Simple Slaw with Tangy Cahew Dressing

red and napa cabbage slaw

This slaw is so simple that I planned to revisit the recipe and perk it up by adding more ingredients, like julienne carrot, celery and maybe some toasted cashews to make it post-worthy, but when I tasted the leftovers about five hours later, I decided the dish was delicious as is.

The rich and creamy cashew dressing coats the crunchy cabbage perfectly and I was thinking that it would be yummy as a dip or sauce for steamed vegetables too. If you’re in Australia and you can’t get cashew butter, try it with macadamia nut butter. If you’re in Holland use that delicious white almond butter you find in De Natuurwinkel.

Cabbage has many healing properties and most of them are owed to its high sulfur content; sulfur is warming to the body and a blood purifier. Cabbage nourishes the stomach and improves digestion. It also helps fight the common cold, mental depression and irritability. With more vitamin C than oranges and one of the best sources of anticarcinogenic phytonutrients, which aid the enzymes that ward of carcinogens and inhibit cancer formation, it clearly is a super food.

Red cabbage has additional antioxidant properties from phenolic compounds that give it its beautiful red color.

slaw and dressing

Simple Slaw with Creamy Cashew Dressing

¼ head of red cabbage, finely sliced
¼ head Napa cabbage, finely sliced
1 scallion, finely sliced

Dressing

3 tablespoons raw cashew butter, I like Artisana
2 tablespoons filtered water
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Toss cabbages and scallion in a medium size bowl.

To make the dressing, place the cashew butter and water in a small bowl, mix until smooth and creamy. Stir in rice vinegar, salt and black pepper. Taste, adding salt as needed. Pour over cabbage and toss well to combine.

Serves 2, with some leftovers that will improve with age.

Quinoa Oat Porridge and Warm Almond Milk and Blueberries

quinoa oat porridge

When I awake to temperatures well below 20 degrees (-7 degrees celsius) I can think of nothing more comforting than this steaming bowl of creamy goodness. It’s a winter version of my oats soaked in almond milk with fresh berries. Here, I warm the almond milk and pour it over just before eating. The berries are the ones I froze from Blooming Hill Farm, simmered briefly with a dash of apple cider. I usually just stir the berries into the porridge, but I love the way it looks when I bother to use the extra pot and cook them separately.

When I say goodness I mean all the health benefits of quinoa; high in protein, more calcium than milk and an excellent sorce of B vitamins and iron.Combined with the warming and soothing qualities of oats, which help restore the nervous system, reduce cholesterol and strengthen the spleen-pancreas.

When the quinoa is soaked overnight it cooks it in the same amount of time as rolled oats, this porridge is ready in 25 minutes and anything left over can be reheated the next morning.
Sprinkle on some toasted sunflower seeds or your favorite nut and enjoy.

Stay warm!

Quinoa Oat Porridge

1/3 cup quinoa, soaked overnight in filtered water
1/3 cup rolled oats, rinsed
2 cups boiling water
pinch sea salt
pinch cinnamon

Drain and rinse quinoa. Place in a pot with oats, add boiling water, salt and cinnamon. Bring to a boil lower heat, cover, crack lid a little so that oatmeal dosen’t boil over. Simmer for 25 minutes, stiring every 5 or 10 minutes.
Top with berries, warm almond milk (see recipes below) and toasted seeds or nuts.

Serves 2

Berries

3/4 cup frozen berries
1-2 tablespoons apple cider, or other juice or water

Place berries in a small pot, add cider and bring to a simmer over high heat, stir lower flame, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Almond Milk

2/3 cup whole raw almonds
2 cups filtered water, plus more for soaking
pinch sea salt
pinch cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rinse almonds then place in a jar and cover with 2 inches of filtered water. Let soak for a few hours or over night.
Drain and rinse again. Place in a blender add the 2 cups water, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Blend on high speed for at least 2 minutes.
Kept refrigerated in a jar or bottle (I like re-using glass milk bottles) it will last 4 or 5 days.
To warm place 1/3 cup almond milk in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and poor over porridge.

breakfast the next day with mixed berries

Holiday Treats

pane forte, "stained glass" fruit cake and champagne

Here is an image of what Christmas looked like this year. My mother and two Aunts completely spoilt us by sending over all these goodies from Australia.

You may have read about my mother’s pane forte on Poetry of Food.  Two arrived, rich and delicious, wrapped and tied with a ribbon in the tins they were baked in, just in time for afternoon tea.

One of my aunts had French champagne delivered to our door, which arrived in the first snow storm. My other aunt sent her famous “stained glass” cake, named as such because if you hold a slice up to the light the dried fruits look like stained glass.  It’s also chock-full-of-nuts and encased in just enough batter to hold it all together.

Celebrating with these familiar treats warmed my heart and enriched the holiday season. Thank you.

Wishing you all a healthful and delicious 2010!

happy new year

Creamy chickpea vegetable stew

creamy chickpea vegetable stew

I wanted to post something healthy, yet festive; perhaps something you could serve your guests this holiday season.  Even though this stew isn’t festive or the least bit Christmassy, it definitely is just what I needed after a string of holiday parties. The late nights of rich food, wine and way too many handmade chocolates all seemed to disappear into the past as I ate a bowl of this stew.  The creaminess and ever-so-soothing texture comforted and repaired my body and spirit.

Blending half the chickpeas is the trick to creating the luscious consistency and at this point in the recipe, the stew could be turned into a soup by adding more water. I can’t help but think of the many ways this stew could be dressed up.  You could add more herbs like rosemary, some lemon or even blend in a head of roasted garlic. After tasting it you may, like me, decide to just leave it plain and enjoy its comforting simplicity.

Creamy chickpea vegetable stew

2 cups chickpeas
2 bay leaves
1 inch piece kombu

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
large pinch sea salt
2 carrots, cut in ½ inch dice
2 small turnips, cut in ½ inch dice
2 stalks celery, diced
¼ of a medium size butter cup squash, cut in ¾ inch dice
2 teaspoons tamari or more to taste
fresh black pepper
chopped parsley or dill to garnish

ingredients

Wash chickpeas, cover with plenty of filtered water and soak over night.
Drain and rinse, cover with 2 inches of filtered water, add bay leaves and kombu.

chickpeas, kombu and fresh bay leaves with reflection

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 ½ hours. If you are using a pressure cooker, which I hope you are, bring up to high pressure, lower heat and cook for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to come down, remove heat and set aside to cool.

In another pot heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and sauté  for 5 minutes. Stir in the marjoram, salt, carrots, turnips, celery and squash. Add enough filtered water to just cover the vegetables, about 1 ½ to 2 cups. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Strain chickpeas, reserving cooking liquid. Place half the chickpeas in a blender, add 3 cups of reserved cooking liquid (make it up with water if you don’t have enough) and blend until smooth, adding water if it gets too thick. Pour into cooked vegetable mixture along with remaining chickpeas. Sir well and season with tamari and black pepper to taste. Serve garnished with parsley or dill.

Serves 6.

creamy chickpea vegetable stew, closer

Ps. For last minute homemade gift ideas and a story about my Australian christmases check out Poetry of Food.

Happy Holidays!

Whole Wheat Scones

scones with bonnie's plum jam

This fall my sister got a serious “baking bug” and made everything from delicious ginger carrot layer cakes, biodynamic quark cheese cakes and pavlova, to whole wheat shortbread and a tiramisu (“pick me up” in Italian) that lived up to its name so much so that I was tipsy after I ate a piece and couldn’t sleep!
So when she brought a jar of her plum jam over, I knew it was time to bake sones and put the kettle on.
I’m excited to say that this recipe has been passed down for four generations, changing and evolving along the way. My mother has been making variations for as long as I can remember. If you stop by her house in the afternoon, you may be lucky enough to be served these scones with her home made black berry jam and whipped cream.

whipping the cream

Although these are not vegan, they are 100% local, which for me is thrilling. I love knowing who made the butter and ground the flour and I wonder if my grandmother did too.

Grandma’s scones

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for shaping scones
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons maple sugar (grandma used white sugar)
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
2 oz unsalted butter
zest of one lemon
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
Whipped cream and jam to serve

making scones

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Sift flour, baking powder, maple sugar and salt into a medium size bowl. Cut butter into flour using your finger tips until well combined. Mix in lemon zest.

Whisk milk and eggs together and set aside 1 tablespoon to use as a glaze. Stir wet ingredients into flour-butter mixture and carefully mix until just combined.

Turn out onto a well floured surface and gently press dough until its about 3/4 inch thick. Use a small glass, about 2 inches in diameter to cut out 15 scones. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg-milk mixture and bake 20 minutes.

brushing with glaze

freshly baked scones

To serve cut in half, spread with jam and top with cream. Enjoy with a good cup of tea.

Makes 15 scones

tea party

stella liked them too

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Greens

cauliflower soup with greens

This soup is so simple that I almost didn’t post it.  However, after a hectic Thanksgiving at Angelica Kitchen last week and the multitude of elaborate dishes I cooked and tasted, it was a welcome and nourishing change. Plain cauliflower soup is something I make frequently.  By plain, I mean cauliflower with sautéed onions and garlic simmered then blended smooth. It tastes delicious and is ready in under 25 minutes. Cauliflower is one of those superfoods that help fight cancer and assist in stimulating the liver out of stagnancy. Adding collard greens or kale like I did here makes it more of a one pot meal — these greens fortify the soup with calcium, iron and chlorophyll. You could use spinach or chard too.
Oh and if you don’t have dill, don’t let that get between you and a bowl of this velvety deliciousness.

ingredients in afternoon sun

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Greens and Dill

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
sea salt
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (use stem too)
filtered water
5 large kale or collard leaves, stems removed and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or to taste
fresh black pepper

Warm oil in a large pot over medium heat, add onions and saute for 4 or 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. Add cauliflower and pour in filtered water until it reaches just below the surface of the cauliflower, don’t add too much, you can always add more later when blending the soup. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1o minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Add greens, stir and simmer a few minutes longer. Remove from heat, stir in dill and let sit 5 minutes to cool slightly. Using an upright blender, blend soup in batches until smooth, adding more water it’s too thick. Return to pot and season with extra salt and pepper.

poetry of food

poetry of food

I have been busy the last couple of weeks writing and creating recipes for an exciting new on-line food magazine called Poetry of Food. It’s a global food memoir with contributors from far and wide, you’ll see stories from Melbourne, Beirut, London, Paris and more. I’m delighted to be reporting on some of my food adventures and favorite food memories from here in New York. Find me and my monthly column under “Greens and Grains“.

greens and grains

Check out the “Recipe Memoir” for recipes from all the contributors, you’ll also see some new ones from me and a couple of Coconut & Quinoa seasonal favorites.

poetry of food contributors

I especially recommend the grilled radicchio by Rony Zibara, Poetry of Food founder and totally inspired cook. This is one recipe among many he has on the site that are delicious and vegetarian.

Look out for next months story “A Season of Delicacies”.
I would be thrilled and honored if you much valued subscibers, subscribed to my stories and recipes there too.

I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Vegetable Cannellini Bean Stew with Spelt Berries and Kale

roast vegetable cannellini bean stew with spelt berries and kale

I wish I could serve you all a bowl of this stew, it’s a luxurious combination of creamy beans and melt in your mouth roasted vegetables, accented with just the right amount of texture from whole spelt berries and the emerald lacinato kale stirred in at the end.
Eating it on a dark, wet evening last week warmed me instantly and I loved that it stood alone, a complete meal in itself: beans, whole grain, greens and vegetables.

spelt berries, cannellini beans and herbs

An excellent source of cholesterol-free protien, beans strengthen the kidneys and adrenal glands and contain isoflavones which help prevent cancer and heart disease. Beans that are white in color are particularly beneficial to the lungs and colon.

jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes are one of my favorite vegetables, I especially love them roasted, just plain with olive oil and sea salt, allowing them to transform into a creamy, chestnut-y flavored delicacy. Unlike most other root vegetables they contain no starch and are a good source of inulin, which is helpful for diabetics as it reduces the need for insulin.
I hope you’ll make this while the squash is sweet and the  local Jerusalem artichokes are at their freshest.

Fall Vegetable Cannellini Bean Stew with Spelt Berries and Kale

1 cup great northern beans
¼ cup spelt berries
1 large sprig rosemary
2 sprigs sage
5 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 inch piece kombu seaweed

1 pound winter squash, cut in 1 inch triangles
½ pound baby turnips, cut in quarters
2 large carrots, cut in ½ inch pieces
½ pound Jerusalem artichokes, cut in ½ inch slices
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small leek, cut in ½ slices
¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tamari or shoyu
5 large lacinato kale leaves or other variety, finely sliced

Combine the beans and spelt berries in a bowl, rinse, drain, cover with at least 2 inches of filtered water and soak over night.
Remove leaves from rosemary, sage and thyme, reserving stems. Mince herbs and set aside.

Drain the beans and spelt berries and place in a pressure cooker or pot. Add reserved herb stems, bay leaves and kombu. Cover with ½ inch of filtered water, bring up to high pressure and cook for 30 minutes. If you are using a pot cover with 2 inches of water and simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until tender.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Place squash, turnips, carrots and Jerusalem artichokes in a large bowl. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss and spread into a roasting pan in a single layer, bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle about ½ a cup of filtered water over the vegetables, this helps deglaze the pan, set aside.

Warm remaining olive oil in a medium size pot, add onions and sauté over medium heat until they begin to brown. Stir in garlic, celery, leeks, minced herbs and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes, lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until celery is tender. Add the cooked beans, spelt berries and as much of the cooking liquid you need for the stews desired thickness. Simmer for a few minutes.

Using a rubber spatula scrape the roasted vegetables into the pot, add vinegar and tamari and simmer 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir in kale and cook a few minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 to 6

Bitter Green Salad with Roast Squash and Citrus Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

salad

I made this salad twice this week and loved it both times, I think it would make a great addition to any Thanksgiving feast that you may be planning.

I came across a version of this recipe whilst looking through some old menu’s from the cooking classes that I taught with my friend Gloria, this is a take on a salad that she made for the class one fall day. It’s amazingly simple and incredibly delicious.

For the greens I used a combination of arugula, mitzuna and escarole, but radicchio, spinach, endive or any hearty salad green you like would work well too.
The amounts of roasted squash and pumpkin seeds are a little loose here, just toss the greens with as much squash and pumpkin seeds as you feel like eating. I had a little of each left over, but was thankful for a quick and easy lunch the next day, plus the seeds make a tasty snack!

Citrus spiced pumpkin seeds

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1/2 a lemon
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and drained
zest of one lemon
zest of one orange

Salad
1/2 pound baby arugula, washed
1/2 bunch mitzuna, washed and cut into 3 inch pieces
1/4 head escarole, washed leaves torn into bit size pieces
1/2 a medium size red kuri squash or other winter squash, seeded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Dressing

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
splash of fresh orange juice

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the cayenne pepper, sea salt and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk. Add the pumpkin seeds, toss well and spread over the prepared baking tray, bake for 10 to 12  minutes or until seeds are puffed and golden. Return to the bowl and toss with lemon and orange zest. Set aside to cool, save the parchment paper to roast the squash.

citrus spiced pumpkin seeds

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Cut squash into 1 inch slices, cut each slice into 1/4 pieces Place on parchment lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, a large pinch of sea salt and black pepper.  Toss well and roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Set aside to cool.

Place greens and as much of the pumpkin seeds and squash as you like, gently toss. Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well, drizzle over salad and toss again. Sprinkle with a few extra pumpkin seeds if you like.

Serves about 6.

Roast Squash, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart

roast squash, caramelized onion and goat cheese tart

The last week was busy with impromptu, late night birthday celebrations and somehow in the midst of it all I made this tart to serve with some celebratory drinks.  My tart is perfect for casual entertaining as it is best served room temperature and makes a nice change from the usual cocktail snacks. I picked up the gorgeous fresh goat cheese in the photo below from my favorite cheese shop, Saxelby cheese mongers in Essex street market. Anne Saxelby sells an inspiring selection of carefully sourced, local dairy products and some of the best local cheeses you can find. I was dreaming of eating the cheese with roasted squash and arugula (a common Australian combination), so I made a buttery oatmeal crust to deliver it in and added caramelized onions and fresh thyme. What is unique about this tart is that there is no egg custard binding the filling together and with the addition of some extra caramelized onions, it could easily be dairy free.

thyme and fresh goat cheese

Crust
1 cup rolled oats
1  cup whole wheat pastry flour  or whole spelt flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter ( I used a combination)
2-3 tablespoons soymilk or filtered water (milk would also be fine)

Filling

2 large red onions, sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 large butternut or red kuri squash, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, peeled and seeded
fresh black pepper
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
1/4 pound fresh goat cheese
arugula to serve

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees farenheit.
Pulse oats in a food processor until coarsely ground, place in a bowl with flour, salt and baking powder, mix well. Melt butter (if using) in a small sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil and brush a little into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pour the rest into oat-flour mixture. Mix with a folk until all the butter and oil is combined, drizzle in soy milk (or water) and mix until pastry holds together, it shouldn’t be too wet. Press crust into tart pan and pre-bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and set aside.

pressing crust

Place onions and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a wide skillet or frying pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring every few minutes until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until caramalized, this takes a good 30 minutes, if they begin to stick turn heat down a little. Stir in a large pinch of sea salt and the balsamic vinegar, cook another few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Cut squash into 3/4 inches chunks, spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with remaining olive oil, a large pinch of sea salt and pepper, toss well. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl combine caramelized onions, roasted squash and thyme leaves.
Crumble half of the goat cheese into the bowl and gently toss. Crumble remaining goat cheese over the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell, top with squash mixture and return to oven for another 20 minutes until goat cheese is golden and slightly melted. Allow to cool before serving.

tart pre-oven

tart with arugula