Veganizing my Past

When I started Down to Earth, I had yet to begin my culinary journey of plant-based foods. Looking through this blog, there is a clear line in the sand. Although some posts before then are vegan, many aren't. Thus, my new project to Veganize my Past. Starting with Japanese Curry Rice!

Also, I feel a little guilty just giving you a reblog, so here are some pictures of my garden. Start planning the recipes now!

The parsley, sage, rosemary, and oregano survived from last year! (Sorry, Simon & Garfunkel - so close!) Planted 2 new blueberry bushes to go with the strawberries that just won't quit! Edamame is popping up nicely and my four squashes are growing like wildfire. The green beans are slow but hopefully steady. Cucumbers and tomatoes are but seedlings, but they look promising! In fact, I have so many cucumbers that I am going to sell a few sprouts in my yardsale next weekend!

Oh heck, and if you've read this far, you deserve a little treat! So, here's my latest obsession:

 Vegan Paninis

 Say that five times fast.

Ingredients (to make 2 paninis):
1 T olive oil
4 slices whole wheat bread
4 T hummus (make your own, but that's another blog)
1/2 cu sprouts (I used a deli sprout combo of alfalfa, broccoli, and mustard seed!)
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
S&P

1. Spread hummus on inside of all four slices.
2. Layer with avocado and tomato slices.
3. Top with sprouts and season with S&P.
4. Brush outsides with olive oil and cook in a panini press. Or make your own if you're like me - Heat 2 cast iron skillets on medium-high. Put the sandwiches in one skillet and place the second heated skillet on top, so that the bottom smushes the sandwiches (you may want to spray with olive oil first). Put a few cans in the top skillet to provide some weight. Press for 2 minutes.

I think the hummus is a must, but other than that the possibilities are endless - roasted red pepper & mushroom, grilled eggplant & marinara, peanut butter & banana!

Enjoy!

Sunday Saver - Japanese Curry Rice

Ok, it's not Sunday, but you could be reading this on Sunday. Or planning a meal for Sunday. Or... oh, you get the point. Plus, it doesn't need to be Sunday for you to enjoy this cheap and easy comfort meal.

I lived in Japan one semester of college, and my favorite meal was karerisu. Curry Rice. I must've eaten the stuff 3 or 4 times a week, so it was like going through withdrawls when I returned home. But I dreamed about it. Asked for it at every sushi joint I visited. And then. In the least likely of places, I found it.

Well, least likely would be like the top of the alps or something. But I found it in Disney World. And it was just as good as I remembered. Which inspired me to think I could recreate it. And this is my vegan attempt:

Ingredients:
1 red onion
2 lb potatoes (I prefer white or red new potatoes)
3 large carrots

2 T vegetable oil
2 T whole wheat flour
2 T curry powder (maharajah if you can find it)
8 oz tomato paste (1 small can)
1/2 cu apple sauce (the SECRET ingredient!)

1/2 cu peas
S&P

1 cu brown rice (I used Nishiki brand brown sushi rice)

Mise en place makes me happy.

1. Rinse your rice until the water runs clear. Add 1 cu rice and 2 cu water to a rice cooker and turn on. If you don't have one (why don't you, mine cost $10!) you can make this in a pot; be sure to stir occasionally until all water is absorbed.

2. Dice your carrots, onion, and potatoes into near equal sized chunks.


3. In a pan over medium high heat (make sure this one can hold at least 5 cups of stuff), add 1 T oil, onions and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes.






4. Add your diced potatoes and 3 cu of water. Simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

5. In another pan over medium heat, add the remaining 1 T of oil, 2 T curry powder, 2 T whole wheat flour, 2 T tomato paste, and the 1/2 cu applesauce (the SECRET to delicious curry). Whisk to form a roux. Add water from the potato pot to thin out roux. Once roux is thinned enough to mix with potato pot, add to potato pot. It will be thin at first, but your patience will be rewarded.












Thin.

Thick.

Add your peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve alongside the rice.

It tasted pretty darn close to the original.

And sure, if you have to invest in curry powder just for this recipe, it might not be budget friendly initially. But you'll thank me later (curry your couscous, your chickpeas, your ramen noodles).


Enjoy!