HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Yesterday, I checked the refrigerator for greens that needed using up. We live on an island, so we only shop every 2 weeks. I’m trying to avoid any food waste (watching this documentary has strengthened my resolve!), so I moved all the vegetables out of the refrigerator drawers (filled them with condiments) and I have my veggies right in the center of the fridge, with the ones that need to be used up first in the front, so that I don’t forget about them. Anyway, I had spinach and baby bok choy to use up, so I turned to two of my older recipes. (BTW, if you can’t watch that movie outside of Canada, check out this review and watch for screenings in your area— it’s worth watching!)
For lunch, I made Baby Bok Choy and Tofu Soup from my book “Authentic Chinese Cuisine for the Contemporary Kitchen: All Vegan Recipes“, and, for dinner (because I had some vegan crepes left over from Saturday breakfast, and some of DH’s spaghetti sauce in the refrigerator), I made Italian Savory Crepes Stuffed with Vegan Ricotta & Spinach from my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen: Delicious Home-Style Vegan Cuisine“, both with a couple of little tweaks. It’s been too long since I made these recipes– so delicious and healthful! So, I’d like to share the recipes with you. Enjoy!
Crepes have been made in
BRYANNA’S CRESPELLE RIPIENE (STUFFED CREPES) WITH VEGAN SPINACH/RICOTTA FILLING
Serves 6 (Can be soy-free)
12 vegan crepes (see my recipe below– can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen–OR you can use my recipe for Fat-Free Whole Grain Crepes)
Spinach and “Cheese” Filling:
2 onions, minced
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. fresh cleaned spinach, OR 2/ 10 oz. pckgs. chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cups Tofu or Almond Ricotta OR Okara/Cashew Ricotta
4 to 6 tablespoons vegan Parmesan substitute (we like GoVeggie! brand)
salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg
Bake crespelle with a light tomato sauce or a medium Besciamella (Bechamel) sauce, ( or you can layer Besciamella over the tomato sauce, for a really special dish), along with a vegan Parmesan substitute or alternate. There is a recipe for my low-fat Creamy White-Bean-Flour Based Bechamel here, and my basic vegan Bechamel/White sauce recipe is here.
Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a non-stick or cast iron or hard-anodized skillet until they are soft and starting to brown (adding a tiny bit of water as needed, to keep from sticking).
Meanwhile, place the fresh spinach in boiling water until it is completely wilted, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop it finely. OR, if using frozen chopped spinach, thaw it thoroughly (you can quick-thaw it by placing the whole carton in the microwave for 5 minutes) and squeeze it as dry as possible.
Mix the spinach in a bowl with the cooked onions, ricotta, Parmesan sub , and salt, pepper and to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place a generous amount of filling down the center of each crepe and roll it up.
Place the rolls in an oiled baking dish. (You can prepare the crepes up to this point several hours ahead of time.)
Pour a little of the sauce you are using over the crepes, sprinkle with Parmesan or alternative (and some shredded vegan mozza-type cheese, too, if you like) and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve immediately!
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BRYANNA’S TOFU CREPES
Makes 12-13 crepes
From my book “Soyfoods Cooking for a Positive Menopause”.
These are really excellent–they have that flexible “eggy” texture of regular crepes. You can freeze them, too.
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup medium-firm tofu or silken tofu
1/4 cup soy or chickpea flour
OPTIONAL: 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon unbleached organic sugar
1/2 tsp. EACH salt and baking powder
a pinch of nutmeg
Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth. If the batter seems too thick (and it should be like thick cream), whisk in a bit more non-dairy milk or water until it is the right consistency.
No need to “rest” this batter first. Tofu crepes are made just like ordinary crepes.
Heat a nonstick or cast-iron 8″ skillet over medium-high heat and wipe it lightly with oil before making each crepe. Use 3-4 tablespoons of batter per crepe (stirring the batter before you make each crepe), rolling and tilting the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Cook for a few seconds, or until the top looks dry.
Carefully loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip it over.
Either fill the crepes and serve according to the specific recipe directions, or let them cool and place in a plastic bag or rigid container (with pieces of waxed paper in between each crepe) and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze them for future use (thaw thoroughly before filling).
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