I will be slowly transitioning my most successful recipes from this site to my new site, as well as posting new recipes on the continuum.
See yuh on the flip side at http://withloveandwine.com
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Summer Kale Salad with Tahini Ginger Dressing
This tahini ginger dressing takes literally 2 minutes to whip up. You just throw the stuff in the food processor and it practically makes itself. It's a great pocket recipe for nights when you don't feel like cooking and just want a simple meal.
Salad:
1 bunch of red kale
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin rounds
1 small cucumber, cut into thin rounds
Handful of baby bell peppers ( or 1 regular bell pepper), cut into bite sized pieces
2 avocados
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Braggs unfiltered apple cider vinegar
2 heaping tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and smashed with the back of your knife
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 small clove of garlic
Optional Garnish:
Fresh chives
Sesame seeds
Wash the kale and rip the leaves into bite sized pieces. In a large salad bowl add the kale pieces, pre-cut carrots, cucumber, and bell pepper- toss.
In a food processor add all the dressing ingredients, blend until completely smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add a little water until desired consistency.
While the dressing is in the food processor, slice the avocado.
Assemble: Add the salad into bowls, top the salad with avocado slices, drizzle the dressing overtop and garnish with fresh chives and sesame seeds before serving.
Recipe adapted from Fettle Vegan
Salad:
1 bunch of red kale
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin rounds
1 small cucumber, cut into thin rounds
Handful of baby bell peppers ( or 1 regular bell pepper), cut into bite sized pieces
2 avocados
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Braggs unfiltered apple cider vinegar
2 heaping tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and smashed with the back of your knife
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 small clove of garlic
Optional Garnish:
Fresh chives
Sesame seeds
Wash the kale and rip the leaves into bite sized pieces. In a large salad bowl add the kale pieces, pre-cut carrots, cucumber, and bell pepper- toss.
In a food processor add all the dressing ingredients, blend until completely smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add a little water until desired consistency.
While the dressing is in the food processor, slice the avocado.
Assemble: Add the salad into bowls, top the salad with avocado slices, drizzle the dressing overtop and garnish with fresh chives and sesame seeds before serving.
Recipe adapted from Fettle Vegan
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Detoxing Celery Soup
I'm not crazy about celery, I mean.. is anyone really? But a few weeks ago Erica gave me a bite of soup without telling me what it was and my first words were 'Oh my god that's good. Wait, is this celery?". Celery is one of those super foods with a ton of health benefits, which you can read about here. I try and do my best to keep a variety of veggies in my diet, but I must admit I don't eat all that much celery. When I get a head of it in my local co-op basket I accept that one or two stalks will be used and the rest will probably go to waste. Not anymore it won't. Eating clean doesn't have to be lackluster. This soup was quick to make and my body truly felt grateful after eating it.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 head of celery, cleaned & chopped roughly
1 large russet potato, chopped into small cubes
4 cups vegetable stock (I prefer Better Than Bouillon vegetable base found at Whole Foods)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: Baguette, sliced and drizzled with olive oil before toasting to perfection
In a stock pot heat the olive oil and add the onion, cook until translucent. Toss in the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring to a blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Reheat on the stove top before serving. Serve with the toasted baguette slices if using.
Serves 4
Recipe from Goodness Green
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 head of celery, cleaned & chopped roughly
1 large russet potato, chopped into small cubes
4 cups vegetable stock (I prefer Better Than Bouillon vegetable base found at Whole Foods)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: Baguette, sliced and drizzled with olive oil before toasting to perfection
In a stock pot heat the olive oil and add the onion, cook until translucent. Toss in the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring to a blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Reheat on the stove top before serving. Serve with the toasted baguette slices if using.
Serves 4
Recipe from Goodness Green
Friday, June 13, 2014
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Honestly, no words will do these bad boys justice. You're just going to have to trust me on this one. Make these. Tomorrow. You need to. Because they're the best thing you'll be putting in your mouth anytime soon. Amazing.
1 small cauliflower head, cut into bite sized florets
4 tablespoons plant-based butter, melted
5 tablespoons Frank's Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce (Frank's is just superior, lets be real)
1 tablespoon Bragg's unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups pita chips (or GF panko)
Follow Your Heart Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing (found at Whole Foods)
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with nonstick spray. In a bowl combine the melted butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder, set aside.
In a food processor blend the pita chips until they are fine and have a similar consistency as bread crumbs.
Dip the florets into the sauce, then coat in pita crumbs, then place on the baking sheet. Once all florets are coated and on the baking sheet give them a light mist with non stick cooking spray.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Serve with some dressing and enjoy!
*I had to double the recipe for the sauce as the head of cauliflower I had was a little on the larger side.
Recipe adapted from The Saucy Southerner
1 small cauliflower head, cut into bite sized florets
4 tablespoons plant-based butter, melted
5 tablespoons Frank's Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce (Frank's is just superior, lets be real)
1 tablespoon Bragg's unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups pita chips (or GF panko)
Follow Your Heart Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing (found at Whole Foods)
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with nonstick spray. In a bowl combine the melted butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder, set aside.
In a food processor blend the pita chips until they are fine and have a similar consistency as bread crumbs.
Dip the florets into the sauce, then coat in pita crumbs, then place on the baking sheet. Once all florets are coated and on the baking sheet give them a light mist with non stick cooking spray.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Serve with some dressing and enjoy!
*I had to double the recipe for the sauce as the head of cauliflower I had was a little on the larger side.
Recipe adapted from The Saucy Southerner
Monday, June 9, 2014
Summer Chowder with Fresh Chives and Tarragon
Fresh, light, and floral- perfect way to kick start summer.
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound summer squash (I used three small yellow squash and 2 medium zucchini), cut into rounds
16 ounces frozen organic corn kernels, if you have fresh that will work too
1 can light coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth broth
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
3/4 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
Lime, cut into wedges
In a stock pot over medium heat saute the garlic and shallots in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add in the summer squash and saute for another 4 minutes. Toss in the corn and continue sauting for another 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk and broth, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and add in the chives, tarragon, and salt. With a lid over top simmer for 15 minutes, until the squash is soft and the corn cooked through. Carefully transfer to a blended and blend to desired consistency. Squeeze juice from a lime wedge over top of each soup bowl before eating.
Serves 4-6
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound summer squash (I used three small yellow squash and 2 medium zucchini), cut into rounds
16 ounces frozen organic corn kernels, if you have fresh that will work too
1 can light coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth broth
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
3/4 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
Lime, cut into wedges
In a stock pot over medium heat saute the garlic and shallots in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add in the summer squash and saute for another 4 minutes. Toss in the corn and continue sauting for another 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk and broth, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and add in the chives, tarragon, and salt. With a lid over top simmer for 15 minutes, until the squash is soft and the corn cooked through. Carefully transfer to a blended and blend to desired consistency. Squeeze juice from a lime wedge over top of each soup bowl before eating.
Serves 4-6
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Boiled Peanuts
My love affair with boiled peanuts started somewhere between Pensacola and Tallahassee during my undergrad. I would walk into a gas station and there would be a crock pot of those things just simmering away waiting to be purchased. And since I'm a when in Rome kind of gal, I made the exception of buying gas station food and tried my first boiled peanut. Now that I'm back down South I can't seem to find them anywhere. So, you know the drill... I made them. And they came out great.
1 bag jumbo raw peanuts (not raw green peanuts)
1 3-ounce package of Zatarian's dry crab boil (found in the spice section at the supermarket)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1/2 scant cup salt
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
Water
In a crockpot add all the ingredients, pour in enough water to cover the peanuts. Cook on low for 12-15 hours until the peanuts in the shell are soft and full of yummy cajuny juice goodness. Eat warm or cold. Store leftover peanuts in the refrigerator.
 |
| Added all ingredients into the crockpot, ready to start cooking! |
1 bag jumbo raw peanuts (not raw green peanuts)
1 3-ounce package of Zatarian's dry crab boil (found in the spice section at the supermarket)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1/2 scant cup salt
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
Water
In a crockpot add all the ingredients, pour in enough water to cover the peanuts. Cook on low for 12-15 hours until the peanuts in the shell are soft and full of yummy cajuny juice goodness. Eat warm or cold. Store leftover peanuts in the refrigerator.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Quick Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
For some reason mashed potatoes are always hit or miss. For something so easy they can go so wrong so fast. Why is that? This mashed potato recipe is fool-proof, thank god. No one has time for bad food, let's be real. And the mushroom gravy, don't even get me started on this mushroom gravy!
Mushroom Gravy:
4 cups vegetable broth (Better Than Bullion brand is the way to go)
1/2 cup all purpose flour, or chickpea flour if you're GF
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 oz white button mushrooms, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Mashed Potatoes:
3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk at room temp
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more for the water)
Fresh black pepper, to taste
First make the gravy:
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour with 1 cup of vegetable broth until well dissolved, then add in the remaining broth, mix, and set aside.
In a medium pot sauce an onion in the olive oil until translucent, about five minutes. Add in the chopped mushrooms, minced garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and saute for five more minutes. Add in the wine and turn the heat up to a boil, cook for about 3 minutes before adding in the broth/flour mixture and nutritional yeast. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often so the bottom doesn't burn. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
While the gravy is on the stove top cooking, make the mashed potatoes:
Leaving the skin on the potatoes cut them into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place them in a pot of cold water with a teaspoon of salt, stick a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. The potatoes should be fork tender at this point, drain them and put them back in the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they're broken up a bit. Then add in the almond milk and olive oil, salt and pepper. If needed add more milk, continue mashing the potatoes until they are fluffy. Serve warm with a generous amount of mushroom gravy over top.
Recipe from The PPK
Mushroom Gravy:
4 cups vegetable broth (Better Than Bullion brand is the way to go)
1/2 cup all purpose flour, or chickpea flour if you're GF
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 oz white button mushrooms, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Mashed Potatoes:
3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk at room temp
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more for the water)
Fresh black pepper, to taste
First make the gravy:
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour with 1 cup of vegetable broth until well dissolved, then add in the remaining broth, mix, and set aside.
In a medium pot sauce an onion in the olive oil until translucent, about five minutes. Add in the chopped mushrooms, minced garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and saute for five more minutes. Add in the wine and turn the heat up to a boil, cook for about 3 minutes before adding in the broth/flour mixture and nutritional yeast. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often so the bottom doesn't burn. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
While the gravy is on the stove top cooking, make the mashed potatoes:
Leaving the skin on the potatoes cut them into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place them in a pot of cold water with a teaspoon of salt, stick a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. The potatoes should be fork tender at this point, drain them and put them back in the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they're broken up a bit. Then add in the almond milk and olive oil, salt and pepper. If needed add more milk, continue mashing the potatoes until they are fluffy. Serve warm with a generous amount of mushroom gravy over top.
Recipe from The PPK
Saturday, May 31, 2014
GF Vegan Meatloaf Cupcakes
It's hard finding a suitable meatloaf recipe when you're a vegan. Every now and then you just really want comfort food with all the ease of tossing ingredients in a bowl, mixing it up, and 20 minutes later you've got dinner for days. Enter in this meatloaf. My friend Erica made it and packaged me up an entire container worth for lunch and dinner as I was pulling a 15 hour day at school, 9 of those hours being a clinic shift. This meatloaf got me through those 15 hours. Literally. Not even a week later I harassed her for the recipe so I can replicate it at home.
What's the deal with the cupcake sized meatloaf you may ask? Well, it's super convenient. You don't have to slice the meatloaf up to serve and it's already divided out into little portions for tomorrow's lunch and such. Ideally a normal size muffin tin is the way to go, but since I only had a mini muffin tin I just went with it.
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 8-ounce package organic tempeh
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce (found at Whole Foods)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds + 6 tablespoons warm water- combine and let rest for 5 minutes until thick
Ketchup topping:
2 tablespoons remaining tomato paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
*Or use store bought ketchup
Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying it with nonstick spray.
In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic, shallots, and bell pepper in some oil until translucent, about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a food processor add the tempeh until it is ground into little pieces. Poor the ground tempeh into a mixing bowl and add in the cooked vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and dried herbs- stir until well combined. Add in the chia mixture that has congealed in the water- this is your egg replacer. Mix in the remaining ingredients: oats, sunflower seeds, and parsley. The mixture will be very thick, so use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. If you need to you can add a splash of water to get it to mix better, maybe a tablespoon or so.
Mix together the ketchup ingredients if you aren't using store bought. Honestly, it's convenient just making it yourself since you'll have leftover tomato paste anyways.
Using your hands, press the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tin. Spoon over the ketchup mixture before baking the meatloaf in the oven for 23 minutes, 15 or so for a mini muffin tray. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
I served my meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.
Recipe from Fork and Beans
What's the deal with the cupcake sized meatloaf you may ask? Well, it's super convenient. You don't have to slice the meatloaf up to serve and it's already divided out into little portions for tomorrow's lunch and such. Ideally a normal size muffin tin is the way to go, but since I only had a mini muffin tin I just went with it.
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 8-ounce package organic tempeh
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce (found at Whole Foods)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds + 6 tablespoons warm water- combine and let rest for 5 minutes until thick
Ketchup topping:
2 tablespoons remaining tomato paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
*Or use store bought ketchup
Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying it with nonstick spray.
In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic, shallots, and bell pepper in some oil until translucent, about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a food processor add the tempeh until it is ground into little pieces. Poor the ground tempeh into a mixing bowl and add in the cooked vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and dried herbs- stir until well combined. Add in the chia mixture that has congealed in the water- this is your egg replacer. Mix in the remaining ingredients: oats, sunflower seeds, and parsley. The mixture will be very thick, so use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. If you need to you can add a splash of water to get it to mix better, maybe a tablespoon or so.
Mix together the ketchup ingredients if you aren't using store bought. Honestly, it's convenient just making it yourself since you'll have leftover tomato paste anyways.
Using your hands, press the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tin. Spoon over the ketchup mixture before baking the meatloaf in the oven for 23 minutes, 15 or so for a mini muffin tray. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
I served my meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.
Recipe from Fork and Beans
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Simmered Collard Greens
This past weekend my mom and I took a mini vacation to Orlando to spend some much appreciated quality time together. We mostly spent our trip lounging at the pool, soaking in as much sun as we could get between the reliable afternoon rain showers of Florida Summers. I took her to Ethos Vegan Kitchen, my all time favorite vegan restaurant in the entire continental United States, where I was inspired by yet another one of their dishes. I had the most yummy simmered collard greens that accompanied my main dish of BBQ 'Chikun' with mashed potatoes and gravy. Apparently what they're saying is true: Collards are the new Kale. I've made collards before, but I've never had them simmered so simply. I thought they were drool-worthy. So the day we got back I ran out to the store and bought a bundle of collards and simmered away.
1 bunch collard greens
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth*
Seasonings (optional)*
Remove the stems from the collards and rip the greens into smaller pieces.
In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant. Add in the greens and vegetable broth and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours with a lid over top. Strain out any remaining liquid before serving. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
*The broth you use will determine the flavor profile of these collards. I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base which has great flavor.
*A lot of people enjoy adding red pepper flakes or hot sauce to their simmered collards, but I loved how I had them at Ethos, so flavorful and simple, so I did without.
1 bunch collard greens
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth*
Seasonings (optional)*
Remove the stems from the collards and rip the greens into smaller pieces.
In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant. Add in the greens and vegetable broth and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours with a lid over top. Strain out any remaining liquid before serving. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
*The broth you use will determine the flavor profile of these collards. I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base which has great flavor.
*A lot of people enjoy adding red pepper flakes or hot sauce to their simmered collards, but I loved how I had them at Ethos, so flavorful and simple, so I did without.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Pastelitos de Guayaba
When I was in Jacksonville this past weekend with Marc we ended up
buying a guava tree, even though he never had guava before. This
inspired me to recreate the guava and cheese pastries of my past. My love for guava stems back to my childhood when my dad would bring home guava stuffed churros from Miami on his way back from work. My brother and I would fight over them like a bunch of rabid animals. And for my birthdays I would ask for a tray of guava and cheese pastries instead of the traditional birthday cake. Guava just tastes like my childhood, you know?
1 package puff pastry, most brands are surprisingly vegan!
1 package guava paste, found in the Latin specialty foods aisle of the supermarket
1 container vegan cream cheese, yes- they now sell this stuff at most Publix Supermarkets!*
Almond milk, or any other preferred plant-based milk
Flour
Sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured surface lay out the puff pastry sheets, let them thaw out until they're soft, it may take 15 minutes if they came straight from the freezer. Cut each sheet into quarters, so you'll have eight squares as there are two pastry sheets.
You want to add about a heaping tablespoon of each the guava paste and cream cheese to the corner of each square of pastry dough. It's sort of hard to measure since it's difficult to mold as it is very sticky, but just eyeball it. The first time around (as pictured below) I didn't use enough guava or cream cheese. The second time around I cut about 1.5 inch long by .5 inch wide rectangles of guava and used a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese, which turned out perfect.
Moisten the edges of the dough with almond milk before folding into triange and crimping with a fork. Brush the tops of the pastries with almond milk and sprinkle with some sugar.
Place pastries on a greased baking sheet and back for 27-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Allow to cool slightly before eating as the inside filling will be molten-lava hot.
*If you want to skip the vegan cream cheese just double up on the guava, I've made them with and without the cream cheese and they're both great.
 | |
| The guava tree we planted |
1 package guava paste, found in the Latin specialty foods aisle of the supermarket
1 container vegan cream cheese, yes- they now sell this stuff at most Publix Supermarkets!*
Almond milk, or any other preferred plant-based milk
Flour
Sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured surface lay out the puff pastry sheets, let them thaw out until they're soft, it may take 15 minutes if they came straight from the freezer. Cut each sheet into quarters, so you'll have eight squares as there are two pastry sheets.
You want to add about a heaping tablespoon of each the guava paste and cream cheese to the corner of each square of pastry dough. It's sort of hard to measure since it's difficult to mold as it is very sticky, but just eyeball it. The first time around (as pictured below) I didn't use enough guava or cream cheese. The second time around I cut about 1.5 inch long by .5 inch wide rectangles of guava and used a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese, which turned out perfect.
 |
Place pastries on a greased baking sheet and back for 27-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Allow to cool slightly before eating as the inside filling will be molten-lava hot.
*If you want to skip the vegan cream cheese just double up on the guava, I've made them with and without the cream cheese and they're both great.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Ranch Salad with Buffalo Tempeh
Vegan or not you can't deny the glory of wing sauce. That stuff is just spot on. So when I was browsing through the internet and found a buffalo tempeh recipe I had to give it a go. It came together quickly, which is always greatly appreciated, and the homemade ranch dressing was divine. I had some leftovers so I threw it in a wrap for lunch the next day, which is my preferred way to eat this as I am a wrap enthusiast.
Tempeh and buffalo sauce:
8 oz organic tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth (as the hot sauce tends to be pretty salty)
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot buffalo hot sauce (Frank's is the original ingredient in buffalo wing sauce)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Ranch dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Pinch of coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Extra chives for garnish
Tear the tempeh into large bite sized pieces.
In a large pot add some water and bring to a boil. Toss in the torn tempeh and boil for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the tempeh and saute in a pan with 1/2 the olive oil (2 teaspoons) for 7 minutes until slightly browned.
Once browned, push the tempeh to the side of the saute pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the center of the saute pan and toss in the garlic. Allow the garlic to sizzle in the oil for 15 seconds or so before mixing the tempeh and garlic together, sauteing for another minute.
Add the hot sauce, vegetable broth, and oregano to the pan with the tempeh and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five minutes, the sauce will reduce by half.
While the tempeh is simmering in the buffalo sauce whisk all the ranch ingredients together until well combined.
In a large bowl toss the salad ingredients with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Serve in individual bowls before topping it with the tempeh and some extra sauce from the pain. Serve with additional ranch dressing on the side.
*If you want to have a ranch salad with buffalo tempeh wrap just skip the bowl and roll into your preferred wrap, enjoy.
Recipe adapted from The PPK
Tempeh and buffalo sauce:
8 oz organic tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth (as the hot sauce tends to be pretty salty)
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot buffalo hot sauce (Frank's is the original ingredient in buffalo wing sauce)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Ranch dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Pinch of coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Extra chives for garnish
Tear the tempeh into large bite sized pieces.
In a large pot add some water and bring to a boil. Toss in the torn tempeh and boil for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the tempeh and saute in a pan with 1/2 the olive oil (2 teaspoons) for 7 minutes until slightly browned.
Once browned, push the tempeh to the side of the saute pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the center of the saute pan and toss in the garlic. Allow the garlic to sizzle in the oil for 15 seconds or so before mixing the tempeh and garlic together, sauteing for another minute.
Add the hot sauce, vegetable broth, and oregano to the pan with the tempeh and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five minutes, the sauce will reduce by half.
While the tempeh is simmering in the buffalo sauce whisk all the ranch ingredients together until well combined.
In a large bowl toss the salad ingredients with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Serve in individual bowls before topping it with the tempeh and some extra sauce from the pain. Serve with additional ranch dressing on the side.
*If you want to have a ranch salad with buffalo tempeh wrap just skip the bowl and roll into your preferred wrap, enjoy.
Recipe adapted from The PPK
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Gingery Coconut Stew with Brussels and Rutabaga
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 heaping tablespoons minced ginger, fresh is always better
3/4 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes- use turnips if rutabaga is unavailable
1 cup carrots, sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz can light coconut milk
1 15 oz can BPA-free chickpeas
Juice of one lime
Zest of 1/2 lime
Salt to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Jasmine rice, for serving
In a large stock pot over medium best sauté the onion in the oil, along with a pinch of coarse salt, until slightly browned. Push the onions to the edges of the pot, creating a well in the middle, and place the Brussels in the well. If you can get a nice sear on them that would be ideal. Stir the Brussels every now and then. Once they have a decent sear add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pot, sautéing for a minute until ingredients become fragrant.
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 heaping tablespoons minced ginger, fresh is always better
3/4 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes- use turnips if rutabaga is unavailable
1 cup carrots, sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz can light coconut milk
1 15 oz can BPA-free chickpeas
Juice of one lime
Zest of 1/2 lime
Salt to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Jasmine rice, for serving
In a large stock pot over medium best sauté the onion in the oil, along with a pinch of coarse salt, until slightly browned. Push the onions to the edges of the pot, creating a well in the middle, and place the Brussels in the well. If you can get a nice sear on them that would be ideal. Stir the Brussels every now and then. Once they have a decent sear add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pot, sautéing for a minute until ingredients become fragrant.
Add in the rutabaga, carrots,
and vegetable broth- cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
and add the chickpeas and lime zest. Cook with lid ajar until rutabaga
is tender, about five minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and taste for salt. Heat through and serve over rice with cilantro for garnish.
Recipe from Post Punk Kitchen
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and taste for salt. Heat through and serve over rice with cilantro for garnish.
Recipe from Post Punk Kitchen
Monday, May 12, 2014
Pesto Hummus
As often as time allows I try to make the drive up to Orlando to visit my childhood best friend, Danielle. Being up there with her is always a breath of fresh air. We usually spend my visits pondering our life journey over cups of loose tea from Dandelion Communitea Cafe, eating great food at Ethos Vegan Kitchen, thrifting and crystal shopping, and sometimes, if we have the energy, checking out the local counterculture night scene.
We try and wrap up my visits by spending Sunday morning at the farmers market by lake Eola. There is a vender there who sells the most delicious pesto hummus. For months now I've been saying I'm going to try to replicate his hummus and pass the recipe onto Dani so she can make it herself. I finally did it. I think mine may have come out a little more 'pesto-y' than the vendor's, but it's delicious. The other day I brought some to class and within minutes Erica popped over and said "I can't believe you brought the pesto hummus and didn't even tell me!" which at that point, her boyfriend Shaun came over, and before I knew it I was sharing my hummus with 5 different classmates.
1 1/4 cup packed spinach
1 can BPA-free chickpeas
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 purple garlic clove (regular garlic is fine too if you don't have purple garlic)
1/2 cup basil, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-3 tablespoons light olive oil, start with 1 and add more as necessary, it should be thick as this is hummus and not pesto sauce
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, this gives it more of the traditional 'pesto-y' flavor, but certainly isn't necessary)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve with pita chips, veggies, or use as a spread for a veggie wrap.
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| Sam, Danielle and Me. I've known these girls since I was one years old! |
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| Dani and I last December in Downtown Orlando |
 |
| Replicated version of the pesto hummus |
1 can BPA-free chickpeas
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 purple garlic clove (regular garlic is fine too if you don't have purple garlic)
1/2 cup basil, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-3 tablespoons light olive oil, start with 1 and add more as necessary, it should be thick as this is hummus and not pesto sauce
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, this gives it more of the traditional 'pesto-y' flavor, but certainly isn't necessary)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve with pita chips, veggies, or use as a spread for a veggie wrap.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mexican Themed Dinner Party Part 3/3: Baja Tempeh Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw
This is the last post in the three part series of the Mexican themed dinner party recipes (part 2 and 3 being the Gazpacho and Esquites Corn Salad). These tempeh tacos are phenomenal. Out of this world, seriously. They can (and should) be made in advance so all you have to do is set up the taco bar and let people assemble the tacos themselves when it's time to eat. The cilantro-lime crema was liquid gold, I used the leftovers for days. And the cabbage slaw was fresh, crisp, and had a hint of spice. Trust me on this, vegan or not, your guests will love these.
Tempeh/Marinad
I doubled this recipe to feed 8 people
8 oz package of organic tempeh
1 bottle beer, preferably an IPA
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons avocado or peanut oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
Cilantro-Lime Crema
I doubled this recipe and had a ton leftover, which was a blessing because I ended up putting this on everything and anything
1/4 cup plain unsweetened soy yogurt
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/3 cup cilantro, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cabbage Slaw
4 cups of coleslaw mix, found in the lettuce section, containing shredded cabbage and carrots
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pickled jalapenos, diced
Corn tortillas
Additional taco toppings, optional (I used fresh diced jalapenos, avocado, and thinly shaved radishes from the garden- get creative with this!)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tempeh into three equal strips, the long way. Now cut those strips in half, the long way. This gives you six long, thin, strips. Once the water is boiling place the tempeh in the water, reduce to a low heat, and simmer for ten minutes.
While the tempeh is simmering combine all the marinade ingredients in a large shallow glass dish, like a casserole dish. If you doubled this recipe you will need to set up two large casserole dishes, as one will not be big enough to marinate all the tempeh. Gently place the tempeh into the marinade (it's okay if some of the tempeh breaks apart, this stuff is fragile). It's better if the tempeh sits all day, this way it really soaks up the marinade. If not, an hour will do. Make sure to flip the tempeh halfway through the marinating time so both sides equally absorb the marinade.
In a glass bowl, toss together the cabbage slaw ingredients. Lay a piece of saran wrap loosely over the cabbage mix and place a weighted item over top of that (like a can of beans or a jar of pasta sauce). Let it sit at room temperature for an hour, or let sit in the refrigerator all day. Once again, the longer it sits, the better the flavors.
In a blender add all the ingredients for the Cilantro-Lime Crema, blend until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt, or a little extra lime or cilantro. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour to allow the flavors to combine. Once again, I made everything in the morning to simplify my life.
Rub a grill pan down with coconut oil, heat the grill pan over medium heat, then lay the marinated tempeh pieces onto the pan and allow them to cook 6 minutes a side, letting grill marks appear. If you don't have a grill pan you can use a regular pan and a bit more oil. Once all the tempeh is cooked, cut into smaller strips. If you're not eating the tacos right away, just stick the tempeh in the oven until heated through before serving.
When ready to eat, warm the corn tortillas and place them out along with the crema, cabbage slaw, and tempeh along with any other toppings you wish to include. Build your tacos and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The PPK
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Mexican Themed Dinner Party Part 2/3: Esquites Corn Salad
This is post 2 of 3 of the Mexican Themed Dinner Party recipes, post 1 being the Gazpacho. This Esquites corn salad is a play on Mexican street corn on the cob that is rubbed down with spice, mayo and lime. This recipe is great for many reasons, first and foremost because everyone loves it (a few people asked for this recipe before leaving!) and secondly because it can pretty much be done with your eyes closed- minus the sauteing part, that is.
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups fresh or frozen yellow corn, thawed if frozen (from about 6 ears)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons plant-based mayo
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
3 limes, juiced
Coarse salt, to taste
In a large pan over medium low heat add the oil, once hot, add the corn and saute for 15-20 minutes until some of the corn starts to become toasted and golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Allow to cool a bit before mixing in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let rest for at least 15 minutes, to allow flavors to marinate. Serve at room temperature.
In a large pan over medium low heat add the oil, once hot, add the corn and saute for 15-20 minutes until some of the corn starts to become toasted and golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Allow to cool a bit before mixing in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let rest for at least 15 minutes, to allow flavors to marinate. Serve at room temperature.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Mexican Themed Dinner Party Post 1/3: Gazpacho
My best friend from college, Indigo, came into town for a little vacation (click here if you want to view our vacation blog post). I haven't seen Indie since our New Years vaycay to Toronto and Buffalo.
Yes, technically it's only been three months, but that's three months
too long for us gals.
With that said, I planned a little dinner party for us with Erica, Erica's boyfriend Shaun, my family, and Marc. Because Indie and I go hard on Mexican food I decided Mexican would be the only appropriate theme. I made Gazpacho, an Esquites Corn Salad, and Baja Tempeh Tacos with a Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw. I split the recipes into three posts, so stay tuned for the Esquites Corn Salad and Baja Tempeh Tacos.
With that said, I planned a little dinner party for us with Erica, Erica's boyfriend Shaun, my family, and Marc. Because Indie and I go hard on Mexican food I decided Mexican would be the only appropriate theme. I made Gazpacho, an Esquites Corn Salad, and Baja Tempeh Tacos with a Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw. I split the recipes into three posts, so stay tuned for the Esquites Corn Salad and Baja Tempeh Tacos.
Gazpacho
2 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
½ red onion, roughly chopped
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup blanched almonds
1 slice of sandwhich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
Salt and black pepper
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
½ red onion, roughly chopped
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup blanched almonds
1 slice of sandwhich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
Salt and black pepper
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Add all ingredients into blender, you may have to do this in batches, and blend until completely smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator and chill for a minimum of one hour, this also gives time for flavors to come together. Garnish with avocado before serving. I forgot to take the picture after I garnished, but don't skip on the avocado, it's divine with the Gazpacho.
Recipe by L.V. Anderson
Add all ingredients into blender, you may have to do this in batches, and blend until completely smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator and chill for a minimum of one hour, this also gives time for flavors to come together. Garnish with avocado before serving. I forgot to take the picture after I garnished, but don't skip on the avocado, it's divine with the Gazpacho.
Recipe by L.V. Anderson
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Last week my boyfriend's best friend, Chris, got a job promotion. Every time I see Chris he asks me if I baked him anything. I
don't usually... but given the circumstances of a promotion I felt like
cookies were in order. I called Erica, my right hand lady when it comes
to baking, and asked her for a peanut butter cookie recipe. We decided
on a more 'classic' peanut butter cookie- rich, with a slight crunch around
the edges, and some chocolate chips thrown into the mix. I went over to
Erica's, peanut butter in hand, with every intention of making these
cookies. But within three seconds flat she had all the ingredients in a
bowl and I quickly knew my place in this kitchen, off to the side. I
did, however, slightly flatten each cookie before baking, which is a
crucial step in the cookie making process. No flattening=no cookies.
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup sugar
1 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agave
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + extra (Ghirardelli semi sweet chips are vegan but the bitter sweet are not)
Preheat your oven to 350 F
In a small bowl whisk together the flax, plant-based milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit for ten minutes so the mixture thickens and curdles a bit. This will act as the egg replacer.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate medium sized bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well incorporated.
In another bowl whisk together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil. Once well incorporated mix the flax meal contents into the bowl along with the vanilla and agave. Slowly add in the flour mixture, using clean hands mix to incorporate as the forming dough will become pretty thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray.
Form the dough into 1 inch balls that are slightly flattened, about 2 inches apart from one another. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops of each flattened cookie and bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
Makes between 2-3 dozen
Recipe adapted from Vegan Baking
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup sugar
1 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agave
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + extra (Ghirardelli semi sweet chips are vegan but the bitter sweet are not)
Preheat your oven to 350 F
In a small bowl whisk together the flax, plant-based milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit for ten minutes so the mixture thickens and curdles a bit. This will act as the egg replacer.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate medium sized bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well incorporated.
In another bowl whisk together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil. Once well incorporated mix the flax meal contents into the bowl along with the vanilla and agave. Slowly add in the flour mixture, using clean hands mix to incorporate as the forming dough will become pretty thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray.
Form the dough into 1 inch balls that are slightly flattened, about 2 inches apart from one another. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops of each flattened cookie and bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
Makes between 2-3 dozen
Recipe adapted from Vegan Baking
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto
Erica, Shaun, and I went to the farmers market the other day to check out some beautiful, fresh, local, organic produce. I stumbled upon these gorgeous red carrots that were shades of yellow and orange on the inside. They had these massive tops to them and I knew I had to figure out a way to cook them. Throwing away all that nutrition would be blasphemy. I asked the farmer who sold them to me what he did with them and he said he once made a pesto using the tops. It was like music to my ears. I would roast the carrots and top them with a carrot top pesto. It turned out absolutely amazing! Never again will I be throwing away carrot tops.
1 large bunch of carrots with tops
1-2 tablespoons of light olive oil, for roasting
1/4 cup basil
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup light olive oil, for pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Wash the carrots and remove the tops, making sure to save them. Cut the carrots into even segments. I left a little bit of the tops on the carrots to make the dish appear more rustic but the tops became brittle in the oven so I suggest just removing the tops completely.
Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with non stick cooking spray. Toss the carrots in the oil set aside for roasting and bake until fork tender, about 25 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the pesto. Add roughly 1 1/2 cups of reserved carrot tops to the food processor along with the basil, macadamia nuts, yeast, garlic- blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to blend until all the ingredients are well incorporated and somewhat sauce-like. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
Once the carrots are tender, arrange them on a dish and spoon the pesto over top. Serve warm.
1 large bunch of carrots with tops
1-2 tablespoons of light olive oil, for roasting
1/4 cup basil
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup light olive oil, for pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste
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| Erica and I at the market, it's amazing we didn't melt in the heat. |
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Wash the carrots and remove the tops, making sure to save them. Cut the carrots into even segments. I left a little bit of the tops on the carrots to make the dish appear more rustic but the tops became brittle in the oven so I suggest just removing the tops completely.
Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with non stick cooking spray. Toss the carrots in the oil set aside for roasting and bake until fork tender, about 25 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the pesto. Add roughly 1 1/2 cups of reserved carrot tops to the food processor along with the basil, macadamia nuts, yeast, garlic- blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to blend until all the ingredients are well incorporated and somewhat sauce-like. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
Once the carrots are tender, arrange them on a dish and spoon the pesto over top. Serve warm.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
I had two green peppers in the fridge, a box of mushrooms, and not much else. This was very a much a 'throw-something-together-and-lets-hope-it-works' meal. I made it for my family quickly and ran out of the door as I had plans for the night. Several hours later I received a text from my mom saying 'dinner was awesome!'. I was elated since I always struggled with turning bell peppers into an enjoyable meal. Not only is it up to par in the taste category but it is insanely easy to throw together too.
2 green bell peppers
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 box white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons braggs liquid aminos/soy sauce/ tamari
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup steamed broccoli (you can sub this for any other leftover veggie you have in your fridge)
1/4 cup diaya cheese + extra
Small bundle of scallions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Halve the bell peppers, removing the seeds. Place in a small casserole dish that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
Rinse quinoa until water runs clear, then add it to a pot along with the broth and bring it to a boil. Cover and reduce head to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking quarter the mushrooms. Saute them in a pan with a little olive oil until they let out all their liquids and start to shrink down in size. Add in the liquid aminos and steak seasoning, continue to saute until tender. Remove from heat and place the mushrooms in a large bowl.
Cut the steamed broccoli into bite sized pieces and add them to the bowl with the mushrooms.
Dice the scallions and saute for 2 minutes, then add to the bowl with the mushrooms and broccoli. Toss in the diaya cheddar and the quinoa once it is done cooking. Stir the contents of the bowl until fully incorporated, then spoon into the bell pepper halves.
Bake for 55 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle a little more diaya cheddar over top and broil for 1-2 minutes before serving.
2 green bell peppers
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 box white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons braggs liquid aminos/soy sauce/ tamari
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup steamed broccoli (you can sub this for any other leftover veggie you have in your fridge)
1/4 cup diaya cheese + extra
Small bundle of scallions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Halve the bell peppers, removing the seeds. Place in a small casserole dish that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
Rinse quinoa until water runs clear, then add it to a pot along with the broth and bring it to a boil. Cover and reduce head to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking quarter the mushrooms. Saute them in a pan with a little olive oil until they let out all their liquids and start to shrink down in size. Add in the liquid aminos and steak seasoning, continue to saute until tender. Remove from heat and place the mushrooms in a large bowl.
Cut the steamed broccoli into bite sized pieces and add them to the bowl with the mushrooms.
Dice the scallions and saute for 2 minutes, then add to the bowl with the mushrooms and broccoli. Toss in the diaya cheddar and the quinoa once it is done cooking. Stir the contents of the bowl until fully incorporated, then spoon into the bell pepper halves.
Bake for 55 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle a little more diaya cheddar over top and broil for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Vegetable Lasagna with Lemon Basil Cashew Cheese
Over the past year I've made this a few times for my family since it's easy to throw together, makes a ton of food, and everyone always enjoys it. Not long ago I passed the recipe onto a friend who also had huge success with this lasagna. I finally decided to post it after giving a slice to another one of my good friends, Diego, and received nothing but rave reviews in return.
Lasagna:
1 box of bake-ready lasagna sheets
1 large jar of tomato basil sauce
Olive oil or coconut oil
2 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 large spring onion, bulb and greens (or a regular onion if you don't have a spring onion)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup frozen spinach (or fresh, I happened to have frozen on hand)
Lemon Basil Cashew Cheese:
1 cup raw cashews
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water, or more as needed
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the zucchini and the yellow squash into thin half moons. Saute in a pan with some olive oil or coconut oil until tender. Set aside in a bowl.
Saute the onion and garlic in some olive oil or coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, until almost translucent and fragrant. Set aside in a seperate bowl from the sqaush.
Saute the spinach until all the water has cooked out, add it to the same bowl as the onion and garlic and stir until the three ingredients are well incorporated.
In a food processor add the ingredients for the cheese and pulse until smooth.
Prepare a casserole dish by spreading 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish, adding your layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon over some squash and sauce, followed by a layer of noodles. Next layer on the cheese and onion-spinach mixture, followed by noodles. Repeat until you're out of ingredients. Top the last layer of noodles with sauce.
Bake for 45 minutes with a cover or tin foil, then remove foil and broil for 2-3 minutes if you like the top noodles a little crunchy. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. And if you're into nutritional yeast as much as I am you can dust each piece with a little bit of it.
Lasagna:
1 box of bake-ready lasagna sheets
1 large jar of tomato basil sauce
Olive oil or coconut oil
2 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 large spring onion, bulb and greens (or a regular onion if you don't have a spring onion)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup frozen spinach (or fresh, I happened to have frozen on hand)
Lemon Basil Cashew Cheese:
1 cup raw cashews
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water, or more as needed
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the zucchini and the yellow squash into thin half moons. Saute in a pan with some olive oil or coconut oil until tender. Set aside in a bowl.
Saute the onion and garlic in some olive oil or coconut oil for 2-3 minutes, until almost translucent and fragrant. Set aside in a seperate bowl from the sqaush.
Saute the spinach until all the water has cooked out, add it to the same bowl as the onion and garlic and stir until the three ingredients are well incorporated.
In a food processor add the ingredients for the cheese and pulse until smooth.
Prepare a casserole dish by spreading 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish, adding your layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon over some squash and sauce, followed by a layer of noodles. Next layer on the cheese and onion-spinach mixture, followed by noodles. Repeat until you're out of ingredients. Top the last layer of noodles with sauce.
Bake for 45 minutes with a cover or tin foil, then remove foil and broil for 2-3 minutes if you like the top noodles a little crunchy. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. And if you're into nutritional yeast as much as I am you can dust each piece with a little bit of it.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Chikun Bruschetta Sandwich (Replicated from Ethos Vegan Kitchen)
I spent the better part of April in Georgia attending a Vipassana meditation course which explains my absence from this blog. I've honestly been absent in all aspects of my life, as the course did not allow for any technology, cell phones, or human contact. To put it simply, I've been off the grid. But now that I'm back I've been dying to blog.
On the way home from Georgia I stopped in Orlando to visit my childhood best friend, Danielle. We went to Ethos Vegan Kitchen to catch up a bit. If you've never been to Ethos, plan a trip. That restaurant alone is worth the drive. It is by far my favorite vegan restaurant. It tops Sublime and Darbster by a long shot. Dani and I split the Chikun Brushetta Sandwich to start off with, something I wouldn't normally order but trusted Danielle's judgement. Holy Shit. That sandwich. Extraordianry. I came home and immediately replicated it. It was super easy to recreate and was a huge hit with my family- who are, in case you were wondering, still alive. I thought for sure they would have starved to death in my abscense, but somehow managed to live. Next time they complain that me leaving them will result in their starvation I'll keep this in mind.
4 pieces of thick sliced bread
2 Gardein Chick'n Scallopini (found at Whole Foods in the freezer section)
Follow Your Heart Mozzarella cheese alternative block (found in the cheese section at Whole Foods)
Lettuce, just a few pieces
1 extra large tomato
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade (cut into little ribbons)
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar (the longer it is aged the sweeter it is)
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Dice the tomato into little cubes and place in a bowl along with the minced garlic, chiffonade basil, vinegar, and olive oil. Place in fridge and allow for flavors to marinate. Take 1/3 of the block of Mozzarella and dice the cheese into 1/2 inch cubes, set aside.
Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the bread and toast until crispy. Prepare the Gardein Chick'n according to package instructions.
Assemble: Lay down a couple pieces of lettuce over the bread, then top with bruschetta and cubes of Mozzarella cheese. Drizzle a little bit of the bruschetta sauce over top. Place a piece of Chick'n over top and finish it with another piece of bread. Serve warm.
*I made two sandwiches and cut them in half to serve four.
*I layered my bruschetta and cheese last, which made it harder to eat. I recommend layering them first, then adding the chicken to the top before finishing it off with a slice of bread.
On the way home from Georgia I stopped in Orlando to visit my childhood best friend, Danielle. We went to Ethos Vegan Kitchen to catch up a bit. If you've never been to Ethos, plan a trip. That restaurant alone is worth the drive. It is by far my favorite vegan restaurant. It tops Sublime and Darbster by a long shot. Dani and I split the Chikun Brushetta Sandwich to start off with, something I wouldn't normally order but trusted Danielle's judgement. Holy Shit. That sandwich. Extraordianry. I came home and immediately replicated it. It was super easy to recreate and was a huge hit with my family- who are, in case you were wondering, still alive. I thought for sure they would have starved to death in my abscense, but somehow managed to live. Next time they complain that me leaving them will result in their starvation I'll keep this in mind.
 | |||
| Chickun Bruschetta Sandwich from Ethos |
 |
| Recreated version which honestly tasted spot on! |
4 pieces of thick sliced bread
2 Gardein Chick'n Scallopini (found at Whole Foods in the freezer section)
Follow Your Heart Mozzarella cheese alternative block (found in the cheese section at Whole Foods)
Lettuce, just a few pieces
1 extra large tomato
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade (cut into little ribbons)
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar (the longer it is aged the sweeter it is)
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Dice the tomato into little cubes and place in a bowl along with the minced garlic, chiffonade basil, vinegar, and olive oil. Place in fridge and allow for flavors to marinate. Take 1/3 of the block of Mozzarella and dice the cheese into 1/2 inch cubes, set aside.
Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the bread and toast until crispy. Prepare the Gardein Chick'n according to package instructions.
Assemble: Lay down a couple pieces of lettuce over the bread, then top with bruschetta and cubes of Mozzarella cheese. Drizzle a little bit of the bruschetta sauce over top. Place a piece of Chick'n over top and finish it with another piece of bread. Serve warm.
*I made two sandwiches and cut them in half to serve four.
*I layered my bruschetta and cheese last, which made it harder to eat. I recommend layering them first, then adding the chicken to the top before finishing it off with a slice of bread.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Maple Spiced Roasted Carrots
A friend of mine always brings cinnamon roasted carrots to class and they're always so delish. I added my own spin to these with a little ginger and maple. This dish takes just a couple minutes to throw together and is always well enjoyed.
1 bunch of carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray. Melt the coconut oil if it's not already liquid (in South Florida, it's usually always liquid at room temp). In a bowl toss the carrots in the spices, coconut oil, and maple. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the carrots are fork tender, roughly 20 minutes.
Recipe inspired by Olivia Gold
1 bunch of carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray. Melt the coconut oil if it's not already liquid (in South Florida, it's usually always liquid at room temp). In a bowl toss the carrots in the spices, coconut oil, and maple. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the carrots are fork tender, roughly 20 minutes.
Recipe inspired by Olivia Gold
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
White Bean Curry with Collards and Sweet Potatoes
This is dish warming, hearty, easy to throw together and delicious. It has the perfect combination of protein, greens, starch, and is topped with a fresh avocado mango salsa. I packed away this little container for my friend, Erica, who gobbled it up and then harassed me via text message for more. By her reaction it's safe to say this dish was a hit.
You can serve it over rice or just eat this in a bowl with a spoon. Before serving top with some mango avocado salsa.
Recipe adapted from The Post Punk Kitchen
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon agave
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 pound collard greens, deribbed, leaves chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1 15 oz BPA free can of white beans (I used northern beans, but whatever you prefer will work)
For the Mango Avocado Salsa:
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 ripe mango, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional:
Basmati rice, to serve curry over
In a large stock pot over medium heat saute the onion and jalapeno in coconut oil for 5 minutes, until the onion is slightly browned. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute another 30 seconds. Add in the curry, garam masala, salt, vegetable broth, agave, tomato paste, and stir to combine. Add in the potatoes, cover pot and bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and leave the lid ajar. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 4-5 minutes.
In the meantime, toss the avocado, mango, and lime juice in a small bowl, set aside.
Once potatoes are fork tender add the collards, beans, and coconut milk. Stir to incorporate, the greens will shrink down quite a bit so don't worry if they don't all fit at once. Leave lid ajar again and bring back to a simmer. Let simmer just until collards are tender, it should only take a few minutes.
2 jalapenos, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon agave
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 pound collard greens, deribbed, leaves chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1 15 oz BPA free can of white beans (I used northern beans, but whatever you prefer will work)
For the Mango Avocado Salsa:
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 ripe mango, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional:
Basmati rice, to serve curry over
In a large stock pot over medium heat saute the onion and jalapeno in coconut oil for 5 minutes, until the onion is slightly browned. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute another 30 seconds. Add in the curry, garam masala, salt, vegetable broth, agave, tomato paste, and stir to combine. Add in the potatoes, cover pot and bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and leave the lid ajar. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 4-5 minutes.
In the meantime, toss the avocado, mango, and lime juice in a small bowl, set aside.
Once potatoes are fork tender add the collards, beans, and coconut milk. Stir to incorporate, the greens will shrink down quite a bit so don't worry if they don't all fit at once. Leave lid ajar again and bring back to a simmer. Let simmer just until collards are tender, it should only take a few minutes.
You can serve it over rice or just eat this in a bowl with a spoon. Before serving top with some mango avocado salsa.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Avocado Pesto
Ok, if you're anything like me that title may put you off a bit. Avocados in pesto? Sounds strange. I only decided to make this because I had two very ripe avocados on the counter and no dinner plans. This pesto is AMAZEBALLS. Yeah, I went there. It's insane. I made it twice in a row, partly because I have an unhealthy love affair with pasta, but mainly because it was that damn good.
1 pound linguine pasta, GF if necessary, I love brown rice pasta so that's always a great option
1 large bunch of fresh basil, I probably used 1 1/2 to 2 cups lightly packed basil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 avocados, pitted and scooped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup light olive oil (I think the virgin olive oil is too thick/strong for pesto, but whatever you like will work)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, optional
Cook the pasta according to instructions.
In a food processor add all ingredients except the sun-dried tomatoes, blend until creamy.
Toss warm pasta in pesto sauce, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, and mix until well incorporated. Serve warm.
Makes 4-6 portions
Recipe adapted from Chef Chloe
1 pound linguine pasta, GF if necessary, I love brown rice pasta so that's always a great option
1 large bunch of fresh basil, I probably used 1 1/2 to 2 cups lightly packed basil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 avocados, pitted and scooped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup light olive oil (I think the virgin olive oil is too thick/strong for pesto, but whatever you like will work)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, optional
Cook the pasta according to instructions.
In a food processor add all ingredients except the sun-dried tomatoes, blend until creamy.
Toss warm pasta in pesto sauce, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, and mix until well incorporated. Serve warm.
Makes 4-6 portions
Recipe adapted from Chef Chloe
Friday, March 28, 2014
Baked Falafel Wraps
As most of you know the deal in my house goes like this: I can live at home rent free (as a budgeted graduate student this deal can not get any better) as long as I make dinner five nights a week. I really struck gold on this deal; my family keeps a vegan diet in the house (hooray for health!) and I'm able to expand my recipe index one dinner at a time. Well, I've been slacking hardcore lately. I missed two dinners last week, because some extremely important opportunities, or what not, came up. And by opportunities I mean, a cookout with my childhood best friend's family and a Girls season finale night- in which I needed to be away the whole night to both mentally prepare for this finale, and then stay up talking about it after with my girlfriends. I'm a busy gal, what can I say. Anyways, I got the guilt trip from my mom not long after my missed dinners: "I don't care so much about the dinners, but I miss spending time with you". Dagger to the heart. My Mama Bear misses me. So I buckled down and decided to make her a dinner she would love, and I'm pretty sure I succeeded- this dinner was spot on.
Falafel
1 15oz BPA-free can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Falafel
1 15oz BPA-free can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and parsley mix (or either or, depending on your taste)
1/4 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons chickpea flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Toppings:
*If you're gluten-free, use a GF wrap or omit the wrap and serve over a salad instead
Tortillas (I used habenero lime soft tortillas from Trader Joes, which were to die for)
Arugula, or other preferred lettuce
Tomato, sliced
Cilantro/Parsley for garnish, optional
Tahini sauce
2 heaping tablespoons tahini paste
2 tablespoons vegan mayo
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons Franks hot sauce, optional
1-2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried dill
Water, to thin, as needed
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine all falafel ingredients in a food processor until it forms a 'dough ball'. Using a small scoop, make small rounded balls, flatten slightly, and place on a prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
While your falafel are baking, make the tahini sauce. In the food processor combine all ingredients until smooth. Add a little water to thin it if necessary. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Place in fridge to allow flavors to marinate.
Heat the tortillas in the oven for a minute before assembling. Lay each tortilla on a plate, sprinkle with a bed of arugula, tomato slices, and two or three falafel patties. Drizzle with the tahini sauce garnish with the cilantro and parsley before serving.
Makes 10-12 mini falafel patties
*I recommend doubling the tahini sauce recipe since it was such a big hit with the falafel.
Recipe adapted from One Green Planet
Tahini sauce
2 heaping tablespoons tahini paste
2 tablespoons vegan mayo
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons Franks hot sauce, optional
1-2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried dill
Water, to thin, as needed
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine all falafel ingredients in a food processor until it forms a 'dough ball'. Using a small scoop, make small rounded balls, flatten slightly, and place on a prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
While your falafel are baking, make the tahini sauce. In the food processor combine all ingredients until smooth. Add a little water to thin it if necessary. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Place in fridge to allow flavors to marinate.
Heat the tortillas in the oven for a minute before assembling. Lay each tortilla on a plate, sprinkle with a bed of arugula, tomato slices, and two or three falafel patties. Drizzle with the tahini sauce garnish with the cilantro and parsley before serving.
Makes 10-12 mini falafel patties
*I recommend doubling the tahini sauce recipe since it was such a big hit with the falafel.
Recipe adapted from One Green Planet
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Quick Lentil Bowl
This is one of my pocket recipes that I always default to when I'm not in the mood to cook. It's hearty, yummy, and easy. Also, it's a very forgiving recipe so you can really make it your own.
1 bundle swiss chard (or other leafy green)
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
Splash of white wine
1 can lentils, rinsed and drained
Bed of baby greens or quinoa to serve it over (I prefer the greens, but the quinoa is great too if you're a fan of it)
A dollop of vegan horseradish sauce made by Follow Your Heart (found at Whole Foods), you can sub it with some some plant based sour cream or unsweetened coconut yogurt for that tang element.
Chop your greens into bite size pieces. In a saute pan over medium heat toss in the greens and cook until wilted, about a minute, then add in your minced garlic cloves and saute for another two minutes. Toss in your tomatoes and a large splash of wine and cook for another three minutes, until the tomatoes have softened. Add in you lentils and saute for one more minute. Spoon mixture over a bed of baby greens or a bed of quinoa.
Makes 2 large portions.
1 bundle swiss chard (or other leafy green)
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
Splash of white wine
1 can lentils, rinsed and drained
Bed of baby greens or quinoa to serve it over (I prefer the greens, but the quinoa is great too if you're a fan of it)
A dollop of vegan horseradish sauce made by Follow Your Heart (found at Whole Foods), you can sub it with some some plant based sour cream or unsweetened coconut yogurt for that tang element.
Chop your greens into bite size pieces. In a saute pan over medium heat toss in the greens and cook until wilted, about a minute, then add in your minced garlic cloves and saute for another two minutes. Toss in your tomatoes and a large splash of wine and cook for another three minutes, until the tomatoes have softened. Add in you lentils and saute for one more minute. Spoon mixture over a bed of baby greens or a bed of quinoa.
Makes 2 large portions.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Perfect Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
| |
 |
| You divine do these look? |
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil, heated to a liquid state (just a couple seconds in the microwave or on the stove top will do the trick)
1/3 cup water
1 to 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 cup non dairy dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
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| Mmmmm.... pancakes. |
In a large bowl sift together the first four ingredients. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add in the remaining ingredients, except the optional chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix until ingredients are combined, a few lumps here and there are fine. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. In a non stick pan over medium-low heat add a tiny bit of coconut oil before spooning the batter into the pan. Flip the pancake when bubbles start forming all over. Repeat until you're out of batter. Serve warm and enjoy, preferably with great company!
Recipe adapted from Isa Chandra
Pancake batter prepared by my super amazing friend Erica
Pancakes cooked by the best pancake flipper in town: Shaun
Lentil Mushroom Burger
Sadly my picture for these didn't turn out so well, but the burgers themselves were awesome and easy to make, which is always the most important thing... isn't it?
2 teaspoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons warm water
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cups cooked lentils, drained
1/3 cup old fashioned oats (certified GF if necessary)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce or GF tarmari works too)
1 tablespoon tamato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried orgeano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt, to taste
Generous amount of fresh black pepper
Mix the chia seeds and warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the onion finely. Place the mushrooms into the food processor and pulse until they are finely minced. Mince the garlic.
Add the onions to pan with some olive oil over medium heat and saute until they start to brown. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, cover and cook until the mushrooms soften, about three minutes.
Once the mushrooms have softened add the mixture from the pan into the food processor along with the lentils, chia seed mixture, and remaining ingredients- pulse to combine. The mixture should be sticky, not crumbly. If it seems too wet, add a little more oats.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and let rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray. Shape the burgers into patties, about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 25-30 minutes, they should be firm in the middle but not burning.
Serve on a bun with some yummy toppings like sprouts, tomato, ketchup, mustard, etc.
Recipe by Fat Free Vegan
2 teaspoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons warm water
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cups cooked lentils, drained
1/3 cup old fashioned oats (certified GF if necessary)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce or GF tarmari works too)
1 tablespoon tamato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried orgeano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt, to taste
Generous amount of fresh black pepper
Mix the chia seeds and warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the onion finely. Place the mushrooms into the food processor and pulse until they are finely minced. Mince the garlic.
Add the onions to pan with some olive oil over medium heat and saute until they start to brown. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, cover and cook until the mushrooms soften, about three minutes.
Once the mushrooms have softened add the mixture from the pan into the food processor along with the lentils, chia seed mixture, and remaining ingredients- pulse to combine. The mixture should be sticky, not crumbly. If it seems too wet, add a little more oats.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and let rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray. Shape the burgers into patties, about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 25-30 minutes, they should be firm in the middle but not burning.
Serve on a bun with some yummy toppings like sprouts, tomato, ketchup, mustard, etc.
Recipe by Fat Free Vegan
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Baked Zucchini Fries
I've developed a dislike for zucchini which may have stemmed from eating it so often. Sadly, it manages to end up in our weekly organic food co-op box every week without fail. But I'm determined to eat local and seasonal, therefore I accept the zucchini with as much grace as I can muster and try to get creative with the cooking. Everyone loved these little fries, so until next week, the zucchini challenge has been conquered.
2 large zucchini
1 cup plant based milk
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup all purpose flour or gluten free flour
3/4+ cup regular or gluten free bread crumbs (Italian, plain, or panko will work)
Spices of your choice (I used roughly 1/4 teaspoon of each of the following spices: onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper)
Plant based ranch dressing (found at Whole Foods made by Follow Your Heart)
Preheat oven to 400°F on the convection setting.
Cut the zucchini into even strips, set aside. Have three small bowls prepared, one with the flour, the other with the plant based milk and Dijon mustard whisked together, and lastly the one with the bread crumbs and spices. Dredge your zucchini into the flour, then in the milk mixture, then lastly into the bread crumbs. I used a fork to avoid the 'club fingers' that tend to happen when battering anything.
Place battered zucchini on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with the ranch dressing for dipping.
2 large zucchini
1 cup plant based milk
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup all purpose flour or gluten free flour
3/4+ cup regular or gluten free bread crumbs (Italian, plain, or panko will work)
Spices of your choice (I used roughly 1/4 teaspoon of each of the following spices: onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper)
Plant based ranch dressing (found at Whole Foods made by Follow Your Heart)
Preheat oven to 400°F on the convection setting.
Cut the zucchini into even strips, set aside. Have three small bowls prepared, one with the flour, the other with the plant based milk and Dijon mustard whisked together, and lastly the one with the bread crumbs and spices. Dredge your zucchini into the flour, then in the milk mixture, then lastly into the bread crumbs. I used a fork to avoid the 'club fingers' that tend to happen when battering anything.
Place battered zucchini on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with the ranch dressing for dipping.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Creamy Coconut and Roasted Tomato Soup
Roasting Vegetables:
4 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion
3 garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Soup:
1 can light coconut milk
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons garam masala spice (add gradually, to taste)
Baguette (or appropriate GF substitute)
Preheat the oven 400°F on a convection setting.
Wash the tomatoes and slice them lengthwise, place them on a large baking sheet that has been greased with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in oven for about 40-60 minutes. You want them to look wrinkly with most of the water evaporated out.
Find a medium sized casserole dish that has a lid and spray with non stick cooking spray. Cut the onion into wedges and add to the casserole dish. Cut the bottom off the bulbs of garlic to expose the inner garlic cloves, add the bulbs to the same dish as the onions. Drizzle with a little olive oil, pop the lid on the casserole dish, and bake until the onions start to turn golden and the garlic is caramelized, roughly 40 minutes.
Now that the vegetables have finished roasting the tomatoes should have shrunk down to about 3 cups. In a large stock pot add the roasted tomatoes and the roasted onions. Once the garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of two of the bulbs and into the stock pot. Add in the coconut milk, tomato paste, broth, and spices- bring to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, slice the baguette lengthwise and then into 3-inch pieces, drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Squeeze the cloves of garlic out of the remaining bulb and spread it evenly over the baguette pieces. Bake in oven for five minutes, and then broil for another 2.
Carefully transfer soup to blender and pulse for a few seconds, leaving a few chunks here and there. Serve with a piece of garlic baguette.
Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Mushroom Stout Pie with Potato Biscuits
I'm just going to go flat out and say it, although I adore everything the queen of vegan cooking, Isa Chandra, stands for, I don't always adore her recipes. I find them to be very hit or miss. But she is pioneering her way into bookstores with her top selling cook books like Vegan with a Vengeance, Veganomicon, and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World- just to name a few. I've been wanting to make this recipe of hers for a while, and a year later- phew- I did it! Honestly, this isn't hard to make, but the thought of schlepping to Total Wine to find a non-Guinness stout was enough to keep me away. I'll totally be making this one again, it is the perfect dish for cold winter weather (not that I can expect much of that down South).
For the stew:
1 oz dried porcini or mix blend mushrooms
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
5 carrots (about 1/2 pound), peeled, sliced into thin half moons
1 1/4 cups stout beer (Caution: many stouts are not vegan friendly, like Guinness, click here for a list of stouts and their vegan friendly status)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 15 oz BPA-free cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
For the biscuits:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (refer to bottom for instructions on what to do if you don't have leftover mashed potatoes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cold water
Make the stew:
Tear the dried mushrooms into bite sized pieces if they aren't already that size. Stick the mushrooms in a large bowl. Boil the vegetable broth, then pour the hot broth over the dried mushrooms and cover with a plate or lid to keep it hot. This step is crucial for re-hydrating the mushrooms. Meanwhile, prep (all the dicing and mincing and such) everything you need for the recipe.
In a stock pot saute the onions in some oil over medium heat until translucent, 4-7 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add in the sliced fresh mushrooms, celery, thyme, rosmary, and saute for 5 more minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquids and they start to brown a little. Add in the carrots, stout, tomato paste, black pepper, and salt- boil for three minutes. Add in the dried mushrooms along with the broth they've been re-hydrating in. Cover and bring to a full boil for about five minutes, this will finish cooking the dried mushrooms. Careful not to burn the bottom of the stew, stir on occasion.
Now that the dried mushrooms are soft, in a measuring cup combine the flour with one cup of cold water and whisk with a fork until it is clump-free. Turn the heat down to medium and slowly add in water/flour mixture into the pot, mixing as your pour it in. Allow to thicken for five minutes before adding the kidney beans and removing from heat.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the biscuits:
In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed potatoes, olive oil and water. It should be very liquidy and mushy. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the potato mixture. Mix with a fork until a stiff dough starts to form, then turn the dough on to a cleaned counter and knead a few times to smooth out. I flattened my dough out to about 3/4 of an inch thick, next time I would make it thicker (maybe to 1.5 inches) since it didn't rise as much as I expected it to. Cut the dough into pieces, mine are sloppy, large, and awkwardly shaped, you can probably do a better job than I did...
Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour the prepared stew into the casserole dish and line the top with the biscuits you just made. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top, let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
*If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes: don't panic! Isa says: "to make about the cup called for here, microwave a russet potato, and mash with 1/4 cup unsweetened vegan milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let cool, then measure and use!"
For the stew:
1 oz dried porcini or mix blend mushrooms
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
5 carrots (about 1/2 pound), peeled, sliced into thin half moons
1 1/4 cups stout beer (Caution: many stouts are not vegan friendly, like Guinness, click here for a list of stouts and their vegan friendly status)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 15 oz BPA-free cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
For the biscuits:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (refer to bottom for instructions on what to do if you don't have leftover mashed potatoes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cold water
Make the stew:
Tear the dried mushrooms into bite sized pieces if they aren't already that size. Stick the mushrooms in a large bowl. Boil the vegetable broth, then pour the hot broth over the dried mushrooms and cover with a plate or lid to keep it hot. This step is crucial for re-hydrating the mushrooms. Meanwhile, prep (all the dicing and mincing and such) everything you need for the recipe.
In a stock pot saute the onions in some oil over medium heat until translucent, 4-7 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add in the sliced fresh mushrooms, celery, thyme, rosmary, and saute for 5 more minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquids and they start to brown a little. Add in the carrots, stout, tomato paste, black pepper, and salt- boil for three minutes. Add in the dried mushrooms along with the broth they've been re-hydrating in. Cover and bring to a full boil for about five minutes, this will finish cooking the dried mushrooms. Careful not to burn the bottom of the stew, stir on occasion.
Now that the dried mushrooms are soft, in a measuring cup combine the flour with one cup of cold water and whisk with a fork until it is clump-free. Turn the heat down to medium and slowly add in water/flour mixture into the pot, mixing as your pour it in. Allow to thicken for five minutes before adding the kidney beans and removing from heat.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the biscuits:
In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed potatoes, olive oil and water. It should be very liquidy and mushy. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the potato mixture. Mix with a fork until a stiff dough starts to form, then turn the dough on to a cleaned counter and knead a few times to smooth out. I flattened my dough out to about 3/4 of an inch thick, next time I would make it thicker (maybe to 1.5 inches) since it didn't rise as much as I expected it to. Cut the dough into pieces, mine are sloppy, large, and awkwardly shaped, you can probably do a better job than I did...
Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour the prepared stew into the casserole dish and line the top with the biscuits you just made. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top, let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
*If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes: don't panic! Isa says: "to make about the cup called for here, microwave a russet potato, and mash with 1/4 cup unsweetened vegan milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let cool, then measure and use!"
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