Vegan :: Leslie Durso

Archive for Vegan

A Blooming Garden Salad

By Leslie · Comments (2) · June 14th, 2013

I had the pleasure of teaching a fabulous floral and cooking class with my good friend Tam Ashworth owner of Isari Flower Studio. (More on that class in a few!) This is the floral salad I created. I love a salad like this at a dinner party! It doesn’t take much effort to arrange a salad like this and I think it makes such a huge impact for your guests.

Blooming Garden Salad

serves 2

1 head of boston head lettuce

1 organic peach

8 organic strawberries

6 organic blueberries

fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, tarragon, etc.

edible flowers

Stack the lettuce leaves on the plate making a flower shape. Garnish with the fruit.

Dressing:

1 shallot

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. agave nectar or honey

2/3 cup olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in your food processor except olive oil and pulse until the shallot is finely minced. Stream in your olive oil. Serve immediately or make sure you stir if ingredients separate.

Comments (2)

Categories : featured, recipes, Salad, Vegan

Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

By Leslie · Comments (9) · June 10th, 2013

I remember my Great Aunt Rose telling me a story before she passed about a trip to Rome she took with my Great Uncle. Fettuccine Alfredo was named by an Italian restaurateur, Alfredo Di Lelio, at his restaurant Alfredo on the Via della Scrofa in Rome in 1914. My Great Aunt and Uncle were lucky enough to dine there and have Mr. Alfredo Di Lelio serve them his dish personally table side! She said he served all of the Alfredo in the restaurant with large gold engraved fork and spoon that were given to him by Mary Pickford! How cool is that???

Ok, so why the story? Well, I used to love fettuccine alfredo when I was a kid, but authentic kind that was just butter and parmesan cheese. So when I became a vegan I was always thinking of healthy ways of making this dish. Cauliflower was the obvious choice in vegetable for me to experiment with and I think I’ve developed a recipe that you’ll enjoy! It’s super duper creamy and dare I say actually pretty good for you! I’m serious, you will be blown away by how creamy it is! In my picture I’ve served this sauce with Bisogno’s vegan, gluten free, spinach pasta that I found at the farmers market today, but you can use this sauce in so many ways! I loooove it on a baked potato with some broccoli! It’s great in lasagna, potatoes au gratin, etc. Hope you enjoy!

Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 4

1 large head of cauliflower

3 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp. vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 onion, sliced

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut off any bottom leaves of the cauliflower and cut out the toughest part of the core. Then break the cauliflower down into florets. Boil them with the vegetable broth uncovered until the cauliflower is very soft and tender. About 15 minutes.

While the cauliflower is cooking, heat a large frying pan and saute the onion and garlic with the Earth Balance and olive oil until soft.

When both are done, using a slotted spoon, remove all the cauliflower from the broth and place in a blender or food processor. Add 1 cup of the cooking broth, all the contents of the frying pan, the nutmeg and salt. Puree on high until very smooth, 3-4 minutes. Add a little more broth at a time if it needs to be thinned. Add pepper to taste.

Serve with fettuccine and serve warm.

OPTIONS: Drizzle the finished fettuccine alfredo with some truffle oil for something really special! Add red chili flakes to kick up the heat on your pasta! Or saute asparagus, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, broccoli, or any other veggies you like and add on top!

PRINTER FRIENDLY RECIPE

Comments (9)

Categories : Ethnic: Mediterranean, featured, Pasta, recipes, Vegan, Vegetables: Cauliflower

Breakfast Acai Bowl

By Leslie · Comments (5) · June 5th, 2013

There’s a little company called Sambazon… you might have heard of them. They are a the producer of my favorite acai berry products drinks and smoothie packets! They have a storefronts and cafes in San Diego and Newport Beach, that I highly recommend if you are ever down there! At the cafe they serve these fantastic acai bowls. They also sell their smoothie packets in a lot of grocery stores nation wide and with those is how I make my acai bowls at home.

Acai berries are a purplish berry from the Acai Palm Tree and are loaded with antioxidants and taste super yummy!

Breakfast Acai Bowl

serves 1

2 packets Sambazon smoothie packets

3/4 cup soy or almond milk

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. chia seeds

Toppings:

granola

organic blueberries

organic strawberries

shredded coconut

Anything else you can imagine!

Blend the smoothie packets, milk, cocoa, and chia in the blender until smooth, pour into a bowl, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!!

Comments (5)

Categories : Breakfast, featured, recipes, Vegan

Superfood Salad!

By Leslie · Comments (4) · June 3rd, 2013

This salad is not only packed with flavor, but with super nutrients as well! Check out some of the benefits:

Kale: vitamin A and C, calcium and cancer-fighting phytonutrients
Chard: Vitamin C, E, K Magnesium & Calcium
Spinach: Iron, Carotenoids, Vitamin K, Coenzyme Q10, B vitamins, Chlorophyll, Polyphenols, Betaine
Blueberries: Pytochemicals that protect against cancer and heart disease
Strawberries: Vitamin C, Manganese, and Fiber
Coconut: Fiber, Manganese, Potassium, and Copper
Almonds: Vitamin E, B-Complex Vitamins, Fiber, Manganese, Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, and Selenium
Apple Cider Vinegar: Detoxes the body, Cures allergies, Clears acne, Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
Pomegranate Juice: Potassium, Vitamin C, Polyphenols and Vitamin B6
Olive Oil: Vitamin E, and monounsaturated fat

Super Food Salad

serves 4

6 oz. greens mix of baby kale, baby swiss chard, and spinach

1/2 cup blueberries

3/4 cup strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds

dressing:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp. pomegranate juice

1 tsp. agave nectar or honey

2/3 cup olive oil

Combine all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl and toss with the salad. Enjoy!

Comments (4)

Categories : featured, recipes, Salad, Vegan

Pasta Alla Norma

By Leslie · Comments (4) · June 2nd, 2013

Happy Sunday! Sunday nights in my Italian family meant pasta for dinner. I have always loved Pasta Alla Norma for 2 reasons… eggplant and ricotta cheese. Well, gone are the days of making homemade ricotta… So what is that on top of the pasta you ask? Well, that’s Nary Dairy’s cashew cheese. I found Nary Dairy last week at the Studio City Farmers Market and fell in love with their “cheeses”! Remember when I Instagramed about them? They are a local company here in Los Angeles and you can buy their cheese at the Studio City and Hollywood Farmers Markets and I highly suggest you do! These cheeses have awesome texture and are packed (and I mean packed!) with flavor! Ok, back to the pasta! Pasta Alla Norma was such a perfect dish when invented in Sicily it was names Norma after the hugely successful Opera by Bellini. And perfect it is, perfect for a Sunday supper!

(Oh and the crazy talented Laura Grier took that picture when I made this for her Major benefit of having professional photogs for friends! Check out her amazing new travel photography site, you’ll get lost on it for hours!)

Pasta Alla Norma

serves 4

1 lb. pasta (I prefer rigatoni or spaghetti, but use your favorite)

1 large eggplant, diced in 1/2 inch cubes

1 small onion, chopped

28. oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano if you can get them)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

a pinch of salt

a pinch of sugar

1 3.5 oz. container of Nary Dairy Cheese (I used the Gilroy garlic flavor)

about 5 fresh large basil leaves, thinly sliced

In a large frying pan, on medium-high, heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil. Working in batches, drop in the eggplant cubes to make one layer in the frying pan. Toss until golden, about 10 minutes. Strain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the rest of the eggplant.

In a sauce pot, on medium, saute the onions in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. When the onions are soft, pull the tomatoes apart with your hands and add them and the juice to the pot. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. When the pasta is almost ready, add the pinch of sugar and chopped garlic.

In a large pot, cook your pasta according to the directions until al dente.

In the same frying pan you used for the eggplant, on medium low heat, place the cooked pasta, eggplant, and a few spoonfuls of sauce and toss until covered and warm. Plate and add a dollop of “cheese” and a good sprinkle of basil. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy as much as I do

Comments (4)

Categories : Entrees, Ethnic: Mediterranean, featured, Pasta, recipes, Vegan

Vegan Ceviche

By Leslie · Comments (8) · May 31st, 2013

Pretty picture huh? Well… that’s cause one of my favorite people in the world took it! If you haven’t seen her work, check out Laura Grier’s Website and see her amazing photography! And yes, you might even find some pics of me on there if you are lucky

Now, that is ceviche in that pic and yes, it’s vegan ceviche! How you ask? Well, obviously I took out the seafood aspect and I added mushrooms. Just like my Aunt makes it. It’s super duper yummy and I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Vegan Ceviche

1/2 sweet onion, diced

6 oz. mushrooms, diced

the juice of 1 lime

5 large roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 jalapeno, finely diced (more if you like it spicy)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp. ketchup (here’s my homemade recipe)

1/4-1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients but the avocado in a bowl, cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight. Before you serve, stir in the avocado and enjoy with tortilla chips.

Comments (8)

Categories : Appetizers, Ethnic: Mexican, featured, recipes, Vegan

Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Avocado Dip

By Leslie · Comments (1) · May 28th, 2013

This is definitely going to be the Summer of dips! I’ve been playing around with so many combos recently and this one stands out so I want to share I made it this weekend for a friends son’s birthday party and the bowl was licked clean (always a good sign!) And the best reason for making dips from scratch?? No crazy chemicals in those little packets or bottles! Did you know that most of those packets have MSG (blah!) in them??? Well, here’s a super simple recipe that I hope will please your crowd. And if you notice, yes, I serve this dip and most others with potatoes. They are simply boiled potatoes, but they are one of my favorite dippers! It’s like having deconstructed potato salad Hope you enjoy!

Did you see my Vine of this recipe? I did it in less than 10 seconds. If you missed here it is:

Caramelized Onion, Spinach, & Avocado Dip aka “Green Dip”

1 vidalia or sweet onion, diced

8 oz. spinach, chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 avocados, smashed well or whipped in a food processor

1 tbsp.-3 tbsp. vegenaise (or mayo if you like), if you need to smooth it out more

1 tsp. paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Caramelize the onion. In a frying pan on medium high heat, add the onions and about a tbsp. of olive oil. Saute until soft, then turn the temperature down to medium low and let Dr. Caramel do his thing Which means stir every minute or so for about 15 minutes or until the onions develop a caramel color.

While your onions are caramelizing, combine the spinach, lemon juice, and whipped avocados in a large bowl, add the onions when ready and stir. Add vegenaise if it needs to be a little creamier. Stir in the paprika, salt, and pepper. Chill and enjoy!

Comments (1)

Categories : Appetizers, Dips, featured, recipes, Vegan

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

Archive for Vegan

A Blooming Garden Salad

Blooming Garden Salad

Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

Breakfast Acai Bowl

Breakfast Acai Bowl

Superfood Salad!

Super Food Salad

Pasta Alla Norma

Pasta Alla Norma

Vegan Ceviche

Vegan Ceviche

Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Avocado Dip

Caramelized Onion, Spinach, & Avocado Dip aka “Green Dip”

Tomato Quinoa Cakes

Tomato Quinoa Risotto

Portobello Asada Tacos

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