I had the pleasure of attending the GreenFestival in NYC a few weeks ago.  There were so many amazing eco-friendly and organic vendors there.  I had a great time talking to passionate vendors and sampling lots of tasty new organic products.  One of the hightlights of the festival was the Vitamix demo, where they made and gave out samples of a vegan ice cream made from raw cashews.  The cashew ice cream was delicious!  It tasted like what I remember a Wendy’s frosty to taste like – a little thinner than traditional ice cream but still thick enough to scoop and eat with a spoon.  I am the proud new owner of a Vitamix.  My fab husband recently bought it for me – I have wanted one for years and had burned through 2 Breville blenders in the past 3 years (we make a LOT of smoothies and protein shakes in our house and apparently even the motor of a high-end blender cannot take daily frozen fruit and ice for more than a year or so, as the nice people at Williams-Sonoma explained) so he thought it was time to splurge for the Vitamix.   Unfortunately, the cookbook that came with the Vitamix doesn’t have many recipes that appeal to me – most have gluten or dairy or are just not that interesting.  For years I have dreamed of making my own nut milks, nut cheezes and pureeing metal forks (kidding on that one – but that’s what several Vitamix advocates used to describe the power of the motor on the Vitamix: “It can puree a metal fork”).  Inspired by the demo, I went home and made the cocoa cashew ice cream the next day.  My whole family loves it, including my 2 year-old.  It is slightly grittier than traditional ice cream, but still creamy and delicious.  It melts quickly and does not taste nearly as good if you freeze the mixture for later (which I tried doing – it loses its creaminess and becomes icy), so plan to serve it immediately.

While you’re making the cashew ice cream, you will most certainly think that it’s not going to come out.  Each time I have made it I looked at the clumpy mess in the Vitamix and was like no way – how did I do this the last time?!  Then, miraculously, after scraping the sides down and using the tamper, 20 seconds later the mixture turns into a lovely creamy texture   The Vitamix dude made it look so simple, which it is, but it takes a few minutes of finessing (mostly mashing and scraping down the sides) to get the entire mixture to the consistency of ice cream.  I think it would be easier to make if you doubled the recipe and made 8 servings because there’s more to work with, but each time I have made this I have only wanted 4 servings so that’s what the recipe below reflects.

Do you have a favorite Vitamix recipe?  Please share it – I have lots of experimenting to do and would love some inspiration.

Earlier this year I blogged about Cup-4-Cup’s gluten-free flour blend. I have since used it in some of the recipes I miss most from my gluten days. Popovers are on my short list.  If you haven’t had one, you should make them immediately (recipe below) or go to a restaurant that serves them. Popover Cafe in NYC and Passports in Gloucester, MA are a few of my family’s favorite popover spots.  My mom, a skilled baker, used to make popovers for the holidays.  She passed away when I was nine years old and until I met my mother-in-law, who made them the first time I had the pleasure of dining at her house, I hadn’t had a homemade popover in almost 15 years.  They were deliciously nostalgic and I have since made them many times myself.

My mother-in-law’s popovers – like any good popover – are crisp on the outside and have a center that is light and airy with strands that are soft and almost custardy. All of my prior attempts at making these popovers gluten-free have been disappointing.  With Cup-4-Cup flour I have been able to recreate the flavor using my mother-in-law’s recipe, though I have not been able to achieve the same height. Traditionally-made popovers literally popover the tops of the muffin tins and are usually 3-5″ high, depending on how much batter you pour into each tin. The popovers I made with Cup-4-Cup flour (I have made them several times) taste great, but they don’t “pop” with the same height as traditional popovers. Don’t get me wrong – they still rise above the lip of the tin – but I’ve only been able to achieve about a 1-2″ “pop” with Cup-4-Cup flour. I thought it would be fun to see a side-by-side comparison of the two popovers that my mother-in-law and I made for a dinner a few weeks ago. As you probably guessed, the popovers on the left are made with regular white flour, and the popovers on the right are made with Cup-4-Cup gluten-free flour. Both tasted great – not even the super tasters among us could detect a difference in flavor, but some of the light airy-ness that you get with traditional popovers is lost due to the difference in height.

Traditional popovers made with white flour on the left; popovers made with Cup-4-Cup gluten-free flour blend on the right.

Here is my mother-in-law’s recipe for popovers, which is likely the same (or very similar) to the popovers my mom used to make.  Make them with either white flour or Cup-4-Cup flour.

Portobella mushrooms have long been religated to the status of vegetarian grill item.  I’ll admit to having served them as such, though I do love a good grilled portobella mushroom at a BBQ and I am not a vegetarian.  But I like to think of portobella mushrooms as gluten-free, healthy vessel for delicious fillings.  I make them into “pizzas” (when my husband is not around – he’s not a fan of the mushroom), and this recipe is one of my favorite variations on that recipe.  Pesto provides a complex, bright flavor, while proscuitto adds some salt and melted mozzarella give this dish some ooey gooey goodness (yes, that is a technical term).  Serve these mushrooms along with sauteed spinch or kale for a light dinner, or use babybella mushrooms and make these bite-size appetizers for a party.

I first started making this recipe back in 2009 and it has since become one of my favorite spring entertaining recipes, served to rave reviews.  This dish is great for so many reasons.  First, it’s super fast, which is especially convenient for a weeknight dinner when you only have a few minutes after rushing in the door from work to prep before friends arrive, or for a family meal that includes impatient kids (know any of those?).  It’s the meal I made most often for entertaining as a new mom because it requires so little time in the kitchen.  Second, this dish is super healthy – low fat, lean protein and the bulk of the dish is made of veggies.  It works for almost any food limitations or anyone with food allergies since it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, low carb and Paleo.

As I said when I first posted this recipe, it tastes like spring on a plate.  I realize that is a subjective description (I went to a restaurant the other night that said a dessert tasted like “spring in a bowl” and it actually tasted like one of the green juices I order from the juice bar at the health food store, which isn’t bad but is in no way dessert even for the healthiest eaters.)  What makes this dish so springy is the subtle herb and bright pea combination.

I like to serve this dish with homemade popover. Ciabatta rolls or a nice, crusty loaf of whole grain bread is what I serve when I am short on time and/or too lazy to make popovers.  A simple salad with bib lettuce, cucumbers and mint vinaigrette (made in advance) makes getting dinner on the table in 20 minutes totally doable.

This would make a lovely meal for Mother’s Day – it’s the perfect time of year to serve it.

Celebrate both the season and a vegetarian or veggie-loving mom with a menu bursting with spring flavor.  This menu, which I developed for Vegetarian Times (Mother Love, April/May 2012), is all about the delicious details.  Herbs in lemonade, homemade croutons, a pretty pasta shape, and a bright berry sauce on the flourless chocolate cake make this meal special.  And the ingredients – basil, artichokes, peas and berries – scream spring.  

Fill a vase with a bunch of basil in place of traditional flowers for a fresh-from-the-garden feel.  Then pop open a bottle of dry Prosecco to toast mom and the budding season.

Vegetarian Mother’s Day Menu

Fusilli Col Buco with Braised Spring Vegetables (recipe below)

Spinach Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Coulis

Basil Lemonade

For me, Cinco de Mayo is a great excuse to have friends over for a casual Mexican-inspired feast.  I like to serve a few different types of salsa, and this black bean and mango combo is one of my favorites.  It has a mild kick from the jalapenos, which is balanced perfectly by the sweetness of the mango.  The black beans give the salsa some heft and a healthy dose of fiber.  This dish is naturally gluten-free – just be sure to serve it with gluten-free tortillas chips.

This salsa is a hit with kids too.  My little one loves having a little plate of this to herself – with or without the chips.  I served it at her 2nd “bee-day” party because the colors went with our bumble bee theme.  Be sure to seed the jalapenos to make this dish mild enough for kids, or keep the seeds in if you want to add more heat for a gown-up crowd.

Serve leftovers of this salsa over seared tuna crusted with cumin or tilapia.  Leftovers will last for a few additional days in the fridge, but it’s best eaten within a day if you’re after a pretty presentation (the colors will not be as vibrant and the salsa will meld a little more after a few days in the fridge).

This recipe is inspired by a Bobby Flay recipe – he is my go-to for Southwestern and Mexican-inspired recipes.

I am loving these graduation cupcakes that my hip sister had made for my niece’s high school graduation party.  The adorable graduation caps and tassels match the school colors and theme for the party.  Cupcakes are great for a graduation party, where guests will be stopping by at different times; no need to wait around until the cake is cut to enjoy dessert.  Hats off to all the grads!

A few years ago I wanted to serve individual bite-size appetizers in porcelain Chinese-style soup spoons.  I was hosting a cocktail party for 50 so I needed at least that many spoons.  I hit the streets of Chinatown in NYC looking for inexpensive options.  The least expensive porcelain spoons I could find were about $2 each.  $100 worth of spoons seemed excessive.  My husband also made the point about the chore of cleaning each spoon after the party, which is a valid point (especially after the mashed potato martinis I served one year; chiseling dried mashed taters off glass is NOT fun and I was not sober or motivated enough to start cleaning the glassware while the remnants were still fresh).  I ended up skipping the porcelain soup spoon idea for that particular party.  It’s a much better idea for a dinner party appetizer for a dozen (or less) guests.  Luckily there’s no need to schlep to Chinatown to get a good deal on these spoons.  CB2 is offering them for under a dollar per spoon.  Soup’s on!

It happens every year around this time.  I have the urge to purge.  I feel a deep connection to nature, and the changing of the season from winter to spring stirs something inside of me. Maybe it’s the promise of more time outside that evokes a sense of detachment from material things.  Maybe it’s an unconscious desire to make some space in my home for the fresh, sweet air that will circulate when it’s warm enough to  finally open the windows.  Whatever it is, my urge to spring clean is strong.  Each year, I commit to getting rid of 100 items – things I know I can live without because they have gone untouched for months, and sometimes even years.  Over the course of a week or two, I place items either in the trash or in a bags bound for Goodwill and keep a list tracking each item.  Having a finite number to reach makes an overwhelming task seem manageable and the actual number – 100 items – is substantial enough to make the purging seem meaningful.  Once I reach my goal, I consider my work done and allow myself to relax and fully enjoy the extra space in my life – both physical and mental. 

Giving thanks to the green-thumbed volunteers in Riverside Park who planted the beautiful blooms show above, and for my new camera that was able to capture the beauty.