PHOTOGRAPHS BY RIKKI SNYDER ✷ FOOD STYLING BY LESLIE ORLANDINI ✷ RECIPES BY OLIVIA ROSZKOWSKI
They’re designed to make ahead, freeze easily, and be perfectly delicious when you’re ready to reach for them. In fact, reheating enhances their flavor as they all benefit from an extra crisp. Many can go straight from freezer without defrosting time. You’ll be prepared for the next gathering—or freeze them in portions and you’ll have a handy meal next time you want to Sling a show.
Paleo Eggplant ‘Parmesan’ Casserole
Yield: 1 12 x 12-inch dish (3 cups ‘mozzarella’, 3 cups tomato sauce, 2 cups crumbs)
FOR GARLIC OIL
Gather
1 head garlic
¾ cup olive oil
To Make
Peel garlic cloves.
Add garlic and olive oil to blender. Process until smooth.
FOR ROASTED EGGPLANT
Gather
3 eggplants
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup garlic oil
To Make
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place two pans in oven to preheat for 10 minutes. (Note: Preheating the pan results in better browning of vegetables.)
Slice eggplant into ½-inch slices. In a large bowl, toss eggplant with salt and garlic oil. Spread slices onto hot pans and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden.
FOR YUCCA ‘MOZZARELLA’
Gather
1 yucca
1¼ cups vegan plain yogurt
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons garlic oil
To Make
Peel and cube yucca (approximately 2 cups). Add to a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
Cook for 15 minutes, or until tender, and drain.
Add cooked yucca in blender along with yogurt, salt, nutritional yeast and garlic oil. Process until smooth.
FOR SPICY CRUSHED TOMATOES
Gather
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1½ teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons garlic oil
To Make
Stir together crushed tomatoes, red chili flakes, sea salt, and garlic oil.
FOR ALMOND CRUMB MIXTURE
Gather
1 small bunch parsley
2 cups blanched almond flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup garlic oil
To Make
Destem and chop parsley (approximately 1 cup).
Add to a medium bowl. Stir in almond flour, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic oil until combined.
Make It
Destem and chop parsley (approximately 1 cup).
Add to a medium bowl. Stir in almond flour, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic oil until combined.
To assemble and bake:
Spread half of sauce on the bottom of 12 x 12-inch baking dish. If freezing, use freezer-proof container that is also oven safe.
Alternate adding Roasted Eggplant slices, a spoonful of sauce, Yucca ‘Mozzarella,’ and Almond Crumb Mixture. (Note: Toast leftover crumb mixture in a nonstick pan over medium heat to use when serving casserole.)
Freezing instructions:
Cover and freeze. Defrost overnight in refrigerator before baking.
Baking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, covering with foil, if too much browning occurs.
Chef Olivia’s Freezer Staples
Our culinary editor gives you a peak into her freezer. Here’s what you’ll always find:
1. Kaffir lime leaves—These ultra-aromatic herbs are hard to find, so buy plenty when you can find them and freeze some of them. They’re a must for Thai curries, smoothies, sauces, broths, or stir- fries. Add one or two leaves when cooking rice.
2. Homemade herb oil—Blanche fresh herb leaves—such as parsley, basil, or cilantro—for 10 seconds and blend with neutral flavored oil. Pour the oil in ice cube tray and freeze. Pull out a cube when you’re ready to liven up a plate, dip bread, or garnish a soup or dip.
3. Aquafaba—Save liquid from an open can of chickpeas instead of discarding. The vegan egg substitute will be ready when you want to whip up a quick batch of cookies or make mayo.
4. Vegetable scraps for stock—Mushroom stems, gutted squash parts, leek greens, cilantro stems, roasted garlic skins all add great flavor to your next stock.
5. Ginger—Ginger is much easier to grate after freezing as the fibers soften greatly. Or cut it into one-inch pieces to throw into a blender for amazing smoothies or flavored nut milk.
6. Leftover grains—Throw leftovers together as a grain bowl or make a variation of fried rice in a pinch.
7. Butternut squash or sweet potato puree—Roast a tray of these versatile veggies to freeze. They’re a great addition to oats, base for flourless chocolate cake or cookies, or for a dog food add-on, quick soup, or side dish.
8. Edamame pods—The beans make a delicious side or protein-rich snack.
9. Compost—Save produce scraps to drop off weekly at available collection sites.
10. Pickle brine—Save the leftover liquid from ferments to make effective marinades or a savory cocktail.
Our culinary editor gives you a peak into her freezer. Here’s what you’ll always find:
1. Kaffir lime leaves—These ultra-aromatic herbs are hard to find, so buy plenty when you can find them and freeze some of them. They’re a must for Thai curries, smoothies, sauces, broths, or stir- fries. Add one or two leaves when cooking rice.
2. Homemade herb oil—Blanche fresh herb leaves—such as parsley, basil, or cilantro—for 10 seconds and blend with neutral flavored oil. Pour the oil in ice cube tray and freeze. Pull out a cube when you’re ready to liven up a plate, dip bread, or garnish a soup or dip.
3. Aquafaba—Save liquid from an open can of chickpeas instead of discarding. The vegan egg substitute will be ready when you want to whip up a quick batch of cookies or make mayo.
4. Vegetable scraps for stock—Mushroom stems, gutted squash parts, leek greens, cilantro stems, roasted garlic skins all add great flavor to your next stock.
5. Ginger—Ginger is much easier to grate after freezing as the fibers soften greatly. Or cut it into one-inch pieces to throw into a blender for amazing smoothies or flavored nut milk.
6. Leftover grains—Throw leftovers together as a grain bowl or make a variation of fried rice in a pinch.
7. Butternut squash or sweet potato puree—Roast a tray of these versatile veggies to freeze. They’re a great addition to oats, base for flourless chocolate cake or cookies, or for a dog food add-on, quick soup, or side dish.
8. Edamame pods—The beans make a delicious side or protein-rich snack.
9. Compost—Save produce scraps to drop off weekly at available collection sites.
10. Pickle brine—Save the leftover liquid from ferments to make effective marinades or a savory cocktail.
Kung Pao Tofu Nuggets
Yield: 8 nuggets; ½ cup sauce
FOR KUNG PAO SAUCE
Gather
¼ cup sambal chili paste
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
To Make
In a small bowl, stir together sambal, agave nectar, rice vinegar, and sea salt.
Drizzle sauce over hot nuggets or store in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
FOR TOFU NUGGETS
Gather
1 block firm tofu
5-ounce bag plantain chips
1 organic egg
¾ cup avocado oil
For garnish:
¾ cup salted and roasted peanuts
4 scallions
To Make
Press tofu for 15 minutes by covering with a towel and placing a heavy weighted object on top.
Cut into 1½-inch rectangles and use a paring knife to curve off the edges so each piece resembles a traditional nugget shape.
Crush plantain chips into small pieces by pulsing them in a food processor.
Beat egg in a small bowl.
Dip each piece in beaten egg mixture, followed by crushed plantain chips.
Heat avocado oil in a large nonstick pan. Working in batches, cook tofu nuggets over medium heat for 2 minutes per side, or until golden.
Coat with sauce and serve warm garnished with chopped peanuts and scallions. If freezing, keep sauce and garnishes separate and place tofu on cooling rack to cool.
Freezing instructions:
Transfer tofu nuggets onto parchment-lined tray. Freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer into bag or container.
Reheating instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a baking rack on a baking sheet and arrange tofu pieces in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and warmed through. Coat with sauce. Chop peanuts and scallions and use to garnish nuggets. Serve warm.
Carrot Corn Dogs with Spicy Honey Mustard
Yield: 12 corn dogs; 1 cup mustard
FOR SPICY HONEY MUSTARD
Gather
¾ cup stone ground mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
pinch sea salt
To Make
Stir together mustard, honey, hot sauce, and sea salt. Adjust to taste.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR MARINATED CARROTS
Gather
6 medium carrots (approximately 2 pounds)
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
To Make
Peel carrots and cut in half crosswise.
Place carrot pieces in a large pan and cover with 2 cups filtered water, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until water has evaporated and the carrots are al dente in texture.
Cool completely before coating in batter.
FOR BATTER
Gather
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
1 ½ cups oat milk
2 cups avocado oil
12 popsicle sticks (optional)
To Make
Stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl.
Whisk together eggs and oat milk and fold into batter, taking care not to overmix. Allow batter to rest for 5 minutes.
Preheat oil in a large pan for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Working in batches, dip marinated carrot in batter and carefully lower into oil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once, until golden and batter is cooked through. Place on cooling rack to cool. If using sticks, insert into each carrot corn dog. Serve with spicy honey mustard.
Freezing instructions:
Lay cooled corn dogs flat on a plate or tray. Place in freezer until frozen. Transfer into a container. Store frozen up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Place corn dogs on rack and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
Overnight Sourdough ‘Eggos’ with ‘Magic Shell’ Chocolate Drizzled Frozen Berries
Yield: 4 cups batter; 12 waffles; 3 cups berry topping
FOR ‘MAGIC SHELL’ CHOCOLATE DRIZZLED FROZEN BERRIES
Gather
2 cups mixed frozen berries
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
1 cup dark chocolate chips
To Make
Place frozen berries in a single compact layer on a parchment-lined tray.
Warm coconut oil in a pan over low heat until melted.
Slowly stir in coconut chips, stirring frequently until melted.
Drizzle chocolate mixture on berries and return to freezer until solid. Use hands to break into smaller pieces and store frozen in container until ready to use as topping.
FOR SOURDOUGH ‘EGGOS’
Gather
½ cup red lentils
½ cup short grain brown rice
1 teaspoon probiotic powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup, more to serve
pinch sea salt
1 cup spelt flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons organic confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)
To Make
Add red lentils and brown rice to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
Shut off heat and allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Drain lentil and rice mixture and add to blender along with 1 ½ cups water.
Blend for 1 minute, or until completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in probiotic powder.
Cover mixture and allow batter to ferment for 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Fold in vanilla extract, maple syrup, salt, spelt flour, and baking powder.
Warm coconut oil; stir 2 tablespoons into batter; use remaining to grease waffle maker between making each waffle.
Pour batter into waffle maker. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. (Note: the interior of waffles will be soft when preliminarily cooked but will crisp up more once frozen and reheated in toaster or oven.)
Freezing Instructions:
Cool Sourdough ‘Eggos’ thoroughly on cooling rack. Lay ‘Eggos’ flat on a plate or tray and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer into a container and store up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions:
Place frozen ‘Eggo’ into toaster and toast for 2 minutes, or until crispy and warmed through. Alternatively, heat oven to 350°F. Place ‘Eggos’ on rack and bake for 5 minutes, or until crispy and heated through. Top ‘Eggos’ with maple syrup, ‘Magic Shell’ chocolate drizzled frozen berries and sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Rainbow Carrot Shepherd’s Pie Muffins
Yield: 3 dozen muffins (2 cups carrots, 4 cups lentils, 2 cups mash)
Note: If working with frozen phyllo dough, defrost in refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
FOR CIDER GLAZED CARROTS
Gather
1 bunch rainbow carrots
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Peel carrots. Cut in half and slice into 2-inch pieces.
Add carrot pieces to a pan and cover halfway with water.
Add maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until carrots are slightly tender and have absorbed all the liquid.
FOR BALSAMIC LENTILS
Gather
1 cup beluga lentils
2 yellow onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
To Make
Rinse lentils and place in a medium pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and reduce heat.
Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Peel onions and cut in half. Thinly slice (approximately 3 cups).
Warm olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Fold in onion slices and salt. Cover with lid and allow to steam and soften for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden, stirring frequently.
Drain lentils and add to onion mixture. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Cook on high heat for 5 additional minutes, or until mixture thickens and any residual liquid evaporates.
Cool completely before assembling.
FOR PARSNIP MASH
Gather
3 medium parsnips
1 cup plain yogurt/vegan yogurt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
To Make
Peel and cut parsnips into a rough dice (approximately 2 cups).
Add to a medium pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.
Strain and cool slightly. Add cooked parsnips, yogurt, black pepper and salt to a blender and process until smooth.
Cool completely before assembling.
TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE
Gather
1 bunch chives
1 package defrosted phyllo dough
½ cup olive oil
To Make
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice chives (approximately 2/3 cup).
Using kitchen scissors, cut phyllo dough into 4 x 4-inch squares. Keep dough covered with damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
Using a pastry brush, grease muffin tins with olive oil (recipe yields 3 dozen muffins).
Tuck a cut phyllo sheet into a muffin-tin cavity. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with chives. Repeat with 3 additional sheets of phyllo. Form the remainder of muffin tin cavities the same way. Reserve any extra chives for garnish during assembly.
Bake phyllo dough for 15 minutes and cool completely.
Fill each phyllo muffin shell with Balsamic Lentils and Parsnip Mash and top with Cider Glazed Carrots and leftover cut chives.
Freezing instructions:
Arrange muffins in a closed container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking tray with parchment paper and arrange frozen muffins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crispy and heated through. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Fava Bean, Mint & Tofu ‘Ricotta’ Stuffed Giant Shells
Yield: 5 cups tofu ‘ricotta’; 1 pan or 24 large shells
FOR TOFU ‘RICOTTA’
Gather
1 head garlic
¼ cup preserved lemons
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 blocks firm tofu
To Make
Peel garlic; deseed preserved lemons. Place in blender with olive oil, salt and water. Process until smooth.
Transfer mixture to large saute pan. Crumble in tofu.
Cook on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the tofu absorbs all of the liquid.
Cool ‘ricotta’ until mixture is cool enough to handle.
FOR PASTA
Gather
1 tablespoon sea salt
5 mint tea bags
1 12-ounce box large shells
To Make
Bring medium pot of water to a boil. Season water with sea salt. Add tea bags and boil for two minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
Add shells and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente.
Strain and cool pasta shells until cool enough to handle.
FOR SPINACH YOGURT
Gather
2 bags frozen spinach
2 cups plain vegan yogurt
¼ cup olive oil, more to garnish
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons harissa paste
2 cups fava beans (or substitute frozen baby lima beans or edamame)
½ cup fresh mint, to serve
To Make
Defrost spinach by rinsing in a strainer under cold running water. Squeeze out excess liquid. (Should yield approximately 2 cups.)
Toss spinach in a bowl with yogurt, olive oil, salt and harissa paste. Spread on the bottom of a freezer-safe and ovenproof, deep medium-size dish.
Stuff shells with Tofu ‘Ricotta’ and nestle in spinach-yogurt mixture. Top with fava beans. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with torn mint before serving.
Freezing instructions:
Cover and freeze. Defrost in refrigerator overnight before baking.
Baking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, covering with foil, if too much browning occurs. Top with torn mint before serving.
Savory Breakfast Herb Speckled Pop Tarts
Yield: 6 pop tarts
Note: If working with frozen puff pastry dough, defrost in refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
FOR JALAPENO JELLY
Gather
1 jalapeno
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
pinch sea salt
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon organic cornstarch
To Make
Mince jalapeno and place in small pan with apple juice, maple syrup, sea salt, and apple cider vinegar.
Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in a few tablespoons of cold water and slowly incorporate into jalapeno mixture, while stirring. Cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
Cool completely before using to assemble pop tarts.
FOR HERB SPECKLED POP TARTS
Gather
6 organic eggs
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 bunch fresh chives
1 tablespoon avocado oil
6 slices sharp white cheddar cheese/dairy free slices
1 package puff pastry (approximately 1 pound, or two sheets)
1 tablespoon nigella seeds
To Make
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
Crack eggs into a medium bowl. Add sea salt and 2 tablespoons filtered water. Whisk until smooth.
Slice chives (approximately 1/3 cup) and fold into egg mixture. Set aside ¼ cup of egg-chive mixture to use as egg wash for puff pastry.
Warm avocado oil in large nonstick pan over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Cool mixture completely before assembling pop tarts.
Cut puff pastry into 12 same-sized rectangles.
Lay one slice of cheese on a rectangle, followed by a few tablespoons of egg mixture, and top with a tablespoon of Jalapeno Jelly, leaving a border to seal. Brush border with egg wash. Top with another piece of puff pastry and seal edges by pressing with a fork around the rim.
Pierce tops gently with fork. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with nigella seeds.
Repeat assembly process with remaining pop tarts.
Arrange pop tarts onto lined tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crust is cooked through.
Freezing instructions:
Place pop tarts in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray or plate and freeze. Transfer to sealed container and store up to 3 months.
Reheating instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place frozen pop tarts on a metal rack on a tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puff pastry is crispy, and the interior is warmed through.
Cashew ‘Mozzarella’ Sticks with Blender Marinara
Yield: 1¾ cups marinara; 16 ‘mozzarella’ sticks
FOR BLENDER MARINARA
Gather
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
To Make
Add garlic clove, salt, olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes to a blender.
Process until smooth.
Stir in remainder of crushed tomatoes.
FOR CASHEW ‘MOZZARELLA’
Gather
¾ cup cashews
1 cup vegan plain yogurt
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons organic corn starch
2 tablespoons agar powder
To Make
Grease 8 x 8-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Blend cashews, vegan yogurt, salt, garlic powder, corn starch, and agar powder with 2 cups of boiling water in high-speed blender for 1 minute, or until completely smooth. Vent top while blending to prevent too much pressure from building up. (Note: If using a blender where the top cannot be vented, use warm and not boiling hot water.)
Transfer mixture to a pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until mixture is thick and pulling off the sides of the pan. Stir constantly.
Pour into greased 8 x 8-inch dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until firm.
Gently invert cashew ‘mozzarella’ onto a cutting board and cut into 1 x 4-inch sticks.
TO COAT AND FRY CASHEW ‘MOZZARELLA’
Gather
2 eggs
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup olive oil
To Make
Beat eggs in a medium bowl.
Add breadcrumbs onto a plate.
Preheat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
Dip each cashew stick into egg mixture, and coat with breadcrumbs.
Add to hot oil and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy.
Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve with blender marinara.
Freezing instructions:
Transfer cooked and cooled sticks onto parchment-lined tray. Freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer into bag or container. Freeze marinara in a freezer-proof container.
Reheating instructions:
Defrost sauce. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line tray with a wire rack and arrange ‘mozzarella’ sticks in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and warmed through. Serve warm with Blender Marinara.
