recipes - Vegan & Vegetarian Cooking by Leslie Durso

Archive for recipes – Page 3

Homemade Grilled Pizza!

By Leslie · Comments (3) · August 3rd, 2015

It’s Summer and there is no better time to fire up that grill!! One of my favorite things to grill is pizza! So tasty and yummy! Give it a try if you haven’t! Below you can find my recipe for pizza dough and tomato sauce. If you want to cheat you can just buy prepared pizza dough (trader joe’s and whole foods carry it) and you can use jarred or canned tomato sauce. Of course, homemade is always my favorite way to go 😉

Check out this fun video me and Lynn Chen from The Actor’s Diet filmed grilling pizza last weekend!

Pizza Crust:

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet)

2 cups warm water

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 cups bread flour

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Tomato Sauce:

1 can of whole tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

Dough:

Place 1 packet of yeast with the 2 cups of warm water in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes; do not stir. The yeast will bubble when ready. Add olive oil, maple syrup, and salt.

Combine the flours in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the dough hook on, and the mixer on low, slowly add the liquid. Run until the dough ball forms. If it’s too wet, add flour a teaspoon at a time. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball.

Cover the dough with a light coating of olive oil and place in a bowl covered by a clean towel. Let rise about an hour or more or until dough doubles in size.

Tomato Sauce:

Place 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan with lid and add in the can of tomatoes and chopped garlic. Cook, covered for 15 minutes on medium. Using the back of a spoon, break up tomatoes and cook another 15-20 minutes.

Assembly:

Halve the pizza dough and with your hands form a round circle. Coat with olive oil. Place dough directly on a hot bbq. As soon as it starts to bubble, flip over. Quickly spoon desired amount of tomato sauce on the dough and spread out evenly. Close the lid of the bbq and let cook until dough is cooked, about 3-5 minutes. After pizza is cooked, top with a pinch of dried oregano and fresh basil. Enjoy immediately!

Comments (3)

Categories : featured, Pizza, recipes, Videos

Refreshing San Cosma Smoothie

By Leslie · Comments (0) · July 30th, 2015

If you’ve been following on social media, I just got back from the Nature Cure Retreat in Ravello, Italy. One of my favorite towns on the Amalfi Coast and home to the beautiful Villa San Cosma. Situated on the side of the mountain, they have unbelievable views and a spectacular garden, producing some of the tastiest produce I’ve ever eaten! Here’s the recipe for a refreshing smoothie I made on a particularly hot day with ingredients straight from the garden! Please email me if you would like more information on Nature Cure Retreat 2016.

Refreshing San Cosma Smoothie

1 apple, deseeded

2 kiwis, peeled

1 large pear

1/2 cucumber

the juice of 1/2 lemon

a handful of fresh mint

pinch of sea salt

2 cups of ice

Blend in a high powered blender and enjoy!

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Categories : featured, recipes, Smoothies

Roasted Beet Hummus

By Leslie · Comments (0) · July 2nd, 2015

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with some red, white & blue?? You are going to love my beet hummus! It’s creamy, rich, full of flavor and perfect anytime of year!

Roasted Beet Hummus

makes 3 cups (plenty for a party)

2 red beets

2 cloves garlic

2 cans of garbanzo beans, drained

2 tbsp. tahini

1/4 cup olive oil

the juice of 2 lemons

1-2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat the beets with olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt on them. Wrap individually in foil and place on a cookie sheet. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool and easily peel the skins off and cut into large cubes.

Place 2 peeled pieces of garlic and cubed beets in a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping the edges when necessary. Add the garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Puree until smooth.

To go with the red, white, and blue theme, I toasted unsweetened coconut and sprinkled it over the hummus and serves it with blue corn chips.

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Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan

Turmeric Boost Lentil and Arugula Salad

By Leslie · Comments (0) · June 15th, 2015

This is one of my favorite nutrient packed salads! I use Gaia Herbs Turmeric Boost: Restore to create a delicious salad dressing. Turmeric supports a healthy inflammatory response. Lentils which are an excellent source of plant protein and arugula, carrots, and celery for even more vitamins! This salad is seriously so tasty and SO good for you!

Turmeric Boost Lentil and Arugula Salad

dressing:

1 tbsp. Gaia Herbs Turmeric Boost: Restore
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
about 1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

salad:
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
3 cups of cooked black lentils
1 cup fresh arugula
2 tbsp. chopped chives or green onions

Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
Combine all the salad ingredients together, toss with dressing and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

Check the vid here:

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Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan, Videos

Thai Green Curry

By Leslie · Comments (18) · June 14th, 2015

Just came back from Thailand and I learned how to make authentic green curry and I had to share with you guys! It’s so good! It comes together so quickly and you’ll love it! Check out the video of me learning how to make it. In my recipe, I omit the mushroom cube. (you can’t find it in the US and I don’t miss it)

Green Curry

serves 2

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1-3 tbsp. green curry paste

8 oz. firm tofu, drained and dried

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1-2 red chilies, cut into long strips (or sub with jalapeno)

1 carrot, sliced

3 Thai eggplant, quartered

2 long beans, cut into bite size pieces (or sub with green beans)

1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)

1 tbsp. palm sugar (or raw sugar)

1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

Heat pot over medium heat and add oil. Sauté the green curry paste until aromatic. Add the tofu and stir. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to quick boil.

When the oil starts to rise to the top, add the chilies, carrot, Thai eggplant, and long beans. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 6-10 minutes.

Turn off heat, add the soy sauce, sugar, and basil leaves. Stir well and serve right away with rice.

Comments (18)

Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan

Roasted Artichoke & Celery Root Dip

By Leslie · Comments (2) · June 2nd, 2015

This Summer be anything but predictable when it comes to food at your party. Try a new ingredient like celery root. It may look very strange, but it tastes phenomenal! I had so much fun making this recipe with my friend Gigi, make sure to watch our video below.

Roasted Artichoke & Celery Root Dip

serves 12

18 oz frozen artichoke hearts (quartered)

2 whole celery roots (peeled and cubed)

6 whole cloves of garlic

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 – 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 – 5 stems of thyme

Salt & Pepper to taste

serve with fingerling potatoes, crackers, celery, whatever your heart desires

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

Toss the peeled and cubed celery root with a couple tbsps of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet with the peeled garlic and thyme. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts to the pan and lightly toss. Continue to roast for another 5-10 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender and have golden edges.

Remove tray from the oven and carefully transfer to your food processor. (you probably have to do this step in a couple batches) Pulse until the artichoke and celery root have broken down. Add a tbsp or so of olive oil and a few tbsp. of almond milk. Continue to pulse until you get a nice dip consistency. Adding more almond milk if necessary. Serve warm or cold with your favorite dippers.

Check out this fun video of me and Gigi having a ball making this dish at her house

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Categories : featured, recipes

Thai Carrot Salad

By Leslie · Comments (17) · February 25th, 2015

I just booked my next big trip! I’m on my way to Thailand in April! I would love your suggestions if you’ve been! To get myself in the mood, I’ve started working on some Thai inspired recipes. This one is a cornucopia of flavor and color!

Thai Carrot Salad

2 large carrots, julienned or shredded

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup shredded coconut (non-sweetened)

1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, finely diced (option if you like spicy!)

dressing:

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp. curry powder

1 lime, juiced

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Puree the dressing ingredients in a blender and set aside.

Toss the salad ingredients together and either combine with the dressing for a more “slaw” salad or plate the carrot mix and top with the dressing.

Enjoy room temp or chilled. This salad becomes even yummier when it’s combined and refrigerated overnight.

Comments (17)

Categories : featured, recipes, Salad, Vegan

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (13) · February 24th, 2015

Finding cookies that are vegan, gluten free and don’t taste like cardboard is nearly impossible, which is why I had to figure out a way to do it myself. These cookies don’t use a gluten free flour substitute, there is just no flour in them at all! They are also chewy, moist, and super yummy! Give them a try today!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten free and Vegan)

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

What you’ll need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp. water

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup extra dark chocolate chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, fold in the chocolate chips. Form 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into a pancake shape and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

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Comments (13)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies, gluten free, recipes, Vegan

Curried Quinoa and Lentils with Crispy Tofu

By Leslie · Comments (3) · February 3rd, 2015

Craving protein? This dish should do the trick! It packs a major nutritional punch with quinoa, lentils, and tofu! The spices I use fill this dish with yummy flavor! After I served and finished, I did think the one this this dish was missing was pomegranate seeds… If you choose to make this dish, sprinkle some fresh pomegranate seeds on the finished product to give it a pop of sweetness 😉

Curried Quinoa and Lentils with Crispy Tofu

Serves 4

1 cup dried quinoa

2 cups water

1 tbsp. turmeric

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 cup cooked lentils (color doesn’t matter)

2 carrots, sliced

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 lb. firm tofu, drained and cut into triangles

1 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper

2 green onions, sliced

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

In a sauce pot, bring the quinoa, water, turmeric, curry powder, coconut oil, and garlic to a boil and reduce heat to low. Let the quinoa simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Mix in the cooked lentils.

In a frying pan, sauté the carrots, onion, garlic, and cumin, in a teaspoon or so of olive or avocado oil. Slide in the tofu slices around the edges. Do not over stir. You want a crispy edge on the tofu so be patient 😉 After about 2 minutes, check the tofu and if it’s golden on the bottom, flip them over and stir up the carrots and onions.

To plate this dish, scoop about a cup of the quinoa/lentil mixture onto your dish. Arrange a few slices of tofu and carrots and top with the green onions and cilantro. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

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Comments (3)

Categories : featured, gluten free, Quinoa, recipes, Vegan

Cashew Pesto Potatoes

By Leslie · Comments (0) · January 21st, 2015

When you think of pesto, putting it on pasta might be your first inclination, but I’m here to tell you about my love for pesto and potatoes. The tender potatoes are really the perfect way to enjoy the herbalicious flavors of my cashew pesto. I also add in some diced tomatoes for color and bonus flavor. I hope you enjoy as much as I do

Cashew Pesto Potatoes

5 medium size red potatoes, boiled cooled and diced

1 large Roma tomato, deseeded and diced

Pesto:

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 clove of garlic

about 2 cups of basil leaves

1 lemon

1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

Place the basil and in the food processor topped with the garlic and nuts. Pulse a few times to break them down a bit. Add in all the juice from the lemon. Pulse again and then drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked potatoes with the pesto and tomatoes. Serve room temperature.

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Categories : featured, recipes, Vegan, Vegetables: Potatoes

Archive for recipes – Page 3

Homemade Grilled Pizza!

Refreshing San Cosma Smoothie

Refreshing San Cosma Smoothie

Roasted Beet Hummus

Roasted Beet Hummus

Turmeric Boost Lentil and Arugula Salad

Turmeric Boost Lentil and Arugula Salad

Thai Green Curry

Green Curry

Roasted Artichoke & Celery Root Dip

Roasted Artichoke & Celery Root Dip

Thai Carrot Salad

Thai Carrot Salad

Curried Quinoa and Lentils with Crispy Tofu

Curried Quinoa and Lentils with Crispy Tofu

Cashew Pesto Potatoes

Cashew Pesto Potatoes

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