Yesterday I was finally put to the test. We were offered free Annie's cafe for lunch at work, however there were no vegan options. I could've opted for a salad and asked for no meat, but I had already packed my Mardi Gras salad that I was looking forward to, so I went with that. Then, some sweet/evil colleagues ordered Tiff's Treats, which I again had to refuse. But, I felt like one tough cookie and not deprived at all, so I'll chock it up to a win.
One large component of my success yesterday was snacking on a KILLER olive tapenade I whipped up. So easy, yet so satisfying salty. Give it a try:
Olive Tapenade
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Pulse the olives and garlic in a good processor, then stream in olive oil to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and you're done!
I've been eating the tapenade with The Pioneer Woman's Olive Focaccia Bread, which is a favorite in our house.
For dinner, I had spotted Stetted's recipe for Indian-Spiced Mushrooms and Lentils a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to make it. She describes it as almost stew-like, and she's right! It was really satisfying. I didn't have any naan, so we ate some just with a fork and I tried some in a tortilla as well - pretty good! Also, I'd never prepared lentils before, so this was a fun experiment - they were easy! If you're looking to mix things up, definitely try this dish!
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Spicy Sausage Vegetable Pasta
I got this delicious jalapeno cream cheese at the farmer's market and knew that it needed a special purpose. Paired with spicy Italian sausage, then tempered with a creamy sauce, this was a great contrast of flavors and textures. If you can't find jalapeno cream cheese, simply dice a jalapeno and add it with the mushrooms, then use plain cream cheese.
Spicy Sausage Vegetable Pasta
1 pound whole wheat pasta
1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups marinara sauce
4 ounces jalapeno goat cheese
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Place a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add asparagus to pasta pot and cook additional 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up into small pieces. Drain fat and set aside in a bowl. Warm the skillet again on medium and heat up the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook additional 3-4 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and cream cheese and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer another 3-4 minutes. Add sausage back to skillet, and then pour entire skillet mixture into the large pasta bowl. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and toss.
Serve with additional Parmesan on the table for sprinkling.
Spicy Sausage Vegetable Pasta
1 pound whole wheat pasta
1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups marinara sauce
4 ounces jalapeno goat cheese
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Place a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add asparagus to pasta pot and cook additional 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up into small pieces. Drain fat and set aside in a bowl. Warm the skillet again on medium and heat up the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook additional 3-4 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and cream cheese and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer another 3-4 minutes. Add sausage back to skillet, and then pour entire skillet mixture into the large pasta bowl. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and toss.
Serve with additional Parmesan on the table for sprinkling.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Vegetarian Mediterranean Panini
You know me, I love a good sandwich! I also tend to get in a very comfortable produce rut, so I decided to switch things up, while still making one of my favorites. What did I throw into the mix? A big, beautiful portobello mushroom. Mushrooms are such a nice meaty food without the heaviness that some of my go-to proteins lend to an otherwise light meal. Since I tend to go pretty heavy-handed with my sandwich toppings, the portobello mushroom was the perfect addition.
Vegetarian Mediterranean Panini
1 large portobello mushroom cap, stemmed and cleaned
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 red onion, sliced
2 roasted red bell peppers
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
8 large sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf ciabatta
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil on both sides of mushroom and sprinkle with rosemary. Grill about 6 minutes on each side until grill marks are formed. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, then slice and set aside.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat and warm other tablespoon oil. Saute garlic and onion 2 minutes, then add bell pepper, artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes and saute 3-5 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.
Reheat grill pan or panini grill. Cut ciabatta in half to form a top and bottom, then slice into 5 pieces. Pile mushroom slices, vegetable mixture and a few crumbles of goat cheese on each bottom half, then place top on the sandwich. place sandwiches on grill pan and place a heavy skillet on top (I used my cast iron) and let it cook 4-5 minutes, then flip and let it cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Enjoy!
On the side:
Blackberry Spinach Salad
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
3 ounces fresh blackberries
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1 ounce crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil and salt and pepper and drizzle over salad.
Vegetarian Mediterranean Panini
1 large portobello mushroom cap, stemmed and cleaned
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 red onion, sliced
2 roasted red bell peppers
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
8 large sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf ciabatta
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil on both sides of mushroom and sprinkle with rosemary. Grill about 6 minutes on each side until grill marks are formed. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, then slice and set aside.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat and warm other tablespoon oil. Saute garlic and onion 2 minutes, then add bell pepper, artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes and saute 3-5 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.
Reheat grill pan or panini grill. Cut ciabatta in half to form a top and bottom, then slice into 5 pieces. Pile mushroom slices, vegetable mixture and a few crumbles of goat cheese on each bottom half, then place top on the sandwich. place sandwiches on grill pan and place a heavy skillet on top (I used my cast iron) and let it cook 4-5 minutes, then flip and let it cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Enjoy!
On the side:
Blackberry Spinach Salad
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
3 ounces fresh blackberries
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1 ounce crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil and salt and pepper and drizzle over salad.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Mushroom and Asparagus Tarts
This month's Bon Appetit was really fabulous. I made a vow to work more with puff pasty, and voila! They had the most delicious looking recipe. I made a few tweaks based on what I had in the fridge, but it was a really tasty spring treat.
Mushroom and Asparagus Tarts
2 sheets frozen puff pasty, thawed
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 leek, rinsed and sliced
12 ounces baby portabello mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound asparagus spears, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Roll out pastry sheets and cut into 6 squares each and place on a baking sheet. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and leeks and saute 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper and cook additional 3 to 5 minutes. Place mushroom mixture in a bowl and refrigerate about 15 minutes. Toss in asparagus spears, lemon and cheese.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushroom asparagus mixture on each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border on each. Bake tarts 20 to 22 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.
Mushroom and Asparagus Tarts
2 sheets frozen puff pasty, thawed
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 leek, rinsed and sliced
12 ounces baby portabello mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound asparagus spears, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Roll out pastry sheets and cut into 6 squares each and place on a baking sheet. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and leeks and saute 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper and cook additional 3 to 5 minutes. Place mushroom mixture in a bowl and refrigerate about 15 minutes. Toss in asparagus spears, lemon and cheese.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushroom asparagus mixture on each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border on each. Bake tarts 20 to 22 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.
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