Lime & Sea Salted Watermelon & Avocado Salad

Leave a comment

I love it when something is so
ridiculously simple it almost doesn’t make sense. I have been extremely busy
developing some new flex foods to compliment a new cleanse product that
I have been offering on my Whole, Clean
& Green Challenge. The cleanse protocol specifies a very
short list of flex foods, so I was limited to basically just citrus juice and
sea salt for any kind of dressing. I was delighted to discover how flawless
and wonderful just watermelon, avocado, lime, and sea salt taste when
combined together. And therefore I had to share it on the blog! You can
make this in about three minutes. Drizzle some avocado oil on top if you
must, but it really isn’t necessary. Read More

Heirloom Potato & Kale Latkes

Leave a comment

I just whipped these up for
brunch and decided they were share-worthy. The red, purple, and fingerling
potatoes are a little healthier than the traditional russet potatoes. This is
totally vegan but you can use real eggs instead of chia eggs, or even serve a
couple poached eggs on top. To be honest, I was longing for a coupe duck eggs
that I sometimes get from a local urban farmer. Having said that, I love the
gooey texture in the middle that can only be a result of the chia seeds and
the consistency of the heirloom potatoes doing a little happy dance. Enjoy
these with some homemade ketchup or smoked trout. Yum!

Read More

Vegan Red Kuri Squash Pancakes

Leave a comment

I took about a month off from
the Whole Dish to work on some new year projects and get focused on 2018.
And, to be honest, I really wanted to take some time to play around with
aquafaba
in the kitchen. And these red kuri squash pancakes are a pretty good start! I
think the gluten-free flour makes them a tad chewy and dense, but I thought
they came out delicious, especially with a little coconut butter or ghee
melted over the top. They are delicious without much of anything added! You
can go the sweeter breakfast or brunch route and add some maple syrup, fresh
fruit, or dark chocolate almond butter (as pictured); or enjoy them as a
savory appetizer, lunch or hors d’oeuvre with bruschetta salsa, avocado,
guacamole, or some kind of tapenade. Aquafaba is basically the liquid
byproduct of cooked beans, and a newly emerging vegan ingredient craze. To
test the hype, I used some liquid directly from a can of garbanzo beans, and
it worked delightfully well! These unique pancakes are best enjoyed right off
the griddle! Read More

Riced Cauliflower Salad with Tomato, Basil & Garlic

Leave a comment

I’m having a
“mini-series” of riced cauliflower in my kitchen! Riced cauliflower
is great as a raw salad, because cauliflower florets are already slightly
tender and porous to start with, so, when mixed with other salad ingredients
it makes a great base! So, a while, back, I tried using it as you would pasta
in a classic “TBG” (tomato, basil, garlic) salad, and the results
were delicious.

Read More

Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Macadamia Ricotta

Leave a comment

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.

Read More

“Creamy” Teff Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

Leave a comment

If blizzards have you down I
have just the remedy. I love that all I have to do is think, “hmmm I
wish I could find something to make polenta out of besides cornmeal,”
and then teff shows up, like it was lurking around the corner. A grain
definitely isn’t just a grain when it comes to Teff. Is Teff Polenta the
New…Polenta? An “ancient grain,” teff has been used in Ethiopian
cooking for many years and is just starting to get some traction in modern
western kitchens. More people are noticing teff probably because it is a
powerhouse of nutrition and is also gluten free. And, it makes awesome,
creamy polenta…tah-da! You can enjoy it in its creamy state right out of
the pot, or let it set, cut it into shapes, and grill or pan fry. Basically
use it anyway you would the more ubiquitous cornmeal polenta. For this
recipe, I have created a sort of comfort bowl of creamy teff with roasted
vegetables. This recipe is vegan, but you can substitute cheese and cream
where noted for a dairy vegetarian version.

Read More

Pumpkin, Potato & Leek Soup

Leave a comment

A lot of people associate
Thanksgiving with a plate full of turkey and a bunch of other stuff smushed
onto the plate. But sometimes its nice to switch it up a little and add a
course or two, slowing it down, adding an extra layer of civilization to the
crazy, energized occasion with friends and family. This porridge-like soup
does the job pretty well, and although it is super rich and creamy, it is
actually vegan, so you wont weigh your guests down too much before the
main turkey event, and everyone at the table can enjoy it, whatever their
dietary considerations.

Read More

Beet & Fresh Cheese Stacks with Avocado-Lemon Dressing

Leave a comment

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.

Read More

Roman Slow Cooker Artichokes

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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.

Read More