NON DAIRY...CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

Non Dairy - Cream of Mushroom Soup

It’s challenging to realize that this amazing soup has no dairy!  It’s low in fat and yummy, too!  This recipe has been requested from several friends and is a sure fire winner!  Adjust seasonings to taste, as well as adjusting the amount of cashews/water for a soup consistency.

Ingredients:

Two large packages of sliced mushrooms (portabellas and button mushrooms are a good combination)

3 Chopped Carrots

2 Chopped Stalks of Celery

1 large Chopped Onion

¼ TBL Spoons of Safflower oil

3 cups of unsalted cashews

3-4 cups of water

3-4 pitted dates

Seasonings:  One clove of chopped garlic, Pepper, Sage, Chili Powder, Paprika, Basil, pinch of red pepper flakes (I don't use salt, but feel free to adjust as needed, may want to try using Soy Sauce instead of salt.

Preparation!

Using the oil make a Mirepoix ("Mirepoix" is the French culinary term for a combination of diced carrots, onions and celery sautéed in butter and used as an aromatic base to flavor sauces, soups and stews) with the celery, onion and carrots, .  Important to put the “seasonings” in during this process as it allows the oil to release from the seasonings.  Sauté’ until tender.

While making the Mirepoix, prepare the cashew milk.  Add the water to a high speed blender, add cashews and dates.  Blend until smooth, taste.  It should have a sweet taste (taking the place of cream).  Add to the cooked Mirepoix.  Add more water and/or more cashew milk for a large pot of soup.

Using an Immersion Blender, blend the soup until smooth, adjust seasonings.  Add the mushrooms.  Cook for about 20 minutes.  Soup is done!

Soup always tastes better the second day.  I like making this, letting it cool, place in the refrigerator, and reheating for a meal the next day.

This is great by itself or with a salad or grilled cheese (oops there's dairy in that, but not in the soup!)

Enjoy!

CURRIED TOFU WITH CASHEWS AND RAISINS

CURRIED TOFU WITH CASHEWS AND RAISINS

Great dish!  And you can make it as spicy as you or your guests would like it!  I make my own Vegan Mayo (recipe below); use Thompson Seedless Raisins and unsalted cashews.  Spices are approximate, use more or less, per your taste.  I also like to use Vindaloo Curry Powder, but you can use regular curry powder.  Good idea to bake the tofu and make the Vegan Mayo the day before or earlier in the day so that they are cold.

Ingredients:

1 block of firm or extra firm tofu

1 cup raisins

1 cup cashews

Handful of chopped Cilantro

Vegan Mayo (approx 1 cup, per taste and desired creaminess)

Spices: 

Curry powder 1-2 tsp

Salt, Pepper, Cumin, granulated garlic (all to taste)

Step 1:  Preheated oven to 375 degrees

Slice the tofu in 1/4 “ slices, place on parchment paper on baking pan.  Coat with a whisked mixture of Canola oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, granulated garlic.  Coat both sides.  Place in oven for approx 45 minutes, flip over, and bake approximately another 10 minutes.  Should be medium to touch, not too soft and not too hard.  Remove from oven, place tofu on a plate, let cool, then place in refrigerator.

Vegan Mayo:

½ block of firm tofu

Tbl spoon of Dijon Mustard

Lemon juice from 1 lemon

Tbl spoon of honey

1-1/2 cups of water

1 cup of unsalted cashews

½ tsp of Guar Gum (thickener)

Place the water and cashews in a high speed blender until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (except the Guar Gum).  Blend until smooth, and then add the Guar Gum.  Place in sealed container, then refrigerate.

Assemble:

Chop the tofu into bite size pieces, place in a bowl; add the remaining ingredients, Vegan Mayo (adding enough until it has the consistency of chicken salad.

Serve over a mixed salad.  I use a dressing of Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegar.  YUMMMM!

BLT...Vegetarian Style!!!

Veggie BLT

I love BLT’s!  I discovered a local vegetarian restaurant that had one, but used Asiago Cheese instead of bacon.  It gave me an idea to create this one.

Ingredients:

Asiago Crisps (recipe follows)

Sprouts

Spicy Vegan Mayo (recipe follows)

Fresh Spinach leaves

Sliced tomato

½ of an Avocado

Whole Grain bread

Preparation:

Spread the spicy mayo on both sides of the bread, the place the avocado on one slice and mash/spread with a fork.  Place a few spinach leaves on top of the avocado, then 2-3 slices of tomato.  Place the Asiago crisp on top of everything, then cover with the other slice of bread.  Enjoy!

Asiago Crisps:  Pre-heat oven to 425. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Grate, about ½ of a cup of aged/hard asiago cheese in 3 or 4 piles on the paper.  Place in the oven until it browns around the edges.  Remove from the oven, place a wired rack on top of the cheese and carefully flip the crisps with the parchment paper on the rack.  Remove the paper and let cool.

Spicy Mayo:  You can easily make your own Vegan Mayo (see previous recipes) or buy a Vegan mayo.  Add hot sauce, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder.

Martha Stewart's Apple Crisp!

I have made Apple Crisp in the past, but I found this recipe from Martha Stewart to be exceptional!

http://www.marthastewart.com/316288/apple-crisp

I enjoyed this with a cup of fresh roasted Colombian/Costa Rican coffee - in a French Press.  Yum!

If you like coffee, this combination is extraordinary.  I roast my own coffee from Green Coffee beans.  It really is an experience to have a fresh roasted cup of coffee!

Kale, Black Eyed Peas in Thai Yellow Curry Sauce

Kale, Black Eyed Peas in Thai Yellow Curry Sauce

A local restaurant had a kale and Thai coconut dish.  It was very good, but I wanted something more exotic and tasty.  Thus…this super, easy recipe!

I bought a bottle of Thai Yellow Curry Sauce from Trader Joe’s.  If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, you can substitute it with a similar sauce found in your local grocery or Asian Market.

I’ve used fresh kale and frozen.  The frozen is just as good…I recommend it.  However, if you use fresh kale, you’ll want to remove the leaves from the stems, rinse thoroughly, chop and simmer in water until soft (about 20-25 minutes) then add it to the dish.

I serve this with Quinoa.  Quinoa is a fabulous replacement for rice!

Suggestion:  I sauté the dry seasonings with the onions, as it releases the oils and the dish is more flavorful.

Ingredients:

Kale (about 2 generous handfuls)

Red Pepper (half chopped)

Onion (small onion, chopped)

Sliced Mushrooms (1-2 cups)

1 can Black Eyed Peas (rinsed, well in cold water)

1-2 cloves of Garlic

1-2 Table spoons of Soy or Tamari Sauce

Coconut Oil

Toasted coconut for garnish

Seasonings:  Paprika, Chili Powder, Red Pepper flakes, Basil, Vindaloo Curry (or another exotic curry, if you have it)

Add 2-3 Table spoons of coconut oil to a hot cast iron pan.  Add the onions, red pepper, garlic and the dry seasonings.  Sauté until soft.  Add the Thai Curry sauce, Kale and black eyed peas stir.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, add the mushrooms.  

If it is too thick, add some water so it will be the consistency of a very thick soup or chili.

Garnish with toasted coconut.  Serve with Quinoa!

**Quinoa is easy to make.  1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice.  Put water in a pan, when it comes to a boil, add the rinsed quinoa, stir, cover and cook at low heat for 20 minutes.  Check every couple of minutes, when it absorbs the water, fluff with a fork.

Grilled Artichokes!

Grilled Artichokes

If you’ve never eaten fresh artichokes, here’s an easy recipe AND...How to eat them, if you haven’t ever eaten a whole one!

I like buying 2 Fresh Artichokes per person.  They serve as a fantastic appetizer.

Preparing the Artichokes:

Cut the stem off at the bottom of the artichoke, then take off the first couple of leaves.  Slice the artichoke in half (length wise).  This is the hardest part of the cleaning – with a spoon, 

scrape out the purple leafs and fibrous tissue (the choke) in the bottom/middle of the artichoke.  Rinse with cold water and clean the remaining artichokes.

Place them in a pot of boiling water, salted water for about 20-25 minutes.  You’ll know when they are done when the leaf will pull off, taste the bottom, it should be soft.

Remove and pat dry.  Place the artichokes, leaf side down, so that the meat part is showing.  Season with pepper, chili powder, garlic granules, and salt. 

Pre-heat (medium-high heat) a cast iron pan and place some coconut oil in the pan.  Place the artichokes, meat side down in the pan.  Grill until browned, remove and let cool.

If it’s grilling season…these go great on a grill outside!

I like to make a dipping sauce.  Get my recipe for Vegan Mayonnaise on my blog.  Mix some chili powder, worchestire sauce, Pepper and hot sauce with some of the mayo….YUM!

How to eat an Artichoke…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL4RaoSaHu4

Dog Biscuits...HOMEMADE!

Dog Biscuits - Homemade…Your Dog will love them!

These are so easy to make, much less expensive than buying dog treats at the store.  For some unknown reason, when I am baking them, my dogs know it’s for them!

This is Sadie and Radar!  Both are Rescues...YES..They rescued me!  Great Dogs!

Pre-heat the oven to 375°

Ingredients:

2 cups of Flour

3 TB of Peanut Butter

1 cup of Cooked Chicken, Turkey or Pork

Water

Place all the ingredients, except the water in a food processor.  Blend together.  Start adding some water, about ¼ cup while processing.  Add just enough water until the mixture starts to form a ball of dough.

Remove the dough, cut in half and place one half onto a floured surface.  Roll this out at about ¼” thick, use a cookie cutter or the rim of a small glass or cup, and make the biscuits.  

Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking pan, bake for 25-30 minutes until the biscuits start to brown.  Remove and place them on a cooling rack.