Here are some of our Favorite Recipes at Green Bowl
Happy Cooking!
We hope that everyone enjoyed their holiday meal, whatever your choice of fare may have been. We are still on a Holiday recipe kick and today we would like to share an excellent dessert recipe, we make it with eggs, but if you wanted to use flax seed for a vegan version that is perfectly fine. However, be aware that the texture if you make it without eggs will be slightly different, still delicious, but not a perfect replacement. Bon Appetit!
Holiday Pumpkin Bars
Filling
Published 12-02-2013
Holiday Pumpkin Bars
Filling
- 2 cups Pumpkin Puree
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Soy or Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Honey, or 2 tbsp Sucanut, Cane Sugar, or 3 large pitted Medjool Dates
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup Almond Butter
- 1/3 cup Raisins
- 1/3 cup Boiling Water
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Combine raisins and boiling water in the jar of a bar blender and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Add almond butter and vanilla and puree until smooth.
- Scrape mixture into a bowl, add almond flour and mix to combine into a sticky dough.
- Line a 1/4 sheet pan with a slightly over-size parchment paper, pat dough into a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. Place pan in a 350 degree F oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Wash blender jar, combine all filling ingredients, except pumpkin seeds in jar and puree until very smooth.
- When crust is finished par-baking, pour filling mixture over crust and spread into a smooth even layer, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Place bars in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until filling is nicely set, but not cracked. Remove from oven and cool for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: If you wish to use a different kind of nut flour, or even coconut flour it is perfectly acceptable to do so, though it will alter the flavor
of course. You may also substitute roasted butternut or other winter squash flesh, roasted sweet potatoes, or even carrots for alternative
flavor combinations.]
Published 12-02-2013
If you want something unusual to add to your holiday fare, here's a Brussels Sprout recipe that we particularly like. If you can't find a chile infused balsamic vinegar, don't worry. Use any regular good quality balsamic vinegar that you like and add a little hot sauce to suit your tastes. Bon Appetit!
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Chile-Balsamic Dressing
11-25-2013
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Chile-Balsamic Dressing
- 1 lb Fresh Brussels Sprouts
- 3 Green Onions
- Salt to Taste
- ¼ to 1/3 cup Chile-Infused Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 clove Garlic
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lime
- Wash sprouts and green onions. Trim bottoms of sprouts, remove tough outer leaves and shred sprouts thinly with knife. Slice green onions thinly on bias, or into fine shreds if you wish.
- Peel and crush garlic to a paste. Combine garlic with lime juice, zest, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt, mix all together.
- Combine shredded sprouts and dressing in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Allow to marinate 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
11-25-2013
Cranberry relish! If it wasn't for all the corn syrup in the canned stuff, it would be one of our favorite parts of holiday dinners. However, we like cranberry sauce/relish and here's what we came up with for a suitable replacement.
Classy Cranberry Sauce
Published 11-18-2013
Classy Cranberry Sauce
- 2 cups Fresh or Frozen Unsweetened Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Fresh Orange Juice and 1 strip Orange Zest(or 3/4 tsp dried orange peel)
- 1/2 cup Cranberry Juice (not "cranberry juice cocktail", those almost always have dyes and added sugars)
- 1/2 inch thick Slice Fresh Ginger
- Wash cranberries if using fresh, remove any damaged/moldy berries. Peel ginger slice, but don't chop.
- Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover pan with a lid, and cook until berries are all burst and sauce is thickened.
- Remove ginger slice and orange zest strip(if not using grated dried peel), and pour sauce into mold lined with plastic wrap. Chilled until firmed, un-mold and serve. Bon Appetit
[Note: If you like your cranberry sauce sweet, you probably won't like this since we don't use any sweetener other than fruit juice. You can use additional sugar/honey/agave/dried fruits, etc but we think that's kind of beside the point.]
Published 11-18-2013
Some folks have told us that one of the things they really miss about a grain-free, gluten-free diet is no traditional stuffing at the holiday table. We like stuffing too, so we feel your pain. Unfortunately, gluten-free breads just don't hold up to making them into stuffing, and they never taste quite right anyway. Chef was tinkering around and this is what she came up with for a nice alternative, the texture isn't exactly the same, but the flavor is very close and the texture is quite pleasing in and of itself. Make up a batch and see for yourself. Bon Appetit!
Potato “Stuffing”
Potato “Stuffing”
- 1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes or ¾ lb Yukon Gold and ¾ lb Russet Potatoes
- 1 large Onion
- 4 ribs Celery
- 3 to 6 cloves Garlic
- ¾ to 1 ½ tsp Dried Sage
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper (freshly ground perferably)
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Wine, Malt, or Cider Vinegar
- 2 cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 ½ cups Unsweetened Soy Milk
- 1 tbsp Arrowroot Starch dissolved in 2 tbsp Cold Water
- Wash and peel potatoes, cut into ½ inch dice, place in cold water so they don't turn weird colors.
- Wash celery, cut into ¼ inch dice. Peel onion and garlic, mince finely.
- Bring soy milk to a boil, whisk in arrowroot slurry and bring to boil. Simmer until thickened, remove from heat and set aside until needed.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add onion, garlic, and celery. Sweat all together for about 5 minutes until very fragrant and vegetables are softened. Add dried sage, black pepper, salt, and vinegar. Cook all together 1 minute.
- Drain potatoes and add to pot, along with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, stir in thickened soy milk, and pour contents of pan into an appropriately sized baking dish(preferably a round dish, no dry corners that way). Cover with oven-proof lid, or aluminum foil.
- Place baking dish in preheated 375 degree oven and bake for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Potatoes should be VERY tender when cooked and the cooking liquid should basically all be absorbed. Remove “stuffing” from oven and cool for 20 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Feel free to use mushroom stock and add dried mushrooms for an alternative flavor. If you want a more “stuffing”-like texture and you are okay with eating eggs, temper 3 large eggs into the thickened soy milk mixture and then temper that into the potato/vegetable/stock mixture before baking.]
Thanksgiving is coming up and as promised here is another of our favorite holiday recipes. Nothing says "Festive" quite like sweet potatoes in our book, this simple dish has been a long standing hit with our families. We think it will be one with yours too. Bon Appetit!
Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
- 4 lbs Fresh Sweet Potatoes (or yams)
- 1 cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 cup Medjool Dates
- 3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice, Nutmeg, or Mace
- 3/4 cup Walnuts or Pecans
- 1/2 cup Flax Seed Meal or 3 Eggs
- Wash sweet potatoes, place in a large oven proof dish, cover with aluminum foil, and place in a 400 degree F oven. Bake until sweet potatoes are very tender, about an hour.
- While sweet potatoes are baking; heat non-dairy milk to a boil, pit dates, and combine with heated non-dairy milk. Allow to stand.
- When sweet potatoes are cooked, remove dish from oven and allow to cool still covered with the foil for about 20 minutes. Peel sweet potatoes. Combine the flesh of one sweet potato with milk/date mixture and puree until smooth. Mash remaing sweet potatoes and combine with flax seed meal(or eggs), pureed sweet potato mixture, and spices. Mix well to combine.
- Place mixture into appropriately sized baking dish, top with nuts and place in a 400 degree F oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until nuts are toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
When it comes to root vegetables there are very few people that know how to handle them better than the Eastern Europeans, one of our favorite dishes is from the classic Polish repertoire, we adjusted the classic dish to use non-dairy yogurt, but you can use any type of unflavored/unsweetened yogurt that you wish. If you like, feel free to substitute carrots, parsnips, or turnips in place of the celeriac. Bon Appetit!
Celeriac Salad
Celeriac Salad
- 1 lb Fresh Celeriac (celery root)
- 1 large Tart Apple
- 2 to 4 tbsp Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt (strained Greek yogurt is also acceptable if you do not object to dairy products)
- 3 tbsp Raisins
- Juice of 1 to 2 Lemons
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Wash and peel celeriac and apple. Grate celeriac and apple, or shred finely with a knife.
- Combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat. Taste and adjust. Serve at once.
Fall weather makes us start thinking about the Holiday season, however with the rather sluggish economy we are very aware that splurging on special ingredients might be beyond what the budget will allow. With that in mind, we would like to share some of our favorite holiday flavored recipes over the next few weeks, that give the tastes that we associate with that special time of year, without costing an arm-an-a-leg.
Baked Apple Gratin
Baked Apple Gratin
- 1 1/2 lbs Tart Apples (granny smith, empire, cortland, jonathan, northern spy, winesap, etc)
- 1 large Onion
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1 1/2 tbps plus 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Soy or Non-Dairy Milk
- 2 1/2 tbps Whole Wheat (if you require a gluten-free flour, use gluten-free oat, or buckwheat flour in place of the wheat)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 3/4 tsp Dried Sage (or if you dislike sage, use 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1/4 cup Whole Grain Bread Crumbs(optional. You can also use walnuts, caramelized onions, or roasted mushrooms as a toppig if you wish.)
- Wash apples and potatoes. Peel onions and potatoes. Cut onion in half, remove root ends, and slice thinly. Cut potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch chunks. Cut apples in half, remove cores, and cut into approximately 1/2 inch chunks.
- Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add onions and saute for about 5 minutes until golden brown, and nicely cooked. Place potato and apple chunks in with cooked onions, toss to combine and transfer mixture to an appropriately sized baking dish.
- Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to thick, blonde-ish paste(unless you use buckwheat flour, in which case the roux will be sort of gray-ish blue). Add dried sage(or other herbs if you don't care for sage), whisk in vegetable stock and non-dairy milk, bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Season sauce with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste, and pour over apple/potato/onion mixture.
- Top gratin with bread crumbs, or topping of your choice, if you wish, cover with aluminum foil. Place in 375 degree F oven and bake for 45 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until top is lightly browned and potatoes are very tender. Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: If you wish to add an earthier flavor to the gratin, use mushroom stock instead of vegetable stock. Or add 1 1/2 cups of roasted mushrooms to the potato/apple/onion mixture.]
There's been some lovely Fall weather in our patch of the world last week, however it is wet, cold, and windy today and the sort of weather that makes us think about stews, curry, and other tasty savory things. Here's a good one to make the most of that winter squash you bought at your local Farmer's Market this weekend. Nothing goes together like curry spices and winter squash. Bon Appetit!
Spicy Winter Squash Curry
Published 10-14-2013
Spicy Winter Squash Curry
- 1 medium Winter Squash (you can use any type you like, but we like butternut because they're easy to peel)
- 1 large Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 inch thick slice Fresh Ginger
- 1/2 Cinnamon Stick
- 6 Cardamom Pods
- 1-3 Dried Chiles of Your Choice (we like 1-2 dried Thai Bird Chiles, but you can use dried anchos, poblanos, jalepenos, etc. We don't recommend chipotles because they are too smoky and the flavor takes over. If you prefer fresh chile flavor you can certainly use any type of fresh chile in the amount you prefer, chile powder is also an acceptable option.)
- Salt to Taste
- 1 tsp Ground Tumeric
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed
- 1 tsp Coriander Seed
- 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed (or fenugreek seed)
- Juice of 2 Limes and Zest of 1
- 2 cups Vegetable Stock or Low-Fat Coconut Milk(you can use the full-fat coconut milk, but it makes a greasy film as it reduces which isn't so nice)
- 2-3 tbsp Fresh Chopped Cilantro or Parsley
- Peel onion, garlic, ginger, and winter squash. Cut onion into fine dice(1/4 inch or smaller). Mince garlic and ginger. Cut squash in half, scoop out the guts/seeds. Cut squash into approximately 3/4 inch rough cubes.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium heat without any oil, add all whole spices(cinnamon, cardamom pods, cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander seed) and toast for approximately 1 minute until you hear the spices are fragrant and making a gentle "popping" noise.
- Add chopped onion and reduce heat to low. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, dried chiles, and tumeric. Sweat all together for about 2 minutes, until garlic and ginger are really fragrant.
- Add squash and turn heat up to medium, cook 1 minute. Add vegetable stock, or coconut milk, and lime zest. Bring liquid to a boil, season lightly with salt, reduce heat to low, cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until squash is tender.
- Add half the lime juice, taste and adjust seasoning with additional lime juice and salt. Remove large whole spices(cinnamon stick, etc) and serve with cooked rice, lentils, or simple steamed green vegetables. Bon Appetit!
[Note: If the curry isn't thick enough for your taste, feel free to stir in a little arrowroot starch slurry towards the end of cooking, the squash will generally soak up/thicken it to a nice consistency, but if you like a really thick curry you may want an additional thickener. Also, don't over-cook the squash, or you'll end up with curry-soup. If you don't over-cook the squash, don't worry. Fish out the large whole spices and puree the whole business. No one will ever know it wasn't originally meant to be soup.]
Published 10-14-2013
We've had our first taste of Winter's chill here in the Mid-West and it is influencing our recipe choice for the week. Make up a batch of this delicious stew to warm the cockles. Bon Appetit!
Simple White Bean Stew
Published 10-07-2013
Simple White Bean Stew
- 2 cups Dried White Beans
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 small Leek
- 3 stalks of Celery
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 cup Dry Sherry or Dry Un-Oaked White Wine (optional)
- 1 to 1 1/2 quarts Water
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 large Bay Leaf
- 1/2 tsp Dried Herbs of your Choice (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, etc)
- 1 to 4 tsp Sherry or Wine Vinegar
- Wash celery and cut into fine dice. Trim off dark green parts of leek, split and rinse thoroughly, slice finely. Peel onion, cut into fine dice. Peel and crush garlic.
- Place all vegetables into a large saucepan over medium-low heat and sweat for 3-4 minutes. Add dried herb, bay leaf, a few grinds of black pepper, and sherry. Bring to a boil, add dried beans and bring to a boil again.
- Add water and vinegar, turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until pot is simmering gently, cover saucepan and cook for 45 minutes, season lightly with salt and continue cooking until beans are tender and have absorbed about 3/4 of the liquid. Vegetables will be very tender. Remove bay leaves and serve hot. Bon Appetit!
[Note: You can use other types of beans for this recipe if you wish: baby limas, butter-beans, white kidney beans, flagolets, pinto, and black-eyed peas all work well with slightly different tastes/textures in the final dish. Also, cooking times will vary depending upon the type and age of the dried beans you are using.]
Published 10-07-2013
There are two seasons for beets and we're glad about that. We like beets quite a bit, we also like soup, and soups made with beets that aren't borscht are a bit hard to come by in our experience. Here is one of our favorite recipes for a spiced beet soup that will bring even non-beet lovers over to an amenable state of mind. Bon Appetit!
Moroccan Beet Soup
Published 09-30-2013
Moroccan Beet Soup
- 1 ½ lbs Fresh Beets (any color)
- 1 small Onion
- 1 rib Celery
- ½ tsp Cumin Seed
- 1 tsp Coriander Seed
- 6 Cardamom Pods
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- 1 quart Vegetable Stock or Water
- Wash beets and celery. Peel onion, cut in half, and slice ¼ inch thick. Slice celery ¼ inch thick. Peel beets, remove tap roots and any tops/leaves. Cut into ½ inch dice.
- Sweat onion and celery in a large dry saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until sizzling and fragrant.
- Add chopped beets, and whole spices(you can put the spices in a sachet if you wish, but the only ones you're really going to want to remove are the cardamom pods and the cinnamon stick. Cook all together 2-3 minutes.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper, add vegetable stock, lemon juice and zest, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until beets are very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove whole spices and transfer soup to the jar of a bar blender. Add orange juice and puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Soup can be served hot, or cold.
Published 09-30-2013
Apple season is here, and we couldn't be happier about it. Apples are one of our favorite fruits, though it is possible we say that about every fruit. Lots of people don't realize that apples while they are wonderful for dessert, and breakfast, they also make excellent additions or bases for savory dishes. Here is one of our favorite savory apple dishes, perfect for a cool Fall supper. Bon Appetit!
Curried Apple-an-Onion Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Published 09-23-2013
Curried Apple-an-Onion Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- 1 1/2 lbs Fresh Tart Apples (Jonathan, Mackintosh, Northern Spy, Winesap, Granny Smith varieties, etc)
- 1 large Onion
- 1/2 a Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- 3 Whole Cloves
- 5-8 Cardamom Pods
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Seed
- 1/4 to 1 tsp Chile Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Minced Fresh Ginger
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 stalk Celery
- 3/4 cup Vegetable Stock or Water
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut, Almond, or Soy Milk
- 1 tsp Arrowroot Starch dissolved in 2 tbsp Cold Water
- 1-3 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 small Sweet Potatoes
- Wash sweet potatoes and place in a large baking dish, cover dish with aluminum foil and place in a 400 degree F oven and bake until tender, 30 to 60 minutes.
- Peel onion and garlic. Wash apples and celery. Chop onion, apples, and celery into 1/2 inch dice. Mince garlic finely.
- Combine all whole spices in a large dry saute pan over medium heat and toast until very fragrant, be careful not to burn. Add minced garlic, ginger, celery, and onion to the pan with spices and reduce heat to low. Sweat vegetables and aromatics together for 3-5 minutes until vegetables become translucent, add desired amount of chile powder.
- Add apples and turn heat up to medium heat. Add vegetable stock(or water), non-dairy milk, and a small amount of vinegar, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and season lightly with salt. Simmer curry all together for about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in arrowroot/water slurry and simmer until thickened, simmer an additional 3 to 10 minutes for apples to achieve desired softness. Taste and adjust curry with vinegar, salt, and chile powder as needed. Remove cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and star anise before serving.
- To Serve: Split baked sweet potatoes in half and spoon curry on middle of each sweet potato. Top with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, as desired. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-23-2013
A lot of people don't realize it, but the Mid-West is a land of paradoxes and contradictions, particularly in its weather conditions. Last week it was just blasting hot at the beginning/middle of the week, but by the end it had cooled down to a very pleasant Autumnal ambiance. We like Autumn a lot, actually there isn't a season that we don't like, with the exception of maybe February(yes, February is its own season). Here is one of our favorite Autumn dishes, it makes a great easy side dish, serve it with sauteed greens, crispy tofu/tempeh, or roasted mushrooms. Chef's a big fan of squash, so she normally just eats it straight up. Bon Appetit!
Best Winter Squash Puree
Published 09-16-2013
Best Winter Squash Puree
- 3 lbs Fresh Winter Squash of Your Choice (Butternut is Chef's favorite, but hubbard, acorn, pumpkin, etc, all work nicely as well.)
- 1/2 lb White or Yellow Onion (you can use red onion, but it makes the puree a funny color sometimes)
- Salt and Cayenne Pepper to Taste
- 1-3 tsp Wine, Cider, or Malt Vinegar
- Wash and peel squash, cut in half, remove seeds and cut into rough 2 inch chunks. Place in a large baking dish.
- Peel onion and slice 1/2 inch thick. Place slices in pan with squash, cover dish with foil, or an oven-proof lid, and place in a 400 degree F oven. Roast until squash and onions are very tender, about an hour.
- Transfer roasted vegetables to the jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Season lightly with salt, vinegar, and cayenne pepper, puree again briefly to distribute seasoning thoroughly. Taste and adjust. Serve puree hot, warm, or chilled with whatever you'd like, or eat it on its own. Bon Appetit!
[Note: If you make a lot of this puree you can thin it out with non-dairy milk, or vegetable stock, for an excellent fast soup. Also, feel free to use additional herbs, spices, seasonings if you wish. Cardamom, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander are all excellent spice choices. Thyme, lavender, or bay leaves are excellent herb choices if you so choose.]
Published 09-16-2013
It's hot this week in our part of the world, here's a great late Summer cold soup to cool you off and jazz up your week-day lunch, Sunday brunch, or whip up for a fast no-cook supper. Bon Appetit!
Cucumber Avocado Soup
Published 09-09-2013
Cucumber Avocado Soup
- 3 large English Cucumbers
- 1 small ripe Avocado
- 4 ounces Fresh Spinach
- The Juice of 2 Limes and the Zest of 1
- Salt to Taste
- ¼ bunch Fresh Curly Parsley, 15 leaves Fresh Basil, or 1 large sprig Fresh Mint
- Wash cucumbers, spinach, and herbs as necessary. Cut cucumbers into 1 inch chunks and place in the jar of a bar blender.
- Remove stems from herbs, and spinach as needed, add to blender along with half the lime juice and zest of 1 lime. Cut avocado in half, remove pit and scoop flesh into blender.
- Puree soup until very smooth, taste and season with salt and additional lime juice as needed.
- Serve in cold bowls garnished with a slice of cucumber, avocado, and a few small leaves of the herb blended into the soup. Bon Appetit!
[Note: For chilled soup add 2-4 ice cubes to soup while blending. Serve immediately after blending, soup does not keep very well.]
Published 09-09-2013
Here's a great late Summer salad as demonstrated by Chef Jillian on KETV Channel 7 news on Sunday morning. A great healthier option for pot-lucks and barbeques. If you don't like horseradish feel free to replace the horseradish with cumin, the parsley with cilantro, and the vinegar with lime juice for a peppy Latin flavor. Bon Appetit!
Black Bean and Corn Salad with Horseradish
- 2 cups Cooked or No-Sodium Canned Black Beans
- 4 ears Fresh Sweet Corn or 2 ½ cups Frozen Corn Kernals
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper (or other red sweet pepper variety)
- 1-2 ounces Fresh Leafy Sprouts(pea, sunflower, or watercress shoots) or ½ cup Fresh Parsley Leaves
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 to 3 tsp Prepared Horseradish or 2 ½ to 4 tbsp Grated Fresh Horseradish
- 2 to 4 tbsp Red Wine or Malt Vinegar
- Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Husk sweet corn and cut kernels from ears, if using fresh. Blanch cut corn in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Whisk together horseradish, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to stand 5 minutes.
- Drain and rinse black beans as needed. Wash pepper, remove core and ribs, cut into ¼ inch dice. Peel onion and mince finely.
- If using parsley, rinse well, pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Remove stems and chop finely. Do not wash leafy sprouts, they are used whole.
- Combine beans, cooked corn, bell pepper, onion with half dressing, toss well, taste and adjust seasoning with additional dressing, salt, and pepper as needed. Allow salad to stand 5 minutes before tossing with leafy sprouts, or chopped parsley. Serve room temperature, or cold. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-01-2013
A lot of folks don't realize that winter squash can be eaten raw, and is delicious that way as well. In this salad we prefer acorn squash, but you can use most any type of winter squash that you wish. We generally look for acorn squashes with shallower ridges which peel more easily, but you can certainly use a butternut or another type of squash, if you wish. Give this great salad a try, we really like it and we think you will too. Bon Appetit!
Acorn Squash Salad
Published 08-26-2013
Acorn Squash Salad
- 1 medium Acorn Squash (choose one with shallow ridges to make it easier to peel)
- 1 small Onion
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley Leaves
- 1 large Fresh Peach, Pear, or Apple
- 2 tbsp Pinenuts, Slivered Almonds, or toasted squash/pumpkin seeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sherry or Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Wash squash and fruit. Peel onion and squash. Slice onion very thinly. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and cut into fine shreds
- Pick parsley leaves from stems and chop finely. Cut fruit in half, remove pit/core and cut into 1/4 inch dice.
- Combine squash, onion, parsely, fruit, and nuts in a large bowl, season with vinegar, salt and pepper; toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour before serving.
Published 08-26-2013
It might only be mid-August but that hint of Fall is definitely in the air. Here is one of our favorite recipes for stuffed winter squash. It works best with smaller squash, Chef Jillian recommends "sweet dumpling", "black futzu", "Thelma Saunders", and similar. Small acorn squash also work well. Bon Appetit!
Winter Squash stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Published 08-19-2013
Winter Squash stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
- 2 small Winter Squash
- 1 large Onion
- 1 lb Fresh Mixed Mushrooms (oyster, button, crimini, beech, king trumpet, etc)
- 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 3/4 tsp Dried Thyme
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
- 1/2 cup Dry Sherry, Marsala, Maidera, or light-to-medium body Red Wine
- 1 tsp
Olive Oil
- Peel
onion, cut in half, and chop finely. Brush mushrooms to remove any
growth medium and slice ½ inch thick.
- Heat
olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, when oil
smokes lightly add mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes until mushrooms
are lightly browned. Add onions and herbs, season lightly with salt
and pepper. Saute 3-4 minutes until onions are lightly browned and
mushrooms are nicely cooked.
- Add
sherry to pan, simmer 4-5 minutes until liquid is reduced by half.
Remove pan from heat and set aside while you prepare squashes for
stuffing.
- Wash
squash, slice off tops about ¾ inch down the top of the squash.
Carefully remove lid and set aside after scraping any seeds from the
inner edge. Scoop out insides of squash and discard, or make soup.
- Season
inside of squashes lightly with salt and pepper. Scoop
onion/mushroom mixture into squashes, replace lids, and place filled
squashes on a sheet pan.
- Place
in 400 degree oven and bake until tender, approximately 25 minutes.
Remove from oven when baked, and allow to cool for 5 minutes before
serving.
Published 08-19-2013
Here's a recipe a few folks asked for from the demonstration Chef Jillian did out at Wenninghoff Farms the other day. It's very easy, delicious, and quite refreshing. Feel free to use other types of beets than just red ones, or a mixture of beets, carrots, and turnips if you like. Bon Appetit!
Rosemary Roasted Beet Salad
Published 08-12-2013
Rosemary Roasted Beet Salad
- 2 lbs Fresh Beets
- 1 large Sprig Fresh Rosemary
- 2-3 tbsp Sherry Vinegar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped Onion (optional)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Wash beets and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap foil into a rough sort of packet, place on a sheet tray, and place in a 400 degree F oven. Roast until beets are tender, between 30 and 90 minutes depending on size of beets. When roasted remove from oven and allow to cool in their foil for about 15 minutes before rubbing with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove skins.
- Pick rosemary leaves from stem and chop finely. Cut a small piece of onion and chop finely if using.
- Cut roasted beets into approximately 1/4 inch dice, place in a bowl with all other ingredients. Toss well, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm, or allow salad to stand in refrigerator for up to 8 hours before serving. Garnish with sliced summer squash, cucumber, pickled onion, or fresh rosemary leaves. [Note: If you allow salad to marinate you may need to add a bit more vinegar before serving to brighten up the flavor.] Bon Appetit!
Published 08-12-2013
Chef Jillian taught a preserving and pickling class out at one of our local farms and here is one of our favorite pickles in general. You can make the same brine and use it to pickle beets, radishes, turnips, etc. Feel free to adjust the spices/aromatics you place in the jar, or remove them entirely according to your tastes. Happy Pickling!
Tangy Carrot Pickles
[Note: One variation for this recipe that we're rather fond of is to take small bulb onions, blanch them for 1 minute, peel and pack them in jars. Make the brine from this recipe with malt vinegar, and add mustard seed instead of tarragon to the jars. Pour boiling brine over the onions, and pack them as described above. If you like pickled onions, these are phenomenal. No joke. Bon Appetit!]
Published 08-05-2013
Tangy Carrot Pickles
- 3 lbs Young Carrots
- 1 ½ cups Apple Cider Vinegar (5% acidity, good quality stuff)
- 1/3 cup Honey, Molasses, Sorghum, or Agave Nectar
- 1 ½ cups Water
- 2 tsp Table Salt or 1 ½ tsp Pickling Salt
- 1 tbsp Dried Tarragon
- 2 tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- Wash carrots and peel if desired. If carrots are large feel free to cut them into ½ inch batons, you can certainly pickle them whole, but it takes a little bit longer if they are large.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch carrots for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. crisp. Drain thoroughly and pack into sterilized jars.
- Combine remaining ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes.
- Pour boiling brine over carrots, leave approximately ½ inch of head-room at the top of each jar. Tap jars gently to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe rims of jars, place sterilized caps on jars, and place in a large pot of boiling water. Process for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove processed jars from canner and place on a sheet tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to cool on counter before labeling.
- Allow processed pickles to stand in a cool dark place for at least 3 days before eating. You can refrigerate your pickles rather than process them, they will be ready to eat after 2 days, and will keep 8 weeks refrigerated.
[Note: One variation for this recipe that we're rather fond of is to take small bulb onions, blanch them for 1 minute, peel and pack them in jars. Make the brine from this recipe with malt vinegar, and add mustard seed instead of tarragon to the jars. Pour boiling brine over the onions, and pack them as described above. If you like pickled onions, these are phenomenal. No joke. Bon Appetit!]
Published 08-05-2013
We are experiencing a most peculiar bout of chilly(for July) weather here in the Mid-West and Autumn threatens to arrive early. This weather calls to mind the ingredients of Fall and some of the delicious things that come with the changing of the seasons. Here is a fabulous soup that we love, it can be served either hot or cold, and the technique can be used with a variety of ingredients. Happy cooking and Bon Appetit!
Summer Corn Soup
[Note: You can add other things to the standard soup if you wish, roasted red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, or tomato confit are all good additions. If you want to make the soup with something other than corn, Jeruselem or globe artichokes, beets, and carrots are all excellent substitutes. You can also make this soup with leftover grilled/roasted corn if you wish, though you may choose to use white wine or add more lemon juice/vinegar to the soup base because otherwise it will be quite sweet, though you may prefer it that way as some folks do. If you make it with grilled/roasted corn we recommend garnishing the soup with a very tangy pickle, such as pickled radish, ramps, beets, or watermelon rind for a nice tangy Summery touch. Bon Appetit!.]
Published 07-29-2013
Summer Corn Soup
- 6 ears Fresh Sweet Corn (preferably local and an heirloom variety)
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 small Fennel Bulb
- 1 cup Unsweetened Soy Milk (unsweetened almond milk works well also)
- 1 pint Vegetable Stock
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper (white pepper doesn't show in the soup, but black pepper has better flavor. Choose whichever you prefer.)
- Juice of 1 or 2 Lemons
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Hungarian Paprika or Chile Powder to Garnish
- Peel onion and slice thinly. Wash fennel, remove feathery tops and core. Slice thinly.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sweat onion and fennel for approximately 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add bay leaf, vegetable stock and soy milk and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 15-20 minutes.
- While soup base is cooking, shuck sweet corn rinse well to remove silk. Cut corn kernels from ears, and scrape cobs into a bowl to collect the corn juice. Cut 2 cobs into 3 or 4 pieces and add to soup base for additional flavor.
- Add corn juice/kernels and juice of 1 lemon to soup base, simmer for 5 minutes. Remove corn cobs and pour soup into jar of bar blender and puree until very smooth. Taste soup and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice as needed. Serve soup hot, or chill and serve cold. Garnish with paprika or chile powder as desired.
[Note: You can add other things to the standard soup if you wish, roasted red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, or tomato confit are all good additions. If you want to make the soup with something other than corn, Jeruselem or globe artichokes, beets, and carrots are all excellent substitutes. You can also make this soup with leftover grilled/roasted corn if you wish, though you may choose to use white wine or add more lemon juice/vinegar to the soup base because otherwise it will be quite sweet, though you may prefer it that way as some folks do. If you make it with grilled/roasted corn we recommend garnishing the soup with a very tangy pickle, such as pickled radish, ramps, beets, or watermelon rind for a nice tangy Summery touch. Bon Appetit!.]
Published 07-29-2013
Melon season is here and we are Very happy about that. Here is one of our favorite ways to use a ripe fresh melon, apart from just taking the guts out an eating it. Stay cool, and Bon Appetit!
Refreshing Melon Soup
- 2 lbs Fresh Ripe Melon (preferably cantelope, honeydew, crenshaw, or casaba type, can use watermelon if you pick the seeds out first.)
- 1 small Shallot or Onion (very fresh, preferably home-grown, or farmer's market)
- 1 large sprig Fresh Mint
- 1/2 cup Cold Water
- 1 cup Ice Cubes
- Juice of 2 Limes or Lemons and Zest of 1
- Salt to Taste
- 1 tbsp Chia or Flax Seed Meal (optional - for thicker soup -)
- Wash melon, cut in half, remove seeds/guts and slice off rind. Cut into chunks. Peel shallot(or onion). Zest and juice citrus. Pick mint leaves and shred finely.
- Combine all ingredients except salt and mint in jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, and additional citrus if needed.
- Serve soup at once garnished with shredded mint leaves. [Note: If using chai, or flax meal in soup allow soup to stand in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving to give the fiber time thicken the soup. If not using, serve at once.]
[Note: This soup does not keep so make only as much as will be eaten at one sitting. If you do have a bit extra you can freeze it and add it to a green smoothie, etc, but the freezing doesn't do it any favors in terms of flavor and nutrition.]
Published 07-22-2013
It's Summer and we like to eat raw most of the time in Summer since it's easy, cheap, fast, and above all; doesn't heat up the house. Here is a quick little salad we came up with the other week to use up an abundance of broccoli and summer squash. It's delicious, and it will keep in your fridge very nicely for several days if you want to make a lot and eat it for multiple meals. Add extra lime juice for a nice marinating effect, if you wish. Bon Appetit!
Summer Broccoli Salad
Published 07-15-2013
Summer Broccoli Salad
- 1 lb Fresh Broccoli (ideally locally grown)
- 1 lb Fresh Young Summer Squash (zucchine, yellow squash types work best. Patty pans are okay, if they are quite small.)
- 1 small Onion
- Juice and Zest of 2 Limes
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- A Dash of Tabasco (optional)
- Wash broccoli and squash. Cut broccoli into small fleurettes, approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch square. Peel stalk and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Cut squash into 1/4 inch dice, no need to peel it. Peel onion and mince finely.
- Combine cut vegetables in a large bowll, toss together with lime juice, zest, a pinch of salt and pepper, and tabasco(if using). Toss well, taste and adjust. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, or refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: You can use cauliflower, or broccolette in place of regular broccoli if you wish, or a mixture of all 3. If you prefer lemon juice to lime juice, feel free to substitute.]
Published 07-15-2013
Cauliflower season is pretty much here and there are not many cruciferous vegetables we like as much as we like cauliflower. Here is a recipe for an awesome soup using one of our favorite flavor combinations, cauliflower and paprika. You can roast the cauliflower first for a smoky kind of flavor, or you can make it as we describe below. This soup is awesomely good served hot, or room temperature, but you can serve it cold if you wish, however it tends to be slightly sulfurous if eaten cold. Also, if you like kohlrabi feel free to substitute that for cauliflower, ditto Jerusalem Artichokes. Bon Appetit!
Cauliflower Blush Bisque
Published 07-08-2013
Cauliflower Blush Bisque
- 2 lbs Fresh Cauliflower
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika or 1 tsp each sweet, spicy, and smoked paprikas blended together
- 2 tsp Wine, Malt, or Cider Vinegar
- 1 1/2 quarts Vegetable Stock or Water
- Salt to Taste
- 2-4 cloves Fresh Garlic
- Wash cauliflower, remove core/leaves and cut into chunks. Peel onion, cut in half, remove root and slice thinly. Peel and crush garlic.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and saute 1-2 minutes until sizzling and lightly browned.(No need to add any oil, just keep an eye on your heat.)
- Add garlic, paprika, and cauliflower and saute 1 minute until fragrant. Add water or vegetable stock, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Turn heat up to high, cover pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Pour cooked soup carefully into jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, vinegar, and paprika as needed. Serve soup hot, or allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 07-08-2013
In the Summer months we are particularly fond of smoothies for breakfast, or indeed other meals. However, we have discovered it's kind of tricky to find recipes for vegetable smoothies, particularly ones that are more than palatable. This week we would like to share one of our favorite veggie smoothie recipes. Bon Appetit!
Very Veggie Smoothie
[Note: This recipe makes about 1 quart of smoothie which is enough for one person for a filling breakfast or lunch, or enough for 2 people to share along with fresh fruit for a nice nutritious breakfast. Feel free to change some of the ingredients around according to your own tastes, and what's in season. If you prefer a thicker smoothie the addition of 1 tbsp Flax Seed during blending will thicken it up quite a bit. Green smoothies of any sort do not keep. Make them and drink them for best results.]
Published 07-01-2013
Very Veggie Smoothie
- 1 Fresh Ripe Tomato
- 1/2 Bell Pepper (any color)
- 1 Persian Cucumber or a 3 inch length of Regular Cucumber
- 1 stalk Celery
- 2-3 cups Fresh Spinach or Kale
- 2 tsp Wine, Malt, Cider, Sherry, or Balsamic Vinegar
- Pinch of Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Korean Red Pepper, or Hot Sauce to taste
- 1 Green Onion(optional)
- 4 to 10 Ice Cubes
- 1/2 cup Water
- Wash all vegetables. Core tomato and bell pepper as needed. Remove stems from spinach or kale as needed. Trim ends from cucumber and celery.
- Cut all vegetables into chunks, place in blender with ice, water, seasonings, and greens. Puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Pour into glasses and serve at once. Do Not Make Ahead. Bon Appetit!
[Note: This recipe makes about 1 quart of smoothie which is enough for one person for a filling breakfast or lunch, or enough for 2 people to share along with fresh fruit for a nice nutritious breakfast. Feel free to change some of the ingredients around according to your own tastes, and what's in season. If you prefer a thicker smoothie the addition of 1 tbsp Flax Seed during blending will thicken it up quite a bit. Green smoothies of any sort do not keep. Make them and drink them for best results.]
Published 07-01-2013
Melon season is almost here and it's been quite steamy in our bit of the world lately. Here's a great salad that does the trick of making the most of a great summer produce item, and also will serve to help you beat the heat. Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit!
Cucumber Melon Salad
- 1 medium Cantaloup, Musk Melon, Galia, Crenshaw, Honeydew, or 2 lbs of Fresh Watermelon - any color, seedless preferable -
- 2 large Cucumbers (English seedless varieties preferable)
- Juice of 2-3 Limes and Zest of 1 Lime
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 large Spring Fresh Tarragon or Basil(6-10 leaves approximately)
- Basil or Tarragon Oil - garnish(optional) -
- Wash melon, cucumbers, and limes. Cut melon in half and remove seeds/guts. Cut melon into wedges and remove rind by carefully cutting along contours of the wedges separating the flesh and rind. Slice wedges into thin slices length-wise and arrange on a serving platter. (If you put the slices point to point on the platter in a circle it sort of looks like a large flower which is quite attractive. You can also cut the slices width-wise and arrange them in a random or circular pattern if you wish.)
- Slice cucumbers thinly and arrange around/over melon.
- Zest and juice limes into a small bowl. Pick herbs from stems and shred/chop finely.
- Sprinkle salad with chopped herbs, drizzle with lime juice/zest, and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with herb oil if desired. Serve at once, salad does not keep well. Bon Appetit!
[Note: This salad is best if melon and cucumbers are quite cold before preparing salad. If your items are not refrigerated, chill them for 1-2 hours at least before preparing salad. Chef also recommends putting your serving platter/plates into the refrigerator or freezer for 20-60 minutes before plating salad. Leftover cucumbers and melon, along with trim can be combined with spinach and ice in the blender for an excellent green smoothie so there is nothing wasted.]
Published 06-24-2013
Summer squash season will be here shortly, if it hasn't started in your area already. Here's a great easy recipe to take tender young zucchini to the next level. If you want to use the sauce for other things, feel free. This technique will work with any kind of summer or spaghetti squash, roasted cauliflower "steaks", roasted eggplant planks, mushrooms, or blanched green vegetables if you have an abundance of . If you wanted to use winter squash or eggplant you could, just cut the ribbons thicker so they are more like planks, layer the whole business in a casserole dish and bake it until the squash/eggplant is nice and tender. If you wanted to make it as a winter baked dish, potatoes and mushrooms would be a good option too. Bon Appetit!
Summer Squash Ribbons with Spicy Tomato Sauce
- 1 ½ lbs Young Zucchini, Yellow Summer Squash, or Zephyr Squash (you can use shredded patty-pan, or spaghetti squash if you wish)
- 1 lb Fresh Tomatoes (heirloom varieties preferable - You can use canned if you want, alternatively make a lot of sauce when you have a lot of tomatoes and freeze it.)
- ½ head Garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 1 large Onion
- 1 tbsp Capers (optional)
- ½ tsp Dried Rosemary
- ½ tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp Spicy Paprika, Korean Red Pepper or ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes(standard red pepper flakes are much hotter than the Korean variety, so use a lot less unless you like really spicy things or you will get an unpleasant surprise.)
- Salt
- 1 to 3 tsp Red or White Wine Vinegar or the Juice of 1 Lemon
- 10 Fresh Basil Leaves (optional)
- 1 tsp Olive Oil (the greener the oil, the better)
- Wash and core tomatoes. Cut in half and squeeze out seeds/guts over a large bowl, do not discard seeds/juice. Chop tomatoes roughly. Peel onion and garlic, mince onion and crush garlic to a paste. Chop capers roughly if using.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add onions and garlic and saute together 1 minute, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking stirring occasionally for another 3-4 minutes. Add dried herbs, capers, paprika/korean red pepper/red pepper flakes, 1-2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice and saute 1-2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomato flesh, and pour seeds/guts through a strainer and add resulting juice to the pan. Cook all together for 2-3 minutes uncovered, then place a lid on the pan and cook for about 15 minutes until tomatoes are mushy and cooked down. Remove lid and cook uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to evaporate excess water. Sauce is now ready to serve.
- To Prepare Summer Squash: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt until it tastes like the ocean.
- Wash squashes, remove ends, and using a vegetable peeler, mandoline, or very sharp knife slice the squash into thin wide ribbons, approximately 1/16th of an inch thick.
- Blanch squash ribbons in boiling salted water for 40 to 80 seconds, remove from boiling water with a long handled skimmer, or drain into colander.
- To serve: Place servings of squash onto serving plates and top with tomato sauce and fresh chopped, or torn, basil leaves. Serve hot. Bon Appetit!
[Note: The recipe is good gluten-free option for dinner parties, etc, if you have guests that can't eat grain; or if you have dietary restrictions and want to make something you can eat yourself.]
Published 06-17-2013
It's Summer salad season, and for us that means Chopped Salads. Here's one of our favorites, and for as simple as it is, it is absolutely delicious. If you have young folks learning to cook in your home, it's a good one for them to learn on, as well as practice their(and your) knife skills. Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit!
Mexican Chopped Salad
[Note: If you let the kids make this one(particularly younger kids); you chop up the jalepeno if using that ingredient. Kid's skin is more easily permiated by the capsasin molecules (what makes the pepper spicy) than adult's skin. Also, kids sometimes forget to wash their hands/knives/boards super well after cutting the chile, then touch their eyes/mucus membranes, etc. It's really not nice to get that stuff in your eyes. Safety first.]
Published 06-10-2013
Mexican Chopped Salad
- 1 lb Fresh Jicama
- ½ lb Fresh Ripe Tomatoes
- ¼ lb Fresh Tomatillos (if you can't find any don't worry, just use extra tomatoes or omit)
- 1 small Red Onion
- 1 medium Bell Pepper (any color)
- Juice and Zest of 1-2 Limes
- ½ tsp Cumin Seed
- ¼ bunch Fresh Cilantro or Parsley(optional)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 small Fresh Jalepeno Pepper (optional)
- Wash vegetables. Peel jicama, onion, tomatillos, and avocado. Remove cores from tomatoes, tomatillos. Remove core, ribs, and seeds from bell and chile pepper. Remove stems from fresh herbs and chop finely. Crush cumin seed.
- Cut all vegetables, except chile pepper, into ½ inch dice. Mince chile finely. Combine all chopped vegetables together in a large bowl with chopped herbs, cumin seed, minced chile, a little bit salt and freshly ground black pepper, zest of 1 lime and juice of 2. Toss all together, taste and adjust seasonings and serve at room temperature, or chill for up to 1 hour before serving.
[Note: If you let the kids make this one(particularly younger kids); you chop up the jalepeno if using that ingredient. Kid's skin is more easily permiated by the capsasin molecules (what makes the pepper spicy) than adult's skin. Also, kids sometimes forget to wash their hands/knives/boards super well after cutting the chile, then touch their eyes/mucus membranes, etc. It's really not nice to get that stuff in your eyes. Safety first.]
Published 06-10-2013
Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best ones. Here is our simplest mushroom dish, it's delicious, only takes about 4 ingredients(though you can add more), and cooks in about 15 minutes including prep time. It doesn't get any better than that in our minds, happy cooking and Bon Appetit!
Simple Sauteed Mushrooms
[Note: If using optional ingredients, saute mushrooms for around 4 minutes, add beans, herbs, and garlic. Saute together 1 minute, add wine and cook all together until wine is reduced to just a tablespoon or so of liquid lightly bathing the entire dish. Taste and adjust. Serve hot or warm.]
Published 06-03-2013
Simple Sauteed Mushrooms
- 1lb Mushrooms (any sort, except enoki)
- 1-2 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic (optional)
Optional Extras - 2 cups Cooked or Canned White Beans or Chickpeas
- 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (preferably an un-oaked variety)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp Dried Herbs of Your Choice (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savory, etc)
- Brush any growth medium from mushrooms and cut button/crimini/portabello mushrooms into halves or large wedges. Oyster mushrooms can be cooked whole. Shitake and trumpet mushrooms should be sliced 1/4 inch thick. Separate beech, maitake, matsutake and clumped mushrooms into pieces. Peel garlic if using and crush.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until oil smokes lightly. Add mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes tossing occasionally. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium and continue sauteing for another 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve mushrooms hot, or warm.
[Note: If using optional ingredients, saute mushrooms for around 4 minutes, add beans, herbs, and garlic. Saute together 1 minute, add wine and cook all together until wine is reduced to just a tablespoon or so of liquid lightly bathing the entire dish. Taste and adjust. Serve hot or warm.]
Published 06-03-2013
This simple recipe is brilliant pretty much any time of year, however growers in our area are just starting to have some early cabbages ready and the fresher the cabbage the better this dish is, ditto really fresh onions. Feel free to use green, or early bulb onions instead of your standard mature Spanish or Bermuda onions. Vidalias are also good in this dish if you prefer a milder onion flavor. The same technique can also be used to prepare kale, collards, turnip greens, beet tops, and pretty much any other type of greens that you wish. Bon Appetit!
Herb Sauteed Cabbage and Onions
- 1 lb Fresh Cabbage (green, red, or savoy type)
- 1 large Onion
- 2 tsp Dried Herbs of Your Choice (thyme, rosemary, herbs de provence, savory, marjoram, etc)
- ½ tsp Vegetable or Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- Wash cabbage, remove outer leaves as needed, and shred finely. Peel onion, cut in half, remove root, and slice thinly.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes until sizzling and fragrant. Add dried herbs, a little salt and pepper, saute another minute.
- Add cabbage and cook together for 1-2 minutes. Cover pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat up to high, add lemon juice and zest and saute another minute to evaporate any excess liquid, and caramelize and remaining sugars. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, serve hot, warm, or cold.
[Note: Important! Shred the cabbage very finely and don't over-cook it. A big part of the tastiness of this dish is the texture of the cabbage, and the sweet aroma of nicely cooked onions and cabbage. If you cut it too big, you don't get any of those things. Brussels sprouts are also good cooked this way, be sure to shred them before cooking, just like the cabbage. You can use fresh herbs if you wish, add woody fresh herbs(rosemary, etc) just as you would dried herbs. Add leafy fresh herbs(basil, tarragon, etc) at the end of cooking to avoid all their esters evaporating/disintegrating.]
Published 05-27-2013
The weather's turned hot in the last couple of weeks in our area so Chef felt that a raw dish would be an appropriate addition. She would caution you to have a care with the spices and taste as you go, remember you can always add, but you can't take out. Enjoy this salad on it's own, or over a bed of greens. Bon Appetit!
Curry Sprout Salad
Curry Sprout Salad
- ½ lb Mung Bean Sprouts (can use sprouted quinoa, grains, legumes, etc as desired)
- ½ tsp Ground Tumeric
- ½ inch thick slice French Ginger
- ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom
- ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper, ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper or Hot Sauce, or 1 ½ tsp Sweet Paprika
- 3 Green Onions
- 1 Carrot
- 1 stalk Celery
- 2 tbsp Dried Currents
- 2 tbsp Raw Pistachios, Pinenuts, or Almonds (optional)
- Salt
- Juice and Zest of 2 Limes
- 1 clove Garlic
- ¼ bunch Fresh Parsley or Cilantro (optional)
- Wash carrot, celery, green onions, and limes. Mince carrot and celery finely, slice green onion thinly on bias. Peel garlic, ginger, and mince finely. Zest and juice limes. Pick herbs from stems if using, and chop finely.
- Combine mung beans, minced and sliced vegetables, ginger, garlic, currents and nuts if using. Toss all together and add half lime juice and zest, ground spices, chopped herbs, and a pinch of salt. Toss all together, taste and adjust seasonings with lime juice, zest, salt, and additional spices if necessary. Allow salad to stand for 5-10 minutes to marinate before serving, or serve at once as desired.
[Note: Salad does not keep well, only make what will be eaten at one meal. Feel free to adjust recipe to avoid left-overs as needed. Shelf life of salad can be increased to 2-3 days by substituting chopped root vegetables such as radishes, daikon, turnips, jicama, or additional carrots/celery for the bean sprouts.]
Carrots are one of our favorite vegetables and this simple soup is a wonderful way to showcase this common vegetable to it's fullest flavor-filled appeal. Bon Appetit!
Elegant Carrot Soup
- 1 lb Carrots
- 1 small Onion or 1 large Shallot
- 1 quart of Vegetable Stock or Water
- ½ tsp Caraway Seed
- 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- Wash carrots, peel carrots and onion(or shallot). Cut carrots and onion into ½ inch dice.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften. Add caraway seed, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper; cook another minute.
- Add carrots and cook 1 minute, add vegetable stock(or water), and vinegar. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 20 minutes until carrots are very tender.
- Place soup in the jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, vinegar, and honey if necessary. Serve hot or cold.
[Note: For a variation use 1 pint orange juice in place of 1 pint of water or vegetable stock, garnish soup with orange zest, or orange segments.]
Published 05-13-2013
It's radish season and we would like to share an old family favorite of ours using fresh radishes. It's a great Spring or Summer luncheon item, and you can make miniture ones for afternoon tea, or evening hor d'ovres. Bon Appetit!
Grandma Dorothy's Radish Sandwich
- 8 thin slices of heavy German Rye Bread (pumpernickel or similar)
- 1/2 lb fresh young Radishes (red globe, icicle, French breakfast, or similar)
- 1 1/2 tsp Grainy or Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp Olive Oil, Mayonnaise, Dairy or Non-Dairy Unsweetened Yogurt, or Butter
- Salt
- Wash radishes, remove tops, and slice thinly.
- Spread 4 slices of bread lightly with olive oil, mayo, yogurt, or butter. Spread remaining slices of bread lightly with mustard. Layer radishes onto 4 of the slices of bread, season lightly with salt and top with remaining bread. Serve at once.
[Note: Feel free to toast bread before making sandwiches if you prefer a crunchier sandwich. If you prefer a lighter bread a nice whole wheat, or a good crusty bagette works nicely as well.]
As is the way of the mid-west, one week it's frosting and freezing and the next week, like this week, it's hotter than heck. Chef felt like it was time to start trotting out more of the raw and cold recipes, so here's one from the raw food class she taught last week. Bon Appetit!
Beet Salad with Coriander and Pickled Lemon
- 1 lb Fresh Red beets
- 1 ½ tsp Whole Coriander Seed
- Juice of 1 to 2 Lemons
- 1 medium Shallot
- 1 to 3 tbsp finely diced Pickled Lemons(see recipe below) [Note: You can purchase commercially prepared lemons in middle-eastern grocery stores, sometimes specialty markets, such as Whole Foods, carry them as well.]
- Wash beets, peel and shred finely. Peel shallot, mince finely.
- In a dry saute pan over medium heat, toast coriander seed until very fragrant. Do not burn. Remove toasted spice from pan and crush with flat of knife, or in a mortar and pestle.
- In a large bowl combine shredded beets, shallot, 1 tbsp pickled lemon, coriander seed, and juice of 1 lemon. Toss all together, taste and adjust seasonings with additional lemon juice and pickled lemon as needed. Allow salad to stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving, or marinate in refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and candied or fresh lemon zest.
- 3 Organic Lemons
- 1 ½ tbsp Sea Salt
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 ½ tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- 2 tbsp Sucanut or Honey
- Wash lemons thoroughly. Cut into quarters or eighths and pack into a clean, boiled pint jar. Add whole spices, sweetener, and salt. Place a piece of plastic wrap over mouth of jar, cap jar tightly with ring and lid. Shake contents of jar and allow to stand overnight at room temperature. After that, place jar in refrigerator and allow to pickle for 2 weeks. Shake once a day to keep coating lemons in curing mixture.
04-29-2013
Summer is actually coming despite the cold and general sogginess that has dominated the Mid-Western climate for the last 6 weeks. We like to be prepared for the changing seasons with our cooking, and while it's a little chilly perhaps for this delicious raw soup, in about a month it won't be. Bon Appetit!
Cucumber Avocado Soup
Published 04-22-2013
Cucumber Avocado Soup
- 3 large English Cucumbers
- 1 small ripe Avocado
- 4 ounces Fresh Spinach
- The Juice of 2 Limes and the Zest of 1
- Salt to Taste
- ¼ bunch Fresh Curly Parsley, 15 leaves Fresh Basil, or 1 large sprig Fresh Mint
- Wash cucumbers, spinach, and herbs as necessary. Cut cucumbers into 1 inch chunks and place in the jar of a bar blender.
- Remove stems from herbs, and spinach as needed, add to blender along with half the lime juice and zest of 1 lime. Cut avocado in half, remove pit and scoop flesh into blender.
- Puree soup until very smooth, taste and season with salt and additional lime juice as needed.
- Serve in cold bowls garnished with a slice of cucumber, avocado, and a few small leaves of the herb blended into the soup.
[Note: For chilled soup add 2-4 ice cubes to soup while blending. Serve immediately after blending, soup does not keep.]
Published 04-22-2013
Chef has been thinking about ways to use fairly mundane ingredients in unusual and still healthful ways. Here's her latest creation, try it, you'll like it. We did. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Beet Salad with Coffee Reduction
Published 04-15-2013
Roasted Beet Salad with Coffee Reduction
- 1 lb small Beets (any color)
- 4 small Shallots or ¼ lb Cippolini Onions
- ½ cup Freshly Brewed Coffee (unflavored, just plain coffee -preferably not something too acidic or “tarry”)
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley Leaves
- Salt
- 1 to 2 tsp Molasses
- Wash beets, trim tap roots and tops as necessary. Place on an appropriately sized piece of aluminum foil, fold into a packet, and place in a 400 degree F oven. Roast until tender, 25 to 70 minutes. Remove roasted beets from oven and allow to cool in foil for 30 minutes before peeling. Peel, and set aside. [Note: Roasting and peeling can be done upto 2 days before serving and beets refrigerated until needed.]
- Peel shallots or onions, trim root ends and place on an appropriately sized piece of aluminum foil. Season lightly with salt, fold foil into a rough packet, place in a 400 degree F oven and roast until tender, approximately 20 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, open packet and allow items to cool for about 30 minutes before using.
- Pick parsely leaves from stems, rinse as necessary, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Chop herbs finely.
- Combine coffee, molasses and vinegar in a small saucepan and reduce to about 3 tbsp total liquid over medium heat, do not burn. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, vinegar, and molasses if necessary.
- To serve: Cut beets into quarters or eights. Cut roasted shallots(or onions) into quarters. Toss in 1-2 tbsp of coffee reduction and season lightly with salt. Place beets on a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped herbs and roasted shallots or onions and serve. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-15-2013
Strawberry season is on its way, create this simple and elegant dish as a first course for a early summer dinner party, serve it chilled as a wonderful dessert option, or just pack it in your lunch as a way to indulge your senses during a busy work day. This deliciously simple dish is a favorite with kids and adults alike. Bon Appetit!
Strawberry Soup
[Note: For non-alcoholic versions, use a mixture of 1 cup Apple or White Grape Juice and 1 cup Water in place of the wine. This soup can also be made with raspberries, sweet or tart cherries, or plums.]
Published 04-08-2013
Strawberry Soup
- 1 lb Fresh Strawberries
- 1 pint Medium-Sweet White Wine(flat champagne or prosecco is a very good option as well)
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Honey
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Mint, Tarragon, or Basil to Garnish
- Wash and hull strawberries, cut into quarters. Combine strawberries with honey, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow berries to stand for 15-30 minutes.
- Combine macerated berries with wine in an appropriately sized saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 2-5 minutes.
- Transfer soup to the jar of a bar blender and puree until smooth. Taste soup and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, honey, and vinegar as needed. Soup can be served hot or cold, garnish with fresh herbs either finely chopped or whole.
[Note: For non-alcoholic versions, use a mixture of 1 cup Apple or White Grape Juice and 1 cup Water in place of the wine. This soup can also be made with raspberries, sweet or tart cherries, or plums.]
Published 04-08-2013
Chickpeas and their alternate identity "garbonzo beans" hold a place of high esteem in many cuisines, here is one of our favorite recipes using chickpea flour. This starchy flour is a good source of protein, contains no gluten, and has a wonderful toasty savory flavor. If you are not vegan a few stiffly whipped egg whites folded into the batter makes for a very light and crunchy fritter, if you are so inclined. Also, do not drown them in grease when you cook them, use only enough to make them brown and crispy, not so much that they are greasy and soggy. You can also bake thin sheets of the batter to make very tasty crackers to accompany soups, stews, and salads. Bon Appetit!
Chickpea Fritters
- 1 cup Chickpea Flour
- 2 tbsp Flax Seed Meal
- ½ cup Unsweetened Soy milk
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¾ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 ½ tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbs Olive Oil for Cooking
- Combine chickpea flour, baking powder, flax, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, add soy milk and vinegar. Whisk together to form a smooth semi-thick batter.
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, drop small spoonfuls of batter in the hot pan and allow batter to crisp on the first side before flipping and cooking on the other side. Remove cooked fritters from pan and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
[Note: If you have any leftover cooked panisse you can thin it out a bit with soy milk, or vegetable stock, add a bit of baking powder and flax meal and cook it in the same manner as the batter described above.]
We like glazed vegetables a lot, however what we often see portrayed as "glazed vegetables" are actually poor quality vegetables dunked in sugar syrup to disguise their lackluster flavor. That isn't glazed vegetables to us. We want beautifully shiny young root vegetables, cooked to perfection with just a hint of extra sweetness and the tang of citrus or vinegar. Here is our version of glazed vegetables, we use radishes because a lot of people seem to think that the only way to eat radishes is raw, however the technique is the same for any type of vegetable that you may wish to use. Bon Appetit!
Glazed Radishes
Published 03-25-2013
Glazed Radishes
- 1 lb Fresh Breakfast, small Icicle, or Red Globe Radishes
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Honey
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- A Pinch of Salt
- ¾ to 1 ¼ cups Water or Vegetable Stock
- Wash radishes, trim off any green tops or trailing tap-roots.(For a fancier presentation: Scrape and turn the tops of the radishes leaving half an inch of green stem attached to the top of the vegetable.)
- Combine radishes, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and 3/4 cup of water or vegetable stock in a small sauce pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the radishes/cooking liquid and turn heat to medium. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 3-5 minutes. Remove parchment paper and simmer until radishes are almost completely cooked(add more cooking liquid if needed). Ideally liquid should be almost completely reduced by this point and ready to glaze the vegetables, however if it is not, remove the vegetables from the cooking liquid and turn the heat up to medium-high/high and reduce liquid down until it is almost completely reduced, return vegetable to pan and glaze as follows.
- To glaze: Turn heat up to medium-high and toss vegetables in pan to coat them in remaining cooking liquid. Continue this process until vegetables are nicely coated, shiny, and well cooked. For a more caramelized effect, allow vegetables to sit in pan for 20-30 seconds per side between tosses. If vegetables begin to darken too quickly, reduce heat and add a few teaspoons of liquid, continue tossing/glazing process.
- Serve vegetables hot or warm. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Carrots, beets, turnips, pearl or cippolini onions, and broad beans can also be cooked in this manner. Add or remove acid as needed to conform to the type of vegetable used. More, or less honey may be necessary depending upon the type of vegetables, onions and carrots need less, turnips or radishes may need a bit more.]
Published 03-25-2013
This recipe is from the baking class Chef Jillian taught over the weekend, it has the distinction of being easy, vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and most importantly delicious. We like it plain, or with a variety of different toppings/flavorings; anything from the green onions mentioned in the recipe to, caramelized onions, sliced or roasted mushrooms, diced olives, green chiles for Texas-style, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or even raisins, sultanas, or dried currents. The combinations and flavoring options are endless. Leftover ends can be turned into southwest French toast, or just crumbled and topped with sweet or savory toppings, add non-dairy milk or hot vegetable stock for a breakfast “mush”. Kids dig it a lot, adults do too. Bon Appetit!
Vegan Cornbread
- 1 cup Corn Meal (yellow, white, or blue)
- 1 cup Barley, Buckwheat, or Oat Flour
- ½ cup Flax Seed Meal
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Soy Milk, Nut Milk, or Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Sucanut
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 4 Green Onions thinly sliced on bias (optional)
- Combine all dry ingredients except onions in a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add oil and liquid and whisk together to form a batter. Beat for several minutes to develop enough strength in the batter to keep it from being too crumbly. Fold in green onions if using and pour batter into a prepared baking pan(loaf, 8 X 8 square, or 9 inch round.
- Place in a 350 degree F oven and bake for 30 to 70 minutes depending upon shape. Cornbread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
[Note: If you wish you can make several loaves of this at one time, allow them to cool then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze them for later use. They will keep well frozen for several months.]
Published 03-18-2013
As Winter winds down we would like to share a good dish that will send it Winter on its way with a full stomach and kind things to remember about us for next year. Since this recipe is a bit time-consuming(but not too bad) feel free to make a big batch of these as small cabbage rolls, or do several small heads of cabbage at once and freeze them for later. They will keep for several months in the freezer, honestly the freezing doesn't do them any favors in terms of texture; the flavor will still be good though.
Caramelized Onion and Winter Squash Stuffed Cabbage
Caramelized Onion and Winter Squash Stuffed Cabbage
- 1 head Napa, Green, Red, or Savoy Cabbage
- 2 large Onions
- 1 small Butternut Squash (approximately 1 ½ lbs)
- 3 cloves Garlic
- Freshly Grated Nutmeg
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Dried Thyme
- ½ tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 to 3 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 ½ cups Vegetable Stock
- 3 tbsp Whole Wheat, Spelt, Barley, Buckwheat, or Oat Flour
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes or ¼ to ½ tsp Tabasco Sauce
- Wash cabbage and remove core(if using napa cabbage just cut the bottom off the head and the leaves will separate easily enough on their own.) Bring a large sauce pan of water to rolling boil. Boil entire head of cabbage until leaves begin to separate from the head, retrieve them as they separate and place them in cold water to stop cooking for 1-2 minutes, drain well before stuffing.
- Peel onions and butternut squash. Cut onions in half, remove root and slice cross-ways very thinly. Place onions in a large saute pan over medium heat and saute for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are softened and golden brown, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Reduce heat if onions begin to darken too quickly.
- Cut squash in half, scrape out seeds. Cut squash into ½ inch cubes, toss cubes lightly in ½ tsp olive oil and ½ tsp balsamic vinegar, place on a sheet tray in one layer and roast in a 375 degree F oven for approximately 10 minutes until squash are about ½ cooked. Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes before adding to stuffing.
- Peel and crush garlic. Place in a small saucepan with remaining oil over low heat and cook until fragrant. Add dried herbs and flour, whisk together to form a roux, cook for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Gradually whisk in vegetable stock to form a thin sauce, add 1 tbs vinegar, red pepper flakes or hot sauce, bring to a boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Taste and season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg as needed.
- Combine roasted squash cubes and caramelized onions in a medium sized bowl, add 2-3 tbs of the prepared sauce and mix together gently. Lay the blanched, drained cabbage leaves out on a sheet pan and place an appropriate amount of filling on the outer edge of the leaves(not the stem side of the leaves). Fold the edges in around the filling and roll leaves into tight little packages.
- Place stuffed leaves seam-side down in an oven-proof dish and pour sauce over rolls. Place rolls in a 375 degree F oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
One of our favorite early vegetables is Asparagus, and Chef always likes to come up with ways to showcase a particular vegetable's unique flavors and this week she has one that does just that. Bon Appetit! [Note: This sauce is good with Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cabbage, or Cauliflower as well. It's even pretty nice on freshly boiled or roasted new potatoes.]
Fresh Asparagus with Lemon Parsley Sauce
Fresh Asparagus with Lemon Parsley Sauce
- 1 lb Fresh Asparagus
- ½ cup White Wine (un-oaked varietal, pinot grigio or dry reisling is usually a good option.)
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 bunch Fresh Parsley
- 1 medium Shallot
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt to Taste
- Wash asparagus, trim bottom ¾ inch from asparagus. Using a paring knife gently peel away the little scales that lead up to the tips of the asparagus, leaving the top 1 ½ inches as they are. Spears can be cut into 1 ½ inch lengths or left whole.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil and blanch asparagus for 2-3 minutes to remove the rawness and brighten the color. Drain and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside.
- Pick parsley leaves from stems, wash thoroughly, pat dry, and chop finely. Peel and mince shallot finely.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Sweat shallots for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant and slightly softened. Add white wine and lemon zest, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and reduce by half. Add chopped parsley and lemon juice, cook 1 minutes, season lightly with salt and taste sauce, it should be quite tangy with a nice full parsley flavor. Adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice as needed.
- Toss blanched asparagus in sauce and turn the heat up to medium-high to heat vegetables nicely. Serve hot with any extra sauce on the side. Bon Appetit!
Published 02-25-2013
This week's recipe is something that may seem a trifle unusual, however it is delicious and is a good way to help get the kids to eat their greens, as well as sneaking extra greens in on pickier eaters. It also looks really pretty, and it's the perfect color for St. Patrick's Day which is not too far away. Bon Appetit!
Green Polenta
Published 02-18-2013
Green Polenta
- 1 bunch Kale(dinosaur or curly)
- 1/2 bunch Curly Parsley (or 1/4 bunch of flat leaf)
- 1/2 cup dry Polenta Grits
- 1/2 cup White Wine
- 2 cups Vegetable Stock or Water
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- Lemon Juice or Wine Vinegar to Taste
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove large center rib from kale and wash thoroughly. Pick parsley leaves from stems and rinse well. Blanch kale in boiling water for approximately 3 minutes. Remove from boiling water and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Blanch parsley leaves for 30-45 seconds, drain and shock in cold water. Drain kale/parsley well and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Bring 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock and white wine to boil in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in dry polenta and thyme. Cook over medium-low heat whisking to prevent scorching, cook until liquid is absorbed and grits are nicely cooked.
- Combine remaining vegetable stock and blanched greens in the jar of a bar blender and puree until smooth.
- When polenta is almost cooked, stir in green puree, season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Cook 1-2 minutes until flavors are nicely combined but color has not yet begun to darken. Serve hot. Bon Appetit!
Published 02-18-2013
We would like to share one of the recipes from the Valentine's Dinner Chef Jillian catered this past Saturday. This elegant looking dish is big on nutrition, big on flavor, and simple to make; what more can anyone ask for? FYI, don't be cheap with the vinegar. Leafy sprouts have quite a strong flavor and require liberal amounts of acid to make them really pleasant. Feel free to use lemon juice, or a different type of wine or flavored vinegar if you wish. Bon Appetit!
Leafy Sprout and Shaved Vegetable Salad
Published 02-11-2013
Leafy Sprout and Shaved Vegetable Salad
- 2 cups Micro-Greens or Leafy Sprouts
- 2 Globe Radishes
- 3 Baby Carrots
- 1-2 small Beets
- 1 small Shallot
- 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tsp High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Peel and mince shallot very finely.
- Wash and peel root vegetables. Shave vegetables very thinly with a Japanese mandoline, or a very sharp knife. Toss shaved vegetables with vinegar and a small pinch of salt, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Toss micro-greens/leafy sprouts with a small amount of vinegar and the minced shallot. Place a quarter of seasoned shaved vegetables onto 4 plates, top with dressed greens and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil. Serve at once.
Published 02-11-2013
It's been really chilly in the frozen Mid-West for the last week or so and what could be nicer when it's back-side freezing cold out than a fragrant, savory casserole? Make a big pan of this over the weekend and eat it for several days, we doubt it will hang around for long. Also, leftovers can be simmered with some extra soy milk and then pureed for a very tasty soup if you wish. Bon Appetit!
Sweet Potato Bake with Tempeh and Caramelized Onions
- 2 large Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large Onions
- 8 ounces Tempeh
- ½ cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
- 2 tbsp Walnuts
- ½ tsp Dried Thyme
- Juice of ½ a Lemon
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Peel onions, cut in half, slice thinly. Sweat in a large saute pan over low heat for approximately 20 minutes until very well caramelized, but not burned.
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes, slice thinly. Remove tempeh from package and break into roughly 1 inch pieces.
- Layer sweet potatoes and ¾ of caramelized onions in a baking dish, interspersing with dried thyme, and lemon juice. Pour soy milk over casserole, top with remaining onions, tempeh, and walnuts. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in a 350 degree F oven. Bake for 45 to 80 minutes until sweet potatoes are very tender. Remove foil about 10 minutes before finished baking to allow tempeh to crisp up a bit if desired. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Published 02-04-2013
This recipe is going to be one of those recipes that's going to make some people's heads explode, and that's okay. All we're going to say is, Try It. Soup for breakfast is awesome if you're watching your caloric intake, but you don't want to eat cold smoothie for breakfast, forever and ever: Amen. Bon Appetit!
Apple Almond Breakfast Soup
Published 01-28-2013
Apple Almond Breakfast Soup
- 3 large Apples
- 2 cups Almond Milk(preferably unsweetened)
- 1 tbsp Almond Butter(optional, it just makes the final taste a little creamier/richer.)
- 1 to 2 Dates
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- Ground Cloves to taste
- Wash apples, cut into ¼'s, remove cores and chop roughly. Pit and chop date(s).
- Combine apples, date(s), almond milk, and vanilla in an appropriately sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender.
- Transfer apple mixture to blender, add almond butter and puree well. Season lightly with ground cloves, can be served hot, warm, or cold.
Published 01-28-2013
We like tofu a lot at Green Bowl, and we also know that is has been given the bad rap of being "bland", "tasteless", "watery", we don't think any of those things are true, and we're going to prove it with this awesome salad. Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit! [Note: This salad is better in the summer when the tomatoes are really good, but if you can get good hot house cherry tomatoes it's still pretty darn good made out of season.]
Tofu Caprese Salad
Published 01-21-2013
Tofu Caprese Salad
- 1 lb Organic Extra Firm Tofu (we like Trader Joe's brand of Organic Extra-Firm Sprouted Tofu)
- 1 lb Mixed Cherry, Grape, and/or Heirloom Tomatoes
- 1/4 lb Micro-Greens, Leafy Sprouts, or Baby Salad Greens(baby kales or spinach are the nicest)
- 10 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 5 large Black Olives, pitted (optional)
- 2 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Pinch of Coarse Sea Salt or Maldon Salt Flakes
- Drain and rinse tofu, pat dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Wash tomatoes and cut small tomatoes in half, or large ones into bite-sized chunks.
- Slice olives. Remove basil leaves from stems and cut into fine shreds.
- Place tofu and tomatoes in a large bowl and toss with vinegar, olives, and black pepper.
- Place a 1/4 of the greens on 4 serving plates(if you're using micro-greens or leafy sprouts place on top of tofu/tomatoes rather than underneath.) Top with 1/4 of the tofu/tomato mixture and sprinkle with shredded basil and a few grains of salt. Serve at once. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Awesome temperature contrast is to use very cold tofu, and slightly warm tomatoes, makes salad very interesting to eat with all the combinations of flavor, texture, temperature, and aroma. Salad does not keep well. Do Not Make Ahead.]
Published 01-21-2013
This dish is a scaled up version of a recipe Chef Jillian taught in her Cooking Solo Class the other day. Technically, this isn't a "gratinee" in the French sense of the term because it doesn't use cheese, or a white sauce. However, the technique used to make it is the same as a classic gratinee. That being said, if you had some leftover potato-leek soup, vegan cream-of-mushroom, or another type of pureed soup that you think would make a good sauce feel free to use that instead of the tomato soup. Also, a slice, or two of vegan nut cheese would not go amiss on top of this if you care to make it a little richer. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds would also be a tasty addition if you were so inclined. Bon Appetit!
Eggplant and Mushroom Gratinee
- 2-3 Japanese Eggplant (You can use Italian eggplants, but they are usually seedier, than the Japanese ones.)
- 1 lb Crimini, Button, Maitake, Matsutake, or Oyster Mushrooms
- 3 medium Shallot
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
- 3/4 tsp Dried Oregano
- 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups Unseasoned Tomato Sauce or Leftover Tomato Soup(depends on how much sauce you like, if you like more; use more.)
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- Wash eggplant. Brush mushrooms to remove any growth medium. Peel and crush garlic. Peel and mince shallot.
- Slice eggplant into ¼ inch thick slices. Slice mushrooms approximately half that thickness.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat and saute mushrooms and eggplant until lightly browned and about ¾ of the way cooked. Place vegetables in a small shallow baking dish.
- Reduce heat to low, add garlic, shallot, herbs, cook until fragrant(30-60 seconds), add tomato soup. Cook all together for 1 minute, taste and season lightly with salt and pepper as needed. Pour mixture over eggplant/mushrooms.
- Place baking dish in a 450 degree F oven and bake uncovered for 15-25 minutes until eggplant and mushrooms are nicely cooked, and soup has reduced to a thick sort of sauce. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: You can use summer squash in place of the eggplant in this dish if you wish, also feel free to change up the herbs, add spices, or use more aromatics if you wish. Play around with the vegetables as well if you like, this is a great use-up-what's-in-the-fridge dish.]
Published 01-14-2013
We're on a greens kick at Green Bowl, over the next couple weeks we are going to sharing some of our favorite dishes to use green vegetables of all types, both the leafy and solid varieties. While we love salads, it's cold and when it's cold we don't love salad as much as we normally do, so Chef has to get Creative. Here's one of latest, greatest, and green-est. Bon Appetit!
Simple Asian Brussels Sprouts
- 1 1/2 lbs Fresh Brussels Sprouts
- 1 tsp Korean Red Pepper, or 1/4 tsp Traditional Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 1/2 inch thick Slice Fresh Ginger
- Juice of 1 Lemon (zest of 1 lemon optional)
- Salt to Taste
- 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tbs Sesame Seeds
- Bring a large pot of water to hard rolling boil.
- Wash sprouts, trim off bottoms, remove any excessively tough outer leaves. Cut sprouts in half or quarters. Peel and mince ginger.
- Blanch sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and shock in very cold water, drain well and shake to remove excess water.
- In a dry saute pan over medium heat, toast sesame seeds for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden brown and fragrant. Remove seeds from pan and set aside until needed.
- Heat sesame oil in same pan over medium-high heat, add ginger and Korean red pepper and cook until fragrant 30 to 60 seconds. Add blanched, drained sprouts and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest if using. Saute together over high heat for another 2-3 minutes until very fragrant and nicely cooked. Season lightly with salt, toss with toasted sesame seeds, and serve hot. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Feel free to substitute shredded green cabbage, broccoli crown or stalks, broccolinni, broccoli-rabe, standard green beans or Chinese long beans, snow peas, or even shredded collard greens for the brussels sprouts if you wish. Cooking time may vary slightly, and cabbage and collard greens do not require blanching before sauteing. Lower blanching time for snow peas to 1-2 minutes. Also, lemongrass, garlic, or green onions can be added or substituted for the ginger if you wish. As can lime juice, or rice vinegar for the lemon juice if you prefer.]
Published 01-07-2013
It snowed yesterday in our neck of the woods, which made our Chef think of some cold, windy days she spent in The Big Apple, as well as some of the food she cooked there. Here is one of her favorite cold-day-home-alone recipes, comforting without being heavy or unhealthful, but still delicious and warming. Serve with a large green salad, or assorted steamed or roasted green vegetables. [Note: The smothered/sauce part of this dish is a variation of the classic "chassur" sauce. Feel free to use it on other dishes if you wish, or to thin it out with more wine and stock, add beans, cauliflower, barley, or other vegetables to it to create a stew, or soup. It's also great on grilled, or roasted tofu or tempeh. It does work on sweet potatoes, but Chef prefers it on regular potatoes. However, feel free to experiement as you wish.] Bon Appetit!
Smothered Baked Potatoes
[Note: Recipe has been scaled to serve 4, however you can scale it up or down to serve as many, or as few as you wish. Extra smothering freezes well, or can be used in other ways as described above if you wish.]
Published 12-17-2012
Smothered Baked Potatoes
- 4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1 lb Mushrooms (crimini, white button, beech, king trumpet, portabello, oyster, shitake, or any combination you like)
- 1 large Onion
- 1 cup Mushroom Stock
- 1/2 cup Red Wine (cheap cabernet, malbec, or merlot are good options) - If you prefer a slightly sweeter sauce dry marsala is good replacement for red wine. -
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 2 ounces mild Black Olives (pitted, optional)
- Wash potatoes, place on an appropriately sized sheet of aluminum foil and fold foil into a rough packet. Place packet on an sheet tray and place in a 400 degree F oven. Roast potatoes until tender, 25 to 40 minutes. (If you have an older oven, particularly a gas oven, you may want to rotate pan once or twice to even out any hot-spots.)
- Peel onion and garlic, crush garlic. Cut onion in half, make a small angled cut to remove root. Turn onion so its top or bottom poll is facing you. Slice onion on a slight wedge angle, approximately 1/8th inch thick. Brush any growth medium off mushrooms, remove gills by scraping mushroom caps with a spoon if necessary(portobellos), slice mushrooms approximately 1/8th inch thick. Mince olives if using.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and saute 2-3 minutes until very fragrant. Add garlic and mushrooms. Turn heat up to high and saute until mushrooms and onions are golden brown and very fragrant. Add wine and dried herbs. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat until wine has reduced almost completely. Add mushroom stock, season lightly with salt and pepper. Simmer until stock is reduced to approximately half its original amount. Add minced olives if using, cook 1-2 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary with salt, pepper, wine, or balsamic vinegar. Keep warm until ready to serve. [Note: Sauce at this point is roughly the same consistency as classic Au Jus, however if you would prefer a thicker "nappant" consistency sauce, feel free to thicken it by whisking in a small amount of cold water/starch slurry, or a small amount of blonde roux and simmering until thickened.]
- To Serve: Cut roasted potatoes in half, and mash centers slightly. Place potatoes on platter, or individual serving plates. Top each potato with 1/4 of the onion/mushroom mixture. Pour any leftover sauce over potatoes and serve hot with a sprinkling of fresh chopped thyme, or rosemary, if you have any. If not, don't worry about it. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Recipe has been scaled to serve 4, however you can scale it up or down to serve as many, or as few as you wish. Extra smothering freezes well, or can be used in other ways as described above if you wish.]
Published 12-17-2012
As you may have guessed if you are a regular visitor here, we are fans of the unconventional recipe. We like the classic technique turned on its ear by using an unconventional ingredient, etc, and this week's recipe is a great example of that. Many people have either never eaten kohlrabi period, or have only thought to eat them raw. However, Chef got to thinking "People mash cauliflower instead of potatoes, why not kohlrabi?" Not being able to think up a good "why not", she decided to go with it, and then share it with you. Try it. It's delicious. For a ease-into-it version use 1 lb of potatoes, and 1 lb of kohlrabi. Also, feel free to add more, or less garlic if you wish. Fresh rosemary, or thyme, are also good additions if you like a bit of herbs in your mash. Bon Appetit!
Mashed Kohlrabi with Roasted Garlic
- 2 lbs Fresh Kohlrabi
- 2 heads Roasted Garlic or ¼ cup Commercially Prepared Roasted Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1-3 tsp Red or White Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Wash and peel kohlrabi. Place in a large baking dish, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil and place in a 375 degree F oven and bake until kohlrabi are very tender.
- Remove pan from oven and place baked kohlrabi in either the jar of a bar blender, or in a large bowl. Add roasted garlic, olive oil, and 1 tsp vinegar. Puree in blender, or mash with a stick-blender, hand-mixer, pass through a ricer/food mill, or even just with a fork for a very rustic texture. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed. Serve hot.
[Note: To roast garlic: Place whole heads of garlic on an appropriately sized sheet of aluminum foil, fold foil into a rough package around heads and place in a 400 degree F oven and roast for 15 to 25 minutes depending on size. When heads are soft, they are finished. Cool in foil and either peel, or just squeeze to extract the roasted cloves.]
Published 12-10-2012
We like a pot pie during the winter months, however so often pot pies are loaded with excess fat, salt, refined flour, and assorted other things that aren't particularly healthful. However, this one packs a big southwest flavor into a quite healthful package. Rye and cornmeal are great companions, however the other upside to this recipe is it can easily be made gluten-free by substituting the rye flour for a gluten-free oat flour, quinoa, bean, or even rice flour if you so desire. Bon Appetit!
Rye-Injun Pot Pie
- 1 15 ounce can Black Beans (unsalted) or 2 cups home-cooked Black Beans
- 1 large Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 stalk Celery
- 1 small Carrot
- 1 cup Frozen Corn
- 1 15 ounce can Diced Unseasoned Tomatoes
- ¾ tsp Chile Powder or Hot Sauce
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp + 1 tsp Wine Vinegar (can also use lime juice, malt, cider, or rice vinegar)
- ½ cup Rye Flour
- ½ cup Cornmeal
- 1/3 cup Unsweetened Soymilk or Water
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 egg (for a vegan option: substitute 2 tbs flax seed meal, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp of soy milk or water for the egg)
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Wash vegetables. Peel onion, garlic, and carrot. Cut carrot, onion, and celery into ½ inch dice. Crush garlic.
- Sweat onions in a large saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes, add garlic, carrots, and onion. Sweat another 2-3 minutes.
- Add spices(hot sauce if using), 1 tsp of vinegar, and diced tomatoes. Cook together over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper as necessary.
- Place beans in the bottom of an appropriately sized casserole dish, top with corn, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Pour tomato mixture over top.
- In a small bowl combine rye flour, cornmeal, leavening together and mix to combine. Add egg(or egg substitute ingredients), and soymilk or water, mix to form a thick, slightly gritty, batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter on top of bean/corn/tomato mixture to form a sort of pot-pie like crust.
- Place pie in a 375 degree F oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes until crust is baked, golden brown, and crunchy, and filling is nice and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: This dish is a great make-and-take dish for plant-based diet enthusiasts. Also, if yourself host to a holiday party with vegetarian, or vegan guests it makes a great main dish. Left-overs free well for lunches later on.]
Published 12-03-2012
After our Thanksgiving meal, which we hope everyone enjoyed with great gusto and as much thanks given as we were able to, we found ourselves wanting something of the cleansing variety, particularly as we are unaccustomed to the rich holiday fare that we found on our hostess's most excellent table. We would like to spend the next few weeks sharing a few of our favorite “clean out” recipes, dishes to keep the body revitalized and refreshed, even if it is suffers a bit of abuse from the pleasures of the holiday table. Bon Appetit!
Wilted Winter Green Salad with Tangy Garlic Dressing
[Note: This salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator if you have leftovers, however it will turn from its bright appealing green to a sort of dingy army green. It will stay taste fine, but it won't look nearly as nice; so if you're planning the dish for company don't make it ahead of time for appearance's sake. Also, you may require a very small amount of water to loosen the dressing up a bit, and keep the garlic from burning, if the vinegar evaporates to quickly, go ahead and add if needed. ]
Published 11-26-2012
Wilted Winter Green Salad with Tangy Garlic Dressing
- 1 lb Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, or similar cooking greens
- 1 head Garlic (Yes, really. A whole head.)
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 tbs Red or White Wine, or Malt Vinegar
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dijon or Grainy Mustard
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
- Wash greens thoroughly, shake off excess water. Remove center rib from greens(excepting Swiss Chard and Beet Greens the stalks are perfectly edible.) Tear greens into approximately 1 inch square pieces. Blanch greens in boiling water until lightly wilted(1 to 3 minutes), just enough to remove the rawness. Remove from boiling water and shock in cold water, drain well and squeeze out excess water. Set aside.
- Peel garlic cloves, chop roughly add a small pinch of salt to the chopped garlic and scrape garlic across cutting board with flat of knife using salt as an abrasive until garlic is a fine paste.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over low heat, add garlic paste and cook until very fragrant(45 seconds). Add vinegar, and mustard, and cook about 20 seconds, add blanched greens. Turn heat up to medium-high, and saute for about 1 minute to heat through and imbue the greens with the flavors of garlic, mustard, and vinegar. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper if desired. Serve at once. Bon Appetit!
[Note: This salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator if you have leftovers, however it will turn from its bright appealing green to a sort of dingy army green. It will stay taste fine, but it won't look nearly as nice; so if you're planning the dish for company don't make it ahead of time for appearance's sake. Also, you may require a very small amount of water to loosen the dressing up a bit, and keep the garlic from burning, if the vinegar evaporates to quickly, go ahead and add if needed. ]
Published 11-26-2012
One of the holiday dishes we love at Green Bowl is, Stuffing(dressing). That herb savory concoction of stale bread, onions, celery, drenched in a flavorful broth and served to sop up some excellent gravy. We're all about it. If you are a vegetarian, or you host vegetarians, stuffing can also be a great vegetarian, or vegan entree option. Here's our Chef's recipe for a great veggie stuffing, if you want it vegan there is a modification for that as well. Also, you don't have to use corn-rye bread the recipe calls for, any whole grain bread will give you a great flavor. Chef doesn't recommend substituting a white bread for this stuffing as they tend to disintegrate a bit more than is strictly desirable, as well as being very high in salt and very low in actual flavor. Bon Appetit!
Cornbread and Vegetable Stuffing
For the Cornbread
Published 11-19-2012
Cornbread and Vegetable Stuffing
For the Cornbread
- ½ cup Cornmeal (plus 1 tbsp to sprinkle in the baking pan to avoid sticking)
- ½ cup Rye Flour
- 1/3 cup Soy Milk, Water, or other Non-Dairy or Dairy Milk of your choice
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Wine, Cider, Malt, White Vinegar or Lemon Juice
- 1 tbs Olive Oil (plus ½ tsp to grease the baking pan with)
- 1 Egg (if you prefer to make a completely vegan stuffing substitute 2 tbsp of flax seed meal mixed with 2 tbsp Water or the non-dairy milk of your choice.)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 inch round, or an 8 X 8 inch square baking pan with ½ tsp olive oil and then coat with 1 tbsp cornmeal, tapping out any excess.
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl, mix to combine. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan, place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes until a toothpick or skewer inserted into bread comes out clean.
- Remove pan from oven, cool 10 minutes and then remove bread from pan and cool completely before using for stuffing, preferably leave out on counter to dry out a bit over night.
- 1 large Onion
- 1 medium Leek
- 4 stalks Celery
- 3 medium Carrots
- 4 ounces White, Crimini, Oyster, or Beech Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup Soy, Non-Dairy, or Dairy Milk
- 3 Eggs (for a vegan version substitute 1/3 cup Rye Flour, 1 tbsp Olive Oil, mixed with ¼ cup Soy or Non-Dairy Milk)
- ¼ to ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Red Wine, Malt, or Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Paprika or ½ tsp Chile Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- ¾ tsp Dried Rosemary
- ½ tsp Dried Sage (optional)
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- 1 recipe Cornbread, prepared as directed above, crumbled roughly.
- Wash vegetables, brush mushrooms to remove any growth medium. Peel onion and carrots. Remove dark green parts of leek, cut in half and wash thoroughly to remove any grit between the layers.
- Cut all vegetables, except mushrooms, into ½ inch dice. Slice mushrooms thinly if needed. Beech mushrooms can be used whole, oyster mushrooms just cut into roughly ½ inch square pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and leek and saute for 2-3 minutes until vegetables become very fragrant and somewhat translucent. Add carrots and celery, saute another 2-3 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, herbs, and paprika or chile powder, season lightly with salt and vinegar; saute 1-2 minutes.
- Place sauteed vegetables in a large bowl with crumbled cornbread, toss together.
- In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, (or vegan substitute), non-dairy milk, and vegetable stock. Pour mixture over cornbread/vegetable mixture and mix to combine.
- Place stuffing mixture in an appropriately sized baking dish and place in a 425 degree F oven. Bake for approximately 70 minutes, or until stuffing is nicely set, golden brown and crunchy. When baked remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or cover with foil and keep warm in oven for up to 3 hours. Bon Appetit!
Published 11-19-2012
We've never been huge fans of the cream-of-mushroom-soup-poured-over-revolting-green-beans-french's-fried-onion casserole classic that decorates more holiday tables than not, however Chef has always liked a challenge. Here's a green bean casserole that isn't bad for you, and tastes great. Creamy home-made mushroom gravy, fresh blanched green beans with texture and flavor, savory onions, and crunchy whole wheat croutons, what could be nicer than that? We guarantee you'll be making this for more than just holiday dinners, and a double portion besides. Bon Appetit!
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- 1 cup Unsweetened Soy or Non-Dairy milk
- 1 cup Mushroom Stock
- ¼ cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 2 large Onions
- 1 ½ lbs Fresh Green Beans
- 1 lb Button or Crimini Mushrooms
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme, Rosemary, or Marjoram
- 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce, Nama Shoyu, or Worchestershire Sauce
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2-3 slices Whole Wheat Bread (preferably home-made or artisan), toasted and crumbled into large crumbs, or cut into small croutons.
- Wash green beans, remove stem ends, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths, and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to remove rawness and set color. Drain and shock in cold water to stop cooking, drain again. Set aside.
- Brush any growth medium from mushrooms, and slice 1/8th inch thick, toss lightly in a few drops of olive oil, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and roast in a 425 degree F oven until golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven when cooked and set aside.
- Peel onions and garlic. Slice 1 onion approximately ¼ inch thick and separate rings. Cut other onion in ½ inch dice. Crush garlic.
- Heat ½ olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, saute onion slices until golden brown. Remove from heat when cooked and set aside.
- Heat other half of olive oil in a large sauce pan, add diced onion and garlic and sweat for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant and onions are softened. Add dried herbs, vinegar, soy or Worchestershire sauce and flour, cook together 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in non-dairy milk and mushroom stock gradually to avoid lumps. Season sauce lightly with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes over low heat stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. When sauce is completetly thickened and doesn't taste of raw flour, pour into the jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth.
- To assemble casserole: Place a thin layer of cooked onions on the bottom of an appropriately sized casserole dish. Place green beans in dish, top with half of remaining onions. Pour sauce over vegetables. Toss remaining onions with mushrooms, and bread crumbs, season with a little salt and pepper and top casserole with mixture. Place casserole in a 375 degree F oven and bake for 25 to 40 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
[Note: For a gluten-free version subsitute arrowroot or cornstarch slurry for the flour in the sauce. Bread crumbs can be left out entirely, or can be swapped for slivered almonds, very thinly sliced potato, or corn tortillas.]
Published 11-12-2012
We like roasted vegetables, and we like salad, so it would seem a fairly natural thing to combine the to two items. While you could use whatever root vegetables you wish, we would suggest using a fairly even mix of sweet and bitter vegetables to keep the dish nicely balanced and to make a nice layering effect of flavors that would be much more difficult to achieve if only sweet, or only bitter, vegetables were used. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad
- ½ lb Beets (any variety, or a mixture of red, gold, striped, or white)
- ½ lb Parsnips
- ¼ lb Carrots
- ¼ lb Turnips (small white preferably)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley Leaves
- 1 large sprig Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves
- 3 tbs Sherry or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 medium Shallot
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 ounce Freshly Toasted Walnut Halves (optional)
- Wash all vegetables, except shallots. Peel carrots and parsnips, remove tops as necessary. Place vegetables onto separate appropriately sized sheets of aluminum foil. Fold foil around vegetables to form sealed packets.
- Place packets onto a sheet tray and place in a 375 degree F oven and roast until vegetable are tender and are easily pierced with a skewer, fork, or paring knife. [25 minutes approximately for carrots and parsnips, 20 to 60 minutes for beets and turnips depending upon size, age, and variety.]
- While vegetables are roasting, peel shallot and mince finely. Combine half minced shallot with vinegar and half of the fresh, or dried, thyme leaves in a small bowl. Add a few grinds of fresh cracked pepper and stir to combine. Allow mixture to marinate at room temperature until ready to prepare salad.
- When vegetables are roasted, remove tray from oven and allow beets to steam in their packet, remove other vegetables from their packets and cut into bite-sized chunks, for the sake of presentation cut vegetables to maintain as much of their original shape as possible, also cut nice clean angles to give the final dish better visual impact on the plate/platter.
- When beets have cooled enough to handle, rub gently to remove skins from beets and cut like other vegetables.
- Place beets in one bowl, and other vegetables in another, pour half the dressing over each bowl of vegetables and toss to coat. Arrange vegetables on serving plates, or platter with approximately 2 to 1 ratio of beets/parsnips to carrots/turnips.
- Sprinkle salads with toasted walnuts and fresh parsley leaves. Drizzle a few drops of extra dressing over salad(s), and serve. Bon Appetit!
Published 11-05-2012
One of the main things we associate with Fall are; apples. We love apples raw, cooked, baked, pureed, whatever their incarnation we love 'em. Here is one of our favorite dishes, it contains no added sugar and is delicious as part of lunch, dinner, or over your morning oatmeal. Just don't forget to remove the whole spices from the pot! For this dish we don't advocate using a spice sachet even though it makes fishing out the whole spices a lot easier, because we think it makes for uneven seasoning. You can use ground spices if you wish, but the flavor isn't quite the same. Bon Appetit!
Spiced Stewed Apples
- 2 lbs Jonathan, Winesap, Northern Spy, Granny Smith, or your favorite cooking apple
- 2 whole Star Anise
- 8 Cardamom Pods
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Seed
- 1/2 Cinnamon Stick
- 1/2 cup Medium-Dry White Wine (An un-oaked variety such as sauvignon blanc, reisling, or pinot grigio is best.)
- Water if needed
- Wash apples. Cut all apples in half. Cut bottom of core, and top of stem away with 2 V-cuts in each half, remove cores as follows. Insert point of paring knife at edge of core, press thumb to the center of core and circle tip of knife blade around thumb to remove core.
- Combine spices, wine, and apples in an appropriately sized saucepan over medium-low heat, cover pan with lid, bring to a low simmer.
- Cook covered until apples are soft, but not falling apart. There should be some wine left in the pan that has reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove whole spices and serve hot, warm, or cold. Bon Appetit!
Published 10-29-2012
One of our chef's favorite Fall vegetables is, Parsnips. One of the most versatile root vegetables, it is a welcome addition to vegetable soups, stews, braises, and is wonderful as the main ingredient in casseroles, purees, etc. Here is one of Chef's favorites, showcasing the vegetable's rich sweet flavor, along with being incredibly easy to prepare. Bon Appetit!
Best Roasted Parsnips
- 1 lb Parsnips
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Ground Nutmeg to Taste (Fresh grated is best, but plain ground is perfectly fine.)
- Wash and peel parsnips. Cut parsnips into roughly 1/2 inch chunks. Toss with dried thyme, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place seasoned vegetables in an appropriately sized baking pan, cover with aluminum foil and place in a 350 degree F oven. Roast for approximately 25 minutes, or until parsnips are quite tender.
- Sprinkle lightly with ground, or freshly grated nutmeg and serve at any temperature. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Served as described, this is an excellent accompaniment to other vegetable dishes. However, to make a one-dish meal cut 8 ounces of tempeh into 1/2 inch chunks and combine with the seasoned parsnips before roasting in the same pan as described. Serve with sauteed greens, or roasted Brussels sprouts for an excellent, and filling, Fall supper. (Can substitute carrots, rutabagas, turnips, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash for parsnips if desired.)]
Published 10-22-2012
Our chef did an appearance on the Omaha local news a couple Saturday's ago and we would to share the recipe she prepared. This is a great recipe for a Fall barbeques, tail-gating events, or pot-lucks. As an extra bonus it is just as nice prepared in the oven as on a grill, for a little smokier out-door-cooked taste try marinating the vegetables prior to cooking in a little vinegar, liquid smoke, and soy sauce. Bon Appetit!
Fall Vegetable Kebabs
- 1 small Onion
- 1/4 Yellow Summer or Zucchini Squash
- 1/2 lb Butternut Squash or Japanese Eggplant
- 1/4 lb Cherry Tomatoes or Red Bell Peppers(if you like spicier kebabs feel free to use poblano, banana, or Hungarian Wax peppers)
- 1/2 lb Extra Firm Tofu or Tempeh (optional)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
- Wash vegetables, peel onion and butternut squash. Cut summer squash, winter squash, and tofu(or tempeh) if using, into 1 inch cubes. Cut onion into quarters, remove root and slice each quarter in half width-wise.
- Thread bamboo, or metal, skewers with a variety of the cut vegetables and tofu(tempeh) in any order that you wish, but be sure to get 2 pieces of onion per skewer for best flavor.
- Season kebabs with salt and pepper, brush lightly with olive oil and place either in a preheated grill, or in a 425 degree F oven. Roast/grill for 5 minutes, rotate skewers 90 degrees, roast 3 minutes, repeat procedure until all 4 sides have be in direct contact with heated surface of grill/pan. By this point kebabs should be cooked, if they are not, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast until done, or vent grill of excess heat and continue cooking until done. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, vinegar, or citrus based ones are best, not to mention anything with horseradish, rosemary, or soy-sauce. Bon Appetit!
Published 10-15-2012
We're fond of pickles and dishes that include pickles at Green Bowl, particularly fermented pickles, like kim-chi and sauerkraut. In the region of Alsace, France there is a dish that is excellent for the late fall and winter table. It is an excellent accompaniment to European flavored bean and lentil dishes, potato and root vegetable dishes, or even simply on its own. Our chef has adapted it slightly from its traditional incarnation by removing the quantity of sausages and smoked/salted pork, to suit our eating habits and make it considerably more healthful, we hope you enjoy the final result as much as we do. Bon Appetit! [Note: Don't leave out the juniper berries, they can be found at most shops with a bulk herb/spice section and also in European/Greek grocery stores.]
Choucroute Alsacienne
[Note: For a one dish supper add 1/2 lb of cubed sweet potato or yukon gold potatoes, 1/2 lb sliced carrots or beets, and a 1/2 cup of vegetable stock when you add the sauerkraut and white wine. Extend cooking time by approximately 12 minutes to ensure that the extra vegetables are nicely cooked. Serve with crusty rye bread, and a large fresh green salad.]
Published 10-08-2012
Choucroute Alsacienne
- 1 lb Sauerkraut
- 1 1/2 lbs Green, Red, or Savoy Cabbage
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 tsp Caraway Seed
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme or Rosemary Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Juniper Berries
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Dry White Wine
- Peel onion, cut in half and slice away root at an angle. Slice onion 1/4 inch thick.
- Rinse cabbage cut into approximately 1/4 inch thick shreds. Drain sauerkraut and rinse in a colander, shake off excess water.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sweat 2-3 minutes. Add caraway seeds and juniper berries, saute 1-2 minutes. Add drained sauerkraut and white wine. Cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add shredded cabbage, cover pan, and turn heat down to low. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season lightly with pepper, serve hot. Bon Appetit!
[Note: For a one dish supper add 1/2 lb of cubed sweet potato or yukon gold potatoes, 1/2 lb sliced carrots or beets, and a 1/2 cup of vegetable stock when you add the sauerkraut and white wine. Extend cooking time by approximately 12 minutes to ensure that the extra vegetables are nicely cooked. Serve with crusty rye bread, and a large fresh green salad.]
Published 10-08-2012
Fall and Summer flavors meet in this dish, sweet smoky peppers, savory garlic and onions, salty capers, and the tang of lemon and wine to round out the flavor profile. Serve dish with steamed green vegetables, or sauteed cabbage or winter greens, for a delicious supper. Bon Appetit!
Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper, Caper, and Garlic Sauce
- ½ lb Whole Wheat Penne or Linguini cooked to desired texture
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper
- 16 ounces jarred Roasted Red Peppers( Home-roasted are better, but commercially prepared ones are perfectly acceptable.)
- 1 to 2 tbs Caper Berries
- 6 large cloves Garlic
- 1 medium Onion
- ½ cup White Wine
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes(optional)
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Wash bell pepper, peel onion and garlic cloves. Dice pepper and onion. Crush and mince garlic.
- Drain and rinse roasted red peppers, shake off excess moisture and chop roughly.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add garlic and onion. Saute 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened, add half the capers, chopped roasted peppers, red pepper flakes if using. Saute another 1-2 minutes.
- Add white wine and lemon juice, season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook gently 10 minutes. Transfer 3/4's of the cooked sauce to the jar of a bar blender and puree to a smooth sauce. Return to remaining ¼ of sauce.
- Add chopped fresh pepper to sauce and cook 1-2 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce and serve topped with remaining capers and a drizzle of extra virgin, or lemon, olive oil if desired. Bon Appetit!
Published 10-01-2012
Our chef has fond memories of her grandmother's "hulupki"(cabbage rolls), however those little beef or pork-filled cabbage leaf packages don't really fit into a plant-based diet so she decided to come up with her own version and share it with you. Bon Appetit!
Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls
- 2-3 lb head Savoy or Green Cabbage
- 2 large Onions
- 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes (can certainly use fresh, or home-grown frozen if you wish)
- 3 large cloves Garlic
- ½ lb Mushrooms(crimini, oyster, king trumpet, beech, or button)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ cup Red Wine
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tsp Hungarian Paprika
- ½ tsp Tabasco Sauce(optional)
- 2 cups Cooked Barley, Brown Rice, or Rye Berries
- Salt and Pepper
- Rinse cabbage, remove core, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Remove from freezer and allow to thaw. Leaves should separate easily. Peel 16 to 20 leaves from the head and shred the remainder thinly.
- Peel onions and garlic. Cut onions in half, and slice thinly. Crush and mince garlic. Brush mushrooms to remove any growth medium and slice thinly.
- Split olive oil between 2 large saute pans over medium heat. Add onions to one pan, and garlic to the other.
- Saute garlic for 30 seconds, add mushrooms and saute to a light golden brown(5 to 8 minutes). Add cooked grain, vinegar, and paprika saute 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and place stuffing in a bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Saute onions for 3-4 minutes, add red wine, tabasco sauce, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and shredded cabbage, and simmer sauce over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Stuff reserved cabbage leaves with seasoned grain/mushroom mixture.
- Pour half the cooked tomato/onion sauce into a large oven-proof dish, place stuffed cabbage leaves seam-side down in the sauce, and pour remaining sauce over top. Place dish in a 350 degree F oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes until cabbage leaves are nicely cooked and sauce has reduced somewhat. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Consider cauliflower puree, sauteed greens, or simple potato dumplings as side dishes. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-24-2012
We love the simple string bean, as one of the first and longest running vegetables of the garden, this humble vegetable is generally overlooked in terms of it's own, most desirable, flavor. This simple salad will be a delight for the string bean afficianado and novice alike. If you cannot find string beans in more than one color it is no matter, use green or yellow wax as you find. Bon Appetit!
Tri-Color String Bean Salad
- ½ lb Wax Beans
- ½ lb Green Beans
- ½ lb Purple String Beans
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- ½ tsp Korean Red Pepper or Tabasco Sauce (optional)
- 2 tbsp Roasted Garlic Paste
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in an appropriately sized saucepan. Wash beans and snap stem ends. Cut purple beans into 1 inch lengths(do not blanch as beans will lose their color).
- Blanch wax and green beans separately for 3 minutes each. Drain and shock in cold water. Drain, cut blanched beans into 1 inch lengths. Mix with purple beans.
- Combine vinegar, red pepper, and roasted garlic, mix well to combine. Pour dressing over cut beans, season lightly with salt and pepper, toss well. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Allow salad to marinate at least 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-17-2012
Eggplant season is fully upon us here in the Mid-west and we love eggplant at Green Bowl. We think the Persians had it pegged about right when they dubbed the eggplant "Queen of Vegetables". Here is one of our favorite incarnations of eggplant, along with it's regular playmate of white beans. Feel free to substitute limas, favas, or chickpeas instead if you wish. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Dip
Published 09-10-2012
Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Dip
- 2 1/2 lbs(about 3 medium) Fresh Eggplant (purple globe, white Italian, or graffiti varieties are all excellent)
- 2 15 ounce cans White Beans (preferably unsalted)
- 1 head Fresh Garlic
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 tbsp Tahini (optional)
- 1 tsp Fresh Rosemary or Thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley Leaves (optional)
- 3/4 cup Water, Vegetable Stock, or White Wine
- Fresh Vegetables for dipping (carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, celery sticks, kale chips, etc)
- Wash eggplants and rub outsides with olive oil. Place whole on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree F oven and roast approximately 1 hour until soft to the touch and flesh pierces easily with a toothpick.
- When eggplants are roasted, remove them from oven, and place in a large bowl, cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and allow eggplants to steam for 15 to 20 minutes; this makes removing the skins very easy.
- While eggplants are steaming, peel garlic and mince finely. Wash lemon, grate zest and juice fruit. Wash parsley if using, pat dry, pick, and chop leaves. Pick rosemary or thyme leaves from stems and chop finely. Drain and rinse canned beans thoroughly.
- Place 1 tsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook gently until fragrant, 1 minute or so. Add beans, lemon zest, water/stock/wine, and tahini. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook about 5 minutes.
- When eggplants are nicely steamed, pick up by top end and poke a hole in the bottom of the skin, allow any liquid to drain out. Place perforated eggplant on a cutting board, and cut in half. Scoop out the roasted flesh. Repeat with all eggplants. Chop eggplant flesh coarsely and add to cooking beans. Season with salt and pepper. If necessary, turn up heat and reduce any liquid in pan to a light glaze consistency.
- Add chopped rosemary, or thyme, and lemon juice. Cook 1-2 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings. Cook another minute. Remove pan from heat and place half of mixture into the jar of a bar blender and puree until relatively smooth. Add puree back to remaining mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Can be served hot, warm, or cold. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-10-2012
We like funky combinations and ingredients at Green Bowl. When our chef is feeling playful we get a lot of funkiness to try, some of what she comes up with is great and some of it "needs work". Here is one of the favorites from the last few tasting sessions. Bon Appetit!.
Coffee Sweet Potatoes
Published 09-03-2012
Coffee Sweet Potatoes
- 2 lbs Sweet Potatoes or Yams
- 1/4 cup Strong Brewed Coffee
- 1 tbs Brown Rice Syrup, Honey, or Agave Nectar
- 1 tsp Rice or Malt Vinegar
- 1 tsp Espresso Powder
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes, cut into approximately 1 inch chunks.
- In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup coffee, espresso powder, sweetener, and vinegar. Toss sweet potatoes into coffee mixture and place on a large sheet pan, season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place pan in a 375 degree F preheated oven and roast until potatoes are nicely cooked and lightly glazed in the coffee mixture. Serve hot or warm. Bon Appetit!
Published 09-03-2012
Here is a recipe our chef came up with for the event we did last week at Rhizosphere Farms. It was well received by all of our guests and we hope it will find a solid place in your own kitchen. Even if you're not an eggplant fan, you'll probably like this dish. The texture is silky and unctuous, not slimy or spongy. The leeks provide a pleasantly sweet counterpoint to the acidity of the white wine and lemon. Bon Appetit!
Leeks and Eggplant Braised in White Wine, Lemon, and Olive Oil
- 1 lb Leeks
- 1 lb Eggplant (Italian globe, Japanese long, Thai round, etc)
- 2 Lemons
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbs Olive Oil
- 1 cup White Wine (un-oaked variety is best)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 large Sprig Thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 large Sprig Rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley Leaves (optional)
- 2 tsp Cornstarch + 2 tbs Cold Water
- Wash leeks thoroughly. Trim away dark green leaves. Cut leeks into 1 inch lengths.
- Wash eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks. Peel and crush garlic. Zest one of the lemons and juice both of them.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sweat until fragrant. Add leeks and sweat 1-2 minutes.
- Add eggplant, turn up heat, and saute lightly 3-4 more minutes.
- Add wine, lemon juice and zest, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer, season lightly with salt and pepper. Allow to braise slowly for approximately 20 minutes until leeks and eggplant are tender.
- Remove cooked leeks, eggplant, and any whole herbs from cooking liquid. Set vegetables aside, and discard herbs. Whisk cornstarch/water slurry into cooking liquid and cook until it thickens to a light sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Return leeks and eggplant to sauce and toss gently to coat in sauce, add fresh parsley leaves. Serve hot over cooked whole grains such as brown rice or barley, or with roasted potatoes and a large green salad. Bon Appetit!
Published 08-27-2012
We haven't posted a dessert recipe for awhile, and when we saw that fresh figs are starting to make their presence known at market we knew that late summer was upon us and what better way to make use of the beginning of the end of Summer's Bounty than with a great dessert that is both simple, a complete show-stopper. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Late Summer Fruits
Published 08-20-2012
Roasted Late Summer Fruits
- 1/2 lb Yellow Peaches
- 1/2 lb Plums
- 1/2 lb Fresh Figs
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (do not use imitation)
- 1 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Sucanut or Cane Sugar
- Wash all fruits. Cut figs in half. Cut peaches and plums in half, remove pits and cut into quarters.
- Combine vinegar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Toss fruits in mixture and lay cut sides up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with sucanut or cane sugar.
- Place baking tray in a preheated 425 degree F oven and roast for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until fruits are lightly caramelized, somewhat softened, and quite fragrant.
- Remove tray from oven and allow fruits to cool slightly before serving. Serve with home-made biscotti, shortbreads, or your favorite vegan vanilla or coconut ice cream. Also excellent with custard tarts, flan, or a mousse. Bon Appetit.
Published 08-20-2012
Our chef featured this recipe on her recent appearance on KETV Channel 7 news, we thought you'd like the recipe even if you didn't see the segment. Bon Appetit!
Tomato Peach Salad
Published 08-13-2012
Tomato Peach Salad
- 1 lb Fresh, Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes (any color)
- 2 Fresh Ripe Peaches (yellow, white, or one of each)
- 1 small Cucumber
- 1 small Shallot
- 1 tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves or Finely Chopped Fresh Chives
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 3 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 ounce Cultured Cashew "Cheese", or the dairy cheese of your choice (optional)
- Wash fruits and vegetables.
- Peel shallot and slice thinly. Pit peaches and cut into small wedges. Core tomatoes and cut into small wedges. Slice cucumber thinly. Pick basil leaves from stem as needed.
- Arrange peaches, tomatoes, cucumber, and shallot on a large serving platter, or combine all ingredients in a bowl for a simpler presentation. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with fresh herb, and a few small crumbles of nut, or dairy cheese if using. Serve at once. Bon Appetit!
Published 08-13-2012
With the Summer heatwave still in full swing, we like to make things that don't heat up the house, and keep us cool when we eat them. Here's our recipe for a chilled summer soup that is as delicious as it is simple. Bon Appetit!
Watermelon Gazpacho
Watermelon Gazpacho
- 2 lbs Fresh Ripe Watermelon (any color is fine; gold, orange, or pink. Seeded is tastes better, but it is a little more work.)
- 1 small Red Onion or 2 medium Shallots
- Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 large Cucumber
- 1 large sprig Fresh Basil or Cilantro
- Approximately 1 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
- Remove watermelon flesh from rind and remove seeds if necessary. Cut melon into approximately 1 inch chunks.
- Wash cucumber, if cucumber has been waxed peel it, if it hasn't leave the peel for color. Cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into 1 inch chunks.
- Peel onion, or shallots, cut into chunks.
- Combine melon, cut vegetables, lemon juice and zest, fresh herb of your choice, salt and vinegar together in a large bowl with a lid. Toss together to mix and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours before blending.
- After soup has marinated, place into the jar of a bar blender and puree to desired consistency.(we like a slightly chunky texture over a completely smooth one.) Taste soup and season with black pepper, more salt and/or lemon juice or vinegar if needed. Serve chilled with a sprinkling of fresh basil or cilantro on top. Bon Appetit!
It's the height of sweet corn season here in Iowa, and who are we to pass up great corn? We like corn-on-the-cob as much as the next person, but we also like to look for different ways to make the most of the actual corn flavor. Here's one of our favorite corn dishes that puts a great little twist on the classic corn salad. By the way, if you don't want to heat up the house using the oven, feel free to roast your corn on the grill the preparation is the same, just throw the ears on the grill when you're cooking out instead of roasting them in the oven. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad
- 1 lb Fresh Tomatoes (heirloom if possible)
- 6 ears Fresh Sweet Corn in husks
- 2 to 4 tbsp Wine Vinegar
- 3 tbsp Fresh Chives (finely chopped)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- ½ a small Jalepeno Chile, finely chopped (optional)
- Rinse ears of corn, leave husks, rub ears with olive oil. Place ears into a 425 degree F oven, straight onto the rack. Roast 25 minutes, or until husks/silk separates easily from the ear, and the corn itself has brightened in color and smells sweet/cooked. Remove ears from oven, cool thoroughly before handling.
- Wash tomatoes, remove cores and cut into ¼ inch dice. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
- When corn has cooled, remove husks/silk, Carefully, slice corn kernels from cob with a sharp knife.
- Combine roasted corn with diced tomatoes, finely chopped chives, chopped chile(if using). Season lightly with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Toss, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve within 1 hour of preparing. Bon Appetit!
When it's as hot outside as it has been here in the Mid-West you just want something simple for dinner that won't heat up the house, and doesn't require much by way of effort. We've been eating a lot of melons lately since they've been so tasty and they also fall under the easy-won't-heat-up-the-house category. Enjoy this simple summer dish, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Bon Appetit!
Summer Melon Cucumber Salad
- 1 lb Fresh Ripe Cantaloup or French Melon
- 1 lb Fresh Ripe Honeydew, Canary, or Casaba Melon
- 2 medium English Cucumbers
- 1 small Shallot
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lime
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbs Fresh Tarragon Leaves
- Wash melons, cucumbers, and lime. Cut melons in half, remove seeds. Cut melons into wedges, remove rinds and cut pieces into 3/4 inch chunks.
- Remove ends from cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Cut into approximately 3/4 inch chunks.
- Peel shallot and mince finely. Zest lime with a micro-plane grater or rasp, cut in half and squeeze juice into a bowl. Pick tarragon leaves from woody stalks.
- Combine melon and cucumber chunks, minced shallot, tarragon leaves, and lime zest. Toss to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Toss, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve at once, or allow to chill for up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 07-23-2012
We talked about beans last week in Food Bytes, so we decided to share the recipe for one of the ideas we mentioned in the column. Bon Appetit!
White Bean "Waldorf" Salad
- 2 cups Home-cooked or Canned White(cannillini) Beans (preferably no added salt)
- 3 ribs Celery
- 1 large Granny Smith or Jonathan Apple
- 1 cup Grapes (any color)
- 2 ounces Walnut halves or pieces
- 1 medium Ripe Avocado
- 2-3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 2-3 tbsp Wat
- 2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- Place walnuts on a small baking tray and place in a 350 degree F oven. Toast for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly golden in color and very fragrant. Remove from oven when toasted and allow to cool. Do not burn, or walnuts will be very bitter.
- Wash apple, grapes, and celery. Cut grapes in half, remove seeds if necessary. Cut apple into quarters and remove core; cut into 1/2 inch dice. Cut celery into 1/2 inch dice. Drain and rinse beans as necessary. Combine all items in a large bowl.
For Dressing
- Cut avocado in half, remove seed and scoop flesh from rind with a spoon into the jar of a bar blender. Add lemon juice, 1/2 the rice vinegar and 1/2 the water. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Puree until very smooth. Taste, adjust consistency with water, and seasoning with salt, pepper, or rice vinegar as needed. Dressing should be tangy, well-seasoned, and approximately the consistency of thin yogurt.
To Finish Salad
- Toss salad ingredients together, season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 the prepared dressing, toss well. Taste, add more dressing if salad is dry, or to desired consistency. Serve salad over fresh greens, with a slice of fresh whole grain bread or whole grain crackers. Salad can also be served alone.
[Note: Salad does not keep well, and should not be made more than 4 hours before serving.]
Published 07-16-2012
In last week's Food Bytes column we talked about the flavorful goodness that is, vegetable(or fruit) terrines. We would like to share one of our favorite terrines as promised for our recipe this week. We would also like to say that when it comes to terrines; there are many roads to Oz. Be creative, experiment, try different things, and have fun with the idea of terrines. Bon Appetit!
Spiced Carrot Terrine
Published 07-09-2012
Spiced Carrot Terrine
- 1/2 lb Carrots
- 1 tsp Coriander Seed
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed
- Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
- 3/4 cup Un-oaked White Wine (doesn't really matter if it's sweet or dry)
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tbs Wine Vinegar
- 1 gram Agar Agar Powder
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Wash and peel carrots. Place on a piece of aluminum foil, season lightly with salt and pepper, wrap the foil around the carrots into a rough sort of package. Place into a 350 degree F oven and roast carrots, approximately 25 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and cool enough to handle.( This step can be done the day before if you wish.)
- Line a mini-loaf pan, or other small dish with plastic wrap. Cut carrots into 1/4 inch thick planks and layer them neatly into prepared mold. (Carrots can also be cut into 1/4 inch dice, rounds, or chunks as you desire. We use planks because we like how looks when you slice the finished terrine.)
- In a small saucepan over low heat toast coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant, be careful not to burn them. Add honey and orange zest. Cook until honey starts to caramelize slightly, add vinegar and orange juice. Cook 1 minute, add white wine and bring to a boil, season lightly with salt. Sprinkle agar agar powder into boiling liquid and boil 1 minute. Turn off burner and remove from heat. Pour hot liquid over carrots in mold. Tap mold on counter gently to remove air-bubbles. Place terrine in refrigerator and chill for 4 to 12 hours before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, a dusting of ground coriander seed, or freshly grated orange zest. Bon Appetit!
Published 07-09-2012
We are currently experiencing a great abundance of garden-fresh cucumbers from our modest patch. After having exhausted our usual cucumber recipes, we got creative. We would like to share the fruits of our creativity with you. Bon Appetit!
Simple Cucumber and Olive Salad
Published 07-02-2012
Simple Cucumber and Olive Salad
- 1 lb Fresh English, or Persian, Cucumbers (garden or farmer's market ones if possible)
- 1 small Onion
- 2 ounces Mild Black Olives
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
- 1 tsp Fresh Tarragon or Basil
- 1 to 2 tbs Rice or White Wine Vinegar
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Wash cucumbers, slice 1/4 inch thick. Peel onion, cut into quarters, slices as thinly as possible.
- Pit olives if necessary, cut into fine dice. Pick herbs from stems and chop finely.
- Combine vegetables, herbs, and olives in a large bowl. Season with vinegar and cracked pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Allow to marinate approximately 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit! [Note: Salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Will keep for 2 days after making, but does not improve and may become somewhat watery if it sits for more than 8 hours.]
Published 07-02-2012
Some time ago we posted a Minted Cauliflower Salad, and the other day our chef created a little variation of that. We liked it so much we would like to share it with you this week. Bon Appetit!
Cauliflower Salad with Basil and Lemon
Published 06-25-2012
Cauliflower Salad with Basil and Lemon
- 1 large head Cauliflower
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- 10 leaves Fresh Basil
- 2 cloves Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
- Wash cauliflower and remove any leaves and core. Cut into approximately 1 inch chunks.
- Add cut cauliflower to boiling water and blanch 3-5 minutes until slightly tender, but not particularly soft. Drain and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
- Peel and mince garlic finely. Chop basil leaves finely.
- Add garlic, basil, lemon juice and zest to cauliflower. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss well and taste. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Salad can be served at once, or made ahead and allowed to marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 06-25-2012
Occasionally we find ourselves with a lot of odds and ends of vegetables in our refrigerator, depending on what sort of vegetables they are, and the weather conditions,) we may end up making a soup, a stew, or a salad. This week we had to answer that question yet again, what to do with the odds and ends? We would like to share our creation with you as this week's recipe, we enjoyed it immensely and we would encourage you to change the vegetables around to suit whatever you have lurking in your own fridge. (Note: This recipe may not work so well with green leafy vegetables, but it should be fine for cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, etc.) Bon Appetit!
Simple Roasted Vegetable Medley
- 3 Carrots
- 3 Parsnips
- 1 small Butternut Squash
- 4 small or 2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 3 small or 1 large Sweet Potatoes
- 5 small or 3 large Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes)
- 1 medium Celery Root (celeriac)
- 2 medium Rutabagas or Turnips
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 2 tbsp Wine or Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Wash and peel all vegetables. Remove seeds from butternut squash. (If using other vegetables wash and peel as necessary)
- Cut all vegetables into approximately 1 1/2 inch square chunks. Combine vegetables in a large bowl.
- Season vegetables with vinegar, oil, herbs, and lightly with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat vegetables with seasonings. Divide vegetables onto two sheet pans and shake pans to be sure vegetables are evenly distributed in a single layer on the pans.
- Place pans in preheated oven and roast 15 to 20 minutes. Stir vegetables and attempt to turn them to a different side after 10 minutes to make sure vegetable brown nicely, don't burn, and release more of their steam. Vegetables are cooked when easily pierced with a toothpick or tines of a fork.
- When vegetables are cooked remove trays from oven. Vegetables can be served hot off the trays, or allowed to cool before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 06-18-2012
If you like tomatoes, you are probably a happy camper right about now. We have a whole bunch of things that we make with tomatoes that we really like, however there is one recipe in particular that stands out. This salad is a simple, and delicious way to make the most of fabulously flavorful summer tomatoes, and it's also a good way to use up any odd and ends of bread you might have knocking about your kitchen. (Note: Hearth breads, and crusty artisan breads are best in this salad; particularly the very crusty wheat-y versions. I.e the more flavorful your bread, the more flavorful your salad.)
Panzanella Salad
Published 06-11-2012
Panzanella Salad
- 2 lbs High Quality Fresh Tomatoes
- 2 Green Onions or 1 medium Shallot
- 3 to 5 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Whole Wheat/Grain Bread (preferably artisan, sour-dough, or hearth-baked bread)
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped Fresh Basil, Chives, Tarragon, or Parsley
- Slice bread into 1/2 inch thick slices, and then into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet in one layer and toast in a 350 degree F oven for 8 to 20 minutes until crunchy and brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool just enough to handle.
- Wash tomatoes. Remove cores, and cut into 1/2 inch dice. Wash green onions and slice thinly on the bias, or peel shallot and mince finely. Pick, clean, and chop herbs of your choice.
- While toasted bread is still warm, place in a bowl, add the tomatoes and onions or shallots. Add 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and chopped herbs. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and vinegar as necessary. Allow salad to marinate 10 to 20 minutes before serving. [Note: Salad does not store particularly well. The amounts given above serve 4 as an entree and 8-10 as a side-dish. Feel free to adjust amounts to only what will be consumed in one meal. Pairing suggestions include grilled marinated summer vegetables, sauteed greens, blanched green, poached or braised root vegetables.] Bon Appetit!
Published 06-11-2012
Hopefully you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend as much as we did. We would like to share one of our favorite Summer pot-luck/picnic/barbeque recipes, feel free to tinker with it a little bit to use whatever sorts of vegetables you have on hand. The seasoning is pretty flexible as well, it is also good spiced up with green chiles, Tabasco sauce, or red pepper flakes if you like a heat-wave in your mouth as well as in your weather. Bon Appetit!
Summer Succotash
Published 06-04-2012
Summer Succotash
- 16 ounce pkg Frozen Lima Beans or Edamame (do not use canned lima beans)
- 1 15 ounce can Corn or 2 cups Frozen Corn
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper
- 1 medium Summer Squash (yellow, patty pan, or zucchini)
- 1 pt Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Fresh Tarragon or 1 tsp Dried Tarragon
- 3 tbsp Fresh Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 to 4 tsp Red Wine Vinegar or Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash bell pepper, summer squash, tomatoes. Peel onion and garlic. Pick herb leaves from stems. Drain and rinse corn, if using canned.
- Cut bell pepper, onion, and summer squash into 1/4 inch dice. Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on how large they are. Chop herbs finely and set aside. Crush garlic and chop finely.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic. Sweat gently for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soft and becomes very fragrant.
- Add lima beans or edamame and canned or froze corn. Turn heat up to medium-high and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add summer squash, season with salt, pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice. If using dried tarragon add now. Lower heat to medium and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add bell pepper, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Cook 1-2 minutes until bell peppers are lightly cooked and all vegetables a nicely combined and seasoned. Remove pan from heat, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Bon Appetit!
[Note: Succotash can be served either hot, warm, or cold as a main or side-dish. Excellent served warm or cold over fresh greens as a delicious summer luncheon, or light supper.]
Published 06-04-2012
To continue our theme of Condiments from last week, this week we would like to offer you some ideas for a few simple relishes and chutneys to spice up your everyday cooking. The chutneys are cooked, but we prefer our relishes raw, most of the time. Feel free to mix and match the ingredients to suit your own tastes and what you have from the garden and in the larder. Bon Appetit! [Note: We have included some serving suggestions next to each item, but don't feel like you have to serve them that way, it's just what we like.]
Our Favorite Relishes and Chutneys
- Spicy Carrot Relish: 2 Finely Diced Medium Carrots, 1 Minced Serrano Chile(use a hotter or milder chile to your own taste), 1 Small Minced Shallot, 2-3 tbs Red Wine Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, 1 tbs Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro or Parsley [Serve with: Cold mild bean dishes, cold or hot lentils, cooked whole grains, mixed with shredded cabbage as a zingy tasty coleslaw.]
- Radish Relish: 1/4 lb Finely Diced Mild White or Red Radishes, Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon, 1 tbs Finely Chopped Fresh Dill, 1 Small Minced Sweet Onion(vidalia or similar), Salt and Pepper [Serve with: Sauteed greens, sauteed or roasted tofu, roasted eggplant, mushrooms, or onions. Remove the dill, add soy sauce and serve over cooked brown rice, or congee.]
- Balsamic, Onion, and Herb Relish: 1 medium Onion cut in 1/4 inch dice, 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar, 1 tbs each Fresh Finely Chopped Tarragon and Parsley, Salt and Pepper [Serve with: Sliced tomatoes, cooked white or red beans, over cooked whole grains, or in veggie sandwiches. Also makes a good vegan pizza topping.]
For Relishes: Prepare ingredients as directed by recipe. Combine all ingredients per recipe. Season lightly with salt and pepper and allow each relish to marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. All recipes can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, and leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about 7 days.
- Golden Raisin Chutney with Ginger: 1/2 c Golden Raisins, 1/2 thick slice Fresh Ginger(Finely Minced), 1/4 cup Toasted Pecans, 1/2 cup Dry White Wine, 1/2 cup Water, 1 tsp Dried Tarragon, Salt and Pepper [Serve with: Lentils, Spicy bean dishes, mix with cooked long grain brown rice for a quick pilaf, also excellent with spicy sauteed onions and whole wheat naan/pita bread.]
- Prune and Chile Compote: 1/2 cup Roughly Chopped Pitted Prunes, 1 cup Dry Marsala Wine, 1 Dried Chipotle Pepper, 1 Small Minced Shallot, 1-2 tbs Sherry or Malt Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, 1 tsp Coriander Seeds [Serve with: Roasted/Sauteed tempeh, with roasted eggplant, or cauliflower. Also excellent with sauteed bitter greens such as collards, etc.]
- Spiced Tomato and Sunflower Seed Chutney: 1/2 lb Diced Fresh Tomatoes or 14 oz Can Diced Tomatoes, 1 oz Sun-dried Tomatoes, 1/4 cup Toasted Sunflower Seeds, 1/2 c Dry White Wine, 5 Cardamom Pods, 1/2 tsp Coriander Seed, 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed, 1/2 tsp Mustard Seed, 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed, 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns, 1-2 Whole Cloves, Salt to taste, 1-2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar, 1 Small Minced Onion [Serve with: Black bean burgers, lentils, cooked whole grains, braised vegetables, roasted mushrooms, and on crispy tofu sandwiches.]
For Chutneys and Compotes: Prepare ingredients as directed by ingredient list. Combine all ingredients per recipe, except nuts, in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cook gently until most of the liquid is either absorbed, or evaporated. (Keep heat low so the mixture does not burn.) Remove from heat and remove any whole spices such as cardamom pods, etc. Season mixture lightly with salt and adjust acidity as necessary. Stir in toasted nuts as recipe calls for and allow mixture to cool before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 05-21-2012
We were looking through our online recipe collection the other day and we noticed an anomaly. We haven't posted any of our favorite condiment recipes. We thought it might be time to remedy that, and share a few of our favorite dressings, relishes, chutneys, and preserves over the next few weeks.
These recipes serve several purposes in our kitchen, one to add interest and variety without loading a dish up with unnecessary calories, and also we don't like commercially prepared condiments that much because they tend to be extremely one dimensional in terms of the type of flavor they deliver. (All sugar, all hot, all salt, etc) We've found that by preparing our own condiments we can exercise a very fine degree of control in the types of flavor we get, and the sort of ingredients we use. We like having that option. Bon Appetit!
Our Favorite Salad Dressings
Make the avocado dressing the blender, if it's too thick thin it with water or more lime juice.
For the other dressings, just measure the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
[Note: All of these dressings are made with straight vinegar or citrus juice and tend to be very strong in flavor. When adding to your salad remember you can always add, but you can't take it out. In our kitchen the amount of dressing prepared for each recipe is sufficient to dress 4 large green salads, or 8 small ones. Refrigerate leftover dressings for up to 3 days.]
Published 05-14-2012
These recipes serve several purposes in our kitchen, one to add interest and variety without loading a dish up with unnecessary calories, and also we don't like commercially prepared condiments that much because they tend to be extremely one dimensional in terms of the type of flavor they deliver. (All sugar, all hot, all salt, etc) We've found that by preparing our own condiments we can exercise a very fine degree of control in the types of flavor we get, and the sort of ingredients we use. We like having that option. Bon Appetit!
Our Favorite Salad Dressings
- Balsamic Garlic : 2-3 tbs Balsamic Vinegar, 1 clove Garlic crushed to a paste, 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard, Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
- Lemon Mustard: Juice of 1 large Lemon, Zest of 1/2 a Lemon, 1 tsp Dijon Mustard, Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
- Malt and Tarragon: 2 tbs Malt Vinegar, 1 tbs Finely Chopped Fresh Tarragon, Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
- Creamy Avocado and Lime: 1/2 a Ripe Avocado, Juice of 2 small or 1 very Large Lime, Zest of 1 Lime, Dash of Tabasco Sauce, Salt and Pepper to Taste, 1 tbs Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley or Dill(optional)
- Fruity Herb: 2-3 tbs High Quality Fruit Vinegar such as Raspberry, Cassis, Mango, Pomegranate, or Fig, 1 tbs Finely Chopped Fresh Tarragon or Basil or 1 tsp Finely Chopped Fresh Mint, 1/2 tsp Honey, Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
Make the avocado dressing the blender, if it's too thick thin it with water or more lime juice.
For the other dressings, just measure the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
[Note: All of these dressings are made with straight vinegar or citrus juice and tend to be very strong in flavor. When adding to your salad remember you can always add, but you can't take it out. In our kitchen the amount of dressing prepared for each recipe is sufficient to dress 4 large green salads, or 8 small ones. Refrigerate leftover dressings for up to 3 days.]
Published 05-14-2012
As Summer blooms out into its full hot-an-humid glory we find ourselves preferring cold suppers, and simple dishes that don't require the use of an oven, or more than about 15 minutes of stove time. One of our summertime favorites is Pasta salad. However so many pasta salads, delicious though they may be; are loaded with fatty dressings, animal products, sugar, and other undesirables. We would like to share one of our versions with you, a light, crisp, flavor-packed salad that will make even the most conventional eater ask for seconds. Bon Appetit!
Summer Pasta Salad
Published 05-07-2012
Summer Pasta Salad
- 1/2 lb Dry Whole Wheat Pasta (Penne, Fusillie, Rigatoni, Rotini, etc)
- 3 Carrots
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 small Cucumber (preferably seedless)
- 4 Green Onions
- 1/2 lb Jicama
- 4 ribs Celery
- 1 small Zucchini or Summer Squash
- 6 to 10 Red Globe Radishes
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 c Mild Balsamic Vinegar (Does not have to be anything expensive or special.)
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 3 Anchovy Fillets (optional)
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. [Note: Some brands of whole wheat pasta cook very quickly, keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn't over-cook.] Drain pasta when cooked and rinse in cold water to stop cooking and keep it from sticking together.
- Wash all vegetables. Peel jicama, carrots, garlic, and cucumber(if waxed). Remove core, ribs, and seeds in peppers. Seed cucumbers if desired.
- Cut all vegetables, except garlic and green onion, into approximately 1/4 inch cubes. Slice green onions thinly on bias.
- Combine all chopped vegetables in a large bowl and mix well. Add pasta and toss together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Mince garlic (and anchovy if using) into a fine paste and combine with balsamic vinegar. Stir dressing well and pour over pasta/vegetables. Toss salad well to coat with dressing, taste and adjust seasoning. Salad is best if allowed to marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 05-07-2012
If somebody had said to us a few years ago, "you'll be eating salad for breakfast in the relatively near future". We would have laughed in their face, however now we would have to eat humble pie(as well as salad), as we do indeed eat salad for breakfast now. If you've ever had a green smoothie for breakfast you've eaten salad for breakfast as well, albeit in a slightly different form. Here are some of our favorite combinations for breakfast salads, hopefully they will swiftly become your favorites as well. Bon Appetit!
Our Favorite Breakfast Salads
Published 04-30-2012
Our Favorite Breakfast Salads
- Fruit-an-Nuts Salad: This is a very simple salad. Select three of your favorite seasonal fresh fruits(about 1 1/2 cups prepared fruits), a couple handfuls of tender greens, an half a ounce of your favorite nuts. Wash, peel, seed, and core your fruits as necessary. Wash and stem your greens as needed. Place about 2 ounces of mixed fruits into the blender and puree them for your dressing, add a drop of vinegar if none of the fruits are citrus. Place greens, prepared fruits, and nuts in a large serving bowl. Pour the "dressing" over top and enjoy.
- Chile Rellenos Salad: This salad is for those that prefer the savory to the sweet at breakfast time, makes a great brunch or lunch dish as well. Traditionally chile rellenos contains quite a lot of cheese and we prefer to leave that out, since it adds nothing but excessive calories and grease, neither of which we're overly fond of. However you can still get some great flavor. Take 1 poblano pepper,cut off the top, remove the core,ribs, and seeds. Take a 1/4 c cooked brown rice, 1/4 c of canned or frozen corn, and 1/4 c of cooked beans of your choice. Slice a small onion thinly and saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, add a clove of minced garlic, a little salt, pepper, cumin, and lime juice. Add the rice, corn, and beans and cook together for another 2-3 minutes. Stuff the pepper with this mixture, put the cap back on the pepper the best you can, put in a 400 degree F oven and roast for about 15 minutes until pepper is nicely cooked. Allow pepper to cool a little, slice, place on a bed of fresh greens and serve with sliced tomatoes, pico de gaillo, gucamole, or whatever type of prepared salsa you prefer. [Note: Chiles can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a day and a half before roasting.]
- Chopped Breakfast Salad: This salad combines both fruit and vegetables and can be made as quickly, or as painstakingly as you wish in terms of the cutting of the components. We make this in the summer when the more tropical fruits are available with good flavor, feel free to change the items around to ones you prefer, or ones that are in season at the time for the best flavor. Serve with, or without, greens as you so desire. 1 small Red or Yellow Bell Pepper, 1 small Mango, 1 rib Celery, 3-4 ounces Fresh Pineapple, 1 small Cucumber, 4-8 Fresh Mint Leaves, Fresh Lime Juice. Wash, peel, core, seed vegetables and fruits as necessary. Cut all items into approximately 1/2 inch chunks or cubes, excepting mint leaves. Chop the mint finely and add to the salad. Dress with fresh lime juice and serve. [Note: For a luncheon version, add a 1/4 c of minced onion and 1 small jicama, chopped. Season with a dash of tabasco sauce or half a minced green chile, salt, and pepper. It's great served with a Latin-style bean dish, or in a wrap.]
Published 04-30-2012
Continuing with our breakfast recipe theme, we would like to share a recipe that is always popular at our house and we hope will become a favorite at yours. The crepes can be made in a big batch ahead of time and frozen for up to a month before using. Also, feel free to change the fillings around according to whatever fruits are in season, and whatever you prefer.
Simple Banana Crepes
For the Crepes
For the Filling
Rolled: Spoon 1/8th of the banana mixture onto one side of 8 crepes, fold in the outer, top and bottom edges like a burrito, and roll up. Serves 4.
Folded: Fold crepes into 1/4ths or 1/8ths depending on how large your crepes are. Place two or three per person onto each plate and spoon 1/4 of the banana mixture over the top. Serve hot or warm. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-23-2012
Simple Banana Crepes
For the Crepes
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour
- 1 3/4 cups Soy or Nut Milk of your choice
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal
- Vegetable oil to season cooking pan
For the Filling
- 2 medium Bananas
- 2 tbs Peanut, Almond, Cashew, or Sunflower Seed Butter
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tbs Molasses, Maple Syrup, or Honey
- Pinch of Salt
- Combine flour, baking power, and flax meal in a large bowl and mix well to evenly distribute ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour soy or nut milk, into the center of the well. Whisk gently in the center of the well, gradually pulling in more flour from the edges of the well until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the batter.
- Allow batter to rest and hydrate for 15 minutes before cooking. Batter may thicken somewhat after sitting, loosen it with more liquid if necessary to a consistency similar to the thickness of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk.
- To Cook Crepes: Heat a saute pan, circular griddle, or crepe pan over medium heat for 1-3 minutes depending on how heavy it is. Pour a small amount of vegetable on the heated pan and wipe it over the surface using a thick pad of paper towels, or an old clean kitchen towel. (Watch your fingers) Ladle approximately 2 ounces of batter onto the center of the pan and swirl it over the surface of the pan to a thin, even sheet. (If batter does not swirl or move well on the pan it is probably too thick. It may take several tries to get it to the right consistency.) Cook batter on first side until solidifies, bubbles form, and edges dry and curl up and away from the pan. Gently peel crepe away from pan and flip, cook 1-2 minutes on second side to crisp up and remove the raw appearance. Remove finished crepe from pan, place on a cooling rack. Do not stack crepes on top of each other when hot, they will steam and stick to each other. [Note: Temperature control is crucial to cooking crepes. Too high and the batter will solidify too quickly on the pan and you will not be able to swirl it, the crepes may also burn. Too low a heat and your crepes will stick, or be greasy because you had to use so much oil to keep them from sticking. Don't expect your first few tries to be perfect, it takes a little practice to get the feel of your pan, heat control, and batter consistency.]
To prepare filling:- Peel bananas and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- In a small sauce pan, combine nut butter, water, and liquid sweetener. Heat gently over medium-low heat, whisking to form a smooth liquid. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat, add bananas and coat in mixture. Filling is ready to use.
- Peel bananas and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Rolled: Spoon 1/8th of the banana mixture onto one side of 8 crepes, fold in the outer, top and bottom edges like a burrito, and roll up. Serves 4.
Folded: Fold crepes into 1/4ths or 1/8ths depending on how large your crepes are. Place two or three per person onto each plate and spoon 1/4 of the banana mixture over the top. Serve hot or warm. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-23-2012
Sometimes people ask us about ideas for healthful breakfasts and we would like to share a few of our favorite options with you over the next few weeks. When we're working out a lot we like to eat most of our carbohydrates in the morning, here's one of our favorite recipes for a hearty cold breakfast that tastes great and is very simple to make. Don't be put off by the idea that it's raw, it's delicious and not at all like horse-feed. (This one is usually a big hit with children as well.) Bon Appetit!
Raw Oatmeal
Published 04-16-2012
Raw Oatmeal
- 1 cup Whole Oat Groats
- 1 quart Cold Water
- 1 large Banana
- 2-4 Medjool Dates (pitted)
- Nutmeg or Cinnamon to Taste (optional)
- Soy or Nut Milk for consistency
- Combine oats and water the night before you plan to eat this. Allow to soak for at least 8 hours before finishing. (Feel free to double, or triple up the amount of grain and water as this recipe will keep for several days with no problem.)
- Drain soaked oats, and place in the jar of a high-speed bar blender. Add peeled banana, 2 pitted dates, and 1/4 cup of water or soy milk. Blend mixture to a slightly chunky, creamy oatmeal texture, adding more liquid if necessary to all the mixture to blend. Taste and add spice or more dates if desired.
- Spoon oatmeal into four serving bowls and serve with fresh fruit as desired. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-16-2012
When you eat a lot of different vegetables like we do, you inevitably end up with the tail-ends of those vegetables languishing in the fridge. The answer to the problem is quite simple, make soup. Here's our basic recipe for what we, laughingly, call "catch-all soup". You don't have to have these exact ingredients, by any means, use what you have on hand and feel free to mix-an-match with what you have in your fridge. We try avoid using all "sweet" vegetables, or all bitter vegetables, unless the liquid is very much one way, or the other. We use very basic European styled seasoning of herbs, but you can of course, use whatever you'd like and have close to hand. The liquid can be anything, water, vegetable/tomato juice, vegetable stock, mushroom broth, wine, beer, or even tea if you're inclined to experiment. Bon Appetit
"Catch-All" Vegetable Soup
Published 04-09-2012
"Catch-All" Vegetable Soup
- 1/2 an Onion
- 1/2 a small or 1/4 of a large Leek (white and light green parts only)
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 Carrot
- 1/2 bulb Fennel
- 1/2 lb Cabbage
- 1 medium Turnip
- 1 cup sliced Mushrooms of your choice (we like shitaki and that what we usually have, but you can use any variety)
- 1 medium Summer Squash or Zucchini
- 1/2 cup Pearled Barley or Whole Grain of your choice (optional)
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1/2 tsp Dried Marjoram
- 1 large Bay Leaf
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 1/2 quarts Liquid of your Choice (we like a mixture of water and tomato juice most of the time because that's what we usually have, but you can mix whatever you'd like.)
- Wash and peel vegetables as needed. Cut all vegetable except mushrooms and cabbage into 1/2 inch dice. Slice mushrooms and cabbage thinly. Set aside.
- Sweat all vegetables (except mushrooms, cabbage, and summer squash) for 5-7 minutes in an appropriately sized pot, over medium-low heat until very fragrant. Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes if using, vinegar, garlic, and mushrooms. Sweat another 1-2 minutes.
- Add liquid, grain if using, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer. Cook covered approximately 20 minutes.
- Add cabbage and summer squash, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Simmer soup another 10 minutes until cabbage and squash are nicely cooked, but not mushy. Serve soup hot with a large green salad, and crusty whole grain bread, or crackers if desired. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-09-2012
Sometimes we find ingredients at the store that aren't necessarily in season, but look pretty decent and are on sale. Rather than be overly hide-bound we like to take advantage of those opportunities to see what we can come up with, and how much flavor we can coax out of what might other be quite a lackluster item. This salad was one of those dishes, stuff was on sale, etc, and it was good. However, with really quality farmer's-market-fresh cauliflower and tomatoes it would really be a winner. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- 1 large head fresh Cauliflower
- 2-4 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 ounces Fresh Campari, Cherry Tomatoes or home-made tomato confit
- 4 large leaves Fresh Basil
- Salt
- Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tbs Olive Oil (optional)
- 1 large clove Garlic or 2 tbs Roasted Garlic Paste(will be a mellower garlic flavor)
- Remove leaves from cauliflower head and rinse well. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized chunks. Place on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and coarse ground black pepper. Place pan in a 425 degree F oven and roast for approximately 15 minutes until cauliflower is tender, open oven and shake tray every few minutes after about the first 7 minutes to avoid over-cooking, or burning. [Note: If cauliflower starts to color too quickly, or doesn't seem to be getting tender, just dry, turn oven down to 350 degrees and sprinkle a few tablespoons of water on the sheet tray to create some steam.]
- Wash tomatoes and cut into eighths. Lay basil leaves on top of each other, roll together tightly into a sort of cigar-shape. Slice crosswise into fine shreds.
- For Dressing: Peel garlic and crust in a mortar and pestle, or mince very finely. Combine fresh garlic, or roasted garlic paste with olive oil(if using), balsamic vinegar, and black pepper to taste.
- When cauliflower is cooked place it directly into a large bowl and pour dressing over it. Toss well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil, toss well. Allow to marinate 10 minutes and cool to room temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 04-02-2012
While not what most people would think of as a "salad" ingredient, we have found that their are myriad preparations using lentils that make absolutely wonderful cold salad dishes. We would like to share one of our favorites with you. This recipe uses French Green lentils and it is preferable to use those over any other type, not necessarily because of the flavor, but because the final toothsome texture of these lentils matches perfectly with the finely minced vegetables. Serve this salad either room temperature, or chilled, for a delightful heartier luncheon, or a light, cold supper. Bon Appetit!
French Lentil Salad
Published 03-26-2012
French Lentil Salad
- 1/2 cup dried French Green Lentils
- 1/2 a large or 1 small Carrot
- 1 rib Celery
- 1/2 of the first layer of a large Fennel Bulb or 1/2 of a whole small Fennel Bulb
- 1/4 of a medium or 1/2 of a small Onion
- 1/4 c White Wine (Preferably something not too sweet, but not bone dry either.)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 quart Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- Wash all vegetables. Peel carrot and onion.
- Cut all vegetables into very fine dice, approximately 1/8th square.
- Place cut vegetables in a medium saucepan and cook over very low heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until vegetables are quite soft and very fragrant. There is no need to add any oil, and do not get impatient and turn up the heat or your vegetables will burn. The longer cooking time over very gentle heat is also part of what gives the dish its final distinctive flavor.
- Add lentils to vegetables, along with thyme, bay leaf, and water. Turn up heat, bring mixture to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook UNCOVERED for about 20 minutes until lentils are cooked, but still retain their shape and individual texture.
- Remove pan from heat, remove bay leaf, and strain lentils/vegetables over a bowl, drain well. Return cooking liquid to saucepan, add white wine and a small amount of salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium-high and reduce liquid to a light syrupy consistency(should be about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of liquid left). (Note: This liquid should be somewhat salty when tasted along, because when you pour it back over the lentils it will season them nicely. That being said, you can always add but you can't take out and the proper consistency of the liquid is more important that getting the seasoning right on the first try since that is easily adjusted before serving.)
- When liquid has finished reducing, pour over the cooked lentils and toss gently to coat them in the flavorful sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar as necessary. Allow salad it cool to room temperature, or chill before serving. Bon Appetit!
Published 03-26-2012
Spring appears to be fully here in the Mid-west and when green things start growing outside, we like to put green things in our stomachs. This delicious soup is a bit more work than our usual throw-it-in-a-pot soups, but the fabulous fresh flavors and the brilliant deep emerald color make it well worth the little extra effort. Bon Appetit!
Green Goddess Soup
[Note: Soup can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time, will keep for several days, but will not taste as fresh, color will darken somewhat, and soup may become slightly bitter. Garnish with sliced cucumber, fresh herbs, diced avocado tossed with lime juice, or sauteed apple if desired.]
Published 03-19-2012
Green Goddess Soup
- 1 large bunch Fresh Kale
- 3 ounces Fresh Spinach
- 2 medium sweet-tart Apples (gala, fuji, braeburn, etc)
- 1 small ripe Avocado
- 1 large or 2 medium Shallots
- The juice and zest of 1 large Lime
- 2 ribs Celery
- Salt (to taste)
- Rice Vinegar (to taste)
- Water
- Wash greens and remove all long stems from spinach, and ribs from kale. Do not skip this step, ribs and stems will make soup bitter.
- Bring a large pot of water to a hard rolling boil. Add 1 tsp sea salt to boiling water.
- Blanch kale for 2-3 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender, but not totally cooked. Shock in very cold water, drain, and wring out excess water. Set aside. Blanch spinach for 30-60 seconds until bright green and fairly limp. Shock in very cold water, drain, and wring out excess water. Set aside.
- Peel shallots and apples. Slice shallots 1/8th inch thick, and cut apples into 1/4 inch dice. Wash celery, and cut into 1/4 inch dice.
- In a large saute pan over medium-low heat gently sweat apples, shallots, and celery for 5 minutes without coloring. No oil is necessary if the temperature is kept low enough. Do not get impatient and crank heat up or items will color at best, and burn at worst. When apples are about half cooked mixture is finished. Place mixture in a appropriately sized bowl, and place bowl in another bowl of very cold water to cool down. Do not puree soup when apple mixture is hot, the greens will "cook" and the will lose some or all of their bright color.
- Cut avocado in half, remove pit. Scoop flesh into the jar of a bar blender, there is no need to chop it up. Add cooled apple mixture, 1/2 cup water a pinch of salt, lime juice and zest. Puree mixture until smooth.
- Add blanched greens and puree until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar as necessary. Add more water to adjust to a nice soup consistency if needed. Chill until ready to serve. Bon appetit!
[Note: Soup can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time, will keep for several days, but will not taste as fresh, color will darken somewhat, and soup may become slightly bitter. Garnish with sliced cucumber, fresh herbs, diced avocado tossed with lime juice, or sauteed apple if desired.]
Published 03-19-2012
While we are always coming up with new dishes that fulfill our nutrition requirements, sometimes we find classics that fit the bill as well. This makes us happy, it's less work for us and who doesn't love a good classic? Here's our recipe for the classic Nicoise street food made from chickpeas and seasoned with herbs and black pepper. Bon Appetit!
Panisse Nicoise
Both methods of serving are delicious and if you make a large batch you can do both with no extra effort. Serve fresh panisse with steamed or sauteed vegetables, poached, baked, or sauteed fish, or substitute it for polenta or grits. Sauteed panisses are delicious served with a fresh tomato sauce, pesto, or vegetables roasted with garlic, herbs, and/or olives. Bon Appetit!
Published 03-12-2012
Panisse Nicoise
- 1/2 lb Chickpea Flour (if you can't find chickpea flour you can just buy dried chickpeas and grind them in a high-speed blender to a fine powder.)
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock or Water
- 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary or Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Salt
- 1 tsp Wine Vinegar
- Bring vegetable stock to a fast simmer in a medium saucepan. Whisk in chickpea flour gradually into simmering stock, mixture should be the consistency of runny polenta, or sort of thick wall-paper paste.
- Turn heat down very low and cook mixture until smooth and creamy, stirring constantly to avoid burning. You may need to add more vegetable stock or water if mixture becomes too thick. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Add dried herbs, black pepper, and vinegar. Season with salt and cook another 2 minutes. Mixture can be served at once as is, or it can be poured onto a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap, covered with another sheet of plastic wrap and chilled. Mixture will solidify into a sort of solid cake, which can then be cut into whatever size and shape you wish and then sauteed until crisp on one side before serving.
Both methods of serving are delicious and if you make a large batch you can do both with no extra effort. Serve fresh panisse with steamed or sauteed vegetables, poached, baked, or sauteed fish, or substitute it for polenta or grits. Sauteed panisses are delicious served with a fresh tomato sauce, pesto, or vegetables roasted with garlic, herbs, and/or olives. Bon Appetit!
Published 03-12-2012
We're always on the look-out for interesting ways to prepare our same-ole-same-old vegetables, because let's face it; eating the same thing all the time is a bit dull. It may be very healthful, but we feel that food should speak to your soul.(At least in passing, some of the time.) Here's a little something that came to us, we hope you enjoy it, as it has quickly become one of our favorites. Bon Appetit!
Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Published 03-05-2012
Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 1 lb Sweet Potatoes or Yams
- 1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar (Don't use your high-quality aged vinegar for this recipe, the cheap stuff will do nicely.)
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme, Marjoram, or Rosemary
- 2 tsp Olive Oil (you can certainly leave the oil out if you wish, but the sweet potatoes roast better if you use it.)
- Coarse Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Working quickly so the sweet potatoes don't have time to oxidize, peel sweet potatoes and cut into roughly 1 inch chunks.
- Place chunks in a bowl and toss with vinegar and oil to coat. Place contents of bowl on a sheet pan. Make sure sweet potatoes are in a single layer.
- Sprinkle sweet potatoes with dried herbs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and roast for 15 to 25 minutes until potatoes are nicely cooked, and some what browned. Serve hot or warm. Bon Appetit!
Published 03-05-2012
We have been enjoying a lot of tasty vegetable soups over the last few weeks, both because of the chillier weather and to use up some of the leftover produce from last season. Here is one of our creations we enjoyed the most, with its crisp flavors and simple preparation it is ideal for a quick luncheon when paired with a green salad, or as a delicious starter for the evening meal. Bon Appetit!
Celery and Fennel Soup
Published 02-27-2012
Celery and Fennel Soup
- 1/2 lb Celery Stalks
- 1/2 lb Fresh Fennel Bulb (no fronds, just the bulb)
- 1 medium Shallot or 1/2 a small Onion
- 1 medium Yukon Gold Potato
- 2 to 4 tsp Cider or White Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- `1/2 tsp Celery Seed
- 1 1/2 quarts Water or light Vegetable Stock
- Wash all vegetables.
- Peel potato and shallot.
- Chop celery, fennel, potato, and shallot into rough half inch chunks.
- Place shallot in an appropriately sized saucepan over medium heat and sweat 1-2 minutes.
- Add celery, fennel, potato, and celery seed. Cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add water or vegetable stock, vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook soup for approximately 20 minutes until vegetable are very soft.
- Place soup in the jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Return soup to a clean saucepan, taste and adjust seasonings and acid as necessary. Adjust consistency by either boiling to reduce, or adding liquid to thin. Serve hot. Bon Appetit!
Published 02-27-2012
Every once in a while we find a classic dish that hits all our nutritional specs, but really isn't up to scratch when it comes to flavor. This makes us think on how to fix it if we like the idea of the dish itself. Split-pea soup is one of those dishes, it's usually always universally nasty, grey-green dishwater looking stuff that smells somewhere between unpalatable and appalling. We decided to change that, we like all the ingredients for split-pea soup, but we just didn't dig the traditional end result. We would like to share with you what we came up with, hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as we do. Bon Appetit!
Split-Pea Soup 2.0
Published 02-20-2012
Split-Pea Soup 2.0
- 1/2 lb Green Split-Peas
- 1 medium Onion
- 1/2 lb Roma Tomatoes or a 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 large Carrot
- 2 ribs Celery
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 large Bay Leaf
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 3 tsp Wine, Malt, or Cider Vinegar
- 1 quart Water or Vegetable Stock
- Peel onion, garlic, and carrots.
- Chop onion, carrot, and celery into 1/4 inch dice. Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, add onions and sweat gently for 1-2 minutes. Add celery and carrots, cook 3-5 minutes over low heat.
- Mince garlic finely and add to saucepan.
- Wash and remove cores from tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice if using fresh. Add to saucepan along with herbs and split-peas. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add water or vegetable stock, season lightly with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook approximately 15 minutes or until split-peas are nicely cooked, but not mushy in any way.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, serve hot with a fresh green salad and crusty rye or wheat bread. Bon Appetit!
Published 02-20-2012
Here's a rather unusual recipe our chef came up with for a class, we liked the recipe so well we decided it made the website cut. Whip it up for St.Patrick's Day, it will be perfect for the occasion. Bon Appetit!
Beer Cake
[Cake is excellent served alone, but can also be served with vegan or traditional whipped cream, lightly sweetened custard sauce and some fresh berries for a more elegant dessert.]
Published 02-13-2012
Beer Cake
- 12 ounces Guiness, Stout, Porter, or other dark beer
- ½ c Coconut Milk
- 1/2 c Vegetable Oil
- 8 Medjool Dates (pitted)
- ½ c Oat Flour
- 1 c Whole Wheat Flour
- ½ c Wheat or Oat Bran
- ½ c Flax Seed Meal
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 3 tbs Cocoa Powder (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 inch round pan or an 8 by 8 inch square pan by lining it with a piece of parchment or waxed paper cut to fit the bottom. Oil the sides and sprinkle with a little bran to prevent sticking.
- In a cylindrical container, or the jar of a bar blender, combine pitted dates and coconut milk. Puree until mixture is fairly smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine leavening, flours, flax seed meal, bran, and cocoa powder if using. Mix well to distribute leavening, etc.
- Add coconut milk/date mixture and oil to dry ingredients. Pour beer over everything and mix quickly and gently using as few strokes as possible to get the batter into a cohesive mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, place in preheated oven and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until done. Cake is done with top is lightly springy to touch, and a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a serving plate to finish cooling. Remove parchment or waxed paper after turning out of pan to keep it from steaming under the paper and getting soggy. Cool cake completely before serving.
[Cake is excellent served alone, but can also be served with vegan or traditional whipped cream, lightly sweetened custard sauce and some fresh berries for a more elegant dessert.]
Published 02-13-2012
At Green Bowl we have recently acquired a taste for Korean food, and with it a taste for the ubiquitous Kimchi. Koreans eat it at basically every meal in one form or another, the pleasantly sour, somewhat crisp, piquant taste is one that we find very enjoyable. These dumplings are quite simple to make, though from the instructions it may seem otherwise. If you wanted to speed up the preparation you could certainly use packaged wonton skins, or goyza wrappers instead; though they will not be quite the same in terms of size and thickness of dough casing, but they will still be very nice. We would very much encourage you to give these flavorful dumplings a try, even if you've never had kimchi before. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Bon Appetit!
Kimchi Dumplings
Filling
- ½ lb Kimchi (either homemade or commercially prepared, hot or mild is fine.)
- 1 medium Onion or 2 Shallots
- 1 stalk Celery
- 6 ounces Extra Firm or Sprouted Tofu
- ½ inch thick piece Fresh Ginger
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 ½ tsp Sesame Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Dumpling Dough
- 10 ounces Whole Wheat Flour
- 8 ounces Water
- Bring the water to a boil. Turn off heat and allow to cool 1 minute.
- Place flour in an appropriately sized bowl, add slightly cooled water and stir until dough comes together.
- Turn dough out onto counter and knead very carefully because dough will be be hot, for 1 minute until smooth, but not especially elastic. Place dough in a zip top bag and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Measure out kimchi and chop larger chunks into approximately ½ inch pieces. Set aside.
- Peel onion, garlic, and ginger. Wash celery. Drain and rinse tofu. Pat dry.
- Cut onion into quarters and slice very thinly. Crush garlic and mince finely. Mince ginger finely. Slice celery crossways very thinly. Cut tofu into small dice or batons.
- Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute for approximately 2 minutes, add celery, ginger, and garlic. Saute 1 minute, add kimchi and saute 2 minutes. Add tofu and cook another minute or two. Taste mixture and season as needed with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, filling will then be ready to use.
- Turn dough out onto a floured counter top or work surface. Cut dough into 12 approximately equal pieces for large dumplings, or 24 pieces for small dumplings. Form dough pieces into balls, then roll out to 1/8th inch thick rough circles.
- Place an appropriate amount of filling on one side of the dough
- Fold dough over filling and press margins together to form dumpling. Edges can also be rolled and crimped to form a more decorative edge with a tighter seal. Repeat this procedure until all the dumplings are filled.
- Place finished dumplings on a sheet tray lined with a piece of heavily floured parchment or waxed paper. Place tray in the freezer until read to use. Dumplings can also be completely frozen on trays, placed in zip top bags and kept in the freezer for up to a month before using.
- Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmering boil.
- Tap dumplings gently to remove excess flour and slide carefully into water. Don't drop them in from any height or the water will splash and may burn you, or the temperature change could rupture the dumpling skin and that's not good.
- Simmer dumplings gently for 3 to 7 minutes depending on how frozen they are, their size, and how thick the dumpling wrappers are. Dumplings will float and turn slightly translucent when they are cooked.
- Remove dumplings from simmering water, drain slightly and serve hot. Condiment options include soy sauce, more sliced kimchi, green onions, hot sauce, or pickled ginger. Bon Appetit!
During the cooler months our sweet tooth sometimes pesters us a bit. Since we don't like to fall too far off the wagon, we like to come up with our own ways to assauge it. Because we like quick-an-easy things, we came up with this recipe. Bon Appetit!
Date-Nut Bars
- 12 Medjool Dates (pitted)
- 1/4 cup Whole Nuts of Your Choice (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or cashews are all excellent choices)
- 1/4 cup Flaked Unsweetened Coconut
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1-3 tbs Water
- Toast nuts lightly in a 350 degree F oven until fragrant and lightly browned. Cool enough to handle before using.
- Chop the dates roughly, add nuts to dates and chop until a sort of crumbly paste is formed.
- Place mixture in a bowl and add vanilla and 1 tbs of water to start. Squash mixture with hands, add more water if necessary, until mixture can be fromed into little bite-sized balls or logs.
- Form dough and roll each piece in flaked coconut. Pieces can then be baked for 3-5 minutes in a 350 degree F oven to toast the coconut lightly, or eaten as is. Bon Appetit.
Published 01-30-2012
We don't do a ton of baking at Green Bowl but we do like a good muffin, or quick bread once in a while. Most baking recipes, even the supposedly "healthy" ones generally contain milk, butter, eggs, some form of refined sugar or flour, and don't have nearly as much fiber as they could. This annoyed us so we made up our own recipes. Here is one of them. Bon Appetit!
Vegan Berry-Banana Bread
Published 01-23-2012
Vegan Berry-Banana Bread
- 3 Very Ripe Bananas
- 1/2 c Flax-seed Meal
- 1/2 c Oat Flour
- 1 c Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/2 c Wheat or Oat Bran
- 1/4 c Vegetable or Nut Oil
- 2 tbs Honey, Agave Nectar, Rice Syrup, or Molasses
- 1/2 c Soy Milk, Rice Milk, Almond Milk, or Water (if using water add 1 tsp extra of oil)
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Power
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 c Fresh or Frozen Berries of any Sort (raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries work very well)
- Prepare a standard loaf pan by placing a piece of parchment or waxed paper in the bottom and lightly oiling the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Peel bananas, break into pieces and mash with a fork in a large bowl.
- Add flax meal, bran, honey, and oil. Mix well to combine.
- In another bowl, combine wheat and oat flours, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Pour soy milk or whichever liquid you are using, into the bowl and stir the mixture together using the least amount of strokes possible. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Fold in berries quickly, with minimal stirring.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, place pan in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 60 minutes, or until done. If the top begins to get a little dark, turn heat down 25 degrees and cover pan with foil if need be.
- Cool bread for 20 minutes before attempting to remove from pan. Serve warm, or cold with or without almond or cashew butter, or berry jam. Bon Appetit!
Published 01-23-2012
We like some variety in our lunches and dinners come mid-winter, even when it has been as unseasonably pleasant as it has this year. We want some crunch and acid, something crisp, green, and light that makes our taste-buds feel all sparkly. We took a walk through the grocery store and picked up some jicama, fennel, and sweet-tart apples. This is what we came up with. We hope you make it and like it as much as we did. Bon appetit!
Jicama and Fennel Slaw
Published 01-16-2012
Jicama and Fennel Slaw
- 1 lb Jicama
- 2 small or 1 large Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady Apple
- 3 to 4 ribs Celery
- 1 medium bulb Fennel
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lime
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash and peel jicama. Wash celery, apple(s), and fennel.
- Cut jicama into thin slices and then fine shreds.
- Cut celery into 1 1/2 inch long batons and then into thin shreds lengthwise.
- Slice off the root end and the fronds if it has any, from the fennel bulb. Slice it thinly either crossways, or separate the layers of the fennel and then cut the layers into thin lengthwise slices.
- Toss all the shredded/sliced vegetables together. Just before serving cut the apple(s) into quarters, remove the core and cut into shreds. Toss in with the other vegetables. Season salad nicely with salt, pepper, fresh lime juice and lime zest. Allow to marinate for approximately 10 minutes before serving. Bon Appetit! [Note: Will keep for 1-2 days with good flavor, though the texture may become less crisp and the apples may oxidize.]
Published 01-16-2012
When the weather is chilly there's nothing nicer than a fragrant dish of baked vegetables in a delicious sauce. Unfortunately, most of those dishes are extremely unhealthy, full of starch and drenched in cream and butter. However, we have discovered a better way, here's our take on the classic "au gratin", we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. [Note: This recipe can be made gluten free and almost entirely fat free by using substituting cornstarch,or arrowroot starch for the vegetable oil/wheat flour roux. The texture may be slightly different, but the flavor should still be excellent.]
Savory Two Potato Bake
- 2 medium Sweet Potatoes
- 4 medium-small Yukon Gold or Red Bliss Potatoes
- 2 medium or 1 large Leek
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/4 c Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 1/2 tbs plus 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 1/2 cups Flavorful Vegetable or Mushroom Stock
- 3/4 tsp Dried Rosemary
- Wine or Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/8th tsp Chile Powder or 1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce (optional)
- In a medium sized saucepan combine 1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil with the whole wheat flour over low heat. Roux will be fairly dry. Peel and crush garlic clove and add to the to pot, cook for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant. Ladle in a few ounces of vegetable stock while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Turn heat up slightly and continue whisking in the vegetable stock until it is all incorporated. Season sauce with rosemary, salt, pepper, vinegar, and chile powder/tabasco if using. Allow sauce to come to a boil, turn down to simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid burning it. When sauce is finished cooking, turn off heat, remove pan from burner and set aside until needed.
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Lay the slices in one layer on the bottom of an appropriately sized baking dish. Wash yukon gold potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Make a layer of yukon golds on top of the sweet potatoes.
- Trim dark green leaves from leek(s), they are tough and fibrous and will not taste very nice. Wash them well and make vegetable stock with them, etc. Split leeks in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the grit and sand. Cut leek(s) into 2 inch long lengths and then slice them lengthwise into thin strips about 1/4 to 1/8th inch wide.
- Heat remaining oil in a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add leeks and saute 2-3 minutes until leeks are softened and their color is brightened. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place sauteed leeks on top of layered potatoes. Use remaining potato and sweet potato slices to make another layer, and perhaps two layers(depending on how large your potatoes are and the size of your baking dish.) on top of the leeks. Season top layer of potatoes lightly with salt and pepper, pour sauce over top of layered vegetables, making sure to spread it into all the corners.
- Cover dish with foil and place in a 350 degrees F oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until potatoes are almost completely cooked. Remove foil and turn heat up to 400 degrees F to finish baking and brown the top a little bit, about 10 minutes. Allow casserole to cool out of the oven about 15 minutes before serving. Does keep well and can be made the day ahead and reheated. Bon Appetit!
Published 01-09-2012
We would like to share a salad with you that packs a big visual and flavorful punch. This salad can be served a couple different ways depending upon your mood and how much time you have, toss it together and serve it in a big white bowl, or arrange it in layers on a large serving platter either way it's going to have great flavor. Bon Appetit.
Pretty Citrus Salad
Published 01-02-2012
Pretty Citrus Salad
- 2 Grapefruits
- 2 Oranges
- 1 Persian Cucumber or small seedless Cucumber
- Zest of 1 Lime
- 1 small Avocado
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 2 tbs Onion or Shallot
- Wash fruits and cucumber. Peel onion or shallot.
- Cut polar ends from grapefruits and oranges. Carefully, cut away the rinds being careful to maintain the spherical shape of the fruit. (A very sharp knife makes this job a lot easier.) Holding the peeled fruit in one hand and your knife in the other, carefully cut next to the membrane of one of the fruit's segments. Repeat on the other side of the segment to remove it from the fruit. Hold the cut membranes out of the way with the thumb of your hand that is holding the fruit. Repeat the cuts next to the membranes until all the segments have been removed. (Squeeze the leftover membranes for the juice for a tasty extra.) Continue preparing all the citrus in this method until you have all the segments.
- Slice the cucumber very thinly. Mince onion or shallot very finely.
- Cut avocado in half. Embed the edge of your paring knife in the center of the avocado seed and tug gently, the seed should pop right out. Scoop the flesh from the skin. Chop finely.
- Combine avocado flesh, half the lime zest, cumin and half the onion in a small bowl. Mix together and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- To serve, either arrange the cucumber slices and citrus segments attractively on a large platter, or toss them together in a bowl. Season salad lightly with pepper, the remainder of the minced onion/shallot, and lime zest. either in a bowl, or a as a layer. Top with seasoned avocado and serve at once. Bon Appetit and Happy New Year!
Published 01-02-2012
Since it is Christmas time and everyone's doing a little holiday baking right about now, we would like to share with you our recipe for a delicious nuts and berries tart. We used frozen blueberries for this one, but you could certainly use any type of frozen or fresh berries that you wish from strawberries to cranberries to gooseberries, any of them would be very nice. Feel free to change the type of nuts you use in the crust if you wish, we happen to like hazelnuts, they go with a lot of things, and they are one of the cheaper types of nuts available for purchase which is why we picked them. However, almonds, walnuts, or macadamias would make excellent substitutions. Bon appetit!
Nuts and Berries Tart
For the Filling
- 1 c Fresh or Frozen Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Black or Red Currents
- ½ c Dried Pineapple cut into small pieces
- ½ c Water
- ½ tsp Vanilla or Almond Extract
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add dried pineapple, place lid on pot, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
- Add frozen fruit and vanilla to pot and stir. Place lid back on pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove lid from pot and cook gently to reduce liquid to thick syrupy consistency(be careful not to burn it).
- When liquid is nicely reduced, place contents in blender and blend to a sort of chunky filling consistency, or use a stick blender to get the same effect. The mixture is now ready to fill torte.
For the Crust
- 1/3 c Flaxseed Meal
- 2/3 c Ground Oats
- ½ c Wheat or Oat Bran
- 2 cups Hazelnuts
- 1/3 c Soymilk
- 2 tbs Canola, Vegetable, or Hazelnut Oil
- ¼ c Honey, Agave Nectar, or Maple Syrup
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Fresh Lemon Zest
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- Toast hazelnuts in a 300 degree F oven for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Combine ground oats, flax meal, bran, lemon zest, cinnamon, and baking powder and mix well.
- Grind 1 ½ cups of the toasted hazelnuts to a fine meal in a clean coffee grinder, or with a large mortar and pestle. Coarsely chop remaining nuts. Add all nuts to oat/bran mixture. Mix well.
- Combine oil, honey, and soymilk, mix well and add to dry ingredients. Stir until mixture forms a sort of sticky coarse dough.
- Place ¾ of mixture on a greased cookie sheet and form into a shallow tart shape with the bottom being approximately ¼ inch thick with the edge being about ¾'s of an inch high. Place filling into shell and tap cookie sheet on counter to knock out any air bubbles.
- Roll remaining dough into a roughly 1 inch thick cylinder and then cut into ¼ inch thick slices. Shape slices into little circles and arrange circles attractively on top of filling. Place torte into 375 degree F oven and bake 20 minutes, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake approximately another 15 minutes until nicely browned and crisp.
- Cool tart for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serves 10.
Published 12-19-2011
One of the last vegetables of the season is Fennel, the light green bulbs with their wavy fronds and bittersweet anise flavor can be something of a challenge to match with other flavors, with combinations either being completely awesome, or totally horrible. The Italians like them braised, and shaved into salads with bitter greens and mushrooms and we think these are very nice, but we wanted something that would really offset the fennel, plus something that would look pretty. This is what we came up with. Bon Appetit!
Fennel, Apple, and Mushroom Salad
Published 12-12-2011
Fennel, Apple, and Mushroom Salad
- 2 medium or 3 small Fennel Bulbs
- 1 large or 2 small Gala, Braeburn, or Fuji Apples
- 4 large White or Crimini Mushrooms or 1 large Portabello Mushroom
- 2 Green Onions
- 1 tbs Cider Vinegar (if you can get a good quality aged one, so much the better, if not a decent unfiltered will do very well.)
- 1/2 tsp Honey
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash the fennel bulbs, green onions, and apples. Brush the mushrooms gently to remove any dirt or growth medium.
- Cut the green onions thinly on the bias and set aside.
- Slice fennel bulbs thinly, a mandoline works best for this, but you can do it with a knife if that knife is very sharp. Also, be sure to cut yourself a flat edge if you're using a knife to avoid having the bulb move around on you.
- Slice mushrooms thinly.
- Using a paring knife, place your thumb into the dimple at the stem end of the apple, insert the point of the knife into the apple in the top and use your thumb to pivot around removing the top of the core. Repeat at the flower end of the apple. Carefully, hollow out the core the rest of the way with the tip of your knife or a melon baller. Slice the apple into very thin slices.
- Combine the honey and vinegar for the dressing and mix well.
- On a large serving platter make a layer of shaved fennel, season it lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle it lightly with dressing. Make another layer of apples over the top, leave some space so the fennel can be seen underneath. Season lightly with salt and pepper, sprinkle with dressing. Repeat with mushrooms. Top salad with sliced green onions and serve at once. Bon Appetit!
Published 12-12-2011
We've been eating a lot of sauteed vegetables lately at Green Bowl as the winter months have brought us both a surplus of hard vegetables, and a desire for hot foods. We would like to share our method of cooking a good vegetable medley, and a few of our favorite combinations. You may, of course, use whatever sort of vegetables you prefer; though please remember not all vegetables are created equal when it comes to cooking times and methods. Bon Appetit!
Our Favorite Vegetable Medleys
Our Combinations
There are a lot of good reasons to make your own medleys, the first reason is you get all the vegetables you like and none of the ones you don't. It' is also quite a bit cheaper to make your own and the vegetables will be of a much higher quality. They are also very simple dishes to prepare since all you really require are some vegetables, boiling water, a bit of salt and pepper, and if you're going to saute them,(either as the primary cooking method, or after blanching them), a drop or two of olive oil. You also have a very high level of control over what goes into your dish, and can certainly prepare it with as little or as much fat as you choose, and the types and amounts of seasonings you enjoy the most.
Our Method
Published 11-28-2011
Our Favorite Vegetable Medleys
Our Combinations
- Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, and Cauliflower
- Carrots, Celery, Cauliflower, and Green Onions
- Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts, and Cauliflower
- Summer Squash, Kale, and Onions
There are a lot of good reasons to make your own medleys, the first reason is you get all the vegetables you like and none of the ones you don't. It' is also quite a bit cheaper to make your own and the vegetables will be of a much higher quality. They are also very simple dishes to prepare since all you really require are some vegetables, boiling water, a bit of salt and pepper, and if you're going to saute them,(either as the primary cooking method, or after blanching them), a drop or two of olive oil. You also have a very high level of control over what goes into your dish, and can certainly prepare it with as little or as much fat as you choose, and the types and amounts of seasonings you enjoy the most.
Our Method
- Wash and peel the vegetables as necessary.
- Cut them into similar sized pieces of any type of appropriate cut, from julienne for carrots, celery, or cabbage, to 1 1/2 inch chunks for broccoli or cauliflower. [We think it's better to use types of vegetables you can cut all the same way. We think it looks better, and is easier to make sure everything's cooked at the same time that way.]
- Bring an appropriately sized pot of water to a rolling boil. We prefer to blanch our vegetables in plain water, though if you wish to add salt, or a seasoning sachet of herbs, spices, fresh garlic or ginger, that is entirely up to you. [Do not add baking soda to the cooking water. It's an old wives tale that it will make the green vegetables any greener, it won't; but it will make them mushy.]
- Blanch vegetables as necessary until they are roughly 2/3's of the way cooked if you intend to saute them, if not cook them to as tender as you like. If Not Sauteing: Place all the cooked vegetables in a dish, season lightly with salt and pepper, and perhaps a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar and serve hot.
- If Sauteing: Shock the blanched vegetables in cold running water, drain an set aside until ready to saute. [Note: Greens and cabbage should not need to be blanched before sauteing in most cases. Just put a lid on the saute pan to trap the steam for tougher greens, kale is tender enough that it will wilt nicely in an open pan as long as it is stirred sufficiently.]
- For Sauteing: heat a very small amount of oil in a large saute pan, sweat any aromatics(garlic, ginger, etc) for a minute or two until fragrant, turn heat up to high and add colored vegetables. Saute over high heat for 2 minutes, add green vegetables and saute another 2 to 4 minutes until either hot, or lightly browned depending on what you like. Season lightly as desired and serve hot. Bon Appetit!
Published 11-28-2011
We like a quick bean dish at Green Bowl, here's a good one we came up with the other day. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, or whatever ones you prefer. It is better to use leftover beans you've cooked yourself as they will have more flavor and less salt, but you could certainly use canned ones if that's what you had on hand, or just needed dinner fast. Bon Appetit!
Quick Cassoulet
- 1/2 lb Cauliflower
- 1/2 lb Brussels Sprouts
- 2 cups Cooked or Canned White or Navy Beans (You could certainly use chickpeas, pinto, or kidney beans if you so desired.)
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock or 1/2 cup White Wine and 1/2 to 1 cup Water
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Red Chile Flakes (optional)
- 1 to 2 tsp Wine or Cider Vinegar
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
- Wash cauliflower and sprouts. Core cauliflower and cut into 1 inch chunks. Trim ends from sprouts and cut sprouts in half.
- Blanch cauliflower for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, remove from water, shock in cold water and drain. Blanch, shock, and drain sprouts in the same manner. Set vegetables aside.
- Peel garlic and mince finely. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add beans, red chile flakes, 1 cup of vegetable stock or a 1/2 cup each wine and water. Bring to boil, season lightly with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Turn heat down and simmer until the starch comes out of the beans and the cooking liquid reduces to a light sauce.
- Add blanched, drained, vegetables and cook until vegetables are tender, should be about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary, if sauce becomes too thick add a bit of stock or water to thin it out to the desired consistency. Serve hot. Bon Appetit!
Published 11-21-2011
A lot of people are put off by the idea of Vegetarian or Vegan sandwiches because all they've ever been exposed to is those horrible mealy-tomato-and-limp-lettuce facsimiles of sandwiches made by Subway. Those are not proper vegan sandwiches, and we should know because we eat them all the time. The nice thing about these is you can make them either with the traditional sliced loaf bread, or with whole wheat pita bread, or taco shells, depending on what tickles your fancy and what you have on hand. Toasted or not, these are the way to go when it comes to a good sandwich. Bon Appetit!
Vegan Sandwiches: Our Way
Silky Avocado Spread
- 1 ripe Avocado
- Juice of 1/2 a Lime
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 small Garlic Clove or 1 tbsp Roasted Garlic Paste
- Cut avocado in half, remove seed and scoop flesh from skin in a blender jar. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add whichever type of garlic you are using(peel the garlic clove if using fresh), and puree mixture until smooth and creamy. [Note this recipe will not work with anything other than RIPE avocado, if the avocado is even somewhat green it will not puree properly. The flesh must be quite soft.]
Bean Filling: 3 Ways
- 2 cups Cooked or Canned Beans of Your Choice (anything except lentils)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 small Onion
- 1 to 3 tbsp Olive Oil depending on which of the 3 ways you're making
- Salt and Pepper
- Lime, Lemon Juice, or Vinegar to taste (about 1 1/2 tsp maybe as much as 2 tbsp)
- Water
- Tabasco Sauce to Taste
All 3 Ways start with the same first 2 steps:
- Add beans and season with salt, pepper, lime(lemon juice or vinegar), cumin and tabasco. Add a few tablespoons of water and simmer until the starch comes out of the beans and sort of binds them together. Remove pan from heat, transfer contents to a large bowl.
- Peel onion and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Heat 1 tsp oil in a heavy
bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Cook onion for about 3 minutes
until fragrant and beginning to soften.
1st Way: The Chunky
- Crush about half of the prepared beans with the back of a spoon and then mix with un-crushed beans for a nice toothsome texture. Adjust seasonings, serve either warm or hot.
- Crush about 1/4 of the prepared beans with the back of a spoon. Mix with un-crushed beans and maybe a little bit of water to allow mixture to be shaped into patties, adjust seasonings as necessary and shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Heat remaining olive oil in a clean skillet over medium heat and saute bean patties in hot oil until brown and a little crispy, or alternatively bake them in a 400 degree oven to just crisp them up a bit. Serve either warm or hot.
- Place the prepared beans into a food processor or blender jar, add a few tablespoons of water and a teaspoon of olive oil and puree to as smooth a consistency desired. Adjust seasonings as necessary, serve at any temperature.
The Condiments: Choose any or all of the following in the appropriate amounts to fit in your sandwich and the amount sandwiches you're making.
- Sliced or Diced Tomato
- Sliced or Diced Bell Pepper
- Thinly Sliced Green Onions
- Shredded or Thinly Sliced Carrots
- Whole Leaf Lettuce
- Sliced Cucumber
To Finish Sandwiches: Place a couple tablespoons of avocado spread on, or in, desired bread product and spread as needed. Place whatever bean incarnation you choose on top of spread, add condiments and a few grinds of black pepper if desired, top with other slice of bread, roll, or fold as needed and eat. Bon Appetit!
Published 11-14-2011
The last of the eggplants are in and here's one of our favorite things to do with eggplant. It's a little sweet, a little sour, and a little salty, with a great silky texture of cooked eggplant, serve it with rice and lentils, or chickpeas and onions. Bon Appetit!
Soy-and-Sour Eggplant
Published 11-07-2011
Soy-and-Sour Eggplant
- 2 medium Eggplants
- 1/4 c Soy Sauce (Tamari brewed or Nama Sho-yu is preferable)
- 1 inch slice of Fresh Ginger
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 2 tbs Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbs Honey
- Black Pepper
- 3 Green Onions
- Peel eggplants and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Peel ginger and chop very finely, should be about 2 tbs yield.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add eggplant and saute gently for about 3 minutes, eggplant will soak up the oil very quickly, so keep stirring it so it doen't stick and burn. Add more oil if needed, or turn heat down if it starts to stick.
- Wash onions and cut thinnly on the bias. Combine vinegar, honey, and half the soy sauce, mix well.
- Add ginger to eggplant and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add vinegar/soy mixture and stir to combine. Season with black pepper. Cover pan with lid, and cook covered until eggplant is nicely cooked.
- Add green onions and cook 1 minute before serving.
[Serve hot with a rice, lentil, or bean dish. Also excellent with simple sauteed onion or blanched edamame. ]
Published 11-07-2011
We like lentils at all times of the year, but a hearty lentil stew will always be one of our favorites during the chillier months. The fragrant broth rich with herbs, savory vegetables, and perfectly cooked lentils are a winning combination in pretty much anyone's book. Bon Appetit!
Hearty Lentil Stew
Published 10-31-2011
Hearty Lentil Stew
- 28 ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 to 3 quarts Water, Vegetable, or Mushroom Stock (liquid amounts depend on how thick/loose you like your stew)
- 2 cups French Green Lentils
- 5 medium Carrots
- 4 small or 1 1/2 large Onions
- 1 small head Garlic
- 4 ribs Celery
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tsp Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary or 1 large Fresh Sprig
- 2 large Bay Leaves
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- Wash carrots and celery. Peel onions, carrots, and garlic.
- Crush garlic, cut onions in half, in half again, and into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or dutch-oven over medium heat. Add onions, reduce heat, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking.
- Cut carrots and celery into 1/4 inch thick slices and add to onions. Cook 1 minute. Add herbs, crushed tomatoes, water or stock, and vinegar. Stir well to combine, turn up heat, and bring to a boil.
- Rinse lentils and add to boiling stew mixture, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook 25 to 40 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are nicely cook. Adjust seasoning/thickness, simmer another couple minutes to marry flavors and serve hot with a nice green salad, crusty bread or crackers. Bon Appetit!
Published 10-31-2011
As the frostier temperatures blow into our neck of the woods, we find nothing takes the chill off quite like a fragrant cassoulet. This hearty dish is definitely not your grandmother's lima beans, rich with garlic and dried mushrooms its full flavor will tempt even the most vehement carnivore. This dish is excellent made a day ahead, serve it with a crisp green salad, or sauteed greens, and a crusty loaf for a delicious supper. Bon Appetit!
Cassoulet of Lima Beans, Tomatoes and Mushrooms
- 8 oz Dried Lima Beans
- ½ head Garlic (5 to 7 cloves)
- ½ oz Dried Porchini Mushrooms
- 1 quart Water
- 2 Plum Tomatoes or 1 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tbs Fresh Parsley (picked)
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- Juice of ½ a Lemon
- Rinse lima beans and remove any foreign material. Cover with cold water and allow to soak at least 3 hours before cooking, preferably overnight.
- Bring water to a boil in a small sauce pan, turn off heat. Add dried mushrooms and allow to steep 10 minutes.
- Peel garlic and crush cloves. Heat olive oil in a wide-bottomed pot over low heat and add garlic Cook gently for several minutes without coloring until fragrant. Add bay leaves and oregano, cook another several minutes.
- Strain re-hydrated mushrooms out of soaking liquid. (DO NOT discard soaking liquid!) Squeeze excess water back into pot, and chop mushrooms coarsely. Add to garlic and herbs, cook several minutes and add tomatoes. Rinse lima beans and add to pot. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into pot, bring to boil, turn down to simmer and cook covered for approximately 40 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Season lima beans with salt and pepper. Add a bit more liquid if necessary and continue cooking until beans are nicely cooked and liquid is reduced to a nice sauce-like consistency.
- Remove bay leaves and add lemon juice just before serving.
Published 10-24-2011
If you want a nutritious lunch, or something that's easy and pretty for a potluck this is it. We like its fresh, crisp flavors, ease of preparation, and lack of fussiness. We hope you do too. Feel free to adapt the vegetable components to reflect what's in season in your area, you could even incorporate a fruit or two if you wished. Bon Appetit!
Sprouted Quinoa Salad
Sprouted Quinoa Salad
- ½ lb Quinoa
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper
- 1 ounce Red Onion
- 1 small Cucumber
- 1 rib Celery
- 2 tbs Fresh Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 2 tbs Fresh Lime Juice plus ¾ tsp Lime Zest
- Rinse quinoa well in cold water 3 to 4 times to remove bitter coating. Cover with double amount of room temperature water and soak over night. Drain into a sieve and rinse well. Place sieve holding grain over a bowl and allow to stand 6 to 8 hours, rinsing periodically until little tails sprout from the grains.
- Wash pepper, celery, and cucumber. Peel and seed cucumber. De-rib and core pepper. Peel onion. Cut all vegetables into 1/8th inch dice.
- Pick parsley leaves from stems, rinse well to remove any grit or sand. Shake leaves free of excess moisture, pat dry with a clean towel, and chop very finely.
- In a large bowl combine all vegetables, season well with salt and pepper, parsley lime juice and zest. Toss well to combine. Add sprouted quinoa and mix gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may need to add more lime juice or more parsley to your personal taste. Allow salad to sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving to merry the flavors a bit.
[Note: Salad can be made up to 12 hours before serving, but does not keep well for much over that.]
In the cooler months we like Indian food and middle-Eastern styled dishes, both for their exotic flavors and their warmth. Here is one of our favorites, similar to Indian Samosas , these tasty little packages are excellent as either an appetizers or a main course. Bon Appetit!
Indian Spiced Vegetables Baked in Brik
Indian Spiced Vegetables Baked in Brik
- 1 package Brik or Phyllo Dough
- 1 small Summer Squash
- 1 small Japanese or Purple Eggplant
- 2 Plum Tomatoes
- 1 medium Waxy Potato
- 1 c Cauliflower (cut into ½ inch pieces)
- 1 small Onion
- 3 oz Fresh Spinach
- 1 tsp Olive oil (plus 2 tsp for layering dough)
- 1 tsp Tumeric
- ½ tsp Ground Cardamom
- ¾ tsp Chili Powder
- 2 whole Star Anise
- ½ tsp Ground Coriander
- ½ inch thick piece fresh Ginger
- Salt and Pepper
- Peel onion, ginger, potato, and eggplant. Cut onion into quarters and slice 1/8th inch thick or even thinner if possible. Mince ginger very finely. Cut potato and eggplant into ½ inch cubes. Cover potato with water, set aside.
- Wash summer squash, tomatoes, and cauliflower. Cut squash and tomatoes into ½ inch cubes and cauliflower as close to that size as possible. Set aside.
- Heat oil in heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute gently for 3 to 5 minutes until onions softens and begins to brown lightly. Add ground and whole spices and minced ginger. Turn heat down to low and continue cooking for several minutes.
- Add tomatoes and eggplant. Cover pan and cook gently for approximately five minutes until tomatoes begin to break down. Add potatoes and cauliflower and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes and cauliflower are approximately half-cooked. Add summer squash and cook 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Remove vegetables from saute pan into a bowl and allow to cool enough to handle.
- When filling is sufficiently cooled, open package of dough and spread out on a clean damp cloth. Gently remove a sheet of dough, brush it very lightly with olive oil, place another sheet of dough on top of it and repeat to build up a thickness of approximately 4 sheets of dough.
- Cut dough sheet into approximately 4 inch squares and place small amounts of filling in one corner, allowing a sufficient margin at the edge to fold over and seal the packets.
- Working quickly so dough does not dry out, lightly brush margins with olive oil, fold over and seal packets into small triangles.
- Place triangles onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place in a preheated 425 degree F oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until done.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving, serve with a cucumber salad or mild vegetable relish.
A trip to the local farmer's market inspired this dish, with it's rich fall flavor of parsnips and walnuts you can hardly go wrong. It also has only four ingredients plus a few seasonings: which is a definite win-win. We hope you enjoy it. Bon Appetit!
Parsnip Bake with Walnuts
Published 10-03-2011
Parsnip Bake with Walnuts
- 1 lb Parsnips
- 1 bunch Collard Greens, Kale, or Swiss Chard (de-stemmed, de-ribbed, and thoroughly washed)
- 1 small Onion
- 1 ounce English Walnuts
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 2 tsp Wine or Malt Vinegar
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Peel parsnips and onion. Cut parnsips into 1/2 inch thick round slices. Cut onion in half and then into 1/4 inch slices. Prepare greens as described above, and drain well. Cut into 1/2 inch wide ribbons, or tear into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add greens and vinegar, turn heat up to high. Saute greens for several minutes until they wilt slightly and their color brightens , season lightly with salt and pepper.
- While onions and greens are cooking, place slices of parsnip in a single layer to cover the bottom of an 8 X 8 inch baking pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. When onions and greens are done sauting, layer half the mixture over the parsnips, repeat layering parsnips then greens with the remaining ingredients. The final layer should be parsnips. Top with walnuts.
- Cover casserole with aluminium foil and place in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes to crisp up the top a little bit. Casserole is done with the parsnips are easily pierced with a knife or a fork. Serve hot with steamed vegetables, or a crisp green salad. Bon Appetit!
Published 10-03-2011
Even though Fall weather makes us think of heavier, more spiced and seasoned dishes, we still like to eat plenty of lighter fair. Here's a simple salad that will hopefully bring back memories of cool spring rain and warm summer evenings. The ingredients can be found all year around and it makes a great lunch dish. Bon Appetit!
Cucumber and Apple Salad
- 1 large Fresh Cucumber (preferably English variety)
- 1 medium Fresh Apple (Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady variety)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice plus ½ tsp grated Lime Zest
- 1 sprig Fresh Mint
- Wash and peel cucumber. Slice thinly, no thicker than 1/8th of an inch.
- Wash apple. [ Note: For a more advanced presentation use the following directions, however if you wish to cut the apple in quarters and slice it thinly that is also perfectly acceptable.] Using a paring knife insert the tip approximately ½ an inch around the stem dimple. Place your thumb in the dimple and pare around your thumb to remove the stem. Repeat this on the flower(bottom) end of the apple. Then take a spoon or a melon baller and carefully dig out the remnants of the core and seeds. Turn apple on its side and slice thinly into rings.
- Place the mint leaves on top of each other, roll into a tight cylinder. Slice cylinder thinly to achieve a fine shred.
- To Finish: Place 1 tsp of lime juice on the bottom of the serving plate and swirl it to coat the bottom. Layer the apple slices in a ring on the bottom of the plate, drizzle with another teaspoon of lime juice and sprinkle with half the lime zest. Inside the ring of apples make a second ring of sliced cucumber. Drizzle with remaining lime juice, sprinkle with mint and remaining lime zest. Serve immediately.
Fall weather brings thoughts of hearty stews, steaming soups, and dishes of roasted vegetables and spiced grains. However, we also find there are some wonderful salad possibilities that become apparent as Fall greens, late fruits, and the last of the garden's vegetables come rolling in. Here is one of our favorites. Bon Appetit!
Fall Fig Salad
Published 09-19-2011
Fall Fig Salad
- 3 ounces Fresh Baby Kale, Spinach or Arugala
- 1 pint Fresh Figs (we like green the best)
- 1 ounce Fresh Crimini or Button Mushrooms
- 1 small Shallot or 1 ounce Red Onion
- 1 1/2 tbs Champagne or White Wine Vinegar (use the best quality you can get, alternatively a good quality balsamic vinegar fine as well.)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 ounce Pecans or Walnuts
- Peel shallot(or onion). Cut in half and slice as thinly as possible.
- Wash figs. Remove hard tip of stem and cut each fig into quarters.
- Brush mushrooms to remove any growth medium and slice 1/8 inch thick.
- Clean greens as necessary, remove any yellowing or mushy leaves. Wash and spin dry as needed.
- To serve: On a large serving platter or indiviual serving plates, place a layer of greens. Sprinkle with sliced shallot and mushrooms. Place 4-6 fig quarters per serving and sprinkle on nuts. Drizzle vinegar evenly over the whole salad and season lightly with salt and pepper. Serve immeadiately.
Published 09-19-2011
As the weather continues to moderate we find we have a taste for soups and stews, victuals in one of their simplest and most delicious forms. As an acquaintance of ours who is a culinary instructor says, "You put it in a pot and you cook it." He is absolutely correct, despite soup's flavor complexities they are some of the simplest dishes to make. We would like to share our recipe for a black bean soup flavored with cumin, garlic, vegetables and cilantro. Serve this soup with corn cakes, a crusty brown bread, or crumble in some tortilla chips over the top for a crunchy counterpoint. Bon Appetit!
Black Bean Soup: Cuban Style
Published 09-12-2011
Black Bean Soup: Cuban Style
- 1 lb Dried Black Beans (we would not recommend substituting canned beans for this recipe)
- 1 large Onion
- 3 medium Carrots
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 small Jalepeno Pepper
- 5 cloves Garlic (about half a head)
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 to 4 tbs Fresh Cilantro Leaves (If you don't like cilantro, parsly is an excellent substitute.)
- 1 to 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 2 to 3 quarts Water
- Rinse black beans well, remove any debris. Cover with water and soak overnight.
- Peel onion, cut in half then in half again. Slice onion into 1/8th inch thick slices. Heat oil in heavy bottomed stock pot, or dutch-oven over medium heat. Add onions and saute gently for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Peel garlic, crush and mince finely. Wash jalepeno. Cut in half, remove core, seeds, and ribs. Chop finely. Add pepper and garlic to pot. Cook one minute. Wash hands, knife, and cutting board well before proceeding.
- Wash and peel carrots. Slice carrots into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Add to pot. Cook 2 minutes.
- Drain and rinse beans well. Add beans to pot, stir well and add enough water to cover by an inch or so. Add lime juice, cumin, coriander, and season lightly with black pepper.(Add no salt during the first 30 minutes of cooking, makes bean skins quite tough.) Bring soup to boil, turn down to simmer gently, cook covered for approximately 2 hours stirring occasionally.
- When beans are almost cooked, season soup lightly with salt and remove lid of pot to allow the soup to thicken slightly.
- Wash cilantro, shake off excess moisture. Pick leaves from stems and pat dry with paper towels. Chop finely.
- Just before serving add chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if needed. Serve hot.
Published 09-12-2011
As the last of Summer's bounty rolls in we find ourselves looking for the simplest ways of preparing them. Sometimes the last fruits of the season are the most flavorful of all and we aim to do our best as cooks to capture the glory of Nature's last "Hurrah!" of the year. This week we would like to share our recipe for the classic chilled Spanish soup, Gazpacho. We recommend using heirloom tomatoes if possible, as well as the freshest onions you can get your hands on. Bon Appetit!
Gazpacho
Published 09-05-2011
Gazpacho
- 2 lbs Fresh Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes (preferably not hot-house or hydroponic)
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper
- 1/2 a small Red Onion
- 1 small or half a large Cucumber
- 1 large Sprig Fresh Basil or Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- 2 tsp Wine or Sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil (High quality cold pressed if possible)
- Salt
- Wash tomatoes and bell pepper well. Core tomatoes, cut into approximately 1 inch chunks. Peel and de-rib pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks.
- Peel onion, remove root, and slice 1/2 inch thick. Peel cucumber, cut in half, scrape out seeds, cut into 1 inch chunks.
- Combine all vegetables in a large airtight container. Add 1 tsp wine or sherry vinegar, whole black peppercorns, and fresh herbs. Mix well to combine and refrigerate at least 12 hours and preferably closer to 24.
- To Finish: Place marinated vegetables in the jar of a bar blender. Remove herb sprig. Process to a slightly chunky soup consistency, if your tomatoes are not very juicy you may have to add a little tomato juice or water. Season soup with salt and more pepper if needed. Pour soup into bowls and drizzle top lightly with olive oil and a few drops of remaining vinegar. Serve chilled.
Published 09-05-2011
We've started to notice the chill of an early Fall here in the Mid-west. While we will be sorry to see Summer's bounty ride off into the sunset, we find ourselves anticipating the gustatory pleasures of Autumn's table. Hard squash soup, chickpeas with spiced onions and dried fruit, warm kale salad, brussels sprouts with garlic, all delightful things to be enjoyed in the brisk air of Fall before Winter's chill really takes its hold.
Here's one of our favorite Fall recipes, Bon Appetit!
Butternut Squash Soup
Published 08-29-2011
Here's one of our favorite Fall recipes, Bon Appetit!
Butternut Squash Soup
- 1 medium sized Butternut Squash
- 1 small Yellow or White Onion
- 1 1/2 quarts Water
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar or Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Peel onion, cut in half, then in half again. Slice thinly. Heat oil in an appropriately sized heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat. Add onions and sweat gently for 3 to 5 minutes.
- While onions are cooking, peel squash. Remove stem end and cut in half. Scrape out seeds, add to seed/strings to sweating onions and continue cooking over low heat. Cut squash into roughly 1 1/2 inch cubes, add to pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a minute or two. Increase heat, add water and 1/2 tbs vinegar or lemon juice, cover pot with lid, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 20 minutes. When squash is very tender, transfer soup to the jar of a bar blender and puree until very smooth. Return soup to cleaned pot, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice. Adjust consistency by adding water to thin, or simmering gently to reduce. Serve hot. Bon Appetit!
Published 08-29-2011
Every once in a while we get a hankering for something from our old way of eating, but we know that if we give into that craving we will regret it, perhaps bitterly, at some point. What we do to solve this problem is to come up with an acceptable substitute that will do no harm, and still give us that kick we were looking for. In this case, we wanted potato salad. Obviously, when you eat a plant-based diet and don't want to consume large amounts of fat, mayonaisse and boiled eggs are kind of out of the ingredient list. Here's the recipe we came up with instead, no fat, no excess calories, no processed or refined nonsense; just great flavor, wholesome ingredients, and very minimal cooking time. Enjoy.
Non-Traditional Potato Salad
Published 08-15-2011
Non-Traditional Potato Salad
- 1 lb Waxy Potatoes(Yukon Gold, or Red Bliss) the smaller in size the better
- 1/4 c Green Onions
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme or any dried herb that you prefer, except mint.
- 1 large Bay Leaf
- 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
- Salt
- 2 to 4 tbs Wine or Malt Vinegar
- Wash the potatoes. Place them in an appropriately sized pot, add water to cover. Add dried herbs, bay leaf, garlic cloves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer and cook potatoes until fork tender.
- Wash green onions and slice thinnly on a bias. Set aside until needed.
- When potatoes are cooked, drain them and allow them to cool enough to handle, but don't shock them, or let them cool completely. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Place potatoes and green onions in a large bowl. Season with salt and toss in 2 tbs of vinegar. Allow to sit approximately 10 minutes, taste and add more vinegar if needed. Serve either warm or cold. Bon Appetit.
Published 08-15-2011
Sometimes we want something really simple and fast for dinner. We want to be able to chop it up, throw it in the pot, and have it be ready in 10 minutes. This week's recipe is precisely that. 5 ingredients, 5 minutes of prep time, 10 minutes of cooking time and a whole lot of "Who's a hero now?!"
Bon Appetit.
The Fastest Eggplant Recipe in The World
Published 08-08-2011
Bon Appetit.
The Fastest Eggplant Recipe in The World
- 3 medium Japanese Eggplants
- 1 large Onion
- 1/4 c Salsa at whatever level of heat you desire.
- 2 large Tomatoes or 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Lime Juice (optional)
- Peel onion, cut into quarters and slice thinly.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Wash eggplants, and cut into 1/4 thick slices without peeling them. Add eggplant to saute pan with onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- If using fresh tomatoes wash and chop them into 1/2 inch dice. Add chopped fresh or canned tomatoes to saute pan, along with salsa.
- Reduce heat and simmer gently for approximately 8 minutes or until eggplant is cooked, but not mushy. Finish dish with lime juice if using. Serve either alone or over brown rice, or with roasted potatoes. Bon Appetit!
Published 08-08-2011
It's definitely beet season in the Green Bowl garden and because we're thrifty people we're always looking for ways to eat more the plants we grow or buy. It seems like a lot of folks are unaware that beet tops are just as edible as the roots, and indeed just as tasty. We would like to share one of our favorite ways to cook beet tops, even people that say they don't like beets usually like these, even to the point of asking for seconds. Bon Appetit.
Sauteed Beet Tops with Mustard
Published 08-01-2011
Sauteed Beet Tops with Mustard
- 1 lb Beet Tops (leaves and stalks)
- 1 large clove Garlic
- 1 tbs Wine or Malt Vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon or Grainy Mustard
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Wash beet tops thoroughly to remove dirt, mud, or any foreign plant matter. Trim the leaves from the stalk and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Cut the beet stalks into 1/2 inch long lengths. Set aside.
- Peel and crush the garlic, combine garlic with vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over high heat. Add chopped beet stalks and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Shake excess water from beet leaves and add to saute pan, toss to begin wilting. When leaves start to wilt add garlic/vinegar mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over high heat until greens and stalks are nicely cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep heat fairly high to avoid water laying in the bottom of the pan and boiling the greens instead of sauteing them.
- Serve greens hot or warm, either on their own or over a cooked whole grain such as quinoa, brown rice, or barley, for a very nice simple supper.
Published 08-01-2011
We feel that the majority of the time the simpler a recipe is the better it is going to be, particularly when you eat a plant-based diet. We would like to share our recipe for greens. We eat a lot of greens and this is one of our favorite ways to cook them. It works with pretty much any type of greens from mustards, collards, kale, spinach, beet or turnip greens, and any type of oriental cabbage or leaf green. Feel free to experiment with the additions or substitutions of ginger, sauteed onions, soy sauce, different types of vinegars, chiles/hot sauces, and citrus juice or zest. The sky's the limit, Bon Appetit.
Sauteed Greens with Garlic
Published 07-25-2011
Sauteed Greens with Garlic
- 1/2 lb Fresh Fibrous Greens (kale, collards, etc)
- 5 to 9 cloves of Fresh Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Wine Vinegar or the Juice of 1/4 of a Lemon
- Wash greens thoroughly and cut out the tough and woody stalk/core if needed. (Not necessary when using bok choy, napa cabbage, or similar)
- Tear greens into 2 inch pieces and rinse again to remove any malingering grit/sand/dirt. Drain well and allow to stand in a bowl for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking to allow the excess water to drain off.
- Peel garlic cloves and slice as thinly as possible.
- Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic, as soon as garlic becomes fragrant add greens and toss with tongs. Don't be afraid to heap the pan high with the greens they will wilt down to approximately 1/4 of their current volume during cooking.
- Continue cooking until greens are all nicely wilted, season with salt, pepper, and vinegar or Saute over relatively high heat, plenty of steam should be coming off the pan and there should be little to no water pooling in the bottom of the pan.citrus juice. Can be served either hot, warm, or cold.
Published 07-25-2011
We love a good fresh vegetable saute in the summer and this one is a real winner. Feel free to add, or substitute celery, garlic, spinach, kale, or leeks if you so desire. As a side note, the younger and smaller turnips you use the better this dish will be. Older larger turnips tend to be quite strongly bitter in flavor and can be quite woody. To compensate if you can't get younger ones, add half again as much ginger and onions, and shave the turnips thinnner. Bon appetit!
Asian Turnip Saute
Published 07-11-2011
Asian Turnip Saute
- 1/2 lb Fresh Young Turnips
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tbsp Finely Minced Fresh Ginger
- 1 small Fennel Blub
- 1 lb Fresh or Frozen Shelled Edamame
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Rice or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Fill a saucepan 3/4's full of water, bring to a rolling boil add 1 tsp salt. Rinse edamame( whether fresh or frozen) and add to boiling water. Blanch 3 minutes. Drain and reserve until needed.
- Peel onion, cut into quarters, slice 1/8th inch thick. Heat heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat, add oil and onions and saute 3 to 5 minutes allow onions to lightly brown.
- Wash turnips, cut in half and slice 1/8th inch thick. Add to onions, season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Turn heat down and cook 3 to 5 minutes stirring/tossing occasionally.
- Remove fronds and any oxidized portions of the fennel bulb. Cut in half and inside make a V shaped cut to remove the tough root stalk of the bulb. Slice halves of bulb 1/8th inch thick and add to saute pan.
- Add fresh ginger and blanched edamame, stir or toss well to combine and cook 3 to 5 minutes more until all vegetables are nicely cooked and pan smells nicely of ginger. Serve hot with brown rice or other cooked whole grain, or cold over a fresh green salad.
Published 07-11-2011
Though botanically classed as a fruit, Tomatoes have typically been used for savory applications since their advent into the European culinary range in the mid-1500's by the Spanish. We love tomatoes at Green Bowl in all their shapes, sizes, colors, and cultivars. Here's one of our favorite summer salads chock full of herbs, shallots, and of course, fresh tomatoes. Bon Appetit!
Layered Tomato and Herb Salad
Published 07-04-2011
Layered Tomato and Herb Salad
- 2 large Fresh Tomatoes (preferably home-grown or heirloom variety)
- 3 large Basil Leaves
- 1 sprig Fresh Oregano (approximately 15 leaves)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 medium Fresh Shallot
- High Quality White Wine or Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Anchovies (optional)
- Peel shallot and slice very thinly.
- Wash tomatoes and slice 1/8th inch thick.
- Pick basil and oregano leaves. Shred basil and oregano leaves finely with a very sharp knife to avoid bruising.
- Cut anchovy fillets into 1/4 inch long pieces if using.
- To Plate: Place tomato slices in one layer on a serving platter. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle shredded herbs and sliced shallot(and anchovy pieces if using) evenly over tomato slices.
- Sprinkle salad with vinegar and serve at once.
Published 07-04-2011
A lot of people think that cauliflower doesn't taste like much, and we admit that most of the applications you find cauliflower used in smother it in all kinds of high-fat, dairy-rich nonsense which completely masks the delicate flavor of the vegetable. We happen to like that flavor, combined with the slightly knobbly texture of properly cooked cauliflower, sweet sauteed onions, and acidic/cooling mint this salad is a nice summer luncheon dish, or a great dinner side-dish, we hope you enjoy it. Bon Appetit!
Minted Cauliflower and Onion Salad
Published 06-27-2011
Minted Cauliflower and Onion Salad
- 1 head Cauliflower (2-3 lbs)
- 1 large Onion
- 2 tbs Fresh Mint Leaves (shredded)
- Salt and Pepper
- 2-3 tbs White Wine Vinegar (Use a high quality chardonnay or champagne vinegar for best results
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a small amount of salt.
- Wash cauliflower and using a sharp knife cut around core of cauliflower, remove leaves and core. Cut into pieces approximately 1 inch in size.
When water is boiling, add cauliflower pieces and cook until fork tender, but not mushy. - Peel onion, cut in half and then into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and lightly browned.
- When cauliflower is cooked, drain well and shake to remove excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl, add sauteed onions, season with salt and pepper. Toss well. Shred mint and add to warm vegetables, toss with vinegar to taste. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving, both to allow salad to cool and to give the flavors time to mingle.
Published 06-27-2011
Blueberry muffins are one of those totally American dishes and one might be given to think that if you have removed dairy, eggs, and white flour from your diet you've removed blueberry muffins as well. We think not. We can and have given up quite a few things and we don't miss them, but when it came to blueberry muffins we couldn't quite do it so we came up with these. Bon Appetit! (By the way, they're great with almond or hazelnut butter when they're warm. )
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
[Note: It has been brought to our attention by one of our august readers that honey is not always considered an acceptable food item by vegans. As we are more health, rather than philosophical vegans, we don't have a problem with it; one form of glucose is much like another at a molecular level after all. However, since we do not wish to offend anyone's sensibilities we would suggest the use of agave nectar, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup instead. Another alternative would be to swap 1/3 of cup of fresh blueberries for 1/3 cup dried blueberries as they will be sweeter, or reducing the amount of soy, rice, or nut milk by 2 tbs, and replacing it with a large mashed banana.]
Published 06-20-2011
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- 1 c Whole Wheat Flour
- ¼ c Flax Seed Meal (preferably golden)
- 1/3 c Wheat or Oat Bran
- 1 c Soy(plain or vanilla), Rice, or Nut Milk of your choice
- 2 tbs Honey
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1/3 c Neutral Vegetable Oil
- 1 c Fresh(washed) or Frozen Blueberries
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine flax meal and bran together in a large bowl. Add soy milk and stir well to mix. Allow to stand approximately 10 minutes until texture resembles thin oatmeal.
- Stir in honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Sift flour and baking powder over liquid ingredients, add blueberries and fold mixture together gently. Do not over mix!
- Place batter into greased and floured muffin pan, or into muffin papers. Fill each cup approximately ¾ full. Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until done. Remove from oven, cool, and serve.
[Note: It has been brought to our attention by one of our august readers that honey is not always considered an acceptable food item by vegans. As we are more health, rather than philosophical vegans, we don't have a problem with it; one form of glucose is much like another at a molecular level after all. However, since we do not wish to offend anyone's sensibilities we would suggest the use of agave nectar, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup instead. Another alternative would be to swap 1/3 of cup of fresh blueberries for 1/3 cup dried blueberries as they will be sweeter, or reducing the amount of soy, rice, or nut milk by 2 tbs, and replacing it with a large mashed banana.]
Published 06-20-2011
Tomato season has started and this makes us very happy at Green Bowl. Tomatoes are some of the most versatile ingredients in the plant-based diet handbook and we enjoy looking for new or interesting ways to handle and cook them. This tart recipe is a variation on the classic French dish Pommes Anna, with the base made in the traditional method for that dish and then topped with a few extras. Make it as pretty or as rustic as you like for a summer's lunch or a quick dinner. Bon Appetit!
Tomato Tart : My Way
Published 06-13-2011
Tomato Tart : My Way
- 1 large Tomato
- 1 large Starchy Potato
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 15 to 20 Nicoise Olives
- ½ a bunch Swiss Chard
- 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- Cracked Black Pepper
- Wash tomato, swiss chard, and potato. Slice tomato into 1/8th inch thick slices and set aside.
- Remove chard greens from stems. Slice stems finely and cut greens into ½ inch shreds.
- Pit olives and chop finely. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Slice potato as thinly as possible, (1/8th inch or thinner). Carefully arrange potato slices in concentric overlapping rings on hot pan to form a base for the tart. Try to make sure base is no thicker than 3/8th of an inch at it's thickest point. Turn heat down slightly and cook for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Place a plate over base while in pan, and flip carefully. Slide base back onto pan without disarranging the slices(by this point the starches in the potato should have coagulated enough to hold it together fairly well). Place pan in a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake approximately 10 minutes.
- While base is baking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add stems of chard and saute lightly for 1-2 minutes. Add greens, season with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp balsamic vinegar. Turn heat down and wilt chard for several minutes. Taste and remove from heat. Set aside.
- When base is approximately three quarters of the way cooked, remove from oven. Arrange swiss chard on base and carefully layer tomato slices over top. Sprinkle with chopped olives and cracked black pepper. Return tart to oven and turn heat up to 400 degrees F. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until done. Watch edges of tart carefully to avoid burning.
- When baked remove from oven and allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Published 06-13-2011
We are having a bit of a heat wave though the mid-west at the moment, and no one really feels like cooking when it's this warm with this much humidity. Quick cold suppers are what we're after and this is a great one. Make this recipe and serve it over fresh greens for a refreshing dinner, or a quick packed lunch that will not lay on your chest. A nice variation is leave out the rice and double the amount of chickpeas, or substitute another type of beans for the rice if you so prefer.
Rice and Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Sesame
Rice and Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Sesame
- 1 c Cooked Brown Rice (leftover is better)
- 2 c Drained Canned Chickpeas (or leftover cooked is even better)
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- 2 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Tahini
- Salt
- 2 tbs Parsley
- 1 small Zucchini, Yellow Summer Squash, or Patty Pan Squash
- Wash squash well. Cut into ½ inch dice.
- Place sesame seeds in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Toast seeds swirling pan regularly to avoid over-browning or burning. Pour into a small bowl after toasting, do not leave in pan or they will burn.
- Wash parsley and pat dry. Chop finely and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and zest, black pepper, toasted sesame seeds, tahini and a small amount of salt. Whisk well to combine.
- In an appropriately sized bowl toss rice, squash, and chickpeas to mix evenly. Pour dressing over mixture and toss well to coat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Allow salad to marinate for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Divide into 4 serving bowls and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
[This recipe keeps well and is just as good one or two days after it has been made.]
Published 06-06-2011
The weather is finally evening out to a more Summer-like feeling and we think that means it's time for some proper Summer food. To us nothing says "summer" like Latin food and this interpretation is no exception. Whip these up for a light family supper, or double the recipe and invite friends. Feel free to play with the type of mushrooms you use, you could even add a small amount rehydrated dried mushrooms to boost the flavor even more.
Mushroom Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce and Tomato, Pineapple Salsa
Mushroom Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce and Tomato, Pineapple Salsa
- ½ lb Crimini or Mixed Mushrooms
- 1 large Avocado (must be ripe)
- 1 Jalepeno Pepper
- 1 large fresh Tomato
- 1/2 c Fresh Pineapple
- 1 small Red Onion
- 1 small Bell Pepper (any color)
- 1 Lime
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 4 Sprouted Grain Tortillas
- ¼ c Fresh Parsley
- ¼ c (approx) Coconut Milk (unflavored rice or soy milk is also acceptable)
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tbs Olive oil
- Clean and slice the mushrooms approximately ¼ inch thick. Peel the onion and slice half of it into ¼ inch thick slices. Wash, core and rib the bell pepper. Cut it into ¼ inch thick strips. Peel both cloves of garlic, and crush one of them.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan and add the crushed garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat. Do not allow water to lay in the bottom of the pan, if it starts to turn up the heat. After several minutes of cooking add the onions and cook until almost done, another three to five minutes. Add bell peppers and cook one minute. Remove mixture from heat and set aside.
- Peel and seed avocado. Cut into chunks and place in jar of bar blender, add juice of half the lime, remaining clove of garlic, remaining half of onion cut into chunks, half of the cumin, and half the coconut milk. Puree until smooth. Adjust consistency with remaining coconut milk and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Fill sprouted grain tortillas with sauteed mushroom mixture. Roll snugly and place seam down in a oven-proof dish. Spoon half of the avocado sauce over the top. Place in a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake 10 minutes.
- Wash and core tomato, squeeze out seeds and cut into ¼ inch dice. Cut pineapple into ¼ inch dice. Wash parsley and pat dry. Chop parsley finely. Wash jalepeno pepper. Remove core, ribs, and seeds. Mince finely.(Handle with gloves if you have sensitive skin and wash hands thoroughly before touching anything else after handling the hot pepper.) Combine tomato, pineapple, jalepeno, parsley, remaining lime juice and cumin, season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Remove enchiladas from oven, place on plate, serve with tomato pineapple salsa and extra avocado sauce on the side.
Published 05-30-2011
We rarely do dessert recipes here, so we thought it was about time to put one up. We've had some requests for this one and we hope everyone enjoys it. The ingredients are simple and the method equally so. Whip it up for your next dinner party to impress your friends, or for a quiet tete'a'tete. Bon Appetit!
Green Tea Gelee
Gelee
For Gelee
Green Tea Gelee
Gelee
- 1 pint Boiling Water
- 2 tsp Gunpower or Hojica Green Tea (loose tea is much better)
- 1 ½ tsp to 2 ½ tsp Honey
- 3 ½ leaves Sheet Gelatin or 2 tsp Powdered Unflavored Gelatin
- ½ c Frozen Raspberries
- ¼ c Water
- 2 tsp Honey
- ½ leaf Sheet Gelatin or ½ tsp Powdered Gelatin
- ½ c Roasted Unsalted Macadamia Nuts
- 3 to 6 tbs Plain or Vanilla Soy Milk
- 1 tsp Honey
- ½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (optional)
For Gelee
- Bring water to a boil and pour over tea leaves. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes to a nice strength.
- Soak gelatin leaves in very cold water for 5 minutes to soften them. (or bloom powdered gelatin according to manufacturers directions)
- Strain tea leaves out of brew, add honey and soaked gelatin/bloomed gelatin. Whisk to combine.
- Divide gelee mixture evenly into 4 molds of your choice and allow to set in the refrigerator for approximately 3 hours.
- Combine frozen raspberries with water in the jar of a bar blender and puree until smooth. Strain out seeds and place strained puree into a small bowl.
- Soak ½ leaf of gelatin in very cold water for 5 minutes to soften. (or bloom powdered gelatin according to manufacturers instructions)
- Heat 2 to 3 tbs of the raspberry puree in the microwave for a minute or so until steaming. Add soaked/bloomed gelatin and honey to hot puree and mix well. Combine the hot and cold purees together and allow to firm up in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes.
- When gelees are almost completely set up, place raspberry puree in a parchment pastry bag, plastic pastry bag with a very fine round tip, or into a very large syringe. Inject raspberry puree into the center of each gelee and allow to finish setting up for at least another 30 minutes before serving.
- Place nuts and half the soy milk in the jar of a bar blender. Puree until smooth adding as little soymilk possible, but enough to allow the mixture to puree smoothly. Add honey and vanilla(if using) and puree again in the blender to combine.
- Scrape mixture into a small bowl, cover, and chill until needed. (Make at least 1 hour ahead of time to ensure mixture thickens properly.
- Place each gelee in a bowl of very hot water for approximately 30 seconds to allow it to slide out of it's mold. (some more intricately shaped molds may take a little more or less time depending on what the mold is made of and how delicate the design is.)
- Un-mold each gelee, top with a small amount of macadamia crème and a sprinkle of ground green tea leaves and serve.
Several weeks ago it was one of our partner's 55th birthday. In honor of the occasion a special menu was prepared, here is the salad course. If you like asparagus you'll almost certainly enjoy this.
Warm Asparagus Salad with Oranges and Blackened Shallots
Salad
Dressing
Warm Asparagus Salad with Oranges and Blackened Shallots
Salad
- 1 lb Asparagus
- 1 Orange
- 2 medium Shallots
- 4 Fresh Basil Leaves
- Salt and Pepper
Dressing
- ¼ c Fresh Basil Leaves
- Juice of 1 Orange
- 1 ½ tsp Fresh Orange Zest
- 2 to 4 tsp White Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash and pat dry basil leaves. Pick leaves from stems and combine with orange juice, orange zest, and 2 tsp of wine vinegar in the jar of a bar blender. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and adjust sweetness/acidity with orange juice and vinegar as needed.
- Slice top and bottom ends off orange. Slice off peel carefully to remove the bitter pith but still retain as much of the orange flesh as possible. Carefully slice between the membranes delineating the sections of the orange and remove the sections. Do this over a bowl to catch the juice, squeeze any remaining juice from the leftover membrane and add to dressing.
- Peel shallots and cut crosswise into 1/8th inch thick slices. Heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan over high heat. Brush bottom of pan with a film of oil and arrange slices of shallot in one layer in the pan. Cook slices 2 to 3 minutes on each side to lightly blacken. Remove slices from pan when cooked and set aside until needed.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season lightly with salt. Rinse asparagus, trim approximately 1 inch off the bottoms as it will be woody and tough. Cut asparagus into 1 ½ inch batons. When water is at a full rolling boil, add asparagus to pot and blanch approximately 3 minutes to remove rawness.
- When asparagus is cooked, drain from hot water and rinse in cold water briefly. Shake off as much excess moisture as possible. Place still hot asparagus into large bowl, add 4 to 5 tbs of dressing, season lightly with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.
- To plate: Place a small spoonful of dressing in the middle of 4 plates. Divide asparagus evenly between the plates. Top the asparagus with blackened shallots, and place sections of orange around the asparagus. Serve at once.
This dish is one of our favorites and if you like Middle-Eastern styled cuisine it may become one of yours too. It's fairly simple and fast to make, keeps well in the fridge for several days, and travels well. Make it and take it to work for a nice healthy lunch, send it with the kids to school, or put it in a cooler for a great picnic, or road trip.
Pitas with Garlic and Lemon Hummus, Roasted Eggplant and Mint Relish
Pitas with Garlic and Lemon Hummus, Roasted Eggplant and Mint Relish
- 4 Whole grain Pitas
- 1 c Cooked or Canned Chickpeas
- ½ head Roasted Garlic or 1 ½ tbs Commercially Prepared Roasted Garlic
- Juice of 1 to 2 Lemons and the Zest of 1
- 1 medium Eggplant
- 1 large Bell Pepper (any color except green)
- 2 Green Onions
- 2 tbs Fresh Mint
- 1 to 2 tsp Tahini
- 2 to 3 tbs Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash and dry eggplant, rub with olive oil and place on a sheet pan sprinkled with coarse salt. Roast in a preheated 350 degree F oven for approximately 45 minutes until done.
- Combine chickpeas, garlic, juice and zest of one lemon, tahini, and ¼ c of water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour mixture into jar of a bar blender and puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper, adjust consistency with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Wash bell pepper. Remove core and ribs. Cut into ¼ inch dice. Wash green onions and thinly slice. Shred mint finely.
- When eggplant is roasted and cooled enough to handle. Cut in half and scoop out flesh. Chop coarsely and place in a bowl. Add diced bell pepper, sliced onions, and mint. Season lightly with leftover lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- To serve: Place one quarter of the hummus mixture on each of the pita breads. Spoon a nice amount of the eggplant relish over the top. Fold in half and serve. Can be served either warm or cold.
In our part of the world Spring is taking a little while to "spring". It's been cool so we've been cooking curries, stews, and hot-pots for our evening meal. These curried lentils are sure to throw a little zip into your week with very little effort. ( It says "serve hot", but they're not bad cold on a green salad.)
Curried Lentils with Raisins and Apricots
Curried Lentils with Raisins and Apricots
- 1 c Dried French Lentils
- 1 ¼ pt of Water
- 1 tsp Ground Tumeric
- 1 small Onion
- 3 cloves of Garlic
- ¼ c Raisins
- ¼ c Dried Apricots (un-sulfured)
- 8 to 10 Cardamom Pods
- 2 Star Anise
- 1 inch thick piece Fresh Ginger
- ½ tsp Ground Coriander
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Peel onions, garlic, and ginger. Cut onion into ¼ inch dice and finely mince garlic and ginger.
- Heat oil in a large sauce pan over low heat. Add onions and sweat nicely without coloring for approximately 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sweat another 2 minutes.
- Add anise, cardamom pods, coriander, tumeric, and cumin to onion mixture and cook over low heat for 2 more minutes.
- Rinse lentils and remove any foreign material. Add lentils to pot, stir to combine and add the water. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cover pot. Cook 10 minutes, stirring every 3 to 5 minutes.
- Cut dried apricots into ¼ 's and stir into lentils along with raisins. Continue cooking another 10 to 15 minutes until lentils are cooked and water is absorbed. Do not over cook. If water is absorbed or evaporates before lentils are cooked add a few tablespoons more to pot.
- After lentils are cooked season dish lightly with salt and pepper. Remove whole spices(star anise and cardamom pods) and serve hot.
Published 05-02-2011
Cucumber and pear may seem a somewhat odd combination, but the lightness of the flavors pairs very well. Make this salad for a refreshing lunch dish, a cooling appetizer for a hot Summer's dinner, or cut the cucumber and pears in a fine dice, leave out the nuts and serve with Indian food as a vegan version of cucumber raita.
Cucumber and Bosc Pear Salad
Published 04-25-2011
Cucumber and Bosc Pear Salad
- 1 large English Cucumber (or any seedless variety)
- 1 Bosc Pear
- 5 to 10 leaves of Fresh Mint
- ½ tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Pecans or English Walnuts
- Sea Salt
- Peel cucumber, cut in half length-wise and thinly slice.
- Wash pear thoroughly. Cut in half, and remove core carefully with tip of paring knife or rounded end of vegetable peeler. Cut each half into thirds and thinly slice.
- Toss sliced pear with rice vinegar to avoid oxidation.
- Stack mint leaves on top of each other and then roll tightly. Slice roll very thinly into fine shreds.
- Combine cucumber, mint, and nuts with pear and vinegar. Toss well. Allow to marinate for ten minutes before serving. Sprinkle very lightly with coarse sea salt just before serving.
Published 04-25-2011
Nothing says "Spring" like fresh garden peas, snow peas, and tender green pea shoots. Since each of those things say "Spring", when all three are combined the resulting dish screams it. This salad makes a terrific lunch, a light supper, or for something a tad more substantial serve it with boiled or roasted new potatoes, or cooked barley mixed with fresh herbs and lemon juice.
Spring Pea Salad
Spring Pea Salad
- ½ lb Fresh Snow Peas
- ½ lb Shelled Spring Peas(either fresh or frozen)
- ½ lb Pea Shoots or Pea Sprouts
- 1 stalk Fresh Green Garlic or 2 tbs Fresh Chives
- 3 tbs Fresh Chervil or Curly Parsley
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Salt and Pepper
- Bring an appropriately sized pot of water to the boil.
- Wash snow peas and remove strings from outer edge of pods. Blanch snow peas lightly, shock in ice water and drain thoroughly. Reserve boiling water.
- Blanch shelled peas lightly, shock
in ice water, and drain thoroughly.
- Clean the green garlic (or chives) and cut them into ¼ inch long pieces. Set aside.
- Clean the chervil or parsley and pick into small pieces approximately the size of the peas.
- Remove any undesirables from the pea shoots (yellowing, slimy, etc) and discard. Do not wash unless visibly dirty the weight of the water will crush the sprouts or make them very water-logged and soggy.
- Dress snow peas, shelled peas, and pea shoots separately with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Combine herbs and green garlic(or
chives). Add all types of dressed peas and toss lightly. Serve at
once.
This slaw is a little unusual, but its flavor is light, crisp, and delicious, perfect for light summer lunch or a dinner side dish. For a slightly sweeter variation, add a shredded granny smith apple or bosc pear, or use only broccoli stalks instead of the entire head. This recipe will also store quite well in the refrigerator for several days after first making it, and will even improve to some extent.
Broccoli, Fennel, and Pickled Onion Slaw
Broccoli, Fennel, and Pickled Onion Slaw
- 1 large or 2 small heads Broccoli
- 1 large bulb Fennel
- 3 oz Pickled Onions (pub style)
- 3 tbs White Wine Vinegar or Malt Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 or 4 Dried Dates, or 2 tbs Raisins
- 3 tbs Flax Seed
- 1 tbs Neutral Oil
- Clean, the broccoli and separate
the head from the stalk. Cut the head into 1/2 inch chunks and reserve.
- Peel and shred the stalk.
- Clean and remove strings from the
fennel bulb, shred it finely on a mandoline, grater or with a knife.
- Finely slice the pickled onions.
- In a blender jar combine the vinegar,salt, pepper, raisins or dates.
- Blend until smooth,, while
blending drizzle in the oil until emulsified.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
Consistency can be adjusted with either water or vinegar.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded raw vegetables and the cooked broccoli.
- Toss well, add the flax seeds and
half the dressing.
- Toss to coat, add additional
dressing if needed. Serve at once or marinate for up to one day
before serving.
The recipe this week is one of those in-between season recipes. If it is any season it's a Autumn recipe, but fortunately the ingredients can be found at almost anytime of year. Even if you aren't not a fan of more traditional beet recipes, do give this one a try. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how well the earthy-sweet flavor of the beets goes with the rich, tart grapes, sour-salty onions and peppery greens. Whip up a big platter of this salad for a light supper on its own, or as an accompaniment to a simple grain preparation such as barley risotto.
Baby Beet Salad with Black Grapes, Sour Onions and Baby Arugala
- 1 lb Baby Beets (any color or an assortment)
- ¼ lb Black Grapes
- 2 oz Pickled Onions (pub or balsamic style)
- 2 c Baby Arugala
- Salt and Pepper
- 5 to 10 Fresh Sage Leaves
- 2 to 4 tsp Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- Clean the beets, trim the tops and roots, place on a sheet of aluminum foil, season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold the sheet of foil around the beets to form a package and place on a sheet tray.
- Roast beets in a preheated 425 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour. When the beets are finished roasting, allow to sit in their foil package for 15 minutes or so this will make them much easier to peel due to exposure to steam.
- Wash the grapes, cut in half vertically and remove any seeds. Set aside.
- Finely slice the sage leaves and
set aside.
- Clean the arugala and remove any
wilted or yellowing leaves.
- Cut the pickled onions into quarters.
- Peel the beets, and cut in half or quarters depending on size. Combine the vinegar and oil and toss the beets in the mixture with half of the sage
.To serve: Place a quarter of the arugala in the center of serving vessel. Place one quarter of the marinated beets on top of the greens. Scatter a quarter of the grapes and pickled onions around the salad and top with a pinch of fresh sage and a drizzle of any remaining oil and vinegar. Serve at once.
Published 04-04-2011
We like Asian flavors at Green Bowl,
we also like that some common Asian ingredients have some desirable
health benefits. Ginger is excellent for the digestion, liver, and
blood pressure. Garlic is a powerful antioxidant and excellent
for the vascular system and heart in general. We try to work those
ingredients in where and when we can. They also provide a nice
counterpoint to the more European styled dishes. Try this slaw out
for something easy, but interesting.
Asian Green Slaw with Ginger and Soy
Published 03-28-2011
Asian Green Slaw with Ginger and Soy
- 2 heads Baby Bok Choy (Or 1/2 a head mature Bok Choy)
- ½ bunch Collard Greens
- 1 bunch Dinosaur or Curly Kale
- 1 small Cucumber
- 2 Green Onions or Scallions
- 1 tbs Fresh Ginger
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 tbs Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbs Soy Sauce
- 1 tbs Almond or Peanut Butter
- Black Pepper
For Slaw
- Clean and wash all greens. Remove the center stalk from the kale and collard greens and discard.
- Finely slice all the greens no wider than ¼ inch slices. Mix greens together and set aside.
- Peel and seed the cucumber.
Slice thinly. Wash green onions and slice thinly.
- Peel and mince garlic. Peel and mince ginger, with vinegar and soy sauce. Steep 10 minutes.
- Add the nut butter to the soy
mixture and whisk well.
To Serve: Pour dressing over the mixed greens, toss well and serve with liberal amounts of cracked black pepper.
Published 03-28-2011
The first day of Spring has finally arrived and with it a desire for casting off the last of the heavy stodgy dishes of Winter and onto the bright acid and sweetness of Spring and Summer dishes has truly taken root. This is more of a Summer dish, but the ingredients are easy to come by at any time of the year and horseradish generally goes down well in any season. To make it even more Summer-y add fresh tomatoes and bell peppers, or summer squash as those items come into season.
Corn and Black Bean Salad with Horseradish
- 1 ½ c Canned or Frozen Corn
- 1 ½ c Cooked or Canned Black Beans
- 1 tsp (approx) Prepared Horseradish
- Fresh Horseradish to taste (optional)
- 1 tbs Parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 small Cucumber
- 2 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 med Shallot or 3 tbs Red
onion (minced)
- Drain and rinse canned beans, or remove from as much cooking liquid as possible. Blanch frozen, or drain canned, corn.
- Wash and chop parsley. Peel cucumber, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut cucumber into ¼ inch dice. Peel and mince shallot or red onion.
- Combine prepared horseradish, shallot or onion, and vinegar in a small bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes.
- Combine beans, corn, cucumber, and parsley in an appropriately sized bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss well.
- Add dressing and toss to
combine. Grate fresh horseradish into salad as desired. Allow to
stand 10 minutes before serving.
It's mid-March here in the muddy,
wet, and sloppy Mid-West and this kind of weather cries out for
something bright and snappy to perk up the dinner table. This slight
piquant dish of nutty quinoa and juicy tomatoes provides the kick you
need at this time of year to get you moving. Generally a favorite
with kids and will keep well in the refrigerator for several days
should there be any leftovers.
Spicy Tomatoes and Quinoa
Published 03-14-2011
Spicy Tomatoes and Quinoa
- 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 c Quinoa (soaked for at least 30 minutes and thoroughly rinsed)
- ¾ c Water
- 1 large Jalapeno Chile (optional)
- 4 cloves of Garlic
- Juice of 2 Limes
- ¼ c Parsley
- 2 tbs Cilantro (optional)
- 1 package Frozen Spinach (thawed and drained)
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tsp Coriander
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Thaw, drain, and squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Set aside.
- Peel onion. Cut into quarters, and then slice about ¼ inch thick. Set aside.
- Peel and mince garlic. Wash and cut chile in half. Carefully remove stem, ribs and seeds to avoid excessive heat. Mince chile finely. (If you have sensitive skin you may wish to wear gloves. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing thoroughly after chopping chilies. )
- Pick, wash, and chop herbs. Set aside.
- Heat oil in pan over medium low heat. Add onion and sweat several minutes.
- Add garlic, sweat until pan smells of garlic. Add spices, tomatoes and water.
- Bring to a boil.
- When boiling, remove from heat, add lime juice, spinach, and quinoa. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into an oven-proof dish, cover tightly with lid or tin foil.
- Place in a preheated 325 degree oven and bake approximately 30 minutes.
- When quinoa is
cooked, remove dish from oven and remove cover. Sprinkle with fresh
herbs and fresh ground pepper. Serve hot.
Published 03-14-2011
This is a great
salad for any season. We love it in Summer with vegetables fresh
out of the garden, but it is still very good with whatever you can
get from your local market in any other season. Be sure not to
over-cook your beans, blanch them just long enough remove the rawness
and give them that glorious bright green color. This will keep in the
refrigerator for about 2 days after dressing, and will keep for up to
4 or 5 days without the dressing.
Green Bean Salad with Sour Onions and Shredded Carrots
Toss all the vegetables together in a large bowl with plumped raisins and sunflower seeds. Season lightly as needed, pour half the dressing over the vegetables and toss just to coat. Add more dressing if needed. Allow to stand in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.
Published 03-07-2011
Green Bean Salad with Sour Onions and Shredded Carrots
- 1 lb Green Beans or Haricot Verts (cleaned and blanched)
- 2 tbs Sunflower Seeds (toasted)
- 2 oz Cocktail or Preserved Onions (¼ 'd)
- 2 medium Carrots (shredded)
- Salt and Pepper
- ¼ c Raisins
- 2-3 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- The Zest and Juice
of 1 Orange
- Clean and trim one pound of haricot verts, or string beans. Blanch lightly in boiling, salted water for approximately three minutes to remove the rawness but there should still be a slight crunch. Shock in ice water, drain and set aside.
- Toast the sunflower seeds lightly either in a pan or in the oven.
- Cut the pickled onions into quarters or approximately ½ inch pieces.
- Peel and shred the carrots either on a mandoline, a box grater, or by hand.
- Combine the half
the raisins with half the orange juice and microwave for 30 seconds,
stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Allow to sit 10 minutes
before finishing the recipe.
- Combine half the raisins with the vinegar, orange zest, the rest of the orange juice, a little salt and pepper in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust
seasoning with salt and pepper.
Toss all the vegetables together in a large bowl with plumped raisins and sunflower seeds. Season lightly as needed, pour half the dressing over the vegetables and toss just to coat. Add more dressing if needed. Allow to stand in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.
Published 03-07-2011
With
March right around the corner it is nice to have something a little
fresher and lighter to grace one's dinner table with, this grain
salad fits the bill admirably. Toothsome wild rice, acidic tomatoes,
and sweet, soft, roasted squash, what could be nicer than that? As a
bonus this dish takes very little time to prepare and can be made up
to two days in advance minus the tomatoes, just pop them in right
before serving to finish off the dish.
Rice and Herb Salad with Tomatoes and Roasted Squash
Published 02-28-2011
Rice and Herb Salad with Tomatoes and Roasted Squash
- 1/4 c Wild Rice
- 1/2 c Brown Rice
- 1 c Water plus 2/3 c Water
- 3 tbs Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tbs Fresh Tarragon - finely chopped – (or 1 tsp dried Tarragon)
- The Juice and Zest of 1 Lime
- ½ lb Cherry Tomatoes (washed and cut in halves or quarters depending on size)
- 1 c Butternut Squash ( peeled and cut into ½ inch dice)
- 1 tsp Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Place brown rice in pot, cover with 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook until done.[If using dried tarragon add to brown rice cooking water.] Repeat with wild rice and 2/3 cup water.
- Peel butternut squash and cut into ½ inch dice. Toss lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in a 350 degree oven until soft, approximately 15 minutes. Cool thoroughly.
- Wash and cut tomatoes. Pick and chop fresh herbs. Wash and zest lime on a grater or micro-plane. Alternatively, wash and then peel lime with a vegetable peeler, scrape away any of the bitter white pith and finely chop.
- When rices are cooked, empty them out of the cooking pots onto a plate or tray, spread in a thin layer and cool well before proceeding.
- Place both cooled
rices, roasted squash, tomatoes, herbs, and lime zest in a large
bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss all ingredients
well. Season with lime juice to a pleasing acidity. Salad can be
served fresh, or held overnight to marinate flavors. (Will keep
without tomatoes up to about 4 days, with tomatoes, not more than 2
days.)
Published 02-28-2011
A couple of weeks ago we warmed the cockles of your heart with a little Bubble an' Squeak, this week we have scrumptious Lentil Chili to take away the last of February's winter blast. This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily and we hope will quickly become as favored with your family as it has with ours.
Lentil Chili
- ½ c Green or Brown Lentils (serves 2)
- 1 small Onion
- 1 15 ounce can
Diced Tomatoes
- 1 pint Tomato
Juice, Water, or Vegetable Stock
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp Chile Powder
- ¾ tsp Ground
Cumin
- ¾ tsp Coriander
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
(wine or cider)
- 1 ½ tsp
Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ tsp Dried
Oregano
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Paprika
(optional)
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Pick through lentils to remove any debris or foreign objects(rocks, stems, etc.) and rinse
- Peel onion and garlic cloves. Cut onion in half, slice into ¼ inch thick slices. Mince garlic finely.
- Heat olive oil in
an appropriately sized pot and sweat the onion for three to five
minutes.
- Add garlic, spices, and herbs. Cook for several minutes until very fragrant.
- Add diced
tomatoes, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and other liquid. Bring to
a boil.
- Add lentils. Cook
approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust
seasonings about half way through the cooking.
[Note: Avoid over-cooking the lentils as they tend to become mushy if over-cooked. Recipe will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.]
Published 02-21-2011
Lettuce Wraps: 2 Ways
One of the trickier things of adopting a new eating plan is figuring out what to take to work for lunch. Here are a couple recipes for what is basically a great tasting salad in a cunning disguise that you don't need a bowl, or a fork, to eat. Bonus: Kids like these too.
Version 1
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce (Cored
and rinsed. Keep leaves as whole as possible.) (serves 2)
- 1 c Vegetarian Re-fried Beans (Low sodium if possible.)
- 1 small Tomato
- ½ small Red Onion
- 1 small Summer Squash
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper
- ¼ c Prepared or Home-made Salsa of your choice
- Wash all the vegetables. Core the tomato and cut in half, slice into half-moons. Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Slice or shred the summer squash. Slice the red pepper into bite sized pieces. Heat the re-fried beans to the desired temperature.
- To eat: Place a small portion of beans on a lettuce leaf, add an appropriate amount of the other vegetables and a dab of salsa. Fold the ends of the lettuce over the filling and roll into a sort of burrito and enjoy. Repeat as necessary.
Version 2
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce (serves 2)
- 1 c cooked or canned Chickpeas (if using canned, drain and rinse thoroughly before use)
- 1 small head Broccoli
- 1 small Carrot
- 1 small Green Bell Pepper
- 1 tbs Sunflower Seeds
- 1 ½ tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Wash all vegetables. Peel and crush garlic clove, place in red wine vinegar to marinate. Remove the core from the lettuce, and separate the leaves doing your best to keep the leaves as whole as possible. Cut the broccoli into small fleurettes. Cut the carrot into either thin slices or shred it on a box grater. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips.
- Place all cut vegetables and chickpeas in a bowl and toss with the vinegar/garlic mixture, sunflower seeds, and olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Allow salad to marinate for at least ten minutes before serving. Can be made as far as a whole day ahead if desired.
- To eat: Place an
appropriate amount of salad on a lettuce leaf, roll leaf around it
burrito and enjoy.
Published 02-14-2011
Bubble an' Squeak
Here's a tasty dish to warm the cockles of your heart on a chilly
winter's eve. All you need are few humble ingredients and about 30
minutes and you'll be eating very good in your neighborhood tonight.
- 1 lb Green Cabbage Serves 2
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 medium Yukon Gold Potato
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ½ pint Vegetable or Mushroom
Stock (Purchased vegetable base is perfectly acceptable, choose low
sodium options. Alternatively use ½ pint of water with 1 tsp of
Worcestershire Sauce.)
- 1 tsp Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 to 2 tbs Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Peel and slice the
onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Shred the cabbage into ¼ inch
strips. Cut the potato into 1 inch cubes.
- Heat oil in a
large saucepan or skillet that has a lid. Sweat onion for several
minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add garlic, herbs,
and a little salt and pepper. Cook for another couple minutes over
medium low heat.
- Add the cabbage
and cook along with the onion for a couple minutes. Turn up the heat
to just over medium and add the vegetable or mushroom stock, potato,
and vinegar.
- Bring liquid to a
boil, turn down to a low simmer, place a lid on the pot and cook
until the potatoes are tender. 12 to 20 minutes. Midway through
cooking taste a piece of cabbage and a bit of the broth and adjust
salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve hot. Will keep nicely for up to one
week in the refrigerator.