Beyond Burger Salad

I first tried the Beyond Meat Burger at Epcot’s Flower and Garden festival last year. I couldn’t believe how amazing it was! I immediately fell in love with it! I couldn’t wait to find it at my grocery store so I could create my own recipes. I’ve used the Beyond Meat as a substitution in several of my recipes. It’s that good!

Have you never heard of The Beyond Burger™? 

It is from the company, Beyond Meat, it’s a plant-based burger that looks, cooks and tastes like beef, but is made entirely from plants without ANY gluten, soy or GMOs. It’s good for you, the planet and delicious! 

Skip the meat and try this vegetarian alternative instead!

This Beyond Meat Burger salad is juicy and loaded with toppings like sautéed caramelized onions, red pepper, and mushrooms served over a bed of baby spinach and arugula. you can Seriously you jazz it up with any number of toppings to make it taste just like one of your favorite burgers.

Ingredients:

Burgers:

• 1 package Beyond Burger
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper 

Caramelized Veggies

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pint sliced mushrooms 
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce 
• Handful of Arugula & Baby Spinach

Instructions:

For the Caramelized Veggies:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. 

Add the sliced mushrooms, cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. 

Add the red peppers, stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, stir. 

Pour Liquid Aminos (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and most of the liquid has cooked off. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to a bowl; cover to keep warm. 

For the Burgers: 

Preheat the grill pan and olive oil over medium high heat. 

Mix beyond burger meat with seasoning.

Make 5 patties. 

Add the patties and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. 

Assemble Salad:

Place a handful of arugula and baby spinach on a plate.

Place the burger on top of greens and top with the Caramelized Veggies. 

Drizzle your favorite dressing & enjoy!

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Portobello Fries with a Lemon Garlic Aioli

The first time I had portobello fries, I was in downtown Tampa at a restaurant called Gin Joint. After my first bite I was in love and knew I had to recreate them! 

Soaked in buttermilk and lightly fried in a beer batter and then dipped in a tangy aioli… They are seriously a dream! 

You can have them as an appetizer or use as a Taco Tuesday filling, either way you will crave these! And yes, you can bake them instead of frying and they will taste just as good!

The Lemon Garlic Aioli is a magical creamy sauce with a bright lemony tang and a savory garlic flavor that you will want to dip everything in from chips to veggies to any meat.

Ingredients

Portobello Fries

• 4 Portobello mushrooms, about 1 pound, stems and gills scraped out, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 can beer (preferably lager or pale ale)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white cornmeal
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 ½  cups)

Lemon Aioli

• ½ cup Mayo
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• ½ lemon juiced
• 1 zest of a lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

Make the aioli: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. Set in the refrigerator.

Prepare the mushrooms: In a shallow pan, soak the mushroom strips in the buttermilk, about 1 hour.

Make the batter: In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, beer, flour, parmesan cheese, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the cayenne. 

Fill a skillet with the vegetable oil; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or drop a crumb in and it sizzles.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. 

One at a time, dip the mushroom strips in the batter, then carefully lower into the hot oil. (Do this in batches if necessary-do not crowd the pot.) Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, turning with tongs. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. 

Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the garlic lemon  aioli.

Bok Choy & Rice Noodle Soup

Did you know in China, soup is something that is always on the table, particularly at dinner. According to Chinese tradition, dinner should always include at least three dishes and one soup. Chinese soups are very easy to make and usually made with simple ingredients. And this recipe is no exception!

I absolutely LOVE the flavor and crunch bok choy brings to this fragrant garlicky ginger soup! If you can’t find Bok Choy, you can use any green, such as cabbage, spinach or other Asian greens.

This recipe also calls for one of my new favorite spices…Star Anise. I was first introduced to Star Anise by one of Gordon Ramsay’s recipes.The star-shaped pods look beautiful and have an exotic flavor you’ll fall in love with. It has earthy, subtly sweet spice that is perfect in savory dishes. Star Anise is also an ingredient in Chinese five spice, where it’s combined with fennel, cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns and cloves. So if you can not find Star Anise, you can use Chinese five spice.

Honestly this is one of my go to soups, it’s perfect in cold or even warm weather, who doesn’t love a nutritious, comforting, and flu-fighting soup! Get your grocery list together and let’s get cooking!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped, green and white divided
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger, fresh, minced)
• 5 ½ cups chicken broth (or water)
• 2 whole star anise or ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice season
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 10 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 oz rice noodles
• 1.5 heads bok choy, roughly chopped
• sesame seeds (for topping)
• red pepper flakes (for topping)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat.
Saute the shallots over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent and start to soften. Stir often.
Add the white part of the green onions, garlic, and ginger to the shallots and mix.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic and ginger is fragrant.
Carefully pour the chicken broth into the pot and bring to a simmer.
Add the star anise and soy sauce. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid from the pot and carefully remove and discard each star anise from the soup.
Add the mushrooms, uncooked noodles, and bok choy to the pot and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until noodles and bok choy are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with sesame seeds, the green parts of green onions and red pepper flakes.

Mushroom Leek Stir Fry

I recently had an abundance of leeks and asked my friends to give me some recipe ideas. My friend, Natasha suggested Stir fry and I am so glad she did!! This recipe was inspired by the Food & Wine Stir Fry recipe, Natasha shared with me.

This is one of those dishes that is unbelievably simple and super tasty. I love spicy Asian food! So when I found this chili paste, Dragon Fly Fried Chili Paste at my local Asian market, I fell in love! It is absolutely delicious but be careful it is SPICY! A ½ teaspoon gives you the perfect amount of heat! If you like your food spicier then by all means add a full teaspoon. 

You can eat this stir fry alone or over rice. I served it alongside Chicken thighs and a side of brown rice.  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 10 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced 
• 1 large leek, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
• ½ onion, diced
• 4  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese chile paste, II love DragonFly Fried Chili Paste

Instructions

Heat a large skillet. 

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, tilting to coat the skillet. 

Add the mushrooms and onions,  stir-fry over high heat until golden, about 8 minutes. 

Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 

Add the leek, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until the leek is tender, about 2 minutes. 

Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and chile paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. 

Serve.

Black Bean Tacos with Roasted Corn Salsa

Healthy tacos made with seasoned black beans, an easy corn salsa and a delicious cilantro pesto.

These Black Bean Tacos served in a tortilla or even a zucchini boat are so good that you definitely won’t miss the meat. It is a healthy meatless meal that not only tastes great, it’s budget-friendly too! 

I love making tacos! One of our favorite things about tacos is how versatile they are. There are literally hundreds of taco recipes out there to choose from.  It’s good to have variety! There is nothing boring about these tacos, the black beans are full of flavor and completely filling, the corn salsa adds a sweet twist and the cilantro pesto brings it all home! Trust me you will go back for seconds!

I’ve been trying to cut out carbs so instead of a tortilla, I made a zucchini boat as my vessel. You can even serve this on top of a salad. This recipe is that versatile!

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Wine Pairing? Scout and Cellar GALLIVANT ROSÉ! Lively and refreshing with strawberry, red cherry and fresh melon balanced by limestone on a dry, well-textured frame with a clean finish. Click the link under the photo to order a bottle!

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

INGREDIENTS

Corn Salsa:

• 1 can Roasted Corn, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes, cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime and zest

Cilantro Pesto:

• 1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves 
• 1 small shallot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Black Beans:

• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces) black beans, drained
• 1 cup fresh mild salsa
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

Corn Salsa:

Combine all ingredients. Stir, adjust seasoning to taste, and set aside to marinate while preparing the rest of the tacos.

Cilantro Pesto

Add all the ingredients except the olive oil and pulse in a blender until combined. Once it is all combined, add olive oil and pulse a few times quickly until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate while preparing the rest of the tacos.

Black Beans:

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in the chopped onion and saute for 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Add in the black beans, salsa, chili powder and cumin. Simmer mixture for about 5 -10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slightly mash half of the beans if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Putting it all together!

Warm tortillas or a zucchini boat, and add a generous amount of the black beans mixture topped by the corn topping, and a spoonful of the pesto. 

Add the rest of your favorite taco toppings like cheese, guacamole or sour cream.

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

DELICIOUS RATATOUILLE

It’s ratatouille season! 

Ratatouille is a classic summer French style stew, it’s fun to say and even has an adorable Disney movie named after it!

Ratatouille is packed with summer vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers and it’s pretty easy to make!

With a little imagination, there are endless ways to serve ratatouille. For Sunday dinner, toss it with pasta or alongside grilled chicken or fish. Or for an easy weeknight dinner, serve with a dollop of goat cheese or with a fried egg on top. It’s even tasty straight from the fridge as a snack (it’s delicious cold)! Seriously the possibilities are limitless! 

For the tomatoes, I love the brand Pomi! They only have one ingredient: TOMATOES! You can find Pomi chopped tomatoes in the canned vegetable aisle. Pomi is usually on the top shelf. 

Looking for wine to pair with Ratatouille? Scout & Cellar 2018 VEINTE MALBEC, Lush and fruit-forward with blueberry, black plum and wildberry jam balanced by mocha on a fresh, well-structured frame with round tannins and a lingering finish. DELICIOUS!

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INGREDIENTS

• 26.46 oz Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
• 14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes, drained
• 1 medium eggplant, diced into cubes
• 1 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cut into ¾ squares
• 2 medium zucchini , diced into ½-inch cubes
• 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, more to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit 

Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.

On one baking sheet, toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer across the pan, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.

On the other baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, and zucchini 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer. 

Place the eggplant pan on the middle rack and the other vegetables on the top rack. Set the timer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. 

Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Add the tomatoes, and use a wooden spoon to stir any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, or as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.

Once 15 minutes are up, remove both pans from the oven, stir, and redistribute the contents of each evenly across the pans. This time, place the eggplant on the top rack and other vegetables on the middle rack.

Bake until the eggplant is nice and golden on the edges, about 10 more minutes (the eggplant will be done sooner than the rest). Remove the eggplant from the oven, and carefully stir the eggplant into the simmering tomato sauce.

Let the zucchini and bell pepper pan continue to bake until the peppers are caramelized, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Then, transfer the contents of the pan into the simmering sauce. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes to give the flavors time to combine.

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil, the fresh basil, dried orengo and red pepper flakes. 

Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper.

Serve in bowls, with additional chopped basil, or black pepper on top (all optional). 

Like all stews, this ratatouille’s flavor improves as it cools. It’s even better reheated the next day. Ratatouille keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days, or for several months in the freezer.

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite Italian comfort foods.
The one thing to keep in mind when cooking eggplant, is eggplants hold onto moisture, like a sponge. So if you’re not careful you can end up with a mushy mess.

So the best method to make eggplant parmesan is to pull the moisture out of the eggplant prior to frying it.

How do we pull moisture out of the eggplant?

You sprinkle salt on the eggplant slice and let them sit for 45 minutes to one hour.The salt pulls out the moisture from the eggplant. 

It also helps to cut the bitterness of the vegetable and makes it “sweat”. You will notice little drops of moisture on the surface of the disks. Removing the moisture from the eggplant will prevent it from releasing it during cooking. 

After the 45 minutes, all you have to do is just pat them dry and dust off the excess salt and then you’ll be ready to start making your eggplant parmesan! I guarantee you will have a much crispier and less soggy eggplant parmesan dish! 

Now of course, you can bake or roast the eggplant for eggplant Parmesan, and they are tasty but frying the eggplant gives the dish a deep caramelized flavor that can not be mimicked by baking. 

I like my eggplant a tad thick so I slice mine about ¼ thick, using a sharp knife. Grab two shallow dishes, crack two eggs in one dish and whisk. I like to add some seasoning, like granulated garlic and black pepper, to my whisked eggs but that is totally up to you. Pour 1 ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in the other dish. I love cheese and feel you can never have too much so I sprinkle ¼ cup of grated Parmesan into the breadcrumbs and whisk until combined. 

Take each slice, dip it into the egg mixture, roll in the bread crumbs and shake off any excess. Place the breaded eggplant slices on a plate or large baking sheet and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated. 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil into the skillet. I always use my cast iron skillet but any skillet will work. I have become a big fan of cast iron in the last year. Check out my Tips & Tricks page for why. 

Once the skillet is hot, slowly slide two-three breaded eggplant slices into the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, they should be a nice golden brown. The first batch will take longer than the rest as the oil heats up. You will want to keep a close eye on them and watch out for oil splatters. 

Line a large sheet pan with foil, this will make for an easy clean up. Add a layer of eggplant slices then dollop 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on top of the eggplant slices. The idea isn’t to smother the layers with sauce. On top of the eggplant slices, sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. The more cheese the better, in my opinion. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown on top. I use the broiler for 5 minutes to get the cheese nice and brown – you don’t have to, but if you do, watch it carefully!

There is nothing better than the smell of fresh basil. It reminds me of my grandparents’ backyard when I was a child. My grandfather, Papa, always had a basil plant in his backyard. Here’s a great tip for cutting basil. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other and roll up like a cigar. Then make thin slices from one end of the basil cigar to the other. Sprinkle on top of your eggplant parmesan and serve. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil, for lightly pan-frying
• 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups whole milk mozzarella shredded
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• Handful of fresh basil leaves sliced, for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Salt both sides of your eggplant slices and place them in a large colander in the sink. Let the liquid drain for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When your eggplant slices have finished draining liquid, brush off the excess salt.

In 2 shallow plates, add breadcrumbs to one and whisk eggs and in the other. Dip both sides of the eggplant slice into egg mixture then cover with breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place on a plate or large baking sheet and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil into the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add two-three eggplant slices at a time to the skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown, remove and set on a large plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until you’ve pan-fried them all.

On a large sheet pan, add a layer of eggplant slices then using dollop 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on top of the eggplant slices. The idea isn’t to smother the layers with sauce. On top of the eggplant slices, sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown on top. I use the broiler for 5 minutes to get the cheese nice and brown. 

Serve hot and top with sliced basil.