Baked Tamari Mushrooms With Fresh Spinach Salad

Vegan Chef Day

This is a lovely light lunch but also works as a fresh and unusual starter.

10 chestnut mushrooms, stems removed
2T tamari
2T water
1t hot smoked paprika
50g cashews
1t ground flax seed
1T nutritional yeast
75g silken tofu
1/2T white miso
1/2t sea salt
25g basil leaf
2g garlic
1/2T extra virgin olive oil
12g walnuts
2t lemon juice
2 handfuls spinach
1 corn on the cob (you can grill the corn and then cut off, or have it raw, it’s lovely either way)
2 handfuls mini plum tomatoes, halved
4 spring onions, finely chopped
A handful coriander leaf, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt

Preheat your oven to 220c / 430f
Mushrooms – Put the tamari, water and paprika into a tupaware box, add the mushrooms, put the lid on and shake so the mushrooms are covered with the liquid. Marinade for 15 minutes. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Cashew sauce – Blend the cashews, flax, nutritional yeast, tofu, miso and salt, using the chopper attachment of a hand blender or a high speed jug blender. You may need to allow it to rest and soften for a few minutes and then reblend to get the sauce smooth.
Pesto – Blend the basil, garlic, oil, walnuts and lemon juice until smooth.
Salad – Combine the spinach, tomatoes, corn, spring onions and coriander leaf. Add a little oil, juice and salt to taste.
Place the salad on the plate, top with the mushrooms with the cashew sauce and pesto.

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