Thyme Stuffed Portobellos with Rosemary Gravy

The gravy really makes this stuffed mushroom special, serve with a small side salad and you're all set.

Thyme Stuffed Portobellos with Rosemary Gravy

Chloe Coscarelli:   Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            onion, finely chopped

1            cup cashews

4            garlic cloves, minced

1            cup cooked brown rice

1            15 oz. can lentils, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups) – ****I didn’t use lentils

1/4         cup bread crumbs

1/2         cup vegetable broth

1            teaspoon dried basil

1            tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish

1            teaspoon sea salt

1            teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6            portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed

1            tomato, sliced thinly

Rosemary Gravy

2            tablespoons canola oil

1            large onion, roughly chopped

1/4         cup nutritional yeast flakes

1/2         cup all-purpose flour

2            cups water

3            tablespoons soy sauce

1            garlic clove, minced

1            tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

              sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.

In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium high heat and add onion and cashews.  Saute until onion is soft and lightly browned. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant.

In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, brown rice, lentils, bread crumbs, broth, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Brush both sides of mushroom caps with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place them top side down on baking sheet.  Stuff mushrooms with about 1 1/2 cup of the lentil stuffing, and press 1 tomato slice on top of the stuffing.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the stuffing is browned and mushrooms are cooked through.  Garnish with extra thyme and serve with gravy.

Gravy:

IN a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion until soft.  Add nutritional yeast and flour, and whisk for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be ry.  Add water, soy sauce, garlic, and rosemary.  Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until mixture is very thick.  Transfer gravy to a blender and puree until smooth.  Season to taste.

Spicy Vegan Sausage Stew

Even though it's 50 degrees out there, colder weather is coming our way - again.  Here's something to warm ya up.

Spicy Vegan Sausage Stew

              Olive oil for sautéing

4            Vegan Italian Sausages, sliced – I used Tofurky

1            onion, small diced

3            large carrots, diced

2            cups mushrooms, sliced

2            yellow potatoes, diced

2            cloves garlic, minced

4            tablespoons flour

2            tablespoons tomato paste

2            tablespoons vegan butter

3-4         cups vegetable stock (more if you like more soupy)

1/2         cup red wine

1            tablespoon thyme

1/2         cup frozen peas

Add olive oil to soup pot.  Add onion and sauté a bit then throw in the diced Tofurky.  Cook for a few minutes before adding the garlic, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms.  Add the vegan butter, tomato paste and flour.  Stir everything together so it is well mixed with the veggies and sausage.  Add vegetable stock and red wine.  Turn up to a boil then down to a simmer.  Cook until veggies are tender and sauce is thick, approximately 30-40 minutes.  **Adjust the liquid as desired.

Barbecue Tempeh and Onions

We made this with a side of Mac and Cheese you can also pour the sauce over sautéed tofu.

Barbecue Sauce

Allrecipes.com

1/2         cup ketchup

2            tablespoons brown sugar

2            tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1            tablespoon cider vinegar

              few dashes hot pepper sauce

1            teaspoon garlic powder

1/4         teaspoon mustard powder

1/4         teaspoon salt

              tablespoon mustard (optional)

Sauce: 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, mustard powder, mustard and salt.  Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and allow to cool before using.

Tempeh and Onions

1            red onion, sliced

1            tempeh, cooking in water for 10 minutes, then sliced

              oil for sautéing

Boil tempeh for 10 minutes and drain.  Slice into good size pieces.  Slice onions and sauté onions and in large skillet.  Move onions to side and sauté tempeh until browned.  Place tempeh in casserole dish, cover with BBQ sauce and onions.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes – keep an eye on it.

Banana-Oat Breakfast Cookies

Make a steaming cup of tea or coffee and enjoy it with a healthy breakfast cookie!

Banana-Oat Breakfast Cookies

Doc Oz. Magazine recipe adapted

Makes 11 cookies

3           ripe bananas

1 & 1/2    cups rolled oats

1/4       cup almond or peanut butter

1          tablespoon agave

1          teaspoon vanilla extract

            pinch of salt

1/2       teaspoon cinnamon

1/2       cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3       cup nuts, such as walnuts, almonds or pistachios, roughly chopped

1/3       cup dried fruit, I used dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.  Stir in the oats, almond butter, agave, vanilla, salt and cinnamon until well combined.  Fold in the coconut flakes, nuts, and dried fruit and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the oats absorb some liquid.

Drop by quarter cupfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Flatten cookies with a fork and bake 22-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Pumpkin Risotto

This dish didn't taste as pumkiny as I thought it would since the recipe indicates a cup of pumpkin puree, but it was still very yummy.

Pumpkin Risotto

Chloe Coscarelli: Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen

Serves 4

5            cups vegetable broth  (I only used 4 and it was fine)

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            onion, finely chopped

1            large garlic clove, minced

1            cup Arborio rice

1            cup canned pumpkin puree

1            teaspoon sea salt

1/8         teaspoon nutmeg

              freshly ground black pepper

1            tablespoon chopped fresh sage (I used dried)

In a medium saucepan, heat the broth to a simmer, and let it simmer while preparing the recipe.

Heat a large nonstick skillet/pot over medium-high heat and add oil.  Reduce the heat, and sauté onion until soft.  Add garlic and let cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Stir in rice and 1 cup of broth, and reduce heat so the mixture simmers.   Stir often, cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.  Repeat with another cup of broth, and continue stirring, adding broth 1 cup at a time until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).  ***I found I only needed 4 cups.

Stir in pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg.  Season with pepper and stir until mixture is hot.  Stir in sage.

Pumpkin Risotto

Raw Sour Cream

In our quest to start using less pre-packed vegan items, we found this Raw Sour Cream recipe and decided to give it a shot.  This Raw Sour Cream version has a bit more tang than the store bought vegan sour cream and we actually like it better, and it's so easy to make.

Raw Sour Cream

http://www.therawtarian.com/raw-sour-cream-recipe

***Allow time to soak cashews

1            cup raw cashews (soaked and rinsed)

1/2         cup water

1/4         cup lemon juice

3/4         teaspoon onion powder

1/2         teaspoon sea salt

If you have time, soak the cashews then rinse before blending.  You can soak for an hour or so or overnight.  This will make it easier to blend into a creamy texture.

Add all ingredients, including cashews, into your blender.

Blend until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and then chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Pasta Carbonara with Shitake Bacon

Pasta Carbonara with Shitake Bacon

Chloe Coscarelli

Shitake Bacon

1            pound shitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/4         cup olive oil

1 & 1/4  teaspoons sea salt

1/2         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pasta Carbonara

1            pound long pasta

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            large onion, chopped

3            garlic cloves, minced

14 oz.    soft tofu

1/2         cup water

2            tablespoons lemon juice

2 & 1/2  teaspoons sea salt

              freshly ground black pepper

              Chopped fresh Italian parsley

              Vegan parmesan for topping

Shitake Bacon:

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with oil, salt, and peppers.  Bake for about 30 minutes, turning frequently with a spatula, until lightly browned and crisp.

Pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and let cook until soft.  Add garlic and let cook for a few more minutes.  Remove from heat.

In a blender, combine onion, garlic, tofu, water, lemon juice, and salt.  Process on high until very smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat.  Season with pepper and add more salt to taste.  Let pasta sit for about 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly.  Top with shitake bacon, parsley and vegan parmesan, if using.