VegInDC

I decided to try my hand at growing okra this summer, figuring I could make some Bindi Masala or fried okra (because Georgia). My plants have yielded me a grand total of...one (1!) okra pod so far, so I was searching for something easy to make. Of course I supplemented the single okra pod with a bag of cut frozen okra from the grocery store. Bamya traditionally is made with beef or lamb, this recipe is entirely vegan and really delicious. It also is really affordable considering the ingredients needed and the various spices/pantry staples most of us already have! 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon onion powder 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 package frozen cut okra 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can cannellini or great northern beans or chickpeas, drained 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste based on spice tolerance) 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice, or the juice of 1/2 a fresh squeezed lemon Salt and Pepper, to taste In a large saucepan, ...

 I had some leftover kale from making my African Peanut stew this week. I was looking for recipes that would feature the kale and other pantry staples so I didn't have to get anything special. It was really delicious! 

  In honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, we had a delicious meal using foods from the Americas. We made the meal with ingredients we already had in the house, but next time we will be more mindful to have succotash and maybe something including pumpkin! We also realize that the finished picture should have had some tomatoes from our garden on top for color. Everything is a work in progress. Three bean chili (with peppers, pinto, kidney and black beans.) Yellow grits with vegan butter and skillet cornbread. The skillet cornbread recipe is below, it's my new favorite way to make cornbread. 

Traditional dal often has cream and ghee, so its not a vegan dish. However, I recently found a good recipe online that I have adapted to suit our own tastes. This dish goes really well over some basmati rice and a side of naan. Top it with some coconut based sour cream as well for a cooling effect.

It is a southern tradition to eat black eyed peas and collard greens on New Years. I decided to go the easy route and used canned beans and greens. If I was going to use dry beans, I would have used the slow cooker and let it work on the beans all day. 1 tablespoon olive oil  2 cloves of garlic, crushed  2 cans of black eyed peas  1 teaspoon salt  1 teaspoon Texas Pete hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce + more to taste)  1 teaspoon dried parsley  3/4 teaspoon paprika  1/2 teaspoon dried thyme  1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  1/2 teaspoon black pepper  1 can of collard greens, drained 

Fall is right around the corner, and that means fall vegetables will be plentiful! I love cooking with beets, and try to find new ways to use them in my cooking. I tweaked this recipe to add chickpeas to make it a complete meal. It would go well served with some rice or quinoa.

We eat a lot of hummus. While store bought is continent, homemade hummus is super easy and I almost always have the ingredients on hand. This recipe does not require tahini, but you could use it in place of the water.

I had never attempted enchiladas before and was surprised at the result. I would have liked them to stay together a bit better, but it's something to strive for next time!

I adapted this from Betty Goes Vegan based on some taste preferences and what I had around. Though this recipe is for a slow cooker, and it can be made on the stove easily as well, it might be quicker that way as well.

As it turns out, the title of this soup doesn't sound too appealing. It's probably the word "turnip." Anne is suffering from chest and sinus congestion and someone recently suggested to her that she should have some turnip soup. I set out to find a recipe and we loved this hearty variation. I had a hard time finding the turnip greens which are the most vitamin and antioxidant part of the vegetable, so I just stuck with spinach. I hope to be able to find those greens this summer at a farmer's market. (I checked Safeway, Giant, and Whole Foods—no dice.)

It has been terribly cold this winter. We have had a lot of soup, but I wanted something a bit different tonight. I had previously made this Herb Roasted Chicken from "Betty Goes Vegan" to a good degree of success. I had all of the ingredients except the lemon, and I wasn't about to trek out to the store on this cold night, so I adapted and was pretty pleased with the results!

It's getting cold and chili is the perfect stick-to-your-ribs meal to make for a group. I don't usually use TVP (textured vegetable protein) in chili, but I had some and wanted a hardier meal.

Anne and I recently captained the weekly oneg at our synagogue, Adat Shalom in Bethesda, MD.  Of course we did it vegan, so I decided to make chickpea "tuna" salad. It came out quite well, and I thought I'd post the recipe.  I had to make four large bowls, so this is my best shot at a smaller quantity, but adjust with more seasoning if you need it!

Inspired by this recipe , this take on dal is quick and tasty. I used vegetable bouillon because I didn't have vegetable broth, but either way is better than just using water to cook the lentils.

In honor of the big game, I made a pot of my regular, go to chili. This recipe is very simple and flexible. Add more veggies if you want and adjust the seasonings to taste. Using fake meat is also totally optional--sometimes I make it with, sometimes I leave it out.

Anne wasn't feeling too well today, so we decided soup was the best course of action for healing. Luckily I picked up a slow cooker/crockpot for only $10 at a Black Friday sale at Macy's. This recipe is courtesy of Savvy Vegetarian.  If you don't have a slow cooker, check out the link above for a version of this recipe that uses a pot on the stove. If you do have a slow cooker, much of the preparation time is spent in the beginning of this recipe.

Green bean casserole is not something with which I am too familiar.  I do know that the easy way of preparing involves pre-made cream soup, but that doesn't sound too appealing to me. I googled around today and came across a few recipes here and here . I decided to take some parts from each of these, and I am pleased with the results. This recipe can be made the day before and warmed in the oven before eating. Make sure you wait to add the fried onions until you are ready to bake.

Yesterday was probably the coldest day of the season so far. When I got home I was craving something warm, but easy and quick to prepare. Luckily, I had a package of pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe's. I found some recipes online for a lentil/rice "meat"loaf and decided to try them.  If you don't have pre-cooked lentils on hand this is still very easy, but it will take a bit longer to prepare. A note on the seasonings: you really can be creative and do what you like here. I used marjoram and basil, but you can also try different combinations. Taste the mixture before baking to make sure the lentils are flavorful, but you really can't go wrong.

Continuing my cooler weather cravings, tonight I made Chana Masala (curried garbanzo beans). This is the ultimate stick to your ribs food, and its adapted from this recipe here . It is also great the next day, so be sure to make a nice large batch. I served it tonight with some rice.

Chili is the ultimate cold weather food. The past few days (with the exception of Saturday at DC VegFest ) have been decidedly cooler. With the same regularity of the leaves changing, my palate changes this time of year as I find myself craving something a little spicy and warming. Stay tuned for some other fall favorites--pumpkin etc, to come! This recipe incorporates quinoa to add even more protein. I don't like making chili with fake meat because I don't think its needed. The beans, tomatoes and quinoa are delicious together, and very filling.