Lisa's Culinary Atrocities

     I found a new treat at Trader Joe’s—Chicken-less Pulled Chicken in Barbecue Sauce.  For the love of God, though not a perfect substitute, this vegan/meatless product is very good… so, let’s make a pot-pie with it:

Continuing on with my summer-soup-kick—I really wanted to make a raw green soup.  I’ll admit that while making it I got very nervous, and kinda felt like the Jolly Green Giant, but I was relieved when I was met with a lemony, smooth and minty sensation.

I also think this might be really good not live,  with roasted asparagus and steamed spinach…plus it might be more appetizing to those who are freaked out by green soup?  Maybe?  You know who you are.  I see you nodding your head.  I suppose that soup would just have to be called Green Soup…or Roasted Green Vegetable Soup.  Anyway…

I found the original recipe on Wholeliving.com which in turn was from Martha Stewart Living, March 2003.  Below is my version. 

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, not peeled (use it all!)
• 1/2 pound pencil-thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/4 pound spinach, tough stems removed, rinsed well
• 6 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Halve cucumber lengthwise; cut into eighths. Cut asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. Puree asparagus in a blender with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add spinach, scallions, cucumber eighths, and another 1/2 cup water. Blend until thoroughly pureed. Add avocado, mint leaves, and lemon juice; puree until smooth, adding remaining water a little at a time until soup is desired consistency. Add salt, and season with pepper. Scrape down sides of blender with a rubber spatula, and puree 5 seconds more.  Serve immediately. Serves 4

Happy 4th of July everyone!  In honor of the holiday I present a mighty tasty star shaped, panko breaded polenta with asparagus and marinara (everything tastes better when in the shape of a star!):

Polenta:

Ingredients:

• 1 cups organic soymilk
• 1 cup organic vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups polenta
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup melted Earth Balance butter or olive oil

Directions:

In a saucepan bring the soymilk and stock to a boil. While stirring, slowly pour in the polenta.  Add the salt and turn down the heat a bit making sure not to burn the mixture. Continue stirring a few minutes until the polenta thickens.  Remove from stove and pour into a baking dish so the polenta is about 1/2-3/4 inch thick and smooth with spatula. Let cool and place in refrigerator to set, preferably overnight, but for at lease an hour.

When set, use cookie cutter to cut polenta.  Slather (yeah, slather) with butter or olive oil, coat with panko and bake in 400 degree F oven until golden and crispy, flipping the polenta over after ten minutes.

Place lovingly on a swish (swish?) of marinara and cuddle up to a side of steamed asparagus..and love your neighbor.

Lovely summer soups are apparently my seasonal muse.  Summer is not exactly my favorite season, with it’s sun and heat (I’m strange), yet this year it has inspired me with it’s colors and flavors.  Soup requirements: refreshing, good both hot and cold, tasty the 1st day as well as the 3rd or 4th, and most importantly, simple.

This one was the epitome of simple.  Roast tomatoes and garlic, add stock and basil, blend.  Winner in both ease and taste.

Ingredients
·  2 pounds fresh tomatoes
·  6 cloves garlic
·  extra-virgin olive oil
·  salt and freshly ground black pepper
·  1 quart vegetable stock
·  fresh thyme
·  ¼ cup fresh basil
 
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, cut side up, and garlic cloves onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh thyme and salt on top. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized. Remove from oven and transfer tomatoes and resulting juice from roasting to a large stock pot.  Snip ends of garlic cloves and squeeze into pot.  Add vegetable stock and basil to pot.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

Serves 4

Sourdough boule broiled with olive oil & sea salt, basil leaf and black tahini.

Looks strange–tastes good!  It is a very strong-tasting experience and the color is disconcerting when eating it, but I will say it is quite good as long as you add another strong flavor, such as the basil leaf. Worked very nicely together.

Black Tahini:  black sesame seeds + food processor.

…topped with kalamata olive oil, kale, avocado, chili and Asiago.

SO simple:

-Trader Joe’s Cornbread Mix

-make like a normal ol’ waffle in your spiffy waffle maker

-top with desired ingredients

-consume

-nap

-repeat

This absolutely rivals Blossoming Lotus’ Spicy Avocado Sandwich!

I discovered “The Cravings Place” brand gluten/wheat/nut/egg/dairy free mixes and they are really really wonderful.

Using their “All Purpose Pancake & Waffle mix”, make the waffle batter by adding to the mix coconut oil, baked sweet potato, a little pumpkin spice and soy milk until the desired consistency/flavor.

The tofu I used was pre-seasoned and really quite amazing as far as pre-seasoned tofu goes (I usually prefer to make my own). The brand is “Soy Deli” organic, baked, savory flavor. Slice and warm in the oven. I also like to make tofu ‘croutons’ with this tofu by cubing and baking until crisp on the outside…Yum!!

On the side: lightly steamed Italian kale sprinkled with a lightly salted nutritional yeast, garlic and garam masala.

Add some shaved Asiago and your favorite olive oil…and viola!

This is really very simple and delicious. The olive oil is imperative as to help with the breadiness of the Belgian waffle. The slight sweetness of the waffle paired with the bitter/sweetness of the kale and the savory of the tofu was a realllly lovely combination. Even the tomato garnish paired well!

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