If you love creamy pasta with mad flavor, this recipe is for you.

All right, check it out, y'all. When it comes to mixin' up my food game, ain't nothin' better than explorin' new ingredients to add to the everyday. Keeps the mind sharp, you feel me? We are only scratchin' the surface here, with mad varieties of plants and mushrooms waiting to be discovered. Man, I get all fired up walkin' into the grocery store, coming across some new gems like these black chickpeas and finger limes. Let's talk about black chickpeas for a minute. Unlike the regular ones you might be used to, these little bad boys are brownish-black, smaller, and have a solid density. They're firmer too, and bring a rich, nutty, earthy flavor that'll change your whole chickpea game. They need a bit longer on the stove, but the pay-off is real – they're loaded with more antioxidants and fiber than regular chickpeas. Now, my recent masterpiece? Double-decker black chickpea tacos. Talk about a flavor bomb. I topped these off with finger limes – they got this unique taste, like if dill and lime had a baby. Straight fire, I promise you.

Purple sweet potatoes have been in the spotlight since the documentary Blue Zone came out on Netflix this year—an excellent documentary about five different areas where people live longer than other places. One of the Blue Zone areas showed that residents ate a lot of purple sweet potatoes. Lucky for us, purple sweet potatoes pair well with jerk chickpeas! Jerk Chickpeas & Purple Sweet Potatoes is an easy recipe; if you can not find purple sweet potatoes, you can use regular ones or sub with sweet potatoes.

For those that do not already know, I was born in the suburbs of Chicago, so I have a natural affinity for hot dogs and sausages. But now, I only get down with the vegan versions. This sausage seemed like the next progression in my mushroom meat creations. I made a few changes to my chipotle sausage recipe and it’s even better than before. I wanted to see how the sausage would cook with shiitake mushrooms instead of lion's mane, and I am very pleased with the results. I also changed the process to create a more consistent texture when you bite. These sausages came out fire! Check out some grilling hacks I used to make this recipe: Use a smoker box or smoker to infuse flavors like cherry, apple, or hickory wood. Use your marinade throughout all steps. You can use it to marinate the sausage and then again to baste the food while cooking. When you are done cooking, add the sausages back to the remainder of the marinade until you are ready to eat. Spritz water around the food while cooking to keep the sausages juicy until it's time to enjoy.

I have been growing mushrooms in different ways for the last three years. My journey started with spray & grow kits that don’t need a grow tent. Then, I transitioned to using a Martha Tent, which allows me to grow more varieties of beautiful mushrooms all year round, no matter the season. I grew these gorgeous Blue Oyster Mushrooms at home, but any oyster mushroom variety will work for this recipe.

It is harvesting time and we are back with another dope recipe using mushrooms I grew at home with a North Spore Fruiting Block Kit and Boom Room. This was a nice flush with close to 1.3 pounds of shiitake mushrooms. It takes about 1-2 months to get the shiitake bag ready to start fruiting, but North Spore makes it easier and faster to grow at home. It took about 10-11 days to grow once I took the fruiting block out of its bag. Because it grows outside of the bag, it’s best to grow in a tent or fruiting chamber to prevent contamination. I chose shiitake mushrooms for this recipe because shiitake is very meaty and has a delicious umami flavor. This recipe takes some work, but at the end of the day, it's incredible to go from harvest to table right at home.

This black-eyed pea curry bowl is a time investment, but trust me, it's a flavor-packed dish that'll keep you full and satisfied. The best part? You make it once, and you've got delicious leftovers for days. It's the gift that keeps giving – it saves time in the long run and keeps your taste buds happy.

I usually get my hands on lobster mushrooms once a year, but I found it twice in San Diego this year! If you can’t get your hands on this mushroom, you can use chanterelle mushrooms or oyster mushrooms since they both have a slight seafood flavor. I cooked these up with cajun spices to pair well with the chipotle mac & cheeze. It’s been a struggle for me to create a good cheeze sauce that doesn’t dry out when baked, but this recipe hits different. For this recipe, I used a blend of cashew cheeze and melted down Follow Your Heart cheddar cheeze shreds. This created the perfect sauce! I also added canned chipotle salsa for mild heat and smoky flavor. Crispy onions and chipotle salsa, to garnish, adds a nice touch to every bite. Enjoy!

A while back I was asked to be part of the Golden Recipe program on Pinterest TV. The objective was to make a recipe that reminded me of my past. For the Golden Recipe, I chose to make a vegan version of country-fried steak. That recipe was pretty good, but this recipe takes it to a whole other level. I figured out the perfect crunchy batter and the Lion's Mane steak makes for a wonderful texture and chew. Hope you enjoy!

Are you tired of your quinoa sticking to the pan or coming out too dry? Here is how to make the perfect quinoa every time! Try this hack!

Split Pea soup is one of those recipes that takes me down memory lane. My pops and I have never had a tight relationship, but he knows how to make bomb split pea soup. Here is my twist on his recipe with a Caribbean vibe. I added coconut cream, habanero pepper, lime, fresh cilantro, and toasted coconut. Keep this on heavy rotation during the Fall and Winter; it will keep you warm and full all season. Peace

Before my vegan journey, my son and I frequented Panda Express for the Honey Walnut Shrimp. This was also back when I didn't know how to cook, so picking up food was the vibe. I was never a fan of the texture of shrimp, but I liked this dish because of the sweet sauce and the crunchy walnuts. Making this with Lion's Mane fixed the texture problem, so I can enjoy one of my old time favorites again!