Vegan Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

 

1 tablespoon olive oil (I don’t use the oil)

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin (I used 1 teaspoon)

1 pinch black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

4 (15 ounce) cans black beans

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

 

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

~Source: allrecipes.com

 

Patti’s Notes: I didn’t alter this one too much.  I don’t use oil when sautéing my vegetables for soup, I just throw them in the dry pot and the onion sweats enough to bring on the moisture.  I cut back on the cumin because I think it has a way of overpowering a dish. I also added 3-4 shakes of red pepper flakes. One thing I did was based on the comments posted in the original recipe: most of them gave rave reviews but several said it was too salty. I used all low sodium canned items (black beans, corn, tomatoes). I drained and rinsed the beans but added the corn without draining. I also didn’t bother leaving out the 2 cans of beans and tomatoes to zip thru the blender. That’s just to thicken up the soup so I zapped the soup with my immersion blender a few times. (Don’t get carried away. I have a tendency to overdo it sometimes with my magic wand!) It was thick and hearty just like it was supposed to be. Personally I think it could use a pinch of salt.  Low sodium-schmodium. :wink:  Super de-lish.

 

I made this once before but un-vegan-ed it by adding a ham bone that I wanted to use and didn’t feel like Split Pea Soup.  I also used chicken stock instead of veggie broth because that’s what I had in the pantry.  I added the ham bone when I added the canned items and stock.  I let it simmer until the meat was falling off the bone.  I removed the bone and chopped up the ham.  Before adding the ham back in I used the immersion blender to thicken up the soup.  I personally don’t like meat in my soup (with a few exceptions like my taco soup) so I put some soup aside for me before adding the ham back in.  Paul loved it.  I took some to work and my co-workers enjoyed it too. 

 

Healthy-O-Meter: This recipe is super healthy, good source of fiber, low sodium (my version), practically no fat, on 3 grams in the entire pot (1 gram in the can of corn and ½ gram in each can of beans and I didn’t use the oil) and let’s not forget the trendy gluten free. 

 

Easy Meter: PDE (Pretty Darn Easy). Chopping veggies and opening cans.  I think anyone can do that!

Vegan version

 

Hammed up version

Pumpkin Cloud Pie

This was originally called “Pumpkin Lust Cake” however there is nothing CAKE about it except that it’s made in a 9x13 ‘cake pan’.  I also wouldn't say it belongs in the LUST category either.  It’s more like clouds of delightful pumpkin fluffiness so I have officially renamed it Pumpkin Cloud Pie.  Don’t tell the food police.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup flour

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

16 oz of Cool Whip

2 (3.4 oz) boxes Jell-O Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding (see notes)

3 cups cold milk

Nutmeg

 

Instructions:

 

Combine melted butter, flour, chopped pecans and sugar.  Press into a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.

 

In the meantime, mix pudding mix and cold milk with wire whisk for a few minutes.  Refrigerate at least 10 minutes to thicken. 

 

By the time the crust has cooled the pudding will be set. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined.  Fold in 1½ cups of the Cool Whip.  Set aside.

 

Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. 

Spread pumpkin pudding over cream cheese layer.

Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Grate nutmeg over the top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

~Source: Adapted from Sweet Treats

 

Patti’s Notes: Pumpkin Spice Pudding is seasonal. My store only had one box left so I used that plus a box of vanilla pudding mix and added 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.  It was perfectly pumpkin-eey.  I didn’t use all of the remaining Cool Whip for the top layer because it seemed a bit much.  I just made a thick layer over the top.  I prefer to use a nutmeg and grate it fresh over the top but you could certainly sprinkle ground nutmeg if that’s what you have.  I think this would be equally as good with crumbled graham crackers, Nilla Wafers or ginger snaps instead of nuts to make the crust.  I also added a little cinnamon to the crust ingredients.  I also think it would be equally as good with any flavor of pudding (chocolate, butterscotch, LEMON). Oh yes! Next time I'll make it with lemon! 
ETA: Scratch that.  I made it with lemon.  Not so good. 

 

Health-O-Meter: I always use low fat cream cheese and Cool Whip Lite.  You could also use sugar free Jell-O pudding mix but I try to stay away from artificial sweeteners whenever possible.

 

Easy Meter: Easy as pie.
 

Grind pecans in food processor or put them in a zip top bag and hit them with a hammer or smash them with a rolling pin.

Assembly Required

Tip of the day: use a disposable pan when your dessert is traveling. 

White Truffle Mac and Cheese (aka Fancy Schmancy Mac & Cheese)

Ingredients

½ cup butter

½ cup chopped red onion

½ cup chopped garlic

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1½ cup cooked cavatappi pasta

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

¼ cup infused white truffle oil

1½ cup grated Parmesan

¼ cup Japanese bread crumbs (panko)

to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Preheat the broiler. Add butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic until they turn slightly brown. Add flour and whisk together for 3 minutes to make a blonde roux. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the roux from burning. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the roux has dissolved completely and you can no longer taste the flour. Add pasta and stir until hot. Add fresh herbs, truffle oil, and half of the Parmesan and stir until dissolved. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Put all ingredients into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese and bread crumbs on top evenly. Place under a broiler until top becomes golden brown.

 

Source ~ My Dear Friend Jennie via San Diego Restaurants dot com via Gaslamp Strip Club (Restaurant Side Dish)

 

Patti’s notes: Cavatappi is measured before cooking the pasta.  I personally think the cavatappi makes this recipe great so I wouldn’t substitute with other pasta. YMMV.  I make this recipe as-is and my nephew’s youngest son says it’s the best ever. 

Side note: I have developed an allergic reaction to truffle oil so I don’t eat this anymore because I can’t possibly make it for him without one of the “fancy schmancy” parts. 

 

Health-o-Meter: Why even go there?  Remember, it's a side dish.  It is not recommended to eat the entire pan when nobody is looking!  ;-) 

 

Easy Meter: Not bad.  Lots of herb chopping and babysitting the roux so I would ever-so-slightly elevate it up a half a notch from easy. 

Sorry, not photos.  I'll take photos next time I make it. 

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese FIlling

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree or 1 15 oz can pumpkin

2 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger (I used pumpkin pie spice)

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 8 oz package cream cheese (I used low fat + 2 tablespoon sugar and splash of vanilla)

1 cup chopped pecans, optional (I used half cup and made half without nuts)

 

My mise en place

Directions

Roll cream cheese into a log in plastic wrap and put in freezer while assembling the batter.

Combine eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin.  Beat well.

Combine dry ingredients (except pecans) to wet ingredients and mix well.

Use greased cupcake pan or paper liners.  Fill about ½ way.

Remove cream cheese from freezer and cut into equal portions (according to how many muffins you have*). Place cream cheese in center and press down under batter.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

~Source: Food dot com

Patti’s Notes: I mixed a couple of tablespoons of sugar and a little vanilla into the cream cheese before freezing.  It didn’t freeze very well so I ended up spooning it in instead of being able to cut it in slices.  I didn’t have ginger so I used pumpkin pie spice.  These turned out good.  Not has heavy as a typical muffin but not as fluffy as a cupcake.  The recipe says “makes 12”.  It made 24.  Even my husband who said "I don't like pumpkin, okay I'll try a bite" thought they were so good that he ate two before they had a chance to cool. 

Health ‘O Meter: Pumpkin is really good for you; the sugar, not so much.  Pumpkins are high in fiber, iron and beta-carotene.  These freeze well so exercise portion control by freezing some for another day.

Easy Meter: Super easy.

Top photo still hot, this photo after cooling

Pumpkin - Roasted and Pureed

Cut pumpkins in half (they are hard to cut, I solicited help from the hubster).
ETA: Tip of the Day: Round Two – Pumpkin Roasting - One week later: I was too inpatient to wait for Sleeping Beauty to get up so I discovered a small serrated knife works much better than the large butcher knife.  @not*so*hard*after*all*!

Scoop out the goop (technical term for seeds and stringy substance. Kitchen shears work great for cutting the stringy stuff).

Sprinkle with a little Kosher salt (brings out the flavor and the moisture) and roast at 400° for 30-40 minutes or until a knife pokes thru easily.

 

 

Cool for about an hour.

Scoop out the flesh.

 



Puree until smooth.

Clean seeds for roasting.  (Arrange single layer on cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, roast for 15-20 minutes or until they dry out and get crunchy.  I turned off the oven and left them in the oven for another 10 minutes.  You can use any spices you like and make them sweet or savory.)

 

Use the puree to make pie (recipe to be posted in the next day or two).



 

You can use pumpkin puree in any recipe that you would use canned pumpkin. 

You can freeze the puree up to 6 months.  (I put it in zip top bags, about 2-3 cups in each.)

 

~Source: Alton Brown, Cooking Channel