Category: Brunch

Appetizer, Brunch, Tofu

Charred Broccoli and Garlic Ricotta Toasts

Featuredby Stephanie Bosch1 Comment on Charred Broccoli and Garlic Ricotta Toasts
Charred Broccoli and Garlic Ricotta Toasts

Have you ever had ricotta toast? It’s a simple recipe with lots of variations. It all starts with a slice of quality fresh bread, a delicious dollop of ricotta cheese, and a range of topping options. You can make sweet and savory ricotta toast, from burst tomatoes with basil to fig jam with pistachios and rosemary.

This recipe is one of my favorites, topped with charred broccoli and red pepper flakes! Simple, but delicous. I made mine in our pizza oven to give it a slightly smoky and sweet taste! If using the pizza oven, be sure to have the fire scorching and a stone warming in the oven. I slid my toasts off onto the hot stone using a pizza peel. I used oven-proof gloves and bbq tongs to remove each slice vs. trying to use the peel to remove them. Trust me; this is the easiest way!

The cheese was perfectly melted, the broccoli was lightly caramelized, and the toasts were crisp on the outside but still soft and chewy on the inside! I had to wrap them up so I wouldn’t eat them all!

If you make them tag me and let me know how you like them! You can also drizzle with some agave nectar to finish them off!

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Charred Broccoli on Tofu Ricotta Toast

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
  • Total Time: 20-22 minutes
  • Yield: 12 toasts 1x
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Description

Ricotta toast makes a deliciously easy breakfast or lunch! Slather on ricotta, then top with sweet or savory toppings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 baguette, sliced 1/2″ thick on a diagonal (about 12 slices)*
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 head of broccoli, stem peeled, stem and florets chopped into 1/2” pieces
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves separated
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups tofu ricotta
  • 1/3 cup grated vegan parmesan
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 400°F. Or, heat a pizza oven to a temperature.
  2. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or pizza peel and brush one side of each piece with oil.
  3. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of ricotta on each slide. Toss broccoli and garlic in a bowl and drizzle with the remaining oil. Season generously with salt and toss to combine.
  4. Place seasoned broccoli on the ricotta toast. Top with vegan parmesan.
  5. Add to oven or pizza oven and bake until crisp, 10–12 minutes. If using a pizza oven, you will need to rotate the toasts at least once to prevent burning.
  6. Remove from oven. Let cool slightly.
  7. Top with red pepper flakes (optional)
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

*I used sourdough

Brunch, Root Vegetables, Vegan

Quiche Provençale with Root Vegetables

Featuredby Stephanie BoschLeave a Comment on Quiche Provençale with Root Vegetables

Sometimes when the inspiration hits, I go a little crazy in the kitchen.  It is the most wonderful feeling not to follow a recipe and just go where your crisper drawer takes you.  This last weekend I had a lot of root veggies begging to be used.  I also went to Whole Foods and found a fantastic variety of products I couldn’t get at my local grocery store.  My favorite was the bunch of dandelion greens!

I had just made a quiche with a so-so potato crust that, unfortunately, stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Root vegetables are high in starch, and when cooked, they slowly release sugar, and the sugar makes them sticky.  After thinking about it for a bit, I tried cooking the potato crust very quickly, not giving them time to stick.  Hence, the broiler! And guess what?  It worked!

For this recipe, I used parsnips (the carrot’s favorite cousin), turnips, which, if you’ve never had them, I highly recommend getting some, and Yukon gold potatoes.  I grated one large and one small turnip and three Yukons for my crust and added 1/2 cup grated vegan Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and 1 teaspoon of Herbs de Provence.  I broiled it in my 2.5 quart French Corningware for 8-10 minutes.  But as with all things broiler, keep an eye on it.  You want the potatoes very lightly browned.

For the filling, I made coconut bacon out of vegan bacon-flavored oil.  Now, most of you won’t be able to find that, so here’s a quick link to Minimalist Baker’s quick and easy coconut bacon.  I would suggest making this ahead of time.  It stores well, and it’s nice to have on hand.

Finally, I peeled my potatoes.  For this delicate and tender dish, I did not want the potato peel in my dish.  And sometimes, when you simmer potatoes with the skins on, they fall off anyway.   I like the Yukon golds for this dish because they are a little more dense and creamy!

Let me know if you made this dish and how you liked it!

XO,

Steph

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Quiche Provençale with Root Vegetables

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Cuisine: Vegan
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, *washed, peeled (3 grated, 2 cubed)
  • 3 medium turnips, washed, peeled (1 grated, 2 cubed)
  • 3 medium parsnips, washed, peeled, and cut into 1/4” coins
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 poblano peppers, washed and diced
  • 1/2 cup vegan parmesean
  • 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence (divided)
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (low sodium)
  • 2 containers JustEgg
  • 1 cup coconut bacon
  • 1 bunch of tender greens (dandelion, spinach. watercress), washed.

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. In a 2.5″ deep casserole dish, add grated potatoes and grated turnips, parmesan cheese, and melted butter.  Mix well and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence.
  3. Carefully place the casserole dish in the broiler and bake for 8-10 minutes.  As with all things broiled, keep a close eye on it.  You want a light golden brown color.  When done, remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to 350°F (176°C).
  5. While the casserole is in the oven, warm a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil and when shimmering, add onion and poblano peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onions and peppers have softened, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Add diced potatoes, turnips, and parsnips.  Add the remaining teaspoon of Herbs de Provence.
  7. Add stock.  Cover and simmer on medium-low until root vegetables have softened, about 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more stock if vegetables begin to stick. When done, remove from heat.
  8. While root vegetables are cooking, add 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan.  Add salt and bring to a boil.  Blanch greens in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes.  Remove greens from the pan, and immediately add to greens to an ice bath.
  9. Remove greens and add to a colander to remove excess water.  Chop greens into bite-size pieces.
  10. Warm a dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and, when shimmering, coconut bacon. Add greens and saute until greens have released all water, about 4 minutes.
  11. In a mixing bowl, add greens and root vegetable mixture and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Shake and add 1 1/2 containers of JustEgg and add to the mixing bowl.  Mix well.
  13. Pour vegetable mixture over potato crust and add to oven.
  14. Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Test with a toothpick at 35 minutes. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
  15. Serve with tabasco or other hot sauce!

Notes

*To prevent food borne illnesses, always wash your fruits and vegetables even if you’re peeling them. Germs on the peel or skin can get inside fruits and vegetables when you cut them.

 

Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Featuredby Stephanie Bosch1 Comment on Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

We are in the season of all things pumpkin. I have friends who are rebelling and refuse to buy into the hype. Haters gonna hate. But as for me, I dive in headfirst! There is a reason everyone loves pumpkins! But unfortunately, it’s not for the autumnal gourds themselves, but for the spices that usually accompany them! 

Last year on NPR’s Morning Edition, they spoke with Jason Fischer, a psychological and brain sciences professor at Johns Hopkins University. His team has been researching the science behind pumpkin spice’s appeal and found that it has a lot to do with how we associate smells and flavors with fall.

“Those associations, they form year after year. They also give us this sense of familiarity,” Fischer said. “And when you start to smell the pumpkin spice things in the stores again, it gives you a little feeling of nostalgia.”

Whatever the case, the smell of these muffins baking in the oven will evoke warm fuzzies! They are gluten-free, too! I used a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour mix and had excellent results. Just be sure it has xanthan gum, which helps bind the muffins, taking the place of gluten in the flour. 

I also used brown sugar instead of white sugar and a pumpkin spice mix that I made myself. If you have ripe bananas, you can use them instead of egg substitutes. I did not have any on hand, so I used 1/2 cup of Just Egg, and it worked perfectly. You can also use 2 flax eggs if you prefer. 

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Who doesn’t love chocolate pumpkin muffins?  These light and tasty treats are perfect for breakfast, or for an after school snack!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose flour)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar (makes them moist and less dense)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 2 super ripe bananas, or 1/2 cup Just Egg* ( See note)
  • 2/3 cup organic canned pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dairy free vegan chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177° C)
  2. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use muffin liners.
  3. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and the oil.  Add the mashed banana or Just Egg to the sugar mixture. Add canned pumpkin, and vanilla. When mixed well, fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Finally, add the flour, and mix everything well.
  6. Evenly pour the batter into the muffin tins. Place in the oven for about 18-20 minutes if using GF flour.  If using regular all-purpose flour, test at 20 minutes.  Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean. If needed add more time ( 2-3 minutes at a time).

Notes

You can also use 2 flax eggs.

Keywords: Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

African, Breakfast, Brunch

Spicy Vegan Shakshuka

Featuredby Stephanie BoschLeave a Comment on Spicy Vegan Shakshuka
Spicy Vegan Shakshuka

Some of my fondest memories center around food. While I think that might be the case for many of us, Sunday breakfasts, in particular, have always held a special place in my heart! When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time with my mom’s parents. I absolutely loved being at grandma and grandpa’s house! Nearly every weekend, I was there with my little brother Sean and at least two of my four cousins. The weekend was even better if my aunt Tammy agreed to spend the night (I would literally beg her), and we got to add an extra chair around the breakfast table! Oh, how I miss those days.

Anyway, Sunday breakfasts are still a big deal to me, and there is rarely a Sunday morning that goes by when I’m not in the kitchen playing music and making a big ole’ breakfast. Admittedly, I get stuck and end up making the same dish on repeat. But every once in a while, a magical Unicorn comes along and becomes a part of my Sunday rotation! Enter the Shakshuka!  The literal translation of the Hebrew word shakshuka means “all mixed up”! And I’d say that’s a pretty good description of this north African egg dish made with peppers, tomatoes, and eggs. It’s super flavorful and hits the spot! It also reminds me of a meal I used to eat when I was a kid.

Last week my husband found a recipe for “Eggs in a Hole” in the newspaper (remember those?) and asked me if I’d ever had it. I laughed and said, “You better believe it”! In fact, it was one of the first breakfast meals I ever made on my own, besides Quaker’s Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal (remember that?). This Shakshuka reminds me of my childhood fav in that the eggs are carefully placed in a hole and cooked until firm. Only in the Shakshuka, the eggs are nestled in a bed of tomatoes and peppers and not white Wonder bread!

I really love this simple but flavorful dish and hope you all do too! Oh, and if you can’t find Just Egg, I’ve included a delicious option in the notes section of the recipe! Be sure to tag me and let me know how you like it!

–XO

Steph

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Spicy Vegan Shakshuka

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Diet: Vegan
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet onion, diced
  • 1 organic red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (can also use one chipotle pepper in adobo)
  • 1 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 container Just Egg
  • ⅓ cup crumbled vegan feta cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • Sliced red onion
  • Microgreens for garnish, optional
  • Toasted ciabatta, for serving 

Instructions

  1. Warm oil over medium heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid. Add onion, red pepper, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper and cook until the onion is soft and translucent about 8 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add garlic, paprika, cumin, and chili powder.  Stir and let cook for about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
  3. Make 4 wells in the sauce and add Just Eggs. Cover and cook for 2 minutes and then add feta. Cook until the eggs are set, 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the feta, parsley, avocado, and microgreens, if using. Serve with toasted bread for scooping.

Notes

If you would like to make this but don’t have access to the Vegan Egg product you can make your own!

  • 6 ounces firm silken tofu (usually found in the Asian section, not refrigerated)
  • 2 tablespoons Tahini (can also use hummus) 
  • 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • One pinch kala namak (black salt), and black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional

Blend together all ingredients until smooth.

If it is too dry add 1 tablespoon plant-based milk.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4

 

Breakfast, Brunch, Mexican, Vegan

Vegan Breakfast Slider

Featuredby Stephanie Bosch1 Comment on Vegan Breakfast Slider
Vegan Breakfast Slider

St. Louis is known for many things: the Arch, Budweiser Beer, Chuck Berry, Bob Costas, and Joe and Jack Buck.  We are second only to the New York Yankees for the most World Series wins, we are the current Stanley Cup winners (Go Blues!), and former home to the Super Bowl Champion, St. Louis Rams. Yo, Kurt Warner! And we eat things that nobody else has ever heard of outside of St. Louis, like toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, and the slinger.  

The area in the Lou famously referred to as “The Hill” is home to baseball greats Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola. It is also home to our beloved toasted ravioli. As the story goes, a fresh ravioli fell into the fryer at a place called Mama Campisi’s on a day when Joe Garagiola was there. After this fateful event, these little pieces of fried heaven allegedly began appearing on menus around town. Served with a warm marinara sauce, all I can say is, sono così deliziosi!

The Gooey Buttercake, another St. Louis favorite, also came about by accident. Although nothing like a traditional cake, this chewy goodness is part coffeecake and part gooey custard. And if you’ve ever had a piece, you know how sinfully delicious it is. Some say that in the 1930s a baker mistakenly mixed up their ingredients for a traditional coffee cake and voila. Accident, or fate? You be the judge! 

And finally, our favorite of the three, “The Slider.” A meal best appreciated and usually served between the hours of midnight and 3:00 AM, at places like the “Eat Rite” diner near Busch stadium, the Slider is essentially anything you want it to be. Yep, it’s that post-drinking, pre-pass out frankenfood that has become a right of passage for those who dare tread in our waters. The basic version is hash browns, eggs, and a hamburger patty smothered in chili, then topped with cheese and chopped onions, and it will leave you feeling a bit dizzy and crying fire in the hole the next day! But the best part of any slinger is it can be any combination of your favorite foods slapped on top of each other and consumed in relatively short order. We prefer to make a healthier vegan version that will not only leave you feeling satisfied,  it’s also a great way to finish off all of those leftovers!      

Our slinger begins with a basic Tofu Scramble from The Minimalist Baker, which we cook for about 8 minutes before adding a half pack of Trader Joe’s Vegan Chorizo. Made from soy and only a few other natural ingredients, their chorizo tastes just like its traditional counterpart, but without all of the disgusting greasiness. We layer scramble with hashbrowns or roasted potatoes, and then garnish with salsa, avocados, cilantro, hot sauce, 1/4 cup of vegan gravy, or my favorite Cashew Queso! In this picture, I also added a delicious vegan Chili Colorado.   You’re welcome.  

 

Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegan

Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

by Stephanie Bosch1 Comment on Gluten-Free Gravy Mix
Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

This is a super easy and delicious gravy mix. When I first began my search for an excellent vegan gravy recipe, I was sorely disappointed. I desperately wanted to find something that even closely resembled the gravy I grew up eating. However, that gravy was made from sausage grease and whole wheat flour! Oh, and did I mention that I also needed it to be gluten-free? So for a few years, I used various time-consuming methods to achieve a mediocre gravy. After years of experimenting, I give you this! Now I can make a delicious vegan gravy with all the flavor and consistency of the gravy from my past! Vegan Slingers, here I come!

 

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Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
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Description

This is a super easy and delicious gravy mix. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sage
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Add to mason jar and shake well.   Store in a dry place.

To Use: 

  1. Add 1/4 cup of dry mix to a sauce pan and add 1 1/2 cup milk of plant-based milk.   
  2. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
  3. Reduce heat and add more milk, if needed, 1/4 cup at a time. 
  4. Add additional salt, if needed.