California Pasta

Everyone who knows me KNOWS I am addicted to avocado. So whenever I find a recipe with my favourite fruit I have to try it. This dish comes together so well. I love the lime and kick of spice.

1/2 pound linguine
3 cups broccoli (small florets)
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 cloves of garlic YUP eight
1/4 tsp grated lime zest
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup vegetable broth (I use Imagine Organic Vegetable Broth its the best)
2 tbsps. lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1 inch chunks

Bring a large pot of water to boil and prep all your ingredients. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, lime zest, and red pepper flakes, and gently heat, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, do not burn the garlic.
Pour in the wine and raise the heat to bring to a boil, to reduce the wine, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and bring again to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Add the arugula.
Add the broccoli to the boiling pasta about one minute before it is done. Cook for 2 minutes and drain.
When the arugula is wilted, add the broccoli and pasta to the skillet and toss around. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the avocado and turn off the heat. Gently toss the pasta for another minute to incorporated the avocado.
Serve with more grinds of black pepper.

Pumpkin Baked Pasta

Another GREAT pasta dish!!

3/4 LB pasta (penne, spiral or ziti)
2 onions, sliced very thinly
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 recipe Cashew Ricotta
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
White pepper
Cayenne
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a lasagne-type pan with olive oil. Cool the pasta, drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
Preheat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions in oil until very brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Place the Cashew Ricotta in a large bowl and fold in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne, and veg broth, and mix. Add the pasta and onions, stirring to coat the pasta. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press lightly with a rubber spatula to level it.

Sage Bread Crumbs
2 1/2 cups fresh home made bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 tsp dried, rubbed sage
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp ground paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the margarine in skillet over medium heat. Add all the ingredients and stir constantly until mixture is lightly coated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle evenly over the pasta.

Bake for 28 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cashew Ricotta

WOW This is so good. I used this recipe to make Pumpkin Baked Ziti but need to make more. It would be great as a sandwich spread on some crusty herbed bread. Or as a dip. Mmmmm

1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 lb firm tofu, drained
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp salt

In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic until a thick creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor and blend well. Blend in the basil and salt.

Roasted Eggplant and Carmelized Onion Marinara

Another great recipe from Vegan Yum Yum

2 eggplants, peeled sliced into 1/4 inch discs, then cut into strips
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 sweet yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 - 28oz can tomatoes, diced
Black pepper
1 tbsp. Earth Balance
Salt up to 1.5 tsp

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place eggplant on paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt. Let rest.
Coat the eggplant lightly in oil and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile add 1 tbsp. of the oil to a large skillet. Heat, then add the onion and sauté over medium high. Cook until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, thyme, basil, and oregano and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes, pepper, and margarine and stir well.
When the eggplant has baked for 20 minutes, stir it up and bake for 10 more minutes or until soften and browned. Add to the tomato sauce and stir well. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over pasta.

Tamarind Tofu Cabbage Bowl

I love this recipe...from Vegan Yum Yum

1 block firm tofu, pressed and cut into squares
2 tbsp. oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 carrot shredded
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 tbsp. tamarind chutney (recipe to follow)
2 tbsp. tamari
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Fry the tofu in the oil until browned on both sides.
Combine the rice and carrots in a large bowl and toss well.
Sauté the cabbage over high heat with a little oil until slightly softened and browned in some places. Add the cabbage to the rice and carrot.
Make a sauce by mixing the tamarind chutney and tamari. Add the sauce and the tofu to the cabbage mixture and gently toss. Top with almonds and serve warm.

Tamarind Chutney
2 cups water
2 tbsp. tamarind paste
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cumin

In a small sauce pan, bring the water, tamarind paste, and sugar to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 30 minutes until reduced and thickened. Add the salt, red pepper, cloves, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more, then remove from heat and let cool completely. Great on Samosas.

GOLDEN POTSTICKER

Amazing!  Can't wait to try other pot sticker recipes.

Golden Potstickers

1/2 cups sunflower oil

6 green onions, thinly sliced

 

1 small Serrano chile, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sunflower oil

1/2 chopped shallots

1/2 tsp sea salt

 

2 cups cooked yellow split peas, processed until uniform and fluffy

1 pkg round pot stickers 

Start by making a scallion oil. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the onions and stir well. When they soften, after about 30 seconds, remove from the heat. Set aside.

Make a dipping sauce by adding the chile, syrup, tamari and water. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust to your liking.

To make the filling, in a large skillet, fry the shallots in the oil over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, and stir in the yellow split peas. Stir until the shallots are evenly distributed. Taste and add more salt if needed.

 Lightly dust counter top with a bit of flour. Place wrappers on the floured countertop, and add a small dollop of filling. Run a wet finger around the rim of each wrapper, press the edges together well, and try to avoid trapping air bubbles in the dumplings if you can.  Crimp each dumpling, and gently press it down against the counter to give it a flat base.

 
To cook the dumplings, heat another scant tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange dumplings in the pan, seam side up, with space in-between each so they don't stick together. Pan-fry until the bottoms are golden, a few minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water and over immediately. Cook the dumplings for a few minutes, or until the water is almost evaporated. Uncover and finish cooking until water is gone. Don't let the bottoms burn. Serve drizzled with the scallion oil and spicy soy sauce