Pumpkin broccoli seitan curry

Either you are a curry lover, or a curry hater. I happen to love curry. My mom used to make a curry dish when I was little, and I don't remember how it tasted, but I do remember how it smelled.

Ah, curry, yum!

When I became a vegetarian, I was responsible for much of my own cooking. The first vegetarian cookbook I owned had a number of curry recipes in it, which I made often, and often served to my family.

It was when I started cooking for myself that I realized that curry was not a spice, but a combination of spices! Knowing that opened all sorts of doors for me, because that meant that I didn't have to have the same curry flavor in each dish!

In this recipe, I call for curry powder, for simplicity sake, but please feel free to make your own mix! Also, check your labels, I've seen commercial curry powders in the stores that are NOT vegan.  Also, I used canned pumpkin here, but it would also benefit from cubed roasted pumpkin.  

Because it is fall, I wanted to incorporate some traditional fall favors, hence the pumpkin. You really can make a curry with any vegetables, and I will often make curry when I've got produce that needs to be used right away!

Ingredients:

1 can Pumpkin (15 oz.)

2 Carrots sliced

1 head Broccoli, in spears

1 Green Pepper, chopped

0.5 Onion, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 c. Coconut milk

2 c. Vegetable broth

2 T. Curry powder

1 t. Old Bay seasoning

Sirrachia to taste 

1pkg. Upton's traditional seitan

2 c. Brown rice, cooked

Cilantro as garnish

First saute the onion and garlic until translucent, then add the other vegetables and simmer with the vegetable broth for 5-10 minutes.

Add the spices, and seitan, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Then add the pumpkin and milk. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 more minutes, or until it smells so delicious you can't stand it anymore!

Serve curry over rice with a cilantro garnish. Makes 6 servings.

I paired this dish with a Märtzen style beer, but a glass of Malbec would also be appropriate. Something full and with a little spice to it.

  

By the way, don't you love my bowls?

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

This may be the best oatmeal I have ever eaten! I'm not always an oatmeal fan. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but it isn't something I crave or even go out of my way for.

Making cashew milk last week has given me so many ideas!  I am planning on making mashed potatoes with it, and this morning, I thought it would go beautifully in oatmeal.

Last week, I roasted a pie pumpkin while I cooked my acorn squash for my soup. I used some in my smoothies, and a little in my tacos with some peppers. Luckily I still had about a cup left. I suppose canned pumpkin purée would work, too.

Ingredients:

3/4c. Steel cut oats

1 c. Water

2c. Cashew milk

Dash nutmeg, ginger, cloves

1c. Cooked pumpkin

2tbsp maple syrup

Put oats, water, and 1-1/2c. milk in a pan. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer, stirring frequently for 6-7 minutes. Add spices.

Meanwhile, blend remaining milk, pumpkin, and syrup. Add pumpkin mixture, and stir.

Serve with a sprinkle of brown sugar. If I'd had some vegan whipped cream, I would have added that, too. I also think that sour cream would make a neat addition.

This is a perfect autumn Sunday morning breakfast! My girl enjoyed hers this morning while catching up on a guilty pleasure. We're on Season 8 of Supernatural.