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Thai-Style Coconut + Crabless Soup

I love this broth. It's easy to make and full of clean and rich flavors. I've paired it here with jackfruit as a stand-in for crab and vermicelli noodles, but you can leave the noodles out or sub with ramen or rice and swap out the jackfruit with seared tofu cubes or mushrooms.

There's something so satisfying with making this broth: cutting and smelling the lemongrass, ginger and garlic. Scooping out a knob of fiery red curry paste and watching all of the fatty ingredients create an oily slick that disappears with a stir and reappears again in seconds. The smell is fantastic. Taste as you go, adjusting as you like.

Print Thai-Style Coconut and Crabless Soup

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description

Crabless soup, using jackfruit, in a creamy broth with lemongrass, curry paste and ginger.

Ingredients for the jackfruit crab

• 1, 20 oz. can of jackfruit in brine, drained
• 1 teaspoon kelp granules
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

for the broth

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2-inch piece of ginger, minced
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 10 shiitake mushrooms, bases removed and quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon red curry paste
• 4 cups no-chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised and chopped into 2-3 pieces (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup canned, full-fat coconut milk
• the juice from half a lime (roll the lime on the counter with the palm of your hand before cutting)

to serve

• a few torn basil leaves, lime wedges and the green slices of scallions, for garnish
• vermicelli noodles or rice, for serving

Instructions to prep the jackfruit

1. Preheat oven to 350. Break the jackfruit pieces up with a fork or knife, discarding any tough ends and seeds. Add the kelp granules, stir and then add the grapeseed oil, stirring again. Spread out on a small baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir around on the baking pan and bake until mostly dried out, about 10 minutes more.

to prep the broth

1. In a large pot, warm the toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, ginger, scallions and shiitake pieces and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and saute for three minutes more.
2. Add in the brown sugar, peanut butter and curry paste. Stir everything until well combined, then add in the broth, lemongrass and soy sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high, and allow to come to a small simmer. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer 10-15 minutes more. Remove the lemongrass pieces.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice and turn off the heat. Distribute between two bowls, topping with the jackfruit and basil.
4. Serve immediately with rice or noodles as desired.

Notes

Bruise the lemongrass stalk to coax the most flavor out of it! Remove a few of the tough outer layers and tough tops to expose the softer, pale yellow interior. Give it a firm whack or two against the side of your countertop to loosen up the fibers. Slice lengthwise, then into two or three pieces before adding to the broth. 

<3

Gratitude and favorite finds for this week

Trying to maintain a balance of keeping informed, and knowing when to shut the news off, turn inward, and calm down. Escaping into another TV series also helps. These all offer great ways to do that:

A great podcast for staying informed, while having the right amount of humor to balance out the anxiety.

The present moment is all we have. Feelings are like drops of water in a river; they come and go. The key is bringing love and attention to all emotions—especially difficult ones—caring for them as if you would a small child. The one thing that can lift us out of past and reduce worry about the future is bringing attention our breath, which anchors us and reminds us that the only reality that exists is the present moment, right now.

We are finishing up Season One of Search Party and I'm obsessed. Great characters and enough mystery to keep us wanting to devour the next episode.

translate | Fri, 15 Jan 2021 14:31:17 +0000

French Onion and Seitan Ramen

A bowl of rich broth, kissed with warm spices, loaded with buttery+caramelized onions and topped with ramen noodles and seared seitan … perfect cold weather food! This recipe is modified and veganized from Bon Appétit's French Onion Beef Noodle Soup recipe, and the seitan recipe method is adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's basic seitan recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance. It requires a bit of time investment, but worth the work. It makes a lot, and you can freeze the leftover broth and seitan for later.

Start by gathering your ingredients, prepping them and placing them in bowls so they are all ready to go.

There are three parts to this delicious ramen:

1. Seitan (Can and should be made the day before if you want to simply or save time. You can store it in the broth you simmered and refrigerate until ready to use. Store-bought seitan works too.)
2. Caramelized onions (I used a mix of white, red and some shallots—what I already had here—to yield a huge bowl of paper-thin (sliced on a mandoline slicer) onion slices) plus a lot of vegan butter and salt to sprinkle in throughout caramelizing them.
3. Broth, seasoned with scallions, ginger, garlic and warm spices.

Combine the caramelized onions and broth. Ladle into bowls with ramen noodles. Top with seared seitan. Shove into your face.

Print French Onion and Seitan Ramen

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description

A super warm and comforting soup, kissed with fragrant spices and loaded with caramelized onions.

Ingredients for the seitan (can be made the day before)

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 TB dried shiitake mushroom (place 1 large or two small dried shiitakes in grinder and grind into fine powder)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup cold broth
• 1 TB toasted sesame oil
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 TB soy sauce

for the caramelized onions

• 6–10 TB vegan butter, plus more as needed
• 5 lb onions (8–10 big onions) sliced on a mandoline slicer
• salt

for the broth

• 2 TB vegetable oil or refined coconut oil
• 6 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1/3 cup smashed and chopped garlic cloves
• 1 TB grated ginger
• 6 star anise pods
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 12 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TB rice vinegar

to finish

• dried ramen noodle packets, 1 per serving
• reserved green onions
• sesame seeds

Instructions to prepare the seitan

1. In a large prep bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten with the shiitake, onion and garlic powders.
2. Whisk the cold broth and toasted sesame oil together in a measuring cup. Add to the prep bowl and combine with a spatula until the dough comes together.
3. Place the dough onto a work surface and knead for a few minutes. Shape as best you can into a log shape, about 4 inches long.
4. Place the 6 cups of broth and soy sauce into a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
5. Cut the seitan log in half and in half again to make 4 pieces. Drop the pieces into the broth. Partially cover the pot. Make sure the broth stays at a simmer, but not a boil—otherwise, your seitan will get spongy.
6. Simmer for about an hour, turning the pieces every 15 minutes or so.
7. Turn off the heat and let everything cool on the stovetop. This allows a firmer texture to develop.
8. Once completely cooled, transfer the seitan to a cutting board and slice into thin pieces.
9. Reserve the broth to store the seitan in if not using right away.

to prepare the caramelized onions

1. In a large or extra large Dutch oven, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle, add the onions. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your Dutch oven. Don't add in so many you can't stir them. Just let them soften and collapse a little, adding a few pinches of salt and more vegan butter if needed, then add more onions until you can comfortably stir them.
2. Let them develop some color (don't touch or stir too much) over medium-low heat. Once you see some golden color, stir just enough to turn, to promote even cooking. Then you'll need to babysit them, turning every now and then, for about an hour to caramelize and get a little jammy.

to prepare the broth

1. In a large Dutch oven, melt the vegetable or coconut oil over medium heat. Add in the white scallion parts, garlic and ginger and stir, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add more oil or reduce the heat as needed.
2. Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander and stir for about a minute.
3. Add in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits with a spatula. Allow the wine to completely evaporate. Add in the vegetable broth and soy sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Strain the broth to get rid of the cinnamon sticks, anise pods, cloves and coriander seeds. Return the broth back to the pot.
5. Add the caramelized onions to the pot and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add in the soy sauce and rice vinegar if needed.

to finish

1. Add some oil or vegan butter to a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Sear the seitan pieces until golden on both sides, then set aside.
2. Prepare dried ramen noodles according to package instructions. Divide into bowls.
3. Place browned seitan over noodles, and ladle broth into bowls. Top with the scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

The broth freezes well and any leftover seitan can be tossed into sandwiches or stir-frys.

favorite finds + gratitude this week

I'm doing Yoga with Adriene's Breath: A 30-Day Journey before bed each night this month.

I love Adriene's calm voice, slow and intentional movements and reminders to tune into the breath. This practice will mean and be something different to everyone … for me, it's a chance to turn inward, become more observant and calm down. Grateful for this series.

I'm done with beer and wine.

Alcohol has slowly, over the past few years, made me sick. But I love the taste and smell, and the little ritual of drinking a beer with Jeff. He brought home some non-alcohol beer from Athletic Brewing Company and I LOVE IT.

My Octopus Teacher on Netflix

A beautiful+heartbreaking love story.

The Chef Show on Netflix

Watch Chef Roy Choi and writer+director and home cook Jon Favreau cook stuff and eat it.

translate | Fri, 08 Jan 2021 20:31:16 +0000

Lobster Mushroom Tempura, Avocado and Kimchi+Mayo Sushi Rolls

Since it doesn't really feel like the holidays are coming, we're not doing traditionally holiday-ish food on Friday. I tested out these sushi rolls and, they are, ::chef's kiss:: perfectly perfect for us this Christmas. I'll also be busy making this Mongolian "Beef", Firecracker Cauliflower and these sweet potato tempura rolls at some point this week while watching the snow fall and feeling gratitude for what's here and being okay with what is.

I found a decently priced package of lobster mushrooms the other day, so decided to give them a try. Lobster mushrooms are not really mushrooms—they are a fungus that grows on other mushrooms (smart or rude?) that soften up quickly in warm water and have an amazing texture. If the cost wasn't so high, I'd be using them more in chowders and stews but, for now, they are a fun ingredient to use every now and then.

These meaty mushrooms are encased in a crispy tempura shell and paired with rich avocado and creamy+spicy kimchi mayo. It's the perfect little bite! Click here for more vegan sushi ideas and inspo.

Print Lobster Mushroom Tempura, Avocado and Kimchi+Mayo Sushi Rolls

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 rolls

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Ingredients for the sushi rice

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

for the tempura batter + mushrooms

• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup ice cold fizzy water
• 3/4 cup dried lobster mushrooms (about 1 oz.) (reconstitute in warm water for 15–30 minutes, then chop into small pieces to make 3/4 cup)
• canola or grapeseed oil, for frying

for the kimchi mayo

• 1/4 cup chopped vegan kimchi
• 1/8 cup vegan mayo

to finish

• 4 sheets of nori
• 4 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 avocado, sliced thin
• a scallion (sliced thin—green part only)
• soy sauce
• pickled ginger and wasabi, if desired

Instructions To make the sushi rice

1. Place the rice and water into a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer instructions. Once done, season with the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and set aside to cool.

To make the tempura batter + mushrooms

1. Combine the AP flour, cornstarch and baking powder into a large bowl. Add in the ice-cold fizzy water and stir until smooth.
2. Place several inches of oil into a small, cast iron pot (I like this one). Bring it to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. The oil will be ready to use in 5-7 minutes. You can tell when it's ready by inserting a dry chopstick into the hot oil so it touches the bottom of the pot. If bubbles form around it immediately, you are ready to fry.
3. Toss all of the mushroom pieces into the tempura batter. It will be a little goopy. Move the pieces around until they are coated all over. Drop several pieces into the hot oil, one by one, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Allow to fry for a couple of minutes, flip with chopsticks or a skimmer and fry for a minute or two more. Place onto paper towels to drain and repeat the process with the rest of the mushrooms.

To assemble the rolls

1. Divide the cooled rice into 4 portions. Slide a sushi mat into a large Ziploc bag or cover with plastic wrap. Place one sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the mat. Moisten your fingers with some water to prevent rice from sticking to them, then spread the rice evenly over the nori sheet, leaving about an inch exposed at the top. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sesame seeds.
2. With the exposed end away from you, place 4 or 5 pieces of the tempura mushrooms in a line along the side closest to you. Add a couple slices of avocado and about a tablespoon of the kimchi mayo.
3. Roll the sushi away from you, gripping the mat tightly but gently. Once rolled, seal the end with water or add a few grains of rice to the end to help seal.
4. Cut the sushi in half with a very sharp knife (I run the blade under scalding water for a cleaner cut), then each half into halves, then those halves into halves to make 8 pieces.
5. Place onto a serving plate, repeating the process to make 4 rolls. Top with some of the sliced scallions.
6. Serve immediately with the soy sauce and pickled ginger and wasabi.

Notes

This recipe will make more mushrooms and kimchi+mayo than you need, providing a little extra for snacking during prep time. The kimchi mayo is also perfect on burgers!

Happy holidays, everyone! This is my last post for 2020. See you in 2021 for hopefully better times. xo translate | Sun, 20 Dec 2020 19:47:57 +0000

Easy Focaccia

This focaccia is so easy and simple. Crispy on the outside, soft and pillowy inside, and perfect for soaking up vegan butter or garlic butter. Flaky sea salt hides in the little nooks and crannies, creating the perfect bite. It can also be an amazing pizza crust, to top with whatever you'd like.

Start by whisking together yeast, sugar and water.

After 10-15 minutes, the top will get a little foamy.

Place 2 cups AP flour into a large bowl.

Create a well in the center.

Pour your foamy yeasty mixture into the well.

Gently combine with a strong spatula until it starts to come together.

Add a little more water if it's too stiff, a little more flour if it's too wet.

It's ready when the dough starts to pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Flour your workspace.

Place your dough on the floured workspace and knead for about 2 minutes.

The dough should start to feel really soft.

And then it can be easily formed into a ball.

Drizzle the bottom of a glass container with some olive oil. Drizzle some over the top and rub it around so the dough is covered in oil.

Dramatically fold a wet tea towel.

Drape over the top.

Leave it in a warm spot near a warm vent, the top of your refrigerator, on a radiator or in your oven with the light on.

After 45 minutes to an hour, remove the towel and the dough should be doubled in size.

See those little air bubbles?

Punch the dough down to deflate some of that air.

Now knead it again for about 2 minutes on a freshly cleaned and floured surface.

Add some fresh chopped herbs if you want. I used some leftover rosemary, sage and thyme from Thanksgiving.

Again, you'll want the dough to feel soft and smooth.

Press the dough into an oiled cast iron skillet.

Make indentations in the dough with your fingers.

Drizzle some olive oil over the top.

Sprinkle with a generous amount of flaky sea salt. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes.

It's done when the top starts to get golden and your house is filled with the comforting scent of fresh baked focaccia. Any leftover oil that's in the bottom of the skillet? I drizzle it over the top, but it's not necessary.

Cut it into squares or slice like a loaf of bread for sandwiches. This focaccia tastes best if consumed within an hour after coming out of the oven.

More ways to enjoy this focaccia!

Focaccia Pizza topped with Apple, Red Onion and Balsamic Glaze

or with

Vegan Sausage-Stuffed Ravioli

Toasted Ravioli Stuffed with Cultured Cashew Cheese

Baked Pumpkin Ravioli

Creamy + Chunky Pasta Sauce

Print Easy Focaccia

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description

Easy + foolproof focaccia, ready in about an hour and a half!

Ingredients

• 1 package of active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cups AP flour, plus extra for dusting
• olive oil
• flaky sea salt

optional:

• 1 TB chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 TB chopped fresh sage
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Instructions to prepare the dough

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water into a bowl. Let sit for 10-15 or until foamy.
2. Place the flour into a large bowl. Create a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture.
3. Gently stir with a strong spatula until the dough starts to come together. It's ready when it starts to pull cleanly away from the sides. Add a little more flour or a little more water as needed to achieve this result.
4. Dust your countertop with some flour. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes and form into a ball.
5. Oil a clean glass bowl, place the ball of dough inside. Drizzle more olive oil on top so it's evenly coated.
6. Drape a damp towel over the top and place into a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour; it should double in size during this time.
7. Wipe down your countertop so you have a clean surface.
8. Re-flour your countertop. Pull the dough from the container and deflate it by punching it down with your fist. Knead again for about 2 minutes, adding in the chopped fresh herbs if desired.

to bake the focaccia

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Grease a large cast iron skillet with some olive oil. Press the dough into the skillet. Make indentations by poking your fingers into the dough.
3. Top with more olive oil and a generous amount of flaky sea salt.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. The top should start to develop some color; if that has happened, remove from the oven. If not, allow to bake for about 5 minutes more.
5. Transfer the focaccia to a cutting board and serve immediately.
6. Leftovers can be sealed in a plastic containers, but this focaccia tastes best straight out of the oven.

Amazing Reads + Finds this week

We're only halfway into Season Two of The Crown. I don't really know that much about the British Royal Family, but I'm loving getting immersed in this series. Also, how perfect of an actress is Claire Foy?

I'm currently reading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue for a book group I'm in. I'm only halfway through, but obsessed. I love Addie and the way the author takes us back and forth between 1700s France and current-day New York City. When faced with choosing either an everything or nothing sort of life, Addie picks everything, but with one big condition. I don't think I've ever read a book like this before, and I kind of don't want it to end!

Nora McInerny, creator and host of the podcast, Terrible, Thanks for Asking always makes me think long after I finish an episode. I listed to a recent episode with Susan David, author of Emotional Agility. Dr. David talks about the dangers of "toxic positivity" and how putting emotions into a "good" or "bad" box can keep us from feeling fully alive. She says that "being able to hold the so-called positive emotions and the difficult emotions side by side … [is] what actually creates far greater levels of meaning in our life." Emotional Agility is on my list to read and learn from!

translate | Wed, 09 Dec 2020 02:43:47 +0000

Homemade Coffee Sugar Scrub

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Star Market. All opinions are 100% my own.

This homemade face and body scrub is easy to make and a great way to smooth and soften your skin! Gather your base ingredients: ground coffee, brown or white sugar, coarse salt (for the body scrub) and coconut oil. You can add in a little vanilla extract or other scented oils or spices listed below as desired.

To make this face and body scrub, I use Italian Roast Ground Coffee and Pure Cane Granulated Sugar from the Signature SELECT line and OOrganics® Organic Coconut Oil, which are available exclusively in Boston at Star Market stores. If you live outside of the area, you can also find these products exclusively at any of the Albertsons Companies family of stores across the country, including ACME Markets, Albertsons, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw's, United Supermarkets and Carrs. Visit starmarket.com/exclusivebrands to shop online or find a store near you.

Both scrubs yield about a 3/4 cup each, which lasts for a couple of weeks in a sealed mason jar. I use them once or twice a week.

Once you've made and stored away this scrub to use later, settle down and enjoy a cup of coffee! Both can be a great form of self-care. The Signature SELECT Italian Roast is smoky+rich, and the Pumpkin Spice coffee from their Seasons line is spicy+sweet.

Over these past several months, I've been trying to practice more self-care by also:

• Walking outside or taking a yoga class online regularly, and listening to my body and adjusting when I feel pain or discomfort.
• Journaling when I need to dump out things that feel heavy or confusing.
• Blocking off time on Sunday evenings to look at my week ahead and plan it out so it feels productive and balanced.
• Saying "no" clearly, firmly and fairly when I need to.
• Setting aside time to do things that reinforce feeling present and grounded in the moment, and not attached to achieving a specific outcome for someone else, like: knitting, taking care of my plants (I may have bought way too many over the past several months) and drinking some coffee while listening to a podcast.

Practicing self-care in these ways has made my life feel more balanced, allowing more calm in moments of stress and the strength to work towards dropping resistance to things I can't control. It's a work in progress, but worth the effort.

How do you practice self-care? I'd love to know in the comments!

Print Homemade Coffee Sugar Scrub

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 3/4 cup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description

A smoky+sweet scrub for the face and body. Exfoliates and softens.

Ingredients to make a face scrub*

• 1/2 cup Signature SELECT Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 cup Signature SELECT Italian Roast Coffee
• 1/4 cup melted OOrganics® Organic Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

to make a body scrub*

• 1/2 cup Signature SELECT Italian Roast Coffee
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 TB coarse salt
• 1/4 cup melted OOrganics® Organic Coconut Oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. To make either scrub, combine the dry ingredients together, then add in the coconut oil, stir, then add the vanilla extract. The scrub will be crumbly and resemble wet sand.
2. Store in a sealed glass container on your bathroom countertop.

* If you'd like, you can add in a few drops or pinches of the following for an added scent or moisturizer:

• cinnamon
• cardamom
• ground cloves
• cocoa powder
• orange oil
• sweet almond oil
• vitamin E oil

Notes

• Use caution in the tub or shower in case the coconut oil is slippery.
• If you are concerned about the coffee going down your drain, use a strainer to catch any grounds.
• Use once or twice a week to exfoliate and soften skin.

Thank you to Star Market for sponsoring this post. I had the opportunity to work with a plant-based selection of OOrganics® and Signature SELECT products from my local Star Market in Boston—check out your local family of Albertsons stores to see what's available in your area.

Star Market also offers Grocery Delivery and Pick Up for convenient ways to shop!

translate | Mon, 23 Nov 2020 13:53:41 +0000

How to Make Homemade Ravioli

There is a good chunk of space in my freezer that's always filled with little pillows of carby goodness. Making homemade ravioli requires a bit of a time investment, but I love the process and end result and hoping this little tutorial will inspire you to love the process too!

STEP ONE:

Choose and/or make your filling. Ground vegan sausage, homemade cultured cashew cheese, carrot lox and pumpkin are all good choices. For this batch of ravioli, I made vegan spinach ricotta filling. Whatever filling you decide to use, have it all ready beforehand, set aside at room temp. You can use a teaspoon or fill a pastry bag if your mixture is smooth.

Print Vegan Spinach Ricotta

• Author: erinwyso
• Prep Time: 24-48 hours, to culture
• Total Time: 24-48 hours, to culture
• Yield: 2 cups

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description

A great filling for ravioli! Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag for piping into your ravioli.

Ingredients for the cultured cashew cheese

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight and drained
• 1–2 probiotic capsules (50–100 billion CFUs)
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• a few pinches of salt
• 10 oz. spinach (you can also use frozen spinach that has been completely thawed, but squeeze until bone-dry)
• 1/3 cup vegan parm, very finely chopped or grated

Instructions to make the cultured cheese

1. Place the soaked and drained cashews into a Vitamix. Add just enough water so it covers the cashews (about one cup).
2. Puree until smooth, adding a bit more water to loosen, if needed.
3. Transfer the puree to a glass container. Stir in the probiotic powder.
4. Cover with one layer of cheesecloth and secure with plastic wrap or a rubber band. Place in a dark, warm area to culture for 24-48 hours.
5. Once the desired tanginess is achieved, stir in the garlic and onion powders. Add in the salt.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use or use immediately.

to finish the mixture

1. If using fresh spinach, place into a pot of salty boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer the spinach to a bowl of icy water to cool, squeeze until super dry, then chop very fine.
2. Transfer the cashew mixture to a bowl and add the spinach and vegan parm. Stir to combine, then transfer to a piping bag with a wide tip or use a teaspoon-size amount for each ravioli.

Notes

Any leftover cheese can be slathered over crusty bread or bagels.

STEP TWO:

Make your dough. I use this recipe from Rouxbe, which turns out perfectly. every. time. I recommend making it the day before, wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerating it. Take it out a couple of hours before you want to make your ravioli so it's room temp and perfect for working with.

Cut your dough into four pieces (you can wrap the remaining pieces in dough if you'd like to keep them from drying out), then kind of flatten it out into a rectangle. Messy and jagged is fine.

STEP THREE:

Flour your surface. You can use a pasta maker attachment on a stand mixer, but I've also rolled out by hand with a mini roller.

When you start, turn your pasta maker attachment knob to one. Roll it through on the lowest speed a few times. If it gets sticky, fold it in half, dust with a little flour, and run it through again.

The dough should start to feel soft. Turn your knob up to two and repeat, but you don't need to fold it in half again. It was a little tricky for me to get it to run uniformly through the attachment at first, but got easy with a little practice.

Keep going … now turn the knob up to three. The dough is forgiving at this point, so if you get any folds or crinkles, no worries … just run it through again and it will all get worked out.

Turn your knob up to four. I like this thinness for ravioli, but you could stay at a three or probably go up to a five.

Love it when the dough does this!

STEP FOUR:

Once your dough is twice as long as your pasta mold, cut it in half. Flour the metal portion of the mold, then drape one half over it. Use the plastic part to create a little concave space.

STEP FIVE:

Pipe or spoon about a teaspoon into each well.

Lay the remaining piece over the top, flour side up, or it won't stick together.

Drape carefully when tucking your ravioli in.

Stretch or move a little as needed.

STEP SIX:

Use a rolling pin to get a clean edge.

Gently pull the edges away.

Carefully flip the mold over onto your floured surface.

Gently lift the mold up to release the ravioli.

Marvel at how soft and pretty they are!

Using a pasta cutter, roll it along the edges to separate.

STEP SEVEN:

I line a baking sheet with a silpat and use a spatula to transfer, one at a time.

Repeat this process with the remaining three pieces of dough.

Leave the ravioli out to dry for an hour or so, then transfer the entire baking sheets to the freezer. Once firm, you can pull them off the silpat and transfer to plastic bags or containers. I label them with their fillings as a final step!

TO PREPARE FOR LATER:

Take out the desired amount of frozen ravioli and allow to come to room temp (I lay them onto a silpat or cutting board for about an hour). Bring a large pot of water to a small boil. Drop in the ravioli one at a time, increasing the heat if the boil drops. Boil for several minutes, then fish out with a skimmer and lay onto a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. This will allow any water to escape so you don't have any excess water in your sauce.

Transfer to plates or bowls. Serve immediately and enjoy.

More pasta dishes and ideas here! Some great reads, discoveries and little bits of gratitude from the past several weeks: The Queen's Gambit

This Netflix series was amazing! Beth's character was so moving. I never thought I'd be excited to watch a series about chess, but YES! I loved it so much.

The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle

I recently read Eckhart Tolle's brilliant book, The Power of Now. In it, he described us as having two parts: our true self, which is consciousness in its pure state and that which does not identify with our form. It allows the present moment or the Now to be as it is. We can learn to turn our attention towards this part, and the book guides on how to work towards that. The other part of our self is our ego, which identifies with our mind, and looks to external things to validate its worth. This process can never be satisfied (or controlled, because we can't control external things or people). This causes endless suffering and keeps one stuck in the past or worrying about the future, and denies the Now.

It describes in great detail how to live in the Now and how to drop all resistance to what is. Although there is a ton more to take away from Tolle's book, I've been focusing on one of the ways he describes how to put this into practice:

If you find the Now intolerable, you can: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally as if you have chosen it—and dropping all resistance. Anything else is insanity.

The Language of Yin, by Gabrielle Harris

I'm currently taking a 200-hour yoga teacher training. To supplement this, I'm also starting to look at Yin yoga, which the author describes as "a practice of undoing so you can let the breath fall away as you practice and become more relaxed." This book is so simple and beautiful, covering a lot without being overwhelming.

My Calatheas

I've been babying these Calatheas for several weeks, and they are starting to push out new leaves. This gives me more joy than I thought it would, allowing me to set aside all of the big and heavy things of 2020 for a few moments and remember to notice and feel the small things.

translate | Thu, 19 Nov 2020 17:54:53 +0000

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