Pan Fried Shiitakes & Seitan with Spiced Pinto Beans and Tomatillo Sauce

Mushrooms and tomatillos were calling my name at the Farmer's Market yesterday and I knew I wanted to do Mexican. I always want to eat Mexican. This meal might look complicated but each component has very little ingredients (not something I am particularly known for!) and can easily be put together at the same time if you are good at multi-tasking!

One Year Ago Today Sugar & Spice Walnuts

Two Years Ago Today Grilled Tofu, Asparagus & Apricot Kebobs with Orzo

Three Years Ago Today Seitan & Pinto Bean Sopa, Jicama and Cucumber Slaw


Lightly coated, shiitake mushrooms and seitan fried until crisp and golden brown over a bed of spiced pinto beans and creamy tomatillo sauce.

Pan Fried Shiitakes & Seitan
peanut or safflower oil, for frying
8 oz seitan, medium sized chunks
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 additional cup of cornmeal if making a gf dish)
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a shallow pan with about 1/4 inch of oil to 350.
While the oil is heating, toss the seitan and mushroom caps with the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
The easiest way to do this is in a paper bag.
Once the oil is hot, shake off any excess flour and fry in 2 batches. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while hot.

Spiced Pinto Beans
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
3 tbl minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1-15oz can pinto beans, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Sweat the onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes to toast. Add the beans with their juices, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Tomatillo Sauce
yields 1 cup
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
5 medium sized tomatillos, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbl cilantro

In a small pot, saute the tomatillos and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes until the tomatillos release their juices and soften. Transfer to a blender along with the cilantro and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt.

Shimbra Asa (Spicy Chickpea Stew) & Atakilt Alicha (Gardener's Vegetables in Aromatic Spices)

Ethiopian food is hands down my favorite food. Strangely enough, I have never attempted to make it at home. In a way, I wanted to keep the mystery alive. I want to go to my favorite restaurant and know that I can't create these flavors in my own kitchen. I also had imagined it to be filled with a lot of fancy, hard to find spices and I didn't want to spend a lot of money buying large quantities of spices I would never use up. I had a lot of excuses to not make it myself.
With that said, something came about me today. A fire inside that burned with the desire to eat my favorite food but to not eat out. Finally I was going to do it. I knew what two dishes I wanted to make and after I did some research I realized I only needed two "specialty" ingredients: Berbere spice and Injera.
Berbere being a very crucial hot pepper spice in many Ethiopian dishes and Injera being a wonderful, spongy type bread to use as your fork. Utensils are not needed.
A quick google search for an Ethiopian market led me to a store directly across the street from my favorite restaurant of the same cuisine, who would have thought? Here I purchased the Berbere and fresh Injera and from there I created an incredibly authentic, perfectly spiced meal with produce from my neighborhood market.

One Year Ago Today Beans and Greens with Cornbread

Two Years Ago Today Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Red Pepper and Swiss Chard

Three Years Ago Today Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Ice Cream

Shimbra Asa-Spicy Chickpea Stew
serves 4 if served with another dish like Atakilt Alicha
2 tbl canola oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup berbere spice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups water, divided
2 cups chickpea flour

In a medium sized pot, sauce the onions in oil over medium heat until tender and translucent, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, berbere spice, cumin and salt and continue to stir while cooking for 1-2 minutes to toast spices. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, combine the chickpea flour with 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 cup water into a ball of soft dough.
When the sauce is ready, break off dime and pea sized pieces of dough into the sauce. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly so the bottom does not burn. While stirring, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the pieces and keep the mixture chunky with pieces no bigger than a dime.

Atakilt Alicha- Gardener's Vegetables in Aromatic Spices
serves 4 if served with another dish like Shimbra Asa
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 large russet potato, peeled, large dice
2 carrots, large dice
1/2 green cabbage, 1-2" pieces
2 cups green beans, 1-2" pieces
4 cups water
2 tbl tomato paste

In a large pot, saute the onions in oil until tender and translucent, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and salt and toast for 1 minute. Add all of the vegetables, water and tomato paste and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and all of the vegetables are very, very tender. Taste and season with salt.

Gluten Free Blueberry Banana Bread

I don't mean to sound obnoxious, but I don't understand why people perceive gluten free baking to be so difficult. I also don't understand why 95% of the gf baked goods I try are dry as a desert and crumble at the touch. I'm here to tell you that not only is gluten free baking not hard, you can have moist, tender desserts with no more effort given than any other pastry. A lot of the time I like to replace the flour in a recipe with a 3:1 ratio. Three parts gluten free all-purpose baking flour to one part almond meal/flour. Here I decided to just go all in and use a full amount of gf flour and it worked wonderfully.

One Year Ago Today Salt & Pepper Tofu with Green Garlic Sauce and Truffled Potatoes

Two Years Ago Today Moroccan Chili with Pumpkin Cornbread

Three Years Ago Today Crispy Corn Wontons with Carrot Mash


Slightly sweet, incredibly moist banana bread studded with fresh blueberries and topped with a sweet crunchy layer of pumpkin and sunflower seeds. No one will ever know it's gluten free!

Gluten Free Banana Bread
yields 3 mini loaves or 1 large loaf
6 tbl water
2 tbl ground flax seeds
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
1/4 cup organic cane sugar, plus 2 tbl for dusting
2 cups gluten free all-purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup fresh (not frozen) blueberries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease 3 mini loaf pans or 1 large loaf pan.
Whisk together the water and ground flax and chill for 15 minutes.
Beat together the bananas, coconut butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup cane sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk the flax mixture back together if it separated and add to the bananas.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and combine. Stir in the fresh blueberries by hand.
Pour into your greased pan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cane sugar on top. Top with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Bake for 45-50 minutes for mini loaves or an hour plus for larger loaves until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost (90%) but not completely dry. This will prevent your bread from cooking too long and becoming dry.

Blackberry Cucumber Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

When blackberries are in season, I try to incorporate them into my diet as much as possible. Originally I intended to make this salad with raspberries but when the grocery store came up dry, I chose blackberries. Turns out blackberries provided a much more flavorful punch for this delicate salad and added little bursts of juicy berry in each bite.

One Year Ago Today Cobb & Slaw Salads in jars

Two Years Ago Today Squash Blossom Crepes with Grilled Scallions and Poblano Cream

Three Years Ago Today Curried Tofu Salad Sandwiches


Baby spinach, English cucumbers, agave glazed walnuts and tart blackberries serve as a perfect summer salad for lunch or a light dinner. Definitely don't skip out on the lime dressing, it brings all the flavors together and adds just the right amount of tang to each bite.

Blackberry Cucumber Salad
serves 3
6 handfuls of baby spinach
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup sweet walnuts
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
 sea salt

Toss the spinach leaves with a bit of dressing and divide among three bowls. Top with blackberries, cucumbers, walnuts, mint and a drizzle of lime vinaigrette. Finish with just a light pinch of sea salt and serve.

sweet walnuts:
1 tsp coconut or canola oil
1 cup roughly chopped raw walnuts
2 tsp agave nectar
pinch of sea salt

Over medium heat, combine the oil and walnuts in a saute pan and begin to toast. After 2 minutes, drizzle in the agave and salt and toss. Cook 2-3 more minutes, tossing every 30 seconds so the nuts don't burn. Once they are nice and toasty, set aside.

Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 cup canola oil
juice from 1 1/2 limes (around 3 tbl)
1 tbl agave nectar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp lime zest
pinch of sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes to allow the dressing to come together and become thick and creamy. Taste and season with a touch of agave if the dressing is too tart or a pinch of salt if it is too sweet.

Morel Gnocchi with Chunky Basil Sauce & Garlic Scapes

Today my little blog turns three! I honestly had no idea I would still be at this three years later but my love of food and sharing it with the world has only become stronger and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.
As of today I have a total of 861 entries with over 2,500 recipes. That's like a vegan food dictionary! Thankfully over the years and with a little more effort, my pictures have gotten better (although I still take them with my camera phone) and my recipes more stream-lined. Who knows where I will go from here but I sure do enjoy it.

This meal came about from the bounty of fresh produce I got from my local Farmer's Market this past week. Morels, potatoes, scapes (from a friend's garden) and basil were all purchased and could not have gone together more beautifully.

One Year Ago Today Spinberry Cherry Smoothie

Two Years Ago Today Tempeh Bacon, Sweet Potato & Grilled Avocado Sandwich with Garlic-Shallot Mayo

Three Years Ago Today Rosemary Grilled Tofu with Pomegranate Reduction, Five Herb Potatoes & Green Beans with Hazelnut Butter

Tender, luxurious potato gnocchi stuffed with fresh morels served over basil sauce and garlic scapes, all from the Farmer's Market this week.

Morel Gnocchi
serves 3
8 small yellow potatoes, peeled, small dice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup minced morels
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil

Combine the potatoes and garlic with salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Drain and mash completely.
Combine with the morels, flour, salt and pepper and use your hands to work into a ball of dough. If the dough is too wet, add a bit more flour.
Cut the dough into fours and gently roll and press out each piece into a rope shape about 10 inches long. Cut square pieces out about 1 inch long and set aside until all of the gnocchi is shaped and cut.
Bring a new, clean pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Cook for 3-5 minutes until all of the pieces are floating to the top. Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy water for basil sauce and drain the rest.
Heat up the olive oil in a saute pan and add the gnocchi. Cook until just lightly browned and crispy.

Chunky Basil Sauce
1 head fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup starchy potato water from gnocchi, or tap water

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until almost smooth. Add the starchy potato water and pulse a few times more.

Garlic Scapes
1 bunch garlic scapes, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
pinch red pepper flakes
salt, to taste

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the scapes. Cook for 3 minutes then drain.
Heat up the oil in a saute pan and add the scapes. Saute with lemon juice, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook for 5 minutes until crisp and tender.

Salt Crusted Potatoes with Cilantro Mojo

These potatoes are so, so, so, so good! They are even easier to make than they are to eat. Each little potato packs a perfectly salty crust on the outside and creamy, yukon gold center. Served with a fragrant, cilantro sauce, this dish is a great appetizer, snack or tapas.

One Year Ago Today Black Eyed Pea Nut Loaf with Sweet Potato Gratin & Roasted Broccoli

Two Years Ago Today Sausage Dog with Peppers, Onions, Asparagus & Garlic Hollandaise

Salt Crusted Potatoes
serves 3-4 as tapas or appetizer
1 1/2 lbs baby yukon golds, whole, unpeeled (as close to the same size as possible)
2 tbl coarse sea salt

Place the whole potatoes in a pot big enough so they sit in one layer. Add cold water, just enough to cover. Add the salt. Place over high heat and boil rapidly until the water has evaporated, stirring the potatoes every so often to ensure even cooking.
Once the water has evaporated, lower the heat to medium-low and cook 2-3 more minutes, tossing the potatoes to evenly coat with salt.
Serve with cilantro mojo.

Cilantro Mojo
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and blend into a slightly chunky sauce. If serving with the potatoes, do not season with salt. If making this for another dish, taste and season with salt.

Bean & Cheese Tamales with Tomatillo Poblano Sauce

A lot of my food ideas come from each a version of that food earlier in the day or week and being completely dissatisfied with it. Earlier today I purchased a poblano tamale and it was boring and plain tasting. Immediately I wanted to give back the credit tamales deserve and make a batch for dinner to enjoy. These did not disappoint!

One Year Ago Today Coconut Tempeh Skewers with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Fennel Apple Salad

Simple masa dough encased around pinto beans, vegan cheddar and steamed to perfection. Serve with thick avocado slices and smother in roasted tomatillo and poblano sauce.


 Bean & Cheese Tamales
4 large tamales
 basic masa dough:
2 cups masa
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup solid coconut oil 
Combine the masa, salt and water. Stir to combine. The dough will be somewhat dry. Crumble the oil in the dough in small pea sized chunks and mix into a smooth, soft dough. Divide into 8 even sized balls.

filling:
8 dried corn husks, soaked in water until tender and pliable (at least an hour)
1 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar
1/4 tsp salt
Lay out four large corn husks, wide end closest to you. 2 balls of masa go in each tamale. Flatten one ball into a long rectangle and sit in the center of the corn husk.
Combine the beans, cheddar and salt in a bowl, mash lightly.
Spoon some of the bean filling in the center of the masa. Flatten the second ball in your hands to the same size as the masa on the husk. Cover over the beans and seal the edges.
Wrap the husk as far around the masa as you can. Take a second corn husk and cover the top and bottom. Peel a string of husk off and use that as a tie. Assemble 4 tamales.
Prepare a steamer and cook for 30 minutes until the dough has cooked through.

Tomatillo Poblano Sauce
5 tomatillos (mine were TINY, about the size of large gumballs)
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 poblano pepper, whole
4 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
sea salt, to taste
3 tbl cilantro leaves and stems
2 tbl water
1 tbl lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 450.
Toss the peeled tomatillos, garlic and whole poblano pepper in 2 tbl of olive oil and season with salt.
Roast for 30 minuts until tender and lightly charred.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano.
Combine all of the roasted vegetables along with the remaining 2 tbl of olive oil, cilantro, water and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Raw Tacos with Spicy Sunflower Walnut Meat, Jicama Rice & Cashew Sour Cream

Raw food isn't all 12 hour dehydration episodes and 2 day nut soaks. It can be just as quick and easy as any cooked meal, if not faster because well..you're not cooking it! These raw tacos will satisfy even the biggest cooked food snob you know. They are packed with flavorful ingredients that add crunch, substance and spice to each bite.

One Year Ago Today Curried Grits, Oyster Mushrooms and Thai Basil Puree with Spring Peas & Lemon Cream

Two Years Ago Today Mixed Vegetable Coconut Tempura with Sweet Maui Sauce

Sunflower seeds and walnuts ground together with jalapeno and spices make the 'meat' for these tacos and are accompanied by jicama 'rice', fresh pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro, corn and raw sour cream.


Raw Tacos
serves 3
1 head romaine, spears separated
jicama rice
spicy sunflower walnut meat
1 avocado, small dice
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbl cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
fresh pico de gallo

Layer each romaine spear with some jicama rice, walnut meat, avocado, corn, radish slices, cilantro, pico and drizzle with sour cream.

Spicy Sunflower Walnut Meat
yields 2 cups
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse into fine pieces. Make sure not to overmix or you will end up with nut butter.

Cashew Sour Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour
1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt

Drain the cashews and combine in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until thick and creamy, adding more water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

Jicama Rice
1 small jicama, roughly chopped

Pulse in a food processor into fine rice-sized bits.

Truffled Red Velvet Brownies

These are definitely not your everyday brownies. In fact I think I can say these might be the best dessert I have ever come up with. These brownies have a chocolate truffle bottom, chewy red velvet middle and are topped with loads of chocolate chips. I was inspired to make these fudgey treats when I saw a picture online of a different kind of red velvet brownie involving cookies and frosting. The picture was so compelling I knew I had to make my own version. If you know me, you know how much I hate making frosting so I came up with one brownie recipe that works in two different ways and has a creamy, super chocolately truffled bottom layer. Better than frosting in my opinion!

One Year Ago Today Crispy Szechuan Soy Curls

Two Years Ago Today Korean Street Tacos

Dark chocolate truffle brownies topped with a chewy red velvet layer and sprinkled with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Truffled Red Velvet Brownies
yields 12 brownies
2 cups almond milk
2/3 cup canola oil
1 tbl vegan sour cream, optional but recommended
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups organic cane sugar
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz dark chocolate chunks
3 tbl red food coloring
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325. Line and grease an 8x8 baking dish.
Whisk together the milk, oil, sour cream, vinegar, vanilla and almond extract in a bowl.
Add the sugar and stir to combine.
Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk the batter just until smooth but try not to over mix.
Melt 10 oz of chocolate chunks and let cool for 5 minutes. Combine two cups of batter with the melted chocolate. The batter will be very thick. Spread the batter into the bottom of the baking dish.
Add the red food coloring to the remaining batter and pour over the chocolate layer.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Slightly under baking them will yield a really gooey, delicious brownie.
Directly out of the oven, pour the semi-sweet chocolate chips on top the of the brownies and let everything cool before cutting.

Spicy Mushroom Rigatoni with Cauliflower Alfredo

Another great way to use cauliflower involves blending it down into a creamy puree to use in a vegan version of alfredo sauce without all that fat and calories a traditional butter and cheese filled sauce has. Serve this alfredo sauce over pasta on its own or combine with marinara like I did here for a super delicious cream tomato sauce.

One Year Ago Today Southwestern Hominy Casserole

Two Years Ago Today Tofu 'fish' Sticks with Tartar Sauce & Potato Wedges

Creamy cauliflower alfredo sauce tossed with tomato basil marinara, green peas, crisp mushrooms and rigatoni for a full bellied spicy pasta dish you will make over and over again.

Spicy Mushroom Rigatoni
serves 4
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbl red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 batch cauliflower alfredo
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup frozen peas
12 oz rigatoni

Over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they start to brown. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt. Cook 5 minutes more until caramelized. Add the cauliflower alfredo, marinara and the peas. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
While the sauce is cooking, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
Taste and season with salt and more red pepper flakes if needed.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
2 cups of cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbl nutritional yeast
salt and pepper

Combine the cauliflower, broth and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender.
While the cauliflower is boiling, saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant and lightly browned.
Transfer the cauliflower (with all of the liquid) and garlic with oil, almond milk and nutritional yeast to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. Taste and season with salt.

Quinoa Yogurt Breakfast Bowl

Quinoa is something I have never tried making sweet but it makes total sense. Quinoa porridge would be a great alternative to cream of wheat or oatmeal in the morning. This protein and fiber packed meal is exactly what you need to start your day off right.

 
other breakfast treats:  
Breakfast Parfait with Cocoa Crunch & Blackberry Cream

Spelt Waffles with Caramelized Kiwis, Starfruit, Bananas & Coconut Whipped Cream

Sweet, cinnamon quinoa layered with coconut yogurt, fresh blackberries, toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, fresh mint and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Sweet Quinoa
serves 3
3 cups almond milk
1 cup quinoa
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature or chill.

Quinoa Yogurt Breakfast Bowl
1 lb vegan vanilla yogurt
1 batch sweet quinoa
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
2 tbl fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 tbl hulled hemp seeds
maple syrup, for drizzling

Prepare two bowls with equal parts of yogurt and quinoa. Top with blackberries, almonds, seeds, mint, hemp and drizzle with maple syrup.

Crabby Jackfruit Cakes with Mango Aioli

Tonight continues my adventures in cooking with jackfruit. So far I have had plenty of success using this fruit in Korean bbq eggrolls and breakfast tacos with tofu scramble. When pulsed in a food processor, jackfruit has the exact look and feel of lump crab meat without having to use a vegan seafood alternative. With the addition of some spices and cracker crumbs, you have a great alternative to crab cakes. These might be my favorite version yet!

One Year Ago Today California Chop Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Two Years Ago Today Tofu Drumettes with Mango Avocado Salad and Wonton Crisps

Young, green jackfruit is ground up with garlic, lemon, dill and coated in saltines to form these hearty vegan crab cakes and served with fresh mango dipping sauce. Serve with a green salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and corn kernels for a full meal.

Crabby Jackfruit Cakes
8 medium sized patties
1 bunch of scallions
2 garlic cloves
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1-20oz can young, green jackfruit in water, drained and rinsed
1-15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tbl dijon mustard
1 tbl lemon zest
2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp salt
1 sleeve of Saltines, ground into fine crumbs, or panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup peanut oil

Roughly chop the whites of the scallions and half of the greens. Combine in a food processor with the garlic and celery. Pulse until minced. Transfer to a bowl.
Pulse the jackfruit in the food processor until it is in small coarse bits. Add to the bowl of scallions.
Add the beans, oats, dijon, lemon, worcestershire, dill and salt in the food processor and blend until the beans have broken down but the mixture remains chunky. Add to the bowl of jackfruit.
Mix everything to combine and form into medium sized patties. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Coat the patties in the ground saltine crumbs and pan fry in peanut oil until golden brown on both sides.

Mango Aioli
4 scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped
1 champagne mango, roughly chopped
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp fresh lemon zest

Combine the scallions and mango in a food processor and blend. Add the mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt. Chill until ready to use.

Olive Oil Tofu Sandwich with Garlic Jalapeno Spread & Caramelized Onions

Thanks to everyone's deep seeded desire to know what everyone else is doing and eating, people post a lot of food pictures on the internet. Occasionally I come across a picture of something that I absolutely must have immediately. This is that sandwich. Word has is a sandwich along these lines was purchased at a cuban restaurant (with tofu!) and boy did it sound good so I went ahead and made my own version for dinner. I will definitely be making this again.

One Year Ago Today Pistachio Butter & Apple Sandwich on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Two Years Ago Today Seitan Stew with Cumin & Cilantro

Simply seasoned tofu in rich extra virgin olive oil slathered with roasted garlic and jalapeno spread, vegan mayo, sweet caramelized onions and crisp romaine lettuce on a crusty roll.

Olive Oil Tofu Sandwich
serves 2
1/2 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, 1/2" slices
extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper and dried thyme
2 crusty bread rolls, toasted
vegan mayonnaise
romaine lettuce

Preheat the oven to 425.
Liberally drizzle the slices of tofu with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried thyme on both sides.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of vegan mayo on one side of the bread. On the other side slather a thick layer of garlic jalapeno spread. Add the tofu and romaine and serve.

Garlic Jalapeno Spread
for two sandwiches
2 heads garlic
1 large jalapeno, seeded or not depending on your heat preference, minced
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425.
Slice the bottoms of each head of garlic and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Wrap both heads in one square of foil and roast for one hour until the garlic is brown, soft and sweet.
Drizzle the minced jalapeno with a little olive oil and salt and roast on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Squeeze all of the garlic cloves out of the heads and mash into a paste. Add the minced jalapeno and lightly season with salt.

Caramelized Onions
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 lb sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and maple syrup and reduce the heat to medium-low. Saute, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, until the onions start to soft, sweet and dark brown.

Miso Soup with Homemade Shiitake Dashi

Now a days you can find miso soup sold in stores but nothing compares to the flavor of miso soup made with your very own dashi and a clever combination of miso pastes. A bowl of this soup with undoubtedly cure any ailments, any case of the Mondays and wash stress right out the door. My recipe is for a double batch because I love it so much but feel free to half the recipe.

While a well stocked grocery store and probably all natural foods stores will have these ingredients, I reccomend checking out the local Asian grocery store in your town to pick up your supplies. Not only will they have everything in one stop but they will be much MUCH cheaper than anywhere else.
To compare:
5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms at my Asian grocery was $2.89 but at my normal grocery store 1 oz of dried shiitake costs $5! It would have cost me $25 to make this broth!
A pound of dried seaweed cost me 99 cents, at the normal store, $4.
A pound of fried onions cost me 2.39, at the normal store, $12.
Not to mention the tofu is cheaper, fresh (meaning it is not sitting in water and only good for a few days)and already pressed for me.
It really pays to shop out of your comfort zone and check out a new store that has all the ingredients you need and so many more you will use in the future. FYI- coconut milk comes in 21oz cans for $1.49 but at the normal grocery store they come in 15oz cans for $3.69. Stock up people!

Rich, savory homemade dashi steeped with dried shiitake mushrooms and seaweed and ladled hot into bowls with tofu, scallions and fried onions. This soup is soul changing.

Shiitake Dashi
16 cups cold water
5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup dried seaweed

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Heat up the broth, the longer it takes to come to a boil the better. Once it starts to boil (this should take about 20 minutes), immediately strain the mushrooms and seaweed out. Remove the dashi from the heat until ready to make the soup.

Miso Soup
serves 6 -this recipe and the dashi can easily be cut in half
1 batch shiitake dashi
2/3 cup red miso paste
1/3 cup yellow miso paste
1 lb firm (silken or not) tofu, drained and pressed for at least 1 hour, cut into medium cubes
1 bunch roughly chopped scallions, green parts only
2-3 tbl fried onions, optional but VERY recommended for garnish

Heat the dashi up in a pot over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, remove 2 cups and set aside in a large bowl.
Add both miso pastes to the 2 cups of broth and whisk to combine.
Pour back into the large pot and stir. Return the both to a light simmer and add the tofu and scallions. Make sure the broth does not boil. Cook for 10 minutes then serve with a sprinkle of options fried onions.

Spinach & Basil Pesto Pinwheels

Sometimes you just want to make something with puff pastry for two reasons. It's fast and it always tastes delicious. The smell of fresh basil in the grocery store had me at hello and I knew exactly what to do with it.
 
One Year Ago Today Roasted Vegetable Salad with Basil Vinaigrette & Chili Oil
Two Years Ago Today Eggplant Pannini with Red Pepper Jam & Brussels Slaw with Harissa Mayo

A fragrant spinach, basil and almond pesto is made in less than five minutes and spread across a thin sheet of pastry, rolled, sliced and baked into crispy, buttery pinwheels perfect for a snack, light lunch or appetizers.

Spinach & Basil Pesto Pinwheels
makes 9+/- pinwheels
2 packed cups of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbl all-purpose flour for dusting the counter
1 roll puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease.
Combine the spinach, basil, almonds, salt and pepper in a food processer and pulse into a rough chop. Add the mayonnaise and pulse a few more times to combine. Do not over mix, you want the mixture to still have some texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
On a floured counter, unroll the puff pastry then use a rolling pin to thin it out more into a rectangle.
Spread out the filling in an even layer all over the pastry. Starting with the side that is longer, gently roll up the pastry into a log. Use a serrated knife to cut 1" slices and place each slice on the baking sheet, 1 1/2" apart.
Use your hand to lightly flatten each piece and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the tray half way through.

Black Pepper & Herb Vegan Goat Cheese

Time and patience is all you need to make this impressive ball of vegan goat cheese for your next get together. The problem is you won't want to share so go ahead and make two separate balls, one for your guests and one for you.


Other Vegan Cheeses
vegan parmesan
vegan cheddar fondue
brazil nut parmesan

One of my favorite cheeses yet! Slightly firm on the outside and super creamy on the inside, this tangy vegan goat cheese tastes even better when coated with various herbs and peppercorns.

Vegan Goat Cheese
1 ball
1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, soaked overnight
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbl water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbl whole peppercorns
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried rosemary

Drain and rinse the cashews. Combine with the oil, lemon juice, water and salt in a blender and blend for 5 minutes. Blend for precisely five minutes for a whiter color and firmer texture.
Scrape the cheese out into a large triple square of cheesecloth and join the ends together to make a ball. Set the cheese in a strainer that is sitting over a bowl and rest for 8 hours. Only a little bit of water will seep out but that is important to get rid of.
Preheat the oven to 200.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the cheese wrapped in cheesecloth on the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan once after 20.
Remove the cheese, cool and chill overnight.
Gently remove the cheesecloth and coat the top with peppercorns, dill and rosemary that have been crushed up in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Kale & Sausage Frittata

A perfect make ahead meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch. Even better the next day and at room temperature, this frittata is healthy, light and fluffy,  just how it should be but without the fat and cholesterol from eggs.

One Year Ago Today Breakfast Parfait with Cocoa Crunch & Blackberry Cream

Two Years Ago Today Summer Squash Etouffee, Louisana Style Grilled Tofu & Russian Banana Potatoes

Kale, red bell peppers, shallots, asparagus, fresh rosemary and sausage tossed into this vegan frittata that now holds the title as my best frittata yet!

Kale & Sausage Frittata
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 head kale, roughly chopped
1 vegan Italian sausage, small dice ( I used Tofurkey)
1/2 bunch pencil thin asparagus, ends trimmed, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed
salt and pepper, to taste
13 oz silken, firm tofu
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup vegetable broth < br/> 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric

In a 12" saute pan, sweat the shallot and red bell pepper in 2 tbl olive oil until tender, around 7 minutes. Add the kale and sausage and stir to combine and wilt the leaves. Add the asparagus, garlic and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Saute 5 minutes more until the sausage is crisp. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
While the vegetables are cooking, blend the tofu, cornstarch, broth, extra virgin olive oil, mayonnaise, baking powder, salt and turmeric until smooth.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Pour the tofu over the vegetables and stir to combine thoroughly. Use your spatula to flatten the top and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until firm.
Place under the broiler to brown the top for 4-5 minutes, turning the pan every 2 minutes to get an even toast.
Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frittata to set up. This tastes best a few hours later at room temperature.

Vegan Cashew Cheese Fondue

There are a lot of recipes for vegan cheese fondue on the internet but they seem to all have something weird about them. Some have agar agar (why?) and most are just melted manufactured vegan cheese. Others use thickeners like flour or potato. My version is much more simplified and filled with natural ingredients that yield a deliciously creamy, thick and cheesy dip. Don't stop at fondue, use this as a spread on sandwiches or tortillas, or as simple dip for crackers, pretzels or anything you can think of.


One Year Ago Today Homemade English Muffins
Two Years Ago Today Coconut Cream Tartlets

Soy and gluten free cheese fondue made with cashews, pimentos, mustard and a touch of garlic. A perfect reason to dust off that fondue kit you swore you'd actually use (but really have only used twice in 4 years.)

Cashew Cheese Fondue/Spread or Dip
serves 2 as fondue
1 cup roasted & unsalted cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours to overnight
1-2oz jar sliced pimentos, drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tbl water
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
Finger foods for dipping such as: sauteed tofu, steamed broccoli, cucumber slices, toasted baguette, apple slices

Drain the cashews and place in a blender with the pimentos, nutritional yeast, water, mustard, salt, garlic and pepper. Blend for 4-5 minutes until creamy and smooth.
Place in your fondue pot and let the heat lightly warm the dip.

Cauliflower & Sweet Onion Soup with Beet Chips, Rosemary & Sourdough Croutons

After a long day of work, making a pot of soup with minimal effort is just what I want and crave. Skip the beet chips and sourdough if you don't want to deal with frying, or pop them in the oven and crisp them up that way while the vegetables continue to roast. Either way you can't lose.

One Year Ago Today
Sweet & Sour Seitan, Cabbage & Roasties
Cherry Pie

Two Years Ago Today Roots & Barley with Corn Puree & Roasted Garlic Sauce


Silky smooth cauliflower soup blended with caramelized sweet onions, garlic and fresh rosemary. Serve with crispy beet chips and crunchy sourdough croutons for a warming dinner that you will make over and over again.

Cauliflower & Sweet Onion Soup
serves 2-3
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 medium sized sweet onions, roughly chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups vegetable broth

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the garlic, onions and cauliflower with olive oil, rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 30 minutes until tender and caramelized then transfer to a blender with the broth. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Reheat if necessary.

Beet Chips & Sourdough Croutons
peanut or canola oil
2 small/medium red beets, very thinly sliced
1 sourdough roll, torn into uneven pieces
sea salt & pepper

Heat a shallow pan of oil to 350.
Fry the beet slices in batches until crispy, about 1 minute. Fry the sourdough chunks until golden and crispy.
Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle the beets sea salt and the croutons with salt and pepper.

Navy Bean & Kale Soup

Every day it gets closer to spring, I cringe at the thought of warm weather ruining my soup streak. I have to get in as much soup as possible. This navy bean soup hit the spot just right tonight.


One Year Ago Today Black Bean Stuffed Eggplant in Hoisin Chile Glaze with Watercress & Garlic Millet

Two Years Ago Today Banana Apricot Chocolate Chip Bread

Creamy navy beans, kale, carrots and leeks in savory mushroom broth comes together with bay and dried thyme for a near perfect bowl of soup!

Navy Bean & Kale Soup
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 head kale, stemmed, roughly chopped in small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-15oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups mushroom broth

Saute the leeks, carrot and celery over medium high heat until the vegetables start to become tender and golden. Add the bay, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the kale and garlic and stir to combine and wilt the leaves. Add the beans and broth, scraping off any of the bits on the bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper and serve.