3 of Our Favourite Plant-Based Meals From the New “Oh She Glows” Cookbook

Portobello Boats with Rosemary-Lentil Crumble and Balsamic-Apple Glaze

Serves 6; Time 35 mins

What if I told you that this filling, protein-packed main dish can be ready and on the table in about 30 minutes? Yes, it’s true! Not only is this dish a fast vegan protein option, it’s also bursting with all kinds of crunchy, chewy textures and savoury flavours from the rosemary, parsley, and garlic. Don’t forget the Balsamic-Apple Glaze, which takes just a couple of minutes to stir together; its tangy sweetness makes everything pop, so be sure to have it on hand—I bet you’ll be reaching for more!

Try to select the largest portobello mushrooms you can find, as they’ll hold a lot more crumble than smaller ones will. If you are using smaller caps, just ensure you have around 1½ pounds (675 g) of caps total, and add a bit less crumble to each. Feelin’ festive? Add some chopped dried cranberries to the crumble!

To round out this hearty dish, serve the portobello boats with my Crispy Brussels Sprouts in Garlic Oil or Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 large or 8 medium portobello mushrooms (650 g), stemmed and cleaned*
• Fine sea salt
• 1 cup (70 g) finely chopped onion (1 medium)
• 3 large garlic cloves (18 g), minced (1½ tablespoons)
• 1 cup (100 g) walnuts
• 1 to 4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, to taste**
• ½ cup (10 g) fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can lentils, drained and rinsed***
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Balsamic-Apple Glaze:

• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup applesauce or apple butter
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, brush the tops and bottoms of the portobellos until each is completely coated. Place them stemmed-side down on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle each with a pinch of salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the caps look like they are shriveling up and are fork-tender (very large mushrooms may need 5 minutes more).
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is softened.
4. Chop the walnuts into pieces just smaller than pea-sized. Add the walnuts, 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, the parsley, drained lentils, vinegar, and salt (I use about ½ teaspoon) and pepper to taste to the onion mixture in the skillet and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired. Cook for a few minutes, until heated through. Taste and stir in more of the rosemary, if you’d like a stronger rosemary flavour.
5. Make the Balsamic-Apple Glaze: In a small pot, whisk together the ketchup, vinegar, applesauce, and maple syrup and heat over medium-low heat, stirring every now and then, until warmed through.
6. Plate the roasted portobellos stemmed-side up, like a bowl, and divide the crumble evenly among them (I use about ½ cup of the crumble on large portobellos and ¼ cup on smaller ones). Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and serve immediately, drizzled generously with the warm glaze.

Tips:

* If your portobellos are on the small side, simply double the number called for. To clean the portobellos, rub the outside with damp paper towels to remove any debris. With a small spoon, scrape out the black gills inside the cap and discard them.

* * You can substitute 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary for the fresh rosemary, adding it to the skillet in step 4 with the walnuts and lentils.

* * * One 14-ounce (398 mL) can of lentils is equivalent to 1½ cups cooked lentils, if you prefer to cook them from scratch.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Salad

Makes 4 salads; Time 50 minutes

This salad fills your house with the most intoxicating pumpkin spice and maple aroma—who needs to burn a pumpkin spice candle when you have this gorgeous recipe? It’s quite possibly the best warm salad to dig into all fall season long. The best part? You get three recipes out of one here.

In addition to making this complete salad as a hearty starter or main, both the roasted maple and pumpkin spice sweet potatoes and marinated kale salad make easy side dishes on their own.

For the Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpeas:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (760 g total)
• 1(14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed*
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, homemade or store-bought, plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for serving

For the Marinated Kale Salad:

• 1 medium bunch curly kale (265 g), stemmed and chopped (6 cups)
• 1 medium garlic clove(4 g), finely grated on a Microplane
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon runny tahini**
• ½ cup (80 g) roasted salted pepitas, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line an extra-large (15 by 21-inch/38 by 53 cm) baking sheet (or two large baking sheets) with parchment paper.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into small 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (you should have about 5½ cups). Place the drained chickpeas and sweet potato on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and toss until thoroughly coated. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup and toss again to coat. Spread the sweet potatoes and chickpeas into a single layer on the pan. Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice and salt all over the sweet potatoes and chickpeas.
3. Roast, uncovered, for 32 to 38 minutes (I roast for 36 minutes), until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown on the bottom and the chickpeas are a bit shriveled. I don’t flip them or rotate the pan during baking.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Marinated Kale Salad: Place the kale in a very large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, oil, maple syrup, salt, lemon juice, and tahini until smooth. Pour the dressing over the kale and massage it into the leaves with your hands until fully coated. Let the kale marinate in the dressing while the sweet potatoes and chickpeas roast.
5. When the chickpeas and sweet potatoes are finished roasting, remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup over them. With a spoon, gently toss to coat. Taste and season with more pumpkin pie spice and salt, if desired (I always do!).
6. Portion the kale into bowls, top with the warm roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas, and garnish with the roasted pepitas. Serve warm.

Tips:

* One 14-ounce (398 mL) can of chickpeas is equivalent to 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, if you prefer to cook them from scratch.

* * If you are allergic to sesame (or are simply not a fan of tahini), you can omit the tahini from the dressing. Simply increase the amount of maple syrup to 1½ to 2 teaspoons, to your taste.

Cold-Be-Gone Flavour Bomb Noodle Soup

Serves 8; Time 35 to 40 mins

I don’t know about you, but I’m not down with bland, boring soups. Give me a rich soup with a ton of flavour! I want herbs, I want spice, I want a kick of tang and a rich broth with umami. The pasta adds heartiness that will make this a well-loved dinner for fall, winter, or spring. For even more staying power, add 1½ cups cooked chickpeas or white beans, or add 2 cups of stemmed and finely chopped kale!

To amp up the flavours even more, I love this soup served with a hefty sprinkle of Italian Herb Parmesan or a swirl of one of my homemade pestos. Serve it with my Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Salad for an even heartier meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups (280 g) diced sweet or yellow onion (1 large)
• 6 large garlic cloves (36 g), minced (3 tablespoons)
• 3 medium carrots (220 g), peeled
• 3 medium stalks celery (160 g)
• 2½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger (I use a Microplane)*
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ¾ teaspoon ground sage
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable broth
• 5 ounces (1½ cups/140 g) dry pasta of choice (I used rotini)**
• ¾ cup packed (15 g) fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, stir together the oil, onion, and garlic to combine. Sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is softened.
2. Meanwhile, dice the carrot and celery into ¼- to ½-inch (5 mm to 1 cm) pieces. This will help them cook faster. You should have 1½ cups carrot and 1⅓ cups celery. Add the carrot and celery to the pot and stir to combine. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir in the ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the thyme, sage, tomato paste, and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until al dente (still a bit firm).
5. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until al dente, following the timing guidelines on the pasta package. Check on the pasta frequently while it’s cooking, as you don’t want to overcook it.
6. Once the pasta is al dente, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley, lemon juice, cayenne pepper (if using), and salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately

Tips:

* Using 2½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger results in a spicy soup, especially after sitting overnight. If you prefer a less intense broth, start with 1 teaspoon ginger and add more to taste.

* * Read the directions for your pasta carefully. Pasta that requires only 5 minutes to cook and requires a cold rinse, such as chickpea pasta and some other gluten-free versions, will not work in this recipe because it will become mushy. You’ll want to cook these types of pasta on the side, in their own pot. Store the cooked pasta separately, and add it to individual bowls when serving.

Excerpted from Oh She Glows for Dinner: Nourishing Plant-Based Meals to Keep You Glowing by Angela Liddon. Copyright © 2020 Glo Bakery Corporation. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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