Sauces & Spreads – Page 2 – Radiate Food Vibes

Best of Basic, Gluten-Free, Sauces & Spreads

Best of Basic: Basil Pesto Sauce

July 29, 2016August 2, 2016by Radiate Food Vibes7 Comments

My recent vacation to my family’s summer cottage in Canada was super inspirational in terms of cooking and food. To no one’s surprise we ate well and often, and had a blast in the kitchen along the way. The inspiration for this post came from spending time cooking with my mom, who is the master chef in my life. She is the queen of delicious, simple and inventive cooking and, somehow, everything always tastes better when she makes it.

One of my favorite meals from the trip was my mom’s loaded pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, zucchini and fresh basil. She’s not inventing the wheel with this one, as pesto pasta is pretty standard, but watching her throw it together in a matter of minutes made me wonder why I wasn’t taking advantage of how easy a pesto pasta comes together. I’ve said it before, I need more recipes that can be thrown together in a pinch with minimal effort, and this pasta dish falls under that category. I’ll talk more about the specifics of her awesome loaded pesto pasta in a later post, but today, I’m just focusing on the actual pesto.

In addition to my mom’s pasta, I’ve been seeing and eating pesto everywhere these days. My favorite pizza place in Williamsburg (Vinnie’s) uses a pesto vinaigrette as the dressing on my favorite salad, and while driving from our cottage to the Toronto airport we stopped for lunch where I had an amazing Caprese salad layered with pesto instead of fresh basil. Finally, on a recent trip to St. Louis, I ordered a pizza at my fave spot (called Pi) that drizzled pesto on top just before serving. It’s clear that a go-to pesto recipe is a must.

I’ve made pesto before, although it’s been awhile, and I’ve seen it made on TV loads of times. It’s quite simple and always pretty much the same. Use a food processor to blend the seven uncooked ingredients and you’re done. Yes, that’s it. It’s literally a five to ten minute process. Those seven ingredients are basil, garlic, nuts, olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Taking a tip from my girl Ina Garten, I used a mixture of pine nuts and walnuts, but you can use one or the other if preferred. Of course, freshly grated Parmesan is ideal, but I used pre-grated from Whole Foods this time because I didn’t feel like adding another step to the process (the easier the better!). The last thing I will say about pesto is that, in order to keep it looking fresh and bright, remove all air before storing in the fridge or freezer. I find that a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto before covering with a lid is the way to go.

Basil, garlic & nuts.

Time to add olive oil.

Finished.

So without further ado, my recipe for classic and simple basil pesto, to be used on anything from pasta to pizza to salad.

Happy summer and happy Friday!

Best of Basic: Basil Pesto
Serves: 8 (2 tbs per serving) Start to Finish: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
3 cloves Garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (use 4 cloves if you absolutely love garlic)
1/3 cup total Pine Nuts and/or Walnuts
2/3 cup Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Black Pepper, to taste (I used 1 tsp each)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

To Make

Combine basil, garlic and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until fine. While food processor is on, drizzle in olive oil. Add Parmesan, pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well combined.

Makes about 1 cup of pesto

Gluten-Free, Sauces & Spreads, Vegan

Rich & Creamy Vegan Vodka Sauce

May 20, 2016August 9, 2016by Radiate Food Vibes5 Comments

Happy Friday, everyone!

If you read my last post sharing a delicious recipe for Eggplant & White Bean Veggie Balls, then you know that I served these delicious “meatballs” with a homemade Vegan Vodka Sauce. The sauce was so tasty that I just had to share the recipe. And just in time for the weekend, the best time to spend some relaxation time in the kitchen.

With everything I have going on in my life (work, blogging, yoga, social life, etc.), I’d be crazy not to take advantage of shortcuts when it comes to food and cooking. A tasty jar of red sauce (made with only natural ingredients, of course) is one of those shortcuts that I often take advantage of. But still, nothing compares to a homemade tomato sauce bursting with fresh Italian flavor. So when I have the time to make my own tomato sauce, I’m all over it.

When thinking about the sauce I wanted to make to go along with the veggie balls, I really wanted to experiment with a new homemade (and vegan-friendly) sauce. Vodka Sauce was an easy choice for Matt and me because we’ve been talking about making our own version of vodka sauce for some time now. Adding vodka to a freshly made tomato sauce was simple enough, because I’ve made red sauce a million times and I always have vodka in the freezer. The real question was how to achieve the richness, creaminess and beautiful pink color of a traditional vodka sauce…without using cream.

Let’s get something straight. I love real cream. On weekends, I always treat myself to iced coffee with a splash of half-and-half. And there’s nothing like a whipped cream frosting on a moist cake. But not for this recipe. Why not use cream? Well, not only do I like the challenge of omitting dairy from recipes, but I also like to keep some days and meals dairy-free for the health and ecological benefits. So for this sauce, I’m going cream-free.

To replace the rich cream, I decided to try a vegan cream made from raw cashews. Since I’ve never made cashew cream myself, I used a recipe from Beard & Bonnet as a guide. It was so simple, just soak the cashews and then grind them up with water, lemon juice and salt until a delectably smooth cream is formed. Easy enough. While the cashews soaked I made the red sauce and vodka portion of the sauce.

This sauce is classic. Fresh plum tomatoes, lots of garlic, yellow onion and a blend of dried Italian seasonings. Not so classic is my use of coconut oil, rather than olive oil or butter. I find that coconut oil has the richness of butter and creates the subtle sweetness that I love about vodka sauce, without adding dairy or sweetener. I love what the coconut oil does for this sauce, so although it may sound strange, it’s worth a try.

I hope everyone has a super Friday and lovely weekend! And if you feel like kicking Sunday dinner up a notch, why not try this amazing vegan vodka sauce.

Creamy Vegan Vodka Sauce
Serves: 4 Start to Finish: 2 hours (45 minutes active)Ingredients2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
4 cloves Garlic
1 yellow Onion
2 pounds Tomatoes (I used Organic Plum Tomatoes)
1 cup Water (plus more if necessary)
2 teaspoons Sea Salt*
1 teaspoon Dried Basil
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flake
1/3-1/2 cup quality Vodka**
1/4-1/2 cup Cashew Cream (get Beard & Bonnet’s recipe here or my adaptation below)

To Make

Cut tomatoes and onions into a fine dice. Finely mince garlic.

Heat coconut oil and garlic over medium heat, allow garlic to sizzle for 1-2 minutes. Add onion. Cook onion and garlic for 6-8 minutes. Add tomatoes, water and seasoning. When liquid boils, reduce to simmer. Simmer covered for 90 minutes. You can leave the sauce with some texture or you can use a food processor or emulsion blender to get a smoother consistency (I like something in the middle so I use an emulsion blender to break it up a little bit).

To make vodka sauce, carefully mix vodka into the hot (or reheated) red sauce (or 2 1/2 or 3 cups of any red sauce). Add 1/2 cup vodka. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until alcohol is cooked off. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup vegan cashew cream (see recipe below) or 1/4 cup dairy cream. You can add more or less cream depending on your taste.

*adjust salt according to personal taste
**i used 1/2 cup of vodka and I could definitely taste it, in a great way. 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup will work, just with a lighter vodka flavor. Your call!

Cashew Cream Recipe (adapted from Beard & Bonnet’s recipe)
1.5 cups raw, unsalted Cashews
1 1/4 cups water (more or less)*
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (or half of a large lemon)
3/4 teaspoon salt (more or less)

Soak raw cashews in a bowl of filtered water for 1-4 hours. Add soaked cashews to a food processor or high powered blender. Add water salt and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

I used a food processor and it took longer than I expected. I had to stop and hand stir/scrape the bowl a couple times. When in doubt, just keep blending.

*start with 3/4 cup water and add more as needed

Dairy-Free, Detox Recipes, Healthy, Main Dishes, Sauces & Spreads, Vegan

Roasted Tomato & Creamy White Bean Pita Sandwiches

May 11, 2016by Radiate Food Vibes1 Comment

It’s Day 3 of my “debloat and recharge detox” and I’m feeling good and staying motivated. My detoxes are easy in that I’m not seriously reducing calories or only eating cabbage soup. It’s more about portion controlling, loading up on veggies and fruits (even more than usual) and reducing excess fat, sugar and carbs. Because I pretty much always stick to high quality and whole ingredients, it’s mostly about portion controlling and some calorie counting.

I’m not big on calorie counting for a couple reasons. First is because I’ve spent so much time calorie counting throughout the years that I have a pretty good sense of roughly how many calories are in most foods, allowing me to be unconsciously aware of how much I’m eating. I also don’t like counting calories because I think it can take the fun out of eating a cooking. And lastly, I don’t like counting calories because I find it to be misleading in terms of choosing an unhealthy food over a healthy food just because they are equal in calories. With that said, when trying to trim down and debloat, I’ve found that it happens much faster if you’re staying within a low-to-moderate calorie range. So when detoxing I stay within a 1,500-1,900 calorie range, typically shooting for around 1,600. Obviously this varies by person, but I’ve found this to be a sustainable, satisfying and effective range for myself.

So the question is, what kinds of delicious and healthy foods do I eat during my detox regimens. Today I’m sharing my recipe for a super tasty pita pocket sandwich that clocks in at about 445 calories. I made these for both Matt and I to bring to work on Monday, and I kid you not, Matt actually called this sandwich one of the best things he’s ever eaten. Matt is the ultimate meat-eater-man so for him to say something so light and healthy is also super yummy means a lot.

These pita sandwiches are a super simple combination of homemade white bean spread, oven-roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh baby spinach, all stuffed into a Demascus Bakery Whole Wheat Pita Pocket. I buy these pitas at Whole Foods and I like them because they are all-natural, made with only pronounceable ingredients, and cost just $1.50 for a pack of four. When I discovered these pitas, my commitment to a whole-foodie life got so much easier.

For the white bean spread, I use my Lemony White Bean Dip recipe which is a must-try (it’s what Matt liked best about these sandwiches). But, for simplicity’s sake, an all-natural store-bough bean dip or hummus will work too. My Garlicky Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and some fresh spinach finish off the sandwich, adding depth, flavor and nutrients. And there you have it, a detox lunch that is transportable, satisfying, and one of the best things you’ll ever eat (according to Matt, that is).

Roasted Tomato and Lemony White Bean Spread Pita Sandwiches
Serves: 2 Start to Finish: 45 minutes Calories: 450 per serving

Ingredients

1/2 batch Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (get my recipe here)
1 14-ounce can Organic Canellini Beans
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Lemon
2 cloves Garlic, crushed, peeled and roughly chopped
4-6 fresh Basil Leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons pure Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
1/2-1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
10-15 fresh Baby Spinach Leaves (I like using Organic Girl brand greens)
2 all-natural Whole Wheat Pita Pockets (I like Damascus Bakery brand, available at Whole Foods)

To Make

First, get the cherry tomatoes in the oven (get my recipe here). While the tomatoes roast, make the white bean spread.

For the white bean spread, reserve a 1/4 cup of the white bean liquid, then drain and rinse the beans in a colander. Set aside.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel 3-4 pieces of zest from the lemon (about 1/2 the lemon). Roughly chop them up. Add oil, garlic and lemon peel to a small skillet (the smallest you have). Turn on heat to medium-low. After 2-3 minutes, add basil leaves. Cook for 2 minutes.

Into a food processor, add beans, infused oil mixture (including zest garlic and basil), tahini, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, dried basil, and reserved bean liquid. Pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste (I added 1/2 tsp pepper and 3/4 tsp salt). Pulse until smooth.

When tomatoes are finished, allow to cool. Assemble sandwiches by cutting each pita in half and gently pulling open the pocket of each half. Spread 1/4 cup of white bean spread into each half. Evenly divided cherry tomatoes and spinach leave between pockets.

*if using store bough bean spread or hummus, you’ll need 1 cup for 2 sandwiches (4 half sandwiches)

**if possible, make tomatoes and bean spread in advance and refrigerate. This allows the flavors to fully incorporate and develop.

Appetizer, Salad Dressings, Sauces & Spreads

Lighten Up: Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

April 12, 2016February 25, 2019by Radiate Food Vibes3 Comments

Crudités platters are often seen as the boring but required member of any party’s munchies spread. But that’s not at all how I see a good old veggie platter. In fact, I’m the girl at the party who heads immediately to the crudités platter. I’m not the girl that makes a plate of raw carrots and cherry tomatoes and considers herself full. I’m the girl who just stands there, dipping veggie after veggie into whatever creamy dip sits in the center of the platter. That is until I realize I’ve eaten about a pound of mayo. But then I dismiss that thought, telling myself that I burned 600 calories crunching and munching my way through the stacks of bell pepper, snap peas, and celery.

This love of fresh crudités and creamy dip is not just reserved for parties. I actually find myself craving sliced veggies and some kind of creamy, decadent dip, like Green Goddess or classic Ranch, on a regular basis. Lately, my dip of choice has been a lightened-up version of one of my faves, Blue Cheese Dip. And that’s the recipe I’m sharing today, my own special recipe for a creamy, dreamy (lightened up) Blue Cheese Dip.

When it comes to healthy eating, I believe in balance and moderation. Because of that, the base of my dressing is equal parts low-fat, plain Greek yogurt and organic mayonnaise. This combo cuts the fat without losing the indulgent flavor I love. If you so please, cut out the mayo even further, or entirely, for an extra light and healthy dressing. Next comes red wine vinegar, some simple seasonings, and, of course, crumbled blue cheese. That’s it! Simple, delicious, versatile.

I use this blue cheese dip (dressing, sauce, etc) in countless ways, not just as a companion for fresh veggie sticks or chilled roasted veggies. I’ve also used my blue cheese dip with my easy buffalo falafel patties, as a spread on a veggie burger and as a dressing on chopped salads or coleslaw. I just love this dressing.

Lightened Up Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves: 6 Start to Finish: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients
12 ounces combined whole milk yogurt (greek or traditional) mayonnaise and/or sour cream*
1 tablespoon vinegar, red wine or white wine vinegar both work
1/2 teaspoon each fine-grain sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and garlic powder (or garlic granules)
1+ tablespoon milk or water (optional, + more to consistency)
6 ounces blue cheese crumbles

To Make

In a small-medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. I like to use an immersion blender to create a smoother texture. Serve chilled as a dip, dressing or spread.

*I like the richness and thickness of this recipe because it works on everything from salads, as a spread on sandwiches, and as a dip for veggies, wings, etc. For a thinner consistency, add water or milk, a little at a time. If using traditional yogurt, the consistency will be thinner without needing water/milk. If using greek yogurt, mayo or sour cream, water/milk is likely needed to create desired consistency.

**I most often use only plain, full-fat yogurt for this. However, any combination of yogurt, mayo and sour cream for a total of 1.5 cups will work. My second favorite combo would be 6 ounces yogurt combined with 6 ounces mayonnaise.

American, Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Main Dishes, Sauces & Spreads, Vegan

Everything Bagel Sausage Rolls with Bloody Mary Ketchup (Vegan Optional!)

February 11, 2016April 11, 2016by Radiate Food Vibes1 Comment

Cooking together is an almost daily ritual for my boyfriend, Matt, and me. Although Matt didn’t grow up addicted to Food Network and spending hours cooking like I did, he’s actually quite skilled in the kitchen. He often says that I critique too much and that I don’t fully trust him the kitchen, but that’s just because I’m a perfectionist who likes to have control, especially when it comes to food. In any event, Matt deserves all the credit for this genius breakfast/brunch dish, which is a delicious twist on classic Pigs in a Blanket. Continue reading “Everything Bagel Sausage Rolls with Bloody Mary Ketchup (Vegan Optional!)” →

Appetizer, Dinner, Dip, Mexican, Sauces & Spreads

Mexican Black Bean Queso Dip

January 26, 2016April 12, 2016by Radiate Food Vibes4 Comments

As most probably know (except my very own sister who called on Saturday from St. Louis without a single clue what was happening), the east coast was hit hard with snow on Saturday. Really hard. As someone who grew up in St. Louis and went to college in Wisconsin, you can trust me when I say, this was one of the heaviest snowfalls I’ve ever experienced. We are lucky in that we were able to fully enjoy our snow day comfortably hunkered down indoors, except for a couple hours spent exploring the blizzard in Prospect Park, conveniently located across the street from our Brooklyn apartment. Continue reading “Mexican Black Bean Queso Dip” →