Christina's Stuffing

When I was a kid, the best part of Thanksgiving, besides having three days off and hanging out with my family (and playing endless video games that I was forbidden from because I had to study according to my dad)?  The dressing!  Granted, other stuff was cool, like cleaning out the turkey (and making it talk) and all the other trimmings, but the highlight of Thanksgiving was the dressing.  It was such a highlight that my mom used to make a separate pan of stuffing just got me (because I ate all of it).  Needless to say, now that I'm all grown up, and I'm on my own, my mom can't make my own dressing anymore I have to make it.  Also, when I was growing up dressing had turkey gizzards and the neck, and now that I'm vegan, that's no longer an option (and I don't want to eat vegan turkey gizzards either).  This is going to sound really horrible, but I kinda miss it.  Made me nostalgic.

Anyway, I researched vegan cornbread stuffing recipes, and I couldn't find one that I liked.  Most featured carrots (which does not belong in stuffing) and other sweet stuff that doesn't go together.  So I thought about spices and herbs that go together, and what was on life support in my refrigerator, and viola! Lots of people like this at the potluck so I'm posting it here.  There's also an alternate option if you are without an oven.

Christina's Stuffing recipe 

Serves about 12 hungry mofos

Ingredients
Corn bread
3 cups self rising corn meal
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch sage
pinch of oregano
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Stuffing
1 bunch spinach, cleaned and finely chopped
5-6 stalks of celery, finely chopped
3 leeks, finely chopped to the green parts
12 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons sage
2 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup almond
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Make the cornbread first.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn meal, salt, baking soda, grapeseed oil, and boiling water and mix.  Then, in a skillet, sprinkle corn meal and grapeseed oil.  Add the corn meal mix and reduce to a low heat.  It's okay to break the corn bread apart since you're going to do this when you  combine the cornbread with the rest of the stuffing.  Heat for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.  Put aside and let rest for in open air for 1 day. 

2.  Next, let's get to work with the stuffing "filling".  Boil the water and veggie cubes for the veggie stock.  Over medium high heat, add the grapeseed oil.  Then add the green onions, leeks, onions and garlic.  Heat until translucent - for about five minutes.  Then, add the spinach, veggie stock and celery.  Then add the spices, nutritional yeast and soy sauce.  Heat until boiling, and then reduce to simmer.  Simmer for about 25 minutes. 

3.  Now it's time to add the two!  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (170 C).  In a huge bowl, mix together the cornbread, almonds and cranberries and the veggie mix.  Then, spread in a casserole dish (or a pot).  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Alternate option:

If you are ovenless, you can also do this stove top version.  If you have a huge pot, slowly add the cornbread to the veggie mix, then simmer for about 20 minutes, turning it over so it won't burn.  Then serve.  

Kristy's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Kristy's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe 

You will need:
2 red peppers
3 cans of chickpeas 
6 cloves of garlic
juice of one lemon
salt/pepper to taste
several glugs of olive oil
several splashes of drinking water (depending on consistency)

First, wash and deseed your peppers and add a splash or two of olive oil and a pinch of salt- rub into the pepper. Roast for about 30 mins at around 170 degrees or until the skins look slightly wrinkled. When they are done leave to cool. 

Next, prepare garlic cloves and throw them in the blender with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then drain and rinse your canned chickpeas and add them to the blender. Add the cooled roasted red pepper and add the juice of one lemon and a few pinches of salt. 

Now whizz it all up... (depending on the size of your blender you may have to do a few batches) and if it's a bit thick you can add more olive oil or a bit of driking water to get your desired consistency. 

Lastly, add salt/pepper to taste.
(Just keep tasting... and keep adding until it's just right for you)
Sprinkle with paprika to serve

Mimi's Mad About Mushrooms

   Mimi's Mad About Mushrooms

Make this to serve alongside fresh or sautéed greens. Feel free to play around with different grains, like quinoa and/or millet. Also, it would probably be really delicious and increase the nutritional value if you add in some chopped walnuts.

1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
4-5 cups mushrooms, chopped (shiitake works well but use what you like best)
2 ½ cups cooked brown rice
¼ cup soy sauce
4-5 tbsp dried basil
black pepper, to taste

Cook the rice if you don’t have any made already. Sauté the onion over medium heat in a large wok until the onion is caramelized (about 5-10 minutes). Add in the mushrooms and mix in the herbs and soy sauce. Cook until the mushroom reduce and are soft to your liking. Mix in the cooked rice, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Turn off the heat and let the dish sit for about five minutes for the flavours to marry.

New Poster Design!

Check it out!  Thank you so much to designer Stephanie DuBois! 

<3

Ouhdy's Midnight Mixed Veggie Munchies

When he showed up at the October Vegan Potluck with this dish, Ouhdy said it was "just a little something" he "threw together".  He didn't even know what to call his dish.  It was SO GOOD and was eaten up in a flash.  The SVP crew collectively demanded that he share his quickly conjured concoction and he obliged, calling it Midnight Mixed Veggie Munchies.  Whatever you call it, it's seriously good! 

Midnight Mixed Veggie Munchies Recipe 

1. Saute 2 sliced onions and 3 minced garlic cloves in a wok with about a tablespoon of soybean oil and a tablespoon of sesame oil.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder (I used garam masala) and 2 teaspoons of turmeric.

3. Dice up 3 tomatoes and add whatever veggies you want (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, etc...). You can also throw in walnuts and craisins/raisins for texture and sweetness. 

4. Cook everything on high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. 

5. EAT.

Anna Bah-nah-nah’s Vegan Soft Serve

I am such an ice cream addict, and I think I’m one of the few that actually craves it MORE in the wintertime. I originally thought of this recipe because a friend of mine was doing smoothies with plain yogurt + frozen banana, but being vegan I decided to sub out the yogurt for soy milk and see what I got. I put in less soy milk, and the result was really like the consistency of soft serve. In the photo, I actually used a little more milk than usual, so it looks a little more mushy. No matter what consistency you like, this tastes delicious!

Also, I have a few variations on this, but the one I make most often is a runner’s version that I use for fuel about 45 mins-1 hour before a run. This is that version. If you are looking for a smoother consistency, skip the oatmeal and possibly the black sesame seeds.

Anna Bah-nah-nah’s Vegan ‘Soft Serve’

Ingredients:

-2 frozen bananas (chopping first into pieces and then freezing overnight works best)
-1/2 cup milk of your choice (I use soy milk, richer milks work better)
-2 Tbsp (or heaping regular spoonfuls) Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (try Special Dark for an awesomely rich flavor, can be found at Foreign Food Mart Itaewon)
-1 tbsp (or one regular spoonful) black sesame seeds
-1/4 cup dry oatmeal (I use Quaker Oats, also found at Foreign Food Mart)
-1 small spoonful peanut butter
-3 drops Liquid Stevia or 1 small sprinkle Stevia for extra sweetness

Put dry ingredients into blender/food processor first, then add bananas and milk. If you are unsure about the banana to milk ratio, I’d say start with less and you can always add more. Pulse first, and then scrape ingredients back down to the blade. Keep pulsing until you have a smooth consistency. Makes 1-2 servings.

Occasionally, I skip the chocolate and use frozen strawberries. Also, please note that those who are sensitive to caffeine should be careful about using lots of cocoa powder. It’s pretty potent stuff! :

Hope you enjoy!

Photo by Anna Deschatres