Spaghetti with mushrooms: or a night of cooking

by Bryce K.

For the final dish I chose spaghetti. Plain and simple. Thought I'd utilize what we have and what we love. I went out to the front garden and picked some roma tomotoes, swiss chard, and green onions. In the back yard I picked some thyme. For the sauce I used about 2 C chopped tomatoes, 1/4 C celery, 1/3 C onion, 1/3 C green onion, 1 1/2 C chopped swiss chard, 1 can tomato sauce, and some more veg. stock. To spice it I used the thyme, a pinch of garam masala, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic pepper, garlic, 2 pinches cayenne pepper. To make it look pretty I saved some chard to put on top and added the pine nuts. On taste test: I liked it. I made the recipe up as I went, so in the future I would take out some of the green onions, add little bit less spices. The cayenne gave it a nice kick, but overall I'd reduce the amount and complexity of the spices, but totally worth doing again.

Artichoke & Beet Hummus Ravioli

by Kristine K.

With the left over Artichoke Hummus, I made a beet ravioli. To change the hummus slightly, I added a bit of beet juice. This changed the color and also the consistency, making the hummus less thick as it was for the Asparagus Tart. I used a mandoline to create paper-thin slices of beetroot and place a scoop of hummus in between two slices, pressing down slightly and topping with a cashew-lemon sauce and a sprig of sunflower sprout. This was easy to put together but also very tasty and elegant.

Lia's Fridge

by Lia H.

I'm a cancer survivor who has transitioned to a 100% organic lifestyle. In 2015 I watched FOK which then led me to study the Whole-Food Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate at eCornell. I'm now in the process of transitioning over to a predominately organic whole-food plant-based diet to ensure I don't reactive my cancer cells as I'm still not in remission for another two years. My husband fully supports my lifestyle and also lives it, but he also enjoys his non-vegan options of which I also respect. I didn't have to re-set my fridge as this is exactly what it looks like all day every day.

Garlicy Mushrooms, Two Versions

by Darsi R.

I have never liked mushrooms as a main ingredient, but these gave me a greater appreciation for them. The mushrooms were perfectly done and it was definitely garlic-y. I have never used chives before but loved the pop of color it gave to the finished dish. Everything tasted very fresh. But because I can never leave well enough alone, and I had excess shallots and mushrooms to use up, I made a second batch using the same ingredients and method, but I used half the amount of garlic and a 1/2 cup of vegetable broth that I let reduce until a nice, thick sauce covered the bottom of the pan, simmering it for ~10 minutes. I found this allowed me to get ALL of the fond off of the pan without any hard scraping necessary. It also mellowed the garlic and just gave it an overall richer, deeper flavor to the dish. I served the thickened version over quinoa and it was a hearty, almost stew-like lunch that didn't leave a heavy garlic taste in the mouth. Overall, I think the original recipe would be great used on a bruschetta like the video showed, definitely to be used more as a part of another recipe rather than a stand-alone dish just because of the strength of the garlic. However, the next time I need a quick, hearty, flavorful dinner, I believe Garlicy Mushroom Stew is on the menu.

Vegetarian Pho with Greens & Mushrooms

by Lia H.

This was the very first time I've ever eaten Pho. I prepared the pho stock yesterday which gave it the opportunity for the flavour profile to settle. I’m glad I did because I much preferred the flavour of it today, it was less strong and much more subtle. It was a quick, healthy, delicious and satisfying meal for both myself and my husband. The pho stock was simply amazing. It had such depth to it and you could taste all the various ingredients in it. Such an incredible taste. So much so I’m going to make a double batch of it next week to serve and freeze. It’s my favour meal to prepare and eat so far.

Sweet Potato, Pepper and Mushroom Hash with Spicy Chipotle Dressing

by Linda G.

I made a lettuce wrapped hash using with diced sweet potatoes, red, yellow and orange peppers, baby bella mushrooms and onions. The sweet potatoes were no-oil roasted separately then added to the remaining no-oil sautéed vegetable mixture to retain the crispness of the potatoes. The topping drizzle of the Spicy Chipotle Dressing complimented the hash with a tangy, yet spicy finish.

Lemon Tahini Roasted Carrots topped with a Spicy Seed Blend

by Genny L.

The carrots were first tossed in a little bit of the tahini dressing. I made sure not to use too much of it but just enough to coat them. I also used an oven thermometer for the first time and discovered that my oven is about 25 degrees off. I placed the carrots on a silpat lined pan in the middle tray as soon as the thermometer showed the temperature at 475 degrees. Following the time chart, I roasted the carrots for about 10 minutes. They started to brown at that point and I flipped them over and roasted for about 5 minutes more. After they were done, I tossed them in the finishing blend. The roasted carrots were delicious. The tahini dressing and seed blend added great flavors and spices to the dish.

Vegetable Stock

by Dale B.

Showing the depth of flavor visually in the color of the stock was what I was hoping for here. This picture was taken after an hour of simmering. (I unfortunately started the recipe with a gusto and failed to take the Mise en Place picture before starting to put the ingredients in the pot, so that first picture is not actually Mise en Place :( ) I believe the sundied tomatoes rounded out the flavoring of this stock.

Asian Wild Rice Salad

by Genny L.

This is a light yet complex dish of fresh, crisp vegetables and wild rice infused with the tastes of spicy Asian flavors. I did not use sesame oil and served it as a side for lunch. Delicious!

White Bean and Asparagus Tart

by Kristine K.

I cooked a batch of white beans to use for this activity. With half of the cooked white beans, I prepared a lovely bean spread made with artichoke hearts, onion, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. I spread a generous amount onto a millet-fax lavash and then laid a few, evenly spaced, asparagus across the top. I placed the uncooked tart onto a parchment-paper lined cooking sheet and cooked it at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. I removed it from the oven to check if it was cooked to my liking, but decided I wanted the top to brown slightly more. I noticed the bottom was getting to crispy, so I broiled it for about 1 minute. This created a slight browning on top and around the edges. It was removed from the oven and placed onto a cutting board to cool slightly. Before serving, I garnished it with fresh chopped dill. It was amazing.

Lia's Pantry

by Lia H.

I'm a cancer survivor who has transitioned to a 100% organic lifestyle. In 2015 I watched FOK which then led me to study the Whole-Food Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate at eCornell. I'm now in the process of transitioning over to a predominately organic whole-food plant-based diet to ensure I don't reactive my cancer cells as I'm still not in remission for another two years. My husband fully supports my lifestyle and also lives it, but he also enjoys his non-vegan options of which I also respect. I didn't have to re-set my pantry as this is exactly what it looks like all day every day. The only thing left to change is to replace the bpa-free tupperware with mason ball glass storage jars.

Open-Face Refried Black Bean Burritos

by Sylvia G.

I was at trader joe's and came across vegan garlic naan. I love naan but could never find a plant-based brand until now. I decided to make open-face refried black bean burritos. I preheated my over to 350, made a simple guacamole (avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper), made the refried black bean recipe from this course, and chopped some tomato, onion and cilantro. I spread a layer of refried black beans on the naan and baked it in the over for about 5 minutes. I then topped it was a layer of guacamole and finished it off with my fresh ingredients of chopped tomato, onion and cilantro. I had a few lime wedges on the side just because I really like lime juice. This dish had plenty of flavor and texture. I enjoyed making it but what I enjoyed even more way eating it.

by Genny L.

by Kristine K.

by Liz W.

baked chickpea falafel lunch

by Wen tzu C.

I am craving falafel…and want to try to make my version of falafel… Ingredients: (falafel) 2 cups chickpea, cooked 1/3 cup Onion (small diced) 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped) 2 tbsp parsley (chopped) 1 tbsp Psyllium 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp cumin Coriander, pinch sea salt and black pepper to taste (assembling) 1 small zucchini (sliced) 1 small carrot (sliced) 1 Ezekeil 4:9 Prophet's picket bread (Tahini Sauce) 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed is the only ingredient) 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp parsley (finely chopped) 2 cloves, garlic cashew milk sea salt to taste Steps: 1. Put all falafel ingredients in the food processor, mix well…add a little water if needed! 2. Put falafel mix in refrigerator for 15 minutes 3. Use ice cream scoop to scoop the falafel mix into a ball, bake in preheated oven 350 degree for 20 minutes, turn the other side and bake for another 15 minutes 4. prepare tahini sauce (mix all tahini ingredients together, mix well) 5. saulte sliced zucchini and carrot 6. toast pocked bread in the oven for 45 minutes 7. in the pocked bread, put zucchini and carrot and falafel…top with tahini sauce! Thought: A little dry!!! (Put leftover in refrigerator and found it tastes better a day after) …I think I will double up, triple up the cilantro and parsley (1 cup of cilantro and 1 1/2 cup of parsley) next time!!!

Veggie Burger Lettuce Wraps

by Kristine K.

I decided to use my Spicy Chipotle Dressing for these Lettuce Wraps. They were made using butter lettuce leaves with julienne carrots, red onion, tomato, fresh sprouts, homemade veggie burgers (cut into strips), a few slices of avocado and a drizzle of the dressing. It was delicious and I really enjoyed the dressing.

Vegetarian Pho

by Kristine K.

I've never tried Pho before so that is why I chose it from the two listed. I prepared the broth a day ahead and kept it in the refrigerator. When I was ready to make the Pho, I boiled water for blanching while the noodles were soaking. I also heated the broth in a small saucepan. I lowered the vegetables separately into the hot water and placed them in the ice bath briefly, then laid them on my cutting board. I drain the noodles and then separated them evenly among two serving bowls, place the blanched vegetables on top, and poured the heated broth into the bowls. It was served with lime wedges, basil, jalepeno slices, store-bought sweet chili paste and a homemade hoisen sauce. I thought it was very tasty but the broth was quite strong in flavor for me. I'm happy I had the chance to finally try Pho. Its a healthy and easy to prepare meal.

Hummus with baked paprika and garlic

by Svetlana Z.

To the classic hummus recipe I added baked paprika and baked garlic. Paprika makes the hummus nice orange color and sweet and smoke taste. Baked garlic is my favorit for seasoning dishes last time. It takes savory rich flavor, but not too strong and spicy as fresh garlic. Ingredients: 200 g boiled chikpeas 1 tbls tahhini 1/3 of lemon juice 1 baked paprika 2-3 gloves baked garlic 1/2 tsp cummin water Instruction: Peel baked paprika and garlic. Put all ingredients in to the blender, add a little bit water and start slowly mix them. If it is nessesary add more water and blend to smooth consistence. For serving add some seesam seeds.

by Genny L.

Deconstructed Lentil Hamburger bowl

by Sofia P.

I decided to prepare my lentils in another easy but delicious way. A deconstructed lentil hamburger bowl, using the same lentils that I used in the first dish, but I added to it fresh parsley for a different flavor and wheat germ to help it stay together. Made them into patties and placed them in the fridge for 15 minutes so they become a bit firmer and easier to cook in a non-stick pan. Is been so hot in LA lately, so I want something more refreshing. So, instead of making a regular hamburger, I made a bed of fresh salad, with some sliced heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, shredded carrots, avocado, lettuce, arugula, and dried cranberries. I laid the patties on top, with my homemade citric ginger peachy dressing for more flavor, then garnished with guerito peppers. Finally I made for the side some oven-roasted rosemary lime potatoes fries. Is really good to see how many different dishes can we prepared with the same ingredient ! love this activity.