Skinnyflints

Creamy collards with coconut and lemon (vegan & gluten free)

I love greens! Especially creamed greens!

Ingredients:
6 cups washed & chopped collard greens
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 can coconut cream
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Skim some of the fat off the top of the coconut cream (about 1 tablespoon) and put it in a large saucepan, turn heat to medium and add the onion, stir to coat and continue to stir as the onion cooks.
2. When onion has turned translucent, add in the collards a few cups at a time (they will reduce a lot as they cook) and turn heat to high. Stir fry until greens are wilted, then add the rest of the coconut milk and stir to coat the greens. Add salt to taste.
3. Remove from heat source, stir in lemon juice and serve!

Posted by K

Vegan pantry pasta primavera

I’m trying to cook from our pantry (aka food we have on hand) this week because we splurged this past weekend on a nice dinner with out of town friends, and I want to make sure we come in under budget this month in the food category, since we will be traveling to see my fiance’s mom, and the travel costs will put us over budget in other categories. I have 2 grocery shopping mystery shops scheduled next week, where I will be reimbursed close to $30 for each, so I can re-stock my pantry next week on someone else’s dime.
I was craving a creamy pasta dish, and needed to use up some Brussels sprouts that I bought last week, so here is what I came up with:

Preheat oven to 375.
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed, and halved if they are big
3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into pieces the same size as your Brussels sprout pieces
1 tbsp cooking oil or cooking oil spray

1 lb whole wheat penne (I used Trader Joe’s organic pasta)

For the sauce:
3 tbsp canola oil
1/3 c whole wheat flour
1 cup unsweetened soy/almond/rice/cashew milk
1/3 c nutritional yeast
2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp dried dill
Salt, to taste
Water

1) place the veggies in a roasting pan and toss with the oil (or spray lightly with cooking spray). Pop them in the oven and be sure to check on them every 15 minutes to stir & test for done-ness (mine took 45 mins to cook through).

2) bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

3) make the sauce: heat the cooking oil over low heat and gradually whisk in a few tbsps of flour. Whisk in the soy milk, and then slowly whisk in the rest of the flour and the nutritional yeast, until you have a smooth sauce. Add water to thin it it feels too thick. Increase the heat to med-high, and drop in the onions/garlic and stir continuously until the onions become translucent. Transfer the sauce to your blender or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back into saucepan, put heat on low, and add in the dill and salt to taste.

4) cook the pasta according to directions on the package, then drain. Thoroughly mix veggies, sauce, and pasta, and serve!

Posted by K

Vegan spiked hot chocolate

It’s feeling very fall-like in NYC, so I decided to make spiked hot chocolate for desert tonight. It’s simple, but really rich and satisfying.
Here’s how I made it:
Heat non-dairy milk on low heat in a saucepan (1.5 cups milk per serving-I used soy but this would work with almond, hemp, rice, coconut, et al). Once the milk is warm, whisk in unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Ah!laska organic fair trade cocoa) until it is well blended and a nice dark brown (about 1/3 cup cocoa powder per serving). Add a little bit of sugar but not too much if you are spiking your cocoa with a liqueur, as it will add sweetness!
Continue to whisk the cocoa over low heat until it is hot. If it becomes too thick, add some water to thin it.
Pour 1 shot of your alcohol of choice into a mug, then ladle hot cocoa into the mug. Stir to mix and enjoy!
I used Du Bouchett Amaretto, which is vegan friendly according to Barnivore. Other tasty options: coffee liqueur, creme de menthe, orange liqueur, rum. You can also whisk in some chili powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, anise, etc to liven it up a bit!

Posted by K

Cold Cucumber Soup (vegan, raw, and gluten-free)

Nothing says refreshing like a big bowl of cold cucumber soup!

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers, peeled and chopped

handful fresh cilantro, de-stemmed (plus a little more to use as garnish)

juice of 1 lime

1 green onion, white and light green part only, chopped

salt, to taste

1.  Put all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.  Chill for at least 30mins for flavors to blend, then serve!  This soup = perfect heat wave food. 

Posted by K

Road Tripping while vegan

Road trips can be really fun, but they can also be kind of frustrating if you are vegan. Most major cities have at least some vegetarian places or ethnic restaurants with vegan options, but the towns along some highways have very few options for us rabbit food eaters- and often it’s difficult to find a grocery store- convenience stores don’t have much in the way of fresh produce.

The best way to deal with this is to be prepared-the less you expect, the better off you will be!  I try to travel with a TON of food so I don’t get bored by my options while on the road.  

As coffee is a mainstay of all road travel, and finding non-dairy milk is most likely going to be tough, I always bring my own.  I make my own almond milk at home most of the time, but it’s perishable and not easy to bring along, as even with a cooler (and fridge), it won’t last more than 2 days.  That’s why I like the Edensoy juice boxes for travelling.  Another option is powdered soymilk, which reduces waste vs the Edensoy juice boxes, but can be hard to blend without a whisk. 

If I’m going to be staying in a hotel on the roadtrip, I try to book a room that will have a fridge so I can bring fresh food in a cooler and store it overnight in the room fridge.  Since this is not always an option, I always bring a box of (vegan) cereal so I can make a quick ‘emergency’ meal with my soy milk. 

My road trip cooler staples are: hummus or baba ganouj, fruit, vegan cream cheese, salsa, carrots and celery, and lots of ice packs. 

In addition to cereal, I try to bring the following non-perishables:

crackers (I like Ryvita crackers)

pretzels or tortilla chips

bread

I always pack a ton of water in reusable water bottles so I don’t have to buy it on the road. 

If your dog is coming along on the trip, don’t forget plenty of food, lots of cookies, extra water, and extra bowls just in case. 

Have fun!

Posted by K

Zucchini Rawsta with Pesto (vegan, raw, and gluten-free)

We are having another heat wave in NYC and the air conditioning in our building isn’t working due to a mechanical fire in the central AC room.  I am craving comfort food, but REALLY don’t want to heat up the apartment any more than necessary, so I decided to make a raw dinner tonight.

Ingredients (makes 2-3 servings, depending on how hungry you are):

2 large zucchini

1/4 c each fresh basil (I used purple basil which is why my pesto is dark), parsley, and cilantro, all de-stemmed

3 cloves garlic

1/4 c cold water

raw olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

tiny bit of nutritional yeast, for serving

1. Make the pesto: put the herbs, garlic, and water in your blender and add some olive oil.  Blend on high, stopping every 30 seconds to scrape down the sides and so the pesto doesn’t get too hot.  I started out with 1/4 c olive oil and added more as needed to get it to blend.  Once blended, add salt and pepper to taste.  This makes a lot more pesto than you will need for the pasta, so save the rest in the fridge for something else!

2.  Cut off both ends of the zucchinis, then use the julienne setting on your mandoline, a julienne peeler, or a spiralizer to make long ‘nooodles’ out of the zucchini.  Toss the zuchini with 3 tbsp pesto (add more if you would like it saucier) and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins to allow the flavors to blend. 

3. Serve with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. 

Posted by K

Spaghetti with “clam” sauce

When I gave up my fish-eating ways a few months ago, the one dish I thought I’d miss most was spaghetti with clam sauce. K and I grew up eating this meal on at least a bi-weekly basis and frankly, there’s nothing else like it on earth.

This vegan substitute for clam sauce is rather delicious. The oyster mushrooms mimic the color and texture of chopped clams, the nori and miso give the sauce a briny taste, and the garlic, wine & herbs make it taste pretty darn close to the real thing. 

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic

8 oz. oyster mushrooms, finely chopped

1/3 c. white wine

fresh basil and oregano, or 1/2 tsp each of dried basil and oregano

salt and black pepper, to taste

1 tsp white miso paste, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water

2 sheets of nori, finely chopped (or torn by hand, which is easier to manage)

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 lb whole wheat linguine

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, and the dissolved miso water and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cook linguine according to package instructions. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with the sauce, freshly chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese (or Parma! Vegan Parmesan if you’re vegan). Makes 2-3 servings.

-posted by P

The CSA Project: Pickup 2

Here’s this week’s bounty:

1 stalk broccoli: 1 lb

1 piece kohlrabi: 1 and 1/4 lb

1 zucchini and 1 summer squash: 1 lb total

1 bunch cilantro and 1 bunch salad greens: 1/4 lb

6 garlic scapes: 1/4 lb

1 pint sugar snap peas: 3/5 lb

1 head lettuce: 1 lb

1 bunch kale: 3/4 lb

1 bunch turnips (and greens): 3/4 lb

1 bunch broccoli rabe: 3/4 lb

1 bunch napa cabbage: 1.5 lb

Total weight: 9.1lbs

Last week’s weight: 7.558lbs

Cost of CSA veggie share: $595 for the season

Total cost per pound so far: $35.719

For dinner last night, we had: roasted turnips, roasted broccoli, oven-braised greens, broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic scapes and crushed red pepper, and salad.  We had the veggies with pita bread so I made a giant dinner sandwich with mine.  We have a ton of leftovers so I had a pita and veggie sandwich for breakfast too. yum!

I also decided to try my hand at kimchi.  There was a guy talking about fermented foods on NPR’s Fresh Air a couple days ago and he gave a recipe for kimchi which sounded easy and yummy.  I washed the napa cabbage really well in several rinses of water (there were little bugs on it- a good sign because it means my CSA really doesn’t use pesticides!), then chopped it up and put it in a big bowl with two finely chopped garlic scapes and a bunch of salt.  I squished it all up with my clean hands until a lot of liquid came out of the cabbage, added some crushed red pepper and packed it into a large mason jar, then left it out overnight (covered).  It still needs to ferment a bit more, but I tried it today and it was tasty! Here it is: 

Posted by K

The CSA Project: Pickup 1: what we’ve made so far

So far, we have had:

Lettuce, tatsoi, radish, and cilantro salad

Kohlrabi ‘fries’ (modified from a NY Times recipe: peel kohlrabi and cut into fry-like pieces.  dust with chickpea flour, paprika, sumac, red stamp pepper and salt.  Pan fry in olive oil til crispy. Serve with vegan remoulade. gluten free and super yums!)

Creamy greens (a foodie version of creamed spinach: chopped radish greens, kohlrabi greens, turnip greens, and kale cooked with onion, garlic, and 1/2 can coconut milk, then drizzled with lemon juice)

Tonight’s dinner was the messiest meal we’ve ever made, but it was also pretty amazing: Asian lettuce wraps with peanut-lime dipping sauce: saute onion, garlic, minced fresh ginger, thai green curry paste in 2 tbsp oil.  Add 1 diced zucchini, 1 diced summer squash, 1 finely chopped broccoli crown (and stem!), and 1 cup reconstituted Textured Vegetable Protein.  Add nama shoyu (raw soy sauce), rice vinegar, and a little coconut milk, all to taste.  Top with a ton of minced cilantro.  Serve over large lettuce leaves, using the leaves like they are tortillas for tacos.  Dipping sauce: mix peanut butter, maple syrup, nama shoyu, sriracha hot sauce, and lime juice in any combination until it tastes good to you!

Posted by K

Super easy vegan & gluten free spicy chocolate pudding

While at Fairway, my favorite supermarket, I was inspired to make chocolate pudding (aka I started craving chocolate pudding so I bought the ingredients immediately). This recipe was inspired by one sent to me by my lovely gluten-free friend, R.

Ingredients:
1 block, organic, non-gmo silken tofu, drained & rinsed
1/2 c organic & fair trade unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Ah!laska baker’s cocoa)
1/3 c hot water (not boiling)
Sweetener, to taste (I used maple syrup)
Cinamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ground cloves, and chili powder, to taste

1. Add the cocoa powder and water to your blender or food processor and blend on high, scraping down the sides every so often.

2. Add the tofu in large chunks and continue to blend until very smooth. Add in the sweetener and spices to taste (I like my pudding to be not-too-sweet so I started with just 1/4 c maple syrup and then added more til it tasted perfect).

3. Chill thoroughly before serving.

4. Try not to eat the entire thing yourself!

Posted by K