I know you are probably thinking that I post too many things with mushrooms, and you are right! But when I glanced at my bag of dried porcini mushrooms the other day, I couldn’t help thinking how great they would be as a rich, flavorful foundation for riced cauliflower! This recipe for riced cauliflower with porcini mushrooms, fennel & peas makes a nice springtime side dish or vegan entree. Porcini mushrooms have a natural, rich, gamey flavor and the higher quality ones give off a roux when cooked, that naturally adds some thickness to the dish.
13 Bean Soup with Garden Chard
The chard in the food garden is making gigantic leaves right now. They are so big I am tempted to preserve them and use them as shoe leather, or a hand fan, or something practical. Since those wild ideas are probably ultimately not as practical as one would hope, I opted to put together this 13 bean soup, and just enjoy the chard in its glorious, minimally processed form. That’s actually my favorite way to enjoy nutrient dense greens! My partner Ricky bought a bag of 13 bean soup mix a while ago, and has been nudging me to make soup out of it. So here is one more hearty soup to get into your belly before the seasons completely change over. Or enjoy it all spring and summer using a variety of different seasonal greens and fresh vegetables. The key is to put the greens in at the end, so they are super fresh, vibrantly colored and retain as much of their living nutrition as possible.
Healing Carrot, Ginger & Turmeric Soup
Have you ever picked up some fresh turmeric root at the market, just to have it sort of sit in your kitchen and shrivel up? Well, here is an easy, season-appropriate way to put that turmeric root to really good use. This soup will make you want to curl up under a blanket and turn the phone off.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Green Pepita Soup
In between your weekends of sugar, animal fat, and alcohol-laden holiday festivities, on a quiet weeknight at home, when your body is clambering for some real nutrition, try whipping up this extremely easy soup that is clean, vegan, and packed with super nutrition. The pepitas, while delivering a complete essential amino acid profile, also give it that comfort food edge that will surely hit the spot on a cold winter night.
Whole Roasted Pumpkin with Mushroom Ragout
When I go to the market and see all the different types of gourds and winter squash, all I want to do is bring them home and play with them in the kitchen. There is something architecturally fulfilling about taking a big edible thing like a pumpkin and bringing out it’s simple pleasures, and presenting it in its minimally fragmented glory. Here is an extremely easy dish you can make as a vegan entree or an interesting side dish on your next holiday dinner table. Read More
Pumpkin, Potato & Leek Soup
A lot of people associate Thanksgiving with a plate full of turkey and a bunch of other stuff smushed onto the plate. But sometimes its nice to switch it up a little and add a course or two, slowing it down, adding an extra layer of civilization to the crazy, energized occasion with friends and family. This porridge-like soup does the job pretty well, and although it is super rich and creamy, it is actually vegan, so you wont weigh your guests down too much before the main turkey event, and everyone at the table can enjoy it, whatever their dietary considerations.