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.
Keto Vegan sausage & Kale Soup with Spinach
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
8 or more vegan sausages (I used Beyond Meat)
1 head kale – tough ribs removes & the leaves chopped
1 pound spinach
2 TBS olive oil
1 onion – chopped
2 red bell peppers – seeded & chopped
2 poblano peppers – seeded & chopped
8 celery stalks – chopped
2 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
8-10 cups vegan stock
S&P
Fresh basil as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Cook the sausages (removing skins if you prefer) in a skillet until browned. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, and poblano peppers & saute until soft. Add the dry basil, cumin, oregano, crushed red pepper, and rosemary and stir to combine.
Add the sausage, kale & stock & heat through. Season with S&P.
When ready to serve, put a handful of raw spinach in each bowl & ladle the hot soup on top. Garnish with fresh basil.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Click the image above to watch.
OK – this one takes a few steps but all are easy & you end up with a GIGANTIC mound of all things savory & Thanksgivingy! It is a bread course, sweet potato/squash dish, creamed spinach, scalloped potatoes & chicken courses – all rolled into one. You can sub out the ingredients to suit your tastes. This is basically an enclosed shepherd’s pie & is as versatile at shepherd’s pie is.
**PLEASE NOTE** – transferring this tart from the cooking sheet onto a serving platter might prove VERY tricky. It will be very heavy – and the warmer it is when you try to transfer it – the more delicate that procedure will be. It would SUCK to put all the work in – only to break it when you are ready to serve it. If you don’t have two very large spatulas – and maybe an assistant – perhaps consider cooking this on something you can also serve it on. Surrounding it with leafy kale (or other greens) at the base & a few cranberries & it will look festive & spare you the trauma of transferring it to a platter. SERIOUSLY consider baking & serving from the same piece. I am devastated just imagining what a failed transfer would do to my life – and I don’t want that for you.
3/4 cup silken tofu – pureed (I just smashed it all up with a fork)
1/3 cup vegan milk
for the creamed spinach
1 small onion or large shallot – diced
1 lb fresh spinach
2 (9 oz) packages vegan chicken (I highly recommend Beyond Meat brand. Best on the market!) – cubed
4 oz vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup vegan milk
4 slices vegan cheese (I used the Chao below)
S&P
Olive oil
for the scalloped potatoes
2-3 medium potatoes – peeled & cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2 TBS vegan butter
2 TBS flour
2 cups vegan milk
7 oz vegan cheese (I used that Daiya)
S&P
for the sweet potato-butternut squash puree
1 butternut squash – peeled & cubed
1 large sweet potato – peeled & cubed
4-6 TBS vegan butter
Pinch of nutmeg
S&P
PARCHMENT PAPER for cooking
Vegan egg wash – small but equal parts agave nectar – soy milk – olive oil
GARNISH – kale (or other leafy greens) and fresh cranberries – to arrange around the tart.
DIRECTIONS
for the soft tart dough
By food processor: Combine flour, salt & butter in a food processor using a metal blade. Process with short pulses until the mixture is crumbly. Add tofu with short pulses. Add milk, gradually, with short pulses until it begins to clump and – eventually – orbit as a ball inside the food processor. You might need a little more flour. When the dough is formed – it will be very soft. Gather it into a ball & wrap it tightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour but up to 3 days. When ready to roll it out bring it back to room temperature and flour a work surface to facilitate handling.
By hand: combine flour & salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center & add the butter and the smashed silken tofu. Lightly blend the butter & tofu with fingertips. With a knife or pastry blade, cut the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture. Gradually, add the milk – tossing with a fork until the dough comes together. The dough will be very soft. Add more flour if it is too wet. Gather it into a ball & wrap it tightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour but up to 3 days. When ready to roll it out bring it back to room temperature and flour a work surface to facilitate handling.
for the scalloped potatoes
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a stock pot & whisk in the flour & a little S&P. Heat until it just begins to turn golden then slowly add the milk – letting it thicken before you add more. When all the milk is incorporated & it is still sorta thick – melt in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper. Toss with the sliced potatoes & place in a greased casserole dish. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until it is bubbling & the potatoes are soft. Set aside to cool completely.
for the creamed spinach & chicken
Heat a TBS of olive oil in a saute pan & cook the onions until soft. Add the spinach & let it wilt – then add the cream cheese & milk. Heat until the cheese melts & you have a thick & creamy spinach. Season with S&P & toss the chicken in & stir. Set aside to cool.
for the sweet potato-butternut puree
Boil the sweet potato & butternut chunks until soft. I then drained them & mashed them with the butter, nutmeg and S&P. Set aside to cool.
to assemble the tart
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a medium bowl with plastic wrap. A moderately deep & wide one is best. If the bowl is too deep – your tart will be too tall & be more likely to collapse. Also – be sure your bowl opening (at the top) is no wider than the cooking sheet you will be using to bake the tart.
Roll out 2/3 of the dough big enough that it not only lines your bowl but has overhang.
DO NOT OVERFILL! Only fill it to below the depth of the bowl. The stuffing ingredients should be to warmer than room temperature.
Place a thin layer of puree in the bottom & then a thick layer of scalloped potatoes & then the rest of the puree. Put the four slices of cheese on top of that then all of the spinach & chicken.
Roll out the remaining dough so that it fits the top of your bowl & then fold the edges of the bottom crust over it & use a knife or fork to pinch it sealed. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper & invert it on top of your tart – and VERY CAREFULLY – flip it over so your tart is sealed-side down. Be sure to put the cooking sheet with the parchment ON TOP OF your bowl & flip. Do not try to just flip the bowl onto the cooking sheet. This sucker likely weighs more than a turkey & the soft dough will not withstand that much pressure. Remove the bowl & the plastic wrap.
I sprayed it with cooking oil but found that did not give me a golden glaze so – mix up a little vegan egg wash (small but equal parts agave nectar – soy milk – olive oil) and occasionally brush the tart as it bakes. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until it looks nice & browned.
Look how HUGE that thing is! See the pastry brush? That has to be 12 inches long.
OK – here comes a tricky part. Let it cool a while before fussing with it. Once anything that seeped out of it has pretty much cooled – run a knife under it to loosen the tart from the escapes bits. I used an ENORMOUS spatula & the parchment paper to very delicately shift the tart to a serving plate. It is a heavy & unwieldy thing – so be very delicate when handling this tart – get assistance, if possible. If the transfer is too risky for you – consider just putting some leafy greens & cranberries around the base on the pan itself & serve this bad boy directly from the cooking sheet. Better to go low brow than having this guy fall apart.
This should be served warm but is delicious at room temperature, too.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
This is a really easy, 5-minute pasta sauce. It is fairly spicy so cut back on the crushed red pepper if you are sensitive to heat. Canned tomatoes are not desirable – even BAD – (read why you should avoid canned tomatoes & seven other foods HERE) – but they are sometimes the only affordable (and super convenient) option. .
Fresh herbs will also improve this sauce measurably but – in a pinch – they are absolutely not REQUIRED to make this sauce tasty.
Five (5) Minute Arrabiata Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 27 oz carton tomato sauce
Garlic to taste
1 tsp each of crushed red pepper, oregano, pepper & sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh thyme (optional)
Fresh basil – chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil. I sautéed maybe 10 tiny garlic cloves whole. If giant chunks of garlic offend you or yours, you might want to crush them a bit with the side of a knife or press them through a garlic press or chop them fine. Just do not burn the garlic and burning is easier – the smaller you chop the cloves. With whole cloves – I sautéed a minute before adding the spices. If you chopped the garlic – add it and the spices at once.After about a minute of both the garlic and all other spices sautéing – add the tomato sauce. Be careful as it will sputter and splatter you when it hits the hot oil.
A few minutes in – I used a slotted spoon to fish out the garlic cloves & put them through a garlic press but this is not totally necessary.Heat over med-low heat until ready to use. Add chopped fresh basil/parsley at the very end – if you are using fresh herbs.
Eggplant is an odd thing. Some of my favorite dishes are made of eggplant – most markedly my nearly guiltless Indian Baingan Bharta & one of the most popular recipes of this blog’s history, my Spicy Vegan Chinese Eggplant – both seen just below.
But if it is cut into slices or cubes that are too large & then under-cooked – it can have an icky texture & an icky flavor. Lots of people categorically reject it because the first time they tried it – it was yucky. But it is so versatile & can take on so many flavors so well. I love it & I feel certain I could convert more than a few haters – if I served them the right dish.
THIS dish might just be that dish – assuming they do not also hate spinach. The eggplant is very subtle & melts in your mouth. This could be customized a zillion ways. There are no rules. Just make a little mash of some flavors you like & roll’em up & bake them – and voila! Yes – there are a few steps but none are difficult & the result is delightful. A tad hard to photograph but really delicious.
Oh! I got this new little garlic press at Bed Bath & Beyond for (I think) under ten dollars & I am kind of in love with it. There are to ways to go with this – sliced or minced (there is a second blade tucked into the base) & all you do is press the garlic through & it creates a little drawer of crushed garlic for you. Se easy & easy to clean & no garlic fingers!
Easy Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach
Should feed 4
INGREDIENTS
2 medium eggplant – tops removed & sliced 1/4 inch thick (thick makes assembly harder)
1 lb fresh spinach (or 8 oz frozen or other spinach – thawed)
3-4 cups (28 0z or so) – marinara (your favorite brand or homemade or the one I post below) or my 5-minute spicy arrabiata
Handful vegan Parmesan
1/2 cup vegan ricotta
1/4 cup parsley – chopped
4 oz vegan mozzarella
S&P
Olive oil
More vegan mozzarella to melt on top – to taste
Parchment paper (if possible but not imperative)
Foil
Garnish: more cheese and/or parsley and/or basil
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the tops off the eggplant & try to cut them evenly 1/4 inch thick. I used a mandolin. Lay the slices on paper towels & sprinkle with salt. Flip & salt the other side (lightly – so they won’t be overpowered by salt). Salting the eggplant helps release excess moisture & can temper any bitterness. Let them sit for about ten minutes.
Steam the fresh spinach by simply boiling a tiny bit of water to a very large stock pot & adding the spinach. Cover the pan. It should wilt in less than a minute (this works to thaw frozen spinach, too, though it might take longer). Strain into a colander & run cold water on it. Squeeze out as much water as you can & chop the spinach.
Put the spinach, parsley, & your Parmesan & ricotta & mozzarella cheese in a large bowl & blend. Add some S&P.
Pat the eggplant slices dry & sprinkle with ground pepper. Place them on a cooking sheet covered in parchment paper (or foil treated with cooking spray – because you do not want these guys sticking). Bake about ten minutes.
Layer some sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan. Spread about 2 TBS of the filling on each of the eggplant slices. If you have extra – spread it around. Carefully roll those guys up & place them in the pan, seam side down.
Layer some more sauce on top & then sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil & bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven & uncover & let rest a good 5-10 minutes before cutting in. Serve with more cheese and/or parsley and/or basil and copious red wine. See? You like eggplant!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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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.
I fucking love Indian food. I always have. I have posted many Indian recipes & Indian food is the easiest way to feed someone vegan food without them noticing. If you research, you will find that most recipes have largely overlapping ingredients. If you intend to get into cooking Indian food – the critical spices (outside of cumin & coriander) are garam masala & cardamom. If your local market does not carry the spices you need – and there is no local Indian spice source (ethnic markets are THE BEST resource for cheap spices) – buy them on Amazon. This recipe calls for fenugreek (or kasuri methi) but I read that celery seeds are a decent substitute. If you can’t find either – blow it off.
If you are accustomed to cooking Indian food – you might notice I tend to use far larger amounts of the spices than your average recipes. The measurements are very forgiving, though, so don’t worry if you want to use more – or less – than what I suggest.
I used a vegan goat cheese that I bought at a Soledad Santuary stand at the Hollywood farmer’s market. If you live in Hollywood or can make it to that market – look for them. They recently turned vegan & are experimenting making many kinds of vegan cheese. (If you get there – BTW – look for Dave’s Korean stand, too. Their tempeh is INSANE!) You can use any soft vegan cheese (cream cheese or yogurt or goat cheese – if you can find some). If you are not vegan – a Boursin or garlic/chive cream cheese would work. You just need some sort of “dairy” to mellow out the overall flavor.
Vegan Aloo Palak (Indian Spinach & Potato Curry)
Serves 4-6 with rice
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 – 2 lbs fresh spinach (You can use canned or frozen but the flavor will not be the same & you won’t get the vibrant green color. Google Aloo Palak & see how ugly it can look. LOL)
3 large red potatoes – cubed
1 large onion – diced
1-3 jalapenos (to taste) – chopped (remove seeds to lessen the heat)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 TBS turmeric
1 TBS fresh ginger – minced (I used jarred)
1 TBS garlic – minced (I used jarred)
1-3 tsp chili powder (I used 3 but I like heat)
1 TBS ground coriander
1 tsp dry fenugreek (or celery seeds) – OPTIONAL
1 TBS garam masala
1/2 cup vegan soft cheese
Salt
Olive oil
Garnish – cooked rice and/or naan
DIRECTIONS
Boil a large pot of water & blanch the spinach by immersing it for 30 seconds to a minute – so it wilts. Plunge into cold water & drain.
Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil & pan fry the potatoes until they begin to brown – turning often. This might cook them through – depending on how large your cubes are. If it doesn’t do not worry. They can cook more in the spinach. Set aside.
In that same pan – heat another TBS olive oil & add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sputter, add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, & spices. Cook until the onion is soft.
In a food processor – blend the onion mix. Then – add the drained spinach & puree. Return this to the pan. Stir in the cheese & add the potatoes. Heat through & be sure your potatoes are soft. You may have to add between 1-2 cups of water to thin it out. If it is too thick add more water. Too thin? Cook it down.
Serve with rice or naan – or eat it naked! I mean – the spinach & potatoes could be naked – as the potato adds a starch to the dish, already. But – if you wanna be naked yourself – I don’t see a problem with that. Your roommate or children might feel awkward but fuck’m. You just made motherfuckin’ Aloo Palak. What the fuck have they achieved lately? Probably not appreciate you enough, that’s what.
See my point? Might as well swill some wine, too. Haters gonna hate. No reason for you to give any fucks at all. Eat, drink & be proud you just made a yummy vegan meal!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
I have a video on my Youtube channel for this recipe. Click the image below to watch & please subscribe.
This is a 5 minute recipe so – if you can boil pasta & own a blender – you can make this dish. I had an avocado that was about a day past its prime & loads of spinach – so this was born. I used a few serrano peppers for heat but that it totally optional.
*NOTE – I also used fresh basil that I had frozen a few weeks ago. Worked great – so – if you are ever wanting to preserve fresh herbs so they do not go to waste – they can be frozen & then used in pestos & sauces.
Vegan Pasta with Creamy Avocado & Spinach Pesto
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta – cooked as directed
1 large avocado
2 packed cups of fresh spinach
2 garlic cloves
1/4 packed cup fresh basil *See note above
2 serrano or jalapeno peppers (optional) – seeded
1/2 to 1 cup vegan Parmesan (or nutritional yeast or a combo) – quantity to your taste
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Blend everything except the pasta in a blender or food processor. Season with S&P & adjust anything else to suit your fancy.
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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This is a really easy dish but this recipe makes a boatload so you might want to consider cutting it in half – or doublinf the tofu paneer recipe because that shit is yummy!
Click the image below for the video & please subscribe to my channel.
Vegan Saag with Tofu Paneer
INGREDIENTS
for the tofu paneer
1 block extra firm tofu
4 TBS nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan
3 TBS olive oil
2 tsp salt
for the saag
2 lbs fresh spinach
3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS cumin seeds
1 small onion – chopped
6 garlic cloves – minced
2 TBS ginger
2 jalapenos – diced (optional)
1-2 TBS turmeric (start with one & add more if you think it needs it)
1-2 TBS garam masala (start with one & add more if you think it needs it)
1-2 TBS ground coriander (start with one & add more if you think it needs it)
1 TBS ground fenugreek (optional)
5 tomatoes – diced
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup of either vegan heavy cream or sour cream or cream cheese or a combination
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the nutritional yeast, oil & salt in a bowl.
Slice the tofu in half & place between paper towels. Rest something heavy on it to press out some moisture.
Cube the tofu & toss it in the mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Set aside.
Puree 1 lb of spinach with some water in a blender or food processor. Just use enough water to facilitate the pureeing. This is optional. You could opt to just chop half the spinach – or all of it.
Heat 3 TBS olive oil in as pan & add 1-2 TBS cumin seeds (use less for a less heavily spiced dish). When they start popping & get fragrant, add the onion & saute until soft.
Add the garlic & ginger & jalapenos. Saute a few minutes & then add the spices. Add some water to create a thin paste. Heat through & add the tomatoes. Add the sugar & salt & combine. Once the tomatoes are warmed & soft – start adding the fresh spinach until it all cooks down. Ad the pureed or chopped spinach & stir to combine. Stir in the vegan dairy you chose to use. Heat through. Taste & adjust seasonings.
Serve with the baked tofu paneer on top and some rice or naan.
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 had a fridge chock full of produce & not enough days of cooking before me to get through it all without a lot of it going bad – so – I made this very thick & hearty tomato sauce. It is a great way to use a ton of veggies & clean out that fridge. Additionally – if you puree it or use an immersion blender – you can hide the veggies from kids & other finicky palates.
I grilled the eggplant first – to add a smokey flavor – but this is not necessary. I used kale & collard greens – because I had them – but they are totally optional – or you could use spinach, instead. You can eliminate a lot of the ingredients without a negative impact on this sauce so feel free to customize it.
I had a bunch of sage that I had frozen. It worked really well in this sauce – so – if you have herbs that are going to spoil, put them in sandwich bags & freeze them for use in future sauces.
Hearty & Spicy Vegan Eggplant & Mushroom Bolognese Pasta Sauce
Makes a boatload – so either serve a large group or freeze some
3 (26 oz) containers of chopped & strained tomatoes – in any combination (I used 2 strained & 1 chopped)
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan (very, very optional)
1 TBS salt
1-3 tsp crushed red pepper (according to your tolerance for heat)
1 TBS dry parsley
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS thyme (I used fresh chopped)
1/2 cup fresh basil – chopped
GARNISH – Cooked pasta, fresh chopped parsley or basil
DIRECTIONS
If you are grilling the eggplant – slice them & either spray them with cooking spray or brush them with olive oil & then grill them on both sides. Set aside to cool – then chop. Set aside.
Heat 2-3 TBS olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onions & bell peppers & jalapenos. Saute until softened.
Add the zucchini & mushrooms & saute until tender. Stir in the chopped eggplant.
Add the greens you are using & fold in so they wilt. Add the garlic & cook for a minute or two.
Add all the other ingredients – EXCEPT the beef crumbles. Bring to a boil & then reduce the heat & simmer for about 30 minutes. If it gets too thick, add water.
Now – if you are going to puree the sauce or use an immersion blender – now is the time. Whatever you decide – pureed or not – add the beefy crumbles & heat through.
Season with S&P.
Toss some of the sauce with cooked pasta. You will have a lot of sauce left over – unless you are feeding a very large group. Garnish with basil and/or parsley.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Chicken Piccata is one of the things I missed most when I gave up eating meat in the 80’s. Then – companies began making very convincing meatless chicken & that hole in my heart was cured. Behold my warm, vegan Chicken Piccata – below. REALLY convincing – trust me!
So – I had a few Memorial Day BBQ’s to attend & I was all about vegan pasta salads. They were a great idea because they assured that I would have something to eat at these parties & because vegan pasta salads – like the ones I made – were safe to leave out for hours without risk of spoiling. The other two I made were my Spicy Vegan Southwestern Pasta Salad & Pasta Salad with Arugula Pesto & Feta Cheese (Vegan or Vegetarian) – seen below, respectively.
I brought this Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad to a party at Naomi & Jason Priestley’s home. That is Naomi on the far left. I am the dimwit in the back who – it seems – was the only one there that didn’t know where to look when being photographed.
Anyway – Naomi took one bite & looked at me in shock. “McCarthy! Did you put real chicken in this?”
Needless to say – I hadn’t. But Beyond Meat chicken is so convincing – warm or cold – that it can fool even unapologetic, degenerate meat-eaters. This pasta salad disappeared quickly – and – besides Naomi – nobody ever questioned whether or not the chicken was real. I think they all assumed it was.
It is light & clean & healthy & vegan. If you are a Chicken Piccata lover – this salad is for you!
Vegan Cold Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad with Asparagus & Spinach
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta
9+ oz vegan chicken – cubed
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup fresh spinach
1/8 cup olive oil (more or less)
2 garlic cloves – minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (more or less)
3-6 TBS capers (Quantity determined by your taste for capers. I love them!) – chopped or not – or just chop some – your call
1/2 cup parsley – chopped
S&P
GARNISH – extra parsley & lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
Trim the asparagus by holding each spear by each end & bend until it breaks. This breaks the asparagus just above the woody & impossible to chew part. Set aside.
Boil the pasta. My asparagus was the very thick kind. If you have the thick asparagus – add it to the boiling pasta 3 minutes before the pasta is done. Do it for 2 minutes for average asparagus & 1 minute for the very thin asparagus.
Drain & run under cold water.
Slice the asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Chop the spinach.
Toss everything together. Adjust the lemon & olive oil to your taste & season with S&P. Garnish with extra parsley & lemon wedges.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Everybody has had stuffed cabbage but, typically, it is stuffed with a mix of meat & rice. This recipe uses neither – though you could add some – if you wanted to. This recipe is more rustic & lighter. No carbs. No animal products. Just loads of veggies & sauce! I had grilled eggplant in the fridge – leftover from a night of Grilled & Baked Eggplant Pizza Towers with Fresh Mozzarella & Basil Chiffonade – seen below.
If you have a grill pan or a grill where you can easily grill the eggplant – I recommend it because it adds a smokey char to the dish that is lovely – though not necessary. If grilling the eggplant first sounds like a pain in the ass – blow it off & just cut your eggplant into small cubes
Grilled Eggplant
INGREDIENTS
1 eggplant – sliced into rounds
Olive oil or some kind of oil & vinegar salad dressing
DIRECTIONS
Dredge the eggplant through the olive oil or dressing & grill (either on a grill or in a grill pan) – just to get some grill marks on them & cook out some moisture. I did it on the grill & it took about 5-7 minutes – flipping the slices occasionally. You can do this on your burners on the stove or in a grill pan or on a real grill – with or without oiling the slices.
UPDATE – after eating this for lunch – at dinner – I wanted something more substantial. So – I added a bag of Beyond Meat crumbles & some grated cheese to the top before I reheated these guys. AMAZING!
Vegan Cabbage Rolls Stuffed with Grilled Eggplant, Mushrooms & Spinach
Serves 4 very well
INGREDIENTS
1 head cabbage (I used Napa but any kind will work
Olive oil
1 eggplant – either grilled as outlined above or not – and, either way, cubed
1/2 lb mushrooms – sliced or chopped
2 tomatoes – diced
1 onion – diced
2 stalks green garlic or 1-4 garlic cloves – chopped
2+ cups fresh spinach
1 TBS dry parsley
1 TBS dry oregano
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
S&P
2-3 cups pasta sauce (homemade or jarred)
Fresh basil as garnish
OPTION – vegan or fresh mozzarella baked on top of these might be nice. I opted not to use any – in an effort to keep these very healthy – but I bet it would compliment this dish nicely. Additionally – adding some faux beef crumbles on top or underneath the rolls makes this dish more substantial.
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Boil a large pot of water – deep enough for the head of cabbage. Remove the cabbage core & drop the head into boiling water – whole. With tongs – pluck out each leaf as it becomes tender & plunge into a bowl of ice water.
Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions, mushrooms, tomatoes & eggplant. Saute until the vegetables get tender. Add garlic & spinach & stir until the spinach wilts. Add the oregano, parsley, S&P and crushed red pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Spread about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan. Place a cabbage leaf on a kitchen towel & scoop a few TBS of filling into it & roll it up. I did not really bother with the ends but if you are good at making closed ends – knock yourself out. Place in the casserole pan – seam-side down. Continue until all the filling is used up. Season the rolls with S&P.
Top with sauce – as much as suits your taste. You might want t reserve some to add – warmed – to the finished rolls. Bake for about 40 minutes. Serve with additional warm sauce – if you like – and some fresh basil.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Fennel is a divisive vegetable. The sharp licorice flavor is either something you love or hate, it seems. But, as with garlic, the flavor of fennel mellows into something else entirely – when you roast it. It becomes soft & sorta sweet & it compliments this salad nicely.
I used arugula but any mixed greens or baby spinach would work, too. I added pistachios but any nuts would work – especially if you toasted them a bit first.
I used this lovely blood orange olive oil but regular olive oil would work. I used the dark balsamic – but white balsamic would be lovely, too.
And for the goat cheese – I used this stuff (below). It has the texture of a soft goat cheese & was really delicious. If you eat cheese – real goat cheese or feta would also work.
Vegan soft cheese (or real goat or feta cheese) – quantity up to you
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Wrap the beets in foil. No need to even wash them – as that will happen later. If they are large (mine were about the size of ping pong balls) – cut them into smaller chunks.
Cut the fronds off the fennel (saving some of the dilly leaves for garnish) & cut the bulb in half. Place on a cooking sheet & drizzle with olive oil.
Place the beets in foil on the cooking sheet with the fennel & roast 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. The beets might take longer than the fennel.
When the beets cool – wash them under running water & rub the skins off. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Slice up the fennel.
Place some greens on each plate. Top with beets, fennel, avocado, pistachios & crumbled cheese. Drizzle with olive oil & balsamic. Garnish with fennel leaves and S&P.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This is a 5 minute recipe so – if you can boil pasta & own a blender – you can make this dish. I had an avocado that was about a day past its prime & loads of spinach – so this was born. I used a few serrano peppers for heat but that it totally optional.
*NOTE – I also used fresh basil that I had frozen a few weeks ago. Worked great – so – if you are ever wanting to preserve fresh herbs so they do not go to waste – they can be frozen & then used in pestos & sauces.
Vegan Pasta with Creamy Avocado & Spinach Pesto
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta – cooked as directed
1 large avocado
2 packed cups of fresh spinach
2 garlic cloves
1/4 packed cup fresh basil *See note above
2 serrano or jalapeno peppers (optional) – seeded
1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan (vegan or otherwise) – quantity to your taste
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Blend everything except the pasta in a blender or food processor. Season with S&P & adjust anything else to suit your fancy.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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.
