Tag Archives: mushroom

March 3, 2013

Mini Pizza Pies!

It’s Sunday, and I am worn out. I feel like that’s pretty common amongst most people, though. Work during the week, get other things done on the weekend, then end up tired at the end of it all before you have to start on the Monday grind, again. Kind of dreadful, huh? Although, today I’ve been working on a delightful little recipe for you all, so I can’t complain too much about being tired!

But first, I would just like to mention that I went sailing for the first time, on Saturday. It was super last-minute, but a very fun experience, that makes me feel extremely lucky to live where I do. We had a hot weekend in Southern California, which I honestly was pretty bitter about (I like cool weather!), but the winds made for a perfect sailing situation. It did get a little chilly when the sun was going down, but it was pretty terrific and the scenery and sunset were gorgeous.

Which is why I may have procrastinated on creating a recipe that I wanted to get done yesterday, oops. Never the less, I am really excited to share with you these delectable morsels that I have dubbed Mini Pizza Pies. Plus, I’ve tried out something new with my cashew spread! I have made it even healthier, by substituting a good amount of cashews with steamed cauliflower; and I assure you, nothing has been lost in this switch. The texture is pretty incredible and still very creamy and rich, success!

These little pizzas would be great served as an appetizer at a party, or even just served as dinner. They’re a fun, little dish that is very kid-friendly, and even more adult-friendly. ;) The fluffy, homemade crust can’t be beat!

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November 13, 2012

Mushroom Onion Miso Soup

Lately, I have been feeling quite nostalgic and I think that it has a lot to do with seeing posts from family and friends in different parts of the country that I miss. In October of last year a spent nearly the entire month away from home, in New York and Michigan visiting family. I had some really great times there and I want to go back SO badly. It probably doesn’t help that I have been listening to Ryan Adams a lot, and that one of my cousins and I share an immense love for him.

I think I may just be getting stir-crazy, it has been quite a while since my last trip/adventure. Hopefully, soon I’ll be visiting my younger sister in Phoenix who has been living there for a couple of months. I’ve already picked out some of the vegan places I’d like to check out. ;) Plus, she just adopted this adorable Manchester Terrier! How cute is she, with her new little bow? Adorable, to say the least.

But, because I can’t travel at all right now, I’ll make the best of being at home and staying comforted. Really, what’s more comforting than soup? Not much in my book. And what better way to start off a filling meal than with a warm bowl of miso soup? Of course, this is a little elaborate in comparison to the traditional miso soup served with sushi, but that’s what makes this recipe special. If you want to have this as a full meal instead of just an accompaniment, add some firm tofu for its protein content.

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February 13, 2012

Vegetable Tofu Frittata

The other day, my mother wasn’t feelin’ too hot so she took the day off of work; I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to make a delicious breakfast for both of us. She is not vegan or vegetarian, but she doesn’t have any issues in being my test subject for new dishes. I have not made a vegan frittata at home before, but because my mom likes egg dishes for breakfast, I thought that I’d give it a try.

This frittata is loaded with veggies; one reason why I love a meal like this is because of how customizable it can be. Throw whatever produce you enjoy into this mix and make it truly yours. I got a few tips for the recipe from one that I found on Vegetarian Time’s site. Because of the moisture from the veggies, the frittata turned out a little less firm than I would’ve liked, but it still tasted delicious.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 /2 Cup Sliced White Onion
  • 1/2 Cup Small Broccoli Pieces
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Portabella
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Tomato
  • 1 Small Jalapeño, Diced
  • 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu
  • 1/4 Cup Daiya Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. Liquid Aminos
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Avocado Slices for Garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized pan or cast iron pan. Once hot, throw in the onions and let them simmer for 3 minutes.
  2. Unpackage the tofu and drain the water, place it into a food processor with the Daiya, liquid aminos, turmeric, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth, you may need to scrape down the sides a couple of times to get it to the right consistency.
  3. Return your attention back to the onions, add broccoli and the portabella mushroom to the pan and cook until the broccoli starts to soften. Place the tomato and jalapeños with the rest of the simmering ingredients and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Scoop the tofu mixture into the pan, and combine with the rest of the ingredients and spread out evenly in the pan (as pictured below).
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lower the heat on the stove to low-medium and cook the frittata until it browns around the edges.
  6. Place the pan into the oven for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with avocado and if you’re like me, hot sauce!

It’s really hard to mess this dish up; other than the oven time, it takes not time at all to come together. Now all you need to do is make this savory breakfast treat for someone who you care about, and then talk them into taking care of the dishes. ;)

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January 23, 2012

Slow Cooker Vegetable Lentil Stew

It’s been a cold and dreary day here in Southern California, which matched my mood because I’m becoming sick. Ack! Damn sinuses, anyway, it is the perfect kind of day for a hearty soup to warm you up. I love slow cooker stews and soups because of the aroma they bring to your home as the flavors warm and meld together throughout the day. The scents almost tease you, leaving you wanting the soup to be done sooner; alas, you have to wait another three hours.

Winter has some of the most delicious vegetables to offer, among them are a few of my favorites for dishes like these. You can’t go wrong with carrots (my sister would disagree!), beautifully dark leaves of dinosaur kale, and although the celery root is one ugly edible, it’s taste brings a lot to soups and vegetable roasts. The mushrooms bring an earthy flavor while balancing with the sweetness of the tomato, there’s a lot of components to this stew and that’s what makes it delicious.

For this recipe, you will need a fairly large crock pot; mine is roughly 4 quarts. I like my soups chunky, so most of the veggies are chopped, if you’d like a finer texture, dice them.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Leeks, Chopped
  • 1 Cup Carrot, Chopped
  • 1 Cup Celery Root, Chopped
  • 1 1/2 Cup Celery, Sliced
  • 1 1/3 Cup Button Mushrooms, Sliced
  • 1 1/2 Cup Kale (I used Black/Dinosaur Kale), De-stemmed and chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 Cup Dried Red Lentils
  • 1 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  • 5 oz. Tomato Paste
  • 4 Cups Vegetable Broth, I use Rapunzel No Salt Added
  • 3 Cups Water

Directions:

  1. Put everything but the tomato paste, vegetable broth and water into a large bowl and stir until it is mixed well. I find that this helps to keep the ingredients more integrated, as mushrooms and leeks tend to float in the crock pot.
  2. Place the contents of the bowl into the crock pot. Stir the tomato paste into the vegetable broth so that it is not chunky, then pour the broth and water into the crock pot.
  3. Turn the crock pot to high heat for 6-8 hours (depending on the crock pot), check the hardness of the lentils and carrots to see of the stew is done cooking.

I definitely need to make these more often, it’s such an easy way to make dinner! Maybe, I’ll look into doing a casserole type of thing next. Do you have any great recipes for a slow cooker/crock pot? Let me know! :)

 

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