Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo-Pepita Sauce

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I
love trying different versions of the traditional enchilada. In these vegan
enchiladas, we get some extra protein punch from the pepitas in the sauce. I
had some vegan “queso” that I was experimenting with so I was able
to make this completely vegan, but you are certainly not limited to that. A
good queso añejo would also go well. The grilled tomato
was intended to add color to make the picture better, but it
turned out being a nice acidic component that brightened up every other bite
or so. Butternut squash loves being seasoned with cumin and chile, so this
just came together quite naturally. Read More

Roasted Delicata Squash, Fennel & Onions

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Okay,
admit it. I’ll bet that more times than not, when you glance at the delicata
squash at the market you think, “Wow that would make a lovely table
decoration.” Don’t feel in the dark. It is a cool looking squash. And I
am sure you are not alone. Here is the great news though. It tastes better
than it looks, and you can eat the whole thing, skin and all. I guess that’s
why they call it “Delicata,” although I have done no research to
back this notion– just a hunch. This recipe is extremely easy, bringing
delicata squash and fennel together like soul mates. Add this to your
Thanksgiving menu or serve it as a quick and easy weeknight vegan meal. I
recently featured winter squash on my nutrition blog in an article titled 10
Superfoods for your Autumn Grocery List. So dig in, and know you
are getting some awesome nutrition. Oh, and you can serve this right out of
the oven, or make it a couple hours ahead and enjoy it at room
temperature.

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Whole Roasted Pumpkin with Mushroom Ragout

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When I go to the market and see
all the different types of gourds and winter squash, all I want to do is
bring them home and play with them in the kitchen. There is something
architecturally fulfilling about taking a big edible thing like a pumpkin and
bringing out it’s simple pleasures, and presenting it in its minimally
fragmented glory. Here is an extremely easy dish you can make as a vegan
entree or an interesting side dish on your next holiday dinner table.
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(better than) Bieler’s Broth

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Bieler’s Broth is a traditional healing, cleansing broth that is very popular among holistic and alternative medical professionals. The only bummer thing about Bieler’s Broth is that it doesn’t have much to offer from a culinary perspective. It’s just pretty freakin’ blah as far as I can tell. Since I’m all about making healthy eating not only simple, but also delicious– so that you can enjoy healthful foods the way nature intended– I came up with this modified version.

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Buckwheat Ramen with Shiitake Mushrooms & Vegetables

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I’ll be frank: I love
buckwheat!!! I have always had a fond place in my heart for buckwheat. I
honestly can’t remember where in my childhood buckwheat took its place, I
think an aunt used it, or maybe my mom. I just remember it being there somewhere.
When I started pursuing this healthier cooking thing, I was delighted to
discover the nutritional benefits that buckwheat has to offer. Buckwheat is
not actually wheat at all. It is a seed that comes from a sorrel-like flower.
This makes it, in my view, a superfood, not to mention gluten free, plant
based, and other great qualities many are looking for
today.

Unfortunately, buckwheat flour doesn’t behave quite the same
as wheat flour, so its uses tend to be more limited, but you can find some
good products that use pure buckwheat in simple and nutritious ways. You can
also use it in recipes here and there, in baking, and always be confident
that you are adding amino acids, fiber, and other essential nutrition to the
dish. Here is a fantastic and quick way to enjoy ramen without the toxic
craziness of the ubiquitous instant ramen. And, it is great on a detox!
This recipe can be ready to eat in 20-30 minutes from start to finish.
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Radish Greens & Rice Noodles with Fresh Mango

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You have probably heard the
expression “diamond in the rough.” Well, what about “vitamins
in your rubbish pile?” That is exactly what you have when you throw away
your radish tops. I know, I know, it is probably an automatic reflex to just
break those greens off and toss them away. It’s cool, if you are okay with
tossing a significant source of calcium, iron, magnesium, folate, vitamin A,
C, K and other nutrients into the trash. Not only are radish greens edible,
they are the most nutritious part of the plant! It is worth the effort to
find a good source of fresh radishes with live, abundant greens. Here is just
one example of an easy way to utilize fresh radish greens. The slightly
bitter bite of the radish and the fresh, sweet mango are like two peas
in the pod…sorry I couldn’t resist the cliche!
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Robata Eggplant Tacos with Miso-Sesame Coleslaw

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The Japanese eggplant is going
nuts in my garden right now. I have enjoyed Japanese eggplant many
different ways. This time, I wanted figure out a way to keep it intact,
because the shape is so cool and versatile, while trying something entirely
new and different from my typical eggplant concoctions. Robata is a Japanese method of cooking long
pieces of food on an open flame, on big skewers. Traditionally, the skewers
are placed around the fire by sticking them directly into the sand or earth
that surrounds the fire.  You don’t have to go to the trouble of
building a fire to enjoy something similar. You can grill the eggplant, or
just cook it on a stovetop griddle if you don’t have a lot of time. In fact,
modern robata restaurants use a charcoal grill, not an open pit fire. The
charred eggplant, combined with the slightly spicy miso slaw make for an
awesome fusion taco. The sprouted corn tortilla is superior for nutrition and
it has a homemade tortilla kind of texture and flavor. I loved the way this
came out and will definitely make this a regular.

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Chickpea & Wild Mushroom Cakes with Basil-Mint Tzadziki

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Lately
I have been thinking this a lot: “A tzadziki would go great with this
dish.” But I hadn’t found a great, vegan plain yogurt. Although some
will argue that dairy yogurt is good for you, if you are avoiding dairy, or
keeping vegan, a dairy yogurt just won’t do. Then the other day I was headed
to one of my local grocery stores, but coming from a completely different
direction than usual. Surprise! I rode my bicycle right into the South
Pasadena Farmer’s Market. I couldn’t get from one end of the market to
the other without completely spending all of my cash. Then I found a vegan
nut cheese maker called Blode Kuh. And
there before my eyes was a sample cup filled with cashew yogurt. Yum and yay,
because not only was the yogurt fantastic, the cheese maker accepted my
credit card on his “square” thing. Gotta love technology! This
recipe is devoted to the people at Blode Kuh! Thank you for your awesome
yogurt!! Read More

Vegan Cashew Nasturtium Pesto

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Are you a pesto-file? Always
looking at different ways to make pesto? Here is one you quite possibly have
not tried yet, and it is very versatile. A couple weeks ago, I taught a
workshop on edible common garden flowers at Fig
Earth Supply, the edible nursery in my neighborhood. And, it got me
thinking of all the delightful, delicious ways we can get the most
nutritional bang from our outdoor spaces. Enter nasturtium
pesto!

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