Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Sage & Garlic

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Greetings! I know it’s been a
while since the last post. To be honest, my creativity took a brief leave of
absence. I also became fixated on creating the perfect homemade vegan ice
cream, that also stores well. That sort of consumed me for a few weeks. No
ice cream recipe to post yet, and now it is becoming irrelevant, as summer is
going away. So, on to one of my favorite subjects: Quality kitchen time
during the fall season. Let’s kick it off with a very simple, and
surprisingly filling dish using just five key ingredients. Fresh sage, garlic
and winter squashes are good friends in my book. This recipe sort of takes
the traditional squash ravioli with sage, and sort of deconstructs it and
puts a yummy vegan spin on it. Don’t be afraid to ramp up the garlic and the
sage. Enjoy! Read More

Stuffed Chard with Fennel & Spring Onions

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It
seems like chard just wants to be a regular part of my life. It is all over
the Farmers Market, and manages to find its way into the  occasional box
of Farm
Fresh to You that comes to my house. I have been getting nice, big
leaves in bunches, which makes me want to do one thing– see what I can roll
those big leaves around. Here is a straightforward idea for stuffed chard
that doesn’t require anything more than your basic staple vegetables and some
tomato sauce. And the cooking time shouldn’t be too long
either.

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“Creamy” Teff Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

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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.

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Basted Duck Egg with Savory Tomato Basil Oatmeal

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Do you ever wonder how “local” and
“natural” your locally grown food really is? Yesterday I attended a
street event in my neighborhood called El
Mercado. It was planned around the opening of
a new neighborhood city park, and it consisted of local community groups, and
a lot of local vendors, craftspeople, food artisans, and other creative
folks. I was delighted to come across a booth promoting a new store in the
neighborhood called Arroyo General,
a boutique-ish general store no larger than a shoe repair
shop.

They sell really cool stuff
sourced from the local Northeast Los Angeles area, including locally-grown
produce and eggs. I couldn’t get my wallet out fast enough when I saw that
they had duck eggs from a small urban farm about two miles from my house. So
I ceased the opportunity to enjoy some animal based nutrition the way nature
intended. This surprise encounter with local duck eggs, combined
with the rainy weather outside, led to a morning fire in the fireplace and
this yummy, healthy brunch dish.

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“Basic” Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers

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I am not a burger purist.
The more different kinds of burgers the world can invent the better!
This  point of view comes in particularly handy when it comes to
creating healthier, maybe even meatless, burger recipes. Having said this, no
matter what, a burger should pass some basic requirements in order to be
considered feasible- not that I am some burger expert, but let’s just be
practical about it! First and foremost, the burger must hold together in a
two-bun sandwich or lettuce wrap scenario. If it crumbles, it isn’t exactly a
burger. Next, the burger should satiate. You want to feel full and happy and
be nourished after you have eaten one. And third, it should be
quick and easy to make. If you have to run to seven specialty food stores and
spend two hours in the kitchen before you even get to the part where you make
it into patties, well, it kind of loses its “burger experience,” in
my opinion. Here is a super easy quinoa and black bean burger that holds up to
the basics and tastes great! Enjoy this between any kind of bread or bun, or
make a falafel patty and enjoy with flatbread or a lettuce wrap. Seriously,
the total active prep time for this is less than 30 minutes!
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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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“Creamy” Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Tomato Salsa

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Nothing completes a crisp autumn
or rainy day like a bowl of creamy soup. I am pretty sure that there isn’t a
person out there who doesn’t have a nostalgic attachment to a “cream of
something” soup from their past or childhood. Well I have some good news
about that! You can keep your creamy, comforting stroll down memory lane
while also avoiding the bad and promoting awesome, clean nutrition. This soup
is very easy to make and is also great as a cold vichyssoise style
soup if you have leftovers. The salsa is a tangy compliment that offers extra
rich flavor in the truffle oil, but also completely optional.
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“Raw” Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta

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Okay, I know it is always
amusing when Los Angeles people start complaining about the weather…but, we
DID have a little heat wave the other day, and it was
really hot outside! It
was one of those dog days when you can’t imagine doing anything besides
climbing into a walk-in freezer at a nearby restaurant and locking the door
behind you. This didn’t stop a gorgeous vine ripened tomato from calling out
to me from the garden. Before I knew it I had some fresh salsa cruda with
stunning fragrant basil. To keep it moving in the direction of a minimally
cooked, not heat producing dinner, I decided to whip this up. I have featured
the “raw” portobello before (softened by dehydration at a low
temperature). This is another example of how versatile the “raw”
portobello can be. This is super simple and sure to refresh, and nourish you
on a hot summer day.

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Whole Roasted Pumpkin with Mushroom Ragout

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When I go to the market and see
all the different types of gourds and winter squash, all I want to do is
bring them home and play with them in the kitchen. There is something
architecturally fulfilling about taking a big edible thing like a pumpkin and
bringing out it’s simple pleasures, and presenting it in its minimally
fragmented glory. Here is an extremely easy dish you can make as a vegan
entree or an interesting side dish on your next holiday dinner table.
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Buckwheat Ramen with Shiitake Mushrooms & Vegetables

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I’ll be frank: I love
buckwheat!!! I have always had a fond place in my heart for buckwheat. I
honestly can’t remember where in my childhood buckwheat took its place, I
think an aunt used it, or maybe my mom. I just remember it being there somewhere.
When I started pursuing this healthier cooking thing, I was delighted to
discover the nutritional benefits that buckwheat has to offer. Buckwheat is
not actually wheat at all. It is a seed that comes from a sorrel-like flower.
This makes it, in my view, a superfood, not to mention gluten free, plant
based, and other great qualities many are looking for
today.

Unfortunately, buckwheat flour doesn’t behave quite the same
as wheat flour, so its uses tend to be more limited, but you can find some
good products that use pure buckwheat in simple and nutritious ways. You can
also use it in recipes here and there, in baking, and always be confident
that you are adding amino acids, fiber, and other essential nutrition to the
dish. Here is a fantastic and quick way to enjoy ramen without the toxic
craziness of the ubiquitous instant ramen. And, it is great on a detox!
This recipe can be ready to eat in 20-30 minutes from start to finish.
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