Are you a pesto-file? Always looking at different ways to make pesto? Here is one you quite possibly have not tried yet, and it is very versatile. A couple weeks ago, I taught a workshop on edible common garden flowers at Fig Earth Supply, the edible nursery in my neighborhood. And, it got me thinking of all the delightful, delicious ways we can get the most nutritional bang from our outdoor spaces. Enter nasturtium pesto!
Heirloom Tomato and Pumpkinseed Pesto Salad
If you raise basil on a regular basis, you will encounter those times when you get busy and kind of ignore the basil for a few days, and while you are busy doing other stuff, the basil goes nuts and produces an abundance of flower stalks and leaves. This happened to me the other day and in my rush to prune it all back, I ended up with a giant pile of basil. So, since autumn is just around the corner, I decided to do a variation of pesto using raw pepitas (pumpkinseeds). There is something about the pumpkinseeds’ earthiness and association with the impending fall season that just made it all seem right.
I am still getting some glorious heirloom tomatoes, although that season is nearly over, so I put together this sort of “summer-fall” transitional salad that is vegan, yet packed with high quality, raw protein and healthy fats. This vegan pesto is very versatile and I have been using it in a variety of ways beyond this salad. This recipe is definitely a keeper and a healthier alternative to traditional pesto.
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.
Black Bean Rotini Salad
I thought I would squeeze in a 4th of July recipe this morning! Here is a gluten free pasta salad that is packed with summertime garden goodness, contains all the comfort and zesty flavors of the holiday, but won’t leave your body starving for awesome nutrition. I named it “L.A. Summer” because it contains all the stuff that you might find growing in one of L.A.’s back yards or urban farms, like nopales, cucumber, tomatoes, and peppers, and it has some hints of Mexico and the Southwest in it’s flavor profile, two prominent cuisines in the area. Enjoy, and happy Independence Day!
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.
Brussels Sprouts with Hempseed & Lemon Zest
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.
“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.
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.