gluten free – Page 12 – The Vegan Love Project

Early Fall #NOFAIL Vegetable Soup

All of the vegetables are happening now, everything was either from my garden or local from the farm market. I had made the chickpeas earlier in the week so I had some in the fridge- another bean would fare well. I had sprouted the rice the day before and cooked it to have it in the house. This recipe would be a great way to use up simple leftovers you may have on hand. Any combination of vegetables would be delicious in this, the addition of sautéed greens versus adding them fresh is a boost of flavor for the soup.

Early Fall Vegetable Soup

1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal

½ onion, medium dice

1 stalk celery, sliced on the diagonal

1 clove garlic, smashed, minced

1 small thin skinned potato, medium dice

1/4t cayenne pepper or ¼ of fresh hot pepper

1/2c chickpeas, cooked

2T extra virgin olive oil

½ ear corn off the cob

2c kale, sautéed or raw

1/2c brown rice, cooked

4c boiling water

2T fresh herbs *optional

Salt

Pepper

Bring 6c of water to a boil- in case you need more.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until golden and soft. Add the carrots, celery, salt, black and red pepper. Continue to sauté until the veggies turn bright, stirring often. Add the chickpeas, potatoes and the rice, mixing them into the vegetables. Add the boiling water and bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the fresh corn and kale.

Adjust the seasonings before serving.

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

Fresh Tomato & Basil Sauce

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

4c tomatoes, diced

1/4c fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

1/4t black pepper

1/4c water

1/2-1 fresh cherry bomb, chili or other hot pepper, minced

1/3c extra virgin olive oil

1t salt or to taste

In a skillet, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt, black and red pepper. Allow the tomatoes to break down and to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the fresh basil.

At this point, the sauce is delicious as is or can be pureed to create a smoother sauce.

Sautéed Zucchini, Pablano Pepper & Onions with Pan Toasted Polenta

All of this taken is out of the garden so the flavors are NOW. Delicious, spicy and just a bit sweet from the onions and squash. Fresh corn in this would be killer. I had this with Smashed Potatoes and Pan Fried Tempeh as a meal….DELISH.

Sautéed Zucchini, Pablano Pepper & Onions with Pan Toasted Polenta

1 medium zucchini or 2 smaller- thinly sliced

½ an onion red or white, thinly sliced

1 Pablano pepper, sliced

1/2t pink salt

1/4t black pepper

2T olive oil

1/2t chipotle powder

3T yellow cornmeal (I use locally ground)

In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and brown onions and pan fry until toasted on the edges. Add in the squash slices and peppers and toss quickly in the pan to coat and then let the vegetables sit for 1-2 minutes to gain some color. Sprinkle in the corneal and then toss around the pan again until the corneal is just toasted and golden. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Basic Everyday Sautéed Greens

The perfect side every day. I mostly stick to kale, I can’t ever get enough. Pictured was fresh baby spinach- divine. All of the greens come out super tasty, kale’s just my fave. You can vary the flavors by adding spices, like ginger and for depth shoyu or gluten free tamari. In Italy they add pine nuts and raisins or currants to the spinach- HOLY CRAP is that delicious. Greens are always the perfect accompaniment to any vegan meal. So good for you….

EAT THEM….EAT YOUR GREENS.

Basic Everyday Sautéed Greens

1 bunch greens, (kale, chard, spinach, collards, beet greens, cabbage) washed, trimmed, and torn or cut into bite size pieces

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4t cayenne pepper flakes or fresh hot pepper

2T extra virgin olive oil

1/4t salt or to taste

In a large skillet heat up the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the garlic just until golden brown. Add the salt, red pepper, and then add the greens. With a fork or a pair of tongs, move the greens around the pan cooking them just until wilted and tender. I like to place mine in a bowl with a plate over top so that it continues to steam slightly. Serve immediately. Also delicious cold!

Simple Smashed Potatoes

Amazing served with pan-fried tempeh and a side of sautéed greens. This will serve 2-4, I always make the whole amount because I love the leftovers. You can use them as a base for a vegetable soup, or pan fry them into little patties- or I am hoping to make fresh Gnocchi with them tomorrow!

Smashed Potatoes

4c thin skinned potatoes, cleaned and scrubbed, skins on and chopped

½ of an onion, sliced

1c water

Salt

Pepper

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3-4T extra virgin olive oil

3T nutritional yeast

Salt/ pepper to taste

Vegan butter to serve *optional

In a pot over medium high heat, bring the water, potatoes, onions, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook partially covered, allowing the potatoes to steam/ cook until tender- about 10-12 minutes.

Check occasionally to make sure the water has not cooked out completely. If the potatoes are cooked and there is excess water simply drain some out prior to smashing. If the potatoes are not yet cook fully through, add a bit of water and extend the cooking time by just a few minutes more. With the back of a large spoon, (or with my favorite new smash tool), make a mash within the cook pot. The onions will have broken down completely. Add in the olive oil and nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add more oil, more salt, more pepper, more love!

Fresh Tomato Tofu Vegetable Lasagna

Again, not a difficult dish to make at all, it’s all about the components- each one is full of flavor prior to joining forces in this early fall, late summer time fresh lasagna. I used brown rice lasagna noodles that are virtually un-dectectably different over wheat noodles so this lasagna is totally gluten free. I used only fresh tomatoes from the farmers’ market and a few of my own- some for the fresh sauce and others, sliced as a layer within the lasagna. What follows are the recipes for the components- how you layer it up is up to you! You can use different veggies; mushrooms, eggplant- limitless possibilities. Mine was filled with tons of fresh basil, tomatoes, hot peppers, squash and spinach. I stayed away from using vegan cheese, was just not feeling it, so the tofu filling is an absolute stand out, delicious in flavor. I added a quickly sautéed garlic spinach into the filling to offer a fuller flavor (as opposed to just using it blanched or steamed), you can also simply use it as a layer. All of the vegetables were from my garden or from the Greenfield market.

Components:

2 medium zucchinis- sliced and tossed in olive oil, salt & pepper
6 cups spinach- quickly sautéed in garlic and olive, salt and pepper
fresh tomato sauce- recipe below
1 box of lasagna noodles, cooked
Tofu “ricotta” filling- recipe below
1-2 larger tomatos, thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper

Putting it together:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
ladle in about 1 cup of fresh sauce in the bottom of the baking dish
place down one layer of noodles
layer in the tofu filling
layer in noodles
layer in fresh zucchini
layer in noodles
layer in fresh tomato slices, olive oil and salt
layer in last layer of noodles
cover the top layer with fresh sauce
Cover with tin foil and bake for 60 minutes.

Fresh Tomato & Basil Sauce

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

4c tomatoes, diced

1/4c fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

1/4t black pepper

1/4c water

1/2-1 fresh cherry bomb, chili or other hot pepper, minced

1/3c extra virgin olive oil

1t salt or to taste

At this point, the sauce is delicious as is or can be pureed to create a smoother sauce.

Tofu “Ricotta” Filling

Tofu Ricotta /Crème

1Pound tofu- blanched- divided in 1/2

1 clove garlic

1 heaping T mellow white miso

3T extra virgin olive oil

1t brown rice vinegar

1t ume vinegar

1 heaping T sesame tahini

2T water if needed while blending

*opt 6c fresh spinach or 5oz- steamed and pressed (all water out) or sautéed with garlic and 1t olive oil

*opt 3oz Vegan mozzarella or favorite cheese

1/2t black pepper

In a blender or vitamix, place the warm cooked tofu (1/2), the miso, tahini, olive oil, vinegars, garlic, and blend until smooth and creamy.

In a bowl, crumble or mash the remaining tofu with a fork or fingers. Add the tofu crème, and the vegan cheese and the chopped steamed / pressed spinach.

Pan Fried Tempeh (made with Local Tempeh!)

I was in no mood to cook, I was relieved when I only needed to unscrew the cap off the bottle of wine….. However, I had left over quinoa in the fridge, a garden full of gorgeous kale and yesterday I bought a beautiful, unpasteurized, locally made, brick of tempeh, made by Hosta HIll at the Greenfield Farmer’s Market. Since finding out that Lightlife Foods, my favorite tempeh (and typically the only tempeh offered) has since been bought out by ConAgra (a GMO supported CORP), I haven’t been eating much tempeh- so when I saw it, I snapped it up. Cooked all in the same pan; first the tempeh, then the kale, then the quinoa- it made for a super simple and delicious Sunday night dinner. I ate it with some Sriracha sauce with a side of Buch and a glass of wine…..FRICKEN YUM.

Pan Fried Tempeh

1 package of tempeh, cut in half then sliced

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

3T olive oil

1t fresh hot pepper *opt

Salt and pepper to taste

In a hot sauté pan, add the oil and the garlic and sauté until just golden. Add the hot pepper and the tempeh and pan fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip to brown the other side.

You can vary the taste by pre-marinating the tempeh in flavors of your choosing.

Serve as part of a simple meal with a grain (quinoa, rice) and green (kale, chard, cabbage) with a sauce of your choosing. I love Sriracha sauce or my homemade fermented Hot Sauce.

Fresh Tomato, Cauliflower & Basil Penne (GF)

Fresh Tomato & Cauliflower with Basil Pasta Sauce

1 small head cauliflower, cut and trimmed into bite size pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato, diced

1/4c extra virgin olive oil

1/4c fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

1/4t black pepper

1 small cherry bomb pepper, sliced

1t salt or to taste

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1 Pound cooked pasta (can be gluten free)

Steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes in salted water. Remove and set aside. (you can add this water to the pasta cooking water)

In a skillet, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic and sauté until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, black and red pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes (perfect pasta cooking time). In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add in the steamed cauliflower and sauté until heated through. Add the fresh basil just before serving. Serve over ziti, (gluten free) penne pasta or rotini and drizzle with olive oil and top with fresh basil and nutritional yeast.

#frickenyum

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpeas

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER & CHICKPEAS

1 small onion, minced (I used the greens as well)

1 tomato, small dice

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into slightly larger than bite size pieces

1 1/2c cooked chickpeas

3T Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/4t turmeric

1” piece of fresh ginger, minced

1T green curry paste

1T curry powder

1/4t cayenne pepper or 1 small chili pepper

1/4c fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

2T fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1/4c water

In a large saucepot, heat up the oil, add the onions and sauté until just golden. Add in the ginger, curry paste and tomatoes and stir in well. When the tomatoes have broken down, add the chickpeas and the water and bring to a boil. Add in the cauliflower and cover the pot, allowing the cauliflower to steam until tender- about 8-10 minutes. When ready, with a large spoon, gently stir the cauliflower into the chickpea mixture in the pot and add in the fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with white or brown basmati rice.

Corn Crusted Zucchini / Zucchini Cutlets

FRICKEN YUM

Corn Crusted Zucchini /Zucchini Cutlets

1 large zucchini, sliced thinly on the bias

1clove garlic, smashed, minced

olive oil for pan

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Coating:

1/3c cornmeal

3T nutritional yeast

1/2t salt

1/4t ground black pepper

Pinch ground cayenne pepper

1/4t chipotle powder

In a large plastic container with an air tight, sealable lid, add the cornmeal, salt, black and red pepper and stir to have the ingredients well integrated. Add the slices of zucchini. Place the lid back on the container and shake the contents, thoroughly coating the squash with the cornmeal mixture.

In a large, heated skillet or frying pan, heat up over pan over medium heat Add the oil and the garlic. When the oil is hot, add the coated pieces of zucchini in batches, making sure not to overload the pan. Pan fry the zucchini for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp. Remove onto a plate lined with a clean dishtowel or paper towels to drain. You could also slice the zucchini length wise and just a bit thicker, creating cutlets.