Instant Pot Vegetable Broth (Vegan)

Recipe from The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook by Nisha Vora 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes about 10 cups 

When you have veggie scraps on hand, you can make this to use for any recipe calling for vegetable broth.  I like to use fresh herbs, dried mushrooms, mushroom stems, dried chili peppers, carrot peels, carrot and celery tops and ends, peppercorns, etc… Making your own broth allows you to control the ingredients.  This is a pretty forgiving recipe.

1 Tablespoon olive oil (optional, use only if sautéing vegetables)
2 medium yellow onions, papery skin still on and roughly chopped
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2-3 cups vegetable scraps
3 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, skins on and smashed
1 ½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10-12 sprigs of fresh thyme
6-8 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, it doesn’t affect the taste, but it will add antioxidants to the broth)
10 cups cold water

(This first step is optional, but it does seem to yield a richer, complex flavor. If you choose to skip the sautéing step, just add all the ingredients to the pot. You'll still have a fine broth.) 

*Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot.  After the pot heats up, add the oil and sauté the onions for about 8 minutes.  Add the celery and carrots and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Select the Cancel button. 
**Add the mushrooms, vegetable scraps, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, salt and turmeric (if using) to the Instant Pot.  Add the water and stir to combine.  
Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release Valve to Sealing. 
Select Pressure Cook setting at High for 15 minutes.
Once the time is up, allow a Natural Release for another 15 minutes. Switch the Pressure Release Valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
Open the pot and carefully strain the vegetable broth into a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl (preferably with a spout/lip) and discard the solids.
Allow the broth to cool to room temperature.  Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

“Meaty” Plant-Based Chili

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 6 servings

This chili has lots going for it.  Though it is plant-based, it truly tastes and feels meaty.  It’s also very filling.  It’s loaded with good-for-you ingredients, most of which you may already have in your fridge/pantry.  It’s easy to make and perfect for a food prep day.  Most importantly, it’s just delicious!

The “Meat”

1 cup walnuts

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, washed, stems removed

4 medium carrots, cut into chunks

The Chili:

2 tablespoons olive oil* (You can use water or veggie broth for sautéing instead of oil.)

1 onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (6-ounce) can diced green chiles* (or fresh minced jalapeños)

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

2–3 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1–2 teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)

2 (14-ounce cans) diced or crushed tomatoes* (with juices)

1-2 (14-ounce) cans beans of choice* (rinsed and drained)

1-2 cups water (depending on thickness preference)

Make the “Meat” – pulse all ingredients in a food processor until broken down into a chunky paste-like texture. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until very soft.

Add green chiles, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and soy sauce. 

Add your “meat” to the pan – once it mixes in and starts cooking, it should start to resemble chili meat. Let the “meat” cook for 10 minutes or so to soften the vegetables. Season with salt.

Add tomatoes, beans if you want, and water to get the consistency right. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes to soften the vegetables, thicken it up, and let the flavors come together.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings. 

Topping Options: Hummus; Vegan Cheese; Avocado; Red Onions; Corn Chips; Vegan Yogurt or Sour Cream; Etc…

Notes:

*I used what I had in my pantry and so instead of a can of green chiles, I used 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilis mixed in along with 1 can of regular diced tomatoes. (If you like a really mild chili, just use plain canned tomatoes without chiles.)  I also used 2 cans of beans, 1 can of black beans and 1 can of mixed beans because we like our chili beany.  

*Because I didn’t have any corn chips, I took several corn tortillas out of the freezer, thawed them in the microwave, sprayed them with cooking spray and sprinkled with some Trader Joes Chili Lime Seasoning.  I then air-fried them at 400F for about 7 minutes until crispy.

Tahini Quinoa (keen-wah) Bean Salad

Recipe from Kristina of FormerChef.com

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 5

Tahini (sesame seed paste), fresh lemon juice and a little chipotle chili powder make a tart spicy seasoning for this heart-healthy red quinoa salad. *Red quinoa tends to be a bit more on the chewy, crunchy side, while golden quinoa (regular quinoa) stays creamy.  Green onions, snow peas and bell peppers make a delightfully crunchy contrast to the cooked beans and grains in this satisfying winter salad.  Perfect for Meatless Monday!

For the salad:

•    2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

•    1 cup red quinoa*, rinsed well and drained

•    1 Tablespoon olive oil

•    4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

•    1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained (Other beans would work as well.)

•    ¼ cup green onion, sliced

•    1 stalk celery, diced

•    ½ cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, sliced

•    ½ bell pepper, diced (Yellow or red would work nicely.)

For the tahini chili dressing:

•    1/8 cup tahini paste

•    4 ounces olive oil (I totally forgot to add this and the salad still tasted great!  So, consider this optional.)

•    2 oz. fresh lemon juice (Juice from half a large lemon.)

•    ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder (Chili powder would work as well.)

Kosher salt, to taste

To make the salad:  Rinse the quinoa really, really well.  Drain it and then place it in a large saucepan along with the vegetable broth over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until the broth is absorbed. Place the oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 4-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms have browned and all the moisture has evaporated. Combine the quinoa, beans, mushrooms, green onion, celery, snow peas (or sugar snap peas) and bell peppers together in a large bowl.

To make the tahini chili dressing:  Whisk together the tahini paste, olive oil (if using) and lemon juice. Season with chipotle chili powder and salt to taste.

To complete the Tahini Quinoa Bean Salad:  Toss the salad so that all ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again.  Serve at room temperature or cold.

Nutrition Information per Serving: Calories:  360; Calories from Fat:  162; Total Fat:  18g; Saturated Fat:  2g; Cholesterol:  0mg; Sodium:  25mg; Potassium:  1064mg; Carbohydrates:  40g; Dietary Fiber:  7g; Protein:  13g; Sugars:  3g

Turkey Breast with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Turkey Breast with Mushroom Marsala Sauce served with sautéed broccoli and a simple salad

Recipe from Pressure Cooking for Everyone by Rick Rodgers and Arlene Ward

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 6 to 8 Servings

I purchased a really nice pressure cooker several years back. I had an old pressure canner cooker with the little dial on the top which I’d used long ago, but it always gave me the willies to use it. I had visions of explosions and tomato splats all over my kitchen. My newer pressure cooker, however, has safety features which put my mind at rest, so I’m having fun cooking with it. Speaking of pressure, my husband has been pressuring me to empty out the freezer because berry season is fast approaching. So, I pulled out a local skinless, boneless turkey breast that I had bought at Lost River Market & Deli to make a quick dinner using my pressure cooker. What’s amazing to me is that it took less than half hour from start to finish to make this dish without heating up the house with the oven! While the turkey was cooking, I made a batch of whole wheat couscous (from the bulk section of the store) and sautéed some zucchini (from our buddy, Nathan) to go along with it. The mushroom sauce was just delectable over the turkey and couscous. I bought mushrooms from the store, but also added a few chanterelle mushrooms that Jim found in the forest. Lost River Market & Deli will soon have these local delicacies in their produce section. (The chanterelles are totally optional.) Oh, and by the way, my husband proclaimed this dish “scrumptious!” The turkey turned out especially moist and tender.

1 boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut in half crossway (This helps it to fit into the cooker.)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

6 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini and chanterelles, but any mushrooms would be yummy.)

1 large shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup Marsala wine

1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch

3 Tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt or heavy cream

Sprinkle Kosher salt and pepper on both sides of the turkey breast. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive in a 5-7 quart pressure cooker. Add one half of the turkey breast and brown on both sides. Remove breast to a plate and set aside. Brown the other half of the turkey breast. Remove breast to a plate with the other breast half and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms soften a bit, about 3 minutes. Return the breasts to the cooker. Add the broth and wine.

Lock the lid in place. Bring to high pressure. Adjust the heat to maintain the pressure. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and quick-release the pressure. Check the turkey for doneness: An instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast should read 160° F or above. Transfer the turkey to a carving platter and cover breast with foil or a plate to keep warm.

Bring the liquid (with mushrooms) to a boil without the lid. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and yogurt or cream. Whisk this into the mushroom mixture and whisk until the sauce is thickened. Season the sauce with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer the mushroom sauce to a bowl.

Cut the turkey breasts into slices. Serve immediately, passing the sauce on the side.

Roasted Beef, Mushroom, and Barley Soup

Serves 4

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Here’s a simple, but filling soup that calls for only a few ingredients. Roasting concentrates the flavors of the beef and mushrooms, which 
gives this hearty barley soup a deep, rich character. We had this for lunch today after taking a brisk walk. We have enough left over to eat tomorrow or to freeze for later. Barley is a good source of fiber. I used less meat than what the recipe called for because with so many mushrooms, this soup tasted quite meaty. (I recently made this again and added a couple of carrots, which added not only pretty color, but also an extra boost of nutrition to this tasty stew.  See photo above.)

1 pound sirloin steak, cut into ½ inch pieces (I bought 1 ½ pounds of local Beef Sirloin Tip Roast from Lost River Market & Deli. I cut it into the ½ inch cubes and froze half for another time. So, I used only ¾ pound of meat for this recipe.)
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps halved
2 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, thickly sliced (optional)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
½ cup quick-cooking barley
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together steak, mushrooms, shallots, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until beef and mushrooms are browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium pot and add broth and barley. (If you wish, after removing the meat, mushrooms and shallots to the soup pot, you can place the sheet pan over two burners on the stove. Add a bit of chicken broth to the sheet pan and scrape up the brown bits. Add this to the soup pot for extra flavor.) Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high, then reduce heat and simmer until barley is soft, about 12 minutes. To serve, season to taste with salt and pepper and top with parsley, if desired.

Make Ahead: Transfer cooled soup to freezer bag or airtight container and freeze, up to 3 months. Thaw, and then reheat. Add garnish just before serving.
You can also double this recipe.
If you have leftovers, try adding corn or lentils another day. You could even add some leftover roasted potatoes.

Per serving: 415 calories; 19 g fat (5.2 g sat. fat); 32.2 g protein; 28.5 carb; 4.7 g fiber

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens

Recipe from Bon Appétit December 2009
Modified and Husband Tested in Alice's Kitchen

We had our friends Helen and Larry over for a simple holiday dinner last night. I wanted to serve something that was rustic, delicious, healthy and meatless. I found this recipe online at http://www.epicurious.com . I modified the basic recipe using some of the suggestions of the reviewers. Everyone loved this flavorful stew and I know because we all had second helpings. Dried porcini mushrooms can be found in the produce section at Lost River Market & Deli. Dried porcini mushrooms are a bit expensive, but one package will supply enough dried porcini mushrooms to make a very flavorful broth for several batches of soups and stocks.

1/2 oz. or less dried porcini mushrooms (I used just a few of the mushrooms in the package.)
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 ½ cups chopped leeks (about 2 stalks; white and pale green parts only)
1 (8-ounce) container sliced crimini mushrooms
¼ cup cream sherry or dry sherry
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ¼ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup pearl barley
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces), trimmed, center stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups packed)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional for serving)

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in the boiling water. Allow the mushrooms to soak in the water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prep and measure out all of the remaining ingredients.
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until leeks begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add crimini mushrooms, sherry, garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove the soaked porcini mushrooms from the mushroom soaking liquid. (The liquid will be dark brown. Do not discard. It will help flavor the stew.) Chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot. Strain the soaking liquid using a coffee filter. Add the liquid to the pot. Add tomatoes with juice; stir 1 minute.
Rinse and drain the barley. Add barley and 4 cups vegetable broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add kale; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cover and simmer until kale and barley are tender, adding more broth or water by 1/4 cupfuls as needed for desired stew consistency, about 10 minutes. Serve the stew topped with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Wild Mushroom Potato Gratin

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine September 2003 and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes 8 servings

This mild, wet weather has brought us a fabulous array of mushrooms in our woods. Right now, my husband Jim is bringing home bags of chanterelle mushrooms that he has foraged. Lost River Market & Deli has had some as well in their produce section recently brought in by a local forager. We've sauteed most of our mushrooms in a bit of unsalted butter and put them in the freezer for later as recommended by my Internet research. Jim has been thawing them and putting them in his pasta. I made this dish for our friends Bob and Debbie using fresh chanterelles from our woods, crimini mushrooms from Lost River Market & Deli and Simon's potatoes from the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. This was so yummy, I'm planning to use some of the frozen mushrooms later this fall maybe for a Thanksgiving get together. It'll be a big hit!

1/2 lb fresh wild or exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles or shiitakes (discard shiitake stems), trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 lb fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 lb russet (baking) potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz finely grated Gruyère (1 cup)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 400°F.
Cook chanterelles or shiitakes with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cook cremini in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in skillet, stirring, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to bowl with wild mushrooms. Toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon garlic.
Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (preferably with an adjustable-blade slicer). Bring potatoes, cream, milk, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring once or twice, then remove from heat.
Transfer half of potatoes to buttered gratin dish with a slotted spoon, spreading evenly. Spread mushrooms evenly over potatoes, then top with remaining potatoes. Pour cooking liquid over potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake gratin until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Cooks' note: •Instead of using 1/2 lb of 1 type of wild or exotic mushroom, you could use 1/4 lb each of 2 types.