A Perfect Fall Meal!

Well I think it's safe to say we've officially taken the jump from summer to fall.  Even though we spent the weekend camping and at the beach today it is windy, cold, and cloudy.  It seemed like the perfect day for a vegetarian nut loaf and some mashed potatoes.  Comfort food at its best.  I think we'll save this one for other gloomy days, even baby liked it (and she doesn't like much)!

Vegetarian Nut Loaf

1.5 cups walnuts

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 tbsp butter

1 chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

3 stalks chopped celery

4 shredded carrots

1.5 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

1/3 cup vegetable stock

3 tbsp fresh thyme

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper

1.5-2 cups bread crumbs

3 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water

1/4 cup ketchup + 1/4 cup brown sugar

*In a food processor, pulse together walnuts and sunflower seeds.  Transfer to a large bowl.

*Saute onion, celery and garlic in butter until soft

*Add carrots, and mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes for another 5 minutes.

*Add stock, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper and reduce.

*Transfer to a food processor and pulse together until mixed well.

*Transfer to walnut mixture and add crumbs and flax seed mixture.  Mix well.

*Pour into a greased loaf dish and brush with ketchup mixture.

*Bake (covered) at 350 for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes.

*Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Chickpea Potpie!

I love casserole Sunday.  It is so great to be able to make something in the early afternoon and then spend the rest of the day relaxing (you know as relaxing as 4 kids + 2 play date kids can be!).  My pretending it's spring idea is just not working out, we had rain/snow all day and I'm pretty sure the sun never came out to play.  It really was the perfect day for a chickpea potpie, some roasted baby potatoes and some steamed broccoli.  I started out with this recipe from Vegetarian Times, but I just couldn't stick totally to what it said.  I skipped the noodles, added more chickpeas, and put it all in a pie crust.  It was a little runnier that I would have liked, I think I just needed to leave out a bit of the stock but it tasted fantastic!

Chickpea Potpie

2 batches of pie crust

2 onions

4 cloves of garlic

3 stalks chopped celery

4 chopped carrots

3 cups cooked chickpeas

3 cups vegetable stock

2 cubes "chicken" bouillon

2 cups water

2 cups corn

1 tbsp parsley

2 1/2 tbsp sage

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened

 1/2 cup parmesan

1 1/2 cup peas

*Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft

*Add carrots and celery and cook 5 more minutes

*Add in chickpeas, stock, bouillon, 1 cup of water, corn, parsley, sage, and bay leaves

*Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes-covered

*Whisk together cornstarch, flour, and remaining cup of water

*Fold into chickpea mixture, along with cream cheese and parmesan

*Remove from heat and add Peas

*Pour into 2 pie crusts and bake at 375 for 45 minutes

*Allow to cool slightly before serving

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

I combined some of my favourite things for tonight's meal: lentils, potatoes, carrots and apples.  Thursdays are usually a casserole type of day because I can make the meal in the morning when baby is napping and the other kids are out.  Then when we get home from hockey in the afternoon I am just putting it in the oven and not having to worry about much else.  I LOVE shepherd's pie, it is definitely one of my personal faves although probably not up there on the rest of the family's lists.  I served it with a carrot and apple salad (with edamame and walnuts!) and some steamed green beans.  Nobody complained - I think they all enjoyed the meal - but no one enjoyed it as much as I did. <3

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

1 1/2 cups dried green lentils

1 onion

2-3 cloves minced garlic

3 sliced carrots

2 chopped celery

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp braggs

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp oregano

1/2 cup vegetable stock

2 tbsp chopped sage

handful of chopped parsley

1 can corn

6 chopped potatoes (skin on)
butter and milk

*Cook lentils according to package instructions

*Fill large pot with potatoes and enough water to cover them.  Bring to a boil and let simmer until easily pierced with a fork.
*While lentils and potatoes are cooking, saute onion and garlic in a large skillet.
*Add carrots and celery and cook until soft.
*Add worcestershire, braggs, ketchup, and spices
*Add cooked lentils and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Let simmer until reduced.
*Mash potatoes with butter and milk.
*Pour lentil mixture into a casserole dish, cover with canned corn, then potatoes
*Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

Veggie Tortiere (meat pie)

The other day I asked my husband for something he'd like on our weekly menu. He thought about it for a moment, then he told me he wanted meat pie, something he loved before going vegetarian. I like trying to make new things but didn't have anything like that in my cookbooks, but I did find this recipe. It looked promising but also made me a bit nervous. A meat pie made from cauliflower and walnuts? Despite reservations, I plunged right in. Tonight was the night and my veggie tortiere was a bit hit, especially with my husband.  I would only change a few things.  One, I would bake the "meat" less, it was a little overcooked at 1 hour.  And two, no liqud smoke... I didn't appreciate that taste much, but my husband did.  I served it with some mashed potatoes with vegetarian gravy and steamed broccoli and carrots.