Veggie Voyeur still contains all the juicy vegetarian dishes you get here, with a new focus on everyday vegetarian cooking. So go ahead...sneak a peek!
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| Cherry bomb peppers from Niagara, stuffed with cheese |
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Veg Cuisine has moved!
Veg Cuisine has moved and been re-named Veggie Voyeur. Please update your bookmarks, or subscribe via the email feed or RSS.
Veggie Voyeur still contains all the juicy vegetarian dishes you get here, with a new focus on everyday vegetarian cooking. So go ahead...sneak a peek!
Veggie Voyeur still contains all the juicy vegetarian dishes you get here, with a new focus on everyday vegetarian cooking. So go ahead...sneak a peek!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
French Lentils for a Canadian Easter
My extended family gets together each year for Easter dinner. We're not tied to Sunday or Monday though - this year we got together on Saturday.
We’re not a traditional family when it comes to food – the host family usually cooks a ham or a turkey and the rest of us bring side dishes, appetizers, and dessert.
I always bring a vegetarian dish to add to the mix. This year, I wanted something different than the usual pasta casserole, ratatouille, or quiche recipe. Since I'm less about gourmet and traditional than I am about healthy and satisfying, I decided to make a warm lentil dish.
After arguing with Mike about what spices to use (I thought some kind of sweet and sour would be good, he was pushing curry) I decided just to use a recipe from the Veganomicon cookbook: Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions. But sans rice. And note: it's vegan.
I've made this dish before - but I forgot that it's one full of typos (cloves appears in the directions but not the ingredients list, for example). So this is a loose translation at best.
If I were to make it again, I’d add garlic and use more onions but cut the pieces smaller. Overall, it was pretty good but needed salt and pepper in a major way. Possibly some different spices too - I could see thyme and oregano working. Or even a slightly sweet version with maple syrup.
Instead of red lentils (too mushy!) I used French lentils. Partially because that’s what the store had and partially because I prefer my lentils to hold their shape.
I love the extremely generous use of olive oil in the Veganomicon recipe. It makes this dish stand out.
Roasted French Lentils with Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
For the onions
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Slice the onions and toss them with the olive oil.
3. Roast in a roasting pan for 35 minutes, until golden brown and edges are starting to caramelize and blacken.
4. In the meantime, measure the water into a saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin. Bring to a boil.
5. Add the French lentils and return to a boil.
6. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until French lentils are soft. If using green, brown, or red lentils, cook according to package directions.
7. When the lentils are done, all the water should be absorbed.
8. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
9. Fold the roasted onions into the cooked lentils. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
10. Serve warm.
I'm not sure what's up with Blogger, but it keeps rotating my photos without permission. Here's a final (off-kilter) photo of the dish:
We’re not a traditional family when it comes to food – the host family usually cooks a ham or a turkey and the rest of us bring side dishes, appetizers, and dessert.
I always bring a vegetarian dish to add to the mix. This year, I wanted something different than the usual pasta casserole, ratatouille, or quiche recipe. Since I'm less about gourmet and traditional than I am about healthy and satisfying, I decided to make a warm lentil dish.
After arguing with Mike about what spices to use (I thought some kind of sweet and sour would be good, he was pushing curry) I decided just to use a recipe from the Veganomicon cookbook: Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions. But sans rice. And note: it's vegan.
I've made this dish before - but I forgot that it's one full of typos (cloves appears in the directions but not the ingredients list, for example). So this is a loose translation at best.
If I were to make it again, I’d add garlic and use more onions but cut the pieces smaller. Overall, it was pretty good but needed salt and pepper in a major way. Possibly some different spices too - I could see thyme and oregano working. Or even a slightly sweet version with maple syrup.
Instead of red lentils (too mushy!) I used French lentils. Partially because that’s what the store had and partially because I prefer my lentils to hold their shape.
 |
| French lentils |
I love the extremely generous use of olive oil in the Veganomicon recipe. It makes this dish stand out.
Roasted French Lentils with Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
For the onions
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| Onion rings doused in olive oil |
- 3 large yellow onions, sliced thinly into rings
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 scant cups French lentils
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 dried cloves
- 1 scant tablespoon cumin
- Generous salt and pepper to taste
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| A close-up of the French lentils |
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Slice the onions and toss them with the olive oil.
3. Roast in a roasting pan for 35 minutes, until golden brown and edges are starting to caramelize and blacken.
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| Caramelized onions in generous amount of olive oil |
4. In the meantime, measure the water into a saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin. Bring to a boil.
5. Add the French lentils and return to a boil.
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| Spiced liquid for cooking lentils |
6. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until French lentils are soft. If using green, brown, or red lentils, cook according to package directions.
7. When the lentils are done, all the water should be absorbed.
8. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
9. Fold the roasted onions into the cooked lentils. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
10. Serve warm.
I'm not sure what's up with Blogger, but it keeps rotating my photos without permission. Here's a final (off-kilter) photo of the dish:
 | |
Monday, April 18, 2011
Weekly Wrap: The World of Veg Cuisine for April 11-17, 2011
Stay up-to-date with the latest recipe ideas and vegetarian news with Veg Cuisine’s weekly wrap.
Recipe Picks
- This week on Veg Cuisine, I share my favourite weekday oatmeal recipe: Breakfast oats can float your boat...on a weekday. What’s your favourite topping combo?
In the News
- VegNews meat photo scandal and eventual apology
The big story this week is that VegNews was outed by blogger Quarrygirl for using photos of meat in its magazine and passing them off as vegan. Since then, VegNews has apologized (half-heartedly), then decided they were maybe wrong after all and apologized again (for real this time). It took three days – an eon, given the story broke online. They’ve promised a “vegan photo bank to assure the availability of vegan stock images” to be prepared in a matter of days. We’ll be watching to see if they can redeem themselves…
- Toronto's Vegetarian Food Fair is changing its name
It will now be known as the "Annual Vegetarian Food Festival". Mark you calendars – this year it’s September 9-11.
- Bunny love
A tasteful reminder: don’t buy pet rabbits for Easter gifts! Pets are not disposable. But, chocolate bunnies are. Try one of those instead. Or, read my 2008 article about celebrating Easter the vegetarian way.
- Natalie Portman swaps vegan for vegetarian diet
Natalie Portman – purveyor of fashionably uncomfortable-looking vegan shoes and the star of our favourite rap video of all time (search the uncensored version if you're feeling frisky) has swapped her vegan diet in favour of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian one. Is it odd her rationale comes down to “I was having cravings for pastries”? It is to me. But then again I’ve never have wild pregnancy hormones coursing through my veins. Side note: I’m slightly miffed that ABC News is still promoting the myth that vegans need to deliberately combine proteins. Your body does it for you. Easy peasy, fuggedaboutit.
VegNews Scandal: Magazine Reneges, Apologizes
An update on the VegNews...news...from this past weekend.
After saying it's not their fault they used meat photos in their all-vegan magazine, VegNews has reneged and has now issued an apology. Good risk communication practice, that. And even better that people can get their grievances out as blog comments. When it comes to scandal, no ranting = no forgiveness.
Despite making people very, very, upset, it sounds like most are now ready to welcome it back with open arms.
I bet the VegNews folks are issuing one big *phew*. But we'll see if they suffer at all in the long-term.
It looks like they might even adopt my suggestion of adopting a vegan photo database...too bad my camera skills are still at the kindergarten level.
After saying it's not their fault they used meat photos in their all-vegan magazine, VegNews has reneged and has now issued an apology. Good risk communication practice, that. And even better that people can get their grievances out as blog comments. When it comes to scandal, no ranting = no forgiveness.
Despite making people very, very, upset, it sounds like most are now ready to welcome it back with open arms.
I bet the VegNews folks are issuing one big *phew*. But we'll see if they suffer at all in the long-term.
It looks like they might even adopt my suggestion of adopting a vegan photo database...too bad my camera skills are still at the kindergarten level.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Breakfast Oats Can Float Your Boat...on a Weekday
Oatmeal is not the stuff of glamour and glitz. Its creamy beige colour and speckled, smooth texture are things few people get excited about. However, I’m an oatmeal advocate – I eat the stuff every day. Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked to people about it.
Measure 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats (oatmeal) into a large microwaveable bowl. Add 2/3 cup water.
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| Almond steel-cut oats |
Here's what I've learned. If you're a typical person, you:
- Are reluctant to admit you eat oatmeal. Like it’s out of fashion, or something.
- Don’t believe oatmeal can taste good. You've been scarred by a childhood full of overcooked mush with not enough brown sugar to offset the blandness.
- Don't realize oatmeal can be a weekday food and actually taste good.
To be clear, I’m not talking about the pre-packaged stuff that’s loaded with sugar and artificial flavours. I’m talking about whole-grain oatmeal. Porridge. The kind you used to make on the stove.
But I cook my porridge on weekday mornings in just over a minute, in the microwave.
You might think oatmeal is old-fashioned. It’s not cool. It's not advertised during prime-time TV. Its price tag isn't a status symbol. (In fact, a $5 bag lasts me a month.) However, it is healthy, delicious, and fast to cook in the morning.
The basics of cooking oatmeal on a weekday
If you’re someone who has time to spare in the a.m., by all means, use the stove. The texture of your oatmeal will be slightly better, and you’ll get your Zen therapy by stirring for a few minutes.
But for those of us who run from bed to the kitchen to the office, use the microwave method instead.
For one serving:
If you have smaller dishes that hold only as much as the uncooked oatmeal, I would suggest switching to a small Corningware or baking dish. As the oatmeal heats up, it climbs up the side of the bowl – and, if you’re not careful – spills right out over the edge.
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| This bowl floweth over...with oatmeal |
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| This bowl keeps oatmeal contained |
Whatever size bowl, it’s essential to soak your oatmeal. I like to do this before I get dressed and do my hair. That gives me at least 10 to 20 minutes of soak time. If you’re using a big bowl, you don’t need to soak the oats as long – just 5 or 10 minutes.
After soaking, microwave on HIGH power for about 1 minute, 10 seconds. My microwave is pretty powerful. Yours might need a bit more time – but start here and work your way up.
Top your oatmeal with any variety of delicious, preferably seasonal, toppings. You can even add a touch of sweetener – brown sugar, honey, maple syrup...controlling the amount you eat. And making sure it’s fresh.
Basic Weekday Oatmeal Recipe
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| Weekday oatmeal with peanut butter, raisins & flaxseed |
Here is my basic oatmeal topping recipe, although I’ve been known to skip the raisins and indulge in straight-up PB & J, too.
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. raisins
- 1 tsp. ground flaxseeds
- Splash of milk or soy milk
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