Turmeric, miso stew with tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, and potatoes

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Sweetened with dates, thickened with flax, and finished with baby kale, this is a rich, spicy stew with lots of strong flavour and colour. If you’re not a turmeric lover, keep the amount low to start.

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1/2t coarse sea salt
2T scallions, finely chopped (reserve a few inches of green for garnish)
1-3t dried, ground turmeric (to taste — I use 1T)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, grated and minced
1/2t dried, ground cumin
1/2t dried marjoram, rubbed
1/4t dried red chilis (or to taste — I use about 1/2t)
1 cup cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced, about 1/8″
125g extra firm, high quality tofu, 1/3″ cubes
125g tempeh, 1/4″ cubes (use pasteurized)
1 1/2 cups potatoes, 1/3″ dice (I use organic russets)
1/2 cup dried, soft dates, pitted and finely chopped
1T lemon juice
1 ‘sprig’ dried kombu, about 2″
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups unsweetened plant milk
3T red miso (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1T sesame seed butter
2T milled flax seed
3 cups loose baby kale (leave a few leaves for garnish)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: White, yellow, or other shades of miso will work, but they’ll change the final colour. Use freshly grated turmeric (start with 1T) if you have an easy source. Leave out the garlic if you prefer. A little shredded cabbage added with the plant milk and/or a little cilantro for garnish wouldn’t hurt. Add some fresh blueberries to brighten up the flavour.

Method

Warm a large frying pan with a lid on medium heat. Add the water, sea salt and scallion. Water saute for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric, and other herbs and spices. Saute another minute.

Add the mushrooms. Saute for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the tofu, tempeh, potatoes and dates. Saute another 2 minutes. Add the lemon and deglaze the pan (if necessary).

Add the stock, bring the pan to a light simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover, add the plant milk. Increase heat to medium low.

Simmer another 30 minutes or so uncovered on low heat (as low as you can set it but still simmer) stirring periodically. Remove from heat. Remove the kombu. Add the miso, nutritional yeast, sesame seed butter, flax and kale. Stir to combine.

Let stand 2 minutes to cool. Season to taste. Ladle out into bowls. Garnish with scallion green sliced on an angle and a few scallion greens and 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.

 

 

Oyster mushroom, artichoke and yellow potato soup

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Oyster mushrooms, artichoke hearts and yellow potatoes with pear cider, sweet onion, soy milk and sesame, garnished with purple dulse and nori flakes, a ribbon of spicy and sweet red chili and baby rocket greens.

For the soup
1/2t of sea salt
1T of olive oil
1 cup of sweet (vidalia) onion, 1/4″ dice
2T of minced garlic
2 cups of yellow potatoes, 1″ dice
1 cup of oyster mushrooms, wiped, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cup of artichoke hearts, quartered
1/4 cup of pear cider (or a mix of 1T of lemon juice, 3T of pear juice)
2 cups of light vegetable stock
1 ‘sprig’ of dried kombu
2 cups of unsweetened soy milk
2T of sesame seed butter (or thick tahini)
1T of arrowroot powder whisked with 2T of cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste.

For the ribbon
1T of red chili paste
1T of agave nectar
1t of coconut oil
1t of lemon juice
A pinch of sea salt

For the garnishes
1/4t of purple dulse flakes
1/4t of nori flakes
About 1/4 cup of very loosely packed baby rocket greens (arugula)

Prepare the ingredients.
Mix the ingredients for the ribbon in a small bowl and let stand, covered.
In a pan with a lid, saute the onions in the olive oil and sea salt on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, potatoes and artichokes and saute for another 5-10 minutes until the ingredients started to brown a little.
Add the cider and deglaze the pan.
Add the stock and kombu.
Cover, bring to a low boil and simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are not quite fork tender.
Remove the kombu.
Add the soy milk and tahini, and stir until the tahini is dissolved.
Cover and simmer on low for another 5 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Whisk together the arrowroot and water.
Add the dissolved arrowroot to the soup slowly and stirring continuously until it thickens.
Let stand for 10 minutes to cool.
Bowl and garnish with the chili and sea vegetables.

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.

Potato and cabbage pancakes with lightly roasted heirloom tomatoes and lemon nori pesto.

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Colcannon (a traditional Irish dish) is normally made from mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. This version shreds the vegetables, adds some tomatoes and scallions, as well as a little pesto for a quick brunch style dish a little more like boxty. This make four pancakes.

For the pancakes

2 cups of shredded yellow potatoes (well-scrubbed, unpeeled)
1 cup of shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw mix)
2T of olive oil
2 scallions, minced (about half a cup — reserve a little green for garnish)
1T of minced garlic
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1/4 to 1/2T of coarse sea salt (use less if you don’t like your potatoes nicely salted — you can always add more later)
1T of egg replacer diluted in 2T of cold water
A pinch of turmeric
Black pepper to taste.

Preheat your oven to 400F.
Squeeze out all the moisture you can from the potatoes.
Combine everything but the egg replacer in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
Whisk the egg replacer, cold water and turmeric until well combined.
Add the mixture to the potatoes and cabbage and mix well until the egg replacer is thoroughly distributed.
Make balls about 3/4 to 1 cup in size from the mix, packing well.
Add the balls to a well oiled baking sheet and pack by hand again.
Bake on the middle rack until the tops are starting to brown slightly (about 25 to 35 minutes depending on your oven).
Once the balls have started to brown a little on top, flatten carefully with a wooden spoon for a pancake shape about 1″ high.
Set the oven to broil.
If you roast the tomatoes in the garnish, add them to the pan now, cut side up, sprinkle with a very tiny pinch of sea salt.
Broil for 7-10 minutes — until you have a nicely browned top.*
Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the pancakes from the pan and plate with the tomatoes.

For the garnish

2T of scallion green sliced on the diagonal
2 basil leafs
4 small grape tomatoes, halved
A small amount of olive oil just to coat the tomatoes a little
A pinch of sea salt

For the pesto

2T of olive oil
A pinch of coarse sea salt
3T of packed fresh basil
1t of lemon juice
1/2t of nori flakes
2t of minced garlic
2t of nutritional yeast

Combine ingredients in a high speed blender and blend. You can always ad a few pine nuts to this, but given the amount, you may have difficulties getting it to blend.

*I use a convection oven. Time may vary for a gas or a standard electric. Use the browning of the potatoes to guide the amount of baking. If you use a gas oven, very carefully flip the pancakes once they start to brown (as above) with a spatula and cook for another 10-15 minutes at 400F.

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.

Sauteed cabbage with roasted red pepper

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Ingredients:

1 large red pepper (and olive oil to coat — about a teaspoon)
2T coconut oil
1/4t powdered turmeric
1/2t coarse sea salt
1/4 cup minced scallion
2T minced garlic
1T lemon juice
3 cups loosely packed shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw mix)
2T kalamata olives, minced
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Lightly oil and roast the red pepper in a oven on 450F.
When the skin has until lightly charred, remove the red pepper, cool, peel, seed and dice in 1/2″ pieces.
In a frying pan, bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallion and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and turmeric and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the cabbage, red pepper and lemon juice.
Saute for 5-8 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted, but not soft.
Remove from heat.
Add the nutritional yeast, olives, and stir to combine.
Add additional sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Yellow potatoes roasted with thyme, sumac and black salt

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Commonly used in the Mediterranean, sumac adds a unique, sweet and sour flavour and a beautiful red colour to dishes. This recipe easily doubles and makes a nice accompaniment to kale, collards, arugula, spinach, or other greens as a side dish or potato salad.

Ingredients

4 small yellow potatoes (about 2″ diameter), quartered
2T of olive oil (reserve about half a T for oiling the pan)
2t of lemon juice
1T of garlic, minced
1/4t of coarse sea salt
1/4t of black salt
1/2T of fresh thyme, stemmed, or 1/2t of dried thyme, rubbed
1t of dried sumac
1/4t of black pepper
Additional sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven for 450F
Mix everything but the potatoes in a small bowl.
Add the spice mixture to the potatoes and toss, coating evenly.
Lightly oil an oven pan and heat the pan in the oven for about 1 minute to warm the oil
Add the potatoes to the pan.
Roast on the middle rack for 10 minutes at 450F, stirring at 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 375F and roast for another 25-35 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned and fork tender.
Stir every 10 minutes to promote even browning.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Add any additional sea salt or black pepper.

Garnish with a sprig of thyme and a little extra sumac to add colour to the presentation. Substitute dill for the thyme or minced scallions for the garlic to soften the dish. Dress with a mix of 1T of sesame seed butter (tahini), 1t of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt for additional flavour and richesse.

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.