Days 11-15: Vegetarians on the Run

We had a very busy long weekend and weren't home much, so we've experienced being vegetarian while eating out, packing lunches, and generally being on the run. Well, I should say I've experienced that. The boys and Scott . . . well, we've revised the rules once again to "I'm cooking vegetarian," and that's the best I think I'll get.

It is an interesting experience being a vegetarian on the run . . . at the St. Paul RiverCentre (we were there with our campground for the the Sportsman Show) the choices are pretzel with cheese, fries, or nachos. At Ikea, things were looking much better: crepes filled with spinach and cheese and a salad. At a Mexican restaurant: cheese enchilada and beans. Weekend on the run = lots of cheese, lots of carbs, not really a lot of healthy eating!

But, I did manage to cook a little bit, testing recipes for a party I'm having next week. I'll share just one today (in case the guest of honor is reading), and post the rest next week.

Mango-Pineapple Chutney

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 large sweet yellow onion, minched
4 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced (or 1 tbsp. minced ginger in a jar)
1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, cored, and diced
1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes and cook until it starts to sizzle, then stir in the onion. Reduce heat to low and cover and cook until onions are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium, and add the ginger and yellow pepper until you can smell the ginger (about 2-3 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 3 1/2 cups of chutney.

This is crazy good. Eat it with a fork, put it on grilled fish or chicken, serve it over cream cheese with crackers, lick the spoon, spatula, pan, and your fingers. Yum.

Day 9: Comfort Food

My in-laws Jim and Carolyn at Owen's school play in December.

Thank you to my mother and father-in-law for some last-minute help with a crazy Tuesday night schedule of swimming lessons, PTA, yoga, hockey, and a three-mile run. (Between the four of us, we managed to take care of the kids, too.)
In between all that, we shared a delicious, comforting meal that proves you don't ever have to miss meat - if you have cheese!

It takes some time (or advance prep work), but baking it in the oven for an hour while we rushed from school to homework to swimming worked out very well.

And although I rarely serve a new recipe to guests if I haven't tasted it, I lucked out with this one. It was really good and everyone liked it. (And when I say everyone, you can by now safely assume that Noah refused to partake. He had "boiling eggs" for dinner, his term for hard-boiled eggs; so cute I can't bear to correct him.)

Spinach Quiche

2-4 tbsp. butter (adjust amount to your preference)

3 cloves garlic, chopped, or 1 1/2 tsp. garlic puree in a jar

1 small onion, chopped

10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained*

4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

6 oz. package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese

9 inch unbaked deep dish pie crust**

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt

fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter over medium heat and saute garlic and onion until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach and mushrooms, and season with a few grinds of pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.

Whisk together eggs and milk, and stir in salt, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, and all the feta. Pour into the pastry shell and gently stir to make sure it combines. (It will seem like it is going to overflow.)

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center (mine took the full 55 minutes). Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

* I had some extra kale I wanted to use up, so I steamed it, chopped finely, and used that instead of the spinach. Swiss chard or any dark greens would work. Next time I might add some roasted red peppers too.

** I distrusted the recipe's directions to put the quiche filling in the shell unbaked. So I baked it half way first. The edges of my quiche were very dark brown, but not burned, and the crust cooked on the bottom, so it worked out. All depends on your risk tolerance, I guess.

We love you Jim and Carolyn, and we're so glad you live here!

Day 3: Eat Plants

Michael Pollan's mantra from In Defense of Food (which I admit I haven't read because I know that what's in there will turn me vegetarian, or even vegan, for sure, and I've been prolonging the inevitable) is quoted often:

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

I've had a lot of fun rediscovering the foods that are plants or are derived from plants. Most of the best stuff, actually - all beans, all grains, nuts, olives, oils, vinegars, herbs, fruits, vegetables - and that is making meal planning fun. (There's an episode of Top Chef where the team that chose plants over animal products won the challenge - by making basically a fruit salad!)

Today I found myself out for an impromptu lunch with my in-laws at Keys. Hmm, not exactly quasi-vegan, but since I am eating eggs I figured I could manage. I ordered a black bean veggie burger (sadly, hold the pepper jack), and was delighted to recall that mayo is made with eggs, oil, and vinegar. Then came the sides. I wanted soup (all cream and meaty options), was offered celery and carrots (um, no), and opted instead for tater tots. They are made from plants! It was totally delicious.

However, I'm definitely not following Pollan's advice of "not too much." (See above, tater tots). I also had a giant plate of tonight's yummy offering: Tofu Keema.*

Tofu Keema

16 oz. firm tofu
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. curry powder
14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes with their juice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 fresh jalepeno, diced
2 tbsp each chopped cilantro, basil, and mint, mixed together
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked jasmine rice

Drain tofu and cut into very small dice. Heat oil in a large skillet (with cover) over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until onion is golden brown. Add cumin and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. Add tofu and curry powder and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 15 minutes (add veggie stock if you want it saucier). Add peas and jalepenos, and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until heated through. Serve over rice and sprinkle with herbs.

*I had to look up "keema" - it means minced meat, so I think this recipe name is pretty funny. I thought it was a bit underseasoned; the addition of the herbs is mine because I thought it needed more flavor. I also added red pepper flakes to my plate as I didn't think it was hot enough. If you like your curry very spicy, add more at that step. Scott and I liked this, but Owen gave it a 5 on a 10 point scale.