Baked Green Pepper Delight

Tonight's 'Dinner & A Movie': Baked Green Pepper Delight & Chickpea/Kasha Croquettes
(part 2 coming soon!) x Ra/who recommends the following accompaniment:
The Infinite Worlds of HG Wells
(suitable for children)&
The Time Machine (orig)
later, not 4 children:
--Time After Time--a Wells triple feature!

Baked Green Pepper Delight

...so called because of it's sheer delightfulness. And, uses leftover rice, vegs, etc. in wond'rous ways.
ok, so you have some of that marinara sauce left over from the Tortilla Soup we just made, no?

Well you should.You will need it.
  Ingredients:
not much, but some marinara sauce. say...1/3 c.
At least 3 peppers, cut in 1/2 = 6 servings
3 cloves large,chopped garlic
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
various leftover vegs: We happened to have 1/2 c.cabbage from lunch, sliced thin
 mushrooms! say 1/2 c. chop'd
shiitake and clamshells *on sale,
 1/2 small *eggplant, cubed.
hollow out peppers' insides discard seeds and chop that small.
sautee all this in 1 tbsp.peanut oil & soya, & add some to outside of pepper-1/2s.
Oil a baking sheet or pan.

Simmer above vegs, adding leftover cooked rice, at least 2 heaping cups *or cook up some yummy steamed organic basmati.
add rice to vegies w/abit of marinara sauce,pinch of basil, oregano, thyme and cumin, chilie powder, curry...Add the hollow pepper shells, with some water in the rice/veg mix and heat,covered about for about 5-7 min. on low.
Transfer pepper shells to baking sheet, stuff with rice/veg mix. Bake at 375 for 20-30 mins depending on if u like vegs crisper, or if you do want them abit more done, and with a nice crunchy baked top which i must admit i do rather enjoy-go for it another 5 min or so.
Add when done:
 Top w/a bit of spread if u like, whilst hot
+ nutritional yeast
Black olives, avocado, sliced
small grape tomatoes, cut in 1/2
perhaps slivered almonds,& all set upon
a salad bed, w/raspberry walnut vinagrette dressing -
It all truly has a wonderful smell, look, taste coming out of the oven. The flavors marry beautifully after they have had some time together. Enjoy!

...and as HG Wells was often seen visiting the local Tea Shop w/his lady ("Same time tomorrow then?")

I'll enclude here a quite interesting link to

VINTAGE TEA ROOMS!

Vintage Tea Rooms

Veggie Tortilla Soup

Fairly Quick E-Z Veggie Tortilla Soup!
OK, so it's another rainy, cold, blustery day out. This calls for: soup! Now! Pronto, Si!
Mostly homemade, w/a shortcut that eliminates need for 'stock.' Frankly I never use 'stock' because that's what soup IS already! (onion, garlic, herbs sauteed in abit o'oil w/soya and maybe Worchestershire sauce - gluten-free! and viola: 'stock'..)Anyway, here goes! intrepid kitchen cavaliers!:

Ingredients:
1/2 of 26 oz.jar:Gluten-free spaghetti/marinara sauce. Also, check ingredients for sugar amount! If you get a sauce w/Mushrooms, it doesn't usually have so much sugar that it tastes like tomato candy. Just a jar for $1-2 will make 2 batches soup.( Save the remainder in freezer til next time, store in leftover plastic container or freezer bag. Heat up in a dishtowel atop soup pot, w/lid turned over to thaw enough to drop the frozen sauce in.)

Carrots, chopped small cubes
Potato, ditto
1/2 large onion "
1/2 bulb garlic, or at least 6 large cloves, chopped fine
A stalk or 2 of celery, the feathery ends are excellent in soup
Soya sauce, non-gluten:( La Choy)
Cilantro: about 5 stalks, chop leaves, discard stems

OK!
in small amound of oil (a drop or 2) add water. and soya, about 4 tbsp. to soup pot. Add about 1/3 c. water and turn on med. add all ingred.s above and cook til boil, add about 1 c. more water, few more quick shakes of soya and when boiling again, add:

oregano, bay leaf, a dash curry powder, thyme, at least 2 tsp. cumin,
ditto chilie powder and then turn down to low and cook on slow simmer-- about an hr. or 45 min. at least. Check at 1/2 hr. to add water if needed. DO NOT ADD SALT!the soya takes care of it. pepper is good.

THEN!
Add: veggies! Must enclude: froz corn, froz. peas, fresh or frozen pepper medley: sweet red, yellow, green, about a cup chopped. I also like sliced zucchini, maybe sliced chard or froz. mustard greens, but any greens are swell, as well as froz. 'winter vegs' cauliflower and broccoli. If you are adding mushrooms, which are yummy indeed, add about 15 min. b4 it's ready.
Cook another 1/2 hour and it's done. Ready for your tortillas!
Personally, I love yellow corn, and if you are up for it, make your own tortillas--the masa flour has such a divine fragrance cooking!

But, if you're in a hurry, you just got off work, and heck w/that already, open a pack of gluten free corn tortillas, even frozen, pry that puppy off, tear into strips, not too small, about 'chips' size, and place in bottom of bowl. Pour hot soup over, w/lots o' veggies.
--Enjoy!  Perfect for a winter's warm-up!

To be enjoyed watching Appaloosa, Brisco County Jr. or Frida, or just listening to some bossa nova curled up with your sweetie, kid, or kitty. Bon Apetit!

A VERY VEGAN THANKSGIVING~

Vegan, LowFat & Gluten-free

*Mushroom/Veggie Shepherds Pie w/Garlic Smashed Potato Top

Black Eye Peas w/Pepper Medley, Garlic, Onion, Miso

Baked "Fries" Medley of Seasoned Sweet Potato, White Potato and Yam

Rainbow Chard Sautee w/Onion & Shiitake, Soya & Sesame Oil

Green Salad w/Tomato, Avo, Green Onion, Satsuma, Dried Cranberries & Walnuts w/

  Raspberry/Walnut Dressing & Toasted Seasoned Cornbread Crutons

Chocolate-Carob-Coconut-Chia Seed-Dried Cranberry-Prune-Walnut-Rum/Brandy Balls

Chilled Reisling

Mushroom/Veggie Shepherds Pie w/Garlic Smashed Potato Top:

Chop in big pieces, about in quarters -- 2 large white/yellow potatoes and boil til soft with

about 5 large cloves of garlic, whole sans skin of course. When soft, smash em up with

about 1/4 c. rice, almond or soy milk & about 1 tbsp. soy or almond yogurt, and if desired, vegan spread.

 Although it's yummy as is with just salt, pepper seasoning with that good garlic in there.

Then:

In large pot or frypan w/lid: sautee in a tiny bit of sesame oil, soya & water:

1/3 c each: ch. onion, shiitake shrooms & chopped small carrots

w/ about 1/4 c. chopped garlic about 5 min., add:

veggie mix. about 1/3 c. each peas, carrots, peppers, gr. beans, whatever veggie

turns you on. Cook til nearly done. About 4 min.

Add: Shiitake Gravy Mix--

Road's End Organics is Gluten Free and 'ready in 3 mins!' u just add water! yummy stuff.

(The Co-op has it in Sac. on Alhambra)

Cook that good gravy in your veg/shroom mix til thickens.

Sesame-oil up your casserole or loaf pan and add vegmix. Then top with Smashed Potato

and bake at 350 til browns-- about 15-20 min.

Rainbow Chard:

Wash, clean your organic chard, chop across leaf in about 2 in. strips. Chop 1/3 c. onion
and shiitake, a little garlic if desired, and sautee in a tiny bit 1/2 tsp. at most of sesame oil.

Add enough water and soya to prevent sticking and sautee about 5 min.s or til done.

BlackEye Peas 'n Peppers

Soak peas overnight is best!

Chop 1/4 c. garlic, 1/3 c. ea. onion, green, yellow and sweet red peppers (I use a frozen pepper

medley usually)--& in your saucepan, sautee all in a tiny bit of sesame oil, plus enough soya and

water to keep from sticking til soft, add peas, about 1 tbsp. miso and enough water to cover plus about an inch or so

higher. Cook on high til boils, then simmer til done, at least an hour. Check after about 5 min.

and add more water, as peas will soak it up. Add to simmering pot: oregano, pepper, sea salt,

bay leaf, paprika, basil, cumin and a little chilie powder. yum...

Baked Fries!

These are so good! and baked, so lowfat 2.

1 ea: White or Yellow potato, Yam and Sweet Potato

Slice all fry-sized, but not too big. On your baking sheet, rub a thin coat of sesame oil and seasonings:

oregano, pepper, sea salt, bay leaf, paprika, basil, cumin and a little chilie powder...pour your

potatoes over, and rub them around in the oil and seasoning to coat. If desired, and you wish

to make some wonderful garlic baked fries, can heat some olive oil and rough chopped garlic and

add abit to the pan to coat as well. Bake in upper oven rack til done, about 10 min. one side, then

flip as many as u can, and bake 10 min. other side. Serve w/ketchup, bar-b-que sauce, &/or

tartar sauce: as follows:

Tartar sauce: 1/2 c.Veganaise,to:1 tbsp. Dijon mustard & sweet pickle relish, a little lemon juice, dill weed & maybe a little soy yogurt for that piquant taste.

Chocolate-Carob-Coconut-Chia Seed-Dried Cranberry-Prune-Walnut-Rum/Brandy Balls

No cooking required. E-z fixing: takes about 15 min:

Chop dried prunes & cranberries in blender. Add shredded coconut, and about a spoonful of

powdered cocoa and carob, walnut pieces, about 1 tbsp. chia seeds, a little ginger and nutmeg

if desired and rum/and/or brandy to taste! Chop in blender til a paste. Roll into small bite-size balls and roll in carob and coconut to coat. Chill in fridge about an hour b4 serving.

*Note: The Pie does require a Gravy Mix, gluten-free. Or make your own Shiitake Gravy Mix, but

Road's End Organics Shiitake Mushroom Gluten-free Gravy Mix is just superb.

So this was a surprisingly easy Thanksgiving meal and didn't take all day to prepare. You’ve got your

hearty entree & mashed potatoes with the Shroom/Vegie Pie, you’ve got your Sweet Potato fix w/the

wham-bam-thank-you-Yam & Sweet & White Potato 'Fry' Bake, you get your greens with that fine

Rainbow Chard and greens really don't need vinegar to taste great,( or butter! ) The salad actually

offers not only a fresh alternative but you also get a bit of cranberry/dressing tastes in there with

dried sweet cranberries, walnuts and baked cornbread crutons. I made the cornbread earlier using

Pamela's Gluten-free bread mix & yeast, adding chopped onion and rosemary. This I had kept frozen,

then heated til thawed abit & chopped into cruton size, baked on sesame-oiled sheet and added spices:oregano, pepper, sea salt, bay leaf, paprika, basil, cumin and a little chilie powder & curry if desired til crispy. I actually had the salad as  dessert, Euro-style. And, much later, the rum balls were a nice way to 'fill up the corners' for afters...

Bon Ape'tit!