Borscht Again!

This blog has been woefully inactive! I will change this. Because I am so, so psyched about this invention of mine!

Before those without a food processor. If you choose to use a chand grater, I salute your spunk. That sounds really dirty.

Almost-Raw Borscht

One bunch 3-5 small/medium beets (including greens)
One carrot
One cup chopped cabbage (aprox)
One small, sweet-ish onion
One Clove garlic
Two cups vegetable broth
1 tsp vinegar (I used apple cider)
1 tsp sugar or other sweetener
1 tsp salt
Dashes of black pepper
Two cups water
about a half of another onion, diced
Fresh Dill

Wash, peel and puree beets and greens, carrot, first onion and garlic in food processor, in batches if necessary. Transfer to blender, adding broth, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Blend til well incorporated. Transfer to large bowl or storage container. Stir in water, diced onion and however much fresh dill you have and/or want. Chill at least one hour before serving. Serve plain or how I prefer, over a boiled potato and topped with sour cream.

NOTE: This is an outline. Go ahead and futz with it. Adjust the amount of liquid to your preferred consistency, season to taste, throw some olive oil in the blender, sautee the onion and garlic before adding, use leftover boiled cabbage, eliminate the suger (uncooked beets are pretty sweet)...I really make this a little differently each time.

Vegan Tuna Noodle Casserole!

I made it!

8 oz elbow macaroni
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion
10 oz cremani (“baby bella”) mushrooms
1 stalk celery (I didn’t actually use this, but if I’d had it I would have)
1 T tamari/soy sauce/bragg’s
3 T margerine
1/4 cup flour
2 Cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 Cups rice (or soy, or w/e)milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 T lemon juice
1 t paprika
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans
2 T kelp granules (or to taste)
1/2 cup green peas
bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 8” x 12” pan. Prepare macaroni as directed, drain, put back in pot and set aside. Heat oil in pan, add onions and mushrooms (and celery). When most of the water has cooked out of the mushrooms, add soy sauce, sautee another minute or so, and set aside. Mash chickpeas with kelp granules and set aside. Melt margerine in pan and whisk in flour til well incorporated and thickened. Continue to heat and whisk and slowly add broth. bring to boil. slowly add milk, whisking all the while. add nutritional yeast and whisk well, then add lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well. slowly add vegetable mixture, mix well. Slowly add chick pea mixture, blending very well. Add peas, mix well. Dump all this into the pot with your macaroni and mix well. Scoop/pour it all into your pan, cover and bake for 15 min. Remove, uncover, sprikle with bread crumbs (and maybe mist with oil) and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.