A Pasta Called Home

By Amy GIllis Carlson

My brother in law is a hilarious man; he can make me laugh until I think my sides will break. I still remember the first time I tasted it. Curled up on the couch with my sister in their tiny apartment as he served his signature dish, spicy sausage and Alfredo sauce with angel hair pasta. It was so bad for me I could imagine arteries clogging with each bite, but oh was it good!  Through the years he and my sister have made this time and time again.The thought of it takes me to warm summer nights during college break or cozy winter evenings waiting for arrival of family to start the holidays. I can think about it and smell the smells of their house and hear him in the kitchen telling us more jokes. 

The thought of cutting meat from my diet made me want to cry for the fact that I couldn't have this meal again, much less cutting out dairy too!  And so, one of my first endeavors for vegan
cooking was re-creating this dish (quite the undertaking since it was laden with animal products).  I discovered cashew cream one day and the rest is history.  Join me for this stroll down memory lane, a glimpse into my family, and a meal that stays a favorite.
Home (Eric's Pasta)

The Sauce - Ingredients2/3 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Zatarain's Original Creole Seasoning
Cracked black pepper
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

DirectionsCombine all ingredients in a blender.  Let sit for 1 hour and then blend 3-5 minutes or until smooth.
The Rest - Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 package Field Roast Italian Sausage, diced
8 oz. angel hair pasta (or spaghetti, or any pasta you have on hand)
1/2 cup water reserved from boiling pasta water
OPTIONAL: 1 head broccoli chopped into bite size florets ... the broccoli is great to mix in or serve on the side.  The broccoli was not part of the original recipe, but something I took creative liberties on.  If you aren't a fan of meat replacer just ditch the sausage (it doesn't really need it) and instead mix in the broccoli and maybe some mushrooms, too!

Directions Turn your pasta water on to boil.  Once water is boiling simply follow directions for preparation.  Before draining the pasta you will want to reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid and set aside. In a large pan add olive oil and heat on medium-high.  Add in sausage and cook until browning, stirring occasionally to brown the sausage evenly on all sides.  I tend to like the sausage dark brown, but you can heat to your desired crispy-ness.  While the sausage is browning you will want to start steaming your broccoli.  Once broccoli is steamed and sausage browned, you will combine the broccoli, sauce from blender, reserved 1/2 cup pasta water, and drained pasta into the pan with the sausage; stir to combine and serve.

*NOTE: This is a spicy dish.  If you aren't a fan of spicy foods simply eliminate the Zatarain's seasoning and replace with salt to taste.  It still makes for a great creamy pasta!

The Dumpling and the Chickpea by Amy Gillis Carlson

The month of March can be confusing for the palette. Our bodies and minds begin to crave spring and start thinking of those lighter summer foods to come, but the weather is often still cold leaving us wanting comfort food as well. So, for this month I bring you my version of chicken and dumplings, only it's minus the chicken, add the chickpea and bring in the veggies! This dish is still warming to the body without the heaviness of a stew or chili. 

The Dumpling and the Chickpea

When developing this recipe, I first addressed adding depth of flavor in the broth. I discovered that without browning chicken and having that flavor plus some of the fat from the meat, the broth lacked layering. Well, I have worked that out and present you with an oh-so-fantastic vegan version! Next, if you are worried about dumplings because they disintegrated on you in the past, don't be. This dumpling is easy to make and yummy to eat.

 

Suggestion: Double this recipe and freeze half. It defrosts beautifully for a quick meal down the road!

Ingredients for the Broth

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. flour 

1 cup chopped carrots (~ 3 carrots)

1 cup chopped celery (~ 4 celery stalks)

1 cup chopped onion (~ 1/2 large onion)

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. rosemary

1/2 cup white wine (doesn't have to be fancy wine ... can be simple cooking wine)

8 cups water

4 X vegetable bullion cube 

2 X bay leaf

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

Salt & Pepper 

 

Preparing the Broth

Pour 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot.  Add chopped vegetables, 2 tbsp. flour, basil, oregano, & rosemary; stir to coat. Sautee veggies on medium-high heat until onion is translucent and flour begins to brown (look for browning on the bottom of the pot; approx. 10 minutes).  Pour in white wine and de-glaze the pan (rub up the brown bits off the bottom of the pot letting it mix into the white wine); let simmer for a minute.  Add in water, bullion cubes, & bay leaves. Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil.  While waiting on it to boil begin preparing the dumplings.

Ingredients for the Dumpling

2 cups flour, plus a bit more for surface

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp. Earth Balance Butter

1 cup soy milk

 

Preparing the Dumpling

In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the earth balance butter. Use your fingers to mix and break the butter into the flour until it becomes like cornmeal with a soft consistency. Slowly pour in the soy milk and stir using a fork until it forms a dough ball (you want all of the flour sticking together, but at the same time you don't want to the dough to be too wet/sticky).  If it is too dry and not sticking together then just add a (small) bit more milk.  If it gets too sticky/wet then just add a bit more flour.

 

Spread out the dough with a rolling pin on a heavily floured surface until dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into roughly shaped squares & rectangles (I use a pizza cutter but a sharp knife works too).  Start picking up your dumplings and drop them into the pot of boiling water.  Occasionally stir the dumplings in a swirling motion.  If your dumplings are not pulling up easily from the surface then just sprinkle a bit more flour (the extra flour helps the dumplings peel up easier and thickens the broth a bit).  Once all the dumplings are in the pot, let simmer for 20 minutes and then serve!

Party-Perfect Pizza Dip (psst ... it's vegan!)

Hello Eternal Health Yogis!
By Amy Carlson Gillis, RYT

Welcome to 2013 and the start of this food series of blog entries.  Each month I will bring you favorite recipes of mine that were once completely un-vegan.  When I first considered transitioning to a plant based diet I felt that I needed to ditch all of my previous ways of eating, buy all new cookbooks and dive into a new world of food.  So I did just that, and failed miserably.  I found I didn't know how to cook completely plant based meals.  My food lacked flavor, I was always hungry, and I craved my old ways of eating.  Hanging my head I went back to cooking and eating as I always had.  It then occurred to me that maybe I didn't have to make such drastic changes starting off.  Maybe I could begin by simply substituting items in my current cooking repertoire until I had a vegetarian dish. 

And so it began.  I still pour over my Bon Appetit magazines.  I still watch the Food Channel and I still pin some of those meat laden recipes.  One by one, I re-work these recipes substituting and changing the dish until it is my veggie friendly version. For the next several months I will bring you a recipe that I have re-worked.  Enjoy!

Party-Perfect Pizza Dip

This pizza dip was an easy favorite from days past of meat eating.  Crazy easy to make and crazy good to stuff my face with!  This was also one of my first recipes to convert to vegan and shockingly one of the recipes most laden with animal products.  Since converting this to a vegan recipe I have taken it to many parties without announcing the lack of meat or dairy.  People shovel it in and talk about how good it is.  When it is gone and someone asks for the recipe is finally when I let them all know, "Ohhh yeah, that was vegan." :)

Ingredients

1 cup Vegannaise
1 cup Mozzarella Daiya Cheese Shreds
1 8 oz. container Tofutti Cream Cheese
1 small can black olives
1/2 package of Yve's Veggie Pepperoni Slices*, slices quartered
1 tomato, diced
1 loaf bakery bread, cut into cubes (double check that your bread ingredients are all vegan!)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, excluding bread cubes, in an oven safe bowl and mix well.  Place in the oven and cook for 30 min.  While the dip is in the oven cut the bread into cubes.  Once heated through, I transfer the dip into another bowl that isn't so hot. Place on a platter and surround with bread cubes for dipping.

*NOTE: The Yve's Veggie Pepperoni Slices I use to find at Whole Foods.  Lately, I have only seen them at Kroger.  To speed up the prep process, I slice the row of pepperonis into quarters still stuck together and then peel the slices apart (versus cutting each pepperoni slice individually).  Also, the slices are not gluten free.  To make this a gluten free dish, ditch the pepperoni and sub in something else!  You could add mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, etc.  Diced them, sautee them a bit and throw them in the dip!

Awakening ...

I just reread this blog entry from July that for some reason didn't get published; I guess the time wasn't right until today. Enjoy ...

 

From July 12, 2012:

I am in love with the rainforest.  I have been home for a little over a week now and the serenity of Luna Lodge still lingers. I am so grateful to have been there with the amazing Libby, Raphaela, Katya, Tim, Lana, Gary, Edwin, Sandeep, and the other guests who were in and out of the Lodge during our special week. I am already looking forward to being there again; in the wild lushness, and life-filled jungle. The ocean beckons, the Scarlet Macaws screech with zeal (& always flying in pairs), Howler monkeys growl at sunrise, and, “Hola!” is called as we greet one another as old friends. We are all together, humans, animals, trees, ocean, sky, sun, moon, and stars. It is a sanctuary of peace and it feels like home from the moment of arrival! I long for my tropical soul-place, where I found inspiration – and I finally started writing that book I’ve thought about forever – 5 chapter headings, and three chapter outlines done. And it seemed so easy …

Wild green lushness,
                         tender beneath
                                  Howling, screeching, and calling my name
       
Asana, ocean,
          sky, sun, moon, stars
Writing the book
        that’s allowed to come forth.

Practicing, walking, and writing some more.
    Here seems forever,
          time leads to each breath.
        

Tropical soul-place,
                         sanctuary peace.

       Swimming in silence
                         awakened from sleep.

I Sipped a Latte at Starbucks

I sipped a latte at Starbucks,
   decaf non-dairy.
and thought of tiny children dancing in periwinkle tutus,
   ballet class late Thursday at dusk.

Tender arms curved overhead,
Little heels and chins lifted with tightrope-walk grace.
Inhaling, exhaling, breathing,
    and wandering.

Wide eyes, open lips, graceful tendrils all swirling,
twirling around as they shift in the wind.
    As if non-truth and truth
can be whisked, blended and steeped

Stirred into one as they dive, dip, and leap

soaring and spinning,
calling out
naming

continuous searching each exit
                                       each space.  

Are you willing to take the steps?

I do not see any reason why we can’t do all the things we dream of doing. Yes, obstacles, illness, and tragedies occur in all of our lives; there are many things we cannot control. But that doesn’t mean we should give up and stop working toward happiness and fulfillment. Each day may not unfold the way we plan, but if you put sincere effort into creating each day according to your heart’s desire: focus, take the steps, and make it happen, you will find that you have more control over your life than you may otherwise have thought. I have used this method throughout my life (I didn’t always know I had a method), and these steps have helped me work through obstacles that sometimes seemed impossible to overcome. For example, I really wanted to go to college, including graduate school, which for a high school dropout/ pregnant teenager, didn’t seem very promising. But I did it. When I turned 18 I studied for and passed the GED, entered a community college and started with one class at a time at night; this was not the way I envisioned college life, but I was following my dream.

It took me 17 years to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. In the early semesters it was one class at a time, sometimes taking off a semester or two because I was a single mom with two kids and couldn’t always fit classes into my work/childcare schedule. But I stayed enrolled and kept going. In December of 2000 I graduated with honors from The University of Louisville with a BA in Humanities. It was a long time coming but so worth the effort! I took a year off to figure out what was next and began Graduate school in 2001. I began to dream of living in England one day, and began considering what the steps could be for this to happen. Many thought I was crazy, “Why would you want to do that?!” “It’s so expensive” “How will you manage?” etc. There are often those around who will try to sabotage your dreams (They are often the ones who seem to want the best for you but I think they would be happier if they just focused on themselves). Following graduate school where I earned an MA in Humanities/Medieval Studies, I applied to and was accepted into the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK. I began my post-grad studies, and loved living in England!

Along the way, during my academic adventure, and the chaos of raising of children, I got married and had a third child. We dreamt of traveling. I wanted to see places, meet other people, and experience different cultures. So, travel became a priority. Others bought a new car, new appliances, lots of new clothes, etc. we saved for plane tickets. And it has been fantastic! We explored The American and British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Aruba, England, Ireland, Scotland; we drove and camped across the USA, and found a small hideaway near Puerto Vallarta. We’ve tasted exotic food, met interesting, creative people and learned about the world and ourselves.

About mid-way through the seemingly never-ending college years I began practicing yoga and deepened my meditation practice; I envisioned teaching yoga and sharing what I was learning with others. When I was ready, I began training to be a Yoga Teacher. I studied in Louisville, Cincinnati, Lake Tahoe, and other places and spaces. I read ancient texts, new manuals, blogs, web sites, and went to workshops. I taught classes and dreamt of opening a yoga studio; and when I felt the universe call I knew I had to get to work. So, I took the steps. I took the steps and made it happen. This, simple but not always easy, process has allowed me to pursue my dreams and to experience, learn, grow, and enjoy the richness and beauty that life offers. By envisioning what I want to experience, researching, mapping out, and taking the steps, I have been able to create my life according to my dreams.   

What is your dream, your vision, your desire for yourself in this lifetime? Close your eyes and see it as if it is happneing. Write it down. Then ask yourself, "What is the first step toward making this dream come true?" Take the first step. Then the next. One step at a time. You really can do everything you want to do; maybe not all at once, but you can create your life and enjoy it if you are willing to take the steps – I know you can do it!

So, what’s next for me? Well, I have two amazing yoga studios with incredible, inspiring teachers. I train Yoga teachers and love, love, love sharing this practice with others. I sometimes miss being in England and I dream of someday teaching yoga there while deepening my Shakespeare studies – I think Oxford could be the most amazing place to learn …

Namaste ♥

What will you do to affirm yourself ...

God Says Yes to Me

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic
and she said yes
I asked her if it was okay to be short
and she said sure it is
I asked her if I could wear nail polish
or not wear nail polish
and she said honey
she calls me that sometimes
she said you can do just exactly
what you want to
Thanks God I said
And is it even okay if I don’t paragraph
my letters
Sweetcakes God said
who knows where she picked that up
what I’m telling you is
Yes Yes Yes
                            -Kaylin Haught

I love this poem; it reminds me to be kind to myself and to allow myself to be me. We are perfect exactly the way we are, right now at this moment. 

Allow yourself to be who you are, to express yourself in ways that suit you, to do or not do what you decide for you. You are of divine light – who is to say that there is anything less than perfect, wonderful, and beautiful about that? Remember who you are ♥

What will you do to affirm yourself today? How will you give yourself permission to be who you are even if it doesn’t meet the expectations, requirements, and comfort level of others?