Lisa's Culinary Atrocities

We received a free magazine in the mail called “Mix: 153 Reasons Why We Love Portland in the Summer” that is filled with restaurants, farmers markets, outdoor spots and recipes.  One recipe in particular caught my eye, so I decided to try it out.  Originally by Matthew Card, with my modifications:

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 very small jalapeño chili, seeded and minced (to taste…)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Sea salt

2 organic oranges, peeled and separated

4-5 organic radishes, sliced

1 large organic avocado, cut into cubes

hemp seeds

Directions:

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño, mint and pinch of salt.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Toss the oranges and radishes together and pile on plate. Top with avocado, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with hemp seeds.  Serve immediately.

Plum Purple Radish

I received a great lasagna recipe from my friend Sheila and have meant to try it for some time.  Seeing as how the weather here in Portland right now is rather chilly, I decided that lasagna was in order (somehow that just pairs).

I have made a several modifications to her original recipe, making it completely vegan for zeh husband and also modifying it so I don’t have to use the stove much.  I have realized, since starting this blog, that I am an oven girl.  I avoid using the stove as much as possible, unless it’s to boil water/steam things.  Hmm.  I am not sure why.

So here it is:

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu

1 cup plain, unsweetened soy yogurt 

1 small lime, juiced

1 roasted bulb of garlic

5 chopped green onions

1/4 cups nutritional yeast

1-2 Tbl. fresh rosemary

1 pkg Trader Joe’s soyrizo, relieved of it’s casing

1/2 bottle Amy’s Marinara Sauce

1 small steamed acorn squash

3 cups fresh & raw spinach

lasagna noodles (Tinkyada brown rice noodles, wheat and gluten-free and has a great texture)

(for me) rosemary asiago

(for him) Vegan Gourmet mozzarella

Panko

Zinfandel

 Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F

• Open Zinfandel and pour yourself a glass.

• Make vegan ricotta by combining crumbled tofu, soy yogurt, lime juice, roasted garlic, nutritional yeast and rosemary, and let sit for 1 hour in refrigerator.

• Peel squash and cut into 1/4 inch chunks.  Steam until just soft.

• Combine soyrizo and marinara sauce in separate bowl.

• Boil noodles (or use no-boil)

• Layer: ricotta, noodles, soyrizo mixture, vegetables, repeat.  Top with panko. Bake until panko is browned.

As with most things like this, the second day is even better.  I think next time I will prep the lasagna and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Note: This was a hit!  The sweetness of the squash contrasted so well with the spiciness of the soyrizo, and the textures were just wonderful.  The rosemary in the asiago, as well as the ricotta was fantastic.  I will definitely be making this again!

Seriously, happiness throughout every cell right now.  On my daily trip to Trader Joe’s a few days ago they were sampling their new Soy Chorizo. Whoa—so surprisingly good.  No stranger to vegan food, or tasty animals these days (sorry), this product is not to be missed.  While I prefer to be meatless most of the time (and especially since my husband is vegan) I am wary of vegan products because they are still processed.  This one, however, has only a handful of ingredients:

–>TVP (texturized soy protein), water, soy oil, distilled vinegar, salt, spices, red pepper and garlic.

SOLD!  So tonight I decided to make soft tacos with the Soyrizo (thanks Deano), homemade pico-de-gallo and micro-greens. Cheese added, I am sure would also be fantastic.

I made my taco’s mini, surprise.

For the Pico de Gallo chop separately and combine:

-4 plum tomatoes (I used about a cup or so of cherry tomatoes)

-5 green onions

-1/2 cup fresh cilantro

-3 peppers, seeded (I used one red, one orange, one yellow–adds a bit of a sweetness that contrasts the spicy soyrizo nicely)

-a good squeeze of lime juice.-fold together and let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour.

After a few glasses of wine, heat up your soyrizo (remove casing first…it’s the consistency of ground beef) and make some fan-tasty tacos!

*Pairs sensationally with Trader Joe’s 2009 Grower’s Reserve Zinfandel (thanks for the recommendation Deano—it was PERFECT.) Which, by the way, if you ever need ANY information about ANYTHING wine or food related, Deano Sandoval at Trader Joe’s NW is your guy. Not only is he a wonderful man and talented artist, but he will not disappoint your taste buds. Going to create a new tag, just for him!