Blog

Mar
26

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I’ve been planning to post this recipe for a long time but I couldn’t find the words for it. Last week, while devouring our delicious vegan desserts at the V-Note, I asked two of my girlfriends for some inspiration. Words like “Romantic”, “Sensual”, “Indulgence” and “Seductive” were thrown in the air. One of them even mentioned the similarity between a strawberry and a tongue Oh..Kay, let’s not go there… there’s kids in the audience. 😉 Speaking of kids, here’s an idea for a fun playdate activity. Children love to help dip strawberries in chocolate and it’s like a mini science project to see the chocolate turn back to solid. The only “problem” I found with this recipe is that for some reason when I put them in the fridge to let the chocolate set, somehow they mysteriously disappear!! So my advice is to make plenty because they will fly off quickly.

Ingredients

25-30 Fresh Strawberries

1 ½ Cup of mixed Vegan Chocolate (I had left overs so I used Chocolate Chips and Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate chunks)

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

1/2 to 1 Cup Soy Milk (add as you go, you might not need all of it)

1 tsp Almond Butter

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

For dipping:

A handful of finely shredded coconut, cacao powder, chopped almonds and crushed pistachio – I crushed them with a heavy coffee mug. Great for letting out some aggression 😉

Preparation

Wash the strawberries and pat dry on a kitchen towel.

Set-up a double boiler (Bain Marie) – you can use a sauce pan with water and a glass bowl over it. Bring water to a simmer on medium heat. Melt the chocolate in the glass bowl, just make sure there is no direct heat on the chocolate. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, soy milk and vanilla. Stir well until smooth ganache consistency.

Line-up the toppings on a plate or tray –the shredded coconut, chopped almond, pistachio and cacao powder — to dip the chocolate covered strawberries.

Hold the strawberries by the stem or leaves, dip into the melted chocolate mixture, twist and then dip the tip gently in the toppings.

Lay out the dipped strawberries onto a non stick surface — a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until the chocolate is firm.

Category: Blog, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Party, Recipies, Sweets and Desserts, Uncategorized

Mar
11

Stuffed Grape Leaves in Green Tahini Sauce

Stuffed grape leaves or as they are traditionally called, ‘Dolmas’, always seem like a holiday party food to me. Something that aunts and grandmas prepare in groups while gossiping in some far away village a long, long time ago. I wanted to try and make them to see if I could roll food that looks like cigars… I also like the surprise factor of when you cut open a roll or a stuffed vegetable and discover the filling inside, so I decided to take on the challenge.

I looked for recipes and inspiration and finally made a combination of cooked traditional recipes and the raw version made by my favorite raw food restaurant in NYC, Pure Food and Wine. Their idea of adding preserved lemon oil and cilantro tahini sauce is so refreshing and makes a beautiful presentation! I found it therapeutic to do the work of stuffing and rolling the leaves. It takes time and some practice, but don’t you worry …Watch a few Youtube videos and you, too, will roll it like a pro. 🙂

Ingredients

1 Jar of Grape Leaves (I used 2/3 of a 16 oz. Jar) about 35-40 leaves

1 Cup Rice

1 Cup Water

1 Medium Onion , Chopped

1/3 Cup Pine Nuts

Salt & Black Pepper

Handful one of each:

Chopped Mint

Chopped Dill

Chopped Cilantro (+ one more Cup for the Tahini Sauce)

Lemon Zest

Olive Oil

Tahini Sauce:

1/2 Cup Tahini

3/4 Cup Water

1-2 Cloves Garlic

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

1 tsp. Salt

Preserved Lemon Oil:

1/4 Cup Preserved Lemons

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Preparation

Sauté the onion in olive oil until golden brown.

Add the rice, pine nuts, salt, pepper and water. Cover and let simmer, lower the heat and ‘half-cook’ the rice for only 10 minutes and let it cool.

Add the chopped greens (dill, mint and cilantro) and lemon zest into the rice mixture, add salt and pepper and adjust it to your liking.

Open the leaves very carefully in a bowl with water (they come rolled together very tightly in the jar).

Cut the stem off each leaf and stretch it on a flat surface. Be careful not to tear. Lay the vain side up so it will be the inside and the smooth side would be on the outside.

Take a small amount of the filling (see picture), about 1 1/2 tablespoon and place it on the center -bottom of the leaf.

Start rolling and folding the bottom, then the sides and roll into a cigar shape.

Place a few unstuffed leaves (the ripped ones) on to the bottom of a pot with a little bit of water, lemon and olive oil mixture (about a cup, just to cover the bottom of the pot)

Pile up the stuffed grape leaves very tightly so they’re not going to open during cooking — I had 2 layers. (Some recipes call for placing a plate on top of the layers to keep them tight during cooking.)

Cook for 20-30 minutes covered on low heat until the rice is completely cooked and all the flavors blend together.

Make the Cilantro Tahini sauce:

Blend the tahini, water, lemon, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in a food processor

Make the preserved lemon dressing in a blender, blend the preserved lemons and olive oil until smooth.

To serve:

Place the cilantro tahini sauce on a plate, a few stuffed grape leaves on top and drizzle the preserved lemon sauce on top and some more of the chopped herbs.

“Half cook” the rice

Category: Blog, Gluten Free, Holidays, Party, Recipies, Uncategorized

Feb
18

Chocolatey Chia Seed Pudding with Cardamon Spice

If you live on “Planet Health” you’ve probably heard about Chia seeds. The super food miracle seed. Full of nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and so much more!! One spoon of this stuff is like getting a boost of good energy into your “system” and if it’s served as a dessert, even better (:

When soaked long enough in liquid, chia seeds will expand up to 12 times their size and will look like a thick jell/pudding . Pudding that is perfect for breakfast with cut fruit or as a chocolate desert. Flavor it any way you’ld like—vanilla, cinnamon, or coffee. In this recipe, I added Cardamon for that exotic essence, but make sure not to add too much of it because it could be overpowering. The only thing you need to do is blend chia seeds in a liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, or any other plant-based milk or juice) and flavor it to your taste, and 20 minutes later you’ve got yourself a healthy treat.

If you’d like to learn more about Chia seeds, check out this link.

Makes about four servings.

Ingredients

2 ½ to 3 cups Almond Milk

1 cup Chia Seeds

3 tsp Maple Syrup (you can add more or less depending on your taste)

1½ tbs Dark Cocoa Powder

Less than ¼ tsp Ground Cardamon

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Sea Salt

Preparation

The cocoa powder does not blend easily with cold liquid, so you might want to stir it first with a smaller amount of the almond milk; then, add it to the rest of the mix and quickly blend some more to make sure there are no clumps.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together, blend well, and again make sure there are no clumps.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least a half an hour or leave it overnight.

I garnished it with cacao nibs. You could also sprinkle some cocoa powder on it.

Category: Blog, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Raw, Recipies, Sweets and Desserts, Uncategorized

Jan
23

Spicy Carrot “Noodles” with Black Lentil and Mixed Greens

When I saw these heirloom carrots, I knew I had to make them the star of a dish. So beautiful, they look like sunshine in a plate… and I sure need some sunshine now in this freezing New York winter 😉 I thought of making a Moroccan carrot salad with Harissa (which is a paste made of hot chillies), but I didn’t want a side dish. I was looking to make a salad that can pass as a meal by itself. It came out so good! Spicy carrot “noodles” and greens with the addition of black lentils- which made it a protein rich dish (for everyone asking “where do you get your protein?) even though there is protein in the carrots, the greens and in the pumpkin seeds. If you are concerned about protein or other nutrients you can check-out CRON-O-METER. It’s a site that calculates food nutritional values according to what you enter. I don’t really worry about it as long as I make sure to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Variety is the key word here 🙂 and yes, it may be a little extra “work” peeling the carrots but doesn’t such a beautiful vegetable deserve the extra VIP treatment?…

Ingredients

8-10 Carrots washed and peeled

1 Can Cooked black lentils washed and drained

Juice of half a Lemon

1 ½ tsp. Harissa sauce

¼ tsp. Cumin

Salt and Black pepper

Olive oil

4-5 Cups Mixed greens (I used Baby Kale and Baby Arugula)

Handful of Dry roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Chopped Cilantro

Preparation

First make the dressing to marinade the lentils. Mix the Harissa sauce, lemon juice, oil and spices with the lentils first and set aside to let the lentils soak up the flavors.

Wash and start peeling the carrots keep on peeling them all the way to the end, until there’s nothing to peel. It’s best to use a “Y” shaped vegetable peeler to get wider “noodles”.

Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 1-3 minutes and drain -Or- sauté them very lightly in a little bit of oil, salt and pepper, just a few minutes to soften them. Be carful not to over cook so they will not get soggy.

To serve: on a large plate, place the greens first, carrot “noodles”, lentils and pumpkin seeds.

Drizzle the rest of the juice/dressing with cilantro on top.

Category: Blog, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Lunch, Recipies, Salads, Uncategorized

Jan
23

Red Hot Chili Peppers -The Paste

I’m still on a roll to cover all the basics, which means ingredients that I use as “helpers” when I’m ready to “throw something on the stove”, make a quick sandwich or marinade I always have some kind of spread, sauce or a paste like this one to add into the mix and kick it up a notch.

There are so many hot sauces and hot pepper pastes you could buy but it’s so much more fun to make one of your own and play with it until it fits your taste. I like to make it more like Harissa sauce which is a north african hot chili sauce. I don’t really follow strict rules or recipes here. You can use dried chillies or fresh ones like Jalapeño. In this recipe I used both dried chillies and red Jalapeño peppers. It is rare to see red Jalapeños but they’re actually just fully ripened green Jalapeños that turned red.

I do have one warning though, DO NOT touch your face and eyes after handling hot peppers! It will burn so bad you’ll have to call the fire fighters 😉

Ingredients

5 Dried Red Hot Chili Peppers

5 Fresh Jalapeño Peppers

1 tsp. Vinegar or Lemon juice

Olive Oil (or if you prefer another oil; grape seed oil would be good)

½ tsp. Ground Cumin seeds

½ tsp.Ground Caraway seeds

½ tsp Ground Coriander

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Crushed Garlic (Optional)

Preparation

Soak the dried peppers in hot water for at least 1 hour, wash and drain.

Remove all stems from the dried and fresh peppers.

In a food processor place the peppers and spices, process and add the oil gradually until the mixture gets a paste consistency. Taste and correct the seasoning

Place in a container, pour some extra oil on top to create a top layer. that will keep it fresh longer.

You can add garlic and chopped cilantro if you like.

Category: Blog, Dips and Spreads, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Recipies, Uncategorized

Jan
9

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Meyer Lemon is a special lemon. It’s smaller and sweeter than other lemons; its rind is thin and delicate with a fragrant floral aroma. It’s less acidic and tastes like an orange and a lemon had a baby 🙂 That’s how I would describe it …

Usually, Meyer lemons are available only in winter. Some are darker in color, kind of a light orange color, which can be confusing. The first time I saw a Meyer lemon was when a co-worker brought it in to work. Thinking it was an orange, she bit into it–her face had the expression of a sour surprise …

A good way to enjoy them even when they’re not in season is to preserve them and make a preserved lemon condiment, which means to let them pickle in their own juices and salt until they become tender with perfect balance of tart , saltiness and a hint of bitterness (from the rind).

Most preserved lemon recipes call for at least 2 to 3 weeks before it is ready to be used. I find that with the Meyer lemons it’s much quicker. Five to seven days is enough; the thin skin and slicing them very thin speeds up the process. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons, but just keep in mind that they will take longer to preserve.

When ready, the liquid becomes thicker–almost like an oily jelly consistency. A deeper flavor will develop with time; the more it sits in the liquid the better. Oh… the flavor! So simple to make but yet so intense and bold.

If you’re like me, you will treat this stuff like a jar of gold… I add just a little bit at a time to stews, sauces, sandwiches, salad dressings; or garnish just like in this stuffed grape leaves recipe. Once it’s in the fridge, it’s good for up to 6 months.

Ingredients

4-5 Meyer Lemons

1 Tbsp. Sea Salt

1 Cup fresh Lemon Juice

1 Cup filtered Water

Preparation

First, wash the lemons and trim both ends.

Slice the lemons very thinly, and remove the seeds.

Combine the brine liquid and pour over the lemons in a glass bowl. Press down on the lemons a bit with a large spoon or fork to squeeze out more juice and to soften them. Make sure everything is submerged in the liquid and cover. Set aside for 5 to 7 days at room temperature.

When ready, transfer into an airtight container/ jar and store in the refrigerator.

You can always adjust the saltiness if it’s too salty for your taste. Just wash some in water before you use them or add more water into the jar.

Category: Blog, Dips and Spreads, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Raw, Recipies, Uncategorized

Dec
19

Roasted Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup

It’s finally snowing in New York and its a perfect day for homemade hot creamy soup (without any creams of course …)

A little “twist” to the typical ‘Potato Leeks Soup’ here, is simply the addition of cauliflower. Oven roasted cauliflower to be precise. Roasting the cauliflower on high heat concentrates the flavor and that steps it up from good to awesome as in Awe-Some-More Please!!

Ingredients

3 Medium Potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Head of Cauliflower (Cut into florets)

1 Large Leek, finely chopped (use only the white and light green parts)

3-4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Quart Vegetable Broth

2 Cups Water

Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Adobo or (Spice mixture that contains: Sea salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, oregano, bay and turmeric)

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Roasted Sliced Almonds (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°

Spread the cauliflower florets on to a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Roast for about 25-30 minutes, tossing half way if needed until golden brown at the edges, check every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.

In a large pot, sauté leeks and garlic in little olive oil, add the roasted cauliflower, potatoes, vegetable broth, water and spices until the vegetables are covered in liquid. bring to a boil and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Use a hand blender to blend until silky smooth, add water if its too thick.

Taste and adjust spices if needed.

To serve: sprinkle black pepper and roasted sliced almonds.

Category: Blog, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Recipies, Soups

Dec
11

Homemade Hummus Spread with Baby Bella Mushrooms

Hummus is a must have staple in our kitchen, it’s always in the fridge and ready to use as a base for sandwiches, wraps or just like in this recipe – as a dip topped with mushrooms, served with fresh pita bread and chopped salad. Hummus is a Mediterranean spread/dip made from Garbanzo beans A.K.A Chic Peas, Tahini paste, lemon and spices. It is a good source of protein, calcium (in the Tahini) and is very satisfying.

I sometimes buy a good quality Hummus but prefer to make it myself from scratch. It takes 5 minutes on the clock to prepare, and yes, I did time myself (: I like to use the BPA-Free Tetra Pak® Garbanzo Beans or the BPA-Free Can (just like in my Mexican Black Bean Dip recipe). Sometimes I add a bunch of pitted olives into the food processor, for added zest, and make an Olive- flavored Hummus, which is absolutely De-Lish’!

Ingredients

1 Can or 1½ Cup Cooked Garbanzo beans (about 15oz)

1½-2 Tbsp. Tahini

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (Juice of ½ lemon)

1 tsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

For the Mushroom Topping:

1 Pack Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced ,stems off

Oilve Oil

Salt and Pepper

Chopped Parsley ,Scallion and Paprika for garnish

Preparation

Place all Hummus ingredients in a food processor and mix, add lemon juice and olive oil gradually, until it becomes paste like consistency. Taste and adjust to your liking.

If it’s too “dry”, I like to add a little bit of the sesame oil that’s at the top of the Tahini Jar. (It also adds more flavor).

You can add more lemon juice or water if it is still not as smooth as you like, add it gradually, a Tbsp at a time so it won’t be too “watery”.

Don’t forget to leave some whole chic peas on the side for later.

Sauté the mushrooms in oil for a few minutes, until soft, add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, generously spread homemade Hummus on a plate. Drizzle olive oil on top, add mushrooms, chic peas and scallion. Decorate with paprika and parsley.

Get some fresh pita bread and start “wiping”…

Category: Blog, Dips and Spreads, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Lunch, Party, Recipies, Snacks, Uncategorized

Nov
14

Spaghetti Cardboard-O-Lognese

There are many kinds of meat substitutes and alternatives. The most common one is Seitan, which is a wheat protein and is the most versatile in its ability to “mock” meat. It comes in many textures and shapes. The Seitan that looks like ground meat is the easiest type to start with if you want to experiment. It is the closest in texture to ground meat.

I’ve found that there’s an assumption that meat “substitutes” taste like cardboard… but just like animal flesh doesn’t taste good by itself and needs to be flavored with spices and herbs (which come from plants), so does Saiten “meat”. Plus, I’d rather eat cardboard that tastes good and not eat the crushed body parts of a miserable dead cow.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I have a tendency to hide healthy ingredients in my daughter’s food. The “hidden treasure” in this recipe is the mashed acorn squash in the “Bolognese” sauce. When I made this dish for my daughter’s playdate guests it was a delicious success! The acorn adds sweetness, blends in perfectly in the sauce and the young vegetable detectives did not catch it. 😉

If you want to learn more about how to start and substitute, watch Colleen Patrick-Goudreau in her funny innovative lecture,

Ingredients

1 pack Spaghetti Pasta

1 medium Onion chopped

3 cloves Garlic minced

1 ripe Tomato

1 can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup Vegetable Broth

2 packages Seitan (Cubed and Ground, I chopped them both more finely than packaged)

1/2 roasted mashed Acorn Squash (I used the other half from yesterday when I made this Red Lentil Patties recipe; you can use other mashed pumpkin or carrots, or anything that can add sweetness and can “disappear” in the red sauce).

3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 Tbsp. Soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (Optional)

1 tsp. Adobo Spice Mix (optional, I stick this stuff everywhere but you dont have to, just season as you like)

Sea Salt

1/2 tsp. Paprika

Olive Oil

Preparation

Cook the pasta according to package instructions, it’s important to salt the water. Drain the pasta and set aside until sauce is ready.

Start sautéing the onion and garlic in olive oil, add the ground Seitan. Stir occasionally for a few minutes until golden brown.

Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chopped tomato, the mashed squash, brown sugar and spices. Cook until everything blends well. Add the vegetable broth to “open” the sauce. let it simmer for a few m ore minutes until it all comes together and the sauce has a nice color and you like the consistency.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well let it soak in the sauce for a few minutes before serving.

Category: Easy & Simple, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Recipies, Uncategorized, Whole Meal

Oct
24

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Just saying “chocolate cake” makes everyone smile 🙂 . Chocolate cake with raspberry sauce makes me smile even more. It was one of my pregnancy cravings… I was addicted to a chocolate soufflé with raspberry sauce from a Belgian restaurant in NYC and made my husband go with me or bring it home every chance I got… Sometimes at crazy hours. Well, you get a permit to harass your husband when you’re hormonal 😉

According to a Parenting magazine, chocolate is the number 2 most craved food by pregnant women, right after ice! It said “Chocolate — or any sweet for that matter — is something pregnant women can’t get enough of. This could be because chocolate makes you happy, and since there’s no drinking for pregnant women, chocolate is literally the next best thing. An old wives’ tale states if you crave sweets it means you’re carrying a girl”. Can you believe it?! Pregnant or not, nobody says NO to a piece of this moist chocolaty gorgeous red raspberry goodness.

I wanted a taller cake so I actually made two cakes to assemble as two layers. It is perfect as a one layer cake too, so If you want you can skip the second cake and just make it without the jam/sauce in the middle.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Makes One 9 -Inch Round Layer

Dry:

1 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Cup Sugar (I used Turbinado Cane Sugar)

1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

¼ tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

Wet:

1 Cup Almond Milk (I used sweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)

½ Cup Oil (Canola Oil or Grape-seed oil)

1/8 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Raspberry Sauce:

2 Cups Fresh Raspberries

2 ½ Tbsp. Water

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1/8 tsp. Salt

For spreading between the layers:

3 Tbsp. Raspberry Jam

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

Dark Chocolate chunks (about 1 and 1/2 – 2 Cups)

1 Cup Almond Milk

4 Tbsp. Maple Syrup (or Sugar)

Garnish:

Fresh Raspberries

Handful roasted Pistachios

Preparation

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°

Brush with oil a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together wet ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl sift together the flour and cocoa powder, add in the rest of the dry ingredients.

Combine the wet into the dry and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. (check if it’s ready, insert a tooth-pick it should come out dry)

Let the cake cool before adding the ganache and the raspberry sauce.

Raspberry Sauce:

Place all sauce ingredients In a medium saucepan, cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

Place the sauce in a small food processor or a blender and blend until smooth. Press it through a small fine mesh strainer with a spoon to get rid of the seeds. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Mix 3 Tbsp. of the raspberry sauce with 3 Tbsp. of store bought Raspberry Jam to make it thicker. “Shave” the top of the bottom cake to make it more even. Flip the top layer cake upside down to get a flatter top and spread the raspberry sauce and jam mixture between the two layers of cake before covering with the ganache frosting.

Ganache Frosting:

In a saucepan, boil the almond milk, reduce to simmer, add the chocolate and maple, turn off the heat and stir well until the chocolate has melted.

Cool a bit, spread over the top and sides of the cake and place in the fridge to harden.

To Serve:

When you are ready to serve, cut the frosted cake, decorate every piece with a raspberry, pour some raspberry sauce on top, sprinkle with pistachios and start dieting tommorow…