Pizza Stuffed Portobellas with Arugula Pesto

New loves of my life: mushrooms and arugula. There was a day that I detested mushrooms, most of my days, actually. I am not sure why things changed, but now I can't get enough. As for arugula, I had just never intentionally had it until recently, and it was love at first bite.

My new loves met in these pizza stuffed portobellas. I want to thank Jess for the idea of using a portobella mushroom in place of a pizza crust. It is such a fun and easy idea, simply fill a portobella with your favorite sauce, veggies, and non-dairy cheese and bake. I chose to sauce my caps with arugula pesto and then stuff them with artichokes, tomatoes, and non-dairy cheese. Admittedly not the most common pizza flavors, but delicious nonetheless. 

Pizza Stuffed Portobellas
(Inspired by Get Sconed!) 
Serves 2

Arugula pesto sauce:
1 cup arugula, packed
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp onion powder
1-2 tbsp water

2 portobella caps, gills scraped, stems reserved for the filling
1 tbsp sherry
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup frozen artichoke hearts (or canned)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
portobello stems, chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
Mozzarella style non-dairy cheese
1 tsp nutritional yeast
Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour the sherry and olive oil in a small baking dish (large enough to hold both mushrooms), and stir to coat. Put the clean caps stem side up in the dish and rub them around a bit in the sherry oil mixture. Set aside.

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor and puree. Start with 1 tbsp of water and add another tbsp if the mixture is not saucy enough. Set aside.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the frozen artichokes, portobella stems, oregano, and thyme, saute for about 3-5 minutes, until the artichokes are thawed. Then add the cherry tomatoes and saute for another minute or two, until the tomatoes are a bit shriveled but not mushy. (If you are using canned artichokes put all of the ingredients in the pan at the same time and cook 3 minutes). Transfer mixture to food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times, to chop up the artichokes.

Now assemble the mushrooms. Spoon the pesto into each cap, half per. Next stuff half of the artichoke mixture in each mushroom. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of nutritional yeast on top of each, and finish off by sprinkling some non-dairy cheese and fresh ground pepper.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes and then broil on high for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking the cheese, watching closely to avoid burning. Serve hot.

Snow Day Tofu Scramble

All week Chicago and the surrounding areas have been preparing for the Blizzard of 2011, also known as snowmageddon, snowpocalypse, blizzastrophe, SN(OMG), snowzilla, and thundersnow (yes the combo of thunder, lightning, and snow!). I thought that the predictions might have been a little exaggerated, but no, we got every last inch that they said we would-- 19" in total in my area.

The wind was incredible. The snow blew itself into most of the big piles that you see in the photo below. Surprisingly my driveway only had about 4 inches because the snow blew to the side creating a 5' tall drift. The wind was not so friendly to others, some friends' cars are completely buried and they have been digging out for hours. As peaceful as it looks here, the scene downtown is still a total mess. They closed down Lake Shore Drive and hundreds of people were stranded overnight, with rescue efforts taking up to 12 hours for some. It is still closed down now, and they are towing the abandoned cars to nearby lots as it continues to snow.

I am thankful to be in my warm house, thankful for canceled work, thankful that the snow has stopped here, and thankful for tofu. Just as the snow was starting yesterday afternoon I made a quick stop at Whole Foods for bread and milk tofu and kale before locking down for the storm. This morning I treated myself to a most delicious tofu scramble and the raspberry cornmeal pancakes from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan. This is my new favorite pancake recipe. This recipe is wheat-free, utilizing oat flour, cornmeal, and flax--so as far as pancakes go, these ones are pretty darn healthy!

 

If you haven't scrambled tofu, what are you waiting for? This recipe is more of a guideline to get you started. Use your favorite spices and veggies, and have fun with it! 

Tofu Scramble for Two

1/2 package of firm or extra firm tofu (8 oz)(not silken)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped onion or 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional, but makes the tofu yellow like eggs)

1/2 tsp oregano 

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped small

5 button mushrooms chopped

1 cup kale, tough stems removed and chopped (or spinach, or chard)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)

1 tbsp chives, chopped (optional)

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1 tbsp tahini (optional)

1 tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain tofu well, and press out water as much water as possible with a clean dish towel or paper towels by hand. You will be crumbling the tofu so feel free to squeeze down hard and allow the tofu to break apart a bit. Put the tofu in a bowl and mash with a fork until the consistency of scrambled eggs. 

Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add tofu and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and onion (if using) and cook until fragrant. Add spices, broccoli and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes (until broccoli is crisp-tender). Add in the kale, tomatoes, parsley, and chives and cook until the greens have wilted. Stir in remaining ingredients (the optional ingredients will give a cheesy flavor), and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Vegan MoFo #4 - Hunting and Jennifer's Mushroom Gravy

I am a ruthless hunter, a lioness hiding in the brush waiting to pounce at any moment. When it comes to my dinner, I show no mercy.

Turnip Killa

My mate is an excellent gatherer, so naturally we make a great team.

Berry findings

Oh, so helpless

This kale didn't stand a chance

In a matter of few hours we claimed several fine specimen, including kale, turnips, raspberries, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, red cabbage, tomatoes, dill, and daikon radishes. Our plates were overflowing that night!

One seriously momentous dinner after the hunt

Of course a massive veggie roast was in order. For the main dish I whipped up one of Veganomicon's most famous dishes, the chickpea cutlets (as of yesterday this recipe is available at the new PPK!). On the side we had Fran's cornbread (another winner), and some garlic red skin mashed potatoes. We doused our cutlets and 'taters with Jennifer's Mushroom Gravy for a Crowd, which was immediately deemed my new standard mushroom gravy. Get some! Jennifer's recipe as listed below makes 10 cups, I halved the recipe and still had a couple servings left to freeze.

Jennifer's Mushroom Gravy
(from It Ain't Meat, Babe)
Makes 10 cups

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 cups of mushrooms, roughly chopped (I used creminis)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup red wine or port
4 tbsp soy sauce (I used tamari)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp flour (I used spelt)

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are tender.

Add mushrooms, bay leaf, wine, and soy sauce. Stir constantly until mushrooms begin to reduce in size (five minutes or so). Sprinkle flour onto mushroom mixture and stir until it has completely combined.

Add soup stock, herbs, and pepper. Raise heat to medium high. Let simmer until mushrooms are very tender.

Remove bay leaf and blend gravy with immersion blender, (or transfer to a blender or food processor) until smooth.

We heart you Garden Patch Farms

For some reason I have Bjork stuck in my head now..

A Proper Vegan Brunch

You would not really know it from reading my blog, but I love cooking breakfast. In fact, it is a Saturday morning tradition at my house. In the past I have not posted about very many of my breakfasts, because while I enjoyed my regular rotations of skillets, omelets, and pancakes, I did not feel that I had anything ground breaking to add to the mix.

As you might recall, several weeks ago I decided to give up my weekly cheesy, eggy, and buttery breakfasts as part of the 10-day cleanse. I was surprised how easy it was to give up eggs and dairy, and not just for my Saturday morning breakfasts. The cleanse ended 10 days ago and I have continued on without eggs and dairy without looking back.

So what of my Saturday morning tradition then? It was high time that I made a proper vegan brunch, so this weekend I set out to do just that. It seemed only appropriate to go for an eggs, meat, and potatoes combination for this venture.

Now this, I could get used to.

First up, Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches. If you are a skeptic on replacing your morning eggs with tofu I urge you to try this recipe. Baking these quiches results in a firm, yet fluffy result (very eggy!), and the chopped herbs and veggies within pack them with flavor.


Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches
(from FatFree Vegan Kitchen)

olive oil spray
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup bell pepper
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (or one green onion)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
black pepper to taste
1 12.3-ounce package lite firm silken tofu, drained of water
1/4 cup plain soymilk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
1 teaspoon tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 12 regular-sized muffin cups well with non-stick spray.
Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.
Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the 12 muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.
Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 F. Bake until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean--about 25-35 minutes depending on your oven and muffin cups (silicone will take longer than metal, so if you're using a metal pan, check it at 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. (Serves 3)

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Chorizo Sausage 
(from Vegan Brunch)

Moving right along, for the meat in my brunch I decided on chorizo sausage. Can you believe these babies are plant based? They were spicy and meaty and perfect! This one comes from Vegan Brunch, and you'll just have to get your hands on a copy to get at this recipe. This is the first recipe that I have tried from this book, and there are several more I can't wait to try.

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Lastly, my own contribution to my first vegan brunch, Rosemary-Sage Homefries with Kale. These were a huge hit, and a welcome change from the potato-and-seasoning-salt variety. Amazing things happen when you have fresh rosemary on hand.


Rosemary-Sage Homefries with Kale

2 cups russet potatoes, chopped in 1/2 pieces
2 cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and saute for another minute. Add in your potatoes next and give it a good stir. Now stand back and let the potatoes brown for a few before stirring again (if you are impatient you can cover them to speed this along a bit). Brown the potatoes for about 15 minutes, stirring often. The cooking time here will depend a lot on how big your potatoes are. Stir in the rosemary and sage about half way through the browning process.

When the potatoes are at an edible point, tender, but still a few minutes from optimal crispness, stir in the kale. Give it another 2-3 minutes over medium heat stirring constantly, or until the kale is properly wilted (but not droopy!) and the potatoes are crisped to your liking. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Serves 3)


...brunch is served!

Many updates and White Chili with Tomatillos and Roasted Mushrooms

We are officially at the halfway mark of the month of December and I find myself a few steps behind.  Each day I inch closer to catching up with all things Christmas, but today I had to admit to myself that my ambition exceeds my capabilities. This December has been so much more action packed than I am used to, but in a good way! Before I get to what I cooked up for dinner tonight I thought I'd take the opportunity to fill you in on the recent excitement around here, I do hope that you will indulge me.

First up, I won my first giveaway! In late November Alisa at One Frugal Foodie hosted a week of cookbook giveaways. I was lucky enough to win on the day that she was giving away her own cookbook, Go Dairy Free. I was giddy when the package arrived, and even more so when I opened it to find not just the book I expected, but also a copy of My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminksy. Double score! I dove right into both books and started making plans on which recipes I would be trying first. I also made plans to write up both books in time for the holidays, but this is where the whole ambition exceeding capabilities comes in. If you are still looking for last minute gift ideas these are both great books, but regrettably I won't be able to share my experiences with them until after the holidays. Stay tuned!

Another reason that this December has been more awesome than the average December, I had the opportunity to host a weekend for these three lovely ladies from Tennessee. This is my cousin, Aunt, and Grandma bundled up in front of "The Bean" in Chicago's Millenium Park. I took them downtown for a day of shopping at Macy's, including a visit to the seventh floor for some fine dining at The Walnut Room. Despite not living far away, this is a Christmas tradition that I haven't experienced in many years.

Here are some Walnut Room shots of the famous tree in the dining room and my yummy butternut squash tortellini. 









What a special treat it was to spend the whole weekend with some of my favorite relatives from afar, but they did not come just to see me, they came for a much bigger occasion. After having lots of fun in the Chicago area on Friday and Saturday, we packed up the cars Sunday morning and headed to Valparaiso, Indiana to see my little brother, Tim, graduate from college! It was a wonderful time surrounded by family and celebrating his great accomplishments. Now he will be moving home for one short month and then it's off to Arizona, where he landed his first job! We are all so super proud of him, but I am going to miss him like crazy!


So I do hope that you will excuse my absence in posting so far this month, but I have not stopped cooking and baking. I have a backlog of goodies that I will share as soon as possible. For now, here is a super yum white chili that I had for dinner tonight, that is perfect for the 10°F nights such as these.

White Chili with Tomatillos and Roasted Mushrooms
(adapted from The Chubby Vegetarian)

3-15 oz cans of white beans, I used 2 cannellini + 1 great northern

1 large white onion, diced

2 shallots, diced

2 tablespoons cumin

2 "Not-chick'n" bouillon cubes

1/2 cup white wine

1 large yellow bell peppers, diced

6-8 tomatillos, peeled and washed

20 oz white button mushrooms, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed

1 serrano pepper, stem removed

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss mushrooms with a tablespoon of olive oil and roast for 15 minutes. Set aside. In a large pot sauté onion and shallot with olive oil, cumin and bouillon cubes. Once the onion is translucent, add the peppers and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Pulse tomatillos and hot peppers in the food processor until finely chopped. Add mixture to the pot along with the beans and mushrooms. Add enough water to cover and simmer for one hour. Whisk chickpea flour with some of the broth and add it all back to the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes. (This will thicken the chili.) Add salt and pepper to taste.