Mushroom stroganoff - plant-based, vegan recipe

Stroganoff or stroganov is a classic Russian dish normally containing sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana (sour cream). 

According to history books, the first published recipe for stroganoff was in Elena Molokhovets' classic Russian cookbook A Gift to Young Housewives (1861), which involved lightly floured beef cubes (not strips) sautéed, sauced with prepared mustard and bouillon, and finished with a small amount of sour cream: no onions, no mushrooms.

This version, adapted from a recipe in the Forks Over Knives Cookbook, is free from meat or dairy products, contains onions and mushrooms, and is 100% plant-based and vegan, so quite different from the original. Nevertheless it's full of flavour, highly nutritious and very delicious.

Most notably, this recipe contains more than the daily guideline amount of vitamin B12, a nutrient which is typically hard to obtain on plant-based or vegan diets.

Please click here to read more detail about vitamin B12 and plant-based and vegan diets.

The vitamin B12 comes from shiitake mushrooms and nutritional yeast, which is added to impart an umame, savoury, almost cheesy flavour.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 tbsp olive oil or 2 tbsp water
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into half moons 
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 250g (8oz) chestnut mushrooms, washed, stemmed and cut into pieces
• 125g (4 oz) shiitake mushrooms, washed, stemmed and cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup tofu sour cream, made from:
• One 340g/12oz package of silken tofu, drained
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp ground arrowroot powder
• Salt to taste
• 450g (1lb) whole wheat pasta (e.g., fettucine, penne) or gluten-free pasta if you are wheat intolerant

Method

Add oil or water and salt to a large pan and gently sauté onion until soft and translucent. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for another minute. Stir in mushrooms, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and wine, stir, and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes.

While mushrooms are cooking, prepare tofu sour cream by combining all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. 

Add pasta to boiling water, bring it back to a boil and stir for a few seconds to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. For dried pasta, this is usually 10-12 minutes to achieve an al dente texture. Fresh pasta generally takes less time. Drain.

al dente [al-DEN-tay] An Italian phrase meaning “to the tooth,” used to describe pasta or other food that is cooked only until it offers a slight resistance when bitten into, but which is not soft or overdone.

When the stroganoff has finished cooking, stir in 1 cup tofu sour cream. 

Add the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve garnished with fresh parsley and a side salad.

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Nutrition information

Kadoo Pish Gaza - Iranian Courgette (Zucchini) Dip

Kadoo pish gaza – courgette (zucchini) dip - is a simple recipe from Iran which is traditionally served at breakfast time, or as a starter, with thin, flat bread. You can also eat it as a snack with crackers or vegetable sticks.

Courgettes or zucchini are a type of summer squash that resemble a cucumber in size and shape. They are low in calories and provide reasonable amounts of vitamin C, potassium and carotenes.

Carotenes are powerful antioxidants and help to protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases.

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, carotenes (especially lycopene), biotin and vitamin K. They're also a very good source of B vitamins and dietary fibre.

Lycopene has been shown to be extremely protective against breast, colon, lung, skin and prostate cancers. It's also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb courgettes (zucchini)

• 1 tsp salt

• Juice ½ lemon

• 1 tbsp olive oil or 2 tbsp water

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 225g/8oz tomatoes, blanched (placed in boiling water for a few minutes to soften and split the skins, making it easy to remove them), skinned, chopped.

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp ground paprika

• Salt to taste

• Fresh parsley to garnish (finely chopped)

Method

Cut 0.6cm/¼” from head and tail of each courgette (zucchini), then grate into a bowl. Mix in 1tsp salt and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat oil or water in a saucepan and sweat onion until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes, pepper and paprika and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Squeeze excess liquid out of courgettes (zucchini), add to pan and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the courgettes (zucchini) are tender. If there is still a lot of liquid left in the pan after 10 minutes, cook for longer to reduce it otherwise your dip will end up too watery.

Blend to a smooth puree and season to taste. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, with flat bread or crackers.

Nutritional information

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Celery and sweetcorn chowder

Celery and Sweetcorn Chowder
www.cookingforhealth.biz

This simple, sweet, soup recipe was given to me by my cookery teacher Montse Bradford.  It can be served warm or cold.

Soup helps to relax us and prepare the digestive system for the rest of the meal. 

The basic ingredients of any soup are: a sea vegetable; two or more land vegetables; and usually one fermented seasoning, such as miso or soya sauce.  

Sea vegetables have numerous health benefits and are added to increase the mineral content of a dish and to enhance flavour.

You can use regular sea salt to season if you wish but this does not contain the other beneficial nutrients found in fermented foods like miso.

This soup contains celery, which has traditionally been used for a variety of medicinal purposes and contains vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients with numerous positive effects on our health.  

Ingredients

1 strip kombu sea vegetable, simmered in 4 cups water for 15-30 min

2 medium onions, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pinch sea salt

1 bunch celery, washed and chopped into small pieces

285 g/10 oz sweetcorn kernels

1 dessert spoon white (shiro) miso, dissolved in 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Place the dried kombu sea vegetable in a pan with 4 cups of water and simmer gently whilst you are chopping the vegetables
2. Chop the onions and celery and saute in olive oil with a small pinch of sea salt until the vegetables are soft and translucent.  The salt helps to draw water out of the vegetables and prevents burning.
3. Remove the kombu from the water and add the water to the chopped sauteed vegetables until it just covers them.  If you need to add more water at this stage you can.  Simmer the vegetables for 15-20 min or until soft.
4. Blend until smooth using a hand blender or food processor.
5. Add the diluted miso a little at a time until and taste until you achieve the level of seasoning you require.  If you do not have miso, you can use sea salt to taste.
6. Simmer the soup for 2 minutes and serve garnished with fresh herbs.  You can also serve it cold.

Sauteing the vegetables in a little olive oil

Nutritional information

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Amchoor Chana

My local health food shop, Earthfare in Glastonbury, has a cornucopia of herbs and spices.  Last time I was there I bought a small packet of mango powder, which is also called amchoor.

Mango powder or amchoor is made from raw green mangoes that are cut, sun-dried, and ground into a pale beige powder.  Mango powder is used much like lemon, but it gives food a tangy, sour taste without adding moisture.  Its tart flavour is used as a souring agent in soups, dals, vegetable dishes and chutneys, especially in northern India.

I had never cooked with mango powder before so I decided to experiment.  As it has a sour flavour, I wanted to balance it with something sweet.

Winter squash is currently in season and has a beautifully sweet taste when cooked slowly, so I decided to combine this with onions, tomatoes, chickpeas and some spices to create a subtle sweet and sour dish.  It was delicious.  So here is my recipe for Amchoor Chana - Chickpeas with Mango Powder.

Amchoor Chana
(serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2 medium onions (finely chopped)
• 2-4 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ winter squash (cut into cubes)
• 1 can chickpeas (drained) or 2 cups freshly cooked chickpeas
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 dessert spoon white (shiro) miso (dissolved in a little water)

Method

1. Add olive oil, salt and onions to a cooking pot and sauté gently until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add the spices and stir for 1 minute
3. Add the winter squash, chickpeas and tomatoes, cover the pot and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.  You may need to add some extra water.
4. Add the white miso.  Taste to check whether the seasoning is to your liking and adjust if necessary.
5. Serve hot with brown rice cooked in turmeric and garnish with fresh coriander.

If you like your dishes with hotter spices, you can also add a whole mild fresh chilli (finely chopped) or half of a bird’s eye chilli (seeds removed and finely chopped).

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Winter squash and ginger soup

Winter squash is a superb 'comfort food' for this time of year.

In Chinese medicine it is considered a warming food that is medicinal to the spleen-pancreas and stomach.

Winter squash is exceptionally high in complex carbohydrates and is considered beneficial for those with digestive problems.

It is a good source of vitamins A, C, and E and the minerals potassium, iron and magnesium.

Winter squash is also a rich source of carotenoids, including lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin, which are powerful antioxidants known to protect the body from cancer and other conditions such as macular degeneration.

Here is a recipe for winter squash and ginger soup, which is relaxing, warming and comforting, as well as providing your body with powerful protective nutrients.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (diced)
• 1 small squash, e.g., onion squash or harlequin squash (cut in cubes)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small pinch sea salt
• Root ginger (2cm piece finely chopped)
• 1 dessert spoon white (shiro) miso (diluted in a little water)

Method

• Heat a cooking pot, add 1-2 tbsp oil, the onion and a small pinch of sea salt and sauté the onions gently on a very low heat until they are soft and translucent
• Add the squash cubes, ginger and water to cover half of the vegetables’ volume.  Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 20 minutes or until the squash is soft.
• Blend to a smooth texture.  Adjust to the desired consistency by adding more water if necessary.  Season to taste with white (shiro) miso.
• Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley.

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Recipe for carrot and onion dip

One of my children claims to hate onions and isn't wild about carrots but he loves this recipe, which he frequently requests for supper.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 medium carrots (chopped)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 100-200 ml water
• 1 tsp shiro (white) miso
• 1-2 tbsp ground almonds

Method

• Heat the oil in a cooking pot, add a small pinch of salt, the onions and carrots and saute gently until the onions are soft and translucent
• Add the water to the pan, cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are soft. You may need to add more water to prevent the vegetables from drying out, but don't add too much otherwise the sauce will become too runny. If there is excess liquid in the bottom of the pan after the vegetables have cooked, drain it into a jug and reserve it for later.
• Add 1 tsp white miso and 1-2 tbsp ground almonds to the vegetables and puree using a hand blender. Taste and add another tsp of white miso if necessary. If the mixture is too runny, add a little more ground almonds. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved vegetable cooking water from earlier.
• The resulting sauce should have a similar consistency to a dip such as hummus or guacamole

Enjoy!

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Recipe for buckwheat croquettes with beetroot sauce

The term buckwheat refers to plants in two genera of the family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, and the North American genus Eriogonum. The crop plant, common buckwheat, is Fagopyrum esculentum. Tartary buckwheat (F. tataricum Gaertn.) or "bitter buckwheat" is also used as a crop, but it is much less common. Despite the common name and the grain-like use of the crop, buckwheats are not grasses and are not related to wheat. Indeed, buckwheat is in the same plant family as rhubarb.

Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in southeast Asia, possibly around 6000 BC, and from there spread to Europe and to Central Asia and Tibet. It was cultivated in Europe in the Balkans around 4000 BC.

Buckwheat contains about 75 per cent carbohydrate, 18 per cent protein and is rich in iron, zinc and selenium. Its protein contains all of the essential amino acids except lysine, so its protein value is over 90 per cent. It also contains significant quantities of anti-oxidants. One of these is called rutin, a medicinal chemical that strengthens capillary walls, reducing haemorrhaging in people with high blood pressure.

Buckwheat is either eaten whole or ground into flour to be used in breads, pancakes or thin noodles (Soba). It can be purchased raw to be lightly dry-roasted at home before cooking and generally combines well with vegetables. In recent years, buckwheat has been used as a substitute for other grain in gluten free beer.

RECIPE

Buckwheat Croquettes with Beetroot Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw buckwheat
• 2 cups water
• Pinch sea salt
• ½ onion (finely diced)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp barley miso

Sauce

• 2 onions (diced)
• 4 carrots (diced)
• ½ cooked beetroot (diced)
• Small piece of dulse sea vegetable
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• Sea salt
• Olive oil
• Umeboshi vinegar
• Dried basil
• Apple juice concentrate

Method

Croquettes

• Wash the buckwheat, drain and dry roast in a frying pan with no oil until the water has evaporated and the buckwheat is warm throughout (but do not burn!)
• Place buckwheat in a pot with the water and a pinch of sea salt. Put on the lid and cook on a medium flame until it boils, then reduce to a minimum flame and simmer for 30 minutes until all the water has gone.
• Add some oil to a frying pan, add the onions and sauté until the onions are translucent and soft.
• Add the thyme and stir for a couple of minutes.
• Mix the onion, thyme and 1 tsp miso with the cooked buckwheat. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. While the buckwheat mixture is still warm, form into sausage-shaped croquettes.
• Pan fry croquettes until they are golden brown all over. This quantity of buckwheat will make about 8 croquettes.

Beetroot sauce

• Sauté the diced onions and garlic with some olive oil and a pinch of sea salt until soft and translucent.
• Add the carrots, herbs, dulse and a small amount of water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the carrots are soft, taking care not to let the water dry out completely (it will stick and burn otherwise).
• Add the beetroot and blend all the vegetables, adding some umeboshi vinegar and apple juice concentrate to taste. Serve hot.

For information and practical tuition on cooking with whole grains, why not come along to a Cooking for Health class on Cooking with Whole Foods, in Somerset, UK, with nutrition consultant and healthy cookery teacher, Dr Jane Philpott.