Korean Daikon Radish Wrap with Vegetables

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So, I guess I have thought in
the past about slicing a daikon radish thin to use as a wrap. But for some
reason, when my airbnb guests from Korea introduced this dish to me, it
seemed like a totally groovy new thing. I think what did it was the fact that
the daikon radish came already sliced into perfect round sheets, and
packaged. At first, I thought it was a gyoza (pot sticker) wrapper, but when
I saw that it was radish, I was pleasantly surprised. So, today we have a
couple of unwitting guest bloggers,  Hyoungwoo & Silhui
from Seol, Korea, and their super simple, daikon veggie rolls. I see these
being very versatile, stuffed with shrimp, seared tofu, smoked mushrooms, all
sorts of things. This recipe is just a basic veggie roll, just like the ones
that were prepared in my home the other day. The pickled radish has sugar, so
if you want to avoid that, make your own and use a healthier substitute for
the sugar, like stevia, or jaggery sugar. Besides that though, this is a great
way to get some raw, nutrient density into your body in a very simple and
delicious way. Read More

Vegan-Paleo Squash Blossom Fritters

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“Vegan-Paleo Squash Blossom
Fritters” is about as complete a description as I could get for these
very interesting, chewy-yet-crisp treats that were basically an experiment.
But I guess that is how it’s supposed to work on here, right? I started
thinking I was going to make a gluten-free, vegan squash blossom pancake, but
the texture of these, coming from the tapioca flour, is definitely more
“fritter”- like. These seem best right out of the oven, but I’ll
bet they would be great cold or reheated also. The problem is, I gobbled them
up so fast I didn’t have any to save for later, so now I have to wait until I
get some more fresh squash blossoms on my hands. Technically, these only
fulfill the ingredient guidelines of being “Paleo.” In order to be
truly paleo from a macronutrient standpoint, they wouldn’t be so heavy on
carbs. But, they are gluten, grain, dairy free and totally vegan as well. So
enjoy these as a healthier indulgence and as a great way to enjoy the
season’s squash, zucchini and other blossoms from the garden or the Farmers
Market. I’ll bet the chewy texture of these is unique from many things you
have tried before. Read More

Green Garlic Almond Cheese

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Nothing says Spring like fresh
green garlic at the farmer’s market. I grabbed a bunch the other day, and
before I could put it into my bag this idea to make fresh raw almond cheese
with green garlic popped into my head. This is a fresh, quick cheese
that slightly resembles the consistency of a ricotta, and offers a nice,
nutritious, dairy-free creaminess. The green garlic made it heavenly.
You can use it on a sandwich with vine tomatoes, as an hors d’oeuvre filling
or topping- as pictured, or try it in layers of lasagna. Enjoy!
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Cashew Mozzarella-Stuffed Paquillo Peppers

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Have you ever passed the tapioca
starch at the grocery store and wondered what in the world people use it for?
Well, as it turns out, it can lend a key hand at making an awesome, meltable
vegan cheese that can be made on the stovetop, literally in minutes. The
cheese sort of resembles burrata, and has a great stretchy consistency,
thanks to the tapioca starch. Tapioca comes from cassava root, so it is
basically nothing more than a clean, plant-based stabilizer. I put it to the
test with some paquillo peppers, and came up with this healthful version of
the ubiquitous jalapeño popper. You can use paquillos, baby bells, jalapeños,
or other stuff-able small chile, just make sure you are ready for whatever
heat comes with whatever chile you choose. For example, a habanero would be
adorable, but so hot you might not enjoy the cheese part. Have fun!
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Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Macadamia Ricotta

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Nothing says “summer”
like fresh squash blossoms, well except for maybe fresh vine tomatoes, or
figs fresh off the tree…um…you get my point..don’t you? I picked up some
beautiful ones the other day at the Farmer’s Market. Admittedly, it
was pretty hard not to reach for the enchilada cheese when I was
dreaming about what to stuff these with. It took a few passes by the cheese
aisle, but I managed. And so these delicious, healthy-ish
little vegan guys were born.

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Beet & Fresh Cheese Stacks with Avocado-Lemon Dressing

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I found a recipe for a quick vegan
cheese that I really like. The recipe says it’s a “Pepper
Jack” but it reminds me a lot more of a fresh cheese like queso fresco
or buffalo mozzarella. In any case, I am finding it to be quite versatile and
useful on many dishes, from tacos to this beet salad. You can venture into
making the vegan cheese, which will require some uncommon ingredients if you
aren’t used to vegan baking or cheese making. Or use a favorite cashew
cheese; some spreadable cashew cheeses would work great in between the layers
of beets. Or, if you eat dairy, just use a good, organic dairy cheese
like burrata or buffalo mozzarella.

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Beet, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Blood Orange & Fennel Pollen

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I recently stumbled across a jar
of wild crafted fennel pollen at Cookbook, a funky
little grocery market near my house. They carry stuff like locally grown
produce, kombu, and to my delight, fennel pollen! Fennel pollen is kind of
magical because it can be sprinkled on a variety of things- salad, popcorn,
grilled fish, vine ripened tomato slices, fresh fruit– and it gives whatever
it’s sprinkled on a really awesome, unique taste. And Fennel pollen has
therapeutic qualities too! For this recipe I tied it into a salad with a
citrus dressing, just pulling from some seasonal stuff I had picked up at the
Farmers Market. Read More

Roman Slow Cooker Artichokes

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Every year the artichoke root
system in our garden pops out an abundance of fresh artichokes. For the first
few years this is really fun and rewarding, but after a while, one yearns for
some new ideas and ways to gobble up all those artichokes, without adding a
lot of prep time. This recipe for slow cooker artichokes is super easy,
with just about 15 minutes or less of prep time. Then you just set the
cooker, get on with your day, and return to a crock pot full of tender, moist
artichokes loaded with flavor. Read More

Socca with Dijon & Fresh Vegetables

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Socca, in my opinion, is one of
the best kept little secret gems in the world of gluten free cooking and
healthier options. Socca is a street food from the South of France, that is
so simple to make it is almost mind blowing, consisting of just chickpea
flour, olive oil, water, and seasoning. It makes a healthy crepe for
breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner, or it can be made a little thicker, and
cooked longer for a pizza crust or flatbread effect. The trick is in not
trying to flip it over, but instead, letting it cook through from one
side.

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Heirloom Tomato and Pumpkinseed Pesto Salad

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If you raise basil on a regular
basis, you will encounter those times when you get busy and kind of ignore
the basil for a few days, and while you are busy doing other stuff, the basil
goes nuts and produces an abundance of flower stalks and leaves. This
happened to me the other day and in my rush to prune it all back, I ended up
with a giant pile of basil. So, since autumn is just around the corner, I
decided to do a variation of pesto using raw pepitas (pumpkinseeds). There
is something about the pumpkinseeds’ earthiness and association with the
impending fall season that just made it all seem right.

I am still getting some glorious heirloom tomatoes, although that
season is nearly over, so I put together this sort of “summer-fall”
transitional salad that is vegan, yet packed with high quality, raw protein
and healthy fats. This vegan pesto is very versatile and I have been using it
in a variety of ways beyond this salad. This recipe is definitely a keeper
and a healthier alternative to traditional pesto.

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