Vegan MoFo, Day 5: Tomatoes!

Tomatoes and me, we've got a thing going on. Ever since I can remember, these crimson glories have been among my beloved foods. I can eat them in all ways--including canned tomatoes, which I used to think were yucky. I've embraced all forms of tomatoes, and you should, too! Below are two lovely, cheap, and easy recipes from Meatless Meals by Jean Prescott Adams that I veganized and modified to my liking. On a side note, I am thinking of doing a post about Mrs. Adams, whose real name was Leona Malek. She was quite an interesting lady!

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed With Corn
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 107
serves 2--supplies mineral matter, starch, and corrective elements

2 large tomatoes
2 tsp wheat germ
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn (I used frozen)
2 tsp vegan butter
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1/4 red pepper, diced
black pepper
salt
1/2 tsp oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut tops off tomatoes (save!). Scoop out the centers, dice tomato insides (throw away tough core), and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle insides of hollowed-out tomatoes with salt and wheat germ and set aside. Add onion, green pepper, salt, and pepper to the diced tomatoes in the bowl. Fill hollowed-out tomatoes with the vegetable mixture, dot with vegan butter, sprinkle with oregano, and put tops back on the tomatoes. Bake for about 25 minutes until tomatoes are tender. Serve hot with a dollop of mayo sauce.

Mayo Sauce (something I made up as a garnish of sorts)

1/4 cup Vegenaise
salt
pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp oregano

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

{the Brussels Sprouts were another recipe from the book consisting of Brussels Sprouts and Vegan Butter...}

{totally a 1950s dinner from before the 50s...she was a trend-setter!}

Stuffed Tomato Salad
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 9N-10N
serves 2, supplies Vitamins A & C, mineral elements, and bulk

2 large tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp agave
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp onion, minced

1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/4 bell pepper (I used purple), minced
black pepper
lettuce leaves for garnish

Cut off top of tomato. You won't really need it, but it looks pretty (see below!). Scoop out seeds and discard or save for a later time. Salt the insides of the tomatoes and chill upside down on a dish towel in the fridge while you make the cole slaw. For the cole slaw, mix the shredded cabbage with salt, agave, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, minced onion and bell pepper, and Vegenaise. Spoon cole slaw mixture into tomatoes, sprinkle with black pepper, and serve on lettuce leaves or a bed of shredded lettuce.

The addition of red pepper flakes really gives it some zing!

{quite refreshing, and the cole slaw was SUPERB}

{serving suggestion--on lettuce leaves. Fancy!}

Jes


VMF Day 5 2011: Sushi and Roe (yes, roe!)
VMF Day 5 2010: I MoFo Love it! Happy Friday! (yearly VMF survey) & My Heart Sprouts with Love for Brussels

"Who Put This On?" "Some Random..."

That has really nothing to do with this post, just that the food is a bit random and it made me think of a quote from one of my favorite movies.

First random dish: Brussels Sprouts Casserole with Romaine Salad topped with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Second random dish: Brothy No-Chicken Soup

I adapted the casserole recipe from the Food Network Magazine from several months ago. Pretty tasty, but needs adapting some ore. Used some of the leftover Cranberry Vinaigrette (these were made in December...). The second random dish was made when I was under the weather. Brothy soups are the BEST for when you are ill. This one was made from No-Chicken bouillon cubes, mushrooms, cut spaghetti noodles, chopped onions, and julienned carrots.

Tomorrow, work begins again (le sigh...). And then classes begin again in about 2 weeks. Perhaps my last semester in the program--time flies!!!

Jes

My Heart Sprouts with Love for Brussels

When I was a kid, I actually LOVED Brussels Sprouts. (I know, most of the related posts I've seen lately are all like, "I hated the hell out of those nasty things when I was a kid!", but I was an odd child). Plus, it was a little kindred connection with my mom, who also enjoyed the taste of Brussels Sprouts. It was always a treat for the two of us, since my brothers abhorred them.

From time to time, I like to steam some of these emerald lovelies but I hadn't eaten any in a while and had one heck of a hankering last night.

I might add that I tend to overdo it just a PINCH when it comes to "special" veggies...For instance: this summer I got into eating beets for the first time EVA, and one night I ate three roasted beets all by myself. I had magenta urine for several days afterwards (that's probably TMI, but whatever, you get the gist).

So last night I made Brussels Sprouts--Two Ways (I smell a trend here).

First course: Sautéd Brussels Sprouts Leaves over Penne with a Lemon & Garlic Sauce

Second course: Roasted Brussels Sprouts in a Balsamic Glaze (didn't want to waste the gems leftover from course one)

Basically, I cleaned a bunch of sprouts, cut off the tough ends, and peeled away multitudes of leaves. The amount isn't certain, you can sauté as much or as little as you want. They don't wilt down as much as you think they would.

Sauté the leaves with minced garlic until the leaves start to brown slightly. At this time, I deglazed the pan with some lemon juice from the mountain of lemons I had left over after the wedding. Season as you see appropriate and then toss the leaves and lemon sauce with the penne you craftily had cooking away this whole time.

For the roasted sprouts, I halved what I had left over after the de-leafing, tossed them in olive oil and balsamic vin. (along w/S&P of course), and then spread them out on a sheetpan. I roasted them for about 30 minutes at either 350 or 400 degrees (I really need to start remembering that info!).

I then proceeded to stuff myself with the pasta and roasted sprouts until I burst. True story.

Have a SUPERB weekend (I'll be here, lonely, thinking of yummy concoctions).

Jes