Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

Another "quickie" recipe this week!  We're eating pretty simply these days.  But, since many of you are preparing for the delights and excesses of American Thanksgiving, I thought it would be good to share this recipe I threw together a couple of nights ago.  You might want something like this in the days leading up to the feast, or afterwards when you, too, are wishing for a little simplicity!

I love one-pot pasta meals-- not much fuss or and very little time, but, with the right mix of ingredients, plenty of flavor and substance!

I have 3 more one-pot pasta recipes on my blog:

One-Pot Cheesey Farfalle (Bowtie Pasta) with Asparagus & Soy Curls  

My version of Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta

One-Pot Vegan Pastalaya (Jambalaya's Cousin)


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN ONE-POT PASTA WITH BROCCOLI, SPICY SAUSAGE & SOY CURLS
Servings: 6

1 Field Roast Chipotle Vegan sausage (or your favorite), sliced and crumbled a bit
4 ounces  dry Soy Curls, reconstituted in 2 cups hot "chicken-y" vegan broth and drained
(or, you can use about 2 cups of any other vegan chicken sub strips)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups good-tasting "chicken-y" vegan broth (I like Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken Vegan Broth Base)
3 cups dry spiral macaroni (cavatappi) or similar pasta
1 lb. broccoli florets, cut into smallish pieces
2  Tbs lemon juice 
2 Tbs rich nutmilk or unsweetened vegan creamer (such as So Delicious Original Coconut Creamer)
1 ounce (about 1/2 cup) vegan parmesan sub (I like Go Veggie!) 
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the drained Soy Curls, garlic and crumbled sausage together and place on a lightly-oiled baking sheet (rimmed).  Place about 4" under your oven's broiler and broil on high (watching often) until it starts to brown a bit.  Mix and turn and broil again until the mixture is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and scoop into a large pot. (NOTE:  If you prefer, you can saute the ingredients in a tablespoon or two of olive oil right in the pot.  I like to broil ingredients in order to brown without anything but a few sprays of oil.)

Cavatappi pasta

Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta and adjust the heat to a good simmer.  Cover and cook for 9 minutes, stirring now and then.  Add the broccoli, cover and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until the broccoli is cooked to crisp-tender.

Stir in the lemon juice & creamer or nut milk, along with the vegan parmesan sub.  Stir well and taste for salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 377 calories, 52 calories from fat, 5.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 582.6mg sodium, 341.1mg potassium, 54.1g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 2.1g sugar, 23.4g protein.

Enjoy!

About 3 years ago we discovered that one side of my father's family might have Basque roots in Spain.  That, of course, made me curious about Spanish Basque culture and cuisine.  (UPDATE, 2017-- this has been confirmed by my sister's DNA test.) The cuisine is quite meat-heavy, but many dishes can be made vegan. One category of dishes that Basques are well known for is their delicious bean stews. (I posted one with red beans a few years ago.)

The following vegan version of another common Basque bean stew based on chickpeas is from my book "World Vegan Feast".  Since I always keep a good store of home-cooked beans (including chickpeas) and some Field Roast Chipotle sausages, in my freezer, this satisfying stew is one of my go-to dishes for a quick, easy and delicious dinner.


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S SPICY VEGAN BASQUE CHICKPEA & SAUSAGE STEW 
Serves 4
There are many versions of this common Basque bean stew-- this one, thick with vegetables and spicy vegan sausages, is super-simple and super-delicious. The recipe is easily doubled.

**This recipe, slightly altered, is from my book World Vegan Feast.**

8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over, rinsed and drained and soaked overnight in plenty of water
OR USE 3 1/4 cups drained cooked or canned chickpeas (If you use these, omit the first step in the recipe.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium carrot, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
4 to 6 ounces vegan chorizo or spicy vegan sausage (such as Field Roast Chipotle, which is very spicy) coarsely crumbled or sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch thin rounds
1 (14-ounce) can plum tomatoes, with juice
1/2 to 1 cup vegan broth (depending on how "soupy" you prefer the stew)
salt to taste

1.) Drain the soaked chickpeas and put in a medium pot with water to cover, with 2 to 3 inches water above the beans. Simmer for 2 hours or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain them and set aside.  (Omit this step if you use cooked or canned chickpeas.)

2.) Use the same pot to heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and carrot and sauté until the onion starts to brown. Add the chorizo or sausage and brown it a bit. Add the tomatoes and juice, crushing the tomatoes a bit. Add the broth and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes. Taste for salt and serve with crusty bread, or, though it's not as authentic, you could substitute steamed rice or cornbread to soak up the juices.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:     
Calories 385.42, Calories From Fat108.82, Total Fat 12.77g, Saturated Fat 1.81g, Cholesterol 0.31mg, Sodium 763.87mg, Potassium 1082.89mg, Carbohydrates 53.91g, Dietary Fiber 14.24g, Sugar 13.58g, Sugar Alcohols 0.00g, Net Carbohydrates 39.67g, Protein 18.62g.

Enjoy!

This was a rather spur-of-the-moment soup, but we really enjoyed it.  I had one Field Roast Chipotle sausage left (we haven't been able to buy them in Canada for a while, so this was the end of my freezer stash) and I felt like making a corn chowder, so I decided to make a spicy one.  Then I thought of adding the jar of homemade Golden Cheesey Sauce to the pot and-- voilà-- a new family favorite has been born!



The Golden Cheesey Sauce is an updated version of the "Golden Sauce" from my very first cookbook, circa 1994.  I've noticed that there are a number of new versions of this potato and carrot-based sauce going around, but it actually originated years ago in Seventh Day Adventist recipe books. I've made it a bit stronger-tasting than my original version.  It's great on steamed veggies, as well as in this soup.


Printable Copy (includes Cheesey Golden Sauce recipe)

BRYANNA'S CHEDDARY ROASTED CORN AND CHIPOTLE CHOWDER
Serves 6

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
1 lb yellow potatoes, diced
4 cups vegetarian broth (I like Better Than Bouillon Vegan No-Chicken Broth Paste)
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 Field Roast Chipotle sausage, thinly-sliced (Or use 1 vegan Italian sausage and add a bit more chipotle chile to the soup.)  
1 recipe Bryanna's Golden Cheesey Sauce (See recipe below. Make this before starting the soup.)
1 canned chile chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
Optional: a few shakes of liquid smoke
Optional: add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes if you want a stronger flavor.
Garnish: smoked paprika
NOTE: For a *really* creamy soup, blend another 6 oz. of tofu (leftover from the Cheesey Sauce recipe) with  a little of the soup until smooth, and stir it in at the end of cooking. 

Combine the chopped onion, garlic and celery.  Sweat the vegetables in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, adding a little water as needed to keep them moving.  If you prefer, you can use a little olive oil.  When they start to soften, cover the pan and let them steam in their own juices until soft. Alternatively, you can microwave them in a covered microwave-proof casserole or dish for about 5 minutes on High, or until soft.

Spread the corn kernels on an oiled cookie sheet and place under your oven's broiler (about 4 inches from the heat source) and broil them until they start to char a little bit.  Remove from the oven.

Combine the cooked vegetables, potato cubes, and roasted corn kernels in a soup pot along with the broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.


Add the sliced sausage, chopped chipotle chile and the Golden Cheesey Sauce, along with any optionals you wish to use (taste first).  Simmer a few minutes longer and serve.

******************************************************************************

BRYANNA'S GOLDEN CHEESEY SAUCE (LOWFAT)
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup water (or beer for stronger, more "aged" flavor)
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium carrot, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup medium-firm tofu (or use 1/2 box/6 oz. firm or extra-firm silken tofu)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1-2 Tbs tahini (Optional but recommended)
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt (OR 1 tablespoon light miso + 1/2 tsp salt)
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp garlic granules
NOTE: For a slightly thinner sauce, cook the vegetables in 3/4 cup liquid.  
Cook the potato, carrot and onion in the water in a covered saucepan until the carrot is tender.

Combine the vegetables and cooking liquid in a blender with the remaining ingredients.


 Blend until very smooth. CAUTION: Uncover the center hole of the blender lid and cover with a folded towel while blending, to prevent hot liquid from exploding!

Use as a vegan cheese sauce on vegetables, etc..

Enjoy!

Phoebe

This is a slice cut while the quiche was still hot.

This is going to be a very brief post because I'm cleaning house and making food for some visitors.  But I've been wanting to post this stew for a couple of weeks, but I got sidetracked with rhubarb and spoonbread.

My sister's DNA ancestry test confirmed that there is some Basque on the Spanish side of my father's family, which gives me a special interest in that particular cuisine.  I've only scratched the surface so far, but have discovered that bean stews, or one-dish bean-pots, are very popular in Basque cooking.  They usually contain meat, but that's easily remedied with vegan sausages, seitan, tempeh, etc., as well as full-flavored vegan broths. I look forward to trying other variations on the theme.

We had a guest when I made this, and she was very enthusiastic in her praise!

Printable Recipe