Tag Archives: Chopped (TV series)

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

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Life has been so crazy lately, I feel like I can’t catch up on the things I need to do! It’s been a great summer so far… our 10-month old is kinda almost walking and our 2 1/2-year old is hilarious with her ever growing vocabulary. Sorry I’ve lagged on posting recipes lately but things have been nuts! Hope all is well with you and your family!

Ok so pizza, who doesn’t enjoy pizza?! Pizza on portobello mushrooms? What’s better than that! No bloated processed pizza crust feeling, no processed food headache… you can have pizza ALL THE TIME this way!

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

My hubby loved this so much he asked me to make it again this week. His last favorite, Ancho Lentil Bowls with Low-fat Vegan Cheese is fading out of heavy rotation here so we needed something new. Our toddler LOVED this pizza too, she ate a whole one and asked for more. We felt bad since we had already eaten the rest so I’ll have to make more next time.

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

* 6-8 Portobello mushrooms (allow for at least two per person… three if you’re really hungry)

* 2 cups pizza sauce – I LOVE the Muir Glen Pizza Sauce when I don’t have time to make homemade. Use your favorite.

* Cashew Basil Cheese (see recipe below)

* Chopped roasted red & yellow peppers – I used half a jar of Trader Joe’s fire roasted red & yellow peppers in water

* 1 green pepper, chopped

* 1 medium onion, diced

* 1 can black olives, chopped

* fresh basil, chopped (add on top OR use dried italian seasoning)

* 1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flake

Directions:

* Preheat oven by setting the broiler on low or just broil if that’s the only setting you have.

* Take a baking sheet and cover with a silicone non-stick baking mat or parchment paper for easy clean up.

* Make your Cashew Basil cheese (see below). Set aside.

* Remove stems of Portabellas and gently rub Portabellos with a wet cloth to clean. Place Portabellas ‘belly’ side up on the baking sheet.

* Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce into each mushroom. Now spoon about 2 – 4 teaspoons of Cashew Basil Cheese on top of the pizza sauce (see recipe below).

* Top the portobellos with remaining ingredients, sprinkle with fresh basil and/or italian seasoning and a sprinkle of dried red pepper flake.

* Broil in the oven on the lowest temperature setting on the middle rack for about 10-12 minutes, watching closely as broiler temperatures vary. Serve immediately and enjoy!

The cashew nut cheese is an excellent addition to these pizzas! You could also use the Pizza Cheese recipe from a few weeks ago, that would be GOOD! I changed the original recipe to suit our tastes and nutritional needs. I plan on making the Goaty Cashew Cheeze (Thank you Melomeals!) next time and experimenting with different toppings. The possibilities are endless!

Cashew Basil Cheese 

Ingredients:
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/3-1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp leftover bean cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans…. or water, that will work too!)
• 1 fresh basil leaf – I didn’t have this last time I made it so I added 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp yellow miso paste
Directions: Place 1 cup of raw cashews in a bowl of water, cover, and soak overnight in the fridge. When cashews are ready, drain and place all ingredients (cashews, Himalayan sea salt, bean liquid/water, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, miso and lemon juice) into a food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of processor as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Place ingredients into food processor and process until smooth’ish… like a chunky ricotta cheese consistency

Ready for pizza! Or collard wraps, or salad…. hmmm…..

Remove stems, wipe mushrooms with damp cloth to clean, place on cooking sheet and fill “gill” sides with pizza sauce.

Add your dollops of Cashew Basil Cheese first, then follow with all your toppings!

Ready to broil!

Yummy!

Portobello Pizza goodness!

Really Good Chili

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This is delicious and easy to make too! This recipe makes a large pot of chili – we had friends over for a last minute dinner tonight and it fed 4 adults, 1 teenage boy, 1 10-year old girl and our toddler with enough for most people to have seconds. Our toddler had two big bowls, she loved it!

I served this with Daiya shredded vegan cheese, chopped italian parsley (all I had) and Habanero Sauce.

The cocoa powder really brings out the flavor. I love using cocoa powder in my chili… and Guinness beer and strong coffee too! The chili was gone before I had a chance to take a better picture but here’s what it looked like… YUM! Next time I think I’ll add some quinoa, some chopped kale or chard and a few cups of hominy!

Really Good Chili

Toddler Approved!

This recipe comes from Nava Atlas‘s new book Vegan Holiday Kitchen, I highly recommend this book… it’s awesome!!

Really Good Chili

By Nava Atlas

Serve with stone-ground tortilla chips, guacamole, and a big salad or cole slaw.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I omitted this)
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 28-ounce cans beans of your choice (try a combination of pinto, pink, and black beans), drained and rinsed – I used 3 15oz cans each of pinto beans and black beans – 6 cans total
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
  • 1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 to 2 jalapeño or other hot peppers, seeded and minced, or one 8-ounce can mild or hot chopped green chiles – I used green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon good-quality chili powder
  • 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Chopped ripe tomatoes for garnish
  • Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender and the flavors have melded.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, and adjust the other seasonings. If time allows, let the chili stand for up to several hours before serving. Heat through as needed.The chili should be nice and thick; if it has gotten too thick, stir in a cup of water. Serve in individual bowls, garnished with tomatoes and cilantro.

Varations and optional garnishes:

* Add a cup or two of cooked corn kernels toward the end of cooking time

* Add a medium or large firm-cooked sweet potato, peeled and diced

* Add a diced zucchini or yellow summer squash about halfway into the cooking time

* Serve with grated nondairy cheddar cheese on the side for garnishing individual servings

* Put out extra “hot stuff” like minced fresh chili peppers, dried hot red pepper flakes, or hot sauce for those who like their chilies extra-spicy

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Nutrition (per serving, including oil): 236 calories, 37 calories from fat, 4.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 938mg sodium, 719.6mg potassium, 39.9g carbohydrates, 11.6g fiber, 5.8g sugar, 11.4g protein, 6.8 points.

Without oil: 216 calories, 17 calories from fat, 2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 938mg sodium, 719.6mg potassium, 39.9g carbohydrates, 11.6g fiber, 5.8g sugar, 11.4g protein, 6.2 points.

Saute onions and garlic

Add remaining ingredients and simmer

Didn't last long!!

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