We had a big group this year, twelve guests in total, so we cleared all the furniture out of the living room and moved in some tables.

Dave decided we needed a fancy menu like a fancy restaurant…

We prepared a huge meal, so I kept the appetizers light – grapes, veggies, crackers and cashew cheese spread.

The whole spread…The green bean casserole is my recipe, with canned fried onions on top.  Dave was in charge of the sourdough stuffing, which included homemade mushroom broth and lots of fresh herbs.  For the mashed potatoes, I simmered smashed garlic cloves in the almond milk while the potatoes cooked, to have the garlic flavor without the garlic pieces.  I also mixed in truffle salt and white pepper.  They were quite the tasty potatoes.  You can’t see the braised greens here, but they were slow cooked with onion, garlic, fresh tomato and homemade vegetable broth.

I also made Oh She Glows Fluffy Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, except I let them go too long on the second rise and they turned into cut-apart diner rolls.  Even so, they were light and tasty.  As a special treat, I also made “honey butter” using Earth Balance and Just Like Honey Rice Nectar.  I used to love biscuits with butter and honey, and not having had honey in over six years, I really liked the Just Like Honey.  It has that sweet tang that I remember honey having.

I didn’t want to have to prepare an entree for myself, so I bought a Field Roast Celebration Roast and just zapped it in the microwave.  It turned out a little dry, so the canned cranberry sauce was a nice accompaniment.  I was going to make some gravy but ran out of time; I missed it a little but certainly had plenty to eat.

Dessert was a whole ‘nother extravaganza.  The three pies were store bought because, you know, six desserts are better than three!

By request, I made pumpkin whoopie pies with cream cheese frosting, which are always a hit.

This is The PPK’s Triple Apple Cider Bundt Cake Stuffed with Apples, which was really tasty!  My glaze, sadly, was too thin, but it was yummy nonetheless.

Lastly, Gingerbread Biscotti from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.  I had never made biscotti before, and it’s quite easy.  You just make regular cookies in log form, bake, cool, slice, and bake again.  Takes a little longer, but the crispy-chewy bite is definitely worth it.  These guys were dark and spicy and gingery, and definitely more-ish even at the end of a big feast.

Dave has been wanting to go to Chez Panisse in Berkeley for quite some time, and he has also wanted to see Beethoven’s 7th performed live, and for his birthday present I set out to make them both happen in one night.  I had heard that Chez Panisse could accommodate vegan diners, but upon calling to inquire I was told that they stick to their nightly menu with no alterations.  They suggested their upstairs cafe instead, which serves the same style of food in a more accessible menu with more choices.  When I called again to make the reservation, they said that they don’t necessarily cater to vegans, but that it would probably be possible to find something to eat on the menu.  Their menu changes daily, so it was a bit of a gamble!

Luckily, my dinner was great.  I asked our waiter right away what he suggested, and he said that the soup that night was completely vegan.

(Horrible photo excuse:  The menu explicitly asked diners not to use their cell phone at the table, so I snapped these as quickly as possible to try to remain inconspicuous.)

This is beet and ginger soup with cumin, turmeric and mint.  The soup was very light in texture, and actually tasted like essence of beet; I couldn’t really taste the mentioned spices.  But, the highlight of the soup was the oil drizzle on top.  I think they cooked green coriander seed in a tiny bit of oil and added it last minute, and those little pops of coriander were delightful.

Our waiter volunteered to ask the chef if they wouldn’t mind preparing a vegan entree for me, and the chef agreed.  I love having a meal made especially for me!  If the chef hadn’t been in the mood, I could have fallen back on a salad or maybe one of the pizettas without cheese.

I was delighted to see this plate.  The base was a variety of shell beans with what I think was cavolo nero, in a delicately flavored olive oil sauce.  Next is a giant crostini with a tangy roasted red pepper spread.  The cherry on top were the eggplant slices, which had to have been slow roasted or braised.  They were incredibly tender.

This little plate was actually on the dessert menu, Medjool and Barhi dates with candied tangerine peel.  I had never had Barhi dates – they were like an amazing caramel custard in a little date package.  The candied tangerine peel was the perfect acidic nibble to cut the sweetness.

Having had such a fantastic experience, I would definitely consider going back to Chez Panisse Cafe.  The staff were very accommodating, and like I said, even if the chef hadn’t made me an entree I could have pieced together a fine meal from the appetizer section.

To start out my Saturday morning, I went for a run along the Truckee River.  There is a pathway along the river which happens to run right through downtown Reno, which made for a really nice run.  There were lots of other people out running, biking and walking their dogs.  Breakfast was a Larabar and a banana which I had brought with me.

For lunch, I headed to Fairly Grounded Too, which I had read about on Vegan Coaches page about dining in Reno.  It’s on Virginia Street a few blocks south of the river, and it’s easy to miss – the sign mostly says “coffee” really big.  Going inside, it’s a modern yet cozy coffee shop with plenty of space for you, your coffee and your laptop.

Their sandwiches and salads are premade and none are vegan, but if you ask the nice people behind the counter they will let you know if anything they have that day is vegan.  This rainbow vegetable soup was recommended; I don’t know if the have it every day or if it’s a special, but it was delicious.  The vegetables were chunky and not overcooked, and there were some interesting spices that I couldn’t put my finger on.  It came with a slice of bread, and they actually had Earth Balance for spreading.

I needed a caffeine fix, so I got a soy latte as well.  This was one of the best soy lattes I’ve ever had, slightly bitter but not too strong.

The girl also mentioned that the biscotti was vegan.  I’m not usually a big biscotti fan, but obviously I had to try it.  It was cherry almond flavor, with both almond extract and chunks of whole almond.  The biscotti was chewy and crispy at the same time, and very good.

That afternoon I had a massage (heaven), and we decided to embark upon the Reno Beer Crawl, which occurs the fourth Saturday of every month.  You buy the glass for five bucks, and can get 6 oz pours at eleven bars for one dollar each.  It was really fun, and a great way to explore more of downtown.

After all that beer and walking around, I was in need of some serious fuel.  We walked down to Pie Face Pizza, as I had heard a rumor that they had vegan cheese.

The rumors were wonderfully true.  Even though it’s not listed on their online menu, they do have Daiya.  This is The Resa specialty pizza – sun-dried tomato, roasted garlic, jalapeno, red onion, spinach, pine nuts, Daiya instead of goat cheese.  It was spicy and garlicy and melty and I ate the whole thing and I’m not ashamed.  Pie Face was a hip and happening place, and I would definitely go back.

Sunday morning I went for brunch at Pneumatic Diner.  I had been there once before for lunch, but it was at a weird time of the afternoon and there was nobody else there, so I wanted to go again when they were more busy.  I was hoping they would have some sort of vegan breakfasty item like pancakes, but they did not.  The menu is massive though, almost too big, so everyone will find something they like.

The breakfast burrito immediately caught my eye, but I think that’s what I ordered the first time I went, so I chose The Vegan Bubba, a sandwich with hummus, red onion, shredded carrot, marinated grilled eggplant and zucchini, and greens.  I chose to add the optional “slab”, which is grilled tofu.

Look at all the deliciousness spilling out!  This was actually a really tasty and satisfying sandwich, despite its apparent simplicity.  It kept me full for a long, long time.

On the way back home, we stopped around 4PM for a late lunch and headed toward a Togo’s, which was in a shopping plaza with not much else.  Walking up to the store, something caught my eye.  It was a sign in the window of Flour Garden Bakery that said “vegan black bean chili”!  Needless to say, I went inside to check it out.

Sadly, they had just put the chili away to freeze (even though it was over an hour until they closed), but luckily they had tofu salad sandwiches on display.  The tofu salad was tasty, but the bakery’s sprouted wheat bread was the real standout.  It was soft, hearty, and a little sweet, the perfect sandwich bread.  If you ever happen to be hungry near exit 199C on I-80, pull over and find Flour Garden.  It’s a great feeling to find things marked vegan unexpectedly.

That’s it for this rendition of vegan in Reno.  My only regret is that I didn’t get to Freeman’s Natural Hotdogs.  There’s always next time!

A few weeks ago I was trying to figure out what to have for dinner.    I had some sweet potatoes and not much else, so I was going to bake them and eat ‘em with whatever else I could find.  Then for some reason I decided I would try them as raw sweet potato noodles with a tasty sauce, and this meal was born.  I had a hunch that chai spices would go well with the raw alfredo, and I was right.

Raw Chai-Spiced Alfredo Sauce

Use the base recipe for a plain alfredo sauce, or add the extra spices for an unexpected yet tasty flavor combination.

1/2 cup cashews, soaked at least 1 hour and drained
2 tsp tahini
2 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp white miso
1 Tbs chopped onion
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp tamari or nama shoyu
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp each ground white pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander and ginger
dash each allspice, cloves and five spice or star anise
garnish:  nutmeg & black pepper

1. Place the first ten ingredients (cashews through water) in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.  If you want a plain alfredo sauce, stop here and serve garnished with nutmeg and black pepper.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (white pepper through five spice or star anise) and blend to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Serve garnished with nutmeg and black pepper.

Yield: 2-3 servings

Amount Per Serving (for 2 servings)
Calories 297.09
Calories From Fat (60%) 179.6
% Daily Value
Total Fat 21.38g 33%
Saturated Fat 3.82g 19%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 204.49mg 9%
Potassium 243.34mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 19.42g 6%
Fiber 4.46g 18%
Sugar 2.27g
Protein 12.13g 24%

If you’re going to try raw sweet potato noodles I would recommend cutting them really thin using a spiralizer or mandolin.  I cut mine by hand and they were a little too thick.

We got into town late Friday night, and it was around midnight by the time we arrived at the hotel.  I was starving, and this was the only time on the trip I had to settle since most places were closed and we were exhausted.  We ate at the 24 hour coffee shop in TI, where we stayed, and I had a blt with no b and french fries.

The next morning I went for an early run on the strip, which I would highly recommend for anyone who likes to run.  Just make sure to get out there before 9AM so that the sidewalks aren’t too crowded and it’s not too hot.  Breakfast was a Larabar, a banana and iced coffee.

For lunch we decided to check out The Wicked Spoon Buffet at Cosmopolitan.  Looking around online I had seen that it was rated as well as or higher than the Bellagio and Wynn buffets, which are both excellent.  I had no idea what kind of vegan food might be available, but you can always at least find something at a giant buffet.

The line for the buffet was very long, but they had cool food art on the walls.  I really liked this purple and green asparagus photo.  (As with most buffets, I didn’t get to verify that this is all vegan, but used my best judgement.)

First plate:  watermelon gazpacho, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber salad, grilled asparagus, cantaloupe, pretzel roll, green gazpacho.  This was all tasty, and the green gazpacho was the stand out dish.  It tasted like it had tomatillos and jalapeno, and was really bright and fresh.

Second:  seaweed with plain tofu and hot sauce, curried tofu and fall vegetables, veggie sushi.  There wasn’t any veggie sushi on display but the sushi chef was right there making more rolls, so I asked him to make it for me.  I had another little pot of the curry after this plate to make sure I got my money’s worth.

The dessert section had a whole case of gelato, and luckily for me the fruit-based ones were dairy free!  These are pink grapefruit and mango flavors.  The pink grapefruit was really delicious, tart and not too sweet.

That night we hung out at The Wynn.  I think by now all good vegans have heard that Steve Wynn is vegan and made sure that all of his restaurants offered vegan and allergen-free menus, but in case you didn’t know until now – every restaurant at The Wynn has vegan options!  And good ones, too, not like token vegan options that nobody actually wants to eat.

I can’t resist a vegan pizza with “cheese”, so I grabbed dinner at Pizza Place.  This beauty included red onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms, and what I believe to be Daiya.  The crust was really delicious, both chewy and crispy.

Breakfast the next morning was another protein bar, an apple and coffee.  Breakfast seems like it’s usually the hardest thing to find as a vegan, so I always travel with protein bars and fruit.

In addition to its proximity to The Wynn, TI is also right across the street from The Fashion Show Mall, an unlikely source of delicious vegan food.  However, it pays to do your research!

The Red Velvet Cafe is nestled between two escalators in the mall.  Their original location is way far from the strip, and I think this location is fairly new.  Their menu isn’t strictly vegan or vegetarian, but there are plenty of savory options and most of the desserts are vegan.

While waiting for my meal, I enjoyed this dry lemon grass soda.  It was like a less sweet, natural version of Sprite.

For my lunch I ordered the vegan version of the Cuban Press sandwich, which included vegan turkey and cheese, pickles and mustard on hearty sliced wheat bread.  It was hot and melty and wonderful.

The “turkey” was thickly sliced and grilled, and it seemed like a soy product.  It had that meat-like graininess that Tofurkey has, and I really liked it.  I asked the waitress what brand it was, and she said that she thinks they have it specially made.  Too bad, I would love to be able to buy some!

Dessert was a difficult choice considering how many of the cakes, breads and cookies were vegan, but in the end I went with the signature red velvet cake.  The display case was filled with chilled desserts, but this cake came to the table warm.  The icing was surprisingly crumbly yet sweet, and a tasty counterpoint to the rich cake.  I would definitely visit the Red Velvet Cafe again.

For dinner that night we went to the pho restaurant in TI.  This is the vegetarian noodle bowl, which came with fried tofu and onions, a few kinds of mushrooms, peanuts and lots of raw veggies.  I don’t know what they put in this business, but it was fantastically tasty and filling.

Walking back to our room, the v word jumped out at me where I least expected it, on the steak house menu.  It certainly seems that Vegas has become much more vegan friendly over the past few years!  Tal Ronnen and Gardein are taking over.  Fine with me.

For brunch the last day, we headed to The Wynn buffet.  I had heard a rumor that vegan buffet items were actually labeled as such.

The rumors were true!  The downside of food being labeled vegan was that there was sort of a gray area for things that should have been naturally vegan.  The fruit was an easy call, but I was less sure about this cream of wheat, which I think should have been cooked without dairy.

For my second trip through I picked up buckwheat pancakes and rice and bean enchiladas.  I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture before chowing down.  Here is the proof.

Every good breakfast needs dessert!  Grapefruit with mint and a small chocolate chip cookie.

Brunch kept me full for a long while, so I got this burrito in the airport just before boarding.  I was pretty excited to see tofu and broccoli on the menu, but in honesty this burrito was BLAND.  Bland but filling, at least.

In summary, do not be afraid of trying to find vegan food in Vegas.  It is seemingly everywhere!  We’re going back next month and I hope to try out even more restaurants, maybe even a fancy one at The Wynn.

A few weeks ago Dave and I had some friends over to watch the NFL games on Sunday.  Dave was going to smoke some ribs for everyone else and I had a package of tempeh in the fridge.  I wondered what would happen if I smoked the tempeh in the same manner, so I gave it a shot.

I prepared my tempeh pretty much exactly like their meat counterpart.  First, I slathered the tempeh with mustard, which helps the spices stick and forms a sort of coating.  Then, I liberally sprinkled on a spice mix that Dave had made with paprika, onion, garlic, sugar, and probably a few other things.  I smoked the tempeh for just under an hour, flipping it halfway through, then I basted it in a makeshift barbecue sauce which I think included ketchup, apple cider vinegar, vegetarian worcestershire, cayenne and possibly some maple syrup, and cooked for another half hour or so.

(As far as the actual technique of smoking goes, I haven’t a clue.  Dave is in charge of the grills and fires at our house.)

Mmm, meaty!  It almost looks kind of like “real” ribs, right?

The tempeh had a nice crust from the mustard and spices, and was sticky sweet from the barbecue sauce.  It was neither moist nor dry on the inside, and if I make it like this again and aren’t being totally lazy I’d probably steam the tempeh first.  It would have also been nice to have some extra barbecue sauce for dipping because, while the outside was very flavorful, the insides were just plain tempeh.

Chervil, page 113, is a key ingredient of fines herbes, along with chives, parsley and tarragon.  Other flavor matches are leeks, lemon juice and peas, and I served my dinner along with one more match, potatoes.  My original intent was to stuff the herbs inside the tofu, but my tofu slices were pretty thin, so I put the herbs on the outside instead.

Fines Herbes & Dijon Crusted Tofu with Braised Leeks & Pea Puree

The balance of flavors in this dish is great; the leeks are soft and sweet, the tofu is chewy and herbaceous, and the pea puree is salty, tangy and smooth.  Even with multiple strong flavors going on, the delicate fresh herbs shine through.  I had truffled mashed potatoes on the side, but crispy roasted potatoes would be a nice texture contrast too.

Tofu:
14 oz extra firm tofu, patted dry and cut into four slices lengthwise
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 tsp vegetable broth or water
2 Tbs each fresh chervil, tarragon, parsley and chives, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Leeks:
6 medium leeks
1 Tbs Earth Balance
1 cup white wine
2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
Pea Puree:
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp white miso
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbs vegetable broth or water

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and heat a wide pan over medium-high heat.
2. Trim most of the green parts off of the leeks and discard, leaving the white and light green parts.  Trim the root ends, leaving enough so that the leeks hold together.  Cut each leek in half lengthwise then rinse to remove any dirt, separating the layers.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the dijon mustard, vegetable broth, herbs, salt and pepper, and mix well.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil.  Spread some of the mustard mixture thinly on a slice of tofu, then sprinkle with 1 Tbs of panko and pat the breadcrumbs into the mustard.  Place the tofu on the baking sheet breadcrumbs down, and repeat with the rest of the tofu.  Aim to use about half of the mustard mixture on the bottoms of the tofu.
5. Spread the rest of the mustard mixture on the tops of the tofu and sprinkle 1 Tbs of panko on each piece.  Pat the breadcrumbs into the mustard.  Once all of the tofu pieces have been topped with breadcrumbs, spray with oil.
6. Bake the tofu for 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, melt the Earth Balance in the hot pan.  Add the leeks cut side up and cook for a few minutes, until browned.  Flip the leeks and continue to cook for a few minutes.
8. Add the wine to the pan (it will hiss), then drizzle the agave nectar over the leeks and sprinkle in the lemon zest and salt.  Shake the pan to combine.
9. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, and braise the leeks for 30 minutes, until a sharp knife is easily inserted near the roots.  Most of the liquid should have evaporated.
10. While the tofu and leeks are cooking, prepare the pea puree.  Place all puree ingredients (peas through vegetable broth) in a food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
11. If the tofu is not browned on top after baking 30 minutes, place it under the broiler, watching very carefully, for a minute or two, just until browned.
12. To serve, lay three leeks on each plate.  Place a piece of tofu on top of the leeks, then a dollop of pea puree on the tofu.

Servings: 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 357.89
Calories From Fat (24%) 86.22
% Daily Value
Total Fat 9.67g 15%
Saturated Fat 1.86g 9%
Cholesterol 0.06mg <1%
Sodium 756.94mg 32%
Potassium 402.26mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 42.68g 14%
Fiber 6.28g 25%
Sugar 11.79g
Protein 16.49g 33%

I’m not sure why I chose scones, but I think the biscuity texture went really well with the apples and rosemary, kind of skirting the line between a sweet treat and a savory bread.  These were a little bit of work to put together, but worth it, in my opinion.  The cream cheese is a special surprise on the inside; if you don’t want to bother, just skip that step!

I used some spelt flour in combination with all purpose because I thought the nutty flavor would go well with the rest of the ingredients.  I was worried about overworking the dough, as can happen with scones, but the consistency turned out great.  They’re soft and a bit crumbly but not heavy or too moist, and you get sweetness from the apples without adding very much sugar to the mix.  The rosemary turns into a background flavor, lacing an herbiness throughout.  One of these babies was hefty enough to stand in as my dinner one night, along with a banana and some carrot pickles.

Cream Cheese-Stuffed Spelt, Apple and Rosemary Scones

2 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 Tbs minced fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
1 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup Earth Balance, cold
6-8 Tbs soy creamer
4 Tbs vegan cream cheese

1. Heat a small pot over medium heat.  Add the apples, rosemary and a pinch of salt and saute 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened.  Add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Mix the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Cut in the Earth Balance using a pastry cutter until there are no large pieces and the mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Stir in 6 Tbs creamer, just until the flour mixture is moistened.  Add more soy creamer by the tablespoonful, if needed, just until the mixture comes together.  It is okay if there is a little unincorporated flour as long as the mixture holds when pressed together.
4. Gently fold in the apple mixture.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll in the flour to coat.  With floured hands, knead gently 8times.  Add more flour to prevent sticking as needed.
6. Pat the dough into a 1/2 inch-thick circle.  Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut as many circles as possible.  Move six of the circles to an parchment-lined baking sheet, and place a rounded teaspoonful of cream cheese on each circle.  Gather the dough scraps together, pat to 1/2 inch-thick, and cut more circles.  You want to have 12 total.  Place six rounds on top of the rounds on the baking sheet and press lightly around the edges to seal.
7. If the dough gets warm while you’re working with it, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill.
8. Brush the top of each scone with soy creamer and press a small rosemary sprig on top.
9. Bake 15-18 minutes, until the scones are turning golden and the tops don’t give in to the touch.  Immediately remove from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.  Serve warm.

Yields:  6 scones

Amount Per Serving
Calories 299.81
Calories From Fat (40%) 118.43
% Daily Value
Total Fat 13.06g 20%
Saturated Fat 3.89g 19%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 555.5mg 23%
Potassium 145.35mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 42.63g 14%
Fiber 3.9g 16%
Sugar 14.18g
Protein 4.68g 9%

(not easy to get a good picture of a jar of pickled carrots)

In living up to the nature of Flavor Bible Week, I just put some of the flavor matches together and came up with a recipe.  Four of the flavors listed were cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and juniper berries, and to me they just screamed “Pickle something!”.

Sweet & Spicy Scandinavian-ish Quick Pickled Carrots

These carrots were even more tasty than I expected!  They are a bit sweet and very tangy, and there is an strong underlying flavor of spice without any of the spices overpowering another.  They are best straight out of the brine, with a little still clinging to the carrots.

Equipment needed:  quart-sized mason jar or heat-proof bowl.

1 lb carrots, peeled & cut into sticks no more than 1/2-inch wide
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs salt
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
4 juniper berries
clove garlic, smashed
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger

1. Place the carrot sticks in the jar or heat-proof bowl.
2. Bring all other ingredients (water through garlic) to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
3. Carefully and slowly pour the brine over the carrots, and allow to cool to room temperature.  Seal the jar or cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
4. Eat within a month.

Servings: 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 57.4
Calories From Fat (3%) 1.65
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0.23g <1%
Saturated Fat 0.04g <1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 913.33mg 38%
Potassium 216.5mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 15.08g 5%
Fiber 2.58g 10%
Sugar 8.94g
Protein 0.63g 1%

My second ingredient for Flavor Bible Week is mushrooms, specifically shiitakes, from page 228.  The flavor matches that jumped out at me were bacon, celery root, lemongrass, onion and soy sauce.  Another flavor match listed was soup, so that is what I made.

If you’ve never cooked with celery root (aka celeriac), give it a try!  Once you get past the nubby exterior it’s easy to work with.  Celery root lives up to its name; it tastes like celery but feels like a root vegetable.

Celeriac & Caramelized Onion Soup with Lemon grass and Shiitake Bacon

The lemon grass and onion highlight the creamy celeriac soup, while the shiitake bacon is the real star.  This recipe gives you enough mushrooms to have a piece with almost every bite.  The shiitake bacon method is borrowed from the Bauman College cookbook.

1 Tbs olive oil
large sweet onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 lbs celeriac, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
4 cups vegetable broth or water
stalk lemon grass, smashed and cut into 6-inch pieces
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
dash salt, or more to taste
dash ground white pepper
1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced very thinly
1 Tbs coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbs tamari

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, stir to coat, and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, until caramelized and slightly browned.  Watch to make sure the onions don’t burn or get too dry.
3. Turn up the heat to medium high.  Add the garlic and poultry seasoning and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Add the celeriac, vegetable broth or water and lemon grass.  Cover, turn the heat up and bring to a boil.
5. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer 20 minutes, covered, until celeriac is easily pierced by a fork.
6. Meanwhile, combine the shiitakes, coconut oil, smoked paprika and tamari.  Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, flipping the mushrooms once after 15 minutes.  If smaller pieces start to burn, remove them to a plate as needed.
7. Remove the lemon grass pieces from the pot.  Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches if necessary.  Add the almond milk, salt and white pepper and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
8. Divide the soup among four bowls and top with the mushrooms.  Serve hot.

Servings: 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 288.88
Calories From Fat (26%) 75.72
% Daily Value
Total Fat 8.7g 13%
Saturated Fat 3.72g 19%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 526.39mg 22%
Potassium 1281.21mg 37%
Total Carbohydrates 50.92g 17%
Fiber 8.48g 34%
Sugar 8.52g
Protein 7.64g 15%