Gardein "Chicken" and Sweet Potatoes in Red Curry

The fine folks at gardein sent me a couple coupons the other day, bless their little hearts, and I immediately ran out and grabbed me some of their new crazy-yummy products.

As I may have mentioned, I don't use a great deal of meat substitutes, mainly because of minor quibbles like cost and limited availability in these remote parts, but they definitely are convenient and I really am liking these particular ones so far!!

I've been waiting for a good excuse to try these, and tonight seemed a perfect night for a quick dinner, with tons of homework, deadlines, projects and "stuff'!

I know I just did Red Curry a few weeks back, but I LOVE it, and it's so easy to throw together - I figured the "Seasoned Bites" would make a good addition 'cause in reading the package, they looked and sounded like they were made to go IN something.

My youngest Sprout and I were the only ones home for supper but we both voted "YAY" on these new "bites" or chunks in this recipe. I imagine you can think of dozens of ways to use these. Don't they look YUMMY!?!
Little Sprout commented that they were a bit "bland", and I suppose additional simmering in the curry sauce would have added a bit more flavor but I was in a hurry, I admit - and I think their mildness isn't a bad thing, (I wonder a bit about calling them "Seasoned" however; because on their own, they really aren't so much).

They ARE very good though, and as before, I love the texture especially! Not mushy like some products tend to be, and not rubbery like others I've tried!! You'd definitely want to cook them in a sauce, soup, casserole or similar dish, but if you're looking for a vegan, chicken-style protein product, check these out!!

Red Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Gardein "Seasoned Bites"

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped in large chunks

1 Tbsp. Thai Red Curry Paste (some brands are vegan, just read the labels)

1/4 Tsp. ground cloves

1 1/2 cups cubed sweet potatoes

1 cup cubed white potatoes

3 cups water

1/2 cup tomato sauce or puree

1 12 oz. can coconut milk

1 package gardein "Seasoned Bites"

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. finely shredded fresh ginger

Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan.

Add onion and potatoes, stirring a bit until onion is tender but not browned.

Add the curry paste and cook for just a minute or two to incorporate the curry into the oil.

Add the cloves, water and salt. Stir to mix. Cover and cook at low boil until white potatoes are tender. Sweet potatoes may be falling apart at this point. (The smaller the chunks the faster it cooks).

Stir in gardein "Seasoned Bites" and the bit of sauce they come with), tomato puree or sauce, coconut milk, garlic, sugar and ginger and cook uncovered until heated thru, about 10 more minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

Serve over rice. YUM!!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Chard

I love gnocchi and love sweet potatoes, so perfecting/veganizing this recipe was tasty and very easy. You need to try this - like most everything I attempt, it's not rocket science, I promise. I am planning to try these with a dry, slightly-starchy Hubbard squash maybe, I wonder if it'd turn out about the same?

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 'Buttered' Chard

Gnocchi:

• 3 large sweet potatoes or yams (I use the brighter orange ones which are actually yams I guess)
• 1 cup flour or probably more
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt and pepper.
  
  Bake the sweet potatoes/yams in 450 F oven until soft (about an hour). Peel, mash, and add cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste.
  
  Mix in flour until dough holds its shape, but do not add too much that it becomes too stiff and hard to manage. Just add until it no longer sticks to your hands - like playdough!
  
  Roll into long ropes and cut into pieces. Do the whole "rolling against a fork" thing if you must (you'll have to Google gnocchi-rolling directions) - I don't because I'm terribly inept at it, I just cut into ball-like blobs and it's fine, really.
  
  Fill a pan with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil.
  Drop gnocchi in.
  Cook in salted boiling water until they float to the top.
  Drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
  
  Greens:
  
• 3 cups packed baby rainbow chard leaves (or coarsely chopped larger rainbow chard leaves)
• 1/4 cup gnocchi cooking water
• 1/2 tsp. dry powdered "chicken-style" bullion broth
• 1 Tbsp. Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
• 1 clove pressed or minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
  
  In frying pan, bring water to simmer, melt in Earth Balance. Saute chard in water and Earth Balance until wilted.
  
  Sprinkle with garlic, vinegar and "chicken broth" mix. Stir well, mix in gnocchi (add additional water if it's too sticky) and serve.

Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Chard

I love gnocchi and love sweet potatoes just as much, (actually I used yams) so perfecting/veganizing this recipe was tasty and very easy. Try this, like most everything I attempt, it's not difficult, I promise.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 'Buttered' Chard

Gnocchi:

• 3 large sweet potatoes or yams (I use the brighter orange ones which are actually yams I guess)
• 1 cup flour or probably more
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt and pepper.
  
  Bake the sweet potatoes/yams in 450 F oven until soft (about an hour). Peel, mash, and add cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste.
  
  Mix in flour until dough holds its shape, but do not add too much that it becomes too stiff and hard to manage. Just add until it no longer sticks to your hands - like playdough!
  
  Roll into long ropes and cut into pieces. Do the whole "rolling against a fork" thing if you must (you'll have to Google gnocchi-rolling directions) - I don't because I'm terribly inept at it, I just cut into ball-like blobs and it's fine, really.
  
  Fill a pan with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil.
  Drop gnocchi in.
  Cook in salted boiling water until they float to the top.
  Drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
  
  Greens:
  
• 3 cups packed baby rainbow chard leaves (or coarsely chopped larger rainbow chard leaves)
• 1/4 cup gnocchi cooking water
• 1/2 tsp. dry powdered "chicken-style" bullion broth
• 1 Tbsp. Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
• 1 clove pressed or minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
  
  In frying pan, bring water to simmer, melt in Earth Balance. Sautee chard in water and Earth Balance until wilted.
  
  Sprinkle with garlic, vinegar and "Chicken broth" mix. Stir well, Mix in gnocchi (add additional water if it's too "sticky", and serve.

Tomato-Macaroni Soup, Quinoa Soup again, and the cat!!

This has definitely been a "soup" sort of week.


Not only have I been running in a thousand different directions with overtime work, classes and activities with my kids, but we've also had several nasty storms that have knocked down power lines and trees.

Fortunately we didn't lose electricity or trees at our house, though both my kids' school and the one where I teach were without for periods on Thursday and Friday, and this old tree down the street finally gave in to the winds...

OK, so...Soup, in my book, has to be quick and easy, or something that re-heats well. I'm not one for standing and stirring and simmering for hours...
First up is this stupidly simple "Tomato Macaroni" soup.

Some years back, I'm not too proud to admit, I had to make occasional visits to the neighborhood food-bank. One of the items we always received, not sure why, was several quarts of tomato juice. Maybe it was government surplus, just like the cheese?

Who knows. At any rate, at a loss for what to do with weekly quarts of tomato juice, I created this soup.

It's definitely nothing fancy, but it's quick, easy, cheap (obviously) and filling comfort food. As a bonus, my kids LOVE it and still ask for it often. Hey, tomato juice is actually good for you, you know? Lots of good stuff, including 21957 micrograms of lycopene in every 8 oz. and you KNOW that's good!

Tomato Macaroni Soup

1 large onion, chopped fine and sauteed in a tsp of oil in the bottom of a stockpot
6 - 8 cups water
2 med. baking potatoes cut into smallish cubes

Bring the above to a boil.

Boil for 5 minutes and add:

1 cup elbow macaroni (you can use whole-grain pasta here)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pickling spices tied up in a cheesecloth or put in a teaball - yes, odd, but these MAKE the soup!

Cook the above at a good boil until potatoes are soft. Remove spice bag.

Add:

1 pint tomato juice, taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt or pepper if needed. Stir until heated and serve.

We sometimes add a swirl of soymilk to cool it down and make it creamy.

Next up, my "Quinoa Peanut Soup" (which I think I posted here before). I originally posted this over at Veggieboards.com, and I was pretty impressed when Nava Atlas asked if she could include it in her latest "Soups..." cookbook. Way cool!

Still one of our family favorites, I love that it re-heats so well. My littlest sprout loves the curly-Q "tails" that the quinoa grains leave in the soup and in typical 8-year-old style, she gets a morbid kick out of freaking out her classmates at school when she takes this soup in her thermos (they're not little worms, I swear, though you might want to warn unsuspecting people...).

Quinoa-Peanut Soup

2 Tb margarine

1 chopped onion or 2 med. leeks sliced (I prefer leeks, use all of white and tender part of green)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I use more because I'm a garlic fiend)

1 fresh jalapeno, minced (Again, I use more)

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 diced celery stalks, with leaves (I usually leave this out, cause I don't care for celery much)

2 small diced zucchini

1 large sweet potato, yam or peeled butternut squash, diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

4 cup vegetable stock (I use the "non-chicken" style broth)

1/2 cup quinoa, (some brands say to rinse and drain before using - I never have..)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 dash cayenne pepper or to taste (I use more!!)

1/2 cup chunky organic peanut butter, no honey or sugar

Wear rubber gloves to prepare fresh jalapeno pepper if you need to - or just be careful.

In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt margarine over medium-high heat. When margarine is hot and bubbly, add all veggies, and cumin and oregano. Saute 10 -15 minutes, or until vegetables are softened.

Add stock, quinoa, black pepper and cayenne.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.

Simmer until quinoa is cooked and veggies are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

I know it looks done at this point, but go ahead and add the peanut butter, using a wisk to blend in completely, and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Personally I use a little more salt than listed, but do what you like)

I almost always throw grated fresh ginger in there somewhere but it's not necessary.

Last, but not least, the ever-fearless, but curious cat has taken to "supervising" cooking in a new and slightly worrisome way.

If given the chance, he perches on the range hood, high ABOVE the bubbling, boiling, splattering pans... which scares me more than a little!!
We usually try to keep him far from the kitchen whenever we're actually cooking!! (Maybe it's the liquor bottles hiding in the cabinet that fascinate him, eh?)

Mashed Sweet 'Taters

More produce from the winter farmer's market: ---> --->

I had several of these beautiful "Southern Ruby" sweet potatoes from a local farm that specializes in wonderful heirloom vegetables.
They really look pretty orange to me, OK, maybe slightly 'redder' than other sweet potatoes. (And what is UP with my pictures on Blogger lately? Either they post weird, don't post at all, or are blurry! ACK!)


At any rate - I needed to use the potatoes up, and wasn't feeling in the least bit creative, so I simply boiled them, slipped the skins off and mashed them with a little maple syrup, Earth Balance and vegetable broth.

Served 'em with a H-U-G-E green salad and that's pretty much all.
Sooooo yummy.

In case you needed convincing that these things are good for you - from the Texas Sweet Potato Growers website:

"As a main dish or prepared as a dessert, the sweet potato is a nutritious and economical food. One baked sweet potato (3 1/2 ounce serving) provides over 8,800 IU of vitamin A or about twice the recommended daily allowance, yet it
contains only 141 calories making it valuable for the weight watcher. This nutritious vegetable provides 42 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C, 16 percent of the RDA for calcium, 10 percent of the RDA for
iron, and 8 percent of the RDA for thiamine for healthy adults. It is low in sodium and is a good source of fiber and other important vitamins and minerals.
A complex carbohydrate food source, it provides beta carotene which may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain cancers.
For the most food value, choose sweet potatoes of a deep orange color. "