Mushrooms + Red Wine = Delicious

Growing up my parents had a statue of W.C. Fields.  I thought it was just a weird home decor they had at the time (although I am pretty sure Babs and Big Al still have it up in the attic).  However as of late my mantra has been a quote from W.C. Fields..."I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food".  This post is dedicated to that little statue that will forever be in my head when I think of my parent's living room.    

I set out one night to make the Creamy Mushroom Fettuccini from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s book Appetite for Reduction (it is a must have for sure, I haven’t made one thing out of it that isn’t delicious the baked onion rings are amazing?!?!).  

Well I was making a few tweaks to the recipe, using up some fresh herbs that were going to start going bad, some shallots I had laying around when I got to the step to add some white wine.  So I galloped (yep pretty sure that happened) over to the wine fridge to find that WHAT?!?! I am out of white wine?  How is this possible?  Well in a moment of necessity I used some red wine I had on hand and low and behold this dish was born.  I have made it several times since and even though I now have a well stocked wine fridge with white wine I keep going back to the red.  I know this isn’t the traditional Marsala wine sauce with Marsala Wine, but I am not that traditional lately.

I set out this evening to have some chickpea cutlets on top and although they were okay, they weren't great...more perfecting is needed.  Maybe next time...until then you get the sauce and pasta, your welcome :).

These can easily be made gluten free by using a gluten free past.  The mushroom soup I use here can be found at Whole Foods, it is the Imagine brand and is really quite good(it was on sale last week so I stocked up so be ready for some more recipes starring this awesome soup).  I even used it on Thanksgiving for vegan green bean casserole and the family barely noticed the difference, but with fried onions on top who would?!

Salud!

Mushroom Marsala with Whole Wheat Fettuccini (4 servings)

Essential Equipment

Stock Pot

Large Sauce Pan

1 tbsp vegetable broth

2 shallots - finely chopped

2 cloves garlic - minced

3 cups sliced white mushrooms (cremini or baby bella would work here as well)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

½ cup dry red wine (better take a sip or a couple sips first to make sure it is just right)

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 cups portabella mushroom soup

8 oz whole wheat fettuccini

Green onions or scallions for garnish

In a large pot, boil water for pasta.  Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and add pasta.  Cook per the instructions on the package.  (this is not included in the photo video).  Drain and place to the side until sauce is complete.

In the meantime, in a large sauce pan on medium heat add vegetable broth, add garlic and shallots.  Cook until shallots are browning, stirring often to not burn the garlic. 

Add mushrooms to the pan and stir.  Add additional broth if need to prevent sticking.  Once mushrooms start to cook down add in the salt, pepper, rosemary and balsamic vinegar.  

Once mushrooms have cooked, add red wine to deglaze the pan.  Cook until wine reduces by half.  

Add cornstarch and stir into mushroom/wine mixture.  Add in mushroom soup and cook until sauce darkens and thickens (about 5-7 minutes).  

Place pasta on plate, top with sauce and green onions.  

Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days (still good reheated for lunch or dinner another day)

Getting Back To Chicago Roots - Deep Dish Style

I am trying a new concept here.  I spend countless amounts of time scouring the internet for recipes and always see the end result, but how in the world did they get from a list of ingredients to that masterpiece perfectly plated and photographed.  Do you ever get half-way in the recipe and just pray this is how it is supposed to look at that point?

Well fear not! With my trusty camera and a steady tri-pod (unless you or your sous-chef (Bella) bump it) I have created almost a time-lapsed video of the cooking From Pan to Plate and then to gone in my house at least.  It's still in it's infancy so can only get better with time!  Also starting off with a list of essential equipment to help you get organized and get cooking.  I left off cutting board, knive, and other utensils assuming that if you are cooking you have something to stir with, spatula, paint stirrer…something.

Growing up in Chicago you get to be protective of your pizza.  It can spark arguments as much as putting ketchup on a hot dog (don’t do it if you know what’s good for you, better yet don’t eat hot dogs as this site doesn’t quite advocate that) or Cubs vs. Sox (Sox).  Anyway, the debate continues; deep dish or thin crust, Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s.  But whatever your favorite most agree that it is just plain delicious. 

Now when you eat a plant-based diet, pizza is probably not the first thing to cross your mind for a meal, but alas it is possible.  I channeled my inner Chicagoan and made something that albeit doesn’t taste exactly like the cheesy goodness that is deep dish, it will still satisfy those cravings you have for pizza.  Whole wheat crust, tons of veggies (feel free to toss in your favs as eggplant, zucchini, etc will work just as well), sauce, non-dairy cheese if that’s your thing, all come together harmoniously to create a sinful treat that well isn’t really all that sinful.  No saturated fat, no cholesterol, no oil but one thing it is not is no taste.

I made this recipe as deep dish pizza cups, but for those who are thin crust lovers, you can easily make this as a flat pizza, just follow the directions and instead of putting the crust in individual cups, just roll it out onto a pizza stone.  I made these once as individual calzones, while tasting just as good kind of a pain, so the cups or pizza is the way to go here. 

Enjoy!

Deep Dish Pizza Cups – Serves 4-5

Essential Equipment:

Large sauté pan

Measuring Cup/Spoons

Cupcake tin

Rolling pin (or soup can, whatever works)

Ingredients:

1 pre-made whole wheat pizza dough

3 tbsp flour for pizza dough

2 cloves garlic

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 bell peppers chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup spinach

½ fresh basil

½ cup chopped tomatoes

½ cup pizza sauce of your choice

non-dairy cheese (optional)  - I use Daiya Mozzarella

4 oz Soy Italian sausage crumbles (optional)-cooked and crumbled

Spinach-Basil Pesto, recipe follows (optional)

2 tsp oregano

¼ tsp red chili flakes (optional)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-       Spray a small amount of non-stick cooking spray onto your cupcake tin.

-       Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces (cut in half, then half again, then half again, then half again)

-       On a floured surface, roll each piece into a tin circle with a diameter wide enough to fit completely in your cupcake tin.

-       Line each tin with pizza dough and place in the over for 8 minutes.   

While waiting on the dough, start the veggies:

- In a large sauté pan add a small spray of non-stick cooking spray, garlic and onions.  Cook until onions are translucent. 

- Add peppers and mushrooms and cook until they begin to become tender

- Stir in the spices

- Add spinach, basil, tomatoes and cooked sausage (if using).  Continue to cook until spinach is wilted and tomatoes start to become soft.

Time to put it all together!

-       If using pesto, place a small amount in each dough-cup (basically enough to cover the bottom in thin layer, I would say like a teaspoon).

-       Fill the dough-cup with the veggie mixture to the top, pretty much a heaping spoonful. 

-       Add a spoonful of tomato sauce on top

-       Add non-dairy cheese if using

Place pizza cups back in the over for 8 minutes.  Plate and enjoy!!!

-        

Spinach Basil Pesto

Essential Equipment

Food Processor, Blender or Mini-Chop

2 Cloves Garlic

Salt

Baby Spinach

Basil

Vegetable Broth

Juice of ½ lemon

Okay so I admittedly never measure ingredients for this.  I literally make this weekly and have on hand to toss with pasta or spread on a veggie burger or portabella sandwich.  No oil, no nuts = virtually fat free and insanely delicious.  You won’t even miss it, I promise.  

-       In a food processor or similar equipment, mince the garlic cloves, add handful of baby spinach and fresh basil leaves and chop.  Mixture with be quite dry and might not get anywhere with the processor.  Add small amounts of veggie broth until your processor starts blending it all together.  Add salt to taste.  At this point I will normally taste the pesto and determine to add any additional basil, salt, etc. 

-       The other day I threw a tablespoon of nutritional yeast in just b/c I had it on hand.  This is really a do what you want kind of pesto.  

Desperate Times Lead To Delicious Treasures

One of my favorite things lately has been these baked blue corn tortilla chips from Trader Joe's.  I have been eating them with salsa, guacamole, hummus, you name I dipped these in it.  Well on a trip there yesterday they were out of them.  How will I ever survive a week without them?   Well as I pondered this in my kitchen staring into the fridge something caught my eye, a pack of corn tortillas I had purchased last week and remained unused.  Queue the lightbulb above my head.  

I set out to make a baked corn tortilla chips with as little or no oil as I could.  Well turns out you need none.  These turned out crispy and yummy.  Just wish I had made a double batch, soon as Dan found them they were gone....guess they were pretty good as he is a self proclaimed tortilla chip expert.  Just ask him about his life long quest to find the best nachos. 

Low Fat Baked Chili Lime Tortilla Chips

12 corn tortillas

2 limes

salt to taste (about 5 grinds of the salt grinder)

chili powder to taste (optional)

non-stick cooking spray

Pre heat over to 400 degrees

Cut tortillas into 8 triangular pieces (or whatever shapes you may fancy)

Place on a cookie sheet and lightly spray with non-stick spray (I had to do mine in 2 batches).  Take 1 lime each batch and juice over the tortillas, add salt and chili powder and mix all together.  

Place in the over for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, shaking the pan and turning the pieces once in a while.  

Place on a cooling rack to cool and if they are still around enjoy with your favorite salsa or the super easy crowd pleasing guacamole recipe below!

This is my go-to guacamole recipe.  I bring this to parties or just make at home to be selfish and enjoy all by myself :)  It is always a crowd pleaser.

Guacamole

3 ripe avocados (should have a little give when you gently squeeze it)

1 lime

1 clove garlic - minced

1 tomato - finely diced

1/2 cup onion (red, yellow, green whatever you like) - finely chopped

1 tsp salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

Cut avocados in half, remove the pit and set aside one pit to add to the guac later.  Scoop out the avocado from it's skin and place in a bowl.  Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl and add the garlic.  Mash until smooth with just a little bit of chunk in there.  Stir in tomatoes, onions, salt & cayenne.  Add the pit back in to keep the guacamole green longer (I don't know how it works but it certainly does).  

Chili For When It Gets Chilly

Well it seems like winter finally decided to arrive over the past few days.  A little dusting of snow on the ground and the feeling of not wanting to get out of my warm bed signals one thing to me…Chili season! 

For years as a child I would turn my nose up to the bowl of chili placed in front of me.  Perhaps it was the beans that terrified me so much but slowly I began to eat some chili.  The first time I had to be tricked into it.  Babs put a big heaping pile of spaghetti and topped it with some chili, called it spaghetti and I gobbled it up.  As the years progressed, the amount of spaghetti I needed with that chili decreased until finally came the day for me to eat it without.  

Today the only thing better on a cold day then a warm bowl of chili is the smell of it cooking in your house.  Recently I have forgone the ground beef and handful of cheese on top for something vegan, but the feeling you get when eating it is just the same, you won’t even miss the meat.  I promise.

This recipe is so easy, if you can open a bunch of cans, you can make this chili.  I have a few notes at the bottom to make this even easier!  Feel free to change up the beans that are here, I typically use whatever I have on hand, white beans, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans. (Note: rinsing the beans really well helps to decrease their "magical" qualities).  

And if you are like the 10 year old Jody and need to have something to put the chili on top of, try 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat noodles.

Chili

1 medium yellow onion – roughly chopped

2 bell peppers (any color)– chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz can whole kernel corn or 1 cup frozen corn

2 15 oz cans beans of your liking (drained and rinsed)

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large stock pan on medium heat, add some non-stick cooking spray, garlic, onions and bell peppers.  Sauté until the onions are translucent.  Add to pot, the remaining ingredients (corn, beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and spices).  Stir all together, put the pot on low, cover it and forget about it for 30 minutes.  Taste for seasonings; add salt, pepper, or additional spice if you like it spicier.  That’s it!  The chili will store in the fridge for about a week, perfect to pack up for lunches or a quick weeknight dinner.  I like to serve with a few baked corn tortilla chips for a nice added crunch, some sliced avocado and chopped green onions on top!

Make it simple: If you have Trader Joe’s* nearby here is a good way to get this done in a shorter amount of time.  In place of the onions and bell peppers they sell a frozen bag of fire roasted onions and peppers that will work just fine.  They are already cooked, so just add them to the pan with the cooking spray and garlic (look for the frozen pre-minced garlic to save your fingers from smelling!) and all you need to do is open some cans and you are set! 

*They may sell the frozen onions & peppers elsewhere, check your grocery frozen vegetables section. 

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Vegan Christmas

For as long as I can remember I have baked cutout cookies for Christmas. It started as something we would do with my mom and as I got older I took over the reigns (with the help of my younger sister who would decorate 2 cookies and then get bored). I do this not because I love sugar cookies(I don't really) but because I love decorating them while Christmas music is playing in the background. No better way to get in the christmas  spirit.  So each year I dust off the old Kitchen Aid and spend a day baking and decorating.

So this year is no different, vegan or not I was going to make those cookies. I found a recipe online and surprisingly it is good. There are no weird 'vegan' ingredients here, I didn't try and sneak some tofu in there :). Still chalk full of sugar, flour and vegan butter.  This just goes to show that not all vegan food is good for you. But once a year is just fine.

Also since there are no eggs your mom can't yell at you for licking the spoon or eating the dough!

Thanks to Betty Crocker for this yummy recipe!  I made a few changes to the ingredients so below is what I made.  

Vegan Sugar Cookies:

Cookies:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 cup vegan margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance)

¼ cup vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Icing:

4 cups powdered sugar

4 tbsp vanilla almond milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the margarine, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed to combine. 

Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and cream of tartar until blended. Place the dough on a piece of wax paper and wrap up in a little dough burrito.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Divide dough in half. Roll each dough half to1/4 inch thickness on generously floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters. On cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2 inches apart.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

In large mixing bowl, beat icing ingredients with fork or whisk until smooth. If icing is too thick, beat in 1 additional teaspoon almond milk.  Color icing with food coloring gel if desired. Frost cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

Enjoy with a glass of almond milk while you wait for Santa Claus to come down the chimney...even he wouldn't know they were made vegan!

Kale A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Okay, so it wasn't until I started juicing (see earlier post on that one) that I had even given kale a second thought.  It is just another green, leafy vegetable right?

That was all before I found out what a super super food kale is.  Need some vitamin c, eat some kale....need some fiber, eat some kale...want to lower your risk of cancer...eat some kale.  That's enough to convince me to have some.

Kale has gotten quite a bit of attention lately due to the fact that a famous chicken restaurant...won't say who but they are not open on Sundays decided to sue a guy just making some t-shirts about kale because they didn't want people to confuse kale for chicken.  Now one would assume the american public is a little more intelligent then that, but clearly aforementioned chicken company has very little faith in their customers.  Actually, I am pretty sure we could solve a lot of health issues in this country if people starting confusing kale for fried chicken...

I make Kale Chips just about weekly and have some on hand to snack on.  It is simple and easy to do, but also easy to burn so make sure you stand by just in case.  I like to make them with a little asian flavor, but they do just fine with a little olive oil, salt & pepper.

Kale Chips

3 kale leaves 

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Tear the kale leaves into pieces as big as you would like the chips, I typically tear them into what would be bite size pieces.  Don't use the stems, these will not turn out chip like.  You can toss them or use them later in a veggie broth or something if you have a lot of time to do that (I think the box of veggie broth from Trader Joes is just fine and takes zero time).  

Make sure you wash and dry the leaves well.  I find that a salad spinner does best here, not to mention is super fun to use.  

Toss the kale with the oils, seeds, and salt.  I find that this little amount of oil is just fine.  You don't want to much because soggy kale chips are not good kale chips.  

Place kale chips on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Cook in oven for 8-10 minutes.  Checking them often to make sure they don't burn, just like soggy kale chips, burnt kale chips are not good.  When the chips are crispy remove from the oven and enjoy all the nutrients you are consuming!

Drink Your Veggies!

So most people I know will tell you I like the drink.  Well surprisingly that is not just reserved for wine and other adult beverages but also my veggies!

Upon the suggestion of my older sister a few months back, I watched the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (it's on Netflix...watch it).  Now I was a little skeptical at first, but watching this guy totally change his life by eating the foods that come out of the ground was pretty inspirational, only took a few days and my juicer was here!  

I have been juicing ever since.  Mostly trying to have a meal a day as a juice, although this sounds a bit easier than it is.  I am lucky enough to work in the city and near a juice bar where they will make just about anything, seeing as my co-workers (one who I made watch the documentary and she subsequently became a juicer even though she may or may not have a website dedicated to meat, the other just a self proclaimed "social juicer") and I have become regulars there we have gotten the chance to try a whole bunch of different things.  Add a beet here, some kale there and viola...delicious and your daily does of veggies in one cup, how awesome is that!  

Here are 2 of my favorites, the green juice is something I typically make the night before and enjoy on the train ride into work as breakfast.  The other is homage to the juice guy at Loop Juice in the French Market...I have changed the name to make it more appetizing as they call it Heavy Avocado which sounds like it might hit me over the head and make me fall asleep mid-meeting.    

Enjoy and drink up!  I drink mine at home in a martini glass, might as well drink it out of something nice!  So next time your Mom tells you to eat your veggies, tell her you will drink them instead.

Green Juice (makes 1 16 oz juice depending on juicer performance)

2 Green Apples

1 Pear

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger

1/2 cucumber

1 stalk celery

1 cup spinach

3 kale leaves

Juice all items in a juicer, cutting as needed to fit.  Enjoy and mark your veggie consumption off the list for the day!

Avosundae

1/2 avocado

juice of 1 apple

1 banana

12-15 almonds (or other nut of choice, walnut & pecans work)

1 cup ice

Juice the apple in a juicer.  Add apple juice, and remaining ingredients to blender with ice, blend under completely mixed and nuts are chopped and enjoy!  

Note: Make it interesting and add a tablespoon of peanut butter in there.  Yum!  Makes a delicious dessert that is creamy like ice cream but none of the dairy!