Your Vegan Mom

Fall Family Dinner

Paul's home.  He finished "long work" on Wednesday, and now there's a bit of time to breathe for a moment.  And maybe even eat a nice meal together.  Here's one -

Mac 'n Cheese Bites

with Spinach Apple Salad - (that's lettuce up there in the picture, but I really like this salad with spinach) baby spinach, diced apple, toasted pecans, and apple cider salad dressing

 

and Pumpkin Cupcakes for dessert.

(If this is not an occasion, they don't need frosting, and then really, they're awfully easy.)

And you, what are you enjoying these days?

Samosa Quesadillas and Creamy Mango Salad Dressing

 

I'm kind of excited about this recipe.  I had been meaning to put this idea into action for a long time, but it wasn't until I had a slew of leftover mashed potatoes and a last minute gaggle of moms and kids to feed that I made it happen.  And it was just what I thought it would be - everything good about a samosa - squishy, mildly spiced potatoes and peas encased in a crisp, pick-up-able package, but with all the ease of slapping together a quesadilla.  Good stuff.  And perfect as a super-simple, kid-friendly, mid-week dinner.

We ate this with a salad of red lettuce, spicy pickled onions, and chickpeas, all drizzled with the creamy mango dressing.  Everything was served separately so that the boy could dip all his component parts in a tiny cup of the sweet vinaigrette.  The pickled onions were a nod to the grown-ups in the party, because everything else is mild and easy on a toddler's sensitive taste buds.     

We dipped the quesadillas in the dressing, but if you're not making the salad, these would also be good with store-bought mango chutney.

 

Samosa Quesadillas

• 3 cups left-over mashed potatoes (I've also made this with half sweet potato.)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder (or to taste)
• 1 cup frozen peas (run them under cool water to get rid of any freezer taste and defrost them a little)
• salt to taste
• 6 whole wheat tortillas

Mix together the potatoes, peas, curry powder and salt to taste.  Heat a griddle.  Spread half of each tortilla with potato filling, fold over, and grill on each side. 

Creamy Mango Salad Dressing
makes 1 cup 

• 1 cup mango chunks
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (or the juice of one big juicy lime)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Hand-Held Salad and Your Basic Dipping Sauce

 

 And now that we have discussed what the Jaconi Bierys are eating for dinner this week (In theory.  I have strayed so far from my plan.  Do you stick to it?), let's talk about lunch.  I go through lunch kicks.  Last month (and by that I do mean approximately thirty consecutive days), I ate a quinoa-lentil bowl with avocado and walnuts and a quick dressing of flax oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, and sriracha.  And last week was hand-held salads: lettuce leaves, slivers of carrot (the crunch is key, though I imagine bell pepper or jicama would work as well), avocado (gotta have that creamy richness), and sticks of extra-firm tofu.  Take a lettuce leaf, place the other stuff on top and roll up into a little burrito.  Dip in sauce.  

 

Basic Dipping Sauce
This is perfect for dipping vegetable dumplings from the freezer section at Trader Joe's or these hand-held mini salads.  I don't generally measure, just throw in a little salty, a little sweet, a little tangy, a little spicy (if the boy's not looking), and a little sesame until it tastes good.  But for you, I measure.

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil   
minced chili or hot sauce to taste

Stir to combine.  Adjust to your taste.  And dip.  

 

 Look!  There's my kid eating salad.  I love that.  And there in the back is the present wrapped in blue tissue paper that I haven't sent to my new niece yet even though she was born over a month ago(!).  Plus, one of my two raddest nephews turned eight three days ago and we haven't even told him how much we love him.  I have to work on this being a better aunt thing.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  

12 Days of Thanksgiving: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Beets with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

 

I love this salad, or side dish, or whatever you want to call it.  It's perfect for Thanksgiving because you can make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature, but it's good pretty straight from the oven too.  Plus it makes a lovely cold accompaniment to your day after sandwich.  

I need to add, though I'm certain that you already know this, that if you or anybody you know thinks brussels sprouts are gross it's because you haven't had them roasted.  The outer leaves get crispy and browned in the hot oven, the center gets tender, and they have a mellow sweet-bitter flavor that is wonderful with the earthiness of the beets and the slightly sharp maple mustard dressing.  Good, good stuff.   

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Beets with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Serves 4 - 6

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 2 large beets
• olive oil, salt, and pepper
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
• vinaigrette: 
  • 1 medium shallot, roasted 
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 400.  Cut large brussels sprouts in half, and trim any tough stems.  Peel and cut the beets into biggish chunks (about an inch).  Peel the shallot.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the vinaigrette.  Roughly chop the shallot and throw it and the other ingredients for the vinaigrette into the blender.  Puree until smooth.  In a medium bowl, toss the vinaigrette with the brussels sprouts, beets, and walnuts.  Taste for salt and pepper, and serve.  Can be prepared up to two days ahead of time. 

Today I am thankful for my neighborhood.  Incredibly rare for Los Angeles, I can walk to just about everything I need - Desmond's pre-school, the dreamiest park (where we took that picnic to yesterday), a great library with a children's story time, a weekly farmers market, Trader Joes, the post office, a train stop, and really nice people.  I am so lucky.  

Apple Cider Salad Dressing

 

Phew.  Desmond turned three on Saturday, and we are all still recovering.  If you find me here next year planning a toddler birthday party, during flu season, on the morning of a major kid-crazy, candy-filled holiday, talk me out of it.  Please.  I'm counting on you.  Halloween and a birthday party are just too much to roll into one day for anybody, let alone a three-year-old and the sleep deprived family of a newborn.    

The boy had a blast, of course, and the food was pretty good.  

To round out the toddler-friendly Halloween barbecue buffet of mac n' cheese bites, and corn on the cob, and seitan ribs, and caramel corn, and cupcakes, I thought we ought to have a salad.  This apple cider vinaigrette was perfect on top of a mix of baby greens, diced apple, and toasted pecans.  I figured this would count as grown-up food, but the 10-year-old next door, exclaimed (in a good way), "What is this salad dressing?!" when he took a bite.  I love a kid that eats his salad.   

Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

 

• 4 cups apple cider or juice 
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup canola oil 
• 4 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons molasses
• salt to taste

In a small saucepan, bring the apple juice and minced shallot to a simmer.  Cook until the juice is reduced to a thick syrup and measures about 1/2 cup.  This will take about 30 - 40 minutes.

Combine the apple-shallot syrup with the vinegar, mustard, and molasses.  Whisk in the oil until combined.  Add salt to taste.  

Yield: about 1 cup of salad dressing

P.S. I know that after a two week absence, in the middle of the Vegan Month of Food no less, I ought to have more to show for it than salad dressing.  There will be birthday cupcakes shortly, but first, eat your salad.