Garlicky Oil-Free Pesto

One thing that sucks about having a job is that during Vegan MoFo, I don't really get second chances to make things. This is why I fail a lot. This dish was not a fail, but will definitely improve when I make it again and again. I think I just puréed it too long, and I need to tweak the seasoning. Don't get me wrong; it's delicious. I just think that I could have done better, but it was hard with all the running to the TV during the debates.

Pesto is traditionally very olive oily. Even when I looked up "lowfat" or "fat free" pesto, I got recipes with SOME oil in it. Well, not this one. It's similar to the recipe over on Oh She Glows, but I left out the lemon (which would have really helped!), and used three cloves of garlic. So, it's waaay garlicky, but I like it like that. I have the night off.



Garlicky Oil-Free Pesto
makes about 1 1/2 cups

3 cloves garlic, chopped 
3/4 can of white beans (I used cannelini), drained and rinsed
1/4 avocado, chopped   
3 oz. fresh basil, stems removed (reserve some for garnish)
handful baby spinach
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
juice of half a lemon
pinch salt
water
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a food processor, purée garlic, beans, and avocado until smooth. Add basil, spinach, walnuts, nooch, lemon, and salt. Turn on the processor and blend, scraping the sides, for 5 second intervals. Start dribbling water into the machine until it reaches a spreadable consistency (I think I used about 1/3 cup, total). Season with pepper, toss with hot pasta or use as a sandwich spread.



 
 

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today, my dad gets to do three things he loves: smoke a cigar, drink some Rémy Martin, and have lunch at the Indian restaurant he loves in Fargo. Since I can't be there, I'll celebrate my own way: by making a dish that my dad made for me a lot as a child.



Rich, cheesy, and comforting, Carbonara is perfect for a crisp autumn evening. I've never written down the recipe, because I've always just thrown it together. But I'll give it a try.

Pasta alla Carbonara
for one or two

cooked pasta of choice (spaghetti is most common)

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced thin
4 strips of vegan bacon, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp margarine
3 tbsp vegan cream cheese or Daiya mozzarella
1/3 cup soy creamer or unsweetened almond milk
splash white wine
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese if desired
salt, pepper, fresh parsley

In oil, cook the onion, bacon, and garlic until bacon is browned and onion is translucent. Add margarine, cheese, and milk. Stir until cheese is melted. Add wine and peas. Heat through. Add vegan parmesan (I use a mixture of sea salt, walnuts, and nooch). Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with pasta. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Sausage Party

I love lasagna. I think I've made that pretty apparent in past postings (click "lasagna" on the tag cloud). But this one...oh boy. This one is a monster. I used 'Furky Italian Sausage, burger crumbles, pistachio pesto, a rich, white wine bechamel, and a hearty marinara. I highly recommend using boiled noodles for a lasagna this rich, because oven-ready ones don't soften up quite enough in a fat-heavy dish. I had one piece, and I don't think I can move much for the rest of the day. I did think ahead and placed a cookie sheet under the pan in the oven, because it did, in fact, erupt a little.

I don't know why I do this to myself every MoFo. My best friend even said, "Why don't you do a week of healthy recipes?" BORING. Would you rather look at a plate of brown rice and steamed vegetables, or a tower of Daiya, pasta, and processed faux meats? Would you rather hear me talk (rather self righteously) about how healthy vegan diets are and how I am such a perfect person? Hell no. You want to show a picture of a giant slab of Monster Lasagna to your "tasty tasty murder"-joke making coworker douchebag and have him say, "Whoa. I'd eat the hell out of that."


BAM.

Zzzzzzuppa!

One last chain restaurant to go, and who could forget Olive Garden? There are a million things on the menu that could be easily veganized with cashew ricotta and Daiya, but I saw this soup that already had kale in it, and knew that it would be delicious no matter what.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana is mostly sausage and potatoes, so I knew I'd have to buy some faux meat. I had no idea I'd be using the WHOLE tube of Gimme Lean. I'd say save this for a somewhat special occasion.



Vegan Zuppa Toscana
8-10 servings

1 lb vegan Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lg onion, diced
2 tsp crushed garlic
4 strips vegan bacon, diced (optional; I used Smart Bacon and it didn't hold up well. Tempeh maybe)
5 Not-Chicken broth cubes
10 cups water
1 lb peeled, sliced potatoes (about 3 large russets)
1 cup cashew cream (I used Mimicreme but soy creamer would work)
1/2 bunch kale, washed and cut into thin strips

Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and crushed red pepper. Break the sausage apart into bits while it's cooking. When done, dump inot a bowl and set aside.

In the same pot, heat 1 tbsp oil and add onion, bacon, and garlic. Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes until onion is soft. Dissolve the broth cubes in 2 cups hot water, and add to the pot with remaining 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then add potatoes. Cook for 15 or so minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in cashew cream, sausage, and kale. Heat through. Serve.

Eatin' Good in the Vegan Hood

The first time I saw the commercial for Applebee's "Stacked, Stuffed, and Topped" menu, I thought the people in it were saying, "I liked being stuffed," "I like being topped," etc. Of course I laughed a lot because I'm 12.


Just watch the first five seconds, because then it gets gross.

One of the items on this menu was the Chicken Parmesan Stack. I decided to make it because I had all the stuff in the house. My apologies to my friend Melissa, for whom I promise to make a Maple Butter Blondie in the near future for letting me use her deep fryer. I was going to make the blondie for MoFo, but I am too many bus rides away from vanilla soy ice cream, and I already had to leave OccupyMN due to a stiff neck and back.



Fairly easy. Make some fettucine alfredo (sauce is easy with some Tofutti cream cheese, roasted garlic, a little salt, basil, pepper, unsweetened soy milk). Deep fry some Gardein chicken scallopine (I made a seasoned batter with flour, soy milk, sage, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper). Melt some Daiya mozzarella on the fried chick'n. Spoon marinara over it. Top (heh) with some more Daiya or parmesan alternative and fresh parsley. Voila. This took me all of 20 minutes. Of course, it'll take me a week to burn it off. Good thing I didn't make a pan of blondies.

Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

Getting more comfortable with the new camera. Found that it works much better on the "closeup" setting than on the "food" setting. Will try again in natural light, should I ever get up and cook before dark.



Traditional Panzanella recipes suggest rubbing a peeled, halved garlic clove all over the inside of the bowl, and all over the spoon. I skipped this, because I bought some roasted garlic Italian bread from the Wedge, and it had huge chunks of garlic throught the whole loaf. I cut it up and dried it, then soaked the pieces for just a second. Now I had bread I could work with; chewy crust, soft bread.

This is a very comforting salad. Little bit of baby greens, marinated veggies, chunks of rustic bread, and a salty, olive oil based dressing. Tomatoes and basil are a must. I made it very quickly.

Dressing
for two salads

1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk until blended.

This would also be good with vegan tuna, roasted red peppers, sweet onion, and olives. I just used what I had on hand. It was worth running out in the cold and coming dangerously close to dealing with Holidazzle crowds to pick up basil.

Tomorrow: Iron Chef: Battle Cranberries. Stay tuned!

Whore's Quinoa

I dropped $137 at Whole Foods this week, all on testing stuff. I made this tonight. If you love spicy, you'll love this version of Pasta Puttanesca, using quinoa instead of totally fattening spaghetti. Truth be told, I may have the leftover sauce with some totally fattening spaghetti.