Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

Rosemary-Saffron Root Vegetable Puree

Root vegetables are high in fiber, very filling, and generally low in calories. I like to buy a bunch of “storage vegetables” at the end-of-season farmer’s market and experiment with different kinds of root vegetable purees. I stumbled upon a great formula: anything + 1 parsnip = delicious. The root vegetable puree above features celery root (celeriac, which sounds significantly more disease-like than “celery root”) and parsnip. Below I provide more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.

Root vegetables vary significantly in size, so season to taste. I served this as a base for some spicy chicken, so I intentionally kept it mild. You could easily kick it up with some white pepper, red pepper flakes, or even cayenne.

1 Parsnip, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
2 celery roots, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
vegetable stock or water to nearly cover the veggies
1 t saffron, toasted (optional)
2 t rosemary
1 t dry mustard
2 T butter or heart-healthy margarine
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the root vegetables in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add vegetable stock or water to nearly cover the veggies. Use less water if you like a thicker puree. Bring to a boil, then simmer until veggies are just tender.
2. Add the toasted saffron, rosemary, dry mustard, margarine, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve.

Posted on

Arugula Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Watermelon Radishes, and Rose Vinaigrette


A sweet rose vinaigrette pirouettes alongside the spicy kick of arugula and radishes in a salad that dances on your tastebuds.

Does rose vinaigrette smell better than it tastes? You be the judge, but one thing is for sure: your guests won’t stop talking about their sensory experience either way. Rose preserves are available at Turkish and Armenian grocery stores like Arax Market in Watertown. Middle Eastern and Indian groceries are also likely to have it in stock. You might try making this vinaigrette with rose water, which is more widely available at Middle Eastern, Indian, and health food stores.


Use watermelon radishes if you can find them. These tiny jewels, named because they look like watermelons when sliced open, add a burst of beautiful and surprising color to your winter table. I found mine (along with the other salad ingredients) at the Siena Farms stand at the Copley Square Farmers Market in Boston.

What follows below is more of a guideline than a recipe. All amounts can be varied to taste. Experiment with the right amount of rose jam and sweetener that works for you.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the Salad:
8-12 oz Arugula (or several handfuls), washed, spun, and patted dry
2 apples, cut into 1/2-1″ chunks. (if making the salad in advance, toss cut apples with lemon juice and refrigerate)
2 watermelon radishes, washed, scrubbed, and cut into half-moons
handful walnut pieces

For the Vinaigrette:
1-2T rose preserves
1-2T honey
~4T EVOO
Juice of 1 lemon
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Salt to taste

1. Toss together salad ingredients except walnuts.
2. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients, adjusting rose and sweetness to taste.
3. Toss salad with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve to delighted and fascinated guests who will ask, “what smells so unbelievably good?”

Posted on

Arugula Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Watermelon Radishes, and Rose Vinaigrette


A sweet rose vinaigrette pirouettes alongside the spicy kick of arugula and radishes in a salad that dances on your tastebuds.

Does rose vinaigrette smell better than it tastes? You be the judge, but one thing is for sure: your guests won’t stop talking about their sensory experience either way. Rose preserves are available at Turkish and Armenian grocery stores like Arax Market in Watertown. Middle Eastern and Indian groceries are also likely to have it in stock. You might try making this vinaigrette with rose water, which is more widely available at Middle Eastern, Indian, and health food stores.


Use watermelon radishes if you can find them. These tiny jewels, named because they look like watermelons when sliced open, add a burst of beautiful and surprising color to your winter table. I found mine (along with the other salad ingredients) at the Siena Farms stand at the Copley Square Farmers Market in Boston.

What follows below is more of a guideline than a recipe. All amounts can be varied to taste. Experiment with the right amount of rose jam and sweetener that works for you.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the Salad:
8-12 oz Arugula (or several handfuls), washed, spun, and patted dry
2 apples, cut into 1/2-1″ chunks. (if making the salad in advance, toss cut apples with lemon juice and refrigerate)
2 watermelon radishes, washed, scrubbed, and cut into half-moons
handful walnut pieces

For the Vinaigrette:
1-2T rose preserves
1-2T honey
~4T EVOO
Juice of 1 lemon
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Salt to taste

1. Toss together salad ingredients except walnuts.
2. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients, adjusting rose and sweetness to taste.
3. Toss salad with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve to delighted and fascinated guests who will ask, “what smells so unbelievably good?”

Posted on

Southwestern Seitan Saute


It was “clean-out-the fridge” night in the SGG household, and this delicious, flexible saute hit the spot and got the job done. Serve with rice or warmed tortillas.

1 T EVOO or hemp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package “chicken-style” seitan
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 c broccoli florets
1 T chili powder
1 handful pepitas
Salsa
salt to taste

1) Heat garlic and oil over medium-high heat.
2) When garlic is sizzling, add seitan and chili powder. Stir and cook 3 minutes.
3) Add broccoli florets. Add salt to taste. Stir and cook until broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
4) Add carrots and bell pepper. Cook until carrots are slightly softened but not wilted.
5) Sprinkle with pepitas.
6) Serve and pass salsa at the table.

Posted on

Southwestern Seitan Saute


It was “clean-out-the fridge” night in the SGG household, and this delicious, flexible saute hit the spot and got the job done. Serve with rice or warmed tortillas.

1 T EVOO or hemp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package “chicken-style” seitan
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 c broccoli florets
1 T chili powder
1 handful pepitas
Salsa
salt to taste

1) Heat garlic and oil over medium-high heat.
2) When garlic is sizzling, add seitan and chili powder. Stir and cook 3 minutes.
3) Add broccoli florets. Add salt to taste. Stir and cook until broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
4) Add carrots and bell pepper. Cook until carrots are slightly softened but not wilted.
5) Sprinkle with pepitas.
6) Serve and pass salsa at the table.

Posted on

Malaysian-Inspired Sweet and Sour Tofu Soup

Inspired by fellow bloggers Annarasa and D.K., I’m trying out some Malaysian cuisine this week as part of the A.W.E.D. (A World of Epicurian Delights) event hosted by Annarasa. Beautiful, flavorful Malaysia inspires a soup loaded with flu-fighting foods, the perfect quick fix cure for your change-of-seasons cold.

Serves: 4
Total Time: 30 minutes
Work Time: 15 minutes

1T EVOO
1 onion, diced
2T fresh ginger, or about a 2″ knob, minced
1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed if you don’t like it hot, minced
1 pinch salt
1 small cinnamon stick
4c water
1 c wild rice
2/3 c orange juice
1 T shoyu
Gomasio (sesame seeds with sea salt)for garnish
Cilantro for garnish

1) Heat EVOO over medium-high heat in a 3 quart saucepan or dutch oven.
2) Add onion, ginger, chile pepper, and salt. Saute 5 minutes until onion is translucent and mixture is fragrant.
3) Add cinnamon stick, water, and wild rice. Bring to a boil and simmer until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
4) Add orange juice and shoyu. Stir and simmer just a few minutes to blend flavors.
5) Discard cinnamon stick. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with gomasio and cilantro and serve.

Posted on

Malaysian-Inspired Sweet and Sour Tofu Soup

Inspired by fellow bloggers Annarasa and D.K., I’m trying out some Malaysian cuisine this week as part of the A.W.E.D. (A World of Epicurian Delights) event hosted by Annarasa. Beautiful, flavorful Malaysia inspires a soup loaded with flu-fighting foods, the perfect quick fix cure for your change-of-seasons cold.

Serves: 4
Total Time: 30 minutes
Work Time: 15 minutes

1T EVOO
1 onion, diced
2T fresh ginger, or about a 2″ knob, minced
1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed if you don’t like it hot, minced
1 pinch salt
1 small cinnamon stick
4c water
1 c wild rice
2/3 c orange juice
1 T shoyu
Gomasio (sesame seeds with sea salt)for garnish
Cilantro for garnish

1) Heat EVOO over medium-high heat in a 3 quart saucepan or dutch oven.
2) Add onion, ginger, chile pepper, and salt. Saute 5 minutes until onion is translucent and mixture is fragrant.
3) Add cinnamon stick, water, and wild rice. Bring to a boil and simmer until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
4) Add orange juice and shoyu. Stir and simmer just a few minutes to blend flavors.
5) Discard cinnamon stick. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with gomasio and cilantro and serve.

Posted on

Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Almond Pesto Drizzle


Happy, healthy, and hearty in half an hour. Try it paired with chickpea-flax skillet flatbread. Quantities are flexible. I used 3 T cilantro because that’s what I had leftover from last night’s dinner. With this recipe it’s hard to go wrong.

Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes (10 active)

Ingredients:

For the soup:
1 small onion, diced
2 c red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 bay leaf
1/2 t fennel seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 T EVOO
pinch of salt
cayenne to taste
water or stock

For the drizzle:
3 T cilantro
1 handful almonds
1 clove garlic
big pinch of salt
3-5T EVOO

1. Heat EVOO, onion, lentils, bay leaf, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and cayenne over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for ~5 minutes, until onions are translucent and mixture is fragrant.
2. Cover with water or stock to 1″ above lentil mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the drizzle. Whir all drizzle ingredients except EVOO in a blender. Slowly drizzle in EVOO until mixture is desired consistency (from a thick pesto to a runny-er sauce, as you prefer).
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Taste and correct seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle into bowls, and add a dollop of the drizzle on top.

Posted on

Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Almond Pesto Drizzle


Happy, healthy, and hearty in half an hour. Try it paired with chickpea-flax skillet flatbread. Quantities are flexible. I used 3 T cilantro because that’s what I had leftover from last night’s dinner. With this recipe it’s hard to go wrong.

Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes (10 active)

Ingredients:

For the soup:
1 small onion, diced
2 c red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 bay leaf
1/2 t fennel seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 T EVOO
pinch of salt
cayenne to taste
water or stock

For the drizzle:
3 T cilantro
1 handful almonds
1 clove garlic
big pinch of salt
3-5T EVOO

1. Heat EVOO, onion, lentils, bay leaf, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and cayenne over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for ~5 minutes, until onions are translucent and mixture is fragrant.
2. Cover with water or stock to 1″ above lentil mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the drizzle. Whir all drizzle ingredients except EVOO in a blender. Slowly drizzle in EVOO until mixture is desired consistency (from a thick pesto to a runny-er sauce, as you prefer).
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Taste and correct seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle into bowls, and add a dollop of the drizzle on top.

Posted on

Chickpea-Flax Skillet Flatbread

I was intrigued and inspired by the skillet flatbread experiments over at Bitten, and wondered if I could use this new weeknight dinner tool to bring more whole grains and fiber into our diet. Flatbread made with flaxseed meal proved too dense and bitter, but a mix of chickpea flour and flaxseed meal makes for just the right flavor complexity. I’ve been making this simple flatbread at least once a week with a salad or hearty soup for a light, healthy meal.

If you’ve heard the buzz about flax as a superfood, it just may be true. Flaxseed meal is high in fiber, lignans, alpha-linoleic acid, and protein, and is low in carbs. It has been associated with a host of medical benefits, explained by the Mayo Clinic here and with less jargon by about.com here. Chickpea flour, also known as besan, is also loaded with fiber and protein. You should drink plenty of water with Chickpea-Flax Skillet Flatbread and other foods containing lots of fiber.

You can add any number of seasoning combinations to this flatbread. I’ve included some suggestions below. Experiment!

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: Up to 4? But sometimes I eat the whole thing myself. I often make a second flatbread as soon as the first one comes out of the oven.

Ingredients:
1/2 c chickpea flour (besan)
1/2 c flaxseed meal
1 t salt
2.5-3 T olive oil
1-1.5 c lukewarm water
pepper to taste

Optional seasonings:
1 T fennel seeds and 2 t garlic powder or 2-3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 diced onion and 1T rosemary (shown above; creates an onion-kulcha-like effect)
1 T herbes de provence

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2) Combine the chickpea flour and flaxseed meal in a medium sized bowl with salt and pepper. Whisk to break up lumps. Slowly add 1.5 c water, whisking until lumps disappear and batter is the consistency of heavy cream. This makes a custardy-textured flatbread; use less water if you like more of a cracker. Whisk in 1 T olive oil.
3) Heat a 10″ (medium-sized) nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1-2 T olive oil to coat the pan well. When oil is shimmering, add the batter.
4) Pop the pan into the oven. Bake 18-20 minutes, until edges begin to crisp and center is set. (Oven times may vary; you can let it bake for longer, ~30 minutes, if you prefer).
5) Keeping pan at least 2″ from broiler, broil about 2-3 minutes until flatbread is spotty-brown throughout.
6) Flatbread will release easily onto a plate. Cut into wedges, or simply break off pieces and enjoy.