Russian Borscht Soup {slow-cooker option}

Russian Borscht Soup {slow-cooker option}

by | Sep 25, 2015 | BOOK: Real-Life Vegan, RECIPES: Whole-food Nutrition Kitchen, Soups and Stews, Veggies

There are 2 special ingredients in this borscht that give it a special element of flavor. Hint: two of my favorite ingredients! Can you guess what they are?

Don’t throw away the leafy beet tops! Russian Borscht Soup can be refrigerated for several days. CAN BE FROZEN.

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Russian Borscht Soup {slow-cooker option}
There are 2 special ingredients in this borscht that take it over the top. Two of my favorite ingredients, used as natural flavor enhancers! Can you guess what they are?
Author:
: soup, dinner, lunch, slower cooker
Serves:: 10 cups
Prep time:: 
Cook time:: 
Total time:: 
Ingredients:
  • 2-4 Tbsp water
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 2 cups beets, peeled, cubed or grated
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced in halves or grated
  • 2 cups potatoes, unpeeled, cubed or grated
  • 4 cups green cabbage, sliced or grated
  • 10 cups veggie stock (or 2 Tbsp veggie salt, like Herbamare + 10 cups water)
  • 1-14 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1-19 oz (540 mL) can white kidney beans, or other favorite legumes
  • 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch beet greens (opt)
  • 1⁄2 cup parsley, chopped (opt)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup fresh, chopped tomato (opt)
  • 1 recipe of [b]LEMON AVOCADO CREME
Directions:
  1. Sauté onions in water or stock.
  2. Prepare the vegetables by cubing or grating.
  3. Add the stock, tomato sauce, vegetables, legumes, cayenne pepper, bay leaves and parsley and stir.
  4. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
  5. Simmer until veggies are softened but still firm when pierced with a fork, anywhere between 3 minutes if grated, to 12 minutes if cubed. Add beet greens last, typically they take about 5 minutes to wilt.
  6. Turn off heat.
  7. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup. Add chopped fresh tomatoes if desired.
  8. Serve withLEMON AVOCADO CREME
  9. SLOW COOKER OPTION - Sauté onions, as #1 (above). Add #2+#3 (above) into slow cooker on low - for 6-7 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup. Add chopped fresh tomato if desired.
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Creamy Cheezy Broccoli Pasta

Creamy Cheezy Broccoli Pasta

by | Sep 21, 2015 | BOOK: Real-Life Vegan, Entrees, RECIPES: Whole-food Nutrition Kitchen, Veggies

Creamy, rich, and delicious! This satisfying comfort food is simple and easy.

For a different variation, replace broccoli with asparagus. If nuts are an allergy problem, replace the cashews with 12 oz silken or fresh firm tofu + 3 Tbsp tahini.

A few dollops of cooked butternut squash puree adds extra creaminess.

 

LEFTOVER SAUCE CAN BE REFRIGERATED or FROZEN

 

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Creamy Cheezy Broccoli Pasta
Author:
Serves:: 4-6 servings
Prep time:: 
Cook time:: 
Total time:: 
Ingredients:
  • 1-16oz pkg whole grain macaroni, alphabet, (454g) spiral or other favorite pasta
  • 3-4 stalks broccoli, cut into florets
  • CREAMY CHEEZY SAUCE:
  • 6-8 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes - (or parmesan cheese non-vegans)
  • 11⁄3 cups raw cashews
  • 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp miso
  • 11⁄2 tsp onion powder or dehydrated onion
  • 11⁄4 tsp salt
  • ¾ tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder or dehydrated garlic
  • 1⁄2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 cup water (or broth and eliminate salt)
  • 1-2 Tbsp capers (opt)
Directions:
  1. Add pasta to a pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally.
  2. Cut broccoli into bit sized pieces, adding to the pot just prior to pasta being cooked, so the broccoli can steam lightly (until tender-crisp.)
  3. While pasta cooks, make Creamy Cheezy Sauce.
  4. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Process several minutes until very smooth. If needed, stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the processor. NOTE: If you have leftover sauce it will keep 2-3 days refrigerated or it freezes well.
  5. Drain the pasta and broccoli into a colander.
  6. Transferf the pasta-broccoli mixture back into the cooking pot. Stir the sauce, as is, into the hot, drained pasta and broccoli.
  7. Optional Topping: Sprinkle with Vegan Parmesam
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 There are many brands of nutritional yeast flakes, which are rich in B vitamins and have a cheesy flavor.

Nutritional Yeast Flakes image

Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Nutritional Yeast image

Nutritional Yeast

Canadian Roasted Root Veggie w/ Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine

Canadian Roasted Root Veggie w/ Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine

by | Sep 19, 2015 | BOOK: Real-Life Vegan, Entrees, RECIPES: Whole-food Nutrition Kitchen, Veggies

Mix it up with a variety of root veggies or if you’re a reluctant vegetable eater, start with just potato poutine.  Once you’ve got your family addicted to this rich cheezy vegan poutine sauce (the original poutine is meat-based gravy and cheese curds) start introducing new flavors a bit at a time by adding some of the less familiar root veggies to the mix. Leftover roasted roots can be added to soup or salad so make extra if you have space in your oven. DO NOT FREEZE

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Canadian Roasted Root Veggie Poutine
Author:
Serves:: 4-5 servings
Prep time:: 
Cook time:: 
Total time:: 
Ingredients:
  • 10 cups: variety of chopped veggies including:
  • - yams or sweet potato
  • - rutabaga, daikon, or other turnip
  • - butternut squash
  • - carrots
  • - beets
  • - cauliflower
  • - purple or white onion, peeled and quartered
  • - zucchini or pattypan summer squash
  • - brussel sprouts
  • - garlic (see NOTE below)
  • 2-4 Tbsp coconut oil
  • salt to taste -or- 1 recipe of - CHEEZY MISO VEGAN POUTINE
  • NOTE: Roasting veggies is a great opportunity to roast 2-4 bulbs of garlic, in each corner of the pan! Cut a thin slice off the top of each bulb. Rub a bit of melted oil on the cut part. When they are baked, the individual garlic cloves squeeze out of the skins with easy pressure.
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  2. If coconut oil is solid, place it in the glass pan to melt. Remove the pan when melted, adding veg.
  3. NOTE: Always use a large sharp knife to reduce chopping time!
  4. Chop vegetables into large pieces about the size of a golf ball depending on their density. (You learn by practice which veggies are best cut a bit smaller or larger.) NOTE: Thick skinned veggies should be peeled, thinner skins can be left on.
  5. Transfer cut veggies to glass baking pans.
  6. Mix the veggies with the melted oil to coat well.
  7. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until veggies are tender but firm when pierced with a fork.
  8. Sprinkle lightly with salt if not using sauce.
  9. ROASTED GARLIC OPTION: Place 2 whole garlic bulbs on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, trim a sliver off the top of the bulbs, discarding the top part. Place each bulb in corners of glass pan with the veggies. Drizzle (or spray) a tiny amount of olive oil over each bulb to keep moist while baking. When veggies are baked, garlic will be soft and sweet. Remove from the pan and squeeze each section (clove) between your first finger and thumb to remove cooked flesh.
  10. CHEEZY MISO VEGAN POUTINE: - Prepare poutine sauce while veggies are roasting.
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Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine {gravy – sauce}

Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine {gravy – sauce}

by | Sep 19, 2015 | BOOK: Real-Life Vegan, Entrees, RECIPES: Whole-food Nutrition Kitchen, Soups and Stews, Veggies

The original Canadian Poutine was invented in Quebec and was a meat-based gravy with cheese curds over french fries. We can do better!! Serve this vegan poutine over roasted potatoes or a variety of roasted veggies!

I’ve been using this tried and true cheezy sauce recipe for so long I couldn’t remember if it was my creation or from someone else. I suspected it might be a Joanne Stepaniak recipe so I checked it out and sure enough this sauce recipe is from her book, The Saucy Vegetarian. Joanne is also the author of The Un-Cheeze Cookbook and many other great vegan books. Check them out to add to your collection!

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Miso Tahini Poutine Gravy - Sauce
Author:
Serves:: 1.5 cups
Prep time:: 
Total time:: 
Ingredients:
  • 1/2- ⅔ cup water
  • 1⁄3 cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp white onion, (chopped if using a hand blender)
  • 2 Tbsp miso (I use a sweet light miso, but any will work)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • NOTE: For orange colored sauce (more “cheddary” looking) add ¼ cup pimento pieces, or raw or roasted red bell peppers, or ½ shredded carrot, and reduce water to ⅓ cup.
Directions:
  1. NOTE: Poutine gravy-sauce can be made in advance and given a quick whisk, or pulse, before serving.
  2. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process well until creamy and smooth, one to two minutes, until creamy.
  3. There is no need to heat the sauce if veggies, pasta, or whatever you're pouring it onto ...is piping hot. Otherwise you can either let your blender run until it heats sauce (if it has that feature) or scoop it into small saucepan to warm, whisking often. NOTE: If you heat the sauce too long it will thicken so may need a splash or two of water to thin. Serve in a gravy boat for individuals to serve themselves.
  4. Leftovers make delicious toppings on rice bowls, veggies, tofu or tempeh.
  5. Delicious over CANADIAN ROASTED VEGGIES
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Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine in food processor

Cheezy Miso Vegan Poutine in food processor

Health Bite: Brussel Sprouts

Health Bite: Brussel Sprouts

by | Sep 19, 2015 | BLOG: Victoria's Health Secrets, Veggies

BRUSSEL SPROUTS BENEFITS

Brussel sprouts are one of the cruciferous vegetables, which are known to have anti-cancer properties.

They are rich in both vitamin K, and vitamin C.

USING BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Brussel Sprouts have a strong flavor and a hearty crunch when raw. They can be grated into veggie slaw, fermented, steamed or roasted.

VICTORIA’S WHOLE-FOOD NUTRITION KITCHEN RECIPES:

– Maple Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Health Bite: Rutabaga (…ugly but delicious!)

Health Bite: Rutabaga (…ugly but delicious!)

by | Nov 23, 2013 | BLOG: Victoria's Health Secrets, Veggies

RUTABAGA BENEFITS

Rutabaga is part of the turnip family, and a disease-fighting cruciferous vegetable.

It’s rich in Vitamin C.

USING RUTABAGA

Rutabaga is an under-utilized food of the vegetable world. Most people boil it, peeling the skin and cubing it. Rutabaga however, is delicious raw, cut into slices or french fry shapes, it is slightly sweet.

When I partner rutabaga with my Maple Cranapple Baked Beans, I either boil and mash, or turn them into roasted wedges. Rutabaga is also delicious in a medley, roasted with other root veggies.

It can be used in soups, stews, stirfries, or grated raw into salad. Rutabaga is also delicious as a fermented vegetable.