What the Pho?

I admit it...I've been a little obsessed with Pho (pronounced "fuh") of late. Ever since I saw one of the Top Chef cheftestants make it, I've been wanting to try it. I found a vegan recipe of Pho online, but since I hadn't actually tasted it anywhere, wanted to wait till I had tried it before I tried making it. So, I found the website Pho Fever and searched for restaurants in Indianapolis that serve this tasty Vietnamese noodle soup, and so far I've only tried two of them. But I'm in love with this flavorful, aromatic bowl of yumminess! I must say that I do enjoy the traditional beef version, however since I'm trying to be supportive of my vegan wife, here's the version for the non-meat-eaters:

Pho (serves 4)


Broth

• 8 cups Vegetable Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce (you can use the full sodium variety, or substitute Bragg's liquid amino's)
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 inch gingerroot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• 2 large bay leaves

Soup Ingredients

• 1 lb rice noodles
• 8 oz. seitan or tofu, drained and cut into bite size pieces OR
• 1 sliced portabella mushroom
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (stems removed)
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 green chile or jalapeno pepper, sliced thin
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• Sriracha Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce

1. Place Vegetable Stock, Soy Sauce, garlic, ginger and onion into large stock pot and bring to low boil
2. Once broth comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and add cinnamon, anise and bay leaves. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, then remove the solids with fine mesh skimmer or slotted spoon (or strain broth through strainer)
3. In separate sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil, then turn heat off and add rice noodles. Stir frequently until they are tender. Drain and divide them into 4 large bowls
4. Prepare seitan, tofu or mushrooms and layer them on top of noodles in bowls
5. Clean and prepare cabbage and scallions and layer in bowls on top of noodles and protein
6. Clean and de-stem Thai basil and cilantro, slice pepper and cut lime into wedges, and arrange onto a platter or in separate bowls with the bean sprouts
7. Making sure broth is steaming hot, ladle about 2 cups of broth over the noodles in each bowl. Serve immediately with the platter of garnishes and the Sriracha, Soy and Hoisin sauces. 
8. Each person flavors their own bowl with whichever garnishes they want, stirring the soup gently till ingredients "cook" in the broth. 

Be sure to squeeze a little lime in to give the soup a little zing! Oh, and you may want to just go ahead and double the recipe...I ended up using a bit more broth in each bowl 'cuz it's so tasty! Besides, it's really good the second day!

Vegan Spaghetti Squash Casserole

OK, I know the word "casserole" brings up visions of church basement suppers and family get-togethers, but this one has a little twist in that the shell of the spaghetti squash becomes the dish that it's served in. I saw a version of this topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Guy Fieri rocks!) and decided to give it a shot, with a vegan twist. It's a pretty easy recipe, and super-tasty!


Vegan Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-to-large spaghetti squash
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 leek, sliced (white and green parts)
• 1 24 oz. jar vegan marinara sauce
• 1 cup vegan panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. With sharp knife, carefully cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds
3. Bake, cut-side down, on foil-lined cookie sheet for approx. 40 minutes (once you can pierce flesh with fork, it is done)
4. Let squash cool for approx. 10 minutes, then using fork, carefully scrape out "strands" of squash into a bowl moving from end to end, leaving about 1/4 inch of the squash in the shell (not only will this provide structure to the shells when they are being baked, but it's also very satisfying to scrape the "spaghetti" from the shell as you eat). Retain the squash shell halves.

5. In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat
6. Saute garlic in oil until fragrant, taking care not to burn

7. Saute zucchini and mushrooms until just tender (approx. 5 minutes)

8. Add a dash of salt and diced red pepper and continue sautéing approx. 5 minutes

9. Add leeks and continue to saute until leeks soften and begin to wilt

10. Add in approx. 1 1/2 cups of marinara and toss till mixed

11. Add spaghetti squash and toss with vegetable mixture, adding just enough sauce to coat mixture and adding salt and pepper to taste

12. Divide mixture into squash shells, topping with remainder of marinara sauce

13. Mix panko bread crumbs with approx. 2 tablespoons of olive oil (panko should be moistened, but not mushy)
14. Spread bread crumb mixture over top of "casseroles" (sorry about the blurry photo - I was getting excited!)

15. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes (panko bread crumbs should be golden brown and toasty and marinara should be bubbly)
16. Carefully remove each "casserole" to plates and enjoy! (no photos available - we ate it too fast!)

Brussels Sprouts Panini

I hope you took my recommendation to make extra brussels sprouts, because this is my favorite way to eat the leftovers! It's a very simple, healthy lunch served with a fresh salad.


Ingredients:

• 6" baguette, italian roll or other crusty bread
• 1 cup leftover Brussels Sprouts
• 2 slices Provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Cooking spray

Preheat a sandwich press or panini grill to medium high. Slice bread in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Place 2 slices of Provolone cheese on bread, then arrange brussels sprouts on top of cheese. Press sandwich lightly with your hands, then place on grill sprayed with cooking spray. Close sandwich press and grill for 3-4 minutes, remove and slice in half on diagonal. Yum!

The BEST Brussels Sprouts

I admit it...brussels sprouts used to freak me out. Don't get me wrong, I've always LOVED these tasty little morsels, even as a kid. I used to pretend that I was eating miniature cabbages.


What freaked me out was this - if bean sprouts grow up to be beans, and alfalfa sprouts grow up to be alfalfa, then what do brussels sprouts grow up to be? Also, I never had fresh brussels sprouts till I was an adult. I only had the frozen variety that you dumped in boiling water, or steamed in a microwave. Yet, I still loved them, preferably soaked in butter.


As an adult I've experimented with fresh brussels sprouts: steaming, roasting, sautéing, with bacon - they're all good, but this has been my favorite "go-to" recipe for a while.

(shown with roasted pepper quinoa)










Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (I use baby portabellas)
• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed, cleaned and cut in half
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup butter (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (optional)
• Salt
• Coarse sea salt for garnish

In large skillet (with tight fitting lid), heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat and saute onions till soft. Add mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes till soft. Reduce heat to medium and move onions and mushrooms to sides of skillet and place brussels sprouts, cut side down in skillet. Let them cook without turning for 2-3 minutes, or until they sear to a golden brown. Toss brussels sprouts and mushroom/onion mixture together, seasoning with salt for 2-3 minutes, then add the vegetable stock directly to the mixture and cover, allowing the mixture to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover, toss the mixture a few times (adding optional butter and cider vinegar) and serve garnished with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.


Consider making a double order and use the rest for Brussels Sprouts Paninis!

Vegetable Stock

Wow...I can't believe it's been over 2 months since my last blog post. Life's been busy, and I've been trying to adjust to my wife's decision to step beyond being vegetarian, and move into being vegan. Of course, this happened right after I discovered how to make homemade paneer (an Indian cheese, which I'll blog about later). Despite my initial resistance, I'm slowly embracing her choice.


In the fall and winter months I like to make soups. The key to a good soup is to start with a good stock. Though it's possible to buy stock from the grocery, I prefer to make my own. Stock is fairly easy to make, but it takes a bit of time. Fortunately, once the ingredients are prepared, it's just a matter of letting it simmer. Today, we're looking at making Vegetable Stock. This recipe is one I've been using for a while, but feel free to use vegetables you have on hand, and your favorite seasonings. If you know you're going to be making stock, try saving some of your vegetable scraps from other meals you prepare (once they've been cleaned of course!). 


Not only do I use this for soups, but also for making rice, beans, quinoa, as a braising liquid for kale and heartier vegetables like brussels sprouts, as the base for sauces, etc. Basically, most places where you use water, you can substitute stock to add additional depth to your flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups celery, coarsely chopped (approx. 4 ribs)
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped (approx. 4 carrots) 
• 1 cup broccoli stems, trimmed, peeled and coarsely chopped (approx. 2 stems)
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (I leave as much of the onion skin on as possible for color)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (I use baby portabellas)
• 2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped)
• small bunch parsley/cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 Tablespoon whole coriander
• 1/2 Tablespoon whole mustard seed
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups water

In large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat and sweat all vegetables except mushrooms and cilantro. 



Once vegetables and aromatics become fragrant and release some of their moisture (approx. 10 minutes) add water and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let ingredients continue to "steep" in water for 20 minutes - 1 hour. 



Strain stock through fine mesh sieve or china cap. Makes approx. 8 cups stock. Refrigerate and use within 1 week, or freeze in ice cube trays for later use.

Zucchini Noodles with Mushrooms and Pesto

Most of my favorite meals happen as the result of me looking in my fridge and seeing what kinds of leftovers and unused (but still fresh!) produce I have on hand. A few days ago, I had some leftover pesto sauce, some sliced portabella mushrooms and some zucchini. Add in some garlic and onions, and you have a light, healthy, nutritious meal.


Zucchini Noodles with Mushrooms and Pesto


1/2 cup Basic Pesto Sauce
3-4 medium zucchini
1 cup sliced baby portabella mushrooms (or any other mushroom you have)
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
salt

olive oil
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)


Start by slicing zucchini into Zucchini Noodles with a mandoline slicer. In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Toss in garlic, sliced onion and a bit of salt and cook till soft and onion is becoming translucent. Increase heat to medium high, and add in mushrooms and sautee until tender (2-3 minutes). Add in Zucchini Noodles and CAREFULLY sautee until tender (5 minutes). REMEMBER: NEVER handle your zucchini roughly! Add in Pesto Sauce and toss till thoroughly coated. Adjust salt and serve, topping with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Pizza Dough

I've shied away from making my own pizza dough for a long time. Many people have mentioned how easy it is, chefs on cooking shows make it look like a snap, and pizzas made with home-made dough always taste amazing! Why have I avoided this relatively simple technique? One word: Yeast. It scares me. But, it was time to face my fear and give it a shot. And you know what? It was easy. A snap. And it made some pretty tasty pizza crust!


I turned to my standard resource for guidance, Allrecipes.com, then I made some changes:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes (this is called "blooming" the yeast - I had no idea what to expect or look for, but after about 10 minutes a cloud of foam suddenly appeared on the surface of the water - very cool!).
2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar, dried herbs, garlic powder and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed (when the dough starts to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl it's finished). Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Pound down, recover bowl and let rise again till doubled in size (another 30 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Cut in half and form each half into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

(NOTE: if you do not use the dough right away, it can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen)

Fajitas!

The word "fajita" in Spanish is the diminutive form of the word "faja," which means "belt or girdle." Originally intended to refer to the cut of meat (skirt steak), I think it really refers to the fact that they are so tasty that you have to loosen your belt or girdle after eating them. My wife and I LOVE fajitas, and often get them when we go out to a Mexican restaurant. Since she became a vegetarian, though, it's always a struggle to get what she wants - just the onions and peppers with the sauce and condiments. Maybe some mushrooms or zucchini. Inevitably she's greeted with a "gringa loca" roll of the ojos. She's given up on getting grilled tofu fajitas at most restaurants. It would probably make the chef implode. So, we sometimes make them at home, but the commercial seasoning packets are loaded with sodium. So, I thought I'd try to make my own...and we had a little Fajita Fiesta. Ay yi yi!

The Adventure

Create a nutritious, tasty fajita meal that will satisfy both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

The Journey

Fajita Vegetables with Grilled Chicken and Grilled Tofu* on the side

I'd always thought about creating my own fajita seasoning, but the stuff at the store has always been so much more convenient. The problem is, it's loaded with sodium. So, I went to the Internet, and found this on Food.com:

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken bouillon cube (I eliminated this since a) I wanted it to be vegetarian and b) bouillon is LOADED with sodium)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Mix all ingredients together.

NOTE: 2 Tablespoons of this is roughly equal to one packet of store-bought seasoning. I also made a batch without the cornstarch to season the tofu and chicken with before I grill them.

I also wanted to marinade the chicken and the tofu. I found this Fajita Marinade on Allrecipes.com:

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

I cleaned and pounded three chicken breasts and placed them in a plastic bag with 1/2 the marinade, then sliced the pressed tofu and placed it in a plastic bag with the rest of the marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight if possible).

I also sliced 2 medium onions and 2 (each) red and green bell peppers.

To serve with the fajitas, I made some of my pico de gallo and guacamole. I had fajita wraps and shredded cheese on hand, as well as some plain Greek Yogurt (in place of sour cream). I also wanted to serve some rice and beans with the meal.

For the rice:

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 packet Sazon saffron seasoning

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups water

In saute pan with a tight fitting lid, saute the onion, garlic and red pepper in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add the rice to the saute pan and cook till it begins to toast (2-3 minutes). Add water and contents of Sazon package and stir occasionally till the water begins to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Let rest 3 minutes covered, then uncover and fluff rice with fork.

For the beans:

• 2 cans black beans with liquid (OK - I cheated and used canned black beans this time - if you want to start prepping a day ahead and use dry beans, go for it.)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tomatillo, skin removed and quartered
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 roasted poblano pepper, seeds removed (I did this as I was preparing everything else)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• salt to taste
• (I also added a bit of Adobo seasoning, though I would probably skip this or dial it back in the future due to the amount of sodium)

In blender, combine all ingredients except the beans. Check seasoning and adjust for your preference (I know some of my family doesn't like overly spicy, so I took it easy with the poblano). In 2-quart pot, combine beans and seasoning and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary.

To make the fajitas:

• Preheat grill to medium-high
• Begin to saute sliced onions and peppers in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
• Season chicken and tofu with some of the Fajita Seasoning (without cornstarch) and grill (for the tofu, I place foil over the grill grates so the tofu doesn't fall into the grill). Since the chicken is pounded, it only requires grilling for a few minutes on each side, as does the tofu. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• When onions and peppers are sauteed, add 2 Tablespoons of Fajita Seasoning (with cornstarch) and approx. 1/4 cup water. and let simmer for approx. 5 minutes  (can be adjusted if the sauce is too thick)
• Serve Fajita vegetables with the grilled chicken and tofu on the side, along with heated fajita wraps, pico de gallo, guacamole, Greek Yogurt (or sour cream) and shredded cheese.

The Low Down

Despite a bit of prep, this is a wonderful way to get people together for a fun meal. I probably spent about 2 hours prepping (though I was also making some other items). Using store-bought ingredients would cut the prep time easily in half. There are a lot of commercially available pico de gallo's and salsa's, and we usually keep some Wholly Guacamole on hand during the times of the year when avocados aren't in season, or if we want a quick snack (or tasty alternative to other sandwich spreads). Come con gusto!

*I used extra firm tofu, which I pressed for a couple of hours to release most of the liquid.

Veggie Stir-Fry with Noodles and Spicy Peanut Sauce

First of all, I need to start taking some photos of my dishes. After all, we first eat with our eyes. With practice, though, you can usually hit your mouth.


The Adventure

Come up with a vegetarian dinner utilizing leftover tofu and spicy peanut sauce.

The Journey

I had prepared a spicy peanut sauce a few days before for some delicious marinated grilled eggplant lettuce wraps. I still had over a cup of it left. Perusing the fridge, I discovered some ginger, onions, mushrooms, shredded carrots and zucchini. There was also some tofu left over from some veggie fajitas I had made this week. In the pantry, I had some whole wheat spaghetti. The only thing missing were some bean sprouts and scallions, which I picked up at the store. Also needed were a lime, cilantro, vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic, chili oil and rice vinegar (which I had on hand).

Spicy Peanut Sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 scallions, chopped fine

1 garlic clove, chopped fine

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger root

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

zest and juice of 1/2 lime (may increase this to taste)

3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

Sriracha chili sauce to taste

In a saucepan heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook scallions, garlic and ginger, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, stirring. Simmer sauce, stirring, until smooth and cool to room temperature. Sauce may be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. If sauce is too thick after chilling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water until sauce reaches desired consistency.

The Stir Fry

• 1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti (can substitute rice noodles)
• 2 quarts water
• salt
• vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 3 scallions, diced, with the white and green parts separated
• 8 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed* and cubed (chicken breast or shrimp would also be great alternatives)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 lime, quartered (optional)

In large pot, bring salted water to boil, and cook noodles according to package directions. When ready, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Heat wok over medium-high flame and add enough oil to coat bottom and sides (2-3 tablespoons). Once oil is hot, but not smoking, toss in ginger, onions, garlic and the white part of the scallions. Saute until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add chili oil and tofu and toss to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to get tender (2-3 minutes), tossing occasionally. Add zucchini and cook until it begins to get tender (2-3 minutes) tossing occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and add soy sauce and rice vinegar and toss together, tossing occasionally to blend flavors for 2-3 minutes. Add bean sprouts, shredded carrots, noodles and 1 cup of peanut sauce and toss together, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve and garnish with green part of scallions and cilantro. Can be served with lime quarters on side.

* I didn't know until recently that tofu packed in water needs to be pressed to bring it to it's optimal firmness. Unwrap tofu, place on plate, then place another plate on top of it, and then place a large book on top. Press for 15-20 minutes allowing excess water to be released. The texture of the tofu is improved greatly by doing this.

The Low Down

DEEEEEEE-licious! This is a recipe I'll be doing again.