Friday Lunch - Filet of Tofu (Mikel) (June 11)

There are deep dark secrets in my life. One of them is my past fondness for filet of sole, fried, with tartar sauce. Of course, times change and people do, too. I have now found that Filet of Tofu is so much nicer to eat. Better for me, better for the fish. The kids totally love this sandwich. Mikel chose it has his meal for the week and prepared us this savory feast that turned out just as great as when we first made it many years ago. The tofu is baked, not fried and the tartar sauce is homemade.

Cost Breakdown:

tofu: $2

buns: $3

Vegenaise, lemon, pickle, onion: $2 (with leftovers)

lettuce, tomato, spinach, squash (side dish): $4

Total for 5 sandwiches and side dish:

$11.00

5 out of 5 stars

Filet of Tofu Recipe

Thursday Dinner - Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Italian Easter Pie with Herbed Crust(June 10)

This is my version of the classic Italian Easter Pie. 

This is a meal that is typically served on holidays. I can almost understand why: there are a dozen reasons. Because I did not use the DOZEN eggs most recipes I looked at called for, I needed to up the ingredients, and therefore I wound up enhancing the flavor. I put artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, sausage and homemade tofu ricotta in there. The crust was a snap to make, using the food processor, and I added a teaspoon each of oregano and basil to it. It came out flaky and crispy and oh, so delicious.

I am not a fan of bland, so I am glad this turned out so wonderful.

Cost Breakdown:

crust: $1

sausage: $1

artichoke and spinach: $3

onion, seasoning, garlic: $1

tofu, lemon, almond: $3

salad: $3

Total to feed a family of 5:

$12.00

5 out of 5 stars

Italian Easter Pie Recipe

Thursday Lunch - Lentil-Barley, Kale with Sauteed Leeks (June 10)

Green lentils are always a quick meal to make, but when you add the barley, the time increases by around 20 minutes. Still, well worth the time. After the lentils and barley were done, I added the kale and some slivered carrots, cooking them just a moment more. In the meantime, saute leeks, onion and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. This takes about 15 minutes, until the leeks are golden. Plate with a grilled-on-your-stove pita bread and the leek saute over the lentils. Add a little heat, chili flakes or cayenne, to tease your taste buds and dig in.

Kids liked this one, too. Most of them.

Cost Breakdown:

lentils, dry: $ .50

barley: $.50

kale: $2

carrot, onion, garlic: $1

leek: $1

pita: $3

Total to feed a family of 5:

$8.00 

4 out of 5 stars

Lentil-Barley, Kale with Sauteed Leeks Recipe

Wednesday Lunch - Creamy Macaroni Helper (Cat) (June 9)

Cat made some Mac'n Cheese in the Hamburger Helper style. She used  a box of Road's End Shell and Chreese and added a grilled burger patty to it.

She was supposed to make a California Club, but my avocado was not ripe and the sprouts weren't ready, yet.

Back on the list it goes.

4 out of 5 stars

Tuesday Dinner - Soba with Sweet-Sour-Pungent Sauce (June 8)

This recipe is from Speed Vegan by Alan Roettinger.

 The recipe calls for tofu, but I decided to make it with eggplant. So far, so good. As I am making the sauce, it is calling for 12 cloves of garlic ground into the sauce. No biggie, I think; I love garlic! Man, this must have been some typo, because when they titled the recipe 'pungent', they weren't kidding! If you make this recipe from the book USE LESS GARLIC. It was overpoweringly pungent, not deliciously pungent. I can't be certain, but without the overabundance of garlic, the, sauce seems to have been very tasty.

The eggplant was good, though.

Cost Breakdown:

eggplant: $3

sauce: $3.50

carrots, onion: $1

soba noodles: $3

Total to almost feed a family of 5:

$10.50

2.5 out of 5 stars

Tuesday Lunch - Beans and Rice with Corn and Avocado Salsa (Kate) (June 8)

Kate made today's lunch. She took a simple idea - beans and rice - added freshly toasted and ground coriander and cumin seeds and made a salsa using corn, avocado, tomato and cilantro. Yes, I have a ten-year old who loves cilantro and said the salsa would not be salsa without it!

Very tasty and easy dish.

Cost Breakdown:

rice: $.50

beans: $4

avocado and tomatoes: $3.25

corn, cilantro, onion, peppers, spices: $2.50

Total to feed a family of 5
(Dad gets it in his lunch tomorrow.):

$10.25

4 out of 5 stars

Beans and Rice with Corn and Avocado Salsa Recipe

Monday Dinner - Pea Vine, Green Garlic and Asapragus Soup (June 7)

Who knew pea vines were edible?

My CSA and all the farmers that grow the stuff! The pea vine tastes like ... peas. The box also brought asparagus. At Whole Foods this morning green garlic has finally made a showing. It is mild enough to complement the pea vine and asparagus, so I figured they would be a good combo. And it is Monday and Monday is Soup Night.

It was a phenomenal soup with four measly ingredients:

onion, green garlic, asparagus and pea vine. All three main ingredients were flavorful without being overpowering. The bread slices were just sprayed with a little olive oil and when toasted, I rubbed them with the bulb end of a green garlic. 

Cost Breakdown:

 onion: $.50

green garlic: $2.50

asparagus: CSA, less than $3

pea vine: CSA, less than $2

whole wheat bread: $2.50

Total to feed a family of 5:

$10.50

5 out of 5 stars

  

Pea Vine, Green Garlic, and Asparagus Soup Recipe

Sunday Dinner - Schlotzkys-style Sandwich (June 6)

We are originally from Texas, where Schlozkys was founded. In fact, my husband came with the love of this fast food joint. They are famous for their sourdough sandwich bread, reminiscent of a sourdough English muffin. We are no longer in Texas, and no longer omnivorous either, for that matter, but we still love this sandwich! While I was making the sausage yesterday, I also made Bryanna Clark-Grogan's salami - an ingredient on the Original Schlotzkys Sandwich. Of course we all liked it, as before when I've made this, but this time I used all whole wheat flour, and although still tasting great, it was a little crumbly. I also used hemp milk, which shouldn't affect it, but more experimentation is required.

Poor, unfortunate family.

Cost breakdown:
Homemade bread: $1.50
Seitan: $1
Tofurkey: $2
Tomato, lettuce, olives, onion, pickles: $3
Vegenaise and Daiya: $2.50
Total for 5 large sandwiches:
$10.00

4 out of 5 stars

Saturday Dinner - Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (June 5)

Visions of Uno's and Lou Malnati's Pizza has been dancing in my head.

And now on my palate as well.

American Vegan Kitchen by Tamasin Noyen has a pretty authentic recipe (minus the spinach), complete with the sausage (also in the cookbook, and also an easy recipe),  tomato sauce (can it really be called that, it just being drained, seasoned tomatoes?), and dough. The dough, which I popped into my bread machine and forgot about it until it was ready, turned out golden brown and crunchy - no soggy dough here! 

I'll stop raving now, but I do admit pizza is one of my old-time faves.

Suffice it to say everyone loved it.

Ahh.

Cost Breakdown:
1/2 Daiya, 1/2 Follow Your Heart: $5
Can of Eden tomato: $2.50
Homemade crust and seasonings: $1
Homemade seitan: $1
Salad: $3
Total to feed a family of 5:
$12.50

5 out of 5 stars 

Friday Lunch - Chive and Tarragon Mushroom Soup (Kate) (June 4)

This is another one by Kate (age 10). She adores mushrooms and seasoned this one herself. She also loves the sound of 'tarragon' so into the soup it went. It warmed my heart; I knew it was an excellent choice. It turned out delicious!

She thickened the soup using a can of white beans blended with 3 c. vegetable stock. She grilled the mushrooms with onions and garlic, mixed the two, simmered it for a few minutes, and lunch was ready in less than 15 minutes.

Great job, Kate!

4 out of 5 stars

Chive and Tarragon Mushroom Soup Recipe

Thursday Dinner - Yakitori with Seared Cabbage and Almonds (June 3)

This was awesome! Yakitori is 'grilled chicken' in Japanese.

 The seitan 'meatballs' I made turned out just right - flavorful, held together very well, and moist (is that too cake-y a description?). I made the teriyaki with mirin (Japanese rice wine), tamari, ginger, garlic, and sugar. I quickly grilled the cooked 'meatballs' on my enameled grill pan (highly recommended - food does not stick and it is not non-stick), basting with the sauce. The cabbage was flash seared on the same grill pan (just not at the same time), with some carrots, garlic and tamari. Garnishing the dish are toasted almonds and sliced scallions. I served the teriyaki on the side as extra dipping sauce. Yum! Youngest daughter does not like ginger (too 'spicy'), but otherwise it was a meal we all loved. It was sweet, salty, and a little spicy. Great combination, ask any giant food processing company.

Cat loaned me her manga for the picture. I am such a lucky mother to have a daughter so interested in Japanese culture to have some props ready for my pic.

4 out of 5 stars

Wednesday Dinner - Root Vegetable Shepherd's Pie with Whipped Parsnip-Potato (June 2)

European Night

Is it just my kids or do all kids and root vegetables not get along? Is it something in their genes?? Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed this variation of Shepherd's Pie, with sweet potatoes, adzuki beans, turnips, carrots and peas, but the kids...well, didn't. I bet they will when they get older. I've learned that children actually are very sensitive to certain taste profiles, especially bitter. My job, as I see it, is to keep exposing their juvenile taste buds to different flavors, and let them figure it out later.

Mission accomplished tonight.

3 out of 5 stars

Root Vegetable Shepherd's Pie Recipe 

Wednesday Lunch - Classic Pesto (Mikel) (June 2)

Mikel cooked lunch today. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was Italian, having chosen most of last week's Italian dishes. His choice for today is no exception: Pesto.

Pesto is one of those super fabulous sauces that is easy to make, store, and cook with. Not to mention tasty.

The pesto used today was made late last week because I did not want the basil to go bad. In addition to the basil, I also add some dark leafy greens. Covered with some olive oil, it can keep for a long time. Oh, did I mention it is heavenly? Mikel used a brown rice pasta to go with his pesto, and his sister slathered some on a whole grain bread and toasted it.

5 out of 5 stars

Tuesday Lunch - Braised Sweet Potato and Cauliflower (June 1)

Braising the vegetables in tomato puree and orange marmalade certainly gave this dish its flavor profile. Adding the black-eyed peas was a good touch because it balanced out the sweetness of the marmalade with some earthiness of the peas. Overall it was pretty good; very easy to make, too - the whole thing took about 20 minutes. I served it with a hearty whole grain slice of bread.

Maybe not a make-again-please-mommy-dish, but definitely worth making it at least once.

3 out of 5 stars

Braised Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Recipe