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Sunday, January 25, 2026

Celery Root Pastrami Sandwich

More than a year ago I googled "vegan pastrami" and came across Derek Sarno on Youtube. What a revelation! Watch his stuff, learn from it, and adapt it. You won't be sorry.

It has taken me a little time to whittle his technique down to something that works in my kitchen - I don't have a smoker like his Green Egg - but this is something that I am happy with and feel is doable for others.

Needless to say, I LOVE this sandwich, and while it takes a little advance preparation, it is worth it. And since Celery Root aka Celeriac is now in season, now is the time to make and eat this amazing homemade faux meat!

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Asian Style Root Slaw

Here we are deep in winter and it is the perfect time to make root vegetable based slaws. My favorite way is this Asian version, super simple and works with any root vegetable. It's great on tacos, and this version is inspired by Korean flavorings.

Grate any of those knobby roots - turnips, celery root, carrot, daikon radish - and add cabbage if you like, some red or green onion, sprinkle on some rice vinegar, a little sesame oil and soy sauce and presto! You have a fantastic slaw that is delicious, and packed with nutrition! All of those roots are high in potassium as well as great sources of fiber, so they fill you up and keep you hydrated. Win win!

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Baguette - Gluten Free

Ahh, the baguette. One of life's pleasures when you can eat wheat. Since going wheat and thus mostly gluten free, I keep searching for a good gluten free baguette. Gluten-Free on a Shoestring introduced me to this one and then I found The Loopy Whisk.  

Kat of the Loopy Whisk calls this a white bread, which I do make in the way she directs and it is more of a batard size bread, but when I want a long thin baguette style, I make the dough into two thinner breads, and voila!

I have to admit that Gluten Free on a Shoestring was my salvation for a long time until I discovered the Loopy Whisk. Kat has a different method for preparing the use of psyllium husks and uses less starches in her flour mixes which I like better. By hydrating the psyllium husks before adding them to the batter, it makes a better crumb in the breads. 

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Italian Sausage Crumbles - Quick, Easy, Vegan

True story - I fell off the vegetarian wagon over homemade sausage. Yup, visiting friends in Montana more than 20 years ago and they offered homemade, homegrown pork sausage for breakfast and I didn't blink. Forget bacon, sausage and salumi are my downfall.

In my defense, I had been trying to make my own vegetarian sausage for years; I just couldn't stomach faux sausage anymore. And after too many failed attempts, I returned to the real deal. My sisters called me a "Sausa-tarian" to mock me. 

While faux sausage has gotten better - less unpronounceable ingredients - it still is expensive and or includes wheat, which I longer can eat. But Italian sausage is still one of my favorite foods, especially crumbled on pizza. So I created this recipe, and it is a winner!

Quick, easy and even stores well, I try to have it on hand for Friday Night Pizza, and it never lets me down!

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Deconstructed Cauliflower Tacos

If you made it past that title, then you are an adventurous eater and probably a fan of cauliflower - two excellent qualities in my book.

Inspired by Smitten Kitchen's Cauliflower Tacos and wanting some potatoes, I made this plate of deliciousness: pan fried potatoes, topped with pan fried cauliflower, and garnished with pickled red onions, cotija cheese, and cilantro. WOW! It was so good, that I had to make it three times in a week before I remembered to wait and get a photo before inhaling it!

Bonus points if you use potatoes that are red or purple on the inside, they just make it so much prettier. Do not skip the easy step of making the quick pickled red onion, it makes all the difference. And if you do it as the first step, they will be ready by the time you assemble your plate.

Sunday, November 9, 2025

Tuscan Kale Salad with Miso Lime Dressing

Now that we are fully into Fall weather, even here on the northern California coast, I find myself craving heartier salad greens, specifically Tuscan kale, also known as black kale. 

For me, black kale is tastier and has just that much more juice to its leaves than curly kale and is great for Asian style dressing such as the miso lime soy dressing used here. 

At this time of year, shredding in some root vegetables such as turnips, carrots, or radishes of any sort is always a good choice. Even adding some shredded apple would be fun!

This dressing will taste strong on its own, but I find that it melds well with the shredded veggies which mellow out its sharpness, and its acid really tames the bitterness of the kale.