Lavosh Pizza

Last week I was shopping at Trader Joe's and came across some whole wheat lavosh. My original plan for the lavosh was to make a wrap with some type of white bean dip and lots of fresh veggies. I'm not sure why that hasn't happened yet. Maybe later this week for lunches. What did happen was lavosh pizza! The lavosh was a great crust. It was very thin and light. The edges got super crispy with the center being more tender.

Probably the biggest reason I went with pizza is that I had small amounts of a few ingredients left over from other recipes. Pizza is such a great way to use up small amounts of goodies that might otherwise get left behind. I had opened a jar of roasted red peppers for some soup I made this weekend. I had just a small amount of kalamata olives left over. Then I found a partial onion hanging out. Then there was some basic about to brown on me. I had a few creminis hiding out, but sadly my fridge did a Mr. Freeze on them. This recipe is very flexible, you can use your favorite toppings. Make sure not to over crowd the pizza so the crust can get nice and crispy.

If you haven't made it yet, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Tofu Ricotta recipe is a fantastic substitute for the dairy version. This is often my go-to recipe for first time vegan diners. I served stuffed shells to my very meat eating extended family. They had no clue it was vegan. It's just incredible. As an added bonus, it is super easy to make. You can make the ricotta and the sauce ahead of time to make this a quick week night dinner. I always have a hard time finding a pizza sauce that I really like, but I think I may have created a winner tonight. I'll let you be the judge. It's very easy to make and has lots of yummy herby flavor. If you do try it, I'd love to hear what you think...leave me a comment.

Lavosh Pizza

Makes two pizzas

2 Lavosh

1 recipe pizza sauce (recpe below)

1/2 recipe Tofu Ricotta

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives

2 roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips

12 slow roasted halved cherry tomatoes

15-20 medium sized fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425.

Place each lavosh on a cookie sheet (no need to oil). Spread with a thin layer of pizza sauce over the lavosh, leaving about 1 inch of the edge naked. Drop ricotta by the generous tablespoon about 1-2 inches apart. Using the back of the spoon, flatten ricotta. This will help it cook more evenly. Spread toppings evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes until lavosh is crisp on the edges and ricotta is hot. 

Slice and serve immediately. Serve with extra sauce on the side. 

Pizza Sauce

Makes approx 1 1/2 cups

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

pinch fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

15 oz can organic tomato sauce

White Bean and Orzo Soup with Fresh Italian Herbs

This past year, two of my very close girlfriends have been undergoing breast cancer treatment. As a survivor myself, I know how hard it is to ask for help. It is also difficult to keep up with all of the doctors' appointments, keep your energy up and take care of everyday life. It's hard to know what to do to help. One thing I know I can always do is make some healthy eats for them.

My friend who was just diagnosed has always been crazy about my soups, so much so, that she suggested I start my own line of healing soups. I thought that was pretty darn cute of her. But she is one to always find new business propositions. The challenge I have when creating recipes for her is that she is allergic to garlic. I adore garlic and rarely make anything savory without it. It is such a great flavoring agent and nothing is quite the same.

To offset the lack of garlic, I decided to ramp up the flavor with robust fresh herbs. This soup is loaded with nutrient dense vegetables. Great white Northern beans provide protein and additional fiber. The fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers boost the vitamin content and add lovely color and flavor to the soup. Caramelized onions lend a hint of sweetness. This is a meal in a bowl. Serve with a nice crusty Italian bread and a simple green salad if you are very hungry.

Today at the farmers' market had some absolutely beautiful tomatoes (I love this time of year in AZ).

We have some wonderful red Russian kale coming out of the garden, so that became part of the mix.

I also grabbed some fresh thyme and oregano from our herb garden. I bought some fresh basil for another recipes that didn't happen this week, so I really had some great stuff to start with!

White Bean and Orzo Soup with Fresh Italian Herbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced, approx. 3 cups

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 large tomatoes, 1/2 inch dice

3 roasted red peppers (I used jarred this time), 1/2 inch dice

1/3 cup tightly packed fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine

1/4 cup tightly packed fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 fresh cracked pepper

6 cups vegetable stock

1 - 14.5 oz can Great Northern beans, liquid included

1/2 cup dry orzo

1 bunch kale chopped into small pieces

2 oz fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

In a 6 quart heavy bottomed saucepan or stockpot over medium low heat, add olive oil, onions, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute onions until they are just turning golden and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. This may take a little bit of time, but it is worth the wait to coax out the sweetness of the onions. This will give you time to chop your fresh herbs. 

Add diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, oregano, thyme, black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to medium. Simmer until tomatoes just soften and liquid is almost gone, about 5-7 minutes.

Add vegetable stock and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add white beans, orzo and kale. Simmer for 15 more minutes until orzo and kale are both tender. Remove from heat and add basil. Let sit for 10 minutes. This will allow the basil to release it's flavor. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

Mid-Summer Girlie Lunch

It's no surprise that is is blazing hot here in the Valley of the Sun. I invited some of the girls over that I haven't seen in a while. We all worked in a fine dine restaurant together in the day. We have remained great friends since 1993-ish. We have all been around the block food-wise and these girls can tell stories of my meat eating ways that would probably turn your stomach. This fine group of ladies would probably tell you I was the least likely candidate for digging vegan food and cooking.

It's been a couple of years now, so they have gotten used to the idea that I'm not going to be serving the carnage of yore. I have to say, I still spend a lot of time contemplating what to make for them. I want to make sure they LOVE what I make. If they love it, I can usually be confident that it is pretty good. These gals know their food. It has been a very long time since all of us have been together. It was so much fun being with such long-time awesome friends. I loved hearing all of the conversation and laughter at the table. We were having such a great time our lunch lasted almost into dinner time, so I pulled out the leftovers and we started snacking again.

This fine week as the temperatures were reaching 112, I really didn't want to turn on the oven or even be out at the grill. I decided to go for a totally cold spread. This made for a pretty pleasant day in the kitchen. The only thing I had to cook was the beans (in the slow cooker) and some orzo pasta. While my intentions were to see my friends it never hurts to have an audience to try out some new original stuff. The reviews were really good! The kale salad was a surprise hit, so I will share the basic recipe with you. It is super easy to throw together.

Kale-Avocado Salad

8 servings (4 as a main dish)

1 large bunch green kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces, about 8 cups
1 1/2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup cranberries
1/3 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large just ripe avocado (make sure it is still a bit firm so it doesn't turn to mush in the salad) diced into 1/2" cubes

In a large bowl place washed kale. Drizzle in olive oil and vinegar. Make sure to massage the kale with your hand until the kale is brighter green and a bit softer. This will take out some of the toughness and bitterness that kale can have. Add remaining ingredients except for the avocado and mix well. Gently toss in the avocado, being careful not to mush it up. Salt and pepper to taste.

Thats it! Simple. Beautiful. Delicious. Filling. Oh and as an added bonus for summer, no oven!!!

Fridge Cleaning = Yummy Pasta Dish

Don't you hate when you have small amounts of a bunch of different ingredients in your fridge? You just hate to waste it, but you're not sure what to do with it?

I had a day like this the other day. I had recently opened a jar of organic roasted red peppers for a recipe that only called for a small amount. I can't tell you how many times I've gone back just a few days later and they are growing mold like a petri dish in science lab. They are not exactly inexpensive, so I was bound and determined to save this jar from an untimely demise. I was also determined to save a few other stragglers in the fridge and I needed to come up with a quick dinner for Fred as he was working yet another 15 hour day and I, my twelve.

Fred loves him some red sauce and I never seem to make enough of it for him. While this may not be what he would have normally expected, it ended up being really good. Good enough for him to eat two meals out of it in one day.

Now I was just throwing things in the pot and not accurately measuring, so I will do my best to re-create this "trash-can" sauce for you.

Meaty Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, diced small
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 oz. cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3/4 of a 12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, approx 4 roasted peppers, peeled and seeded
3/4 cup browned TVP
1 - 28 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 - 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

In a 6 qt sauce pot over medium heat, heat olive oil and add garlic and onions. Saute until onions are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, basil, salt and peppers. Saute for another minute until herbs become fragrant. Add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms start releasing their juices, about 2 minutes. Add roasted red peppers and saute for 2 more minutes.Toss in your TVP, crushed and diced tomatoes. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes or more. The more you simmer, the better the flavor (up to 1 hour).

Can be served immediately over your favorite pasta or grain. It is even better the next day.

A couple of notes: feel free to use fresh herbs or adjust the herb amounts to your liking. This is a very rustic and chunky sauce. If you like a smoother sauce, add the tomatoes before the TVP and blend with a stick blender or in your regular blender, then add the TVP. I can totally see this as the sauce in a hearty lasagna.

Tonight there are other ingredients ready to expire, hope I can come up with another winner!

Mediterranean Influenced Bean Salad

Fred is embarking on a new health and fitness journey. Part of his plan is to up his protein intake. In an effort to do all I can to support him (and to limit the possibility of meat being suggested) I am whole heartedly getting on the bandwagon to find veg sources of protein rich dishes. I find my body is happier on a higher protein regimen, so this should be a very good thing for both of us.

After our Mediterranean themed Easter dinner, I am still feeling the glow of love for things Med. Before work yesterday, I needed to throw something quick, filling and healthy together. (I was hoping for Easter leftovers, but there were none to be had). I have to say, working with what I had in the fridge and the pantry, this salad came out quite nicely. It is just perfect for the warm weather here and our eating goals. This one could be easily doubled for a big pot luck too! It screams of spring and of picnic fare. If you are looking for a quick cool treat, this is a great option! I hope you enjoy this one.

Mediterranean Influenced Bean Salad


2 - 14.5 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, about 1/2 inch dice
2 medium sized tomatoes seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, unpeeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup tightly backed fresh basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Get yourself a big old bowl. Throw all of the goodies in and stir to distribute ingredients evenly. This one is best if you let it marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Serve with sliced baguette. You could also use this as a wonderful bruschetta topping.

Mediterranean Mix Salad

We have been getting some good stuff from the garden. The first bed is producing some great greens. Today Fred put in the 2nd bed. We can hardly wait to see how this one does. My brother send us some great heirloom tomato seeds. We are starting those inside to transplant in a couple of weeks when it gets a little bit warmer. We are learning how and when to plant things in the desert. We're total amateurs. So far, we are having pretty good results. Here are the greens we planted at the end of October in Bed #1.

 

Bed #2 going in.

We had a dinner party to go to tonight and I volunteered to make salad. I must admit, I wanted to show off some of the goodies from the garden. I picked green leaf lettuce, arugula, and baby purple kale. Man, I just love veggies fresh out of the garden! Nothing tastes better! I used the greens as a base for this very flavorful and colorful salad. This one is definitely one to serve to a crowd and it should get a thumbs up!

Mediterranean Mix Salad

8-10 servings

14.5 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts
14.5 ounce can of hearts of palm (sliced into medallions)
5 ounces of pitted Kalamata olives
16 oz jar roasted red peppers (or 5 fresh red peppers roasted and peeled) sliced into strips
1/2 red onion halved and thinly sliced
1 large cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes sliced into thin wedges
1 cup arugula
5 cups mixed greens
1 recipe pesto-oregano vinaigrette

Pesto-Oregano Vinaigrette

makes 3/4 cup

1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegan pesto
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined. 

Toss all salad ingredients together. Gently toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Pizza Night

I had a hankering for pizza. It would not go away, so not being one to deny myself, we had a pizza night last night. Now when I go out for pizza, I am often shocked at how much places charge for extra ingredients. This is the beauty of DIY pizza at home. You can add to your heart's content. For this pizza night we opted to make two smaller pizza's instead of one biggie. This way we could make two very different varieties.

Before I left for work, I mixed up the dough from Joanna Vaught's Potluck Mania Issue #1. We gave it two risings; one slow in the fridge and one faster in the slightly warm oven. I was hungry and not so patient. When I got home from work, Fred already had the dough rising in the oven. I'm pretty sure I didn't let it get a good second rising.

Next I selected my ingredients and got them all prepped. For the first pizza I decided to do a vegan version of on of my all time fav pregan versions: Mushroom, Sausage, and Onion. I sauteed the mushrooms in a touch of olive oil with just a little salt. Be careful not to overcook them, just saute until they are barely starting to get soft. The onions were carmelized by sauteeing slowly in olive oil with just a touch of sugar and salt until they were golden brown. I used browned Gimme Lean sausage because I had some left in the fridge. I toyed with the idea of using Julie Hasson's Italian sausages from the freezer, but was too hungry to wait to thaw them out. I used Joanna's no cook pizza sauce from the same 'zine as the dough. We love garlic, so of course we had to add extra minced garlic. So it went like this: dough rolled out as round as Fred could manage (this is no easy task we found), sauce, veggies and sausage evenly distributed. Top with Daiya cheese and sprinkle with oregano. Bake for 20 minutes at 450.

Our next little lovely was a Pesto Pizza. We started with Julie Hasson's Basil and Spinach Spread (pesto) which will be in her upcoming Vegan Diner cookbook. On top of that we layered lightly sauteed zucchini, beautiful campari tomatoes, roasted red peppers, Daiya Italian blend cheeze, then we sprinkled the top with kalmata olives. This was also baked for 20 minutes in a 450 degree oven. I honestly thought I would like the first pizza the best, but this one stole my heart. It was really tasty! One ingredient I meant to use on this one was arugula from our garden. Oops. Well, I have some leftover dough in the freezer. I see arugula/ricotta calzones in our future!!!

Fred was very happy to report that Heineken is indeed vegan!

As soon as I get the dough perfected, I think we should have a make your own pizza party!!! We'll let you know!

Food Network Friday - Beef and Horseradish Sauce Sandwich

For this week's Food Network Friday Challenge I converted this Ina Garten Recipe. With the holidays approaching, it was nice to have a fairly easy conversion this week. Once the seitan is made, this is a snap to throw together. I used Tami Noyes' Beefy Seitan Recipe that will be in her upcoming American Vegan Kitchen cookbook as the base. The rest was pretty straight forward.

"Beef" and Horseradish Sauce Sandwiches.

Makes 2 hearty sized sandwiches.

4 oz Beefy Seitan

1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper

Sauce ingredients

1/2 cup vegannaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoons stoneground mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon Toffutti non-hydrogenated sour cream

Sandwich ingredients

4 slices whole grain sandwich bread

1 cup arugula

1 tomato sliced thin

1/2 tablespoon softened Earth Balance

Preheat oven to 500.Mix 1/2 tablespoon EB with 1 teaspoon dijon. Coat seitan roast with mixture. Coat with pepper and salt lightly. Bake seitan for 15-20 minutes until outside gets a nice crust on it. Remove from oven.

While seitan is cooking mix together sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Can keep in refrigerator for several days.

To assemble sammies thinly slice hot seitan. On one slice of bread spread the horsey sauce. Top with thinly sliced hot seitan, 1/2 cup arugula and a few slices of tomato. Butter top slice of bread and put on top (butter side down). Slice in half and serve.

Southwestern Rice Salad

Southwestern Rice Salad
Originally uploaded by kdc4breastcancerfree
This isn't very photogenic, but it was really tasty. This is one of my original creations. It is a great hearty salad for any outdoor get together. It travels very well and makes a ton.

Southwestern Tempeh Rice Salad

2 cups brown long grain rice (measured before cooking)
4 cups water
1 8 oz pkg tempeh
1 t canola oil
1/8 t coriander
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t hot chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 C Vegan Ranch (I used homemade)
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on how hot you like it
1 can black beans
1 fresh jalepeno roasted and peeled
1 fresh anaheim chili roasted and peeled
1 red bell pepper roasted and peeled
1 bunch cilantoro chopped
4 green onions sliced thin (both white and green parts)
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t hot chili powder
1/4 t coriander
1 1/2 t salt
black peper to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved

Prepare your rice (this can be done ahead of time).

Now would be a good time to roast those peppers. When they cool, peel and dice them.

Blend the ranch and chipotles until smooth.

To prepare your tempeh:

Boil tempeh for 15 minutes. Drain. After draining, saute the tempeh and spices in oil for about 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

In the mean time get yourself a very large bowl. Mix together everything but the cherry tomatoes until well mixed. Gently mix in cherry tomatoes. Salt and pepper further to taste if needed.

This is best if it sits overnight. It makes a ton. It lends itself very well to variations.