Maple-Apple Cider Tofu with Stuffing and Apple Cranberry Chutney

Here is my contribution to Thanksgiving this year. It may look a bit complicated, but it really isn't that bad. Once everything is chopped and sliced and ready to go, the whole thing comes together pretty quickly. When I go back home for Thanksgiving I am usually responsible for providing the vegan entree (all the sides are made vegan), and this one seems perfect because it incorporates traditional Thanksgiving flavours but can be eaten alongside other holiday fare. The components really work well together, so try to get a bit of everything in each bite.

Apple Cranberry Chutney
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 4 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (or another cooking apple)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2-4 tbsp apple cider
- 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped

METHOD
1. Heat margarine over med-hi heat. Add apples and cook for 5 mins, stirring regularly. Add raisins and cranberries and cook for 3 mins.
2. Add maple syrup and mix well, then add 2 tbsp of cider. Cook until cranberries burst and apples are soft but still have some texture. Add more cider, if needed. It should be moist but not runny. Lower the heat and let simmer while you prep the other components of the dish.
3. When ready to assemble the dish, mix in the sage leaves and remove from heat.

Stuffing
INGREDIENTS
- 2 slices sourdough bread (or so. You will need 1.5 cups of cubed bread when you are done)
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 leek, white and light green part, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp apple cider
- 1 tsp thyme
- 4 cups packed baby spinach
- salt and pepper

METHOD
Turn oven on to 300 degrees
1. Heat a frying pan over med to med-hi heat. Lightly butter (margarine?) the sourdough bread on both sides and fry both sides for 2-3 mins, until golden. Remove from pan and cut into 1/4" cubes. Measure out 1.5 cups and put into a bowl.
2. Put the pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 tbsp of margarine, and when melted add leeks and garlic. Fry for about 5 mins, until leeks are translucent but not too brown. Reduce heat if needed.
3. Add cider and thyme and mix well. Add spinach and cook until wilted but still a vibrant green. Season with salt and pepper then add to the bread cubes. Mix well. Put in an oven proof container and keep warm in the oven.

Maple-Apple Cider Tofu
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 pkg firm or extra firm tofu
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple cider
- salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Cut the tofu in half vertically, then cut each half into 5 thin slices. Use a 2.5" biscuit cutter to cut out 10 rounds. (The size of your rounds may vary, but since my tofu block is roughly 5 x 2.5 this worked out perfectly).
2. While you are cutting the tofu, heat a frying pan on the stove over med-hi heat. Add margarine and swirl pan to melt, then add tofu circles. Fry for 3-5 mins, only on one side, until a nice golden brown.
3. Add maple syrup to the pan and swirl/shake to distribute. Flip tofu over and swirl/shake again. Season lightly with salt, and a some freshly ground pepper. Add cider to the pan and swirl/shake to distribute. Flip tofu over (i.e. fried side is now back down, and season with salt and pepper. Let reduce for a minute or so, then remove from heat.

TO ASSEMBLE:
This dish relies on a biscuit cutter (or metal ring) that is 2.5" in diameter, and 1.5" tall. Place one tofu circle on a plate, fried side down. Place ring over the tofu, then pack in stuffing, compressing the stuffing down with a spoon. Carefully remove ring, then top with another tofu circle, fried side up. Top that with a generous spoonful of chutney.

The chutney recipe makes plenty, so serve more on the side.

Green Potato Soup

I am a negligent blogger! Christmas is in nine days and I have nothing ready! Nada! I don't even know what the entree will be! Oh, stupid job getting in the way of the holidays! While I scramble around trying to make Christmas happen, here is an awesome soup to keep away the winter chill. The most amazing thing is that the kids ate it without a single whine. Put a pile of greens on their plate and the wailing can be heard for blocks, but put it in a soup and they bolt it down. Go figure.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 leeks, white and light green part, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small bunch swiss chard, stalks removed, chopped
- 4 cups water (more if needed)
- 1.5 lbs diced red potatoes
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 4 cups baby spinach
- salt to taste
- lots of freshly ground pepper

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Saute leeks, celery, and garlic for 10 mins, until soft. Add chard and saute until wilted. Add water a blend with a hand blender until smooth.
2. Add potatoes. The liquid should almost cover the potatoes. Add more water, if needed. Bring to bubbling, cover, and simmer for 20 mins, or until potatoes are cooked.
3. Add soy milk and nutritional yeast and mix well. Season to taste. I made the soup rather peppery. Then add spinach a stir until wilted but still vibrant green. Serve.

Italian Spinach

I know you are supposed enjoy your tomatoes in the hot and hazy days of late August, but up here in the North it takes until late September to finally get a good crop. It has been a long journey that started with planting seeds all the way back in February. I can't say that we are swimming in tomatoes since not that many ripen at one time. I had all sorts of dreams about canning my own pasta sauce this year but there is no way we have enough tomatoes to do that. Still, this year's crop is a vast improvement over last year's crop of exactly zero. So, with a few extra tomatoes on hand I whipped up this simple but tasty side dish. You could also easily turn this into a sauce to serve over pasta, as I have indicated below.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 small sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- about 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth
- 1 bunch spinach, washed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan/pot. Saute onion and garlic for 5-7 mins, until softened and golden. Add cherry tomatoes and vermouth and bring to bubbling. Let simmer for about 10 mins, until tomatoes have reduced into a sauce.
2. Add spinach, cover pan, and cook for a min or so. Once spinach begins to wilt, remove lid and cook, stirring constantly to coat spinach with sauce. Cook for a few mins, until spinach is tender but not overdone. Season to taste and serve, draining off excess liquid if needed.
3. If you want to make a pasta sauce, add about 1 tbsp of tomato paste to thicken, then toss with pasta.
Here is one of our beefstake tomatoes. Mmmmm.

Indian-Style Potatoes and Spinach

Boy are my kids getting tired of the greens! Ha! Too bad, laddies! I keep giving them the same lecture on getting enough iron, calcium, etc. Of course, they can't really complain when the food tastes this good. I took the recipe from Best Ever Curry Cookbook and adapted the method.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 tsp mustard seeds

- 1 large onion, halved and sliced

- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

- 1/2 cup water (more if needed)

- 1 tsp chili powder

- salt to taste

- 2 handfuls baby spinach

METHOD

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop and splutter. Add onion, garlic and ginger and fry for 5-7 mins, until translucent.

2. Add potatoes, water, chili powder, and salt and mix well. Add a little more water, if needed, to make a nice sauce. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 12-15 mins, or until potatoes are cooked. Stir occasionally.

3. When potatoes are cooked, add spinach to the pan. Cover and cook for a few mins until spinach wilts but is still a nice vibrant green.

White Bean and Spinach Pasta

In keeping with my recent theme of quick and healthy meals (with greens), here is an Italian dish that is delicious in its simplicity.

INGREDIENTS

- 450g whole wheat rotini

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1/2 cup marsala, or red wine

- 1 15 oz can canellini beans, rinsed and drained

- 1 28 oz can can diced tomatoes (juice and all)

- basil (fresh or dried) to taste

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3 cups baby spinach (or more)

METHOD

1. Cook pasta in salted water until just about done (leave it a bit underdone so it can suck up the sauce).

2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5-7 mins, until translucent. Add garlic and sauet 1 min more.

3. Add wine and beans and mix well. Let bubble and reduce for a few mins. Add tomatoes and mix well. Season to taste with basil and salt and pepper.

4. Drain pasta and return to pot. Return pot to medium heat. Add in sauce and spinach. Bring to bubbling and let cook for 8-10 mins, or until pasta and spinach has fully cooked and sauce has reduced. Serve.

Channa Saag

This is something I put together in my quest to get more kale into my diet. As far as I remember, channa is the hindi word for chickpeas, and saag means spinach. This dish is packed with all sorts of nutritional goodness, and even though they protested at first, the boys ate all their greens.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 4 large tomatoes, chopped

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1 tsp coriander

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tbsp chili powder

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 3 cups chopped kale (though stems removed)

- 3 cups chopped spinach

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1/4 cup plain soy yogurt

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil on a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 12-15 mins, until nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 mins.

2. Add tomatoes and spices and bring to bubbling. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring regularly, until tomatoes have reduced to a paste.

3. Add chickpeas and kale and cook for about 5 mins, until kale is tender. Add spinach and cook 2-3 mins, until tender. Stir in lemon juice and yogurt.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adjust spices to your liking, and serve.

Risotto Spinach Soup

This is a very tasty and simple soup that really hits the spot on a cold day. It's also a great way to get some spinach in your diet. I have been missing leafy greens lately and thought some baby spinach would be good.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 lb baby spinach

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 generous cup arborio rice

- 7-8 cups veggie stock

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Rinse spinach and cook in a large pot over medium heat until wilted. Remove from pot.

2. Add oil and saute onion and garlic for 5 mins. Add rice and fry for 1 min, stirring constantly. Add in stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, lower heat and simmer until rice is tender (15 to 20 mins).

3. Add in spinach and more stock if too thick. Serve.

"Chicken" Saag

Indian night again? You better believe it! There is nothing like a warm curry over rice on a cold and rainy fall day like we had today. I, of course, made the dhal again. I swear, every time I eat this dish I understand how Esau could have sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage. The saag is also pretty fantastic. You can also use kale in this dish, but will have to cook it longer. I used fake chicken tenders that I bought today in a moment of weakness--those things are a total freakin' rip off! $3.49 for 6 ounces of "meat?" Stupid gouging grocery store!

INGREDIENTS:

- 16 oz baby spinach leaves, washed (or kale)

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- 1 cup of water

- 2 tbsp oil

- 2 bay leaves

- 5 black peppercorns

- 1 onion, chopped

- 4 small tomatoes, chopped

- 2 tsp mild curry powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 3 tbsp plain soy yogurt

- 1 pkg Yves Chicken Tenders (or 1 can of chickpeas)

METHOD:

1. Cook spinach, without water, in a large pot with a lid for 5 mins (longer if you are using kale). Remove from heat and add ginger, garlic, and 1/4 cup of the water. Blend with a handmixer (or throw in food processor). Put mixture in a bowl.

2. Heat oil and fry bay leaves and peppercorns for 2 mins. Add onions and fry until golden brown.

3. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 mins. Add curry powder, salt, and chili powder and mix. Add spinach mixture and remaining water. Simmer 5 mins.

4. Add yogurt and mix. Add "chicken" or chickpeas and heat through. Serve over basmati rice.