fresh fruit tart with citrus banana cashew cream on a buckwheat crumble crust

today, i loved colors.  well, more than usual, and in my food.  i am fully aware that it is much hotter and muggier in other parts of the world than it is here in minnesota, but today was our first really hot day.  my one-block walk to work left me uncomfortably hot and sweaty, which was an unfortunate follow-up to the morning of fun food-making.

i had some soaked cashews waiting to be used in the fridge and a bunch of bananas on the counter, which i thought would pair well together to make a rich and creamy topping for the buckwheat crumble (again, from living cuisine) crust i’d made over the weekend.  and though i love bananas and have been adding them to smoothies and eating them plain, i thought they might work well with some citrus flavors for variety.  at work i have to bake these (unfortunately not vegan) citrus pistachio shortbread cookies that smell SO good.  until i feel inspired to turn my oven on and veganize them, i thought i’d borrow the intoxicating trio of lemon, orange, and lime for this little creation.

most of my raw eating has been from cookbooks because i am far less familiar with the concepts and i wanted to learn new ideas and techniques.  this time, however, you’re in luck if you’re jonesing for a homemade recipe!  i’m going to go out on a limb and say you could probably make this with all bananas and no cashews if you can’t eat nuts, as well as subbing avocado for bananas if you’d like to keep the creaminess but skip the banana flavor.  it works equally well as a pudding with granola and fresh fruit.  or you can do it like i did.

citrus banana cashew cream filling (makes enough for a 10″ deep pie crust, maybe more):

1 ½ cups cashews, soaked 6-8 hours
2 bananas, peeled and broken into chunks
8 dates, pitted*
1 whole orange, zest and juice
½-1 lemon, zest and juice (start with 1/2)
½-1 lime, zest and juice (start with 1/2)
2 teaspoons vanilla, or vanilla bean

water, as needed

Place soaked and drained cashews in a food processor or blender and process into a meal. Add remaining ingredients (except water), and blend thoroughly, scraping down the sides as needed, until as creamy and smooth as possible. Add water as needed to adjust thickness (how much juice you get out of your fruits will affect this too). This may take 5 minutes depending on the strength of the processor/blender (but if you choose the no-nuts route, far less time). Taste and add more zest if desired.  Use as a pudding or pie/tart filling with fresh fruit, eat, and pass out from creamy deliciousness.

*the dates do darken the cream up a bit, so you can use agave to taste if you prefer, or leave it out if you just want to rock the banana.

why yes, i did have a piece for breakfast!

after a quick rinse in the sink, the bowl went back on the food processor to whip up some pea mole (that’s the guacamole kind of mole) for a “torta” i was planning to bring to a dinner party later.  however, that’s when i had to get creative.  the “torta” crust i had made the day before out of sprouted wild rice and some other things didn’t smell quite right.  i noticed this about the wild rice the last time i rinsed it - it smelled off in a way that made me worry it had gone bad.  i rinsed it really really well and the smell seemed to go away, but after dehydrating it the smell was back and i just couldn’t risk sacrificing perfectly good fillings on a crust that might make me (not to mention my friends) sick.  painful as it was, i tossed it and hoped i could come up with some sort of elaborate new dish.  but i had no good ideas, and not much time.  luckily my eyes landed on the massive container of rosemary crisps sitting innocently on the kitchen table, and i found my purpose.  the summer manitok torta from living cuisine became, instead, spicy pea mole with avocado and tomato on rosemary crisps:

i actually added garlic (and some cayenne for kick) to the mole, since that flavor was meant to be in the wild rice crust, but otherwise kept it the same.  instead of a torta, i had individual servings with a slice each of avocado and tomato, and parsley for garnish.  despite a slightly less crispy cracker from being prepped in the morning, these were well received as my somewhat self-conscious contribution of raw.  since i sadly couldn’t partake in the delicious-looking quinoa and garbanzo salad, i had three mini tortas!

i don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but i do have a small bowl of leftover mole, tomatoes, and avocado, so they will likely end up in something.  that, and i have half of the fruit tart left (yep, it was all me).  perhaps i’ll conjure up an appropriate vehicle during my haircut after work tomorrow?

it’s been awhile, due to tweakings on zine tester recipes and the loaning out of my camera’s memory card. luckily, the recipes have been sent to the testers, and the memory card came back today! so i set to work making something tasty.

i’ve mentioned before that i’m planning to do about a week-long raw fast at the end of the month. i’ve been doing lots of research and a few experiments (some of those should pop up around here soon). the early summer weather has got me craving raw foods from ecopolitan a lot, but i often push that aside to preserve my pocketbook and being able to eat “acceptable” meals with my partner and my friends. i’m trying to make more food at home instead of running across the street (though ecopolitan’s desserts are heavenly. HEAVENLY. last week i had a slice of purple heart pie and i don’t know everything that was in it but i almost fell off my chair it was SO good!), especially since i don’t want to end up broke after a week! i’ve heard of people who did a raw cleanse and spent 500$ on groceries for five days’ worth! i can only imagine that they’re making recipes from raw food real world or the like, and relying far too heavily on nuts. at any rate, that’s not the plan i have in mind.

after a trip to the store, i scored huge in the freebies-for-employees produce (including a cherimoya that’s nearly the size of my head and looks to be just about perfectly ripe!) as well as some other things i needed around the kitchen. i made a smoothie based on this recipe, only i juiced the rhubarb and a cucumber together to use in place of water, and i only had about 5 nuts sitting in my fridge. there was some leftover juice which i added water and lemon juice to as a “summer cooler” that i plan to drink while gardening this afternoon.

strawberry-rhubarb-cucumber smoothie for breakfast

for lunch, i’ve been having visions of raw spring rolls, with colorful fillings bursting out of them. originally i’d thought of using daikon as the wrapper, but got some daikon sprouts instead. i’m the first to admit i only thought until i started looking into raw food that only alfalfa and mung bean sprouts were in existence. and if you go by most supermarkets, you might think so too. i’ve never been a fan of alfalfa sprouts - to me, they’ve always tasted like dirt and got in the way of other sandwich fillings. but when i heard about radish sprouts, i knew i had to try them. they’re spicy, and their little leaves are generally a bit larger than alfalfa sprouts. i also went with carrots, a ripe champagne mango, zucchini, cilantro, and fresh basil as fillings.

i don’t have a recipe, per se, for these rolls. but i do have some tips about making raw spring rolls.

1) if using a leafy green that is pale on the underside, remember to place your fillings on the pale side. this way when you roll it up, the color will be on the outside (and it will probably roll more easily that way too). if there is a thick stem or rib at the base of the leaf, cut it out and overlap the two sections to keep the fillings from spilling out.

2) pick a nice variety of textures, flavors, and colors. having crunchy carrots and sprouts with soft mango and zucchini was a nice mix for the delicate butter lettuce. in the flavor department, fresh herbs are your best friend! regardless of the zestiness of the daikon sprouts and the creaminess of the mango, for example, the cilantro and basil really would have been missed. likewise, pairing whatever your fillings end up being with a good dipping sauce will really help expand the flavors, as well as moisten everything. lastly, having a lot of colors not only makes it look pretty, but also means you’re getting a wider variety of nutrients.

3) don’t overstuff. like their rice paper wrapper cousins, using too much filling will make them difficult to roll and hard to keep closed. however, you can combat this by using toothpicks to hold them together. and regardless of how careful and exacting you are, these can get pretty messy to eat. napkin recommended!

i also made my first raw cookies today. a really great benefit to making your own nut and seed milks is that you can use the leftover pulp as a base for cookies or cheeses. in this case, i had some pumpkin seed pulp that i added dates, ginger, cardamom, carob, and almonds to. we don’t have the world’s greatest food processor, so i ended up adding too much water to try and get the dough to stick together. but dehydrated for a few hours and they weren’t half bad for a recipe-less first attempt, although they tasted an awful lot like the topping for the apple crisp i made (i think it was the ginger). next time i’m going to add more carob powder and maybe some cinnamon!

lemon zucchini bread (pictured on a bamboo plate purchased from twin cities green**)

after a bit of a break due to hectic-ness with work and life, i’ve promised myself i’d develop a few more recipes this weekend to test for the zine.  today got me baking, sautéing, and giving one of the older recipes a new twist:

polenta-baked maple-mustard-chili *tempeh* over spicy kale with thai peanut dressing

for a change, i thought i’d try my recently amended marinade on some tempeh instead, coat it in some polenta, and bake it - instead of my usual naked tofu/grill route.  it turned out delicious!  a told me it looked like baked fish sticks (”but not in a gross way”).  i served it over spicy sautéed kale with thai peanut dressing, inspired by a similar coconut-peanut-spinach curry i love to get at true thai (only, i imagine, quicker to make and less fattening).

i also baked some lemon zucchini bread, which has the perfect lemony hint and deliciously moist interior for a summer treat.  i’m bringing it into work tomorrow morning, also, in hopes that they’ll start making it in the bakery (because sadly, our vegan mini bread selection is in quite a depressed state).  here is an inside shot, fantastic alone, though also great with a little earth balance spread on top.

**twin cities green is a local eco-friendly retailer and information center that sells recycled, reclaimed, sustainable, fair-trade, natural and organic furniture, home/kitchen goods, clothing, bath products, books, baby stuff, etc.  even their labels and gift certificates are printed on the backside of used cereal boxes!  they also hold workshops on several topics like diy, bike maintenance, and eco-friendly alternatives.  if you live in the twin cities, i recommend checking them out.

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!

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 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.

unglazed sweet potato and cranberry scones

i never had a chance to remake the sweet potato and cranberry scones with maple caramel glaze that i came up with last fall, and since i was already planning on a sweet potato burger concoction, i decided to cook all the potatoes at once.  this time i made it with spelt flour instead of all-purpose, which yielded a slightly earthier orange than before (thought the photos don’t entirely capture that).  i also used frozen cranberries instead of fresh.

the glaze didn’t firm up as much as it did last time; i think i may have not boiled the syrup long enough.  but it sure tasted good!  they are soft, just moist enough, and a good balance of sweetness and tartness.  to tell the truth, i had one for dessert and one for breakfast, too…

and then, i also made something i’m really pretty proud of.  i don’t know what it is about my recent gluten- and soy-free kick concerning savory food, but these burgers were a definite success on that front.

sweet potato and black bean burgers with millet and leeks

these aren’t “meaty” in the sense of being chewy, but they are hefty patties of deliciousness.  because they’re baked, and not fried, they’re fairly low in fat (well, “extra fat” anyway… there is a little almond butter in there).  slightly sweet, and with a little bit of chili kick, they’d be good with salsa and vegan cheddar, or like i had them, with a healthy dose of guacamole, spring greens, sliced tomatoes, and a serving of broiled asparagus:

so, where are the recipes? you might be wondering.  well, i’ve decided it’s time i got myself together and actually started working on a little cookzine, and i need to get some recipes tested.  so if you’re interested in either recipe, let me know, and i’ll email them to you.  if you make them, let me know how they turned out for you, or how you changed them.  hopefully, i’ll have some other recipes to offer up soon as well.

baby romaine with sliced bartlett pears, carrots, radishes, and sahale soccoro blend nut and fruit mix with annie’s papaya poppy seed dressing

i started going to yoga classes this week, and after an intensive and really good class, i went across the street to the coop and picked up a couple of things to make a giant salad.  i used:

1/2 bag organic baby romaine
1 large carrot, sliced
1/2 bartlett pear, sliced
3 radishes, sliced
1 handful sahale soccoro blend (macadamias, hazelnuts, papaya, and mango with chipotle)
a good drizzling of annie’s papaya poppy seed dressing

so simple and good!  it was fun to make the salad pretty, though i do apologize for the lack of natural light, which would have made it even more scrumptious-looking.

i also recently made the maple pecan cookies from extraveganza…highly recommended!  behold how beautifully crinkled their texture is:

fresh out of the oven, they were soft and chewy and just subtly sweet.  i had some wine and passed out for the night (oops), so i neglected to put them in a bag which i think dried them out a bit the next day.  but they are still tasty when crispy!  i’ve eaten ridiculous amounts of them already (and the recipe made 30).  it’s a good thing i’ve got that yoga thing going on.