Savory Sweet Potato and Kale Hash

NEWS - Produce On Parade has reached 1,000 Facebook likes! I'm overwhelmed with...confusion. No just kidding, happiness and gratitude! You, my readers, are amazing people and I am so thankful you indulge me. If you haven't liked us on Facebook, make sure to do so or else you'll miss out on some sweet Alaska pics, behind the scenes sneak peeks, and let's be real...mostly, more photos of Bob. A big thank you, from me to you!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

This is a lovely, hassle-free dish. It's one pot, there's minimal chopping and a fairly short list of ingredients. Sure, the sweet potato takes half an hour to roast, but you know what I did during that time? I took a freaking nap sesh. Okay, that's not true. I washed a bunch of dirty dishes. But my point is that I could have taken a nap! Yes, you can literally make this dinner in your sleep...kinda. 

People around the clinic (people besides patients) are all sick with The Crud. You know what I'm talkin' about. I've been fighting it myself. Fighting and WINNING! I haven't been sick for seriously the entire year since Todd and I went vegan. I'm not exaggerating. Dont' get me wrong, fighting off the crud takes it's toll. I'm pretty exhausted, but at least I'm not sick. Not a cough and not a sniffle. Just tired. This is the second bout of yuckiness I've fought off within one year. All the more reason to go vegan. Maybe you'll be sick less. And I'd like to remind you that I work in a hospital...and I've not been sick in over a year. 

I used to get sick all the time. Like, scary sick. I would get a cold which would evolve into a sinus infection, which would transmogrify into walking pneumonia for a month and a half. That's what used to happen when I'd get a cold. Most people just get over a cold in a week or so. Not me. My doctor even recommended that I acquire a humidifier to hopefully help me from getting sick constantly. I bet she misses me...

Regardless, I was pretty tired yesterday and this meal was just the ticket. It's savory and completely satisfying. The fresh edamame and sauteed kale will give you an extra dose of energizing iron and vitamin C with a punch of protein from the browned seitan and a boost of vitamin A and potassium thanks to the roasted sweet potato. Did you know that per gram, sweet potatoes have about the same potassium load as a banana. True story. 

Make this and do yourself a favor by fighting off the dreaded crud!

Savory Sweet Potato and Kale Hash

Serves 4

• Sustenance:
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 oz. cubed seitan
• 1 cup edamame (frozen, fresh or cooked)
• Aromatics:
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground paprika
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• Conclusion:
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped

Notes: I used frozen edamame that I added without steaming. It gave a nice crunch, but feel free to pre-cook the edamame if you'd like it a bit tender. 

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Scrub the sweet potato and poke several times with a knife. Roast whole on a baking sheet at 400 F for about 30 minutes until just tender. Remove  from oven when done and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.

When there's about 10 minutes left for the sweet potato to cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan over low. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. 

Add the seitan and edamame and continue to saute another 5 minutes over medium heat, until the seitan begins to brown. 

Dice the sweet potato and add it to the frying pan along with the aromatics. Stir well to coat, then deglaze the pan with the vegetable broth. Add the chopped kale.

Cook another 5 minutes or so, until the kale has wilted. 

Serve hot. 

This man is a genius. Best song ever. Come listen with me. Hans Zimmer – 503

German Word of The Day: Hash --> Hackfleisch (pronounced: hock-flehsh)

Good Deed of The Day: Sign this petition to stop Philip Morris from conducting cruel animal testing for tobacco products. We all know tobacco is bad for us, okay. Tell Philip Morris to stop torturing animals. They don't smoke! Also, if you smoke...what are you doing smoking?? For real. It's not cool anymore! Knock that shit off, it's gross. 

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Cheesy Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

I never had polenta until a few years ago. My mom hated the yellow stuff so we never had it. After tasting it for the first time, I remember being in complete shock at the notion that there are people in this world who are going around not liking polenta. It's craziness! Who doesn't like polenta? If you don't like it, I must know why. It's confounding, so please tell me. I'm dying to know. 

If you, for some obscure reason have had an aversion to poletna in the past but want to try it again (I do this with root beer floats every six years or so...still hate 'em), this is the perfect dish. This poletna is rich with vegan cheese and topped with absolutely scrumptious, roasted vegetables. I don't know if the polenta or the vegetables star here. I couldn't quit snatching up the roasted veggies while waiting for the poletna to do it's thing. They're sweet, somewhat caramelized, and pair perfectly with the cheesy polenta. 

This is one of my ultimate polenta dishes! It's so good, it's going to be one of the vegan/vegetarian options at Todd's sister's wedding! Feelin' pretty darn fancy pants about it...in case you hadn't noticed. 

Cheesy Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

By Katie Henry - Produce On Parade

This poletna is rich with vegan cheese and topped with absolutely scrumptious, roasted vegetables. I don't know if the polenta or the vegetables star here. They're sweet, somewhat caramelized, and pair perfectly with the cheesy polenta.

Ingredients

• 2 small zucchini, diced
• 3 small yellow summer squash, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
• 1/2 sweet potato, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• drizzle of olive oil
• sprinkle of kosher salt
• sprinkle of ground black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup stone-ground polenta, dry
• 2 cups vegan cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup large flake nutritional yeast
• sprinkle of kosher salt
• sprinkle of ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Dice the vegetables and scatter them on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give them a good shake and a stir. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. When done, remove and set aside. Reduce oven to 350° F.
2. Bring a large pot with the 4 cups of water to a boil. Give it a sprinkle of salt. Once boiling, slowly add the polenta while stirring continuously for 5 minutes. Then, turn to low heat and stir frequently for about 25 minutes to thicken. Stir in the cheese and nutritional yeast until melted and well combined. Remove from heat.
3. Coat a 9x9 inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the polenta and smooth over the top and bake for 15 minutes. Then, add the roasted vegetables on top and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, season with salt and pepper, and allow to rest for 5 minutes being serving. Serve hot.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 00:45
Total time: 00:50
Yield: 6 servings

Scrumptious!

My little Bobbledore is now seven years and two days old. Time flies when you have such a great companion! 

German Word of The Day: Polenta --> Maisbrei (pronounced: mice-brye) *EDIT* A German reader informed me that they pretty much use the word Polenta as well! So happy to know the real word usage...it's just polenta peeps. Don't be going around saying maisbrei, okay? 

Good Deed of The Day: Take 5 seconds to sign this petition to outlaw animal crush videos. This is absolutely horrific, monstrous, and one of the cruelest things imaginable. Please sign it.  

Sweet Ginger Soba Noodles + Crispy Tofu & Asparagus

This one's a keeper. It's going in my recipe rolodex for sure. Just kidding, I don't have one of those. But seriously, this is a dish I wouldn't mind having daily weekly. I love soba noodles. Oftentimes soba and peanut butter get married together, so it's nice to have a soba noodle recipe in your back pocket that doesn't involve peanut butter. Especially if you've got nut allergies, like my BFF.

Soba noodles mingle with a sweet ginger-sesame sauce and tangle with crispy tofu, sauteed asparagus, and fresh cilantro. This is great dish for introducing meat eaters to the wonderful word of vegan food, and how great it really is. 

Seriously, who isn't going to love this? On a separate note...it's World Spay Day. Just a friendly reminder to get your furry children fixed!

Sweet Ginger Soba Noodles + Crispy Tofu & Asparagus  

Serves 6

Notes: The trick to browned, crispy tofu is saute dry tofu. I like to buy the super firm sprouted tofu that comes vacuumed sealed, as opposed to the type that comes in the plastic bin. There's less water and I don't need to press the tofu. Also, be sure to towel it off before sauteing to remove any residual wetness. 

• Sauce:
• 3/4 cup green onions, sliced thinly 
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. fresh chili paste
• Sustenance: 
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 10 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed small
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and sliced thinly 
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• splash of soy sauce
• 9 oz. soba noodles, dry
• Garnish:
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• red pepper flakes
• sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Set aside for later. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. 

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan heat 1 tsp. of sesame oil over low heat. Towel off any residual wetness from the tofu and the asparagus and add them to the pan, along with the brown sugar and ginger. Turn the heat to medium-high and saute until the tofu is browned, about 10 minutes. When done, add a splash of soy sauce and stir. 

When there's about 5 minutes left for the tofu, add the soba noodles to the boiling water. Cook according to package, this is often 4 minutes in the water, drain and set aside. 

Return the noodles back to the pot, add the sauce and the tofu and asparagus. Stir well to combine. 

Serve hot and topped with more fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.

You should definitely jam out to The Cars – Just What I Needed with me. 

Good deed of the day: Sign this petition by Emergency Wildlife Services to have General Mills change the design of the Yoplait yogurt cups. I don't consume dairy and I suspect a good deal of you don't either, but it's well known that something needs to change with regards to the design of the Yoplait yogurt cups. Wildlife often get stuck in them and die. In fact, when I did eat yogurt (when I was ignorant to the atrocities of the dairy industry...) I didn't buy Yoplait for this exact reason. Nothing will change if we don't!

German word of the day: Asparagus --> Spargel (pronounced: shpar-gull)

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