Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Creamy Garlic Basil Marinara

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Although there are days where a simple, easy, quick meal is appealing, the truth is most times I prefer cooking something that takes a bit of time, a little bit of time management and planning. Meals that come in steps. Maybe because I’m a little crazy about list making and structure. (Okay, more than a little crazy.) I make lists. Grocery lists, things-to-do lists, book lists, recipe lists, craft lists, music playlists for working out, cleaning, cooking, and for pure enjoyment, lists of where to send various pieces of writing off to. Lists of lists. It’s ridiculous.

Every time I make this eggplant parmesan, I tell myself next time, I will bake the eggplant instead of frying it. I haven’t baked a slice of eggplant. Ever. Because although I tell myself it’ll be healthier, magic happens with each bite of this eggplant parmesan. I fry the slices until they’re on the verge of being too fried (i.e. burnt to a crisp). But then when I layer these crisp magical little creatures with my favorite go-to sauce, and ridiculous amounts of mozzarella cheese, they soften right back up. And taste amazing. If I wasn’t terrified about my arteries clogging, or the amount of running and rowing I’d need to do to burn off (or even balance out) the number of calories consumed, I’d eat this every day.

This does take a little bit of effort to prepare. You can forego the homemade sauce if you’re crunched for time. But if you do have the time, homemade sauce just adds another depth of flavor. And it’s delicious.

Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Creamy Garlic Basil Marinara

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
1- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
1- 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
10 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
¼-½ tsp. red chili pepper flakes
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
¼ cup + 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. olive oil

For the eggplant parmesan:
2 medium sized eggplants
1½ cups panko (Japanese style) breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tsp. granulated garlic
3 tsp. sea salt
3 tsp. ground black pepper
¾ tsp. dried basil
¾ tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. dried thyme
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
enough oil to fry the eggplant
sea salt
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 recipe of creamy garlic basil marinara sauce

Directions:

Prepare the eggplant: Slice the eggplant into rounds as thin as possible (about 1/8-inch thick). Place the sliced eggplant in a single layer on baking sheets, then generously sprinkle with sea salt. Allow the eggplant to sit for about an hour. The salt will draw out the bitterness of the eggplant and will also keep it from absorbing too much oil. Once an hour passes, rinse each slice of eggplant in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Prepare the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot, over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili pepper flakes. Sauté for a few minutes. Add in the basil, salt, pepper, and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Allow the mixture to cook for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a high powered blender or food processor. Blend until you have a smooth sauce (1 – 2 minutes). Return the sauce to your pot on the stove, over medium-high heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and heavy cream, mixing until everything is well combined. Taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, then cover and set aside until it’s time to put the eggplant parmesan together.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. You need three shallow dishes. In one, mix together the flour, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper. In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, ½ tsp. dried basil, ½ tsp. dried oregano, and ½ tsp. thyme. In the third shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, ¼ cup grated parmesan, and ¼ tsp. each of dried basil, oregano, and thyme. Mix well.

Dip each slice of eggplant (both sides) in the flour mixture, then the egg bath, then the panko. I like to gently press the eggplant into the panko mixture, to make sure it gets a good coating. Do this with each slice of eggplant. You can set each the breaded slices on a cooling rack or dry baking sheet until ready to fry.

Fill a large pan (I prefer cast iron) with oil about a ½-inch deep. Heat over medium-high. When you drop a breadcrumb into the oil and it immediately bubbles back up to the surface, the oil is hot enough to begin frying your eggplant.

Fry the eggplant until golden brown on both sides (about 1½ – 2 minutes on each side). Drain on paper towels (or coffee filters if you’re lacking paper towels, or brown paper bags).

Once all the eggplant is cooked, you’re ready to start layering the eggplant parmesan. In a 9×13 inch baking pan, spread about a ½ cup of marinara on the bottom. Layer one fourth of all the fried eggplant over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon on a quarter of the marinara, then top with a quarter of the grated mozzarella. Continue layering with: eggplant, sauce, cheese, eggplant, sauce, cheese, eggplant, sauce, cheese.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. If you want, you can broil the top until it gets toasty and brown. Allow the eggplant parmesan to sit for about five minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Sauces, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Homemade Haupia

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Some times I get homesick. I’ve lived in Oregon for over eight years now, but Kauai will always be a part of me. Besides, I still have family–blood related and not–living there. Mostly I get homesick for the ocean; being able to jump into that warm clear water at any given time, rain or shine. Without a wetsuit. But there are a lot of times where I miss the food I grew up eating equally as much. Hawaii’s the best for culturally diverse foods that all manage to come together… You can go to potlucks or family parties, where you’ll find home cooked Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, American, and Portuguese food covering the tables.

A couple weeks ago, I saw a recipe for homemade haupia (how-pee-uh): a traditional Hawaiian dessert made with fresh coconut milk. Considering its ingredients, it’s a pudding… but in consistency, haupia is actually more similar to gelatin, cut into squares when served. Although I had never eaten haupia topped with anything, I sprinkled the top with toasted unsweetened coconut before serving. It added a nice contrast to the creamy, soft haupia. This recipe is really simple. The secret is low heat and a lot of stirring. (The secret to any homemade pudding, really.)

Homemade Haupia 

Ingredients:

1½ cups whole fat canned coconut milk
1½ cups whole milk (sub soy or almond for a vegan version)
1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract
6 tbsp. fine sugar
6 tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
¼ cup toasted unsweetened coconut (optional)

Directions:

In a small pot, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch/arrowroot until they’re well combined. Whisk in the two types of milk and vanilla. Turn the heat on to medium-low.

Continue to whisk the mixture over low heat until it begins to thicken up (this can take anywhere from 15-20 minutes).  Once the mixture thickens, continue whisking for an additional 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

Pour the mixture into an 8-inch square pan. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Cut into 16 squares and serve cold, sprinkled with toasted coconut if you want.

Enjoy!

Posted in Dessert, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Creamy Curried Split Pea Soup

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Cold, wet, winter days simply ask for soup. A few weeks ago, I bought green split peas in bulk. A total brain fart. I thought I was getting lentils. I’ve got to admit though–prior to tonight I never cooked a split pea or lentil in my life. So I figure, if I’ve got ’em in the pantry, I may as well make something with ’em. Something tasty. Curry was my first thought. Then soup, my second. Curried soup? Even better (for today, anyway).

I didn’t leave the house today. Usually I don’t handle that too well. I go stir-crazy quickly. Even if going “out” means a walk to the grocery store, or time working in the yard, or simply time sitting on our porch. But for some reason, it felt okay today. I spent a good portion of time looking at food blogs, researching new recipes, writing. I also decided lazy indoor days are good for cooking. So I made this soup. In the midst of making soup, I broke up a dog fight in our kitchen and did some laundry. Multi-tasking, dontchaknow. I also made some homemade haupia for dessert–more on that tomorrow. And some stove-top grilled garlic butter flatbread.

This soup was spicier than I anticipated. If you want it a little milder, leave out the red chili pepper flakes completely. Or add them in when you add the broth. I’d definitely make this again…

 

Creamy Curried Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. unrefined coconut oil
1 cup chopped red onion
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. red chili pepper flakes
2 small carrots, cut into rounds (about 1 cup)
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1½ cups)
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 tbsp. finely diced sweet peppers
1 cup green or yellow split peas
1 cup green beans (frozen is okay, no need to defrost)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
3½ cups vegetable broth
¼ cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot, over medium-low heat. (Unrefined coconut oil has a lower smoke point than olive or canola oil, so be sure it doesn’t burn.) Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper flakes, cooking until the onion becomes translucent. Add the carrots, celery, sweet peppers, and potatoes to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients and allow the mixture to cook until the carrots begin to slightly soften up (10 minutes or so).

Add in the split peas, green beans, and cilantro. Add the curry powder, tumeric, and cumin seeds. Add in the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and lime juice. Stir the ingredients well and cover the pot. Cook, covered, for 1 hour. Periodically stir the ingredients to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of your pot.

Add salt and pepper to your liking, then serve with flat bread or your favorite crusty bread.

 

 

Posted in Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Vegetarian Chicken and Herbed Dumplings

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

I don’t think I’ve ever had non-vegetarian chicken and dumplings. Don’t let that run you off from trying this recipe. Please. I scoured the inter-nets for quite some time, searching for the best chicken ‘n dumplins recipes. I knew seitan would be my alternative chicken (sounds creepy, but you know what I mean), but I wanted to get a good idea of what the stew portion of this one-dish meal would be.

Basically, if you’re making real chicken and dumplings, it involves cooking a whole chicken, and your broth gains its complexity of flavor from that and the things you cook with the meat. I wasn’t cooking a whole chicken, so my flavors had to come from the vegetables, spices, herbs, and broth I was using. While I am a firm supporter of homemade broths, I absolutely love Imagine brand organic no-chicken broth. You can’t even tell there’s no chicken in there.

Some recipes I saw achieved a soupy, thin stew. Others creamy. Some thick. I wanted a combination of all these things. PLUS dumplings that had a little complexity of flavor on their own. Since you’re not cooking actual meat, the time it takes to make this dish isn’t as consuming. With all the chopping and cooking time included, I had dinner ready in 50 minutes. Not too bad for something comforting and hearty! Not to mention, delicious.

A six-year-old review: “Julie, I want to eat this EVERY DAY!”  Try it.

 

Vegetarian Chicken and Herbed Dumplings

Ingredients:

For the stew
16 ounces seitan, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup celery, diagonally cut into bite-size pieces
1½ cups carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cups red potatoes (skin-on okay), cut into small cubes
1 cup diced crimini mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. black pepper (or more/less to taste)
¼ tsp. sea salt (or more/less to taste)
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 cups vegetable (or No-Chicken) broth
3 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. olive oil

For the dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 cup milk
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground sage

 

Directions:

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the onion is translucent, add the celery, carrots, and potatoes. Allow the mixture to cook until the vegetables begin to soften (10-15 minutes).

Add the seitan, mushrooms, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and sea salt to the pan. Turn to coat everything in the spices and herbs.

Add in the butter, stirring until it’s completely melted. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir until the flour is well-coating everything and isn’t powder-white. Add in the vegetable broth and bay leaves.  Allow the mixture to cook until it begins to thicken up, 10-15 minutes. Prepare your dumpling batter while the stew is thickening.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, thyme, oregano, and sage. Add in the melted butter and milk all at once. Stir until you have a slightly sticky, thick, dough. If it’s too dry, you can add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Stir the heavy cream into your stew mixture. Lower the heat to simmer (you don’t want to boil the dumplings, or they’ll become tough – we’re just steaming them in the stew). Drop the dumpling dough onto the stew by rounded tablespoons. It’s okay if they’re touching one another. Cover your pot and do not remove the lid for 15 minutes. Resist all urges to peek for 15 whole minutes. Seriously. You can do it!

After 15 minutes, check the doneness of the dumplings with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean or with few dry crumbs attached, it’s ready to serve up! If the dumplings aren’t done, cover the pot and simmer for 5 or 10 more minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Easy Chicken-Style Seitan (Wheat Meat)

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Don’t be scared. What is this plate of spongy looking stuff?! Why is it on your food blog?! I know. It’s a little freaky looking. It’s seitan: a vegetarian “meat” product, made from the proteins (gluten) of wheat. I told Craig there’s no way I can photograph this stuff to make it look appetizing. I considered photographing fried seitan, or even a recipe containing it. But really I want to post this recipe, bare as it is, because the end product is so versatile. You can use it in various dishes, but the included recipe is just to create a basic batch of seitan; what you do with it is up to you.

When cooking meat at home became a non-option, I went crazy with trying numerous vegetarian “meat” alternatives: tofu, tempeh, beans, grains, seitan. I’ve always enjoyed tofu. I’ve learned to enjoy tempeh. Beans and grains are staples for our diet, but they don’t easily replace the meaty texture I’m sometimes going for in certain recipes. Seitan, however, became a quick favorite for me. It’s very chicken-like in texture and it takes on flavors incredibly well. I’ve made deceivingly good vegetarian “fried chicken,” “chicken and dumplings,” and “chicken and waffles” with seitan.

A few months back when I thought I had to go completely wheat-free, the idea of not using seitan anymore bummed me out. There aren’t any non-wheat products I’ve tried that compare, especially in texture. Gladly, wheat hasn’t been giving me trouble for the last couple of months, so seitan’s back on my useable ingredient list.

The main downside of using seitan is the cost vs. the amount of “wheat meat” you get when you opt for store-bought versions. Around here I’ve found that for 8 oz., you spend nearly $4.00. For my family of three perpetually hungry boys and myself (I do my fair share of keeping up in this realm), 8oz. doesn’t exactly cover the amount of seitan needed for a meal. The truth is though, seitan is quite easy to make at home and you certainly yield a larger quantity of the stuff for what you’re paying! I was intimidated at first, but having made the following recipe numerous times, let me assure you it’s not too difficult. One of the other benefits of making your own seitan is that you can flavor the gluten during the kneading process, using spices and herbs instead of the usual garlic and ginger that store-bought varieties often depend on.

Chicken-Style Seitan (Wheat Meat)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
1 cup vital wheat gluten * see note
4 tbsp. vegetarian chicken bouillon powder
2 tsp. garlic granules
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground sage
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried coriander
1 cup water

For the Broth:
4 cups water
½ cup nutritional yeast
3 tbsp. vegetarian chicken bouillon powder
3 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. sea salt

* Note: I’ve been able to find vital wheat gluten in our grocery stores, but if you’re out of luck at regular grocery stores, sometimes you can find the stuff in specialty stores or health food stores. You can also order it online from King Arthur Flour, Arrowhead Mills, or Bob’s Red Mill. 

Directions:

Prepare the dough: in a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, vegetarian chicken bouillon powder, garlic granules, black pepper, sage, thyme, and coriander. Mix well. Add in the water. Knead the dough for a few minutes. You should end up with a semi-sticky ball of spongy dough.

Roll out to about ¼-½ inch thick. Cut the dough into pieces as big or small as you want, keeping in mind that the dough will swell to at least twice its size while cooking.

Prepare the cooking liquid: combine the water, nutritional yeast, vegetarian chicken bouillon powder, poultry seasoning, pepper, and salt in a large, semi-shallow pan. Bring it close to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add your pieces of dough, one at a time. Partially cover the pan (so steam has a place to escape) and cook the seitan until most of the liquid is absorbed (about an hour). Flip the pieces of seitan over every so often, making sure they aren’t sticking. *Don’t throw out the remaining broth once the seitan’s cooked, if you’re using the seitan right away. You can use it as a base for gravy, especially if making “fried chicken” with the seitan… or simply in a recipe that calls for chicken broth!

Remove the seitan from your broth. I like to set mine on a cooling rack and/or paper towels to dry it out slightly before using, especially if I’m making something fried with the seitan. If you aren’t going to use the seitan right away, store it in its cooking broth for up to 7 days in the fridge.

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Meatless Meat, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Creamy Honey Cumin Lime Slaw

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Cabbage is most certainly on my list labeled “Foods Not Enjoyed.” Coleslaw? C’mon now–no thank you. I imagine it’s partially because of another “food” on that same list–mayonnaise. However, as I mentioned before, I’ve been trying to eat more of the things I swore I couldn’t possibly enjoy. (Mayonnaise isn’t one of those things, but I am a fan of Vegenaise, the only product even remotely close that I use in my sandwiches and cooking.)

Aside from the chopping, this whips up pretty quickly. If you have a food processor or other chopping device, even quicker. (I prefer hand-chopping for the un-uniform pieces.) The slaw will last a few days in the fridge and actually tastes better with each day.

Creamy Honey Cumin Lime Slaw

Ingredients:
1 small head green cabbage, chopped fine (approximately 3 cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and grated fine
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¾ cup Vegenaise
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. onion, grated fine
1 tbsp. stoneground mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, and cilantro.

In another bowl, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients. Add the whisked together dressing to the cabbage mixture. Toss to combine and well coat everything.

Taste, then add more salt and pepper to your liking. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to be used.

 

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Restaurants, Sides, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Cheesy Potato Gratin with Chiles and Corn

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Sometimes I think the reason I enjoy cooking so much, or so often, is because it’s fulfilling. Literally and in the most basic way. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy a good meal? And then when you cook a meal that’s based around comfort foods? Oh god. Comfort foods are fun, because on some level they’re really similar for people. At the same time, there’s something so personal and revealing about what we each deem as comforting, especially what or brains and bodies crave.

Mashed potatoes are probably a comfort food for many. My mom (and dad, actually) could make a mean pot of mashed potatoes. Sometimes plain, sometimes cheesy, sometimes oniony, sometimes garlicky, sometimes sweet potatoey. Always creamy, comforting, delicious… and something I rarely craved. Seriously. My mom made some delicious scalloped potatoes though. I did crave those… Laden with slices of baked ham, a tasty béchamel sauce, onions, and cheese. My body certainly says there’s something comforting about a dish of potatoes, creamy sauce, and cheese. 

The following recipe is a bit different than the dish my mom prepared. It contains roasted peppers and sweet corn. The poblano peppers offer an obvious smoky taste that isn’t overly spicy. The roasted bell pepper also has a smoky, but sweet, flavor. Combined with the faintly garlic-flavored sauce, you won’t regret making this dish. Promise.

Cheesy Potato Gratin with Chiles and Corn

Ingredients:

1 medium bell pepper, roasted + skin removed (about 4 oz.)
3 medium poblano peppers, roasted + skins removed (about 5½ oz.)
1¼ lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1½ cups sweet corn kernels, defrosted if using frozen corn
½ cup red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups monterey jack cheese, grated
1½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated
2 cups half and half
3 tbsp. flour (gluten-free flour for a gluten-free gratin!)
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º F.  Use one teaspoon of olive oil and grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch round cast iron pan.

Cut the roasted peppers into 1-inch x ½-inch strips. Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the peppers until they’re softened (about 5-10 minutes). Set aside.

In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter, until the onion becomes translucent. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking to coat the onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook for about 5 minutes, making sure the butter/flour doesn’t begin to burn. Add in the half-and-half all at once, whisking often. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens up. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the mozzarella and monterey jack cheeses, blending both thoroughly. Reserve a ½-cup of cheese for the topping.

Layer ¼ of the potatoes in your prepared cast iron pan, slightly overlapping the edges. Sprinkle on a third of the corn, one third of the peppers, ¼ of the sauce,  one third of the unreserved cheese. Continue layering with: potatoes, corn, peppers, sauce, cheese, potatoes corn, peppers, sauce, cheese, potatoes, sauce. Cover the dish TIGHTLY with foil and bake, covered, about 45 minutes (until the potatoes are tender and cooked all the way through).

Once the potatoes are tender, uncover, and top with the reserved half-cup of cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown. (You can totally cheat at the end and put it under the broiler to encourage more browning!)

Allow the potatoes to sit about ten minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Easy Coconut Chocolate Mousse

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Maybe it’s because I’m officially closer to the 30 than 20 since my last birthday. Maybe it’s because I’ve been finding it fun to cook all kinds of things I didn’t think I’d enjoy. Maybe it’s just because my tastes have changed over the last two decades.

I’ve been attempting to re-try ingredients and recipes that were once appalling to me. For instance, I’ve been putting mushrooms in all sorts of things — ehhh, food-related things. For most of my life I’ve hated mushrooms. Their chewy texture, their earthy flavor, the slimy feel they get when not cooked well. I’ve found I actually like them okay. I don’t go around craving mushrooms, but I can enjoy them. Also, green peas. I’ve considered peas useless for many years. I’ve not appreciated their little green bursts of sweetness in any meal they’ve been a part of. However, it seems unfair to ask the kids to eat ’em here and there if I’m not willing to do so myself. So I’ve incorporated them into my cooking every now and then.

I don’t know when I decided I didn’t like coconut. I fondly remember knocking whole coconuts out of the trees in our backyard, hacking the crap out of their husks with a machete to get to the little brown ball with three eyes on its shell, then piercing those eyes to empty out the milk, before cracking open the rest of the coconut for its “meat.” I don’t think I enjoyed the actual end product; it was just the process and challenge that did me in. Somewhere along the line, I decided coconut wasn’t for me.

I’ve been re-thinking that decision, mostly because I don’t know what ever convinced me that I didn’t like anything coconut-related. As it turns out, my reconsideration has been nicely rewarded. I read recently that you can easily whip up cold coconut milk into vegan whipped cream. Crazy? No, delicious. I wondered what would happen if you whipped that coconut milk with things like chocolate and sugar? Vanilla? The result: this very easy chocolate “mousse” that’s pretty healthy for you. That said, you want to use full-fat coconut milk, as the reduced fat versions don’t thicken up even when refrigerated overnight. Once the coconut milk is refrigerated overnight, it’ll separate. You only want to use the thick cream portion in this recipe.

 

Easy Coconut Chocolate Mousse

Yields: 3 small servings

Ingredients:
1- 13.5 oz. can coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
¼ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp. cane sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Scoop the heavy coconut cream that has risen to the top of your can of coconut milk into a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the cane sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Continue whisking until the mixture is very thick (5 – 6 minutes). You can refrigerate it at this point and the mousse will thicken up more, or you can serve it and enjoy!  (:

Posted in Dessert, Gluten-Free, Kids, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Spinach and Tofu Lasagna

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Lasagna’s one of my favorite go-to dishes for feeding a crowd of people. There are probably infinite ways you can put one together, depending on what you want in it. You can keep the recipe simple, using numerous pre-made ingredients, including bottled sauce. Personally, if I’m going through the trouble of making a lasagna in the first place, I like to make my own sauce, even something pretty simple, as it’s an easy way to add another layer of flavor to the whole dish.

Every time I make a lasagna, it comes out different from the last time I made one. I remember my mom making lasagna when I was a kid… Her’s was nearly always the same, and always amazingly good. I think her recipe came from Mollie Katzen‘s original Moosewood Cookbook, published in the late 1970’s. I was always so excited when I’d see my mom preparing the spinach-ricotta filling, knowing full well what dinner would be.

Many times I substitute tofu for ricotta cheese in my own lasagnas, for the health benefits. And honestly, it never feels like there’s anything lacking in the overall lasagna to do so. Sometimes I use more vegetables, sometimes soy-based meat. This particular lasagna is mostly filled with spinach, tofu, and cheese.

 

Creamy Garlic Basil Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1- 28 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
10 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup onion, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. heavy cream
½ tsp. red chili pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili pepper flakes. Cook until the onions are translucent.

Add in the basil, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Allow the sauce to simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, then pour the sauce into a high power blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Pour back into your pot, over medium heat on the stove. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed. Allow the sauce to simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

 

Spinach and Tofu Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked according to the package directions
2- 10 oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed
1- 14 oz. block extra firm tofu (I prefer Wildwood Sprouted Tofu)
½ cup chopped crimini mushrooms
7 oz. artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
3 tsp. garlic granules
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup feta cheese
24 oz. fresh* mozzarella cheese, cut into rounds about ¼-inch thick
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
olive oil
4 – 6 cups of marinara sauce (the above recipe, or store bought if you prefer)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, use your hands to crumble up the firm tofu, until it’s similar to ricotta cheese in consistency. Mix in the garlic granules, lemon juice, and eggs. Add  the spinach, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, half of the feta cheese, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to combine the ingredients until they’re well mixed.

Spread about two tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles, lengthwise in the dish, overlapping them by about  ¼-inch. Evenly spread one third of the spinach mixture over the noodles, one third of the fresh mozzarella slices, and enough sauce to coat the cheese layer. Add another layer of noodles, then spinach mixture, fresh mozzarella, sauce. Continue layering with: noodles, spinach, fresh mozzarella, sauce, noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the shredded mozzarella.

Cover the lasagna with foil. To prevent the cheese from sticking, coat the foil in cooking spray or olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil cover and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

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Brown Butter Honey Banana Cake with Whipped Honey Buttercream Frosting

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Some days require cake, regardless of special occasions. Fancy cake, plain cake, frosted, unfrosted, cupcakes, layer cakes, sheet cakes… Cake. I’ve struggled with food in the past — counting calories religiously, limiting myself with numbers and quantities. Worrying about where exactly these calories will or won’t go. It took a long time to get to a place where I can allow myself to enjoy desserts, food, meals, without hesitating about calories and wondering whether or not that balances with the number I’ve worked off for the day. To delight in a mid-week cake just because it sounds good, or because my body’s craving it, is a good freedom. Plus, in moderation (it’s not as though I’m baking cakes daily and over-indulging), it’s nice to simply enjoy something sweet after a good meal. Or for breakfast the following morning… without the added self-imposed guilt.

This is a fantastic cake to give in to. The brown butter adds a slight nutty taste, the honey’s not overpowering, but very present in each bite, and the banana adds a perfect amount of sweetness. While I’m not usually too fond of frosting, the whipped honey buttercream works nicely with this cake. It’s very much worth trying!

 

Brown Butter Honey Banana Cake

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
¼ cup + 2 tbsp. sugar
¼ cup good quality honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg, at room temperature
¾ cup banana puree (approx. 2 medium bananas)
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ cup buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Prepare two 8-inch round pans by buttering them, lining the bottom with parchment paper, the re-buttering and lightly flouring. Here’s a quick, lovely tutorial if you need it.

In a small pan on the stove, heat the butter over medium heat until it’s completely melted, whisking often. Once it has melted, it’ll start getting foamy. Keep a close eye on the butter at this point, as it can go from browned to burnt pretty quickly. Keep whisking, paying attention to the smell of the butter. It will have a nutty aroma and turn a lovely shade of light brown when ready. Remove the pan from your stove, then strain the butter into the bowl of your mixer.

Beat the brown butter with your sugar, honey, and vanilla. Keep beating until the mixture cools off slightly (about 3 – 4 minutes). Add the egg and beat until the mixture looks light and airy (1 – 2 minutes). Beat in the banana puree.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Alternately add the dry ingredients and your buttermilk to the banana mixture, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Evenly divide the batter between your two cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean (or with few crumbs attached). Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then loosen sides, remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Prepare your whipped honey buttercream, then frost your cake and enjoy!

 

Whipped Honey Buttercream

Ingredients:
¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature
6 tbsp. good quality honey
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and honey, mixing for about 2 – 3 minutes, until the butter is light colored and slightly fluffy.

Add in 1 cup of sugar, incorporating at a low speed. Once the sugar is fully combined (about 2 minutes), increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Repeat with the remaining sugar, adding it one cup at a time.

Add the heavy cream and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Beat on medium-high until the frosting is smooth (1 – 2 minutes).

Makes enough frosting for a 2-layer 8-inch round cake.

Posted in Baking, Dessert, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment