FARM TO TABLE

Eating a more plant based diet definitely has it's rewards.  One of them being, a healthy and happy you!  If you have ever had the opportunity to grow your own garden, you know that this has it's rewards as well.  Watching your seeds sprout, tending to the seedlings and then harvesting the fruits is a really fulfilling experience.  And let me tell you, there is nothing like tasting a freshly picked sun ripened tomato straight from the vine.  

 

Yum!

 

Spring is just around the corner, and if you haven't yet, now is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about planning a vegetable garden of your own.  Whether you live in a house with a yard (front, side or back) or in an apartment with a balcony (ready for some potted tomatoes, peppers or herbs), a garden is something that is within your reach.  We started with just a seriously tiny sliver of a spot and reaped enough harvest to feed many families!  Why not give your inner green thumb a go?  :)  Plus, it is a fun family project and a great learning experience for the kiddies (and adults alike).  To see their faces light up when their seedlings start to produce and when harvest time arrives, priceless!

If you have always thought about starting one and are still on the fence, here is a list of reasons why it is something worth considering - 12 Important Reasons to Have a Home Vegetable Garden (via localblu)

Here are some shot of our vegetable garden over the last few years...

 Green Onions
 

 Tomatoes
 

 

 Chinese Long Beans
 

Variety of Herbs

 

Cucumbers

 

Tomatillos

Radishes

 

Squash and Lemon Cucumbers

More to come on easy steps in starting a garden.... Hope you start one this spring! 

xo Yumi

CHILAQUILLES W/ PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS + ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

 

 

 

Los Angeles is definitely a huge melting pot of cultures and I love this fact.  We get to taste so many different ethnic foods living here it's like a party in your mouth.  I made this dish for my hubby who was craving something Mexican.  I must say it was a very tasty vegan dish.  You don't have to add the vegan/raw cheese or vegan sour cream if you don't want to.  I didn't but either way its very flavorful.    

 

I adapted my recipe from from Marcela Valladolid from the Food Network's Mexican Made Easy.

 

 

 

 

CHILAQUILLES W/ PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

 

For the tomatillo sauce

 

1 pound fresh tomatillos

3 fresh serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

extra virgin olive oil, as needed

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable broth or more as needed

 

For the Chilaquilles

2 tablespooons extra virgin olive oil

3 medium portobello mushrooms, sliced in large thin pieces

10 corn tortillas, stale is good and toast over an open flame, cut into eighths*

3 cups roasted tomatillo salsa

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup of your favorite vegan cheese optional

2 thin slices onion, separated into rings optional

1/2 cup vegan sour cream, optional

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

To make the salsa:
Preheat the broiler or oven to 550 degrees F.   Remove husks from the tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove the stickiness. Put the chiles, garlic, onion and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Season with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put on a rack about 1 or 2 inches from the heat, and cook, turning the vegetables once, until softened and slightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and pull off the tops of the chiles. Add all the broiled ingredients to a blender along with the fresh cilantro and puree. Pour in 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and blend to combine. Add more broth, if needed, for desired consistency.

To make the chilaquiles:
Heat a large saucepan with 2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil and sautee portobello mushrooms until brown.  Pour in the tomatillo salsa and bring to simmer over low heat. Add the tortillas and cook until soft but not mushy, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Divide the mixture among 4 individual plates. Top with the cheese crumbles and onion rings. Drizzle with vegan sour cream, sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

* Cooks Note: When shopping for corn tortillas try to take note of the ingredients. Look for organic corn tortillas and or tortillas with only 2-3 ingredients. I stay away from tortillas with more than 3 ingredients. I have seen some with 10+ ingredients. That's absurd! It's corn tortilla - how many ingredients do we need in it that we cannot pronounce?