Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been bad...so bad...I'm still drinking fresh juices daily but it was rainy and chilly on Saturday and I just wanted to turn on the oven and bake something yummy.  The good thing about making chocolate chip cookies is that they can satisfy your sweet tooth within 30 minutes.  The bad thing is that it's hard to eat just one!  So I've had my fill over the past three days.  There's nothing like drinking healthy juice and eating cookies at the same time--my body is really confused!  The daffodils are just because they brighten up a gloomy day and are my second favorite flower to tulips!

 
So here's the recipe...not that you need another chocolate chip cookie recipe but I found these to be perfect.  Crunchy out the outside while moist on the inside and they were better the next day, and the next day...unfortunately. 

Ingredients

(Makes 2 dozen)

1 1/2 cups organic whole grain spelt flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 stick Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (I used 6 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and 2 Tbsp Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Butter Flavor Shortening Non-Hydrogenated).  I like the crunch and airiness it gives the cookies--but using all Earth Balance is fine too.)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup organic unbleached cane sugar

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxmeal with 3 Tbsp room temperature filtered water, whisked)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 and position racks on upper and lower portion of oven.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer place room temperature butter and sugar and mix on medium for about 3 minutes until creamy.  Add flax egg mixture and vanilla and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, sift and whisk together dry ingredients (not including chocolate chips) and then add to butter-sugar mixture and mix until ingredients are just incorporated.  You don't want to over mix the flour and develop the gluten or your cookies will be tough.  Then with the motor running add the chocolate chips until combined.
• Using a small ice cream scoop (about 1-1/2 Tbsp) place 12 evenly spaced scoops on two cookie trays and flatten slightly with your fingers.  Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes (turning and switching the trays after 7 minutes) until golden brown around the edges, but tender in the center.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more juicing recipes once the gloomy rain goes away!       

 

 

Easy Thanksgiving Dinner

Yesterday was probably my easiest and best Thanksgiving ever.  I swore after last year that I would never spend all day (12 hours) in the kitchen...cooking and cleaning.  And as much as I love cooking--it's just not worth it.  My menu yesterday took 4 1/2 hours from start to finish (prep, cooking, eating and cleanup)!  So instead of starting to cook at 8:00am, I slept in, had a relaxing breakfast with my husband reading the paper, surfed the web, played games, went for a walk and then at 1:00pm I started my first prep!  So here's what I served:

• Autumn Wild Rice Salad:  This salad is gluten free.  I used a combination of wild rice, brown basmati rice, red quinoa, diced butternut squash, carrots, celery, sage, thyme, pomegranate seeds and a pomegranate vinaigrette.  I made a similar salad last year using whole grain couscous.  This salad can be served at room temperature or chilled.
• Blue Lake Green Beans with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette:  I blanched the green beans in salted boiling water for 1-1/2 minutes and then shocked in ice water, drained and set aside.  I then made a quick vinaigrette with minced garlic, shallots, thyme, whole grain mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, white balsamic, grapeseed oil and olive oil.  Just before serving I sauteed the beans with some of the vinaigrette to heat through.
• Smashed Baby Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic & Chive Cream:  This couldn't be simpler--no potatoes to peel...I made a quick roasted garlic-cashew cream sauce (soaked cashews, water, 1 roasted garlic bulb, salt and pepper and blended it together).  I cooked the potatoes in salted boiling water, drained, smashed, added vegan butter, roasted garlic cream sauce and salt and pepper to taste. 
• Roasted Shallot Gravy:  This is a delicious gravy made in 30 minutes using no cornstarch or butter.  I thinly sliced 5 large shallots (about 3 cups), along with 6 oz of sliced cremini mushrooms.  I sauteed them in olive oil for about 10 minutes until caramelized and then added minced garlic, fresh thyme and deglazed with ruby port wine.  I cooked the wine off and added 4 cups of vegetable stock and reduced for 20 minutes.  I blended everything together along with 3 tbsp nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste.  
• Field Roast (Celebration): I braised the roast for about 35-40 minutes in a small casserole dish with vegetable stock, fresh sage, fresh thyme sprigs and olive oil.  I browned the top the last few minutes of cooking, sliced to desired thickness and poured remaining broth over top upon serving.

That's pretty much it except that I purchased freshly made cranberry-orange chutney and a vegan pumpkin pie from my work.  As much as I like baking and making pies--it takes too long.  Yes, it is a little bit more expensive, but the time savings is well worth it!  Oh and I can't forget the wine to round out the meal...I served Talbott Kali Hart 2010 Pinot Noir from Monterey.  It complimented the meal beautifully!  

And tonight is another easy cooking night...can't wait to eat the leftovers! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving--I really did! 

Thai Braised Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines.  I just love combining the flavors of spicy, sweet, sour and salty together to create a dish.  This dish is simple to prepare and light to enough to eat on a warm summer's evening.

For the tofu I marinated it with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, tamari, lime juice, and sriracha and braised it for a short period of time.  For the rice, I steamed brown basmati and tossed it with cilantro, toasted sesame seeds and lime juice.  To finish the dish, I topped it with a salad of shaved carrots, red bell pepper, green cabbage, green onions and tossed it with a spicy peanut-tamarind dressing.  Finally, I garnished the dish with toasted peanuts, and Thai basil.  

So beautiful and so delicious! 

Roasted Beet, Farro & Kale Salad

My father-in-law's name was Valentine but everyone called him Val for short.  I wonder if he was ever teased as a child for having such a unique name.  And I wonder if he knew that his name came from the Latin word Valentinus, derived from Valens, which means "strong and healthy".  

Most of us go though life without ever giving much consideration to our beating hearts, until one day we wake up with clogged arteries and need a triple by-pass.  But by eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, I know that I'm doing everything I can to diminish the possibility of getting heart disease later in life.  But that doesn't mean that on Valentine's Day I won't enjoy a glass of red wine, or a eat piece of dark chocolate because both contain flavonoids, which are considered to be "heart healthy".  But to balance it out, I'll definitely make sure to eat a healthy salad like my Roasted Beet, Farro & Kale Salad and go for a brisk walk.  Remember, Valentine's Day isn't just for that special person in your life--it's also for you and your "heart" and keeping it "strong and healthy"! 

Ingredients:

1 cup farro, cooked, rinsed and drained well
2 red beets, cooked until tender, peeled and diced
2 golden beets, cooked until tender, peeled and diced
1 fennel bulb, shaved thinly on a mandolin
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cups thinly sliced kale leaves
1-2 tbsp minced basil leaves

Maple-Sherry Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp aged sherry vinegar
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more or less to taste)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Add sherry, orange juice, mustard, garlic and chipotle to a blender and blend on high until combined.
• Slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified and then blend in maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste.  
• Pour over salad to moisten--you may have extra vinaigrette left over.

 

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Crema

These mini tacos are just too good!  My husband and I had like nine each for dinner on Friday night and then finished off the rest for lunch on Sunday.  I made the corn tortillas from scratch and you can really taste the freshness of the corn--so much better than the store bought version! 

For the spicy black beans and brown basmati rice, I cooked both the rice and the beans with an adobo spice blend.  I make all my own spice blends and I made this quite some time ago.  I don't remember the exact recipe ratio but it contained:  paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and salt and pepper.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own spice blend then you can just use 1-2 tbsp chili powder or a taco seasoning blend.  Also Mexican markets carry an already pre-made adobo spice blend, but I find it to be a little bland.

I then made my own roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and a red and green cabbage salad with cilantro and lime juice.  I topped off the tacos with a cashew chipotle crema made with blended cashews, sun-dried tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, lime juice and salt and pepper.

I could eat these everyday--so healthy and delicious! 

Homemade Corn Tortillas & Roasted Tomato Salsa

I'm going to make this short and sweet because tonight is Mexican night and I absolutely can't wait to eat my mini tacos.  I made homemade corn tortillas (really simple and delish), as well as roasted tomato salsa.  I'll be serving my tacos topped with spicy Mexican rice, black beans, cabbage salad, guacamole, homemade salsa and chipotle crema!  I'll post photos and recipes tomorrow, along with my famous Pomegranate Margarita recipe.  Well at least it's famous in my household.  For the past two weeks I was away visiting my family in Maryland and my sister who doesn't drink alcohol at all was practically asking for margaritas every night...sorry Dana the truth is out!  And I think one is calling my name right now!

Roasted Tomato Salsa 

6-8 Roma tomatoes, roasted (see link)
3-4 Roma tomatoes, blanched, skins removed and grated
1 Jalapeno, roasted, skin and seeds removed
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 Jalapeno, seeds removed and finely minced (about 2 tbsp)
3 tbsp finely minced onion
1-2 tbsp minced cilantro
Juice of 1-2 limes (depending on size)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, slice tomatoes, toss in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 1 hour until caramelized.  Remove from oven, let cool and remove skins.
• During this time add the jalapeno and roast for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and remove skin and seeds.
• Place roasted tomatoes and jalapeno in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in a bowl.
• Blanch remaining tomatoes for 1 minute, remove skins and grate on a box grater and add to roasted tomatoes.
• Add remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste and chill until ready to use. 

I don't know why I stopped making my own corn tortillas from scratch.  The texture and flavor is so much better than what you purchase at the store.  Yes, it takes about one hour from start to finish, depending on how many you make but it is so worth it.  This recipe made 24 small 5-6" tortillas.

I used 2 cups of masa and 1-1/3 cups of water.  You don't need a tortilla press--just a rolling pin and two sheets of plastic wrap coated with masa flour.  I also prefer smaller tortillas and so I used a small ice cream scoop to portion the masa.  The most important tip is to keep the masa covered with plastic while rolling out the tortillas.  Also, as you remove the cooked tortillas from the grill pan, wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep warm until all tortillas are done.

Also, no oil is needed in the pan.  Just make sure that you use a cast iron skillet or griddle because you need to cook them on medium-high heat and the more charred the better!  Cook them for about 1 minute per side and then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.  Enjoy!

Green Lentil Curry with Cilantro-Lime Basmiti Rice

For my New Year's resolution I gave up eating anything out of a can to avoid BPA residue in my food and in my body.  So I decided to give making coconut milk a try and I've got to tell you, I don't think that it's worth the effort.  I purchased a regular coconut (perhaps I should of purchased a young Thai coconut instead) because it was really difficult to open and to remove the flesh.  I really liked the coconut water and used it my smoothies, but the milk made from the flesh, not so much.  However, I do believe that it is 100% healthier for you if you make it from scratch, and so I decided to give it another go, but this time I purchased unsweetened, naturally dried organic coconut flakes and soaked, blended and strained the milk.  It was simple and it had the consistency of lite coconut milk you purchase in a can, but tasted so much better!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
3-4 organic Roma tomatoes, blanched, skins removed, grated
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk (see recipe below)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1-2 tbsp Madras curry powder (depending on taste)
1-2 tbsp agave syrup
2-3 tbsp lite tamari sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos
2-3 cups organic baby spinach
Juice of 1 lime, divided
2 tbsp minced cilantro
1 tbsp coconut flakes

Method:

• Cook rice according to package directions.  Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes.  Add the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 tbsp minced cilantro.  Fluff with a fork, keep warm and set aside.
• Cook lentils in plenty of water for 15 minutes until tender.  Drain and set aside.
• In a large sauce pan, add tomato puree, garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.  
• Stir in curry powder, tamari, agave and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes for flavors to combine.
• Add coconut milk, lentils and spinach and heat through until spinach is wilted.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary and add the remaining lime juice.
• Spoon lentil curry mixture over rice and garnish with minced cilantro and dried coconut flakes.

Coconut Milk

1 cup organic naturally dried unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups hot filtered water

Method:

• Place coconut flakes in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Let sit for 30 minutes for coconut to soften.
• Add coconut mixture to a blender and blend on high until creamy.
• Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.
• Makes 1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk.

If you don't want to use dried coconut then you can make it the hard way using a whole coconut.  It's the same process of soaking the flesh of the coconut, but you have to grind it in a food processor first, then soak and strain it.

A Single Serving of Good Luck

I've always considered myself a lucky person and there's not a day that goes by that I'm not reminded about how fortunate I am.  But I really lucked out when I met my husband 28 years ago.  He's definitely one of a kind.  So here were are on New Year's Eve and he's watching the Boston U and Notre Dame ice hockey game and I place a bag of black-eyed peas in front of him and ask him to count out 365 (well 366 because it's a leap year) for our New Year's day dinner.  He didn't complain, especially since I was interrupting his ice hockey game, but more importantly he doesn't think I am nuts for asking him to do this.  So we both sat there in front of the TV counting out black-eyed peas to bring us good fortune and good luck during the new year.  Very fortunate indeed...

Now, I'm sure you are aware of this folklore or superstition from the south that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's day will bring you good luck for the coming year.  And it's usually in the form of a dish called Hoppin' John; but I wanted to make something that was a little fresher and lighter.  So as the story goes...you should eat one black-eyed pea for each day of the year.  The peas represent coins, the collards represent green money, and the cornbread represents gold, (which I decided not to make because I want to eat healthy).  Also, for additional good luck you are supposed to place a coin under the pot while cooking the black-eyed peas and a coin under each dinner plate while eating.  Well, I forgot this part and so hopefully, counting out the peas has us covered for the entire year.

I was not born and raised in the south.  I grew up in Maryland which is considered a boarder state, but I did grow up eating black-eyed peas and collard greens.  However, I never quite understood why everyone cooks the crap out the peas, as well as the collards.  Most recipes call for cooking the peas for 1-1/2 hours and for braising the collards for that amount of time as well.  I do not find eating mushy beans/peas or army green collards very appealing and so this is a really quick and healthy dish that can be made in 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, New Year's day has come and gone, but you can still get all the health benefits from eating black-eyed peas, farro and collards anytime, and that is what's really important!

Black-Eyed Pea and Farro Salad:
(Single Serving of Good Luck)

1/2 cup black-eyed peas (or 363 for the remainder of the year...:-), soaked for four hours, rinsed and cooked until tender, about 18-20 minutes, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup pearl farro, cooked for 20 minutes until tender, rinsed and drained
1/2 organic red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
2 green onions, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Chipotle-Maple Vinaigrette (below)

Chipotle-Maple Vinaigrette 

1 tbsp Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp filtered water
1/2 tsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1/4-1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder (more or less to taste--I like it spicy)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp pure maple syrup
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the organic collard greens, I sliced them into thin ribbons, rinsed them and steamed them for about 1 minute until bright green.  I then tossed them with a little lemon juice and sea salt and black pepper.   Just delish and so healthy!!!

Mexican Pozole Soup

As you can see I'm still on my soup kick.  Soup is perfect for December when you're really busy running around shopping and it's cold outside.  And it has been really chilly in the Bay Area this past week.  It's also inexpensive and nutritious.  I was going to make udon soup but hubby wanted pozole.  I've never been a big fan of pozole because I don't like hominy--it's a texture thing for me.  But this soup has so many other textures with the addition of pinto beans and the cabbage salad that I don't mind the hominy.  Also, I love the flavor and color of this soup from the dried chilies--really looks festive with the brick red broth and bright green salad. 

Ingredients: 

6-8 dried New Mexico Red chilies, depending on size, stemmed, seeded, soaked

2 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, soaked

1 dried Chipotle chili, optional, stemmed, seeded soaked

3 cups filtered water

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion diced small

1 green pepper, seeded, diced small

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, or more depending on consistency

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp Mexican dried oregano

3/4 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight, cooked until tender, or 1 14oz can rinsed

1 28 oz can white hominy, drained

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tapatio Hot Sauce, optional

Method:

• Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, add dried chilies, cover and soak for 30 minutes until tender.
• Place chilies and liquid in blender and blend on high until smooth.  If you don't have a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, you may need to strain the mixture.
• Add diced tomatoes, and blend on high again.  Set aside.
• In a dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil and saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until onions are soft.
• Add green peppers, spices, chili/tomato sauce, vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
• Add pinto beans and hominy and cook until heated through for about 5-10 more minutes.  Reason with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with cabbage/radish salad.

Cabbage & Radish Salad:

1 1/2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup thinly sliced red radish

1/2 avocado, finely diced

1-2 tbsp finely minced jalapeno

2 tbsp fresh mint, cilantro or parsley

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Moroccan Marinated Tofu with Fruity Couscous

I love North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.  The combination of flavors are amazing, especially when you mix several regions together to create a dish that is spicy, sweet, and tangy.  I know from my photo it's hard to see, but the tofu has been marinated and then threaded on wooden skewers, pan seared and then served over the couscous.  The plate I used has a lot of detail and makes it hard to see the food, but I love my Moroccan plates and use them whenever I can!
 

To marinate the tofu, I used extra firm tofu and pressed it for about an hour to remove any excess moisture.  I then made a marinade using ground cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, pimenton, saffron, fresh garlic, chopped marcona almonds, minced preserved lemons, sliced green olives, lemon juice, olive oil, vegetable stock and salt and pepper.  I then marinated the tofu for about an hour and then threaded it on skewers alternating it with sliced olives and then pan seared it until golden brown.

 

For the whole wheat couscous I used toasted pistachios, currants, ground sumac, fresh mint, fresh parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  I then made a sauce with the reserved marinade, adding additional vegetable stock to thin it and simmered it for a few minutes until the garlic was tender.  I then poured the sauce over the tofu, and garnished with additional mint....Just delicious!

Cajun Gumbo with Farro, Black-Eyed Peas & Kale

Gumbo's are normally made with a roux consisting of oil and flour that is slowly cooked until it develops a deep chestnut color.  The purpose of the roux acts as a thickening agent for the gumbo.  I don't find roux's to be very healthy and so I don't use them in my cooking.  I prefer to thicken my gumbo's the natural way using a starchy grain such as farro perlato or hulled barley.  Another option is to use okra or filé powder to thicken the gumbo--but I'm not a big fan of these either.  Also, I like a spicy gumbo and so I make my own Cajun seasoning blend.  If you purchase Cajun seasoning in the store, read the label and choose a brand that does not contain salt, or make sure that salt is listed at the bottom of the ingredient list.  Some brands are just too salty and can ruin your soup.  You can always add more heat, but you can't remove salt.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 organic green pepper, diced small
1 cup organic celery, sliced 
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 14 oz can tomato puree
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
10 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1/2 cup black-eyed peas
1 cup farro or hulled barley
4 cups organic chopped kale or collard greens, stems removed, washed
1/2 cup cut blanched green beans or okra, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Louisiana Hot Sauce, optional

Method:

• Using a dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook for about five minutes until onions are soft.
• Add Cajun seasoning, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
• Add black-eyed peas and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
• Bring soup back up to a boil and stir in farro, green pepper, celery, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
• Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes until farro and black-eyed peas are tender.
• Just before serving, add chopped kale and green beans/okra, if using and heat through for about 3 minutes until kale is wilted.
• Remove bay leaf before serving and serve with Louisiana Hot Sauce. 

Creamy Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

I've been on a soup kick ever since Thanksgiving.  This past week I've made Minnesota Wild Rice, a Tunisian Vegetable-Garbanzo Bean with Spicy Harissa, and a New Orleans Farro Gumbo.  But wild rice soup is definitely one of my favorites.  I just love the texture and the nutty flavor.  Plus it's gluten-free and packed full of nutrients such as B vitamins niacin, riboflavin and thiamine, as well as potassium and phosphorus. It is also considered a complete protein, containing all of the essential amino acids.  Unfortunately, most stores sell a cultivated-hybrid version of wild rice, which is what I used.  But I'm definitely going to seek out the real deal even though it's more expensive so that I can do a comparison.  Either way--it's definitely a grain that you want to keep in your pantry and use often!

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 cup small diced carrots

1 cup small diced celery

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, small diced and washed

1 tbsp finely minced garlic

1 tbsp finely minced fresh thyme

1/4 cup pale dry sherry

8 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I used Rapunzel)

1/4 cup vegan "chicken" flavored seasoning (found in the bulk section of Whole Foods), optional

3/4 cup organic wild rice

2 tbsp cornstarch

3/4 cup cashew cream or soy milk (if you use soy milk you may want to add a little more cornstarch to thicken to your liking)

1/4 cup minced chives

Kosher salt and black pepper

Method:

• In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil and add leeks, garlic and thyme and cook until leeks are soft, about five minutes.
• Add dry sherry and reduce for a couple of minutes and then add vegetable stock, along with flavored seasoning (if using).
• Bring broth to a boil and stir in brown rice along with celery and carrots and salt and pepper to taste.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook until rice is tender about 45 minutes.
• Five minutes before serving, whisk together cashew cream or soy milk with cornstarch and add to soup, stirring slowing for about 3-4 minutes until soup thickens.
• Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish with minced chives.

Cashew Cream:

1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least four hours, drained
1/2 cup filtered water

Method:

• Drain cashews and place in a blender along with filtered water and blend on high for about 4 minutes until creamy.  
• Strain mixture.  You should have about 3/4 cup of cream.  If less, add additional water.

 

My Moroccan Thanksgiving

I'm really struggling about what I'm going to serve for Thanksgiving this year.  Do I go with a traditional menu, or something a bit more interesting like Moroccan.  I have about five more posts to do using traditional recipes and then I'm going to make my decision.  But both my husband and I are leaning towards Moroccan and we think our dinner guests will like it too!

There are a lot of different components to this dish.  It's basically your entire meal served on one plate--very much like a traditional Thanksgiving.  If I do serve this dish as our main course, I will start the meal with a salad of roasted chioggia beets, shaved fennel, baby greens, marcona almonds, candied orange peel and a toasted fennel-blood orange vinaigrette.  And for dessert I'll serve a spiced pumpkin cake with a cardamon-orange syrup and candied oranges (which I'll post this week)...Yes, the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards Moroccan!
 

Saffron-Tomato Broth:

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 stalk celery, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 14oz can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp saffron threads

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Crumble saffron threads in cold vegetable stock and let sit for about 10 minutes to bloom.
• In a large dutch oven or stock pot, cook onion and celery in olive oil on medium heat until soft.
• Add garlic, red pepper, thyme, bay leaf, tomatoes, and saffron vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.  
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about one hour until broth has reduced by half and is flavorful.
• Strain broth, keep warm and set aside.

Tomato-Pistachio Chutney:

1 lb pearl or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup raw pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tbsp minced mint
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground paprika
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes until charred, tossing half way through the cooking process.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• Once tomatoes are cool, remove skins and roughly chop.
• Place tomatoes in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
• Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use, return to room temperature before using.

Lemon Scented Lentils:

1 1/2 cups French green lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp ground sumac
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Add lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock to a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 17-20 minutes until lentils are soft but still retain their shape.
• Drain lentils well and then return to sauce pan.  Add olive oil, lemon juice, ground sumac and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well, cover lentils and set aside.  

Couscous:

2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 1/2 cups filtered water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup golden raisins
1 tbsp minced preserved lemon (optional)

Method:

• Place couscous in a medium sized bowl.
• Add olive oil and salt and using your fingers, rub the olive oil through the couscous grains.
• Bring water to a boil and pour over couscous--just enough water so that it covers the couscous by about a 1/4".
• Cover bowl with a plate and set aside for 15 minutes.
• Remove plate and fluff couscous with a fork and fold in raisins and preserved lemon peel. 

Roasted Acorn Squash:

1 acorn squash, cut into about 8-10 wedges depending on size
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp extra virgin olive
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Toss squash with cinnamon, maple syrup, olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for about 10 minutes until soft and caramelized, turning half way through the cooking process.
• Remove from oven and keep warm until ready to use.

Sauteed Spinach:

1-2 lbs organic baby spinach, washed, dried
1 tbsp minced garlic
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Heat a large saute pan on medium-low, add olive oil, garlic and saute until just starting to bubble.
• Immediately add spinach and salt and pepper and saute until just wilted.
• Keep warm and set aside.

Mint Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup vegan sour cream or cashew cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp ground sumac
2 tbsp minced fresh mint
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• I made a cashew cream from scratch (1/2 cup cashews, 3/4 cup filtered water, blended until smooth).  But you can purchase your favorite vegan sour cream (I like Follow Your Heart).
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to use.

Assembly:
(Serves 4)

• Place couscous on the plate, followed by lentils, spinach, chutney, squash yogurt sauce and then ladle over saffron broth.
• Garnish with additional mint and preserved lemons.