Macaroni Salad

Yes, this is supposed to be Macaroni Salad but I could only find these fun, round noodles at Trader Joe’s, so if you want to be get technical about it, it’s a Round Noodle salad – and it’s so very good.  I love any kind of cold noodle salad and this one is perfect for a barbecue.  We had it with veggie kabobs and corn chip salad.

Macaroni Salad

Adapted from Ree Drummond recipe

4            cups Elbow Macaroni – Round Noodles if you’re feeling fancy

3            whole Roasted Red Peppers, chopped

1/2         cup Black Olives, chopped fine

6            whole sweet/spicy pickle slices, diced (I used sweet pickle relish)

3            whole green onions, sliced (white and dark parts)

1/2         cup Vegenaise

1            tablespoon white vinegar

3            teaspoons sugar, more or less to taste

1/4         cup nut or soy milk

              splash of pickle or relish juice

Cook the noodles in slightly salted water according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Mix together Vegenaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Splash in enough milk to make it pourable.  Splash in pickle juice for extra flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, set aside.

Place cooled noodles in a large bowl and pour 3/4 of the dressing.  Toss and add more dressing if you’d like.  It will seem thin but will thicken up as salad chills.

Stir in olives, roasted red peppers, pickles, and green onions.  Add more of any ingredients you’d like more of.  At the end, splash in a little more pickle/relish juice

and stir.

Chickpea Tacos

Now that we are back in our kitchen, it is time to start back up Taco Fridays!  We made brown rice with garlic and parsley as a side.  These tacos are very filling and packed with fiber and protein!

Chickpea Tacos

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=58

Makes approximately 8 tacos

Adapted from magazine

1                medium red onion, finely chopped

1                garlic clove, minced

1                15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

                  taco seasoning mix to taste

2                avocados

                  prepared salsa

8                crisp corn taco shells

                  vegan cheese

                  lettuce

                  vegan sour cream

In large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chickpeas and taco seasoning.  Cook chickpeas approximately 5 minutes.  Remove and put in bowl. 

In same skillet, add a bit more oil and add chopped onion and minced garlic.  Cook until soft then transfer to bowl.  Mix together with the chickpeas.

Layer Tacos.  Layer of chickpea mixture, shredded lettuce, jarred pico de gallo or salsa (we used Trader Joe’s salsa with beans, corn and tomato, vegan cheese and top with diced avocado.  A dollop of sour cream for the final touch.

Pasta Alla Norma

A really flavorful summer pasta!  We bought fresh eggplant from our local farmer's market to make this dish -- no supermarket eggplant for this!  This recipe originates from a chef at Brooklyn restaurant Antica Pesa.  Haven't been to the restaurant but love this dish.

Pasta Alla Norma

Serves 4

Simone Panella’s recipe

***The recipe below calls for 2 large eggplants, I used one large and about 10 oz. of pasta noodles. 

2          large eggplants, sliced in 1/4-in slices

            salt

1/2       cup all-purpose flour

3/4       cup olive oil

1          onion, peeled and chopped

2          celery rigs, diced

1          carrot, peeled and diced

1          28-oz can plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2       teaspoon sugar

6          basil leaves, chopped

1          16 oz. package rigatoni pasta

            vegan parmesan cheese for topping

Sprinkle eggplant slices with 1 tablespoon salt. Place in a colander, cover with a weighted plate, and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant and pat dry.

Coat eggplant slices in flour. Cook in batches, using 2 tablespoons oil for each batch, in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes until golden.  Set aside.

Cook onions, celery, carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt with remaining olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, 10 – 15 minutes or until golden. Add tomatoes and sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in basil.

Cook pasta in large Dutch oven until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and return to Dutch oven.

Add half of eggplant to sauce; cook over low heat 3 – 5 minutes. Add sauce to pasta, adding reserved pasta water if needed. Garnish with remaining eggplant slices and vegan parmesan.

Vegetable Kabobs

Spent the Fourth of July holiday up north and fired up the grill for some delicious vegetable kabob's and grilled corn.  The perfect meal to enjoy on the 4th!

Vegetable Kabobs

*  Cut veggies in big chunks.  Can also add Vegan Sausage.

1            red bell pepper

1            yellow bell pepper

              mushrooms

1            large sweet onion

1            zucchini

Sauce

** I just mixed together a marinade with the following ingredients – mix to taste.

Let vegetables sit in marinade for at least 2 hours.  I left out the mushrooms and just brushed with sauce before putting on skewer.

            soy sauce

            olive oil

            2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

            orange juice or pineapple juice

            agave

            onion powder

Cooked kabobs for 8 minutes then turned once.

Karma Burgers

Our professional camera is still on the fritz so forgive the I-Phone photos.  Load your burger up with all the fixins' and a side of corn salsa.

Karma Burgers

The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook by Melissa Costelo

Makes 7 Burgers

1/2         red bell pepper deseeded and cut into chunks

1/2         medium red or yellow onion, cut into chunks

2            cups baby spinach leaves

1/2         bunch cilantro

3/4         cup cooked brown rice

1            15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1            tsp. chili powder

2            Tbs. tomato paste

1/2         tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 – 2 cups gluten free bread crumbs (I used regular)           

               olive oil for browning

Puree pepper, onion, spinach, and cilantro in food processor until liquid .  Scrape into medium-sized bowl.

Pure brown rice and chickpeas into paste in food processor, then add to veggie mixture.

Add chili powder tomato paste and salt. Stir together (best done with your hands) until ingredients are well-combined.

Add bread crumbs, combine until mixture sticks together. If mixture feels too wet, add more bread crumbs.  Form mixture into patties and cook in skillet with olive oil over medium heat, until browned on both sides.  Serve on buns with Chipotle Mayo.

Chipotle Mayo

Makes 1/4 cup

1/4     cup Follow Your Heart Grapeseed Vegenaise

1/4     tsp. chipotle chili powder

1/2     tsp. agave nectar

Stir ingredients together in a small bowl.

Strawberry Shortcake

This was Father's Day dessert with fresh, organic strawberries.  I cut back on the sugar in the strawberries a bit and it wasn't missed at all.  Also added a dash of vanilla to the almond milk.

Summertime Strawberry Shortcake

http://www.vegweb.com/recipes/summertime-strawberry-shortcake

1                  quart strawberries, sliced lengthwise

3/4              cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2                  cups al-purpose flour

3                  teaspoons baking powder

1/2              teaspoon salt

1/3              cup vegetable oil

1                  cup plain or vanilla soymilk

Preheat oven to 405 degrees. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan.

In mixing bowl, toss the strawberries with 3/4 cup of the sugar. Cover and refrigerate.

In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, oil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and mix with a fork until crumbly. Add the soymilk and stir just enough to dampen the dry ingredients.

Scoop the batter into the pan and press it in evenly with your fingers.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned.

Allow the cake to cool enough to handle.  Slice the cake in half lengthwise.  Cool completely. Just before serving, arrange the sugared fruit between the two layers of cake. Top with more strawberries.

****The shortcake is actually a biscuit flavor and texture not cake texture.

Broccoli Ranch Slaw

Happy Father's Day!!  We are so blessed to live in the same city as my parents and to be able to celebrate this day with them.  We're barbecuing Whole Foods Vegan burgers with a corn chip salad and broccoli slaw as sides and strawberry and biscuits for dessert.

Broccoli-Ranch Slaw

1/2       cup Vegan Buttermilk (nut or soy milk with 1/2 tablespoon apple cider            

            lemon juice) 

1/4       cup Vegenaise

1/4       cup vegan sour cream

2          tablespoons cider vinegar

1          tablespoon sugar

1          teaspoon kosher salt

2          12-oz. packages broccoli slaw

1/4       each chopped parsley and dill

2          small/medium green onions

Mix dressing ingredients.  Cut up green onions and herbs and add to broccoli mix.

Pour dressing over and mix.