Menu for the last couple of days

For posterity!

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

I sort of made this up based on several recipes and didn't measure as I went along. Doing the best I can from memory. Serves 8? It's a lot of dense food. Tastes even better the next day.

6 russet potatoes, cubed
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic (3-4 large cloves)
2 cups frozen veggies (I used peas and corn)
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups cooked lentils
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (or 1/4 tsp liquid smoke)
3 Tbsp margarine, plus extra
1/4 cup unsweetened plain soymilk, plus extra
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring large pot to a boil and put potatoes in for 18-20 minutes, until a piece crumbles when you try to put a fork in it.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil on medium-high in a large pan. Sautee onions about 5 mins, until translucent. Add garlic and frozen veggies, cook 5 mins. Mix in spices, then add lentils and cook 5 mins. Reduce heat to medium-low and mix in soy sauce and sesame oil.

3. The potatoes will be almost done - CAREFULLY use a ladle to scoop out some hot water and add to lentil mixture. Keep adding until there is some spare liquid, enough to seem like a gravy. (You can also just dissolve 1/2 tsp corn starch in hot water instead.)

4. Preheat oven to 400.

5. When potatoes are done, drain well. Return to pot and immediately add margarine and soymilk. When the margarine melts, mash until there are no more lumps - if it seems dry, add splashes of soymilk and mix until you get the texture you want. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Pour lentil mixture into deep 2.5 quart casserole dish and top with mashed potatoes. Use a fork to draw lines in the top and dot with margarine (optional).

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the potatoes start to brown.

Strawberry Cobbler! Except I only had 6 cups of fresh strawberries (sliced) so I added 2 cups of frozen blueberries from last season. Oh, and went light on the sugar in the topping. I used a mystery flour (thanks Joni) so the topping looks different than the ones on the website.

Next up: Olive Lentil burgers as we have olives, lentils and mushrooms to use up.

Blueberry Almond Scones

Joni accidentally opened an extra box of soymilk, so I thought I'd make some scones. Of course in our house, we call them sconces - back in my Starbucks days there were a few customers who were unaware of the difference between pastries and home decor. I can't find my copy of Vegan with a Vengeance for some odd reason so I had to use my google-fu, and altered this recipe to match my ingredients.

Cherry Almond Scones

1 C. All-Purpose White Flour
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1⁄2 C. Turbinado/Raw Sugar
2 t. Baking Powder
1⁄2 t. Baking Soda
1⁄2 t. Kosher Salt
1⁄4 C. Margarine
1⁄2 C. Soymilk (plain or vanilla)
1 t. Vanilla Extract
3⁄4 C. Fresh or Frozen Wild Blueberries
1⁄2 C. Slivered Almonds
Extra Soymilk and Sugar, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.

2. Mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the margarine and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter (two butter knives held together) or your fingers, until the mixture resembles a coarse, crumbly meal.

3. Add the soymilk, almond extract, blueberries and almonds. Mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until the mixture comes together to form a dough. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of soymilk if the mixture is too dry.

4. Scoop the scones in approximately half-cup mounds onto a cookie sheet and press the tops flat; round the edges if needed.

5. Brush the tops with a bit of soymilk (I used my fingers) and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges and bottom are golden. Place scones on a plate to cool.

Makes 9.