Vegetable Creole

Wow. This was good, and I mean GOOD. I've been getting Vegetarian Times for about a year and a half. With magazine recipes, I usually do a few things. First, fold down the pages with interesting recipes. Second, put the magazine on a shelf. Third, pull the magazine off the shelf, rip out those recipes, and put in a folder. Fourth, four years later go through the folder and throw out most of the recipes.

This time, I broke the mold. Why? Well, two reasons I guess: celery and soyrizo.

You see, the last time I was at Trader Joe's, I bought a package of soyrizo. It looked good. I've never had it. It was only $2. And last week's CSA we got a bunch of celery, which I have a hard time going through.

This recipe had both celery (4 stalks!!) and soyrizo. And it's from this month's mag. In fact, I made the recipe less than one week after getting the magazine in the mail. So, if you are interested, you must rush out and buy this issue. I can't post the recipe, but I will tell you what's in it and what it cost me. I made a tiny change to the recipe or two. This is my version.

It was delightfully spicy (on the hairy edge of too much so for my child). Probably the soyrizo, but I bet it would be good without. It is vegan (or it would be if I'd used vegan Worcestershire, but I used regular).

Wow. I am having the last little bit for lunch tomorrow. It's good over brown rice, or even with tortillas.

Vegetable Creole:
1 pkg soyrizo: 1.99
4 large carrots: 0.39
1 onion: 0.20
1 green pepper: 1.00
1 can diced tomatoes: 0.62
1/4 cup tomato paste: 0.20
3 bay leaves: 0.05
4 celery stalks: 0.24
7 small potatoes (1 lb): 0.60
1/4 c. canola oil: 0.16
1/4 c. flour: 0.03
4 cloves garlic: 0.20
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon: 0.20
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce: 0.10
1/8 tsp cayenne

Total: $5.98 for 8 generous servings, or $0.75 each. Adding 3/4 cup cooked brown rice adds $0.20.

And just in case you are wanting a gratuitous salad photo, here's one. With the strawberries from the farm (SOOOO good), a *perfect* avocado from my boss's tree.