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.
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!
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.
Eben McGarr’s Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
Serves 4 well
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta – cooked & drained
1 1/2 pound mushrooms – sliced
1 large onion – sliced
1 stick vegan butter
1 cup veggie stock
3 TBS liquid aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
4 TBS vegan mayo
1/3 cup flour
S&P to taste
chopped parsley as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta.
Melt the butter in a very large pan. Saute the onions until soft. Add mushrooms and cook them down. Once soft, whisk in the stock & flour. Once combined – add the liquid aminos & the mayo. Heat through. Season with S&P & toss with the pasta. Garnish with the parsley & serve.
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 of me below to watch the sauce recipe WITHOUT the mushroom. These images here reflect the use of a crazy lobster mushroom I bought when I originally made this recipe. You need not use the mushroom – in fact – I rather suggest against it because it was very expensive and underwhelming but I include it here, anyway, for the curious & the risk takers.
I went to the farmer’s market for the first time in forever. Once there, I was reminded of why I no longer go. IT COSTS A FORTUNE. Everything seems reasonable until you walk out with fingers screaming from the pain of carrying 400 pounds of produce & $200 poorer. But it is always fun & there are usually yummy things to sample. This time there were almond croissants the size of footballs, boxes of mixed mushrooms for $20, some peana & eggphan (I can’t resist misspelled signs).
There were also golden beets that were larger than a softball and the crazy-looking thing above. That, my friends, is a lobster mushroom. It was about the size of a small Russet potato & weighed about 4 ounces. I asked the mushroom monger what it was & she told me it was a lobster mushroom. I asked why they were called that & was told that they not only have a reddish color similar to a cooked lobster but also that they have a slight seafood taste. I had to have one! I let her pick one out and as she weighed it, I began pulling out ones to pay for it. I pulled for a while because that fucker there cost me $17!!! I almost choked at the price but decided it would be a worthy blog post so I paid & walked away – wondering what the fuck I was gonna do with it.
Intimidated by the idea of ruining a $17 mushroom barely larger than my fist, I Googled to see what others had done with them. I found this gorgeous photo & checked out the recipe at THE COFFEE TABLE COOKBOOK.
I had the bulk of the ingredients already so I decided to make a vegan version of their FETTUCCINI WITH LOBSTER MUSHROOM AND SCRATCH-MADE HEIRLOOM TOMATO SAUCE. I simplified the sauce recipe quite a bit but the most interesting thing I learned from their post was the concept of grating tomatoes. Click that link & see how it is done & how not to grate your flesh into the sauce. You basically grate the tomatoes on a box grater & it results in a beautiful tomato puree without any skin. See below.
I added a lot of crushed red pepper to my sauce which might have been a mistake because the spicy sauce sort of overwhelmed the very delicately flavored lobster mushroom. The mushroom had only the slightest mushroom flavor & no seafood element at all. Those photos above are the mushroom cut up. Looks like chicken or pork – or bread. It is very light & porous so it reduced to almost nothing in the saute pan. Overall – I would say there is no reason to pay so much for what amounts to so little. Regular mushrooms are just as good and far less costly.
I do recommend trying this sauce, however. I eliminated the dairy from the original recipe & also could not bring myself to add a cup of the precious – a cup of white wine – to the sauce just to cook it off. I felt the wine would be better used poured down my gullet & I don’t think the sauce suffered and I know I didn’t.
Vegan Pasta with Heirloom Tomato Sauce & Lobster Mushroom
4 oz lobster mushroom (or 1/2 lb regular mushrooms)
2 TBS olive oil or vegan butter
3 garlic cloves – chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS
for the sauce
Heat the olive oil & add the garlic. Saute one minutes & then add the other ingredients. Simmer on med-high until it reduces by about half. Season to taste. Remove the thyme sprigs and throw them away.
for the mushrooms
Heat the olive oil or vegan butter and saute the mushrooms until they are nearly done to your liking. Add the garlic & thyme & cook another minute or two. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Season with S&P.
Cook the pasta as directed & toss with the sauce. Serve & top with mushrooms & chopped fresh basil.
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.
Ok – this pasta. A Facebook friend requested it & I could not believe I had not already posted the recipe. This dish is an old regular of mine from 25 years ago & there is a funny story that goes with it. I used to make it all the time at home & for company & many of my friends had asked for the recipe. One day, my then boyfriend & I were served a mushroom cream pasta dish at my friend Angie’s. My boyfriend took one taste & looked at me and said, “Babe! This is amazing! You have to ask for her recipe!”
Yeah. Well – it WAS my recipe. The only difference was that she added salt to hers & I was still brainwashed into thinking using salt was a capital sin. I learned that lesson well that day & now I consider salt a genuine ingredient in most things – not just a forgettable & optional seasoning. There are all kinds of fancy salts widely available now, too, and some even have healthy benefits. Pink Himalayan salt, for example, boasts these benefits:
Regulate water content both inside and outside of cells
Balance pH(alkaline/acidity) and help to reduce acid reflux
Prevent muscle cramping
Aid in proper metabolism functioning
Strengthen bones
Lower blood pressure
Help the intestines absorb nutrients
Prevent goiters
Improve circulation
Dissolve and eliminate sedimentto remove toxins
So, yeah – use salt. Salt is not just a flavor unto itself. It also brings out & enhances other flavors. Trust me. Too much is awful but just the right amount is magic.
Vegan Fried Sage and Mushroom Cream Pasta Sauce with Orecchiette
Feeds 2 very well
INGREDIENTS
1 pound pasta cooked according to package instructions
Olive oil
10 or more fresh sage leaves
1 lb mushrooms (of nearly any variety or mix) – sliced
2 shallots – chopped
3 garlic cloves – chopped
1 cup (or more) vegan dairy (a combo of non-dairy milk & some vegan soft cheese of your choice)
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste
Parsley – chopped as garnish (it adds a lot of flavor!)
Extra Parmesan for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water (in case you need it to thin your sauce later) & drain the pasta.
Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil over med-high heat & fry the sage a few minutes. It need not brown. Drain on paper towels.
Add the mushrooms & about a tsp of salt & raise the heat to high. The salt will help the mushrooms release their moisture. Stir the mushrooms occasionally – letting them get seared. When they are nice & brown – add about another TBS of olive oil & the shallots & garlic. Fry for about 2 minutes & then add the vegan dairy & Parmesan. Crumble the fried sage & add that to the sauce. Bring to a boil & then lower to a simmer. It should thicken very quickly. Use more cream & cheese if you want a pasta with more sauce. Add some pasta water if it gets too thick. When it is the consistency of a heavy cream sauce – season to taste with salt & pepper. Add the pasta, stir to combine & serve it up. Garnish liberally with chopped parsley & maybe more Parmesan.
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.
This is a really easy recipe but truly makes a fuckton. So, unless you are feeding a large group or intend to eat this for days, consider cutting the recipe down. The veggies you choose to use are up to you. This can be made with no veggies at all or with regular pasta. It is a very forgiving dish.
Click the image above to watch the video.
Vegan Vegetable Spicy Szechuan Lo Mein Noodles
Feeds 10 or more
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 lbs of SOFT (or cooked) lo mein or chow mein noodles or even cooked spaghetti
1/2 lb vegan meat of choice (I used leftover Tofurky ham) – diced (very optional)
for the veggies
2 tsp hot chili oil (or other oil)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 small onion – diced
6 long beans (or other green beans) chopped
1 bell pepper (I used 1/2 red & 1/2 yellow) – diced
1 zucchini – diced
2 dozen snow peas – trimmed & sliced
6 mushrooms – sliced
2 small heads of broccoli – cut into florets
5 or 6 carrots – chopped
1 cup purple (or other) cabbage – chopped
8 oz can sliced water chesnuts – drained
6 bird’s eye chilis – split (optional)
1/2 cup water
for the sauce
2 TBS minced ginger
4 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
2 TBS Shaoxing cooking wine or rice vinegar
4 TBS light soy sauce
2 TBS dark soy sauce
1 tsp agave
1 large handful Thai basil (or other basil)
GARNISH – more shredded basil or cilantro, sesame seeds, sliced scallions, lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
In a very large wok, heat the two oils. Add all the ingredients in the “for the veggies” list. Heat over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
Add the noodles, faux meat (if using) & everything in the “for the sauce” list. Combine & heat through.
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.
This is another super easy & healthy one! I used sweet potatoes but any orange squash would also work. No dairy in this at all & it still tastes so decadent! If you own a blender – you can make this in less than 30 minutes. The sauce can be used as it is here – over pasta – but if you added a bit more stock or some non-dairy milk or vegan heavy cream – you would have a delightful soup! Or – leave it thick & make ravioli. Or slather some in a white lasagna. Mmmmm!
Vegan Creamy Sweet Potato Pasta with Fried Sage
Serves 4 well
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta (if you use less pasta – see notes above about how to re-purpose the extra sauce)
2 TBS olive oil
1 package or bunch of fresh sage
1 large sweet potato (2 lbs or so – or 3 cups) – peeled & cubed
1 medium onion – diced
4 garlic cloves – minced
1 TBS (or less – if heat bothers you) crushed red pepper
2 cups vegetable stock
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Cook & drain your pasta – but reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water. Toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Set aside.
Over medium heat – warm the oil in a large saute pan & fry the sage. Be careful not to burn it (it should not brown in the pan). After 2 minutes or so – drain it on papers towels & set aside.
In the same pan, add the onions. Once softened, add the sweet potato, garlic & crushed red pepper. Stir for one minute & then add the stock. Bring to a boil & boil until your sweet potato is soft.
Being careful not to burn yourself, puree the sweet potato mixture. Season liberally with S&P (to taste). Put the noodles in the pan you cooked the sweet potatoes in. Spoon only as much of the sweet potato puree onto it so you get a light cover. You don’t want to drown the pasta. I had a lot of puree left over from the 1/2 pound of pasta I cooked & I will make it into soup (see notes above the recipe). If it gets too thick, stir in some of the reserved pasta water – a bit at a time.
Plate the pasta & crumble sage on it. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper & maybe some vegan Parmesan.
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.
This is another very easy dish.
Vegan sausage is usually pretty nasty but I keep hoping I can find a way to doctor it up & make it edible and, finally, with this dish – I SUCCEEDED! The secret was a pinch of fennel & a shit ton of crushed red pepper. The filling in these shells was so delicious – I kept eating it directly out of the pan. A few simple ingredients, a half hour in the oven – and you are neck deep in heaven. Trust!
Vegan Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells
(This makes enough to fill three pie dishes)
INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry fill-able pasta shells (any variety works)
Olive oil
4 vegan sausages – chopped
1 lb fresh spinach (or kale or arugula or other greens of your choice)
4-10 garlic cloves (depending on the size & your passion for garlic) – coarsely chopped
2 (10 to 15 oz) cans chopped tomatoes (I used Rotel & fire roasted tomatoes)
1 lb vegan ricotta
8 oz or more vegan mozzarella
1/2 cup grated vegan Parmesan
1 tsp dry fennel
1 tsp dry oregano
1 TBS crushed red pepper (I used closer to 3 TBS but I love spice)
1-2 cups red pasta sauce (I used some spicy Rao’s & spicy Guy Fiery sauces but homemade would be even better)
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the pasta until al dente – or maybe a minute less than the package suggests. Drain & run under cool water.
Heat 1-2 TBS of olive oil in a large saute pan.
Saute the sausage with spices (fennel, oregano & crushed red pepper) until it is begins to brown.
Add the garlic & spinach & tomatoes. Cook until the spinach is just wilted. Season with salt & pepper & blend them in.
Put the mix in a food processor & puree it. Add about 1/3 of your mozzarella & the ricotta. The blending is not strictly necessary but it makes filling the pasta easier if the filling is mushy.
Put some of your pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole or pie dish. Fill the pasta shells & place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with whatever amount of mozzarella appeals to you and additional sauce, if you like a wetter dish. Maybe sprinkle some vegan Parmesan on there, too. Put it in the oven & bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted & bubbly & the pasta is brown in spots. If you want to freeze some – wrap the dish in foil & freeze – UNCOOKED.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Click the image above to watch the video.
A long, long time ago, I had a boyfriend. And that boyfriend had – egads! – ex-girlfriends. One of these ex-girlfriends was (and remains) a famous actress. A beautiful, famous actress. She had been reaching out to him to “reconnect.” My boyfriend at the time announced that he would be having dinner with this ex at some point in the future. I informed him that I would be attending this dinner myself. He looked at me like I was crazy. “Nothing’s going on,” he explained. “She just wants to get together. We are friends.” I explained that, as his live-in girlfriend, his friends should be my friends, too, and asked that if everything was so innocent, why couldn’t he just invite her over to our home for dinner.
It took a bit but I won this debate. The invitation was extended & then the pressure was on. ME. On me because I had to cook the damned dinner – a dinner to impress this chick. I wanted to impress her with both my culinary skills & with the level of our domesticity. It was a passive-aggressive counter-attack to what I sensed were not entirely innocent intentions on her part.
This was pre-internet and pre-40 million cooking shows – so I had only my trusty collection of cookbooks to consult for ideas. After hours of deliberating – I ended up making two dishes I had never made before – always very dangerous if making a good impression is your top priority. I made a two-color soup much like this one (this one here is not my creation):
And I made an eggplant timbale as shown here in this blog. As fate would have it, my dinner was a huge success & the ex-girlfriend was smart & funny & charming & the two of us were quickly gabbing like old friends, nearly cutting my boyfriend from the conversation completely.
And – for the record, ladies (and gents) – this ex-girlfriend never “reached out” to “touch base” again – to either me or my boyfriend. So – my instincts had been correct. She had been perhaps interested in rekindling more than just old times. But – to her credit – once she met me, she was forever respectful and was never again a threat to our domestic bliss.
So – if you ever need to impress someone or scare off some interested interloper from meddling with your love life – serve them this whopper of a dish. It is far easier to make than folks guess and it tastes delicious – and it is classier than a slap fight & hair pulling.
Also – as an aside, I bought this fucking gigantic can (I know canned tomatoes are bad but sometimes you gotta bend rules) of tomato sauce for $2.69. That is practically free! It makes 12 cups of whatever the Hell sauce you are making. I made arrabbiata (surprise, surprise) and I froze 8 cups of it & used 4 cups of it to make the vodka sauce in this recipe.
Vodka Sauce – large quantity
INGREDIENTS
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 small onion – diced
1/2 cup vodka (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves – chopped
1 TBS crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup chopped basil
1 cup peas – optional
S&P to taste
For a pink sauce (optional) – 1 cup vegan heavy cream or vegan cream cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil & saute the onion until soft. Add garlic for one minute then add the vodka. Cook on high a minute & then add the other ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low & simmer for 30 minutes or more. For a pink sauce – add 1 cup vegan heavy cream or vegan cream cheese.
Vegan Eggplant Timbale with Rigatoni & Vodka Sauce
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TIMBALE:
1 pound rigatoni (or other pasta) – cooked & drained
8 oz vegan mozzarella
4 large eggplants
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/8 cup vegan Parmesan
Chopped tomato or chopped fresh parsley or basil – as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 350.
Slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch slices. You can go the long way or the other way – creating round disks. (OPTIONAL – Place in colanders or on paper towels & sprinkle with salt on both sides. Let the eggplants drain for about 30 minutes. This not only helps remove moisture from the eggplant but also minimizes bitterness. I skipped this step.)
You can either rub olive oil into your eggplant before grilling or you can dip them in an Italian salad dressing – really just to lubricate them so they do not stick to the grilling surface & tear apart. Grill (a grill pan works, too) the eggplant until they get nice grill marks on one side, turn them & repeat. Remove & set aside.
Cook the rigatoni according to the box directions. Err on the side of under-cooking – as they will cook more in the oven. Drain the rigatoni & mix in a bowl with cheeses & 2 or more cups of vodka sauce. Add more sauce if you like a really wet pasta. You will have extra vodka sauce that you can use to add as a garnish to the finished slices of timbale or to use in another recipe. It might be nice to have extra sauce for the timbale when you are in the leftovers phase.
ASSEMBLY-
Grease a spring form pan & then put some bread crumbs & vegan Parmesan inside. Swirl the pan to coat all the surfaces. Throw any unstuck bread crumbs/cheese away.
Line the inside of the pan with grilled eggplant. You can either do as I did or, if you have circular disks, fan them on the bottom of the pan & then stick some, overlapping, up on the sides. However you do it – try to cover every part of the pan with eggplant. Pour the pasta & vodka sauce & cheese mix in – layering in extra cheese, if you fancy. Top with any remaining eggplant slices.
Cover the timbale in foil & place some heavy dishes on top & put in the fridge to compress for about 15 minutes.
Then – bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Let rest, unmolested, for at least 15 minutes and then put a serving dish on top of the timbale, flip the whole thing over & then very carefully – remove the spring form pan.
Garnish with either grated Parmesan or extra vodka sauce.
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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I took those two outdoor images this weekend on my Hollywood sign hikes. Living in LA does NOT suck. Don’t believe the hype.
You know what else doesn’t suck? Pretty much any variety of mac & cheese. But being a big fat ass does suck – so I added a huge head of cauliflower & two small heads of broccoli to this so it is about 50% veggies & 50% pasta. Easy & delicious. I skipped the whole roux business so this is a very quick dish to put together.
I used turmeric because it adds that vibrant yellow color but I also added it because it is really good for you. Google “turmeric benefits” or look HERE & see some of the amazing good it can do for you.
Click the image below to watch the video.
Easy Cauliflower and Broccoli and Turmeric Mac and Cheese
Feeds 6
INGREDIENTS
12 oz dry pasta
1/2 large head cauliflower – cut into bite-size florets
2 medium heads broccoli – cut into bit-sized florets
12 oz unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 cup vegan sour cream or cream cheese or a mix
1 or more cups vegan cheese of your choice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 TBS turmeric
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp salt
1 TBS ground pepper
A few squirts of hot sauce – I used Crystal (optional)
1-2 cups panko or other bread crumbs
`
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 & grease a large casserole pan.
Cook pasta according to directions. Cook as long as the package says – but add the cauliflower & broccoli in the final three minutes. Drain.
Heat the milk & stir in all the other ingredients. Add the pasta & veggies & combine. Put in your greased casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs. A spritz of cooking spray will aid the breadcrumbs browning.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly & the breadcrumbs are beginning to brown.
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.
I saw these odd looking apple pears at the awesome Super King (the one in Van Nuys is FAR roomier than the San Fernando location & much more civilized) – and thought they would make a nice pizza topping.
Ultimately – I burned out on pizza before using them so – using what I already had around – I came up with this pasta.
Anyway – this comes together in the same time it would take you to cook some dry pasta & it is full of surprising flavors. The garlicky Brussels Sprouts & the sweet pear & the creamy cheese – it is really yummy.
You can control how much cheese to use. Blue cheeses are really powerful & I recommend going light-handed with them – and then you get the added benefit of a fairly healthy dish that still tastes decadent.
Pasta with Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Creamy Gorgonzola and Pears
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb pasta – cooked & drained
1 pear – any variety – seeded & cubed
10 Brussels Sprouts – sliced thin
2 garlic cloves – minced
Vegan Gorgonzola or other vegan blue cheese (or even vegan cream cheese) – in the quantity that suits your taste
Olive oil
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Cook your pasta. Drain & set aside.
Meanwhile – heat a little olive in a pan that is large enough to hold all the ingredients – including your pasta. Saute the Brussels Sprouts over medium heat until they begin to brown – maybe 5 minutes. Add the garlic & pear & saute another minute or so. Stir to warm through & then add the pasta. Cook long enough to incorporate & warm everything & then stir in the cheese. Stir to get the cheese creamy & incorporated & then season with S&P.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Click the image below to watch the video & please subscribe to my channel.
Vegan Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Brown Sugar Tofu & Chili Oil
Serves 2 very well
INGREDIENTS
for the chili oil
1/2 cup oil
3 star anise pods
1-2 TBS chopped fresh ginger
2 TBS crushed red pepper
2-4 garlic cloves – minced
3 scallions – chopped
for the dressing
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS rice vinegar
2 TBS low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos or tamari
2 TBS brown sugar
for the soba salad
7 oz soba noodles – cooked & drained
1/2 – 1 pound tofu (I used pressed tofu)
2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 tsp S&P
1 TBS sesame oil
Mixed chopped vegetables. I used:
1/2 cucumber
4 radishes
1/4 red bell pepper
1 cup purple cabbage
2 scallions
(you could use edamame, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, green beans or whatever you like)
Cilantro
Sesame seeds
Lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
Cook the noodles & set aside.
Whisk the dressing together & set aside.
Heat the oil for the chili oil in a pan. Add the star anise & crushed red pepper. Add the ginger & scallions. When the scallions are soft & just starting to brown – add the garlic & heat for one minute. Put the oil in a storage container to cool. You won’t need all the oil for this recipe & the leftover should keep in the fridge for several days.
Heat 1 TBS sesame oil. Add the brown sugar & salt & pepper. Add the tofu & heat until the sugar caramelizes onto the tofu. Set aside.
In a bowl – toss the noodles with the tofu & veggies. Add some dressing (not all of it) and a drizzle of the chili oil. Start very light with both the dressing & the chili oil & add more to taste.
Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro & serve with lime wedges.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Reposting this recipe because I have a flashy new vegan video from my Youtube channel for it. Check it out!!
My Farm Fresh to You delivery came today & there were mustard greens in there. I’ve never cooked with them so I Googled them for some inspiration. And did I find it!!! The mustard greens in a recipe – sure. But the revelation is the FRASCATELLI! I had never heard of frascatelli before & I was intrigued. It was the photo below (from Bon Appetit) that caught my eye. Looks like gnocchi. I read more & discovered it was a 2 ingredient pasta that required no tools or resting time. I had to try it. Immediately!
Incredibly, frascatelli is as easy to make as the instructions suggested & I am certain I will be making this stuff over & over again.
The process is to spread out 2 cups of semolina flour & splatter it with water. Then scoop it up, put it in a colander & shake it around. Tiny dumplings form & the rest of the semolina falls back to the work surface. Repeat. When all my flour was used up – I manually pressed some of the teensy bits into larger dumplings but that is not necessary. And guess what? You can cook it immediately & it is done in 30-60 SECONDS. Yes – seconds. You MUST try this. It would be a great thing to make with kids. I think they would love the process. Here are the directions from Bon Appetit:
Spread semolina flour in an even layer in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Fill a small bowl with 1 cup water and set next to dish. Working in 4-5 batches, gather your fingertips and thumb of 1 hand together and, working quickly, dip into bowl of water, lift hand from bowl, and splatter water over semolina. Repeat several times until surface of semolina is dotted with ragged wet patches about the size of a nickel. Let stand until water is absorbed, forming individual dumplings, about 5 seconds. Using a fish spatula or slotted spoon, turn dumplings over to coat with semolina, then transfer to a sieve. Shake gently over same baking dish to remove excess semolina; transfer dumplings to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining semolina and water until all of the water or all of the semolina has been used (there may be some water or semolina left over).
Working in 3-4 batches, cook dumplings in a large pot of slowly boiling salted water (if the water is boiling too rapidly, it may break up the dumplings), gently swirling water once or twice to prevent sticking, until al dente, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer frascatelli to another large rimmed baking sheet.
Frascatelli is like a softer cavatelli or a chewier & more dense gnocchi. Worked great with the cheese & mustard greens but a red sauce or cream sauce or anything would work with this stuff. Just amazing! I have no idea how frascatelli was not on my radar until today.
5-Ingredient Homemade Frascatelli Pasta with Mustard Greens & Parmesan Cheese (Vegetarian or Vegan)
Serves 2 very well
INGREDIENTS
2 cups semolina flour
1 bunch mustard greens (or collard greens or spinach or arugula or chard) – ribs removed & chopped
2-3 TBS butter (or vegan butter or olive oil)
1-6 garlic cloves – chopped
1 cup Parmesan – vegan or otherwise (or any other cheese/vegan cheese you like blended into pasta)
OPTIONAL – Crushed red pepper, S&P
DIRECTIONS
Make the frascatelli & set aside.
Prep the other ingredients.
Bring a pot of salted water to a slow boil & immerse the frascatelli. Stir so it doesn’t stick. Scoop out a cup or two of the boiling pasta water & reserve it. In 30-60 seconds – drain the frascatelli & set it aside.
Heat the butter (or vegan butter or olive oil) in a large saute pan. Add the frascatelli. Warm it through – stirring but trying not to crush or mush the dumplings. I added some crushed red pepper here – about 1 TBS.
Add the garlic & greens. Stir in a little of the reserved pasta water to wilt the greens.
Add the cheese & some more pasta water (only use as much water as you need to melt & blend the cheese). I added a bit of salt & a bunch of pepper.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I started this blog on about July 5, 2012. On July 13, 2012, I posted one of my all-time favorite recipes. It is one I got from my good friend, Naomi Priestley. It is Zucchini & Mint Pasta with Parmesan (seen just above). But – it is such a divine dish – I thought I would post it again with a few new options. 1) It can be made without cheese altogether or 2) without cheese but with a squeeze of lemon juice or 3) with vegan Parmesan.
Do not be thrown by the idea of mint in a pasta dish – it is delicious! It is especially lovely when you use fresh, homemade pasta – but dry pasta is fine, too. If you do not consider oil and S&P to be legit ingredients – this is a 5 ingredient dish & comes together in less than 20 minutes.
I bought this ridiculous $5 micro basil because it looks pretty. It is tasty, too, but it is certainly an unnecessary indulgence.
Fresh Mint & Zucchini Pasta (Vegan or Vegetarian)
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb pasta – cooked & drained
Olive oil
3-5 zucchini – either grated or spiralized or sliced (you can use as much zucchini as you like to mitigate the amount of pasta you eat or to, at least, lighten up the dish)
1-3 cloves garlic – chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint – chopped
S&P to taste
OPTIONS – Parmesan or vegan Parmesan (to taste) and or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Garnish: chopped mint and/or parsley and/or basil, more cheese, crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook & drain the pasta.
I spiralized the zucchini but you can grate or slice it. Spiralizing is a good way to bury veggies in a spaghetti dish so your kids do not notice the veggies in there. I sliced the ends that were too short to spiralize.
Heat a glug or two of olive oil in a large saute pan. Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds & then add the zucchini. Saute a few minutes & then add mint and season with S&P. When the zucchini is soft – add the pasta & combine. Add cheese or vegan cheese here – if you are using it – or squeeze in some lemon – if you are going that route. Plate & serve with cheese and/or chopped herbs (mint or basil or parsley).
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Pretty much everybody has a pumpkin or two around at this time of year. After they have served their Halloween purpose – there are a lot of great reasons to re-purpose them. Reason number one – fresh pumpkin puree (seen above). That can be used in many recipes – soup, pasta sauce, pie filling, panna cotta, gnocchi, dog biscuits, dog treats, and even as a healthy additive to your dog’s dinner. Pumpkin is a great canine diarrhea cure. You can toast the seeds (seen blow) as a healthy snack. The recipe for toasting the seeds is HERE.
So – today I made this dish. It is delicately flavored & creamy & delicious. I made this vegan but real cheese would also be nice. You could use canned pumpkin but I made mine fresh.
Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Puree
INGREDIENTS
Fresh pumpkin (I used two small pie pumpkins & got about 4 cups of puree from them)
Water
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the tops off & then pumpkins in half (or quarter them, if your pumpkin is large), seed them (keeping the seeds for roasting!) & roast for about 40-50 minutes or until the skin is soft & the meat is fork tender.
Let them cool a bit & then scoop out the meat & puree in a food processor or blender. I added about 1 cup of water to mine to thin it enough to blend. Add a bit of S&P.
Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta with Fried Sage (Vegan or Vegetarian)
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta – cooked & drained
3 cups pumpkin puree (recipe above – or canned unsweetened)
20 fresh sage leaves
4 oz (vegan) cream cheese
1/4 – 1/2 cup of (vegan) Parmesan
1 TBS nutritional yeast (optional)
2 TBS (vegan) butter (or olive oil)
2-5 oz coconut milk
1 – 3 tsp crushed red pepper (optional or to taste)
S&P
Potential garnish: some reserved fried & crumbled sage, chopped parsley, grated (vegan) cheese or Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter & fry the sage a few minutes being careful not to burn it. Drain them on a paper towel.
Add the pumpkin puree to the sage butter & add the rest of the ingredients – except the coconut milk – and maybe reserving some fried sage for garnish. Once the other ingredients are combined – add as much coconut milk as you like – either to taste or to achieve the level of creaminess you desire. My puree was pretty thin so I only added about 2 oz of coconut milk. Season with S&P.
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.
I have never gotten into spaghetti squash. In fact – I don’t know if I have ever had it before today. I knew it made a decent & guiltless pasta substitute but – when I want pasta – I want PASTA. The one exception to this is my shirataki (zero calorie) noodle pho – seen just above. I can eat that for lunch every day.
Still – I intentionally ordered a spaghetti squash from Farm Fresh to You this week to force myself to try it and I am glad I did. It was easy to use and, while not convincing as pasta, it was good enough that I did not mind & it is so guiltless!
I made a collard green & pepita (pumpkin seed) pesto for this. Click that link for the recipe or use your own favorite pesto variety. It makes no real difference. The real revelation here is how satisfying the spaghetti squash is – so – try it at least once. I added roasted golden beets – you guessed it – because I had some. They are a lovely addition but not critical. As to the chard – you could use any other greens you like, instead. If you are not vegan – tossing some Parmesan or goat cheese in this could be nice, too.
Vegan Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” with Roasted Golden Beets, Swiss Chard & a Collard Green & Pepita Pesto
6 Swiss chard leaves – spines removed but retained & chopped with the leaves (or about 2 cups)
3 (or more) golden beets – leaves & ends trimmed off
Olive oil
S&P
Garnish – either a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, vegan Parmesan or other vegan cheese or (if you are not vegan) real cheese (I used grated Asiago here)
Ignore those collards there. 🙂
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the squash in half & scoop out the seeds.
Trim the beets & cover both the beets & squash with a bit of olive oil & some S&P.
Wrap the beets in foil. Put the squash face-up on a cooking sheet & put the bundle of beets on the sheet, too. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Depending on the size of your beets – they might take longer. Allow everything to cool.
When cool enough to handle – scoop out the squash flesh & set aside. Rub the skins off the beets under running water & cube them.
Heat a little olive oil in a large saute pan. Saute the chard over high heat. I added about 1/4 cup of water to help steam the chard into wilting completely. Add the beets & the spaghetti squash & combine. Heat through. Using two forks – stir in enough pesto to suit your taste. Combine. Season with S&P.
Garnish maybe with an extra dollop of pesto or nutritional yeast or some cheese (vegan or otherwise).
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This is my first recipe posted since June 16th. On June 20th, I came home from a 14-hour day at work to find my beautiful, 4-year-old pug, Memphis, dead. Without explanation. My world shattered. Posting recipes seemed so trivial & like an insult to my loss. I still cry almost every day. I cried when I opened this blog & saw my last post – explaining my absence here. He was one of the very, very special ones & I miss him agonizingly. So – please pardon me if I just post this recipe & have nothing much more to say.
This is VERY easy, very spicy (but you can adjust that) and a very rare seafood recipe from me. I gave up seafood three years ago or so – but I could not resist this squid ink pasta when I saw it & shrimp seemed the best way to serve it. So – without further adieu – let me present my Fiery Shrimp fra Diavolo with Squid Ink Pasta.
Fiery Shrimp fra Diavolo with Squid Ink Pasta
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb squid ink pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
1/2 to 1 lb raw shrimp – shelled & cleaned
1 TBS olive oil
5 oz – 10 oz cherry tomatoes – halved (reserve a few for garnish)
1-6 garlic cloves – sliced, crushed or whole (or to taste)
1-3 jalapenos – chopped (or to taste)
1 tsp to 1 TBS crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 cup pasta sauce of choice
S&P
Chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta.
Meanwhile – heat the olive oil & ad the jalapenos & tomatoes. saute over high heat until the tomatoes soften a bit. Add the crushed red pepper & garlic & saute one minute. Add the tomato sauce & heat until bubbly.
Add S&P to taste. Just before the pasta is done – add the shrimp to the sauce & cook through – being careful not to overcook the shrimp.
Drain the pasta & toss with the sauce. Serve garnished with fresh, chopped parsley & quartered, raw cherry tomatoes.
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely 