Soy Chorizo and Bean Saute

February 5, 2009 · by ·

While wandering a grocery store a couple months ago, I was delighted to come across some soy chorizo. I am always seeing some interesting recipes that call for the real thing, so I was intrigued and bought a package. Having never tried the real thing, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I do know that it is supposed to be a crumbled, oily, and spicy sausage treat. I dove in and decided to test the waters. I didn’t use a recipe, I just worked with what I had in the pantry. It came out excellent. It was one of those dishes that I actually fight with my husband over the leftovers to take to work the next day. I almost always let him take the leftovers. So you know it’s good.

Soy Chorizo Saute
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
Soy Chorizo or the real stuff
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes (I like the kind that has added flavor, jalapenos or otherwise)
salt
pepper
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup veggie broth

In a large cast iron pan or skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for 7 minutes.

Remove the chorizo from the casing and crumble into the pan. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes.

Add in the white beans and tomatoes. Stir into the chorizo mixture.

Add in the spices. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

Stir in the veggie broth. Let the dish simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice. Yum! I will not say, “Yum-O,” because that would be lame. It is good though, and it is a super easy meal for a crazy weeknight.

Filed Under: Dinner, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , ,

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

January 15, 2009 · by ·
Sunday night’s dinner was pad thai. What better to go with than a spring roll.

I have never made spring rolls before. I made egg rolls once a few years ago, but egg roll wrappers are easier to work with. I have had the spring roll wrappers sitting in my house for a while, just waited to be played with. I don’t like frying things and I was a bit fearful. I charged ahead.

While it wasn’t too complicated to prepare and they were tasty, I do need to make some tweaks next time. I need to use larger wrappers or less filling, and I need to fry in more oil than I used.

Vegetarian Spring Rolls – (10 spring rolls)


Ingredients:

Spring Roll Wrappers – rice papers
Bean Thread Noodles or Rice Noodles (Vermicelli) – 1 small “bun”
1 cup of shredded cabbage
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
2 scallions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 tablespoons of bamboo shoots, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
Vegetable Oil

Begin by soaking your noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain.

In a tablespoon of oil, sautee the garlic and ginger. Add in the carrots and cabbage. Saute until soft. Add in the bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and scallions. Saute a few more minutes. Season with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce.
Soak your rice papers in a shallow bowl of warm water.

Lay out the softened rice paper.

Put 1 tablespoon of the noodles and one tablespoon of the veggie mixture on the rice paper. Place the mixture on the edge closer to you. Wrap the edge in. Fold in the sides, then finish rolling up.
Fry in oil. Drain on paper towels.

Just a reminder that my spring rolls didn’t look so perfect this time. They were damn good though.

Eat. Yum
Filed Under: Appetizers, egg roll, fried, Gluten Free, rice paper, spring roll, vietnamese · Tagged: , , , , ,

Veggie Enchiladas

January 8, 2009 · by ·

A couple of years ago a colleague had some yummy smelling lunch that I just had to inquire about. It turned out to be vegetarian enchiladas. She passed on the recipe to me and I subsequently buried it in my email box and let it sit. From time to time I would eyeball the recipe and think about the idea of making it. After all, it did smell good. I thought it might be too time consuming to make though. I have toughened up since then. I am brave enough to take on more “complicated” dishes now. Last night I prepared my own adaptation of the veggie enchiladas. It was easy and amazing. It also made for wonderful leftovers the next day at lunch. The only shortcut I did was use a bottle of Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce, which just happens to be cheap and kosher.

Vegetarian Enchiladas
1 onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 green squash, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 can of pinto beans, rinsed
1 chile, seeds removed and chopped
2 scallions
8 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1-2 cups of cheddar/monterey jack mix, shredded
olive oil
8 Tortillas
1 bottle of Trader Joes Enchilada Sauce
Sour Cream
Cilantro, olives, chives – optional

Preheat your oven to 350.

Begin by preparing your filling ingredients. Chop up all the veggies.

In a bit of olive oil, saute the onions and the garlic. After a few minutes, add in the chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Next, add in the squash. Saute for 5 minutes. Add in the canned pinto beans. Let that cook a bit. Mash up the beans a bit. Add in the mushrooms, scallion, and the chile. Make sure you have removed the seeds from the chile. Let it cook some more until the liquid evaporates.


In a 9×13 pan, pour some of the enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the pan.

In each tortilla, place around two tablespoons of the vegetable mixture along with a sprinkle of cheese.



Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in the pan. Do this 8 times.


When all the tortillas are in, pour the rest of the sauce over the tortillas. Make sure the enchiladas are well covered by the sauce. Throw on the rest of the cheese. Place in oven.

Remove after 25-30 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, chives, and olives.

Enjoy! This dish is great the next day. It might also work well frozen.

Filed Under: beans, cheese, enchiladas, mexican, vegetables, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , ,

Yummy Soy Sausage

January 6, 2009 · by ·

A staple in our house is fake meat…soy and otherwise. I like the versatility of the fake meat products…and in the words of my 7-year-old, “I don’t want to be fleishig.”

On any given Monday night, dinner can be a rush. The buzz of the beginning of the week and crazy schedules make meal planning tough. The presence of the soy meat options are very helpful. Making dinner can be easy.

Dinner was Veggie Italian Sausage with a Mushroom and Tomato Saute over Pasta. I used gemelli, but any pasta can be used. I just like to use fun shapes. I used Trader Joes brand veggie sausage. I have seen other brand out there. Lightlife and Field Roast brands both offer similar tasty treats.


Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, and Tomato over PastaIngredients

1 box of pasta – any shape will do
1 onion
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Italian Soy Sausages, more if feeding a larger crowd
1 can of diced flavored tomatoes
salt and pepper
Basil – fresh if you have it
Parmesean Cheese

Start by sauteing one chopped onion with 5 chopped cloves of garlic in some olive oil. Slice up two sausages thinly. Add it to the pan. Add in some sliced baby bella mushrooms, salt, pepper, and some basil. Use fresh basil if you have it. Next, add in a can of crushed tomatoes. I like the italian balsamic tomato flavor.

Spoon the mixture over some cooked pasta. Grate some parmesean cheese over it. This dish was wonderful and filling. Goes great with some steamed veggies or a green salad.

Filed Under: cheese, dairy, italian, mushrooms, pasta, sausage, seitan, soy, tofu, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , ,

Braised Brussel Sprouts

April 3, 2008 · by ·

Brussel Sprouts get such a bad rap. They are always ragged on as the demon vegetable of youth. I don’t remember eating them as a kid. Probably because they are not so gut-friendly. Regardless, I love me some brussel sprouts. They are super easy to prepare and take on great flavors.

Always use fresh brussel sprouts. The frozen kind gets too gummy. Take your brussel sprouts and peel the messy looking outer layers. Slice them in half. Wash them off. Get your sauté pan ready. Chop up some shallots and garlic and sauté in olive oil spray or a drop of olive oil. Add in the brussel sprouts. Saute a few more minutes. Add in equal parts white wine and vegetable broth. Around ½ cup each. Cover with a lid and let steam for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Done! You have a yummy veggie side dish with no fear. Don’t forget the glass of white wine to drink alongside!

Filed Under: braised, Gluten Free, Side Dish, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , ,
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