Category: Dinner

Gucchi Korma (Mushroom and Pea Korma) with Rotis

This recipe is dedicated to my daughter-in-law Snigdha, her parents and all the beautiful friends I have made afar in India. By cooking this meal I have developed an even deeper appreciation of the true art of Indian cooking. It is a skill that I believe would take me an entire lifetime to achieve.

Many years ago I purchased “The Indian Cooking Course” cookbook by Monisha Bharadwaj at Half Price Books. Gosh I miss that store. I was attracted to the cover which had illustrations of very colorful Indian herbs and spices. The inside was filled with vivid photographs of Indian markets, fruits and vegetables, kitchens, tin and copper utensils, landscape and – of course – mouthwatering cuisine. I remember when I first got this book I sat for hours days studying the details of all the pictures. I would imagine what it would be like being in India. I never made a single recipe – but I could tell you about all the spices, regions, climate and geography.

Well last weekend I took that cookbook out and searched exclusively for recipes that were plant based. I found several but the one that caught my eye the most was Gucchi Korma. I also felt this was the one I had the best shot at “pulling off” having never made an Indian meal before. I must say for my first attempt it really was delicious.

Gucchi Korma is a dish whose star ingredient is white mushrooms. Mushrooms have been cultivated in India only for the last 40 years. Early on, foragers gathered only a small amount for consumption. They were not considered a mainstay veggie by any means. In fact, in ayurvedic medicine (a healthy life style system in India) mushrooms are classified as unpalatable, promoting laziness and pessimism. They have apparantly increased in popularity and can now be found in markets and restaurants in India.

White mushrooms are low in calories, high in protein and vitamin D and a source of B12 which is important when following a plant based way of eating. Did you know that white mushrooms are immature fungi and fully grown white mushrooms are portobellos? I just learned that fun little fact today.

Rotis is an unleavened flat bread native to India but consumed in many countries worldwide. Roti is 100% vegan seeing that it is made from whole wheat flour and water. That’s right – just two ingredients. Pretty crazy but it’s true. Now, while I feel I can improve on my future rotis making skills, they didn’t turn out that bad. I gave myself a grade of C+. I think the trick is to knead them very well and roll them super thin. My first few batches were too thick and they didn’t bubble up as they should.

Gucchi (mushroom and pea) Korma with Rotis

Ingredients for Gucchi Korma

  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 1 fresh green chili chopped
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 2 cups white button mushrooms sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. garam masala (directions for making this mix of spices is at the end of this post)
  • 1 tsp. ground tumeric
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 3 tsps. ginger-garlic paste

Ginger-garlic Paste: Ratio of 1 part ginger (peeled and chopped) to 2 parts garlic (chopped). Blitz the ginger and garlic in a blender along with enough water to turn the blades and make a smooth puree.

I feel like I might have added too much water. It was supposed to be a paste but it looks more like a smoothie. I guess I will need to perfect the ginger-garlic paste in the future. The good news though is that the dish was still delish.

Directions

  1. Put the onion, chili pepper and cashews in a pan with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft then transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth paste. Set aside.
I was pleased with the outcome. I think that’s like a B+.

2. Place a little extra virgin olive oil in a deep sauce pan over high heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds then add the mushrooms and peas. Stir in the ground spices. Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms release their juices and the spices cook then add the onion and cashew paste. Note: I made an exception to the “no oil” here because I am a newby to Indian cooking and didn’t want to mess things up.

3. Stir for 7-8 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through. Adjust the seasonings to your liking. Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala and serve hot with the rotis.

Ingredients for Rotis

  • 2 cups stoneground whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup slightly warm water

Directions

  1. Place flour in a bowl. Add a little bit of water and knead with your hands until you have a pliable dough. If not pliable enough add more water. The maximum you would add is 3/4 cup. I used the entire amount of water.
  2. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes. The more you knead the softer the rotis. This is very important. I stopped at the 5 minute mark (fingers got tired) but think that extra three minutes would have made them just about perfect.
  3. Leave the dough ball to rest for 10 minutes in the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel over it.
  4. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions the size of a lime. Coat with a light dusting of flour, shape into a ball with your palms and flatten a bit.
  5. Roll each ball into thin, flat disks with a rolling pin about 5″ in diameter.
  6. Heat a grill pan (cast iron would be ideal) on high heat. Cook the disks one at a time until the surface appears bubbly. Flip and press the edges down with a spatula to cook evenly. When the rotis is opaque and flecked with brown they are done. The recipe says to brush the rotis with oil – this is optional.

How to Make Garam Masala Spice Mix

  • 1 tsp. black peppercorn
  • 2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 3/4″ cinnamon stick
  • 10 cardimon pods (seeded and husks disgarded)
  • 10 cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 blades mace
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp. coriander seeds
  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add the spices and dry toast until they start to darken and become aromatic. Remove from heat and let cool before grinding to a fine powder with spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  2. Store in airtight container in a cool, dark place and use within 6 months. You can also put the whole toasted spices in a peppermill and use when needed.

If you are not interested in making your own garam masala it is sold in the spice section of most supermarkets.

Heating in a dry skillet. OMG the smell once they start toasting!!!
Using mortar and pestle worked just fine for me
All ground up
Some of the most expensive spices go into making garam masala. My Indian cookbook said there are as many recipes as there are households in India.

Chili without the Con Carne

I’ve been making this chili all my married life. Well – the Chili con Carne version anyhow. It’s one of my father-in-law’s signature recipes that I turned vegan (sorry dad) by omitting the ground beef and adding tofu for the protein. I throw in some fresh spinach and wallah – both delish and nutrish!!

Chili without the Con Carne

Ingredients

  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/3 fresh jalapeno finely chopped (wear gloves)
  • 1 can reduced sodium tomato soup
  • 1 large can diced tomatos
  • 1 can red kidney beans drained
  • 1/2 can black beans drained
  • 6 oz. firm and pressed tofu
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. cumin
  • 3 bay leaves

Directions

Add all the ingredients, except spinach and tofu, in a large pot. Simmer on low while stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Add spinach and tofu and simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve with Wasa multi-grain crisp breads (I buy them at Giant Eagle) or my Pepita, Sesame and Flaxseed Crisp Crackers.

Baby Bok Choy with Tahini-Ginger Sauce

I love this simple yet elegant dish that is a real cinch to prepare. It is light yet very flavorful and ultra healthy. Bok choy takes center stage in this special entree. Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, has deep green leaves and lighter bulbous bottoms that remind me of spoons. It is a cruciferous vegetable (in the same family as brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and turnips). Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphanes which help reduce inflammation. If you recall from previous posts, prolonged inflammation is linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline and dementia. Eating cruciferous veggies raw is the most optimal way to take in the sulforaphanes. The next best way is steaming for 2-3 minutes.

How did I dream up this recipe? Long story short, I’m in Lucky’s Market and this guy is admiring the baby bok choy. “Looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” I’ll be honest I heard of bok choy but never cooked it. My response, “Sure does. What do you do with it?” He told me his recipe. He stressed “it has to be baby bok choy – not mature stalks.” I got a pen and sales receipt (the only thing I had to write on) out of my purse and asked him to repeat. Then he hand picked the perfect bok choy for me and wished me luck with making. People are so great!

Baby Bok Choy with Tahini-Ginger Sauce (from the man at Lucky’s Market)

Ingredients

  • Fresh bok choy leaves
  • Firm and pressed tofu cut in small pieces
  • 2 scallions cut in pieces
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 garlic toes finely chopped (or put through garlic press)
  • 1 piece fresh ginger size of thumb (peeled and very finely minced)
  • 6 tbsps. tahini sauce
  • 2 tbsps. white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. miso paste
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Bok choy, ginger, garlic, scallions, tahini, white vinegar, miso paste, sesame seeds, black pepper, tofu (not pictured)

Directions

  1. Pour 1/2 cup water into a skillet pan. Place bok choy and scallions in the pan. Place tofu on top of the bok choy. Turn heat up to high. Put a cover tightly over the bok choy and tofu so that no steam escapes. Steam for 2 – 3 minutes until bok choy is tender and tofu heated through.
  2. For the sauce place tahini,white vinegar, miso paste, ginger, garlic and black pepper in a bowl and wisk ingredients together.
  3. Gently lift out the bok choy and tofu and place on dinner plate. Place tahini-ginger sauce off to the side and place scallions over. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Zucchini -Chickpea Veggie Burger with Tahini Ranch Sauce

Zuccini- Chickpea Veggie Burger with Tahini Ranch Dressing.

I have tried making veggie burgers a variety of ways but honestly this recipe could win awards. I cannot completely claim rights to it. I found it in Eating Well magazine. I made a change though. I baked them in the oven as opposed to pan frying as the recipe suggests. I did this to eliminate the need for olive oil making the recipe healthier.

These zucchini chickpea burgers have the perfect blend of ingredients and seasonings which make them super delicious. The burgers are firm, no crumbling up or falling apart yet so juicy and moist. They are also super filling. I honestly could have these every day of the week if it weren’t for hubby saying otherwise.

I eat my burgers on a whole wheat bun for greater nutrition and fiber and add plenty of arugula and other salad greens, tomatoes, sliced zucchini and thin slices of vidalia (sweet) onions. This burger is delicious on its own, but if you prefer a sauce, the tahini ranch dressing works really good. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

This recipe yields 2 generous size burgers or 4 smaller ones.

Ingredients

Zucchini – Chickpea Veggie Burger-

  • 1 15 oz can drained chickpeas
  • 2 tbsps tahini
  • 2 tsps miso paste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives
  • 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (squeeze out juice)
  • 1/3 cup oats
  • 2 tbsps water
  • Arugala and other salad greens, tomato slices, sliced zucchini, vidalia onions
  • Whole wheat bun

Directions

Puree first 7 ingredients then add zucchini and oats. Form into patties. Place in a baking dish lined with a silicone mat. Bake in oven set at 350 degrees until browned (approximately 30 minutes) flipping halfway.

Ingredients

Tahini Ranch Dressing

  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

Stir the ingredients together. Slowly add some water until mixture is smooth.

To make my burgers nice and uniform I use an inexpensive plastic burger press that I puchased at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Don’t want to purchase a burger press? No problem. Just use a mason jar lid. It works perfectly every time!

Veggie Cabbage Rolls

If I were to add another category to this blog called comfort food this recipe would definitely be in it. It is the perfect meal to make on a cold autumn day. When I dreamed this little baby up it happened to be a cold rainy day in September. The aroma of sautéed garlic and tomatoes permeated throughout the kitchen and then bam – once the red wine vinegar, black strap molasses and cinnamon were added that’s when the explosion of flavor happened! The smell of my veggie cabbage rolls baking in the oven literally drove me crazy. Finally, once pulled out of the oven and dished on my plate, I was able to enjoy this comfort meal while listening to the pouring rain and bolts of thunder. It is impossible to eat just one cabbage roll but you know what? The more you eat of this completely whole food, plant based, no salt, oil or sugar recipe the healthier you are. So second and thirds please!!

This meal works well alone or can be served with mashed potatoes. I mash up my potatoes with unsweetened almond milk and add nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Yes, it is possible to make dairy-free mashed potatoes that are creamy and flavorful. Want a little extra flavor? Mix in little snippets of fresh chives.

Veggie Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

  • 8 cabbage leaves
  • 4 garlic toes
  • 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses
  • 1 cup cooked couscous
  • 1 can reduced sodium tomato soup
Cabbage, Roma tomatoes, garlic, couscous, tomato soup, molasses and cinnamon
Couscous stuffing mixture

Directions

  1. Boil cabbage leaves until soft about 5 minutes
  2. Sautee 4 minced garlic toes and cut up tomatoes in a little water until aromatic
  3. Add 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses and stir for 8 – 10 minutes
  4. Stir in the cooked couscous
  5. Stuff the cabbage leaves and form into rolls
  6. Dilute the tomato soup with 1 can water. Pour a small amount on the bottom of a baking dish. Line the cabbage rolls over the tomato soup mixture. Pour the remaining tomato soup over the cabbage rolls. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper over the top.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

A Deep Dive at the Health Benefits

The ingredient that takes center stage in this recipe is cabbage. Cabbage belongs to a family of vegetables referred to as cruciferous. Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts) have a pretty interesting sulfur rich compound in them called sulforaphane. This compound has anti-cancer abilities. There are some pretty compelling evidenced based studies suggesting sulforaphane can protect chromosomes against damage and stop the metastasis (spread) of cancer.

There has also been some fairly recent studies on the effect of cruciferous vegetables on autism. A placebo controlled, double blind, randomized study of boys with autism found that eating 2 – 3 servings of cruciferous vegetables a day improved social interaction, behavior and communication within a few weeks. The medicinal properties of foods is rather intriguing isn’t it?

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/chemical_derived_from_broccoli_sprouts_shows_promise_in_treating_autism

Roasted Applesauce Stuffed Acorn Squash with Peppered Seeds

This recipe circles back to my childhood. I remember the distinctive smell in my moms kitchen most notably during the autumn months. I remember the dark green shell set against the bright orange inner flesh and how pumped up, energized and happy those colors made me feel. I remember the sweet earthy aroma throughout the house. I also remember the delicious buttery nutty flavor of this amazing squash. As a kid I would eat acorn squash outer skin and all and that hasn’t changed as an adult! By the way, the outer skin is perfectly edible but if you aren’t keen on eating it, it separates away from the flesh quite easily when cooked.

I always thought all acorn squash was dark green. Well that by far is the most popular color but there are also white, pale yellow, tan and bright orange varieties. In my opinion they all taste pretty similar but white and pale yellow seem to have a smoother texture whereas the green are firmer.

Roasted Applesauce Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

  • 1 acorn squash (any color)
  • 3 peeled apples cut into cubes
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black cumin seeds (optional)
Pumpkins may take center stage during autumn months but acorn squash is second runner up!
Acorn squash seeds have a sweet and nutty flavor and are a personal favorite of mine. Just place them in a baking dish, spray a little water on them and spice them up with lots of black pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned. Eat the entire seed – OMG so delicious!

Directions

For the applesauce peel and dice 3 apples. Place them in a pan, add enough water to cover the apples and boil until soft (just like boiling potatoes). Drain the water and pulse in food processor. If you don’t have a food processor use a blender or mash by hand.

  1. Place the whole acorn squash in the microwave for about 3 minutes. This softens the outer skin and makes it easier to cut.
  2. Using a sharp knife cut the acorn squash in half starting at the stem.
  3. Scoop out the seeds and set aside for roasted squash seeds.
  4. Scoop the applesauce into the hollow of each half.
  5. Sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg and black cumin (optional) on the applesauce.
  6. Bake in preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (or until the tops are browned and flesh is soft).

A Deep Dive at the Health Benefits

There are many varieties of winter squash – butternut, acorn, hubbard, spaghetti, sugar pumpkin, buttercup and kabocha. Hands down all these varieties deliver on the nutrition front but there is one that is the absolute champion of them all. You guessed it – acorn squash!

Acorn squash is packed with soluble fiber. Soluble means dissolves in water. So the fiber dissolves in water to form a gel. The gel binds to cholesterol in the small intestine and exits the body in the stool. This prevents it from entering the blood stream. So how about that? Acorn squash can control cholesterol. Another serving please! Soluble fiber also help regulate blood sugar.

Acorn squash is an amazing source of potassium. Adults need 4,700 mg. of potassium each day. One cup of cooked acorn squash is packed with 896 mg. of potassium. Most people associate bananas with potassium but one banana has only 422 mg. of potassium. Additionally one cup is packed with one-third the daily requirement of calcium, magnesium and folate.

Now even though acorn squash is the star performer give other squashes a try. Butternut squash comes in second place and excels in Vitamin C, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene which helps protect against cancer.

Spaghetti squash has the lowest overall nutrition score but it is a low calorie and low carbohydrate alternative to traditional pasta noodles.

Couscous Stuffed Chili Poblano Peppers

I have always been a fan of Mexican food. It’s fun, colorful and happy. But the high sodium and high fat cheeses, sauces and meats I can do without. We took a trip to Tucson in September and hubby was looking forward to eating Sonoran-style Mexican food. I, on the other hand, was simply hoping there would be some vegetarian options on the menus. To my delight, every restaurant we ate at had a few honest to goodness whole food plant based entrees! One of the restaurants at Hacienda Del Sol resort where we stayed, had two delicioso plant based meals. This post will feature one of them which was a stuffed pepper dish. Now while I didn’t exactly ask for the recipe, I payed close attention to what it was I was eating and came up with a pretty close match. Because I cannot recall the exact name of the entrée I am calling it Couscous Stuffed Chili Poblano Peppers.

Couscous Stuffed Chili Poblano Peppers
Topped with fat free mozzarella cheese (optional). See note section.

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 2 cups cooked couscous
  • 1 can rinsed black beans (reduced salt or salt free)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
  • 1/2 chopped jalapeño pepper
  • 16 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • Fat free shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
Note: If using fat free cheese keep in mind it is not whole food or plant based.  It has a fair amount of sodium (280 mg. sodium / 1/4 cup). Because the fat is removed it is resistant to melting and tends to scorch in the oven.
Tip: Thoroughly rinsing canned goods removes 50% of the added salt.
Ingredients: poblano peppers, jalapeño pepper, couscous, black beans, corn & black pepper
Mix ingredients together

Directions

  1. Grill or roast the peppers until they are soft. Place the charred and hot peppers in a large plastic zip lock bag, close tightly and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the outer skin as this can be difficult to digest. Personally, I keep the skin on for added fiber and nutrients. The grilling or roasting process chars the peppers which expresses their flavor.
  2. Make a slit in the peppers and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Wear gloves to avoid contact with capsaicin which is the chemical that makes peppers hot. The capsaicin is not on the seeds but on the white fleshy innards.
  3. Mix the couscous, black beans, corn, minced jalapeno pepper and black pepper together. Stuff the peppers.
  4. Spread the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Line up the peppers over the sauce. Top with salsa. If you are adding the cheese do so the last 10 minutes of baking.
  5. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds
Roast in a 425 degree preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes until charred and skin blisters

Place in sealed zip-lock bag for 10 minutes allowing the steam to loosen the skin
Peel off the translucent skin

A Deep Dive at the Health Benefits

Everything about this meal speaks health. But lets take a closer look at the star ingredient – poblano pepper. Poblano peppers are a great source of insoluble fiber which supports gut health by promoting easier passage of stool. But they are an excellent source of soluble fiber as well. Soluble means dissolves in water. So the fiber dissolves in water to form a gel. The gel binds to cholesterol in the small intestine and exits the body in the stool. This prevents it from entering the blood stream. So how about that? A poblano pepper can control cholesterol. Another serving please!

Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot, has anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to fight off cancer cells. Yes, you read that correctly. Capsaicin has been shown to alter the expression of several genes involved in cancer cell survival, growth and metastasis. 1 Poblano peppers are mild and therefore have much less capsaicin then, say a habanero or ghost pepper, but there is still enough to make a difference.

Poblano peppers are stocked with vitamins A and C. They are very rich in potassium which is important in the regulation of blood pressure. They are very low in carbohydrates and have zero cholesterol. And if that wasn’t enough they are also rich in antioxidants.

I really hope you try and enjoy this recipe. I love comments. To the best of health – Diana

1 Anticancer Properties of Capsaicin Against Human Cancer. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26976969/

click here for Capsaicin research