Cauliflower Curry Soup

Not to toot my own horn, but damn this was good. Hot and spicy!

I don't know why, but I never taste my food while cooking. I just wonder which herbs and spices might fit, throw in an estimated amount, add tons of pepper just about every 5 minutes (seriously) and taste it for the first time about 5 seconds before serving it.

Cauliflower Curry Soup

(all of this is pretty much estimated; like I said I kept dashing in curry powder, more and more pepper and some of this and that, so adapt it to your liking if you're the kind of person who tastes stuff during cooking)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium-big cloves of garlic, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

2 cups water (or more if you prefer a water based soup)

1 vegetable broth cube

4 cups cauliflower

1.5 cups broccoli

2 celery stalks, chopped

5 Tbsp. hot curry powder (estimated, I think I had more, but adapt to your liking)

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika powder

1 tsp. ground caraway seeds

salt, pepper

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley

1/4 cup soy cream or soy milk (estimated & optional)

1. bring the water & broth to a boil, add onions, set heat to medium, cook for ca. 3 minutes

2. add garlic, cook for ca. 1 minutes

3. add cauliflower, celery, broccoli and spices & herbs, cook for ca. 7-8 minutes until veggies are tender

4. puree everything to consistence of your liking (I like it a little chunky), add salt and pepper to taste, adapt spicing if neccessary

5. add parsley, stir and add soy cream or soy milk

Yellow Tomato Cauliflower Lentil Curry with Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts & Spinach

Phew, what a title.
Followed by an incredibly ugly cell phone image *shudders* (left my camera at my old appartment, moved into a new one yesterday).
So as ugly as this might look, it was a wonderfully comforting food for a fucking cold day.



I mixed together about 4-5 cups cauliflower florets & brussels sprouts, ca. 3 cups of potato slices, a can of lentils, about 1 1/2 cups Yellow Curry Sauce, 1 cup chopped spinach, 2 cups tomato sauce and 1/2 onion. And I put some fresh chopped basil on top.
Perfection, seriously. Luckily I made enough to live off it for the next two days.

Ha ha, see that Katie? I took my chopsticks with me ;) I hold them in my very own and special - and no way near correct - way, but I somehow manage to have the food land in my mouth and not on my lap (the way it happened every single time someone tried to teach me how you're actually supposed to hold chopsticks... seriously can't be done) and that's what important, non?

Yellow Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower Curry

Lately I've been craving either Thai or Indian food like crazy. Yesterday I bought a delicious - but quite expensive - Yellow Thai Curry Sauce and made brussels sprouts and cauliflower with it.



So this sauce has to be used within 4 days after opening.



Do you think it would go well added to Split Pea Soup (never had Split Pea Soup to begin with so I wouldn't know...) with some additional cauliflower?

Salad, Pasta, another Cake & Curry Cauliflower Carrot Soup

I wonder, why do I always feel like salads are a pain in the ass to make? Am I seriously that slow? And am I the only one? Mhh...
Anyway, the delicious salad I had last night sure did remind me that all the washing and chopping and mixing and roasting is simply worth it!



Roasted zucchini, eggplant & orange bell pepper on a bed of iceberg & lamb's lettuce, some cucumber slices, tomatoes, red onion & avocado chunks (I actually prefer avocados in form of guacamole... oh well, next time), drizzled with a balsamic yogurt dressing. Oh and some Nachos with mexican salsa.



Now onto my dad's cake. He and my mom enjoyed it a lot! Of course so did I ;)
A layer of raspberry perserves, banana slices and chocolate mousse.



I didn't have any fresh berries to add so I simply used pieces of cake crust, spread them with more chocolate mousse and arranged them on top. Some chopped chocolate on the sides & on top and it could've passed as the mouthwatering Starbucks Chocolate Fudge Cake I used to have quite often ♥

A few days ago I wanted something quick, so here goes Kamut pasta in olive tapenade mixed with broccoli & scallions sautéed in garlic. And a few drops of soy yogurt. Yumm!



Last week I made a Curry Cauliflower Carrot Soup with potatoes & red lentils! This was hearty & filling, yet light.
I ate it 3 days in a row yet never managed to take a picture. Even my boyfriend loved this!
I'll have to increase my soup cooking skills and make more of them.

I used about 6 medium potatoes & 2 carrots cut into small chunks and about 1/4 cup red lentils that I cooked in broth.
Midway cooking I added about 8-10 cauliflower florets, cut into smaller pieces, nutritional yeast, curry, ginger, garam masala, nutmeg, chili, paprika, salt and pepper.
I added 1/4 - 1/3 cup soy milk and puréed 2 cups of the solids in my blender and poured it back into the pot.
With a slice of whole wheat toast spread with a layer of olive tapenade, this was a perfect dinner!

Sandwiches, Bagels and a Spicy Tomato-Veggie Soup

A few days ago I had the fabulous combination of PB, Jelly and banana on a rye toastie, which I would've never thought of hadn't it been for some of you bloggers! So thanks!



I also bought a mini Ciabatta with Bear's Garlic... not the best buy. It smelled like feet - and sadly didn't taste much different =(



And yesterday I made a yummy Tomato-Veggie Soup. I put in more chili powder than I had intended to, but as the boyfriend put it it was "a pleasant spicyness"!
My best PB friend brought bagels: sunflower seed, everything and spinach! And it really did taste like spinach =D



I sautéed a big onion and 3 cloves of garlic in veggie broth, added a green and a red bell pepper, cauliflower and broccoli, about 2 cups each, 1 zucchini and a pack tomato puree, two jars of crushed tomatoes and about 3 Tbsp. tomato paste, lots of oregano, some rosemary, paprika and chili powder, salt and pepper. No oil needed =)

Pizza Pizza!

I went to IKEA on Saturday and got a pizza pan!!! =D
So on Sunday I made my first pizza crust using this recipe (which I can highly recommend!!). I made my dough with whole wheat and spelt flour, used cornmeal and no oil. My boyfriend who fears whole wheat insisted on regular flour and oil and was more than happy with the result!

My pizza (with garlic broccoli, fresh basil, red onions, cauliflower, red bell pepper, scallions and peperoni).



My boyfriends pizza. I have to admit - his crust tasted better!



Other than that I tried alpros new Soya Macchiato milk. It tastes great in coffee, but just as good on its own!

Veggie-Lentil Curry, Carrot Cupcakes & Falafel

Tonight I had a craving for lentils and cauliflower again, but didn't want the same meal I've had in my post before so I made a few additions.



I prepared the cauliflower the same way like I did here. The red lentils were prepared like before, too with an addition of 1/2 tsp. curry powder and a dash of chili powder.
To make the dish more colorful I roasted a red & yellow bell pepper and some zucchini that I sprinkled with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder in the oven for 20 minutes on 375°F.

Yesterday I went to the Bio supermarket to get new agave and bought Falafel. Homemade ones would've tasted better for sure, but they weren't bad and the idea of having Falafel ready within 8 minutes was quite appealing so I bought them along with new whole wheat pitas.



I bought a sunflower seed based pepper & pepperoni spread that I used, along with 1/4 cup shredded red cabbage, tomatoes and cucumber.

And I made Happy Herbivore's Fat Free Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Frosting. I used a little bit too much applesauce, because after 20 minutes in the oven they were still a little gooey inside. But did I mind? Hell no, there was no egg in there so I could have just as well eaten the raw batter =p To be honest I snacked quite a lot while mixing together the applesauce, shredded carrot and vanilla. Tasted delicious! I think I'll make that as a snack again soon!
But back to the cupcakes - my best (girl)friend tried one and loved it, the icing in particular. She's an omni so I got the "There's really no egg in there? Amazing...!" between each bite, ha ha!



So, tomorrow the big baking for the night's party will take place. I'm so excited!
I have to hurry now though, the boyfriend's waiting!

Hear you on Sunday I guess. Happy Easter and have a nice weekend everyone!

Red Lentils with Cauliflower

I couldn't decide what to make for dinner last night so I just started cooking some cauliflower and then settled for red lentils to go with it. Another delicious and nutritious meal. Mhmmm! Lentils are so good and I can't believe I waited until now to make them, because they had been sitting in my cupboard for at least a month now. But hey, I think they won't be around for too long since I'm already thinking about how to use them next.



Cauliflower florets with nutmeg & salt and 1/2 cup red lentils with a tsp. vegetable broth, salt, pepper, some paprika powder and nutmeg, a small sauteed onion, a dash of garlic powder, tumeric and cumin.

And thank you all for your comments on my last post =)

Mashed Cauliflower with Broccoli & Chickpea - Pepper Salsa

I went grocery shopping today and came home with the following!



Yes, I bought a sweet potato for the first time in my life. We'll see what will happen with it.
And since I'm craving pizza quite often lately, yet never make any dough, I bought spelt pizza crusts.

So here's what I cooked. Rather simple, but verysatisfying.



Katie's Mashed Cauliflower, garlic Broccoli and Chickpea - Pepper Salsa (red pepper, yellow bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup cooked & partly mashed chickpeas, onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar, garam masala, dried basil, nutmeg, salt, pepper).



I'm off to enjoy a long night now! I mean hey, I' haven't been on vacation for 6 months. So it really was about time!

Garlicky Broccoli & Green Beans, Mashed Cauliflower, Baked Beans and Spinach

I didn't get to buy the missing ingredients for Lasagna today so I had an all veggie meal instead. It was delish!



This is the first time I had baked beans.
I will surely make these on a regular basis from now on, they taste so good! I added an onion and a fresh tomato.

Pancakes for Breakfast & Tortellinis with Broccoli and Cauliflower in Mustard Sauce

I just finished my huge, but fantastic breakfast.



VwaVs Banana Pecan Pancakes. In my case: Banana Pear Cashew and Banana Blueberry Cashew Pancakes. Yumm!

With some fresh pear slices and maple syrup & my jam for dipping. Perfect combination!



I cut the recipe for 9 small pancakes in half and guess how many small pancakes I got out? Nine.
Mhh... what does small mean to Americans? =p

And here's what I had for dinner last night.
I bought spelt tortellinis with a vegetable stuffing a few days ago. And since I'm on a mustard-trip right now and Jennifer sent me a recipe I was able to whip me up with a very filling dinner. And yeah, I'm very much into cauliflower at the moment, too.



Here's my adapted version of the Mustard Sauce:
Ingredients

1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Sherry
2 Tbsp. Dijon
1/2 - 1 Tbsp. veggie broth (I used 1 heaped Tbsp. and it was definitely too much/salty)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1-2 cups soy milk
pepper, to taste

1. in a bowl mix the veggetable broth with cornstarch and set aside
2. sautee the garlic in a little bit of olive oil, for about 2 minutes
3. add the Sherry and mustard and under stirring add the veggie broth cornstarch mix
4. on medium heat let simmer for about 1-2 minutes, add the soy milk (start with 1 cup)
5. on low-medium heat let simmer for about 5 minutes, add more soy milk to reach desired consistence
6. add a little pepper to taste

Sadly I didn't cook the tortellinis long enough so the stuffing was still a bit dry, but they were fine soaked in mustard sauce and paired with broccoli, cauliflower and sunflower seeds.

Roasted Mustard Brussels Sprouts

Here's what I had for dinner last night.



Katie's Mashed Cauliflower, Roasted Mustard Brussels Sprouts, a spelt grain cutlet and a fresh tomato.



Yumm, I'll be having that for lunch in a few hours!

Roasted Mustard Brussels Sprouts



Ingredients
1 1/4 cup brussels sprouts
1 tsp. mustard
1/3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 clove (or more) of garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. preheat oven to 375° F
2. cut brussels sprouts in half
3. in a bowl mix all the ingredients, add the brussels sprouts and stir till fully covered
4. leave them in the oven for 15 minutes, turn them and leave them in for another 15 minutes

I've been thinking about preparing Scrambled Tofu tonight so I can have it for lunch tomorrow. But I've been wondering... does Scrambled Tofu still tastes good when it has been heated up in a microwave?
Thanks in advance =)

And I made the Banana Split Pudding Brownies from VWAV last night. The most incredible brownies I've ever had!!! I'll take a picture later of the small piece that's left =p

Mashed Cauliflower Goodness

Thanks to a certain Chocolate Covered Vegan I got to enjoy a great dinner last night. I made it again tonight, but this time I added a cup of brussel sprouts and cooked some spinach to go with it. Not that it needed more additions as it tasted awesome yesterday aswell.



Katie, this rocks!!! Thank you so much.
I made a little too much though. But guess what I'll heat up in the microwave at work tomorrow for lunch? ;)

Peach Pear Cobbler, Scrambled Tofu & Cooking/Baking Plans

Ohh, this way so good. All the cinnamon! And the perfect combination of pears and peaches with it. Yum yum! I didn't have any all-spice the recipe asked for so I added some nutmeg instead.



After the Peach Pear Cobbler I made after work I had satisfied my sweet tooth, but again I needed something hearty.

I can now oficially say that I am no longer a Tofu Scramble virgin!!!
I used VWAVs Veggie Tofu Scramble recipe as a basic, but since I don't like mushrooms I replaced them with some cauliflower and added red, yellow and green bell pepper.
I am rather surprised by the Tofu Scramble. The Tofus consistence is exactly like chicken... that kind of freaks me out, because the main reason why I was vegetarian for almost all my life is that I don't like the taste and the consistence of meat. It was good nevertheless. Next time I'll use more spices, definitely more vegetables and cruble the Tofu into smaller pieces or simply use less.



I decided to make a little list. I really hope that I'll manage to get everything done on time the way I have planned here.

Ohh, I just discovered that we have a microwave at work. It's like right there on the kitchen counter, don't ask me how I could overlook that. Yay, that means no more buying expensive and not necessarily very tasty/nutritious lunch! I can cook my own vegan dinner and just take it to work the next day =D


Cooking/Baking Plans
(hearty | sweet)

Saturday

* Mini Tofu Quiches (uses up silken Tofu)
* Blueberry Scones
* Jam

Sunday

* Pierogis + Borscht
* Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (as a gift for a friend)

Monday

* Mashed Cauliflower + Garlicky Broccoli + Green Asparagus
* Banana Chocolate Pudding Brownies

Tuesday

* Sundried Tomato Hummus
* Green Soy Tagliatelle + Roasted Brussel Sprouts + Mustard Sauce

Wednesday

* sth. with Kale (Any suggestions? I've never made anything with kale before so I could need some advice)

Thursday

* Mocha Chip Muffins
* Soy Sprouts + Scrambled Tofu (or chickpeas)

Like I said, this is just a plan, we'll see whether I'm gonna stick with it or end up cooking/baking something completely different ;)

Now I'll make some Vanilla Raspberry Cupcakes with before my boyfriend arrives.

Raspberry Apple Pear Pancakes & Spaghetti with Pesto Rosso marinated vegetables and crumbled Tofu

Yesterday, as I was looking though my kitchen repertoire, the pears and apples laughed at me and so here we go again with some more delicious filling Pancakes.



Ingredients
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. apple saue
1 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp. Agave syrup
1 apple, diced
1 pear, diced
1/2 cup raspberries





But even after this fruity snack, I didn't feel satisfied and craved something hearty so I threw together a bunch of stuff. And I know I said I didn't like Tofu too much, but I bought some a few days ago and I was very pleased this time.

Spaghetti with Pesto Rosso marinated vegetables and crumbled Tofu



Ingredients
Spaghetti (for 1-2 servings)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup brussel sprouts
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup bell pepper
1 cup spinach
1/2-1 cup Tofu, crumbled
2 Tbsp. Pesto Rosso
thyme, basil, rosemary, chili, oregano, salt, pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
pine, pumpkin and sunflower seeds (optional)

1. cook the pasta
2. cut brussel sprouts in half, cut the bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini
2. in a sauce pan heat up olive oil, add onions, stirr on medium heat until golden
3. add garlic
4. add vegetables, season with desired spices to taste, cover up and cook on low for about 15 min.
5. when pasta is done, add the spinach (I used frozen spinach)
6. in a bowl, crumble Tofu and add 2 Tbsp. Pesto Rosso, mix well
7. add 1/2 of the Tofu mixture to the vegetables cooking, mixing well
8. add the rest of the marinated Tofu to the Spaghetti, mix well
9. when vegetables are done, add balsamic vinegar and soy sauce
10. add vegetables to the Spaghetti, stir well and serve with sunflower, pine and pumpkin seeds

I'm eating the left-overs as I am writing this. It's good, but it's definitely missing some red ingredients(red bell pepper, tomato...). But that's only because I didn't have anything else left here.

Anyway, the most exciting thing: How It All Vegan and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World arrived yesterday!!!
I'll definitely make something today, but there are sooo many many great recipes in there. Picking one is going to be tough!