Smoked Almond Quiche Lorraine

I like to imagine Julia Child reading this recipe and protesting (in her trademark flutey tones), "Quiche Lorraine without eggs? Without cream? Without butter or cheese? Without bacon?" just before downing an entire bottle of a good Sauvignon Blanc and passing out on the floor. And in truth this recipe is really an homage to that classic savory pie, rather than a facsimile of The Thing Itself. In place of the original's traditional combination of cholesterol and cruelty, my version uses smoked almonds and black salt for that bacony and eggy something, adds mushrooms for textural interest, and packs the mighty nutritional punch of nuts, tofu, and a generous dose of nooch. The finished product was declared an unqualified success ("the best quiche yet," quoth my middle son), and was equally good served hot, room temperature, or cold; both pies disappeared in under 48 hours, so this is a definite make-again. The weather here has been extremely hot, so I served our quiche with a simple green salad, but I think that steamed asparagus and new potatoes tossed with tarragon and olive oil would add the perfect dash of French Chef savoir faire.

Smoked Almond Quiche Lorraine
Filling
Ingredients
~ 2 single pie crusts (homemade or store bought)
~ 1.5 cup smoked almonds
~ 14 oz. firm tofu, drained and pressed
~ 12 oz. firm silken tofu
~ 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1 tbsp. cornstarch
~ 1 tsp. each: onion powder, black salt 
~ 1/2 tsp. white pepper
~ Dash of nutmeg
~ 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ Juice of half a lemon

Directions
~ Combine the almonds and silken tofu in a food processor and blend until smooth. With the processor running, gradually feed in the remaining ingredients and process to a smooth paste.
~ Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside while you make...

The Vegetables
Ingredients
~ 12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
~ 2 tbsp. Earth Balance
~ 1 large onion, diced

Directions
~ Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat until browned and ever so slightly crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
~ Add the Earth Balance to the skillet and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until quite soft but not brown.

The Assembly
~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
~ Add the cooked mushrooms and onions to the quiche filling and combine thoroughly.
~ Divide the filling evenly between two pie crusts, smoothing with a spatula; top with a grind or two of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt.
~ Set the pies on a large baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes.
~ Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the crust is browned and the filling is set.
~ Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Sorry to have been such a bad/absent/lazy blogger lately; between a couple of trips and Mother Nature setting the thermostat to "HELL," I haven't been spending much time in the kitchen. 

In weather like this the only sensible thing is to get up ridiculously early and make a big vat of something to be eaten later. This was invariably the approach taken by my eminently sensible mother when I was growing up; by the time her kids were up and about, there'd be potato and/or pasta and/or tuna salad stowed away in Tupperware, ready to be served up at dinnertime with some bread and a green salad. 

Alas that her domestic ambition (and organizational skills) were not passed along to yours truly, who instead found myself whipping up this salad in my sweltering hellscape of a kitchen at 6pm last night, watching the ice cubes in a freshly made gin & tonic return to their original state almost before I could take a sip. Dante-esque conditions notwithstanding, I abandoned neither hope nor my dinner plans, and this pasta salad proved an ideal midsummer meal. I will certainly make this recipe again, but next time I'll try to drag my ass downstairs before Satan gets all crazy with the thermostat. 

Stay cool, kids.

Pesto Pasta Salad

The Pesto

~ ¼ cup olive oil

~ ¾ cup pine nuts

~ ½ cup nutritional yeast

~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic

~ 1 tsp. each: salt, oregano

~ 2 cups chopped, fresh basil

~ 3/4 - 1 cup water (more or less as needed)

~ A few grinds of black pepper

Directions

~ Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Use as much water as you need to get the thickness and texture of a creamy salad dressing.

The Pasta Salad

~ 1 lb. salad-friendly pasta (penne, fusilli, etc.)
~ 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (save the stalks for something else)
~ 2 carrots, julienned
~ 1 red bell pepper, diced
~ 6 ounces baked and.or smoked tofu, cubed

Directions

~ Heat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Add the cubed tofu and bake for 15 minutes, until browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

~ In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. In the last three minutes of cooking time, add the broccoli and carrots to the pot. Drain into a large colander and rinse with cold water immediately.

~ Return the drained pasta and cooked vegetables to the pot and add the bell pepper, the baked tofu, and the pesto. Mix thoroughly and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Creamy Zucchini Chickpea Linguine

And on the eighth day, God made zucchini, but he got a little carried away or something. I love zucchini, but in the summer it often seems like there is more of the stuff around than you can use. Well, today I not only bring you a recipe that dispatches three of these ubiquitous seasonal squashes, but one that is delicious, easy, fast, and even rhymes! You're welcome.

Creamy Zucchini Chickpea Linguine 

Ingredients

~ 1 lb. linguine
~ 2 tbsp. olive oil

~ 3 zucchini, cut into quarter moons

~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic

~ 1 tsp. each: oregano, salt

~ ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

~ 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained

~ 1 cup raw cashews, soaked

~ 1 cup soy milk

~ 1 tsp. "no chicken"bouillon

~ ½ cup nutritional yeast

Directions
~ In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked, drained cashews, the soy milk, bouillon, and nutritional yeast. Puree until smooth.
~ In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the zucchini over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
~ Add the garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or two.
~ Stir in the chickpeas and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
~ Add the pureed cashew mixture, stir thoroughly, and continue cooking 5 minutes more.
~ Cook and drain the linguine according to package directions, reserving one cup of the cooking water.
~ Return the drained pasta to the pot, add the zucchini mixture, and combine, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to coat the linguine with sauce.
~ Serve hot with a few grinds of black pepper.

Baked Polenta with Pesto, Beans, Greens, and Squash

I've been having a bit of a love affair with polenta lately. For one thing, it's extremely versatile, morphing easily from grits to breakfast scrambles to side dishes to hearty baked casseroles like the one below. And its substantial, starchy goodness makes it the perfect comfort food: like the beautiful lovechild of mashed potatoes and pasta. Today's recipe is a particularly fine use of the stuff; adding white beans, orange squash, and leafy greens to a base of podgy yellow yumminess puts everything you need in one place, and that place is your tummy. Add a simple green salad, and you've got a Proper Nutritious Dinner that can be done in about an hour.

Baked Polenta with Pesto, Beans, Greens, and Squash
Pesto
Ingredients
~ 3 cups chopped, fresh basil
~ 1/2 cup pine nuts
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
~ 2 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1/4 cup water

Directions
~ Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend thoroughly. (There, wasn't that easy?)

Beans, Greens, and Squash
Ingredients
~ 1 small butternut squash, chopped into 2" pieces
~ 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
~ 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, thyme, oregano
~ Black pepper to taste
~ 1 15 oz. can white beans, drained
~ 1/2 cup white wine
~ 1 lb. baby spinach, roughly chopped

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
~ Arrange the squash on the baking sheet, coat with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and set aside.
~ In a large skillet, heat the remaining tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms over high heat about 5 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, salt, thyme, oregano, and pepper and cook about one minute more.
~ Add the beans and the wine; stir thoroughly and cook a few minutes until most of the alcohol burns off.
~ Stir in the pesto, the baby spinach, and the roasted squash; cook until the spinach is just wilted, and remove from heat while you make...

The Polenta
Ingredients
~ 5 cups vegan "chicken" broth
~ 1.5 cups cornmeal (I use Bob's Red Mill)

Directions
~ In a large pot, bring the broth to a rapid boil. Pour in the cornmeal and cook for about ten minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened but still a bit soft.

The Assembly
~ Coat a 9 x 13" casserole with cooking spray, add the cooked polenta, and spread evenly with a spatula.
~ Distribute the bean/vegetable mixture on top of the polenta, cover with foil, and bake at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
~ Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the topping is slightly browned.
~ Allow to rest a few minutes before serving.

Herb Roasted Potatoes with Asparagus and Feta

This is a frank appropriation of a recipe I saw in the Guardian's "Three Good Things on a Plate" feature. The original featured halloumi cheese, which I have replaced here with soy-based feta for that salty tang; I also upped the seasonings and subbed fresh basil for parsley, but other than that we have Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to thank for this delicious, summery meal. (Indeed, I've even stolen his photo!) Since this dish proved to be equally good hot, cold, or at room temperature, I will definitely be making it again as the warm weather sets in; the addition of white beans at the halfway point would make this a one-dish supper of four good things on a plate.

Herb Roasted Potatoes with Asparagus and Feta
Ingredients
~ 2 lbs. small new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
~ 1/4 cup olive oil
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, marjoram, basil, oregano
~ A few generous grinds of fresh black pepper
~ 1 lb. asparagus, woody ends removed and cut into 3" pieces
~ 6 oz. soy feta (or homemade tofu or nut-based feta)
~ 1 cup fresh, roughly chopped basil leaves
~ Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
~ In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, marjoram, basil, oregano, and pepper.
~ Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet, pour the oil and herb mixture over, and coat thoroughly (I just get in there with my hands).
~ Roast at 400 for about 30 minutes, stirring ever 10 minutes or so.
~ Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the asparagus and feta, and mix thoroughly to coat them with the oil mixture (unless you have asbestos hands, you'll need some sort of utensil this time).
~ Return to the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is cooked, the feta is a bit melty, and the potatoes are browned and beauteous.
~ Remove from oven, mix in the basil leaves, transfer to a plate and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice (if you like).

Chickpea, Chorizo, and Spinach Stew

I've been featuring a lot of legume-based recipes on here lately, and this post is no exception. We eat a lot of lentils, peas, beans, etc. around here because they are A. loaded with protein, fiber, and other good stuff, B. endlessly versatile and interesting, and C. yummy. Today's recipe mixes things up a little with the addition of soy-based chorizo to this Spanish-inspired stew; in combination with lots of veggies, spices, and the ever popular chickpea, I find it adds a certain "meaty" something to this one-dish meal. Served over plain or saffron rice, a simmering cauldron of this stuff will fill your kitchen with delicious aromas and - as always - only improves as leftovers.

Chickpea, Chorizo, and Spinach Stew
Ingredients
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 large red onion, chopped
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 2 carrots, diced
~ 2 stalks celery, diced
~ 1 red bell pepper, diced
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, smoked paprika, thyme, chili powder, sweet paprika
~ 1/2 tsp. each: turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne
~ 2 bay leaves
~ 12 oz. vegan chorizo (I used Trader Joe's)
~ 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, including liquid
~ 2 cups vegetable broth
~ 1 lb. frozen spinach, thawed

Directions
~ In a large, deep skillet or wok, sauté the onion over medium heat for a few minutes.
~ Add the garlic, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and seasonings; cook about 5 minutes more.
~ Crumble the chorizo into the pan, stir to combine, then add the chickpeas and broth. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring just to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
~ Add the spinach, stir to combine, and cook 5 minutes more. Fish out the bay leaves and serve hot over rice with hot sauce (if desired).

Peppery Tempeh with Cauliflower and Asparagus

"I can resist everything except tempeh." ~ Oscar Wilde

Tempeh is one of the many gifts bestowed upon us by the noble and generous soybean. Like its better known relative, tofu, it is packed with protein, and the fermentation process by which it is produced makes it a good source of B12 as well; it also has a nutty flavor that lends itself well to hearty applications like Indian, Thai, and Indonesian curries, "wings," and the ever popular Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes from Vegan Brunch. As an adult I love the stuff, but I remember trying it as a newly vegetarian teenager and being...underwhelmed by its putative greatness. This probably had something to do with the fact that (being the aspiring retro-hippie I was) I sliced it and ate it raw in a sandwich with sprouts and tahini rather than marinating, steaming, and/or sautéeing it like a reasonable person. But we live and (with any luck at all) we learn, and over time tempeh has taken its place in our ever-more-exciting diet. I am particularly fortunate to have a partner who makes frequent trips to Canada and returns with delicious Henry's Gourmet Tempeh, which has ruined me for anything else until the day I decide to A. visit Indonesia,  or B. hunker down and make my own. (NB this is not the only way I'm lucky in my partner; it's just the one most relevant to this post.)

This dish came about - like so many others - because I felt like cooking something new but was fresh out of inspiration. My available main ingredients were a head of cauliflower, a bunch of asparagus, and a package of tempeh; a quick Google brought me to my beloved Guardian food page (source of many a Quixotic veganization), from which I culled and combined several ideas to produce the dish below. Hearty and full of peppery goodness, it made the perfect dinner for a gloomy, coolish spring evening; so go ahead and give in to the tempeh. You know you want to!

Peppery Tempeh with Cauliflower and Asparagus
Ingredients
~ 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
~ 1 tbsp. coconut oil
~ 1 medium onion, diced
~ 2 tbsp. each: grated ginger, minced garlic
~ 1/4 cup each: soy sauce, water
~ 1 tbsp. agave nectar (or sugar)
~ 1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
~ 1 tsp. each: red pepper flakes, chili powder
~ 1 8 oz. package tempeh, cubed (again, I do love Henry's)
~ 1 small bunch asparagus, cut into 2" pieces (about 3 cups)
~ 1 generous tsp. fresh black pepper

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the cauliflower pieces, coat with another squirt of cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until tender and just starting to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
~ In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, agave nectar, curry paste, red pepper flakes, and chili powder; set aside.
~ In a large, deep skillet or wok, melt the coconut oil and sauté the onion over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until softened and starting to color.
~ Add the garlic, ginger, and cubed tempeh; cook another minute or two, adding a splash of water as/if necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Pour in the soy sauce mixture, stirring to coat, and add the asparagus. Stir to combine, cover the pan, and cook about 5 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green.
~ Remove the lid, add the roasted cauliflower and the black pepper, and cook another few minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if needed. Serve hot over steamed, short grain brown rice.