The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

Subscribe

Warm Mushroom Salad

By 1 Comment

By “Warm Mushroom Salad,” I really mean “Warm Mushroom Salad with Sweet Tahini Drizzle, Fresh Parsley, and Feta Cheese.” While that’s a bit lengthy for a title, it is just right for a salad!

The way I prepared the mushrooms for this salad is probably my new favorite way to prepare mushrooms, period. They are meaty, juicy, tender, buttery, and oh so flavorful! Add in the freshness of the parsley and the tanginess of the feta and you’ve got a true winner. However, I think it is actually the sweet tahini drizzle (sesame and honey) that takes this dish over the top. The flavors here have an intensity, earthiness, and brightness that left me wondering why people don’t combine mushrooms and honey more often.

[Read more…]

Middle Eastern Shake

By 3 Comments

When it comes to shakes, I’m a pretty picky eater … er… drinker? In my opinion, a good shake must be creamy, smooth, rich, luscious, full-bodied, sweet but not sweet enough to cause a sugar rush, and most importantly, NOT ICY. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced severe buyer’s remorse after shelling out good $$ (shakes are expensive!!) only to realize my “cacao banana power shake” (or some variation thereof) is half ice and half store-bought almond milk with maybe a couple teaspoons of cocoa powder and a tiny piece of banana. Sadness! Anger! Ice! So. Much. Ice.

While I’ll occasionally throw one or two cubes of ice in a shake I make myself (usually because I have a cat shaped ice cube tray and the kitty ice cubes are so darn cute that I can put aside my ice hatred and remember that all things can be good in moderation) I generally find that if all my ingredients are cold, shakes do not need ice at all. And I much prefer them creamy and rich to cold and watery. This Middle Eastern Shake is no exception – it could probably be eaten as a pudding if you’re into that. Personally, I prefer to consume it in shake form (I mean, for one thing, you get more of it: it is so much more socially acceptable to consume a full glass of shake than a full glass of pudding.)  [Read more…]

Easy Vegetarian Chili

By 1 Comment

Isn’t it weird when your tastes start to change? As someone who has gone through life adamantly disliking chipotle peppers for their smoky flavor, as well as less passionately (but still steadfastly) relegating all varieties of chili to the boring school cafeteria domain, this recipe is a bit out of character. But I really like it!

It all started when I remembered a squash tamale recipe I made once with my college roommate – it called for chipotle peppers and I had begged her to leave them out. Miraculously,  despite the fruitlessness of my persuasion efforts, I ended up loving the tamales. I had puzzled over it for a day, and then promptly forgot – returning instead to my religious dislike of all things chipotle. Until I got a mysterious craving for those tamales – more specifically, for the characteristic deep and slightly smoky flavor of the chipotle peppers. So, against my better judgment, I went out and bought some dried chipotle, threw it in a pot with some beans, veggies, and tomatoes, and let the simmer setting do its magic.

And once again, I liked it! Was it a fluke? It appears not.  I’ve now made this chili three times, and I’ve liked it each and every time.

[Read more…]

Spicy Tofu Scramble

By Leave a Comment

I think that tofu scrambles get a bad rap. They are often the token vegan item on an egg-filled brunch menu, which doesn’t do them any favors. And it’s not because they can’t stand up to a good omelette; it’s because they’re often employed as an egg substitute. In my opinion, trying to make tofu taste like scrambled eggs is silly – even if you succeed, a less-good version of scrambled eggs is just not that exciting to eat for breakfast. (If you’re a vegan who really misses eggs, than okay, go for it. I do see the value there.) But I’d rather eat a tofu scramble that isn’t trying to be something else, because it really doesn’t need to be! Since tofu is a neutrally flavored food on its own, it can take on whatever flavor profile you want it to.  And that means you can infuse loads of delicious flavor into it, flavor that can provide serious competition for even the most delicious egg dish.

[Read more…]

Zesty Kasha

By Leave a Comment

UPDATE: This recipe was featured in a great list of other buckwheat-related recipes on The Stir. Check it out here and thanks to @zlatathoughts for including me! 

Buckwheat (contrary to its name) is both grain-free and gluten-free. It has no relation to wheat – in fact, it’s actually a seed that is related to rhubarb! Its health benefits are numerous – it’s great for your heart, it helps regulate your blood sugar, and it’s nutrient-packed (high levels of manganese, magnesium, and copper). Buckwheat is also high in protein relative to other grains and contains all nine amino acids.

If you’re not familiar with kasha already, you may be wondering why I’m rambling on about buckwheat. Well, kasha is actually toasted buckwheat, which means A) it has a wonderfully nutty, hearty flavor that makes for some fantastic eating and B) all my rambling about buckwheat is actually quite relevant.

[Read more…]

Poppy Seed Bars

By Leave a Comment

Before going gluten-free, I used to bake all the time. I had my knock-’em-dead brownie recipe for those casual but chocolate-warranting events, my decadent layer cake recipe for birthdays and anniversaries, and the ultimate coffee cake recipe for those weirdos who don’t like chocolate.  These were all recipes I had collected due to my habit of reading (or should I say drooling over) any dessert cookbook I could get my hands on.  Since I was such an avid dessert cookbook reader, I quickly learned how to tell whether a recipe was worth making just by skimming the ingredients and procedure. (Hint: Look for copious amounts of chocolate and butter :p) But this was as far as I got with regards to bringing in my own creative process – I never created my own dessert recipes or experimented too much with the recipes I collected. It was only after going gluten-free that I started creating my own desserts, and it’s been a total blast.

My absolute favorite flour to bake with is almond flour. That’s because it makes gluten-free desserts taste like regular desserts – it’s moist, holds together well, has a great texture and flavor, and, as if that wasn’t enough, it’s also packed with protein! I’ve been seeking out almond-flour based dessert recipes for a couple years now, and in the last year or so, I’ve finally felt comfortable enough working with this miraculous substance to be able to play around with it on my own. It’s a great feeling to be able to easily whip up a dessert when the craving hits, with whatever you happen to have around the house!

And that’s exactly what I did a few weeks ago, when these poppy seed bars were born.

[Read more…]

Triple-C Slaw

By Leave a Comment

For all you Sesame Street fans out there (best children’s show ever!), this post is brought to you by the letter C. Why? Because Cabbage, Carrots, and Coconut happen to make the perfect slaw.  And it’s pleasantly Crunchy. Add in some Cilantro, and you could even call this Quadruple-C Slaw. Cilantro begins with a soft  C, while Cabbage, Carrots, and Coconut all begin with hard  C‘s. But what about the raisins? They don’t belong here! Try as you might, you won’t find a soft  C or a hard  C anywhere in that seven-letter word. Ah, but the addition of raisins to this slaw will Caress your palate and leave you feeling quite Content.  So you see, the word raisins gives us two more beautiful C words!

[Read more…]

Mint Chutney

By Leave a Comment

“Chutney” was the middle name of the cat my family had when I was growing up. (His first name was Mango.) I can’t take credit for naming him, but I can tell you that my love for Indian chutneys started early. My favorites are the mint and tamarind chutneys – I ALWAYS load up on these whenever I eat at an Indian restaurant. I love how the coolness and freshness of the mint compliments the spicy richness of most Indian dishes. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to justify buying a jar because every single one I’ve seen has artificial coloring in it – kinda gross. Luckily, homemade mint chutney is super easy and very customizable! I really like the ratio of cilantro to mint I’ve specified in the recipe, but if you like it more or less minty (or more or less limey), feel free to play around with it!

[Read more…]

Roasted Broccoli with Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing

By 1 Comment

Have you tried hemp seeds yet? They are a staple in my kitchen! Touted for their health benefits (just 3 tablespoons of these guys will give you a walloping 10 grams of protein and they also happen to contain nearly the perfect ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6), these little seeds are great in salads, soups, and sauces. They are also a wonderful vegan creamifier. (Yes, I think I made that word up because it’s not in the dictionary.) In case it’s not apparent, let me define it for you:

Creamifier, n.  A substance that can be used to make something creamy. Example Sentence: Some non-vegan creamifiers are milk, yogurt, and sour cream, while some vegan creamifiers are hemp seeds, tofu, tahini, and nuts.

Now that we’ve all learned a new (fake) word, let me tell you about this dressing.  [Read more…]

Yam-Coconut Breakfast Pudding

By 2 Comments

One of the many juice chains in the NYC area has this Korean Yam pudding that I really like. It’s smooth, creamy, sweet but not too sweet, has a subtle hint of ginger – I’m a fan. I’m not really a fan of the price tag though, since one small pudding cup will run you close to 7 bucks once tax is added. The solution? Make my own!

Creating something similar proved pretty easy. I got it right on the first try, and tested it again just to make sure. While the juice chain uses agave to add sweetness, I chose to use raw honey in my version. (To make this vegan, just sub agave or maple syrup.) I also just used a regular Garnet yam instead of a Korean yam. And I’m not sure how the juice place makes their pudding, but I chose to simmer my yams rather than bake them so that their sweetness isn’t overpowering.

What I love about this pudding (aside from the taste and texture) is its versatility. My recipe is fairly light on the ginger – it’s more of a subtle hint than a main component. But if you’re feeling gingery, feel free to take it up a notch. You could also add cinnamon and nutmeg for a pumpkin-pie style pudding, increase the sweetener for something a bit more decadent, or top these with cashew or coconut cream for a real treat.

[Read more…]