Eggplant "Parm" - gluten free, vegan deliciousness

I got the idea for this dish from my family. So my sister and mother have been trying to go mostly vegetarian and no starch so they can eat as much as they want during vacation, and my sister has been avoiding all dairy products as well because of her slight lactose intolerance. Now eggplant parm is one of my favorite dishes that my boyfriend’s mother makes, so I decided to challenge myself and make a vegan, no-starch eggplant parm recipe, so take a look and see my ideas!

Ingredients:

·      Tomato sauce, warmed up

·      1 large eggplant

·      3 zucchini

·      2 tbsp olive oil

·      1.5 tsp salt

·      3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·      1 medium cauliflower

·      1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

·      1.5 tsp minced garlic

·      ¼ cup almond or soy milk

·      1/8 cup ground almonds or nutritional yeast

·      1.5 tsp lemon juice

·      ¼ tsp onion powder

·      ¼ tsp garlic powder

·      ½ tsp sea salt

·      ¼ tsp black pepper

For the pasta…

Peel off the skin on the zucchinis. Hold the zucchini vertically on the cutting board and peel in long strokes down the zucchini to create the pasta. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the zucchini in the hot oil for about a minute. Add ¼ cup water and cook until the zucchini is softened (5-7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

For the cauliflower sauce…

Break the cauliflower into small florets, place in a large pot, and cover with water. Bring the pot to a slow boil and cook for 3-7 minutes until fork tender. Add the 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil to a skillet  and sautee the garlic over low-medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the drained cauliflower, garlic, milk, yeast/ground almonds, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, ½ tsp sea salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper to a blender and blend until very smooth.

For the eggplant…

Cut the eggplant in half and peel the skin off.  Score the flesh in a diamond pattern by slicing diagonally one way all the way down the eggplant and then slice diagonally the other way. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the eggplant. Sprinkle the 1.5 tsp salt over the two halves, trying to get most of the salt between the scores in the eggplant halves. Set aside the halves, cut side up for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently squeeze the eggplant halves over the sink to get rid of the salty juice, wipe them dry, and drizzle the halves with 1 tsp olive oil each. Sprinkle the halves with a bit of garlic powder, place the halves cut-side down on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the halves cool for 20 minutes before handling.

To assemble…

Toss the zucchini pasta in the heated tomato sauce, arrange the eggplant on top, and drizzle with some of the cauliflower sauce, and you’re all done!

Red Beans and Rice

If you want a simple but filling and healthy meal, this is definitely a recipe to try! Beans are incredibly good for you, and this rice is flavored with chicken broth, which ups both the flavor and health content.

Ingredients:

·      1 tbsp canola oil

·      2 large cloves garlic, minced

·      1 large red onion, diced

·      1 stalk celery, diced

·      1 green bell pepper, diced

·      2 cans (1 pound) red adzuki beans

·      1 tbsp onion powder

·      2 tsp garlic powder

·      2 tsp salt

·      1 tsp black pepper

·      1.5 tbsp hot sauce

·      2 cups jasmine rice + enough chicken broth to cook it in the rice cooker

·      2 tbsp butter

·      1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

Pour the uncooked rice, chicken broth, and butter in the rice cooker and cook the rice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, and sautee the garlic, onion, and bell pepper until tender. Add the beans, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and reduce the heat to low to let the mixture simmer gently until the rice is done. Make sure you taste-test the beans throughout the cooking process and adjust the flavor according to your tastes. Once the rice is done, fold the rice and beans gently together, transfer to a serving dish, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!

Salt Block Cooking and Caring

Hello! Today’s post is about salt blocks! They’ve become a popular form of entertainment cooking because they create fun serving platters, season the food (since they’re salt), and you can cook directly on them! The salt blocks tend to be a bit expensive, but they last a good amount of time and are a lot of fun to use. I will describe in this post how to use and clean them properly.

How to heat the blocks for searing

Place the salt block on a baking tray and place the try in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 250ºF and allow the block to heat up with the oven to the desired temperature. Best usage when heating to 500ºF.

How to clean the blocks

Wait for the block to cool to room temperature. Wipe down the block with a damp sponge or paper towel, using as little water as possible. Avoid using soap and too much water so you don’t damage the salt crystals.

Recipe Ideas

·      Sear thinly sliced beef and vegetables (asparagus, zucchini, etc.) on its surface with a little oil or butter

·      Cure sashimi on its surface (freeze salt blocks for an hour beforehand) by placing the fish on the salt blocks surface, place in the fridge for five minutes, then flip for another five minutes. Make sure fish is as dry as possible

·      You can just use the block as a serving plate for salads, sushi, sorbets, cheeses, and more

Salt block cooking is fun for both the host and guests at a party, so enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Now that I think about it, I haven’t met a single person that disliked lemons, so if you do, call me out on that in the comments, but I guess it’s just one of those flavors that isn’t disliked by anyone. Anyway, hi there!  Today’s recipe is lemon meringue pie! This isn’t too challenging of a pie to make, and its sour filling contrasting with the flaky crust and soft, sweet meringue is just amazing. So enjoy baking!

Ingredients:

·      3 tbsp cornstarch

·      3/4 cups water

·      3 large egg yolks

·      1 cup sugar

·      1/3 cup lemon juice

·      1 tsp lemon zest

·      6 large egg whites, at room temperature

·      ½ tsp cream of tartar

·      6 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar

Prepare the pie pastry as described here.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine the cornstarch and ¼ cup of the water in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Whisk together the egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, and remaining water in a saucepan until combined, and then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Heat to a boil over high heat whisking constantly, then allow it to boil for an extra minute until it thickens and looks almost clear. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest, scrape the filling into a bowl, and place plastic wrap on the surface to keep the filling hot.

In a large bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat with a hand or stand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the superfine sugar and continue to beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.

Pour the lemon filling into the crust, and place the meringue over the filling evenly, mounting it in the center. Use a spoon to make small peaks on the top and bake for 12-17 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Let the pie cool for an hour and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Enjoy!

Mac and Cheesy Goodness

At some point I’ll more summery foods, but I’ve been getting into these rich, filling foods recently, but there will be more posts soon that fit the season (or you can check out my ice cream recipes here). But until then, today is mac and cheese! I’ll admit, when I was younger I wasn’t sure about mac and cheese, but now…! Mac and cheese is a lot of fun to make, and you just throw it all together in one pot and one pan and then you just have a mound of awesomeness. So let’s make some mac!

Ingredients:

·      1 tsp salt for pasta

·      1 pound elbow macaroni

·      6 tbsp butter

·      3 cups milk

·      1 cup heavy cream

·      1 tbsp black pepper

·      1 pound white cheddar, shredded

·      2-4 oz Romano, shredded

·      2-4 oz Asiago, shredded

·      2 cups bread crumbs

·      2 tbsp parsley, fresh or dried

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, run with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sprinkle a little bit of the flour over the butter and quickly whisk it in, and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add all the cold milk at once and whisk quickly until all of the roux has dissolved. Cook this sauce over medium low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Add the heavy cream, the cheeses, a pinch of salt, and the black pepper, and cook until the cheese has fully melted. Taste for seasoning, and add any other cheeses or flavors you’d like, such as cooked cauliflower, bacon, paprika, and cayenne. Add the macaroni to the cheese and combine thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Top with the parsley, and then you’re all set!