Vegan Cincinnati Spaghetti

Usually towards the end of the working week, namely Thursday and Friday - the meals I had prepped in advance (at the weekend) to heat up after work is gone, so on these days between D and myself - we will tend to cobble something together with what we have in the fridge or store cupboards.

I often opt to make a relatively quick pasta dish.  Its either Arrabbiata, vegan Puttanesca or Aglio, Olio e Peperonicino), but last week I decided to make a bookmarked spaghetti recipe that looked very hearty. 

Once you start making the sauce for the Cincinnati Spaghetti, you quickly note that lentils are an old fashioned way of mimicking meat for vegans and vegetarians, nothing wrong with that, its quite a humble dish in fact - elevated by some millennials favourite ingredient - avocado.

The recipe for this vegan Cincinnati Spaghetti comes from a very hefty cookbook The Superfun Times: Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.  I thought it was a made up dish but then I did a little Internet research and its actually a real dish known as Cincinnati chilli made with spicy mincemeat and used a topping for spaghetti.  It was developed by Macedonian migrants in the 1920s.  

It was interesting to eat and made a change.  Not like chilli and not quite like Bolognese.  The avocado topping was welcome as it was cooling next to the rich tomato sauce flavoured with spices and cocoa powder, but the original recipe comes smothered with lots of grated cheddar. 

The recipe for Cincinnati Spaghetti in the Vegan Holiday Cookbook states it serves four people, but I think you could feed up to six people which in our case we had this over two days. I am not going to reproduce the recipe here even though I did tweak it a little.  I thought I'd be able to find it on the Internet, but nope - so I have decided to link to PETA Four-Way Cincinnati Chili (2007) whose recipe is the closest to the one found in the book, except it is made with veggie burger crumbles aka soy mince instead of lentils. I am also linking this vegan Cincinnati Spaghetti to Herbivores Heaven blog as she cooked extensively from The Superfun Times: Vegan Holiday Cookbook in 2017 and you can admire her  homemade efforts. 

I am sharing this with The VegHog who is hosting MLLA My Legume Love Affair this month as this dish contains not only has lentils, but also kidney beans.  MLLA was started by The Well Seasoned Cook and now run by the lovely Lisa of  Lisa's Kitchen. 

Guacamole Spaghetti

I made this Guacamole Spaghetti Pasta not that long ago, when we came in from work wanting something relatively quick and easy to eat. 

I have made pasta with avocado in the past and enjoyed it such a Jalapenos, Coriander and Avocado Pasta Salad  and Avocado Coriander Chilli Spaghetti, so thought why not try this combination.

Even though we cleaned the plate mostly out of hunger, I have to confess that I found eating the Guacamole Spaghetti pasta a bit weird.  I think I will in future reserve guacamole for my tortilla chips rather than for coating pasta.

The recipe for this Guacamole Pasta sauce also is not the way I make guacamole.  This was a lot more sloppy because of the tomato juices flowing from the quantity of fresh tomatoes.

Something I had not thought about before is my preference for avocado.  

Oh my goodness can someone have a preference for avocado type.?  I hear you shout.    Yes I do and so does the Zimbabwean man who was standing next to me picking some avocado advising me to pick the prickly ones.  I now have discovered that I prefer Hass avocado as opposed to the smoother skinned ones. I will tell you why maybe some other time.

Creamy Avocado Soup with Tortilla Cheese Topping

Although I have tinkered with the recipe a little bit, here is another vegetarian recipe scratched off the bookmarked list.  I've had this Creamy Avocado Soup recipe bookmarked for a vey long time, in fact ever since I got Celia Browns cookbook Entertaining Vegetarians in 2004.  

Avocado in soup may sound a bit strange, perhaps not to those of you who have been tucking into trendy smoothies made with the Avocados - anyway think Mexican guacamole flavours!  This is not a steaming bowl of soup and nor is it a cold soup, its warm, barely warm in fact as it is flashed under the grill for the cheese to melt and then served up immediately.   No waiting around.  

I have actually made this Creamy Avocado Soup twice in last two weeks.  Once with soured cream and the second time with coconut cream left over from Christmas and Boxing Day cocktails and mocktail Pina Coladas - oh no I've said too much.   D declared the Creamy Avocado Soup as delicious.  Its a blanket of green velvet lushness.  I wasn't sure if I would like this luke warm Creamy Avocado Soup, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only did I like it, I loved it. 

I wanted to serve it with some fancy blue maize tortilla chips, but D had a few days back opened a packet of Doritos that I found tucked away in the bread bin, so I used them.  I am sharing this with Creamy Avocado Soup with Tortilla Cheese Topping with Eat Your Greens challenge that I co-host with The VegHog;  Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen;   Elizabeths's Kitchen for No Waste Food Challenge; as the tortillas were beginning to soften and crisped up within moments under the grill and No Croutons Required hosted by Tinned Tomatoes and Lisas Kitchen. 

Avocado Coriander Chilli Spaghetti

This Avocado Coriander Chilli Spaghetti was a throw it in the pan meal.  I make these kinda of meals quite a lot when I get in home from work; and these are the ones that are often not photographed either due to poor lighting or hunger pangs more of a priority than blogging.  

Another thing to say about these kind of meals is that I don't often measure the ingredients and judge it by eye, so it never tastes the same the next time round,  but always hits the hungry spot. 

This Spaghetti Pasta dish is very much like the Butternut Squash dish I made a month or so back, its essentially Spaghetti Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperonicino or chilli flakes tarted up with soft buttery avocado and zesty herbs, mostly coriander.  And to finish it off, some freshly squeezed lemon juice to give it some zing. 

Homemade Green Chilli 'Doritos' Chips and Guacamole

I quite like Chilli Heatwave Dorito crisps, and can often be found munching on them either a Friday Night or Saturday nights, so I was really thankful to Krys who I have been friends with for a long while for sharing a recipe link to make homemade Doritos. 

Krys said was going to make a vegan variation of this recipe; and I responded back that I would make a vegetarian version as the recipe used Parmesan cheese as a flavouring.  Parmesan cheese is not suitable for vegetarians as it is made with animal rennet.  I found a good alternative: Old Winchester which is made in the UK and makes for a good vegetarian alternative to Parmesan.

So when I started to pull together the ingredients to make this recipe including chillii and paprika, I was reminded of a packet of Peruvian Jalapeno green chilli powder that I have had for a long time unopened.  I decided to use that instead of the chilli and paprika.  I was rather impatient coating the green chilli concoction over the sliced triangular tortilla wrap pieces and it shows, but the taste result was awesome.  It was really spicy.  I can handle chilli kicks, but this was super duper spicy so to calm it down a little instead of my usual red salsa, I decided on making some guacamole. 

You know what, I make guacamole all the time, but have never ever shared it on my blog.  I guess because blogosphere is covered in the green stuff, why bother with another guacamole recipe which is much of a muchness.  Anyway, the green guacamole did tone down the heat.

So last night, when we settled down to watch Game of Thrones - we are watching the whole released series in readiness for the new series to be released on DVD.  (No I don't want to know that Jon Snow died in it - Spoilers!)  

We also ripped open  a packet of the Chilli Heatwave Doritos too and you know what, we could hardly taste the spice (compared to my home-made green version) as the sugar dominated. Its amazing the difference when you make something at home and compare.  We would never have noted the overwhelming sweetness had we not made them at home.   I am sharing this with Credit Crunch Munch hosted this month by Travels for Taste and often co-hosted by Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food For All. 

Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon'

I have already mentioned my absolutely favourite vegan sandwich for Vegan Mofo by pure accident in my Rise and Shine breakfast post.  I also wrote about this very vegan BLT made with 'facon bacon, many years ago on my blog, so I will not be posting about that again.

Instead I share with you something else that I have come to enjoy recenty - coconut 'facon' bacon.

I have made Coconut 'facon' bacon a few times now and my favourite way of eating it perhaps on a piece of toasted wholemeal bread spread with mashed avocado slices and then topped with this marvellous smokey stuff, so its not a recipe really - its a way of eating.

As many have before me, I am planning on having coconut lettuce and tomato (clt) sandwich soon, but for snacking on later this evening it will be Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon', especially as I have avocados at home left over from the Avocado Lime Cheesecake. 

And now you may be wondering where is the picture of the Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon'.  Sorry I ate it!    

Ms Marmite Lovers Green and Black Cheescake with Limes - Avocado with Oreo Base

When I initially saw Vegan Mofo prompt for today, I knew exactly what weird combination I was going to share with you, then I re-read the prompt  this morning and it said 'a weird combination that you love' and the fact is there is not a weird combination that I love. So I had to think hard about this and came up with this - Avocados.  I have actually come to like sorta love avocados in cheesecakes.  

I've seen lots of green vegan cheesecakes over the past 5 years or so made with avocado, but I have never made one myself.  So when I saw Ms Marmite Lovers aka Kerstin Rodgers Green and Black Cheesecake with Bengali Lime and Avocado last month in V is for Vegan  (one of my favourite cookbooks at the moment) I knew I had to have a go at making it at home.  

So guess what, other than just ogling at it in the glossy pages of V is for Vegan, I actually did make it.  Yay.  Here it is in all its green and black glory.  I did have to adapt her recipe a little like using 3 limes instead of 5, but nothing major that would alter the recipe significantly.   I also studded the cheesecake with a handful of blueberries from my garden.  

It was beautifully light and a sublimely green though this is not picked up by the photos sadly.  I am also sorry I don't have a photograph of it sliced to share, but I assure you it sliced wonderfully. I actually preferred it more on the third day of eating, the lemony lime zingness seemed much stronger.  Even D, who is not that keen on vegan cheesecake was won over by this one. 

As well as Vegan Mofo. I am sharing this with No Waste Food Challenge and idea by Elizabeths Kitchen Diary .  This month it is hosted by Foodie Quine.  The Oreo cookies where discovered in my kitchen cupboard and quickly reaching is best before date, this recipe made for the perfect excuse of gobbling them up.  Want the recipe?! Then by the cookbook: V is for Vegan.  Find the recipe here on the PeTA website can also be found here and here.

Mexican Style Rice, Achiote Tempeh 'Steaks' and Guacamole

I made this Mexican Style Rice, Achiote Tempeh 'Steaks' and Guacamole some time last week.  What day it exactly was I cannot remember, but I know it was warm and I thought, this was a good dish to enjoy eating out in the garden.

I had been given some Recado Rojo aka Achiote (Annato) Paste a long while back by a fellow blogger.  And it is her recipe suggestion that I have followed for the marinade, she called it Pibil. 

There was something Tandoori paste like about the achiote paste, but it was not as highly seasoned, spiced or particularly fragrant.  It did however impart a fantastic muddy red saffron colouring to the tempeh.  I have used annatto seeds in the past, mostly for the vegan chorizo sausages that require annatto infused oil, of course I made my own Annatto infused oil (and in the future I will have a go at making my own Achiote Paste too).  

Tempeh has always been a bit of a hit and miss with me, but I have to admit, I had not had this brand of tempeh before and if was soft and moist, whereas tempeh that i have had in the past have been quite firm and the soy beans texture was too prominent.  

Okay, I don't have a recipe as such for this Mexican plate, but here is what I did.  For the Achiote Tempeh had been marinating overnight in the sauce: 25g of the 100g packet of achiote with 100ml orange juice, a couple of cloves of garlic, minced and a dash of lime.  Combine well, then coat the sliced tempeh slices on both side and leave to marinade.   The following day, I baked them in the oven, flipping it over halfway so both sides were cooked for 20 - 25 minute. 

I cooked plain white Basmati rice in advance and allowed it to cool down.  Heat a little oil  in a pan, then saute an onion that has been sliced and a couple of garlic cloves that have been crushed until soft.  I then stirred in some cooked black beans (left over from a previous dish), sweetcorn from a can, minced jalapenos from a jar and a pinch of red chilli flakes and lots, and I mean lots of fresh coriander until it began to smell all wonderfully fragrant, finally I stirred in the cooked rice. 

Served with home-made guacamole and optional soured cream.  It was quite good, delicious in fact.  I had some Mexican style rice left over, so took it into work for lunch the following day.  It worked well cold (room temperature) too.  I am sharing this with Jac over at Tinned Tomatoes for Meat Free Mondays; and also to No Croutons Required hosted this month by Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen,

Cacao Nibs and Avocado Mousse aka Raw Sludge Pie

I know, I know another vegan, gluten free Raw Food Tart filled with raspberries.  The truth is that I am trying to make the most of my garden raspberries while they are still coming from my garden.  

Also I want to tease some of you as this Sweet Pie is not all that it seems.  The mousse that is mimicking the appearance of dark chocolate is actually not chocolate.  For a start, it is not even chocolate, it is cacao nibs.  Secondly, what gives this pie filling a mousse like texture? There is a mystery ingredient well hidden in it - Avocado - a raw vegan nifty culinary trick I picked up from raw food bloggers when I first started blogging in 2009. Its absolutely amazing how avocado can form the base for one of the most luscious raw puddings around.  In fact Avocado Chocolate Pudding is probably one of the most popular raw food desserts around; and experienced raw fooders have probably had more raw chocolate pudding than they care to remember and don't quite understand what the fuss is, but for some us especially those living in the U.K, outside of the raw food scene its a very new way of preparing food and is getting big Wows! 

Anyway, this is my second recipe in the week with cacao nibs.  The first was Cacao Nibs, Raw Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli.  A little while back, I made some raw chocolate from scratch and have since acquired a taste for raw cacao.  Cacao nibs  can be ground and added to cakes and puddings.  I have to admit it is not to everyones taste, but give it a try, you just never know.  

Jalapeños, coriander and avocado pasta salad

I was drooling over fellow bloggers Mexican inspired vegetarian dishes, such as Barbaras tempeh stuffed rellenos, Morgan's Black bean Tacos and Dee's Mexican feast, it wasn't all vegetarian, but gosh I'd love to have been sitting at her table. These dishes were all created in recognition of the Mexican holiday known as Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de mayo is celebrated on the 5th of May. It commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1867. It is primarily a Mexican holiday, but is celebrated in some U.S cities that hosts large Mexican communities. I too suddenly felt the urge of wanting to participate and was greedily looking for an invitation, albeit through food. Then as if by magic the invitation came in the form of a monthly blog event. This months No Croutons Required challenge is to create a Mexican inspired soup or salad. I was originally going to make a soup, but with both the weather changing and me getting into the holiday spirit literally. I decided on a light salad.

For inspiration I flicked through my small collection of Mexican cookbooks. One of which was Café Pasqual’s cookbook: Spirited Recipes from Santa Fe. I picked up this Mexican cookbook a few years ago from the charity bookshop Oxfam. I have to admit I was completely enticed by the colourful images, ironically not of the dishes. Some of the pictures would surely make my young nephews heart race. The women are certainly sultry and exquisite just like a 1950s movie star.