This is a dish that we eat almost once a week. It is quick, simple and delicious. Plus, it is nutritious and versatile. I love chard in all its preparations, but I could eat it prepared this way almost every day. The garlic and red pepper add spiciness. The preserved lemon adds saltiness and acid. I prefer either rainbow or red chard for this recipe.
Sautéed Chard with Preserved Lemon and Red Pepper
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch of chard, stemmed, chopped, washed and spun
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, well rinsed and minced
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
- Remove stems of chard and rinse and dry.
- Add stems to the oil when hot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Chop leaves of chard. Rinse and dry leaves.
- Add to pan, and use tongs to toss. Leaves will wilt in 5-7 minutes.
- When leaves are wilted, add garlic, red pepper flakes and preserved lemon. Toss.
- Cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Sides, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: chard, garlic, preserved lemon, red pepper
vegan bourbon pumpkin milkshake
As the leaves fall from the trees, I start to think about apple cider and pumpkin pie. But, I wasn’t quite ready to give up summer. So, I developed this recipe for pumpkin milkshakes. The bourbon adds a grown-up complexity and the dates give the milkshake body.
Vegan Bourbon Pumpkin Milkshake
Ingredients:
- 1/2 15 ounce can of plain pumpkin
- 3 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ounce bourbon
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 1 pint vanilla coconut-based ice cream
- 1 cup almond milk
Instructions:
- Put all the ingredients except the ice cream and milk into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add milk and ice cream. Blend until smooth.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Dessert, Uncategorized, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: bourbon, cinnamon, coconut milk ice cream, ginger, medjool dates, pumpkin, vegan
vegan breakfast quinoa
Quinoa was one of those ingredients that I seemed to have a mental block around; I would eat it at potlucks and restaurants, and I would really enjoy it. But, somehow, I just never made it at home. Quinoa is actually a great ingredient to work with, and it is healthy, too! It is a whole grain with tons of nutrients and protein. Plus, it truly is easy to prepare and tasty. Here, I use quinoa in place of breakfast cereal or oatmeal. It had a nutty taste and a good mouth feel.
Vegan Breakfast Quinoa
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup light coconut milk, plus 1/8 cup for garnish
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon agave
- Raspberries, bananas, walnuts, for garnish
Instructions:
- Rinse quinoa.
- Combine quinoa, coconut milk, water and cinnamon in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off and the quinoa is done.
- Serve in bowls with 2-3 tablespoons of coconut milk, 2-3 teaspoons agave and fresh fruit and nuts.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Breakfast, Uncategorized, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: agave, banana, quinoa, raspberry, walnuts
soy lemon vinaigrette
Soy Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vegetable broth concentrate
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Mix ingredients in a bowl until incorporated.
- Serve on a green salad.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Salads, Vegan | 1 Comment
Tags: lemon, soy, vinaigrette
santa rosa plum soda
Continuing with the theme of stone fruit, I wanted to experiment with making plum soda. I received a soda-maker as a gift at Christmas, and have been wanting to experiment with different sodas. Given my issues with feeling obliged not to waste, we first had to work our way through the icky syrups they provided (I have the same hang-up about reading every page of a magazine). Now, we are finally free, and just in time for delicious fruit!
Santa Rosa Plum Soda
Ingredients:
- 8 Santa Rosa plums, washed and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Soda water
Instructions:
- Wash and cut plums in half. Reserve stones.
- Put fruit, stones and sugar in a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle fruit and sugar to release juice.
- Strain juice and some flesh into pint glasses filled with ice.
- Top off with soda water.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Libations, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: plums, soda, summer
peach pie, 2 ways
I was inspired by the beautiful bounty of stone fruit that Northern California yields during the summertime. So, I developed two recipes for peach pie, one with the more experimental basil, and one with an old favorite, ginger.
Filed under: Dessert, Vegan | Leave a Comment
peach basil pie
As a thank you for some friends who helped us out in a pinch, I wanted to make a pie. Because of the season, I decided to make it a peach pie. I wanted to experiment with a peach basil pie because I know the combination goes well in salads and other savory dishes. It worked well in this sweet iteration as well. The crust for this pie borrows a technique from Cook’s Illustrated: vodka in the crust to help make a flaky, tender pastry.
Peach Basil Pie
Crust:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups shortening, cold and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vodka, cold
- 2 tablespoons water, cold
Instructions:
- Preheat oven 400 degrees. Use a pizza stone, if you have one. The pizza stone helps to cook the bottom of the pie while the top crust is also browning.
- Cut together the shortening, sugar and salt with a pastry knife until shortening is cut into the size of small pebbles.
- Cut in flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir until flour is incorporated.
- Sprinkle vodka and water and mix until blended. Try not to over mix. Dough should begin to gather into a ball.
- Divide dough in half.
- Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick.
- Gently transfer to a 9 inch pie plate. Trim excess dough.
Filling:
Ingredients:
- 6 cups yellow peaches, washed, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 small Meyer lemon, zested
- 1/4 cup basil, washed, torn and cut into thin strips
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
- 2 tablespoons margarine, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon margarine, melted
- 1/8 cup white sugar
Instructions:
- Prepare peaches.
- Stir peaches and all ingredients (except margarine) together in a bowl.
- Add filling to pie crust.
- Cover pie with second crust. Pinch sides together. Cut four vents in the center of the pie.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with melted margarine and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes longer, or until crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest on a wire rack.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Dessert, Uncategorized, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: basil, peaches, pie, summer
As the days of summer whiz by, I realized I needed to take more advantage of the beautiful Northern California produce, especially stone fruit. I really like the combination of peach and ginger, so I developed this pie recipe. I chose a cream cheese crust to provide more structure for the bits of crystallized ginger I folded in. The filling for this pie was inspired by the peach pie recipe in Cook’s Illustrated.
Peach Ginger Pie with Cream Cheese Crust
Crust:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup cream cheese, cold
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons vodka, cold
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced
Instructions:
- Preheat oven 400 degrees. Use a pizza stone, if you have one. The pizza stone helps to cook the bottom of the pie while the top crust is also browning.
- Cut together the butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt with a pastry knife until butter and cream cheese are blended.
- Cut in flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir until flour is incorporated.
- Add vodka and mix until blended. Try not to over mix. Dough should be gathering into a ball.
- Stir in 1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger.
- Divide dough in half.
- Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick.
- Gently transfer to a 9 inch pie plate. Trim excess dough.
Filling:
Ingredients:
- 6 cups yellow peaches, washed, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 small lemon, zested to yield 1 teaspoon plus juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced
- 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/8 cup white sugar
Instructions:
- Prepare peaches.
- Stir peaches and all ingredients (except butter) together in a bowl.
- Add filling to pie crust.
- Cover pie with second crust. Pinch sides together. Cut four vents in the center of the pie.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30-40 minutes longer, or until crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest on a wire rack.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Dessert | 1 Comment
Tags: cream cheese, ginger, peaches, pie, summer
kale salad
This salad is often found in natural food store deli cases at upwards of $7 a pound. In reality, it is a cheap, quick and easy recipe to make at home. The secret is massaging the kale (read more here) which breaks down the fibers and makes the otherwise tough veggie edible without cooking. Enjoy this healthy salad at picnics and on other summertime occasions.
Kale Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 carrots, grated
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bunches kale, massaged and chopped
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup golden raisins
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup Braggs Amino Acids
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Grate carrots. Put into a large salad bowl.
- Thinly slice red onion. Add to bowl.
- Massage and chop kale. Trim the bottom 1-2 inches off kale (essentially the dried out, tough part). Wash leaves and shake dry (leaves can remain damp). Line up leaves and put on a clean, dry surface. Grab leaves with your hands and crunch and twist them together until broken down. Leaves will soften and almost appear to be cooked. This happens quickly! Roughly chop. Add to bowl.
- Add sunflower seeds and raisins to bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix lemon juice, Braggs, olive oil and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Toss salad with dressing and let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the salad absorb the dressing.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan | 3 Comments
Tags: braggs, carrot, kale, lemon, raisins, summer, sunflower seeds
veggie burger patties
I was recently reading this month’s Cook’s Illustrated which featured a recipe for turkey burgers and potato rolls. I got inspired. I used techniques from both the turkey burger recipe as well as Cook’s recipe for veggie patties to create this version. I used vegetable broth, soy sauce, onions, tomato paste, and spices to boost the umami flavor of the patties. I used lentils, bulgur and cashews to bulk the patties. I stir-fried shiitake mushrooms in soy sauce to add an extra burst of umami and bulk. I used agar agar and vegenaise to bind the patties together. A quick chill in the fridge helps them stay together while frying.
Veggie Burger Patties
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup brown lentils
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup veggie oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 leek, washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1/4 cup veggie oil
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1/8 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon agar agar
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons horseradish
- 1/4 cup vegenaise
- Boils lentils in 3 cups water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
- Cover bulgur with 2 cups boiling vegetable broth and let sit, off heat, until water is absorbed. About 20 minutes. Drain remaining water and let cool.
- Heat veggie oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add leeks and celery. Continue cooking until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and parsley. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a new medium-sized frying pan, heat veggie oil over medium-high heat.
- Add chopped shiitake mushrooms and stir until mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in 1/8 cup soy sauce. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- In small batches, blend lentils, bulgur, onion mixture, shiitake and cremini (uncooked) mushrooms and cashews in the food processor until smooth.
- Heat vegetable broth until hot. Stir in agar agar until dissolved. Let cool.
- Stir in soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, horseradish and vegenaise.
- Add vegenaise mixture to patty mix and stir to combine.
- Using between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of the mixture, form 1/2 inch thick patties.
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Fry in a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat, using veggie oil. Cook until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve on buns with burger fixings.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Mains, Uncategorized, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: bulgur, burgers, cashews, lentils
veg here 
