Vegan Pot Pie

I have been exceptionally busy this December, likely because I am preparing to transition jobs, and have been doing some traveling.  Thus, I have found myself going back to many of my recipes time and again for the sake of ease and conveninece. I'm cooking large soups on Sunday so that I will have lunches and a good side dish for dinners during the week.  I also have been spending more time trying to make it to yoga as opposed to cooking, frankly because the days have felt so short. I did however find some down time a few weekends ago, when it was really cold, to make a super yummy vegan pot pie.  When I was little my mom would make us pot pie in the winter on special occasions. Pot pie can really be time consuming, that's probably why she cooked it so rarely, however I tailored this recipe so that it is really pretty quick to make. (I could have used a better dish but was cooking for two and this was all I had, individual ramekins would be prefered),

Vegan Pot Pie
Ingredients
1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, diced
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small, finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup small broccoli florets
2 tablespoons kuzu root
Salt and pepper
1 vegan puff pastry, or pie crust (vegan pie crust is much easier to find)

Method
Defrost your puff pastry or pie crust according to the package prior to begining this recipe. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes, garlic, and the olive oil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the onion and cook, stirring over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Lower the heat to medium, add the peas and carrots and the broccoli; cook for 10 minutes. Crush the kuzu with a spoon and, in a separate bowl, stir the kuzu with a few tablespoons cold water until dissolved. Add to the saucepan, and stir until it begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer vegetable mixture into a oven safe dish and cut the pastry to fit either in or on top of the dish, depending on your preference.  (The pastry can lay over the edges of the dish or just inside it; I prefer over the top for individual ramekin type dishes and inside for larger dishes). Bake for 20 mins or until the pastry is lightly browned.  Enjoy!

 

Hot & Sour Shrimp Noodle Soup

I'm sure it's just the season, but I am in the middle of a soup kick.  I literally want it for every meal. Last week I made a really yummy Thai Hot & Sour soup.  The best part of this soup was the kaffir lime.  It truly is a flavor that cannot be substituted. The Thai chilies and the kaffir lime really compliment each other for a very authentic flavor.  As always the shrimp and fish sauce can be eliminated from the recipe for a great vegan soup! Hope you enjoy.     

Ingredients

1 tbsp safflower oil

small piece ginger, finely chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

½ box large rice noodles

1 tsp shoyu

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp agave

1 thai bird eye chili pepper, fresh or dried

2 small garlic cloves, minced

10 tiger shrimp

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 kaffir lime leaf, whole

small handful cilantro leaves

Method

Add the oil to a large saucepan and add in the ginger over high heat. Fry for a few seconds and then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 10 minutes.  While the stock heats up, cook the rice noodles according to package. Keep warm. Add the shoyu, fish sauce, hot chili (whole), kaffir lime leaf (whole) and garlic to the stock and reduce heat, simmering for 5 minutes. Add in the shrimp and continue simmering for a further 5 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked. Add the agave, green onions and cilantro to the saucepan. Remove the chili and the kaffir lime leaf. Season to taste.

Run the noodles under hot water to prevent sticking and divide among two bowls. Remove the shrimp and set aside. Pour the stock over top and arrange the shrimp on top. Add a bit of fresh cilantro on top to garnish.