One Pot Wonder Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe

May 19, 2013 in Vegetarian Entrees

One Pot Pasta BEFORE

One Pot Wonder Pasta – BEFORE

Once in awhile a dish comes along and stuns you and makes you rethink the way you cook. This miracle throw-everything-in-a-pot pasta dish has done that for me.

You literally throw in all the ingredients for this dish – including the uncooked pasta – and then Flame On! You cook it all together and DO NOT DRAIN the pasta. You just cook it up and starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along  with the pasta. The tastes and textures of this dish are shockingly good. And the “sauce” made by the starch from the pasta combining with the reduced vegetable broth is truly remarkable.

I saw the idea in this months’s Martha Stewart Living magazine, but I added some things that I think make the dish even better: some crumbled oregano leaves and a little olive oil for richness. And Oh Yes! – I used vegetable broth, not water and salt as called for in the recipe. I used regular vegetable broth, not a low-sodium version, and this was the perfect seasoning for the pasta.

I was so nervous about cooking the linguine right with the other ingredients, but I took a leap of faith. After all, Martha can’t be wrong! This dish is a revelation, and I’ll make it again and again.

You can eat this just as is, or with a fresh tomato sauce.

NOTE: This recipe and new technique just scream out for experimentation by passionate cooks, so please feel free to tweak as desired, and come back and let us know your favorite version(s)!

Happy Meatless Monday, all!

One Pot Pasta AFTER

One Pot Wonder Pasta – AFTER

– posted by Donna

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Korean-inspired Burgers with Kimchi and Sriracha Mayo

May 22, 2013 in Entrees

Korean-Inspired Kimchi Reuben Burger with Sriracha Mayo

I’ve been obsessed with making my own kimchi lately. The first time I tried this powerfully pungent fermented cabbage dish, I admit it was a little much for me. It was my first visit to a sushi restaurant that had a huge Korean influence, and, not expecting anything other than the familiar Japanese fare, it caught me completely off-guard. But over the next few years, I came to adore it, not only for its flavor but for the health benefits, as a naturally lactofermented dish.

I now eat it straight-up as a side dish all the time, and have been experimenting with adding it to various recipes (look for more in coming days). With Memorial Day coming right up, I thought it would go perfectly with a reuben-style burger, with kimchi standing in for the sauerkraut. I added a touch of creamy sriracha mayo to both complement and balance the spiciness, which worked beautifully, especially if you make your own mayo and sriracha!

If you haven’t tried making the olive oil mayo from Melissa Jouliwan’s Well Fed, you’ve gotta try it. I go through about one recipe’s yield a week. Using extra-LIGHT olive oil is the key, so the flavor isn’t overpowering, and you still get gorgeously thick, fresh homemade mayonnaise, with no seed oils or sketchy, processed additives. And I’ve raved before about Nom Nom Paleo’s sriracha - just sublime. Put those two together and you have one heavenly condiment.

Though I usually make my own kimchi, as I was saying, I happened to be out the day of the burger-testing, so I tried the brand photographed in the post, and can vouch that it is an excellent one. Also note, in a lettuce wrap, this whole tangy shebang is perfectly paleo, but serve it up however you like!

Have a fabulous and delicious Memorial Day.

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Tamarind Glazed Grilled Tofu Recipe

May 13, 2013 in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees

Grilled Tofu

Tamarind Glazed Grilled Tofu

I know what you’re thinking about this beautiful fillet. Except you’re wrong – it’s tofu!

This tamarind glaze is bright and flavorful – you will want to eat it with a spoon. But don’t. The bold glaze is prefect for the bland tofu. I don’t know why I have never cooked with tamarind before, but it will definitely stay on my pantry shelf now that I have used it. Bright, citrusy and slightly bitter, and adds tons of flavor and dimension to anything it is stirred into.

And this answers the question everyone is asking: Can you throw tofu on the grill? Answer: Please!

I like to have a vegetarian – even vegan – option when we barbecue for a crowd, and this is the perfect solution. Just make sure you use extra-firm tofu and then press out the water before cutting in 1-inch “steaks.” My method: wrap the block of tofu in a kitchen towel and then place between two plates. Let this sit on your counter top for about an hour, and the texture will be perfect for grilling – thick and creamy.

Happy Grilling Season!

– posted by Donna

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Homemade Cheesy Kale Chips (all that and a bag of)

May 9, 2013 in Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes

 

Easy-cheesy (vegan) kale chips!

The love affair with my Stuff continues. I’ve been telling people that once I’m finally all re-settled in, I’m going to have a Stuffwarming party, in which I serve a dish made from each of my most beloved, long-lost appliances. Kitchen Aid, slow cooker, Cuisinart, immersion blender, dehydrator, and so on. I’m totally serious about this party.

So this week, I busted out the latter of the above, the dehydrator, to attempt making something I’ve wanted to try for a good long while: kale chips. I’ve made an oven version before, and they were nice and light and crispy, but I really wanted to try and approximate the savory flavored kind  – the kind I’ve recently gotten in the habit of paying FAR too much money for in the store. Trader Joe’s recently came out with a slightly more affordable version a few months ago, but still. STILL. Measures needed to be taken.

I’m happy to report success. Really so simple to make as long as you’ve got the equipment.

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Baked Chocolate Coconut Milk Mousse Recipe

May 6, 2013 in Desserts

Chocolate Mousse
My mom is the kind of mom who put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own. She always ate the burnt piece of toast and the smallest piece of pie. That’s why I want to make her something decadent the next time I get to visit her. Just call it my attempt to make things balance out in the universe. Good karma, really.
So, here for you Mom is a creamy chocolate delight – without real cream. Let me explain.
Coconut milk is very creamy and delicious – and adds just a hint of coconut flavor to this baked mousse. This is a shockingly delicious version of classic mousse, and the kind of thing you would make to pamper someone you love, say, on Mother’s Day.
I followed Cook’s Illustrated’s method of making whipped coconut milk for this recipe and I think this is every bit as good as regular whipped cream – with just a hint of coconut flavor.
Happy Mom’s Day, Mom. And may we be blessed with many more Mom’s Days with you!
– posted by Donna

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Three Ingredient Black Bean Sauce and Fajita Style Veggie Nachos

May 3, 2013 in Appetizers, Entrees, Vegetarian Entrees

SONY DSC

Fajita Style Black Bean Nachos with Easy Black Bean Sauce

Look no farther if you are looking for a last minute Cinco de Mayo idea with a delicious sauce that takes 30 seconds to make (and that includes opening the can!).

It was torture to choose between two fabulous Tex-Mex classic party dishes for upcoming Cinco de Mayo- fajitas and nachos. So, I created the best of both worlds with this recipe: Fajita Style Vegetarian Nachos. It’s genius. Just grill or broil the veggies and then use them to top your nachos.

And a delicious sauce that takes only 30 seconds to make? Why wouldn’t you make these?

This recipe is great because it is hardy enough to serve as a main dish, but flavorful and colorful enough to serve as an appetizer at a party.

I made a black bean sauce to drizzle over the chips. This is amazingly flavorful and so easy – just a can of black beans, a can of enchilada sauce and some raw pressed garlic all blended until smooth. Yum. It isn’t cooked – just warmed in the microwave. Then you top that with broiled veggies and then, of course cheese. Instant fiesta!

Check out the other fiesta-licious ideas from Cookin Canuck’s link up. How will I ever choose??? Read the rest of this entry →

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Chimichurri No-Potato (a.k.a.Beetabaga) Salad

May 2, 2013 in Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

Golden Beet and Rutabaga Salad with Chimichurri

Ah, May Day. We just had our first picnic of the year, and cliche though it might be, I like nothing better than a good potato salad. I made a great one with chimichurri last summer, but I’m also watching the carbs and mostly avoiding starches, so I thought I’d try recreating it with less-starchy, more nutrient-dense root vegetables instead.

The combination of rutabagas and golden beets was fabulous with the chimichurri!  I decided to add a little roasted garlic into the mix, too for another layer of flavor, especially since we’re roasting the vegetables already. Highly recommended. Now say “Chimichurri Beetabaga” 5 times fast.

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Asparagus Hummus and Shrimp Bites Recipe

April 28, 2013 in Appetizers

Asparagus Shrimp Bites

Asparagus Hummus Shrimp Bites

One of my very favorite things about spring is asparagus. Well, also having sunshine and warmth once again. Ok, but asparagus is definitely third on my list.

The Athens Mini Fillo Shells  challenge for April is “spring vegetables,” and so I knew what I had to use.

The limitation of four ingredients plus the shells means you have to choose wisely to get maximum flavor, but luckily asparagus packs a punch when roasted at high temps. So – hummus with roasted asparagus is divine – and I topped it with shrimp. Perfect for a spring brunch, I say. Or spring anything, really.

These little fillo shells are so handy – pretty and crispy – the perfect match for creamy hummus. Full of Martha-like potential. And you can whip these bites up in about 10 minutes flat.

A little spring celebration in your mouth!

– posted by Donna

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Strawberry, Honey and Balsamic Coconut Milk Ice Cream

April 26, 2013 in Dairy-Free, Desserts

 

Strawberry, Honey and Balsamic Ice Cream, homemade with coconut milk and no refined sugar.

Were I forced, for some cruel reason, to choose only one dessert as my absolute favorite, ice cream and caramel would battle it out Thunderdome-style, with ice cream just barely emerging the victor. It’s my go-to for any celebration, but especially for birthdays, which I celebrated just this past weekend. I would much rather have ice cream  than cake – and “ice cream cake” while great in theory, has always been kind of a bummer in reality. (A cake made entirely of ice cream, though, I could get behind that.)

Now that I live in Portland, I have the joy of access to Salt & Straw,  which is hands-down the greatest ice cream I have ever consumed. Sometimes referred to as “boutique” ice cream, they specialize in daring flavors like arbequina olive oil, pear with bleu cheese and even bone marrow, as well as more conventional (but still bold) flavor combinations like coffee and bourbon or sea salt with caramel ribbon (the last of which is, of course the ultimate experience for me). Naturally, this was my birthday dessert destination. Along with the usual single or double scoop, cup, cone or sundae options, one can also order a flight of four flavors. I chose sea salt & caramel (as per every single time), cinnamon snickerdoodle, almond brittle with salted ganache, and another favorite, the strawberry, balsamic vinegar, honey, and cracked pepper.

[I'm suddenly realizing all this effusively descriptive drooling is coming off  like an ad for Salt & Straw. This is actually not a sponsored post, believe it or not.]

Anyway, here I am with my goofy five-year-old and my flight (note that the sea salt and caramel is already GONE):

I Scream for Salt & Straw

I Scream for Salt & Straw. You should too.

As the reunion with my beloved Stuff continues, the next big project was going to have to be an attempt to approximate the glory that is the strawberry,  honey, balsamic and cracked pepper ice cream – only in coconut milk form, and without refined cane sugar. I busted out the Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment, and whipped up my variation on this theme.  I decided to omit the cracked pepper, much as I enjoy it in the original source material, since adding coconut into the mix is already changing the flavor harmonies up quite a bit.

Result? Pretty amazing, if I daresay. If you’re an ice cream lover with a ken for the bold, yet you prefer to avoid or reduce your dairy, give this a whirl.

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Bow Tie Brunch Eggs Recipe for Brunch

April 21, 2013 in Breakfast

Bow Tie Brunch Eggs

Bow Tie Brunch Eggs

If I had to choose only one food to eat every day for the rest of my life, I might choose eggs. How much more versatile can a food be – the very same egg can be whipped into clouds of merengue or boiled so the yolk is like a cheese sauce. And such an amazing substance comes with its own packaging!

I love eggs – probably in all of the 100 ways Escoffier taught to cook them.

And I love brunch. And, since I am a mom, I can state this with authority: Moms love brunch! It is a time when you can sit back, relax, feel pampered and share with loved ones. Brunch is an island of serenity in a fast-paced world. So, why not save big bucks and stay home for brunch this Mother’s Day?

You can fancy your brunch up with an edible bow tie garnish. Really, Mom will love this.

For this spectacular presentation, here is all you do: Cut the green part of a leek (most will be about 8 or 10 inches long); blanch in boiling water for just 30 seconds – and longer and the leek will be too mushy to work for this. Plunge the softened leek into very cold water. The, take two pieces of blanched leek and form each piece into one half of a bow and secure it by tying with a small piece of leek to hold the half-bow shape. Then, lay the half bows on top of each other to form a bow shape. Top this, Martha Stewart, if you dare!

I like serving this bow tie egg on top of some potato leek hash, but you could serve it as a topping on so many things: eggs benedict, polenta, huevos rancheros, any eggy breakfast dish that calls for an egg as a topping. And Mom will be so impressed when you serve her Mother’s Day breakfast in bed!

– posted by Donna

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