Vegan Red and Green Potato Leek Soup

 

 

 

This soup contains four vegetables from the "World's Healthiest Foods" list of the 127 healthiest foods (http://www.whfoods.com/).  Leeks, celery, onions and potatoes contain many micronutrients important for good health.  A few of these are vitamins K, C, A, B6 and folate, manganese, iron and potassium, as well as many others in small quantities.

 

Potato leek soup typically has some heavy cream and more potatoes than leeks and other vegetables.

We have made a lighter version with more lower calorie vegetables and fewer potatoes.  We have substituted SoDelcious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage for the cream.  It has just 45 calories per cup.

 

1 1/2 cups red onion, diced

3 cups leeks washed thoroughly and sliced

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup sweet red pepper, diced

4 cups red skinned potatoes, diced

8 cups water

2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup  SoDelcious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage

 

Coat a large stock pot with spray oil.  Add the onion, leeks, celery and pepper.  Saute over medium high heat until vegetables begin to brown. 

Add potatoes, water, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Mash the vegetables with a potato masher.

Stir in the coconut milk and heat through.

Remove from heat and enjoy!

 

Makes 12 cups with 66 calories per cup.

 

 

 

 

 

Harvest Salad Wrap- Lightened Up

 

My daughter and I went to a 'healthy fast food' restaurant yesterday and had a Harvest Salad Wrap.  This place would make any of their salads into a wrap.  I just had them leave out the goat cheese and add tofu to the lettuce, apples, beets, walnuts and cranberries.  While I was enjoying my wrap I was trying to think about what I could substitute for the dressing that would make it less wet and portable enough for lunch at work.   Today I found their nutrition information online.  I about fell over when I found that my healthy lunch contained 761 calories!  The salad alone, without the wrap, had over 500 calories.

So today I offer you the lighter, portable version of the Harvest Salad Wrap.  It is just as yummy as the high calorie version and I have shaved off 438 calories!

 

 

1 tortilla (I used La Tortilla Factory 100 calorie whole wheat tortilla)

2 tablespoons Tofutti Cream Cheese

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

several romaine lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

1/4 cup diced apple (I used Golden Delicious)

1/4 cup roasted beets (I used golden beets)

2 pieces Maple Bacon flavored tempeh (Turtle Island Foods, Inc)

 

Lay one tortilla on a piece of parchment paper (or foil or plastic wrap)

Mix the cream and mustard together and spread on the tortilla

Lay the lettuce leaves over the cream cheese mixture

Pile everything else on top and roll up like a burrito.  Wrap in the parchment if preparing for later.  Consume right away or refrigerate.

 

Serves one and has just 323 calories.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Peanut Sweet Potato Soup

 

 

 

This is the last recipe from my cooking therapy this weekend.  I call it cooking therapy because when I am creating in the kitchen I am happy.  Nothing else in the world matters and my worries just don't seem so significant. 

 

When I am done here I shall retire to the deck with a glass of Locatelli's Luna Piena (full moon).  It is 77% Merlot and 33% Petit Verdot.   This wine is grown, produced and bottled by the Locatelli Winery in San Miguel, California.  Locatelli has been making wine for generations.  Cesare Locatelli immigrated to America in 1889 and brought with him his family's rich heritage for wine making.

San Miguel is located just a few miles to the north of Paso Robles, California.  When you are in the area, stop by the Locatelli winery and taste their fine wines.  Mission San Miguel is close by as well and open to visitors year round.

 

 

On to the soup......

 

2 cups chopped sweet onion

1 1/2 cups chopped sweet red bell pepper

6 cups cubed sweet potatoes

3 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped

6 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (whole leaves are fine, they are too tiny to chop)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

black pepper to taste

1/2 cup Betty Lou's Just Great Stuff Organic Powdered Peanut Butter

 

Coat a large stock pot with spray oil.  Saute the onions and pepper until the onions are translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients except the peanut butter.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until the sweet potatoes are soft.

With a potato masher, break up some of the sweet potatoes.  Or if you want a creamy soup, run it all through a food processor.

Whisk in the peanut butter.  Bring back to a boil, turn off heat and serve.

 

Makes 11 cups.  95 calories per cup

 

To peel fresh tomatoes just drop into a pot of boiling water for one minute. Then immerse in cold water. The skins will slip right off.

 

Betty Lou's Just Great Stuff Powdered Peanut Butter- I used this decrease the calories.  This product has just 40 calories per 2 tablespoons.

http://bettylousinc.com/products_category.php?id=7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato Corn Relish

 

 

I was assailed by fresh corn and ripe tomatoes at my produce market again today.  I always buy more than I can eat and because they are ripe they need to be used right away.  This recipe for Tomato Corn Relish is reminiscent of one my grandmother made and it will keep up three weeks in the refrigerator.

Corn is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins C, B3, and B5, and manganese. 

Tomatoes contain vitamins C, A, K, E, B3, B6 and B1, and potassium, molybdenum, manganese, fiber, copper and folate.

To peel fresh tomatoes just drop into a pot of boiling water for one minute.  Then immerse in cold water.  The skins will slip right off.

2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob (about 5 ears)
2 cups chopped sweet onions
2 cups peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups chopped English cucumber (leave the peel on)- if you use regular cucumber, remove the seeds
1 1/4 cups green pepper chopped
1 cup evaporated cane juice
1 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1/ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
dash of cayenne pepper

Place all ingredients in a 5 quart pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and refrigerate.  Will keep for 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 quarts (32 servings).  Each 1/4 cup serving has 44 calories

Figs

 

Figs grow on the ficus tree ( a relative of the mulberry).  Figs have been around since biblical times.  Fresh figs are available June through September.  Dried figs are available all year.  In the United States, figs are grown in California, Texas, Utah, Oregon, and Washington.

When selecting fresh figs look for figs that are soft and yield to pressure but not mushy and have no breaks in the skin.  Figs must ripen on the tree.  Unripe figs will not ripen any further after picking.  Figs have a very brief shelf life.  Plan to use them with a day or two of purchase.

A medium sized fig has about 30 calories and is packed with fiber, potassium, manganese and vitamin B6. 

 

In the photo above the fresh California Mission figs are at the top and the dried Conadria figs are at the bottom.  The first recipe is for a tapenade featuring the dried figs and Kalamata olives.  The second recipe is a poached fig dish that could be the appetizer or the desert.  It is both sweet and savory.  It features California Mission figs and Duck Pond 2009 Pinot Noir.  Duck Pond is located in Dundee, Oregon and well worth a visit when you are in the area.

I selected this particular wine because is it a very good wine to drink and I wanted red.  I beleive that if you won't drink it, don't cook with it.
 

 

Conadria Fig and Kalamata Olive Tapenande

 

 

I have taken liberties in calling this a tapenade.  A traditional tapenade is a dish consisting of pureed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil.  Tapenandes originated in France.

 

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup chopped dried Conadria figs

2/3 cup Kalamata olives, drained

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon minced garlic

 

Simmer the orange juice and figs together until most of the liquid is absorbed 5-6 minutes.

Place in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times to chop.

Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.

 

Makes 1 1/2 cups.  26 calories per tablespoon.

 

I had this on a rye cracker with some Tofutti cream cheese.  It would be great on a sliced baguette or with raw vegetables as well.
 

 

Wine Poached Fresh Figs

 

 

 

1 750 milliliter bottle of pinot noir wine

1 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 pounds fresh figs, stems trimmed and cut in half.

 

Mix everything except the figs in a 4 quart pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 40 minutes.

Strain to remove the cloves and cinnamon.  Return to the pot and add the figs.  Stir gently and heat the figs for 5-6 minutes.  With a slotted spoon remove the figs to a bowl and refrigerate.

Return the pinot noir syrup to the heat and reduce to about one cup.  Refrigerate until cold.

Mix the figs and syrup and serve alone or with a  non-dairy ice cream (I used SoDelcious Coconut Milk 'ice cream')

Makes nine 1/2 cup servings at 180 calories each (without the ice cream)
If my body would allow me to consume dairy, this would make a nice first course with a soft cheese, perhaps a brie, crusty bread and a glass of Duck Pond Pinot Noir.
 

 

 

 

 

Vegan No Fat Low Calorie

Potato Corn Soup

 

 

 

So what do you with a a little left over corn, a half an onion, a mushroom and a few potatoes?  Potato corn chowder!  However, a traditional chowder has cream, so I will call this one a soup.  This a quick soup to make.  Pretty much done in the time it takes to cook the potatoes.

 

 Potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber.   Potatoes are also low calorie when compared to other favorite foods:

 

1 cup potato 116 calories

1 cup pasta 221 calories

1 cup brown rice 218 calories

 

 Comfort food can be good for you! 

 

1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion

3/4 cup chopped mushroom

4 cups cubed potatoes (skin on)

1 tablespoon Low Sodium Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base

6 cups water

1 cup non-dairy milk

4 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Coat a 4-5 quart pot with spray oil.  Add the onions and mushrooms and saute over medium high heat until caramelized

Add the water, potatoes and vegetable base.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are done.

Add the corn and break up some of the potatoes with a potato masher.

Mix the milk and cornstarch and slowly stir into to the soup.  Stirring constantly, bring back to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and enjoy.

 

Makes 10 cups.  83 calories per cup.

 

 

 

Pineapple

 

Pineapple is high in vitamin C, B6, B1, copper, manganese, folate and fiber.  And it is low in calories- just 82 per cup.

 

From The world's healthiest Foods:  "Pineapples are a composite of many flowers whose individual fruitlets fuse together around a central core. Each fruitlet can be identified by an "eye," the rough spiny marking on the pineapple's surface. Pineapples have a wide cylindrical shape, a scaly green, brown or yellow skin and a regal crown of spiny, blue-green leaves and fibrous yellow flesh. The area closer to the base of the fruit has more sugar content and therefore a sweeter taste and more tender texture."

 

I bought a lot of pineapple on sale in June and put it in my freezer.  I have found that if I defrost it in the microwave for a few minutes I can use it in recipes where I would use fresh pineapple.  Sorry folks, I just can't tolerate canned pineapple.  Fresh or frozen for me.

 

Pineapple is versatile and can be used in sweet or savory dishes.  I really like grilled pineapple with a scoop of SoDelicious vanilla frozen desert  (I call it ice cream, but a friend has reminded that it contains no cream and therefore is not ice cream.)

 

Today I made a fruit crisp with pineapple.  You can really substitute any fruit you like.

 

Pineapple Crisp

 

 

 

Filling:

2 cups chopped fresh or frozen pineapple

1 tablespoon evaporated cane juice

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

 

Topping:

1/2 cups regular oats

2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Earth Balance vegan margarine

about 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place 4  3" to 3.5" ramekins on a baking sheet and coat with spray oil.

 

Mix together the filling ingredients and divide among the ramekins.

 

Mix together the toppings ingredients with your hands, rubbing in the margarine until the mixture is crumbly.

Divide among the ramekins.

 

Bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbly and beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and cool for about 15-20 minutes.  Enjoy!

 

Makes 4 servings with 159 calories each

 

 

Tomato Corn Black Bean Salad

 

 

My local produce market had beautiful tomatoes and corn today that inspired this simple salad.  No fat, low-calorie, high fiber, fresh summer deliciousness

I recently learned a very easy way to cook fresh corn that produces great results every time. 

Boil the water first.  Add the corn.  Cover the pot and turn off the heat.  Turn on the timer for 20 minutes.  Drain and enjoy.

Many thanks to my friend, Chef Glenn for teaching me this.  He also has a food blog with some great recipes and tips  http://www.chefs-notebook.com/
 

1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion (I used a 1/2 of a large Vidalia)
1 1/4 cups sweet red pepper (about 1 medium)
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 cups cooked corn cut from the cob
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash of black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper (a few dashes for me)

Mix it all together and enjoy.
Makes 9 cups with 111 calories per cup.

 

Portobello Pineapple Tofu

 

 

 

This recipe is for Santa Maria Mark.  He loves pineapple and I have a a lot in my freezer I need to use up. 
This also takes advantage of summer's bounty. 
Thanks for the veggies Glenn!

This is a quick and easy recipe- start to finish was about 20 minutes.

 

1 1/2 cups sliced onion

1 medium red sweet pepper sliced

1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini

1 medium purple carrot sliced (or a just a regular orange carrot)

2 cups portobello mushrooms, gills and stem removed and cut into bite size pieces

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen pineapple

1 6 ounce package baked tofu (I used Wildwood Aloha flavor), cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup Trader Joe's Sweet Chili Sauce

 

Note: I remove the gills from the mushroom as they tend to turn everything dark.  Then you have what I call a 'candlelight dish'- a dish better served in dim light so you can't see how unattractive it is.

 

Spray a 12 inch skillet (or a wok) with spray oil.  Add the onion, pepper, zucchini, carrot and mushroom.  Saute for about 5 minutes over medium high heat.

 

Add the pineapple and tofu and saute until they are warm.

 

Add the chili sauce, heat through and enjoy!

 

This makes 2 large servings at 340 calories each.

 

Alternately, you could make this 3-4 servings and serve it over rice or couscous.

 

I like to add a little more chili sauce at the table

 

 

Vegan Cheeseburger Baked Potato

 

 

 

It doesn't get much better- cooking therapy that produces comfort food!

The last few recipes were labor intensive, so the next few will be quick and easy like this one.

 

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used the SoDelicious Coconut milk- the 45 calorie per cup variety)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

dash salt and pepper

1/2 cup Daiya cheddar cheese (good with the Daiya pepper jack also)

2/3 cup Yves Meatless Ground

2 medium baked potatoes- I used Yukon Gold and baked in the microwave (I was hungry!)

 

Mix the milk, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Stir constantly.  When it comes to a boil turn down to low and and simmer for another minute.

Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Add the meatless ground and simmer until heated through.

Pour half of the sauce over each baked potato and enjoy!

 

Makes 2 servings, 360 calories each.

 

Vegan Potato Gnocchi

 

 

I must be very special!  I made a big batch of potato gnocchi just for me.  I added some garden fresh veggies, opened a bottle Locatelli's Luna Piena (full moon) red wine and retired to the deck to catch the last sun of the day.

 

Locatelli Winery is located in San Miguel, California.  They are a family owned and operated winery.  The Luna Piena is 77% Merlot and 23% Petit Verdot.  If you are in the Paso Robles area just travel north a couple a miles and visit the Locatelli tasting room.  You won't be disappointed.

 

When visiting Italy in 2009, I learned to make Potato Gnocchi at In Tavola cooking school in Florence.  The recipe calls for "1-2 egg yolks (depending on moisture)".  I simply left out the egg yolks and these were just as good as when I made them prior to following a vegan diet.

 

I had my gnocchi with sauteed garden fresh zucchini (thanks, Glenn!) and fresh tomatoes and basil from my own garden.  I added some mushrooms and onion and it was perfection.

 

A word about gnocchi- they are little potato dumplings.  The gnocchi I had in Italy were doughy little bits of deliciousness.   American gnocchi are often fluffy and light.  If you are looking for American gnocchi don't make this recipe.  The perfect texture of gnocchi is  not too soft, not too chewy, almost creamy in texture.Gnocchi are labor intensive, so make these when you have some time.  I roll my on a fork (the traditional way) but I am considering one of those little wooden gnocchi boards to speed up the process.  Rolling the gnocchi on a fork or a gnocchi board adds small indentations to help hold the sauce.  If you are not having a sauce, you can skip this step if you wish.

If you make them for soup, make them half the size.  Gnocchi freeze well.  Just place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze.  Once frozen, place in a plastic bag or other freezer container.  To cook, take out the number you want and place directly into boiling water.  No need to thaw.

 

The Tools

You will need a potato ricer and nutmeg grater for this recipe.

A potato ricer is loaded with cooked potatoes, squeezed and lump free potatoes emerge.

 

 

 

A nutmeg grater is an essential tool for all home cooks.    Why buy the ground stuff in the jar when you can grate your own from a whole nutmeg in a matter of seconds?

My grater has a little nutmeg house at the top to store my nutmeg until I need it again.

 

 

Ingredients:

2.2 pounds russet potatoes, baked and cooled enough to handle (this is about 3 medium potatoes)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup semolina (durum wheat) flour

fresh ground nutmeg  (about 1/8 teaspoon)

pinch of salt and pepper

 

Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces.  Place in the ricer and rice into a large mixing bowl.  Continue until all of the potatoes have been riced.

Add the remaining ingredients.  Mix with your hands.  If needed add a little water a teaspoon at a time.  This will vary depending upon the moisture in  your potatoes.  You may not need any water.  When it comes together in a ball, move the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes or until no longer sticky and all of the flour is incorporated.  Don't over knead or the gnocchi witll be tough.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope about the width of your thumb.  Cut into 1" to 1 1/4" pieces.  Roll each piece across the tines of a fork or on a gnocchi board.

 

 

Place on a parchment covered baking sheet that has been floured lightly.  You will need two baking sheets.  Continue rolling until all of the dough is used.   

At this point you can choose to cook them all or freeze some.

These cook very quickly so have your sauce or veggies and everything else for your meal prepared prior to dropping these in the water.

Bring about 8 quarts of salted water to boil  (less if you are not cooking them all).  Drop in the gnocchi.  When they rise to the top, remove with a slotted spoon.  They are now ready for your sauce or veggies. 

The other thing you can do at this point is saute them them in some olive oil in until they develop a crunchy brown crust.  Very yummy!

 

Making 8 servings, 11-12 gnocchi per serving or about 1 cup.  Each serving has 182 calories (this is the gnocchi alone- add your calories for whatever else you add to them)

 

 September 20, 2012- the gnocchi rolling board