Thai Red Curry

This has been a new favourite for us this Lent.  Very easy, very adaptable and everyone likes it.

1/2 brick extra firm tofu
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. red curry paste
2 T. vegetable oil
1 can coconut milk
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. lime juice
3-4 cups assorted julienned or chopped vegetables: red pepper, carrots, Indian eggplant, water chestnuts, steamed potatoes, ect.

Cut tofu into cubes and marinate in soy sauce for 15 minutes. (Often chopping the vegetables takes me about the right amount of marinating time)

Heat wok.  Add oil and fry tofu over very high heat about 2 minutes.  Remove tofu to a plate. Add curry paste, fish sauce and lime juice to the wok and soften.  Add vegetables (harder vegetables first) and stir fry till soft.  Add coconut milk and cook till heated through.  Add tofu. Remove from heat and serve over rice or wide rice noodles.

Fasting Suppers for Advent

My repeating menu plan, seven weeks in all.

1) BBQ tofu on buns with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions. chips or pretzels.
2) Mexican rice, tortilla chips, carrot sticks
3) Roasted winter vegetables, biscuits, coleslaw
4) Felafel in pitas with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrot...
5) Meatless chicken nuggets, plum sauce, broasted potatoes with carrots, and corn
6) Zuchini pancakes, noodles with KT's cheezy sauce, green beans
7) Fish sticks, french fries, jello salad

8) Veggie burgers, raw veggie platter with dips
9) Sweet and sour TVP, on rice, corn, green salad
10)Baked Potatoes, 'bacon' bits, green onions, (baked yam) broccoli salad
11)Hardy Polish soup, NY Times no-knead bread
12)Fried bean burritos, carrot salad
13)Spring rolls, veggie fried rice, mushroom chow-mien, deep fried prawns
14)Honey garlic salmon, fancy rice, non-mayo coleslaw

15)Burrito casserole, green salad
16)Honey garlic stir-fry, rice
17)Tofu and green beans with mushrooms on noodles
18)Winter Veggie and grain bake, buns, carrot sticks
19)Mushroom stew; bread, biscuits or dumplings
20)Pyrogies ('bacon' bits, green onions), cabbage salad
21)Pineapple shrimp curry on rice with bread

22)Tacos (lettuce, tomato, refried beans, 'cheese' tortilla chips, TVP)
23)Fried rice, green beans, carrot/apple salad
24)Spaghetti and sauce, garlic bread, green salad
25)Pizza (sauce, veggies, 'cheese', hummus, olives)
26)Veggie pot pie with pie crust, bean salad
27)Rice casserole, bread, broccoli
28)Popcorn shrimp, french fries, pasta salad

29)Western 'beef' and corn bake, green beans
30)Baked lentil casserole, tortilla chips
31)Naan Melts, (veggies, 'cheese', olives) apple slices
32)Honey garlic Udon noodles with tofu and mini corn
33)Veggie pot pie with biscuit topping, raw carrots
34)Waffles, huckleberry sauce
35)Tuna casserole, and grapes

36)Rice-a-roni with veggie smokies, corn
37)Taco salad (TVP, refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, 'cheese', black beans, corn, chips
38)Marinated tofu, sauteed mushrooms, biscuits
39)Rigatoni broccoli bake with KT's cheezy sauce
40)Pancakes, blueberry or apple topping
41)Chili and cornbread
42)Salmon with cheater aoli sauce, in pastry, with rice mix and green beans

43)Potato salad, corn chips, cucumber slices, buns
44)Mashed potatoes, 'gravy', roasted carrots, broccoli salad
45)Borscht and bread
46)Grilled 'cheese' sandwiches and tomato soup
47)'chicken' strips, plum sauce, corn, rice mix
48)Asian tofu salad with peanuts and no knead bread
49)Shrimp and asparagus with yellow rice

Pinapple shrimp curry - serves 8

1 small fresh pineapple
1 lb. (454g) precooked frozen shrimp
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 cup minced onion
1 carrot shredded
sunflower oil

2 cups dry rice - cooked

2+ Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
salt and pepper

Start the rice first.

Heat the oil, sauté the onion and garlic. Add the shrimp, cover, cook till well heated, stirring often. Add the carrots, stir and heat. Add the pineapple that you have peeled, cored, and cut into tidbits; heat. Add the spices, stir well. Add the cooked rice then serve.

Stir-fry Grated Zucchini - serves 4-6

1 little green zucchini
1 little yellow zucchini
1 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh dill, minced
sprinkle of salt and pepper

Grate the zucchini with your largest holed grater. Heat the oil and garlic, add zucchini and toss till tender done. Add dill, salt, and pepper.

Pasta Sauce

This has been a standby for us this Lent.  It is a hearty and filling sauce and is especially nice with linguine.

2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1 large onion, chopped
2 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 T. dried basil
salt
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 large cans crushed tomatoes

Heat oil, saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add the onion and saute until begins to soften. Ad the remaining vegetables, spices, 2 teaspoons of salt and saute until the vegetables give off some liquid, about 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the insert of a slow cooker. Stir in vinegar and tomatoes. Cover and cover on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Season with salt and pepper.
(I puree the sauce at this point and then there are no complaints about the mushrooms or cooked peppers!  And it's been a hit with everyone.)

Makes 8 cups. 

Vegan 5 Spice Cookies - 40-48 cookies

4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. 5 spice powder
1 1/3 c. honey
1 cup vegetable oil

extra sugar for rolling the cookies in

Sift the dry ingredients together. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together. Gently mix the two together, do not overmix. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, roll them in sugar, place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Cool on a towel before serving.

A really nice tea break cookie with a hint of anise flavouring, yum.

Cream of Aspargus Soup

1 onion - minced
3-4 cloves garlic - minced
olive or vegetable oil

Heat in soup pot till the onions are transparent. add:

2 bunches asparagus - sliced about 4 cups or more
1-2 cups water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till the veggies are mushy, really.

Meanwhile make the cream sauce:

Melt 1/2 cup vegan margarine
Add 1/2 cup flour
Whisk and simmer for a bit
Whisk in 4 cups rice milk, slowly
Keep heating and whisking while it thickens, then add:

3 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8-1/4 tsp. black pepper

Add the cream sauce to the well cooked veggies. Take an immersion blender and cream the soup. Add as much water as needed to get the consistency you want.