Winter

Archive for the ‘Winter’ Category

Spicy Tempeh with Wilted Chard & Yogurt

Can I tell you something? It may be obvious that I have not been posting with the usual frequency I used to, but I promise, this is still a favorite place for me to come and share recipes, stories and thoughts. But life has been busy. Like, busy busy. And when I do find a moment where I’m not focused on finishing up a wholesale order or designing someone’s logo, I kind of want to just be outside with my husband, curl up and read a book (finally got around to finishing this one), a magazine, or plant something in my garden. And you know what, I’ve become ok with that.

There was a time when I thought you dear readers would stop being interested and move on if I wasn’t posting at least once a week, never mind those who carve out 2, 3, or more posts in one week! Whew, that would exhaust me this moment in time, but I do admire those who do it. I want to thank you for continuing to read, make my recipes, to ask me questions and give such positive feedback. You are becoming my main reason for showing up and I’m enjoying the conversations we have.

Our business has been slowly growing (5 years this May!) and I’m constantly blindsided how running a business can be such a deeper insight into my own personal strengths. How I can choose what it is I do everyday, but have the little voice in the back of my head tell me that “the choice may be mine, but not to give it too much slack”. December and January came and went so fast and for a person who loves to cook and eat good food, dinner did not make it to the table many of those nights. If it did, it most likely wasn’t even thought about until 8:30pm rolled around and it became such a rushed event of tossing whatever was in the fridge into a bowl and calling it a meal. Oh, they were quite the creative months ; )

I’ve been realizing that through those months I was barely ever picking up a cookbook. I was literally fueling and sustaining my hunger first, rather than inviting new and fun ways to prepare and enjoy a meal. It definitely gave me new ideas when cooking in this way, but when I received a copy of Martha Stewart Living’s new cookbook, Meatless, I was wishing it had been there on those nights when I didn’t want to create something fancy. I would have loved someone/something to just tell me what to make and lets be done with it, knowing the outcome would be different than the last repeated nights dinners and still taste good. Maybe some of you have those kind of weeknights as well. It’s a beautiful, full–color book, with over 200 recipes and if you are trying to limit your meat intake or just looking for more healthy weeknight dinner ideas, I’d suggest you start with this book. It has some very basic recipes, but there are also many creative salads, soups, pizzas and one pot dinner ideas that I can’t wait to try.

I started with this spiced tempeh, wilted chard and yogurt dish. It’s relatively quick once you’ve gotten everything chopped up and ready to throw into the pan. I replaced the tofu with the tempeh, for the simple reason that I had it on hand and I kind of prefer it to tofu. However if it’s new to you, it is a weird one, that’s for sure! Basically it’s soy beans that have been soaked, de-hulled and left to soak and ferment, forming a little cake. Sometimes it can get this bloom of black on it’s edges, but it’s totally safe to eat. The taste is quite different from tofu, but it’s much firmer in texture, easier to digest and has a higher protein, fiber, and vitamin content then tofu. It’s probably an acquired taste, but for what it’s worth, my husband who doesn’t like it as much as I do, said he really enjoyed it served in this dish.

Spiced Tempeh with Wilted Chard & Yogurt / serves 4
Adapted from Meatless

I made several substitutions to the recipe, replacing the tofu, spinach, and low-fat yogurt for tempeh, rainbow chard and whole milk yogurt.

2 tablespoons sunflower
2 8oz. packages tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
coarse salt
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 bunches rainbow chard, stemmed and chopped
2/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 cups cooked brown rice

In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add tempeh (or tofu) and cook, turning, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and spices and cook, stirring, until spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until just wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Season with salt and stir in golden tempeh. Serve with rice on the side.

Fall, Gluten-Free, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables, Winter

Brussels Sprout Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Hazelnuts & Creamy Avocado Dressing

It was June when I started the brussels sprout seeds inside. I carefully filled little pots with seedling mix and made sure to keep them moist. Soon enough there was a push up from the soil and a little green leaf waving it’s head at me. I coddled these things, taking them outside to get a feeling of the breeze and bright sky they were soon going to be under, then bringing them back in before evening. Soon they were stalky little guys starting to outgrow their pots, but I didn’t have a single place to put them because by that time it was July and the whole garden was filled with plants already given there allotted space. I remember during that week I was either giving lettuces away or eating salad almost 3 times a day just so nothing was wasted and the brussels sprouts would soon have a place to occupy.

Once they were in their new home, I could tell they were happy. Large, dark leaves formed and they seemed to grow taller overnight. I was getting worried that I timed everything all wrong that on top of all the tomatoes, green beans, kale, lettuce, carrots, and parsnips, I was going to have a ton of brussels sprouts to eat too. Not that big of a problem I guess, but I really wanted these to make it at least to October. It wasn’t until September though that I started noticing the little sprouts begin to form right up on top of each leaf. As the days got shorter and colder everything began to grow at a much slower pace, and here I am now, with 8 stalks of big green brussles sprout plants. Granted, the aphid infestation I tried so hard to fend off still took over a few of the sprouts, with a good and thorough cleaning, they were perfectly edible.

I offer you up this gem of a salad days before Thanksgiving, not because I want you to change you traditional Thanksgiving meal, but because I think it offers up a nice balance to the days leading up to and after the big meal. But if you do happen to be looking for that one last salad idea, I think this one would be refreshingly welcome next to your mashed potatoes, green beans, and turkey. Enjoy friends and have a lovely holiday weekend!

Brussels Sprout Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Hazelnuts & Creamy Avocado Dressing / serves 4-6

1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, washed, dried and leaves separated
4-5 kale leaves (I used lacinato kale)
1 celery stalk
seeds from half a pomegranate *how to remove tip below
large handful of hazelnuts (about 1/3 cup), roasted
juice and zest from one small lemon, about 2-3 tablespoons juice
1 avocado
pinch of sea salt

Remove the kale leaves from the center stalk and cut into bite sized pieces. Roughly chop the brussels sprout leaves the same size, place in a large bowl.

Scoop out 1/2 the avocado and place in a small bowl with the lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. Mash with the back of a fork then pour dressing over the greens. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the leaves and let everything sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Cube the rest of the avocado, thinly slice the celery and roughly chop the roasted hazelnuts. To serve top the salad with all the last ingredients, plus the pomegranate seeds and give a good toss at the table.

* My favorite way to remove pomegranate seeds without making a mess is to first remove the top where the skin folds up. Then, using a sharp knife, carefully score from one end to the other, making an X through the skin. Just be careful to not go all the way inside where the seeds are. Then grasping each side, give the pomegranate a good twist over a bowl of clean water. The sides should remove without too much trouble, then keeping the pomegranate submerged, use your hands to pull out the seeds and loosen as you go. The white parts will float to the top and the seeds to the bottom, making it easy to separate everything and bonus, nothing gets stained!

Fall, Fruits, Gluten-Free, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Winter

Roasted Acorn Squash & Black Bean Tandoori Enchiladas

This weekend was ordinary and I say that with an excited smile in my voice, because running a graphic design and handmade business with your husband is not exactly high up on the ordinary list. Between packing up your car so full with product you can’t see out the back window, then driving hundreds of miles for craft shows several times a year; to meeting with clients on skype to discuss color and font choices for their logo, I never thought this would be a way of life for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I just mean, I don’t really think many in my generation grew up saying they wanted to be a business owner or freelancer and blogger wasn’t even a term thought of yet.

We were in LA on a very hot July weekend this year and during one of the shows (maybe I was wary from the heat) I had this moment in my mind that drifted to looking at the two of us sitting there from another prospective. I turned to Scott and said “We live such a weird life. It’s kinda like we’re modern day gypsies that have iphone’s, mac computers, and tweet. I wonder what everyone here thinks when they see this (amazing) group of people all spread out selling their products?” It’s not that I really care what other’s think, but I think there are a few who don’t realize this is how we make a living, it’s not just a hobby for us. And it’s really true, we’ve made friends with artists from OR, to CA, to TX and NY doing the same thing. We all travel to these shows and each time we get the same questions, “You actually made this?” Our response, “Yes, we did.” Some people really get it and it’s such an amazing experience to see somthing you’ve made go from your hands into another’s. And then there’s those that don’t. We take it with a grain of salt.

We’re trying to get into the habit of no work on the weekends, unless we have major deadlines. So, when I woke up on Saturday, to the sound of rain on the roof, I took it in. The house was cold and made me linger under the covers just a little longer. We haven’t needed to turn on our heat yet, we’re trying to see if we can make it to November and I keep counting the days off in my head. Luckily, the temperature hasn’t dropped down below 60 degrees, but still, I’m dressed in layers and keep my hands wrapped around endless mugs of tea.

We spent the day doing odd chores around the house. I pulled up the last of the tomato plants and admired the progress of the brussels sprouts. I made applesauce from a large box my mom dropped off for us the week before. Scott discovered a new treasure buried in our yard. It was an old Ford model T wheel with wooden spokes. I think we may give it to my dad. Sunday, Scott left around 6am to go fly fishing with a friend. I was out of bed not to long after and enjoyed the morning and afternoon reading, sewing, making enchiladas, and filling the silence with a little of this, this, and this.

A couple weeks ago I made Sarah’s (from My New Roots) Tandoori Cauliflower. It was a pretty fantastic way to serve cauliflower and it left me with a little jar of the tandoori spice mix leftover. Considering I really like my winter squash cooked with lots of spice, rather then the sweet side, I thought it’d make a good fit. Keeping with the warm comfort food theme, I decided to roast some acorn squash, mix it with black beans and the tandoori, wrap it all up in corn tortillas, smother it with fresh tomato (last ones from the garden) enchilada sauce, and top it all off with cheese. It was the perfect ordinary weekend if you ask me.

Roasted Acorn Squash & Black Bean Tandoori Enchiladas / serves 6
I think any Winter squash would work great in the recipe, besides spaghetti squash. And to make this quicker feel free to use your favorite enchilada sauce from a can, I just couldn’t bare to let my last tomatoes go to waste.

1 acorn squash, sliced in half, seeds removed then sliced into 6 wedges
olive oil for brushing
2 cups (or one 14oz. can drained) black beans
2 heaping teaspoons Sarah’s Tandoori spice mix
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided (more or less depending on preference)
about 2 cups enchilada sauce (recipe below) or from your favorite enchilada sauce
10-12 5-inch corn tortillas
cilantro, for garnish (optional)
avocado, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Place the squash on a baking sheet and brush generously with olive oil. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Turn the oven down to 350F.

While the squash is roasting I like to lightly char my tortillas by heating a cast iron pan over high heat and letting them get all toasty and browned/gently blackened on each side. This is totally optional, but an easy step if you want to add some visual appeal and a little smoky flavor.

Cool the squash enough to handle, then either peel the skin and chop into pieces or scoop it out and combine with the black beans, tandoori, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Fill the bottom of a baking dish with enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom. Grab a tortilla and fill it with about 1/3 cup of the black bean mixture, carefully roll in the sides and lay it seem side down in the sauce. Repeat until you’ve used up all the filling. Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce and cheese and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted and the filling is warmed through. Cool slightly and serve with cilantro and avocado.

fresh tomato enchilada sauce
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes
olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Roast the tomatoes at 425F for about 20-25 minutes or until the skins begin to split open.

Meanwhile, heat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom, then stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion softens and starts to turn golden. Stir in the chile powder and cumin and cook another minute.

Toss in the roasted tomatoes and gently smash with the back of a wooden spoon. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Stir in salt to taste. Gently simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes. Use immediately or let cool and store covered in the fridge for several days.

Fall, Gluten-Free, Proteins, Vegetables, Winter

Baked Red Lentil & Parsnip Samosas

I transplanted a few rhubarb plants from my grandpa’s garden last year and for the past few weeks I’ve been watching them peek out of the ground from their Winter slumber. First they shoot up an awkward looking red lump. Then, while slowly unfolding each green leaf, its signature bright red stalks grow taller and sturdier. It’s kind of a magical thing to see how much grew from the day before.

Even though it snowed in early March and there have been days and days of chilly weather and non-stop rain, it was the first signal to me that Spring really was just around the corner. I’m still cooking with roots, I’m still wearing so many layers of clothing that I might as well have just put on everything I own, and I’m still working on the idea that daylight savings has given me a few extra hours of light in the evening. Every year I get so thrown off by this sudden change of light and time. I’m so attached to the slow change that comes with the rising and setting of the sun each day, that when it abruptly ”springs forward” it’s harder to get up in the now darker mornings and I don’t realize I should start making dinner until it’s already past 7pm.

Sometimes I wish I could be that rhubarb plant. No sense of time, just doing it’s thing, as its done year after year because of a feeling, not because what the clock says, but because the days are slowly getting longer and warmer.

The rhubarb is still growing of course, so there is no rhubarb in this recipe, those will come soon enough. Instead I give you samosas full of creamy, earthy, sweet parsnips, red lentils, and spices from India. I first made samosas years ago to impress Scott. They were filled with potato and similar spices, but there must have been hot peppers in them because I remember them being spicier.

They’re traditionally folded slightly different, to make more of a triangular pouch, but I decided to modify them by folding the dough over into half circles, then rolling and pinching shut the edges. They take some time, but worth all the effort and you can make a lot to freeze ahead of time to pull out when you want.

Baked Red Lentil & Parsnip Samosas / makes 24
Loosely adapted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian

I miscalculated the filling to dough ratio, so you’ll end up with a bit more filling, but it’s great on top of rice. In fact if you don’t want to go through the trouble of making and filling the samosas, I suggest making just the filling for a delicious dinner meal.

dough
2 cups light spelt flour
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
pinch of salt
1/2 cup water

filling
1 cup dried red lentils
2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil
1 lb. parsnips, peeled and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
pinch of dried red chile flakes
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
salt and pepper to taste

for the dough
Using the dough blade, combine the flour, butter, yogurt, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and process for about 10-15 seconds. Slowly start pouring in the water while the machine is still running. Slowly keep adding more until a dough ball begins to form, you may not need all the water. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough several times by hand. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You can also make the dough a day ahead of time, just bring it back to room temperature before rolling out.

for the filling
Place the ghee or oil in a deep skillet or medium pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the parsnips, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir occasionally until everything is light golden, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the spices, coating all the vegetables.

Add the lentils and stock, turn the heat up to high and when the mixture begins to boil, lower the heat so it gently simmers, cover and cook, stirring every so often for about 30-40 minutes. Add more water during cooking only if needed to prevent the lentils from scorching. Once the veggies are soft and the lentils are cooked, season with salt to taste and set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets.

Lightly flour work surface and divide the dough into quarters. Cover 3 pieces and divide the forth into 6 pieces. Roll each into a ball, then flatten out into a 3-inch diameter circle. After rolling the first 6, fill the center with about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Use your fingertip or a small pastry brush to apply a little water to the rim, then fold over and seal by rolling up the edges and pressing together at the same time.

Place the samosas on the baking sheet and keep covered with plastic wrap while you prepare the rest. Bake the samosas until golden brown, turning as needed, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Bread, Proteins, Sides, Vegetables, Winter

Shredded Brussels Sprout & Tangerine Salad

It’s the end of February, which also means the official end of winter (although unfortunately maybe not winter weather), so today I’m sharing one last seasonal salad with you. I meant to get this recipe to you yesterday, but seeing as our usual morning csa delivery didn’t arrive until around 6pm last night, the brussels sprouts I knew the box would contain, didn’t arrive in time before I had a chance to prepare and photograph this salad.

All weekend I was thinking about these brussels sprouts and how I would savor them because I knew this would probably be the last bunch until next season. I thought a light salad, something that would ease its way into spring with a crisp freshness and touch of brightness, would be a good option. Something raw to enter a soon-to-be season of young fresh veggies, but still hanging onto the citrus of winter.

Truth be told, I also needed to think of a recipe I knew would be relatively quick to prepare. In the previous weeks I’ve been up to my ears in projects and exciting new things we’re working on for our shop. I’m not usually a pro thirty minute meal or less kinda person, but I can appreciate a quick whole food recipe when I need one, especially when I can’t stand to eat another sandwich or plate of leftovers.

I had picked up a bag of whole wheat Israeli couscous out of curiosity. I’d never cooked with this little bead shaped grain before and the fact that I saw it would take less than 15 minutes to cook, might also be why it made its way into my cart that day. I added it to the shredded brussels sprouts for some extra heft. My favorite part of this salad is when you get a sweet squirt of tangerine juice when taking a bite, also the unexpected but so delicious taste of basil.

This was another recipe that started out as something from The Food Matters Project, as you can see I’m not very good at following recipes, but at least I still used brussels sprouts! This weeks pick was by Marcia and to view a complete list of others who participated you can visit the website.

Shredded Brussels Sprout & Tangerine Salad / serves 4

I really think any grain (quinoa, millet, barley, farro) would work here in place of the couscous. You can segment the tangerines if you like too, I kept it simple and didn’t bother.

1/2 cup dry whole wheat Israeli couscous or 1 cup other cooked grain of choice
1/2 lb. brussels sprouts
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
handful of fresh basil, chiffonade (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
a couple big pinches salt, plus more to taste
3 tangerines
1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Bring a small saucepan filled with 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in couscous and cook at a simmer for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the brussels sprouts as thinly as you can and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add in the red onion, basil, and couscous and give everything a good toss.

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Pour over the brussels sprout mixture and toss until everything is thoroughly dressed, seasoning with salt to taste. Add in the tangerines, then just before serving, top with walnuts.

Fruits, Gluten-Free, Grains, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Winter

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