Copy Cat

I do this all the time.

I go to a restaurant, order a meal, and upon first bite, exclaim: "We could MAKE this!"

I get so excited letting the flavors roll in my mouth, trying to sort out the spices. I examine contents, imagine the method, and make mental notes for later.

A couple recreations include Pearl Street Grill's "Queen City" sandwich: "Portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, roaster red peppers, provolone, and garlic mayo grilled between wheat berry bread"

My version: Marinated, roasted portabella mushroom cap with sauteed onions and sweet peppers in between toasted wheat berry bread.

That one took a while to make with the mushroom cap and all, but it was worth it.

Another favorite I love to re-create is Merge's "Smothered sweet potato fries" with "spiced lentils, spinach and daiya cheese"

Their fries are crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. The lentils are curry spiced and the vegan cheese lends the perfect salty touch.

My version: Spiced, baked sweet potato wedges with curried lentils and wilted spinach. Homemade vegan cashew cheese to top.

Cashew cheese?!?!? Why, yes, it is.

And it's delicious.

And it's super easy.

And it's healthier for you then dairy cheese.

This cashew cheese is creamy and chewy at the same time. It has just the right amount of salt and "cheesy" flavor. I always use it atop my version of Merge's smothered sweet potato fries, but it's also an awesome dip for pretzels, a great spread for crackers and crostini, and (while I haven't tried it yet) I bet it would make a killer grilled cheese.

Cashew Cheese

You'll need:

2 cups cashews

1/4 cup water

2 T nutritional yeast

2 t lemon juice

1 t garlic powder

Dash of sea salt

Dash of pepper

To make:

1. Soak cashews for 2 hours

2. Drain cashews and throw in food processor with all other ingredients.

3. Combine until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally.

4. Store in air tight container, in fridge, for up to 5 days.



Two from one!

Sorry it's been a while . . . the week got hectic with work, 1/2 marathon training, baby showers (oh gosh, not for me), our California trip planning (more on that later!), and Sabres games. I've still been whipping up grub, though!

When the week looks like it's going to be hectic, I try to make enough dinner so there will be leftovers for lunch the next day, and I also try to dream up food that could be used two ways.

My go to two-way foods are usually dips/spreads. With dips/spreads, I can make a big batch at one time, the flavor combinations are endless, and I can usually get one batch to last the week (depending how delicious, it is of course).

A favorite concoction is this:

Creamy Basil Avocado Dip/Spread
You'll need:
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium-sized ripe avocado
1 hand full FRESH basil leaves
1 T pizza seasoning (my pre-mixed dry spice contains Oregano, Basil, marjoram, and grain garlic)
1 T nutritional yeast
1/2 t season salt
1/4 - 1/2 t adobo light seasoning
1 t lemon juice

To make:
1. Throw all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth!

Who doesn't love a 1-step recipe?!?

This dip/spread's texture is light and fluffy/whipped. The flavor is fresh, herby, and slightly salted.

We usually dip fresh veggies into it and also pretzels and triscuits!
For lunches, I use this as a spreadable base in a wrap,and then load it up with veggies and hot sauce.
This can also be used on the roasted vegetable vegan pizza as the base (in place of the cheese).

Do you have any two from one recipes? How about any sneaky ways to make busy work week cooking easier?