Why Pressure Cook Beets?

In short, they’re tastier, faster, and it’s the easiest way to peel beets!

For the longest time, I hated beets. I loved basically every vegetable I had ever tried, except beets. To me, beets tasted like dirt (literally, they tasted like garden soil smells). Turns out, most beets – especially canned or otherwise pre-prepared (overly redundant? haha) – don’t actually taste like beets. They taste like dirt. Beets are delicious when they’re done right.

I was also wary of beets because I had been told by countless friends and family members that beets were a pain in the rear to peel and prep. Recipes called for hours of baking wrapped in foil or hacking away with a carrot peeler. The I stumbled across a memoir-esque account written by a woman homesteading through a winter similar to those we see in Michigan. The whole article was cozy and inspiring, but the part that really stuck with me was when she pointed out that she could make beans from dried to ready-to-eat in under two hours (!!!) and that pressure cooked beets would pop right out of their skins. She, like me, had been a beet hater before she tried pressure cooking.

I wish I could cite this article. I’d love to read it again, but alas it’s been years and I don’t even remember for certain what periodical it was in. I suspect it was Mother Earth News. The idea of being able to switch from canned beans to dried was enough to get me to try out a pressure cooker, and it was everything I’d hoped. It’s been ten years, and I still use the pressure cooker at least once a week. And not only do I love beets now, so do the kids!

Instructions:

Creepy Edible Rat Tails for Halloween

One of my favorite Urban Earthworm classics! Creepy Edible Halloween Rat Tails

Pressure Cooker Times for Everything:

Let me know if you try this out, and comment below with your favorite use for the pressure cooker!

Whenever I try something new in my pressure cooker, I always use the times listed on Hip Pressure Cooking. It’s a very complete chart! Hasn’t steered me wrong a single time.

The post The Easiest Way to Peel Beets appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

Additionally, I’ve styled this as a one pot recipe. Any method that dirties fewer dishes is a plus in my book!

Recommended Tools

I’ve mentioned it before, and I can’t stress it enough, if you chop a lot of vegetables, you’re going to want a mandoline. I linked to a couple of fancier versions in the Cheater Chickenless Noodle Soup recipe, but the one I use at home is much more basic:

And then there is the immersion blender. This thing is so. useful. I use it all the time, and it is so much easier and less messy than a traditional blender. If you don’t have one, you need to get one:

Recipe

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Colcannon Soup (Vegan)

This vegan colcannon soup is a hearty, satisfying winter soup hiding a lot of cabbage and an unrivaled depth of flavor.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Irish

Keyword comfort food, Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Equipment

• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 a green cabbage
• 2 tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, undrained
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1-4 cups water
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Scrub and slice or dice the potatoes. Shape doesn't matter since they'll be blended later. No need to peel.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are fork soft all the way through.
• While the potatoes boil, dice the onion and finely chop the cabbage.
• Drain the potatoes and leave them in the strainer.
• Add the cooking oil to the pot followed by the onions, cabbage, and thyme.
• Sautée the cabbage and onions until the cabbage is fully softened, stirring frequently to evenly coat with the oil and evenly sautée. About 10 minutes.
• Return the potatoes to the pot with the cabbage and onions, and add the vegetable broth.
• Add enough water to bring the level of liquid almost level with the vegetables in the pot.
• Simmer 5-10 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering, blend together the cannellini beans (with the aquafaba – liquid from the can), nutritional yeast, and butter until smooth.
• OPTIONAL: For a chunkier soup, remove some of the cabbage and potatoes from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Stir back into the soup after blending.
• Pour the blended bean cream into the simmering soup and use an immersion blender to blend it all together until reaching the desired consistency. I like to leave mine just a little bit chunky, but others prefer it completely smooth – especially if you have picky eaters in the house! If necessary, add more water during blending to thin out the soup.
• Season to taste with black pepper and salt.

The post Colcannon Soup (Vegan) appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

• 3-4 cups cubed butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup vegan butter (something like Earth Balance)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth*
• 2 tablespoons miso paste (yellow or red), dissolved in the broth
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (soy, almond, etc.)*
• 1 and 1/4 cups nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Optional: shredded dairy-free cheese (like Daiya cheddar shreds)

* In a pinch you can do all broth or all plant milk, for a total of one cup liquid.

1. Boil the squash cubes until completely tender and then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat all the other ingredients except the optional shredded “cheese” in a saucepot until the butter, miso paste, and nutritional yeast are dissolved and the liquid is hot.
3. Combine the cooked squash cubes with the liquid and blend until smooth using a standard blender or an immersion blender.
4. Serve over prepared noodles of your choice.  I prefer to stir the noodles and sauce all together in the saucepot.
5. If desired, stir in Daiya cheddar shreds until they start to melt and stretch.
6. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

The post Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

A friend of mine was kind enough to share her Taco Soup recipe quite some time ago, but I lost my phone (and therefore the pictures) shortly after I tried it out.  I think that actually turned out for the best, as it was even better this time!

For the fast, easy version of the recipe, simply go with the canned versions of all the listed ingredients, pre-mixed taco seasoning, and don’t bother with the toppings bar.  For a fun twist on Taco Night, lay out a whole spread of toppings – lettuce, diced tomatoes, olives, avocado, various salsas, tortilla chips, and so on.

Taco Soup Ingredients:

• 1 – 2 diced onion(s)
• 2 tbs oil suitable for sautéing (I used grapeseed)
• 46oz can tomato juice (low sodium preferred)
• 29oz can crushed tomatoes (low sodium preferred)
• 1 – 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 ½ cups prepared red kidney beans (or one can rinsed)
• 1 ½ cups prepared black beans (or one can rinsed)
• 4-5oz can of diced green chilies (mild to hot to your taste)
• ½ – ¾ cup Salsa (chunky)
• Taco Seasoning* to taste
  • Cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Chili powder and/or cayenne
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic Salt
• 1 diced green bell pepper

Serve with:

• Diced avocado
• Shredded lettuce
• Tortilla chips (crunched up)
• Nutritional Yeast
• Olives
• All your favorite taco toppings!

*If you want to mix up taco seasoning to keep on hand, try this recipe.

Directions:
Note: This is a super flexible recipe.  The amounts of vegetables, beans, salsa, and seasonings are all completely flexible based on your tastes.  You could even add a lot more vegetables or tailor it to you preferred taco ingredients/toppings.

1. Dice the onion(s) and, in the pot the soup will cook in, briefly sauté them in the oil – only until they just start to soften.
2. Stir in everything else except the green bell pepper and the “serve with” ingredients.
   • You can thaw out the corn first, for slightly faster cooking
3. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add green pepper; simmer for 3-5 minutes, just long enough to heat the pepper through but not soften it.
5. Serve! Top bowls with crunched up tortilla chips, diced avocado, shredded lettuce, olives, nutritional yeast, and/or all your favorite taco toppings!

The post Vegan Taco Soup – Fast, Easy, Delicious appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

    Summer is the time for BBQ, and these Vegan BBQ Pulled Mushroom sandwiches are a major crowd pleaser in addition to being super easy to prep.  I hate to even reference meat here, but this really is an amazing vegan pulled pork alternative – and much healthier (though BBQ sauce is still pretty high in sugar – and watch out for brands with high fructose corn syrup).

I’ll lay out the basic recipe with a few alternatives to kick it up a level or two:

Required Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb Mushrooms (should be about 3 cups when raw and roughly sliced)
  • Best mushrooms for this recipe are, in order:
  • King Oyster
  • Oyster
  • Shiitake
  • Other mushrooms are an option as well, but the best texture is achieved with mushrooms similar in firmness and texture to those listed above.
• 1 cup BBQ Sauce
• Buns
• Oil appropriate for sautéing

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small Onions
• 2 tbsp minced Garlic
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tbsp Liquid Aminos
• 2 tbsp Dry White Wine
• 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• Thick Sourdough Toast
• Hoagie Rolls

Amounts:

• This is a very flexible recipe and the amounts of the various ingredients will vary based on the overall amount you want to make.  For the purposes of this recipe, I will include rough amounts that make enough to feed 4-6 people (depending on the size of the buns you use).
• If you don’t use onions, you will need more mushrooms.  My amounts presume you are using onions.

Easiest Possible Preparation:

1. Slice Mushrooms into rough, thin strips.
2. Saute mushrooms over medium high heat until they begin to soften.
3. Add BBQ sauce.
4. Mix well and continue to sauté until desired consistency is achieved (mushrooms will get softer and sauce will get thicker as dish cooks).

Preferred Preparation:

1. Dice onions and place in pan (no heat yet).
2. Dice red pepper  and place in pan (still no heat).
3. Slice mushrooms into rough, thin strips.
4. Saute the onions, garlic, and pepper over medium high heat until the onions just start to become translucent.  If desired, add white wine, liquid aminos, and/0r Worcestershire sauce (I use all 3!).
5. Add the mushrooms.  Stir.  Saute until the mushrooms start to soften and release their liquid.
6. Add the BBQ Sauce.  Stir and Saute until the sauce thickens and reaches desired consistency.  Add more Worcestershire or liquid aminos to taste.

Note: Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.  Avoid over-cooking the mushrooms, you want mushrooms not mush!

Scoop some onto a thick slice of sourdough toast with some nutritional yeast (or a hoagie or a regular bun), and enjoy!

The post Vegan BBQ Pulled Mushrooms appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

I grew up eating, and loving, Hamburger Helper Stroganoff.  Both my desire for nutritious food and for ethically produced food have long since separated me from this childhood favorite.  Last week, I finally created a vegan mushroom stroganoff that completely fills that comfort food sized hole Hamburger Helper had left behind.  Bonus: it is totally good for you.

This is such a convincing stroganoff that MacGyver actually asked if it had meat in it, even though he obviously knows better.

As a personal triumph, this is possibly the first recipe I have created entirely from scratch.  Most of my recipes are either amalgamations of a few other recipes or veganizations of my mom’s recipes.  It all started with one very important realization:  porcini mushrooms are the key to a good stroganoff.

The recipe feeds four – including one voracious breastfeeding mama (me) and one pre-teen in a constant state of growth-spurt (Punky).  There were no leftovers.

Ingredients
SAUTE
1 onion, diced
1 c (or more!) chopped mushrooms (I used a wild mushroom mix, but almost any mushrooms, including regular button, will do)
1-2 tbsp minced or chopped garlic
1/3 c dry white wine (optional)

SAUCE
1/2 oz (or more!) dried porcini mushrooms + 1 1/2 c water
1/2 c raw cashews, soaked
1/2 lb silken tofu (half a standard package)
1/3 c nutritional yeast
1 tsp thyme and/or oregano (dried)
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
vegetable broth, water, or unsweetened plant milk (like almond milk) as needed to obtain desired texture.
optional: truffle salt to taste

SERVE
1/2 lb wilted greens or vegetable of your choice (I used 1/2 a bag frozen kale) – Because, as Punky will be the first to tell you, I have to put green vegetables in everything.
Pasta of your choice, prepared – I’d love to have this over some high quality pappardelle noodles, but this kids chose penne this time around (whole wheat, of course).

Directions
1.  Soak cashews while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  If possible, soak for an hour.

2.  Dice onion and set aside to maximize nutritional value.

3.  Place a minimum of 1/2 oz of dried porcinis, broken up into small pieces, into 1 1/2 – 2 cups of water and bring to a boil (I just did this in the microwave).  Let sit at least 5 minutes.

4.  In a large pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and chopped mushrooms in white wine (or vegetable broth or water or a little oil) until the onions start to become translucent, the mushrooms brown, and the wine evaporates.

5. While that is going, combine all the sauce ingredients, including the water the porchinis simmered in, in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add vegetable broth, water, or almond milk (or similar) as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

6.  Add the sauce from the blender to the pan with the mushrooms and onions.  Mix and heat through.

Top your noodles with the greens followed by the sauce.  You can also mix it all together in one pot before serving.  Or keep the sautéed mushrooms and onions separate to top the sauce (noodles, greens, sauce, mushrooms and onions).  Sprinkle with just a dash of truffle salt if desired.

The post Perfect Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

The vegetables I used are just that: the vegetables I used.  There are several other vegetables that would work just as well.  Basically any vegetable that will stand up to roasting and goes well with hummus will work on this pizza.  Go with what you like!

Serves 4
Ingredients:
Roasted Veggies:
– 1 medium onion, diced
– 1 small egg plant, sliced
– 1 small zucchini, sliced
– 8oz mushrooms, sliced
– 6 asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
– 2 tbsp minced garlic
– 2 tbsp of safflower oil or another oil with a high smoke point (450 or over)
– 3 tbsp za’atar* or Mediterranean/Middle Eastern spice mix
Other Ingredients:
– 1/4 c fresh parsley finely chopped – optional: sprinkle the parsley with lemon juice and olive oil or EVOO
– 8oz hummus (here is a recipe for home-made hummus, if you’re so inclined)
– 4 slices whole grain na’an bread
– extra za’atar or herbs as garnish

Directions:
1.  Toss all the Roasted Veggies ingredients listed above together, coating the vegetables with the oil and spices.
2.  Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3.  Roast 20 minutes at 450F, stirring/turning over once.
4.  While the vegetables are roasting, spread a thick layer of hummus on one side of each slice of na’an, this is your “pizza sauce.”

5.  Sprinkle the parsley over the hummus.
6.  When the vegetables are brown around the edges, take them out of the oven and spread them on top of the na’an.
You can serve and enjoy them now, or, for crispy crusts:
7.  Place the pizzas on a baking sheet (you can re-use the vegetable sheet, a little oil and za’atar on the bottom of the pizzas will just add flavor and save you dishes!).  Reduce the oven temperature to 250F and bake for 20 minutes.

The kids and I ate ours after step 6.  Without the added baking time to crisp the crust, they are pretty floppy, but you also get the more authentic taste of the na’an.  I folded mine in half like a taco, and it was perfect.  Flintstone and Punky also developed their own methods:

Burrito Style

Flatbread Style

I just love both his face here and the fact that his “Mediterranean pizza burrito” is standing up on its own.

MacGyver was at a networking event, so I left his in the oven until he came home.  His crust was stiff and crunchy – definitely more “pizza” like.  Just the way he likes it!

Enjoy!

*Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix, so not technically Mediterranean.  Likewise, hummus is technically a Middle Eastern food, not Mediterranean.  Perhaps I should change the name of this recipe, but Middle Eastern Pizzas doesn’t flow very well.  I’m open to suggestions on this point.

The post Mediterranean Pizzas appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

So here is MacGyver’s Guest Post, Sweet and Spicy Swiss Chard Wraps:

This recipe is broken up into three segments, the filling, the sauce, and the wraps:

Sauce

You can cheat and just buy the Asian style sweet chili sauce that comes in a jar.  Most grocery stores carry it, and you can get higher quality versions in Asian food stores, or you can make an authentic version of it yourself ensuring you know exactly what is in it.

It’s pretty easy and the ingredients aren’t hard to find or exotic by any means.  First off, I don’t normally use any real premeasured amounts in my cooking.  So all measurements below are estimates and should be adjusted to suit your tastes.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Vinegar – Apple Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar work best, avoid distilled or balsamic
• 1 Cup Sugar (aim for ethically sourced brands)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp red chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp ketchup or 1 tsp tomato paste (DO NOT use ketchup with high fructose corn syrup)
• 1 Tbsp garlic (minced preferred, but can use powdered as well)
• 2 Tbsp ginger root (minced preferred, but can used powdered as well)
• Thickening agent (a roux made from arrowroot powder or cornstarch mixed with water, or use agar agar)
  • If you use agar agar, just add with rest of ingredients and simmer for 4 minutes as directed below.
  • If you use roux, stir in slowly to thicken to desired consistency.  Don’t use too much or it will change the taste profile of the sauce.

Sauce Directions:

Vinegar to Sugar is a ratio of 1 to 1.  So 1 cup Vinegar to 1 cup sugar.  You can make however much you need or make a large amount and save for later.

1 Mix in sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.

1. Turn heat down and stir in chilli powder, red chili flakes, garlic, ginger root, and thickening agent.
2. Simmer for 4 minutes.
3. 4.  If you used agar agar to thicken, place the sauce in the refrigerator or freezer to cool until it starts to thicken around edges.  Stir again before adding to roll-ups.

Filling:

You can put whatever you want in them.  We’ve used them as substitutes for tortillas, for a Mexican twist to a burrito (though without the Asian sauce).  I use them often to wrap up leftovers – rice and beans, quinoa, veggies, or some combination.

For the recipe pictured here, something more fresh and spring-roll-like, use crispy salad fixings like cucumbers, romaine, radish, carrot sticks, celery, shredded broccoli, bell peppers, pea pods, green beans, green onions, etc. sliced into thin sticks 2 – 3 inches long.  Avocado as a great addition, and so are certain fruits like slices of apple or mango.  Unless you’re ready for a messy meal, avoid juicy fillings like tomatoes.

It is also nice to add some sushi rice or other sticky rice to these rolls.

For the wraps pictured here, we also sliced and baked extra firm tofu in strips the size of fat French fries:

–          Drain and gently press the moisture from one package of extra firm tofu.

–          Slice into extra large “fries.”

–            Carefully roll them through any powdered seasonings you like (such as kelp flakes, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, ect).  I used TVP crumbles (TVP = textured vegetable protein, makes for a very crispy coating) seasoned with a little garlic.

–          Bake at about 350 for 10 minutes or until light brown or to desired crispness.

–          You can also marinate your tofu by placing it in a sealed container with the marinate of your choice overnight (after draining and pressing).  Some tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and garlic, maybe with a touch of orange juice, might make a good marinate.  Teriyaki is another option for this.

Wraps:

There are several kinds of large leaved greens that will work as wraps:  Swiss chard, Cabbage, Collard Greens, or Kale for starters.  You can use any, as long as the leaf is larger than your hand (palm to fingertips).  You may even want to use a couple different types at a time, layering them before rolling them.

You can usually find larger leafed varieties at farmers markets, so best try there first.

I prefer using Swiss Chard for these.  It is less bitter than some of the others and the color adds a bit of flare to the wrap.  You can also cut the stalks you chopped off into sticks to add to your fillings, which we did here.  Otherwise it makes a great addition to the pile of scraps in our freezer for our homemade vegetable stock.

Preparing the Leaves:

1.  Start by chopping the bottom of the stalk from the base of the leaf.  Make sure you clean them well.  Many times dirt can get trapped in the crevices of the leaves and you don’t want to spend all this time preparing them just to bite into a gritty leaf.  It would be like sharing a bag of chips at the beach with your 3 year old.
2. Steam them for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the stalks.  Make sure not to over steam them or the leaves themselves will fall apart as you try to roll them. .  Steam those with larger stalks longer or put them at the bottom of the pile in the steamer.

–          Don’t have a steamer?  Pile them on a large plate, splatter water in between each leaf, and microwave them for 3-5 minutes, longer if needed.

1. This step is the most important:  You will need to rip the backbone out of the leaf.  This can be tricky without tearing the leaf, but the tips below should help you do it like a pro after a couple tries

• Make a slit in the base of the stalk (as pictured).  If the stalk is somewhat rounded, don’t cut flat across the stalk, make more than one slit as needed.
  
• Before pulling and ripping the stalk from the leaf, put your hand down around the stalk (as pictured) making sure you put enough pressure down where the stalk branches out like veins into the leaf.
  
• You don’t need to remove the entire stalk.  Just the part which gives it most of its strength.  You also don’t need to pull it off all the way to the tip of the leaf (and trying to do so will tear the leaf)
  
• Hold up the leaf by the stalk (after steaming it) and you will notice right away at what point the stalk no longer supports the leaf or you may be able to simply look at it and tell where it isn’t worth pulling it off.  When the stalk is about the same size as those branching off into the leaf, you can stop there.

  2.  Dry each side of the leaf off before adding fillings.

The secret art of filling and rolling your wrap:

1.  Place fillings in wrap.
2. Pour 2 tbsp (or desired amount) of sauce over fillings.
3. Wrap

There is a big trick to this (another one)….add fillings moderately.  Add too much and you won’t be able to close it.  If you have ever eaten at Chipotle or Moe’s you’ve seen them wrap the ginormous burritos.  The secret is in the method.  When starting to wrap it, the fillings shouldn’t be in the center of the wrap.  They should be towards the butt of the leaf where you chopped off the stalk.  This is where you will start to roll it.  Also make sure the leaf is face down, stalk up.  So you’ll be putting fillings on the side you cut and ripped the stalk from.

Fold the sides over your fillings.  Wrap over the end, slightly squeezing and folding the leaf under the fillings, then wrap the sides up and roll it.  Don’t just roll it down to the end.  Roll it by pulling the remaining leaf under and keeping the roll tight.  When it starts to cool, this will ensure the wrap sticks together and doesn’t unfurl.

Finally, arrange it all artfully on a plate and soak up the adoration and praise from your happy, healthy family.

Bonus Tip for Packing Lunches:

Want to send you kids with a salad, but don’t have a salad bowl or are afraid the dressing will drip out of the container?  Wrap it up in a large romaine leaf by put several small horizontal slits down the spine of the leaf so you can roll it.  Wrap it properly and everything should be contained in the wrap.  No forks necessary.

The post Sweet and Spicy Swiss Chard Wraps appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

The beer sauce on this Stir Fry is incredibly versatile.  Beer sauced broccoli is a favorite in our house; the sauce is a quick and easy vegan dinner idea that can be used for stir fry and pasta dishes alike.  You can put it over nearly any vegetable you want, but I find that it goes best with cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, rapini, and greens of all kinds – kale, collars, chard, cabbage), and mushrooms.  It is amazing with mushrooms!

This is also a sneaky vegan recipe.  As in, it wasn’t designed to be vegan, but it just so happens to be.  A delicious, plant based dish to please any skeptical omnivore (especially one who likes beer!).

The amounts in this recipe are designed to feed a family of four with leftovers (to put in thermoses for lunches the next day!).

Ingredients

Vegetables of your choice.
1 large Onion
2 cups diced mushrooms (or more, if you like!)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tbsp garlic powder)
1/4 cup vegetable broth (or substitute 2 tbsp high heat oil like avacado, palm, or grapeseed)
1 – 2 tbsp sesame oil (optional, for Asian style stir fries)
***
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
2 12oz bottles of beer (3 cups)
3 tsp vegetable or mushroom bouillon granules (OR substitute 2 tbsp BBQ sauce OR 2 tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos OR replace 1/3 of the beer with vegetable broth)
1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme (3 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)
4 tsp maple syrup (or brown sugar)
4 tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

Directions

1.  Dice the onion and mince the garlic.  Set aside for at least 5 minutes.

2.  Put your rice or noodles on to boil (or in the pressure cooker, etc.) or prepare you potatoes.  Bake tofu (if desired).  This is an excellent topper to this dish.

3.  Stir together all sauce ingredients and set aside.

4.  Heat the vegetable broth in a large wok or skillet to sautée the vegetables.  Add the garlic and the toughest vegetables (onions, broccoli, cauliflower, halved brussels sprouts, kale, chard, or collard stems, etc.).  Stir fry over high heat for 3 – 4 minutes.  Keep just enough broth (or oil) in the pan to keep the vegetables from sticking.

5.  Add the mushrooms and any other fast cooking vegetables (chard, greens off the stem, bok choy, asparagus) and stir fry for another 2-4 minutes, until all the vegetables are just softened.

6.  Move all the vegetables to a serving dish (or get a separate saucepan).  If you’re making an asian-style dish, drizzle the sesame oil over the veggies.

7.  Stir sauce mix well and add it to the pan.  Cook on high heat, stirring continuously, until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in vegetables (and optional tofu) until well and evenly coated.

8.  Serve over rice (for asian style), noodles (for european style), or potatoes (for US style).

Let me know if you try it!

The post Beer Sauce Stir Fry appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

       This is also an incredibly fragrant dish.  It pairs brilliantly with veggie burgers, barbecue vegetables, and anything with grilled mushrooms.

Ingredients:
– Fresh Tomatoes – for prettiest results use multicolored heirloom tomatoes, especially cherry sized tomatoes.
– Fresh Basil – sweet basil or pineapple basil is best, though any variety will work. Do not use dried basil for this recipe.
– Olive Oil
– Balsamic Vinegar
– Optional: Garlic (powder, roasted, or minced from a jar – fresh might be too strong)

Use 1/4 cup chopped basil for every cup diced tomatoes.
Use 1 tbsp each oil and balsamic vinegar for every cup diced tomatoes.
Add garlic to taste, around 1 tsp for every tbsp oil.

Put the diced tomatoes in a bowl. Add the basil.  Sprinkle with oil and vinegar, adjusting to taste, stir just enough to evenly distribute the ingredients.  Dive in!  For best results, assemble right before serving.

The post Caprese Salad appeared first on Urban Earthworm.