Curried Fava Beans

Not the world's tastiest looking picture, but your taste buds will not be disappointed!

Serves 2. I suggest if you are going to the trouble of making this, and it's actually not all that much trouble, just a lot of spices to measure out mostly, that you double the recipe.  This is a very authentic, "restaurant quality" (to quote my food-expert husband) recipe and is very worth having leftovers of, or for serving guests as long as they like bold flavours).

ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into large chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and chopped (large chunks are fine)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 cup water
• 1 can fava beans (or equivalent of lentils if fava beans are unavailable)
• 2 medium sized carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin semicircles
• 3/4 cup green peas
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (I use one of the commercially available mini-cans, about 165 ml)
• salt and ground pepper to taste

method:

Measure all spices together into a small bowl.

Combine the onion, garlic and ginger in a blender or NutriBullet and blend until very smooth. The consistency will look almost like a crystalized ice cream.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the pureed onion mixture. Cover and cook about 5 minutes to mellow the flavour, stirring occasionally. 

Stir in the spices to combine, then add carrots and water. Cook, covered, about 20 minutes until carrots are tender. 

Add the beans, tomatoes, peas, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Best served over grains of your choice. 

Creamy Shiitake Mushroom Pasta Sauce

This recipe was on the cover of the December 2012 issue of vegetarian times magazine and is the only way I'll prepare pasta now.  If you love mushrooms, this recipe is for you!

The recipe calls for linguine, but I use a penne rice pasta as I always have problems with linguine clumping together.

ingredients:

• 14 - 16 oz pasta (about 1 lb)
• 2 Tbsp chopped up arame or dulse (I use dulse)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic (yes, 6!), minced (about 2 Tbsp)
• 3 - 4 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (the magazine calls for 3 cups but I find you can never have too many, so I use more)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy, rice or nut milk
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tsp pine nuts or crushed walnuts (optional, I usually forget to add these and it's just as good)

method:

Cook pasta as per package instructions

Soak arame or dulse in 1/2 cup hot water, set aside.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, wine and lemon juice, saute 5 minute, adding up to 1/4 cup water (if needed) to prevent sticking.

Add soymilk, nutritional yeast, Earth Balance, red pepper flakes, and arame / dulse (including the soaking liquid); season with salt and pepper if desired. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Divide pasta among 4 plates or pasta bowls , top with sauce, garnish with pine nuts and copped parsley if desired. 

I often make the sauce ahead of time and freeze it to take along in our camper or on a trip to a vacation rental.  The sauce freezes very nicely, and instead of serving it all fancy for just my husband and myself we just dump the sauce over the whole pot of cooked pasta and mix it all together and it's good for 2 dinners. 

Babaganoush

This recipe makes only about 1 1/2 cups, so if you want to make a large batch to have some leftover to freeze, or for a large party, double or triple the recipe accordingly.

ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic 
• couple pinches chili powder
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste, about 3/4 tsp

method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and brush open sides with olive oil. Place on foil lined sheet and bake for 45 minutes until soft. 

Allow eggplant to cool, then scoop out insides (discard the skins) and combine in blender or Magic Bullet** (or NutriBullet) with remaining ingredients, drizzle a small amount of olive oil over top and blend until very smooth .  

** If you have doubled or more the recipe you will need to use a blender or food processor.