Potatoes Are Awesome!

I love potatoes.  I usually opt for sweet potatoes.  But Chad doesn't like sweet potatoes.  So, I was inspired by this recent post on Happy Herbivore on the virtues of potatoes,  and decided to try a variation of one of the recipes mentioned.  If you are curious about potatoes being a friend not a foe, watch this video by Dr. John McDougall.  And, read his latest book, The Starch Solution.

I usually bake several sweet potatoes each week and have them in my frig.  They are a great addition to salads and perfect for lunch or snacks.  This week, I baked a whole bag of Trader Joe organic red potatoes. These were the base of my new dinner creation.

After baking the potatoes (400 degrees for about 30 minutes), I kept the oven on, and began building my potato lasagna.  In a glass dish, I poured a layer of pasta sauce, (I used Muir Glen because it does not have any added oil) then I sliced several potatoes with a mandolin and did one layer of potatoes on top of the red sauce.  I had previously sauteed some of the Trader Joe frozen pepper and onion mixture and drained them.  I layered the veggies on top of the potatoes. Next, I covered the veggies with chopped up kale.  On top of the kale, I poured my MOST favorite sauce from Hungry Hippie - my version cashew cream sauce.  I topped with another layer of potatoes, pasta sauce and cashew cream.  I baked the creation at 400 for about 30 - 40  minutes and broiled it for several minutes.

I made a salad with wonderful arugula we bought at the Piedmont Park Farmers Market this weekend.  I read about an easy, no oil salad dressing on Lani Mulreath's blog.  It is so easy to remember - 3-2-1.  3 parts vinegar, 2 parts mustard, 1 part sweet.  I used champagne vinegar, stone ground mustard and maple syrup.  I toasted a pan full of pumpkin seeds for the week and sprinkled them on top of the salad.

Dinner served!

I LOVED the dinner.  I will enjoy leftovers for lunch.  Ry actually enjoyed the dinner as well.  Unfortunately, Chad did NOT like it.  I really thought I had nailed this one, but it bombed.  He did not even eat more than one bite.  He is beside me right now eating chips and wine for dinner.  Oh well.  More leftovers for me.

Pasta Sauce

Pasta de los Angeles

For the girls

As many jars and as many recipes I have tried, I can NOT find a pasta sauce my whole family likes.  What is an easier dinner than pasta and sauce?  And, my family hates it.  Grrrrr.  So, I tried another one Monday night.  I knew the girls would not like it, as it has jalapenos in it, but I was hoping I could find one for Chad.  For the girls, I sauteed (with a little water) spinach and plum tomatoes, which I put on a plate beside the pasta.  I now know to let them mix their own pasta dishes!

On to the sauce I made for the "adults".  Pasta de los Angeles page 177 in Appetite for Reduction.  How could I resist a pasta from Los Angeles!!  I did not use the oil, I sauteed the veggies in a little of the tomato sauce.  I did not have enough tomatoes, so I used 3 cups (one box) of Pomi chopped tomatoes.  I only used one clove of garlic. 

Chad and I both thought the sauce was very good.  Definitely too spicy for the girls.  It had a Mexican flavor instead of an Italian flavor, so you had to be ready for that.  But overall, we thought it was good.  I had leftovers and ate it cold on top of lettuce for lunch one day, and with polenta the next day. 

Pasta - I had almost given up on pasta as well.  Gluten free pasta is not my favorite.  But, I decided to try it one more time.  We saw Tinkyada elbow pasta in our recent trip to Jackson, WY.  Right on the package it professes "not mushy", so I was glad to find it in Atlanta at Whole Foods.  It is one of the best GF pastas I have tried.  Chad could eat it, which says a LOT.

Stuffed Shells

I did not plan ahead this week, instead my goal was to be creative with the food that we already had on hand.  This plan only worked until Wednesday, I then had to go to the grocery store!  But, my freezer and cabinets did inspire a few good meals.

Monday - Stuffed Shells
I had a box of rice shells that had been taunting me. I was intimidated by stuffing shells for some reason.  But, I pulled them out and showed them who was boss!  Much easier than I expected.

One box of rice noodle shells - I found mine at Whole Foods

Filling

• 1 box of organic x-firm or firm tofu, with water pressed out
• 3 artichokes from a can 
• 1/2 bag frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out)
• 1 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the Vitamix or similiar and blend away.  Put in a bowl so you can use your blender for the cream sauce if desired.

Sauce

• Either your favorite marinara sauce, and / or  a cream sauce (adapted from Plant Based Nutrition pg 241):

• 14oz silken tofu
• 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp kelp powder

Put all ingredients in Vitamix or similar and blend away!

• OR: you could try the Cashew Cream Sauce I made in this post - I am going to try this next time.

Preheat oven to 350. I used two bread pans, because I made two different types of sauces.  KID TIP - sometimes make things especially for them.  I told Si I was making her's red, because I knew she loved red sauce, and Ry's was special because it did NOT have the red sauce.  It was easy to do, and I was experimenting to see which I preferred.

After you have cooked the pasta according to the box directions, put a thin layer of your sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.  Get your spoon ready, and start stuffing those shells. Place filling side down into the sauce in the pan.  Repeat until you are finished.  Then, spoon sauce over the top of your shells.  I sprinkled mine with nutritional yeast also.

Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Si liked hers, Ry said they were ok, I liked both of them.  I do want to try the Cashew Cream Sauce next time!  And, I would have loved a little red pepper flakes in the tofu filling, but the girls would not have liked that.

Friends Over for Dinner and an Amazing Sauce

Friends came over for dinner Friday night.  They said they were up for a vegan dinner. Chad suggested I prepare something tried and true. But, if these friends were up for trying my cooking, I wanted to try something new.  It needed to be savory and satisfying, I did not want anyone to go home hungry.
On my trip to Dekalb Farmers Market I had picked up a lot of beautiful produce, peruvian purple potatoes, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, peppers, butternut squash etc.  I decided I would roast two big pans of veggies and make two sauces that I had been wanting to try.  One was a pesto sauce, the base was a white bean.  I did not like this one, so I will not bother writing the recipe.  But the other was AMAZING.  Seriously, amazing. 

Creamy Cashew Dijon Sauce

I slightly altered the recipe (thanks to my friend, Karen!)

3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked at least 30 mins)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbs stone ground mustard
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp GF  tamari

Throw it all into your Vitamix (I know you all have made the investment by now) and blend away.  I blended my a little longer, so that it warmed the sauce.  I served brown rice, roasted veggies and two sauces for everyone to try. 

Appetizers:


Avocado Bean Dip with Veggies and Chips
1 can of drained black beans
1 avocado
1 cup of your favorite salsa
blend away in the vitamix

And,
My Mexican Pizza

My friend brought an amazing gluten free, vegan dessert: homemade chocolate / peanut butter cups.  Oh my!

Mexican Pie

 

Are you looking for a super easy, delicious meal?  I have one that passed all four taste test - mine, omnivore Chad, picky Ry, and veggin lovin S.  I found this recipe in the companion Forks Over Knives Book - The recipe is actually by Karen Campbell, of the The Campbell Family - The China Study.  The recipe is called Polenta with Rice and Beans, it is found on page 143.   I made modifications and will share how I prepared it.

(my family calls it mexican pie!)

Ingredients (I found all ingredients at Trader Joes):

One tube of organic polenta

1/2 cup of low sodium, no fat veggie broth

1 can of Trader Joes' fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup of Trader Joes' frozen organic brown rice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 can organic black beans drained

1/2 cup fat free, low sodium salsa (I used TJ's green salsa)

• I evenly, yet thinly sliced the polenta and laid the rounds flat in a pie dish.  You want to create an even layer of polenta to serve as the crust.  So, I used my fingers and mashed the polenta together.  Very fun!
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a large sauce pan, I combined all of the ingredients EXCEPT for the salsa and black beans.  I stirred and let this simmer until the rice was fully thawed.  The recipe says to let all of this cook for about 45 minutes until the liquid is gone.  I did not have time for that, so  I added the black beans, let it cook for awhile longer, then drained the liquid.  
• I poured the rice and black bean mixture over the polenta, then layered the salsa on top.
• Stick the whole pie in the oven for 30 minutes.
• 
  After it cools a few minutes slice, and top with avocado or vegan sour cream.

There are many variations to this dish, dont be afraid to add your favorite veggies, more spices and try out different salsas.

This pie made enough for one dinner for the four of us, S's lunch the next day and my lunch the next two days.  (S and I even ate it cold!)

Two Easy Dinners that the Girls ENJOYED!

Broiled Tomato and Pasta dinner

Rice noodles (I bought the pad thai noodles) and fresh basil
Sliced tomato with GF bread crumbs, Daiya vegan cheese - broil the tomato for 3-5 minutes

 

Lentils and Sweet Potato Fries

Stewed tomatoes (no salt or fat added), Lentils from Trader Joes, and Rice - put all together in a big pot and cook for about 10 minutes.  Slice an almost cooked sweet potato put on a cookie sheet and broil for 2+ minutes.  Add a little salt to the potatoes.  Salad - spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, toasted pumpkin seeds.   All spices were added after I served the girls, they do not like spicy things, but Chad and I do!