Sumptuous Sunday Supper
Today is the day when we step away from the busy-ness of the rest of the week and take time in the kitchen to create a mouthwatering supper.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to spend the entire day toiling away in the kitchen. Although, as a person who absolutely adores cooking, I have been known to do exactly that. It can be as easy whipping up some mashed potatoes, a vegan patty (let’s be fancy since it’s Sunday, after all, and call it a Salisbury steak), some caramelized onion gravy, and peas. Now that won’t take much time, but heck, look at the picture above. The photo alone is making me hungry already. And while you’re making the patty of your choice, might as well shape some as burgers and freeze them for future meals.
Grilled & Roasted Veggies
But, if you have the time and want to play in the kitchen, you might want to grill up a bunch of vegetables. Leftovers can be chopped up and used for your Toss ‘N’ Tumble Thursday or Taco Tuesday.
Spinach and Vegan Mozzarella Stuffed Bread
Homemade breads served along with your meal definitely help to create your Sumptuous Sunday Supper.
Stuffed breads are always a hit, and can be as easy or tasking as you’d like to make them. A simple, while still elegant, option is to go to your local pizzeria that makes a whole wheat vegan pizza dough, roll/ stretch it out to the size of a cookie sheet, top it with cooked/grilled veggies, some vegan cheese, leaving the outside 1” edges clean. Roll the dough lengthwise being careful to keep all the yummy stuffing inside the edges. Pinch the lengthwise seam and the two side seams closed. Place on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden on the outside and baked all the way through to the center. An easy way to check for doneness is to gently push down on the bread. It should have a firm resistance and not cave in.
Sun-Dried Tomato Foccaccia
One of my favorite breads to make is a sheet of focaccia. The best and cheapest utensils are the ones at the end of your wrists, your hands and fingers. They are irreplaceable in making a focaccia, which is known for the bubbly top, crispy outside, and soft interior. I actually find kneading dough to be quite meditative.
Both the leftover stuffed bread and focaccia freeze well. I like to wrap them in parchment paper, then plastic wrap, which will keep the parchment paper tight around the bread, ensuring that you don’t get the awful freezer burn that bread can acquire. Defrost in your refrigerator or on the counter. You can serve as is, or wrap in foil and place in a 275 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
Bolognese Lasagna
Lasagna is a great Sunday supper. You can make your gravy (yup, I call it gravy, not sauce) ahead of time. It freezes well. I like to make a vegan Bolognese for added substance. There are now a plethora of decent vegan cheeses to choose from for your ricotta and mozzarella; but here again, if you are feeling adventurous and have the time, you can experiment by making your own. Some are as quick as soaking the nuts and whizzing them up in your blender, and others involve first making a probiotic liquid called Rejuvelac. This process takes time (I mean at least several days but can take several weeks), but well worth the effort. My go-to book here is Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Skinner. You can also purchase her cheeses online and can find it some higher end health-food stores and groceries.
Grilled Tofu Pea-catta
Sausage and Peppers
Some other ideas are grilled tofu (or tempeh) pea-catta; sausage and peppers over pasta; pad thai; curry over rice; meatless meatloaf, mushroom gravy, baked potato with vegan sour cream,and veggies; crock pot stew…..I think you might be getting the idea now.
Whatever you decide for your Sunday Supper, make it a time for connection with family, friends, loved ones. Take the time to set your table, sit down, turn off the television, and ‘break bread’ remembering to give thanks for the abundance that is in your life.
Namaste.