Marinara Sauce

Few things can beat a plate of warm spaghetti and sauce. Now, while I'm not Italian, I'm from New York so I'm used to the old-fashioned, authentic, Italian sauce over pasta or on pizza. Over the years I've learned from my Italian friends how their Nana's and aunt's cook up this signature sauce. Contrary to popular belief, anyone can cook authentic marinara sauce in their own kitchen - there's no secret ingredients. I recently read Julia Moskins's New York Times article Marinara Worth Mastering (totally worth your 360 seconds to read! Check it out here) and learned lots. The main myth-busters were: marinara sauce requires few ingredients, it doesn't takes take hours of simmering, garlic is a big part while onions aren't, canned tomatoes(San Marzano variety preferred) are fine to use, and finally use a skillet.

My sauce differs slightly from Lidia Bastianich's. Namely: honey, fennel, and onions. In my experience honey drastically improves tomato sauce simply because honey de-acidifies the acid in the  tomatoes making the sauce sweeter and less tart. I've kept onions because of the wonderful warm-earthy flavor that they add to just about anything. And fennel because it adds a spicy spiff to the sauce This Marinara sauce recipe isn't a mimic, it's the real thing. Try it for yourself!

3-4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
8 cloves Garlic, minced

32 oz. Whole Tomatoes, with liquid
1 whole Onion, Roughly chopped

3/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1 generous Tablespoon Pure Honey
1/2 teaspoon Sicilian Italian Seasoning
!/4 teaspoon of each: Basil, Oregano, Savory, Red Chili Flakes, Sage
pinch Ground Fennel


Heat olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat until oil is warm and the garlic is golden brown.

Blend the onion and tomatoes into a smooth but not entirely creamy mixture and pour over the browned garlic and olive oil. Simmer uncovered 7-8 minutes till sauce turns a darker red complexion

Lastly, add spices and honey and simmer uncovered over medium high heat until sauce thickens and flavor intensifies - approximately 15-25 minutes.

The Ultimate Vegan Carrot Cake

Ingredients...

1.

1/2 cup  Coconut Milk
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
2.

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Salt (Buy from here for best quality, consistency, and pricing)

3 1/2 teaspoons Aluminum Free Baking Powder ( I prefer Hain or Rumford)
3.

1/2 cup Grapeseed oil light Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoons Butterscotch Extract (which can be purchase from here)
3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger OR 1 teaspoon finely grated Fresh Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Allspice, Ground (scant)
2 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
2 Energ Eggs + 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch OR 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch + 1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Optional

1/2 cup Raisins, Soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup Walnuts, Chopped

For Decorations
3 1/2 cup Vegan butter-cream Frosting, (here's a great recipe)
1 Carrot, Julienned (learn to julienne carrots here!)
2/3 cups Chopped Walnuts or Pecans, or other nut

Directions...

1. Curd coconut milk by mixing milk with lemon juice in a glass container. Set it aside. Note: Coconut milk does not have that much protein in it, so it will not curd that much if any especially compared to soy milk.
2. Add all components (dry ingredients) from 2 and Blend on low to high to "powderize" (even though it's not a word,  it gets the point across). The texture should be as fine as cake mix! :)
3. Mix together the components (wet ingredients) of 3 in a large mixing bowl.
4. Pour the curded coconut milk into the wet mix in the bowl and stir.
5. Gently begin to stir in the flour from the blender into the wet mix in the bowl. Do not mix too long just until it starts to form a batter, some dry lumps are fine.
6. Mix in the grated carrot and raisin and walnuts if desired.
7. Distribute the batter evenly into two 8" or 9" cake pans
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 7 minutes then turn the pans over onto cooling racks and allow them to cool for 2-3 hours.

Ingredients

Adding curded milk

Adding beaten EnerG Egg Replacer

Mixing in the grated carrots

evenly distribute the batter into the cake pans

Baking the cakes

Press chopped nuts into the fresh icing by using a quick and clean cupped hand motion.

Press in individual nut pieces in the large gaps

Push in and flatten the surface with a smooth spatula.

The finished cake

Extra: Veggie Birthday Numbers!

Create Veggie numbers by slicing carrots into thin squares 

Cut out the numbers of your choice.

Bean Enchiladas

I love ethnic cuisine! It is inherently full of flavor and life! The variety in ethnic food is diverse in-and-of itself, so you can eat Mexican, Chinese, or Indian every day but not have to eat the same dish! This is a large recipe; it makes two 9"x13" pans! In my family, we like to prepare large casseroles  2-3 times per week so that we don't have to cook dinner everyday. This is a great  time saving recipe. It is also very cost effective as only 10 tortillas, 1 pound of beans, and 1 pound of rice make 10 large Enchiladas for 2 pans!

Ingredients...

1 recipe Refried Beans 
1 recipe of True Spanish Rice
1 recipe of Cheesy Sauce (prepare without red pepper)
Enchilada sauce or salsa

Optional Veggies:
Jamican Jerk Tofu
Scrambled Tofu
Olives
Spinach
Peppers

1. In a large bowl, combine the beans and 2 cups of Cheesy sauce; set aside. Pour 1 cup of Enchilada Sauce or Salsa on the bottom of each baking dish.
2. Place about 1/2 cup bean mixture, 1/2 cup rice, and a hearty spoonful of Cheesy Sauce  down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining sauce over top; pour remaining Cheesy sauce down the center and swirl with a fork to create a marbled melted appearance. Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Carrots Julienne Tutorial

Hand Julienned Carrots

Thoroughly scrub and peel (feed the scraps to the rabbits!) fresh carrots. then chop them into the lengths you prefer.

Begin shaping the carrot into a block by chopping off the 4 sides. ( you can julienne these parts  too! )

Continue shaping ...

The carrot is now in a block shape. 

Chop ultra thin slices off the carrot block.

Slices the carrot slices into skinny strips.

... and your done! 

Ultimate Refried Beans

.

3 cups Pinto Beans

Water to cover 2-3 inches

1 sm. Onions or 1-2 Tbsp. Onion Powder

1-2 cloves Garlic or 2-3 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 Tbps. Olive oil

1/4 tsp. Cumin

Pinch of Salt

Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.

Cook the beans in water.

1. Regular method:  Put beans into a pot and cover beans with at least 3 inches of water - about 3 quarts for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have, but it will be a couple our hours. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open.
2. Pressure Cooker method:  Put beans into a 4 quart pressure cooker with a 15 lb weight. Fill up the pressure cooker with water, up to the line that indicates the capacity for the pot. (I usually do 1 quart of water per cup of beans. So 3 cups of beans will need 4 quarts of water) Cook for 45-60 minutes - until the beans are soft and the skins are barely breaking open. Allow the pressure cooker to cool completely before opening. If there is resistance when attempting to open the cooker, do not open it, allow it to cool further. Follow the directions for your brand of pressure cooker. 

Strain the beans from the cooking water. Save the liquid.

 Add the onions and garlic and olive oil to a wide frying pan on medium high heat. Cook until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown.  

Add the strained beans with the sauteed onions and garlic, cumin, salt,  and about a 1-2 cups of bean water to a blender or food processor. Blend the mixture until it is either creamy or chunky, however you like it. You will probably have to stop the blender and scrape the sides with a spatula. 

Spanish Tomato Rice

1/4 cup        Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups          Jasmine rice

4 tsp            Massel Chicken Boullion (Vegan)

1/2 t            Cumin

1 t               Garlic Salt

3                 Small Tomatoes

1/2               Green Pepper

1                 Small Onion

1 ¾ -2 cups Water

1-2 T           Tomato Paste

3-4 sprigs    Fresh Cilantro (optional)

Blend the fresh tomatoes, green pepper, onion, and water together. This can be chopped, pureed, or blended til smooth - it's up to your preference.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown. Add the cumin and garlic salt and stir the rice till it looks golden. 

Add the processed veggies, chicken boullion, tomato paste, and cilantro and turn the heat up to medium high. Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Disfrútala !!