Fresh Veggies

Fresh Veggies
great produce=Great eating

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Vegan Green Pozole with Tempeh/Vegetarian Spicy Nachos with beans.For cold evenings




Vegan Pozole with Tempeh

This is  a hearty spicy vegetable soup...it takes some time to make but the results are well worth it.
Serves 4 -6

Soup base:
6 medium sized tomatillos/ 1 1/2 pounds (these resemble green tomatoes with a dry husk)
1 green jalapeno chili
1 medium onion /1 cup
fresh water.


Using a fork, skewer the de-husked tomatillo and working one at a time, fire roast them over a gas flame, to scorch the skins.
Remove each scorched one to a bowl and when cool enough remove most of the skin.
Proceed the same with the chili and wearing rubber gloves, slice and remove the ribs,seeds and stem
Also slightly scorch the peeled onion, chop into wedges.

Place the tomatillos. onion and chilies in a blender, add salt and pepper and blend with fresh water to a smooth sauce.

(this is a great sauce for enchiladas)


Place the sauce in a pan and add 4 cups strong vegetable stock
 1 x 16ozs can washed and drained cooked hominy (or chickpeas)
2 bay leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
1x8ozs tempeh cut into 1/4inch chunks
 2 cloves garlic smashed and minced

Bring to boil, and cook on high simmer for 25 mins...removing any scum. (the hominy will pop open).
Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and add:
2 cups minced green cabbage
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Stir well to wilt the cabbage

Serve in bowls/or cups and offer lime or lemon wedges, and tortilla chips.
Also may add chopped avocado, chopped tomato, chopped cucumber and radish.

This is best served very hot ...also a good soup to prevent colds and flu'


Tomatillo's

 Spicy Nachos with Beans & cheese

serves 4-6

3 cups (24-28ozs cooked beans or chickpeas)
1 jalapeno chili, sliced and seeds, ribs and stem removed
2 cups minced onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped green/red bell pepper

2 cups shredded strong cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Muenster)

With a potato masher or food processor, mash the beans until they are fine & smooth (if you have some of their cooking liquor good, or a little vegetable stock)

In a  heavy bottomed skillet heat the oil and add the onions, garlic and bell pepper and cook on medium high heat until the onions and peppers have sweated down and released their moisture.
Season with sea salt.
Add the mashed beans and cook for 5-8 minutes until everything is bubbling (add more stock or water if necessary to create a sauce).
Remove from heat.

Test for seasonings adding salt and ground pepper or hot sauce as needed



Pre heat oven 400F

Lay 3 cups plain tortilla chips in a roasting pan or cookie sheet, in one layer.
 
Pour over the bean vegetable sauce and top with grated cheese.

Bake in top of oven 5-8 mins..or until cheese is bubbling & melted.
Serve immediately.

Either plated or on a large (help yourself) platter

Variations: may add cooked corn, avocado,ground cumin, cilantro, feta cheese, lime wedges to garnish

Omit the cheese and add nutritional yeast and it is Vegan!





Wishing you all a Happy Day(s) of the Dead 2013!



The next few days (Oct 31st, Nov. 1st & Nov. 2nd) are celebrations  for the DEAD in most Latin American countries and districts.

This year the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is putting on another BIG celebration...(this is where most the movie stars from Hollywood's Silver Screen Age are buried, including Rudolph Valentino).
Candy is included in these celebrations usually as sugar skulls, decorated with candy flowers.
Traditionally orange marigolds are placed on the graves and family members hold parties for their dearly departed loved ones at the graveside.




Full Halloween Vegetarian-Vegan Menu..Blood & Gore, Mold & maggots, tabbouleh with chickpeas, roasted vegetables with pomegranate molasses, Plastered pumpkin-persimmon cake

Blood & Gore (tomato-pasta soup)

Pond Scum (yellow split pea & sweetcorn soup)

Spawn & Newts (Lentil-vegetable soup)





Mold & Maggots (Tabbouleh salad with chickpeas)



Hot as Hell Crypt Kickers Special almost there



The sweet "blood" for the crypt kicker


Plastered Pumpkin-Persimmon Cake



Wednesday, October 30, 2013








BLOOOD & GORE, SPAWN AND NEWTS, POND SCUM..POTAGES; CRYPT KICKERS SPECIAL; MOLD & MAGGOTS; PLASTERED PUMPKIN...ALL PHOTOS..VEGAN-VEGETARIAN HALLOWEEN MENU




Prep so far:

     THE HALLOWEEN MENU  2013


POTAGES TO DIE FOR:
 

Blood & Gore.....fresh tomato soup with vegetables and orzo pasta







Spawn & Newts...lentil soup with vegetables





Pond Scum... yellow split pea with coriander







 ENTREES AT YOUR PERIL:

Crypt Kickers Special....roasted beets, carrots, yams, butternut squash, tomatoes, rosemary & pomegranate molasses  with a cucumber mint salad

Mold & Maggots...Tabbouleh with chickpeas and tostadas






JUST DESSERTS
Plastered Pumpkin...Fresh Pumpkin and Persimmon cake with amaretto




more to follow tomorrow......oooooooooooooooo!



Tuesday, October 29, 2013



Fall Colors of Southern California..PHOTOS

Flowering and releasing seeds..succulent

Ginko Tree turning

dwarf Japanese Maple

Wisteria leaves and seed pods


Previous 2 pomegranate

These 2 covered in maple leaves









The Blues & Greens of Fall in So Cal.

looking west from Sta Monica towards Malibu & Point Dume

Living on the edge of the Mojave Desert, by mid summer most of the native grasses and bushes have lost their green color and are a sandy shade of brown.
By Fall, they are sprouting new growth, and turning green.
So a Californian Fall is usually green, I have photographed imported plants that show the colors of Fall at Fall..I hope you like them.

Next Month I am off to the high desert and will photograph the new growth out there, and post.
John Nigel