Mushroom and Wild Rice Tarts with Truffle Oil-Infused Crust

I am getting sassy in the kitchen, People! Time was mixing flour and rolling it out into some pie-shaped configuration was the stuff of nightmares for me. No longer! This entire meal was built around the following thought: What would happen if I used this ridiculously over-priced white truffle oil in a pie crust?



This tart was creamy and warm and using the truffle oil made me feel like a real foodie type. I made this recipe up as I putzed along, but wrote down what I was doing as I went. Hopefully you can recreate it, because it was too good to be vegan!



Mushroom and Wild Rice Tarts with Truffle Oil-Infused Crust

3 cups prepared rice (I like to use wild rice or Wehani rice, prepared in vegetable broth)
1 cup cold mushroom gravy (recipe follows)
6 button portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 cup leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic
Olive oil
Smoked paprika
Parsley for garnish
Truffle Oil-Infused Crust, unbaked (recipe follows)



1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Sauté vegetables in a little oil until they just start to get tender.
3. Add all of the ingredients up through the garlic into a large bowl and mix well.
4. Put mixture into 6 prepared (but uncooked) tart crusts. I had exactly enough of the mixture for 6 (4") tarts.
5. Sprinkle tarts with a little smoked paprika, and bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and the crust begins to brown up.
6. Remove from tart pan and garnish with parsley.

Mushroom Gravy (Cheater's Version)



1 container Imagine Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoons white, unbleached flour
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
¾ tablespoon garlic powder
¾ tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Melt Earth Balance over medium-high heat and add flour. Stir until flour gets fragrant and begins to brown. Slowly add soup, little bits at a time, whisking well during each addition to break up the flour.
2. Continue whisking until all the soup is added. Bring to boil.
3. Add all remaining ingredients, mixing well, then lower heat to simmer, whisking until thick and creamy.

Spelt Pie or Tart Crust for a Savory Main Dish
This recipe will make 2 (9") pie crusts or 6 (4") tart crusts.

2 cups spelt flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white truffle oil
½ cup olive oil
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, very cold



1. Combine flour and salt in a food processor; pulse a couple times to mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together oils and milk. Drizzle mixture into the food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times, until the dough resembles coarse chunks (don't work it too much or it will be tough. If you can squeeze some together and it holds its shape it's done). If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more milk and pulse again.
3. Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into 6 equal balls (for small tarts; if making pie, shape into 2 equal balls).
4. Roll each ball out and carefully fit dough to tart pans or pie plate. Let rest a few minutes, allowing it to come to room temperature, before you add a savory filling.

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Sweet Potato Stew for When You’re Feeling Blue

I’ve had a crappy week. I’ve been sick, I’ve had family issues, my career is sort of sucking right now, and to top it all off, it’s raining today. I have not felt like cooking at all, either. It's just been a funk, filled with Diet Coke and handfuls of trail mix. But a girl's gotta eat, right?

I've been known to medicate with food. In the past, I thought a lot of “medicine” was the way to cure what ails you. Now when I medicate with food, it’s mostly through cooking and savoring a small serving of something special.

Today’s stew was just the thing for a dreary afternoon pity-party. It was easy and thrown together with things I had in the pantry and refrigerator. The whole house smells like sweet potato pie. I had lunch with all my menfolk surrounding me. My husband asked for seconds, which always flatters and makes me happy. My tummy’s full, I feel better and I’m off to take a nap.


Sweet Potato Stew

1 carton Imagine Organic Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
½ tablespoon Berbere' Spice Mix*
½ tablespoon minced garlic (I used minced garlic packed in olive oil)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (or Parmesan cheese)
1½ cups cooked grains (I used a brown and wild rice blend)
1 head of pre-steamed broccoli, chopped
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes, for garnish

1. Heat all ingredients in a soup pot over medium heat. When soup begin to boil reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes more, until the grains absorb some of the liquid and the stew thickens.

2. Sprinkle a little bit of red pepper flakes over each bowl and serve with some good bread. We ate my latest experiment, made with leftover cashew cheese in the dough (posted here).

*I’ve been using this in everything! I made one batch and put it in a small canning jar in the cupboard.

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