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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

 

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.

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

Rainbow Vegetable Soup

Sometimes you're just sick of the kale salad, and the roasted carrots, and the sauteed zucchini and you just really want a perfect vegetable soup, you know? That was me the other day. I wanted a soup that would warm me but not leave me heavy, one that not only had flavor but also different textures. This soup turned out perfect and will be on my soup rotation from now on.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
5 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds (1/3 of an inch thick roughly)
1 medium to large zucchini, washed and cut into half moons (1/3 of an inch thick roughly)
1 tablespoon herbs de providence
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 can lentils (BPA-free)
3 tomatoes, diced
2 cups water
3 cups dark vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 large bunches of kale (I used one red one green bunch)


In a large stock pot over medium heat add the oil, once hot toss in the onions, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the onions become translucent. Toss in your carrots, zucchini, herbs de provence and tarragon and continue to saute for another 3-5 minutes. Next add in your drained and rinsed lentils, tomatoes, water, vegetable broth, mustard, Braggs, and vinegar. Stir to combine, pop a lid on the stock pot and bring to a low boil, then reduce down to a simmer. In the meantime, wash your kale, de-rib it, and rip the kale into bite sized pieces. Add the kale to the simmering soup (I know it looks like a lot but it shrinks down, honestly), stick the lid back on and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes, the kale should have shrunk down by now. Let the soup rest over no heat for an hour (this allows the flavors to marinate) before reheating and serving.

Original recipe collaboration between me and Erica Sanes

Shaved Brussels Salad Dusted with Black Sesame Salt

The Brussels Sprout has such a bad rep, they're really the underdog of all veggies. They sadly lay idle in the supermarket next to the bitter melon (okay, okay, that reference may be slightly exaggerated, no one likes a bitter melon, Brussels on the other hand are love-hate). Regardless, when I moved back from San Francisco I made my mom some crispy roasted maple balsamic Brussels and she forever has loved them. My dad and brother however were never enthusiastic about them, until now. Behold the raw shaved Brussels salad, who would've thought?

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, if you can find them shredded that will save you some work
1/4 cup lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (none of that thick sticky diner stuff)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, toasted over dry heat
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Bacon Bits (yeah, most bacon bits are vegan surprisingly! Double check the ingredients, but Betty Crocker brand is. If you're GF omit or use 1/2 cup homemade coconut bacon) 
3 tablespoons black tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon good quality salt


Using a knife carefully shred your bag of Brussels and place the shreds in a large bowl, this can be tedious so plug in your favorite playlist and totally make this a jam sesh. At least that's what I did.

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, and olive oil. Pour your dressing over the shredded Brussels and toss well to coat.

In a pan over medium heat add the sunflower seeds (no oil or non stick spray), and toast for a few minutes. Keep an eye on these to make sure they're not burning underneath. Add the toasted seeds, cranberries, and bacon bits into the salad and toss.

Using a mortal and pester, or a small bowl and a wooden spoon, add in the sesame and salt and grind together. Grinding these two together always give them a deep flavor profile. Dust the salad with the salt and sesame mixture and serve.

Yard House Mac and Cheese: Vegan Style

I've never been to Yard House but apparently their Mac and Cheese is on point. My friend Anna veganized their recipe and passed it on to me. It is so damn good. Seriously. Delicious. My brother insists I make it as a side dish for Thanksgiving, and although that won't be happening I will be making this again as a quick and easy dinner.

1 lb elbow/shell pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour (or chickpea flour if you're GF)
3 cups plant-based milk (I used the carton coconut milk because I had it on hand, but almond or soy would work as well)
8 ounces Pepper Jack Daiya wedge or shreds
8 ounces Cheddar Daiya wedge or shreds
1 cup bread (preferably day old sourdough/bakery breads)
2 boxes Crimini mushrooms
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Optional: Bacon Bits (yes, they're vegan! Crazy, huh?)
Optional: Truffle Oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the pasta until slightly under done, then drain and set aside.

Cut the cheeze wedges into little cubes, set aside. Take the bread and place it in a food processor and blend until crumbly, set aside.

In a large sauce pain melt the butter over medium heat, once melted whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil and remove from heat- add the cheddar and jack handfuls at a time along with salt, cayenne, and black pepper to taste. Once all the cheese is melted pour the pasta into the sauce. It's going to look like an absurd amount of sauce, but it works out perfectly, have some faith.

Lightly spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray, pour the cheesy pasta and all of the sauce into the casserole dish. Toss your bread crumbles with the garlic powder and layer it on top of the pasta and bake for 20 minutes.

While your pasta is baking, quarter the mushrooms and saute them for just a couple minutes, so they still have a nice bite to them but have lost much of their water weight. When the pasta comes out of the oven serve it with a scoop of the mushrooms, optional bacon bits, and a drizzle of truffle oil.

*I made this again with 6 oz daiya mozzarella shreds, 2 oz daiya cheddar shreds, and 8 ounces daiya pepper jack shreds and it was so insanely good. Almost like a more 'sophisticated' mac, but that's just my opinion!

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I've got a serious thing for these bad boys. They're so delish. I know so because this recipe converted some sprouts haters into sprouts lovers.

1 bag Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 375° F.

Rinse your Brussels sprouts and then cut them in half and take off the outer leaf if it has any blemishes. Place them in a bowl and drizzle your olive oil and maple syrup over top. Sprinkle with a hefty pinch of salt. Spray a glass baking dish with some non stick spray (I use a coconut non stick) then pour your Brussels in, making sure they're in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip, and bake for another 20-30 minutes. You want them to be tender- they're best when the smaller ones get all nice and crispy! Serve hot and enjoy!

*If you set your oven to the convection setting you can cut back the overall time- start with 10 minutes, flip, then cook for another 15-20.

Fall Lettuce Boats with Crispy Sweet Potato Noodles

If we're being honest this was inspired by the stragglers of this weeks organic co-op box. What could I possibly do with a cucumber, yellow tomato, 1/2 a head of lettuce, two small winter squash that I've never seen before, and 2 sweet potatoes? Make lettuce boats, that's what.

1 small cucumber
1 tomato
6 large leaves of lettuce/cabbage of your choice 
2 very small winter squash that I've never seen before (you can use 1 medium sized butternut squash)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
Plant-Based mayo
1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie spice
Cumin
3 tablespoons maple Syrup
2 tablespoons plant-based butter
Salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel your winter squash using a vegetable peeler, then cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Dice into 1-inch cubes. Toss with maple syrup, a few dashes of cinnamon (about 1/2 a teaspoon or so), and a pinch of salt. Pour into a greased baking sheet and top it with the plant-based butter, bake until fork-tender, roughly 25-40 minutes depending on how ripe your squash is to begin with.

Using a spiralizer turn your sweet potatoes into noodles. Like so...

The noodles will shrink by 1/2

In a large bowl toss your sweet potato noodles with olive oil, a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice, a few dashes of ground cumin, and the smoked paprika. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a greased cookie sheet and pop in the oven and cook until crispy, 25-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice your cucumber and tomato. Spread a little mayo over each lettuce leaf, then evenly disperse the cucumber and tomato pieces. Once the squash is fork-tender divide the pieces evenly among the lettuce boats. Top with the crispy sweet potato noodles, another pinch of salt, and serve!

Roasted Asparagus Soup

The other day our organic co-op delivered us an enormous amount of fresh asparagus. I was at a loss, what could I possibly do with so many? I did a bit of research and asparagus soup seemed to be the way to go. It sounded sort of strange to me, a soup made out of asparagus...? But I rolled with it and oh my it was delicious! It took 30 minutes from start to finish and was beyond good. I mean, this will seriously be a repeat meal in my kitchen.

2 lbs asparagus, ends trimmed
1/2 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 heaping tablespoons raw cashews
3 tablespoons nutrional yeast
Lemon juice to taste, I used the juice from half a lemon
Lemon peel, grated- don't skip this! It truly completes the soup.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the asparagus on a sprayed cookie sheet, then lightly mist the asparagus with spray (I use coconut oil spray, but olive oil spray or pam will work). Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the asparagus and top with the diced onion and minced garlic. Roast for another 10 minutes. If you have thin asparagus start with 6 minutes, then add the onions and garlic and roast for another 5.

While the asparagus is roasting blend together the cashews and white pepper with 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth- leave in the blender. When the asparagus are done reserve a few heads for garnish. Add the remaining asparagus, onion, garlic, and broth to the blender (you may need to do this in batches), and blend until completely smooth. Pour soup into a stock pot over medium-low heat and stir in the nutritional yeast. Once the soup is hot stir in the lemon juice, then pour it into bowls and grate the lemon peel over top and add the reserved asparagus heads for garnish. Serve.

Recipe adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Oh My God. This is incredible!!  Hands down one of my favorate mac and cheeses thus far. It is so creamy, rich, cheesy, and filling. And honestly you can't even tell there is squash in this. Feed this to your children! They won't even notice the hidden squash. You can thank me later ;)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small cubes
Olive oil
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
3/4 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz box of (brown rice) macaroni or other small-shaped noodles
Mix-ins of your choice: I added in a handful of raw red kale pieces and some pine nuts which were such great additions. You can also add in some steamed broccoli, pumpkin seeds, peas, etc)

Preheat your oven to 425°F (if you have a convection setting it'll cut the time in half). Toss the squash cubes into a tiny bit of olive oil, then bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from heat and all to cool. You will only need 1 cup of the squash, if you have extra then save it- it would be a great mix-in at the end.

Cook your pasta according to package directions. While you pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce. In a small sauce pan over medium low heat melt your plant-based butter. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients: milk, cornstarch, yeast, mustard, spices, lemon- until clump free. Then pour into the butter and whisk over low heat until it starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. In a blender blend together 1 cup of the squash and the cheese sauce, then return to the stove to reheat. Pour over your pasta and stir to coat, add in your mix-ins (I used the kale and pine nuts but I wish I had some extra squash to toss in as well), then serve.

Makes four small portions, recipe from Oh She Glows

Sweet Potato and Herb Quinoa Patties

These quinoa patties are very flavorful and they will definitely be a regular in my book! It would be delicious served over sauteed spinach. I served it topped off with Anna's famous 'KFC gravy' alongside a spring mix salad with herbs, edible flowers, and roasted chickpeas.

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced
1garlic loved, minced
3 cups peeled and grated sweet potato

4 tablespoons water


3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
 (I recommend making your own by mixing together equal parts of thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, and a pinch of black pepper and nutmeg- it's not an exact science but it saves you from purchasing one more premixed seasoning.)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 fifteen-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4-1/2 cup water

Peheat the oven to 375° F. Rinse the quinoa and add it to a small pot along with 2/3 cup water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and pop a lid on it, cook for 15-17 minutes or until ready. In a small pan over medium-low heat toast the sunflower seeds, then set them aside. Careful not to burn them, it can happen in seconds! In a larger saute pan heat a little olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion until translucent, then stir in the garlic, sweet potato, salt and pepper to taste, and the 4 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender, then remove from the heat.

In the food processor combine the quinoa, roasted sunflower seeds, chickpeas, rosemary, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, smoked paprika, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Once combine, you want it to have some texture to it so don't get carried away with processing it, add it to the pan with the sweet potatoes. Fold everything until well incorporated, if it's too dry add in 1/4- 1/2 cup more water. Form into small patties and then place on a lightly sprayed baking sweet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

Top with 'KFC' gravy and serve!

Recipe adapted from Everyday Healthy Everyday Delicious

Broccoli Cheeze Soup

With my three week break from school being officially over you can imagine my enthusiasm of being up since 6am, not getting home until 6pm, and then having to get dinner on the table. I absolutely did not feel like cooking, but this gem of a soup took about 30 minutes from start to finish including the prep and came out so velvety and flavorful! You can thank me later.

Soup:

Olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup celery, chopped

4 cups broccoli florets

2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 a lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes if you choose to have any: minced parsley, smoked paprika, coconut bacon

Cheeze Sauce:
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
2 tablespoons flour (you can substitute it with GF AP, chickpea, or rice flour as well)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk
1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a stock pot heat the oil and add in your onion and garlic, saute for six minutes over medium heat. Next add in your celery, broccoli florets, and potatoes, saute for another five minutes. Add in your vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, and cayenne pepper, stick a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

While the soup is simmering make the cheeze sauce: heat the butter in a pan over medium low heat, then add in the flour and milk and whisk until it's almost clump free. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and allow to cook and thicken for another 3 minutes, then set aside.

Carefully pour your soup into the blender in batches and pulverize it until the desired consistency. Mix in the lemon juice and all but 1/3 cup of the cheeze sauce, the remainder will be spooned over each bowl of soup. Ladle your soup into bowls, top it with the remaining cheeze sauce and extra garnishes. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows

Sweet Potato Casserole

Thanksgiving is just around the corner (says the girl who sent out invites in July)! This is my favorite holiday but lately I've noticed the meaning behind it has gotten lost and muted. Thanksgiving represents loved loves, family, friends, and gratitude. It allows for us a chance to come together and celebrate in good health, with good company. It gives us a time to reflect and count our blessings.

This year we are preparing a strictly plant-based Thanksgiving and our menu is beyond extensive. It's important to me to expose others to gourmet plant-based foods this holiday, and honestly, it is not the end of the world to give up meat for 5 hours for one day of one year. I have about four days of prep work alone for the menu, but with my Dad (not a good cook but great under instruction) as my sous-chef, we will put out the best damn Thanksgiving these 21 guests ever had.

And honestly, it would just be wrong to come together to celebrate these things, talk about irony, at the expensive of others, (ie: intolerable and unacceptable treatment of animals raised for food production, the mass environmental destruction it takes to raise said animals, the rights of the small farmer which have been stripped away to keep up with the demands of the meat industry to keep production high and costs low, must I continue?).

With all that said, this is the sweet potato casserole dish I will be making this year. It's got a sweet crunchy topping with the underneath perfectly spiced.

4 large sweet potatoes, cooked (I baked them, you can boil them if you prefer)
2 tablespoons plant-based butter
1/4 cup soy, almond or coconut milk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup AP flour (I used chickpea flour to make it GF)
3/4 cups chopped pecans
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Cut your sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh, discard the skins. In a bowl whip together the potato flesh, plant-based butter, plant-based milk, orange juice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon until smooth. Pour into a greased casserole dish. In a small bowl mix together the topping ingredients and then spoon it over the casserole. Bake for 35 minutes, serve warm. 

For Thanksgiving I always say 1/3 of a sweet potato per person when calculating how much casserole to make. At least that's how I figure, we always have so many dishes that everyone just takes a small scoop of everything.

Recipe adapted from Fat Free Vegan

Restaurant Review: Sublime Restaurant and Bar

Location: 1431 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304

Hours: 5:30-10:00 p.m Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday

Happy Hour at the Bar: Tuesday-Friday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Website: http://www.sublimerestaurant.com

Quite frankly, to me, Sublime will always be The Mothership of Vegan Fine Dining. It was the first vegan restaurant I ate at and has set the bar very high for all the vegan restaurants that have followed suit. A cool side note: 100% of their profits go towards supporting animal welfare.

Perfect for: date night, special occasions, girls night, family dinners, or for anyone who wants to enjoy fabulous food.
Atmosphere: the restaurant is gorgeous, very 5-star. But let's be honest, this is South Florida, which basically means you can walk in here in jeans and be seated next to someone in a suit and all is well. Personally I think you should get yourself put together for this place, it's too beautiful not to.
Overall: Highly recommended

Click here to check out Sublime's menu

Reviews of things I've tried: 
Complimentary, Pesto Polenta Triangles: These are complimentary and come with every meal. I must admit I had a waitress forget to give me my complimentary polenta once and I was devastated, as I am obsessed with these. If you enjoy poletna you'll really love these. (Pictured below).

Cocktail, Tangito, $9: Made with Flor de Cana 4 year aged white rum, fresh tangerines, mint leaves, and lime juice; this is like a happier, brighter, lighter version of their mojito. Definitely recommended! Don't forget, half-off cocktails during happy hour! (Pictured below).

Cocktail, Sublime Mojito, $9: Made with Flor de Cana 7 year aged dark rum, fresh lime, and mint. You can't go wrong with a mojito, but I do have to ask...where's the sugar cane? Maybe that's a resort thing- but I do appreciate a little sugar cane in my mojitos!
Cocktail, Watermelon Cosmopolitan, $11: Made with American Harvest organic vodka, watermelon, lemon, lime. Clean taste, very pleasant watermelon flavor, not unnaturally sweet- which was a plus! 
Appetizer, Frito Misto, $11: This is a take on General Tso's chicken, and honestly, the flavor is spot on. It would not be a complete dinner at Sublime without ordering this. It's perfectly delicious in every way and a must-try signature sublime dish. (Pictured below).

Appetizer, Fire-Roasted Artichoke, $10: Buttery and garlicky, not my all time favorite appetizer at Sublime, but still very enjoyable. (Pictured below).

Appetizer, Mac 'n' Cheese, $7: Creamy, cheesy, and delicious. They serve it with a panko topping that appears to have been finished off in the oven. If you're into mac 'n' cheese, you won't be disappointed, as it taste just like a 'real' mac 'n' cheese should.
Appetizer, Sliders, $12 for 3: Oh my god I love these sliders. If you like the 'fast-food style' burgers then these babies are for you! They are so juicy and meaty; I adore these. They are offered during happy hour on the bar menu for dirt cheap, a must try if you're making happy hour. 
Entree, Mushroom Ravioli, $19: Currently my favorite entree on the menu. How can you go wrong with fresh homemade pasta stuffed with a mushroom and cashew cream filling, tossed in a basil butter sauce with sundried tomatoes? I'm a huge pasta person and frankly my only vegan pasta options when dining out at local Italian restaurants are pasta and red sauce- borrrinnngg. Sublime, you hit the nail on the head with this one! 
Entree, Sublime Picatta, $18: I give an A for effort on this one. It is a gardein cutlet served with mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach and a lemon-caper sauce- all of which is spot on for me except the gardein cutlet. I normally enjoy gardein products, but I was less than enthused with this one. 
Entree, Reef Tacos, $15: This is always a go to item for me! Lightly battered and fried tofu, which somehow miraculously tastes like cod topped with a delicious Asian slaw, served with freshly made beans and jasmine rice. This is also on the bar menu, one taco for dirt cheap- you can't pass it up! 
Entree, Mushroom Risotto Cake, $16: I adore risotto, but this was a little dense for my liking. With all the other phenomenal entree options, I can't say this is at the top of my list. 
Dessert, Chocolate Nirvana, $9: Let me start out by saying I'm not a chocolate person at all, however, I went to sublime with chocolate lovers and I was out voted on the dessert. With that said, Oh My God- this cake is devine!!! It is a rich chocolate cake, with Kahlua butter creme, and a dark chocolate ganache. You will not regret getting this! 
Dessert, Ice Cream Sundae, $6: Once again I was out voted on the dessert, but this ice cream is phenomenal. It is a homemade vanilla ice cream topped with a creamy chocolate sauce and dusted with peanut pieces.

Is it obvious I go to Sublime a lot?? I seriously love this restaurant. It's truly the gem of South Florida.

Portobello Tenderloin with Tomato Comfiture

I wanted to make a nice celebratory dinner for my mom, as her business of 13 years is moving locations. She, along with her staff, have been hard at work this week moving 4,500 square feet worth of medical equipment and supplies. The new place is beyond gorgeous! It is built out exactly how she's wanted it and it is impeccably designed. She built the business from the ground up and I couldn't be more proud of her and her accomplishments. She came home and I surprised her with this delicious dinner, of which she couldn't stop raving about. It was inspired by a recipe from the Sublime Restaurant cookbook.

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
5 large Portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

Cut an x at the bottom each tomato. In a stock pot add water and bring it to a boil, once boiling add your tomatoes. Prepare an icebath that they can be transferred to in the meantime. After 2-3 minutes the tomato skin should begin to crack, pull the tomatoes out and submerge them in the ice bath until completely cool. Once cooled rub the skin off the tomatoes and discard them. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and remove the cores and seeds. Set aside the seedless tomato quarters.

Preheat the oven to 375, on the convection setting if you have it. In a bowl combine the oil, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Carefully clean and de-gill the mushrooms. Lightly oil the mushrooms with the mixture you just prepared, scooping out some of the garlic and placing it in the middle of each mushroom, place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and stick in the oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan add your tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, thyme, and stir constantly over high heat for 20 minutes. The liquids will cook out and eventually it will become 'jelly-like'. Once finished, divide the comfiture up equally and spoon into the center of each mushroom, return the mushrooms to the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve alongside colcannon or mashed potatoes.

French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme

After being on vacation for one and a half weeks I was dying to get back in the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I've eaten some great food while on vacation but there is nothing like a home cooked meal.  Soup was exactly what I needed, something light and healthy, hearty and homey.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
6 cups vegetable broth or water (I did half and half)
2 cups French green lentils 
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Ground pepper to taste

I divide up leftovers and freeze them, this way I always have something to take for lunch

Heat the oil in a stock pot and saute the onions and carrots for about 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown a little. Add in the garlic, tarragon, thyme, and paprika, saute for 2 more minutes. Add in the tomatoes and a splash of water to deglaze the pot, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water/broth, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper- cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 45 minutes. If the soup looks too thin, uncover and simmer for a few more minutes, if it looks too thick, add a little more water. Serve with a piece of crusty bread that has been drizzled with olive oil and toasted to perfection!

Recipe from Veganomicon, serves 6-8 portions.