Moving On...

So the time has come for me to try a new platform. I will be at the following address from now on http://aninspiredvegan.wordpress.com. Just be patient with me as I figure out the ropes and get it going. Have a great week!

Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad with Summer Savory

This recipe, originally printed in the August 2003 issue of Sunset Magazine, was also already vegan. I adapted it a bit just to make it as nutritious as possible. It was delicious!

Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad and Summer Savory

8oz green beans, rinsed and ends snapped off (I thawed some frozen ones)

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used sweet potatoes)

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil (optional, I used a couple tablespoons of coconut oil)

2 tablespoons summer savory leaves, chopped (I used fresh basil and sage)

Salt and fresh-ground pepper

2T Capers (these were not in the original recipe but I like capers so much, and had some on hand, that I decided to toss them in as well.

1      In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water until cool (or plunge in ice water); drain again.

2      In same pan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add potato slices and cook until tender when pierced, 10 to 12 minutes; drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

3    Meanwhile, in a 1-cup glass measure, combine shallots and vinegar. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, combine olive oil and summer savory. Stir occasionally until savory is limp and slightly darker and oil is fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. If oil sizzles, reduce heat slightly.

4    Pour half the oil mixture into vinegar mixture and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over warm potatoes and mix gently to coat. Top potatoes with green beans and drizzle remaining oil mixture over beans. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip of the Day!

I decided I might start a new series of small posts called Tip of the Day. Here is the first.

You know when you make a delicious collard, cannellini bean, and garbanzo bean soup and you eat it a few days, but then see you only have a bit left and it mostly looks like collards cause you have eaten most of the beans already. Well, blend it up and use it as a spread, kind of like hummus. Delicious, second life given to tasty soup. 

White Bean Soup with Collard Greens

This recipe, originally printed in the January 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, was already vegan, so I just adapted it to exclude the olive oil since I do not cook with oil anymore. This soup was super easy, tasty, and when I got to the last cup or so of it I blended it up to make a delicious dip!

White Bean Soup with Collard Greens

Serves 4

• 2 Tbs. olive oil (optional, I usually use water instead of oil)
• 2 cups chopped onions (I used scallions/ green onions which are some of the most nutritious onions)
• 3 cups collard greens leaves, rinsed and finely chopped
• 1 tsp. dried tarragon
• 2 15-oz. cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1. Heat water in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
2. Add collard greens, tarragon, 2 cups water and 3/4 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes, or until greens are tender.
3. Meanwhile, put 1 can beans and 1 cup water in food processor or blender, and process until puréed. Add purée and remaining can of beans to pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Libations!

Usually when I am not seeing live music, going to a party, attending some sort of other art or cultural event, or seeing a movie at Laurelhurst Theater I go out with friends and get some food or drinks. There are some tasty drinks to be had in Portland!

Vegan Piccata Sauce!

One of my favorite dishes before becoming vegan, and even pescotarian, was chicken piccata. I ate a lot of chicken, but I have always loved anything that includes capers. So, when I came across this recipe for Tempeh Triangles with Piccata Sauce, I had to try it. I decided to blend the tempeh and make a faux chicken salad with them instead, but I kept the piccata sauce and made a soy curl pasta with it. Here is the oh so easy piccata recipe. Enjoy!

Piccata Sauce

1 1/2 t minced garlic
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
2 c dry white wine
1 T capers, drained
1/2 t salt (capers are salty, so you could omit this if you wanted)
1/2 t black pepper
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 3 T water

Roast garlic in skillet over medium heat, 20 seconds or so. Add lemon juice, wine, capers, salt and pepper; cook about 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside. Use as you wish- a topping for grilled "chicken", with the original recipes of tempeh triangles, or mixed in with pasta and soy curls.

The original recipe was taken from The Vegetarian Times, March 2005 issue

Delicious food I eat when I am not eating lettuce...

A couple of the most common questions I get when people find out I am vegan is "What do you eat?" or "So you just eat vegetables and stuff?" I have eaten more variety as a vegan than I ever had as a pescotarian or omnivore. I am really lucky to live in Portland where there are some amazing chefs and eateries creating new and exciting dishes. We also have amazing farmers markets and produce and berries are easily grown locally.

Butternut Squash Soup from Blossoming Lotus

Truffled Seitan Steak from Blossoming Lotus

Ginger Spice Cake from Blossoming Lotus

Vegan Platter from Queen of Sheba

BBQ Burger and Smoky Bacon Fries from Wayward Cafe (Seattle)

Shredded carrot salad from Cruz Room

Pickle Chips from Cruz Room

Mezza Platter from Nicholas' Restaurant

Falafel from Nicholas' Restaurant