Wednesday

18

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Beans, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Sandwiches, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I think of this dish as a sort of open faced sandwich. We eat bread in our house. We also eat gluten. But, there are plenty of folks who don’t. There are also plenty of vegan-loving people out there. This is a shout out to all of you. But, but but but, not just for you GF+V friends! Because let me tell you, as a carnivore and gluten-eater, I loved this meal. So much so that I re-heated the leftovers and ate it again for dinner the day that I made it.

My goal was to make a bean purée (ish) topping. I love to eat beans. They’re full of protein and add so much to most any dish. But, I didn’t want it to taste like I’d just opened a can of beans and mashed them up. So I added things like a touch of lemon and vinegar for acidity and brightness, butternut squash for creamy richness, and cayenne for a hint of spice.

Which all tasted great topped with these super cute microgreens. Hello yum! Hello packed with nutrients!

I mixed up a lemony dressing to toss the microgreens in. Note: wait until right before serving to toss them. They will wilt if left too long (lesson learned). If you have extra dressing, just save it for tomorrow’s lunch, use it for drizzling on some soup, or make a double batch of these yummy treats and have a party!

I’m seriously digging crispy pan fried tofu these days. I love to sprinkle it with lots of cayenne and a bit of ginger (plus salt and pepper). In a super hot pan they’ll cook in no time at all.

The tofu gets spread with beans and topped with the microgreens (mine were kinda swimming in the dressing, so I had to quickly consume as many as possible – not a problem).

The perfect little gluten-free, vegan treat for lunch, dinner, snack, appetizer… maybe even for breakfast!

Happy Eating!

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: 2-3

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Ingredients

1 C black beans (if canned, drained and rinsed)
1/4 C water
1 T lemon juice
1 t rice vinegar
sprinkle cayenne
1/4 C mashed butternut squash or sweet potato
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1/4 C lemon juice
1 T parsley, minced
1 t mint, minced
1 T green garlic/green onion/chives/garlic, minced
to taste salt
2-3 T olive oil
1-2 C microgreens
olive oil, for frying
14 oz. tofu (extra firm or firm)
to taste salt
to taste pepper
to taste cayenne
to taste ground ginger

Instructions

Heat beans, water, 1 T lemon juice, rice vinegar, cayenne, squash, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and set aside and keep warm.
Whisk lemon juice, parsley, mint, green garlic, and salt. Stream in olive oil while whisking. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil. Add tofu and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded, adding more oil as needed. Set on a paper towel lined plate as they are done.
Spread beans on top of tofu, toss microgreens with dressing (right before serving, being careful not to overdress, as they will get soggy) and place them on top of the beans.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/crispy-tofu-with-black-bean-puree-and-microgreens/

Wednesday

11

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Roasted Fennel and Asparagus with Mâche and Lemon Vinaigrette

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

For me, it’s not officially spring until we get asparagus in our Abundant Harvest Organics box. Guess this means that spring is here. I’ve planted my garden, baseball is back on with some spring training games, and the weather is pretty nice. It all adds up.

The asparagus that we got this week is that super delicate, thin stalked, first batch. They’re just lovely.

Especially when they’re tossed with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted in a hot oven.

I’m not sure that fennel is a sign of spring, but roasted, just like most any veggie, it’s sure to be yummy.

To go with our spring theme, I have a bright and cheerful dressing that’s full of lemon, herbs, and delicious Bari olive oil. Right now I just can’t get enough of lemon and herbs. I want to eat it on everything. It’d be great with fish, to brighten most any roasted veggies (broccoli and cauliflower in the winter months, summer squash when it’s hot out, and even on hearty harvest veggies like winter squash in the fall), and as a great finish to soups.

I served the veggies a-top some bulgur wheat. If you want to keep it gluten-free, wild rice would be great too. Be sure to spoon some extra dressing over to let the bulgur wheat or rice get nice and coated. You could also serve it as a hot and cold salad to go alongside some Parmesan Risotto or Gnocchi.

We ate this outside, enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze. Tim, who is really into writers and Paris was reminded of absenthe, by the licorice notes in the fennel. He feels like this is a dish that Hemmingway would have eaten. Me, I just thought it tasted good, Hem or not.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Fennel and Asparagus with Mâche and Lemon Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2

Roasted Fennel and Asparagus with Mâche and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
20 asparagus, ends snapped off
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1/4 C lemon juice
1 t dijon mustard
1 t honey
1 T parsley (or basil or tarragon), chopped
to taste salt
1 T green garlic (or garlic or shallots), chopped
3 T to 1/4 C olive oil
1 pint (2 C) mâche
Pre-heat the oven to 425F.

Instructions

Toss fennel and asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, flipping once.
While veggies roast, whisk lemon juice through green garlic. Stream in olive oil as you whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Toss the mâche with the dressing and serve over the roasted veggies. (Great served on top of bulgur wheat, but would also be great over wild rice, or alongside some parmesan risotto or gnocchi.)

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/roasted-fennel-and-asparagus-with-mache-and-lemon-vinaigrette/

Monday

9

March 2015

3

COMMENTS

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, One Dish Dinners, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Stir Fry is one of those dishes that’s packed with flavor, nutrients, and is ready in a flash. Perfect for those tired nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner.

There’s just something about the colorful veggies. Purple cauliflower, bright orange carrots, green broccoli… they’re such happy and friendly colors. You could totally switch up the veggies depending on what you’ve got on hand and what’s in season. Sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, and green beans would all be fabulous.

I like to add nut butters to bump up the protein in a dish, especially if I’m opting to keep it vegetarian (which I did for this dish, but you could definitely add meat, or keep it vegetarian and add some pan fried tofu). Also, I just like the taste. Today I used almond butter. It’s not quite as in your face as peanut butter is, yet it still brings the same nutty yumminess.

The sauce is whisked together before the veggies go in to the wok. Since they are cooked over fairly high heat, stirred almost constantly, and cook quickly, I don’t want to take chances with anyone burning while I whisk up the sauce.

They cook so fast that the veggies still retain their bright, beautiful colors.

Sauce is added and will just cook for a minute or two.

I like to toss the noodles (or rice or quinoa) with the veggies and sauce. That way I can make sure that they all get nice and coated.

And then it’s ready to be topped with almonds and some lemon juice. You could absolutely add chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro too.

I like using rice noodles with Stir Fry. Some don’t even require any cooking – they just warm up in a bowl of hot water. They stand up great to re-heating the next day too. Rice or quinoa – also great. Or how about fried rice? Yum! Or, how about rice noodles with a fried egg on top?! Now we’re talking… Of course it was great just the way I made it – topped with almonds and a good squeeze of lemon.

Happy Eating!

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Ingredients

1/4 C almond butter
1 t honey
3 T to 1/4 C water
2 T lemon juice
1/2 to 1 T liquid aminos (or GF soy sauce)
1/8 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground coriander
pinch cayenne
2 T olive oil
1-2 C broccoli, bite sized pieces
1-2 C cauliflower, bite sized pieces
1 C carrots (or celery), sliced on a bias
(sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, green beans would also be great)
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1-2 C greens (or cabbage), chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
lemon slices, for serving
almonds, chopped, for serving
rice noodles, rice, or quinoa, for serving
fresh herbs (chives, cilantro) (optional), chopped, for serving

Instructions

(Optional: Cook rice or quinoa, if serving one of those with the dish. Cook a protein, if desired.)
Whisk together almond butter through cayenne. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
(If using rice noodles, follow instructions on package and cook/warm now.) Heat a wok or large skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add broccoli through pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Add greens and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes more. (Optional) Toss with rice/quinoa/rice noodles if desired and cook for 1 minute more.
Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon and almonds, and fresh herbs, if desired.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/almond-butter-stir-fry/

Monday

23

February 2015

0

COMMENTS

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Roasting, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

If you are into time travel and happen to meet up with my younger self, please don’t tell her that she will grow to love beets. She will surely not believe you and may even laugh in your face.

I am not a believer in time travel, if you were wondering. But, we just watched the Back to the Future trilogy, and being married to Tim, we discuss time travel way more than I ever thought I would. So it’s on my mind more often than I would have ever thought it would be… But then again, I never thought I’d like beets, sooooooo…

If I could time travel, I think I’d go to a point in history when Julia Child was alive, so I could meet her, preferably in Paris, at a dinner party at her house, after we’d become best friends during one of her L’école des trois gourmandes classes. Maybe we’d even enjoy beets together, since I would be taking my love of beets with me wherever I time traveled to.

Yes, beets. I love them. I am sad when they’re gone. It’s a pretty good life lesson, if I stop and think about it. There are so many things that I think I don’t like. Maybe I really and truly don’t like them. But, with the right additions, with the right complimentary flavors, after trying and failing a few times, maybe they will become not just not as bad as I’d thought, but a favorite.

For this soup, beets are most certainly the star. They bring a sweet, earthy depth to it that’s like nothing else. Combined with (also sweet) carrots, it’s just a fabulous combination. They stained my hands red when I was peeling them (making me wonder how they’d do as an Easter egg dye) (if that would bother you, you could wear gloves), but it washed off with a good scrubbing.

The cauliflower in this dish adds a bit of crunch and, well technically a lack of color, that looks kinda awesome with the red soup. I cooked it separately and added it at the end so that it wouldn’t turn pink. If you don’t care as much, you can add it to the soup with the beets and carrots.

The base of the soup is basically (ha, no pun intended) olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and vegetable stock. There’s a bit of salt and pepper, and some heat from cayenne. That’s it. It’s a simple one.

The carrots and beets take a while longer to roast than the cauliflower, so they get a head start.

Don’t worry, the cauliflower will catch up.

Roasted cauliflower and broccoli are one of my favorite sides. Probably ever. I can’t get enough of how crispy and nutty they get in the oven.

The beets and carrots are added to the boiling stock. They’ll all simmer away for a few minutes. Then it’s ladled into a bowl, topped with some cauliflower, lemon juice, and dill. I haven’t decided if I like it better with or without the dill. I mean, I like it both ways, so I’d say add it if you want to.

I made a very different beet soup a few weeks ago that was not yummy. I added a few too many bitter root veggies that threw off the taste. So, my expectations for this soup were admittedly not very high. This soup pleasantly surprised me with how flavorful it was. I liked it so much that I put my spoon down and slurped the last of the broth out of the bowl.

The real test will be if Tim likes it. He doesn’t yet know that he loves beets like I do. 😉

Happy Eating!

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

Ingredients

1 large beet (about 2 C), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
3 t olive oil, divided
to taste salt
to taste pepper
3 carrots (about 1 1/2 C), cut into 1/2" chunks
1/4 head of cauliflower (about 2 C), cut into bite sized pieces
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 T balsamic vinegar
4 C vegetable stock
2 C water
to taste salt
to taste pepper
good sprinkle cayenne
lemon slices, for serving
1/2 t dill (optional), finely chopped, for topping

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
Toss beets with 1 t olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the top rack for 15 minutes.
Toss carrots with 1 t olive oil, some salt and pepper. Stir beets and add carrots, cook for 15 minutes more.
Toss cauliflower with 1 t olive oil, place on a baking sheet. Stir beets and carrots and move to a rack in the lower portion of the oven. Place cauliflower on the upper rack. Roast for 10-15 minutes.
Remove beets and carrots from the oven. Flip cauliflower, and roast 10 minutes more.
Heat soup pot over medium-low. Add 1 T olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 30 seconds more. Add stock through cayenne. Bring to a boil, add beets and carrots* and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon into bowls, topping the soup with cauliflower, lemon, and a tiny bit of dill.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/sweet-and-spicy-roasted-beet-and-carrot-soup/

Thursday

29

January 2015

0

COMMENTS

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Sauces, Vegetables, Vegetarian

It makes me super happy when I’ve made something that’s loaded with veggies, and Tim, unprompted, tells me how much he likes it. What a guy! Good thing he liked it so much (even the tofu!), because I am sold.

First of all, tofu is a cheap way to get some protein into a dish. I know, I know, not everyone is crazy about soy. So, if you’re not a tofu fanatic, that’s awesome too! Be who you are, right?! If you’d like, add some chicken instead, Tempeh is great too (but also a soybean product), beef and pork would also be super yum. Or, go totally vegetarian and add some more nuts (even a scoop of peanut or almond butter mixed into the sauce would be great).

See how easy that was?! Substitution central over here. This is one where there’s something for everyone.

Oh yeah, and if you’re vegan, omit the fish sauce. (No duh, Rachel. You knew that… We taught our 2 year old niece to say, “No duh, Uncle Tim” over the holidays. It was one of the highlights of the trip. Especially when she started saying it to Oma too.) I’d planned to make this a vegan dish. I was going to add some honey, then remembered that some vegans don’t eat honey. I finished cooking and realized that fish sauce is obviously not vegan. Eye roll and shrug of the shoulders. I can’t expect my brain to work perfectly all the time. 😉

This is my go-to stir fry sauce. It’s simple. Soy sauce (or a gluten-free version, which tastes remarkably similar), fish sauce, and rice vinegar. Sometimes I use cornstarch and water, to act as a thickener. Either way, we think it tastes great.

Stir Fry is one of those awesome meals for using up whatever veggies are hanging out in the fridge. It’s also a way to pack in many many veggies, but can also be great if you’ve just got broccoli and an onion left at the end of the week. My goal, this time, was to find a way to use the red choi. The rest of the veggies are kinda just a bonus. Plus, it’s a great dish for cabbage using up. And, tastes great with an Asian slaw on the side. Yep, do it, get your cabbage on!

Anoooooother reason I love Stir Fry, it’s so incredibly quick to prepare. Veggies cook over higher heat, so they cook fast and retain their bright color. A friend gave me a wok, so now I don’t throw veggies all over the stove.

Don’t forget, keep those veggies moving. High heat means they’re gonna burn if you leave them unattended.

Once the veggies are cooked (see how greeeeeeeen they are still!?), sauce goes in, cooks for like 2 minutes more, and then you’re done!

You could stand there and eat it out of the wok. Totally fine with me.

But, maybe a better option is to scoop some rice onto a plate, slide some tofu next to it, and pile on those veggies.

If you’ve already eaten 5 pieces of the crispy tofu, I understand. I may have done the same.

May have.

Happy Eating!

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 21 minutes

Total Time: 31 minutes

Yield: 2-4

Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

Ingredients

1 C brown rice (rice noodles, quinoa, or bulgur wheat would also be great)
2 C water
1 block firm tofu, sliced about 1/8" to 1/4" thick
to taste salt
pinch cayenne
pinch ginger
2 t olive oil, divided
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 C cold water
1 T cornstarch
pinch ginger
2 T olive oil
1/4 C carrots or celery, thinly sliced
1-2 C broccoli or cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
2-4 T radish, thinly sliced
1 C cabbage (or collard greens or kale), chopped
1 head red choi stems, chopped
(could also add: snap peas, bean sprouts, green beans, summer squash, butternut squash)
pinch salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head red choi leaves, chopped
2 T almonds, chopped, for serving

Instructions

Cook rice.
While rice cooks, sprinkle both sides of the tofu with salt, cayenne, and ginger. Heat skillet over medium to medium-high heat, add 1 t olive oil, when it's hot add tofu, working in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded, cook for about 2-3 minutes per side (or until sides are browned and crispy), adding more oil as needed. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Whisk together soy sauce through ginger. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add carrots through salt. Cook, stirring constantly (picking veggies up with tongs and moving them around works best for me), for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red choi leaves and cook for about 2 minutes more.
Stir in sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes (or until sauce has thickened).
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve over rice, topped with chopped almonds.

Notes

If it's not essential for this to be vegetarian, 1 t fish sauce is a good addition to the sauce.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/red-choi-stir-fry-with-tofu-and-almonds/

P.S. Those leftovers, plomp it all together in a pan and heat it up. The rice will love the sauce, and get a little bit crispy and extra yummy.

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Dairy-Free Archive

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Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Happy Eating!

11

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Roasted Fennel and Asparagus with Mâche and Lemon Vinaigrette

Happy Eating!

9

3

Almond Butter Stir Fry

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23

0

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

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29

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Red Choi Stir Fry with Tofu and Almonds

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