Meatless Monday meets Taco Tuesday

Every now and then we like to throw a vegetarian meal into our rotation. We get to be creative with food and it doesn't hurt to give up meat every once in a while. In fact, lots of vegetables and other foods  make great protein replacements and can be just as hearty as a piece of steak or chicken.

When it comes to bulking up a meal when we're not eating meat, we love mushrooms. The modern grocery store has so much variety these days that the produce section often has four or more different fresh mushrooms at any time. We have the usual suspects- button mushrooms and portobello mushrooms, but we also see cremini, porcini, shiitake, oyster and others. When you consider the variety of dried mushrooms too, wow, you can really have fun with textures and flavors.

I didn't want just boring old button mushrooms. A while back I was sent a package of mushrooms and peppers from Marx Foods to try, cook with and share what I thought, so the chanterelles and black trumpet mushrooms are going on the tacos. They were big and great quality, rehydrated easily and cooked perfectly. They added a nice woodsy flavor to the tacos.

Today we're talking tacos. Now your mind probably immediately went to the old boring Americanized taco- a blah tortilla with greasy spiced hamburger, shredded processed cheese, wilted lettuce and, often, leaky old sad tomatoes. Trust me people, it isn't like this in Mexico. At all. I'm not claiming my mushroom tacos are authentic either, but they are a nice change with lots of flavor, none of the grease, none of the gross fake cheese.

I had to use dehydrated mushrooms for my wild mushrooms.
These mushrooms are from Marx Foods. 

Lakehouse Mushroom Soft Tacos

1 1/2 lbs mixed fresh mushrooms

1 large sweet onion

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1 garlic clove, smashed/bruised

1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2-3 tablespoons adobo sauce

1 cup sour cream, divided

diced avocado, sliced radish, cilantro leaves, etc.

whole wheat soft tortillas

Divide the sour cream into two small bowls. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro to one bowl, and the adobo sauce to the other. Cover and chill.

Clean the mushrooms and slice. If using shiitakes, pull off and discard the stems; if using portobellos (the big ones), scrape the gills off with a spoon- an optional step but it helps the dish not be so brown. I used white button mushrooms, rehydrated chanterelles and black trumpet mushrooms.

Clean the onion and slice into thin wedges. Use the flat side of a knife to smash and bruise the garlic clove without chopping it up. We want the garlic flavor but we will be discarding it later.

Place the vegetables in a large zip top plastic bag.

Combine the oil, lime juice, salt, cumin and mix well. Pour over the vegetables in the bag. Close the bag and pop in the fridge for about an hour.

Preheat the broiler. Remove vegetables from bag and drain off marinade. Discard the garlic clove. Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time, until mushrooms are nicely browned.

Drain the tomatoes and toss with mushrooms and onions. Pop back in the oven for a few seconds to heat the tomatoes. 

Serve the vegetables in soft whole wheat tortillas drizzled with the cilantro crema, adobo crema, crumbled queso fresco and whatever toppings you like.

Tonight we topped ours with cilantro leaves, shredded radish
greens, sliced scallions, sliced radish and queso fresco.

The mushrooms and tomato mixture is also good served over shredded lettuce as a mushroom taco salad with avocados and the cilantro cream. You can add salsa if you like- I like mixing salsa and the sour cream in equal parts and using that as a dressing for taco salad. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Kimchi- discovering love and dumplings

Food television is a bad influence. Seriously. I'm wracking my brain trying to find a place to purchase sea beans in the middle of an Iowa winter. Hunting down mushrooms that just don't ever show their faces in rural grocery stores. Starting a batch of sauerkraut in my back bedroom when I don't really care for the stuff in the first place, followed up with a batch of kimchi that, quite honestly, I am not sure I'll like either! Making homemade kimchi and watching shows on Food Network have inspired me to find delicious ways to try these new foods and watching a show the other night one of the hosts was visiting a restaurant in L.A. and having "Vegetarian Mandoo" which featured kimchi so I got to thinking.....why not? The rest of the ingredients they used were all easy to locate, even for me here in the country so naturally.......

It's not hard to make a vegetarian dish very substantial when you add hearty vegetables like mushrooms and yams. Mushrooms especially take on a very meaty texture on their own and I just don't miss the actual meat in the food at all. So these "mandoo" (their creative spelling) swapped the meat for mushrooms and I needed to research some recipes and find something comparable. That didn't exactly pan out. The dumplings are actually "mandu" and finding a no-meat recipe left me with a ton of tofu versions. On the show they had no tofu in there- they didn't list the ingredients but we did get to see the chef cooking it- no tofu was used- rather she used diced yams with enoki mushrooms, a sliced green of some kind (slivered green onion maybe), and piled on the round wrapper along with some chopped kimchi; brushed with egg wash; pan fried and served over yam puree drizzled with a sesame vinaigrette dressing.

So let's get going with my Mandu Science Project. You will need-

• 1 package mushrooms (any kind is fine)
• small bunch scallions
• 2 fresh yams 
• 1 cup kimchi, chopped
• 1 package round wonton wrappers
• 1 egg
• oil for frying

Make the dipping sauce/dressing and set aside.

Peel the yams. Cut into small dice; steam or cook in a small amount of water until tender. Set aside 3/4 cup diced yams. Puree remaining yams, season with salt and pepper and set aside for now.

Chop enough mushrooms to make 1 cup. Cut the scallions into 2-3 inch lengths and julienne finely. Reserve a couple tablespoons for garnish. Beat the egg and set aside.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Saute the mushrooms until softened. Add the scallions and cook for a minute or two. Remove from heat and toss with reserved yam and kimchi.

Spoon some of the filling on the wrappers; brush the edges with egg and seal.

Heat a little more oil in the skillet and fry the dumplings on each side until golden brown and heated through. Remove and allow to drain on paper towel while making the rest.

To serve, spread a smear of the yam puree on appetizer plates. Top each plate with four dumplings; drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with reserved scallion and serve.

Plum Sesame Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup plum sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seed
• 1-2 drops sesame oil (optional)

Combine in small jar; shake to combine. Chill.

I used my own recipe for the plum sauce, which you can get HERE, but any commercial plum sauce will also work.

These were soooooo good!!! It was easy to fry them in my cute IKEA wok-like pan without using a ton of oil,and keep them warm in the oven while I finished. The sweet potato puree on the bottom was nice but next time I'd play with adding some ginger to it. The dipping sauce was good, and quick to throw together. These would be a great appetizer at a party too. 

Now about that kimchi- I am just so angry at myself for not trying it sooner! It was delicious and totally made this dish. I love love love love the stuff! Since it has been holding in the fridge for a couple weeks it has really developed nicely and the heat is fairly intense. It gave the mandu the perfect level of heat that balanced so well with the sweet sauce, creamy puree and crunchy wonton wrapper. I think from now on there will be a nice spoonful of kimchi added to many dishes around here, Asian or otherwise!

Eating Healthy with Wellmark

Somehow every summer I find myself with this same scenario- loads and loads of fresh veggies on the counter. Notice I didn't say problem? I LOVE having all the vegetables fresh from the garden. I raised them myself, many from seed, I know exactly what's NOT been sprayed on them, and I know how delicious and good for me they are. Definitely not a problem! 

In spite of the many vegetarian cookbooks and websites and Facebook pages out there I still find myself sometimes struggling to find different, creative and filling ways to use veggies in meals, and AS the entire meal. Salads are great but they do get boring after a while, and sometimes I just want something a little different. If I don't have to stand in front of the stove cooking it, that's even better! So how do you bring it all together into something delicious, easy, filling, and quick to put together, maybe even eat on-the-go? In a veggie sub of course!

Veggie subs aren't new, and I certainly didn't think this up myself. Sandwich chains offer them, restaurants offer them, but making them at home, especially with ingredients you grew yourself, makes it an inexpensive and super nutritious option your family will love, and like many recipes, it's flexible! Build it around what you like or have in season. I'm going to make this super easy and delicious recipe that Wellmark has included in their healthy eating initiative as part of their 75th Anniversary celebration (more on that below). Like I said, you can go crazy with veggies here, and I suggest sticking with a whole grain bun for the best nutritional benefits. If you can't find whole wheat hot dog buns, look for GOOD quality artisan rolls or whole grain baguettes- anything you can use to make your veggie masterpiece. 

To make these Garden Veggie Subs, you will need-

• 6 whole wheat hot dog buns
• 1/2 cup soft cream cheese with vegetables (Philly makes a great one)
• 3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 sweet pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup mixed baby greens (I used baby spinach because I love it!)

Spread the bottom half of the buns with the softened vegetable cream cheese.

Layer on the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and radishes. Top with mixed greens.

Add bun tops. Wrap and chill until serving time.

(Nutrition info below)

Easy, right? Great for lunch at the office, picnics, tv snack- just about any time your tummy is grumbling at you. It's filling, loaded with vitamins and fiber and VEGGIES! What I love so much about this sandwich is the creamy veggie cream cheese spread- lots of healthy calcium and vitamins in there, and not just a bunch of empty fat calories like mayo brings to a sandwich. I like baby spinach A LOT so I chose to use that rather than mixed greens, and I might even throw a fresh onion ring or two on my sandwich. I love the crunchy texture of the different vegetables, and the Roma tomatoes are a little more meaty and less juicy than regular tomatoes, so the bread doesn't get all soggy.

Simple, quick to fix and easy to eat on the run, you can't go wrong with this Veggie Sub! I hope you will try it! 

Now, what does all this vegetable talk have to do with Wellmark? As I mentioned above, Wellmark is celebrating their 75th year this year with a fun campaign called "75 Days, 75 Ways."  This celebration includes not only lots of healthy recipes and health tips, but $75,000 is up for grabs for any non-profit 501c3 and 501c4 organizations who focus on and promote healthy lifestyles. 

If you know of a deserving organization, check out Wellmark's website for more details. The rules and regulations, because you know there are a few of those, are posted HERE and the link with full instructions on how to submit your entry is HERE.


This campaign is open to organizations in Iowa and South Dakota.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION  (per serving): 161 kcal cal., 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat, 1 mg chol., 294 mg sodium, 28 g carb., 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 6 g pro. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it agreed to provide free promotion of Rockin' the Kitchen in exchange for preparing and writing about their recipe. Regardless, I only recommend products or serviced I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Childhood favorites grow up big time

You used to be a little kid. There is better than average chance that as a kid you ate a grilled cheese sandwich. Maybe you still do? Well folks......if you're still sustaining yourself with American cheese singles on plain white bread, things are about to get reeeeally exciting around here.

Something really wonderful is happening for my very good friend Todd Buffington. Todd and his friends Ryan Elson and Chris Hartman brainstormed, pooled resources, raised the startup funds, stayed up late nights writing business plans and budgets and menus and recipes and finally get their much deserved launch of their new business- Melts Without Borders.

Todd Buffington, left, and The Chef

Let me tell you a little about this Melts Without Borders deal. This mobile food cart is equipped to cook and serve hungry customers anywhere. Des Moines has been very slow to jump on the food truck trend but food carts are a different kind of animal. More portable, very versatile and easier to handle for a 3 man team. Besides the food cart they also have a prep kitchen and handbuilt smokehouse. In that smokehouse the guys, known as Ketchup, Mustard and Relish on their website, made handcrafted sausages and cured meats. Bologna that is NOT made from weird parts. Blackstrap molasses bacon smoked over apple wood. Sausages of all kinds. Condiments are special too. Secret recipe spicy tomato jam makes an appearance on the menu and some others are still being developed. 

A sampling of the housemade charcuterie. 

Now about the menu- not just a list of sandwiches. As the name implies, they serve melts without borders- and each sandwich not only carries a regional name but a regional twist on ingredients. Vegetarian sandwiches start off the menu with the classic grilled cheese built for a grown up, to French, Mediterranean, to Asian influenced flavors- you get a TON of flavor with no meat.

But if you're a carnivore- fear not. You will not be disappointed. The home cured bacon is a special favorite, along with classics like pulled pork and Canadian bacon. A few surprises make their appearance as well, and the menu can only expand as the charcuterie options grow. The bread choices are pretty impressive as well. From Texas toast to rustic artisan breads, loads of variety.

Todd mans the grill while Chris takes orders in the background

What did we eat? Well I got to have a little bit of 4 different sandwiches. My son in law Randy had the Mason Dixon- pulled pork, Memphis BBQ sauce and pepperjack cheese on Texas toast. Oh. My. Goodness. The pulled pork was tender and juicy, the barbeque sauce was absolutely delicious and the pepperjack cheese brought it all together. My daughter Debbee had the Toast Hawaii- house-cured Canadian bacon, pineapple and white cheddar, grilled on rustic crusty bread. The Canadian bacon was the best I have ever had. Tender and perfectly seasoned, the pineapple was the perfect accompaniment. 

The Chef had the Mount Vesuvius. I knew he'd pick that one. This sandwich is an Italian chef's dream. Locally made Graziano's Italian sausage, white and yellow American cheese and a jalapeno, onion and tomato hash on Texas toast- this sandwich......... I just have no words. One of the best sandwiches I have EVER had EVER. Seriously. I chose the 'Merica F**k Yea with Andi's tomato jam added. Buttery crunchy Texas toast, American cheese, crispy house-cured bacon and that sweet and spicy tomato jam that I love so much. That was just four sandwiches off the menu. You better believe I WILL be trying them all before long.

Then wash your awesome sandwich down with some home brewed beer or homemade soda. The guys are very active in the Iowa Brewers' Union and have some incredible craft brews. At tonight's launch I was able to try the Milk Stout. If you're a fan of dark beers, oh man, you will LOVE this one. Super dark and rich, this beer was so smooth and creamy and had lots of coffee undertones. I say creamy because it had such a luxurious mouthfeel and such a complex flavors. Excellent brew. I'm thinking that could make some killer mustard. 

Decisions,decisions......

Talking with Todd this evening about the brewing process was very interesting. Very scientific and we all agreed- brewing beer requires quite a bit of skill and knowledge of ingredients. Compared to winemaking, brewing beer is a totally different experience. Who knows, maybe The Chef will pick up a new hobby!

The guys at Melts Without Borders are serious about bringing GOOD food and GOOD drink to Des Moines and you better believe, they mean business !!