Chick'n Alfredo (Vegan)

I love Italian food! In fact, I one day dream of being an honorary Italian. I assume that if I use enough garlic and kiss my fingertips often it will happen eventually!

This dish received rave reviews in my household tonight. I am pretty sure Silas was filling his legs with food, because there is no way his little stomach could've held all that he ate. The very best part of this recipe is that your kids will totally eat cauliflower, love it, and be none the wiser!

This recipe serves four.

What you'll need:
1 lb of whole wheat pasta of your choice (there might be some left over noodles, I like to save these for lunches)
1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets
1 carton of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 12.6 oz bag of Gardein crispy tenders
5-6 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, separated
1 medium onion, diced
1/4-1/2 cup of soy, almond, rice, or hemp milk
Sea salt and pepper

Optional: fresh flat leaf parsley

In two large pots bring some salted water to a boil. One will be for the pasta, the other for the cauliflower and onion.

Follow the directions on the bag to prepare the chick'n.

In skillet heat a tablespoon of evoo over medium flame. Add the sliced mushrooms and peeled cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid. Then reduce, and wait for the garlic to caramelize a bit. If you have to separate the mushrooms to one side for the garlic to achieve some color, do so.

When your pots of salted water are boiling, add the noodles to one and the cauliflower florets and diced onion to the other. When a fork can be easily inserted and removed from the largest piece of cauliflower, drain, then pour into the pitcher of your trusty blender.

To the cauliflower and onion, add the other tablespoon of evoo, nutritional yeast, garlic, milk alternative, and pepper. Then puree.

Drain the cooked noodles but do not rinse. The sauce sticks better to the pasta when it has not been rinsed. Assemble you plate with noodles, sauce, mushrooms, chick'n, and flat leaf parsley!

Enjoy!

10 Minute Tacos (Vegan)

I cook nearly every meal we eat in this house, and three meals a day seven days a week adds up rather fast. So, when it come to weekday lunches I am looking for fast, easy, and satisfying! This super simple meal rings all of those bells. I am giving ten minutes on this to be safe, but seriously most times I make this (every other day) it is more like a five minute fix. Start your timer ;)

This recipe makes four tacos, but can very easily be doubled, tripled, ect.

What you'll need:
4 fresh flour Tortilla Land tortillas
1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained
1 avocado, diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Desired amount of your favorite salsa

"Amber's recipes: where the measurements for seasonings are made up, and the exact duplication is never guaranteed."

In a dry skillet heated over med-high heat cook your four tortillas. This takes about 30 seconds per side.  Take this time to dice the avocado, and drain the chickpeas.

When the tortillas are finished, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the evoo, chickpeas, and seasonings. Stir until the chickpeas are nicely coated with the seasoning. Cook for an additional 2-3mins.

Spoon a quarter of the seasoned chickpeas into each of the tortillas, along with a quarter of the diced avocado, and the desired amount of salsa.

Enjoy!

Three Cheese Mushroom Spinach Lasagna

Sometimes you just have to indulge. I try to keep dairy out of my life as much as possible, but I just can not deny that cheese. Maybe it doesn't make a difference, but it makes me feel a little better to know that when I am eating off my typical diet, I always try to make the recipe in my very own kitchen. That way I know exactly what I am putting into my mouth.

Now that I've justified my actions, let's get to the goods! Just a word of caution: you may want to invite some friends or family to finish this dish the night you make it, or you may find yourself having the leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day. Not speaking from experience or anything!

What you'll need:
Marinara Sauce
1 28oz can of tomato puree
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and pepper

Lasagna
1 12oz box of whole wheat lasagna noodles (you will not use all of these)
1 16oz package of fresh mozzerella (mine was presliced, this saved time)
1 24oz container of cottage cheese (I used full flavor, I warned you we are indulging here!)
1 8oz block of parmesan cheese, grated
1 12oz container of button mushrooms, sliced
3 cups of fresh spinach
1 tbsp evoo
Sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

To begin, we are going to throw together our own marinara sauce. In a large pot heat the evoo over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and seasonings. When the onion is cooked through reduce the heat to low and add the cans of tomato. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Allow the sauce to cook for about 15-20mins.

In another large pot fill 3/4 of the way with salted water and bring to a boil. When this boils add your noodles.

In a skillet heat the evoo over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until they release their liquid.

Now it is time for assembly. In a large casserole dish cover the bottom with a thin layer of the sauce, to help prevent the noodles from sticking.

Other than this step there is really no rhyme or reason to how I layer the lasagna.



 



I simply noodle, cheese, cheese, cheese, mushroom, sauce, spinach, noodle, repeat.

For the final or top layer I don't add the spinach or mushroom. No specific reason, I just prefer the cheese and sauce only on the top.

Bake in the 400 degree oven for one hour. Allow to cook for 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Stuffing (Vegan)

So, what do you do when you baked four dozen whole grain rolls for your one year old's first birthday, and you come home with two dozen? You brew some chai tea and get your fall on with some delicious stuffing. Because once a year just ain't enough, babe!

Yesterday, Caleb and I went to Lowes to get some do-dads to make Silas an activity board based off an idea I saw on Pinterest long before he was born. As we were checking out I grabbed a food magazine from the shelf and began flipping through it. There were several fall inspired recipes. Just before I threw the pages closed to save myself the $10 purchase, I caught a glimpse of a stuffing with mushrooms. It looked incredible, and as I have mentioned before if I could bottle the smell of sauteed onion and celery, I would wear it behind my ears like Chanel! So even though I was unable to get the recipe for that beautiful dish what is there to stop me from creating my own? Notta.

What you'll need:
4 cups of a stale whole grain bread
3-4 cups of vegetable broth
1 large onion
4 stalks of celery
7-8 button mushrooms
1/4 cup dried cranberries (I did not have cranberries so I used raisins. I would suggest cranberries!)
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp ground sage
Sea salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Start by dicing the onion and slicing the mushroom and celery. In a large skillet heat the evoo over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms. When the onions are translucent add the seasoning and cook until any liquid released has been reduced.

Cube the bread and add to a medium sized casserole dish.

When the seasoned veggies are ready stir them into the bread cubes along with the cranberries. Then add the vegetable broth. Depending on how dry your bread is it may take up to 4 cups. Stir and taste for seasoning. I also added some Earth Balance to help with browning on the top

Bake in the 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

Enjoy!

Homemade Vegetable Broth (Vegan) (Gluten Free)

I always make my own vegetable broth first because I do not like the flavor of carrot or tomato in most of the recipes I use veggie broth in, and second because I like to be able to control the sodium. It is super easy to do this. Yes, I does take extra effort than just pouring it from a container, but like all good things the effort is very worth it. This recipe makes a lot so freeze what you don't use, and the next time you need veggie broth you will be all set!

Tip: Throughout your everyday cooking when you have an unused stalk of broccoli, chunk of onion, fibery end of asparagus, or simply just some vegetables that may be on their way to the trash, toss them in a freezer bag to save them for the fateful day when you need to whip up a stock.

What you'll need: 

Assorted vegetables like:

Celery

Broccoli stalks

Onion

Garlic

Carrot (if you're into that sort of thing)

12 cups or water

1 tbsp of peppercorns

In a large pot dump your water, vegetables, and peppercorns. Then bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Strain, and that's it! Allow what you don't use to cool down before placing it in a freezer safe container for saving.