VegInDC

  Way back in 2013, I had a recipe for a gluten free, vegan challah. It was fair, but it was a pain to make, and the end result was always disappointing. Fast forward to 2022, and I was looking for new inspo for Friday nights, using the then new, Just Egg. This recipe is also a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but the end result is a moist, tasty challah that often doesn't last until Saturday morning. The trick is letting the dough rise in the oven (OFF) but after the oven has been warm for a bit.  Also--it can be baked in any bread pan, but I like baking it in the pan where it takes the shape of a traditional braided challah .  2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or one packet) 1 teaspoon sugar 3/4 cup warm water 2 cups gluten-free oat flour 1/4 cup gluten-free rice flour (I prefer white, but brown works) 1/2 cup gluten-free potato starch 1/2 cup gluten-free tapioca starch 1 tablespoon xanthan gum 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup neutral oil, like v...

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, ...

This was Anne's go to order at our favorite Thai restaurant in North Carolina. I don't know why I never tried to make this before, but I found some inspiration in a cookbook we have had for ages, Real Vegetarian Thai. I had all the ingredients on hand except for some fresh peanuts which would have been the garnish on top. 1 package extra firm or firm tofu, drained, and pressed 1 14-15 oz can unsweetened coconut milk 3 tablespoons red curry paste **check ingredients to be sure it doesn't have fish sauce 2 tablespoons vegetable broth 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon soy or tamari sauce 1/4-1/2 cup organic creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup trimmed string beans, in about 2 inch pieces 10-15 Thai basil leaves 1/4 cup or so crushed peanuts for garnish Pre-heat oven to 375. Drain, press and cube your tofu in 1/2inch cubes (or whatever shape you like!) Arrange on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.  Bake the tofu for 20 minutes or so, until they are golden. Set...

 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! 

  A few years ago I was looking for something different for dinner and my wife loves anything peanut AND she loves African food. I went down a rabbit hole looking for some sort of peanut stew. I ended up with this recipe, which is always a hit with everyone who tries it. The key Ingredients 1 small can of whole tomatoes (about 14 ounces) 1 small white onion 4 cloves of garlic 1 inch piece of ginger 1 tray extra firm tofu, drained/pressed 1 teaspoon paprika 1.5 teaspoons cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste) 2 cups vegetable broth 1/2 cup smooth, organic peanut butter salt and pepper to taste 3 heaping cups chopped kale roasted peanuts, for garnish (my wife says, "Only Georgia peanuts!") lime wedges, for garnish (and squeezed for taste!) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cube the tofu into approximately 1 inch cubes then place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roast for 40 minutes or so, shaking pan every ten minutes or so to get the tofu to brown evenly.  Meanwhi...

  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. 

Our local Senoia Farmer's Market had a vendor this summer who was practically giving away cucumbers. I got a whole giant box for $20. I needed to figure out what to do with all of these cukes! I pickled some using my own recipe here . But I wanted to try something different. Since it was the summer, it was the perfect time for a cold noodle dish with tofu. This is really easy to come together and make with pantry staples. The noodles are gluten free and low cost from Costco.

We are in the throes of that time of year: When it's cold outside, dark, and everyone seems to be sick with something. I recently was fighting a sore throat and had a hankering for my mom's chicken soup (but, with no animal bodies in it.) So I found a bunch of recipes and combined a few that seemed to really hit the sweet spot. Also, Anne has had COVID for over a week and this is the only thing she will eat. 

Last year I started growing plants inside using an Aerogarden . It was a lot of fun! But all of a sudden I had an unwieldy crop of Thai basil on my hands, and I didn't exactly know what to do with it. I knew it is often added to Thai stir fry dishes, so I did some searching and found a few that I liked and it morphed into this dish, which Anne has told me is her new favorite. Helpful hint: you can switch out the vegetables and try different combinations. To date I have tried, green beans, red bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Without the rice, this takes less than 30 minutes from prep to done, so it is easy to put into the weekly rotation!  Throw some pineapple on the side or on top for fun.

I love delicious bread. The problem is, because I am the only gluten eater in the house, if I buy or bake a loaf, I end up eating all of it myself! Time to share with friends who can tolerate their gluten. I adapted a few recipes I found online to make this loaf just the way I like it.  It is easy, doesn't require any expertise and most of the time is spent letting the dough rise on its own.

For every Jewish Holiday there is at least one (or maybe two!) good kugels (casseroles). For Passover, I like to make spinach kugel and potato kugel. For Rosh Hashanah, a sweet kugel is definitely called for to ring in a sweet new year! This recipe is adapted from a few different online sources and reminds me of the kugel my mom would make for Rosh Hashanah lunch. It is sweet, crunchy, and even more flavorful warmed up the next day. The hardest thing for me to find every year are appropriate noodles that are both gluten free and vegan. The easiest thing to use are lasagna noodles by Tinkyada broken up into pieces. I have also found gluten free Manischewitz egg-less noodles made from potato starch. In a pinch any noodle will do!

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 

This is one of Anne's favorite sauces--she likes it over Gardein chicken, tofu, or just on its own! I have come up with the best combination of flavors to make a delicious sauce that can store well in the freezer too.

Quinoa, while seemingly a grain is actually a seed. It makes a great protein source during Passover and year round. This pilaf is a simple and tasty addition with Sephardic roots as it incorporates apricots and pistachios.

What is Passover without Matzah Ball soup? Traditionally, matzah ball soup is anything but vegan. Served in chicken broth with matzoh balls full of egg and chicken fat. But nothing is too daunting for me to try and make it vegan (and gluten free). And so I did. The secret here is to bake the matzoh balls instead of trying to cook them on the stove in the soup or water where they would simply fall apart. They also reheat really easily in the microwave so these can be made ahead of time and then re-heated and placed into the soup.

This recipe comes courtesy of a family friend who passed it onto my mom years ago. The trick (secret?) is to use prepared potato latke mix instead of fresh potatoes. The dried potatoes soak up the liquid really well and the end result is a delicious Passover kugel.

Traditional Ashkenazi charoset contains apples, nuts, cinnamon and sweet wine. Sephardic charoset is a bit more interesting culinarily as it tends to use dried fruits and different spices for a different flavor and consistency.    Also, if you were to pick one type that is more reminiscent of the mortar used by the Israelite slaves, it would hands down be the Sephardic charoset which is stickier and more mortar like. I make both for our Seder and this specific Sephardic recipe is one my mom has adapted through the years. 

My mom has made a spinach kugel for Passover for as long as I can remember. However, I also remember that her recipe calls for a dozen eggs. This was one of my favorite Passover dishes--I loved the way the nutmeg gives it an unique flavor. I set out to veganize this a few years ago and have been very pleased with the results. If you don't want to use silken tofu in this recipe, you can try Follow Your Heart's new Vegan Egg instead. Just be sure to bake it longer, as the Vegan Egg product takes more time to set.

Anne made an unusual request the other night--she asked for an Italian dish! I was happy to oblige considering that its my favorite thing to eat and its fun to veganize recipes like this.  This recipe is easily adapted for those who can eat wheat; just make regular pasta and use regular wheat flour. I prefer the Gardein Chick'n Scallopini , so I used that, but any chicken substitute would work well here. For the Parmesan, I used Go Veggie's Parmesan Grated Topping .