Veg For the Win(e)

W00t for F00d!

Sweet Potato & Red Pepper Soup with Roasted Garlic

What's nice about this soup and others that combine a fruit or sweet vegetable with the potato is that is lightens up the weight of the potato and adds a hint of sweetness. The roasted garlic is also sweet, and when served in whole cloves gives breaks up the otherwise very homogenous texture of the soup, as do the sesame seeds. Green onion gives a hint of color.   

Start by roasting 4 heads garlic (olive oil, roasted for 45-60 mins at 390 degrees till soft and spreadable). Meanwhile take:
  • one yellow onion, chopped roughly
  • 1/2 bunch celery, chopped roughly
Sautee, then add water enough to cover the sweet potato, bring to a boil, and add:
  • 3 x medium sized sweet potatoes (~270g), in chunks
  • 2 medium red peppers, in chunks
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper (mmm spicy-- this really does make it spicy if you get a good one)
Boil until falling apart. let sit while you remove the garlic cloves from the skin, and set them aside for serving. 
Puree the soup, add:
  • 1/3c soy sauce
  • 1/2c sesame seeds (I prefer black visually but only had white today)
Serve with heaping tbsp of the roasted garlic cloves, extra sesame seeds for garnish and green onions.  

Heirloom Tomato Pesto Salad

Chunks of heirloom tomatoes tossed with pesto and balsamic vinegar dressing.  


     
Click here to download:
Heirloom_Tomato_Pesto_Salad_ta.zip (2782 KB)

Foccacia-style Pesto Pizza

Homemade pizza is the best because you can use all kinds of fancy ingredients and put as much of them on your pizza as you like :)

The dough: We were actually aiming for flatbread but it ended up very... not flat :). In fact, I would call it quite big and pillowy. Oh well. It was delicious, but next time if I really wanted flat bread I would roll it way thinner and/or put in less yeast and/or just use baking soda/powder. Sounds like a good excuse for science! (make all three in parallel). Anyway, pre heat the oven and...

Pizza dough (makes enough for one 12x16" pizza-- a typical big, shallow baking pan). One was enough to feed 4 (although we made two, just cuz).:
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 packet yeast
  • ~1.5 cups warm water
  • Dried herbs (basil, rosemary)
  • Salt

Proof the yeast in one cup of the water: use one cup of the warm water, a little bit of honey (or any other sugar), and mix in the packet of yeast. don't worry if it's a bit lumpy, it will dissolve. stir it a few times and let it sit till you see activity: little clusters of yeast popping up to the surface of the water. 

Mix the water in with the flour, adding the remaining half cup or so as you see fit and assess how much water it needs. I tend to mix initially with a spoon, but you can use your hands right from the start if you want. But once the flour and water are mostly mixed together, you need to use your hands a knead a bit till it becomes a nice ball. Put the ball aside covered, on a warm surface if available (like the top of a stove with a preheating oven, hint hint, or a window sill in direct sunlight). 

Make the pesto and prep your veggies while the dough rises. Veggies we used:
  • green peppers
  • mushrooms
  • pine nuts
  • caramelized onions
  • broccoli
  • roasted garlic
We actually made the roasted garlic and caramelized onions before the dough even: for the garlic, cut off the top of a head of garlic so it exposes the cloves inside, put it in some tinfoil like a giant hershey's kiss, and before you close it up, drizzle with olive oil. Stick it in the oven for 30-50 minutes. Remove set aside and let cool. 

Caramelized onions are stupid easy as well, they just take time: we used 1.5 medium-to-large sized yellow onions. Cut into thin strips, and sauté in a frying pan with a large amount of oil for a good 20-25 minutes. The onions don't need to be submerged, but a generous amount of oil that covers the surface of the pan. You'll see them go from raw to translucent to slimy to golden to crispy. They really cook down-- we spread 1.5 carmelized onions over two pizzas, but you wouldn't be crazy if you put it all on one. They are sooo good. 

Finally, the pesto: 
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Salt
  • ~ 2 packed cups Basil (package said 113g)
  • ~ 1 pound Pine Nuts
  • Olive oil

Combine pesto ingredients in layers and puree with an immersion blender (I find immersion blenders the best for pesto-- easier to get at all the ingredients and easier to clean). Taste, refine if needed (more of this, more of that), and use. 

Assembly: sprinkle flour on a clean surface, and use your hands to gently flatten out and shape the dough (the dough really is quite forgiving, so play with it). Sprinkle more flour on as needed. The dough is most pliable when you're first working with it after it's been rising. If you over-work it, feel free to ball it up and let it sit and rise for a little while again (of course, this is likely to make your dough a little puffier, too).  Spoon on the pesto generously, your toppings, and cook at 375 or so for about 25-30 minutes (the thinner the dough the less time, naturally).  

Coconut soup with Greens

A different take on coconut soup, this one soy and wheat free to boot. 

1 yellow onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch chard, chopped
1 small head broccoli, in floretts 
2 bouillon cubes
2 cans coconut milk
Handful green onions, rounds
Salt

Sautee the onions and garlic, add the bouillon cubes, about 5 cups of water, the coconut milk and some salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add in the broccoli, and let simmer for a few minutes until the broccoli just starts to cook, turning a brighter shade of green. Add in the chard, a whopping dose of sriracha, additional salt if needed. Cover and let simmer until the chard and broccoli are tender but still firm, 7-10 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve. 

     
Click here to download:
Coconut_soup_with_Greens_tags_.zip (2497 KB)

Lime Coconut Corn Soup

   
Click here to download:
lime-coconut-corn-soup-GecHBJJEBaqzABtkJzoI.zip (4290 KB)
This soup is hereby dedicated to Robbie and Creon, for joyfully bringing it to many a mansion (and SS Vallejo) dinner!  

Ingredients:
  • 2-3 sweet/yellow Onions
  • 2-3 cubes Veg Stock
  • 4 cans coconut milk (about 1/2 - 2/3 of the liquid should be coconut milk
  • 1-2 packages of medium-firm tofu, cut into medium-sized cubes
  • 1 bunch of brocolli, cut into large floretts. 
  • 3-4 limes
  • ~1lb of frozen corn
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro
To make:
  • Chop the onions into large pieces and sautee for a few minutes, just until translucent. 
  • Add about 10 cups water and the cubes of vegetable stock, and makes sure the cubes dissolve, and bring everything to a boil
  • Add the coconut milk, reduce heat to a simmer, and add the:
    • Broccoli
    • Tofu
    • Corn
  • Let simmer until the corn is heated through and the broccoli is tender.
  • Season with salt and the juice of a few limes (to taste-- but it should be "limey"), and a touch of soy sauce if desired. 
  • Serve garnished with cilantro
This soup goes well with corn bread (somewhat strangely) or regular bread, or just on its own!

Sweet Carrot Coconut Stir Fry

I served this with a tempered version of the Queen's coconut quinoa for Will's birthday and, except for the coconut haters, it was a success. 

Sautee 1-2 cups of almonds with a little bit of olive oil, toss with salt, and put aside. 

Combine:

  • Shred 1.5 - 2lbs carrots
  • Dice one onion
  • ~4 cups of coconut flakes/shreds
  • Salt
Mix and let sit. Meanwhile, mince several cloves of garlic and sauté them for a few mins. Add the carrot-coconut mixture and continue sautéing until the onions and carrot are cooked (15-20 minutes for this amount). The coconut is pretty absorbent so don't over-oil it. There's no "sauce" to this dish, but if you serve it with the coconut quinoa it has a nice moisture content which balances out the dry of the carrot dish. 

About 5 minutes before it's done, drizzle with honey* and more salt to taste. Mix.  

For the "tempered" coconut quinoa:
  • 2.5 cups black quinoa
  • use 1/2 coconut milk and half water for the liquid
Serve with the almonds on top. This amount served about ten people. 

* yes, I eat honey-- maple syrup and agave both work well with carrots, too!

Meatless Monday: The Best Okra Recipe Ever

The most common way to serve okra is breaded and deep-fried. And while I do love breaded and deep-fried foods, cooking okra in that way really masks its delicate summery flavor. I was thrilled to discover this okra recipe (Thanks, Mom!) that brings out the wonderful, delicate taste of okra, yet avoids the well-known sliminess it can have when sliced & cooked.

You need to start by selecting young, small okra pods. The length should be between 1 1/2" to 3".  Any pods longer than 3" tend to get stringy and tough. Be picky!

Simple, Tasty Sides: Summer Okra

1 pound of baby okra pods
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1-2 limes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. After you wash your baby okra pods, slice off the stem/cap just at or below the line. Put the okra pods in a steamer tray and steam until tender and bright green. They cook quickly -- try 7 minutes. 
2. While your okra is steaming, heat olive oil over medium in a skillet.  Add in the crushed garlic and salt. Stir, cooking gently. If it starts to brown, turn it down or off. You don't want crispy garlic. 
3. When the okra is tender, put it into a serving bowl, pour on the garlicky olive oil and toss, mixing thoroughly.  Squeeze the juice of 1-2 limes (you need about 1/8 cup).  Drizzle the lime juice over the okra and serve.

Serves 2-4 as a side dish.

Meatless Monday is an international movement to help people reduce their meat consumption by 15%, in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet. It is a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Why Meatless Monday? Check out this compelling information on the Meatless Monday website.

   
Click here to download:
Meatless_Monday_The_Best_Okra_.zip (746 KB)

Simple, Tasty Snacks: Homemade Popcorn

Like homemade icing and fresh whipped cream, homemade popcorn is so easy to make and so tasty that once you try it you'll never go back. In comparison to commercial microwave popcorn, it's also more affordable and is free of chemicals. Make as much or as little of this quick, light snack as you like. It pops up in minutes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup popping corn
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
nutritional yeast and salt, to taste

Directions:
1. Place corn and oil in a heavy-bottom pan, over medium heat.
2. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. *This is really important! If you completely cover the pan, the steam will form condensation on the lid and drip down on to your airy popcorn robbing it of crunch and creating soggy spots.*
3. When popping slows, remove popcorn from heat, pour into a large bowl, and add toppings.

Variations:
Try cooking with olive oil, and topping with ground herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Salt and pepper are classic toppings. So is butter.
Try chili powder, cumin and paprika. For a spicy kick use red pepper flakes.
For a sweet treat, cocoa powder and powdered sugar are fun.
There are lots of possibilities! Get creative.

And if you love microwave popcorn, try making your own. Here's a great how-to from The New York Times.

     
Click here to download:
simple-tasty-snacks-homemade-popcorn-qBwrExshoIErsImDgFhG.zip (1643 KB)

Simple, Tasty Sides: Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is simple, delicious, nutritious goodness and so easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets
3 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss until the cauliflower is coated.
3. Pour the cauliflower onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes then broil for 5 minutes, until browned and crispy on the edges.
4. Top with pepper and serve. Serves 4.

Variation:

I like this simple version, but if you want a bit more zip, try adding any of the following before tossing the cauliflower:

2 cloves of garlic, minced
juice from half a lemon
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Meatless Monday: Five Minute Fajitas

These fajitas are tasty and easy. This is a great go-to recipe when you want something hearty and flavorful but also quick!

Ingredients:
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup dark red kidney beans, cooked and rinsed
1 cup light red kidney beans, cooked and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1tsp cumin
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
4 small tortillas

Directions:

1. Saute the onion, red pepper, jalapeño and garlic in the olive oil on medium high until softened.
2. Add the beans, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, curry powder and cumin. Stir and continue cooking until the mixture is thoroughly heated.
3. Serve over warm tortillas. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and salsa.

Makes 4.

Other garnishes you may want to try: guacamole and sour cream. Yum! If you want to keep it vegan, you can either purchase vegan sour cream or make your own. Here's a handy-dandy recipe.

Meatless Monday is an international movement to help people reduce their meat consumption by 15%, in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet. It is a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Why Meatless Monday? Check out this compelling information on the Meatless Monday website.