Filed under: Main Dish | Tags: beans, millet, olive oil, radish, root vegetable, vegan
We’ve had a few cold nights lately, and even snow in the mountains above Santa Barbara. But it always seems to bounce back into at least a few warm days. Yesterday was definitely spring – anything other than a t-shirt and shorts was too hot, and the garden was dishing out treasures left and right: the first zucchini of the spring, nearly-ripe fava beans, lettuce, arugula, and six fresh eggs (our banty, Minnie, has laid two eggs in the last week – after a 9-month hiatus).
I’m not typically a radish-loving person. But I’ve seen recipes lately involving radishes, butter, and salt (like this one) that intrigued me. So when I found four perfect radishes in the garden yesterday, I knew exactly what to do with them. I’ve been avoiding dairy (fighting off a bad cold/sore throat), so I just sliced the radishes thinly, drizzled with my local Joelle olive oil and a dusting of salt. The simplest of ingredients, but big on flavor (would have been even better on a fresh baguette!). I think since they were picked so early in the season, they were sweeter and less spicy than usual.
Monday evenings tend to be the night where I have the most time at home to spend cooking, so I try and make a little extra to carry us through the week. One week, I roasted a huge pan of sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions and carrots, and ended up with a lot of leftover vegetables after dinner that night to use for something else later in the week.
I decided to combine them with a grain and the cilantro I have plenty of in the garden. A quick flip through the Moosewood Cookbook found me at the Curried Millet recipe. It comes together fast, and I thought the curry would play off the root vegetables nicely. It would be fine without the vegetables and beans too – or whatever substitutions you want to make!
Curried Millet from Moosewood Restaurant, Cooking for Health
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (optional – I had some leftover from last summer’s mustard plants)
1/2 c minced onions
3/4 c millet
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne (start with less if you don’t like heat)
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
1/4 c currants or cranberries
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 can black beans, drained
2-3 cups chopped roasted potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, onion
Warm the oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat, add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the millet and stir constantly until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid as been absorbed and the millet is tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the currants and the cilantro, and fluff with a fork. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the millet with the roasted vegetables and beans.
Filed under: Main Dish | Tags: burger, carrot, cilantro, lentil, parsnip, pasta, vegan, walnut
I really have no idea why it took me so long to make lentil burgers. Its not that I haven’t heard of the idea (or rather, bean burgers in general). But for some reason, I just didn’t get to it. Until now. And there is no turning back. They were so incredibly easy, and so tasty! I made them twice in three days.
Before you start cringing and thinking “how could lentils ever have the same texture/flavor as a real burger!?” just stop yourself. I’m not into those meat replacement products floating around. At times they can be just as bad as any other processed non-vegan food! So just try and think of this as a new and exciting way to incorporate beans and nuts into your diet, with its own unique flavor and satisfaction value. I should say ways, because we ate these in several different shapes and entirely different dishes.
The first night, I made parsnip and carrot fries to go with the patties (and topped them with garden baby lettuce, onion, and the yogurt cilantro sauce – a bunless burger). If you’ve never had a parsnip, you should go find some, preferably locally grown. They roast up beautifully, and have a dense not-too-sweet flavor that I really like. (I can’t believe I hadn’t tried them til now, either!)
A few nights later, I formed the lentil mixture into balls, baked them, and served them on top of pasta (with leftover cauliflower, mushrooms, and red peppers simmered in arrabiata sauce – YUM). I made a double batch, so the next night we chopped the meatballs in pieces and put them on a chef salad. How’s that for a versatile recipe??
Lentil-walnut Burgers (original recipe found here)
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3-1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 cup lentils, cooked, drained, and cooled
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg
Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce:
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
To cook lentils, combine 1 cup dry lentils with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes.
In a food processor, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until finely ground. Add lentils and 1 tablespoon oil; pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should remain whole). If it seems too wet, add in the rest of the breadcrumbs.
In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal-size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4-inch-thick patties.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon; season with salt and pepper. Assemble burgers and top with yogurt sauce, sliced red onion, tomato, and lettuce.
To make meatballs, follow same recipe except substitute basil and parsley for the cumin and coriander. Form the mixture into balls, and bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. (I used 1/2 c cashews + 1/4 c walnuts) Serve on pasta with sauce, in a sandwich, or however you best like meatballs!
Filed under: Breakfast, Main Dish | Tags: Broccoli, carrot, chard, egg, greens, kale, potato, root vegetables, sweet potato, vegan
Well, its been a week now since my birthday challenge ended. And I have to say – I miss it a little bit! There was something dizzying about unlimited options in what I could eat last week, and I took full advantage. The Burger Bus, chocolate chip cookies, half and half in my coffee…. it was almost overwhelming. I think I’ve realized finally that I’m a person who needs a few rules in my life to help me find balance. I’m not sure exactly what those rules will be, but I’m working on figuring it out.
This last month Santa Barbara has been blessed with gorgeous, amazing, mostly warm weather. It feels like the summer we never had in 2010 (instead we got days and days of fog). I do feel badly for the rest of the country struggling with such cold. But I’m really, really happy in this weather! All of my seed starts are coming along nicely, and I should be able to plant in the next few weeks. Wildflowers are blooming in the mountains behind Santa Barbara, and the birds are notching up their songs (and providing lots of amusement in my yard. Scrub jay burying a peanut = case in point).
One of my favorite recent dinners (or breakfasts) is this sweet potato hash. I roast up an assortment of root vegetables, then saute greens and garlic. I top the whole mess with a fried egg or two. I find it to be completely satisfying at any time of day, and it again has those elements of flexibility I love so much! Bell peppers are a great addition, or mushrooms. Just make sure to add them in at the right time so they get their proper cooking time. This is particularly satisfying after a long run, or an afternoon spent climbing and scrambling at The Playground.
Sweet Potato Hash with Greens and Eggs
Assortment of root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, etc), chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1-2 big handfuls of greens – fresh broccoli, kale, chard, asparagus, etc, chopped into 1/2-1″ ribbons
1-3 cloves garlic, chopped small
1-4 eggs (depends on how many people you’re serving and how many everyone wants)
Coat the root vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a 375 oven for 35-50 minutes (depends on how many vegetables you have)
Once they finish, saute your greens and garlic til bright green. Remove from pan, and fry your eggs (or poach if you like them that way).
Serve with root vegetables on the bottom, then a layer of greens, with eggs on top. Sprinkle sea salt and fresh pepper on top to taste.
Filed under: Main Dish | Tags: asparagus, beet, Broccoli, cashew, greens, lemon, parsnip, rutabega, spaghetti squash, tahini, turnip, vegan
Last week I tried out a recipe for creamy kale and millet that knocked my socks off, no kidding! The sauce was glorious, and I loved the creaminess of it. It uses nutritional yeast, tahini, cashews and lemon to give it a thick tangy flavor. On first taste, Matt could not believe it wasn’t cheese. I think I liked it even better than most cheese sauces, because it doesn’t weigh you down. I couldn’t even get a photo of it, we ate it so quickly.
Well on Sunday, I was tired of getting a guilt trip every time I passed one of the numerous spaghetti squashes we still have from last summer. So I decided to bake one up. And then was inspired to concoct a creamy dish using that same sauce, but incorporating asparagus and broccoli in addition to the kale. And to top it all off – the roasted carrots, rutabega and parsnips that I already had going in the oven.
Sound like a lot? It is definitely the product of a late Sunday afternoon at home. But its also a recipe that is flexible and could be done on a weeknight with a bit of planning (especially if you leave out the root vegetables). The spaghetti squash can be done ahead of time, and usually a bigger one will last us through at least two meals.
“Creamy” Spaghetti Squash and Vegetables
*The root vegetables are definitely not a required element to this dish. But I liked the crisp texture they added.
Assortment of root vegetables (carrots, rutabega, turnip, parsnip, beet, potato, etc), chopped into 1/2″ dice
Spaghetti squash, split in half and seeds scooped out
1/2 bunch kale, cut into 1/2″ slivers
approx. 1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 bunch asparagus, chopped into similar size pieces
Creamy sauce:
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 small clove of organic garlic
1 cup water
3 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil (I bet olive oil would be a fine substitute)
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp organic tahini
1/2 cup organic cashews, soaked (I did not soak mine)
Toss the root vegetables in olive oil, and spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 oven for 45 minutes (check after 30). Put the spaghetti squash in a brownie pan, cut side down. Bake alongside the vegetables for 45 min- 1 hr. Once its done, take out to cool for a few minutes, then scrape out the strands.
Put all the sauce ingredients into a blender to blend. Saute the vegetables in a saucepan for a few minutes (put in asparagus and broccoli first, then the kale in the last 2-3 minutes) until bright green. Put into a big bowl. Heat the sauce in the same saucepan for 2-4 minutes until it begins to thicken. Mix in the with the vegetables. Add in the spaghetti squash (I used almost all of the squash) to desired coating. Top each serving with some of the roasted root vegetables and a sprinkling of fresh pepper.
Filed under: Breakfast | Tags: almond, breakfast, dates, granola, green smoothie, honey, maple syrup, oats
I had plenty of time to putter in my garden this weekend – weeding and thinning out all those new seedlings. And thinning out some of the larger plants. I’m not completely sure, but I think I pulled up a few baby rutabegas (or possibly turnips?), as well as some beets and parsnips (the first parsnips I’ve ever grown, or eaten). I’m planning to roast them all up, as per my favorite way to prepare root vegetables.
Tomorrow is the last day of my birthday challenge. I made it to yoga every week, and hit most of my workout goals. I only slipped up once on the dairy front (and it made my stomach hurt, so it wasn’t even worth it). It really wasn’t too much of a stretch to not eat meat, dairy, or sugar. I didn’t have any cravings – although I yearned for cheese a bit. And really, I just don’t like being a picky eater. It takes all the fun out of eating at restaurants, or spending a weekend with friends eating good food (my girls’ nights comes standard with baguette and cheese). So I’m really looking forward to having the freedom to sprinkle a bit of cheese on my dishes! I’m also curious how my body will react to re-introducing meat and dairy. I can’t say I felt vastly better this month, which I think is because I eat so many vegetables normally anyway. If I was coming off a meat and dairy laden diet, I think this month would have shown a much bigger difference.
My mom used to make granola from scratch all the time when I was growing up. So I’m not sure why I don’t make it very often. We’re talking like once every few years! Its probably because there’s a great grocery store two blocks from my house that carries a wide variety of delicious (expensive) granola in its bulk bins. But that’s really not a great excuse.
Since I’ve been trying to avoid refined sugars, buying granola got a whole lot harder (and more expensive). So I decided that now, more than ever, was the time to make my own. I was scouting the internet for some good vegan camping recipes, when I stumbled upon this granola recipe at Dirty Gourmet. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, which made it even more perfect!
I’ve made versions of this 3 times now in the past month. I also referenced a recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant “Cooking for Health” cookbook I got for Christmas. My favorite way to eat granola is on top of a thick green smoothie (Backyard Bowls style) or with a bit of almond milk. (My current green smoothie consists of frozen banana, berries, and mango, with chard, kale, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, mandarin, hemp seed, chia seed, and berry juice.)
The best thing about granola is its flexibility – you can easily swap out the nuts and fruit for what you have or what you like. Maple syrup and honey (or brown sugar or agave) are all very easily substituted for each other too.
Easy Granola
1/4 c honey
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c safflower oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 c almonds (or 1/2 c almonds, 1/2 c cashews)
1/2 c coconut flakes (I like the big ones, unsweetened)
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c flax seeds
1/4 c hemp seeds (optional)
1/4 c dried cranberries (optional)
1/4-1/2 c dates chopped up
Preheat the oven to 325. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.
Combine honey, maple syrup, oil and salt in small saucepan. Cook over low heat until its warmed up and liquidy. Remove from heat.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a big bowl. Stir in the honey mixture to coat. Spread it out on the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake, and stir at 15 minutes. Check at 30 minutes to see how browned its getting – you want it golden, but not burned. Remove from oven and cool completely before storing in airtight container. If you like it chunky, don’t stir it while cooling.
