Shepherd's Pie, Tasty Gravy, Herbed Quinoa, Quinoa Salad

 made up Shepherds Pie

I cooked a potato in the microwave and when it was done I chopped it up and put it in the bottom of a small casserole dish. I put gravy over the potato, then added corn and beans, some quinoa on top, more gravy and then some vegan cheese I had left over. I put it in a 350 degree oven until it was hot and bubbly. 

It was pretty good considering I just threw several things together :D 

I love you all! 

Cheryl 

Tasty Gravy (Is this really vegan???) 
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 c. water
½ t. onion powder
Few dashes of garlic powder
2 heaped T. nutritional yeast
1 ½ t. soy sauce (I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
½ t. ground mustard
¼ - ½ c. flour or as needed for preferred thickness

(I used ¼ c. spelt flour. You may also use brown rice flour
1 T. vegan butter (I used coconut oil)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Add a pinch of dried sage

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil. Simmer over low heat for a few minutes. 

Herbed Quinoa
2 c. quinoa
4 c. water
2 c. cauliflower, chopped
Cook until water is absorbed. Cool and fluff with fork.

Add:
3 cloves minced garlic
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
¼ c. Olive Oil
(These are all approximate measures; make it to suit your taste)

Add:
Fresh chopped herbs (basil and dill are great or you may try cilantro which is tasty)
Chopped, sliced or slivered almonds or pine nuts (Add as many or as little as you like)

Mix all the above together and serve.

Ursula’s Quinoa Salad
1 big onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 T. of olive oil
4 c. of water
1/2 c.- 3/4 c. of fresh cilantro (I put it in the chopper or sometimes in the blender)
1 t. salt, or a little more to taste
1 hot pepper or red or green sweet pepper
2 c. of frozen peas
2 c. of quinoa

Sauté the onion and garlic in oil, add water, cilantro, salt, peas, and quinoa. I usually cut a hot pepper in half without the seeds and place them on the top of everything and put the lid on till it boils then I lower the temperature to simmer for 20 minutes.

Once ready if you don't want the hot peppers just remove them, they add a nice flavor to the quinoa. If you use sweet peppers you could probably chop them. I like the little spice it adds to the dish.

by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

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In searching for an image for this post (see top), I decided to just post the recipe too. 

Dee

Fresh Caprese Quinoa Salad
1/2 c. quinoa
8 oz. fresh mozarella
1 carton grape tomatoes, halved
fresh basil
2 T. olive oil
salt & pepper

1. In a medium sized pan, bring 1 c. water and quinoa to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer on LOW until all of the water is absorbed. This should take anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes. *Cooking your quinoa on low is extremely important. If you let it simmer on a hotter flame, the water will absorb too quickly and the quinoa will turn out hard!

2. Cool the cooked quinoa in the refrigerator for at least an hour before preparing the salad.

3. To prepare the salad, slice grape tomatoes in half [hot dog way] and cut the block of fresh mozzarella into bite size pieces. Mix together. Then, add the chopped basil and cooked quinoa and give the salad a toss. Next, drizzle on the olive oil and season with a little salt/pepper (to taste). Give your salad a final toss and serve cool or at room temperature.

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup, Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I made some amazing soup last night, and just had to share!

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup

4 c. chicken broth

4 c. beef broth

1 ½ lbs. chicken, cooked, cut up

4 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 ½ t. dried parsley

½ t. garlic powder

½ t. crushed red pepper flakes

½ t. poultry seasoning

½ t. pepper

2 ½ c. frozen cheese tortellini (I add a lot more!)

Simmer everything except the tortellini 10 - 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Add tortellini, simmer an additional 4 – 5 minutes.

by Stephanie, wife of Barbara's son Brandon
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UPDATE by Dee: 
Since Steph posted a recipe, I thought this would be a good place 
to add the end-of-summer cake recipe I got from her.


Stephanie's Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

Mix:
2 c. zucchini
3/4 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 t. salt
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
optional: 1/2 c. nuts, chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for one hour in Bundt pan. Cool before removing from pan.

(Notes by Dee: I subbed butter/coconut oil for margarine, some unrefined cane for some of the white sugar, some whole wheat for part of the flour… and chocolate chips aren't optional. I baked these as cupcakes and frosted with the leftover white frosting from the White Chocolate recipe. I've also made mini muffins out of this—one recipe makes 4 dozen—and they are yummy little 'brownie bites'. Just don't over bake.)

Black and White Chocolate Cupcakes

I saw an article in the BYU alumni magazine—and mentioned on many a blog—about these yummy cupcakes. I had an occasion to make them for those I work with in Stake YW Camp (celebrating another successful camp, birthdays, etc.), so tried it out. They were very good! 

"Have you tried the best cupcake ever? Check out this delicious cupcake recipe from Megan Faulkner Brown, owner of the Sweet Tooth Fairy and Cupcake Wars winner." BYU Magazine.

Black and White Chocolate Cupcakes
1½ c. all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. and 2 T. dark chocolate cocoa
1½ t. baking soda
1 t. salt
½ c. sour cream
3 eggs
¾ c. ready-to-eat chocolate pudding
½ c. butter, melted
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until well combined. Add wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl and resume mixing on medium speed for an additional minute. Stop mixer and fold in chocolate chips. Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full. Bake about 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. [Dee notes: I didn't use dark cocoa, but they were chocolate-y enough even for me, I made an instant pudding, mine yielded about 20 cupcakes, and they were pretty short and dense.]

White Chocolate Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ c. butter, softened
1 c. white chocolate chips or 6 ounces white chocolate, melted
1 t. vanilla
2⅓ c. powdered sugar

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add melted chocolate and vanilla; mix for an additional minute. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy after each addition. Spread the frosting on the chocolate cupcakes. Garnish with fresh raspberries, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate sprinkles.

Our YW Camp theme was Super Heroes this year, so here's how I decorated.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Southwest Quinoa Salad, Blackberry Watermelon Smoothie

We tried these two recipes in August for a cool summer supper.  They were both good. With leftover salad, I added avocado. I think it would also be good with shopped bell peppers in all colors. Scott thought chopped tomatillos would also be good. And, if you love spice, you'll want to add your favorite hot sauce.

Blackberry, Watermelon and Chia Seed Smoothie
1 c. chopped watermelon
1 c. blackberries
1 handful spinach
1 T. chia seeds
1/2 c. coconut water
1 c. mango, frozen or fresh
1 t. raw honey

Put all of these ingredients in a blender with a handful of ice cubes to ensure that it is cold. Blend on high for 45 seconds. Drink and enjoy! Here's the link to this recipe.

SOUTHWEST QUINOA SALAD
2 c. quinoa, rinsed well (soak for a few minutes, then drain in a fine strainer)
4 c. water
2 cans black beans, rinsed well
4 medium tomatoes, diced
8 green onions, chopped (including most of the green part)
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing
1 heaping T. grated lime zest
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. maple syrup
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the lime zest and juice, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl. Simmer the quinoa in water uncovered for about 10 min. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 10 min. Strain any excess water. Add quinoa to dressing and toss well, then stir in remaining ingredients (beans, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro). I made a half batch and we had leftovers for three of us. Here's the link.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Vegan Zucchini Fritatta

I tried a recipe tonight for dinner and it was a hit with everyone. Here is the link. It was so good and it tasted better than I expected. 

Vegan Zucchini Frittata
2 shallots, minced
1/2 (14- oz.) package extra-firm tofu (not silken), coarsely crumbled
pinch black salt (optional)
sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 T. (packed) minced fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
1 medium zucchini (about 10-12 ounces), shredded
1 (12.3 oz.) package lite firm or extra-firm silken tofu, drained
1/4 c. water or non-dairy milk
3 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. plus 1 t. cornstarch
1 t. tahini
1 clove garlic
1/4 t. turmeric
3/4 t. salt
generous grating of black pepper
pinch black salt (optional)

Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Spray pan with non-stick spray and place parchment in bottom. Preheat oven to 400. Heat a non-stick pan. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften but not brown. Add the crumbled tofu, black salt, and a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu begins to brown in places. Add oregano and zucchini and continue to cook until zucchini softens, about 5 minutes. While the zucchini cooks, blend all remaining ingredients well in a blender. When zucchini has softened, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the contents of the blender. Quickly stir well and pour into the prepared pie pan. Be sure to scrape out any tofu that becomes stuck to the pan. Smooth the top and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is set and top is not yet browned. Loosen the frittata around the edges. Place a serving plate on top of the pie pan, and using pot holders, carefully invert the pan so that the frittata falls onto the plate. Slowly peel off the parchment paper from the top. (Use a knife to scrape off any tofu the clings to the paper as you pull it away.) Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Notes

(first one by Cheryl, others on link)

Black salt, which is actually pink in color, can be found in Indian grocery stores for a very reasonable price. Just a little bit gives tofu a very eggy flavor and aroma, so use it if you really want to mimic the flavor of a frittata. If you don’t have it (or don’t like the flavor of eggs) just leave it out.

You can use any vegetable you like instead of zucchini; just chop, slice, or shred it small and cook it along with the regular tofu. Some longer-cooking veggies, like broccoli, can be steamed separately and then folded into the tofu. Just make sure that the vegetables are fairly dry because any extra moisture may prevent the frittata from setting properly.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 35 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4
Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition (per serving): 115 calories, 34 calories from fat, 4g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 468.1mg sodium, 165.6mg potassium, 10.1g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 1.2g sugar, 11.4g protein, 3.2 points.



by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

Blueberry Ice Cream

This is the divine ice cream Debbie Hardy made for us once. 

I just got the recipe and made for FHE last night.  

This will refresh until summers end.

Blueberry Ice Cream

1 c. nondairy creamer (use coconut milk)
2 c. frozen blueberries
3/4 c. sugar (use agave, maybe 1/3 - 1/2 c.)
1/2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. ice cubes 

This is from the Blendtec cookbook. Even with a high-speed blender, it would be hard to use less liquid. Our came out a bit thin. I put it in the freezer for about an hour and it was perfect...very gelato-like.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Tofu (or Chicken) Lettuce Wraps

picture above from Cheesecake Factory

The first time I tasted Lettuce Wraps and fell in love was at the Cheesecake Factory. I'm POSITIVE these are healthier and thousands of calories less!! Cheryl asked if she had time to make the lettuce wraps, and how to cook the tofu—YES and the tofu is easy if you plan ahead on the prep. I don't know if you've ever eaten at PeiWei (sp?) but the tofu there is crispy in their stirfry. That's what I was going for—at least a little chewier texture. I'll rewrite the recipe because it's a little confusing on the website. BTW, I ate more of this cold in lettuce for lunch and it was still good!!

Tofu Lettuce Wraps
1 pkg. extra firm tofu
salt and pepper
1-2 T. coconut oil
1 T. sesame oil
2 t. minced garlic
2 t. grated ginger
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. xagave (I used agave)
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and chopped
1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/4 c. roasted unsalted cashews, chopped (I used roasted, salted—the recipe is very forgiving)
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
Bibb or Romaine lettuce leaves separated

Dee trying recipe

To begin, wrap the tofu in paper towels and set on a plate with another plate and some weight on top to squeeze the water out. This may take awhile, so could be done in the morning and left in the fridge until after work. When ready to prepare the meal, slice the brick of tofu in thinish slices (about a dozen or so). Fry them in the coconut oil (in as little oil as you can) on top of the stove. Mine took 2 large fry pans. Salt and pepper them and flip them over when they look brownish and crispy (this takes about 15 minutes?) 

after trying to wrap these, Dee looked up the recipe online and found the beautiful picture at the top of the blog. We'll have to go out and try them! Especially to check out the veggies and dipping sauces!

While that's frying, mix the other 2 sets of ingredients separately. When the tofu is done, put them onto a cuttingboard and put the soy sauce mixture into one frying pan and saute the garlic and ginger (it wont take long). Cut each slice of tofu into about 3 long strips then the other direction into small squares, so that all the ingredients (onions, cashews etc) are similar size. Add the tofu back into the frying pan with the soy mix and also the 3rd group of veggies (except the cilantro) and stir until warmed up. 

Finally, add the cilantro, stir, and serve by filling the individual lettuce leaves with the tofu mixture. I actually liked the tofu better than when I've had it with chicken—the texture is great. You could also add more garlic and ginger or whatever…

since Ian is not a big lettuce fan, I also wrapped a few in rice paper like fresh Thai 

by Karen, Barbara's daughter