Kale Caesar with Marinated Portobello Mushrooms – Kale Salad Challenge #5

I love all Kale Salads and this one was especially deelish. Not everyone is into sea vegetables, but this dressing manages to be chockfull of them without anyone being the wiser, super healthy goodness! They add such a great saltiness to this already super creamy dressing.

Kale Caesar with Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

Kale Caesar with Mar

2 heads of Kale

Chop up or tear pieces of Kale. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands and top with mushrooms. Yum! Enjoy 🙂

Avocado Sea-sar Dressing (vegan, almost raw, gluten free, soy free)
Recipe from choosingraw.com
Yields over 1 cup

1 large Hass avocado
1 tsp vegan Worsterchire sauce
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Juice of two large lemons
3 tbsp mellow white miso
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp spirulina
1 tbsp nori, kelp, or dulse flakes (or a mix of all three, which is what I used)
3/4 cup water (or more if needed)
*2 tbsp olive oil (optional)*

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender till smooth. The olive oil is totally optional, but it lends a little added creaminess and richness to the dressing.

Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

3 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup agave
2 tablespoons  Nama Shoyu or Tamari
2 tablespoons Herbamere
3 tablespoons herbs of choice – I used oregano and bail

Blend all ingredients except mushrooms for about 10 seconds. Place the marinade, along with mushrooms, in a large plastic container or zipped bag and seal well. Toss around until well coated. Refrigerate and let sit overnight, tossing to coat from time to time. Strain the mushrooms out prior to serving, but reserve the marinade to use as a salad dressing for another time.

Butternut Squash Potstickers

It was my MIL’s birthday so I wanted to come up with a special menu of her favorites. I know she loves Apples, Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter, so I thought those were good ones to start with. I made these potstickers, Apple Cider Caramel Dipped ApplesPeanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites and White Bean Dip and crudite & sliced toasted baguette. (recipes to come!!) YUM!!!

On Lisa Dawn’s site I found an awesome recipe for Butternut Squash Potstickers and knew we would all love them. It was no joke, these are amazing!!!! I used her recipe, the original (from Martha Stewart), added more fresh ginger and we all loved them. I doubled the recipe and made the whole batch while keeping half in the warming drawer to serve a little later. (not too much later as these went fast!!)  also used Lisa’s perfect dipping sauce. Perfection!

I had leftover filling and it was great as a pasta sauce and also for the babies, they LOVED it!

Butternut Squash Pot

Butternut Squash Potstickers
makes about 20 potstickers

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup tamari
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
20 vegan wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
  1. Place squash, tamari and sugar in a saucepan.  Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft and drain. Mash with a potato masher or immersion blender until smooth. Add the scallions and ginger and mix to combine.
  2. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper; brush edges with water. Bring up corners to make a triangle; press to seal. Place on a baking sheet; freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add 10 potstickers, and cook, shaking pan frequently, until bottoms are golden brown. Turn pot stickers over; very carefully (holding the lid in front of you) pour in 1/2 cup water, and cover. Steam until most liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and repeat with remaining oil and pot stickers. Serve with dipping sauce.

Lisa’s Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 scallion, sliced thinly

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Butternut Squash Filling

Butternut Squash Filling

Filling as a pasta sauce

Filling as a pasta sauce

Polenta Shepherds Pie

When the temperature drops we just want warm and cozy foods (yet I am always happy with a Kale Salad!).  This one was great and warmed us right up!

Michael has always apprecaited a good Shepherds Pie so I have made a few Veg variations on them over the years. This one was super good because of our shared love of polenta!

Polenta Shepherds Pi

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Polenta Shepherds Pie

Filling
1 lb veggie crumbles
1 onion, chopped
3 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups mushroom gravy – recipe below
cumin, salt & pepper, to taste

Polenta

1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup polenta
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (I used basil, parsley, oregano)
salt, to taste
havarti or parmesan cheese (optional)

  1. Saute onion until translucent, then add veggie crumbles and mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes.
  2. Add frozen veggies and cook until thawed. Add cumin, salt & pepper and gravy.
  3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
  4. Meanwhile begin polenta, bring almond milk, water, earth balance and herbs to a boil.
  5. Slowly whisk in the polenta and continue to stir until thick, a few minutes. Remove from heat. If adding cheese do so now, stirring till melted.
  6. Oil a casserole dish and pour filling mixture in.
  7. Top with polenta and smooth with a spatula.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 deg oven. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Gravy

3/4 cup white or button mushrooms, chopped
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
1/4 cup earth balance
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tamari
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp each of sage, thyme and marjoram
salt and pepper, to taste

  1. In a large skillet, melt the earth balance and add onion and mushrooms. Saute for just a minute or two over high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to medium and add vegetable broth and tamari. Slowly add flour, stirring well to combine and prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat.
  3. Add spices, salt and pepper, stirring regularly for 8-10 minutes until gravy thickens.

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Creamy Polenta with Barbeque Seitan Sauce

As you know we LOVE polenta over here 🙂 What is not to love; creamy, smooth corn goodness! And what makes this even better is a deelish, hearty sauce over top 🙂

Just a couple of past polenta dishes: Vegan Creamy Polenta with Sausage and PeppersMushroom and Kale PolentaPolenta & Shallot SquaresPolenta with Nectarine-Blackberry SalsaPolenta with Black Beans, Pan-Fried Tofu & Roasted Coconut Tomato SauceSlow Cooked Corn Polenta and Chiles and Polenta Vegetable Casserole.

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Creamy Polenta with Barbeque Seitan Sauce

1 1/2 cups water, divided
3 teaspoons tamari, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon stone-ground or Dijon mustard
8 ounces coarsley chopped or grated seitan
4 cups cooked polenta (see recipe)

Heat 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon tamari in a large pot. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add remaining 1 cup water and 2 teaspoons tamari, tomato sauce, sugar, chili powder, vinegar, peanut butter, mustard, and seitan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Spoon the cooked polenta into bowls and top with the sauce. Enjoy 🙂

Tofu and Veggie Stir-fry with Peanut Sauce

Stir-frys are the ultimate quick one-pot vegan meals. Typically it is a super balanced meal with proteins, veggies and a grain. Perfection! Quick, easy, Deelish!

Check out these other stir-frys for a quick meal. You can always get super creative and change it up easily for variations. Thai Vegan Tofu, Quick Seitan Stir-Fry, Super Fast Veggie Stir-frySpinach and Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Rice Noodle and Vegetable Stir-Fry.

Peanut Sauce is my typical go to sauce as we all love it! Check out these other variations on this super deelish sauce. Amazing Raw “Peanut” Sauce and Zucchini Noodles, Cold Sesame Noodles, Mixed Veggies with Peanut Sauce (slow cooker style), Raw Zucchini Noodles and ‘Peanut’ Sauce II, Lettuce Wraps with Almond Butter Sauce and Kelp Noodles & Veggies in Peanut Sauce.

Tofu and Veggie Stir-fry with Peanut Sauce


sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup tamari
3 tablespoons agave
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

veggie stir-fry
3 teaspoons peanut oil or sesame oil
2 blocks extra firm tofu, drained, pressed & cubed
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
2 jalapenos, minced
2 red pepper, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
Dash of lime juice or lime wedges
Roasted Peanuts

Cooked Brown Rice

  1. Combine vinegar, tamari, agave and peanut butter and whisk until smooth.
  2. In a skillet or wok, add the oil and saute tofu, garlic, white part of scallions, jalapeno, and red pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add water chestnuts.
  3. Add the sauce and turn heat to low, stirring until combined.
  4. Serve over brown rice, garnished with green part of scallions, peanuts and either lime wedge or drizzled with lime juice.

Avocado Kale Salad #3

I recently had a not so great Kale Salad at a restaurant. The menu ingredients sounded fabulous but with Kale you need to massage it a bit with your hands so it “wilts” and this one wasn’t. Here is my take on it, yum!!

We like a lot of kale salad and it keeps really well for a few days. But if you don’t want as much just half the recipe.

Avocado Kale Salad 

  • 3 heads lacanato kale, chopped
  • 1 avocado
  • 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3-4 tablespoon Braggs, tamari or nama shoyu
This is just a base…Combine and Massage the avocado, lemon juice and braggs into the kale. Then add whatever is fresh, you have in the house or love in a salad.

The Base - before adding the toppings

I added — raw sunflower seeds, diced raw red onion, shredded carrots and diced red pepper.

Kale Salad #1

We Kale!! Pretty much all things Kale. So I am taking on another challenge, Kale Salads! Cooked kale is deelish but raw kale salads are amazing. Normal salads you dress and then they wilt, kale just gets more tender and deelish!


Kale Salad #1

1 bunch of kale, any kind
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Nama Shoyu and Tamari
2 tablespoons sesame seeds,  toasted
2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted

  1. Remove kale leaves from stalk. Roll up the leaves up cut into ribbons.
  2. Massage the dressing into the kale and let it sit for 30+ minutes. (this can last a few days in the fridge as is!)
  3. Toast the seeds in a dry frying pan, shaking constantly for a few minutes. Toss in the seeds and serve.

Spinach & Orange Salad with Maple Sesame Dressing

Simple, fresh, tasty and quick! Perfection! And despite what Scott Conant says on Chopped, I totally Heart Raw Red Onion!! YUM! It is often the star of my salads besides the frequent appearances of avocado 🙂

Spinach & Orange Salad with Maple Sesame Dressing
Makes 2 servings

4 cups raw baby spinach
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 orange, peeled and segmented
fresh black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (in a dry skillet, toast for a few minutes, stirring frequently)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons tamari
1/4 teaspoon water

  1. Place spinach in a large bowl. Toss onion and orange segments on top of the spinach. Season with black pepper.
  2. Whisk sesame seeds, maple syrup, tamari, and water together in a small bowl. Add to salad and toss to mix.
  3. SO simple, enjoy!

Braised Asian Tofu

In the past I had cooked meat for Michael and I enjoyed the challenge of making new dishes with different techniques. I no longer cook meat at all, but still like the challenge of trying new techniques 🙂 This was a fun way to make tofu that we both really enjoyed. It was Super perfect with my Sweet Roasted Broccoli.


Braised Asian Tofu
1 block firm tofu (I used light), cut in half lengthwise, and then sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon sesame seed, crushed and toasted

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add tofu slices and be careful not to overcrowd. Brown each side, 2-3 minutes per side. When golden, remove to a plate. Continue cooking all tofu until done.
  2. After the tofu is cooked and removed, add tamari, water, sesame oil, scallions, garlic and chili powder. Stir and place tofu slices back into the pot. During the cooking process the liquid will eventually cover all of the tofu.
  3. Place the pot over medium heat. Cover. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
  4. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy 🙂

Veggie and Tofu Moo Shu

This was super yummy, quick to make and very low in fat, which is always lovely! Perfect weeknight meal! Deelish!

Veggie and Tofu Moo Shu
Makes 8 wraps

8 – Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps
12-oz. bag dry broccoli slaw mix
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 block tofu, cubed and crumbled (or vegan crumbles)
1 cup water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
dash white pepper (black is fine, if you don’t have white)
hoisin sauce

  1. In a small bowl, combine tamari, vinegar, garlic, cornstarch, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
  2. Heat a wok to medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, 2 minutes.
  3. Add broccoli slaw and mushrooms to wok and, stirring occasionally, cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until veggies are soft.
  4. Add bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and sauce to the pan, mix well, and cook for an additional 3 – 4 minutes, until entire dish is hot.
  5. Remove from heat and transfer moo shu mixture to a serving dish. Set aside.
  6. Serve tortillas and hoisin sauce alongside moo shu mixture. Spread hoisin sauce on tortilla and spoon moo shu mixture and wrap.
  7. Enjoy!

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