Crazy Awesome Vegan Mac and Cheese

"What?!", you ask. "Isn't cheese inherently non-vegan?" Yes. Yes, it is. But there are some fabulous substitutes out there (like the ones I use in the recipe below). Now, I have had many vegan mac and cheeses, but none of them have ever included any of these awesome substitutes and I'm not entirely sure why that is.

Note: This is not one of my super quick recipes. It is also rather messy to make. However, clean up is still super fast and it will feed you for a LONG time. :)

Crazy Awesome Vegan Mac and Cheese
(makes a LOT. I mean, enough to feed five people for several days.)

18 cups of water
32 oz elbow macaroni (I use Tinkyada Pasta Joy Brown Rice Elbow Pasta with Bran)
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tbsp honey dijon mustard
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup onion, diced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp arrowroot
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups shredded vegan cheese (I use 3/4 cup soy kaas mild cheddar and a .41 lb block of Daiyo cheese), plus more for topping (optional)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 can sweet peas
6 oz extra firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes

This is what your shredded Daiyo and Soy Kaas will look like. See. Nothing to be scared of. :)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Boil 18 cups of water in a giant pot. Pour 32 oz of pasta in and cook on medium high for 3 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile...

In a big sauce pan, warm olive oil, almond milk, mustard, and flour over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until there are no lumps.

Add garlic and onions and 1 tbsp arrowroot. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Add shredded cheese and stir for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add salt and pepper. Stir some more. I let it sit for a few minutes after this and came back and stirred and then repeated until the consistency was nice and cheesy and goopy (took about 15 minutes including the time I left it to sit while I strained my cooked pasta, etc).

By now, your pasta should be done cooking, so remove it from heat, strain it through a colander, rinse with cold water, and replace in the big pot you cooked it in. Add the peas and tofu and stir to combine well. Pour in the yummy cheese sauce and use a big spoon to really stir it all together.

Next, pour the whole pot full into your big casserole dish and sprinkle with more shredded vegan cheese or breadcrumbs or almond meal or flaxseed meal or... really anything you like. :) Bake in the oven for ~30 minutes. Remove, let cool for about 5-10 minutes, and then serve. Or put in your fridge and serve the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that. :)

Go on! Have a peace!

Lemon Alfredo Pasta

Another sunday, another round of Home-cooked Horror nights. This evening, my friends descended on my place to enjoy a tasty, home-cooked vegetarian meal and a viewing of Carrie and The Signal. (If you haven't seen The Signal, by the way, and you like horror movies, I heartily recommend it. It was a laugh-riot, gory masterpiece.) Anywho, dinner.

Lemon Alfredo Pasta

(makes ~8 servings)

16 oz whole wheat spaghetti

4 tbsp olive oil

light cream cheese

juice and zest of 2 large lemons

1 bag full frozen peas, steamed

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

salt, to taste

4 shakes garlic powder

1/2 cup water

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain it. 

Warm cream cheese, oil, and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a large saucepan over low heat until all melted. Add 1/2 cup of water (about 2 tbsp at a time) until the consistency is something you like. :) Try to keep it from being too thick. Add peas, pine nuts, lemon zest, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until well-combined. Add pasta to the sauce; stir to coat. 

Goulash Nosh

 Every week, my friend Janet and I get together and I teach her how to make a new recipe. Tonight, I decided to show her a nice, easy en-masse meal. My friend Alex gave me her Greek grandmother's goulash recipe about a year ago and I've been playing with it ever since. This is delicious, easy to make in big batches, filling, high in protein, and surprisingly healthy.

Goulash Nosh
(~8 servings)

1.5 cups creamy tomato soup (Red pepper and tomato soup would probably be really good too!)
2/3 cup garden patch juice (alternatives: tomato juice or V8)
8 ounces vegetable rotini pasta
1/2 red onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped into bite-size bits
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 tsp agave nectar
salt and pepper, to taste
1.5 lb ground turkey meat
1 handful light, shredded 3-cheese, plus more if you want
1 tbsp grapeseed oil

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain.

In a large stock pot, brown onions and turkey meat with 1 tbsp grapeseed oil over medium high heat. When the meat is fully cooked, drain the grease.

Add noodles to the stock pot. Add soup and juice. Stir. Add carrots; simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add agave nectar. Stir. Add garbanzo beans. Stir. Simmer for 2-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add handful of cheese and mix it well with the rest. Tap down, sprinkle a teensy bit of cheese over the top. Put a lid on the pot, lower heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Enjoy. :)

Guilt-Free T.C.

Due to the fact that I expect to be rather busy for the next few days, I decided to make a casserole to tide me through the coming week. And then I realized, hey! I haven't showed you guys any of my wicked fun casserole dishes. So you, my friends, are in for a treat. This dish makes about 8-10 servings. It's delicious, wholesome, guilt-free, and utterly satisfying. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed inventing it. :)

Guilt-Free Tuna Casserole
(Serves 8-10)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs
8 oz vegetable rotini pasta (this pasta is made from compressed veggies and is super delicious)
olive oil cooking spray
3 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and diced
1 head cauliflower
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp almond meal
1 Tbsp flax seed meal
1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup water
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and diced
~14.8 oz canned tuna - unsalted, packed in water, drained
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
~1 Tbsp dried dill (make sure it's finely minced)
~1 Tbsp low-fat Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a stockpot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Dice a head of cauliflower into 1-2 inch florets, including as much of the stalk as you can manage without adding the green parts. Set these out over a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, spray gently with olive oil cooking spray and dust lightly with milled sea salt (or kosher). Put this in the oven to bake, should take between 30-40 minutes, until just beginning to brown on the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a large stockpot (the bigger the better, within reason) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Mist with olive oil cooking spray and add celery and onion. Saute for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent.

In a small bowl (I used a tea cup), combine the almond and flax seed meals.

Add chicken broth, water, and the mix of almond meal and flax seed meal; whisk briskly until it begins to go frothy. [This, by the way, is my cheat to making a healthy roux (or thickener). I think you can also use this to make homemade "cream" sauces, though - considering I just made it up - I have not yet tested this.] Reduce heat to medium. Stir in drained pasta, carrots, tuna, and peas. Add dill. Remove from heat.

By now, your cauliflower should be done roasting. Take it out and load the entire head's worth of little roasted pieces into a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, you can use a food mill, a potato ricer (these are so awesome!), or at the most rudimentary a potato masher.) Puree the cauliflower until it's well mushed (yes, that's my technical term); add the minced garlic and puree again. Now dump the contents of your food processor into the bowl full of tuna stew. Stir until well combined. It should take on a thick, glutinous consistency.

Pour tuna-pasta-cauliflower mixture into a 11.5 x 15 inch casserole dish (preferably glass). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and a light dusting of Parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top. Remove and serve hot.

For storage, cover tightly with saran wrap (or put it into a casserole container with a sealing lid like I do) and put it in the fridge. It will keep for about 5 days. If you want it to last for 7 or 8, cut a portion off, seal it, and put it in the freezer, leaving the rest in the fridge. 

Note: This recipe might seem a little low on salt, if you're used to cooking and eating with it. As you may have noticed, I barely use any when I cook, so my tongue isn't super sensitive to it when it's missing. To me, this dish is perfect in its garlicky, mushy, delicious comfort foody way. I'd say taste test before you transfer it to your baking dish, just to make sure you'll be happy. And if you must add more salt, be sparing with it. The less you use, the more you'll get used to not using it, and then you'll eventually find that you don't miss it at all. :)

Surviving the Sicky Season

I was so sorry to hear (very late, I might add) that my long-lost friend Phoenix was ill last week. Winter's gray skies tend to put us all in a slightly dampened mood and it's also, unfortunately, a common time for sniffles and bleary eyes. A couple weeks ago, I, my boyfriend, my father, and my grandmother all came down with varying degrees of gloomy flu-fulness. Here's a couple things to try to lift your health and your spirit. [*Remember, if you're really feeling sick, go see a doctor. Drugs are good, sometimes. The following suggestions are things that will keep your fluid intake high (even medical doctors agree this is an important step in overcoming colds and flus), and also will hopefully give you an immune system boost.]

Lemon Chicken Soup
(*This recipe was adapted from Giada de Laurentiis's Food Network Recipe.)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
.75 cup fresh lemon juice
1 dried bay leaf
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti, broken into two-inch pieces
2 cups diced, cooked rotisserie chicken
kosher salt
1 two-inch Parmesan cheese rind, optional (The rind is actually a very nice addition. You end up taking it out at the end, so it performs more like the bay leaf as a flavoring additive. But you don't have to use it if you don't want to.)

In a large stock pot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind (if using) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and simmer until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Then add the broken pasta and cook until the pasta is tender (check the package instructions for the pasta you use, but it should take about 4-8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the diced chicken and heat through, about 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind, discarding both. Season with salt, to taste. Enjoy.

Why is it good for you?
We all know chicken soup is good for the soul. But did you know that's not just because it's warm and yummy to your tummy? Chicken contains an amino acid called cystaine that gets released when you cook it. This amino acid thins mucus in the lungs, aiding in the healing process. In addition, research has proven that chicken soup breaks up congestion, eases the flow of nasal secretions, and may even be responsible for inhibiting the white blood cells that trigger inflammatory responses (which in turn eases sore throats and the production of phlegm).
Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, are a proven antiseptic, and a renowned anti-scorbutic (remedy preventing disease that assists in cleansing the system of impurities). Lemons also have noticeable levels of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. They help to fix oxygen and calcium levels in the liver because they regulate blood carbohydrate levels which affect blood oxygen levels. Not to mention, they smell great - which, by the way, some folks say acts as a homeopathic healing element in and of itself. The smell of lemons tends to make people feel happy. Go figure. Maybe we know a good thing when we smell it.

Ginger Tea
2 tbsp grated ginger root
2 cups water
1 tbsp honey, optional

Boil the water in a small saucepan and stir in the ginger root. Drink straight, or add lemon and/or honey.

Why is it good for you?
One of the active ingredients in ginger is a compound called gingerols, which acts on a specific receptor in the body called the vallinoid receptor. The vallinoid receptor sits on pain nerve endings and normally react to pain and acidity. Yes, that's right. Ginger is a natural pain-reliever. Cool, right? And not only does it relieve pain, it also reduces inflammation. So while it dulls the 'ouch' sensation, it's actually healing you, too. Ginger also is known for reducing dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.
Have you noticed how a lot of cold remedies involve adding honey to teas? It's not just because it's sweet and tasty, and it's not because it coats your throat. Honey is actually anti-bacterial. The Bedouins in Israel have used it for - gosh, a really long while - in conjunction with other herbs on cuts and burns, because it helps to prevent bacterial infections. Why? Well, it contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. I know, right? Freaky. Honey is also hygroscopic, which means it naturally absorbs moisture from the air - okay, that doesn't apply so much to cold symptoms, but it's cool, isn't it? Open wound? Smear some honey on it - it'll keep the area mostly free of bacteria and help prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist and encourage the growth of new tissues. Just avoid hungry bears...


Infusions to Try
Lemon Balm is an herb that promotes sweating and is traditionally considered to eliminate toxins from the body. You can get tea empty tea bags from lots of stores, including Teavana and, I think, Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They're useful to have around, if you like that rich flavorful quality that you really only get from loose teas. Simply take the herbs (fresh or dried), slip them in the tea bag or put them into a diffuser, and wait 2-3 minutes for delicious tea.
Catnip is another herb that promotes sweating, which can be very good when you're fighting off a feverish cold. Follow the same instructions as listed for Lemon Balm.

Wishing you a healthy, happy post holiday season. :)

Falstaffe Sauce

After three long, wonderful weeks up in Washington with my family, my long absent heartmate, and his family, I have finally returned back to Los Angeles. My first thought upon disembarking from the plane was 'wow, I don't need my coat down here'; the second, 'thank God - I'm only twenty minutes from my kitchen!'

In case you haven't seen it, my kitchen is, frankly, a wonderland. At least it is to me. Every tool and gadget is exactly where I expect it to be - because I put it there - and I know for a fact that everything I own is well within it's expiration date (don't ask). Now, having only recently arrived, I made do last night with a bowl of Trader Joe's Miso Soup and some popcorn that my friend Megan brought over. But today, I hit the store and let my stifled creativity loose on an old favorite. I used what I remembered of an old Emeril pasta sauce recipe and then added two of my favorite things. Broccoli and cauliflower. Broccli is good for you and delicious in any capacity, but especially when roasted. Cauliflower has this amazing capacity for creaminess when cooked just right - you can even use it as a replacement for mashed potatoes! But here, I use it to turn my homemade marinara into a decadent fake alfredo.

I call it Falstaffe sauce for two reasons. 1) Because Falstaffe (Sir John, from ol' Shake's Henry IV 1-2 and Merry Wives of Windsor) was aware that life is a charade and would probably appreciate the sneaky nature of this misleading recipe. And 2) because poor, portly Sir John wouldn't have been nearly so portly if he'd been eating this instead of butter and cream sauce. :)

Falstaffe Sauce

Broccoli and cauliflower, lovingly mixed in olive oil and balsamic, roasted and then blended with tomatoes and garlic to make a delicious, creamy pasta sauce.

1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
3 heads roasted garlic (or more if you like)
1 large red onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
.25 cup tomato paste
1.5 tsp salt
.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
.25 tsp italian seasoning
.25 tsp dried basil
2 cans whole italian tomatoes with juice (28 oz each)
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prep- Wash and cut broccoli into 1 inch thick pieces. Wash and cut cauliflower into 1 inch thick pieces. Chop large red onion into 1x1 inch pieces (or smaller if you prefer). Open both cans of tomatoes and pour into a mixing bowl, juices and all, and crush (either with your hands or with a potato masher).

Roasted garlic: Peel the outer layers of garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the cloves intact. Cut off about 1/4 inch of the tops of the cloves, exposing the individual cloves. Place the garlic bulb in a baking pan. [If you're making a lot of these, then use a muffin pan. If not, then just toss them in a small bread pan or something similar.] Drizzle olive oil over each bulb and make sure it's well coated, then cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bulbs feel soft when pressed. Take the pan out, and set it to the side. If you're serving folks, you might want to make a few extra bulbs and let people munch on the delicious roasted garlic as an appetizer. Just remember to save three of them for the recipe.

Broc and Caul: Mix cut broccoli in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat for cauliflower. Use olive oil to coat a couple baking pans and use one pan for the broccoli and one for the cauliflower, trying to keep from making any puddles of olive oil on the pan. Put both pans in the 400 F oven for 20-30 minutes. [I like my veggies a little crispier so I tend to leave them in 10-15 minutes longer, but its up to you.]

Sauce base: While that's cooking, take out a large saucepan and saute the chopped red onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and cook with the onion for another minute. Then add tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar (I love this stuff), crushed red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for a minute. Smell that. Awesome, right? Now add the tomatoes you prepped earlier, juice and all, and stir with all the other ingredients so they're all well combined. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take out the broccoli and cauliflower when they're done and empty the entire cauliflower pan into a bowl along with the non-leafy broccoli parts. For this portion of the program, you're going to need a nifty thing called an immersion blender [if you don't have one, buy one - it's one of the most handy tools I own]. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can throw the aforementioned things into a food processor or blender, but you'll have more clean up than me. Blend all the cauliflower and the broccoli stems together. Serve the leafy parts of the roasted broccoli on top of the pasta, or mixed with the sauce, as a side dish, or stick them in a tupperware box and eat them later as a snack. Heck, eat them while you're cooking. They're delicious.

Back to the sauce. Add the roasted garlic cloves you made first to the simmering sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes, or until you taste test and find all the flavors alert and marching on your tongue.

Now. Add the cauliflower/broccoli blended mixture and stir. See how that marinara just turned into a soft pink creamy looking sauce?

Serve over pasta (I use whole wheat spaghetti or vegetable rotini), and enjoy. :)

Note: This recipe makes about 1.5 quarts of sauce. You can also use it as a creamy pizza sauce or a topping for steamed or roasted vegetables.