Category: Entree

by Veggie Sutra

Simple Vegetarian Quesadillas with Traditional Guacamole

Can you believe it has been six months since the lockdown? It feels like an eternity with the constant news cycle of mostly negative and sad news. Here in Northern California, the wildfires started earlier and raged stronger this year and are still burning through a record area. In addition to being in lockdown, we also could not go on our nature hikes due to the poor air quality. Taking it one day at a time and praying for those less fortunate – it’s all that one can do to keep one’s sanity.

Meanwhile on the personal front, Amma is back with us and finished her travel quarantine period. Her return is a huge relief to both of us. Things always get interesting in the kitchen when she is here, and this time more so, since both of us are home all day! Her repertoire is mostly South Indian cooking with some North Indian dishes thrown in for variety. I try to mix it up and she tolerates it like a good sport.

veggie quesadilla

I cannot say this vegetarian quesadilla with guacamole was necessarily one of her favorites but V and I really enjoyed it. This is a simple, easy to make recipe which comes together in no time with whatever veggies you have on hand. You can have it as a snack or even a full meal. I used onions, greens and red bell pepper. Feel free to use a combination shredded cabbage, mushrooms, corn, zucchini, squash, sweet potato and even black or pinto beans. Here is the basic recipe.

Recipe for Vegetarian Quesadilla with Traditional Guacamole

[Printable Recipe]

Makes 4 servings (2 tortillas per person)

Ingredients for the traditional guacamole (from La Vida Verde cookbook):

  • 2 large avocados
  • 1 firm ripe tomato, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 jalapeno or other spicy green pepper, minced fine (leave it out if you don’t like it spicy)
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • salt to taste

Ingredients for the quesadilla:

  • 8 medium tortillas of your choice (I used corn/wheat)
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cups of arugula (or any other greens of your choice)
  • 1 medium onion sliced thin
  • 1 medium red bell pepper sliced thin
  • 1 cup of grated cheese (Monterey jack works well or any other hard flavorful cheese which melts)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To make the guacamole:

  • Peel and scoop avocado in to a bowl
  • Add all the other ingredients and roughly mash together 

To make the quesadilla:

  • Make the filling:  In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, bell pepper for a few minutes.  Add salt to taste.  Add the greens, mix and allow it to wilt.  Set aside.
  • Heat a large skillet (cast iron preferably)
  • Place the tortilla on the hot skillet and cook until a little browned on both sides, flipping for around 2-3 mins
  • Lower the heat and sprinkle one half of the quesadilla with cheese until well covered.  You might use about a tablespoon for a large tortilla.  I went lighter with cheese.
  • Top with the vegetable filling using 2-3 tablespoons
  • Sprinkle with more cheese
  • With a spatula, folder the tortilla over to cover the filling and press down 
  • Increase the heat if needed and allow the cheese to melt and the quesadilla to brown a bit (a minute or so)
  • Flip carefully to brown the top side as well (a minute or so)
  • Remove and set aside and repeat with the next one

Serve the tortillas hot with guacamole or a salsa of your choice if you prefer.

Making a veggie quesadilla

Hope you enjoy this simple quesadilla. V and I are trying to remind ourselves every day to find joy in the simple things in life and appreciate every small blessing. Stay safe and stay sane everyone!

by Veggie Sutra

Vegetarian Taco Bar at Home

Not a day goes by when we are not thankful for our health and our jobs and even simple things we take for granted like the roof over our heads so that we can stay safe indoors. Our only worry at this time is not having my mom with us and not being entirely sure when she can travel to be with us. Still, there are people in more difficult situations for sure, and we are grateful we are each safe where we are.

These are indeed strange, unprecedented times that requires all of us to change our perspective and our expectations and be really creative. Who would have even though that we would be cut off from our fellow human beings, our day to day personal and professional interactions? Isn’t this the way humankind has lived since the beginning of society? Bartering our individual trades or goods for what we need in return. And now, we have to give our own haircuts?

How do we celebrate special occasions? We are so accustomed to dressing up and going out to a nice place for dinner, aren’t we?

V has always wanted to go to vegetarian taco bars in Los Angeles and even though we were there last year around the same time, we never got around to doing it. So, even though I wouldn’t dare try giving him a haircut, I am pretty sure I could attempt to recreate the taco bar experience at home for him!

The idea for the vegetarian tacos came from A Couple Cooks blog though I freely modified it for our tastes. So here goes the process of setting up a vegetarian taco bar on your dinner table at home!

Below you will find:

  • The composition of the two tacos (although feel free to play fast and loose with this)
  • The process and the prep work
  • The individual recipes
  • And the shopping list at the very end (since one cannot dash off to the grocery store at the last minute any more)

[Printable Sheet]

Serves 4 people with 2-3 tacos each with other sides for dinner. (I served this with a side of peas and potatoes samosas and peanut chaat.)

Vegetarian Taco 1:
Roasted Cauliflower (recipe below)
Refried Black Beans (recipe below)
Red Cabbage slaw – Slice red cabbage in to thin ribbons and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour
Chipotle Sauce (recipe below)
Toppings: Picked vegetables (recipe below), marinated red onions in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar, sliced avocado, sour cream (omit for vegan version), finely chopped cilantro

Vegetarian Taco 2:
Spiced Quinoa (recipe below)
Red bell pepper slaw – Slice 1 red bell pepper in to thin strips and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour
Romesco sauce (recipe below)
Same toppings as above

The Process:
Most everything can be made ahead before the day of the dinner, but you must start the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – otherwise they will be raw.

  • Make all the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – jalapenos, radish, carrots are standard
  • Make the sauces a few days ahead (recipes below)
  • Make the refried black beans and spiced quinoa a day or more ahead (recipes below)
  • Chop the cauliflower, red cabbage and red bell pepper a day or two ahead and save in the refrigerator
  • Roast the cauliflower before dinner (recipe below)
  • Marinate the red cabbage and red bell pepper in lemon juice and a pinch of salt an hour before the dinner. Marinate the red onions also at the same time in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar.
  • Slice the avocado close to dinner time to keep it firm and fresh.

The Tacos and the Assembly:
I counted for about 2-3 tacos per person. So for 4 people prepare about 12 tacos. If you have a gas burner, then use a pair of tongs and flip the tacos on a medium flame until the edges are slightly charred. This gives a great flavor to the tacos.
Set the table with all the ingredients and set out the cards with the taco composition. Let everyone have fun making their own tacos if they want.

The Recipes:

Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium cauliflower cut into large florets
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced fine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 400F
  • Toss cauliflower with rest of the ingredients
  • Bake for 20 mins or until cauliflower has browned a bit

Recipe for Refried Black Beans

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped fine
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
  • 2 cans of black beans – washed and drained
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lime/lemon juice and cilantro for garnish
  • Extra hot water before serving if needed

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a pan
  • Add the onion and cook until soft and browned, around 5 mins
  • Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of mins
  • Add the black beans and salt and pepper to taste
  • Heat through and then roughly mash the black beans with the back of a ladle and keep heating
  • Before serving, add lime/lemon juice to taste and garnish with cilantro. If it has become too thick, then add some hot water and mix again.

Recipe for Spiced Quinoa

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups vegetable broth or plain water
  • 2 Tbsp Extra-virgin Olive Oil or avocado oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp each of cumin powder and paprika
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Dry roast the quinoa in a pan until it is fragrant and starts to brown – about 5 minutes or less. Rinse in a fine mesh strainer under running water and set aside to drain
  • Bring the vegetable broth or water to a boil and add the drained quinoa
  • Bring to a boil again. Then turn the heat all the way down, cover with a lid and let it cook for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed
  • Close with a lid for another 5 minutes. Then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
  • Heat the oil in a pan
  • Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Then add the oregano and saute for a minute until fragrant
  • Now add the cooked quinoa, cumin powder, paprika and salt
  • Saute on medium heat until the quinoa is heated through and no water is left

Recipe for Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp Tahini
  • 2 Tbsp any hot sauce
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/8th tsp salt
  • 1 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

Method:

  • Whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Adjust salt if needed.

Recipe for Romesco Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium red bell pepper
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 1/4th cup almonds
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Lemon juice to taste
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • First roast the bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic:
    • Preheat oven to 400F
    • Wrap the garlic cloves tightly in a aluminum foil pocket
    • Brush the bell pepper and tomato with a little olive oil
    • Place the garlic, bell pepper and tomato on a cookie sheet
    • Set the cook time for 20 minutes and set another timer for 10 minutes
    • Remove the tomato and garlic after 10 minutes and set aside to cool
    • Remove the bell pepper after 20 minutes, put it in a paper bag and seal or put it in a container and close with a lid to steam
    • When it is cool (30 mins or so), the peel will come off easily
    • Peel the bell pepper and tomato
  • In a food processor, process the roasted bell pepper, tomato and garlic with the remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy

Recipe for Pickled Vegetables

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium carrots (around 0.5 lbs)
  • 1 medium daikon radish (around 0.5 lbs)
  • around 10 medium jalapenos
  • 2 cups water (slightly warm to dissolve the salt and sugar)
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1.5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp salt

Method:

  • Slice the carrots, radish and jalapenos in to thin rounds
  • Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and pour over the vegetables
  • Close tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days

Enjoy your tacos and have fun with it!!

Here’s your shopping list for the taco bar dinner:

  • 2 packs of your favorite tortillas
  • Vegetables: 1 medium cauliflower, 2 large red bell pepper, 1 large tomato, 1 head of red cabbage, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium daikon radish, 10 jalapenos, 2 large avocado, 1 bunch cilantro
  • Staples: yellow onion, red onion, garlic, cilantro, 2 large lemons for juice
  • Pantry staples: Olive oil or Avocado oil, salt, black pepper
  • Spices: Dried oregano, dried cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper
  • 2 cans of black beans
  • 1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • A small bag of quinoa
  • A small bag of raw almonds
  • A tub of Sour cream if using

by Veggie Sutra

Chinese-style Mushroom Tofu Stir Fry

A rare occurrence happening so quickly in succession!  More Chinese cooking by V this weekend after the excellent Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry he made couple of weeks back.  And this time I made sure I set up my camera tripod properly and took my time to get properly focused photos.  It helped that the winds were not as bad this time.   Judge for yourselves, here you go:

 

 

The pictures turned out well, but the dish turned out even better!   V just nails Chinese cooking, and as I have mentioned before it is because he does not overcook the vegetables.   Also our wok makes Chinese cooking a breeze (you cannot not use a wok with acidic ingredients like vinegar and tomatoes, though)!

However, our favorite Chinese food is something that we don’t have to slave over.  Veggie Garden in the South Bay is our go-to Chinese Vegetarian place from where we regularly do takeaway.  V always gets the Kung Pao Tofu and I always get the broccoli in garlic sauce, with some brown rice on the side.  The owner knows our order so well now, that she always throws in the extra peanuts for V, even before he asks for it.  She knows that V likes it extra spicy and that I like it very basic. And of course we share with each other.  If that isn’t comfort food, what is?  Everyone needs a go-to takeaway place!

 

 

V says the trifecta of Chinese cooking is the three Gs – green onions, garlic, and ginger.  I do not fully agree with that, because sometimes you just need one of these 3 ingredients to shine. But when he used the trifecta in today’s dish, it certainly was delectable.

Recipe for Mushroom Tofu Stir Fry

Inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit

Serves 4 as a main dish with rice

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1 tub (~14 oz) extra firm organic tofu
  • About 1 lb mushrooms (button, shiitake, woodear, oyster), washed and chopped in to bite sized pieces
  • 6 stalks of green onions (scallions), washed, root trimmed and discarded, then white and green parts separately cut in to 1 inch pieces
  • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • 6 cloves ginger, peeled and minced
  • Vegetable oil for pan frying
  • 4 Tbsp corn starch
  • For the sauce:
    • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
    • 3 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
    • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Squeeze extra water out of the tofu:  Place the tofu on a plate.  Place another plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy for 30 mins to an hour until the water is squeezed out.
  • While the tofu is being pressed, make the sauce: Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce and keep aside
  • Remove the tofu that has been squeezed of water and cut it in to bite-sized cubes.  Dredge the cubed tofu in about 4 Tbsp of corn starch and a pinch of salt.
  • Heat a pan and add some vegetable oil.   Pan fry the tofu until browned on all sides.  Remove and set aside on a plate
  • Heat some more oil in the pan and add the white part of the green onions (scallions) and garlic and stir until fragrant on medium heat
  • Add the chopped mushrooms and ginger and stir until the mushrooms are cooked, about 10-15 mins on medium heat
  • Add the sauce, stir and then add green part of the green onions and switch off the heat
  • Remove in to a serving platter and serve with white rice

With the chewy mushrooms and crispy tofu and the freshness of the green onions, this dish was certainly a hit!

by Veggie Sutra

Chinese-style Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry with Sesame Seeds

Every once in a while, V enters the kitchen to make his sought-after (by me!) Chinese stir fry.  He does such a good job of it, that I generally do not attempt to make this dish.   Today was no exception, he made an amazing stir fry with crispy tofu and broccoli.

But I messed up the photos!  It has been a very warm and sunny winter with nary a cloud or a drop of rain and so I have not had any issues taking photos in the backyard.  However today turned out to be a cold and windy day, my favorite chopsticks and napkin kept flying off and I lost patience and took really out-of-focus pictures.  I feel very bad about that.  One of the pics even has the chopsticks mixed up which I guess is okay and maybe a fun thing to do once in a while!

Speaking of chopsticks, V and I love collecting different kinds of chopsticks from China, Korea, Japan and other places.  The Korean ones are the most sustainable as they are stainless steel, and come paired with a long spoon.  However V is  not a big fan of using the flattish stainless steel chopsticks, while I actually like it.  I also like the Japanese ones, pictured here, as they are lacquered and have very pretty designs.

 

 

Recipe for Chinese-style Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry with Sesame Seeds

[Printable Recipe]

Serves 4 as a main dish with white rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 tub (~14oz) extra-firm organic tofu
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 4 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 small onion, cut length-wise
  • 4 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 lb broccoli florets cut in to bite-sized pieces
  • For the sauce:
    • 1/4th cup organic tamari or soy sauce
    • 4 Tbsp water
    • 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
    • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 Tbsp grated ginger
    • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced fine
    • 2 Tbsp corn starch
  • Vegetable oil for pan frying
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Squeeze extra water out of the tofu:  Place the tofu on a plate.  Place another plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy for 30 mins to an hour until the water is squeezed out.
  • While the tofu is being pressed, make the sauce: Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce and keep aside
  • Heat a wok or pan and dry toast the sesame seeds until golden brown on medium to low heat, taking care not to burn it.   Remove and set aside
  • Coat the pan with a little oil and roast the cashews until golden.  Remove and set aside
  • Remove the tofu that has been squeezed of water and cut it in to bite-sized cubes.  Dredge the cubed tofu in about 4 Tbsp of corn starch and a pinch of salt.
  • Add a little more oil to the pan and on low to medium heat, pan fry the tofu until golden brown on all sides.  Remove and set aside
  • Add the broccoli to the pan and stir on medium heat until the broccoli is bright green for about 10-15 mins
  • Add the sauce to the pan and when it starts bubbling, add the onion, tofu, sesame seeds and cashew nuts and switch off the heat and remove to a serving dish
  • Serve warm with white rice

 

 

I have never made tofu the way V made it today by dredging it in corn starch, but it turned out really crispy.  The broccoli was fresh and crunchy and flavorful, and the cashew added a bit of sweetness to the dish.   All in all, a perfect comfort meal for a lazy Sunday lunch!   We didn’t even have any leftovers for me to attempt another photo session!

by Veggie Sutra

Warm Meditteranean-style Kabocha Squash Salad

When I first moved to California, I was so taken in by all the beautiful stone fruit that ripen in summer.  Peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums!   Oh what a bounty of drupes!   I couldn’t stop making jams and tarts and pies, especially when friends and neighbors freely shared their crop.  But that feeling jaded after a couple of summers and I discovered the exotic beauty of fall fruit like figs, persimmons and pomegranates.

 

 

Aren’t pomegranates the sexiest of all fruit?  Our little tree pomegranate tree had a healthy crop this year.  So, being the nice neighbors that we are, we offered some to our next door neighbors.  No, they said.  “We really don’t care for pomegranate”!   What???!!   That completely floored me.  How could someone not like the sweet, tart taste of this juicy, sexy glam fruit that appears in ancient myths and legends?

I finally figured it out!  They either didn’t know how to, or didn’t want to take the effort to peel the pomegranate to extract the seeds.  I must admit I find it a bit cumbersome myself.

Once my uncle cut open a pomegranate and said like a magician, “Now watch”. He then proceeded to whack the pomegranate over a bowl with a flat ladle.  Pretty soon he had gently extracted all the seeds in to the bowl.  I tried that technique myself and ended up with a pink shirt, a pink counter top and pink walls, like a carnage had just occurred at the scene.

So yeah, now I do it manually, one layer at a time.   It is worth it!

 

 

I saved some of the fruit from our fall crop in the refrigerator and fortunately it has kept well.  I love using pomegranate in salads like this Quinoa Salad.  Today, I used it in a Mediterranean-style Kabocha Squash Salad.

I call it Mediterranean style because of the ingredients and spices I used that came together very well.  I would have loved to use more herbs but this late in to winter, most of the herbs in my garden were gone.  I only managed to find a few sprigs of mint.    Feel free to generously use mint, parsley and other herbs you have on hand.

Here is the recipe.

Mediterranean-Style Kabocha Squash Salad with Chick Peas and Pomegranate

[Printable Recipe]

Serves 4 as a meal

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans (or use 1 15oz can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 medium kabocha squash, washed
  • Seeds extracted from 1 medium pomegranate
  • 1/2 cup + 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium lemon, squeezed, yielding about 6 Tbsp juice
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced fine
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp sumac
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Roasted walnuts and any herbs like mint for garnish

Method:

Prepare the Chickpeas (Skip this step if you are using canned chickpeas):

  • Soak the chickpeas in lukewarm water overnight or up to 2 days, changing water once or twice.  The chickpeas will double in size, so leave enough room and add enough water for soaking
  • Drain the soaked chickpeas
  • Boil 4-5 cups of water in a large saucepan, add the soaked chickpeas, and bring to a boil again.  Then lower the heat all the way down, add a pinch of salt if you like, then cover with a lid and cook for 60-90 mins until the chickpeas are soft.
  • Pro-tip:  Cooking the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker makes the process a lot faster.  I also hear from friends that the Instant Pot is awesome for this.
  • Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain any excess water and spread it out on a kitchen towel so it can dry a bit

Roast the Kabocha Squash:

  • Preheat over to 425F
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil
  • Wash and scrub the kabocha squash.  You do not need to peel it.
  • With a steady hand, using a good chef knife, cut it in to halves and remove the seeds. Then cut it in to wedges and finally in to bite-sized pieces.
  • In a bowl, toss the kabocha squash with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, salt and black pepper
  • Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake for around 20 mins until the squash is soft, and remove from oven

Roast the chickpeas:

  • Reduce the oven heat to 350F
  • Line another baking sheet with aluminum foil
  • In a bowl, toss the chickpeas with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, cumin powder and sumac.  Also add salt if the chickpeas were not cooked with salt.
  • Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 10 mins
  • If you need to roast the walnuts, do it at the same time.  Spread the walnuts on another baking sheet, and roast at 350F for 10 mins on the top rack of the oven taking care to not let it burn as walnuts burn easily.

Prepare the dressing:

  • Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 6 Tbsp lemon juice, pinch salt and crushed garlic

Prepare the salad:

  • Toss the kabocha squash, chickpeas, pomegranate seeds with as much dressing as you want per taste.  Garnish with toasted walnuts and mint leaves and serve.

 

 

This is a very satisfying salad for a meal but can also be served as a side.  It is also a very pretty dish to serve at parties.

by Veggie Sutra

Stuffed Pita Sandwiches with Sauerkraut

Sunday has been an absolute scorcher here in Northern California!  After a rather gentle spring with a gradual and smooth increase in temps, we are back to the yo-yo weather that tormented us last year. What is one to do but hunker down indoors with windows and doors closed and blinds drawn, trying to keep as cool and still as possible.  To this end, I kept lunch a simple affair with minimal need for heat.

 

 

Back in March when the weather was a lot cooler, and we were in the throes of beginning the Veggie Sutra series on Brassicas, I turned to the humble cabbage for a warming, and hearty sauerkraut soup. Surely, cabbage, the most iconic of brassicas, is worth featuring more than once in our Brassicas series.

So here goes:  The recipe today also uses cabbage in the form of sauerkraut.   Before our current obsession with brassicas, we did a whole series on fermentation, and as part of that I had posted a fool-proof recipe for making sauerkraut.   But if you still find it daunting to make sauerkraut, you can find home-made sauerkraut in farmers markets and health food stores.  Sauerkraut has become a staple at our place and just to complete the picture, apart from eating them by the spoonfuls and using them in soups and sandwiches, we also make yummy salads with sauerkraut, like this Steamed Broccoli Salad with Sauerkraut.

 

 

As an aside, people who follow the blog regularly know my fancy for using fresh herbs from the garden in spring and summer.  Today’s sandwich uses a spread made with fresh basil from the garden.  But if you don’t want to make the spread, you could also simply stuff the sandwich with a handful of herbs – basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, or whatever you have growing in the pot.

 

Recipe for Stuffed Pita Sandwiches with Sauerkraut

[Printable Recipe]

Serves 2 people with 2 half pockets each

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole wheat pita bread cut in to halves
  • Sun-dried tomato with Fresh Basil Spread (recipe below) (Alternately use your favorite store bought spread)
  • 2 store-bought veggie burgers like Trader Joes Quinoa Veggie Burgers, cooked as per package instructions
  • About 4 Tbsp Shredded pepper jack cheese (optional)
  • About 8 Tbsp sauerkraut (recipe here)
  • 2 handfuls of spinach, arugula or any summer greens
  • For the Sun-dried tomato with Fresh Basil Spread:
    • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil with a fair amount of the oil
    • 1/4 cup soft cheese
    • A big handful of fresh basil leaves, washed
    • More olive oil if needed

Method:

  • Make the Sun-dried tomato with Fresh Basil spread:  In a food processor, process all the ingredients until smooth, adding oil as needed. Scrape and store in an airtight container. Alternately use a store bought spread like hummus (for a vegan sandwich) or a cheese spread or pesto.
  • Assemble the sandwich
    • Open up the pita pocket half and spread generously with the spread that you are using
    • Cut the cooked burger in half and stuff half in to each pita pocket
    • Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of shredded cheese (omit for a vegan sandwich)
    • (Optional) Pop the sandwich in to a toaster oven for a few minutes now for the cheese to melt and to warm up the pita bread.  If it is a warm day, you may skip this step.
    • Fill with about 2 Tbsp of sauerkraut and some of the greens
    • Serve with an ice-cold drink

 

 

You can get pretty creative with sauerkraut sandwiches and include any fresh summer vegetables you may have on hand like sliced cucumbers, avocado, radishes, and/or a variety of herbs.  We were pretty satisfied with this simple sandwich plus some ice-cold sparkling water with lemon and salt.

by Veggie Sutra

Kale Tacos

Life is about the small, little decisions we make at every minute, every day, isn’t it?  That Sunday, late in the day, when V and I decided to go hiking after finishing all our weekend errands, we did not realize that darkness would fall upon us so soon.  After all, it had been a sunny, beautiful weekend after a very stormy week. Accidents happen, but I am glad it wasn’t bad. It bothers me a bit that I cannot walk, run or hike and am looking forward to getting back to it soon.

 

 

On the positive side, I have time in the evenings now to organize my music, try new recipes, or just chill with my legs up on the couch!   I have also picked up a new passion in the kitchen.   Brassicas!    V got this informative book of the same name for our recipe book collection and it is a keeper.   Almost all the recipes are vegetarian (and mostly vegan) and most of them are simple and delicious.

Brassicas, commonly known as cruciferous vegetables, or more commonly known as vegetables related to cabbage, include cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, and some interesting ones I did not know were part of the family, like radish, watercress, and arugula.

Because I am so engrossed in the book, I will posting brassica recipes for the next few weeks, some adapted from the book and some original.   Today’s brassica is curly kale.  It is in season now in mid-winter and is as fresh and bright as can be.

 

 

Recipe for Kale Tacos with Sweet Potato

[Printable Recipe]

Adapted from Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables: Kale, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and More

Serves 3 people with around 3 tacos each

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 medium red or white potatoes
  • 1 medium bunch kale
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp black or white pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Salt to taste
  • Store-bought taco shells

Method:

  • Wash and scrub the skin of the sweet potatoes and potatoes. Peel (optionally) and cube them
  • Wash the kale thoroughly. Then remove the center stem and shred the kale leaves roughly with a chef knife
  • Smash, peel and mince the garlic
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the sweet potatoes and potatoes.  Saute until they are cooked on medium heat with a lid, stirring every now and then.  It should take about 10 mins
  • Add the garlic and stir
  • Stir in the kale a little at a time.  Sprinkle some water, close with a lid when all the kale has been added and cook on low heat for about 5 mins
  • Open the lid and add the cumin powder, pepper, turmeric and salt to taste and stir well
  • Warm the taco shells in the oven, fill with kale sweet potato filling and serve

A simple, filling, and delicious lunch.  V called it “classy”.  That must have been the store bought tacos!!   I added the turmeric because I need its anti-inflammatory powers after my injury.  I always end up adding turmeric when I am cooking vegetables, as do most Indian cooks.

 

 

How lucky that kale grows right here in Northern California.  This has been a very wet winter, as if the rain god suddenly realized she has been ignoring us all these many years and wanted to wipe the drought of 5 years in just one year!  Despite all the damage across the state, it is a good thing for our farming communities.  Here’s hoping for more years with rain, not quite this much!

by Veggie Sutra

Roasted Cauliflower Slabs on a Bed of Cauliflower Puree with Truffle Oil

Welcome to 2017!  Yeah, it did feel like most of us got sucker-punched in the stomach towards the end of last year and it has taken a bit of time to recover from all that.   Well, we must put that behind us and soldier on, right?

So, in other news, V and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy towards the end of last year.  Rome and Florence are huge open-air museums, aren’t they?   While it tickled me to bits that I was walking on the same cobblestone pathways in Florence that Michelangelo and Da Vinci once stomped, V got quite a kick out of grand old Rome, being the history buff that he is.

And of course, the food (and drink) had quite a big role to play in rectifying our sour mood from 2016.   How could it not?  This is Italy we are talking about!  Food and wine are everything.  And then there is coffee – which is above everything!

 

 

 

Now, let me just say with all humility that it is not easy to impress a palate accustomed to the eclectic, fresh cuisine of California.  Also, the Mediterranean climate in CA yields approximately the same type of produce as the Tuscany region in Italy.   But food in Italy did reveal some secrets.

  • Ingredients in dishes are typically very few, but as fresh and seasonal as can be. Basic ingredients like olive oil and black pepper are good quality and fragrant.  Artichokes were in season when we were in Florence and the little purple beauties were different from the variety from coastal California.
  • Truffles are ugly little things with amazing flavor. Also, they are hugely pricey but totally worth it.  In fact, I have never seen V lap up a plate a pasta like he gobbled the truffle pasta in Florence.  The white truffle used for the sauce and shavings came from San Miniato in Tuscany, although different kinds of truffles grow all over Italy.
  • V and I are not in to wine, but gosh, we died for the espressos and macchiatos. You pay less than a buck to get a shot at a “bar”, you gulp it down standing at the bar (perhaps with a cantuccini to dunk) and go on your merry way.  You do not dawdle and nurse that cup until the cows come home as we do here in the States.  (Yep! Bars serve shots of coffee in Italy and cafes serve food and wine!)
  • However, you do dawdle and take your time at a meal. In fact, the check never came to our tables in restaurants until we asked for it.  We found small restaurants off the main tourist streets to grab quick, light and cheap meals.
  • And on a sweet note, the gelato, like the coffee, is to die for. In fact, my motto during our visit was not to let a day go by without a shot of espresso and a scoop of gelato!
  • And finally, we did not have any problems traveling as vegetarians.  The restaurants were willing to customize anything on their menu to accommodate us!

 

 

Back to 2017.  The year is off to a good start, weather-wise in California, yielding its fair share of winter rains and snow in the Sierras.   It has been cold unlike the past few winters which were rather temperate.   The ideal weather to turn on the oven!  So, armed with the bottle of truffle oil that we got from Florence, I switched on the oven!

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower Slabs on a Bed of Cauliflower Puree with Truffle Oil

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1 head medium to large cauliflower, thoroughly rinsed under hot running water
  • 2 medium white potatoes, washed and scrubbed
  • 1½ to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ to 2 Tbsp Truffle oil
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 375F
  • Pull the extra leaves at the base of the cauliflower, and clean up the end by slicing off a sliver, while leaving it whole. Cut the cauliflower in to slabs, including the stem, starting from the center.  You will probably get 3-4 slabs, depending on the size of the cauliflower before it starts falling apart.   Cut the rest of the cauliflower in to small florets
  • Toss the cauliflower florets with 1½ to 2 Tbsp olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper
  • Layer it on one cookie sheet and put it in the oven
  • On another cookie sheet, place the cauliflower slabs. Brush both sides well with the truffle oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and put it in the oven.  Throw the garlic cloves as well, skin and all, on this sheet
  • Bake for 25 to 30 mins, turning over the slabs once in the middle
  • Bring ¼ cup water to a boil in a saucepan.
  • Cut the potatoes into small pieces, throw them in the boiling water and cook on low heat with a lid until the potatoes are done
  • Remove the roasted cauliflower florets from the oven. Remove the garlic cloves and peel.
  • In a blender, puree the potato, cauliflower and garlic with a little water if needed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
  • Spoon some of the cauliflower puree on a plate. Dot with a few drops of truffle oil.  Place one of the cauliflower slabs on top and serve.

 

 

A simple and elegant dish inspired by the minimalist ingredient concept we encountered on our trip to Italy!   The idea behind keeping the recipe simple, especially devoid of too many aromatics, is to make sure that the dish is all about the wonderful fragrance of the truffle oil!

I am glad 2016 is behind us.   I went back and reviewed some of the eating rules I had jotted down at the beginning of last year.  Those still look great for this year!

by Veggie Sutra

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

Oh, what a perfect fall day walking around out midtown Sacramento enjoying the beautiful Victorians this past weekend.  We had lunch at a new vegetarian restaurant called Veg in midtown and also visited the newly renovated Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.   The co-op has been around for ever – even before Whole Foods came to Sacramento and fosters a real sense of community.   It made me really nostalgic to go there.  This is the place where I first learnt about the real implications of organic and locally sourced foods, how to make natural cleaners using stuff like vinegar, to eschew plastic bags and carry my own bags, and everything important in life!

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We got lucky with the weather in Sacramento, but this fall in California has been weird – the weather’s been alternating between too hot and too cold with intermittent showers in between to mix it up.  The effects of the drought seems to be lingering and as I have done for the last 4 years, I hope fervently for a wet winter.  On the bright side, fall produce like squashes have started appearing in the markets.  (In fact, at Veg in Sacramento, I had a yummy curry with sweet potato and kabocha squash in coconut milk.)  Fall fruits like figs and persimmons and pomegranates are also here.   Last time around, I made a vegan banana bread topped with fresh figs.  This weekend I made a really bright salad with pomegranate seeds.

Aren’t pomegranates just about the most exotic and sexy of fruits?   No wonder in many ancient cultures they were seen as a symbol of fertility.   Pomegranates grow rather well in California due to the Mediterranean climate with dry summers and winter rainfall.  Apparently they were brought here by Spanish settlers originally, but the young tree in our backyard was brought to us by a friend who is an expert at propagating fruit trees.  He considers all the baby trees his own babies and so it was a relief to him (and us) that our tree has survived and thrived, and had its first produce this year.  We were quite pleased with the deep red sweet seeds and look forward to many years of fruitful growth.

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Here’s the super simple, yet delicious recipe for a quinoa salad with pomegranate seeds and parsley.

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Parsley

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 1/4 cup uncooked)
  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
  • 1 large bunch parsley, washed and chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
  • 1/2 cup lightly roasted walnut pieces for garnish
    For dressing:
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (1 medium orange)
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Method:
  • Toss all the salad ingredients except walnuts together
  • To make dressing, place all the ingredients in a bottle, close the lid and shake until emulsified
  • Drizzle dressing over salad and toss lightly
  • Before serving, garnish with walnuts and serve

This was the perfect fall meal sitting outside in warm sunshine, trying not to think about having to put away our patio furniture for the winter just yet!

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