things I like

things I like

Roasted Cauliflower Soup-Ali Slagle

  • 2½ pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Carrots
    Onion
    Celery
    Veggie stock
  • Cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • garlic

  1. Step 1 Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets, lleaves and onions with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes.
  2. Step 2 Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and veggie to a simmer over medium. Add Carrots and celery then Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
  3. Step 3 Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.
  4. Step 4 Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.

carrot cake and frosting from hali taylor

Combine:
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts and/or 1 cup raisins

 In another bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring well. Pour into greased 9 X 13 pan.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes

Frosting:

½ cup butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box XXX sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Crazy carrot cake


1 1/2 Cups flour + 3 Tablespoons
1 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 Cup finely grated peeled carrots
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts
1/2 Cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 Tablespoons Canola oil
1 Cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease an 8″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the first 8 dry ingredients and blend well. Next, add carrots, walnuts and golden raisins – blend well. Last, add the wet ingredients – vinegar, vanilla and oil, then pour the water over top – mix well. Pour in greased baking dish.

Bake on middle rack of oven for *35 to 45 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean, remove when ready. Allow to cool and top with your favorite vanilla or cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

Links to Frosting Recipes
Basic Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from AllRecipes.com
Head here for a VEGAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING from the Minimalist Baker

Note: *Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.

broccoli cheddar soup from smitten kitchen.com

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped small
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds broccoli or 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped small
1 large carrot (about 6 ounces) or 2 slim ones, chopped tiny (1 cup)
8 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus a pinch extra for garnish

Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add thebroth, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and adjust seasoning if needed, but err on the cautious side with the salt because the cheese will add a bit. Puree the soup to your desired texture — I like mine fairly chunky, just lightly blended — with an immersion blender or in an upright one. Back on the stove, add cheese and whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Serve in bowls, garnished with a pinch of cheese. We like a hearty slice of grainy toasted bread on the side, for swiping.

Deb’s notes: Instead of 1 cup half-and-half, you could use 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1/2 cup additional stock or broth. I like to use both broccoli florets and stems when I cook, and I find that the stems cook up with the best texture and at the same rate as the florets when I peel them first. I did so here.

asian noodles/soup instant pot

1/2 lb. fresh korean noodles
4 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp garlic/ginger paste
1/4 c sliced mushrooms
carrot, julliened
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 onion, diced
4 scallions, sliced
snow peas (opt)
1/2 tsp sambal
3 c veggie stock
2 tbsp sesame oil

1-2 min then QR
add green part of scallions after cooking
1 egg (optional) whisked and added to soup, stirring constantly

instant pot golden lentil soup, kitchen treaty.com

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium stalks celery, diced 
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper+ more to taste
  • 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed well in cold water
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 8 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach or1 pkg  frozen spinach
    parsley to taste

 
  1. Hit “Saute” button on Instant Pot. Add oil. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
  2. Add the lentils and pour in the broth. Stir.
  3. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is in the “sealing” position. Press the “Manual” button and set the timer at 14 minutes.
  4. The Instant Pot will warm up for about 10 minutes and then start cooking. After the 12 minutes is up, quick-release by flipping the release valve to “venting” (a little bit at a time at first).
  5. Once venting is complete, remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Stir in the spinach. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve.
  6. Keeps in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Freezes well too!

Russian salad from Ellie Krieger

2 med red/waxy potatoes, well scrubbed (about 12 ounces total)
2 med carrots, peeled and cut crosswise in half (about 7 ounces total)
2 med beets, scrubbed well (about 10 ½ ounces; see headnote)
1 cup canned white beans, such as navy or cannellini, drained and rinsed
½ cup sauerkraut, drained
⅓ cup diced dill pickles
½ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Place the potatoes and carrots in a deep saucepan and the beets in a separate deep saucepan. Add cold water to cover each by about an inch and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the vegetables can be pierced with a skewer or paring knife. (They are best cooked until slightly underdone since they will continue to cook as they cool.) Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon after about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and beets once they are done, about 25 minutes for the potatoes and 45 minutes for the beets. Refrigerate until cool.

Use your fingers and/or a paring knife to remove the peel from the beets, then cut the vegetable into ½ -inch dice. Peel and dice the potatoes the same way. Dice the carrots. Combine the potatoes and carrots, plus the beans, sauerkraut, pickles, onion, oil, vinegar and salt in a large bowl and toss to incorporate. Gently fold in the beets.

To serve, garnish each portion with dill sprigs.

Wild Rice Soup from pinchofyum.com instant pot recipe

  • 5 medium carrots, chopped
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped
  • half of an onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice (see notes)
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (see notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

For the Stovetop:
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)

  1. Instant Pot: Put all the ingredients in the first list into the Instant Pot
    Cook for 45 minutes (manual). Release steam using the valve on top.
  2. Stovetop: When the soup is done, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Let the mixture cook for a minute or two to remove the floury taste. Whisk the milk, a little bit at a time, until you have a smooth, thickened sauce. Throw a little salt in there for good measure.
  3. Together: Mix the creamy sauce with the soup in the instant pot. Voila! Mushroom Wild Rice Soup.

Veggie Pot Pie from 12tomatoes.com

  • 1 sheet frozen, store-bought puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup potato, diced
  • 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard seed
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
  2. Bring a large pot of cold, salted water to boil and cook potatoes for 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside..
  3. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute carrots and onion until tender. 8-10 minutes.
  4. During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, add drained potatoes and garlic and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, thyme and oregano.
  5. Transfer vegetables to a separate bowl.
  6. Melt butter in the Dutch oven and stir in flour to create a roux. Whisk continuously to remove lumps and cook for 2 minutes to cook flour.
  7. Once smooth, whisk in vegetable broth and heavy cream and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until mixture thickens.
  8. Season with salt and pepper and ground mustard seed.
  9. Return vegetables to Dutch oven and stir to make sure everything is evenly coated.
  10. Take thawed puff pastry sheet, unfold it and gently press it into a large baking dish, making sure it comes up at least a little on all sides.
  11. Pour vegetables into puff pastry crust, place baking dish in oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until set and bubbly.
  12. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Walnut meat tacos from with lime cream sour cream vnutritionandwellness.com

  • 1.5 cups de-shelled walnuts
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 Tb tamari (or soy sauce if not gf )
  • 6 Taco shells

Toppings

  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup red cabbage, chopped
  • 1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • cilantro, choppped

lime cashew sour cream

  • 1 Cup cashews soaked overnight (or soaked at least 10 mins in boiling water)
  • 1/3 cup water (more if needed)
  • 2 Tb lime juice
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  1. Add walnuts to a food processor and process until mixture is kind of “meaty”.
  2. Put mixture in bowl and add seasonings and mix.
  3. Add rest of the ingredients (up until tamari) and stir until incorporated
  4. Fill taco shells with walnut mixture and top with toppings of choice.
  5. To make the lime cashew sour cream put all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if needed to get a sour cream consistency.

  6. Top tacos with sour cream and enjoy!