Spicy Korean Tacos with Pickled Cucumber Salad

I must confess...these really aren't spicy Korean tacos because I didn't have any Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes or paste), but you really don't need it.  I made a quick spicy BBQ sauce using ketchup, sriracha, tamari, rice wine vinegar and water.  But you can just purchase your favorite spicy BBQ sauce, and doctor it up with some soy sauce and you're all set.  Whenever possible try to purchase organic BBQ sauce that doesn't contain high-fructose corn syrup.

What really makes these tacos is the crunchy pickled cucumber salad.  Here's what I used:

1 medium English cucumber sliced into half moons
1/4 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and julienned into thin strips
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/3-1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1-2 Tbsp light agave syrup
1/4 cup green onion, sliced on a bias
Kosher salt to taste

Method:  Place all ingredients in a bowl (except for the salt) and let marinate in the fridge for about one hour before using.  Salt just before serving so that the cucumbers maintain their crunch.
 

Not only is this a super quick weeknight dinner but it would be great for Memorial Day weekend.  If you can find sheets of seitan, I would brush the grill lightly with oil and grill for 1-2 minutes on each side, then slice into thin strips and toss in the warm BBQ sauce.

For the tortillas you can use corn or flour, but I prefer flour because this is a substantial taco and corn tortillas will not hold up to all the ingredients.  For garnish I used green onion, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

Wishing you a safe holiday weekend and I'll post my homemade hot dogs and buns next week (if they turn out...but I think they will)!

 

Verde (Tomatillo-Poblano) Chilaquiles

I learned how to make Chilaquiles as a line cook working at a restaurant.  At least once a week while we were prepping for service Noel and Bernardo (my amigos) would take turns making them for our family meal.  They were always made with a red sauce, somewhat spicy and super delicious.  Noel would always give me a hard time because I never made Chilaquiles for them.  So one day I came in a little early and I made Verde Chilaquiles and they loved them...I felt so great that the pressure was finally off.  But one can only produce the best dish when one learns from the best...and Noel and Bernie were truly the best!

Verde Sauce:

3 Tomatillos, skins removed
1 Poblano pepper
1 Jalapeno pepper
1 Onion sliced (skin on)
3-4 Garlic cloves (skin on)
1/3-1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/3-1/2 cup cashew cream (1/2 cup cashews, blended with 1 cup water)
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place all ingredients on a sheet tray and roast for 10-15 minutes until charred.  You may need to need to remove the garlic first so that it doesn't burn.  Let cool and peel and seed peppers.  Place in a blender and blend until smooth.  I did not add cilantro to my sauce because I added it to the pico de gallo and guacamole. 

After you make the sauce, turn the oven down to 325 degrees to toast the tortilla chips.  Normally, the tortilla chips are fried but you don't need to do this.  Baking produces the same end result without all the fat and calories.  When purchasing the corn tortillas I usually look for a heartier brand that will hold up to the weight of the sauce and cheese without becoming too soggy, but soggy is good too!  I like using the sliders because they cut perfectly into 4ths.  

Method:  Spray a sheet pan with vegetable spray and then spray the top of the tortillas lightly and sprinkle with salt.  Bake in the oven for about 12-14 minutes until crisp and lightly golden brown.  Turn chips over half way through the baking and keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

You have no idea how many gallons of pico de gallo I have made in my lifetime!  It is so easy and I prefer homemade salsa over store bought any day!  There is really no recipe for fresh salsa.  If you don't like white onion, add red onion and if you like it super spicy then add the whole jalapeno or leave in the seeds.  The most important thing is to dice and mince the tomatoes/vegetables perfectly...it's all about uniformity!... :-)

Pico de Gallo:

5 organic Roma tomatoes, seeded, julienned and diced
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced 
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Assembly:
I  like using individual cazuelas to serve my Chilaquiles.  (Serves 2) 

Baked Tortilla Chips
2 - 3 cups Verde Sauce
1 package Daiya Havarti-Jalapeno Style Cheese, shredded
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add chips to a large bowl, along with 1/2 of the shredded cheese.  Heat sauce on the stove, adding additional veg stock if the sauce is too thick.  Pour sauce over chips and toss evenly to coat.  Divide mixture evenly between cazuelas or ramekins and top with additional cheese.  Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes on a sheet tray until mixture is bubbly.  Remove from oven and serve immediately garnished with cilantro and green onions.

And now for the toppings.  At the restaurant we would always serve our Chilaquiles topped with pico, guacamole (avocado, cilantro, green onion, Vegenaise, lime juice, salt and pepper) and salad made with romaine lettuce, radish, jalapeno, tossed with a red wine-oregano vinaigrette.  It doesn't get any better than this.  To my friends...Noel & Bernardo...thank you for everything you taught me in the kitchen!   

Classic Cuban Sandwich with Citrus-Mojo Sauce

Miami and Tampa you've got nothing on this sandwich and I challenge anyone who loves Cuban sandwiches to tell me that this isn't the best sandwich they've ever eaten...even though it's 100% vegan!

It all starts with the bread and then goes from there.  Since I couldn't go to my local market and purchase traditional Cuban bread, I went to Le Boulangerie and purchased two freshly baked French rolls--super crispy crust with a soft interior.  Hoagie or sub rolls that you purchase in the grocery store will not hold up to the pressing or substantial ingredients so make sure you search around and find the best rolls.

For a traditional Cuban sandwich the pork is braised and so I wanted to create a mojo braising liquid for the three seitan deli cuts that I used:  Tofurky Smoked, Tofurky Peppered and Yves Ham.  I made the mojo sauce, poured it into a saute pan and then added four slices of each of the deli cuts to heat through and reduce the sauce.  That's 12 slices for one sandwich!

Citrus-Mojo Sauce

1 large Valencia Orange

1/2 lemon

1 1/2 limes

1 TBSP paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp finely minced fresh garlic

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

And now for the assembling...Cuban sandwiches use Swiss cheese, but I don't like the flavor of Daiya Swiss or Provolone and so I used my normal standby, which I love...Daiya Havarti Wedge, thinly sliced.  On one side of the bread I placed a generous slather of spicy brown mustard and the other side Vegenaise.  I then added cheese to both sides, dill pickle slices on one side and then layered on the deli cuts and topped with the reduced sauce and freshly black ground pepper and kosher salt.

 

This is a substantial sandwich folks...enough for two with a side salad or fries, but we each had our own and were stuffed!
 

 

A panini press with grill marks is not traditional and will not do, unless that's all you've got.  I used my trusty cast iron skillet, along with my cast iron Indian bread pan, which provided a perfect weight to press the bread without flattening to a pancake.  I added Earth Balance Butter to pan and cooked the sandwich on medium-low for three minutes, added more butter and flipped and cooked on the other side for three minutes.

  

Fantástico! and Delicioso!  Need I say more?

 

Kelp Noodle Salad with Spicy Curry Dressing

I remember watching a cooking demonstration at a grocery store once and the demonstrator added fresh kelp noodles to a stir-fry and I almost screamed out...NOOOOO!  How can you take something so fresh, crunchy and full of interest and turn in into a flat, soggy mess?  Well they did...so I grabbed my bag of kelp noodles and went home to create this fresh, and vibrant dish with lots of flavor and texture.   

I used Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles brand and yes, even on the back of their package they recommend you can also use them for a stir-fry, in addition to salads.  Folks, I wouldn't recommend it.  I don't even dress this salad prior to serving and always serve the dressing on the side.  It makes a big difference.  Unlike other sea vegetables such as wakame, arame, dulse, nori, and kombu, kelp noodles have a very neutral flavor and do not taste like the ocean.  So you can pretty much pair them with any sauce.  The best part, all sea vegetables are full of trace minerals, especially iodine, which is an important mineral you should incorporate into your diet if you are vegan.

When you remove the kelp from the bag, give it a good rinse under cold water and drain well.  I then cut the noodles in half just because it's easier to toss with the veggies, but you can leave them long.  For the veggies I used:  thinly sliced carrots, red bell pepper, cucumber, cabbage, green onion and cilantro.  I also added diced baked tofu for protein and raw chopped almonds for crunch.  Bok choy would be a great addition to this salad, as well as diced mango.   

For the dressing, I really didn't measure the ingredients--just threw everything in the blender, except for the oil and then added the oil slowly until emulsified. 

Spicy Curry Dressing
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1-2 tsp Sambal Oelek (depending of how much heat you like)
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
2 tbsp almond butter  
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (for a raw version use Nama Shoyu)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Juice of 1 small lime
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup safflower oil

 
 

Mexican Yuba Omelet

I love using yuba (tofu skins) because it is so versatile.  It's great for wrapping/stuffing, stir-fry's and soups.  You can purchase yuba at an Asian market, but I get mine freshly made at my local Sogo Tofu shop.  This yuba omelet tasted like the real deal because I also added shredded firm tofu, mixed with turmeric and black salt found at my local Indian market.  Black salt is an Indian spice that tastes like sulfur and imparts an "egg-like" flavor.  It is "rose" in color instead of black and a little goes a long way because it is very salty!   

For the enchilada sauce, you can purchase store bought or make your own using my recipe.  I cut the recipe in half for this dish, but if you want to make the full batch, you can store it in the fridge for a couple of weeks and use it for another meal.  For my avocado emulsion I used:  1/2 large avocado, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp vegan sour cream, a handful of cilantro leaves, the juice from a 1/2 lemon or lime, and salt and pepper to taste--then blended until creamy.

 

And now for the filling...the best part!  I used everything that I love in an omelet or burrito.  I pan roasted baby fingerling potatoes, and sauteed red bell pepper, onion and garlic.  I also sauteed one link of Artisan Tofurky Andouille Sausages (had this in my fridge and wanted to use it up), but sauteed cremini mushrooms would of been my first choice.  I then added fresh spinach, salt and pepper to the mix and cooked until just wilted.

To assemble, I unwrapped the tofu skin.  Depending on the size you may need to cut the tofu skin, but since they are rather thin I like to leave them big so that when I stuff, roll and wrap, I get double the coverage.  I placed a layer of shredded Daiya Havarti Style Wedge on the bottom, followed by shredded tofu mixed with turmeric and black salt, followed by the potato/veggie mixture, topped with more cheese and wrapped it up like a burrito.  I then added a little olive oil to a saute pan and browned on both sides before placing in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes just to make sure that it heated all the way through and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and top with enchilada sauce, avocado emulsion, cilantro and finely sliced green onion.  Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner...I could eat these every day stuffed with a different combination of ingredients and sauces!  For my next one I'm going to stuff with a stir-fry mixture of fresh veggies, grilled teriyaki tofu and serve with Asian dipping sauces!  YUM!      

Roasted Wild Mushroom Pizza Blanco

I never got my oven fixed last week but when I turned it on the other night it worked perfectly.  I'm sure eventually I'll need to call in the repair guy, or get a new one, but until then it's nice not having to spend the $100 plus!  I'd rather spend the money on quality ingredients to make delicious food!

For this pizza I used a gluten free cornmeal crust.  I really didn't like the crust that much...it was chewy and didn't brown properly and I much prefer an extra-thin crispy crust for my pizza.  I do like using gluten free pizza crusts, but this was not one of them.  However, the toppings were amazing! Here's what I did:

  
I pan roasted both cremini and oyster mushrooms in olive oil, fresh thyme and salt and pepper until lightly golden brown.  While the mushrooms were roasting, I caramelized sliced red onions in olive oil and set aside.  I then sliced baby creamer potatoes about 1/8" thick and sauteed them in olive oil until golden brown.  

To assemble the pizza, I brushed the dough with extra virgin olive oil and then spooned about 1/3 cup of my homemade creamy pasta alfredo sauce on the bottom.  I topped the sauce with one cup of shredded Daiya Harvarti Style Cheese Wedge, followed by the roasted mushrooms and then the onions.  After baking the pizza I topped it with fresh arugula tossed in a little evoo, s&p, and finished with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.

If you make the alfredo sauce the day before and purchase a pre-made pizza crust, then this is an easy Friday night dinner after a long week at work!  And it was delicious!  Now I've got to figure out what I'm making for tonight...stay tuned...will post this weekend! 

Happy Friday! 

Beet Sliders with Dill Aioli and Crispy Onion Strings

I have made vegan burgers with just about every ingredient combination you can imagine (beans, mushrooms, rice, lentils, tempeh, TSP, nuts/seeds, gluten, etc.) and the texture is always off.  They are very flavorful but they tend to be either mushy, gummy, crumbly, or dry and so when I saw these Beet Sliders featured on Diner's, Drive-In's and Dives the other day, I knew that I had to make them for the 49ers vs. Seahawks game yesterday.  (Just a side note--bummed that the 9ers lost...:-(, but go Denver--I like Payton Manning--he's a classy guy!)  Did you happen to notice that my sliders are the same colors as the 49ers uniforms...:-)!

Anyway, back to the sliders.  I served these with two sauces:  a Dill-Green Goddess Aioli and a Tarragon-Spicy Mustard Aioli.  The dill aioli was the favorite, but the tarragon-mustard was a close second--such a classic combination.  To make the aioli dressings I used 1/2 cup Vegenaise and a 1/4 cup sour cream in each bowl.  I then added finely minced dill, green onion and parsley to one bowl, and finely minced tarragon and spicy brown mustard to the other bowl.  I added fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to each and whisked until smooth.

For the sliders, I purchased beets that were about 3" in diameter, all about the same size and I poached them in a liquid made up of:  water, diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, fresh dill, fresh thyme, bay leaf, coriander seed, caraway seed, black peppercorns, and salt.  I simmered them for about 1-1/2 hours until tender, let them cool, peeled them and with a 2-1/2" cookie cutter cut them the same size 1/4" thick.  Before serving, I seared them in olive oil, salt and pepper, which gave them a great texture.

The most difficult part about these sliders was locating the perfect size and textured bun.  I went to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Safeway and Lucky's and I purchased three different bags of buns, which are now taking up my freezer.  I wanted them the exact size of my beets, but I didn't want the bread to be too dense.  It all worked out and the beet to bun ratio was perfect! 

Finally, I shaved red onion very thin on a mandolin and topped each slider with onion, arugula and aioli of choice.  I was thinking about serving them with fries but went with the crispy onion stings.  I used one large sweet Maui onion (serves 2-3 people), shaved thinly on a mandolin and set up a dredging station (wet:  2 cups almond milk with 1/4 cup hot sauce, dry:  2 cups flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, salt and pepper).  Using a candy thermometer, I heated 1 qt canola oil to 380 degrees and deep fried the onion strings until golden brown, drained on paper towels and sprinkled with sea salt!

These were so yummy and so easy to make that I will probably never go back to making burgers the other way!    

    

Lentil Shepherd's Pie for Two

On Sunday afternoons my husband and I used to head over to our local British Pub to watch the game, drink a couple of Harps and indulge in pub fare.  He always ordered bangers and mash, or fish and chips and my favorite was shepherds pie!  I cringe now thinking about how unhealthy we were eating. So now we still enjoy going to the pub, but we come home and I make our own favorites. 

You can make shepherds pie with tempeh, seitan, TVP or just veggies, but I like using lentils.  Lentils are full of fiber, iron and protein and are good for the heart!  My favorite lentils to purchase are black beluga or French green lentils because they hold their shape during cooking.  But my local market didn't have any and so I purchased the brown lentils instead.  When cooking brown lentils don't follow the directions on the package and cook for 25-30 minutes because you will end up with mush.  I bring four cups of water to a boil, stir in 1/2 cup lentils, bring to boil again, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 20 minutes--they are perfect every time!

Look past my dirty oven (it gets used quite a bit) and see the ramekins bubbling in the oven, almost ready to come out.  I add peas to the mixture, but I also like adding more when I pull them out of the oven for color and freshness.  For the mashed potatoes, you want them to be stiff especially if you are going to pipe them into a design.  If they are too loose they will spread out and deflate while baking.  I used 3 medium sized organic russet potatoes, mashed with Earth Balance butter and cashew cream (see below) and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.  Finally, garnish with fresh parsley or chopped chives.

Brown Stock/Sauce:

4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup red wine

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

4 whole peppercorns

4 cups vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Brown mushrooms and onions in a sauce pan with 2 tbsp olive oil, add garlic and red wine and reduce until wine is almost gone
• Stir in tomato paste and all all other ingredients and cook on medium for about 30 minutes until reduced by half and dark brown and rich in flavor
• While sauce is cooking start lentils (see above), drain and set aside

Ingredients:

4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup of small diced carrots
1/3 cup of small diced celery
1/2 cup of small diced onion
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme minced
2-3 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Earth Balance Butter melted with 1 tbsp flour to create thickening paste
2 tbsp cashew cream (1/2 cup soaked cashews, drained with 1 cup water, blended in a high speed blender until smooth)
1 cup cooked lentils (see above)
1/2 cup frozen peas (plus more for garnish)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or fresh chives for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Add olive oil and mushrooms to a medium sized sauce pan and cook until brown
• Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until soft
• Strain brown stock/sauce into pan pressing on solids to release all the juice and add cooked lentils and stir to combine
• Depending on how thick the sauce is you may need to add the beurre manie (butter and flour mixture to thicken--I whisked in about 1 tbsp)
• Add cashew cream and salt and pepper to taste
• Just before filling ramekins stir peas into mixture
• Make mashed potatoes (see above) and pipe on top of mixture
• Bake until bubbling about 20-25 minutes
• Garnish with peas and chopped herbs and enjoy along with a cold Harp beer or a glass of red wine!  And don't forget to turn on the game! 

Not Your Mom's TuNO Casserole!

Actually, my mom's tuna casserole was amazing!  She never used canned cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.  All of the ingredients were fresh (except for the canned tuna) and she made a creamy bechamel sauce all from scratch.  It was definitely a favorite in our house as I'm sure it was for a lot of kids from my generation.   

I use a lot of ingredients in my vegan version.  I like to build on flavor but I've listed (optional) next to an ingredient that you can choose to omit or substitute with another ingredient.  This recipe is not as quick as opening a can of soup and boiling pasta, but it's amazing just like my mom's and definitely takes me back to my childhood!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
6 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1-2 tbsp dried nori or dulse flakes (optional)
1 cup pale dry sherry, or white wine (optional-I used sherry--goes great with mushrooms)
1 tbsp unbleached flour
1 to 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 to 2-1/2 cups cashew cream (1 cup soaked cashews with 2 cups water, blended in a VitaMix or high speed blender)
1 cup organic shredded baked savory tofu.  I like Wildwood or Trader Joes
1 cup frozen organic peas
1 package Daiya Cheddar Style Wedge, shredded
3/4 lb pasta shape of choice--I used fusilli
1-1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

I think that's everything but I might of left something out...:-)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 
• Bring water to boil, add salt to taste and add pasta.  Cook until al dente, drain, rinse and set aside
• Lightly butter a 9x9 casserole dish and set aside
• In a large saute pan add olive oil and cook chopped mushrooms until brown
• Add onion, celery, garlic and thyme and cook until veggies are soft
• Deglaze with dry sherry and cook until evaporated
• Add 1 tbsp flour and stir to combine
• Add 1 to 1-1/2 cup veggie stock and reduce by half
• Whisk in 2 cups cashew cream, and nori flakes, and simmer a couple of minutes until thick and creamy.
• Remove from heat and stir in shredded tofu, frozen peas, fusilli pasta and 1 cup shredded cheese  
• If mixture is too thick add a little more cashew cream
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Spoon mixture into casserole dish and top with extra cheese
• Bake 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted
• Remove from oven and top with panko mixture 

Note:  To make panko mixture, melt 2 tbsp butter in a small saute pan.  Add panko crumbs, chopped parsley and salt and pepper.  Toast until lightly brown and spoon onto top of baked casserole.  You probably wonder why I don't bake the panko with the casserole.  I like the panko to stay crispy and I also want to make sure that it doesn't get to brown which could happen in the oven.


 

Simple...Elegant Christmas Dinner

I have never made homemade seitan before--well not the kneading, resting, rinsing, kneading, rinsing...rinsing, rinsing, etc., type of seitan.  It is very laborious and I'm not certain if it is worth it or not.  The seitan was very flavorful and would be great sliced for sandwiches or served with a fruit and cheese platter, but sliced into medallions the texture was somewhat chewy.  So the "Simple" in my title references all of the other components of the dish, but not the seitan.  It took about 3.5 hours to make the seitan from start to finish!

 
Demi Glace:  Is a classic French brown sauce--one of the mother sauces that I learned to make in Culinary School years ago.  Obviously the French make the sauce with meat bones, but my recipe uses only homemade vegetable stock and it is rich, glossy and delicious.  To make the sauce I added a couple tbsp of olive oil to a sauce pan, along with one cup sliced white button mushrooms and one cup sliced onion.  I cooked these until brown and caramelized and then added several cloves of crushed whole garlic.  I deglazed the pan with about a cup of red wine and added one tbsp tomato paste.  I reduced this down until almost all the wine was evaporated and then added four cups of homemade vegetable stock, along with a sprig of fresh time, a tsp of fresh rosemary leaves, one bay leaf, and a 1/4 tsp of black peppercorns.  I brought the sauce to a boil and reduced the heat to low and simmered until reduced by half.  I then strained the sauce through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids, returned the sauce to a smaller pan and then whisked in a beurre manie (equal parts butter and flour) to thicken the sauce.  Finally, I seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.   

Sherry Glazed Button Mushrooms:  I used one pound of white button mushrooms, cleaned them with a damp cloth and trimmed the stems. I heated a cast iron skillet and added a couple tbsp of olive oil and sauteed with the tops face down without stirring until golden brown.  I then turned them over and browned the other side.  Once brown I added chopped fresh thyme, rosemary and minced garlic, along with salt and pepper.  I then deglazed the pan with one cup of pale dry sherry and reduced until the mushrooms were coated and all the liquid was evaporated.  If you don't have sherry, any fortified wine will taste great:  Madeira, Marsala or Ruby Port.  

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes:  I used Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into two inch chunks.  I made a cashew cream with one cup raw cashews and two cups of water blended in a VitaMix until smooth and creamy.  I roasted two whole garlic heads in the oven for about an hour until soft and caramelized.  I squeezed out the flesh of the garlic and added it to the cashew cream and blended again.  I drained the potatoes, mashed, added earth balance butter and added enough garlic cashew cream to create a smooth consistency, along with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Homemade Peppered Seitan:  Back to the kitchen to tweak this recipe further.  Again, sliced thinly and tossed with a BBQ sauce and piled high on a sandwich would be great, but still needs some refinement.

 
I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Holiday!  Until my next post...enjoy!
 

 

Thai Braised Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines.  I just love combining the flavors of spicy, sweet, sour and salty together to create a dish.  This dish is simple to prepare and light to enough to eat on a warm summer's evening.

For the tofu I marinated it with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, tamari, lime juice, and sriracha and braised it for a short period of time.  For the rice, I steamed brown basmati and tossed it with cilantro, toasted sesame seeds and lime juice.  To finish the dish, I topped it with a salad of shaved carrots, red bell pepper, green cabbage, green onions and tossed it with a spicy peanut-tamarind dressing.  Finally, I garnished the dish with toasted peanuts, and Thai basil.  

So beautiful and so delicious! 

Portobello Stroganoff with Fried Capers & Dill

Sometimes all I want on a chilly evening is a big bowl of comfort food and a creamy pasta dish always hits the spot--especially my Portobello Stroganoff.  It's creamy, earthy, tangy, hardy, and really delicious.

When I was a kid my mom used to make stroganoff with cream of mushroom soup, but mine is made with a Madeira cashew cream, portobello mushrooms, leeks, capers, vegan Worcestershire sauce, fresh dill, parsley, lemon, and whole wheat linguine, and it is to die for...seriously!  This dish does not skimp on calories and so I don't make a habit of eating it very often, but it's perfect if you want some serious comfort food! 

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Crema

These mini tacos are just too good!  My husband and I had like nine each for dinner on Friday night and then finished off the rest for lunch on Sunday.  I made the corn tortillas from scratch and you can really taste the freshness of the corn--so much better than the store bought version! 

For the spicy black beans and brown basmati rice, I cooked both the rice and the beans with an adobo spice blend.  I make all my own spice blends and I made this quite some time ago.  I don't remember the exact recipe ratio but it contained:  paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and salt and pepper.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own spice blend then you can just use 1-2 tbsp chili powder or a taco seasoning blend.  Also Mexican markets carry an already pre-made adobo spice blend, but I find it to be a little bland.

I then made my own roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and a red and green cabbage salad with cilantro and lime juice.  I topped off the tacos with a cashew chipotle crema made with blended cashews, sun-dried tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, lime juice and salt and pepper.

I could eat these everyday--so healthy and delicious! 

Grilled Portobello Mushroom, Pepper & Onion Sub

When my sister and I were growing up my father was the maintenance contractor for an apartment complex about a mile from where we lived.  Since our apartment complex did not have its own pool my sister and I were given permission to swim at the other complex during the summer.  I remember that we would be the first kids to arrive at 10:00am when the lifeguards unlocked the gates and the last to leave at 7:00pm when they closed.  Needless to say that sometime around 2:00pmish we would be starved and so we would walk another mile to an Italian sub shop in Irvington, Baltimore.

They had the best subs/hoagies (whatever you want to call them) that I've ever tasted in my life.  Now I've never been a big fan of eating meat and so I would order mine with just grilled peppers, onions, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and their "SECRET" sauce.  The sauce totally made the sub--and I would of been happy just eating the sauce alone.  I don't know what ingredients they used but I think that I'm pretty close with this recipe.  Funny how certain memories remain with you your entire life...really good memories that I shared with my sister!

My Secret Sauce:

1 cup Follow Your Heart Vegenaise

1/4 cup organic ketchup

1/4 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce (more or less to taste)

1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup minced dill pickle

1/4 cup minced pickled jalapeno or hot cherry peppers (more or less to taste)

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to use.
  

 

Moroccan Marinated Tofu with Fruity Couscous

I love North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.  The combination of flavors are amazing, especially when you mix several regions together to create a dish that is spicy, sweet, and tangy.  I know from my photo it's hard to see, but the tofu has been marinated and then threaded on wooden skewers, pan seared and then served over the couscous.  The plate I used has a lot of detail and makes it hard to see the food, but I love my Moroccan plates and use them whenever I can!
 

To marinate the tofu, I used extra firm tofu and pressed it for about an hour to remove any excess moisture.  I then made a marinade using ground cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, pimenton, saffron, fresh garlic, chopped marcona almonds, minced preserved lemons, sliced green olives, lemon juice, olive oil, vegetable stock and salt and pepper.  I then marinated the tofu for about an hour and then threaded it on skewers alternating it with sliced olives and then pan seared it until golden brown.

 

For the whole wheat couscous I used toasted pistachios, currants, ground sumac, fresh mint, fresh parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  I then made a sauce with the reserved marinade, adding additional vegetable stock to thin it and simmered it for a few minutes until the garlic was tender.  I then poured the sauce over the tofu, and garnished with additional mint....Just delicious!

Butternut Orecchiette Pasta with Sage Cream

Cashew cream...I love this stuff...all the pleasure of eating a creamy sauce without any guilt.  When we would serve cream-based pasta dishes at the restaurant I would dread having to continually taste the sauce because I knew that it was bad for me, but not with cashew cream.  This doesn't mean that you should consume it every day because it may contribute to a few pounds, but at least it won't cause high cholesterol and artery clogging heart disease.  Best thing about it though, you really can't tell the difference in terms of consistency and it actually tastes way better.  Another thing--to this day I still can't spell orecchiette--I always need to look it up in google!...:-)

You can use any pasta you like, but I prefer orecchiette (little ears in Italian) because the sauce pools within the pasta and you get a little sauce with every bite.  For an extra health benefit look for a whole wheat/grain version.  Also, you can use any type of squash that holds up well to roasting.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)

1 lb orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, diced into 1" pieces (yields 4-6 cups depending on size--mine yielded 4 cups)
1 large leek, white and light parts only, diced, washed
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp minced fresh sage
1/2 cup white wine, or brandy (brandy and sage/cream is a match made in heaven, but I didn't have any and so I used Pinot Grigio)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I used Whole Foods 360 Brand), plus more for thinning if necessary
1 1/2 cups cashew cream (see below)
1 cup organic baby arugula or wild rocket
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
12 small-medium fried sage leaves (see below)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees and toss squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes (tossing once) until tender and golden brown.  Remove sheet pan from oven and set aside.
• In a large saute pan, add olive oil, leeks, garlic, thyme and sage and cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until leeks are tender, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning.
• Deglaze with white wine or brandy and cook for a couple of minutes until alcohol has reduced.
• Turn heat up to medium and add vegetable stock and cook until stock has reduced by half about 15 minutes.
• Add cream and cook until lightly thickened about 5 minutes longer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.  Drain pasta, rinse well under water, and drain well again.
• Start off by adding 3/4 of the cooked pasta to the pan, along with roasted butternut squash and arugula and toss to heat through.  
• Depending on how much sauce you have, add the remaining cooked pasta--you may need to add a little more vegetable stock if sauce is too thick.
• Serve immediately garnished with toasted pine nuts and fried sage leaves and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Cashew Cream:

1/2 cup raw cashews soaked overnight, drained
1 cup filtered water

Method:

• Drain cashews and add to a blender.  Add filtered water and blend on high for about 4 minutes (with ear plugs...:-) until creamy.  Strain cream and set aside.  You'll need 1 cup for this recipe.  Use any remaining cream in your morning coffee.

Fried Sage:

12 small sage leaves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Method:

• Heat a small saute pan on medium heat, add sage and cook for about 1 minute, turning once until darkened and crispy.
• Remove from pan and place on a paper towel.
• Sprinkle with kosher salt.

 










 

Ooey-Gooey-Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

Growing up macaroni and cheese was a staple at our dinner table.  Except my mom never purchased the boxed stove-top version.  She always made it from scratch using a blend of aged white and yellow cheddars, along with parmesan and a creamy bechamel sauce.  It was a killer mac and cheese (seriously--it's a wonder my family doesn't have heart disease), but it was my most favorite dish growing up as a kid.

So when Anna of Green Talk sent me a message a couple of weeks ago asking me what soy cheese I use to make macaroni and cheese I told her I would send her my recipe.  She said that her kids really don't like fake cheese substitutes and I guaranteed her that they would love this version using Daiya cheese.  By the way, Anna's site is phenomenal--anything and everything you ever wanted to know about eco-friendly, green-living is all in one place on her website.  I use it as a reference all the time--great articles and very informative!  And Anna if you're reading this, definitely let me know if your kids like the recipe!

So getting back to the mac and cheese--this recipe is really versatile.  You can dress it up or dress it down depending on who you're serving it to.  If making it for kids, just use yellow cheddar and skip the herb-panko topping and of course serve it with an organic ketchup.  For a spicy version, use both cheddar and pepper-jack cheese, along with a couple splashes of your favorite hot sauce, and for a more sophisticated adult version, add minced rosemary, or chopped black truffles and a drizzle of white truffle oil.

Now I have to be honest, I have never made this recipe without using my Vita-Mix for the cashew cream.  So if you don't have a high-speed blender you really need to soak the cashews overnight and blend them for about 4 minutes and then strain afterwards.  This will help prevent the cheese sauce from separating if the mac and cheese sits out for any extended period of time--but I don't think that will be an issue.  Also, this is a non-bake version and so cook your noodles until completely done--no al dente here.  And no, I don't recommend using another nut milk other than cashew.  Soy milk imparts a strange flavor, almond milk has too much of a distinct flavor and rice milk is just too thin.  You want it creamy without using any flour or cornstarch and I find that since cashews have a high-fat content they work best...now on with the recipe already!

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 large head of garlic, roasted (see instructions below)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh thyme, optional
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 1/3 cups cashew cream (see instructions below)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric 
1-2 tsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard, depending on taste
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (more or less to taste), plus more for cooking noodles
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds, divided
Herb-panko crumb topping (see recipe below), optional
1 lb macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
2 tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks

Method:

• In a small sauce pan add olive oil, onions, garlic and thyme and cook for about 10-15 minutes until really tender.  Add vegetable stock to keep onion mixture from burning, but cook until stock is evaporated.
• Once onions are soft, add cashew cream and roasted garlic puree to the pan and heat until scalding--you do not want to boil the cream or it will get too thick.
• Immediately pour the mixture into a blender and add turmeric, salt, pepper, mustard and 1 cup of Daiya cheese and blend until smooth.  If too thick add a little more cashew cream if needed.  Keep mixture covered and warm.
• Cook macaroni noodles per package instructions in salted boiling water, drain really well, place in a large bowl and stir in Earth Balance Butter until melted. 
• While noodles are still hot, add warm/hot cashew cheese mixture, along with another cup of Daiya cheese and mix well to combine.  The Daiya will start melting and the noodles will start absorbing the sauce.   
• Check for salt and pepper and add more if necessary.  
• Cover and keep warm until ready to serve or serve immediately.
• Top with herb-panko topping if desired.
• The macaroni and cheese can be reheated in the microwave.  If too thick add a little more cashew cream to thin it out.

Cashew Cream:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained, blended and strained
2 cups filtered water

Method:

• Drain cashews and place in a blender, along with filtered water and blend on high for about 4 minutes until creamy.
• Strain mixture and measure out 2 1/3 cups cashew cream for the recipe.
• Reserve remaining cashew cream in case you need to thin out the recipe.  
• Cashew cream can be frozen and used for another recipe.  Thaw in the refrigerator and blend before using.

Roasted Garlic Puree:

1 large head garlic, top cut off
Olive oil to drizzle
Kosher salt and black pepper

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut off top of garlic and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap in foil.
• Roast in the oven for about 60-75 minutes until soft and caramelized, checking after 45 minutes.
• Let garlic cool to touch and then squeeze out puree and set aside.

Herb-Panko Topping:

1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp assorted minced fresh herbs of choice:  parsley, thyme, chives, rosemary
Kosher salt and black pepper


Method:

• In a small saute pan, heat olive oil and add minced herbs and cook for a couple of minutes to soften.
• Add bread crumbs and cook for a couple of minutes until lightly golden brown.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a bowl to cool.