Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry

1 Oct

Have I mentioned that I don’t like tofu? I don’t know if I would go so far as to say I hate it, but I seem to always eat around it if I order something vegetarian in a restaurant that automatically comes with it, and I never ever ever make it at home. But the one questions vegetarians are asked unceasingly is: “Where do you get your protein??” and until recently the answer has usually been tofu. Blech.

Luckily for vegetarians there is protein in literally everything (it is one of the building blocks of nutrition, after all), and though I could talk about the excessive consumption of protein in this country that has helped lead to our obesity epidemic (1 in 3 Americans is now obese), I will simply say that quinoa is a quick and delish way of getting a complete plant-based protein. So goodbye tofu!

This is one of my fave quinoa recipes. You really do want to use fresh pineapple in this. You will need the juice from a fresh pineapple to use in the quinoa, and this does taste best if you make the quinoa itself a day ahead and let it sit overnight to absorb all the pineapple-y goodness. But, if you’re pressed for time and can’t wait so be it. It will still be good. And, though this dish is the bomb as-is, I also think it would be fantastic with some grilled shrimp or salmon on top. Just no tofu!

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry
From Veganomicon
serves 4

Quinoa:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh pineapple juice
1 cup cold water
1/4 tsp soy sauce

Stir-Fry
4 oz unsalted cashews
3 tbs peanut oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 hot red chili, sliced into very thin rounds
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup frozen green peas or cooked edamame
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced  into thin shreds
2 tbs finely chopped mint
10 ounces fresh pineapple cut into bite-sized chunks
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs veg stock (or water)
1 tbs mirin
lime wedges for garnish

Prepare the quinoa first: Combine the quinoa ingredients in a medium pot. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to boil. Stir a few times, lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for 12-14 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plumped and slightly translucent. Uncover, fluff, and let cool. After it has cooled, place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. If you’re in a hurry chill the quinoa for at least an hour. When ready to use, break up any chunks of the cold quinoa with a fork.

Prepare the stir-fry: Use the largest nonstick skillet you have or a wok. Have all of your ingredients chopped and easily within reach. Place the cashews in a dry pan and heat over low, stirring until lightly toasted  4-5 mins.

Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium, and add the peanut oil, scallions, and garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle add the sliced chile pepper and ginger. Stir-fry for about 2 mins, then add the bell pepper and peas. Cook another 3-4 mins, until the bell pepper is softened and the peas are bright green. Add the basil and mint, and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.

In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, veg stock and mirin. Pour over the stir-fry. Stir to incorporate completely and coat the quinoa. Continue to cook 10-14 minutes until the quinoa is very hot (note: I didn’t cook it more than another few minutes because I felt like it was done). Serve with lime wedges.

Vegan, Raw Chocolate Milkshake

26 Sep

Oh yes people, it is POSSIBLE. And even better than being possible, it is DELICIOUS.

Remember how I tricked you with that amazing (raw, vegan) chocolate mousse? Well, I am back with another delish, healthy recipe that will fool your kiddos into thinking they are having a naughty treat. It’s all made in the blender, which makes this so easy it is criminal.

Ok, the secret to this amazing shake? Brazil nuts. They blend up nice and creamy, along with some good quality cocoa and some dates, and voila! Dave and I have been making this on hot days as our afternoon pick-me-up, and we still can’t get over the yum factor for something so healthy. One tip: this recipe required a really good blender (Vitamix, preferably), because this has to blend for a good long while. Make sure you get it nice and creamy, and you will be richly rewarded.

Vegan Chocolate Milkshake
From Healthy Blender Recipes

2/3 cup raw Brazil nuts
2  cups filtered water
1 cup ice
3 large frozen bananas
3 Tbsp raw cacao or carob powder
4-6 pitted dates
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch Celtic sea salt

Throw all ingredients into blender and whirl until smooth and creamy!

Spicy Peanut and Coconut Vegetables over Bamboo Rice

21 Sep

Because I was a vegetarian for so much of my life, I must have a million different riffs on a vegetable stir-fry. This happens to be one of my favorites, because I really love bamboo rice.  I have found that simply changing up which rice I use makes a boring old stir-fry fun again. Though, to be honest, I never tire of the veggie/rice combo: a good stir-fry is one of my favorite dishes on the planet.

Where to find bamboo rice? I get it in bulk at my local market (Greenwood Market, if you are here in Seattle), but it can also be found from online purveyors and at Amazon.  I also like using different types of quinoa instead of rice in my stir-fry, or Bhutanese red rice, saffron rice, etc. There is a whole world of rice out there that you might not even know about, and it is fun trying out different kinds to see what you like.

I am giving you a basic recipe for what I made here, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. That’s the beauty of a stir-fry– you’re meant to just throw in whatever odds and ends you find languishing in your fridge. Of course you can add whatever meat or tofu you like, but I like mine with just vegetables, thank you very much.

Spicy Peanut and Coconut Vegetables with Bamboo Rice
From LaFemmeCooks
Serves 4

1 small head broccoli (or 1 bag frozen)
1 small onion
2 carrots, sliced into coins or matchsticks, whatever you like
1 container mushrooms, any variety
1 cup sliced purple cabbage
1 zucchini
1 cup celery, cut on the bias into one-inch pieces
3-4 leaves of kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper
1 cup snow pea pods

Sauce:
1/2-1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 lime
1-2 tbs rice wine vinegar (add one, then test at the end for proper acidity and add more if needed)
1 tbs grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 tbs chile sauce or sriracha (depending on how hot you like it)
1/4 cup each cilantro, mint and thai basil

Combine all ingredients for sauce in bowl. Heat vegetables over high heat, except snow peas. Cook about 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are al dente. Turn heat to medium and add snow peas and sauce. Mix thoroughly. Add more of the coconut milk if needed for desired consistency. You can serve this over rice, with a squeeze of lime, or I like to mix in the rice at this point so that it soaks up the sauce.

 

Potatoes Lyonnaise with Lemon and Chile

13 Sep

The countdown to my next trip to France has already begun! In exactly one month I will be boarding a plane for my favorite place in all the world. I am again going to Normandy (fall is such an incredible time to be there, with apples ripe and cider season in full swing), and then to Paris. This month is going to fly by, I just know it.

The latest Food & Wine arrived yesterday, and the theme of the issue is New French Classics. I love this, of course, because I do this all the time at home. One of the recipes that caught my eye immediately was the updated version of Potatoes Lyonnaise. If you aren’t familiar with the recipe, it is simply potatoes, onions, garlic. But the marriage of the three (with a healthy dose of butter, I’m not going to lie), exults the simple tubers into things of sheer genius. You will never eat plain old hash browns again.

I didn't have parsley on hand so this pic is missing the oomph of green needed to make these pop, but they tasted great anyway!

Potatoes Lyonnaise with Lemon and Chile
From Food & Wine Magazine

1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 baking potatoes (peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 cup pork fat (I used leaf lard that I had on hand for pie crusts) or melted unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic, chopped
freshly ground pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbs chopped parsley

In medium saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the sliced onions and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the potato slices in a large pan of water, add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until the potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and spread the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; let cool to room temperature. Gently pat the slices dry.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the pork fat (or butter). Add the potato slices and cook over moderately high heat until they are browned and crisp, about 6 minutes on each side. Add the chopped garlic and shake it in the skillet until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked omnions and season them with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the crushed red pepper and lemon juice. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve right away.

 

Pineapple-Cilantro Popsicles

30 Aug

I bought some popsicle molds this summer, thinking they would be the perfect light treat on a hot summer day. Well, we haven’t seen a lot of hot days that warrant popsicle eating here in Seattle, so the new molds have sat on the shelf for two months.  When Dave flew back from a trip last week, he couldn’t stop talking about the cool popsicle ideas in the in-flight magazine and I knew it was time to break out the molds.

These would be really tasty with other herbs like shiso, verbena, or even basil.  It would also be fun to add a handful of strawberries or blueberries, or even some coconut milk.  These pops are a grown-up treat that even kids would love… or is the other way around?!

Pineapple-Cilantro Pops
From Spirit Magazine

1 ripe pineapple, cut into small chunks
handful of fresh cilantro leaves
⅓ cup sugar
juice of ½ lime
pinch of salt

Put pineapple, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt in a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into 8 to 10 3-ounce ice-pop molds and add sticks. Freeze for 4 hours, or until frozen. Dip molds in tepid water to help remove the pops.

 

Dad and Dave enjoying dessert

Midsummer Corn Chowder with Basil, Tomato and Fennel

24 Aug

Summer is finally here in Seattle! We may get one whole month of it, so I am trying to cram as many “summer” recipes into August as possible.  One of my favorite foods of summer is corn, and this corn chowder makes perfect use of the sweet stuff brimming over at our farmer’s market. Also I am a closet fennel addict, so anything with fennel involved has my vote.

We are still cooking our way through Veganomicon, so this recipe comes from that book. My favorite thing about this recipe is that the soup is creamy, but there is no dairy whatsoever. This is a really healthy and delicious version of corn chowder that can be served to anyone with food allergies, too.

We took the time to make fresh corn stock as well, which is an easy way to use the leftover cobs after you take the corn off.  Just throw the cobs in a stockpot with a couple of carrots, a leek, some celery and an onion and let is summer for about an hour. Voila!  The perfect base for this soup.

Midsummer Corn Chowder with Basil, Tomato & Fennel
From Veganomicon

6 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
3 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large onion, cut into fine dice
1 small bulb fennel, diced
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
1 large carrot, diced
1 lb white, waxy potatoes peeled and diced
2 tsp dried thyme
2 quarts fresh corn stock, or vegetable broth, or water
1 lb tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly rolled and sliced into thin strips
salt and freshly ground pepper

Remove kernels from cob, and use cobs for stock as described as above if wanted. Preheat a large soup pot over meium high heat. Saute the garlic in oil for 30 sec0nds, then add the onion. Sitr and cover, sweating them for about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery, stir, cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the fennel, stir, cover and cook for 3 minutes, then add the chopped potato and cook for 3 minutes. Finally, add the fresh corn, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the stock, stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and allow the soup to simmer, covered (with lid tilted so a small amount of heat can escape), for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat, and puree half the soup with an immersion blender. Add chopped tomatoes and basil and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Toasted Quinoa Tabbouleh

10 Aug

The mint in my garden came up like gangbusters this spring, and in my overzealous delight to use it I ended up almost killing it. Oops. So when I visited my dad recently and saw how well his mint was doing, I couldn’t help but be a little jealous. I know, I know, mint grows like a weed and is impossible to kill. Well, tell that to the mint in MY garden.

Dad ended up sending me home with more mint than even I could use, and so I asked my friends on Twitter what to do with the bounty. Lots of good ideas, like fresh mojitos (but I would have to consume a LOT of mojitos in order to use all this mint!), but someone mentioned quinoa tabbouleh and it sounded perfect.

Now, if you are a tabbouleh purist you will notice from my picture that there isn’t enough green in the mix. Traditional tabbouleh is all about the parsley and mint, and less about the grain. The best tabbouleh I have ever had was in Paris at l’Institut du Monde Arabe, in the gorgeous cafe at the top of the building. And sure enough, it was perfectly verdant in a way that my picture above is not.  The recipe on the Martha Stewart website looks just like how I wanted mine to turn out, actually. This recipe below is hers, and it is good. Not quite the same as what I had in Paris, of course, but is a good stand-in.

I love that tabbouleh is quick and easy to make, and it is a light, refreshing meal for hot summer days. I have been making a ton of meals with quinoa lately as we have been eating mostly vegan for the last month. I really do love that little grain.

Toasted Quinoa Tabbouleh
From Martha Stewart

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves (I used more mint instead of basil)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

Toast quinoa in a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until grains are tender, about 15 to 16 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let cool to room temp.

Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Tabbouleh can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered.

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