Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (51 page)

W
HEN I MADE
this for the first time I was a little underwhelmed, but my husband, usually not a green bean fan, could not get enough! He requested I make it the very next day, so I did (with limes instead of lemons, which I found I preferred), and he pronounced it just as delicious. Serve with any of the meat and potatoes–style stews or casseroles to add a little zing and color to your meal. Precut the beans, zest and juice the citrus, and have all in the fridge ready for cooking.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
 

8 ounces trimmed green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ teaspoons lemon or lime zest
 

3 teaspoons lemon or lime juice

1 teaspoon agave
 

2 teaspoons poppy seeds
 

Salt and black pepper

1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the beans, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes.

2.
Add the garlic and zest, toss to coat, and sauté until the garlic is aromatic but not brown, about 2 minutes.

3.
Add the juice and agave, toss to coat, add the poppy seeds, and sauté for 1 minute.

4.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

VARIATION:

SESAME CITRUS GREEN BEANS

Substitute sesame seeds (or a combination of sesame and poppy seed) for the poppy seeds and proceed as directed.

Beans and Brussels

I
MADE THIS FOR
Christmas for the entire extended family and it was loved by everyone, even the veggie-phobic. The dish is just a little spicy; if you are chile sensitive, reduce the amount of chile flakes. This dish is great served alongside Stuffed and Rolled Seitan Roast (
page 166
) or the Bread Crust Stuffing (
page 208
) as part of a holiday meal.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced.

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
 

½ teaspoon chile flakes

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper
 

4 ounces green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias into 2-inch lengths

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, quartered (see Note)

1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic until aromatic and soft, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.
Add the chile flakes through the pepper; stir to combine.

3.
Add the beans and Brussels sprouts. Toss well, cover, and allow to steam, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking until bright green and tender with some caramelized patches (these are good, you want them), 5 to 7 minutes. Add splashes of water as required to stop the sticking.

NOTE
: To slice the Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters top to bottom; if the sprouts are large enough, cut each quarter in half so there are 8 little wedges from each sprout. No worries if leaves fall off and they don’t all stay in wedge form.

Maple-Touched Chili Brussels Sprouts

I
ADORE BRUSSELS SPROUTS,
but they have to be cooked right. They can’t be mushy, overseasoned, or overcooked in any way. I like them firm, vibrant, and adorned with spices and flavorings that bring out their natural sweetness while adding interest. The maple syrup adds the tiniest touch of smoky sweetness, just enough to lift the spiciness so it’s not too overwhelming. These are wonderful with meat and potatoes–style stews such as Seitan in Onion Gravy (
page 98
).

Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces trimmed Brussels sprouts, halved if small, quartered if large
 

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ teaspoon chile flakes, or to taste

Pinch each salt and black pepper, or to taste
 

½ teaspoon maple syrup

1.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the sprouts and toss to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vibrantly green and tender with some darkened and golden patches, about 5 minutes. Add splashes of water as required if they are sticking or browning too quickly.

2.
Uncover, add the shallots through the pepper, toss to coat, and sauté until intensely aromatic but before the garlic burns, 1 minute.

3.
Sprinkle with the maple syrup and toss.

Peppered Kale

I
’M A SUPER
kale fan and am always looking for new and interesting ways to use it. This one came about on a day when I had loads of kale and bell peppers, and not a lot else, in the fridge. A wonderful side dish for stews and casseroles when you would like more green.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
 

2 garlic cloves, minced
 

½ medium onion, cut in half and sliced thinly

½ to 1 jalapeño pepper, minced

½ red pepper, sliced into ¼-inch-wide strips

½ green pepper, sliced into ¼-inch-wide strips
 

3 cups shredded kale, packed

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon chile flakes, or to taste
 

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt to taste

1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and allow it to sizzle.

2.
Add the onion through the green pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the kale through the chile flakes, mix, cover, and steam until the kale is just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally so the onion doesn’t stick.