Chinese Hot Pot of Beef and Vegetables

Gardein's beefless tips are the perfect size for using in beef stews, whether you cook with classic American flavors, add novel twists to old favorites, venture down to South America, or - in this case - take a cue from the flavors of the Far East. If you're short on time, you don't need to simmer the stew a full hour in step 3, as Gardein doesn't need that long to cook. I like the long simmer so the flavors have extra time to blend (especially the cinnamon), but 20 minutes is all you technically need.

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 and 1/2 pounds frozen Gardein beefless tips (about 5 and 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed aniseed*
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 and 3/4 cups vegan beef broth (prepared from Not Beef bouillon)
• 2 and 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegan brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sherry**
• 2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic***
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups (1-inch) peeled and cubed turnips
• 1 and 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 8 cups fresh spinach

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add half of the beefless tips and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, until browned.  Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beefless tips.  Remove from the pan.

2. Add the green onions, ginger, aniseed, and garlic; saute for 30 seconds.  Stir in the beef broth and scrape the pan to remove any browned bits.

3. Return the beefless tips to the pan, along with the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, chile paste, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

4. Stir in the turnips and carrots; simmer for an additional 45 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon water and the cornstarch.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

6. Add the spinach; cover and cook for a final 3 minutes - the spinach should be wilted.  Discard the cinnamon sticks before ladling into bowls.

Great accompaniments for this stew include warm French bread:

or Chinese noodles. Serve the noodles on the side, or add directly to the bowl:

*A mortar and pestle make quick work of crushing the aniseed, but you can also use a spice grinder.

**I prefer not to buy sherry for two reasons: a) because most companies filter their product through non-vegan ingredients, and it can be very hard to track down a bottle you're sure is vegan and b) because so many recipes call for just a tablespoon or so; because I'm not a sherry drinker, much of it goes to waste. Enter Napa Valley Natural's cooking sherry, which their FAQ specifies is vegan and which will keep for ages in the pantry.

***If you'd prefer more "hot" to your hot pot, use 3 teaspoons chile paste.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1 and 1/3 cups), Calories 359

Tasting Notes:
There is wonderful complexity to the broth - definitely spicy from the chile paste, but with hints of sweetness (the brown sugar and cinnamon), and great fresh ginger. The veggies are super tender and naturally sweet after cooking, which makes them the perfect foil for the savory beef. The spinach is a must, adding lovely freshness, and keeping this dish from seeming too heavy.  A bowl of pure comfort.

Rating:
4

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Last month I made a butternut squash and apple soup that I decided was a bit too sweet. To make a more classic butternut soup, I've increased the amount of squash, and switched to tart Granny Smith apples for this version. A touch of soy creamer adds a nice layer of richness.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced leek
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon vegan brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 5 chopped garlic cloves
• 6 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apple
• 1/3 cup plain non-dairy creamer
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

1. Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the leek, curry powder, brown sugar, cumin, ground red pepper, and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add the squash, water, and apple. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.

3. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and process until smooth; transfer to a large bowl.  Repeat with the remaining soup, then return the pureed soup to the pan.  Stir in the creamer and salt, and cook for 1 minute, to heat thoroughly.

4. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 10 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with about 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Perfect for a light fall lunch with a handful of walnuts and plump fresh figs.

Nutrition Info:
10 servings (1 cup), Calories 139

Tasting Notes:
I definitely got the savory, butternut flavor I was hoping for this time around. If you like curry powder, then this recipe is for you - much more forward than in my Curried Squash-Apple Soup. That said, I'd leave out the ground red pepper, as the curry makes it plenty spicy enough. The cilantro on top is a nice contrasting flavor.

Rating:
3

Curried Squash-Apple Soup

Before tonight's post, I need to rave about a weekend visit to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. We fed blueberries to chickens who were just rescued in a special chartered flight across country, snuggled up with sheep and goats, and gave a belly rub to one of Julia's piglets (an honor!). It was a humbling experience to visit these animals who are not here for human consumption, use, or entertainment, but are just living out their natural lives. They are truly the Lucky Ones, and please visit Woodstock or any other animal sanctuary near you to support the efforts of the folks who run these places.

Now back home in NYC, I'm turning my attention to autumn and two of my favorite fall foods: butternut squash and apples. Combine them both in this warming bowl of soup, with a dash of curry powder thrown in for good measure.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 and 3/4 cups (1/2-inch) peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 3 and 3/4 cups chopped Golden Delicious apple
• 2 and 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
• 3/4 teaspoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
• 1 seeded and chopped serrano chile
• 1 vegetable-flavored bouillon cube

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.

2. Add the butternut squash, apple, water, celery, curry powder, ginger, serrano, and bouillon cube.

3. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes - the squash should be tender.

4. Ladle half of the squash mixture into a blender and process until smooth.  Transfer the pureed soup to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining squash mixture.

Note: I recommend covering the center piece of your blender's lid with a dishtowel or paper towel so steam can escape - otherwise you risk a messy explosion.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 and 1/2 cups), Calories 141

Tasting Notes:
I went back and forth at first, wondering if the soup was too sweet from the apple. Ultimately, I decided I enjoyed that the squash and apple are equal players in this recipe. If you want a more traditional squash soup, increase the butternut slightly and decrease the apple. The heat from the curry and serrano is just right though, and the soup has a very creamy, rich body, almost more like a bisque.

Update: Leftover soup is just as yummy chilled the next day, so consider saving some or even making a double batch.

Rating:
3.5

Gazpacho Andaluz

Summer isn't complete without making gazpacho, so I realized I'd better hurry it up since we're already up to Labor Day weekend. This version is typical of gazpacho recipes from the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Originally, gazpacho was a soup of bread, garlic, salt, olive oil, vinegar, and water. The tomatoes we're used to weren't added until after the "discovery" of America. To harken back to the original, try serving this with a good fresh bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 pounds tomatoes
• 1 cup coarsely chopped and peeled cucumber
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 5 coarsely chopped garlic cloves

1. First, cut the tomatoes into quarters.

Note: Be sure to choose the ripest, reddest tomatoes you can find for this recipe. You'll be glad you did!

2. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth.

3. Press the tomato mixture through a sieve over a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon; discard the solids. There will be a surprising amount of these "solids" leftover, and you'll wind up with a salmon-pink, wonderfully smooth soup.

4. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1/2 cup), Calories 80

Tasting Notes:
Too vinegary, alas, so use only 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar and it ought to come out better. Either that or increase the amount of tomatoes and keep everything else the same, and the balance would be right. This gazpacho is definitely different, since I've almost always prepared or consumed chunky versions, but aside from the novelty factor, I'll probably go back to chunky gazpacho in the future. This would have been better with soaked bread added right into the bowl, or a little fresh cucumber garnish on top.

Rating:
2

Summer Tomato-and-Carrot Soup

This tomato-based soup will help you think beyond gazpacho for summer soup. Even hot soups can be lovely, as long as they're based on fresh produce, instead of heavy ingredients like you'd find in a winter stew.

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 6 cups chopped, seeded, and peeled tomato*
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 and 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 tablespoons plain non-dairy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomato; cook for 10 minutes.  Stir in the black pepper and vegetable broth and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

3. Transfer half of the tomato mixture to a blender and process until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining tomato mixture.

4. Ladle 1 cup of soup into each of 6 bowls, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon tarragon.

*The biggest effort in making this soup was the preparation of the tomatoes ahead of time. To peel, slit an X on the bottom of each tomato with a knife. Cook in boiling water for 1 minute, just until the skins loosen. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then slip off the peels. Be sure to seed thoroughly before chopping (to seed, cut tomatoes into quarters, and scoop the seeds from each quarter with your thumbs), to avoid an overly-watery soup.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1 cup soup, 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon tarragon), Calories 84

Tasting Notes:
The soup itself is full of fresh tomato and carrot flavor, although a little bland. That tiny sprinkle of licorice-laced tarragon on top, though, makes all the flavors here pop wonderfully, and the little swirl of yogurt makes it feel elegant, like something you'd be served for a first course at a farm-to-table restaurant. I worried the tomato would dominate, but the carrot actually comes through quite nicely, even from only 1/2 a cup. 

Rating:
3

Strawberry Soup

Last night I put strawberries to savory use in an entree salad. This sweet soup, on the other hand, can be served as a first course or -better yet - for dessert.

Ingredients:

• 3 and 1/2 cups halved strawberries
• 1 and 1/4 cups pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of ground cardamom
• 1 and 1/3 cups plain non-dairy yogurt
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, pineapple juice, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.  Process until smooth.

Note: I recommend giving the mixture a good whirl, for at least a minute if not longer, to puree the strawberry seeds as finely as possible.

2. Add the yogurt and process just until blended.  Transfer to a bowl and chill for 3 hours.

3. Just before serving, sprinkle evenly with the lemon rind.

Nutrition Info:
5 servings (1 cup), Calories 124

Tasting Notes:
Excellent strawberry flavor, but if I'm to be honest, between the yogurt and the pineapple juice, this was really like eating a thick strawberry smoothie with a spoon instead of drinking it up from a straw. For something decidedly more soup-like, I'd nix the yogurt (perhaps almond milk instead?), and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lingering strawberry seeds. I'd also increase the cinnamon and nutmeg just a touch. I confess I also wasn't wild about the very Pepto-Bismol pink, but don't let that stop you from giving this recipe a try. My preference was definitely to serve for dessert - a delightful finish to a warm evening.

Rating:
3.5

Chicken, Artichoke, and Tomato Ragout

If the late winter weather has you down, this hearty ragout should cheer you right up.  Canned tomatoes and frozen artichoke hearts are a nice little way to cheat and sneak spring flavor onto your plate, even before spring officially arrives.

Ingredients:

• 3 Gardein Tuscan chicken breasts (without sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup vegan chicken broth (such as Imagine)
• 1/4 cup vegan dry white wine 
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (28-ounce) undrained can diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle evenly with the black pepper.  Add to the pan, along with the onion and garlic; saute for 6 minutes.

2. Stir in the broth, white wine, tomato paste, basil, canned tomatoes, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until thick, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the artichoke hearts and cook for a final 5 minutes.

Note: No need to thaw the artichokes first; the frozen veggies will cook quite quickly in the warm stew.

4. Discard the bay leaf before ladling the ragout into bowls.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 and 1/2 cups), Calories 252

Tasting Notes:
Easy and all-purpose, but a little bland. Certainly increase the dried basil, and consider adding other herbs or spices into the mix. A little lemon juice would brighten up the broth in a nice way, and the stew is missing a salty or briny element. But if you like artichokes and Gardein chicken, you'll still enjoy this dish.

Rating:
3

Vegetable-Beef Stew in Pumpkinseed Sauce

Some time ago, I used ground peanuts to thicken a Vegetarian West African Soup, and loved the results. Any number of ground seeds and nuts are used in African cooking to similarly thicken soups and stews, and this version uses pumpkinseed kernels (pepitas). A bowlful is sure to warm you up on a snowy day.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons roasted salted pumpkinseed kernels
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 8 ounces frozen Gardein beefless tips (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped and seeded pickled jalapeno pepper*
• 1 and 1/2 cups (1/4-inch thick) sliced carrot
• 1 and 1/2 cups undrained canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 and 3/4 cups vegan beef broth (prepared from Not Beef bouillon)
• 1 and 1/2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans
• 2 cups thinly sliced kale

1. Cook the pumpkinseeds in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes - the kernels should be toasted and just beginning to sizzle and pop.  Remove from heat and cool.

2. Transfer to a spice grinder and process until finely ground.  Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, coriander, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.  Set aside.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in the pan over medium-high heat.  Add the beef and saute for 3 minutes; remove from the pan.

Note: Don't worry that the frozen beef doesn't cook all the way through in these 3 minutes; you'll return the beef to the pan soon enough for a nice long simmer. This 3 minute saute is merely to give the beef a nice browned coating on all sides.

5. Add the remaining teaspoon oil to the pan, and add the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeno; saute for 4 minutes.  Stir in the ground pumpkinseeds and the cumin mixture; cook for 1 minute.

6. Return the beef to the pan, along with the carrot, tomatoes, molasses, and beef broth.  Bring to a boil.  Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the beans; partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Stir in the kale and cook for a final 4 minutes, until the kale is wilted.

To round out your meal, serve with mashed sweet potatoes on the side:

or ladle the stew directly over rice:

I also recommend a glass of white wine with this stew; try the vegan chardonnay from Buenas Ondas.

*Rather frustratingly, many brands of pickled jalapeno contain yellow #5 and sodium benzoate. I don't even know if these two ingredients are vegan and frankly don't care - I'd avoid them both on principle as not natural enough to eat. Luckily, the organic pickled jalapeno from La Preferida contains only jalapenos, vinegar, and salt.  The pickled jalapeno slices come in mild or hot, and I chose the former since I'm a wimp about heat.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1 cup), Calories 176 

Tasting Notes:
This is a wonderful showcase for Gardein's beef, and there are exceptional notes of molasses and spice in the savory broth. I detected only a hint of nuttiness from the pumpkinseeds, so to play up their flavor, you might consider sprinkling each serving with about 1 tablespoon extra pepitas just before serving. The veggies are tender and kept the stew tasting fresh rather than heavy, particularly the kale and the carrot.  This would be a "5" except a couple components I was excited for - the pickled jalapeno, the cloves - weren't as strong as I hoped.  Good over rice, but actually even better alone.

Rating:
4

Baked Potato Soup

This soup takes the classic elements of a stuffed baked potato (including (vegan) cheddar and sour cream, green onions, and crumbled veggie bacon bits) but puts them together in a soup for a fun variation.

Ingredients:

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 and 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups plain non-dairy milk
• 1 cup shredded Daiya cheddar, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup vegan sour cream
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
• 6 Lightlife bacon slices

1. Prick the potatoes several times each with a fork, and bake at 400 degrees, directly on the oven rack, for 1 hour, until tender.  Let cool, then peel and coarsely mash.  Discard the skins.

Note: it's easiest to peel the potatoes by hand, since the skin pulls away from the flesh slightly during baking.  Just make sure to let the potatoes cool enough first that you don't burn your hands.

2. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Place the flour in a Dutch oven and gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Be sure to pour the milk in slowly, so the flour becomes suspended in the liquid.  Cook over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until thick and bubbly.

3. Add the mashed potato, 3/4 cup of the cheddar, the salt, and the black pepper.  Stir until the cheddar starts to melt, and remove from heat.

4. Stir in the sour cream and 1/2 cup green onions.  Return to the burner and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, but do not boil.

5. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp (a little longer than specified in the package directions); remove from the skillet and crumble.

5. Ladle about 1 and 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cheddar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons green onions, and 1 tablespoon bacon.

I served the soup tonight with a big, simple green salad: Toss together 8 cups mixed salad greens, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup crumbled vegan feta (such as Veg Cuisine), and 3 tablespoons slivered almonds (toast the almonds in a dry skillet first for about 5 minutes over medium heat). Add 1/4 cup Italian dressing (such as Annie's) and toss to combine.

A few orange wedges on each plate round out the meal.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings, (about 1 and 1/2 cups soup, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cheddar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons green onion, 1 tablespoon bacon), Calories 329 

Tasting Notes:
As this cooked, I wondered if I should use a hand blender to puree the mashed potatoes smooth. But I stuck with the recipe, and am so glad I did because this really works. The chunky mashed potatoes in the thick mix of milk and sour cream kept up the fun play on a stuffed baked potato, instead of making this just a pureed potato soup.  The salty bacon and creamy Daiya were great of course, and even the green onions (not always my favorite) worked well in this application.  To that end, I would use a touch less green onion, but that would be my only tweak.

Update: this soup is even a little better as leftovers - creamier, thicker, and richer, with mellower green onion flavor. Consider saving a few bowlfuls for lunch for an extra day or two.

Rating:
4