Tofu Mushroom Stir Fry - keeping it simple

This would be an excellent recipe for those of you who are unfamiliar with using firm tofu. I conquered my fear of tofu a few years ago and now it's a staple in my kitchen. It's so handy for a quick meal! Cheap and filling. And so simple! And delicious! And nutritious!

This is also a good beginner recipe for using shiitake mushrooms - please tell me you're not still using only button mushrooms.  I can't get over how delicious shiitakes are. They are probably not as cheap as button mushrooms, but the improvement in flavor is worth it.

At first I thought there would not be enough sauce for 4 portions, but it's plenty. My guys added Sriracha sauce and I added just a splash of extra soy sauce.

Tofu Mushroom Stir Fry (from Bon Appetite)

1 lb extra firm tofu, cut in 1/2 inch cubes, blotted dry on a cotton towel or paper towels.
Sprinkle 2 t corn starch, 1 T soy sauce, some hot pepper flakes over tofu cubes.
Fry in 1 T corn oil until brown, flip over and continue browning pieces of tofu. Set aside.

1 lb shiitake and button mushroom mix. Remove stems from shiitakes and tear them in biggish pieces.

1 bunch green onions, cut in 1 inch pieces.

1 knob of ginger, sliced thinly or grated.

Saute mushrooms, onions, and ginger in 1 T corn oil until brown in some spots.

Sauce:
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 T mirin (rice wine)

Mix tofu, mushrooms, and sauce. Heat up and serve over white rice

Garnish: sesame seeds.

Simple Mushroom Sandwich

Sometimes the simpler a meal is, the better. This portobello mushroom sandwich is the perfect example of that truth. The secret is in using high quality mushrooms and high quality buns. Today I used homemade hamburger buns from my local bakery. I have used ciabatta buns, and those work too.

Here's what you need:
large portobello mushrooms - 2 per sandwich
olive oil
tin foil
Sandwich buns
butter
Parmesan cheese (dairy or non dairy)
garlic salt
pepper

Here's what you do:
clean the mushrooms with a small spoon, scraping out the black gills and trimming off the stem. Place them on a grill pan and drizzle olive oil over both sides. Salt them generously. Start grilling them slowly, flipping them every so often. You don't want them to become brown, just soft and juicy. The salt will bring out lots of juice and that's good. Cover them with foil and allow them to cook for at least 20 minutes, flipping them once in a while. They are done when a knife slips easily into the center of the mushroom.

In the mean time, make the best garlicky Parmesan toast with your buns. The buns do not need to be hot at meal time; they can sit around a bit before serving the sandwiches.

That's it!

Artichoke and Carrot Top Pesto Stuffed Mushroom

   Vegan Month of Food
"Lines and Light"
(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

Bright orange surprise under dark earth; waiting to be yanked by green hair

Day 14 - Re-purposing Food

Show us what you do with mushroom stems, stale end bits of bread, carrot tops, etc
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

 

Stuffed mushrooms don’t need to be complicated, unless you are making your own carrot top pesto to mix into the stuffing! Seriously, it wasn’t that tricky and since I was planning to make the carrot top pesto anyway, I decided to add some to the mushrooms. Delicious!

I also think stuffed mushrooms can serve as an entre and not only as an appetizer. That’s how we ate them and thankfully, there were plenty for the two of us.

Here’s what you need:
10 oz large white mushrooms, stems removed and minced

8 artichoke quarters, (packed in water) minced

2 scallions, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Dried basil and parsley

Paprika

2 T olive oil – divided

2 rounded T carrot top pesto (recipe below)

2 rounded T cashew parmesan

2 rounded T seasoned bread crumbs

½ C dry white wine

Here’s what you do:

Saute the mushroom stems, artichokes, scallions, and garlic in 1 T oil. Add the herbs and paprika to taste. Salt and pepper is good here too. When the mixture is nice and soft, remove to a bowl and add the pesto, Parmesan, and bread crumbs. Divide evenly between the mushrooms, drizzle remaining olive oil over each cap and sprinkle wine over it all. Bake covered (350 degrees) for about 10 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Here's how to make Carrot Top Pesto:

Drop a few garlic gloves into a running food processor. This is a good way to mince the garlic. Add a 1/4 C of sliced or slivered almonds, a bunch of carrot tops (stems discarded), some olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt. Process until kind of smooth. Be ready to scrape down the sides of the processor. 

Asparagus and Mushroom-Walnut Pate en Croute

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"
(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

Day 4: Worst Catered Meal
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

"Light on a Thankful Bounty"
(October always makes me thankful.)

The worst catered meal I was ever served was many years ago. I was a new vegan, and the hostess kindly requested that the kitchen make a special meal for me. Great, I thought! We sat down to eat and everyone tucked right into their chicken breasts, their roast beef, their salmon fillets and I just sat there, waiting. I was pretty excited to see my 'special meal' because their plates were piled high with veggies - salad, baked potato, asparagus, etc. 

When my meal finally arrived, it was (and I am not even exaggerating one tiny bit) only a thin layer of puff pastry with three (THREE) pieces of asparagus tucked in it. No salad, no potato, no extra veggies on the plate....no sauce, no dressing, no condiments whatsoever. 

I can remember feeling super embarrassed, but now I realize, this meal had nothing to do with me. The chef simply was not prepared to handle a vegan meal. His fault, not mine. 

Because I've had that meager meal in the back of my mind for all these years, today's topic was a cinch for me. Check out MY vegan asparagus in puff pastry! NICE! Fit for a vegan or a king. 

Here's what you need:

2 pieces puff pastry - thaw according to package (only about 40 minutes, I think)

1 lb button mushrooms, diced

1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, discarded. Dice the tops

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T non-dairy butter

1 C walnuts

1/4 C panko bread crumbs

2 T dried parsley

1 lb fresh asparagus, lightly steamed and set aside

4-6 thick slices of roasted tomatoes (probably NOT store bought.... fresh might work well also)

Here's what you do:

Saute the mushrooms in the butter until quite juicy and soft. Then add the garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes. 

See how chunky?

In a food processor, add the walnuts, mushrooms, bread crumbs, and parsley. Process just a bit - leave it kinda chunky. The moisture in the mushrooms will be enough for it to form into a type of 'pate.' 

Build your creation on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 

Serve lots of veggies on the side.

Spread the mushroom mixture on one piece of puff pastry, extending about 1/2 inch from the edges. cover the mushrooms with roasted tomatoes, and then place the asparagus over it all. I got fancy with my second layer, but just plopping it on the top would be equally delicious. Use a fork to seal the two layers. 

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. 

Allow to cool a bit, use a serrated knife, serve with pride! I'm pretty happy with this meal! 

Chinese Tofu, Mushroom, and Jicama Lettuce Cups

The first time I made this, I followed the instructions exactly as written. It involved dragging out the wok and frying each ingredient individually, including the nuts! I remember that it felt a bit ‘fussy’ for Asian food.

Tofu: Before

Last night, I prepped all the veg, fried the tofu and set it aside, and dumped all the rest in at once. Added the sauce when everything was nice and soft and beginning to brown. Returned the tofu, and voila! Dinner was ready.

Tofu: After

Now that I’ve simplified (and modified from all the unusual Asian ingredients, not commonly found in my pantry), this meal becomes easy for a weekday. Don’t hesitate to try this.

Note: these amounts made enough for 3 hungry adults. (2-3 lettuce cups each.) This recipe would be a cinch to double.

Here’s what you need:

1 block extra firm (or firm) tofu

1 T rice vinegar or mirin

1 T soy sauce

2 t cider vinegar

4 T hoisin sauce

2 t chili paste (Sambal oelek….or I guess you could use Sriracha)

1 t corn starch

1 C Portobello mushrooms (shiitakes would be great too!)

3 scallions

3 cloves garlic – minced or pressed

1 inch fresh ginger- minced

½ C jicama (about the size of a small apple)

2 celery stalks

¼ C salted peanuts

Cilantro

Lettuce (prepped for use as a cup. Choose a butter lettuce or a large iceberg)

Here’s what you do: (the easy way)

Cut the tofu in ¼ inch slabs and place on a few clean kitchen towels which are arranged on the cutting board. Wrap them up in more towels and place another cutting board on top of it all. Place a heavy object, like a cast iron skillet, on the top and walk away. Allow liquid to press out. After 30-60 minutes, the tofu will be nice and dry. This process can be done much earlier in the day.

Prepare the sauce by mixing the two vinegars, soy sauce, hoisin, chili paste and corn starch. Set aside.

Prep the veg by mincing it all in ¼ inch dice. Remember, it will be served in a piece of lettuce, so it needs to be a pretty small dice.  You should end up with about 2 cups of veg. Put it all in the same bowl.

Prep the tofu by cutting it in ¼ inch dice.

Chop the peanuts and prepare the cilantro – set those aside. Make sure the lettuce is clean and cold.

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan or pot (or wok if you’re feeling fancy) Fry the tofu. It’ll get really chewy, so take it out when it’s to your liking. I did mine very well and loved it. Remove the tofu and set aside.

Brown all the veg at once and stir and heat until it’s soft and getting a bit brown. Add the tofu and peanuts and reserved sauce (You want to reactivate the cornstarch before adding by giving it a stir). The mixture will thicken up very quickly. Remove to a serving platter and add a liberal amount of cilantro.

Serve in prepared lettuce leaves.

Easy Vegan Gravy

Here's a simple recipe that packs a perfect punch when you need a quick gravy. I served it over a creamy cauliflower and potato mash. Please notice the gorgeous Portobello Wellington on the plate also! You can't believe how easy that Wellington is....find the recipe HERE.

Easy Vegan Gravy
 
Here's what you need:
1/2 C flour
1/2 C nutritional yeast
pinch oregano
pinch black pepper
olive oil
soy sauce
soy milk

Here's what you do:
In a cast iron skillet, toast the flour, yeast, oregano, and pepper. When you see the flour browning and it starts to smell toasty, blend in just enough olive oil to create a roux. Stir and whisk and stir and whisk. Add water and soy milk to create a gravy that is a pleasing consistency. At the end, add a few shakes of soy sauce.

Festive Portobello Mushroom Wellington from Bosh!

The most difficult part of this beautiful recipe is finding chestnuts. I had never used chestnuts in any capacity, so I was really interested to taste them and learn that they have a very meaty taste and texture. Luckily, I found whole, cooked, and peeled nuts. I can’t imagine the amount of work involved to peel and roast (or steam?) 2 Cups of chestnuts, so look all over your town for prepared nuts….and then forge ahead! This is really a simple recipe and such a beautiful presentation! I am going to remember this for Thanksgiving or Christmas or a dinner party or when company is coming or Sunday dinner or ….. whenever!

I served my wellington with mashed potatoes, peas, and a mushroom gravy. Festive, indeed!

Here’s what you need (directly from the Bosh! Facebook page)

4 portobello mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T fresh thyme (I used 1 t dried)

1 T fresh rosemary (I used 1 t dried)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 red onion, minced

1 T fresh rosemary (I used 1 t dried)

Salt and pepper

1 C white wine (dry)

½ T brown sugar

2 C chestnuts

2 C pecans

2 slices seeded bread

½ C vegetable broth

Short crust pastry (I used 2 sheets of puff pastry)

½ C non-dairy, unsweetened milk

Here’s what you do:

Thaw the puff pastry according to the package.

Clean, trim, and roast the mushrooms. I like to scrape out the black gills, but for this recipe, I left the stem intack. Season them with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and a splash of olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Make sure they are nice and soft.  Allow to cool.

Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add rosemary thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the wine and simmer for a bit. Add the brown sugar and caramelize the onions. Set aside.

Process the chestnuts, pecans, and bread in a food processor until it’s all crumbs. Pour into a large bowl and add the onion mixture and mix well. Slowly add the veg broth until the mixture clumps up … not too wet, not too dry. Your hands are the best tool here. 

Here comes the fun part. Place the pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet. Arrange a large amount of the nut mixture over one sheet of pastry, forming it into a long oval of sorts. You’ll need to leave about 1 inch all around the edges. Arrange the four mushrooms over the nuts and then arrange the remaining nut mixture over the mushrooms. For me, it was difficult to get all the nut mixture in, but use whatever you can. The mushrooms should all be encased in the nut mixture. (A hint for the mushrooms: place one right side up, then the next one upside down, then the next one right side up, and the last one upside down. Snuggle them in nice and tight.)

Place the second sheet of pastry over the mound of goodness and crimp the edges with a fork. Trim and use the excess pastry to decorate the top of your wellington. Use a fork to make air holes. Brush the pastry with milk.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, but be sure to check it once in a while.

Cool for a bit and slice carefully with a serrated knife.

Parmesan and Herb Mashed Cauliflower Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

I live in a tiny village. One small grocery store (that does not carry tofu), one small Dollar Store (that sells great canned refried beans), one little coffee shop (it’s NOT Starbucks), and one drug store (walking distance from my home and a regular stop when I run errands).

We DO have a fantastic bakery (I’ve been known to eat a cookie or two) and butcher shop (I’ve never stepped foot in it), and we DO have a great library (if they don’t have the book, they will gladly send for it). 

I didn’t grow up in a small town, so it’s always nice to be reminded of the ‘small-town’ feel that surrounds me. People smile and say hello! We wave at each other! Our community Facebook page is *mostly* filled with praise for local businesses, tips on local services, and compliments on particular events. (Oh, we do have our complainers, but let’s ignore them for now.)

Last week at the grocery, Dawn (my cashier, the daughter of my neighbors, and at whose home we store our boat all winter), commented on my mushroom purchase. We had a nice little mushroom conversation; other people in line even chimed in. So nice. Small town. Friendly. Hopefully, I educated about what to do with large, beautiful, delicious Portabella mushrooms.

I hate the name of this recipe, but I wanted to get in all the elements. Please try this! I’m planning to serve this the next time I have a dinner party. A true culinary creation!

Here’s what you need for the Parmesan and Herb Mashed Cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets, non-dairy butter, non-dairy milk

½ C cashew Parmesan (1 C raw cashews, ¼ C Nutritional Yeast, 1 t salt, high speed blender)

Lots of fresh herbs (basil, chives, cilantro, dill, parsley)

Here’s what you do:

Place the prepared cauliflower florets in boiling water and cook until very soft. Place in food processor and whirl until creamy. Add margarine, salt and pepper, and only a tiny bit of milk. Use a spatula to encourage any stray pieces to stay under!

Add the Parmesan and herbs and whirl until blended. Season with salt and pepper. You’ll have way more than you need for 4 giant mushrooms, but you can eat the leftovers exactly like mashed potatoes.

Here’s what you do for the portabellas:

Remove the stem and gills from the underside of the mushroom using a small spoon. Cook on a grill pan, drizzling a tiny bit of oil on the round side of each mushroom. A little salt will help draw out some of the mushrooms’ moisture, and that’s a good thing. Turn the mushrooms over once in a while and do not rush them….you want them completely cooked and knife tender. Use a foil tent to help them steam a bit. They're not going to fall apart, so keep grilling them till they're nice and soft. 

Remove the mushrooms to a baking sheet. Fill with the cauliflower mash. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. DIVINE!!! Super elegant! 

Mushroom Quesadilla

Day 23: Fusion Challenge

This was the most difficult post of the entire month for me! Ahhhh! I couldn't come up with anything remotely 'fusiony challengey'.....My brain was on freeze..... So I made a mushroom quesadilla with my homemade almond cheese. 

I remember having quesadillas with only cheese, or maybe a smear of refried beans if I was feeling fancy. These days, I put whatever I want between tortillas  - it's all good! 

Sorry....no fusion here. Just tasty food. 

Millet, Tempeh, and Mushroom Patties

Gosh, we've eaten some awesome food this summer. From a spectacular striped bass on Martha's Vineyard to a Beet Reuben in Pentwater, Michigan, our meals have been remarkable. The bass was caught that morning by the chef who prepared it. How could I turn that down? The restaurant was nothing spectacular from the street (Square Rigger, I believe it was called, in Edgartown), and the decor was average, but the food was superb. If you ever get an opportunity to visit Martha's Vineyard be absolutely sure to visit the Polly Hill Arboretum. Even if you don't love trees and gardens, you'll be impressed by the beauty and tranquility of this place.

Beet Reuben was not on my radar to eat, but I decided to give it a try. It tasted exactly like what you are imaging.... sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, swiss cheese and roasted beets. All on a grilled marbled rye. Amazing. And beautiful I might add. Our waitress had never tried it (I got the impression that she was afraid of so many veggies), but she said everyone loved it. Me too.

This millet patty recipe came from a magazine that is on display at the local health food store. I have gotten some of my favorite recipes from that tiny publication!

Here's the magazine photo - you can see why I decided to make it! I love gorgeous food. Look at that tiny slice of shiitake mushroom nestled in the patty.

Mine didn't quite turn out that pretty and you can't even see the mushroom I tried to showcase in my patties!

I thought these were delicious! I served them with a spicy mayo and a heap of mushrooms and veggies from my garden. They were a bit too mushy for my husband's taste. They definitely did not firm up. Even now, I notice the recipe refers to these as 'tender.' That's correct!

Millet, Tempeh, and Mushroom Patties (deliciousliving.com March 2013)

1/2 C uncooked millet, rinsed

1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 C)

1 1/2 C veg broth

1 T sesame oil

1/2 C sliced shiitake mushrooms

4 oz tempeh, crumbled into small bits

1 small bunch green onions, white and some green parts

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T soy sauce

2 T mirin

1. Cook the millet, sweet potato and veg broth for about 25 minutes. Covered. Simmer. Mash with potato masher to combine well and distribute the sweet potato.

2. Saute the mushrooms, tempeh, garlic, and onion in sesame oil until brown and delicious.  Deglaze the pan with the soy and mirin.

3. Combine everything and when cool enough, form 'patties.' They will be very soft. Don't bother decorating the patty with a pretty mushroom!

4. Sautee in veg oil till brown. Serve with chipotle mayo. 

Chunky Portabella Veggie Burgers (from The Kitchen Whisperer)

This recipe was floating around my Facebook page a few months ago. I kept looking at it and looking at it and looking at it.  If you peek HERE at the original photos at TheKitchen Whisperer, you'll see a most gorgeous burger, shiny, grilled to perfection. Who wouldn't want to eat it? I simply had to try them!

My burgers and photos are a bit more dull and flat, but the burger was delectable! I served it with a chickpea salad that had a lime dressing and some rice to which I added the remaining broccoli and some green onions.

I think this burger could be improved by drizzling something great over them.....a roasted tomato dressing? A jalapeno crema? Cilantro pesto?  Another tiny complaint - the recipe was huge! Do you see those 9 gigantic burgers? They did not hold up very well as leftovers.....tasted fine, but turned into a type of 'Portabella/broccoli/black bean casserole.' No worries, we ate them all. Stuffed them in pita bread, rolled them in tortillas, packed them for lunches.

Thanks to The Kitchen Whisperer for an excellent recipe - Go check out the recipe and try these hearty burgers! 

Mushroom and Cannellini Paprikas - Isa Chandra Moskowtiz

Look what I found on my camera, buried underneath all the photos of various this and that. A photo of a beautiful meal I made last summer (notice the summer dishes and the deck table.) I remember that we loved this dinner - as you know, we devour mushrooms like there's no tomorrow. I can highly recommend anything from Isa Chandra Moskowitz - her recipes are easy to make and very tasty. She did not disappoint on her variation of paprika. The original recipe can be found in "Appetite for Reduction" and I probably made a few changes --- like eliminating the smoked paprika for regular paprika.

I can't tell if I served the goodness over mashed potatoes or caulipots.... either way would be good. And I bet that's fresh parsley from my little deck garden. You can find the recipe all over the internet, or do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this excellent cookbook. 

Burgundy Mushrooms (a 9 hour recipe)

More mushrooms. I know! I know! Sorry. But these are very special. "The best mushroom experience of your life," according to the Food Network Magazine, December, 2014. My photo is exceptionally bad…. So embarrassed. Be sure to serve these babies with lots of crusty bread to soak up the buttery burgundy sauce. Heavenly as it, or with pasta, pizza, salad, any kind of rice. Literally, they melted in my mouth. I couldn't get enough, which was a problem because I took them to a party and you know what that's like....you *should* be tasting everyone else's food, but you only *want* to eat yours. Been there? This recipe made way too many – next time I will cut it in half for a more manageable amount. 

4 pounds white button mushrooms

2 sticks butter (I used Earth Balance. Next time I will reduce this amount)

4 cubes chicken bouillon

4 cubes beef bouillon 

( I used 2 cubes vegetable bouillon - it was plenty. Be careful not to add too much sodium)

1 t dill seeds (I used dried dill)

5 cloves garlic

1 liter burgundy wine or other dry red wine

1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce

Put everything in a large Dutch oven. Pour 2 C boiling water over all. Stir. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and simmer for 6 (yes, six) hours. Remove lid, simmer for another 3 (yes, three) hours. 

The Really Hungry Burger –from Veganuary

Great for you mushroom addicts out there. Also great for those of you who are toying with the idea of going vegan. The recipe is a solid ‘A’ and the program ‘Veganuary’ is solid too. Basically, the good folks at Veganuary are challenging everyone to go vegan for the month of January. Guess what? It’s not too late! What are you waiting for? At least try their burger? 

Recipe found here and photos found below.... don't be too judgy when you compare my photo to their photo..... 

Yes, that a Medjool date in there..... somehow, it worked!
The binder is beans, parsely, Tahini, garlic, etc
Mix it with sauteed Portabello mushrooms, bread crumbs, etc
Fry in some oil, serve with the usual suspects.

Marinated Mushrooms – from “Vegan Finger Foods”

I am having lots of fun working my way through my new cookbook, “Vegan Finger Foods” by Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes. Click back a bit on the blog to see their amazing (and unusual) Brewpub Cauliflower Dip.  As I wrote then, and repeat now, I can’t believe the strange combination of ingredients in that dip. Somehow they work!

The cookbook also has a great stuffing for jalapeno peppers. Again, unusual ingredients, but they come together beautifully. I have a freezer full of jalapenos from my bumper crop last summer, so it’s poppers, poppers, and more poppers around here. I imagine this beany-creamy-lemony stuffing would be good on a pizza as well ….. I’ll let you know.

Today I present the Marinated Mushrooms from “Vegan Finger Foods.” No unusual ingredients here: olive oil, lemon, herbs, vinegar. So incredibly simple and amazingly delicious. I liked that the ‘shrooms are fresh, and not cooked. Not only were these great as a finger food, they would be great on pasta, salads, or stuffed in a tortilla. 

Grilled Portobello Sandwich

I copied this meal after one we ate recently at a one of our favorite restaurants in Douglass, Michigan called Everyday People. The pickled cukes and onions put this simple sandwich over the top …. and a garlicky grilled bun – well, don’t get me started. We love this place. It’s nestled in such a quaint and cozy corner of our gorgeous state. If you are ever driving through west Michigan, I high recommend it. And if you’ve never been to nearby Saugatuck, Michigan, you must put it on your bucket list. Both tiny cities – Douglass and Saugatuck – are quintessential Michigan. Art, food, bars, water, boats, shopping and the most darling neighborhoods you can imagine!

Not only does Everyday People serve this fab Portobello Sandwich, they offer a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar, where you can spice it up as much as you want. PLUS they have never ending champagne if you’re interested in that type of headache! J Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Here’s what you need:

Portobello mushroom caps

Cucumber

Red onion

Red wine vinegar

Good sandwich rolls, ciabatta for example

Here’s what you do:

Peel and slice the cuke and onions paper thin. Sprinkle red wine vinegar over the veg and allow to marinate for a few hours. You’ll be surprised at how quickly this becomes pickled.

Just before meal time, prepare the mushrooms by removing the tough stem. I used to remove the gills, but it doesn’t make a big difference  if you leave them. Grill the mushrooms over medium heat on a skillet or grill pan which has been lightly oiled. You want them tender and juicy. I salted mine about half way through to remove some liquid. Don’t let them dry out. The entire grilling process might take 10-12 minutes depending on the pan you use and the amount of heat you use.

In the meantime, make the absolute best garlic toast for your buns – butter, garlic salt, pepper, parmesan, basil, parsley, etc….whatever you use for your best garlic toast. Warm the buns gently in the oven and give them a toast at the end under the broiler.

Assemble the sandwich, being generous with the veg. Hubby put goat cheese on his  sandwich,  but it was excellent without it.

Two Soups for Teacher

Soba Noodle Soup

Two amazing soups from “The Vegan Table” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Both eaten at my desk at school. Same week. Same pile of papers.  Notice the panda bear coffee cup.

Potato Leek Soup

If you don’t have this cookbook, then I recommend you rush to the library or book store and pick up a copy. Every recipe I have tried has been perfect. I especially love the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake which I’ve made at least 3 times in the past year. Included in the cookbook is Colleen’s famous Garlic and Greens Soup, which I hear is heavenly!

Just photos today – you’ll have to purchase the book to get the details!