Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon with Potato Cauliflower Mash – Instant Pot

Servings: 3

Ingredients

Mushroom Bourguignon:

• 2 tsp (2 tsp) oil
• 1/2 (0.5 ) medium onion chopped
• 4 cloves (4 cloves) of garlic finely chopped
• 10 oz (8 oz) sliced mushrooms mixed or white or cremini
• 1/4 cup (58.75 ml) brandy or whiskey or red wine or use broth
• 3/4 cup (75 g) chopped carrots
• 1 cup (101 g) chopped celery
• 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) garlic powder
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) coconut aminos (for low sodium) or soy sauce ,tamari for gluten-free
• 2 tsp (2 tsp) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water or broth
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) cornstarch or arrowroot starch mixed in 3 tbsp water (you can also add 2 tbsp of the mashed potato mixture to thicken)
• 1 cup (30 g) of spinach or greens

Potato Mash:

• 1 (1 ) large potato cubed small
• 1 cup (100 g) cauliflower florets (heaping cup)
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 2 to 4 tbsp (NaN tbsp) non dairy milk
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) each salt garlic powder
• (NaN ) black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the Instant Pot on Saute. Add oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and a good pinch of salt and give them a quick mix. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden on some edges. Add a tbsp of water if browning too quickly.
• Add the wine and mix well for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol.
• Add the carrots, celery, thyme and garlic and mix well. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, 1/3 tsp salt (if using water or unsalted broth) and water/broth and give it a mix. Cancel saute. You can also add in 1 bay leaf and some rosemary for flavor variation at this point.
• Place the steamer basket on top of the mushroom mixture. Add potato and cauliflower to it. 
• Close the Instant Pot lid. Pressure Cook for 9 to 10 minutes (Manual hi pressure). Add a minute if using larger quantity of either mushroom mix or potatoes, or if doubling.
• Let the pressure release naturally once the cooking is complete. Open the lid and carefully remove the steamer basket.
• Put the pot on saute, Add cornstarch slurry and give it a mix (you can also add 2 tbsp of the mashed potato mixture to thicken). Add spinach or baby kale and black pepper and mix. Bring the mixture to a boil to thicken, then cancel saute. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
• Meanwhile. Transfer the steamed potato and cauliflower to a bowl and mash roughly. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, non dairy milk  and optionally fresh/dried herbs of choice(eg. thyme, rosemary, chives) and mash well to preferred consistency. 
• Serve the mash layered with the mushroom bourguignon. Garnish with some fresh thyme or basil and black or white pepper.

Inspired by https://www.veganricha.com/2018/10/vegan-mushroom-bourguignon-instant-pot.html

Quinoa and Kale Cakes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large potato, steamed and mashed
• 1 cup kale, steamed and chopped
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked (2 cups of vegetable broth/1 cup of quinoa)
• 500 ml ( 1 pint ) vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 flaxseed eggs (2 tblspns flaxseed and 6 tblspns water)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the quinoa for about 10 minutes. Take off of the heat and cover with a lid allowing for the quinoa to soak up the rest of the liquid and become fluffy. If there is still a little liquid left, place on a low heat and cook until the liquid has evaporated. 

Leave to one side.

2. Fry the onions and garlic, with a pinch of salt, over a medium heat until the onions have softened and caramelized.

3. Put the onions into a bowl with the quinoa and all other ingredients and using your hands mash everything together well.

4. Form into 6 equal size cakes and press the cakes into the flour, shaking off any excess.

5. Fry in 2 batches of 3 cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. The cakes will soak up the oil so be sure not to use more than 2 tablespoons of oil per batch.

Inspired by 

http://www.theveganhousehold.com/mains/quinoa-and-kale-cakes/

Classic Hash Browns

Classic Hash Browns

Garden Vegetable Quinoa Soup

Amazing, Healthy, Filling, Perfect, Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion 
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 3 carrots 
• 3 ribs celery 
• 15 oz. can kidney beans 
• 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes 
• 1/2 tsp dried basil 
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Freshly cracked pepper 
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa 
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water 
• 1/4 lb. kale or frozen spinach or some green

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Add the olive oil, garlic, and onion to a large pot and sauté over medium-low heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. While the garlic and onion are cooking, wash and peel the carrots, then slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Wash the celery and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. Add the carrots and celery to the pot and continue to sauté until they just begin to soften (about 5 minutes).
3. While the carrots and celery are cooking, rinse the quinoa well with cool running water in a wire mesh sieve. Drain and rinse the kidney beans. Add the quinoa, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, smoked paprika, and some freshly cracked pepper.
4. Add the vegetable broth and water to the pot, place a lid on top, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the pot to come to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 25 minutes.
5. After simmering for 25 minutes the quinoa should be slightly translucent and tender. If not, let simmer a few minutes longer. Stir in 1/4 lb. of kale or frozen spinach until heated through. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Inspired by Budget bites

Vanilla Extract (homemade)

Since it takes six months for this to be ready, I make multiple batches. Basically, I buy the vodka and use it up with this recipe.

Slice vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the caviar

You'll need:
Vanilla beans (I use Madagascar Bourbon)
Sharp knife
Amber glass bottles
Vodka (I use Absolute or Smirnoff)

Cheese cloth (not entirely necessary)

Directions:
- Slice 6 vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the 'caviar' with the back of a wide-tip knife.
- Cut the beans into 1/4" pieces. Place the 'caviar' and cut pieces in a amber glass bottle. 
- Add 2 cups of vodka to brown jar bottle and put the cap on the bottle

- Make your own label and mark when you made it and when it will be ready. It will be ready in 6 months. I know ... that's a long time.

- Store the bottle in a cool dark place

- Shake the bottle once a day for the first week

- Shake the bottle once a week for a couple weeks

- Shake the bottle when you think of it

- When the 6 months have passed, use the cheese cloth to strain the vanilla extract and then put it back into the amber bottle. I don't mind having bits of the caviar in the vanilla extract. Sometimes I don't even strain it. It's now ready to use.

Cautionary note: The alcohol will burn off when baking but it will be present if you use it for something you don't bake.

Vodka price varies based on the number of times it is distilled. It's cleaner and smoother. Top shelf is most expensive while the college budget is on the bottom. I go for something in between.

Life-Changing Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen 2 inch cookies

2 cups whole almonds or other nut like walnuts, pecans, or pistachios
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour (a mix of coconut and whole wheat flour). More coconut than whole wheat.
1 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
1 cup maple syrup
Assorted jams of your choice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are chopped into smallish pieces. It's OK if you have a variety of sizes, just don't grind them to a flour. I tend to leave them chunkier than most people because I like to bite into a decent piece of nut when eating these cookies. BTransfer the chopped nuts into a large bowl.

Using the same food processor bowl, grind the oats with the salt into a coarse meal. Again, I like to leave a little texture in the oats. Transfer the oats to the bowl with the nuts, then add 1 -1/4 cup of flour, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup (don't need that last 1/4 cup).

Pour the oil into the bowl, followed by the maple syrup. (Doing it in this order, and using the same measuring cup, means that all the maple syrup will glide out effortlessly.)

Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. If the dough seem runny, add the additional flour but don't worry if it is too soft, as it will stiffen up a bit as it sits. I usually let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Form the dough into rough balls about the size of a whole walnut. The dough will be slightly wet but surprisingly not too sticky. Ice cream scoopers are good here. The cookies can be fairly close together as they don't spread much.

Using the back of a round 1/2 teaspoon measure, make an indentation in the top of each cookie. Use it to fill the indentation with your jam of choice.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown slightly. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before moving to a rack to cool further (they're a bit fragile when they first come out of the oven).

Notes

Try a variety of jams for taste and color: red raspberry, apricot or orange marmalade.

 Inspired by: https://www.thekitchn.com/cookie-recipe-lifechanging-veg-134691

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
Prepare the batter for the cauliflower by combining:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Silk Soymilk
1 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Whisk until smooth and thickened. 

Gently toss the cauliflower with the batter, being sure to coat the cauliflower thoroughly...

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top of the foil. Generously spray the rack with cooking spray and place the coated cauliflower onto the rack, being sure to leave space between each one... 

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to brown. 
While the cauliflower is baking, melt 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter 
mix with 1 (5 ounce) bottle of cayenne pepper sauce and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. 
Whisk to combine. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors to your liking.

When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven and toss with the hot sauce mixture.

Spray the rack with cooking spray again and place the cauliflower back on the rack. Put back in the oven for 10 more minutes until browned to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a serving dish with the Dairy-Free Ranch Dip and enjoy!

Inspriation:

http://ourlifetastesgood.blogspot.com/2015/10/baked-buffalo-cauliflower-bites.html