Vegan Bento

I had a craving for soup and after rummaging the fridge to see what I had I decided to try out Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Spicy Corn Chowder from Vegan with a Vengeance.

 It was so good I made two pots. The first I shared with work, and then the rest I ate myself.

Here it’s with 2 organic oranges sliced into sections, a cup of plain steamed organic broccoli, and then 2 cups of the soup. 

 

ENTIRE BOWL  (84% carb | 13% protein | 13% fat)

Calories: 482
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydate: 103
Fiber: 19 g
Protein: 16 g

 

 

Adapted from the "Cottage Fries" recipe in Food for Life by Neil Barnard, MD.

• 500 g (18 oz) red potatoes
• 1.5 cups diced red onion
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

 Wash the potaotes well and chop. Steam until tender. (My rice cooker’s steamer basket is esp. useful for this.)

While that’s happening, dice onions and peppers and then sautee in 1/2 tbs olive oil in a skillet for 5 min. or until the onion is clear. Set aside.

When the potatoes are ready, sautee with 1/2 tbs olive oil in skillet and season with paprila, salt, and pepper for about 5 min.  Return the onion and peppers and mix well. Serve.

I’ve recently switched to using Eden Foods Portuguese Sea Salt and I really like the flavor of it. I have the French as well but I’m storing it til I get through this jar.

 

 

NUTRITION PER CUP

Calories: 171
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydate: 33 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 3 g

 

This is from Food For Life by Neal Barnard, MD. I keep triyng to find a scrambled tofu recipe that I like and so far this is the best of the lot even though I think it still needs work.

Though I made it to recipe, I think it might be better to just used up the entire block and double all the seasonings except the tumeric.

 

Mix everything together and sautee in the oil inside a skillet for 3-5 minutes. 

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories: 84
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Carbohydate: 1 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 9 g

 

This was based on a short blurb I read in Nava Atlas’ The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 green onions, green and white parts, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Mix it all up in a bowl. Doesn’t get easier than that.

NUTRITION PER CUP

Calories: 116
Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Carbohydate: 22 g
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 7 g

 

 

I tried this one from Vegan With A Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and really liked the lime accent to it. I made it for work lunch when it was my turn to cook for everyone and served with with sliced oranges and a sourdough bread.

• 2 medium russet potatoes, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 2 vegetable boullion cubes

Boil the potatoes in the water in a large pot. While this is happening get these ready to fling in:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cups corn (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1-2 jalapeno chiles, seeded, deveined, minced (skip or use less if you don’t like the heat)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne
• juice from 1 lime

When potatoes are tender, blender what is in the pot to form the "creamy" base to the soup. Immersion blender workes best, or you can transfer to regular blender in batches and put back in pot. Make it all smooth or leave some chunky. Or don’t bother to blend at all. Your preference.

Add the other ingredients. Simmer for 20 min til onions are clear and carrots tender.

When that is done, remove bay leaf and stir in…

• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup plain soy milk
• salt and pepper to taste

and heat a bit more. Garnish with green onion.

While sick, I was eating a lot of toast and then Paul fetched me some Amy’s Kitchen frozen meals. Some vegan, some not. I have to teach him to check for "Ingredients:(vegan)" on the back of the boxes. Anyway, one of them is called "Tofu Rancheros."

It’s cottage fries, black beans then scrambeled tofu with salsa and cheese sitting on a corn tortilla.

I didn’t have any corn tortilla, but I decided to go with it. So my version has sliced strawberries, cottage fries (potato, green bell pepper and red onion season with paprika, salt and pepper), scrambeled tofu (seasoned with tumeric, cumin, and pepper but salsa not shown), and black beans with tomatoes in balsamic. There’s a "wall" of romaine between the tofu and beans.

 

ENTIRE BOWL  (63% carb | 17% protein | 21% fat)

Calories: 434
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydate: 70 g
Fiber: 16 g
Protein: 21 g