The Ultimate Creamy Pesto with Avocado and Pistachios

Who doesn’t love pesto pasta? Not only is it a quick and easy week night dish when you’re basil is over-grown and out of control but it’s also a refreshing change of pace from all of the heavy and rich red-sauce pasta dishes that we’ve been eating all winter.

Traditionally made with fresh basil, oil, and toasted pine nuts, this recipe swaps out the pine nuts for toasted pistachios, and adds avocado, for a nice, ultra-creamy texture, that is perfect for dressing pasta! Using the avocado means you can use less olive oil, and both the avocado and the pistachios are packed full with all kinds of “good fats” - no guilt required! Make a little extra because you’ll want to have some stashed in the fridge to top everything from your morning bagels to your vegetable soup!

What you are going to need to buy:

Basil, like a bunch of it.

This really is one of those recipes that you’re more likely going to use the overgrown basil plant you have at home rather than but this much fresh basil at the store BUT if you’re going to buy it, you’ll need about 3 cups of fresh basil leaves for enough pesto to sauce 4 servings of pasta.

Fresh Parsley, (not required, but if you’re like me and your basil is over-grown, chances are your parsley is too…so I use this as an opportunity to use it up as well. All told you’re looking at about 3 cups of fresh herbs (lightly packed)

Pistachios, shelled (about 1 cup)

Avocado

1/2 cup of non-dairy Parmesan, (…or regular Parmesan, if that’s your thing. We love the vegan Parmesan Shreds from Follow Your Heart.)

Minced Garlic - (We like the jarred kind from Spice World)

Olive Oil

Cold Water

Splash of White Vinegar or Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Start by toasting your pistachios. On the stove-top in a dry skillet or in oven, it’s your choice…just be careful not to burn them.

Into the blender goes your de-stemmed herbs and 1/2 cup of olive oil (or another neutral oil of your choice) and a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice, (maybe a tablespoon or two…)

Lightly pulse to begin to break up the herbs. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (and a little of the oil that the garlic is packed in won’t hurt, either)

Add in your non-dairy parmesean and toasted pine nuts, and avocado and continue to pulse until mixture starts to come together. Once all the big chunks have processed run your blender on low, gently working up to a medium, and then high speed until pesto is creamy.

If too tick, you can add up to 1/4 cup of water, but add slowly or you’ll run the risk of thinning it out too much. It’s okay if this is on the thicker side because you can always use a bit of the pasta water, when you dress your pasta, to thin it out a bit and the starch in the pasta water will do a better job to help emulsify all the oils and the water, anyway.

After the pesto is fully blended, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper. The cheese and the pistachios are both quite salty, so waiting until the end will ensure you don’t over-season.

Assembly:

Cook your preferred pasta per the packaged directions. I always like a noodle that’s going to catch or trap a bunch of sauce, instead of a plain fettuccine or spaghetti…but you use what you like!

Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water in case you want to thin out the sauce a little.

Do not drain pasta, simple ladle or scoop from water into serving bowls and top with pesto. Mix lightly to cover.

Garnish with additional herbs, cheese, and cracked black pepper. This dish is perfect for a crowd because you can make the pesto ahead of time and it looks way fancier on the plate than it is to make!

Enjoy!

Impossible Patty Melt

These 100% Vegan Patty Melts, made with ground from Impossible Foods look a lot fancier than they really are…and actually make a great week night dinner…plus this happens to be THE dish if you’re looking to fool your meat-eating friends and family with your plant-based magic!

If you’ve been plant based for awhile then you like have a favorite faux-burger brand that you like best! This recipe was made with the Impossible Ground, which we think browns/crusts up the best for a “smash-style” burger that you typically see in a patty melt…but having said that, use what you like, or what you’ve got in the freezer!

What you are going to need to buy:

Impossible Ground (or your favorite meatless ground alternative)

Sweet Onion

White Mushrooms, sliced

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic - (We like the jarred kind from Spice World)

Balsamic Vinegar - (We get ours from this great little place here in Central Florida called The Ancient Olive)

Your Favorite Bread , Vegan or Otherwise - (I used Sara Lee® Artesano™ Bakery Bread)

Non-Dairy Cheese - (We used THIS CHEESE from Field Roast…melts like a dream!)

Liquid Smoke

Pickapeppa Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Onion Powder

Paprika

Non-Dairy Butter - ( We used Earth Balance)

What you are going to need to do:

Start by peeling and slicing your onion and, using a little olive oil on medium heat, cook with your mushrooms and garlic, adding onion powder, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Cook until mushrooms and onions are soft.

Combine your Impossible Ground with a teaspoon of Liquid Smoke, a teaspoon of Pickapeppa Sauce, a pinch of paprika and salt/pepper, to taste. Mix well and form into patties. Depending on your preferred size you should be able to get 3 or 4 patties from one package of ground.

Using a little Earth Balance Vegan Butter in your skillet, fry up your patties on medium heat…remember they should be a little thinner than a hamburger. I also like to kinda shape the patty to fit the bread I am using.

After you flip the patty to cook on the second side, load up the top with your onions and mushrooms.

Place your sliced non-dairy cheese on your top piece of bread and pop into the microwave for about 10 seconds. Place your bread, cheese side down, onto your onion and mushroom covered patties and flip the entire affair so that now your bread can griddle on the skillet.

Repeat the bread, cheese, microwave routine for the other piece and place that on top, flipping when the first side is golden brown so that the second side can griddle.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

A quick note about Vegan Cheese: We all know it takes higher heat to melt vegan cheese! When I am making sandwiches that require my cheese to melt, I always lay out my vegan cheese on the bread and pop it into the microwave for about 10 seconds. and this just gives it a jump start to ensure a good melt without burning your sandwich!

Enjoy!

Fluffy Pear and Pecan Pancakes

We don't have a partridge but we do have pears! These pecan and pear pancakes made with vanilla oat milk from Rise Brewing Company are super easy to make and are the perfect Christmas morning breakfast!

I’ve tried to make a lot of vegan pancakes in my day…a lot! Most aren’t bad…some have been terrible but these, THESE might just be the best that I have ever had! Light and fluffy, the texture is perfect, and with only a handful of ingredients they come together so quick and easy…the best part, no one even needs to know they are dairy free!

What you are going to need to buy:

1.5 cups of Flour

3 teaspoons of Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Sugar

1/2 cup of small Pecan pieces

1 and 1/4 cup of Oat Milk - (We love the Vanilla Oat Milk from Rise Brewing)

1 Egg or your favorite vegan Egg Substitute - (We used Just Egg from Just Foods)

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Diced Pear

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

What you are going to need to do:

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.

Stir in egg, oil, and oat milk until mixture comes together. If mixture is too dry add a bit more oat milk or and additional teaspoon of just egg.

Do not over mix.

Stir in pecans.

Let mixture set while you dice the pear into small chunks

In a small saucepan, over medium/high heat bring the diced pear and maple syrup to a quick boil, mix, and remove from heat. Stir in a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over medium heat and cook pancakes until brown on both sides.

Serve warm with your favorite plant based butter and pears drizzled over the top.

Spinach and Mushroom White Lasagna

If you’re looking for a recipe this Holiday for a non-traditional family dinner or need to accommodate dairy free guests this Spinach and Mushroom White Lasagna made with oat milk from the Rise Brewing Company just might be it!

Did someone say carbs? Creamy and delicious, no one will know that this entire dish is dairy free! The best part about this recipe is that it reheats just as well the next day if you have any leftovers…but don’t hold your breath. You can make ahead and assemble the night before, just bring to room temperature before baking.

What you are going to need to buy:

Lasagna Noodles

1 bag (6 oz) Baby Spinach

8 to 10 oz of Baby Bella Mushrooms

Minced Garlic - (We like the jarred kind from Spice World)

Ricotta Cheese - (We used the Dairy Free Ricotta from Tofutti)

Sour Cream - (We used our favorite Dairy Free Version from Tofutti)

Mozzarella Cheese - (We used the Mozzarella Shreds from Follow Your Heart)

8 oz Parmesan Cheese - (We used the Parmesan Shreds, also from Follow Your Heart)

Oat Milk - (We love the Original Oat Milk from Rise Brewing)

1 Egg or your favorite vegan Egg Substitute - (We used Just Egg from Just Foods)

Plant Based Butter - (We used our favorite from Earth Balance)

Flour

Fresh Herbs, Basil, Rosemary and Parsley

Nutmeg

Salt and Pepper

What you are going to need to do:

This lasagna is assembled much like any traditional recipe.

To make the filling…

To begin, slice mushroom and saute in a medium skillet with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Once Mushrooms are cooked stir in spinach and cook down until spinach has wilted down. Set mixture aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, 4 or 5 oz of mozzarella cheese, 2 oz of Parmesan cheese, your egg, (or egg substitute), chopped herbs, salt and black pepper and mix until smooth.

To make the White Sauce…

In a saucepan over medium/low heat melt 2 tablespoons of butter. After butter is melted but before it begins to brown, reduce heat and sprinkle over 1 heaping tablespoon of flour, whisking until smooth. Cook flour and butter for one minute. Add in 1/4 cup of oat milk and whisk quickly to avoid lumps. Add in an additional 3/4 cup of oat milk and bring mixture to a light boil. After mixture has boiled, reduce heat and stir in 4 oz of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. if mixture is too thin, continue to cook on medium heat until it thickens up to a runny pudding consistency. Remove from heat and cool for 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream. Check seasoning. Add more salt/pepper/nutmeg if desired.

Boil the lasagna noodles until soft.

The Assembly…

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

In a buttered 9 x 9 pan spoon a small amount of the white sauce in the bottom, just to cover.
Add your first layer lasagna noodles, overlapping slighting at the seams. Follow with a layer of the ricotta mixture and top that with 1/3 of the spinach/mushroom mixture. Ladle 1/2 cup of the white sauce over the spinach and mushrooms and top with another layer of noodles.

Repeat 2 more times:

Noodles, Ricotta, Spinach and Mushroom, topped with the white sauce.

Top your 3rd layer with noodles and spoon over remaining white sauce. Top with remaining mozerellla and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese on top and golden. You can also switch over the a low broil for this step but watch is closely so that the top doesn’t burn.

Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

I’m super excited to be partnering on this recipe with the Rise Brewing Company! Their organic chocolate oat milk is the fastest and easiest way to make the richest and the most creamy dairy free cocoa you’ve ever tasted!

This recipe is so easy and to be honest it doesn’t even feel like much of a recipe but this time of year who doesn’t love a quick and easy recipe that comes together in only minutes?

What you are going to need to buy:

Chocolate Oatmilk from Rise Brewing

Sugar

Cocoa

Peppermint Extract

Non Dairy Topping

Salt

Peppermints or sprinkles for garnish

What you are going to need to do:

In a saucepan on medium heat melt/disolve:

• 1 cup of chocolate oat milk

• 1/2 cup of sugar

• 1/3 cup of cocoa

• 1 capful of peppermint extract

• Pinch of salt

Once the sugar and the cocoa are well incorporated add the remaining Oat Milk from the carton and keep on stovetop until heated through. Finish with your favorite dairy free topping.

Makes 4-5 servings!

Oven Roasted Garlic Potato Wedges

I’ve been on a bit of a burger kick the last couple of weeks since I picked up a couple of packages of Impossible Ground and you can’t have burgers without fries…but these Oven Roasted Garlic Potato Wedges are, for sure, the next best thing.

This recipe is so easy and simple you can make it as a side dish for any weeknight meal! Soft and pillowy on the outside with a nice satisfying crunch on the outside it’s hard not to eat the entire plateful. Best of all, while they do take a little time, they don’t need a lot of baby-sitting so they are super easy to do while you make the rest of the meal.

What you are going to need to buy:

Potatoes - I used some redskin potatoes I had on hand but use what you’ve got!

Bread Crumbs

Nutritional Yeast (Note: this is what makes these wedges vegan, but if that’s not a concern for you, feel free to use dry Parmesan or even your favorite powdered cheese blend.

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Paprika

Olive Oil

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat over to 400 degrees

Cut your potatoes into 1” wedges.

In a pot that will fit the amount of potatoes you plan to make, boil the wedges, in salted water, for 5-6 minutes until just fork tender. (This will save you lots of extra time in the oven.)

Drain the potatoes an let sit for 1 minute to make sure they are very dry! This step is what will help make them extra crispy when you make them.

In a sturdy ziplock bag (Freezer bags work great mix together your bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, minced garlic…(make sure to avoid getting too much oil that the garlic is packed in), salt and pepper, and paprika.

Honestly these measurements will depend on how many wedges you are making. I used 1 large potato in the photos you see and below are roughly the measurements that I used:

1/4 cup Bread Crumbs

2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1 tablespoon Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

1 teaspoon Paprika

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Lightly coat your potatoes in olive oil and then, take 2-3 wedges at a time, place them in the bag with the crust mixture and shake until coated. Repeat until all wedges are coated.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes, turning over half-way through cooking to crisp both sides!

These Oven Roasted Garlic Potato Wedges happen to be amazing with the “Special Sauce” recipe from last week! You can find that HERE.

Enjoy!

Twice Baked Potato Cakes with Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce

Sometimes I even surprise myself at how well a recipe turns out. These oven-baked mashed potato cakes with sauteed onions and vegan chorizo from No Evil turned out to be everything you love about mashed potatoes and crispy hashbrowns all in one dish. Topped with a rich and creamy vegan dill sour cream sauce...believe me, you won't be able to eat just one.

Let’s face it! Not all plant-based recipes are always healthy but sometimes you just need some old-fashioned comfort food and these Twice Baked Potato Cakes with Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce are just that. A great dish for your weekend brunch or to use up the leftover baked potatoes from last nigh’s dinner. The magic of this recipe is, for sure, the Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce…so don’t skip on that part of this delicious dish!

What you are going to need to buy:

Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes - (Budget 1 medium potato per person you want to serve)

Chorizo - (We used the vegan chorizo from No Evil) Sweet Onion

Butter - (I love this plant-based butter from Earth Balance)

Milk or Cream - (We used this coconut and almond blend from Califa Farms)

Minced Garlic - (the best is from Spice World!)  

Fresh Chives

Fresh Dill

Sour Cream ( We used this vegan sour cream from our friends over at Tofutti)

Veggie Stock or Bullion Cubes - (we like the “Not Chicken Bouillon” by Edward and Sons)

Flour

Salt & Pepper, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

This recipe starts by peeling and cubing your potatoes and bringing them to a rolling boil in salted water until they are fork-tender.

While the potatoes are boiling, in a small saucepan, saute’ your diced onions in olive oil or vegan butter with garlic until onions are translucent.

Once the potatoes are tender drain them well and then using a potato masher or the tines of a large fork begin to mash the potatoes. Continue to mash and incorporate the sauteed onions and garlic, along with pea-sized pieces of the plant-based chorizo. stir well to combine. This mixture will still be a bit lumpy and that’s okay…you don’t need it to be smooth like actual mashed potatoes, just break down the big potato chunks. Add your chopped chives, salt and pepper, and additional garlic, to taste. If the mixture is too dry add some vegan cream or your preferred plant-based milk and/or butter. You need the texture to be dry enough to hold together in cake form while baking.

Using a ring mold or cookie cutter form your potato cakes. If you are not too terribly concerned about the looks or shape of the cakes, you can forgo the molds and use a large spoon and mound mixture onto a non-stick baking sheet.

Bake cakes at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Watch to make sure that they are not browning too quickly.

While the cakes are baking you can make the Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce.

Making the Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce.

In the pot that you used to saute’ the onions add 2-3 tablespoons of butter and heat on medium/low until melted.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of white flour over the butter and whisk to make a roux. Let rue cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add 1 cup of veggie stock and whisk constantly until the rue is dissolved into the stock. Let the mixture come to back up to a boil and allow to boil for 1 minute to thicken. If the mixture gets too thick you can add a bit more stock.

Remove from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir into mixture 4 ounces of sour cream along with 1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh dill, and salt and pepper to taste. The sour cream will help to thin the mixture out but if it’s still too thick you can always add a bit of milk and/or butter. Additionally, you can melt your favorite vegan parmesan cheese into the sauce or even sprinkle in a bit of nutritional yeast if desired.

Check on the potatoes. They should be getting a crisp outer shell that is turning golden brown. Feel free to switch your oven to broil for the last 5 minutes that the cakes are in the oven to assist in browning but keep a close eye on them so they do not burn.

Allow the cakes to cool on the stove-top for 1-2 minutes before plating. Serve potato cakes topped with the
Creamy Dill Sour Cream Sauce and garnished with additional chopped chives.
Enjoy!

Pork Fried Rice with Fresh Veggies and Garlic

The trick to any fried rice recipe, including this one, is “day-old-rice.” This is a great dish to plan to have for dinner towards the end of the week, like a Meat Free Friday meal (or even on a Saturday afternoon) because it uses up all the leftover things that you probably have taking up space in your fridge from earlier in the week!

Yummy fried rice paired with Beyond Meat’s Plant Based Brats, even the meat-eaters in the family will ask for seconds! This recipe is really adaptable so don’t worry if some of your ingredients (like the veggie selection) varry a little! If you don’t have any day-old-rice hanging around to use for your fried rice base then you can always cook up a batch, strain and spread out on a small sheet tray and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Fresh rice, straight piping hot and from the pot simply has too much moisture to “fry” up properly and you’ll end up with a slightly soggy or chewy end result.

What you are going to need to buy:

Rice

Veggies (use what you have in the fridge) or a frozen bag from the store works just fine. We used corn, green beans, peppers, and onions.

Butter (for a Vegan Recipe we used Earth Balance)

Egg (for a Vegan Recipe we used VeganEgg from Follow Your Heart)

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Plant Based Brats - (We used these from Beyond Meat)

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire Sauce

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Sesame Oil (optional)

What you are going to need to do:

In a large skillet saute’ your veggies in a small amount of butter and garlic. This is especially important if you are using frozen veggies because they will likely have more water/moisture that you will want to cook out.

Add your egg, or VeganEgg to the veggies and stir vigerosly so that the egg coats the veggies and cooks at the same time. You’ll likely have some small, pea-sized pieces of egg along with the veggies and that’s what you want. Use a spoon or spatula to break up any larger pieces of egg.

Add another 1-2 tablespoons of butter and bring heat in skillet to medium high. Add in rice and stir to combine with veggies. Add soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste. This would also be the time to add more garlic, if desired. Stirring every 15-20 seconds for 3-4 minutes, or until you notice the rice and veggies starting to brown and get slightly crispy. Be careful not to burn!

Remove rice and veggies and place into a glass bowl that can be covered to keep warm. I like to set my bowl on the stove behind the burner that I am using so some of the residual heat can work to keep it warm while you cook the brats.

Cut your brats, on an angle, into 1” thick pieces. Over medium heat add butter to the skillet and place braut pieces into pan with cut sides down. At this point, I like to sprinkle the brats with a little worcestershire sauce and additional garlic. Cook until you see that the cut sides are picking up some color and then flip, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Serve the brats over the fried rice and garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, if desired.

Enjoy!

7 Ingredient Creamy Pasta Casserole with Red Sauce

Who doesn’t love a good pasta casserole? It’s the kind of comfort food that you crave when life get’s crazy and you don’t have any idea what else to make for dinner. This vegan dish only requires 7 ingredients and is the perfect way to use up the pasta that you have at home because just about any kind of noodle or shell will work for this dish.

Admittedly, this is another one of those recipes that I hesitated to even type up and put on the blog because, well, it’s just so, so simple…BUT, my dear, sweet, Momma asked about it this week and wondered if I was going to share it, so here we are! While quick and almost embarrassingly easy, because of the baking time required for this recipe, this dish does not qualify as a 30 minute meal, however, because most of the time that this recipe demands is just “oven time” I think it still more than qualifies as a good option for a week night meal, especially for a crowd!

What you are going to need to buy:

Your favorite kind of thick pasta. (Really, anything will work but personally, I would stay away from stuff that is super thin like spaghetti or angel hair. I used some leftover pastitsio that I had on hand)

Red Sauce - (Make your own or use your favorite jarred brand. Trust me, either way, it’s going to be delicious)

Vegan Cream Cheese - (We love the plain cream cheese from Kite Hill Foods)

Vegan Parmesan - (We love the Follow Your Heart shredded Parmesan)

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Salt and Black Pepper

Italian Seasoning or Fresh Herbs - (We used Rosemary and Basil)

What you are going to need to do:

In a stock pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil to cook your desired pasta.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix 1/4 cup of Vegan Cream Cheese with 1/4 Cup of Vegan Parmesan and one teaspoon of minced garlic, plus salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning, to taste. Use these proportions for each “serving” you’d like to make. (ie: if you want to serve 4, then you will need approx. one cup of cream cheese, one cup of parmesan, etc…)

Optionally, you can use fresh herbs for this step and forgo the dried Italian Seasoning

Once your pasta is cooked drain and begin layering the casserole.

Begin with a barrier layer of red sauce on the bottom your oven safe casserole dish so that the pasta won’t stick and is less likely to burn.

Layer your pasta on top of the sauce and then top with evenly spaced teaspoonfulls of the cheese mixture.

Repeat layering with sauce, pasta, and cheese filling until you have reached the top of your casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, on medium rack, until the sauce is hot and bubbly. (Use a piece of tin foil to lightly cover the dish for the first 15 minutes of baking, if rack can not be moved to a center position and is too close to the upper heat coil in your oven.)

Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with minced fresh herbs and an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.

Pour your favorite glass of red wine and enjoy.

Quick and Easy Creamy Zucchini and Mushroom Carbonara

Okay, people…cards on the table! Pasta is kind of my weakness. Well, truth be told, carbs in general, and salty things, and creamy things…so this Creamy Zucchini and Mushroom Carbonara basically checks all of my boxes! It goes from skillet to table in under 30 minutes, is loaded with veggies and is so rich and luxurious that even your non-vegan friends are sure to love it!

The internet is rife with authentic carbonara recipes. This is not that kind of recipe. There is also really no shortage of vegetarian carbonara recipes that replace the meat in the original dish with mushrooms while still retaining the eggs and dairy. Again, this is not that kind of recipe. As with a lot of the dishes that I share…if you do eat eggs and dairy, by all means, use the ingredients that you like…BUT, if you are willing to be slightly adventurous, I would say, maybe challenge your expectations of what you think vegan food tastes like…and with the addition of my secret ingredient, I guarantee that this dish will surprise you!

What you are going to need to buy:

Small Yellow Onion

Small Zucchini

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Fresh Mushrooms (Use what you like…but remember that this is replacing the meat in the original dish so a meatier, more hearty, mushroom is going to be your best bet.

Olive Oil

Liquid Smoke: Surprise…Secret Ingredient!

Thick Cut Pasta

Salt and Pepper

Cashew Milk - (We used Forager Brand Half and Half because it’s nice and creamy)

Vegan Cream Cheese - (We used Kite Hill Brand)

Vegan Parmesan - (We used Follow Your Heart Shredded Parmesan)

Fresh Herbs - (Use what you’ve got but we recommend parsley or thyme)

What you are going to need to do:

In a skillet on medium heat sauté 1/2 of a small chopped onion, one zucchini, cut into 1/2” cubes, with olive oil and minced garlic for 1-2 minutes.

In a pot, bring salted water to a boil to cook pasta. This recipe should make 4 small servings or 2, rather large, appetizer sizes servings. Boil pasta accordingly. Once the onions have started to become translucent, add 2 cups of sliced mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt and 1.5 tablespoons of my secret ingredient, liquid smoke. This really helps to mimic that meaty and salty, smoked texture of meat that traditional carbonara has. Cook on medium/low heat until all veggies are soft.

A note about mushrooms: They shrink. Don’t slice them too thin or they will shrivel up to almost nothing. 1/2” slices are not too large!

Once the veggies are almost soft, drop pasta into boiling water and cook via packaged instructions. Do not overcook the pasta because it will finish cooking back in the skillet with the sauce.

To the cooked veggies add 1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese and 1/4 cup of your half and half. Melt, on low heat until well incorporated. If the sauce seems too thick you can add a little more half and half.

Drain pasta leaving just a little pasta water on the noodles and add them to the sauce in the skillet. The starch in the residual pasta water will help to make the sauce extra thick and creamy. Gently fold in the pasta and add 1/3 cup of vegan parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and fully incorporated.

Add salt and black pepper, to taste.

Plate and garnish with fresh herbs!

Sauteed Sweet Onion and Sundried Tomato Avocado Toast with Pistachios

Avocado Toast. Call me a hippie, call me granola, either way I love it. Pseudo healthy, super trendy, foolishly expensive, and something that yes, I happen to eat way, way too much of. I’ll be the first to admit that avocado toast at home tends to get a little boring but not with this recipe! Perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch the entire dish takes about 15 minutes to make…but only about half that time to wolf it all down!

So, full disclosure…this recipe is a bit of a hack job that I may or may mot have ripped off from a local joint in my neighborhood! They have an avocado toast on their menu that, to the best that my taste buds can determine, is served with caramelized onions and sun-dried tomatoes. (All things that I happen to love.) I also love this recipe because so many avocado toast recipes these days seem to be either served with cheese, in some form or fashion, or an egg but this one is sans both and with the complexity of flavors, I promise that you won’t miss either…even if you aren’t plant-based.

What you are going to need to buy:

Your favorite loaf of crusty bread

Sun Dried Tomatoes - (We love California Sun Dried jarred tomoatoes)

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

1/4 Small Sweet Onion, Sliced

Olive Oil

Avocado, medium

Salt & Pepper

Lime Juice

Pistachios

What you are going to need to do:

This is the kind of recipe that feels a little silly to even type out and post…but here we go.

In a small skillet saute onions and garlic on medium heat until onions begin to turn translucent and take on a caramel color (6-8 minutes) After the onions have cooked 5 minutes or so, reduce heat to low and add in 2 or 3 tablespoons of the sun dried tomatoes (along with a little of the oil they are packed in) Cover skillet and let cook another 3 minutes or so. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to let the tomatoes burn.

Open and remove pit from your avocado.

Take one half of the avocado and gently mash with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of lime juice until soft enough to spread.

Toast your bread.

Srpead the mashed avocado on the toast and top with the warm onion and tomato mixture.

Using the second half of the avocado, gentle slice in strips and fan over the top of the tomatoes and onions.

Garnish with crushed pistachios, a little more lime juice. Any oil left in the skillet can be drizzled over the top of the finished dish.

Enjoy.

Rustic Roasted Carrot Galette with Feta Spread and Herbs

When you’re a vegetarian you always seem to get sent home with the leftovers…all of the veggie leftovers, that is. Such was the case, with me, this weekend after a BBQ that my good friend James hosted…I found myself with an entire container of roasted (well, grilled, actually) carrots. So, in the spirit of tasty leftovers, good friends, and slight hangovers…some kind of brunch recipe seemed like a good reincarnation to tackle this morning.

If you’re not familiar with a galette…don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s basically the culinary hybrid of a pie and a flatbread. Savory or sweet, you can top them with just about anything you like and make them in any size. The great thing about a galette is that you can really make it as simple, or as fancy as you like or have time for? Want to make your own pie crust from scratch? Great…want to buy the frozen stuff in your local grocer’s freezer isle? That totally works, too. For this recipe I did end up making my own vegan pie crust BUT since I was working with leftovers, I had the luxury of not having to marinate or cook the carrots. This recipe is nothing if not an exercise in improvisation…Oh yeah, and did I mention brunch?

What you are going to need to buy:

Pie Crust - (Or the ingredients to make your own: flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, vegan butter, olive oil, and ice water)

Feta Cheese - (We love the Just Like Feta block from VioLife Foods)

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

White Wine Vinegar

Salt and Black Pepper

Fresh Thyme

Carrots (leftover, or otherwise)

What you are going to need to do:

To start, if you didn’t buy your pie crust you are going to want to make that dough because it really is best if you can let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before rolling out and baking.

Now, pie crust can be kind of a polarizing thing in the culinary world…so fair warning, this is how I made mine but if you have a tried and true family recipe you love, or if you love Pillsbury, no judgement here.

On a solid surface countertop or cutting board measure out 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. With a cold fork, cut in 6 tablespoons of ice-cold butter to the flour mixture until the butter pieces have become small, like the size of a grain of rice and are fully incorporated into the flour. slowly drizzle in 1/4 of cold olive oil and gently, but quickly combine until a shaggy dough forms. Supplement with 1-2 tablespoons of ice-cold water if the dough is too dry. Do not overwork. Mix dough until just incorporated. shape into a square or disk (depends on what you want the final shape of your galette to be, wrap in plastic and let dough rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

While the pie crust a resting, let’s make our herby feta spread. In a food processor (or using a stick blender) combine 1/3 cup of olive, 3 cloves of minced garlic, a pinch of salt and black pepper, 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, (Optionally you can use lemon juice), fresh Thyme (de-stemmed) with 3 ounces of feta cheese and mix until smooth and creamy.

Preheat your oven to 400.

On a lightly oiled and floured baking sheet, roll out your chilled pie crust to desired shape, until it is about 1/4 inch thick. I didn’t worry too much about the edges of my dough because well, it’s a rustic recipe, after all, but depending on your level of perfectionism, you can always trim away the scrappy edges.

Spread the feta mixture, which should be about the consistency of sour cream, to the pie crust leaving a 1 inch border all the way around. At this point it will probably seem like too much of the spread, but don’t worry. A lot of that moisture is going to be absorbed my the pie crust when cooking.

On top of the feta spread, arrange your carrots and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Gently fold over the perimeter of the crust so it just slightly rolls over and covers the edges of the carrots. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of your crust and your particular oven.

Garnish with a little more crumbled feta and a pinch of herbs.

A note about the carrots:

Like I said in the into, I used leftovers for this dish and didn’t need to roast my carrots because they had been marinated and grilled the day before. I absolutely recommend going the leftovers route when making galette because you can, quite literally, use almost anything: sauteed squash and artichokes, cubed crispy potatoes and caramelized onions, diced tomato, mushrooms and spinach…the list goes on and on.

BUT, in case you do want to try and replicate this dish more accurately, here is what you need to do to make the carrots. 6-7 large carrots, peeled. Blanche the carrots in hot water for 2 minutes to tenderize and then marinate in a combination of sesame oil, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of brown sugar for 30 minutes. Grill or roast carrots until fork tender.

Cashew Sweet Potato Medallions with Fried Sage Leaves and Sweet Ginger Sauce

This recipe honestly feels a little like cheating because it’s just so, so easy that there isn’t much of  “recipe” to speak of. Sweet potatoes, like all potatoes do take some time to bake but slicing them into medallions will cut about 15 minutes off your total baking time. This makes a great mid-week “set it and forget it” kind of recipe. Just whip up the topping in the last 10 minutes and you’re ready to eat!

Sweet potatoes! They are cheap, full of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and magnesium and can help fight inflammation within the body. Naturally sweet, with far fewer carbs that white or yellow potatoes, they are pretty much a staple in any plant-based diet, but many people only seem to break out the sweet potato recipes during the holidays! Let’s face it, the traditional candied topping or old-fashioned marshmallow crust just doesn’t seem appropriate in the middle of Summer…but with under 10  ingredients, you’ll love this quick and easy recipe for Cashew Sweet Potato Medallions with Fried Sage Leaves and Sweet Ginger Sauce.

What you are going to need to buy:

Medium Sweet Potato, cut into slices

White Vinegar

Agave Syrup

Powdered Ginger

Fresh Sage Leaves

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Vegan Mayo - (we like JUST Mayo)

Cashews
 

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat your oven to 400.
Begin by carefully slicing your sweet potato into medallions. (This step is optional…but will decrease baking time.) Arrange pieces of sliced sweet potato in loose foil packet, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your potato.

Toward the last ten minutes of baking, open the top of the foil packet, leaving the ends crimped so that all of the contents remains inside, and finish baking with the top of the potato open and exposed in the oven.

In a saucepan or small skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Once oil is shimmering toss in 5-6 small to medium fresh sage leaves. You will hear them spit and crackle. Fry for 1 minute and remove. Set on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. After oil cools, store your sage infused oil in a small container for use in other recipes.

In a small dish combine 2 tablespoons vegan mayo with a splash of white vinegar, agave syrup, and powdered ginger. (Add ginger to taste…but, be brave, don’t skimp!)

Take the largest two fried sage leaves and finely chop.

Remove sweet potato from oven and let stand 1-2 minutes before serving. Top the sweet potato with the Sweet Ginger Sauce, sprinkle with sage leaves, both chopped and whole, and add a handful of cashews.

Tip: Might as well double the recipe! These sweet potatoes reheat for lunch the next day like a dream! Reserve the ginger sauce and cashews and add after you reheat the sweet potato in the microwave, for an easy work-lunch that you’re coworkers will crave!

Saag Paneer Mini Pizzas with Veggies and Toasted Pine Nut Chonk

Okay people! Let's talk Indian food...specifically saag! I just recently discovered a dish called saag paneer, which is quickly becoming a favorite! As much as I love it served over herbed white rice, today we are going to use it as a base for some mini pizzas!

This is the perfect dish for when you are trying to eat somewhat healthy but you are also just craving PIZZA! Made with a base of saag, a type of spiced spinach gravy with cheese, our version uses a vegan feta. With the crispy crusts, briny, salty, cheese and creamy spinach saag, combined with the fresh burst of veggies on top they really hit the spot on the nights when you are just kind of craving junk food. Plus…with almost two cups of spinach per pizza…hello, can we say leafy greens? Popeye would be so proud!

What you are going to need to buy:

Large Bag of Spinach

Fresh Basil

One white or yellow onion, small, diced

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Powdered Ginger

Powdered Cumin

Paprika

Chili Spice

Medium Tortillas or Roti

VioLife Vegan Feta Cheese - (Or your favorite block feta for just a vegetarian version)

Pine Nuts

Olive Oil

Fresh Veggies - (We used onion and tomato but feel free to use what you love on pizza, olives, artichoke, peppers…)
 

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat  over to 400.

This recipe comes together in just a couple of steps.  To begin, in a medium saucepan, add 3 tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic, diced onion, and garlic powder, (Reserving just a few diced onions to sprinkle on top at the end) and sauté on medium heat until the onions become translucent but not brown.

Note: This amount of saag will make two or maybe three mini pizzas depending on how large your tortillas are and how thick you spread it.

Add a total of 5 cups fresh spinach and 7-8 fresh basil leaves to the pan in batches and begin to wilt down the greens, stirring and turning so that all of the greens become coated in the oil. After all of the greens have been wilted down (Think the consistency of what you would use to make creamed spinach) remove from heat and transfer to a blender. A stick blender also works well for this dish.

On a flat cookie sheet lay out your tortillas and prick with a fork so they won’t rise and dome in the oven. Place in oven to crisp up, but watch them so that they do not burn. Remove when edges are golden.

Blend the greens until they become somewhat smooth, but not so much that the consistency becomes runny. We are looking for a nice spreadable gravy consistency, like a thick pizza sauce. Stir greens to let some of the heat/steam escape. We want the gravy mixture to be warm, but not hot enough to melt the cheese when added.

Cut small half inch slice of feta from the VioLife Feta block. I recommend cutting one slice from the block for each pizza you are making. Cut that slice again across the long side and then slice into half inch cubes. You should get 14-16 mini cubes from each original slice off the block.  

Reserve 5-6 cubes, per pizza, and add the rest into the spinach gravy, giving a light stir, just to incorporate. Remember, we don’t really want the cheese to melt, or break apart.       

Making the chonk.

Chonk is basically just toasted spices in oil and it get’s drizzled over the top of our finished pizzas. In the same saucepan that you wilted the greens in, add another 3 tablespoons of olive oil, along with a handful of pine nuts, ginger powder, cumin powder, chili powder and paprika. Sauté over medium heat until the pine nuts turn a nice golden brown. Be careful, once they turn brown, they can burn easily. Remove from heat.

Assembling the pizzas.

Divide the spinach saag and spread think layer onto each crisp tortilla, making sure that cheese is distributed evenly. Top with remaining feta, diced tomatoes, reserved fresh onion and put back into hot oven for about 90 seconds.

When ready to serve, cut into quarters and drizzle with the pine nut chonk.

Braised Beefless Tips and CousCous with Tzatziki Mint Sauce

One of my all time favorite foods to cook is couscous and although it seems like it would be intimidating, it’s really super easy! Quick, versatile, and more interesting that plain rice, couscous can be served with just about any style of food.

Most people think of couscous as a middle-eastern dish but it actually has its roots, originally, in North Africa. Although it’s prepared similar to rice and other grains, couscous is actually made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour, making it more like pasta and less like rice from a nutritional standpoint. In this dish it becomes the beautiful base for the braised beefless tips and the cool and refreshing tzatziki inspired mint sauce.  An easy weekday meal, you can have this dish on the table, to feed a crowd, in just about 30 minutes!

What you are going to need to buy:

Pearled Couscous

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (we like the “Not Beef Bouillon” by Edward and Sons

Olive Oil  

White or Yellow Onion, small, diced

Gardein’s Beefless Tips

Sundries Tomatoes, jarred, in oil, or cut into bite-sized pieces

Black Kalama Olives, cut in half

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire

Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt

Small Cucumber, diced very fine or grated

Fresh Mint

Lemon Juice

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

What you are going to need to do:

Step one in this recipe, or any recipe involving couscous is to dry toast the couscous. This sounds mo0re complicated than it is and in the end gives the finished dish a much more complex depth of flavor- It only takes two minutes! Do not skip this step.

In a medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Add to this the minced garlic and onions. I almost always use the minced garlic that comes jarred in the produce section. One teaspoon for every half-cup of dry couscous you are cooking.

Let the couscous, onions, and garlic toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

Set aside.

In a nonstick skillet, over medium heat, with just a little soy sauce and worcestershire sauce in the pan, (maybe a teaspoon of each) begin to brown the frozen beefless tips. Feel free to add any other sauces or seasonings that you like, at this time. Personally, I have a bottle of balsamic fig vinegar that I just love so I almost always add a dash of that, as well.

Bring your couscous saucepan back over to medium heat and add the veggie stock. (Follow the boxed directions of your couscous for the recommend amount of liquid) Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the liquid is being absorbed.  If, after 10 minutes) the couscous seems too runny, take the lid off the saucepan and some of that excess water should boil/evaporate off.

Continue to check on the browning beefless tips, stirring occasionally to make sure they are not sticking to the pan…but you do want a slight amount of sticky caramelization to be happening in the bottom of the pan from the soy and worcestershire we added earlier. If they are looking dry…feel free to add a touch more of your sauces.

Once the Couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is creamy, remove from heat and stir in the sundried tomatoes and olives.

 For the tzatziki inspired mint sauce, combine Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt, minced garlic, salt and pepper, lemon juice, grated cucumber, and diced fresh mint. Adjust quantities to your own personal taste. White Vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice. The sauce should be think enough to pour, but not super runny.

When ready to serve, lay down a base of the Couscous and top with the Beefless Tips. Drizzle the tzatziki inspired mint sauce over the top and garnish with another fresh spring of mint.

What's in our Tzatziki inspired Mint Sauce?

Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt

Minced Garlic

Lemon Juice

Grated Cucumber

Salt and Pepper

Diced, Fresh Mint – (yes, it needs to be fresh!)

Toasted Sweet Potato Gnocchi served over Couscous with a Sweet Ginger Garlic Sauce

We’re back at it tonight with another sweet potato recipe. Yes, I know it’s smack in the middle of summer…who cares? Who says that sweet potatoes are only reserved for the fall? This Toasted Sweet Potato Gnocchi served over Couscous with a Sweet Ginger Garlic Sauce is super filling and a great way to get a “pasta fix” when you are craving carbs without all the guilt!

Admittedly, this recipe does have a few more steps than some of the dishes that I usually share on the blog because you do have to make the sweet potato gnocchi but the good news is that if you are are only cooking for on or two…or if you are super on-the-ball and are in the habit of meal prep, you have make a big batch and freeze what you don’t use tonight for another meal later! Personally, what I love about this recipe is making the gnocchi from scratch, even if it is a little more work because it means that I know exactly what is going into the food that I am eating…no excess salt or synthetic preservatives, just natural ingredients that I have prepared myself!

What you are going to need to buy:

Boxed Couscous - (we like the Near East brand and they have several to choose from!)

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (we like the “Not Chicken Bouillon” by Edward and Sons

Olive Oil  

Red Onion, small, diced (only half)

Minced Garlic

Sweet Potato (Medium)

Brown Sugar

All Purpose Flour

Baking Powder

Salt & Pepper

Vegan Mayo (We Like JUST Mayo)

Agave Syrup

Lime Juice

Powdered Ginger

Fresh Thyme (We used Lemon Thyme)

Cashews

 

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe technically comes together in only two pots…but one of them is only used to boil water…so, does that even really count?

Making the Gnocchi:

Let’s get cooking. Preheat your over to 400.

Step one in this recipe is to roast your sweet potato(s). Yes, you need to roast them. No, please do not boil them. The key to really good gnocchi that isn’t too dense or gummy is to incorporate as little flour as possible to have the dough come together. By roasting your sweet potatoes, you are also dehydrating them just a bit, which means less flour needed later on. This, obviously, is why you don’t want to boil off your poatoes to soften them…more water = more flour. Not ideal. (If you are really in a pinch, you can use the microwave.)

Once your potatoes are roasted, soft, and cooled you need to remove the insides from the skin and mash or puree them. If you are only making a small batch (one sweet potato) you can easily do this by hand with a fork. Once the sweet potato mixture is smooth and free of most large lumps add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and one teaspoon of baking powder, per medium potato.

Next comes the flour. This is hard to measure, because of the size of the sweet potato used, and the water content left in the potato after roasting, the amount of flour for this step will vary. Slowly add in flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough comes together and is no longer sticky. Try not to overwork the dough. Gently incorporate the flour until just combined. We are looking for a texture that is slightly less dense than traditional pasta dough. You will need to be able to work/roll the dough into “snakes” on your work surface without the dough sticking to the counter, or your hands.

Once dough is rolled into 1/2” wide snakes, cut 1/2” pieces so you have little sweet potato “pillows” At this stage you can either roll into balls, roll into logs, leave in pillow shape, or use your thumb, and the back of a fork to create the traditional “gnocchi” shape. My advice? If you are making this at home…skip the fancy stuff…it all taste the same in the end, and after boiling and frying the fork/tine marks that are seen on traditional gnocchi get a little lost, anyway.

Making the Couscous:

At this point we are going to shift gears and make our couscous. The first step to this recipe, or any recipe involving couscous is to dry toast the couscous. This sounds more complicated than it actually is and in the end gives the finished dish a much more complex depth of flavor- It only takes two minutes! Do not skip this step.

In a medium saucepan, bring enough salted water, to cook the gnocchi, to a boil. We are going to boil the gnocchi like pasta, so think the amount of water you would use for medium pasta shells. The water should come up to boiling while your couscous cooks.

In a medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Add to this the minced garlic, one sprig and onions. I almost always use the minced garlic that comes jarred in the produce section. One teaspoon for every half-cup of dry couscous you are cooking.

Let the couscous, onions, and garlic toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

Bring your couscous saucepan back over to medium heat and add the veggie stock. (Follow the boxed directions of your couscous for the recommend amount of liquid) Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the liquid is being absorbed.  If, after 10 minutes) the couscous seems too runny, take the lid off the saucepan and some of that excess water should boil/evaporate off.

Once the Couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is creamy, remove from pan and place in a bowl or on a plate, covered, to stay warm. Clean out the pot/pan the best you can because this is what we are going to toast/fry our gnocchi in, after it comes out of the water, to make them crunchy.

Cooking the Gnocchi:

At this point your “pasta water” aka gnocchi water should be at a light boil. With a slotted spoon, add gnocchi to the water, being careful not to overcrowd the pot if you making a large portion. The gnocchi will immediately sink and will float when finished cooking.

In the original couscous pot/pan add a handful of cashews, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and, if you have it on-hand, a splash of your favorite balsamic vinegar. Once the gnocchi float in the boiling water, remove them and transfer to the pot with the cashews, over medium/high heat to toast or get a little crunchy. Continually stir or shake the pot/pan so that the gnocchi do not stick or burn. This takes about 4 minutes or so.

Making the Sweet Ginger Sauce:

In a small dish combine 2 tablespoons vegan mayo with a splash of agave syrup, lime juice, minced garlic and powdered ginger. (Add ginger to taste…but, be brave, don’t skimp!) Stir until smooth and well incorporated.

Plating and Service:

Serve the crunchy sweet potato gnocchi and cashews over the warm couscous, and top with the sweet ginger and garlic dressing. Add fresh thyme, to garnish.

Asian Inspired Orange Chick'n with Couscous and Sauteed Veggies

Who doesn’t love Orange Chicken? Served on a bed of dainty couscous, it’s feels fancier than just stir-fry and rice but still takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. This sweet and savory dish is a quick and easy way to get a hot meal, on a week-night table, that everyone will love.

Although it’s prepared similar to rice and other grains, couscous is actually made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour, making it more like pasta and less like rice from a nutritional standpoint. Most people think of couscous as a middle-eastern dish but it actually has its roots, originally, in North Africa, and is great compliment to just about every style of cuisine. Served with fresh veggies, the best part about this dish? The leftovers make amazing chicken burrito wraps the next day for lunch!

What you are going to need to buy:

Boxed Couscous - (we like the Near East brand and they have several to choose from!)

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (we like the “Not Chicken Bouillon” by Edward and Sons

Olive Oil  

White or Yellow Onion, small, diced

Gardein’s Mandarin Crispy Chick’n

Fresh Veggies - (we used, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, and Mushrooms)

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)    

What you are going to need to do:

Step one in this recipe, or any recipe involving couscous is to dry toast the couscous. This sounds more complicated than it actually is and in the end gives the finished dish a much more complex depth of flavor- It only takes two minutes! Do not skip this step.

In a medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Add to this the minced garlic and onions. I almost always use the minced garlic that comes jarred in the produce section. One teaspoon for every half-cup of dry couscous you are cooking.

Let the couscous, onions, and garlic toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

Set aside.

Ideally, this rest of this recipe can be made in one big skillet, if you’ve got one big enough for the chicken and the veggies to cook at the same time, on opposite sides of the pan, without too much crowding. To a large skillet or frying pan, over medium low heat add the Gardein Chicken Nuggets to one side of the pan, making sure that they are all laying flat and not too crowded. You want to crisp up the outsides a little first before we add the sauce.

Cook the nuggets on medium heat for about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and then flip all nuggets over to let the other side brown. At this point, if you pan is big enough add the veggies to the other side of the skillet, sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle with a dash of soy sauce and worcestershire.

Bring your couscous saucepan back over to medium heat and add the veggie stock. (Follow the boxed directions of your couscous for the recommend amount of liquid) Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the liquid is being absorbed.  If, after 10 minutes) the couscous seems too runny, take the lid off the saucepan and some of that excess water should boil/evaporate off.

At this point your chicken should be crispy and cooked through and your veggies tender. Remove Veggies from the pan and set aside, covered. Turn up the heat in the skillet and add the pack of sauce that is included in the Gardein Mandarin Chick’n Meal kit. The sauce is very thin, at this point, so we want to take a few minutes and thicken it up. Bring the sauce to a boil, but be careful not to burn it. You will need to stir and watch this closely but once you see the sauce turn more viscous and honey-like, remove skillet from the heat. Add the sauteed veggies back into the pan with the chick’n just to coat them in whatever residual sauce is left in the pan and to re-warm just a little.

Once the Couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is creamy, remove from heat. If your couscous has become too dry, no worries, just add a little water, maybe a tablespoon, and stir to incorporate. When ready to serve, lay down a base of creamy couscous and top with Orange Chick’n and sauteed veggies. Additionally, you could garnish with slivered almonds or crushed peanuts.

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Sandwich with Olive and Garlic Spread

Confession: I’ve been on a total sandwich kick this week…mainly because I bought some delicious rolls for my Vegan Muffulettas and, if I am honest, I typically don’t keep a lot of bread in the house…because, basically, I have no will power around carbs! But, tonight’s recipe is so easy and low calorie that none of that really matters…It’s delicious and that’s all you need to know.

I don’t know about you, but even though I love to cook, there are just some weeknights that I simply don’t have the energy for big, extravagant, gourmet, meals. This week has been that week, and full disclosure, I have had some variation of “sandwich” every night so far. Tonight is no exception but with the addition of this sandwich being toasted, I will admit, it feels more like a dinner, and less like a lunch! These Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Sandwiches with Olive and Garlic Spread are simple enough to whip up, even after the longest of days, and hearty enough to not feel like you are skimping on “dinner.”

What you are going to need to buy:

Rolls (Don’t overthink this. Use what you like…with one exception, do not use hamburger buns!)

Roasted Red Peppers (Roast your own, or buy them in a jar)

Spinach

Green Olives

Kalamata Black Olives

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Olive Oil

Vegan Feta Cheese (We like Violife - Just Like Feta Block)
 

What you are going to need to do:

Honestly, I always feel a bit weird about calling a sandwich a “recipe” because it’s really just all assembly…but this one does have a couple of steps.

Set your oven to the broil setting…choose “low” if you have the option.

To begin, you will want to finely chop a handful of green olives (The ones stuffed with pimento are my favorite for this) as well as a handful of black, kalamata olives.

*A note about olives…from someone who is a little bit of an olive snob. Try, as much as you are able, to stay away from canned olives. Opt for the fresh or jarred option, if you can. trust me, your taste buds will tank you for it.)

To the olive mixture add a drizzle of olive oil and minced garlic, to taste. Using the back of a fork, work the mixture by hand, mashing the olives and garlic into the oil, until it becomes slightly paste-like. You do still want the chucks of olives to be somewhat discernible but also need to be able to spread it onto the rolls.

On the bottom half of your roll arrange spinach, the roasted red peppers, and thin slices of vegan cheese. For this dish, I love the saltiness of feta. It pairs so beautifully with the olives!

Place under the broiler for one to two minutes until cheese is soft and melt-y, but not not brown and the bottom of the roll is crunchy. This happens quick…keep your eye on it.

Add the olive spread to the top bun, top and serve by cutting into halves or quarters.

That’s it…see, told you it was easy!

Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dates and a Sweet Balsamic Glaze

Anyone who thinks that they don’t like brussel sprouts, I dare you not to like this recipe. This dish is so good and so simple. It’s perfect for entertaining as we head into the holiday season because although brussel sprouts are often available year-round these days their peak season is from September to mid-February making them budget friendly for serving a crowd.

The trick to this recipe is, of course, fresh brussel sprouts, and really ripe dates! There is something kind of magical about the sugar content in the dates and how it almost caramelizes into a chewier crunch when they are roasted. If you are really time sensitive go ahead and get the pitted dates, but if you can spare a couple extra minutes I think buying dates with the pit in and removing yourself at home keeps them softer and sweeter. (I have no proof of this…it’s just been my experience.) With under 10 ingredients, including the spices, what’s not to love?

What you are going to need to buy:

Fresh Brussel Sprouts

Whole Dates

Pine Nuts

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Maple Syrup - (The good stuff, not pancake syrup. You could also use agave or honey.)

Balsamic Vinegar - (I get mine locally here in Orlando from The Ancient Olive)

What you are going to need to do:

begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

Remove all loose, witty, or soft outside petals from your brussel sprouts and cut in half length-wise.

Lightly oil, salt and pepper your brussel sprouts and place on a sheet pan or cookie sheet being careful that they are only one layer thick.

Cut your dates length-wise and remove the pit. Then cut each half length wise again so that you end up with 4 quartered wedges. Place on the sheet pan with the brussel sprouts. Roast at 400 degrees, on the middle rack for 25 minutes, flipping/stirring half-way through so that you can get some browning on all sides.

To make the glaze, mix equal parts of Olive Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar with minced garlic and maple syrup or honey, to taste. If you can’t find the thick balsamic vinegar, you can always take of of the extra soft and squishy dates from the package and scrape out the contents into the glaze. Use a fork or small wish to incorporate the date flesh into the mixture and it will thicken it up a bit. If you do this…you will need less maple syrup or honey because the dates are so naturally sweet.

After 25 minutes, turn oven on to a low broil and broil for another 5-7 minutes, checking every 90 seconds or so to make sure that nothing is burning. Note: The dates will get really dark in color, and you might be afraid that you have burned them…rest easy. You likely didn’t but this broil at the end is what makes them caramelize into a nice chewy crunch!

Once the brussel sprouts and dates are out of the oven, toss them with the glaze and allow to cool for 4-5 minutes before serving to let that glaze really thicken up. Garnish with pine nuts or chopped pistachios!

Enjoy!

The Best Fresh and Chunky Guacamole

I love avocados! Big surprise, I’m sure. Hang onto your hats…I also love guacamole! But, I know that a lot of people, (gasp)…do not. Perfect for a party, this recipe is sure to turn even the pickiest eaters green with avocado envy

I’m personally convinced that there are two reasons why some people don’t like avocados (and guacamole to be more specific): one, people who don’t eat them often, are a little intimidated about buying avocados, (ie: knowing when they are ripe) and two, because most of the “guacamole” that people have had at their restaurants and neighborhood backyard barbecues is basically green, processed, mushy baby-food! Yuck! If I had to choose between most restaurant and grocery store guac and no guac at all…I’d be on the anti-avocado train myself. Luckily, now you have this recipe! It’s so easy and delicious, I promise…you’ll never want to eat store-bought ever again.

What you are going to need to buy:

2 Ripe Avocados

1/2 Small Red Onion, diced

Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, diced

Garlic, minced - (our favorite is from Spice World!)  

1 Fresh Lime

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cilantro, if that’s your thing…

Mayo (Optional)

What you are going to need to do:

Open your avocado by slicing through the entire circumference of the fruit! Yes, It’s a fruit. I know…I know. It’s green. Look it up! Fruit, I promise. (Mind blown!)

Gently twist the two halves apart and with a large, sturdy kitchen knife, remove the pit. This is exponentially easier when the avocados are ripe.

Score the flesh of the fruit into a grid pattern and then scoop out the contents from the skins.

Into a mixing bowl combine the flash of two avocados, the diced onion, the diced tomatoes, (Using yellow and red tomatoes makes for an extra pretty dish, perfect for entertaining) and 1 -2 teaspoons of minced garlic.

Using the back of a fork, gently mash the mixture together to smooth out some of the lumps, being mindful not to turn your homemade guacamole Into the aforementioned baby-food. Personally, I like mine a little on the chunky side.

Squeeze in the contents of one small lime (Do not skimpy this…) and add salt and pepper to taste. If you’re a cilantro lover throw a handful of rough chopped cilantro into the bowl, give a final stir and serve!

That’s it! I told you it was easy!

Enjoy!

(A note about the Mayo: This can be either traditional or vegan mayo and can be a good trick to use if your avocados are not quite ripe enough to make your guacamole very creamy. Take 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo and add to the avocado when you are doing your initial “mash and mix” step. If you do add mayo, just know, it will flatten out the flavor a little and you will likely need a pinch more salt plus some more garlic and lime.)