As a Canadian, I only have a foreigner’s opinion of President Obama’s policies but from where I stand, he seems like a pretty cool guy. He recently tweeted his Spotify playlist for summer jams and I think I like him even more. And who doesn’t find these amazingly funny? 

While some may disagree, I admire a lot of the work he has done with the issues of gender equality and same sex marriage equality. I hope that the future President will uphold these policies and continue to move forward for human rights.But what to make him for dinner? I wanted to create something a little more elegant than my typical meal or my current obsession with bowls (exhibit a, b, and c). I Googled the President’s Dinners of the past for inspiration for the recipe. The main course of these lavish dinners usually consisted of beef with potatoes so I went with Portobello Steaks and Cauliflower Mash. I like mushroom steaks with a sauce and decided to make a parsley basil pesto; it is fresh, quick, and tastes fancier than it is. 

I think the First Lady would approve of this vegetable-filled meal for the President.

15 posts down, 15 more to go! See you tomorrow for Day 16: Late Summer Favourites! Missed Day 14? Check it out here.

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Portobello Steaks + Cauliflower Mash w/ Parsley Basil Pesto

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

This recipe is a little fancier than my usual fare but it is a great dish to make when people come over. It serves 3 large servings with lots of sauce. This recipe is gluten free, grain free, and nut free.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: vegan, gluten free

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• For the Parsley Basil Pesto:
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• ½ cup basil leaves
• 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Pinch of red chili flakes
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 
  
• For the Portobello Steaks:
• 6 portobello mushrooms, destemmed and gills scraped off gently with the spoon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, mixed together
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 
  
• For the Cauliflower Mash:
• 1 large head cauliflower, main core removed and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter, softened
• 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. While the oven preheats, make the pesto. Add the parsley, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and chili flakes to the bowl of a food processor. While the food processor is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until combined. Transfer to a glass container and set aside until you are ready to serve. Clean out the food processor bowl.
3. Set the mushrooms on the baking sheet and rub the mushrooms in the oil + lemon juice mixture. Sprinkle with salt and cook for 30 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time.
4. Meanwhile, set a steamer basket in a large pot with a few inches of water at the bottom. Over medium-high heat, cook the cauliflower in the basket until very tender and can be easily poked with a fork (not a knife).
5. Once the cauliflower is fully cooked, add half of the mixture to the food processor with 1 tablespoon of softened butter,1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons of milk, and ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt. Process until it resembles mashed potatoes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the other half. Pepper the mash as you like.
6. Pile the mashed cauliflower onto the plate, add 2-3 of the mushrooms, and top with sauce. Serve and enjoy!

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The post Day 15 Vegan MoFo: Portobello Steaks + Cauliflower Mash w/ Parsley Basil Pesto appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

As a January baby, I was very jealous of those who had birthdays in the warmer months and I always wanted the super awesome (and totally cliche) pool party. Too bad there is 30 inches of snow when my birthday rolls around. When I was 12, my mother rented out the local YMCA indoor pool to grant me my birthday wish. She rented out a fitness room as well so we could stuff our faces after swimming with pizza and more chocolate cake. The smell of chlorine always reminds me of this special day. All of this was on a single parent income and I have no idea how she did it.These are the little things that I did not really appreciate until I became an adult; the extra shifts my mother picked up in order for me to have the best birthday, the strategic present hiding so my gift wouldn’t be found, the late night wrapping and the early cake pickup. The amount of work my mother put into making each of my birthday so special is just one of the reasons I love her and celebrate all that she has done to raise my sister and I. Though certain periods of my life (read bratty teenage years) she and I never got along I knew she would always be there for me, ready to talk about anything over some leftover Chinese food that we would eat cold and right out of the boxes. We won’t be celebrating together this year if we did we would be having this brunch since a little bit of breakfast and a little bit of lunch is our favourite meal. Happy Mother’s Day!

I served this dish with some steamed asparagus topped with cracked black pepper, chopped capers and slice cherry tomatoes and a berry salad with thin ribbons of mint.

P.S. There are a few days left of my Forks Over Knives Prize Pack Giveaway!! Check it out here and enter to win these awesome prizes!

Portobello Florentine with Lemony Hollandaise Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

This recipe is oil-free, gluten-free and soy-free. If you want the sauce thinner add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency. This recipe easily doubles and I suggest 2 cups of spinach (raw) per mushroom cap since spinach reduces considerably when cooked.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Lemony-Hollandaise Sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/16 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional for colour)
• 9 tablespoons water (or more if you like it a littler thinner)
• Portobello Florentine
• 4 Portobello mushroom caps
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, separated
• Pinch of pepper
• 8 cups baby spinach, rinsed thoroughly
• Smoked paprika for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the garlic and the shallots to a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
2. After 5 minutes drain the aromatics and add to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce. Blend until completely smooth. Keep warm until ready to use.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Destem and degill the mushrooms, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Lined baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper, roast for 22-25 minutes, turning half way through. A lot of water will come out of the mushrooms.
5. This is where timing is crucial- before wilting the spinach make sure your sauce is prepare and the mushrooms are almost ready to be served. If using the paprika have that ready as well.
6. Over medium heat in a pot with a tight fitting lid, add the spinach, ⅛ teaspoon salt and a touch of water. Place lid on the pot and allow the spinach to steam and wilt- this is a quick process. Once the spinach is wilted, place the spinach in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out any excess liquid. Top the mushrooms with the wilted spinach, dress with the hollandaise sauce and sprinkle paprika on top. Serve.

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