DDD #157 – Vegan Glazed Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake (Bread Pudding?)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2020

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OK – I made this recipe up & it did not come out as I had intended.  I expected a more traditional cake texture but got the dense & uber moist bundt you see here that had the consistency of a rich bread pudding.  It was still delicious – but know that it is more accurately described as bread pudding.  If you are a baker & know where I went wrong – let me know.

Vegan Glazed Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake (Bread Pudding?)

INGREDIENTS

for the bundt

8 oz vegan cream cheese

12 TBS vegan butter

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

4 vegan eggs

1/2 cup vegan sour cream

3/4 cup vegan milk

zest & juice of one lemon

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups blueberries (I used frozen)

for the glaze (optional)

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons water, vegan milk or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH – fresh blueberries, additional powdered sugar, lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a bundt pan and coat with a thin layer of flour.

With a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, whip the cream cheese & butter until blended & sorta fluffy – about 3 minutes.  Whip in the sugar until combined.

Mix in the vanilla, salt, and vegan eggs. Add sour cream, lemon juice & zest & milk.  Blend.

Blend in milk, baking soda & baking powder.

Blend in the flour.

Fold in the blueberries by hand.

Bake approximately 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly dry with a few moist crumbs on it.

for the glaze

In a bowl – combine ingredients until smooth.

Let the bundt cake cool before inverting onto a plate.  Drizzle glaze and/or powdered sugar & decorate with extra blueberries.

 

 

 

 

DDD #156 – Vegan New York Strawberry Cheesecake

 

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This cheesecake is remarkably easy – and can be made with or without both the sour cream top & fruit glaze.  Just know it has to be made a day ahead of when you want to serve it.

Click the image below to watch how easy it is & hear me rant forever about masks & lockdown protesters & fucking idiots everywhere.

Vegan New York Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs (32 ounces) vegan cream cheese

9 ounces vegan sour cream

1 3/4 cups sugar

6 vegan eggs (watch video to see what I used)

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

2 tsp vanilla

for the crust

1 1/2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs

5 TBS vegan butter – melted (not the 8 I said in the video)

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

for the sour cream top

1 pint vegan sour cream (16 ounces)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

for the strawberry glaze

2 or more cups strawberries (I used fresh ones I had frozen)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in a little lemon juice

red food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

In a stand mixer or food processor – blend everything – adding the egg “one egg at a time” at the very end.  Set aside.

Grease a 9″ springform pan & line the bottom with parchment paper.  Wrap the pan in two layers of foil.

Boil some water.

Mix the graham crumbs with the melted butter (5 TBS not the 8 I said in the video) and sugar & salt.  Press into the prepared pan & smooth.  Add the cheesecake batter.

Put the cheesecake (wrapped on the sides with foil) in a large roasting pan and put on the middle rack of your oven.  CAREFULLY – add the boiling water to the roasting pan.  If you splash water in your oven – you risk a steam burn.  BE VERY CAREFUL.

Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the sides are golden & have set – while the center is just a bit soft.

Allow to cool for an hour.

Raise oven temp to 450 degrees.

Whisk the sugar & vanilla into the pint of sour cream.  Pour over the cooled cheesecake & smooth.  Bake at 450 for ten minutes.

At this point – let the cake cool completely – ideally – once it cools – letting it set in the fridge overnight.

If you want a glaze – whisk the cornstarch into just enough lemon juice to dissolve it.  Add it to a saucepan with the strawberries, sugar & vanilla and heat over medium until the glaze thickens – maybe 5 minutes.  Add red food coloring if you like.

You can glaze the entire cheesecake or serve the glaze on the side.

Enjoy!

DDD #155 – Fresh Homemade Falafel & Pickled Turnips

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Click the image below to watch the video.

These guys are REALLY easy to make but this recipe makes a fuckton.  If you make more than you want to eat immediately – form them into 1″ balls & place – UNCOOKED – on a cookie sheet & parchment paper.  Freeze.  Once frozen, you can transfer them to a Ziplock bag.  Thaw before frying.

FRESH FALAFEL

Makes about 40 falafels

INGREDIENTS

1 lb DRY garbanzo beans (chickpeas) – soaked overnight in deep water

1/2 onion

1 jalapeno or serrano (optional)

5 garlic cloves

1 cup parsley

1 cup cilantro

1 TBS turmeric

2 TBS ground cumin (maybe more – to suit your taste)

1 TBS ground coriander

juice of 1 lemon (2-3 TBS)

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS salt (maybe more – to suit your taste)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp baking powder (this will make the falafel a bit lighter)

1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Water – just enough to get the ingredients to blend but go easy – start with 1/2 cup

Oil for frying

GARNISH – pickled turnips (recipe below), chopped tomato, sliced cucumber, pita bread, lettuce, red onion, tahini-yogurt dressing (recipe below) and maybe HUMMUS, tabbouleh, lemon wedges, tzatziki sauce, garlic paste (toum)

 

DIRECTIONS

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor using as little water as possible – until combined.  It should be moist but crumbly.

Form 1″ falafel balls.  Do not go too big or they will be burned outside or raw inside.  Raw dough will keep several days in the fridge.

Heat oil on high & fry – turning to cook evenly.  They should cook in about a minute on each side.  Drain on paper towels.

Serve as you will!

PICKLED TURNIPS

Makes enough for 40 falafel

INGREDIENTS

1 red beet

2 lbs turnips – peeled & cut into matchsticks

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 cup white vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Dissolve the salt in the water & vinegar.  If you need to warm it – that is OK but not not put the turnips in until it is cooled completely.  Add the turnips & beet & store in a jar overnight.  They should last a good two weeks in the fridge.

TAHINI-YOGURT SAUCE

Mix 1/4 cup tahini with 3/4 cups vegan yogurt. Season with S&P, minced garlic and/or lemon juice.  Maybe a pinch of cumin and chopped parsley.  It should keep for the lifetime of the yogurt.

DDD #154 – Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake

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Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups good quality olive oil

3 vegan eggs

1 1/3 cups vegan milk

2 TBS orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1/4 cup Grand Marnier (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 325 degrees & put the top shelf in the middle of the oven.

Combine all the ingredients & pour into a greased 9″ spring form pan.

Bake for 55-70 minutes or until it is golden on top & a toothpick comes out clean (maybe a few crumbs but not wet).

Allow to cool.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar & maybe more orange zest.

Enjoy!

DDD Ep. #153 – Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

3 cups fresh strawberries (stems removed & chopped) – or frozen strawberries (thawed)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 TBS lemon juice

2 cans coconut CREAM (not coconut milk)

2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Put the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer – at least overnight – or longer.  If you have room – it should just live there when it is empty so you can be more spontaneous about making ice cream.

Heat the strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch & lemon juice until dry ingredients dissolve.  Bring to a boil to thicken a bit then set aside to cool completely.

Mix in the coconut cream, vanilla & salt & make ice cream according to your machine’s directions.

Add the chocolate chips in the last 5-10 minutes.

Eat immediately or put in a loaf pan, cover with wax paper & then foil & keep in the freezer.

DDD #152 – Vegan Mushroom Pate

 

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Vegan Mushroom Pate

INGREDIENTS

3 TBS vegan butter

1 small onion or several shallots – diced

1 lb or more of mushrooms – sliced

4 garlic cloves – minced

5 oz vegan cream cheese

1 TBS chopped rosemary (or thyme or fried sage)

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a large saute pan.  Cook the onion over med-low heat until soft.  Add the mushrooms & herbs & saute until most of the moisture is out of the mushrooms.  Add the garlic & salt & pepper.  Saute a minute & then transfer to a food processor.  Add the cream cheese and S&P & puree.

Chill & serve.

 

 

DDD #151 – Crazy Super Easy & Quick Artisan Bread

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I had this sort of Artisan bread when I had the pleasure of being a guest at the Arkansas home of my friends Ed & Andrea.  Andrea has a cool food blog of her own called On Life & Beans.  HERE is her recipe for a large quantity of this sort of dough.   It is a simple, hearty, rustic bread that works well for everything.  Hers was delicious!

I started smaller than her recipe.  The secret to this bread is 1) making the dough & letting it rest for AT LEAST 2 hours but up to 12-18 hours and 2) putting a pan of water in your oven when you bake the bread – which results in a crazy awesome & crusty exterior.

There are few recipes more simple than this one.  You can make as much dough as you like & it will keep, raw, in your fridge for up to TWO WEEKS for you to rip hunks off of at will & bake yourself some fresh bread any day.  It’s kind of a miracle.  I cannot recommend strongly enough that you try this at least once.

Click the image below to watch the video.

Crazy Super Easy & Quick Artisan Bread

INGREDIENTS

6 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 TBS salt

1 1/2 TBS yeast (or 1 1/2 packets of yeast)

3 cups warm water

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the yeast into the warm water in a very large bowl.

Add the salt & let it dissolve.  Add the flour & blend with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated & you have a very sticky dough.  Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking oil & let it sit for 2-5 hours in a warm spot in your kitchen.

At this point, you can bake immediately or you can put the bowl of raw dough in the fridge.  It will keep for up to two weeks!!!  I let mine chill overnight but this is not necessary.  You can bake it after the two hour rising & get on with the show.  Here is how it looked after a night in the fridge:

To bake, pre-heat the over to 450 and be sure to let it get to 450 before you put your bread in there.  I used a pizza stone that I never use for pizza – but only because the thing lives in my oven anyway – so why not put it to SOME use?  You could use a cookie sheet or a cast iron pan or cast iron Dutch oven.  Place a pan (or pie tin or something) on the bottom of your oven with a cup of water in it.  This is critical as it will steam your bread into – counter-intuitively – a very crusty exterior.  If you hate crusty bread (weirdo!) – skip the pan of water.

I tore off a hunk of dough (about 1/2 the entire quantity I made) & rolled & stretched it a bit until I formed a loaf that was sorta smooth & round on the top.  I slashed the dough a few times with a serrated knife & then placed the dough on parchment paper & then put this on the pizza stone on the middle rack.

I baked mine bread for 20 minutes.  Time will depend on the size of the loaf you make.  It should look nice & golden – even browned – on the outside.  Be sure to let it get golden or your risk a wet & doughy center in your loaf.

Remove from the oven & let cool or devour immediately.

DDD #150 – Vegan Blueberry Apple Pie with Rosemary

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Vegan Blueberry Apple Pie with Rosemary

INGREDIENTS

4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

2 apples – sliced very thinly

1 lemon

1 cup sugar

1-2 tsp of fresh rosemary chopped VERY finely (use less for a more subtle flavor)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 TBS cornstarch

1 package of two pie crusts or the recipe below.

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees with a cooking sheet in there on the middle rack.

Core & slice the apples – slice them very thinly – and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on them.

In a sauce pan over medium heat – combine the berries, apple slices, juice from the other half of the lemon, sugar, rosemary, vanilla & cornstarch.  Warm until sugar dissolves & cornstarch is incorporated.  Allow to cool while you prepare the crust.

Divide the dough in two and roll out each half until they are both large enough to line your pie dish.  Layer on crust in the dish & fill with the fruit mix.

Cut the other crust into 1/2- 3/4 inch strips, twist them & coil the strips on top if the pie – starting from the center & working outward until the top is covered.  Put any extra dough in the spots where fruit shows.  (Watch the video if this seems confusing.)

Cover with foil.  Place on the hot cooking sheet & bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Remove foil & bake another 20-25 minutes or until your crust is golden & the fruit is bubbling.

Cool & serve.

Vegan Buttery Pie Crust

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup VERY COLD vegan butter

8-10 TBS VERY COLD water

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl or food processor, mix the flour & salt.  Slice the butter up & work it into the flour.  I did this in my food processor by pulsing it until it was all crumbly. Little chunks of butter in the dough are okay.  Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together.  Don’t add so much that it gets sticky or gooey. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill in the fridge while the pie filling cools.

 

DDD #149 – Dark & Stormy Rum Cocktail

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Click the image below to watch the video.

Dark & Stormy

INGREDIENTS

3 ounces dark rum

6 ounces ginger beer

fresh lime

ice

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill a glass with ice.  Squeeze half a lime over the ice.  Add a slice of lime inside the glass.  Add the ginger beer.  Pour the rum over a spoon into the glass.  Garnish with a lime slice.

Voila!

DDD #148 – Vegan Penne with Cauliflower Ragu

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Vegan Penne with Cauliflower Ragu

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium cauliflower (about 2 lbs.)
• 3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-in. dice
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
• 3 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. penne
• 3/4 cup freshly vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast or a combination, plus extra for serving
• Parsley as garnish

DIRECTIONS

Halve cauliflower. Remove leaves and cut out core and reserve. Cut cauliflower into small bite-size florets, reserving stalks. Chop core, leaves, and stalks.

Combine oil, onion, garlic, and cauliflower core, leaves, and stalks in large pot, season with sea salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until leaves are just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are just tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Add cauliflower florets, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup water and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is almost falling apart, 22 to 25 minutes. Add butter, stirring gently until it melts; season well with sea salt. Remove from heat.

Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large pot and add 3 tbs. kosher salt. Drop in pasta and cook until just al dente.

Drain pasta, reserving about 1/3 cup pasta water. Add pasta and 1/3 cup reserved water to ragu. Toss over medium heat until pasta is well coated (add more pasta water to thin sauce). Stir in cheese.

DDD #147 – Vegan Hot & Dry Wuhan Noodles

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This is not a very traditional version of this dish but – given grocery stores during the Coronavirus pandemic – I just sorta winged it with what I had available.

Wuhan was the early epicenter of this virus so I Googled it & found that their traditional dish is Wuhan Hot & Dry Noodles.  They looked & sounded great so here is my humble version.  Expect a more traditional version in the near future.

Click the image below to watch the video.

Vegan Hot & Dry Wuhan Noodles

serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 oz dry noodles

4 TBS tahini sauce

2 – 4 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS good quality balsamic vinegar (optional)

2 TBS sesame oil

2 TBS dark (black) soy sauce (or regular)

2 TBS light (thin) soy sauce (or regular)

1 TBS sambal oelek (or hot chili oil to taste)

Pinch Chinese 5 spice

1 tsp sugar

1-2 TBS peanut butter

GARNISH – black and/or white sesame seeds, chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS

Cook the noodles.

Whisk the sauce ingredients together.

Drain the noodles & toss with the sauce – using a quantity to suit your taste.

Garnish – devour!

DDD #146 – Vegan Tamales & Neil Hamburger

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OK – this episode features the awesome Neil Hamburger, local comedian, song man, magician & lounge act.  Neil happens to be vegan & so I invited him to make tamales on my channel.  Tamales have always intimidated me & I have never attempted making them myself.  Don’t let the length of this episode frighten you.  It is not long because it was hard to make tamales but because Neil is a fascinating conversationalist.

Click the image below to watch us make tamales from scratch, discuss vermin-infested chili factories, Greek cheese & serial killer yard sale finds, Tiffany Amber Thiessen – and more!

Vegan Tamales

This will make about 8-12 tamales – depending on how large you make them.  Depending on how fat they are – you might have extra stuffing ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

1 large package of corn husks (get more than you need because lots of them will be too small or torn) – soaked in warm water for an hour

4 cups masa flour

1 cup corn grits

6 cups vegan stock

1 package of soyrizo or other vegan chorizo – minced (optional)

Vegan grated cheese

1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter

1 4oz can of diced green chilies

for mushrooms

1/2 lib sliced mushrooms

olive oil

4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch chili powder

S&P

for the black beans

1 15oz can black beans

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch of chili powder

GARNISH OPTIONS – rice, beans, salsa, cheese, guacamole, lime wedges, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro

DIRECTIONS

for the mushrooms

Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan.  Add the mushrooms, cumin & chili powder & saute until soft.  Mix in the garlic & saute another minute or so.  S&P to taste.  Set aside to cool.

for the beans

Drain the beans.  In a stock pan, heat them & stir in the bay leaf, garlic powder & chili powder.  Set aside to cool.

for the tamales

In a large bowl, mash 2/3 of the butter & then smoosh in a cup of masa flour.  Add 1 cup of stock & combine.  Add the remaining 3 cups of masa & 3 cups of stock – one cup of each at a time – alternating.  ! cup masa – one cup stock.  Combine.  Repeat.  When all four cups of masa & stock are blended with the butter, add the rest of the butter & the cup of grits and the can of green chilies.  Combine – only using as much stock as you need to keep it in a cookie dough consistency.  It should not be soupy.

To assemble the tamales – find a large & untorn husk and put it on the counter – small side on the bottom – wide at the top. (The video will show this far better than I can explain in words.)  Then, put a small handful of masa in it. Pat it flat & add a small amount of whatever fillings you like in any combination you prefer.  Again – watch the video to see Neil expertly assemble a few of these.  Then – fold the bottom up – folding the masa from the bottom over some filling.  Fold the sides in pressing the masa over the filling from the sides.  Basically, create a veggie-stuffed masa Twinkie, then fold the bottom of the husk up, fold one side in & then the other.  If they are overstuffed & squirting out the top, simply double wrap them but put the open end on the bottom so the bottom fold encloses the opening.  Video shows this clearly.  Then 0 you can move on & make the rest or use a strip of husk (or kitchen twine) to tie them shut.  Repeat until all the masa is gone.

Neil steamed his tamales in his electric steamer for 65 minutes.  I steamed mine in an Instant Pot for 45 minutes.  I steamed mine upright.  I used a little terra cotta pot to keep mine upright. Neil steamed his flat.

Now – you can let them cool & freeze them for the future or eat them immediately – garnished as you like.  See?  Not hard at all!

 

 

DDD #145 – Crown & Paw Pet Portrait Unboxing

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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DDD #144 – Much Love Animal Rescue & BH90210 Cast

 

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CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 17: Christine Elise attends the Much Love Animal Rescue 3rd Annual Spoken Woof Benefit at Microsoft Lounge on October 17, 2019 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

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DDD #143 – Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili for a Chili Cook-Off – for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

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So – this weekend, I entered a Chili Cook-off!  There were only two vegan entries of the 14 adults competing & it was meat chilis that won the chili titles but I won for best presentation.  Check it out!

Click the image below to watch this on my Youtube channel.

It was a lot of fun & it raised money for the Downtown Women’s Shelter.   Kids competed, too!

Homemade Chili Powder

2 TBS smoked paprika

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix & store in a jar.

Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili 

Serves a fuckton!

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS olive oil

2 each – Anaheim, Pasilla & Jalapeno peppers (I used 3 large jalapeno peppers)

2 small sweet potatoes – peeled & cubed

3 ears of unshucked corn or 2 (15 oz) cans of corn kernels

2 celery stalks – chopped

1 large onion (I used 1/2 white & 1/2 sweet onions) – diced

2 red bell peppers

1 TBS chili powder (recipe for homemade is above)

28oz can crushed or diced tomatoes (I used San Marzano)

2 TBS hoisin or BBQ sauce

2 TBS chipotle in adobo – minced

2 TBS vegan bouillon (I used vegan beef bouillon)

1 (4oz) can hot diced jalapenos (optional)

1 (4oz) can mild diced chilis

5 (15oz) cans of beans (I used a mixture of chili beans, light red kidney beans & black beans)

3 lbs vegan ground beef

8-10 large vegan sausages (Beyond Meat are the best)

2 (12oz) tubes vegan chorizo (soyrizo)

4 cups of water

GARNISHES: chopped cilantro, shredded vegan cheese, diced onion, chopped scallions, crushed corn chips, rice, corn bread, hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

I charred all the peppers (Anaheim, Pasilla, red bell & jalapeno) on a grill until the skins were black.  I did the same with the corn.  I put the peppers in a closed container to cool & then peeled & seeded them under cold water.  I shucked the corn.  You need not roast the peppers & corn but it adds a lovely smokiness.  Cool & chop.  Cut the grilled corn from the cobs.

I cooked the sausages on an outdoor grill.  Cook yours as you please.  Cool & chop.

Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot or on the stove.  Saute the onions & celery until soft.  Add the chili powder & saute a minute.  Add the ground beef & brown it.

If using a slow cooker, transfer the meat from the stove to it.

Now – add everything else or as much as fits in your slow cooker of Instant pot (minding the maximum capacity line).  If it all cannot fit – leave out a few cans of beans.

Slow cooker – cook on high for 4 hours.  Add remaining beans – if they fit – & heat through.

Instant Pot – pressure cook for 45 minutes.  Add any beans you have left & stir to heat them through.

Serve!

 

DDD #141 – Vegan Spicy Thai Basil Noodles with Sesame & Garlic

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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Click the image above to watch the video.

This is yet another easy one.  It comes together in ten minutes & it is really flavorful.

I used jarred ginger & this chili oil below is available at Asian markets but also at most large supermarkets in the Asian food aisle.   Fresh ginger is available in most stores, too, if you can’t find this very convenient jarred stuff.  The real key here is the Thai basil as it packs a real flavor punch & tastes distinctly different from regular basil – but regular basil will do if it is all you have access to.

Spicy Thai Basil Noodles with Sesame and Garlic

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 pound noodles (even spaghetti works)

2 TBS sesame oil

4 TBS ginger

8 garlic cloves – minced

4 TBS soy sauce or tamari

4 TBS balsamic vinegar

2 TBS agave nectar (or sugar)

1 TBS chili oil (or another TBS of sesame oil & 2 tsp crushed red pepper)

1 cup Thai basil – chopped

2 scallions – sliced

A handful of crushed nuts ( I used almonds – peanuts are more traditional) – optional

Vegetables are optional but I added 1 carrot cut into matchsticks & a dozen or so sugar snap peas.  Other options: broccoli, red bell pepper, zucchini, edamame, bok choy, or any veggies you fancy.

DIRECTIONS

Heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat & saute the ginger & garlic for one minute. BEWARE OF SPLATTERING OIL!   If you are using sesame oil & crushed red pepper rather than chili oil – add them to the pan, too.  Stir & whisk in the soy sauce, balsamic, agave, and chili oil.

If using regular pasta – add the vegetables you are using in the final 1-3 minutes of the noodle cooking time – depending on the density of the veggies.  Drain & toss with the sesame oil mixture.

You can let these sit for an hour & really soak up the flavors & serve at room temperature – or eat them warm.  When you are ready to eat – toss in the basil & scallions & stir well.  Add nuts & you are good to go!