Skip Taco Tuesday's and Go For The Kidney...Beans!

Many people interested in learning to cook often times, feel more comfortable, cooking vegetarian. Meat can be tricky, especially poultry, like chicken or turkey, because there is absolutely NO ROOM from under cooking...I mean you will be ill! Plus meat can be expensive and with a short shelf life, it can be tough to use all at once. With wilted veggies, you can throw away the yucky brown pieces and cook the heck out the rest and it will taste just as delicious as if it were fresh!

So how does one get a hearty "meaty" texture, without the meat?

An popular pseudo meat, is mushrooms. Portobellos especially, have a meaty texture when cooked with the same rubs and spices as you would a burger. They retain liquids well, giving the "juicy" burger taste, and can be quite filling with the right toppings. The nutritional values in mushrooms are low though, so you'd really be depending on those fixings to be getting a fairly nutritious meal.

But believe it or not, lentils can really do the trick. While the texture of most lentils don't compare to meat, because they are small, the kidney bean is an AMAZING meat sub, for many dishes!

Red kidney beans..from a can. Can you believe it?

Here's why you should believe it! For one, red kidney beans are often used in stews because, like the mushroom, it retains liquids well and pick up flavor better with marination, Second, it picks up flavors very well. The right spices and herbs make all the difference when something like beans, on its own, do not have much flavor to start, so cooking them for a prolonged amount of time in the right seasoning usually makes for a hit. Most importantly, kidney beans are hearty in texture. I mean have you ever tried to eat a lot of kidneys? Probably not, because, well that's disgusting and also, it's pretty freakin' hard to do so! They are super creamy when cooked, making for a heavy dish! Best thing about kidney beans are that they are inexpensive and, easy to prep and do not need to be prepared fresh to still have great nutritional value,

This dish below is everything I love about Mexican food. I'd say this dish reminds me of everything I love about burritos, without eating a burrito what so ever! You won't miss the tortilla, the tiniest sprinkle of cheese is all you need (if you need your cheese quenched, like me!), but a few slices of avocado will likely do the trick here too. The kidney beans, veggies, spices and sweet potatoes make this dish a great post work out meal with enough carbs to help you keep burning calories.

Now I used a spiralizer to get my sweet potatoes in thin, spaghetti-like noodle. I am a kitchen gadget fiend, but the spiralizer is the best nuance gadget I've ever owned. At $30 a pop, clean up is quick with some hot water and soap and it's infinitely safer than a mandolin because your fingers are not even close to any blades!

Alternatively, you could cube the sweet potatoes in this recipe and it will be just as easy and turn out just as delicious!

C'mon I spiralized so I could impress y'all...

Sweet Potato and Kidney Bean Burrito Hash


Ingredients:

• 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled (cubed or ends cut off to be spiralized!) 
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 2-3 zucchinis, cut into quarters 
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed
• 3 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 Tbl. taco seasoning (1 Tbl for sweet potatoes, the remainder for the veggies) - make your own or buy a pack, you decide!
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh or canned corn (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions:

1.    Preheat you oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube your sweet potatoes (or peel and spiralize with your blade setting of choice).

2.    Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in an even layer and sprinkle 1 tsp taco seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste; mix with 1 Tbl of olive oil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until soft.

3.    In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbl. of olive oil on low-medium heat. Add your garlic and cook until fragrant, around 30 seconds.

4.   Add your diced onions and peppers, cook until softened about 5-6 minutes. Add in your faux meat, tofu, etc if you are doing so at this point!

5.   Rinse kidney beans in a strainer and add to pan. Cook for about 3 minutes and add taco seasoning. Cook for another 5 minutes.

6.   Plate your cooked sweet potatoes (cubed or spiralzed into a pasta shape!), top with kidney bean mixture, some fresh or canned corn and cheese (salsa, avocado...all great toppings as well!)

This recipe serves about 4-5 people. Make it vegan and skip the cheese, or please a carnivore and add some lean ground turkey into the mix!

Tomato Basil Pesto Soup

The sass is back! Ten months later and making a big splash with soup!

It's a been a very long time since I have shared my love for food, cooking and sharing my passion for preparing meals! For 10 months I've been dragging my feet, with a move to a new apartment, adopting a kitten ( hello Umber!) and repairing a camera that took way too long to finally fix, I am back in full sass! Thanks to all of you who welcomed me back with open arms, it was tough after being gone for so long!

In my 10 month hiatus, I have done and A LOT and learned A LOT about:
-veganism
-dairy-free cooking
-Paleo
-raw food

While some of these lifestyles, and I call them that because they truly define the ways you approach food in and out of the kitchen, are not for me 100% of the time, they all have very valuable characteristics and principles that celebrate food as something to be enjoyed and as a strong force of nutrition as well as energy. I've picked up on a number of tips and tricks that cut corners here and there --they have really helped make prep time, easier, faster and more convenient for home cooks with limited time, without ingredient fatigue.

Homemade vegan pesto is the best. Toasted cashews give it that creamy texture without the cheese!

I have been cooking up a storm in my new place, mostly perfecting existing recipes and also working with things I have at home or whatever is in season (or inexpensive!) at the grocery store. Not only have I been buying more produce, but I've been playing around with substituting starches with hearty veggies. Turning them into pastas and rice, topping them off with tons of protein!

My number one fan, Umber the kitten!

As so this left me thinking  long and hard about my comeback to Kneading Sass; I knew I wanted to make a splash (in truly, sassy fashion!) but I did not want to make anything new or complicated. Simple is my mantra these days. No more than 5 main ingredients --- all of which are easy to find and versatile for everyday cooking. I've also been cooking for the entire work week, saving a lot of money and calories, by making at least two different meals and switching off days to give myself some variety. Keeping all these culinary experiences (some failures, some successes) in mind, I decided to reintroduce myself to Kneading Sass with some soup. The perfect cure for any ailment!

Soup is AWESOME, and I truly believe this for a number of reasons:
- Soup can be prepared in large quantities (and ahead of time!)
- No need to eat it all at once, or even share your soup, freeze it for at least a month!
- Most soups have a base of garlic and onion (sometimes carrot and celery), always got that on hand!
- Not using the exact amount of any particular ingredient won't ruin your soup! (there are plenty of ways to hide mistakes in soup)

Here is lovely, San Francisco, we've finally got our dose of winter...and by winter I mean a few days of rain, cloudy weather and chilly nights. It's the perfect setting for soup

This recipe is gluten free (yay!) and can be made vegan (double yay!). Sip and slurp on this sassy soup..oh and let me know what you think!

Tomato Basil Pesto Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 can of diced tomatoes (do not discard these lovely juices!)
• 3 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 small white onion, diced
  
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 heaping Tbl. pesto (homemade or store bought) Alternatively, you can use about 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves roughly chopped instead
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbl. agave nectar (or sugar)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cups of milk + 2 Tbl unsalted butter, melted (combine these two to make half and half-like consistency), optional

Directions:

1. In a large pot, saute diced onions on medium heat, about 5 minutes until they are transparent. Add in your minced garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant.

2. Add in 3 cans of diced tomatoes, stock, agave nectar thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Stir in pesto. 

3. Bring your soup to a boil, once you see it bubbling away, bring the heat down to a simmer and cover. Let the soup simmer, while covered, for 30 minutes. Don't forget to remove your bay leaf once you are done simmering!

4. Using a blender (LOVE my Ninja blender), or blender stick, you can emulsify your soup making it smoother in texture.

5. Using a ladle spoon, slowly add all your soup mixture into you blender. If you are using an immersion stick then be sure to cool your soup mixture for a few minutes, it is possible that some soup will splatter, so it's best you save yourself from a burner! Or just use a blender, honestly, it is
MUCH safer.

6. Blend soup for about 30 seconds, until smooth. Add in milk mixture and blend again for another 30 seconds.

7. Serve piping hot with an extra teaspoon of pesto on top. Goes great with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich or toast!

For storage, store cooled soup in an air tight container. Without the dairy your soup should be good in your fridge for about 1 and half weeks. With our without dairy, your soup should freeze well for 1-3 months.

Serving size: 6-8 soup lovers!

Green with Envy: Move Over Taco Tuesday, Enchiladas are Stealing the Spotlight!

Everything about this dish is green...in both a literal and figurative sense. If the rainbow chard and zucchini aren't enough for your, the creamy avocado enchilada "sauce", blended with tomatillo salsa (or salsa verde) will certainly quell your craving for dairy.

Almost vegan, accidentally gluten free and purposefully vegetarian, this dish is grate for any potluck party, dinner party or great substitute for ho-hum salad on a hot summer day. Unfortunately (of fortunately?), I had no leftovers which is obviously a sure sign that this was a winning dish.

What I LOVE about enchiladas, tacos, you know..all that gringo Mexican food is that you can throw whatever you have in the fridge and make something that tastes above decent and looks pretty damn impressive. I certainly did not throw in the contents of my fridge for this enchilada because I didn't want to mask flavors, but rather bring them front and center and make them feel cohesive. Some other great veggies that would bring this dish together include:

• mushrooms
• spinach (instead of chard)
• red onion (they get super sweet and yummy in the oven)
• yams or sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into small pieces

I wanted my ingredients to shine; I wanted people to taste the flavor of the rainbow chard stems and heighten the flavor of the creamy ricotta cheese (traditionally used in Italian foods), with a kick of jalapeno.

Notice how there are no beans? Between the sturdy and fibrous chard and heaviness of avocado, beans would have been overkill.

The flavors are just as bright as the colors, but nonetheless, this dinner is refreshing, light and easy to share. So don't be green with envy because of how delicious this looks, y'all can have the recipe and feel a little better about drinking that extra margarita on enchilada Tuesday! Go on girl (or boy!), you deserve it!

Creamy Avocado, Rainbow Chard and Caramelized Onion Enchiladas  

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of corn tortillas 
• 1 bunch of rainbow chard, rinsed well, leaves and stems chopped
• 1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup corn (fresh, canned or frozen are fine)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/3 cup water or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (roasted and then minced would be delish as well!)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 ripe avocados 
• 1 1/2 cups of tomatillo salsa or your favorite salsa verde (I love the Trader Joe's salsa verde; use the whole bottle of that if you decide to use it for you sauce!)
• Olive oil
• Cooking spray
• Green onions, sliced (optional, as a garnish)

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease casserole dish, I used a 9 X 9 inch dish; set aside.
2.   Heat 2 Tbs. of olive oil on medium heat. Add you onions until they become soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

3.   Next, add your garlic and let it become fragrant, about 30 seconds, before adding your chopped chard. 

4.   Rainbow or swiss hard are pretty sturdy greens, so after cooking for about 3 minutes, add in a water or broth and cover. The chard will wilt and soften after another 4-5 minutes, covered. 

5.   Super simple, add in you salt, pepper and red chili flakes and corn, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

6.   My jalapeno was VERY spicy, so I only added 1/2 of it and I seeded it, but sometimes you get a pretty mild pepper and might want to add the whole thing, without seeds. I wanted to play it safe and not play Russian roulette with my pepper! Pop that pepper into a food processor and let it rip until it's finely minced. Add ricotta and blend again.

7.   Rinse your food processor with warm water and soap before making your enchilada sauce.

8.   In your cleaned food processors add salsa verde and 2 ripe, avocados. Blend well for about  30 seconds, it will be very creamy. Ripe avocados will make this creamy; 2 were plenty for my portion, but by all means use another avocado or one less if you want it less creamy. You won't miss the dairy, trust me!

9.  To assemble enchiladas: wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds; this will help prevent your tortillas from breaking when filling them. Take a tortilla, spread some ricotta cheese, add in about 2 tsp. of the vegetable filling and roll them on the counter top or plate. Place in your baking dish, seam side down. 

10.   Continue filling and rolling tortillas until your dish is filled or you run out of tortillas!

11.   Slather the enchilada sauce with a spoon, making sure to coat all the edges of tortilla with sauce; would hate to have a dry enchilada!

12.   Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes, uncovered, and serve immediately! This recipe feeds about 6 people, two enchiladas each. 

A Grown Up Vegan Picnic: Giving Offices an Excuse to Eat Healthy

Hiatus is officially OVER, my camera is 100% in tip top shop and I've been snapping away...in fact, I've already lined up the next few posts!

It's always awesome when you love what you do and to be surrounded by people whose company you enjoy, even during the most stressful times. On my first day, at Fair Trade USA, I was, somehow, (and thankfully so!) signed up for the vegan/vegetarian lunch club, which has challenged my culinary prowess, creativity and even my budget. Cooking for 7-9 people isn't the easiest task, especially if you have a hard time cooking for ONE...needless to say, I spent a good week and half pondering what to make for lunch club because I was so damn excited. What with the warmer weather and sunshine, I thought, a picnic was in order, a grown up picnic to be exact! A vegan take on some picnic staples and some DIY enthusiasm, and I'd say that this lunch club was a home run!

AMAZING hot "sauces", well chutneys really! They are ridiculously spicy and I can't stop putting this on everything I eat!

I had so much prepping for it! My biggest challenge was knowing that I had to transport everything on BART, during morning rush hour...and I don't have a full kitchen in my office, so of course there where preparation limitations!

I love getting detailed and complicated when it comes to planning "catering" event, or lunch club event like these; but I showed restraint and kept it real, simple. I'm glad I did, because was completely STUFFED after lunch and I barely had any leftovers to take home. A vegan meal has made ME full... I think hell just froze over?!?

I kid...

To be honest, the entire main course was vegan, I cheated on dessert and did  a DIY frozen yogurt bar, which, to my defense, was the best idea ever! There was plenty of fresh fruit to satisfy the fewvegan lunch clubbers with a sweet tooth. I had a few dairy sides, such as Havarti cheese and feta Greek yogurt spread , made an appearance, but again, as sides, they were totally optional and meant for those dairy-fiends who just cannot eat any kind of burger without cheese (ahem, ME!)

Here's what was featured on the menu:

Quarter Pounder Beet Burgers

Portobello “Steak” Sandwiches

Lemony Arugula Almond and Dried Cranberry Salad

Homemade Roasted Garlic and Jalapeno Aioli 

Frozen Yogurt + lots of yummy toppings!

A vegan feast indeed! Check out some of the recipes below. You may have noticed I modified my beet burger; this second recipe holds its shape way better, because I froze them, and tastes more like it's straight from the grill! Make these ahead of time and freeze them to eat any day!

Quarter Pounder Beet Burgers 

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of Trader Joe's Peeled and Cooked Beets, shredded 
• 1 1/4 cups of Trader Joes' Cooked Brown Lentils
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked and cooled to room temperature
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp red chili powder or paprika
• 1/2 dried thyme
• 1/2 cup white onion, minced finely
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (optional, and without these this meal is gluten-free!)
• Salt and pepper to taste ( I added lots of pepper)
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

1.  I recommend cooking brown rice ahead of time or using old rice works great here! Meanwhile with a grater, grate beets and then add beets to your food processor.

2.   Add cooked lentils to food processor, along with cooled rice. Pulse about 15-20 times, until the texture is still a little course, but beets, lentils and rice are well combined. It will really look like raw meat  here, AMAZING!

3.   Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder and thyme. Mix minced garlic and onion in well. I did NOT use breadcrumbs because we had some gluten-free folks, needless to say, if you can handle a bit of breadcrumb, do it! They help hold these semi-fragile burgers together better. 

4  . Form patties using a tablespoon or with a 3-inch cookie cutter round (to make them uniform!) I used a tablespoon; I took one heaping tablespoon of the mixture, rolled wit my hands into a ball and slightly flattened them. I layered the bottom of my tupperware with parchment paper, fitting 3-4 patties per layer. I separated each layer with parchment paper as well. Cover tupperware with lid and freeze for at least 30 mins. (I froze mine for about an hour)
5.   In a large skillet (or griddle), heat 1 tbl. vegetable oil at medium heat. Place 3-4 patties on skillet and cooked for about 5-7, on each side.

6.   I served my patties in a toasted pita pocket with some arugula salad, cucumber slices, feta Greek yogurt spread and avocado slices.

Portobello "Steak" Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Jalapeno Aioli

Ingredients:

For Sandwiches:

• 9 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1 large white onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Lots of black pepper
• Olive oil
• Sourdough bread (or any bread you love) to serve as an open-face sandwich

For Aioli: 

• 1 head of garlic, roasted and peeled
• 2 jalapenos, halved, roasted and seeded
• 1 cup mayonnaise 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 and roast an entire head of garlic, pods separated on a cookie sheet, with the peel still intact. Add halve jalapenos to cookie sheet.

Post roast!

Don't forget to scrape out those seeds!

2.  Roasted for 20-30 minutes, pods will start to pop out of the peel and jalapenos will begin to soften.
3.  Once garlic is roasted, remove from pods and place in a food processor with mayo and jalapenos. Blend until completely smooth. Store in airtight tupperware for about 5-6 days. This stuff tastes even better, the days after, because all the flavors infuse into the mayo, making it taste less like mayo and more like heaven.

4.  Coat bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. On medium heat, add mushrooms and cook until just softened. Set aside and use the same pan to cook veggies.

5.   Add red pepper and onion, cook for 5-6 minutes. Add in oregano, basil, garlic salt, pepper and thyme. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

6.   Finally, add in cooked mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

7.   Serve on toasted sourdough bread, slathered with homemade aioli and a slice of havarti cheese!