Saturday, June 21, 2008

Vegan Mac and Cheese

This recipe comes from the June 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. To make this a complete meal, you can toss the finished Mac and Cheese with some cooked, chopped broccoli or even mix in some frozen spinach (when the sauce is cooking). The garlic is a little strong, so if you're not a huge fan, cut the amount. Also, I recommend using extra pasta because it makes a lot of sauce. Serves 4.

Per Serving: 364 Calories, 15g Protein, 9g Total Fat (1.5 Sat), 534mg Sodium, 3g Fiber, 6g Sugar.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups plain soy milk
2 1/2 Tbs. white rice flour
1 1/2 Tbs. large flake nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. granulated garlic
1 Tbs. granulated onion
2 Tbs. vegan margarine, melted
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 8-oz pkg. rotelli (corkscrew) pasta



DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together soy milk, flour, yeast, soy sauce, garlic, and onion in saucepan. Simmer 4 minutes, or until thickened (took more like 8 for me), whisking constantly. Whisk in margarine and mustard and simmer for 10 minutes more.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, toss with sauce.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Louisiana-Style Gumbo

I found this recipe in Vegetarian Times Magazine. I omitted the bell peppers. The recipe says that the okra is optional, but I can't imagine a gumbo without it! I minimized my chopping by buying pre-chopped onion and frozen chopped okra. I know the recipe calls for a lot of oil, but you need it to make a roux.

Serves 8. (Per Serving) Calories: 216, Fat: 14.5g, Protein: 3g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 8g. (Does not include rice)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
3 carrots, sliced (2 cups)
1 parsnip, diced (1 cup)
1 cup fresh or frozen sliced okra
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper


Rice of choice (Cook as directed on box/bag, time it with the gumbo)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together oil and flour in Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot until smooth. Cook over high heat 10 minutes, or until roux turns a dark caramel color, stirring constantly.


2. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir in all remaining ingredients and 4 cups water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 40 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Serve over rice.