July 2017 - Kasheribbean

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Hi, everyone!
As you can see, the recipe we are presenting today is avocado pesto pasta.
I can totally say that avocado is one of the favorite fruits of my mom, sister and I and yet, this was the first time I personally tried the avocado pesto. I don’t even know why I didn’t try it before (probably because I was having a difficult time finding good ripe avocados 🤔) Anyways, this is for sure one of the easiest, simplest yet extremely delicious pasta dishes I’ve tried.

In terms of texture, this is probably the cremiest pasta that I have eaten (no cream, no butter, all vegan, just creaminess from the avocado). I instantly felt in love with this avocado pesto pasta, but because this was my first time, there are a few things I will do differently next time I am doing this:

Ex.: Next time I will double or triple the amounts because I cooked 1 pound of linguini and it was way too much pasta for the pesto, so the pasta didn’t get the super green color I like in pesto. The zoodles were different, though.

Also, next time I will make de pesto first with 3 or 4 bunches of basil for 1 pound fetuccini and then, add the avocado to the ready pesto. This is because I always add the whole bunch of basil to my pesto (yup, stalks included!) and for some reason they were not properly processed when added from the beginning with the avocados.

There were not any other issue. The process is very straight-foward. Just process all the ingredients until creamy.

That was enough introduction, let’s jump to the recipe:

YUMMY AVOCADO-BASIL PESTO

Prep. Time: 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes (if using pasta)

Ingredients:

115 gr Avocado, ripe but firm (about 2 avocados)

About 150 gr fresh basil

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 clove of Garlic

½ tsp of salt (or more to taste)

Pepper to taste

Juice of half lemon, about 2 Tbsp.

¼ cup of pine nuts or almond Meal*

Preparation:

First make your traditional pesto by processing all the ingredients except for the avocados. (I added almond meal to my pasta first because I didn’t have the pine nuts and second because is nutritious anyway and I love the flavor, but if you don’t have any, it can be totally optional).

Then add your avocados for extra creaminess. Mix with your pasta or veggie noodles and enjoy.

It couldn’t be easier! Keep this in your list of life saving recipes list so you can grab a jock lunch or dinner next time you are in a hurry! Oh! And, I almost forgot!… This is very kid friendly (if your children love colorful creamy pasta 😉😋)

Have you guys tried avocado pesto pasta? Do you prefer zoodles or noodles? 😆😋 Let us know in the comment section below!

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The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten Free}

Recipes, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth / Hannah Abreu

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Originally Published: July 15, 2017
Last Modified: September 20, 2024
Hannah Abreu

Hi, everyone! I am very excited today to finally share with you this recipe for vegan meatballs. I have taken some time perfecting it to get it right, and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. These are The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs.

How the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs came about...

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs were born a couple of weeks ago while I was cooking a whole bunch of mushrooms for lunch but once they were cooked they were so little! The disappointment was real! Those mushroom filled the pan and when cooked were just a few grams! I needed to act quickly and finish lunch so I thought: Why not make some meatballs? Yes! Of course!

I processed the mushrooms with some oats, more spices, a bit of water and so on until I had the consistency I wanted. Then I finished cooking in tomato sauce. They were good in terms of flavor, but way too dense, so I had to make them again correcting the amounts but I was out of mushrooms, so the recipe had to wait.

Next day was friday. I was cooking chicken for Shabbath but, who says you cannot make chicken and vegan meatballs? I made up my mind to take advantage of the momentum, so I weighed my ingredients, took some notes and pictures, cooked and reserved the meatballs, that were going to be served for dinner.

We had guests for shabbath and I was mortified. I just was praying the meatballs were at least edible. But, well, if they were not that good, at least I could have some feedback to perfect this recipe and write it on the blog.

The time to eat came and I remember when one of the kids wanted to try the meatballs. They honestly looked like their meaty cousins so much but to avoid any confusion, I told him straight away the meatballs were vegan. He tried it and immediately his eyes opened up!

When he asked for more I realized they were happy open eyes, those that happen when you try something delicious! At this point, everyone started eating the meatballs and I was receiving positive feedback. I was very happy when a vegan guest told me she wanted the recipe for making them like everyday That moment I knew they were not only edible, but certainly good. Even my picky husband liked them!

In the week that followed I probably made this recipe every other day, just to make sure the recipe was on point, and now it is just turn to try them. I really really hope you like them.

How to make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

The main ingredients in the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs is Mushrooms. Since they can come quite dirty, you’ll start by soaking the mushrooms in cold water for a few minutes, and then finish cleaning with a paper towel or a soft brush to remove any soil, before continuing with the next steps which include removing the excess moisture, mix all ingredients with the help of a food processor, fry or bake and finish cooking in the sauce.

UPDATE: You can totally make this recipe OIL-FREE by skipping the oil entirely and baking these vegan meatballs instead.

When first cooking the mushrooms we want most of the liquid to evaporate. This step is important. Our second most important ingredient, 100% Whole Grain Oats will benefit from some moisture, but if the mushrooms are too moist and you end up adding more oats than recommended (which you totally can) the texture won’t be as desired and meaty as intended.

Once in the food processor make sure you chop the mushrooms enough but not too much. You still want little pieces of mushrooms in there for texture.

Now, the second part of the recipe includes transferring this concoction to a bowl and mix in whole grain oats and water. And you might be thinking “didn’t we just remove the water while cooking the mushrooms? Why are we then adding water back?”. Well, there’s two reasons for this:

The cooking of the mushrooms with the spices gives a better texture and flavor to the recipe than just adding them raw with the spices.
Adding the needed water (or liquid) in this second phase of the recipe gives you more control, because you know exactly how much liquid is getting into it, instead of just eyeballing every time the amount of water vs. oats that you need, which can be frustrating and lead to different results every time.

Shaping and Cooking

To shape the vegan meatballs it helps to wet your hands a bit before shaping each meatballs as the oats they contains get very sticky.

To cook you can either fry or bake.

IF FRYING: make sure the oil is well heated before you start, or the meatballs can lose the shape. Fry until hey are golden brown on both sides, and transfer to paper towel to drain the excess oil.

IF BAKING: Make sure you use a silicone mat or baking paper to line the baking tray. Using just oil or butter won’t work (I’ve tried). Bake them for about 30 minutes or until you see they are firm to the touch, thoroughly cooked and with a nice brown color. Get them out of the oven and let them cool down a bit before you attempt to take them off the silicone mat or the parchment so they don’t break. Once they cool down, they should peel off esily from the baking paper.

If they are not peeling easily is because they are still a bit too wet. Stick the tray for a few more minutes in the oven and then remove them from the baking tray.

You can finish The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs by cooking them in your preferred tomato sauce (Check out our Sweet Potato & Tomato Pasta Sauce) for 5 minutes or so, on low heat. This last step is important to give the meatballs a meaty texture.

Serve them with regular pasta, or try them over zucchini noodles! Delicious!

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

Mushrooms and oats based vegan meatballs perfect for your pasta dishes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

450 gr Portobelo Mushrooms
200 gr 100% Whole Grain Oats
180 ml Water
1/4 Cup Dried Oregano (It's not a typo, it's 1/4 Cup of dried Oregano)
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.5 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
1.5 tsp Salt I use Himalayan or Sea salt
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
Pinch Nutmeg

Instructions

Clean mushrooms by soaking in cold water for a few minutes, then rubbing gently paper towel or soft brush. Roughly chop.
Heat your pan on medium-high heat. Add the oil (you can skip to make oil-free if you prefer), mushrooms and seasonings. Cook until there is no excess water left and the mushrooms are cooked through.
Process with a food processor, add oregano and pulse to a rough paste.
Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add oats and water. Mix well.
Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid and bind everything together.
Shape with wet hands and fry (or bake for about 30 minutes in a parchment lined baking tray) until browned and completely cooked through.
Finish cooking in your preferred tomato sauce for 5 minutes or so, on low heat for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Keyword dinner, vegan

Have you make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs already? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share your pictures on social media and don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest for more easy recipes!

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Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup

Kippur, Passover, Recipes, Salads, Sides / Hannah Abreu

Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Originally Published: July 9, 2017
Last Modified: May 24, 2023
Hannah Abreu

Carrots are a very versatile and nutritious vegetables, commonly used around the globe, raw and cooked, in a wide range of dishes, adding both taste and nutritional value. This particular recipe, Carrot, Turmeric and Ginger soup, is also a great opportunity for you to use those carrot tops and bottoms left behind after grating carrots. Turmeric and ginger are added for a kick, and because of their nutritional value as well.

When buying carrots, look for firm, smooth, and brightly colored ones. They can be stored in the refrigerator, either loose or in a perforated reusable plastic bag, for up to a few weeks. To maintain their freshness, it better to remove the green tops before storing as they can draw moisture from the carrot roots. But don’t worry, you don’t have to throw them out. Use the green carrot tops for salads, pesto, pastas or garnish.

If you forget a few carrots in the fridge, and they become soft, you can always revive them by soaking them in ice water and leave in the fridge for a few hours.

How to make Carrot, Turmeric Ginger soup

To make this Carrot, Turmeric and Ginger Soup is really easy. First, you need to create a flavorful base, which you’ll make by the sautéing the vegetables until they are somewhat caramelized. This process will provide deeper flavor than if you just add the broth right away. So, taking a little time with this step is worthy.

Since the carrot soup has to cook for a bit, hence evaporating some of the liquid added and concentrating the flavors, I advise you to add the salt once the cooking process has finished, and specially if you used regular store-bought vegetable broth, which is often rich in sodium.

Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine Dominican Republic

Ingredients

100 gr Yellow onion, roughly chopped {about 2 medium onions}
1 Celery stalk, chopped
500 gr Carrots, chopped
500 ml Vegetable broth { up to 700 ml of homemade or pre-made}
10 gr Ginger root, peeled
3 tsp Turmeric powder {or to taste}
2 Garlic cloves, chopped {or 2 tsp of garlic powder}
1 ½ tsp Salt

Instructions

To your pot add the oil and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt, until they are a nice light brown color. Be careful not to burn them or they will give an aftertaste to the soup.
Add the celery, carrots, ginger root, garlic, turmeric, and sauté on medium high for about 5 minutes or until you get some caramelization in the veggies.
Add the broth (start with 500ml. After the soup is blended you can add more if you want it thinner). Put the lid on and cook on medium low until all the veggies are cooked through. About 20 minutes.
Lower the heat to a minimum and using an immersion blender blend the soup until smooth. Finish by adding salt to taste.
Serve with a splash of olive oil or cream, and croutons.

Notes

If you use store-bought vegetable broth, make sure to buy low-sodium, and don't add your salt until the end of the cooking time.

Keyword carrots, soups

Have you make this Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup or any other recipe from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

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Sweet Potato & Tomato Pasta Sauce

Pasta, Recipes / Hannah Abreu

Hi, everyone!

Today I am very excited to bring you this super easy Sweet Potato and Tomato Pasta Sauce. I know it sounds weird but this sauce rocks in every level of deliciousness.

A few days ago I was in the kitchen with no idea what to cook (again! lol). My husband loves pasta (and I do too, sometimes) but I get easily tired of the same old tomato sauce. Well, I opened the fridge, I saw one big and beautiful sweet potato, and it hit me! (Add me! Add me! – the sweet potato was screaming!) Haha… Yup! 🙂 and because I like to try new things in the kitchen, I didn’t doubt any second.

I ended up with a thicker sauce with a great texture, bit of creaminess and with a sweet hint at the end. I mashed the sweet potato instead of blending it, but if you like smooth sauces you can blend it for sure. It will be delicious.

I am sure you will love this recipe, because:

It is simple

Use just a few ingredients

It is creamy and chunky (crazy, right?)

It is Vegan. Wohoo!

SWEET POTATO & TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Yields: 8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes.

INGREDIENTS :

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
100 gr Onion, finely chopped

300 gr Sweet potatoes, chopped

1 Lt. Homemade Pasta Sauce (you can also use store-bought)
1 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
2 tsp. Ground Bay Leaves or 3 dry bay leaves
Salt & Pepper to taste
A pinch of sugar.PREPARATION:

Start by cooking your sweet potatoes in the pan (this is a good way to use leftover roasted or boiled sweet potato). I added a little bit of olive oil to get them going and added a pinch of salt. Once they were cooked through and turning brown on the edges, I remove from the pan to mash them. At this point, I got my onions in the pan. Cook the onions until they are translucent and fragrant.

To the pan, add the mashed sweet potatoes, the pasta sauce and seasonings (paprika, bay leaves, salt and sugar) and simmer for about 10-15 minutes on medium low. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.

Time to serve and enjoy!

I served mine with Penne Pasta & Raw Zuchinni Noodled 🙂 Both delicious!

Have you ever tried adding sweet potatoes or other root vegetables to your pasta sauce? How did you like it? Let us know in the comments section below or follow us on instagram & pinterest and let us know right there 😀

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