Sweet Corn and Black Bean Cakes with Cilantro Almond Aioli

Whew, that is quite the title. Maybe Sweet Beans with Green, instead? Nah, I'll stick with what I've got.

I've been on a black bean kick lately. I like them mixed with a sweeter vegetable, such as sweet potato or golden corn. This dish would work even better in the summer when the corn is tall, but sometimes you just have to break away from the root vegetables when it is MARCH and STILL SNOWING. Ok, I'm done.

For a little info on soaking and cooking beans from dried, check out this post. The same basic method for cooking all beans applies, although the cooking time varies depending on the size.




I served these petite cakes as an appetizer with a dallop of aioli on top, but they could be the main show as well in a larger format with some rice and greens on the side. I like the idea of aioli, but don't appreciate the massive amounts of oil involved. This version uses soaked raw almonds that are creamed into a smooth base and spiked with a latino beat: cilantro, lime, garlic and cayenne. Once they have soaked, it easy to squeeze gently to pop off their skins. They look so funny lying there all naked!




The date adds a sweetness that balances the acidity of the lime and pungency of the garlic. I love using dates in raw concoctions because they bring loads of fiber, a modest dose of potassium and TONS of depth. I love the medjool variety which is often found in the produce section as they are moist, rich and malty.

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Cakes

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ jalepeno, minced (or less, depending on heat of your particular pepper)

¼ red onion, chopped

½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1 /2 tsp cumin

2 cups black beans

½ cup cornmeal

1 cup corn

2 tsp. honey

Salt and black pepper to taste

Coconut oil for cooking

Directions

Place ground flax in a small bowl with 3 tbs water and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Place onion, garlic and jalapeño in the food processor and pulse to mince.  Add cilantro, cumin, cornmeal, honey and 1 cup of black beans. Process until fairly smooth and blended. Transfer to a large bowl and add flax mixture, corn and remaining cup of beans. Mix to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a medium cast-iron pan over medium heat with 1 tbs. of coconut oil. Shape patties with your hands and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. These work well as mini cakes for a cute appetizer topped with Raw Almond Cilantro Aioli (recipe below). 

Can be made in advance and fried just before serving, or shaped and baked if serving more guests. 

Raw Almond Cilantro Aioli

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight

1 medium garlic clove, minced

juice of ½ a lime

1 cup cilantro

1 medjool date, pitted

½ tsp. smoked sea salt

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup water

pinch of cayenne

paprika or sumac for garnish

Directions

Pinch soaked almonds to pop skins off.  Place skinned almonds with remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy, adding water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Serve on top of mini sweet corn and black bean cakes with paprika or sumac as a garnish for a darling appetizer. 

Relax. Eat Well.

Kale Chips

So I planted the seed  last week that I would I was working on a post about Kale Chips, and this time I made quick work on being good to my word. These are absolutely addicting. ADDICTING. But not in the "I can't believe I just ate the whole bag" kind of way. More like "woah I can't believe I just devoured a whole head of kale" internal dialogue. Not a bad trade. I'll take it.




I love to make these extra garlicky and spicy with a hefty pinch of habanero flakes (thanks Dulce!), but they can certainly be tamed down with just a touch of red pepper flakes, or none at all. I have used a number of different kale varieties, and all have been wonderful, although I think purple kale is still my favorite. Have fun exploring Lacinto (or dinosaur) kale as well as the traditional green curly kale as well. All wonderful AND chock full of amazing nutrients.




I could go on forever, but I will attempt to convince you of Kale's nutritional prowess in just a few sentences. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable that falls under the "hearty green" category rich in chlorophyll, Vitamin K, C, A, and iron. It's insoluble fiber content helps bind with bile in the digestive tract and effectively cleanse and detoxify the body of built-up toxins. It is extremely rich in caretonoids and flavonoids (two types of antioxidants) that have been shown to protect against cancer and lower cholesterol. Lastly, due to it's Vitamin K and Omega-3 content, it is extremely anti-inflammatory, helping ease oxidative stress within the system and promote over-all health. Ok ok, I'm done. I hope you are convinced.

When tossing the kale in the oil, you are looking to rub it in gently without massaging or breaking down the kale's structure (which you intentionally do when making a raw kale salad). You are looking for a slightly oiled feeling, but not at all greasy. I like to start with less oil and add more if needed, to find just the perfect amount. This may be tricky at first, but you will find your preferred oil level after you try it once, and will have it all figured out for the next time.

Italian Baked Kale Chips
Serves 4 (or 1, in my case)

Ingredients

1 head of kale (your favorite variety)

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbs. nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp. paprika
red pepper flakes to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Wash kale, and dry very well. Tear into large pieces, removing tough stems. Place in a large bowl with remaining ingredients and toss to coat. If you need a dash more oil, add it now and work it in lightly.  

Place on a large baking sheet (or two) in a single layer. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, remove, gently toss, and continue to cook for 5 minute intervals until dry and crispy (usually between 20-30 minutes). I find that a longer cooking time at a lower temperature results in chips that hold their crispiness.

Note: If you have access to a dehydrator, these make a great raw snack if dehydrated at 105 degrees for 2 hours.  Keeping food below 105 degrees preserves the active enzymes and more fragile vitamins and minerals. 


Relax. Eat Well.

Beet Burgers

Believe it or not, this was not even part of any intentional Vday theme, but these pinkalicious beet burgers just happened to make it onto my menu earlier this week. And I am glad they did. Boasting a clan of unusual ingredients, it is a true veggie burger unlike any you could ever find in the freezer aisle, which to me are the epitome of blah. This new version will bring your vegetarian world from the dorm room to the banquet table.

Utilizing whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal, it has a hearty texture and will keep you satisfied through the night. Plus, it is always nice to have a few recipes in the box that use up the leftover rice that has been sitting in your fridge since last weekend.  The trick is to let the mixture blend in the food processor for several minutes until it comes together to form a sticky patty, which takes the rice breaking down and releasing it's glutenous properties.

I love the idea of shredded beets (which give the raw patties the appearance of their slightly bloodier relative), but if it is a bit too crimson for you, I could imagine using carrots and parsnips instead without sacrificing flavor.  While we are on the subject of recipe tailoring, I could easily picture these burgers heading south with cumin replacing the thyme, cornmeal instead of oats and a few fresh corn kernels thrown in at the last minute. Just a thought.

One last note (well, teaser really): See those delectable green leafies in the background? They are my new obsession- kale chips. I have been making them lately with plenty of garlic and nutritional yeast and a generous pinch of habanero flakes. I swear I eat them like most people eat chicken wings, and with a much healthier conscious. Look forward to the recipe in the upcoming weeks...

Beet Burgers

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 medium beet, roughly chopped

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 ½ cup or 15 oz can kidney beans, cooked and rinsed

½ cup oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 tsp chipotle powder, plus more to taste

1 tbs. tamari

1 tbs. tomato paste

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. thyme

¼ cup brown rice flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, add beet, onion and garlic and process until fairly smooth. Add beans and pulse several more times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using your hands, take about ½ cup of beet mixture from the food processor and shape it into a patty. Place on parchment paper and repeat with remaining beet mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to brown lightly. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes, checking to make sure they aren’t getting too tough.

Serve Beet Burgers over fresh greens, topped with avocado, a dollop of hummus and fresh sprouts. 

Cooking Class: Indian Cuisine

February 13th 1-3pm at The Store in Waitsfield, VT

Spice of Life: Indian Cuisine

$55 per person- Hands On

Inspired by the exotic flavors of Indian cuisine yet unsure how to prepare it at home? Indian cuisine is famous for it’s complex spices, emphasis on seasonal produce and incorporation of health promoting ingredients. This class will focus on the beneficial properties of Indian spices, the nutrition behind the ingredients used, and practical kitchen tips to make your cooking experience easy and enjoyable. Expect to leave with detailed recipes and inspired taste buds.



 

Menu:


Aloo Gobi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)


Spiced Red Dal


Raita (Cooling Cucumber Yogurt Relish)

Whole-grain Naan Flatbread

Wait until you see this AMAZING classroom! Get ready to get your hands dirty.....

To register, call 802-496-4465

Relax. Eat Well.

No-Bake Chocolate Torte

Just in time for Valentine's day, this is a lusciously rich chocolate torte requiring relatively few ingredients, no oven time and little clean-up. And, oh my, so delicious. 

Funny story: So when I made this torte last week, I had to transport in my car to it's final destination. I wrapped it in plastic wrap and placed it on the bottom of the back seat, so that it wouldn't shift while I was driving. But of course, when I opened the car door with a seat full of food, the first thing the dog did was jump into the back and place two paws squarely in the center of the torte. At least there is documentation that it was at one point beautiful. And maybe it was even tastier when the flavors and textures burst so far beyond what the eye expected.

The crust is largely made from ground walnuts and pecans, making it rich and nutty and incredibly unrefined. You could take this a step farther by using pitted Medjool dates rather than maple syrup (maybe 5?). I think I'll try this next time I make it and report back. 

Soaking the nuts neutralizes the phytic acid found in whole grains, legumes and nuts, which can inhibit the digestion of their precious vitamins and minerals.  It is not a necessary step for the success of the torte, but if you can plan ahead a bit, set them to soak in water the night before. Not only will it increase the nutrition, it will also allow for a smoother filling. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well after soaking and before processing.

                                         

Another ingredient note: I replaced half of the cocoa powder in the crust with Dandy Blend, a healthy herbal coffee substitute (which is actually really delicious as a beverage as well, if you are trying to cut back on caffeine but miss your big mug of roasted beans in the morning). It offered a nice complexity to the nutty crust. 

Ingredients

Crust:
1 cup raw walnuts, soaked
1 cup raw pecans, soaked
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup good quality cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt

Filling:
12 ounces silken tofu (3/4 of a container)
2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup semisweet dark chocolate, chopped

Cocao nibs or shaved white chocolate, for decorating (optional)


Directions

Process crust ingredients in a large food processor until a ball begins to form. Place dough in a tart pan and with wet fingers, press to cover the bottom and sides in a thin but even layer.


In a double boiler, or small pot inside a large pot with water, melt chocolate over low heat. Transfer into food processor and add remaining filling ingredients. Blend until smooth and whipped.


Pour chocolate filling into prepared crust and spread to create a smooth-ish top. Garnish with cocao nibs,  or white chocolate shavings and refrigerate or freeze until firm before slicing.





Relax. Eat Well.

Eggplant Manicotti with a Creamy Pesto Filling

I love the flavors of Italian cooking, but I am not a huge fan of bland pasta or hyperbolic cheese. This is my version of manicotti that utilizes the texture of eggplant to hold a lusciously thick and satisfying pesto-spiked cashew cheese. I served it several weeks back alongside a much more traditional dairy-based filling and the overwhelming consensus favored this version. Since the filling is nutrient-packed and filling on it's own, this dish stands up well as a main course. Today I served it alongside roasted spaghetti squash with a brown-butter sage drizzle and sauteed broccolini and shallots. Not a bad little Monday.

Soaking the cashews and sunflower seeds neutralizes their phytic acid, an anti-nutrient found in whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, which can inhibit proper digestion. Luckily, in this recipe, it also softens the nuts and produces a much creamier filling.  Try to plan ahead and set them out to soak the morning before you make the dish, but if you forget and it becomes a last minute project, no worries. If you have a half an hour to let them soak, great. If not, the dish will work without any soaking at all.

For this recipe, I love Heidi Swanson's Five Minute Tomato Sauce. I make it with Muir Glen's Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes, which is a wonderful line of canned tomatoes. The generous olive oil carries ample fresh garlic and a hint of spicy pepper flakes, resulting in a rich and pungent sauce. You don't need more than a few spoonfuls to be completely in love.

Eggplant Manicotti with a Creamy Pesto Filling


Ingredients
1 large eggplant
2 tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 4 hours
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
2-3 tbs. pesto
1 tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 cup chunky tomato sauce


Directions


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice eggplant into about 12 thin slices lengthwise. Drizzle baking sheet with olive oil. Line up eggplant slices in a single layer on sheets (may take two trays) and drizzle the tops with oil as well. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until eggplant is very tender and golden brown.






Meanwhile, drain cashews and sunflower seeds from their soaking water and rinse again. Add cashews through black pepper through to a large food processor and blend until smooth. Add additional water as needed to reach a ricotta-esque texture. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary.

Taking an eggplant slice, spread 1 tbs. pesto filling

along the fat end vertically. Starting at that end, carefully roll eggplant into a small (but plump) cigar. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. Place rolls back on a baking sheet and stick back in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until warm. Remove and plate (3 rolls per plate), topping with your favorite chunky tomato sauce.





Relax. Eat Well.

Honey Stuffed Dates

Happy snow storm! It is afternoons like this when I remember why I live in Vermont in the winter…. I could sit and watch the flurries ramble down for hours. A quick walk up the road with my goofy-happy dog and it is even more clear…. What a beautiful place we live!

Anyway, the bad news is that the power is out, so I am typing this and hoping to be able to post it later tonight. I was in the middle of making my first batch of homemade paint getting frustrated that my wheat paste wasn’t thickening when I realized, wait, nothing is lit or heating. So, alas, we will move on to tastier topics, such as Honey Stuffed Dates. 

This recipe is very Mediterranean where it is common to serve dried fruit, rich yogurt and savory nuts to finish a meal. A subtle sweet with a certain complexity that goes beyond most overly saccharine American desserts, this treat will truly satisfy your evening cravings.

Medjool dates are large, plump and delightfully gooey on the inside. They typically come with pits that have to be removed. Simply make a small hole on each end with a sharp knife and gently squeeze the pit until it pokes out of one side and you are able to remove it with your fingers or kitchen tweezers. I like to increase the size of the hole a little more with some additional knife twisting, to make plenty of room for the rich and zesty filling. Dates are a wonderful source of natural fiber, and are cleansing and astringent to the intestinal tract.

This dessert does a little advanced planning as you need to begin straining the yogurt the night before. The easiest way to do this is with a large piece of cheese cloth or extra large tea bag.  Once you have it contained, twist at the top and hang from the faucet so that the excess liquid (whey) can drip throughout the night. If you are feeling ambitious, collect the whey to use the next time you make Kimchi instead of some of the salt. It is a fabulous source of probiotic bacteria as well as potassium and Vitamin B6 and helps retard the growth of the "bad" bacteria, just as the salt does, during the fermentation process.

Honey Stuffed Dates
Serves 8

Ingredients
24 medjool dates, pitted
1 cup strained plain whole-milk yogurt (see above for tips on straining)
1 orange, zested and supremed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbs. raw honey
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 tbs. bee pollen (optional)

Directions

Pit and prepare dates as described above. In a medium bowl, mix the strained yogurt, orange zest, vanilla and honey. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag with a medium tip (or a sturdy plastic bag with one corner snipped in a pinch).  Carefully insert tip into each of the date and squeeze until the filling fills the cavity and begins to exit. Add a generous dallop on each end.

Mixed chopped almonds and bee pollen thoroughly in a small bowl. Dip each stuffed date end into the mixture and spin to coat.



Serve with orange wedges or other fresh fruit.








Relax. Eat Well.