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Entries Tagged as 'peas'

Glazed Caribbean Tofu with Sweet Rice

2.03.2012

There is some sort of longing for summer (hence the pictures next to this text) that has been evoked because of these past few 60 degree and sunny days in February. My thoughts have started to drift off to roasting marshmallows and picnics on beaches. But since…it is still February (no matter how much I daydream), I am going to have to settle for whipping up summer type dishes in my home (instead of on my grill).

I was super excited about this dish (because I love making bland tofu flavorful!) but after I began cooking it…I realized I have had no experience with Caribbean food what-so-ever (Hey, Bloomington, it’s about time someone opened a Caribbean restaurant! Although…why would someone from the Caribbean ever have the desire to move to the Midwest to open up a specialty dinner spot?). I can tell you right off the bat that I probably did not use ‘traditional’ peas that they would use in the islands but it was delicious regardless. If all Caribbean dishes are like this, count me in!

It was light with a tropical/sweet flavor in the rice (this was most likely due to the coconut milk) and then the tofu had the slightest kick of spice that counteracted the sweet rice perfectly. It turned out better than I could have ever imagined and my favorite part about tofu is it’s even better as leftovers (because the flavors have time to sink in even more). So whip this up for your lover and don’t scarf it all down at once!

PS WHY IS TOFU SO YUMMY BUT SO HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH? Makes my skills look shameful. Sorry guys!

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Veggie and Tofu Pot Pie

1.04.2012

Well, after enjoying 40 and 50 degree weather for all of November and December, the winter is finally here and we are officially in the jittery January months with 20′s and below temperatures. This means the excitment of wearing layers of sweaters and scarves has worn off and my day dreams are wondering to Florida beaches and porch nights. The only thing I am still excited for this winter is cooking winter things…you know, stews, chili, warm biscuits. And the time as finally come for me to stop denying that it is winter and start cooking.

So I started off my acceptance of January by whipping up some tofu pot pies. I made it a personal goal to make pot pies after eating Bloomingfood’s tofu pot pies at the farmers market over the summer. I also waited five months to actually make them because I had hoped to have stolen the Bloomingfood’s recipe by now but it seems that they keep those recipes on lock down and I am too much of a wimp to go snooping. Anyways, I decided it was time to make my own recipe and stop day dreaming about theirs. And it was honestly just as good (if not better- if you ask me!).

Anyways, so about the recipe: feel free to substitute whatever veggies you have on hand (because that is what I obviously did! I mixed canned, fresh, and frozen so do whatever you’re feeling). Also, I made the filling in the morning and stuck it in the fridge (because I’ve been working at the record label in the afternoons) so that when I got home for work all i had to do was whip up the crust and pop them in the oven. Yeah, the point of me telling you this is to let you know that you can make the filling ahead of time. Yup. Oh, and I made 6 mini pies with this recipe and froze 3 of them (but feel free to make pie size pot pies- I’d just recommend cutting the crust down).

Veggie and Tofu Pot Pie

Filling:

1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large potato, cubed
1 carrot, cubed
1 can peas
1 can corn
1 small can of mushrooms
1 package tofu, drained and cubed
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

Crust:

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/3 cup shorting
1 cup water

For the Filling:

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they become translucent (and start to have that amazing aroma smell. you know what I’m talking about!). Next, add the vegetable broth and cubed potato and cook for five minute. Finally, add everything else that is in the filling and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Make sure to check it after 20 minutes and if it seems dry then add a bit more water. After 30 minutes, remove from heat, take out the bay leaves, and set aside while you prepare the yummy crust!

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the flour, salt, and shortening in a mixing bowl with your hands or a pastry blender (I obviously used my hands because I’m a college student and things like ‘pastry blenders’ don’t exist to me yet). Next, add the water in parts to achieve the right dough consistency.

Divide the dough into six parts (if you’re making miniature pies- otherwise divide it in half). Using a rolling pin, roll the dough ball until they are long enough to fit into your pie pan. Layer the pie dough, filling, and then top with another layer of dough. Press the edges with a fork and cut a few slits in the top dough so that the filling can breath (yes, it needs oxygen too!) while cooking. Repeat with the rest of your dough and filling.

Cook for 20 to 3o minutes or until the tops have browned.

Serve warm while staying cozy and warm under a blanket with your kitty.

Vegan Chicken[less] and Dumpling Stew

9.22.2011

Okay Okay Okay. I may be getting ahead of myself with jumping into fall and winter recipes buuuuuuut it’s been rainy and cold for the past week….. so not my fault!

Even if they don’t admit it, every vegetarian misses some sort of comfort food from their childhood that has those gunky chunks of meats. I personally have always loved dumplings (dough in general. Give me cookie dough, bread dough, gnocci and I’m set for the day). So when I think of laying in bed with a big bowl of soup, I dream of thick chunks of celery, dumplings, and I guess…chicken?

Honestly though, I don’t care about the chicken so why not revamp the soup and make it without? Exactly what I was thinking. This soup has so much flavor with plenty of texture from the veggies and dumplings that it doesn’t even need any animal products. This stew is thick so you really don’t even need a side for this guy but we made simple grilled cheese because…well we we’re on the comfort food kick.

Oh and there’s loads of leftovers so you can be eating this stuff for days! (or share with your friends)

(This was me trying to capture the rainy day outside but we can all see how that turned out…)

Vegan Chicken[less] and Dumpling Stew

(Adapted from www.fresh365online.com)

6 servings

4 T Earth Balance
1 large onion, chopped
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of cooking wine (whichever kind you have on hand)
5 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water
1/2 c almond milk (NOT FLAVORED. THAT WOULD BE GROSS)
2 teaspoons salt
couple dashes of pepper
2 bay leaves (if you don’t already some some than just buy 2 in your bulk section at your local co-op)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or basil if you don’t have thyme)
4 cups chopped mushrooms
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Dumplings

2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
1/8 c minced basil
1/8 c minced chives
dash of garlic powder
2 T Earth Balance, melted
3/4 c almond milk (NOT FLAVORED)

In a large skillet, melt the earth balance and saute the onions over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they start browning. Next, whisk in the flour and cooking wine until it clumps. Then add vegetable broth, water, milk, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme (or basil). Let this come to a boil and then add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, peas, and chives. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.

To make the dumplings, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, basil, chives, garlic powder. Melt the earth balance and combine with the dry ingredients and milk to make a thick dough. Be careful not to over mix or the dumplings will become too sticky to deal with.

Make dough into heaping, round teaspoons (the dumplings will expand as they cook) and drop into the stew. Cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes (or until the dumplings are all the way cooked through).

Garnish with extra chopped chives. Eat in the freezing cold so you can really get the full affect of the stew (not seriously though). But you should let your kitty lick the bowl clean (seriously!).