Vegan Chicken-less Noodle Soup

 

 

This is a really hearty 'chicken' noodle soup that is ready in about 35 minutes.  Meat alternative products generally contain 'vital wheat'.  This is the product that gives it the meat-like texture.

2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
2 cups sliced carrots
2 1/2 cups chopped baby bok choy (about 3 small heads)
1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
8 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/3 cups cubed vegan chicken alternative (I used one package of Gardein Chick'n Filets)
4 ounces egg-less pasta (shape of your choice)

Coat a large stock pot with spray olive oil.  Saute the vegetables over medium high heat until onions begin to  brown.
Add the vegetable broth, parsley, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the 'chicken' and noodles and cook another 15 minutes.

Makes 10 cups at 112 calories per cup.

 

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

 

 

 

I like to take advantage of in season vegetables.  Right now there are many great root vegetables at my local produce market.  I usually roast root vegetables and have the leftovers cold the next day for lunch.  I typically include red peppers fro color and mushrooms for low calorie volume.  Today I roasted only root vegetables and made them into a yummy salad.

The key to roasting vegetables is to cut them all about the same size, roast them in a hot oven and set the timer.

 

 

2 cups unpeeled, sliced carrots

1 cup peeled and sliced parsnips

2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato

1 cup unpeeled sliced potatoes (I used yellow, red and purple baby potatoes)

2 cups peeled and sliced beets (I used chioggia)

Olive oil spray (I use Trader Joe's)

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Coat a large roasting pan with spray olive oil.

Add the vegetables to the prepared pan.  Spray the vegetable with spray olive oil.

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.  Stir and roast another 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool.  Or if you want plain roasted vegetables, they are ready to eat at this point.

 

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon dry dill

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup  sliced green onion

 

With a whisk, mix the sour cream, milk, dill, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Add the green onion and cooled roasted vegetables.  Toss gently and refrigerated 1-2 hours before serving.

Makes four 1 cup servings at 190 calories per serving.

 

 

 

 

Vegan Butternut Squash Ravioli

1 recipe fresh pasta (below)

3 1/2 cups cubed (1 inch chunks) butternut squash

1 cup SoySation Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Black pepper to taste

 

Place the squash in a microwave safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Cook on high in the microwave oven for 10-15 minutes or until the squash is soft.  Cool and drain off any accumulated liquid.

Place the cooled squash and remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Using a floured hand crank pasta roller, roll 1/4 of the dough first on #7, then on #5 and finally on #3.

Form with a ravioli maker, using one teaspoon of the filling for each 2 inch ravioli.  Alternatively, the pasta may be cut into 2 inch squares.  Place a teaspoon of the filling on the center of the square, fold over the filling and press the edges together.

Bring a large 6-8 quart pot of water to boil.  Add a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the ravioli and stir gently to prevent them from sticking together.

Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, or until the pasta is a la dente.

Remove with a slotted spoon and add olive oil or your favorite sauce.

My 'sauce' was olive oil, toasted walnuts and fresh sage.

Makes 48 ravioli at 37 calories per ravioli.  A serving size is about six 2 inch ravioli (222 calories)

 

Filled ravioli can be placed in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and frozen.  Once frozen, place in a plastic container or plastic bag.

Frozen ravioli don't need to be thawed prior to cooking.  They will require a few extra minutes of cooking time.

Fresh Pasta

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina flour (we used Bob’s Red Mill)

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup of water

Mix the flours and salt together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and with your hands mix in the water. Add a tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture comes together into a stiff dough.

Move the dough to a lightly floured board or counter. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until elastic and slightly sticky.

Place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 20 minutes. Or wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest up to two hours.

Roll the dough out (I use a hand crank pasta roller.) Cut into the desired shape. Place in a large pot of gently boiling water to cook. Thin pasta will take 1-3 minutes. Thicker or filled pasta can take 5-15 minutes.

This makes one pound of pasta. The total calorie count is 1282. If you make spaghetti or fettuccine with all of it, it should serve 6 at 213 calories per serving.

Any unrolled dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3 days. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to roll it. The shaped pasta can be frozen for later use.

Asparagus- The Dettwiler Method

 

 

Asparagus contains a unique variety of nutrients.  It is an important source of the digestive support nutrient, inulin. It contains anti-inflammatory saponins include asparanin A, sarsasapogenin, protodioscin, and diosgenin.  Asparagus has flavanoids such as quercetin, rutin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin.  Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, vitamins B1, C, and A and copper. Asparagus is a very good source of vitamin B2, and B3 as well as phosphorus; potassium, vitamin B6 and dietary fiber; vitamin E and manganese; and protein.

My friend, Chef Glenn, taught how to cook perfect asparagus every time.  It is easy, quick and foolproof.

Wash the asparagus and break off the cut ends.  To remove the ends, it is better to break than cut.  When you cut, you are likely to leave some fibrous material that is difficult to chew.  To break the ends of the asparagus, hold the cut end in one hand, grasp the middle of the stalk and bend until it breaks.  Toss the cut end (or use in a vegetable stock)

• Fill a 5-6 quart pot with water and about a teaspoon of salt
• Bring to a boil
• Place about one pound of cleaned asparagus into the boiling water
• Place a tight fitting lid on the pot
• Turn off the heat
• Set a timer for 5 minutes (6 if you have a more than a pound)
• Pour off the the water
• Fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking
• Remove immediately from the cold water and serve (it will still be warm but the cooking will have stopped.)

Perfect every time!  Asparagus has just 40 calories per cup.
Leftover asparagus is great on a salad.

Peas and Carrots Soup

 

 

 

I like a lot of carrots in split pea soup and consider them the co-star of this hearty tummy warmer.  I love all kinds of soup and make large batches and freeze.  When I pack my lunch each day, I just stop by my freezer on my way out and have my own healthier version of the frozen lunch out of a box.

 

Dried peas are an excellent source of molybdenum. They are also a very good source of dietary fiber and a good source of protein, manganese, folate, vitamin B1, potassium and phosphorus.

 

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A. They are also a very good source of immune-supportive vitamin C; bone-building vitamin K; and heart-healthy dietary fiber and potassium. They are a good source of heart-healthy vitamin B6, niacin, folate, and vitamin E; enzyme-supporting manganese and molybdenum; and energy-supportive vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus.

 

2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups diced celery

2 1/2 cups diced carrots

3 1/2 cups dried split green peas, rinsed in cold water

12 cups water

2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Coat an 8 quart stock pot with spray oil.

Saute the vegetables over medium high heat until onions are soft.

Add the peas, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 45-60 minutes or until peas are soft.  Stir frequently while simmering.

Remove from heat an enjoy!  I like to stir in a little non-dairy sour cream.

Makes 13 cups with 153 calories per cup.

 

 

 

Vegan Apple Cranberry Quick Bread

No Sugar, No Fat

 

 

 

This recipe started out as my grandmother's Raw Apple Cake.  I always loved this cake, but it has eggs and butter.  I also had a package of granulated xylitol in my pantry that I wanted to try.

Xylitol is a low glycemic sweetener that is made from corn husks, oats, berries, mushrooms and birch trees.  It has a glycemic index of 7 and 40% fewer calories than sugar (glycemic index of 65).

Xylitol has been shown to prevent tooth decay.   It may also strengthen bones and prevent ear infections.

 

Mattila, Pauli (1999). Dietary xylitol in the prevention of experimental osteoporosis : beneficial effects on bone resorption, structure and biomechanics. Oulu: Oulun Yliopisto. ISBN 978-951-42-5150-4.1.      

Uhari, Matti; Kontiokari, Tero; Niemelä, Marjo (October 1998). "A Novel Use of Xylitol Sugar in Preventing Acute Otitis Media". Pediatrics 102 (4 Pt 1): 879–884. doi:10.1542/peds.102.4.879. PMID 9755259

1 cup granulated xylitol 

1 1/2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

 

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries

 

3/4 cup cold, black coffee

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

 

1 1/4 cups thinly sliced apples

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Coat a loaf pan with spray oil.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.  Coat the paper with spray oil.

 

Place all of the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir together to blend.

Stir in the cranberries and walnuts

Mix together the coffee, applesauce and vinegar.  Then stir into the dry ingredients.

Mix well and then stir in the apples.

 

Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 55-60 minutes or until done.

 

Makes 12 servings.  Each serving has 132 calories.

I like this with a little Tofutti cream cheese.



Delicata Squash Spread

 

I ordered a Butternut Squash Dip at a local restaurant over the weekend.  I was intrigued by a dip made from winter squash.  It was served with grilled pita bread and was more a spread than a dip.  I rather enjoyed it, but thought it could use a little less garlic and pepper and perhaps a sweeter squash.  I asked the waiter what the ingredients were and the next thing I knew I had the recipe in my hand.  I lightened it up by leaving out the olive oil used to saute the onions.  I decreased the garlic, left out black and red pepper and added a little cayenne.
It was good right after I made it, but it was better the second day.  Today I had some on a rye cracker with Tofutti cream cheese and found it to be divine.
Delicata is a type of winter squash that is a bit sweeter than the butternut squash.  It is an oval shape, 6-12 inches long and a yellow skin with green stripes.
Winter squash is very high in vitamin A, and also contains vitamins B, K, B2, as well as fiber manganese, copper, potassium, typtophan, fiber and omega-3 fats.

1 medium Delicata (or Sweet Dumpling) winter squash
1/8 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (plain, not in olive oil)
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with spray oil.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.  Place cut side down on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until soft.  Remove the oven and cool.
While the squash is baking, cover the sun-dried tomatoes with warm water and set aside.
Coat a skillet with spray oil and saute the onions until translucent.
Remove the squash from the skin with a spoon and measure 1 3/4 cups.
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until mixed and smooth.
Refrigerate overnight (or serve right away if you wish).  Serve with crackers, pita or French bread.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.  Just 24 calories per 1/4 cup.