This is a new favorite in my kitchen – mushroom stuffed cabbage rolls. The process is relatively simple, but I sure didn’t know that until I tried. It’s a light, but a creatively comforting dish that makes it okay to go in for one, two, three, or more! Try it out yourself and introduce new flavors and textures to your kitchen, without the meat!
Celeriac (celery root) doesn’t get the credit it deserves – maybe because it’s an ugly looking fella. However, through much courting, it has worked its way up to becoming one of my favorite and most versatile ingredients. By itself, it’s subtle, but its distinct flavor (tastes like a combination of celery and parsley) is something you can never tire of regardless of how it’s cooked. Like when enjoying most vegetables, I usually have celeriac when lightly sautéed with butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Today, I decided to make a mashed version of it with the addition of some thyme, mustard, and garlic. The verdict: speaks for itself.
Like mashed potatoes, only sans the cream and butter and excess carbs.
And while celeriac my not look like it glows on the outside, its true beauty is skin deep.
Celeriac: is high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6, is beneficial for the lymphatic, nervous, and urinary systems, acts as an effective diuretic, enhances digestion, contains a good amount of vitamin C, maintains body functions such as blood flow, promotes bone health, lowers cholesterol levels, helps with insomnia, and is a good source of folate and vitamin K.
Celeriac Mash
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Keywords: boil vegan vegetarian fat-free celeriac thyme
Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
Instructions
Stem and skin the celeriac. Chop into halves and place in boiling water until tender – approximately 10 minutes. To check if the pieces have cooked through, poke with a fork and it should go through to the other side fairly easily. The pieces, however, should not be so tender that they break apart.
Drain the liquid and place the celeriac in a bowl with the other ingredients. Mash until all is mixed properly and the result is still chunky.
Serve and enjoy! This side dish is so fragrant and delicious – you won’t miss Mr. Potato.
Bon Appetit!
xo Aylin
I originally wanted to make a mushroom and thyme pizza, but then I decided to put a twist on my idea – literally. In Turkey, we have a traditional dish called “börekâ€, which is meat or cheese stuffed pastry, with many variations across the country. You won’t find a dairy-free or meatless so easily, unless you make your own.
You could use your own store bought dough, or use the recipe I include, although the recipe I list is enough to make up to 10-15 servings. The filling recipe is just suitable for one, so depending on how many people are eating, adjust the two recipes accordingly. I made the entire dough recipe because I want to use the rest for a pizza later this week.
Mushroom Stuffed Dough Twirl
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Keywords: fry saute bake main dinner vegan vegetarian mushrooms whole wheat flour thyme
Ingredients (Filling makes 1 serving; dough makes 10-15)
For the Dough
For the Filling
For Presentation
Instructions
For the dough, in a large bowl, add to the lukewarm water the salt and yeast. Add the whole-wheat flour in 1/2 cup increments until the mixture thickens. You may find yourself exceeding the recommended flour amount. Feel it out.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes on a floured surface until it smoothens and can form a pretty little dough ball. Place into a bowl that has sides covered in olive oil (to prevent sticking), and cover with a moist towel. Store in a warm place until the dough doubles in size – approximately 1 hour.
You know it’s ready when you poke into the dough and the hole you create doesn’t puff back up.
For the filling, chop the onions, separate the thyme from its stems and chop the mushrooms.
Begin to sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat with salt and pepper. When the onion just starts to become translucent, add the mushrooms and thyme. Sauté another 2 minutes, or until the mushrooms cook through.
To stuff the dough, grab 1 handful of the dough, which will count as one serving.
Work with the dough alongside whole-wheat flour to help prevent sticking. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to make a flat sheet, about 1/2-inch thick. Poke into the dough to prevent air pockets as you spread its area.
Yes, I’m using a glass water bottle as my rolling pin. I don’t own a proper one 
.
Evenly coat the dough with the mushroom mixture. It will look scant, but you will be rolling the dough, so there will be overlaps of the mixture, which concentrates the filling while eating. Roll the dough over the mixture and unto itself until you reach the other edge.
Take the right end of the log and curl it upwards and to the left, rolling it until it reaches the other end, forming a circle.
Put on a baking dish, brush with olive oil and bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, or until browned and the dough is cooked through.
Ta-da!
Enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
xo Aylin
Me like this.
Whole-Wheat Oyster Mushroom Crepe with Lemon Zest & Thyme
Ingredients:
For the crepe:
– 1/2 cup of whole-wheat flour (you can sub this with spelt, quinoa, or chickpea flour)
– 3/4 cup water
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 tbsp butter
For the mushroom filling:
– 2 garlic cloves, chopped
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– handful of thyme, de-stemmed
– 2 cups of oyster mushrooms
– Salt & pepper
– 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind, for garnish
Directions:
First comes the crepe, and this couldn’t be any easier to put together. The ratio is 1 to 1.5, flour to water, so 1/2 cup of flour requires 3/4 cup of water. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and mix well.
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a medium-sized pan and pour crepe mixture into the pan. It should be runny enough to spread thin, but thick enough to stop at some point.
The trick to avoiding a soggy middle is to poke the top of the crepe with a fork to allow for steam to pass through the middle.
You want the outside to look slightly browned and crisp, but not hard and over-cooked. Flipping is a breeze at this point.
Continue to cook for a few minutes more. The duration is dependent on the size, so nibble off a piece to make sure its ready 
I like to brush my crepe with some butter when its still hot and then I set it aside to make the filling, which is sometimes savory, sometimes sweet.
For a little look at how I had it for breakfast, with butter and cherry jam:
But tonight, I went for savory.
Oyster mushrooms are so wonderful to cook with—I love their shape and they soften so well. To prepare them, begin by cooking the garlic and thyme in some olive oil. The thyme should be pulled from their stems. I was a bit fed up with my exceedingly delicate thyme, so I didn’t bother too much with the stem removal. Cooking the thyme helps release and enhance its flavor! There is nothing in the world like fried herbs.
While that begins to cook, prepare and clean the oyster mushrooms. You can use a wet cloth to wipe off excess dirt and simply chop off any dirty stems. I don’t mind the stems, as long as they’re clean 
Salt and pepper…
Let the mushrooms cook until soft. They will reduce significantly.
With the crepe ready to go, fill it up!
Grate some lemon zest, and sprinkle it atop the mushrooms.
Fold and serve!
NoM nOm NoM
Enjoy!
x Aylin