Vegetable Pot Pie

We have a winner - and sadly not enough of this dinner.

Found on my latest blog that I use until it's all dried up of vegetarian recipes. Budget Bytes.

I'm just going to copy and paste for times sake, but be sure to double everything and bump it up to a 9x13 (at least double veggies depending on your love of the biscuit top.)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.04
• 2 cloves garlic $0.08
• 1 medium onion $0.44
• 8 oz. button mushrooms $1.99
• 2 Tbsp butter $0.17
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.04
• 1 cup vegetable broth $0.13
• 1 cup milk $0.25
• ½ lb. green beans $0.99
• 2 medium carrots $0.27
• 2 stalks celery $0.32
• ½ cup frozen peas $0.24
• ½ cup frozen corn kernels $0.24
• 1 tsp dried thyme $0.05
• to taste salt & pepper $0.05
• 1 recipe biscuit dough $1.12

Instructions

1. Before you begin cooking, prepare all of the vegetables. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, chop the celery into small pieces, peel and slice the carrot, and break the green beans into one inch sections. If your mushrooms aren’t pre-sliced, go ahead and slice them.
2. Add the vegetable oil, onion, and garlic to a large pot. Saute over medium heat until the onions have softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms have released all of their moisture, become limp, and turned dark tan in color.
3. Melt the butter into the pot. Once the butter has melted, add the flour. Stir and cook this mixture for about three minutes. It’s okay if the flour begins to coat the bottom of the pot, but if it looks like it may begin to burn, turn off the heat.
4. Warm the vegetable broth slightly in the microwave. Add the broth to the pot and stir to dissolve all of the flour off of the bottom of the pot and off of the vegetables. Warm the milk in the microwave. Slowly add the milk while stirring.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables (green beans, carrots, celery, corn, peas) and the thyme. Increase the heat and bring the pot up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the biscuit dough. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent it from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare a basic biscuit dough. The recipe and step by step instructions can be found here. This will only take about 10 minutes.
7. After simmering for 10-15 minutes, the liquid in the pot should have reduced and thickened. If you’d like it thicker, you can sprinkle in about a teaspoon of cornstarch and stir until thickened. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking (I added about ¾ tsp of salt). Pour the vegetable mixture in the bottom of an 8×8 inch casserole dish.
8. Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a large square, approximately the same size and shape as the casserole dish. Transfer the biscuit dough to top the vegetables in the dish. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the biscuit dough to allow steam to escape. Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the biscuit is golden brown on top.

Polenta Basics

Karissa's awesome post on roasted veggies and polenta made me think that we ought to have a post on polenta in general.  It's a great base for any number of healthy, comforting casseroles. It's also easy to make and a nice staple to have on hand if you have any gluten-sensitive friends and family coming over for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 C. cornmeal
3 C. liquid

I most often just use veggie broth for the liquid, but you can use your milk of choice or any combination of milk, water, and broth that suits your fancy.  You can also add whatever seasonings go with the meal you have in mind (some Italian seasonings to swing it that way, a can of diced green chilies and a half cup of shredded cheddar for a Tex-Mex vibe, etc.).  Something I like to do is add a few handfulls of fresh spinach toward the end of the stove top cooking time.

Process:
Boil the liquid and add the cornmeal.  Reduce the heat to medium high and stir often as the cornmeal absorbs the water and begins to thicken.  Once the mixture begins thickening, become more attentive in your stirring.  If you like soft polenta, you can stop and serve after just a few minutes.  I usually want mine much more firm, as the base for a casserole, so I continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, or until the polenta begins to form a ball (sort of like your homemade play dough would, if you know what I mean).

Now you're ready to top your polenta and serve (as you would with a stew or other hearty soup), or else place the polenta in a greased 8x8 pan and preheat your oven for whatever casserole you have in mind.

The baked polenta we make most often is a lasagna inspired dish.  Simply top the polenta with an already steamed bag of mixed veggies (we like the California mix of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots), then layer on a batch of spaghetti sauce and top with shredded mozzarella.  Bake for about 20 minutes and let set for five before dishing.

We also enjoy polenta topped with vegetarian chili and baked until bubbly.  There are really a ton of ways to use it though (including topped with fruit for breakfast)...the Internet is full of them.  Thanks for the delicious inspiration, Karissa!

Sam's Spaghetti Sauce

Kris is a big spaghetti lover, so it was one of our go-to meals when we first started going meatless. Both of us felt like the sauce was kind of flat though, missing the added richness and complexity a good sausage can give.  So I started looking around for additional seasonings to round things out.  We love the end product from the following recipe. (Also, don't get too married to these "measurements" on the seasonings...they are my best approximation of the shaking from the jars that I really do.)

1/2 onion, diced
1 large or 2 med. cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. sugar (optional, but it really balances the flavors)
2 T. Marsala cooking wine (located in the vinegar section of your supermarket)
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Saute the onions for about five minutes on medium heat until they are softened.  Add the garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes; cook for one minute more.

2) Mix in the tomato products and stir until the mixture is homogeneous.

3) Add the remaining ingredients.  Simmer for a few minutes (10ish) while the flavors blend.

This is my basic sauce.  Sometimes I add mushrooms or bell peppers or any other veggies I'm in the mood for.  The fennel and smoked paprika lend some of the sausage flavor you might otherwise miss and the cooking wine gives it the true Italian edge (in addition to reminding me of my perpetually boozy and now deceased grandfather), though it can certainly be omitted.

Kickin' Black Bean Salad

1 ½ C cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature

½ C extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 C fresh lemon juice

1 bunch green onions, including green tops, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices

2 bunches fresh parsley, chopped

4 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

4 tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and cut into ¼ inch dice

1 ½ C cooked, cold black beans

Sea Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Combine the oil, lemon juice and garlic and mix it into the rice.  Add all the remaining ingredients and stir gently.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.  Sprinkle with a little additional salt then toss and serve.  Tastes the best at room temperature.

SAAG-Sational Curry (without the curry)

• 4 ounces (113g) fresh or frozen cauliflower,

cut into bite-sized pieces

• 4 ounces (113g) fresh or frozen spinach

leaves, chopped

• 1 teaspoon ginger powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup (120ml) grapeseed oil

• 1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

• 10-15 grape tomatoes, halved

• 1-2 tablespoons (14- 22ml) water

COOKING:

If using frozen vegetables, defrost both then:

Pat the cauliflower dry to remove excess

water. Place the spinach in a colander and

push the excess water out with back of a

mixing spoon. Grind the ginger, fennel seeds,

mustard seeds, chili powder, garlic, and salt

into a thick paste. In a sauté pan, sauté the

onion in the oil until it softens considerably.

Add the spice paste and continue to sauté

for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and add

the spinach, cilantro, tomatoes, cauliflower,

water and continue to cook, stirring

frequently for about 20 minutes until tender.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

Per Serving: 316 Calories; 28g F at (3g saturated

fat); 5g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary

Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 603mg Sodium.

Overnight Oats

• 1/2 cup SAMBAZON Protein Chocolate

Almond Coconut Milk*

• 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs

• 2 tablespoons coconut shavings

*If your local retailer does not carry SAMBAZON

Protein Chocolate Almond Coconut Milk you can

replace with S AMBAZON’s Chocolate or Vanilla

Protein smoothies or a non-dairy milk alternative

(almond milk, soy milk, rice milk or hemp milk).

We prefer a vanilla or chocolate variety for extra

flavor.

COOKING:

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar,

cover and soak overnight. In the morning,

pour your oat mix into a bowl and add any

fresh toppings you’re jiving on.

We suggest one of the following per serving:

1/2 banana, sliced

2 strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

MAKES 2 SERVINGS.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

Per Serving: 220 Calories; 10g F at (6g saturated

fat); 6g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary

Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 25mg Sodium.

Zippy Breakfast for 2

Rika being as amazing as she is, sent me a few recipes I'd like to share.

3 C cooked Brown Rice or other grain of choice (I like it fairly moist)

Juice from one Lemon or Lime  (I like lime the best)

1-2 Tbs Olive Oil (or other healthy oil you like)

1-2 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (optional…)

1 large Avocado cut up

1 decent sized chopped Tomato

Top with a handful chopped soaked (ideally) Almonds and freshly Ground Pepper

Warm rice in the bowls. Add avocado and tomato. Drizzle with the mixed liquids. Top with almonds and pepper.  Easy peazy! 

Ever so slightly tweaked from The pH Miracle -Balance your Diet, Reclaim Your Health, By Robert O Young, Ph.D, and Shelley Redford Young

Beautiful Roasted Veggies and Baked Polenta Wonder

I made this dinner a while back and it was lovely sans cheese, so feel free to be bold and let the plants shine! My friend recently made this and added the asparagus and parsnips, genius! She also gets credit for editing my patchwork instructions when she sent the recipe back to me.

2 carrots, sliced
1/2 - 1 onion, sliced
1 large red pepper, cut into short strips
1-2 parsnips, sliced
10 asparagus spears (approx), cut into bite-size pieces
1 small bunch of spinach
drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of kidney beans
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Polenta:
1 can of low-sodium vegetable stock
2 cups almond milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cornmeal


Directions:

1. Cut all the vegetables and put them on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are done roasting, set aside to cool and reduce oven temperature to 375°F

2. Make the polenta:
In a medium sized sauce pan, over medium-high heat, bring the vegetable stock, almond milk, spices, and salt to a rolling boil. Add the cornmeal gradually, stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Add the nutritional yeast and stir constantly until the mixture is thickened and consistent. Once it starts to thicken, trade the whisk out for spoon and stir until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot. Add 1/2 the Parmesan cheese to the polenta and stir to combine. Poor the mixture into casserole dish and top with the remainder of the Parmesan cheese.

3. Blend the kidney beans and the tomato sauce together and pour 1/2 the mixture on top of the polenta.

4. Evenly spread the roasted vegetables on top of the polenta and sauce. Spread the rest of the tomato sauce mixture over the vegetables and top with spinach. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

6. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Other suggested additions: eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, kale, capers, Kalamata olives