Split Pea Dhal with Greens, Bagel - welcome home dinner

My family returned from their 5-week trip to India this afternoon! I'm delighted to have them back. I had a split pea and greens dish ready in my Instant Pot for them to eat as lunch when we got home, but we ended up eating it for dinner (all except my daughter who had requested vegan macaroni and cheese as her first dinner back home!). All enjoyed dinner!

Tofu with Vegetables (No Added Fat)

I made a simple tofu and vegetable dish, pressure cooked for 2 minutes under low pressure in my Instant Pot pressure cooker. I served it with brown rice (rice : water ratio of 1 : 2 1/2, brought to a boil along with a vegan bouillon cube and a pinch of salt, then simmered, covered, for 50m) and the remaining huge radish of the bunch that I bought recently.

Black Beans and Potato, Brown Rice (No Added Fat)

Ingredients

• 1 cup black beans, rinsed then soaked (overnight or, as I did, for about 5 hours starting with boiling water) and rinsed again
• Enough water to just cover beans plus 1/4"
• Medium Yukon Gold (or other type) potato cut into 1/2" or 5/8" cubes (about a cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely (approx. 1/8") chopped
• Vegan bouillon cube
• 1/3 cups onion cut into 3/8" cubes
• 2t lemon or lime juice
• 1/4 t salt
• 3/4 t dried oregano

Process

1. I put the beans, water, potato, garlic, and bouillon cube into my Instant Pot pressure cooker and cooked for 30m. Soaked black beans can cook in 25m, but I decided to go with 30m to be sure that they were soft.
2. After the cooking was done, I waited a few minutes and gently released pressure, then mixed in the onion, lime juice, salt, and oregano. I intended this dish to have a strong presence with the oregano.

I also made brown rice (long-grained, as usual) by putting 1/2 cup rice and 2 1/2 times (1 1/4 cups) water, plus a pinch of salt and a vegan bouillon cube in a pan, bringing it to a boil then, covered, simmering for 45m.

Results

Dinner was good and an interesting variation from simple classic beans and rice. I like the potato-bean combination, and like the simplicity. Recently, I seem to be favoring less ingredients for a simpler taste. The pronounced oregano flavor was good. I'll have to make this for my family when they return.

Ideas for the future

Adding a bit of greens would be good, but then I will be returning to similar dishes I've made in the past. A little nutritional yeast would be good but also can be skipped in the name of a simple dish.

Kale and Seitan with Marinara, Madagascar Pink Rice (No Added Fat)

Ingredients

• Half head of kale, stems excepted, and leaves roughly hand torn into approximately 1 1/2" squares
• Medium carrot cut into 1/2" slices and then slices quartered
• 2 cloves garlic finely (approx. 1/8") diced
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 4 ounces of seitan cut into approx. 1/2" x 1" strips
• 1/2 cups onion cut into 3/8" cubes
• 1/2 t garlic powder (I actually am experimenting with garlic granules, and used them instead)
• 1/8 t turmeric

Process

1. I put the kale, carrot, garlic, marinara sauce, and water into my Instant Pot pressure cooker and cooked for 2m under low pressure.
2. After the cooking was done, I waited a few minutes and gently released pressure, then mixed in the seitan, onion, garlic granules, and turmeric.

I served with Madagascar Pink rice (simmered, covered, for 20m with a ratio of 1 part rice, 1 3/4 parts water, plus a vegan bouillon cube).

Results

Dinner was good. I was initially reluctant to mix turmeric and marinara, but it's a subtle and nice combination. The dish could have used some heat, and I ended up adding crushed red pepper to a second serving. I should make this dish for my family when they return from their trip.

Ideas for the future

I like the simplicity of not having too many ingredients and hesitate to add, but a bit of celery would add a nice more or less neutral crunch. I can't think of other improvements, except for including jalapeno or crushed red pepper.

Tofu and Hashed Brown Potatoes with Vegetaables (No Added Fat)

I made a simple dinner today. On my cast iron skillet with no added fat (except a trivial amount left after rubbing in a few drops of oil), I made a saute with tofu, hashed brown potatoes, bell pepper, spinach, and onions. I served it with leftover brown rice, as well as radish.

Leftover Cauliflower with Seitan, Tomato with Cumin (No Added Fat)

I heated up leftover cauliflower with seitan from a few nights ago, as well as some rice. I used my Instant Pot pressure cooker to heat the food. I put a bit less than 1/4 cup of water in the Instant Pot and inserted the steamer basket. I put the two dishes in bowls, and put the bowls atop the basket in the Instant Pot. I simply pressure steamed for 1 or 2 minutes. I also chopped an heirloom tomato and mixed in a little ground cumin and salt. I had forgotten how good tomato is with cumin and salt and should serve it this way more often!

Adzuki Beans with Potato, Madagascar Pink Rice (No Added Fat)

I haven't cooked with adzuki beans for a while and decided to soak them today for 5-6 hours. Soaked, they cook in only 10-15 minutes. Here is what I did.


Ingredients

• 1 cup adzuki beans, rinsed, soaked overnight (I got away with 5-6 hours), and rinsed again
• Enough water to just cover the beans
• Medium Yukon Gold potato cut into 3/8" cubes (about a cup)
• 2T fennel bulb cut into 1/4" cubes
• 1 clove garlic, finely (1/8") diced
• Vegan bouillon cube
• 1/4 cup onion cut into 3/8" cubes
• 1/8 - 1/4 t turmeric
• 1/8 t garlic granules or powder (I recently bought granulated instead of powder to try and see what the difference might be)
• 1/8 t (or to taste) salt
• 1/4 t lemon pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)
• 1t lime juice

Process

1. I put the beans, water, potato, fennel, garlic, and bouillon cube into my Instant Pot pressure cooker and cooked for 15m.
2. After the cooking was done, I waited a few minutes and gently released pressure, then added the onion, spices, and lime juice. I served with Madagascar Pink rice (cooked in a 1 part rice to 1 3/4 part water, as well as a vegan bouillon cube and a dash of salt, simmered on low heat, covered, for 20m).

Results

Pending

Ideas for the future

Pending