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

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

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

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.

Perfect Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Picture Update from 07.10.14.

You know you've hit the Friend-Jackpot when you get not one, but two, text messages on a Sunday morning saying 'Hungry? Pancakes!' and 'Pancakes!? Wake up!!'.  Yes, you're allowed to be jealous. I pulled myself out of bed, drove the 5 minutes to one of my closest girlfriends house and was fed the best pancakes on this planet.

You divine do these look?

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
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

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

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.

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

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!"