Dinner for My Man!

When I asked Marcus what he wanted for Valentine's Dinner he immediately said my Portabello Mushroom Burgers which I haven't made since last summer.  I agree that these are so yummy but we are also Mushroom Lovers!!  I have found that there are only 2 differant kinds of people: those that LOVE mushrooms and those that Hate them.  You are either one or the other, pick your side.  It's odd that mushrooms cause such strong opinions in people, it's right up there with politics and religion I'm afraid!  Well, we know our stance on the subject and we are definitely lovers!  These mushroom burgers are such a cinch to make and can easily be marinated ahead of time and brought to any BBQ this summer or cooked up for dinner within 10 minutes.  I also used my handy little slicer board that my sister got me for Christmas and even though it took me about a half hour to finally figure out how to switch the blade out, it worked great!  I used it to make Shoe-string Sweet Potato Fries with a Caramel Drizzle Sauce and then finished the meal off with a Double Chocolate-Raspberry Torte!  Soo Good and Soo Rich at the same time.  Just make sure to have a large chilled glass of Rice Milk handy to accompany your dessert.  The best thing about this Torte is I have extra of the filling leftover and it is the same consistency and flavoring of pudding so I popped that in the freezer for another night's dessert!

Portabello Mushroom Burgers
adapted by The Vegan Table

4-6 whole portabello mushroom caps
1/3 cup balsamic vinegarette
1/3 cup tamari
1/3 cup water
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil

With a wet paper towel, gently wipe the tops of the mushrooms off to clean.  On the underside, pull off the stem and place into a large ziploc bag. Next, add the balsamic vinegarette, tamari, water and spices to the mushrooms and shake it up to evenly coat the mushrooms (tops and bottoms).  Once this is done, place into the fridge to marinate for atleast an hour.

Drizzle the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.

Once it has reached temp place as many of the mushrooms that can fit, top side down, into the pan for about 4-5 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Turn the mushrooms over again, top side down, and pour the remaining marinade over them and cook for another 4-5 minutes and then flip over one more time and cook them again for another 4-5 minutes.  Gently take them out of the pan and let them dry off a little before placing onto your bun, otherwise it can cause a soggy bun.  Top your bun with all your favorite toppings, we love Veganaise, Tomatoes and Spinach but it is completely up to you!  You can also get creative with your bread and maybe try a yummy foccattia or maybe cut the mushrooms up and fill them into a pita, the sky is the limit!

Double Chocolate-Raspberry Torte
adapted by Oh She Glows

Crust Ingredients
1 cup + 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 sup brown sugar
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup soy milk (or almond, rice etc...)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Option:  If you are on a time restraint, you can opt out of doing this Chocolate Crust and do just a regular pie crust found in the freezer section of the store.  It won't be chocolate but it will be quicker and still very yummy.  Just cook the crust to manufacturer's directions and let it cool a bit and fill it with filling and chill the rest of the way in the fridge.  Mrs. Smith's Deep Dish Pie Shells are vegan!!  PS-so are her apple pies!!!

Filling Ingredients
2 medium avocados, pitted and scooped out
1/2 package soft Silken Tofu
1 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/3 cup soy milk (or almond, rice etc...)
2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, arrowroot powder, sugars and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk the wet crust ingredients (oil, maple syrup, milk).

Add wet to dry and stir well.

In pie dish, scoop the crust batter and spread out with a wet spoon.  The batter will be very sticky so you will have to keep wetting your spoon.  Spread it out as evenly as possible and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling by placing all the filing ingredients (except the melted chocolate chips) into a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.

Once the crust is done baking, remove from the oven so it can slightly cool for about 5-10 minutes.

Now melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl and place melted chocolate chips into the food processor mixture.  Process until smooth.

Next, find a random little girl that is running around your house in a shirt, diaper and a backwards facing baseball cap that she has found and let her go to town on a spoonful of it.  (Vegan baking is great because you never have to worry about the chance of salmonella poisoning from the raw batter)

Scoop this filling into pie dish on top of the crust.  Smooth out as much as possible and then place in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.
Note:  This Torte should be served chilled as it looses it's firm shape when at room temperature.