Easy Trumpet Mushrooms Scallops

Amazing trumpet mushrooms at the farmer’s market!

One of my favorite weekly places to visit is our local Farmers Market. It’s filled with scents and colors of the seasons ~ seedlings, garlic scales, romanesco cauliflower and escarole in June, to the beautiful squashes that come up late summer. Flowers everywhere, babies in carriages, cute puppies that follow along, kombucha on tap, intricate woven clothing from artisans, paintings of jazz musicians, the pickle stand, and one of my favorites, the mushroom people. I kindly call them that because only recently, did I learn their real name: Davidson Exotic Mushrooms. I love picking up a new variety weekly and making something simple but delicious with really quality ingredients.

You’ll find mushroom scallops on many gourmet blogs, and I have to say, they ARE all that. These are relatively simple (since I like to work with 2 ingredient lists), and yet they are meaty, flavorful, and exceedingly healthy (just read up on the benefits of mushrooms, and you’ll want to add them to your weekly meal plan too). Enjoy with some quinoa, rice, cauliflower rice, or serve with a stir fry. Here, I just paired them with some bok choy greens.

Large handful of trumpet mushrooms, sliced into medium-sized rounds (think scallops)

1-2 tsp oil of choice (coconut, sesame, etc.)

1/4 cup mirin

drizzle of tamari

Heat a skillet on high, and add in the oil. Let it pool in the middle away from the sides (a little test I do to make sure oil is heated through). Add in the mushroom scallops, turn heat to medium, and add some salt and pepper. Let sit, sizzling, and turn them over with tongs after a few minutes (checking that the underside is lightly browned and seared). Cook another 2 minutes or so. Take the pan over the sink (trust me), and add in the mirin and tamari (it may splash and bubble a bit, that’s ok). Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook another minute or so. Sprinkle a few chili flakes on top and serve with choice of sides.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is probably one of my favorite go-to soups. In addition to eating high-raw in teh winter time, I really do enjoy a hot bowl of broth or soup to warm me up, and in some instances, really delicious creamy comfort food. This is one of the creamiest silkiest soups you'll find without all of the added guilt of cream, milk or butter! And it couldn't be simpler.

1/2 onion, fine dice

1 box mini bella mushrooms, sliced

1 box shitakes, sliced

1 small zucchini (optional), diced

cashew milk made with: 1/2 cup raw cashews blended with 4 cups water (do not strain)

You can make this an oil-free dish by simply sauteeing the onion, zucchini and mushrooms in a bit of broth or water until soft (or you can use a little bit of olive oil). Cook on low, covered, until the mushrooms release all of their juices and they're tender. Add in the cashew milk, and bring to a simmer to heat through. That's it - you're done! 

Low-Glycemic Mushroom Risotto with Peas & Rosemary

Who doesn't love creamy, robust risotto with savory mushrooms, sweet peas, and herbs? Give me a plate! But if you've read my blog by now, you know I love low-glycemic foods so that I don't fall asleep after a meal. This meal is packed with fiber and that prized "umami" flavor from mushrooms (which literally means "deliciousness"), sweetness from caremelized onions and peas, a little kick from your favorite herbs.

The pasta itself is the brilliant part: it's low glycemic rice called "Miracle Rice", which is gluten free, soy free, and has zero calories. It's also made from....get this...konjac flour, which has also been used as a vegan gelatin, completely plant based, and doesn't spike blood sugar (but if you're checking blood sugar, be sure to check this one anyway as results are individual). Konjac is a root and has been used in Asian countries for over 2000 years! It's also high in soluble fiber, which we all need,  and they absorb the flavors of your dish (so on their own, they're pretty tasteless). 

Now, I want you to know that I'm not big on low-calorie foods in general, the processed kinds. I want food that's filling, whole, real and genuine. But I find that risotto rice is white, has a high carb content, and can spike blood sugars if you don't watch it. Who wants that? This is the best of both worlds: have your risotto and eat it too. 

You do need to read the package instructions to know how to prepare the rice. Initially when you open the bag, they smell a bit funky. That's totally normal, and the following procedure will take care of the smell. Rinse rice well, then soak in a bowl of boiling water for 2-4 minutes. Rinse again, and add in to the recipe below. 

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 red onion, diced

a few pinches sea salt

2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms

1/3 cup peas

one package Miracle Rice, prepared according to package instructions

a few pinches rosemary, fresh or dried

black pepper, to taste

Heat a skillet and add in coconut oil, onion and salt. Sauté over medium heat until the onions sweat and release some water (sometimes I do this with the lid on to help it along). Add in the mushrooms and allow them to release their juices, a few minutes, covered, over medium heat. Once the mushrooms are soft, add in the peas, rice, and rosemary. Cover and heat through over medium low heat, a few minutes. Season with black pepper, and enjoy. 

Leek & Mushroom Crustless Quiche with Coconut Bacon & Chili

I can't remember the last time I ate eggs - probably 6 years ago? I don't miss them honestly, but sometimes I do feel like a scramble or a quiche of some sort. I try to stay away from soy if I can, so when this new product hit the shelves (Follow Your Heart VeganEgg), I decided to try it out! Well, the first time I made the quiche, all three of us (including our 16 year old, who has discerning teenage taste buds) fought over it. It was gone in 15 minutes. 

Vegan Egg comes in a powder (see picture below), so you have to add liquid to it to resemble a scrambled egg. It's mainly made from Algal protein and flour (a type of seaweed), and some black salt and nutritional yeast (which gives it en eggy flavor, a sulfur-rich taste). It does contain carageenan, so if you have some tummy troubles, scroll down to the bottom of recipe to read what I have to say about it.

Otherwise, this quiche is gorgeous, light, fluffy, and resembles eggs exceedingly well. The flavors are slightly sweet from the caramelized leek, with a salty and umami taste from the mushrooms. And, the coconut bacon takes it over the top. I like the light kick the chili flakes add, and also, and wouldn't be mad if you served it with some kind of hot sauce (I won't tell). 

Coconut Bacon, Recipe Found here. 

I used this recipe as a template, although I tweaked it so it's crustless (low-glycemic and gluten free) and loaded with veggies (fiber and flavor!). I include it here in case you want to see the original. 

1 tsp coconut oil

2 cleaned leeks, white part, quartered and sliced into small ringlets

1/2 red onion, medium chop

two pinches sea salt

2 cups baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

3 vegan eggs (6 level tablespoons of Vegan Egg plus 1.5 cups ice cold water)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup coconut creamer

1/2 cup almond milk

1/4 cup coconut bacon (recipe found here)

chili flakes for garnish

Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the leeks, onion and two pinches of salt and cover until they sweat and begin to caramelize. Watch them closely as they may burn. Once caramelized, add in the mushrooms, cover, and sweat until they soften. Set aside. 

In a bowl, combine the vegan egg, 1/2 tsp salt, coconut creamer, almond milk and wish until smooth. Add in the mushroom and leek mixture and stir to combine well. Pour into a pie dish and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, sprinkle with chili flakes, coconut bacon, and serve warm. Enjoy!

A note about Carageenan: it gets a bad rap, but I keep reading conflicting articles on it ~ it hurts some people's tummies and causes inflammation, and for others it doesn't (and in fact helps fight viruses?). When in doubt, and if you're sensitive to digestive upset, I wouldn't use this product ~ period. Why risk it? For us, it hasn't caused us any digestive discomfort, so it's OK with us to use this product once in a great while as an occasional treat...and I mean treat. Once a month? If you're concerned, definitely do your own research and go the cautious route. That said, I found this to be a good article. Also, it's hard to find, but I buy it on Thrive Market (Amazon also carries it and maybe some health food stores). 

Arugula Salad with Tarragon & Mushrooms

Are you itching for spring like I am? We've been covered in snow since December and I'm eager to get my fingers dirty in the beautiful soil underneath, grow some great grub, make some delicious recipes happen. In honor of this vision, I wanted to celebrate with fresh herbs, pungent arugula and savory meaty morsels of mushrooms, tossed simply in a light vinagrette. Enjoy spring, enjoy what is to come, and seek out new flavors and combos...

2 cups mixture of: baby portabellas, shitake, oyster, maitake, or other mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 large handful baby arugula leaves

Meat from 1 avocado, chopped medium

1/2 cup loose tarragon

olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar

sea salt

Heat up a skillet over medium and drizzle a little olive oil (or coconut oil). Add in garlic and a few pinches of sea salt and watch so it doesn't burn, but sizzles just a little. Add in the mushrooms and sautee until they soften a bit. The sea salt should help them release some juices. Taste for seasoning (I like to add fresh crushed black pepper and a few pinches of hot pepper flakes).  Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine arugula, a small splash of olive oil (you don't need much) and two splashes of raw apple cider vinegar. Add in a few pinches sea salt. Toss to combine. On two plates, serve the arugula, topped with avocado and mushrooms. Lastly, chiffonade the tarragon and add to each plate. This dish serves two.