Mushroom stuffed mushrooms

I love mushrooms so much that I put mushrooms inside of my mushrooms. This filling and meaty main dish has the depth of 4 different mushroom flavors. The portobello filled with crimini, and shitake shroomies doused in truffle oil.
Along side the earthy flavors of multiple mushrooms, these stuffed potobello caps are also made with the following ingredients.
4 Portobello mushrooms, de-gilled and stemmed
2 c vegetable broth
1 c pearled cous cous
1 c of mixed mushrooms (crimini, oyster, and portobello)
1 c sauteed spinach
1/4 c pine nuts - toasted 
1 medium onion - minced 
1 head of roasted garlic in black truffle oil 
a mix of fresh thyme, rosemary, sage and a pinch of parsley
2 tbs black truffle oil 
Sprinkes of shredded vegan cheese (daiya) 

Roast 1 head of garlic, all doused in black truffle oil, in oven for 30 min at 400
Boil 2 cups of veggie broth then add cous cous, simmer and cover for 12-15 min, until done
meanwhile
De-gill portobello mushrooms
Heat 1 tbs of truffle oil in pan and saute onions until soft, add spinach and toasted pine nuts with herbs, eventually add mushrooms and saute until all moisture is cooked off. Add cous cous and roasted garlic, drizzle with additional truffle oil and saute for 3 more minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Spoon the mixture evenly into each of the 4 portobello mushrooms, sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake or grill at 400 for 15 min

This healthy and gourmet dinner took less than 30 minutes to make, and was able to please a dinner party of four with a steamed artichoke appetizer and a side salad.
This recipe will most definitely keep the vampires away with all the antioxidant rich garlic, but you might want to make sure that whomever else attends your dinner party is sure to eat this garlic heavy dish as well, otherwise they may find you to be rather smelly.

Made with love,
Emily

Red velvet cupcakes for the red planet

We celebrated the landing of the mars rover with none other than red velvet cupcakes for the red planet.  We had a party with some great friends and family in our backyard with a screening of the rover as it safely descended to the surface of mars. I am so very proud of my man who just happens to work for NASA and played a crucial part in the design, testing, and assembling of a part of the rover named Curiosity.
Even if you are not celebrating the landing of a rover on another planet these cupcakes would be appropriate for any occasion. Here is the recipe brought to you by the sweet brains behind vegan cupcakes take over the world
What to put in the mix:
1 c almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 c granulated sugar
2 tbs cocoa powder, Dutch processed or regular
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c organic canola oil
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon chocolate extrac

How to make 'em:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.
4. Add the oil, food coloring, chocolate extract, and almond extract to the curdled soy milk. Whisk well to combine. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear. Do not over mix, otherwise your cupcakes will turn out gummy! Small lumps are okay.
5. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full as these cupcakes will rise fairly high. 
6.Bake 18-20 minutes until done.

Let sit on the counter for a few minutes in the pans and then transfer to a cooling rack or surface to cool completely.

While these beauties are cooling go ahead and whip up some home made vegan cream cheese frosting. Yes frosting can be vegan, and just as rich as cream cheese. 
In a bowl mix and cream together the following ingredients with a mixer until whipped. 
1/4 c non hydrogenated margarine, softened
1/4 c vegan cream cheese, softened (I use Tofutti, it's Better Than Cream Cheese!)
2 c sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
I put the icing into a piping bag and stored it in the fridge until the very moment I was ready to frost and decorate. 

No matter how excited you are about these lil cakes, try not to frost them until they are completely cooled. . I think we've all done that at least once, right? *wink

 

Made with love,

Emily