Take me Away, Morocco!

When I was 10, I wanted to learn everything there was about China. I'm not sure if it was because I was in love with local Chinese restaurant King Wah, or if it was my obsession with Bai Ling's character in Red Corner. Either way, I swore that one day I'd visit the Great Wall of China, learn the language, and enjoy true Chinese food.

Over the years, I found that Italian was my primary culinary skill. Granted, I come from a long line of strong Italian women who can cook their way into Heaven if God was hungry enough. Particularly, my great grandmother Julia (r.i.p) was famous for whipping something up in a flash, and measuring with her famous phrase "just this much". Even when I blistered my hands on her pizzelle maker, there was never a time that I did not enjoy watching her cook.

Now, with Mikey and Chara at my heels and Billy always busy with something navy related, coming up with new recipes can get difficult. I'm Italian, but I'm tired of pasta. (I know, that's Italian blasphemy, and I'll say a few "Hail Rigatoni"s later.) I'm vegan, but I don't want to eat plain boring salad for the rest of my life. Something about exotic flavors seem to get my attention, so I searched out some recipes for seasonal flavors.

In my research, I found that pumkpin, squash, pomegranate, etc were some of the favorite flavors of the fall. I had already made a pumpkin dish, so I had to get a bit more creative. Instead of incessant googling, I went to the store and looked for fresh and seasonal deals. I came across the acorn squash.

Once I had a main ingredient to work with, it made my quest to beat the bland recipe easier. I stumbled across a seasonal moroccan twist on the stuffed pepper. It was a quinoa stuffed acorn squash. Take me away Morocco, I found it!! :-)

If you've never chopped an acorn squash, let me tell you that it is indeed the oyster of all vegetables. Plainly put-- it is a B**** to cut. They needed to be baked, so sadly, I had no option. I sat there with the sharpest knife I could find, and hacked into it as best I could. Thankfully, after about 5 minutes of straining on each one, they came apart. This of course either proves my theory, or simply is a display of my weak mommy muscles. Regardless, once they were split, much like a pumpkin, they have seeds and a stringy inside that needs to be scooped out. Once I had finished that tedious task, I was thrilled to see the bright golden color!

These went skin up onto a baking sheet, and into the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Next was the stuffing. To save time, I mixed it up while the squash was baking.


Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic, 2 stalks celery AND 2 carrots (cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces), and cook five minutes. Then, add in the kidney beans and raisins and continue to cook and stir until the veggies are tender. ** The recipe online called of 2 Tbsp of brown sugar, but neglected to specify where it should be added. So, I chose to add it in with the vegetables to make a bit of a molasses coating on the veggies. It was fanstastic!**

For the quinoa-- Boil two cups water, one cup quinoa, and 1 veggie bouillon cube together. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until quinoa is cooked. (This time varies based on stove power.) Season cooked quinoa with 1 1/2 Tbsp cumin, then salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in the veggies and beans. ** Again, the recipe called for 1 Tbsp of vegan margarine. I mixed it in with the quinoa to make it more creamy.**

By this time, the squash is baked enough and is ready to be stuffed. Take approximately one cup of the stuffing and add it to the golden center of the squash. Top with a bit of vegan cheddar, and put it back in the oven for about 5 minutes (or until the cheese melts). Then, you are ready to enjoy!

The taste was so incredible! I'd never enjoyed the unique flavor of an acorn squash before, but I was so grateful to do so today! The skin is a bit like an eggplant-- a tad bit chewy, but it's loaded with flavor and nutrients. The inside is soft like squash, but a bit heartier like pumpkin. Combine those two flavors, toss in the sweet and spicy quinoa veggie bean mixture, and top it off with the cheddar cheese.... and, Heaven can wait, because I've died and gone to Morocco!

Enjoy!
~Savor and Smile~

What says autumn like pumpkin?

Up until today, I have never cooked with pumpkin. I mean real pumpkin. Not the kind that comes in a can and makes it easy for you to make a pie. But the pure orange, hard skinned pumpkin that we all remember as Cinderella's coach. So, when I found one at the local Trader Joe's last week (for $2 mind you), I had to get it!

So, a few days later, I'm looking at my little 2 lb pumpkin, buried next to the boxes of cereal and behind the bananas... and i just couldn't do it anymore. Challenged or not, I was going to learn to cook this thing. I absolutely love instructional videos on the internet... I found one from LeGourmet TV (online), hosted by Chef Higgins, a culinary professional with a white cap and a Scottish accent, demonstrating step by step how to carve into the pumpkin while "showing respect to the product". Now all I needed was a recipe. Considering the damp weather that has been in Virginia Beach this past week, a full flavored pumpkin soup was just what I found to warm my body and soothe my soul.

(Just a side note, I'll post the full amount of ingredients. I changed it because I didn't have the complete measurements necessary to make the full batch.)

-The recipe called for 6 cups of chicken stock-- I, of course, used veggie stock. (3 cans = 6 cups).
-Next was 4 cups of pureed pumpkin. The easiest way to puree a pumpkin (which has already been carved and cut) is to place it in a microwave safe dish, cover in plastic wrap and vent, cook for 10 minutes, and then blend up in the food processor.
-1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, 1/2 cup onion, 1 clove garlic minced, 5 whole black peppercorns.
- It called for 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. Instead of using cream made from cow's milk, I placed a can of Thai brand full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator. After a few hours in the cold, it separates the "milk" and the thick cream. The thick cream is the part you want. (But you can save the milk part for future recipes.)
-1 tsp parsley

To begin cooking, you have to heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. I suggest a medium to large saucepan (depending on the number of servings you are cooking. My medium sauce pan = 6 servings, and plenty of room to let it boil without going over the edge). Allow them to boil for a few minutes. Then, reduce heat, and let it all simmer for about 30 minutes. Don't cover it up!

The onion and peppercorns have to be pureed with the rest of the soup. So, pour it all into a large bowl. Then, in small batches, pour about a cup at a time from the bowl into your food processor, and pulse until it is mixed through. (Anything faster than pulse, and it will leak out of the side of the processor.) After each bit is done, return it to the sauce pan for futher boiling.

Once it's all back in the pot, let it boil again, then reduce the heat back to simmer. This is when you take the cocount cream out of the refrigerator. Slowly spoon out the required amount, and add it to the pot. Because the cream isn't as milky as non-vegan creams, you may have to whisk it in gently to help it along. After 30 minutes, ladel it into a bowl, then top it with a pinch of parsley and serve.

Now, the soup is just that-- soup. It isn't meant to be a stew, so it won't be incredible thick. You can alter this recipe by adding potatoes, or some chunked squash, maybe even some rice and vegetables for a thicker type of soup. I served mine just as it was with a side of pita bread that had been toasted and cut for dipping.

The flavor was fantastic! It was fresh and rich, and the thyme added just a bit of boldness to it. If this wasn't enough, I then made a mixed green salad, filled with kale and arugula for the base. I topped in about 1/4-1/2 cup of cabbage, about 1/2 an orange and yellow pepper, 1-2 portobello and 1-2 white button mushrooms chopped, 1 roma tomato, and about half a palm of daiya mozzarella cheese on top (daiya is completely vegan, and tastes amazing). I coated the salad in a roasted garlic and peppercorn dressing (vegan), and enjoyed my dinner with my family.

I could not have asked for a better challenge today. If you have never tried cooking with pumpkin, do it! October is the best month for pumpkins-- they are ripe, and they are cheap! Enjoy them while you can, and I guarantee you'll be praying for the chillier months of fall so that next year, you can indulge of the savory taste of the pumpkin!

Next year, the symphony of fall colors will be recognized by signs in the store windows saying Sorry, out of pumpkins, because I will be buying them all!

A final word on the topic of pumpkins-- it is no wonder that Cinderella chose a pumpkin for her escort carriage that night... because it is truly the queen of all autumn flavors.

Enjoy the recipe!
~Savor, and Smile~

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

Ok, so this is my official vegan foodie blog!

It is safe to say that I enjoy a challenge. I'm married to a navy sailor who embraces my Italian ability to argue (we have a love/hate relationship when it comes to fighting); I have 2 children about 15 months apart, and my son (almost 3 yrs old) was recently diagnosed autistic. Everyday is a song and dance with his behavior-- some days I'm singing The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music (from Sound of Music), and other days I'm belting out "It sucks to be me" (from Avenue Q).

Maybe it was the approach of my 25th birthday that did it. Maybe it was Mikey's autism... I'll never be 100% sure. Whatever it was, I felt that something needed to happen. Something big. I had to pray about it, because I have spent years trying to make my life go "my way", and I always end up saying Okay, God... you know what's best...

I began to find comfort in food. The first loaf of bread I baked was a pumpkin banana bread, completely vegan (and gluten free). I wanted Mikey to enjoy something that wouldn't make him behave as if he was just getting out of the rubber room. The bread was amazing, and Mikey devoured half of the loaf over the days that followed. I was filled with such an immense joy! I couldn't wait to make new recipes that he would like!

So, the journey has begun. Whether I google recipes, or look them up in the many cookbooks that I possess, my goal is to veganize as many recipes as possible. I can't cure my son, but I can make his days as easy as possible. By providing him with living food (raw foods) whenever possible, and by avoiding overly processed foods, meats, dairy, etc, I know I am going to be helping my son.

As I continue to blog, I'll post recipes, and photos of the finished product. I'll post information about what is in season, and where to get it (if you're in my area, especially). I'll keep everyone posted on Mikey's progress, and I'll give anyone (who wants it) further information and advice on being vegan.

So, I hope you enjoy this journey with me.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!