Herb-Scalloped Potatoes

Before I went vegan, I used to love those boxed scalloped potatoes. And up until I discovered this magnificent recipe, I was checking the ingredients on all of those creamy potato boxes hoping that maybe, just maybe, there would be a way to recreate it. It never dawned on me that it's possible to make scalloped potatoes from scratch! And then, Veganomicon came in to my life and I discovered a scalloped potatoes recipe that is just as delicious and creamy as the kind mom used to make. I make this side a lot, and I think if you give it a try, you will too! Mmm Mmm Mmm!

Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe With Rotelle

Here's another one from Veganomicon. Tonight is only the second time I've ever made this recipe but it was thoroughly enjoyed both times so I thought I'd share. Perhaps my favorite part of this recipe is the tempeh-fennel seed combination. It's awesome and it reminds me of the sausage on these frozen pizzas I used to eat way back in the day. I think I'll make a pizza sometime using tempeh prepared in the same way it is in this recipe. It's phenomenal!!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. spiral pasta

Spicy fennel tempeh:

1 15 oz. package tempeh, cubed

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. vegetable broth

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 tbsp. fennel seeds

1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Broccoli rabe:

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 bunch broccoli rabe (1/2-3/4 pound), tough stems trimmed, chopped coarsely

2-3 tbsp. white wine, water, or vegetable broth

2 tsp. red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Boil water and cook pasta. Drain and toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Keep covered in a large bowl or the cooking pot. While the pasta is boiling, prepare the tempeh and broccoli rabe.

Prepare the tempeh

1. Place the tempeh in a large, nonstick skillet. In a measuring cup, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, oregano, and red wine vinegar. Pour over the tempeh, stir, and cook over medium heat until the liquid starts to simmer. Cover and steam the tempeh for 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

2. Transfer the tempeh to a bowl and crumble about half of the cubes with the back of the spoon.

3. Wipe down the skillet to remove any leftover tempeh sauce, return the skillet to medium heat, and add 2 tbsp. of oil. Add the tempeh and stir-fry for 4 - 5 minutes, until it begins to brown. Remove from the heat, add to the pasta, and keep covered.

Prepare the broccoli rabe:

1. Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan and add the garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, stir and cook it for about a minute. Add the broccoli rabe, stir to coat it with the oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and cover the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. of the white wine and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli rabe is bright green and its stems are tender.

2. Remove the cover and continue to saute for an additional minute or two, until any excess liquid is evaporated. Pour the cooked broccoli rabe onto the tempeh and pasta, sprinkle with red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything to mix.

Spinach Linguine with Basil-Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

This is the dinner I chose to make for my family when I went home to visit last week. I didn't want to scare them away with tofu or seitan or nutritional yeast or anything crazy like that so I stuck with something EVERYONE loves. You'd have to be nuts to think that pesto is anything less than divine. However, this is a basil-cilantro pesto which I know may not be agreeable to everyone but I promise, it's awesome. I had never made it before and was nervous that the cilantro could easily take over but it really didn't. It was delicious and everyone loved it. Oh, and I got this recipe from one of my absolute favorites, Veganomicon.