Thai Green Curry Noodles

This curry comes together quickly. Check out the original recipe from Vegan Richa.

Ingredients

Green Curry
1 hot green chili
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch piece of ginger
3/4 cup packed cilantro, with stems
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut milk

Stir Fry

2 tsp. coconut oil
8 oz. extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
2 green onions, chopped (keep the greens for garnish)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups other vegetables, such as mushrooms, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, baby eggplant
6 oz. rice noodles cooked according to package instructions

1 tsp. agave
pepper flakes, black pepper and green onions for garnish

Directions
Make the green curry paste. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and set aside.

Cook the noodles according to instruction on package and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. Add the tofu and cook until the tofu is golden in the edges then add in the white parts of the green onion, bell pepper and other veggies. Use your judgment on when to add what - carrots go in first, where quick cooking veggies like broccoli and asparagus go in last.

Add a good dash of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Move the veggies to the edge of the skillet and pour the green curry paste in the middle. Once the paste is starting to boil, mix it in. Add in the noodles and toss well to coat. Taste; adjust salt and flavor. Add in a teaspoon of sugar or agave to balance out the flavor.  Adjust salt, sweet, and heat at the end. Serve with pepper flakes, black pepper and green onions as garnish.

Serves 3. 

1 serving = 350 calories

Carrot "Lox"

Ingredients
2 large carrots
1 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a peeler or mandolin to peel the carrot into thin strips. Toss the carrots with the soy sauce, salt, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and Liquid Smoke in a baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 30 minutes.

Drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Remove the dish from the oven and toss the carrots again to coat in the sauce. Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to dry out a bit. Once finished, toss the carrots with the dill fronds.

Serve with vegan cream cheese, capers, pickled red onion, and sliced tomatoes on bagels!

Makes enough for about 4 bagels.

Recipe credit to crowdedkitchen.com.

Spring Vegetable Gnocchi with White Beans & Lemon Basil Butter

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot
2 carrots
4 oz. asparagus (or other spring vegetable)
½ oz. fresh basil
1 lemon
13.4 oz. butter beans
10 oz. fresh gnocchi
3 tbsp. vegan butter
2 tbsp. vegan parmesan
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Peel and dice the carrots. Trim 1 inch off the bottom of the asparagus and cut the remaining stalks into rounds. Thinly slice the basil. Zest, halve, and juice the lemon. Drain and rinse the butter beans.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, diced carrot, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the carrots are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the gnocchi to the large pot of boiling water and cook until they float to the surface, 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the gnocchi. Shake off any excess water.

Return the skillet with the carrots to medium-high heat and add the pasta water and butter and cook until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus rounds and cook until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and just half of the basil, taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Transfer the lemon basil butter to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm.

Wipe the skillet and return to high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the cooked gnocchi, butter beans, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parmesan, toss, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Divide the lemon basil butter between bowls and top with the spring vegetable gnocchi and butter beans. Sprinkle with the remaining sliced basil.

Carrot & Leek Quesadillas

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly (whites and light green parts only)
4 carrots, shredded (about 2 c.)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
6 flour tortillas

Directions
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, sea salt, honey, Sriracha, lime juice and 1/4 cup of water. Continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed and the carrot mixture is tender, about 3 minutes.

Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over half of each tortilla. Top each with the carrot mixture. Divide the remaining cheese between the tortillas and fold them in half, pressing to help them stick together.

Wipe out the skillet and brush lightly with half of the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook 2 of the quesadillas over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with salsa and/or guacamole. 

Serves 2 as dinner, 4 as appetizer.

Sauteed Root Veggies

An autumnal treat made with a mix of late harvest veggies.

Ingredients

parsnips, peeled & julienned
carrots, peeled & julienned
baby turnips, peeled & julienned
onion, sliced & quartered
McCormicks’ Vegetable Supreme seasoning
butter

Directions

Melt about 1/2 stick of butter in a large pan. Sauté all the vegetables over high heat until they begin to brown. Toss vegetables with Vegetable Supreme and serve.
--OR--
Coat the raw vegetables in melted butter and Vegetable Supreme. Bake in the oven at about 400 degrees until golden brown.

Lady's Coconut Carrot Cake

Cake Ingredients
2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained)
2 c. grated carrots
1 1/3 c. shredded coconut

Icing Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 lb. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 c. confectioners sugar

Directions
Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Beat the oil, sugar and eggs together in a different bowl. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until smooth. Add carrots and coconut. Pour into a greased & floured tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Firecrackers

Another pickle recipe from Alton Brown, these Firecrackers start out with a sweet flavor, but kick you in the pants before you're through!

Ingredients
1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and julienned
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chili flakes
2 dried chilies

Directions
Place carrots in a spring top glass jar or standard canning jar. Bring water, sugar, cider vinegar, onion powder, mustard seeds, salt and chili flakes to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Boil for 4-5 minutes. Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the carrots, filling the jar to the top. Place the chilies in the jar. Allow the carrots to cool before sealing. Refrigerate for two days and up to one week.

Creamy Carrot Soup

This recipe is extremely easy, and only requires ingredients that most cooks have on hand.

Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups chopped Vidalia (or other sweet onion)
2 pounds carrots, cut 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Dash of ground ginger
Cayenne pepper powder, to taste
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots to the pot, and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in salt, pepper, ginger and cayenne pepper. Add 2 cups water and broth to pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until carrots are tender. Remove from heat; cool.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, process 20 seconds or until smooth. Add cream and cook over low heat until thoroughly heated (do not boil).

Classic Pot Roast

At home, if we had the opportunity to choose a meal, this was always my pick. I've always liked the meat pulled apart, served mixed in with the carrots, onions, noodles and gravy. Mom's comfort food at its best!

Ingredients
bottom round of beef (or non-fatty chuck roast)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 spanish onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 cups water
ground pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. brown sugar
3-4 tbsp. lemon juice
2 cubes beef boullion
1 lb. carrots, peeled & julienned
Wondra flour
1 lb. egg noodles

Directions
Brown beef in a pot with olive oil, garlic and ground pepper. Take out the beef and brown the onion. Put the beef back in the pot, add 2 cups of water (cover about 3/4 of the beef). Add ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, boullion. Simmer for about an hour per pound. Add carrots to the pot about an hour before the meat is expected to finish. Remove meat from pot and slice as needed. Remove carrots and most of the onions. Make gravy following Wondra flour instructions. Serve over egg noodles.

Asian Pork Meatloaf

Sky and I recently watched an episode of Alton Brown's "Good Eats," during which he demonstrated the perfect meatloaf. Alton recommended trying a variety of different meats and vegetables, so I went HOG wild with my love of pork.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground pork
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 red onion
1/2 Granny Smith apple
a handful of baby carrots
1 tsp. garlic, minced
a few shakes of ground cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
store-bought Asian dressing or dipping sauce
(a soy-sesame style would work well here)

Directions
Using Chef Tony's Ultimate Chopper (or a standard food processor), roughly chop onion, carrots and apples. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix gently with your freshly washed hands until everything is distributed evenly. Press meatloaf mixture into loaf pan and then turn over onto a baking sheet (the loaf pan is only a mold). Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until center of meatloaf measures 170 degrees. After about 35-40 minutes, glaze meatloaf with Asian sauce or dressing. Serves 4.

Sweet & Sour Beef Stew

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes (London Broil works well)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, sliced
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup water, divided
1 tsp. salt

Directions
Brown meat in hot oil. Add the next six ingredients, 1/2 cup water and salt. Cover and cook over low heat until meat is tender (about two hours). Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water; add to beef mixture. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Serve over egg noodles. Serves 4.

Uncle Tom's Carrots

My Uncle Tom (actually my mom's brother-in-law, not a racial slur) makes these carrots and they make for a lovely side dish. The best part is that you can make them the night before!

Ingredients
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar
1/4 tsp. mustard
2 tbsp. fresh chives
dash thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
the juice of one lemon
1 lb. carrots, peeled & julienned

Directions
Mix dressing and set aside. Boil carrots for five minutes. They should feel firm to the fork, but should pierce. Run under cold water immediately. Pour mixed dressing over carrots, tossing occasionally. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.