Caulifredo

Good evening, All!  I actually created this on Monday night, but I've been enjoying spending as much time as I possibly can with my sister and her family.  They've come for a visit here at the holidays.  I have two amazing nephews that I've just had a blast with this past week.  They came over one day and baked chocolate chip cookies with me and then we had some craft time while watching Merlin.  Great fun! 

Monday night, I mixed this up and was quite pleased with the tastiness!

Ingredients:

 1/2 cup cooked white beans
1/2 cup cooked cauliflower
1/4 cup water (more or less depending on how you like your sauce)
1/2tsp olive oil
Salt
Cracked pepper

1 cup spaghetti squash
1/4 cup cooked pasta noodles.

Directions:

Add the white beans, cauliflower, water, olive oil, salt and cracked pepper to taste to a blender or food processor and whir it smooth.  If you like your sauce thicker, start with less water and add it until it gets to the consistency you would prefer.

Heat the spaghetti squash and cooked pasta noodles together and add the sauce.  I then topped it with more cracked pepper for a bit more "bite."

I plated this with a mixed side salad.  So, so good!!

Seitan Ragout

I have been enjoying this season of family, friends, Star Wars, Dr. Who, and the upcoming Sherlock Special!  While these activities have been marvelous, one still needs nourishment.  This recipe has been altered for one and I have removed the leek and garlic as well.  You'll note by the picture that I did get so excited to try it that I forgot to prepare the small salad I was adding for more green!  I did not notice until I looked at the very monochromatic picture!  This is a baby crock recipe.  I do make food that's crock pot, it's just that the activities of this week and the weather have been so conducive to this fun little kitchen appliance.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup diced rutabaga (could substitute turnips or eliminate and use more potato)
1/4 diced potato
1/2 cup veggie broth
1/2 tsp marjoram
Salt
Pepper




Directions:


Put all ingredients in the crock pot and give it a good stir.  Cook on low until the veggies are tender.  It took mine about 5 hours.  I did add some arrowroot to thicken up the remaining broth for a thicker ragout!

I served with quinoa and mixed beans as well as a nice green salad (not pictured).

Squash Minestrone

As you can see, I'm following my "Squash is Delightful" theme throughout the week!  Actually, I bought a butternut squash and it has plenty of single servings in it.  In the past, I've baked it and then frozen portions.  This time, I wanted it raw so I could crockpot with it.  I've chosen to cook it in a variety of ways, however, so it is not getting "old" at all! 

This minestrone recipe can be used all year long with whatever vegetables are seasonally available.  The spices make it POP!  I will say, this meal made me very, very full!  Come hungry to the table.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup squash cubed
1/3 cup celery chopped
1/3 cup carrots chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
2Tbsp white beans
1/2 water
1/4 tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp marjoram leave
1/4 tsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp salt

*** A note ***  If you're tomato sauce is more watery, add less water.  Mine is homemade and was pureed.  It needed a bit of water for those beans to absorb.

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the baby crock and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until your beans are the desired tenderness.

I served mine with toasted polenta and pan fried firm tofu.

Butternut Squash Soup

I have discovered squash.  Yes, I know I'm coming to it late.  I blame acorn squash.  I really, really dislike acorn squash and that intense dislike has kept me from trying other types...until this Autumn.  Now I'm having an affair with squashes not acorn!  Keeping in the theme of warming the inside using the baby crock, I made butternut squash soup and it was num yummers.  I like my soups with a bit of chew potential so I just let this cook down naturally.  If you like it smoother, you can whir it up in the blender or food processor.

Ingredients:
1 cup squash
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the crock pot and give it a stir.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours until the squash is cooked to your preference.  It will need to be quite soft to whir up smooth. 

I served this with homemade baked tortilla chips,  sauteed zucchini with mushrooms, and a mixture of pinto beans, great northern beans, and black beans.

Chili

The weather has gotten a bit colder around these parts so I'm using my baby crock for "warming the inside" meals.  I have so tell you, I adore the baby crock!  Perfect for cooking meals for one or two.

This recipe is for the chili I made the other night.  It turned out perfectly for me!  I had to pat myself on the back after I ate it from pride!  I'm sure you'll be just as pleased.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp pinto beans
1/4 cup spiced Seitan
1 cup tomato sauce with diced tomatoes
1tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Cayenne to taste
Salt to taste

Avocado
Cheese or choice

Directions: 
Add all ingredients except cheese and avocado to the crock pot.  If you would like this to be more soup-like, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup water.  I like mine nice and thick, so I let my beans soak up the juice from the tomato sauce.  This took only 5 hours to be ready!

Pour into a bowl and garnish with avocado and your cheese of choice.  I used mozzarella!

I served this with homemade baked tortilla chips and a small mixed salad.

Curried Apple Seitan

I've made several dishes this past week that I will share after I perfect them.  Actually, the Roasted Root Vegetables were nice and tasty, but I neglected to get a picture!  I also made a pretty decent corn chowder, but the spices need a bit of a tweak. 

Tonight I'm going to share my Curried Apple Seitan recipe.  Interesting to note, the recipe has mostly carrots and few apples!  Certainly tasty.  One should also feel free to experiment with the curry.  I don't like my foods very spicy so I use less than others might. 

Funny story about curry.  I had some in my spices and I'd never used it.  I was going through that cupboard one night and decided I would try some.  I really, really liked the flavor and began using it a lot...until I ran out.  I bought more and used the same quantity I had been using in whatever dish I was preparing.  One bite and I was ON FIRE!  I mean, ON FIRE!  I had been unaware how HOT curry was.  It seems the curry I'd discovered in my cupboard was quite old and the spice had...aged away.  Actually, I'm kind of disappointed in fresh curry due to that heat because I really liked the flavor of the old curry.  I'm thinking about aging some....

Without further delay, Curried Apple Seitan!

Ingredients:
1/4 Seitan - mixed with curry and cinnamon, but left not boiled.
1 spoonful of Apple sauce or 2Tbsp chunked fresh apple
1 1/2 cups diced carrot
1/2 cup vegetable broth
Two dashes of Curry
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
Salt to taste
1Tbsp Coconut

Directions: 
Place all ingredients into the baby crock pot, reserving about 1/2 the Tbsp coconut for garnish.  Cook on low for approximately 6 hours or until your carrots are tender.  The broth should be mostly cooked away, but I served mine in a bowl to catch whatever remained.  You could serve over quinoa to solve any juice issues as well!  I plated mine with tofu and quinoa.

"Lobster" Salad

First, I should share that I have a food sensitivity to sulfite.  Thus, all foods containing sulfite are something I avoid...especially if they are high in that fun little friend.  These foods are definitely garlic, onion, leek, scallion, green pepper, lentil, broccoli, cauliflower, beer, and wine.  You'll find none of my recipes contain these ingredients.  Feel free to add them to yours, that's the whole point of creatively cooking - go ahead, step out of the recipe box!

I've altered this recipe so much that the original creator likely wouldn't recognize it.  I removed the scallions, for one, due to that pesky sulfite sensitivity and the fact my grocery store doesn't have them.  I also used button mushrooms, those nice white ones you can find in any grocery store.  The original called for Lion's Mane mushrooms.  This would probably also lend itself well to baby 'bellas, if you can find them.

I did not cook my mushrooms first because, why waste all those fun nutrients by cooking them out?  Of course, you could save the cook water as broth for later.

Ingredients:
1 cup chunked mushrooms (chunk them pretty large)
1/4 cup thin sliced celery
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup diced carrots
Salt
Dash of Old Bay

Put all food ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Add the salt.  Then, add a dash of Old Bay.  If you like foods spicy, you should add as much as you would like, but you don't want to overpower the flavors of the ingredients!  Heat in the microwave for a minute, just until the mushrooms are a bit soft.

Serve over greens or on a rice cake like pictured!  I also plated pinto beans and warmed, chunked tofu.

Dark CocoaNannaBerry Ice Joy

I have no picture of this because, if you've noticed, my lighting is rather...yellowish.  The picture I took made this delectable dessert look rather unappetizing, but you may picture chocolate ice cream in a dish...without the cream and sugar and the factory processing!

Ingredients:
1 frozen sliced banana
1/4 cup frozen blueberries (mine were fresh from the bush this spring)
2Tbsp non-dairy yogurt
2Tbsp water
2 tsp. dark cocoa powder

Directions:
Toss all ingredients in the blender or food processor and whir until smooth.  You may eat immediately for soft serve, or place in the freezer a bit for a harder consistency.

MexiPlant

Sometimes, one throws together ingredients and spices and...voila!  Sheer enjoyment of dinner!  This is one of those times.

Ingredients:
1 cup cubed eggplant
1/2 cup sliced and quartered zucchini
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Dusting cayenne
Salt
1 tbsp lime juice
1oz. firm tofu cubed
1 tsp. olive oil




Directions:
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.  You may need to add more liquid if you accidentally simmer at too high a temperature. 

I plated with quinoa tots and beans!

"Cheesy" Sketti

As a vegetarian, I often find recipes that others may find quirky.  I mean, why not just use real cheese?  I'm not a vegan, so.... But, as the blog title says, "Creatively Vegetarian."  If I can create something similar using readily available items and it's not processed through a factory, I will!

This took a little experimentation to make it for a single portion.  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash
1/4 cup cooked pasta noodles
1/4 mushed up cooked butternut squash
1Tbsp + 1tsp Nutritional yeast
Salt
Water

Directions:
Add the nutritional yeast and salt to the mushed up squash.  Add water until it's a consistency you want.  I used this as a sauce for the "spaghetti" and I don't like my sauce too watery.  Mix the sauce with the spaghetti squash and pasta and heat.  Serve! 

I plated mine with green beans frozen from the garden, pan toasted firm tofu, and mixed beans.

Veggie Stew

A great dish for chasing the winter chill away.  Full of hearty root vegetables tossed in the baby crock, your living space will fill up with the good smells while you anticipate dinner!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup carrot, sliced thin
1/2 cup parsnip
1/2 cup turnip
1/2 cup rutabaga
2 tbsp navy beans
1/4 seitan
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg and sage
A twist or two of black peppercorn
Salt to taste.

All ingredients go in the baby crock for approximately 6 hours, or until the veggies are the tenderness you prefer. 

Note:
I added about 1/4 tsp. arrowroot to thicken up the gravy a bit.

Served with a slice of sourdough!

Winter Yum

I cook from scratch, so this will take a little work to do.  I create a menu for the week, so I know in advance the nights a dish will take a bit longer.  This dish requires chopping, then oven time.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup thin sliced parsnip
1/2 cup chunked squash (butternut, delicata, or pumpkin)
1/4 cup chunked mushroom
1/4 chunked tomato
1/4 seitan
Cheese
 1/4 tsp. paprika, sage, pepper.
Salt to taste.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the inside of a baking dish with no stick spray or coat lightly with olive oil/butter.  Toss the veggies in haphazardly.   Top with whatever cheese you like in whatever amount.  I use 1/2 a stick of string cheese...stringed. 

Bake for 20 minutes and serve!

I served quinoa and pinto beans on the side.

Pumpkin Pie "Ice Cream"

This is a quick and healthy dessert for one!  There's a little prep work to be ready to make it, but if you're like me...you always keep one or two frozen bananas in the freezer, just in case.

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1/4 pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice


Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.  Eat!


Notes:
As is, this is a soft serve dessert.  I like to put mine in the freezer for about 2 hours for a bit harder dessert.

I often add 1/4 non-dairy yogurt and a 1/4 cup water for a creamier dessert.

Spicy Note

Just a quick note about spices.  Often, I will suggest you use a spice "to taste."  This is because people have widely different tastes in spices.  For instance, I don't like my foods "hot" so I don't use much cayenne or white pepper, or mustard seed.  I do adore salt and tend to use lots!  So, when you see "to taste," that's a spice I suggest using, but you should use as little or as much as you like!

Squash Fritters

Squash fritters are quick and easy and taste oh so YUMMY. 

You can use squash or pumpkin (you can even use canned pumpkin).  I've used delicata squash, butternut squash, canned pumpkin, and fresh pumpkin.  I think I like the butternut squash the best, though.  An aside - for a single person, a delicata squash is super.  It's small enough to provide squash for this and for soup another night.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup squash
1/2 cup corn (fresh, canned, or frozen but now thawed)
1/4 cup quinoa (cooked)
1 egg
salt
pepper
cinnamon (if desired)

First, you want to cook your squash choice.  You can bake it in the oven and cube it after or you can cube it and nuke it.  You want your squash pretty soft, however you choose to do it.

You'll put the squash in a small mixing bowl and squish it up with a fork.  I have a limited amount of appliances in my kitchen, but if you have food processor, you could whir it up, but why make something else dirty when a fork will do?

After squishing the squash (giggle) pretty well, a few chunks won't matter, put in your corn, quinoa, and egg.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix it all up. 

Spray a fry pan with non-stick spray or use an oil to lightly coat the pan.  You'll spoon the mixture on to the surface in patties of a medium size.  I like to then sprinkle each patty with a dash of cinnamon for some extra yum, but it certainly isn't necessary.  Cook just as you would a pancake.  When the edges look non-glossy, go ahead and flip them.  You want to make sure they are pretty well cooked before flipping though, lest they fall apart during the flip.  The flip side requires much less cook time.

Serve with a side of beans and roasted root vegetables and you have yourself a nice winter meal, made with seasonal veggies! 

Hello!

Welcome to my blog!  I have been a "veggiesauraus" for approximately 15 years, with a short stint as a vegan.  For a goodly portion of that time, I've lived in a rural area.  A rural, carnivorous area.  It is HARD to find non-processed vegetarian foods in what is effectively a food desert.  Basic vegetables are available, but foods like quinoa are still something one can only purchase at the local health food store (I'm lucky to have one, though it is EXTREMELY pricey) or have brought to you by a sister living in a suburban area peopled with like minded individuals.  As I am on a fixed income which meets my basic requirements and little else, I don't shop at the local health food store.  I buy from my local independent grocery store.  I will say this, I asked for them to carry tofu and now they do!  They also have a variety of non-dairy milks, so I'm pretty pleased with them.  They do, however, have a rather limited variety of vegetables and fruits.  I understand that.  I wouldn't want them to carry something they can't sell and thus lose money on!

I am also a single person.  A lot of the recipes I find in cookbooks and online make entirely too many portions.  I mean, yes, I could freeze the remainder for another day, but who has enough freezer space to fit three extra portions of meals, seven days a week?  Then, do you really want to repeat the same menu week after week until you've made room in your freezer again?  I don't!  I'm liking variety these days! 

These factors have made it necessary for me to alter and outright create recipes to suit my portion needs as well as the availability of ingredients. 

I will post these recipes and I'll even try to post pictures (I do like to plate my food) in hopes that you may benefit!  Enjoy!