Ravioli with Cheese Tomato Sauce

Keeping in mind that Valentine's Day is only a few days away, this recipe captures the romantic spirit, while requiring minimal effort to produce lots of flavor. To make the dish I used store-bought, heart-shaped four-cheese ravioli pasta. All you need to do is boil the ravioli, pan-fry them so the texture isn't soggy and accompany it with a tasty sauce. I made the sauce fairly simple so the ravioli are still the shining element in the dish. The base of the sauce is a blend of oven-roasted onion wedges and Parmesan cheese. I also topped the pasta with sautéed oyster mushrooms and fried green onions.

It's a quick and easy dish, so you still have time to give your hair and makeup some TLC. Not only food needs to look good!

Tau Hu Chung: Vietnamese Vegetarian Pate Recipe

Tàu hũ chưng is one of the many vegetarian equivalents you can find to Vietnamese meat dishes. As I mentioned last week, Tết is coming soon (January 23rd), and you're supposed to eat vegetarian for the days just before and after the Asian New Year. Usually, I would make mắm chưng thịt (Vietnamese-style meatloaf). This dish is similar, using ingredients such as mushrooms, bean thread noodles and cilantro, but paired with mashed tofu.

The mixture is first steamed, then baked for a few minutes in the oven so the top is slightly golden and dried out. It's almost like a tofu pâté that can be enjoyed with rice and a bowl of canh (soup) on the side.

Quinoa with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Quinoa is a great side dish. By itself it can be pretty bland, so I seasoned it using vegetable stock and added asparagus spears and beech mushrooms. The dish pairs wonderfully with chicken or tofu. I could eat several plates of it without worrying about calories!



It's a great, healthy alternative to pasta or rice. Quinoa is incredibly versatile, and you can pair it with pretty much any combination of protein and vegetables. Plus, it's gluten free!

French Green Beans with Baby Bella Mushrooms

This is the time of the year when haricots verts ("green beans" in English) are available everywhere. Don't be fooled by fancy-schmancy French names; the main difference from the regular kind is that these are thinner, more delicate green beans with a crisper texture. Either way, green beans are a great ally in the struggle to keep healthy (especially after days of eating heavy Thanksgiving food).

They're rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; I think they're also a great side dish that makes you feel full without packing on the calories. I sautéed the French green beans with baby Bella mushrooms for added flavor and also incorporated caramelized onions, thyme, oregano and basil.
 

Mushroom Mozzarella Cheese Tart Recipe

My husband Lulu is addicted to anything with puff pastry dough. Because of the horrible windy weather, I decided to prepare my version of (vegetarian) chicken soup for the soul in the form of individual mushroom and mozzarella tartlets accompanied by a bowl of warm corn chowder. It’s the perfect prescription for this cold, gray day.

This savory tartlet consists of 4 layers. First, I baked the puff pastry shells separately in the oven. I cooked the first layer of soy chorizo along with tomato paste and tomato sauce (you could also add ground beef for extra flavor if you don’t need it to be vegetarian). The second is sautéed large button mushrooms in butter and the last one is thick mozzarella slices. The result is spectacular and is really enhanced pairing it with corn soup and garlic cheese bread. You won't be disappointed!