Toscana Kale Soup

There is always one thing I love about winter, being snowed in and staying home by a cozy fire and that thing is the unlimited opportunity to bake and cook all day. Once we were snowed in for 4 days and I made about everything in my home.  I loved it.  So now that we are finally having a chilly day after our many spring like days here in sunny California, I am finally really craving a nice healthy bowl of soup.  So here is my take on Winter, creamy, silky, hearty and delicious. 

Another thing I love about this soup is the simplicity to make it.  Yummy and simple...Perfection! 

 Toscana Kale Soup
5 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbs Better than Bouillon "no chicken base"
2 cups Almond milk
2 Bay leaves
2 russet potatoes, sliced
4 cups kale, chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup TVP Crumbles (I've used Harmony Valley vegetarian [vegan] sausage mix [made as directed and portioned into small little chunks] and I've used Gardein Beefless Ground also.)
2 Tbs fennel seed
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
Optional:
1/2 cup diced Carrots and Celery


Over high heat, cook vegetable broth and Better than Bouillon "no chicken" and cook until it starts to boil.

Add sliced potatoes, kale, onion, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 

Cook on simmer for 30 minutes. Make Sausage, add fennel to it and portion it into small bites. Add to soup. Add the almond milk and cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Enjoy! 

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Coconut Creme Brulee Pie

Happy Almost Valentine's Day.  As I was wondering what I'd be making this Valentine's Day for my sweet heart, I ran through many ideas in my head.  I was thinking Brownies, cakes, candies and many other things however sometimes someone mentions one little thing and an idea like a true light bulb clicks on in your head.  Since my hubby and I have convinced our friend that coconut milk is the only way to have cereal now, I suddenly had a craving for pie...coconut cream pie.  And since Creme Brulee is one of my old time favorite desserts, I decided to marry the two (how appropriate) for Valentine's Day to create a true marriage made in Heaven. 

I think it worked well.  Considering the hubby, our friend and everyone else now calls this the 2 slice pie, because one slice just isn't good enough, I guess that means it's not only a success...but delicious!

One bite and the caramelized flavor of the brulee top comes shining through to make this pie go from great to gourmet.  Try it brulee'd or not...

It's up to you. And please, once you've had it...share it.  I'm all giddy on the inside waiting for you to try a piece...really!

Coconut Creme Brulee

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (the higher quality it is, the better it is)

1 12 oz pack Lite firm tofu, drained

2 Tbs vegan butter

1 Tbs Vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 Vegan graham cracker Pie shell

Brulee'd Top:

You'll need a mini blow torch and granulated sugar

In a Food processor, mix until smooth, sugar, cornstarch, salt and tofu.   Pour into a sauce pan and add coconut milk, and vegan butter. Cook on Medium heat, stirring with a whisk for 6-8 minutes until thick.  Remove from heat, add vanilla and shredded coconut and stir. 

 Cover pan with plastic wrap, pressing down until the wrap is laying on the top of the custard. (This will keep it from getting hard on top.) Let it cool completely.

 Transfer to a pie crust once cooled and smooth out top.  Refrigerate covered for about 2 hours.   When ready to eat, remove extra moisture from the top of pie gently with a paper towel (only if there is moisture) and sprinkle with sugar, covering with a light coat.  With a Mini Torch, caramelize the sugar.  Serve...Enjoy...enter Heaven!  ( Almost)

I had a little extra to make these Two romantic coconut pie shots for hubby and I.  I sprinkled crushed cookie crumbs into the bottom of two shot glasses, spooned in mixture, smoothed out the top and added a cute little candy heart to adorn the top.

 Happy Valentine's Day to Me...and the Hub!

Basil Tomato Gratin

 

Farmer's Markets are open everywhere right now. It's interesting how the rest of the Nation is in the middle of Snow storms, ice and rain and we have sun. Yesterday, for the middle of deep winter, it was 79 degrees. Welcome to sunny southern California.  So as I watch the news, facebook and pinterest, everyone seems to be making Chili, Cornbread and Stews while I'm breaking into the summer fruits and thinking Gratin. This sounds heavenly, lighter and will possibly put me in the mood for Spring cleaning, (at least I hope!) If I don't clean, at least I'll have a great meal and my family will too.

 

Warm, Delicious and hearty...yet...

on the lighter side too.

 

Basil Tomato Gratin

3 cups cubed and toasted french bread.  Toast with a little bit of olive oil in a fry pan.

3-4 cloves fresh diced garlic

6 medium Tomatoes diced

1 medium zucchini sliced and halved

1 cup yellow grape tomatoes cut in half

1/2 cup fresh sliced basil

2 white potatoes, thin sliced about 1/4 inch thick

3 Tbs soy feta cheese

Salt

Pepper

 

Topping

1/2 cup salted cashews

1 tsp nutritional yeast

 

Food process until almost fine.

 



 

 

In a shallow fry pan, pan fry slices of potatoes in a little olive oil until both sides are slightly brown.  Layer a gratin or casserole dish with potatoes.  The bottom will be covered. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

 

 

In the same fry pan, add zucchini and cook over high heat for 2 minutes.

Stir and cook 1 minute more.  Add tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Turn of heat and add basil and stir. 

 

 

Add cubed toasted bread and stir gently until all liquid is absorbed. Gently stir in Soy feta. Pour over potatoes in gratin dish.

 

 

Top with Cashew mixture. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the top is starting to brown. Cool for a few minutes then serve.

 

 

What you'll end up with is a delightful, almost cheesy, bready and crumby tasting topped vegetable goodness, ready to shine at your next dinner party or nightly dinner.

Crock Pot Cactus Corn Chili

As the holidays are now over and life is starting to get back in order, Superbowl will be fast approaching. No, I am not a fan of the Superbowl except for watching a few occasional commercials however, my hubby has made it an event for me also.  How?  Well, as the caterer. Yes, I am invited to his party since I am the personal chef in my household.

Trust me, I don't mind one bit.  Generally I'll prepare the food and once in awhile have the wives come by for a poker or card game while the men hoot and holler. It's all great fun and I love cooking and baking, but sometimes crowd cooking can be intimidating.  That's why I love one pot cooking and for the most part, this is.  You can make it, let it cook while you move on to bigger and better things...like cards!  And when the guest arrive, they can serve themselves and you can simply enjoy your friends and family instead of slaving over the stove while they are there.

So party on...

Be part of the party...

And Celebrate the good times!



Crock Pot Cactus Corn Chili

Cactus Corn Chili for a crowd~

Need: one large crock pot (mine holds 19 cups of water)

2 white onions diced

1 red pepper diced

1 green bell pepper diced

1 jalapeno diced

2 Tbs fresh garlic minced

1/4 of a lime

12 oz package of Melissa's Soyrizo

12 oz package Yves Veggie Cuisine (Veggie Ground)

7 oz can of green Ortega chile's diced

1 paddle of nopales cactus

2 ears of corn

30 oz  can Black beans

30 oz  can Pinto beans

30 oz can kidney beans

2- 28 oz cans tomato sauce

1 c water

2 Tbs Cumin

2 Tbs Chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

In a shallow pan, grill onions, red and green bell peppers, jalapeno and garlic until onions start to get translucent.  (Cooking these veggies bring out the flavors in them.)  Add to a crock pot, squeeze the 1/4 slice of lime over them and turn on high heat.  Then add soyrizo, veggie Ground, Ortega chile's, all beans and stir. At this point, your crock pot will be close to full. Add tomato sauce, water and spices. Stir and cover.

Clean and prepare Nopales Cactus by grilling it in a little oil seasoned with salt and pepper. Once the nopales is slightly turning yellow slice it into long strips but do not cut all the way through keeping it intact at the bottom, add water to the fry pan until the cactus is covered.  Boil for 3 mins, cool and dice. Add diced cactus to Crock pot and discard water, which will look slimy.  Cook on high for 1 hour and then turn down to low and cook for 4 more hours.  Right before serving, cut corn off cobs and add to chili. 

Serve with cilantro, avocado and/ or a dollop of vegan sour cream and cheddar style non-dairy shreds.

This serves a big crowd 15-20 people.  If you want it to go even further, serve a scoop of chili over a 1/2 cup of cooked noodles and you'll have a delicious Hungarian style goulash as my grandma called it.

Grilled veggies...



Grilled Nopales Cactus paddle

Here's where you insert (oooh and aaaaah and yummmm!)

Crowd pleaser for Vegans and non-vegans alike, this delicious chili has the beauty of warmth on a Cold winter day, warmth of a seat closest to the fireplace and taste that'll knock your socks off.
With this, you'll rock the next party, Superbowl or simply dinner at home for your family and you can have some the next day and freeze the rest.
Try these options too for your extra frozen chili:
Chili Spaghetti~
Thaw, heat, process in food processor and serve over spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with Hungarian paprika and Cheddar Cheese-like non dairy shreds.
Or:
Chili Cheese Chip Dip~
Food Process 1 cup thawed chili with any Teese Vegan cheese or cheese sauces like Nacho, creamy Cheddar or Cheddar Cheese, heat in microwave on stove until bubbly.  Mix in diced fresh tomatoes and  serve with Chips.  This dip is the bomb.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Martini

How about a little New Year's Fun? Need to Celebrate? Need to unwind or simply do you want to treat yourself to a little sweet drinkable treat?

 

Here's a sweet little delightful beverage I created about a year ago or so.  

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Martini

1/2 c. pineapple juice

1/4 c. cake or whipped cream flavored vodka

1/8 c. coconut milk

Shake well with ice in martini shaker.

Slowly drop cherry with a little bit of its juice down the side of the glass so it settles on the bottom.

You can add a little bit of whipped coconut cream or vegan whipped cream to the top also. Add some fun  candy sprinkles for added fun.

 

Want to make this Non-Alcoholic? No worries.  Omit the Vodka and subsitute with Coconut water.  Add 1/2 tsp vanilla....

This will have a taste of its own, more like a refreshing water, but none-the-less...Yum!

Southern Butter Coconut Syrup

 Even though it's nice and warm here in southern California this winter, there are still a few of those chilly mornings when you wake up and desire a nice hot batch of griddle cakes, pancakes or waffles.  Well, it was one of those days. And along with one of "those" days, today I wanted a less traditional syrup.  So how about you?  Would you like to get your hands on a delicious Vegan delicacy for your breakfast?  How about something buttery, gooey and smooth?

Well, you are in Luck!

 

Here it is, in all of its full glory....

 

Southern Butter Coconut Syrup. Almost enjoyable by just spoonfuls. Now, I'm not saying I've done that, but I won't say I didn't either....

 

I plead the Fifth...

 Southern Butter Coconut  Syrup

 

1 stick vegan butter

1/2 can coconut milk including the cream.(Make sure to skim all the coconut solid cream to use too. It is normally on the top of the can. (Trick~open can overnight and leave open in the refrigerator. It will start to get solid on top)

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon of coconut oil

 

I started melting my butter.

I added the sugar and baking soda.

I added the milk.
And it got frothy right away. So I added the coconut oil and stirred, then took it off the stove.

The syrup was a thing of beauty. You'll want to serve it frothy.

I must say that my whole family, and my son's friend included, were thrilled with this syrup. When I mentioned there was coconut oil in it, they at first turned their nose up at it. But once they tried it, they were in love too. This was a nice, silky and buttery syrup. Using this syrup gave us no need to butter our waffles first, trust me on this. It was heavenly and delightful.  This syrup was wonderfully delicious and lasted wrapped in the refrigerator for the next couple days, no problem.  I just heated it slightly in the microwave and voila....nice, hot, buttery delicious topping for my waffles and cakes.

 

 

Avocado Corn Salad with Cilantro Grapefruit dressing

Salads are my thing right now.  When it comes to health, a salad is what most people think dieting is all about.   I've heard it referred to as grass, rabbit food and a bunch of weeds, but what a salad is to me is a bunch of delicious mixtures of texture, taste and variety.  It's not only color  and balance for a diet but a delicious blend of fiber too.  Have a salad, you'll thank me later.  Or better yet, have This salad and thank me now.  It's fun, fresh and mostly raw with a deliciously delightful dressing.  So go ahead and Enjoy...

Avocado Corn Salad~
serves 3

1 ear of corn (cut corn off cob)
10 yellow grape tomatoes cut in halves
1 avocado (diced)
2 green onions (sliced)
5 Tbs Mediterranean Herb Feta Style soy cheese (diced into small pieces)

Put everything in a bowl and chill while making dressing.

Cilantro Grapefruit Dressing~

1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar ( I used fig balsamic but any will do)
2 Tbs grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
2 Tbs fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup grape seed oil

Mix all ingredients in a blender until incorporated. Pour over salad and mix gently.  Serve over a bed of mixed baby lettuces or eat just the way it is. Yum.

Optional ingredients~
Vegan Shrimp
Diced Yucca

 

Another favorite salad I love is my California Citrus Salad.  I'll include the recipe along with another recipe for my homemade candied pecans that go perfectly on top of the California Citrus Salad.

 

 

California Citrus Salad~

 

4 Strawberries (sliced)

1/4 cup blueberries

1 clementine ( into segments )  Optional:  You can use canned mandarin oranges

5 yellow grape tomatoes (sliced)

2 green onions (sliced)

1 endive (sliced)

1 avocado (diced)

5 Tbs soy blue Cheese Crumble (diced finely)

2 cups mixed baby greens

 

Sweet Grapefruit Dressing~

 

1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar ( I used fig balsamic but any will do)
4 Tbs grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup grape seed oil

 

 

Add all ingredients in a bowl and toss with Sweet grapefruit dressing. Sprinkle Candied pecans or any candied nut on top and serve.

 

 

Have you ever been to a fair, an event or even the super store Bass Pro Shop when they're cooking up their spiced nuts and the aroma is so heavenly, you make your first stop to pick some of those bad boys up?  The scent is captivating.  The scent is Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving...all rolled up in one. And then the taste.

 

When I make them, they're irresistible to anyone on the premise. 

 

Do you know how people make chocolate chip cookies before prospective buyers come to look at a home?  Well they should make these...

and for sure...

their home would be...

SOLD!

 

So, there we go.  Story told.  Enjoy your nuts on your salad or off. 

 

Candied Nuts

 

1 Tbs vegan Butter

1/4 cup white or brown sugar

1 cup nuts

1/4 tsp cinnamon

 

Over stove, cook all ingredients on med-high heat until sugar starts to melt and starts to coat nuts. At this point, about 2-3 minutes, turn off burner, sprinkle with cinnamon and continue to stir until all nuts are coated.  Lay flat and separate slightly onto foil and let cool.  Break apart.