Chia Infused Zucchini Black Bean Burgers

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Whenever I encourage my clients
to eat more plant based foods, the most popular response is, “but what
about the protein?” That’s where awesomely magical ingredients like chia
seeds come in handy. Nature’s miraculous formula of essential fatty acids,
protein, and fiber give chia seeds the unique ability to act like a binder
similar to an egg, helping to hold these burgers together, while also provide
a complete protein, in addition to the protein found in the beans and the
zucchini. When a plant provides a complete protein, it means it delivers all
the essential amino acids that your body can’t produce and therefore need to
be consumed in meals. So, whip up a batch of these babies and take them on
your next summer picnic! Read More

Spaghetti Squash-Quinoa Falafel Burgers

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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. Read More

Moroccan Spiced Eggplant & Tomato with Tahini

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I love cooking outdoors! One of
the highlights of my summer has always been firing up my electric smoker, or
using my Texas barrel as a “wood oven.” I have cooked just about
everything imaginable outdoors, from pizza to smoked peaches. Grilling,
smoking, and barbecuing doesn’t have to be reserved for meat. There are
a lot of plant foods that do extremely well on the grill. This recipe for
grilled eggplant is my favorite way to just grab an eggplant from my garden
and quickly turn it into a featured grill item. If you can mix a few spices
together, you can easily prepare this dish. The buttery flavor from the
natural oils of the roasted eggplant along with tomato and the tahini is
heaven when eaten! You can even prepare this on your stovetop griddle or in a
grill pan. Read More

Seared Chinese 5-Spice Figs with Cashew Cheese

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Okay, I warned you that there
would be more than one post for figs this week. Here is a very simple and
quick way to enjoy figs on a lazy summer Sunday. Even the cashew cheese is a
“quick” version that does not require fermenting or any other drawn
out process. The figs used in this recipe were Turkish figs, which have
gorgeous striped outer skin, but you can use any tree ripened fig. I hope you
get an opportunity to enjoy this soon. Read More

Black Bean Rotini Salad

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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!
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Roasted Yam Salad with Kale & Figs

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Warning: Fig season is here!
Which means that I may post more than one recipe with figs over the next
week or two. Since figs are one of those fruits that you simply can’t find
when they’re out of season, just enjoy and soak it up while you can!
I’ll start with this easy mid-week salad that can practically serve as a
weeknight meal, a lunch, or a side dish with something off the back yard
grill. These figs were given to me by my neighbor, artist Bill
Wheeler. The roasted yams and onions seem to give
the figs and kale a nice caramelized hug…yes I said hug!! You can even
roast the yams on your barbecue if you want, for some extra smoky flavor.
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Robata Eggplant Tacos with Miso-Sesame Coleslaw

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The Japanese eggplant is going
nuts in my garden right now. I have enjoyed Japanese eggplant many
different ways. This time, I wanted figure out a way to keep it intact,
because the shape is so cool and versatile, while trying something entirely
new and different from my typical eggplant concoctions. Robata is a Japanese method of cooking long
pieces of food on an open flame, on big skewers. Traditionally, the skewers
are placed around the fire by sticking them directly into the sand or earth
that surrounds the fire.  You don’t have to go to the trouble of
building a fire to enjoy something similar. You can grill the eggplant, or
just cook it on a stovetop griddle if you don’t have a lot of time. In fact,
modern robata restaurants use a charcoal grill, not an open pit fire. The
charred eggplant, combined with the slightly spicy miso slaw make for an
awesome fusion taco. The sprouted corn tortilla is superior for nutrition and
it has a homemade tortilla kind of texture and flavor. I loved the way this
came out and will definitely make this a regular.

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