Nouveau rouladen

Rouladen is a German dish made of a spiced stuffing, typically with ground meat, and stuffed into cabbage leaf. Applying similar concepts, a vegan makeover was in order. The stuffing was made of sauteed onions, carrots, toasted ground caraway and fennel seeds, savoy cabbage, green peas, parsley, ground tempeh, and risotto style rice all rolled into brick dough and baked. Served atop a pool of crimini mushroom lager sauce (crimini mushrooms, Köstritzer Schwarzbier, porcini stock, and a cornstarch slurry) and simply roasted white and green asparagus, the once-bland looking rouladen got a major upgrade. For better or worse, that is for you to judge.

Forbidden rice bowl

Forbidden rice is a black rice, usually heirloom, and has a chewy and nutty texture and taste. When cooked, it releases purple colors. The rice was paired with sesame studded steamed bok choy, sauteed shiitake mushrooms with garlic and tamari, Hodo curry tofu nuggets, and orange sesame sauce (orange juice, ginger, garlic, tahini, Asian sesame paste, rice vinegar, organic honey, and grape seed oil).

A piece of the bowl

One of the items featured in the raw Buddha bowl was a marinated shiitake mushrooms. It was marinated raw, with raw garlic, nama shoyu, and a touch of sesame oil. As it sat overnight, the flavors really penetrated into the mushrooms. Fold in some scallions on the day of serving.


The whole bowl encompassed raw baby spinach, cauliflower and macadamia nut rice with whole mint, whole cilantro, julienne basil, sea salt, lemon-infused olive oil, and extra-virgin olive oil, shredded carrots, sugar snap peas, mangoes, and a coconut-peanut sauce. The sauce was a blend of raw peanuts, ginger, garlic, curry powder, toasted coconut, coconut water, red chili flakes, apple cider vinegar, kaffir lime leaves, maple syrup, and a touch of sesame oil.

One bake, two bake, three bake?

There was a lot of oven action involved in today's dish. On the menu was a baked penne with tofu "sausage", mushrooms, and broccoli. Of course, I would have loved to throw in all the ingredients raw and allow it to bake in the oven. That would have been the easy way. However, it left more uncertainty to the final product. The flavors, taste, depth, and texture was much more important to me than saving and hour or so of time. So there I was, baking away today.

Tofu "sausage", mushroom, and broccoli baked penne
Mixed greens with house balsamic vinaigrette

Before I assembled the casserole, everything was pre-cooked:

• a white wine marinara sauce made of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, white wine, yellow onions, tomatoes, basil, tarragon, dried oregano, lemon juice, and also sun-dried tomatoes;
• tofu sausage where crumbled tofu was sauteed with a melange of roasted fennel, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, red chili flakes, and tomato paste;
• broccoli and mushrooms simply tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted;
  
• penne pasta cooked in salted water and
• a nutty mixture of macadamia nuts, lemon zest and juice, and parsley.

All of the above with the addition of Daiya shredded mozzarella cheese were mixed together and put into a casserole dish. It was then layered with additional marinara and "cheese". After baking the casserole for about 20 minutes at 350F with foil on, the foil was removed. Bread crumbs tossed in melted vegan soy butter was sprinkled on top and the penne was then baked again at 400F for 8 minutes until brown. Next time I would oil the foil a bit as some of the cheese melted and stuck to the foil after baking.

Change as opportunity

The planned menu for today was a chickpea crepe filled with a savory melange of butternut squash, mushrooms, and the ever-so-in-depth herb, sage. I did not have a chance to make the crepe batter the night before, which was recommended from the chef. So first thing this morning I went for it: chickpea flour, soy milk, salt, and arrowroot. Wait! Where was the arrowroot? Nowhere in sight so I subbed cornstarch with my fingers crossed. After several attempts and several different pans later: the crepes were a no-go. The batter just wasn't having it. Actually, it wasn't letting go of the pan. So good-old trustworthy brick dough once again came to the rescue. This stuff is amazing and turns our real crisp after baking. I have to admit that I was a bit dissapointed, and embarassed, that the crepe didn't work out. But hey, sometimes change is an opportunity. It's all in the mindset.

Butternut squash, mushroom, and sage parcel with sage aioli

Organic field greens in balsamic vinaigrette

The filling was made by sauteing a blend of yellow and red onions, fresh sage, mushrooms, and butternut squash in extra-virgin olive oil. Super simple. The parcels were then filled with the saute and Daiya vegan mozzarella, which melts like a charm. It really does. A sage aioli made of canola oil-based mayonnaise, soy milk, lemon juice, sage, raw garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil finished the dish. All-in-all, it was pretty tasty.

In moments like these, I must remember toand "one another" includes yourself.

Soba, cauliflower, and oyster

Oysters???? Oyster mushrooms of course. People do question whether or not the dish is vegetarian and it is all within reason. And as the Chinese proverb goes, "He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever."

Spice roasted cauliflower and braised oyster mushrooms

Sesame soba noodles with edamame and sesame dipping sauce

To create textures on the plate, the cauliflower was roasted in a melange of spices: toasted fennel, coriander, cumin seeds, and turmeric. The oyster mushrooms were braised in a garlic sherry and marsala wine reduction and Braggs amino acids (I know - I can't get enough of mushrooms). To add a crunch element, rice noodles were fried and topped the stack of cauliflower and mushrooms. We were fortunate enough to get fresh soba noodles, which were cooked until done, shocked in ice water, then tossed with a bit of sesame oil and edamame. The whole dish was accompanied by a sesame dipping sauce made of toasted sesame seeds, lemon juice, silken tofu, white miso, paprika, cayenne, and a touch of turmeric. Turmeric is known to be a blood cleanser, so why not sneak it in once in a while?

Fall for mushrooms...and so much more

We eat as the seasons change. Although I find the spring and summer seasons most fun for fruits and vegetables, there are some amazing fall items that often get overlooked or shunned. Today's dish was truly a salute to the fall, featuring wild chanterelle mushrooms, watermelon radish (one of my favorites!), baby beets, and the all-impressive, all-so-versatile kale.

Chanterelle mushroom bisque

Kale salad with cranberry poppyseed dressing

The bisque comprised of extra-virgin olive oil, shallots, fresh thyme, red chili flakes, red miso (for depth) and leeks simmered in sherry until reduced. Then a bounty of carrots, celery root, oyster mushrooms, and chanterelle mushrooms were added and simmered until softened. Vegetable stock and a cashew cream were gently stirred into the medley upon which a touch of nutmeg and lemon juice were added. The mixture should have just enough liquid so that it remains "thick". Bisques are typically blended, but in this case, I wanted to highlight all the ingredients, especially the special chanterelles.