Israeli Couscous Risotto with Mushrooms, Kale, & Herbs

I love risotto and I was thinking why not make it with Israeli couscous rather than rice? Then this recipe was born! If you don't have the fresh herbs, dried ones would probably do just as well.

Israeli Couscous Risotto with Mushrooms, Kale, & Herbs

Instagram Photo (User: veganmiss)

* Prep Time: 10 minutes
* Cook Time: 30 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 1 package (1 oz.) dried mushroom mixture*
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dinosaur kale, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (optional)*
• 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
• vegan Parmesan, to top (optional)*

* Recipe:

1. In a pot, boil the dried mushrooms until tender. Reserve 2 cups of the mushroom water.
2. In the same pot, sautee the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two.
3. Chop the rehydrated mushrooms and add the mushrooms, kale, herbs, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook until kale begins to wilt. 
4. Add the couscous and cook for a few minutes. Add a laddle or two of mushroom water to the couscous. Stir often. Once the liquid has disappeared, add another laddle or two.
5. Continue adding liquid in this manner until the 2 cups run out. While you are doing this, add the wine, lemon, and milk (if using) as you go too, a bit at a time.
6. Top with vegan Parmesan if desired.

* Note: One could use a variety of fresh mushrooms in this dish instead. If that is the case, prepare 2 cups of vegetable stock instead of the reserved mushroom water. I added non-dairy milk to this recipe but I really don't think it needs it. I used almond milk, but feel free to use whatever you prefer. The vegan Parmesan brand I like is Galaxy topping.

Tabbouleh Stuffed Heirloom Tomato

Tabbouleh is a really great naturally vegan Mediterranean dish. I ended up baking the tabbouleh in a seasonal heirloom tomato which was a major yum! The side dish in the picture is Viana vegan gyro meat over a lettuce with Vegan Miss' tzatziki sauce.

Tabbouleh Stuffed Heirloom Tomato

 

Instagram Photo (User: veganmiss)

* Prep Time: several hours 
* Cook Time: 20 minutes 
* Ingredients:

• 1 cup bulgur wheat*
• 2/3 cup tomatoes, diced*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium cucumber, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• several heirloom tomatoes depending on size (4-6)

* Recipe:

1. Place the bulgar wheat in a bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out water from the bulgur wheat.
2. In the bowl the bulgur was soaking in, combine the remaining ingredients and soaked bulgur wheat except the heirloom tomatoes. Add more olive oil and lemon juice as you mix the ingredients to taste.
3. Place tabbouleh in the fridge covered for several hours. The longer the salad soaks and marinates, the better. Toss before stuffing in tomatoes.
4. When ready to make the stuffed tomatoes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Slice the top off the tomato. Hollow and core out the middle and place several tablespoons of the tabbouleh into the tomato. 
6. Place on baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place the tops next to the stuffed tomatoes, drizzling the tray then laying the tops on top of the olive oil (to prevent sticking). 
7. Cook for about 10 minutes or so, then remove from the oven and place the tops back on the tomatoes. Cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes look squishy and cooked through. If still not cooked through, broil for a few minutes.

Note: Bulgur wheat is found with grains at the grocery or in the Middle Eastern section. For diced tomatoes, roma or plum would work best.

Portobello Shepard's Pie Revisited

A long time ago, I posted this Shepard's Pie Stuffed Portobello recipe with a not so great photo. This recipe is a revisit of that and revised here and there. It's super nom!

Portobello Shepard's Pie Revisited

Instagram Photo (User: veganmiss)

* Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
* Cook Time: 20 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 3 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and "gills" removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 package (8 oz.) Upton's Naturals Ground Beef-Style seitan, diced*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce*
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 1 lb. red creamer potatoes*
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
• 1 tbsp vegan butter*
• salt and pepper, to taste

* Recipe:

1. Boil the potatoes in salt water until tender with fork. Depending on preference, remove skins from potatoes after boiled.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
   
3. While the potatoes are boiling, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent.
4. Next, add the seitan and cook until it just starts to brown.
5. Add the garlic, carrots, and peas. Cook until the carrots become tender.
6. After the filling mixture has cooked, add the flour and toss the mixture in the skillet, coating all of it. Add the vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme. Cook for a few minutes. The mixture should then be a thicker consistency.
7. After the potatoes are boiled, mash in a bowl with the chives, butter, and salt and pepper. Add more butter to taste, if needed.
8. Stuff the portobello caps with the mixture from the skillet. Top with a heaping pile of mashed potatoes. (Be sure to pack the mixture in so that all the gaps are filled. Top the mushrooms with the mashed potatoes liberally; you are basically sealing the stuffing in.)
9. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Broil for another 2-3 minutes until the mashed potato tops are golden. 

* Note: I used local Chicago seitan company, Upton's Naturals for my filling mixture. If you do not have Upton's, please use another mock meat crumble such as Boca or Lightlife. Worcestershire sauce is not vegan naturally, so look for a vegan variety. I found mine at the Asian grocery store with the fish sauces. Most health food stores carry it. Feel free to use whatever type of potatoes you like. I just prefer red potatoes. The non-dairy milk I used was almond milk as that is what I prefer. The vegan butter I used was Earth Balance olive oil kind.

I posted an entry a bit ago regarding all my various DIY project I do. Just thought I'd post a picture of the vegan bath bomb fizzies I made. I also made some dill pickle spears and pickled red onion. The bread and butter pickle spears and pickled garlic I made about 2 months ago were broken into this week and they were a fan favorite! Everyone loved them. ♥

Fried Rice Vegan Style

One of my very first entries on Vegan Miss was for vegan fried rice. I love that recipe still and it has had major success on VegWeb in the past too. I modified the recipe a bit and used brown rice instead here.

Fried Rice Vegan Style

* Prep Time: 30 minutes
* Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice 
• 1/2 block (14 oz.) firm tofu, pressed, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp peanut oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 cup green beans, diced
• 2 cups broccolini (or broccoli), chopped
• 2 cups bell peppers, variety of colors, sliced 
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp mirin*
• 1/2 tbsp dried Thai basil (optional)
• black pepper, to taste
• sesame seeds, to garnish
• green onions, sliced, to garnish 

* Recipe:

Instagram Photo (User: veganmiss)

1. Chop all the vegetables and get them prepared. While you are prepping, heat 1 tbsp of peanut oil in a wok over medium heat. Once hot, add the slices of tofu and cook on both sides until golden.
2. Cook the rice while you are prepping the vegetables as well.
3. Once the tofu is cooked, remove from wok and set aside. Add the remaining peanut oil, then put the onions in the wok. Once the onions start to turn translucent, add the garlic and ginger. 
4. Next, add in the carrots, green beans, broccolini (or broccoli), and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the mushrooms and peas. Cook through. 
5. When the vegetables are done cooking, add in the cooked brown rice and tofu. Toss and mix well. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, Thai basil, and pepper. Taste to see if the fried rice needs a little more soy sauce, vinegar, or mirin. 
6. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Note: Mirin is often used in Asian cooking. You can usually find it in the Asian food section of most grocery stores.