This recipe is a celebration of all things Spring and I love it! To be honest, it still doesn’t fully even feel like Spring in the city quit yet, we keep swinging from 60 degrees back to 40 and almost all days covered in clouds, rain and gloom. That being said, this recipe is anything but gloomy! It’s full of bright beautifully covered vegetables, a bold spicy peanut sauce, and a perfectly sweet and savory lemongrass marinaded tofu. It is also served cold which makes it awesome for leftovers! 

So this recipe has actually evolved multiple times from when I first attempted to make it. The first time was an attempt to make fresh Spring Rolls like what you get at Vietnamese restaurants. So two problems with that that I felt wasn’t in line with my brand and what we’re trying to accomplish in the Almost Like Mom’s kitchen.

The first is they were not easy to make. If you’ve ever picked up a packet of those spring roll wrapped and see that they look like hard plastic, and have thought to yourself, how do they soften this and wrap it?? The answer is, very carefully and honestly not worth it. The second issue is they go bad almost instantly, it was very difficult to keep the ingredients looking fresh and the rolls themselves got soggy after about a day.

While I often like taking on food challenges, I try to stay away from doing recipes that are not accessible and will leave you frustrated and I really try to stay away from recipes where you cannot have leftovers. So I scrapped the whole spring rolls idea. But, I loved everything about the flavor combination of what I had put together, so I decided to evolve it into a noodle dish and the Spring Vegetable Soba Bowls were born.

If you’ve never bought Soba noodles, you’re in for a treat. You can find them in the ethnic isle of the grocery store, I try to buy ones that are 100% buckwheat but they’re pricier so feel free to get the ones that are mixed with wheat. These noodles are I think probably my favorite noodle on their own, but they are truly beautiful and delicious tossed with fresh veggies and marinaded tofu.

What I recommended for this recipe is to make the tofu, sauce and noodles separate and then you can use it for lunches all week by adding on the sliced veggies toppings before eating or in the morning.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Spring Vegetable Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

A celebration of Spring in a bowl, bright spring vegetables atop savory soba noodles with spicy peanut sauce and lemongrass marinaded tofu.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner, Salad, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese, Vietnamese, Vegan

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Tofu Marinade
• 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into strips
• 2 lemongrass stalks, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
  
• Noodles
• 1 bunch soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 4 avocados, sliced
• 3 carrots, ribboned
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  
  
• Peanut Butter Sauce
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chili paste
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 scallions, sliced
• ½ cup water, more if necessary to thin

Directions

1. Whisk all the ingredients together for the tofu marinade. Toss the tofu strips into the marinade and set aside for 30 minutes. While the tofu marinades preheat your over to 400 degrees and cook the soba noodles.
   
   
2. In a separate pot from the noodles, bring more water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the asparagus and cook for 4 minutes until it is just cooked. It should still be crunchy. Set the cooked asparagus aside while you prepare and chop the remaining vegetables.
   
   
3. When the tofu is done marinading, place it onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Make the peanut sauce by placing all the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until creamy.
   
   
5. Assemble the bowls by placing the noodles on the bottom, top with all the veggies, the cooked tofu and drizzle with the peanut sauce. Top with fresh cilantro if using. If you're using these as a lunch and want leftovers, keep the veggies separate from the noodles until serving or preparing.

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The post Spring Vegetable Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

It’s been two months since Andrew and I went to New Orleans and I still can’t get all of the amazing food I ate there out of my mind! Seriously if you have never been to that city, just buy an impromptu ticket, get there as soon as possible, and just eat all of the food you can the days you are there. I’m not exaggerating when I say that nearly everything we ate in New Orleans was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Full disclosure, Andrew and I totally cheated on that vacation and ate seafood and even a little meat but this recipe right here is my attempt at a recreation of one of the best dishes I’ve ever had, the whole roasted cauliflower from Domenica.

Domenica is an awesome modern Italian restaurant in the Roosevelt hotel. They have everything, beautiful pastas, pizzas, great appetizers and cocktails but the whole roasted cauliflower with whipped feta is out of this world! After eating there, I made a decision that I was going to recreate this if it killed me.

After attempting to look up a recipe for “whipped feta” I realized that it’s actually about 90% cream cheese and heavy cream so I decided to make a healthy twist on this recipe and make vegan whipped “feta”. This sauce is just a few tweaks away from the vegan cream cheese recipe I made with the bagels and it is awesome! We had a ton left after I made this recipe and it’s brilliant served over potatoes or pretty much any other roasted veggie.

Now, let’s talk about this cauliflower, the best part! This is something I had my doubts about but this cauliflower full soaks up all of the flavor of the broth you boil it in and it’s incredible! If you’re vegan, you can add in vegan butter instead of regular butter or just double the amount of olive oil and put in a little extra salt. I swear this broth is so flavorful and delicious, I could just sip it.

The biggest trick here though it to turn the oven up enough so that the top gets blackened and crispy.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Vegan Whipped "Feta"

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

An incredibly savory and delicious meal for when you're feeling fancy. Cauliflower boiled in a flavorful broth and served with a bold vegan whipped feta dip.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2½ cups white wine
• ¼ cup sea salt
• ¼ cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp butter (or vegan butter)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 8 cups water
  
  
• Whipped "Feta
• 1 block extra firm tofu (drained very well, squeeze out water)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tsp zaatar
• 1 tsp paprika
• drizzle chili oil (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
   
   
2. Prepare the feta but squeezing all the water out of the tofu with a tea towel or cheese cloth. Add the tofu, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and ⅓ cup of the olive oil to a high speed blender. Blend on high until creamy. Remove from the blender and whisk in the zaatar and paprika. Place in the refrigerator and cool for at least an hour. Whisk with the remaining olive oil before serving and top with chile oil or cayenne pepper if you want it a bit spicy.
   
   
3. While the feta is cooling, make the cauliflower, trim the leaves off the cauliflower but leave the core in tact. Add remaining ingredients to a large pot and fill about ¾ of the rest of the pot up with water. Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the whole cauliflower. Cover with a lid so the cauliflower stays down in the water. Poach for 15-20 minutes, turning it from time to time to ensure both sides cook. The outside should be starting to soften and you should be able to pierce the center with a knife.
   
   
4. Remove from the boiling water and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
   
   
5. Place the cauliflower into a baking pan or pie dish with about 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Using a spook or baster, scoop the liquid onto the cauliflower and place in the oven.
   
   
6. Bake for 30 minutes on the top until the top is brown all over. Continue spooning the sauce over it about every 10 minutes or so.
7. Remove from oven and serve with the whipped feta. You can serve this right away but it does heat up well and the whipped feta keeps well in teh refrigerator.

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The post Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Vegan Whipped “Feta” appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Something I’ve learned since moving to Chicago is that outside of Detroit, people legitimately don’t know what Coney Island’s are. Don’t get me wrong, we still have diner’s in Chicago and other places you can eat late at night, and even places that are open 24 hours, but none of them have the odd mix of drunk food, chili dogs, breakfast and Greek food that existing at the Coney Island’s where I’m from. This recipe is an ode to one of my favorite things about Coney Island’s, Lemon Rice Soup.

When I was in my year off from college working a serving job and doing a terrible job at saving money to move to Chicago, my best friend Alexa would go out all the time, we even dubbed this tradition “best friend drink night” which is not creative in the slightest but we liked it. all the time. The best part about our tradition wasn’t the drinking at all, but going to hungover breakfast the next day. Our main breakfast spot was a Coney Island called Leo’s which is a chain but has really good breakfast food. The best part though was that Leo’s served Chicken Lemon Rice soup all day. I can honestly say being able to order that soup alongside eggs and hashbrowns saved me on a couple occasions.

The point I’m trying to make is that Lemon Rice Soup is magic and I truly don’t know why I didn’t try to make it before. Traditionally this soup is made with chicken, so I added seared cauliflower to this soup just to give it a little extra texture. The biggest thing I did differently here though was I wanted to make a broth that was truly rich and flavorful. I find often that using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock leaves you losing out on some flavor. So, I punch this one up with miso, dijon mustard and some spices to form something like a bouillon that gets mixed in with the broth.

The one thing that I was unwilling to compromise on there is the egg so this soup is not vegan. The egg gives it the special creaminess that makes Lemon Rice Soup so unique, hearty and comforting and I just couldn’t bring myself to leave it out of the end recipe. The first round of testing I did cut it out completely and it’s still really delicious, it just sacrifices thickness. If you’re uncomfortable adding the eggs directly to the soup, I’d recommend just adding 1/2 cup more rice, as the rice starch breaks down in the soup, it will also add to the creaminess.

This recipe is so hearty and comforting while also having a fresh taste from all the lemon juice, it’s truly incredible and I know you’re going to love it!

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Cauliflower Lemon Rice Soup

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

A modified, vegetarian version of a classic Chicken Lemon Rice soup with all the richness, heartiness, flavor and comforting vibes of the original.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Greek, Vegetarian

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp high heat vegetable oil (sunflower, avocado, grapeseed)
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp butter (or more oil)
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 4 cups veg stock
• 2½ tbsp miso
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cups water
• ½ cup white rice
• ⅔ cups lemons (3-4 lemons)
• 4 egg yolks

Directions

1. Heat the high heat cooking oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and sear until they start to brown. Remove the cauliflower from the pan and set aside.
   
   
2. Turn the heat down to medium, add in the butter, onions, leeks, and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the leeks start to soften. Add in the bay leaves, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
   
   
3. In a medium size bowl, combine 1 cup of the vegetable stock with the miso, dijon, soy sauce, garlic powder and onion powder and whisk until it forms a paste. Add to the pot and stir until all the veggies are coated.
   
   
4. Add back in the browned cauliflower, the white rice, the rest of the vegetable stock and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is soft.
   
   
5. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and the egg yolks until combined. Add into the hot soup slowly, stirring constantly. The soup will begin to have an egg drop texture with the egg cooked throughout. Serve topped with red pepper flakes or fresh mint.

Notes

If you want to make this one Vegan, I'd recommend cutting out the egg yolks and adding in another ½ cup of rice, and a tablespoon of flour to the miso paste mix. This will help add to the creamy texture you need.

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The post Cauliflower Lemon Rice Soup appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

I’m going to be real honest with you guys, I really love this recipe but I kind of hate myself for doing it. This recipe arose when I (unsuccessfully) was attempting to do Whole 30 again for the month of January. It’s one of those big time Pinterest, Keto crazed trends where people try to act like things like sweet potatoes can replace bread. Out of spite I tried it, and let me be honest, this does not replace actual avocado toast in any way, but as a stand alone snack, or incredibly easy dinner, this is simple, fresh and delicious!

I understand as a person that is constantly telling you you won’t miss the meat in my dishes it’s a little hypocritical for me to hate on people trying to replace bread with vegetables, but what can I say, I love bread! (have you guys seen the clip of Oprah yelling about how much she loves bread? That’s me 100%).

Okay so to shift the attention back to the dish at hand, sweet potatoes are seriously natures most versatile vegetable. I truly believe they go great with anything but one of their best match ups by far is avocado. The mix of the hot sweet potato with the cold, spicy guacamole in this recipe is truly magical. And the sliced mangoes are literally and figuratively the cherry on top.

You might be thinking, how is this different from just baking a potato and putting guac in it, well I’ll tell you, it’s easier to eat and easier to heat up so it will last you! If you wanted to do this for breakfast, you can bake a bunch of the sweet potato slices in advance and then reheat them in the morning and boom, 5 minute breakfast. In all seriousness though, I prefer this dish as a very easy dinner. It only takes about 30 minutes and most of that is passive time with the potatoes are baking, plus about 5 minutes to figure out how the F to slice a mango (look on Youtube, I’m not kidding).

You can use this as a side, you can present it as an appetizer for a party, or you can eat it all yourself. It’s easy, delicious and honestly beautiful I mean look at those colors! It’s also clearly healthy though I’d prefer not to focus on that part because I’m here to get you to love veggies, not to get you to hate yourself for not being healthy, you have all of Instagram to help you with that.

Love,

Jackie

Sweet Potato Toast with Simple Guacamole

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Simple, pretty, delicious and about the most millennial thing you could find, these Sweet Potato Toasts with Guacamole are the perfect versatile snack or meal for busy week.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free

Serves: 10-16 toasts

Ingredients

• 4 Sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a pinch salt and pepper
• 2 avocados
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 jalapenos, diced with seeds (choose your spice level here)
• cilantro (optional)
• 3 mangoes - sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut both ends off the sweet potatoes and place cut side down on the cutting board. Then sliced vertically into ½ inch thick pieces of "toast".
   
   
2. Place the pieces of sweet potato on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until they start to soften. You want them to be cooked but not so soft that they're mushy.
   
   
3. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, make the guacamole. Place the avocados into a medium bowl and smash them with a fork until smooth with a few chunks mixed in. Add in the red onion, tomato, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, jalapenos and cilantro if you're using it.
   
   
4. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, removed from the oven, top with the guacamole and sliced mango. To reheat these you can heat them in a pan with olive oil, fry and each side for about 5 minutes. You can also top them with fried or poached eggs for a breakfast.

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The post Sweet Potato Toast with Simple Guacamole appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Well, here we are in the Midwest still getting absolutely pummeled with all the worst things about winter. Snow, ice, freezing rain, and subzero temperatures. Because of this, I’m still in the warm, comfort food zone here in my kitchen. I’ve made at least one soup every week I swear. This stew though is one of my favorite recipes to come out of this winter funk. It’s beautiful, delicious, rich and so simple. 

I was inspired to make this recipe from this recipe from Chrissy Teigan’s second cookbook, Cravings, Hungry for More.  If you’re not familiar with her recipes she’s a wizard and this book is food porn to the max buy it! She has a stew recipe in there called Sleepytime Stew but hers has beef in it obviously. But, it struck me as so delicious and comforting I was determined to make my own similar stew but with vegetables.

This one took a couple tests but by the end I got it to a perfect place without also having to add in a bunch of crazy ingredients. The trick here is truly letting it simmer for that hour. The broth starts to absorb all the flavors of the vegetables and it just becomes loaded with flavor for very minimal effort.

Now, the first time I did this, I made it with mashed potatoes on the side. I also tried it with adding potatoes to the stew and simmering them in it. Personally, I think this stew was at its best when the very last thing you do is add crispy roasted potatoes back into the stew at the very end. If you’re truly a mashed potatoes person though, go for it! Honestly who are we kidding? Potatoes are amazing no matter how you serve them.

Lots of Love,

Jackie & Andrew

Vegetable Comfort Stew with Roasted Potatoes

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour 15 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

 

Loaded with vegetables and served over crispy roasted potatoes, this comforting, rich and flavorful stew is the perfect recipe to get you through the rest of this dreary winter weather.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 4-6 small yellow potatoes, sliced into quarters or halves depending on size
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 4 portobello mushrooms, sliced into ½ inch chunks
• 1 tbsp vegetarian worchestershire sauce, or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 jalapeno, sliced with seeds
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 3 carrots, sliced into rounds
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place the sliced potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and just a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the edges of the potatoes are crispy. Set aside. You can either do these first and add them directly to the stew, or if you're serving them as a side, I recommend putting them in the oven when the stew has about 30 minutes left to simmer.
   
   
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Add the portobello mushrooms to the pot with the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to brown.
   
   
3. When the mushrooms are browned, remove them from the pot and set them aside. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and melt scraping any brown bits or leftover soy sauce and vinegar off the bottom of the pan. When the butter is melted, add the garlic, onions, celery, and jalapenos. Cook for 5 more minutes until the onions and celery start to soften.
   
   
4. Add the paprika, dijon mustard and tomato paste and toss to coat all the vegetables. Cook for about 2 minutes until the tomato paste starts to darken, it will turn a rust color. Then add in the carrots, bay leaves and vegetable stock and stir until the tomato paste is worked into the stock and there aren't any clumps. Add back in the mushrooms at this point.
   
   
5. Bring to a boil then lower and simmer for an hour covered. You can either then add the potatoes directly into the stew and toss to coat, or you can serve the stew over top the potatoes. Top with fresh parsley.

Notes

Vegan - To make this vegan, just use vegan butter or olive oil in place of the butter.

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The post Vegetable Comfort Stew with Roasted Potatoes appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Continuing on my fiesta of vegetarian “seafood” dishes, comes this incredible appetizer to serve at your holiday parties, the Battered “Calamari” Street Tacos. This recipe is like an elevated, slightly fancier version of my “fish” tacos that was one of my first blog recipes ever. I’ve been dreaming up a vegan version of calamari for quite some time now and this recipe hits all spots and will rock you and your guests socks off.

The fish tacos were one of the first out of the box vegetarian dishes I tried to make for Andrew when we first started dating, and we both became instantly obsessed. It’s probably like 90% of the reason that he’s in love with me still to this day. Fish tacos, chicken fried steak and the mutual bonding that comes from binge watching game of thrones together … that’s the foundation of a healthy relationship.

I have always had an affinity for calamari, it was one of my favorite appetizers to get when I would go eat out with my mom and aunts when I was younger. As a kid I was always a really good eater, I could put down some serious food and I was absolutely fearless, I think I had snails for the first time when I was like 6. Calamari though it’s hard to give me adventurous credits for because it’s like a small step above chicken tenders. Still though, it was always one of my first suggestions.

Even if you’re not a fish person, I promise you, you’ll absolutely love this recipe! It has all the spicy flavors and crunch of fried calamari, but honestly, the texture is even a little better here because it has less of that chewiness that turns some people off from seafood.

The slaw and the lemon aioli serve as perfect compliments here. The spicy lemon aioli, along with the occasional fried fresno pepper you might find give it the perfect kick. I also love these as the small street style tacos but you can make them full size if say you’re doing them for a dinner. Honestly, you could even scrap the taco part and just put the calamari’s into a basket.

I can’t believe we’re really only 3 weeks away from Christmas! I have to leave you now so I can online shop but stay tuned alllll week for more Christmas dinner, dessert and breakfast foods. YUM.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Battered "Calamari" Street Tacos with Spicy Lemon Aioli

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Totally meatless and unbelievable this dish is mushrooms and hearts of palm with a spicy, flavorful batter and served as street tacos with crispy slaw and spicy lemon aioli.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Appetizers, Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 12-16 tacos

Ingredients

• Tacos
• 2 cups oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can hearts of palm, sliced into rings
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp old bay seasoning
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper
• 1 tbsp old bay seasoning
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 12-16 street taco tortillas
  
  
• Spicy Lemon Aioli
• 1 cup vegan mayo
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp old bay
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• Simple Slaw from Fish Tacos

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
   
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp old bay seasoning, salt, hot sauce and soy sauce until mixed. Add the mushrooms, hearts of palm and fresno peppers to the marinade and let sit for 20 minutes.
   
   
3. In another medium bowl, combine the flour, lemon pepper, the remaining old bay seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, smoked paprika and mustard powder.
   
   
4. Once the mushrooms and hearts of palm are marinaded, remove them from the marinade one at a time, and roll them in the flour mixture until fully coated. Place on the baking sheet evenly spread apart. You may need two baking sheets.
   
   
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the outside coating starts to brown.
   
   
6. While the mushrooms and hearts of palm are baking, prepare your spicy lemon aioli by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Char or heat your tortillas. if you have a gas range stove just char them by placing them on top of your stove guard over an open flame, cooking each side for about 20 seconds. Or you can cook them in a pan with oil. Prepare the slaw.
7. 
   
   
8. To assemble the tacos, add the slaw on the bottom, top with the "calamari mixture (hearts of palm, mushrooms and peppers) and drizzle with aioli.

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The post Battered “Calamari” Street Tacos with Spicy Lemon Aioli appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Did anybody else walk into work today to an office full of Christmas decorations? I didn’t think I was quite ready to fully move on to Christmas yet but I guess we’re being thrust right into it so lets go. Introducing our Christmas menu for this year, a vegetarian take on the Italian American tradition, the feast of the seven fishes. We’ll be rolling out the recipes slowly, starting with this Seafood Cioppino.

Cioppino is a delicious seafood stew that is really popular in San Francisco and on the east coast. Andrew ordered a really beautiful version of it in Boston and that is what inspired this recipe. It is usually loaded with scallops, mussels, clams and other seafood. This version is all vegetables but let me tell you, it’s just as good as the original.

This recipe is a true testament to what can be done with a some serious thought, a little creativity, and some Pinterest research of course. I seriously thought about what kind of vegetables could work as fish and what I came up with was oyster mushrooms, eggplant, tofu, and hearts of palm. I was a little skeptical of the eggplant working as seafood but it has an amazing meaty texture that is seriously perfect.

Now, let me give you guys the basics for how to create any vegetarian seafood meal. The first ingredient is Old Bay seasoning. This seasoning is what is used in crab boil, to batter calamari and is just a basic feature in seafood cooking. The second is lots and lots of lemon juice. Finally, the secret ingredient is nori which is actually the wrapping paper used for sushi.

Nori is an incredible and necessary addition here, you can find it in the ethnic isle of your grocery store. It is dry but all you have to do is cut it into strips with scissors and simmer it in the broth. It add the perfect amount of seafood and umami flavor. It tastes so much like seafood you’re going to be amazed.

Seriously, I’m taking this dish to my family Christmas this year, and I’m honestly a little worried my vegan cousin might not believe it’s vegan. You’re going to love the other amazing vegetarian “seafood” dishes we have coming the rest of the month. Some are old favorites, some are new, but all of them are delicious.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Vegetarian "Seafood" Cioppino

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

The vegetarian version of this classic San Francisco seafood stew will knock your entire family's socks off. It's loaded with meaty vegetables and spicy, umami flavors.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Soups and Stews

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2-4 tbsp high heat vegetable oil (I used sunflower)
• 14 oz brick xtra firm tofu, cut into 1 inch think squares and pressed
• 3 cups oyster mushroom, cut off the base but leave the flower parts whole
• 1 eggplant, skin removed, sliced into ½ inch rounds
• 1 can hearts of palm, sliced (reserve the liquid if you don't have wine)
• 4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 tbsp salted butter (*see notes)
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced thin
• 2 Serrano peppers, diced with seeds
• 2 green peppers, diced thin
• ½ cup white wine (*see notes if you don't have wine*)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• ½ cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• 1 sheet nori, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup fresh dill
• ½ cup fresh parsley

Directions

1. So this whole dish is going to be made in one pan, preferably a large cast iron skillet. I highly recommend starting by chopping and cutting all the vegetables before you start cooking. It will make everything go smoother and easier.
   
   
2. Press the tofu steaks by lining a plate or cutting board with a towel, wrapping it around the tofu and placing heavy books on top of it for about 15 minutes. Line another plate with paper towl and line the eggplant pieces on it. Sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for 10 minutes then dab to remove excess moisture.
   
   
3. Heat two tablespoons of the vegetable oil in the skillet until it starts to sizzle. In a medium size bowl, toss the eggplant in 1 teaspoon of the Old Bay, ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne. You're going to continue using this same bowl and tossing the "seafood" vegetables in this same ratio of Old Bay, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper but go one at a time.
   
   
4. Lay the eggplant flat in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side until the sides become browned. While the eggplant is browning, toss the tofu into the same ratio of spices listed about. Remove the eggplant and place the tofu flat into the same pan. Cook the tofu for 3-5 minutes on each side until it's browned and the edges start to crisp, you might have to add a little more oil in between the vegetables.
   
   
5. When the tofu is done, remove from the pan, toss the oyster mushrooms in the spices and add them to the pan. While you're cooking the oyster mushrooms, scrape the skillet with a spatula to scrape up the browned bits of spices and tofu. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes until the pieces are starting to crisp. Remove the mushrooms, toss the hearts of palm in the spices and cook for 5 minutes.
   
   
6. Set all these vegetables aside and add two tablespoons of butter to the pan. At this point, if you're using cast iron, scrape the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula to get all of the good spices off the pan and into the butter, this is going to season the other ingredients.
   
   
7. When the butter is melted, add the onions to the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until they start to cook down and turn translucent. Add the garlic, celery, serrano peppers, and green peppers and toss to mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the peppers and celery are staring to soften.
   
   
8. Add in the white wine (or hearts of palm liquid and vinegar if not using wine), and whisk frequently over medium heat until the liquid is half reduced. Add in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, lemon juice, nori and fresh dill and Whisk until full combined. Bring the stew to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. When it's done simmering, finish with fresh parsley and more lemon juice. Serve on top of paste, potatoes, or just with fresh bread.

Notes

Vegan - If you're vegan, you really want to use vegan butter here, the buttery taste is very important, I don't recommend another kind of oil.

No Wine? - If you don't want to drink wine, reserve ½ cup of the liquid from the hearts of palm jar and whisk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. Honestly, I almost liked this version better. Use it exactly in place of the wine in the directions.

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Alright guy so it’s after Thanksgiving and we’re all tired and ready to hang so I have a very low pressure dinner for you to make once your leftovers run out, Easy Vegan Pot Roast with Cream of Mushroom.

This recipe actually re-uses the cream of mushroom soup from my Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Casserole so you can always double it and have two delicious meals in one week! As I discussed in that post, the mushroom soup base is astoundingly creamy and delicious, it’s impossible to tell that it’s vegan. It’s yummier than canned soup and much better for you health wise.

At this point you’re probably wondering what I used for the pot roast, the answer there is celery root! If you’ve never had celery root it’s a great winter vegetable, it’s starchy like potatoes but more flavorful and when cooked whole in this gravy sauce it breaks apart and has a great meaty quality.

The holiday season, while amazing and fun, can often be overwhelming and leave you feeling sick and tired. I swear after thanksgiving weekend, I want to do nothing but drink water, eat salad and lay on the couch alone for the next month. The amount of wine I’ve drank in the last few days is astounding and quite frankly, it’s wild I can even move. That’s why I’m  giving you all this easy and healthy meal, you can make in the crockpot.

I love the holidays so much. I love spending time with family and the amazing way that food brings people together. As I’ve gotten older though, I’ve come to realize that it’s also important, in the downtime between the holidays, to take some time to relax and make sure that you are eating nourishing meals so you don’t get sick or burned out.

My favorite holiday has come and gone and we’re on to Christmas now so this recipe is a nice break and then we’re on to the next one! We have some great dessert, dinner and brunch recipes for Christmas so however your family celebrates, I have you covered.

Lots of Love,

Jackie and Andrew

Easy Vegan Pot Roast with Cream of Mushroom Gravy

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours 10 mins

 

This Pot Roasted Celery Root is the perfect post-holiday dinner, it's rich and comforting yet nourishing and healthy as well.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan, Comfort Food

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Pot Roast
• [i]Pot Roast
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick circles
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick circles
• 8 yellow potatoes, washed and cubed
• 8 yellow potatoes, washed and cubed
• 4 whole celery root, peeled (see note)
• 4 whole celery root, peeled (see note)
• 6 tbsp vegan butter
  
  
• 6 tbsp vegan butter
  
  
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 lbs white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 lbs white mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup white miso
• ¼ cup white miso
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp celery salt
• ½ tbsp celery salt
• 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup white rice
• ¼ cup white rice
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup cashews
• 1 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Start by making the mushroom soup base. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, add in the onions and celery. Saute the onions and celery for 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.
   
   
2. Next, add in the mushrooms and sautee for 5 minutes until they start to cook down. Then add in the red wine and simmer for 3 minutes until the red reduces by about half.
   
   
3. While the mushrooms are sauteing, whisk together the miso, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, soy sauce, sea salt and nutritional yeast in a small bowl until it forms a paste like substance.
   
   
4. Add the miso paste mix to the pot along with the water. Whisk vigorously until the paste is thinned out and fully mixed. Add in the rice, cashews and black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and there isn't much liquid left.
   
   
5. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a high speed blender and blend on high until it's smooth. Add the remaining, uncooked mushrooms to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and saute for about 3 minutes then add them to the soup base.
   
   
6. Place the potatoes and the carrots at the base of the crockpot. Then put the celery root, whole, on top of it. If a piece is too big to fit, you can cut it in half to make it fit. Then pour the mushroom soup base over the mix. Cut the vegan butter into slices and place it into the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours then serve topped with fresh parsley and rosemary.

Notes

*Celery root is a weird looking vegetable, they're bigger than a potato and real ugly. They're also called Celeriac if you can't find it.

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The post Easy Vegan Pot Roast with Cream of Mushroom Gravy appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

AWWW yeah, it’s time to get pumped, this recipe is off the charts delicious, and I’m so excited to share it with you. It’s all the comforting, rich and herby flavors that come with stuffing, wrapped into a creamy baked mac and cheese, what more could you possibly ask for this Thanksgiving? Seriously, get ready to knock your entire family’s socks off with The Best Stuffing Flavored Mac and Cheese. 

The story behind this recipe is very simple, I had thought about veganizing my family stuffing recipe, or our Armenian Mac and Cheese recipe (Cheese Bedag is what it’s called), but both of those recipes are so perfect, that it felt like a betrayal to mess with them at all.

Instead, this recipe meets in the middle and most importantly doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. It still has the buttery, richness of stuffing, along with the bold, comforting flavors of sauteed onions, leeks, and herbs like sage, basil and rosemary. It’s also loaded with mushrooms which adds a meaty texture spread throughout.

It also has all the same rich creaminess of all the best mac and cheese recipes out there. Another cool thing is that the cheese sauce utilizes a seasonal vegetable, butternut squash. The squash, along with the cashews, are what gives the cheese sauce it’s thick creaminess and the squash gives it that cheese sauce coloring.

This recipe also reheats magically so really, it’s not just a Thanksgiving recipe, it can be re-purposed anytime you’re really craving a carby comforting meal.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Baked Stuffing Mac and Cheese

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

A creamy, rich mac and cheese, with all the warm buttery flavors of stuffing and loaded with fresh herbs and spices, covered in breadcrumbs and baked until crispy.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Comfort Food, Holiday

Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup cashews (see notes)
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil (neutral flavored)
• ¼ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup pickled jalapenos
• 3 tbsp pickled jalapeno brine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 box macaroni noodles
• 2 tbsp butter (for Vegan substitute vegan butter or olive oil)
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 leek, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp rubbed sage
• 1 cup water from cooking macaroni
• 1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While it's preheating, start on the cheese sauce. Cover the butternut squash with water in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil and then boil until the squash becomes soft. It should take around 15 minutes.
   
   
2. When the squash is softened, drain it and transfer it to a high speed blender. Add the cashews, vegetable oil, almond milk, nutritional yeast, potato starch, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, tomato paste, pickled jalapenos, jalapeno brine, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. Blend on high until it it's smooth. Set the cheese sauce aside.
   
   
3. In the same pot you cooked the squash in, cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package.
   
   
4. Heat the butter or olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and leeks until the leeks soften and the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes.
   
   
5. Add in the garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms cook down. Add in the basil, rosemary and sage and toss to combine.
   
   
6. Next, pour the cheese sauce into the pan, stir until everything is mixed and then heat it until the sauce starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and pour the breadcrumbs over the top. The entire top should be covered.
   
   
7. Bake for 30 minutes until the top becomes browned.

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Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Casserole

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

A homemade, almost guilt free, and totally vegan Thanksgiving casserole made with sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts and a from scratch cream of mushroom base.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Entertaining, Comfort Food, Seasonal

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 lbs white mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup white miso
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp celery salt
• 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup white rice
• ¼ cup cashews
• 1 tsp black pepper
  
  
• Casserole Filling
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
• 2 portobello mushrooms, stem removed *optional*
• ½ lb cremini mushrooms, cut in half *optional*
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 bag jalapeno kettle chips (see notes)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then start by making the mushroom soup base. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, add in the onions and celery. Saute the onions and celery for 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.
   
   
2. Next, add in the mushrooms and sautee for 5 minutes until they start to cook down. Then add in the red wine and simmer for 3 minutes until the red reduces by about half.
   
   
3. While the mushrooms are sauteing, whisk together the miso, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, soy sauce, sea salt and nutritional yeast in a small bowl until it forms a paste like substance.
   
   
4. Add the miso paste mix to the pot along with the water. Whisk vigorously until the paste is thinned out and fully mixed, it will look kind of creamy. Add in the rice, cashews and black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and there isn't much liquid left.
   
   
5. While the mushroom soup base is simmering, you can start on the rest of the casserole. Add the sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, portobello mushrooms and cremini mushrooms to a large casserole dish. Toss then with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake the vegetables for 20 minutes uncovered.
   
   
6. When the soup base is done simmering, allow it to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a high speed blender and blend on high until it's smooth. Add the remaining, uncooked mushrooms to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and saute for about 3 minutes then add the soup base back into the pan. Cover and set it aside.
   
   
7. Remove the vegetables from the oven then pour the mushrooms soup base over the vegetables. Add in the basil, rosemary and thyme and toss to combine everything and make sure all the veggies are covered. Then cover in the chips, crushing them as you do it. Bake again for 20 more minutes until the chips start to brown and crisp.

Notes

**You can choose different chips for the topping, I used jalapeno because I liked the added spice.

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