Mushroom Crepe, Spiced Mushrooms - and chat

[Edited because this got posted before I had finished! Slight changes to food descriptions, etc.]



It's a while since I recommended anything on this blog - other than great food - but the following article (see link below) on the vegan diet, its 'stick-to-it-edness' and its benefit for those with diabetes or at risk for the disease is very important. Published in Canada's national daily 'The Globe and Mail' 4 February. Do please have a look - it will lighten your heart, brighten your day, and give you loads of ammunition against all those omnivores and even some vegetarians who are suspicious of a vegan diet.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090204.wlbeck04/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/

And now on with the lovely safe and healthy vegan food! I love mushrooms and eat them almost daily.

MUSHROOM CREPE



This made a lovely lunch, along with a green salad. I took some mushrooms, enough for two persons (although I show only one crepe), seasoned them with a little chopped onion, two or three cloves of garlic, a tsp or so of grated ginger root, a little mirin (I was out of sherry), a dash of low-sodium soy sauce, a dash of cayenne pepper, some mixed herbs and put them all together in a skillet, adding a tsp or so of water at a time to keep them from scorching. I kept them pretty plump - dried-out mushrooms aren't my idea of fun.

The crepes I made of a mixture of wholewheat flour and cornflour (plus liquid of course) but you could use a mix of your choice. I made them very very thin and did not attempt to flip them. I gave the pan a hint of cooking spray (olive oil) and I slid each gently onto a plate when cooked to keep it warm, covered, at the lowest possible oven setting. Then I simply scooped the mushroom mixture onto the centre third of each crepe and rolled the other two sides to enclose it. Delicious.

For my next trick -

SPICED MUSHROOMS



This time I mixed cremini mushrooms with portobellos and shiitakes and added 4 cloves of garlic, a healthy pinch of crushed chilies, 1 Tbsp grated ginger root and a good shake of dried tarragon (had no fresh) to the pan before I started the steam-sautee process. I made a little mix of warm water and about half a tsp or so of dark miso (to dissolve the miso), a small amount 1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, 2 Tbsp tomato paste and 1/4 cup of red wine and added it to the half-cooked mushroom mix.

When the mushrooms were just done (and the sauce well reduced) I stirred in a couple of chopped green onions and some chopped home-roasted peppers and used the mushroom mixture to top a heated wholewheat wrap - this was to catch what sauce remained. (I use Weight Watchers wraps, low fat and only 90 calories each, for things like this. They keep well in the freezer.)

I topped the mushrooms with a couple of strips of the roasted pepper too - and wished I'd had some nice fresh herbs to add, but perhaps that would have been painting the lily.

I was in a terrible hurry to get a meal on the table, so I had raided my emergency bin in the freezer right at the beginning and thrown some tiny potatoes, baby peas and miniature corn into a pan to steam so that I could serve them alongside the mushroom dish. Worked just fine! I think this is a major way we will have mushrooms from now on.

Althoughhhhhh, I'm still working on my mushroom paprikash/stroganoff recipe. It's good too!

Potato, Pea and Mushroom Curry

POTATO, PEA AND MUSHROOM CURRY (INDIA)

This recipe had its origins around 25 years or more ago with one by Charmaine Solomon. It has then of course been transmuted somewhat :)

3/4 lb small red potatoes (the kind that look the size of new potatoes)
3/4 lb mushrooms (button and cremini is what I use, mixed)
1 cup peas, shelled (ok to use frozen - but save them for the last ten minutes)
1 smallish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic or to taste, finely chopped
1/3 cup or so chopped fresh coriander / cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp or to taste grated ginger root
1-1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
3/4 cup of water
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1-1/2 tsp garam masala (your own mix or a good commercial blend)

Scrub the potatoes and if there are any larger ones halve them to about the size of the button mushrooms. If you only have larger potatoes, that’s okay - just cut them lengthways a couple of times and then across to the same rough size as the button mushrooms.

Wipe the mushrooms and, if there are larger ones, halve them. But the dish requires a chunky look rather than a ‘chopped’ look.

Put the onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook in a little water (or, if you prefer, you can use a couple of tsp olive oil) until they start to go translucent. Add the garlic and the ginger and throw in the the coriander leaves and give it a stir around for one minute or two. Add the turmeric and cayenne. (If you’re not sure about how ‘hot’ this will be with the cayenne, you can add a quarter tsp and then, later, add the rest if you think it would be good.) (If you are using fresh peas add them now and stir these quickly with the other vegetables). Add the water and salt, if using, and cover, lowering heat to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.



After that 15 minutes, add the garam masala and stir well and, if you have decided to use the frozen peas instead of the fresh ones, add these now. Add a little water if you think it needs it before covering the pan again for another 10 to 15 minutes. You want the potatoes to be just cooked, not broken or mushy.



When the potatoes are done, the liquid should be just about evaporated but the dish should be coated in a light sauce containing the spices. Taste for seasonings and adjust, stir well.

Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves.



You can serve with basmati rice or, like we do, with brown basmati rice - or of course your favourite Indian bread. Add a small ‘salad’ or two and you’re well away!



This one, which we decided to have today, was just tomatoes with chopped onion, a tiny dash of salt, lemon juice and a sprinkle of ground cardamom. The green leaves of course are coriander/cilantro :)

Enjoy!

Variations On A Theme: Baked Pasta With Spinach, Gluten And Mushrooms

[Edited because I mistakenly added in part of another recipe - would ya believe!!!! Time for a rest!]

A little while ago I posted a pic and recipe (sort of) for something I whipped up on a slow day in the kitchen (or was it a frantic day? Point is, I made it from what I had on hand - AND I was feeling relatively lazy!). It was a Mushroom Pasta Bake and it was GOOD :)

Shortly thereafter I did a variation on that one. Feeling that I needed to use up some things in the freezer (in this case, some seitan/gluten I had made) and the refrigerator (in this case mushrooms - I always have mushrooms and use any excuse to use them up!), I decided to do another 'bake'. Tofu I usually have in because I buy some of those shelf-stable aseptic packs of silken tofu that I use whenever I run out of the regular tofu. Besides, silken is great for sauces and such - so there!

So here's my 'Variation On A Theme':

BAKED PASTA WITH SPINACH, GLUTEN AND MUSHROOMS



Following the previous recipe, more or less (see above) I assembled the following:

3 or 4 ounces quinoa macaroni, boiled just short of al dente and drained (or use whatever small pasta you prefer)
4 or 5 ounces mushrooms, chopped small
1 10-oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained very very well
A few ounces (about 1 cup measure) of my own homemade gluten roast (seasoned as if for roast b**f), minced
Liquid from cooking the gluten roast (half a cup or so you could substitute a good strong veg stock)
1/2 pkg low-fat tofu (you might want to use more so that you have extra sauce to pass at the table)*
soymilk and/or stock - enough to thin out the tofu to a cream consistency*
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce (optional but we like it most of the time)
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 - 2 Tbsp lemon juice
black pepper
1 Tbsp white miso
herbs according to taste
salt and pepper throughout to taste
Nutmeg for the spinach
crumbs or vegan parmezan cheez for topping (I used my own mix that I keep on hand)

I cooked the pasta and while it was doing its thing I sauteed the mushrooms in a little stock and low-sodium soy. My spinach wasn't completely thawed, so I put it on a low heat at the back of the stove to finish defrosting. I had previously chopped the wedge of gluten roast (you could use some kind of commercial seitan - depending on flavour) very finely - to make it seem like soy crumbles.

When the mushrooms are shrunk to half their size and looking good :) add the gluten/seitan and its cooking liquid or stock. At this point you might need to add a little wholewheat flour to thicken this mixture (stir quickly so it doesn't glom) and add more stock, a bit at a time, until you have a good consistency for a gravy. Let this cook a little to take away the raw taste of the flour. Everything tasting good? (Need salt and pepper? More stock?) A nice rich 'gravy' is ideal here. Okay, set it aside.

For the tofu topping:
Mix the tofu with the remaining ingredients (except for the nutmeg and crumbs) until it tastes the way you want it to. This is a subjective matter and I even change my mind from day to day what I like to have in this kind of dish. You decide. You will want this to be nice and creamy - sort of like a thickish yoghurt.

* Alternately, you could simply whisk a some silken tofu with whatever you like of the same ingredients for an easier topping.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:

Pre-heat oven to 375

Spoon the spinach into the bottom of a lightly oil-sprayed casserole, grate on a little nutmeg.



Add the macaroni-mushroom-gluten mix in a nice even layer over the top of the spinach.



Next comes the tofu sauce.



As you see, I kinda dump it in spoonfuls over the top then spread it with the back of a spoon to more or less cover. If there's more than you need, fine - it makes a good sauce to pass at the table. If not, then don't sweat it.

Finally top with crumbs, a mix of nuts and nutritional yeast or vegan parmezan cheez - whatever your heart desires :)

And here it is



- all ready to go in the oven for (how long did I say?) 20 minutes, lightly covered with foil, then remove the foil for a last few minutes to brown a little. The timing will depend a little on the heat of your oven (they all differ a bit) and the size and shape of your baking dish.

This had a rich 'meaty' taste - and the spinach was a pleasant complement to the rest of the dish. I'll do it this way in future.

NOTE: I tend to make things a little on the dry side by some people's standards, because we don't care for 'soupy' dishes - unless we're having soup! LOL You may want to add more liquid to everything, more sauce, depending on your taste. Just note as you go along whether or not it looks right to you, okay?

Mushroom-Coconut Curry

We almost always have mushrooms here, and lately I have been cooking up recipes for which mushrooms are the primary focus. I'm not quite sure where I originally found this one - it was at least 10 or 12 years ago 'and in another country' etc. - possibly it originated with Charmaine Solomon. Because I try, as much as possible, to cook without added fat/oil and without a lot of high-calorie ingredients, I've adapted this recipe so that it won't quite be as Mrs Solomon (or whoever it was) would wish. For example, the soymilk plus cornstarch plus coconut extract replaces the same quantity of coconut milk. In making it for only two persons, the proportions have also changed a bit - and of course seasoning adjusted to my taste. Method is my own. Nevertheless . . . .

MUSHROOM-COCONUT CURRY

* for TWO persons *

1/2 lb (250 g) mushrooms, quartered
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
1 tsp grated ginger (I used some from a jar - not as nice, but it was quick)
6 curry leaves (I used dried. If you don't have these, don't worry. It's a subtle flavour.)
1 tsp (or to taste) of curry powder (your own mix, preferably, or a good commercial blend)
1/4 tsp salt, if you use it, or of course to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala (again, your own mix or a good commercial blend)
1/2 cup low-fat soymilk
1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
few drops coconut extract
2 tsp lemon juice

'Saute' the mushrooms, green onions, garlic, ginger and curry leaves in a little water until softened. Add the curry powder, salt (if used) and mushrooms and continue to cook over low heat, adding a little water as needed, until the mushrooms are softened and the flavours are nicely blended.

Meanwhile, mix together the soymilk, cornstarch and coconut extract.

Sprinkle with the softened mushroom mix with garam masala. Add the soymilk 'coconut' mix and stir until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Garnish, if you wish, with a few sprigs of something green or another green onion chopped and another dash of garam masala.

Serve with brown rice.

Mushroom & Tofu Pasta Bake

I'm always searching for new ways to take a lazy way out of cooking - which by the way I profess to love most of the time - without compromising my promise to myself to cook from scratch (well, I don't make my own pasta anymore and never make my own tofu or soymilk, so . . . .LOL ). Somehow - it must be because the oven makes the place so warm and cosy - I've taken to popping pasta dishes and other kinds of things in the oven and then sitting back and waiting for them to be ready!

Here's what I did the day before yesterday - and I'm including a lot of photos cuz someone asked me to do step-by-step and so here it is LOL

But first a word about the pasta itself. I found the most delectable kamut spirelli in one of my favourite shops and thought I'd try it out:



I'm sure it comes in many other brands, but this one is organic and is actually available in Ontario! Anyway, here we go:

MUSHROOM & TOFU PASTA BAKE

(for 2 hungry people or 3-4 lighter eaters)

125 g (4 or 5 ounces in weight?) spirelli (you could use penne or whatever) pasta, set aside until ready to cook.
250 g (1/2 lb.) Mushrooms, sliced (measurements can vary - use what you have)
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
150 g (around 5 or 6 ounces in weight?) Zucchini, chopped (ditto)
1/2 pkg low-fat tofu (you might want to use more so that you have extra sauce to pass at the table)
soymilk and/or stock - enough to thin out the tofu to a cream consistency
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 - 2 Tbsp lemon juice
black pepper
1 Tbsp white miso
crumbs or vegan parmezan cheez for topping (I used my own mix that I keep on hand)
herbs according to taste

Method of sorts:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Saute your mushrooms - I do it in a little water with a Tbsp low-sodium soy, since I avoid using oil if at all possible.

While you are doing the mushrooms (only a short while - you'll want them to shrink to half size and look 'cooked'), boil some water and drop your zucchini into it for a couple of minutes only - or you could lightly steam them. You don't want them to go at all mushy. When these are done, drain and set aside.

Cook that pasta before you forget!



This kamut pasta is so pretty, isn't it, and it only takes a few minutes. Here it's still in its raw, dried state, but I thought the colours were nicer than I'd ever seen! Pop it into boiling water and keep an eye on the time - I only did mine for about half the time it called for, but you be the judge. You'll want your pasta, regardless of which kind you use, to be a little underdone because it will cook more in the oven.



When the mushrooms are ready, add the zucchini (I cut mine into small pieces so that they didn't take long to blanch and so that they'd mix in with the size of everything else. You might want to decide to do it differently)



and season to taste - but remember that you're going to have a seasoned tofu sauce over the lot, so go easy on salt etc.

Here we are again, all ready for the sauce.



For The Sauce:
Crumble the tofu, add enough soy milk or other liquid (do this a bit at a time) to make it possible to blend into a creamy sauce with a blender or a wand blender. Blend in the garlic and all other ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Sometimes it's the addition of a little vegan worcestershire sauce that helps a whole bunch, sometimes it isn't needed. Your choice.

Er, no pic of the sauce being made. We're going to just have to live with that. Imagine white. Got it? Okay, onwards!

Stir the sauce, pasta and vegetables together and turn into a baking dish which has been sprayed or lightly wiped with a faint film of olive oil. Here it is:



Top it, if you like, with crumbs, vegan parmezan cheez, or other appropriate crumby topping - or leave it plain. Your choice.



Yeah, well, you're right - it's the same image you got at the top of this post. Life's full of surprises, eh?

Bake for around 20 minutes. I cover mine with a layer of foil, very loosely, and take it off in the last few minutes.



And here it is baked. Now a warning for those like me who like to leave it in the oven until they've finished the first course:
If you leave it too long, it will dry out - but hey that's what that extra sauce I mentioned in the ingredients list is for. This recipe is so forgiving of absent-minded cooks!

Serve with whatever you like - we had ours plain the first day. But we did have a salad beforehand! :)

Zucchini Hash with Mushrooms & Potatoes; Stuffed Shells

This dish comes in the nature of a using-up-the-veggies exercise too - I had some nice zucchini and a couple of very tiny white potatoes (what did I mean to do with those, I wonder). Lunch loomed. So I took a look at what was in the veg bin and came up with:

ZUCCHINI HASH WITH MUSHROOMS & POTATOES

1 stick celery, chopped in small rounds
1 yellow cooking onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small potatoes, diced
1-1/2 zucchini, chopped in quarter-'moons' (amount depends on size - enough for two hungry people is what I used
5 or 6 or more mushrooms, roughly chopped
optional: a tsp minced ginger or to taste (I tend to put it in a lot of things)
pinch of crushed chilies or to taste
salt (if you use it) and pepper to taste

I softened the onion and celery in a little water and threw the potato in with them to cook (the dice was small, so they didn't take long), added the zucchini, mushrooms, ginger and chilies when the potatoes were almost done, careful not to overcook the zucchini. I served garnished with celery leaves and added in a tomato, fennel and onion side salad.



The next dish was in the nature of an experiment. One day, feeling creative but lazy (the latter means I didn't want to shop before lunch) I found some giant pasta shells I had bought to make a completely different dish and never used. So this is what I dreamed up:

STUFFED SHELLS

Giant Pasta Shells for two persons (I used a little over 4 ounces, 120 grammes)
1/2 lb extra-firm low-fat tofu
a couple of slices of onion, finely chopped
4 or 5 mushrooms, finely chopped
two handfuls of basil, chopped
a pinch of cayenne, if you like it (we do)
salt and pepper to taste
two or so cups home-made tomato pasta sauce (from my freezer - you could use your favourite)
handful of torn basil to be added before going in oven
crumby cheezy topping for dish for baking

I cooked the shells and, meanwhile, heated the oven to 350 F, crumbled the tofu into a bowl and set the onion and mushrooms to soften and cook in a little water while I chopped the basil and defrosted the pasta sauce.

When the onion and mushrooms were cooked, I added them to the tofu along with the chopped basil and zapped the whole thing with the wand blender, to form a kind of creamy ricotta-like mixture. Season.

I spooned the mixture into the shells, added a few pieces of torn basil leaves to each stuffed shell, poking them into the mix with a naughty finger.

In a flat baking dish, I added a little of the pasta sauce - to just cover the bottom - lined up the shells as prettily as I could, added the rest of the sauce and sprinkled my own mix of equal parts cashews, crumbs and nutritional yeast (all ground together with oregano, paprika and pepper) over the top.

I baked in the oven for around 25 minutes covered, then removed the cover for a few minutes at the end.

I had never but NEVER stuffed shells before, and these were dead simple and very nice! They disappeared so fast that it was all I could do to snap a blurry photo before they were consumed! There were no leftovers.

MUSHROOM BISQUE

This is a lovely soup which we have had twice now - and it is so simple to make. It is an adaptatiion of one in Leah Leneman's The Tofu Cookbook (1992,1998). I can't think how I overlooked it for so long!

MUSHROOM BISQUE

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped
1 Tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2-1/2 cups (20 fl. oz.) water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb (1 cup) soft tofu
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

'Saute' the onion and mushrooms in a little water with the paprika and cayenne, bring to a boil and lower to simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables soften - about 10 minutes. (Don't let this boil dry.)

Add the water, salt (if using) and pepper. Stir. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for another 3 minutes.

Now your soup is almost ready. Put the tofu and lemon juice in a blender amd zap it into creamy mix, which you will now stir into the mushroom mixture. Heat very gently, not permitting it to come to the boil.


Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve immediately. Wonderful!

[NOTE: You could of course use vegetable stock in place of the water, but I decided not to do that for fear of overpowering the flavour of the mushrooms. I used just plain button mushrooms, but I plan to experiment with a mix for next time.]

Serves 4.

EGGPLANT & MUSHROOM LASAGNA

My own lasagne for our two-person household which always has one of us watching my weight. While this is my standard recipe, I do vary it a bit from time to time - sometimes of necessity. Today I was short on noodles and (gasp!) only had one container of (soft) tofu that wasn't in the freezer, I realized at the last minute. As a result, the topping was a little thin, but the taste was great!

EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM LASAGNE (includes sauce recipe)
(This serves 2 - and we usually have some left - but can be doubled, trippled, etc. for more. No prob.)

This dish is, however, not recommended for freezing.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put water on for noodles.

One pound of eggplant - sliced thin and sauteed lightly until tender (steaming works okay) - if I don't have enough eggplant, I slice in zucchini and yellow summer squash too.

One and a half cups homemade tomato pasta sauce (recipe at foot of page - I make up a bunch and freeze mine) OR your favourite commercial sauce (but don't forget to add some chilies or the like).

Quarter pound or more mushrooms - sliced and sauteed/steamed

Half cup mozzarella 'cheez' - grated
Quarter cup parmesan 'cheez' - grated

Half pound tofu (I use firm and thin out with veg. stock) - whooshed in blender and seasoned with salt, pepper, dash of tabasco, half the soy 'parmesan' - other seasonings, your choice.

Quarter cup brown breadcrumbs
Herbs: parsley, thyme, oregano - your pick
salt and pepper to taste.

Lasagna noodles - However many you need for your usual lasagna. I use five or six wholewheat noodles for an 8 by 10 inch baking dish (there are just two of us here) and skimped on the middle layer of noodles). That size dish usually takes 9 or so strips of lasagne.

METHOD:
Cook noodles for around ten minutes while the eggplant is being sauteed.

Lightly sauce the bottom of the baking dish, add layers of noodles, sauce, eggplant, mushrooms, soy 'mozzarella', herbs, salt and pepper, etc. (just as with any lasagne).

Top with tofu mix, then sprinkle on breadcrumbs and soy 'parmesan' and bake for 30 minutes or so or until lasagna is heated through and top has browned.


Let it stand for around 10 or 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with salad of choice.

And now for that pasta sauce I promised you:

QUICK PASTA SAUCE

(I double or triple this amount and freeze in batches)

One medium onion, half a medium carrot, and two or more garlic cloves chopped/grated and sauteed in olive oil.

Two Tablespoons fresh herbs - oregano, thyme - whatever - or use half amt. of dried
1/2 tsp or more to taste of crushed chilies
28 Ounce Can of crushed tomatoes.

Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for around twenty minutes, longer if you have the time. Sauce should be a bit like sloppy porridge in texture.

There you go - use it to layer between the lasagna layers (above) and/or on your fave pasta :)