Cauliflower Curry

Tender cauliflower cooked in warm Indian spices.

This is probably not an authentic Indian curry, but I used the spices and cooking techniques I've seen/used in other Indian dishes.  I love the delicious spicy combination of ginger, garlic, chili, cumin, and turmeric found in Indian cuisine.  All the spices take a dish from bland to exciting and leave me feeling full and satisfied without meat or too many calories.  Not only does the spice combination taste amazing it's said to have many health benefits too.

Warm Indian spices make yummy #vegan Cauliflower #Curry  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower Curry

Cook time:  15-20 minutes
Servings:  4-5

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced pickled jalapeno (or fresh chili if you have it)
1/2 tsp turmeric
chili powder (to taste)
1 Tbsp coriander powder
Salt (to taste)
3-4 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 small carrots, chopped (optional)
1 tomato, pureed
1/4 cup water
1 tsp tamarind concentrate (optional)

1 tsp garam masala

Prepare all of the ingredients and have them at hand before cooking.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot.  Add the cumin seeds until they sputter then add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeno.  Stir and cook until fragrant.

Add the dry spices (turmeric, chili powder, and coriander)  and cook for a few seconds then add the vegetables (you can use all cauliflower if you prefer I added peas and carrots for more color) with a good sprinkle of salt.  

Stir and mix well then add the water mixed with the tamarind concentrate (I use the tamarind to add more flavor and because I have it).  Continue stirring until the water cooks off and cauliflower is tender.

Remove from heat and mix in the garam masala.  

Serve warm over rice garnished with cilantro (with naan and chutney on the side if desired).

I served this curry with a cilantro coconut chutney (I happened to have all the ingredients on hand).  It was delicious.  I'll post the recipe next week so stay tuned.

Makes about 4-5 servings.

Enjoy.

For more Indian recipes check out:

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry

Patta Gobhi Mattar (Cabbage & Peas)

Sambar           -

Linked to:  Full Plate, Freedom, Foodie Friends, Pretty Pintastic, 2 cup, Lou Lou, TMT, Whimsy, Wonderful

Follow Joybee What's for Dinner? on Pinterest:

Read more ...

Warm Up with Soup

7 delicious soups to keep you warm inside and out.

Soup is a great way to clean out your refrigerator.  You can make soup with all kinds of meat, vegetables, legumes, grains, and/or pasta.  Here are 7 of my soup recipes that are simple and delicious.  Many are meatless, vegetarian, or vegan and all will help keep you warm.

A #roundup of 7 delicious soup #recipes. Warm Up w/ Soup  [Tweet this]

Black Bean Soup

A creamy, flavorful, and meatless soup made with black beans and spices.  Filling enough for an entree.

Warm up w/ #meatless Black Bean Soup  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

A creamy soup made with chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk and warm spices.  Cauliflower and chickpea soup is a delicious and vegan meal.

Warm up w/ #vegan Cauliflower & Chickpea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Green Pea Soup

Healthy and easy frozen green peas pureed in a flavorful broth for a creamy and delicious, vibrant green, soup.

Warm up w/ #frozenpeas in Green Pea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Lentil Soup

A bold and spicy soup with hot Portuguese sausage and healthy lentils.

Warm up w/ #healthy #lentils in Lentil Soup  [Tweet this]

Minestrone Soup

A simple, vegetarian, Italian style soup made with vegetables, beans, pasta, tomatoes, and spices.

Warm up w/ #vegetarian Minestrone #Soup  [Tweet this]

Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

A creamy, meatless, soup with mushrooms and wild rice.  It's warm comfort food for a cold night.

Warm up with #comfortfood Mushroom and #WildRiceSoup  [Tweet this]

Pureed Carrot Soup

A creamy, vegan, soup made with pureed carrots, onions, and beans in a vegetable broth with a hint of dill.  It's filling enough for a meal but also great with a small sandwich.

Warm up w/ #vegan Pureed Carrot #Soup  [Tweet this]

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Full Plate, Foodie Friends, Freedom, Foodiefridiy, Pretty Pintastic, 2 cup, Lou Lou Girls Whimsy, Wonderful, Tickle my Tastebuds

Follow Joybee What's for Dinner? on Pinterest:

Read more ...

Hoisin Baked Tofu Vermicelli

A vegetarian rice noodle salad with vegetables, herbs, and sweet and salty baked tofu.

Tofu is a simple and inexpensive meat alternative.  For most cooking, my favorite is Aloha Tofu firm tofu (it's local).  Firm tofu holds its shape through many types of cooking and it absorbs sauce and marinade flavors well.  Baking tofu is a simple preparation that dries it out slightly giving it a chewy more meaty texture (texture is very important to me...I don't want it to be mushy and this way it's not).  It is a great way to replace meat and still be satisfied.

Hoisin Baked Tofu is simple & inexpensive meat alternative  [Tweet this]

I just mixed up a simple sauce of equal parts hoisin and soy sauces.  The two sauces give the tofu a dark color and a sweet, salty, and bold flavor.  It has an almost meaty flavor with less than half the calories of most meats.

Great taste w/ #halfthecalories of chicken  [Tweet this]

Hoisin Baked Tofu

Prep time: about 45 min (30 are inactive)
Cook time:  30 min
Servings:  6

Ingredients:

20 ounces firm tofu (I use Aloha brand)
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Remove the tofu from the pack and drain the water.  (If needed)Cut it in half crosswise so you have 2 pieces of about 1 inch thick (approximate 4x4 inch squares).

Place the halves side by side on an absorbent towel (or a couple layers of paper towel) lined sheet pan.  Cover the tofu with another towel and pan or plate and place a little weight on top (a cast iron skillet works well, or a jug of juice).

Allow the tofu to press (this squeezes out excess moisture) for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F

Then cut the tofu squares in half and then into 1x2 inch slices that are about 1/4 inch thick (none of this is exact I just guestimate).  If this doesn't make sense to you, just cut it whatever way you like I find that 1/4 inch thick pieces work best.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Mix the hoisin and soy sauces together until well combined and brush/spread on both sides of the tofu slices.

Lay the tofu slices out side by side on the baking sheet.

Bake at 400F for 15 minutes then flip each slice over and bake for 10-15 minutes longer.

Makes about 6 servings.

Serve immediately or leftovers are great cold (great addition to spring rolls)

Ingredients continued:

Bean Sprouts
Lettuce
Mint
Thai basil
Cilantro
Vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
Carrots, julienned or shredded
Green onion
Jalapenos, sliced
Hoisin Baked Tofu
Nuoc Cham

Place all the vegetables, herbs, noodles, and chicken in a big salad bowl (use as much of each as you like).  Then pour the nuoc cham over everything (I usually use a few tablespoons but use as much as you like).

Enjoy.

Other recipes mentioned in this post:

Spring Rolls

Nuoc Cham

For more vermicelli recipes check out:

Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli

Char Siu (BBQ Pork) Vermicelli

Linked to:  2 Cup, Lou Lou Girls, TicklemyTastebuds, Wake Up, Full Plate, Freedom, Foodie Friends, Pretty Pintastic

Follow Joy Bee's board Joybee Whats for Dinner blog posts on Pinterest.

Read more ...

Spicy 3 Beans and Rice

A spicy, one-pot, one-dish, vegetarian meal of beans and rice made with 3 different types of beans.

Beans and rice is always a great meal.  It's an easy no fuss meal when you don't have much food in the house.  I try to keep many varieties of dried beans in my pantry and always rice.  With just these two simple ingredients, I can throw together many delicious meals (it just takes a little time).  Beans and rice are inexpensive and nutritious too.  Best of all they are a great source of fiber.  Whenever I'm on my own for a while (because my husband is out of town) there is nothing I like more than cooking a big pot of beans and rice to eat on all week.  This recipe is from just such an occasion and it was wonderful.

Spicy 3 Beans&Rice a onedish onepot vegetarian meal.  [Tweet this]

Spicy 3 Beans and Rice

Cook time:  45-60 minutes
Servings:  6-8

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 bell peppers, chopped
3 jalapenos, diced (with or without seeds depending on how spicy you want it)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups or 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups or 1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups or 1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 cup dry brown rice
2 cups water
Salt and pepper

**I used dry beans for this recipe so I used 1/2 cup of each type of bean (that's about 2 cups each when cooked) then just cooked them together in the same pot until tender.  I didn't add salt while cooking the beans so I added more salt in the final dish.

In a large stock pot (or I used my big 10-cup rice cooker/slow cooker), saute the peppers and onion, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, in oil until just tender.  I kept the seeds in my jalapenos...it was very spicy and very good.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well to combine.  Increase heat until it begins to boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Cover and let simmer for about 45 minutes (my rice cooker has a brown rice setting which is what I used) or until rice is tender.

Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt...I may have used more than just a dollop (omit this if  you want to keep the dish vegan).

Makes 6-8 servings.

Enjoy.

For more one-pot, one-dish meals check out:

Black Beans and Rice

Bean and Barley Stew

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Linked to:  J&J, 2 Cup, Lou Lou, Whimsy, Wonderful, Tickle My Tastebuds, Wake Up, Full Plate, Freedom, Food Friends, Best of the Weekend, Pretty Pintastic

Follow Joy Bee's board Joybee Whats for Dinner blog posts on Pinterest.

Read more ...

Coconut Rice Pudding

Leftover rice and coconut milk combine to make a creamy, delicious, and vegan breakfast or dessert.

Rice is a great staple food.  It's inexpensive, easy to cook, versatile, and delicious.  Since moving to Hawaii, I eat much more rice than I used to.  A scoop or two of rice is often on the side of or the main component of many local meals.  While I don't have rice with every meal, I use it often.  I use rice in stir-fries, beans and rice, fried rice, soups, stews, and casseroles.  It never hurts to make extra rice because it will be eaten.

It never hurts to make extra rice. It will be eaten. [Tweet this]

A sweet way to use leftover rice is rice pudding.  It's such a simple recipe I always wonder why I don't make it more often.  Rice pudding makes a great breakfast or dessert and it's delicious.  Don't worry about making too much rice next time you cook.

There is no such thing as too much rice. Make Coconut Rice Pudding with leftovers. [Tweet this]

Coconut Rice Pudding

Servings:  4
Cook time:  20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (leftover rice is great)
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
1 dash of vanilla extract
Banana slices or other fruit

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the rice (cold right from the fridge is fine), coconut milk, and syrup if using.

Stir and mix well breaking up any clumps of rice.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened (about 15-20 minutes).

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Serve hot or cold topped with bananas or other fruit.  It would be great with some toasted shredded coconut too.

Makes about 4 servings.

Enjoy.

For more ways to use leftover rice check out:

Leftover Rice Pudding       -

Pork Fried Rice           -

Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice

Linked to:  Treasure Box, 2 Cup, Lou Lou, Whimsy, Tickle My Tastebuds, Wake Up, Full Plate, Freedom, Foodie Friends

Follow Joy Bee's board Joybee Whats for Dinner blog posts on Pinterest.

Read more ...