Tag: soy-free

Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)

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The name of this famous Turkish meze dish literally means “the Imam fainted” or “the Imam was thrilled;” I’ve read it is because of the liberal amount of olive oil used. Often served room temperature or cold, this dish is delicious served hot, too. Some versions of this recipe use different herbs; others bake it; and some cook the filling, first. I like this version because it’s easy to put together and benefits from the slow cooking on the stove top.

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Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)

2 large eggplants, halved lengthwise
1 yellow onion, finely sliced
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small handful each: fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, fresh basil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar or agave nectar
1 lemon

Use a sharp knife to remove a shallow amount of the innards of the eggplant. You don’t want to scoop it all out, but instead create a shallow indent for the filling to have somewhere to sit.

Finely chop the part you scooped out, and put in a mixing bowl.

Put the eggplant in a wide saucepan with a lid, skin-side down. Sprinkle with salt.

Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, dill, basil and salt to the eggplant innards. Mix well, adding salt to taste.

In a small bowl, mix the oil and water. If you are wary about using 3/4 cup of oil, use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water. If not, use 3/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup water. Either way, it will total one cup.

Mix in the sugar. Drizzle the mixture over the eggplant and into the bottom of the skillet. Distribute the filling onto the eggplant halves.

Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool in skillet.

Squeeze with lemon juice and serve room temperature.

Chocolate Fudge

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Fudge is usually laced with butter, cream, and sugar; this vegan version holds up to the classic combination, in a rich, addicting one-bite treat. Add in nothing or everything — it’s completely adaptable and free of all allergens.

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Chocolate Fudge

  • Servings: 64 bite-sized pieces
  • Print

Adapted from my original version here.

1/2 cup nondairy milk (see Tips)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (see Tips)
1 cup nondairy semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (see Tips)

Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan. Put the milk and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the oil has melted and bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder to the chocolate mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, smoothing evenly. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Refrigerate or freeze until serving.

Tips: For fudge that is even richer, use full-fat canned coconut milk instead of plain ol’ drinkable nondairy milk. You can also use Earth Balance instead of the coconut oil. And Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder is just amazing in this.

Corn, Kale, and Veggie Soup

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Chilly weather means soup is on the menu… when I bother making it. I love soup but can definitely get repetitive in my soup making. Using up what was left in my CSA, this soup bridges summer and fall with sweet corn, kale, and autumn-inspired herbs.

Corn, Kale and Veggie Soup

1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 large stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
4 red pimento peppers (or any small red pepper, these were just in my CSA box), finely chopped
4 corn-on-the-cobs, husked and kernels removed; reserve the cobs
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 handfuls chopped kale, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons coconut flour

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and peppers. Cook until softened. Add the kernels and continue to cook until they start to brown, about 5 more minutes. Add the zucchini, oregano, sage, and thyme, and a healthy dose of salt and pepper (if you are using broth, you might want to wait and just add a sprinkle). Mix well. Add the cobs of the corn and about 8 to 10 cups of water, until the mixture is covered. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, as long or as little as you’d like, but at least until the veggies are soft and tender. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it will be. This is where I shut it off and left my house for about 10 hours. Sort of like a slow cooker… sort of.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the lid, remove the cobs, and use an immersion blender to pulse sections of the soup, depending how pureed you’d like it. Stir in the kale and basil. Adjust liquids if needed. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, until the kale is tender. Stir in the coconut flour to thicken it up (adding more or less, depending on what you prefer). Cook about 5 additional minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.