Lasagna Bolognese. Vegan recipe

Phew.. Just a few more days to 2013! and hopefully a more predictable schedule :) Till then I am trying to post up some quick recipes I made this month.

Here's an easy Lasagna that I threw together in 30 minutes and then waited for the 40 minutes bake time. I layered some Chunky vegetable Bolognese sauce, white garlic sauce, some leftover Zucchini, and then some large tomato slices sprinkled with herbed bread crumbs. I did not use any store bought or home made cheese, though some added mozzarella would add another delicious dimension to it.



This recipe can be easily made Oil free. For a glutenfree version, use gf lasagna sheets and gf breadcrumbs or just cheese topping.
For a nut free white sauce, use silken tofu.

For more Lasagna, pastas and entrees see the collection here.

Sorry, I had just one slice for the pictures in this post:), since we ate all of it. Most of the measurements again are approximate. This month is that kind of month:)
For step by step pictures, see this Smoky Chipotle Mushroom Havarti Lasagna here.




Lasagna Bolognese Recipe
Allergy Information: Dairy, egg, soy, corn, yeast free. Can be made gluten-free and nut-free
Makes 1 8.5 by 6.5 inch casserole dish. Serves 2. Make a larger portion of sauces for more layers.

Quick Bolognese sauce:
In a large pan, add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium.
Add 1/3 cup chopped onion and 2 bay leaves, and saute till transparent. 4-5 minutes.(for Oil-free, dry roast the onion or saute in a few teaspoons of vegetable broth)
Add 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper and chili flakes to taste and saute for a minute.
Meanwhile, in a blender, add 2 medium chopped tomatoes, 1 stalk of celery chopped(1/3 cup), 1/4 cup chopped carrots, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1/4 cup water and blend until smooth.
Add the puree to the onions and mix well.
(Add a 2-3 Tablespoons of red wine if you wish. I did not add any)
Add herbs(I used 1 tablespoon of fresh Thyme and 2 teaspoons of dried basil), salt to taste(about 1/2 teaspoon).
Add crumbled Tempeh, or chopped Mushrooms, or cooked Lentils/Quinoa to make the sauce chunky/hearty.
Cook on medium for 7-8 minutes until slightly thick.
(The water content from the sauce will get absorbed in the noodles during baking, so this quick version works just fine)
Taste and adjust salt and herbs.

Quick White Garlic sauce:
In a blender, add 2 Tablespoons ground raw cashew, 1 Tablespoon wheat flour or other flour of choice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion flakes, 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 cup non dairy milk(I used coconut milk), 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup.
Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed.
Add a Tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil for a creamier sauce.
If using this as pasta sauce, add pasta and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.

Lasagna: 
Layer Bolognese sauce,
Then layer some no boil Lasagna noodles
Pour some white sauce on the noodles and spread. The sauce will be thin, but will thicken during baking.
Spread some zucchini slices (or other veggies or mushrooms or spinach)
Layer some Lasagna noodles.
Layer the remaining Bolognese sauce.
Layer noodles.
(add more layers of sauce, veggies, noodles if needed)
Pour the white sauce on the top noodle layer,
Top the sauce with Tomato slices.
Top with bread crumbs mixed with salt, herbs and evoo or just herbs. I used 1/4 cup bread crumbs mixed in with basil, parsley, salt and extra virgin olive oil.
(you can add some shredded Mozzarella or vegan Parmesan)
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Bake in preheated 380 degrees F for 40 minutes.
Take the Lasagna out, remove foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and eat.
Tastes best the next day.



This Lasagna is being shared at Ricki's Wellness Weekend, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Hearth and soul bloghop



2 more days left to reach your donation goals for the year and get some tax deductions!:)

Here are a few of my favorite organizations which are doing great work, are well run, use the donations very well and never turn away any living being that needs help. 

VSPCA in Andhra Pradesh, India 
They do everything they can possibly do to help all animals, domestic, stray or wildlife, small or large, one of the many orgs supported by Phil Wollen, and the best part is that they are a vegan organization, also spreading the veganism. 

Tax Deductible donations to VSPCA can be made via Help Animals India, which is a 501 c3 in the US and regularly forwards grants to organizations like VSPCA. 

Animal Aid Unlimited, based in Rajasthan, India,  is another organization in India which helps all animals and works tirelessly towards trying to awaken compassion in fellow humans.  Animal Aid was started by Erica and Jim who moved from Seattle and decided to do something about the condition of animals in India. 

Among some other rescues which are not necessarily vegan but are doing an amazing job 

Wildlife SOS
Known for their work in saving 600 Dancing Bears, who are captured young, abused, and kept all their life to dance and entertain and die a malnourished death. They are working to save the moon bears and so many other wild animals from trade and other problems.

Beagle Freedom Project
They rescue the sweetest and kindest dogs from a life in a tiny box to be tested upon invasively, so we can use our ridiculous soaps, cosmetics and other things or consume some new chemical additives in foods. All the videos of the Beagles seeing sunlight for the first time and not knowing how to walk on the grass are so heart wrenchingly painful and sweet at the same time. Dogs have a special place in my heart and are one of main reasons we are vegan.

Old Dog Haven
The people at Old Dog haven work tirelessly to provide care and find homes and a good life for senior dogs in the Pacific Northwest. 

Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake. Vegan Recipe

We are alive We are alive! Its 22nd already and we are all still here. So lets celebrate Christmas and the new year:)
I have been trying to finish up this post since the past 2 days and finally here it is. I made a boozy fruit cake last year as well and never got around to posting it. Thanks to hubbs's stayacation last december:) 
Fruit Cake, Rum Cake, Plum Cake or other named of this Cake was also always gifted by friends around this time while growing up(in India). It was always home made and delicious unlike the supermarket versions here.

The lighter one below is from last year and has a good amount of rum and lesser fruits and nuts in it. The one from this year doesnt have any alcohol. I dont like booze(gasp) and wanted to eat my cake. So this year's Cake is Boozeless(first picture). 



You can use any fruit juice instead of liquor. I usually like either freshly squeeed orange juice or Cranberry juice. For this years cake, I used Orange juice mixed with a little molasses.  I used the sugar I had, raw sugar and used dark molasses to deepen the color. 

Its the Time for some Giving! If you'd like to pick up some Cocoa butter or other vegan supplies to make some Fudge/bark from Iherb.com, here is a $10 gift code for your first purchase!
Coupon Code: AHI049 , will get all new customers $10 off $40 and free shipping :)



What is your favorite Christmas Dessert?

More Holiday Sweet(Dessert, snack, Breakfast) Collection here. French Toasts, Tiramisu Pancakes, Cakes, Ginger bread truffles, Cookies, Stollen Bread and more.

Wish you all Happy Holidays and A Wonderful New Year!



Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake - with and without liquor
Allergy Information: Dairy, Egg, Corn, soy, yeast free recipe. Oil Free option

Ingredients: 
Makes 1 9 inch by 1.5 inch cake
Ingredients:
Dry:
1.75( 1 3/4) cups of Spelt flour (Or use 1.25 cups whole wheat and 1/2 cup all purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons flaxmeal
3/4 cup ground raw sugar (or demerara sugar or vegan brown sugar)
Spices:
1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg powders
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Wet:
1/3 -1/2 cup virgin Coconut oil or Organic canola or other oil of choice (I usually use 1/3 cup. 1/2 cup will make the cake more moist. Use 1/2 cup mashed banana or pumpkin puree for an Oil free version)
1/2 cup Coconut milk
2 Tablespoons dark Molasses
1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon rum extract( if not using liquor. optional)

Fruits and Nuts:
1.5 cups of chopped dried fruit, nuts, candied fruits(I used about 1/4 cup each of golden and dark raisins, dates, cranberries, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and a Tablespoon candied orange peel). 
1 cup of juice or half juice and half rum to soak(I used orange juice mixed in with a teaspoon of molasses to soak for non boozy version. Half orange juice half rum to soak for the other cake)

Method:
Soak chopped fruits and nuts in juice or a combination of juice and liquor overnight or atleast 2 hours.
In a bowl, Mix all the dry ingredients.
In another bowl, mix in all the wet and the soaked fruits and nuts. Depending on how long the fruits have been kept, there may or may not be extra liquid left.
Add the wet to the dry and mix till just about combined.
Bake in preheated 365 degrees F for 40 minutes then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10-20 minutes till a toothpick test from the center comes out almost clean.
Cool completely before slicing. Tastes best the next day.



This Christmas cake is being shared at Ricki's Wellness Weekend

Zesty Coconut Macaroons with Cranberries and Pistachios for Kristy's Cookie Party. Glutenfree Vegan Recipe

Its that time of the year again! Cookies, carols, lights and cheer everywhere and hubbs off from work keeping me super busy:). And I managed to whip up these simple cookies for Kristy's Cookie Swap Party. 

Kristy whips up delicious fare at Keepin It Kind. She whips up a whole lot of delicious comfort food from Tacos, Sandwiches, Salads, Pizzas, casseroles, Amazing breakfasts and so much more. If you missed her most incredible creation for the Vegan chopped challenge, you can find the Sweet and Salty Ice cream layer cake with Balsamic Beet Sorbet, Mango Lassi Ice Cream, Salted Maple Caramel Crunch, Coconut Pound Cake layers here.  This cake, this cake! gives you an insight into what else you can find on Kristy's blog and how good vegan food can be! 
Kristy is hosting an amazing Cookie Swap party all December! Lots of bloggers, lots of cookies, tons of holiday baking options. Thank you for having me over Kristy:).



Christmas used to be a smaller affair in India while growing up. The main celebrations were Diwali and other festivals during October/November. We had friends and neighbors who celebrated Christmas and always shared their goodies. After a load of sugar Indian sweets, December used to be about cookies, fruit cakes, short breads, Jam thumbprints and Macaroons. I didnt know of any other fancy holiday cookies till I started baking my own and looking around at the fun sugar high:) Can you imagine not knowing about gingerbread folk for about 20 years!

Mix in all wet ingredeints.

Add dry, mix and Chill.

Scooped and ready to bake.



Coconut macaroons scream festive already. These macaroons have some dried cranberries and pistachios, my favorite combination, to take them to a whole new level. Easy, delicious and perfect right out of the oven.

More Cookies from my blog.

Baked..



Happy holidays to everyone!


**Get the recipe on Kristy's blog here!!** or below 

Zesty Coconut Macaroons with Cranberries and Pistachios Recipe

Allergy Information: Gluten, Soy, Corn, Yeast, Dairy, Egg free. Can be made Nut Free

Makes 16 macaroons with 1 Tablespoon scoop

Ingredients:

Wet:

2 Tablespoons agave syrup

2 Tablespoons orange marmalade (or orange zest and 2 Tablespoons agave/maple)

2 Tablespoons ground raw sugar (or sweetener of choice)

2 Tablespoons coconut milk

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ginger powder(optional)

Dry:

1 cup dried coconut flakes

1/4 cup brown rice flour ( or other flour of choice. I usually use spelt if not making gf)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder(optional)

1/4 cup each or more of cranberries and chopped pistachios

Method:

In a bowl, mix all the wet ingredients.

Add in the dry and mix well.

Chill dough for 15 minutes.
(If the dough is very wet and squishy after chilling, add a bit more dry ingredients -coconut flakes and flour to make it into a slightly stiff but not dry dough)

Using a scoop or Tablespoon measure, scoop out the mixture. Scoop it out so it gets tightly packed. Or press with your fingers before placing on parchment.
Invert the scoop and tap to place on parchment.

Dip the scoop in water before every scoop for less mess. or grease with oil after every 2-3 scoops.

Bake at preheated 350 degrees F for 14-16 minutes depending on the size of the scoop until slightly golden.

They burn very easily, so keep an eye after 14 minutes. Turn the sheet around at 14 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes, devour.

These Cookies are being shared at Hearth ad Soul blog hop, slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Rickis Wellness Weekend

Garlic Fried Rice with Celery, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Carrots and Peas. Glutenfree Vegan Recipe

It is one of those months. Random things to do and less time for the kitchen, photographing, editing and on the computer in general. This is a quick dinner from this week. Garlicky fried rice. You can switch out the Rice with cooked noodles for a fun stir fry. Add any veggies of choice and so on. This is also a recipe with approximate measurements:). The sauces, seasoning can be easily adjusted to taste. 

The other meal we had yesterday was this fun somewhat Mexican Pizza. A quick Black beans, tomato, jalapeno mish mash, topped with fresh tomato, red onion salsa on a Wheat Crust. Baked for 14 minutes at 400 degrees F, then topped with Jalapeno cheddary Nacho cheese(I dont remember the brand, we picked it up a wedge from whole foods), ranch dressing(I made a small portion of this recipe with just cashews) and chopped lettuce. Sliced and eaten within 5 minutes.



Pardon the low light phone pictures:)



I was going to talk about Ellen and Eggs, but things changed this week. So many innocent lives were taken and we are all looking for answers. This Write up by a mom of a mentally ill son sums it up. What we need along with gun control is a better mental health treatment and support system. It is a day of prayers and a day of extending any small help that we can and as she says "It is time for a meaningful, nation-wide conversation about mental health." The causes, the solutions, the help. 



What am I looking forward to in the new year, is beating my own mental issues to the curb. Getting my energy back and figuring out my balance. I am quite tired of walking into a store and losing balance just when I reach the back aisle, and not knowing if i will be able to walk back on my own. I think I might just learn how to walk blind folded, coz my eyes always give me bad feedback and screw up the darn balance. We shall see.
And hopefully finding a sweet little house with a yard, so I can start fostering again. It is difficult and much more tiring to house train the dogs without a yard. And cooking a lot more too. Spending time in the kitchen cheers up these dark and rainy days.
I am thankful for the continuous support from hubbs and from you all, the blogger community and everyone who drops by to read or comment or make my recipes. Have a great Holiday season you all. 



Garlic Fried Rice with Celery, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Carrots and Peas
Allergy Information: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, corn, yeast free. Can be made Soy free. serves 2

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons organic canola oil or any high smoke point oil or refined sesame oil
8-10 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-3 cups cooked Rice (or noodles or Quinoa)
2 cups vegetables - I used onions, red and green bell peppers, celery, button mushrooms, broccoli, carrots and peas
2 teaspoons Sesame oil (I used unrefined)
1 Tablespoon or more Soy sauce or  soy-free Coconut aminos to taste or other vegan asian sauces of choice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Method:
In a wok or large pan/skillet, heat 2-3 teaspoons of a high smoke point oil of choice on high heat.
Add garlic and cook until golden brown.
Add onions and green and red bell peppers and mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until brown on the edges.
Add mushrooms and celery and cook for another 2 minutes.
At this point, you can also add regular tofu or Soy-free tofu or steamed Tempeh for more protein, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add in broccoli, carrots, peas, salt and sugar. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add in cooked rice or noodles(or quinoa), soy sauce/liquid aminos and sesame oil.
Toss well, taste and adjust salt and seasoning.
Cover and cook 1 minute.
Serve hot.

Garlicky noodles with veggies.



This quick rice is being shared at Ricki's Wellness Weekend, Allergy Free Wednedays

Fudgy Milk Chocolate Bark with Cranberries and Almonds. Vegan glutenfree recipe

Hubbs is on his 3 week home vacation! So this month is going to be all short and sweet posts, some with approximate measurements. Like todays post.:). Usually my approximations are pretty close to the real measurement.
As we all know, till about a year back, I was not fond of chocolate. The only chocolate I ate while growing up occasionally was milk chocolate. You couldnt get me to eat dark bitter chocolate any which way. My sister was a chocolate fan, again only soft milk chocolate though. And she was also the reason behind the occasional availability of chocolate at our home. (Chocolate was a pricey bribe item used to get kids to do stuff back then ;))
Of course, this year I have been on a Chocolate roll , esp dark delicious good chocolate. But this creation is dedicated to my lil sister. A milky soft chocolate creation.



This fudgy chocolate bark melts in your mouth like a silky delicious smooth ummmmmm. It is insane I tell ya. The cocoa butter and coconut cream, makes it so fudgy and soft, that the bark will start to melt lightly in your hands if you hold it too long. One more reason to put the whole piece in your mouth and not be able to speak for the next 5 minutes or lick your finger later ;)  You can make it into thick fudge squares too.
You can get pure food grade Cocoa butter on Amazon or health food stores like Iherb.com 

Happy holidays!
Some other deliciously bark good options
Kris's Dark chocolate super food bark sweetened with dates
White Chocolate Bark with Cranberries and Orange zest  - Use Maple/agave or Vegan Bee-free Honee instead of Honey in this recipe.



mmmmmm
mmm.. Sorrrryyy, cannot speak with my mouth shut.



Fudgy Chocolate Bark with dried Cranberries and Almonds
Allergy Information: Gluten, soy, corn, yeast, dairy, egg free. Can be made nut free
Makes about a 8 by 10 inch  1/4 inch thick bark 

Ingredients: These are rough estimates but good ones.:)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used whole foods vegan chips)
1/2 - 3/4 cup pure Cocoa butter(more the merrier)
1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut creamer ( or cream from full fat coconut milk)
3 Tablespoons finely ground raw sugar ( or date paste of 4-5 dates or maple syrup)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (more for darker or less/omit for lighter)
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder(optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings: Dried Cranberries, coarsely ground almonds or almond slivers

Variations: Add a Tablespoon or so Liqueur of choice, or rum extract to the chocolate mixture.
Use other chopped nuts(pistachios/cashew/walnut/pecan), sunflower or pumpkin or melon seeds, or  hemp seeds, other dried fruit like goji berries, apricots, blueberries. The possibilities are endless. Or keep the chocolate naked without any toppings.

Method:
In a pan on low heat, bring the coconut creamer/coconut milk cream to an almost boil.
(Chill a full fat coconut milk can for a few hours. Then turn it upsedie down and open it. Scoop the stiff cream from the top to use as coconut cream)
Add the rest of the ingredients and keep mixing for 1-2 minutes continuously till almost everything melts.
Take off heat and whisk for another minute.
Let it cool for 2 minutes, then whisk again for half a minute to get a smooth mixture.
Pour on parchment and spread using a spatula.
Top with dried fruit and nuts of choice.
Chill the refrigerator for half an hour.
Break into pieces and store in airtight container in a cool place. If your counter is going to be warm, then store in the refrigerator. 



These insanely delicious bark is being shared at Ricki's Wellness weekend, slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Ella's holiday potluck, Allergy Friendly wednesdays

Soy-free Tofu Satays with Almond sauce, Samosa Pot Pies, High Protein Vegan Cookbook Review and Giveaway.

Wow, Its December already. I have been out of sorts lately, with the constant rain and the cold weather making me all lazy, wanting to sit by the fireplace, obsessing about finding a house and not finding any, adjusting the requirements every week and still not finding one. The market is quite crazy in Seattle. Most new construction is currently selling at an inflated price and within 3 days of getting listed. Ah well, there is a new larger kitchen waiting for me out there somewhere. 
I need to snap out of the funk and get back to a good schedule, write up the posts with the pictures already taken, bake up a bunch of cookies to send out, catch up on blogs.. so many things to do!

Lets start up this holiday season with a Giveaway! From the author of Triumph of the Lentil - Soyfree Vegan Whole foods, Hilda Jorgensen, comes this new book High Protein Vegan - Hearty Whole food meals, raw desserts and more. 



Most vegan cookbooks end up catching splatters and dust on my kitchen bookshelf, not opened as much as I would want for some or the other reason. I think it is sometimes because they either use too many pre-made processed products, too much fat, too much sugary desserts, or are generally too meaty(most recipes revolve around making meat oriented meals). Though those work out for a lot of people, I did not grow up on a meat based diet, and I dont miss it. Not that I dont enjoy a decadent dessert, burgers and some old dishes veganized once in a while. 
With the way my taste buds are changing, I seem to appreciate more veggies, beans, lentils, less sweet, more complex flavors from the herbs, spices and vegetables. And this book delivers a good portion of all that and more.



The recipes in the book are designed to be high in protein and very filling. Most recipes can make up a complete balanced meal, while some make just the protein portion of the meal and need addition of some carb rich veggies or grains, some of which are suggested.

A lot of the recipes have Few ingredients and are quick to put together. There are several options stews, casseroles, burgers, breads, salads, sides and more and the answer to the age old question of where do we get our protein:)

The book is also very Allergy friendly with recipes marked as
Gluten-free,
Soy-free,
Nightshade-free(no potatoes, tomatoes, chillis, eggplants etc)
Onion, Garlic-free
Nut-free

Use Amazon's Look inside feature to browse the Table of contents and first few pages of the High Protein Vegan Book.



The first thing that I wanted to try from the book was the Soy-free Tofu. I dont like Tofu in any which way. So a soy free and a more delicious version will find a place in my home anyday.

You can find Hilda's recipe for the Soy-free Tofu here
I made mine with garfava flour, which congeals much faster than just garbanzo bean(chickpea) flour. 
I made her Tofu Satays(marinate already made Tofu strips and grill) with a Peanut sauce made with almonds. I was out of Peanuts, so I used  ground Almonds, fresh ginger, sesame oil, coconut milk, chickpea miso, agave, salt, turmeric for color, blend, adjust taste, done. These satays were a big hit with hubbs. I loved them too. It is a bit of a taste adjustment, since it is chickpea flour after all, but I love this so much more than the original bland Tofu :) This soyfree tofu would be great in savory meals. As Hilda mentions, this is a quick version of the traditional Burmese Tofu which is always made with chickpea flour. More information and ideas in the book.



I also made Hilda's Pea and Cauliflower Samosa pot pies. I mean there is Samosa in the name, so I have to make some and eat some. Hilda's recipe is potato free, but I added some. I dont even have to tell you how difficult it was to not start eating these pot pies while clicking pictures.



There is a whole section of delicious raw desserts in the book.  Like this raw Caramel Slice on Hilda's blog. Chocolate, caramel made with Dates, and almonds. My kind of dessert.

The book is laid out casually, just like a blog and feels much more accessible probably because of that. The other thing that I love about the book is that almost all of  recipes have a picture with them. I personally think , this book would be a great gift this season to make it easy to ensure we ate our plant based protein everyday.  




Hilda is offering a copy of High Protein Vegan to one of my blog readers!

To Enter, please use the Widget below. The giveaway runs till December 9th. Shipping anywhere in the world:)



a Rafflecopter giveaway