Teriyaki Tempeh Meatballs

You may remember a Tempeh Meatball recipe I posted last year, which often graces our table with Italian style meals. Think Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, or Summer Pesto Pasta. This dish borrows the base from those meatballs, and brings it East with a homemade Teriyaki Sauce. I like to serve it with a quick stir-fry of broccoli and bell peppers.

If you are unfamiliar with tempeh, this is a great intro recipe. Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake, which renders the soy easy to digest and assimilate. Rich in protein as well fiber- it is the kind of dish that sticks with you. I love to have my fridge stocked with meatballs for both snacks and a quick meal.

This is a great recipe to get kids involved in. My daughter loves to add all of the ingredients to the food processor, and then help roll them as well.  Just expect a mess (always). She can barely wait for them to cool before she starts gobbling them down.

Teriyaki Tempeh Meatballs

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

½ cup water
2 tbs. tamari soy sauce
¼ tsp ginger powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
2 tbs. honey
¼ tsp. sriracha
1 tsp. arrowroot powder
1 tbs. cold water

8 oz. tempeh

1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tbs. neutral oil
1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbs. oil

1/2 cup chives, chopped

1 tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare teriyaki sauce, place water through sriracha in to a small pot and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, mix cold water with arrowroot. Add to boiling sauce, continue to simmer stirring constantly, until thickened, and remove from heat.

Cube tempeh and add to the bowl of a food processor. Process until crumbled. Add 4 tablespoons of prepared teriyaki sauce, as well as flour, oil and salt. Continue to process until dough gathers in to a ball.

Roll mixture into 12-16 meatballs and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate and roll over and continue for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

To finish, heat last tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add chives and stir-fry for one minute. Add meatballs and remaining teriyaki sauce and cook until sticky and golden. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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!)

Peppercorn Pickled Ramps

Ramp season. You know it's my favorite. But it is so fleeting! This recipe will allow you to preserve your ramps to enjoy for months to come. 

For more on where to look for ramps, how to harvest them sustainably and a recipe for the greens you won't be using here, check out my Wild Dandelion and Ramp Pesto post. Or hop over to find out how to make them into a seriously addicting compound Ramp Butter. Both are great ways to fill your freezer so you will never have to be without. 

I happened to have some beautiful pink peppercorns for this recipe, straight from California. In the case that you don't, regular black peppercorns will be just fine. Don't let the type of vinegar stop you either- any mild white vinegar will do- white wine vinegar or rice vinegar for example. 

Peppercorn Pickled Ramps

Recipe inspired by Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1 cup ramp bulbs, greens saved for another use
1 tsp pink of black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 red chilis
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbs. raw sugar
3/4 tsp. salt

Directions

Clean ramps well and remove bulbs from greens. Dry and save the greens for another use- they are great in salads or pestos.

Place ramp bulbs, peppercorns, bay leaves and chilis in a pint size mason jar.

In a small pot, bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil. Pour over ramps to fill the jar. Cool, cover and store in fridge for weeks to months.

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. 

Kale-a-kopita

Here we are again. In that in-between period- coming off the high of the summer harvest and sliding down the snow-covered hill towards full on winter. A few token vegetables are still coming from our local farms and gardens- mostly roots, a few hardy greens. So this post is an ode to kale. Because I have eaten so much of it this month that I am starting to turn green, and I still can't get enough. I love that it nourishes me into the winter, when my body needs it most.

Kale is a nutritional superstar, a green superfood, if you will. Super high in Vitamins K and A, this hardy green has the power to lower cholesterol, protect against free radicals and fight inflammation. Particularly rich in glucosinolates, which act inside our system as potent anti-cancer compounds, kale can play an active role in our preventative medicine routines.

If you enjoy spanikopita, you are going to love this kale-centric version. Go for high-quality ricotta and feta for this dish- it makes a difference. Around here, I love Maplebrook Farm for both products.

Kale-a-kopita
Serves 6

Ingredients

5 filo dough sheets, thawed (cover with a damp towel while not using) 
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs. olive oil
1 lb. spinach, chopped if leaves are large
1 large bunch green kale
8 oz whole-milk ricotta
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled whole-milk feta
2 tbs. fresh dill
2 tbs. fresh parsley
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
2 tbs. butter or oil, melted, more as needed 
Directions

Prep kale and spinach by washing thoroughly. Set spinach to steam until completely wilted. Drain and set aside. Once cool, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Grabbing one kale leaf at a time, strip out stem and tear into pieces. 

In a heavy skillet, saute the diced onions in olive oil over low heat until slightly softened. Add garlic, stir for one minute and add kale. Cook until kale is completely wilted. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine ricotta, eggs, feta, dill, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly.

Add spinach and kale mixture to the large bowl . Stir ingredients until well combined and greens are distributed evenly. Taste, and adjust for salt. If desired, add a few dashes of red pepper for heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

On a large cutting board, lay out one sheet of filo dough, with the long side facing you. Brush with melted butter. Repeat until 5 sheets of filo dough are stacked, brushing with a thin layer butter between each layer.  

After the stack is completed, spread the feta and greens mixture along the long side facing you, about 2 inches from the edge. Carefully, roll up the dough to form a log starting with the side the feta mixture is on. The butter will help the sheets to stick together.  

Place completed log on parchment lined baking sheet. Score the top of the log with diagonal lines using a sharp knife in 1-2 inch segments.  This will make it easier to cut when the kale-a-kopita is finished baking.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Begin checking logs at 30 minutes and every 5 minutes after that. Kale-a-kopita is finished when it is golden brown on the top and mostly golden on the sides.
Allow to cool on the counter for 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note- if multiplying this recipe for a larger crowd, make sure your logs have plenty of room between them while baking. They will expand and risk bursting when baked too close together.

Fresh Spring Rolls

It is a salad season, that is for sure. Hot days lead into hot evenings, and most nights, no one wants to cook. Which is just fine, as it lines up nicely with greens popping out of the garden, snap peas dangling on the vines and cherry tomatoes bursting with sweet summer heat.

So that is our theme: raw, fresh and chock full of garden greens. But night after night of salads can become a tad boring, so this is my other favorite way to serve up the bounty. Rolled in fresh rice paper, spring rolls are essentially a salad in a wrap, with the dressing thickened up a bit for dipping. And for some reason so much more exciting- I promise they will be the hit of any dinner party you attend.

The possibilities are endless, so let your creative juices flow. The recipe I am posting below is for a fairly straight forward roll, but know that I leave you with ultimate creative license on this one. For a more substantial roll to replace a meal, try adding rice noodles, minced nuts and seeds, even fruit (mango?). Amp up the flavor with some thai basil, minced ginger or spicy chili peppers- you get the idea. My one rule: avocado is non-negotiable. Period.

This Thai Almond Dipping Sauce is my absolute favorite, but there are plenty of other options out there. You could go for a light tangy vinaigrette by mixing together equal parts honey and brown rice vinegar, with a dash of tamari and chili flakes. Or whip up an Orange Ginger dressing with some fresh squeezed orange juice, shredded fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil and a dash of salt. You get it.

As for the wrapping- there are two tricks. The first is to dip the wrapper in water until it is completely wet, remove immediately and place on your cutting board. By the time you have arranged your vegetables and are ready to wrap, it will be soft and pliable, but with some remaining integrity. Leaving the wrapper in the water until it seems ready to use will only lead you down a slippery path of ripping, tearing and ultimately, snorts of frustration. The second trick is let yourself practice. The first few might not be pretty, but you will get the hang of it. Those are perfect for your pre-dinner snack, as I guarantee you they will still be delish.

Fresh Spring Rolls

Ingredients

1 tbs. red Thai curry paste

2 tbs. almond butter

2 tbs. coconut milk

1 tbs. tamari

1 tbs. honey

1 tbs. lime juice

1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks

2 medium carrots, shaved using a peeler

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

a handful of sprigs fresh cilantro, washed

a handful of mesclun greens, or shredded napa

¼ cup almonds, crushed

optional: toasted coconut shreds, minced ginger, minced chili pepper, vermicelli noodles etc.

12 spring roll wrappers (rice), 8½inch size

Directions

To prepare the dipping sauce, blend curry paste through lime juice in a small bowl or blender.

Place remaining ingredients separated on a platter. To assemble, set up a large deep plate of room temperature water. Slip a spring roll wrapper into the water until completely wet, remove, and lay it flat on a cutting board. Arrange vegetables along the middle of the wrapper in a straight line, along with almonds and optional toppers. Once the wrapper is pliable and soft, fold over the ends and roll the wrapper up as tightly as possible. Cut each roll in half across the middle diagonally, using a wet knife blade.

Stand the rolls flat on their ends and serve with Almond Dipping Sauce.

Relax. Eat Well. 

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.