Grilled Cabbage Wedges with Gochujang Mayo

 

Somewhere someone declared that cabbage was the vegetable of the moment. I say, what took you so long?!

I was the lunchroom weirdo who ate raw hunks of green cabbage all through high school, but raw cabbage is not something that everyone's tummy can handle. Here it is seared on high heat and then drizzled with gochujang mayo - a gift of the gods!

You want to use green cabbage and not Napa or Savory cabbage, since green cabbage has a dense and compact interior that is best for slicing into wedges to sear. Buy a cabbage that feels heavy for it size, ensuring that dense interior.

Asian Style Root Slaw

Here we are deep in winter and it is the perfect time to make root vegetable based slaws. My favorite way is this Asian version, super simple and works with any root vegetable. It's great on tacos, and this version is inspired by Korean flavorings.

Grate any of those knobby roots - turnips, celery root, carrot, daikon radish - and add cabbage if you like, some red or green onion, sprinkle on some rice vinegar, a little sesame oil and soy sauce and presto! You have a fantastic slaw that is delicious, and packed with nutrition! All of those roots are high in potassium as well as great sources of fiber, so they fill you up and keep you hydrated. Win win!

Broccoli with Blue Cheese and Garlic Bread Crumbs

When it comes to cooked vegetables, broccoli is hands down my favorite. And putting a cheese sauce on it is a no brainer, but this is the first time I thought to try a blue cheese sauce rather than cheddar. It's a keeper!

Most recipes will direct you to oven roast the broccoli, but I find that cooking it in a covered cast iron pan for the first ten minutes will give you that blackened crispy broccoli that you crave, and also steam it at the same time, without having to heat up a whole oven. Then, if you choose to got the extra step and make the simple garlic bread crumbs, you use the pan that the broccoli was pan seared in, and it is a one pan meal!

When you cut your broccoli, make sure to create lots of flat surfaces, keeping the stalks attached. You want to sear those flat surfaces on the hot oiled surface of the pan to achieve that crispy, blackened surface.

This meal was inspired by an old piece of blue cheese languishing in my cheese drawer, so I made homemade blue cheese dressing; feel free to use your favorite store bought.

Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins, Almonds, Capers and Fresh Herbs

 

Adding fresh herbs to your cooking repertoire seems to feel daunting and although cookbooks abound on the idea, don’t bother with them, just follow your taste buds. Mine led me to this amazing cauliflower dish that apparently originates from a famous New York chef. I just know it was so delicious I may have eaten a whole head of cauliflower for dinner that night!

Raisins, almonds, and capers with cauliflower is a traditional Sicilian pairing, truly, no lie. But add in a bunch of fresh chopped herbs and this dish is something special. Fresh herbs are like citrus, they enliven all that they touch!

The original recipe called for fresh breadcrumbs toasted in butter, and while it was good, I felt disinclined to make them the second time and I found I didn’t miss them. For me, the star of the dish were the raisins simmered in a vinegar butter bath that plumps them into delicious sweet tangy bites that are mind-blowing with the crunch of almonds and the brine of capers, alongside the cauliflower and assorted herbs! This is truly a dish where you will want to fish around to get all of those flavors and textures in each bite!

Pan Roasted Romanesco with Pear and Sumac

Romanesco is one of those truly seasonal vegetables - grab it while it's here, cause when it's gone, its sayonara until next year!

I love it roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper, but if you're feeling fancy (or perhaps getting really for a really big feast that includes something called a gobbler...) you might give this one a try.

It sounds exotic, sumac and tahini, but it's really just gourmet comfort food!

Marinated Portobellas with Chimichurri Sauce

Despite the fact that describing mushrooms as having a "meaty" taste and texture is so cliche and unoriginal, it does not belie its truth, and portobella mushrooms in particular. While I find that description so meat centric, it did inspire this dish!

Chimichurri is the bright green condiment from South America that is traditionally served with steak (as the link for the recipe displays it). But it is equally (if not better!) with these marinated 'shrooms. Totally delightful and unexpected! These could easily be made with little cremini mushrooms (baby bellas) with a dollop of chimichurri for a delightful little amuse bouche! Hmmmm, ideas abound...

Seared Fennel and Orange Salad

My love affair with Gjelina continues...

It seems that they just adore searing vegetables in a hot pan and then adding a few choice ingredients to bring out the best of the vegetable's flavor. How can you argue with that! It certainly is making my hubby see vegetables in a whole new light, and eat ones that have never passed his lips to date. That's a win in my book!

This is not the exact recipe as listed in the cookbook, but we were happy with the results! Clearly this dish is best in the winter when citrus is most plentiful. But do not let that deter you, eat some fresh spring fennel with those non-seasonal oranges, I won't tell!

Smoky Swiss Chard with Caesar Dressing and Garlic Breadcrumbs

When I lived in Los Angeles my sister and I started our own eating out club, trying fun and more high end restaurants so we could eat good food, dress up, and have a sisters' night out. On one of those nights we ate at Gjelina in Venice Beach, on Abbott Kinney Boulevard and a love affair began.

Small plates, amazing pizza, great wine list, fun people watching and just mind blowing food, every single time. And then 101 Cookbooks posted a recipe from Gjelina the cookbook. Who knew! Bought the book immediately and made this; it felt like I was sitting in that noisy corner restaurant again only we're more than 1,000 miles away. I can't rave enough, so I'll just sit back and let you all enjoy discovering the magic.

Reading through the book cover to cover in one sitting, no joke, I realized again the importance of garnishes and sauces for making a dish special. The vegetables really are the stars although there are chapters on meat and fish; but don't be fooled into thinking vegetarians won't adore this book as well. What chef Travis Lett does with condiments will split your head open like you had inhaled pop rocks!

Lett grills lots of greens in the restaurant and many of the recipes include this technique. While I made the dressing exactly as the recipe directed, I used the swiss chard that I had and grilled it on a flattop cast iron pan (it's round like a pan but has no sides) and it produced an incredibly smoky flavor with the chard. When summer comes, grilling greens (kale, lettuces, chicories) will surly become a staple.

Green Beans with Feta and Crispy Shallots

This is one of of those simple side dishes that kind of sneaks up on the main event and steals the show! It's inspired by a traditional dish that was always at my family's Thanksgiving feast - steamed and chilled green beans with chevre and sliced almonds - but since there were an abundance of shallots in the veggie bin, I decided to fry them up in super hot oil and make some crispy toppings for these steamed beans.

For years I resisted the idea of being "fancy" with my meals, but slowly I have given in to the wonders of garnishes and sauces - they really do make the meal feel special and don't require that much extra effort. Here making the crispy shallots was simple and quick, my kind of garnish!

In our house feta and chevre are always on hand, so why not gild the lily! Crunchy, creamy, green bean deliciousness awaits you!

Beet and Herbed Chevre Napoleons

There is a wonderful French style bakery/cafe in Arcata call Cafe Brio and not only do the make the best French pastries and breads this side of the Atlantic, they also create fun salads like the one that inspired me to make these Napoleons. After having this delicious salad there a crisp Fall afternoon, I knew I needed to recreate it at home. Simply heaven!

Be careful with the garlic, it can overpower the other flavors, so err on the side of less. The fun thing about these stacks is that you can prepare both portions well in advance and then it all comes together quickly if you are trying to throw together a quick weeknight meal (no one ever has to do that!)

Thanksgiving Entrees and Sides - Veggie Friendly

Vegetarians (and vegans!) get so much flak at Thanksgiving, and quite often their entree options are boring or nil. Be kind to the plant eaters and make them an entree to remember, and lots of sides that everyone will love!

Entrees

Wild Mushroom Nutloaf with Porcini Gravy sounds like a scary throwback from the early hippie food of the 1970s, but this is decadence and deliciousness that everyone will love. Make enough so the carnivores can try it, they will be pleasantly surprised!

If your diners are primarily omnivores, these Chick Pea Parmesan Cutlets are easy to make ahead of time and then heat with some tomato sauce and presto! Delicious vegetarian or vegan entree without much fuss.

My personal old standby favorite whenever I was eating with my omnivore family was the Seitan Sautee with gravy. Here's a version with Fieldroast Marsala with Mushrooms.

Sides

Whether I eat turkey or not, my favorite part of the meal are the vegetable side dishes. Some people are crazy for stuffing but what I can't wait for is...Brussels Sprouts! Truly, and without bacon! Just sauteed with some olive oil and salt and sometimes a little balsamic vinegar. And then there's cauliflower gratin and beet salad and green beans...Ok, I'm drooling all over the computer. Suffice to say the veggies win the day for me!



Basque Beet Salad with Parsley and Garlic

Sweet and Savory Brussels Sprouts

Cauliflower Gratin!

Creamed Spinach 

(Use butter and cream instead of non-dairy ingredients if you like).

Pan Roasted Mushrooms with Wild Rice

Apple, Walnut and Cabbage Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Happy Eating!

Green Beans with Chile Bean Sauce

If you love the taste of chiles but don't always want your mouth so on fire that you can't taste whatever is in it, this is the dish for you!

Chinese chile bean paste has heat and flavor. And if you want your mouth on fire, you can always add more of the chile bean paste. But because it has the addition of fermented beans in the paste, the chile flavor comes through but the fire is toned down.

This is a perfect way to spice up those fresh spring veggies popping up at your local farmers market. When steaming or sauteing becomes too everyday, look to the heat! I have made this with asparagus and green beans to equal satisfaction. We ate it with tofu as well as fish, both great accompaniments!

South Indian Sauteed Swiss Chard (Palakoora Vepadu)

Sauteed greens is such a bland phrase in comparison to reality of the dish pictured above. It's like calling  caviar fish eggs or truffles fungus. It almost insults it with such a minimalist term. This is food for the gods!

I happened to be browsing Saveur's website looking for a good naan recipe and happened upon the motherlode of authentic Indian cooking. The magazine had devoted an entire issue to exploring the country top to bottom and this greens dish is from Andhra, a state on the south east coast of the Indian Ocean. I will definitely be on the lookout for more dishes from that state to be sure!

Prior to finding this recipe my meal plan included a urad dal makhani dish (look for that next) from the Punjab, and unknown to me both dishes used similar spices so they made the perfect compliment.

While the list of ingredients is comparatively long it is sooooo worth it!! This will be going into our regular rotation, and what a great way to get some good greens in your meal!

Thanksgiving Inspiration Part II - Vegetarian Entrees and Sides

Vegetarians (and vegans!) get so much flak at Thanksgiving, and quite often their entree options are boring or nil. Be kind to the plant eaters and make them an entree to remember, and lots of sides that everyone will love!

Entrees

Wild Mushroom Nutloaf with Porcini Gravy sounds like a scary throwback from the early hippie food of the 1970s, but this is decadence and deliciousness that everyone will love. Make enough so the carnivores can try it, they will be pleasantly surprised!

If your diners are primarily omnivores, these Chick Pea Parmesan Cutlets are easy to make ahead of time and then heat with some tomato sauce and presto! Delicious vegetarian or vegan entree without much fuss.

My personal old standby favorite whenever I was eating with my omnivore family was the Seitan Sautee with gravy. Here's a version with Fieldroast Marsala with Mushrooms.

Sides

Whether I eat turkey or not, my favorite part of the meal are the vegetable side dishes. Some people are crazy for stuffing but what I can't wait for is...Brussels Sprouts! Truly, and without bacon! Just sauteed with some olive oil and salt and sometimes a little balsamic vinegar. And then there's cauliflower gratin and beet salad and green beans...Ok, I'm drooling all over the computer. Suffice to say the veggies win the day for me!



Basque Beet Salad with Parsley and Garlic

Sweet and Savory Brussels Sprouts

Cauliflower Gratin!

Creamed Spinach 

(Use butter and cream instead of non-dairy ingredients if you like).

Pan Roasted Mushrooms with Wild Rice

Apple, Walnut and Cabbage Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Happy Eating!

Thanksgiving Inspiration Part I - Hors d'oeuvres and Desserts

It's been a while since I've done a holiday suggestion round up, but since the blog just featured a great vegetarian option for Thanksgiving, it made me think it would be worth putting together a guide. Although my blog is flexitarian, these suggestions are vegetarian and vegan in focus. So here, in no particular order, are my humble suggestions!

Hors d'oeuvres

Easy snacks for arriving guests are the name of the game here. These are do ahead treats that go great with wine and require little from you on turkey day. 

Fermented Cashew "Boursin" cheese. Yup, vegan, dairy free, delicious. If you want to shock your eaters, make this amazing "cheese." It's amazingly mind-blowing!

Olives are always easy and fun and when you marinate them yourself, you can taylor the flavors. Here's my version of them Moroccan Style.

Nuts are always a great snack to serve and these Maple Rosemary Glazed Walnuts will be a huge hit. But truly heed my warning and triple the batch, they are seriously addictive!

Desserts

I have to admit that desserts are very much an afterthought for me, except at Thanksgiving! While my sweet tooth is general MIA, pumpkin pie is one of my favorite foods, probably because the sweetness factor isn't too high! That being said, if you are cooking for a crowd, it is good to have some variety. So beyond the traditional pumpkin and pecan, here are some suggestions.

Limoncello Macaroons with Lemon Icing are definitely not traditional turkey day fare, but they are easy to make and improve with age and will keep well in the refrigerator! Oh, and deliciously addictive to boot!

Chocolate is usually de rigor in some sort of dessert, and last year I had a sinfully rich chocolate pecan pie, but it really was a recipe for a bellyache! Try this Chocolate Ricotta Tart instead. Rich dark chocolate taste with the creaminess of ricotta!

Lastly, a fruit pie of sorts, inspired by the French: Goat Cheese, Walnut and Pear Galette. Rustic in look but elegant in taste.

Happy meal planning

Hugs!

Polynesian Inspired Red Cabbage Slaw

Here's another fun cabbage salad. It's easy to make and deceptively delicious with the addition of pineapple and its juice. I know it's kind of tacky calling anything Hawaiian or polynesian just because it has some sort of tropical fruit in it, but it captures the spirit of the salad even if it's wholly inauthentic!

Polynesian Inspired Red Cabbage Slaw
(serves 3-6)

2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
1 carrot, sliced in thin rounds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup cashews, toasted
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1 serrano, deseeded, minced
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt

Combine all ingredients and toss well. Allow to sit or serve immediately.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Grilled Eggplant and Mint Salad at Sidewalk Shoes
Dosa Spring Roll at Holy Cow!
Plum and Marzipan Crumble Pie at Eats Well With Others

Pan Fried Zucchini, Indian Style - Zucchini Besan Sabji

Besan, chickpea flour, is one of my favorite ingredients. It does what flour does without the gluten and more flavor! I love it as a pancake and it's what makes pakoras so delightfully crunchy. Here it's used to create a delicious coating for zucchini.

While some of you readers may be in the land of early frost (hello Minnesota!), others may be enjoying an extended harvest and we all know how zucchini becomes really tiresome by now! So toss it with some chickpea flour and spices and pan fry it up into so crunchy delicious that your diners will love!

Radish, Carrot and Snow Pea Asian Slaw

Ahh, fresh vegetable salads. Too many of the uninitiated think they're boring or only eaten to fulfill some sort of "healthy" quotient.

Dear readers, don't fall into this trap! Feed them this salad and behold the transformation!

Often, I will confess, that tossing a bunch of random chopped vegetables into a salad is my idea of a great veggie side. But sometimes you have to wow people to woo and win them. That's when you go for the good stuff, like snow peas and pink radishes, the exotics that actually are worth the extra trip to the produce department.

The truth is that the dressing on this salad can transfer to other chopped salad options, but it really does work best with Asian centric vegetables, such as radishes, snow peas and carrots. If you're catering to a more gourmet crowd who are not afraid of vegetable salads, toss in some julienned daikon radish or some bean sprouts or even green beans cut on the bias and lightly steamed. But stick with the dressing, it's what makes it all worth while.

Broccoli Fritters with Aioli

Broccoli is a vegetable much beloved by my family. There was a period when we actually ate it every day and still wanted more! But in the past couple of years shiny new things like kale and brussels sprouts have tempted us away. But the other day I was lured back to my old friend, and boy was it tasty!

Fritters are hard not to love but these broccoli and cheese ones were super delicious! I topped them with some leftover aioli which was the perfect match for my palate, but you could with hot sauce, salsa or sour cream.

A note of caution: don't over cook the broccoli. Do follow the fool-proof method listed below even if you believe that steaming it is better; it invariably gets too mushy because the pieces continue to cook after they are removed from the steam.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Sweet potatoes are one of those powerhouse vegetables that I am often stumped about how to incorporate into a dish. There's sweet potato fries - oven baked to goodness - but my attempts have been less than encouraging. And sweet potato stew with peanut butter and cilantro inspired by African nut stews are also good. But I finally found my favorite (and quickest!) way to prepare sweet potatoes, latkes.

Latkes are simply potato pancakes - grated potatoes with some added flavors, pan fried to crisp golden deliciousness! While I love latkes made with russet potatoes, sweet potato latkes are even better because you don't have to squeeze the moisture out of them as is necessary with latkes made with russets. Whoo hoo for simple!

In this version I added some feta cheese, capers and parsley and the were quite a hit with adults and teenagers alike. But you can make them sweeter - diced apple, chopped walnuts, chevre - would make a great combo as well. Be creative!