Rainbow Tomatoes and White Beans.

I drooled over this one in Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine... I love tomatoes, white beans, capers and pine nuts - so this was a shoo-in for me. But I knew I'd be the only one eating it (sadly, no one likes tomatoes in my family except for Nolan-and I don't think he was there yet when I first made this) and so I halved it. BIG mistake. I could have eaten it all in 2 lunches. The picture had me hooked again. I swear, good food photography will get me every time. 

from the magazine... so enticing, huh!?!?

2/3 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. multicolored tomatoes (orange, yellow, green, red), cut into thin wedges
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed
1/4 cup pine nuts

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, capers, vinegar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; whisk in the olive oil.

Add the tomatoes, cannellini beans and pine nuts and toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cashew Ricotta.

I saw this cashew ricotta on my friend Crysta's blog... and totally wanted to try it - for 2 reasons. It looked good and was another new technique to making something animal based into plant based. I'm loving these little challenges. Plus, it's a Tal Ronnen recipe... so I knew it'd be good. And if it worked, it could open up the door to sooo many, now vegan, meals.

It worked. I had to wait to find the perfect recipe to try it on... and then I had to get some probiotic powder (which, I'm still needed to look for other uses for). And someday I'll work up the nerve to try the beet ravioli she used it in... the balsamic maple syrup vinaigrette looked so good.

Tal Ronnen's Cashew Ricotta Cheese
2 cups raw cashews
1 teaspoon probiotic powder (from 6 capsules - I use the All-Flora brand) dissolved in 1 cup of warm water.
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper

Put cashews in a bowl, add cold water to cover them, and refrigerate 12-14 hours. Drain and rinse them under warm water.

Place nuts in a blender with the probiotic powder and water mixture, and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a clean, glass bowl, and let sit at warm room temperature (I leave the oven light on in the closed oven) for 14-16 hours to culture.

Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in remaining ingredients. Cheese will keep for a week under refrigeration.

Now, I'm on the search for some good ricotta recipes...

Vegan Ranch Dressing & Dip.

Ranch dressing was and will forever be one of my most favorite condiments. Plant-based living I had to say good-bye to Hidden Valley and was on the search for an awesome vegan one. I found it. And it's like magic. 

Magic because anything it's over, my kids eat. SO awesome. They dip all sorts of veggies in it, on baked potatoes, over lentil taco salad, regular salad... Magic, right? Mama thinks so.

1 cup vegenaise (if you haven't tried this stuff... you really should. Better then mayo and SO much better for you!)
1/4 - 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoon of parsley, dill and chives, chopped (or 1-2 teaspoons dried)

Whisk all ingredients together - except milk - until well combined.Then slowly add the milk until you get the consistency of dip or dressing you like. It will thicken some after it's chilled. (You can always add more milk too before using.) Chill and let flavors combine.

Sage Beanballs with Tomato-Balsamic Gravy.

I first morphed this meat lovers fave just using the regular beanball recipe. But this time I converted all of the mini meatloaves spices into the beanballs. I'm not sure which ones I like better... probably the sage ones. Both delish. But I do know that I love, love, love this gravy. So yum. 


Make sure when you make the beanballs to double or even triple the batch. Bake and throw what you don't use in the freezer and pull them out to make this again, or for spaghetti & beanballs or beanball subs.

 

Mashed Potatoes
1-2 red potatoes per person, cut in chunks
2-4 cloves of garlic
1-2 tablespoon vegan butter

Put potatoes into a pot and cover with water, and then some. Add the garlic cloves and bring to boil. Once potatoes are tender, drain water, and mash potatoes (I like to whip them in the kitchen-aid mixer) - adding vegan butter. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Sage Beanballs
1 (20-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying or baking
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced finely
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 sprigs sage, leaves removed from stems and chopped
1 cup (about 1 large handful) parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch scallions, finely chopped on an angle {green onions}
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

 Preheat oven to 375*F.

Pulse in a food processor (or mash with a fork) the kidney beans. [The original recipe from veganomicon says make sure you can still tell they were beans... I disagree. When cooked, I don't want to bite into a piece of bean! If that even makes sense.] Add the rest and use a fork to mix everything together. Use your hands to mix, until everything is really well combined and firm.

Roll the bean mixture into walnut-size balls (I use a cookie scoop so they're all uniform). But don't make them too big; smaller cook better.

Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil {i spray}. Place the balls on the sheet and then drizzle them with a little more oil, to coat {i spray a liberal coat}. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.

Tomato-Balsamic Gravy
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints grape tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil spray 
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons vegan butter (earth balance)
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup vegetable broth


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Toss the grape tomatoes and onion slices onto a baking sheet along with a spray of EVOO spray, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the tray of veggies in and roast until the onions are caramelized and the tomatoes have burst open, about 15 minutes.

While the tomatoes and onion are roasting away, get the roux started: Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the balsamic and broth to the pan, whisking to incorporate. Cook until thickened, then remove it from the heat and reserve.

Add the roasted tomatoes and onion to the sauce and break up the veggies with a potato masher (I usually just pulse it in the blender, Shayne and the kids don't like chunks). Serve a  side of mashed potatoes and a handful of beanballs per person with a hearty ladle of the tomato balsamic gravy.

A merge of Rachael Ray & Veganomicon

Whole Wheat Penne with San Marzano Tomatoes

I was so excited to try this one out because I love fennel... knowing full well that I'd need to puree it before I fed it to the kids to avoid any nose turning ups. It was good but it didn't shine the way I thought it would... I think the pureeing mutilated the tastes. If that even makes sense. 

I'm not giving up on it that easily though... next time: I won't puree, cut the fennel really small, serve the swiss chard on the side, and go with regular tomatoes. I'm not convinced paying the extra bucks for the san marzano's is entirely worth it.

2 onions, quartered and sliced
2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced
1 (28-ounce) can peeled Italian San Marzano tomatoes, drained
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup vegetable stock
½ cup white grape juice (wine)
4 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cup Manzanilla (green) olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
8 ounces whole wheat penne, cooked al dente according to package

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 more seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.

Add the onions and fennel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, crushing each with your hand, along with the garlic, stock, wine, and chard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and olives and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the olives are tender. Fold in the tarragon, thyme, and parsley, along with the hot pasta. Serve immediately.

**Swap out anything you don’t like or don’t have on hand – chard for kale or olives for capers (which I did instead of the olives).

belly biters: Coco: awesome - Shayne, Nolan & I: good -

Ava: no way {she saw me cutting up the fennel and swiss chard}

The Conscious Cook

Tal Ronnen

Sunflower Seed Ranch Dip.

I think that those that have known me from way back only knew it was a matter of time before I layed up here a vegan version of ranch. I love ranch. I use to put it on everything. Salad, pizza, salsa, hamburgers, popcorn...

My kids like carrots, but I thought if they had a little dipper they may just love them. Turns out I know my kids better then I thought I did. They love this. Coco loves this. And not getting fat from meat, they need to get it from somewhere - so I love this healthy alternative. I merged 2 recipes... one from my friend Brooke and her Sunflower Seed Sour Cream and the other from OurBestBites. Thank you both. Ya'll did all of the hard work for me, all I had to do is merge, and then some.

With this baby, I can see updating my pork-fave with vegan tomatillo black bean burritos in my very near future...

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup water

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove pressed (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white vinegar {double all down?}

1 teaspoon parsley

1/8 teaspoon dill

1 1/2 teaspoon dried chives

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Place first 7 ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth... like, really really smooth. I didn't do it all that long the first time, like in the picture above because I was so excited to get it done. Then, add the rest - here you can blend or just stir in.

Now, here's the important part... put it in the fridge and let it chill. Warm ranch is no bueno. Especially if you're using dried... they need a little time to let out their flavor. It's only until after it cools that I'd taste it and adjust... you've gotta give the flavors time to mush. It got better and better each day. You'll have to stir it each time you pull it out... and I wouldn't keep it for much longer then 3-4 days.

*note that all spices/herbs listed are dried. If substituting fresh, use the rules 1 part dry = 3 parts fresh.

Tomato Bisque.

You are going to loooooooove me for telling you about this soup. I saw Tal Ronnen on Oprah, he's a gourmet vegan chef. He sold me on how yummy his Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples looked. I instantly put myself on the waiting list for his cook book at the library. When it came in months later, I picked it up and almost went right to the grocery store to buy the stuff for half of his recipes. Then I told myself to calm down... which I did... and then I calmed down a little too much because it's taken me 9 months to try any of his recipes. Other then the cashew cream & whipped cashew cream, I haven't tried a single one. Even the celery root one... crazy how that happens.

Shame.on.me... because this soup is amazing. So super simple, but it feels like you're eating a big bowl of naughtiness! Which, I like that feeling. Sure it has some fat in it from the cashew cream... but hey - would you rather be getting your fat from nuts or the cow down the road? I'll choose the nuts.

sea salt
4 tablespoons earth balance
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (i used whole wheat)
5 cups vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can while fire-roasted tomatoes, juices included
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups regular cashew cream
parsley for garnish

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and head for 1 minute. Add the earth balance and stir until melted, being careful not to let it burn. This will create a nonstick effect. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.

Add the stock, tomatoes with juice, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the cashew cream. Continue to simmer (do not boil) for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.

The Conscious Cook
Tal Ronnen
page 94
makes 6 serving
time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

The same night I tried my hand at brussel sprouts. B.O.M.B. You can't win them all. I have never had them - or at least that I remembered. And I hear that you either love them or hate them. And in Veganomicon it said the only way to eat them is roasting them... so I did... and I still reside on the hating side. Funny thing is, Coco ate them. What a weird little girl.

Red Lentil Soup.

This soup is from my friend, Brooke's "Simply Real Food" food blog. It's yummy. It's also the soup that my Coco-koala climbed up the spindles on our kitchen chair to get to. It's also the soup that she ate so fast I wondered if she even chewed anything up. Basically, it was really good. Thanks Brooke!

1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped (1 cup)
1 can diced tomatoes (or use fresh to equal about 1 1/2 cups)
1 celery rib, chopped
5-6 kale leaves, stems removed, finely chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 cup dried red lentils
1/2 cup millet, optional
5 1/2 cups water
2-3 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Steam fry in a 4-5 quart saucepan over med high heat, onion, stirring until golden. Add garlic, carrots, tomato, celery, kale, cumin, coriander, and salt and saute 2 minutes. Add lentils, millet, water, and broth and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper as desired, and serve.

Portobello Stuffed with Smoked Tomato Basil Spread & Spinach

I'm still in the conversion process of converting some of my old faves into something more fit for our new lifestyle... it's a Bobby Flay and the original is YUMMY! Like, seriously awesome. I love sausage - still do - and it makes this dish so, sooo good. But, my modification is pretty darn good too.

I thought of the original dish after I made the Sun-dried Tomato Basil Dip for the first time with the smoked sun-dried tomatoes. It totally has that yummy smoky flavor that the smoked mozzarella gives from the original. And with a lot of the same ingredients, I just merged them. I love the sweetness the grape juice gives the spinach with the smoked tomato and onto of a grilled shroom, it's heavenly.

1 medium Spanish onion, sliced

1/2 cup dry red wine (red grape juice)

8 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed

Recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Dip

Put the onion into a sauté pan, add the grape juice and cook until the wine is completely reduced. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of the basil, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and let cool slightly.

Heat the grill to high.

Brush the mushroom caps on both sides with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, top side down and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the grill and place on a flat surface, cap side down. Fill the mushrooms with the spread and top with spinach mixture. Place on the grill, cap side down, close the cover and cook until the mushroom and filling have heated through. Remove to a platter and sprinkle tops with the remaining parsley and basil.

Yum!