Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

The genius of this recipe is in the preparation of the chickpeas. Soaking and cooking the chickpeas with baking soda changes the acidity, and allows for a pillowy bean that purees away in to a silky dip or spread. It's truly magical.

I definitely did not come up with this one on my own- it is greatly inspired by Chef Solomonov of Zahav in Philly.

Don't be afraid to make this in a bigger batch- say triple, and then portion and freeze it. The originator might disagree, correctly explaining that hummus is best served fresh and never refrigerated. However, we all live in reality, where time is precious and frozen staples can be your ticket to healthy eating during the busy work week. So I give you permission.

The variations are endless here- we like to try to change it up every time we make a batch. Take out the roasted red peppers and add cilantro or basil. Or roasted garlic. Try a healthy pinch of berbere spice blend for a Ethiopian flavor. Or curry powder for an interesting kick. Keep it simple, or play with complexity, it's all good.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Inspired by Chef Solomonov's recipe Hummus Tehina

Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas
2 tsp. baking soda, divided
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup tahini, best quality you can find
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 roasted red peppers, about 1 cup chopped
Garnishes: a drizzle of olive oil and sesame seeds or z'atar

Directions

Soak chickpeas along with 1 teaspoon of baking soda overnight in plenty of water in a large bowl. Drain and rinse. Place in a medium pot with the remaining teaspoon of baking soda and water to cover the chickpeas by a few inches. Bring to a boil, and turn down to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until very very soft, about an hour. You want them softer than normal- basically until they have no bite left to them. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a blender, combine remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth, letting the blender run for almost a minute, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add water as needed so that it is blending easily.

Place chickpeas and tahini sauce in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. This may take a few minutes. Again, add water as necessary to reach the right consistency. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and sesame seeds (and chive blossoms if they are in season!)

Cracklin' Cauliflower

Guys, this one is good. Like eat an entire head of cauliflower good.

The spices almost create a breading which toasts up while the inside gets tender. The key is a longer roasting time in the oven with fairly frequent stirs.

My favorite uses are with some sort of Asian noodles (think peanut ginger sauce) or next to falafel, as we will enjoying them tonight. Or as a snack to pop in your mouth every 5 minutes as you struggle to pound out a blog post with the sun shining outside.

Cracklin' Cauliflower
Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower (4 cups florets)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tbs. coconut or grapeseed oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Chop cauliflower head into small florets and place in a large bowl. Toss with turmeric through nutritional yeast. Drizzle with oil and toss again to coat.

Spread on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet so that each floret has some wiggle room. This will ensure a crisping effect.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until all florets are a golden brown and very tender.

Dabbling in Naturally Dyed Eggs

I've spied many gorgeous shots of naturally dyed Easter eggs over the past few years, and today I decided to give a go. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly plan for the project, so I had to work with the ingredients I had on hand.

Using this Martha Steward article as a jumping off point, I read through the instructions and raided my fridge and pantry. I came up with a plump red radish, a large red onion, several yellow onions, and a jar of turmeric. In an ideal world I would have had red cabbage too, but alas, no dice.

Important to note: I also lacked white eggs. I had farm fresh eggs, which meant most were varying levels of brown. I picked the lightest four and marched on.

I wanted to try both the cold dip and hot boil methods, so I hard-boiled two eggs and kept two fresh.

Here are the steps I followed:

Combine 4 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Split in to two small pots.

To one pot, I added the peels of a red and yellow onion (the first few layers) as well as a chopped radish. This was my red/purple pot.

To the other pot, I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of turmeric powder. This was my yellow/gold pot.

Bring each to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, so that liquid is now saturated with color.

Add one fresh egg to each pot, and continue to cook for 30 minutes, rotating eggs every 5 minutes or so if they are not covered by liquid (mine were not).

Turn off heat, remove eggs to two separate mugs and strain liquid over each. For some reason, I had much more yellow dye than purple, so I was only able to add a hard boiled egg to the yellow mug. Let sit for an additional hour.

Remove eggs, gently wipe with a towel, and let dry. Voila! Mine were far from perfect- particularly the hot boil ones, but that made them kind of interesting too. The speckling reminded me to the bird eggs you find in a nest.

Next year, I am going to plan ahead, start with whiter eggs, experiment with some different colors (red cabbage is suppose to turn them blue) and maybe stick with the cold dip method for more even coverage. I'd probably start with more liquid too- do a double batch, instead of being so stingy.

Overall, a fun project, if you aren't too attached to perfect results. I think it would be really interesting to do with school age kids who could hypothesize about about the colors (some are surprising) and experiment on their own.

Relax. Eat Well.

Avocado Egg Salad

To be honest, egg salad was never a food I enjoyed much, I think mostly because of it's reputation towards spoilage due to the thick mayonnaise that surrounds it. But somehow my interest was piqued when I came across the idea of replacing the mayo with mashed avocado. I love the combination of egg and avocado- a few slices almost always grace my breakfast bowls. So I gave it a go, and now I am hooked.

The egg salad stores well and is the perfect snack or light meal with a few cucumber slices or on a bed of spinach. Of course, it pairs with toasty bread beautifully as well, if you are more inclined to sandwich structures.

It took me awhile to perfect my hardboiled egg, but I think I have finally figured out the tricks. The first is to use eggs that are not fresh from the coop- ideally a week or two old. The second (and I think most important) is to use an ice bath after the eggs have cooked. I am not one for finicky cooking techniques such as ice baths, but this step is non-negotiable in this recipe. It results in shells that peel off effortlessly and makes the process a breeze.

Avocado Egg Salad

Serves 2-3

Ingredients
3 eggs

1 avocado
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 scallions, minced

1 cucumber

Directions

Place eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water, cover and bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, turn off heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare a bowl of ice cold water. Drain eggs and transfer to ice bath for another 15 minutes before peeling. Chop roughly.

Mash avocado, with mustard, paprika, salt and pepper. Place in a bowl and toss with chopped eggs and minced scallions. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

To serve, spread on to sliced cucumber, or if preferred, toasted bread. Sprinkle with an extra garnish of paprika.

Relax. Eat Well.

Crispy Fiddlehead Poppers

Woohoo!!! It's that time of year again. Wild ramps and fiddleheads are popping up- spring it is so sweet!

I absolutely love ramps, also known as wild leeks- the leaf is similar to a chive and the root bulb to a shallot. It is a member of the alium family, and offers hints of both onion and a mild garlic flavor.

In the past, I have posted recipes for Ramp Butter and Wild Dandelion Ramp Pesto. This year, I wanted to share a Fiddleheads recipe, which only seems overdue, given my name and love for the wild fern. 

Nutritionally speaking, these shoots are rich in Vitamin A and C, iron and manganese as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

It seems as though most recipes out there center on either pasta, garlicky sautés or pickling, so I wanted to share something a little different. This recipe is a bit addicting, and I can imagine it would go over well across the age groups. Not a bad way to get your ferns in. 

These poppers are super quick and easy, and pretty fool-proof. They reheat well- just pop them back on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or so. You want to enjoy these babies hot. 

I enjoy them by themselves, but a dipping sauce does truly bring them over the top. Today I mixed equal parts plain whole milk yogurt with a lemon vinaigrette I had in the fridge, and that was delightfully rich yet tangy. I can imagine they would be great with any sort of aioli you could dream up, or my vegan raw almond "aioli" (with or without the cilantro, depending on your stance).

Crispy Fiddlehead Poppers
Serves 2

Note: if you do not have access to sumac, replace with garlic granules or powder.

Ingredients

2 cups fiddlehead ferns, washed well and trimmed

1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp sumac
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2- 3/4 tsp. sea salt (depending on your salt level preference)

1 large egg

1 tbs. oil for drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean and dry and fiddleheads well, trimming to a 1/2 inch below the furling head.

In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, sumac (or garlic), smoked paprika and sea salt.

In a separate medium bowl, beat egg. Add in fiddleheads and toss well. Using a slotted spoon, remove fiddleheads from egg, letting excess drip off. Move in to almond flour mixture bowl and toss to coat very well.

Place breaded fiddleheads on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. Remove pan, flip fiddleheads and return to oven for the final 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Relax. Eat Well. 

Foolproof Granola Recipe

I posted a Cherry Pecan Granola recipe a few years back, which I still enjoy, but have found that I'm keeping my granolas even simpler these days. I ditched the apple juice, amped up the maple syrup and paired down the spices, to create a "foolproof" granola recipe that can act as a base recipe and later customized to any individual whim.

Each time we run out, the lazy side of me is tempted to simply buy some locally made granola at the coop, but once I get there and start comparing ingredient lists and prices per pound, I am always convinced to pick up some $1.49/lb organic rolled oats and set off to make my own.

The ingredients are simple and the process is a breeze. Not too sweet, but with a hint of maple- if you crave more, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two. At my house, we like to add our dried fruit into our bowl when serving, instead of mixing it into the stored granola- that way each morning's bowl can be different, and there is no chance of moisture sneaking it's way into the batch.

Enjoy this over yogurt, with fresh, frozen or dried fruit, an extra sprinkling or ground flax or hemp seeds, and whatever else your heart desires. Or kick it up a notch and serve it for dessert by melting some dark chocolate, drizzling it into a bowl of granola, tossing to coat and hardening it in the freezer. Your very own chocolate covered granola bites (or granola covered chocolate bites?)

My only two heads of warning: Don't skimp on the salt, and make sure you buy thick cut rolled oats. 

Basic Granola Recipe
Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

4 cups thick rolled oats

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 tbs. maple syrup

2 tbs. grapeseed or olive oil

2 tbs. chia seeds (optional)

1 cup large coconut flakes or raw almonds (or walnuts/cashews etc.)

Optional additions:

Spices: ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamon etc. - to be added in before baking

Dried fruit: apricots, quartered figs, sliced dates, cranberries, currants, apple, mango etc. - to be added in after baking

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss everything but the coconut/nuts and dried fruit in a large bowl, and stir well to combine. Spread mixture evenly on 2 standard baking sheets- one of the tricks is to make sure you have a thin layer, to optimize toasting and eliminate the sog-factor. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove, stir, add almonds/nuts or coconut flakes and bake for another 8 minutes, or until beginning to get nice and toasty.

Cool and transfer to an airtight container to be stored at room temperature for up to a month, or in the freezer indefinitely. At this point you can choose to add in your dried fruit of choice, or leave it out to keep it simple and customize by the bowl. 

Grab and Go Polenta Quiche

 I want chickens more than anything. It will be a reality soon, but I have to wait until some other areas of my life cool off first. In the meantime, I am enjoying farm fresh eggs from my neighbors as often as possible, and creating an arsenal of egg recipes for when my time of surplus arrives.

Breakfast is a tricky meal for many people. Often times, especially for kids, it ends up being a very quick grab-and-go situation, often laden with sugar and empty carbohydrates. In reality, most of us do better with some protein in the morning- and hey, why not throw in some vegetables as well?

These mini quiches can be prepared ahead in big batches, and stored in the fridge for the week. They make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast or lunch. Like most of my recipes- the ingredients are very flexible. Feel free to work with what you have in the kitchen that week, and according to your individual preferences. If red onion, mushrooms and bell peppers aren't your thing, other vegetables that pop into mind are scallions, potatoes, fresh herbs, spinach or broccoli. Just make sure to cook any vegetables you are using appropriately before the final assembly of the quiche. Chèvre or cheddar would also be great substations for the feta, if you lean that way.

The turmeric is optional- I love the extra orange hue it lends, on top of it's superfood antioxidant load. I try to sneak it into my routine whenever possible.

I tried these guys with parchment paper lined muffin tins, and as well as well-oiled tins. Either way worked, but I would honestly forgo the parchment paper - it wasn't entirely necessary and the results were "more aesthetically pleasing" without.

Polenta Quiche
Makes 12 mini quiches

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup polenta, or corn grits
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 tbs. olive oil
1 egg
a few cranks of black pepper

1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, medium chop
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large (or 2 small) garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup crumbled feta

4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
ground black pepper

Extra parmesan or grated cheese to garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small pot. Stream polenta into boiling water, using a whisk to stir constantly for 5-10 minutes, until thick. Turn off heat, add parmesan, olive oil, egg and black pepper.

Line muffin tins with parchment paper or spray thoroughly with oil. Divide polenta and spoon into muffin tins. Let cool for 5 minutes. With wet fingers (to avoid sticking), press polenta into the bottom of the cups and spread up the sides, to create a nice indent for as much filling as possible. Thinner is better. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until dry to the touch, checking and rotating after 10 minutes. Set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add chopped red onion and sauté until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until broken down, about 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add chopped red pepper, cook for another 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, stir and turn off heat.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper and turmeric.

To assemble quiches, spoon a tablespoon of mushroom vegetable mixture into each crust. Divide and sprinkle evenly with feta. Finish by pouring egg custard on top. Use a fork to jostle the center a bit to make sure the egg seeps down into the vegis. If using, sprinkle with grated cheese.

Return quiches to the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, or until fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying. Can be stored in the fridge for several days.

Relax. Eat Well.

Oven-Fried Turmeric Tofu

I have been on a major turmeric kick these days. Mostly because it gives me a mental-boost of immune confidence every time I dash the powdered gold, but also because of the lovely flavor it imparts. It is what I imagine the streets of India to smell like constantly, although I sadly have yet to visit. Earthy, pungent, and slightly bitter, turmeric seems to add a dash of life to each dish it graces.

Just because I have to (no i really, compulsively, I do) I will share some of the amazing nutritional benefits this wonder spice offers. Long revered in Indian and Chinese medicine, turmeric root is a powerful anti-inflammatory, rich in the compound carcumin. As a result, turmeric has been found to be as successful in fighting inflammation as potent drugs such as hydrocortisone and Motrin, without the potential toxic side-effects.

Remember that pattern we have noticed before, where deep, rich colors often indicate the presence of strong antioxidants in our food? Think beets, tomatoes, and spirulina. Turmeric might be the embodiment of that rule- its saturated golden hue is indicative of extremely high antioxidant action, which has the ability to neutralize free radicals in our bodies, protecting against a wide range of cancers.

Found to boost cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol levels, protect against alzheimers, the list goes on and on. If you are interested, hop on over here for some more details.

So hopefully by now you are excited to try out this magical root, and work it into your daily diet as well.

What have I been doing with it, you ask? I seem to be obsessively making the "Love your liver" tea- morning and night, I swear it has saved me from the pulls of the winter flu more than once this season.

It also tends to make it's way into my breakfast skillet on an almost daily basis- a quick stir-fry of onion, garlic, spinach and red pepper seasoned with a dash of nutritional yeast, turmeric and tamari and finished off with a cracked egg fried in the middle. Possibly even a swirl of my favorite hot sauce, a few cubes of avocado and some cilantro leaves if I am feeling fancy. Highly recommended.

But what I want to share with you today is a turmeric version of my Oven-Fried Tofu- a puffy, chewy rendition of the type of tofu you might find at your local Thai restaurant, with significantly less oil involved. This recipe is super flexible and can be flavored in many different directions- just keep the amount of oil, salt and pepper constant. I like it best served with asian inspired dishes, but it is great to have on hand for snacking as well.

Other seasonings I have tried include:

Garlic Ginger: replace the turmeric with 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic and 1/4 tsp. ginger powder, and sprinkle with a light dash of tamari.

Salt and Pepper: Keep it simple- take out the turmeric and amp up the pepper with a few extra cranks of freshly ground peppercorn and you are in business. I love this one paired with "non-asian" sauces, such as honey mustard or garden dill.

Curry: Add an extra 1/2 tsp of your favorite curry powder- one with a little heat is a nice touch

Chipotle: For a smoky version, replace the turmeric with cumin and add an extra 1/4 tsp of chipotle powder.



Oven-Fried Turmeric Tofu
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 14 oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu (this is my favorite, for my VT peeps)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs. grapeseed oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut tofu into 1.5 inch cubes, toss with turmeric, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, with some room between each piece.

On the bottom rack, bake for 5 minutes. Rotate pan and continue for another 5 minutes. Flip tofu cubes and continue to bake for 5 minutes, rotate, and continue for the last 5 minutes, until golden and puffy.

*If you have a convection fan in your oven, I highly recommend using it for a puffier result. Some changes need to be made: use a 375 degree oven, position the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and remove after 15 minutes instead of 20.

Relax. Eat Well.

Real Fig Newtons

I am pretty in love with turkish figs lately. In salads, with good cheeses, as a paste on flatbreads, in cookies- you just can't go wrong.

A nice source of potassium, which helps control blood pressure, figs are a healthy addition to the diet as well. Given their high fiber content and balanced sweetness, they make a great snack in between meals and have the power to class up any gathering. When serving a nice cheese plate, quartered turkish figs always make an appearance, and can become the star of the party. Be warned.

The blanched almond flour in this recipes yields a delicate and flaky crust, high in protein and naturally gluten-free. Although all of the ingredients are on the pricey end of the spectrum, a little goes a long way and I promise you will not be disappointed with the results. Save it for a special occasion and enjoy every last crumb.

Real Fig Newtons

Inspired by The Iron You and adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

Makes about 30 large cookies

Ingredients 

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ tsp. sea salt
¾ cup raw organic honey
¼ cup unrefined organic coconut oil, melted
1 tbs. vanilla extract

1 cup dried turkish figs
1/4 cup squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place dried figs in a food processor and blend until they are well chopped. Add lemon juice and vanilla and process until a smooth paste forms.

In a large bowl combine almond flour and sea salt.

In another small bowl add honey, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until a wet dough forms. It will seem a bit sticky, that is what you want. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Take the dough out of the fridge and divide into 4 parts. Between two pieces of parchment paper, using a rolling pin, roll each section of the dough out into a rectangle that is approximately 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches wide.

Spread a couple of tablespoons of the fig mixture lengthwise down the rectangle. Using the parchment paper, fold the dough along the long side to envelop the filling inside the dough.

Repeat with the remaining parts of the dough. Using wet fingers, smooth the seam and roll the package so that the seam ends up underneath. Seal at each end.

Carefully transfer the bars to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and score with a sharp knife about every 2 inches. Let cool for 5 minutes and then cut into slices.

Allow to cool completely before enjoying.

Relax. Eat Well.

Harvest Pearsauce

It seems like fall snuck up on me this year- and pounced. We went from 80 degrees one week to 50's the next, and with the dip the trees exploded with color, apples starting falling to the ground along every road side and the wool vests burst onto the scene.

I have had the pleasure of slightly too many pears coming my way this year (can you ever have too many?). They came about a month ago when a client shot me an email that her pears were ready, and invited me to take some home to work into her wedding menu. Yes, please. 5 gallons later, we had Pear Ginger Honey Preserves for the VT Cheese Board and chopped frozen pears galore for a Butternut Squash Pear Soup, to be served as passed hor d'oeuvre "shooters".  With a bit of a pile up in the freezer, I decided to pull some out this week for some Pearsauce.


Don't hold your breath- but this might even turn into "Pear Cider Donuts" later next week- energy levels permitting.

Organically grown pears don't always look pretty, but its mostly a cosmetic thing. Sure, you have to cut away the occasional rotten spot or insect hole, but the majority of the fruit is absolutely delicious. They have a short harvest season and life-span off the stem, so it is best to process them right away after harvest. I realize this post might be a little late for this year's harvest, but maybe it will get you thinking for the next.

I just washed, cored and chopped these babies, threw them in some freezer bags and froze until solid. Not peeling the pears cuts way down on prep time, and saves the insoluble fiber found mostly in the skin. Once it is pureed, no one will even notice.

When they defrost, much of the juice is released, which is a potently sweet syrup in its own right. I just poured that right into the pot with the thawed pears for this sauce- no additional sweetener needed. The result is absolutely delicious. The texture is distinctly pear, with a slight grit that you might not be used to with applesauce. My advice: just embrace it. YUM.

Harvest Pearsauce
Makes 1 quart

Ingredients
8 cups fresh or 6 cups thawed pear chunks, washed chopped with peel on
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

Put all ingredients in a small pot, cover and place over medium heat until you have a serious simmer. Turn the heat down slightly and continue to cook down for 10-20 minutes.

With an immersion blender, puree mixture until nice and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference- optional additions could be grated ginger, maple syrup, clove, or cardamon.

Apple Cider Donuts

Ok, I have to admit first thing- these contain no apple cider. But Applesauce Donut did not have the same ring- and the spices and flavors just sing cider to me. So please excuse my blatant misnomer and embrace my benign intentions of conjuring up the most comforting, perfectly-spiced baked good possible.

Everyone loves a good donut. Let's just admit that as a group. With a steaming cup of coffee, preferably kicking off a road-trip, there is nothing quite the same. When we were crossing the country, or traveling throughout the west, the California 24-hour donut shops were a mandatory stop.

However, let's be honest. Although they taste like heaven, most donuts leave you feeling like crap-ola. So naturally, I had to come up with an alternative (especially given my donut loving-partner in crime). These donuts are based around freshly ground brown rice- providing whole grain fiber and powerful manganese and selenium. Unlike typical donuts that spike blood sugar levels, these provide long-lasting energy with quality carbohydrates, fat and protein.

But I promise you, it is the fresh orange zest and ample ground spice that send them over the top.

The soaked ground flax serve as a egg substitute- providing a binding quality without the animal protein. If you are siked on farm fresh eggs, simply substitute with 2 eggs.





The one catch- they do require a donut-maker. I am sure an oven-baked version would work with a donut pan, although I have not tested it and can not offer oven temperatures or cooking times. I am sure a little experimentation and a watchful eye will lead you in the right direction.

Apple Cider Donuts

Makes 20 small donuts

Ingredients

2 tbs. ground flax mixed with ¼ cup water

Zest from 1 orange

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

½ cup maple syrup or honey

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups brown rice flour, preferable freshly ground

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (mixture of allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and ginger, freshly ground if possible)

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat donut maker.

Grind rice flour freshly if possible.

Puree flax mixture, zest, applesauce, honey and oil in a medium bowl. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gradually stir the dry into the wet and stir until combined.

Spoon mixture into donut maker and bake for 5 1/2 minutes. Cool on baking rack before storing in an airtight container. Can be stored for 3-4 days, or frozen for delayed enjoyment.

Raw Ranch Kale Salad with Roasted Pumpkin Croutons

This raw ranch salad dressing is a classic in my kitchen. Sometimes we all crave a little comfort on our plate- a little throw back to childhood- an itch only ranch dressing can scratch. This is for those days. 

I am not sure about you, but my eating habits have morphed quite a bit since my Amy's Cowgirl Ranch days, and frankly, my taste buds along with them. So some adaptations are often necessary. This vegan ranch dressing gets its creaminess from soaked and pureed cashews, its kick from fresh herbs (particularly dill) with a hint of garlic and sea salt. Simple, satisfying and completely comforting- minus the buttermilk stored at room temperature and weird preservatives.

Most of the time I toss it with crispy lettuce leaves, shredded carrots, slivered radishes and some smoky shitake strips (more on that another day). But, alas, it is now fall creeping on winter and this week's version helped make that transition with hearty kale and roasted pumpkin croutons. A version I will definitely be repeating.

A hearty green in the cruciferous family, kale is packed with vitamin K, which promotes bone health and protects against heart disease. Loaded with fiber, vitamins A and C, its nutrition definitely trumps summer lettuce. Toss on some magnesium rich pumpkin, and protein packed dressing, and you have yourself a nice start to a meal. To round it out, think about serving this alongside a nice fall chili or smoky black bean soup.

Raw Ranch Kale Salad with Roasted Pumpkin Croutons
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale (about 10 stalks)

4 cups pumpkin or winter squash, 1/2 inch cubes (I leave the skin on)

1 Tbs. coconut oil, melted 

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup cashews, soaked at least 4 hours  

6 Tbs. water

1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 small garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh dill

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, toss together the pumpkin with the oil, and salt.  Place in one layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until browned and crisp, about 15-20 minutes.  Set aside.

Remove stalks from kale, wash and dry leaves. Tear or chop into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. 

Blend the dressing ingredients (cashews through parsley) in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve, dress the salad to coat the kale and toss in the pumpkin croutons. Taste and adjust with salt to taste.