Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Lentils, Stilton & Walnuts

What's on your New Year's menu?  I'm making this beautiful, high-protein appetizer of portobello mushrooms stuffed with lentils, Stilton and topped with half a walnut. Served with pretty micro greens, this recipe is easy and such a satisfying bite.  The tempeh bacon wrap adds protein and smokiness, but it's a gem even without it!

Portobellos, broiled with olive oil and balsamic, 2 minutes downfacing, 1 minute upfacing, packed with Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils mixed with red wine, then topped with Stilton and walnuts. Broiled 2 minues then wrapped in lightly fried tempeh bacon. Served over pretty micro greens. I got everything from Trader Joe's except the Tempeh bacon (Whole Foods).

These are so easy to prepare and no knife and fork required. Enjoy!

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Christmas Chickpea Cakes with Spinach, Red Pepper & Feta

Still looking for an tasty Christmas dish to add to your table? Try these festive savory cakes made with chickpeas, herbs, spinach, roasted red pepper and chickpea flour. I'm just hoping I can save some from tomorrow!

My daughter requested chickpea cakes for our Christmas entree this year.  I had recently made a batch based on the Black Bean Pecan Cake recipe from my class at Millennium in June.  The black bean cakes were so popular, I decided to explore different beans and flavors.  The chickpea version tastes quite like a falafel, so how could I go wrong adding Mediterranean ingredients like roasted red peppers and feta?  

They came out brilliantly!  I think they'll go nicely with cranberry sauce.  I did a version with pecans and one without:  I prefer the pecan version. 

Happy Holidays to all!

p.s. You can now find Albion Cooks on Facebook

Chickpea Cakes with Spinach, Red Pepper & Feta:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced fine

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp sumac (optional)

1/8 tsp powdered harrisa (optional)

15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 TBS vegetable broth

1 tsp lemon olive oil (can substitute regular)

1 tsp meyer lemon juice

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro and parsley (I did a 50/50 mix)

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper

1/8 cup crumbled feta

2 TBS finely chopped pecans (optional)

Additional 1 TBS oil for pan frying

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft.  Add the spices and cook an additional 30 seconds.  Add the chickpeas, vegetable broth, lemon olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chickpea start to soften and can easily be crushed with the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat and cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled chickpea mixture with the cilantro, parsley, and chickpea flour.  Start by using a potato masher to crush the chickpeas and mix with the flour, then use your hands to knead into a dough. Leave lumps of chickpea and some whole chickpeas in the mix, you don't want a puree. Add the spinach, roasted red pepper (squeeze out any extra moisture if you are using jarred),  feta and chopped pecans and knead into a dough.  Taste the mix and add salt and pepper as desired. Form into patties about 2 inches in diameter.  

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the patties.  Cook on each side for about 2 minutes until they have a nice browned color. Remove from the pan and place on a cookie sheet and bake in the 350 oven for 7 minutes.

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Spicy Christmas Soup with Cauliflower, Kale & Red Peppers (Cold-Snap Soup)

This vegan high-protein, spicy soup with cauliflower, kale, red peppers, chickpeas and lentils is seasonal in its Christmas colors and has been the perfect warming lunch for our recent cold-snap, so I'm dubbing it "Cold-Snap Soup".  It uses freshly available winter produce and canned/jarred extras and, to give it a real sinus-clearing warmth,  I've added a pre-made Chili-Garlic Sauce.  Additional winter vegetables include potatoes and cabbage and I've added lentils to round out its heartiness. Spices include ground cumin and coriander, but if you have some handy, feel free to add a little harissa.

I have to admit, I've become pretty addicted to the warm comfort this soup provides.  And it's all good for you, so take the chill off and make a warming batch today!

Spicy Cauliflower, Kale & Red Pepper Soup (Cold-Snap Soup):
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 onion, fine diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp harissa (powdered, optional)
1/3 cup potato, diced
1/2 cup cauliflower florettes, cut small
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
16 oz vegetable broth
1 TBS tomato paste
6 oz canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1 cup kale leaves, stems removed and torn into 1-2" pieces
1/2 cup cooked lentils (I used Trader Joe's steamed)
1 tsp chili-garlic sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed medium saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground cumin, coriander and harissa (if using).  Stir for 1 minute.  Add the diced potato and cauliflower, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Stir well and add the cabbage. Cover and cook 2 minutes.  Add some salt and pepper. Add the vegetable broth and raise the heat to high to bring the soup to a boil.  Turn heat down to a simmer and add the tomato paste, chickpeas, kale, and cooked lentils. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chili-garlic sauce and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Taste the soup and determine if you need to add more salt and pepper. If you want a spicier soup, add more chili-garlic sauce.  Enjoy!

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Quinoa Salad with Peas, Carrots & Kale

I developed this simple quinoa salad with vegetables to add protein, nutrition and interest to my teenage daughter's vegetarian lunchbox. It seems like quinoa is everywhere, so I was surprised that none of her friends knew what it was.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a seed that, when cooked, softens and fluffs while maintaining a slightly crunchy texture.  It contains a lot of protein and other nutrients, and is gluten-free. If you follow the package directions and cook it in water, it has a slightly nutty taste, but is pretty bland.  The secret for any savory use of quinoa is to cook it in vegetable broth, instead of water, which adds all the flavor you'll need. Be sure to rinse the seeds off before cooking (they can have a bitter-tasting coating) and "fluff" the cooked seeds when all the liquid has simmered away.

The above salad was made with tricolored quinoa and I simply boiled the vegetables separately in salty water. Once cooked, I cooled the vegetables under cold water and added them to the cooked quinoa with a little citrus-champagne vinegar. No need to add any oil to cooked quinoa.

For a quick and simple dish, this salad is surprisingly filling!  Don't hesitate to mix the vegetables up or add some chopped tofu, nuts, or herbs. Enjoy!

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Lentil & Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese & Walnuts

When you tell a non-vegetarian, you're a vegetarian or vegan, a common question is "But how do you get your protein?"  I'm switching gyms, and just started working with a great trainer (it's already a love-hate relationship), who asked me to keep a food diary for a few days.  She returned my food diary with the word "PROTEIN?" written at the top.  "You need more protein," she said "and cut out all the carbs and sugar." Yikes!  Having gone gluten-free 6 months ago, I've already cut out most of my carbs.  And, heck,  I only had the tootsie rolls and mini-peanut butter cups because it was Halloween!  But I love a culinary challenge and was inspired to make this delicious lentil salad with roasted asparagus, creamy goat cheese, and chopped walnuts.

I'm quite fond of Trader Joe's pre-cooked steamed lentils (in the refrigerator section), as they are a great time-saver (and 1/2 cup has 9 grams of protein).  If you decide to use dried lentils for this, I recommend you simmer them in a 50/50 blend of water and vegetable broth to add some flavor to the lentils (about 35 minutes for green or brown lentils). I roasted the asparagus with Meyer Lemon olive oil, but you could also use a lemon olive oil or plain. If you are vegan or not a goat cheese fan, leave the cheese out and add a few more chopped walnuts.

Lentil & Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese & Walnuts:

1 bunch asparagus
Lemon olive oil (or plain)
pinch of salt
lemon juice
1 cup cooked lentils (I used Trader Joe's steamed)
1/8 tsp citrus champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 TBS crumbled goat cheese
1 TBS chopped walnuts
salt & pepper to taste


Preheat the oven to 400. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus by breaking them where they naturally break.  Place in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with the lemon olive oil and a pinch of salt. (Use tongs to make sure the asparagus is evenly coated.)  Roast in the over for about 20 minutes, tossing the asparagus with tongs after 10 minutes, until the thick ends of the asparagus are easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (resist over-cooking - you don't want it to be mushy). Allow the asparagus to cool.

Cut the asparagus into 1 inch rounds and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it. Add the lentils, vinegar, goat cheese (if using) and chopped walnuts.  Taste, and add salt and pepper, as desired.  Enjoy!

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Clotilde Dusoulier: The French Market Cookbook Event at Omnivore Books

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a book event featuring the charming Clotilde Dusoulier, the much-loved French blogger of Chocolate and Zucchini, at Omnivore Books, a bookstore dedicated to food and cooking books in San Francisco.  Clotilde spoke about her latest book, French Market Cookbook:Vegetarian Recipes from My Parisian Kitchen, and told us that she has always based her menus around the best seasonably available produce.  A flexitarian, she has now adopted a predominantly vegetarian diet and wanted her third book to reflect this direction.

Rather than focusing on heavy cream-based dishes, Clotilde's book draws its inspiration from the  regional peasant traditions of France's diverse geographical provinces. The recipes, which reflect her interest in both produce and baked goods, are organized by season and each recipe is briefly introduced, providing a warm personal and educational context for what follows. Clotilde's writing style is open and friendly and frequently references childhood memories, favorite restaurant meals, French cooking traditions, and taste secrets that come from a wide experience of cooking for friends.  The recipes are thoughtful and considered, without being overly time-consuming and complex, making this a great cookbook for both seasoned and beginner cooks.

When asked which of her recipes in the book were her favorites, Clotilde chose "Poor Man's Bouillabaise", a vegetarian version of the seafood stew from Marseille  (I'm planning a Fall vegan and gluten-free version of the bouillabaise, so stay tuned!) and "Pear and Chestnut Cake",  made with chestnut flour from Corsica (a French island in Mediteranean sea).  I have to say, additional standouts to me include the "Seaweed Tartare", "Cauliflower Gratin with Tumeric & Hazelnuts", and the cardamon-scented "Lebanese Coffee Dessert Jars" looks too delicious to resist!

If you love cookbooks with inspirational and straightforward recipes, great food writing, and beautiful photographs, you'll love this book. And, if you're a Francophile vegetarian like me, this one's a given.

If you're interested, here's a link to my write-up regarding Clotilde's book event at Cody's in 2007.

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Quick Lentil Soup with Greens, Mushrooms & Root Vegetables

If you've ever been pinched for time and settled for one of those blander-than-bland canned lentil soups, this quick lentil soup recipe is for you!  My trick is to use Trader Joe's steamed lentils (in the refrigerator section) to save time, but you could easily adapt this recipe to add some serious fresh flavor and seasoning to a canned lentil soup. Fresh potatoes, carrots, portobello mushrooms, kale and spinach all compliment those sturdy lentils and I played with the spice/herb combination on this soup to fab results! Herbes de Provence, ground cumin and a little fresh rosemary, along with garlic, shallots, kalamata olives and a little tomato paste added a warming depth and complexity to this soup in a hurry. Don't skip the sherry vinegar - it really brightens this soup.

And keep in mind, lentils are anything but bland nutritionally. Protein, fiber, and iron rich, lentils are filling and really don't need fat to dress them up. Excellent for balancing blood sugar levels, this lentil soup makes the perfect power lunch that won't slow you down. I like to add a little butter to the mushrooms, but, if you're vegan, leave it out or use a vegan substitute.

Want a spicy soup?  Add finely diced fresh jalapeno along with the root vegetables.

Quick Lentil Soup with Greens, Mushrooms & Root Vegetables:

1 TBS olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large shallot, finely diced
pinch of Herbes de Provence
pinch of ground cumin
1/2 cup potatoes, small dice (I used fingerlings)
1 large carrot, peeled and small dice
1 tsp butter (or vegan sub)
2 portobello mushrooms, diced
1 inch sprig fresh rosemary, stem removed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1/2 cup kale leaves, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
5 kalamata olives, finely chopped
1 tsp tomato paste (invest in a tube of tomato paste - always handy for rounding out soup broth)
8 oz cooked brown lentils (TJ's pack is 17.6 oz, so half the pack)
1 1/2 tsp sherry vinegar
3/4 cup baby spinach
salt & black pepper to taste

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the minced garlic and shallot for 2-3 minutes.  Add the Herbes de Provence and ground cumin and stir like crazy, cooking for 1 minute. Add the diced potatoes and carrot, cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once to make sure the vegetables are evenly cooked. Add the butter, melt, then the mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper.  Stir well and cover and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth, water, kale leaves, olives, tomato paste and cooked lentils and cook uncovered for 5 minutes (If using a canned lentil soup, skip the broth, water and cooked lentils and add the can of soup with the kale and tomato paste at this point).  Add the sherry vinegar and cook 5 more minutes. Add the spinach, cook until just wilted, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

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Raw Beet, Apple & Avocado Smoothie

I love this bright raw beet smoothie for breakfast, but, as I usually have a spoon handy, "soup" is probably a fair description.  Just the right blend of earthy beets, sweet apple and creamy avocado to get your taste buds excited, it's cleansing and gives you enough sustenance to make it until lunch.

The recipe is from one of my favorite raw cookbooks, Raw Food: A Complete Guide for Every Meal of the Day by Erica Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja. The Swedish authors have their own straightforward and inventive approach to raw food and the book has lots of appealing recipes for anyone interested in adding raw meals to their day.

You could add ginger or a little horseradish to spice this up if you like, but I like it straight-up:

Raw Beet, Apple & Avocado Smoothie:

2 small beets, peeled and diced
1 apple, diced
1 small avocado, peeled and chopped
lemon juice from half a lemon
water, as desired


Add water to cover the chopped beets in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the chopped apple and more water and blend. Add the avocado and lemon juice and blend. Add water to get to desired consistency.

Makes 3-4 servings.  Enjoy!

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A Simple & Pretty Potato Salad (Vegan)

I just couldn't resist the pretty, but pricey, colorful medley of tiny potatoes at Whole Foods.  They are perfect for potato salad (they don't get mushy), and the taste is a cut above those I've purchased from other stores.

This vegan, gluten-free potato salad is a pleasant alternative to those heavy mayo-based versions.  The dressing is a a Dijon mustard vinaigrette and produces a lovely, tangy salad that won't weigh you down.

Plus, it's incredibly easy and quick to make, perfect for that last minute holiday weekend for a few or a crowd. Make it ahead of time, the flavors just get better!

Pretty Potato Salad:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes, colorful medley
2 TBS thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBS champagne or white wine vinegar
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard (I used a Tarragon flavored dijon - fabulous!)
sea salt
black pepper



Place the potatoes in a saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a softer boil and cook until just tender when pierced with a sharp night. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

Slice the potatoes in half if they're tiny, quarters if they are larger.  Place in a bowl and add the scallions.

Whisk together all the remaining ingredients and pour over the potatoes, tossing ever so gently to make sure all the potatoes are covered with the vinaigrette.  Adjust salt and pepper.

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White Bean Summer Stew in a Tomato-Caper-Olive Sauce

This was the perfect late supper dish to end a full day of summer fun.  White beans, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms and spinach in a tomato sauce flavored with capers, olives and pesto. Vegan (using cheese-free pesto) and gluten-free, this recipe makes a hearty plate of food without weighing you down.

I topped mine with feta and pine nuts to round out that Mediterranean feel. Enjoy!

White Bean Summer Stew in a Tomato-Caper-Olive Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp capers
10 kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup cauliflower florettes (cut small)
1 zucchini (I used a yellow one), sliced on the bias
3 small portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 -2 TBS wine (optional)
8 oz northern white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 TBS pesto
salt and pepper
2 cups baby spinach
feta and pine nuts as topping (optional)


Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the sliced garlic until just browning. Add the tomatoes, capers and olives and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the cauliflower and make sure the florettes are well covered with sauce. Add some salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, and wine (if using - adds depth), cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and add the white beans and pesto, stir well to combine the pesto with the sauce and other ingredients.  Cook for 5 minutes and add the baby spinach. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted.

Top with feta and pine nuts if desired.

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Millennium Cooking Class: June 2013

Another fantastic cooking class at Millennium, San Francisco's premiere vegan restaurant today produced the most delicious black bean cakes I've ever tasted. Pictured above topped with plum relish, over corn toasted with epazote, dried sage, and cilantro, with a simple mole sauce and tomato relish.  The black bean cakes (recipe after the photos) combined black beans, Mexican spices, pecans, and chickpea flour. Stellar in taste and straightforward to make - you can't beat that!  

Below is  Eric's family style plating of the dish, with a creamy tofu mayo seasoned with miso and nutritional yeast:

We started off with a Chilled Beet and Pickled Cherry Soup with herb-infused almond milk foam:

As a fresh side to our Mexican themed main, delicious green beans braised with preserved lemons, agave, vinegar and chiles:

Eric demoed how to add a charred, smokey flavor to our simple mole sauce with the carbon remains of a charred corn tortilla:

To round out our Mexican theme, masa griddle cakes! One team used toasted, fresh ground blue corn (Vitamix with the flour-grinding blade), the other added fresh corn puree:

On the grill pan:

These were topped with Mezcal (smokey tequila) -marinated mushrooms, onions, and zucchini with a toasted pumpkin seed pesto:

And when you're wondering what to do with all those zucchini, add them to dessert! Below are Oatmeal Raisin cookies made with zucchini, topped with avocado ice cream and sweet nectarines roasted with a rose geranium syrup:

Thanks to my super-organized classmates and Eric, Thomas, Ann, and intern Eric for another fabulous class.  Oh, yes, that awesome black bean cake recipe - here you go!

Black Bean Pecan Cakes:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp whole cumin seed, ground
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 tsp ground all spice
2 cups black beans, cooked
1 cup toasted pecans, crushed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chickpea flour
salt to taste

Heat the oil and sweat the onions and garlic until softened. Add the cumin and all spice and saute for 30 seconds. Remove to a mixing bowl. Add the black beans, pecans, and cilantro and mix well. Kneed in the chickpea flour with your hands. Shape into 12 cakes approx. 3 inches in diameter. Pan fry in a little oil for 2 minutes on each side, then bake in a 350 oven for 7 minutes.

As always, here are links to my posts on my many previous Millennium cooking classes:

*Millennium Cooking Class: Easter 2013

*Sept. 2012 Cooking Class

*June 2012 Cooking Class

* July 2011 Class

Chile Class 2011

July 2011 Class

Mushroom Cooking Class January 2011

Sept.2010 Cooking Class

July 2010 Cooking Class

June 2010 Cooking Class

Spring Cooking Class 2010

Chiles Cooking Class 2009

July Cooking Class 2009

June Cooking Class 2009

Spring Cooking Class 2009

Mushroom Cooking Class

Holiday Cooking Class

Fall Harvest 2008

Indian Summer

Southern Comfort Cooking Class

Spring Cooking Class

Fall Harvest Cooking Class

Chiles Class

Tomato Class

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Grilled Vegetable Lasagna (Vegan)

 A delicious way to enjoy a lasagna without pasta or cheese!  I used grilled vegetables in layers to create the lasagna layers and then used a dairy-free pesto and a cashew cream -basil "cheese"to add creamy richness.  I then topped the lasagna with Brazil-nut "Parmesan" (Brazil nuts ground with nutritional yeast and salt).

I've been on a flour-free diet for a little over a month and I'm really surprised how much better I feel.  I've also cut out most dairy, so I'm playing here with some nut-based dairy substitutes.

I have a counter-top grill called The Griddler that does an awesome job grilling vegetables.  I used zucchini as the base and top for my lasagna, brushed with a little olive oil- balsamic vinegar mix.

I created a dairy-free basil pesto using basil, garlic, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, and hemp seeds:

Topped the pesto with some grilled portobello mushrooms:

I then topped the mushrooms with a premade tomato-basil pasta sauce and a cashew-cream basil "cheese"(soaked cashews, lemon juice, basil, salt & pepper):

I then topped this with another layer of grilled zucchini and sprinkled them with my Brazil Nut Parmesan.  Cooked under the broiler for a few minutes to toast the topping and warm the dish through.

This was my first experiment with this dish.  I'm thinking next time I'll puree some white beans with basil in place of one of the nut mixes to add creaminess and reduce some of the richness.

Enjoy!

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