Vegan Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

In the quest to find more interesting recipes, I've latched onto stuffed cabbage, vegan style.  I guess it is more of a vegetarian style, since I don't think cheese or dairy is used in making traditional stuffed cabbage - or, Galumpkis.  

I'm not sure if this is Polish or Italian or something in between.  I probably have eaten stuffed cabbage 4 times in my entire life, so it isn't like I love it, but it caught my eye and…well, all I know is that I took some recipes I found online and used them as guidelines for what I will end up with. Or, what my husband will end up with for dinner.  ;)   I have never made this before in any shape or kind…could be interesting.

Anyway…here's the recipe and a picture or two for your viewing enjoyment.

STUFFED CABBAGE - GALUMPKIS

Ingredients

1 large head of green cabbage

Filling:

1 can of black beans (Traders Joe's Cuban are already seasoned and ready to go)

1 cup of cooked quinoa or brown rice

1 small chopped zucchini

Leftover corn (optional)

Carrot shreds (optional)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Minced or chopped onion

Parsley

Paprika

Salt & pepper

Scant amount (or pinch) of allspice

Lemon juice (optional)

Sauce:

Any marinara sauce…make your own, buy your favorite brand.  I use Trader Joe's Fat-Free Marinara in a can.  Not only is it delicious, but I can add more garlic and basil and make it taste even better.

Now, on with the show...

Fill a large pot (large enough to cover the cabbage with water) with water and bring to boil.  Cut out as much of the hard core/base of the cabbage as you can.  Remove any obviously yucky or loose outer leaves.  Submerge the cabbage in the boiling water and as the leaves begin to soften and loosen, remove with a fork or tongs.  Be careful not to tear them.  Place them, one by one on a large plate or into a large bowl of cold water.   This took much less time and effort that I thought it would.  In fact, it was relatively easy and quick.  You should end up with 8-10 (maybe 12) good sized leaves, gradually diminishing in size.  Once cooled, carefully cut out the thick part of the stalk on each leaf.  Shred or chop the remainder of the cabbage head to include in either the filling or the sauce.

Mix black beans, zucchini, and whatever other veggie you'd like to include (I put corn in there because I had a small amount left over in the fridge), garlic, onion, etc., into a pan to cook.  Let simmer, stirring now and then, for about 15 minutes.  UPDATE HERE:  Mash about half the bean mixture and mix it up with the whole beans.  It will aid in having everything hold together better when cutting and eating the finished product.  Add quinoa/brown rice and let sit and cool a bit.

When you are ready to begin assembling your rolls, turn oven on to 350° to preheat.

Let's Roll!

Place one leaf (I started with the largest and worked my way down) on a large plate curved side down, so it looks sort of like a cup.  Place about 1/3 cup of the filling in the middle just above where you cut out the thick stem.  To begin rolling, turn each end up and across the filling, sort of at an angle across each other, turn in the sides then continue on with rolling up until you almost reach the top.  Take the top gently and turn it over onto the rolled cabbage leaf and place on a plate "seam" side down.  Or, have your baking dish already prepared (I did) with some sauce in the bottom and just place each rolled leaf right into the dish as you finish it.  If you have trouble with the rolling part, try looking online for video.  It is hard to describe doing, and once you do one or two you sort of get your own groove on as to how you get it done.  As you roll smaller leaves, you reduce the amount of filling accordingly.  Once the baking dish is filled with rolled cabbage, mix some of the shredded/chopped cabbage into the sauce and stir.  Pour the sauce over the top, covering the rolls.  Cover and cook for approximately 35-40 minutes, until bubbly.

Covered with sauce.

All cozy and tucked in.

Serve two on a plate, along with crusty bread or a side salad…or whatever you'd like!  I'm thinking these, like so many other dishes I've made, will be even more delicious as leftovers in a couple of days.

Dinner is served.  And it is delicious!

Vegan Cupcakes!!

I made chocolate cupcakes with creme frosting today, using a recipe from Chloe's Kitchen (page 205). I made things simpler and frosted them without putting the creme inside or the chocolate ganache on top. They are delicious and I can honestly say one would never know they are vegan cupcakes. I would not hesitate to serve these anytime. And they are relatively easy to make, which is a bonus.

I bet you didn't know that replacing eggs with vinegar in cake recipes is one way of making them vegan or dairy free. Yep, it's true. And the vinegar taste bakes off so you never taste it!

Voila!

My version doesn't look nearly as fancy as Chloe's, but it sure did taste yummy!

I think I'm going to try making her Thin Mint Cookies next...a vegan version of the popular Girl Scout Cookie!

Shepherd's Pie, Veg Style

I'm all about comfort food, especially during the winter. This Shepherd's Pie is a combination of several recipes I found, as well as having my own touches. The beauty of it is that anyone can tweak it...add certain veggies, leave out others, etc., to make it a cold weather comfort meal that the whole family will enjoy. Served with warm crusty bread and a small salad, this is sure to be a family fave. My husband loves it, and goes back for seconds every time. The mashed tater topping can be made however you usually make mashed taters. I used 4 large potatoes and substituted almond milk for cow's, and used 3 cloves of roasted garlic all mashed up and added while mashing. I did not add the Pinto or Red Kidney beans, but I will the next time.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Mashed garlic potatoes (about 4 large, prepared as you like)

1 cup cauliflower, chopped

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1 cup zucchini, sliced

1 cup yellow squash, sliced

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas & carrots (or 1 cup frozen sliced carrots)

1 cup frozen Italian green beans

1 can Pinto or Red Kidney beans, rinsed (optional)

1 onion or shallot, chopped

1 can vegetable broth

2 Tbls. EVOO

Salt, pepper, basil

1/4 cup cold water & 2 Tbls. corn starch

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat EVOO in a large frying/saute pan, add onion/shallot and saute for 5 minutes. Add all vegetables, except peas & carrots (or just carrots), salt, pepper, basil, and any other herbs/spices you wish. Saute, stirring often, for approximately 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth and stir. Let simmer for a few minutes while making Garlic Mashed Potatoes (or you could make the potatoes ahead of time). Whisk the corn starch into the cold water. Slowly pour corn starch/water mixture into the veggie/broth mixture and stir. Add peas & carrots (or carrots), Pinto or Red Kidney Beans, and stir. Bring to a soft boil and stir until thickened (a very short amount of time).

Place veggie/gravy mixture into large casserole dish, and top with Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Place casserole on cookie sheet or put aluminum foil under casserole, in case it simmers over. Cook uncovered in oven for 30-35 minutes. Serve with crusty bread or rolls, add a small side salad if desired.

Mmmm good!

Pizza, Pizza!

The way I now prepare pizza is below in my first "official" recipe on this blog. You can do it your way, however you like it or feel you would like it. You can even make your own pizza crust, or use some pre-made crust. That being said, the purpose of this is to encourage no cheese, no meat...so be brave and give my way a try. Consider it an adventure in eating. As you can see, there are now several "print" buttons at the bottom of the post/recipe. Not sure why there are 3, but at least now you can print what you wish to...haven't figured out if I can make it just print the recipe, but it is what it is, for now. Bon Appetite!!

Pizza, Vegan Style

Olive Oil (or canola) spray

"Flat Out" wrap*

Tomato sauce - marinara, pomodoro, Ragu (whatever you like)

Roasted veggies (remember that recipe?)

Sliced tomato

Soy Mozzarella (I use Lisanatti Soy-Sation) (optional)

Herbs & spices

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the top of the Flat Out wrap and put directly onto oven rack. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and spread tomato sauce, then mozzarella, then roasted veggies all over the top. Sprinkle herbs and spices on, then put back into oven directly onto rack and cook another 7 minutes.

Remove carefully with a large spatula and place on plate. Cut into three pieces, eat and enjoy!

*"Flat Out" is a brand name of a sandwich wrap that I eat a lot. You could possibly use any large tortilla, but we have tried several and "Flat Out" is our fave.

Note: You can add olives, garlic, or whatever else you'd like as a topping. You also can use regular mozzarella or whatever cheese you would like.

Here's the Dish...

Ok, my love of food has often defined my life. It comforted, brought joy, and provided satisfaction. Even when I have been angry, I've dug into foods I should not eat...potato chips, cookies, cinnamon rolls...all while thinking how that'll show whoever hurt me, upset me or made me mad. Not to mention all the celebrations that happen with food as the centerpiece.

In the interest of being healthier and more vibrant in our later years, my hubby and I decided to try vegetarianism. With a vegan slant that I have termed as being "veganish". We saw a movie titled "Forks Over Knives" and it presented a very good case against eating meats and dairy products. (Not to mention all that I have learned about just where and how we get our meats and dairy products, but I won't go into that right now.)

The purpose of this blog is to share some of what I'm learning about cooking and eating only vegetables, grains, legumes and very limited amounts of dairy. I'm still having trouble giving up half & half in my coffee, and we are not going to be so picky that we won't eat something made with eggs and milk. We are, however, choosing not to intentionally drink cows milk, eat cheese or eggs. The food we miss most in all this? Cheese. It is amazing just how much cheese is used in cooking, garnishing and otherwise flavoring many foods and meals. Let's face it, there is nothing quite like the comforting and deep flavor of cheese...so, yeah, that is what we both miss the most.

Considering that it seems a daunting task to revamp our eating habits in such ways, I have found it really isn't that difficult. Time consuming? Yes. Labor intensive? Yes. Requiring imagination and flexibility? Definitely. Having said all that, I have found (and so has my husband) that it is very worthwhile and rewarding. The food I've prepared has been delicious and nutritious...aside from one meal of faux mac and cheese which we decided was not worth the effort or the fat content since it wasn't delish or satisfying. I have consulted the internet for recipes, bought one cookbook and have another on the way...and also have realized that I can customize many recipes that formerly called for meat and/or dairy, into a yummy meal sans both!

I will be posting recipes on this blog in order to share what I am learning (and eating!). I'll also give some hints and advice. You don't have to be a vegetarian or a vegan to enjoy the recipes. Here is a bit of advice: Don't be afraid to give something new a try. If you go into preparing a meal of strictly veggies with an open mind and a desire to make it delicious, then you will most likely find it yummy! And, even if you don't forsake meat and dairy forever more...you can always enjoy one of my recipes as a change of pace.

A parting thought and preview to my next post:

Roasted Veggies.