Rustic Vegan Cabbage Rolls

Moved to littlethingsarebig.com

Vegan Tagine

recipe moved to littlethingsarebig.com

Secret Sources for Vegan Asian Cooking

Southeast Asian cuisine is so varied it almost seems disrespectful to lump it under one umbrella, but there are a few common threads that pop up whether you are channeling the spicy curries of Thailand, the fresh, vibrant vegetable dishes of Vietnam or the rich tofu dishes that pop up throughout the region.

There is a reason vegans gravitate toward Southeast Asian foods. Rich coconut milk adds a silky texture to soups and stews, and tofu takes on an ethereal quality when simmered with curry spices.

I live in Wyoming, which makes finding exotic ingredients a veritable treasure hunt. However, over the past decade. I have put together a group of go-to websites that carry top-notch Asian ingredients. 

Here is the list.

ImportFood.com is an incredible online grocery store that not only carries authentic imported Asian foods, it also mails fresh Thai produce like kaffir lime leaves, thai basil, green papaya, lemongrass and galangal. If you love Thai food stop reading this post and immediately go to the site and purchase their Fresh Thai Produce Kit. For $26 you get fresh lemongrass, limes, Thai chiles, and galangal. Also, check out their handmade curry paste by Mae Ploy. It isn’t made with shrimp paste, an ingredient that you need to watch for with many other prepared curry pastes.

AsianSuperMarket365.com carries a massive inventory of Asian ingredients (as the name would suggest), but most importantly carries AROY-D 100% Pure Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream. A lot of canned coconut milks include preservatives and have a 3-year shelf life but this brand is all natural and only has a 1-year shelf life. It is a favorite among chefs in Thailand, and for a good reason. Use this in anything that calls for coconut milk like this killer Coconut Almond Rice Pudding.

Savory Spice Shop is a virtual paradise for food geeks who like their spices hand ground and super fresh. Try any one of the more than a dozen custom curry blends including a Thai Red Curry, Thai Green Curry or my favorite, a Cambodian Lemongrass Curry. The craziest thing about this online store is the prices. You can buy most spices for less than you can find them at your local grocery store. And, because they are so fresh, you don’t need to use as much so your $$ goes a long way. 

{Kate}

Family Mexican Night

 


I am a mother. I have a vegan family to feed every single day, three times a day. PLUS SNACKS!! While my husband has great manners there is a certain 3 year old who has some serious opinions about the things she will eat. So, I am always on the lookout for foods that will please the whole family. Mexibake is one of those family friendly type meals.

2 tortillas
1 can of vegan refried beans
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 c veggie crumbles of our choosing
1 clove minced garlic
3-4 large button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 c of your favorite salsa
juice from 1/2 a lime
1 small tomato chopped
tortilla chips
1/2 c vegan shredded cheese
vegan sour cream
vegan guacamole
scallions, sliced
olives, sliced

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Pull out your favorite casserole dish and lightly oil.
2. In a skillet warm the oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the veggie crumbles, garlic, mushrooms, salsa and cook until heated through.
3.Add the tomato and lime juice. And cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Meanwhile, place two tortillas in the bottom, they won't fit perfectly and there will be some overlap. Don't panic, this doesn't matter at all. Slap those beans over the top and smear them in an even layer.
5. Pour the veggie crumble mixture on top of the beans and spread evenly. Top with tortilla chips.
6. Sprinkle with vegan cheese. I recommend Daiya  as it melts.
7. Pop into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
8. Top with vegan sour cream, our recipe for guacamole, sliced olives and scallions.

Serve with chips and salsa and some Mexican rice and you have a meal that will please all!
~Maria Rose


 

Black Bean Mushroom Kale Layered Enchiladas with Avocado Cashew Cream

Who says you need meat and cheese to make a killer enchilada. I just spent the last 10 minutes eating "just a couple of bites" of the leftovers from this dish while standing in my kitchen with the refrigerator door open.

I felt a bit guilty as I dipped my fork into the cold mess of tortillas, sauce, beans and chiles and slathered the whole thing with a generous swipe avocado cream.

Believe me. It's that good...

16 oz can of enchilada sauce (I love Roberto's or a killer homemade version)
2 pounds cooked black beans (or 2 cans)
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 bunch kale, shredded
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 4oz can diced green chiles
12 6-inch corn tortillas

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until edges brown, about 7 minutes. Remove and place in a large bowl.
4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 Tbs of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and salt and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add kale and saute for another minute or two until the kale wilts a bit.
5. Add the cumin and cayenne and cook for another 30 seconds. Add green chiles, black beans and mushrooms and stir to combine.
6. Layer 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. I tear each one in half and tuck them around each other to form a tight layer. Spoon about 1/4 of the sauce over the tortillas and top with 1/2 of the black bean mushroom mixture.
7. Add another layer of 4 torn tortillas on top and top with the other half of the black beans. Top with 4 more tortillas and cover with the rest of the sauce. It will look like this:

8. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and let sit for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours to let the flavors blend.
9. Remove cover and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Avocado Cream

2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup drained soaked cashews (soak in water for about 4 hours)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley

Put everything in a blender or food processor and blend on high until thick and creamy.

Best Vegan Slow Cooker Recipes 2013

Photo courtesy of OlivesforDinner.com

All week we have lauded praises for the slow cooker, how easy it is to toss a few ingredients together turn it on, forget about it for several hours, and voila! a gorgeous mess of savory vegan goodness with minimal effort.

There are only few days in the week and we don’t have time to get to all of our favorites, so here is a roundup of the best, brightest, and most interesting slow cooker recipes in our repetoire.

Recipe we would most like to try.
Vegan Slow Cooker Pizza

Recipe for a cold, snowy Sunday night after indulging all weekend.
Hot and Sour Soup

Recipe that will stick to our ribs for a long day of snowshoeing.
Vegan Crockpot White Bean & Pumpkin Lasagne

Recipe we will get out of bed for.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Recipe that seems too good to be true.
Vegan Crockpot Chocolate Cake

Recipe for dessert that we would likely eat for breakfast.
Vegan Crockpot Blueberry Rice Pudding

Recipe to make and freeze for company.
Chana Masala (Indian Chickpea Curry)

Recipe that reminds us of our childhood.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Lentils

{Kate}

Pasta Primavera

12 oz pkg. of spaghetti noodles--though any pasta would probably work just as well
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 c grape tomatoes
8-10 stalks of asparagus, woody portion of stem removed and the stalks cut into 1-2 inch bite sized pieces
pinch of salt
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/4 c grated carrot
juice from one half of a lemon
basil to taste--our store was out of fresh basil so I had to buy the pre-chopped basil in a tube and I used about 2-3 tsp., but freshly torn basil would be super

1) Cook pasta in a big pot, according to directions.
2) While the pasta is cooking heat a large skillet and the olive oil over med. high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
3) Add the tomatoes and heat until they begin to lose their firmness. Add the asparagus, zucchini, and salt.
Mine was looking a bit dry so I spooned in a bit of the pasta water (your call). Cover and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down a bit (maybe 5 minutes).
4) Add the chickpeas and the carrot. By this point your pasta should be done. Drain, reserving a bit of pasta water in case things look dry still.
5) Combine the pasta and veggies. Add the lemon juice and toss. Add a bit of pasta water if things are looking dry.
6) Here you can add the chopped fresh basil or freshly torn basil. I think more is better but it is certainly a matter of personal preference.

Serves 4

~Maria Rose