Broccoli & Potato Soup with Brown Rice

*broccoli and potato soup with brown rice

Everything local, the broccoli, potatoes, carrots, garlic, even the ginger. Such an easy soup, so delicious and warming. You could replace the brown rice with another grain or even with a pasta of your choosing.

Broccoli & Potato Soup with Brown Rice

2c potatoes, peeled and medium diced

1c onion, small dice

1 carrot, small dice

1 bunch broccoli, separate florets, stems medium dice

1 bouillon or veggie broth to replace the water

4c boiling water

1” piece of fresh ginger, grated

1-2c cooked brown rice

1t Hot sesame oil *opt

½ t black pepper

2T olive oil

In a separate kettle, heat up the water. In a soup pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until golden. Add the carrots and cook for a minute or so before adding the potatoes, broccoli stems and the rice. Add in salt and pepper, hot pepper, and stir until well incorporated. Cover with the hot water and add the bouillon.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 25-30. Add the broccoli florets, ginger and the sesame oil and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings.

Steamed Romanesco with Olive Oil & Lemon

*steamed romanesco

I purchased this from the local farmer’s market in Greenfield Saturday morning- it is one of my most favorite vegetables; Romanesco… it gets even prettier after cooking. Clean it, steam it, drain it, then cut how you like it. Toss with plenty of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and fresh ground black pepper, fresh herbs if your feeling crazy…. do not share with anyone.

#FRICKENDELICIOUS

Homemade Apple Sauce

*applesauce

I had about 4 or 5 apples that were just a little bit past good eating so I sauced them! I washed and cored them and kept the skin on. It was a mix of Ginger Golds, Honey Crisps, and Empires. It made the tastiest applesauce! I blended it in the vitamix- the consistency is really about how much water you add into the cooking and the water content of the fruit- too much water and you will end up with too thin a consistency for sauce. I added just a touch of cinnamon and bit of salt to draw out the natural sweetness in the apples, barley adding any additional sweetener-I used local maple syrup. FRICKEN YUM. It was delicious hot but even more flavorful cold.

Applesauce

4-5 apples of your choosing, cored and quartered

1/2c water (more or less)

1/2t cinnamon

pinch pink salt

2t lemon juice

2t maple syrup

In a heavy pot, combine the apples and the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for about 15-20 minutes- just until the apples are tender and some of the water has cooked out.

Place everything including some of the cooking water (only if needed to get things going) the cinnamon, salt, maple syrup and lemon juice. Blend well. Adjust seasoning. Be careful not to over sweeten or season as it will intensify in flavor as it cools.

Serve warm or cold.

*a nice addition is cayenne pepper or black pepper!

Roasted Hot and Spicy Sweet Potatoes

*roasted sweet potatoes

Roasted Hot & Spicy, Sweet Potatoes

2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced on a diagonal or cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

3T maple syrup

3-4T extra virgin olive oil

1 hot red pepper, sliced

1/2t pink salt

1/4t fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl; making sure everything is well coated. Place in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan and put in the oven for 30 minutes, then toss and baste the vegetables with the roasting juices and continue to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes. Delicious warm or cold.

Cauliflower, Tomato & Potato Fall Vegetable Soup

*Fall Cauliflower, Tomato & Potato Vegetable Soup

Everything was from my garden in Vermont or from the Greenfield Farmer’s Market….super delicious broth. You can make this more substantial by adding Gluten Free Pasta (or regular) and/or add a bean of your choosing, like chickpeas, pinto or kidney beans.

Cauliflower, Tomato & Potato Fall Vegetable Soup

  • Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free 

1 thin skinned potato, washed and medium diced

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2c fresh corn niblets

1 medium tomato, diced

2c cauliflower florets

2c greens; spinach, kale or collards

1/4t black pepper

1 small fresh hot pepper or 1/2t cayenne pepper flakes

1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1T veggie broth powder)

3T xvo

4c boiling water

1t salt or to taste

Bring 6c of water to a boil, in case you need more.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, black and red pepper. Continue to sauté until the veggies turn bright, stirring often. Add the boiling water, the bouillon cube (or powder). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the fresh corn, cauliflower and greens. Adjust the seasonings before serving. Serve with crusty bread or add GF pasta or grains of your choosing.

Green *FRICKEN AMAZING* Falafel

*green falafal

GREEN FALFEL 

Unbelievably delicious……this greened Falafel can be served as an appetizer with hummus and lemon tahini sauce or as a main course. Stuff whole grain Pita Bread with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, lemon tahini sauce, salt and pepper. As an alternative, falafel can be formed into patties and eaten like a veggie burger. SO FRICKEN YUM.

Makes over a dozen patties. Can be easily frozen.

3c fresh kale, de-stemmed, torn into small pieces

3c chickpeas, cooked, rinsed, drained (= about 2 cans)

1 onion, rough chopped

1/4c fresh parsley

3T tahini- I use raw

1T cumin

1T pink salt

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1c cooked brown rice

1/2c barley flour

2 lemons, juiced

Olive or grape seed oil for pan-frying.

Combine all ingredients except the barley flour in a food processor and process until a smooth paste is formed. Taste and adjust the seasonings; more salt, more cumin, more lemon juice etc. ßto your liking.

Heat up a large cast iron skillet or frying pan over low heat.

Transfer into a mixing bowl and add the flour and mix in until well incorporated.

Add the oil into the hot pan. With a cookie scoop, scoop out the chickpea mixture and place in the pan, not overcrowding. With a spatula, gently flatten the domes. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until they are golden brown crusted and then flip. Remove to a plate. Eat cold or hot! Serve with Lemon Tahini sauce.

Lemon Tahini sauce 

Juice of 1 lemon

½c tahini

pink salt to taste

black pepper

1/4c water

In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk until smooth and to the desired consistency. If a thicker sauce is preferred, use less water. Serve over cooked greens, salads, or falafel.

Fresh Tomato Soup

*fresh tomato soup

Amazing soup. JUST AMAZING. If the tomatoes are not sweet on their own, add a bit of sweetness with your favorite sweetener. I used Thai Basil to flavor this soup, being a fresh soup, any fresh herbs would be superbly paired against a late summer, early fall tomato; cilantro, italian basil, rosemary, thyme, etc. Serve with some crusty bread and a large leafy green salad this makes for an exceptional simple and satisfying meal.

Summer Tomato Soup

*Supa Fresca*

3c chopped fresh tomatoes

1 one onion, medium dice

3t extra virgin olive oil

2t raw agave or maple syrup

½ fresh jalapeno or cherry bomb pepper, small dice

1/4t fresh black pepper

1/2t pink salt

3c water

2T fresh basil

1 veggie bouillon or replace the water with veggie broth

Heat up a soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sautee until they are just golden. Add the fresh jalapeno, salt and pepper and toss around in the pan for a minute or so before adding the fresh tomatoes. Cover with the water (or broth) and bring to a boil over medium heat- about 10 minutes or so. Puree and add in the fresh basil, adjust seasonings and serve. YUM!

*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Sautéed Almond Tofu

*almond Tofu

 

 Serve this with sprouted brown rice and a side of greens…a little hot sauce and this meal is PERFECTION.

Sautéed Almond Tofu

1 lb firm tofu, pressed, drained, cubed

2T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp chili flakes or 1 fresh chili pepper, minced

2T maple syrup

2T GF tamari or Shoyu

Juice from ½ a lemon

1/4 cup roasted almonds (or peanuts!), chopped (optional)

In a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the garlic and hot pepper in oil just until golden Add the tofu and continue to sauté until the tofu is browned on all sides, tossing often. Add the shoyu or Tamari sauce and the lemon juice. When the moisture is absorbed by the tofu, add the maple syrup and then the almonds. Continue to sauté until all of the liquid has cooked into the tofu.

Delicious hot or cold.

 

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

*roasted breakfast potatoes

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

4 thin skinned potatoes, washed and scrubbed, skin on

3T-1/4c extra virgin olive oil

2t chili powder

1-1/2t sweet paprika (Hungarian)

1t pink salt

1T vegan butter *optional

¼t fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Slice the potatoes lengthwise and then into thirds, cutting pieces no larger than 1 1/2-inch cubes.

In a saucepan, place potatoes with a little salt and add water to cover just up to ½ of the potatoes. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes.

Drain well and transfer to a bowl.

Toss with the olive oil, spices and seasonings. Pour into a shallow baking dish and drizzle with a bit more olive oil and a little and drop small pieces of vegan butter throughout. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, toss the potatoes around in the pan a bit and then reduce the heat to 375 and roast for an additional 30 minutes or until edges are crisped and golden. Serve immediately.

Hungarian Vegan “Chicken” Paprikash

*vegan paprikashThis is a stove top version of my Grandmother’s traditional Hungarian dish that was one of my most favorites growing up. My grandma would cook whole chicken legs in white rice bathed in oil, with onions and a ton of Hungarian paprika. My mom would kid that in order to make this properly, you need a full gallon of oil. If you are not interested in using a “fake” chicken product, or would like this dish to be gluten free, chickpeas replace the “chicken” in this dish remarkably well; it is equally delicious although not as familiar as what I grew up on.  I served this with a huge side of Sautéed Kale.

Vegan Chicken Paprikash

1 pound vegan chicken pieces, drained (I use  Westsoy)

1/2t pink Salt

1/2t black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, medium dice

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

4c Water

2T Hungarian paprika

3c sprouted brown rice, pre-cooked OR 1 1/2 basmati or Carolina rice un-cooked

1 bouillon cube or replace the water with veggie broth

In a large heated pot, sauté ¼ of the onion in 1 T of oil until golden and just brown. Add the fake chicken and sauté until and heated through and it has a little bit of color on it- then remove it from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining onions and olive oil and sauté for 6-8 minutes. Add in the paprika, salt, pepper and the bouillon cube and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the cooked rice and add back in the chicken, and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook partially covered for an additional 30-40 minutes stirring minimally. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes undisturbed prior to serving.