By Danea Mather | photos by August Nyson

White Soup with Tarragon Beet Sauce

Not only is this soup deliciously creamy, comforting and filling, it will slowly transform into a marbled pink wonder before your eyes — or spoon!

Tarragon Beet Sauce

Makes 1.5 cups

1large beet

1cup water

1/2teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2teaspoon salt

1teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil whole beet about twenty minutes, until skin is loose. Remove from water, peel or gently cut skin off. Cut into cubes and add to a blender.

Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend on high speed until completely pureed. Set aside to garnish soup.

White Soup Base

Makes 10 cups

1large russet potato, peeled

1/2large white onion

1/2cauliflower head

1/2large fennel bulb (reserve green leaves for garnish)

2cups white button mushrooms, diced

4large garlic cloves

4tablespoon butter 1 can coconut milk

1tablespoon salt

Juice of 1 lemon

3cups reserved boiled water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potato, onion, cauliflower and fennel to water and boil until very soft. When finished boiling, transfer veggies to a blender and reserve water.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until soft. Add to blender.

Add coconut milk, salt, lemon juice and boiled water to a blender.

Blend all ingredients together on high speed until very creamy. This may need to be done in two batches depending on blender size. Soup is ready to serve when all ingredients are puréed and completely smooth.

Transfer to soup bowls and garnish with tarragon beet sauce and fennel leaves. Enjoy!

Balsamic Roasted Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps with Rosemary Pesto

All at once bright and tangy, creamy and garlicy, hearty and satisfying, this dinner is perfect to impress whoever you are cooking for.

Garlic Whipped Cauliflower and Lentils

Makes 5 cups

4cups cauliflower, chopped

1cup split yellow lentils, rinsed

2cups water

1teaspoon salt

2large garlic cloves

5tablespoons butter

In a medium-sized pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add lentils, gently stir, lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Separately, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and boil until very soft. Transfer lentils and cauliflower to a food processor. Add salt, garlic and butter and process until smooth. Set aside.

Rosemary Pesto Sauce

Makes 1.5 cups

1/4cup fresh rosemary leaves

Juice of 2 lemons

1cup olive or avocado oil

1/2cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds

1teaspoon salt

dash black pepper

1/2cup fresh parsley leaves

Add all items to a blender and blend on high until puréed. Stop and use a spatula to push down ingredients periodically. Sauce is ready when rosemary and parsley are pureed, and sauce is a vibrant green.

Balsamic Roasted Portobello Caps (plating)

4 portobello mushroom caps, washed and cleaned

1/2cup avocado or melted coconut oil

1/4cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Garlic Whipped Cauliflower and Lentil

Rosemary Pesto Sauce

sun-dried tomatoes, diced for garnish

parsley leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly spray or coat a roasting pan with oil. Use a fork to gently puncture Portobello caps on top and bottom of caps. Place caps in roasting pan.

Whisk together oil and balsamic vinegar and, using a basting brush, generously coat tops and bottoms of mushroom caps. Sprinkle mushrooms lightly with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms in oven and roast about 25-30 minutes, until fork tender. Turn mushrooms over halfway through. When finished roasting, transfer mushroom caps to serving plates

Stuff each mushroom cap with approximately 1/2 cup Garlic Whipped Cauliflower and Lentils. Garnish with diced sundried tomatoes, Rosemary Pesto Sauce and fresh parsley leaves. Enjoy!

Fruity Beet Sticky Rice Spring Rolls

These surprisingly balanced treats are perfect for dessert, dinner appetizers or a fun afternoon treat. Serve sliced in half for an even more striking presentation, and don’t skip the peanut dip!

Beet Sticky Rice

1cup sushi rice, rinsed

1 1/4cup water

1cup coconut milk

1/2cup sugar

3/4cup Tarragon Beet Sauce (see recipe above)

In a medium sized saucepan, add rice and water and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer about 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Add coconut milk, sugar and Tarragon Beet Sauce to rice. Mix together and simmer until mixture is thick and moisture is absorbed. Store and cool at least 2 hours.

Peanut Lime Dipping Sauce

1/4cup apple cider vinegar

1/8cup agave

juice of 1 lime

1/3cup crushed peanuts

Whisk all ingredients together to combine and serve

Spring Rolls

spring roll rice papers

beet Sticky Rice

fresh Mango slices

fresh Kiwi slices

freeze dried strawberries, crushed

Keep a shallow bowl of hot water near and ready at all times, as well as a dry kitchen towel, laid out flat.

One at a time, slowly press a spring roll rice paper into hot water. Allow to soak for ten seconds, then very carefully lift from water and transfer onto kitchen towel.

Place a large spoonful of beet sticky rice toward the bottom of the rice paper and gently shape into an oval.

Place mango slices or kiwi slice on top of beet sticky rice.

Using both hands, carefully roll sticky rice and fruit up in the rice paper toward the top of the paper.

Tuck the sides of the rice paper under the roll to seal. Sprinkle top of roll with freeze dried strawberries. Repeat, and enjoy with Peanut Lime dipping sauce!

Danea is a Grand Rapids based recipe developer, vinyasa and Buti yoga enthusiast, vegan and adopted pup mom. See the blog for more recipes at blog.cosmosfriendlyfoods.com or reach out anytime on instagram at @eat.quantum.

August Nyson is a digital/film photographer, graphic designer, and Sphynx mama. Her work has been published in books and magazines internationally and can be viewed at augustnyson.com.