Delectably Free » Sides

Indian-Spiced Potatoes

Beth — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:06:33 +0000

Recently I noticed that Indian recipes are curiously absent from this sight. I say “curiously” because, as my husband will attest, we are big Indian food fans around here. When I met Gennaro, he didn’t think he liked Indian food. The few times we brought him out to try it, we paraded the naan breads and simple tandoori dishes in front of him, hoping to lure him into more adventurous fare eventually. I’m not sure when, exactly, it happened, but there came a point when my husband starting opting for Indian take-out on his own accord, without being dragged by his wife or members of her immediate family. If there were ever any doubts that he was the one, they all subsided when I learned that I had snagged a guy who could hold his own in the Indian department.

My mom just bought me a copy of The Vegan Indian Kitchen, and let me just say: this cookbook is awesome. We’ve sampled a handful of recipes from the book, from Indian okra to the spicy, stewed aduki beans, and every recipe is truly amazing. There has not been a shortage of Indian fare in our kitchen lately. Thankfully, my husband came around to liking Indian food when he did, or he would have been in biiig trouble now that I’m armed with my very own vegan Indian recipe book.

The other day, I was looking to cook up something quick, and didn’t feel like pulling out any cookbooks or following any recipes. I chopped up some potato, onion and pepper and threw in some spices, inspired by by newfound Indian cooking knowledge. As it turned out, I had come up with a pretty darn good Indian-style dish of my own. It reminds me of the Hugarian paprika potatoes my grandma used to make, with an Indian twist.

Serves: 5-6 as a side

Indian-Spiced Potatoes:
Inspired by: The Vegan Indian Kitchen

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 small russet potatoes, washed and chopped (about 2 large potatoes)

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups water, divided

Spice Mix:

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet and add potatoes, onion, bell pepper and salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until juices begin to release. Add 1 cup water, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until water reduces by half. Uncover and let simmer until water is almost all evaporated.

2. Meanwhile, mix spices in a small bowl and add to potatoes after step 1 is complete. Add remaining water and continue to simmer, uncovered, until liquid is gone and potatoes are soft. Add salt to taste and serve.

Portobellos and Gravy

Beth — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:16:55 +0000

When I began transitioning to a vegan diet — almost a year ago now — I knew there would be moments of concession. I was always one of those people who said things like “I could easily go vegan if I had to…except for…” and that’s where I decided it didn’t matter, because no one’s putting a gun to my head and making me go vegan. But then I learned a few things about where my, say, chicken was coming from, and someone might as well have put a gun to my head. Because that was it. Suddenly, after all of those hypotheticals, I had found myself in as close as I would ever come to a “had to” moment. As in, I felt I had no choice.

While I’m no longer pining for things like sushi and roasted chicken like I used to, I am finding that there are moments where concessions still are made. At times — a small fraction of the time, really — I find myself having to make a choice to stay on course, even when it’s not entirely easy. Usually, it is.

But now — and is it just me? — it seems like the whole low-carb/no-carb phase has gotten it’s second wind, and I can’t help but feel annoyed by the whole thing. Like, “didn’t we go over this already?” Bacon and eggs for breakfast might make you skinny, but it isn’t going to win you any brownie points with your cardiologist.

It seems we’re often prone to conflating the notion of “dieting” with healthy eating, when the two are often incompatible at best. So when I saw an article in Reader’s Digestthis weekend that reinforced the notion that carbs are our enemy and thrice-daily servings of meat, dairy and eggs will solve all of one’s problems with weight, I was simultanously annoyed yet eager to one-up the consulting Reader’s Digest Dr. with my own, healthier version of a low-carb meal plan.

Ok, confession time. There have been a few times in my life when I’ve succommed to the whole no-carb thing, which has always lasted for maybe a day. That is, once I remember that not having at least some sort of grain or starch during the day makes me feel rather nauseated, which is not a feeling I particularly enjoy. To be fair, though, I am equally affected by carb overload, which usually has the effect of making me extremely tired and unusually hungry during the day, no matter how much I eat.

I admit to having a tendency toward the latter when I’m going on instinct. I prefer tortilla chips to nuts as a snack, and cereal to a protein shake for breakfast. Adding the vegan element only further challenges me to think a little harder about how to get enough protein and vegetables into my diet without overdoing it on the carb front. I know, I know. I’m reading The China Study as we speak. Our requisite protein intake is, indeed, often overstated. But I nevertheless feel more energized and healthy when I’m swapping out at least some starch for protein-packed foods. I’ve decided, then, that this is not one of those areas where I’m going to make a concession just because animal protein isn’t on my grocery list.

For the next few weeks, I’m going to challenge myself to come up with as many low-carb, vegan dishes as I can think of. I find that when I have a good amount of recipes and ideas in my arsenal (and on this site) I’m never at a loss when it comes to my meals.

I started with a simple, mushroom-based dish, atop a bed of mashed cauliflower (a low-carb classic). You can serve this as a side dish, or as a hearty main course along with some green beans and almonds, or with some soy tempeh for protein. There’s something very nostalgic to me about anything in gravy, which is why I imagine this is a great dish for anyone longing for a “classic” American dinner, veganized (and low-carbized), of course!

Protobellos in Gravy:

6 portobello caps (stems removed), dirt removed with a damp cloth, sliced

2 tablespoons soy-free Earth Balance buttery spread, divided

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

2 cups vegetable stock

parsley for serving

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon buttery spread in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute for 1 minute, until they just begin to moisten and soften. Remove from pan.

2. Melt remaining butter and add flour to the pan. Stir with butter until a crumbly paste forms, then add the broth. Whisk or stir constantly to prevent clumps until the broth begins to thicken and boil.

3. Add back mushrooms and heat for another minute, or until mushrooms are softened. Remove from heat and serve over mashed cauliflower or potatoes or with wide noodles for a Stroganoff knock-off.

Chili Sweet Potato Fries

Beth — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:13:17 +0000

When my friend Krystal told me she was excited to eat sweet potatoes over the holiday because they’re “not something (she) eats normally,” I knew I had to remedy this situation. Don’t normally eat sweet potatoes? I couldn’t think of a shopping trip where I hadn’t brought at least a pound of them home from the market, mostly to make my favorite dish: baked sweet potato fries (though I think the type she was looking forward to over the holidays was more of the sweet, buttery, marshmallowly variety). I told Krystal how I made these healthy alternatives to fries at home all the time — baked in the oven, making them not only healthy but also oh-so-easy. Then when I considered how often I made them, actually, it struck me as odd that I’d never posted the recipe here. In all honesty, it might have something to do with my pervasive fear that such a simple recipe will at best not impress and at worst insult my readers’ culinary abilities. Then again, I know many people (cough ***my husband*** cough) who need consultation on even the most basic kitchen tasks, and who could use a little gentle coaxing into some easy recipes in the kithen (cough*** my husband*** cough). On top of that, I’ve made it a New Years resolution to showcase more naturally gluten-free, low-maintenance recipes here. Even I, the self-proclaimed cooking enthusiast, could use a break at times from any complication in the kitchen. And to make things less comlicated for all of you, I present to you this recipe — one of my all-time faves — in picture.

Baked Chili Sweet Potato Fries:

1. Start by washing and drying 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes. Then slice them one at a time like this:

2. Make sure to tuck your fingers in like this when slicing, so as not to cut yourself if your knife slips:

3. Then cut your slices into fries by stacking your potato slices (you may want to remove the rounded bottom and slice that separately for better support) and cutting them into sticks like this:

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining sweet potatoes. When you’re done slicing, toss your sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until evenly coated. Lay flat on a baking sheet.

5. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Toss and lay flat again, then bake for another 15 minutes. If a really crispy fry is desired, you can turn your oven to a high broil for the last five minutes and broil, with your oven door slightly ajar, until sweet potatoes are crispy on top. Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn.

ENJOY!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Beth — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:17:17 +0000

Anyone who’s gone vegan, sugar-free or gluten-free knows that often in our attempts at recreating old favorites to fit our dietary restrictions, we end up creating a dish that’s inherently much healthier as well.

This is not one of those dishes.

I’m sorry to say, but there comes a point in ones life where health concerns must surrender in the interest of taste, and for me that point is usually somewhere around the month of December. We can always change back our ways come the new year — that’s what resolutions are for, right?

Now, before I go giving this grean been casserole such a bad rap, let me just say that, well, it is made with a vegetable after all. And vegan sour cream is somewhat less fat-laden than the dairy-made stuff. And I made the topping using reduced fat potato chips — not the full-fat kind. So, there. Take it for what it’s worth.

I was inspired to make a vegan green bean casserole by my friend Charlie, who made one for Thanksgiving using canned mushrooms (thickened with some cornstarch) and dairy-free sour cream. He then topped his with the traditional french fried onions. As my unofficial guinea pig for a green bean casserole recipe (I was secretly waiting to see how his idea turned out before attempting my own…), he reported positive results and rave reviews from his Thanksgiving taste-testers. Thus, confidence in my own green bean casserole attempts immediately soared. Thanks, Charlie!

Because my own taste-tester (that would be the hubs) has some sort of mushroom phobia, I had to proceed with caution in this department. There are only a few things, I’ve learned, that he will really pick out of his plate, and one of those things seems to be certain types of mushrooms (though he will tell you he’s coming around to liking them). As a result, I decided to go with the clear front-runner on his mushroom list, which would be shiitakes. Luckily, their earthy flavor and somewhat meaty texture make them a great addition to green bean casserole, along with some caramelized onions in the filling.

To replicate the crunch of french fried onions in the topping (the ones I’ve seen in stores are not gluten-free), I had many ideas. I considered making my own french fried onions, but nixed that thought once I considered the work that would involve. I thought about baking the casserole with gluten-free bread crumbs on top. I also considered using no topping at all, but immediately dismissed this notion as culinary blasphemy. I mean, what is the point of green bean casserole if you’re not going to top it with something salty and crunchy? Ultimately, I went with crushed potato chips, with the addition of a little nutritional yeast for flavor. It may not be traditional, but it yielded a nice crunch and a wonderful contrast to the creaminess underneath.

Here are some other veganized green bean casserole recipes that might be of interest:

Semi-Raw Green Bean Casserole from Pure2Raw

The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole from Susan at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Another take on Susan’s Green Bean Casserole from Gena at Choosing Raw (scroll to the bottom for the casserole)

And just to remind everyone, leave a comment on my previous post (eggnog ice cream) to enter the giveaway for a Cuisiart Mini Food Processor. Even if you already have a food processor, a mini one is great for small-prep items and even has a grind function on it. It’s a great space-saver as well. And, since I’ve heard some feedback that while the food processor is nice, what everyone is really pining for is an ice cream maker, I got to thinking (since it is the holidays, after all). That I might just follow-up this giveaway with a little something along those lines. And, since (in the interest of fairness) all winners will be chosen at random by my computer, who’s to say someone might not get lucky and win both? Anyways, stay tuned…

Green Bean Casserole:

1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed and halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, sliced thin

10 shiitake caps, sliced

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1 cup Follow Your Heart Sour Cream Alternative

1/3 cup Follow Your Heart Vegenaise

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons nutritonal yeast

For Topping:

40 Kettle Brand baked potato chips, crushed (next time I make this I am going to crush the chips a little more coarsely than shown in the picture for some more texture and crunch)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. In a large saute pan, saute onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes over high heat, or until onion is soft, transluscent and browned. Add shiitake caps and saute until soft (1-2 minutes). Add vegetable broth, stir, and turn off heat. Stir in sour cream alternative, vegenaise and green beans. Toss to combine and add a pinch of salt to taste.

4. Turn out green bean filling into a 2 qt. shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with nurtitional yeast. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for about 25-30 minutes, or until green beans are softened to your liking and sides are bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with crushed potato chips and serve immediately.

Vegan Miso Gravy

Beth — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:11:27 +0000

The Thanksgiving-inspired recipes continue here, as I present you with my first attempt at a vegan gravy. This one couldn’t be easier, and has the added — and interesting — flavor of miso for a unique touch.

Please forgive my short post. I have been yawning for the last few hours, and am ready to call it a night. But before I do, I should note that the mashed potatoes in the picture were made with unsweetened soy milk and Earth Balance buttery spread. For those looking to veganize their Thanksgiving fare this year: if you use these two substitutes, I guarantee no one will be able to tell the difference. Just take your favorite mashed potato recipe and veganize by substituting unsweetened soy milk and vegan buttery spread for milk and butter 1:1.

Miso Gravy:

There is an option for both a thick and thin gravy, depending on how much flour you use. I prefer the thinner version, but if you like your gravy to have a bit more body to it, the extra tablespoon of flour makes for a nice, thick sauce which you can simply thin out to your liking by adding extra vegetable broth.

2 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread

1-2 tablespoons brown rice flour, depending on desired thickness

1 cup vegetable stock, plus more as needed for thinning

1 tablespoon white miso paste (look for one that’s gluten free and made with brown rice)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt buttery spread over medium-high heat. Add flour and continue to whisk until the buttery spread and flour form a paste. Slowly whisk in vegetable stock and bring to a slow boil, continuing to whisk (should be about 3-4 minutes). When sauce begins to bubble, remove from heat. If gravy appears too thick, whisk in additional stock until it’s to your liking.

2. Add miso to hot broth and stir until melted into the sauce. Serve.

Warm Green Bean and Potato Salad

Beth — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 03:05:52 +0000

Over the last 3 1/2 years I’ve visited the Union Square Greenmarket probably hundreds of times, which means I’ve passed a certain artist on my way to the market almost as often. This artist is one among many stationed in Union Square, but I’ve always been especially drawn to his colorful, vibrant prints. To my mind, there are few things more beautiful than a big, billowy head of purple cauliflower, or ripe, deep-hued strawberries against a backdrop of tiny, perfect blueberries. So it’s no wonder I’ve often felt compelled to stop and take in the endless number of food photos at Ken Bondor’s station (the photos on his site, while pretty, don’t do justice to how beautiful they are in person). But for whatever reason, I’ve always found an excuse not to buy. Whether I’m in a hurry, not carrying cash, or simply indecisive, I’ve found myself in a constant, 3 1/2 year state of non-buyer’s remorse — in other words, the feeling of “Why did I not just buy at least one to put in my kitchen??”

Well, today I am the proud new owner of two — make that three, tomorrow (I just can’t stop!) — 9×12″ prints, and I couldn’t be happier. This may seem like a lot of hype over pictures of mere fruit and vegetables. But one of the reasons I love the photos so much is that they are a true testament to the natural beauty that can be found at the Greenmarket throughout the year, which is where all of Ken’s food photos are taken. I’ve often found myself overwhelmed by the variety of beautiful colors — the white, purple and red potatoes; the light and dark purple eggplants of various shapes and sizes — that beckon from each Greenmarket station.

My no-longer-bare kitchen wall

The beckoning was precisely why I found myself in the position of having to figure out what sort of dish I could make with green beans, red potatoes, and poblano peppers last week. Sure, I could have made several dishes with my options. But I was tired. And that wouldn’t be much fun, anyways, would it? I liked the Iron Chef-meets-Chopped type challenge I had presented myself with. Well, it wasn’t that much of a challenge. I recalled an old Giada episode where she made a warm vegetable salad with green beans, potatoes and roasted red peppers. This salad is a version of that. It’s simple, seasonal, delicious, and keeps well in the refrigerator. Confession: I ate some for breakfast the next day. I know that’s wierd.

Warm Green Bean and Potato Salad:

Adapted from Giada’s Warm Vegetable Salad

2 lbs. red new potatoes (or a mix of red, white or purple)

4 cups green beans, halved

2 poblano peppers

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

4 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Wash poblanos and rub with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay flat on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, turning once, until outsides are evenly blistered and charred. Using tongs, remove peppers to a glass bowl and cover with a lid or plasti wrap to steam. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Add green beans and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Use a strainer to remove green beens to salad bowl. Add potatoes to hot water and boil for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through (halve one to test for doneness). When potatoes are cooked, drain and remove to a cutting board. Halve potatoes (quarter if they are especially large) and add to bowl with green beans.

3. Whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, garlic and salt. Set aside.

4. Uncover peppers and remove from bowl. Pull off stems and make a slit lengthwise down the pepper. Use knife to scrape out seeds and slice peppers into long strips. Halve strips if they are really long. Add to salad bowl. Pour dressing over vegetables, add oregano and scallions and toss until coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Zucchini Potato Latkes

Beth — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 04:25:43 +0000

So, I don’t know what inspired me to make latkes, of all things, with the 18 million pounds of potatoes I’ve stocked up in my quest to recreate all of my favorite (and, oh, there were many) potato dishes in Spain. Latkes were certainly not on that list. Nor do I have any particular story to tell about these. No family recipe; no special memories from my childhood. In fact, I don’t even recall seeing a recipe for potato pancakes — or latkes — anywhere else recently to spark an interest in making them myself, as is usually the case when I decide to make something I’ve had little experience with pre-food allergies (and why would I see one anyways? It’s not even latke season, is it?).

All that said, I was somehow determined to master this recipe. I was so determined that I made four versions of these in about 5 days. And believe it or not, I’m still not close to halfway through my potato supply. I finally settled on a version I was happy with this afternoon, and cooked up some fresh-from-the-market apples for the accompanying sauce. Gennaro and I snacked on them before watching the ulcer-inducing 28-24 Michigan-Notre Dame game, where our beloved Wolverines managed to pull off the win. The perfect fall Saturday: potato pancakes with applesauce and Michigan football. Perhaps I’ll have to start my own potato pancake tradition. If only it would always include a victory.

Zucchini Potato Latkes:

Makes about 12 pancakes

1 1/2 cups peeled, shredded russet potatoes (I shredded mine with a box grater), tightly packed

1 cup shredded zucchini (tightly packed)

1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour

1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon oil (I used grapeseed), plus more for frying

Directions:

1. Place shredded zucchini and potatoes in a collander or strainer with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Squeeze out excess liquid and let sit for about 10 minutes. Sqeeze again and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, water, egg replacer, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Add vegetables and onion and mix until everything is combined. Set aside.

3. Heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of oil. Drop batter by 1/4 cup and flatten with the back of measuring cup or a spoon. Drop batter for about 3-4 pancakes at a time. Fry on medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, reducing heat to medium. Remove to a plate and continue with remaining batter, using a tablespoon of cooking oil for each batch. To reheat latkes, or if you have a batch that didn’t cook all the way through, heat pancakes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Beth — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:37:01 +0000

My return to New York seems to have been plagued by a rough patch in the recipe department. While the gazpacho was a surprise first-time success and the grilled plums an easy, satisfying treat, the rest of our meals have been marked by a litany of culinary mistakes. Not mistakes of the “not-what-I-intended-but-maybe-even-better” kind, but rather the “not-bad-enough-to-throw-out-but-not-exactly-enjoyable-to-eat-either” kind of mistakes. An attempted chickpea and potato fritter (another favorite Spain meal knock-off) turned into a sticky, seemingly unfryable (is that a word?) paste. It was salvaged after I topped it with some okra and the smoky paprika sauce I had intended for the fritters. Last night’s meal was meant to be poblanos stuffed with cornbread batter and baked into a somewhat tamale-meets-chiles-rellenos type deal. This eventually — and perhaps inevitably — turned into a hash (more often than not, I rename my mistakes to “hash” during the attempted salvaging stage, which usually involves some deconstruction and a little sauteeing) after I realized, an hour into baking, that the batter inside was still entirely uncooked. There were several other “oops” moments in there as well, but I’ll spare you all the gory details.

I guess we’ve all had our bad weeks. When mine hit, I usually seek out simplicity. Working in the kitchen can be an extremely calming, even therapeutic, experience. Yet sometimes, it’s easy to forget that. Between the multi-floured baked goods and the endless substitution brainstorming, the simple, naturally gluten-free meals can get lost in the shuffle. And often, they’re the best ones.

These shishito peppers take simple to the extreme. Gennaro and I actually enjoyed a quite simiar dish at one of the highly-acclaimed, celebrity-endorsed tapas restuarants we went to in Spain. Just a plate of peppers, slightly charred on the outside and wilted to a perfect texture, then sprinkled with salt. Between the labor-intensive patatas bravas and the multi-ingredient salad topped with fish roe (I know, one of my aforementioned fish transgressions), the peppers dish was one of our favorites. Back in New York, just a few days later, I noticed these beautiful, bright green shishito peppers were abundant at one stand at the Greenmarket. The girl behind the counter was cooking some up herself. I immediately brought a bag home and did the same. They were the perfect snack. And they were perfect on the first try. With all of three ingredients. Go figure.

Shishito Peppers:

Some tips: These shishito peppers work best when there’s not too much going on in the pan. That’s why I wrote this recipe in 1/4 lb. increments. But I have a feeling you’ll want more than that, so buy a lot and make this in batches. Also, I eat the stems, and I believe this is the norm. I could be wrong, but I’m still alive. For those unfamiliar with shishito peppers, they are ever-so-slightly sweet and not hot, though you may get a very mildly hot one in there every once-in-awhile. The bigger ones tend to have more heat, if any.

1/4 pound shishito peppers

1 teaspoon good olive oil

Course grain sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

Heat skillet (non-stick is good here) with olive oil. Add peppers and saute — about 3-5 minutes — until peppers begin to pop and blister. Stir occassionally. Remove to a plate and sprinkle peppers with sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Study Snacks

Beth — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:47:52 +0000

With a little over two weeks left until the “big exam,” I’m the girl I never thought I could be. I’m buying jarred pasta sauce, pre-cooked rice from prepared foods sections, and, yes, even frozen meals. All I can say is, thank goodness for Amy’s Organics. That said, being that I still have another 1/2 week of 3-4 hour lectures to listen to a day, snacking is a must — not so much for my physical or mental endurance, but for my emotional endurance as well. If it weren’t for snacks to look forward to, I’d have lost my sanity weeks ago. Here are a few of my recent favorites. They’re easy, simple and satisfying, and protein-carb balanced as well (mom taught me well).

Apples with yogurt-almond butter dip: Combine 1 part smooth, roasted almond butter with 2 parts Wildwood unsweetened plain soyogurt. Add in a few drops (I use about 7-10 for a 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup almond butter to yogurt ratio) liquid vanilla stevia to taste. Use as a dip for apples, pears, pretzels (if you can find GF!) or anything else you can think of!

Mini Mexican Pizzas: Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with corn tortillas. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until outsides are golden brown. Spread tortillas with canned refried black beans (I used Trader Joe’s with jalapeno), prepared pico de gallo or chunky salsa and a sprinkle of daiya vegan cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake for another few minutes, until cheese is metly and outsides are crisp.

Walnut Beet Dip

Beth — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:11:10 +0000

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Spain: A Culinary Road Trip, which Gennaro bought for me a few years ago after witnessing my sheer excitement every time Spain: On The Road Again (the PBS show with Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow) was on T.V. In anticipation of a honeymoon in Barcelona, I’ve been re-exporing some of the book’s lovely recipes, many of which are simple and accessible, despite the fact that a big-time chef’s name appears on the cover.

I made this dip about a month ago and was instantly addicted. It’s the kind of dip that really makes any type of cracker or bread just a vehicle for the dip, which is rich and flavorful and, dare I say, somewhat healthy to boot (with omega-3 packed walnuts and vitamin-packed beets). I apologize for the rather imprecise measurement of the beets. I was originally not planning on sharing the recipe. But since I veered slightly from the original and enjoyed it so much, I thought I would pass this one on to all of you. I’m sure slight variations on the amount of beet used won’t change the fact that this is one great recipe. The original recipe also calls for water, in addition to much more olive oil that I used, making it more of a puree than a dip, as it is presented here. Feel free to add a bit of water or more olive oil as needed to reach desired consistency.

Walnut Beet Dip:
Adapted from Spain: A Culinary Road Trip

1 cup walnuts

1 1/2 large beets, boiled, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame tahini (I used raw)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons curly parsley, minced

sea salt

Directions:

Puree walnuts in a food processor with a sharp blade until finely ground. Add beets, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and parsley and puree until combined. If the consistency is too thick, you may add a bit of water to thin it out. Add enough salt to taste, plus another spinkle of lemon juice or drizzle of olive oil if desired.