Vegan Weekend

Helen is trying to change the type of food she eats and it has basically made her a vegan. Her fear was that she was going to be eating the same thing everyday and would quickly grow board of her food. Therefore, this week's cooking challenge for me was... great tasting vegan food. I made three dishes that Helen highly enjoyed. The first thing was an Avocado-Cucumber Soup followed by Quinoa Patties over steamed spinach and topped with a creamy Cauliflower Puree. The post after this will include the third dish: morning vegan meal.... Keep Reading!

Avocado-Cucumber Soup (Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 cucumber, cubed
1 avocado, cubed
1 Cup of Coconut Milk
1/4 cup of raw coconut meat
mint (optional)
1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning

Directions
Place ingredients in food processor or a blender. Mix until smooth. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

1 Serving = 1/2 cup = 2 Weight Watchers Momentum Plan Points (c)

SPICED QUINOA PATTY-CAKES (serves 17)

Yield: about 17 patties

1 cup (240 ml) quinoa
2 cups (480 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
½ cup of diced celery
1 small sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup (120 ml) almond meal
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (105 ml) water
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water for a full minute to remove the natural saponin coating that may leave a slightly bitter taste. Transfer to a 2-quart (2 liter) saucepan and add the water and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, place the potato pieces in a 2 or 3-quart (2 or 3 liter) saucepan with enough water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm). Cook, uncovered, over high heat for about 6 to 8 minutes or until fork tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash thoroughly.
4. While the quinoa and potatoes are cooking, prepare the carrot, celery, and onion and set them aside until the potatoes are mashed. Then, add them to the bowl with the mashed potatoes.
5. Add the almond meal, whole-wheat flour, water, marjoram, salt, garlic powder, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne and mix well. When the quinoa is ready, stir it into the patty mixture and mix well to incorporate it thoroughly.
6. Form the quinoa mixture into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick patties about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn the patties over with a metal spatula and bake for 10 minutes longer. Remove them from the oven and allow them to rest for 5 minutes for easier removal.
NOTE: Helen and I only had a couple of patties this weekend and froze the rest. If you decide to do this, take a patty out of the fridge and throw it on a hot skillet for a few minutes on each side. This will reheat the patty and also brown it slightly. Use a small spray of olive oil or canola on the pan.


1 Serving = 1 Patty = 1 Weight Watchers Momentum Plan Points (c)

Cauliflower puree (serves 12)

* 1 head cauliflower, outer leaves removed
* 1/2 cup almond milk
* 1 tbsp olive oil or flaxseed oil
* pinch of nutmeg
* Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
As you bring a pot of salted water to a boil, chop the cauliflower into rough pieces. Cook the cauliflower until it's tender, about 15 minutes. Drain it in a colander, return it to the pot, and then mash it with a fork or potato masher. (For a smoother texture, puree the cooked cauliflower in a blender.) Stir in the almond milk, butter, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.

1 serving = 1/4 cup of puree = 0 Weight Watchers Momentum Plan Points (c)