POSTPONED: WE WILL RESCHEDULE SOON!
On Friday, November 27th at 4pm, we’re going to laugh, drink and talk (online) about the importance of good food for the holidays that everyone, carnivores and herbivores alike, can enjoy. Chef Nicole will share a few of her tricks and talk about what her culinary companies, Health Koncious and Soul Harvest do. This virtual event, highlighting Chef Nicole’s vegan holiday cookbook, will feature two recipes from the cookbook and one recipe from her meal prep company. The sneak peek will take place on Facebook Live from SixTwelve’s page and anyone is welcome to join for free.
About Chef Nicole:
Chef Nicole Asali is the owner and operator of Health Koncious, a holistic plant-based company. Her mission is to educate those living in urban food deserts on how to make a healthy plant-based or vegan lifestyle affordable, functional, and accessible in their area through urban farming and free cooking classes. Chef Asali is an advocate for healthy eating and focuses her career on teaching all ages how to successfully prepare healthy meals. She is also the owner of an up and coming farm-to-table vegan meal delivery company called Soul Harvest. Chef Asali has over twelve years of experience in the professional culinary arts industry, with six years specializing in plant-based and vegan cooking. She has successfully crafted the art of indigenous food transitioning and is known for redefining the traditional view of soul food to a healthier and heartier art form.
Chef Asali is well-known in her community and her gifted mind is needed for the preservation of cultures and the future of food. When asked what her food philosophy is, she responded "I believe in teaching people that, with food, you can indulge without destroying your body. We need to become more aware of what we eat while also holding on to our roots. I’m not asking for extreme changes in our food traditions, but to transition our mindsets, so we can learn how to recognize the difference between life-giving foods and life-taking. Let us hold on to the herbs and spices and vegetables that make damn good soul food."
If you appreciate the experience and would like to support more of these events in the future, you may donate to SixTwelve during the event or at any time here: DONATE TO SIXTWELVE. You may also donate to SixTwelve by purchasing Chef Nicole’s cookbook through Amazon Smile, when it becomes available in early 2021.
Recipes Included:
Collard Greens and Peas
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. vegan butter (I use earth balance)
½ onion diced
2 cloves mince garlic
½ jalapeno w/ seeds
1 can of rinsed organic black eyed peas
1 lb. collard greens cleaned and chopped
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of garlic bouillon ( I used better than chicken bouillon)
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1 cup of water
Directions
Heat oil and butter in a large pot on medium-high heat
Sauté onion, garlic, jalapeno, green pepper until aromatic
Add peas and vinegar to a pot let cook down for 2-3 mins
Add water and bouillon
Bring to a boil
Add chopped greens and let boil for 10 mins
Reduce heat
Let simmer covered for 45 mins- 1 hour or until peas are fully cooked.
Quick tips
I like to add my collards for the last 20 mins of cooking time for higher nutritional value, but doneness is based on preference.
Plant Based Lasagna
Ingredients:
2 zucchini thinly sliced
1 pound of beyond meat/ walnut meat (ground walnut olive oil season salt)
1 (8 ounce) tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup minced onion
1/8 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cooked quinoa
¾ cup of Health Koncious Cheese Sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
Place beyond beef in a large deep skillet, cook over medium high heat. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil,cayenne and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, cheese sauce, and parsley.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 1 layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish; layer 2 of the zucchini, 1 layer of the cheese,then zucchini; repeat layers.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.
Health Koncious CHEESE SAUCE
Ingredients
2 cups almond milk
5 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 cup nutritional yeast
2 cup of olive oil
Directions
Blend cream, garlic, mustard, paprika, and nutritional yeast in a large blender.
Slowly add in oil
Salt to taste and enjoy
Jackfruit Turkey and Gravy
Ingredients:
2 17 oz cans green jackfruit
1 1/2 Tbsp poultry seasoning
2 cups of miso mushroom gravy
Directions:
Thoroughly rinse your jackfruit, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel. ( If your jackfruit was canned in brine instead of water you'll need to rinse extremely well to remove the brine flavor
heat your butter to med-high in crockpot add your jackfruit and seasonings to saute in your pot for 8 mins or until golden brown
Pour 2 cups of miso mushroom gravy in your crockpot
Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours
Remove the lid from the slow-cooker. Using two forks, shred the jackfruit pieces as you would pull meat. Use the back of a fork to smash any remaining hard chunks of jackfruit. Return lid, reduce heat and cook an additional 15 mins on high
Stir well and serve
Miso Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (baby bella, cremini, or my favorite shitake)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp of garlic base (better than chicken brand is preferred)
2 tsp of miso paste
1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
Instructions:
In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add vegan butter or olive oil, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally
Add flour and Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until lightly browned
Slowly add in water and almond milk while whisking out any lumps you may have.
Add miso paste and garlic base
bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to thicken. Let simmer for 15-20 mins
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed