11.29.09
Fabulous Pot-Luck part 3
After enjoying our deelish apps and my entrée course we were all really full. But after we saw and then tasted Liz’s super amazing Grape and Fig pie we all made room! haha! I love her homage to raw food for me, even though this is a baked pie. The flavors were so bright and luscious. The mascarpone cheese added such a nice finish. Really great flavors!! Thanks Liz and Edo 
Another funny note is both Judith and Liz made food with figs in it. I doubt they knew it was one of my favorite foods, but of course it worked out perfectly! Such a great evening!
Liz’s Grape and Fig Pie
Recipe from Pie; editor: Haedrich
1 recipe piecrust
Filling:
1 ½ cups stemmed and diced dried Black Mission figs (other figs will work)
4 cups halved seedless black grapes
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons Frangelico or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
Garnish: sweet mascarpone cheese
1. Prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm enough to roll (about an hour)
2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the larger portion of the pastry into a 12 inched circle with a floured rolling pan, Invert the pastry over a nine inched standard pie pan, center and peel off the paper, Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and let the overhang drape over the edge. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Place the figs in a steamer basket set in a saucepan (or directly in the saucepan) and as about ½ inch of water to the pan. Cover tightly and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer-steam the figs for five minutes. Drain in a colander or sleeve.
4. In a large bowl, combine the grapes, figs and all but about 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon juice, lemon zest, and Frangelico (if using). Mix well, and then set aside for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Mix the cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit and stir to combine. Turn the filling into the chilled pie shell and smooth the top. Dot the filling with the butter.
6. Roll the other half of the pastry into a 10-inch circle on a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, Moisten the outer edge of the pie shell with a pastry brush. Invert the top pastry over the filling, center and peel off the paper. Press the top and bottom pastries together along the dampened edge. Using the back of a buttered knife, trim the pastry flush with the edge of the pan. With the back of a fork, press the tines all alone the edge to seal. Using a fork, poke several seam vents in the top of the pie, including a couple alone the edge so you can check the juices there later.
7. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part of the pie that faced the back of the oven now faces the forwards. Just in case, slide a large aluminum, foiled lined p baking sheet on the rack below to catch any spills. Continue to bake until the pie is golden brown, about 25 minutes. When done, you may notice thin juices bubbling out of the steam vents alone the edge.
8. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with sweetened mascarpone.
the Mascarpone Cream
11.24.09
Fabulous Pot-Luck part 2
After enjoying plenty of wine and Judith’s Amazing Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta it was time to sit and enjoy the main course. I made 3 dishes for our pot-luck; a Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté en Croûte, an updated version of my Fresh Summer Bruschetta Pasta, and my go-to brussel sprout recipe. I must say, that everything turned out deelish
To see the recipe for my Fresh Summer Bruschetta Pasta click on the link. The only differences were that I used red onion instead of shallots and fresh ricotta instead of goat cheese. I also doubled this recipe which could have fed 10+ people! The fresh ricotta was an amazing addition. Mixing it with the hot, fresh pasta made the cheese melt right into it and it was soo good! Because I had doubled the recipe we had tons of leftovers! Good thing Michael really enjoys this dish
For the side dish I made my go-to brussel sprout recipe. It was inspired around my Aunt Carole and Aunt Joanne’s brussel sprouts. I am so lucky to come from an amazing family full of fabulously talented women! This dish would make a person who thought they hated brussel sprouts a true believer! They are super tasty and so good for you!
I have never written down this recipe so all my measurements are approximates.
For the other entree I made a Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté en Croûte! mmmm! I first made this a few years back when Michael and I were just dating. It is still a main concern of mine to make the most scrumptious food out there, but of course when you are dating you want to really impress! This is an exceptional entree or side dish that is so deeeeelish! Yummy filling and puff pastry, how can you really go wrong? You can play with the filling, for instance if you aren’t into mushrooms just leave them out or substitue some cauliflower or cooked potatoes. This is a luscious and playful dish, have fun with it If you want to keep it 100% vegan use soy milk to brush on top of the pastry to get that gorgeous shine instead of an egg wash. (1 egg mixed with a tablespoon of water)
I had a little trouble cutting it, but it was still amazing!
Brussel Sprouts with toasted Pine Nuts
2 pints of brussel sprouts, cleaned and trimmed, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
onions (optional)
salt to taste
In a large pot saute the brussel sprouts with the olive oil and garlic for 5-10 minutes. They will turn bright green and gorgeous! Add in the pine nuts and salt to taste. Enjoy!
*the cooking time depends on if you like your brussel sprouts crispy or cooked through, taste as you cook to tell.
*sometimes I saute some onions beforehand and put them in with the brussel sprouts, always delicious!
*to toast the pine nuts; pour onto a baking sheet and toast in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, being careful that they do not burn.
Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté en Croûte
serves 4-6
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup button mushrooms, chopped
1 cup red wine
2 cups canned chestnuts, pureed
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb frozen puff pastry, defrosted
soy milk or egg wash
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the oil in a large pot, add onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2-5 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced. Remove the pan from heat and add in the chestnuts, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.
Roll out the pastry dough into 2 strips. The first should be around 6×12in and the other 9×12in. Place the first strip onto a baking sheet which has been sprayed with cooking spray or water. Spread the chestnut mixture over the pastry, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge. Form the mixture into a neat loaf. Brush the edges with water and lay the 2nd piece of pastry on top. Press the edges down to seal and trim. Make a few steam holes with a fork and brush with soy milk or egg wash.
Bake for 8 minutes and reduce heat to 400degrees and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!!
11.23.09
Fabulous Pot-Luck part 1
Last Saturday night we had the best time at our house with some great friends and deelish food! It was really such a wonderful evening that writing this post is making me so happy! Maybe it was the way I was raised, maybe it is just me, or maybe I am just human haha but good friends and good food is the ultimate for me! Cheers to that!
My fabulous girlfriend Judith and her husband Ken brought over this mouth-watering app for us all to enjoy. Take a look at these pics and let me know if you could resist these!! They were even better than they look!
This is a great recipe that you can make for entertaining. Judith actually put this together at my house in under 20 minutes, with several of those just having the bread toasting in the oven. Super simple and super delicious! If you have more people to serve just double or triple the recipe, this one will go quickly
Judith’s Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Recipe Inspired by Cooking Light
6-10 servings
1 French bread baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch slices, toasted
I jar of fig jam (you only need about half)
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) crumbled goat cheese (we used low-fat and it was amazing and light!)
5 teaspoons finely chopped walnuts
Toast the bread slices right before ready to serve. Top each toasted bread slice with 1 1/2 teaspoons fig jam and 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese. Then drizzle with honey and sprinkle evenly with walnuts. Arrange bruschetta on a serving tray. Serve warm. ENJOY
Oats and Chia
More oats and chia This was great because it was raw and still included oats. Having the oats become saturated by the almond milk overnight really worked! I added a few drops of stevia for some sweetness and raspberries because they are my fave. Yum!
Oats and Chia
serves 2-3
1 cups thick rolled oats (raw if you can find them)
1 cup almond milk, plus more for serving
1 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
pinch of cinnamon
berries
stevia and/or agave to taste
I am medium bowl place the oats, chia and connamon. Add the almond milk and stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes and stir well again. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning stir again and then top with berries, stevia and/or agave for some sweetness.
11.18.09
Baked Sweet Potato with Cinnamon & Coconut Butter
Veggie Girl is awesome and always has great recipes and insights on her blog. Here is her latest snack obsession that I loved as well!! My mother-in-law has always told me that she loves to eat sweet potatoes and once I saw this recipe I decided to take the plunge (I have had them before, but not a regular staple in my life) It was awesome!! Plus coconut butter is so delightful, always!! haha This was a sweet and satisfying meal that I am sure I will have many times! It can be breakfast, a snack, lunch or a side for dinner. Try it out, so simple and deelish! Thanks Veggie Girl
Baked Sweet Potato with Cinnamon & Coconut Butter
1-2 sweet potatoes
1-2 tablespoons Coconut Butter (Just like Veggie Girl, I highly recommend the Artisana brand of coconut butter. It is by far the best out there ever!!)
Cinnamon to taste
Dash of salt
Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Cut open and add coconut butter, cinnamon and salt. Enjoy!!!
Apple Cookies
Ahhh Fall we meet again When I think of fall, I think of fresh and crisp apples. There are so many varieties and so many flavors! Love them! Such a great snack, but also so fun to cook with of course.
This was something I was able to just throw together to have healthy and quick snack bites in the house. They turned out deelish! They are super light and slightly chewy inside. So perfect for a great, sweet, apply bite.
Apple Cookies
3 apples, cored
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 cup dried coconut
Blend/Process everything till combined. Either form into balls with your hands or use an ice cream scoop to drop cookies directly onto teflex sheet. I love using an ice cream scoop for raw and non-raw cookies alike. They make everything uniform and are so super easy to use. Dehydrate cookies for about 10-12 hours until solid on the outside but still chewy inside. ENJOY
11.16.09
Polenta Vegetable Casserole
I love Polenta! (of course I do, it is made from corn and I love corn!!) It is such a comfort food for me. Adding veggies and cheese made this such a comforting and complete meal that we both really enjoyed! This is also super fast and something everyone will love. Plus there might even be leftovers to enjoy
Polenta Vegetable Casserole
Makes 6-8 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium eggplant, chopped into small cubes
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup water
10 ounces baby spinach
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
14 ounces prepared polenta, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
1.Preheat oven to 450F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large 12″ + nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Add water and spinach; cover and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir marinara sauce into the vegetables and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in basil.
3. Place polenta slices in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, trimming to fit if necessary. Sprinkle with half the cheese and top with the vegetable mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until bubbling and the cheese has just melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving. ENJOY
11.15.09
Cream of Pumpkin Soup Topped with Curried Pecans
This was so delightful! One of the creamiest vegan soups I have ever had!!! Such a great flavor and the nuts added so much! This will be a great fall and winter go-to soup. The recipe is super simple and super quick. I have mentioned canned pumpkin puree before as it is a wonderful ingredient to take advantage of! Super fast, deelish and very low in calories. I am sure you could substitute butternut squash if you prefer that over the pumpkin but the puree keeps this simple. If you are looking to cut calories definitely use a light can of coconut milk as it will still be creamy and deeelish!!!
Cream of Pumpkin Soup Topped with Curried Pecans
Recipe inspired by the Quick-Fix Vegetarian cookbook
Serves 4
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, Cover and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the curry powder and the pumpkin puree, then whisk in the broth until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. While the soup is simmering, make the curried pecans. In a small bowl, combine the pecan pieces with the remaining maple syrup and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt, tossing to coat. Place the pecans in a small baking dish and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. If you have an an immersion blender use that to puree the soup right in the pot. Otherwise, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Stir back into the pot. Return the soup to the stovetop, turning the heat to low. Whisk in the coconut milk, taste to adjust seasonings. Heat until hot, do not boil. Serve the soup garnished with the pecans.
11.12.09
Sproutcraft Café
MY fave!! New NYC raw restaurants
I have yet to check out this place but it looks great! They are located in Café Health Exchange in the heart of the financial district, offering a variety of raw, vegan, organic, local, seasonally appropriate creations that involve live-cultured and sprouted foods that support health and healing. Check out the menu here.
If you go, please let me know what you think! Looks awesome!! ENJOY
sproutcraft café
at Cafe Exchange
2 Maiden Lane
Near the corner of Broadway
New York, NY 10038
