Last weekend was really lovely — my mom was in town! I dragged her all over Brooklyn by foot and by ferry and as per usual we spent most of our time eating. Saturday night, my cousin joined us for dinner at a delicious restaurant in Brooklyn Heights called Colonie. I love restaurants that are conducive to sharing and Colonie’s menu is tailored for just that. We ordered far too many dishes, but we devoured them all. One of the standout plates on our table was a roasted carrot salad with sunflower sprouts. This was my first introduction to these slightly sweet, watery little greens and I loved them. I adore a dish with simple ingredients that balance together perfectly and that’s what happened when I put a little bit of each ingredient on my fork. When I came across sunflower sprouts at the market this week, I decided to try to recreate this dish.

I took the basic ingredients that were listed on the menu and experimented from there. The result was mighty tasty and surprisingly similar to Colonie’s version. It’s a perfect spring salad that I definitely plan on making again very soon. Here’s how to make it…

1 small bunch of carrots
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs maple syrup
1 cup / large handful of sunflower sprouts
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbs sliced almonds

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp agave
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of lemon salt (regular salt is fine)
pinch of black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss carrots with olive oil and maple syrup and place in oven to roast for 30–40 minutes or until soft. While carrots are roasting, cut garlic cloves into thin slices. Heat olive oil over high heat in a small pan and add the garlic slices and cook until they begin to brown. Remove garlic and place them on a paper towel to cool. In another small pan, toast almond slices over medium heat for 10 minutes, making sure they don’t burn, remove and set aside to cool.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk together.

Once carrots are done, remove and set aside to cool. Drizzle some of the sauce on a plate, add some sunflower sprouts, top with the carrots, garlic chips and almonds and top with more sauce. Drizzle a little extra lemon and olive oil on top. Grab and fork and knife and dig in!

Artichokes are my favorite vegetable and this is in part because I grew up eating them with my mom’s delicious mayo, shallot and lemon sauce — a sauce that doesn’t exactly add any health factor to this beautiful, nutritious green vegetable. I’ve attempted a variation on the sauce in the past using Greek yogurt but it just wasn’t quite the addictive sauce that I grew up with. Trying my best to get back into a healthy eating routine, when I found myself craving an artichoke tonight, I decided I would pick up some vegan mayo to make the dipping sauce with. To my surprise, there was only one brand available on the shelf at Whole Foods and the list of ingredients were endless and foreign to me. I put it down and decided to try to make my own vegan mayo.

The first recipe that came up when I googled vegan mayonnaise was this soy free version from Healthful Pursuit. Again, to my amazement, I had nearly every ingredient I needed already in my apartment. I was definitely skeptical that this would taste anything like the real thing, but I made it anyway. When I gave it a taste, I was quite shocked. It was closer to a mayonnaise taste than any vegan mayo I’ve purchased from a store has ever been. I mixed it with lemon and shallots, dipped in an artichoke leaf, and discovered that I had finally found a healthy alternative to my mom’s mayo sauce. Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:
½ cup lite coconut milk (I used almond milk)
½ cup soft extra-virgin coconut oil (I used regular coconut oil)
¼ cup raw cashew halves
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (I didn’t have any so I omitted)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3½ tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Blend milk, coconut oil, cashew halves, salt and turmeric on high for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. While blender is still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and vinegar. Continue to blend for another 1 minute until oil is nicely emulsified. Pour into a medium-sized bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours before using as a replacement to mayonnaise in just about any recipe your heart desires!

After a weekend of eating out, followed by a Monday morning bagel and cream cheese spread at work, my body was hating on me for the gluten, meat and dairy overload. So, this week I am giving myself a gluten-free vegan cleanse in anticipation of indulging again this weekend during my thirtieth birthday festivities. I was craving greens yesterday and when I went to the market to purchase my favorite vegetable, an artichoke, there were none left. So, I browsed the bountiful aisle of green veggies and landed on napa cabbage.

It was calling my name and so was something a little bit crunchy and a little bit smoky. So, I came up with this dish on the spot, hoping it would work and sure enough it turned out to be a delicious dinner. I even made it again tonight, but this time added a little quinoa pasta. This dish works great on its own or with the addition of any noodles, or even regular quinoa. Here’s how to make it…

4 big leaves of napa cabbage sliced into thin strips
half of a medium-large white onion sliced into thin long pieces
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbs fresh finely chopped ginger
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
2 tsps Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
Salt (optional) and pepper to taste

For the almonds:
1/2 cup sliced almonds (I purchased them pre-sliced. Whole almonds would be ok too)
2 tsp liquid smoke (or just enough to coat almonds)
2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce, enough to coat almonds)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
I also tossed the almonds with Trader Joe’s South African Smoke seasoning but feel free to get creative with whatever seasonings you have. Smoked paprika would work great.

Toss the almond slices with all of the ingredients and let sit for a few minutes. Spread almonds out on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 400 degrees for about 4–5 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. Remove and set aside to let cool.

Heat the toasted sesame oil over medium heat and add the garlic and onions. Sautee for about 5 minutes or until the onions are nice and soft. Add the ginger and sautee for a few more minutes. Add the cabbage and toss with tongues. Cover and let cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes more, uncovering occasionally to toss. Once the cabbage starts to soften, add the liquid aminos and some fresh black pepper to the pan and continue to cook. Taste and if desired, add a little salt. I found that the liquid aminos contained enough salt. Remove from pan, plate and top with the smoked almonds.

In the summer I crave Mexican food and in the winter I cannot get enough Thai food. Specifically, this winter. My co-workers and I have gotten into a bad habit of ordering thai food for lunch on cold, rainy and snowy days and I have gotten into the bad habit of ordering it for dinner on lazy evenings. I decided it was time to stop wasting money and stop eating food with mystery ingredients, so the other night I attempted homemade pad thai.

In search for a recipe with the least amount of ingredients, I finally stumbled upon this version on sophistimom.com. I adapted it by swapping out the fish sauce for some Braggs Liquid Aminos (equivalent of soy sauce) and left out the shrimp/chicken/beef. I discovered that the key to that tangy pad thai flavor is tamarind, which I never knew. This dish tasted almost exactly like the dish I get at my local Thai restaurant and I can happily eat it, knowing exactly what is in it. Below is the recipe adapted from sophistimom.com. The one thing to note is that the brown rice pasta needed to cook much longer than the recipe states.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces of shrimp, chicken, or tofu (all optional)
1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt
7–8 ounces brown rice pad thai (fettucini style) pasta
tamarind sauce (recipe follows)
1 good handful chopped peanuts (or cashews if you’re allergic), plus more for garnish
1 bunch fresh cilantro (coriander), plus more for garnish
1 really good handful of bean sprouts, plus more for garnish
1 lime cut in wedges for garnish

1. Set a large pot of water over high heat. While it comes to a boil, set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in oil, and gently cook the shallots until tender, about 3 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and cook a minute more. With a slotted spoon, remove the shallots and garlic and place on a plate and set aside. If you want to add shrimp, chicken, or tofu, add it now and cook in the oil until shrimp is pink, the chicken is cooked through, or the tofu is nicely browned. Remove to the plate with the garlic and shallots.

2. When the water comes to a boil, slide the brown rice noodles* into the water and stir with a fork. When the water comes back to a boil, let the noodles cook for a minute, remove from heat, and cover for about 2 minutes. Strain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.

*If you are using regular white rice stick (which these days is actually harder to find than the Tinkyada brown rice noodles), Let the rice stick soak in very hot tap water for 20 minutes, then drain.

3. Pour beaten egg into the hot skillet and swirl it around so the egg spreads out like a crepe. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until egg is just done. Roll the egg up, put on the plate with the garlic and slice in strips.

4. Turn the heat up to high. Add the rice noodles to the skillet and pour over the tamarind sauce. Toss with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Add in peanuts, cilantro, and bean sprouts. Toss until most of the liquid is soaked in or evaporated. Add in reserved egg, shallots, and garlic. Toss well and pour onto a large plate. Garnish with more bean sprouts, cilantro, peanuts, and lime wedges.

tamarind sauce

1 2 inch piece of tamarind fruit with seeds (or 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste plus 2 tablespoons water)
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or 3 tablespoons sugar)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fish sauce (I substituted with Braggs Liquid Aminos)
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce, or a pinch cayenne pepper

1. (You can purchase concentrated tamarind sauce at most asian markets, which is what I dd. If you can’t find it, do the following): Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of boiling water for about 5 minutes. Break up fibers and seeds with a fork, and press through a sieve set over another bowl or glass cup measure. Be sure to scrape all the pulp from the bottom of the sieve.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and stir with a fork.

I’ve never been a fan of mushrooms, but that all changed this evening when I discovered the wonderful flavors of shiitake bacon. Recently, I’ve been attempting to curb my winter dining out addiction and really focus on cooking delicious plant-based meals, and this shiitake bacon is the perfect way to satisfy my cravings for rich, savory meaty flavors.

I’ve also been excited to start experimenting with cashew cream and other vegan dairy supplements, so tonight I prepared myself an incredibly filling, healthy winter meal. I made a creamy vodka sauce topped with shiitake bacon. The flavors complemented each other beautifully in this big bowl of hearty quinoa pasta. I was completely satisfied and I’m looking forward to having he leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The best part is that I don’t feel weighed down from this gluten-free, vegan version the way I would if I had ordered traditional penne alla vodka at a restaurant. Here’s how to make it…

1 box quinoa pasta (I used shells)

Vegan Vodka Sauce:
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (discard half of the liquid)
1 cup cashew cream
1/2 cup water (for cashew cream)
2 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs vodka
1 shallot finely chopped
3–4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Shiitake Bacon:
10 Shiitake mushrooms
2 tbs grapeseed oil (or enough to coat mushrooms)
2 tbs Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce — enough to coat mushrooms)
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

Start by soaking cashews in cold water for about an hour (or overnight if you have time). Drain and blend in food processor or blender with fresh water — about half a cup (add more if necessary. consistency should be thick and smooth). Set aside.

While cashews are soaking, make the shiitake bacon. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice flat part of the mushroom into long pieces. Coat in a bowl with grapeseed oil, liquid aminos or soy sauce and liquid smoke (if you have available). Let sit for a few minutes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10–20 minutes. Or until just crisp, keeping an eye on it to make sure it does not burn. Remove and let cool.

While shiitake bacon is cooking, saute garlic and shallots over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until soft. Keep in pan over low heat.

Put quinoa pasta on to cook according to directions on the box (it should take about 9 minutes).

Return to food processor and combine canned tomatoes, tomato paste, vodka and cashew cream and blend until smooth. Add this sauce mixture to the pan with the garlic and shallots and mix and heat over low-medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Strain pasta, return to pot and mix in sauce. Plate and top with shiitake bacon.

After a fun, but long day shopping at Ikea with some friends, instead of building the bed frame that I bought, I decided to make a quick dinner and plop myself on the couch. This “no-rice risotto” is a recipe I had come across earlier in the week and was excited to try. It completely hit the spot and gave me the energy I needed the next day to tackle some bed building. Here is the recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Green Kitchen Stories…

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 chard (slice the leaves into thin strips, cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice, discard the larger stems)
2 cans (2 cups) cannellini beans (rinsed well)
4 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1/2 lemon, juice & zest
fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Bring vegetable broth to a bare simmer in a saucepan over medium heat and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion, garlic and the stems of the chard. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add one cup of the broth, cook and stir, until almost absorbed. Now add chard leaves, cannellini beans and the rest of the broth. Cook and stir for a couple of minutes, then add mascarpone cheese, lemon juice and thyme. Season with salt, pepper and more thyme if needed. Top it with some grated lemon zest before serving.