Chickpea Cutlets with Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

Sunday always seems to be the day that I run out of ingredients to make a decent meal. This is probably because I go grocery shopping every Sunday. I tend to just grab a quick bite at In-n-Out, veggie burger with no spread in case you were wondering. I didn't feel like having that today and decided to make something with the chickpeas I had on hand. By searching more in my fridge, I found some potatoes and broccoli and turned what would have been an okay lunch, to something great! I got the recipe for the chickpea cutlets from Veganomicon.

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Serves 4

Chickpea Cutlets
* 1 cup cooked chickpeas
* 2 Tb olive oil
* 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
* 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
* 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
* 2 Tb soy sauce
* 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a microplane grater
* 1/2 tsp lemon zest
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
* 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
* Olive oil for panfrying

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no whole chickpeas are left. Add the remaining ingredients and knead for about 3 minutes until strings of gluten have formed.

2. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, divide the cutlet dough into four pieces. To form the cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 x 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape. The easiest way to do this is to first form a rectangular shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.

3. Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They're ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch.

4. Just in case you were wondering, you can also bake these too! Baking these patties gives them a tooth-some chewy texture and firm bite. Preheat oven to 375 F, lightly oil baking sheet. Brush both sides of each patty with olive oil, place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip patties and bake another 8 to 10 minutes until firm and golden brown.

Seasonal Soup with Vegetables

I needed a quick starter meal to go with my sandwiches yesterday and this soup worked out great. This wasn't a planned meal, just something that I realized I could make with the produce I had in my fridge. If I had actually planned it, I would have added more greens. I found the soup to taste a lot like the cabbage rolls I made last week, mainly because of the boiled cabbage and tomatoes. It might look like a light soup but trust me, it is very filling.

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Recipe from Emeril Green
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
* 3 Tb extra virgin oil
* 1 cup sliced red onion
* 4 cloves minced garlic
* 3 pounds shredded mixed greens ( any mixture of spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, red and green cabbage leaves and Brussels sprouts )
* 8 cups vegetable stock
* 2 15 oz cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
* 2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tsp salt
* Pinch of cayenne
* Pinch of ground thyme

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add sliced onions and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.

2. Add greens, a handful at a time. Stir until wilted before adding next bunch.

3. Add the stock, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, cayenne and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

4. Taste for seasoning. Greens should be tender and slightly spicy. Add just enough salt to enhance flavors.

Coleslaw with Shaved Fennel

I made sandwiches today for lunch, along with a side of cabbage/spinach soup ( recipe and picture soon to follow ). Whenever I make sandwiches, I always feel like reaching for a bag of chips, Kettle Chips "Backyard Barbeque" to be exact. Sometimes it's so easy to just grab a bag instead of making your own side. But then when I do, I always feel guilty that I shouldn't be snacking so much on processed food but instead be eating fresh veggies. So for today's meal I went with a coleslaw recipe from my "The 30 Minute Vegan" cookbook. This recipe has no mayo but instead extra virgin olive oil, giving it a lighter taste. I prefer this one to the many versions of coleslaw I've eaten in the past.

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Ingredients
* 1 cup shaved fennel bulb
* 2 cups shredded green cabbage
* 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
* 3/4 cup grated carrot
* 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
* 2 Tb freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp red wine vinegar
* 2 tsp nutritional yeast
* 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

Directions
1. First, cut off any of the stem and herb that may still be attached to the fennel bulb, leaving a flat surface exposing the white concentric layers. You may wish to remove the outside layers if they look dirty. You can use a sharp knife to cut very thin shavings of the fennel bulb or you can use a vegetable peeler.

2. Mix together the fennel, green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, cilantro, and green onion in a medium-size bowl. In a measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt, and pour it over the vegetables. Mix well and serve, or refrigerate immediately.

Lemon Bars

While looking through my Veganomicon cookbook last week, I stumbled across a recipe for lemon bars. I've never tried one before but it sounded like the perfect summer dessert. I had all the ingredients already ( don't you just love when that happens ) so I just had to make it. I would describe it as having a shortbread crust, with a tangy lemon filling. Very yummy! They can be served at room temperature or chilled, although I prefer them chilled.

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Makes 12 bars or 24 cubes

Ingredients - Crust
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus additional to decorate the finished bars
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine ( I use Earth Balance )

Ingredients - Filling
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 3 Tb agar powder
* 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 1/8 tsp turmeric
* 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
* 3 Tb arrowroot powder
* 1 Tb finely grated lemon zest
* 1/4 cup soy milk

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan

Directions - Prepare the crust
1. Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, and corn starch in a food processor. Add the margarine in spoonfuls and blend 8 to 10 seconds, and then pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
2. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press firmly into an even layer with slightly raised sides, so that it can hold in the filling.
3. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350 F.
4. Bake the unfilled crust for 25 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool.

Directions - Filling
1. Mix the arrowroot into the lemon juice to dissolve. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan add the water and agar powder. Turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the agar is completely dissolved.
3. Add the granulated sugar and turmeric, and boil until they have dissolved, about 3 minutes.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and add the arrowroot mixture, then add the lemon zest and soy milk. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. It should not be rapidly boiling, but low bubbling is okay.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Let cool for 20 minutes and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until the filling is only slightly jiggly and has set. Use a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer to sprinkle the bars with confectioners' sugar. Slice into squares and serve.

Vegetable Quesadillas

The signs of summer approaching has been gradually increasing. Lately the temperature has been in the mid to high 80's and when that happens, I never feel like spending too much time in the kitchen. Cooking over a boiling pot is the last thing I want to do during those hot summer months. This recipe is really fast to make, considering all your really have to do is saute a few vegetables and throw it in the oven. It was also incredibly filling and very scrumptious.

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Serves 5 to 6 ( Shows 2 servings in picture above )

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
* 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
* 2 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 Tb olive oil
* Cooking Spray
* 6 ( 9 inch ) whole wheat tortillas
* 1 1/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese ( I like Daiya or Follow Your Heart )
* Optional : Vegan Sour Cream ( I use Follow Your Heart ) and Pico De Gallo Salsa

Directions
1. Over medium-high heat, in a large non-stick pan, add olive oil and allow to warm. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add bell peppers, zucchini, onion, and mushrooms. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until tender.

2. To assemble quesadillas: Warm up the tortillas on the stove top or microwave, that way they are softer and easier to work with.

3. Get one tortilla and lightly coat one side of it with cooking spray. Place the coated side down on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little cheese evenly over half of the tortilla and layer the vegetable mixture over the cheese, fold in half. Continue the same procedure with the remaining tortillas.

4. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 F, or until cheese has melted.

5. Cut into wedges and serve with vegan sour cream and pico de gallo salsa if desired.

Cabbage Rolls with Brown Basmati Rice

Last week I randomly thought of one of my favorite comfort foods from my childhood. My mom used to make the best cabbage rolls, but sadly not as often as I would have liked her to. I decided I had to try to recreate the cabbage rolls I remembered as a kid, in a vegan form. I searched online, combined two different recipes, made some changes here and there and ended up with this recipe. When I took the cabbage rolls out of the oven, I immedietly was bought back to the good old days, sitting around the dinner table and enjoying her food. I hope this will become one of your favorite meals as well.

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Makes 8 cabbage rolls

Ingredients
* 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
* 1 cup diced zucchini
* 3/4 cup chopped green pepper
* 3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
* 3/4 cup vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup bulgur
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 large head cabbage
* 6 tablespoons Soy Parmesan cheese, divided
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce ( I use The Wizard's Organic Vegan Worcestershire )
* 1 cup Brown Basmati Rice, cooked as directed on package ( I use Village Harvest Brown Basmati )

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or unless most of the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook cabbage in boiling water just until leaves fall off head. Set aside eight large leaves for rolls (refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use). Cut about 1 inch across the bottom of each leaf to remove its thick vein.
3. Stir 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and lemon juice into vegetable mixture.
4. Place about 3 to 4 Tablespoons of the vegetable mixture on each cabbage leaf; fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll to completely enclose filling. Start placing each roll in a large cassarole dish.
5. In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, and vegan Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.
6. Cover and bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining Soy Parmesan cheese.

Eggplant Rollatini

I got this recipe from Veganomicon, although I did add spaghetti noodles to it. But if you would like to serve the rollatini alone, that would work just as well. I love how fancy this dish looks and it would be great to serve when you have people to impress. It did take a little while to make though, so it's best to save for a day that you have 2 hours to spend in the kitchen. I would also suggest making the Tofu Ricotta a day ahead to help cut down on the time needed.

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Makes 12 rollatini, Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
* 3 large eggplants ( a little over 3 lbs )
* 4 cups Marinara Sauce
* 1 recipe Tofu Ricotta ( see bottom of the page )
* 12 large spinach leaves, washed very well and stemmed

Dipping mixture
* 1 cup cold water
* 1/4 cup cornstarch

Breading Mixture
* 2 cups bread crumbs
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp dried basil
* Optional 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
* 1/3 cup Soy Parmesan

Directions
1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into twelve slices about 1/2" thick.
2. Generously sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant and rub it in. Set in a colander to drain for 30 minutes.

Making the dipping and breading mixtures
1. Mix the cornstarch with the water in a bowl that is large enough to fit your eggplant slices. Mix together all the breading ingredients on a large dinner plate.
2. Rinse the eggplant with cold water and set aside. Whether you are baking or frying the eggplant, have a 9x13 inch baking pan at the ready. Preheat the oven to 350 F if you are baking.

TO FRY
1. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Let it heat for at least 3 minutes. Pour in and heat about 1/8 inch of oil. Let it get hot but not smoky; if it smokes, lower the heat just a bit. To test the oil for the correct temperature, sprinkle in a small amount of bread crumbs. If bubbles form rapidly around the crumbs, the oil is ready.
2. Dredge an eggplant slice in the dipping mixture. Sometimes the starch settles at the bottom of the bowl, so mix it with a fork if need be. Gently press the eggplant into the breading mixture on both sides so that the crumbs are firmly in place.
3. Prep the second slice the same way, then place both slices in the pan and cook on each side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip the slices. The eggplant should be tender and golden brown on both sides. When done, transfer to paper towels to drain the oil and proceed with remaining eggplant slices.

TO BAKE
1. Follow the same directions for breading as above. Grease two baking sheets with olive oil, place all the eggplant slices on the sheets, and spray the breaded slices with olive oil. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes; no need to flip them. When ready, they should be tender and flexible. If you can't fit both sheets on one rack in your oven, then rotate them halfway through the baking process.

To Assemble
1. Let the slices cool enough that you can handle them, usually 10 minutes. Pour 1 1/2 cups of sauce into a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
2. With the narrower end pointed towards you, place a leaf of spinach on the lower third of the eggplant slice. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of ricotta on the spinach, sprinkle a few pine nuts on top of that ( if using ), and then roll up.
3. Place the rolled eggplant slices, seam side down, in the baking pan. When everything is rolled, pour another cup or so of sauce over the rollatini. Bake for about 20 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle a little Parmesan on top of each rollatini and enjoy.


Tofu Ricotta Recipe
Ingredients
* 1 lb extra firm tofu
* 2 tsp lemon juice
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 tsp salt
* Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
* Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped finely ( 10 leaves or so, optional )
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands, until its crumbly.
2. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and basil. Mush with hands again; this time you want it to get very mushy, so squeeze through your fingers and mush until it reaches a consistency of ricotta cheese, 2 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the olive oil, stir with a fork. Add the nutritional yeast and mix all ingredients well. Use a fork now, because the olive oil will make it sticky. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.