View Full Version : Recipes without oil
It wasn't as hard as I thought. It was actually pretty simple. I decided to just cut out the oil from the vegan recipes I've been experimenting with, to see what would happen! And I was as surprised as everyone else that it tasted so good. =)
Leek Soup:
This has been our all time favorite vegetable soup. Add some fresh baked rolls to it, and it's heavenly! Andrew (my 9-yr old) said one day: "Mom, how is it that vegetables can taste so good?" And I told him it was God's gift to us, because I'm not a great cook. Or maybe it's because St Euphrosinos has been cooking instead of me! =)
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes (you can, of course, use fresh tomatoes, or one large can of 25oz - 28oz).
1 large onion, choppped
4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or more if you feel a particular desire for more)
2 Tbs oil ( - which it really doesn't need!!!)
6 Large Leeks, white part, chopped. (I use some of the green parts too - the softer, light green parts).
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
6 cups of vegetable broth
1/4 cup of cabbage, chopped (for some reason, the red cabbage adds more flavor to this soup, than the green)
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste
I sometimes add a few potatoes, chopped. And this last time, I added 2 cups of left over Garlic Rosemary Lentils that I had. We also add this soup to our store bought spaghetti sauce. It makes a lot, so there's plenty to experiment with.
Regular directions: (with oil) - In a large soup pot, heat oil and cook onion till nearly translucent. Add the garlic. Saute a few more minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and saute some more. Add seasonings. Put all the sauted veggies in a crock pot, add tomatoes and broth. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
I like the use the pressure cooker - just pressure for 4 minutes under 10lbs of pressure. But this last time, I was talking to mom on the phone, and forgot to put the top on my pressure cooker, and it all boiled to perfection anyway! Except, I can't say how long it took, because I was busy talking...
When cooking without the oil - it's much easier, just dump everything into the pot as your chopping each ingredient, add the liquids, cook till everything is done. If you're talking to your mother, or are on Monachos, cook it on medium or low heat, and don't turn your stove on full blast. =)
Garlic Rosemary Lentil
This one has no oil either, and it's the one that I had too much of, that I added to the leek soup. It's really good. I think I'll add some to our spaghetti sauce next, and see what happens.
5 cups water
3 cups chopped onion
2 cans (14.5oz each) of white beans
1 cup diced carrots
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed - seems like a lot, but it turned out good
3/4 tsp sage (I only had ground sage, but it worked)
1 lb. dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 gloves garlic, pressed
1/2 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Combine everything in a slow cooker (crock pot) and cook on low for 6 hrs or on high for 3 hrs. In a pressure cooker - cook for about 5 minutes.
Serve with salad and bread.
First time I made it, it was soupy, because I made it just before we ate. This last time, I made it early in the day. When I opened my pressure cooker in the evening, all the liquid had been absorbed! It looked like we could use it for filling tortillas, which we'll try next time. But, since it was so much drier, it was hard to eat it with bread. But, just with romaine leaves, it was great.
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced green peppers
1 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbs oil (Optional)
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
2 cans (6oz each) tomato paste
1/2 cup burgundy wine or water
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 Tbs minced fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
2 Tbs minced fresh oregano (1 tsp dried)
1 tbs minced fresh parsley (1tsp dried)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
If using oil, saute onions, peppers, celery and garlic first, then add everything else, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs. Discard Bay leaf.
I'll let you know what happens when I try this next, with 2 cups of my Garlic Rosemary Lentil added to it! =)
Much less complicated than the previous one. A bit soupier. I think I'll add a can of tomato paste to it next. I liked it with bread too, instead of spaghetti. But then, I love bread, anytime.
3 large carrots, finely chopped
2 large onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
15 medium tomatoes (about 6 lbs) - chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
3 Tbs chopped fresh Oregano (or 1 Tbs dried)
11/2 tsp salt
1/4 tst pepper
Bring everything to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 1 to 11/2 hrs or until thickened. ( I know I simmered it for over and hour, but it didn't thicken in that time - a can of tomato paste is much cheaper than 3 hrs of gas, I'm sure!)
None of my recipes are complete without bread! The only way I can get my kids to not complain about experimental food is if there's fresh bread on the side. That way, if they really, really don't like the meal, they can always eat bread. I make my own. Tastes much better.
2-3 cups of white flour
1 cup of oatmeal mix*
21/2 tsp of yeast
1 Tbs of honey (you can use sugar. I like to use Honey so I can think of St John the Baptist...)
1 Tbs oil - I haven't yet, tried it without oil. But my guess is, the oatmeal, makes it so soft, so it won't really miss the oil... I'll let you know. I make this bread at least once a week, so either today or tomorrow, I'll find out what it's like without oil.
1 cup of warm water
1 tsp salt
Dissolve the honey in the warm water, then add the yeast to it.
Whisk in 1 cup of white flour.
Let it rise for an hour. You'll have a spongy mass after an hour.
(normally, the bread recipes tell you to mix in all the flour, before you let it rise. But I found that, allowing it to rise before all the flour is added, lessens the amount of rising time after the flour is added, which keeps your bread dough softer. Normally, it forms a dry outer crust while rising - unless you use other methods to keep it moist. This was much easier.)
Add the salt, the cup of oatmeal mix, and then however much white flour you need to make the dough stop being sticky.
Shape into rolls. Place on a lightly greased pan.
Bake for 350F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
This, folks, is the only recipe that's entirely my own. All others are from other sources, and if you'd like to know, I can tell you where I got them from.
*The Oatmeal Mix
This is actually a breakfast concoction of various ingredients, that I grind up to add to my bread, because the kids don't like it as breakfast! I like it as breakfast, but it's better as bread.
Dr Bruce Milliman's Immune Support Breakfast (yes, it's true, eat it two or 3 times a week, and you'll improve your health).
4 cups rolled oats or barley
2 cups oat bran (I like to use one cup of oat bran and one cup of wheat germ)
1 cup sunflower seeds (raw) - ground
1 cup raw, unsalted nuts - I've found almonds to be the best
1 cup lecithin granules (not the liquid!)
1 cup flaxseed, ground
Mix everything up together. It has to be stored in the fridge because of the lecithin and flaxseed. The flaxseed has to be ground, otherwise, you wont' be able to digest it. It's also not as easy to chew as the sunflower seeds - which you may leave whole, if you wish.
One serving is 1/2 cup of the dry mixture, with 1/2 cup of liquid - soy milk, rice milk, nutmilk, apple juice, or regular milk. I think it tastes best with soy milk. Or you could just use water. Let everything soak for awhile before you eat it. I didn't like it heated up.
It's very filling. I can't eat a whole 1/2 cup.
This is what I grind up, really fine, to add to my bread, pancakes and waffles, and anything else that requires flour, except, of course, for brownies! I use 1 cup of this mixture to two cups of white flour. You can use more or less, as your taste buds dictate.
Let me know if you try it out. =)
In Christ,
mary
Wow thanks Mary! And now my recipe: Lamb and rice without oil - (you just use the fat of the lamb instead) - I am kidding. :P
Super-quick No-oil Lenten Cookies
(Tried and delicious)
1 cup raising
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup tahini
1 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix sugar and tahini. Add in the apple sauce. Add in the remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in 350 oven for 8-10 minutes. (Although I baked the cookies for a little longer just check on them and decide for yourself). This recipe is from Food for Paradise, p.118
Also keep in mind that tahini and orange juice are fantastic for baking Lenten without oil. Also tahini is very good for other super quick recipes: Link (http://www.ehow.com/how_2145816_flavor-foods-tahini.html)
Here's a VERY useful site, with a list of all products in the stores that are Vegan!!! That'll save a ton of time, and worry about reading labels!!
http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/
Sorry, I think it's American.
What about in the case when the ingredient's label reads: Processed in facilities which process eggs, milk etc.? What can we do?
What about in the case when the ingredient's label reads: Processed in facilities which process eggs, milk etc.? What can we do?
Well - if you think about it, our homes are like that. It just means that products containing those indgredients are also made in the same facilities. If you have kids, there's always going to be milk in the fridge - but it doesn't have to find it's way into your coffee! =)
That warning on the labels is more for people with really severe allergies. I've heard of kids going into shock, even though they were eating the right things, but their food was prepared in the same place as other foods are prepared, that contain the things that they're allergic to.
For example, we make nut rolls twice a year, and we make some with nuts and others without. We use a separate table for making the rolls with nuts, and also, we don't use the same rolling pins! Can never tell who might roll over and die because we used the same rolling pin on a nut roll and a nut-free roll!!!
Well - if you think about it, our homes are like that. It just means that products containing those indgredients are also made in the same facilities. If you have kids, there's always going to be milk in the fridge - but it doesn't have to find it's way into your coffee! =)
Really??? :( I do not drink coffee (and you can have coffee without milk) but if there is milk in the fridge I want smoothies, or hot chocolate.
That warning on the labels is more for people with really severe allergies. I've heard of kids going into shock, even though they were eating the right things, but their food was prepared in the same place as other foods are prepared, that contain the things that they're allergic to. That is my question. Will that break the fast for us if the product is vegan itself? I can always ask my spiritual father though because lately I see this a lot in labels. But overall I get the idea of what happens. :P
Sieglinde McGinnis
08-02-2008, 08:02 PM
Wow, Mary, that Leek soup recipe looks delicious.....I think we'll try it next week! I'm casting about frantically for yummy-but-legal things to put on the table; I'm not doing too badly but the children are about to decide that a culinary revolt is in order. I must make a good list and go to the grocery store!
Wow, Mary, that Leek soup recipe looks delicious.....I think we'll try it next week! I'm casting about frantically for yummy-but-legal things to put on the table; I'm not doing too badly but the children are about to decide that a culinary revolt is in order. I must make a good list and go to the grocery store!
How old are your kids, Sieglinde? Mine are 9 & 6. Whenever I try new things, the deal is, they're tasters/testers. They get to rate the recipe. All recipes that get 4 or 5 stars are repeated (not right away!) - and those that get 3 stars are only used again, if a 4 or 5 star isn't available, and those that get 2 and under are out of our lives forever. And of course, the bread on the side helps, if the recipe happens to get 0 stars. =)
I still haven't worked out a good compromise when the grown ups really really like a recipe, and the kids absolutely hate it... (kinks in my system...)
Also, I don't expect the kids to fast as strictly as I do, so they're allowed to sprinkle a bit of cheese on their spaghetti, a little butter on their bread... I was thrilled to find that my little girl couldn't tell that the fake soy cream cheese, wasn't the real thing. (I usually don't tell them what they're eating unless they make a disgusting face and figure out for themselves that it's something unusual...) =) And, of course, they still drink milk. They also eat lunch at school, with is totally non-lenten. But when they're older, and wish to fast all day, I can pack some lenten lunches for them.
I was just looking at this website: www.tofurky.com (http://www.tofurky.com) - there's so much stuff available that's made to look like the real thing! I'm not sure about the taste though. I myself have avoided using too many substitutes - but it might be helpful for the kids. I must experiment with the tempeh thing, though...
Mary
Really??? :( I do not drink coffee (and you can have coffee without milk) but if there is milk in the fridge I want smoothies, or hot chocolate.
Yes, really. Makes for extra temptation in the house, but what else can we do? I don't mind soy milk in my cereal, but I'd hate to drink a cup of soymilk before I go to bed...
Since I don't use sugar, I need milk in my coffee. Creamer's ok, but it gets to you after a while. I like to drink tea with honey on fast days...
That is my question. Will that break the fast for us if the product is vegan itself? I can always ask my spiritual father though because lately I see this a lot in labels. But overall I get the idea of what happens. :PPersonally, I'd think it's way too obsessive, and the only thing being broken is the 'spirit of the fast' not the dietary aspect of the fast. But, that's my opinion. ;)
In Christ,
mary.
This is an absolute favorite. Can't believe I forgot it! Took it to church one night, for a lenten potluck, and everyone was sort of quiet in a weird way. We usually don't scrutinize the food people bring, and we know who remembers it's fasting and who doesn't. Then one of the oldest ladies came to me and said very carefully and quietly: "Is that Lenten?" I, of course, wanted to have fun with them, so I hadn't announced that it was lenten. I wanted to see their reactions... lol =) Anyway, they couldn't tell it didn't have any milk/cream in it. The kids love this one.
2 cups cubed russet potatoes (about 2 medium)
1 cup sliced carrots (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can broth (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 6.5oz cans whole baby clams, undrained (we also tried frozen clams - which work really good - my husband thought they tasted better than the canned. Use whole clams - we tried bits and pieces once, and it wasn't good at all.)
1 can (15 oz) - white beans, drained
1 can coconut milk (about 11/2 cups to 2 cups)
2 Tbs chopped fresh chives (1 Tbs dry*)
1 tsp paprika
Put everything except the coconut milk, chives and paprika in a large enough pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 - 20 min. or until potatoes are tender. Stir in remaining ingrediants, and heat through.
Serve with bread and salad.
*If you're using dry chives, add it in the beginning.
I was just looking at this website: www.tofurky.com (http://www.tofurky.com) - there's so much stuff available that's made to look like the real thing! I'm not sure about the taste though. I myself have avoided using too many substitutes - but it might be helpful for the kids. I must experiment with the tempeh thing, though...
Mary
Mary,
I tried to make sausages from tofurky and my fiance hated them so I do not prepare them anymore. But maybe your family will like them. I do not know.
I buy the real tempeh, not the one that is prepared, and I cook it and it is great. We love tempeh, and tofu. Both of these are like eating meat, or eggs depending on the recipe.
I buy the real tempeh, not the one that is prepared, and I cook it and it is great. We love tempeh, and tofu. Both of these are like eating meat, or eggs depending on the recipe.
And what exactly do you mean by 'real tempeh'? A month ago, when I tried to look for it, not even the international supermarket near us had any. So we searched for it online and only found recipes of how to make your own tempeh, which requires some kind of starter, like the kind used for making cheese.
But I did find some in the website I mentioned, and there's a store nearby that carries their products. But that's tempeh that's already prepared, is it not? So, please clarify this tempeh mystery for me!! Thanks! =)
We do use tofu. I like the firm one, to stir fry with veggies and so forth. If you freeze it, then thaw it, and squeeze the liquid out (or put something heavy on top for a while) - it changes the texture of the tofu, so it's a bit more chewy. I liked it, but the kids, and my husband didn't like it. That was 3 against one, so that technique is out of our lives forever, unless I want to just cook for myself, and make every one else cook for themselves... (Hmmm.... that sounds like a really good idea...)
Mary
:D Real tempeh I said because maybe of the bad experience with the tofurky (since my sweetheart rejected it I got it to heart because he never gives negative feedback to my cooking ;) ). So honestly when I looked in the link you provided and saw this (http://www.tofurky.com/products/tempeh.htm), the tempeh looked kind of pre-made to me. And by real :D I meant the one you buy raw and cook yourself and prepare recipes. Sorry but I never got tempeh from tofurky and so I do not know how it is but it looked pre-made to me like the sausages I tried from them.
You can get tempeh (the real one :P) at Whole Foods. I have noticed they have sales when we have Lent and if you buy several (notice the expiration date) they do not spoil if you refrigerate them. The one they have here is from Lightlife and it can be with wild rice, grains, etc.
I get the tofu there also. Trader Joe's has also very reasonable prices and vegan products. Also with the tofu it depends on the recipe. I think I posted a recipe that is really delicious with tofu and potatoes, at the Lenten recipes thread - (I hope you did not make that and they hated them :O 'cause we love it).
Father David Moser
08-02-2008, 10:20 PM
At this very moment, I am baking oil-less bread
5 pounds of flour
2 Tbsp salt
5 cups of boiling water
1/2 cup of warm water
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp yeast
2 cups of flour
Mix 5 pounds flour and salt together and stir in the boiling water, let sit for a couple of minutes while you mix the sponge.
Mix warm water, yeast and Tbsp of flour and set in a warm place to rise
Return to the dough. Carefully knead the water fully into the dough (there will be "hot spots" of near boiling water hidden in the lump so be careful). Turn the whole thing out on a kneading board when it begins to hold together and continue to knead. When the lump of dough is firm and elastic, return to the bowl, cover and let rest for 10-15 min. After 15 min, make a "bowl" shaped depression in the dough and pour in the sponge. Add 1 c. four to the sponge and knead together into a sticky mass. Fold the sponge into the larger lump of dough and knead together until well mixed and the dough is firm but moist and elastic. Use addl flour to keep the dough from sticking. Return to bowl, cover put in a warm place and let rise 1 hr or until double in bulk.
Punch down the dough, remove it from the bowl and knead briefly to remove air bubbles. Divide dough into 4 smaller lumps. Each lump will make about 20 small prosphora - these can be hand shaped or rolled and cut, stamped and assembled
Put on cookie sheet dusted with flour and cover. let rise for 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Just before you put the loaves in the oven - pierce each one with a needle (or skewer) 5x in the shape of a cross. Bake for 12-13 min. They should be pale beige (not brown). Put baked prosphora into a towel lined box and cover with a dry towel and then a damp towel and let them come to room temp. Then bag and freeze until needed. It is usually best to bake prosphora at least three days before it will be used.
Fr David Moser
I can vouch for the wonders of coconut milk (just don't put it in your coffee - errk!), and a lot of Asian food is lenten, too.
To add to Fr David's post, all prospora should be made with flour, yeast, water, and a little salt. Nothing else, no oil or other shortening. As well as being the simplest and "purest" bread, having any shortening in prosphora will soon earn the wrath of your priest, as the oil content retards the absorption of the wine and water by the bread, and it leaves an oil slick in the chalice which makes cleaning it more difficult. Even greasing the tin or tray is not recommended; simply dust the tin or tray with flour.
Father David Moser
09-02-2008, 04:25 AM
Even greasing the tin or tray is not recommended; simply dust the tin or tray with flour.
One priest I know (who is a master prosphora baker) has a set of pans dedicated to his prosphori. When they are fresh and hot from the oven, he gives them a quick swipe with a block of beeswax and lets them cool so that there is a thin coating of beeswax on the pan. This then keeps the next batch from sticking - and then he just adds a new coat of beeswax each time he bakes.
Fr David Moser
Tried this without the oil this past Friday. When no groans were heard, I revealed the secret of 'no oil'. And my husband was throughly surprised. "How did you fry it then?" he asked. I fried it in water. LOL Won't my mom keel over and die when I tell her I can fry veggies in water! She loves to fry stuff. =)
3 Tbs veg or safflower oil (or 3 Tbs of water!)
2 carrots chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
16 oz firm tofu juliened - (it didn't retain it's shape after all the stirring around with the veggies, instead, it broke into nice little clumps that looked like, and tasted like hard boiled egg white!)
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp ginger powder - (wasn't too much, really!)
3 Tbs cornstarch
2 tsp sesame seeds for garnish
Combine soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch, and set aside.
Saute the veggies and tofu in water, in a very hot pan (I use an iron skillet), till the veggies are crisp/tender. Add more water as needed. The add the soy sauce mixture and incorporate until thickened. This is were my tofu broke up into many pieces. I also added a bit more water, as it seemed the sauce was getting too thick.
If you wish, you can add the green onions in the end, as garnish, instead of frying it with everything else. I also had bits of broccoli and cauliflower, which I cut up small, and added to the pile of veggies, and they blended in well. Also, a bit of black pepper, was really good. Seemed to fill it out more, somehow.
Serve over warm rice.
Many Asian stirfry dishes are quite OK when substituting the oil with water (as Mary did), or with soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (which, despite the name, is salty and undrinkable), or even mild white vinegar.
I got brave after reading Fr David's post and made my favorite bread yesterday, without oil. It was delicious! Even I couldn't tell it had no oil in it!! Since I don't have a chunk of beeswax to grease my pan, I decided to sprinkle some cornmeal on it. The rolls didn't stick to the pan! Added bonus, so much easier to clean off cornmeal, than burnt grease!!! =)
I was surprised the bread remained as soft and as tasty, as with oil. It made me wonder, how many more things in life, I think I absolutely need, but I really don't; the things that I think make life taste better, but they really don't... I dunno.
My little girl was helping me shape the rolls and we were talking about bread. She's learning to say the Lord's prayer, so I asked her if she remembered the line in the prayer, that says something about bread.
".... give us this day our daily bread..."
My favoritest line of the prayer. But before I could get too thrilled with it, I was reminded of Jesus's words to the Devil, when He was tempted in the desert:
"... man shall not live by bread alone..."
I think I have far too much more than I need. I hope I'll be able to get rid of a lot of extra oil this Lent!
In Christ,
Mary.
Sieglinde McGinnis
17-02-2008, 02:34 PM
Here's a contribution from me - once a month we have an 'international meal' and Saturday night was 'South America menu' night. This is what we had for our side dish:
Oven Baked Plantains
4 ripe plantains (the recipe said yellow ones with black spots were perfect, but my store only had mostly black ones which were fine, I think)
Peel plantains and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400.
Place plantain slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes or so until nicely browned.
If you've never had plantains, which I hadn't, they have a taste sort of like squash but not really. They're a little sweet, in fact. We all enjoyed them, even my picky daughter!
Rick H.
17-02-2008, 02:42 PM
Take one pound of soy beans and boil for 5 mins. then turn off heat and let stand for 1 hour.
Drain beans and run through food processor.
Return beans to pot, add 16 cups of water and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain soy milk through cloth.
Mix 1 cup soy milk with 3 shots espresso, and some chocolate-caramel-vanilla (enjoy!).
Rick, is this for real- how the soy milk is made? That's so cool - if yes.
Rick H.
18-02-2008, 12:36 AM
Rick, is this for real- how the soy milk is made? That's so cool - if yes.
Yes Nina, this is for real. I have a large pot that I make 2 gallons of soy milk in every week for my family. I do all kinds of crazy stuff with the by product of the process which is the ground up beans called 'okara' as well.
Cow's milk is better in the lattes, but when I make my chai I like the soy milk there better. Maybe I'll post my world famous chai recipe later? :)
Yes Nina, this is for real. I have a large pot that I make 2 gallons of soy milk in every week for my family. I do all kinds of crazy stuff with the by product of the process which is the ground up beans called 'okara' as well.
Milk is better in the lattes, but when I make my masala chai I like the soy milk there better. Maybe I'll post my world famous chai recipe later? :)
Wow. Thanks. :D Yes, please do post your world famous masala chai recipe.
Rick H.
25-02-2008, 01:10 AM
Dear Nina,
Without further delay, here's my recipe for Masala Chai/Spice Tea:
6-7 allspice (whole)
1/2 anise star
1 cardamom pod [opened]
10-12 cloves (whole)
2 cinnamon sticks (short sticks about 3")
1/4" ginger root [fresh]
6-7 white peppercorns
1 cup water
4 cups soy milk
2 heaping TBL Ceylon tea [ I use a brand called Red Label Tea--but any is fine, and Darjeeling works well too]
3 packs nutri-sweet or sweeten to taste
1.) Add spices to water, bring to a boil; remove from heat--steep 10 mins.
2.) Add milk, bring just to a boil; remove from heat, add tea and stir gently--steep 5 mins.
3.) Strain into pot, sweeten, and serve
And, this one is a mild one Nina. This is the version my wife likes and it's the one I serve to people who have never had it before. I have another recipe that I like better (and one that I steep longer to make it stronger) which is:
6-7 allspice
1 anise star
1 cardamom pod
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2" ginger root
6-7 black peppercorns
I've come to realize that different folks have their own versions.
If' I am in a hurry, there is a brand called Stash Tea that makes a great chai in a tea bag. I steep this with a little piece of ginger root and add soy milk and usually have a pretty good cup in about 4 mins.
About the homemade soy milk, I really like the Silk brand that Father David mentioned and it is definitely easier to pick it up at the store. I enjoy making soy milk though (becoming one with the soy :) ;) :), and we really go through it at my house so I save quite a bit of money by making it myself. I've actually turned into somewhat of a homemaker in the past year or two. I make homemade yogurt and yogurt cheese too that we use in different ways as well.
Thanks for your interest.
In Christ,
Rick
Rick, your expertise is much appreciated.
What do you do with the soy beans after you've milked it? (sorry, dont' know what else to call your procedure!) =)
I have a bag of soy beans, that i thought I could grind up and add to my bread, but, boy, is it hard to grind!!! I think I'll just buy soy flour that's already ground up. But I need to know what to do with all my unground beans...
Thanks! =)
Mary
Paul Cowan
25-02-2008, 07:04 AM
Compost them
Rick H.
25-02-2008, 03:33 PM
What do you do with the soy beans after you've milked it? (sorry, dont' know what else to call your procedure!) =)
Mary--Some people on line refer to this as "milking the bean" so while it sounds kind of funny this is kind of what is going on.
But, with the by-product of the process, called okara, there is quite a few different things you can do with this. And, this is another benefit to making soy milk at home. Out of each 2 gal. batch of milk that I make I end up with a large bowl of the okara. This okara can be dried or put in the freezer to be used later, but too be honest with you for me I can't use all of it. When I first started making soy milk I had a freezer full in a short time and as much as I hate to waste it, I do exactly as Paul has said with the excess and compost it.
How you make the milk and how you grind the beans makes a big difference in the texture of the okara. I have a pretty powerful blender and I use the ice blade on it for this. But, what I'm getting at here is if you soak the beans overnight before making the milk and then grind them before putting them into the pot then the texture is very course. But, if you do the quick soak which is boiling them for 5 mins. and then letting them stand in the pot for 1 hour, they are softer and they can be ground up very fine to a texture much like Cream of Wheat. But, there are advantages to having a more course texture or a finer texture depending on what you are using it for. For example, I make bread too :) My wife calls my bread, my 27 grain bread. She is trying to be funny with this, because there are not 27 grains in there. But, I do try to use different whole grains. But, what I am trying to get at here is that if you want amore fluffy sandwich type bread, then the finer and the drier the okara the better. But, if you are making a heavy bread or something like ban nana nut bread or zucchini bread then the course okara is better and it doesn't matter how moist the okara is so much.
I actually like to take the Cream of Wheat style okara (very fine) and sweeten it with brown sugar, and have it for breakfast by itself in a bowl. Or, on the other hand, you can take the course okara and mix it half and half with oatmeal and have something very good too.
There really is a wide variety of things that you can do with the okara. And, again there is a great savings to all of this. It costs me about 1.79 for the beans to make 2 gallons of milk and I also get more okara than I seem to be able to use through the week in meals for this 1.79 as well.
Aside from baking with it, it can go a very long way when you season it and cook a batch of it with ground up vegetables and then use this as you might use ground hamburger or ground sausage in some other dishes. This is a great way to use it! I have containers of this cooked "meat mixture" in my freezer that can be pulled out and used in Mexican dishes (tacos, burritos, etc.), chili, sloppy joes . . . it works really well as a pizza topping too (this cooked mixture looks like hamburger or sausage on a pizza). It makes a great addition to a mushroom and spinach pizza. Any way you use ground meat, you can use this. Italian dishes, whatever . . . although I will share with you that if you use it straight-up with no pre-cooking/seasoning as mentioned above, then it does not absorb tomato sauce very well and does not have a good appearance in dishes with tomato sauce.
I'd like to find a way to make it stick together better so that I can make patties out of the "meat mixture." It's really cool though to make hamburgers with the meat mixture (the people in the Muscatine, Iowa who know about Made-Rite sandwiches or 'loose meat sandwiches' would love this). You can use the loose meat mixture on a hamburger bun and add whatever you normally have to hamburger to it and it's really very good. I like to make thick french fries in the oven, and have my 'okara burger' with a soy milkshake and think I am doing better than a trip to McDonalds healthwise.
But, there are so many things you can do with the okara Mary. The recipes online take some digging through, and some sites are better than others, but possibly there are some ideas there. Another thing I like to do is take the okara and mix it with honey and a flavor like coconut and then toast it on the sheet in the oven. When I want something sweet, I will take a slice of my 27 grain bread put it on a plate with some of my wife's homemade preserves and top it with the toasted coconut okara and eat it with a fork like a piece of cake or a pastry. I'm still blowing the calories on the sugar, but in this 'dessert' there are some whole grains and fibre going on that make it much better than a twinkie--at least some nutritional value in the trade. There really is so much to do with the okara.
But, here is one thing I'd like to pass along in case you want to give it a try. Wait until you have perfected your recipes before trying it on your family. When I first started using it, I served up a few dishes that weren't too good and this made my family not want to try it again. Actually, it was the source of much joking around here for quite a while. I remember when I served Reuben sandwiches with okara instead of corned beef, I was informed that I had not developed "The Okara Reuben" but was serving soybean and sauerkraut sandwiches! :)
Possibly, once one looks at some recipes online with this, then the same one can use his/her imagination and come up with their own uses based on what is being prepared at the present. Not counting the soaking time, it really is a good deal for those who need to watch their dollars. It takes me about 1 hour including clean up time, and when I am done I have about 2 gals. of milk sitting there in the Rubbermaid bottles and a nice supply of okara ready to go for the week.
I'm still trying to understand the nutritional aspects of what the soy bean offers. I think I am seeing some conflicting information as I look at this online. But, when it comes to nutrition an science what else is new? :)
I have a bag of soy beans, that i thought I could grind up and add to my bread, but, boy, is it hard to grind!!! I think I'll just buy soy flour that's already ground up. But I need to know what to do with all my unground beans...
I'd say boil them and make some good ole soy milk and okara. Or, another alternative may be to get some pea shooters for the kids and let them have at it. It has occurred to me a time or two that these beans look like they would have a high velocity great trajectory. :)
If you think you want to give soy milk and/or okara a shot let me know and I'll post the milk process and some other okara cooking helps that may allow you to have a shorter learning curve than I did. I have learned some tricks that are not readily available online that really help in terms of appearance and taste of the milk and okara.
--Rick
PS In the first chai recipe above, I noticed that I had shown 1-7 white peppercorns. I have changed it to what it should be which is 6-7 white peppercorns.
Shelley Platt
09-03-2008, 07:04 PM
I've been making small loaves of bread daily, and substituting spelt flour for wheat. Here is a video with the recipe and tutorial from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The book has lots of variations for all sorts of breads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxJgIpe38Q
There are some recipes without oil in this book preview (http://books.google.com/books?id=turX6K-4QFoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=vegan&lr=&sig=GzWiyp0J7C1QVexWc9tdnXeWDgM#PPA46,M1) on line.
A very easy/good/healthy/without oil salad recipe that my mom and grandmother made always for fasting days:
1. Toss olives with pieces of oranges. Allow some minutes for the juices to combine and mix again. If desired scallions, or onions may be added. Serve with bread.
When oil is permitted, you can add some oil. Do not add salt if the olives are salty already. Also I like to use olives from Halkidiki (ask at a Greek store if you have one near by) since the kind of olive used is crucial for the taste of this recipe. The orange should be not very sweet, but definitely on the sweet side to achieve a great balance in the combination. The pieces of orange should be cut like little pyramids (I think because it does not mush them and it allows a bit from the juices to marinate together with the olives. However, you may combine according to your own taste.
2. Another great food during lent is koliva since it is prepared without oil. We had three Saturdays of the Souls these past weeks and it was so yummy to have koliva. Although one must distribute for the soul of the loved one as much koliva as they can after the service. But there is always a bit left at the end. And I always make some more. :) However if you can not consume it, do not leave koliva overnight. Also if it is blessed do not throw it in the waste, but place it higher somewhere where people, or animals do not step on. If there are birds around place it where birds can consume the koliva.
3. Similar to Koliva: Also what is called 'Noah's pudding', or known as 'Ashure' it is a great dessert for Lent. There are many recipes and versions of it and it is made by Christians, Jewish and Muslims alike. All have their own versions. Google the recipes and choose a favorite. :)
Matushka Elizabeth P.
18-03-2008, 09:35 PM
Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup
Several years ago, a young student named Eleni, from Larisa in Greece, attended the local University of Texas, Pan American. She became like another daughter to us and often spent weekends with our family. Eleni was the first to teach us about Fasolada. She told us her mother made it at least several times a week during the Great Fast. To make her feel more at home, I tried to come up with a recipe for this wonderful Greek Bean Soup. I found and adapted the recipe below and it’s very good. The original came from: http://greekfood.bellaonline.com
The following history comes from the website’s author, who states, “The name of this soup is derived from the Greek name for bean, which is "fasolia." It is often spelled fassolada or fasolatha when translated in to English. There are those who consider Fasolada to be the Greek national dish. To paraphrase an old saying: "all of Greece has been brought up on bean soup." Today fasolada continues as a staple in the Greek villages. Eaten with fresh crusty Greek bread, some feta cheese if not during a fast, and a handful of Greek olives, fasolada makes a wonderful, complete dinner. Some people believe the dish should be made with chicken stock instead of water, but given the possible age of the original dish, and the fact that it is normal fare during fasting seasons, it seems more likely plain water or a vegetable stock was originally used instead. Either way you choose to make it, fasolada makes a very welcome hot and hearty soup on a cold day or during the spring Lenten fast.”
1 1/2 Cups Dried White Beans (Great Northern, for example) or equiv. canned
2 – 3 Carrots, Diced
2 – 3 Stalks Celery, with Leaves, Diced
2 Onions, Chopped
5 Roma Tomatoes, Chopped, or a Can of Diced Tomatoes
3 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
2 Qts. Water or Vegetable Stock
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme of Several Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
Optional: 1/3 Cup Olive Oil, if an "Oil" Day
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste (1/2 tsp)
Salt, To Taste
Soak the beans, in water to cover 2 inches above the beans, overnight.
This reduces the "gassy" nature of the beans. Drain the beans.
In to a large soup pot add carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Saute in a bit of olive oil until the vegetables are softened. Add water (or stock), thyme and oregano, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the beans are tender or about 2 1/2 hours. Add the remaining olive oil, if not fasting, as well as pepper and salt. Return to the heat thoroughly. Simmer for about 10 additional minutes and serve. This serves 6 - 8 people as a main dish soup.
St. George's Orthodox Church
Rio Grande Valley of Tropical South Texas
www.stgeorgepantry.org (http://www.stgeorgepantry.org/)
http://matushkaelizabeth.vox.com/
Matushka Elizabeth P.
18-03-2008, 09:38 PM
Last year, I put up many of my fasting recipes on our parish outreach ministries website at: http://www.stgeorgepantry.org/vegetarianrecipes.html
Perhaps some of these recipes will be helpful to others here, as these wonderful entries will be to me. Many thanks!
Effie Ganatsios
21-03-2008, 09:53 AM
Garlic Rosemary Lentil
This one has no oil either, and it's the one that I had too much of, that I added to the leek soup. It's really good. I think I'll add some to our spaghetti sauce next, and see what happens.
5 cups water
3 cups chopped onion
2 cans (14.5oz each) of white beans
1 cup diced carrots
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed - seems like a lot, but it turned out good
3/4 tsp sage (I only had ground sage, but it worked)
1 lb. dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 gloves garlic, pressed
1/2 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Combine everything in a slow cooker (crock pot) and cook on low for 6 hrs or on high for 3 hrs. In a pressure cooker - cook for about 5 minutes.
Serve with salad and bread.
First time I made it, it was soupy, because I made it just before we ate. This last time, I made it early in the day. When I opened my pressure cooker in the evening, all the liquid had been absorbed! It looked like we could use it for filling tortillas, which we'll try next time. But, since it was so much drier, it was hard to eat it with bread. But, just with romaine leaves, it was great.
Mary, this recipe sounds wonderful and it is full of goodness. I don't use anything out of a can, so I suppose I could soak lima beans overnight, put them in a pressure cooker and cook until soft and then use them with your recipe. This would work for me. I have never thought of lentils and dried beans together but it sounds good.
I can also use fresh rosemary and sage instead of dried, only a little more than you recommend. I have the most amazing bay leaf bush. Ever since I started to use its leaves I have realized that the dried stuff we get in the supermarket is totally useless. The same applies to most herbs I feel. My oregano plant disappeared last year (the year we didn't have any snow so I didn't bother to cover it with mulch and protect it). I have dried oregano from two years ago and when you open the jar the aroma is incredible. This set me to thinking about storebought dried herbs and how long they are stored before they reach our table. Normally, herbs are supposed to be used for one year only, but as my dried oregano proves, and judging by the aroma, the packaged herbs are much, much older than that.
Thank you for this lovely thread.
Effie
Effie Ganatsios
21-03-2008, 10:05 AM
[QUOTE=Matushka Elizabeth P.;61658]Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup
The original came from: http://greekfood.bellaonline.com
The following history comes from the website’s author, who states, “The name of this soup is derived from the Greek name for bean, which is "fasolia." It is often spelled fassolada or fasolatha when translated in to English. There are those who consider Fasolada to be the Greek national dish. To paraphrase an old saying: "all of Greece has been brought up on bean soup." Today fasolada continues as a staple in the Greek villages. Eaten with fresh crusty Greek bread, some feta cheese if not during a fast, and a handful of Greek olives, fasolada makes a wonderful, complete dinner. Some people believe the dish should be made with chicken stock instead of water, but given the possible age of the original dish, and the fact that it is normal fare during fasting seasons, it seems more likely plain water or a vegetable stock was originally used instead. Either way you choose to make it, fasolada makes a very welcome hot and hearty soup on a cold day or during the spring Lenten fast.”
1 1/2 Cups Dried White Beans (Great Northern, for example) or equiv. canned
2 – 3 Carrots, Diced
2 – 3 Stalks Celery, with Leaves, Diced
2 Onions, Chopped
5 Roma Tomatoes, Chopped, or a Can of Diced Tomatoes
3 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
2 Qts. Water or Vegetable Stock
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme of Several Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
Optional: 1/3 Cup Olive Oil, if an "Oil" Day
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste (1/2 tsp)
Salt, To Taste
Soak the beans, in water to cover 2 inches above the beans, overnight.
This reduces the "gassy" nature of the beans. Drain the beans.
In to a large soup pot add carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Saute in a bit of olive oil until the vegetables are softened. Add water (or stock), thyme and oregano, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the beans are tender or about 2 1/2 hours. Add the remaining olive oil, if not fasting, as well as pepper and salt. Return to the heat thoroughly. Simmer for about 10 additional minutes and serve. This serves 6 - 8 people as a main dish soup.
QUOTE]
Hello, Elizabeth. Fasolada is indeed a common weekly dish in all traditional Greek homes. It is full of nutrition and goodness.
Just some comments on your recipe. I don't use garlic with beans, except when cooking red beans with tomato sauce and parsley (a totally different dish). Nor do I use thyme and oregano. My mum adds cubed carrots and potatoes but I don't because my family prefers me not to. I also add a generous amount of paprika.
I don't use stock, whether meat or vegetable, but I add amounts of hot water as needed.
Variation : When using the very large lima beans I simmer until nearly all the water has been absorbed, I then add a little olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika and put the whole thing in the oven. I then serve it hot, with a small teaspoon of olive oil and lemon juice on top.
When not fasting I also crumble feta cheese on top of the mixture and allow it to bake for a few minutes, until there is a nice crust on top. Lots of women add hot chilli pepper (boukovo) to the beans while they are cooking.
No matter what version you use, fasolada is still delicious.
Fasoli means bean and Fasolada means bean soup with olive oil. Fasolakia means green beans.
Effie
Yes, fasolada is very good and a source of protein and has other nutritional values. We make it usually when it is rainy and cold outside during Lenten/fasting days. There are many versions of the recipe. For instance sometime I put garlic after the onion in the oil and before adding tomatoes I have pureed. Sometime I put oregano just before serving, sometime parsley during cooking or before serving, sometime roasted red peppers and a bit of their juice, sometime celery and carrot and potatoes when preparing the recipe, sometime red wine vinegar and crushed garlic mixed very well together and/or add extra virgin olive oil just before serving etc. This recipe allows such freedom and is so tasteful. All my relatives make even more inventions and additions to this recipe and it is always very yummy!
William
21-08-2008, 12:46 AM
Just a quick Thank You! from the forum newest member.
I am a raw newcomer to Orthodoxy and have been struggling with what to eat during fasts - after a while that chunk of dry bread gets old.
I also have to work with the fact that carbs make me fat and during a fast I can not be a carnivore which usually helps me lose some weight.
There is great stuff here.
Paul Cowan
21-08-2008, 05:04 PM
I live on stir fry during fasts. For "real" variety, go to an asian market and find receipes online for unique fruits and vegetables they sell there. Like Banana flower.
Paul- How do you stir fry without oil? Or does cooking oil not count?
Alice
21-08-2008, 06:58 PM
Paul- How do you stir fry without oil? Or does cooking oil not count?
Most Orthodox I know, including priests, in Greece and in the U.S. are not required by their spiritual fathers to abstain from olive oil. It is very difficult and unhealthy to not have any form of fat in the diet.
Paul Cowan
22-08-2008, 04:36 AM
Paul- How do you stir fry without oil? Or does cooking oil not count?
Two ways,
One is to cook the watery vegetables first, then the ones that soak up the water. Mushrooms and spinach and other such greens excrete alot of their own liquid. Later in the cooking when I have enough liquid not to scorch, I add the vegetables that do not excrete and even absorb liquid like eggplant.
Two is to add water instead of oil. Even if I use a packet of chinese seasoning that says to add oil, I just add water in place of it. You can't tell the difference.
All can be cooked on lower heat anyway so to avoid scorching. Also covering the pan with a lid will keep moisture in and you can use this as well to wetten the dish.
Paul Cowan
22-08-2008, 05:20 AM
Most Orthodox I know, including priests, in Greece and in the U.S. are not required by their spiritual fathers to abstain from olive oil. It is very difficult and unhealthy to not have any form of fat in the diet.
True Alice, but there are plenty of fatty foods without using oil. Nuts are a prime example (http://store.austinuts.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/nuts_info.html). Extemely high in fat content, especially macadamias. Nuts are also very good for you. As in anything, moderation. I cook with them during fasting periods.
A few "good fatty veggies (http://www.nhf.org.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145832212)"
Polyunsaturated Fats - lowers blood cholesterol and encourages heart health
Good food sources are;
safflower, soy bean, sunflower, corn
Wheat germ, wholegrain cereals and breads
Seeds and most nuts
These fats help to reduce blood clotting, blood pressure and blood fat levels.
Monounsaturated Fats - do not raise blood cholesterol and encourages heart health
Good food source are;
Avocados, peanuts, peanut oil and peanut butter
olives, Almond and hazelnuts
And another list of fat content foods (http://www.soystache.com/fat.htm). Of course overlook some of the nonpermitted ones. (I am not eating raw seaweed.)
Paul
Two ways,
One is to cook the watery vegetables first, then the ones that soak up the water. Mushrooms and spinach and other such greens excrete alot of their own liquid. Later in the cooking when I have enough liquid not to scorch, I add the vegetables that do not excrete and even absorb liquid like eggplant.
Two is to add water instead of oil. Even if I use a packet of chinese seasoning that says to add oil, I just add water in place of it. You can't tell the difference.
All can be cooked on lower heat anyway so to avoid scorching. Also covering the pan with a lid will keep moisture in and you can use this as well to wetten the dish.
Interesting! I might try this some time, thanks.
Alice
22-08-2008, 09:51 PM
You can sautee vegetables by using a teflon pan and some white wine or vegetable broth for your 'liquid'...it works nicely and adds taste.
Alice
Paul Cowan
18-11-2008, 06:10 AM
Because I have been taught to take all you want, but eat all you take, I have a hard time cooking "just a bit" and end up cooking way to much especially pasta. SO, recently I found these little packets of alphabet pasta for $.32 at the store. About 4 ounces. Just the right amount and no waste and no gluttony; well, not so much.
Cook pasta
clean out the fridge; I dice vegetables about the size of the pasta, (really small) and add them when it is all done. I then cover the pasta pot with a lid and the steam from the drained pasta heats the veggies. Keep in mind they are not cooked, but just heated so I am also trying to eat more "raw" veggies and get more nutrition from what I had before cooked the snot out of and didn't get any nutritional benefit from them at all.
I have used mushrooms, onions, green onions (yes there is a difference in flavor) sugar peas, cilantro, lemon juice. Combinations of veggies is also key to a good recipe like only cilantro and lemon juice. Pretty much any non starch vegetable is good. I just bought some celery and will also try diced bokchoy. Heck any vegetable will work even chopped carrots and canned water chestnuts. Seasoning is also very important. I use my brisket rub (see below) on almost everything I cook. Mostly just trying to use it up. 1 batch makes a ton; and sometimes just S&P.
2 Cups Salt
2 Cups Garlic Powder
1 Cup Pepper
1 Cup Paprika
1 Cup Onion Powder
I don't know the big deal about using oil anyway. Very little ever needs to be cooked in the stuff. And what we do cook in it is always drained of any excess.
Kseniya M.
23-02-2009, 02:17 AM
My husband loved these. The recipe is super easy.
1 pound dried black or turtle beans (or 16-ounce cans black beans, drained)
1 16 ounce jar salsa (your favorite kind)
water
Pick over and rinse the beans, removing any foreign objects. Place in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight. (Or use any of the quick-soak methods or used canned beans. Your choice.)
Drain the beans and discard the soaking water. Put them in a crock pot with the salsa and stir. Add just enough water to cover the beans. Cover and cook on low all day, 8 to 10 hours.
These freeze well.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Paul Cowan
12-11-2011, 07:06 PM
Woohoo, it's "watch what you eat" time again. I used to manage a restaurant and this was one of our Thanksgiving recipes. The longer the sauce cooks the thicker it and better it gets. Best to use yams as compared to swet potatoes, but both work.
Candied Yams
4 lbs sweet potatoes
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 of a fresh lemon with peel
1/4 of a fresh orange with peel
In large saucepan, boil potatoes in enough water to cover for 30 minutes or until barely tender. Drain and cool to touch under cold running water. Peel and cut lengthwise into 1/2" slices. Place in large, shallow baking dish.
In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Mix well. Add lemon and orange. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Pour syrup over potatoes. Cover with foil.
Bake 1 hour.
Alice
13-11-2011, 03:15 AM
Nice recipe Paul but....
Woohoo, it's "watch what you eat" time again.
slooow down! We have two more days!!! ;-)
Hey, at least there are plenty of days where fish can be eaten! (said by Olga the fisherman) :-)
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