Vegan Pastry Dough

This is a recipe that I've wanted to veganize for a while, Dearies. The original vegetarian recipe called "Enchanting Dough" was just so amazing and easy that I felt I just had to make this for my vegan lovelies.

It took me a while to get to this recipe on 'my list' of things to make that come from my own mind as well as other blogs and talented elves. My tardiness was mostly due to the fact that I'm trying to use less A.P. flour, but the truth of the matter is that 'the list' is a force to be dealt with, Dearies. I know you all have one-a force to be dealt with it is (smile)!

Here's the recipe:

*2 Cups All Purpose Flour

*Dash of Salt

*1 Cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread (2 Sticks/16 Tbsp.)

*1/2 Cup WildWood Organic Soy Yogurt

*2 Tbsp. Cold Water

In a bowl, stir together flour and salt. Using a pasty blender or your hands, cut cold earth balance into flour until your mixture looks like a course meal with some pea sized pieces. Mix the water into the yogurt and add to the flour mixture. Mix gently till you get a nice dough.

Form the dough into a ball. On a floury surface, roll into an 18 by 9 inch rectangle. Take the ends and fold the dough crosswise into thirds forming a 6 by 9 inch rectangle. *Fold the dough into thirds again from the other side (to your right, so that you have a small square or even ball like shape). Wrap dough and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

*Folding dough into thirds simply means pulling one end towards the center and then pulling the other end's two corners towards the center and on top of the first fold. This creates layers, which in turn traps air and creates flakiness...

For pockets, cut the dough in half after chilling. Roll each half on a floured surface into a 12 inch square. Cut into 6 squares (or use a cutter for circles) and put about 3/4 tbsp. of filling in the center of each . Pull the ends toward each other to form whatever shape you like. Crimp the edges together with the end of a fork and brush with soy milk.

Bake on parchment paper at 390 for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375 and bake for 12-15 more minutes or until golden.

p.s. We stuffed our pockets with pinto beans & Galaxy Jalapeno Jack Cheese and dipped them in the above salsa. Yum!

Simple Radish Salad

Hello Dearies!

I know it's been a while since I've posted. This is mostly due to my laptop dying this last week along with camera issues that ensued the very next day. My old laptop owed me absolutely nothing being that he has faithfully served multiple people in my family for quite a while now, but I was hoping that my little point and shoot camera would last a bit longer. That being said, she is an old camera. She has not been used much till I began blogging here though, hence her complete and utter desire to leave this life is a bit frustrating. And especially so when I look at the prices of new cameras. Sheesh!

Outside of technical difficulties, I haven't blogged much due to not feeling like the food I made this last 10 days was anything of note. This changed in my mind as I took photos of my radish salad that I eat quite often here in the hollow. I was only taking the photos to see what my camera would do at different times with different light coming in when I thought 'why don't I post a lot of the food we so often eat?' I mean, it's real food, and there must be something good about it or we wouldn't eat it so often. Right?! Maybe...?

So I suppose this post is a little tribute to the food we often eat that is less than glamorous-a simple radish salad that makes just about any meal more fresh and certainly more crunchy and delicious (smile)...

Crunchy Radish Salad

1 1/4 Cups Sliced Radish

3/4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3/4-1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1/8 Tsp. Salt or to taste

Black Pepper to taste

Fresh Cilantro to garnish (optional but good)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Chill for at least 10 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

p.s. the fruit cake I accidentally posted the other day will be here soon. I had a toasted piece of it today with cream cheese, and it was unbelievable-yum. On that note, do any of you Dearies have a family recipe for edible fruit cake (smile)?

Witchy & Trixy Things!

Hello Dearies!

I hope you are all getting geared up and excited for the wonderful Halloween weekend coming our way. If you still need some help with this, I hope you will stop by The Urbanite where the wonderful Trix of Tasty Trix has featured my Spooky Blue Mash and Garlic Seared Brussels Sprouts along with some other super fabulous and witchy recipes...

Oh, and Brussels Sprouts done in this style will convert almost any hater of this cabbage family plant *wink*!

Also, Dearies, Nancy of Spicie Foodie announced this week that she will be holding a monthly roundup of everyone's best recipes. Be sure to submit yours by October 30 for this month!

If you are interested in the roundup, click here.

Oh, and to all of my lovelies who doted upon me with awards this week or who tagged me (smile), I will catch up to doing a post on this soon. I just started a new job today, and I've got a date with my pillow right now!

Be good, Dearies *wink*...

Stella Witch

p.s. I would like to thank Mary of Keep Learning Keep Smiling for introducing me to the majesty potato;)

Almost Vegan Ravioli

Hello Dearies!

Oh, how I have missed you. It's a strange and mystical thing when one misses the unknown, but it is real (smile)!

This post here today is more of a trick than a real recipe, but I figured that's okay since we are in the month of all things trick or treat! And I suppose my tofu stuffed ravioli made with store bought wontons are both an easy kitchen trick as well as a treat. You can use whatever greens and mushrooms you like in this recipe. I used garlic sautéed collard greens and Marx Foods' dry trumpet mushrooms, which resulted in a delicious lunch. You can use sautéed spinach for an even faster homemade ravioli!

Almost Vegan Ravioli-Serves 4

1/2 Block Extra Firm, Organic Tofu (drained)

1/2 Tsp. Chili Garlic Sauce

1/2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

4-5 Drops Toasted Sesame Oil

Handful of Dry Trumpet Mushrooms*

Hand full of Garlic Sautéed Collards

Pinch of Cumin

Pack of wontons

Your favorite sauce

*Marx Foods Dry Trumpet Mushrooms!

Bring about 1 1/2 Cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour over your dry trumpet mushrooms and allow to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Take about 8 collard green leaves and peel them away from the inner stem. Slice them however you please for cooking. In a pan, place 1 Tbsp. of organic butter or Earth Balance. Bring the pan to medium heat and saute 1 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the collards and allow to cook while intermittently turning for about 2-3 minutes. Then add 2/3 cup of low sodium Vegetable Broth and allow to simmer for 7-8 minutes. Cool and then take your handful for the mix above chopping it again. Save the rest to serve on the side or at a later time!

Note: if you prefer a quick green, just sauté some spinach in butter or olive oil with garlic-no broth is necessary. The spinach will be done within a minute!

In a bowl, place your drained and squeezed tofu, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, cumin and chopped collards. Once the mushroom are soaked, dry and chop them-place in the bowl too. Mix and set aside. Take about 3 Tbsp. of water and mix it with a tsp. of corn starch in a ramekin. This will be used to seal your wontons with a kitchen brush. Now, lay out half of the wontons. One by one, place about 1/2-3/4 Tbsp. of mix in the middle of each one. Paint the sides of the bottom wonton and place another on top ensuring air is not trapped inside and that the sides are sealed. Continue this process till all wontons are used.

Once done, immediately boil your wonton raviolis in a pasta pot for about 1 minute or till they look properly cooked. You can't use the 'float rule' for ravioli in this application, as they float immediately. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon or spatula placing the wontons on a plate. Top with your favorite sauce. I used Whole Foods 365 Brand Red Pepper Sauce!

p.s. this is almost vegan, as the wontons I used are vegetarian!

Perfect Pita Pizzas

Oh, my lovelies! I am so tired. I don't even know if I've ever been this tired (smile but seriously).

Despite exhaustion, I wanted to quickly post my entry into Sweet Artichoke's 'A taste of....Summer Holidays challenge'. The challenge simply entails writing about a vegetarian food or dish that reminds you of the summer holidays. One might even say that this is Sweet Artichoke's way of bidding the wonderful, steamy days of summer farewell for the time being...

My entry is our simple way of making pita pizzas. Yeah, I know everyone knows how to make a pita pizza, okay! But do you know how to make a perfect & quick pita pizza? One where the crust doesn't taste like pita cement or soggy pita swamp bottom? Well, it simply involves proper bake time, my dearies-no witchy tricks or magic;) The result is a quick pizza that doesn't warm the house too very much on a hot summer day!

Here is how I make mine:

Preheat the oven to 375 and pull out a large cookie sheet.

Take your whole grain pita and slather it with pizza sauce, pesto, or whatever you like.

*Quickly sprinkle with fresh garlic and layer with your favorite veggies. Add your favorite organic cheese or cheeses. Place the pita pizzas on your baking sheet and position the sheet on the middle rack of the oven only once it has reached 375 degrees. Bake for 7 minutes and then turn the heat up to 400. Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes and immediately remove your pizzas from the oven. Slice & Enjoy!

*'Quickly' so that the sauce doesn't penetrate and cause sogginess!

I am going to bed now. I will see all of you lovelies in the morning;)

Stellar Vegan Sausage

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to share a couple of vegan recipes with you all that I really enjoyed this last week. Oh, and they are, of course, Cauldron Boy approved too! Cauldron Boy is a bit more open to vegetarian and omnivore foods, so I like to think the vegan food is pretty good when he's liking it and asking for seconds;)

First, is my 'Stellar Vegan Sausage'. I really like this recipe, as it is easily made with ingredients that most people have in the cabinet save the liquid smoke. The recipe is also nice in that these really do look like sausages and taste a lot like them too. The only downfall is that the texture isn't really like sausage. The upside of the downside is that the texture is that of a delicious bean patty, so no worries (smile).

Stellar Vegan Sausage-Serves 2

1 15 oz. Can Organic Garbanzos (drained)

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

1/4 Cup Raw Sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp. Red Onion (chopped)

1 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 Tsp. Cumin

1/4 Tsp. Dried Thyme

1/4 Tsp. Paprika

1/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2-1 Tsp. Hot Sauce

1/2 Tsp. Liquid smoke*

3 Tbsp. Water

*If you are vegan, be sure to use a brand of liquid smoke that is actually vegan like Colgin, etc.

In a food processor, place the oats and sunflower seeds. Process for about 7-8 seconds-that's it! Then add the rest of the ingredients. Process to a course looking meal. This probably took me about 10 seconds. It will be different from processor to processor. Just don't process down to a cream, as the mix will be difficult to work with and form into patties. You want the mix to be processed but still meal like.

Form into patties. Sprinkle with extra paprika and sauté in about one Tbsp. of olive oil on medium heat (low heat will cause for greasy patties). Allow each side to sizzle for about 2-3 minutes. Enjoy with ketchup, mustard or whatever you like!

The next recipe is a Vegan Bearnaise Sauce. This sauce was really lovely over our steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Vegan Bearnaise-Serves 4

1 1/4 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 Cup Raw Cashew Pieces

2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast

1/2 Tbsp. Dark Soy Sauce

2 Cloves Garlic

Hefty Pinch of Black Pepper

Hefty Pinch of Dry Tarragon Leaves

1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt

1/4 Tsp Turmeric (color)

Note: Some people like to add a tbsp. of melted Earth Balance to the mix for extra creaminess.

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend till very smooth. Place the contents of the blender in a sauté pan or pot on low heat. The Bearnaise will look watery and not quite right. Don't worry. Bring the heat up to medium high stirring constantly. The mix will almost immediately begin to start changing to a cream texture. Once you reach your desired creaminess and texture, remove completely from the heat. Serve over your favorite steamed fresh vegetables and such.

Enjoy, my lovelies!

Quick Edamame Soup

I spent my weekend driving around unknown territories in South Florida scoping out the scenery in order to see what the place is all about and such. The trip was strictly business and almost no pleasure, so I'm incredibly beat and my powers are very weak right now, my lovelies. However, it's times like these that my Cauldron does the magic by whipping up something quick, easy, and delicious like my 'Quick Edamame Soup'!

Oh how lovely it is...

Here's the recipe:

Quick Edamame Soup for 2-3

6 1/4 Cups of Low Sodium Vegetable Broth*

1 Cup of Frozen, Organic Edamame Beans

1/3 Cup of Sliced Scallions (greens and white ends)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic (chopped)

1 Tsp. Fresh, Minced Ginger (optional)

2 Small, Organic Carrots (peeled & sliced on the diagonal)

5-6 oz. Rice Noodle Pasta (1/3 a pack of Thai Kitchen Brand)

1-1 1/4 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2-3/4 Tsp. Chile Garlic Sauce

1/4 Tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil

1/2 Tbsp. Peanut or Veg Oil for sauté

Salt to taste

Possible Toppings-cilantro, scallions, chilies, avocado, sprouts, etc...

*Please use a broth that is super low sodium-2-6% sodium is truly low!

In a large soup pot or cauldron, place the 1/2 Tbsp. of veg oil and bring it to medium heat. Once, hot, add the scallions and sauté for about a minute. Then add the garlic, ginger, & carrots and allow to sizzle for about 15-20 seconds more. Add the broth, put the top on at an angle, and bring the heat up to reach a boil. Once boiling, add the Edamame. This will cool the soup down again, so bring it back up to a boil and allow the Edamame to boil with the lid at an angle for only 2 and 1/2 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, and add the soy, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Stir again and add the rice noodles. Once the rice noodles have been added, immediately move the soup from the heat and allow it to stand for about 12-14 minutes stirring from time to time (this is how the rice noodles cook-they just need super hot water, not boiling water!). Salt to taste...

Enjoy!

*Did you know?

-Like the protein found in meat, the protein in soybeans a.k.a. Edamame is "complete," meaning all of the eight amino acids needed for human health are present. Soybeans are the only vegetable that contains complete protein!

A Healthy Creamy Pasta

This is a quick pasta recipe I found on one of my favorite blogs. The recipe is just so blog worthy, as it is very simple and super delicious. The major feat here though is a creamy pasta that is not fattening or dry. You know the scenario-you skimp on cream sauce for the hips and end up with a dry pasta dish, or you go ahead and make enough buttery cream sauce only to regret the indulgence later. Well, there's none of that going on here, Dearies!

You also get a dose of friendly flora for your digestive tract with this dish, which is something we can all use these days!

Recipe adapted a bit from Serendipity-Serves 4-5

1 lb. of your favorite pasta

1 1/4 Cup Low Fat Plain Yogurt (Organic Please!)

6 Tbsp. of Basil Pesto

2-3 Tbsp. Real Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Boil your pasta according to package instructions.

About 3 minutes before your pasta is done boiling, place the yogurt, pesto, and cheese in a pan on very low heat-as low as your stove can go. You're only taking the chill off this mixture, not cooking it! Whisk the mixture a bit while waiting for pasta to be done. Drain the pasta well and throw into the pan. Remove from the heat immediately and mix well. Serve with extra Parmesan, sea salt, and black pepper.

Enjoy!

Oh, & a rum shot for extra digestive help!

p.s.-I'm going to see if I can veganize this recipe for my vegan lovelies. I feel it's just a matter of finding the right plain, vegan yogurt. Hmm?

High Blood Pressure/Hypertension

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood leaving the heart and entering the arteries, and High Blood Pressure a.k.a Hypertension affects millions of people every year. For most people, heavy salt intake is the culprit. Too much salt in our diets causes for an osmotic situation that is never beneficial for the lining of the arteries. Tearing, due to the pressure, can result in a stroke. This causes for a loss of blood to the brain, and the damage from this event can be permanent. Stroke is also just the beginning of serious ailments that high blood pressure can cause.

An aspect of high blood pressure that is often overlooked though is potassium intake. Potassium is a mineral that aids the kidneys in ridding the body of sodium. In doing so, blood pressure lowers due to less salt in the system. Some studies even show that a potassium rich diet can lower the risk of stroke by a whopping 38%. That being said, supplements are not encouraged as they can cause kidney damage.

So here is a list of potassium rich foods, Dearies!

Potassium Rich Foods:

Baked Potatoes

Bananas

Fresh Squeezed O.J./Oranges

Zucchini/Squash

Raisins

Molasses

Spinach

Edamame

Garbanzos

Cantaloupe

etc....

To make this post a bit more personal. My Cauldron Boy visited the doctor about 5 years ago at the ripe old age of 26 years old. The nurse took his blood pressure as usual, and gasped at Cauldron Boy's pressure saying in her sweet, broken English 'I can't believe you come to doctor for eyes when blood pressure like dat!' She quickly laid him down and ran to get the doctor who said Cauldron Boy's pressure was that of a 45 year old man that just suffered a heart attack. Action was in order, Dearies!

So Cauldron Boy eats the foods listed above daily nowadays and his blood pressure is back in check. Here is a raw zucchini salad I make for him regularly that is very rich in potassium. I must also mention that posting this was inspired by Ms. Pacheco Patty. If I hadn't seen her simple, pretty beet salad looking so good, I might have overlooked even posting a salad or doing a post on high blood pressure. So thanks, Patty!

Easy Raw Zucchini Salad

1 1/2 Cups Grated Zucchini

1 Large Garlic Clove-minced

1 1/2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Pinch or Two of Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Toss all ingredients together. Lay the zucchini mix over your favorite organic green with whatever other vegetables you like. Then drizzle the rest of your salad with a bit of oil and vinegar too. Enjoy!

Another high potassium dish I recently made for my Cauldron Boy was from the lovely Gloria's Blog, Canela Kitchen Recipes. It is called a 'Papa Rellena'-a baked one at that. Gloria filled hers with meat and vegetable, but I just opted for garlicky spinach-yum! This tasted like a glorified Knish. I only changed the potato outside a bit by using Jilly's Flax Egg, which is an awesome egg alternative for vegans and carnivores alike.

Gloria's original Papa Rellena recipe is here

Other ways to lower blood pressure besides drastically lowering salt and upping potassium are by lowering your consumption of caffeine, alcohol, & cholesterol rich foods. De-stressing can help too, Dearies!

Tofu Yum Yum

This is a dish I make for my friends that creates the illusion that I'm some type of Asian foods expert. Or at least in their 'not knowing so much about Asian foods' minds. Little do they know that I'm an amateur maker and lover of different Asian foods and styles of cooking too.

That all being said, I don't know how authentic this would be to someone from any part of Asia or to a well seasoned traveler of the Far East. In fact, I'm sure this is something I made up after learning a few different Asian dishes. Hence it is a simple dish, but it's good. Really good. And it's even better if some fresh cut cucumber and jasmine rice are thrown on the scene. Maybe some pickled veggies too if you have any. Oh, and I used organic millet as a starch in some of the photos here...

Recipe for Tofu & Yum Yum Sauce:

1/2 Block (7-8 oz.) Organic Extra Firm Tofu-patted dry with paper towels & then cubed.

2 1/4 Cups Water

1 Vegetarian Knorr Bouillon Cube*

1/4 Cup Sliced Scallion (white & green parts)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic

1 Organic Carrot (sliced)

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

1 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2-3/4 Tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil

1/2 Tsp. Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce

1/2 Tbsp. Peanut or Veg Oil

2 Tbsp. Corn Starch dissolved in about 1-2 Tbsp. Water**

Serve with extra fresh cut scallion or cilantro

*Knorr is a very high sodium bouillon, which is why I don't add any salt. If you are using a low sodium bouillon like Rapunzel, taste at the end of cooking & then add salt as needed. Do not use soy sauce as salt, or you will end up with a poor attempt at any type of Asian cuisine. One could also just use 2 1/4 cups of low sodium broth for this recipe.

**Be sure to dissolve corn starch in water. If corn starch is thrown into the mix on its own, clumps will form.

Place peanut oil in a sauté pan & bring to medium heat. Add the scallions and allow to sizzle for about 45 seconds stirring if needed. Add garlic and allow to cook for another 20 seconds. Add water, bouillon, peas & carrots-bring to a boil. Allow to boil hard for about 1 minute and lower the heat to a healthy simmer. Allow to simmer for about 3 minutes more. Then add the tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, & the Sriracha Chili Garlic Sauce. Let simmer for another 1-2 min to warm tofu through. Add corn starch and stir watching closely. Once the sauce begins to look a bit shiny and thick, remove from heat immediately. Serve over jasmine or you favorite long grain rice.

Enjoy!

Restaurant Style Fried Rice

This a quick recipe and tutorial on how to get perfect fried rice that has all of the fresh aromas and tastes of Americanized take out fried rice dishes. Yes, I said 'Americanized' fried rice-I love it even if it's not quite authentic to any area of China or other land that may claim this type of dish as their own. I also know many of you might secretly love Americanized Asian foods of all kinds too, as they seem cause hot and sometimes fiery discussions in culinary circles.

First, the rules when it comes to fried rice (the trinity):

1. Always use cold, refrigerated leftover rice straight from the fridge. Day old cold rice is great!

2. Resist the urge to move the rice and stir it about-this creates sticky, broken rice by disrupting the inner starches!

3. Work in batches-egg first and set aside, then veg and set aside. You can't make it all at once. Remember the chefs at the Japanese places that cooked at the table? They cook one thing and push it off to the side only to continue this process and reunite all of the ingredients in the end.

Restaurant Style Fried Rice for 2

3 Cups Cold Day Old Rice (whole grain preferably)

1 Carrot-sliced thin

3/4 Cup of Organic Broccoli-chopped

2 Organic Eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic-minced

1-2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro or Scallions

3/4 Tsp. Onion Powder

1 1/2 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil

1 Tsp. Fish Oil

1/2-1 Tsp. Sriracha

Peanut or Veg Oil for cooking

pinch of salt

In a small omelet pan sprayed with Pam, lightly cook your egg. I made a light cooked omelet and sliced it. Set aside. In a large (at least 12' wide sauté pan or wok) pan, place about 1/2 tbsp. veg oil and bring it to medium heat. Sauté the carrots and broccoli for about 2-3 minutes and set aside. Make sure to scrape them out of the pan/wok creating a clean surface. *Or you could simply steam your veggies first.

Place the pan/wok back on the heat and add 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp. of oil. Bring the oil to medium heat. Once hot, scatter the rice in the pan and leave it for at least a minute or two! Do not touch for a minute so that you hear it frying and cracking. Sprinkle with the onion powder and garlic. Now turn areas of the rice with a spatula and allow to fry on the other side making sure not to stir or move the rice too much. Let the other side cook for a minute. Then, place the vegetables on top and add the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish oil, and sriracha. Do not allow the soy to fall to the bottom of the pan as it will cause burn. Toss in the egg and cilantro. Serve hot. Enjoy!

p.s. temperature is so important for fried rice dishes being that the rice has to be allowed to fry. If the pan is too hot, it will simply burn!

Hummus Algerienne

Hummus Algerienne and dishes like it are some of the first meals I ever learned how to cook for myself, which is a good thing. Good in that I never really went through the ramen noodle phase that so many young people in busy societies endure before learning how to really cook or bake. So as you might expect, this dish is quick and easy. It is also quite delicious, and you can add to it as you like.

Quick or slow stewed hummus like this is normally served with couscous, but I topped mine over organic yellow corn grits served with salted, red wine vinegar cucumber slices. Yes, the pictured dish is a true testament to my overall culinary heritage.

Note: There are an array of dishes in Algeria and throughout the Maghreb that could easily be called 'Hummus Algerienne'. This is just one of the many!

Hummus Algerienne for 2

1 Can Garbanzos (drained)*

1/3 Cup Scallion Whites (sliced)

4-5 Large Cloves Garlic (chopped)

5 Tbsp. Tomato Pulp

1 Tsp. Cumin (fresh ground)

3/4 Tsp. Paprika

1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder

1/8 Tsp. Turmeric

1 Small Bay Leaf

1/4 Tsp. Salt

2-3 Hefty Pinches Red/Cayenne Pepper or 1/2 Tsp. Harissa

1 Cup Water

*Make sure to use a canned garbanzos that are fully cooked/not parboiled.

In a sauté pan, bring about 3/4 tbsp. of olive oil to medium heat. Once hot, place the sliced scallion whites in the oil and allow to cook for about a minute. Then add the garlic and let sizzle for 30 seconds stirring if needed to avoid burn. Pour in the garbanzo beans and sprinkle with the onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and red pepper. Stir and allow the spices to toast a bit before stirring again (20 sec). Add the tomato, bay leaf, and water. Bring to a boil, stir, put the lid on at an angle, and bring the heat to low. Allow to simmer for about 4-5 min. Add the turmeric and immediately remove from the heat.

Salt and black pepper to taste. Serve with lemon and cilantro.

p.s. In Arabic, the term 'hummus' does not necessarily describe a dip made with chick peas. It often simply refers to the actual chick pea a.k.a garbanzo bean itself!

East-West Quiche

When I think of quiche, I think of France. And when I think of tofu, I think of a few different countries in the East. That is why I call this my East-West Quiche, which, by the way, happens to be my new favorite way to make quiche. I'll get back to the deliciousness of East-West Quiche in reference to typically made quiche in a moment though.

First, I want to address all of you out there who are grumbling and staring at this creation with a heart full of doubtful negativity. I can read some of your minds now 'Oh, these vegans and vegetarians with their bland tofu and other odd foods'. I know. I know. It does sound a bit strange to make quiche from tofu. For any of you with the aforementioned feelings, I understand at least some of your sentiment.

However, tofu is a good food product in that it has no cholesterol or trans fats along with only a bit of healthy fat and things like soy isoflavones, B vitamins, & protein. It's also one of those foods like cream cheese, for example, in that it can take on sweet or savory flavors. This is nice when it comes to having a healthful and versatile product in your kitchen. And, yes, it's up to you to make the tofu taste good or excellent.

Well, this quiche is very good. I would wager that some of you would call it excellent considering that it's made with tofu, not delicious cheese or rich eggs. My Cauldron Boy took a bite out of it yesterday and, with a mouth full of steaming hot quiche, mumbled 'Yum, what kind of cheese did you use?' He also mentioned that it tasted like chicken was in there.

At that moment, I was pretty content with myself (smile)...

p.s. I know I need to come up with a more healthful crust. This one is super delicious though.

East-West Quiche

1 1/2 Packages Extra Firm, Organic Tofu (21 0z.)*

1 Large Garlic Clove

2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast

1 1/2 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard

1 1/2 Cups Sliced Zucchini

1 Small Carrot (thin sliced)

1/2 of a Medium Red Onion or 1 tiny red onion (chopped fine)

1/2 Tsp. Herbes de Provence (or your favorite dry herb blend)

1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt

Paprika and spices for sprinkling quiche

*I pressed the outside of my tofu block with paper towels just to dry them a bit and remove excess water (Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu is best for this application in my experience)!

Crust:

1 Cup A.P. Flour (Arrowhead Mills is excellent)

1/2 Cup (8 Tbsps.) Earth Balance or Smart Balance Buttery Spread

About 3 Tbsp. Cold Water

In a bowl, place the flour and butter. With your hands or a pastry cutter, push the butter into the flour till you see mostly pea sized pieces of floury butter. Add the water, and form the dough into a ball. If your ball is a bit sticky, just add a bit more flour to it.

On a very floury surface, roll out your dough into a flat round that is about 1/8 -1/4 inch thick. Carefully lift it and place it into a 9 inch pie or tart pan. Place in the fridge to set.

Quiche:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Now, sauté your onion zucchini, and carrots in about 3/4-1 Tbsp. of olive oil on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. About 2 minutes into this process, add 1/2 Tsp. of herbs de Provence and 1/2 tsp. of sea salt. Pepper as you like. Set aside to cool on a plate when done.

In the food processor, place the tofu, garlic, soy sauce, & nutritional yeast. Blend till smooth. I blended mine for about 30 seconds, but time can vary from processor to processor. Once smooth, add a pinch of sea salt and the tbsp. of mustard. Stir with a spoon till combined. Now, stir in the vegetables.

Pull the crust out of the fridge, and smooth the tofu mix into the pan. Sprinkle with paprika, onion & garlic powder, & black pepper. Bake for about 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Sunflower Seed Pesto

Are you 'cheap', Dearies?

Well, I have to admit that I have heard this adjective to describe all that is Stella Witch quite a few times in the last ten years, which is about as long as I've been an adult. This may have something to do with the fact that I've worked in restaurants since I was 14 years old, and pretty much paid my way through life from a very young age. It could also be due to my loathing of the concept of debt, as I don't want to have that weight over my head of owing someone or some company money. Though I do like to have a credit card on hold for emergencies and such, but that's another topic...

Being that I am 'cheap' and admittedly so, I must say that I still do want quality in the items I must purchase whether it be a new sofa or simply the fish I'm looking at through the glass of my local fishmonger. So when it comes to things I love like basil pesto, you all might have already guessed that pine nuts and walnuts are not a topic about which I'm too enthused, at least in reference to their price per pound. Even conventional pine nuts cost an arm and a leg, and I don't even want to think about the prices on organic pine and walnuts.

So my answer to this is sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds have a similar nutty and delicious flavor when toasted much like pine nuts. And at least in my part of the world, cost about $2 pound. They are also super rich in linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), vitamin E, B vitamins, minerals, and even cholesterol lowering phytosterols! Yes, they are healthful, delicious, and CHEAP. And guess what? They work great in pesto!

Ooh, and if you're really cheap like me, grow your own basil. It grows out of control in sunny regions!

Sunflower Basil Pesto

2 Cups Fresh Basil

2/3 Cups Toasted, Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

2-3 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

In a food processor, place the basil, sunflower seeds, garlic cloves, and cheese. Pulse a few times or till you get a very course meal. Then, slowly pour the olive oil in while pulsing till you get your desired texture. I leave mine a bit course, but feel free to break it down as you like.

Serve immediately over pasta, grilled meats, bread, etc. For pasta, this is enough pesto for 4 servings...

Enjoy, my Lovelies!