Veggies in H-burg!

The one nice thing about living alone is that there's no one to look at you funny about the strange things that you have decided to consume today. Yet the joy of food discovery isn't as fun and there's no one to pawn leftovers on. So if anyone would like to collect the contents of my tupperware from my fridge, I promise tastiness!

And oh darling Christine. No vegetables? But it is the time of all things great in the vegetable world! Squashes and zucchinis and eggplants! Of course here in the 'burg, I'm eating nothing but the green stuff -- and my body isn't really that happy about that either. Something about how you need iron in your diet. And protein. And things that aren't necessarily grown in the earth. Perhaps we should combine our cooking ambitions? Perhaps we should start a blog of sorts which shares said recipes with one another? Hrmmmmmm.....


Butternet Squash Soup

1 med. butternet squash, peeled and cut into cubes
1 small sweet potato, peeld and cut into cubes
2 tsps miso
5 cups water
roasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Place water, potato, and squash pieces in a soup pot and boil for 0 minutes or until pieces are soft. Then put the squash and potato along with their liquid in a food processor with the miso and blend until smooth.

Pour into bowls and top with roasted sesame seeds. Can be served warm or chilled.

(From Asian Vegan Cooking)

NOTE: I was concerned about the lack of spices in the soup so I added some ginger, which I think actually took away from the flavor. Trust in the simplicity.


Miso Salad Dressing

2 tbp miso
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbp sugar
2 tbp warm water
1/2 cup oil
2 tbp apple cider vinegar

(From Asian Vegan Cooking)

NOTE: Halfing this isn't a bad idea. Or easing up on the oil. It's my new favorite summer salad dressing though.


Balsamic-roasted Acron Squash with Hot Chiles and Honey

This recipe blows my mind with it's awesome goodness. Spicy, sweet, rich, savory. It's got everything with very little.



Curried Apples and Raisens

1 tbp olive oil
2 green apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup raisens
2 tbp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste


Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add apples, raisens and curry. Toss until coated. Cook over medium heat for approx. 10 minutes. Serve.

(This is my own recipe. And it's a rocking side dish.)



Cauliflower Sauteed with Peaches and Cardamom

4 cups chopped cauliflower
2 med shallots, slivered
1/4 tsp salt
2 med peaches
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Several grinds of black pepper
2 tbp minced fresh parsley leaves

Combine cauliflower, shallots, and salt with 1/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Cover and cook over med heat 7-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender.

Meanwhile, peel the peaches and slice the flesh from the pits into bite-size chunks.
When the cauliflower is barely tender, stir in the paches and sprinkle the cardamom and pepper evenly over the contents of the skillet. Cook, stirring gentle but frequently for about three minutes. Toss with parsley in a bowl and serve hot or at room temp.

(From The Vegan Gourmet)

NOTE: This is one of my new favorite things in the whole wide world. And only 56 calories a serving! Also, this is the best cookbook I own. You should buy it. Seriously. Their recipes need no changing.


Italian-Style Wild Rice and Vegatbles

The rice
1 tbp olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice (white's fine)
1/4 cup uncooked wild rice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

The vegetables
2 tbp olive oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (or one large fresh with 1/2 cup water)
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup sliced green beans
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbp capers, drained

Put 1 tbp of oil in a 2 quart pan over low heat and add both rices along with the basil and oregano. Saute for a minute, stirring constantly. Add 2 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 40-45 minutes until the water is absorbed and rice is tneder.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbp of oil in a skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Saute the garlic (don't burn it like I did while you're checking your email in the other room), then add the tomatoes and their juice. Add all of the vegetables and the herbs. Bring to a rapid simmer over med-high heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer to reduce the liquid. Beggies should be tender, but not overly soft. Serve with rice and sprinkle with capers.

(From The Vegan Gourmet)