Chipotle Cream Pasta

My kids love pasta.  But, sometimes I get a little bored with the traditional sauces.  I love all the flavors of the southwest, so I decided to combine them in this dish.  It is super easy to put together, but tastes like you've spent hours creating it.  The secret is layers upon layers of flavor.  Enjoy!

For the sauce:

1 1/2 C soy sour cream
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (deseeded for less spice)
1-2 tsp adobo sauce (from that same can of chipotle peppers)
1 glove garlic, rough chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth.  Set aside.

For the pasta:

1 lb pasta of your choice (I used shells - kids request!)
3 ears fresh corn, husked and silks removed
12 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
7-8 crimini mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
juice from 1/2 small lemon
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.  In an oven safe roasting dish, place artichoke hearts and garlic.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the lemon juice.  Stir to coat the artichokes.  Sprinkle with salt, cover and put in oven for about 45 min or until golden brown.  Next, bring water to boil in a large pot, add a generous sprinkle of salt, and add pasta.  Cook until al dente and drain.  Meanwhile, preheat grill to hot.  Cook corn directly on the grill, browning on all sides.  This should take about 8-10 minutes.  Removed and allow to cool.  Then, cut the corn off the cob and set aside.  In a sauté pan, warm the remaining oil over medium high heat and add the mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and the chipotle powder.  Cook until soft - about 8-10 minutes.  Finally, in a large serving bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until the sauce has coated everything.  Serve immediately.

"Chicken" & Quinoa with Green Pipian Sauce

One of my favorite shows on Food Network is Mexican Made Easy with Marcela Valladolid.  I have tried a bunch of her recipes with great results....and this is another example of a great recipe.  I changed mine up a bit from the original recipe to make it vegetarian.  I used Quorn Chick'n Cutlets, but this could easily be made vegan by substituting grilled or roasted vegetables, such as mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers.  Enjoy!

For the Quinoa:

1 C quinoa, rinsed
2 C vegetable broth
1 garlic glove, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Dash of salt & pepper

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, cover & reduce to a simmer.  Continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.  Removed from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and gently stir in the cilantro.

Cook the Quorn chicken according to package instructions (I roasted in the oven) if using.  If you prefer grilled veggies, cook until just tender.

For the Pepian Sauce:

1 1/4 C green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 pound tomatillos, husked & rinsed
1 serrano chile, stemmed (removed seeds if less spice is desired)
1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 C chicken broth, warmed
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
1 tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper to tasted
1 avocado, slided (for garnish)

In a preheated skilled over medium heat, place pumpkin seeds, stirring frequently until they expand and begin to pop.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a paper towel and set aside.  Reserve 2 tbsp of the pepitas for garnish later on.

In a medium sized sauce pan, place tomatillos, onion, and serrano.  Fill with water until the tomatillos are just covered.  Add some salt and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatillos have darkened.  With a slotted spoon, transfer tomatillos, onions, and serrano to a blender.  Add the broth,  remaining pepitas, sugar, cilantro, salt and pepper and blend until pureed.  Spoon the sauce over the chick'n cutlets and quinoa and garnish with avocado slices and the remaining pepitas.

Vegan Soy Chorizo Sliders

I recently discovered one of the best things ever - pretzel slider buns at Costco.  They are outstanding!  After purchasing 2 dozen of these little delights, I figured it was time to come up with a recipe for some sliders to go in them.  Thus was born this recipe - soy chorizo sliders.  I made a chipotle sauce to accompany (recipe follows) along with caramelized onions, thin tomato slices, and spring mix.  This recipe makes about 14 sliders.  Enjoy!

For the sliders:

16 oz veggie burger (I used Loma Linda brand in the can, but you can use frozen - just thaw first)
1 package soy chorizo (I used Trader Joe's brand)
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 C bread crumbs
1/2 medium sweet onion, sautéed until just soft
1/2 Daiya Cheddar "Cheese" (optional - helps to hold things together)
Egg substitute equal to 1 egg (I use Ener Egg Replacer)
1 tsp cumin
dash each of salt and fresh ground black pepper
Slider buns (use the pretzel buns from Costco if you can!)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine.  Form into patties and place on a medium-hot non-stick skillet or griddle.  Cook for about 5 minutes before flipping.  Cook a additional 5 minutes.  They should form a crispy crust on the outside, but still be soft and moist on the inside.  Remove from the heat and enjoy! 

Chipotle Slider Sauce:

1/4 C Soy Sour Cream
1/4 C Vegenase Mayo
1-2 tsp Adobo sauce (Canned chipotle peppers are packed in this sauce - it can pack a punch, so adjust according to your taste)
Juice from 1/2 lime
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.  It can be used immediately, but tastes better if you let it mellow in the fridge for a couple hours.

Chipotle "Chicken" Wraps

It's Sunday afternoon and everyone is ready for lunch.  Because of our hectic weekend, I have nothing planned.  So, it is time to wing it!  After digging through the freezer, I found a bag of Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers that I had gotten a little while back, but forgot about.  We had a few tortillas left from dinner a couple nights ago.  So, the obvious lunch choice - a "chicken" wrap.  I whipped up a quick chipotle mayo to go with, and we had lunch in under 10 minutes.

For the wraps:

3-4 soft tortillas, warmed
1 bag Gardein Crispy Fingers (or your favorite protein - anything will work)
Spring mix
Daiya Vegan Cheddar Cheese (optional)
1 heaping tbsp Vegenaise
1 tbsp Soy Supreme vegan sour cream
juice from 1/2 lime
1 tsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
dash of salt

Cook the Crispy Fingers according to package directions.  If I am running short on time, I will fire up the toaster oven on broil, cook the "chicken" for 1 minute in the microwave on high, then put them under the broiler for 5-6 minutes to crisp them up.  To make the sauce, combine the last 5 ingredients and stir until smooth.  Warm the tortillas until soft (about 10-20 seconds in the microwave).  Spread some chipotle sauce first, then arrange 2 "chicken" fingers, followed by a sprinkle of cheddar, a little more sauce, and finally a handful of spring mix.  Wrap and enjoy!

Vegan Quinoa and Soyrizo Stuffed Bell Peppers with Poblano Cream Sauce

I have been wanting to make stuffed peppers for quite some time, but had not come across any interesting recipes.  Then, I went to 24 Carrots (a phenomenal Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant in Chandler) and stuffed peppers were being served as the day's special.  They were made with quinoa instead of rice...and were delicious.  So, I decided to try my own version at home.  Since everyone in my family loves the flavors of the southwest, I incorporated those flavors in my peppers.  Hope you enjoy!

For the stuffed peppers you will need:

4 sweet bell peppers, tops cut off and reserved, seeds removed
8-10 small red skin potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized cubes
1/2 package Soyrizo (meatless soy chorizo)
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 dry white cooking wine
1 C rainbow quinoa
2 C vegetable broth or water
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Place the diced potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 10 minutes, or until just tender.  Drain and set aside.  Next, place the broth/water and quinoa in a pot with a lid, bring to a boil, and cover.  Reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Removed from heat and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.  Meanwhile, warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until tender.  Add the soyrizo and stir to combine.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the soyrizo starts to brown.  Add the potatoes and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.  Finally add the wine and allow to cook until most of the liquid has boiled off.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Stir in the quinoa until well combined.  Fill the peppers with the soyrizo & quinoa mixture, place the tops back on the peppers, cover and cook in a roasting dish for about 30 minutes.

For the Poblano Cream Sauce you will need:

1/2 C sour cream substitute (I used Tofutti brand)
1 Poblano pepper, charred with skin and seeds removed
Juice from 1/2 small lime
Dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.  Serve on top of or on the side with the peppers.

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts

Like many people, I used to cringe at the thought of eating brussels sprouts.  They just never appealed to me.  So, when I came across this recipe, I almost didn't' give it a second thought.  Then, I saw a picture of the finished dish and decided to give it a try.  It was amazing!  It is a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis that I have adapted to be vegan.  Enjoy!

You will need:

1 pound spaghetti, preferably whole grain
1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mushrooms (I used cremini), chopped
8 oz vegan cream cheese
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 tbsp olive oil
zest from 1 large lemon
juice from 1/2 large lemon
1/2 C toasted pine nuts (your could use slivered almonds instead)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and removing the outer layer or 2 of leaves.  Place them into a food processor and pulse until coarsely shredded, or thinly slice by hand.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, and brussels sprouts.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until tender, about 6-7 minutes.  Add broth, zest, lemon juice, and cream cheese.  Stir until cream cheese is well incorporated and the sauce is creamy.  Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and sprinkle with nuts.  Enjoy!

Korma Curry "Chicken"

Now that my kids like Indian food, we have been eating it a lot more.  I try to make the sauces from scratch when I can, but some days get too busy.  So, I was excited to discover Sukhi's prepackaged spices.  You just add water and cream (I have a vegan version below).  Tonight I made the Korma Curry Sauce with cauliflower and Quorn Chick'n tenders over coconut pineapple rice.  It was a hit!  I found the sauce packets at Sunflower Market, but Whole Foods also carries them...or you can check out their website for more locations:  www.sukhis.com

For the Korma Curry:

1 package Korma Curry Sauce spices
3/4 C water
1/4 C whipping cream (or 1/4 C vegan sour cream - I used Tofutti brand)
1 head cauliflower (or your favorite veggie), washed, cut into bite sized pieces, and microwaved for about   2 minutes to soften
1 package Quorn Chick'n Tenders (these are not vegan, but you can substitute any protein you'd like or just double up on the veggies)

Place veggies, Chick'n, water, and sauce packet into a pan and mix until spices are dissolved.  Bring to a boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add cream and bring back to a boil for another 1-2 minutes.  Serve warm over rice.

I have been using brown basmati rice to accompany our Indian meals.  In place of the water, I use a 50/50 combination of coconut water and pineapple juice to add more flavor.  A dash of salt and pepper also livens things up a bit.  Enjoy!