Roasted Mushroom Ragu with Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

I love a nice comfort meal...especially since the snow is back. Sigh

This roasted mushroom ragu recipe hit the spot and I wish I tripled (instead of doubled) this recipe.  It features accessible and inexpensive ingredients and the family really enjoyed this dish. It took me over an hour to put it together. Not to complain though because it was well worth the wait. Save this dish for the weekend and let me know if your fam loves it as much as mine.

Be sure to double (or triple) this recipe for your family, since the original recipe serves only 2 people.

Get the full recipe from Leafy Greens & Me

Currently Reading: The Four Agreements & The Creative Habit

Asian Tofu Salad Video Recipe

 Check out the full recipe and watch the cooking video at this end of this post. 

I love cooking with Lisa. There's always lots of wine (yeah, I had a couple glasses of red wine before recording the vid- don't judge me lol), fun conversation, and her kitchen is the absolute best!

In this video, we're making a tofu salad using firm tofu, plenty of delicious vegetables, and a simple and flavorful marinade.  Lisa has tried making tofu at home a few times but didn't get the results she wanted.  I came over to show her some of my tofu tricks and she and her hubby really enjoyed it. Success!

To save time, our tofu marinade and dressing are the same recipe.

Inspired by the Asian tofu salad on Fitness Magazine's website

I adjusted the measurements, omitted the canola oil, added some onions and substituted agave nectar for honey (to make it vegan). I also didn't want to deal with the marinade mess of frying it with the tofu, so I decided to pour the marinade on top of the tofu instead of frying it with it. Please update me when you try this recipe and thanks so much for watching. :-)

This video is a part of a winter salad collaboration with The Divine Hostess.  Don't forget to check out her salad recipe and subscribe to her channel for more vlogs and recipes.

Asian Tofu Salad

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: fry entree vegan

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 6-8 cups of mixed greens
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/3 cup raw white onion, chopped
• 1 pack of firm tofu, drained and pressed for 20 mins

For the marinade

• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp agave nectar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• Garnish with sesame seeds or raw cashews

Instructions

Remove tofu from the package, wrap in a cloth and press with heavy books for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and place it aside.

Fry the tofu on medium-high heat for 4 minutes on each side. Mix the tofu in with the marinade and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

In a separate large bowl, add in the mixed greens, cucumber, carrots, onion, and tofu-reserving the leftover marinade as a dressing for the salad.

Garnish with sesame seeds or raw cashews.

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Vegan While Out: Strange Matter

I had lunch with my bud, Michelle at a restaurant in Richmond called Strange Matters. This was my first time visiting and boy did I goin on the vegan friendly menu.  

I should be embarrassed to show you my greedy I was but I'm not. lol Here goes....

I started off with dessert lol *shaking my head* Donut holes-Some were fried a little harder than I expected but overall pretty good

Appetizer-Tofu satay with peanut dipping sauce

Portobello cheese steak-delicious! Portobello mushrooms, vegan cheese, grilled onion & peppers

Lastly, I had a bowl of vegan mac & cheese....It was okay but the one I make at home is better.

Now you see why my stomach was hurting.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe (VIDEO)

No Super Bowl party at our house today, but that didn't stop us from enjoying some yummy chips and dip.

Ready within 30 minutes

Serves 5

Recipe inspired by Daily Garnish

Song in my head while cooking....

Kool & The Gang-"Celebration" 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

by Brown Vegan & Daily Garnish

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 14oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water)
• 2 1/2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp vegan mayo
• 1 tbsp Tofutti cream cheese (or other vegan cream cheese)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup Daiya non-dairy mozzarella cheese shreds

Instructions

Saute your garlic on medium heat.

Drain the artichoke hearts, chop them up and add to the garlic pan. Add in fresh spinach and allow to cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Take mixture to a food processor and add in remaining ingredients, blending until smooth.

Serve immediately with bread, crackers, or chips or add additional shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes on 350º.

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What We Tried Today: Gardein Crispy Tenders

A few weeks ago I picked up a bag of Gardein Crispy Tenders for lunch.  I was pleasantly surprised at how close the taste is to regular chicken. 

I decided to test them out on the fam for dinner and everyone enjoyed it. Simon actually suggested that I pack them in his lunch box. Woohoo!

Pros:

*Kid-Friendly

*A great way to transition from eating conventional chicken nuggets -Tastes just like regular chicken

*No crazy ingredients-Being able to pronounce all of the ingredients is another huge plus

Cons

*Takes about 25 minutes to bake-this isn't a major con but I was hungry lol

To save time, you can thaw them out and use the microwave instead.

*Contains wheat & soy-I know some people have allergies and problems digesting these foods

Both a Pro & Con

*Pricey-You get 10 (kind of small) tenders for about $5~Since we're a family of 5, I had to buy $15 worth to feed us for one night.  I also picked up a bag of french fries and broccoli, so the total came to about $22. It would cost a lot more to eat out at a restaurant, so this would make a great occasional dinner.

Ideas for the lunch box and beyond with Gardein Crispy Tenders:

Wrap a few tenders in a tortilla with lettuce and cucumber slices-top with a sauce of your choice

Make a basic garden salad and top with warm tenders

Have you tried any Gardein products?  Let me know what you think.

Let's connect. Follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Since I love music just as much as I enjoy cooking, Pandora is usually playing in the background while I explore vegan recipes. Starting today, I will feature a "song in my head" at the end of each food related post. This idea was inspired by Byrant Terry's writing in Vegan Soul Kitchen.

Song in My Head While Cooking

Al Green's "Tired of Being Alone" performance onSoul Train

R.I.P. Don Cornelius