potatolicious

Snack Tubs

2009-03-19T10:40:00.004-04:00

A quick post to share something that really helps me (and DH) stay on plan - snack tubs. I learned this trick from the McDougall Discussion Board. Once or twice a week, I fill 3-cup Gladware containers with a variety of fruits and veggies, all cut up and ready to eat. The usuals are grapes, baby carrots, and grape tomatoes, but I sometimes include strawberries, celery, or any fruit or veggie that's not too messy.

Now, when I get hungry, I just pop one open and munch. The key is that it's easier to eat this than to get a bad, but oh-so-tempting snack.

St. Patrick's Day No-corned-beef and Cabbage

2009-03-17T10:20:00.000-04:00

Lower Lake, Killarney, Ireland St. Patrick's Day vintage postcard
courtesy of vintageholidaycrafts.com

It's great to be Irish any day, but especially on St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't escape by Irish heritage if I tried (not that I would!), what with the Phalens and Manions in my family tree. Plus, I married an Irish-American and sport a decidedly Irish surname. I've even given Irish names to my children. My home reflects my heritage in it's occasional shamrock (year-round), Belleek vases, and celtic crosses, and I'd like to think that my guests experience Irish hospitality when they visit. Of course, through my mother and grandmother who taught me to cook, I learned traditional Irish and Irish-American recipes. I come by my love of potatoes honestly!

So, on St. Patrick's Day, I start with a bowl of Flavahan's Irish Porridge Oats. And since I no longer eat meat, dinner will be No-corned-beef and Cabbage, a potato and cabbage dish cooked in something akin to a "corning" broth. This is something that I enjoy all-year-round, except in the heat of the summer. I hope you enjoy it as well.

No-Corned-beef and Cabbage
1 head cabbage, cut into 6 or 8 wedges
2 lbs all-purpose or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
4 cups vegetable broth
2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
couple of black peppercorns and whole allspice

Place broth and seasonings in a dutch oven and bring to boil while preparing the cabbage. Add cabbage, bring to boil, and cook 15 minutes while preparing potatoes. Add potatoes and cook 25 to 30 minutes, until a fork goes easily into them. Serve potatoes and cabbage with cooking liquid to moisten.

This is peasant food, and is not the prettiest to look at when it's cooked, so I'll share a picture of the potatoes and cabbage cooking.

Bombay Aloo (curried potatoes) & Veggie Sushi

2009-03-16T15:00:00.010-04:00

The other day I was cleaning out my basement pantry, and discovered several cans of potatoes. Since it was lunch time, I brought one upstairs and threw this simple but satisfying dish together. I liked it so much that I made it the next two days for lunch. As with anything to do with curry, I only use a small amount, so adjust the amount to your taste.

Bombay Aloo
1 can whole potatoes, rinsed and drained and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 TBS tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 TBS raisins
1 tsp curry powder (or to taste)
sprinkle of onion powder

Place all ingredients in small saucepan and stir to combine. Cover and cook 5 min. Uncover and cook until the sauce reaches desired consistency (1 minute longer, usually).

Thanks to Jenn at Pass the Potatoes, another McDougalling mom, I had the courage to try making my own veggie sushi. I usually time my trips to the grocery store to pick up some brown rice/cucumber/carrot/avocado uramaki (inside out rolls) for lunch. It's a nice little treat, but it's pretty spendy for what it is. Mine tasted great, but I'll need some practice and a sharper knife to make beautiful sushi. Check out Jenn's blog for the recipe and step by step instructions (plus more great recipes and beautiful pictures). This is a quick picture I took before bringing them to a multi-generational party. They were a big hit with the high school and college girls.

Super Quick Chili

2009-03-05T21:16:00.007-05:00

Tonight I made a super-easy, quick chili, using a packaged veggie chili mix from Simply Organic. I followed the directions on the package - a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained (I used black and red beans), and the seasoning packet. I also added a can of corn, drained, and a 1/2 tsp of sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes, and dinner was ready. Yeah!

Fat Free Balsamic Dressing

2009-03-05T13:53:00.002-05:00

The idea of "thick water" (water thickened with cornstarch) as an oil substitute has been around for a while, but I've always had an issue with such a bland-tasting liquid standing in for more flavorful oils like olive oil. I've tried to add flavor to the thick water by using vegetable broth and soy sauce, but my favorite way to add delicate flavor without adding sodium is to use Earl Grey tea. It's flowery, citrusy flavor complements the vinegar's tartness nicely. I use it in this recipe, which I got from the McDougall discussion boards several years ago; I don't know who originally posted it, so unfortunately, I can't give credit where it's due. If anyone knows the source of this recipe, please let me know so I can give proper credit (and thanks!).

Fat Free Balsamic Dressing
1 cup Earl Grey tea, cooled
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 TBS brown or raw sugar (optional)
1 TBS dijon mustard (optional - I did not use it this time)

Whisk cornstarch and tea together in small sauce pan. Heat until bubbly and thickened. Let cool. Combine remaining ingredients in a jar; shake or stir until dissolved. Add tea/cornstarch mixture, and shake or stir until combined.

This is also excellent with white balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar; just omit the sugar.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

2009-03-03T12:16:00.001-05:00

Winter is still hanging on in upstate NY, leaving plenty of time to try new soup recipes. Last night, I tried this Curried Red Lentil Soup, making use of the new Sweet Curry powder that I got from Penzeys.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji), optional
3 tsp curry powder*
1 cup red lentils
6 cups water
2 cups shredded carrots
pinch ground cloves*
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in water until translucent. Add garlic, ginger,nigella seeds, and curry powder; saute 1 minute longer. Add red lentils and water; lower heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom. Add shredded carrots, cloves and salt and pepper. Cook 25 minutes. Puree (in batches, if necessary) and serve.

*Note: Penzey's Sweet Curry powder is very mild, and contains cloves, or else I would have used 1/8 tsp of ground cloves. This made a mild soup. All curry powders are different, so start with less and add more to your individual taste.

Never heard of nigella seeds/kalonji? Nigella sativa seeds are also referred to as Roman coriander, blackseed, black caraway, black onion seed, kalonji (Hindi), or chernushka (Russian). They are sometimes incorrectly called black cumin and black sesame. Nigella sativa has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. They are traditionally used for a variety of conditions related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal health, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and for general well-being. In Islam, the seeds are regarded as one of the greatest forms of healing medicine available. The Prophet Mohammed once stated that this black seed can heal every disease except death. Recent research suggests that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocks the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. The seeds have little scent, but impart a subtle peppery, oregano-like flavor to foods.

I figure they can't hurt, and this soup is a delicious way to include them in my diet.

Veggienaise

2009-02-17T20:27:00.009-05:00

No original recipes to share today, just a shout-out for Bryanna's Delicious Low-Fat Veggienaise. I'm a long-time fan of Hellman's (in my pre-vegan days) and Vegenaise, both of which are no-no's on the McDougall Plan. I've tried Nayonaise, which is probably fine if you like Miracle Whip, but is way too sweet for my taste. Homemade tofu versions were equally lacking. No luck finding a fat-free vegan mayo substitute. So, I was excited when I saw Bryanna's version a few months ago, and I finally got around to making it. I'm not going to post the recipe here, since Bryanna has not only the recipe, but pictures of all the steps - very helpful - right here.

Note: Bryanna's recipe does call for 2 tablespoons of olive oil, which I omitted. My verdict - this has great potential. Mine did not turn out nearly as stiff as Bryanna's, but I attribute that to leaving out the oil. Taste wise, it was very salty, but at least it wasn't sweet! Next time, I will decrease the salt to 1/2 tsp to start. I will also start with lesser amounts of cider vinegar and dry mustard, taste and add more as needed. Still, this is by far the best mayo substitute that I've come across, and I'll continue to tweak the recipe until it's perfect for me. The other beauties of this recipe is that it can be soy-free (I used DariFree for the non-dairy milk), it is inexpensive to make, and, even with the olive oil, it's around 10 calories per tablespoon. Thanks, Bryanna, for your genius in creating this recipe.

Here it is in chick pea salad, with baby romaine lettuce on an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla:

In other news, my Penzey's order arrived today; I can't wait to start cooking!

Chili sin Carne

2009-02-11T15:31:00.013-05:00

My lucky older sister had a subscription to Seventeen magazine when she was a teenager, and I was what's now called a tween. I learned a lot from that magazine, about fashion, boys, friendships, boys, makeup, boys, and... cooking. Does Seventeen still include a cooking feature? In the late seventies, each issue included a recipe with illustrated step-by-step instructions. That's where I learned to cook chili, Cincinnati chili, to be specific. I made it for my family, made it through college, and kept on making it, after I graduated, got married, had children. I was known for that chili. Many people requested that recipe. Since going vegan, though, I've never had a good, basic chili recipe. Sure, I've had my confetti chili, with corn and all colors of peppers and beans, and a delightful sweet potato chili that I make in the slow cooker, but just not a good, basic chili. I resisted taking my old recipe and adapting it; you know how sometimes adaptations just fall short of the mark? I was reluctant to do that with my treasured old recipe, but it was time to try.

I'm not a fan of meat substitutes for a variety of reasons, so I decided to try bulgur to give that chunky, "meaty" texture. Add some onions, peppers, beans, tomatoes and seasonings, and viola! A delicious, low-fat vegan chili.

Chili sin Carne
3/4 cup bulgur
2 cups boiling water
1 large onion, chopped
1 large pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chili beans (do not drain)
1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBS brown sugar

Pour boiling water over bulgur, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and press out excess moisture.
Water saute onion and pepper in dutch oven until soft and translucent; add garlic and saute 1 minute more.
Add remaining ingredients and bulgur to the pot; bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes.

Potato Carrot Soup & Dolmades

2009-02-10T07:01:00.004-05:00

I did a lot of cooking over the weekend, and wanted to post some pictures and recipes. The first, Potato Carrot Soup, is a simple yet flavorful combination of potatoes, carrots and onions in a creamy/chunky soup. Good, quick, and feeds body and soul.

Potato Carrot Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder (if not using fresh)
salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion, garlic, and celery in water or vegetable broth until tender. Add potatoes and carrots, broth, and basil; bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Using a potato masher, mash half of the soup right in the pot. Alternately, you could use an immersion blender, blending until the soup is half way creamy. If you want a creamier soup, blend everything (in batches if necessary) until smooth.

The second cooking extravaganza was my labor of love, Vegan Fat-free Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). Many recipes for these tasty appetizers include meat, and traditionally, they are made with oodles of olive oil. In the past, I have made them vegan but not low-fat. This time, I was able to make them with brown rice and no added fat. They were delicious, and quickly gobbled up at my church's Wine Tasting. Unfortunately, I only took a picture of the stuffing while it was cooking. So, just imagine the finished product, a delicious, guilt-free tidbit. Or 100 of them. Made by me. All afternoon.

Vegan Fat-free Dolmades

3 medium onions, diced finely
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 1/2 TBS dried mint
2 tsp ground coriander
2/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 cups currants or raisins
3 cups water
2 bottles grape leaves in brine (about 50 in each)
1/3 cup lemon juice

Water saute onions in dutch oven, until translucent and starting to brown slightly. Add rice, mint coriander, currants, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook 40 minutes, or until rice is just tender. Place paper towel under lid, and let cool.

Remove leaves carefully from jars, rinse and drain. Trim any thick stems with kitchen shears.

Place leaf shiny side down with stem end facing you. Spoon a scant tablespoon of filling near the stem end. Fold up the leaf to cover the filling, fold in sides, and roll tightly towards the point of the leaf, tucking in the leaf as you go to keep it neat.

Photo from www.mediterrasian.com

Place seam side down in 13x9 baking dish. Continue until you have used all the whole leaves, packing them snugly together so they don't unroll while cooking. Torn, unusable leaves may be used to "patch" slightly torn leaves. Place any torn pieces over the dolmades in the baking dish. Cover with water so they are completely submerged and at least 1/2 inch below the surface of the water. Drizzle with lemon juice, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan, and serve at room temperature.

Makes approx. 100 dolmades

Hearty Split Pea Vegetable Soup

2009-02-09T12:47:00.010-05:00

Soup was a big part of my childhood. My mother and my grandmother frequently made soup from scratch, using turkey carcasses or ham bones, stretching one more meal out of what appeared to be nothing. And my father loved to eat soup. Even on the hottest summer days, he would start dinner with a bowl of soup, insisting that it cooled him off. When my mother got too busy with other things to make her own soup, my father became an accomplished soup cook himself. Campbell's was also a frequent visitor at dinner too, during those busy years when my sister and I were teenagers.

I have continued that soup-making tradition in my own home, though I don't use animal products any longer. Lentil, bean and rice, minestrone, split pea, whole pea; you name it, I make it. I already had a very good recipe for split pea soup from Jeanne Lemlin's Quick Vegetarian Pleasures, but I was intrigued by this recipe of Mary McDougall's that promised vegetables along with my split peas. Here is Mary's recipe, along with my notes in italics.

Hearty Split Pea Vegetable Soup

This is a thick soup filled with chunky vegetables and it is very comforting on a cool, rainy day. Serve by itself in a bowl, or ladle over brown rice for a satisfying meal.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6-8

2 cups dried split peas
8 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (I used 2)
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups chopped fingerling potatoes (I used 3 cups peeled all-purpose)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (I didn't have this, so I used 1/2 tsp regular paprika and 1/2 tsp liquid smoke)
freshly ground white pepper
1 large tomato, chopped (I used approx. 1 cup drained canned petite diced tomatoes)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (I didn't use these at all)
1 TBS. reduced sodium tamari

Place the peas and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the tomato and fresh cilantro or parsley. Mix well, bring to a boil again, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. Add the tomato and fresh cilantro or parsley. Season with tamari and a bit of sea salt (I used about 1/2 tsp. salt,) if desired. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

This is a delicious, hearty soup that my father would have loved, and my grandmother would have been proud to call her own.

Chickpeas and Rice, 2 ways

2009-02-04T18:40:00.026-05:00

What, no potatoes? I eat a lot of potatoes (regular and sweet), just not in the most exciting ways. Sometimes, however, they find their way into delicious concoctions like tonight's Chickpea Curry.

I enjoy Indian food. When I was growing up, my mother made a delicious chicken curry. The recipe came from a family friend who served as a missionary priest in India. Sadly, my sister and I have not located the recipe while cleaning out my mother's house. I still have hope that it will turn up so I can veganize/McDougallize it. I have yet to come across another recipe that tastes as good as my memories of that dish. Some attempts have been downright disasters, others just disappointing. When I saw the Chickpea and Cashew Biryani on VeganDad's blog, I knew it was time for another try. Unfortunately, cashews are rich foods that I'm avoiding while trying to lose weight, so the hunt was on for inspiration. After poring over numerous recipes, I came up with this winner:

Chickpea Curry

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
water as needed for sauteeing
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup almond or other non-dairy milk (optional)*

Cook potatoes in water until tender, drain and set aside. (Note: I drain them in the colander after draining and rinsing the chickpeas; the cooking water from the potatoes heats the chick peas slightly.) In large non-stick skillet, water saute onion and garlic, until onions are translucent. Add curry powder, garam masala, cumin and ginger to skillet and saute 2 minutes, adding more water a little at a time as necessary to keep the spices from burning. Add tomato sauce, onion powder, and salt to onion mixture; stir to combine. If using non-dairy milk, add it now. Stir in potatoes and chickpeas, and cook 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve over brown basmati rice. Peas, green beans, cauliflower, and/or raisins may be added as well. If the additions are more than 1 cup, decrease the amount of potatoes proportionately.

*Note: I used 1/2 cup reconstituted DariFree, made slightly thicker than usual.

While I'm on the subject of chickpeas and rice, I thought I'd post a picture of a completely different chickpea and rice dish that I made a few weeks ago. I found the recipe on VegWeb, modified it and posted about it on the McDougall Food board. Letha, from the McDougall Forums, made it and suggested simplified cooking instructions on her beautiful blog.

So, there you have it, rice and chickpeas, 2 very different ways.

Note: Sorry about the poor pictures...I'm borrowing my daughter's camera until mine gets fixed.