In today’s world of media, politics, and the ongoing quest for individuality, it seems like EVERYONE has an opinion – and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out whose opinions to trust when deciding what to put on the dinner table. Vegan? Gluten-Free? Fat Free? Good carb or bad carb? Not to mention all the other moral and planetary dilemmas that surround us. Sheesh!

If everyone tried to be 100% socially conscious 24/7, we’d basically have nothing to eat, no transportation of any kind, and we’d all be walking around completely naked. Picture that! I’m just trying to do my best and be reasonable. Rather than resort to cynicism (because positive forward thinking is much more fun and interesting), I urge you to keep reading, discussing, and experimenting…in life and in the kitchen. It makes the world – and your body – a better place! Read on for recipes, stories, restaurant reviews, and just some sweet finds that I’ve discovered along the way!

This recipe is my go-to crowd pleaser for vegans and non-vegans alike. Its super easy and delicious and a simple recipe to make for the masses. Once you have the basic idea for the cashew cream sauce, you can add anything too it. This particular time I used mushrooms and peas, but you can also use asparagus, veggie chicken, broccoli, the list is endless!

Ingredients

1 lb brown rice fusilli

1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight

2 cups water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup dried mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped (this is what I had, you can also use about 2 cups fresh mushrooms. I like to use a variety: cremini, porcini, button, oyster, etc)

1 cup frozen peas – I prefer baby peas in this dish

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (a pinch)

salt

Fresh parsley for garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta water boils, put the cashews and water into a blender and blend until smooth – make sure there are no nut pieces left. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add the cashew cream and stir in the peas and nutmeg. Cook until heated through. Add salt, a little at a time, tasting as you go. I must admit, the key to this dish is the salt! (Which tells us something about dairy products – the more salt you add, the more of a “cream/cheese” flavor you get). If the sauce begins to thicken too much, just stir in a bit of pasta water (the heat from the stove can cause some of the moisture from the sauce to evaporate and the sauce can become too thick). If your pan is big enough, you can transfer the drained pasta right into the sauce. If not, put a little of the sauce in your pasta bowl, add pasta, then the rest of your sauce, and stir. Garnish with fresh parsley. I love fresh parsley with most pasta dishes. It adds a bite of freshness! Serves 4-6

I saw this on a TV show – Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie – and I thought it was the coolest thing! As the host of the show tried the beets and decribed the taste and texture, she had me at “luscious”. I knew I had to give it a try!! It makes the beet so tender and infused with salt, soooo cool!!!

Ingredients

4 medium beets (about the size of baseballs), greens and tip removed

26 oz salt combined with a little water to make a course paste – add about a tbsp at a time to make sure you don’t make it too watery, you need just enough to make it a little sticky

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make four large mounds of salt on a cookie sheet. Press the beets into the center of each mound and coat them completely with a thick layer of salt. Bake for 1 hour, 45 minutes - 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. The salt will have created a rock hard shell around the beets. I was able to (totally ungracefully) break through the salt by giving each mound a good whack with a chef’s knife – BE CAREFUL! Out come perfectly cooked beets, and they are absolutely beautiful! Slice them into quarter inch slices and enjoy on salad or just as a snack by themselves!

Beets have been shown to provide antioxidants, anti-inflammatory support, and detoxification support. These great benefits are due to the profound concentration of phytonutrients known as betalains found in the skin and flesh of beets. A double threat, nutritious and delicious!

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti (I like brown rice pasta usually. Here though, I used brown rice pasta and soba noodles to make enough quantity)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, small dice

1 tbsp Earth Balance butter (or any vegan butter)

2 3.5 oz packages mixed mushrooms (about 3 cups), roughly chopped

2/3 cup white wine

1 cup pasta water

1/2 lemon

fresh flat leaf parsley to taste

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions… Over medium high heat, saute onions and garlic in the Earth Balance with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes until onions start to sweat and get soft. Add mushrooms and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add white wine and simmer for 5 minutes, then add pasta water. Either add al dente pasta into saute pan directly into mushroom sauce, or combine both in a pasta bowl. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over pasta and add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and stir – you can also add lemon zest here. Garnish with chopped fresh parley. Enjoy with a simple mixed baby green salad dressed in lemon juice and olive oil. Serves 4.

Ok, so I admit that I have never been a huge fan of pudding – I think it’s a texture thing… but if you like pudding, this is a super easy recipe and much healthier than the regular stuff. Instead of sugar, this pudding is made sweet using dates. They are an excellent natural sweetener for desserts and homemade snack bars – it is so much better to use a whole food instead of a something processed! Dates are packed with carbohydrates so they are great for energy; athletes sometimes eat them before rigorous exercise. They contain a butt-load of vitamins and minerals, including: calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Speaking of butt, dates are considered to be a natural laxative and great for curing constipation. To get the laxative effect from dates, you should soak them overnight and consume them like syrup. Doesn’t all this talk about bowel movements make you want to eat pudding?! Well, if you are still up for it, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

2 bananas

½ cup pitted dates

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 cup cocoa powder

Blend all ingredients in food processor. Serve in martini glasses and garnish with fresh raspberries, slivered almonds, and mint leaves. This looks so beautiful and fancy, I wish I had a picture!

Serves 4-6

This is one dish that is always a winner (well, except for my mother-in-law! She is the ONLY person I have made this for who hasn’t liked it. The seitan was too “different” for her. Oh well, you win some, you lose some). Let me be clear – seitan is absolutely NOT the same as meat, but it’s the closest to it, and I have less than a handful of vegan friends, so all the lovers of this dish have been omnivores and even some “haters” of the vegan lifestyle! Lol… you will just have to try the recipe yourself and form your own opinion.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2  (8 oz) packages seitan (You do not want to get strips for this…regular or cubed is better), cut into 1/2 inch thick slices – they can be small pieces, just not too thick

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp Earth Balance (vegan butter)

2 tbsp shallots, small dice

3 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup Marsala wine

1 cup vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Combine first 4 ingredients and toss seitan in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Heat olive oil in a saute pan on medium high heat. Cook seitan until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Put 1 tbsp of Earth Balance in pan and add shallots and mushrooms, with a pinch of salt. Cook down, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to sweat. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil. Once it has reduced by half, add vegetable stock and continue to cook until sauce has thickened slightly (about 3-5 minutes). Return seitan to pan and continue to cook sauce until it has become nice and thick (about 5 minutes). Stir in remaining 2 tbsp of earth balance and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with fresh parsley. This dish is excellent over rice, potatoes, pasta, or greens! It makes a great entree for any dinner party or potluck. Enjoy!

Makes 4-6 servings

I have to say, Mexican is pretty easy to get veganized, even in a non-vegan restaurant. All you need is beans, veggies, and guac – hold the sour cream and cheese. When I was a kid, taco night was always fun, and I still crave it. So now I’ve come up with a veg-friendly version – which, I might add, is just as good if not better.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups cooked lentils (a like to use a few different kinds)

2 tsp each of cumin and coriander

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

a couple splashes Shoyu or soy sauce

Toppings: salsa, vegan sour cream, vegan cheddar cheese, lettuce or sprouts (I really like sweet pea shoots, they are crisp and refreshing) and guacamole.

Other great topping options: green onion, fresh tomato, corn, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapenos, chipotle sauce, etc…

To make guac, mix together: 

2 avocados, mashed

Juice of 1 lime

1 small shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, grated

1-2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)

 Makes about 10 tacos

Not only are these tacos totally delicious, but they are healthy too! Lentils are packed with protein and fiber, as well as essential amino acids which we need to get through diet. Lentils are often combined with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein meal. Essential amino acids (EAA’s) are those amino acids the body cannot produce on it’s own and must be consumed through food. There are 8 essential amino acids – consuming all at once is considered a “complete protein” meal. Meat, for example, has all 8 essential amino acids, which has been considered “ideal.” Meat, however, also has cholesterol, saturated fat, catastrophic amounts of acid, and often hormones in addition to those EAA’s. I think the #1 question I get as a vegan is “where are you going to get your protein?!” You can easily get all the essential amino acids you need in a plant-based diet because plants are made up almost entirely of amino acids. Here’s our secret to getting our protein…ready for it? Brace yourself, it’s a tough-y… Eat a balanced diet with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, and voila! All the EAA’s you need! Your body pulls each EAA from all the foods you consume to make it’s own chains of complete proteins – a.k.a protein. Myth debunked! Moving on (thank goodness)…

Avocados. Creamy, delicious avocados. There are so many great things about avocados besides their well-known large amounts of healthy (monounsaturated) fats. Avocados, like many other fruits contain antioxidants and Vitamin E which help fight against many illnesses and aid in maintaining overall health. They also contain folate. Diets rich in folate are said to promote lower incidences of heart disease and stroke. Reasearch also shows that avocodos help prevent certain types of cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.

Tacos and guacamole, here I come!!

I lived on variations of this dish most of the fall and so far this winter!! Definitely a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

4 cups steamed brussel sprouts, bottoms removed and cut in half

1/4 cup maple syrup mixed with 2 Tbsp water

2 cups cooked barley

1 apple (I prefer a macintosh-type apple for this), cored and diced

1 8.8 oz jar caper berries, stems removed and cut in half

1 1/2 cups chestnuts, chopped

1/2 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries

Pinch salt, or to taste

Stir together the brussel sprouts and the maple syrup until they are evenly coated. Then mix in the barley, followed by the rest of the ingredients all at once. Stir until everything is distributed evenly. Place in a rectangle baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. This makes quite a lot so I think its great to make on a Sunday and have as leftovers in the beginning of my week. Simple and satisfying!

Sooo I know this is of kind of old news, but I stumbled upon this video in one of my emails and watched it again. If you haven’t already seen it, you should check it out. Or maybe you feel like watching it again? It’s really inspiring!

http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2010/09/21/intv.clinton.blitzer.weight.loss.cnn.html

Here’s a short list of other famous vegans and vegetarians, incase you didn’t know: Andre 3000,  Brian Adams, Casey Affleck, Fiona Apple, Pamela Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Phil Collen, Common, Ellen Degeneres, Daryl Hannah, Woody Harrelson, Steve Jobs, Carl Lewis, Peter Max, Paul McCartney, Alyssa Milano, Alanis Morissette, Jason Mraz, Joaquin Pheonix, Natalie Portman, John Salley, Alicia Silverstone, Russell Simmons,  Steve O (turns out he’s not such a Jackass, hehe), Shania Twain, Mike Tyson (I swear, the man went vegan not too long ago!), Carrie Underwood, and Steve Wynn… just to name a few!

If you have had a chance to read my blog about Brendan Brazier and how fantastic his Vega products are, you would know why I use the Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer meal replacement powder in my shakes. I love how it includes all the perfect ingredients of a meal replacement, and it tastes great just with water (my fave is Natural Flavor). Sometimes I like to add even more fruit and veggie awesomeness – imagine: protein shake meets green juice. I usually make enough for 3-ish servings to dip into for a couple days.

Ingredients

3 scoops Vega Whole Food Optimizer*

1 medium cucumber

1 granny smith apple, core and seeds removed (a lot of people will blend the entire fruit in juices like this – which is great, because there tons of nutrients in skins and seeds, except apples. There is actually trace amounts of cyanide in apple seeds, so make sure you leave those out!)

1 tbsp maca powder**

1 head kale, washed and chopped (the stems are okay because it is being blended, and there are plenty of nutrients in there)

1/2 head parsley (again, stems are okay because they are getting pulverized)

1 banana

1 avocado (optional, depending on how many calories you are looking to consume and how full you want to be; adding avocado is a great way to add more heart-healthy fats, as well as giving the drink a velvet-creaminess)

Water, at least 3 cups (this all depends on what consistency you want)

Ice cubes (optional)

Start with 2 cups of water, Vega powder, cucumber, apple, and maca powder. Blend in a blender until liquified (I L-O-V-E my Vitamix!). Evaluate taste and texture. Add a handful of kale and liquify. Again, evaluate texture and add another handful kale and more water as needed. Repeat until all kale is blended. You may have to stop and stir ocassionally if any of the ingredients get stuck. This could also mean that you need more water. Add parsley and banana and liquify. Check consistency of drink. If it seems too thick, add a bit more water. Add a few ice cubes if you want it really cold, and blend. This shake is totally amazing as a pre- or -post exercise drink, or even as a meal!

IN THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE: I must tell you – this beverage has a rather “unique” taste if you are not used such things. I’ve heard people describe it as tasting “healthy.” I know you know what I’m talking about. SO, for those of you who would like to take baby steps, try each seperately, as follows:

Vega Protein Shake

Stir or blend 1-2 scoops  of Vega with 12-16 oz of cold water. (A full serving is 2 scoops but you might want to try 1 first to test flavor.)

*Wondering what’s in Vega? Check out www.myvega.com for a full list of ingredients and nutrition information.

Green Juice

In a blender, liquify 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 apple, 1 cup kale, 1 cup parsley, 1/2 banana, and 16 oz. cold water (or more as needed). This is mild and refreshing, with a slight sweetness from the fruit.

**Maca powder is from the Peruvian maca root. It has many beneficial properties, including, increases anthletic energy, stamina and endurance, boosts metabolism and supports the immune system. Maca improves mental clarity, focus, and eyesight. I enjoy it after my workouts because it provides faster muscle recovery and helps the body heal itself. In addition, maca treats menopausal symptoms, and enhances libido and fertility in both men and women.

Just a little garden update: The pic above shows a small bouquet of flowers behind the glass of juice. It is late October, and that’s the last of my cutting flowers from my container garden out on my NYC balcony. I’m very proud of these pretty little ladies! They’ve made it through some cold days and nights lately. After a great summer full of tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and flowers, a few zinnias are still hangin’ in there. They look so pretty on my table and I can’t wait until next season!

I was at this Italian Bistro on Bowery last week, and the waiter brought this steaming appetizer to the table next to me. Of course, being the curious foodie that I am, I had to ask him what it was. I had never heard of roasted grapes sooo I obviously had to give it a whirl. To give credit where it is deserved, I did steal the ricotta recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s cookbook, Vegan with a Vengeance,* I just switched her basil for my thyme.

Tofu Ricotta

Ingredients

1 lb. firm tofu, pressed (for instructions on how to press tofu, please see my recent blog, “Cook n’ Freeze Burritos”)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

Dash fresh black pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

In a large bowl, break up tofu with your hands until it’s crumbly. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Now you want it to get very mushy so using your hands again, squeeze it through your fingers and mush until it reaches the consistancy of ricotta cheese – about 2-5 minutes. Add olive oil and stir with a fork, because at this point the mixture will get sticky. Add the nutritional yeast and mix well so that all ingredients are well incorportated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Roasted Grapes and Balsamic-Grape Juice Reduction Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb. red grapes

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

Dash fresh black pepper

1 cup grape juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir all ingredients together in a 9″ baking pan and bake for 20 minutes or until grapes start to blister, shaking the pan occasionally.  While the grapes are roasting, pour the grape juice and balsamic vinegar into a small-medium size sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced by about half.

When grapes are done, remove from oven, and leave the oven on. Gently squish them with the bottom of a fork or spoon. (NOTE: You do not want to completely flatten your grapes, just break the skin and smoosh them slightly.) Now, pour your reduction sauce over the grapes. Take your ricotta out of the fridge and scoop the whole thing in the middle of the grapes. Spread the ricotta outward toward the edges of the pan, covering the grapes. Be careful not to press too hard and submerge the ricotta into the grapes/sauce. Sprinkle with some more fresh black pepper and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Remove and let cool for a couple minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

*Vegan With A Vengeance is SUCH a badass cookbook. Many of the recipes are very simple, with recognizable ingredients and delicious flavor combos! Also, check out Isa’s other books and collaborations:

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Appetite For Reduction

Vegan Brunch