strawberry-avocado green salad with chickpea relish and fresh basil.

do you ever have one of those dinners where you realize you are shoveling your food frantically into your mouth as though you’ll never eat again? that’s what happened to me tonight. i had to stop myself, put my fork down, and breathe a little. i think this was a combination of not having eaten since my morning smoothie and my meal being mouthgasmic.

one of the big perks of my co-op job is that there’s often produce that can’t be sold for whatever reason and is free for employees to take. sometimes they really are past their prime, but most often you can either work around a bruised spot, or it is simply a perfectly ripe vegetable ready to be eaten within a day or three. a couple of days ago i got a free pint of strawberries, and today i unburied a few avocados and a bunch of cilantro. when i have strawberries and avocado, i think of them as perfect mates for a green salad, rather than separating them for sweet and savory individual purposes. a sprinkling of fresh basil and a sudden inspiration to use my recently soaked and cooked chickpeas as well made for a giant salad perfect for one person’s dinner, or two as a considerable side salad.

strawberry-avocado green salad with chickpea relish and fresh basil (serves 1 as a meal, 2 as a side):

1/2 head red romaine, chopped
6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 c chickpeas
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
splash white balsamic vinegar
splash lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 leaves basil, shredded or cut into chiffonade
dressing of choice (optional – i used goddess dressing)

place romaine on a plate or in a wide shallow bowl. top with sliced strawberries and avocado (you can sprinkle a little lemon juice on the avocado to prevent browning). make the chickpea relish by combining the chickpeas, red onion, olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl, tossing to coat. sprinkle over the salad and top with basil leaves. serve as is or with optional dressing.

the second half of my meal was inspired by pondering cauliflower. i’d thought about making a raw coconut cauliflower “rice” dish with green peas, or a soup, or just roasting it. today ended up being rather dreary and gray, and crispy roasted cauliflower sounded just right. but not just with olive oil and a couple of spices. i wanted something spicy, flavorful, and different. how about chilies? how about cilantro? how about chocolate? yes. chocolate. mole-roasted cauliflower it was.

i’m certainly not a mole expert; i’ve had it a few times to varying degrees of likeability. one of the world’s “master sauces,” i read somewhere that authentic mole uses 100 ingredients and a bit of time to prepare. but since my cauliflower didn’t need a thick sauce for roasting, i improvised more of a simple marinade. it’s far from 100 ingredients (and probably authenticity), but full of flavor and a nice kick from the cayenne. go ahead and make your roasted cauliflower a little sexy.

mole-roasted cauliflower (serves 2-4):

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp epazote or oregano
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 cloves garlic
3 tbp canola oil
1-2 tsp lime juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro to garnish

preheat oven to 425F. in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except cauliflower and cilantro. add cauliflower and toss well to coat, then place in a wide, oven-safe dish. roast for 25-35 minutes until edges are crispy, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. serve hot. (you could also use any leftovers pureed with vegetable stock for a quick and easy soup.)

i was generously awarded the excellent award blog awhile back by lisa of show me vegan.  i am meant to award this to five other bloggers whom i find excellent, but this task overhwhelms me as i feel there are so many amazing blogs out there(and i know i only know a small fraction of them) and i have seen this award floating around on several within the past few months.  i try very hard to keep up with all the blogs on my blogroll as well as a handful of others, but i’m not always a visible visitor (i don’t comment very often).  therefore, in order to prevent double-awarding/repeats (which i was guilty of causing with my last meme), i am forgoing passing this award on to only five blogs, and going to leave comments on the blogs i visit regularly instead of being shy.  and again, if you have a blog or know of a blog i don’t have listed here, please let me know!

pineapple-cucumber gazpacho with jalapeno and cilantro

awhile back i ranted about the book raw food real world.  and while i still find classism and elitism at the root of my various issues with the book, i thought i’d give it another look-through to see if there were any relatively simple, less exotic (read: cheaper ingredients) recipes i could try out.

with the arrival of spring comes a renewed interest in light and fresh foods for me, particularly raw ones.  i’m sure that many people living in cold climates manage to sustain some high level of a raw diet, but i’m not going to be one of them.  however, i am trying to be more conscious of what i am eating, which includes eliminating certain ingredients (mostly refined/white and overly-processed ones) and eating more raw fruits and vegetables.  the green smoothie thing is still going pretty strong for me, provided i have the ingredients and don’t have to be at work by 630 am (this happens three times a week)…my blender sure is getting a workout lately!  but luckily it’s a lot easier to clean than other blenders i’ve used.  and i know i’m not alone in trying green smoothies or trying to “be better” about what enters my digestive system.

so, back to my day-off raw (or mostly raw) food endeavors… this makes it easier because i don’t necessarily have to worry about whether a will eat it because she’s at work.  this actually spanned last night’s dinner, and today’s breakfast and lunch (dinner is tbd).  i got a free organic pineapple from work last week, which was really the thing that reminded me of rfrw - one of the recipes i made from it when i first got it was a cheater version (i used canned pineapple) of the pineapple-cucumber gazpacho with jalapeno and cilantro.  it claimed to make four servings, but it was easily two (or maybe i was really really hungry).  since it was an extra-light soup, we had it with some quinoa.  it was delicious!  i could easily eat this on those blistering, muggy summer days, and it doesn’t require anything fancier than the pineapple.

because i wanted something different, and because a took the last banana to work, i ended up making a different kind of drink for breakfast this morning: the fig and grape cleansing shake.

red grapes, black mission figs, star anise, vanilla, a pinch of salt, water and ice.

i don’t have a vitamix so this wasn’t as smooth as it could have been, but it was a nice change, and very filling and hydrating.  i haven’t had grapes in ages!  i think it would be good with some ginger too.

and lunch today was definitely the most labor intensive of the three (though because of some nut soaking) and by far the most expensive (again because of the nuts).  it is titled celeriac and green apple soup with black truffle.  but i wasn’t going to buy myself a black truffle (much less know where to find one) or black truffle oil, when i already have a (seemingly endless, though tiny) bottle of white truffle oil.  nor did i want to buy a plastic container of chervil to use as a garnish.  all of this especially since i was using 3/4 c of macadamia nuts, which don’t come cheap!  i didn’t follow the recipe exactly; i eyeballed measurements as far as the celeriac and green apple, and added some rosemary that i had in the fridge.  my half batch this time seemed to make a lot, but the soup was elegant and tasty despite my lack of straining out the pulp and nut particles.  i’d make this again for a special occasion, but it won’t be going on my list of regular raw soup recipes (that list isn’t actually real).

i still prefer ani phyo’s book to this one because of the simplicity and wallet-friendliness, but if i were to, say, plan a romantic candlelit dinner involving some raw food, i would probably use rfrw.  i think i still need to work on the idea that raw food doesn’t have to mean a gourmet meal from ecopolitan, and try out some recipes that use seeds rather than nuts.  this year’s garden should provide plenty of opportunity to make my own creations too.  however, cooked food is not forgotten here, it’s just being supplemented.

crushed tomatoes, spicy tempeh sausage, fresh spinach, red onions, and basil chiffonade on a spelt-whole wheat crust; with bell’s two hearted ale and a trio of olives.

we tend to order a lot of pizza luce at our apartment (well, when we order pizza, maybe once or twice a month).  and it’s great - we can do half vegan/half vegetarian, it’s garlicky, deliciously smothered in toppings, and local.  but sometimes i want more choices (not to mention saving 18 dollars).  i want to know what all goes into my crust and my toppings.  so, i bought a pizza stone.  it changed my life over two nights.

i searched high and low for a whole grain pizza crust online, but wasn’t left with many options for quick and easy.  so my wait for pizza night lasted through an overnight delayed fermentation after finding a pared down version of peter reinhart’s recipe on 101 cookbooks (a gorgeous site with vegetarian, and several vegan, recipes).  and was it worth it?  oh yes.

i wouldn’t call myself a pizza snob in the sense that i’ve never lived in new york city (wow, have i encountered strong - though deserved - opinions there), nor do i have a very specific definition of what i think constitutes a good pizza.  they come in all shapes, sizes, and tastes.  but i’m certainly not one to settle for a cheeseless vegetarian chain pizza with too much (and a too chewy) crust.  and i, for one, appreciate a crispy thin crust when i have the option, and would generally rather skip the faux cheese (though pizza luce’s rinotta is pretty damn tasty).

garlic-stuffed olives, marinated sicilian olives, and green lucques.

a is playing a few shows out of town this weekend, so i made a pizza for the eve of her departure.  i wasn’t sure how the crust would turn out exactly, and only had some vague ideas of what to top it with to approximate the simplicity of a neopolitan-style pizza.  a friend of mine likes to point out that a lot of poorer people in italy could not afford to put cheese (or meat for that matter) on their pizzas, making it fairly authentic to create a truly vegan pizza.  with the first pizza, however, i opted for some protein on top by making a zestier version of the tempeh sausage crumbles from the millenium cookbook’s puttanesca pizza.  it complemented the tangy crushed tomatoes i used as a sauce as well as the baby spinach and red onions; when i pulled the pizza out of the oven i sprinkled it with a chiffonade of basil:

…and served it with three kinds of olives and a cold bottle of bell’s two hearted ale apiece.  mmm…

so about this crust:  i used a combination of whole spelt flour and whole wheat bread flour to make a whole grain crust, which is hard to find (most have a mix of wheat and white flour).  i mixed enough dough for 8 small crusts and froze most of them, reserving a few in the fridge for the upcoming occasions.  i shaped the dough by hand (without a rolling pin), getting a dangerously thin crust in some areas, but the heat of that magic twelve-dollar stone assured that my crust came out not-soggy, and perfectly baked.  my crust didn’t blister and blacken in spots as neopolitan pizzas tend to, but i have no complaints about the final product.  it was thin and crispy without being either hard or cardboard-like, and had an amazing flavor.

spelt-whole wheat crust with olive oil, tomatoes, grilled zucchini, red onions, salt and pepper, before baking (and before basil).

i got to try out more pizza the following night, when two of my coworkers came over to watch “eyes without a face” (which i recommend if you’re in the mood for a creepy, beautiful french film from the late 50s).  this time i made two kinds: one crust simply brushed with olive oil, then layered with tomatoes, grilled zucchini, red onions, and fresh basil, and the other with crushed tomatoes, tempeh sausage, sicilian olives, marinated mushrooms, red onions, cashew cheese, and fresh rosemary.  this crust recipe is definitely a keeper!  if you can hold off a day in finishing your pizza dough, i highly recommend it.

spinach salad with baked tofu, red bell peppers, sunflower seeds, and papaya poppyseed dressing

my regimen of not taking medication isn’t really working out for me. i feel worse today than i have so far, i think. but i’m trying to eat some healthy foods in the meantime (and sucking on some olga’s herbal pastilles for my throat). above was lunch before work today, and dinner consisted of my attempt to include ramps* in a pasta dish. however, i was having a bit of a battle with the ezekiel sprouted pasta. it states clearly in bold type (twice) not to overcook the pasta, which i didn’t do to my knowledge. however, most of it ended up clumped together and grossly chewy (and not very photogenic), which i suspect is partially just a characteristic of sprouted grain pasta. however, i’m taking a well-advised tip from katie about not showing a picture of this dish just because i made it. the gummy pasta really detracted from the otherwise delicious flavors going on.

what i did in shorthand is: tossed a drained can of chickpeas and a bunch of ramp bulbs and stems in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and roasted them at 400 until browned. i made the ill-fated pasta while sauteeing cremini mushrooms in a cast iron pan until brown and juicy, then threw in the ramp greens and a large handful of spinach to wilt. i tossed it all together, added a little more salt and pepper, and put a few drops of white truffle oil on my serving (seriously, is there anything truffle oil can’t make extra-wonderful?) along with a chiffonade of fresh basil.

so, for lack of a finished product, here is a picture of the chickpeas and ramps before going into the oven:

*what the heck is a ramp? it’s also known as a wild leek in the midwest, where it’s just come into season. tasting somewhat like a cross between garlic and onions, the roasting really toned down the pungency of this little woodland treasure. (last year i tried them for the first time and i think i let them sit around too long before throwing them into a stir-fry… kissing was not a top priority after that experience!) many places, especially in the south, have huge ramp festivals in the spring! a majority of traditional recipes are also laden with dairy and meat, so i had to go with my own concoction. hooray for wild vegetables

**i have TWO upcoming bread-type experiments fermenting right now that i hope will work out…one for a whole wheat/spelt herbed pizza crust, the other for a traditional swedish all-rye bread. wish me baker’s luck!

oatmeal pancakes with maple syrup, raspberries and peaches

a and i woke up and made oatmeal pancakes (recipe from how it all vegan) and coffee, and i popped down to the coop to get some raspberries and peaches to have with it. two pancakes apiece later, we were stuffed and ready for the day!

we rode our bikes to the may day parade on bloomington ave, a parade of progressive politics, puppetry, dancing, drumming, colorful costumes, stilts, bicycles, pagans and art (to name just a few). you can check out my may day parade photos on flickr. it’s fun to see so many people you know, and it also feels like a celebration of spring, when everyone emerges from the cold, dark winter in bursts of color and warmth.

after getting sufficiently sun-kissed, we stopped at the jasmine deli for a much needed snack of mock duck spring rolls, and then went home to make a potluck contribution for my friend’s birthday party. a lot of my friends are vegetarians, but not vegans. however, they always consider me and i don’t have to worry about only getting to eat what i brought. here is my plate of savory goodies (unfortunately sans the delicious piece of sea salt focaccia that peter baked… you can find a picture of me stuffing my face with it on his flickr account):

there’s another raw recipe (my potluck contribution) coming your way below. i decided to make a raw apple crisp, which i’ve had once, but never made before, so that was a bit nerve-wracking. but it worked out wonderfully and people really liked it. spiced, moist, crisp apples topped with a nut and seed topping, and served with a dollop of vanilla cashew cream. yum! fresh food tastes so good!

raw swedish apple crisp (serves 8-12):

(part of this is adapted from ani phyo’s recipe for all-american apple pie)

1 orange, peeled and deseeded
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 handful dates, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
water as needed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp (or more) ground ginger
1 tsp cardamom
6-7 crisp apples (use one or a variety, i used pink lady)

1/2 c raw almonds, dry
1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds, dry
1/2 c raw walnuts
5-6 dates
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
water as needed
1/2 c dried, shredded coconut
2 tbsp black sesame seeds

blend the orange in a blender or food processor, then add the lemon juice, dates and vanilla to make a syrup. if the mixture seems too thick or isn’t blending well, add some water. pour syrup in a medium mixing bowl and add cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. (cinnamon and cardamom can taste slightly bitter, so if the syrup seems so to you, you can add a little more ginger to tone the bitterness down.) wash and chop or slice the apples, adding them to the syrup as you go and tossing them to prevent browning. place apple-syrup mixture into a casserole dish or baking dish (mine is a bit small at about 7×10).

to make the crisp topping, place almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts in a food processor and pulse into a coarse meal (you don’t want to overprocess them, as they provide the bulk of the texture in the topping). add the dates, vanilla, and cinnamon, and process until well mixed (you can add water if there isn’t enough moisture holding it together. transfer to a bowl and stir in the coconut and black sesame seeds. press this mixture evenly on top of the apples. (at this point you could probably dehydrate it if you want a crispier topping, but i don’t have a dehydrator and i think it turned out just fine!)

vanilla cashew cream (makes a little over 1 c):

1 c raw cashews, soaked overnight
water as needed
2-3 tbsp agave nectar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 tsp ground turmeric (optional)

drain the cashews and place in a food processor. blend into a fine meal, then add agave nectar and vanilla extract. process, adding enough water to make a thick, smooth cream. i added turmeric to make the cream slightly yellow, which stems from a personal, nostalgic desire to emulate the vanilla cream you get with swedish apple cakes and crisps, but not necessary. serve on top of your crisp (or a baked pie, in place of ice cream!).

besides the cashew soaking, this whole endeavor took about 45 minutes from start to finish. and it’s good for you (well, for a dessert anyway)! i had a lone leftover piece for breakfast this morning.

i hoped to have a bigger, and better, post for you today.  but as it is, i became suddenly sick on top of it being an emotional anniversary day.  so i am taking it easy and trying to exert minimal energy if i can help it.  however, i believe a better one may soon come your way quite soon!

here are pictures of two recipes i’m testing for my wee zine - mandarin-sesame green beans (above) and maple-mustard-chili tofu (below) - which is definitely still going to happen, it’s just taking me awhile (and that’s not counting the upcoming design process!).  i’m also still learning how to use my (eep!) new camera that arrived on thursday (incidentally, also when the weather turned into a giant, gloomy rainstorm, so i haven’t had much time to practice).  hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

vegan bun: vietnamese noodle salad with fresh veggies, ezekiel sprouted grain linguine, cilantro-habanero-almond sauce, and sunflower-pecan nutmeat, garnished with basil and cilantro

no, it’s not that kind of bun. the baked roll-thing, i mean.

i’m deeply considering a raw fast this summer for the 10 days a is away on tour. so while looking for recipe-contenders for meal-planning (i need this kind of structure for that kind of dedication), i found a website called gone raw, with member-posted recipes. i have been drooling over the creations and feeling inspired to start incorporating some raw meals more frequently. what i came up with for dinner tonight isn’t entirely raw because of the sprouted pasta, tamari, and toasted sesame oil i used, but still ended up a fresh-ful and satisfying meal. so many textures, colors, and flavors! i highly recommend making some version of this meal (the nutmeat topping could be made from tofu or mushrooms, you could spiral-slice some zucchini or daikon as noodles, and possibly add some bean sprouts like i forgot to buy) to celebrate warmer weather.

bun (which refers also to a style of rice noodle) is a vietnamese dish generally consisting of room temperature noodles, large amounts of cool vegetable garnishes, and small servings of warm meat (usually beef) or stir-fried vegetables with a sweet and spicy fish-sauce and chili dressing. i strayed from a lot of these traditions in the necessity of making it vegan; also, mine was a chilled, mostly raw salad. you can use a less fiery pepper than habanero (or omit it completely) if you’re not a big fan of spice. there might be a few leftover vegetables depending on the size and how much you use in your salad - the measurements i am including are rough estimates. and feel free to switch up the vegetables; my choices reflect what i had on hand.

vegan bun (vietnamese noodle salad) (serves 2-3):

1/2 lb. wide pasta/noodles

1/2 c (raw) pecans (soaked if desired)
1/2 c (raw) sunflower seeds (soaked if desired)
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp (or more) tamari or shoyu
1 tbsp sesame oil

1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly
1/2 c tomato, diced
1 c green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 bell pepper, julienned
2 tbsp green or spring onion, sliced thinly

1/4 c cilantro, loosely packed
2 tbsp fresh basil
1 garlic clove
2 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2-1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp (raw) almond butter
1/4 c (or more) water

lettuce leaves for lining plates
fresh basil and cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

cook noodles according to package directions, then rinse with cold water and set aside. prepare your vegetables, placing them on a large plate (this makes it easier to keep them separate and not crowd your cutting board). in a food processor, pulse cilantro, basil, lemongrass, and chili pepper until finely chopped. add almond butter and enough water to thin the sauce to your liking and process until smooth. toss with cooled noodles and clean out your food processor for making the nutmeat. pulse garlic until chopped fine, then add the sunflower seeds and pecans and process to a coarse meal. add the sesame oil and tamari and process until well blended. taste and season with more tamari or salt as necessary.

line wide bowls with leaf lettuce, then pile on the dressed noodles and vegetables. garnish with fresh basil leaves and cilantro, and serve.

close-up on those crispy vegetables, creamy noodles, and scrumptious ground nut topping

i often crave the pizza luce vegan chocolate peanut butter bars (tagline: you won’t believe they’re vegan)… so i decided to try and recreate them.  this is my first attempt.  tasty, and healthier than the original i’d imagine, because they’re a bit less sweet.  (feel free to add a little more sugar if that’s how you roll; there’s no rules against taste-testing the mix before you press it into the pan!)  but this is not healthy by any stretch of the imagination.  a crunchy, crispy layer of salty-sweet peanut buttery goodness covered in a layer of sexy chocolate.  make sure you refrigerate them for a few hours so they firm up really well and soak up all the liquids.

vegan chocolate peanut butter bars (makes one 8×8 pan)

1/3 c vegan margarine
1 c powdered sugar
1 c peanut butter (i used smooth, but crunchy might add more…crunch)
1 1/2 c of your favorite granola (i used nature’s path hemp plus)
1 1/2 c crisp brown rice cereal
1 c vegan chocolate chips

melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  combine granola and rice cereal in a mixing bowl (breaking up any large clumps of granola if necessary), then add sugar, peanut butter, and melted margarine.  stir until well combined, then press into an 8×8 cake pan.  melt the chocolate in a double boiler and spread evenly over peanut butter mixture.  place in refrigerator to chill and set (2-4 hours).  cut into squares and gobble up!

*notes - you may need to add a little salt if you use unsalted peanut butter or are just a salty kind of person.  next time i am going to try pulsing the granola and brown rice cereal in a food processor a couple times to get a bit more of an even texture.  hopefully this will also let them soak up the liquid a bit better — they were a tiny bit softer than their original counterpart, but not mushy by any means.  also, adding some crushed peanuts might be tasty!  the recipe above is as i made it, though i think i’ll tweak it a bit in the future.

up close and personal with my breakfast: pear-kale-almond-cardamom smoothie

my friend peter brought to my notice recently that while i have been posting pretty pictures, i’ve been very lax about giving out any recipes. partially this has been a result of pondering zine contenders, but most often it is a result of cooking without recipes: then, either i can’t remember exact measurements or forget exactly what i did after a couple of hours (or days). to rectify this matter, i am now posting FOUR for you. hooray!

today i was craving vegetables and fruits: sweet, luscious pears, dark, leafy kale, and ruby-red beets. and fresh lemon juice. and bananas. i could have eaten any vegetable or fruit put in front of me. the mercury was rising today (70!), and i was ready to welcome some fresh and delicious produce.

firstly, i have been thinking about green smoothies a lot lately. the seed was first planted about a year ago when i was researching vitamix blenders and came across an interesting concoction involving pears and grapes and kale among many other things. but i didn’t end up shelling out for the blender in the end, and green smoothies didn’t enter my radar until a few weeks ago, when one of my coworkers was discussing his veg/raw foods period and how he and his partner drank one every morning. (he’s since gone on to cooking everything in butter, apparently, and ditching the vegetarian lifestyle … and now his partner’s cholesterol has hit 230!) and then someone on the ppk mentioned a green smoothie challenge, and it felt like a sign. there are many different possible combinations, and the one i devised uses almond milk for a protein boost on top of all that nutrient- and mineral-rich goodness.

pear-kale-almond-cardamom smoothie with a lydia’s organics raw tropical mango bar purchased from the co-op

pear-kale-almond-cardamom smoothie (makes 3 cups):

1 pear, destemmed, deseeded, and cut into chunks
1 banana, cut into chunks
2 large kale leaves, destemmed and torn
1 c baby spinach, tightly packed
juice of 1/2 lemon
6 ice cubes
1 c (or more) almond milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

place ingredients in blender. blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. (if it doesn’t seem to have enough liquid, add some more almond milk.

how easy could that be? this was filling, sweet, creamy, and so so good! i want to drink green smoothies every day!

simple vegan borscht topped with cashew sour cream and kale chips

the minneapolis-st. paul international film festival is going on right now, and as mn film arts members, a and i have been circling schedule times and attending as many films as we can while still maintaining our sanity. and while it feels terribly inappropriate because of the film’s subject matter, i felt an intense desire to make borscht after seeing a russian documentary on sunday afternoon.

the variety of borschts seems endless, with all sorts of vegetables and herbs and toppings possible, and traditional and non-traditional versions. i never was aware of it, but apparently some borschts don’t even have beets in them! being vegan might not make mine particularly authentic (most versions include meat and/or meat stock, sometimes butter, and often a dollop of sour cream on top), but i think that its simplicity lets the earthy-sweet beet flavor shine and really highlights that gorgeous red color. speaking of that gorgeous red color, make sure you aren’t wearing anything you don’t want stained…it can be a messy affair to peel and chop beets.

i have lately been feeling an anti-soy-based sour cream thing happening. for some reason, really hate those aseptically packaged boxes of tofu…i think it may have something to do with my early tofu experiments in college, coupled with the subtle smell that accompanies such boxes. i don’t know - i’m trying not to be a hater, but right now, i’m just more into the nut-based dairy alternatives. hence, a cashew sour cream (raw) follows the borscht recipe as a topping.

i have also been hearing a lot about kale chips. vegetable chips in general intrigue me, but kale chips?! it sounded like perfection in salted, crispy form. and what a tasty way to add complementary greens to a rich, red soup: like croutons, only better for you. they’re not particularly beautiful when done (that bright green color gets lost), but they are particularly delicious! get ready to eat a whole bunch of kale by yourself in one sitting if you’re not careful.

simple vegan borscht (serves 6-8):

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 c)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 lbs. beets, peeled and diced (2-4 beets, depending on size)
2 large carrots, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 c vegetable broth
1 tsp marmite or yeast extract
3 tbsp red wine
1 tsp chili powder
2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan. add the onions and garlic and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and starting to brown. add the beets, carrots, bay leaves, broth, marmite, and red wine and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 35-45 minutes, until beets are soft. remove the bay leaves and puree soup using an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. add the chili powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and reheat gently. ladle into bowls and top with cashew sour cream and kale chips (or chopped fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or dill).

*note: the size of your beet cubes will affect how long they take to get soft. mine were smaller than a die, and took about 40 minutes.

cashew sour cream (makes about 1 c):

1 c raw cashews, soaked in water 4-6 hours or overnight
1/4 c water
1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

drain the water from the cashews and place in food processor or blender with remaining ingredients. (start with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and increase to desired tartness.) blend for 3-5 minutes until smooth.

kale chips (serves one or two):

1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into “chip”-size pieces
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 350F. whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt in a bowl. add the kale and toss to coat evenly. place on parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 10-20 minutes (time will depend on how small the pieces are) until lightly crispy.

fresh organic strawberries with vanilla soycream, garnished with pineapple leaves

i recently lent out both my copy of extraveganza and of veganomicon, but this post has helpings of each.  first, from memory, i made the strawberry jalapeno cornbread muffins… they weren’t quite like i remembered, but i was surprised i got the proportions pretty right as far as wet and dry ingredients!  they are also seasoned with oregano and fresh basil.  i had a mine alongside a simple pinto beans and rice soup:

with the leftover basil from the muffin-making, and a deliciously ripe pineapple waiting for me on the counter, i threw together a cashew-veggie-rice stir-fry, and i seem to remember something similar appearing in veganomicon (only using quinoa instead of rice, and probably some other vegetables).  i really wanted the vegetables to come through in this and to try some different flavoring, so i omitted the usual soy sauce and added a pinch of five-spice powder and a dash of balsamic vinegar (a combination i recently learned and love, especially with fresh basil).

i almost exclusively buy raw cashews (for making raw food and nut cheeses), so i toasted mine in the oven before adding them to the rice and veggies.  the smell of freshly toasted nuts is one of my favorite smells, and adds a nice depth of flavor too.  what went into this dish is as follows: yellow onion, garlic, fresh ginger, carrots, broccoli, yellow bell pepper, pineapple, cashews, fresh basil, scallions, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt (cooked up in a bit of canola oil, of course).  see how that bit of broccoli glows!

and for dessert, the warmth of the spring air inspired a simple treat i remember from swedish summers (only vegan, now!): fresh strawberries with vanilla soycream and a little dusting of sugar.  oh, how the later-night-light makes me happy…