Squashapalooza

Last year, around this time, I went in on a wagon full of squash with my neighbor. Unfotunately, I didn't get to actually experience picking out the squash (she went without me) and I didn't have any idea what to do so much squash. I roasted and pureed quite a bit of it, but I also ended up composting a lot of it because I just couldn't get motivated to do the work.

However, since then, I've been dreaming of sqaush and looking forward to trying it again this year. So, with dreams of building a root cellar dancing in my head, I counted down the days until the end of the local farm season. My dreams were nearly dashed by an early snow storm that dropped 20 inches on us in the middle of October, but the good folks at Munson Farm knew the storm was coming, harvested as much squash as possible, and saved it from the freeze. So, Saturday Kathy and I headed down there to collect some squash. While we didn't get quite the deal we got last year(they, understandably had less squash to work with this year), we still managed to get a loaded up wagon full for $99. How big was the wagon? Huge. We ended up with 35 squash each: cinderella pumpkin, lumina, white pumpkin, delicata, buttercup, acorn, spaghetti, butternut, blue pumpkin, banana squash, carnival squash, cheese pumpkin, musquee de provence pumpkin, and a few French heirloom varieties (like a pink one with warts) whose names I can't recall.
I worried about the ability of my little Saturn to get all that squash home (we were riding low), but we made it and I managed to move them from the trunk to the floor of my garage (I cut the piles of bicycles out of the picture above) while I prepare the pantry.

So, stay tuned for all kinds of squash in all kinds of ways.

Pumpkin Penne

When I found out I was pregnant, Josh's mom gifted us with a subscription to Parents magazine. If you know anything about this publication, then you know that we aren't exactly their target demographic. It's a mainstream magazine with fairly traditional politics and articles that explain why you should be careful because that frozen meal isn't as healthy as the packaging claims. Ahem.

That said, every month I feel compelled to read it. Often they have cute ideas for craft projects and sometimes creative ways of styling food for kid's parties or packed lunches. Recently, there was a really interesting excerpt on introducing solids that focused on veggies and a much quicker introduction schedule--a technique that's supposed to instill a love of veggies. Anyway, in the same issue, they had a quick weeknight dinner recipe: pumpkin penne. Josh immediately expressed an interest in it, so, after a long day of writing, I went about veganizing it. It turned out pretty good and, along with some cranberry sauce that's been in our freezer since last T-day, it made for a nice early thanksgiving-type meal.
Pumpkin Penne
Adapted from Parents Magazine

1 lb. Penne
1 T coconut oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup soy milk
1 heaping T. cornstarch
1 can pumpkin puree
1/4 heaping cup of nutritional yeast
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t cayenne
1/8 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1/2 t fresh coarse-ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Cook penne according to package directions. Heat oil in sauce pan, add shallots, and saute until they are just starting to turn brown. While cooking the shallots, whisk together cornstarch and soy milk. Once shallots are done, add soy milk mixture, veggie broth, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add spices and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (or do so individually). Pour over penne. Mix in flat-leaf parsley and serve.

Vegan Babies Love...

...Sweet Potatoes

...Pumpkin

...and Kale!

Chickpea Noodle Soup with Heels of Rye

I was always one of those people who could honestly and rightfully say that I very rarely get sick, but such boasting now seems to be very much a thing of the past. Since I discovered I was pregnant just over a year or so ago, I've been sick four or five times. Between that and the gestational diabetes and the recurring mastitis, I'm pretty sure this kid is trying to kill me (I knew the resemblance to Hitchcock must be some kind of omen).

The good news is that an early freeze has made soup seem perfect. I love soup and living in a place where there are actually seasons makes soup all the more pleasing. So, when I came down with the crud a week or two after the boys did, I knew that chicken noodle soup was in order. I'm sure that this recipe is just an amalgamation of others out there; in fact, I remember seeing Happy Herbivore use chickpeas in one she made last year or so, and Isa also has them in her recipe. But, I threw this together quickly (adding everything that I vaguely remember hearing has healing properties) and thought it turned out good enough to post. Also, a word of warning: I'm not sure why (probably the boatloads of pepper), but this soup immediately made me break out in a sweat and my fever broke later that night. So, I guess that's good?
Chickpea Noodle Soup
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 large stalk of celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
6 cups water
2 T Better than Bouillon No Chicken
1 piece of kombu
1 bay leaf
1 T white miso
1 T dried parsley (though I'd use fresh if you've got it)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
8 oz pasta, slightly undercooked
Lots of fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Saute onion, celery, and carrots in a small amount of olive oil over medium high heat until the onions start to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute for a minute more. Add water and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and add bouillon, kombu, bay leaf, and miso. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add chickpeas and pasta. Cook for 5-10 more minutes, then add parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve with homemade rye bread (thanks Peter Reinhardt!).

Weeknight Mulligatawny

Last week, the temperatures here were beginning to drop (and rise and drop...) and I was in the mood for soup. I love soup. Almost any kind. But, mulligatawny is one of my favorites and, for some reason, people have come to associate it with me. After a long-ish day of prepping and teaching and performing teacherly tasks, I was hungry and looking to eat in as little time as possible. So, I through together this quick version of mulligatawny out of the items we happened to have left in the fridge in the days leading up to payday.
Speedy Quick Mulligatawny
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 T flour
1 T curry
1 t crushed red pepper
1 t salt
2 T tomato paste
1/3 cup mango chutney
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drains
1 bunch of beet greens, rinsed and chopped

In a small amount of oil, saute onion, carrot, and celery over medium high heat until onions are translucent. Add flour and spices and cook for 1 more minute. Add broth, tomato paste, and chutney. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and add beet greens. Serve with fresh ground pepper and some nooch. And, if you have it, some fresh cilantro is nice.

The Rebellion: Vegan Pizza in South Denver

Last week, we made a trip down to Denver to pick up a newly refinished record cabinet. What started out as a quick trip to get the furniture turned into a group of us trying out a new pizza place I discovered online, getting the cabinet, shopping at the fanciest Goodwill I've ever seen, a stop at the punk rock flea market, and hanging out at Suburban Home Records to celebrate their 14th anniversary (check out the Drunk Dial hotline). It was a lovely day and it was made all the more lovely by the discovery of decent vegan pizza in the Denver area (City O' City just isn't my speed).

We ordered an extra large Hawaiian pizza, onion rings, and bread sticks for around $22. The Hawaiian pizza had wonderful sauce, FYH cheese, Yves Canadian Bacon, and pineapple. The crust was perfect, neither thick nor thin, and they put on just the right amount of cheese. I've often found the cheese to be the deal breaker in vegan pizza. Either there's too much and it acquires a weird consistency or there's too little and and you might as well just throw some veggies on top of a piece of bread. But, not at The Rebellion:
Plus, you have to love a storefront that looks like the van from the A Team:
And, on top of all that, we have our own special parking:
It's like a little slice of vegan heaven in the midst of South Denver. Unfortunately, it's take-out only right now, so unless you live in the neighborhood, you have to find somewhere else to eat. but, there just so happens to be a park around the corner and several lovely thrift stores and mid-century modern consignment stores down the street. I might have found my favorite 6 block area in Denver.

Taco Salad: Comfort Food in a Bowl

One of the most comforting meals that I grew up with is taco salad. Now, admittedly, it had a far racier (ahem) name when I was growing up, but I blame it on the lack of political correctness that defined much of the late 70's and 80's. Despite such a questionable history, though, when burritos weren't on the menu--a rarity indeed--taco salad was. In hindsight, I recognize that this salad is just a deconstructed, dressed-up version of the burritos my mom so frequently served, but there's something about Fritos that changes this dish into something spectacular. My mom served her burrito filling over Fritos and topped it with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Mine is served on top of a bed of chopped Romaine hearts, a layer of Fritos, and topped with chipotle ranch and cilantro (and, usually, fresh diced tomatoes). Josh texted me the other day when he took leftovers to say that he thinks this might be his favorite food ever.

I concur.

Taco Salad Filling
1 block of tempeh (crumbled in the food processor)
1/2 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 small zucchini, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-ish cups of water
1 heaping tbsp. chili powder (I sometimes add more depending on the strength of the chili powder)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. hot paprika
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 can of refried beans

In a small bowl, mix together spices. Set aside. Next, in a soup pan or large skillet, saute onion, pepper, and zucchini in a little bit of oil over medium high heat until onion turns translucent and all the veggies are beginning to brown. Add tempeh and saute until it too browns a little. Add spices and saute for a minute more, then add water and scrape any cooked on spices off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add tomatoes and corn. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken and the water is mostly cooked off. Stir in refried beans and heat through.

Serve over romaine and Fritos and top with whatever you like. This is particularly good with chipotle ranch, but salsa and guacamole are delicious toppers to.