Summer Swiss Chard Pasta

       Based on Grandpa Mark's pasta, this savoury dish is packed with one of my favourite veggies out of the garden, swiss chard. You can enjoy this dish year round, but it's best in the summer with greens and herbs from the garden or the market. I prefer using swiss chard, but you can also use spinach (like Grandpa Mark used to do) in this tasty pasta sauce.

Serves: 3-6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp or 1/8 cup olive oilOne large white onion, cut into chunks4 cloves of garlic, minced1/8 tsp red chili flakes1 tsp dried basil or about 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves cut into strips1/2 tsp dried oragano1/4 tsp dried thymeHalf a large bunch or 300g Swiss Chard, stems and greens chopped2 cans chopped tomatoesOne can (514mL) chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed About 300g pasta

Preparation

1. In a large pan on medium heat, add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili flakes and herbs and sauté for 2 minutes.2. While the onions are sautéing, chop up the swiss chard stems and add them to the pan. Sauté the mixture for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the swiss chard stems begin to soften up.3. Add two cans of tomatoes and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile start a pot of salted boiling water for your pasta.4. Add the beans and the chopped swiss chard to the sauce. Cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.5. Once the sauce is complete, you can add your pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook to al dente. Meanwhile remove your sauce from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.6. When you pasta is finished, strain and spoon the pasta onto plates and cover with sauce. Any leftover pasta can be tossed in olive oil so that it does not stick.7. Garnish with fresh basil if desired and enjoy!

Veggie Pot Pie

Veggie pot pie is one of my favourite go-to recipes for every holiday: christmas, thanksgiving, easter, So I thought it was about time to share with the world my delicious pie recipe. It's a veggie pot pie, stuffed with all the classics: potatoes, carrots, tofu, mushrooms, greens... Delicious.
I've featured this pie at at many holidays and everyone enjoys it, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups white flour (you can use a bit of whole wheat if you like)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup cold margarine, cut into cubes
• 1/4-1/2 cup ice water

Pie

• 1 block of firm or extra firm tofu*, rinsed, patted dry and cubed
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, diluted with 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp olive oil to pan fry
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp thyme

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup, or 2 medium-small onions, diced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup, or 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 cup, or 2 medium-large carrots, diced
• 1 cup, or 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 8-10 sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped kale, spinach, green cabbage or napa cabbage
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8-1/4 cup water
• 1 cup frozen or fresh green peas

*To get a more "chicken-like" texture, try cutting the tofu the night before, then thawing it in the morning

Gravy

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp oregano and/or thyme
• 1/4 freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Preparation

Pie Crust

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture then add the cubed margarine and mix until you get a crumbly mixture, like a coarse corn meal.
3. Slowly incorporate the ice water, until the mixture comes together as a dough. Start with a quarter cup and only add more if the dough is too dry.
4. Form the dough into a ball, then cut into two halves, one roughly larger than the other.
5. With plastic wrap, cover each ball and refrigerate until you are prepared to start filling the pie, at least 20 minutes.

Pie

1. In a vary large pan or wok, coat with the olive oil and heat on medium.
2. Drizzle the soy sauce mixture over the cut tofu, then add it to the pan.
3. Fry the tofu, rotating it to so that most sides of the cubes are golden brown.
4. In a medium bowl, mix nutritional yeast, flour, garlic powder and thyme.
5. When the tofu is cooked, coat it in the mixture and set aside. Whatever doesn't stick to the tofu can be added the gravy later.
6. In the same pan you used for the tofu, sauté onions, garlic and celery in the olive oil until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the pan and sauté for a couple minutes before adding the cabbage or greens.
8. Add the soy sauce and water to the mixture, cover and steam until all the veggies are al dente, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile you can start the gravy (see below).
9. Add the tofu and peas to the veggie mix and combine, then remove it from the heat.

Gravy

1. In a small pot or sauce pan, toast the nutritional yeast and flour until aromatic.
2. Add the olive oil and whisk until smooth.
3. Slowly incorporate the water into the gravy, stirring until thickened.
4. Stir in the soy sauce and seasoning.
5. Remove from heat

1. Roll out the larger portion of the dough onto a floured surface to about an 1/8". Place the dough in a 9" pie plate, leaving edges uncut.
2. Mix the gravy in with the vegetable-tofu mixture, then pour onto the bottom pie dough, it will be heaping.
3. Roll out the rest of the dough large enough to cover your pie.
4. Roll the pastry onto the pie, and curl up the edges, crimping them with a fork or your fingers, removing any excess dough.
5. Prick the top with a fork or knife.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, uncovered, until the top is golden.
7. Let the pot pie cool 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Serve with your favourite fall or winter side dishes and enjoy!

Meatless-Meatloaf

Finally done all my exams! So it's about time I get to publishing the tasty recipes I've made, and kept to myself over the last few weeks.

I've been wanting to experiment and make vegan meatloaf for some time now. Ryan has never had meatloaf, and my parents rarely ever made it when I was a kid. So it's about time I vegan-ize this meat heavy dish. 

There are two things that all great meatloaves need: soy sauce and ketchup. If you are out of either of these ingredients, go out and pick up some supplies. I'm sure you could make the dish without them, but my loaf needs them.

I knew that I wanted to use TVP, but I also wanted to incorporate lentils. Both are very common in vegetarian meatloaves, and together they give texture and complexity to the base. As for the rest of the goodies, creative freedom is always welcomed. I used some of my favourite seeds, herbs, and of course mushrooms.

Serves about 6

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Ingredients

1 2/3 TVP (textured vegetable protein, granules)

1/2 cup dry red lentils, triple rinsed

1 cup boiling water

1 cup hot vegetable broth

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup quick oats

1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts (optional)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 medium onion, minced

4-6 medium crimini mushrooms, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp  basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp chopped chives

BBQ sauce: use your favoutite or combine 1/3 cup ketchup, 1 tbsp soy sauce and several dashes of chipotle smoky hot sauce and make your own BBQ sauce

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the TVP and the lentils with the water, broth, soy sauce and ketchup. Mix to combine and let sit for 10-20 minutes.

Once all the liquid is absorbed, add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pack the meatloaf mixture into a loaf pan and press down firmly on mix.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and lather on the BBQ sauce.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Let cool a minimum of 10 minutes before cutting into the loaf.

Vegetarian Cabbage Pie

I know, the idea of cabbage pie seems a bit odd, but believe me, the end product is scrumptious. 
Sautéing the cabbage at a low temperature brings out its natural sweetness and richness. Complemented with a hearty whole wheat crust, this fiber packed pie is a great homey main. A comfort food packed with yummy goodness.


Total Time: 1h, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Cook: 400°F

Basic Whole-Wheat Pie Crust

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (or half white mix)
pinch of salt
1/2 cold margarine
3-4 tbsp ice water

Preparation

Sift flour and salt into a deep bowl.
Add cold margarine, cut into small bits and cut into flour with two knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Stir in ice water with a fork and mix until dough forms a ball.
Turn onto a floured board and knead briefly.
Form into two balls, flatten with the palm of your hand and wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Cabbage Pie Filling

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
1 medium green cabbage, thinly sliced
olive oil to sauté
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-4 tsp herbs, such as basil, thyme, oregano, etc.
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
pepper, to taste
3 tbsp flour2/3 cup daiya cheese (optional)
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté onions olive oil for 2 minutes, add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add cabbage, stir and sauté covered, stirring often until wilted, about 10-15 minutes.
When cabbage beings to soften up and shrink down, add herbs, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. 
Continue sautéing until cabbage is cooked, about 15-20 more minutes, stirring often. 
Meanwhile, roll out dough on a floured surface and line 9" glass pie plate with the bottom dough, saving the remainder for the top of the pie. 
After 15-20 minutes sprinkle cabbage with flour and stir to combine, let cook an additional 5 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning appropriately. 
Remove Dutch oven from heat and mix in cheese.
Pour filling into the pie shell, mounding the cabbage in the middle. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cabbage filling. Roll out the remaining dough to cover the pie. Crimp edges closed and prick top with a fork or knife.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden.
Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve along side potatoes and another veg, or just enjoy it by itself.

Enjoy! -K