All Recipe Posts

Indian Style Empanadas with Tomato-Apricot Chutney

March 10, 2013 By Milen Gala

Although we may think that the samosa is truly native to India, the “sanbosag” as it was first known, can actually trace its origin to 1oth century Persia. Functioning as the Clif Bar of its times, these simple dough pockets filled with vegetables or meat, sustained traders for days while making the journey between Central and South Asia on the Khyber Pass . Virtually every culture has it’s own variation of this food form. The Portuguese empanada, the Italian calzone, the Russian pirozhki, the German strudel, the Jewish knish, and of course let us not forget the delectable American Hot Pocket…

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Vegan Raspberry Layer Cake

March 2, 2013 By Milen Gala

Building on the success of the vegan brownie, we’re trying to push the limits of vegan baking. In general, cooking is more forgiving and amenable to ad lib, on the fly changes, whims and substitutions, whereas baking is chemistry. A little change here or there and you have a new state of matter (neither solid nor liquid) or a dry, crumbly desiccant, able to extract whatever moisture you may have in your mouth. So our eggless or vegan baking has required a fair amount of research, experimentation, trial and error and on occasion, the trash can. Ultimately, dessert needs to satisfy that inner craving for something sweet, moist, creamy, fruity or chocolatey. AND, it needs to be well worth the caloric load. This cake (after significant R&D) delivers on all fronts, while also being wholesome, good for your health, your conscience and the planet. Ok, may be that’s a bit much, but it is really good cake!

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Mushroom and Herb Polenta

February 19, 2013 By Milen Gala

For the past few weeks we have been dealing with a case of the flu (yes, we did get the flu shot) and pink eye (yes, pink eye) between the two kids. I’m convinced that sending our children to school is a recipe for 40 viral illnesses by 8 years of age. Really?… 40?… Friends tell us that that’s the magic dose; the magic number of colds, flus, other viral and bacterial contaminations, infections, epidemics… whatever we want to call it, to get our immune system revved up to deal with the next 8 decades.

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Winter Enchiladas with Cilantro Avocado Cream

January 21, 2013 By Milen Gala

There’s something about Mexican food that speaks to the soul in a deeply satisfying way. Entertaining and family gatherings are always a little more exciting when there is some Salsa music playing, Sangria on the table and a plate full of enchiladas. And while it’s all fun and games when the party is on, when it’s over we’re usually left with a heavy feeling… from all the cheese, guacamole, and chips sitting inside…

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Potato Tart Tatin

January 11, 2013 By Milen Gala

Let’s start with something as simple and unassuming as the humble potato. When we try and think of all the uses for this simple starch, amongst different cultures and types of cuisine, we immediately discover a dizzying array of possibilities. Consider the numerous types of potato, the ease with which it marries with other ingredients, the various methods of cooking it, and you have quite possibly the perfect base for a dish, a chef’s clay if you will.

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New Year’s Glow Smoothie

December 17, 2012 By Milen Gala

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2013! We had an amazing end to 2012…spending time with family in Texas for a warm and sunny Christmas, followed by a brisk and electric night in New York City to watch the ball drop on New Year’s! Along with all the fun times, yummy food and endless treats came the consequences… a bigger waistline and the inevitable New Year’s resolution to get back into shape.

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Risotto Alla Zucca

December 17, 2012 By Milen Gala

One morning in Tuscany, we took a day trip into the hills above Florence to a renowned private vineyard, where we met a member of the Contini Bonacossi Noble Family (owners of the art work in the eponymous private gallery at the Uffizi). After touring the vineyards, olive tree orchards, wine cellars and olive oil refinery of the Tenuta di Capezzana Estate, we had the the pleasure of joining their private chef to prepare a vegetarian version of a traditional Tuscan meal, and later enjoyed lunch with the family.

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Brownies that will leave you incredulous…

December 9, 2012 By Milen Gala

Invariably, if you stop by our house, anytime, you will probably find a batch of brownies on the kitchen counter. Usually a Ghirardelli boxed mix with some nuts thrown in…So, when I decided to try and go vegan this was the one thing that I had a very hard time giving up. Hence, began the quest for the ultimate vegan brownie. The recipe before you is the result of a rigorous testing process. Before this one, at least half a dozen different vegan brownie recipes were trialled and each of them was disappointing in some way. Some were too dry, some tasted too doughy, some turned out more cake-like then brownie-like. The most difficult part was finding that perfect balance of chewy, gooey, and fudgy, while still holding true to the texture of a “real” brownie, the kind you grew up with….

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Tuscan Ribollita

December 5, 2012 By Milen Gala

A few days in Tuscany, in the rolling hills of Chianti, amidst orchards of olive trees and vineyards dating back to the Middle Ages, can be magical…a time to pause, relax, reflect and enjoy the simplicity of rustic Italian cuisine paired with sensational, deep and earthy wines.

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How to Substitute Eggs in Baking

December 3, 2012 By Milen Gala

The one thing I frequently struggle with as a vegetarian is replacing eggs in desserts. When I first started experimenting with making homemade cakes, cookies, brownies and more, the end result was always a bit underwhelming. So for a while I found myself sticking with easy recipes that didn’t require eggs such as crisps, puddings and tarts. Lately, because of all of you who are trying and loving the new things on GalaKitchen, I have been re-inspired to do a little baking… I’ve done a little research and below have listed the best egg replacers other fellow vegetarians have come up with and use frequently… so over the next few months, let’s put some of these to the test…

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