Category: recipes

Yule Garbanzo Loaf

It’s the time of year for Yule Loaf! This is adapted from Recipe for a Small Planet’s Garbanzo Bean Loaf.

As I have said before, when choosing your holiday traditions, choose carefully. Although we only make this once a year, we make it every year.

The recipe in the cookbook is vegetarian, here I veganize it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans (cook and drain) or use 1 1/2 cups canned

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup fresh parsley

egg substitute equivalent to one egg

1 tablespoon miso (any-white/red/your choice)

1 teaspoon salt

dash of hot sauce

2 pinches cayenne pepper

1 cup vegan cheese (Swiss maybe or hot pepper)

Directions:

1. Combine bread crumbs with pineapple juice, let soak.

2. Mash the beans but leave a few whole!

3. Saute onions and celery in the oil.

4. Dissolve miso in a  very small amount of hot water, to make a thick slurry.

5. Combine rest of ingredients in order.

6. Turn into loaf pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes until browned and firm.

I always quadruple this recipe for a large holiday meal so that we will have leftovers! I serve it on a bed of spinach leaves with Louisiana hot sauce along side of squash/pear soup. I hope this becomes a favorite in your home!

Serves: 3 to 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ostara Soufflé 

Happy Ostara!


 Inspired by the book The Boy Who Ate Around, our Ostara supper was the Giant Cheese Soufflé from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone with a side of asparagus. It was a big hit, and all of the ingredients are available at Aldi.

  This grand looking soufflé is baked in a round casserole- 13 – 14 inches across and at least two inches high. I used a dutch oven and a soufflé dish. Serves 6 – 8 (My family ate a double recipe) 
5 + Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp parmesan

6 Tbsp flour

2 cups warm milk

6 egg yolks

1 3/4 cup grated cheddar

Salt

1 tsp paprika

10 egg whites

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter your large dish and dust the sides with parmesan.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook over low heat for several minutes. Whisk in the milk all at once, lower the heat, and cook for one minute, stirring. Remove from heat and beat in the yolks two at a time. Stir in the cheese. Season with 3/4 tsp. salt and the paprika.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold firm peaks. Fold them into the yolk mixture, then pour into the casserole. Put in the center of the oven and lower the heat to 375. Bake until the soufflé has risen and is golden brown all over the top, about 30 minutes. A slight quivering in the middle and firmness around the edges mean that the center will be loose enough to provide a creamy sauce. If you prefer a firmer center, bake 5 minutes longer. In either case, serve as soon as it’s ready.


Delicious!

Vegan Turkey Saver

Yield: 8 servings
1 gallon water
2 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1 tsp thyme

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups vegetable broth*

1/4 cup light olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce**

Cheesecloth (one double thick 24-inch by 16-inch piece)

2 6-inch pieces of string

1 batch uncooked stuffing (optional – I don’t use it)

*If using the homemade vegetable broth, you may need to add salt to this recipe.
**Substitute Bragg liquid aminos if desired.

1) In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to a low boil.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten, yeast flakes, thyme, onion powder, and salt.

3) Add the vegetable broth, oil, and soy sauce, stir just until combined.

4) Form into a loaf shape.

5) Place gluten loaf on cheesecloth and roll up (not to tight). Tie each end with a piece of string.

6) Place in simmering water, covered, for 1 hour*** (2 hours for a double batch).

7) Preheat oven to 325.

8) Take roast out of water and remove cheesecloth. Place in baking dish with prepared stuffing, if desired.

9) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

*** Make stuffing while turkey is simmering in the water. Cook the stuffing in the baking dish with the turkey.
I have read this variation, but never tried it:
Variation: Vegan Turkey with Puff Pastry
After turkey is done boiling, remove it from the water and remove cheesecloth. Roll out a piece of puff pastry so that it will cover your turkey. Cover turkey with puff pastry. Brush puff pastry with a mixture of half ketchup and half water. Sprinkle with a little bit of thyme. Bake turkey, uncovered, at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes.

This recipe has been adapted from this great cookbook by Brian McCarthy:

Spinach and Potato Soup 

Serves: 6 • Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 20 min

6 Tbsp. butter or Smart Balance or olive oil6 small all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced

1 or 2 finely chopped onion (do your kids like onion?)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 can (14.5 oz.) broth

12 cups baby spinach leaves or 3 or 4 pkgs frozen spinach

3 cans evaporated milk or plain soymilk (optional) 

Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook onion, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in spinach and cook 5 minutes or until wilted. Process soup with a submersible blender just until smooth. Return to saucepan (add milk) and heat through. Season, if desired, with freshly ground black pepper.

Bellydancer Minestrone

This is from FatChanceBellydance’s vegan cook book Devotion. It is delicious! And absolutely my favorite recipe in the book.

1 TBSP olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 med. onion

2 carrots, coined

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 1/2 cups potatoes,cubed

3 zucchini, cubed

1 28oz can diced tomatoes

1 15oz can kidney beans

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans

1 cup pasta of choice

5-6 chard leaves (or spinach)

2 Tbsp dried basil (or fresh – yummy!)

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp. dried rosemary

2 tsp. salt

1 28oz and 1 15 oz can water (use the cans to measure)

In a large pot on med. heat saute oil, onions, carrot, celery and garlic for 5 min.
Add tomatoes, beans including liquid, potatoes, water, herbs and salt.

Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender (10 min)

Add zucchini, herbs, and pasta, bring just to a boil, then turn off heat.

Allow to sit on the stove for a few hours for full flavor.

Full Moon Ritual

  Rhea, Juniper, Melanie, and I, along with all the kids, processed under the bright Moon light to the waiting fire and altar. We held hands in a circle as we gazed at the Moon Herself. I (Chris) then poured out a chalice of milk for Her, along with words of praise. Each person in turn stepped into the middle of the circle to receive a Full Moon blessing. The rest of the circle laid hands on the person while I anointed their forehead with scented oil. “Mother Moon, this is (name) your child.  (Name), the blessings of the Moon are upon you.” We tied a white cord around the wrist of each person as they were blessed. We howled at the Moon, had cakes and passed a cup of cider, and some of us stayed outside around the fire to watch Her wend her way across the starry sky.

-Chris

Samhain Cider
2  qt. cider
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup apricot brandy
Cashew Coven Cakes 
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup ground cashews
3 drops almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup softened butter
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. honey
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl. Add butter, egg and honey, creaming with a fork. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Pinch off two inch crescent shapes and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 18 – 20 minutes.