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Mushroom “Scallops”

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This meal is always such a treat. It’s such a yummy and decadent meal. Definitely great for special occasions as It feels really fancy. Even though it’s super easy!

Once upon a time scallops were my favorite & this doesn’t disappoint. 

The most challenging thing about this meal is finding large enough mushrooms to make scallops. You can find ones with thinner stems pretty easy but will reduce & hold up like thicker stems will. 

With a family of four we have to look a little harder for bigger mushrooms. So for that reason I wrote the recipe for 2 people. As it will be easier to find the mushrooms, it’s easy to double this recipe  

I like to have this with a simple rice pilaf, or a garlic pasta, and a simple salad, even garlic toast is a great addition.

Think Mediterranean or Italian for your flavors. It will work with either.

Mushroom “Scallops” 

Servings: 2

8 oz King oyster Mushrooms (look for large fat stems
2 tbs of Capers
2 whole julienned roasted red peppers (if using jarred peppers, about ¾ cup)
1- fresh chiffonade basil leaves 

1 tbs of avocado oil (or high temp oil)
3 tbs of vegetable stock
1 tbs of vegan butter

Cut mushrooms horizontally along the stem to 1 inch thickness, season with salt and pepper.

Add oil to pan at medium/high temperature. Get oil hot but not smoking.

Add mushrooms to pan and sear, this will take 3-4 minutes on each side. You are looking for a golden color.

Once seared on both sides remove mushrooms set aside on a plate.

Add your 3 tablespoons of stock to de glaze the pan, Followed by capers and red bell peppers. Warm for one to two minutes in pan sauce, finish the pan sauce with your vegan butter and basil leaves.

Once butter is melted, spoon pan sauce over “scallops.”

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

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This was such an easy & tasty meal!

Because I am Vegan and don’t eat beans (because they are inflammatory). My healthcare team questions me about my protein intake. It’s a topic that is at the forefront of my awareness.

So I’ve been playing around with some new high protein recipes!

Oh and because my kids are away at summer camp, I get to be a little more creative and try out new things without concern for selective pallets 😂

I made lettuce wraps with a high protein filling for dinner. It was sooo.. easy & tasty! 

You are going to love this!

This was so good I didn’t even use dipping sauces even though I had them right next to me.

You can also change the spices to be Mexican flavored. I made the same dish the next day but added garlic, cumin and thyme. 

 

Serve 2

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients 

2 cups mushroomsVegan Lettuce Wraps

2 cups walnuts

2 tbsp soy sauce (gf Bragg)

1/4 tps Chinese five spice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp avocado oil

2-3 cloves garlic (minced)

3 inch ginger (grated)

1 chili 🌶 sliced

1 head butter lettuce (broken into cups)

5 carrots (grated)

1 bunch cilantro chopped

5 green onions chopped (divided) 1/4 for pan white parts of onion

  1. Slice mushrooms

  2. Place mushrooms and walnuts in a food processor with soy sauce, five spice and salt and pepper. Pulse food processor about 5 or 6 x (do not over mix). You might have to do 2 batches depending on the size of your food processor

  3. On medium heat add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan, add ginger, garlic, chili, and 1/4 of green onions  and sauté 3-5 min. Add mushrooms mixture to pan toss with aromatics. You’re not trying to cook this mixture, you’re just warming it up and mixing in your herbs. About 5 minutes.

  4. Peel carrots and grate carrots in a food processor. Place carrots, sliced Green onions and cilantro on a serving plate for toppings.

  5. We were going super healthy but a great addition to this would be rice noodles..

  6. In lettuce leaves, place mushroom mixture (& rice noodles) top with carrots, cilantro, & green onions and sauce if you choose. 

 

Dipping sauces of choice

My go to’s are hoisin and sweet Thai chili

Chow Fun

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This recipe is a local favorite in Hawaii called Chow Fun.

I have obviously veganized this and made it a little bit healthier as this dish doesn’t often have a lot of vegetables and is usually served with beef or ground meat. 

I made this in the middle of the week when I was short on time and also low on food. My fridge was pretty empty and I didn’t want to run to the store. So I used what I had and my family was super happy! 

Bonus…my kids were full and there were left overs.

Left overs are a miracle in our home with a 16 year old son. So I was stoked to have lunch for them the next day & they were happy to have it!

 

Chow Fun

1 block of drained tofu 

Quarter tofu and marinade for 1-2 hours

 

 Tofu Marinade 

4tbs soy sauce 

3tbs rice vinegar

1tbs maple syrup 

1tsp sesame oil 

1tsp garlic powder

1tsp ginger powder 

Once tofu is marinated, slice into sticks and air fry

15 min on 400 degrees

 

Chop the following veggies and set aside

16 oz wide rice noodles 

4 tbsp avocado oil (divided)

8 green onions split in half in 11/2” pieces 

3” piece of ginger finely sliced in match sticks 

1 chili Serrano or jalapeños (depending on spice tolerance)

1 large shallot or 1/2 red onion 

 1 cup sliced cabbage

3 carrots grated 

4 sticks of celery sliced 

Additional options 

Dark greens like spinach or kale 

Red or yellow bell Peppers 

3tbs shaoxing wine or mirin

 

Sauce 

8 tbsp soy sauce (I use Bragg liquid amino)

1 tsp sesame oil 

1/4 tsp sugar

Salt & white pepper to taste 

 

  1. Boil a pan of water Turn off heat 
  2. Place rice noodles in hot water and break up noodles stuck together 
  3. Get a bowl of ice water ready 
  4. Leave the noodles in hot water for 5 min and the drain place noodles is ice water to stop from cooking 
  5. In hot wok add tbsp of oil, cabbage, carrots, & celery toss and wilt 5-7 min
  6. Set aside 
  7. Add your 3 tbsp oil to wok, add green onions, ginger, & chili to flavor oil fry for about a minute
  8. Add shallot or onion (I used 1/2 a red onion because it’s what I had)
  9. Stir fry 3 minutes
  10. Add noodles to pan and pour wine around edge of wok and toss with noodles 
  11. Add sauce to noodles and toss
  12. Turn off heat and toss wilted veg with noodles and add tofu. 
  13. Serve

Yellow Blueberry Cake with Blueberry compote and Lemon Glaze – Vegan Birthday Cale

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Both my kiddos just had their birthdays, so we eaten lots of cake recently.

I thought instead of a dinner it would be fun to share a somewhat guilt free cake, less guilt… maybe.

I don’t feel guilt free after eating some cakes out there. But this one is a guilt free pleasure.  

This is our favorite gluten free and vegan cake mix. A lot of cake mixes will have ingredients already in them that are not vegan. For me gluten-free cake is absolutely necessary. You’ll notice all of my recipes aren’t just vegan but are gluten-free as well.

Eating foods that are gluten free are very important for anti-inflammatory reasons, but you’ll always feel lighter and all around better when you eat something GF. 

So to make this cake gluten-free we used bananas instead of eggs. It’s one banana for each egg needed. When baking with bananas it’s important to blend your bananas unlike just mashing for banana bread.

This is my son’s cake my daughter made for his birthday.

Ok. I know I’m using boxed cake mix but GF baking is really hard! The humidity in the air can totally change a recipe and our humidity levels in Hawaii are high and change often. I have had so many baking fails that this is just how I roll now!😅

Judge me if you wish.

Yellow Blueberry Cake with Blueberry compote and Lemon Glaze

 

Yellow Blueberry Cake with Blueberry compote and Lemon Glaze 

Servings: 8

Ingredients: 

3 bananas (blended) 

1/2 cup Coconut oil 

11/4 cup Macadamia nut milk (or nut milk of your choice)

2 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries (separated)

1/2 cup of sugar

1 tsp lemon juice (separated)

1 TBSP water

1 TBSP cornstarch 

1 8oz can sweetened condensed coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)

1/2 tsp lemon zest 

Fresh berries for topping 


Cake:

Follow the instructions on the cake mix box. Preheat the oven.
Combine cake mix in a bowl and add the following substitutions: 3 blended bananas for eggs, coconut oil for butter or other oil, Nut milk for regular milk or water and ½ cup of frozen blueberries. 

Pour batter into prepared cake pans. We use two round cake pans. 

While cake bakes, prepare Blueberry Compote.

 

Blueberry Compote:

2 cups frozen blueberries

½ cup of sugar

1 TBSP water mixed with 1 TBSP cornstarch 

In a pot on the stove at med low heat, add blueberries and sugar. Stir often for about 2 – 3 minutes

Add lemon juice to blueberries. Stir to mix well.

Add cornstarch and water mixture to the pot. Stir well.

Cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until desired thickness is reached.

Set aside to cool 

 

Lemon Glaze:

Empty contents of sweetened condensed coconut milk, lemon juice and lemon zest into a blender or a chilled bowl and immersion blender. 

The glaze will get airy and very thick. When you hear the blender getting tired, stop blending and put glaze in frig until ready to assemble. 

Assembling Cake:
When cake is done baking and completely cooled, place bottom or flat sides down with round top facing up. 

Spread blueberry compote in between the layers, saving some of the blueberry sauce for topping the cake. 

Drizzle with glaze and top with compote sauce and fresh berries. 

Black Pepper Tofu

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Black Pepper TofuWhen I was first diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder, I had to remove many of my favorite foods in order to feel better and function.
It made me feel deprived of all the scrumptious food I loved to eat.
Ever been there?

Well, you don’t have to feel deprived or like you are missing out. There are many vegetarian options out there and you will never have to sacrifice flavor. This recipe is one of them. 

 

16 oz tofu cubed and drained

2 red bell peppers julienned 

1 large onion, julienned 

7 celery stalks (cut in 1/2 length ways & then 1”sticks)

4 garlic cloves, minced

 

 Sauce 

1 tsp cracked pepper

2 tps cornstarch 

3 TBS vegetable Oyster sauce 

1 TBS soy sauce (I use Bragg)

1tps sesame oil

3 TBS water 

        

Add high temperature oil (like avocado oil), ½ tsp of salt and 1 tsp of fresh. Cook in oil for one minute until fragrant, add cubed tofu sear on all sides. Once tofu is done remove from wok and set to the side.

 

Note: I typically airfry my tofu but to make this a one pan meal I have also done it this way

 

Add more oil to pan if needed, stir-fry red bell peppers, celery, onion and garlic.

Tip: I find best results stir frying each vegetable individually and setting to the side to combine once everything is pre-cooked adding all veg back to the wok with the sauce. It’s easier to get an even cook on all ingredients. 

If cooking veg individually add garlic To wok then vegetable & tofu and add sauce. 

Top with sesame seeds or green onions to make it pretty.

Beet Poke

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This is one of my favorite healthy super tasty dinners and you can customize it in so many different ways depending on what you have in your fridge. You can make it really light by putting it over greens or you can create more of a comforting meal with some warm rice or soba noodles 

Furikake really makes this dish delicious. It definitely gives it the real Poke flavor & an authentic experience. You can find furikake at your local Asian market or grocery store. 

Most furikake that you’ll find in the store has Benito in it which is a fish product. I prefer to make my own furikake. The recipe is below and it’s gluten-free.

 

Beet Poke

Servings: 4

Marinade:

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce (If you need gluten-free, use Bragg liquid amino acid)

1 ½ tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar 

1 1/2-2 + teaspoons grated ginger (I like it gingery) 

2 teaspoon lime juice

2–3 teaspoons maple syrup or honey (adjust to taste)

¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

3 cups cooked beets, boiled or roasted (oil skins, put on roasting pan, put foil on top of pan. Bake at 350 40 minutes to an 1 hour. Once cooled, skin will come off) 

 

  1. Chop beats into 1 inch cubes or slightly smaller
  2. Mix all Poke marinade ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Add beets to the Poke mixture and toss well
  4. Place in the fridge while you make sides & chop toppings

Serve over rice, soba noodles, or greens with the following toppings.

Toppings and Sides 

2–3 scallions, chopped

¼  cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 

Shredded Nori or dulse seaweed flakes (optional)

Furikake 

Avocado 

Shredded carrots (pictured)

Cucumber (pictured)

Radish (pictured)

Edamame (pictured)

Snap Peas

Sea Asparagus (pictured)

Sprouts or other seaweeds 

Jalapenos or serrano, sliced

 

Furikake Topping

2 TBS sesame seeds (I like to use black and white)

1 whole dried shiitake mushroom 

4oz Nori or roasted seaweed sheets (if you use Nori don’t add salt)

1/4 tsp sugar 

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 red chili flakes 

 

Add all to a blender and blend for two minutes and store in a mason jar for up to six months.

Tip: I always add the absorbent pack from the nori or the seaweed in the mason jar

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables and Cashew Ricotta

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This is probably one of my favorite no carb meals. It is super rich and satisfying. I make this all the time. Sometimes my kids don’t want spaghetti squash so I’ll make a side pasta with vegetable sauté and ricotta. I like giving options because what is in my cupboard is always changing.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables and Cashew Ricotta

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables and Cashew Ricotta

(Makes 4 servings)

Total Time:
Prep Time:
Cooking Time:

1 large spaghetti squash
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 -5 tomatoes, diced
1 TBS of dried oregano
8oz  of fresh mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 LB of fresh spinach or kale

 

 

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Clean and dry produce.
  3. Cut squash in half and remove seeds with fork; discard seeds.
  4. Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper.
  5. Place both halves of spaghetti squash on a baking sheet with cut sides down.
  6. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until tender.
  7. While squash cooks, sauté veggies and make Cashew Ricotta
  8. Heat drizzle of olive oil in sauté pan at medium-high heat.  Add onions. Cook until translucent.
  9. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
  10. Add mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes.
  11. Add tomatoes & oregano. Cook for 7 minutes. (if using kale, add the kale before the tomatoes).
  12. Fold in spinach. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes.
  13. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  14. Add vegetable mixture to half of spaghetti squash. Top with Cashew Ricotta.

Cashew Ricotta – Can last in fridge for a week. Great with everything especially avocado toast) 
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 TBS  lemon (or 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar)
1 TBS nutritional yeast (found at health food stores or Amazon)
1tsp salt
1 clove of garlic
optional herbs or pepper

  1. Soak cashews in hot water for 10 minutes.
  2. Drain cashews. Add to blender and add 2 TBS of lemon juice or 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar, 1TBS of nutritional yeast, 1 tsp of salt, 1 clove of garlic.
  3. Blend until smooth
  4. Adjust taste as needed by adding lemon juice or apple cider vinegar or salt to bring out the flavors
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