Firecracker Curry Noodles

This is a great meal in the summer or in the winter or any season. When do you light off your firecrackers?

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (e.g. bow-tie firecrackers)
16-oz frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2-3 tbsp red curry paste
1-2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instruction, adding stir-fry vegetables 2-4 minutes before the noodles are done to cook briefly. 
2. Drain and rinse under cool water then return to pot. 
3. While the noodles and veggies cook, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients starting with 2 tbsp curry paste and 1 tbsp soy sauce. 
4. Pour over cooked noodles and vegetables, stirring to combine. 
5. Heat over low until thoroughly warm. 
6. Taste, adding more curry paste, soy sauce, and/or Sriracha as desired.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 8.2g fat, 75.1g carbs, 10.8g fiber, 6.8g sugars, 13.5g protein 

Chickpea and Asparagus Curry

A nice curry with noddles when asparagus is in season. This recipe came about when I didn't have the ingredients for one of the recipes I had.  

Ingredients:
8-oz dry elbows

olive oil

1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 Tbsp ginger paste
1 bunch asparagus, with stems snapped off
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1-2 tsp mild curry powder
1 can lite coconut milk
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground coriander

Directions:

1. Cook noodles per package directions.
2. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and asparagus and sauté until the onions are translucent and asparagus is cooked to your liking.
5. Stir in curry powder to coat.
6. Add broth, coconut milk, and chickpeas.
7. Heat over low until warm.
8. Stir in garam masala and coriander, plus salt and pepper if desired.
9. Cover and rest 5 minutes.
10. Taste, adding more garam masala or coriander as desired.
11. Divide noodles equally among 4 bowls.
12. Ladle warm curry evenly over noodles and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4

Vegan Double Chocolate Cheesecake

I made this as a treat. It is super rich, which may only hit you after you've eaten too much. The original recipe from VegNews says it serves 8, but I think it is closer to 12, 16 if you are trying to be reasonable. This is a no-bake cashew-based cheesecake. Everybody loved this recipe. It isn't the easiest recipe to make. You'll need both your food processor and your high-speed blender. I also had a teenage son to make chocolate cookies into crumbs with a rolling pin. I've written the recipe here exactly as I made it.

Ingredients:

1¾ cups Newman's Chocolate Alphabet cookies, smashed into crumbs

¼ cup coconut oil, melted
cooking spray
7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Soak the raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. This is a good time to smash the cookies into crumbs.
3. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
4. Transfer cookie crumbs and melted coconut oil in a food processor and pulse to combine. The mixture needs to press into the springform pan and hold, so be sure that it sticks well together. If it is too dry, add more melted coconut oil. If it is too wet, add more crumbs. 
5. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Press the mixture into the springform pan using your fingers to make a firm, even crust. Refrigerate or freeze while you make the filling.
6.  Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Be sure the melted chocolate stays fluid and does not harden.
7. In the blender, combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, agave, and coconut oil.
8. Blend until smooth. 
9. Add the melted chocolate and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
10. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. 
11. Release air bubbles by tapping the pan on the counter. This may be an art because every time I tapped and released air bubbles, more seemed to form. 
12. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. It may be left overnight.
13. Once set, run a sharp, thin knife along the edge and gently remove the sides of the pan.

Notes:

• Serves 12
• Top with your choice of berries, whipped cream, or chocolate curls. 
• Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week

Multigrain Biscuits

In my effort to make things I enjoy so that I will choose to eat them again, I decided to make my Homemade Multigrain Biscuit Mix.


Ingredients:
For mix:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup spelt flour 
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup rolled oats 
1/2 cup wheat germ 
1/2 cup powdered coconut milk
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup stevia
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold vegan buttery sticks, (short time in freezer helps) 

For biscuits:
1 cup biscuit mix
1/4 cup water or more
1 tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk, optional

Directions:

1. For the biscuit mix, in a large bowl, mix the flours, cornmeal, rolled grains, milk powder, baking powder, stevia, and salt. When well combined use a grater to shred the cold butter or margarine into the bowl, tossing with the flour to coat. Squeeze the mixture in handfuls to break up the butter or margarine into small pieces. Store in zipper-top bags in the refrigerator or freezer. 
2. (If frozen, measure what you want to use and let it come to room temperature for an hour before proceeding.)
3. To make 4 biscuits, preheat the oven to 450ºF. Measure 1 cup of the mix into a large bowl. Quickly stir in 1/4 cup water or enough just to moisten; don't overstir. Flatten the dough in the bottom of the bowl and cut it into 4 wedges. Transfer the biscuits to an ungreased baking pan. Brush the tops with milk (if desired), and bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Other Details:

• Makes 5 cups biscuit mix, enough for about 20 biscuits. 
• Subsitutes: kamut flour for spelt flour; rolled oats = rolled rye = rolled barley; wheat germ = rolled quinoa; almond milk = any milk. Use gluten-free flours for gluten free option. powdered coconut milk = soy protein powder.
• According to My Fitness Pal, nutrition per biscuit is 149 Calories, 19g carbs, 7g fat, 3g protein, 2g fiber.

Thai Pumpkin Bisque

While not a shellfish base as traditional bisques are, this creamy pumpkin based soup definitely qualifies. I absolutely loved this dish. You can have it with bread or crackers. It's a lovely fall dish as the weather cools down.

Ingredients:
15-oz canned pumpkin  
10-oz lite coconut milk 
1 tbsp red curry paste 
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
½ tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan.
2. Heat over medium for about 10-15 minutes, until flavors are well-combined and the soup is warm.

Notes:

• Serves 1 (although it served me two servings.)