Meatless Monday- Puttanesca Scramble

Hello lovelies,

I hope you had a fantastic weekend! I spent all day painting and in DIY mode, so I was a little pressed for time when it came to cooking dinner for myself and the parents (who are complete carnivores)! What is a girl to do? Well, I pulled out my copy of  vegan cookbook author extraordinaire, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book "Vegan Brunch" and found this quick and appetizing Italian inspired dish: Puttanesca Scramble. I have to admit that I am not a big fan of tofu, but this recipe made it very tasty :)

Inspired by the classic Italian dish, pasta puttanesca, this scramble is screaming with flavor. Olives, capers and plenty of fresh herbs make for an easy to throw together scramble that tastes like a Mediterranean feast you’ve been slaving over for hours.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 - 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb extra firm tofu, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1/2 cup mixed olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoons capers
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned, but be careful not to burn. 3 minutes ought to do it. Add the red pepper flakes and the tofu and saute for about 10 minutes, until tofu is browned. Add a little extra oil if necessary.

Mix in tomatoes, thyme, oregano and oregano and cook for about 5 minute, until tomatoes are a bit broken down but still whole. Add olives, capers and salt to taste. Cook just until heated through.

I hope you have fun cooking up this dish with your friends and family!!

Happy Cooking!!!
XOXO,

No Cook Friday: Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls

Happy Friday! I hope you had a fantastic week and are looking forward to the weekend :) 

In the spirit of Social Friday and to everyone tired on slaving over  a hot stove to cook some yummy food, I bring you this recipe for Raw vegan sushi rolls. I must confess it is not my own recipe, but I have made it and it is delicious! Additionally, is a bit selfish on my part to favor sushi for today's post since I am currently experiencing a sushi craving, paired with a nice glass of Italian  raspberry soda. 

 Please do not think I am asking you to concoct some sushi with raw fish or anything of the likes, instead I am opting for an energy friendly and time saving recipe.  

Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls (this will make a "pate" textured paste)

• 2c. Sunflower seeds
• 1c. Pine nuts
• 5 stalks of celery
• 3 Tsp Red Onion
• 5 Tbl. Lemon juice
• 2 Tbl. kelp powder
• 3 green onions sliced thin
• 2 tsp. Sesame seeds (mixed black and white is nice).
• 1 sheet nori soaked and chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. Celtic salt

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients well in food processor. Stop occasionally and stir, use the pulse setting to be sure you do not over mix. Should be sticky but not oily.

For the sushi

• 2 peeled and quarter cut cucumbers
• 1 - 2 peeled and quarter cut avocado
• 1 carrot cut in matchsticks
• 5 sheets of nori
• Sprouts (optional)
• Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce

Tools

• Sushi matt
• Blender / food processor
• Bowls (one for water, one for pate)
• Chef knife

Assembly
On a nori sheet spoon 2 tbl. of pate, spread evenly. Place cucumber, avocado, and carrots across the long side of nori sheet. Place sprouts on top. Carefully roll the nori into a tight roll and seal with a bit of water. Cut with a sharp knife on the diagonal and serve with Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce.

Happy Cooking!!!
XOXO,

Meatless Monday- Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

Happy Monday to all!! I hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day with your family and friends. I am so excited today to share this delicious Vegan Chicken pot pie recipe with you. I remember eating pot pie as a child, of course mine always came from the frozen food section of the supermarket, so when I stumbled across a homemade version, I was over the moon.

This pot pie is better than any I have tasted before and I love the carrots and peas the best. I hope you can get your kids involved in making this dish, it is a winner all around!


VEGAN CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 T olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
2 cups diced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. minced garlic
4T nutritional yeast or flour (all-purpose organic or conventional, whole wheat is best)
1 ea. 10oz bag organic frozen peas and carrots
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups diced vegan sausage, salted eggplant, fried or frozen tofu, mock chicken, seitan, or mushrooms (this part is the “meat replacement”)
1 package vegan pie crust or homemade pie dough
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a small pan and sauté onion and celery until they are clear.
Add garlic and sauté a few minutes more.
Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Pour in vegetable stock and stir.
Simmer until the mixture has thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add remaining vegetables and meat replacement. Simmer till meat replacement is heated through.
Roll out pie crust and cut it about 1/2 an inch larger than the ramekin you are using. Rub top side of crust with a little oil.
Place the sautéd mixture in ramekin and top with pie crust.
Bake in pre-heated 450° oven for 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Happy Cooking!!
XOXO,

Meatless Monday- Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Cake

The last couple of weeks have seen more than my fair share of birthdays and cakes! I decided to make a raspberry chocolate vegan cake for my friend's birthday and here is the recipe I used. Since I just finished taking a cake decorating class, I was practicing my rose making and decorating skills as well. The photograph above is the finished product.

I normally post a dinner menu item, but I decided to do a dessert for today's post instead. The outcome was absolutely delicious! I hope you have some fun in the kitchen making this yummy recipe.



RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

3 cups flour (cake flour works best)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup raspberry “all-fruit” preserves (reserve the remainder of the jar for the filling)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. vinegar mixed with 2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8-inch pans.

Mix the first 5 dry ingredients together. Then add the wet ones. Beat with a mixer for 1-2 minutes, until all indredients are thoroughly blended. Pour into the prepared pans and bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes; then invert onto wire racks and allow to completely cool. Place one cake onto the serving plate and top it with about 1/2 cup of raspberry fruit spread. Spread one side of the other cake with frosting (recipe below) and put the two sides, raspberry and frosting, together. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting.





VEGAN BUTTERCREME FROSTING

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, we use Earth Balance
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

HAPPY COOKING!!!