Tandori Tempeh and Potato Chana Masala

I'm pretty much always in the mood for the flavours of Indian food and its been a long time since I had any tempeh so on Monday I decided to go with those two thoughts and try some Tandori Tempeh with a side of a made-up-on-the-spot-recipe for Potato Chana Masala. The tempeh was amazing if I do say so myself and the chana was good but needed more heat.

Tandori Tempeh:
The Tandori Tempeh couldn't be easier. Cut thawed tempeh in half and then in strips. Empty a package of tandori spice mix into a bowl. Add about a half cup of plain soy yoguart to make a paste. Add the cut tempeh to the sauce and mix well. Let marinate at least half an hour then simmer in a heavy saucepan until heated through. This would probably work well on an oiled grill too.

Potato Chana Masala:
I managed to actually take note of what I was doing while making the chana and I'll add the recipe here with the disclaimer that this is on the mild side and needs some tweaking.

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Smidge of oil (if you insist on a technical term)
4 white potatoes, chopped in bite-size quarters
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 can peas (or 1 cup frozen or fresh)
1 tbsp chick pea flour (or regular flour)
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
dash of salt
3-4 tbsp non-dairy milk
handful of fresh chopped cilantro

Sauté onions and garlic in a medium-sized pot in a little oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add potatoes and cover with enough water for boiling. Increase heat and bring to a boil... keep on a low boil until they are tender. Drain potato-onion-garlic mixture but leave a little of the liquid - say about 1/2 a cup (as I say, I was doing this on the fly). Return to burner on low-medium. Stir in chick pea flour, spices, chick peas and peas. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the mixture thickens and is heated through. Add non-dairy milk for a saucier consistency. Add chopped cilantro at the end. Et voilà!

The left-over chana was turned into a wrap sandwich today:
I modeled this on Aux Vivres' chana on chapati, but it was really missing the chutney. And their fabulous fresh chapatis. It made for a most satisfying lunch all the same. Most welcome after my first (of many) hot yoga classes. Have you tried this? Holy sweat beads Batman... I could feel myself melting!

Speaking of lunch, I finally tried Burritoville with a friend of mine on Tuesday. I had the spicy pinto burrito with a side of quinoa salad and homemade lemonade... YUMMERS! And thanks to a 2-for-1 coupon from my trusty Green Consiousness Guide, two could dine for $9 before drinks.

Say, that gives me an idea (I know shocking.. I have them sometimes!). I recently saw (and darned if I can remember where) somebody had compiled a list on a site of vegan restaurant meals for $7 and under. I don't even remember where it was - a very veg-friendly US city anyway. It would be fun to compile a list like this for Montreal. I'm going to get on that for a future post. Anybody want to chime in with restaurant suggestions you are more than welcome. Has to be $10 and under before taxes. This is Montreal after all - $7 wouldn't get you very far. Thanks!

Wow.. that is truly the worst "food" I've ever seen

By now you've probably heard about this latest assault to our senses: The KFC Double Down.

Then I was directed to look at this mystery food:

Yes folks, that really is chicken. The type used in processed chicken nuggets, chicken fingers, etc. The stuff people commonly feed to their kids.

Thank goodness for Vegan Dad's recipe for these delicious seitan "wingz":

It is somehow ironic isn't it? That one would essentially copy a nutrient-devoid, sodium-laden, chemically-enhanced mystery food with an entirely plant-based, protein-rich, and thoroughly delicious version. Okay, I've made myself hungry now. I need Wingz.

Post-script: My son helped me make a batch that we had for lunch, with many left over. He loves them even though he finds them a bit too spicy. He never did like actual chicken nuggets. Score one for the vegan version :)

Veggie feast for friends

Sorry if this photo is making you dizzy.... its making me dizzy. So much for my Lensbaby experiment.

Last night we had a best friend of mine and her parents over for an evening of feasting, fine wine, and deep conversation.

Now, to explain what you're looking at: Fried tofu in Thai peanut sauce , Puréed Chickpea Pasta Sauce from Vive le Vegan over rice noodles (I substituted fresh chopped cilantro for the parsley), and broccoli in garlic-ginger sauce from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.

The night was capped off with traditional carrot cake with cream cheese icing (yes, the real thing). This was left-over from an Easter meal and was still moist and delicious. Umm... forgot to take a photo.

A great evening was had by all! I'm looking forward to seeing them again and wish them much luck on their new business venture (that was 30 years in the making).

Tasty eats done dirt cheap

Thanks once again to a coupon from the Guide Conscience Verte / Green Conscience Guide, I've enjoyed a terrific lunch at La Lumière Mile End with a free soup, all for 5$.

Chef Trixie fixed up a fine potato/ broccoli/ spinach soup for starters...


Followed by a black bean burger topped with homemade salsa and more spinach leaves:



I love this laid-back place and plan on a return visit on a warm sunny day to enjoy more treats our back in their courtyard!