Buffalo Style Cauliflower & Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing

Okay, so I visited Mohawk Bend for the first time the other week with Sarah and her friend Brad. Their "elevated pub food" (made with locally-sourced ingredients) is appealing to both plant and meat eaters alike. Brad kept talking about their Buffalo Style Cauliflower and even though I eat a plant-based diet and am continually shocked by just how good vegetables can be, I was skeptical that this cauliflower could really be THAT good. But it was. It was that good. And really hard for me to share. I wanted to order a second helping, but everyone looked at me like I was crazy.  

I told Justin about it and he cooked it up the first chance he got. It came out just as good as Mohawk Bend's. We researched a bunch of different methods, tasted through the best ones, and tweaked it a bit to give the cauliflower more coating and sauce. This is some spectacular plant junk food (and not junky at all if you watch your blue cheese dipping and/or omit the added oil to the hot sauce).

INGREDIENTS, Buffalo Style Cauliflower

cauliflower (1 head) cut into florets

brown rice flour (1/2 cup) any flour will do, I use brown rice flour for a no-gluten variation

water (1/2 cup)

salt (pinch)

frank's original hot sauce (1/4 cup) if you omit the oil, then use 1/2 cup instead; I specifically recommend Frank's hot sauce only because it truly has that distinct "hot wings" flavor - I also get the Red Hot Original since their Red Hot Buffalo Wings type has preservatives in it

vegetable oil or earth balance (1/4 cup) optional, use less or none; I prefer just a touch otherwise I get a bellyache 

INGREDIENTS, Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing

extra firm tofu (1/4 block) pressed between paper towels to suck out the moisture

garlic powder (dash)

vegenaise (1/2 cup) I use a grapeseed version, Follow Your Heart, with great ingredients

tahini (1/4 tsp)

lemon (dash)

apple cider vinegar (dash)

green onions (2 T) chopped

parsley (2 t) chopped

mustard powder (dash)

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400º and oil/butter up a baking sheet.
2. Mix the flour, water and a pinch of salt into a batter.
3. Coat each cauliflower floret with the batter making sure it's not too thick so it crisps up in the oven like fried batter on chicken wings. Arrange florets on baking sheet, then pop in the oven for 30 minutes or until edges golden slightly.
4. In the meantime, whip up the blue cheese dressing; mix all ingredients and crumble in tofu to create that chunky blue cheese texture.
5. In a separate bowl, mix hot sauce and oil (or melted Earth Balance) together; when florets are done, toss them in hot sauce. Serve with "blue cheese" on the side.

Enjoy! xo, J&J

Rustic Roasted Chicken (Ode to Irma)

I grew up with about 4 different types of entrees as a kid, and roasted chicken was always my favorite. Irma - one of the women who raised me and Jess - made it with raisins and onions, and served it with tons of jus over white rice. This was typically our fanciest meal and reserved for Friday night Shabbat dinners. When I told Justin about the significance of the roasted chicken, how it recalls Irma, Shabbat, and my ultimate childhood comfort and warmth, he found and cooked up this Jamie Oliver recipe. Not only is it the best roasted chicken we have ever made or had, but its rustic style reflects the culture of our kitchen.  


I hope it fills you with all kinds of goodness. - J & J

kosher organic chicken this guarantees a brined and well-raised bird

onions (2-4) amount depending on how much you love onion

carrots (2)

celery Stalks (2)

garlic (1 bulb)

olive Oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

lemon (1)

fresh thyme, rosemary, sage small bunches and whatever combination / ratio you want

*Recommended: serving with any kind of wild rice mix cooked with broth (I love the Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley). The Rice Plus Anything Stew is also great for leftovers.

To prepare your chicken

• Take your chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven 
• Preheat your oven to 475°F
• There’s no need to peel the vegetables – just give them a wash and roughly chop them 
• Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled 
• Pile all the veg and garlic into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil 
• Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, rubbing it all over the bird 
• Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife 
• Put the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity, with the bunch of herbs 

To cook your chicken
• Place the chicken breast down on top of the vegetables in the roasting tray and put it into the preheated oven 
• Turn the heat down immediately to 400°F and cook the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes 
• Baste the chicken halfway through cooking, turn the bird over breast up, and if the veg look dry, add a splash of broth or water to the tray to stop them burning 
• When cooked, take the tray out of the oven and let bird rest for 15 minutes or so 
• Cover it with a layer of tinfoil and a tea towel and put aside.

To carve your chicken
• Remove any string from the chicken and take off the wings 
• Carefully cut down between the leg and the breast 
• Cut through the joint and pull the leg off 
• Repeat on the other side, then cut each leg between the thigh and the drumstick so you end up with four portions of dark meat 
• Place these on a serving platter 
• You should now have a clear space to carve the rest of your chicken 
• Angle the knife along the breastbone and carve one side off, then the other 
• When you get down to the fussy bits, just use your fingers to pull all the meat off, and turn the chicken over to get all the tasty, juicy bits from underneath 
• You should be left with a stripped carcass, and a platter full of lovely meat that you can serve with gorgeous roast veg over rice

Crock Pot Lamb Stew

lamb (1 1/2 lbs) shoulder or stew meat
carrots (4) chopped
celery (4 stalks) chopped
onion (1) chopped
potatoes (3) medium size, diced
thyme fresh
bay leaves (2 leaves)
beef stock (2 cups)
water (1 cup)
olive oil (1 1/2 tbl)
garlic cloves (8)
salt to taste
black pepper to taste


In large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-low heat.  Saute carrots, onions, and celery until they soften and onions become clear.

In another pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil.  Chop 4 cloves of garlic and rub on lamb.  Place lamb in pan and brown all sides.  About 5 minutes.

Dice potatoes into 1" cubes.  Chop the remaining garlic.  Place the lamb and vegetable into the crock pot.  Add the beef broth, water, garlic, potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme.  

Cook for about 4 hours.  It's ready when the lamb meat flakes off.  Remove the bones if you prefer.

Mango Wrapped Sweet & Spicy Bacon

bacon (1/2 lb)
mango (1)
maple syrup
cayenne pepper
crushed red pepper
fennel seeds


This dish is partially inspired by Grub.  If you haven't been to Grub, go now.  Or, at least, after you make this dish.


This one is simple.  Pre-heat the oven to 350º F.  Wrap a cookie tray with foil.  This makes clean up easier.  Now, lay the bacon on the tray.  Brush with maple syrup.  Dust with cayenne pepper and sprinkle very lightly with crushed red pepper and fennel seeds.  A little goes a long way.  Place in oven.


After 10 minutes, remove the bacon.  At this point there may be lots of juice in the tray.  So, you'll want to drain that off carefully.  Brush with maple syrup and dust with cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper (very lightly) and fennel seeds.  Return the oven for about another ten minutes (or until desired crispness).  Remember the bacon continue to cook after take it out.


Cut the mango into slices between 1 1/2" and 2" long.  Once the bacon has cooled enough touch, wrap it around the mango and enjoy.

Chicken Soup for the Blogger's Soul

whole chicken (aprox 4lbs) 
onion (1) chopped
celery (1 1/4 cup) chopped
carrots (1 1/4 cup) chopped
water until it covers the top of the chicken
olive olive 
fresh lemon juice (1/4 T) 
bay leaves (3)
garlic cloves (4)
fresh ginger (1/2" piece) sliced
majoram (1 t)
salt (1 t)
black pepper (1 t)
honey (1 T)


Heat oil with medium heat in a large pot. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until they soften. Add water, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. 


Quarter chicken, remove skin, and add to pot along with seasonings. Simmer for 60-75 minutes. 


Remove chicken and let it cool until you can easily handle it. Pull chicken from bones and return the meat to the soup. Let cook at low heat for about 15-30 minutes. Let it cool and adjust seasoning to taste.


You can also cook some pasta and/or potatoes separately and add to soup before serving.