Wild Rice and Chanterelle Mushroom Soup

This weekend, we went to the annual Eugene Mushroom Festival at Mount Pisgah. It was fun, very crowded though. We were a little annoyed with trying to look at all the types of mushrooms because people kept stopping to take a million photos of each mushroom. John sampled a few kinds of mushrooms, but I passed because they were sautéed in butter. We didn't purchase any mushrooms because they were a bit pricey. But, on our way home we saw a "side of the road" stand that was selling chanterelle mushrooms, a pound for $5. We only had $4 on us but the man was very nice and let us still have a pound! I decided to make a wild rice and mushroom soup in the crock pot when we got home. I sort-of followed this recipe but left out the cabbage, barley, and spinach. Instead, I added carrots and celery. I also doubled the wild rice amount instead of the barley (I didn't have any!) It cooked all day and tasted great. It did make a lot and after a few days, the rice had absorbed ALL of the liquid. It then became bloated rice and mushroom soup. Next time, smaller batch!

Lemon-roasted new potatoes and Seitan Nuggets

The potatoes were so easy and the flavor was sweet and tangy mixed with the creamy flavor of little new potatoes. I could have eaten the whole dish. I recommend the very teeny tiny red new potatoes. They absorb the most flavor and get the softest/crispiest. To this, I added rosemary breaded seitan nuggets. I have made these in the past, but left the gravy off this time. They taste like crispy chicken nuggets to me. And, for some added green to the meal, roasted brussels sprouts. They were a great addition because they roasted in a seperate pan side by side with the potatoes. I added a thin layer of olive oil to a baking dish, splashed balsalmic vinegar and salt and pepper and layered the washed and quartered brussels sprouts on top. It all baked at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Vegan Chili and Cornbread Muffins

I had a few cans of beans and tomatoes. I also had TVP, which I have never cooked with before. Because it is getting cold, chili seemed perfect. I followed the recipe pretty diligently but we did not serve it over rice. That seemed odd to me but I guess some people enjoy that. I also did not add red wine (didn't have any!) I cooked it in the crock pot on low while I was at work, and came home to a wonderful, fresh, pot of chili! I also made cornbread muffins from a recipe I have used, and loved, in the past. We had sauteed spinach on the side for a shot of iron!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes w/Rosemary and Mushroom Gravy

The recipe for the mashed potatoes is not vegan, but can easily be adjusted. Earth balance butter and almond milk in equivalent amounts are perfect. The gravy is so delicious and rich I could eat it plain! We added rosemary instead of thyme for a different flavor, but I have made it with the thyme and it is equally as good. In the mix we added Tofurky Italian Sausages that had been sautéed in olive oil. This is one of my absolute favorite meals, and very easy to prepare. On the side is spinach sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

Charred Eggplant and Coconut Curry

Although this recipe took about 2 hours to make, it was really good. Lots of leftovers, great flavor, and new spices I had never tried before. I substituted safflower oil for canola and added a carrot. Before I added the spices to the food processor for the paste, I toasted them on the stove. We ate the curry with basmati rice on the side. I didn't take a picture. I think it smelled so good, I was really hungry, and there was so much that I figured I would take a shot of left-overs, but never did. And the really unfortunate part is that I probably won't make this again, at least not for a long time because of how long it took! So, I think for now, if you want to see it you will have to make it yourself!!!

Banana Nut Muffins

I selected this recipe but made a few adjustments. Instead of three bananas, I used 4. For the flour I used 1 1/2 cups spelt and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry. I didn't have 1 tsp of the powdered ginger, instead I used 1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice. They turned out really great but instead of 12 like the recipe indicates, I ended up with about 3 dozen!

Baked Leeks with "Cheese and Yogurt"

We used to love this recipe back in the days of cheese and yogurt! After my awesome trip to the farmers market and a great find of fresh leeks, I decided to give it a try.
The ingredients are simple: 2 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread, 8 small leeks (I used 4 large), the equivalent of 2 eggs (EnerG Egg Replacer), 5 oz Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella, 1/3 cup plain So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk (it now comes soy-free, made with coconut milk!!!! Fabulous!!!!), 1/2 cup Sesame Parm, 1/2 cup vegan bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350. Add butter to a baking dish, spread it around. Trim the leaks, cut a slit from top to bottom to rinse well. Arrange in the baking dish. Beat the egg replacer, mozzarella, cultured coconut milk, and half the sesame parm together. Pour over the leeks. Mix the bread crumbs and remaining sesame parm together. Sprinkle over leeks. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
We had steamed green beans on the side drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Farmers Market / Saturday Market

John and I had shopping for birthday gifts to do at the Saturday Market, and were in desperate need of food. We scored big on fresh veggies! We also found fresh ciabatta bread, mushrooms, and many unique items like a purple pepper! The huge bag of spinach lasted us two meals and the kale one! We let the corn sit for a bit too long and a caterpillar that was living inside one ear ate his fair share! I will be sad when the market ends.