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

Forbidden Rice, Smashed Beans, Sweet Roux with Brussels Sprouts

The boyfriend and I took a trip to LA last week where we ate at every vegan/gluten-free restaurant we could. Thanks to LA's no walking policy, I didn't burn a bit of it off. Anywho, this recipe was inspired by a meal from Real Food Daily. There is a lot to juggle here, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make your broth a day or two before.

Serves 4
45 minutes

Sweet Roux
8 cups Water
1lb Crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
5-6 Carrots, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, smashed
4 inches Ginger, chopped
8oz Strawberries, chopped
1 Tbsp Oregeno
1 Tbsp Rosemary
2 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Vegan butter
1 Tbsp Gluten-free flour

Smashed Beans
2 15oz cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp Vegan butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp Salt

8oz Brussels sprouts, quartered
Olive oil
1 cup Forbidden Rice

1. Roux: In a large pot bring water to boil, add all your ingredients EXCEPT flour and butter, reduce to simmer. When liquid is reduced to about 3 cups, strain out vegetables, save broth in a bowl and hang on to your pot. In the mean time....
2. Rice: In a smaller pot bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil and add forbidden rice, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, strain when rice is cooked. In the mean time....
3. Beans: Throw beans, melted butter and salt in food processor and process till smooth. Transfer to microwave safe bowl.
4. Sprouts: In a saute pan heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to medium-high heat. Throw in your sprouts to brown edges, reduce heat, salt, pepper and cook through, about 5 minutes.
5. Roux: In the original pot for your roux melt 2 tablespoons of butter, whisk in flour, when mixed whisk in broth. Stir continuously for a few minutes till liquid begins to thicken and remove from heat.
6. Beans: Heat in microwave for 1 minute, stir, heat 1 more minute.
7. Assemble: Beans down first, fling rice on top, a generous amount-o-roux, and a sprinkle of sprouts.

Wild Rice, Butter Bean and Roasted Carrots

Rice and beans are great because they are a complete protein. Rice and beans are less great because they can be boring. This is a delectable recipe that is unstoppably eatable. I say that even after it includes two things I strongly dislike: raw onion and dill.

Serves 6
50 minutes

1/2 cup Wild rice
1/2 cup Brown rice
1 can Butter beans, rinsed & drained
4-5 medium carrots
1/2 small Red onion, sliced paper thin
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Bundle of fresh dill, diced
Salt & Pepper

Dressing
2 Tbsp Mustard
2 Tbsp Maple syrup
4 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Olive oil
2 pinches of Salt

1. In a pot add 2 cups water, wild rice and a pinch of salt; bring to boil and reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes. (when the rice is cooked, it'll split open and show you it's naughty bits)
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice carrots into 1/2 inch diagonals. Put in bake dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle minced garlic, salt and pepper over the top and toss. Roast in oven for 15 minutes.
3. In another pot put 2 cups water, brown rice and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
4. Mix your dressing in a separate bowl.
5. When the time goes off on your carrots, mix in beans and roast another 5 minutes.
6. Drain rice when cooked and mix everything together: Rices, carrots and beans, dill, onion slivers and dressing. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve nice n' warm.

Original recipe from My New Roots

Vegan Pistachio Pudding

If it isn't evident by my last few posts, I am in Winter hibernation mode. All comfort food, all the time. My taste buds say yes, my jeans say no. I'll figure out which one to listen to while I eat my pudding.

Serves 6
20 minutes active + 3 hours to soak nuts & another 2 hours to set

1 cup Pistachio nuts
3 cups Almond milk (or vegan milk of choice)
1/4 cup Baby spinach
1/4 cup Corn starch
3/4 Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla extract (the quality stuff, always the quality stuff)

1. Shell nuts if needed, soak in water for three hours, drain and add to food processor (or Vitamix) along with 1 1/2 cup milk and spinach. Blend until very smooth.
2. In saucepan add all your dry ingredients and mix. Mix in your pistachio mixture. Put pan over medium heat and stir in remaining milk. Stir continuously, until pudding coats the back of your spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. Split into little cups, bowls, ramekins, whatever your heart desires. Place in fridge for two hours, possibly the longest two hours of your life. Serve!

Original recipe from Your Vegan Mom

Mount Dandy

I had some left over brandy from glogg making this Holiday season so I decided to whip together a cocktail. I know what you're thinking: Even Snookie wouldn't drink brandy from a martini glass! I apologize, I don't have a full assortment of drink-ware.

Serves 4
20 minutes

1/2 cup Brandy
1/3 cup Triple sec
2/3 cup Blackberry simple syrup
1/2 cup Sweetened vanilla almond milk
4 Blackberries for garnish

Blackberry Simple Syrup
1 cup Light brown sugar
1 cup Water
1 cup Blackberries
6 1inch pieces orange peel
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract, high quality

1. Simple syrup: Combine water and sugar in sauce pan over low heat. Meanwhile, process blackberries in food processor till smooth. Once sugar is dissolved add blackberries, orange peels and vanilla. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain and allow to cool.
2. Cocktail: Combine triple sec, brandy and simple syrup; pour into glass. Pour your float by placing spoon face up on the edge of your glass; pour milk, very slowly, into spoon allowing to over flow. Here is a perfect example.
3. I always toast, for there is always something to toast!

Peppered Chocolate Dipped Chips

I wanted a fun, fancy, decadent finger food to go with my cocktails the other night. Now you can see exactly how classy I am: fancy + decadent = chocolate dipped potato chips. After I got this whole thing rolling I decided that pink peppercorns would have been waaaaaaay better but I didn't have any. So I'm telling you: Use pink peppercorns.

Serves 2-4
20 minutes

A bag of your favorite salted potato chips
1 cup Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Almond milk
2 Tbsp Powdered sugar (possibly more)
Pink peppercorns (or in my case black)
Parchment paper

1. Heat chocolate in a double pot* Vegan chocolate needs a little help melting sometimes so I add a little bit of almond milk at a time to get it to a nice consistency. Add powdered sugar. You want a balance between the salty and sweet so, if your chips are super salty make your chocolate more sweet.
2. Once your chocolate is smooth and sweet enough, start dipping your chips, shimmy any extra chocolate off and lay on parchment paper.
3. About every 10 chocolate dipped chips grind fresh pink peppercorns over the top. Repeat, allow to set and enjoy!

*When I say double pot I'm referring to a pot inside a pot. If you have a set great! If you don't it's easy to replicate. Take a big pot and fill it half way with water. Set another, smaller, pot inside this pot. If the water flows into the smaller pot dump some water until it doesn't anymore. The smaller, interior pot is where you'll be doing your melting (if that wasn't obvious)