nectar to help the edges brown more as well. but, it was a delicious stand in for a wheat based crust!

vegan and gluten free pumpkin pie

vegan and gluten free pumpkin pie

i’m not a huge fan of molasses, so i cut the amount down to 1 tbs, and subbed extra maple for the rest. most vegan pumpkin pies call for tofu, but the cashews are such a superior stand in! the texture, and flavor of this pie are unlike any other and is going to be in the rotation every year from now on. also- this made a deep dish 10″ pie, that easily served 12.

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Posted in casseroles, baked goods ect, pie, appetizer, Gluten Free, Holiday

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Today’s Lunch; Microwaved Meh

Posted on February 21, 2012 | 1 Comment

i’m chili-ied out, yo. i’ve eaten in twice a day for a few days so my little tastebuds wanted a break. i stopped at the co-op and found some of their sesame kale salad (yum!), but i wasn’t feeling the salad bar (too cold?), and the sandwiches are definitely not gluten free, so i hit up the freezer section. i nevereat convenience meals so i’m not sure what ideas of grandeur i had in mind, but Amy’s Gluten Free Dairy Free Vegan Macaroni and Cheese did not live up to my expectations, but to be fair i shouldn’t have expected so much. it wasn’t awful by any means, but it’s 500+ calories of bland rice pasta, oil, and daiya. at least it mixed with my kale. it also reaffirmed my love for nutritional yeast and cashews <3

nice face

p.s. the kale was amazing

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Jackfruit Chili and Cornbread

Posted on February 20, 2012 | 2 Comments

why has jackfruit not exploded in vegan land!? i discovered it not long ago as ‘natures vegetarian meat’ in an indian curry, and i was surprised at how similar the texture was to pulled pork. now that i’m trying to be gluten-free, i’ve been missing seitan and the meaty, hefty texture it added to some of my favorite dishes, like tamales, chill, and tacos. tonight i swapped my usual seitanic stand-in for jackfruit and i was pleased with the results. it soaked up flavor, had a great bite, and really filled out what could have been a bean-heavy dish. to help mimic the texture of carnitas, i sliced my onions into almost paper thin half-moons, and added finely diced mushrooms; they practically melted into the tomato base. after perusing the internet i noticed some cooks were omitting the core of their jackfruit, and some opted to retain theirs; i decided to keep mine in- one, as not to waste food, two, my cores seemed very soft so i assumed they wouldn’t ruin the texture i was striving for. oh, and as usual, this is for a megaton of food, so halve or quarter this recipe to downsize the servings.

Jackfruit Carnitas Chili

serves 8-12

3 cans young jackfruit in brine, drained

3/4 lb mushrooms, roughly minced

3 15oz cans chili beans, rinsed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 24oz jar strained tomatoes

1 large or 2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced

4+ cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, sliced, opt

1/4c + chili powder

2 tbs coriander

1 tbc cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tbs chipotle chili

1 tsp mexican oregano

1 tbs braggs, GF tamari, or dark soy sauce if you can eat gluten

2-4 cups stock, depending on desired thickness

Gluten Free Roasted Corn Cornbread- adapted from spark recipes.com

1 10oz bag frozen corn kernels

1 c brown rice flour

1 1/4 c cornmeal

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp xanthan gum

3 tsp en r g egg replacer, no water

1 1/4 c almond milk

1/2 c melted earth balance

1/4 c agave, maple syrup, or if you’re fancy, OHGAVE! honey flavored agave

1 tbs cider vinegar

get out a large dutch oven, or heavy bottom stock pot. sauté the onions in a few tablespoons of oil until super soft and beginning to turn golden. add the jackfruit and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. start using the back and tip of a wooden spoon to break up and shred the jackfruit. don’t worry about pulverizing it, yet. now add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and increase the heat. cook until all liquid has evaporated. add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add the jalapeño and bell pepper and sauté for a few minutes. add the tomato, spices and beans and mix well. stir in enough stock to suit your tastes. simmer covered for 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally to continue to break up the jackfruit, taste for salt and seasonings, and add more stock if needed. adjust, and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. i cooked mine for almost an hour and a half while i cleaned and made cornbread- the texture kept getting better.

jackfruit chili

to make the cornbread, heat your over to 400 and grab a cast iron skillet if you have it and throw in on the bottom rack. once heated, add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet and add in the frozen corn. throw the pan back in the oven and roast until pale flecks of gold appear, this should take around 10-15 minutes. mean while, add the cider vinegar to the milk to curdle, and then whisk in the agave/honey, and earth balance. in a second bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well. remove the corn from the oven and stir into the wet ingredients, and then stir the wet into the dry. pour the batter (it will be pretty thick) into the cast iron and pop into the oven. bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. you can also use an 8×8 brownie pan if you don’t have a cast iron skillet.

gluten free vegan roasted cornbread

jackfruit chili

not pictured; served with creamy slices of avocado

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Posted in baked goods ect, can be Gluten Free, casseroles, crockpot, Gluten Free, stew

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A Gluten-Free Vegan Valentine’s for All!

Posted on February 13, 2012 | 1 Comment

this whole trying to be ‘gluten-free-as-much-as-possible-within-reason’ has been pretty swell so far! i’ve discovered doughnuts! yes, doughnuts! and i’m learning  about new culinary wonders- buckwheat flour isn’t from wheat, it’s a groat/berry! i was going to let myself gracefully fall off of the wagon for a night to take advantage of the valentines dinner benefit at the seward cafe for bone shaker books, but the 8:30 dinner has sold out. i hear there may still be some 7pm seats left, so hurry up if you want a fancy feast somewhere new! It’s sold out!

i’m celebrating the “national day of getting laid” early, and i’m adapting some old stand-by’s to fit the GF bill. a savory, roasted eggplant lasagna, and sharing a recipe i found online for a gluten free, vegan, chocolate torte. yum!

this is definitely a labor intensive meal with the pre roasting, but you can always pre-assemble your sexy lasagna a day in advance/morning of and pop it in the oven when you know you have an hour til’ romancing. besides, who said love was easy? this is also quite a hefty lasagna, so feel free to halve it and assemble it in a brownie pan. if you like your lasagna saucy, grab an extra jar (or can if you find BPA free) of sauce to pool on your plate for serving.

sexy roasted eggplant lasagna

serves 8-12

1 box Tinkyada Rice Lasagna

3 med/large eggplants- pick ones with taught, shiny skins.

1 lb cremini mushrooms

1 large red onion

tarragon

fennel

a couple GF veggie burgers to crumble up, opt

daiya cheese, opt

salt, pepper, ect

Tofu Ricotta: 

1 lb tofu

1 tbs miso

1/2 c cashews that have been soaked for a few hours, or 30 minutes in very hot water

1 tbs nutritional yeast

Simple Marinara

24oz jar strained tomatoes

2 tbs itallian seasoning

1 tsp agave

crushed red pepper, opt

crushed garlic, as many cloves as you’d like

preheat the oven to 425

Prep:

if you have a cast iron griddle, pop it in the oven while it heats up to 425. peel the eggplants, and slice into 1/3″ rounds. once the cast iron is hot, smear it with a dab of oil, and place a layer of eggplants down. season the tops with salt and pepper and roast for 8 minutes per side or until golden and ‘dry’ looking. keep repeating until all slices have been cooked. if you have no cast iron, put some parchment on a cookie sheet and roast them on it. the parchment helps the eggplant dry out as it roasts so it won’t turn to mush!

meanwhile, thinly slice your onion into half moons. sauté in a little earth balance or oil until caramelized, about 15 minutes. thinly slice your mushrooms and add a few handfuls at a time, cooking until soft before adding the next hand full. once all of the mushrooms have been added, increase the heat and sauté until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. add 1/4 tsp each fennel and tarragon, and crumble in your veggie burgers if using. otherwise, fold in the spices and sauté for a minute more, until fragrant, and set aside.

to make the sauce, open the jar of tomatoes and pour in the agave, garlic, hot pepper, and the itallian spices. re-cap and shake well. easy! *or cheat further and buy spaghetti sauce.

to make the ‘ricotta’, crumble the tofu into a food processor, add the miso, nutritional yeast, cashews and a 1/2 tsp salt. puree until smooth.

Assembly and Baking:

preheat the oven to 375

*rice pasta can get gummy if boiled too long so i par-boil mine for 3-5 minutes. the residual liquid in the filling will finish the pasta in the oven. i use a large high-walled skillet so that i can easily grab individual sheets from the water with a tongs.

oil a high-walled casserole/lasagna pan. pour about one fourth of the pasta sauce into the bottom and spread out. put down the first layer of pasta. spread with tofu ricotta- if it got too thick, thin with a little almond milk or water. then add half of your eggplant slices, overlapping slightly. lastly, sprinkle with half of your mushroom/veggie burger mix. top with another fourth of the sauce and spread out. i like to really press down at this point to ensure all of the layers are compact as it will help the noodles retain their shape and soak up the rest of the veggie liquid. repeat the layering with the rest of your filling, and top with a final layer of pasta, and the rest of the sauce. cover tightly with oiled aluminum foil (oil side down) and bake for 60 minutes. once the lasagna is hot all the way through, top with daiya or vegan béchamel sauce, and return to the oven to melt the cheese- or skip this step and serve as-is. i served mine alongside some steamed broccoli with a little garlic olive oil on top.

sexy roasted eggplant

vegan roasted eggplant lasagna

for dessert, i made this flourless chocolate cake, topped with this caramel sauce, and coarse sea salt.

gluten free vegan chocolate torte with salted caramel sauce

next time, i’ll tinker with the cake to make it a bit denser- maybe more buckwheat flour, or brown rice flour? and i want to cook the caramel longer in the first stage, it seems too light, i think.

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Posted in baked goods ect, casseroles, Gluten Free, Holiday, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day <3

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Nacho Lovers, Unite!

Posted on February 6, 2012 | 1 Comment

i didn’t watch the Super Bowl, or the puppy bowl for that matter, but for some reason i had a hankering for salty tortilla chips dunked in neon orange goo with a side of salsa. the hubby is back home again, and he too had a craving for bar food, but instead of plunking down $30+ bucks for a few rounds and some so-so vegan nachos at a local bar, we made our own! *i’m also still trying to ride the Gluten-free train as much as possible, and vegan nachos at the bar usually involve wheat flour in the nooch sauce, so making my own also saved me from a few days of achy joints! yay! i think this is my best version of cheesy sauce yet, and i’ll give you a few GF options to tweak it! (just for you, clairedo!) chickpea flour thickens this like a dream, and it doesn’t get gelatinous when it cools, so you don’t need to resort to trickery when you want to reheat it.

Basic Gluten Free Cheezy Sauce

2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 heaping tbs raw cashew butter

1 tbs miso paste- white

1/4 tsp sea salt *or more if you really like salt or won’t be dumping this on salted chips

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 c nutritional yeast flakes, aka nooch

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, this adds a little “tang”

3 tbs garbanzo bean flour, also called besan, gram, or chana dal flour at indian grocers

3 tbs water

this is super duper easy:

melt the cashew butter over low heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan. whisk in everything else except for the water and the chickpea flour and increase the heat to medium high.  slowly whisk the water into the chickpea flour, and stir until completely smooth. add some of the hot sauce into the chickpea flour to help warm it, (much like tempering eggs if you’re familiar) whisking until smooth. now, slowly whisk the chickpea mixture into your sauce and keep stirring until thick and smooth. enjoy as is, or follow some options for tinkering!

10 am nacho fix!

for nacho/queso cheese:

add 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder, and up to 1 c of your favorite salsa. you may need an extra tablespoon of chickpea flour if your salsa is runny.  you can also fold in a cup of daiya pepperjack or cheddar if you want the consistency of stadium/pump cheese, but after experimenting, i don’t notice a big difference in flavor to make it worth a 5$ bag of cheese.

for mac and cheese:

double the sauce recipe and use regular paprika instead of smoked. add a pinch of ground nutmeg. fold into one pound of  al dente quinoa or brown rice noodles (or regular if you tolerate gluten). then, fold in up to an entire bag of daiya if you really, really want to go overboard on the cheesiness factor. i sometimes like a small sprinkle on top, but i won’t judge ;) spoon into a lightly oiled casserole, cover, and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

bechamel style- great as a fondue dip:

skip turmeric, omit 1/2 of the nutritional yeast. add a pinch of nutmeg and an extra tsp of onion powder. serve with blanched vegetables, cubes of bread-regular or gluten free, olives, and wine.

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Posted in appetizer, can be Gluten Free, casseroles, dips and such, Gluten Free, pasta, snacks

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birthday porn!

Posted on January 16, 2012 | 1 Comment

ahem, food porn.

cold bustin' juice

i had an awful cold so the hubby made me some super C juice to kickstart my birthday last week. we used 1 giant ruby red grapefruit, a lime, and a helluva lotta oranges. so, so good!

birthday brunch!

‘fronch toast’ vegan with a vengeance style, smoky ‘facon’, and broiled tater tots!

vegan stuffed shells

shells stuffed with cashew ricotta and daiya.

sexy close up

i didn;t write it all down, but heres roughly what i used:

1/2 c raw cashews, soaked overnight in water, drained

10oz extra firm tofu

2tbs nutritional yeast

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper, dash each of onion and garlic powder

puree all of them until almost completely smooth, then fold in 1/2 bag of daiya. this filled 24 pasta shells.

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food porn! the fall catch up series

Posted on December 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

winter has finally set in, and with it comes the lack of blogging motivation that only 4:30 pm sunsets and 9 degree winds can inspire. on the plus side, it also inspires the more laborious side of kitchen handiwork; i make raised breads, pounds of seitan, fresh pastas, and every roasted root vegetable i can get my little mitts on. with the hubbs working most sundays, i can cut loose in the kitchen for hours, hollering along to my favorite stations on pandora (today, willie nelson!) and cook up a weeks worth of meals while simultaneously keeping the house toasty warm. one a side note, since the hubbs is gone most sunday mornings, we make up for it by having brunch for sunday dinner! breakfast + dinner = dinfast? brinner?

lentil tacos and mexicali roasted veggies from 'skinny bitch, ultimate everyday cookbook'

tortilla rice soup- maybe from epicurious.com?

myself (r) and fellow seitan worshipper "Tanya Lasagna" (lol, image dimensions are 500x666, what a coincidence)

thanksgiving prep station, complete with half eaten bahn mi!

sexy cranberry, pecan, wild rice and breadcrumb stuffing

Tasagna's awesome slippers

stuffing and rolling our roulades

thanksgiving, vegan style

clockwise from lower center; maple glazed yams and sweet potatoes with pecans, green bean casserole with cream of onion soup and fried onion topping, seitanic roulade, herbed stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry raspberry relish.

tempeh tarragon, broccolini, cashew cream scalloped potatoes

tempeh tarragon, broccolini, cashew cream scalloped potatoes

barbecue tofu, cripsy polenta, and braised kale. yes, i routinely drink coffee with lunch :)

wild mushroom rissotto from 'skinny bitch ultimate everyday cookbook.

wild mushroom rissotto from 'skinny bitch ultimate everyday cookbook.

simply decadent.

coconut red curry with baked tofu

spiced delicata squash, tempeh sausage crumbles, braised kale and some sort of cranberry-leek-quinoa concoction

pickled hot peppers from our garden!

maple pecan pie from 'vegan pie in the sky'

tarragon seitan

Manhattans in my grandmother’s vintage glassware

rosemary rolls rising in my cast iron pan

seitan tarragon stew

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Mega Mushroom Bake, part deux!

Posted on November 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

this is one of our most favorite casseroles in the colder winter months, and it seems that each time i prepare it, i switch a few things up. the original version can be found here, and the actual original- not my spin on it- can be found in the garden of vegan (pg 147). in fact, i can find the page immediately because i have spilled the sauce over the page so many times that it’s beige. tee hee hee.

here’s tonight’s version:

Mega Mushroom and Eggplant Bake

serves 6

2 portobello caps, 1 inch dice
1 med eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, caramelized*

1 c roasted almond butter
1/2-3/4c boiling h20
1/2 tbs vegetable bullion
1 tsp herbs du provence
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/4 c red wine, whatever lying around

* to caramelize my onions i first slice them thinly before adding them to a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons earth balance in a cast iron pan. i saute them until soft and then pop them into a 350 degree onion to finish off while i prep everything else. they take about 20-30 minutes once they go in.

combine the mushrooms, onions, and eggplant in a lasagna pan.

thin the almond butter into the hot water, and whisk in the remaining ingredients. pour over the veggies, and cover the pan tightly with foil. bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until bubbling and the mushrooms have released their liquids. uncover and bake for another 15 minutes to brown the top. serve over brown rice, or couscous with something green. i also sprinkled mine with truffled sea salt and garlicky green “parma!”. yum!

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dinner pies!

Posted on October 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

pot pie is undoubtedly one of the greatest things to ever happen to casseroles, and last nights was no exception. it was my hubby’s first attempt at pastry dough, but did exceptionally well! we found the recipe on one of my fav blogs,  Vegan Dad. our pot pie wasn’t as saucy and think that can be contributed to my hubbys fear of accidentally making soup (i can be a scary teacher), and using cornstarch instead of flour to thicken. but, regardless of our methods, dinner was downright fan-fugging-tastic! i mean c’mon, it’s pie, for dinner. you can’t go wrong.

vegan chickpea pot pie!

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Posted in baked goods ect, blogs i love, casseroles, pie

lunch-gasm!

Posted on October 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

todays lunch was simple, and pretty damn awesome! mac n’ cheeze dressed all up with bac’uns and tapatio for a spicy casserole fit for a cloudy day. i randomly found the bac’uns in the pantry and figured, “why not?”.

you will need:

3/4 lb WW pasta, fun sauce catching shape like fusilli, cooked until al dente

10 oz bag frozen peas

4 c unsweetened almond milk

3/4 c flour

1 c nutritional yeast

2 tbs cashew butter

2 tbs earth balance or oil

1 tsp dried onion flakes

2 tsp mustard

salt and pepper

tapatio hot sauce, or whatever you like

bac’uns or smoky tempeh strips, ect

*to go gluten free, sub rice or quinoa pasta, and chickpea flour for the regular flour, same amounts should work out

melt the earthbalance and the cashew butter in a large pot over medium high heat. whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the ‘raw’ taste. turn off the burner and slowly whisk in the almond milk; if it gets lumpy, use an immersion blender to smooth it out. turn the heat back on and bring to a low bubble. whisk in the nutritional yeast, onion, mustard, and add salt and pepper to taste. at this point, feel free to doctor up your sauce with more yeast, salt, mustard, ect. most people have preferences for how they like their cheezy sauce, so go for the gold-turmeric if you like it extra golden, lol.  once perfected, add in the pasta and the peas and heat through. serve with tons of hot sauce and a sprinkle of bac’uns.

vegan mac and cheeze

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Posted in can be Gluten Free, casseroles, pasta, Uncategorized