Sunflower Slaw

Sunflower seed butter?  I had to do a double take when I saw the label as I walked past the nut butter section at the store.  It intrigued me though...I had never seen it before!  So, I decided to buy a jar and try it!  When I tasted it, I was reminded of the flavor of tahini...but with a more nutty flavor.  So, I thought why not create a dressing from this wonderful nut butter, the same way I do with tahini!  I could even use toasted sunflower seeds to compliment the dressing.  I chose to make a slaw with red and green cabbage, yellow and green beans, carrots, and scallions, because these were vegetables that happened to be fresh and local when I was scouting out and buying ingredients for my salad!  The salad was delicious!   The sunflower butter gave it a wonderfully nutty rich flavor that complimented the fresh crunchy veggies very well!  Try this one out if you can get your hands on a jar of sunflower butter this summer! 

Sunflower Slaw
Serves 6

Dressing:
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup water
juice of one lemon
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chipotle
1 tsp honey

3 garlic cloves

Salad:

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cups green cabbage thinly sliced

1 cup carrots, cut julienne

1 cup yellow wax beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted shelled sunflower seeds

In a food processor combine dressing ingredients, and process until smooth, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine vegetables and seeds, and toss to blend.  Drizzle just enough dressing over to coat veggies (you will have extra for later use) and toss well.  Serve!

Stuffed Pattypans with Crispy Scapes

You may think of it as rather silly to call produce cute, but I have to say that pattypan squash have to be one of the cutest!  They look like little sunbursts (well at least the yellow ones), and have to be one of the most interesting looking summer veggies!  They are delicious as well, tender and sweet when simply roasted.  I had bought some, and I was thinking it would be a nice small plate to stuff some and roast them!  So, I decided on a simple pine nut and pecorino romano filling with a bit of panko and egg as a binder, and a bit of garlic and basil for flavor.  Really quite simple but rather good when all was said and done...eaten!  I decided to place some roasted garlic scapes on the plate as well, for a contrast in texture, and because they are just so delicious! A bit of basil oil was used to finish, and was a nice addition for color as well as flavor.  The stuffed squash were just as cute as their pre-stuffed counterparts...almost too cute to eat, but who am I kidding, I dug right in!  If you come across some pattypans, try this recipe out!  It is rather simple, but beautiful and tasty! 

Stuffed Pattypans with Crispy Scapes

Serves 4

8 small pattypan squash

1/2 cup pecorino romano, shredded

1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt
pepper
1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
olive oil
16 garlic scapes
sea salt
basil oil

To prepare squash, slice off tops with stems, and scoop out flesh, using a spoon, leaving about a half inch flesh on sides and bottom. Reserve half flesh, and finely chop, then place in a large bowl.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add squash shells, cooking for just a few minutes until slightly softened, then remove from water and pat dry.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Add pecorino, pine nuts, panko, and egg to the bowl, along with about 1/2 tsp sea salt, a few good grinds of freshly ground pepper, and basil.  Mix well, and spoon the mixture into each of the squash shells.  Place shells on baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with a little sea salt and pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender and the filling is heated through.  You may need to cover with foil, if filling is browning too quickly.  Meanwhile, while the squash is roasting, toss garlic scapes with a little olive oil, and spread out onto a lined baking sheet.  Roast until starting to crisp and brown, and remove from oven.  When squash is done, to plate, place 2 squash on each of 4 plates, drizzle with basil oil, and top with scapes. 

Mushroom Walnut Stuffed Chard with Roasted Summer Tomato Puree

I love lasagna, especially veggie cheese, and I have a version that I make with mushrooms and swiss chard.  I was feeling like some of this type of lasagna today, but not wanting all the heavy pasta noodles that the lasagna contains, or feeling like making home made ones, as I often do.  So, I came up with a solution!  The lasagna filling, well at least a variation of it, wrapped in chard leaves instead of the pasta!  Why not?  The filling is my favorite part of the lasagna anyhow!  This version was to be a little lighter however, not because of it's lack of pasta, but because it wouldn't be smothered in cheese, since I didn't happen to have any mozzarella on hand.  So, I decided that I would make the filling the same as the lasagna filling with chard, and mushrooms, as well as fresh herbs, but add some walnuts to the mix for a more interesting texture.  The filling tasted great before I even stuffed it into the chard packets, but was marvelous after it had been baked, the flavors intensified...all the fresh herbs, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the toasty nutty walnuts!  I chose a simple roasted tomato puree to top the packets, since I had just picked a couple from the garden, and it was a wonderful fresh addition to the more rich filling!  Try these out at the height of summer, when all of this produce is still in season.  Especially if you are craving some veggie lasagna...it is a healthier option, plus, way easier to prepare! 

Mushroom Walnut Stuffed Chard with Roasted Tomato Puree

Serves 3

Puree:

2 large tomatoes, cut into about 8 wedges

olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil

Filling:

olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, diced
10 crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chard 6 large leaves reserved, and the rest coarsely chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large organic egg
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp fresh basil
1 Tbsp fresh oregano

toasted walnuts for garnish
basil leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  spread out tomatoes on sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Roast in oven until soft, and charred a bit on the edges.  Remove from oven, and puree in a food processor until smooth with 1/4 cup basil.  Meanwhile, heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.  Add the onion, and saute until starting to soften about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, garlic and chopped chard and saute a few more minutes until veggies have softened.  Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly.  Place in a large bowl with walnuts, cheese, egg, sea salt, pepper to taste, basil and oregano.  Mix until well blended.  lay out the 6 reserved chard leaves on a counter, and spoon about a half cup filling onto the middle of each.  Spray 3 shallow ovenproof bowls or rimmed plates.  Fold up the chard, top and bottom first, then the sides, and place seam side down in a bowl.  Repeat with remaining packets, placing 2 in each bowl.  Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and bake for about 20-25 minutes until filling is hot in the center, and cooked through.  Spoon the tomato puree over each chard packet, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and scatter a few walnuts and basil leaves over each.

Curried Summer Squash and Coconut in Filo with Cilantro Almond Pesto

I had bought a large amount of zucchini, yellow crookneck and pattypan squash, and although I love it simply roasted, I thought it might be nice to make something a little more creative with it.  I came up with the idea of enclosing it in crispy filo dough triangle.  At first I was thinking I would like something more on the mediterranean side with sun dried tomatoes and basil, and maybe a basil pesto to go alongside...but my mind shifted to something curried rather quickly when I decided that I wanted to use a bit of cilantro in the dish.  I don't consider myself a curry expert by any means, so this would be a bit of an experiment...a lot of tasting to get the filling right.  So, not knowing exactly what I wanted to add to this squash for the filling, I started roasting the squash...then decided to add onions and toasted coconut to the filling.  I threw in some curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon, along with a touch of cayenne, and tasted it.  Rather good for throwing it together, but it needed something a little rich...almond butter!  I grabbed my almond butter and spooned a bit in, and then the filling was just perfect, once I added some fresh cilantro and sea salt.  I started folding up the triangles, and by the time I was done, the filling ended up being just the right amount...with room for a bit of large tasting samples of course!  While the triangles were baking, I whipped up a batch of cilantro almond pesto to go alongside. It ended up rather zingy, bright and fresh with the citrus and cilantro, but also a bit nutty from the almond...a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the curried squash in the triangles.  Altogether I was very happy with the finished dish!  I couldn't wait long for them to cool, tasting them soon after they were removed from the oven.  I loved the way the crispy filo contrasted with the sweet squash filling!  The filling itself had just the right amount of spice, and richness with the addition of the almond butter and coconut...it was a wonderful use of summer squash!  These are good at room temperature as well, I should know, since I went back for more.  If you have lots of summer squash you should definately try these out...they may have a lot of ingredients, but are really actually quite simple to prepare. 

Curried Summer Squash and Coconut in Filo with Cilantro Almond Pesto

2 lbs summer squash

coconut oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut, toasted
1 Tbsp sweet curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cloves garlic
juice and zest of one lime
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
10 Tbsp butter, melted

10 sheets filo dough
1 cup cilantro
1 cup almonds
1/4 cup almond oil
juice of 2 large limes
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
sea salt
chipotle

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Toss zucchini with just enough coconut oil to coat, and spread out on sheet.  Roast for about 20 minutes until starting to brown, and remove from oven and place in a large bowl.  Meanwhile, in a small non-stick skillet, heat about 1 tsp coconut oil over medium heat, and add onion.  Saute until tender, and add to bowl with zucchini.  Add coconut, curry powder, sea salt, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, lime juice and zest, almond butter and cilantro, and mix until well blended.  To assemble, place one sheet phyllo on work surface, and use a pastry brush to coat one half of it with butter. Fold in half lengthwise, and brush top with more butter. Fold in half again to make 4-inch strip of dough. Brush strip with butter, then spoon about 3 Tbs. zucchini mixture on corner of bottom edge. Fold corner across to make a small triangle, then fold up like a flag, enclosing nut mixture in triangle of phyllo. Brush both sides of phyllo triangle with butter, then place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining phyllo sheets, butter, and zucchini mixture. Bake about 20-22 minutes, or until triangles are golden. Transfer to wire rack, and cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 triangles

Herbed Pea Hummus

When I decided to make hummus yesterday, I wanted to make it something a little out of the ordinary.  I use beets in hummus a lot, because I love the shocking pink flavor they give it, as well as the subtle sweet flavor, but this time I was thinking something green would be nice...what to use though?  Spinach?  No, not enough flavor...but I did have some fresh shelled english peas!  Yes, peas would be perfect, they would give the hummus a different sweet flavor, and tint it a lovely pale green!  I decided that some herbs in my hummus would be great as well...so I added fresh cilantro and basil to give it some interesting fresh flavor.  I used almond butter insted of the traditional tahini, because I thought that the sweetness of the almond butter would compliment the sweetness in the peas.  I used white beans as my base bean of choice this time, because I didn't have any chickpeas on hand.  The hummus turned out wonderful!  Not like any bean spread I had ever tasted before...and the peas gave it a wonderful lightly sweet flavor!  It would be good just as is with some cucumbers or corn chips for dipping, but I thought it would make a wonderful crostini, so I spread some on toasted baguette slices and topped it with roasted cherry tomatoes that I had just picked from my Dad's garden.  To make it a full meal, I made a simple side salad with more fresh peas romaine, and toasted almonds in a basil lemon vinaigrette.  It all turned out to be a wonderful fresh summer dinner!  I have included the recipe for the crostini and salad as well as the hummus recipe, in case you are interested in either of them.  The pea hummus could also be made with frozen peas if you do not have access to fresh.  This recipe is definately a must try if you love hummus, and are looking for something a little different than the classic with chickpeas and tahini.

Roasted Cherry Tomato and Herbed Pea Hummus Crostini with Pea and Toasted Almond Romaine Salad

Serves 3

Crostini:

9 slices of baguette

olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

9 fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup herbed pea hummus*

Dressing:

1 Tbsp basil oil, or olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

zest of one lemon

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1 head romaine lettuce

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1 cup freshly shelled english peas

2 Tbsp fresh basil cut chiffonade

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line  a baking sheet with foil.  Toss cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil, and spread out on sheet.  Roast for about 20-25 minutes until they are burst, and starting to char a little bit.  Meanwhile, brush baguette slices with olive oil, and toast in the oven on another lined baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.  Let both tomatoes and bread cool to room temperature.  Spread a bit of the pea hummus on each baguette slice, and top with a couple cherry tomatoes and a basil leaf.  Whisk dressing ingredients together and toss with romaine, almonds, peas, and basil to coat.  Divide salad between 3 plates, and place 3 crostini on each plate as well. 

*Herbed Pea Hummus

Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans (canned is fine)

1 cup freshly shelled english peas (or frozen, thawed)

2 small garlic cloves

juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup almond oil

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground chipotle
1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed

1/2 cup basil, packed

water as needed

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth, adding water if necessary to thin out. Serve with chips or veggies for dipping, or as a spread on a sandwich!

Sunny Honey Granola

When I decided to make granola today, I had no idea what I wanted to put in it or what sort of flavor I wanted it to have.  I guess you could call my final product a sort of a smorgasboard of ingredients, because I used up what I found in my fridge as far as fruits and nuts goes.  I had some raw sunflower seeds, a bit of almonds, and some walnuts...which all found their way into my granola.  I added some large flake coconut as well, one of my favorite granola add ins, because of it's wonderful flavor and fragrance!  I thought honey and almond oil would be nice, to sweeten and crisp, because of the beautiful complexed flavors they add, as well as some almond and vanilla extracts to give it that extra something special.  I looked at my spice supply debating whether to add any or not, then the Chinese 5 spice caught my eye!  I have never used it in granola before, but I have in just about everything else, so I thought why not this time?  Lastly, I felt that some dried fruit was needed, so golden raisins and apricots it was, since they are both golden in color, and when this granola had cooled it was rather golden...and sunny!  Just like the flavor wasn, which is why after tasting it's pure deliciousness, I decided that it should be called "Sunny Honey Granola"!  Plus, it does contain sunflower seeds and honey...Make this if you would like a wonderful granola which will definately make you feel sunny when you eat it! 

Sunny Honey Granola

Makes about 14+ cups of delicious granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups large flake coconut
3/4 cup almond oil
3/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp maple sugar
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp Chinese 5 spice
1 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups golden raisins
2 cups dried apricots, halved

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 and set rack at the medium position. In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, and coconut, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, honey, maple sugar, sea salt, 5 spice, almond and vanilla extracts until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Stir in dried fruit, and enjoy!

Herbed Pine Nut and Chevre Wraps with Roasted Scapes and Summer Veg

I am obsessed with wraps lately...there is something summery about them, and since I am not a huge sandwich bread fan, they replace the bread in my sandwiches much of the time.  I especially like the sprouted grain varieties, they are wonderfully nutty and flavorful...the perfect package for veggies and wonderful spreads such as hummus and pesto!  Wraps are just what I had in mind for tonight's dinner, and I had some chevre in my fridge, and I thought it might make a nice spread livened up with some herbs and garlic and a bit of nuts of some sort.  So I threw in some basil and mint as well as some lemon and pine nuts and buzzed it up in the food processor.  The spread turned out pretty tasty!  I decided that it would go nicely with some roasted garlic scapes as well as some tomatoes and cucumbers, since it is warm out and those are cooling veggies.  Sprouts and lettuce were a required addition to this wrap as well since I love both of them!  The wraps turned out wonderfully, full of flavor and very satisfying!  Try these out instead of the usual bread for a light summer meal!

Herbed Pine Nut and Chevre Wraps with Roasted Scapes and Summer Veg

Serves 2

Spread:
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup mint
1/4 cup basil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

10 garlic scapes
olive oil

2 10 inch whole grain tortillas
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
2 large romaine lettuce leaves

In a food processor, combine all spread ingredients and process until smooth, then set aside in the fridge.  Heat oven to 475 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.  Toss scapes with just enough oil to lightly coat, and spread out on sheet.  Roast for about 10-15 minutes or until starting to brown.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temp.  To assemble wraps, lay out tortillas, and spread the chevre mixture on the upper half of each.  Top with the scapes, dividing evenly between the two.  Then top with the cucumbers and tomatoes, then the sprouts and romaine.  Roll up from the top down, then cut in half on the diagonal. 

Little Squash

I love walking into the store in the middle of summer and seeing all of the beautiful and colorful summer squash varieties!  This time of the year they are still tender and small, perfect for roasting...nice and sweet, not full of seeds like the large ones you get at the end of summer when they have overgrown.  I can never pass up buying a few, since I don't have my own garden, and this time I got my hands on some very small zucchini and yellow squash.  I wanted to make something for myself for dinner using them, and roasting them is one of my favorite ways in which they are prepared.  Now, I could have gone for a simple side dish, but I decided to combine them with a bit of mushrooms and some truffle oil to make the whole thing a bit more interesting.  I have never used truffle oil on summer squash before, but never a better time than now to try it!  I wanted this to be a small plate sort of thing, and contain some protein as well, so I made a frico from a bit of pecorino romano and a poached egg and served it with the veggies to make the dish more substantial.  As a whole the plated dish came together beautifully!  The flavors were wonderful...the sweetness of the roasted summer squash, earthyness of the truffle oil and saltiness of the pecorino along with the richness of the egg...party in my mouth!  The best part?  Didn't have to pay a large amount of money for it, and it was as good as something I would order as a small plate in a restaurant...maybe even better!

Roasted Summer Squash and Mushrooms with Truffle Oil, Pecorino Romano Frico and Poached Egg
Serves 1 (but easily doubled)

1/2 oz shredded pecorino romano cheese, plus about a Tbsp for veggies
2 small or one large yellow summer squash, thisckly sliced
2 small or one large zucchini, thickly sliced
6 crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 Tbsp Truffle oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp fresh basil, cut chiffonade

6 cups water

2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 large organic egg

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, with rack set on the top level.  To make frico, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with a bit of non-stick spray.  Drop the pecorino into a mound on the lined baking sheet, and bake until starting to brown, about 5-10 minutes depending on your oven.  Remove from the oven, and let cool.  Line another baking sheet with foil.  Toss vegetables with truffle oil and spread out onto prepared sheet.  Roast for about 15 minutes, or until starting to get nicely browned. When done roasting, sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Let cool slightly and toss with Tbsp pecorino and basil.  To poach egg, heat water to a simmer in a medium saucepan with the vinegar and salt. Crack egg into a ramakin. Stir water with a spoon to swirl, and carefully pour egg into it. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or preferred doneness, and remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate.  Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper over egg.  To plate, mound the veggies in the middle of the plate, and drizzle with a little truffle oil.  Top with the poached egg and frico. 

Blueberry Almond Salad

Sometimes simple is best...which was the case tonight when I decided to make a salad.  I was starving, and not feeling like making something that took too much time, and I decided to raid the fridge to find the ingredients for a refreshing salad.  What I ended up chosing as my main ingredient was fresh organic blueberries...they were calling my name at the store, and I decided that including them in a salad would be putting them to good use.  This salad would be blueberry through and through...included in the dressing as well as tossed into the greens.  So, for the dressing, I combined them with some reisling vinegar, and some almond oil...since I was including toasted almonds in the salad as well, and I wanted to echo the almond flavor in the dressing.  The salad was really quite simple, a blueberry vinaigrette, toasted almonds, and romaine, but it was wonderful!  Summer produce at it's best!  The sweetness of the berries, tartness of the vinegar and the toasty almonds were a satisfying combination...definately not bad for a last minute throw together!  Although the salad was simple, it was also elegant and could be served as a first course.  If you happen to have some blueberries try it out...it is super quick to prepare!

Blueberry Almond Salad
Serves 2

dressing:
1 Tbsp almond oil
2 Tbsp reisling vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup fresh organic blueberries
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and dried well, torn into bite sized pieces
1 cup fresh organic blueberries
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
6 large leaves fresh basil, cut chiffonade

In a food processor, combine dressing ingredients, puree until smooth and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the lettuce, berries, almonds and basil, and toss with the dressing to coat. Divide the salad between three plates and serve!

Cardamom and Peaches...

Peaches spiced with cardamom are heavenly!  I love a good peach crisp with cardamom in the topping.  Which is why I thought fresh peaches might be good with cardamom in a summery cocktail!  I pureed a perfectly ripe flavorful peach, and added it to my martini shaker along with some honey vanilla syrup to sweeten, fresh lemon to keep it bright, a bit of cardamom for some spice, and some mint for freshness...then of course added the Vodka.  Prairie Organic Vodka is my favorite, because it has such a clean flavor.  Before I poured it into the glass though, I decided that a bit of sparkly on the rim might be nice...as well as some sweetness, since I knew the drink itself wouldn't be overly sweet.  So, I mixed some cardamom into sugar and coated the rim.  Now, when the drink was poured, the questiton was, would it be as good as a peach crisp...as well as refreshing?   Yes!  This was one passionate peach drink...big peach flavor to the core...the wonderful cardamom spice notes and vanilla adding a complexity of flavor!  The mint and lemon made it extra summery and refreshing as well...my only gripe about the whole thing...I wanted another!

Passionate Peach Martini

Serves 1

Cardamom sugar:

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 Tbsp agave nectar
6 fresh mint leaves
4-6 large ice cubes
1 oz honey vanilla syrup*
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
2 oz Prairie Organic Vodka
1 oz fresh organic lemon juice
3 Tbsp fresh peach puree

To make cardamom sugar, combine sugar and cardamom and blend well.  Spread out on a small plate.  Coat the rim of the martini glass with the agave syrup by dipping it into it on a plate, then dip the agave coated rim into the sugar and set aside.  In a martini shaker, muddle the mint leaves with the ice, crushing them until they are in small pieces. Add the vanilla honey syrup, cardamom, vodka, and lemon juice, place top on shaker, and shake until well blended. Pour through a strainer into a chilled martini glass, adding a few fresh berries to your glass and serve!

*Vanilla Honey Syrup:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
seeds of one vanilla bean

Heat water until boiling, remove from heat and whisk in honey and vanilla beans, until honey is dissolved. Chill well before using in drinks. Makes 1/2 cup syrup

Miso Tamari Tempeh with Citrus Sauce over Ginger Garlic Kale with Sweet Corn

While I was walking through the produce section the other day, I noticed some gorgeous kale with bright purple veins, beautiful in contrast to the bright green leaves!  I had to buy some...I wasn't sure how I was going to use it at the time, but I thought it would be delicious however I decided to prepare it.  I had also picked up some sweet corn, and last night I decided that I could combine the two in an ginger garlic saute to accompany some roased tempeh cutlets.  I used a simple marinade for the tempeh, and then topped it off with a nice citrus sauce to brighten it tup and make it extra tasty.  Some garlic scapes that I happened to have on hand made it onto the plate as well, roasted...my favorite way to eat them!  Altogether, it was a very satisfying summer meal, taking advantage of the marvelous summer produce available this time of the year!  Try it out, and if you can get some local kale, even better!

Miso Tamari Tempeh with Citrus Sauce over Ginger Garlic Kale with Sweet Corn and Roasted Garlic Scapes

Serves 2

Marinade:

1/4 cup tamari

2 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp peanut oil

16 oz tempeh, cut into 8 triangles

sea salt

cooking spray

Sauce:

1 Tbsp arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp orange zest

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp Mirin

sea salt to taste

about 6 garlic scapes

cooking spray

Kale:

2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup of fresh corn kernals
about 1 lb of kale torn into pieces
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp tamari
sea salt to taste

In a medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients and whisk to blend. Add tempeh to bowl, and toss to coat. Let the tempeh sit in the marinade for at least an hour, flipping a few times to make sure it soaks in on all sides. Meanwhile, to make the citrus sauce, whisk about 2 Tbsp orange juice into the arrowroot and ginger in a small saucepan.  Whisk in the remaining ingredients and set heat to medium.  Cook until mixture thickens, then remove from heat and add a pinch of sea salt if needed, set aside. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Lift tempeh out of marinade and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, and bake for about 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Meanwhile, to make scapes, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Spread out scapes on sheet, and spray with spray to lightly coat.  Roast with the tempeh on a different oven rack for about 10 minutes until browned and crispy.  Meanwhile, in a large non-stick pan, heat 2 Tbsp peanut oil. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the corn and kale, and cook until kale is just wilted, but still bright green. Add the tamari, and mirin and toss to coat.  Add sea salt if needed.  Remove from heat, and keep warm until tempeh and scapes are finished baking. To plate, divide the kale mixture between 2 plates, top each with tempeh, drizzle with a bit of orange sauce, and top with the scapes in a decorative fashion.

Triple Herb Pesto

Having too many herbs on hand in your fridge is a good problem to have...as there are plenty of possible ways to use them!  The most classic of which is pesto, which uses up a large amount in one batch!  For this reason, I decided to make pesto tonight!  It would not just be any pesto however...it would be a triple herb pesto combining mint, cilantro and basil!  Since the flavor was quickly becoming a bit Thai because of the herbs, I decided to include a bit of coconut as well in place of the usual parmesan you would find in many classic basil pestos.  For my nut of choice, I chose almonds, because they have a wonderful toasty, yet sweet flavor and love to be paired with coconut!  I added a bit of lemon for a bright flavor, and a pinch of chipotle pepper to give it a little kick!  Delicious pesto it was, but now in order to actually be a meal, it would need to be added to something...so I grabbed a bag of penne, cooked it off, and tossed it with the pesto.  Since this was mostly comprised of Asian ingredients, I threw in some edamame for protein, and some fresh english peas that I happened to have in my fridge.  The dish was very monochromatic...very green, but very good as well!   Tasty, and a wonderful use for the herbs!  Try it out if you are looking for a new pesto recipe! 

Penne with Coconut Almond Triple Herb Pesto, Edamame and Peas
Serves 3

1/4 cup mint

1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup basil
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
1/4 cup almond oil
juice two lemons
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp chipotle pepper or to taste
3/4 cup water plus more as needed

8 oz whole wheat penne

12 oz frozen shelled edamame, thawed
2 cups fresh shelled english peas

In a food processor, combine herbs, almonds, coconut, oil, lemon juice and sea salt and chipotle pepper to taste and process until smooth, adding a water to smooth out, and more if a thinner consistency is desired. Set pesto aside. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water, and when done cooking, reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water, and drain pasta. Place pasta back in the pot, and combine with the pesto, edamame, and peas, along with enough water to thin out pesto to a smooth consistency on the pasta. Place on a serving plate and serve!

Blueberry Basil Martini

I recently had a wonderful blueberry cocktail called the "Blueberry Boat" at a restaurant called Cafe Maude...it was lovely!  A light pinkish purple color, due to the blueberries...it was refreshing as well due to the gin, basil and lemon that it contained.  I was wondering if I could make something similar at home, using my own liquor..and so, I was inspired to create my own blueberry laced drink!  Unfortunately I didn't have any gin on hand, so vodka would have to do for now.  I love Prairie Organic Vodka...it is so pure and I appriciate the fact that it is locally produced in Minneapolis.  So that was what I used this time.  I had some basil, and blueberries, as well as some lemons, so I figured it wouldn't be hard to recreate my own version of the "Blueberry Boat".  I am pretty sure theirs contained a simple syrup, but for mine I used my own honey vanilla syrup instead, since I have a bottle of it on hand at all times.  I much prefer the complexity of honey to sugar any day.  So when the drink had been mixed and it was tasting time...the question was, would it be as good as Maude's drink?  Yes!  Mine was even better in my opinion...and a heck of a lot cheaper for me to make at home!  If you want the essence of summer, try mixing one for yourself!  You can always use gin instead of the vodka if you happen to have it on hand. 

Blueberry Basil Martini
Serves 1

2 large fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup fresh organic blueberries
4-6 large ice cubes
1 oz honey vanilla syrup*
2 oz Prairie Organic Vodka
1 oz fresh organic lemon juice
fresh blueberries

In a martini shaker, muddle the basil leaves and 1/3 cup berries with the ice, crushing them until they are in small pieces. Add the vanilla honey syrup, vodka, and lemon juice, place top on shaker, and shake until well blended. Pour through a strainer into a chilled martini glass, adding a few fresh berries to your glass and serve!

*Vanilla Honey Syrup:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
seeds of one vanilla bean

Heat water until boiling, remove from heat and whisk in honey and vanilla beans, until honey is dissolved. Chill well before using in drinks. Makes 1/2 cup syrup

5 Spice Tempeh over Coconut Ginger Rainbow Chard with Beet Relish

I was walking through the produce section, and a bit of rainbow chard caught my eye. I love the beautiful colors in the stalks...they are pretty enough to make a bouquet with! I decided that I must buy a big bunch or two, since I do not have a garden to grow it in myself! I was trying to think of an interesting way to prepare it, and coconut milk came to mind. Why not make a sauce using coconut milk, ginger and garlic to coat the greens! So, I had my main veggie for the meal, but what to serve with it? Tempeh! So, I made a marinade for the tempeh, and threw in some 5 spice to keep it interesting. Though the dish on it's own was tasty, I decided that it needed a little pretty garnish, that was also edible! So, I diced up some beets and tossed them with a little sweet and sour (vinegar and honey), and scattered them about the plate like little jewels atop the dish. It was altogether a beautiful and satisfying dinner...and a wonderful new way to prepare chard! Try this out if you have a bit of chard and are looking for a new way to prepare it!

 

5 Spice Tempeh over Coconut Ginger Rainbow Chard with Beet Relish

Serves 2

Marinade:
1/4 cup tamari
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Chinese 5 spice powder
juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp peanut oil
16 oz tempeh, cut into 8 triangles
sea salt

Beet relish:
1 large beet, diced small
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
sea salt to taste
Chard:
about 1 lb of rainbow or other swiss chard, cut into ribbons
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp lime zest
1 Tbsp tamari
2 TBsp arrowroot
about 1 lb of swiss chard, cut into ribbons
sea salt to taste

In a medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients and whisk to blend. Add tempeh to bowl, and toss to coat. Let the tempeh sit in the marinade for at least an hour, flipping a few times to make sure it soaks in on all sides. Meanwhile, stir together beets, honey, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt for beet relish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Lift tempeh out of marinade and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, and bake for about 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick pan, heat 1 Tbsp peanut oil. Add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add coconut milk, and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, tamari, and arrowroot to dissolve the arrowroot, then add to the coconut milk, along with lime zest. Cook until a bit thicker, then add the chard, and cook until just wilted, but still bright green. Remove from heat, and keep warm until tempeh is finished baking. To plate, divide the chard between 2 plates, top each with tempeh, and scatter beet relish around the plate.