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

I am suffering from a bad cold today.  This my third day, but the worst one.  I'm hoping that it will improve rapidly from here.

I wasn't very hungry at all and skipped breakfast today, but I thought that I should make some sort of light, but nourishing soup for lunch-- full of garlic and ginger in a tasty broth.  I used what I had in the house, and this is what I came up with-- very delicious, and, importantly, very fast and easy to make, even when not at your best.

I hope you enjoy it-- even if you don't have a cold.


Printable copy

BRYANNA'S NEW YUMMY SOUP FOR A COLD (or any old time)
Servings: 6

9 cups very tasty vegan "chicken-y" broth (I use "Better Than Bouillion No-Chicken Vegan Soup Base")
1 cup water
1 cup broken up dry Soy Curls
(OR use 1 1/2-2 cups thin commercial vegan "chicken-y" strips, or strips of "Chicken-y" seitan, or thin strips of  extra-firm tofu)
4  oz. buckwheat soba noodles, broken in half (or other thin noodles of choice)
6 oz. kale leaves (stripped off stems), thinly sliced (other greens could be used instead)
4 Tbs grated fresh ginger
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
Optional: up to 1 Tbs soy sauce/tamari
Garnishes:
dark sesame oil
Sriracha
chopped green onions

In a large pot, bring the broth and water to a boil.  Add the remaining ingredients (except for the Garnishes).  Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 5 minutes.

Taste the soup-- if it's not too salty, add up to 1 Tbs tamari/soy sauce, if desired.

Serve each bowl with a drizzle of dark sesame oil, a sprinkle of green onions and more Sriracha on the side.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 124 calories, 16 calories from fat, 1.9g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 831.6mg sodium, 198.4mg potassium, 21.4g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, less than 1g sugar, 8.7g protein, 3.6 points.

Enjoy (and, if you're under-the weather like I am, get well soon)!

I have been working on a few ongoing cooking experiments/projects, but, for the most part, we have been eating pretty simple meals with our own or local produce that is in such abundance.  For a few days, when my husband had some sort of flu, he wasn't eating at all, so I wasn't doing much cooking at all.  In between, I was tackling my pantry, which was badly in need of a good clean-out and re-organization.  It felt so good to get that done! The above "tile" of photos represents four of the quick and simple meals that I made during this week-- meals that we enjoyed so much that we deemed them worth repeating! Roasted veggies (corn, tomatoes, green beans, etc.) were definitely a theme.  Roasting brings out the sweetness of any vegetable, it seems. We had a good crop of tomatoes this year, so I have been slow-roasting small batches of them. (They can be kept refrigerated for several days or frozen for longer periods.)  They are so sweet and juicy that they almost make an instant sauce. I have often broiler-roasted (broiled the veggies in the oven under the oven's broiler coils, which is my favorite method) corn kernels, but, for the first time, I broiler-roasted fresh green beans, which was so quick and very delicious-- so I used them in two of these dishes, as you can see. I'm going to give you only 2 actual recipes (for the soup and the salad)-- the pasta dishes are just descriptions, because I was improvising and there are not long lists of ingredients.  I hope you'll have fun playing around with these ideas. #1

Spaghetti with Roasted Green Beans, Garlic and Chanterelle Mushrooms, & Slow-Roasted Tomatoes  What I did: I had some slow-roasted tomatoes in the refrigerator already (see this post for directions). I cooked 8 oz. of ordinary spaghetti, but you could use any long pasta. Cook in salted water, drain, and set aside.  To broiler-roast the other veggies, I spread a couple of handfuls of small, fresh green beans (a sub could be thin stalks of asparagus, snapped in half), a couple of large cloves of garlic, sliced, and 2 large chanterelle mushrooms (or use any type of mushroom you have around), sliced, on a small rimmed baking sheet and tossed them with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a little salt.  I broiled them in my oven's broiler (on High) about 6 inches below the heat source, watching carefully, until the green beans softened and started to char a bit.  Stir the veggies around and spread out again.  Broil for a few minutes more, until done to your taste. In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat mix together the cooked, drained spaghetti, the broiler-roasted veggies and about 1 1/2 to 2 cups slow-roasted tomatoes and juice, broken up a bit (remove any tough skins).  Add some fresh chopped basil, if you like.  Stir the mixture around in the pan to heat well and add some plain vegan creamer (I used So Delicious Coconut Original Creamer) just to moisten.  Add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste and serve immediately with your favorite vegan parmesan substitute (I like Go Veggie! by Galaxy).

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                                                                    #2

Creamy Pasta with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes & Herbs What I did: There were a few recipes online for dishes like this, but I simplified!   I cooked 8 oz. of dried gemelli pasta, but you could use any short pasta. Cook in salted water and drain.  I had a fresh batch of slow-roasted tomatoes, so I measured out about 1 1/2 cups of that, with juice, and broken up a bit (remove any tough skins). I mixed the hot, cooked gemelli (back in the cooking pot) with the hot roasted tomatoes, a little chopped garlic sautéed briefly in a little olive oil, some chopped fresh thyme and basil, salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste, and some plain vegan creamer (I used So Delicious Coconut Original Creamer) to make a creamy sauce. Stir over medium-high heat until hot.  If the pasta absorbs all the creamer, add a little more. Serve immediately with your favorite vegan parmesan substitute (I like Go Veggie! by Galaxy).

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                                                                     #3

I've been wanting to try whole grain sorghum for some time and finally found a bag of Bob's Red Mill brand at my natural foods store.  Here is some interesting information about this nutritious  ancient grain from Africa-- the fifth most important cereal crop in the world (who knew?)!  I was intrigued by its possibilities partly because it can be used as a nutritious stand-in for pearl couscous. Since it was a hot day, and I had more green beans and slow-roasted tomatoes , I decided to make a salad-- with a bit of a Southwest flair. Now, the sorghum does take a little planning ahead because, unless you want to cook the sorghum for upwards of an hour, soak it in lots of water overnight! (Don't follow the directions on the BRM package!) This also saves energy because you don't have to cook it for so long. Printable Recipe BRYANNA’S WHOLE GRAIN SORGHUM SALAD WITH JALAPENO-STUFFED GREEN OLIVES, AVOCADO AND ROASTED CORN, GREEN BEANS & TOMATOES Serves 6 1 cup uncooked whole grain sorghum (soaked overnight in water to cover) 2 cups fresh water 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 ounces thin fresh green beans 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels 1 tablespoon olive oil About 1 1/2 cups slow-roasted tomatoes, sliced and drained 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into small chunks and tossed with a bit of lemon juice About 8 large green olives stuffed with jalapeño peppers, sliced Dressing: 1/4 cup aquafaba or Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 large clove garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt Drain the soaked sorghum and discard the soaking water. In a heavy medium saucepan with a lid, combine the soaked sorghum, the first 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the 2 cups fresh water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat.  Simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the grains are tender. Drain well in a strainer or colander. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. Spread out the green beans and corn kernels on a small rimmed baking sheet and toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little salt.  Place them about 6 inches below the heat source of your oven’s broiler, with the broiler set on High and watch carefully until the green beans soften and start to char a bit.  Stir the veggies around and spread out again.  Broil for a few minutes more, until done to your taste. Make the Dressing by blending or whisking the ingredients together. Mix the cooled sorghum with the broiler-roasted green beans and corn, the slow-roasted tomatoes, sliced olives and avocado chunks.  Add the dressing and toss gently.  Serve at room temperature.

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                                                              #4

Printable Recipe BRYANNA’S VEGANIZED (AND SIMPLIFIED) SPRING CHIK’N AND SNAP PEA SOUP Serves 4 This is my vegan and much faster version of a recipe from Sunset magazine, April 2014.  Might be my new favorite vegan "chik'n noodle soup"! 8 cups vegan “chicken-style” broth (I like Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken Vegan Soup Base) 2 cups reconstituted Soy Curls, or vegan “chikn strips”, or thin slices of your favorite vegan “chicken-style” cutlet (Read about Butler Soy Curls here, including instructions for reconstituting) 4 large green onions, thinly sliced 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks  4 ounces dried long flat egg-free pasta, such as tagliatelle, fettuccine or linguine, broken in half 1/3 to 1/2 cup plain vegan creamer (not a sweet kind) 2 cups sugar snap peas, cut diagonally in half 1/4 cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon OR 2 tsp. dried tarragon leaves, crumbled Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste In a large pot, mix the broth, vegan chicken sub of your choice, green onions and carrots. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, covered.  Add the pasta and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes more.  Stir in the vegan creamer, snap peas, parsley and tarragon.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for a few minutes, just until the snap peas are dark green, but still have some crunch. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

More vegan comfort food! When I had company, I was trying to make some easy dishes that would feed a crowd and that omnivores would like. I had reconstituted Soy Curls® (see info here) and lots of corn. I remembered this soup from somewhere in my memory. It usually just has corn in it, but I added some celery and carrots for body and interest. I left out the usual hard-boiled egg that is sprinkled on top, of course! It was a winner.




Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH-STYLE "CHICKEN" NOODLE AND CORN SOUP
Servings: 8

This is so simple, but my DH and omnivore guests just gobbled it up! It's really low in calories, but it seems "rib-sticking"! The quality of the broth is REALLY important to this recipe. Other alternatives to the broth paste I suggested are below in Cooking Tips.

8-10 cups good vegetarian "chicken-style" vegetarian broth
(I used Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" No-Chicken Vegan Base, which is a paste-- see Cooking Tips below recipe for alternatives and measures)
2 cups re-hydrated Soy Curls® or other vegan chicken sub, in strips
(2 oz. dry-- see here for info on Soy Curls® and how to reconstitute)
2 to 3 medium carrots, scraped and diced small
2 stalks celery, with leaves, sliced
1 3/4 cups egg-free tagliatelle (see note just below), OR linguine or fettuccine, broken up OR use egg-free ribbon noodles
(NOTE: Tagliatelle is a dry flat pasta, often sold rolled up in "nests"-- see photo below [use 4 "nests", if they are packaged that way]. Check labels as it is often made with eggs. My supermarket carries 2 kinds of egg-free ribbon noodles [broad and medium], and a house brand of egg-free tagliatelle, so read labels and you should be able to find a flat pasta that will will work.)
2 cups    fresh or thawed frozen sweet corn kernels
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Mix together the broth, Soy Curls®, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and corn. Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, until the pasta is tender. Taste for salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley or chives.

 Tagliatelle nests

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per serving): 141.0 calories; 10% calories from fat; 1.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 718.6mg sodium; 218.7mg potassium; 27.2g carbohydrates; 3.0g fiber; 3.9g sugar; 24.2g net carbs; 7.4g protein; 2.4 points.

Cooking Tips
CHICKEN-STYLE VEGETARIAN BROTH

The product you use should contribute full flavor, not just saltiness. Unfortunately, many vegetarian broth powders do not deliver in the flavor department! And, sadly, the major organic brands are inadequate--too salty and not enough real flavor.

Brands of instant vegetarian broth, or bouillon, powders, pastes, and cubes seem to vary from region to region, even within North America. Many readers use brands that I have never heard of, or cannot get where I live in Western Canada. Fortunately, we can now order specific brands online if we can't convince our local grocer or health food store to carry the ones we like.

HERE ARE SOME THAT I LIKE:

#1 Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth and Seasoning Powder, a German brand which is widely distributed in the USA and in Europe. It is the #1 choice for the recipes in this book. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it in Canada, but Canadians can order it from veganessentials and the shipping to Canada is very reasonable.

Seitenbacher is MSG-free and "All natural; Vegan; No Gelatine; No Dairy; No Meat; No Eggs; No Artificial Flavor Enhancer; Fat Free; Cholesterol Free; Gluten Free; No Oil". (Another good MSG-free broth powder is Massel-- see below.)

#2: An excellent homemade alternative is my own broth powder mix. It's easy and cheap to make and has excellent flavor--but you must use 2 teaspoons for each cup of water.

#3: One of my favorite broth products--but not a powder: "Better than Bouillon" "No Chicken Vegan Base" (a paste) is delicious (and it's what I used in the soup above).  Ask your health food store or grocery store to carry it. "Better than Bouillon" also has a "No Beef Vegan Base", which is good, and a "Vegetable Base", which also comes in an organic variety (available at a good price in large jar form at Costco, even in Canada), but, while it's good, I wasn't super-impressed with the Vegetable Base. (Unfortunately, their "Mushroom Base" contains dairy products.)

#4: "Massel Vegetable Style Stock Powder", all vegan, MSG-free, palm oil-free and gluten-free, now available in the US and Canada from VeganEssentials.com, and also from amazon.com and many kosher outlets. There is Vegetable-Style, Chicken-Style and Beef-Style, all vegan.  Massel broth powder contains no trans-fats, and has good flavor, without too much salt.

For 1 cup of broth , use 1 cup water and add:
* 1 teaspoon Seitenbacher or Massel vegetarian broth powder
* OR 2 teaspoons Bryanna's Homemade Broth Powder (see recipe here )
* OR 1 teaspoon Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" Vegan No-Chicken Base

Enjoy!