Ellen Abraham

Pasta Con Tanti Funghi alla Crema / Pasta with Many Mushrooms Cream Sauce

Pasta with Many Mushrooms Cream Sauce

I made this pasta on my birthday and I am telling you, NO ONE, unless they were crazy, would miss the dairy, butter, or cheese in this recipe. The cashews offer a super creamy, velvety texture; paired with the divine savory intensity of the mushrooms is SUPER FRICKEN YUM. Shitake, porcini, and maitake mushrooms are going to lend the most flavor, however, the combo of onion, garlic, mushroom and wine is LEGENDARY and I wouldn’t be to concerned about your selection. Clearly the above picture was prior to me getting the parsley on it- the parsley adds a level of freshness that is SO YUM, but not required. I have even squeezed fresh lemon into the mix prior to serving- it brightens the deliciousness up but is so not necessary. You could totally make this as a fettucini or linguine, just be sure to thin the sauce a bit so that the mix isn’t too heavy for the pasta. Oh, also…crack a TON of black pepper into the mis ALL ALONG THE WAY.

HAVE FUN!!! I LOVE THIS DISH!

4c mixed fresh mushrooms (shitake, maitake, crimini, portobellos, button), thinly sliced

3T extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1c white wine

1t smoked salt *optional (can use reg pink salt)

1t smoked chipotle powder *optional or 1/2t red pepper flakes

Fresh cracked black pepper- LOTS OF IT

1/4c fresh parsley, minced- reserved for end

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1c raw cashews

2T nutritional yeast

1 clove garlic

1T mellow miso paste

1t ume vinegar

1t brown rice vinegar

1-2c water

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1-pound gluten free pasta- rigatoni, linguine or farfalle- cooked al dente

tossed in 1T vegan butter or olive oil

In a large, heated, skillet or cast iron pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil, hot pepper and onions and sauté until they onions begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and the sliced mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have a golden crust on the edges. Add the wine and sauté and move the mix quickly around the pan. Season the mushroom mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove about 1 cup of the mushrooms and set aside.

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In a blender, add the cashews, garlic clove, miso, vinegars and about a ½ cup of water to get the mix blended. Process until smooth and taste- it should be on the saltier side, you will be adding more water to the sauce.

Add about another cup of water to the cream mixture to thin it out. Add the cream to the mushrooms remaining in the skillet and over medium low heat, incorporate the mushrooms into the cream sauce., add water if it seems to thick, if it seems to watery, let some of the water cook out, gently stirring frequently.

Add the cooked pasta into the skillet of cream sauce and cook just until heated through. Finish with a little bit of vegan butter or olive oil and add in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately. FRICKEN UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS.

Blackberry Maqui Berry Coconut Power Smoothie

Blackberry Maqui Berry Coconut Power Smoothie

Hi antioxidant plant protein raw power. I used frozen blackberries from this past summer that I had squirreled away.

SO FRICKEN YUM

1c nut milk

1T hemp seeds

1t raw agave or raw local honey

1c blackberries

1t Maqui Berry powder

1T chia seeds

1T coconut manna

1t vanilla

1scoop protein powder

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1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Sticky Sesame Ginger Tempeh

This is so delicious, fast and easy to make. I eat this with sprouted quinoa or brown rice with a big side of fresh or sautéed greens.

SO FRICKEN YUM.

Sticky Sesame Ginger Tempeh

1 package of tempeh, cut in half, then evenly into slices

1large clove garlic, smashed and minced

3T extra virgin olive oil

2” piece of fresh ginger, grated

2T unhulled sesame seeds black or white

2T shoyu or tamari

1t hot sesame oil

3T grade B maple syrup or agave

In a large cast iron skillet or frying pan, heat up over medium heat, add the oil and the garlic and distribute the garlic around the pan- add in the tempeh, face down neatly in the pan.

Pan fry for about 2-3 minutes or until browned, then flip- add more oil if the pan is dry, and continue to pan fry until the 2^nd side is golden brown.

Add in the sesame seeds, grated ginger, and the hot sesame oil and turn the heat up to medium high and then deglaze the hot pan with the shoyu/tamari- toss the tempeh in the pan until the pan is dry and all of the sauce is coating the tempeh. Add the maple syrup all over the top and toss quickly to coat. Cook only until the maple syrup begins to caramelize and thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Turn out into a serving dish.

CAREFUL NOT TO TASTE OFF OF ANY SPOONS! CARAMEL IS REALLLLLY HOT AND STICKY!

Carciofi alla Romana (Roman Style Artichokes)

I ate these everyday in Rome. Usually, they are stuffed with the parsley pesto- I however, prefer the raw fresh taste of the garlic and greenness of the parsley so I choose to put it on prior to serving. If stuffing them, simply smash the pesto into the leaves of the artichokes and carefully place them in the cooking pot so as not to tip them over while cooking. If there is extra water when finished cooking, simply cook them uncovered for 5 minutes to let some of the water evaporate out- the cooking liquid, oil is SO delicious you wouldn’t want to waste any of it.

Carciofi alla Romana (Roman Style Artichokes)

3T fresh parsley

2-4 cloves fresh garlic

1/2T pink salt or more to taste

Black pepper to taste

1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 artichokes, halved and trimmed of coarse leaves, choke removed, (when trimeed, set aside immersed in lemon water or else they will brown)

1 lemon, cut into wedges, more if desired

In a large pot, place the artichokes, tightly together. Add in a couple of cloves of fresh garlic, the juice of ½ a lemon, squeezing the wedges and leaving them in the cooking water. Add in about 1/4c of the olive oil. Salt and pepper the artichokes and pour about 2-3 cups of water over them. Bring them to a boil over medium hight heat, once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer on low for 45-60 minutes or until tender.

On a clean cutting surface, mince the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until it makes a dry pesto. In a small bowl, combine the parsley mixture with about 1T of olive oil. Set this aside for when the chokes are done.

When serving, remove the chokes to a platter, serving with the cooking liquid if not to watery, add more fresh lemon and olive oil, salt and pepper. Smear the parsley garlic pesto all ova all of them. Serve at room temperature. Serve with crusty bread or eat them all on their own! BUONNISSIMI.

Strawberry Coconut Power Smoothie

Strawberry Coconut Power Smoothie

1c nut milk

1T hemp seed

1t raw agave or raw local honey

1c strawberries

1T gold flax seeds

1T coconut manna

1t vanilla

1scoop protein powder

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1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Blueberry Macqui Acai Berry Power Smoothie

Blueberry Macqui Acai Berry Power Smoothie

vegan, RAW, awesome

1c nut milk

1T hemp seed

1t raw agave or raw local honey

1T coconut oil

1/2c BLUEBERRIES (fresh or frozen)

1t MAQUI BERRY POWDER

1T Acai Berry Powder

1T chia seeds

1t vanilla

1scoop protein powder

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1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Red lentil Dal with Spinach

I made this tonight- SO delicious..I steamed white basmati rice with cumin seeds and it was a perfect whole, quick, satisfying meal. I had a 1/2 of a fresh tomato left over that needed to be used so I added it to the mix- could use more tomato for sure or omit entirely. Totally gluten free.

I highly recommend. XO

Red lentil Dal with Spinach

1 onion, small dice

1” fresh ginger, grated

2T fresh green curry paste

1t mustard seeds

1t cumin seeds

1t ground cumin

1/4t cayenne pepper or 1 pepperonicini

3T olive oil

1t turmeric powder

1/2t pink salt

1/4t black pepper

1c red lentils, uncooked

3T fresh cilantro, chopped *opt

1 fresh tomato, medium dice *opt

2c fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed

4c water- boiled

In a large pot, heat up the spices; cumin, mustard, turmeric, dried pepper (red and black) until fragrant. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion with the ginger in the olive oil just until golden. Add the tomatoes and lentils and cover with the boiling water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes uncovered or until the lentils have softened. Add the spinach and mix in, cover for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Serve over white or brown basmati rice.

Coconut Cinnamon Cream Power Smoothie

Coconut Cinnamon Cream Power Smoothie

1c fresh coconut meat or 2T coconut manna

1T coconut oil

1t cinnamon

1T chia seeds

1T hemp seeds

1 scoop protein

2t coconut sugar or raw honey

1c nut milk

1t vanilla

1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness etc.

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Coconut Lime Cream Power Smoothie

Coconut Lime Cream Power Smoothie

1/2c fresh coconut meat

1T coconut oil

1T fresh lime

1T chia seeds

1T hemp seeds

1 scoop protein

2t coconut sugar or honey

1c nut milk

1t vanilla

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1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.

Peanut Butter Power Smoothie

Peanut Butter Power Smoothie

1c nut milk

1T coconut oil

2t raw agave or raw local honey

2T peanut butter

1t vanilla

1scoop protein powder

1T chia seeds

1T hemp seeds

pinch Himalayan sea salt

1c ice

Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed

Add the ice and blend just until smooth.