worst thing ever

Frozen Kale.  That's it.  That is the worst thing ever.  Wanna know the second worst thing ever?  Frozen beans.  Yup, frozen beans.

I may be exaggerating slightly, as there are probably worse things, like war, famine, tornadoes eating the entire southeastern part of the country, Japan being swallowed up by the Pacific ocean, and the possibility that Obama really does possess an American birth certificate (sorry, couldn't resist).  Yet, as far as culinary experiences go (and aside from The Saffron Incident), frozen kale is absolutely the most disappointing.

Tonight was the second experience I've had with frozen kale and it was even more disappointing than the first.  I love kale so much fresh that I thought I'd hit a goldmine when frozen kale started popping up all over the freezers in Whole Foods...but it was more like a landmine, causing two recipes to more or less blow up in my face.  Not literally, thank heavens.  Story time!

A little while ago, can't remember just when, I was in the frozen foods aisle of Whole Foods and as I extracted whichever bag of organic goodness I had originally sought out, I noticed something different out the corner of my eye.  I looked closer and saw a little flat box with kale, kidney beans, and navy beans.  I thought to myself, "Hey, this might come in handy some night when I'm feeling lazy pressed for time!" and dropped it into my basket.  Well, tonight was that night, and I thought I would make a cheater version of my already pretty quick-cooking Easy Tuscan Linguini by subbing the frozen kale-n-beans side dish for the shredded kale and can of navy/cannellini beans in the original recipe.  Also, for a little added flavor (and to use up the other two Tofurky from Tuesday's Cajun Rice and Beans), I sliced the sausages and sauteed them lightly in olive oil before adding the frozen stuff.

I was so sad when the bag open and spilled kale stems and hard-looking beans into the pan...I had really hoped for a more substantial presence from the kale...and some leafy bits, I might add.  Nevertheless, I heated everything through, mixed it together with the marinara sauce and linguini and hoped for the best.  It was "decent" as long as you ignored that the kidney beans were not thoroughly cooked before being frozen or they don't freeze well, because they were crunchy and that is not a quality I seek out in my kidney beans.  However, I still believe this has a lot of potential as a fast-and-easy weeknight recipe, as long as you substitute organic frozen spinach or fresh kale - not frozen kale; it's gross.  So, I promised you a recipe and a recipe you get (modified, so there's a chance you'll actually enjoy it):

Pasta Marinara with Kale and Beans
* about 4 servings *
Ingredients:
24 oz prepared marinara of your choice
1 cup canned kidney beans
1 cup canned navy/great northern beans
2 Tofurky sausages, flavor of your choice (I used Kielbasa)
2-3 cups fresh kale, finely chopped or 10 oz block of frozen chopped organic spinach 
8 oz linguini (whole wheat if your loved one will eat it - mine won't)
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Boil water for pasta, then cook according to package directions, about 10-11 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, cut each "sausage" in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2" pieces.  If using fresh kale, chiffonade or chop finely and set aside.  When the pasta is halfway through cooking time, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic about 30 seconds, until fragrant and slightly golden.  Add sausage and stir to coat with oil.  Saute on medium for 2-3 minutes, stirring once, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Add kale, beans, and marinara; stir to combine, then cover and cook 2-3 minutes, until heated through and kale is lightly wilted. [if using frozen spinach, you'll want to thaw and drain it first, then add with the beans and marinara.]

Add drained pasta to the pot and toss to combine.  Remove from heat and serve immediately, preferably accompanied by a small bowl of mixed olives and a generous glass of red wine.

creative cooking with Natalie

Because sometimes, when a recipe says "spinach" what it really means is "kale."  As in, the bag of frozen Blue Curly Kale that I've had in the freezer since we moved in.  I bought it at Whole Foods because I'd never seen frozen kale before and I was more than just a little curious about the Blue nature of it.  The one thing I did not get while food shopping this past weekend was a bag of fresh spinach and the weather was far too cold, rainy, and all around miserable for me to stop on the way home from work tonight, so it turned out to be quite serendipitous that I had the bag of frozen greens.

And I do mean green.  Not blue.  That was profoundly disappointing.  Apparently, kale is either green or red, but not blue.  Also, there were a ton of chopped stems in the bag - I would guess almost half the contents of the bag were stems.  As such, it wasn't all that attractive.

So, instead of Garlicky Tofu with Spinach over Pasta from Vegetarian Times: Fast and Easy, we had garlicky tofu with frozen green curly kale.  It was pretty good, although I think the frozen kale left a bit to be desired and in the future I'll be sure to have fresh spinach, or at least some kind of fresh green.  The key word here is fresh.

organic spinach and the continuing battle with brown rice

Years ago, when I became a vegetarian and then moved within 5 blocks of a Whole Foods Market, I became an avid fan of organic produce.  I understood it was a bit more costly than conventionally grown (and at times, manipulated) fruits and vegetables, but I was convinced I could taste a difference and if nothing else, I was full of the zeal which often accompanies a major lifestyle change.

Years passed, times got a little tough...I lost my job at a non-profit organization after multiple cuts in government funding, coincidentally occurring at the same time as Bush's Great War.  In the nine months it took me to find a new job, I would be lying if I said I had little trouble surviving on unemployment.  I took a part time job and continued to look for full time work while trying to nourish my body while being as thrifty as possible.  Actually, Robin's book would have come in awfully handy if it had been written in 2006.  In any case, while I continued to purchase the best quality food I could justify with my shrunken budget, I let organic food slide, bit by bit, out of my diet.

Why did I do that??

I've recently been reminded, in many ways, of the superior quality of organic produce, as well as other staples.  Mostly out of laziness (I prefer not to scrub my pesticide-coated food with steel wool), I have gotten back into the habit of buying organic fruits and most vegetables.  However, in the frozen food aisle, I have continued to buy "normal" vegetables.  In preparation for tonight's Indian-Spiced Lentil Ragu from Vegan on the Cheap, I needed one of those nifty boxes of frozen spinach.  The past several times I've purchased those little cubes of chopped greens from Superfresh, I have found myself fishing out dead and brown pieces, as well as prickly sticks, and I'm not fond of dissecting my frozen veggies.  So, this time, I decided to try the boxes of organic frozen spinach at Whole Foods, just to see if there was a difference.

I don't know why this continues to surprise me.  I guess I'm just that dense sometimes.  My first thought upon adding the green brick to my ragu was exactly how green it was; there was not a single shred of rotted brown spinach or sticky stems.  It remained a green that could only be described as lush throughout the cooking process and even the curry spices couldn't muddle its beautiful emerald coloring.

I'm not sure you can see it too well in this picture, but it is gorgeous and more tender than I have been accustomed to when eating frozen spinach.  I didn't even realize the different texture until tonight, but once again, the organic proves to be worth its price even when frozen.

Last night, I waged another battle in my war with Brown Rice.  I don't know why we can't just get along and live harmoniously.  It wants to be cooked; I want to cook it - I don't know why we can't work together for what is obviously a common goal.  Nevertheless, I nearly lost the battle last night.

There are no pictures of the Mexican Bean and Rice Bake from Vegan on the Cheap.  I was too angry at dinner to photograph it.  I am somewhat convinced that Brown Rice is not necessarily picking a fight with me, as much as it is trying to avoid bathing in Tomato Juice.  It seems that every time I have trouble with Brown Rice, it involves this nemesis.  After waiting over two hours for dinner to cook last night, I have come to the unshakable decision to always cook the rice separately from anything that involves tomatoes.

we interrupt your regularly scheduled B*tch session...

...to bring you a few pictures of delectable food and the upcoming week's menu, so you know what I'll be doing when I'm not trying to convince the people of the world to spend 12 hours of their precious time reading Skinny Bitch.

On Friday night, I made Moroccan Mishmash, and it was just as fun and savory as I remembered it.  I nearly added some mint, just to see what would happen, but at the last minute I chickened out.  Tofu-ed out?  Seitan-ed out?  Anyway, I served it atop salt-n-(white)pepper rice, which complemented the flavors perfectly, drawing out the more umami notes, which I always love in dinner.

Saturday night, Mister didn't feel much like eating, so I made a quick pitstop up to SuperFresh so I could make myself a little veggie-tofu bowl with the tofu I had left over from....well, I don't quite remember, but it was earlier in the week (which should be enough of a hint about my lack of memory).  I came back with this sucker:

I'm not a big fan of frozen broccoli...or carrots, but I allowed myself to be fooled into thinking that "Perfectly Cooks in the Bag!" meant that it would taste fresher than "ordinary" mixed frozen veggies.  I was horribly mistaken.  Although the light seasoning was tasty and the vegetables probably maintained at least 50% of their original nutrients through the freezing, bagging, and microwaving process, they maintained absolutely none of their characteristic crunch.  Once I remembered they were frozen veggies I "steamed" in a bag in my microwave, I didn't feel so bad about the whole situation.  Besides, the tofu (braised in a blend of apple juice, olive oil, tamari, and garlic powder) was divine.

Last night, we had Thai Pineapple Stir-Fried Rice from Vegan Express.  As I was preparing everything, it dawned on me how Way-Too-Much-For-Two-People the recipe would make if I used the full cup and a half of rice called for in the recipe (remember kids, rice multiplies its size by three when cooked!), I cut it down to one cup without even bothering to think that I should also reduce the amount of coconut milk I added at the end.  As a result, it was a little brothy, but fortunately, Mister decided I had actually made a pineapple curry, so I just let it go at that.

Tonight, I reprised Granada Paella from The Urban Vegan, because we both just love that dish so much - I've mentioned before that it's the only paella recipe I have that actually cooks the rice in fewer than two hours.  It never looks any different, though, so if you want a pretty picture, click the link :)

Following my heart through the pages of The Urban Vegan, I felt compelled to welcome September (one of my favorite months) with its signature fruit, cleverly disguised as dessert (rather than breakfast).  I made Double Apple Cake and it was moist and a little dense and each little cube of apple was a pleasure to bite into.  There was an unexpected shock of ginger with each bite of apple, since the little cubes were coated with powdered ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice.  I'm considering baking my way through the alphabet this fall...thoughts?

Speaking of thinking, we'll be back to my in-depth "book report" tomorrow, but for now, feast your minds and eyes on this week's menu:

1. Curried Bulghur Casserole with Garbanzo Beans from The Complete Vegan Cookbook.  I've made it before and felt it wasn't quite noteworthy "as-is," so I'll be embellishing a bit this time around.

2. Tomato Pie with Beans and Greens, both from The Urban Vegan.  I'm altering the recipe for the tomato pie so significantly, it will barely follow the author's notes, but I wanted to give her credit for inspiring me.

3. Clara's Pasta e Fagioli, also from The Urban Vegan.

So, there you have it - short week, short menu.  Stay tuned for your regularly scheduled programming, returning tomorrow night with another B*tch session!

like a well tuned instrument

So, last night I took another go-around with making Monk Bowls from 30 Minute Vegan.  I also made the Tahini Mustard Dressing from another part of the book.  I'm not a big fan of mustard at all, but since it was actually one of the smallest quantities in the ingredient list, I figured I was pretty safe.  It was a unique, surprising, and very tasty sauce, once you adjusted to....something.  Honestly, I'm still not sure what.  There is an unexpected tanginess which probably comes from the vinegar, but the tahini (sesame paste, for the uninitiated) has a stronger flavor than I anticipated.  By the way - does anyone know if you have to refrigerate tahini after you open it?  Mine is still sitting in the cupboard at room temperature, so if I need to move it, please tell me sooner than later!

Anyway, this adventure with the Monk Bowls ended up being a far more harmonious experience than the first one, which I had expected.  I made it a lot easier on myself.  I re-steamed some of the Coconut Rice that was leftover from our Jerk Seitan dinner in place of the quinoa in the recipe.  I am somewhat ambivalent about quinoa, but Mister straight up hates it, so I usually avoid it if I can.  I also used frozen vegetables because I thought I was slick.  Maybe I was, but being slick does not always result in making tasty food.  When I was at Whole Foods, I picked up the "California Organic Blend" of frozen vegetables - how could I go wrong with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots?

I think the combination of little bitty ice crystals on the surface of the frozen veggies and the method of cooking (steaming) might have been to blame for the waterlogged nature of my vegetables.  They weren't horrible, but I think it was a mistake to make that shortcut and I won't do it in the future.  It really doesn't take long enough to chop 8 cups worth of fresh vegetables to make it worth sacrificing flavor and texture for the ease of just cutting open a bag of mixed frozen vegetables, especially when so many good things are coming into season soon!

I had intended to make the last meal on our menu, Pasta with Beans and Chard for dinner tonight, but Mister's belly wasn't behaving so he didn't want to eat.  I actually didn't mind, because I wasn't in the mood for pasta.  I also was not in the mood for the few bites of rotting leftovers still in the fridge, so I poked around my cabinets and the freezer to see what I could muster.  It didn't take long for an idea to form in my head. 

I missed One-Serving Wednesday this week because I was out with a colleague, drinking Malbec and eating hummus.  Oh, by the way - there is no faster way to dehydrate yourself, in case you were wondering.  Anyway, when I'm cooking for just me, I make my best attempts to cook food Mister wouldn't eat but I like, so I decided to make myself a little risotto.  My recipe (shared below the picture) makes enough for one large or two smaller appropriate portions, but you could very easily double or triple the recipe to accommodate dinner guests (and I would be flattered as heck if you not only made this, but also served it to people you care about!):

Pea & Pepper Risotto
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup arborio rice
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Earth Balance margarine, divided
the juice of half a lemon
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp dried organic basil (using organic makes a huge difference here)
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash or two of ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/3 cup frozen peas

In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil.  Add rice, cover, and lower heat as low as possible.  Simmer about 15 minutes, stirring 2-3 times, then remove from heat - the liquid will not be fully absorbed.

Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp Earth Balance in a large skillet, swirling pan to coat evenly.  Lower heat to medium-low and add garlic.  Saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Stir in chopped peppers and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle on basil, salt, and pepper, then stir in peas.  Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.  Stir in rice and cook on low heat until liquid is almost absorbed.  Stir in lemon juice and 1 tsp Earth Balance and cook, stirring constantly, until all liquid is absorbed, about 3-5 minutes.

Start to finish, the recipe probably takes about a half an hour and it's very tasty.  Arborio is quick-cooking and has a very toothsome texture, unlike lighter rices like Jasmine or Basmati.  It really hit the spot for me and took very little effort to prepare.  Enjoy!