Orange mushroom gravy

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A simple, flavourful gravy seasoned with ginger, mustard ad other nuances. Good with roasted vegetables, tofu, tempeh and other foods. Pictured here with tofu, and roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots and potatoes.

Ingredients

1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse salt
1 scallions, minced
1T garlic, minced
100 grams cremini mushrooms in 1/8″ slices
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups mushroom stock
2T orange marmalade*
2t tamari
1T balsamic vinegar
1t prepared brown mustard
1 pinch cloves
2t fresh grated ginger
1T scant of tapioca flour dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium high in a frying pan with a lid.
Add the scallions and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms start to lose their moisture and the pan starts to brown.
Add the orange juice and deglaze the pan.
Add the renaming ingredients except for the tapioca flour and related water.
Stir until thoroughly combined.
Reduce to medium low and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup.
Whisk the tapioca with the water until dissolved.
Stirring constantly, slowly add the tapioca mixture until thickened.
Season to taste and serve immediately.

*Choose a marmalade made with organic sugar or other sugar that hasn’t been bleached using animal bone charcoal.

Roasted potato, mushroom and arugula salad with balsamic vinaigrette

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A simple salad with a rich, dark flavour.

Ingredients

1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 cup diced white potatoes in 1/2″ dice
1/2 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 scallion, minced
1t fresh garlic, minced
2T olive oil
2t balsamic vinegar
1/2t prepared mustard
1t nutritional yeast
2 cups packed arugula
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450F.
Toss the potatoes, mushrooms, scallions and garlic with the cooking oil and sea salt.
Roast until the potatoes are fork tender on the middle rack in a lightly oiled baking sheet (approximately 20-30 minutes). Ovens vary; use the colour and texture of the potatoes as your guide.
When done, remove the potatoes and mushrooms from the oven and set aside.
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and yeast until emulsified.
Toss with the arugula.
Toss the potatoes and mushrooms with the arugula.
Let stand 10 minutes to wilt the arugula.
Season to taste and serve.

Potato and cabbage soup with roasted portobello mushroom slices

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Thickened with sesame and tapioca and garnished with scallion, parsley and nutritional yeast, this is a flavourful and rich soup with lots of body.

Ingredients

2T cooking oil, divided
1t coarse salt, divided
3 scallions, minced (reserve 4-6″ of green for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T lemon juice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large white potato (about 1/3lb or 2 cups) in 1/2″ dice
2T sesame seed butter (thick tahini)
2 cups shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw)
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast, divided
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 large portobello mushrooms (about 200g), 1/2″ slices
2T tapioca flour dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water.
2-4 sprigs flat leaf parsley

Directions

In a large pan with a lid, bring 1T cooking oil with 1/4t coarse sea salt to heat on medium high.
Saute the scallions for 2 minutes.
Saute the garlic for 1 minute.
Add the potatoes and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan.
Add the stock, bring to simmer, cover and reduce to low.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Add the sesame seed butter and 2T of nutritional yeast.
Puree the soup until smooth.
Add another 1/4t sea salt and the cabbage.
Return the soup to a simmer, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes until the cabbage is lightly tender.
While the soup cooks, make the mushrooms.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Clean, stem, and slice the mushrooms and toss the slices in 1T cooking oil and 1/2t coarse sea salt.
In a lightly oiled roasting pan, roast the mushrooms until they brown (about 20 minutes), turning once. Ovens vary; use the colour and tenderness of the mushrooms as your guide.
When the cabbage has softened, whisk the tapioca and water.
Stirring continuously, slowly add the mixture to the soup until thickened.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Season to taste.
Ladle out and garnish with the remaining nutritional yeast, then the mushrooms, and finally the scallion and parsley.

Sweet potato pie with walnut, pistachio and date crust

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A seasonal and traditional favourite, this version is sweetened with a little bourbon and trades the traditional baked wheat crust for dates and nuts.

For the pie filling
1/4 cup bourbon (1)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar, or to taste (2)
1/4t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
A pinch dried ground cloves
1 1/2T agar-agar flakes
2 cups cooked sweet potato

For the crust
1 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1 cup scant soft dates, pitted and chopped
A pinch coarse sea salt

Directions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring the bourbon to a simmer on medium and reduce to by half.
Add the soy milk, sugar, spices and agar flakes and return to a simmer.
Reduce to medium low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring
frequently.
Add the sweet potato and stir until combined.
Cover loosely and simmer on low for 20 minutes to reduce, stirring frequently.
While the sweet potatoes finish, make the crust.
Using a food processor, chop the nuts until you achieve a buttery consistency.
Add the dates and sea salt, and grind until consistent.
Spread the crust by hand evenly in a 9″ pie plate.
When the sweet potatoes are done, let stand to cool 10
minutes.
Pour into the pie crust, and chill for 20 minutes uncovered.
Cover with plastic wrap, chill for at least 4 hours to setup, slice and serve.

1. It’s rare, but some manufacturers use animal products in the making of bourbon.

2. Some cane sugar is still manufactured using animal
bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and other unrefined sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Butternut squash gnocchi with mushrooms, parsley, a simple red sauce and a sesame miso white sauce

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The squash makes the gnocchi soft and pillowy while the sauteed herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and nutritional yeast, as well as the red and white sauces add a range of flavours and colours to the plate.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi
2 cups cooked butternut squash
2 cups hard wheat flour
1 liter water
1 1/4t coarse sea salt, divided
2T ground flax seeds
1T olive oil
1T nutritional yeast

For the mushrooms and parsley
2T olive oil
1/4t sea salt
3 scallions, minced (3″ of green reserved for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T capers, minced
1t dried basil, rubbed
1t dried oregano, rubbed
1/2t dried thyme, rubbed
200g cremini mushrooms, in 1/2″ slices
2T apple cider vinegar
1 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (a few sprigs
set aside for garnish)
2T nutritional yeast
2T sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the red sauce
2T gnocchi water
1 cup passata (or tomato puree)
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper (or other seasonings) to taste

For the white sauce
1/4 cup sesame seed butter
2t white miso
1T lemon juice
3-5T cold water
Sea salt to taste

Directions

Make the gnocchi first, then the vegetables, then the sauces.
Combine the squash, flour, flax and 1/4t sea salt and mix well to form a dough.
Bring the water and 1t of sea salt to a boil in a large pot.
Pinch the dough in 2t sizes and roll into balls. You can decorate by pressing with a fork if you want to be
traditional (this also helps the sauce to cling).
When the balls are ready, drop half into the boiling water and swirl gently.
Boil until the balls start to float (perhaps 3-5 minutes –but they’ll float when done).
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Boil the remaining gnocchi until done and set aside.
Toss with 1T olive oil and 2T nutritional yeast.
Reserve 2T of the pasta water for the red sauce.
In a large frying pan, bring the cooking oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallion and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and the rest of the herbs and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes until the pan starts to brown.
Add the apple cider vinegar and deglaze.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
While the mushrooms simmer, make the red and white sauces.
In a small sauce pan, bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the passata and gnocchi water and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small cup or bowl, mix the sesame, lemon, miso and sea salt.
Add 3T of cold water to start.
Add more if necessary to achieve a white sauce consistency.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir to combine.
Add the parsley and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the gnocchi and saute for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside 1 minute to cool.
Plate gnocchi and add 1/4 of the red sauce in a wider circle and then 1/4 of the white sauce in dollops.
Drip a little red sauce around the plate for added presentation value.
Garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens and parsley around the plate.

Wilted spinach, wild rice and red pepper salad with black sesame seeds

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A simple side dish with lots of texture and colour. Add a couple tablespoons of dried cranberries or some sliced pear for a little extra flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup wild rice
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 cups packed baby spinach greens
1 large red pepper, cored and thinly sliced (1/4″)
1T olive oil
1/2t sugar*
2t lime juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2T black sesame seeds
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the water to a boil with the sea salt in a small sauce pan with a lid.
Add the rice, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes (or until the water is absorbed).
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes covered to fluff.
Whisk the oil, sugar, and lime juice with 1T nutritional yeast.
Toss with the spinach, red pepper and remaining nutritional yeast.
Add the wild rice and toss to combine.
Let stand 10 minutes to wilt the spinach.
Season to taste, plate and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

*Not all cane sugars are manufactured without the use of animal products. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Soft wheat and cabbage with ginger and garlic

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A very simple side dish based on an Ethiopian dish. Trade the wheat for potatoes and add some carrots for a more traditional version.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/2t coarse sea salt, divided
1/2 cup soft wheat berries
2T plant only margarine
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1/4t dried ground cumin
1/4t dried ground turmeric
2 cups shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw mix)
1/2t white vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and 1/4t sea salt to a light boil.
Add the wheat, reduce to low, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed (about 45 minutes give or take).
Remove from heat and set aside.
When the wheat is done, in a large frying pan on medium low, bring the margarine to heat with the sea salt.
Add the spices and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the cabbage and the wheat, and stir to combine.
Add the vinegar.
Fry for 7-10 minutes or until the cabbage is lightly wilted, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and serve.

Blueberry buckle with cashew ginger streusel

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A traditional coffee cake similar to bublanina and other desserts. Trade the cashews for walnuts for something more traditional.

Ingredients

For the buckle
2 cups wheat flour (1)
2t baking powder
1/4t coarse sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar (2)
1T ground flax meal
1/4 cup, 1/2T and 1 1/2T plant-only shortening, divided
2 1/2 cups blueberries, 1/2 cup reserved

For the streusel
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup sugar (2)
1 1/2T wheat flour
1/2t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
1 1/2T plant-only shortening
1/4t coarse sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt.
Cream the sugar, soy milk, 1/4 cup shortening and flax seed.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.
Add 2 cups blueberries until well mixed throughout the batter.
Grease a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with 1/2T shortening.
Add the batter to the pan and add the remaining blueberries over the top.
Mix the streusel ingredients until well-combined and crumble over the top.
Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes until a fork comes out clean. Ovens vary; use the color, texture, and a fork test as a guide.
Turn off the heat and let cool in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool another 10 minutes, slice and serve warm, or let cool 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

1. The harder the flour, the more rustic the texture. Use cake flour for something light and airy.

2. A growing number of cane sugars are bleached without the use of animal bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unbleached sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Deep dish white pizza with kale, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives

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A thick-crust pizza with a white sauce made from red lentil, cabbage and artichoke white sauce accented with sesame, oregano, nutritional yeast and white miso.

Ingredients

For the dough
2 1/4 cups hard wheat flour
1/4t coarse salt
1T dried Italian herbs
1 cup warm water
1T yeast
4T olive oil, divided
1/2 coarse yellow corn meal

For the sauce
1/2 cup red lentils
1 1/2 cup water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 cup cabbage
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1T white miso
1T fresh garlic, minced
2T olive oil
2T sesame seed butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2T tapioca flour whiskey with 3T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the toppings
1t dried oregano, rubbed
1/4t coarse sea salt
2T sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted
2T kalamata olive, pitted and chopped
1 cup of kale, coarsely chopped
1/2T olive oil

Instructions

Start the dough, then make the sauce and then add the toppings.
Combine salt and flour in a bowl.
Combine the water and yeast according to your yeast’s instructions.
Once the yeast proofs, whisk in 2T of oil.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Kneed for 10 minutes on a floured board.
Let rise at least 1 hour in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, covered with a damp clean kitchen towel.
Punch down from time to time.
While the dough is rising, make the sauce.
In a small saucepan with a lid, bring the water to a boil with 1/4t coarse sea salt.
Add the red lentils, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the tapioca flour and water.
Simmer on medium low, uncovered for 15 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, roll out the dough on a lightly floured board.
Oil a 9″x9″ baking dish with the remaining 2T olive oil.
Sprinkle the corn meal evenly across the bottom.
Puree the sauce and return to a light simmer.
Whisk the tapioca with water until dissolved.
Stirring continuously, add the tapioca mixture to the sauce slowly until thickened.
Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
While the sauce cools, preheat the oven to 450F.
Add the dough to the pan, and pinch up the sides about 1″.
When the sauce has cooled a bit, add to the dough in an even layer.
Sprinkle the sauce evenly with the coarse sea salt, the oregano, the sun-dried tomatoes and olives, and the kale last.
Drizzle with the 1/2T olive oil.
When the oven is ready, bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is starting to brown lightly. Ovens vary; use the color of the crust as a guide.
Remove from the oven, let cool 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Spinach and walnut pesto

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A simple, rich pesto heavy on the greens. Pictured here with seitan, sauerkraut and kamut.

Ingredients

2T olive oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
2T walnuts
1 cup packed spinach
2t lemon juice
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

In a food processor, grind the walnuts with the oil and sea salt.
Add the remaining ingredients, and puree until smooth.
Let stand 20 minutes, season to taste, and serve.