Thursday, January 31, 2019

Butternut Squash and Leek Pie

(recipe from Cook Your Way to the Life You Want by Christina Pirello)

Filling
2 tsp. oil
2 to 3 leeks, split lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
Soy sauce
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup cooked chestnuts, coarsely minced
3 Tbsp. plain almond milk
About 1/4 cup coarsely minced walnuts, pan toasted, for garnish

Walnut Pastry
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely minced
1/4 cup walnut or corn oil
About 4 Tbsp. water

Make the filling:  Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Add leeks and a dash of soy sauce; saute until limp, about 5 minutes.  Add squash and a dash of soy sauce; saute, stirring, until mixed in with leeks and shiny with oil.  Stir in chestnuts and milk, and season lightly with soy sauce.  Cover, and simmer over low heat until squash is soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove cover, and simmer until sauce reduces and thickens.

Make the pastry:  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.  Oil a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.  Combine flour, salt, and walnuts in a medium bowl.  With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in oil until it is the texture of wet sand.  Slowly mix in water until dough gathers into a firm ball.  Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment to create a rectangle that is about 1 inch larger than the pan.  Transfer rectangle to the pan and press, without stretching, to fit into crevices of pan.  Trim away excess crust flush with top rim.  Pierce in several places with a fork.  Fit a piece of foil over crust, pressing for a firm fit.  Fill crust with dried beans or pie weights to prevent crust from bubbling.  Bake 17 minutes.  Remove from oven, lift foil and beans (you may reuse the beans for pie weights), and allow crust to cool.

To assemble:  Spoon filling evenly into cooled pastry.  Garnish with toasted walnuts, and let stand about 15 minutes before slicing.

(Note:  I used a frozen pie crust!  I just baked the crust a bit, filled it with the filling, and baked more following directions on package.  Super tasty!  The chestnuts, leeks, and squash are delicious!)


Winter Vegetable Soup

(recipe from Cook Your Way to the Life You Want by Christina Pirello)

1-inch piece kombu
1 onion, diced
2 cups diced green cabbage
2 cups cubed winter squash (such as butternut)
1 cup rolled oats
6 to 7 cups water or vegetable stock
2 to 3 tsp. miso

Layer kombu and other vegetables in a soup pot in the order listed.  Top with oats, and add water.  Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft and oats are very creamy, about 40 minutes.  Remove a small amount of liquid, and use to dissolve miso.  Stir miso mixture gently into soup, and simmer, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes to activate the enzymes in miso.

(This soup needs way more seasoning!  Season to taste, and it is delicious.)

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Vegetable Bean Chili

(recipe adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World by John Robbins)

2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, with leaves, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1 16-oz. can unsweetened tomato sauce
2 medium tomatoes or one 14-oz. can unsweetened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and stir for 30 seconds.  Stir in the cooked beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and vegetable stock.  Cook, partially covered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the corn and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.  Remove the bay leaves and serve.


Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

(recipe adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet For A New World by John Robbins)

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 lbs.), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley leaves, to taste
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

Put the squash and three cups of the vegetable stock in a large pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat, cover and cook until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Drain.

Put the blanched almonds and the remaining 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock into a blender.  Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add the squash and cooking liquid, curry, salt, pepper, parsley and apple and process until smooth.

Pour back into the pot and bring just to a simmer over medium heat.