Hibiscus Strawberry Tea

Inspired by my cousin's baby shower last weekend, I came up with this refreshing tea. I will give partial credit to the host, because she told me what was in the tea. She was a little secretive about the process, so
I was on my own to figure out proportions to get the right flavor. After playing around with it for a bit, I found the perfect combination. It is a little tart, a little sweet, and very much delicious! Enjoy

Ingredients:

3 c. water plus 1 Tbsp. water
Hibiscus tea bags
1 Quart of strawberries, stems removed
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. agave nectar




Directions:

1. Make the tea by placing three hibiscus tea bags in a pot and adding the three cups of water. Bring the tea and water to a low boil and then remove from heat. Allow to seep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to slightly cool
2. Meanwhile, put the other Tbsp. of water in another saucepan. Add the strawberries and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the strawberries have released their juice and are very soft.
3. Pour the tea in a large pitcher. Press the strawberries through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl to release the juice. Continue to press the strawberries in the strainer until the you have gotten all of the juice.
4. Add the strawberry juice, lemon juice, and agave nectar to the tea. Stir to combine. Allow to cool and serve over ice

Carrot "Lox"

A simple treat when you are craving bagels and lox! The secret is to let it marinade, so if you have time, definitely let the carrots sit for the full two hours. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thin
1/8 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. kelp powder
1/2 tsp. "Old Bay" seasoning






Directions:

1. Place the sliced carrots in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the soy sauce, olive oil, liquid smoke, kelp powder, and "old bay" seasoning. Pour sauce over carrots. Toss to make sure all carrots are coated. Marinade for at least 20 minutes up to two hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. In a single layer, place carrots and excess marinade on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with foil and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and allow to steam for 5 more minutes. Remove foil and serve as you would lox. I recommend on a bagel with cream cheese (vegan or non-vegan) and sliced red onion.

Stuffed Shells with Fresh Ricotta and Spinach

This recipe calls for fresh ricotta cheese. I highly recommend finding a local cheese counter that makes it fresh daily, or try making it yourself! Here is a simple recipe that is fool proof: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015560-fresh-ricotta. If you are not feeling up to making your own cheese, or you do not have access to fresh ricotta at your local store, buy the highest quality ricotta available. The cheese is what makes this dish!

Ingredients:

5 oz fresh spinach

2 Tbsp. garlic infused olive oil

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

12 oz. package of jumbo pasta shells cooked according to package directions

3 cloves of garlic 

15 oz. tomato sauce

6 oz. tomato paste

water

2-3 Tbsp. of Italian seasons

3/4 lbs. fresh ricotta cheese

Zest of one lemon

1 c. of Italian cheese (I used Provel, but you could use Mozzarella or an Italian cheese blend)

1/4 c. Freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix Provel (or other Italian cheese) with Parmesan in a small bowl, and set aside

For the spinach:

Heat garlic olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add spinach, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes and wilt the spinach. Remove from the heat, drain, and chop the spinach. Set aside in a large bowl.

For the sauce:

In a medium sauce pan, add two cloves of chopped garlic, the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 8-15 oz of water (I used 15 oz and it was the perfect consistency), and Italian seasons. Cook on medium until heated through, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low while you prepare the shells.

For the Filling:

In the bowl with the cooled spinach, add the ricotta, lemon zest, and remaining clove of chopped garlic. Stir together until well blended. Add salt and pepper if needed.

To assemble:

Spray a 9x13 casserole

When shells are cool enough to handle, stuff with approximately 2 Tbsp. of ricotta mixture. Do not over stuff the shells. Place the shells in the casserole stuffing side up. Once all of the shells are in the casserole, pour the sauce over the top making sure all of the shells are covered. Sprinkle with Parmesan/Provel mixture. Sprinkle a little water over the top, and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Super Simple Bruschetta

Hello 2016 and good riddance to 2015! I am hoping to create and post more original recipes this year, and I am starting out with a simple appetizer recipe. Bruschetta is generally an easy dish to make, but you have to be careful with the seasons and making sure the bread does not get soggy. I decided to make a soft crostini for the bread, and saved time and energy by using good quality canned tomatoes. The end result was light, fresh, and delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Tomato Topping
1 15 oz can of Red Gold (or other good quality) diced tomatoes, unseasoned, no salt
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
A handful of freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

For the bread:
1/2 loaf french baguette
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, whole


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Cut bread into one inch slices, place on baking sheet
3. Place bread in oven, and toast for 8-10 minutes, flipping half way through (You want the bread toasted a bit on the outside, but the still soft on the inside)
4. Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes and place in large bowl. Add the garlic, basil, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, and Parmesan if using. Stir until blended, careful to not crush the tomatoes
5. Remove toasts from oven. Rub the garlic clove on one side of the toast, and lightly brush the other side of the toast with olive oil. Place the tomato mixture on the olive oil side of the toasts.
6. Enjoy!

The vegan split pea soup that saved my marriage

Not really! My marriage is fine. Unless someone else can make a better split pea soup. According to my husband, this surpassed Anderson's... If you know split pea soup, you know what I am talking about. However, I took the base from food.com, so I will not take all the credit. I just took an amazing base and added the "ham hock" base that even vegetarians know and love. Enjoy!

• 16ounces split peas
• 4medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 -1 ¹⁄₂cup white onion, chopped
• 2garlic cloves, smashed
• 1bay leaf
• 1tablespoon salt
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon old hickory smoked salt
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 6cups hot water

DIRECTIONS

1.   Layer ingredients in order listed above. Do not stir

2.   Cover and cook until peas are soft High: 4-5 hours or Low: 8-10 hours

3.   Remove bay leaf and garlic (if it has held together) before serving.

4.   Boom! Enjoy!

If you find it, it can be cooked pasta (Martini Pasta)

As the title implies, I was lazy today, and had no intention of going to the store. But, I had a husband and 2 year old wanting dinner eventually. Hmmmm. I decided to go through my fridge and pantry and 1. found that I have some random stuff in my house, and 2. this could be a delicious meal. And so I present to you, martini pasta (that was the name my husband wanted to give it because he was drinking a martini while I made it...as we all should be!) Enjoy!








Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 can of quartered artichokes drained
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms
4 oz. fresh spinach
Salt and pepper
1/2 lb. of spaghetti
sun dried tomato Alfredo (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch red pepper flakes
2 c. milk
1 c. Parmesan
1 1/2 oz julienned sun dried tomatoes

Directions:
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add artichokes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook until artichokes begin to brown. Add spinach in batches, allow to wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once all is added, wilt, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Break spaghetti in half, and add to boiling water. Cook according to package directions. Once al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 c. of pasta water. Set pasta aside.

Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo:
In a medium pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add 2 Tbsp of flour 1 tsp. of garlic powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir until a paste forms. Slowly add 2 c. of milk, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 oz of sun dried tomatoes and 1 c. of shredded Parmesan. Continue stirring until a sauce (close to a nice gravy) forms. Once the sauce has thickened, add the sauce to the mushroom spinach mixture.

Put the pasta in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved water if it is too sticky. Add sauce and mix thoroughly. Taste, and add more seasoning as needed.

Cook the Book

Working my way through #cookthebook Tonight was bbq bean burritos with grilled peach salsa from Thug Kitchen: Eat like you give a f*ck. Holy Toledo batman! That was by far the most amazing spicy burrito in the world!!!!! Thank you, once again@thugkitchen #vegan #beezlebubburrito

Yummy Chili!

This is a recipe that I have held pretty close to me, only because I have dreams of entering it into a chili contest and winning. Ironically, the reason I am finally posting it is because I am entering it into a blogging recipe contest! So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the chili that I think is the best is also considered the best by other cooks! So, here it is… the secret chili recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 White onions chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 green pepper chopped

1 poblaño pepper chopped

½ habanero pepper or 1/8 dried ghost pepper chopped (optional)

1 lb. of meatless “crumbles”

30 oz. black beans (canned)

30 oz. dark red kidney beans (canned)

15 oz. light red kidney beans (canned)

28 oz. diced tomatoes (canned)

32 oz. vegetable juice or spicy vegetable juice

3 Tbsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 Bay leaves

1 avocado (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Chopped onion (optional)

Grated Cheese (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1.       Rinse and drain beans. Set aside

2.       In a large stock pot, sauté onions garlic, green pepper,  poblaño, and habanero pepper or dried ghost pepper (if using) in olive oil until fragrant- about 5 minutes

3.       Add the meatless crumbles, beans, tomatoes, vegetable juice, and spices, and simmer for at least one hour, up to eight hours on low heat. Adjust seasonings as needed.

4.       Serve with sliced avocado, grated cheddar, sour cream, chopped onions, and/or hot sauce

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 c. corn (I used canned)
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 8 oz. tempeh crumbled into small pieces
• ½ jalapeño seeds removed, chopped
• 1 egg or 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed) + 2 1/2 Tbsp water
• 1 ½ Tbsp. adobo sauce
• Approximately 1 c. fine bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp. oil

Directions:

1.       Pour the drained black beans in a large mixing bowl. Smash half of the beans with a potato masher.

2.       Add corn, garlic, tempeh, jalapeño, adobo sauce, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, egg, and ½ of bread crumbs to the black beans. Mix everything together with your hands until you can form a small ball that will stick together without crumbling. Add breadcrumbs to reach desired consistency. Place mixture in refrigerator and chill for 10 minutes.

3.       Remove mixture from refrigerator and form into patties.

4.       Heat oil over medium/high heat in medium shallow pan. Fry black bean patties until brown on each side. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

5.       Meanwhile, heat grill to medium heat.

6.       Wrap each patty separately in aluminum foil. Poke small holes in the aluminum foil to allow steam to escape. Place the wrapped patties on heated grill. Grill for 5-7 minutes, flip patties, and grill another 5-7 minutes. Remove from grill. Unwrap patties, place on a bun, and add optional toppings (I melted a slice of cheddar on top of mine, and added ketchup, creole mustard, and pickles!)

7.       Enjoy!

Southwest Scramble (Vegan)

I was really wanting to find something new for breakfast on this rainy Sunday morning, but through all the recipe searches, nothing quite caught my eye. I wanted something starchy, spicy, and loaded with veggies. With my mad craving, I went through my pantry and vegetable bin, and completely cleared out all items that I had not planned on using in any meals this week. Playing with various spices, opening random cans, the dish quickly evolved into a delicious, spicy scramble. This can be modified to whatever you happen to have in your pantry and/or vegetable bin. I think next time I might try sweet potatoes and maybe some tempeh for a harvest scramble... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 red potatoes peeled and chopped

2 Tsp. olive oil

1 yellow pepper chopped

1 onion diced

3 cloves of garlic chopped

½ jalapeño chopped

1 can diced tomatoes drained

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

4 oz. spinach

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 pinch of red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper
Avocado (optional)

                                                                            

Directions:

1. Toss the potatoes with 1 Tsp. of olive oil in a microwave safe dish. Cover dish and microwave, tossing periodically, on high for 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
2. Heat 1 Tsp. of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until they begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to medium low and add yellow pepper and onion. Cook for about 4 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and jalapeño to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the beans, tomatoes, and spices and cook until beans are heated through (approximately 5 minutes).
6. Add the spinach and toss with scramble until the spinach is wilted. Taste and season accordingly.
7.  Put the scramble on plates and top with sliced avocado if desired.

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan

As the farmer’s market comes to an end, I found myself with a surplus of beautiful eggplant. What better way to use it all up than to make a beautiful eggplant Parmesan! I served this with sautéed spinach and garlic, and it was the perfect meal for a rainy fall evening. If you can’t find provel cheese, it is Ok to just use the mozzarella and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 medium eggplants sliced ¼ in

1 c. flour

3 eggs

3 c. panko bread crumbs

Spray oil

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 small onion chopped

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning (or to taste)

1 Tbsp. oregano (or to taste)

1 Tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

                                           1 Tbsp. basil (or to taste)

                                           1 Tsp. garlic powder

                                           Salt and pepper to taste

                                           Mozzarella, Provel, and Parmesan cheeses

To make the eggplant:

1.       Place the cut eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for about 40 minutes

2.       After 40 minutes press the eggplants with a paper towel to remove the salt and moisture.

3.       Preheat oven to 425

4.       Spray two cookie sheets with oil

5.       Put the flour in one bowl, mix the eggs in a second bowl, and the panko in a third bowl. Flour a piece of eggplant, shake off the excess flour and the place in the egg, and lastly coat with the panko. Place the eggplant on oiled cookie sheet. Repeat this process with all of the eggplant until both cookie sheets are full.

6.       Put both cookie sheets in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Flip the eggplant and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

To make the sauce:

1.       Put the tomatoes in a food processor and blend until smooth

2.       In a deep sauce pan, heat olive oil. Cook onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the sauce has cooked down by half (about 30 minutes). Adjust seasons as needed

To Assemble:

1.       Lightly oil a 9x13 casserole dish

2.       Add a cup of sauce at the bottom of the casserole dish

3.       Place a layer of eggplant on top of the sauce, and then put more sauce on top of the eggplant.

4.       Add the provel, mozzarella, and a sprinkle of parmesan.

5.       Repeat with another layer of eggplant, then sauce, and a final layer of cheese

6.       Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Pan Fried "Scallops" with Garlic Aioli Sauce

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!!!! I have finally found the elusive king oyster mushroom (I live in a small town in the Midwest). Bloggers, The Chubby Vegetarian, had spoken of this mushroom treat, and how a version of vegetarian scallops could be made. Of course, once I found the mushrooms, I could not find the recipe I was looking for, and I was on my own. Thus, the Happy Heffer's  "scallops!" These were so easy, and my goodness, so amazing. If I would have been by myself, I would have made a second batch and kept eating. They are the "I'm very full, but I am going to keep eating because I don't know when I will have these again" kind of good. Search out those king oyster mushrooms, and enjoy!






Ingredients:
2 King Oyster Mushrooms
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp garlic infused olive oil
salt
Garlic Aioli (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Cut mushrooms into 1/2 inch rounds (discard stems)
2. Heat butter and olive oil in large sauce pan over medium high heat
3. Pan fry the mushrooms in olive oil and butter until browned on each side.This took about 8 minutes on each side. If the oil and butter begin to brown, turn down the heat to medium.
4. Remove from heat, and sprinkle the tops of the "scallops" with salt and basil (optional). Serve with lemon and garlic aioli sauce.

Garlic Aioli
Ingredients:
1/2 c. mayonaise
1 clove of garlic smashed and chopped
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tsp. cumin
 1/2 tsp. paprika
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tsp. of fresh lemon juice

Directions.
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and let chill for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Hand Pies

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, I wanted to create a hand pie that was meat free and had all of the comforts of a simple street food when you want a snack and not a large meal. Thus, the mushroom and goat cheese hand pie! This was incredibly simple to make, and you can make it more simple by using a food processor to chop your veggies and using store bought pie dough. Also, if you have an infused olive oil, that will add to the flavor, but plain olive oil will work, too. I used a portabella roasted garlic olive oil in this dish. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
16 oz. mushrooms (any variety) chopped
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
Salt and pepper
2 pie crusts (store bought is fine)
2 oz. plain goat cheese










Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375
2.) Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme, and, while stirring occasionally, cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
3.) Line a baking sheet with foil and spray to prevent sticking. Working with one pie crust at a time, cut out  4 in. circles in the pie crust. Do the same with the other pie crust. You should have 6 circles total.
4.) In the center of each circle, place 1-2 Tbsps. of mushroom mixture. Crumble a bit of the goat cheese on top of the mushroom mixture. Fold the dough in half over the mushroom mixture and cheese, and use your fingers to gently press the edges together. Cut a small slit in the top of the pie to let steam escape. Place on prepared pan.
5.) Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the pies are golden brown and cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes on a baking rack. Serve warm

Corned "Beef" Hash

After over twenty years of being a vegetarian, I still get a wild craving for meat. This was one of those mornings. With predictions of up to 13 inches of snow and negative degree weather, I instantly wanted some corned beef hash; you know, the old school kind that comes in a can, plops out, and is a big mess of lard and preservatives. Thank goodness I was able to come up with a mock version of this classic that is both vegan and mystery meat free! I was quite impressed with the texture, and I think it is about as close as you can get to the saltiness of corned beef. If you have backyard hens, feel free to send another member of your household out in the frigid, snowy morning to collect a few eggs, and serve this up with a fried egg on top. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 16 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. of soy sauce
1 Tbsp. of Vegan Worcestershire sauce or Steak Sauce
1 tsp. of liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. mustard powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. nutritional yeast flakes
1-2 small potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1 small onion diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp. of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl, and with a potato masher, smash the chickpeas completely. You may have to smash a few with your fingers, but try to mash them down as completely as possible.
2. Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and nutritional yeast flakes to the smashed chickpeas. Mix well, add salt and pepper if necessary, and set aside.
3. Place cubed potatoes in a microwave safe dish and toss with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Cover, and cook on high in microwave for 6 minutes, stirring the potatoes after 3 minutes of cooking. Remove the potatoes from the microwave and drain excess oil and water in colander.
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Sautee the onions until slightly translucent. Add the drained potatoes to the onions and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper if necessary
5. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the chickpea mixture to the onions and potatoes. Continue to cook, frequently stirring, until the chickpea mixture begins to brown. If the mixture sticks, add more oil and turn down the heat.
6. Once the mixture has browned, taste to see if more salt and pepper is needed,  remove from heat and serve with an optional fried egg.

Spicy Tofu and Broccoli (Vegan)

It is a new year and time for a new post! This past holiday season, I bought myself a new deep fryer. Although I hope not to be too much of a fried cook, I think it is a fun and fast way to cook some appetizers or parts of a meal that would normally take three times the cook time without the fryer. Take tofu for instance. Usually when I make a tofu stir-fry, it takes about 30 minutes of watching and flipping the tofu until it reaches a nice brown. This recipe, with the help of my deep fryer, took 5-7 minutes. Sure the deep fryer is not the best for the waist line, but in moderation, I think it will be a welcome time saver in my kitchen! Now that my defense of the fryer is over, I will move on to the dish. This is a simple broccoli and tofu stir-fry, with the main ingredient in the sauce being soybean paste. You can find soybean paste in the Asian section of most grocery stores, or online. It added a nice, but not overwhelming taste to the dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Seasoned Soybean Paste
1 tsp. Chopped green onion
1 tsp. Chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp. Chopped fresh garlic
1 pkg. of tofu drained and patted dry
1 head of broccoli
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. of water

For the Sauce:
Mix the soybean paste, green onion, ginger, and garlic in small bowl and cover. Set aside. (may be refrigerated up to 24 hours)

For the Tofu:
Cut the tofu into one inch cubes. Fry in a deep fryer at 340 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until browned (this may take longer if frying with 1/2 c. oil in a deep frying pan.) Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

For the Stir-Fry:
Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium high heat. Sautee broccoli in oil until tender. Add fried tofu and reduce to simmer. Meanwhile, add 1 Tbsp. of water to the sauce, and stir until well combined. Add sauce to tofu and broccoli and stir until everything is well coated. Cook until heated through.
 Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Vegetarian Sausage Gravy

So this holiday season has been a mess of cooking and cleaning, so when the holidays were over, I wanted to take a break from cooking. However, wanting and doing are two different things! On a cold morning, my family was craving biscuits and gravy. Usually I cheat and use store bought fake sausage, but I had none, and I was not about to get out of my pjs to go to the store. I did have some tempeh, though. And now I have a Happy Heffer tempeh sausage gravy recipe to share! Enjoy!





Ingredients for Sausage:
4 oz. of tempeh (half of a package)
1/4c. olive oil
1/8c. soy sauce
1 tsp. vegetarian worchestire sauce (If you do not have any, vegetarian steak sauce is a great alternative)
Splash of liquid smoke
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. of chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. of maple syrup
pinch of fennel
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium bowl, crumble the tempeh into small pieces (should resemble ground sausage). In another bowl mix the oil, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, liquid smoke, red pepper, garlic, syrup, fennel, and salt and pepper. Add tempeh to the liquid mixture and let marinade at least 1/2 half hour, but can sit stored covered in the fridge up to 8 hours. Remove the marinated tempeh from the bowl and set aside. You may reserve the marinade for the sausage gravy. However, at this point, the tempeh can be browned like sausage and added to any dish that calls for sausage.

Ingredients for Gravy:
1/8 c. of flour
1 1/4 c. of milk or soy milk
4 oz. of tempeh sausage
1 tbsp. of olive oil or reserved tempeh sausage marinade

Directions:
Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil or reserved marinade in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add the tempeh sausage and cook until browned. Add the flour to the tempeh and stir until well coated. Slowly add the milk, reduce the heat to medium, and stir continuously until thickened. Add more pepper if needed. Serve over biscuits.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

While making the weekly menu this week, it was decided that it would be a week of favorite dinners. By favorite dinners, I mean the meals we do not cook as often because one of us loves the meal, while the other is just OK with it. That being said, I had first pick, which was Sweet and Sour Tofu. Although my husband enjoys this meal, he claims it is not in his top 5. That's fine! It is definitely a top 5 for me, and I hope you enjoy it too. I usually use store bought sweet and sour, but if you have extra time, there are some great recipes online for homemade sweet and sour sauce. Either way, it is the tofu that makes this dish excellent! Enjoy

Ingredients:
1 Block of tofu, drained and cut into one inch cubes
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
4-8 Tbsp. of water
1 egg
1/2 c. oil
1 green pepper cut into large chunks
1 onion chopped medium to large
1 can of chunk pineapple drained
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sweet and sour sauce
Rice for serving

Directions

1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, water, and egg in a large bowl. Begin with 4 Tbsp. of water. If the batter is too thick, add more water 1 Tbsp. at a time.

2. Heat the oil over medium/high heat in a large pan. Dip the tofu in the batter, and then gently place in hot oil. Fry until golden, flipping occasionally. Drain tofu on paper towel. Repeat with remaining tofu. Set fried tofu aside.

3. In a second large pan, heat the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. add the onion and green pepper and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the pineapple and cook until heated. Add the tofu. Pour sweet and sour sauce over the tofu mixture until well coated. Remove from heat and serve with rice and additional sweet and sour sauce if needed.

Tofu Fish Sticks

So as a new mom of an infant who is now eating solid foods, I am finding it very difficult to find quick meals for when we are in a hurry. Many of the kids frozen meals are either meaty or full of preservatives. I started thinking about what I ate when I was a kid, and I suddenly had a fond memory of fish sticks. We are raising our daughter vegetarian, so I had to come up with something similar that she would enjoy. The nice thing about this is that it is quick to put together, and it can be thrown into the freezer and used by portion size when needed. This would also be good as fish sandwiches, just slicing the tofu into rectangle slices versus the "sticks." Enjoy!



Ingredients:

1 block of extra firm tofu drained and sliced into one inch sticks
1/2 c. of milk
1/2 of a lemon juiced
1 tsp. of soy sauce
1/2 c. of "Andy's" fish and shrimp breading
2 Tbsp. of kelp powder
Tartar sauce for serving

Directions:
Mix the milk, lemon juice, and soy sauce in one bowl. In a rimmed plate, mix the fish breading with the kelp powder. Dredge the tofu into the milk mixture, coat with breading, back into milk mixture, and finally add a second coat of breading. If not using immediately, place tofu sticks in a zip type bag and freeze until ready to use.

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees. Place breaded tofu on baking sheet and lightly spray the tofu with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for 30 minutes or until heated through and the breading is toasted,  flipping occasionally and adding more cooking spray if necessary. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges

Vegan Pantry Soup

In an effort to clean out my pantry and vegetable bin, I put together this soup. I was quite pleased with the outcome, as well as was my family. In fact, my husband stated that if this soup was at a restaurant, he would want to go back to that restaurant just for the soup. I know that is not an official critic's report, but I will take it! This soup is a simple crock pot recipe that can be made in advance, and sit in the crock pot on low for the day. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 c. of vegetable broth
2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. of chopped celery
1/2 c. of chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic chopped
1 inch of fresh ginger chopped
1/4 c. sliced sundried tomatoes
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. of curry
1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. of garam masala
1/2 tsp. of coriander
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste




Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
2. Once oil is heated, sauté the celery and onion until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes)
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook a minute more
4. Add the curry, cayenne pepper, garam masala, coriander, and cinnamon and stir into vegetables until well coated. Remove from heat
5. In a crock pot, add broth, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, spiced vegetables, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 5-8 hours

Nana's Shepard's Pie

This is by far one of the easiest comfort food recipes that is perfect for a chilly evening. Most of the ingredients are usually on hand, and I always think of making this in advance so that I can use the leftover mashed potatoes from a meal earlier in the week. This way, I get to eat mashed potatoes twice, which is never a bad thing! My mom, who is now referred to as Nana in our house, handed this recipe down to me, and now I am passing it on to you! Feel free to substitute the meatless crumbles with a homemade version of ground beef (e.g. tempeh, seitan, or tofu), but keep in mind that this meal is to be easy J Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

1 package of frozen meatless crumbles

½ c of chopped onion

½ c of chopped celery

¼ c of chopped green pepper

1 can of tomato soup

1 small can of whole kernel corn

1 small can of mushrooms

4 c. of mashed potatoes (instant or homemade)

 

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.       Heat oil in a large pan over medium/high heat. Brown the crumbles, onion, celery, and green pepper for 5-10 minutes until everything is cooked through, and veggies are tender-crisp. Stir in the soup, corn, and mushrooms with the crumble/vegetable mixture and remove from heat.

3.       Pour the mixture into a greased casserole (I use an 8x8 square casserole)

4.       Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the crumble mixture

5.       Place in preheated oven, and bake for 45 minutes

6.       Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving