I have returned... with a potato and pea curry

No, I have not abandoned this blog. However, the business of the holidays coupled with an infant who is still not sleeping (and a frustrating search for a post-college job in a failing economy) has led to a premature sabbatical. I will try to be better about posting in the upcoming weeks, and my goal is to catch-up and share some of my favorite vegan recipes from the past holidays, so the theme of some of my posts may not correspond well to the date on which they were posted (ie, Christmas recipes will probably be posted in June at this rate! just kidding... sort of). Anyways, back to the business at hand....

The other night, I made a potato and pea curry. I know it's not the most appetizing name, but it was fantastic! Money has been tight as of late, and I've been challenging myself to find creative new ways to maximize taste on a minimal budget. This particular dish was inspired by a recipe in Vegetarian Times. I must mention that this recipe is not at all authentic, but it is yummy!

Here's a pic:

And the recipe:

1 c. quinoa
1/2 c. bulghur
3 c. water or veggie broth
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2 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable broth)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
one large onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
6-8 medium size potatoes (I used all purpose white potatoes), peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1-2 tsp. red curry powder, depending on taste
2 tsp. Hungarian paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne, or more depending on taste
1 c. frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon plus wedges for serving (optional)
cilantro for garnish

In a small pot, bring the quinoa, bulghur, and water/broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and toast, stirring occasionally, until the seeds turn from yellow to brown and pop. Add the onion and garlic, turn the heat up to medium/medium-high and cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is slightly browned (3-5 minutes). Add the bell pepper and cook for another minute or two, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and spices and cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. Add the peas and cook until just heated through. You may need to add some water and/or more oil to keep the potatoes and/or peas from sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, mix the bulghur with the curry and spoon into bowls or onto plates. Sprinkle with lemon juice and cilantro.

This comes together in about 45 minutes; please don't be daunted by the ingredient list and feel free to change it to suit your personal preferences!

I found peaches on an amazing sale at a local grocer last week, so I decided to make a peach cobbler for dessert that night. I did some googling for a vegan peach cobbler and came up with several options. Not knowing which to pick, I combined different aspects of each and came up with this! The filling was yummy, but the cake was not as dense and moist as my hubby and I prefer. I think I overstretched my baking know-how by trying to use spelt instead of all purpose flour... It needs a little tweaking, but when I get it perfect, I'll post the recipe. Here's a pic: