Deviled Goodness (Vegan Deviled Eggs)

You can't have a holiday weekend without serving Vegan Deviled Eggs.   Seriously these are amazing!  My husband could not get over how much they tasted like the real deal, texture and everything.  As I mentioned in previous posts, I have never liked eggs (no matter how they were prepared)...but with one exception...my Mom's Deviled Eggs.  Everything she made tasted great and I think that she would love these too!

This recipe is so simple, but you'll need a mold to create the cashew-agar base to hold the piped tofu mousse.  I used a ceramic deviled egg holder that I had in cabinet, but it was a little shallow.  I'm going to look on line and see if I can find a deeper base, but other than that they were absolutely perfect...beautiful and delicious.

This recipe makes about 36 portions so you will need more than one mold because the agar will solidify if you don't work quickly.  Or you can cut the tofu mouse recipe in half and pipe less.

Cashew Cream-Agar Egg Base:

1/2 cup cashew cream, (1/2 cup cashews blended in a high speed blender with 1-1/4 cup water.  If you don't have a high-speed blender then you will need to soak the cashews for about 4 hours and then strain through cheesecloth or a fine strainer.  You will not use all the cashew cream but it will keep in the refrigerator covered for up to five days.)

3/4 warm water

1 tsp Agar-Agar powder (I purchased my powder at an Asian market, for $2.99, but Whole Foods carries the agar flakes, but it will cost you about $9.00.  Also, if you use the flakes then you'll need to increase the amount to 1 Tbsp and boil it a little longer.

1/4-1/2 tsp Black Salt (found in an Indian or Asian market--it's actually pink and very salty.)

Method:  

• Lightly oil mold with vegetable oil and set aside.  
• Blend cashews with water and measure out a 1/2 cup of cashew cream.  Whisk in black salt and set aside.
• Pour 3/4 cup water into a measuring cup and warm in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.  Whisk in agar-agar powder and then place back in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and let it boil.  
• Place cashew cream into microwave for 30-40 seconds to warm and then whisk mixture into hot agar water making sure there are no lumps.
• Skim off any bubbles off the top before pouring into mold, or pop bubbles with a toothpick.
• Let mold sit on the counter for about 15 minutes before moving and placing in the refrigerator to chill for about one hour to harden completely.

Once hardened, using a small pairing knife, remove cashew-agar base and place on a plate.  Then using a small melon baller or spoon, scoop out a small portion of the base without breaking through the bottom.  Then pipe in the tofu mousse and chill for about an hour before serving.  Also, the agar will not melt or soften if these are left out for a little while at room temperature, but they are better served chilled.  So if you are serving a lot of people, I would serve a dozen at a time and keep the others chilled.

Tofu Mousse:

(You can cut the recipe in half if you are making less portions)

7.5 oz organic sprouted extra firm tofu (I used Wildwood--it comes it two sealed pouches, 7.5 oz each).

1/4 cup Follow Your Heart original organic Vegenaise

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 - 3/4 tsp black salt

1 tsp apple cider, or white wine vinegar

Method:

• Drain tofu and press dry with paper towels and place in a food processor.
• Add all ingredients except for black salt and blend until smooth and creamy.  You may need to add a little more Vegenaise to get the right texture.
• Add black salt to taste and then pipe or spoon mousse into base.
• Garnish with paprika and chives and chill for about one hour before serving.

  

   

Smoked Tofu and Cucumber-Dill Tea Sandwiches

With all of our record temperatures the past three days my house hasn't been too unbearable, but I still haven't turned on the stove or oven.  These little tea sandwiches are just perfect for the dog days of summer, as well as any upcoming wedding or baby showers!  If you want more variety you could serve my Egg(less) Salad on white bread, my TuNo Salad on wheat bread, and the smoked tofu on rye, which is what I used.

Dill Aioli:

1/2-3/4 cup Vegenaise
1/4 cup minced dill (more or less)
2 TBSP minced capers (more or less)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper

Other ingredients:

1 packet sprouted organic smoked tofu, sliced thinly (I used Wildwood with Szechuan spices because I like a little kick)
1/2 English cucumber, sliced thinly
Red onion, shaved thinly (optional)
Rye bread (I used Genuine Bavarian Whole Rye Bread)

Enjoy and stay cool!

Cobb Salad with Creamy Dill Buttermilk Dressing

Is there such a thing as a healthy Cobb Salad?...you bet!  No saturated fat, cholesterol and tons of texture and flavor.  I could drink the Creamy Dill Buttermilk Dressing and be satisfied and my hubby could eat the entire bag of Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon...had to hide it from him...seriously! A perfect salad for a hot day...reaching 90+ here today!

 

Salad Ingredients:

Organic Romaine Lettuce, chopped and rinsed
Seeded, Diced Roma Tomatoes
Shredded Daiya Cheddar Style Cheese
Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon
Organic, Sprouted Extra-Firm Tofu, crumbled and mixed with turmeric and black salt (can be purchased at an Indian or Asian market).
Diced Avocado
Creamy Dill Buttermilk Dressing (see recipe below)
Kosher Salt and Pepper to Taste

Creamy Dill Buttermilk Dressing 

1/2 cup Organic Vegenaise
1/4 cup cashew milk mixed with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes
1/2-1 tsp finely minced shallot
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
2 TBSP fresh dill, minced
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Note:  Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to use.  For the cashew milk, I always keep some ready to go in my fridge.  It will keep chilled 5-7 days.  I soak 1/2 cup cashews over night, drain and then add them to my Vitamix with 1 cup of filtered water.  If you don't have a high-speed blender then you should strain the milk before using. 

Kelp Noodle Salad with Spicy Curry Dressing

I remember watching a cooking demonstration at a grocery store once and the demonstrator added fresh kelp noodles to a stir-fry and I almost screamed out...NOOOOO!  How can you take something so fresh, crunchy and full of interest and turn in into a flat, soggy mess?  Well they did...so I grabbed my bag of kelp noodles and went home to create this fresh, and vibrant dish with lots of flavor and texture.   

I used Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles brand and yes, even on the back of their package they recommend you can also use them for a stir-fry, in addition to salads.  Folks, I wouldn't recommend it.  I don't even dress this salad prior to serving and always serve the dressing on the side.  It makes a big difference.  Unlike other sea vegetables such as wakame, arame, dulse, nori, and kombu, kelp noodles have a very neutral flavor and do not taste like the ocean.  So you can pretty much pair them with any sauce.  The best part, all sea vegetables are full of trace minerals, especially iodine, which is an important mineral you should incorporate into your diet if you are vegan.

When you remove the kelp from the bag, give it a good rinse under cold water and drain well.  I then cut the noodles in half just because it's easier to toss with the veggies, but you can leave them long.  For the veggies I used:  thinly sliced carrots, red bell pepper, cucumber, cabbage, green onion and cilantro.  I also added diced baked tofu for protein and raw chopped almonds for crunch.  Bok choy would be a great addition to this salad, as well as diced mango.   

For the dressing, I really didn't measure the ingredients--just threw everything in the blender, except for the oil and then added the oil slowly until emulsified. 

Spicy Curry Dressing
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1-2 tsp Sambal Oelek (depending of how much heat you like)
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
2 tbsp almond butter  
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (for a raw version use Nama Shoyu)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Juice of 1 small lime
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup safflower oil

 
 

Beet Sliders with Dill Aioli and Crispy Onion Strings

I have made vegan burgers with just about every ingredient combination you can imagine (beans, mushrooms, rice, lentils, tempeh, TSP, nuts/seeds, gluten, etc.) and the texture is always off.  They are very flavorful but they tend to be either mushy, gummy, crumbly, or dry and so when I saw these Beet Sliders featured on Diner's, Drive-In's and Dives the other day, I knew that I had to make them for the 49ers vs. Seahawks game yesterday.  (Just a side note--bummed that the 9ers lost...:-(, but go Denver--I like Payton Manning--he's a classy guy!)  Did you happen to notice that my sliders are the same colors as the 49ers uniforms...:-)!

Anyway, back to the sliders.  I served these with two sauces:  a Dill-Green Goddess Aioli and a Tarragon-Spicy Mustard Aioli.  The dill aioli was the favorite, but the tarragon-mustard was a close second--such a classic combination.  To make the aioli dressings I used 1/2 cup Vegenaise and a 1/4 cup sour cream in each bowl.  I then added finely minced dill, green onion and parsley to one bowl, and finely minced tarragon and spicy brown mustard to the other bowl.  I added fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to each and whisked until smooth.

For the sliders, I purchased beets that were about 3" in diameter, all about the same size and I poached them in a liquid made up of:  water, diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, fresh dill, fresh thyme, bay leaf, coriander seed, caraway seed, black peppercorns, and salt.  I simmered them for about 1-1/2 hours until tender, let them cool, peeled them and with a 2-1/2" cookie cutter cut them the same size 1/4" thick.  Before serving, I seared them in olive oil, salt and pepper, which gave them a great texture.

The most difficult part about these sliders was locating the perfect size and textured bun.  I went to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Safeway and Lucky's and I purchased three different bags of buns, which are now taking up my freezer.  I wanted them the exact size of my beets, but I didn't want the bread to be too dense.  It all worked out and the beet to bun ratio was perfect! 

Finally, I shaved red onion very thin on a mandolin and topped each slider with onion, arugula and aioli of choice.  I was thinking about serving them with fries but went with the crispy onion stings.  I used one large sweet Maui onion (serves 2-3 people), shaved thinly on a mandolin and set up a dredging station (wet:  2 cups almond milk with 1/4 cup hot sauce, dry:  2 cups flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, salt and pepper).  Using a candy thermometer, I heated 1 qt canola oil to 380 degrees and deep fried the onion strings until golden brown, drained on paper towels and sprinkled with sea salt!

These were so yummy and so easy to make that I will probably never go back to making burgers the other way!    

    

Tuscan White Bean Quesadilla with Balsamic Glaze

On Friday I'm always looking for a quick and easy dinner and this couldn't be simpler.  You can make the white bean spread from scratch or doctor up your favorite white bean hummus.  The key to this quesadilla is to make sure that the bean mixture is firm so that it is easy to cut.  

 

Top with a marinated salad of cherry tomatoes, arugula, capers and kalamata olives or eggplant capanata and drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and dried really well with a towel
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, or 2 tsp fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel), minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2-1 tsp grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Whole wheat tortillas
1 package Daiya Havarti Wedge Cheese, shredded
Balsamic Glaze
Tomato-Caper-Olive Arugula Salad

Method:

• Saute onion, garlic and Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes until soft.
• In a food processor, process beans until mostly smooth, adding 1 tbsp of bean fluid or water.
• Remove bean mixture place in a bowl and stir in onion mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add shredded cheese, bean mixture to tortilla and saute until golden brown. 

• Cut into wedges and garnish with balsamic glaze and salad.

Happy Friday!  


    

Spicy Noodle...The Sogo Tofu Way

There is a vegan tofu restaurant, well it's not really a restaurant but more of a carry out place near my house.  They make all of their tofu handmade from scratch and they have everything from fresh tofu, to fried bean curd, to tofu skins, to textured protein, you name it--probably 50 different varieties of tofu and dishes which you can choose from.  And it's all organic!  No one speaks any English but you walk in and point to all the dishes you want and they wrap them up to go--in huge portions!  I usually stop in there once a week when I don't feel like cooking and one of my husband's favorite dishes is the "Spicy Noodle".  It is made with four ingredients:  noodles, housemade textured soy protein, edamame and spicy chili oil.

There is no way that I can walk into a restaurant and try a dish without coming home and making it and putting my own spin on it.  I got this trait from my mom.  Whenever we would go out to eat, or over to someone's house she would come home and make the dish and it was better than the one we tried.  And I have to say Sogo Tofu that my dish is more flavorful, but what you do with tofu at your shop is amazing and I'm so glad that you're in my neighborhood!

Ingredients:

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein, re-hydrated and drained really well pressing on the solids through a fine mesh strainer
1 to 1-1/2 cups Islands Teriyaki Sauce (I like this teriyaki sauce the best)
1 cup frozen, organic edamame beans, thawed
Spicy chili oil to taste--a little goes a long way--but I like it spicy  (I purchase mine from Sogo Tofu, but you can easily find a jar of Spicy Chili Oil at an Asian market or regular supermarket)
1/2 cup green onions sliced on a bias

Note:  You may want to add more or less teriyaki sauce and edamame once you toss the pasta all together--especially if you let the pasta sit for awhile because it will absorb the sauce.  This dish can be served hot, room temperature or cold.

Method:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse and drain again, and place in a large bowl
• Re-hydrate textured vegetable protein and drain really well and put in pasta bowl
• Stir in teriyaki sauce, thawed edamame and chili oil to taste
• Plate and garnish with green onions and serve with extra sauce if needed

I served my Spicy Noodle with a side salad of pickled watermelon radish, bokchoy, green onion and cilantro!    

Raw Autumn Kale Salad

After three days of overindulging I felt that I needed to eat something healthy and so I made my Raw Autumn Kale Salad.  Super simple and full of nutrients...all the good stuff your body needs to keep healthy through the holidays!

You can add whatever ingredients you like, but I added chopped leafy kale, shredded green cabbage, julienned apples, dried cranberries and almonds.  I tossed the salad with a vinaigrette made of sour oranges, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, minced shallots and grapeseed oil.  Really delicious! 

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! 

Thai Soba Noodle Salad with Teriyaki-Sesame Tofu

I've never been a big fan of plain tofu it has a very synthetic flavor to me.  I can't quite describe it actually, but it almost has a "plastic-like" flavor...not that I've eaten any plastic in my life--at least I hope not...:-)  So I'm always looking at ways to change the flavor, as well as the texture of tofu and I definitely nailed it with this preparation.  Some people love the flavor of tofu and soy milk...me not so much, but I could eat this anytime!

For the tofu preparation, I pressed the tofu to remove any excess moisture, sliced it thinly and marinaded it in a homemade teriyaki sauce made with tamari, mirin, orange juice, agave, and sesame oil.  I then coated the tofu with flour and toasted sesame seeds and pan-seared in a little olive oil until crispy.  I reduced the marinade to a thick glaze and brushed the tofu just before serving.

For the soba noodles, I tossed them lightly in teriyaki sauce and then topped the noodles with a salad of shaved cabbage and carrots.  I finished off the dish with a spicy curry-lime vinaigrette.  Beautiful and delicious!

Pickled Beet Salad with Fennel-Orange Vinaigrette

Growing up my mom always had pickled beets in the back of the refrigerator.  Unfortunately she combined them with eggs in a large jar, but I avoided the eggs and went for the beets.  I always felt that it was a strange combination (pickled beets and eggs), but I guess it was her German upbringing. 

Lately, I can't get enough of beets.  I just love their earthly flavor and vibrant color and they go really well with fennel and orange.  Also, when you pickle them it gives them a nice tang, which compliments their earthiness and brings out their natural sweetness.  This salad is beautiful and can be served any time but is a really nice first course to serve to impress your dinner guests.  Normally, I would make this with both red and golden beets and alternate the beets on the plate, but the market only had red at the time.  Whatever color beets you use, it's still a beautiful salad and absolutely 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.

 

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Saffron Couscous

We are having beautiful spring-like weather in the Bay Area--68 degrees today and 72 tomorrow and I have spring-fever big time!  Spring always reminds me of carrots and so I couldn't pass up getting a bunch of beautiful tri-color (purple, cream and orange) carrots at the market today.

With carrots this sweet and tender I didn't want to cook them and so I shaved them into thin ribbons and tossed them with a Moroccan Vinaigrette made with freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, garlic, cilantro and olive oil.  I then made a whole wheat couscous with saffron, dried apricots, almonds, pistachios, oil cured olives, preserved lemon and chickpeas.  So easy, fresh and delicious--perfect for a day like today!

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!!!

Roasted Grape Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

I just got back from a five-day trip to Portland (love it up there) spending time with family, but I am so behind on my Thanksgiving series that I plan to post a recipe everyday for the next 15 days straight! 

Last week before I left I made a Roasted Grape Salad with Shaved Fennel, Apple, Candied Walnuts with a Tarragon Vinaigrette and it was so delicious that I plan to serve it as my first course for Thanksgiving dinner.  This is a very elegant salad and all the ingredients remind me of California, especially the grapes, the fennel and the wine.  Just perfect for a fall dinner or anytime you want to impress your guests.   

Red Wine Reduction:

2 cups Merlot, Syrah or Ruby Port

2 tbsp agave syrup

Method:

• Add wine and agave to a small sauce pan and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes until you have a thick syrup that coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and set aside, the syrup will thicken more as it cools.  You want about 1/3 cup reduction when finished.  

Tarragon Vinaigrette:

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp minced shallot

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp minced fresh tarragon

1/4 cup champagne or white balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Mix all ingredients together (except olive oil) in a small bow and whisk in olive oil slowly until emulsified.  I prefer my vinaigrette to be more acidic a 2:1 ratio of oil to vinegar.  If too tart, add in more olive oil to taste. 

Candied Walnuts:

1 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small sauce pan bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add walnuts and blanch for 3 minutes.
• Drain walnuts and toss with powdered sugar, salt and cayenne pepper and stir until nuts are completely coated.
• Cover a sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper and spread walnuts evenly on the surface.
• Bake for about 10 minutes until walnuts are caramelized, stirring frequently so that they cook evenly.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Roasted Grapes:

1 lb large red or black seedless grapes
1 tbsp extra virgin oil oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Toss grapes with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20-30 minutes until soft and caramelized.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool before using.

Salad Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)

Two heads butter/bibb lettuce, chopped into bite sized pieces, washed
1 large organic granny smith apple, core removed, sliced into 2" matchstick slices
1 large fennel bulb, tough outer layer removed, shaved thinly on mandoline
Roasted Grapes
Candied Walnuts
Tarragon Vinaigrette
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Red wine reduction/syrup
1 tbsp minced tarragon for garnish

Assembly:

• Place butter/bib lettuce, apple and fennel in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle lightly with tarragon vinaigrette and toss to coat.
• Plate salad and garnish with roasted grapes, candied walnuts and drizzle with red wine reduction.  
• Garnish with minced tarragon.

 

Root Veggie Hash with Sherry-Mustard Vinaigrette

Root vegetables get a bad rap.  Last year I volunteered for a food bank and we handed out bags of groceries and recipes that featured root vegetables, but I don't think the recipients were excited about some of the vegetables. They were grateful for the food, but the turnips, not so much. However, root vegetables are really good for you and they are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber and they're inexpensive too.

My favorite way to serve root vegetables is to roast them with a little olive oil, fresh thyme and salt and pepper.  Roasting enhances their natural sweetness and even mellows the sharp flavors of a turnip.  Root vegetables can also be used in soups/stews, pureed and used in place of mashed potatoes, or roasted and used in your favorite burrito or taco.  For this recipe, I roasted them and tossed them with a whole grain mustard-sherry vinaigrette, which works well with the sweetness of the vegetables.  This is also a great side dish to serve at Thanksgiving--perfect for autumn.

Ingredients:

1 lb parsnips, peeled and diced
1 lb rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 lb turnips, peeled and diced
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and diced
1 lb fingerling potatoes or small yellow boiling potatoes, diced
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp minced parsley for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Peel and dice vegetables (including sweet potato) about the same size (2" dice) so that they cook evenly.   Place in a bowl and toss with with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp thyme and salt and pepper to taste.  Spread out on two sheet trays and roast for about 15 minutes until tender and caramelized.  Toss once half way through the cooking process.
• Roast the fingerling potatoes separately because they take longer to cook.  Place in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste.  Spread out on a sheet tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until tender and golden brown, tossing once half way through the cooking process.
• While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the vinaigrette.

Whole Grain Mustard-Sherry Vinaigrette:

2/3 cup aged sherry vinegar, I like using Don Bruno Vinaigre De Jerez
1 tbsp whole yellow mustard seeds
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp agave syrup
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a small saute pan and heat on medium.  Add mustard seeds and cook for about a minute until they start to pop.  Immediately add sherry vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard and agave and stir to combine. 
• Simmer vinegar mixture on medium-low heat until reduced by half and is thick and bubbly.
• Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
• Set aside and keep warm--you should have about 1/2 cup of warm vinaigrette.

Assembly:

• As soon as the vegetables/potatoes are finished roasting, remove from the oven and place in a large bowl.
• Toss with warm vinaigrette, 1 tbsp minced parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately and garnish with more parsley.

Autumn Wild Rice & Toasted Coucsous Salad

This is a great salad to serve at Thanksgiving, especially if you're going to a potluck or need to bring a side dish to a gathering.  The colors and textures are amazing and it can be served at room temperature so it's great for a buffet table.  I dressed this salad with a Pomegranate Vinaigrette using a pomegranate syrup purchased at a Middle Eastern market.  If you can't find pomegranate syrup you can either make your own by reducing unsweetened pomegranate juice, or use another vinaigrette altogether like apple cider or even lemon.

Salad Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups pearl couscous
3/4 cup wild rice
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, diced small and blanched
1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale leaves
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp chopped minced parsley
Pomegranate Vinaigrette (see below)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• In a small sauce pan, add wild rice, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and filtered water to cover rice by 5".  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cook rice for about 40-50 minutes until kernels have softened and are starting to puff open.  You may need to add extra water as rice cooks. 
• Drain rice and rinse under cold water and then drain really well again, using a spoon stirring the rice to make sure most water has drained.
• Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Heat a medium sauce pan on medium heat, add olive oil and couscous and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring constantly.
• Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt and filtered water to cover by 5".
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until couscous is tender.
• Drain couscous and rinse under cold water and then drain again really well, using a spoon stirring the couscous to make sure most water has drained.
• Place couscous in the same bowl as the wild rice.
• Fill a small sauce pan with water, add some salt, bring to a boil and add diced butternut squash and cook for about 2 minutes until crisp-tender.  Drain immediately and place in an ice bath to stop cooking.  Drain really well and pat dry on paper towels to remove excess liquid.  Add to the wild rice and couscous mixture.
• Add toasted walnuts, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, chopped kale leaves and minced parsley and stir to combine.
• Start off by adding a 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, along with kosher salt and black pepper to taste and stir well to combine.
• Place salad in the refrigerator for about an hour for the flavors to combine and just before serving, add additional vinaigrette and salt and pepper if needed.  As the salad sits, the couscous will absorb the vinaigrette so you may need to add more.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp pomegranate syrup (found in Middle Eastern markets)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground sumac (found in Middle Eastern markets)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Method:

• Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk in olive oil.  If too tart, add a little agave syrup or more olive oil if desired.