Festive Ginger-Garlic Sweet Potatoes

This twist on the ordinary, quotidian mashed sweet potato is almost too simple to be called a "recipe," but too good not to share. In fact, if you're still looking for a holiday side dish, these babies would be perfect; I'm planning to serve them at this year's Christmas dinner along with my tourtière, old-school green beans almondine, and roasties. (NB this picture will also include bread, a big salad, and a lake of gravy.)

Festive Ginger-Garlic Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
~ 2 tbsp. coconut oil
~ 1 heaping tbsp. each: minced garlic, grated ginger
~ 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, diced
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ Dash each: nutmeg, cayenne
~ 1 cup "no chicken" broth
~ 1 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk

Directions
~ In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil and sauté the garlic and ginger over medium heat for about a minute, until fragrant. 
~ Add the diced sweet potatoes, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne, and stir to coat. Continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
~ Pour in the broth and the soy milk, cover the pan, raise the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. 
~ Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are very soft. 
~ Remove from heat and mash the sweet potatoes until whole business is smooth. Taste for seasoning, return to heat, and cook for another few minutes before serving hot.

Tourtière à la Végétalien

I love having pie for dinner.  

Pasties, quiches, shepherd's pies, pot pies, various vegetable pies, onion tarts, mushroom 
tarts, even a two-crust pizza - all are welcome on my table and in my stomach. Which is why I must begin this post by admitting that I've only tasted a traditional French Canadian tourtière once, and that was many years ago.  I never repeated the experience because I found it pretty horrible: greasy, heavy, boringly under-seasoned, and basically not worth the trouble of eating. To my mind, this constitutes a minor tragedy, since A. a savory pie is (or should be) a beautiful and delicious thing, and B. people were misguidedly excited about this nasty mess. 

Years went by, and while casting about for Christmas dinner ideas, it occurred to me that it might be time to revisit this réveillon dish, with the twin goals of making it more interesting, and removing the startling variety of dead animals that occur in the many regional interpretations available on the internet. (I'll spare you the details, but trust me: it ain't pretty.) Taking my usual conflationary approach, I set to work and constructed a "good parts" version, adopting elements I liked from several traditional recipes and blithely ignoring the rest. 

Aside from the sage, the flavor profile is quite different from English-style meat pies featuring marjoram, thyme, rosemary, etc., and I'll admit to being slightly alarmed by the quantity of cloves, allspice, and traditionally "sweet" seasonings called for in many tourtières. But my skepticism was completely ill-founded, because with a few tweaks and the application of a little common sense, the combination of flavors worked beautifully, and the result was a pie that was not only delicious, but passed muster with my Canadian partner.

So I call that a success, and one that has earned its place on our table this December 25th - only this time I'll make two, since it's even better as leftovers. (NB: although tourtière is often served with relish or ketchup, we had ours with a double batch of  two-pepper golden gravy from Vegan Diner, to which I added a dash of sage, and substituted 2 tsp. of "no chicken" bouillon for the soy sauce and salt. I recommend this approach highly, but the gentle reader should obviously do as they think best!)

Tourtière à la Végétalien

Ingredients

~ Pastry for two-crust pie (homemade or store-bought)

~ 2 tbsp. canola oil

~ 1 medium onion, small dice

~ 1 stalk celery, minced

~ 1 carrot, grated

~ 1 tsp. each: sage, celery seed

~ 1/2 tsp. each: salt, ground cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon

~ A few generous grinds of fresh black pepper

~ 2 large potatoes, cooked and roughly mashed

~ 1 package veggie meatballs, baked and mashed (I used Nate's)

~ 1.5 cups "no chicken" broth

~ 1 tsp. Marmite

~ ¼ cup brandy

Directions

 ~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a deep pie plate with half the pastry, reserving the other half.

~ In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, celery, and carrot for about 10 minutes, until quite soft.

~ Add the garlic and seasonings (salt through black pepper) and cook another minute or two.

~ Add the mashed potatoes and meatballs and stir to combine thoroughly.

~ Heat the "no chicken" broth to almost boiling and stir in the Marmite until it dissolves. Add this liquid to the skillet, mix well, and continue cooking another 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is fairly smooth and uniform.

~ Begin adding the brandy by tablespoonfuls, stirring with each addition. Continue cooking 5 minutes more, and then remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.

~ Spoon the cooled filling evenly into the prepared pie crust, smoothing with a spatula. Top with the remaining pastry, making sure to crimp the edges tightly to seal.

~ With a sharp knife, make a few small gashes in the top crust so steam can escape as the pie bakes.

~ Bake, uncovered, in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

~ Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I made this lasagna for our Thanksgiving main dish, and it went beautifully with the usual holiday suspects (in this case mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, stuffing, gravy, etc.) while adding a little extra pizzazz to the mix. It was a bit time-consuming - because I was basically making it up as I went along - but future batches will come together more quickly, thanks to this recipe! As it was, I made and assembled the casserole the day before, refrigerated it overnight, and put it in the oven about an hour before dinner with excellent results, so bear that in mind next time you need something for a holiday meal or potluck, or are just pressed for time while prepping a big, multi-course meal.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
Filling
Ingredients
~ 1 lb. no boil lasagna noodles
~ 2 lbs. butternut squash, cut into cubes
~ 1-3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
~ 1 small onion, diced
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1/2 lb. frozen spinach, thawed

~ 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water at least 30 minutes

~ 1 lb. extra firm tofu

~ Juice of 1 lemon

~ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic

~ 1 tsp. each salt, basil, oregano

~ A few grinds fresh black pepper
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
~ Arrange the cubed squash on the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and coat with 1-2 tbsp. olive oil. (I just do this with my hands: moisturizing!)
~ Roast at 400 degrees, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until browned and tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
~ In a skillet, heat a tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 
~ Add the garlic and spinach; stir to combine and continue cooking for about 5 minutes longer, then remove from heat.
~ In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the remaining ingredients (cashews through nutritional yeast) and blend until smooth.
~ Place the cooked squash in a large mixing bowl and mash until almost-but-not-quite smooth. Add the onion/spinach and cashew/tofu mixtures and mix well to combine.

Sauce
Ingredients
~ 1-2 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
~ 2 tbsp. flour
~ 4 cups plain, unsweetened soymilk
~ 2 cups shredded vegan cheese (I used 50/50 Daiya cheddar and mozzarella)
~ 1/2 cup vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
~ 1/2 tsp. each: salt, marjoram, sage, white pepper
~ Dash nutmeg
~ 1 tbsp. hot sauce (I like Frank's)

Directions
~ Wipe out the skillet you used for the onions and melt the margarine over medium-high heat. 
~ Add the flour and a little of the soy milk to make a roux. Raise the heat to medium and gradually add the remaining milk, shredded cheese, parmesan, and remaining ingredients, stirring with each addition until the cheese melts and you have a smooth sauce.

Assembly
~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit and coat a large, deep casserole with cooking spray.
~ Ladle about a cup of sauce into the bottom of the casserole and spread evenly.
~ Arrange sufficient lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the casserole (this will probably take 3-4 sheets), and spread half the filling over them, smoothing with a spatula.
~ Pour half the sauce over the filling and top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Add the remaining filling, another layer of noodles, and the remaining sauce, making sure to spread it evenly over the whole business. If you have time, set the assembled lasagna aside to let everything mingle and get to know each other a bit before baking. (NB at this point I covered the casserole with foil and refrigerated it until the next day, which worked fine so bear that in mind if you want to prepare something ahead.)
~ Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until bubbling (I put a cookie sheet under my casserole to catch any drips).
~ Raise the oven temperature to 400, remove the foil, and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
~ Remove from oven and allow to sit at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Potato & Mushroom Breakfast Curry

Cornflakes? We don't need no stinking cornflakes!

Actually, cornflakes are all right, but sometimes a girl wants a change, you know? And of course you don't have to eat this curry for breakfast; it would be just as good at lunch, dinner, or in the middle of the night. But if you're looking for some serious morning fuel with a bit of a twist, I can't recommend it highly enough. A few days after Thanksgiving, I woke up craving a departure from the past week's glut of traditional western holiday foods, and a plate of curry sounded perfect. So I headed to the kitchen, surveyed the options, and by incorporating prosaic brunch ingredients like mushrooms, onions, and potatoes with subcontinental seasonings, I came up with a sort of diner-y breakfast hash/masala dosa hybrid. With parathas and spicy pickle on the side, it was everything the most jaded tastebuds could desire, and sufficiently filling to keep us going all afternoon. Best of all: there were even leftovers for the next day!

Potato & Mushroom Breakfast Curry
Ingredients
~ 4 large potatoes, cooked and diced
~ 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
~ 1 tbsp. coconut oil
~ 1 tsp. each: cumin seeds, mustard seeds
~ 1 large yellow onion, diced
~ 1 tbsp. each: grated ginger, minced garlic
~ 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, garam masala, fenugreek powder, coriander, ground cumin, chili powder
~ Dash each: cinnamon, cayenne
~ 3/4 cup frozen peas
~ 1 cup lite coconut milk
~ 1/2 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

Directions
~ Coat a large, deep skillet with cooking spray and cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat until browned (about 7-8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
~ In the same skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat; add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook for a minute or two, until the seeds begin to sputter and pop. (Don't put your eye out!)
~ Add the onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook 7-10 minutes, until the onions are softened and beginning to brown just a little.
~ Stir in the toasted sesame oil and then add the diced, cooked potatoes. Mix to combine, and cook another minute or two.
~ Add the salt, garam masala, fenugreek powder, coriander, ground cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir thoroughly to coat the vegetables with the spices, and continue cooking another 5-7 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to brown a bit. Make sure to stir often to prevent sticking.
~ Add the reserved, cooked mushrooms, frozen peas, and coconut milk. Mix well, and continue cooking for 10 more minutes, until the peas are bright green and the mixture thickens slightly.
~ Mix in the chopped, fresh cilantro and serve hot with parathas, naan, or other Indian bread. (And don't forget the pickle!)

Butternut and Black Bean Enchiladas

Enchiladas of various types are unfailingly well-received around here, and this seasonal interpretation is no exception.  Comforting yet fresh, substantial without being stodgy, this casserole comes together relatively quickly, and is loaded with enough protein and veggies to be a complete meal on its own (although a green salad, fresh salsa, and/or some guacamole never come amiss).

Butternut and Black Bean Enchiladas
The Sauce
Ingredients
~ 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour
~ 1 cup mashed, cooked squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin
~ 2.5 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 1 large, roasted red bell pepper, chopped
~ 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
~ 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1 tsp. each: garlic powder, chili powder, adobo seasoning, marjoram

Directions
~ In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. Set aside.

The Filling
Ingredients
~ 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 tbsp. coconut oil
~ 1 medium yellow onion, diced
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1 small bell pepper, diced
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, oregano
~ 1/2 tsp. each: cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, white pepper, paprika
~ 1 15 oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
~ 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
~ Juice of 1 lime
~ 10 flour tortillas
~ 1/2 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
~ Arrange the cubed butternut squash on the baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and make sure the cubes are coated with the oil (I do this with my hands).
~ Roast the squash for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender but still intact. Remove from the oven and set aside.
~ While your squash is roasting, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet. Sauté the onions, garlic, and bell pepper for about 5-7 minutes, until softened.
~ Add the seasonings, cook for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Stir to combine, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
~ Add the drained black beans and continue cooking 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens.
~ Remove from heat, stir in the lime juice, and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Assembly
~ Coat a large casserole or baking dish with cooking spray, and ladle a cup or so of the sauce into the bottom. (I place the baking dish on top of a cookie sheet to catch any leaks.)
~ Place about 1/3 - 1/2 cup filling in the top third of each tortilla and roll up into a tube.
~ Place the filled tortillas snugly up against each other, seam side down, in your casserole until all of the filling is used up and the dish is full (this took 12 tortillas for my pan).
~ Reserve 1.5 cups of the sauce, and pour the rest over the whole business, making sure to let it ooze down into the filled tortillas, and smoothing the top. If possible, set the assembled casserole aside and allow it to sit for awhile before baking, so all the elements can get better acquainted.
~ Cover with foil, and bake at 375 degrees about 25 minutes, until bubbling.
~ Raise the heat to 400, remove the foil, pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, and sprinkle the top with the fresh cilantro.
~ Return to oven and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for another 15-20 minutes, until browned and lovely.
~ Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. 

Mushroom and Spinach Tart with Walnuts

This ridiculously delicious tart owes its creation to the popularity of the previous night's enchiladas (butternut squash and black beans: watch this space). Which is to say that the leftovers I'd counted on failed to materialize, necessitating a Whole New Dinner. A quick scan of available supplies revealed a plethora of mushrooms, a package of vegan cream cheese, and some frozen puff pastry I'd been meaning to use; the addition of caramelized onions, a bit of spinach, and a handful of walnuts resulted in what I can only describe (albeit immodestly) as a triumph of MacGyver cuisine. My only quibble was that I wished there were twice as much of the stuff; next time I'll remedy that problem by doubling the recipe.

Mushroom and Spinach Tart with Walnuts
Ingredients
~ 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
~ 1.5 lbs. mushrooms, sliced
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 large onion, sliced into thin crescents
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, tarragon
~ 1/2 tsp. white pepper
~ 1/4 cup white wine
~ 1/3 cup chopped, fresh sage
~ 1/2 lb. chopped frozen spinach
~ 1/4 cup each: flour, nutritional yeast
~ 8 oz. vegan cream cheese
~ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray.
~ Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and sauté the sliced mushrooms over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid and browned. Transfer to a plate.
~ In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until soft and golden.
~ Add the garlic, salt, tarragon, pepper, and cook another minute or so. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom.
~ Add the spinach and fresh sage and continue cooking just until the spinach wilts.
~ Stir in the flour, nutritional yeast, and cream cheese, and continue cooking about 5 minutes more, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the cooked mushrooms, remove from heat, and set the mixture aside to cool at least 10 minutes.
~ Arrange the thawed puff pastry sheets on the baking sheets; gently fold in the edges to make a rim and crimp slightly with your fingers.
~ Divide the vegetable mixture equally between the two sheets of puff pastry, smoothing with a spatula to get the filling right to the edges.
~ Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, and then sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly over the two tarts.
~ Continue baking another 10 minutes, until the crust around the edges is puffed and golden brown and the walnuts are giving off a toasty aroma.
~ Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Stuffed Shells Redux

Yes, it's more comfort food - that's why Mother Nature invented fall! (And thick, baggy sweaters.) Anyway, it doesn't get much more reassuring than a big pan of shells stuffed with cashew ricotta and baked under a blanket of red sauce.

Today's version is a new twist on an old theme, with mashed sweet potatoes and fresh arugula adding interesting sweet and sharp notes to the filling. I used jarred sauce because A. I got the idea to make this dish late in the day, and B. I was feeling a bit lazy. It turned out great, but if you'd like to use your favorite homemade version, I'm sure it would make this good thing even better.

Stuffed Shells Redux
Ingredients
~ 1 lb. extra large pasta shells
~ 5 cups marinara sauce, jarred or homemade
~ 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water at least an hour
~ 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 2 tbsp. olive oil
~ Juice of 1 lemon
~ 1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
~ 2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
~ 2 cups chopped, fresh arugula (or other leafy greens)
~ 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, oregano, basil, adobo seasoning (with pepper)
~ 1/2 tsp. white pepper
~ 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and coat a large casserole with cooking spray.
~ In a food processor, puree the soaked, drained cashews with the soy milk, olive oil, and lemon juice until smooth.
~ With the food processor running, gradually add the crumbled tofu, sweet potato, arugula, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, garlic, and seasonings. Puree to a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
~ Prepare and drain the shells according to package directions and set aside for a few minutes to cool.
~ Spread about a cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the greased casserole.
~ Carefully stuff the tofu/cashew mixture into the shells and arrange them in the casserole dish, open side up.
~ Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the reserved 2 tbsp. of nooch and a little extra oregano.
~ Cover tightly with foil, and bake in the center of the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
~ Remove the foil, raise the heat to 400, and cook another 15 minutes until slightly browned.
~ Allow to cool about 10-15 minutes before serving.