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.

White Bean and Roasted Mushroom Soup

16 oz. mushrooms, halved or quartered

2 large sweet onions, quartered

3 garlic cloves, slightly crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ teaspoon salt, divided

1½ teaspoon pepper, divided

8-10 fresh sage leaves

8-10 stems + 1 tablespoon leaves fresh thyme

48 oz. dark vegetable broth 

3 15 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss the mushrooms, garlic and onion in the olive oil with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet, separating the mushrooms and placing them on one half of the baking sheet. Add the sage leaves and stems of the thyme and roast for 10 minutes, toss and roast for an additional 15.

Add the broth, beans, remaining salt and pepper, and fresh thyme leaves, and garlic powder to a large stock pot, bring to a low boil and reduce to a simmer.

Once the vegetables are done roasting, let cool slightly. Take 1 cup of the beans from the stock pot and stick in the blender along with a cup and a half of broth, the roasted onions, garlic and herbs- blend until smooth. Add the blended mixture to the stock pot and whisk until smooth, toss in the mushrooms and give it a quick stir.

*The recipe called for the beans to be used undrained, but I always drain and rinse my beans when using- your call! Also, I found this soup to be even better the next day.

Recipe adapted from Amy Johnson

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

Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese

Let me start out by saying this is not for the faint of heart. Making it is fairly easy, but after the fermentation you need to toughen up and pull it together because things start looking questionable. This is all part of the process. But in the end you are left with this bomb-ass cheese. Yes, I said bomb-ass. Because it is. It is by far the most cheese-like of all my cheeses and by far the most popular. And when it's done you'll feel incredibly proud, like you pulled off something impossible- when really it was quite simple. And people will ask you again and again 'how was this made?!'. And you will tell them 'Oh, it was nothing', as your mind wonders back to when things were looking questionable. But you did it anyway, because you're brave, and you're bomb-ass as well.

That's my spiel for the Cheddar, it was supposed to both pump you up and prepare you. It's not hard, but it's certainly not for the faint of heart.

I once made this cheddar using a heart shaped cookie cutter, isn't it a beauty?

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
1⁄2 cup yellow bell pepper juice (1-2 bell peppers run through the juicer)
1⁄2 cup water
1 teaspoon non-dairy probiotics: I buy mine at a health food store in the refrigerated section in capsules. For mine about 8 opened capsules equals 1 teaspoon. I like the Solaray brand, I get something similar to this
1 pair of new cheap pantyhose, trust me on this

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender, I use my trusty vitamix. You want it to be completely smooth and creamy, so be patient. The easiest way to set the cheese up is with the foot of a new pair of pantyhose. You can use a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth- I've done both, and the pantyhose always works best. Cut a leg off and have someone hold it open as your pour your mixture from the blender into the leg. Once it's all in squeeze it down into the foot of the panty hose then tie it off with a knot and cut off the excess fabric.

Get a bowl and place a mesh strainer on top, stick your pantyhose filled with cheese on the mesh strainer. You need to place a weight on top of the strainer so excess liquid slowly starts to drip off. Nothing too heavy, I use either a glass tupperware or a plastic bowl with some water in it- balance it on top of the pantyhose filled with cheese. Now that this is all set up, drape a dish towel over top and place this whole contraption in a cool dry place. This needs to ferment for 36 hours. ((Warning- if it is too hot it will mold, so avoid this recipe in South Florida summers unless you pump your AC like a mad man)).

Ok- let it do it's thing, you've got 36 hours to kill at this point. Once the 36 hours pass you will take apart the contraption and most likely be fairly concerned. It'll look gross. There might even be a spec of mold on the pantyhose. There most likely will be this 'crust' that has built up around the pantyhose too. I told you- not for the faint of heart. It's fine. Toughen up.

Cut the knot off your pantyhose, now invert it into a new clean bowl to get the cheese from the inside of the pantyhose out. Now throw that pantyhose away, it's gross. Mix in the following ingredients into your cheese:

3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons nutrional yeast
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and diced into tiny pieces (optional)

You don't need to add the jalapeno, in fact, it's the fermented bell pepper that makes this tangy and jalapeno-like, but if you want the spice factor then go for it!

Once everything is well mixed pour it into a small bowl (the bowl you will be serving it in) and allow it to set in the fridge over night. Ideally this should be made in ring molds, because it's fancier and it'll look more like a mini wheel of cheese, but I don't own ring molds so I improvise. Over time the cheese will develop a 'rind' if you keep the cheese in the fridge for a few days, this also makes it look more like real cheese but it's not necessary. Mine never lasts that long in the fridge at my house anyways.

 You see.... not so hard? So go out there, be brave, and make some bomb-ass jalapeno cheddar!

The Best Kale Salad

I saw this recipe on my twitter feed and knew I had to make it. I'm always looking for a new way to use kale. It was freaking awesome. Although my Thanksgiving menu was supposed to be set in stone, I went out to Whole Foods tonight to get the ingredients to add this to the list. Unfortunately my picture didn't come out, but you can view a great picture from the original recipe here.

2 bunches lacinato/dinosaur kale, finely chopped or torn into baby bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
4 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Pecan-Parm Crumble:
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Spin the kale dry and set aside at room temperature while you make the dressing. Mince the garlic into tiny pieces, add it to a bowl along with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour the dressing and cranberries over the kale and toss well. Set in fridge for 30-60 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, make the Pecan-Parm crumble. Roast the pecans at 350°F for 8 minutes. Add them to a food processor along with the nutritional yeast and olive oil and pulse until crumbly. Once the salad is done setting sprinkle the Pecan-Parm over top and serve.


 Recipe from Oh She Glows.