To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
Click the image above to watch the video.
Arugula Pesto
INGREDIENTS
Handful of fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup nutritional yeast (or vegan Parmesan)
1/3 cup vegan Parmesan
1/2 cup pecans (or other nuts)
5 oz fresh arugula
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Blend in a food processor until smooth. Add water or more oil if it is too thick. Season with S&P. Set aside.
Cauliflower Gnocchi
INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower – cut into florets
Flour
GARNISH: basil, parsley, or lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees & roast the cauliflower for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool.
Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it is finely chopped.
Put some flour on a kneading space. Knead just enough flour into the cauliflower until you have a nice, dough that is no longer tacky. Use as little flour as possible or your gnocchi will be too dense.
Quarter the dough & roll each quarter out to a long snake that is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut your gnocchi in about 3/4 inch pillows. You can rill them on a fork or gnocchi board (below) – to aid in making sauces cling but that is unnecessary.
If the gnocchi are still tacky, dust with more flour. Set aside until you are ready to eat.
When ready, heat the pesto. Bring salted water to a rolling boil. Put the gnocchi in the water & boil until they float to the top – a few minutes. Drain & toss with the pesto. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley or lemon wedges.
To freeze some, put them on a floured cooking sheet or on a cooking sheet with parchment paper & freeze flat. Once frozen, you can transfer them into any other container – even a Ziploc bag. Always put frozen gnocchi into water at a rolling boil without letting them defrost first – or they will become a gooey mess.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
The photo just above is from the wonderful blog – The Iron You. It is their Eggplant Parm Rice Casserole and it is that recipe that inspired mine here. There are a few subtle changes but the primary difference is that I used cauliflower rice rather than real rice and I made it vegan. That way – this dish is very light & nearly guiltless. Is is very easy to make & comes together in less than 45-60 minutes – 30 of which are in the oven. It is a surprisingly tasty recipe & chock full of fresh vegetables.
Eggplant Parmesan Casserole with Cauliflower Rice (Vegetarian or Vegan)
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 large head of cauliflower
2 eggplants – cut into 1/4 inch slices
Olive oil
1 cup basil – chopped
2 large shallots (or 1/2 small onion) – diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes – quartered (reserve a few extra to garnish)
2-3 cups vegan mozzarella – according to your preference (I used 3 cups)
1-2 cups grated vegan Parmesan – according to your preference
S&P
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
3 (or more) vegan sausages – cooked
Parsley or basil – chopped as garnish
DIRECTIONS
If you have a grill or grill pan, spray some olive oil on the eggplant (or toss them in a light coating of olive oil or dressing) & grill on each side until a bit charred & soft. Set aside.
If you do not have a grill or grill pan – follow Iron You’s oven method directions: Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and grease them with vegetable oil. Set aside.
Fill a large bowl with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until it dissolves completely.
Add eggplant slices and let them sit for at least 20 minutes to draw out the bitterness. Fish the eggplant slices out of the water, pat them dry, and arrange them on a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the slices turn deep brown on top.
Remove the slices from the baking sheets and carefully transfer them on a plate to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Cook sausages & chop.
Cut the florets from the cauliflower & either grate them on a box grater or using the grater of your food processor (the FAR neater way to go). Set aside.
Toss the tomatoes with basil, a pinch or S&P & the oregano & crushed red pepper & set aside.
Heat a TBS or so of olive oil in a large frying pan (large enough to hold all the cauliflower rice) & saute the shallots or onion until soft. Add the cauliflower rice & the stock. Over high heat – saute until the cauliflower is soft & the bulk of the stock has evaporated. Stir in the tomato & basil mix and the sauce.
Grease a casserole pan (I used cooking spray) and layer 1/3 of the rice on the bottom. Top with half the eggplant and 1/3 of the cheese and 1/2 the sausage. Add another 1/3 of the rice, remaining eggplant and 1/3 of the cheese & the remaining sausage. Top with a final layer of rice & cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted & the casserole is heated through.
Let sit for 10 minutes & then serve with parsley or basil & maybe extra diced tomato.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
My friend, Suzie, brought this to a party & it was so delicious – I had to try to recreate it. It is earthier than most guacamole & has a lovely, herbed flavor that would go great on crostini or bruschetta – as will as with chips or on anything else you might put guacamole. It would also make a terrific pasta sauce.
Rosemary Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
4 large avocados – pitted & peeled (Reserve a pit or two to put in the completed guacamole. Pits prevent guacamole from turning brown.)
5-10 stems FRESH rosemary (not dried) – leaves removed from the tough stems
1 large garlic clove
1 seeded jalapeno or other hot pepper
1 lime
salt
DIRECTIONS
You need to create a paste from the garlic, jalapeno & rosemary. Start with 5 stems of rosemary & increase it to taste. A mortar & pestle (like above) would be the most effective. A really course mortar & pestle. I used a Magic Bullet & mortar & pestle combo (see the video). Do whatever you can to get the rosemary a fine as possible & the garlic & jalapeno minced.
Mash the avocado, mix in the rosemary paste & add lime & salt to taste. Season to taste – even adding more rosemary paste if you think it needs it. Drop in a reserved avocado pit.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
~
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
~
Click the image above to watch the video.
I keep throwing softballs like this out there to you kids. Softballs in that the recipe is easy & the result delicious. When, oh when, will you trust me & try one?
This one is almost like a quiche but uses no eggs or heavy cream – and it is vegan! I used three colors of heirloom tomatoes but any tomatoes would work, even cherry tomatoes, I suspect.
For the pastry crust
makes two tarts
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
16 TBS ice cold (even frozen) vegan butter
1/4 cup or more of ice water
Heirloom Tomato Pie with Arugula, Tofu, Cream Cheese & Parmesan
makes two tarts
INGREDIENTS
Pie crust – uncooked
5-6 heirloom (or other) tomatoes – sliced thin
2 cups fresh arugula
2 cloves garlic
1 (14 oz) block firm tofu
4 oz vegan cream cheese
2 slices of your favorite flavor vegan cheese
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan – grated (plus a bit extra for topping – optional)
S&P
Basil – as garnish
DIRECTIONS
For the pastry crust
Put the flour, salt & sugar in a food processor. Pulse to blend. Then, 1 TBS at a time, pulse in the cold butter until it is all incorporated. Add a few TBS water & pulse until little balls of dough begin to form & it falls away from the bowl of the processor.
Remove from the bowl & press into two balls – one a tad larger than the other. Press flat, wrap in plastic wrap & chill for about an hour. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you roll it out.
DIRECTIONS
for the Heirloom Tomato Pie with Arugula, Tofu, Cream Cheese & Parmesan
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Press the dough into a greased pie or tart pan. A traditional pie dish is absolutely OK to use – as is a spring form pan. Slit the crust at the bottom and par-bake it for 7 minutes.
Put the sliced tomatoes on paper towels, salt them & press more paper towels on top. If your tomatoes are very wet & seedy, squeeze some of the seeds out to avoid excess moisture in the pie. You can see that I did this with my red tomatoes.
Meanwhile, blend the tofu, cream cheese, cheese slices, vegan Parmesan, arugula & garlic in a blender or food processor. Season with S&P.
When the crust has baked 7 minutes, top with the cup of grated Parmesan, the tofu mix & the drained tomatoes. Add some S&P. Maybe sprinkle some grated vegan Parmesan on top. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top.
Bake for 45-60 minutes – or until the ricotta is set. You might need to wrap the edges of your pie with foil (or one of these cool silicone things – the red thing below – that I got at Bed Bath & Beyond) to prevent the crust from over-browning.
When the center seems set, allow this to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. It can be eaten warm or room temperature.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
This is a really easy, 5-minute pasta sauce. It is fairly spicy so cut back on the crushed red pepper if you are sensitive to heat. Canned tomatoes are not desirable – even BAD – (read why you should avoid canned tomatoes & seven other foods HERE) – but they are sometimes the only affordable (and super convenient) option. .
Fresh herbs will also improve this sauce measurably but – in a pinch – they are absolutely not REQUIRED to make this sauce tasty.
Five (5) Minute Arrabiata Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 27 oz carton tomato sauce
Garlic to taste
1 tsp each of crushed red pepper, oregano, pepper & sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh thyme (optional)
Fresh basil – chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil. I sautéed maybe 10 tiny garlic cloves whole. If giant chunks of garlic offend you or yours, you might want to crush them a bit with the side of a knife or press them through a garlic press or chop them fine. Just do not burn the garlic and burning is easier – the smaller you chop the cloves. With whole cloves – I sautéed a minute before adding the spices. If you chopped the garlic – add it and the spices at once.After about a minute of both the garlic and all other spices sautéing – add the tomato sauce. Be careful as it will sputter and splatter you when it hits the hot oil.
A few minutes in – I used a slotted spoon to fish out the garlic cloves & put them through a garlic press but this is not totally necessary.Heat over med-low heat until ready to use. Add chopped fresh basil/parsley at the very end – if you are using fresh herbs.
Eggplant is an odd thing. Some of my favorite dishes are made of eggplant – most markedly my nearly guiltless Indian Baingan Bharta & one of the most popular recipes of this blog’s history, my Spicy Vegan Chinese Eggplant – both seen just below.
But if it is cut into slices or cubes that are too large & then under-cooked – it can have an icky texture & an icky flavor. Lots of people categorically reject it because the first time they tried it – it was yucky. But it is so versatile & can take on so many flavors so well. I love it & I feel certain I could convert more than a few haters – if I served them the right dish.
THIS dish might just be that dish – assuming they do not also hate spinach. The eggplant is very subtle & melts in your mouth. This could be customized a zillion ways. There are no rules. Just make a little mash of some flavors you like & roll’em up & bake them – and voila! Yes – there are a few steps but none are difficult & the result is delightful. A tad hard to photograph but really delicious.
Oh! I got this new little garlic press at Bed Bath & Beyond for (I think) under ten dollars & I am kind of in love with it. There are to ways to go with this – sliced or minced (there is a second blade tucked into the base) & all you do is press the garlic through & it creates a little drawer of crushed garlic for you. Se easy & easy to clean & no garlic fingers!
Easy Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach
Should feed 4
INGREDIENTS
2 medium eggplant – tops removed & sliced 1/4 inch thick (thick makes assembly harder)
1 lb fresh spinach (or 8 oz frozen or other spinach – thawed)
3-4 cups (28 0z or so) – marinara (your favorite brand or homemade or the one I post below) or my 5-minute spicy arrabiata
Handful vegan Parmesan
1/2 cup vegan ricotta
1/4 cup parsley – chopped
4 oz vegan mozzarella
S&P
Olive oil
More vegan mozzarella to melt on top – to taste
Parchment paper (if possible but not imperative)
Foil
Garnish: more cheese and/or parsley and/or basil
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the tops off the eggplant & try to cut them evenly 1/4 inch thick. I used a mandolin. Lay the slices on paper towels & sprinkle with salt. Flip & salt the other side (lightly – so they won’t be overpowered by salt). Salting the eggplant helps release excess moisture & can temper any bitterness. Let them sit for about ten minutes.
Steam the fresh spinach by simply boiling a tiny bit of water to a very large stock pot & adding the spinach. Cover the pan. It should wilt in less than a minute (this works to thaw frozen spinach, too, though it might take longer). Strain into a colander & run cold water on it. Squeeze out as much water as you can & chop the spinach.
Put the spinach, parsley, & your Parmesan & ricotta & mozzarella cheese in a large bowl & blend. Add some S&P.
Pat the eggplant slices dry & sprinkle with ground pepper. Place them on a cooking sheet covered in parchment paper (or foil treated with cooking spray – because you do not want these guys sticking). Bake about ten minutes.
Layer some sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan. Spread about 2 TBS of the filling on each of the eggplant slices. If you have extra – spread it around. Carefully roll those guys up & place them in the pan, seam side down.
Layer some more sauce on top & then sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil & bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven & uncover & let rest a good 5-10 minutes before cutting in. Serve with more cheese and/or parsley and/or basil and copious red wine. See? You like eggplant!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
The Ivy Copycat Grilled Vegetable Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
serves 2 as an entree
INGREDIENTS
for the dressing
Juice of 1-2 limes
match the lime juice with an equal part of olive oil so it is 50/50.
Add about 1 TBS each of balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar) and agave
Season to taste with S&P.
Combine & taste. Tweak to suite your palate.
for the salad
Your choice of greens – or a mixture (arugula, romaine, butter lettuce, watercress, field greens – your call)
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
2 ears fresh corn – in the husks
1 bunch asparagus – tough bottoms trimmed
1 red bell pepper – seeded
1/2 cucumber – diced
1 handful cherry tomatoes – haved
3-4 radishes – chopped
1/4 small red onion – diced
1 avocado – chopped
OPTONAL – chopped herbs (basil or cilantro), protein (chickpeas, black beans, vegan chicken or any other protein you desire)
DIRECTIONS
Make the dressing while the veggies are grilling.
Slice the zucchini & squash in 1/4 inch thick slices & grill until softened & there are grill marks – turning a few times. Do the same with the red pepper & asparagus. Set aside. Grill the corn in the husks until blackened on the outside. Cool & throw the husks away then cut the corn from the cobs.
Now – just assemble the salad the way you would any other. If there are going to be leftover veggies – do not dress them. They will stay fresher in the fridge undressed.
All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018
