viva vegan! + papas rellenas

I mixed my days up a bit so yesterday's lunch happened today.

This is another recipe from Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romero (Again, the link is through Vegan.com). It is mini potatoes stuffed with mushrooms and olives. Again there is a sweetness added, from raisins. I'm sensing an ethnic trend.

Since these mini potatoes were hollowed out, and I hate wasting food, I mashed the insides of the potatoes with paprika, almond milk and olive oil, and seasoned it well. This echoed the ingredients in the filling. While the potatoes have a great flavor, the filling was a little dry so the mashed potatoes topped onto the filling after the papas were baked was a welcome addition. And no waste.

Very good flavors over all and a great idea. 

Cost Breakdown:

potatoes: $4

nuts, raisins, olives: $2

mushrooms: $4

onion, garlic, spices: $1

Total to make 15 potatoes:

$11.00

alfredo primavera

When I was in my twenties, many moons ago, I worked with my brother who was the executive chef of some posh restaurant on the beach in Fort Lauderdale. I told you we have this culinary-curse. We worked long hours and were exhausted. Before we'd leave for home after yet another 14 hour day, he'd always make me Primavera Alfredo. Tons of cream and cheese and some vegetables to honor the 'Primavera' part - summer squash, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.

I had tried for years to make Alfredo vegan. So many recipes with tofu and soy cheese and soy cream cheese - oh! the variations! No good. Hadn't found a single one that was up to par.

Until the humble cashew. As I've blogged before, nuts are our friends. Nuts are healthy, terribly delicious and marvelously versatile - much like soy. Since soy is something I love but know that, say it with me,...too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing, I wanted an alternative. Besides, soy always left a gritty texture in the sauce, unless it was silken and silken tofu and I do not get along. It has an odd flavor that I just can't get past.

On to the Alfredo...easy, creamy and delicious! Just make sure to strain your cashew milk before using it otherwise you will get the same texture as with the tofu - gritty!

Use whatever summer veggies you have (or spring veggies as the name 'Primavera' implies), but if you use eggplant, salt it a little and let it drain for 15 minutes - the eggplant will hold its shape better. Use tomatoes in the sauce cautiously as you are not going for tomato sauce here. In fact, adding them raw at the end is great.

Cost Breakdown:

cashews: $2

nutritional yeast: $.50

summer veg: $5

pasta: $3

Total to feed a family of 5:

$10.50