Snowy days draw me to the kitchen … its warm, full of aromas that nourish the soul and quiet the mind. At the end of the day, I feel accomplished having created a beautiful meal. With a sensitive tummy and being lactose intolerance, I am drawn to vegan recipes. They are nutritious, easy on my tummy and satisfy my epicurean curiosity.
I am drawn to these tastes … tangy (key lime), sweet yet salty (salted caramel), savory (rosemary and olive oil), clean (cucumber and cilantro) and the orient (mushrooms and ginger).
In terms of texture, CoCo has 3 “C’s” …. crusty, crunchy and creamy.
I love a baguette topped with a pate. The crusty creamy combination is delightful like a picnic in the park or a bistro in Paris.
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Pate a la Cashroom
The oriental express on a baguette. The goodness of ginger, shitakes and toasted sesame on a crusty french baguette.
1 ½ tablespoons ginger
2 cups finely chopped wild mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, and baby bellas)
2 ½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup toasted cashews
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar ground pink peppercorn to taste
Sauté the ginger and mushrooms in 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil until the liquids evaporate. As the mushrooms sauté, add about 1 more tablespoon sesame oil so the mushrooms are a glistening brown.
In a food processor, combine the mushroom mixture and the cashews folding in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil until smooth.
Fold in the rice wine vinegar.
Kumquat Kreme
Citrus zest collides into a creamy delight, just a dollop on a graham cracker, blini or baguette add a touch of sea salt. C’est magnifique!
syrup 1 cup slivered kumquats (no seeds), 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water and a dash of salt
kreme 1 cup vegan creme cheese (tofutti)
place the sliced kumquats, sugar, water and salt into a small saucepan and cook over medium to medium-low heat until kumquats look translucent and feel soft. Approximately 20 minutes. Stir often. Let the mixture cool completely before mixing with creme cheese.
In a food processor, combine the cooled kumquat syrup and creme cheese.
Fold in lemon zest, chill and serve.
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You can have decadent tastes without a decadent expense. Sip on sparkling wine that tastes like fine champagne with your savory and sweet vegan delights. Try Gruet Blanc de Noirs. Or if you prefer sweet try Gruet Demi-Sec. Both are under $15 and divine!
