Vegan Mega Lemon and Garlic Chicken and White Beans with Mint-Basil Pesto for the Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

Follow @celisemccarthy

Tweet

To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

~

OK, kids – it’s another easy slow cooker meal.  I added a little fresh Mint-Basil Pesto – but you need not.  I used a fuckton of garlic & a shitload of lemon – but you can tone these down, if you prefer.  I used the always awesome Beyond Meat – of which (full disclosure) – I am not officially a SuperFan!  Check it out HERE – but you can use real chicken, if that’s your bag.  I served it over pasta but rice would work, too, or this could be served as a sort of white chili.  It is all up to you!  Isn’t that nice?

Mint-Basil Pesto

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 to 1 cup fresh mint leaves (depending on your passion for mint)

1/4 cup almonds (or walnuts or cashews)

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup Parmesan (or vegan alternative)

Olive oil (Use just as much as you need to get the pesto to the consistency you like. I used very little – maybe 1/8 cup – but you might like your pesto thinner.)

1 TBS lemon juice

S&P

DIRECTIONS

Puree all in a food processor.  Season with S&P.

Vegan Mega Lemon and Garlic Chicken and White Beans for the Slow Cooker

Serves 6-8 with rice or pasta

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dry white beans (or canned)

9 oz vegan chicken – thawed & shredded

1 onion – sliced or chopped

20 cloves of garlic – smashed

zest of one lemon

juice of two lemons

5 cups vegetable stock

1 TBS crushed red pepper (or less – to taste)

S&P

Cornstarch

Garnish – Mint-Basil Pesto (recipe above), lemon wedges, fresh basil, cooked pasta or cooked rice.

DIRECTIONS

Do not put the lemon halves in your slow cooker – like you see above.  I think this added a touch of bitterness.

Put everything except the cornstarch into a slow cooker & leave it on high for 6 hours.  If it is too thin – add 1 2 TBS cornstarch to 1/4 cup water & whisk together.  Add to the slow cooker – on high – and it should thicken nicely.  If it is too thick – add a bit of water.  Season with S&P.

Or..

Stove-top – just use canned beans & cook until the onions are tender & the flavors meld – maybe 45 minutes.

Serve with rice or pasta or on its own.  Top with the pesto & garnish as you desire.

Cauliflower Noodle Lasagna with Herbed Goat Cheese Bechamel and Garlicky Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms and Arugula Pistachio Pesto (No Carb – No Pasta)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

Follow @celisemccarthy

Tweet

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.

~

Did you happen to miss my appearance on Nicole Richie’s show –#CandidlyNicole @VH1? No worries! Here it is! I show up HERE after the break – about 16 minutes in!

AND – if you missed my hour-long Oh, Mary! Show appearance this week – well – you are in LUCK! Here are all four segments! LOTSA dirty talk! Many laughs!

Here you go!

http://jlcn.tv/shows/oh-mary/mary-episode-26-segment-01/

http://jlcn.tv/shows/oh-mary/mary-episode-26-segment-02/

http://jlcn.tv/shows/oh-mary/mary-episode-26-segment-03/

http://jlcn.tv/shows/oh-mary/mary-episode-26-segment-04/

OK – in all fairness – this recipe has a lot of steps.  Without a food processor – it might be too much of a pain in the ass to attempt.  If you have a food processor & an afternoon to kill – this might be a fun project.  It is pretty delicious – though not particularly healthy – despite the no-carb noodles made from cauliflower.  This could be made vegan by subbing out the animal products with vegan alternatives but I will leave that to the motivated vegans out there.  I don’t think I have to say “or vegan alternative” after every egg, butter or cheese ingredient for the vegans to work it out.

I used leftover arugula & pistachio pesto that I still had from my Arugula Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Goat Cheese and Ricotta Salata.

You can make this or any other pesto – or use a store-bought one.

Arugula Pistachio Pesto

This makes enough for at least a pound or two of pasta but it keeps well in an air-tight container in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

6 oz fresh arugula

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup pistachios (or other nuts)

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

I used 1/4 cup olive oil & 1/4 cup of water to thin the pesto.  1/2 cup of oil just seems crazy to me – but you can go all oil if you want to.

Blend into a pesto in a food processor – starting with just the 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Drizzle more (or water) in as it purees until you get the consistency you like.  Set aside.

I made a homemade bechamel but you could use a store-bought alfredo & get much the same results.

I used chopped mushrooms, leeks & Brussels sprouts – but any mix of sauteed vegetable would work.

I used this pink Himalayan salt that I have become obsessed with but any salt will do.  And I used the Dash Onion & Herb seasoning but any Italian seasoning (or mix of onion & garlic powders) would be fine.

I used cauliflower “noodles” in this but real lasagna noodles work, too.

No-Carb Lasagna Noodles

INGREDIENTS

1 large head cauliflower – riced (about 10 cups)

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 TBS seasoning (see above)

1 TBS oregano

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

I used a silicone cooking mat treated with cooking spray but greased parchment paper should work, too.  Know that this stuff STICKS  – even to the greased silicone mat – so – slather your cooking shit up.

Take the cauliflower & grate it up with the grater blade of a food processor – or with a manual grater – or get to chopping by hand until it has a rice-like look.

You can zap this in the microwave in 2 minute increments – stirring in between – until it softens but I loathe nuking things.  I submerged the cauliflower in boiling water for about 5 minutes & then drained it in a colander under cold running water.

Once it is cool, in small batches, twist the cauliflower up in a kitchen town & wring as much moisture out of it as you can.

Then simply mix it up in a large bowl with the other ingredients & press it onto your well-greased cooking sheet (see images above).  Bake it for about 45 minutes or until it begins to brown & is cooked pretty dry.  Set aside & allow it to cool.

Garlicky Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms & Leeks

I made the mushrooms & leeks first & then decided to add Brussels sprouts so my photos might show a different cooking sequence but it can be done as I will outline now.

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil

2 leeks – white sections only – chopped small

1/2 lb mushrooms – diced

1 lb Brussels sprouts – chopped or sliced fine

1 tsp each S&P

2 garlic cloves – minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped

DIRECTIONS

It is important to cut the leeks & mushrooms & Brussels sprouts small so they do not stay too chunky & impede clean slicing of the lasagna.

I chopped the mushrooms & leeks & ran the Brussels sprouts through the slicer of my food processor.

Heat 2 (or so) TBS olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat & saute the Brussels sprouts until they begin to brown a bit.  Add /4 water & steam them soft.  Once the water is absorbed or evaporated – add the leeks & mushrooms & saute until tender – maybe 5 minutes.  Stir in the S&P & the minced garlic and the parsley.  Saute another minute & remove from heat.  Set aside.

Herbed Goat Cheese Bechamel

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almond (or other) milk

3 TBS butter

3 TBS flour

2 garlic cloves – minced

8-10 oz goat cheese – room temp

2 TBS chives (or other herb) – minced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a soup pan over med-high heat.  Add the flour & garlic & whisk constantly until it thickens, begins to brown & becomes aromatic – maybe 2 minutes.

Add the milk in 1/4 cup increments & whisk it in until it incorporates & thickens before adding more milk.  This should take maybe 5 minutes.

Add the goat cheese & chives & whisk until the goat cheese melts.  Set aside.

Cauliflower Noodle Lasagna with Herbed Goat Cheese Bechamel and Garlicky Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms and Arugula Pistachio Pesto

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower “noodles” (recipe above) or real (cooked) lasagna noodles

1 cup pesto (recipe above) – or any pesto you prefer

Garlicky mushrooms, leeks & Brussels sprouts (recipe above) – or any cooked veggie mix you prefer

2-3 cups grated cheese (I used mozzarella)

Several hunks of fresh (packed in water) mozzarella (optional)

Parsley – chopped (as garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

My photos show this lasagna cooked once & photographed & then reheated for a new photo session – hence the paler & more golden cheesy tops.

Prep your ingredients.  Cut the cauliflower “noodles” into three equal portions – or however you can to get some layer-able “noodles.”  Never fear if they break apart & stick a lot.  Patch the pieces in & nobody will ever know the difference.

Assemble the lasagna.  I started with a layer of bechamel (whisk it smooth if a skin has formed while it waited).  Then I added the layers in this order:

1/3 of the cauliflower noodles

1/2 of the pesto

1/2 of the veggies

1/3 of the bechamel

another 1/3 of the cauliflower noodles

the other 1/2 of the pesto

the other 1/2 of the veggies

another 1/3 of the bechamel

Grated cheese – in an amount that looks good to you – I used about 1/2 – 3/4 cup

the final 1/3 of the cauliflower noodles

the rest of the bechamel

More grated cheese & some fresh mozzarella – if you are using it

 Bake that son-of-a-bitch fr 25-45 minutes or until the cheese is melted & bubbly & looks the color you want it to look – whether JUST starting to brown at the edges – or a bit golden all over.

Let it rest for 10 minutes or so.  Garnish with chopped parsley & eat it up!!!!

Garlicky Kale & Mushroom Pasta (with a Vegan Option)

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

Follow @celisemccarthy

Tweet

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.

~

You may or may not have noticed that I often use certain ingredients in streaks.  This is primarily due to a desire to recreate with the leftovers from a previous recipe.  This is one of those.

Yesterday I presented Sauteed Kale & Mushroom Quesadillas with Horseradish Cream Cheese & Poached Eggs.

The fact is, I sauteed the entire 10 oz package of chopped kale & the entire 8 oz package of mushrooms & that quesadilla did not use very much of that up.  So – I now present this pasta dish.

I used heavy cream & real Parmesan.  If you are vegan – just sub those out with a vegan variety or eliminate them entirely.  The dish is pretty flavorful & the absence of dairy should not have any negative impact.

Garlicky Kale & Mushroom Pasta

feeds 4 easily

INGREDIENTS

1 lb pasta (I used macaroni leftover from my Smoky Guinness Mac & Cheese with Crispy Fried Onions)

10 oz bag (or one large bunch) kale – stemmed & chopped

2 TBS olive oil

8 oz mushrooms – sliced

4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1/3 cup Parmesan (or vegan alternative) – grated – optional

1/2 cup heavy cream (or vegan alternative) – optional

Parsley – chopped

Extra Parmesan as garnish – optional

S&P to taste

 

DIRECTIONS

Cook the pasta, drain & set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat & add the garlic & garlic powder.  Add the kale & mushrooms & saute over med-high heat until the mushrooms & kale are tender, 5-10 minutes or so.  Add the heavy cream & Parmesan (if using) and blend it in completely.  I added a bit of salt (not a lot because the Parmesan is salty) and a LOT of pepper – 2 tsp or more.  Go lighter if you do not like a lot of spice.

Add the pasta & mix it all in.  Taste for S&P.  Add the chopped parsley.  Serve it up & add more Parmesan, if you like!

 

Eggplant Parmesan Mini Towers with Fresh Mozzarella & Garlic Spinach

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

Follow @celisemccarthy

Tweet

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.

~

Once again, a recipe born of ingredients on hand.  I had extra Japanese eggplant from my Lavash Pizza with Whipped Feta, Grilled Eggplant, Red Onions & Arugula Salad.  I had lots of mozzarella & some tomatoes on their last legs.  I also had a GIGANTIC bag of spinach from a recent Super King venture.   I also had a container of really stale panko.  From these humble beginnings – these glorious mini towers were born!  Aren’t they pretty?  Know that they are less than two inches in diameter.   They are very cute but you would need at least 4 of these to call it a meal.  The recipe here shows what can be made with 3 Japanese eggplant – namely – about 10 of these mini towers.  You could recreate this using regular eggplant & larger (heirloom?) tomatoes.   If you use regular eggplant – prepare it like this before working with it:

Slice the eggplant, then salt it liberally and allow it to drain for an hour or so before cooking. Putting salt on the eggplant triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture and the bitterness along with it. Remove any excess salt by wrapping the eggplant in a kitchen towel and pressing on the slices or cubes, which removes even more water. Pressing the eggplant also collapses some of the eggplant’s air cells, so it absorbs less oil if it’s sautéed.

I added an extremely garlicky spinach to my towers but you could skip that layer easily.

Despite the fact that this recipe requires a few steps, none are difficult & this dish will likely impress your friends & neighbors & make the other ladies in the hood bitter & resentful about your superior culinary prowess.  So brace yourself for the haters.

Eggplant Parmesan Mini Towers with Fresh Mozzarella & Garlic Spinach

(Tip: When making a recipe like this, I always like to have MORE of every ingredient than the recipe calls for – just in case I use my ingredients more liberally that the person who created the recipe did.  It sucks to run out of one or two ingredients when making something like this.  So err on the side of having too much of each ingredient handy.)

INGREDIENTS

Cooking skewers

1 jar of your favorite marinara (or my marinara) or my 5 Minute Arrabiata)

3-4 Japanese eggplant – cut in 1/2 inch slices

2-3 Roma tomatoes – cut in 1/2 inch slices

10-15 basil leaves (plus extra for garnish)

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry parsley

8 oz container fresh mozzarella – sliced up

1-2 cups grated Parmesan

Fresh rosemary sprigs if you want to top these as I did – but it is purely garnish

For the garlic spinach

1 lb fresh spinach – washed well

1 TBS (or less) crushed red pepper

10 garlic cloves (or less) – minced

olive oil

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the garlic spinach

Heat about 1 TBS olive oil in a large saute pan.  Over medium heat – add the garlic & crushed red pepper.  Saute about 30 seconds & then add half the spinach.   Mix it around a minute or two so that the garlic doesn’t burn.  When that spinach is wilted, add the rest & scoop the wilted spinach on top of it.    It will all wilt quickly.  Add S&P to taste.  Remove from heat & drain in a colander.  I used about 1.5 pounds of spinach & it reduced to almost nothing – maybe 2 cups.

For the eggplant Parmesan mini towers

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Make your marinara (or arrabiata) – if you are using homemade.

Mix the panko & breadcrumbs with the 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp each of pepper, dry parsley & dry basil.  Whisk the two eggs.  Spray a cooking sheet (or wire rack) with cooking oil.

Saturate the eggplant with the eggs & then drag through the breadcrumbs & set on the cooking sheet.  Eventually, the breadcrumbs will get clumped up & you will have a harder time getting them to stick.  Don’t sweat it.  You don’t need full coverage.  Or you can just add more dry panko & breadcrumbs to the mix.

Bake these at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until they look golden.

Using a baking pan of some kind – like this – layer the bottom with some of your tomato sauce.

Then simply stack these bad boys up.  I forgot the spinach layer in my first one.  Oops!  It appears I layered mine in this order:  eggplant, Parmesan, spinach, tomato, mozzarella, basil, eggplant, mozzarella.  Carefully, skewer each of these guys with a wooden skewer broken in half.  Do not push the broken end through as that might leave splinters.

Bake another 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted & golden.  Place on plates, remove the skewers and serve with more tomato sauce & fresh basil & lots of freshly ground pepper.