Vegan Mac & Cheese

Long day at work today ... I arrived home tired and hungry and needed a quick meal. I've been craving mac and cheese but since cheese and I don't exactly get along, I thought I'd try a cheese-free version. If you have a Vitamix it takes no time at all to prepare. I used quinoa elbow macaroni to keep it gluten free. The flavor is very good. Next time I think I'll mix in some roasted broccoli, or sauteed mushrooms or spinach  ... and/or bacon! Feel free to experiment!

Recipe

10 oz. macaroni (cooked per package instructions)
1 c. Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. carrot, diced
3/4 c. water (from the boiled veggies)
1/2 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. coconut milk
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
Freshly ground pepper to taste
*Garnish with chopped chives or parsley

Cook macaroni (takes about 8-10 minutes), drain and return to the warm pan.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the potatoes, carrots and onion and cook until soft (about 10 minutes). Transfer cooked veggies to Vitamix with a slotted spoon. Save 3/4 c. of the veggie water and add to the blender, along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Pour sauce over the cooked noodles, adjust salt and pepper if needed. Best served hot.

Mini Turkey Meatloaf

This is the best turkey meatloaf recipe ever! Moist, flavorful, and baked in muffin tins for perfect individual servings. Serve on a bed of warmed marinara sauce and top with sour cream and chopped chives, or with a side of fresh pea shoots. This dish works well for a first or main course.

Recipe

MEAT LOAF INGREDIENTS:
1 to 1-1/4 lb. ground turkey
2/3 c. Greek fat free plain yogurt
1/4 c. ketchup
1 T. Sriracha sauce
3/4 c. instant potato flakes
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. herbes de provence
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 leek, chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten

TOPPING:
1/2 c. ketchup
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 T. packed brown sugar

SERVING/GARNISH OPTIONS:
Sour Cream, Marinara Sauce, Chives, Parsley, Micro Greens, Fresh Pea Shoots

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. In a large bowl mix the meat loaf ingredients. Use an ice cream scoop to drop mixture into muffin tins (makes 12). I sprayed my muffin tins with olive oil first.

In a small bowl mix the topping ingredients and spoon evenly on top of the muffins.

Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes (place on a larger cookie sheet to catch any drippings while baking). Let stand 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve on top of some warmed marinara or tomato sauce, drizzle with sour cream, and top with fresh chopped chives or parsley.

Moroccan Lamb with Sweet Potato and Raisins

An easy, flavorful recipe – note that it takes about 2 hours to simmer gently at the end. This is a great make-ahead dish as it's even better the next day. Serve on its own or with a simple green salad.

Recipe

Olive oil for frying
1-3/4 lbs. boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 red onions, peeled and cut into eighths
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 T. tomato paste
1 lb. sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 T. raisins
3 c. chicken (or lamb) stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Heat a large dutch oven over high heat. Add a little oil and brown the lamb pieces in batches for at least 5 minutes until browned all over. Remove and set aside.

Add a little fresh oil to the pan if needed. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 4-5 minutes until lightly colored, then add the garlic, ground ginger, saffron, ground coriander, cumin seeds, paprika, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir for 2 minutes until aromatic.

Add the tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds, then add the sweet potato, coating well with the mixture in the pan. Return the lamb, plus any resting juices, to the pan along with the raisins and stock. Bring the stock to a boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is really tender. If the liquid is reducing too much, cover the pan or add a cupful of water. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

– Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course

Poached Salmon in Sour Cream−Herb Sauce

I usually bake or grill salmon, or wrap in phyllo, or steam in parchment. This recipe for poached salmon is so easy and flavorful, I need to prepare it this way more often. I used fresh Chinook salmon and it was flaky and delicious!

Recipe

1 firm medium zucchini (for garnish), trimmed and sliced lengthwise into strips with a vegetable peeler
Salt
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sour cream
1 T. finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Lemon rind, zested (for garnish)
4 salmon steaks (about 5 oz. each and 1-inch thick)
Fleur de sel (for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the zucchini slices on a baking tray and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Bake for about 3 minutes, just until the slices soften slightly.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, and the pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

When ready to serve, bring 4 cups of salted water to a light boil in a large saucepan or skillet and add the salmon steaks. Turn heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 6-8 minutes (4 minutes if you like it slightly wet in the center).

Arrange 4 or 5 slices of the softened zucchini around the plate, place the salmon steak in the center and top with the sauce. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the sauce. From a height, sprinkle the whole dish with the fleur de sel and serve. 

– Jacques Pepin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Turkey Scaloppine with Dried Morels

Out of all the recipes I've made so far from Jacques Pépin's "Fast Food My Way" and "More Fast Food My Way" cookbooks, the Turkey Scaloppine with Dried Mushrooms is my #1 Favorite! Fantastic, rich flavors, and as always, very easy to prepare. Serve this for a special occasion dinner as the dried morels are on the expensive side. A half-ounce package was nearly $12 and you need one ounce for this recipe. But after tasting, it was worth it! Have everything prepared and ready to go near the stove as this dish cooks quickly. Serves 4 (or two very hungry people). Middle Eastern Couscous with Saffron pairs nicely with this dish.

Watch Jacques prepare this dish here (at about the 13:18 mark)

Recipe

1 oz. dried morels (about 1 c.)
1-1/2 c. tepid water
2 T. butter
4 large turkey scaloppine or cutlets (about 1 lb.)
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4. tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 T. flour
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots or onion
2 T. white dry vermouth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon, or chives (for garnish)

Rinse the morels briefly under cool running water and put them in a small bowl with the tepid water. Push them down and press a piece of foil on top to keep the mushrooms under the water.

Put the butter and oil in a large saucepan and heat over high heat. I used a large non-stick pan that accommodated all 4 of the cutlets. Sprinkle the scaloppine with about half the salt and pepper on both sides and dip them very lightly into the flour. Shake off any excess. Saute over high heat for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Put the onion in the same skillet you fried the scaloppine in and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and soaking liquid (be sure to pour the liquid carefully and leave behind any dirt from the mushrooms on the bottom). Boil for a few seconds to deglaze. Continue cooking, uncovered, over high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the liquid is almost completely gone (maybe a tablespoon or two left in the pan). Add the vermouth and cook for another minute. Add the cream and boil for a minute or two to reduce and thicken the sauce. Add the remaining salt and pepper and any liquid that has come out of the resting scaloppine.

Arrange the scaloppine on a nice serving dish and pour the sauce on top. Sprinkle with tarragon or chives and serve.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Quiche is great for any meal − breakfast with sliced fruit, lunch with a light salad, or dinner with a glass of white wine. Make it even easier by using a store-bought crust. Remove the crust from the freezer and thaw for about 10 minutes, prick all over with a fork, and bake at 400-degrees for about 10-15 minutes, remove from oven and set aside. Turn down the oven heat to 325-degrees while you prepare the filling.

Today I used broccoli and cheddar, but use any combination of vegetable and/or meat and cheese that you have on hand for the filling. The method is the same − pre-bake the crust; sauté the filling ingredients in a tablespoon or two of butter until soft, then set aside; grate the cheese; and whisk the custard ingredients in a separate bowl. Place your cooked filling on the bottom of the pie crust, sprinkle with the cheese, pour the custard on top, and bake!

Recipe

FILLING IDEAS
★ 1/2 c. thinly sliced shallots or onion, 1 cup chopped broccoli, 1 c. grated cheddar cheese (pictured above)
★ 1/2 c. thinly sliced shallots, (1) 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, defrost and squeeze out all the water, 1 c. grated gruyere cheese. For this quiche I sautéed the shallots separately and put on the bottom of the pie crust, sprinkled the cheese, spread the spinach on top of the cheese and pour the custard on top.
★ 6-8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, 2 chopped green onions, 1 c. grated gruyere or swiss cheese
★ 1-1/2 lbs. asparagus cut into 1" pieces and cooked, toss with 1 c. freshly grated parmesan
★ Onion Quiche: Peel and slice 4-5 medium onions, saute in 1/4 c. butter until soft and brown and all the moisture has cooked away, and season highly with salt, pepper and paprika. I don't usually add cheese to this one. Makes a good appetizer if you bake in a square pan and cut into bite-size square pieces.

CUSTARD
1 c. heavy cream
4 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Beat the ingredients with a whisk for about 15-20 seconds. Pour over filling ingredients.

Put the quiche on a baking sheet and bake at 325-degrees for about 50 minutes.