Cheesy Leek and Potato Gratin

I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted a recipe. My little family has just gotten over a nasty stomach bug thats been going around Music City, and thank heavens! If I never have to see a ginger ale again, it will be too soon. You know how it is when you have a big family, one kid would get over it, then they'd have a play date with a cousin, who of course would invariably give it back to them. C'est la vie! I will say, I've managed to get a great spring break body without ever having to slip on a sneaker, silver linings! But I am STARVING, and I'm craving something devilish.

Ooey, gooey, creamy, and cheesy. Not exactly words you imagine when thinking of heart healthy vegan dishes. Brought to you by the magic of a simple white sauce, this impressive potato dish is as sinfully rich as they come. This is a great potluck dish, definitely a favorite among my circle of friends!

Wether you are a vegan or not, a simple white sauce is definitely a trick you want up your sleeve! A quick mix of almond milk, Earth Balance, and flour, and you have yourself a velvety sauce ready to be gussied up with seasonings! This time around I added sautéed leeks and onions, and a good bit of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.

 Pretty, right? Laying your potato slices like this really only takes extra seconds, and it really adds a sense of occasion to the dish, making it feel like a real treat! Of course I used my favorite mandolin slicer to get the thinnest of thin slices, found here.

After living on crackers and Pedialyte all week, I figured we could splurge and pack on the Daiya cheese and bacon bits. Yes, Mccormick Bac'n Pieces are vegan! One of my favorite "accidentally vegan" ingredients, these are great to always have in your pantry.

Cheesy Leek and Potato Gratin

Author: The Porkless Peg Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound leeks
• 1 small yellow onion
• 5 medium russet potatoes
• 2 cups almond milk
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp mellow white miso
• 2 tsp fresh basil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup Daiya cheese, half mozzarella style half cheddar style
• 1 tbsp Mccormick Bac'n Pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice potatoes into thin rounds using mandolin or sharp knife. Set aside
2. Dice onion and leeks. Sautee in nonstick pan until softened and translucent. Set aside.
3. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt Earth Balance. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until combined. 
4. Off heat, slowly pour in almond milk. Whisk until combined. Add basil, miso paste, and nutritional yeast.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6. In cast iron skillet on medium high heat, layer potatoes, then leek and onions, then cream sauce, like you would a lasagna. End with potatoes.
7. Top with salt, pepper, paprika, cheeze, and bacon bits.
8. Bake for 45 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.

Homemade Toaster Strudels

You knew your parents loved you when you found toaster strudels in the freezer, and also knew your siblings were the absolute worst when the frosting packs came up short. We're going on our second snow day down here in Tennesse, so I've been digging in the freezer trying to whip together whatever I can. I cannot believe how simple these were to throw together, with only a handful of ingredients to boot! Puff pastry sheets and frozen fruits are two of my freezer staples, and they're also items that regularly go on sale, so you can stock up.

Puff pastry sheets are one of those great things that are "accidentally" vegan. Thank the Lord! I always keep a couple packages in the freezer to pull together quick pot pies, veggie pinwheels, and a whole manner of desserts.

While the coffee was brewing, I dumped a whole bag of frozen fruit in a saucepan with only a tablespoon of sugar, and let it thicken up for a good thirty minutes. Easy as pie! While I wouldn't exactly call this a nutritious and well-balanced breakfast, I feel much better about feeding these to my family than that processed nonsense.

I just cannot even begin to explain how delightful these made the house smell. Everyone kept hopping around the oven, impatiently waiting for them to be done. When I stated that they had to cool down before I could ice them, I thought my head was off to the chopping block.

Homemade Toaster Strudles

Author: The Porkless Peg Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of puff pastry sheets
• 3 cups frozen mixed berries
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Let your puff pastry thaw from the freezer for 45 minutes
2. While that thaws, in a small sauce pan, heat fruit and tablespoon of sugar over medium low heat until thickened into a jam like consistency
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
4. Lay out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface
5. With a pizza cutter, cut into twelve equal rectangles
6. Spoon fruit mixture evenly onto six pieces pastry
7. Top with remaining six pastry pieces and fork down edges
8. Transfer to greased cookie sheet and bake for twenty five minutes
9. While they are cooling completely, whisk together powdered sugar and almond milk
10. Drizzle over strudels once they are cooled completely, and enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Tarts

They say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I've always found this to be especially true. Make your new beau a big ole plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and you know he'll be coming back around for seconds. So of course with me being the Martha Stewart wannabe I am, I had to make an adorable, chocolate little something for my valentine. I am perpetually concerned about his health though, considering he thinks hot chicken and cheeseburgers make for a well balanced meal. So I found myself digging around the internet looking for a healthier way to make chocolate tarts, and lo and behold I come across the idea of using avocados to mimic a creamy mousse texture.

 Yes, these avocados. The ones that are usually reserved for spicy guacamoles, and savory sandwiches. Don't worry, their flavor gets completely masked by the addition of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate. And a little bit of sugar for my sugar. Apparently, avocados are aphrodisiacs as well! The Aztecs and Mayans ate them by the truckloads to increase sexual desirability. They believed this so much that they barred maidens from leaving the house during harvest time!

How cool are these paper bakeware hearts from Welcome Home Brands? You can find them here, and they have so many different shapes and patterns for use all year long. These made this a much easier and cleaner process, since I can just serve it in the pan I made it in! These are also oven safe, I mean how crazy is that?? I think these would be absolutely excellent to bring a teacher's gift in from your little ones.

We're going with a no bake tart today because I have a sick eleven month old and have zero time for any of that pre-bake nonsense. Plus, has butter mixed with oreos ever been a bad idea?

You could use your fingers, but I found it easier to press down the oreo mixture with the back of a spoon, so as to not get it all over my hands. In retrospect, I am realizing I missed out on a perfectly good occasion to lick buttery oreos of my fingers. C'est la vie!

I know, it kind of blew my mind as well.

Chocolate Mousse Tarts

Author: The Porkless Peg Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oreos
• 2 tbsp melted Earth Balance buttery spread
• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1/4 cup melted vegan dark chocolate
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
• raspberries for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor, combine melted earth balance and oreos until it reaches the consistency of sand
2. Evenly distribute and press into baking molds, set aside
3. Back in the food processor, blend avocados, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and agave until very smooth.
4. Evenly distribute among baking molds, smoothing the tops with the back of your spoon
5. Decorate with raspberries however you prefer
6. Chill in fridge for at least thirty minutes, and serve

Mardi Gras King Cake

I got the bean! If you have ever celebrated Mardi Gras, I'm sure you've had a King Cake, a delectable danish type pastry. King Cakes were first brought to the South by French settlers in the great state of Louisiana. The braided circle represents the long, arduous journey the Three Wise Men took to give their presents to the baby Jesus. We call this Epiphany, or Twelfth Night. The braided, circular shape imitates the mixed up, windy paths the Wise Men took to reach the new born Lord to escape the eyes of King Herod.  Traditionally, a plastic baby or fava bean is placed in the cake. Whoever receives the slice with the baby in it becomes king for the night and brings the cake to the next party! 

I have definitely taken some liberties while interpreting my Grandma's recipe. No eggs, butter, or milk for this girl! I also used pistachios instead of pecans, mostly cause they're my favorite, and I always have some on hand. I also could not find a little plastic baby Jesus anywhere, and figured someone could maybe choke on a fava bean, so I had to get a little creative.

Like the Three Wise Men, he comes in peace.

I love this recipe because it employs the use of one of my favorite ingredients, almond extract. It just has the greatest smell, and lends the dough such unique, "can't quite put my finger on it, but damn is it good" kinda flavor.

This is great work to do on a lazy morning. The smell of yeasty, cinnamon dough creeping through the house, combined with the calming effect of kneading is just sublime.

Braiding the dough is so fun! This would be great for a little pair of hands to help you with.

Little tip: place a jar in the center of your braided ring while waiting for it to rise the second go around. It helps keep the round shape, and a distinct middle.

You can go as crazy with decorating as you want. I kept it pretty simple, cause I enjoy a pretty minimalist approach. Make sure to use the colors of Mardi Gras though: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Mardi Gras King Cake

Author: The Porkless Peg Serves: 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

• 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 packages instant yeast
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance
• 3 tsp Energy Egg Replacer
• 1 tsp almond extract

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup melted Earth Balance
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of either pistachios, pecans, or walnuts
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

FOR THE ICING

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp of water
• dash of almond extract
• Sprinkles in yellow, green, and purple

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small sauce pan, scald the milk and butter and set aside to cool
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yeast, warm water, and a tablespoon of your sugar
3. Once your yeast mixture is bubbly, add in your cooled milk mixture and whisk in your egg replacement
4. Add in remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, and almond extract
5. A cup at a time, mix in your flour. Fold together with a wooden spoon until a loose dough forms. You may find that you don't need all 5 1/2 cups of flour.
6. Turn dough out onto floured surface, and kneed til smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
7. Place in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, tossing to cover the dough ball with oil all over
8. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, place in a warm spot, and let rise til it has doubled in size, about two hours
9. While dough is rising, comine melted butter, sugar, nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour for your filling mixture and set aside.
10. Once dough has risen, punch down and cut into three equal pieces.
11. Roll pieces into equal rectangle sizes, about twelve inches long
12. Spoon equal amounts of filling mixture onto each rectangle and spread, leaving about a centimeter border
13. Roll rectangles up like jelly rolls and pinch edges closed
14. Braid the three pieces together, then form them into a circle, pinching together
15. Let rise for another 45 minutes
16. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes
17. While cake is cooling, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and water for your icing.
18. While cake is still slightly warm, push your baby Jesus or bean into it from the bottom
19. Once cake has cooled completely, drizzle icing over it and decorate with sprinkles.