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

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.

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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!

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!

It's a bit cooler than the other day, but still definitely salad weather! And hearty salads are great for the Weight Watcher's Core Plan, which I am following just now. I made a wheat berry salad (I'll post that later in the week), but I wasn't sure DH would like it, so I wanted to make an interesting potato salad as a back-up. It was both delicious and eye-appealing.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA’S POTATO, ROASTED CORN, AND BEAN SALAD
Serves 12

4 lbs. new boiling potatoes or red-skinned potatoes, peeled (cut into same-sized chunks if too large to cook whole)
2 c. shelled frozen edamamé (green soybeans), or baby lima beans (or use shelled or frozen baby peas)
4 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
2 medium onions, thinly sliced and soaked in boiling water to cover for 10 minutes, then drained
NOTE: I only had regular onions, and this process makes the taste much less strong. I you want the onions really raw, use a sweet onion instead.
1/4 c. cider vinegar
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/4 c. minced fresh tarragon (or 4 tsp. dried tarragon)
2 medium ripe, firm tomatoes, diced
CREAMY VINAIGRETTE:
1 cup aquafaba or Fat-Free Oil Substitute
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 c. Tofu Mayonnaise or my Lowfat Eggless Mayonnaise (here's my new version with no extracted oil) or use reduced-fat (though higher in calories than the above) Veganaise

Cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until they are tender, but still firm.(OR micro-steam them in a covered microwave-safe casserole for 8-10 minutes-- no water necessary.) Drain in a colander and peel them with your fingers under running cold water (or leave the peel on, if you prefer-- I did because I like the color of the pink-red peels).

Drain them again and cut into medium dice, or thick slices, as desired. Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with vinegar, onions, tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cook the beans in boiling water to cover for about 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and cool under cold running water. Drain well again. (NOTE: If you use frozen baby peas, just cover them in boiling water and let thaw, then drain.) Fold the beans into the potatoes.

Spread the corn (thaw the frozen kernels in boiling water, then drain first) on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil from a pump sprayer. Spray the top of the corn with a little more oil. Broil just until the corn starts to brown and char a bit around the edges and on top.

To make the Vinaigrette, whisk together the Aquafaba or Fat-Free Oil Substitute, the vinegar and salt. Add the mayonnaise and blend until smooth with a stick/immersion blender (or blend in a blender or food processor).

Pour the mixture over the potatoes and beans and stir gently, sprinkling with pepper to taste. Add the diced tomatoes and stir gently; taste for salt. Place in a serving bowl and refrigerate until serving time. Serve on crisp romaine lettuce leaves, if you like.

Nutrition (per serving; made with my homemade Tofu Mayonnaise):
223.6 calories; 3% calories from fat; 0.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 328.0mg sodium; 1120.5mg potassium; 49.4g carbohydrates; 5.8g fiber; 2.7g sugar; 43.6g net carbs; 7.2g protein; 3.7 points.



Enjoy!