An experiment meets an old favorite: Spicy Sausage and Bean Stuffed Acorn Squash

I have a new love: Field Roast Mexican chipotle sausage.

YUM!

Remember in my breakfast burrito post when I talked about my love for Mexican chorizo? This stuff tastes just like chorizo! Only, it's made from far more appetizing ingredients than pork lymph nodes (Seriously. I can't believe I used to eat that.). I'm also impressed that something made outside of the Southwest that says "chipotle" on it is seriously spicy! My extra links are going to make a fantastic breakfast scramble with tofu.

Tonight the sausage went into a Nelson Family favorite weeknight meal: bean and sausage stuffed acorn squash. We love the balance between the sweet squash and the spicy filling. This meal is not only super healthy, but it takes only about 15 minutes total to make. Win-win!

Spicy Sausage and Bean Stuffed Acorn Squash - feeds 2

• 1 large acorn squash
• 2 links of Mexican-spiced vegan sausage, crumbled (I used Field Roast)
• 1 cup pinto beans
• olive oil for cooking
• 1/4 cup red chile sauce, plus extra for garnish (I use Santa Fe Ole, which is available online)

Start with a large acorn squash. Slice it in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash face down in a microwave safe dish and cook for 7-8 minutes or until tender.

Such a beautiful veggie!

Next, heat your sausage and beans in a skillet with a little olive oil. When hot, stir in the 1/4 cup of red chile sauce.

Canned beans are fine, but leftover homemade beans from the last post are better!

My current favorite vegan red chile sauce

Place each squash half in a sufficiently large bowl. Split the filling between the two halves (it will overflow!). Drizzle with extra red chile sauce, and enjoy!

Delicious!

An Old Favorite: Pinto Beans with Green Chile

I'm still here! The last month has been pretty hectic and on a very tight budget, so I haven't been doing much experimenting. Hopefully I will get back on track soon. In the mean time, I want to share a favorite recipe we make about once a month: pinto beans with green chile. This year's chile harvest is coming up soon (thought not soon enough, as this batch of beans used our last bag of chile!), and that means a fresh crop of the spicy, smoky deliciousness that is New Mexican green chile.

Now that I've made my own beans, I rarely buy canned. They are so simple to make in bulk, they freeze well, and dried beans are so much less expensive than canned. You can also taste the love that goes into homemade beans. They will always be more delicious!

Every New Mexican has their own technique and recipe for making beans. The crock pot is my favorite way to prepare beans because I can throw everything together in the morning before work, and when I come home my house smells delicious! I make beans in bulk and freeze them so that we can have burritos any time we want. Traditional New Mexican beans (and sometimes even green chile sauce) are prepared with a smoked ham hock. However, a little liquid smoke and a strong stock are all you really need to give these beans a rich flavor.

Pinto Beans with Green Chile - makes a LOT!

- 2 lbs dried pinto beans (do not use canned!)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped green chile
- vegetable stock, enough to cover the beans (4-6 cups). I prefer the organic "Better than Boullion" vegetable stock.
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste

The night before, place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak the beans overnight.

In the morning, drain the beans and place them in the crock pot. Add the green chile, liquid smoke, and spices. Add just enough stock to barely cover the beans. Cook on low for 5 hours. Stir the beans and add more stock until the liquid just covers the beans. Cook for another 5 hours. Check the seasoning before serving.

Experiment #6: Tofu and Veggie Potstickers

First, a quick health update: I'm allergic to eggs! I don't know why my doctors didn't think to do an allergy panel years ago, but finally I found one who actually rules out the simple things first. I've probably been mildly allergic my whole life, but stress has triggered a stronger reaction. I've been egg-free (and up to about 75% vegan, though I've had some weird chicken cravings) now for about two weeks, and I feel better than I have in quite a while. I ate French toast the other day as a test to see if my symptoms returned, and they did within an hour of eating. My mom-in-law was worried about making me sick, but for me it was the happiest sickness I've ever felt! To finally know the cause of my illness and the simple solution to it is AMAZING!

I had planned to do an avgolemono (Greek Easter Soup - it's name means "egg and lemon") experiment last week, but I found a pre-existing recipe that was everything I wanted! The only substitution I made was swapping in 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley for dill since a) the non-vegan version I used to make had parsley, and b) B apparently hates dill (but loves ranch dressing?). We were both surprised by how much this recipe tasted like the real thing!

This week's experiment comes with two big thumbs up from B! They also come from a craving for Chinese food mixed with frustration over not being able to find egg-free wonton or spring roll wrappers. I tried Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Talin with no success. I was too tired to try La Montanita Co-Op or any of the smaller Asian markets this afternoon, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Until I find them, I'll have to make my own. I considered making Chinese pancakes and using them to make spring rolls, but decided against it because they're labor intensive. You can, however, freeze them easily for later use, so I probably will still make some soon. Browsing the web for easier options, I came across a recipe for pierogi from Post Punk Kitchen. Mmmm....pierogi! B and I are both of Polish descent, and I squealed when I saw this recipe. I'll definitely make these for Christmas Eve dinner with B's family this year. Polish Catholic Christmas Eve meals are always vegetarian, but I'll be skipping the quiche this year. These savory dumplings will be an excellent accompaniment to my mom-in-law's sweet and sour borscht.

This pierogi dough looked perfect for potstickers. If you think about it, pierogi and potstickers are pretty similar to begin with. They're both dumplings that are first boiled or steamed and then pan-fried for a crispy exterior. It always amazes me which foods seem to be universally delicious regardless of which culture or region they come from. FRIED DOUGH --> DELICIOUS. I'm pretty sure science can support this as fact.

Note about the filling: For B, I replaced half the tofu with an equal amount of ground pork to make a more traditional ma po-style dish since he's still learning to like tofu. Replacing some of the tofu with mushrooms would also be a delicious (and meat-free) alternative to a tofu-only dumpling.

Another note about the filling: You'll notice that the recipe as-is makes entirely too much filling. I'm saving the unused filling to make fried rice later in the week. If you don't want extra, then cut the filling recipe in half.

A partial mise-en-place for the filling - the tofu was still pressing!

Tofu and Veggie Potstickers - Makes 18-20 dumplings
For the filling:

• canola oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 16-oz block firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
• 1 carrot, minced or shredded
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly (reserve 1 tbsp for sauce)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sriracha (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

For the dough:

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, separated, plus extra for sprinkling
• 3/4 tsp salt

For the dipping sauce

• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sriracha (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp scallion, sliced thinly

Heat 2 tbsp canola oil plus 1 tsp sesame oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Saute the carrot and celery for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger, and saute for another minute. Place the veggie mix in a bowl and set aside. Add another 2 tbsp of canola oil to the pan and fry the tofu. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tofu to the veggie mix, and then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Set filling aside to cool while you make the dough.

Add the water and oil to a mixing bowl. Stir in two cups of flour and the salt. This should create a sticky wet dough. Dust your work surface with flour and place the dough on it. Add an additional flour 1/4 cup at a time, kneading the portion into the dough. Continue adding 1/4 cup portions of flour and kneading until you have a smooth, elastic, not too sticky dough. You may find your dough at the right consistency with slightly more or slightly less than 3 cups of flour total.

Flour + water + oil + love = dough

Roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a large glass or cookie cutter (I used the lid to a large drink shaker) to cut dough circles. Then roll each circle to 1/8 in thickness to create a large dumpling. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each circle and pinch closed. You may need to use a little warm water on your fingers while you pinch them to get them to stick. 

Dumplings! I need to work on my folding technique...

Add water to a large skillet (with a lid) until it is about 1/2 inch deep. Heat the water on medium-low and add the dumplings. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is cooked. As an optional step, you can briefly fry the steamed dumplings in a little canola oil to crisp them up. I shouldn't call this optional though...it makes them extra delicious! Remember what I said earlier about fried dough?

While the dumplings steam, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together. Serve the dumplings immediately with the sauce on the side. 

Experiment #5: Chocolate Amaretto Pie with Cherry Sauce...and some personal stuff

It's been a rough couple of weeks health-wise, but I'm feeling much better. Right after my last post, my digestive problems flared up badly. Two weeks of cramping, throwing up, aching in every joint, and barely wanting to eat. I missed some work, visited the doctor, and I'm still waiting on some test results. I've also been battling dizzy spells the last week while I wean off citalopram, which I took for anxiety but can proudly say I no longer need. The decision about whether or not to take antidepressants is an intensely personal one, and I don't think there's an absolute right or wrong answer. While I'm thrilled to be back in control of my emotions, I understand that I couldn't get there on my own. The feeling-like-crap part of me wishes I hadn't taken it because the physical addictiveness is so strong. The logical side of me is glad that I did because it gave me the boost I needed to help me  recognize the confidence and bravery already inside me. I don't stress over little things or feel unreasonably afraid of anything anymore.  Bring on the experiments!

My appetite came back for the Fourth of July, and I made these delicious raw lemon/coconut/banana bars from This Rawsome Vegan Life. My family enjoyed them (except B who isn't a big coconut fan) and they took a whopping 10 minutes to make (not including refrigerator time), so I'll definitely make them again. This week's experiment is a different summer-friendly dessert. It requires minimal baking (setting the crust for 10 minutes) and uses seasonal fruit (I found beautiful dark sweet cherries on sale at Sprouts today!). The experiment is my take on this chocolate pie with almond crust and strawberry compote from Oh She Glows.  I changed the flavors because chocolate + almond + cherry is one of my all-time favorite flavor trios (second only to green chile + cheese + potato...oh, cheese *sigh*).

This pie is a celebration of feeling better. It's also a celebration of cooking with booze since I was on Tylenol and not able to drink while I was sick. 

Chocolate Amaretto Pie with Cherry Sauce - serves 8-10 depending on how you slice it

Crust

• 3/4 cup raw almonds
• 1 1/2 cup oats, separated
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup (or the liquid sweetener of your choice)

Filling

• 7.5 oz coconut cream (or 1 15 oz can coconut milk chilled overnight to separate out the cream)
• 2 oz amaretto liqueur (I like D'Saronno)
• 1 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Sauce

• 1 lb sweet cherries
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the almonds and 1/2 cup of oats in a food processor and grind into a coarse flour. Add the rest of the oats and process briefly to chop the oats. Then add the coconut oil and maple syrup and process until the dough forms. 

Dough that smells as good as it looks!

Lightly grease a pie pan with coconut oil. Add the dough to the middle of the pan and use your fingers to press it into a crust. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let the crust cool while you make the filling and sauce.

Smells like a freshly-baked granola bar! YUM!

I made the sauce next because, like an idiot, I didn't read the directions for the filling very well. I bought coconut milk because I read the ingredients list quickly. The filling actually uses coconut cream, which you can buy pre-separated. The original recipe asks you to make your own by chilling coconut milk overnight to separate its parts. So I threw my can in the freezer while I baked the crust, made the sauce, made spaghetti for dinner, and watched the first half of The Hobbit. That's approximately how much time it takes to separate coconut milk in the freezer. Overnight in the refrigerator works better because it separates the liquids without freezing, so they're easier to work with.

Pitting the cherries is the worst part of the recipe. It's tedious, and I don't have any good tools or strategies for it. I just make a slice or two around the pit with a paring knife and pull the pit out with my fingers. It's messy, but it gets the job done.

Cherry pitting or bloody murder?

Place the cherries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Use a potato masher to mash the cherries and extract their juice. Slowly add the cornstarch, whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Then add the maple syrup and vanilla. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until desired thickness. Let the sauce sit while you make the filling (or in my case, store it in the fridge until ready to reheat since it's going to be a while...)

If you start with chilled coconut milk, carefully separate the cream from the watery part. If you start with coconut cream, congratulations: you win at reading directions. Just pour it into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the amaretto and the chocolate chips, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.  

I wish I didn't have to wait two hours to eat it!

Pour the filling into the pie crust. Cover the pie with foil or plastic wrap and chill it in the freezer for at least two hours. After that, if everyone you're serving it to likes cherries, feel free to layer the sauce on top. Otherwise, reheat the sauce and serve it over individual slices. 

Experiment #4: Sloppy Joes!

First, an apology for my absence last week. B and I had celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Durango, Colorado and Mesa Verde National Park. We had an amazing time hiking, rafting, and drinking tasty beers (Well, I did. B's not a beer fan). But we're both happy to be back in NM eating home-cooked food (I can only eat so many quinoa burgers before I get bored).

Since we were getting back into our normal routine, I didn't create a new recipe last week. To make up for it, this latest experiment is new and improved with mediocre Instagram photos!

When I'm menu planning for the week, I always ask B what he wants for dinner. His reply is usually, "Eh, whatever you want to make is fine." Recently, however, I got a request. "Sloppy Joes!" he said, "We haven't had them in a long time." Tonight, I finally granted that request.

Here's the mise en place for the sloppy joes. Missing are ketchup (because the recipe I modified didn't call for it, but it definitely needed some) and vegetable stock (because I was going to cook the lentils in water until I remembered that veggie stock is ALWAYS better!).

Sloppy Joes - Serves...a lot. Probably 6-8 depending on the size of buns you use.

• Olive oil, for sauteeing
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can pinto beans
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 chipotle pepper, minced, plus 1 tsp adobo sauce
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Finely dice your onion and carrots. This is important for two reasons: 1) we want them to cook quickly and thoroughly for a soft texture, and 2) we want nice little pieces for a proper sloppy joe consistency. My dainty little fingernail is a reference for how small I made my pieces.

In a large pot, heat a couple tbsp of olive oil. Saute the onion and carrot for five minutes. Add the stock, lentils, and tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a simmer, and then cover and reduce heat. Simmer the lentil mixture for 20 minutes or until lentils and carrots are tender.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Use a potato masher to mash the tomatoes and beans into smaller pieces (again, we're looking for that classic sloppy joe texture). Cook uncovered on medium-low for a few more minutes until the sauce is your desired thickness.

I served these on giant whole wheat kaiser rolls. I mean GIANT! This sandwich was a good 6" in diameter. I originally planned to bake some sweet potato tots on the side, but when B saw these, he said the sandwiches would be enough!

The verdict: They were tasty, but not quite what B expected for sloppy joes. He's used to a more barbeque-like sauce. Of course, that didn't stop him from licking his plate clean while I was only halfway through mine. I have promised him a Sloppy Joe Experiment, Part 2 with a different sauce recipe.

Experiment #3: Summer Pesto Farro

Little is more delicious on a hot day than fresh veggies and herbs. It was 85 degrees in my house with the swamp cooler on this afternoon, so it seemed like a good day to make a refreshing pesto.

I found this Giada de Laurentiis recipe while searching for easy farro recipes last week. For those of you who've never had it, farro (sometimes called wheatberry) is a type of whole wheat that's been harvested in the Mediterranean and Middle East for centuries. It's a slightly sweet, slightly nutty substitute for rice or pasta. Compared to modern wheat, farro has more fiber and protein and its gluten is easier to digest.

I liked how simple Giada's recipe was, but found it to be too heavy on the parsley. I also had some baby spinach to use up, and I figured I could hide its lovely nutrients from B underneath the herbal flavors (it worked!). Here is the delicious result:

Summer Pesto Farro - serves 4

• 8 oz semi-pearled farro
• 4 c vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1/3 cup basil
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme)
• 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the farro and stir. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes or until the farro is tender. 

While the farro cooks, prepare the pesto. Put the parsley, basil, spinach, garlic, and thyme in a food processor. Chop to a coarse texture. Add the olive oil, vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the herbs. Process to desired consistency (I like my pesto on the coarse side). 

Once tender, drain the farro and return it to the pot. Add the pesto, mix, and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve as a light main dish with added veggies (fresh peas would be awesome. I had marinated artichoke hearts.) or as a side dish (B ate his on the side with chicken sausages). 

Experiment #2: Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup

In hindsight, I realize that using my oven for 45 minutes in 85 degree heat was not the wisest decision I've made. However, the delicious results (and my soup obsession) made it all worth it. If you didn't want to turn on the oven, you could roast the vegetables on the grill before pureeing them into the soup.

Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup - Serves 4
Olive oil
3 heads garlic
1 lb small potatoes (I used red but gold would be great, too)
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 white wine
1/2 cup plain soy creamer
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste - we like it spicier!)
salt and pepper to taste

crusty bread for serving (I found a nice small loaf of rosemary bread at Trader Joe's)

Slice the top off of each head of garlic, lightly rub the garlic with olive oil, and wrap the heads in aluminum foil. Similarly, rub the potatoes in olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast the garlic and potatoes in a 400 degree oven (or on the grill) for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.

While the garlic and potatoes roast, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Caramelize the sliced onion over low heat.

Chop the potatoes, and squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin. Remove the onions from the heat and add the potatoes, garlic, vegetable stock, wine, creamer, and spices. Use a standard or immersion blender to puree the soup. Return the soup to the heat and bring to a simmer. Test the spices and adjust to your liking.

Serve with slices of crusty bread for dipping.