Tart Skillet Apples

God I love skillet apples! I put a lil' twist on these

Serves 4-6
20 minutes

6 Granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp Vegan butter
1 Lime
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Arrow root

1. Melt butter in large skillet, add apples and squeeze the content of your lime over the top. Cook 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
2. Mix all your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, add to skillet. Cook another 5 minutes or so, don't let ya apples get mushy.
3. I garnished mine with lime zest. Serve on their own, over quinoa, or vegan ice cream. The possibilities are eeeeendlessssss!

Ginger Garlic Green Beans

This is so simple and so delicious! I throw it on the side of many-a-Asian dish for some extra veggies.

Serves 4
20 mintues

1 lb Green beans, trimmed
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
2 tsp Unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Sunflower oil (or vegetable)
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted

1. After your green beans are trimmed, steam** them for about 7-10 minutes, the should still have some crunch to em'
2. Mean while mix the rest of your ingredients in a large bowl. When your beans are done, add them to the bowl, toss, serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Done!

** Here's a tip I shared in an earlier post about steaming without a steamer

Original recipe from Epicurious

Parsnip and Apple Soup

This one is sweet, savory, simple and perfect for lunch on a chilly day.

Serves 4-6
30 minutes

1/2 cup Apple cider
1/2 cup Almond milk
3 cups Vegetable broth
5 Large parsnips, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
2 Leeks, white parts only, chopped
3 Fuji (or Gala) peeled, cored, chopped
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch Cardamom
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Chives for garnish

1. In a large pot add cider, milk and broth. Bring to boil, add veggies and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Puree soup with spices with hand blender or with a regular blender in batches. Serve with chives on top.

Original recipe from Sunset

Cha Cha Cha Mushrooms

My co-workers and I stopped into Cha Cha Cha a few weeks back, having very few vegan options I stuck to my veggies. Normally I'm not the biggest mushroom fan but if you try and steal one of these mushrooms from me, you'll find a fork in your hand. 

Serves 4
20 minutes

4 Tbsp olive oil
18 to 22 white mushrooms
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Basil, dried
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
1/2 tsp Oregano, dried
2 Scallions, finely chopped, white part only
1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Dry sherry
4 Tbsp Vegan butter, in pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. If you have large mushrooms, quarter them. Have all your spices ready to go. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat, throw in your mushrooms, cook 2 minutes continuously stirring. Add herbs, garlic, scallions, pepper flakes, cook 2 minutes.
2. Add sherry, cook till reduced to half. Stir in butter one tablespoon at a time. Add salt and pepper as needed and serve immediately.

Original recipe from Up Your Flavor

Spicy Peanut Noodles

This is uber-Americanized pad Thai. So you know; decadent, over the top, quick and easy. When I cook it, I serve it with a heaping side of veggies or two to make up for it.

Serves 4
20 mintues

1lb Quinoa spaghetti 

Sauce
6 Tbsp Old-fashioned peanut butter
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp Tamari sauce
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Water as needed

Garnishing
1/2 Cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
6 Green onions, white bulbs, thinly sliced
1 Carrot, thinly sliced

1. Slice all vegetables. Bring large pot of water to boil, break spaghetti into pot. Cook for instructed amount of time.
2. In a large (preferably glass) bowl mix sauce ingredients, if the sauce is too thick add water a tablespoon at a time to thin. Spread onto sides of the bowl. When pasta is cooked, drain, add to bowl and toss.
3. Add to bowls and garnish all super pretty like.

You can add a million things to this dish: edamame, broccoli, cilantro, green beans, yada yada

Original recipe from Epicurious

Vegan Caesar Salad

Holy crap, this one is good. The boyfriend told me he would eat this everyday. Which is saying a lot because it's neither chicken, nor cinnamon roll. I'm sure if I cared, I could have made gluten-free croutons, but the idea of buying an entire loaf (or shall I say brick) of gluten-free bread just to make a hand full of croutons is foolish. Walnuts are better, I need not explain why.

Serves 4
10 minutes

Dressing
1 Tbsp Almond butter
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp Nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp Olive oil

Garlic Garnish
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
4 Garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt

1 bundle Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
Black pepper

1. Mix all your dressing ingredients together in your salad bowl. I like my Caesar dressing on the thick side, if you do not, just add water till you get a consistency you like. Now, with the back of a spoon smear the dressing to coat the interior of the bowl, add your lettuce and toss. This will give all your little lettuce bites an even coating of dressing.
2. For the garlic garnish; in a small pot, heat your oil on medium heat.Toss your garlic slices in nutritional yeast and salt. When oil is heated put the garlic in till golden, about 1-2 minutes, it happens quick! Beware! With a slotted spoon remove from oil and place on paper towel.
3. Assemble. Lettuce, fresh ground pepper on top, a sprinkle of walnuts and toasted garlic.

Original dressing recipe from My New Roots

Minted Brussels Sprouts

Growing up my sis and I protested Brussels sprouts through and through. Apparently my dad hated them as well but, my mother told him to act as though he liked them to set a good example. So, just to make this clear; three of the four people eating Brussels sprouts loathed them, yet apparently that was not enough to stop my mother from continuing to cook them for us. My father still complains about all the Brussels sprouts he had to eat but the brainwashing worked on me and now I'm a fan.

Serves 2
25 minutes

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cut off the stems and halve em'
Olive oil
2 Tbsp Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Tamari sauce
1 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup Fresh mint, chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp Red chilli flakes

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat up oil in a saute pan, saute sprouts till edges are golden and a lil' crispy; about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer sprouts to oven safe dish (if your pan is oven safe just keep em' in there), bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the rest of your ingredients in a large bowl.
3. When sprouts are done, add them to your large bowl, toss and serve.

Kale Stroganoff

I haven't had Stroganoff since my Mom made it for me out of a box. That's the funny thing about "like mom used to make" mom used to make crap. But those packets full of sodium, sugar and beef flavored powder hit that synapsis and stayed in a very special part of our minds. This is far from mom's but I'm okay with that.

Serves 4
20 minutes

8 oz Quinoa Fusilli
Olive oil
1 Yellow onion, diced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
10-15 Button mushrooms, finely diced
8 oz Vegan sour cream (or vegan cream cheese)
2 Tbsp Nutrition yeast
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Ground coriander
1 tsp Thyme 
Pinch Nutmeg
1/2 Salt
Pepper to taste
Bundle Kale

1. Start boiling your pasta. When al dente, drain and set aside.
2. Heat up some olive oil in a saute pan. Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, add garlic for a few minutes then throw in your mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rest of your ingredients EXCEPT the kale. When the sour cream is heated and all is well mixed add in the kale for a few minutes.
4. Stir in the pasta and serve.

Original recipes Lux Hippie and Mouthwatering Vegan

Glogg

I wont lie, this was a tough recipe to share. Why is it so hard to share the good things in life? A good band, restaurant, in this case; a recipe. It's like a selfish super secret. Does it make it less special because more people know about it? People are rather quick to discredit something because it hits main stream. I never understood it and I still don't even though I'm experiencing some of the same reluctance now. Alas, someone shared this recipe with me years ago and I would be an even bigger a*#hole if I didn't share this liquid of spectacular.

If I don't double this recipe, I'm never able to have a second glass because the drunkards I call family and friends have had it all. I recommend the same unless you are surrounded by people who are able to practice a little more self restraint.

Serves 6
20 minutes

1 750ml bottle Tawny port
3/4 cup Brandy
15 Cloves, whole
 4 Cinnamon sticks
1 tsp Cardamom, ground (or 10 cardamom seeds)
The peel of one orange, cut into silver dollar size pieces
Raisins and almond slivers for garnish

1. Add about a cup of water into a big pot along with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and orange peel. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. I do this to start opening up the bouquet of spices and peel.
2. Add your port and brandy, heat through. Add your raisins, almonds and serve. Keep covered on very low heat. You don't want this to simmer.

I would also like to note that I make strong drinks. You've been warned.

City O' Wrap

 

I feel as though I'm being mean mugged by this sandwich

This wrap comes from a joint in my hometown called City O' City. When I lived there, I lived there. When ever I'm feeling a little home sick I throw this puppy together. It is not Gluten-Free so I make it when my sweetheart isn't around.

Store bought hummus is expensive and bland and inferior to homemade from scratch. I included my general recipe but you can, of course, switch it up however you would like (i.e. extra garlic, basil, sun dried tomatoes)

Serves 4
20 minutes (due to the cooking of the fries)

Hummus
1 15oz can Garbanzo beans, rinsed
2 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Salt
2-3 Garlic cloves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Water as needed

Wrap Makings
4 Pita wraps
Small bag Frozen fries, cooked
2 dozen Pitted green olives, diced
2 hand fulls Mixed greens
Sriracha Sauce

1. Start cookin' ya fries. Throw all your hummus ingredients in your food processor and process. If it's too thick add a tablespoon of water at a time till a nice spreadable consistency
2. Spread hummus onto your pita, line up your nice hot fries down the middle; top with olives, greens and sriracha to taste.
3. Fold and shove into mouth.

I added some raw-cotta to mine, if you're non-vegan feta works swimmingly.

Also, don't forget the Lucky Peach Giveaway!

Champagne Risotto

I'm going to stress the importance of using good booze in your cooking. When I was a little fledgling cook I tried my hand at Penne alla Vodka. It was gonna be AWESOME! I made a fatal mistake: I used cheap vodka and when I say cheap vodka I don't mean Absolute. Oh no, I mean, damn near moonshine, pretty sure this company uses discarded Listerine bottles, kinda vodka. What I got was Penne alla Paint Thinner. If you can't afford a nice champagne, feel free to sub a nice prosecco or white wine. It doesn't need to be top shelf by any means but something nice.

Serves 2
25 minutes

1 stick Celery, diced
2 Leeks, white parts chopped
6 Tbsp Vegan butter, split in two parts
1 tsp Olive oil
1 1/2 cup Champagne
3 cups Veggie stock (possibly more)
1 1/3 cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup Nutrition yeast
Pepper

1. In a pot add 1 cup champagne with all of the veggie stock. Bring to and keep at a low simmer.
2. Chop up your veggies. Melt half your butter with the oil in a saucepan, add veggies and cook till soft.
3. Add your rice to your veggie saucepan, stir to coat in butter. Turn up heat a touch and add your remaining 1/2 cup champagne. Stir continuously. Turn heat down to original heat and add in ladles of stock/champagne combo. Let one ladle be absorbed before you add the next. Stirring all the while. Continue for about 20 minutes.
4. At this point your rice should be cooked through, there's only one way to find out. If it is and you have stock left over, forget about it. If it's not heat up some more veggie stock and continue the process.
5. When rice is cooked through and the excess moisture is absorbed remove from heat. Stir in remaining butter, nutritional yeast and pepper.

I served this with a simple green salad tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette and let me tell you it was a mah-velous combination.

Original recipe from Nigella Lawson : Feast

Kerala Spiced Peas

If you live in San Francisco you know about Mission Chinese Food. If you live in New York, one just opened there, be sure to check it out. If you are unable to access a Mission Chinese Food, I'm sorry. The good news is, this recipe reminds me A LOT of one of their dishes on the SF menu. Enjoy.

Serves 6
15 minutes

2 Tbsp Vegan butter
2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Ground coriander
1/2 tsp Ground cardamom
2 Serrano peppers (or 1 Thai chili), minched
1 Yellow onion, sliced
1 Pound bag frozen petite peas (they're sweeter than regular peas)
2 Tbsp ginger, minced
3-4 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp Salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Heat butter in a saute pan. When butter is hot add cumin and mustard seeds for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add coriander, cardamom, peppers and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add peas, ginger, garlic and salt. Heat peas through. Add lemon juice, stir and serve.

Somewhere Danny Bowien is turning up his nose at me.

Original recipe from The Kitchn

Persimmon, Pomegranate and Mint Salad

Pomegranate has got to be the most beautiful fruit ever. But I am like a mother with many children and I say that to just about every fruit/veggie that makes it's way to my chopping board. Seriously though, every time I open it I feel like a gemologist who's cracked an undiscovered cave of rubies. That's how exciting shit gets in my kitchen.

Serves 4
20 minutes

4 Fuyu Persimmon, peeled and sliced
1/2 Pomegranate, deseeded
1/4 cup Mint, chopped
2 Tbsp Agave
1 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
Pinch Cinnamon

1. If you are not serving right away, wait to add pomegranate as it will stain your persimmon. Combine fruit and mint.
2. In separate bowl mix agave, lemon juice and cinnamon.
3. Mix it all together. I suggest getting a high five from everyone that eats this (they'll agree you deserve it)

My Asshole Diet

Broccoli Edamame Pesto

I tend to hodgepodge gluten-free recipes with vegan recipes. Honestly, if I didn't, we probably wouldn't have much of anything to eat. This isn't really an example of that per say but it is a combo of two recipes I thought were genius. When I stumbled upon this NYTimes Broccoli Pesto I knew I had to mash it together with an edamame pesto I've long since memorized. Bonus: 1 serving packs as much protein as a chicken breast. Take that herbivore haters!

Serves 4
20 minutes

8oz Edamame, thawed
1/2 Lb Broccoli
3 Garlic cloves
1 cup Basil
3 Tbsp Nutrition yeast
3 Tbsp Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp Salt
1 Lb Quinoa Pasta

1. Get a pot of water boiling for your pasta and a pot for your edamame (broccoli too, if you steam like I do**)
2. Process your garlic and your basil.
3. Start cooking edamame and steam broccoli for 6 minutes. When they're both done, start cookin your pasta.
4. Add edamame, broccoli and remaining ingredients to processor. Process to nice, minced pesto consistency.
5. When pasta is done, drain and put back in your warm pot, mix in pesto and serve. So easy, so good.

** I don't know if this is common knowledge or how I discovered it myself. I do not own a steamer, I would consider them a waste of space. I just boil a couple inches of water in a medium size pot, place a mesh, all metal colander of selected vegetables inside the pot and put a small lid inside the colander, over the vegetables. The colander doesn't touch the bottom of the pot, it actually only goes down about half way into the pot. I hope I described this well enough. Any who, this method is perfect for this recipe because you can cook your edamame on the bottom and your broccoli on the top. Tah-daa!

Original Broccoli Pesto recipe from NYTimes
Comparable Edamame Pesto recipe at The PPK 

P.S. The garnish on this is a breaded squash that I will post the recipe for another day.
My Asshole Diet 

Stupid Hearty Corn Chowda' (+Broccoli)

As I stated in a previous post, I've got my eyes on the prize for another awesome Thanksgiving meal. One dish I have yet to recreate is my mothers amazing Corn Souffle but seeing as how it calls for every animal product plus corn, the idea of recreating it has been intimidating. I figured I would take a step back before approaching this one. My step back being Corn Chowda'. I threw in some broccoli because there's no such thing as too many vegetables.

Serves 8
30 minutes

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 White onion, finely chopped
1 Bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
8 Red potatoes, some diced, some chopped
2 Stocks celery, diced
3 Carrots, diced
1 Head broccoli, finely chopped
2 Bay leaves, broken
8 cups Vegetable broth
3 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base
1 cup Cashews, soaked 8 hours in water (I wont lie, I spaced this and soaked them for an hour and lived to tell the tale)
1/3 cup Cornstarch
3 cups Fresh or frozen white & yellow corn
Pepper to taste

1. Heat a big ol' pot with EVOO in the bottom. Saute onions for a minute or so, than add the rest of your chopped veggies plus bay leaf pieces, saute for about 5 minutes.
2. Add 6 cups of your broth and than your bouillon.
3. In the meantime do two things: First, add cashews (minus water) and 1 cup of veggie broth into processor and process till smooth. Second, add cornstarch into your last remaining cup of veggie broth and mix.
4. Once taters are tender, add cashew blend, corn starch blend, corn and pepper, bring to a nice hot temperature again.
5. Eat. Watch out for bay leaves.

Original recipe from Cheeky Kitchen
My Asshole Diet 

Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Basil and Mint

I'm not the largest fan of quinoa salads because they're so heavy on the quinoa. I more often than not double the non-quinoa ingredients (or half the quinoa, it's all relative really) This one is simple, tasty and incorporates one of my favorite vegan unamis; olives.

Serves 4
20 minutes

1 Garlic clove, minced

1 cup Quinoa, cooked

1 Small tomato, diced

1 Carrot, diced

3 Scallions, sliced (white and light green sections)

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 Pepita (or shaved pecans, almonds or walnuts)

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp Fresh basil leaves, chopped

1-2 Tbsp Fresh mint leaves, chopped

Olive Oil

Juice of 1-2 lemons or limes, depending upon size

A hand full flax seed 

1. While the quinoa is cooking, get to slicing and dicing your other ingredients. Put in large bowl with all the rest of the ingredients.

2. Wait till quinoa has cooled a bit and add to bowl, mix, taste and adjust spices. All done!

I add flax seed to a lot of recipes because it blends right in and is a great source of Omegas.

Original Recipe from Gluten-Free Goddess
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4110455/?claim=2su8ntcvx6x">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>  My Asshole Diet

Moroccan Carrot Ribbons and Black (Or in my case, Green) Lentils

I've been wanting to try this one out for a bit and I'm so bummed it took me so long because it's un-freaking-believable. I was unable to find black lentil so I used French green lentils (shoot me for it). Besides that near disastrous escapade, this recipe was quick, easy and will forever be a part of regular rotation. Per usual, I made a few tweaks according to what was in my spice collection and personal taste (the original recipe is listed below)

Serves 4
20-30 minutes

Carrot Marinade:
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Orange juice
Pinch of salt

Dressing:
1 Tbsp Cumin
1/2 Tbsp Anise seeds
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground ginger
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground coriander
Pinch of crushed chilies
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Agave
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Pinch of salt

Ingredients:
1 cup French green lentils
3-4 Carrots
1/2 cup Red onion
8 Prunes
1/2 cup Mint, chopped


1. Mix together your carrot marinade in a large bowl. Wash and peel your carrots in long strokes for desired "ribbon" fanciness. Place in marinade.
2. Cook your lentils as directed (usually 2:1 water:lentil ratio, boil water, turn to medium, add lentil, cook for 20-30 min yada yada). Rinse to make it pretty, I don't bother.
3. While your lentil is cooking make your dressing. Just put it all in a bowl and mix. Also, finely-ish chop your onions, prunes and mint.
4. When all is ready to go, mix it all in that OG marinade bowl and serve. Yum!

Original recipe created by Sarah Britton from My New Roots via Whole Living
My Asshole Diet 

Beet Hummus on Cucumber "Crackers"

I had this great idea to make a vegetable that tastes like dirt (which I enjoy, don't get me wrong) into a dessert. I peeled, cubed and roasted some beets in balsamic vinegar, what I got was some roasted beets that the boyfriend hated. Fail. Alas, I was not about to let 4 perfectly roasted beets go to waste and I happened to be throwing a party the next night.

Serves 4-6
1 hour (including the roast)

3-4 Beets, peeled and cubed
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
2 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp cumin
Pinch of salt
Lemon, juiced
A cucumber
Mint and 4-5 walnuts for garnish

1. Drizzle large foil square in olive oil, throw beets in foil and drizzle with 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Crunch foil around cubes. Roast at 375 for 45 min or so (You should be able to pierce the beet without it screaming). After cooked through, remove from oven and allow them to cool.
2. In the mean time: Peel cucumber roughly as to leave a lil green for prettiness. Slice into quarter inch rounds (The mandolin is my hero). Pull the tiny leafs and leaf tips off the mint. Roughly chop 4-5 walnuts.
3. In food processor add: cooled beets, tahini, cumin, salt and lemon juice. Process. If the consistency is off add a little water at a time.
4. Assemble. A dollop of beet hummus on a cucumber "cracker". Push the cute little leaf into the top of the hummus using your walnut shard. Assemble right before you serve as the beet red with soak into the cucumber and discolor it, making it unworthy of Martha Stewart.
5. Watch as you blow the mind's of your friends.
My Asshole Diet