Farmers Market Stew with Fennel, Saffron and Chickpeas

(From the warm and wonderful Simran!) I go to the farmers market every week and buy a bunch of veggies. During the winter, I like to put all of these into a stew or soup that will last all week. First, I clean the veggies and use the trimmings, an extra onion and a few carrots and celery spears to make a quick stock. Then, I wash out my only big pot and start on the stew or soup. This all takes an hour or two on Sunday and I have enough to reheat for several days. Some may call this lazy, but I think of it as efficient and economic.


For inspiration, I most often turn to Deborah Madison's excellent Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I usually have a slightly different list of ingredients than what she calls for in a recipe, but I use her instructions as guidelines. As she says, "A forgiving food, soup happily accepts a fennel bulb where none was called for, replaces a leek with an onion, provides a home for a tasty leftover."


This recipe is based on Madison's Potato and Chickpea Stew.


INGREDIENTS
fingerling or red potatoes (1 lb) scrubbed and halved or quartered
olive oil (3 T)
onion (1 large) diced
fennel bulb (1) cut into strips, chop some fronds for garnish
saffron (2 generous pinches)
garlic cloves (2 large) minced
parsley (1/4 cup) chopped, leave some for garnish
red pepper flakes (1/4 t)
medium-dry sherry (1/2 cup) I used 1/4 cup each dry vermouth and apple juice
diced tomatoes (1 large can/box) with their juices 
chickpeas (1 can) rinsed
broth or water (3 cups)
freshly milled pepper
salt


DIRECTIONS

1. Warm the oil in a wide pot with the onion, fennel, saffron, garlic and potatoes. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently every now and then until the potatoes are tender-firm, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the parsley and pepper flakes and cook 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Add the sherry and cook until the juices in the pan are thick and syrupy, about 12 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and broth to cover. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper. Cover and cook over low heat until the potatoes are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Serve with parsley and fennel fronds.

Vegetarian Phở

Whenever I was sick as a kid, the only thing I ever wanted to eat was chicken soup. I would either have a cube of bouillon with white rice and diced potatoes or my grandma would bring over matzo ball soup from Agoura's Famous Deli (she never cooked, but made sure we had plenty of bonbons, assorted Pepperidge Farm cookies, berries with sugar, and put together a mean croissant turkey sandwich). The matzo balls were soft ball size and always fell apart in the bowl. I distinctly remember their flavor. 

grandma, Jess & me

Yesterday when I was sick, I wanted my usual soup, but with a plant-based translation - so I gave homemade vegetarian phở a try. We had just visited the asian market (Mitsuwa) the day before, so we were stocked up. This is definitely a great comfort soup to include in your repertoire. It's traditionally a meat based dish, but I have always preferred the vegetarian variation. This is a slight adjustment on The Kitchn's recipe.


INGREDIENTS
onion (1) large, peeled and halved
ginger root (2" piece) fresh, peeled, halved lengthwise
cinnamon / Vietnamese cassia-cinnamon (3" stick)
star anise (1)
garlic cloves (2) thickly sliced lengthwise
coriander seeds (1 tsp)
unsalted vegetable stock (4 cups) homemade or a very clear, tasty variety
soy, bragg's or fish sauce (2 tsp)
carrots (4) peeled and coarsely chopped
rice noodles I used Miracle Noodles


GARNISH OPTIONS, any of the following to taste:
fried/baked tofu, bean curd skin
mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy, napa cabbage, broccoli
onion, scallions, hot peppers
mint, asian basil, cilantro
lime, chili sauce, soy sauce, bragg's, fish sauce


DIRECTIONS

1. Char onion and ginger directly under a broiler or over an open flame (holding with tongs) until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes on each side. This is key in creating the distinctly phở flavor.* Thickly slice the ginger.
2. In a large pot, dry roast cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander over medium-low heat, stirring to prevent burning. When spices are aromatic, add vegetable stock, fish sauce, carrots, charred onion and ginger.
3. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. The soup is even more flavorful when served hours later. 
4. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Spoon into a bowl and pour strained broth over noodles.
5. Serve with garnishes on the side. The soup is incomplete without garnishes to taste.

*This charring is a french method - phở was developed in the early 1920s to accomodate both French and Vietnamese palettes during the French Indochina period.

Enjoy! And don't get sick this season if you can help it! You don't need to be under the weather to enjoy this soup. xo, J

Tahini Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

I've been going garbanzo crazy since starting a plant-based diet. They're chock-full of fiber, iron, calcium, a bit of vitamin C, and have a very low GI for slow-releasing energy. I've always loved them (hummus holds a special place in my heart), but am newly discovering their incredible versatility (i.e. vegan cookie dough). I came across roasted garbanzo beans on the Whole Foods site and thought it would turn any romaine-type lettuce into a great salad. I looked up tahini dressings until I found this one by Mark Bittman. I've had it two days in a row now for lunch. Cheap, nutritious, filling and delicious.



INGREDIENTS
Roasted Garbanzos
garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
pimenton or paprika
cayenne
olive oil
lemon juice
salt
Tahini Dressing
tahini (2 Tbls)
cumin (1/4 tsp or to taste)
lemon juice (1/2 tsp or to taste)
garlic (1 small clove) minced
salt
water


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425º, mix all garbanzo ingredients together, spread out on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven until crispy. About 40 minutes. Shake cookie sheet a couple times to prevent burning. (Make sure they retain a bit of softness in the center, otherwise your jaw will get a strenuous workout - I made this mistake when Brent & John came over the other night for dinner.)
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Use drops of water to thin consistency. Hand massage into lettuce. Garnish with roasted garbanzos (and flaxseeds if so inclined).

Ready to serve! xo, J

Sweet & Spicy Coconut Oatmeal

This morning, I wanted spicy, savory and sweet. I wanted quick and easy. So I threw this together and it came out pretty good. It also turned out to be great fuel for the morning - energizing, warming, and gets your stomach off to a good start.


INGREDIENTS
oats (1/2 cup) rolled or steel cut (steel cut has a lower GI); there are gluten free varieties out there, too
coconut oil optional
cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp or to taste) I like spiiiiicy
ground cinnamon (1/8 tsp)
salt
dates (1-2) chopped, I cut them with kitchen scissors
almond milk (1 cup)
unsweetened shredded coconut toasted
sliced almonds toasted
maple syrup or brown rice syrup


DIRECTIONS

1. Toast oats in a pot with some coconut oil. When they start to golden, add dates, cayenne, cinnamon, and salt. Another couple minutes or so to coat the oats and dates.
2. Add the almond milk slowly, boiling it along the way. When it's almost done absorbing, toast the sliced almonds. As those begin to golden, add the coconut. The coconut will brown fast, so be ready to remove from heat.
3. Once oats absorb milk, season to taste. Top with coconut, almonds, drizzled syrup, maybe some flaxseeds and more chopped dates.

Vegan Cookie Dough (thanks, Amanda!)

The great Amanda Karkoutly (brilliant cook and friend) introduced this recipe to Justin and me a few months ago. She takes great pride in her healthy, delicious, diverse cooking and always abundantly feeds her friends and guests. I am super fortunate to have her as a culinary guide and inspiration. Justin near lost his mind over this vegan cookie dough. I finally got around to making it last week, but keep eating most of it before anyone else has a chance (I get gremlin sometimes).


INGREDIENTS
chickpeas (1 can) rinsed well, skin peeled off for a smoother texture (although I have never taken the time to do so)
peanut butter or almond butter (3 Tbsp) peanut butter will lend it a more PB flavor
maple syrup (2 Tbsp) add more if you want it sweeter
oats (1 Tbsp) I get the gluten/wheat free ones 
almond milk (1 Tbsp) use as desired for a thinning agent
dark chocolate chips I get ones with at least 72% cocoa to minimize blood sugar spikes/falls or break up a dark chocolate bar. You can also get a vegan variety. I usually always prefer cookie dough without any chips at all (I know this is sacrilege to most people).
vanilla extract (2 tsp) preferably the kind without added sugar, most vanilla extracts are mostly sugar


DIRECTIONS

1. Blend everything in the food processor until the texture is creamy smooth.
2. Add chocolate chips.
3. Chill in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors settle. (I rarely do this before eating half the batter straight from the processor.)

Great with apples, alone, on toasted brown rice bread with some kosher salt and maple syrup drizzled on top, or combined with the vegan chocolate pudding and berries.

Cranberry Applesauce

This is a great snack to have around the house for the week. Also delicious served warm over ice cream or cold with latkes.

INGREDIENTS

apples (3 lbs) sliced 1/2" thick (use sweet variations and try several kinds for a more complex flavor); remove peels if not organic

cranberries (12 oz) fresh or frozen, I have only used fresh

cinnamon stick (1)

maple syrup (1-2 Tbs) use more if you like, I prefer it less sweet; the sugar also tastes radically different after it cools

water (1/2 cup)

lemon juice (2 tsp) freshly squeezed

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the chopped apples, cinnamon, cranberries, and water in a pot, bring to a boil.
2. Cover and simmer until apples soften. Add the maple syrup and mix everything together.
3. Add the lemon juice.

Sweet Potato Leek Latkes

This post is way late in the holiday game, but I wanted to remember it for next year. And maybe you guys would like to make them year-round and just call them fritters! Here they are, inspired by the Leek Sweet Potato Hash we have been making these days.


INGREDIENTS
sweet potatoes (2) peeled and shredded in food processor
leeks (1) split lengthwise down the center and thinly sliced
cayenne pepper (1/3-1/2 tsp) optional, use as much/little as you want
salt (1 tsp) use as much/little as you want
pepper (1/2 tsp) use as much/little as you want
brown rice flour (1/3 cup)
egg whites (3 egg whites)
grapeseed oil (so much it's crazy) my mom also uses some peanut oil


DIRECTIONS

1. Heat up the oven to keep the latkes warm as you go. Get cookie sheets ready.
2. Combine sweet potatoes, leeks, and seasonings in a bowl. Give it a minute to let the flavors blend.
3. Mix in the flour and egg whites.
4. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Use enough to completely cover the latke batter. Stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if it bubbles, your oil is ready.
5. Take a spoonful of batter, place it in the oil, and flatten with a spoon. I like my latkes super thin and crispy, but my dad loves them thick - so it's up to you!
6. Be patient, don't flip them too early. Make sure they're nice and solidified before cooking the other side. When ready, place them on a couple paper towels to soak up the remaining oil. Then place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven.

I like serving with greek yogurt and Cranberry Applesauce. 

Blanched Spinach Salad with Sliced Almonds

Everything I cook, I ask Justin to rate it on a scale from 1-10. Things generally fall in the 7 category for him, sometimes they strike a 5 or a 9, and nothing has yet to reach a 10. There are good recipes and great recipes. This is a great recipe.

We are pulling from Mark Bittman's 100 Simple Salads list these days for the greens in our fridge and I came across this recipe and revised it a bit. The softened spinach maintains some form and bite, the dressing is subtly rich and sweet, the capers add an elegant brightness and nuts a warm, crunchy, meatiness. I was blown away, maybe you will be, too.

INGREDIENTS

spinach preferably fresh, not bagged; cleaned of stems and dirt

olive oil

balsamic vinegar I use a gluten/sugar free variety

capers

sliced almonds the original recipe called for pine nuts, but I didn't have them and used sliced almonds instead - really delicious

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl large enough to toss your spinach, whisk together olive oil with just a bit of balsamic.
2. Blanch the spinach. Timing is key to get the texture right; the second you dunk the spinach in boiling water, immediately drain and plunge in iced water to stop its cooking process. Make sure your water is strongly bubbling before submerging the spinach and your colander and super cold iced water is ready to go.
3. Gently squeeze spinach dry (careful not to mush it) and maybe even soak up some extra water with paper towels. Roughly chop.
4. Toast some slivered almonds until golden.
5. Add the spinach to the oil/vinegar dressing and fold in the capers using your fingers to toss everything together. 
6. Top with the hot golden almonds. Serve immediately.

xo, J

Vegan Chocolate Spread & Pudding

After researching The China Study, seeing/reading Forks Over Knives, and learning about plant-based lifestyles, I'm playing around with eating only fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains these days. I am curious how it will effect my health and change the meals in our home. The first thing I did was make a bunch of snacky dishes to last through the week (shout out to Amanda Barnes who is amazing at doing this all the time, i.e. her garbanzo bean cookie dough dip). So this week I made some hummus, Cranberry Applesauce, and vegan CHOCOLATE PUDDING. This is a solid dessert recipe. The avocado provides a creamy texture and soaks up the cocoa flavor. If the avocados totally freak you out, peanut butter also works deliciously well (see below for ratio). You can also create more of a "spread" or "pudding" consistency depending on your preference. It's great with raspberries or spread on toasted brown rice bread with peanut butter. 


INGREDIENTS
avocados (2)
unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup) 
dates (1/2 cup) pitted, soaked in water for an hour, drained (I don't soak them, but they don't blend as easily); if you have a sweet tooth, double the quantity
pure vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)


PEANUT BUTTER VARIATION

peanut butter (1 cup) organic with no added salt or sugar; this ratio can be used instead of the avocados

FOR A PUDDING TEXTURE
almond milk (1/4-1/2 cup) wait until all ingredients are combined and then incorporate a little at a time until desired consistency is reached

DIRECTIONS

1. Throw the dates in the food processor and pulse into a paste. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. (This can be a little tedious since it's so thick and spits up on the sides. If you end up digging this recipe, make a larger batch so it mixes easier.)
3. Transfer to a bowl or individual serving bowls and chill several hours before serving.

Leek Sweet Potato Hash

Good morning! In figuring out what to do with the billion leeks our produce delivery service accidentally sent us, I found this breakfast gem - and it's since become a weekend standard around our home. It also inspired me to make Sweet Potato Leek Latkes this year.


Serves 2


INGREDIENTS 
sweet potatoes (2) shredded in the food processor
leeks (1) chopped thinly, click here for leek prep instruction
garlic (2) finely chopped
grapeseed oil (1 Tb) or another kind of clean tasting oil, I use very little oil in my cooking, so feel free to use more if that's your thing
cayenne 
black pepper freshly ground
kosher salt
eggs (2) optional for vegan/plant-based bellies, but the egg white alone really compliments the dish; I have made it without though, and it's still a fantastic hash potato dish


DIRECTIONS

1. Put your shredded potatoes in a bowl and mix in some cayenne, salt, and pepper with your hands.
2. In a large pan, fry up the leeks until they become tender (approximately 5 minutes). 
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes until thoroughly tender and aromatic.  (Leeks take a while to soften, so they need more cooking time than the potatoes.)
4. Add the potatoes to the pan, thoroughly mix in with the leeks.  Spread evenly across the pan so the potatoes can crisp up. 15-20 minutes. The crispier they are, the better the flavor. Stir around when necessary.
5. When you reach desired crispiness, crack the two eggs on top next to each other for sunnyside up. Cover to cook the egg perfectly.
6. When the eggs are cooked to where you want them, serve 'em up.

Voila! xo, J