Fabcakes that will not make you miss the crab

These faux-crab-cakes are delicious on their own or on a sandwich bun. Adapted from a Purple Carrot recipe.

Photo credit: Purple Carrot

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans
1 can hearts of palm
1 jalapeno
3 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard
3 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 cup panko crumbs
several tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper
buns (if using)

Method:
Cut top and seeds/pith away from jalapeno; drain both hearts of palm and beans. Put those 3 ingredients into a food processor and pulse a few times just to get to a slightly stringy/crumbly consistency. 

Pour that into a bowl and add the vinegar, dijon, Old Bay, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of the panko crumbs. Mix well and form into patties, then put those in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up. 

When ready, heat a couple tbsp. oil in a skillet, coat the fabcakes in the remaining panko on both sides and all around the edges, and fry each side 3-4 minutes over medium heat (until panko is toasted brown and crispy).

Enjoy with vegan mayo or tartar sauce!

Stuffed Shells variation: Pumpkin-Kale Ricotta Stuffed

Pumpkin-Kale Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I tweaked this recipe a bit and it was fabulous. Really healthy, too. Original recipe from VeganFoodLover.com.

Ingredients

-1/2 box of stuffed shells  

For the vegan ricotta:

-1 package firm tofu, drained and pressed 

-1/2 cup nutritional yeast 

-2 tbsp olive oil 

-2 tbsp lemon juice 

-4 cloves garlic 

-1 large bunch basil, rinsed 

-2 tsp sea salt 

-2 tsp black pepper 

For the stuffing: 

-1 can pumpkin 

-1 bunch kale, chopped 

-1 small onion, diced 

-3 cloves garlic 

-1 cup mushrooms, sliced 

-1 tsp sea salt

-1 tsp black pepper

-1 tsp basil

-1 tsp oregano

-1 tsp red pepper flakes 

-1 cup vegan cheddar

Method:

Heat oven to 350ºF. Cook pasta according to package directions. 

In a food processor, combine the ingredients for the vegan ricotta and blend until smooth. 

In a pan over medium heat, simmer onions and kale in olive oil and a tbsp of water for about 30 minutes, covered, checking periodically so it doesn't burn. Add garlic, mushrooms and spices and sauté for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in pumpkin. 

Layer a small amount of vegan ricotta on the bottom of an oven safe dish. Stuff shells with pumpkin mixture and place in a single layer over the vegan ricotta. Top with more vegan ricotta, making sure to get in between the shells, and add vegan mozzarella on top of that. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Super Quick and Easy Stuffed Shells

I tried (with small adjustments) this quick recipe from Vegetarian Times and it was awesome; packed with protein and hardly any fat.


Garlicky Vegan Stuffed Shells
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-1 package firm tofu, drained and dried with paper towels (14 oz.)
-1/4 cup GOOD olive oil
-12 cloves of garlic, whole and peeled
-6-8 oz. pasta shells (large, for stuffing)
-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
-2 tsp. lemon juice
-2 tsp. white miso
-5 oz. (6 cups) fresh baby spinach leaves
-24 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used arrabiata because I like it a bit spicy, but puttanesca would also be GREAT)
-1 additional tbsp. olive oil
-3/4 cup of shredded vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a small skillet over medium heat, heat up the olive oil and all the garlic. Once it's hot, turn down to low and simmer, stirring often to turn cloves, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, cook pasta shells according to package directions (usually a couple minutes less than usual since you're going to be baking the shells after boiling). When they are done, drain and rinse, then run under cool water for a minute before arranging them in a baking pan to cool. (I used a metal pan so they don't stick.)




 
Then use the same pot to wilt the spinach: combine spinach with 2 tbsp. water over medium heat and stir for 3-5 minutes until totally wilted. Drain in a colander and press out all the excess water you can.

In a food processor, combine the oil/garlic, tofu, vinegar, miso and lemon juice and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the spinach leaves until combined.

Fill each pasta shell with about 2 tbsp. of tofu/spinach filling and arrange in a baking pan (I used a 9x14" metal one). Then top with the whole 24 oz. of pasta sauce until the shells are surrounded and mostly covered. Top with the final tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle mozzarella (if using).

Bake for 45 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Hot and Sour Eggplant

This dish took WAY less time than I imagined... so quick and easy! This amount will serve 3-4 as an appetizer and 2 as an entree, especially with rice or a salad.

Ingredients:
-2 medium eggplants, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into eighths and then once halfwise
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1 tsp cornstarch
-1 tbsp sambal olek chili sauce (you can also use Sriracha, but then lessen the sugar a bit because it has more sugar than sambal olek)
-1 small clove garlic, diced finely
-3/4 tbsp sugar
-1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
-1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
-1/4 tsp ground ginger
-1 scallion, finely sliced

Method:

After slicing the eggplant, put all the slices into a large bowl of warm water, heavily salted. If you need, place a salad plate or something over the slices so they are immersed in the water as much as possible. Meanwhile, put your wok on the stove on high and dice your scallions.

In a bowl, mix the following together with a fork: cornstarch, sambal olek, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger. Make sure the cornstarch is dissolved and not clumpy. Then drain the eggplant and put the slices onto a paper towel to dry, with more paper towels on top. Thoroughly pat dry all the pieces.

When your wok is very hot, add 1/2 tbsp of the sesame oil and then throw in the eggpant slices (carefully!). Using a wooden spoon, toss the eggplant around a bit so they brown nicely and don't burn. After about 5 minutes they should be soft and smell really nice. If they are getting too dry, add in the other 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil. Then pour in the sauce you just made and the scallions and stir/toss for about 2 minutes until thoroughly coatedand the sauce is thick.

Pour the whole thing onto a serving plate and serve hot! You can sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for garnish.

Eggplant slices before fully cooked - just as I added them to the wok

Miso-Charred Eggplant over Asian Giant Couscous Salad

This sauce/marinade is possibly one of the best I have ever had. It's great on this dish but it's also great as a sauce or drizzle on almost anything. I'm obsessed!

Miso-Charred Eggplant with Asian Giant Couscous Salad

Ingredients for eggplant/sauce:
-2 medium purple eggplants
-3-4 tbsp. sesame oil
-4 tbsp. dark miso paste
-3 tbsp. sugar
-2 tbsp. soy sauce
-4 tbsp. rice vinegar
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or even ground into a paste
-2-3 tsp. Sriracha or sambal oelek chili sauce
-2 scallions, finely chopped

Ingredients for couscous salad:
-1 package giant Israeli couscous (or regular couscous if you prefer)
-1 tbsp. lime juice
-2 tbsp. sesame oil
-1 tbsp. rice vinegar
-1/2 tsp. ginger powder
-2 scallions, chopped
-handful of snow peas

Method:
First, make the couscous according to package directions. Drain and set into a bowl. While it's still warm, whisk together (or shake in a jar until emulsified) the other ingtedients for the couscous salad - lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and ginger powder. Pour over the couscous and toss in the scallions. Boil up some water, throw the snow peas in for 3-4 minutes until bright green and a little soft but still crisp, and then drain. Run the peas under cold water, then toss them in with the couscous. Set that aside.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil for the eggplant in a frying pan (large) over medium heat. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and then score each one diagonally (crosshatch in a diamond pattern) with a sharp knife (do not cut the skin, just the flesh) with cuts about 1" apart. Once the oil is hot, place 2 of the eggplant halves flesh-side down into the frying pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Then turn them over and cook for 2-3 minutes more on the skin side. Do this with the other 2 halves next. Set all 4 halves flesh-side up in an oven-safe dish and set aside.

Preheat your broiler to the top heat. In a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the miso marinade (miso paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, chili sauce). Spoon the marinade thickly over the eggplant halves then put in the oven under the broiler. Watch it carefully - they should probably only be in there for about 5-6 minutes, until the eggplants look a little softer and the marinade is bubbling but NOT burned on top of them. Remove from oven.

Plate any way you want - I piled some couscous salad on the plate and laid eggplant halves on top, then topped with more sliced scallions. I saved some marinade to use as extra topping sauce as well. Enjoy! 

Thai Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with Cilantro

This one is probably my new favorite soup EVER. And, it can be made much spicier than the recipe here - it is warming and thick and very filling. It's much easier if you already have some butternut squash roasted and on hand, but if not you can roast a squash on 425F for about 35 minutes and scoop out as much pulp as you need!

Thai Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with Cilantro

Ingredients:
-4 cups butternut squash puree
-2 cups vegetable broth
-2 tsp. peanut oil
-1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp. minced ginger
-1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
-1 can coconut milk
-2 tbsp. red curry paste
-1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
-1 tbsp. brown sugar
-2 tsp. soy sauce
-2 tbsp. lime juice
-1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
-Sriracha or sambal oelek chili paste for serving

Method:
In a blender, combine the squash and the vegetable broth until blended and smooth. Pour into a large soup pot and heat on low, stirring occasionally. 

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium heat and then add the chopped onion. Stir until it's browning a bit, about 8-10 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, and bell pepper and stir another minute or two. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Once it's hot, add the curry paste and peanut butter and stir until combined. Then add the brown sugar and soy sauce.

Coconut-pepper-onion mix, before it's added to the squash

Slowly pour the coconut-pepper mix into the soup pot where your squash mix is simmering. Stir to combine and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the lime juice and chopped cilantro and let simmer another 15 minutes.

Pour into bowls and serve with chili sauce of your choice!

Butternut Squash Alfredo with Sage

I tried (and slightly tweaked) this recipe by Isa Chandra Moskowitz this weekend and highly recommend it! It's fantastic for when you're feeling the need for a creamy pasta but don't want the calories of a cream or oil based sauce. You can find the original here:
http://www.theppk.com/2012/10/roasted-butternut-alfredo/

Butternut Squash Alfredo with Sage

-1 pound of your favorite pasta (I used little shells) 

Ingredients for sauce (in blender):
- 1 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash (I roasted a butternut squash cut in half lengthwise then cut again widthwise, after scooping out the seeds, on 425F for about 40 minutes until it was very soft. Then I let it cool and scooped out the flesh. I had 5 1/2 cups total and saved the rest for soup or something else later this week!)
-1/2 cup of cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours)
-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
-2 tbsp dark and flavorful miso
-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
-1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for sauce (in saute pan):
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp dry sage
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-3/4 cup dry white wine
-fresh black pepper, to taste
-1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Method:
Blend the drained cashews along with the vegetable broth until very, very smooth in a blender of food processor. Make sure it's not grainy. It took me about 2 minutes of high powered blending. Then add the squash, miso, yeast and lemon juice and blend well. You might need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides and re-blend.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta per package directions.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until they are slightly carmelized (about 8 minutes). Then add the garlic and stir for about a minute. Then add the sage, cayenne, pepper and salt and stir another minute. Then increase heat to high, pour in the wine, and stir for a few minutes until it comes to a boil and then reduces a little bit. Reduce heat to low, pour in butternut squash mixture, and stir to combine. Once combined and heated through, taste to see whether you need to add salt, pepper or more cayenne (if you like a little more heat). Then pour over your drained pasta and serve!

Smoky Chipotle 4-Bean Chili

You can make this chili as spicy (or not) as you like by adjusting the chili powder and fresh chili peppers. Try to keep the chipotle powder though as it adds great dimension!

Smoky Chipotle 4-Bean Chili

Ingredients:

-2 tbsp. veg. oil

-1 white onion, roughly chopped

-2 red onions, roughly chopped

-1 lb. ground meat substitute (optional)

-3 cloves minced garlic

-1 cup water with 2 cubes vegetable boullion dissolved in it

-1 bottle of your favorite dark beer

-1 cup strong coffee or espresso

-1 can (14.5 oz.) of diced tomatoes

-6-10 oz. tomato paste

-1/3 cup brown sugar

-1 tbsp. coriander

-1 tbsp. cumin

-1 tbsp. cocoa powder

-1 tsp. ancho chili powder

-1 tsp. cayenne pepper

-1 tsp. salt

-2 tsp. oregano

-3 small green serrano peppers or hot red chilies, chopped very small (adjust to taste)

-2 cans red kidney beans

-1 can white kidney beans

-2 cans pinto beans

-1 can black beans

Method:

 

In a very large pot on medium heat, put chopped onions, vegetable oil, garlic, and meat substitute (if using). Add boullion, beer, espresso, tomatoes, and tomato paste and simmer until hot.

Add brown sugar, spices, peppers, red kidney beans, and black beans. Lower heat to low/med and simmer for 60-90 minutes.

Add pinto beans and white kidney beans and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with fresh chopped onion if desired.

Vegan Chipotle Taco Lasagna

Though I do get cravings for cheesy dishes sometimes, I try to make cashew cheese or some other creamy topping (creamy tahini sauce, avocado-based sauce, etc.) rather than buy vegan cheese to melt, because vegan cheese so often is made mostly of oil and still full of additives and/or chemicals to replicate the texture of real cheese. So this recipe was a little experiment with "cheese" sauce and it was fantastic!! Multiple steps but would be great made in advance for a dinner party so when your guests arrive you can just pop it in the oven. This recipe is adapted from Natalie Slater.

Vegan Chipotle Taco Lasagna

Lasagna before last layer of tortillas and baking

Ingredients for the filling/construction:
-2 tsp. olive oil
-1 lb. button mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp. salt
-freshly ground pepper
-6-8 soft tortillas
-12-16 oz. of your favorite salsa
-Chalupa chipotle sauce, or Tabasco chipotle sauce 

Ingredients for chipotle "cheese" sauce:
-1 1/2 tsp. salt
-2 cups warm water
-1/4 cup raw cashews
-1 cup nutritional yeast
-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced (I get this in a can in the Mexican area of the grocery store)
-2 tbsp. cornstarch
-1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1/2 tsp. onion powder
-3/4 tsp. garlic powder
-3 cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)
-2 cans of corn, drained

To top:
-diced red onion
-guacamole (recipe to follow in another post!)
-sliced black olives (optional)

Mushrooms cooking with garlic

Method:
1st step: One hour before you prepare! Mix the salt and warm water until salt is dissolved, then add cashews and soak for 1 hour!

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat and once it's hot, throw in mushrooms. Cook about 6-8 minutes until browned, then add garlic, salt and pepper. Mix for 1-2 more minutes then remove from heat.

Cheese sauce thickening

In a food processor, blend the soaked cashews with the soaking water, yeast, peppers, cornstarch, lemon juice and onion and garlic powders until VERY smooth. Then transfer to a saucepan and over medium heat whisk until thickened (about 10 minutes). (Do try to whisk almost constantly so it doesn't burn.) Remove from heat.


In a very large bowl, mix the mushrooms, cheese sauce, beans and corn. Set aside.

First layer of tortillas on the sals

Pour about 1/3 of the salsa into the bottom of a 9x13" Pyrex lasagna dish. Then set down one layer of tortillas (cutting if necessary, like lasagna noodles). Then spoon about 1/3 of the mushroom/bean/cheese/corn mixture on top and sprinle with a few drops of Chalupa sauce. Then spoon about 1/3 of the remaining salsa on, followed by another tortilla layer. Then another cheese/bean layer, Chalupa and salsa, tortillas, etc. The top should be a layer of tortillas.

Put it in the oven and cook about about 20-25 minutes, until the tortillas on top are browned and the juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5-10 minutes, then cut and serve like lasagna. Top with onions, olives, more Chalupa, and guacamole if desired.





 
 
 

Southwestern Chipotle Gazpacho

This experimental gazpacho started out normally and then I saw the chipotle-infused olive oil in my cabinet. It tasted amazing, but if you can't find chipotle olive oil, then you can use chipotle powder and regular (but good quality) olive oil instead. Even the color looks Southwestern. And it's obviously so good for you! Some topping suggestions that I didn't have on hand but would work GREAT: vegan bacon bits, a dollop of vegan sour cream, a squirt of vegan creme fraiche... etc.

Side notes: 
-This is very good the first day you make it but gets even better if you let it sit in the refigerator overnight before serving (like all gazpachos).
-I made this in my blender because with some of these veggies I find that does a better job than my larger food processor. But that meant I had to do it in 2 batches and just try to put half of the ingredients in one and half in the other. It's fine if they're not totally even because it's all going in a big bowl which you'll mix up anyway.

Southwestern Chipotle Gazpacho

Ingredients:

The nice southwestern-color is due to the spinach!

-2 lbs tomatoes (I used a mix of cherry tomatoes and Roma tomatoes)
-1 medium cucumber, roughly chopped, with skin on
-2 slices bread, with crusts removed, torn into smaller pieces
-1/4 cup chipotle-infused olive oil (or 1/4 cup regular olive oil with 1 tbsp. Chipotle powder)
-2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-4 scallions, roughly chopped
-1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
-6 cups baby spinach
-juice of 1 lime
-Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
Put the vegetables, bread, oil, vinegar, garlic, spinach and lime juice into a blender and blend well. (If you need to do it in a couple batches that's fine.)
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve! (Or better yet, let sit overnight in the fridge then serve.)

Sesame-Ginger Spinach Rice Bowl

Another easy meal-in-a-bowl which took almost no time at all and holds up so well as leftovers! I am really into these "throw it all in and mix" type meals because they have everything you need nutritionally and taste fantastic.

Sesame-Ginger Spinach Rice Bowl

Ingredients:
-6 cups baby spinach
-1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1/2 package of smoked tofu, cubed (optional)
-1/2 a large cucumber, diced with skin on
-2-3 large scallions, sliced
-1 avocado, diced
-handful mushrooms, sliced
-2 tsp black (or regular) sesame seeds (optional)

Dressing:
-2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp ginger powder
-1 tbsp. sake
-1 1/2 tbsp. rice vinegar
-1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
-1-3 tsp. Sriracha or sambal olek chili (optional, to taste)

Method:
Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, put spinach, beans, tofu, cucumber, scallions, avocado and mushrooms in a large bowl.

Put all dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until emulsified. When the rice is ready, add into the large bowl, pour dressing all over and stir to combine. Serve and top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Delicious White Bean and Caramelized Fennel Mini-Calzones

I finally tried this recipe from the New York Times but I tweaked it a little bit. You can find the original here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/dining/white-bean-and-caramelized-onion-calzone-recipe.html

It's delicious and the fennel taste mellows a bit with the caramelization process. I used store-bought pizza dough to make it a little easier and it turned out great! I also like the idea of mini-calzones because that way you can serve multiple people... or if you make them REALLY small you can even serve them as hors d'oeuvres/finger food.

White Bean and Caramelized Fennel Mini-Calzones

Fennel and onion prior to caramelization

Ingredients:

-pizza dough

-1 large fennel bulb with fronds

-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed

-1 large white onion, halved root to stem and thinly sliced

-1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed (optional)

-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
-1 3/4 cups cooked white beans (about 1 can, drained and rinsed)
-1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

-All-purpose flour, as needed

-1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt


Fennel and onion after caramlization



-Lemon wedges, for serving

Method:

Remove the stems from the fennel bulb. Chop 2 tablespoons of fronds and save the remaining fronds for another use. Halve the bulb lengthwise, remove the core, and thinly slice each half.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil, fennel bulb, onion and fennel seed. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Bean puree

In a small bowl, mash the beans with 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until they form a chunky purée.

Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet, or flour up a pizza stone.

Lightly flour a work surface, and stretch or roll the dough into a rectangle shape. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 6-8 smaller squares. Spread the bean mixture on half of the dough, leaving a half-inch border. Top with the fennel-onion mixture and sprinkle with fennel fronds. Brush the edges of the dough with water, and fold dough in half, over filling; pinch the edges of the dough together to seal.

Transfer calzones to baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until crust is golden brown and firm, 15 minutes or so. Let cool 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.







Calzones before going in the oven



Finished product



Greek Lemon-Tahini Quinoa Salad

This is a really filling “salad” that is different from the usual green salad.  It also holds up well in the fridge for a couple of days so it’s good as leftovers.

Greek Lemon-Tahini Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

Finished product

-1 cup uncooked quinoa

-1/2 cucumber, diced small

-1 small red onion, sliced very thinly

-1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

-2 scallions, sliced thinly

-1 red bell pepper, diced small

-1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

-6 cups baby spinach or baby field greens of your choice

-1/2 cup pickled Italian hot peppers, halved and stems discarded (optional)

Ingredients for dressing:

-1/3 cup tahini

-2 cloves garlic

-2/3 cup water

-3 tbsp. lemon juice

-4 tbsp. ground flax seed

-1 tbsp. miso paste

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Method:

In a saucepan, boil 2 cups of water with 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. fresh black pepper. Once boiling, add quinoa, stir, and turn heat down to medium.  Cook for about 15-17 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all of the water and is cooked through.

Meanwhile, chop all the veggies and throw together in a large bowl.  In a blender or food processor, process the dressing ingredients until very smooth.  Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Veggies mixed in bowl before sauce, greens and tahini

Once quinoa is done cooking, combine with the veggies and fluff.  Then pour dressing on the whole thing and mix well.  Enjoy!  Can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Lemon-Basil Risotto

This risotto tastes fresh and lemon-y and is great with a heap of fresh cracked black pepper on top. Delish!

Lemon-Basil Risotto

Ingredients:
-4 tbsp. olive oil (I used lemon-infused oil but regular is fine)
-5 finely chopped shallots
-1 1/2 cups risotto rice
-3/4 cup white wine
-5 cups vegetable stock
-1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-3 tsp. nutritional yeast
-1 1/2 cups fresh chopped basil

Method:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add shallots and cook until translucent.  Add the rice and stir and cook for 2 more minutes until it's all coated.

While the shallots cook, bring the stock and lemon juice to a simmer in another saucepan.  

Add wine to the rice and slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine.  Keep stirring.  Once the wine is almost absorbed, add the stock in 1/2 cup increments, stirring constantly. Add each additional 1/2 cup once it looks like the risotto has absorbed the last one.  

When there's only about 1/2 cup of stock/lemon juice left, add the nutritional yeast and stir. Then stir the remaining liquid into the rice and stir until you get a nice risotto-y consistency and it's almost all absorbed.  

Remove from heat, stir in basil and a bit of fresh pepper, and serve!

Optional topping: more fresh pepper and some lemon zest.