Scan my recipe archive, and you will see for yourself that I am certainly a mushroom fan. A mushroom sauce of any kind has been a comfort food since I was young. And these days, comfort foods rate high on my list. This is a Nepalese dish, with slightly different seasonings to the Southern Indian dishes I usually cook, and I have fallen in love with the results. After tinkering with it these past weeks, it is finally ready to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

• 2 pkg of organic mushrooms, wiped clean and thickly sliced
• Sunflower or coconut oil 
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 
• 1 teaspoon nigella Seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ tea Nepalese pepper (Timur) or red pepper flakes
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced 
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 
• 1-4 garlic cloves (according to taste)
• 2 large roughly chopped tomatoes 
• 1-2 serrano peppers or green chilis (according to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• Salt (according to taste)
• 1 can full-fat organic coconut milk

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet and toast cumin, fenugreek, nigella and mustard seeds until they pop and are fragrant. 
2. Add onion to spices and cook until softened.
3. Add mushrooms, stirring well to coat with seasoning and saute until light brown. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. Add tomatoes, chilis, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders, ginger and garlic to a blender, processing well to make a paste.
5. Mix tomato and seasoning paste with mushrooms over medium heat, stirring well. 
6. Pour in coconut milk, bringing to a gentle simmering boil. Then cover and reduce heat, cooking for 10 minutes to blend flavors. 
7. Test seasonings, adding salt adjusting to taste.
8. Serve with steamed rice. 

Enjoy!

Here’s a delightful guilt-free treat that you can even find time to make midweek. It’s also quarantine shopping friendly… is that a term yet? With only seven simple ingredients, you are almost sure to have them all on hand. It was a great save for me on Monday when Joachim’s birthday seemed to appear out of nowhere, and I was up against a packed schedule.

We can thank Brittany Mullins @Eatingbirdfood for inspiring this dessert and for her many spot-on gluten-free, vegan recipes. 

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts, consider pecans or walnuts
• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
• 1–2 tsp lime zest
• pinch of sea salt

Tart filling

• 4 medium avocados, halved, pitted and peeling removed (about 2 cups avocado puree)
• 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
• 3 T coconut oil
• 2 tsp  lime zest

Directions

1. Drain dates and pat dry with paper towels. Place all ingredients in a food processor together until a dough has formed. 
2. Press into springform tart pan or six individual custard cups. Place in the freezer to set while you prepare the filling.
3. Blend avocados, lime juice, sweetener of choice, coconut oil and lime zest in food processor until creamy.
4. Remove crust from the freezer. Pour filling over the crust, smoothing out with a spatula.
5. Return to freezer until set, about 2 hours. Move to refrigerator or countertop to allow to soften before slicing and serving. Store any leftovers back in the freezer.

Enjoy!

 Ingredients

• 800 ml plant-based milk:
  2 14-oz cans full-fat coconut milk, 400 mL each
  or 1 can of coconut milk and 400ml of another plant-based milk (I like hazelnut or almond milk)
  or 800ml of your favorite plant-based milk
• 3 T coconut sugar
• 1 T powdered agar agar
• 1 vanilla bean, split with seeds removed to use, or a pinch of vanilla powder

Fruit topping

• 1 cup (125 g) fresh or frozen berries
• 1 to 2 T maple syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice (5 mL)
• 1 T arrowroot or cornstarch for thickening

Directions

1. Pour milk into a small saucepan over medium heat. Once milk begins a gentle boil, whisk in sugar and agar agar. Boil gently for 3 minutes. 
2. Add vanilla, stirring well, and pour into four lightly greased glass ramekins. Once cooled to room temperature, place in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour.
3. Prepare fruit topping by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until berries break down and a sauce begins to form and thicken. Allow to cool at room temperature.
4. When ready to serve, divide berry mixture between four plates, releasing each panna cotta from its ramekin and placing one on each plate. 

Enjoy!

I found myself in what has become a common situation, peering into my pantry to discover how many more meals I could eke out of the remaining ingredients. 

With delivery not a viable option in my area, and the thought of another scavenger hunt in the supermarket filling me with dread, I honed my skills of making do. Thrilled to locate a full container of quinoa that had been pushed to that back of the shelves, a pilaf experiment was soon underway. Keep in mind, this pilaf can tolerate a wide range of variations, so play around with what you have on hand.

I hope you love the results as much as we did.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch red Swiss chard, about 1 pound, stems chopped and leaves rolled together and finely sliced
• 2 -12 ounces small cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, halved
• Olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 cups prepared vegetable broth, or water and 2 veggie bouillon cubes
• A handful of fresh or dried finely chopped herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, etc.)
•  Salt and ground black pepper
•  Toasted slivered or chopped almonds

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium. Add onion, and chard stems. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa to toast lightly (stir frequently). 
2. Cover with broth, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and reduce heat.
3. After 15 minutes, remove lid,  add chard leaves and cover again. Continue cooking another five minutes until the liquid has absorbed. Keep the lid on and set aside. 
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork. Fold in mushrooms, herbs and chopped nuts, seasoning to taste. 

Enjoy!

Inspired by NYT Quinoa Salad

This isn’t exactly the kind of recipe that would normally catch my eye.  But as we sit, just like you, housebound during the spring of COVID-19, I’m doing a few things out of the ordinary. It just happens that this week I received five pounds of organic spring carrots from a local farm, and three cans of white beans were ready for something in my pantry. So when this recipe came up in my feed this week I thought, why not? 

It turned out to be a fantastic idea, made even better by a sprinkling of mixed Greek herbs from my podcast buddy, herbalist Teri Brooks. I can imagine using a number of other herb blends such as Italian seasoning, Herbes de Provence, or even Za’atar to enhance these patties, so please use your imagination.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 cup nut crumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups packed grated carrot (from four medium carrots)
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Three 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax meal and 5 tablespoons hot water, mix and let rest five minutes) 
• 2 heaping tablespoons of mixed dried herbs (Greek, Italian, Herbes de Provence, Za’atar, etc.)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Accompaniments, as you like

Directions

1. Begin by heating the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onion, reduce heat, and saute until translucent.
2. Add tomato paste, salt, and carrots, increasing heat to medium. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and tender. 
3. Pour vinegar over mixture, stir well and heat until all liquid has evaporated in the pan.
4. Add herbs, salt, and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
5. Rinse and drain beans. Using a potato masher or large fork, roughly mash beans, leaving about ⅓ whole. Add to seasoned veggie mixture, along with flax egg, and blend well. You may want to use your hands to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Remove from skillet and allow mixture to set for 15-30 minutes.
7. Use an ice cream scoop or ½ cup measure to portion and shape into patties. Wipe skillet clean, add oil to just cover the bottom. Heat cooktop to medium and add just three at a time, allowing for room to flip easily. Give each side 3-4 minutes to brown.
   Note: Patties are fragile, so handle with care when turning and putting on platter to serve

Serve with this yummy avocado mayo or a sauce of your choice. Enjoy!

Inspired by Smitten Kitchen’s Carrot and White Bean Burgers

I’m a fan of fruit for breakfast and a plateful of cruciferous veggies for dinner… but some days, we just need cookies. So if you are feeling that today, you have found your answer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (10 g) ground flax or chia
• 6 tablespoons (90 mL) water
• 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup (100 g) gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt ( this can also be flaked salt to top each cookie)
• 1 cup (240 g) almond butter, thick tahini, or your favorite nut or seed butter (I like a blend the almond and tahini)
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons (60 mL) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (50 g) dairy-free chocolate chips, chopped dairy-free dark chocolate bar or raisins.

Directions

1. Mix flax or chia and water in a small bowl first, and allow to gel as an egg replacement.
2. Measure and combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend in nut/seed butter, flax or chia mixture and maple syrup until mixture forms a dough. Your hands may be the best tool here.  Add chocolate or raisins and refrigerate for an hour or more.
3. Portion cookies with a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  
4. Bake in a preheated oven set at 350 F (180 C) for 13-15 minutes.
5. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Makes 20-24 cookies. 

Inspired by Angela Liddon’s Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

This is quite a hardy stew, perfect for a blustery March meal. It also pairs well with the seeded buckwheat bread I shared last month. 

Ingredients

• 2 T extra light olive oil 
• 1 medium organic onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves or 1 shallot, minced 
• 1 1/2 t smoked paprika or good quality Spanish paprika
• 1 T fresh thyme
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 T tomato paste 
• 2 large organic carrots, diced 
• 1 head savoy cabbage, finely chopped (green cabbage can be substituted)
• 1 1/2 cups organic french puy lentils (black or brown lentils can be substituted) 
• 1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can organic chopped, peeled tomatoes (or fresh Roma tomatoes, if available) 
• 2 cubes vegetable bouillon
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1 large bunch stemmed and torn or roughly chopped kale, chard or spinach 

Directions

1. Warm olive oil in a soup pot with a heavy bottom. Add onions and saute over low heat until soft and translucent. Add garlic or shallots, paprika, thyme, pepper flakes and carrots. Stir well to coat the carrots and saute until there is a change in color but they are still firm. Add tomato paste, cabbage, dried lentils and chickpeas, again stirring well to coat with the oil and spices. Add canned tomatoes and water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for twenty minutes and cover with a lid. 
2. The type of lentil you use will dictate the cooking time from this point. Cook only until the lentils are tender but retain their form.
3. Add bouillon cubes, additional water if desired, salt and pepper to taste. Gently incorporate the torn greens 5- 10 minutes before serving so they will retain their bright green color. Simmer until the greens are tender.

Enjoy!

This is an amazingly simple, decadent dessert that no one will believe is vegan and gluten free!

Crust

• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 1 ¾ cup hazelnuts or pecans 
• 3-4 T raw cacao nibs
• 1 T coconut oil

In the food processor, process nuts and cacao nibs until ground. Add drained dates and coconut oil to make a smooth paste. Press into a tart pan with a removable bottom (line with parchment paper if it is not non-stick). Place in the freezer until caramel layer is finished. 

Caramel layer

• 1.5 cups Medjool dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 4 T tahini
• pinch of salt
• ½ t vanilla extract, or a pinch or two of vanilla powder

Process all together until smooth. Spoon into the tart crust and use your wet your hands to evenly distribute. 

Coconut Chocolate Ganache

• 2  400 ml cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled until the cream separates
• 150-200 grams dark vegan chocolate
• 1 t vanilla extract, or a pinch or two of vanilla powder

Spoon the solid part of the coconut milk out of the can and warm gently over low heat. Add vanilla. Break up the chocolate and stir into the warm milk until all is melted and smooth. Quickly pour over the caramel layer and chill for 2-3 hours until set.

The remaining coconut milk is wonderful in smoothies or in my super seeded chia pudding. 

When ready to serve, remove the tart from the pan and serve. Enjoy!

Inspired by Claire, @HealthyFrenchWife

While I continue to eat my cleansing meal of fruit first thing each morning, the cold of winter often brings a desire for something more. When I came across the recipe that inspired this substantial Seeded Chia Pudding, a new tradition was born! The fact it makes itself overnight makes it a win-win solution.

Ingredients

• 1 can organic coconut milk, then refill the can with the organic nut milk of your choice
• 6 T chia seeds
• 3 T ground flax seed
• 3 T whole hemp seeds
• 3 T sunflower seeds
• 3 T pumpkin seeds
• 3 T flaked coconut
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t vanilla
• Splash of maple or date syrup, optional

Directions

Mix together with a wire whisk, cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve in the morning topped with berries, diced apples, mango or citrus.

Enjoy!

When you see Meera Sodha’s name attached to any vegan recipe, you can be assured it is fresh, flavorful and interesting. I was especially interested to discover how the bitterness of the radicchio and tartness of the tamarind paste tasted in the end product. I can assure, you it was delightful. Meera’s version included tofu, and since I avoid tofu, I have replaced it with portobello mushrooms in my version.

Ingredients

• 400 g wide, flat rice noodles (purchase the widest you can find)
• 12 Tbsp coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• 2 Tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 Tbsp corn starch or arrowroot
• Rapeseed oil
• 4 garlic cloves or 2 small shallots, peeled and finely sliced
• 3 bird’s eye chilies, finely sliced (reduce if you prefer less spice)
• 500g or 1 lb. tenderstem broccoli (baby broccoli or broccolini), stalks cut into 1 cm pieces at an angle, tops left whole
• 1 large head radicchio, core removed, cut into thin strips
• 1 bunch Thai basil leaves (around 20 g)
• 2 limes, cut into quarters

Directions

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions, rinse and cover with cold water, separating them and set aside
2. Mix the coconut aminos, tamarind and maple syrup in a small bowl then set aside.
3. In a shallow bowl, toss the mushroom cubes in corn starch until coated. 
4. Add oil to a large frying pan, fitted with a lid and heat over a medium cooktop setting.
5. When the oil is hot, add the mushroom pieces, turning them regularly, for a couple of minutes, until crisp and golden all over. Use tongs to transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
6. Drain the noodles well in a colander.
7. While noodles drain, saute the garlic/shallots and chilli for a minute in the large frying pan, then add the chopped broccoli. 
8. After a few minutes, add the radicchio, cover and cook for a few minutes more. 
9. Uncover, add the mushroom pieces, noodles, sauce, and basil leaves, mixing well and cooking for a few minutes until all items are warmed.  Be careful not to break up the noodles.
10. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Meera Sodha

If a rich and comforting meal is in order, then look no further. We can thank Melissa Clark from NYT for inspiring my vegan and gluten-free recipe below. Just a word of warning, the leftovers are even better and highly sought after, so you will need to prepare extra or find a good hiding place. 😉

Ingredients

• 8 Tablespoons vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil (more if needed)
• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms to prepare 10 cups of 1-inch chunks (I used Baby-Bellas, white and oyster)
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 6 shallots, peeled and diced
• 1 large leek or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts, cut lengthwise and sliced thinly
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour blend
• 1.5 cups veggie broth
• 1 ½ cups dry red wine or more veggie broth
• 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• Leaves from 3 fresh thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions

1. Heat a large heavy skillet, melting 2 tablespoons butter, and begin sauteeing mushrooms in batches. Add additional butter for each new batch.
2. Add carrots to the leeks and shallots and the previously prepared mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle in flour, stirring to coat all vegetables.
3. Over low heat, slowly add vegetable broth, blending well to avoid any lumps. The mixture will begin to thicken.
4. Add tomato paste and remaining broth or wine, coconut aminos, herbs and paprika. Cover and allow to simmer until carrots are tender and the flavors have melded.
5. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Enjoy over vegan mashed potatoes, gluten-free noodles or my herbed vegan polenta. You may just have to make this recipe three times to enjoy each variation. 🙂

I used to think I could prepare a pretty good dal. That was until I watched my new Bangladeshi friends, Meghla and Aziza. These women embody the kitchen magician I long to be. The simple, yet important steps they added to the cooking process are what gave the dal and everything they cooked the depth in flavor you can only get from a master. Now all I want is more dal, and I am certain you will feel the same. Below I did my best to capture their instructions.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Masoor dal (red lentils)
• 4 cups fresh organic spinach leaves 
• 4 tablespoons sunflower oil, divided
• ½ finely chopped red onion 
• 1 whole dry red chili 
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin 
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger 
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or finely minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. Wash and chopped the fresh spinach. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and slowly saute the chopped onion in a heavy bottomed cooking pot.
3. When the onion is soft and translucent add turmeric, coriander, chili powder and dal, stirring well to coat the dal with the oil and spices.
4. Add water to generously cover, placing spinach leaves on top, and bring to a quick boil.
5. Cover with a lid, decrease the heat to low, allowing the lentils to gently simmer until tender and the spinach to steam for 20 minutes.
6. In a skillet on a separate burner, heat remaining oil. Add whole cumin first, allowing it to pop, then add whole chili, ginger and garlic. Keep the heat low so nothing burns, yet just enough to bring all of the flavors out.  This will be your tarka to deepen the flavor of the dal. 
7. Check dal after 10 minutes to see if more water is needed and continue cooking until it is soft. When cooking is complete, turn off the heat, add tarka and salt, stirring well, adjusting seasoning to your taste. 

Enjoy!d