Originally, this recipe was based on Steamed Japanese Eggplant with Spicy Green Onion-Ginger Saucefrom Cooking Light magazine. My supermarket didn’t have Japanese eggplant, so I used domestic eggplant and either I do not like steamed eggplant, or I do not know how to steam eggplant. At any rate, James and I were not thrilled with the first attempt. We did, however, love the sauce, to which I had dressed up with some sesame seeds and balsamic vinegar.

Needless to say, there were plenty of leftovers.

In the spirit of Veganomics and not wasting food, I gave the leftovers another try. Instead of reheating in the microwave, I sauteed the leftovers with some fresh sugar snap peas and served it over quinoa with golden raisins. The results were fantastic! I am going to post the recipe as I would have made it the first time, sauteing the eggplant with snap peas instead of steaming. Add in the quinoa, and you have an entire meal.

Quinoa is a grain but has nutrients that make it more complete than rice or wheat, and is often used in vegan cooking as a substitute for meat. Preparation is easy, similar to couscous, using 1 cup water for every 1/2 cup quinoa and bringing to boil, then simmering for 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed.

Spicy Sesame Eggplant & Snap Peas with Quinoa

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup golden raisins  
1 eggplant (about 1 lb), cut into 3 inch x 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces 
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp roasted red chili paste
1 tsp sesame seed oil
3/4 lb (about 12 oz) sugar snap peas
bean sprouts (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, chili paste, and sesame seed oil. Stir in green onions, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger. Set sauce aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa has softened. Remove from heat and stir in golden raisins.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Add eggplant and saute 3-5 minutes. Add sesame seed sauce and toss to coat eggplant. Continue to saute until eggplant is near tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add sugar snap peas, tossing with eggplant and sauce, for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.

Serve eggplant and snap peas over quinoa, top with bean sprouts if desired.

Economically Friendly: Most of the recipe included ingredients I already have on hand, with the exception of the roasted red chili paste. It was a little pricy, but hopefully I find additional uses for it. Golden raisins are also a bit more expensive than regular, but I think the difference is worth the extra cost, and I already had a box in the pantry.

Ecologically Responsible: Sugar snap peas should still be in season, if not, other vegetables such as zucchini would work well too. Eggplant should be in season for most of the summer, making it easy to find locally grown produce. Quinoa has been used in other cultures for centuries, and is more nutritious than tradition grains like wheat, and is a good replacement for rice.

Excellently Healthy: Eggplant, sugar snap peas, quinoa, and golden raisins makes for a balanced meal. The flavor comes from soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and vinegar, none of which are high in calories or fat. It tastes great, which is important, because making a healthy meal should still be delicious and satisfying!

Vegamonics Lesson Two: How long do spices and dried herbs last?

While tinkering with the Moroccan Eggplant recipe, I found myself considering the saffron I purchased several months ago and never used. Given that spices and herbs can at times be an expensive investment for any cook’s kitchen, I wondered just when do these costly yet necessary item expire? To answer my question, I went to wiseGEEK and got the scoop on spices, dried herbs, and more.

Spices and dried herbs do not spoil, but rather lose strength and flavor over time. What is the easiest way to tell if a spice or dried herb has lost its potency? Your nose! If a spice or dried herb has lost its smell, it’s probably time to toss it…or find a creative way to recycle it.

Here is a short guide for getting the most out of your purchases:

Storage & Usage: Spices and dried herbs should be stored in airtight containers, in a cool, dry place. Do not store near a heat source such as an oven, and avoid humidity from a dishwasher. Spices and dried herbs should not be frozen. They will last even longer if you can avoid exposure to light. Also, do not pour spices out of the container over a hot pot or pan. The heat will degrade the remaining spice in the bottle. Always pre-measure with a clean, dry measuring spoon.

Whole spices: When properly stored, whole spices can last 3 to 5 years. Buy whole spices and grind yourself for the best value. Once spices are ground and exposed to atmospheric elements, they begin to slowly lose their flavors. Strong whole spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, and pepper may last even longer then 5 years, but any whole spice that has lost its aroma is too old and needs to be replaced.

Ground spices: Properly stored ground spices will last 2 to 3 years. Not sure how old your spices are? Gently shake the (closed) container, wait a minute for the dust to settle, then pop the lid and take a sniff. If the smell is very weak or nonexistent, it’s replacement time. If the spices have declined slightly, you can refresh the flavor by toasting the spices first in a cast iron skillet or heavy pot. Toss the spices for several minutes over medium heat, then use immediately.

Dried herbs: Dried herbs, if properly stored, can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Typically, they do not last as long as spices because dried herbs are more delicate. Even if the color has changed, however, they might still be good. Crush the dried herbs lightly in your hand, if they are still fragrant then they will still have flavor. Discard dried herbs if there is no odor after crushing.

Salt: As long as it is properly stored, salt will last indefinitely. Salt is neither a spice nor an herb, it is a mineral, but an important seasoning ingredient in any kitchen nonetheless. Salt storage is similar to spices and dried herbs in that it needs to be kept in an air-tight container, away from humidity. My grandma puts pieces of saltine crackers in her salt shakers to absorb any moisture (a few grains of rice would also work).  

Don’t believe me? Even the folks at McCormick, the master of selling spices, offers this chart to customers:

Whole spices: 3-4 years

Ground spices: 2-3 years

Herbs: 1-3 years

Seasoning Blends: 1-2 years

Extracts: 4 years*

*except pure vanilla extract (which apparently lasts forever)

McCormick also encourages customers to do the sniff test and use their spices as long as they are fragrant. You can go to their website the Spice Check Challenge to enter the code from the bottom of the container and verify its freshness (best case scenario with proper storage and usage).

Homework: Perform the sniff test on all spices and dried herbs in the kitchen cabinet, and move the spice rack away from the oven! Discard anything that is past its prime, but replace only if necessary.

One of the most popular recipes on the website is Moroccan Chicken Couscous, which I made last summer with a bounty of vegetables from the Farmer’s Market. The one thing I did not like about the dish is that the spices were very subtle, and the amounts probably needed to be increased for more flavor.

While searching for recipe ideas for Veganomics, I came across a recipe from Cooking Light magazine with tons of vegetables and spices with couscous, and decided to try it. I made several modifications to accommodate what I had on hand, and you could use just about any vegetables you like in this recipe. Chick peas would be a great substitution for the mushrooms, zucchini would also be excellent.

I did not peel the eggplant, though you certainly could if you find the skin too tough. Look for an eggplant with smooth, unblemished skin that weights about 1 pound. Larger eggplant can be bitter and have more seeds. The couscous I used is particularly flavorful: tricolor with sun-dried tomato and spinach flavors.

Vegetables simmering before addition of couscous:

Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous
adapted from Cooking Light

2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of saffron threads (substitute turmeric if not available)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large eggplant, about 1 lb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), undrained
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup orange juice
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  

Heat oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger, saute 2-3 minutes. Add spice mixture, eggplant, tomatoes with juice, carrots and cabbage; saute 3 minutes.

Add orange juice and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Summary:

Economically Friendly: The eggplant, which is often substituted for meat in dishes, was $0.99 per pound. Ground beef, however, was originally priced $4.39 per pound, and on sale was only reduced to $3.59 per pound. Pantry staples like canned tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic and onion didn’t break the bank either.

NOTE: Saffron is crazy-expensive, but I bought it months ago and haven’t used it, so I felt this was an appropriate time to get my money’s worth. Turmeric is a reasonably price substitution, and sometimes referred to as “the poor man’s saffron.”

Ecologically Responsible: Aside from avoiding the use of meat, this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate the vegetables currently in season. It is also an all-in-one meal, which reduces energy needs for cooking and the amount of dishes to be cleaned.

Excellently Healthy: Loaded with tons of veggies, plus spices for flavor, a generous 2 cup serving has approximately 300 calories. Adding chick peas would give it a boost of protein. Garlic, ginger, and cinnamon have all sorts of proven health benefits. I found this dish to be surprisingly filling and satisfying.

Veganomics Lesson One: Shop for in-season produce. Aside from lower costs and less travel time, fruits and vegetables are tastiest when they are in-season. Here is an awesome tool from Epicurious.com to find out what produce is in season for any area of the country:

Peak-Season Map

Use this interactive map to see what’s fresh in any area, plus find ingredient descriptions, shopping guides, recipes, and tips.

Currently in season for June (Michigan):

Asparagus
Blackberries
Cherries
Peas
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Strawberries

I was very jealous to see some of the produce lists for other states (so wish I lived on the border between North and South Carolina, or any state in New England).

Homework: Take advantage of seasonal produce, such as locally-grown rhubarb.

Here is my inaugural recipe for Veganomics and my departing beverage for Smoothie-licious. Did you ever smear a banana with peanut butter and roll it in graham cracker crumbs when you were young? Well, this recipe is like that, but instead of graham cracker crumbs, imagine the banana covered in chocolate.

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
1 cup chocolate soy milk 
6-7 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until very smooth. Reminisce about your childhood as you sip and enjoy.

Economically Friendly: Bananas are inexpensive and peanut butter is a pantry staple.
Ecologically Responsible: Soy milk is environmentally-friendly and the makers of Silk are donating major money to clean energy.
Excellently Healthy: Protein from peanut butter, potassium from bananas, and yummy calcium from soy milk. Just be careful: at approximately 400 calories, this is a meal-replacement smoothie, not just a light snack!