recipes :: Leslie Durso

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Tomato Quinoa Cakes

By Leslie · Comments (3) · May 16th, 2013

Take Two! So if you liked the Tomato Quinoa Risotto I posted the other day, you’ll heart my Tomato Quinoa Cakes! A perfect example of making something new out of leftovers, which I love doing!

Tomato Quinoa Cakes

makes 4 cakes

2 cups Tomato Quinoa Risotto

1-2 tbsp. bread crumbs

2 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Mix all the ingredients well and with your hands and form 4 equal size patties. Make sure they are tight!

Lightly grease a frying pan and over medium high heat place the patties in the pan and let cook about 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Careful not to flip too many times because they cakes will be fragile. Serve warm as an appetizer or over a salad.

Comments (3)

Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan

Tomato Quinoa Risotto

By Leslie · Comments (5) · May 13th, 2013

I love quinoa, but better yet, I love that my carnivorous family likes it too! For a big family dinner yesterday I played around with an idea I had kicking around in my head. I wanted to make a Tomato Quinoa Risotto and that’s just what I did. It was pretty tasty! I hope you can see it under all that fresh basil from the garden I chopped up on top

Tomato Quinoa Risotto

Serves 6

1 cup quinoa

1 cup tomato sauce (great way to use leftover)

1 cup water or vegetable broth

1/2 medium onion, diced

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups diced Roma tomatoes

15 oz. of Cannelini beans (white kidney beans)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil to garnish

In a medium pot, bring the tomato sauce and water to a boil and add the quinoa, reduce heat to medium low or to a simmer. Add in the onion and garlic after about 5 minutes. Continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Should take about 20 minutes total.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and let sit about 2 minutes to soften the tomatoes.

Serve with fresh chopped basil on top.

Enjoy!

Comments (5)

Categories : featured, Quinoa, recipes, Vegan

Portobello Asada Tacos

By Leslie · Comments (4) · May 5th, 2013

Happy Cinco De Mayo! This month my recipe for Portobello Asada Tacos was featured in my friend Fabio Viviani‘s magazine! I hope you enjoy!

Where’s the beef? Who cares! My vegan take on carne asada will have you questioning the need for carne at all.

Growing up in San Diego meant round-the-clock access to the most amazing Mexican food this side of the border. Eating at taco shops at 2 am is just about a right of passage for any San Diegan.

I love the flavors and concepts of authentic Mexican cuisine, but I couldn’t find too many vegan options on the menus so I started creating my own at home. From chile relleno and enchiladas to tortas and chimichangas, I’ve veganized them all!

Here’s one of Mexico’s most famous staples: carne asada. My vegan version replaces traditional beef with portobello mushrooms, which I marinate in citrus and spices overnight. The end result is Mexican food that packs a flavor punch without the late night 2am guilt.

Portobello Asada

Ingredients:

Serves 2

4 portobello mushrooms, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 orange, juiced
3 limes, juiced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:Whisk together all the ingredients except mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the sliced mushrooms and toss to coat. Pour the mushrooms and marinade into a airtight plastic bag and refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight).

In a large frying pan, on medium heat, add the mushroom and marinade and saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Onion Cilantro RelishIngredients:

1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juice

Preparation:Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate.Serve with warm tortillas, Onion Cilantro Relish, and Guacamole.

Comments (4)

Categories : Ethnic: Mexican, featured, recipes, Vegan

Eggplant Cutlets

By Leslie · Comments (4) · April 15th, 2013

My cousin was over the other night and we were reminiscing over our favorite family recipes. She brought up my Grandma’s Eggplant Cutlets that I almost forgot about! And what better timing since all of you have been asking for new eggplant recipes. This super simple recipe is so freaking tasty! They are so tender and the true flavor of the eggplant really comes out. You can serve it alone as a side dish, on a salad, or with your favorite sauce. If eggplants are new to you, check out this post: Eggplant 101 with lots of info

Eggplant Cutlets

1 eggplant

1 cup of Vegenaise or your favorite vegan mayonnaise

2 cups of breadcrumbs (you can use italian, or plain and add in some fresh garlic and fresh parsley)

Slice the eggplant in 1/4 inch rounds, salt and place in strainer (see here for more detail).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Pat the slices of eggplant dry and paint with the vegenaise and dredge in the breadcrumbs. Arrange on the cookies sheet and repeat.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.

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Comments (4)

Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan, Vegetables: Eggplant

Homemade Ketchup

By Leslie · Comments (8) · April 11th, 2013

Who needs 57 ingredients in their ketchup? Making ketchup is way easier than you think! And how cool will you look at your Summer BBQ’s by saying, “Try some of my homemade ketchup on your veggie burger”? This ketchup is also the base of a lot of my sauces I’ll be talking about in the next few weeks so it’s great to have on hand.

Homemade Ketchup

makes 3 cups

12 oz. tomato paste*

1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey)

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Whisk all the ingredients together in a pot and heat on medium until it bubbles, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring regularly. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

*Make sure you buy a tomato paste where the only ingredient is “tomatoes”. You don’t want all that other chemical stuff!

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Comments (8)

Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan

Springtime Asparagus Tart

By Leslie · Comments (3) · March 27th, 2013

This week I was challenged by my friend to “veganize” Martha Stewart’s Asparagus Tart. It was so beautiful I couldn’t wait! Martha uses gruyere cheese in hers, but I decided to make a vegan bechamel sauce for mine. It created a nice creamy flavor without all the dairy. And you might be thinking to yourself, puff pastry is vegan?? Well, yes, you can make your own puff pastry from scratch using Earth Balance butter as a replacer OR Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry is actually vegan(!) So give this recipe a try, it would be a perfect for Easter or a fabulous Sunday brunch Enjoy!

Springtime Asparagus Tart

Serves 8

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (or homemade)

1 1/2 cups vegan bechamel sauce

20-22 asparagus spears

salt and pepper to taste

vegan bechamel sauce:

3 tbsp. Earth Balance butter

2 tbsp. flour

2 cups plain almond milk

a pinch of salt

a dash of nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the almond milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

For the Tart:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, lay out the puff pastry and roll to rectangle shape approximately 16 X 10. Place the pastry on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Lightly score the dough 1 inch from the edges to create a frame. Using a fork, pierce the dough in the center of the frame to prevent bubbles. Bake for 7 minutes.

Remove from the oven and spread bechamel sauce in the center frame. Lay the asparagus (trimmed to fit) on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Comments (3)

Categories : Breakfast, featured, recipes, Vegan

Spicy Pickled Jalapenos & Carrots

By Leslie · Comments (2) · March 22nd, 2013

So I pulled all the carrots out of my garden yesterday and I thought… hmmm… what can I make that can showcase the fabulous sweetness of homegrown carrots… I grew up in San Diego and these pickled carrots were in every single taco shop in the city! They are spicy (but not too spicy) and sweet (but not too sweet). They make a fabulous low-cal snack or picnic item!

Spicy Pickled Jalapeno & Carrots

3 cups distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

20 jalapenos, thinly sliced

4 cups sliced carrots

1 yellow onion, halved and sliced

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tbsp. whole peppercorns

2 tsp. salt

In a large pot on high heat, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil. When sugar has dissolved, add in all the ingredients, stir, and remove from the heat. Let stand 1 hour. Serve at room temp. Or for even more flavor, let sit in your refrigerator overnight.

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Comments (2)

Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan

Creamy Carrot Soup

By Leslie · Comments (1) · March 19th, 2013

With St. Patty’s Day behind us I was inspired by the next holiday on the calendar to share my creamy carrot soup with you. This soup is not just perfect for Easter, but for anytime of year! My secret to get this vegan soup so creamy is to use potatoes Hope you enjoy!

Creamy Carrot Soup

Serves 4

What you’ll need:

8 tbsp. of Earth Balance Butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

3 medium size red potatoes, peeled and diced

5-6 cups of water

Salt to taste

What you’ll do:

Melt the “butter” in a large pot and add in the diced onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions get pretty soft. Add in the sliced carrots and saute until they get a little soft. Took about 10 minutes. Next add in the potatoes, toss together and add in 5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 30 minute or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Working in batches, blend the soup in the blender until smooth. Return to the pot and season more with salt and add more water if you need to thin it out.

Enjoy with a nice warm baguette : )

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Comments (1)

Categories : featured, recipes, Soup, Vegan

Vegan Irish Stew

By Leslie · Comments (4) · March 16th, 2013

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend is in full swing, but we still gotta eat! Make those Irish tummies smile with this ‘everything but the meat’ version of a hearty and yummy Irish stew! I bet no one will even notice you replaced the traditional lamb with earthy-rich portobello mushrooms! Mmmmm! Enjoy! And have a safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Vegan Irish Stew

Serves 6

2 onions, diced

3 portobello mushrooms, largely diced

1/2 lb. of carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 lbs. of fingerling potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. Earth Balance

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

3 cups of vegetable broth

3/4 cup red wine

1 tbsp. tomato paste

a handful of fresh parsley and chives to garnish

Saute the onions, carrots and potatoes in the olive oil and Earth Balance in a large pot for about 20 minutes on medium. Add the vegetable broth, wine, thyme, garlic, and tomato paste and softly simmer for about an hour or until the vegetables are soft and the house smells amazing.

Serve warm with a hearty crusty bread.

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Comments (4)

Categories : featured, recipes, Soup, Vegan

Spicy Bean Salad

By Leslie · Comments (1) · March 8th, 2013

Who says healthy has to be bland?? This is an easy bean salad I came up with when I didn’t have much but my staples in the house. It’s super tasty and tasted even better the next day! Definitely feel free to adjust the spice level to your liking

Spicy Bean Salad

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

a handful of cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/8-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

salt and pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and let refrigerate an hour or two, or overnight.

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Comments (1)

Categories : featured, recipes, Salad

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Archive for recipes

Tomato Quinoa Cakes

Tomato Quinoa Risotto

Portobello Asada Tacos

Eggplant Cutlets

Homemade Ketchup

Springtime Asparagus Tart

Spicy Pickled Jalapenos & Carrots

Creamy Carrot Soup

Vegan Irish Stew

Spicy Bean Salad

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