Hearty Miso Stew with Potato, Leeks and Tofu

I don't know how you are faring, but my family has had a rough season of illness. The calendar tells me it is mid-April so I am hoping it lets up soon, but in the meantime I am craving nourishment and defense in the form off immune-boosting meals.

This stew boasts hearty root vegetables rich with antioxidants and trace minerals. The broth is spiked with probiotic miso, which helps the gut remain inhospitable to bacteria and viruses. The wakame seaweed offers up some much needed iodine, calcium and iron to round it all out. You could even replace some or all of the criminis with shiitake mushrooms if you wanted to get super serious.

It's not the quickest stew, but it is well worth the trouble. You might want to make a big batch and enjoy it all week long. To preserve the live probiotics in the miso, avoid letting the stew come to a simmer, you might even want to leave it out of the big pot and instead add it to taste after heating each portion throughout the week.


Hearty Miso Stew with Potato, Leeks and Tofu

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 tbs. unrefined sesame oil
2 medium carrots, in ½ inch half moons
2 celery ribs, sliced on the diagonal
6-inch piece of burdock, in half moons
2 cups criminis, quartered
1 medium garnet yam, chopped
2 red potatos, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. grated ginger
2 tbs. dried wakame, soaked and chopped
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, in small cubes
¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ cup brown rice flour
3 tbs. grapeseed oil
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
tamari to taste
5 tbs. miso, dissolved in ½ cup stock

hot sauce to taste

2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions

Heat sesame oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add onions and leek and sauté for 10 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add the remaining vegetables along with the garlic, ginger, wakame, tofu and salt, turn down the heat to low and cook for 10-20 minutes, until root vegetables are soft, adding stock as needed to keep from burning and stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, toast brown rice flour in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until aromatic, stirring frequently. Add the sesame oils and stir to combine. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring to combine between pours. Cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Pour thickened stock into vegetable mixture and stir gently to combine. Return to a simmer. When you have reached desired heat, add diluted miso and season with hot sauce and tamari to taste. Serve over brown rice.

* If reheating, keep diluted miso mixture separate and add to each bowl just before serving, to preserve it’s probiotic qualities.

Baked Sweet Potato with Crispy Chickpeas and Spinach

This is a simple mid week dinner, for those nights when you want to nourish your body without getting too fancy. Well, maybe just a little fancy. 

The sweet potatoes take some time in the oven to roast until sticky sweet, but it is well worth it in the end. You just can't get those results with any other method. 

The chickpeas are simple yet bursting with flavor and texture, and help round out the meal with protein and an extra dose of fiber. Don't skip the basil, it adds a freshness and flavor punch that you'd sorely miss. Likewise, don't skimp on the olive oil and use the most flavorful one you have- it is integral for the crispy coat on the chickpeas, and adds a bright note when paired with the fresh basil.

Baked Sweet Potato with Crispy Chickpeas and Spinach

Serves 2 

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato (1 lb.)

1 tbs. oil

1 small red onion, minced

15.5 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 

4 cups baby spinach, ¼ lb.

½ cup basil, finely minced

1 tbs. sesame seeds

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and drizzle with oil. Place cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, rotating after 20, or until very tender when pierced with a fork, and golden brown on the bottom.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile. place olive oil, red onions and chickpeas in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are golden and beginning to split, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, sesame seeds and salt continue to cook for 5 minutes, covered, until spinach is completely wilted. Stir in basil. Serve crispy chickpeas over sweet potato halves, seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. 

Dark Chocolate Date Caramel Hearts

What a perfect little DIY Valentine's Day treat. Simple, cute and tasty, it checks all the boxes.

The "caramel" is simply pureed dates with water and sea salt. For best results, you'll want to search out some soft medjool dates. If your dates are a little less fresh and not quite as soft, you'll want to soak them in water before blending.

Ok, so I will be the first to admit I am not a chocolatier. I have tempered chocolate in the past, but in most instances, I am much more into convenience than perfection and simply melt my chocolate in a double boiler without all the pomp and circumstance. But this does create some limitations- if your finished creation then sits out at room temperature for more than a day or two, you will notice that it starts to look a little less pretty, which can affect the texture of the chocolate as well.

So the trick is you'll have to store them in the fridge or freezer to keep them looking pretty.

Dark Chocolate Date Caramel Hearts
Makes 15 hearts

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup of large medjool dates, pitted (took about 8 large dates)
1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 cup hot water

Directions

Set chocolate to melt in a double boiler (or non reactive bowl over a pot of simmering water), until melted smooth.

Remove pits from dates. Place dates and sea salt in a food processor and process, streaming in hot water as needed to get a smooth caramel, without getting too liquid-y. Use more of less water as needed. It'll take a few minutes to get it super smooth and you'll have to stop and scrape the sides down several times.

Using silicone heart molds, spoon chocolate in to each mold and use a butter knife to coat the bottom and all sides. Set in freezer for 5 minutes. Remove and scoop a small amount of caramel in to each center. Top with additional melted chocolate until you reach the top of the mold. Set in freezer for another 15 minutes or until completely solid. Remove and pop out hearts.

Enjoy within the day, or store in fridge until serving.

BBQ Cauliflower Sloppy Joes

I got a little overzealous with my cauliflower order from my local farm the other day, and have been getting creative with them in the kitchen since. This is one of my favorites.

If the title Sloppy Joes conjures up images of elementary school lunch lines, I think you will be pleasantly surprised to sit down to this instead. The lentils give it a certain chewiness, while the cauliflower absorbs the flavor and boosts the vegetable content.

For a lighter version, skip the bun and create a Sloppy Joe Bowl instead - I think you'll find it is plenty filling, especially if topped with coleslaw and avocado.

BBQ Cauliflower and Lentil Sloppy Joes
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbs. neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 large garlic clove
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, broken in to florets, about 2 cups
1/4 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt

4 buns
1 avocado
a few cilantro stems (optional)

Directions

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add lentils, bring to a low boil and cook for 18 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

The easiest way to prep the ingredients is to pull out your food processor. Throw the garlic clove in and mince. Add cauliflower and walnuts and process until broken up in to small pieces, similar to the texture of ground beef- don't over process, you want some structure to remain.

Meanwhile, mince onion and saute over medium heat in a large pan with oil of choice. Once translucent, add cauliflower mixture from food processor, drained lentils, bbq sauce, chili powder and salt. Continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until pretty dry and beginning to brown.

To serve, toast buns in a lightly oiled pan, cut side down, with a smaller pan on top to weigh it down. Spoon sloppy joe mixture on top, followed by avocado slices, cilantro stems and top bun.

Quinoa "Fried Rice"

I make this dish so often I thought I'd share, just in case you'd like to add it to your weeknight repertoire. It comes together quickly, especially if you prep the sesame ginger sauce in advance. I like to make a double batch of the sauce to store in the fridge, as it keeps for several weeks.

It's the perfect dish for someone who is quinoa-curious, but maybe a little intimidated as well. See? There's nothing to be scared of.

You can vary the vegetables- I'll often use green beans in place of broccoli or throw in some chopped garlic scapes when they are in season. You can finish it with your favorite hot sauce, chopped cilantro or salty peanuts for a crunch.

You're now two pans and 30 minutes away from a dinner chocked full of high quality protein, fiber and stir-fried veggies. 

Quinoa Fried “Rice”

Serves 2 as a main dish

Ingredients

3 tbs. tahini

3 tbs. tamari soy sauce

2 tbs. honey or syrup

1 tbs. toasted sesame oil

2 garlic cloves

1-inch ginger root

½ cup quinoa

1 cup water or stock

2 tbs. oil of choice, divided

Small head of broccoli, about 1 cup chopped

1 small carrot,  grated

2 eggs 

2 tbs. sesame seeds

Chili flakes, if desired 

Directions

Place quinoa and water/stock in a small pot. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, covered, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove lid, fluff and set aside.

To make the sesame ginger sauce, combine tahini through ginger in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.  

Heat 1 tbs. oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add eggs and scramble quickly. Remove to a small bowl and break up into small pieces. Wipe pan clean. Add remaining tbs. of oil to the pan along with carrots and broccoli and stir-fry until bright and tender, about 5 minutes. Add cooked quinoa, scrambled eggs, 4-6 tbs. sesame ginger sauce and sesame seeds and continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and chili flakes if desired.

Salted Caramel Cashew Ice Cream

With summer heat waves in full force across the country, ice cream has been on my mind. But let's face it, probably not the best treat to be indulging in every day, which is roughly how often we seemed to be consuming it. So I decided to go searching for a healthier version that I could feel good about serving my family. A simple search found that I was not alone.

The key to these cashew based ice creams is the dates. Not only do they deliver a caramely sweetness, but they keep the ice cream silky in texture, as opposed to solely sweetening with syrup or honey, which yields an icier result.

The ingredient list is simple, there is no churning or ice cream machine involved, and you'll have healthy ice cream to enjoy directly out of the freezer. If you do not have a high powered blender, such as a Vitamix and Blendtec, I would recommend soaking the cashews and pitted dates for several hours in the milk, to soften them up enough to blend smoothly. 

The cinnamon packs a punch- you can take it down a notch by halving the amount if you prefer. The flaky sea salt is also optional. I love it, but my three year old is less sure, so know your audience. 

Finally, this is not the kind of ice cream you want sitting around for too long in your freezer, I find that after a few days it starts to loose some of it's silky texture. Best made in small batches and enjoyed often.

Salted Caramel Cashew Ice Cream

Inspired by Blissful Basil

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
1 cup pitted and packed soft, sticky medjool dates (about 12 dates)
3/4 cup raw cashews (heaping)

2 tbs. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt

1/8 tsp. flaky salt for top

Directions

Place all ingredients except for the flaky salt in a high-speed blender and process until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Pour into a parchment paper lined dish and sprinkle with flaky salt. Freeze until hard, at least 6 hours. In the first few days, this scoops beautifully right out of the freezer. If it lasts more than a few days, let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Curry Almond Burgers

A few weeks ago I served these burgers as part of my Prepared Meal Service, and so many people requested the recipe that I immediately added this blog post to my to-do list. And it's happening!

They can come together fairly quickly, especially if you prep the rice and carrots in advance, so that they are cooked, cooled and ready. It is also a great project to make with kids- can you guess who shaped which burgers below? My two year old was excited to help, and ate an entire burger once they cooled. Undeniable bonus of letting them get their hands dirty (and they were, as well as turmeric stained!)

For a full meal, you can serve these with roasted veggies on the side. For a lighter one, you can use the burgers to top a salad and forgo the bun altogether. 

Curry Almond Burgers

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup short grain brown rice
2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups water or stock

2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 tbs. ground flax seed
1 tbs. curry powder
1 tbs. tamari
2 tbs. tahini
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1- 1.5 tsp. salt, to taste

To serve: burger buns, avocado, sprouts, ketchup or favorite spread

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place rice, chopped carrots and water in a small pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 35 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, mince garlic cloves in food processor. Add almonds and sunflower seeds and grind until they are the texture of gravel. Add remaining ingredients, including rice and carrots and process until fairly smooth (small chunks are fine). Taste, and add additional 1/2 tsp. of salt if desired.

Shape into 8 patties and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.

To serve, place on top of toasted buns, spread with your favorite schmeer, and top with avocado and sprouts.

Silky Pumpkin Soup

I ended up with an aging population of pie pumpkins in my possession a few weeks ago, from a farmer who was about to jet and didn't want his stock to go to waste. We're talking 60 pounds worth. The wrinkles were already forming, so I decided to roast now and freeze later.

And thus my "add pumpkin to everything" adventures began. So far I have made Crustless Pumpkin Pie, Indian Pumpkin and Split Pea Curry, Pumpkin Risotto and Spiced Pumpkin Donuts. Today we are going down the sweet-meets-savory route with a Silky Pumpkin Soup, perfect for this winter wonderland kind of day. Slightly reminiscent of pumpkin pie, while keeping it dinner table appropriate.

If you are curious about how to roast and freeze your own pie pumpkins, it's quite simple. Split pumpkins in half, remove seeds, rub with oil and roast at 375 degrees, cut side down on a baking sheet, for 30-45 minutes, until very soft. Let cool, remove flesh from the shells with a large spoon, measure and place in freezer bags, labeled with the amount inside. I did mostly 4-8 cups increments. Stack the freezer bags flat and let them freeze that way, for organizational convenience. 

Silky Pumpkin Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 tbs. coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 cups of roasted pumpkin
1 cup coconut milk
1.5 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1-3 tbs. of maple syrup, to taste
1 tsp. salt
black pepper or chili flakes to taste
Optional garnish: a sprinkle of garam masala

Directions

Heat coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for one more minute. Stir in pumpkin, coconut milk and water/broth, as well as cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add maple syrup and salt and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste, and add additional syrup and/or salt to taste, as well as black pepper or chili flakes. The amount of syrup needed will depend on the natural sweetness of the pumpkins you used.

Garnish with a sprinkle of garam masala, a warming Indian spice blend, if desired.

Banana Flax Muffins

I have a policy where if I make a recipe on the regular, I make sure to add my personal touch and get it to the blog. This is a great example of that in action. It helps me collect my favorites, and easily share them with others. 

These days I sometimes have a two-year old baker's helper, so I try to stick to vegan batters, since almost as much goes in to her mouth as in to the pan. So I swapped the eggs out for soaked flax seed, and added some grain diversity to make sure we're benefitting from all the various grains have to offer. Feel free to try out quinoa, buckwheat or amaranth flour in place of the millet flour if you're feeling adventurous, they all lend a unique flavor and nutritional profile. 

If you can’t find millet flour, you can use an extra ½ cup of oat flour instead. If you’d rather use whole wheat, you can replace both the oat and millet flour with 2 cups whole wheat flour. 

Final note, we love making these as mini muffins, which seem like the perfect snack size. They freeze really, if 36 seems like an intimidating number.

Banana Flax Muffins

Makes 16 full-size muffins or 36 mini muffins

Ingredients

3 tbs. of ground flax combined with 3 tbs. of warm water

¼ cup maple syrup

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2/3 cup applesauce

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbs. vanilla

1 1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 cup millet flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil muffin tins with a paper towel and dash of oil

Combine the flax and water mixture and set aside until thickened.  In a medium bowl, mash the bananas, add applesauce, oil, and vanilla.  In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined.

Scoop batter into your muffin tins, about 2/3 full.  Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes for full size muffins or 12 minutes for minis.

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!)

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.

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.

Cashew Coconut Fudge

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I present you with Cashew Coconut Fudge- the perfect blend of salty, sweet and delicious.

Some people assume that clean eating means you have to give up on your favorite foods. Not exactly. It is all about finding new ways to appreciate the flavors and textures you love, from ingredients you feel good about. Here is one great example. 

If you have 10 minutes to kill, I recommend giving this one a try. 

Cashew Coconut Fudge
Recipe inspired by Detoxinista
Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup cashew butter
⅓ cup unrefined coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Place cashew butter, coconut oil and maple syrup in food processor and blend until smooth. Add cocoa powder, salt and vanilla and continue to process until well blended. Batter will be loose.

Pour fudge batter in to a parchment paper-lined small baking pan and spread smooth. Place in freezer for 45 minutes. Remove from freezer and slice into 12 squares.

Store fudge in freezer for optimal texture- these will get very soft at room temperature.

Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Carrots

There are a precious few local ingredients that remain on the shelves (or in the cellars) in the depths of January, but carrots are one of them. I made an effort to find some rainbow carrots recently, for their vibrant hues and visual appeal. Bonus: varied colors offer a wider spectrum of antioxidants on one plate. Perfect for this heavy-hitting cold season.

Remember my post about preserving the herb harvest? In this recipe, I used whole frozen rosemary, simply stripped from the stalk and chopped. It is as good as fresh!

In my opinion, the best way to prepare your winter roots in roasting, however, I caution you against super high oven temperatures. The rich sugar content of the vegetables can easily burn. The trick is to get a nice browning, without burning the outside before the middle is cooked. My preferred temperature is 375 with the convection fan running.

Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lb. rainbow carrots (about 6 medium)
1 tbs. grapeseed oil
1 tbs. honey
1 tbs. rosemary
1/4- 1/2 tsp. salt


Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scrub carrots well and cut lengthwise into 4-6 long sticks. Place in a large bowl and toss with oil, honey, rosemary and salt.

Spread on to a large parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes, rotate pan and continue to cook another 10 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown on the edges.

Relax. Eat Well.

Peanut Butter Truffles

These truffles are a staple in my household- they are a breeze to whip up, containing just 5 ingredients, and can be stored in the freezer for any late night emergency that may arise. The are perfect for holiday gatherings, and in a cute package, make a great stocking stuffer.

I prefer them made with raw honey for its nutritional benefits and flavor compliment to the peanut butter, but you could substitute maple or brown rice syrup if need be. If peanuts are a problem, I would suggest cashew butter over almond. 

I don't bother to temper the chocolate coating- but that is because I store them in the freezer and we go through them surprisingly quickly. If out at room temperature for a few days, the chocolate will "bloom", which affects the appearance and texture more than the flavor. If you are interested in learning how to temper chocolate, I recommend following these directions. 

Peanut Butter Truffles
Makes 16-20

Ingredients

1 tbs. ground flax + 2 tbs. water
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions

In a small bowl, combine ground flax and water. Let sit until thickened.

In a double boiler, or bowl over a simmering pot of water, melt chocolate chips.

Combine all ingredients except chocolate in a food processor and run until dough begins to form a ball, scraping sides down as necessary. Remove and roll into 16- 20 small balls.

Dip each ball in melted chocolate, using a spoon to cover sides. Remove to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let cool. Store in fridge or freezer until ready to serve.

Relax. Eat Well.

Tempeh Meatballs

These meatballs are one of my favorite ways to use tempeh- a fermented soybean cake rich in protein, fiber and iron. As a fermented product, the soy in tempeh is partly "pre-digested", making it is easier for us to digest and assimilate. It is also much less refined than tofu (another soy product), making it my preferred whole-food vegetarian protein source.

The entire recipe is put together in the food processor, making it a cinch to throw together on a week night.

My daughter likes to snack on them on their own- I like them with spaghetti squash or as part of a Thanksgiving feast. The flavors fit right in!

Tempeh Meatballs
Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz. package tempeh, cubed
1 tbs. fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves, minced
¼ cup brown rice flour
3 tbs. olive oil
1 ½ tbs. tamari
1/4 tsp. chili flakes, optional
1 tbs. maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large food processor, pulse tempeh until crumbled. Add fresh herbs, rice flour, olive oil, tamari, chili flakes and maple syrup and pulse until well processed and beginning to form a ball. Taste, and adjust with additional salt and pepper flakes if desired.

Roll mixture into 12 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.

Cauliflower "Couscous"

Cauliflower is really making a comeback these days, I'm not sure if you've noticed. Mashed Cauliflower, Cauliflower Pizza Crust, Cauliflower Steaks- is there anything it can't do?

Here is my version of a Mediterranean Couscous dish, that uses minced cauliflower to replace the grain. Simple enough to go under a heartier main dish (ragout or curried chickpeas come to mind), yet flavorful enough to stand up on it's own, this is a dish that will bring a smile to your lips without weighing you down.

Cauliflower Couscous

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower
1 tbs. coconut or olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash of turmeric
a few sprigs fresh curry leaves, optional
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tbs. parsley, or cilantro

Directions

Pulse garlic in food processor to mince. Add cauliflower florets, in batches, pulsing until you achieve roughly to the size of couscous.

Heat oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add cauliflower and garlic and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until tender. Add salt, pepper, turmeric, curry leaves and golden raisins. Stir to combine. Remove to serving dish and garnish with parsley or cilantro.

Relax. Eat Well.

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