Recipes | vmac+cheese

Cream Free Chocolate Mousse

Posted on May 15, 2012 by vmacandcheese

Well, friends, this has what it’s come down to. Me posting half eaten bowls of chocolate mousse. I guess you could say it had been that kind of day (week?).

I’ve actually been meaning to share this recipe with you for a while. It’s a throwback to my days as a culinary student, something a fellow classmate (who also happened to be an immensely talented vegan cook) came up with. I love it because sometimes, you just need a little chocolate. Most of the time, you really don’t want the added calories from tons of cream. In my case, too much cream can also upset my stomach, so this cream free version is a god send.

If you buy the right kind of chocolate without any milk fat in it, it’s also vegan! But the process is the same and takes just a few minutes. The only rub with this recipe is that it does require a scale of some kind, unless you work with chocolate a lot and can eyeball it. Here’s what you do: (more…)

Filed under: Desserts, Food, Recipes | 9 Comments »

Green, Eggs, and Ham

Posted on May 3, 2012 by vmacandcheese

I liked it so much (and yeah, okay, was so hungry) that I forgot to shoot it before I ate it. So what is this mess of a meal before you? Something delicious. Pretty. And a total fake out, because it was so gosh darn easy.

Asparagus goes especially well with eggs, so on a whim, I decided to pair the two for a light lunch, using a bunch that I’d had in the fridge for a while. But instead of doing the usual preparation of a sunny side up egg over roasted or even blanched rows of asparagus, I decided to do something different and shave the stalks, just to see what happened. And what happened was delish. Little hints of asparagus flavor, without crunching through a whole piece of stalk.

Garnish the whole shebang with a bit of crispy prosciutto, and you have a lovely lunch for one, or an easy meal to make the next time you host brunch. And it’s ready in 10 minutes flat. See how it’s done, right after the jump! (more…)

Filed under: Eggs, Food, Recipes | 12 Comments »

10 Things to Do with Tomatoes

Posted on April 30, 2012 by vmacandcheese

There are a few ingredients in my kitchen that I put in basically everything. Tomatoes are definitely one. They’re just so versatile! A few tomatoes — be it from the vine or in cherry form — and a couple other basics and you’re guaranteed a decently good meal. I got to thinking about all the things you can do with tomatoes and decided to round up my top ten faves. Summer’s on the horizon — you can bet I’ll be doing every single one of these in a few short months. (more…)

Filed under: Food, Kitchen Basics, Recipes, Veggies | 9 Comments »

Recipe: Super Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad

Posted on April 19, 2012 by vmacandcheese

I put this salad together on the heels of a mini-detox Joe and I did last weekend. We’d both had a bit of a blowout week food and drink wise, so to rein it in, we went to the grocery early Saturday morning and stocked up on tons of fruits and veggies.

Monday night, I was looking around the contents of the fridge and realized I had half a large head of cabbage left. Right after I thought, “What will I ever do with that,” I arrived at the perfect solution: Chinese chicken salad. And, I already had a bunch of other veggies to throw in, and some chicken thighs too!

This is extremely easy to make and can last a few days if you don’t dress it. While the chicken cooked, I chopped up all the veggies and prepped the dressing. Once it’s all mixed, portion out how much salad you want to eat, then dress just that serving. The rest of the dry salad can be stored and eaten for lunch or dinner the next day (or even the day after).

Below is a basic recipe of what I did. But mix it up! There’s no exact science to this. Throw in whatever veggies you love or have on hand! (more…)

Filed under: Feel Good Food, Food, Recipes, Salads | Tagged: chinese chicken salad, healthy, leftovers, lunch ideas, raw, raw foods, Recipes, Salad Recipes | 13 Comments »

Recipe: Puttanesca Pasta Salad

Posted on April 3, 2012 by vmacandcheese

This pasta dish probably looks eerily similar to the Tricolore Pasta that I posted a few weeks ago. That’s because in fundamentals, it is. The process — making a thick ‘sauce’ that’s loosened by the hot pasta — is exactly the same. I can’t recommend this technique to you enough if you need a pasta dish in a hurry. With just a few ingredients, a sauce really can make itself!

I made this last week when I was yet again in need of a quick, healthy lunch that could last a few days. Whole Foods had these gorgeous spicy mixed olives on their olive bar, so I thought I’d get some and make a ‘Puttanesca’ inspired dish. A typically southern Italian dish, the classic Puttanesca features spaghetti tossed with olives, tomatoes, capers, anchovies, garlic, and chili peppers. This dish covers all those, but omits the capers (I was out of them) and the anchovies (I actually like them, just not in a pasta salad!). I also tossed in some green parsley for color and flavor, and some sweet orange bell pepper to counter the saltiness. The result is a pasta dish that you can eat warm or cold. Make it ahead and bring it to a garden party this summer — it’d be perfect! Get the recipe and another photo after the jump. (more…)

Filed under: Food, Italian, Pasta/Grains, Recipes, Salads | Tagged: Food, pasta, picnic, potluck, puttanesca, Recipes, salad | 17 Comments »