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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My Youtube vide for this recipe is here- just click the image to watch.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 oz gin
4 oz tonic
Cracked pepper
Fresh strawberries
DIRECTIONS
Muddle the strawberries in a glass & grind fresh pepper on them. Fill the glass with ice & add gind & tonic.
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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Reposting this recipe because I have a video to accompany it. Please – subscribe to my channel on Youtube. Www.VideoVegan.com. Click the image below to watch.
Another easy gem made from Trader Joe’s Beef-less Strips. Of course – real beef could be used. Green pepper beef is my bad-ass boyfriend Miles’ favorite Chinese dish so I expect I will post an actual meat version of this some time down the line.
Easy as can be & rather delicious. Mine was a bit on the salty side so be sure to use the low sodium soy sauce. I added dark soy sauce but if you cannot find this – omit it. I used a vegetarian oyster sauce. As with the dark soy – if you cannot find it – omit it.
I bought white rice from a local Thai joynt – hence the take-out container.
Spicy Vegan Chinese Green Pepper Beef
Serves two pretty easily
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Trader Joe’s Beef-less Strips (or other vegan meat) – or real beef
1/2 onion – sliced thin
1 1/2 bell peppers – colors of your choice – sliced thin
olive oil
cornstarch
1 cup water
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 TBS dark soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 TBS ginger – minced
6 garlic cloves – minced
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
1 TBS vegetarian oyster sauce (optional)
Cooked rice of your choice
DIRECTIONS
Toss the meat in a few TBS of cornstarch to coat it.
Heat a TBS or 2 of olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Sear the meat & the crushed red pepper until it browns a bit on all sides. Set it aside in a bowl.
Add another TBS of olive oil to the pan & cook the onions & peppers over medium heat until soft. Put them in the bowl with the meat.
Add another TBS of olive oil to the pan & add the garlic & ginger. After one minute add the soy sauces, water, black pepper, brown sugar, rice vinegar & oyster sauce. Bring to a boil & let it thicken just a bit. Add the meat & peppers & stir to blend. Cook it down until the sauce is as thick as you want it & serve over rice. YUM!
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 just 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.
OK – kiddies! DDD #13 is UP!
Like boobs? Like mac & cheese? Who doesn’t? I am really proud of this episode (and my cans – it seems) as it makes the best of a disaster & really showcases (boobs) how mac & cheese can be delightfully vegan (boobs). But – if (boobs) mac & cheese is not your bag – my rack is very prominently on display here & really tries hard to distract viewers from the recipe in progress so – feel free to just focus on that. Watch my blunders, my fun bags or learn a great recipe – I don’t care. Just watch! I even have a post-credits blooper! Oh – and I think I say “fuck” about 20x in this. So – enjoy!!! Please share & please SUBSCRIBE!! Did I mention boobs? BOOBS!
Click the link for my Green Enchilada & Spicy Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower recipe & please subscribe!
So – I wanted to make a healthier mac & cheese – less cheese (even less vegan cheese) and less pasta. I looked in the fridge & my pantry & found these potential ingredients.
As it turned out – I used all but the vegan cream cheese & the Daiya cheddar shreds. So – the only actual cheese (vegan cheese) in this recipe is the Field Roast Chao Tomato-Cayenne slices. If you can’t find these or do not like them (I think the 3 Chao cheeses are the best grocery store vegan cheeses on the market so far) – then use Daiya or any other kind of vegan cheese – or even real cheese (if you are not vegan).
This is a very easy dish to make – though it does have a few steps. The only special tool you need is a blender (or a food processor). No need to soak cashews overnight. And – most importantly – it is VERY convincing! None of the over-powering flavor of nutritional yeast yet all the wet, creaminess of real mac & cheese. I swear – non-vegans will not identify this as vegan. It has the additional benefit of using two full heads of cauliflower – but they blend in and become virtually undetectable – so your veggie hating kiddies will likely eat this with little argument (though you might want to reduce the spiciness for tender palates).
My primary excitement about this recipe is the green enchilada roux. Traditional roux is made with butter, flour & milk. I definitely wanted to use the green enchilada sauce but I did not want the dish to be swimming in liquid – as I feared it might be if I made a roux with milk and also added the enchilada sauce. Happy news! The enchilada sauce blended & thickened with the butter & flour as easily as milk would have but added SO much more flavor.
Again – while there are a few steps (mainly, boiling & draining to heads of cauliflower & the pasta) – none are difficult & the resulting dish is supremely gratifying! I hope you try it!
Healthy and Cheesy Vegan Green Enchilada & Spicy Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower
Serves at least 6
INGREDIENTS
2 heads cauliflower (I used one white & one yellow)
for the roux
4 TBS vegan butter
4 TBS flour
16 oz green enchilada sauce
7 oz vegan cheddar (sliced up or grated)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (SUPER optional – I just had a little left over that I wanted to use up)
for the mac & cheese
1-2 jalapenos – one seeded & diced and one seeded & sliced (optional – depending on your taste for spice)
1 4oz can diced green chilies (I used hot but you could use mild)
2 ears corn – kernels cut from the cob (or about one 14 oz can of corn or 1 cup frozen corn)
1 lb pasta (shape of your choice)
1-2 cups breadcrumbs (I used panko)
Cooking spray
GARNISH: cilantro, avocado, diced tomato, hot sauces, additional fresh jalapeno or canned chilies
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Treat a 9×13 casserole pan with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta according to directions (maybe 1 minute less than suggested) – drain & set aside.
If you are using 2 different colors of cauliflower – you might want to cut each into florets & then boil & drain them each separately. Or not. It doesn’t matter much but the yellow cauliflower purees & looks like a cheesier sauce than white cauliflower will. Still – some cheddar cheeses are white – so – don’t sweat it, whatever you decide. If you are just using 2 heads of the same color – boil until just tender (5-7 minutes) – drain & set aside.
If you used one head of yellow cauliflower – put it (with about 1 cup of hot water) into a blender & puree until very smooth. Only add just as much water as you need to accomplish this – which could be more or less than a cup of water – depending on the size of the head you used.
If you used to heads of the same color – just puree one head worth as described above. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan & whisk in the flour. It should thicken & brown a bit very quickly – maybe a minute. Add the enchilada sauce incrementally – letting it thicken before adding more – until it is all incorporated & rater thick.
Add the cheese & stir until it melts.
Add the pureed cauliflower & nutritional yeast (if using), salt & pepper to taste, and then one diced jalapeno, canned chilies & the corn.
Combine & adjust S&P – if necessary.
Put the sauce in a large bowl & then add the pasta and the remaining cauliflower florets. Combine.
Pour the mac & cheese into the casserole dish & top with breadcrumbs & maybe some sliced jalapeno. Spray with cooking spray – as this helps the breadcrumbs brown (because vegan cheese does not have the animal fat of real cheese – which is what browns in traditional mac & cheese).
Bake at 400 for about 30-45 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are browned a bit & the cheese sauce is bubbly.
Let rest for about ten minutes & then serve. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, diced tomatoes and/or anything else you like.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This is really easy & does not use any ingredients that are especially exotic. I added WAY too many hot peppers & blasted my face off with this one – so – I will recommend using less spice here than I did. I used Gardein Beefless Tips that I found in the freezer section of my local Ralph’s. You can use these or any other meat replacement you prefer. The ratio of veggies is an entirely personal one. You can take my suggestions or wing it – or just go straight beef & rice. Your call. But it is easy & bursting with flavor!
Spicy Vegan Szechuan Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serves 4 with cooked rice
INGREDIENTS
Cooked rice of your choice
2 TBS coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
9 oz meatless beef – defrosted
2 cups broccoli florets
2 bell peppers – seeded & cut into strips
3 carrots – chopped
1 leek or medium onion – chopped
1 large zucchini – chopped
4 oz mushrooms – sliced
1-2 jalapenos or serranos (seeded to lessen the heat) – or to taste – diced
1-3 tsp cornstarch (optional)
for the sauce
2 TBS vegan oyster-flavored or mushroom-flavored sauce
Mix the sauce & pour it into the bag with the faux beef & smoosh it around to marinate.
Heat the coconut oil in a wok or large fry pan. I added the leeks & carrots & mushrooms first – because they take the longest to soften.
Add the fest of the produce. Broccoli & zucchini cook fastest – so I added them last. Once the veggies are cooked to your liking, stir in the beef & marinade. You might want to add a bit of water – but not much. If the sauce feels too thin – whisk in a tsp of cornstarch. Mine did not need it but yours might. Toss to heat through & serve with rice.
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.
This might – honestly – be the most delicious soup I have ever made and it is as easy as can be. If you have a blender, food processor or immersion blender – you can wow the fuck out of your friends with this glorious, autumnal, light & healthy, rich & creamy soup! I used all the random veggies that I had wilting in my vegetable bins. You can add or subtract ingredients but I gotta say – this baby is kinda perfect! Very little added oil & chock full of veggie nutrients. The Coconut- ginger cream is certainly optional but it adds a nice level. The pistachios & pomegranate were for texture & color – but they can go with little impact on this soup. If you are not vegan – stirring in a little goat cheese might be a nice touch.
Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut-Ginger Cream, Pistachios & Pomegranate Seeds
Serves 4 very well
INGREDIENTS
3 medium sweet potatoes – sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
3 bell peppers – halved & seeded
1/2 onion (or a leek or some shallots) – peeled & cut in half
10 small carrots – ends trimmed
1 jalapeno (optional)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (optional)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp red (or other) curry powder (or curry paste)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne
Several fresh thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dry thyme)
4 cups vegetable stock
olive oil (or coconut or other oil)
S&P
Garnish – pistachios and pomegranate seeds (optional)
for the coconut-ginger cream
5.5 ounces coconut milk
1-3 TBS minced ginger (I used a squeezable kind) – or to taste
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Toss the vegetables in a bit of olive oil & spread in a single layer on cooking sheets (covered with either foil sprayed with cooking spray or parchment paper). Salt & pepper liberally. Cook for about 30+ minutes or until the veggies are soft. Some might need to come out earlier than others. I cooked an extra sweet potato to put in my dogs’ food tonight. They LOVE sweet potatoes. The bell peppers should blacken a little bit. When the peppers are done – either put them in a tightly-closed container or wrap them in foil to cool a bit. This will make them sweat & the skins should peel off nicely under running water. Do not worry if all the skin does not come off.
Meanwhile – combine the coconut milk & ginger – adding ginger in increments – until it tastes good to you. Set aside.
Once you can handle the veggies (not the sweet potatoes) – chop them a little bit. Seed the jalapeno to make it less spicy. I used the seeds.
Heat a little olive oil in a large stock pot & add the chopped veggies & sweet potato and garlic. Stir to combine & then add stock & spices. Squeeze in about a TBS lemon juice. Bring to a boil & turn off heat.
Puree the soup in batches or with an immersion blender. I added about 1-2 cups of water to thin it enough to puree in the blender. Season with S&P.
Serve garnished with coconut-ginger cream, pistachios & pomegranate seeds.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This one is easy & healthier than you might guess – because both the pasta & the sauce are chock full of cauliflower. No cream is used & you can control the ratio of pasta to cauliflower to suit your tastes & needs but the cauliflower in the sauce is a great way to get extra veggies into your kids.
I used fresh roasted red bell peppers but you can used jarred. It is not difficult to roast them.
Fresh Roasted Red Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Red bell peppers
DIRECTIONS
Roast on a grill or on the burners of your stove (or in the over at 500 degrees for 30-40 minutes) – turning often until completely black on all sides. Wrap in foil & allow to sweat a few minutes. Under cold running water – slide the skin off the peppers & remove the stem & seeds. Done!
Vegan Creamy & Healthy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Cauliflower
Feeds 4
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 large head cauliflower – cut into florets
3-5 red bell peppers (The more you use the stronger the flavor & brighter the color. I used 3 in this.) – roasted & peeled as described above OR an equivalent jarred roasted peppers.
1 large leek – sliced & washed (or onion or shallots) – pat them dry to avoid splattering the oil
1-6 cloves garlic (to taste) – chopped
1 – 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh basil (plus extra for garnish)
Crushed red pepper to taste
S&P
1-2 TBS nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan
12 oz pasta
DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta, drain & set aside.
Meanwhile, boil the cauliflower 5-7 minutes – until soft. Drain & set aside.
In a very large saute pan, heat about 1 TBS olive oil & saute the leeks until soft. Add crushed red pepper & garlic and saute another minute.
Put the leeks, about 1/2 the cauliflower florets, roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, vegan Parmesan, fresh basil and s&p (to taste) into a blender or food processor. Puree adding as much milk as you need to get the sauce to a consistency you like.
Return the sauce to the pan & add pasta & remaining cauliflower. Heat through & season to taste. Serve with basil as garnish.
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 just 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.
I whipped both the rice & the beef up within 30 minutes – the beef part taking about ten minutes. SO EASY! This is quick, easy & the most exotic ingredient is dark soy sauce – which is a very optional ingredient. As a Beyond Meat superfan – I was unfamiliar with these Gardein Beefless Tips – until today. I must confess – I found them quite delightful.
This recipe is pretty healthy – especially if you use cauliflower rice. I threw mine together with cauliflower, carrots, zucchini & jalapenos, ginger, garlic & some soy sauce and a squeeze of some Kung Pao sauce – because that was what I had. You can stir fry any combination of veggies & spices you prefer. Here are a few variations of cauliflower rice for you to consider:
Any of those rices would work – or any invention you might come up with.
Vegan Spicy Ginger-Garlic Red Pepper Beef Steak
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
9 oz vegan steak tips or other vegan beef
2 red bell peppers – sliced
1 onion – sliced in a similar shape to the bell pepper strips
Olive oil (or coconut oil)
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
2 TBS minced ginger (I always use jarred because t is so much easier)
1-4 garlic cloves – minced
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
1 cup water
2 TBS dark soy sauce (omit if you cannot find it)
1/2 cup (or more to taste) brown sugar
1-3 TBS cornstarch
Garnish – scallions & COOKED CAULIFLOWER RICE (make ahead because the beef cooks quickly)
DIRECTIONS
Heat about 1 TBS oil & saute the red bell & onion & beefless tips over high heat until the vegetables begin to get soft – maybe 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic & ginger & crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and cook about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, water & brown sugar. Bring to a boil & stir in cornstarch 1 TBS at a time. The sauce should thicken very quickly so you might not need to use a second or third TBS. Your call. If it gets too thick – just add water.
Serve with your cauliflower rice & some sliced scallions. Mmmmm!
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 just 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.
Every two weeks, I get a box of mixed veggies from Farm Fresh To You. I enjoy it because they are locally grown but also because they send me things I have never used before – like this Romanesco Cauliflower (or Romanesco broccoli). It is striking to look at & almost looks other-worldly. It has the texture of cauliflower but is described as tasting slightly nutty & earthy. I found the flavor to be very mild – much like cauliflower – so you can use it any way you would use cauliflower. I chose this light pasta dish. I used real cheese in it but that is not necessary. You can omit it with little loss to overall flavor or use a bit of nutritional yeast or vegan hard cheese – grated.
Pasta with Romanesco Cauliflower (Broccoli), Lemon & Chili Flakes (Vegetarian or Vegan)
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1-2 heads of Romanesco cauliflower – cut into florets (or one bunch broccoli or head of cauliflower – cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 lemon (zest & juice)
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper to taste (I used a lot – like – 2 TBS – but use it at your own discretion)
1-4 garlic cloves – chopped
1/2 lb pasta (cooked)
S&P
Cheese (grated Parmesan or other hard cheese or vegan alternative or a TBS or so of nutritional yeast) – quantity totally up to you
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to directions, drain & set aside.
Meanwhile – boil the Romanesco florets for about 3 minutes. Scoop out about 1 cup of the hot veggie water & set aside. Drain & plunge the Romanesco into cold water to stop it from cooking too much.
Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the crushed red pepper, garlic & lemon zest. Cook for about a minute & then add the Romanesco. Heat through.
Add some cheese & some of the hot veggie water. Stir to combine. Season with S&P. Add more cheese if you like.
Add the pasta & some of the lemon juice. Stir to combine & then adjust seasonings – maybe adding more cheese (or nutritional yeast) or S&P or lemon or crushed red pepper.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I love Brussels sprouts. They can be cooked lots of ways & go great in pasta or on pizza. They are also wonderful, raw & shredded, in salads. Here are some of my posts using these babies.
So – today – I just cut a bunch of these guys up – tossed them with a little olive oil and S&P. They were delicious, as is, and could be served as a side dish or – as I did – served as an appetizer with some dipping sauce of your choice. I happened to have truffle aioli by Stonewall Kitchen (I am helpless against their packaging which makes all their products almost irresistible to me) & it was a perfect, if very rich, flavor with the Brussels sprouts. You could make your own aioli or use a dressing – like ranch or something. The best part was the crispy outer leaves. Mmmm!
Simple Salt & Pepper Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Feeds as many as you like – depending on how many you make
INGREDIENTS
Brussels sprouts – halved or quartered if they are very large
Olive oil
S&P
And your choice of dipping sauce – optional
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the sprouts in a drizzle of olive oil & some salt & pepper. Roast 15-20 minutes or until they are done to your liking. Bust out the dip & go to town!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I’m not gonna lie – I haven’t posted in a while because I have been living – almost exclusively – on my Easy Crispy Oven Baked French Fries – seen above. They are crispy & yummy & nearly guiltless. Still – I had to bring some vegan food to a BBQ this weekend so I made a fuckton of vegan chili – THIS chili – 3 Meat, 3 Bean & 3 Pepper Vegan Chili for the Slow Cooker. It makes enough to fill a 7-quart Crockpot – which can feed a LOT of people (ten or more). I brought some to the BBQ & used some for work lunches & froze some. The ingredients are actually pretty random & very forgiving so – feel free to reduce the overall recipe or to tweak the ingredients.
Tofurky Chick’n & Apple sausages (which my meat-eating friend kept plucking out of the recipe & eating – shocked at how good it was),
and whatever brand of soyrizo (meatless chorizo) they had at my supermarket. Trader Joe’s usually carries soyrizo. You can use whatever combo sounds good to you.
My bean to bean to bean ratio is simply the result of what I had around. Dividing the quantities more evenly might be nice but once it is chili – a bean is a bean is a bean. No?
My peppers were both red & green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers & chipotle peppers. You can mix this up or change it to suit your tolerance for heat.
I also topped mine with this new brand of vegan cheese I found. It melts into the chili nicely & tastes great.
3 Meat, 3 Bean & 3 Pepper Vegan Chili for the Slow Cooker
Feeds a small community
INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry white beans (soaked overnight or quick-soaked)
1 (15 oz) can of black beans – drained or not – doesn’t really matter
2 (15 oz) cans of pinto beans – drained or not – doesn’t really matter
2 (9 oz) bags of Beyond Meat beefless crumbles
2 Tofurky (or other brand) sausages – flavor of your choice – cut into bite-sized pieces
2 soyrizo sausages – squeezed out of their casings
1 (4 oz) can of green chilies
1 (10 oz) can Rotel (or other diced tomato)
1 red bell pepper (seeded & chopped)
1 green bell pepper (seeded & chopped)
1-4 chipotle peppers (I used 4) in adobo – chopped
1 small onion – chopped
3 Roma (or other small) tomatoes – chopped
1-3 jalapeno peppers (I used 3) – seeded (or not – if you like heat) and diced
4 garlic cloves – minced
1/2 cup cilantro – chopped
1/3 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
2 TBS vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
3 cups (or more) vegetable stock
2 TBS fresh oregano (chopped) or 2 TBS dry oregano
I seared the sausage just to give it grill marks. Totally unnecessary.
Basically – put everything into the slow cooker & leave it on high for 4 or more hours. If – it is looking too watery, take the lid off & cook on high until it gets to where you want it. If it gets too thin – add some vegetable stock or water. I like to let mine sit on low all day (after 4 hours of being on high), warm overnight & then high the next day to heat it for eating but this is totally not necessary. Four hours on high & this shit should be good to go. Season to taste & serve with the garnish of your choice!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Ain’t much easier than hummus. Easy, good for you & popular. All you need is a blender. Don’t go buying that supermarket horseshit when you can whip it up fresh yourself & impress the villagers!
I used one bell pepper because that was all I had but I recommend using two – both for color & flavor.
Here is HOW YOU ROAST A RED PEPPER
Put it directly on your burner. Using tongs – turn frequently until black all over. Put in a Tupperware container & seal – to make it sweat. Once it is cool enough to touch – rub the black skin off under cool running water. Remove seeds & stem & voila!
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Makes enough for a small party.
INGREDIENTS
2 roasted red peppers (see above) (reserve a few diced bits for garnish)
2 (14oz) cans chickpeas (drained)
juice of one large lemon
1/2 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Blend everything in the blender for a minute or two until completely smooth. I had to add about 1/3 cup of water to get it to blend.
Season with S&P.
Serve with red pepper bits as garnish & loads of fresh veggies or pita wedges for dipping!
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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The name of this recipe says it all. Fast, easy & yummy!
5-Minute Garlic, Salt & Pepper Sugar Snap Peas
Serves 2 as a side
INGREDIENTS
10 oz fresh sugar snap peas (the ones in the bag in the produce section already have the string removed. If you can find these – learn how to remove the string HERE)
Olive oil – 1or 2 TBS
Salt – to taste – I used maybe a scant teaspoon
Pepper – to taste – I used a heaping tablespoon but I am a NUT for pepper
Garlic to taste – I used about 6 cloves & chopped them sorta chunky
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a pan over med-high heat. Add the sugar snap peas. Stir & heat for 2-4 minutes – or until they are nearly done to your liking. Add the S&P & the garlic & saute another minute or so – just until the garlic browns a bit. Be careful not to burn the garlic because it will taste bitter.
Season with more S&P – if you think it needs it & serve!
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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OK – so – I will post my accidental first homemade chip recipe. I was roasting some thin-sliced potatoes for my potato pizza & accidentally overcooked them. WAY to crunchy for a pizza but amazing just on their own.
Homemade Crispy Salt & pepper Baked Potato Chips
1 medium potato makes one serving of chips
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes – sliced about 1/8 inch thick
Olive Oil
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick. Toss with just enough olive oil to coat & some S&P. Lay them on a silicone mat or parchment paper in a single layer – no overlapping.
Bake for about 25-35 minutes – depending on the thickness of the chips & the variety of potato you used.
They are done when they look about like this & are crispy as they are supposed to be. They are ready right out of the oven.
Potato Pizza with Rosemary & Garlic Thyme Beurre Blanc
Grated mozzarella (or vegan alternative) – I used about 1 cup
Olive oil
1 potato – washed & sliced 1/8 inch thick
Fresh rosemary
4 TBS butter (or vegan alternative)
1-2 shallots – minced (I used about 1/4 of a small red onion)
4 garlic cloves – minced
Fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (never use that chemical stuff they sell jarred or in that plastic lemon)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick. Toss with just enough olive oil to coat & some S&P. Lay them on a silicone mat or parchment paper in a single layer – no overlapping.
Bake for about 20 minutes – or until they are soft & JUST beginning to brown a bit – maybe a tad browner than I let mine get (as I was spooked my the chip mishap – despite the happy ending). Remove from heat & set aside.
Increase oven heat to 500 degrees (or the highest temperature it goes to).
In a stock pot, melt ONE TBS of the butter over medium heat & add the shallot (or onion), garlic & thyme. Stir & let it cook until it begins to brown. Add the white wine, bouillon cube & lemon juice. Let it reduce a bit & get thick. Then – add the remaining 3 TBS butter – one at a time – & whisk them in. Set the beurre blanc aside.
Assemble the pizza!
Grease a cooking sheet or use parchment paper.
Roll out the dough & put it on the cooking sheet. Pierce the dough here & there to avoid it bubbling up too much.
Layer with the beurre blanc, then cheese, potato slices & some rosemary.
Bake this for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is crisp & golden & the cheese is melted.
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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The top video there is trailer for my novel. The second is me reading from it a while back – at Vroman’s.
Quesadillas. Who doesn’t love them? You can put any old thing in there to suit your tastes or empty your fridge of perishables on the verge of perishing. That is what I did here. I had some sad eggplants & a sad red bell pepper. So – I grilled those bad boys up & – if I’d had guests – nobody would have been the wiser.
I like to use these uncooked tortillas. Not sure why. They come out the same in the end & I am not one to add work for the sake of work – but these please me. Use regular ones if you feel like it but definitely try this quesadilla! I was surprised at how substantial & delicious it was. Grilled eggplant is so delightful – I think even eggplant haters might enjoy these guys.
Grilled Eggplant and Red Bell Pepper Quesadilla with Fresh Mozzarella, Olives and Basil
INGREDIENTS
Tortillas
Fresh mozzarella (or vegan alternative)
Basil
Sliced black olives
Eggplant
Red bell pepper
Italian salad dressing (or just some olive oil)
I dredge my vegges in Newman’s Own Oil & Vinegar & grill them up. This can be done on a grill or in a grill pan. You might even pull it off directly on the burners but it might get messy. Chop the grill eggplant & red pepper.
If using uncooked tortillas, cook two of them on one side only. Then Flip one over & stack the contents upon it. Top it with the other tortilla – cooked side down & top with the lid of a pan.
Using a spatula, flip the quesadilla & cook it on both sides until it is nicely browned & the cheese is melted.
Divvy it up as if you were gonna share it & then eat the whole Goddamn thing yourself! I did! MMMMMMM!
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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Another easy gem made from Trader Joe’s Beef-less Strips. Of course – real beef could be used. Green pepper beef is my bad-ass boyfriend Miles’ favorite Chinese dish so I expect I will post an actual meat version of this some time down the line.
Easy as can be & rather delicious. Mine was a bit on the salty side so be sure to use the low sodium soy sauce. I added dark soy sauce but if you cannot find this – omit it. I used a vegetarian oyster sauce. As with the dark soy – if you cannot find it – omit it.
I bought white rice from a local Thai joynt – hence the take-out container.
Spicy Vegan Chinese Green Pepper Beef
Serves two pretty easily
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Trader Joe’s Beef-less Strips (or other vegan meat) – or real beef
1/2 onion – sliced thin
1 1/2 bell peppers – colors of your choice – sliced thin
olive oil
cornstarch
1 cup water
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 TBS dark soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 TBS ginger – minced
6 garlic cloves – minced
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
1 TBS vegetarian oyster sauce (optional)
Cooked rice of your choice
DIRECTIONS
Toss the meat in a few TBS of cornstarch to coat it.
Heat a TBS or 2 of olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Sear the meat & the crushed red pepper until it browns a bit on all sides. Set it aside in a bowl.
Add another TBS of olive oil to the pan & cook the onions & peppers over medium heat until soft. Put them in the bowl with the meat.
Add another TBS of olive oil to the pan & add the garlic & ginger. After one minute add the soy sauces, water, black pepper, brown sugar, rice vinegar & oyster sauce. Bring to a boil & let it thicken just a bit. Add the meat & peppers & stir to blend. Cook it down until the sauce is as thick as you want it & serve over rice. YUM!
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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OK – this dish is a great example of how getting bold in the kitchen can yield unexpected rewards. For twenty-plus years now – I have been dying to know WTF is in the spicy black pepper sauce at Cha Cha Cha (http://theoriginalchachacha.com/). It is genuinely spicy with a hint of sweet & is so tar black – it is just brilliant. I have never had any luck figuring out how to make it – or even a place to buy something like it. Hold that thought.
Well – last night – inspired by images like this one from Playful Cooking
and the two GIGANTIC heads of cauliflower I got at Super King – look how big:
…I decided to try to make my own version of that Cheeto-orange dish – which is called Gobi Manchurian. The dish calls for fried cauliflower which I wanted to avoid – so I roasted mine. I also had a lot of other produce in my fridge that I wanted to use so I just sorta winged it. I knew when I pulsed my produce to a paste in the food processor that I was going to have a very different animal in the end but it was the dark soy sauce that put it over the brink. Look at what MY Gobi Manchurian sauce looked like cooked.
Well, hey! That’s not Kraft mac & cheese orange! That’s not all buffalo cauliflower fiery red.
I was really disappointed with the inky muck I saw in my pan. Then I tasted it. Holy fuck! It was awesome! Really spicy & with a sweet kick – it was delicious! And it tasted VERY close the spicy black pepper sauce at Cha Cha Cha!! So much so that, when I make it again (and I will!) – I will REALLY puree the bejesus out of the sauce to get it as creamy as possible rather than leave the coarse texture in that remained last night. The texture wasn’t bad – I just think if it was more like a condiment it would be better.
Still – I wasn’t sure I could pull off appealing photos of such a substance & only took a few half-hearted shots of the sauce & the finished plate before I gave in & just shoveled it all into my face. Imagine my delight when, this morning, I looked at the photos & found that a few actually came out rather satisfactorily. So – let me present – my accidental invention of Spicy & Sweet Black Pepper Sauce with Roasted Cauliflower & Brown Basmati Rice!!
Spicy & Sweet Black Pepper Sauce with Roasted Cauliflower & Brown Basmati Rice
INGREDIENTS
Cooked rice of your choice
1 large head cauliflower – broken into florets
1/2 onion
2 bell peppers (I used a red & a yellow)
2-3 jalapenos – seeded
6 garlic cloves – minced
1/3 cup fresh ginger – minced
2 bunches scallions (plus extra for garnish) – sliced
olive oil
1 TBS sambal oelek chili paste
1 tsp sriracha (plus extra for garnish)
2 TBS sugar
3 TBS ketchup
3 TBS dark soy sauce (like the sort pictured below – thick & inky)
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
Cilantro – as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Cook your rice.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Be sure it reaches that temp before roasting the cauliflower.
Drizzle a little olive oil on the cauliflower, toss with your hands and roast for about 30 minutes.
In a food processor – puree the bejesus out of the onion, bell peppers, jalapenos & scallions.
Heat about 2 TBS olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic & fresh ginger & saute about 2 minutes or so. Add the rest of the pureed veggies. Cook for about 5-10 minutes over medium heat being careful not to burn the puree.
Add the sambal oelek, sugar, ketchup, sriracha, dark soy sauce, white vinegar & sesame oil. Bring to a boil & immediately lower the flame & simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
When the cauliflower is done, put a scoop or rice (filling a small bowl or ramekin with rice & inverting onto the plates creates a nice effect) on each plate, ladle some of the spicy black sauce around the rice & arrange cauliflower around the rice. Drizzle some sriracha on the rice & garnish liberally with scallions and/or cilantro. Eat it & be surprised how good it is!
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely