Dana Slatkin

Vegan Creamed Spinach

10/01/2012 By Leave a Comment
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Dinnertime is usually when my kids get their fill of Mom wisdom. The other night, over bowls of polenta and Stephanie Izard’s tasty wild mushroom ragout (thank you, Food + Wine Magazine), I told them a story about how I made a new friend recently, just on the heels of having to let another one go. “You see,” I shared, “When one door closes, another one opens.” My teenagers sat rolling their eyes, but the kindergartner chimed in winsomely, “And when two doors close, I open the window!” Hilarious! We all burst out laughing. But when I thought about it that night, I realized the little guy was absolutely right. We all have those moments in our lives where we just need to breathe in some fresh air. This … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Gluten-Free Recipes, Side Dish Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Luscious Vegan Red Wine Sauce

09/18/2012 By Leave a Comment
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When I was cooking in France just a couple of years — okay, decades — ago, nouvelle cuisine was just beginning to emerge onto the haute cuisine scene. At the time, it was almost heretical to think of French food prepared without massive quantities of cream and butter. Michel Guèrard, proprietor of the idyllic resort and spa Les Pres d’Eugenie, and my boss at the time, was daring to cook without either, using vegetable purées or yogurt to thicken luxuriously flavorful sauces. His enlightened style of cooking drew crowds of gastronomes from around the globe. How did Chef Guèrard manage to polish up centuries of baked-in Gallic tradition? After a few months apprenticing in his kitchen, I managed to crack … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gluten-Free Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Kelp Noodle and Veggie Stir-Fry

09/07/2012 By Leave a Comment
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There’s been a lot of talk lately about cleansing. It may take shape as a juice fast, a junk food crackdown, a desk clutter clearout, or a friendship detox. These days, it seems we have a collective urge to purge. Perhaps it’s because of the new school year kicking in, or the holidays looming on the horizon. In any case, September’s an ideal time to keep it simple and go lightly. At least that’s my plan. With all the projects I have on my plate now, I need to be on my game. Anything that’s been weighing me down has to go. That goes for my cooking, too. This month, I’m going for lean and mean. In next week’s cooking class with M Café, I’ll be demonstrating some delicious recipes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gluten-Free Recipes, Vegan Recipes

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette (adapted from Porta Via)

06/06/2012 By 5 Comments
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Last month, I taught a class with Peter Garland, owner of Porta Via here in Beverly Hills. If you have never heard of the restaurant, it’s probably because Peter likes it that way. Because he knows that if word got out on this darling neighborhood canteen, it might cease to feel like home to his adoring clientele. Porta Via serves the kind of farmers market-inspired dishes that you would make yourself if you had the time. Seasonal salads, vegan soups, simply grilled fish and Double Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies have made Peter one of the most popular restaurateurs in town (of course, it hasn’t hurt that he is charming, handsome, and single).   This beautifully balanced salad is a perfect sampling of Porta Via’s fare. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Salad Recipes