Black Bean and Zucchini Quesadillas

Continuing to put the zucchini to good use, I made quesadillas with them.  This meal was so good, I made it again later in the week.  Of course I used vegan cheese, but everything just went together really well and I swear these are the best quesadillas EVER.

Ingredients:
Whole grain tortillas
Follow your Heart vegan cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives
Sliced grape tomatoes
Chopped fresh zucchini
Chopped onion

Lightly butter one side of the tortilla, place in skillet.  Put all ingredients on top of tortilla, fold in half and let cook until vegan cheese is nice and melty.  Gobble down and enjoy.

I also made a corn, zucchini and black bean salad.  Mix in some onions, salsa, and Tapa Tio and you have a great side to go with the quesadillas.  I am loving this zucchini!

Squash...Butternut and Spaghetti

 

First of all,  I had an untouched butternut squash that never made it to Thanksgiving dinner.  Second of all, it's now Sunday, and we need to finish up the leftovers.  

I used this recipe from the Follow Your Heart cookbook to make the homemade butternut squash soup.  

Butternut Squash Soup

3 pounds butternut squash
4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cups mushroom stock (see recipe below)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cut squash into four to six large pieces. Remove the seeds and peel off the skin. Cut squash into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed 3- to 4-quart soup pot, melt the margarine. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes over low heat, stirring frequently until onion is barely translucent. Add the squash pieces and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Add mushroom stock and bring the soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

Puree soup in a food processor or blender. Return soup to pot and reheat slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with parsley.

Makes four to six servings.

Mushroom Stock

8 cups water

2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

2 pounds mushrooms, minced (use food processor)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons sea salt

In a large stock pot, combine water, onions, mushrooms, lemon juice, and salt.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 1 1/4 hours, partially covered.  Allow to cool.  Strain through a fine sieve.  Store, refrigerated, for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. 

Finally, we finished up the last of Thanksgiving dinner:  mashed potatoes, spaghetti squash, and Grandma's relish and gluten-free patties.  I should mention at this point that this food is W's favorite food ever.  Not only has he been eating it every day since Thanksgiving last Thursday, but tonight he happily piled his plate high with the last of everything and scraped it all clean!  We didn't have any more gravy (much to his chagrin) so he drizzled the butternut squash soup over everything and then I didn't hear him speak for about ten minutes while he chowed down.  

Also, I am very proud of my butternut squash soup -- totally from scratch, stock and all!  Very delicious.  Thank you, Follow Your Heart!

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Mushrooms, Red Onion, and Seasoned Tofu

Another successful night back in my kitchen!  Hooray!  This time I followed a recipe from the Follow Your Heart cookbook by Janice Cook Knight.  Follow Your Heart is a brand that makes such wonderful vegan staples as vegenaise and cheese substitutes.  The Follow Your Heart headquarters and restaurant is in Canoga Park, CA, which is conveniently located right along one of my work-travel routes.  I've eaten there only once, but it was delicious! 

Here is the recipe straight from the book because I followed it (mostly) exactly.

"1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, sliced in thin half circles (about 1 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used cremini)
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (I just used regular soy sauce)
1 tablespoon water
8 ounces seasoned firm tofu or 1/2 recipe Marinated Tofu on page 139  (included below), cut into [rectangular pieces]
2 to 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
A few splashes of ume plum vinegar (optional) (I didn't have this)

"Wash broccoli and remove touch stems.  Cut off broccoli florets, dividing them into bite-sized pieces, and cut remaining stem pieces into thin slices about 1/4 by 3 inches.  Set aside, keeping stems and florets separate. 

In a 12-inch saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Oil should be quite hot, but not smoking.  Add onion and saute, stirring oten, until onion is a little tender, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 8 minutes.  Push onions and mushrooms to the edges of pan. 

Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the middle of the pan, and let it get hot.  Add broccoli stems and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.  Add broccoli florets and stir-fry another two minutes, browning florets slightly.  Add [soy sauce] and 1 tablespoon water.  Cover and steam, lifting the lid to stir all together occasionally, for 5-8 minutes over medium heat, or until broccoli florets are just tender (al dente).  Add tofu.  Remove from heat.  Add sesame oil and toss gentlyl adjust seasonings.  If a more piquant flavor is desired, sprinkly on a little ume plum vinegar, to taste.  Serve immediately" (136-137).  [Serves 4]

As I was typing this, I realized that I forgot to add the sesame oil!  That would have been good too... but I did add the rest of the marinade that the tofu had been sitting in, so I guess that counts for something.

Here it is!  We ate it with Cal Rose rice and a few drops of Sriracha (these two things are practically daily staples in our house.)  Also we had some edamame on the side.  Yum.  The husband gobbled his generous serving down before I could barely even start, so I guess that's a good sign!