Twice-dressed roasted vegetable, spinach salad

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Potatoes, cubanelle peppers, mushrooms, and pears roasted with scallions, chili and garlic, tossed with sundried tomatoes, nutritional yeast and flax, then tossed with baby spinach in a sesame and tamari balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients

For the roasted vegetables
2 cups potatoes, 1/2″ dice (I use white grelots and quarter them)
2 cubanelle peppers, cored and seed, sliced 1/4″ length-wise
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/4t dried red chilis (or to taste)
1t herbes de Provence (or similar)
2 cups cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
2 bartlett pears, cored, sliced 1/4″ length-wise
1/2T lemon juice
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes rehydrated with 1/4 cup boiling water (use dehydrated, not jarred)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1T milled flax seed
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the spinach
1/2T sesame seed butter
1/2t fresh garlic, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2T balsamic vinegar
1/2T tamari
1/2t prepared brown mustard
2T water
3 cups loose baby spinach
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the ingredients for the roasted vegetables up to and including the lemon juice. Bake on a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet on the middle rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the vegetables are lightly browned and the potatoes are fork tender. Ovens vary; use the texture and colour as a guide.

Around the 40 minute mark, rehydrate the tomatoes and set side. When the vegetables are done, remove from heat, pour the tomatoes and their soaking water over the roasted vegetables. Let stand while you prepare the spinach.

Whisk together the dressing for the spinach adding the ingredients in order. Mix until emulsified (shouldn’t take more than a minute or so). Dress the spinach. Season to taste.

Add the flax seed and nutritional yeast to the roasted vegetables and toss to combine. Season to taste. Toss the roasted vegetables with the spinach, let stand 2 – 3 minutes to wilt the spinach, and then serve.

Coconut milk, white miso panna cotta with blueberries and marmalade candied walnuts

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For the panna cotta:
1, 14 ounce can of coconut milk (unsweetened)
1T (heaping) of white miso
1/4 cup of sugar
1T of agar flakes

I added 1t of lemon juice to mine, but be careful with this. Lemon and lime are hard on the agar’s chemistry.

Bring the coconut milk to a light boil on medium heat
Add the sugar and the miso.
Stir until dissolved (I used an immersion blender).
Add the agar, whisking as you do.
Turn down the pain to medium low.
Let it simmer very lightly for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently until the agar is well dissolved.
Let stand 10 minutes to cool.
Sweeten to taste (it shouldn’t be overly sweet).
Pour into ramekins and cover.
Chill for about 2-4 hours to setup (depending on how cold you keep your refrigerator).

For a simple, non-flambe version of the blueberries:
1 cup of blueberries
1 pinch of sea salt
2-3T of agave nectar (to taste)
1T of water
2t of arrowroot powder

Heat the berries on medium with the salt and 2T of agave nectar in a pan with a lid.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes once they start to release their juices and you have about 1/4 cup of liquid.
Add 1T of water to the pan if the blueberries if you need additional moisture.
Whisk the arrowroot with the water.
Add the arrowroot to the pan to thicken, stirring constantly.
Let the mix stand for 15 to cool.
Add additional agave nectar if you don’t find it sweet enough.
You can then chill it if you prefer you berries cold.

For the walnuts
1/4 cup of walnuts (large pieces preferred)
1T of marmalade (I use seville)
1t of plant-only margarine
1 pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375F
Mix the marmalade, margarine and sea salt.
Mix in the walnuts, coating thoroughly.
Add the walnuts evenly to a lightly greased pan.
Oven roast for about 10 minutes (give or take) until the walnuts are shiny and lightly browned.
Spoon out and let air dry for about 10 minutes.

You could also add ginger or fresh zest to this, but I didn’t have any handy.

 

 

Cauliflower with mushroom and red wine gravy, sauteed artichokes, kale and scallions.

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For the cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
1T of coconut oil
1/2t of coarse sea salt
1 dash of liquid smoke

Stem the cauliflower to remove the leaves and all but the base of the core.
Set the cauliflower up on its stem and cut four slices about 1″ in thickness (with a smaller head, this will likely leave you with two good cuts and a lot of bits and pieces which you can use for other thing).
Preheat your oven to 375F.
In a pan that retains heat well, bring the oil, salt and smoke to heat on high (e.g, an iron frying pan).
Add the cauliflower and reduce to medium high.
Brown on both sides (2-3 minutes each side — be careful not to scorch the cauliflower).
Remove the cauliflower and add to a lightly greased oven pan.
Bake for about 8 minutes each side turning once (it should be firm but chewy — don’t over cook).

For the artichokes
1T of coarse olive oil
1/4t of sea salt
1/2 cup of minced scallion
3/4 of artichoke hearts, quartered
1 cup of chopped kale
1T of white wine, lemon juice or other substitute to deglaze the pan
1T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Bring the oil and salt to heat on medium-high.
Saute the scallions for 2 minutes.
Add the artichokes. Saute for 3 minutes.
Add the kale. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add the wine and deglaze.
Remove from heat.
Toss with the nutritional yeast.

For the gravy
1T of olive oil
1/4t of coarse sea salt
1/2 cup of minced scallions
1T of fresh thyme
1T of minced garlic
1T of other green herbs (or bouquet garni)
1 cup of red wine (burgundy, gamay, pinot noir or similar — it should be fruity with good body)
Optional: 2T of vodka or cognac (if you want to burn off the alcoholl — this also makes for a richer gravy)
1 cup of vegetable stock
2t of arrowroot powder dissolved in 2T of water
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Bring the olive oil and salt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallions and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the thyme, garlic and other herbs saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for about 5-8 minutes until they start to weep.
When the pan has browned a bit, add the wine (and spirits if you’re using them, and then light).
Add the stock.
Reduce on medium-low by about 1/3.
Whisk the arrowroot and water, and then add slowly to the pan stirring continuously until your gravy thickens.
Remove from heat.

Plating
Reserve about 2T of scallion greens thinly sliced on the diagonal and 2-3 stems of thyme for the garnish.

 

 

Portobello mushrooms sauteed with apples, red chili and thyme over a sauce of roasted red pepper, white wine and sumac (served in the photo with roasted Brussels sprouts and white potatoes).

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For the red pepper sauce
2 red peppers
1/4t of coarse sea salt
3T of olive oil (separated)
1T of garlic, minced
1T of sumac
2T of white wine*
1t of lemon juice
1t of agave nectar
1T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste

The wine should either be unfined/unfiltered or filtered without the use of animal products.

Preheat your oven to 450F.
Rub the peppers with oil, and then roast until their peel starts to char (or use the traditional method with a gas stove).
Remove the peppers, let stand to cool, and then peel, core and chop in 1/4″ dice.
Bring 1T of oil to heat on medium-high.
Add the salt and the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add the red peppers and sumac and saute until the pan starts to brown (about 5-7 minutes).
Deglaze with the wine and lemon.
Add the nutritional yeast and agave.
Puree the mixture.
Carefully emulsify the mixture with the remaining 2T of olive oil (add the oil very slowly so that the sauce becomes nice and light).

For the mushrooms and apples
4-6 portobellos, stemmed and sliced in half inch cuts (about 3 loose cups — these will reduce a lot)
1 medium-sized apple, cored and cut into sixteenths
2T of olive oil
1/2t of coarse sea salt
2 scallions, minced (reserve about 2T for garnish)
1T of fresh thyme (reserved 2-3 stalks for garnish)
1T of minced garlic
1t of red chlli paste
1t of prepared mustard
2T of nutritional yeast
1T of lemon juice
1t of tamari
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Bring the oil to heat on medium-high.
Add the salt, the scallions, the garlic and the thyme and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the chili and mustard and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and toss to combine.
Saute the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes (until there’s about 1/4 cup of liquid in the ban).
Add the apples, stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes or so or until the pan is starting to brown.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Remove from heat and deglaze with the lemon and tamari.
Season to taste.

Plating
Plate about 2T of sauce in a shallow, 6″ circle. Add the mushrooms and apples. Garnish with fresh scallion and a sprig or two of thyme.

Whiskey, triple sec and fleur de sel salted butterscotch

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(Plated here with a chocolate cashew and white miso frozen dessert, dark cherries in agave and a little coconut oil, and a ‘cup’ of melted bittersweet, fair trade chocolate).

1T of coconut oil
1T of agave nectar
3/4 cup of whiskey* (scotch is traditional)
1/4 cup of triple sec*
1t of black strap molasses
1t of lemon juice
1/2 cup of unsweetened soy milk
1t of corn starch dissolved with 2t of water
1 good pinch of fleur de sel

In a pot with a lid, warm the coconut oil and add the agave for 3 minutes.
Add the whiskey, triple sec and lemon juice.
Bring to a light boil and let simmer for 2 minutes.
CAREFULLY light the pan (this produces a lot of fire).
Let the alcohol burn off, and use the pot lid to put the fire out if necessary.
Simmer on low until reduced to syrup (about 1/4 cup).
Add the soy milk and molasses.
Simmer on low until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
Add the dissolved corn starch, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens.
Add fleur de sel to taste.

If your soymilk curdles or separate, reduce and then puree before thickening with corn starch.

*It’s rare, but not all whiskey or triple sec is produced without using animal products at various stages of production.

Roasted kale soup with cabbage, scallions and green herbs

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A little diced potato adds some traditional flavor and body to this soup but lengthens the cooking time.

For the soup

1T olive oil
1t coarse sea salt
1T minced garlic
1 scallion, minced (reserve 2-3″ of green for garnish)
1T of fresh dill, stemmed and minced
1T of fresh thyme, stemmed and minced
A dash of liquid smoke
1/4t of black pepper
1 1/2 cups of light vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1 spring of kombu
1 bay leaves
1T of arrowroot powder whisked with 1T of water
1t of coconut oil
1/4t of purple dulse flakes
2T of scallion for garnish

For the kale and cabbage

1 cup of packed kale, finely chopped
1/2 cup of shredded cabbage
1T of olive oil
1/4t of sea salt

Bring the olive oil to head on medium high.
Add the scallions and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic, dill, thyme and smoke and saute for 1 minute.
Add the plant milk and the stock.
Reduce to low and bring to a very low simmer.
Add the bay leaf and the kombu.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 400F.
Toss the kale and cabbage in the oil and salt.
Spread the mixture in an even layer on a small baking sheet.
Roast for about 10-12 minutes, until the kale and cabbage are wilted.
Remove the bay leaf and the kombu from the soup.
Add the kale and cabbage to the soup, and stir to combine.
Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Whisk the arrowroot with the water until dissolved.
Add the arrowroot mixture to the soup, pouring slowly and stirring continuously until thickened.
Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes and bowl.
Garnish with sliced scallions and a pinch of purple dulse flakes.

 

 

Lemon, coconut milk panna cotta with blueberries and a chocolate, teff brownie crust

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Teff is a versatile, nutrient dense cereal grass commonly used in Ethiopian cuisine. If you’ve had injera, you’ve likely had some teff; cooked as a whole grain, it’s also an easy to prepare and flexible alternative to corn meal in many savory, polenta style recipes.

In this application, the grain is cooked whole to give it a soft, chewy cake-like texture. Along with the cocoa powder, the white miso, and the blueberries, it provides a rich but not too sinful dessert. No baking required.

Ingredients

For the teff brownie:
1/4 cup of teff
1 cup of water
3T of cocoa powder
3T of agave nectar
2t of black strap molasses
2T of coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt

For the panna cotta:
1 1/2 cups of coconut milk*
1T of white miso
1T of lemon juice
1T of agar flakes
3T of agave nectar
Pinch of sea salt

For the blueberries:
2 cups of blueberries
2t of lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup of sugar
1T of arrowroot powder dissolved in 1T of cool water***

Instructions

Prepare the teff, the panna cotta and the blueberries in that order.

For the teff, in a pan with a lid, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
Add a pinch of sea salt, the teff, and the coconut oil.
Reduce to very low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly to combine.
Spoon the teff out into a 6″ pie plate (or similar) to cool and smooth with the back of a spoon.
It will be a little gooey and sticky at this point still — that’s expected.
Refrigerate uncovered while you make the panna cotta.

For the panna cotta, bring the coconut milk to a light boil (you won’t need a lid).
Add all of the ingredients and stir thoroughly to combine.
Simmer lightly for 15 – 20 minutes to dissolve the agar.
Aim to reduce the liquid to one heaping cup.
Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.
Pour over the brownie and return to the refrigerator uncovered.

For the blueberries, warm a pan on medium heat.
Add half of the blueberries, lemon juice and sea salt, and stir to combine.
If the blueberries are slow to start, or don’t produce much moisture, add 1 to 2T of water to the pan.
Once the blueberries have started to lose their moisture, add the sugar.
Stir to combine, and cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the remaining blueberries and cook for another 5 minutes.
Whisk the arrowroot with the water.
Add the mixture to the blueberries slowly, stirring continuously until thickened.
The blueberries should be quick thick.
Let stand to cool 5 minutes.
Pour the blueberries over the panna cotta.
Refrigerate for about 15 minutes uncovered.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

*To reduce the amount of fat from the coconut milk substitute a cup of unsweetened soy milk. The result will be lighter but not quite as rich.

**Although manufacturing processes are changing, some commercial table sugars are still filtered/bleached using animal bone charcoal. As a rule, organic sugar, beet sugar and a number of other types are not filtered using this kind of a process at all. Agave and other liquid sweeteners also provide substitutes, although you may need more thickening agent in this recipe.

***You can use corn starch in place of arrowroot powder if that’s what you have on hand. Add the mixture slowly and no need to add the whole amount if you don’t need it.

Dark beer and tomato braised portobello mushrooms with caramelized onions

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Thinly sliced mushrooms in a flavourful, sweet, full-bodied gravy. These goes well with potatoes, pasta, or as a filling for hot sandwiches.

Ingredients

2T cooking oil separated
(2) 1/4t of coarse sea salt
1 medium vidalia onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2t dried, ground cumin
1t dried, ground coriander
2T minced garlic
1t of black strap molasses
4 large portobello mushrooms in 1/3″ slices (about 350g)
1T of lemon juice
1T of tamari
3 medium tomatoes, very ripe, cored and seeded (about 500g)
1 1/2 cups of dark beer*
1 cup of vegetable stock
1T of arrowroot whisked with 2T of cold water
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
About 3-4″ of scallion green for garnish.

Instructions

Core and seed the tomatoes and chop coarsely; then puree them in a high speed blender.
In a large frying pan with a lid, Bring the oil to heat with the sea salt on medium high.
Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the cumin, coriander and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the molasses and stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium low.
Spread the onions evenly in the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently until they have browned.
While the onions caramelize, bring the other 1T of oil and 1/4t of sea salt to heat in a frying pan on medium high.**
Add the portobellos to the pan and saute until the portobellos start to lose their moisture.
Reduce the heat to medium low and saute until the pan starts to brown (about 10 minutes).
Add the lemon juice and tamari to the portobellos and deglaze.
Add the portobellos to the onions once they are ready.
Stir to combine thoroughly and return the pan to medium high heat.
Saute together for about 2 minutes.
Add the pureed tomatoes and stock to the pan.
Stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the beer, stir to combine and cook until the liquid reaches a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until until the sauce is thick and has reduced by two thirds or more (expect at least an hour).

Whisk the arrowroot and the water and add slowly to the pan, stirring
continuously until thickened.
Add the nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Plate and garnish with the scallion.

*The quality of the beer is very important to this recipe. Pick a well-balanced one. I use dunkel for the malt flavour. Also, it’s uncommon, but some beers are still filtered using isinglass and other animal products.
Be sure to check!

**Unless you have an enormous frying pan, if you fry the portobellos with the onions in the same pan, you’ll overload it. Your portobellos won’t be quite as soft or rich, but they should still be good and everything will taste fine. You can also try slow cooking the ingredients together if you prefer not to have multiple pans on the go.

Shredded cabbage with red pepper, tomatoes and dill

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Ingredients
3T of cooking oil (reserve 1-2t for the peppers)
1/2t of coarse sea salt (divided in equal parts)
2 large tomatoes (about 1/4 to 1/2 pound)
1 large red pepper
2 scallions, minced
1T of garlic
1T of fresh dill, minced
2 cups of cabbage, shredded (I use coleslaw mix)
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Lightly oil the peppers and then oven grill until lightly charred (or use the traditional stove top method if you have a gas stove).
Let stand to cool about 15 minutes, peel, cored, seed, and chop.
Core and seed the tomatoes.
Puree the tomatoes with the red pepper with 1/4t of the sea salt in a high speed blender until smooth.
Set aside.
Bring the oil and remaining sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the garlic and the dill, and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the cabbage and saute for another 10-12 minutes or until the cabbage has wilted lightly and pan starts to brown.
Add the pureed tomatoes and red pepper to deglaze.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is somewhat thick (about 10-15 minutes).
Remove from heat and add the nutritional yeast, stirring to combine.
Let stand to cool 10 minutes, season to taste and serve.

Polenta fries with tomato basil aïoli

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A nice alternative to deep frying, the corn meal crisps up quite nicely. Replace the corn meal with whole grain teff for quicker, more nutrient dense versions (simmer for only 20 minutes).

Ingredients

For the polenta
1 1/2 cups of boiling water
1/2t of coarse sea salt
1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
2T of unsweetened soy milk
2T of olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer)
1T of garlic, minced
1/4t of dried ground turmeric
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the aïoli

1/4 cup of unsweetened soy milk
1t of lemon juice
1T of sesame seed butter
1T of garlic, minced
1T of fresh basil, minced
2t of tomato passata (or pureed tomatoes if that’s what you have)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the aïoli.

Bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Add the corn meal slowly, stirring as you go.
Reduce heat to low and cook for roughly 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Stir thoroughly to combine.
Let stand five minutes to cool.
Spoon the polenta into a lightly oiled (or nonstick) 3″x9″ baking dish, and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 30 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Carefully turn out the polenta, cut into twelve slices.
Generously oil a cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little corn meal.
Add the polenta and bake turning every 8-10 minutes or so for about 30-40 minutes — until the fries start to lightly brown and the outside is lightly crisp, Ovens vary. Use the texture and colour as a guide.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, and serve with the aïoli.

While the polenta bakes, make the aïoli.
Blend the soy milk, sesame seed butter, lemon juice and garlic in a high speed blender with a pinch of sea salt (I used an immersion blender).
Next, slowly add the oil in a dribble while blending so that it will emulsify correctly.
Mince the basil and add it to the aïoli, stirring to combine.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the flavours mingle.
Add the passate in drips when ready to serve.

Peanut sauce, salsa and other dips do well this dish. The aïoli also makes a nice spread for sandwiches and other uses. For a creamier fry, blend the polenta for a minute in a high speed blender once it’s cooled and before putting it into the baking dish.