Spinach fettuccine with sauteed baby portobello mushrooms, pesto and shaved parmesan makes a great meatless, filling and nutritious meal.

Along with this beautiful salad of fresh yellow peppers and avocados our vegetarian meal satisfies everyone.

Annie’s Green Goddess dressing makes this salad heaven!

Boil spinach fettuccine, al dente.

Sautee the mushrooms with olive oil and garlic slices.

And mix in your favorites. I love basil pesto which I make myself.

I make it vegan and fresh!

Shaved parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil make this fantastic!

Not only is my BFF Anna is a great cook but she is the hostess with the mostest!

We invade her lovely home for long weekends and she manages to entertain us like royalty!

One of her specialties is this casserole, of sorts, or breakfast scramble.

She par cooks potatoes in the microwave

Chops and sautes any vegetables on hand, usually: red peppers, asparagus, leeks, and mushrooms and sets those aside

Then dice the potatoes and combine in a large skillet the cooked veggies, potatoes, some cheese then crack a few eggs on top

Turn the heat down to low and cover to allow the eggs to cook.

You’re finished!

You can also do this in the oven in a lovely casserole dish for a more elegant presentation.

Or cook the eggs seperatly and serve on top.

Either way it’s delicious!

We have making pizza down to science here.

And I must admit that this is due to the secret weapon in my kitchen; My Daughter!

She has the perfect touch when it comes to preparing the dough; which we buy at a local pizzeria, and she has the perfect touch when it comes to layering the ingredients!

She gets the dough just right. Thin but not too thin and she has a light touch with the cheese, which is key to proper cooking.

Her specialties include but are not limited to the Margarhita and pepperoni pizzas.

We were so confident with our skills that we threw these pizzas on the grill! First time ever and they were perfect!

Fresh oregano made the pepperoni especially delicious for th meat eaters but the overwhelming favorite was the Margarhita with basil fresh from the garden and fresh mozzarella.

I tried my hand at something a bit more fancy; spinach and red onion with mushroom and goat cheese topped off with a balsamic vinegar reduction.

The reduction came out perfectly, it was my first attempt! I simply poured about 1 cup of balsamic vinegar into a small frying pan and on meduim heat let it cook until it started to thicken.

My mistake was to pour it over the pizza before baking. I should have drizzled it over the pizza when it was finished cooking to keep the thick texture that I so proudly created!

Lightly blanche the spinach before layering on your pizza. It can dry and burn if you don’t.

Tr your hand with your favorite ingredients. Be patient. Cook with loved ones and Enjoy!

What to do when your favorite aunt comes into to town on a cold and rainy Spring day? Eat, of course!

And we did! Right up until we went to bed. It was sinful but the celebration just couldn’t end.

She lives so far away and comes to town so rarely…

Mushroom and Leek flatbread at 87 West, seated next to the fireplace was the perfect setting for a cozy chat.

The warmth of the fire took the chill off…

Arugula tops off the flatbread and adds nice balance to the creamy rich cheeses.

Off to my favorite spot, Tartine Bistro for great wine!

Reza, the amazing bartender knows how to pick his wines. He never dissapoints.

Peanut butter accents rich dark chocolate!

This honey ice cream was a pleasant surprise on warm berry cobbler. Mouth watering delicious!

They make it in house and it is subtle, creamy and delicious!

I woke to a cold and snowy day and considered the possibilities.

I had thoughts of stew, like when I was a child. The kind that came from a big pot on the stove which mom made in the morning anticipating children who would be stuck in the house all day; a snow day.

Well, since becoming a vegan it is dishes like these that I miss the most; the kind which come from big pots and are swimming in gravy.

Then I considered, “what was my favorite part of those meals?” The pearl onions!

I loved those sweet slippery gems. For that matter I loved all the veggies and remember pushing dark beef bits to the side.

The gravy would be the tough part. I’ve kind of avoided this kind of thing as I am not a big fan of “substituting” processed fake meat products for meat.

This was really easy, just a bit labor intense.

I started by boiling the pearl onions; skin and all, in water for about 3 minutes.

Remove them and run cold water over them then cut off the root end. Gently squeeze and the “pearl” pops out.

Set those aside and prepare the mashed potatoes and keep them warm until you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil
6-7 carrots chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic sliced
4-5 cups of baby bella mushrooms halved
3-4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp vegetarian stock / bouillon
5-6 cups of water depending on your desired thickness
1 cup of peas
1-2 cups pearl onions (depending on your preference)
Pinch or so of dried Tarragon

Method:

Put the oil in the pan and start adding garlic and carrots

Allow them to sauté, add the tarragon

Add the mushrooms and the pearl onions and allow to continue cooking

Mix the water and the cornstarch and add to the pan

Add the vegetarian bouillon

Add more water if necessary

Allow to cook until everything is tender and serve over mashed potatoes.

Level: Medium
Serves: 2

Ingredients
4 cups spinach fettucini, boiled
10-12 medium baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, bottled in olive oil and italian herbs
1 garlic bulb, baked
1 tsp agave nectar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoon panko crust
1/4 tsp substitute salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 fresh fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp olive/canola oil
1 tsp dried oregano

Method
Pre-soak mushrooms in a plastic bowl with water and Worchestershire sauce for 30 min.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off top of garlic bulb and drizzle agave nectar over garlic.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a plastic bowl mix 1tsp. oil, parsley, garlic, capers, oregano, capers, salt and pepper.

Wash and twist off mushroom stems evenly.

Brush or rub 1 tsp oil on mushrooms and stuff with mixture.

In a medium sauce pan bring water to a boil and add pasta until tender.

Sprinkle oregano herbs and serve.

I love this recipe from Vegetarian Times. I make it without the cream and Parmesean cheese, but add some toasted pine nuts and Tarragon.

This dish goes nicely with your favorite white wine.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. coarsely chopped bluefoot mushrooms, or mixed cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, chopped
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 onion or two big shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
5 cups water or vegetable stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup arugula or flat-leaf parsley, washed, dried and minced

Directions

1. Heat large skillet over medium heat and, when hot to touch, add 1/8 cup olive oil and heat until fragrant but not smoking. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté gently until softened, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Add salt and pepper and scrape mixture into bowl.

2. In saucepan, bring water or stock to a boil and keep it simmering. Wipe skillet with paper towel and heat again. Add remaining 1/8 cup oil and heat over medium heat. When fragrant, add chopped onion or shallots and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent but not brown. Add rice and stir to coat with oil.

3. Add wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously and increasing heat to medium, if needed. In 1/2-cup increments, add boiling water or stock, stirring after each addition, not adding more liquid until all is absorbed. Stir often and avoid adding too much liquid.

4. After 15 to 20 minutes, liquid should be absorbed and rice creamy with a slightly chewy center.

5. Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms, cream, cheese and chopped arugula or parsley. Stir until melted and combined, and serve immediately.