Have you ever heard of cauliflower bhaji? Sometimes weekdays can be tricky for preparing fresh whole food dinners. This probably isn’t news to most readers. But then, sometimes, those rushed days, when all you have are some bits and pieces of vegetables and random bags of beans and grains, end up producing the most memorable dinners. This cauliflower bhaji with spinach is a perfect example. It is extremely simple to make and it tastes great!
Spaghetti Squash-Quinoa Falafel Burgers
We have a bunch of volunteer spaghetti squash growing out of our compost pile. It is relentlessly giving us more spaghetti squash than we would normally eat. So, I am exploring its various wonderful (and not so wonderful) uses. These patties are kind of a cross between falafel and a veggie burger, with some global spice infusion. They hold together well, so they can be enjoyed on a bun or just stand alone as a vegan entree or side dish.
Robata Eggplant Tacos
The Japanese eggplant is going nuts in my garden right now. I have enjoyed Japanese eggplant many different ways. This time, I wanted figure out a way to keep it intact, because the shape is so cool and versatile, while trying something entirely new and different from my typical eggplant concoctions. Robata is a Japanese method of cooking long pieces of food on an open flame, on big skewers. Traditionally, the skewers are placed around the fire by sticking them directly into the sand or earth that surrounds the fire.You don’t have to go to the trouble of building a fire to enjoy something similar. You can grill the eggplant, or just cook it on a stovetop griddle if you don’t have a lot of time. In fact, modern robata restaurants use a charcoal grill, not an open pit fire. The charred eggplant, combined with the slightly spicy miso slaw make for an awesome fusion taco. The sprouted corn tortilla is superior for nutrition and it has a homemade tortilla kind of texture and flavor. I loved the way this came out and will definitely make this a regular.
Stuffed Chard with Fennel & Spring Onions
It seems like chard just wants to be a regular part of my life. It is all over the Farmers Market, and manages to find its way into the occasional box of Farm Fresh to You that comes to my house. I have been getting nice, big leaves in bunches, which makes me want to do one thing– see what I can roll those big leaves around. Here is a straightforward idea for stuffed chard that doesn’t require anything more than your basic staple vegetables and some tomato sauce. And the cooking time shouldn’t be too long either.
Spaghetti with Calabrese Broccoli, Green Garlic & Nasturtium Blossoms
We all know broccoli is good for us. But one has to admit that the same “commercial” broccoli that we are relentlessly exposed to can get a little tiring. That is why I always get a little excited whenever I see less ubiquitous varieties of broccoli at the market. The particular calabrese in this recipe was small and tender, making it a great, quickly seared pasta stir fry. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a photo of it at the market, but the finished dish gives you a good sense of the anatomy of this broccoli. The green garlic adds a spring time garlic kick, and the nasturtium adds a slight peppery essence, for an uncomplicated, light springtime meal. By the way, if you are wondering where to find nasturtiums, they grow like crazy everywhere, so just tap into your “inner hunter-gatherer” and you should be okay. You might even have some growing in your own yard! Read More
Spaghetti Squash with Dutch Oven Vegetables
So, I though I would get one more winter-like dish in before completely emerging into Springtime. This one has been sitting in my drafts for a while, and I think it’s time to bring it out and get it onto your dinner table! This dish may remind you a bit of pasta with ratatouille, but with a personality of its own.
“Chicken” Fried Tofu Steak
We are having a rainy weekend here in Los Angeles. With rain comes that urge to cook and enjoy traditional comfort food. Typically that would lead to chicken and dumplings, pot pie, or something along those lines. All I had to make this happen was a block of organic sprouted tofu, so I gave this a whirl. The secret to making tofu taste great lies in two simple steps: 1) You need to press the tofu, and 2) you need to marinate it. The marinade should always have an acidic base with flavors that compliment whatever theme you are going for. You should never use oil in your tofu marinade. Since tofu contains a lot of water, and is packed in water, it will naturally repel anything that has oil mixed into it. My experience has been that oil free marinades absorb into tofu the best, resulting in a variety of uses. In this case, I used vegan chicken flavoring to conjure up the experience of eating a chicken fried steak. It came out delicious, tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. This is easy to make, but you need to allow for about 90 minutes to press and marinate the tofu.
Socca with Dijon & Fresh Vegetables
Socca, in my opinion, is one of the best kept little secret gems in the world of gluten free cooking and healthier options. Socca is a street food from the South of France, that is so simple to make it is almost mind blowing, consisting of just chickpea flour, olive oil, water, and seasoning. It makes a healthy crepe for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner, or it can be made a little thicker, and cooked longer for a pizza crust or flatbread effect. The trick is in not trying to flip it over, but instead, letting it cook through from one side.
Vegan Kale & Mushroom Curry
Sometimes the best meals come out of just throwing a few (or several) things in the kitchen together. The coconut milk and cashew butter in this make it an awesome vegan comfort dinner that can satiate and warm up a kitchen against any full dairy meal.
“Creamy” Teff Polenta with Roasted Vegetables
If blizzards have you down I have just the remedy. I love that all I have to do is think, “hmmm I wish I could find something to make polenta out of besides cornmeal,” and then teff shows up, like it was lurking around the corner. A grain definitely isn’t just a grain when it comes to Teff. Is Teff Polenta the New…Polenta? An “ancient grain,” teff has been used in Ethiopian cooking for many years and is just starting to get some traction in modern western kitchens. More people are noticing teff probably because it is a powerhouse of nutrition and is also gluten free. And, it makes awesome, creamy polenta…tah-da! You can enjoy it in its creamy state right out of the pot, or let it set, cut it into shapes, and grill or pan fry. Basically use it anyway you would the more ubiquitous cornmeal polenta. For this recipe, I have created a sort of comfort bowl of creamy teff with roasted vegetables. This recipe is vegan, but you can substitute cheese and cream where noted for a dairy vegetarian version.