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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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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In many ways this soup is what I wanted this blog to be about from the beginning, recipes that remind you of home and that bring people together. I believe that food has a way of connecting people like nothing else. So many of my childhood memories revolve around food. I still credit the nights I spent sitting at my counter just chatting with my mom while she cooked as the reason we are so close. And the funny thing is, when I first started dating Andrew he said he used to do the same thing to his mom!

I wanted to help instill that mentality in other people. I don’t want to just give everyone the quickest or the easiest dinner (though this recipe is both), I want to share my passion and love for food and the way that it creates conversation, connects people and helps us create memories. Our world has developed into one in which we are so grab and go. We eat at our desks or in our cars (I’m super guilty of this by the way).  But think of the times when you do sit down to enjoy a meal with someone you love. Isn’t it one of the best parts of your week every time?

So if you’re reading this and you think of a recipe or food from your childhood that reminds you of home and love and comfort, make it this week and share it with someone. Or, you can make this delicious soup and sit down for a meal with a loved one and no distractions. You won’t regret it.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Easy One Pot Grandma Soup

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This quick and comforting soup is an old family tradition because of it's simple yet delicious flavors from dried mint, caramelized onions and rich broth.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Soup, Dinner, Healthy, Easy

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Serves: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 white onions, sliced into thin strips
• 3 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 16oz cans diced tomatoes
• 8 cups veg broth
• 2 cups water
• ½ lb angel hair pasta (see notes)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and saute for at least 10 minutes until they begin to brown and caramelize.
   
   
2. Add in the dried mint and red pepper flakes and cook for another 2 minutes until they're full saturated in the butter.
   
   
3. Add the diced tomatoes and toss. Then pour in the vegetable broth and water. Turn up the heat and bring the broth to a boil. When the water is at a rolling boil, add in the noodles and cook until al dente. For angel hair this only takes a few minutes.

Notes

**These noodles thicken significantly in the broth over time if you keep this as leftovers, you may need to add more water as the week goes on. Alternatively, you could cook the noodles in a separate pan and merely simmer the soup for 20 minutes and store the noodles separately. Then when you are ready to serve pour the broth over a scoop of noodles.

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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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Spiced Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Chili

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

A warm, comforting and delicious chili with a twist. Seasonal vegetables flavored with pumpkin puree, smoky spices and fresh herbs and simmered for hours for a bold, rich flavor.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Game Day, Chili, Stews and Soups

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 poblano peppers, diced
• 2 serrano peppers, finely diced
• 2 anaheim peppers, diced
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp adobo seasoning
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup beer (preferably a lager)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed
• juice of 2 limes
• cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Start by chopping all of the vegetables ahead of time. This will make everything else go smoother and faster. Keep the onions and peppers separate from the squash and the sweet potatoes because they go in at different times.
   
   
2. Once the vegetables are cut, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add in the onions, garlic, poblano, serrano and anaheim peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add in the rosemary and thyme. Toss to combine and sautee for 5 to 8 minutes until the onions become translucent and the peppers start to soften.
   
   
3. Add in the butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Toss to coat in the spices and cook for about 5 more minutes.
   
   
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, tomato paste, sriracha, adobo seasoning, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder and cinnamon until fully combined. Pour this sauce into the pot and mix until all the vegetables are coated in the pumpkin sauce.
   
   
5. Pour in the beer and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. It should be reduced by about half and mixed in with the sauce.
   
   
6. Next, add in the vegetable stock and crushed tomatoes. Stir until everything is mixed. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and squash are soft. When it's been simmering for about 20 minutes, add in the black beans. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it becomes. Stir it once in a while but for the most part you can leave it alone.
   
   
7. When it's done cooking, add in the lime juice, and cilantro if you're using it. Serve topped with avocado, pumpkin seeds, sour cream or any other toppings you'd like!

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Hot for Food's "Seefood" Chowder

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

So far my favorite recipe from my favorite cookbook, a Vegan soup so rich, thick and chunky you'll feel like you must be at a high class seafood restaurant in Boston or somewhere else on the east coast.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Vegan, Seafood

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms
• 8 ounces oyster mushrooms
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 lb red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or in hot water for 20 minutes
• 2 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup potato starch or all purpose flour
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• juice of one lemon

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Remove the stems from the cremini or white mushrooms and wipe the tops with a wet paper towel to clean. Take the oyster mushrooms and pull them apart or roughly chop them into about 1 inch pieces. Leave the cremini mushrooms whole or cut them in half. Toss the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of Old Bay and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
   
   
2. On a separate baking sheet, toss the potatoes in another tablespoon of olive oil, thyme and another ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Please the potatoes and mushrooms in the oven on separate racks at the same time. Bake the mushrooms for 15 minutes and the potatoes for 20. If your oven cooks unevenly, switch them halfway through cooking.
   
   
3. Drain and rinse the cashews and blend on high in a food processor or high speed blender with the two cups of water until very smooth.
   
   
4. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions, carrots and celery for 5 minutes until the onions and celery begin to cook down and become translucent. Add the garlic, cayenne and the remaining 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning and stir for 2 more minutes.
   
   
5. Next, add the flour or potato starch and stir for 2 minutes until all the veggies are coated in it. Splash in a small amount of stock to loosen the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Next add the wine and stir consistently as it starts to cream. Stir for 2 minutes until it is bubbling then slowly add in the cashew cream mix slowly stirring the whole time, at this point it should look like a very creamy sauce, almost like an Alfredo. Then add in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
   
   
6. Add in the mushrooms, potatoes, dill and parsley and simmer for 15 minutes. Finish with fresh lemon juice. Serve with crackers or good crusty bread!

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Vegan Creamy Mushroom and Leek Soup

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

A vegan version of a classic Cream of Mushroom Soup made with rich and thick cashew cream with an extra boost of flavor from fresh herbs and leeks.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Soup, Dinner,

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbs vegan butter, or olive oil
• 3 shallots, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1 tbs dry oregano
• 2 leeks, sliced and washed
• 16 oz cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup soaked cashews
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbs arrowroot starch, or potato starch
• ⅓ cup dry red wine
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the vegan butter or olive oil. Add in the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the shallots get cooked down and turn translucent. Add in the red pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir until all of the ingredients are fully mixed together and incorporate.
   
   
2. Next add the mushrooms and leeks and a couple splashes of vegetable stock to help them cook down. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the leeks are soft and the mushrooms are cooked down and released their juices. While the mushrooms and leeks are cooking, make the vegan cream sauce by mixing the cashews, almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a high speed blender or food processor until its creamy. Set it aside.
   
   
3. When the mushrooms are cooked down add in the wine and bring to a simmer. Allow the red wine to simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until about half of it has evaporated. Then add in the potato starch and whisk vigorously until it is fully coating the ingredients and blended in with the wine. It will start to form a creamy sauce but if it still looks clump at this point that's normal so don't worry.
   
   
4. Turn the burner down to medium heat and begin to add in the cashew cream a little bit at a time whisking in between. You want to add some cream then whisk until it's incorporated and thickens and then add more until you're out of cashew cream. The sauce at this point will look almost like condensed Campbells cream of mushroom, very thick.
   
   
5. Slowly add in the vegetable stock whisking the whole time. The creamy sauce will start to clump and fall to the bottom of the pot when you first add in the stock so whisk continuously until it's broken up and completely mixed into the stock. The soup might seem a little thin at this point but fear not, it will thicken when you simmer it. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, turn to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Whisk the soup occasionally while it is simmering to ensure that the mushrooms and cream are not clumping or sticking to the bottom.
   
   
6. When it's done, remove it from the heat and give it a few more good whisks! Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil. You can store this soup in the fridge all week but may need to add just a tad more stock when heating it up if it gets too thick.

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This recipe is something that I could seriously make for dinner every week! It’s quick, easy, delicious and heats up well for leftovers all week, it’s our Easy 30 Minute Coconut Curry Soup!

If you’ve been on Pinterest or the internet lately, you probably realized there is a huge trend right now for homemade, real ramen recipes. Not, like that boxed ramen you ate in college but the good stuff! There are ramen specific restaurants all over Chicago and I’ve been dying to try, but it’s extremely hard to find vegetarian Ramen anywhere! Even the vegetable ones use beef broth. So I set out to make my own!

This soup is a take on ramen, as well as a slight adaptation to the coconut curry soup at noodles and company! Don’t shame me but that soup is amazing and also something I can’t eat as a vegetarian. Combining the spicy curry flavors with the creamy coconut milk, it spectacular and the perfect compliment!

The other best part about this soup, it’s completely adaptable to whatever vegetables you have leftover in your house! It’s really a kitchen sink, catch all type of soup! I used mushrooms, broccoli and pepper but you could use carrots, sweet potato, kale, literally whatever you have on hand. It’s your world, I’m just the guide.

Finally, as it says in the title, this soup takes 30 minutes. Now, I’m not one to perpetuate fake news, so if I say 30 minutes, I mean it. It’s possible if you use a harder vegetable such as sweet potato it could take longer, but, as this stands, it’s 30 minutes. So easy to throw together after work, you might even trick your brain into thinking you ordered take out! Until you have to do the dishes of course! Enjoy!

Lots of Love,

Jackie & Andrew

Easy 30 Minute Coconut Curry Noodle Soup

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

This Coconut Curry Soup is the perfect weeknight dinner! Easy, ready in 30 minutes and loaded with bold spices and flavors with a touch of creamy coconut milk.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Soups,

Cuisine: Asian

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 red pepper, cut into ½ inch squares
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 package pad thai noodles (or any other rice noodle)
• 2 limes, juiced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 8 oz shitake mushrooms (or white mushrooms), sliced
• 1 14oz block extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch squares
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Make the tofu first by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the tofu squares in olive oil, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet and bake for thirty minutes, flipping halfway through. You can cook the rest of the soup which the tofu is baking.
   
   
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add in the pad thai. Boil according to the directions on the package or until the noodles begin to soften.
   
   
3. While the noodles are boiling, heart the sesame oil in a separate, large pot over medium heat. Add in the onions, ginger, garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to cook down and the onions turn translucent, about three minutes.
   
   
4. Add the turmeric and curry paste and stir until the veggies are coated in it. Then toss in the broccoli and red pepper and stir until all the veggies the mixed. Pour in the vegetable stock, turn the heat up to high and bring the soup to a boil.
   
   
5. When the soup is boiling, reduce it to low and simmer for fifteen minutes until the broccoli is soft. If you are using thicker veggies like sweet potatoes, this could take longer. When the fifteen minutes are over, pour in the coconut milk and stir until fully incorporated and the soup is creamy!
   
   
6. Add in the tofu last. To serve, place a spoonful of noodles in a bowl and pour the soup over them. I recommend storing the noodles separately like this, otherwise they could expand and take over the soup in your fridge. If they do, just add more water or vegetable stock before you reheat it! Enjoy!

Notes

TIP: You can make this soup with literally any vegetable you happen to have in your fridge! Carrots, potatoes, asparagus, kale, it's your world! If you do use kale or another green, add it at the end or it will get too soggy.

TIP: To make this recipe EVEN FASTER, make the tofu ahead of time, this baked tofu is perfect so I usually make a batch at the beginning of the week to use is soups and salads.

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