Tag Archives: potluck

The things you can BBQ include pasta salad.

Posted on June 2, 2016 | Leave a comment

salad in green stoneware bowlWhile I was curating content at work last week  for a fitness client, I stumbled upon this blogger in Texas that LOVES BBQ. She had BBQ’d or had BBQ sauce on things I didn’t even know you should or could BBQ, including this pasta salad. So I made a few subs to this recipe to trim some sugar, but overall it was one of the most satisfying sides at our Memorial Day getaway. It could easily be a main dish if you add another protein or double the beans. This makes a shit ton of pasta salad, so if you think you are working with a big bowl, you should just size up. You can thank me later.

 

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces macaroni (I subbed orzo to avoid a trip to the store)
1 cup mayonnaise (I subbed vegan just mayo)
½ cup Stubbs Original Barbecue Sauce (I subbed for Sweet Baby Ray’s regular)
¾ cup Stubbs Spicy Barbecue Sauce (I subbed for Sweet Baby Ray’s spicy)
1½ teaspoons cider vinegar (I subbed white balsamic vinegar)
½ teaspoon cumin (I doubled)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (I doubled)
¼ cup sugar (I eliminated altogether – if you wanna add sweetness, try something like maple syrup – yum!)
2 cups corn (I blackened it over the stove quick from frozen)
2 cups black beans (if canned, be sure to drain them)
¾ cup diced onion (I eliminated for onion flavor, I subbed for 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
½ cup diced green bell pepper (I eliminated)
½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
½ cup diced orange bell pepper
½ cup diced celery (I doubled)
¼ cup diced, roasted poblano pepper, optional (we subbed ancho chili powder 1/2 teaspoon)

The directions are simple. Cook the pasta, rinse, rinse, rinse. Add sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk (bbq sauce, mayo, vinegar, all spices), then add all the components to the sauce. Pop in the fridge. The Restless Chipotle says store in fridge over night and eat the next day. I shoved it right in my pie hole as soon as I assembled, but noticed it did get better with age.

Original from: http://www.restlesschipotle.com/bbq-macaroni-salad/

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Posted in BBQ, Salad

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Marinated Asian Tofu

Posted on July 21, 2014 | 2 comments

I have a pantry full of delish Asian ingredients which I use to make varied marinades, dressings, etc. You would be shocked how great chickpea miso, oil, vinegar and some Sriracha sauce are as a salad dressing in a pinch. The ingredients are flexible, tasty and many of them vegan. This weekend we got together with Chef Dewicki and Andrea which means amazing food shall be had and this time was no exception. I opted to use all ingredients from my house, meaning no trips to the grocery store which challenges me in a very, very good way. Taking a cue from a recipe I’ve been eyeballing over on Pinterest, here is a marinated tofu recipe that I dropped atop peanut noodles and then added grilled veggies and roasted Urban Mushroom CSA goodies from their last delivery for a quick pasta salad.

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Marinade:

  • 1 tsp Ume plum vinegar
  • 3-4 T low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice wine
  • 1 glug maple syrup, use agave or other favored sweetener here if you want
  • 1 T nonflavored oil, I used canola
  • 1 T chopped garlic
  • 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp roasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
  • 1 tsp water

Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Drop in your pieces of tofu or tempeh, let soak for about 20 minutes, turning once at 10 minutes to cover all pieces. As I was roasting mushrooms anyway, I put the tofu pieces on a foil-covered roasting pan in the oven with the excess sauce at 375 for about 40 minutes. You want it firm and cooked, all marinade soaked up, but not dry. So keep an eye on it. I cut up my barely pressed tofu into matchsticks so they roasted pretty quickly. This method yields pretty concentrated flavor in the tofu, so go easy on the seasonings of the salad, wrap, pita or pasta you drop it on as you don’t want to make a salty mistake.

**Roasted mushroom images here to make you a little jealous. Although they would taste super yummy in the marinade too.

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Posted in Marinade/Dressing, Meat Substitutes, Noodles, Quick Cooking, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Potato Salad -Hold the Mayo

Posted on July 30, 2012 | 4 comments

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I hate mayo.  I likewise hate Vegenaise and all other mayo-ish related products, so when I saw a potato salad made without mayo-like-products, I jumped at the chance to make it.  I also, ate half of this bowl for dinner one night.  Yeah, it’s pretty good.

The secret to the creaminess is a food processor (or a blender). Prepare this as close to serving time as possible. It can sit for a couple of hours, but anything more than that and the avocado will brown.  Likewise, you can’t really store it overnight, so oh darn, you will have to eat it in a few hours.  Thanks to Isa for yet another delightfully veganized recipe to share that omnivores won’t balk at.  Take it to your next potluck and revel in the fact that you don’t actually need to keep it on ice or worry about being the family member that causes the reunion food borne illness.  Cheers!

  • 2 lbs fingerling potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
  • 2 avocados
  • 2 T lime juice, from a lime or two
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 plum tomato, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, diced small
  • 1 smallish cucumber, diced very small
  • Scallions for garnish (optional)

Put potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Cover pot, bring water to a boil. Lower the heat to a rolling boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside to cool.

Once potatoes have cooled, prepare the dressing. Split the avocado in half, remove the seed and scoop the yumminess into the food processor. Add the lime juice and salt and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Once smooth and creamy, add the tomato and onion. Pulse until they are incorporated but not completely blended. You should still be able to see the tomato and onion.

Put the potatoes and cucumbers in a large mixing bowl and mix them up. Add the dressing and mix well. Taste for salt and spice. Wrap tightly and chill until ready to use. Top with scallions, if you like.

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Posted in Brunch, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Posted on December 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

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Semester is finally coming to a close.  My grading is nearly finished and it’s time to get some good food up here for the month of December! This is a wonderful dish perfect for those potlucks where you can’t take another helping of green bean casserole made from gray, canned, green beans (not that those little crispy onion things aren’t delicious, but come on!).  This will spice things up.  This modified recipe is courtesy of Vegetarian Times’ reader recipe contest of 2011 and is featured on the cover of the December 2011 issue.  This recipe made enough for me to make a 9×9 pan for dinner, then freeze a fully made 8 1/2 x 11 pan for later when we have company.

Sauce 

  • 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder

Filling 

  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
  • 1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
  • 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

Enchiladas

  • extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
  • 16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges, for garnish
  • 1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
  • 1/2 cup faux sour cream, for garnish
  • Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional

To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To make Filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce.  Bake 15 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, faux sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.

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Posted in Dinner, Make Ahead, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Independence Day Holiday Weekend = Food Coma

Posted on July 7, 2011 | 2 comments

Hello summer!  Nothing screams 4th of July holiday like making a ton of high-calorie food and carting it all over the city visiting friends, drinking adult beverages, and watching small children play with matches.

Mr. Wonderful and I started off the July 4th Holiday weekend relatively healthy with Yin and Yang Salad with Peanut Dressing from The Real Food Daily Cookbook as and it sorta went downhill from there.

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it’s really just some ingredients used many times…tricky.  Replication of flavors from ginger, garlic and sesame make this dish seem complex and rich, you don’t need to tell anyone you basically had to shop in two aisles, the “ethnic” and produce aisles.

  • 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
  • 1 sleeve soba noodles, cooked al dente, drained and cooled
  • 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 (2 1/2-inch) piece daikon radish, peeled and julienned (I used red radish)
  • 10 green onions (white and green parts), julienned
  • 1 cup Peanut-Sesame Dressing (recipe follows)
  • 4 cups 1/2-inch cubes chilled ginger tofu (recipe follows)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Toss the cabbage, carrots, radish, and green onions in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Mound the salad into 4 wide, shallow bowls or onto plates. Arrange the tofu around the salad. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 4.

Dressing:

  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup brown rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

Ann’s header notes: If you’d like a spicier dressing, just add more crushed red pepper flakes. This thickens up once it’s refrigerated, so you can either add a little water to thin it or leave it thick to use as a sauce on grains and other cooked dishes.

Blend the peanut butter, vinegar, maple syrup, water, tamari, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cilantro and blend just until it’s finely chopped The dressing will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.

Makes abaut 1 1/4 cups.

Gingered Tofu

  • 2 (12-ounce) containers water-packed extra-flrm tofu
  • 2/3 cup tamari
  • 1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • I tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  • I tablespoon canola oil

Drain the tofu and save the containers. Cut into 1-inch wide strips, and pat dry with paper towels. Cover a large baking sheet with more dry paper towels. Place the tofu in a single layer over the towels on the baking sheet and let drain for 2 hours, changing the paper towels after 1 hour.

Whisk the tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl to blend. Pour half of the marinade into the reserved tofu containers. Return the tofu slices to the containers, and pour the remaining marinade over. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400’F. Oil a heavy, rimmcd baking sheet with the canola oil. Drain the tofu and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes on each side until golden brown and heated through. Serve warm or cold, or at room temperature. The tofu will keep for 1 day, covered and refrigerated.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Posted in Fridge Finds, Make Ahead, Meat Substitutes, Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian

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