Quorn Sweet Chilli Stir Fry Strips

8Mar2010Filed under: Chinese/Japanese, Main meals, Quorn, RecipesAuthor: Cathy

More Quorn for dinner tonight.  Blimey, anyone would think I got sent some free samples or something.

Still, I don’t really need an excuse to eat noodles.  Especially chilli ones.  And these Quorn Chilli Stir Fry Strips are already marinated so you don’t need to add any spices of your own.  I usually end up pouring more chilli sauce onto my dinner but these were tasty enough but not too spicy for The Meat Eater who’s a bit of a wuss when it comes to chilli.

Here they are, along with the rest of the ingredients I added to the stir fry.  (They’re the bright orange things in the black tray.  The other things are vegetables, which can be found in all good supermarkets.)

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Corn Fritters

Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner these little golden fritters are great on their own, as an appetizer with dipping sauce, served with eggs or a simple side salad. I introduced some Asian flavours and served them for dinner with a simple leaf salad of tossed Asian greens in a light dressing. If serving for breakfast or brunch with eggs you could swap the coriander for parsley and fry them up in vegetable oil of butter; ideal with a side of fried mushrooms and tomato. The batter can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge; mix the vegetables in just before frying. Use fresh sweet corn when available for the best results.

Preparation time: 20mins
Makes approx 20 fritters

1 cup stone-ground wholemeal flour1 tsp paprika1 tsp brown sugar2 free-range eggs

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Turkish Pilaf

Sweet, spicy rice dishes with nuts and fruit; Middle Eastern food is some of the absolute best. This is a simple pilaf with sultanas (raisins) and toasted pistachio nuts and sweet spices. I got the idea for this dish from a Lamb pilaf and substituted the lamb for roasted eggplant balls (recipe here). Although they take a little extra effort to make the roasted eggplant really adds a further delicious element to this simple dish. Falafel would work just as well (recipe here) or if you’re short on time simply add tinned chickpeas instead. Hearty, delicious and vegan, serve up this for a special Meatless Monday meal.

Preparation time: 25mins (

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Veggie Noodle Soup

Feeling a little under the weather? Need a simple, healthy and delicious pick-me-up? This basic soup may not look like much but is has that fantastic noodle soup quality; it makes you feel good inside. Full of vitamins, minerals and protein this is a simple, quick and easy soup; great for throwing together after work. If serving to little ones chop the veggies nice a small and use an alphabet or animal soup noodle; here I used small spirali pasta. I used Promite as the vegetable extract but you could use Vegemite, Marmite or any vegetarian vegetable extract spread and for the beans I used a tin of three bean mix, but use whatever cooked or tinned beans you like. Serve as is with crusty bread or topped with your favourite cheese. Enjoy!

Preparation time: 20mins
Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil1 brown onion, diced1 red chilli, diced (optional)3 large carrots, diced2 stalks of celery, dicedsmall bunch of fresh thyme, diced200g (7 oz) beans (butter, kidney or chickpeas)1 tbs vegetable extract (such as promite or marmite) 1 L (1 quart) vegetable stock500ml (1 pint) water150g (5oz) pasta

Heat the oil in a large saucepan; add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until soft.

Add the diced chilli, carrot, celery and thyme; toss well and cook for a further 1-2 minutes; add the beans and toss well.

Add the vegetable extract, stock and water. Bring to a gently boil.

Add the pasta and continue to simmer over a medium heat for 10-15minutes until the pasta is al dente (tender).

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as is or topped with your favourite cheese and a side of warm crusty bread.

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Veggie Chili

This is a slow cooked vegetarian take on Chili con Carne; using lentils instead of ground beef. With sweet aromatic spices and the rich smoky flavour from the roasted tomatoes and pepper this is a very tasty, rich and satisfying vegan dish. We served it with Spanish style rice and a simple guacamole, which I will include in the recipe and a side of warm tortillas. You could also serve it up with dairy or non-dairy cheese and sour cream. I pre-cooked the lentils a little; you could omit this step and just used tinned (approx 2 tins) if you prefer, although they may not retain their texture as well when slow cooked. This recipe makes a large pot with plenty of Chili for at least 6 people. A satisfying and meat-free version of a classic and much loved dish; serve this delicious vegan Chili for guest or when you have a hungry family to feed.

Preparation time: 2hr 30mins
Serves 6

2 cups brown lentils, rinsed6 cups vegetable stock (I used a no animal content

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Our Favourite Ethically Conscious Products

Hi thereVeggie num num is having a little camera difficulty at the moment; as in my poor old camera has finally kicked the bucket!! I hope to be back up and running very soon, but in lieu of a recipe I thought I might share some favourite cruelty free and vegan products.

There are many wonderful brands out there dedicated to providing ethically conscious products completely free of animal testing and animal derived ingredients; delivering some truly awesome products for conscious consumers!!

Below is a list of some of our favourite Ethically Conscious Brands and links to where you can purchase their products online. All of the companies are dedicated to providing true Cruelty Free and/or Vegan products and offer great transparency on ingredients and practices.

We personally use all these brands and vouch for their awesomeness :)

Eco Store

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My Mumma’s Veggie Pie

For this Meatless Monday here is a simple and delicious recipe that my wonderful mother has been cooking for years. A hearty mixture of your favourite vegetables cooked with tasty cheese, a little chutney and topped off with a simple pastry crust; a great family meal and a stable in my mother’s kitchen. Recently we were lucky enough to have her cook this special dish for us. Although, when mum makes it she always includes our family’s secret homemade mango chutney, it will work just as well with a store brought chutney; my mother insists something not too sweet but with plenty of flavour. She also recommends, that although you can use whatever veggies you like, always include at least 1 cup of pumpkin to get the best result. The pastry here was made with a mixture of wholemeal and plain flour but for a fluffier result simply use plain flour as per the recipe. I L.OV.E this pie and love that I can share one of my favourite recipes from my mumma’s veggie kitchen… Thanks Mum!! XO

Preparation time 2.5 hours
Serves 4

1 brown onion, diced2 cloves garlic, crushed2 tbs butter or olive oil4 cups of mixed vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot & potato), roughly diced into 1 cm cubes1 tin chopped tomatoes

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ANZAC Biscuits

Today is ANZAC day here in Australia and New Zealand; a day set aside to commemorate the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp who lost their lives in war and to honour returned service men and women. In honour of this special day I have decided to share my Grandma’s traditional ANZAC biscuit recipe.

Originally named Soldier’s Biscuits, , have a long history. First baked by those at home to send to soldiers during World War 1, they are now an Australian favourite. The biscuits had to survive for up to two months and were created with ingredients that would not readily spoil on the long journey but also deliver substantial nutritional value to the soldiers.

The recipe has not changed since they were first made all those years ago and just as well; are sweet, oaty, melt in the mouth delicious. If you can’t find Golden Syrup, try treacle or even maple syrup instead. As a child these where one of my most favourite treats and I still enjoy them today. Big thank you to my lovely Grandma for sharing her ANZAC biscuit recipe; Lest We Forget.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Makes approximately 18

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Quinoa Skillet Bread

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The farmers' market up the street from my house just started again. It takes place one night a week, now through early fall. Last week a stroll through the twenty-some booths revealed a bounty of fava beans, strawberries, local micro-climate honeys, pea shoots, mandarins, king trumpet and lion's mane mushrooms, artichokes, and English peas. In the midst of all this, I stumbled on a farm I'm particularly excited about, Fifth Crow Farm - new to me. They were selling organic wheat berries, heirloom popcorn, farm fresh eggs and leeks. I picked up a couple bags heirloom Sonora whole wheat pastry flour (grown at neighboring Pie Ranch), and set them on my kitchen counter when I got home. I wasn't entirely sure how I wanted to use it at the time. This flour is a bit coarser than the pastry flour I typically use, flecked with tiny hints of brown and gold.

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Asparagus With Nori Butter - Recipe

Asparagus with nori butter

I'm in the middle of a two-week stage at Canlis, a terrific fine-dining restaurant in Seattle; I'll write more about what I've been learning soon. One of the many delicious items on Chef Franey's menu is an asparagus with sauce gribiche. At Canlis we use much more classical French technique than I typically apply in my home cooking. I thought I would apply some of those ideas towards this asparagus with nori butter, though of course the level of refinement is not as high as what we serve at the restaurant.

I think you will like the nori butter. It brings umami intensity and a slightly sweet funkiness that pairs beautifully with the asparagus.

The garnishes for this dish are nori strips, sesame seeds, Maldon salt, miso-lemon sauce, finely diced lemon zest, and chive tips. Don't feel obligated to make it this complicated at home! You could just as easily toss the asparagus with the nori butter and salt and have a delicious side dish.

You can do all of the prep up to a day in advance, and simply reheat the butter and blanched asparagus when you are ready to serve.

Asparagus with Nori Butter
Serves 4 as a side dish
Vegetarian and gluten-free

6 tablespoons unsalted butter1 sheet of nori seaweed
24 stems of beautiful medium thick asparagus1 lemon 1/3 cup white miso2 tablespoons mirinMaldon or other flaky salttoasted sesame seeds24 chive tipsthin nori strips, which you can buy separately or cut with scissors from a sheetBring a pot of well salted water to a boil and set up a ice bath.Melt the butter in a small skillet. Tear the nori sheet into rough pieces and infuse over very low heat for five minutes. Allow to rest 15 more minutes, then strain through a fine mesh.Juice half the lemon and reserve. Cut the juice half in half again, squish flat on your cutting board, and carefully remove all of the white pith, leaving only yellow skin. Square this piece off.Blanch the lemon skin in the boiling water for 30 seconds, shock in the ice bath and drain on paper towels. Cut first into 1/16" strips (fine juliene) and then into 1/16" squares (brunoise).Cut the asparagus to uniform length and use a paring knife to remove all the little random leaves that aren't part of the main tip. Blanch the asparagus until crisp-tender and bright green. The tip of a knife should go in easily but offer a hint of resistance. Shock in the ice water, drain, and reserve.Whisk together the miso, mirin and juice of 1/2 lemon. Aim for a consistency where you can make a dot of sauce on a plate and it will stand up. Put in a squeeze bottle.At this point you can reserve everything for up to 1 day.When you are ready to serve, have 4 hot plates waiting, and set an oven or toaster oven to 500 degrees. Melt the nori butter. Bring the miso sauce back to room temperatute. Brush the asparagus with the nori butter. Reheat the asparagus (this should just take about 3 minutes).To plate, arrange the asparagus in a neat row. Drizzle on more of the nori butter. Add neat lines of nori strips and sesame seeds. Make 6 dots of the miso sauce and top each one with a chive tip. Randomly place bits of blanched lemon zest. Sprinkle liberally with the Maldon salt and serve. Find related articles in: Appetizers

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms - Recipe

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms

Have you ever noticed how mushrooms cut thickly and browned are a completely different experience to eat than when sliced thin and sauteed as normal? Instead of cooking all of the water out of them, the surface simply gets seared and the interior retains a chewy texture. Delicious.

For today's dish, I paired those mushrooms with French green lentils, seasoned with olive oil, sherry vinegar and smoked paprika for a Spanish accent. You can use lentils de puy, or the black Beluga lentils as well. Just don't use standard big green or brown lentils. They will turn to mush.

The lentils are garnished with a little salad of cherry tomatoes and basil. Especially with earthy, brown plates, I love to finish with something bright and fresh to add a little visual interest and lighten the flavors.

With just a good baguette this would make a nice light and healthy meal, or a smaller portion could be the first course of something more elaborate.

Spanish Lentils and Mushrooms
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves 4-6

1 small white onion, finely diced3 cloves garlic, finely dicedextra virgin olive oil2 cups French green lentils, picked over and washed1 teaspoon smoked paprika (such as pimenton dulce)saltsherry vinegar1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered lengthwise16 cherry tomatoes, halved6 big leaves of basil, chiffonadeblack pepperIn a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic with a good glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the lentils and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender. Add the smoked paprika. Season with salt, sherry vinegar, and more smoked paprika to taste. I like there to be just an edge of vinegary sourness without it being overpowering.Meanwhile, In a very hot saute pan, fry the mushrooms with another glug of olive oil, turning occasionally. Try to get them to brown well on most sides. Season with salt.Toss the cherry tomatoes and basil with a little olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt.To serve, divide the lentils into bowls. Top with the mushrooms, and top that with the salad. Give the whole thing a grind of black pepper and maybe another little dusting of smoked paprika

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Favorite Cookbooks: Rachel Cole

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I've been looking forward to running this list for quite some time. Rachel and I met a few years back when she was working toward her Master's degree in Holistic Health Education. At the time she was interested in learning about some of the work I was doing, and I was happy to let her help me as she worked toward her degree.

Let me start by saying, Rachel is no slouch. She's involved in a wide range of things, but I'd say the over-arching thread that seems to run through much of what she does is planning events that bring people to the table to reconnect with food, themselves, and each other. She's the program director of 18 Reasons, Bi-Rite Market's not-for-profit community center focused on engaging San Francisco residents through art and food. She created Edible San Francisco Magazine's Edible Pursuit (which was a total blast, btw). And (way back) formed a community potluck series, called Grub, which inspired people of all ages to get back into the kitchen and break bread with their neighbors.

Thanks for taking the time to share this list Rachel, I'm looking forward to attending a good number of your events this year :)

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Chocolate Puddle Cookies

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I came across a cookie when I visited Portland a couple years back. It was a crackle-edged puddle of chocolate with a texture that made me think of a collision between soft meringue and a fudgy brownie. I kid you not, love is not too strong a word to use here. I fell hard for this cookie.

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Kabocha French Lentil Soup

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Last weekend Heather (my sis) and I waited for a break in the rain, loaded little Jack into the stroller, and headed toward the Mission district. We made lots of stops along the way - coffee, lunch, and The Curiosity Shoppe included.

The Curiosity Shoppe always has all sorts of neat things in stock. This time I came across a really sweet, unassuming cookbook titled SoupLove. It's by chef Rebecca Stevens, just 30 pages in length, single color, and features twelve simple, seasonal soup recipes including this . The illustrations by Nabil Samadani send the charm factor to a ten.

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Roasted Delicata Squash Salad

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I have Molly Watson to thank for the inspiration here. A while back she posted a recipe featuring a miso-harissa slathered roasted delicata squash. Quite frankly, a combination of ingredients that had never crossed my mind. Building on her idea, I decided to do a roasted squash salad of sorts. I used the pretty, scalloped-edged cross-cuts of the delicata squash, a few small potatoes, chopped kale, radishes, Marcona almonds - and her miso/harissa idea. You know it was good, right? It really was. The flavor was bold and vibrant and it was a breeze to make - no need to peel this type of squash. The vibrant yellow-rimmed slices along with pink-skinned radishes and flecks of green kale were a nice way to bring some color to the winter table.

I suspect you could do endless riffs on this depending on what you have on hand, or what is in season. I hapened to grab for the kale to get some green in the mix, and the nuts for their texture and crunch, but feel free to play around with general idea.

Thank you Molly for the inspiration, lunch is on me next week ;)...

Miso Harissa Delicata Squash

1/2 pound / 8 oz / 230 g small fingerling potatoes, washed and dried

3/4 pound / 12 oz / 340 g delicata squash
1/4 cup / 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
scant 1/4 cup / 50 ml white miso
scant 1 tablespoon harissa paste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 ounce / 45 g kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped

4 radishes, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces / 45g Marcona almonds, toasted pepitas, or other toasted nuts

Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C degrees. If the potatoes aren't tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb. Cut the delicata squash in half length-wise, and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch wide half-moons. You can leave the peel on these squash.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, miso, harissa. Place the potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 1/3 cup / 80 ml of the miso-harissa oil. Use your hands to toss well, then turn everything out onto a baking sheet. Bake until everything is baked through and browned, about 25-30 minutes. Toss once or twice along the way after things start to brown a bit. Keep an eye on things though, you can go from browned to burned in a flash.

In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-harissa oil. Taste, it should be intensely flavorful, but if yours is too spicy or salty, you can dilute it with a bit more olive oil or lemon juice. Stir the kale into the leftover dressing and set aside.

Place the warm roasted vegetables in a bowl and toss with the kale mixture, radishes, and almonds.

Serves 2 to 4.

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SNE: The Manuscript

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I thought I'd take some time to write about Super Natural Every Day. The manuscript and photography are due this summer so why not wipe the spelt flour off my cheek, let the quinoa simmer on its own for a bit, and share a bit about how I'm working toward that not-so-far-off date?

I'll start by telling you about my creative process, which, in a broad sense, starts by collecting things that inspire me. I keep all sorts of scraps, notebooks, photos and random text files around. They live in drawers, on desktops, some are paper, others are digital. Thoughts and inspirations set aside for later, someday, next year. Occasionally, I'll cluster a few of these things together if there is some sort of connection that strikes me as interesting. If I'm really excited about something, that particular cluster might end up in an envelope or folder.

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Figgy Buckwheat Scones

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I've been waiting for months to write this post. The better part of a year, even. I'm positively itching to share this with you, so here we go. Late last summer (the lovely, gracious, talented) Luisa Weiss let me spend some time with the proofs of a baking book she was working on. She said she thought I'd like it. Which, it tuns out, was a dramatic understatement. The book she shared with me, Good to the Grain, is about baking with whole grain flours. It was written by Kim Boyce, and photographed by Quentin Bacon.

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Coconut Red Lentil Soup

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Two of my favorite neighbors hosted a soup party the other night. It was an inspiring affair - winter night, big pots of simmering soups and stews, house full of chatty, friendly people. Part of what I liked was the simple premise. The hosts (David & Holly) made a number of soups, guests were asked to arrive with their drink of choice and one thing to share - salad, appetizer, or something sweet. One of the vegetarian soups was a beautiful shade of yellow-orange. The color I see when I close my eyes and turn my face toward the sun. It was a light-bodied, curry-spiced coconut broth thickened with cooked red lentils and structured with yellow split peas. When I asked Holly to tell me about it, she mentioned it was based on an Ayurvedic dal recipe in the Esalen Cookbook, a favorite of hers. She happened to have an extra copy of the Esalen book, and sent me home with my belly full, a new cookbook tucked under my arm, and a few suggestions related to the soup.

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Saffron Pasta Salad

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Wayne had a meeting near St. Helena a while back. It's about 2 hours north of San Francisco, and as he was walking out the door I decided I'd hop in the car too. The drive is nice. Particularly if you sneak off the main roads. Yellow swatches of mustard buffer the vineyards, and wildflowers seemed to be coming out of their winter slumber here and there. After a quick stop at Bouchon Bakery, we arrived in St. Helena late in the afternoon. There are many ways to spend two hours on a drizzly day in that part of the world and I entertained myself by taking pictures, browsing shops, and sipping hot coffee. Today's recipe was inspired by a little book I picked up for $5 in a second-hand bookstore. A first edition copy of Diane Worthington's The Taste of Summer had a recipe for a pasta salad dressed with a saffron vinaigrette that caught my attention. I held off on making it until asparagus started showing up in the markets here, and it was well worth the wait.

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Review: Baked Bananas with Tamarind Sauce

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Tamarind is one of my favorite fruits. Not too many people are familiar wit it or use it, but it is quite handy.

It is very sour and usually will be found sweetened. People of India and Indonesia add chili pepper or cayenne with it, making it sweet yet hot. We enjoyed this recipe from recipezaar last weekend. It only took a little adaptation to be vegan using vegan margarine rather than butter. I did add cayenne to the sauce as well.

Hummus with Green Goo

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Twin Peaks are two of the most impressive hills in a city filled with impressive hills. They top out just shy of 1000 feet, and from the primary outlook you see two signature red-orange towers to the north, the tightly clustered high-rise buildings downtown, streaks of candy-colored Victorians, and a maze of streets that criss and cross the city. The whole scene is framed by the formidable bay, and if you turn your head along its path from the west you see it squeeze between Marin and San Francisco, around the tip of the peninsula, then south, south, south toward the airport and beyond. On a clear day, that is.

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Favorite Recipes for Spring Celebrations

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The spring holidays come early this year, at the beginning of April. Many places have not warmed up enough for a bounty of fresh garden vegetables, but we have managed to make some very tasty recipes with vegetables that can be found. After a long winter, we seem to look for colorful foods and recipes that are full of flavors. We hope you find something to your taste in these suggestions.

AppetizersRhubarb between melon ballsSpinach PiesApricots Filled with Almond and Cranberry Soy RicottaLentil Croquettes with Mango Jalapeno ChutneySoupsArmenian apricot and lentil soupYellow pepper soupCoral cauliflower soupMain mealsBeet, pineapple and tofu risottoAsparagus ravioli with creamy lemon sage sauceVegan Mushroom StroganoffVegan paellaSide dishesWhite asparagus with sweet mustard sauce and chive blossomsCeltic mash with carrots and parsnipFresh favas & fennel sauteSaladsStrawberry and spinach saladCauliflower Carrot SaladKohlrabi Waldorf saladSunshine quinoa saladWarm asparagus and avocado saladBread and muffinsLemon MuffinsTiny Mushroom-Potato MuffinsPolenta waffles with mixed berry sauceOrange waffles with orange sauceSweets and dessertsVegan Key Lime TartletesCreamy Strawberries ForeverVery berry fruit parfaitPineapple Rhubarb Pie with Streusel ToppingFresh Strawberry pieBookmark to:

Lucia Muffins

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Some of you aren't going to like these muffins, I just know it. But a number of you are going to love them. So, non-traditional muffin fans? These are for you. At a glance they look like cornbread muffins, but aren't. Far from it, in fact. These muffins are saffron-smacked and riddled with golden raisins, buttermilk battered and barely sweet. Said another way, Lucia buns reinterpreted as muffins. If you love saffron give them a try. And come to think if it, like cornbread, they might make an interesting ingredient in a stuffing, or panzanella.

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Spicy Pumpkin Soup

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This is one of our favorite soups. The grainy brown mustard is not as a strong a flavor as the yellow Dijon mustard. It is mild and almost sweet and nutty in it’s flavor.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1 (200 grams) fresh pumpkin, de-seeded and cut into bite sized pieces1 potato, peeled and cubed1 med. onion, chopped1 clove garlic, minced1 tbs. oil2 cups vegetable bouillon75 grams soy cream (optional)2-3 tablespoons mustard (brown grainy variety)sugarcinnamonsalt and pepper to tasteradish chips to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large pot, saute the onion in the oil, add the garlic, pumpkin pieces and potato.Pour the vegetable broth over and cook until all the ingredients are soft.Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or a food processor.Puree.Add the mustard, salt, pepper and blend until smooth.I would suggest that you taste it now. We find that it is so lovely at this stage that we would not want to add any kind of cream.Season to taste with a pinch of sugar, a bit more salt if you want or perhaps a little bit more mustard.If you are serving this for the holidays, you could consider thinning the soup with a bit of white wine or dry vermouth. But honestly, we enjoy this lovely spicy pumpkin flavor so much, I wouldn’t want to detract from it.Optionally garnish with radish chips.

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

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I've been going back and forth about what to call these. Brownies that have the texture of a fallen chocolate souffle cake. Dense, ooey-gooey chocolate-y on the inside, well-set around the edges - you know the cakes. I thought I'd try to work soufflé into the title, but at the same time, these brownies are completely packed with boozy, port-soaked dried cherries, and doesn't that warrant a mention? I like recipe names to be short enough that the titles don't wrap (when possible), so that was a consideration as well. Port Souffle Brownies? Boozy Brownies? I settled on (small yawn) and made a batch of them for my sister and brother-in-law. They spent last Saturday working on a Habitat for Humanity project, and early that morning I traded a plate of the brownies for an adorable 1-year old, who spent the day with us.

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Review: Sweet Potato Biscuits

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These were a nice change to our usual “All American Biscuits”. Sunday morning breakfasts are a lovely tradition to enjoy the morning at your leisure. Baking powder biscuits are easy to make and don’t take a lot of time, to rise or cook so they are a favorite at our house.

We came across this nice recipe for sweet potato biscuits and really enjoyed them this morning. There are sweet versions or savory. We prefer this one which was savory.

Multigrain Waffles

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I've been playing around with multigrain flour blends lately. In part, inspired by Kim Boyce's book, in part to rid my refrigerator of endless bags and jars of flours. I mixed up a batch of these waffles last weekend for a Saturday breakfast - well worth the effort it took to dust off the waffle maker. Poppyseed-flecked and made with a blend of barley, oat, and rye flours, these are buttermilk-moist with a golden crust and a hint of tanginess.

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Coconut Cake with Rhubarb

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The first rhubarb of spring, light pink in color from being grown in the dark. It brought a lovely tart flavor to the sweet coconut cake.

Serving Size: 6

Yield: 1 sheet cake

Ingredients:

for the cake:

3 long stalks of rhubarb4 ounces silken tofu1 cup coconut milk1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes1 capful vanilla extract1 capful coconut flavor or almond1&1/4 cups sugar1/2 cup light vegetable oil3/4 teaspoons baking powder3/4 teaspoons baking soda2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flourpinch saltpowdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.Spray a baking sheet with sides or large casserole dish with oil.Line the dish or sheet with baking parchment.Clean and slice the rhubarb to lengths that will fit in the dish or on the baking sheet.Measure the tofu and puree.Add coconut milk and oil and mix.Add the sugar coconut flakes and flavorings.In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix. I use a spoon as it goes quickly and is not stiff or difficult to do.Pour the batter onto the cookie sheet or in the baking dish.Lay the slices of rhubarb on top of the cake.Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until golden on the top.Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the baking dish.

Optionally serve rhubarb compote and soy mascarpone on the side.

To make the soy mascarpone:

Mix 1 tablespoon of raw cashew butter to 3 tablespoons of plain soy yogurt.Optionally add a splash of lemon juice, some vanilla extract or if desired, a bit of powdered sugar.

To make the rhubarb compote:

Slice 1 cup of rhubarb pieces.Add 1/4 cup of sugar to 1/4 cup waterOptionally add a pinch of ginger.Place all in a small sauce pan and simmer lightly until the rhubarb has become soft.

Notes:

We enjoyed this tasty cake served with a dollop of vegan mascarpone and fresh rhubarb compote. I used a large glass casserole dish for this, and as a result the cake was a bit thicker than I wanted. Next time I will make it as a sheet cake.

Carrot and Potato Soup

The soup reminds me my mother in law, she is from Poland, and cooks the best soup ever, I used to have to everyday and never got bored. What a pity, I never got the recipes from her (she doesn’t speak English, and I don’t speak Polish)

Ingredients

1 carrot

Cube of vegetable stock

1 potato

1 small onion cut up small

1 pint of water

a little butter

pepper and salt to taste

Cook the vegetables in the water till quite tender, rub them through a sieve, adding a little water if necessary; return to saucepan, add seasoning and butter, boil up and serve.

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Rationale Why Vegetarians Are Able to Change Their Lifestyle

Many people find it astonishing as to how vegetarians are able to adapt an entirely different lifestyle. Of course, there is no single answer to this question since vegetarians choose to make this switch for quite a number of reasons. However, a vast majority of vegetarians state that they choose to make this switch for at least one of three reasons.

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Chopped Salad - Revisiting A Classic Recipe

Chopped salad, ready to be dressed and tossed

Chopped salad is just exactly what it sounds like: a salad whose ingredients have all been cut down to a fairly uniform size, around 1/2" cubes. It works well as a side dish and it shines as one of the all time great entree salads when you want a lighter meal. It is easy to eat because the diner doesn't have to take anything apart with a knife, which makes it particularly good for a dinner party.

The classic leaf for a chopped salad is romaine lettuce hearts. You can use some of the dark greens as well, but the ribs provide the structure that keeps the salad in cubes with some airspace, instead of collapsing into a mass of slimy leaves. A fantastic way to cut romaine is to make some lengthwise incisions, leaving the base intact, before cutting across the leaves at 1/2" intervals. Three of these lengthwise cuts is great for a normal salad, but for a chopped salad try five.

As with any salad, the lettuce must be scrupulously, absolutely dry. If you don't have a great salad spinner, I highly recommend this one from OXO Good Grips; it works like a champ.

If you go to a restaurant that specialized in chopped salads, you might see it made by putting all the ingredients on a single cutting board and rapidly Benihana-ing them with multiple knives. That makes a good show but isn't a very practical technique at home. I like to do each ingredient individually for maximum control. Even the chickpeas get a once over though, to create the chopped texture.

Beyond the romaine, you can chose just about any other salad ingredients that play well together. I've suggested one grouping below, but feel free to make up your own. I particularly like to include rather large amounts of fresh herbs such as mint.

If it is more convenient, you can make part of this salad several hours in advance. Bell peppers, cucumbers, olives, chickpeas and so forth can all be cubed and refrigerated until gametime. The lettuce can be washed, cut, and spun dry about an hour ahead and put back in the fridge to chill and remove the last bit of moisture in a low humidity environment. Just don't weight it down with the other ingredients, or god forbid, dress it, until the last minute.

Here's the version I happened to serve today; don't hesitate to change it to suit your mood, menu or produce bin.

Chopped Salad
Vegetarian and gluten-free; vegan if you don't use cheese
Serves 4

2/3 cup cooked chickpeas, roughly chopped1/2 English cucumber, 1/2" cubes1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped1/4 cup sweet onion, minced1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper, small dice2 green onions, 1/4" lengths1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled3 romaine lettuce hearts, cut as described above1 handful mint leaves, roughly torndressing of your choice; this lemon-mustard vinaigrette is a fine choice

 

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Enter to Win an OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, and Everyone Gets A Coupon

I absolutely hate eating salads that are still wet. The dressing won't cling. And it is such a simple problem to solve if you have the right tool.

In my last post about chopped salad, I was going on about how much I love my OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner. Well, the good folks over at OpenSky, where I have my store, offered to give one away (valued at $27) to a lucky reader. And everyone who enters gets a coupon for 10% off anything in my store, good for one week.

I just love this salad spinner because it does a great job drying lettuce and it is built to last. I've used it at least 3 times a week for 5 years or more and it is as good as new.

Here's a tip: you can wash your lettuce in the bottom bowl, then pour it through the sieve section to do the initial draining. Then put the sieve back in the bowl and spin. Give the big pushbutton a couple really firm shoves to rev it up and the drum will spin by itself for quite awhile. Like any salad spinner, you'll get better results if you don't overload it.

Click on over and enter for a chance to win.

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Vegetarian Jap Chae - A Guest Recipe by Alice of Savory Sweet Life

Today's post is by my friend Alice of Savory Sweet Life. Alice's blog is a celebration of everyday cooking and baking. Her food shows that delicious, beautiful, homemade meals are within the reach of busy families. Today she shares with us a vegetarian version of japchae, a Korean glass-noodle stir fry she has enjoyed since she was a child.