Secretly Healthier "Chicken" Pot Pie with Mashed Potato Crust

Sometimes I feel like my love of comforting, coma-inducing meals developed as a direct reaction to my being raised and fed by an ex-hippie, health-food-obsessed mother who wouldn't dare let an artificial color or flavor into the house and claims that my first solid food was tofu. I can happily eat tofu and broccoli every day, but sometimes I just need to shove a whole bunch of starch into my face. Anyway, imagine my surprise when I stopped by my parents house for dinner and my mom was whipping up a fake-chicken pot pie with MASHED POTATO CRUST. This recipe is straight out of my own carb-addicted brain, except I didn't write it! Oh and it's dairy-free and way better for you than a regular-ass pot pie because my mom can never fully turn off that side of her culinary personality. But trust me, it's just as delicious as the real thing and because it's lower in fat you can eat twice as much.

1 frozen pie crust

About 2 cups defrosted Quorn Naked Cutlets cut into chunks

8-9 oz. frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted (peas, carrots, green beans, etc.) or any leftover cooked veggies you have on hand

3 tbs. Earth Balance spread

16 oz. (1 container) soy creamer (I used Trader Joe's brand but Silk makes a good one too)

2-3 tbs. flour

1/3 cup fresh chopped onions or frozen pearl onions

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 bag Alexia brand mashed potatoes OR about 11 oz. of your favorite pre-cooked mashed potatoes or leftover home made mashed potatoes.

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper or to taste

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Pinch of thyme leaves

1 tbs. olive oil

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make mashed potatoes according to directions. You can doctor them up with some Earth Balance and seasonings if you want. Set aside.

 

In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute onion for a couple minutes until tender but not browned. Add frozen veggie mix. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Add Quorn chunks. Cook until veggies and Quorn are heated through. Set aside.

In a large pot or saucepan, melt Earth Balance over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour - starting with 2-3 tbs. (you might need a little more in a bit). Whisk for about 30 seconds. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Slowly add in most of the soy creamer, whisking constantly. Mixture should start to thicken - if it gets too thick add more soy creamer, if it's too thin, add another sprinkle or two of flour. Sauce should be smooth and velvety - just slightly thick. Pour vegetable and chicken mixture into the pot with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings and needed. Combine well. Pour everything into your defrosted pie crust.

Spread a layer of cooked mashed potatoes on top. Bake 25-35 min. until crust is cooked through and slightly browned. Everything else is already pre-cooked, so it just needs to heat through.

Soy-Sesame Tempeh and Kale in 10 minutes or less

It's 1am and I'm hungry. As usual. There's some frosted lemon pound cake sitting on the counter leftover from a get-together my mom hosted the other night and I'd really like a slice. But what would my colon think? So instead, I turn to the bunch of kale in the vegetable bin. Can you tell I'm getting a little obsessed with this stuff now? Anyway, I wanted to try to whip up something reminiscent of the spicy sesame kale I had at Whole Foods a few months ago (theirs was tasty but totally soaked in an unnecessary amount of oil). To turn this from a side dish to a more substantial meal, I added tempeh - which is always great when infused with soy and sesame flavors. The whole thing took under 10 minutes!

Soy-Sesame Tempeh and Kale

1/2 package tempeh, cut into bite-sized cubes or strips
About 2 handfuls of kale (really you can use as much as you want - remember that it really cooks down, like spinach)
3-4 tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. Sriracha or chili-garlic sauce (more or less depending on your desired spice level)
1 1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. olive oil
1-2 drizzles sesame oil (if you don't have any that's ok, but it adds a really nice finish)
Sesame seeds for topping

In a shallow bowl or dish, mix soy sauce, sriracha, rice wine vinegar, and maple syrup. Add the cubed tempeh in one layer and toss it around to coat. There should be enough liquid to cover or just barely cover the tempeh. Let it marinate for up to 15 minutes (I was hungry and impatient so I waited about 5) tossing it around to make sure it's well coated.

In a saute pan, heat olive oil over a medium flame. Add the kale and stand back, as any remaining moisture will cause some spattering. Stir with a wooden spoon or some tongs and cook for about a minute, then add the tempeh pieces. Let the pieces brown a little on each side, then pour in the marinating liquid. Cook, stirring frequently, until the kale is done and the tempeh is heated through. Drizzle in some sesame oil to taste and sprinkle on some sesame seeds - I like a lot of them; they add a nice little crunch. Toss it all together and serve.

Healthy Orechiette with Cannellini Beans and Veggies

Unless you want a heart attack, you can't cover everything in a layer of potato chips and cheese. Even though I love indulgent comfort foods, I spend most of my time in the kitchen making much lighter dishes. This particular pasta will give you delicious dose of almost every vitamin, mineral, etc. you need (including some of the ones carnivores always say you don't get enough of as a vegetarian) with barely any fat.

I used kale, which is high in fiber, calcium, and a bunch of other essentials. It's basically one of the best things you can eat. If you don't have kale, swiss chard is an excellent substitute. And if you don't particularly like either green, just use spinach. The cannellini beans add protein, iron, and fiber - but most importantly, they make this sauce more substantial and filling. You can use another type of pasta if you don't have orecchiette (try whole grain, it's loaded with fiber but doesn't have the gross, pastey texture of whole wheat), but I like how the sauce pools in each little ear and the beans kind of get stuck in the indent which is nice. 

Anyway, here's what you'll need

Orechiette with Cannellini Beans and Veggies in Light Tomato Sauce

8 oz. orecchiette, prepared according to box directions 

14 oz. canned diced tomatoes (preferably with a lot of liquid and some basil, too)

About 1/3 cup rosé wine (you can use white if that's all you have around. the type doesn't really matter as long as it's not a sweet/dessert wine)

About 1/2 cup Imagine Brand No-Chicken Broth (this is essential to have in your fridge at all times!

1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained

About 1 cup of kale or other leafy greens (make sure you rinse, drain, and dry the leaves. I also like to discard any long, tough stems)

1/2 bag frozen peas

1/2 white onion, sliced

1-2 handfuls white mushrooms

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 tbs. olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Fresh basil and fresh parsley to taste

Grated Parmesan for topping

Start by heating the olive oil over a medium-low flame and sauteing the garlic for about half a minute. Add the kale or chard (if you're using spinach you don't have to put it in so early, since it wilts quickly). Cook a minute or two until it starts to go limp, then add the onions and saute until they start to soften. Throw in the mushrooms and frozen peas. Add a little more oil if you need it - the kale seems to absorb a lot. Add the beans and saute everything a few minutes until almost the veggies are almost cooked through. If you're using spinach, toss it in now. Season with a few pinches of salt. Add the can of tomatoes/liquid, the broth, and the wine. Let the sauce come to a gentle boil so the alcohol cooks off, leaving a nice, subtle wine flavor. Add a pinch of sugar if you want - I personally like a sweeter sauce than most. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Sprinkle in the basil and parsley. Pour over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan (or a vegan substitute).

Sweet and Spicy Seitan and Japanese Eggplant Stirfry (for beginners!)

This recipe is perfect for anyone who isn't yet confident enough to make their own sauce...or just feels like taking a very very delicious shortcut. Store bought, jarred sauces are ok, but they always seem just a little off. My solution? Mix a couple of them together until the taste is exactly what you're looking for. The following sort of resembles a typical General Tso's but with more soy/teriyaki flavor and less unabashed sweetness (honestly most General Tso's I get in restaurants is way too sugary). You'll need to buy 3 different sauces, but each is very useful, so I promise it won't be a waste!

Sweet and Spicy Seitan and Japanese Eggplant Stirfry 

Serves 2-3 depending how hungry everyone is

3-4 small Japanese eggplants, sliced into rounds and then
1/2 bag frozen broccoli
3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
Generous handful of water chestnuts (I buy the slices and then cut them in half one more time)
4-5 button or white mushrooms, sliced
Any other veggies you want to add - bamboo shoots, peppers, etc.
1 package chicken style seitan (you can get it in pre-shredded chunks but I like to buy it "cubed" and slice it myself)
Heaping plateful of cornstarch
4 tbs. vegetable oil, divided

For the sauce combination, start with the following approximation:
1 part sweet chili sauce (I used Thai Kitchen)
1 part sichuan stir-fry sauce (I used House of Tsang)
2 parts Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki (you can use this in a bunch of different Asian dishes or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, etc)

You can adjust the ratio however you want to acheive your ideal balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy.

Heat 2 tbs. of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Stirfry the vegetables in order of hardness, waiting about 45 seconds after each addition so that by the end everything is nicely softened. Start with the celery and carrots together, then the water chestnuts, then the frozen broccoli, and finally the mushrooms and eggplant together.

While the veggies are cooking, roll each piece of seitan in cornstarch on both sides. Heat the remaining oil in a different skillet over medium heat and fry the seitan pieces until golden brown. The excess cornstarch will mix with the oil and make what looks like a gross mess, but don't worry about it. The pan might get a little dry since the cornstarch is so absorbent, so add a little more oil if you need to. When the seitan is nice and crispy, place the pieces on a piece of paper towel to drain, then add them to the stirfried vegetables.

In a small saucepan, heat the sauce combination until warm. Drizzle the sauce over the seitan and veggies and toss to coat. Don't use too much sauce, since it's really flavorful and may overpower the stirfry...you just want a nice glaze. Serve over brown rice or noodles. Unfortunately this cell phone picture really does no justice!

Quick Cuban-Inspired Feast

As usual, this week's "Meatless Monday" recipe from my mom's blog was actually one of my own. Except for the plantains - those were already in progress when I got home from work, and oh my god were they tasty.

I don't know why it took me so long to try coating seitan in cornstarch before frying it - after all, this is my favorite way to make tofu super delicious. Anyway, now that I've discovered that "battered" seitan is ridiculously good (in fact it's kind of addictive and I'm already craving more despite eating this dish for dinner) I've been trying it in different flavors and styles. Here's a sweet and tangy seitan recipe paired with delicious plantains and some rice and beans with plenty of cilantro. 

Note: All of these can easily be made vegan, just use Earth Balance or another dairy-free spread where it calls for butter.

Crispy Seitan with Guava-Passion Fruit Glaze

1 package of chicken-style seitan (just use the bigger chunks and save the smaller pieces for something else)
2 tbs. olive oil or canola oil for frying
About 1/2 cup cornstarch (you don't have to measure, as long as you have enough to coat the seitan(
Pinch of salt

Spread the cornstarch out on a plate. Drain the seitan pieces and roll them in the cornstarch mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry seitan until it begins to brown on each side. Don't let the pieces get too dark, or they will taste burnt. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt to season. When the seitan is done, drain the excess oil by placing the pieces on a paper towel. Coat with guava-passion fruit glaze - recipe follows.

1 cup (Goya brand) guava jelly
2 tbs. passion fruit juice concentrate (if you can find it. I used Goya brand)
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pinch of salt or to taste

Pinch of chipotle chili flakes or to taste (optional)

In a small saucepan, melt the guava jelly over medium-low heat. Whisk in the juices and a bit of salt to taste. Pour over the fried seitan pieces, making sure they are entirely coated. Serve over rice and beans with a side of plantains.

Short-Cut Seasoned Rice and Beans

1 pouch of microwavable while or Jasmine rice, cooked (I used 365 brand, but you can also get this at Trader Joes)
1 can black beans, drained
Sprinkle of salt to taste
1/2-1 tsp. each garlic and onion powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 tbs. Earth Balance or butter
2-3 drops chipotle chili sauce (optional)

Squeeze of lime juice
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Add garlic and onion power, salt, chipotle sauce, lime juice, and cilantro to the black beans and mix well. Combine cooked rice with salt and Earth Balance. Mix together beans and rice and top with more cilantro if desired.

Sweet Sauteed Plantains with Chipotle and Lime

2 ripe plantains (should be black on the outside)
2 tbs. Earth Balance
2 tsp. chipotle chili hot sauce (Tabasco makes a decent one)
Salt to taste
2 tbs. brown sugar
Juice of one lime

Slice plantains on a diagonal. Melt Earth Balance and chipotle-lime butter in a pan on medium heat. Add plantains and season with salt. When plantains are slightly browned on both sides, add sugar and lime juice.

Quesadillas with Soy Chorizo, Roasted Corn, and Queso Fresco

This is cross-posted from my mom's blog...she does vegetarian recipes every Monday...but most of them (like this one) are my idea!

 

Quesadillas with Soy Chorizo, Roasted Corn, and Queso Fresco

1/2 package (about 6 oz.) soy chorizo (I used Trader Joe's brand, which is very 

crumbly but works well in this application)

Frozen or fresh roasted corn - or regular corn if roasted is unavailable 

1/2-1 tbs. chipotle-lime butter (optional)

2 tbs. fresh chopped cilantro

2 tbs. grated Cotija cheese (this is  like a Mexican Parmesan)*

About 1/4 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese (I used Horizon's organic)

About 1/4 cup crumbled Queso Fresco*

4 small-medium sized whole wheat tortillas

1 tbs. olive oil + a drizzle for heating each tortilla

Avocado, crema or sour cream, and your favorite salsa (optional for garnish) 

 

*For those in the Northeast, Shop Rite supermarkets usually carry a variety of Mexican cheeses

Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the soy chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Trader Joe's brand soy chorizo is very flavorful and shouldn't require any extra seasoning, but if you use a different brand you may want to add salt, pepper, onion powder and/or garlic powder to taste.  Add the corn and the chipotle-lime butter. Cook until mixture is heated through, then sprinkle in Cotija cheese and 1 tbs. of the cilantro. Stir, then set aside. (This can be made ahead)

In another pan, heat a drizzle of oil over low heat. Fry the tortilla on one side until it just barely turns brown, then flip it over and sprinkle on an even layer of Mexican Blend. When it starts to melt, add a bit of the soy chorizo/corn mixture (not too much or the tortilla won't fold over), followed by a sprinkle of Queso Fresco. Make sure you keep an eye on the heat, as the tortilla will burn if the pan is too hot. The Queso Fresco won't melt fully like most cheeses, but when it begins to soften, add a dash of fresh chopped cilantro and fold the tortilla in half. Serve with avocado, crema/sour cream, and salsa.

SO AWESOME Cheesy Potato Casserole with Crunchy Cornflake Topping

The best thing about going to see my dad's side of the family is that there's always a delicious potato and cheese monstrosity waiting to be devoured. I'm not sure why it took me so long to try to replicate this in my own kitchen, considering it's one of my favorite side dishes in the world. My version isn't healthy by any means, but it uses low-fat sour cream and no butter, so it's probably a million times less fattening than my grandmother's (you know how old people are, they love whole milk and all that gross stuff). The following recipe is for about one serving, so double or triple accordingly if you want more.

Everything about this is awesome and if you don't like it (provided you eat cheese) there's something wrong with you.

Cheesy Potato Casserole with Crunchy Cornflake Topping

1 white or yukon gold potato, diced into small cubes

1/4 - 1/3 container (about 4-5 oz) low fat sour cream

1-2 tbs. heavy cream (optional to make it extra creamy and delicious)

Salt and ground pepper to taste

About 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan blend (the kind from Whole Foods with Asiago is perfect)

About 1/4 cup shredded cheddar

About 1/3 cup corn flakes

Put the diced potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with a little bit of water and microwave for about 4 minutes or until they are soft but not falling apart. Drain any excess water and mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and half of the Parmesan blend. Put the mixture in a small baking or casserole dish and top with a layer of cheeses, then the corn flakes (I like to crush them up a little in my hands), then the remaining cheese. Bake in a toaster oven or regular oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cheese melts and the top is crispy.