Green Ingredient

Vegetarian Lasagna

2008-10-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

I made this version of the vegetarian lasagna when I went back to my parents' house... My mom loved it! She liked it so much that she wanted the recipe. I figure I'd post it here for recipe sharing, too. I actually skipped the bechamel sauce part of the recipe and made it up with extra tomato sauce and spinach.

PREPARATION TIME AND COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 hours
BAKING TIME: 45 minutes
YIELD: 1 tray of lasagna, 30 cm x 20 cm x 8 cm (12 inches x 8 inches x 3 inches)

This lasagna has five distinct ingredients: pasta, tomato sauce, bechamel sauce, spinach, and cheese.

Pasta:
about fifteen 17 cm x 17 cm (7-inch x 7-inch) sheets of instant lasagna (400 g, or about 14 ounces)

Tomato Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1 cup (250 ml) chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried marjoram
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 medium eggplant, diced into 0.5 cm (1/4-inch) cubes
3 medium peppers diced into 1.25 cm (1/2-inch) quarters
24 medium tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and chopped, or six 250g (9-ounce) tins Italian tomatoes, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes (keep the juice)
1/2 cup (125 ml) black olives, chopped
2 tablespoons (40 ml) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (40 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 ml) melted butter
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) sifted plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) warm milk

Spinach:
1 large bunch of spinach leaves, separated, stalks removed, washed, blanched in boiling water, and drained

Cheese:
375 (13 ounces) grated cheddar cheese
250 g (9 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese
60 g (2 ounces) grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon (20 ml) grated parmesan cheese, reserved for garnish

To cook the tomato sauce

Heat the olive oil over moderate heat in a large, heavy-based saucepan. When hot, add the asafoetida. Saute momentarily; then add the fresh basil, oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, and black pepper and saute for another few seconds.
Add the eggplant cubes and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and, stirring occasionally, cook them along with the eggplant pieces until both are softened (about 3 or 4 minutes).
Add the tomatoes and olives and stir well. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat slightly, and cook uncovered, stirring often, for about 1/2 hour or until lit reduces and thickens. Add tomato paste, salt, sugar, and parsley, mix well, and remove from the heat.

To cook the Bechamel Sauce

Place the melted butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat and stir in the nutmeg, black pepper, and flour and saute until the mixture darkens slightly (about 1/2 minute). Remove from the heat.
Gradually pour in the warm milk, stirring with a whisk until the sauce is smooth. Return to moderate heat and stir until it boils. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to a thick-custard consistency (about 5 minutes).

To assemble the lasagna

Combined all 3 cheeses (except the reserved parmesan) in a bowl. Divide the tomato sauce and bechamel sauce into 3. Divide the cheese and spinach into 2. Divide the pasta into 5.
Spread one-third of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking tray. Place one-fifth of the pasta sheets on top. Spread on one-third of the bechamel sauce then another one-fifth of the pasta. Spread one-half o the spinach leaves; then sprinkle half the grated cheese on top.
Repeat this process twice more and you should end up with the bechamel sauce on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place the lasagna in the top of the pre-heated 20 degree C / 390 degrees F oven and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the top is slightly golden and the pasta "gives" when you stick a knife in it. It's best to let the lasagna set for at least another hour before serving, as this "plumps" the pasta. Cut into squares and server.

Happy Veggie Garden (寬心園)

2007-05-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Another restaurant discovery! This restaurant is in a Chinese shopping plaza, right next to 99 Ranch Market. The Chinese food is pretty authentic and decent.

Happy Veggie Garden (寬心園)

1015 S. Nogales St., Suite 127A
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

(626) 810-2298

Open 7 days a week
11:00am - 9:00pm (Sun - Thur)
11:00am - 9:20 pm (Fri - Sat)

Note: Their afternoon break is Monday through Thursday, 3:15pm to 4:30pm

Yeast White Bread

2007-05-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure this is the last post of the day, since I haven't been trying out that many new recipes. I also haven't had the time and energy to make new posts, too, if it wasn't a holiday today.

This is my first attempt to make anything out of yeast, and it turned out really successful! I have gotten this recipe from a local vegetarian potluck gathering by the beach. The lady who brought the bread also brought printed recipes to share :) Wish I still remember her name though.

I know, I know...This is a simple white bread recipe, but it goes a long way. Feel free to experiment with whole grain flour, etc.

PREPARATION TIME: 2-4 hours
BAKING TIME: 20 minutes
YIELDS: 2 medium sized round loaves of bread

1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (1 packet) yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm water (if it burns your finger, it's too hot)
5 1/2 cups white flour (experiment with whatever types and combination you like. The lady has mostly white wheat, with some added oat bran and wheat germ for interest.)

Add sugar and yeast to warm water and let dissolve.
Gradually add salt and flour to liquid and mix thoroughly until dough pulls from sides of bowl.
Turn onto floured surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes
Let dough rest in bowl for a few minutes (I let it sit for 10 minutes) then knead again for about 3 more minutes. The dough should be bouncy and smooth.
Put dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn over once to grease the top
Cover with towel and let rise until double in bulk, which would take about 1 to 3 hours (mine took a bit under 2 hours)
Punch dough down, knead briefly then shape into 2 rounds
Place on cookie sheet or baking stone and let rise about another hour
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Pour 2-3 cups boiling water into a shallow roasting pan and position on oven bottom. (I skipped this step)
Put the cookie sheet or baking stone with bread on top on the rack above water and bake for 20 minutes
Turn off and allow bread to remain for 5 more minutes
Remove and let it cool.

Blueberry Oatmeal Scone

2007-05-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, two posts in one day, after months of no posts? This is too good to be true! Somebody pinch me!

I got this recipe from a vegan website. It was one of those recipes that were submitted to postpunkkitchen.com (or theppk.com) by the vegan community. I happened to have some blueberries, thus the blueberry oatmeal scones...

The following is the way I made it because of the ingredients I had available at the time. If you would like to see the original recipe, please take a look here (originally submitted to ppk.com by Kirsten Holliday).

I strongly recommend to use organic dairy product if you do use them. Believe it or not, the dairy cows actually suffer from filthy environment and usually would be abused quite a lot just because we want their milk. Organic dairy farms are usually family-run, and their way of raising the cows are more humane. Plus, organic milk is more healthy for you! Who knows what the dairy cows have been injected with...

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
BAKING TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: 8 big scones

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cups vegan butter substitute, such as Earth Balance or even non-dairy margarine. It's important to use a butter sub rather than oil for texture. (I have used organic dairy butter)
1/2 cup organic plain yogurt
1/2 cup blueberries
3/4 cup plain Silk soy milk
3/4 cup rolled oats
some extra cane sugar

Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. add in your butter / butter substitution, softened but not melted. Mix until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
Combine the yogurt, blueberries, and soy milk and mix well. Add all these at once to dry mixture we made at step 1.
Add the oats and stir the whole thing till just moistened.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a circle about 10 or so inches in diameter. Cut into 8 triangles (like you're cutting a pizza). If you are not trying to make the scones into any particular shape, just roughly divide the dough into 8 pieces and skip to the next step.
Place the scones onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with the extra cane sugar.
Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

Source: theppk.com

Sweet Corn Bread

2007-05-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was lucky to have found this recipe. It was my first try in making corn bread! It turned surprisingly well. I have shared with some of my friends and they really like it! Here it is with some modification -

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
BAKING TIME: 35 minutes
YIELDS: about 12 servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup yellow corn meal (I have used whole grain yellow corn meal)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 units of Ener-G Egg Replacer (3 teaspoons of egg replacer powder + 4 table spoons warm water, mix thoroughly)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
3 tablespoons butter or vegan butter (I used butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 9x13" or 8-inch square baking pan with some extra vegetable/canola oil. Skipping greasing the baking pan if you are using a non-stick pan
Combine and mix all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt) in a medium bowl.
Make sure you have mixed the 2 units of egg replacer before you proceed to the next step.
Combine milk, egg replacer, vegetable oil/canola oil, and butter in a small bowl. Mix well.
Add the content of the small bowl to the flour mixture. Stir just until blended.
Pour the blended mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Source: VeryBestBaking.com

Dish Cafe (Vegetarian/Vegan)

2006-07-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

The restaurant that I'm featuring in this post is in Santa Barbara, California. My boss and co-workers took me to this little restaurant on my first day of work. Their specialty is organic food! I like this place also because they have a lot of vegetarian and vegan options on their menu. They also offer food with a lot of international flavors. Here is a little quote from their menu:

"At Dish Cafe, we believe in bringing together an ecleectic menu of healthy foods from around the world. We use organic/unsprayed produce, fruits and whole grains whenever possible . . ."

Some of the things from the menu:
Egg rolls, soups, sandwiches (some are made with plantain! must try!), sweet potatos fries (apparently their specialty!), burritos, salad, burgers, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.

Dish Cafe

5722 Calle Real
Goleta, CA 93117

Phone: (805) 964-5755

Open everyday except Sunday
Monday - Saturday (11:30am - 9:00pm)

Happy Family Vegetarian Restaurant (欣園素菜館)

2006-06-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite Chinese vegetarian restaurants in California. Needless to say, they serve excellent Chinese cuisine with vegetable dishes or substitute soy meat. Need I say more?

Please note that this restaurant is divided into two parts. The 1st floor serves regular non-vegetarian Chinese menu, and the 2nd floor serves vegetarian food.

Happy Family Vegetarian Restaurant (欣園素菜館)

http://www.happyfamilyveg.com

608 N. Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park, CA 91754

(626) 282-8969

Baked Pepper (Vegetarian / Vegan option available)

2006-06-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

With the basmati rice recipe or just about any rice recipe, you can make stuffed baked pepper with the rice. I have made stuffed baked peppers with some leftover rice (which was later made into fried rice to stuff the pepper). It's an easy dish if you have the rice already!

BAKING TIME: about 30-40 minutes 3-5 bell peppers (or enough peppers to contain your rice)
3-5 cups of rice (cooked and flavored, such as tomato rice with herbs)
Some cheese

Shreded or sliced mozzarella cheese AND/OR
Parmesan cheese AND/OR
Feta cheese AND/OR
Soy cheese

Herb seasoning of your choice (parsley flakes, oregano)

Preheat the oven to 355 degree F
Wash and cut the peppers in halfs
Start stuffing the rice into the bell pepper halves until filled.
Sprinkle the cheese or the toppings of your choice (black peppers, herb seasonings, etc.) on the top of the stuffed bell pepper halves
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the peppers seem tender enough to eat

Tomato Rice with Herbs (Vegan / Vegetarian)

2006-06-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

This is yet another recipe from my trusted cookbook by Kurma Dasa. I have never attempted to make rice the non-Chinese way, and this dish turned out pretty good for me today :) I made this dish because we had a lot of tomatoes at home that need to be used...

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"This simple combination of rice, herbs, and tomato with an Italian flavour can also be used as an alternative stuffing for baked peppers."

PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25-35 minutes
YIELD: enough for 4 persons

1 cup (250 ml) basmati or other long-grain white rice
1 3/4 cups (435 ml) water
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika
1 teaspoon (20 ml) tomato paste
2 tablespoons (40 ml) fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1 cup (250 ml) firm tomatoes, cut into 1.25 cm (1/2-inch) cubes
2 tablespoons (40 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley

Wash, drain, and dry the rice.
Bring the water, salt, paprika, tomato paste, and basil slowly to a boil in a 2-litre/quart saucepan over moderate heat.
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick 2-litre/quart saucepan over moderately low heat. Saute the asafoetida in the hot ghee. Add the rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until the rice grain turn whitish.
Pour in the boiling water. stir, raise the heat to high, and bring the water to a full boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and gently simmer, without stirring, for 15-20 minutesor until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender and flaky.
Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to steam for 5 minutes with the lid on. Finally, fold in the tomatoes and fresh parslye and serve immediately.

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Ingrid's experience with this dish:

I didn't have any fresh parsley, so I used dried parsley flakes and some chopped basils to mix in at the end instead. I'm sure that the rice would be more flavorful with fresh parsley though.
Again, I used grounded black pepper instead of asafoetida powder.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)

(Keywords: vegan, vegetarian, rice dish, main entree, Indian, Italian, basmati rice, tomato)

Okra in Tomato Sauce (Vegan / Vegatarian)

2006-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe from Mr. Kurma Dasa. I have never actually cooked okra before (I usually just boil it for a minute and dip them in soy sauce), so this is new for me.

"Okra releases a glutinous sap when cut, and sweats when salted, so dry it thoroughly before cooking and add salt after the cooking is completed. Okra is a summer vegetable. When selecting okra look for small pods. If the pointed end snaps off, it is fresh. Serve this dish, which originates in Trinidad, as an entree or side dish."

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes to 30 minutes
YIELD: enough for 6 people

500 g (a little over 1 pound) young okra pods
3 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped into small cubes
1 medium hot green chili, seeded and chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt

Wash the okra, dry them with paper towels, and cut off the stem ends. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and saute the okra until lightly browned sugar all over, (about 10 minutes). Lift out the okra with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a sauce pan.
Saute the asafoetida in the oil remaining in the pan, add the peppers and chili, and stir-fry until they become soft.
Add the tomatoes and sugar and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes break down.
Pour the tomato mixture over the okra, stir to mix, and cook covered until the okra is tender (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle in the salt and serve hot.

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Ingrid's Notes and Modification:

I added some grounded black paper instead of asafoetida powder (I still can't find any place that sells such seasoning).

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)

(Keywords: vegan, vegetarian, entree, okra, tomato)

GoVeg.com

2006-06-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

GoVeg.com has a lot of information on vegetarianism. They promote ethical animal treatment. If you are interested in becoming a vegetarian, they also provide ways to make the transition. I recommend watching the video clip "Meet your Meat", which is available on their homepage, too. Just be aware that this clip has some really cruel content in unethical animal treatment, so be prepared.

Herb Biscuit (Vegetarian)

2006-05-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

This is a modification of regular biscuits. I have only added dried parsley flakes and chopped fresh rosemary, but you can also be advanturous and add different kind of herbs.

BAKING TIME: 15 minutes
YIELDS: about 10 regular size biscuits

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Preheat the oven with 350 degree F
Chop the fresh rosemary into small pieces
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, butter, rosemary, and parsley flakes with 2 knives as for pastry
Add milk and mix
Roll out the dough to about an inch thick
Cut the dough in rounds, preferably with a cone (like a round shaped cookie cutter). Use a cup instead if you don't have one.
Brush over the top of the dough rounds with melted butter
Bake about 15 to 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Keywords: vegetarian, pastry, bread, herb, dinner roll, breakfast

Vegetarian Shoes (Brighton, United Kingdom)

2006-05-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

(No, this is not an food entry :P)

I discovered this shop that sells non-animal products such as shoes, jackets, and belts, when I was on an abroad program in the UK. It is so awesome! If you are going to England, particularly south England or Sussex area, you have to drop by this store! It's in the North Lain area. I wish there is more vegan stores like this in the US...

This is the information of the actual shop:

Vegetarian Shoes
12 Gardner Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1UP, UK
Tel: 01273 685685

10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm Wednesdays, Closed Sundays

You can visit the website for more information:

www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk

Baked Eggplants (Vegetarian/Vegan)

2006-05-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

I've tried making this for the first time a couple of days ago...It turned out pretty well (according to my parents...Personally, I'm not a eggplant lover). It makes a pretty good side dish complementing main dishes like spaghetti, or party bite-size snack. Here I have listed the basic baked eggplants and some toppings for variation. You can also use soy cheese in place of cheese and olive oil in place of butter to make this dish vegan.

(For basic baked eggplants:)

~1/4 cup olive oil
~1/4 cup butter (or oilive oil, for vegan)
~1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or crumbed soy cheese, for vegan)
1 large eggplant

Melt the butter. Mix the olive oil with butter.
Slice the eggplant to about 1-inch thick.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degree F. Lightly grease the sheet of aluminum foil.
Dipp the eggplant slices into the olive oil/butter mix, then dip the slices in the parmesan cheese. Make sure that the parmesan cheese covers the eggplant slice. Lay the slices on the aluminum foil.

(Now, if you want toppings that goes on the eggplant slices, read on. Otherwise, put the eggplants to the oven and bake for 25 minutes)

Some possible toppings include:

More parmesan cheese!
Marina sauce
Olive sauce, or olive crumbs
Bread crumbs
Mazzarella cheese slices
A little seasoning such as dried parsley or black pepper

...or use your imagination on what's good on those slices of eggplants.

Notes:

I suggest serving the eggplants when they are cooled down a bit (warm). The flavor or the topping and the parmesan cheese are more absorbed by then.

Native Foods, Costa Mesa (Vegan)

2006-05-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

My sisters were so excited when they found out about this vegan restaurant! They have a great variety of different selections of vegan food, including vegan desserts!

Native Foods (Costa Mesa branch)

2937 Bristol St.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

(714) 751-2151

http://www.nativefoods.com/

Open 11am-10pm, 7 days a week

The Wheel of Life - Vegetarian Thai Cuisine

2006-05-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

This is one of my most frequently visited vegetarian restaurant. Actually, I would say this is the only one in Irvine. Their dishes are mostly vegetarian and Thai / Chinese. The owner is very friendly. Mmmm...Thai food.

The Wheel of Life Vegetarian Thai Cuisine

14370 Culver Dr., Suite 2G
Irvine, 92604

(949) 551- 8222

http://www.wheelofliferestaurant.com/

Open 11am-9:30pm everyday (closed on Tuesdays)

Thuyen Vien Vegetarian Restaurant (Garden Grove, CA)

2006-05-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

My parents took me to this Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant. I like the food there :) As far as I can tell, most of the food there is vegan as well (We only had some pho and spring rolls, but the menu looks pretty vegan). I also liked how they were careful in adding garlic and onion. On their menu, they noted we can notify them ahead of time if we don't want garlic or onion in our food. Here's restaurant information:

Thuyen Vien Vegetarian Restaurant

11080 Magnolia Street
Garden Grove, CA 92841

(714) 638-8189

www.thuyenvien.com

Open everyday, 9am - 9pm

Cinnamon Roll (Vegetarian)

2006-05-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my roommate in college...
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Cinnamon roll (dough):
3 1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine/butter

Cinnamon Spread:
1 cup sugar/brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine/butter

Add yeast to luke warm water. Let it sit for 10 min
Add sugar, salt, flour and milk. mix well.
Add 1/4 cup margarine/butter
Mix/knead dough until smooth. Cover and let it sit for 30 min.

In the mean time...
Flatten the remaining 1/4 cup of margarine/butter on Saran-Wrap the best you can and leave it in the fridge.
Prepare the cinnamon spread. (just mix all the ingredients together until it looks like a paste)

Flatten dough onto a floured surface. (maybe 5~8mm thick)
Use the flattened margarine/butter in the fridge and place it flat onto the dough so the margarine/butter will stick onto the dough. (when you remove the saran-wrap, the margarine should remain on the dough...)
Fold dough in half, flatten, then fold it in half again (this will create "layers" of margarine in the dough)
Flatten the dough again, and add the Cinnamon Spread (you can add nuts and apples if you want)
Roll up the Dough, and cut into favorable sizes...
Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 325~350F for 30min (until it looks ready...)

(Keywords: dessert, sweet, vegetarian, pastry, bake)

Hummus (Vegan/Vegetarian)

2006-05-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is yet another recipe from Kurma Dasa's cookbook...Hey, that cookbook has recipes that are exactly of my kind of vegetarian diet. I thought it turned out pretty good when I tried cooking it the other day. Some optional ingredients are olives, sun-dreid tomatos, etc. You might also find tahini (sesame sauce) under the name "tahina". I found it in a Iranian market.

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CHICKPEA COOKING TIME: 1 to 2 hours
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
YIELD: enough for 6 persons

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
juice of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
2/3 cup (165 ml) tahini
2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil for garnish
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) paprika for garnish
1 teaspoon (5 ml) chopped fresh parseley for garnish

Drain the soaked chickpeas and place them in a saucepan with lots of water. Boil for 1 to 2 hours or until the chickpease are soft.
Drain the cooked chickpeas, reserving the water. Place the cooked and drained chickpeas, the lemon juice, salt, asafoetida, and tahini in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, adding a little reserved cooking water if required to reach a puree consistency.
Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with oilve oil, paprika, and parsley. Serve at room temperature.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)

(Keywords: vegan, vegetarian, dip, Middle Eastern)

Minestrone Soup (Vegan / Vegetarian)

2006-04-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ingrid's Notes:

This is yet another recipe from Kurma's cookbook. I tried making it today...It is such a delicious soup! (See below for the original recipe and text from the book)

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There are many varieties of this world-famous Italian soup. This one--"Minestrone alla Milanese"--is practically a meal in itself. Serve it with fresh bread and salad. For best results, start the soup well in advance of serving time and cook slowly.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 2 hours 50 minutes
YEILD: enough for 6 to 8 persons

2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1 cup (250 ml) tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) dried borlotti beans or kidney beans, soaked overnight in cold water
2 tablespoons (40 ml) chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon (20 ml) chopped fresh parsley
8 cups (2 litres) water
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 stick of celery, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium zucchinis, sliced
2 cups (500 ml) shredded cabbage
3/4 cup (185 ml) fresh peas
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (20 ml) rice-shaped pasta (Risoni) or broken spaghetti
1/2 cup (125 ml) parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute the asafoetida in the hot oil until it becomes aromatic, and then add the tomatoes, drained soaked beans, basil, parsley, and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft, stirring occasionally
Add the carrots and celery and simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add the potatoes, zucchini, cabbage, peas, salt, and pepper. Ten minutes later add the pasta. After 10 minutes, if the potato, zucchini, cabbage, and peas are tender, turn off the heat. If the soup becomes too thick, add hot water as required. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes; then add the parmesan cheese, reserving some to sprinkle on the individual soup bowls. Serve hot.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)

Corn Chowder (Vegetarian)

2006-04-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Select corn with fresh, dark-green husks and pump yellow kernels. Boil the corn in unsalted water for exactly 8 minutes, as excessive cooking toughens the corn.

PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 30-40 minutes
YIELD: enough for 6 persons

6 cups (1.5 litres) Root Vegetable Stock or water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into tiny 0.5 cm (1/4-inch) cubs
1 bay leaf
2 cups (500 ml) cooked corn kernels (about 3 medium ears of corn)
50 g (1 3/4 ounces) butter
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) black pepper
1/4/teaspoon (1 ml) nutmeg
2 tablespoons (40 ml) plain flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt, or as desired
1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream
2 tablespoons (40 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Boil the stock or water over high heat in a heavy 4-litre/quart saucepan. Add the potatoes and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to moderate and semi-cook the potatoes.
Whilst the potatoes are cooking, coarsely mince the cooked corn kernals in a food processor or blender until they are half-pureed. Add the pureed corn to the nearly cooked potatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Cover and keep hot.
rinse the saucepan, add the butter and melt over moderate heat. Add the asafoetida, pepper, nutmeg, and the flour. Cook the flour in the butter until it darkens a shade or two. Add the potato-and-corn mixture into the butter and flour whilst stirring with a whisk.
Bright the soup to a boil over moderate heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the salt, sour cream, and parsley. Serve in pre-warmed soup bowls with a spoonful of sour cream and garnish with fresh parsley.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)

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Ingrid's Notes on this recipe:

Watch out for the different kinds of sour cream in the market. Be careful not to purchase the ones with gelatin (extracted from animal tissue or bones). See the definition of gelatin on Wikipedia.
I have also served the soup with small round french bread and sour dough with the inside hollowed out. Remember to use small breads...people can't finish the whole thing if you picked a regular bowl-sized bread to serve the soup! :P
Oh, and you might be able to find "asafoetida" powder under the name "hing" in the market. I personally have never seen "asafoetida powder" being sold anywhere in the US. So try "hing".

(Keywords: vegetarian, soup, corn)

Biscuit (Vegetarian)

2006-04-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

I remembered that my sister made biscuits with this recipe last year...

BAKING TIME: 15 minutes
YIELDS: about 10 regular size biscuits

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups milk

Preheat the oven with 350 degree F
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter with 2 knives as for pastry
Add milk and mix
Roll out the dough to about an inch thick
Cut the dough in rounds, preferably with a cone (like a round shaped cookie cutter). Use a cup instead if you don't have one.
Brush over the top of the dough rounds with melted butter
Bake about 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Keywords: vegetarian, pastry, bread, dinner roll, breakfast

The Stand (Laguna Beach, CA)

2006-04-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

I went to Laguna Beach with the intention to find this other vegetarian restaurant that I read about, but it turned out that it doesn't even exist. But after asking around, the local people directed us to a take-out place for vegan and natural organic food, called "The Stand".

It is a small stand at the corner of the street, one block from the beach. They don't have indoor seating, but they do have some outdoor tables near the cashier counter. Their food ranges from burritos, sandwiches, tamales, salad, pitas, soups, shakes, vegan cookies, to even freshly squeezed organic juice (including wheat grass juice!). I liked this place because the food there was vegan. They didn't seem to use any garlic or onion because even their salsa use celery instead.

The Stand
Natural and vegan food

238 Thalia St.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

(949)494-8101

Open everyday, 7am - 7pm

Baked Cheesecake (Vegetarian)

2006-04-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
BAKING TIME: at least 1 1/4 hours
REFRIGIRATION AND SETTING TIME: 24 hours
YIELD: one 20 cm (8-inch) cheesecake

Crust
1/4 cup (60 ml) softened butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla essence
1 cup (250 ml) unbleached plain flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder

Filling
500 g (17 1/2 ounces) ricotta cheese
500 g (17 1/2 ounces) softened cream cheese
1/3 cup (85 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) sugar
2 tablespoons (40 ml) arrowroot powder, or 1 table spoon (20 ml) cornflour
1 1/3 cups (335 ml) fresh cream
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) pure vanilla essence

To prepare the crust: cream the butter and sugar and add the vanilla. Sift the flour and the baking powder. Combine the flour mixture with the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Pat it into the bottom of a buttered 25 cm (10-inch) cheesecake pan.
To prepare the filling: place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a beater until light and fluffy. Do not over-mix. Spoon the mixture into the pan on top of the uncooked crust.
Place in the middle of a pre-heated 180 degrees Celcius / 355 degrees Farenheit oven and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until lightly golden brown on top. The cake is done when the entire surface is golden brown.
Remove the cheesecake from the over; allow it to cool. Refrigerate it for at least 20 to 24 hours before serving. Decorate it with cream and fruits if desired.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)
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Ingrid's Notes:

Cornflour = Corn starch
Alternatively, I used crushed graham crackers with butter to make the crust:

2 cups (500 ml) graham cracker crumbs, coarsely ground
1/3 cup (85 ml) melted butter
To prepared the crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press the crumb mixture into the base and 2.5 cm (1-inch) up the sides of a 20 cm (8-inch) spring-form pan. Chill the base for 1/2 hour.

Happy cooking!

(Other Keywords: dairy, vegetarian, cream cheese)

Alfredo Sauce (Vegetarian)

2006-04-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm a newbie in alfredo sauce making. But it turned out pretty good :)

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes or more
YIELDS: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup or less butter
2/3 cup or more heavy cream (can be heavy whipping cream)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of pepper
fettuccine noodles, gnocchi, or any other pasta noodles

Cook the fettuccine, gnocchi, or other noodles according to the package direction. Fettuccine or pasta noodles usually takes me 12-20 minutes to cook in boiling water (with a pinch of salt). Gnocchi would take from 2-10 minutes to cook (with a pinch of salt as well). When all the gnocchis are floating on the top of the water surface, they are ready.
Heat and melt the butter in a sauce pan.
Mix the heavy cream with the melted butter in the sauce pan and start stirring to prevent burning and sticking. Turn the oven to low heat.
Add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into the sauce pan. Keep stirring until everything is mixed smoothly and blended.
Remove the sauce pan from the heat. Add the noodles into the sauce pan to toss until the noodles seem well-coated with the sauce.

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Ingrid's words of advice:

The more heavy cream, the more watery the sauce is. So you can add more heavy cream if you like more watery sauce.
Remember to use low heat and stir! You don't want to have burnt alfredo sauce...

(Other Keywords: vegetarian, dairy, main entree, main dish, Italian)

Orange Cheesecake (Vegetarian)

2006-04-13T23:56:00.000-07:00

I got this on a vegetarian cookbook called Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. It's a great vegetarian book :). A lot of his recipes information on the restaurants can be found on http://www.kurma.net/.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
CHILLING TIME: at least 12 hours
YEILDS: one 20 cm (8-inch) cake

Crust
2 cups (500 ml) biscuit crumbs, coarsely ground
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ginger powder
1/3 cup (85 ml) melted butter

Filling
350 g (12 ounces) cream cheese
3/4 cup (185 ml) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated orange rind

To prepared the crust: combine the biscuit crumbs, ginger, and butter. Press the crumb mixture into the base and 2.5 cm (1-inch) up the sides of a 20 cm (8-inch) spring-form pan. Chill the base for 1/2 hour.
To prepare the filling: beat the cream cheese until smooth and gradually add the condensed milk, lemon juice, and orange rind, beating thoroughly. Alternatively, the ingredients can be combined in a food processor.
Pour the mixture into the crust, smooth it out, and chill to set.

Decorate the cake with the whipped cream and orange segments, or as desired.

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Ingrid's experience on this recipe:

When I made this cheese cake, I wasn't sure what they meant by biscuit, so I simply crushed the graham crackers to crumbs and mixed them with melted butter to make the crust.
Orange rind is optional, in my opinion. I didn't have an orange, so I grated lemon rind instead. I suppose you can mix some kind of strawberry flavored powder into the cheese cake filling to make it strawberry flavored, and so forth.
My cheese cake turned out soggy even after I refrigerated for 12 hours. My suggestion (if the same thing happens to you): put it in the freezer for about 1 hour before serving. Remember not to leave it in the freezer for too long unless you want stone cake :)

(Keywords: dairy, vegetarian, cream cheese, dessert)

First post

2006-04-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is the first post for Green Ingredient! We hope to organize and share vegetarian and vegan recipes through this blog. Vegetarians and vegans deserve yummy food too! If you have any recipe, or even, if you know of a good vegetarian/vegan restaurant that you stumbled upon the other day, and you would like to share the goodies, please e-mail green.ingredient@gmail.com so that we can get it posted and spread the veggie love!

Cheers. Veggies unite :)