Brussels sprouts, you either love them, or you hate them. I have both prepared, and eaten Brussels sprouts many different ways: steamed, sautéed, braised in oatmeal stout, grated raw in salads; some preparations good, some not so good. So who knew that the quick and easy, clean and vegan preparation would turn out to be so delightful? Well, not me, but now I am sold. This dish provides the devout vegan with essential B12 from the nooch, essential fats, and a complete amino acid protein profile from the hempseed. But don’t let the word “vegan” put you off. This is absolutely delicious, light, and satiating and can be enjoyed on just about any diet or lack thereof.
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.
Riced Cauliflower Salad with Tomato, Basil & Garlic
I’m having a “mini-series” of riced cauliflower in my kitchen! Riced cauliflower is great as a raw salad, because cauliflower florets are already slightly tender and porous to start with, so, when mixed with other salad ingredients it makes a great base! So, a while, back, I tried using it as you would pasta in a classic “TBG” (tomato, basil, garlic) salad, and the results were delicious.
Saffron Riced Cauliflower
The other day I picked up a bag of “riced cauliflower” at the market, for the first time. I have been playing around with it, both hot and as a raw salad, with delightful results. In fact, the other day I posted a candid quickie of a raw riced cauliflower salad I had created for lunch, that invoked such a positive response in the social media world, I have decided to do two “riced cauliflower” recipes in a row on here. First though, I want to share this extremely simple recipe that brings saffron into the picture. The cruciferous personality of cauliflower, both in taste and smell, seems to blend extremely well with the distinctive flavor and aroma of saffron. I enjoyed this with some seared wild tuna but you could easily add in some legumes, sprouts, and-or vegetables for a vegan entree.
Heirloom Potato & Kale Latkes
I just whipped these up for brunch and decided they were share-worthy. The red, purple, and fingerling potatoes are a little healthier than the traditional russet potatoes. This is totally vegan but you can use real eggs instead of chia eggs, or even serve a couple poached eggs on top. To be honest, I was longing for a coupe duck eggs that I sometimes get from a local urban farmer. Having said that, I love the gooey texture in the middle that can only be a result of the chia seeds and the consistency of the heirloom potatoes doing a little happy dance. Enjoy these with some homemade ketchup or smoked trout. Yum!
Beet & Fresh Cheese Stacks with Avocado-Lemon Dressing
I found a recipe for a quick vegan cheese that I really like. The recipe says it’s a “Pepper Jack” but it reminds me a lot more of a fresh cheese like queso fresco or buffalo mozzarella. In any case, I am finding it to be quite versatile and useful on many dishes, from tacos to this beet salad. You can venture into making the vegan cheese, which will require some uncommon ingredients if you aren’t used to vegan baking or cheese making. Or use a favorite cashew cheese; some spreadable cashew cheeses would work great in between the layers of beets. Or, if you eat dairy, just use a good, organic dairy cheese like burrata or buffalo mozzarella.
“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.
“Creamy” Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Tomato Salsa
Nothing completes a crisp autumn or rainy day like a bowl of creamy soup. I am pretty sure that there isn’t a person out there who doesn’t have a nostalgic attachment to a “cream of something” soup from their past or childhood. Well I have some good news about that! You can keep your creamy, comforting stroll down memory lane while also avoiding the bad and promoting awesome, clean nutrition. This soup is very easy to make and is also great as a cold vichyssoise style soup if you have leftovers. The salsa is a tangy compliment that offers extra rich flavor in the truffle oil, but also completely optional. Read More
Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Sage & Garlic
Greetings! I know it’s been a while since the last post. To be honest, my creativity took a brief leave of absence. I also became fixated on creating the perfect homemade vegan ice cream, that also stores well. That sort of consumed me for a few weeks. No ice cream recipe to post yet, and now it is becoming irrelevant, as summer is going away. So, on to one of my favorite subjects: Quality kitchen time during the fall season. Let’s kick it off with a very simple, and surprisingly filling dish using just five key ingredients. Fresh sage, garlic and winter squashes are good friends in my book. This recipe sort of takes the traditional squash ravioli with sage, and sort of deconstructs it and puts a yummy vegan spin on it. Don’t be afraid to ramp up the garlic and the sage. Enjoy! Read More
“Raw” Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta
Okay, I know it is always amusing when Los Angeles people start complaining about the weather…but, we DID have a little heat wave the other day, and it was really hot outside! It was one of those dog days when you can’t imagine doing anything besides climbing into a walk-in freezer at a nearby restaurant and locking the door behind you. This didn’t stop a gorgeous vine ripened tomato from calling out to me from the garden. Before I knew it I had some fresh salsa cruda with stunning fragrant basil. To keep it moving in the direction of a minimally cooked, not heat producing dinner, I decided to whip this up. I have featured the “raw” portobello before (softened by dehydration at a low temperature). This is another example of how versatile the “raw” portobello can be. This is super simple and sure to refresh, and nourish you on a hot summer day.