Food Matters Project #1: Squash with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

As I mentioned yesterday, today marks the first day of The Food Matters Project.

Sarah has chosen the first recipe: Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers.

Here are some of the changes we made from Mark Bittman’s original recipe:
* we weren’t in the mood for winter squash (might be due to the warm weather), and decided to use zucchinis and yellow squash.
* we didn’t use skewers to roast the squash
* rather than doing a glaze, we chose a to make it a dipping sauce

Squash with Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Adapted from: The Food Matters Cookbook

2 zucchinis, cut into thick matchsticks
2 yellow squash, cut into thick matchsticks
1 egg
1 cup Panko crumbs (might be more)
4-5 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp honey
4 garlic cloves, chopped
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Crack an egg into one bowl, mixing the yolk and whites together.  In the other bowl, pour in the Panko crumbs.  Dip each squash piece into the egg mixture, and then dip it into the Panko crumbs.  Continue to do this with the rest of the zucchini and squash pieces and arrange all of the vegetables on a cookie sheet.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

In a food processor add: chipotle chiles, olive oil, honey, garlic and salt.  Processes the mixture until the sauce is well blended.

Enjoy each squash or zucchini with some of the chipotle sauce.

Chipotle Sausage & Bean Stew

I like trying out different types of vegan and vegetarian sausages.  When I came across the Field Roast sausage at Whole Foods, I wanted to try it out.  When the June issue of Vegetarian Times appeared in our mailbox, I noticed this recipe and thought it would be a great way to try out a new brand.

The Field Roast Grain Meat Company was founded in 1997 in Seattle, and they have been producing artisan, vegan meat.  They have various products such as: cutlets, sausages, pâtés, gravy and meatloaf.  The website is very informative with recipes and information about the products (so check it out!).

The meat which I had purchased for this meal was the Mexican Chipotle sausage.  It is blended with smoked chipotle and chili de arbol pepper flavors.  It was a great way to add some “meat” into our stew.  If you’d like to add real meat, or another type of vegan meat- feel free, this will work well with different flavors.

Chipotle Sausage and Bean Stew
Adapted by: Vegetarian Times (June 2011)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package of chorizo/chipotle-flavored meat sausages
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup of water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and chopped sausage and sauté for 5 minutes.  Then stir in the tomatoes and beans.  Season with salt, pepper, chili powder and red pepper flakes.  Finally, add 1 cup of water, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Serve, and garnish with cilantro.