Vanilla frozen dessert with cherries, walnuts and maple syrup

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What makes this dessert (or breakfast) more fun and more clean-up is the wholly unnecessary use of the piping bag for visual effect. But some things just aren’t as nice with a spoon. Carefully rolled parchment paper or a plastic storage bag with a trimmed corner make good, make-shift piping bags if you don’t need the refinement a tip provides.

Ingredients

1T maple syrup, divided
1/2 cup frozen cherries, divided
A pinch coarse sea salt
1T walnuts, chopped
3 medium frozen bananas (about 2 cups)
1/2t vanilla extract

Optional: 1t powdered maca and/or a little shaved chocolate for garnish.

Directions

Finely chop half of the cherries.
Toss the cherries, 1/2T maple syrup, sea salt and all but about 1t of the walnuts.
Let stand about 5 minutes at room temperature.
Puree the bananas, vanilla and 1/2T maple syrup until quite smooth. Add the maca if you’ll be including it.
Using a piping bag (I use it without a tip for this), pipe the banana mixture into an appropriate glass into the design of your choice, narrowing about an inch or in from the sides around the top for the cherries and walnuts.
Add the cherries and walnuts and drizzle with the maple syrup.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining walnuts and serve.

Crispy, maple and red Thai chili-glazed, white miso and sesame seitan with roasted Brussels sprouts and millet, artichoke mash

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Baking gives seitan a denser, chewier texture well
suited to this dish.

Ingredients

For the seitan
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten
A pinch coarse sea salt
2T tamari
2T sesame seed butter (not the same as tahini)
1t white miso
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
2t cooking oil, divided

For the glaze
1T maple syrup
2t red Tha chili paste (or similar and/or to taste)
Coarse sea salt to taste

For the sprouts and carrots
8 small heirloom carrots, trimmed
12 small small Brussels sprouts, halved
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T olive oil
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the millet, artichoke mash
1 1/2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup millet
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2T nutritional yeast
1T lemon juice
1t prepared brown mustard
1 scallion, minced
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1T heaping sesame seed butter
1t dried sumac
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

First, start the seitan, then the millet, and finally the
roasted vegetables.
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Combine the gluten and salt. Combine the remaining ingredients, ensuring the sesame and miso are both well dissolved with the water and tamari.
Combine the wet with the dry, and mix until a smooth dough forms.
Knead the dough for several minutes, twisting and
palming to stretch the gluten.
Lighlty oil two sheets of aluminum foil with 1t cooking and wrap the seitan securely.
Bake for 40 minutes on the middle rack, turning once.
While the seitan bakes, at the 20 minute mark, start the millet.
In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a boil.
Add the millet, cover, reduce temperature to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
A the 40 minute mark, remove from the seitan oven and let rest 10 minutes.
While the seitan rests, make the sprouts and carrots.
Increase heat to 450F.
Toss the carrots and Brussels sprouts with the oil and sea salt.
In a lightly oiled baking sheet, roast for 10 minutes, and then turn the sprouts and carrots.
The millet should be done around this time.
Remove from heat, and let the millet fluff covered in the pan for 5 minutes.
Glaze the seitan and add to the baking sheet.
Roast for 10 -15 minutes. or until the seitan in a nice golden red to brown. Ovens vary; use the colour as a guide.
While the seitan finishes, mash the millet.
With a food processor or immersion blender, puree the cooked millet with its remaining ingredients except the sumac until smooth.
Set aside to cool and setup.
Remove from the sprouts, carrots and seitan from the oven and let cool 5 minutes.
Season each component to taste, plate the millet with a sprinkle of sumac and serve.

 

 

Blueberry frozen dessert with lime and maple accented ginger sesame sauce

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A little sweet, a little sour, a little spicy.

Ingredients

For the blueberries
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 medium frozen banana (about 3/4 cups)
1T maple syrup (or to taste)
1/4t vanilla extract

Option: 1t powdered maca

For the sesame ginger sauce
2t sesame seed butter
1t lime juice
1T warm water
1/4t fresh grated ginger (or to taste)
1T maple syrup
A pinch coarse sea salt

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients for the sesame ginger sauce until smooth and thick. Let stand 15 minutes.
Puree the blueberries, banana, vanilla, and maple syrup until smooth. Add the maca if you’ll be using it. Season to taste.
Spoon out the blueberries into an appropriate dish, spoon the sesame ginger sauce on top and enjoy.

Chocolate amaranth pudding, red pear and walnut cream and sweet black cherries

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A simple, very nutrient dense pudding — a healthy dessert or a rich breakfast.

Ingredients

For the amaranth
1 1/2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup dried white amaranth
1/4 cup cocoa (I use a fair-trade, Dutch-processed brand)
1/4 cup agave (or to taste)
1T cashew butter
Coarse sea salt to taste

For the garnish
1 red pear
2T chopped walnuts
1T lemon juice
1T agave nectar
1 cup dark cherries
1/4t coarse sea salt

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a light boil.
Add the amaranth, cover and simmer on low approximately 25 minutes, until the amaranth is thick, stirring occasionally.
Remove from head, add the cocoa, agave, and cashew butter.
Whisk to combine, season to taste and transfer to small glasses.
Chill uncovered for 20 minutes, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
Core and chop the pear.
Puree the pear with the walnuts, lemon juice, and agave until thickened.
Spoon the pear and walnut sauce over the top of the amaranth.
Garnish each with 1/2 cup of cherries tossed in the remaining sea salt.

 

 

White corn grits with smokey maple, tamari coconut, black beluga lentils, and baby greens

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Heirloom tomatoes, nutritional yeast, sumac, purple dulse, and nori flakes add some additional colour and flavour to a traditional breakfast dish.

Ingredients

For the lentils
2/3 cups water
1/4 cup black beluga lentils
1 sprig dried kombu (about 1″)
1/2T olive oil
1T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the grits
1 1/2 cups of boiling water
1/2t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup white corn grits (grits are treated corn meal)
1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
1T olive oil (use sesame seed butter as a flavourful alternative)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced (4″ green reserved for garnish)
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 2T water
2T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the coconut
2T coconut flakes
2t maple syrup
1T tamari
A dash liquid smoke
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
3-5 heirloom grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby greens (I use a mix of baby spinach and baby kale)
1T nutritional yeast
Scallion green sliced at an angle (as noted above)
A good pinch each: dried ground sumac, purple dulse flakes, and nori flakes.

Start lentils, then the grits, then the coconut. In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil. Add the lentils and kombu, cover and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. When done, drain the lentils, remove the kombu, and rinse. Set aside until you’re ready to plate.

While the lentils cook, make the grits. In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil. Add the grits slowly, whisking as you go. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook for roughly 20 – 30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. The grits will be done when they’re quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cooking time varies by pan and grind — use the consistency of the grits to determine when they’re done. When the grits are done, add the garlic, scallion, olive oil, and soy milk. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes on low. Stirring continuously, add the tapioca mixture until thickened. Remove from heat, add the nutritional yeast, and stir to combine.

With grits and the lentils well underway, make the coconut. Preheat the oven to 350F. Toss the coconut in the other ingredients until well-coated. Arrange the coconut in a a small glass or ceramic baking dish in an even layer. Bake on the middle rack until brown, about 10-12 minutes, stirring here and there. Ovens vary; use the color and dryness as a guide and be careful not to overcook.

When everything is ready, toss the black lentils with the oil, and nutritional yeast. Season the lentils and grits to taste. Spoon half of the grits onto the plate in a circle, thinner in the middle than at the sides. Sprinkle with the sumac, nutritional yeast, nori and dulse around the edges. Add half of the black lentils a couple of tablespoons at a time, layering half the baby greens in between tablespoons of lentils. Add a sprinkle of coconut to the top. Add half the sliced tomato around the sides. Repeat for the second portion and serve.

Fresh, handmade brown rice fettuccine with kale, red peppers, and raisins

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A simple, gluten free pasta with good body and chew tossed in a light oil and garlic sauce with sauteed vegetables. This makes a reasonably sized serving for one; the recipe easily doubles.

Ingredients

For the noodles
1/2 cup scant brown rice flour
1/2 cup scant tapioca flour
2T masa harina (corn flour)
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup boiling water
2T nutritional yeast
2 liters water with 1T coarse sea salt

For the sauce
1T olive oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 scallion (2″ green reserved for garnish)
1/2t dried basil, rubbed
1/2t dried oregano, rubbed
1/4t dried thyme, rubbed
1T fresh garlic, minced
1 cup green kale, stemmed and chopped
1/2 cup diced red pepper (about half a small red pepper)
1T sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (the dehydrated kind, not the kind packed in oil)
1T raisins
1/2T lenon juice
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
2 heirloom grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
Scallion green as above, sliced on an angle

Directions

Mix the flours for the pasta with the course sea salt. Whisking as you pour, add the boiling water. Be careful; it will be quite hot, but keep mixing. This will result in a crumbly dough. That’s fine — it will continue to absorb flour.

Turn the dough out onto a cutting board, and as soon as its cool enough for you to do so, knead as you would a regular dough until all the flour is absorbed and you have a smooth, pliable dough. Let rest 2 minutes. Roll out on a floured board to 1/8″ thick, trying to make the dough rectangular as possible (about 12″ long).

In a large pot, bring the 2 liters water to a light simmer with the 1T coarse sea salt. Trim the ends of the dough and slice the noodles in 1/4″ wide, long rectangular strips. Use a pasta/pastry cutter for best effect.

When the noodles are cut, add them to the simmering water and cook lightly for about 2 minutes or until they start to float. Don’t overcook and don’t boil. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Let stand 15 minutes to cool and dry. Rinse with a little cold water every few minutes to avoid sticking while you make the sauce.

In a frying pan, bring the oil to heat with the sea salt on medium high. Add the scallion and herbs and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the kale, peppers, raisins and sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 5-7 minutes (until the kale has softened). When the pan starts to brown, deglaze with the lemon juice and remove from heat. Season to taste.

When the sauce is ready, rinse the pasta with hot water to warm and drain. Toss the pasta with 2T nutritional yeast. Plate and add the sauce. Toss the pasta gently with the sauce, add the sliced heirloom tomatoes and scallions. Season to taste and serve.

Vanilla frozen dessert with salted whiskey, coffee and cashew fudge sauce

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Ingredients

1/4 cup whiskey (traditionally Irish — I used bourbon)*
1T coconut sugar
1 shot espresso (short)
1T cashew butter
1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
A pinch coarse sea salt
2 large frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4t vanilla extract
1/4 cup frozen cherries

Optional: 1t maca powder

Directions

In a small sauce pan with the lid handy, bring the whiskey to a light boil on medium high heat. Add the sugar and stir. Simmer for about 30 seconds, and then — carefully — light the pan. If the fire is too high, put the lid on. Otherwise, it should burn off the alcohol and caramelize the sugar a bit.

Reduce heat to medium low. Let the whiskey simmer and reduce to about 2T, add the espresso and the cashew butter. Stir to thoroughly dissolve the cashew butter, and then slowly whisk in the plant milk and sea salt. It should emulsify quickly into a thick, fluffy cream. If the mixture is too thick, add a more plant milk. If it seems thin, ensure the cashew butter is thoroughly dissolved. Chill if necessary.

Puree the banana with the vanilla until smooth. If using the maca, puree it with the banana. Spoon out the banana into an appropriate dish, garnish with the cream and the cherries and serve.

*The quality of the whiskey makes a difference to this dish. Also, it’s rare, but some whiskeys are still produced using animal products.

Garnished with cherries!

Hand-rolled, gluten free (oat) gemelli pasta in a roasted red pepper sauce

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The combination of oat and tapioca make for a nice, chewy pasta, and the gemelli provide a lot of ridging to hold onto the rich sauce. The cremini mushrooms, artichokes, and spinach add flavour, colour and nutrition. The recipe easily doubles.

Ingredients

For the sauce
1 large red pepper
1 scallion, minced (reserve 2″ green for garnish)
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1/2t dried oregano, rubbed
1/4t dried thyme, rubbed
4 medium cremini mushrooms (about 50g), coarsely sliced (about 1/4″)
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
1T sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (the dehydrated kind, not the kind packed in oil)
1T nutritional yeast
1/2 cup spinach, coarsely chopped (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the noodles
1/2 cup scant gluten free oat flour*
1/2 cup scant tapioca flour
1T masa harina (corn flour)
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

Start the sauce, then the make pasta. Preheat the oven to 450F (or use the traditional charring method if you have a gas stove). Lightly oil and roast the red pepper and roast until the skin is nicely charred. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the red pepper roast,

start the pasta. Mix the flours for the pasta with the course sea salt. Whisking as you pour, add the boiling water. Be careful; it will be quite hot, but keep mixing. This will result in a crumbly dough. That’s fine — it will continue to absorb flour.

Turn the dough out onto a cutting board, and as soon as its cool enough for you to do so, knead as you would a regular dough until all the flour is absorbed and you have a smooth, pliable dough. Let rest 2 minutes. Roll out on a floured board until in a rectangle until the dough is 1/8″. Slice width-wise in 1/4″ lines. These can be a little larger and thicker than wheat gemelli. They won’t plump as much while cooking.

Roll the pasta on the board (or between your palms), loop in half (end to end), close the ends with a pinch, and then twist by rolling the folded pasta away from you with the right hand and toward you with the left. Be careful, oat flour makes for a more delicate dough. Repeat until all the dough has been rolled. Keep your dough under a warm we cloth while you work if you find it starts to dry out. Once the noodles are rolled, let them stand about 10 minutes to dry.

In a large pan, bring the water and sea salt to a light simmer. Then slice the strands in 1 1/2″ slices to make the gemelli. Add the gemelli to the water and stir lightly.
Simmer the pasta for 2-3 minutes or until the gemelli are floating. Don’t boil and don’t overcook. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Let stand 20 minutes to cool and dry. Rinse with a little cold water every few minutes to avoid sticking while you make the sauce.

In a frying pan with a lid, bring the oil to heat with the sea salt on medium high. Add the scallion and herbs and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Saute for 5-7 minutes until the pan starts to brown. While the mushrooms saute, peel, core, seed, and chop the red pepper. Puree it with the sun-dried tomato. When the pan starts to brown, add the pureed red pepper and deglaze the pan. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 10 minutes.

When the sauce is ready, rinse the pasta with warm water to warm and drain. Add the pasta to the sauce. Add the nutritional yeast and chopped spinach, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish. Stir gently to coat the pasta in the sauce. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes to let the spinach wilt. Season to taste. Plate and garnish with spinach and scallion greens sliced on a diagonal, and serve.

*Oats are naturally gluten free, but there can be issues of cross-contamination during production with flours that contain gluten.

Orange, coffee and black cherry frozen dessert

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Rich colours and flavours; use decaf if you prefer.

Ingredients

A shot of freshly brewed espresso (short), chilled
1-2T marmalade* (depending on how orange you want it)
2 large frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4t vanilla extract
1 cup frozen dark cherries
Sweeten to taste

Option: 1t powdered maca

Directions

Make the espresso and chill in the freezer for 2 minutes.
Puree the banana, vanilla, espresso and marmalade until smooth. Add the maca if you’ll be using it.
Sweeten to taste, and spoon out into an appropriate dish
Puree the cherries until smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you prefer)
Sweeten to taste and top the bananas with the cherries.

*I use an organic brand to ensure the sugar isn’t bleached with animal bone charcoal.

Roasted golden and red beets with mixed baby greens in lime and oil

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A simple, but colorful side salad. The greens shown here are a mix of spinach, chard, bok choy, and kale, but use what you like. Add some black lentils, white beans or chick peas and sun-dried tomatoes or cubed tofu and chopped walnuts for lunch or a light dinner.

Ingredients

For the beets
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 cup golden beets in 1/2″ cubes
1 cup red beets in 1/2″ cubes
2 cups baby greens

For the dressing
1T olive oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
2t lime juice
1T black sesame seeds
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: 1T nutritional yeast

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel and cube the beets, toss them in the cooking oil and sea salt. In a roasting pan, roast the beets for about 20-30 minutes until they are lightly fork tender but still firm, turning periodically.
Ovens vary; use the colour and texture of the beets as a guide. When done, Remove the beets from the oven and let stand to cool about 15 minutes.

When the beets are cool, whisk the olive oil, sea salt and lime juice. Add the beets to the greens in a large bowl.
Dress and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and nutritional yeast if you’ll be using it. Season to taste and serve.