CREAMY RIESLING AND WILD MUSHROOM PENNE

This Penne pasta is so creamy you could almost swear it's got real fattening cream and cheese in it. It is quite lower fat than a non vegan version. I like using Riesling wine in this recipe, as much as it is not my favorite wine to drink, it's sweeter taste makes it stand out a little better. This recipe can definitely impress and trick your non vegan friends who argues that vegan food cannot be as good.

CREAMY RIESLING AND WILD MUSHROOM PENNE

Ingredients

300g Brown rice penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup Shallots diced small
2 leeks quartered, minced (white part only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups mixed wild mushrooms chopped medium size
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
pepper to taste
1/2 cup Riesling white wine
1/2 cup pine nuts + 1/2 cup water blended togther in a blender until very smooth (pine nut cream)
1 227g/8oz container *vegan cream cheese
3 teaspoon potato starch (will need to mix well with 3 teaspoon water just before using)

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in boiling water following the instructions on the bag. When al-dente, drain well and rinse under cold water. Reserve.

In a wok or very large pan, heat up the olive oil under medium heat, add the shallots, leeks and garlic. Cook 3-4 min until translucent.

Add wild mushrooms, the thyme, basil and pepper and increase the temperature to med-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they are done and there are no more moisture.

Add the wine and cook a few minutes until 1/2 of it is evaporated. Add the pine nut cream, the cream cheese and the cornstarch. With a whisk, mix well, lower the heat to med and cook 5-7 minutes, mixing constantly, until the sauce has a thick consistency.

Add the penne to the sauce, mix well and cook another 3 minutes to warm up the pasta and coat with the sauce well.

Add more pepper if needed. Serve.

This will make 4 servings

Bon appetit!



* I used Tofutti better than cream cheese It can be found in most grocery store, natural store such as wholefood or http://www.tofutti.com

PARISIAN BEEF RAGOUT IN BORDEAUX SAUCE

First word that comes to my mind when I think of French ragout is Yummy!!
There are so many different recipes for them and I grew up eating lots of it. Especially in winter time when it is cold outside there is nothing better and most comforting than a warm Ragout. Oh the memories...

The nice thing about cooking vegan is that it saves a good hour to hour and a half to the cooking time! Veggies and Muck meats are way faster to cook! When veganizing a recipe, it is something to consider. Grab a good bottle of bordeaux, give yourself a glass and enjoy making this easy meal!

PARISIAN BEEF RAGOUT IN BORDEAUX SAUCE

Ingredients

2 packages *beef-less tips from Gardein, defrosted
1/4 cup flour
1+1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups Bordeaux red wine
1 cup **vegan beef stock
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon thyme
4 carrots, chopped roughly
10 baby potatoes cut in halves
227g mushrooms cut in halves

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C

Toss the beef-less tips in flour, shake off excess. In a large ovenproof casserole heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil under medium heat. Cook the beef-less tips in batches until browned all over. remove the beef-less tips fron the casserole and reserve.

In the same casserole heat up another tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until slightly translucent about 3-4 minutes.

Return the beff-less tips to the dish with wine, stock, tomatoe paste, mustard, thyme, carrots and potatoes; bring to boil.

Bake, covered for about 30 minutes add mushrooms and cook another 10minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

This will make 4 servings


*For the beef chunks I like to use "Gardein beef-less tips" (my favorite)www.gardein.com

**For the vegan beef stock, I like "Better than bouillon" by superior touch www.superiortouch.com or "Not beef bouillon" by Edward and son www.edwardandsons.com