Kale Potato Pie

Everyone loves comfort food! And when I think comfort, I think potatoes. French fries, hashbrowns, and my favorite mashed potatoes! One of my favorite meals with potatoes my mom used to make was shepherd pie. Her recipe was essentially mashed potatoes, corn, ground beef and spices. This one is veganified, and made a little more healthfully (just a little :P) I think it's pretty good. It features loaded garlicky oniony mashed potatoes, kale, veggies and tempeh! Ummm so good. (Those of you allergic to soy note that cannelini beans are a pretty good sub for the tempeh!) Hope you guy's enjoy. This one's a little more involved, but I think it's worth it. It will definately warm you up on a chilly fall evening!


Kale Potato Pie
Approx 25min prep, 30min baking time
Serves 4-5

6-7 Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed well and cut into 1/16ths
2-3 tsp garlic
3-4 green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1/2 cup hemp milk (or any other milk alternative)
2-3 tblsp vegan butter/margarine
1/2 head Kale (destemmed, ripped into small pieces)
1 package tempeh
1 cup veggie broth
1 small can tomato paste
1 can corn
2 carrots
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1 sage leaf thinly sliced



1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and salt well. Add diced potatoes. Bring to a boil and let cook 20-25 minutes until nice and tender. (They'll crumble when stabbed with a fork)

2. While potatoes are cooking, in a large skillet add tempeh, broth, tomato sauce, carrots, and spices , mix well. Add kale, and let wilt on top. Once wilted, mix in with other ingredients. Let simmer on med-high until most of liquid is absorbed by tempeh (or until you're done with your mashed potatoes)

3. Once potatoes are done, strain and return to pot. Mash until desired consistency. (I like my mashed potatoes super smooth, and my mother loves em chunky...up to you!) Add hemp milk, butter, garlic, pepper, and green onions, mix well.


4. In a 9x12 glass sheet pan add tempeh mixture. Cover this layer with corn. Finally add mashed potato mixture to top, and using a spoon, smooth until you have a nice 3 layer pie! Then.....


5. ....Pop in the oven uncovered 30 minutes. Allow to cool just slightly, and serve warm! No need for any side dishes, this is a meal all in one!

Corn Chowder and Kale Chips

On days like this, when summer is on it's way out, and the first hints of fall can be felt on the breeze, it's time to break out a good ol' fashioned comfort meal! For awhile now i've been looking for a corn chowder recipe that reminds me of the one my mom used to make pre-allergy discovery. It was so creamy and hearty, one bowlful was enough to warm you all over and leave you feeling stuffed! Most of the ones I have found however have been too thin, not creamy enough, or were severely lacking in flavor.
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Tonight I decided to try a recipe that came in my email from vegetarian times. Their recipe incorporates quinoa, which adds that missing heartiness, and helps fill you up better. Quinoa is an ancient grain that is mild, soft and just a little chewy when cooked. I modified vegetarian times recipe a bit. For example, I used hemp milk instead of soy milk (unflavored, easy to find at health food stores and oh so good), green onions instead of shallots and I cracked lots of black pepper into it after it cooked. I highly recommend following this link and trying this super healthy corn chowder recipe for yourselves:

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9694?section=

While the soup was heating up I whipped up a batch of one of my favorite new snacks, kale chips!! I found the basic recipe online, and modified it to make my own oh so yummy version. Now I pop these babies in the oven whenever I get the urge for something rediculously healthy, quick, and delicious.

Kale Chips

1 head Kale (stems trimmed, ripped into bite size pieces)

2tsp minced garlic

2-3 pinches freshly cracked pepper

3tbls olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine all ingredients and toss (I usually just use my hands for this part, but if you dont want your hands to smell like garlic for hours, use tongs).

On a non-stick cookie sheet lay out kale, making sure most of the pieces are evenly spaced. Place in oven and cook 10-15 minutes. The chips are ready when they crumble easy, and have flattened out quite a bit. Keep an eye on them, as they are delicate and can burn easily. I usually turn the oven off after 10min and just let the kale sit in there until my other food is ready, that way they stay warm, and excess moisture is evaporated out.

Serve immediately! They wont save well, but they're so good, there won't be any left to save :P