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

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.

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. 

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

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

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!"

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

Three Bean Chili

What's better than chili when it's chilly outside? Yes. I'm a huge dork and that was my play on words for the day. On a serious note, it did dip below 55 degrees here in South Florida and therefore the fire place was lit and the chili was simmering on the stove top. We get very festive around here for the three days of winter that we can actually put a sweater on for.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced 
1 diced jalapeno + more for garnish
2 cans beans of your choice (I used kidney and black), rinsed well
1 can chili beans (yes, this is a thing- you can find it in the bean aisle. It's pinto beans in a chili sauce, I bought the medium spice version, but it also comes in mild or hot), don't rinse these!
1 can corn, rinsed well
2 cans diced tomatoes, juices and all
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning 
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar (don't skip this, it adds an extremely important flavor profile)
Hot sauce to taste
Daiya cheddar shreds
Soy sour cream or vegan mayo

In a large pot over medium heat add the oil, once hot add in the onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes. Next add in the bell peppers and jalapeno, continue to saute for another minute. Add in the beans, chili beans, corn, tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, taco seasoning, salt, cornstarch, and water (fill an empty bean can up with water and then add it to the pot). Stir to combine. Stick a lid on the pot and bring to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the ketchup, sugar, and hot sauce. Allow to cool on the stove top while the flavors marinate for a minimum of one hour. Before serving reheat by bringing it up to a slow boil to cook off any extra liquid to reach your desired consistency. Serve with a handful of Daiya cheddar shreds, a dollop of sour cream or mayo (vegan mayo really is kind of the same as vegan sour cream if we're going to be honest here), and extra jalapeno pieces. Leftovers freeze excellently.

Original recipe collaboration between me and Erica Sanes

Quick Stuffed Mushrooms

You won't come across an easier stuffed mushroom. You can practically whip these up in your sleep. This is what drew me to the in the first place. I had 25 minutes before I had to run to the gym and was able to get these guys made and just popped them in the oven when I got home. Yeah- my kind of recipe!

2 boxes 1-inch mushrooms with stems, about a pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
4 tablespoons plant-based butter
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
1 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs (I only had GF on hand and it worked perfectly)
1 bunch (3 ounces) chives, minced

Preheat oven to 350° F. Carefully remove the stems and place them in a bowl, as you will be using them later. Using a damp clean kitchen towel rub the tops of the mushroom caps to remove that thin layer of skin and/or any dirt. Then toss the caps in the olive oil, and a few grinds of salt and pepper. Spray a glass dish with non-stick spray and bake (tops up) for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Place the hot mushroom caps onto a plate to cool and set aside- do not throw away the mushroom liquid that was released during the baking process, we will be using this!

Rinse your stems to remove any dirt, then roughly chop. Add the plant-based butter to a pan over medium heat and melt, then add in the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, or until they start to turn slightly brown. Add the chopped mushroom stems into the the pan with the onion-garlic mixture, saute for another 5 minutes. Next add in the white wine and saute until the wine is almost cooked. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in the breadcrumbs, chives, and reserved mushroom liquid.

Stuff mushrooms, then bake for 8-10 minutes, until warmed through and the tops start to turn golden brown.

*I had a lot of extra stuffing leftover, you can always freeze the stuffing and thaw it for future stuffed mushrooms. Or just bake it and eat it like a holiday stuffing.

Recipe from Sublime Restaurant Cookbook

Cowboy Cookies

My friend Erica is the ultimate Baker. I, to put it mildly, think baking is torture. But I am determined to expand my skill set. Tonight she came over for Girls Night, yeah- it's a thing, get on it, and we made Kumquat Mojitos and Cowboy Cookies. She sells these cookies at school and I'm always lurking for the crumbs. Now I have a whole batch! I'm in heaven.

Famous Cowboy Cookies!

After our Baking 101 session. Excuse the look of exhaustion, we've been in class since 9 this morning.

2 cups quick-cooking oats

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (we used almond because I had it opened in the fridge)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (we subbed it with chia seeds because I have a HUGE aversion to flax)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup coconut, shredded unsweetened
1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips (semi-sweet, can also use chopped chocolate)
1 cup pecan pieces, chopped and toasted

Preheat the oven to 350°. 

 

In a medium bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. In a second bowl whisk together the oil, sugars, milk, flax/chia, and vanilla.  Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, before completely combined fold in the coconut, chocolate chips and pecans. Roll the cookies into mini golf ball sized balls, then slightly flatten. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 14-16 minutes, then allow to cool for 5 before serving. 

*I grew up eating frozen cookies, my great grandma used to bake them and stick them straight in the freezer. By the time we got our little hands on them it would take us 20 minutes to gnaw through one. I still prefer my cookies that way.

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.

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!

The Ultimate Chipless Nacho Platter

Let me start out by saying these nachos are freaking awesome. Seriously seriously good. Add this to your football Sunday menu (it is football season, isn't it?), your man will love you for it.

Ingredient List Breakdown: I know this seems daunting, but everything can be done while the potatoes are roasting so it's really nothing to fret about!

Potato wedges:
2 medium Russet (baking) potatoes, sliced into wedges- I used about 6 small potatoes from my weekly co-op box
Olive oil
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper

Black Beans:
1 can black beans (make sure to get BPA-free lining!)
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves

Walnut Taco Meat:
1/2 cup raw walnuts
2 teaspoons canola oil
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Cheeze Sauce: This sauce makes 1 1/2 cups, but you can freeze it and defrost it when you're craving some mac n' cheese
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
2 tablespoons flour (chickpea flour if you're GF)
1 1/2 cups plant-based milk (coconut, soy, almond- non flavored)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 scant tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of tumeric
 
Sour Cream (aka Cashew Cream):
1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for one hour
1/4-1/2 cup water
Juice from half a lemon
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

3-minute Guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1/2 tomato, diced
1 shallot, diced
Juice from a small lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 jalepano, diced finely 


Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Make the potatoes: Take your potato wedges and toss them in a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and a heafty pinch of smoked paprika. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray and roast your potatoes for fifteen minutes, then flip them and pop back in the oven for another fifteen.

Make the beans: While your potatoes are roasting start making your black beans. Rinse and drain a can of black beans. In a saute pan heat some olive oil, then over medium heat toss in your shallots and garlic, saute until they start to brown, then toss in your beans, cumin and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the beans, another teaspoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt, and simmer until the water cooks- about 10-15 minutes. Remember to take the bay leaves out before assembling the nacho platter.

Make the walnut meat: Coarsely chop your raw walnuts, then in small pan heat the canola oil and toss in the chopped walnuts and taco seasoning, stir until the walnuts are well coated and saute over medium-low for 4-5 minutes. Set aside in a bowl and rinse out your pan, as you'll be using it to make the cheese sauce in the next step.

Make the Cheeze Sauce: Melt the plant-based butter over medium heat in the pan you just rinsed, once melted whisk in the flour and allow to cook for about a minute while whisking so the 'floury' taste comes out. Add in your plant-based milk, yeast, mustard, garlic and onion powders, paprika, and tumeric, whisk until the sauce thickens, then pour into a freezable container, as you'll have plenty extra.

Make the Sour Cream: In a blender add the drained raw cashews, water, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. You want them consitency to be like sour cream, so add more water as needed. Blend until smooth.

Make the Guac: In a bowl add in the tomatoes, shallots, diced jalapenos, cumin, lemon juice. Dice up the avocado and add it to the bowl, mashing the ingredients together with a fork.

Assemble!
Lay your potato wedges on a large platter, like so:

Sprinkle the beans over top:

Add the walnut meat:

Next layer on that homemade guac:

Lastly, drizzle the cheeze sauce and sour cream over top 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

To Die For Mushroom Tempura with Truffle Salt

One of my girlfriends and I went out the other night and hit up every hot spot from Boca to Ft. Lauderdale and every place in between. We usually end the night with a burrito, because who doesn't love a good burrito? But instead we somehow came up with the ingenious idea of skipping the burrito and went home to make the worlds best mushroom tempura.

(Sorry in advance for the poor quality pictures).

1 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/8 cups ice water (you'll have to eyeball this measurement)
1 box of button mushrooms (plus extra, see recipe below for details)
Canola oil
Truffle Salt, like this one

This makes a ton of batter. We battered one box of button mushrooms and an entire eggplant sliced into half moons and still had extra batter left over. The eggplant was a huge success as well but nothing compares to the mushrooms. You can easily have enough batter for 4 boxes of mushrooms, but clearly that would be excessive!

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the mixture and whisk until a forms a thin batter, a few clumps here and there are okay. Set in fridge while your oil heats up. Using a fryer, or a stock pot, add 2-inches of oil and heat to 350°F. Coat your mushrooms in the batter and carefully add a few at a time into the hot oil. Cook for about one minute, turning halfway through, they will be a golden color when ready. Place them on a rack so the excess oil drips off and dust them with a pinch of the truffle salt (seriously, splurge on the salt, it's incredible), allow to cool before eating.

Tempura recipe by Chef Chloe

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

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.