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.

Vegan Eggs Flamenco

The vegan world has not come very far with recreating a whole egg substitute to eat as is, but why wait for them? Make it yourself! More flavor and no cholesterol means this is a win-win situation.

Tofu eggs baked in red bell pepper, pimentos, tomatillo and garlic sauce with lightly cooked asparagus.

Vegan Eggs
whites:
12 oz firm silken tofu
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbl vegetable broth

Combine all in a blender and blend until smooth.

yolks:
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl all purpose flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and white pepper, to taste
1/2 cup vegetable broth

Combine the oil and flour in a small pot and whisk into a smooth paste. Add the nutritional yeast, dry mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour in the vegetable broth and whisk into a thick paste while cooking over low heat for 3-4 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add a bit more broth.

Egg Flamenco
serves 2
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 cup chopped tomatillos, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
15 oz  can crushed tomatoes
1/2 bunch asparagus, tips trimmed
2 tbl roughly chopped, fresh parsley

Use a large saute pan that is oven proof.
Sweat the onion in olive oil until soft, 7 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, tomatillos, garlic and pimentos. Season with paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook 10 minutes more.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Use a spoon to scoop away 4 large holes in the tomato mixture and poor the tofu whites equally in. Top with a large dollop of the yolk mixture. Sprinkle the asparagus on top and bake for 15 minutes.
Garnish with parsley, paprika and black pepper.

Sugar & Spice Walnuts

Make a big batch of these and freeze what you won't be eating immediately. They are addictive and will go fast!

Sugar & Spice Walnuts
2/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp fleur de sel or sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary
1 lb raw walnut halves
3-4 tbl extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 300.
Combine the sugars, salt and spices. Add the walnuts and oil and toss until well combined. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Let cool completely then store.

Grilled Corn Crostini

These small bites are perfect as a side, an appetizer or a snack. Creamy avocado works perfectly as a spread for any topping you want to throw on top. Since corn is at it's peak, it need little cooking and even less seasoning. A simple char and a sprinkle of salt allows for the sweet corn to shine through.

One Year Ago Today Hominy & Tempeh Tacos

Grilled Corn Crostini
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 baguette, sliced diagonally in 1/2" pieces
2 corn cobs
1 avocado
2 tbl chopped, fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
coarse sea salt

Preheat a grill or grill top to high. Toss the baguette slices and corn with olive oil and grill until dark char marks appear.
Slice the corn off the cobs.
Mash the avocado and spread on the toast. Top with corn, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt.

Marzipan Stuffed Dates with Pistachios

4 ingredients, 5 minutes to make, sweet or savory finger food, snack, dessert or appetizer...what else could you ask for??
These little jewels are so cute and flavorful with just enough sweetness to pass them off as a light dessert or serve them as a passed appetizer or snack. Buy the dates and pistachios in a bulk section and make as little or as much as you want without spending hardly anything.

Juicy dried dates stuffed with sweet almond paste, crunchy pistachios and lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Marzipan Stuffed Dates
12 medjool or neglet dates
1/4 cup marzipan
2 tbl finely chopped pistachios
organic powdered sugar, for dusting

Slit the top of each date and remove the seed. Fill with 1 tsp of marzipan each and press into pistachios. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Tapas-Cold Marinated Artichokes, Chilled Carrot Soup with Cumin & Lime, Tortilla Espanola

Tapas are Spanish style small plates usually shared with a group of people. Normally you might order a large number of different items to pass around and just get a few bites of each. At home you can make the exact kind of small plates you like and you don't have to share if you don't want too!!

Cold Marinated Artichokes
10 oz artichokes packed in oil
1/4 cup roughly chopped piquillo peppers (or pimento if you can't find piquillo)
juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

Combine all of the ingredients except the pistachios in a small bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight. Right before serving toss in pistachios

Chilled (or not!) Carrot Soup with Cumin & Lime
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, small dice
5 carrots, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tbl cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tbl lime zest
juice from 1 lime
2 tbl agave
2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
vegan sour cream, for garnish

Saute the leek and carrots in oil for 10 minutes until the leeks start to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and saute for 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, cook for 30 minutes until the carrots are very tender. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Bring back on the heat and add the remaining 2 cups of broth, lime zest, juice and agave.
At this point you can serve warm with scallions and sour cream or chill and serve cold.

Tortilla Espanola
This Spanish omelette is simply prepared with loads of thinly sliced potatoes and sweet onions to form a thick cake-like dish has a melt-in-your-mouth interior and crispy golden exterior.

3 lbs yukon gold potatoes
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 oz extra firm silken tofu
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl tahini
2 tsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.
Prick the potatoes with a fork all over and add the whole potatoes to a big pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the potato from cooking. Once cool enough to handle, thinly slice using a mandolin or very sharp knife.
While the potatoes are cooking, sweat the onions in oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes to crisp up the potatoes slightly with a light golden brown crust.
Combine the tofu, paprika, tahini, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper in a small blender and blend until smooth. Add to the potatoes and toss to combine.
Grease a small baking dish, cake pan or loaf pan and press the onion mixture down hard and flatten on top. Bake for 30 minutes until crispy and golden. Let sit for 10 minutes then slice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple-Soy Baby Bella with Spanish Style Cauliflower, Grilled Fennel

These mushrooms would be a great item to serve as a passed appetizer or tapas. Fennel adds a slightly crisp, sweet texture to the creamy braised mushrooms.

Baby portabello mushrooms marinated in maple, soy and scallions the braised until soft and stuffed with garlicky cauliflower with paprika and fresh parsley. Crisp fennel brushed with lemon and olive oil then grilled until caramelized and sweet.

Maple-Soy Baby Bella with Spanish Style Cauliflower
1 cup soy sauce
3 scallions, green parts only, minced
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp cayenne
3 tbl fresh minced garlic
12 baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, ribs scraped out
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil

1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 cloves garlic, 2 sliced, 2 crushed
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
5 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbl smoked paprika
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
coarse sea salt

Combine the soy sauce, scallions, white vinegar, maple syrup, cayenne and garlic in a bowl or dish big enough to hold all the mushrooms in. ( A gallon sized zip lock bag would work perfect.)
Add the mushrooms, coat, cover and marinate for 2 hours.
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbl of oil and saute the mushrooms over medium-high heat until they have browned on the bottom side. Pour the marinade in the pan (turn the mushrooms cap side up and get marinade inside the cap) and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 12 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water and the cauliflower florets to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes until almost tender. Drain and mash into a coarse texture.
Combine the 3 crushed garlic cloves, parsley, 3 tbl oil, paprika and salt in a mortar or bowl and crush into a paste.
In a large saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tbl of oil and slices from the 3 garlic cloves. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the garlic paste and cauliflower. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Add the breadcrumbs and season.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Fill each baby bella with the cauliflower mixture, drizzle the tops with olive oil and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until browned. Top each with coarse sea salt.

Grilled Fennel
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, core kept in
juice and zest from 1 lemon
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
2 tbl fresh chopped parsley

Preheat a grill or grill pan.
Combine the lemon juice, oil and salt in a bowl. Toss with fennel slices to coat.
Grill over medium heat for 20 minutes, flipping after 10, until soft. Toss with parsley, lemon zest and a touch of sea salt.