spicy ambercup squash soup

a friend at work gave me a ginormous ambercup squash. the first half was devoured in a mash, but for the second half, i decided to challenge myself to make a savory dish yet still let the natural sweetness shine through. the result is a creamy spicy soup with surprise bites of chili beans. a great fall recipe.

• 1/2 large ambercup squash (~4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¼ cups veggie broth
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon bragg's aminos
• 1/4 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 1 can chili beans in sauce

preheat oven to 400°f. scoop out the seeds and peel the skin. the skin is edible, but i don't prefer it in this recipe. dice squash up into large cubes and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. drizzle olive oil on top and use a basting brush or clean hands to coat each piece evenly. bake for 45 minutes, flipping once halfway.

after squash has cooled considerably, chop into several smaller pieces and put in a food processor with the vegetable broth. pulse until the squash becomes thick and creamy, much like the consistency of mashed potatoes. be sure there aren't any large pieces remaining. use a spatula and pour mixture in to a 2-quart sauce pan. add in all the spices, aminos and soymilk, and turn heat to medium temperature. stir often. drain your chili beans, reserving the liquid. after 2-3 minutes, add in 1½ cups of chili beans and 3/4 cup of the reserved chili sauce. continue stirring until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface. serve warm. for presentation, drizzle a little of remaining chili sauce on the surface.

makes 3-4 hearty bowls.

creamy dill pasta salad

i have never found a store-bought vegan ranch that i like, so i have taken to the habit of making my own. there are plenty of recipes you can google - i just use a pretty typical combo of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar and spices. one day i was mixing up a batch and was feeling a little dilly, and it put me in mind of a creamy dill pasta dish. this is super easy to make, and perfect for potlucks and parties. and because it's so creamy, it doesn't make a big production of being vegan.

• 12 oz. uncooked macaroni noodles
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 medium cucumber, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 oz. of vegan mayonnaise
• 1 ¼ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 ¼ tablespoons pickle juice

boil the macaroni noodles according to package directions. while noodles are cooking, halve your cherry tomatoes and dice your cucumber. once the noodles are done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. pour into a large bowl, and add the olive oil. this will help keep the noodles from sticking together and prevent them from sucking up all the dressing. toss in the tomatoes and cucumber with the noodles.

to mix the dressing, you can use a magic bullet or blender, or you can whisk by hand in a jar. combine the dressing ingredients (mayonnaise through pickle juice) and blend/whisk together. i prefer to use nasoysa nayonaise, but feel free to substitute you favourite vegan mayo. after it's mixed, test the dill flavour. sometimes i add more pickle juice - remember that the flavour will mellow a bit once combined with the noodles. if the dressing is too thick, add a little more soymilk or lemon juice, but be sure and rest test for the dill quality.

add half of the dressing with the noodles, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. also chill the remaining dressing. during this time, the noodles will suck up a lot of the dressing so only adding half the dressing at first will yield a creamier result. before serving, add in the rest of the dressing and toss.

creamy cashew tomato sauce

when i set out to make pasta for dinner, i often have the southern vs. northern italy debate with myself. my great grandfather was from garda in northern italy, a region known for creamy white sauces. my great grandmother was from naples in the south, which favours hearty red tomato sauces. i love the flavours of both cuisines, but what i love most is combining the best of both worlds to create a nice creamy red. add some cashews to the mix, and you've got some crazy italian goodness!

• 8 oz. penne pasta
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• 1 ¼ cups raw cashews, soaked
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 fresh tomatoes
• 2 basil leaves
• 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 small can tomato paste (3 oz.)
• 1 teaspoon bragg's liquid aminos
• 1 tablespoon soy milk powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

soak raw cashews at least 4 hours, and then blend them up very fine in a magic bullet or food processor. set them aside. cook pasta according to directions. while pasta is cooking, steam the broccoli florets. in the food processor, blend up the two tomatoes and basil leaves.

in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and saute the garlic until it starts to brown. on medium-low heat, add the tomatoes and rest of sauce ingredients. simmer for 10 minutes, adding in additional water if the sauce is too thick. add in the broccoli florets and continue simmering for 5 minutes more.

remove from heat and serve over pasta. this recipe makes two small servings, so double as necessary.

POM-orange vegan cocktail

i think sometimes there is a misconception that all vegans are super health driven or won't put anything toxic in their body. while i won't put anything from a living animal in my body, i freely admit that i do drink. some people (vegan or not), choose not to drink, and i respect that. but i'm on the other side of the fence, and all too happy to kick up my heels with an adult beverage now and again. mainly, i'm a beer girl, but i have enjoyed a few girly drinks in my day. this is my POM wonderful green smoothie's evil twin.

• 1/3 cup soy ice cream
• 4 oz. POM wonderful juice
• 1/2 medium orange, peeled
  
• 3 oz. high quality rum

drop everything in a blender, and blend up for about 25 seconds until it's smooth and creamy. taste test, and add a little POM juice if it's too powerful. of course, if it's too weak (or if you aren't driving anywhere), add a little more rum.
evil, i know. :)

creamy kamut salad

my dearest brother, aka 'produce boy', recently brought me an exciting foodie gift - 28 pounds of fresh asparagus. yes, i said 28 pounds. needless to say, i have spent the past several weeks cooking and eating asparagus a variety of ways - roasted, grilled, baked, steamed, boiled... i even made asparagus guacamole (not bad!). i thought this dish was perfect for a potluck, as a twist on the traditional pasta salad.

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked kamut (3 cups cooked)
• 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  
• 1 pound of asparagus, cut to bite size
  
• 1- 2 tablespoons olive oil
• about 5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped/shredded
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
• 1 batch of buffalo mostarella cheese**
**with modifications
• 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke

basically, you could try any vegan dressing. i wanted one that was a little cheesy flavoured so i tried the buffalo mosteralla from the ultimate uncheese cookbook. however, i omitted the agar and halved the onion powder and cornstarch in the recipe because i wanted it to be thick, but not set up like a cheese. i also added half a tablespoon of liquid smoke. if using this recipe, put all your dressing ingredients in a blender for 1-2 minutes (until the mixture is smooth). pour into a saucepan and heat on medium for about 4-5 minutes... until it starts to thicken. put in a 4-cup pyrex container (or anything glass really) and put in the fridge to cool overnight.

once you are ready to make your salad, pull your dressing out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. steam the asparagus, quarter your tomatoes and cook your kamut. after your kamut has cooked, drain and combine w/ the dressing in a large bowl. because the kamut will still be warm from cooking, the dressing should soften up and coat the grain very well. add in the tomatoes, asparagus, basil and olive oil. toss a couple more times. i added a couple dashes of lemon juice at this point because i thought it needed it.... but that just depends on the dressing you use.

serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.

broccoli and white beans

this was a side dish i whipped up when we needed something to go with our main course and the pantry was pretty bare. originally, i wasn't sure about the crunchiness of the broccoli with the texture of the creamy white beans. however, by the end of the bowl, i was looking forward to each green floret as it really created a nice contrast.

• 1/2 head of fresh broccoli, chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

whisk the apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and pour over the chopped raw broccoli florets. allow broccoli to marinate for at least 4 hours, tossing occasionally.

in a large saucepan, add the two cups of cooked white beans and nutritional yeast and bring burner to medium heat. add the broccoli and marinade and cook entire mixture for about 10 minutes. the dish will be slightly creamy, but the broccoli should still have a bit of crunchy texture. add a dash or two of hot sauce if you like heat. serve as a side dish - about 4 servings.

cabbage and peas in nooch sauce

education time for non-vegans: 'nooch' is a reference to nutritional yeast - known for helping us create imitation cheeze sauces, or i've even heard it used to refer to the sauce itself. i buy it in the bulk bins at whole foods, and find that a good $5 worth will last me at least a month or more, and i cook a lot. some people don't like the taste, but i do, and like to add it to my veggies for a little amped up flavour.

• 10 oz cabblage/carrot mix
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter (earth balance)
  
• 1 cup cooked peas (~1/2 can)
• tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)

for the nooch sauce:

• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 cup soy milk (unsweetened)
  
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• heavy dash of black pepper

mix all nooch sauce ingredients in a jar and shake to mix. i save pickle or salsa jars just for this purpose. small mason jars would work just as well.

saute cabbage in large non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons water on high. in 3-5 minutes, the cabbage should start to show some translucency, but still have a crunchy texture. add in the butter, and peas. about 30 seconds later, pour in nooch sauce. continue cooking on medium-high for about 4-5 minutes and remove from heat. it shouldn't be too liquidy - if it is, keep cooking. the cabbage and peas should be nicely coated, but not swimming. top with hot sauce if so desired.

this makes a nice side dish for about 3 people.

creamy potato soup

as i mentioned in my last post, i'm a sucker for crock-pot cooking in the winter. i think it's because i'm home more, and have time for all-day-cooking recipes. this next recipe is the first time i have ever made homemade soup (besides cabbage). gasp, i know! i worked out quite nicely, though - creamy and flavourful.

• 8 cups water
• 2 veggie bouillon cubes
• 5 cups potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons hickory bacon salt
• 2 tablespoons bragg's aminos
• 14 oz soy milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon corn starch

wash and cube potatoes into bite sized pieces. dissolve the bouillon cubes in 8 cups of boiling water. put all ingredients except milk/flour/corn starch into a crock pot. stew on high for 8 hours or more. about 45 minutes before serving, put milk, flour and corn starch in a contained and shake vigorously. add to the soup and cook for 45 mins-1 hour.

i served with imitation bacon bits on top.

blog mom's zucchini custard pie

don't let the zucchini part fool you - this pie is delicious. a faithful reader of mine, lynn, sent me this recipe to try. she has supported my blog since the very beginning, sending me emails of encouragement and comments on my recipes. i now affectionately call her 'blog mom,' and she convinced me that this zucchini pie recipe would knock my socks off. she was right - it was a perfect sweet treat for the holiday and got rave reviews from everyone!

the original recipe called for 1 cup of evaporated milk and 1¼ cups sugar... below is what i used as substitutes. thanks lynn!!

• 2 cups zucchini, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup soy milk, mixed with 4 tablespoons soy milk powder
• 2/3 cup vegan sugar
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 egg replacer (i use ener-g)
• 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 nine-inch pie shell

boil the cubed zucchini until tender. drain and put in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to cool. drain again. in a food processor or blender, combine zucchini, soy milk mixture, sugar, agave nectar, butter, flour and vanilla. blend until creamy.

i did not make my own pie crust because of time restraints, but be sure and check that your store-bought ones are vegan. pour the mixture into a pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. bake at 325f° for 60-70 minutes or until a knife comes out clean (i ended up baking mine for about 80 minutes). the end result should still be creamy and custard-like.

blog mom noted that the 1/2 teaspoon measurements on the cinnamon and nutmeg weren't nearly enough, and that i should sprinkle the entire pie generously. moms know best, because this was what really set the pie off and gave it a gooey crème brûlée type taste.

chickpea, sun dried tomato & artichoke salad

i posted a feta recipe in my last post, and that yumminess found a home in this recipe. i'm always looking for new ways to mix up chickpeas, and this sort of just came together. i think it would be great for a potluck or holiday dinner, as this recipe makes quite a bit. and if you haven't tried miso mayo, you should give it a shot. it definitely has a unique flavour, but in small amounts, it's pretty dang tasty!


ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups dry chickpeas (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1 ¼ cups sun dried tomatoes (preferably not oil-packed)
• 1 can (14oz.) artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cups black olives, sliced
  
• 6 oz. vegan feta

dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon stoneground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup miso mayo, original

combine all ingredients except feta in a large bowl. if you prefer, you can mix up the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the mixture. i take the lazy way and just throw all the dressing components in with the rest of the salad, stirring as i go. add the tofu last since it will be the most delicate and susceptible to crumbling. toss gently a few times after adding the tofu. chill for at least two hours, really letting the flavours meld. serve up just like a pasta salad.

as a side dish, i think this would serve about 8 (or more if they are super-small-helping types of folk). :)

creamy baked pasta

in my last post, i mentioned that i don't buy a lot of faux cheese products, but i do sometimes splurge. i say if you are gonna do it, do it up big! so here is a triple threat - complete with vegan sour cream, cream cheese, and mozzarella. i don't make these types of recipes too often - a girl has to watch her waistline - but i certainly enjoy treating myself with warm comforting dishes every once in a while.

• 16 oz. whole wheat mostaccioli
• 3/4-1 whole green bell pepper
• 3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons water
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons italian seasoning
• dash of salt and pepper
  
• 6 oz. tofutti 'sour cream'
• 4 oz. tofutti 'cream cheese'
• 5 oz. vegan gourmet mozzarella (shredded)
  

cook and drain pasta according to instructions on box. make pasta sauce by combining tomato sauce, paste, water, garlic, onion, italian seasoning (i use penzey's spices) and salt/pepper in a medium sauce pan. heat on medium-high until sauce starts to simmer aggressively, then lower heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer lightly for about 15 minutes, stirring often. this will be a thicker sauce since it is going into a casserole type dish. add in the softened cream cheese and sour cream, and heat on low for about 5-10 minutes until you have a nice creamy red sauce.

now the fun begins.

in a 9x11 glass casserole dish, use about three tablespoons of the sauce to coat the bottom (prevents sticking). layer 1/2 of the mostaccioli in the dish, then layer 1/2 sauce, 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 of the mozzarella. then repeat with the other half of the ingredients.

pop in the oven at 350 f° for about 25 minutes, until the sauce starts to bubble and the cheese begins to melt. pull out and cool around 10-12 minutes before trying to serve, although in my house we only make it about 5 minutes.