Springtime Casserole

Nothing says Spring quite like asparagus (with the possible exception of rhubarb) and it stars here in this super nutritious casserole. Pair this with a simple green salad and you have a meal sure to impress the capri pants off your dinner guests. 

There is a lot going on in this dish, and I know the instructions may seem a little daunting at first glance, but I promise you it's worth the little bit of extra work and comes together a lot quicker than the instructions would lead you to believe!

But before we go any further, I would like to take a moment to talk about fiddleheads: 

What are fiddleheads, you ask? These are!

Fiddleheads are wonderful. I would have started this post with "nothing says Spring quite like fiddleheads" if it wasn't for the very short period they are in season, which makes them hard to squeeze into most people's culinary lives. For this, and a few other reasons I will mention shortly, the fiddleheads in this recipe are optional and can easily be replaced by a second bunch of asparagus. Asparagus and fiddleheads have a very similar flavour, so it doesn't take too much away from the casserole to go without - but if you want to fully ensure the aforementioned impressing of dinner guests, the fiddleheads are the clincher.

Fiddleheads are the trimmed tips of the fiddlehead fern. They contain Omega 3 and 6, are high in iron and fibre, and I recently read a little blurb on them in a magazine that mentioned a possible link between the alpha-carotene they contain and longevity. Pretty cool, huh? 

But, with the good comes the . . . .

If you haven't worked with fiddleheads before it is important to note that they must be cooked properly. Fiddleheads can cause food poisoning if prepared incorrectly, so please take a moment to read this helpful info sheet and fear not, I will go over this again in the recipe instructions. 

All this being said, don't get too paranoid and pre-boil the heck out of the poor things, they are very delicate and will begin to disintegrate if over cooked. As long as you follow the instructions they won't make you sick.

Now back to the casserole!

As I said at the beginning of this post, this casserole packs a lot of nutritional punch (aside from being just plain delicious, if I do say so myself). You have the asparagus, which is chalk full of vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fibre, the sauce, which is made from eggplants (this is an excellent way to get people who are not fans of eggplant to eat eggplant) which is rich in vitamin C, and all this tops a tasty polenta crust, which is gluten-free, a great source of protein (a serving of polenta contains more protein than an egg) and it also contains several vitamins and minerals, like A, C, potassium and phosphorus.

When choosing your cornmeal for the polenta, always go organic. This goes for all corn products as a lot of the conventional corn out there comes from genetically modified seeds, and there are no labelling laws in Canada for genetically modified foods.  Some countries do have labelling laws, so if you're not sure if they do where you live, look into it! Less GMOs is better for you and better for the planet.

So, without further ado, here is the recipe:

Springtime Casserole

Makes 6-8 servings

The Veggies:

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut in half 

about 2 dozen fiddleheads or another bunch asparagus, prepared the same as the first bunch

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 or 6 cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

For Polenta Crust:

3 cups water

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup medium grind cornmeal

For The Sauce:

1 very large or 2 medium eggplant(s), peeled and cubed

1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes

2 roasted red peppers, pureed in a small food processor or blender

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

a pinch or two of cayenne pepper

If you are using the fiddleheads, prep them first as follows: trim the ends and pick off as much of the bits of brown skin on them as possible. Put them in a colander or strainer and rinse under cold water for several minutes, tossing them as you rinse to make sure they are thoroughly cleaned. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and boil the fiddleheads for 10-15 minutes. Strain the fiddleheads and set aside. Discard the boiling water and clean the pot thoroughly.

Prep the asparagus by blanching in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain and set the asparagus aside.

Lightly oil a 7x11" (or similar sized) baking dish. Set aside.

Next prepare the polenta: Combine the water, oil and salt in a pot and bring to a rapid boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low (really as low as it will go without ceasing to boil) and slowly pour the cornmeal in, stirring constantly. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes until the polenta is a smooth thick consistency. Immediately transfer the polenta to the baking dish, and smooth it to create an even bottom crust. Set aside. For first time polenta makers: while you're stirring, the polenta will bubble and spit up at you. So seriously, turn the heat down as low as possible! Usually I will turn the dial down to 2 or 3 while I am pouring the cornmeal in to the water, and then I will turn it down more to just above 1, about a minute into stirring, as soon as I see the first signs of bubbling.

Next prepare the sauce: Put the eggplant cubes in a pot and fill with water. The water doesn't need to cover the eggplant, as long as it comes about half way up. Put the pot over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft. Turn the burner off and remove the pot. Strain and return the eggplant to the pot. Mash the eggplant with a potato masher until very smooth. Turn the burner back on to low and return the pot to the heat. Stir in the tomatoes, red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Stir until well combined and heated through. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cayenne to your tastes. The sauce should have a peppery kick, without being spicy. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350º

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium low heat and add the garlic, sautéing for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the asparagus and toss until coated. Allow the asparagus to cook for 5-10 minutes, tossing once or twice. Add the mushrooms and fiddleheads (if using) and toss gently to combine. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat and pour over the polenta crust, spreading gently to evenly distribute the mixture.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until it is heated through.

Serve and enjoy!

Veg Jenski xo

Herbed Yukon Gold Home Fries

After a very long post last week I’m going keep this one short and sweet (well . . . short and savory, I guess).

These potatoes are quick, easy and absolutely delicious! Seriously, I ate the whole test batch in one sitting. They are also super versatile and would be just as at-home next to (vegan) sloppy joe’s as they would be siding a fancy-shmancy portobello steak and salad.

One of the best things about Spring and Summer is fresh local herbs and this recipe really lets them shine. Try mixing and matching different combinations of the suggested herbs. The combo I used (in the picture above) is tarragon, marjoram and rosemary, but change it up depending on your mood or what you have around.

Thyme, Rosemary & Marjoram

Herbed Yukon Gold Home Fries

Makes 4 side dish servings

¼ cup loosely packed leaves of each of the 3 fresh herbs you choose (suggested herbs: Savory, Thyme, Rosemary, Tarragon, Marjoram)

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

4 medium-large Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into thick wedges
1 medium yellow onion, sliced in half moons

Preheat the oven to 425º

In a blender or small food processor, blend the herbs and oil until well combined. 

In a bowl toss together the potato wedges and onion slices. Toss in the herb mixture, salt and pepper, until the potatoes are well coated.

Spread the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and easily pierced with a fork, and the onions are beginning to caramelize.

Enjoy!

Veg Jenski xo

Spinach Pie Two Ways

Spinacea oleracea, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . . In dips and salads, in smoothies and soups, in curries and spanakopita, in wraps and . . . Pie!

Yup, me and spinach, we love each other – well, maybe it’s only a one-way love affair, but it’s passionate nonetheless. So, it being early spring – the best time to get local spinach – I obviously wanted to feature my beloved leafy green.

Spinach contains more protein than other leafy greens and is chalk full of tons of vitamins (A, B, C, K) and minerals (phosphorous, iodine, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron). It is important to note that spinach looses certain minerals in the cooking process – calcium, for example – so make sure to eat plenty of raw spinach in wraps, smoothies and salads.

Make sure to clean spinach well before using (yes, even that “triple washed” clamshell kind) and always – ALWAYS – buy organic. I’m not super diligent about organic for everything, but conventional spinach is notoriously sprayed with all kinds of nasty things, so organic is a must. And as always buy local whenever possible!

Spinach can be thrown into just about anything – toss some baby leaves into your next salad, blend it along with fruit and berries for an extra nutritious smoothie, toss it in to any soup, stew or curry in the last few minutes of cooking, or you can even use a big leaf as a wrap, filling it with hummus and your favourite veggies. 

Clearly, what's not to love?

When I started work on this week’s recipe, I knew I wanted to make a vegan quiche that didn’t dress tofu up as eggs, and of course when I thought quiche I thought spinach. I came up with two drastically different takes on the concept and I couldn’t decide which I liked better, so I have decided to share two recipes with you this week: Italian Spinach Pie & West Indian Spinach Pie.

The Italian take, has a creamy sauce and is bursting with some of my favourite things – fresh basil, cremini mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes – while the West Indian version has a sweet coconut curry twist and a gorgeous orange colour.

For the crust I used the “Flaky Pie Crust” from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s The Joy Of Vegan Baking, omitting the sugar, but you can use any pie crust you fancy. I do highly recommend Ms. Patrick-Goudreau’s crust though, so go pick up her book! (I also just highly recommend her in general, so if you don’t know her check her out!).

Here are the recipes and the more recipe specific notes:

Italian Spinach Pie

1 prepared, pre-baked (or blind baked) pie crust

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium leek, sliced lengthwise and chopped

3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

2 tbsp vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance soy-free)

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil

1 scant cup almond milk, or nondairy milk of your choice

1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed

4 - 4 1/2 cups spinach leaves

4 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 425º

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, and sauté until the leeks begin to soften and the mixture become fragrant, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, another 3 - 4 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium-large pot melt the margarine over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until you have a thick amber brown mixture (this is called roux and acts as a thickener). Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly to combine until smooth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and basil, stir. Raise heat to medium and continue to stir the mixture. Give the sauce a few minutes to heat up, then begin to add the basil and spinach in large handfuls. After each handful, stir the greens to incorporate into the sauce and allow them to begin to wilt before adding the next handful. 

After adding the final handful of greens, remove the pot from the heat and continue to stir while the last of the greens wilts. Add the mushroom mixture and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until they are well incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.

Put the pie in the oven and cook for 25 - 30 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and the filling appears firm on top.

Let stand 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

- This pie's filling is very creamy, so it is really important that you pre-bake the crust or the bottom of the crust will not bake properly.

- You could use white button mushrooms if you prefer, but they won't provide the same wonderfully earthy flavour that you get from cremini or baby bella's.

West Indian Spinach Pie

1 prepared pie crust (you can pre-bake this one too, but it is not essential like in the last recipe)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1 (170g) box coconut cream

1 - 2 tbsp indian curry paste

1 - 2 tbsp almond milk, or other nondairy milk

1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

4 - 4 1/2 cups spinach leaves

1 cup cooked chickpeas or red lentils

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425º

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes, and sauté until the onions become soft and translucent. 

Add the coconut cream and curry paste and stir constantly until the cream has soften and all the ingredients have combined into a paste. stir in the milk, using just enough to thin the mixture slightly, you do not want to make it runny! 

Add the Spinach in large handfuls. After each handful, stir the spinach to incorporate into the sauce and allow it to begin to wilt before adding the next handful. Once all the spinach is combine add the cilantro, beans, salt and pepper, stir to incorporate and remove from heat. Fill the prepared pie crust with the mixture.

Put the pie in the oven and cook for 25 minutes, until the crust and filling is nicely browned.

Let stand 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

- Coconut cream is different from coconut milk, but it can be found next to the coconut milk in most well-stocked grocery stores and in specialty markets.

- If you don't have coconut oil, you can substitute another cooking oil (such as canola, olive or sunflower) but the coconut oil is really what gives this sweet curry its West Indian flare.

Enjoy!!

Veg Jenski xo

Cilantro-Lime Beet Burgers

This week at the Market I picked up a huge bag of local quebec grown beets for $2! I don't eat beets enough, but I have been meaning to use them more for quite awhile, so this seemed like the time to give it a go.

Beets are great - they are grown locally all year round, they're rich in potassium and fibre, and they boast that beautiful red colour that can also be used as a natural food colourant. Beets have a uniquely earthy/sweet flavour and are a lot more versatile than they often get credit for.

So, with my bag of beets in hand I rushed home to begin my beet adventure!

While trying to decide what to do with them, I thought of a restaurant in my neighbourhood that serves these crazy veggie burgers made of pureed beets, ground nuts and oatmeal - crazy good, that is. So, with their inspiration I decided to create a beet burger of my own.

These burgers are really quick and easy to throw together - and they are super flavourful, with only a handful of ingredients. They are also reminiscent of a ground beef burger in look and feel - well, reminiscent in a vegetable-y way - making big, thick, meaty patties.

Try them on a whole wheat bun, topped with sliced avocado (as pictured above) or even better, fresh homemade guacamole. Or, try them with your favourite go-to burger toppings - anything goes!

Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Beet Burgers


Makes 6 burgers


2 19oz cans white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
3 limes, juiced
1/8 cup water
A few large pinches of salt & pepper
2 1/2 cups grated beets (2-3 beets, depending on size)
3/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350º

Combine the white beans, lime juice, water and a couple pinches of each salt & pepper in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until heated through, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and mash until you have a nice thick white bean paste. Add another pinch or two of salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large bowl combine the bean mash with the beets and cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

With your hands form into 6 thick burger patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

Top and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

- The bean mash should make about 2 1/2 cups, and can also be enjoyed on its own as an alternative to mash potatoes, with a lime-y kick!
- Roll the limes on a table under your hand before juicing to get the most juice out of them

Welcome!

Welcome to Veg Jenski!

Veg Jenski is a weekly vegan food blog, which will offer recipes and thoughts on food with a focus on local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

I believe that a healthful, plant based diet is quick, easy and economical - not to mention the best diet for ourselves and our planet. I also believe that everybody - omnivore, vegan and everyone in between - deserves to know where their food is coming from, and that a deeper understanding of food systems will lead to a better world for everyone.

I aim with Veg Jenski to encourage a greater connection to the food we eat, and create a place that isn't exclusive to vegans. Just because I am a vegan, writing about vegan food, doesn't mean this blog isn't for you! Everyone can benefit from eating a varied array of fruits and vegetables, so all are welcome here.

Sincerely,

Veg Jenski xo