Pappardelle with rosemary and mushroom ragu

Mushrooms and rosemary make a great marriage in a pasta sauce. Paired with some fresh pappardelle, and this is one great autumn dish. Modified slightly by me for a nondairy perfect adaptation.

Pappardelle with rosemary and mushroom ragu (from Herbie Likes Spaghetti blog) (check out the beautiful photos there)

1/2 pound pappardelle

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 cups chopped cremoni mushrooms

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

grated soy parmesan

In a nonstick pan, heat up the olive oil and throw in the garlic. Once it begins to soften, add the mushrooms and rosemary; cook on medium-high heat. Toss and cook until nicely carmelized and most of the liquid they exude has evaporated. Add the tomato sauce and the chopped parsley to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Let it simmer on low heat while the pasta cooks.

Cook the pasta until it is slightly al dente; then move the noodles to the mushroom cooking pan. Add a touch of pasta water, and toss everything together until the pasta has absorbed the sauce. Serve with soy parmesan. Makes two servings.

 

 

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Cherry almond smoothie

A yummy reminder of summer. I made this during cherry season and gobbled it up. Totally vegan and totally delicious. Dangerous.

Cherry almond smoothie (thank you, NYTimes)

24 cherries, pitted

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup almond milk

1 plum or peach

2 teaspoons agave nectar

6 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Makes 1 delicious serving.

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Sweet and spicy tomato and pepper chicken stew

I’m a sucker for anything sweet and spicy, so this recipe caught my attention. It was addictive – great flavors and textures, served over brown rice here. A definite keeper.

Sweet and spicy tomato and pepper chicken stew (from Joy of Kosher), ever so slightly modified by me

1 1/2 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 green pepper, diced

2 Spanish onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons Garam masala

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (14.5 ounce can)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. When hot, add chicken and stir. Saute, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until chicken is browned on all sides.

Add green pepper, onions, and garlic. Stir and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 – 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add chili powder, garam masala, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and brown sugar. Saute, stirring, for another 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, raisins, and vinegar. Stir, raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 25 – 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Add beans, stir and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes or until beans are heated through. Serve (over rice, if desired), garnished with chopped parsley. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

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Roasted zucchini spaghetti pie

Kudos again go to An Edible Mosaic blog for this delicious and healthy Italian pie. We enjoyed this for dinner; the sauce is easy to make, and everything comes together nicely. I made my nondairy substitutions – I used tofu instead of ricotta cheese, and soy parmesan instead of the real thing. Delicioso! Head over to the blog to check out the beautiful photos taken of this dish, too.

Roasted zucchini spaghetti pie

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 pound whole grain (or regular) spaghetti noodles

2 cups tofu

2 eggs

1 egg white

1/4 cup soy parmesan cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups thick marinara sauce (recipe below)

cooking spray

Thick Marinara sauce: (yields ~ 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small carrot, peeled and shredded

1 15-ounce can diced tomato, with liquid

1 1/2 ounce tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch ground black pepper

9″ pie plate

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat the sliced zucchini with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper; arrange the zucchini in  a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for ~ 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. When it’s done roasting, the zucchini will be golden in spots.

For the marinara sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small pot with a lid. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften; add the carrot and garlic, and saute another 5 – 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt, and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings. Simmer with lid on for 20 – 30 minutes.

Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Cool the pasta to room temperature, then add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons soy parmesan, and pinch of pepper; stir to combine.

To the tofu, mix in 1 egg, 1 egg white, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the pie pan with cooking spray; spread the pasta on the bottom of the pie plate, then spread 1/2 of the tofu mixture on top of the pasta. Arrange the zucchini on top of the tofu, then spread the rest of the tofu mixture on top of the zucchini. Spread the marinara sauce on top of the tofu. Bake the pie for 20 – 30 minutes, until it’s set. Sprinkle the remaining soy parmesan on top and allow to cool slightly before cutting.

 

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Chicken satay stew

I found this recipe on the most excellent An Edible Mosaic blog, where everything is tried and true. Indeed, the flavors in this speak chicken satay, and it looked immediately adaptable to a nondairy format for my liking. This was a winner on every count.

Chicken satay stew

1 – 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon (or more, to your spicy liking) crushed red pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

4 large carrots, chopped

4 large stalks celery, chopped

2 cups  unsweetened pumpkin puree

1/2 cup mango nectar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 cup coconut milk creamer

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley

salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the chicken and cook until you don’t see any more pink. Add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes, and saute 2 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, pumpkin, mango nectar, lemon juice, peanut butter, chicken stock, and 2 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring it up to a simmer; then turn the heat down and let it simmer about 30 minutes (stirring occasionally), until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the creamer. Stir the vinegar into the stew, then stir in the creamer mixture; simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, until the stew is thickened. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley or cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with jasmine rice, if desired. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

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Quinoa corn patties

Attention, vegetarians. Try these. Easy to make, big on flavor. Very satisfying. I found this recipe on An Edible Mosaic blog. The original recipe called for a creamy onion dip on the side, but we enjoyed this just the way they were.

Quinoa corn patties

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cooked corn kernels

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or chives

4 – 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs (I used panko)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

canola oil, for shallow frying

Soak the quinoa in cold water for 15 minutes; strain through a fine mesh sieve, then thoroughly rinse under cold running water. Heat the olive oil in a medium lidded saucepan over medium heat; add the onion and saute until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.

Add the rinsed quinoa, 1/2 cup warm water, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat up to high and bring up to a boil; once boiling, give it a stir, cover the saucepan, and turn heat down to a gentle simmer. Cook 14 minutes, then turn heat off and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Cool slightly, then transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the corn, eggs, and parsley. Stir in 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, then add 1 or 2 tablespoons more as needed so they hold their shape.

Form the mixture into 4 patties. Add canola oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the patties and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

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