Israeli Couscous Risotto with Mushrooms, Kale, & Herbs

I love risotto and I was thinking why not make it with Israeli couscous rather than rice? Then this recipe was born! If you don't have the fresh herbs, dried ones would probably do just as well.

Israeli Couscous Risotto with Mushrooms, Kale, & Herbs

Instagram Photo (User: veganmiss)

* Prep Time: 10 minutes
* Cook Time: 30 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 1 package (1 oz.) dried mushroom mixture*
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dinosaur kale, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (optional)*
• 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
• vegan Parmesan, to top (optional)*

* Recipe:

1. In a pot, boil the dried mushrooms until tender. Reserve 2 cups of the mushroom water.
2. In the same pot, sautee the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two.
3. Chop the rehydrated mushrooms and add the mushrooms, kale, herbs, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook until kale begins to wilt. 
4. Add the couscous and cook for a few minutes. Add a laddle or two of mushroom water to the couscous. Stir often. Once the liquid has disappeared, add another laddle or two.
5. Continue adding liquid in this manner until the 2 cups run out. While you are doing this, add the wine, lemon, and milk (if using) as you go too, a bit at a time.
6. Top with vegan Parmesan if desired.

* Note: One could use a variety of fresh mushrooms in this dish instead. If that is the case, prepare 2 cups of vegetable stock instead of the reserved mushroom water. I added non-dairy milk to this recipe but I really don't think it needs it. I used almond milk, but feel free to use whatever you prefer. The vegan Parmesan brand I like is Galaxy topping.

Lemony Orzo with Asparagus & Shiitake Mushrooms

Vegan Miss is on Pinterest! Check it out. 

This recipe is a lot like a risotto. Orzo is a pasta but people often mistake it for rice. I had a bunch of asparagus that my friend brought me from his orchard as well as tons of rhubarb. Still having some asparagus left, I thought making a risotto-style orzo would be neat. 

Lemony Orzo with Asparagus & Shiitake Mushrooms

* Prep Time: 10 minutes
* Cook Time: 30 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 1 cup orzo
• 1-1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10-12 stalks asparagus, end trimmed, sliced in pieces
• 1/3 cup dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup frozen peas and carrots, optional
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp vegan Parmesan*
• salt and pepper, to taste

* Recipe:

Instagram Photo

1. Dehydrate the dried mushrooms in boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms and slice. If you are using fresh mushrooms, skip this step.
2. Bring the vegetable stock to a soft boil and then turn down the heat.
3. In a skillet, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and sautee onions with salt until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Then add the asparagus, shiitake, and pepper, cooking until the asparagus and mushrooms are soft. (If you are adding peas and carrots as I did, do it at this step, cooking with the other vegetables.)
4. Next, in a small pot add the orzo, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Parmesan. Add a ladle full of broth at a time, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Repeat the process until all the broth has been used.
6. Add the vegetable mixture from the skillet to the orzo. Mix. Top with more Parmesan if desired when serving. 

* Note: For vegan Parmesan, I use Galaxy topping.

Miss Lexy's Top 15 Vegan Miss Recipes (To Date)

I've been blogging Vegan Miss since 2009 and while I wish I posted more frequently with recipes (real life interferes, blast!), I do have some of my favorite gems. Here is a list of recipes that I think back to fondly (in no particular order):

1. Homemade Grilled Potato, Onion, & Cheeze Pierogies: These babies are well, bad ass. I have yet to find frozen vegan pierogies for sale in store. If you make a huge batch of this, it'll freeze and keep nicely for later use. Pair with some Polish braised red cabbage and sour cream for a very tasty Polish delight.
2. Balsamic Sage Butter Tortellini: I have yet to find vegan tortellini's anywhere as well. Someone should really just make tortellini's and pierogies in the frozen vegan variety. And cheese sticks. They would be a huge hit, I think! If you are feeling adventurous, these little guys will definitely rock your world. As with the pierogies, you can make a big batch and freeze them for later use. I would serve this with raw kale salad for a perfect meal!
3. Pumpkin Curry Soup: This soup is magnificent. Perfect fall weather soup. Even my mother who declared she hated pumpkin before trying this was converted. She had me make another batch just for her and my dad and again at Thanksgiving dinner. Serve with fresh brown bread.
4. Tiramisu: One of the desserts I crave still is tiramisu. I made a regular version for Valentine's Day 2011 and then a raspberry version for this past Valentine's Day. It's kind of like crack. Really delicious crack. Warning: you may want to eat way more than one serving.
5. Balsamic Baked Tofu Caprese Sandwich: One of my first recipes for Vegan Miss. The trick to this is to let the tofu marinate for preferably 24 hours. It'll really take in that flavor (tofu being like a sponge and all).
6. Deep Dish Pizza: Ah, vegan deep dish pizza. Living in Chicago for almost 7 years now, I've never had the traditional deep dish. This is my solution. It's an awesome, awesome solution. It was even my competition dish for the Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown. nom nom nom!
7. Italian "Beef" Sandwiches: Once again, in all my years in Chicago, I have never eaten an Italian beef sandwich. And trust me, they are mighty popular, originating here and all. This would be my vegan version which has been a hit with vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores a like. Don't forget the giardiniera!
8. Ginger, Carrot, Beet, & Sweet Potato Soup: This is the best winter soup. If you don't like beets, you will now. It is just the right combination of different root vegetables to have only a hint of that earthy beet taste. Don't blame me if you go back for seconds!
9. Vegan Horseshoe Sandwich: Most people don't know what a horseshoe is, so basically it is Texas toast with whatever meat you want on top and then cheese fries on top of that. Not healthy. The cheese sauce I came up with for this is still my go-to cheese sauce when I need to make nachos or anything cheezy like that. Even my omni, cheese loving friends liked it.
10.Chick'n Divan: Ah, 1950s food. This is recreated from the book, Dishes Men Like. I've been told this tastes a lot like the real thing sans all that gross meat and dairy. Serve with Caesar salad.
11. Chick'n Scallopini with Wild Mushroom Risotto: This one of my favorite romantic dinner recipes on my blog. It would be perfect for Valentine's Day or an anniversary. Gardein is such an amazing mock meat product that is ever expanding on the markets. I keep a package of their chick'n scallopini's in my freezer at all times! Serve with a bowl of French onion soup.
12. Chick'n Katsu: Did I not tell you that I keep those Gardein scallopini's in my freezer at all times or what?! I really adore Japanese culture and cuisine. I did my undergraduate minor in Japanese and studied in Japan as well. ♥ One of the nation's favorite dishes is katsu. Serve with some veggie miso soup.
13. Spinach & Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo: Several of my followers have remade this dish and all have fallen in love with it like I have. This is another one of those romantic dishes I enjoy. Serve with a heaping bowl of Italian wedding soup!
14. Vegan Fried Rice: This is an oldie recipe, but a goodie. It has something like 12,000 hits on VegWeb. It is a great recipe to whip up during the week and have plenty of leftovers.
15. Southern Food Gone Vegan: Country fried seitan steaks? Check. Mashed potatoes? Check. Southern greens? Check. Biscuits and gravy? Check! If you want a simple gravy, you can dumb down what I have to a black pepper gravy. This is one of Vegan Miss' most popular entries over the course of the last three years. Another southern favorite is my chick'n & buckwheat waffles with preserves recipe. No one ever said southern food was healthy for you! ;]

Well, there you have it. My original intent was to have 5-10 recipes, but I just couldn't stop at 10! If you ever decide to recreate any Vegan Miss recipes, please email the pictures at veganmiss@gmail.com or post pictures on VM's Facebook and post a review of the recipe on VegWeb for me! 

Chick'n Scallopini with Wild Mushroom Risotto

Tasty and a perfect romantic dinner. ♥

Chick'n Scallopini with Wild Mushroom Risotto

* Prep Time: 15 minutes
* Cook Time: 45 minutes
* Ingredients (for risotto):

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 5 oz. bags dried wild mushrooms, dehydrated, sliced
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon, follow directions
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade 
  
• salt and pepper, to taste
• vegan Parmesan, to taste* 

* Ingredients (for chick'n):

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 Gardein chick'n scallopini patties*
• 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup pinot grigio white wine*
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
• 2 tbsp Daiya mozzarella, split between scallopini*
• 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
• basil, chopped, to top 
  

* Recipe (for risotto):

1. Dehydrate the wild mushrooms in boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove mushrooms and slice, reserving water to make broth.
3. With mushroom water, add the cube of bouillon and the amount of remaining water needed for two cups. Bring to boil.
4. In a skillet, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and sautee onions with salt until translucent and soft.
5. Add remaining oil and cook the garlic and mushrooms, about 5 minutes.
6. Next, add the rice, parsley, rosemary, basil, vegan Parmesan, remaining salt, and pepper. Sautee until rice starts to brown, stirring constantly. Add a ladle full of broth at a time, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed.
7. Repeat the process until all the broth has been used.

* Recipe (for chick'n):

1. Add oil to skillet and caramelize onions.
2. Next, add garlic, thyme, and scallopini. Cook through until scallopini is golden brown. Add wine to deglaze.
3. As wine is cooking down, add lemon juice. Allow the sauce to cook.
4. Remove scallopini and slice in thin strips.
5. Top with sauteed onions, wine reduction, Daiya, and bake to melt cheese at 200 degrees.
6. Remove and place atop risotto.
7. Sprinkle basil over dish.

* Note: For vegan Parmesan, I use Galaxy brand. Gardein is a great mock meat company that you can find in most groceries. Make sure your wine is vegan! Daiya is a tapioca based cheeze product that has become readily available at most health food stores. You can also find it online.