I’ve been back in Austin for ten days and haven’t had much time to settle into our new kitchen space. You know the deal – meal prep can feel clumsy and foreign when nothing is quite where you expect it to be. Although I’m still shifting what goes where and discovering what I unintentionally packed away in storage, hunger calls and meal prep continues on!
In my jet-lagged scroll through Instagram, I came across this winner from Wickedly Healthy. Given my love for mushrooms, there was not a bit of hesitation on my side, and the fact that there wasn’t a bite remaining for leftovers means it was a big hit with the guys as well!

Ingredients:

Original recipe ingredients are listed below with my adaptations in parenthesis.

Mushroom “Bacon”

240g shiitake mushrooms, sliced ( or a mix of Portobello, Shiitake and Baby Bellas)
4 T low-sodium soy sauce (replace with Coconut Aminos or Tamari for Gluten Free)
2 T olive oil
3/4 t smoked paprika
1 t garlic granules
1/4 t black pepper

Sauce

75g dairy-free butter (Earth Balance coconut spread)
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
60g plain flour (can use arrowroot or a gluten-free blend)
200ml white wine ( or veggie broth)
700ml unsweetened soy or almond milk ( skip the soy and use a creamy choice such as almond, cashew or coconut)
1 tbsp miso paste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic granules

to finish
500g spaghetti (gluten free or grain free)
240g frozen peas
1 tbsp capers
chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Directions:

To make the mushroom bacon, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl with the soy sauce, oil, paprika, garlic granules and 1/4 tsp black pepper; stir to coat. Set aside to marinate for 15 mins. Spread evenly over a lined baking sheet and bake on top rack for 30 mins, then set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the plant-based butter in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3 mins until they begin to soften. Stir in the flour then gradually add the wine, whisking to create a smooth roux. Whisk in the milk, miso, smoked paprika, garlic granules and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, put in a blender and blitz until smooth ( or use an immersion blender). Transfer to a clean saucepan and reheat over a low-medium heat, stirring regularly.

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water for 10-12 mins or until al dente, adding the peas for the last 3 mins. Drain then return the spaghetti and peas to the pan. Pour over the creamy sauce, then add the capers and reserved mushroom bacon. Mix well, then serve immediately sprinkled with the parsley.

Enjoy!!!

This recipe became my go-to over the summer when there were greater appetites to satisfy vs. time. There are countless variations, so let your imagination and your CSA farm box dictate the ingredients. Over the summer I subbed in cut green beans from the garden, chunks of baby summer squash and always a healthy portion of sliced mushrooms.

Asparagus, fennel and pea pilau

Prep 10 min
Soak 20 min
Cook 30 min

Serves 4

350g basmati rice
750ml prepared vegetable stock
3 tbsp coconut or sunflower oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 green finger chillies, very finely sliced
1 medium fennel bulb (about 250g), trimmed and thinly sliced
250g asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 4cm-long pieces
200g frozen petit pois, defrosted
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp garam masala
¾ tsp salt
1 big handful mint leaves, chopped
1 big handful dill, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Wash the rice in cold water until it runs clear, then leave to soak for 20 minutes. Put the rice in a large saucepan for which you have a lid and pour over the stock. Cover the pan, bring to a boil, boil for two minutes, then turn down the heat to a whisper and leave to cook for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice, still covered, to steam through until needed.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, lidded pan on a medium flame. Once hot, add the onions and cook for six to eight minutes, until translucent and softening, but not yet coloured. Add the chillies, cook for another two minutes, then stir in the fennel and a couple of tablespoons of water, and cover the pan. Leave to cook for eight minutes, until soft. Add then the asparagus, peas, cumin, garam masala and salt. Stir, cover again, cook for three to five minutes more, then take off the heat.

Fold the herbs and rice into the vegetable mixture – breaking up any clumps of rice delicately with your hands – then transfer to a serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon on the side.

Adapted from Meera Sodha, The New Vegan, The Telegraph

Yes, it IS another zucchini recipe. But honestly, I just could not help myself after experiencing a bowl of this deliciousness at Samsara in Cluj this past weekend. We can blame my obsessive nature on the fact that I could not get this dish off my mind. But trust me – you need to try this! Creating your own zucchini spirals is a snap with a kitchen tool of your choice, or head over to Whole Foods for a package from Cece’s Veggie Co. However you decide to make the spirals just do it soon!

Sauce Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw organic cashew pieces, soaked in warm water several hours or in cold water overnight and drained
1/2 to 1 cup water ( more may be needed to reach desired consistency)
2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon mellow white miso
Juice from 1 lemon or lime
A handful of fresh basil leaves
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 ripe cherry tomatoes

Spirals

5 to 6 medium-size zucchini or summer squash, cut into spirals or peeled into strips

Directions

Place all ingredients, except zucchini and salt & pepper in a blender and puree until smooth – start with 1/2 cup water, then add more to achieve desired consistency. Sauce should be creamy and thick, but pourable. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

To Serve

Place zucchini spirals in bowl, top with avocado cream and sliced cherry tomatoes. Toss well before eating. You may wish to offer a vegan nut based parmesan on the side.

This is a handy recipe to have around when there happens to be a few assorted vegetables but not enough of anything to make a full meal. These fritters have become a family favorite for sure and there is never a leftover in sight. That was even true today when we doubled the recipe in an attempt to use up more veggies from the garden!

Ingredients

4 cups shredded zucchini (about 4 medium-size zucchini) – sub out for any grated vegetable. I like summer squash but root vegetables are also good.

1 and 1/2 cups corn kernels (about 8 ounces) – fresh or frozen

3/4 cup finely chopped green onions (about 6 green onions)

1 finely chopped sweet pepper

1 and 1/4 cup chickpea flour

2 heaping teaspoons of your choice of italian seasoning, herbs provence, or garam masala

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.Grate zucchini, lightly salt and let sit in a colander to drain excess water while you prep the rest of the ingredients

2.Chop green onions and sweet pepper

3. Combine corn, green onions, chickpea flour, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt & pepper in large mixing bowl.

4.Press zucchini into sieve to remove last bit of water and add to the veggie and flour mixture.

5.Stir together until well combined. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. This step is important because the flour will absorb the moisture from the zucchini and create a batter.

6.Add water a TBL at a time if needed.

7.Warm a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

8.Add coconut oil or sunflower oil for cooking oil. When oil is hot drop large TBL of mixture into the pan. After 3-4 mins flip and cook the remaining side.

Seve these after a large green salad with your choice of this herbed cashew cream or possibly this tomato chutney (replacing the brown sugar with maple syrup to taste). Both are equally delicious!

It happens to be every gardener’s dilemma this time of year – what to do with all the zucchini? It’s impossible to have too many recipes for zucchini. Apparently it is an international problem as well because our neighbors down the road gifted us with a basket full last Sunday morning. Moments later, a summer storm rolled across our mountain top and rain and soup just happen to be a favorite combination of mine. With a little improv from spices I had on hand those humble zucchini turned into a beautiful warming lunch in no time. Now you can try it for yourself.

Ingredients

•3 large organic zucchini or summer squash, cut into small pieces

•3-4 Yukon gold potatoes large potato, cut into small pieces

•2 medium sized carrots, cut in small pieces

•1 yellow sweet pepper, diced

•4-5 shallot,s peeled and diced

•2 TBL olive or coconut oil

•2 cubes of organic vegetable bouillon

•1-2 TBL of fines herb mix (parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon)

•1-2 TBL Ras el hanout spice mix

•A pinch or so of red pepper flakes

•½-1 cup of nut milk- I used coconut but cashew or almond would work well

•Juice of one lemon

•Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in bottom of heavy stock pot over medium heat. Add shallots and reduce to low, saute slowly being careful not to burn. Add pepper flakes and sweet pepper and herb and spice mixes. When sweet pepper has softened add all of the vegetables. Stir and coat well with oil and seasonings.

Add bouillon cubes and enough water to cover all ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are quite tender. Add nut milks and blend with immersion blender to desired consistency, adding more water or milk as needed and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings and serve!

I love to work with recipes that are easily modified and polenta certainly fits in that category. This particular version can be eaten creamy almost porridge like or firm and cut into slices. Even the slices themselves can be served as is, pan roasted in a small amount of olive oil, grilled briefly on a bbq or under an oven broiler. As you can see, there are plenty of options to choose from and you will want to select a version that best fits the accompanying dish.

It’s a bright sunny day in the Midi Pyrenees and after yesterday’s trip to the market I have made my Aubergine dish once again. It has sat overnight in the fridge allowing the flavors to meld waiting for our midday meal. To compliment it I will make the polenta firm.

Once the polenta has cooked on the stove I will pour it into a well oiled loaf pan and let completely cool. Just before serving I will slice it, place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with a bit of olive oil, and let it sit on the middle rack under the preheated broiler until crispy edges begin to form. You’ll find below what you need to get started.

Ingredients

For a dense polenta that can be formed and sliced:
3 cup water
1¼ cup plant based milk, I prefer cashew milk because it is the most creamy
½ tsp salt OR 1 to ½ cube of veggie bouillon to taste
2 cup coarse organic corn grits

For a soft porridge-like polenta:
3 cup water
1¼ cup non-dairy milk, I use a mixture of almond and cashew milk in this version
½ tsp salt OR 1 to ½ cube of veggie bouillon to taste
1 cup coarse organic corn grits

For both versions you want to use a good handful or two of chopped fresh herbs from the garden or a few tablespoons of the similar herbs dried. Consider any combination of the following: Basil, Chervil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme.

Preparation

1.Place a heavy pot over a high heat and pour in all the water and the milk. Add in the salt or bouillon cube, stirring to dissolve.

2.Once the liquid reaches the boiling point, pour the corn grits into the liquid in a steady stream, whisking to prevent it from clumping.

3.As soon as the polenta thickens a bit, stop whisking, lower the heat to the absolute minimum and cover the pan with the lid.

4.Leave the polenta to cook over the lowest heat for 5-10 minutes.

5.Once the time has elapsed, remove the lid and stir the polenta vigorously with whisk or wooden spoon making sure to scrape the entire surface of the pan. Then, place the lid back on and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

6.You want to repeat this process 3-4 times, for a total cooking time of 30-40 minutes.

7.Now remove the lid and add the fresh or dried herbs stirring well to integrate.

Adapted from The Vegan Corner.

Enjoy!!!

I’ve shared this simple and satisfying gluten free bread recipe in a previous blog post. However, it absolutely deserves a place of honor on it’s own. What I love so much about this recipe is how easily it can be modified, mixed together in a flash, and is so delish! All the nuts and seeds are interchangeable and the oats can be subbed out for Buckwheat flour, Quinoa or Millet Flakes.

Now that my retreat has come to a close I look forward to experimenting with the wide variety of gluten free and grain free flours available locally in Lavelanet. You’ll want to follow me @laurenhubele on Instagram where I will share my results. With our flipped work schedule here in France due to the 7+/- hour time difference we have taken to eating a cold evening meal. A slice or two of this bread with a large salad perfectly fits our needs.

Recipe

To begin the bread making, you will need a kitchen scale set for metric measurement, a container marked for liquid metric measurement, a large bowl for mixing, and a 10” x 5” bread pan. Alternatively you can shape the dough into a round loaf by hand.

Dry Ingredients

Combine all in large bowl:

300g gluten free organic oats

270g mixed raw, unsalted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds (all organic)

180g ground organic flax

130g ground nuts (hazel, walnuts, or almonds)

4 Tbl chia seeds

8 Tbl psyllium husks

3 Tbl sea salt

Liquid Ingredients

Combine and then pour over dry mixture:

2 Tbl maple syrup or honey

6 Tbl melted coconut oil

700 ml filtered water

Instructions:

1. Blend with hands until all dry ingredients are moist.

2. Press all the dough into a 10 x 5 inch bread pan which it will fill completely, cover with a cloth, and let stand on counter for minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 45 mins.

4. Very gently remove the loaf from the pan and place on preheated baking stone or cookie sheet. (Consider leaving loaf on it’s side to prevent it from breaking.)

5. Continue to bake for another 45 mins.

This loaf must cool completely to slice! I find it helpful to turn off the oven, leaving the loaf inside to cool by itself. It can store in the fridge for up to one week or frozen into single slices. You won’t want to miss the experience of toasting a few slices and topping it with ripe avocado and a slice or two of ripe tomatoes.

Enjoy!

This is my go to summer dish when eggplant is at it’s peak, everyone is hungry, and dinner needs to appear with the wave of my magic wand. From start to finish this can be on the table in 40 minutes or left to simmer longer if you desire.

Ingredients

2 medium sized eggplant (select only those with shiny skins that are firm to touch), cut into cubes, salt and put in a wire sieve over a bowl to drain away excess liquid. Blot cubes dry with paper toweling just prior to cooking.

3-4 large garden fresh tomatoes cut into large chunks or two baskets of cherry tomatoes, leave whole or quartered.

1lb of mushrooms sliced

4 shallots, peeled and diced fine

Optional: Finely chopped spinach leaves, fresh or frozen

Olive Oil

Tomato paste, 1-2 tbl

Salt

Pepper

Herbes de Provence, 1-2 tbl

Instructions

Heat a large heavy skillet, add oil, when it has warmed reduce heat to low and saute shallots.

Once shallots are soft and aromatic salt lightly, add mushrooms. Increase heat to medium, saute in open skillet for the first 5 minutes then cover and let mushrooms soften.

Remove mushrooms from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Add more oil to skillet, when it has warmed add cubed eggplant. Saute eggplant in open skillet for 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, reduce heat and cover, simmering until eggplant is tender.

Return mushrooms to the skillet, add tomato paste and spinach if you choose to do so, and simmer until flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I have served this dish over pan roasted gnocchi, gluten free pasta, polenta, quinoa and rice- all were delicious.

This dish is incredibly adaptable to what produce is available. Eggplant can be easily swapped out with zucchini or any summer squash. A variety of mushrooms can be used adding further flavor and texture.

When I saw Simply CeeCee’s instagram post of mushroom laden rice noodles I didn’t miss a beat before setting out to create my own version. There’s not a doubt this recipe is a keeper in the Hubele home and once the mushrooms are prepped, it’s on the table in minutes. Here’s the original recipe and below you will find my take with brand suggestions. Either way it’s a winner.  Enjoy!

DanDan Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 /4 cup of sriracha sauce
• 1/4 cup tamari or coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp chile oil (optional, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Hot pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2-3/4 cup vegetable stock

Combine all of the ingredients  in a blender and blend until smooth.

Stir Fried Mushrooms Rice Noodles

• Coconut Oil
• 6-8 green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice mix
• 1 lb of mixed shiitake and baby bella mushrooms sliced
• Himalayan sea salt

Heat coconut oil, add sliced green onions, add spices, saute on low.  Add mushrooms in small batches letting them cook down before adding more. Salt to taste.

Rice Noodles

Cook according to package directions your favorite pad thai style rice noodles.

More often than not it’s the amazing dressing that has you or your guests reaching for another serving of salad. Having a stash of go to recipes brings ease to salad prep, making a plant based lifestyle just that much more enjoyable and sustainable.

Here’s one must have recipe from our Gemmotherapy retreat weekend at Spirit Fire shared by the center directors Steve and Tim.

Green Goddess Dressing

1 garlic clove

2 green onions

2 TBL Chopped Parsley

1 TBL Basil Leaves

1 TBL Chives

¼ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Tahini

2 TBL Tarragon Vinegar

1 TBL Lemon Juice

Salt to taste

Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender and store any remaining dressing for up to 3 days.

~Adapted by Tanya Renner~

Last weekend I was honored to lead a grace filled weekend retreat at Spirit Fire in Leyden, MA. Woven into the magic of the land and the center itself is the heavenly plant based food so lovingly prepared by our hosts. Here are two smoothies that greeted us each morning. Special thanks to Tanya Renner for sorting out the proportions and sharing.

Morning Smoothie 1:

Pineapple, cucumber, cilantro, banana, lime, vanilla, coconut water, coconut milk

½ cup cucumber

1 cup pineapple,

½ banana

¼ cup coconut milk

¼ cup coconut water

½ teaspoon of vanilla

1 lime with zest

A hand of cilantro greens

Morning Smoothie 2:

Watermelon, Black cherries, Cucumber, Basil, Banana, Coconut Water, Coconut Milk

1 cup cubed watermelon

½ cup frozen black cherries

½ cup cucumber

½ banana

¼ cup coconut milk

¼ cup coconut water

¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves

Carrot salad has always been a weeknight standard in the Hubele salad rotation. It’s a quick prep when time is limited and because it only improves with an overnight in the fridge, it makes for a welcome lunch the following day. This Heidi Swanson version however takes carrot salad to the next level and is well deserving of a place in your next dinner party menu.

Ingredients

2 bunches carrots, preferably local rainbow variety

Extra virgin olive oil
Fine grain sea salt
1 green chile (serrano), deveined and minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup green pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

Instructions

Wash carrots and use a vegetable peeler to shave each carrot into wide ribbons.

Heat a bit of of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the carrot ribbons.

Saute for only 20 seconds or so – just enough to take the raw edge and a bit of crunch off the carrots.

Quickly stir in the chiles and lemon zest.

Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro, a tablespoon or two of lemon juice and then most of the pepitas.

Taste adding more salt and/or lemon juice as needed.

Garnish with remaining pepitas.

Serves 3 hungry Hubeles or 4 dinner guests with normal appetites 🙂

Adapted from Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks.