Stuffed Pepper

One small pepper can hold it all: grains, protein, veggies. More specifically, the stuffing includes Israeli couscous, lentils, tomato, and shiitake mushrooms. It was a very yummy combination. The recipe comes from Vegan Cooking for One, and is one of the slightly complicated Sunday dinner recipes. There are several different steps including cooking the lentils and couscous, softening the pepper in some hot water, and cooking the veggie mixture and seasoning it, before everything can actually be assembled and baked. I think next time I'd add more veggies and less couscous/lentils so those flavors come through a little more.

Tempeh and Sweetcorn Roast with Tahini-Mushroom Sauce

Okay, I'll admit that I didn't know exactly what I was making when I started this recipe. It comes from Vegan Cooking for One by Leah Leneman and since she is a Brit, some of the terminology is different than what we use in the United States. Soya milk rather than soy milk, for example. Well, I now know that this roast means basically the vegan equivalent of meatloaf.

This is a Sunday Dinner recipe in the book, which lists recipes for 9 weeks using spring/summer produce and 9 using fall/winter produce. Sunday dinners are generally a little more complex than the weeknight recipes and this one did take awhile. First the tempeh must be sauteed, then the loaf made, then the loaf baked, the sauce made, and once the loaf is out of the oven, everything can be put together and dinner served.

The loaf had a really lovely flavor. Tempeh is a great protein for a meatloaf alternative because of its texture. The tahini mushroom sauce is very savory. I also sliced up some red pepper with the dish.

Peanut Buttery Stir-fry

One day I'll get myself a real nice wok. It's on my list of kitchen stuff I want my very own kitchen to have once I graduate. (Also on the list is a fancy schmancy KitchenAid stand mixer and wooden spoons and a silicone cupcake tray.) For now I can make due with stir-frying in whatever pan is available.

This recipe comes from Vegan Cooking for One by Leah Leneman. I found this book used at Powell's Books in Portland. Powell's had a really great vegan cookbook section, as well as really great everything else sections. Basically, if you are ever in the Portland vicinity, go to Powell's. It's a must. And go during happy hour. Yes, even book stores have happy hours in Portland. The city is a vegan's paradise; perhaps I'll discuss it more in a special Portland is awesome post.

The recipe called for some veggies I did not get in my latest grocery run so I chopped up some carrots, green pepper, string beans, and shiitake mushrooms and went with that mixture. The recipe also wanted rice but I have decided to refrain from buying rice at the time being so I used some pasta as the grain replacement. The veggies get stir-fried, along with some diced tofu, as the sauce cooks. Despite my general clumsiness, I did manage to cook two different things in two different pots/pans at once, quite a feat. The peanut butter sauce is very tasty, with extra creaminess from a little bit of soy milk and just enough flavor of soy sauce/lemon.

And extra plain pasta means my lunch routine will be slightly changed up tomorrow!