The Green Grotto

2006-09-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

I was in Rebar with my friend eating fabulous food and I had the most phenomenal quesdadilla...and so, upon arriving at home, I pined for this dish long after the restaurant changed their menu...and now I've perfected it! You can too, because this recipe is incredibly quick and easy!

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato, chopped into small pieces

1 medium onion, sliced into thin rounds

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 t. cumin

1 t. coriander

1 t. turmeric

1 t. allspice

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 c. soy cheddar, grated

1/4 c. toasted pumpkin seeds

sprouted grain tortillas for four

fresh cut salsa to garnish

In a pot, boil the sweet potatoes till quite soft. Meanwhile, sauté the onions till carmelized and very brown. Mash the sweet potatoes and stir in the spices. Lay out each tortilla and layer as follows: sweet potato, black beans, pumpkin seeds and then soy cheese last. Either fold in half or lay another tortilla on top. Bake at 300°F. till cheese is melty and beans are heated through.

2006-09-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Grassroots Granola
For a very long time I searched in vain for the granola that would take me back to my childhood of living in the commune on Galiano Island. Since I never knew what exactly went into the original recipe, I only had a nostalgic combination of flavours in my memory to go on. Furthermore, now that I am a little more aware of the high fat content of most bought (and even homemade) granolas, heavily relying on oil to hold those clusters together, I thought to myself "there must be a way"...and yes, yes indeed, there was! So now, here for your culinary pleasure, is what is likely my all-time favourite food. I eat it twice daily. No, really.
This is my commune flower child recipe; treat it with care.

Ingredients:
3 c. rolled oats
3 c. quick oats
1 c. oat bran
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. flaked natural almonds
1 c. unsweetned coconut (light is fine)
1 T. cinnamon
1T. vanilla extract
1 c. agave nectar (blue is best...also, if you do include honey in your diet, it works great with that!)
1/2 c. maple syrup (or 1 T. maple extract + 1/2 c. agave nectar)
1 c. chopped dates (optional)
water to combine

Preheat oven to 350° and line either two baking sheets or one higher rimmed baking sheet. Mix all ingredients together except water, adding only enough H20 to make it moist and clumpy (cause those clusters are sooooo good!). Spread out evenly on baking sheets and bake for about 1 1/2-2 hours (till crunchy, the way granola should be!) , stirring every half hour or so...cool on sheet and store in an airtight container...yum!

2006-09-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Sundried-Ava-Tomato-Rice Slew

Yes, the title is odd. Yes, I took to pictures in the grocery store. Yes this hodge-podge of flavours is fricking deelish! Feel free to jazz it up with your favourite salad dressing...enjoy, my puppies!

Ingredients:
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 avocado, cubed
1/2 c. sundried tomatos, soaked in warm water to cover (reserve liquid!)
2 dried chiles, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
2 T. lime juice
1 T. olive oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients.

Now for the variations, what-ifs, etc: if using oil-packed sundried tomatoes, omit the olive oil. Otherwise, use the soaking liquid as a dressing. If you want to, add some corn or black beans or other southwestern/Italian influences to decide the flavah of this slew. Serve hot or cold, it really doesn't matter!

Makes enough for two lovely persons.

2006-08-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

Gluten-Free Raspberry Pancakes

Some of my best friends are celiac, so I am always trying to concoct recipes that will satisfy both their needs as well as mine...and a love of raspberries is just an added perk to this stack of scintillatingly light pancakes!

Ingredients:
2 c. brown rice flour (sweet flour is best, if you can find it!)
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 T. brown sugar
1 dash salt
1 c. sour soy milk (1 c. + 1 T. vinegar)
1 t. omega 3-6-9 oil
1 T. flax meal
3 T. water
2 c. frozen raspberries + 1 T. maple syrup

Whisk all ingredients together (except for raspberries), adding water to the batter if it's too thick (it should be rather runny). Pour in desired amounts onto a hot, lightly oiled or nonstick frying pan. When bubbles form on the top and do not fill in when popped, flip the pancakes over, fry till golden on the other side and keep in warm oven or on a covered dish. Meanwhile, either defrost the raspberries to serve as is with the pancakes or combine with the maple syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir breifly. Reduce heat and stir till thickened. This makes a lovely compote to serve over the cakes in addition to or in place of syrup.

Makes 4 servings

2006-08-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

Thai Sesame Peanut Stir Fry

Once again I plague you all with another Asian noodle dish. Next time I promise not to do it to you!
This recipe was born of courage and lust for two ingredients out of wedlock...and tada, this concoction arose from the love-nest!

Ingredients:
2 T. tahini
1 T. crunchy peanut butter
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. tamari
1/3 c. warm water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. ginger, minced

Whisk these ingredients together to make the sauce...

Noodles for two
1 c. snap peas
1/2 pkg. firm tofu-regular or baked
1/2 medium zucchini, half-mooned
2 scallions, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 c. broccoli florets

Steam the broccoli and carrot in a lidded wok till slightly tender. Meanwhile, immerse the noodles in boiling water to soften. Once cooked, rinse with cold water to prevent over cooking. Add the tofu and zucchini to the wok, followed by the scallions and snap peas. Lastly, throw the noodles in with the sauce and mix till evenly coated. Please enjoy these with chopsticks; forks are for the controlling obsessive compulsives... or the messy eaters!

2006-08-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

Goddess Udon Stirfry (for one)

Okay, the photo doesn't show all the goodies on the bottom of the dish! Close your eyes and visualize baked tofu, zucchini and wood ear mushrooms...there! Now the picture is complete!
It is very important not to do two things: reheat the cooked broccolini (it will get swampy and make your tummy wish it would pass through your bowels) or cook the miso (it will destroy all the nutritional benefits that make it a wonder-food)

This dish came together in a frenzy of various ingredients threatening to go rotten in the depths of my fridge. Hallelujah for inspiration!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Japanese udon noodles (duh!)
5 dried wood ear mushrooms
1 small zucchini, half-mooned
1 handful snap peas, ends trimmed
1 scallion, chopped finely
1 small carrot, shredded
1/2 c. broccolini florets
1/4 pkg. baked tofu (any flavour you fancy), cubed or in strips
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
1 T. rice vinegar or sake
1 T. brown rice miso
1 T. tamari
1 t. peanut or other cooking oil

In a bowl of warm water, soak the dried mushrooms for about 20-30 minutes to soften. Reserve the liquid and combine with carrot and broccolini in a wok or deep frying pan. Steam till tender-crisp. Drain liquid and set aside cooked veggies. In the wok, heat the oil and fry the tofu till lightly crispy on each side, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil water and immerse the noodles in it, allowing them to slightly soften for about 3-5 minutes. Chop the mushrooms and add to wok along with cooked veggies and zucchini with the rice vinegar, garlic and ginger. Add noodles, scallion and tamari and stir fry till coated. Remove from heat and stir in the miso. Garnish with pickled ginger (if you like that kind of thing) or nuts or any other Asian flaired sprigs you prefer.

2006-08-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Tleps Azzip (Spelt Pizza)
Growing up, my father refused to call pizza 'pizza.' For him, it was much more fun to confuse all of my friends coming over for this wonderfood by inviting them over for 'Azzip.' So as the years piled on, I grew accustomed to calling it backwards, and now here I am today calling my veganized pizza 'azzip' with as much pizzaz as possible! The spelt flour gives it a really nummy, rich flavour, but any kind of flour will work. For those who are celiac, brown rice flour is a great alternative, however the salt will need to be doubled to balance the natural sweetness of the flour.
Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 c. whole spelt flour
1/2 c. warm water
1 T. dry active yeast
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. omega-369 oil (but any cooking kind will work)
3 T. cornmeal
1/3 c. tomato paste
3-5 T. water
1/3 c. basil leaves, finely chopped
1 t. dried oregano
Fixin's (any or all can be added)
2/3 c. soy cheese, shredded
fresh tomato slices
sundried tomatoes (NOT oil packed)
olives
spinach
mushrooms
peppers
onion
zucchini
corn
broccoli
chocolate :o)

Pour yeast and sugar into a shallow bowl with the warm water. Allow to sit till bubbly. Combine the spelt flour, salt, oil and yeast mixture in a bowl, adding more flour or water till it reaches a dough consistency that does not cling to your hands. Knead for about 5 minutes, then roll out to make a thin crust. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking sheet (lined works well!) or pizza pan and lay dough out on it. Roll the edges in to make a slight crust and allow to sit till oven is fully heated. Bake for about 10 minutes or till mostly cooked. Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients together to reach a desireable consistency, adding seasonings to taste. Remove from oven and add your fixings, putting the soycheese on last. Bake for about ten more minutes or till crust is fully cooked through and the cheese is lightly browned. (to test if dough is cooked, tear a tiny sliver and see if it's gummy or not) Serve with extra tomato sauce in which to dip those fine and dandy crusts you rolled!
Makes one thin crust pizza for two people or one hungry person.

2006-08-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Twice as Nice Rice Pudding (for one meal or two snacks)

This, my darlings, is true comfort food...there's nothing like the softness and sweetness of rice with raisins and cinnamon. Also, this recipe makes a great outlet for cooked rice, making it super quick and easy to have this delectable dose of nummyness at a little more than a moment's notice!

Ingredients:

1 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. vanilla almond milk (or soymilk with 1 t. vanilla extract)
1 T. pure maple syrup
1/8 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. raisins

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat and simmer till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is gummy. Serve hot, cold or in between. It really doesn't get much easier than that, my pups of love!

2006-08-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

West African Groundnut Stew

So I was standing behind a massive pot the size of my torso at work trying to concoct a recipe to make for the daily rice bowl...all the standard recipes seemed dull and overused and unexciting. Then a woman came in, gloriously ravishing in her African headdress, and I knew I had to make groundnut stew. This brought me much joy and the new title 'Rice bowl Goddess.' Now, my loyal subjects, you all have to make groundnut stew!

Ingredients:
1 small onion, diced
1 t. cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
2 carrots, sliced thin-ish-ly
2 yams (sweet potatoes will work, too), peeled and cubed
5 small red-skinned potatoes, cubed
1 c. green cabbage, shredded
2 large tomatoes (or one can crushed tomatoes with liquid), roughly chopped or crushed
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 c. crunchy peanut butter
1 can chickpeas with liquid
1 can sweet potato puree

Sauté the onion with the cayenne, ginger and garlic for five minutes. Add the carrots and continue to sauté till just tender. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, the yams and the potatoes. (Add water if too dry) Add the cabbage, peanut butter, chickpeas, sweet potato puree and yellow pepper and continue to simmer, covered till all veggies are soft, adding salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Once ready to serve, garnish with parsley and spoon over grain of choice or enjoy it just the way it is!

2006-08-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

Carob Two-Seed Peanut Butter Bars
(Phew! What a title!)

The story behind these squares of delight starts with a trip I took a-wandering through the bakeries of downtown Victoria in search of a vegan snack. Normally, I would hit up the Green Cuisine restaurant to grab a muffin, but I simply wasn't in the mood to compromise my tastebuds with something riddled with bananas (the ingredient that all vegan recipes seem to rely upon...and in case I forgot to tell you, bananas are the bane of my existence)...ANYWAY, I finally wandered upon a bakery with delectable bars with the diverse flavours of carob, sunflower, sesame and peanut butter. However, at $2.11 a piece, it was a little steep for my student's budget...alas, after only one try, I managed to concoct my own recipe for them! And here it is to share with you...fork over the money for organic carob chips; it's so worth it, my dears!

Ingredients:
1 c. rolled oats
1/2-1 c. quick oats
2/3 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. sesame seeds
1/2-1 c. carob chips
1/2 c. crunchy organic peanut butter (no salt or sugar!)
2/3 c. applesauce (no sugar)
1 flax egg (1 T. flax meal mixed with 3 T. water)
1/3 c. rice syrup, maple syrup (distinct flavour!), corn syrup...add more if you've got a helluva sweet tooth
1 t. vanilla extract

Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl (it's easier to mix in the peanut butter this way) and add to dry ingredients. Stir till well mixed and smoosh out flat onto a lined baking sheet to desired square-shaped size. bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into bars.

2006-07-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

Thai Peanut Rice Bowl

This little gem is one that I concocted at work (Lifestyle Market's Organic Deli) with a hodge podge of ingredients. It's creamy and cozy and makes me feel loved. I serve it either over Asian noodles or cooked brown rice, but it's also grand by itself!

Ingredients:
1 can light coconut milk
1/4 c. peanut butter (crunchy is nice)
3 c. vegetable broth (or just rinse out the coconut milk and pour contents into soup pot)
1 pkg. firm tofu, cubed
2 carrots, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1/2 c. crushed dry roasted peanuts
1/2 c. spinach, shredded
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1 lime, cut into four wedges
Brown rice, noodles or grain of choice (enough for four people)

In a soup pot, lightly sauté carrots with garlic and ginger till slightly tender. Add other vegetables (except spinach and cilantro) and sauté for five minutes. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk slowly, mixing well. Bring to a boil and add vegetable broth (or water) and tofu, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cilantro and spinach and stir till wilted. Serve over cooked grain or noodles and garnish with crushed peanuts and lime (and more cilantro if you really like the stuff). Eat up with chopsticks (because forks are for wimps...or people like me when I can't push the last bites onto little Asian twig utensils...)

2006-07-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Spotted Sunflower Quinoa Bread

This recipe is packed with protein which is essential for a vegan off saving the world...but the best part is that the sunflower seeds give the bread green spots when sliced! Can I get an 'amen!' for entertaining sandwiches?

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c. quinoa flour
1/2 c. cunflower seeds
2 t. baking soda
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
2 c. soy or rice or almond milk
1 T. cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk wet ingredients and stir in dry till 'just mixed' (over mixing will make this bread a brick-hardly interchangable...). Pour batter into a lightly oiled or lined loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely. This sturdy loaf likes to be toasted!

2006-07-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Introduction and the Beginning of it All...

I'm a quirky vegan waitress living in Victoria, and I've decided to share my goofy knowledge and inventions with the world! I love the idea of spreading the vegan goodness, and even if I manage to bring one person over to the green side, that would be better than a barrel of monkeys! So I've made the decision to post up a collection of recipes as I concoct them... enjoy!

Green Meanies Fajitees
This recipe came from a heap of green ingredients in the fridge and a spark of creativity. Another nice twist is to serve these with hummous or guacamole (if you REALLY like green stuff...)

Ingredients:
1/2 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 pkg. extra firm tofu, sliced or cubed or grated
5 sundried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1 t. cayenne
1 t. chili powder
1 t. olive oil
3-4 sprouted grain tortilla wraps
1/2 cup salsa

Sauté all ingredients in a pan heated with the olive oil (except for the wraps) until the tofu is browned lightly and the veggies are firm but tender. Heat the wraps in the oven and serve the fajita mixture either on wedges of the tortillas (good for a packed lunch) or folded inside a whole wrap with the salsa.
Serves 2-4